text:
OCZ Vertex 4 Review (128GB), Firmware 1.4/1.5 Testedby Kristian Vättö on 8/4/2012 10:00 AM EST
60 Comments
Back to Article
Flunk - Saturday, August 04, 2012 - linkIt's not realistic to assume that users will really keep SSDs only 50% full, especially 128GB or 256GB drives. It seems like this feature is purely to benchmark better in reviews and that's low, even for hardware manufacturers. I'm sure that less well-informed reviewers will be tricked by this and publish misleading reviews.
To clarify something, I'm not saying that this is a bad product, just that this feature is misleading. If I were set on buying an SSD from OCZ right now I would buy a Vertex 3 because of the price advantage, the performance is a real tossup. Reply
OCedHrt - Saturday, August 04, 2012 - linkMy 128 GB is closer to 80% full. However, at that usage any SSD suffers anyways. Reply
rs2 - Saturday, August 04, 2012 - linkI agree, this article should have included results taken with the drive "30% Full" and "75% full" in all benchmarks, to demonstrate what will happen in the real world when the 50% mark is passed. Reply
ratbert1 - Saturday, August 04, 2012 - linkTom's wrote an article about how writes are affected by this. Seems on the 128Gb drive they dwindle to 60-70MiB/s when you get over 50%. Interesting theory as to why.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/vertex-4-firmw... Reply
Alexvrb - Sunday, August 05, 2012 - linkYeah, stuff like that makes you think twice about buying a specific model of SSD, until you get a tough review of it. I don't want to read a softball review Kristian. I want to see worst case scenarios. Pit it up against a Samsung 830 in some real-world drive-packed scenarios. Reply
jwilliams4200 - Sunday, August 05, 2012 - linkThe funny thing is that the OCZ people like Tony gave Tom's a lot of grief for that review, even though the review clearly had test results to back up their claims. The only speculation in the review was about how the performance mode worked on a low-level, but that was clearly labeled as speculation.
OCZ is just the worst SSD company there is. They release gimicky products like the "performance mode" V4, and then when people try to give them a thorough review to see what the downsides may be, the OCZ reps whine and complain about the review being unfair or not typical of most usage. Reply
Kristian Vättö - Monday, August 06, 2012 - linkI don't have any Vertex 4s, Anand ran all the tests and I simply did the writing. This article was already weeks overdue so instead of pushing it back by another few weeks at least, we decided to have a "regular" review now and look at the performance mode separately.
I do have Agility 4, though, so I can play around with it and see how it behaves. Reply
Laststop311 - Saturday, August 04, 2012 - linkfor 95% of consumers the fact that it only runs in performance mode when 50% full will completely go by their head. It's a very dirty under handed tactic to get good benchmark scales by leaving it under 50% than the customer not knowingly gets screwed. I currently own a 7mm height 512GB Crucial M4 in my Asus UX32vd and it has a very steady performance all the way up to 85% used so far. And I only paid 384.99 free shipping and no tax. Takes me less then 8 seconds to do a full boot up and windows 8 will probably lower it to about 4-6 seconds to boot up from cold.
I'm pretty sure the 512GB Vertex 4 doesn't come in 7mm height size and I'm damn sure you aren't going to find it for 385 final cost. Also crucial makes every single part of the solid state drive. The make their on nand, dram, controller, firmware. This allows them to take the cream of the crop of components and sell the slightly not as good ones off. Plus they make sure everything is totally compatible and working perfect together since they make EVERYTHING.
Crucial are so solid rock reliable and everything on them works just perfect together and they have great trim and garbage collection and don't lose a huge performance drop at 50% capacity.
Oh did I mention they are dirt cheap. You can easily find a 256GB crucial m4 for right around 180 or a little more. They ware way below $1/GB and perform like the top tier ssd they are.
Did I mention reliable? The old 256GB C300 I have in the optical bay of my m18x works just as good as the day she was born. GO CRUCIAL DIE OCZ Reply
extide - Saturday, August 04, 2012 - linkActually, the Crucial C300's and m4's use Marvell controllers, which Crucial does not make.
Samsung is (one of?) the only companies that make the entire drive, controller and all.
That being said I own a C300 and a few m4's and they work very well, even after a long time. Reply
yyrkoon - Saturday, August 04, 2012 - linkWill just about 100% guarantee that marvel controller has 100% Crucial firmware on it.
However, I am not sure which exact drive it was. But Crucial had an SSD that used a dual core ARM A9 MCU for a controller at one point.
With all that said. I buy mostly Crucial only memory products when possible simply because of their business tactics. Simply, they are an old fashion American business. Who realizes their money comes from customers. Who they will bend over backwards for Within reason of course. Then, from the outside looking in. Crucial takes great pride in their product. Always doing the best they possibly can. After that, their customer service is second to none.
Anyways. I am not saying I have never had a problem with a Crucial / Micron product. Because I have. The experience was nothing but pleasurable. Considering I had a problem with one of their products. Which I may add that in 15 years of dealing with Crucial has only happened once. Then since the product I returned was no longer available. They sent me a better product at no cost.
Too bad other companies in the industry can not learn by their example. Reply
menting - Sunday, August 05, 2012 - linkaside from the first generation SSD that never got public release, Crucial uses the marvell controller with in-house firmware.
They are looking to make their own controller in the future AFAIK, but I dont know when that is supposed to happen. Reply
0ldman79 - Tuesday, August 07, 2012 - linkI'll have to back up the customer review of Crucial. I had a problem with Crucial once about 14 years ago. After a 5 minute phone call it took about a week and I had a replacement stick in my hand.
Sound like Crucial's quality control went to pot for a little while there. Two bad products in 15 years... wow. Reply
JNo - Sunday, August 05, 2012 - linkQuite. In the UK the Samsung 830 is cheaper than the Vertex 4 (at 256GB for example).
The 830 is cheaper, faster, made by a company that also manufactures all the components and firmware *and* has a much more reliable track record both for the drive and especially for SSDs in general where OCZ has been plagued by poor quality (I don't care if it was because of unreliable sandforce controllers - they decided to buy them and sell them).
It's a no brainer imo - DON'T buy the Vertex 4! Why would you?! This article spent did a lot of good analysis when it could have just been a one-pager saying that the Vertex 4 has new firmware which makes it slightly faster in certain conditions but it's still slower and more expensive than competition which has a more reliable track record. Reply
Coup27 - Sunday, August 05, 2012 - linkI like Crucial, but you really need to get your facts straight before spouting off like that. As has been mentioned below, the m4 controller is made by Marvell and is in use in more SSD's than the m4.
The m4 has also had 5 firmware updates, one of which was to correct a catastrophic failure after 6 months of use.
Samsung is the ONLY SSD vendor who makes all the parts. Reply
pc_void - Tuesday, August 14, 2012 - link" It's a very dirty under handed tactic to get good benchmark scales by leaving it under 50% than the customer not knowingly gets screwed."
Yet Toms writes: "OCZ certainly ups the Vertex 4's game with its new software, and we commend the fact that the company is striving to improve its products."
The OPPOSITE of what you say. Hmmm. Reply
brichter - Wednesday, September 05, 2012 - linkYou're correct, I didn't find the 512GB for $385 final, it was $379, $359 after $20 rebate. No shipping as I bought it in-store and no tax as I'm a resident of Oregon.
The OCZ has 256 bit AES hw encryption, whereas the Crucial doesn't support hw encryption at all.
I own both a Crucial and (now) an OCZ, they are comparable in performance judged by my butt -dyno, with 2 MBP 8,2s side by side. Both these drives are faster in my Macs than in my Windows machines, there wasn't more than a couple seconds difference in boot times on my Win7 desktop between the SSDs and the RAID1 (2x 500GB Seagate spinning platter drives), so the bang per buck is much better with the cheap 500GB Seagates in a Windows box.
The following comment comes from the Tom's review, dated a couple of weeks before your post:
But our story doesn't simply end with vindicated testing results. OCZ quickly pushed out a firmware version 1.5 to alleviate some of what we observed the last time around. The latest build significantly helps the drive to remain in "performance mode" and significantly reduces the shortcomings identified in OCZ Vertex 4 128 GB: Testing Write Performance With Firmware 1.4. Reply
MrSpadge - Sunday, August 05, 2012 - linkNo. "Performance Mode" is a bonus feature, which you may or may not get, depending on your usage of the drive. Sure, benchmarks should take this into account. However, the practical differences between any modern high-performance SSDs are small anyway. Reply
mattlach - Sunday, August 05, 2012 - linkI am also concerned about this.
How much does the performance differ between performance mode and normal mode?
I bought this drive based on previous reviews which did not mention this feature.
I am concerned that once I add more data to the drive, I'll get something significantly worse than I paid for. Reply
Omoronovo - Sunday, August 05, 2012 - linkAs the article states, you will get the same performance you would have had you bought the drive when it released (or with 1.3 firmware).
You bought the drive based on previous reviews which were on older firmware which didn't have this feature.
When at less than 50% drive capacity you get almost double write performance and better overall performance in many situations. When you go past 50%, you still get improved write performance (improvements in the firmware that extend beyond performance mode), but you just lose the extra sequential write speeds which you wouldn't have had in the first place without the update.
You aren't going to get anything worse than EXACTLY what you paid for; just that in many situations you'll now get something BETTER. Reply
mattlach - Monday, August 06, 2012 - linkI didn't base my purchase off of 1.3 firmware reviews.
I saw those and thought "my the read performance of this thing is surprisingly poor", and then continued my research of other drives.
Then other sites 1.4 and 1.5 reviews started coming out, showing the read speed issue having been resolved (but not mentioning the performance mode) which is when I bought the drive.
As always Anand's reviews are better than other sites on SSD's and now I am aware of this issue, and almost feel cheated somehow...
So are you saying this mostly impacts write performance? If that is the case I am less concerned. I write once and read many, so I don't care as much about the write performance as I do about the read performance. Reply
ewood - Monday, August 06, 2012 - linkYou shouldn't feel cheated if you bought the drive thinking read performance was corrected. The increase in read performance does not go away when going from performance mode to storage mode; only write performance in affected. So if you chose to buy the drive when the read performance was corrected you should see those gains regardless of used capacity of the drive. And as a side benefit if less than 50% of the drive is used you also get increased write performance. Reply
MadAd - Wednesday, August 08, 2012 - linkthe point of a test is to create an environment to repeat runs and compare the differences between them, the fact it wasnt X full or Y empty isnt an issue as long as all drives are treated the same way
we arent concerned if the tests dont reflect what a users drive looks like, users vary, what concerns us is if the tests can be used as a comparison from one drive to another, and we see that they can. Reply
althaz - Saturday, August 04, 2012 - linkI only keep my 240Gb SSD half full. I have Windows, Office, my browser, Broodwar and Starcraft 2 on it and that is pretty much all.
I would suggest that most people don't actually put that much stuff on their SSD, unless it is in a laptop.
On a 128Gb drive, though you are more likely to have it at least 3/4 full. Reply
doubledeej - Saturday, August 04, 2012 - linkBut most people aren't buying excess capacity they don't intend to use. If you're never going to use more than half of your drive, why waste the extra money (nearly double in many cases) on space that is just going to go to waste?
Most people will buy a drive sized appropriately for their needs, and nothing more, when it comes to SSDs. Especially since the prices just keep dropping and performance keeps improving. Buy what you need now, and upgrade later if you need to. Reply
mattlach - Monday, August 06, 2012 - linkExactly.
I use an SSD for my operating system, programs, games and a few files I am currently working on. Everything else gets stored on my NAS.
I opted for a 240GB SSD this time around as my old 120GB Agility was a little tight for this purpose, and I was running out of space.
With my usage model, I will likely not come even close to filling the 256GB drive, but I'll likely go just over the 50% mark, which is why I am concerned. Reply
MrSpadge - Sunday, August 05, 2012 - linkSure, SSDs are faster when not fully loaded. But paying 2x as much for double capacity, just for this little performance bonus? Not a good value proposition. Reply
