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12 mm Laminate
12 mm Laminate
Price This Floor Order Sample Samples Out Of Stock Design a RoomFind a Store
Flooring Type
Looks Like
Product Number
Performance Class
Flooring Costs
Residential Warranty : 30 years
Armstrong MasterWorks / HydraCore
Finish System
Gloss Level
High Gloss
Edge Type
Micro Edge / Micro Ends
4.92 in.
47.76 in.
12 mm
Sq. Foot per Carton
DIY Level
Installation Location
Below/On/Above Ground Level
Installation Method
Download Installation GuideProfessional InstallationDIY InstallationDemo
Download the complete Armstrong product installation guide.
Armstrong and Bruce Laminate Installation
Armstrong and Bruce Laminate Installation
No matter what flooring type you choose, we recommend you consult your retailer to locate an Armstrong Certified Installer near you. Armstrong Certified Installers undergo rigorous flooring installation training on all Laminate flooring products. You can rest assured that when you use an Armstrong Certified installer, your floor will be installed properly and provide many years of satisfaction.
Find an Armstrong Certified Installer
Find an Armstrong Certified Installer
Visit the DIY Laminate Flooring Installation section of the site to explore installation information and options for this and other Armstrong products
How to Install Laminate Floors
How to Install Laminate Floors
Trim and Moldings
Trim and Moldings OverviewTrim and Moldings for - Afzelia
Complete your floor with coordinated transitions such as threshold, stair nose, reducer strip, quarter round and t-molding. We offer a complete selection of species and colors providing the finishing touch to your flooring installation
Flush Stairnose
Used for stairs, stepdowns and landings.
Multi-purpose Reducer
Finishes the space between laminate flooring and other flooring surfaces, carpet, or where quarter-round and wall base cannot be used.
Quarter Round Molding
Finishes the space where the laminate flooring meets the wall.
Step Nose
Use where laminate meets a step-down or landing.
Finishes the space between two pieces of laminate flooring.
Customer Reviews
Rated 3.9 out of 5 by 50 reviewers.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Bearinphx Makes my floors look RICH! I have had this exact floor in my home for 4.5 years now. It makes my floors look rich, and the beautiful luster is still here today. The beautiful red tones compliments the other wood in my home. I had this installed in my heavy traffic areas, Kitchen, family room, office and hallway. EVERYONE compliments my floors. I clean them by hand, with a damp rag and BONA cleaner. I've dropped things on the floor, and in 4 years I've had a COUPLE very tiny nicks, and I used the colored filler, and you can't even see the nicks. I would recommend this flooring to anyone. I'm expanding my kitchen and doing a complete remodel, and will use this same product again. After 4.5 years, my floors still look brand new!! December 13, 2015
Rated 1 out of 5 by Geertson01 don't be fooled my husband had this product installed our whole home minus bathrooms. it was a fall back option on the laminate looking tile. we have a 9 and 5 year old and a baby . not much for traffic on the floor as we are seldom home. the floor chips to easily it shows every foot print and coats with dust like a magnet. i only use a half cup of hot water and vinegar on the floor per room .which the luster is completely gone. the floor has warped in the seam areas in several different areas of the house mind you we have only had the floor a year now the warping began 5 months after install.the boards are constantly breaking. we tried color matching staining stairs . a very difficult one to achieve so we have had to have several repairs. not a good investment. November 2, 2015
Rated 5 out of 5 by tokeymom We love the clean look It is perfect, no more dirty rugs to clean . We put it in our entry way and a fireplace room , the dinning room and a bedroom also the upstairs hall way . Next I'm hoping for the tv room then maybe the kitchen if it can be used in a kitchen and not get ruined . August 30, 2015
Rated 5 out of 5 by Joe11 Installed for 7 years Great flooring. We have had it installed for over 7 years. We went with laminate because we had teenagers at the time. It looks great. No scratches. No dents. The only difficulty is it does show when it's dirty but it's pretty easy to clean. August 8, 2015
Rated 4 out of 5 by Benjamin Not compatible with early versions I do like the look very much, though as everyone has noticed, it is not for use in family areas. It shows tracks. But, we're low impact so I recently started replacing other areas with it. When I tried to "feather" it between connecting rooms I discovered to my dismay that the locking system from a few years ago will not connect to the product being sold today. It can be forced, but it leaves 1/8" gap. So... if you're wanting to blend old Cherry Bronze with new Cherry Bronze... you can't. July 6, 2015
Rated 3 out of 5 by RLM8 Not Durable The floor looks great provided you don't use it. It scratches and chips easily, is extremely difficult to clean, and shows every footprint when walked upon and every hand print when touched. We don't have pets and have not spilled liquid on the floor but there are several spots in the flooring that have warped and bubbled from damp mopping in the attempt to clean it without streaking. It must be cleaned daily to keep it presentable though there are many streaks after cleaning. The floor scratched from sliding a small cardboard box over it because we did not want to lift it. We have several chips in the floor from small items that have been dropped. June 23, 2015
Rated 5 out of 5 by styxinAZ Great product from Gilbert, AZ I bought a house here in Arizona and the previous owner had carpeting in all of the bedrooms and living room. The carpeting had to go because they had dogs and my wife has allergies. They had put laminate in the kitchen, formal dining and sitting, as well as the large master. Empire flooring did this. I called them to get a quote on doing the 1100 sq feet add on. They were way overpriced. I searched all over for a similar product. I found the Armstrong Cherry was a dead match in color, but the product was so much better. I had it installed and totally love it. I have a little child, so I can put up with child abuse. I plan on tearing out the Empire wild chestnut laminate and extending the Armstrong flooring. Compared to the Armstrong flooring the Empire product is appear like garbage. It looks like it's buckling in places. Thanks for a great product Armstrong. April 26, 2015
Rated 5 out of 5 by Traciev Great Flooring Easy to install great look and super easy to clean! Would definitely purchase this again! February 28, 2015
Rated 3.9 out of 5 by 50 reviewers.
Rated 5 out of 5 by JakeABQ I installed this in 2011 is absolutely beautiful no problem now in 2015 I installed this myself. Completed the entire house closets and all. After 4 years we just bought another house and I plan to install it here soon. January 13, 2015
Rated 5 out of 5 by cobi GREAT flooring We installed this flooring almost 7 years ago and it still looks amazing. We've had many people mistake it for "real" hardwood. So glad we went with this instead of some of the cheaper stuff we looked at. I was actually coming on here to see if they still make it as we are considering extending it into another room. My father and I installed it ourselves. February 14, 2015
Rated 3 out of 5 by Mike Exremely Dissappointed Feb.2014, had this flooring installed by professional installers. the floor color is so rich and beautiful. Holds up well. Now, here's the 'BUT'!? Is a MONSTER to keep clean. Using BRUCE floor cleaner#also an Armstrong product#& it streaks @ times. But, once cleaned ....looks-Fantastic till...U step on it! Hi-Gloss....don't get it! We live on the water & when a.m. sun comes up...Ohhh...Myyyy..it shows the feet prints, etc Really disappointed! We have huge open area#all but bedrooms/baths# that has laminate flooring. Just me & my wife, but...we entertain a lot! Constant clean'g the floor. Ironic, in Oct. our 9-mo.old new KENMORE ELITE fridge-had a water leak#split in plastic line# & has ruined a 4'x6-8' area of this flooring. Our homeowners Ins. is paying us to completely RE-FLOOR entire laminate floors. We are still looking for another color, soo far-disappointed, haven't found anything prettier in color. Definitely stay-away from high/medium gloss if it is a "DARK COLOR" flooring. We are just lucky-we can re-do this floor. Good luck shopping...Armstrong Flooring I think, is the best....but, don't trust me..I'm just an 800lb.gorilla in tha room. Merry Xmas. LOL December 18, 2014
Rated 5 out of 5 by thisnthat3 Love my floor Armstrong is a great name & their products show it in every way. Have this floor in my family room, takes a lot of wear & tear from activity but looks great and very easy to maintain. I did not do installation myself but there were no problems during installation. Definitely recommend. September 28, 2014
Rated 3 out of 5 by Jonahdog Looks great Ablosutely love the look of the flooring and get many compliments. We replaced the upstairs carpet with this and then decided to do the complete downstairs also. The upstairs stays beautiful and requires only dustmop or vacuming as there is very little streaking, even when waking across it directly from the shower. The downstairs is completely different, especially the kitchen area. We have pets and you can see the prints, water spots show up, Also, it is not good for pets if they urinate on the floor or spill/splash from their water dish. We were away for two weeks and when we returned we noticed one of the dogs had urinated and the sitter hadn't seen it...tiles under the urine curled quite bad and need to be replaced. We had Pergo shiny floor before so the paw prints and water spots are not new to us but the fact that we are constantly on the lookout for standing water or urine is something we were not aware of. I expect it to chip if something hard or sharp is dropped on it, laminate is not indestructable. It is better with pets than hardwood as far as scratching is concerned and haven't noticed any scratching from our two doxies sharp nails. I do not like the fact that it sometimes creaks and pops, didn't have that issue with our old laminate. September 21, 2014
Rated 4 out of 5 by Woody Beautiful look, transformed room The flooring actually made the room look larger. Shows well. Installation once you get the hang of it worked well. Be careful if using blocks to lock in the pieces as it can bend up the corners which can show with the shiny surface. October 24, 2014
Rated 5 out of 5 by Nick We love it. Replaced our carpet and we love it. Much easier to keep up than carpet. No regrets here. September 17, 2014
Rated 5 out of 5 by Linger3636 We love this new flooring My wife and I were a little skeptical until we put it down, but now we are totally in love with it. July 15, 2014
Rated 1 out of 5 by LY_AL Do not buy this if you have pets, kids, or anything that walks or breathes Bought at Lowes. Was told this is excellent for pets. What a load of bunk. Within a few weeks they were scratched beyond repair. Streaky, can't find a way to make them look presentable. Worst purchase ever. Do not buy this flooring if you ever plan to walk on it. It's horrid, and warranty is a joke!!!!! August 17, 2014
Rated 5 out of 5 by BigMNTwinsFan Highly Recommend I love this flooring. Easy to clean and looks great. Have dogs, but have never seen a scratch. Even better flooring that I could have hoped for. February 27, 2014
Rated 1 out of 5 by upset pet owner warranty excludes pet urine...it curls the boards first impressions are wow! But, if pet urine is on it for just a few minutes, it curls the flooring only way to fix, ripe out the flooring to get to the boards for removal Pet urine is not covered in the warranty! February 4, 2014
Rated 1 out of 5 by philk Laminate that Scratches We chose laminate do to the fact that we had a laminate flooring previously and it held up really well over ten years. No scratches or dents and we have a very active home with four Bullmastiff dogs weighing over 125lbs each, and two mid teen kids with friends coming and going. We chose Armstrong because they have a good reputation. We chose American Apple because it is just a beautiful looking floor. In pictures. Maybe it was the installation, but the flooring creaked and made plenty of noise where our old laminate did not. Within a week of having it we noticed scratches. Ones that wouldn't buff out. Within a month, there were bigger ones, deeper even then the first ones. This flooring is just not durable, even though teh sales person said it was, and so does Armstrong. Such a huge waste of money. It got so bad and my wife so paranoid, that we actually would place carpet remnants all over the house just to make sure no more scratches. Buy this flooring if you have no kids or pets. Otherwise you will be sorry! January 26, 2014
Rated 5 out of 5 by Cookie Beautiful floor I had this installed in my kitchen. It is a high gloss floor but the light color does help hide the marks from water and food. I find myself keeping the floor cleaner do to the gloss but it is very easy to do. It is a high traffic area and so far it is holding up great. Love the color . I had sheet vinyl for years and this is a great improvement. December 8, 2013
Rated 1 out of 5 by Disappointmed Consumer Not for homes with pets or children We have had our Armstrong laminate flooring for a little over a year, and I can't begin to tell you how disappointed we are in our choice. We have two dogs and 3 sons, and twice a day we are cleaning this floor. The fact that the floor has a high shine to it, it shows paw prints, foot prints, pet hair, etc. Our day starts out dust mopping, then vacuuming, then using a laminate cleaner and mop. It's exhausting. By mid-day we are at it again, not to mention if we have company coming. I wish we had known how difficult this was going to be to keep clean and looking nice - certainly was not worth the money paid for all the cleaning it requires daily. We are actually pricing out new flooring to replace it. November 27, 2013
Rated 1 out of 5 by Scott13 Easily Damaged I really liked the look of this when we moved into our new home. It looked gorgeous and the builder touted how hardy this material was supposed to be. Almsot immediately we started to have issues with the edges bubbling up. It is also really hard to keep clean. Scratches really easy as well. I will never do laminate again. How is this more expensive than hardwood? I would have had as much luck with putting sheets of glossy cardboard down. Actually, that is pretty much what this product is. October 31, 2013
