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See how companies worldwide use Microsoft Dynamics to innovate and improve processes
Veja como este cliente está usando as soluções do Microsoft Dynamics em sua empresa.
Veja outras histórias de clientes do Microsoft Dynamics no setor de serviços financeiros
Endsleigh Insurance Services Limited, the independent United Kingdom insurance and financial products intermediary, has adopted a new business model. With 85 per cent of its sales originating from the Internet, the company has revaluated and realigned its business strategy by moving away from branch operations. It is reinvesting in enhancing sales through digital marketing and enhanced call centre operations. Microsoft® Gold Certified Partner CIBER UK implemented Microsoft Dynamics® CRM 4.0, together with a suite of integrated Microsoft technologies, to improve productivity, performance, reporting, and profitability of its marketing environment. As a result, the company has already boosted sales of a single insurance product tenfold by automating processes that were manual—or not done at all—before. Endsleigh is now using digital marketing more effectively to sell its services to customers.
As a leading United Kingdom specialist in insurance and financial services products for career people, Endsleigh prides itself on its status as an independent intermediary. Founded in 1965 by the National Union of Students, the company quickly expanded into offering financial services to graduates and career people. In 2003, Endsleigh was ranked one of the U.K.'s fastest growing businesses. The company has around 800 employees, with 30 relationship managers out in the field, and an excellent market reputation.
But reputation is not the sole guarantor of continuing success. With 85 per cent of new sales originating from the Web, Endsleigh wanted to make its business more digitally focused using multimedia touch points with a major target on students and recent graduates.
Peter Leahy, Head of IT at Endsleigh, says: "As a result, we will no longer operate as a branch-based business with bricks and mortar and leases to pay for at 119 offices across the country. We want to use these efficiency savings to support our relationship managers working from home or remote locations with new tools and faster access to our core business systems."
Endsleigh has used Voice over IP telephony to network its branch offices, but with the company's planned transition to two geographically based service centres, this is no longer cost effective as a communications channel. The company's data was being stored in various fragmented systems with no uniform way of identifying lead conversion rates for the marketing team. Endsleigh had to spend excessive time and cost on setting up agents on various systems, the number of which also impacted security across the enterprise.
Added to this, Endsleigh needed better features to help develop client relationships in the face of changing regulations. In particular, it wanted to offer better service to trading partners, including travel agents, which are being regulated to sell travel insurance by the Financial Services Authority for the first time from January 2009.
Although Endsleigh has a substantial in-house IT department, its technicians were working on several ongoing projects and wanted to avoid tackling any large new development. Finally, the solution they required had to be multi-company and integrate with Microsoft Dynamics® GP for financial management and other business management systems, including its existing investment in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 customer relationship management (CRM) software.
The company uses an in-house CRM system for business-to-consumer clients that is integrated with its in-house policy administration system. Microsoft Dynamics CRM is used for business-to-business operations and integrates with Microsoft Dynamics GP.
In its search for a solution, Endsleigh worked with Microsoft Gold Certified Partner CIBER UK to upgrade its existing Microsoft CRM software to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0, running on Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 communication technology. At the same time, Endsleigh opted for a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement for low-cost volume licences to provide a low total cost of ownership.
Leahy says: "We wanted to time the upgrade to the changes in our business model with the introduction of a cost-effective infrastructure for unified communications by investing in Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007. This was especially opportune in view of the integration we could achieve between Exchange Server 2007 and Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Previously, we had relied on local area network connections with variable reliability—in future our people will always be connected to our core business systems."
Before Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0, Endsleigh had error-prone manual processes for managing contracts between partners and making their commission payments. It lacked any central repository to manage partners and prospects. Having started with Microsoft CRM 3.0, these improvements have been consolidated and further refined.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 helps each sales team at Endsleigh to view information relevant to its division without having to search an entire database. The upgrade provides a suite of powerful marketing, sales, and service features, all with a familiar and consistent experience based on Microsoft Office and Microsoft Office Outlook® 2007 for the client device.
Due to the integration with Exchange Server 2007, staff will be able to receive push e-mails, an always-on service in which users receive messages to their client device as if they were in an office environment.
Intuitive Business Intelligence SystemFurthermore, Microsoft Dynamics CRM acts as a powerful and intuitive business intelligence system because it integrates information from multiple sources. The solution is also designed to operate with the company's existing Microsoft Office SharePoint® Server 2007 collaboration technology as well as other Microsoft technologies and services.
The new implementation also assists each team benefit from the seamless integration of Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Microsoft SQL Server® 2005 Reporting Services. This provides interactive personalised business reports, which improve the productivity of staff, and, in turn, help them take on a new wave of sales prospects.
Features that are new to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 include simplified workflow and up-to-the-minute reporting, as well as multi-language and currency capabilities. Microsoft Dynamics CRM can be shaped to support the business and provide a robust environment for future growth. The product comes complete with sales, marketing, and customer services modules.
When the "credit crunch" forced most insurance companies to re-evaluate their businesses, Endsleigh was strongly placed to change its model due to its investment in Microsoft technologies. Its move into digital marketing has been fully supported by an upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0, which has helped automate many more processes and integrated easily with the company's new unified communications strategy. Leahy says: "This investment will help us to drive bigger, better, and more targeted marketing campaigns using new skills to attract business from our customer base."
Automation Boosts Business Opportunity Tenfold Without Extra CostThe CRM software is helping sales executives increase digital marketing successes in line with the company's new approach to customers. Yet, at the same time, it adds no extra costs to the business or burdensome work for technicians. According to Leahy, this is all the more important now that Endsleigh plans to rely in future on more mobile sales employees backed up by two communications centres. He says: "With the previous systems, we had lost faith in the manual processes and did not feel confident in managing leads and opportunities. By automating commission payments through Microsoft Dynamics CRM, we have increased one segment of business tenfold, without needing extra accounts people to manage the business processes."
Business Reacts More Quickly to Partners in Changing MarketsThe integration features in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 have helped Endsleigh prepare itself to work through different communication channels to help its partners adapt to new markets. Previously, the business team responsible for affiliated services did not have a reliable communication tool that let it engage with agents—Leahy says it had "hit a brick wall" in terms of taking on new prospects and simply could not manage any more customers.
Paul Nicholas, Business Project Manager, Endsleigh Insurance, says: "We've improved the efficiency and accuracy of our front-line sales staff. When they're dealing with customers, we have a full record of the history. We deal with them in a more prompt and quality driven way and we have a single source of information for all our customer activities."
Continuity of Technology Ensures Rapid Adoption by StaffBrian Henry, Head of Sales for Financial Services at CIBER UK, says: "At a time of rapid business change, Endsleigh has continued to invest in Microsoft Dynamics CRM because it is based on an environment that is understood, not just by us, but universally. The seamless integration of Microsoft products is a critical factor in our future growth strategy.
"The similar look and feel of Microsoft products means that not only is integration simple, but fast adoption is also guaranteed. Together with Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Microsoft Dynamics GP, and the Active Directory service for identity management, Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 will improve group-wide efficiency and help Endsleigh employees convert prospects into valuable clients."
Leahy adds: "By upgrading to the latest version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM, it clearly shows we have faith in both the Microsoft solution and CIBER as our implementation partner. The scalability of the solution, supported by the fact that we've used previous versions, reinforces our initial decision to select this product.
Unified Communications Encourages Flexible Working for StaffLeahy adds: "The killer benefit for me, as well as the organisation, is improved business continuity with greater flexibility of working. With unified communications, Endsleigh employees can easily transpose their working environment for their home environment. If an incident occurred, our employees now have the ability to access their Office SharePoint Server 2007, e-mail, and telephone, as well as our Microsoft Dynamics CRM system. This has led to better offline working, making us more responsive and effective as a business."
Rebecca Smith, Business Project Manager, Endsleigh Insurance, concludes: "Overall, the transition has been relatively seamless—as business project managers we've been involved in implementing a number of third-party solutions written by external software houses such as a letting agency system and a tenant reference system. But Microsoft Dynamics CRM has proved that with easy to understand technology and a committed business partner such as CIBER, implementation is a hassle free process."
Microsoft Dynamics is a line of integrated, adaptable business management solutions that enables you and your people to make business decisions with greater confidence. Microsoft Dynamics works like familiar Microsoft software such as Microsoft Office, which means less of a learning curve for your people, so they can get up and running quickly and focus on what's most important. And because it is from Microsoft, it easily works with the systems that your company already has implemented. By automating and streamlining financial, customer relationship, and supply chain processes, Microsoft Dynamics brings together people, processes, and technologies, increasing the productivity and effectiveness of your business, and helping you drive business success. For more information about Microsoft Dynamics, go to:www.microsoft.com/dynamics
For further information about Microsoft products and services, please visit www.microsoft.com/uk
or call 0870 60 10 100*
For hearing impaired customers with a Minicom, contact: 0870 50 30 400*
*Lines are open 8am–6pm, Monday to Friday. Please note, numbers prefixed 0870 will be charged at national call rates. For details of national call rate charges, please contact your telecommunications provider.
For more information about CIBER UK products and services, visit the Web site at: http://www.ciber-uk.com/
For more information about Endsleigh Insurance Services Limited products and services, visit the Web site at: http://www.endsleigh.co.uk/
Organization Profile
Endsleigh Insurance in the United Kingdom provides insurance and financial services products for career people at all stages of their lives, as well as to travel agencies and other businesses.
Business Situation
With 85 per cent of sales coming through the Internet, Endsleigh needed a new business management system to help adapt to changing market conditions during the "credit crunch."
Microsoft® Gold Certified Partner CIBER UK recommended implementing Microsoft Dynamics® CRM 4.0 and a related suite of Microsoft technologies.
Partner(s)CIBER (U.K.)
Software and ServicesMicrosoft Dynamics CRM 4.0Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0Microsoft Exchange Server 2007Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007Microsoft Office Outlook 2007Microsoft SQL Server 2000Active Directory Directory Services
Vertical IndustriesInsurance
Country/RegionUnited Kingdom