sequoia464 - Saturday, August 04, 2012 - linkAny chance of filling the 128 model up over 50% and running the tests over again?
Most of my drives are more than 50%, it would be nice to know what the final usage speeds will actally be for these drives once they get some of their capacity filled. Reply
mattlach - Sunday, August 05, 2012 - linkI support this fully.
It would be good to know what exactly we can expect once the drive goes past the 50% mark.
Also, it has been stated that this is a once time calculation and reorganization of data. Does this mean that if you do a fresh install, or otherwise clear up space, you can never get the performance mode back?
We need answers to all these questions. Reply
Bull Dog - Saturday, August 04, 2012 - linkDid power consumption change at all? I'm always interested in this metric due to the impact it can play on battery life. Reply
lbeyak - Saturday, August 04, 2012 - linkYes, I thought in the previous Vertex 4 articles, it was mentioned that the high idle power usage would be addressed with this firmware update???
Would be great to know. Reply
hybrid2d4x4 - Tuesday, August 07, 2012 - linkI agree with this. I care more about power consumption than incremental performance since I only have an SSD in my laptop for now, and the next one I buy will replace that 128GB F120 and my HTPC and eventually desktop will get them as hand-me-downs Reply
sswing - Saturday, August 04, 2012 - linkNow it looks like we need a review comparing VTX4-25SAT3-512G & VTX4-25SAT3-512G.M since I haven't been able to find updated specs from OCZ. There's a big price difference but is the performance difference relatively equivalent? Reply
Movieman420 - Saturday, August 04, 2012 - linkActually Ocz has been fore-warned not to repeat the same stunt they pulled when they switched from 34nm 32Gb dies to 25nm 64Gb dies without making it clear that there was a significant performance difference...esp with the 50 & 60gb drives that went from using 8 nand chips (1 per SF channel) to using only 4 chips and 4 channels. Anand took Ryan Peterson to task over the stunt and Ryan promised to differentiate models who's speed change by 5% or more I think.
The '.M' drives with Micron nand are slower than the regular V4 with IMFT nand
Here's the thread at Ocz.
http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/forum/showthread... Reply
menting - Sunday, August 05, 2012 - linkhuh? Micron NAND IS IMFT NAND.
what was that support guy smoking? Reply
semo - Monday, August 06, 2012 - linkJust to add that not only did the performance suffer but the capacity did as well. They also used Spectek NAND which wasn't what the reviews reported originally.
In the end, OCZ managed to bury the issue without even issuing a mass recall of the affected drives. OCZ is a dodgy company and I'm glad that there is enough competition out there for me to avoid buying any of their products. Reply
primeval - Saturday, August 04, 2012 - linkThe performance is great and all, but without reliability I just don't see that many people jumping on board. No one wants to replace their SSD frequently. Reply
chaudx - Saturday, August 04, 2012 - linkHow much of a drop in performance do other drives take when over 50% full?
Benchmarking empty drives seems like a waste of time, as most people are going to fill them at least 50%, if not more. Reply
Linuxhippy - Saturday, August 04, 2012 - linkWhat I really miss is an analysis, how much used capacity affects real-world performance.
This way, it looks just a lot like an advertising campaing bought by OCZ ...
The review reminds me a lot about the SandForce benchmarks, where you had to subtract -25% once the drive had been written its capacity for the first time. Reply
AFUMCBill - Saturday, August 04, 2012 - linkAnyone needing an SSD in a video recorder such as the Black Magic Design Shuttle 2 now knows to stay away from this drive. A real time application like that is going to be utterly intolerant of the drive deciding it needs to take a large timeout half way through. I am sure there are other applications in a similar situation to that. Reply
Beenthere - Saturday, August 04, 2012 - linkThe way these companies rush out half-baked software, firmware and hardware is a crime. They should all be severely punished financially for using consumers as unpaid beta testers.
If they continue to do this the executives of these companies should do prison time. This would reduce the exploitation of consumers and bring some sanity and integrity to business. Tolerating the illegally gotten industry monopolies and product price fixing sent a clear message to these criminals that anything goes and as such they are cashing in and using the media to further their unscrupulous behavior. Reply
TGressus - Sunday, August 05, 2012 - linkWhatever the cost of doing business will always be passed on to you the consumer. Reply
FunBunny2 - Sunday, August 05, 2012 - linkOnly by monopolists and oligopolists. Adam Smith was right. Reply
Alexvrb - Sunday, August 05, 2012 - linkYou're probably confused - weed does that to people. If costs go up, whatever the cause, the cost of the final product goes up too. Doesn't really matter who the company is or what the product is. Reply
FunBunny2 - Monday, August 06, 2012 - linkwrong. read up econ 101. Reply
B3an - Saturday, August 04, 2012 - linkI'm about to upgrade my Crucial C300 SSD's and wanted to know what people would recommend for my usage... gaming, heavy Photoshop, video editing and 3DS Max work. What would be best for this?
I'm guess the Vertex 4 would be one of the best options? But i'm a bit worried about the pretty poor read performance under heavy workload.
What would people recommend? Reply
charleshoskinson - Thursday, August 16, 2012 - linkI'd highly recommend the Samsung 830 or the Crucial M4. I've used both lines of SSDs in my laptops and business computers and never have had a failure. I realize it's anecdotal, but I respect the engineers at Micron and Samsung and like the vertical integration they've built in their product line. Reply
charleshoskinson - Thursday, August 16, 2012 - linkAlso you may want to consider springing a little money for a sandy bridge E motherboard and 64 GB of RAM. At current prices, you'll pay about 400 for the RAM and you'll be able to mount a software based ramdrive running at speeds around 10-15 times that of a normal SSD. I use my setup to run a linux distro entirely in RAM saving anything I need from my work session encrypted on a dropbox account. I get read speeds around 2.5 GB/s and Write speeds around 2.0 GB/s. On a windows 7 setup you can expect similar speeds. Reply
mayankleoboy1 - Saturday, August 04, 2012 - linkthe 50% issue affects the drive temporarily only. when it is more than 50% full, it rearranges the data in a few minutes and you get the old speed back. then when you fill it again some more, you get reduced speeds, till the data gets rearrannged. Reply
jwilliams4200 - Sunday, August 05, 2012 - linkThat seems unlikely. I mean, sure the drive will slow way down while it is doing its reshuffling once it crosses 50%. But after it finishes that housekeeping, it would have to be slower at >50% full than it was at <50% full. Otherwise, why go to the bother of having a "performance mode" and a "storage mode", if both modes are the same speed? Reply
Alexvrb - Monday, August 06, 2012 - linkNo. Speeds drop DRASTICALLY while it is rearranging, making you briefly wonder if you're using a 5400 RPM HDD from the late 90s. But even after it finishes, speeds are reduced to firmware 1.3 levels. Permanently, unless there is some way to force it to return to performance mode (rearranging things again) after you delete files to bring it back under 50%. It's just silly, modern SSDs should have no need for this sort of nonsense.
Anyway, this trick allows them to advertise ever-higher speeds, and even show off reviews of these speeds. I mean who buys an SSD with more than twice the capacity that they need? You're just going to replace it with a newer, better SSD in a couple of years. It's not worth the money. Better off getting a Samsung 830 or an Intel 520 that's the right size. Reply
hasseb64 - Sunday, August 05, 2012 - linkThis OCZ firmware review biz has to stop. Let them get ONE chance to deliver a FINALIZED PRODUCT (review it 1 time, and then it is enogh). We consumers should not accept a half finished product. Reply
jwilliams4200 - Sunday, August 05, 2012 - linkThe solution to that is simple. Just do what I do. Never buy OCZ. Reply
peevee - Monday, August 06, 2012 - linkEXACTLY!
OCZ is a sketchy business. We remember upder0the-table downgrade of Vertex 2. We remember blue-screening Vertex/Agility 3s. Now this.
OCZ employs incompetent firmware engineers. 15 months later after I purchased my Vertex 3, and the latest firmware is still unstable.
Now all modern SATA III SSDs are fast enough for desktop use. The main differentiators are reliability and quality of support. And at these metrics OCZ is the worst of the worst. They still cannot upgrade firmware on a system drive from Windows, they still don't work with Mac at all, they still will require you to "Sec erase" your drive with your system (and then spend hundred hours to reinstall and reconfigure everything again) every time they update firmware, they still don't allow you to go to an old firmware (although some on them crash less for some users then their new firmwares) and require you to have working internet connection for update utility to redownload firmware every time... And blame problems on everybody else (while other drives simply work). This company is so bad it should simply die. I don't know why Tom's pays them so much attention, OCZ's reputation is beyond repair at this point. Reply
vishwa108 - Sunday, August 05, 2012 - linkIt is never a good moment when the bull being lead by its nose-ring is claiming to be leading the bullring. This OCZ Independence Day saga have had many a worshipful scurrying to atone his altarboy days of their "independent" review and now, after "Version 1.5", the worship is still akin to the fruit of The Choir Boys At Practice being heard louder than ever.
First it was OCZ Zist und Zat soon to be followed by photocopied scans of "the reviewers" bottoms and then it was Marvellouski, quickly buried by another version of Amerikana 1.4 – only to end up with some vacuous advice of the, "Don't go beyond half und you be OK, ja?", variety. All for a good course/cause in buggery no less. No wonder Amerikans are being offered either the feast of Uncle Tommy und hist Kobbling Kabin Krew or another Mormon extravaganza with the mesmerised numpty vessels ringing louder than ever whenever the word, "War", is messaged. What? OCZ are not of Yankeeland but rather of those who will soon be receiving their just rewards from across The Straits? Makes you 'fink, ain't eet. Perhaps the truth ought to be tried once in awhile – with all holes barred, of course.
It is self benevolent to realise that Truth is merely another word for Freedom because the freedom that was gifted is about another/others and is not about self – when the gift was taken back. When truth is of self, you can't even get it out of the blighter after a severe bout of torture. Hands up those who would like to disagree – especially when it is via a freed versioned 1.5 of some SSD doo-dah. Reply
ssddaydream - Sunday, August 05, 2012 - linkwhat is wrong with you? Reply
shunya806 - Sunday, August 05, 2012 - linkwelcome to our website:
Dear friends, do you want to have some different things?
Whether you want to give your relatives and friends,
take a few different exotic gifts? Whether you want to
buy some cheap benefits of thing? So please, let us begin now!
Click on our website
email@example.com Reply
mark53916 - Monday, August 06, 2012 - linkWhat happens to the lifetime and reliability of the OCZ Technology Vertex 4
drives with firmware 1.5 when the drive is only running at 1/2 capacity?
We already know that the performance is improved, but there may be other
advantages to operating with reduced capacity. These two come to mind:
1. The drive endurance may be improved
If it turns out that either the drive endurance is improved if the
drive is only half used I would be very happy.
2. The data retention time for powered off devices may be improved.
Increased powered off data retention time at reduced capacity
won't affect me much since I couldn't afford solid state for my monthly
backups even at the full capacity price, but people who have to
keep around old system disks for long periods would benefit
if the powered off data retention time were increased
In addition, I find that the per byte price for SLC drives seems to be about
10 times what the cost is for MLC drives [even though the manufacturing techniques
seem to indicate that manufacturing cost is slightly less than 2 or 3 times
as much for SLC compared to MLC.
I'd gladly spend 2x the price per byte and run at 1/2 capacity until I actually
need the additional capacity, even without increased drive endurance or
powered off retention time, just for the improved performance. Reply
FunBunny2 - Monday, August 06, 2012 - linkSLC and MLC are the same parts, just binned and then programmed for either 1 or 2 bits. That's it. Reply
robalm - Sunday, September 16, 2012 - linkI decided to upgrade from my old Intel x25-m g2 80gb to a new fast ssd.
It became an OCZ Vertex 4 128gb (1.5) but now I saw this review and this:
"Small filesize sequential read performance needs work. Thankfully most sequential reads in client workloads tend to be in the sweet spot for the Vertex 4, but there are some applications That do a lot of small sequential IO (eg web browser cache accesses). '
Have I made a stupid upgrde when it come to web browser performence? Reply
ryrynz - Monday, December 15, 2014 - linkMy Vertex 4 128GB had a sudden death. Seems to be fairly common for these drives.
MAKE SURE YOU'RE BACKED UP. If you get some sudden reboots you know your controller
is on the way out.. one time it'll happen and poof.. no drive detected, you've been warned. Reply