Rated 4 out of 5 by Scott74 Good looking floor but be careful with water and pets! I purchased a home two years ago with this flooring installed in the master and guest bathrooms and the first level of the house was completely covered with it. Overall it holds up well to my five cats and dog and cleans up fairly easy with just vacuuming and steam mopping. The only major issue I have with the floor, is that seams where the boards meet together are extremely easy to damage if they are exposed to liquids for a short period of time. I have a water bowl on a plastic tray for my pets and they managed to get water under it and the boards where staring to "bubble" up where the water penetrated the planks. If you keep a watchful eye in situations like this, the floor should be ok if you can get the liquids up with in an hour or so. The quarter round pieces that the installer used around the cabinets haven't held up well either, with the laminate staring to pull away where it was cut. I'm planning on replacing them and then pulling clear silicon over them near the seam so this doesn't happen again. October 1, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by MWriter Absolutely gorgeous! Just installed this past week; love the look and feel of it, especially the high gloss and beautiful wood color. In a small kitchen, replacing off-white vinyl that had been there for 12 years. Top quality; real wow factor! June 30, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Lope39 Best decision we could make We had our flooring installed almost 6 years ago, right after it came out. Our dog has very sharp nails and we have no scratches! Many friends have copied us, including neighbors. It shines just like it did the day it was installed. We have about 1000 square feet of our home done now and we are thinking of doing the kitchen and breakfast areas. We highly recommend this product. Don't know how anybody could have a complaint unless they installed it improperly. March 16, 2013
Rated 2 out of 5 by Chrissy68 Not so scratch resistant We installed approx 800 sq. ft. and the only thing I can say is it's better than the nasty carpet we had. Based on what they said @ Lowe's and what we read prior to purchase, we really thought this would be a lot more scratch resistant and great for a high traffic area... to our dismay, this is not the case. Reconsider if you're putting this in a lived in home with lots of traffic. February 10, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Giants12 Beautiful Floor- Instantly changed look and feel of the room We purchased and installed 500 sq feet for our family room. Very easy to install, had my 12 year old son help me.. The floor looks fantastic, love the "wide planks". Floor wipes up and cleans easily. I did recommend this product to two friends., January 4, 2013
Rated 1 out of 5 by Applebay Horrible product My floor is now 3 years old. It is a total nightmare to maintain. It creaks when you walk on it and now has areas that the edges are curling up. We installed almost a thousand square feet and I cannot tell you how unhappy I am. I really wish that I had read the warranty more carefully before purchasing. Bought from Lowe's and when I told them the problems, they said lots of luck getting Armstrong to do anything about these problems. HOW SAD November 13, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Grannarocks The Look and Beauty of Hardwood We installed the cheery bronze laminate in a dining room, kitchen, and hearth area remodel. We wanted our new space to be something we could enjoy and not worry about with grandchildren and granddogs!! We could not be more excited about the finished product. No one can believe the flooring is a laminate. It is rich in clolor and has a beautiful shine!! November 3, 2012
Rated 4 out of 5 by Donna74 great wow factor but chips and scratches easily Everyone loves our Grand Illusions Cherry Bronze floor upon entering our house. Because of the high gloss, it does show every smudge and dirt. It also chips and scratches very easily Cleaning is easy with a dust mop or damp mop Still love the reaction of first time visitors. November 1, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by TSHammer Beautiful Flooring We purchased and installed almost 1000 square ft. of this product in our home. It went in very easily and is absolutely gorgeous. The shine is awesome and the product seems extremely durable as well. During installation, there were a few mishaps with dropped tools, etc...no chips or cracks whatsoever. Most importantly, the wife is VERY happy with her new floor! October 19, 2012
Rated 1 out of 5 by Theresa812 Horrible!! This product is horrible for many reasons. First, it is extremely hard to keep clean. We have it installed in our kitchen and if one drop of water falls on the floor, it leaves a mark that is extremely visable. I am constantly cleaning the floor. You can only use special cleaner on it, so that is a pain too. Our floor is now bubbling up after less than a year. We are going to have to have a bunch of it replaced at our cost because of it and it keeps getting worse. Also, it is very noisy. You walk in different spots and you hear it make popping noises. This flooring also chips extremely easily. The builders dropped a small tool on the floor, chip... I dropped a fork...chip. You get the idea. If anything falls on it, you will have chip marks. It is very sad because it looks beautiful in the showroom, but don't waste your money! September 30, 2012
Rated 4 out of 5 by newhomeowner12 This flooring is beautiful I just bought a brand new house and chose this flooring to go in my entire downstairs. I decided to go with this flooring specifically because it was durable, easy clean up and pet friendly. I absolutely love the warm look and feel it gives my house and it holds up well to my 90 lb lab. The flooring does appear darker once it is put down, than the tiny floor sample that is given in most showcase rooms. It gives the room a very nice, rich feeling with the dark grain woven throughout. The only problem I have had with it is keeping it clean because it shows dirt and dog fur very easily. September 11, 2012
Rated 4 out of 5 by jmcgee84 Grand Illusions Cabreuva is a beautiful floor Although we had to have the floor installed twice due to installation errors, the floor is beautiful! The wide planks and high gloss finish look as good as any hardwood we looked at, but are even more durable. The high gloss shine does show more dirt and smudges, but that is true with any glossy flooring product. There is some noise when walking on the flooring (some creaks and crackling), but that is due to either the subfloor having some bounce, as well as being uneven in spots. That just backs up the fact that you must make sure your subfloor is level, and try to get any springiness out of the floor before installation. Installation of this flooring is very simple, and very fast. I would recommend this product, especially on very level solid subfloors. August 18, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by sweetangel very elegant flooring!! This flooring looks so elegant. It adds a classy look to our kitchen/dinette. We constantly get compliments on how beautiful it is. The shine is amazing!! Would recommend it to anyone! August 17, 2012
Rated 4 out of 5 by dtrose Beautiful but requires constant cleaning We've had this floor for over a year and it still looks beautiful. We have two kids and the floor has held up to them very well. We have it installed in our living room, kitchen and foyer. Definitely be aware of what you are getting into though with the high gloss as it does show everything. It is easy to clean but we are constantly wiping the floors as it shows every footprint - especially in the spring/summer when the humidity is higher. Again, a beautiful product but just know that you are in for a lot of streaking with the high gloss. June 2, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Cougguy Our installed floor looks amazing and many people think it's real hardwood when they first see it! We installed this product in our living room, dining room, main hallway and entry way in one project - approximately 900 sq. ft. It was our first DIY floor project and it was extremely straight forward. The flooring completely changed the look and feel of our home's interior. We have had it installed for about 3 years and it still looks as good as when the installation was finished. Easy to clean. Due to it being a little on the darker side it will show dust if an area is missed during cleaning. We would use this product again without reservation. April 14, 2012
Rated 3.9 out of 5 by 50 reviewers.
Rated 5 out of 5 by CameraShy After 18 Months, No Regrets I've waited to review this to give it at least a year. In fact, it's going on 18 months, and the floor still looks like new. I was against getting this floor because I thought the maintenance would be tough; trying to keep the floor clean because of the shine. Well, it's actually quite easy if you simply use a broom and a cordless vac like the Hoover Linx. Just sweep into small piles and let the vac suck the piles up. The floor looks amazing. Our experience validates Consumer Reports testing of this product. It is super scratch resistant (you'll have a hard time trying to cut a mark into this flooring). According to CR, this was the best product for scratch resistance. However, as CR reported, it doesn't do so well against dent resistance (meaning, you need to be careful of items that are dropped from relatively tall heights). We did our entire main level and it looks great and has worn just as well. Armstrong did a good job with this product and based on my extensive research, this is the one to get. I had a professional floor installer put our stuff in. He had over 20 years of experience and as much as he tried to talk us out of using a laminate, after installing our floor, it's now what he tries to talk his customers into using. It was obviously his first Armstrong laminate installation. I highly recommend the Grand Illusions line. They have some very good looking floors. If I had more flooring to cover, I wouldn't hesitate using this again. By the way, I am the type of person that goes quite overboard with researching products. In case you're wondering, I ordered our stuff from 1A Flooring.com. We did receive a few damaged boxes, but, they did replace them with some haggling. There are other on-line retailers as well and that seems to be the way to go. March 9, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Big Blondie Absolutely love this floor! We absolutely love our Armstrong Grand Illusions floor!! Two years ago, we installed the laminate flooring - in Cabrueva - throughout our entire apartment. It is so easy to clean and take care of - and it looks beautiful all the time! It is an amazingly resilient floor - we have dropped things, spilled liquids, dragged toys - and it does not scratch or show any wear at all. It was very easy to install - a friend did it for us. It looks so much like real hardwood flooring that people do not believe us when we tell them it is a laminate product. We love the way that the color flows through the rooms! What I love the most is that it gives our home such a warm cozy feeling!! And family and friends were so jealous of how beautiful our floor looked, that they installed the same floor in their homes too!! We highly recommend this floor - and we hope you would love it as much as we do!! February 28, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Joshua Amazing flooring! This flooring turned out amazing. I was a little skeptical in the store because of the woodgrain and the higher price, man was I wrong. I put it down myself and it turned out easy as can be. I had no trouble at all and did it in 2 weekends for 900 sq ft. 1 recommendation though is you really don't need to buy the trim. Get maple quarter inch and stain it with walnut stain, worked perfect and will save a grand. I would do this over again in a heartbeat, people who have hardwood are jealous of my floor. I get asked if these are the original floors to the house and not a single person has been able to tell it is not real hard wood. I have added a photo however it really does not do it justice. January 11, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Mikeupnorth Excellent product, good value for the money. The rec room will be next. We purchase 1100 square feet of Cherry-natural for the living room, dining room, kitchen and hallway. I installed it myself and it could not have been easier. There is one caution, the sub floor must be level. In leveling the floor I missed one spot in the hallway and there is some up and down movement when stepped on. This was my mistake and has nothing to do with the flooring. If you have no experience laying laminate download the guide from Armstrong as it is well written. The beautiful colour and pattern has drawn many compliments. Soon we will start the process of selecting flooring for the rec room and it will be Armstrong. December 20, 2011
Rated 5 out of 5 by afnelson1 We are very happy with the new floor. We got the Grand Illusion, Canadian Maple and had it installed to replace the carpet that was put in by the builder. It makes the rooms look larger and they sure do look a lot cleaner. December 7, 2011
Rated 5 out of 5 by samelectrico look of real wood and luxurious This laminate is almost 1/2 thick which makes it look and feel like real wood. Most people can't believe its a laminate. The color is rich and shines spectacularly. I love it so much that when I can afford it I will do other rooms in my house the same. November 17, 2011
Rated 5 out of 5 by Tony1940 fantastic looking we purchased 190 square feet of grand illusions l3022 for our kitchen on August 1 2010 from Kenny CARPET in West Seneca,NY. we are very satisfied with the floor and extremely happy with the way it shines and looks at all times. we have received numerous compliments on it.we use Bruce Hardwood laminate cleaner on it. we are always ready to recommend the floor to anyone interested in this type of flooring.Armstrong should be very proud of their product,we are. October 4, 2011
Rated 5 out of 5 by Gretchen32 This product is something I would love to have in my home, for all the great qualities Armstrong laminate flooring is known for! I trust in the Armstong name, to make great products. The laminate I have chosen has a great texture and color. It is full of rich qualities and comes with a guarantee. Armstrong laminate could spruce up any home, with great quality and durability! I love Armstrong flooring and would recommend it to anyone. My rating 5 stars! September 14, 2011
Rated 5 out of 5 by GREGO great product This floor looks brand new and is three years old, when we have guest the first thing they say thats beatiful floor. September 14, 2011
Rated 4 out of 5 by wendylou Beautiful floor, high shine This floor is absolutely beautiful. I could not be more pleased and the color compliments a lot of colors. That being said it has a high gloss shine and you have to clean it constantly. I can't say about the installation as I had it professionally installed. Great alternative to real hardwoods as its more durable. I put it in my living room, dining room and hallway. Wish I'd done the bedrooms as well. September 13, 2011
Rated 5 out of 5 by MrsJ Durable and Beautiful Flooring I have had this flooring installed in my living and dining rooms for almost two years and I love it. The picture doesn't do the color justice, it's much richer in person. The thickness of the planks keeps the floor from sounding "hollow" like some thinner laminates. We don't have any issues with squeaking or anything else. The floor is holding up very well with no scratches / nicks despite the fact that we have two cats and a very active 5 year old. In fact as I was writing this review, my daughter dropped two hard plastic toys onto the floor from about 4 feet in the air and it didn't make a mark on the floor. One thing to note though is that this floor has a high gloss to it, which makes it look great the majority of the time, but smudges do show and you need to be careful what you clean it with. Some cleaning products will cause streaks in the floor. You need to use something that is made for cleaning laminate flooring and you won't have any issues. I certainly won't win any awards for homemaker of the year and most of the time, my floor looks great anyway. September 6, 2011
Rated 1 out of 5 by td1234 worst floor you could ever buy this floor is horrible. You can't walk across it without is streaking. September 4, 2011