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The little town of South Bay, a teardrop at the bottom of Lake Okeechobee, is home to only about 5,000 residents.
"And I'm related to about three-quarters of them," laughs Erin McKay, an honor student, cheerleader and valedictorian for Glades Central High School in nearby Belle Glade.
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Sign InWhat's on your iPod?
Who is your hero and why?
My mom (a high school teacher), because she is an example of a strong black woman.
What's your favorite TV show?
"The Real Housewives of Atlanta."
What would people be surprised to know about you?
That I really hate driving.
What is your motto?
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me," Philippians 4:13.

subset: commoncrawl


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[> To the full report on FoodFirst for Thought
Image: Courtesy of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
"I know that there is a certain fatigue. I have read comments in blogs and elsewhere that 'here we go again; once more a famine; once more African children are dying; once more there is an appeal for help.'" This comment was made by Anthony Lake, Executive Director of Unicef, in relation to the current food crisis in the Sahel region. Less than a year after the food crisis and famine in the Horn of Africa about 15 million people in the Sahel region are at risk.
In Africa the so-called 'lean season' or 'hunger season' is a well-known phenomenon. It are the months before the new harvest, when the food stocks of the last harvest dwindle and people struggle to have enough to eat. When the hunger season arrives earlier or lasts longer, this causes immediate problems. When this occurs several years in a row, the resilience of poor people to deal with the shortages is weakened: they have no options to recover.
This conference is held to facilitate a platform for policymakers, innovators, researchers, and civil society to discuss the dilemmas and solutions. In the words of Lake: "By acting vigorously and properly now, we can head off future crises ... by building now in this crisis, health systems, community nutrition centres, more water bore holes ... we can build capacity for the future."
Welcome by Frans van den Boom (Executive Director / CEO NCDO)
Food is important for NCDO: everybody needs food, it is an issue that is simple to explain; our current eating habits are not sustainable; The Netherlands have a lot of experience and knowledge on food. The irony now is that we do produce enough that 9 billion people can be fed, but still 1 billion people suffer from hunger!
Keynote speech: Professor David Millar (Pro-Vice Chancellor University for Development Studies Ghana)
Africa's land is being used for global targets and markets. All policies now being implemented marginalize the small farmers. Supermarkets are for the working and urban classes; Africa at large needs a different way.
We want to preserve our local food because that food is also healthy for us. Food has a social dimension; what one calls 'food' is what one has learned over the years to call 'food'. Challenge: pay attention to the farmer's driven food system, the traditional system. The urban people and the rural people rely on different food systems, both should be supported. Feeding Africa starts with letting Africa itself define what is food.
Co-referent: Madeleen Helmer (Director Policies and Communication Concerns Red Cross Climate Centre)
[> Download slides
Link between climate change and food security. Most important asset of rural people is their knowledge of the local climate – when to plant, when to get more cattle, etc – which knowledge is becoming obsolete due to climate change (it does not apply anymore). Added problem for Africa is that there is not sufficient collected data to discover the trends in climate change taking place.
Column Joris Lohman (Chairman Youth Food Movement)
Increase the value of food, pay more and appreciate it more.
Let us export knowledge and management, and not food. Regional food security is the key for the coming decennia.
Innovative approach 1: Janneke Hadders (Director Dacom, winner MKB Innovation Top 100 with an irrigation system for crops)
[> Download slides
"Agri Yield Management Systems" -- paving to road to sustainable agriculture.
Irrigation management has been a price winning innovation. It measures on several levels the moisture in the soil and then will advice when and how much water is needed, preventing using too much, or at the wrong time.
Innovative approach 2: Hans Eenhoorn (Worldconnector, Former Senior Vice President of Unilever, Initiator 1-2-1 Food Losses Initiative)
[> Download slides
Reduce post harvest loss! 1/3 of harvests is lost, amounting in Holland to 200kg p.p.p.y. with a total value of €4.4bilion (the amount the Dutch government gives in development aid!). Sub Sahara loss is 150kg p.p.p.y., but not at the consumers level, but in transport. To fight losses, look at the whole value chain from seed to mouth.
Summary, Jos van Gennip


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liza8402's Profile
Title | Last Reply |
Thank you all!! I have a reservation at L'Espalier!! |
Hi all - I know this convo has been had but I'm wondering if I could get a bit more input. I'm trying to plan a celebratory dinner and am debating between Menton and L'Espalier ... Is there a clear preference for one, or are most people very happy with both? One thing to note is neither of us cared much for Bondir. Also, from what I can see online, it looks like the Chef's tasting is $155 at Menton, and $205 at L'Espalier -- I was always under the impression that Menton was much more expensive. Any input / suggestions would be great. |
Where to bring my niece for her 13th bday She's not incredibly picky. She loves steak, traditional American fare, italian, etc. Anywhere in Boston proper should be ok. Price point -- around $20/dish is ok too (whole family is coming, I should actually mention that this will be lunch, not dinner.) I'd like something that is somewhat special -- was thinking the Prudential as it's a neat experience for out of towners, but she has been there a few times now. |
Where to bring my niece for her 13th bday Any ideas? Trying to think of someplace fun, cool and memorable. |
Update: We went with Salts and have to say we both truly enjoyed it. We did the Chef's Tasting and although not ever course was perfect, there were a couple that were just amazing. The ambiance was perfect, and the hostess, I'm forgetting her name, was such a sweetheart! Thanks for your help. Looking forward to trying out TW in the future. Thanks! |
Chicago Style Pizza in Boston? Wow -- I had no clue this existed. Thank you!! |
Chicago Style Pizza in Boston? So funny... I never really thought of Uno's) even though I've been many times.) I guess that will have to do! |
Thank you all for your input! It's a coin flip for me... I originally had a reservation at Salts, and haven't changed it yet. I'll let you know what my final decision was and how it was. Thank you again! PS - We usually do tasting menus so happy to hear Salts is great. Thank you! |
Chicago Style Pizza in Boston? Does this exist? |
I'm so confused now :) I'm leaning towards TW based on the feedback (also, in one of the bf's very first classes, his professor mentioned that TW is one of his most favorite restaurants) ... but ... looking at both of the menus online, Salts still seems more appealing to me. Am I the only one who agonizes over these things way more than I should? :) |
Thanks for the feedback -- now I am even more confused :) One thing I will say is that we tend to gravitate towards traditional French, so even though everyone seems to be recommending TW Food, I wonder if Salts might be better for our personal taste. One thing I will say is that neither of us really enjoyed Bondir -- mostly because we tend to gravitate towards rich foods (butter, cream, etc.) and Bondir does lack that. All of this being said, we're headed to Menton later this month for a different occasion, so my goal for this dinner is to be a bit different feel (which is also why I've eliminated Troquet which is also on the to try list.) |
I'm planning on bringing my boyfriend to one of these restaurants to celebrate his final day of class at HBS. These are two restaurants that we have yet to try, and am wondering if you'd recommend one over another. |


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Marcus Nispel Interview and 'Chainsaw' DVD Giveaway!
To celebrate New Line Home Entertainment's release of Marcus Nispel's remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Movie/DVD Review), we have posted an interview with Director Marcus Nispel here and a contest where you can win one of five copies of TCM on DVD here. This amazing remake will be hitting stores on March 30th in two different versions. You can pre-order it here.


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Vera and the Ambassador: Escape and Return by Vera and Donald Blinken
Hardcover: 350 pages
Publisher: State University of New York Press (February 5, 2009)
Back-of-the-book blurb: Vera and the Ambassador is both a compelling portrait of a U.S. embassy in a post-Cold War former Soviet satellite and a personal story of a refugee's escape and triumphant return. Vera and Donald Blinken's dual memoir openly details their challenges, setbacks, and victories as they worked in tandem to advance America's interests in Eastern Europe and to restore a former Soviet satellite state to a pre-Communist level of prosperity.
She is Too Fond of Books' review: I have mixed reactions to Vera and the Ambassador; please stick around for the entire review, ultimately I recommend the book.
I really like reading personal memoir, which I am clear to differentiate from celebrity memoir, that tell-all genre which tends to be peppered with recognizable names and addresses – the latest and greatest from the tabloids who meet at the corner table at the hottest new restaurant.
Vera and the Ambassador falls between my two (admittedly unscientific) categorization schema. While not celebrity in the sense that it's not gossipy or full of scandalous behavior, the book has its fair share of name dropping and fancy dinners and events. Before Donald Blinken's appointment as Ambassador to Hungary, he served on the Board of Directors of several well-known institutions, including the New York Public Library and the New York Philharmonic. The couple rubbed shoulders with politicians and philanthropists on a regular basis, and were comfortable in this environment. Once the Blinkens were sent to Hungary, of course, the socializing and entertaining became more carefully orchestrated, but the names are still dropped very casually into vignettes that tell about the events.
And they really are vignettes, rather than a comprehensive narrative. Some of the micro-memoirs are only a few paragraphs long, with no transition to the next section; thankfully, a graphic visually separates one little piece from the next. Once I got used to the pattern, and read for content rather than for style, I could appreciate it more. As far as the way the memoir is related, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
The memoir is written in four parts, alternating narration by Vera and Donald Blinken. The sections told from her point of view read more like a true memoir to me; that is, more personal and less stilted. This is perhaps due to her unique history of escaping Soviet-occupied Hungary as a child, believing that she'd never see her homeland again. When she and Donald first return to Hungary, as tourists in 1987, she retraces her steps to her old neighborhood and notes what has stayed the same, as if in a time capsule, and what has changed or disappeared. She speaks to a local woman, and thinks:
Here was somebody I had never seen before who shared the same distant memories. But I had escaped, and she had not. The feeling I had had all my life was now piercingly poignant: How lucky I was to live in freedom, to have such a full life, to be able to travel all over the world, to see and experience so much that to this woman were just dreams, perhaps not even dreams.
The book brings the reader through a primer on the process of appointing an Ambassador. We learn the delicate balance between representing the United States and the desire to help the individuals of a country which is only just beginning to rise above the shadow of communism.
In the words of Donald Blinken, "It is not the applause when you arrive that counts, it is the judgment when you leave." It seems that by all accounts, the Blinkens began their time in Hungary to the sound of applause, and both the works they completed and the relationships they forged have left a very positive image of his three and a half years in the post.
Despite the somewhat choppy format, I recommend Vera and the Ambassador for its history of Hungary from 1950 to the present day, with of course, special consideration paid to the years of Donald Blinken's Ambassadorship. Vera Blinken's very personal connection to the country of her birth and her return, in a position to make a difference in the lives of the people, is compelling.
Read an excerpt of Vera and the Ambassador at the book's website. You may be able to tell when the narration switches from Vera's point of view to Donald's.
Other blogger reviews include:
- Marcia at The Printed Page
- Rebecca at The Book Lady's Blog
- Kim at Sophisticated Dorkiness
FTC disclosure: review copy provided by an independent publicist.