text:
Diane J. Shea
PhD, LPC
BS, Psychology Immaculata University
MS, School Psychology, St. John's University
PhD, Academic/Counseling Psychology, Walden University
Dissertation title: Effects of Clergy Sexual Abuse
COUN 517 Professional Orientation and Ethics
COUN 541 Administration of School Counseling Programs
COUN 560/561/563 Internship in School Psychology
(Shea, D. 2009) Served as a field reviewer for: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Clinical and Professional Development of the Substance Abuse Counselor, Rockville, MD: Author
Shea, D. (2008). Effects of sexual abuse by Catholic priests on adults victimized as children. Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity 15, 250-268.
Shea, D. (2008). Effects of clergy Sexual Abuse on Adults Victimized as Children: A Comparison with Adult Males victimized by a layperson. LaVergne, TN: VDM Verlag Publisher
Menago, D. & Shea, D. (2013). Integrating Spirituality into Clinical Practice: American Psychological Association Division 39: Psychology and Religion
Baltimore, MD.
Shea, D. & Menago, D. (2012) Integrating Spirituality into the Counseling Curriculum.
Pennsylvania Association of Counselor Educators and Supervisors: Newtown, PA.
Shea, D. & Huber, J. (2012) Trust Building Exercises for Counselor Education: Association for Creativity in Counseling (ACC) Conference Memphis. TN.
Areas of interest:
Sexual abuse and integrating spirituality into treatment
Other roles:
Advisor for School Counseling Concentration
Published 11-10-16
Huber, Shea, and Corbin Present at Pennsylvania Counseling Association's Conference
Published 5-24-16
Counseling Psychology Presents at PACES Eastern Regional Conference