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Edinburgh plans screenwriting focus for 61st festival
The Edinburgh International Film Festival will for the first time have a theme for its retrospectives and key events. In its 61st year (August 15-26), the festival will have a screenwriting focus: Cinema and the Written Word. The theme was selected by Hannah McGill, who recently took over as Artistic Director of the EIFF. Screenwriting-related offerings will include panels, masterclasses, and discussions with film-makers and writers. 'The screenwriting theme extends ...
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subset: commoncrawl


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The New York Times released an article, "Millions of poor are left uncovered by health law," detailing the number of Americans that will be affected by the Medicaid expansion, or lack thereof, depending on how their states voted. According to analysis by the Times, the national effort to expand health coverage to the majority of Americans will actually exclude two-thirds of poor African-Americans and single mothers, as well as over half of low-wage workers that do not currently have health insurance. States controlled by Republicans that have rejected the Medicaid expansion will leave eight million Americans, already in poverty and uninsured, ineligible for Medicaid. Dr. H. Jack Geiger, a founder of the Community Health center Model, was quoted in the article saying: "The irony is that these states that are rejecting Medicaid expansion — many of them Southern — are the very places where the concentration of poverty and lack of health insurance are the most acute. It is their populations that have the highest burden of illness and costs to the entire health care system." The Times analysis included those who are uninsured although they qualify for Medicaid in its current state, and excluded undocumented immigrants and residents born in foreign countries that would not be eligible for benefits in the Medicaid expansion.
Other key findings include:
- The New York Times found that 14 million eligible Americans are uninsured and living in poverty.
- Every state in the South, except Arkansas, has rejected the Medicaid expansion. Economic and racial issues have been discussed as factors.
- Twenty-six states have rejected the Medicaid expansion. The population of these states combined is almost half of the country's population, and 68 percent of those are poor, uninsured single mothers and African-Americans. Sixty percent of the country's working poor, who are also uninsured, are in those 26 states. It is estimated that about 435,000 cashiers, 341,000 cooks and 253,000 nurses' aides will be excluded from Medicaid.
- Mississippi has the largest percentage of uninsured, and poor, people in the country with 13 percent of its population. Republican leaders in Mississippi stated that if they opted for the expansion, almost one third of the state would be on Medicaid.
- African-Americans are largely affected due to larger populations in Southern states. It is estimated that 6 out of 10 African-Americans live in the states not expanding Medicaid.
- Half of uninsured and poor Latinos live in states that are expanding Medicaid, excluding Texas, which rejected the expansion and has a large Latino population.
To turn this into a story:
- Use the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services table "State Medicaid and CHIP Income Eligibility Standards Effective January 1, 2014" to see if your state chose to expand Medicaid or not and what the eligibility requirements are in your state. The Social Security website also offers a "List of Threshold Amounts for Calendar Year 2013."
- Use the New York Times' interactive map "Where Poor and Uninsured Americans Live" to see how many uninsured people are in your state, as well as how many are eligible for Medicaid currently, as compared to after the expansion, or no expansion, depending on your state.
- Small Area Health Insurance Estimates Interactive Data Tool that allows you to search by year, age, race, sex, income and insured or uninsured for each state. These statistics are presented in table format, an interactive map or as trends over time. The U.S. Census Bureau's SAHIE page also features "Data" tab that includes reports on the number of uninsured people per county and regional areas. Use these resources to compare your county and state to others in your area, other regions and report on how many people, by age, race and sex have health insurance in your area. Compare this data to the New York Times' interactive map.
- Open the U.S. Census Bureau* website and select your state. Information is available on average family size, race statistics and average income in your state.
- Use CNN's Cost of Living Calculator to find out the average cost of living in your area and compare it to the Medicaid threshold for your state to see if many would qualify currently, and then after the expansion (depending on whether your state is expanding or not).
- Interview state representatives on their reasoning behind expanding/rejecting Medicaid and if they are aware of statistics within your state for those who are uninsured. If possible, interview someone without health insurance who would qualify with the expansion to see how that would affect their quality of life.
- For helpful tutorials and tips within the Covering Poverty blog, check out the tutorial on Covering Poverty and Health, as well as multiple case studies on income divide and health.
*Certain federal websites are currently shut down. Information typically displayed on these sites will be available when the government shutdown is over.
Other reporting and commentary from across the web:
- Washington Post: "Red States create red tape for Medicaid"
- Arizona Capitol Times: "Expanding Medicaid raises many questions, provides few answers"
- The Fiscal Times: "The hidden costs of rejecting Medicaid expansion"