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Traffic/BylawCan We Help You?
In Calgary, Traffic Court hears provincial offence matters including, traffic violations under the Highway Traffic Act and municipal by-laws. SLA may be able to provide assistance with the following offences:
Legal Information Key Concepts Possible Steps The steps in each traffic matter may vary. For more information, please refer to the Alberta Justice brochure: Charged with a Crime: What you Need to Know. Below is a list of common steps involved in resolving a traffic or by-law matter:
Frequently Asked Questions Other Resources Disclaimer: The sites listed below are third party websites. Student Legal Assistance (SLA) has no control over these websites. SLA provides these websites as a convenience only. All information is provided for general knowledge purposes only. The information contained within these links and this website is not meant as a replacement for professional legal advice. If you have a question that requires legal assistance, please contact Student Legal Assistance or consult a lawyer. Traffic


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A person who is left-handed primarily uses his or her left hand, more so than the right hand; a left-hander will probably use the left hand for tasks such as personal care, cooking, and so on.
Writing is not as precise an indicator of handedness as it might seem, because many left-handed people write with their right hand but use their left hand for other tasks.
Approximately 8 to 15% of the adult population is left-handed.
Studies indicate that left-handedness is more common in males than females.
Left-handedness, in comparison to the general population, also appears to occur more frequently in identical twins, and several groups of neurologically disordered individuals (people suffering from epilepsy, Down's Syndrome, autism, mental retardation, dyslexia, etc.)There have been many famous left-handed people, and the associated right brain hemisphere that is said to be more active in left-handed people has been found in some circumstances to be associated with genius and is correlated with artistic and visual skill.
For more information about the topic Left-handed, read the full article at Wikipedia.org, or see the following related articles:
Editor's Note: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
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Click 'Like' and get an additional Rs 5 discount! |
With more than 200 recipes and two-ingredient "couples" to choose from, you'll never be hungry again! Get ready to chew on:
Crazy Pineapple Salmon Teriyaki (347 calories) Mom-Style Creamy Chicken 'n Veggies (307 calories) Queen-of-the-Castle Sliders (254 calories) Caramel Swirl Cream Puffs (121 calories) Corndog Millionaire Muffins (160 calories) Chili Cheese Dog Nachos (218 calories) Turkey & Veggie Meatloaf Minis (142 calories) Planet Hungrywood Sweet & Cap'n Crunchy Chicken (234 calories) Shrimp & Grits . . . for Hungry Chicks! (380 calories) Cannoli-Stuffed French Toast Nuggets (228 calories) Book Review Are you hungry? The number-one New York Times bestselling phenomenon is back--with even more yum-a-licious guilt-free recipes. This time, the easiest ones on the planet!
Hungry Girl's recipes aren't just delicious, they're SUPER-SIMPLE, too. Hungry Girl 1-2-3 will help you make the world's most delicious guilt-free appetizers, meals, snacks, desserts, etc., with practically no effort whatsoever! There are loads of crock-pot recipes, microwavable meals, HG's famous "foil packs," and more. Some are such a cinch, you won't even have to turn on the oven or stove! Really.
Try Your Hand at These Easy Recipes from Hungry Girl 1-2-3 Chunky Veggie Pumpkin Chili Our friend canned pumpkin is at it again, adding fun, fiber, and flavor to this incredible chili. The taste is mellow but can easily be spiced up with extra cayenne or some hot sauce. Ingredients (Makes 11 Servings) One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes One 15-ounce can pure pumpkin 2 teaspoons chopped garlic ½ tablespoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice ¼ teaspoon salt, or more to taste ½ teaspoon ground cumin One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes One 15-ounce can chili beans (pinto beans in chili sauce), not drained One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed ½ cup canned diced green chiles 2 cups chopped portabella mushrooms 1½ cups chopped zucchini 1½ cups chopped onion DirectionsAdd crushed tomatoes, pumpkin, garlic, and all the seasonings to the crock pot. Mix well.Add diced tomatoes, both types of beans, diced green chiles, and all the veggies. Stir thoroughly. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours. Holy Moly Cannoli Cones These might actually be the cutest food items in the entire book. But let's put adorableness aside for a moment . . . they TASTE AWESOME!!! Try serving these at parties and your events will immediately become 37 percent more enjoyable. Ingredients (Makes 6 Servings) 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons fat-free ricotta cheese 2/3 cup Cool Whip Free, thawed 2½ tablespoons Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated) 1 tablespoon sugar-free fat-free vanilla instant pudding mix 1 tablespoon powdered sugar 2 tablespoons mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided 6 sugar cones (like the kind by Keebler) Directions Place all ingredients except chocolate chips and sugar cones in a medium bowl.Using a handheld electric mixer set to high speed, mix until fully combined and fluffy. Fold in half of the chocolate chips. Transfer mixture to a large plastic bag, squeezing it down toward one bottom corner of the bag. Snip that corner off with scissors, so that you have a makeshift piping bag. Gently squeeze the ricotta mixture into the cones, evenly distributing it among them. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips evenly on top of the filling in each cone.
Book: | Hungry Girl 1-2-3: The Easiest, Most Delicious, Guilt-Free Recipes On The Planet |
Author: | Lisa Lillien |
Binding: | Paperback |
Publishing Date: | 2010-03-30 |
Publisher: | St. Martin's Griffin |
Number of Pages: | 352 |
Language: | English |
Please Note - * We sell only NEW book and do NOT sell old or used books. * The book images and summary displayed may be of a different edition or binding of the same title. * Book reviews are not added by BookAdda. * Price can change due to reprinting, price change by publisher / distributor. |
BookAdda (www.bookadda.com) is a premier online book store in selling books online across India at the most competitive prices. BookAdda sells fiction, business, non fiction, literature, AIEEE, medical, engineering, computer book, etc. The books are delivered across India FREE of cost. |


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Internet service is down, and because the stamps and money order area uses an online system to process money, it was forced to close and direct customers to other post office locations. The office is still delivering and receiving mail on its regular schedule, however.
"We've been working on getting our Internet back up for the last couple days," said customer service supervisor Derrick Strickland. "We can't say for certain when it will be fixed, but until then, customers can take care of their business at the nearest offices in Childersburg or Sycamore."
Strickland said their issues are not because of Monday's shut down of certain Internet servers by the FBI.
"We've been having problems for a couple of weeks now," he said.
For more information, contact the post office at 256-245-4631.
– Emily Adams


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Product Launch - UK: Carlsberg's Crown Cellars O&E wine range
By James Wilmore | 30 July 2013
Crown Cellars' O&E wine range |
Carlsberg's Crown Cellars O&E wine range
Category - Wine
Available - From this month
Location - UK, on-trade only
Price - Wholesale price of GBP24.48 (US$37.50) for a case of six 75cl bottles
Distribution - Carlsberg UK
Crown Cellars, Carlsberg's UK wine and spirits division, has launched a range of five global wines under the brand name O&E.
The range, which is exclusive to the the UK on-trade, comprises
- Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile, 13% abv
- Sauvignon Blanc, France, 12% abv
- Zinfandel Rosé, California, 10.5% abv
- Pinot Grigio, Italy, 12% abv
- Merlot, France, 13% abv
A Carlsberg spokeperson told just-drinks that the "primary target" for the range is independent on-trade accounts.
Louise Boddington, Crown Cellars' wine buyer, said the branding and descriptions have been kept simple to ensure the wines "have a strong appeal to customers looking for an easy choice in pubs and restaurants".
The name O&E stands for 'open and enjoy', the company said.
Expert analysis
The Future of the Wine Market in the UK, to 2016
Future of the Wine Market in the UK, to 2016 is the result of Canadean's extensive market research covering the Wine market in the UK.
Sectors: Product launches, Wine
Companies: Carlsberg
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text:
It´s a lovely bushveld hotel and not to big. They have nice tea garden, many braai places and a refreshing pool. It´s an animal friendly place so you can take your dog or other animals with you. The food is delicious and I recommend to enjoy a south african beer or any other drink in the cosy bar or relaxin... More
- Official Description (provided by the hotel):
- Lalapanzi Hotel & Conference Centre is situated in the game and cattle breeding area of Bandelierkop. 28 km south of Louis Trichardt. We have a restaurant on site, private Bush camp, and small game to be seen.6 Self catering units. All units with garden entrances. Swimming pool, Anglo Boer War Museum ( Breaker Morant and the Bushveldt Carbineers Horse Regiment - horse memorial on site). ... more less
- Reservation Options:
- TripAdvisor is proud to partner with Booking.com and Priceline so you can book your Lalapanzi Hotel & Conference Centre reservations with confidence. We help millions of travellers each month to find the perfect hotel for both holiday and business trips, always with the best discounts and special offers.