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Republican Tom Emmer finally conceded defeat to Democrat Mark Dayton in the Minnesota governor's race. Although behind by 9,000 votes, the homophobic Emmer still thought he should have won.
The race gained national attention when Target and Best Buy made substantial donations to a PAC that supported Emmer. Although they claimed they supported Emmer for his position on lower taxes, LGBT groups jumped on the candidate's extreme anti-gay views. He called one person who called for death to gays "a nice guy," for example.
Target has refused to budge on its position, however. The Human Rights Campaign spoke to representatives of the company over the summer to encourage them to make equal donations to LGBT groups. Negotiations broke down and the company has not responded or supported LGBT groups in any significant way since then.
HRC's rating of Target in the Corporate Equality Index was lowered from 100 percent to 85 percent in the latest listing.


text:
The Cincinnati Bengals have made it to the playoffs five straight years, an impressive stretch of success that should put them among the elite franchises in the AFC.
It's the fact they haven't won a game once they've gotten to the postseason that has some fans hesitant to feel any satisfaction.
Underrated? Perhaps. But the Bengals know there's only one way to change that perception.
And that road begins at MetLife Stadium on Sunday against the New York Jets in the season opener.
If there's one trend the Bengals can change immediately, it's that they've never defeated the Jets in New Jersey. They're 0-9 there, but despite that dismal record, coach Marvin Lewis knows how huge a victory would be in Week 1 — no matter against whom or where it comes.
"It makes you 1-0, on the road, which is a good thing," said Lewis, 6-7 in openers with the Bengals. "It kicks off the season in the right way. You focus on this since the schedule comes out. This is the opening game, so there's a certain importance to it. It's an opportunity to get off to a fast start."
Meanwhile, the Jets haven't been to the playoffs since the 2010 season, the longest postseason drought since owner Woody Johnson took over the team in 2000.
Johnson declined to make a playoffs-or-bust declaration while speaking to the media this week, but the Jets certainly have their sights set on success.


text: I usually have no problems pulling the skin from the bony side of pork spareribs but pulling the skin from the meat's a different story (St. Louis style with the flap). I don't want to mangle the meat but it seems like that happens more often than not, and that's even after trying some of the methods posted here. Anybody else run into this problem? Any good solutions? Thanks!


text:
A COUPLE have called for Chinese lanterns to be banned after waking up on New Year's Day to find one in their garden.
The lantern did not cause any damage but David and Pamela Hodson, of Aston Drive, Poolbrook, Malvern, feel they have had a lucky escape.
"It landed on the grass and must have gone out," said Mrs Hodson.
"But it's frightening to think what could have happened.
"It could have landed on our conservatory and melted the plastic. It landed only a few feet away from our patio, with its covered furniture. If it hadn't been so wet, there would have been a real risk it would have set things on fire."
Chinese fire lanterns have been blamed for two major fires in the West Midlands region in recent months, and fire chiefs and countryside groups have called for a ban.
Malvern town councillor Martin Lawrence is backing the call.
He said: "While Chinese lanterns remain on sale, residents will not be able to resist them.
"I will contact trading standards and our MP with a request that they consider what can be done."


text:
SMWC theatre professor wins lifetime achievement award
November 30th, 2012 | SMWC
What is a lifetime of achievement? For Sharon Ammen, Ph.D., professor of theatre at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC), it is written in the posters of plays, performances and students plastered all over her office walls.
It is also written on a gleaming new plaque from the National Communication Association (NCA).
"I had no idea I was going to receive this," Ammen said. "I was completely surprised and deeply honored." Recognized for her live performance work in an academic setting, Ammen received the Lifetime Award for Artistic Scholarship from the NCA's theatre, film and multimedia division during a conference in Orlando, Fla., from Nov. 14-18, 2012. She attended the conference with Tyler Hutcheson, technical director in SMWC's Department of Music and Theatre, and Sherry Bube, a music therapy major from Nashville, Ind.
"I co-presented two sessions with Dr. Ammen at the NCA convention," Bube said. "I find that both attending and presenting help expand my knowledge-base and professional network. Also, being able to collaborate with a professor such as Dr. Ammen is an advantageous opportunity because of her intellect and creativity, which definitely aid me in my educational pursuits."
Creativity and intellect – two qualities often used to describe Ammen. "Sharon is a dynamic educator and producer," said Janet Clark, Ph.D., vice president for academic affairs at SMWC. "She has been the backbone for many outstanding theatrical performances at The Woods. She brings a creative outlook and an encouraging attitude to the stage and the classroom."
Ammen, teaching at The Woods since the late 1990s, has been involved with NCA for more than two decades. She chaired the division when it only encompassed theatre and currently serves as the secretary for the organization's emeriti and retired members. According to their website, NCA members are scholars, teachers and practitioners "dedicated to fostering and promoting free and ethical communication." With more than 8,000 members and nearly 100 years old, NCA promotes the use of communication to improve life through professions, education, the arts, research and more.
"There is no one I know that is more deserving of this prestigious award than Sharon," said Hutcheson. "Her list of contributions to the National Communication Association could go on forever. She is an outstanding educator who is passionate about bringing her undergraduate students to the conference helping them gain invaluable skills in acting, improvisation, reader's theater and overall communication."
Each year Ammen takes several SMWC students and representatives with her to the NCA conference. Since she has been at The Woods, each time Ammen has submitted a session topic for the conference she has been accepted. Often, as in this year's case, two of Ammen's submissions are accepted.
"I think it's a great thing when they choose reader's theatre pieces," Ammen said. "We create the piece before we get there, then rehearse like mad. The group is inter-generational – students from SMWC and other colleges, professors and professionals all participate. It's important that SMWC students get the experience of working with diverse groups like this."
Ammen's lifetime achievement award reflects her expertise as both a theatre professional and an educator. She consistently puts students' needs first and has kept the flame of live theatre alive.
"Live theatre may not be as mainstream today as it was with the Greeks, but, as a teacher, it's important to build a foundation with those traditional techniques. I was honored to see how important live theatre is to the NCA."
Comment on this article
This story has been moved to the archive and comments have now been disabled.


text:
Notebook: Nothing set at kicker just yet
Published: Friday, August 2, 2013 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, August 3, 2013 at 12:07 a.m.
Florida coach Will Muschamp would like to settle on a starting placekicker early and stick with him. But, based on his comments Friday, that's not going to happen anytime soon.
"I'd like for one guy to go take the job. There's no question," Muschamp said. "But also we need production at the position and I don't view that position different than any other position from a standpoint of if you're not getting the production you need to take a look somewhere else. Certainly I would love to have one guy step forward and take control of the job."
Senior walk-on Brad Phillips and redshirt freshman Austin Hardin have been in a dead-heat for the job since last spring. Both continue to struggle with consistency.
Muschamp was asked if both are fairly accurate on short kicks.
"At times," he said.
Robinson will have a role
Muschamp said true freshman wide receiver Demarcus Robinson, an early enrollee, is going to play a role in the passing game this season.
"I think he's a guy that athletically certainly can help us," Muschamp said. "But again, how quickly can he continue to progress mentally with the game. Can he play multiple positions? Do you need to leave him in one spot, which is probably what we'll end up doing.
"So far we've been very pleased, but again that's something with a young player and you haven't ever been through a fall before with him it's hard to ever project those things. I've been in situations where it's worked tremendously for you and I've been in some situations where it didn't work as well. But I'm very pleased with where we are right now (with Robinson). I certainly am."
Early PT for Hargreaves?
It's way too early to start forming opinions on the true freshmen who were not early enrollees. But one, five-star cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III, already has made an impression on Muschamp.
"He's mature, he understands the game, very cerebral in his approach," Muschamp said. "But a guy that we feel like can slide inside and play nickel. He's got the physicality to play inside.
"He's got good run instincts. He's a good blitzer. He's got good ball skills down the field, and he's got outstanding man coverage ability. He'll have every opportunity in the world to play early."
This and that
Senior offensive lineman Kyle Koehne missed Friday's practice to attend a funeral in Indiana. He will return today. … Is this the season senior wide receiver Andre Debose breaks out? Muschamp seems optimistic. Muschamp said Friday that Debose is competing for a starting role at wide receiver. "I think Andre, based on the off‑season, he had a really good spring. He didn't miss a practice in the spring. Again, I'm excited about him going into his senior year and understanding what he has at stake. Some guys mature later than others," Muschamp said. "He's definitely in the mix for (a starting role). I think again, I saw him in one-on-one make some nice plays. In skeleton, make some nice plays. We need him to play well."
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


text:
Topic: no ressection for us...what now, nothing ??? no hope but healthy
Today we were turned down for the possible ressection at U of Wa. Dang it, seems it was a last resort, and gave us some hope for a spell. Now what? No also to TACE procedure. And chemo of course did not work. Large tumor on liver has some friends now. After the stent in the bile duct, he is healthy or more so, but what are the options now? There doesnt seem to be any, even with the scads of research I have been doing. He can enjoy life right now being fairly healthy and active, but lacks hope. No treatment does that! Any ideas? robyn