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Japan, Philippines form partnership
MANILA — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged support for Philippine maritime forces on Saturday as both countries confront China in separate territorial disputes.
Following a meeting with President Benigno Aquino III in the Philippine capital, Abe announced that Japan will provide a concessional loan to build 10 coast guard patrol boats for the Philippines.
The Philippines has received two coast guard ships from the United States as it seeks to build a deterrent naval force after China took control of a disputed shoal off the northwestern Philippines last year.
China's assertiveness to lay claim to most of the South China Sea after decades of relative calm has alarmed Manila, which has turned to the United Nations to seek international arbitration. Beijing has indicated it won't cooperate.
In a statement issued after their meeting, Aquino said that the two leaders reviewed security challenges both countries face and promised to cooperate to push for "responsible action from international players," in a reference to China.
He said that maritime cooperation with Japan was a pillar of the countries' strategic partnership.
Abe said that a key element of Japan's efforts to revive its economy and promote regional peace and security lies in closer relations with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
ASEAN includes the Philippines and Vietnam, both of which have disputes with China in the South China Sea.
Abe's trip to Manila was the last leg of a three-day visit to Southeast Asia that also took him to Malaysia and Singapore.


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The Holy Books of Buddhism are variously called:
- the Dhammapada
- the Pali Canon
- the Lotus Sutra
Another Reply
The sacred book of Buddhism is called the Tripitaka (called Tipitaka in Pali). It is also called the Pali Canon, after the language in which it was first written.
It is written in an ancient Indian language called Pali which is very close to the language that the Buddha himself spoke. The Tripitaka is a very large book. The English translation of it takes up nearly forty volumes. Buddhism is based on Buddha's teachings. At first these were passed down by word of mouth and later were complied into two sets of scripture. One set by Council of Monks of the Theravada school (the Tripitaka) the other by the Mahayana school ( the Sutras). Both were similar.
Both Theravada and Mahayana Buddhists generally accept the Tripitaka (called Tipitaka in Pali) as the Buddhist sacred writings.
The three section of the Tripitaka (three baskets of Wisdom) are
Vinaya Pitaka (the Discipline Basket) - A rule book for monks and nuns
There are 227 rules for monks,and more for nuns.
Sutta Pitaka (the Teaching Basket)- The actual experiences of Buddha
Abhidhamma Pitaka (the Higher Doctrine Basket)- An explanation on the teaching of Buddha. Most of these are called Sutras
Parts of the Tripitaka such as the Dhamma-pada and the Sutta-Nipata are among the most expressive religious books in the world. Some of Buddha's parables are very similar to those used by Jesus.


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RZA Drops His 'Visions' for World Peace
RZA is sending out a plea for world peace with his latest Wu Wednesday track. 'Visions' is the third installment in the Wu-Tang producer's weekly free song series and introduces the French group, Outlines.
"The song is about world peace thru us taking individual responsibility for our actions and us helping save others once we have saved ourselves," wrote RZA when posting a link to the track. He also mentions that he will be working with Outlines extensively in the near future. His work with the electro-pop outfit dates back to 2007, and he later featured one of the members on the GZA 'Pro Tools' track 'Life Is a Movie.'
"Being out here in China and seeing the growth of our culture in their world and seeing how their culture influenced my world led me to choose this song," RZA continued. "We are all so much on the same path as individuals only separated by language and custom and location. And the negative forces that strive to keep us apart by fabricating false images of each other. Well the RZA and Outlines have a vision for a better world."
'Visions' features a rolling cabaret piano part along with drums that sound like they were lifted from the Wu classic 'Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing ta F— Wit.'


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Sacmi Installs Casting Machines for Caroma
March 8, 2006
Following the positive results achieved with its first two Sacmi-built AVE040 high-pressure WC casting machines, installed in 2000, Caroma of Australia recently decided to implement high-pressure casting technology at its Sydney plant. The Sacmi Group supplied and started up two AVE040 open-rim WC casting machines and two AVM150 stick-on rim casting machines. Over the last few years, Caroma has achieved a position of prestige thanks to shrewd marketing strategies and the Sacmi technology, which will help ensure that Caroma retains its cost leadership position in Australia.
For additional information, visit www.sacmi.com or www.caroma.com.au.
For additional information, visit www.sacmi.com or www.caroma.com.au.
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Someone needs to create a series called Non-Celebrity Obsessive Rehab with Dr. Drew so my friend Elaine Liner can be on it — she hearts the silver fox shrink. A lot. Instead, she'll have to make do watching the latest installment of the Celebrity Rehab series. VH1 announced today those who will be appearing on this fourth cycle, which includes Jeremy London (he who claims to have been kidnapped and forced drugs), Janice Dickinson (the crazy, bisexual, self-descibed "first supermodel" — she apparently never heard of Suzy Parker — or, for that matter, Cheryl Tiegs or Twiggy), and former teen idol Leif Garrett. Can't wait to see those train wrecks.
New druggies picked for 'Celeb Rehab'
Gay shrink Dr. Sophy at book-signing tonight
If you're a fan of "Celebrity Rehab" — or just like listening to/staring at silver fox Drew Pinsky — you might be familiar with his cohort, Dr. Charles Sophy. The gay L.A.-based psychiatrist has been on Dr. Drew's shows, as well as on news programs with fellow silver fox Anderson Cooper.
Sophy will be at the Noble Jewelry store in Highland Park Village tonight from 6 to 8, signing his new book about mother-daughter relationships.