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Help:Special Case Workarounds
From Ask Dr Wiki
A few issues appear to require special handling in a set number of cases. In the event that the regular way of doing things fail, this page may provide other possible ways of performing the same action.
Contents |
Pages beginning with /, or containing //
The wiki software doesn't like double slashes together, and typically merges them into a single slash. Thus, these pages seem to survive whatever is thrown at them, since actions always seem to "miss" them, instead aiming at the version of the page that has only a single slash.
Thankfully, this is only software-based, and can be circumnvented. To do so, you will need to perform some "URL hacking".
Accessing content of these pages
The safest and most effective way of accessing the content on these pages is to URL hack your way into the edit page. The URL form for any edit page is:
Where Page_title is the name of the page you're intending to affect (including namespace). Any spaces in the page title must be replaced by underscores. Once in the edit page, it's probably best to recover any information locked within and store in on another appropriate page.
Deleting these pages
The same URL structure will allow a sysop to reach the deletion page for any particular page, regardless of the page title, although the action parameter will be different:
Where Page_title is the name of the page you're intending to affect (including namespace). Again, any spaces in the page title must be replaced by underscores. Reaching the page title via this means has been proven to work in all cases.
Other actions
Most actions on the wiki can be performed by accessing the page directly via the URL, in all cases it is simply required to change the action parameter. Other actions:
Action | Parameter |
View Page | view |
Viewing History | history |
Page Protection | protect |
Page Unprotection | unprotect |
Add to Watchlist | watch |
Remove from Watchlist | unwatch |
Undeletions and Moves do not appear to be possible using URL hacking, as they are handled by specific Special Pages. This may imply that such actions cannot occur on pages which contain double slashes. It's for this reason we recommend that users use the edit hack to extract all the content, then request a sysop delete the page.


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Hunter IT bay
Posted 15 August 2011 - 11:49 PM
Posted 17 August 2011 - 10:53 PM
Posted 11 January 2012 - 07:24 AM
"Oh my, wait there. I'll call for a Lifesaver." She said while picking up a phone.
"No, i need... [Command Center]..." He said, stumbling out of the IT Bay as several bystanders and the check-in Reploid merely watched him leave.
Posted 08 February 2012 - 09:00 PM
Posted 16 February 2012 - 01:43 AM
Zero arrived in a flash of red light alongside his comrade. They had to report in on what happened, of course, but he was concerned for X's well being and state of mind...
Posted 23 February 2012 - 04:20 AM
X continues to overlook himself hesitantly as he was being transferred to base. He can see some of the LifeSavers making their way towards him in preparation of taking him to the Infirmary, but having experienced the horrors of the Limited, and reacting the hasty conclusion of being infected by a similar substance, he frets the possibility of spreading it onto them and the rest of the Hunters that were undergoing repairs.
Unsure of what to do or say that won't result in them going so far as to poke his armor, X begins to back away from the approaching units, frantically looking around for some kind of non-metallic material he could cover himself with so none of the substance could get onto them and potentially endanger the entire base worse than the Bubonic Plague of human's past.
"Towel...." he mutters frantically, "I...I need a towel...something to cover me so the rest of you don't get infected by the substance mutating my body...."
The LifeSavers stopped a few inches from the transporter, confused by what X meant by the request. One picks up a radio and contacts the Emergency Room.
"Send a couple more LifeSavers," he said, "And bring something to cover him with. We don't want to cause anymore problems than this base could already handle."
[From Infirmary]
It took no less than a few minutes before the requested LifeSavers showed up, one of them carrying a white sheet used to cover exposed reploid innards during repairs. Hajime hung out in the background, watching as the two cautiously walked over to X and draped the cloth over him, then escorts him out of IT towards the Infirmary while the LifeSaver that called them in continued to talk into his radio.
"Prepare an ISO chamber," he said, "Whatever's making him nervous maybe a hazard to the rest of the base. We'll need to run scans to see what's going on and whether it should be any major concern to the well being of the other Hunters."
With that said, he cuts off transmission and follows the other two LifeSavers back to base, leaving Hajime and the remaining three LifeSavers to address Zero. One of them approached him, remaining cautious in case he acted irrationally as well.
"I don't suppose you could explain what's been going on with X since being dispatched to the Bridge," he asked.
Posted 23 February 2012 - 05:39 AM
"During the battle, the Maverick expelled a weird fluid," Zero began to explain. "It hit X. Not long after that, that traitor Kazuma crashed the party. During the fight, X's arm just... changed. His Buster got some powerful, mid-battle upgrade. I think I know why X is worried. It looks a lot like the Limited fiasco."
Posted 23 February 2012 - 06:07 AM
Hajime listened into the conversation with more interest in what was being said. He had heard about the Limited and how it previously attempted to corrupt X's mind when it splashed onto him, but couldn't gather anymore information that the Hunters weren't willing to let him in on for obvious reasons. He can't help but wonder if the substance had anything to do with Kazuo and his connection with New Hera, and if Ryuta had known about the dangers of the substance that led him to drop bread crumbs in front of Omicron.
LifeSaver ponders on the current situation a moment before turning his attention back to Zero.
"Well, we'll know for sure what to expect from this substance he keeps cautioning us against," he began, "Until then, you should probably report to Commander Signas concerning the matter; assuming you, yourself, weren't hit with the same substance."
Posted 26 February 2012 - 08:28 PM
[To the Briefing Room]
Posted 26 February 2012 - 08:50 PM
"Let's go," the remaining LifeSaver said, cutting Hajime from his thoughts, "The way X is behaving, we may need your arsenal pack to make sure he's inserted into the chamber without complications.
Hajime watched LifeSaver head out the door before following after him, hoping he wouldn't have to get too involved and risk endangering himself with whatever X didn't want anyone to get contaminated with.
[Returning to Infirmary]
Posted 20 April 2012 - 09:33 PM
Juno wobbled in, still trying to keep herself steady. She could barely recall the events that happened earlier, but knew the base was being evacuated.
Posted 20 April 2012 - 10:05 PM
Posted 21 April 2012 - 03:57 PM
Posted 21 April 2012 - 06:26 PM
"Hey, you doing okay?" he asked, trying to ignore Axl.
R didn't reply. He just held his broken arm and the severed part.
Posted 22 April 2012 - 12:35 AM
Posted 04 May 2012 - 09:00 PM
"When we arrive, I'm going to have to request Dr. S' presence, on account of being a unique build," R said, examining his arm.
Chiba turned. "Dr. S? I haven't seen him in years."
R showed surprise for a second. "Oh, that's right. The Doctor mentioned you once or twice..."
Kazuo's cheek twitched and he almost maintained a shifty person for the moment but eventually calmed himself down. He took a few breaths and let out a long exhale. To the right, Axl, grit his teeth.
"I can't believe we're going to war..." he let out a long sigh, showing his frustration.
Posted 04 May 2012 - 10:03 PM
Posted 04 May 2012 - 10:13 PM
"If you need weapons, call your creator or if need be, Dr. S can create new ones," R said as he began to play around with his severed arm.
Posted 07 May 2012 - 05:21 AM
My characters (so you don't have to go search for them.)
Please note that I'm not doing forum RP at the moment.
Posted 07 May 2012 - 05:50 AM


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Tracy 8, Kerman 6
The Tracy and Kerman all-stars played a close contest on Thursday in Bakersfield to move the Tracy Babe Ruth All-Stars a step closer to the championship bracket. Tracy's 8-6 win puts the team in Friday's game against Central Coast, with the winner to play again Friday night for a chance to advance to Saturday's championship game.
Tracy got on the scoreboard in the top of the first when Michael Mendonca walked and Chandlyr Metal homered over the left-center fence. Kerman came back with a run in the bottom of the first and another in the second, and Tracy made it a 3-2 game in the top of the third after Mendonca singled and advanced to third on a balk and a stolen base, and scored when Metal grounded out. Kerman responded with a two-run inning in the bottom of the third.
Tracy's three-run fourth inning included a single for Louie Gutierrez and a double for Brandon Zaunbrecher. Mendonca singled to bring in Gutierrez, and Metal got his fourth and fifth RBI's of the day when he singled to bring in Zaunbrecher and Mendonca. Elijah Brown also singled in the fourth inning.
Gutierrez singled and Zaunbrecher doubled for another run in the fifth, and Mendonca led off the sixth with a solo home run to make it an 8-4 game, with Kerman scoring two more in the bottom of the sixth.
Starting pitcher Chandlyr Metal allowed seven hits four runs in 2 2/3 innings and struck out five batters. Mendonca got the win, pitching 2 1/3 innings and allowing two hits, no runs and striking out five batters. Damon Noe and Brown pitched the sixth inning, with Brown getting the save.
Bullard 5, Tracy 2
Tracy was limited to six hits on Wednesday in a loss to Bullard. Bullard was ahead 3-0 when Tracy scored in the bottom of the third inning after Seth Strope walked , Brandon Zaunbrecher singled and Damon Noe hit a sacrifice fly to score Strope. Bullard had a 5-1 lead in the sixth inning, and in the bottom of the sixth Michael Mendonca singled with one out, stole second and scored on a pitcher error, but Tracy was unable to get any more runners on base. Zaunbrecher had two hits in all, Haiden Hall had two hits and Chandlyr Metal had a hit. Mendonca and Metal pitched for Tracy.
Scores and statistics can be e-mailed to firstname.lastname@example.com, or reported through our online form.