text:
Current News
Current News
Welcome to the New VCOA web site!You're reading this on our newly updated VCOA.org web site. Almost everything has been upgraded from articles, news releases, the MarketPlace, the Galleries, the Forum and much, much more.
The entire underlying site engine has been upgraded and enhanced to provide a smoother, faster and more user friendly experience for all. You should notice a marked difference in the speed in which the pages load. The site is now more finely tuned for modern browsers and web technology while trying to maintain as much backward compatibility for older systems as is possible .
There are many new features and enhancements such as opening up the Forums to non-member participation. A new membership status has been created to allow free Limited Forum Access to anyone who would like to join in the forum discussions, ask for assistance, locate parts or offer their own experience and expertise to others. Welcome to the Forum and if you enjoy the camaraderie, please consider joining the VCOA as a full member!
Let's take a look at some of the more prominent enhancements and new features:
For starters, the entire site has been visually updated with considerable effort to maintain a familiar look and feel, but at the same time improve the visual aesthetics, intuitiveness and ease of site navigation. We hope you enjoy the new look.
Completely new from the ground up, is the Classifieds section. The new Classifieds has been designed to promote your ads with better visibility using a vastly improved image display allowing up to 6 large images for much higher detail. The description area will now accept up to 3,000 words for a complete and accurate description of the item you wish to sell. From the new input form and image uploading to posting, editing and maintaining your ad, we think you will find the new Classifieds a much better way to sell your Volvo related items.
Next up is the new VCOA Forum. The Forum received quite a bit of attention as well, focusing primarily on an upgraded engine and a finely integrated template. New to the Forum and the VCOA web site is the Limited Forum Access membership plan. The Limited Access plan is free of cost and provides access to Member posting privileges on the Forum. We know there are many non-member Volvo owners who can benefit from participating in the forum and in return offer their expertise to our full members. Why not invite them into our family? Knowledge is power and the more minds we have trying to solve technical issues the better.
Have you taken a look at our Galleries? Along with the Chapter and National Event galleries, a number of members have graced us with images of their Pride & Joy Volvos. There are a number of impressive classic restorations represented here as well as many new models. New to the site is the automatic creation of a Member Gallery when a new member joins the VCOA. The gallery will remain hidden until the new member uploads images, but it will be there waiting for their favorite pictures. Current members will need to create their own gallery as in the past, but this is a simple task to complete. Join the fun and share images of your restoration, road trip or your Volvo in front of a stunning background.
Take a trip over to the MarketPlace!
This area has been completely revamped and updated to provide a more pleasurable shopping experience and better showcase the products offered. The shopping cart and checkout are more streamlined to aid in your purchase. Your purchases are secured by 256 bit encryption and absolutely no credit card information is stored on the VCOA web site or its database. Along with the MarketPlace are Gift Memberships available for all of the VCOA membership plans. If you know someone who has a special place in their life for Volvos, a Gift Membership might be a very welcome surprise!
If you happen to be looking for the nearest VCOA Chapter or the closest Discount Dealer or Service provider, your search is now much easier with the help of our new Locator Maps. Found under The Club menu are zoomable maps for quickly locating the closest VCOA Chapter or a VCOA Discount Associate. If you know of a Volvo service provider that might be interested in joining the Discount Program, have them contact us or provide us with their company name and contact and we'll be happy to explain the program and sign them up!
We've consolidated all of the news features on the site to the Current News area that you are reading this in now. You'll find the very popular Volvo News at the top of the page with breaking news and videos direct from Volvo Corporate. All past news releases are now available in the Volvo News Archive that features an intelligent search engine for locating articles by the most minute detail. Every article is automatically available in the archives after 24 hours.
The center Current News feature will contain the latest information from VCOA HQ about events, new items for sale in the MarketPlace, special VCOA hosted trips, new web site features and much more Club related news as it becomes available. The News Ticker on the right panel will feature some of the past Current News items for easy access and retrieval.
One final item of note is the addition of the Comments areas. You will find these sprinkled around the site where you can comment on an article, express your opinion on a current poll, ask a question or just give us feedback in general. Please make good use of this feature as this web site is provided as a benefit of your VCOA Membership and we want to keep the Club interesting and relevant to you. One way that helps us do that is by learning what you are thinking. Use the Comment and Suggestion forms for feedback about any Club activity. As a matter of fact, there's one right below this article. Why not give it a go?
There is much more in the new web site to tell you about, but you're probably tired of reading this lengthy article by now. So, we'll save the explanations of the new Member Features for a later article. In the meantime, why not do a little spelunking and explore the site on your own?
Until the next time...


text:
Florence Floral H Bag
Item: 1255300-077
The Florence H-Bag, made of our custom floral canvas, offers an amazing amount of storage in a everyday size bag.
Details Include:
- Large center compartment with zipper closure
- Two large side compartments with magnetic snap closure
- 2 exterior snap button pockets
- Deep navy lining and contrast fuschia zipper
- Interior zipper pocket
- Interior cellphone/media storage pockets
- Suede pull tabs.
Approximate dimensions:
13.5" Top Width
17" Bottom Width
9" Height
- 7.5" Depth


text:
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 28/9/2012 (1789 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
MANITOBANS have seen two notable waves of Salvadorans come: One group fled persecution during the bloody civil war in El Salvador in the 1980s; A new wave is seeing some temporary foreign workers becoming permanent residents.
My cousin, Mario, his wife and their three daughters were political refugees, welcomed to Canada when the United States closed its doors to them. They left El Salvador in 1980, spending five years in Mexico and the U.S. looking for sanctuary before finally being sponsored here by a multi-denominational group of churches in East Kildonan and Transcona.
I, too, am a refugee, but I fled neither for political nor economic salvation. I left El Salvador in 2000, long after Canada had changed its refugee policy, before the end of the war in 1992. The policy change unfortunately saw many potential refugees denied entrance.
But Canada found room for me, offering me protection from persecution as a gay man.
I left El Salvador because I was unable to live in a country where being openly gay is unacceptable. There have been multiple reports of violence and killings targeting homosexuals and transsexuals. AIDS and LGBT activists receive threats of violence on a regular basis. A 2010 report to the UN human rights committee reveals continued threats of violence against LGBT people and activists and lack of investigation by police in deaths even today.
I work in the area of human rights, and I needed to be able to work in a place where I would be safe. Choosing the right country was easy.
I came to Winnipeg because Mario was here. He and my mother grew up together, and she immediately contacted him and his wife. They welcomed me into their home.
Starting over in a new country wasn't easy. In El Salvador, I was a law student living a comfortable life. When I arrived here, I spoke neither English nor French. As a refugee, I was able to access social assistance benefits until I found a job.
My first job in Canada, at a call centre, came five months after my arrival in Winnipeg. With guidance from Mario, I returned to university to study political science. After two years, I moved to Quebec to learn French and to go back to law school.
After graduation, I travelled widely for work: Guatemala, research of commercial sexual exploitation of children; Washington D.C., the cause of migrant workers; Dominican Republic, research for a case against the state involving Haitian migrant workers.
Then, on to Sweden, where I completed a master's degree in international human rights Law that led to travelling the world, working in the field of human rights education.
At the end of 2009, I got the chance to return to Canada to work on the development of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
Today, some Salvadorans are coming as migrant workers to Manitoba as part of a pilot project created in 2002. Opened to all countries in the world, the project allows migrant workers who have been here for a period of time to transfer into the Provincial Nominee Program. Manitoba had been the only province that provided its migrant workers with a pathway to citizenship, until last year when British Columbia followed suit.
After moving into the PNP, they can bring their families to join them. This is how some Salvadoran workers are making Brandon their home. Being able to bring their families to Manitoba facilitates their integration. Unfortunately, allowing migrant workers to become permanent residents is the exception to the rule. Many of them, coming under the Temporary Foreign Workers Program, are victims of human rights violations around the country.
Salvadorans over the ages have faced hardship in trying to find their place in society here, but they have succeeded. We are doctors, academics, lawyers, teachers, artists, business owners, agricultural workers and many other people working in a wide range of professions and trades. My cousin Mario, for example, first worked in a settlement agency helping other Salvadoran refugees establish themselves in Winnipeg. Eventually, he started at the University of Winnipeg where he continues to work today as a senior admissions officer.
As a group, Salvadorans have injected Winnipeg with a particular Latin flavour. And we are documenting our journeys in an oral history project called "Salvadoran Voices of Manitoba."
The project was born after Mario met Alex Freund, an oral historian and professor at the University of Winnipeg, who has an interest in the stories of refugees. Mario shared his experience with him and his dream of preserving the collective memory of Salvadoran refugees living in Manitoba. Shortly after meeting other community members, the project started to take shape.
"Salvadoran Voices" hopes to preserve the voices of Salvadorans who have made Manitoba their home, creating a collective Canadian-Salvadoran heritage that can be passed onto future generations. The intent is to ensure the youth don't forget the atrocities that took place in El Salvador and to remember the resilience of its people. The group is working on developing an exhibit Oct. 11-13 at the Inn at The Forks, organized by the University of Manitoba.
The refugee experience in Canada has not always been a positive one. The country has struggled and continues to struggle with deciding to open or close the doors to the different waves of refugees.
When I decided, in Sweden, to leave my globe-trotting life and return to Winnipeg to take my new job, colleagues asked why I would give up so much to do that.
Without hesitation, I told them I wanted to be here, again, because when I needed a new home, Canada was there for me.
Armando Perla is a curator at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights


text:
Cooking Channel: Nadia, you looked amazing in the Bitchin' Christmas music video we saw last month. Around this time of year, people are looking for ways to drop a few pounds. What was your secret to fitting into that shiny, red spandex body suit?
Nadia G: Tsaketa! We had a lot of fun on that one, and I was definitely watching what I shkoffed leading up to the shoot. But I never skip meals. As the old Italian saying goes: "A shake for breakfast, a shake for lunch, and your thighs still shake for dinner." Skipping meals makes your body think it's starving, so it holds on to fat for dear life, literally. Always eat three to five logically portioned meals a day to keep your metabolism up.
Cooking: We try to eat as often as possible, too — especially working here at Cooking Channel. What else do you recommend?
Nadia: Only buy fresh ingredients. I can hear some people whining already: "But fresh ingredients are expensive!!!" Umm, no. Processed ingredients are expensive, check yourself. Ugh, now I can hear others complaining: "Goddamit! The freakin' car battery is dead!" Never mind, that was just some random dude outside.
Cooking: Nadia, you always have a way with words. What about cutting fat or cutting carbs — what's your approach?
Nadia: I always measure my fats. There're 14 grams of fat in 1 tablespoon of olive oil! A drizzle here, a drizzle there, and before you know it you've shkoffed a day's worth of fat and you haven't even chewed any solids yet! Whatever you do, DON'T EYEBALL IT.
Cooking: Got it. And can you share with us your workout routine?
Nadia: The hardest part of getting into shape is staying motivated to exercise, arck! And that's why I have a personal trainer; I'm too lazy to even cancel appointments. What? Don't look at me like that — trainers can be cheap! You can find a fitness student on Craigslist who's willing to work your booty for $20 an hour. You can also find personal trainers.
Cooking: Speaking of personal trainers, doesn't Hans have his own workout tapes?
Nadia: Oh yeah. You gotta watch this:
Cooking: Thanks Nadia!
Read Chef & Celebrity Diet Tips & Secrets from Chuck Hughes, Debi Mazar, Bobby Flay and more right here.
Drop 5 lbs with Cooking Channel:


text:
Welcome to Liverpool Public Library
Starting a Book Discussion GroupStarting a Book Discussion Group
Book discussion groups can be formed by groups of friends, coworkers, and other acquaintances. All that's required is a love of reading and exchanging ideas, and a willingness to try books selected by the group that one might not normally select on one's own. Two or three people who have an interest can build a book discussion group if each one agrees to invite other friends or acquaintances. Placing an ad in a publication such as a newsletter published by your church, school district, or place of employment would be another means of recruiting fellow readers.
In general, 8-12 participants make for a good discussion, allowing everyone a chance to express opinions. The size of the meeting space could be a determining factor when considering group size.
Decide whether you will meet in someone's house, take turns hosting, or meet in a public meeting space such as in a library, church or other community facility.
The group will have to determine how often it will meet and for how long. A meeting time of one to one and one-half hours is a good length for a meaningful discussion. Meeting more often than once per month can be challenging both in terms of scheduling and getting the reading done.
Some groups set limitations on what they will read. Fiction or nonfiction? Classic novels or contemporary ones? History, politics or social issues? Romances or mysteries? Award-winning fiction? No limits?
The group will need to come to an agreement about how books are selected. Will each member get to select one in rotation? Will suggestions be tossed into a hat and put to a vote? Will one person make the selections?
How will books be acquired? Will group members be buying the books? A librarian can help you select titles that are owned by the library in sufficient numbers for borrowing by every member in the group.
It is helpful to produce a list of phone numbers and addresses of group members in case a discussion has to be cancelled or some other unforeseen problem presents itself that would require contact prior to a scheduled meeting.


text:
ZAT Knight has sounded a battle cry ahead of this weekend's cup clash against Everton, claiming Wanderers are in the mood to cause an upset.
After back-to-back clean sheets, the big defender says the camp is in confident mood ahead of the fourth round encounter.
And though David Moyes' men have been enjoying an impressive campaign vying for Champions League qualification, Knight reckons the timing could be right for the Toffees to come unstuck.
"Bring them on," he told The Bolton News. "It's probably going to be our biggest test this season because this is the best team we will have faced.
"But when you are playing well, you want to play anyone, regardless of whether it's the league or the cup.
"Let's see how well we have come on. We will need to be at our best because they have certainly not done too badly themselves."
Knight is looking forward to locking horns once again with all-action Belgian international Marouane Fellaini, who has been the driving force behind Everton's fine first-half of the season with nine goals in 22 appearances.
"I've played against him a few times and he's a real handful," he said.
"You look at how he is playing in the Premier League and he's doing very well. He's probably been their main player.
"But I look at everyone as a test. It was (Glenn) Murray on Saturday at Palace but if it's Fellaini this weekend, then fine. My target is still to be in the team and getting a clean sheet, the same as it is against anyone."
Wanderers can also be encouraged that Knight's defensive partner in the 0-0 draw at Selhurst Park last weekend, Tim Ream, is also coming into good form.
The American was rested in the previous round against Sunderland in favour of Sam Ricketts, but Knight would be happy to work with either of his team-mates. "I thought Tim did really well in the last game against Millwall and maybe he would be a bit disappointed to be rested against Sunderland in the last cup game," he said.
"He did well in there today and he's doing his best to try and claim a place week-in, week-out.
"I have played with Tim and Sam a lot now, so I think I have got to understand them both."


text:
Stoves Offer You A Real Source Of...Profit
The front cover begins at the top with the title "Stoves offer you a real source of...profit" written in black and gold lettering. Underneath, there are two logos for the National Stoves, Ranges, Furnaces, etc. on each side of the catalogue number, company name and address. The back cover features a black and white sketch of the company plant. Below the illustration, the phrase "The home where National Stoves, Ranges and Furnaces are made" is stated in black lettering. At the bottom, the company name and address is listed along with the other branches location. The front end page depicts a "Artisan National" equipped with cabinet base. The following inside pages are filled with various models of National Stoves, Ranges and Furnaces products. Some of the models include Artistic, Artisan, Admiral, National, Real, Moro, Newart, Kitchenette, Hardy, Hotel, Cafe, Factor, Maple, Regular, Noxall, Ray, Rancher, Guide, Master, Dandy, Comet, Fireplace, Alert, Solid, Woodola, Oakland, Dash, Pilot, Worthy, and Spark. All models entail a drawn illustration along with a description and key features. The back end page consists of "National Warm Air Furnaces and Room Heaters." There are three different models shown and explained. At the bottom there is a statement saying "If interested, write for catalogue."
Donor: Sliker, Shirley Brocker
Brand Name: National Stoves, Ranges, Furnaces, etc.
Publisher: Excelsior Manf'G Co. (St.Louis, Mo.)
40 p.
27.3 x 21.6 cm
Language: English
Key Terms:
Copyright: This item is under copyright.
Citation: Stoves Offer You A Real Source Of...Profit. The Alan and Shirley Brocker Sliker Collection, MSS 314, Special Collections, Michigan State University Libraries. Available at http://www.lib.msu.edu/exhibits/sliker/detail.jsp?id=7237


text:
Lets just say hypothetically speaking Stephenson gets offered 10 million a year and we decide not to match. What players do you think we could go after in FA this summer. I'm curious now and I know we have this season to think about first but I like to know what you think what players are our back up plans to Lance. I love Lance though.
Do you think we go after players such as Stuckey, Hinrich and Jordon Hanmilton or who? How much would they command.
I'm really intrigued by Jordon Hill too. Is there a team this summer that would trade for Mahinmi and Copeland to clear space?


text:
Blog Directory
Browse the Blog Directory
Browse blogs from wide range of categorized blogs on our blog directory. Whether you are looking for niche blogs, personal blogs, Panama blogs, Business blogs, Industry blogs you can find them all in our blog directory.
Submit your Blog
Or, Submit your blog and be included on our search engine friendly blog directory.
Panama IndustryBrowsing Panama Blogs » Business Blogs » Industry Blogs
Examine the latest blog sites about industry and business at BlogsDB. Add Industry blogs and advertise on our best blog directory online.
No blogs are found on this category yet.