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THEY can't live without the internet, love Facebook and the footy and have plenty of cash to splash.
Australia's 16-to-30-year-olds have about $62 billion to spend each year, two-thirds of that on whatever they like.
But in bad news for marketeers, most young people can't recall any recent ads that had an impact on them.
A yearly survey has found that only 15 per cent of young people could recall an ad that resonated with them, down from 27 per cent two years ago.
The study, by Sweeney Research and the commercial youth marketing company Lifelounge Group, also found that 16-to-30-year-olds felt that their experiences defined them more than friends, their choice of music or the films they watched.
The top concerns around wellbeing were: being respected, followed by how they feel and keeping fit.
Facebook was the top-ranked website, Australian Rules football the most watched sport and Commonwealth Bank the favourite bank.
Lifelounge chief executive Dion Appel said the results were "pretty damning" for a lot of marketeers who were increasingly using online social media and abandoning traditional channels such as TV from their mix.
"With the youth market, there are a lot of wasted marketing dollars. The message doesn't cut through and goes out to the marketplace just sounding like white noise to most young people," he said.
The study found when young people did recall an ad, it was most likely to be on TV. Mr Appel said that while social media was a critical part of the marketing mix it shouldn't be the sole focus.
"It's about getting the balance right, using above-the-line marketing [traditional media] to get your message out, and then following that up on social media to engage people in conversation. And when brands are on social media they have to get their tone and personality right," he said.
Mr Appel said brands could also tap into young people's appetite for experiences with experiential marketing and sponsorship of things such as live music.


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Just to be the voice of "what if?"
Take CNJ and DRG for this example. Large portion of CNJ "cap" objective is amount of HP healed, which is fine when the event takes place as intended with lots of people. DRG "cap" is purely damage dealt. The DRG will hit their cap almost every time, while the CNJ cap may not be met if there simply aren't enough people around taking damage. This could be due to an NA playing at peak EU time or something. How do you balance that, then?


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Saint Louis, MO, US
Leslie is currently enrolled at Washington University in St. Louis and will obtain her Master of Architecture in Spring 2014. For the two year program she was chosen to receive the annual Danforth Scholarship, given to only one graduate student a year. She joined the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) and competed in the Urban [space] US12...Idea Center competition where the competition group of students at Washington University in St. Louis won the 2nd place prize.
She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Design in Architecture at the University of Florida in Spring 2012. Active in Alpha Rho Chi (Professional Architecture Fraternity) as Worthly Clerk for two years, she enjoyed the fellowship and participating in Relay for Life and other fundraisers for the American Cancer Society. Before graduating she received the Alpha Rho Chi Bronze Medal for service, professional involvement, and academic achievement.
Outside of academia, Leslie enjoys being active, experiencing nature, and spending time with family. She helps her father, Steve Wheeler, preparing and assisting with aid before, during, and after the Ultra-Marathons he competes in (completing seven 100-mile runs). A recent run in the Summer of 2012, Leslie drove the support car for her father in his mission to run a 100 miles from Orlando (their hometown) to Gainesville (her undergraduate collage) in attempt to raise money and awareness for saving the art and music programs in Seminole County schools.
Leslie's hobbies include: spending time with her two brothers, Lance and Price, along with her friends and family, traveling, running, sketching, camping, hiking, kayaking, taking photographs, and attending local concerts.
HOK, Saint Louis, MO, US, Architecture Intern
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, US, Undergraduate Teaching Assistant
CPH Engineers, Inc., Sanford, FL, US, Architecture Intern
Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, US, MArch, Master of Architecture
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, US, Bachelors, Bachelor of Design in Architecture
Graduate Danforth Scholar, Scholarship
The Danforth Scholars Program honors the student who embraces high ideals, whose life choices are guided by personal integrity, selflessness, a commitment to community, and a dedication to leadership and academic excellence.
Alpha Rho Chi Bronze Medal, Award
In 1931, the Grand Council of Alpha Rho Chi established the Alpha Rho Chi Medal to "encourage professional leadership by regarding student accomplishment; promote the ideals of professional service by acknowledging distinctive individual contributions to social life; and stimulate professional merit by commending qualities in the student not necessarily pertaining to scholarship".
The Alpha Rho Chi Medal is offered each year to over 100 schools of architecture, whose faculty select a graduating senior they feel best exemplifies these qualities.
NOMA Student Design Competition - Urban [space] US12...Idea Center, 2nd Place
NOMA is seeking ideas for the invigoration and infusion of community led design and economic development for urban spaces in Southwest Detroit. The design problem requires in-depth research of historical site conditions as well as an understanding of the current social, cultural, economic, and physical space conditions found in this unique community. Designers must also understand the entrepreneurial spirit of the current citizens and envision solutions that will support sustained and enhanced economic development in Southwest Detroit, an area that has been severely under-resourced for several decades. Successful planning and architectural design solutions must address how the identity and physical spaces of the city/neighborhood may be reinvented to optimally leverage Michigan Avenue's Corktown District.


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A DRUNK woman who was in charge of a toddler even though she could barely stand up straight was arrested after police spotted her stumbling along Trinity Street.
When police arrested 37-year-old Michelle Edwards, she told them: "You are just sick, you are."
The child was said to be "extremely upset".
Edwards admitted being drunk in charge of a child when she appeared at Bolton Magistrates Court yesterday.
Marion Nolan, prosecuting, said Edwards, of Cecilia Street, Great Lever, was found at 8.30pm on January 18.
Ms Nolan told the court Edwards was walking along Trinity Street pushing an adult's bike, and the child seemed extremely upset and was crying.
"She was extremely drunk, slurring words, smelled of alcohol and couldn't stand up straight.
"She was stumbling and nearly fell over. She was extremely unco-operative."
Police looked inside her rucksack and found a half-empty three-litre bottle of Frosty Jack cider, although Edwards told police she had only had a quarter of the bottle.
Items for a toddler were found in Edwards' bag, showing she was in charge of the youngster.
The court heard that police took Edwards and the child to her home and found empty cans of lager in a bin and an empty three-litre bottle of Frosty Jack cider.
- VIDEO: Police pursue 10-tonne road roller through streets
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- REVEALED: The cause of disgusting smell making people feel sick
- Girl taken to hospital after being hit by car
The child was collected by someone known to Edwards.
Rahil Khan, defending, said Edwards had drunk two large glasses of Frosty Jack cider after arguing with her partner about £10 that had been misplaced.
Her partner walked away from her, leaving her with the boy and an the bike.
Mr Khan said: "The consequence of her actions are going to be very significant indeed.
"Not only will she suffer herself, people will be quite aware about what has taken place and what has been done."
When she was arrested, Edwards was already subject to a conditional discharge for theft.
Valerie Whittle, chairman of the bench, adjourned sentencing until February 21 for pre-sentence reports.