text:
Talknowledgy for August 25, 2012
This week's show is now live! It's Talknowledgy for August 25, 2012! We cover the courtroom news from Apple v. Samsung (and that case was (sadly) completed just after we recorded the show)! We also chat about Nintendo Power, Apple smartphone security, and an app that will broadcast out your message…so long as you're the first person using it to die? Creepy or Awesome, what do you think?
Websense Canadian Country Manager Fiaaz Walji also stops by in Seg 2!
Please note we have finally found a new podcasting home for the show, and we encourage you to subscribe to the new RSS feed. Thank you for your patience!
Comments always appreciated! You can also email us: firstname.lastname@example.com.
Posted on 08/25/2012, in Podcast, Talknowledgy News and tagged Apple, Apple Security, Apple v. Samsung, Canada, Creepy or Awesome, David Hall, Fiaaz Walji, If I Die, Malware adoption lifecycle, Nintendo Power, Opinion, Ottawa, Phil Gaudreau, Podcast, Samsung, Smartphone, Talknowledgy, Technology, Websense. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a Comment.


text:
Von Weirdos is not for everyone. And that's the whole point.
Created for individuals looking for something a little different.
All our tees are as unique as those who wear 'em.
This ongoing campaign is currently running in Pacific Longboarder Magazine and as instore POS.
VIEW THE FULL CAMPAIGN . . . Click here.
// Send this page to a friend // Print this page


text:
Williams Canyon Project Meeting January 31
By Richard Rhinehart ~ January 11th, 2009. Filed under: Williams Canyon Project.
The Williams Canyon Project of the National Speleological Society will be meeting on January 31 at the Cave of the Winds. New Project Chairman Rick Speaect is seeking items for discussion by the board of directors for the meeting.
One new topic will be approval of a new Cave of the Winds board member. Director Laura Salinas of Woodland Park, Colorado, has announced her resignation with her pending move to Pennsylvania the week prior to the January 31 meeting. Laura has served on the board only since September 2008 and, until December, had served as one of the managers at the commercial Cave of the Winds.
Cave of the Winds manager Jeremy Stiles and general manager Grant Carey will be selecting a new board member for the project. Interested cavers should alert Jeremy.
This year is the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Williams Canyon Project. It was created in 1989 to serve as the National Speleological Society's managing organization for caver activities at the popular Manitou Springs, Colorado commercial cave.
Tags: Cave of the Winds, meeting, Williams Canyon Project


text:
Christo Does Central Park
After a quarter century's effort, the wrap artist and his wife, Jeanne-Claude, blaze a saffron trail in New York City
- By Amei Wallach
- Smithsonian magazine, February 2005, Subscribe
(Page 4 of 4)
By this time, some attitudes had shifted. Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Gordon Davis, the parks commissioner who rejected the proposal in 1981, said he anticipated that the project's "colorful, whimsical embrace of the restored landscape will make us stare, laugh, gasp, prance, gawk and say to no one in particular, 'Isn't the park wonderful?'" Of course it wouldn't be New York City without some carping. Henry Stern, who as parks commissioner under Mayor Rudolph Giuliani opposed the Christo project, fulminated in a newsletter last April that "no man's ego should be rewarded with 7,500 polyps on the city's finest natural landscape."
Out at the Queens facility last summer and fall, project director Jonita Davenport assembled a database of workers—from forklift operators to art students—who would be paid to work on The Gates. They'll be fed one hot meal a day during the installation, "on porcelain, not plastic," says Christo. "Real service, real everything; no fast-food mentality."
On January 3, movers and forklift operators were scheduled to start placing the bases at 12-foot intervals on green dots spray-painted onto the park's asphalt. The some 600 workers who will actually erect the gates will begin their training February 4. Most will be working with the Christos for the first time. Others, like Janet Rostovsky, a 62-year-old docent with the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla, California, are veterans of other Christo projects. "You're like children together," says Rostovsky. "There's this unbelievable excitement and enthusiasm and awe at being part of it."
In early February, 60 flatbed trucks will begin carrying their saffron cargo through the streets of Manhattan. "The logistic is a nightmare, I don't even want to think about it," Christo says. "There will be trucks and cars and forklifts and people and dogs. We will try to be very agreeable to everybody using the park. We don't try to be annoying. But there could be big screaming. I cannot sleep. There are 7,500 gates and there are 7,500 chances to make mistakes."
On Monday, February 7, Rostovsky and the other workers will begin bolting gates to their bases and raising them into position. The saffron fabric panels will stay rolled up in orange cocoons until all the gates are in place. At first light on Saturday morning, February 12—weather permitting—workers throughout the park will open the cocoons. By noon, says Vince Davenport, "the park will blossom."
The 81/2-foot-long fabric panels will hang from the thousands of 16-foot-high frames straddling the park's walkways. To a visitor looking down from the sculpture terrace atop the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a saffron stream will appear to flow between the bare trees. "This is really an intimate project, truly built on a human scale," says Christo. "It is not big, not bombastic. It is something very private, and I love that."
Subscribe now for more of Smithsonian's coverage on history, science and nature.