text:
There are good reasons for public servants to be nervous about the coming year. This is not simply because of the impending report from the national commission of audit. Changes that the government may adopt from the report could have huge consequences for staffing and program delivery. Nevertheless, experienced public servants have been there before and will be able to deal with these changes. More important is the implications for the public service of a fundamental shift in Australia's position in the world.
January saw a run of bad economic news. Shares dropped in value on stock markets around the world, including Australia's but particularly in developing countries. There were signs of slowing growth in China, our most important trading partner. As with every bit of bad news, alarmist commentators gained cheap headlines with speculation about another global financial crisis. That risk remains low, but can never be ruled out fully until the excesses of 2000s lending have worked their way out of the United States and European banking systems. Volatility will remain the norm. The January experience was not an aberration but a symptom of the ongoing uncertainty.
That means the Australian government will need to focus more closely on its economic management in future years. Although the floating dollar and the independence of the Reserve Bank are important institutional safeguards against the vagaries of the world economy, good economic management by government remains a third crucial factor.
Whatever happens with China, the mining boom peaks of the last decade will not return; China's demand is turning more to goods and services than raw materials. Other miners around the world have become more competitive with ours. What this means for the Commonwealth budget is company tax revenues have returned to normal. Personal tax cuts introduced by the Howard government at the height of mining boom have proven unaffordable in the long term. However, any suggestion they should be reversed is the political equivalent of garlic for vampires. As a result, budget management is harder today than at any time since the 1970s.
January was also a month of bad weather news, with record-breaking heatwaves, and drought becoming widespread in parts of rural Australia. Although there are still global warming sceptics, the overwhelming consensus among climate scientists is that heatwaves caused by climate change will worsen in years to come. A freezing cold winter in parts of the US was counterbalanced by hotter than usual temperatures in Alaska that caused avalanches and floods; similarly unlikely weather occurred in numerous other locations. Volatility reigns in weather, as with the economy. Unpredictable and extreme weather conditions affect Australia more adversely than most countries.
That compounds our economic worries. The many communities affected by costs of a variable and extreme climate will call on the government to help. This in turn will make the budget harder to keep in balance over the longer term.
Thus, 2014 may go down as the year Australia finally used up its luck.
There is little sign so far that Australians have adjusted their expectations to this changing world. If anything, expectations are higher. We demand: more expensive and complicated medical treatments without wanting to pay for them; cheap utilities, transport and other infrastructure; and that the government step in to protect us from all sorts of real and imagined risks. Even when overseas, we want government help, with a couple put on a rescue flight from the Middle East asking the government for frequent flyer points (as documented in a Lowy Institute report last year).
When voters have unrealistic expectations, they tend to blame the government. Ministers will turn to the public service for advice on how to deal with the blame game. The temptation for weak ministers and weak public service advisers is always to throw money at problems; given that an unsustainable budget is itself one of those problems, throwing money will just make things worse.
The same goes for regulation. When a community or a pressure group is worried that their perceived entitlements are being eroded, they call for new regulation to protect them. Although paying lip service to reducing regulation, both the former Coalition government under John Howard and the governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard increased it. That was largely driven by weak ministers succumbing to special pleading, and an institutional framework that encourages regulation.
The institutional problem is that regulations are considered individually. Regulatory impact statements or equivalent processes weed out bad regulation. What gets through will, considered in isolation, involve net benefits. There is, however, no mechanism to look at regulations in totality and the cumulative effect is far worse than the sum of the whole. Unless ministers themselves have the courage to reject special pleading, this situation will continue.
Financial Review journalist Laura Tingle, in her 2012 Quarterly Essay Great Expectations, warned of the problem of Australians becoming angry and lashing out. They will blame both politicians and public servants for the things that make them angry. This can often lead to terrible policy. We have seen already at state level various knee-jerk policy responses of dubious merits, ranging from shooting sharks to overriding common law and constitutional rights in order to control gangs.
The temptation for weak ministers and weak public service advisers is always to throw money at problems.
Our economic troubles may lead to a rise in levels of anger. Although the recent drop in the value of the Australian dollar will make exporters more viable and help to create jobs, it will make imported goods and overseas holidays more expensive. You can bet there will be no applause for the positives and plenty of whingeing about the negatives.
There are solutions. Australians can make our own luck by being more innovative, creative and productive. The ambitious program of microeconomic reform in the late 1980s and early 1990s gave us a highly resilient economy and led to more than 20 years of prosperity and improving living standards. At the time, it was confronting and difficult. The reforms took courage and a high level of commitment on the part of public service to change itself at the same time as is expected the rest of the country to change.
The immediate signs are not promising. We will need help from neighbours such as Indonesia, rapidly emerging as one of the most important economic and cultural players in our region. At present, we seem intent on damaging our long-term future with Indonesia. It will seem short-sighted if, in 20 years, Indonesia is more successful and prosperous than Australia. It has a population of about 250 million (the fourth-largest in the world) and will have the sixth-largest economy by 2030.
We will also need a mobile and flexible workforce, but instead we lock people in place through high house prices that discourage movement. We will want schools and universities that are among the best in the world, in order to compete successfully for skills. We will want a public service workforce that welcomes and encourages private and not-for-profit-sector people to join it (and vice versa) rather than the insularity that sees public service jobs now advertised as available only to current public servants.
The longer-term signs are more encouraging. China's slowdown is an inevitable consequence of having moved from the absolute poverty of the past generation to a sustainable development path; barring internal breakdown or disruption, we have the opportunity to build a strong bilateral relationship. We can become more productive by allowing greater creativity and risk-taking and encouraging new ways of work - including from public servants (productivity should not be a code word for working longer and harder).
There are many public servants - though, sadly, few at the top levels today - who still value risk, innovation and engagement with the outside world. Given a chance, they would be prepared to embrace a program of changing our institutions so as to change our luck.
Stephen Bartos is executive director, Canberra, of ACIL Allen Consulting and a former senior public servant.


text:
Sacto Tilt Pool 1986Friend and epic photographer, Grant Brittan, just booted this ancient pic over to me. Sacramento Tilt pool, 1986. I was 20 years old and riding for Sims.
Thanks GB.
Sims, Gullwing, Tharasher, STP. rails, copers, pegged pants, Vans, bleached hair, one footer tail tap. P: J.Grant Brittain
Posted September 15th, 2009 by swankzine


text:
I recently applied for my (hopefully first) entry-level job as a website editor at my university. The position involves updating web pages on a content management system and the requirements list graphics editing, HTML coding and "some experience with MySQL."
How should I answer the question "why should we hire you" if I am applying for a web design job?
My experience is limited to designing websites for class projects and I also interned at a company where I posted news to their blog. I haven't touched MySQL yet. How difficult is it to learn and what types of assignments involve using MySQL?
Be self confident. "Because you need a proactive and hardworking person to fill a position opening and I need a stable company where I can help and develop my skill. "
I am not saying "do that", but I do it and it works fine.
Thanks, it is a good start.
It's always important to be confident about the knowledge you possess. A good knowledge in HTML and CSS are the basics which is required for website designing. Keep your basics clear and try to be in touch of the updates with these languages. This will definitely help you to answer on the problems or queries asked in the interview regarding HTML, CSS and web designing. This will automatically answer the question of the interviewer as Why he should hire you? MYSQL is basically required for visual database designing which is one of the requirement of web designing.
Just say you are such a hard working person and can work hard and achieve even in pressure..Any how all the best for your career.
Tell him that you are hardworking or punctual or you can tell them about your past achievement not only in office as you are fresher tell him about your college achievement.
hi! i like the answer provided above. anyway i am bit fed up with all these questions during an interview... so boring!!!
...I'm all about adding value to the organization. I'm not just looking for a job but a career.
I think that your question is not really related to this specific job. Like other members, i adivse to be honest and list your skills without adding too much cosmetics, There is no reason that does not work.
Good luck.
Mar, CA
I would recommend to consult an expert in content management system and HTML coding and MySQL. TO answer such questions it is rather difficult to tell which alternative will work. Depending on the situation of the interview you should answer. Answering according to the situation is the most suitable choice.
This Learnable course is a brilliant one for learning the basics of MySQL.
Yep, Just be self confident and meanwhile show interests in this job.
Well, these questions comes very frequently. The way you answer is A) Blah Blah BlahB) Unique answer that really applies to you.
For example. Let say it's google. I'll say that I can contribute XYZ because I have done it before. Also, I like the culture of Google where I can move into different project to expand my skillsets and I don't see other better company for this kind of opportunity.
I'm not say you should use my wordings but try to really relate with you in particular and be unique so that they'll remember you.
Be confident and tell them about your past achievements and if you are fresher so explain them with confidence that you will provide a satisfactory result .
"Um.... because you put the F'n ad out. You should have figured this out before I filled in half the form."
But on a serious note - that question is so broad so write short notes down to cover:1. Skill and experience2. Your passion for the job3. Your achievements so far
Employers are looking for people who are good at what they do. They need folks to walk in and help the company do things better and more efficiently. So while it is a loaded "crap" question, you can touch on a couple of specific areas.