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Belle Vernon Area superintendent ready to make more changes
Proposed changes in the Belle Vernon Area School District might not be as drastic as last year's middle school realignment.
But Superintendent Dr. John Wilkinson hopes his latest plan, unveiled at a public informational meeting Thursday, has a significant benefit to students.
Among Wilkinson's goals are a grading scale expansion and individual learning plan for each student.
The school board would have to approve any change.
First, Wilkinson would like the district to change its grading system to a 10-point scale, meaning an "A" grade would be given for test scores ranging from 90 to 100 percent, instead of the current 93 to 100. Likewise, a "B" would be given for an 80 to 90 percent result, from the current 85 to 92 percent.
Wilkinson said the liberalized policy would be outweighed by a more rigorous curriculum under which children are "challenged but not overwhelmed." He cited the more concentrated Algebra I classes at the middle school this year as an example.
"Someone who goes to Elizabeth Forward or Upper St. Clair can get an 89.5 and still get an A, and our kids don't, so what does that mean on your transcript?" Wilkinson said.
"Some people will say, 'Oh, you're going to water it down, everyone is going to get A's, but the truth is if someone wanted to water it down now, they could."
The grades, likewise, would be 90-percent weighted toward "formal assessments" like projects, tests and lab work. Extra credit or bonus points awarded for fund raisers would be eliminated.
"I think that brings us back into some rigor," he said. "It brings us back into the kids being competitive against themselves."
Under the second goal, Wilkinson wants the district to gather information on each student and eventually tailor learning and testing to the each student's strengths. He compared the desired academic data necessary to doctors keeping medical records for individual patients.
"Ultimately, what I want to have is if you type in (a student's name) it says he needs to sit in the front of the room because he doesn't pay attention real well, and he learns best when it's visual as opposed to auditory, and he does better on tests when they're chunked into four questions at a time," he said.
Wilkinson said he has programmers interested and aims to have a "schematic" idea in place by May for students in grades nine through 11.
"It's a vision I have, and I think with the administration and teachers we have, we can figure something out, even if it's paper and pencil off the bat," he said.
Wilkinson said coming up with a fair, concise evaluation is a daunting task – he joked that the creator might make a fortune by selling the software to other school districts – but insisted the result could be each student learning to his or her specific abilities and tendencies.
He said another key is each student taking an "ownership" stake in his or her learning process.
"If the kids don't learn something in third period, and they can go find the teacher and say, 'Hey I didn't learn this,' then we've turned the corner," Wilkinson said.
"That's pretty powerful to be able to sit down with a kid and say, 'OK, you didn't learn the Pythagorean theorem … let's sit down and get you squared away.'"
Wilkinson said another goal is bringing district cyber school students back to BVA classrooms on a part-time basis. He said cutting off potential cyber students at a young age would help "stop the bleeding."
Wilkinson said he estimates the 56 current cyber school students cost the district nearly $500,000 – a price tag of approximately $12,500 per student.
Anticipating five to six retirements in the coming year, Wilkinson proposed the district sharpen its hiring process for new teachers – which he called a "35-year, $2 million commitment" for each hire. This includes "vetting" applications and having the finalists undergo "teach-off" exercises in which they would literally teach lesson plans to administrators.
Wilkinson said that as part of an induction plan, he intends to "Belle Vernonize" neophyte instructors and end speculation about hires being made for political reasons.
Lastly, Wilkinson wants to continue implementing a STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics – curriculum centered on specialized engineering classes. Wilkinson wants the high school to offer high-level engineering courses by the 2015-2016 school year.
As for integrating seventh and eighth grade students into a single middle school while keeping sixth graders an extra year at their respective elementary schools – a controversial proposal at this time last year —Wilkinson offered no regrets.
"A couple parents who were my biggest critics and calling me every day … came up to me and said, 'My kid's so happy,' and me being a little bit of a smart alec, I said, 'And?'" Wilkinson recalled. "They said 'OK, you were right, we were wrong,' and I don't need to hear that – maybe at home once in awhile – but it's going well."
Rick Bruni Jr. is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at email@example.com or 724-684-2635.


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Jacob Zuma calls on striking miners to return to work
South African President Jacob Zuma has called on workers to return to their jobs after a series of violent strikes.
After a five-hour meeting with union and business leaders, Mr Zuma called on mining production to be "normalised" and called on business leaders to take a year-long salary freeze.
South African mining has been hit by a wave of wildcat strikes in which miners and officials have been killed.
Anglo American Platinum last week fired 12,000 striking workers.
Amplat is the world's biggest platinum producer. And 15,000 miners at Gold Fields, the world's fourth-largest gold miner, face the sack if they do not return to work by 14:00 local time on Thursday.
"We are agreed that violence and intimidation must come to an end. These have no role in our system and simply have a negative effect," Mr Zuma added.
He also called on executives to freeze salaries and bonuses for the next year as a "strong commitment to build an equitable economy" and to address income inequality.
"The parties make a call on CEOs and executive directors in the private sector and senior executives in the public sector to agree to a freeze in increases in salary and bonuses over the next 12 months, as a strong signal of a commitment to build an equitable economy," Mr Zuma said. "They call for an informed national conversation on income inequalities and how best to address them."
The comments are the first significant intervention by Mr Zuma since the unrest began.
The governing African National Congress (ANC) party is holding a leadership contest in December, and some members are already calling for Mr Zuma to be replaced by his deputy, Kgalema Motlanthe.
Amid outcry over the dire living conditions of shanty towns, Mr Zuma also announced a plan to develop major mining areas.
"We have developed measures dealing with… the living conditions of mining communities," he said.
Thousands of people live in slums around mines with no electricity, running water or sanitation.
The striking miners received global attention when police killed 34 striking workers at the Lonmin platinum mine in Marikana in August.
Many of the mining firms are UK listed. In all, analysts say that about 75,000 miners are currently on strike in the gold and platinum sectors, most of them illegally. bbc


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Emerson 28849 - 9150 7/8ODFX1-1/8 ODM S/T FLANGE
Emerson 28849 - 9150 7/8ODFX1-1/8 ODM S/T FLANGE
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Possibly because Cloud is "in darkness" during the first Kingdom Hearts game - he is cooperating with Hades and being pulled deeper into his chain of deals. He doesn't have the wing in Kingdom Hearts II, likely showing that he has changed to fight for the side of good. I think it has to be becuase in heven usally people have wings.But olympus coliseum is kinda like heven. It is also a mirror image to Sephiroth, the "one-winged angel" since he is, technically, a "brother" to Sephiroth due to JENOVA influence. The wing Cloud has is over the shoulder that is lacking a wing on Sephiroth.
A possible reason is to contrast Sephiroth's angelic wing and also as a throwback to Vincent Valentine who was originally supposed to be in the first Kingdom Hearts, which also explains the claw like glove. The reason it was changed in the second game was to highlight Cloud's Advent Children clothing.


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Butter Pecan Ice Cream Roll Recipe
An active mother of four young sons, Elane Hefner of Elida, Ohio, relies on recipes that deep entertaining simple. "This cake roll can be chilling in the freezer long before guests arrive," she says. "Try varying the flavor of the ice cream to suit different tastes."
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 quarts butter pecan ice cream, softened
- Confectioners' sugar and pecan halves, optional
- 1. Line a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with waxed paper. Grease the paper; set aside. In a large bowl, beat eggs for 3 minutes. Gradually add sugar; beat for 2 minutes or until mixture becomes thick and lemon-colored. Beat in water and vanilla. Combine the flour baking powder and salt; fold into egg mixture. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
- 2. Bake at 375° for 12-14 minutes or until cake is lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes; turn onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioners' sugar. Peel off waxed paper. Roll up cake in the towel jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Cool on a wire rack.
- 3. Unroll cake; spread with ice cream to within 1 in. of edges. Roll up again; cover and freeze until firm. May be frozen for up to 2 months. Place seam side down on a serving platter. Dust with confectioners' sugar and decorate with pecans before serving if desired. Yield: 10 servings.
Recipe Note
Editor's Note: See page 50 for tips on make a cake roll.
Nutritional Facts
1/2 cup: 291 calories, 3g fat (0 saturated fat), 3mg cholesterol, 331mg sodium, 56g carbohydrate (0 sugars, 0 fiber), 8g protein.
Reviews for Butter Pecan Ice Cream Roll
Average Rating
Reviewed May. 28, 2009
"This sounds scrumptous and I intend to try it. What kind of gluten free flour would work best for this? Thanks.Wanda (Hefner) Gonzales"
© 2017 RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC


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Weiser, Frederick S. (Frederick Sheely), 1935-2009
From Library of Congress Name Authority File
Weiser, Frederick S. (Frederick Sheely), 1935-2009
Instance Of
Scheme Membership(s)
Collection Membership(s)
Additional Information
Exact Matching Concepts from Other Schemes
- found: Glos, H.G. Wayne Township ... 1950: t.p. (Frederick S. Weiser)
- found: Lutheran church in New Holland, Pennsylvania, 1730-1980, 1980: t.p. (Frederick S. Weiser)
- found: The Palatine immigrant, Mar. 2009: v. 34, no. 2, p. 28 (Rev. Frederick Sheely Weiser d. Jan. 26, 2009 in York, Pa.; editor, Pennsylvania German Society, 1966-1991; in 1972, Nat. Genealogical Society published his translation of Records of marriages and burials in the Monocacy Church, Frederick County, Md.)
- found: LC database, Feb. 14, 2012 (hdg.: Weiser, Frederick Sheely, 1935- ; usage: Frederick S. Weiser)
Change Notes
- 1980-06-04: new
- 2012-02-15: revised
Alternate Formats


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Police in Italy have raided the hotel rooms of Jamaican sprinters Asafa Powell and Sherone Simpson for drugs.
This follows the fact that both of the athletes tested positive for banned and illegal substances. Canadian trainer and coach, Christopher Xuereb's room was also raided by the police and after the search various drugs and muscle stimulants were seized.
The Associated Press reports that local police captain Antonio Pisapia said it has not yet been confirmed if the drugs seized are in fact illegal, this is to be confirmed following lab analysis:
"We are examining the substances now. No arrests have been made and nobody has been placed under investigation."
Back in June of this year Powell and Simpson tested positive for an illegal drug, along with team-mate and record holder Allison Randall, who throws discus. In a statement Randall said she was "shocked and surprised" by the recent results and looked forward to clearing her name.
On the same day of the Jamaican sprinters hotel raid, America's Tyson Gay, who is also a 100 meter record holder, came out and admitted that he had also tested positive in recent dope test.
Asafa, aged 31, specializes in the 100 meter sprint, which he held the world record for between 2005-2008. His team-mate Simpson was an Olympic gold winner in 2004 in the woman's 4×100 relay.
The Italian authorities confirmed that the process of testing for the suspected athletes was under-way, but that none of them, as yet have tested positive for illegal substances.
What do you think about the latest Jamaican sprinters doping scandal? do you feel that sports, in general, are so competitive these days that athletes feel compelled to dope in order to improve performance? Or is there never an excuse for using illegal and banned substances? Sound off in the comments below.