text:
Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Bed Bug Treatment
'Powerful Attractant' as a pre-treatment?
(14 posts)-
Hello all,
I was talking with a PCO, continuing my research to find someone to help me out,
and he said something I haven't heard before...(not that I've heard tons...)He said I would be required to pretty much move everything into the center of each room, including opened clothing ziplocs, and that the technician would then put down a 'powerful attractant' to draw the bugs out, and then use insecticides to kill them.
He said total time out of the house would be 4 hours...but that it wouldn't really need to be THAT long, probably more like 2, but 4 to be safe.
Now, I am FAR from being a PCO, so is there such a thing as an attractant so powerful that it would draw every bug out from every bag and crevice of my home, so it would cross poison and be killed in a couple hours, and then I could shut all the bags again as he said? Maybe I misunderstood.
Wouldn't that just mean I had to retreat all clothing, everything in bags, because they were opened to potential little crawlers for 4 hours? I wish I knew whether I'm being told true or hokey things. If this sounds like a viable treatment option, if anyone has tried it, I'd love to know how it went.
The company treats three times at 1 week intervals, with one week break between 2nd and 3rd treatment, 30 day guarantee.
Also, he said my car was fine because it is so cold outside these days. I've heard that is not true. Is that true?
Confused, for sure.
Thanks so much!
-grateful for help -
Powerful attractant? That's a new one on me and I think it is were about I would have heard of it.
I know the car info is 100% dubious so I think you might have to chalk this one up as sounds too good to be true and not based on sound scientific principles.
I am always open to being proved wrong but it would be the first time when it comes to efficient bedbug treatment.
David Cain
Bed Bugs Limited -
CO2 is a primary attractant, but I am not aware of any evidence that a 2 - 4 hour release would be of any value during treatment... A live sleeping human is the most potent bait currently available...
Maybe a tech sleeps on the open bags...
I would be extremely skeptical... There is no published research... It really sounds like an unethical sales pitch that is taking serious liberties with the words "powerful attractant".
Post a link to their website and we can evaluate their claims more specifically
I know that David follows this research very closely... The fact that he is unaware of any commercial product on the market strongly suggests that it is bogus
I saw thinking about this more last night and this morning.
The only thing I can think they might be trying is to follow a research presentation that someone from Florida has been pumping around. They basically found that bedbugs can be attracted to CO2 from a cylinder, nothing new there.
Sadly they did not do enough research to realise that in order to be attracted in this way the bedbugs must not have fed for a few days. In my replicates I found 7+ days without a source of food gave the best results which in real terms render the concept less effective that other active monitors such as the Beacon which gives the best results within 3 - 5 days from a source of food being in the area.
It may just be another case of an academic spending too much time in the lab and forgetting that the rest of us live and work in the real world. Its also not his worst idea either.
I would love to hear more about what this PCO recons they are going to do because outside of what I have described above I am at a loss as to what they could do.
In many states (maybe all?) PCO's are required to give you a list of what they use to treat prior to treatment. In any event, why don't you simply ask them what they are going to use, including the "attractant". I'd then seriously evaluate what they say before allowing them to treat, especially if it involves opening previously closed bags of clothes which I assumed were washed and/or heat treated in the dryer.
What everyone above said. Additional thoughts. Things often get garbled as they pass from person to person. We've heard of PCOs who use substances to "flush" BB out of hiding (ie "attract" them into the open). Could the PCO have meant to describe such a technique?
Thanks everyone,
Richard, Thanks, I didn't know that about getting a list of products...now I am hoping to e-mail him to get a list of products he planned to use. We'll see.
David Cain,
Your thoughts make alot of sense to me...I wondered about CO2 as well as an attractant, and it didn't seem plausible.
You said something about a Beacon being used while people (food sources) are in the house? I thought they were supposed to be used when people aren't present (sorry if I misunderstood). Could I use one in my sisters' room, they both have climbups on their beds. The Beacon picked up NOTHING downstairs, (where my un-isolated bed is). However, I was gone while it ran, for Christmas, and didn't check it every couple days as it suggests.Cilecto,
He may well have meant that, but I still question how that would work, if I am supposed to open and leave vulnerable all my carefully PackTite-ed and Dried clothing. It takes weeks to prep stuff for bags, as we all know. I don't want to redo it for some magic/untrue treatment. Besides, what's the difference in this case between a 'flushing agent' and an 'attractant'?My real problem with it it that it seems very cavalier treatment of possible collateral damage to tell me to open all my carefully sealed clothing, and not to worry about spreading it to the house next door, and that my car is probably fine because it's cold. If I followed that advice, I'd be back to square one and not caring about my neighbors at all! Can we all say 'Ep-i-Dem-ic' together now?
DougSummers, ha ha, yes, perhaps they SHOULD sleep on the job...but I'm sleeping here, and no bites for over 5 weeks, and my bed's not isolated...and I can't possibly imagine someone yummier than my humble self...
I'm a little leary of posting names of companies, since I am still researching. Would that be harmful to their business? Or since it's just a private opinion maybe it's ok if we post results of research here?Anyhow, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate all of you for helping us sufferers. I know everyone says that, but it's true!
-Grateful for Help
P.S. I'm in a bind, because he also told me to forget anything I've read about these on the internet or elsewhere, so any advice you've given I won't be able to consider anyhow (sarcastic eye roll :wink:) -
Grateful, from what I've read in this forum, there are several approaches to bagging.
1. Bag to seal up bugs for 18 months. This seemed to be prevalent pre-pack tite. It does not appear to be your PCO's approach.
2. Bag treated items to prevent reinfestation. I don't see the point of opening these.
3. Bag untreated items pre treatment (likely just to get them out of the way and give the PCO access to drawers) then reopen after treatment, so that BB exit to feed. Perhaps this is what your PCO is trying to do. Again, confirm with him if it's really necessary to open bags of treated items.There are also PCOs who don't require bagging or minimal.
And if your gut doesn't trust this guy, go with your gut.
Thanks Cilecto,
I did ask him that, specifically about treated bags, cleaned and dried ziploc clothes and he said 'yes, leave them open in the middle of the floor'. I asked if he would spray fabric/clothing and he said no. I inferred from that that the attractant and and poison would supposedly kill anything in those bags? I asked should I then rewash all that already cleaned stuff, and he said only if I wanted to get rid of the remains of the bugs that would be dead by then. (sounds more like fumigation/vikane results !!!)I spoke with him about drawers of dressers (all empty because we've already cleaned and ziploc-ed things) and they are supposed to be out on the floor (makes sense) but he didn't mention any other drawers, like kitchens, dining room cabinets, he told us to leave that furniture alone, which seems weird.
Yep, go with the gut.
Thanks again.
Based on what I've seen (again other people's experiences in the forum), some PCO's will skip kitchens, or treat less aggressively, as that's not where people hang out motionless, therefore (unless you have a really bad infestation or dispersed bugs with bombs) not a place where bugs will camp out. That said, my own instincts say to consider any atypical situations (like, if you store dirty laundry in your kitchen).
Just to clarify I did not mean to imply that actives should be run with people in the area. You need to think of all active based monitors as substitute attractants that are used in the absence of people. Non of them are designed to have an output that would compete with a human sleeping in the room.
I still cant work out what these guys might be trying to do but given that they say its unique and not to trust what you read online I suspect its likely to be snake oil.
Oh, thanks, David,
That's what I thought about the active monitors. I appreciate the clarification. So, I guess good ol' human bait is still the best!Also, Cilecto,
That makes sense about kitchens and rooms less aggressively treated, and though I don't store dirty laundry there, my 'laundry room' IS in my dining room, attached to the kitchen.-Grateful.
>In my replicates I found 7+ days without a source of food gave the best results which in real terms render the concept less effective that other active monitors such as the Beacon which gives the best results within 3 - 5 days from a source of food being in the area.
>Not the most practical, but maybe PCOs should add - "Leave home for 1 week before we come treat"
This way the first night after treatment, ALL the BBs will be hungry and come out to bite you, so they will cross over the poison.
Hi tforms1,
Not really a practical idea but it has more logic too it than the research that was presented.
I would rather the world took the view that academics either get out of the ivory towers and see what goes on in the real world or learn to actually check their research in the field before standing on stage and goofing off. A little more digging about leads me to believe that this academic is not only a supreme idiot but that he has been this way for some time (at least 4 years).
Having been to a number of bedbug meetings now I can safely say I have learnt little or nothing new other than the fact that some academics in the US need to learn the basics of bedbug biology before they declare themselves leaders in the field and that a lot of them need to get their fingers out of the cookie jar.
Thankfully there are a core of good ones who I am sure will continue to shine head and shoulders above the ones who are just jumping on the trendy bandwagon.
OK its late and although I am now in the city that never sleeps I need a little before the sun comes up.
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text:
Up the Rewa from the mouth of the Kwitaro river we go, each on our own personal mission. Jan is looking for more small creeks and rocky pools to fish in. I am seeking a clear horizon for a strong signal to use the satellite phone. Today is sure to lead to another
After finding a spot to settle, seven of us sling tents and a tarp. It is a 10-minute commute through the rain forest from camp to my new "office" across the river from a cascading rapids and falls. No one lives this far up the Rewa, and only one family lives along the Kwitaro where the rest of the group have stayed: It's just us, one pot, a small fire, and a bunch of fasciated heron. According to the bird books, herons don't live in Guyana, but how would anyone know? No one is here. That is the beauty of science – there is always something new to discover.
PEOPLE: Follow along with Burton Lim, in search of bats.
The rocks in the falls are all carved up, both by running water and by humans that have come and gone through the region. From where I write, I can see a triangular rock jutting out with a picture of a grinning monkey. No one knows where the carvings came from, but one of the river crew tells us that his grandmother knew how to make them. So it could have been very recent, or it could be ancient.
When I return to camp, Justin and Jan look sad, "Nothing. No fishes. I need another kind of net for the rocky pools," Jan laments. He must, because when I jump in the water for a bath later that day, I jump out just as fast when my bathing suit fills with tiny biting fishes. Maybe he'll have better luck night fishing with a different tool – something more like my swimsuit.
TOOLS: Learn about the tools used by scientists to find and catch mammals.
<< Day 5 Dispatch | Day 7 Dispatch >>


text: We enjoyed our drive of Cabot Trail. We knew a bit about what to expect with the sweeping vistas, winding roads, quaint villages, and miles of coastal highway where one view was more breathtaking than the next. It is almost too much to take in during a couple day drive. We did not pay a fee to enter the Trail... More


text:
I Reblogged That For You: A Story of Internet Friendship
Why the Fuck Did You Reblog That From Someone Else: A Story of Pain and Betrayal
You Liked My Post, But Did Not Reblog It: A Story of Mixed Signals and Confusion
The URL I Wanted Was Taken: A Story of Identity and Thwarted Ambition
Why Are We All Typing Like A Fall Out Boy Song: A Story Of My Confusion
(via ohdraco)
The Boy Who Lived
My new favorite post.
(Source: writetothesoul, via insanedreamslucidmind)
A step-by-step breakdown of *Qinni's short animated film, "Night Light."
The whole film took me altogether about 5 grueling months (usually 10-12hours a day) to do. I often felt my butt was going to grow into the chair I usually sat at.
Please note that this was simply my way of doing my film to achieve the soft-shaded style I wanted; there are many other ways of doing this and some are a lot faster with different results~! :)
- My film on DeviantArt | My film on Vimeo
- My film gifs on Tumblr
- You can see my storyboard animatic here (although the original had music, but like I mentioned, my placeholder music was by Joe Hisaishi, you know, Miyazaki's composer, so it's not really legal to upload it).
This tut differs a bit from my dA version, because tumblr lets me put the combination of gifs and jpegs :D.
Here's a book that will really help you start animating:
here's some books that are good for composition, storytelling and colours:
- Dream Worlds: Production Design for Animation
- The Art of Pixar: The Complete Color Scripts and Select Art from 25 Years of Animation
- Prepare to Board! Creating Story and Characters for Animated Features and Shorts
I hope these helpedI ask that no one removes the credit or source for this tutorial/guide please. thanks :)
(via insanedreamslucidmind)
31 july 1947 – 29 march 2013
Goodbye Uncle Vernon.
Thanks for everything. Potterheads all over the world.R.I.P.
(Source: snaping, via starksexual)
john: who's there
mrs hudson: nacho
john: nacho who
mrs hudson: nacho housekeeper


text:
Results 6 to 10 of 15
Thread: New Clearblue Pregnancy Test?
September 6th, 2013 01:12 AM #6
I agree with the pp's that it's a gimmick. Just not useful and won't be worth the money imo - get a regular positive pregnancy test, your doctor will want to do an us to check the date anyway and then you'll know.
Pregnancy #1: lost to mc, 10/11
Amelia Joelle arrived on 11/28/13 at 7 pounds, 4 ounces of pure beauty. Couldn't be happier to finally be mommy!
September 6th, 2013 07:34 AM #8Junior Member
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I used a cheap supermarkets one and was happy with it, but my husband didn't think it would happen as quickly so he bought one of those just so it was in black in white. - always the engineer 2 lines wasn't a clear enough result for him!
Expecting our first child March 2014
Currently mummy to Freya Cat my feline friend
September 6th, 2013 08:15 AM #10
I don't know anyone who tried the new ones but they sound fun and exciting, you always want to know a lot in the beginning of your pregnancy even before first appointment! I believe Clearblue are the most accurate tests in general.
Each magician has his own power sign...
* Hector & Leontine
♈ ♉ ♊ ♋ ♌ ♍ ♎ ♏ ♐ ♑ ♒ ♓ are under transformation into heroes and queens!
September 6th, 2013 09:00 AM #12Senior Member
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September 6th, 2013 09:12 AM #14Senior Member
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- Apr 2013
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I was a bit confused by it, as unless its measuring gestational age, how would it tell if you're 1 or 2 weeks pregnant? Baby hasn't been conceived yet!
Lillian Elizabeth 6.16.13