text:
Return to site home page
View larger
What at first glance appears to be a bonfire in the making is actually Sticks, a sculptural coat rack created by designer Michael Schwebius for Davis. Sticks is comprised of varying lengths of slim wood beams; each beam features an angled inward cut notch just below the top, creating a hook for coat hangers, purse straps and more. Available in natural finish oak or walnut, or painted wood in black or white, Sticks is an ideal addition to entryways, personal offices, or anywhere a designer wants visual intrigue and ample hanging storage.


text:
Wings are items introduced in Pokémon Black and White. These items can be found by interacting with a shadow in Driftveil Drawbridge or Marvelous Bridge.
In the Anime
The wings were a prize set that was won in the Nimbasa Town Don Battle Tournament. The winner was Iris who got the entire wing set by defeating Ash in the finals.


text:
Kenneth Cole Reaction 'Solid Goldie' Thong
this is a great shoe; it's light, comfortable, and has the ability to make any outfit better!
Full figure? This Ombre top will bring the eye up , to flatter your face
Satin purple pumps with an ankel strap. They are so cute! I would wear with a black dress to make the purple stand out more.Tags: shoes, Kenneth Cole, fashion, style, heels, pumps, satin, New Years shoes, satin pumpAdded 9 Years Ago from Kenneth Cole
While we're all riding the wave of this revolutionary election, remember that this feeling of social responsibility and caring should not die on November 5. Kenneth Cole is releasing a new book called Awearness, featuring insipiri... While we're all riding the wave of this revolutionary election, remember that this feeling of social responsibility and caring should not die on November 5. Kenneth Cole is releasing a new book called Awearness, featuring insipiring stories about how to make a difference. His print ads catch our attention month after month and now we can capture the designer's essence in one 256-page book. The book features stories from Jon Bon Jovi, Lucy Liu, Don Cheadle, Robert Redford, Bill Clinton, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Ashley Judd, Lance Armstrong, Ludacris, Lauren Bush and Rachael Ray - and 100% of the profits will go to the AWEARNESS Fund.Tags: fashion, books, gifts, style, designer, coffee table books, celebrity, stories, Kenneth ColeAdded 9 Years Ago from Kenneth Cole
We're all on tighter budgets these days, but Kenneth Cole comes in at just the right price. This natural torsade wooden bracelet is a top bargain buy for spring.
this is quite possibly the perfect trench coat. great length, hits right above the knee, and it comes in classic dark khaki and black.Tags: fashion, style, brown, khakis, Kenneth Cole, trench, trench coats, BLACAdded 9 Years Ago from Bluefly
this really isn't such a bad price for such a complicated, multi-part bracelet.Tags: fashion, style, bracelets, Kenneth Cole, chain, tangled, stacked, twotone, multi chainAdded 9 Years Ago from Dillard's
I like the name of this leather pumps by Kenneth Cole; "Be Strappy Heels." They feature 3 straps across the toes, leather soles & uppers, and 31/2 inch heel........$179.00Tags: fashion, shoes, style, Kenneth Cole, pump, design, soles, ladies shoes, open toe pumpsAdded 9 Years Ago from Heels.com
This bag is so elegant and glam. The colour is amazing and I love the pleats. It just looks so classic. This is a definite must-have item.Tags: fashion, accessories, style, handbags, bags, hobo, Kenneth Cole, glamAdded 9 Years Ago from Macy's
1. Faux croc 2. Shiny black 3. Peep toe 4. Christian Louboutin-inspired red sole 5. Under $50 Need I say more?Tags: shoes, style, heels, pumps, red, black, Footwear, high heels, christian louboutinAdded 10 Years Ago from Piper Lime
Lilac is hands-down the prettiest color for spring. And these bows make this shoe extra adorable.Tags: fashion, style, sandals, purple, shoes, high heels, Kenneth Cole, wrap, lilacAdded 10 Years Ago from Kenneth Cole
This is so right out of a 1987 Victoria's Secret catalogue.Added 10 Years Ago from Bostonproper
I just saw this in Marie Claire and really dug it. Definitely don't wear it if you've got curvy hips or butt, because the layers will just accent them.Added 10 Years Ago from Kenneth Cole
These might be my favorite shoes of the season. While the gray color makes them so versatile and understated, the small pop of yellow patent makes them glamorous at the same time. These will tell you're all business -- definitely ... These might be my favorite shoes of the season. While the gray color makes them so versatile and understated, the small pop of yellow patent makes them glamorous at the same time. These will tell you're all business -- definitely power shoes.Tags: fashion, shoes, style, pumps, gray, yellow, Kenneth Cole, designer shoes, t strapAdded 10 Years Ago from Kenneth Cole
This trench coat is so elegant! Rich black color, unusual high necklace, double breast, and belt. From Kenneth Cole.Added 10 Years Ago from Kenneth Cole
Very cute and modern looking. If I actually dressed up for work I'd wear these.Tags: fashion, shoes, style, heels, Kenneth Cole, womens shoes, zappos, kenneth cole reaction, zappos shoesAdded 10 Years Ago from Zappos
Brrr! The winter can be so snowy and frigid. Be prepared for whatever wind chill may come with a long down coat.
This isn't exactly my favorite look, but if you want to look like Vic, sometimes you must take risks. Shine on in this silver top from Kenneth Cole.Tags: fashion, style, silver, tank, tops, celebrity, Kenneth Cole, Victoria BeckhamAdded 10 Years Ago from Kenneth Cole


text:
Alright, after reading Rick Starr's blog about leftover stars and the huge discussion that followed I decided to make a blog to really see who picks up a lot of leftovers.
Now first of all I will give you the qualifying of being a leftover is that you have established your name somewhere else and then go to a company at an older age. So guys like AJ Styles don't count becuase even though


text: Robertaccio Funeral Home, Inc. obit: Lloyd R. Olay, age 65, died August 2, 1993 at V.A. Medical Center in Northport. He was born in Ridgway, PA, and has been a local resident for the past 32 years. He served in the US Army and Air Force and was a past Commander of the AMVETS Post #111. Mr. Olay is predeceased by his first wife Anne Olay in 1977. He is survived by his wife Anne Olay of Patchogue, 7 daughters, Denice, Diane, Elaine, Kathleen, Maureen, Alyce, Beth, 3 sons, Chris, Mark and Harry, his father Lloyd R. Olay, 24 grandchildren and 2 brothers, James and Glenn. Mr. Olay reposed at Robertaccio Funeral Home, Inc., where religious services and AMVETS services were held Wednesday, August 4, 1993. Interment Cedar Grove Cemetery, Patchogue, NY.


text:
No matter what events are on your agenda, we have the summer dresses you need to look perfectly on point for the occasion. Are you attending a summer wedding? Check out our lacey evening gowns and formal fit and flare dresses with the perfect touch of elegance. Dressing for an Easter event? Browse dresses in seasonal shades like buttery yellow, mint green, robin's egg blue, and candy pink.
If pastel picks aren't quite your style, we have summer dresses in bright modern hues as well. Try a form-flattering sheath dress in sharp black and white with bold accents in coral or shamrock green. Pick a medium blue shirt dress for an all-seasons look that fits in perfectly alongside other dresses for summer while transitioning seamlessly into summer and fall as well. Bright yellow, teal, and orange are show-stopping colors that will make a striking summer statement.
Finding the right dress for your shape is easy with our extensive line of summer dresses in nearly every cut. From 3/4-length sleeves to light, sleeveless styles, there's something for any type of weather. You'll even find dresses that come with cozy cardigans and shrugs, so you can layer up as needed for finicky days. Highlight your curves in a wrap dress, add definition to your frame with a fitted sheath, or draw attention to your legs with a drop waist dress.
Whether you love the length of a maxi dress, or you're ready to bare some skin in a short, sleeveless style, JCPenney has looks you'll love. With dozens of different looks for summer, you're sure to find plenty of dresses that suit your needs. Let your skin soak up the sun and enjoy the light airy feeling of a fresh summer dress. Start shopping our online collection and you can browse through dozens of styles at your leisure. Head to JCPenney now for an endless selection of dresses for summer.


text:
ALVIN, Texas - Surveillance video shows two men going to great lengths to get their hands on rent money inside a leasing office.
Joy Swonke, the property manager at an Alvin area apartment complex, said she was blown away when she saw the footage.
"I hope they get arrested," said Swonke.
The crooks found a creative way to grab the checks from a mail slot in the office door. Swonke said they placed a sticky substance on the end of a wire they stuck through the slot.
"They must have used something sticky because this is all sticky in here," said Swonke.
The surveillance video shows one guy holding the light from a smart phone as the other one carefully slides out the envelopes, one by one through the opening.
The two got away with more than $4,300 in rent money, including Fred Berner's money order that he immediately cancelled.
"They are going to give me a bit of a discount, a $50 discount off my rent. I had to get the money order replaced. They've been really good about it," said Berner.
Swonke said the video shows the pair's faces as they run off with the stolen money.
"It's wonderful because at least we got it on camera and that will help us so much," said Swonke.
The property company said it's offering a $500 cash reward for information leading to an arrest.
Copyright 2013 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.