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The wife of Swizz Beatz promises a fiery return that shows the new her through an appropriately titled effort 'Girl on Fire'.
Alicia keys comes back full force three years after she last busted the chart with "The Element of Freedom". The wife of producer/rapper Swizz Beatz is getting ready to make a notable entry on Billboard Hot 200 for the umpteenth time through her brand new studio album "Girl on Fire" that takes her fans on a new journey.
"These last three years have been the most in every way. The most newest, the most difficult, the most loving, the most dream-filled, the most breaking free," she gushed, "an entire crazy dynamic of lessons and emotions to grow into and claim. This whirlwind has definitely forced me to be who I am, to be free enough and brave enough to just not accept anything else-nor try to be anything else."
"So being a new mom, a new wife, being a woman who's really trying to find herself, take control of my life, my business, my world, I think that there comes a certain point in life where you realize that you know you can really choose the life that you want, and so it's really about that journey and kind of finding that bravery, finding that inner-strength to trust yourself, believe in yourself and know that you really have all the tools."
"I have arrived at a place in myself that I am comfortable being exactly who I am in this moment and sharing it with no reservations," she explained more about her new work. "It's a new me, I gave it my all: powerful, soulful, honesty and heart... With Girl on Fire."
While the new album is poised to make a notable entry on Hot 200, its lead single of the same name, "Girl on Fire", has already charted at No. 4 on Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.


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Envelope Linersin Press
Add coordinating Envelope Liners to match your client's Cards and Magnets. This small DIY detail is a fun way to add some flavor to your orders. Simply place the Envelope Liner inside the Envelope, then peel and stick. (*Envelopes sold separately)
- Compatible Envelope Sizes
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- Envelope Liner Sizes
(5x5 envelope) 4.75x6.5, (5x7 envelope) 6.5x6.5
- Packaging
Boutique packaging available
- Turnaround
1-2 days; free overnight shipping


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Gordon D'Arcy opened the scoring after just four minutes with a 50m strike, but he then gifted an interception try to the Scarlets' Matthew Watkins.
Regan King sparked a superb Scarlets attack, although Mark Jones' scoring pass to Barry Davies appeared forward.
That try seemed decisive until Denis Hickie's late strike gave Contepomi the final chance he so nearly converted.
The Llanelli crowd, keen to witness a showdown between two Celtic League high-flyers, had been stunned into silence after just four minutes as Leinster won turnover ruck ball in centre field.
A creative pass from Keith Gleeson in the back line freed D'Arcy who cantered home.
D'Arcy went from hero to villain, throwing a laboured pass that Watkins intercepted for the equalising try.
Then the Scarlets outdid the much-vaunted Leinster backs, King igniting a regal move with a break outside Contepomi.
King fed Lee Byrne, who passed to Jones, before the wing sent Davies in with a suspicious pass.
The Llanelli side remained on the attack for much of the first half, but Leinster frustrated a series of driving mauls on their line.
Davies - celebrating the signing of a new contract at Stradey - landed a monster 52m penalty as the break approached, but that was cancelled out by a Contepomi kick.
Contepomi and Mike Hercus exchanged further penalties as defences tightened after the break.
That was all either side could muster in a lacklustre closing 40 minutes, but as the game ran deep into overtime the Scarlets transgressed offside.
Leinster kicked to the corner where their driving line-out was held, but the ball was spread for substitute Hickie to cross wide out on the left.
The crowd held its breath as Contepomi made clean contact with the conversion, but the ball struck the post and stayed out.
"They came back at us strongly in the last 10 minutes and we were lucky to hold on."
Scarlets: Dunlea, Rees, Madden, Louw, A. Jones, D. Jones, Easterby, A. Popham, Peel, Hercus, Byrne, King, Watkins, M. Jones, B. Davies.Replacements: J. Davies for Madden (72), Cooper for Louw (53), Stuart-Smith for Peel (74). Not Used: Hawkins, G. Thomas, Bowen, G. Evans.
Leinster: Corrigan, B. Blaney, Green, O'Kelly, Byrnes, Gleeson, Heaslip, Easterby, Contepomi, Lewis, D'Arcy, O'Driscoll, Horgan, Dempsey, Miller.Replacements: D. Blaney for Green (20), Williams for Byrnes (60), O'Riordan for Easterby (60), Hickie for O'Driscoll (64), Jowitt for Miller (40). Not Used: Hepworth, McCormack.
Referee: David Changleng (SRU).


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to be a course marshal on
PRELIMINARY MARSHAL ASSIGNMENTS (coming soon)
- MAP WITH MARSHAL LOCATIONS 2017 (coming soon)
We're gearing up quickly for the race in April and our first order of business is to start gathering volunteer support for our May 20, 2017 event (see schedule). We have an exciting event week lined up that includes the Ride with the Pros, America's largest road cycling race – the Tour of the Battenkill Pro/Am, the Open Gran Race gran fondo, and the Tour of the Battenkill Professional Invitational. In total, we're expecting nearly 3000 participants from more than 40 States and 10 different countries in 2016!
As with all road cycling events, it can't happen without volunteer support!
The vast majority of volunteers are road marshals and below are the general responsibilities:
• Direct & usher participants safely through various intersections on the course
• Work with law enforcement at intersections where a traffic right-of-way is being modified
• Communicate with race personnel
For a 6 hour commitment during the event, volunteer benefits include:
• Event t-shirt (a really cool one!)
• Volunteer training (in person, or by web/conference call for non-local volunteers)
• A new, roving volunteer hospitality service
On top of all that, we're ready to announce the Group Reimbursement Program for Volunteers!
• For qualified 501c(3) not-for-profit organizations only
• $300 donation for every 10 volunteers provided per day, OR
• $550 for every 15 volunteers provided per day.
Each volunteer post is approximately 5 hours each day.
Ready to sign up? Click here to get the process started. Questions? Email our Director of Volunteers
or call
(518) 303-2468


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Have you ever wondered if there's something more out there? If there's more to life than empty traditions, routines, and working 9-5 everyday to achieve the impossibility of the American dream?
It's because there is.
There is a generation of radicals whose heartbeat is to see a changed world. It's a generation that's dissatisfied with the status quo and is actively rising to the challenge of seeing the world transformed through tangible expressions of God's love. World Racers are seeing lives changed in nations all over the world.
The first World Race squads launched from Mexico in January 2006. Literally knocking on doors and sleeping on streets, it was a raw adventure of faith. While in Swaziland in 2007, the Lord told Seth Barnes to structure the World Race for a movement and to give it away to our generation.
The World Race continues to change. It is expanding overseas and in the States, yet its foundations stay the same. It is a journey to 11 countries in 11 months to serve "the least of these" while amongst real and raw community. It facilitates discipleship through the process of discovering into the abundant life He promised. It births partnerships with ministries around the world. It requires Luke 10-like faith.
We're calling you out of your comfort zone and giving you exposure to what God is doing in the world before you commit to the American dream. Because it's not about you, it's about the Kingdom.


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re49gb_2gho32fp wrote:Por gets the most fundamentally sound healthy lowpost player in the game for a short term window and some nice assets.
Lol I didn't even catch this at first
If Gasol is "better" and has more moves than Aldridge...how about LA keeps him for themselves? Portland clearly has no interest in "improving" their roster.