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2 Meetup Groups match "Podcasting" near Cleveland, OH
We meet monthly at the local Panera to discuss the latest podcast from the White Horse Inn. We look at and discuss what the Bible teaches through conversational theology.
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- May 6, 2012
- 3:38 a.m.
- Suggest removal
- Reply to this post
BigOrangeKitty writes:
Let's say that ol' Jackie didn't know that what he was doing was wrong. I don't believe that, but let's go with that for a minute. That would mean that both Obama and the Democratic National Committee accepted donations that they had to have known were illegal.
And what would've happened if the two former partners hadn't lost their money? Would they have still filed their complaint about the illegal contributions that ol' Jackie made?
This whole thing stinks.
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The autumn wind plays its song throughout the sky. The autumn moon looks like as a bright pearl at an autumn night. Fallen leaves dance with autumn music. Birds prepare for their autumn journey to their autumn and winter; Home.
I gaze at the blue body of the water. The water dances so gently, the mountains are towering Toward to the heaven. hundred grasses are lush.
The autumn wind soughs, great waves rise up.
The path of the sun and moon, seems to come from within.
The splendid Milky Way, seems to come from inside
AUTUMN CLOUDS That morning's landscape is pleasant and exceptional; A goose flies high into the heaven. The sky's water has Fallen, and autumn clouds are thin, the western wind has Blown a million elements go into the firmament. Long Rain has not harmed the land.
Who choose things are true beauties; Any human being don't have any authority To say which things are beautiful; We are so mess-up; There are countless beauties in the world; This quote is right, <"the beauty is lying within A beholder's eyes.">; Someone thinks a child's innocence is beauty; Really?! There is beauty in a person gives her/his caring Soul and lovely spirit to others; So numerous beauties in this amazing world and its astounding Life. Yup, that quote is so very true <"the true beauty lies in the beholder's eyes.">
<DUCK'S SONG> Unconsciously, wild ducks start to call, With crying voice also countless and Confused. It's so distressed, it thinks that It can hear. They've lost each other in myriad Layers of clouds. It looks into the distance, seem to see


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Laaaaaaaw, is a many splendored thiiiiiing… Not.
OK, forgive my musical refrain. I ran across an article today that kinda illustrated how important it is that the laws be objective, not morally motivated, and constantly revised to stay current with the changing times:
Dying in parliament is an offence and is also by far the most absurd law in Britain, according to a survey of nearly 4,000 people by a television channel showing a legal drama series.
And though the lords were clad in their red and white ermine cloaks and ambassadors from around the world wore colourful national costumes, at least nobody turned up in a suit of armour. Illegal. – [Yahoo/AFP]
Obviously many of these laws probably had some practical logic to them when they were made, and merely suffered from being too broad or too specific in scope. However the same is true of many of the laws on the books today. They are based on historical or social standards that are either obsolete or irrelevant today.
On the other side of the coin, there are laws placed on the books, that are simply poorly thought out. Most often emotional the result of knee-jerk reactions by over zealous lawmakers. For instance banning baggy pants? No tag in school? No hugs?!? Seriously, how is banning baggy pants supposed to reduce the crime rate of a city? (see <Dumb Laws.com> for a big list of really wacky laws… Fair warning, you may laugh yourself into oblivion )
But on a more serious note, the law has become a means for activists to push their own agendas, as opposed to protecting the society at large, and no, the two are not the same thing. An equitable legal system does not discriminate against anyone on the bases of race, color, creed, beliefs, etc, so it is absolutely ludicrous that any one should have to face prosecution simply because of their choice of clothes. What we are seeing is an abuse of the legal system. And it really needs to stop.
Die and you're under arrest! Britain's most stupid laws – [Yahoo/AFP]
The Colombian in the Iron Mask!
Yesterday I read an interesting article about an unemployed Colombian man who resorted to a rather unusual form of governmental protest about the plight of his family:
In Colombia, an unemployed man has sewn shut his mouth and locked himself behind an iron mask to demand the government attend to his family's desperate economic plight. – [Yahoo/AP]
He is demanding the government provide a loan to jump-start a cottage textile business and pay health care bills for his wife and children. Without the loan, he says his family will end up living on the streets. – [Yahoo/AP]
Hmmm. There are so many things wrong with this picture. I almost don't know where to begin. First, which would you prefer. Your children out on the street? Or barefoot. My money says a roof over their head trumps new Nikes. Having spent a lot of time barefoot as a young 'un, I'm fairly certain the kids would agree.
And then there is his "innovative" (for lack of a better word) method of protest. How exactly is sewing his mouth shut, then covering his face with an iron mask, and then shackling himself to his neighbors bed, supposed to be an effective protest strategy? The first rule of a successful protester: THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SEE YOUR PROTEST!!…
Not only did he cover his facial sewing handiwork (the only innovative part of this hare-brained scheme, imho) with an iron mask (where did he get an iron mask from anyway?), so nobody can see it, he is hiding in his neighbors house, where nobody can even see him and his iron mask. Ridiculous!
And I'm not even going to go into the kind of egocentrism that spawns this kind of protest, when other people's kids are already out on the street. I know the squeaky wheel generally gets the grease, but please! How about coming up with a plan that everyone can benefit from, instead of disfiguring your stupid mug, which your wife and kids will have to look at for the rest of your marriage, and taking up space that your neighbor could probably use (probably for much better things).
You know, I can understand this mans desire to see his family stay off the streets. I can even understand his desire to have the government help him start a business. It's much better than asking for a handout. But come on. While sensationalist stunts are generally a good way to get attention, I tend to think there are much better ways of doing this, and they should be used for the purpose of implementing much more universal solutions.
He gets -8 intarwebs points for lack of common sense/originality, -4 for uncompromisingly poor execution, and the journalist who picked this up gets a -10 for being stupid enough to run this, instead of airing the plight of all the other Colombian kids who are already out on the street because of unemployment. Epic Phail all around.
Unemployed Colombian dons iron mask – [Yahoo/AP]
Contrary to what the evidence might suggest…
You know, one of the things I find amazing about the current administration is how flexible their definition of events and scenarios are. And how they see whatever they want to see, and declare whatever they see fit, ratified by presidential decree. Even when it is obvious as the light of day that the truth is actually contradictory to the presidents view of things.
Like the President declaring "Mission Accomplished" without having achieved any of the stated mission goals. Or that the national outrage about the war in Iraq is little more than the opinions of a focus group. Or even that global warming is a natural phenomenon. Or that you can win a war with terrorists using conventional warfare. Or that you can introduce national stability into a country torn by civil war using the aforementioned conventional warfare. I could go on, but I think the picture is abundantly clear.
But then again I've never governed a country. But when former presidents of said country begin to speak out against the current administrations actions then, well, hey there has to be some merit to it right? Apparently not.
Former president Jimmy Carter, in a recent interview, called out the president on the issue of prisoner torture and the violation of human rights, in regard to:
… secret Justice Department memorandums supporting the use of "harsh interrogation techniques." These include "head-slapping, simulated drowning and frigid temperatures," – [CNN Politics]
The Prez's response?:
Responding to the newspaper report Friday, Bush defended the techniques used, saying, "This government does not torture people." – [CNN Politics]
The white house response?:
After reading a transcript of Carter's remarks, a senior White House official said, "Our position is clear. We don't torture." – [CNN Politics]
Well OK then. I am by no means an authority in torture, however slapping a person upside the head until they sing like a bird, sounds like torture to me. I mean, it ain't exactly the same as a swedish massage now is it? But if the President and White house officials say it's not torture, well then I stand corrected!
But if I slap my next door neighbor cross-eyed while attempting to find out what he did with the lawn mower I lent him last year, I better not hear any lip about it from the peanut gallery. And I'll sue whoever calls the police…
- 'Mission Accomplished' Whodunit – [CBS News]
- When Denial Goes Pathological – [CounterPunch]
- Carter says U.S. tortures prisoners – [CNN Politics]
- President Bush: State of Denial About Iraq – [FOX News.com]
- President Bush Discusses Global War on Terror – [WhiteHouse.gov]
- The Secret Campaign of President Bush's Administration To Deny Global Warming – [Rolling Stone]
Presidential ignorance is a curse…
You may remember many moons ago I posted about American citizenship, and whether or not a citizenship exam should include questions on things like sports, world events, and cultural awareness. Now in this bloggers humble opinion, these things are not a true measure of whether or not a person will be a good American.
I would rather have every aspiring American citizen take an ethics test and be done with it. In fact I'd like to see every young American, not just immigrants be required to take a federally mandated ethics test when they reach legal age, before they are allowed to be considered a legal adult. I think the country would benefit from this more than anything else. The rest of it is almost inconsequential by comparison.
Almost. There are many positions where I think a broader, more comprehensive test of ones knowledge, ethics, social awareness and general knowledge of world events and character should be a mandatory requirement. High ranking police and military are a couple that come to mind some of them. Even your average street cop should ideally have comprehensive periodic psych evals, as well as more ethics and social training. But most important of all, President of the United States of America should be one of those positions that requires all of the above.
Before you ever get to see elections, or even start running for president, I think you should, at the very least, be able to demonstrate significantly above average ability on an IQ test, as well as a comprehensive knowledge of social, political and world issues. This should be a requirement for the position.
Why? Because ignorance has absolutely no place in a presidential office. No self respecting IT department would hire a professional bricklayer for their server administration. Nor would a construction company hire a nerd for manual labor. Why does the same not apply for the oval office? People with that kind of power need to know how to use it intelligently. And when I read some of the (many) questionable things our outgoing president has to say, It is clear to me that he is lacking in that department:
In a speech defending his administration's Iraq policy, Bush said former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's brutality had made it impossible for a unifying leader to emerge and stop the sectarian violence that has engulfed the Middle Eastern nation.
"I heard somebody say, Where's Mandela?' Well, Mandela's dead because Saddam Hussein killed all the Mandelas," – [Reuters]
Saddam killed all the Mandelas?!? You know, any country as great as this one really ought to be run by someone who has a modicum of awareness about important world leaders, events, issues, etc. I'm all for presidency being open to any American citizen, but shouldn't there at least be some sort of IQ requirement? World knowledge? Social awareness? How about the basic ability to form coherent, meaningful and intelligent sentences?
The presidency should be open to everyone, but at the same time, becoming president should be a highly selective process. I don't believe that it should be solely the domain of highly educated aristocrats though. Lord knows we don't need more classism. But I think that maybe the presidency shouldn't be an option for your common, average everyday ignoramus either…
Mandela still alive after embarrassing Bush remark – [Reuters]
Our Rights: The Overlapping Gray Areas…
I just read an interesting article that illustrates a common, but not so visited aspect of our much valued "personal freedoms". They are not as clearly defined many like to think:
For Dwight DeGolia's neighbors, the last straw was the fake palm trees.
The 62-year-old retiree had spent years fixing up the sliver of sloping land outside his home, adding two putting greens that were almost 30 feet long, a small creek and a gazebo.
But the 8- to 12-foot palm trees made it impossible for neighbors to ignore DeGolia's project anymore, a passion that they said was making the neighborhood look tacky and led them to take DeGolia to court.
Cities and neighborhood associations have struggled for years with how to handle situations in which eccentric people with a penchant for lawn decoration get into fights with nearby homeowners.
The battles often feature issues that are far from straightforward, such as whose property rights are more important — the woman who fancies dozens of cupid statues on her front lawn, or the next door neighbor who has to look at it? – [Yahoo/AP]
I thought I'd talk about this because it's one of those areas that I think that American culture just doesn't give enough attention to. The first and most important thing to remember is that, human beings are, at the same time, social, and very, very different.
Regardless of our intentions, so long as we have to interact with others whose beliefs, backgrounds, upbringing, etc., may be worlds apart from our own, we may do things to offend. Unfortunately, this can happen, even when we are exercising our "personal freedoms".
Any good American will say that we all believe that our personal freedoms should be protected, and must remain inviolate. And in theory, this is good and admirable. Except for one, very large, problem. The idea of isolating and protecting an individuals personal rights is not always a realistic (nor universally practical) goal, since, in any social community, the areas of each of our individual rights overlap. Massively.
And unfortunately, being the litigation happy people that we are, we forget some of the lessons our parents taught us when we were growing up. You know, the ones about compromise? Sharing? We have become so selfish, that we will fight, tooth and nail, to the death, to do what we want to do, claiming justification under the flag of our "Individual Rights".
We tend to completely ignore the fact that the person we may be in contention with, may have an equally valid right to say, do, or express whatever it is they feel the need to do at the time. Now I honestly believe that, with freedom, comes great responsibility. And, unfortunately, equally great sacrifice.
Everybody wants to have their freedom. But nobody wants to bear the responsibility, or have to be the one to sacrifice something. I believe that the idea of individual freedoms isn't about each if us getting what we want. It is about trying to make sure that everyone, not just you, has a chance to get what they want.
We have to learn to compromise, be considerate of others. Try and resolve our differences. Be willing to listen. Be willing to compromise. Everyone should be willing to sacrifice something. Perhaps a little more this time, maybe a little less next time. It will change from case to case. And there are not perfect solutions.
But the willingness to compromise should be there, if we really all truly believe in the concept of individual rights. No ones rights should exist to exclusivity of all others. And until we learn that lesson, I think we will all just be going through the motions, and paying lip service to the concept of "Individual rights". It will be a catchy phrase, nothing more.
And I don't think we really want that as a nation. But that's just my opinion.
Yard art is in eye of beholder and court – [Yahoo/AP]
What kind of kids are we raising?
I think that America, as a culture, we have started down a long slippery slope towards self imprisonment. We are stripping away from ourselves the very freedoms we hold dear. I see it every day. Even in some of the most innocuous things:
On the playground of a northern Colorado Springs elementary school, tag is not "it."
The touch-and-run game and any other form of chasing was banned this year at Discovery Canyon Campus' elementary school by administrators who say it fuels schoolyard disputes.
"It causes a lot of conflict on the playground," said Assistant Principal Cindy Fesgen. In the first days of school, before tag was banned, she said students would complain to her about being chased or harassed.
Fesgen said she would hear: "Well, I don't want to be chased, but he won't stop chasing me, or she won't stop chasing me." – [The Colorado Springs Gazette]
Is this what we want our kids to do? How do we expect our kids to learn anything about people and life, if every time they run into a problem we ban it wholesale? How are they going to learn how to deal with each other? Learn how to handle people and their idiosyncracies? When will they understand that not everything is going to go our way, and that not everything is under our control?
And even worse, how do we teach those kids what they can and cannot do? How do we teach kids that you cannot harass someone just because? Banning tag isn't going to teach that. All this teaches them is if you don't like it, get it banned. No tolerance, no patience, no understanding. Nothing else will be learned by this action. The playground will have one less game, and the children will have one less avenue to learn about others and themselves.
Nationally, several schools have done away with tag and other games because of the accidents and arguments they can lead to. It's a trend that has rankled some parents and childhood experts who say games such as tag contribute to children's social and physical development. – [The Colorado Springs Gazette]
Apparently, even childhood experts can see the flaw in this way of thinking. And yet we have schools, communities, cities, states and even federal legislation that allow exactly the same thing to happen on a national level. What's the betting that this is all fueled by the same mentality? People don't seem to be able to see the big picture. It may sound like an unlikely slippery slope, but at the rate we are going, sooner or later, we will legislate ourselves out of our own personal freedoms.
Believe it or not. Your choice. But I have seen enough insanity to tell me that it's possible. I can only hope we either come to our senses, or I'm not around when we finally lock ourselves in and throw away the key…
Springs elementary gives tag a timeout – [Colorado Springs Gazette]
A good boss is worth more than gold… Mostly…
I just read an article that confirmed something that I have believed strongly all along:
More than a third of respondents to a survey conducted by communications group BT rated working for a caring and responsible employer as more important than the size of their salary.
Nearly half (44 percent) of respondents said they would discount an employer that had a bad reputation, while nearly half said corporate social responsibility policies should be compulsory.
Ben Booth, global technology officer for market research group Ipsos, agreed CSR policies help retain, as well as recruit, good IT staff although pay remained important, he believed.
More than a third of respondents to a survey conducted by communications group BT rated working for a caring and responsible employer as more important than the size of their salary.
Nearly half (44 percent) of respondents said they would discount an employer that had a bad reputation, while nearly half said corporate social responsibility policies should be compulsory.
As I pointed out in a previous post, many businesses today tend to go after employees that are strong producers, regardless of how they get there, and end up hiring crass, inconsiderate, insensitive, uncaring and emotionally irresponsible managers. I believe this is what happens when you hire someone whose only motivation is the bottom line.
Employers need to realize that there is a whole lot more to running a profitable business than having cutthroat employees. Having happy employees generally means more productivity, and a good manager can leverage that to make money, just like a mean manager might, except without the back stabbing, high employee turnover, and passive aggressive undercutting that often occurs in a high stress work environment.
It's makes all kinds of sense. Dollars and Cents… OK that was bad… I apologize…
Good Boss: Better Than Big Bucks? – [Yahoo/PCWorld]
Obamas' flameless firestorm…
Presidential hopeful Barack Obama apparently ignited a "firestorm" of controversy by responding to a YouTubers video questioner that he would, "without precondition", meet with leaders of renegade regimes:
In Monday's debate from Charleston, S.C., Obama was asked by a questioner via YouTube if he would be willing to meet — without precondition — in the first year of his presidency with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea.
"I would," he responded.
Clinton said she would not. "I don't want to be used for propaganda purposes," she said. Clinton said she would first use envoys to test the waters. – [Yahoo/AP]
Now I'm no political expert, so my opinion may hold little value. But Hilary Clintons rebuttal makes no sense either. At least not to my admittedly politically intolerant mind. What exactly does the phrase "I don't want to be used for propaganda purposes" mean? And why is the possibility of being a propaganda item more important than establishing peaceful relationships? And why has this possible method of establishing a peaceful resolution been equated to pandering to rogue nations?
If a police officer tries to get a criminal to cooperate in an investigation, does that mean he/she is pandering to the criminal element? Is plea bargaining pandering? It's done all the time. How is this concept any different? It seems some folks are more concerned with the appearance of impropriety than actually solving problems. This is why I hate politics.
I am a big fan of the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" school of thought, but our current international policy is broken. Severely. It just ain't workin' out too well for us. And we can't honestly just sit here and say we don't care what other countries think. It should have become apparent by now that our ability to solve our international problems is seriously affected by other nations relationship with us.
Perhaps we need to try something new. And at least Obama is willing to give it a shot, even if he is a newbie. I certainly don't think he can do much worse than we are doing right now, especially if we continue with our current, and in my humble opinion, seriously jacked-up policies. So why not?
Obama debate comments set off firestorm – [Yahoo/AP]
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