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I am a black man born in 1954, the year of Brown vs. Board of Education. Fleeing the abuses of Jim Crow, my parents moved from South Carolina to Washington, D.C., later that decade.
Tales of racial oppression and racial resistance were staples of conversation in our household. My father often spoke of watching Thurgood Marshall argue the case (Rice vs. Elmore) that invalidated the rule permitting only whites to vote in South Carolina's Democratic primary. Memories of that story played a large part in producing the tears I shed on the evening Barack Obama won this year's primary in the Palmetto State.
Related memories — the most haunting being our visit to a D.C. funeral home to pay last respects to Medgar Evers, the courageous head of the Mississipppi branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People who was murdered by a segregationist — helped reduce me to tears, again, on the night the senator from Illinois accepted his party's nomination as its candidate for president.
Never before have my emotions been so exercised by a political campaign. For one thing, never before has a candidate so fully challenged the many inhibitions that have prevented people of all races, including African-Americans, from seriously envisioning presidential power in the hands of someone other than a white American.
The senator's progressive politics, cosmopolitan ethos and pragmatic style have turned me into an enthusiastic supporter, and I savor the prospect of his triumph. But I'm watching this election very closely as I teach a course about it this semester. Yes, political gravity would seem to favor the Democratic candidate after two terms of Republican control of the White House. Yet the possibility is very real: Barack Obama could lose.
If that happens, then what? How will I feel? How will other black Americans feel? How should people like me feel?
Much depends on what might underlie any potential defeat. In September 1960, Sen. John F. Kennedy, needing to allay anxieties about his religion in his quest to become the nation's first Roman Catholic president, addressed a Protestant ministerial association in Texas. At the end of his speech, he declared that if he lost the election "on the real issues," he would return to his seat in the Senate satisfied that he had been "judged fairly." He also said, however, that if the outcome was determined by a religious bias that deprived 40-million Americans of the chance to become president on the day they were baptized, "then it is the whole nation that will be the loser … in the eyes of history, and in the eyes of our own people."
Whether black onlookers believe that this election was decided "on the real issues" and that Obama was "judged fairly" will be shaped in part by future developments, including the nature of the campaign in its closing weeks (will race-baiting intensify?) and the demographics of the final voting tally (will people who have traditionally voted Democrat vote differently this time around?).
I anticipate that most black Americans will believe that an Obama defeat will have stemmed in substantial part from a prejudice that robbed 40-million Americans of the chance to become president on the day they were born black. They will of course understand that race wasn't the only significant variable —- that party affiliation, ideological proclivities, strategic choices and dumb luck also mattered. But deep in their bones, they will believe — and probably rightly — that race was a key element, that had John McCain been black and Obama white — the result would have been different.
This conclusion will be accompanied by bitter disappointment, and in some quarters, stark rage. In the early stages of the Obama campaign, his rival, Hillary Clinton, outpolled him among blacks in part because many didn't believe that he stood a chance of prevailing. When blacks realized that Obama's candidacy represented a serious drive for electoral power with an appreciable chance of success, they gravitated overwhelmingly to the Illinois senator.
There are blacks who'll be indifferent to an Obama defeat because they don't think that the outcome of the presidential race will have any real effect on their miserable fates. Others, protecting themselves against the pain of disappointment, have systematically repressed expectations. My mother will be sorry if Obama loses, but she won't feel disillusioned, because she hasn't allowed herself to get her hopes up.
If Obama loses, I personally will feel disappointed, frustrated, hurt. I'll conclude that a fabulous opportunity has been lost. I'll believe that American voters have made a huge mistake. And I'll think that an important ingredient of their error is racial prejudice — not the hateful, snarling, open bigotry that terrorized my parents in their youth, but rather a vague, sophisticated, low-key prejudice that is chameleonlike in its ability to adapt to new surroundings and to hide even from those firmly in its grip.
If Obama is defeated, I will, for a brief time, be stunned by feelings of dejection, anger and resentment. These will only be the stronger because the climate of this election year so clearly favors the Democrats, because this was supposed to be an election the Republicans couldn't win, and because in my view, the Obama ticket is obviously superior to McCain's.
But I hope that soon thereafter I'll find solace and encouragement in contemplating this unprecedented development: A major political party nominated a black man for the highest office in the land, and that man waged an intelligent, brave campaign in which many millions of Americans of all races enthusiastically supported an African American standard-bearer.
Even if Barack Obama loses in November, he will have bequeathed to all America something that should bring comfort and pride to even the most disappointed of his followers. He has reached the edge of the pinnacle. And shown that we can stand atop it.
Randall Kennedy is a professor of law at Harvard University and the author, most recently, of Sellout: The Politics of Racial Betrayal.


text: Because stagnant anoxia immediately deprives organs or tissues of needed oxygen, the only immediate treatment is a supplement of pure oxygen. However, there are alternative treatments for some of the causes of stagnant anoxia. Studies are being conducted on how garlic, flaxseed, and omega-3 fatty acids supplements can aid in combating cardiovascular disease. According to the National Center for Alternative and Complimentary Medicine, some alternative practitioners also recommend plant-based medicines containing hawthorn or astragalus to fight heart disease.


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Eddie E. Mileski 84 of Streetsboro died Friday, May 16, 2014. He was born April 25, 1930 in Kent, Ohio to Bruno and Anna (Kaliszewski) Mileski. Mr. Mileski has lived in Streetsboro for 45 years and was a self-employed carpenter.
Survivors include his wife of 58 years Helen (Woloshuk), daughter Maryanna Mileski of Aurora, son Steve (Charlene) of Hudson, grandchildren Matthew and Michael, sister Sophie (John) Knapp of Elyria and a brother Mack Mileski of Englewood, Fl.
He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Amelia Flowers and brothers John, Stanley, Trent, Joseph, Steve and long time family friend Erin (Fitzpatrick) Mandalfino.
There will be no calling hours or services, cremation has taken place. The family wishes to thank the ICU and Hospice staff at Robinson Memorial Hospital. Arrangements have been entrusted to Shorts Spicer Crislip Funeral Home Streetsboro Chapel.
In lieu of flowers the family request memorials to the Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675. Memories and condolences may be sent to the family at www.sscfuneralhomes.com.
(Shorts-Spicer-Crislip 330-296-6858, RC 5-19-14)


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From a media release:
JuneFest - an annual awareness festival recognizing and celebrating Deaf-Blind Awareness Month in Ontario.
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
12:00 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Mel Lastman Square (Toronto)
5100 Yonge Street at North York Centre subway
TORONTO - RCH and CHKC are proud to present the 12th annual JuneFest, an awareness festival that recognizes and celebrates June as Deaf-Blind Awareness Month in Ontario. This year's event is on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 at Mel Lastman Square in Toronto.
Starting at 12:00 p.m., there will be information booths hosted by various organizations and agencies to raise awareness about the dual disability of deaf-blindness, the latest technology and devices, and the services and resources that are available. Many deaf-blind consumers will also be in attendance.
The public, local business community and media are invited to attend JuneFest with friends, families and colleagues to learn about deaf-blindness while enjoying music, a charity barbeque, games and activities, free samples and more.
Over 200 students in grades four through eight from across the Greater Toronto Area will participate in JuneFest for the second year in a row. Youth-oriented programs and games will provide them with opportunities to read Braille, learn other alternate forms of communication and interact with people who are deaf-blind. They will also enjoy performances by local pop-punk sensations Crash! Radio, which is fronted by award-winning singer-songwriter Ivy James, recently named Best Young Songwriter by the Toronto Independent Music Awards.
Deaf-blindness is a disability in which an individual has a substantial degree of loss of both sight and hearing, the combination of which results in significant difficulties in accessing information and in pursuing educational, vocational, recreational and social goals. Deaf-blindness is a unique and separate disability from deafness or blindness. An individual with the combined losses of hearing and vision require specialized services including adapted communication methods.
A variety of different types of music throughout the day will be available for everyone to enjoy. Music will be provided by As You Like It DJ Entertainment & Event Planning and include:
Crash! Radio plays catchy pop-rock music with a punk twist. The band is fronted by award-winning singer-songwriter Ivy James and features Aidan Robson and Brad Dekker on guitar, Derek Osborne on bass and Ben Lee on drums.
Maracatu Baque Bamba is an upbeat Afro Brazilian percussion group that specializes in performing and teaching the spirited cultural tradition celebrated as Maracatu de Baque Virado. Through its lively rhythmic synergy the troupe channels the raw force of the drums to create a dynamic percussive sound. Facebook
ASL Storytelling
Storytelling in American Sign Language
by Christopher Welsh. Chris trained with National Theatre of the Deaf in Chester, Connecticut and also studied improvisation at Second City in Toronto. He performed at Canada Clown Carnival, Winnipeg International Storytelling and Shakespeare Living Willow Theatre in Wales, U.K. Christopher was the first Deaf comedian to perform before a hearing audience at Yuk-Yuks in Toronto. He has also performed with the Show of Hands Theatre Company.


text: 1 With the second to last pick of the draft, the Yankees 39th round pick, they selected Sherman Lacrus, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound outfielder out of Western Oklahoma State Junior College. Sherman, 18, is coming off a very good year at JUCO. In 39 games he hit .373/.476/.695/1.171 with nine homers. He's […] Yankees 2012 40th round draft pick: Sherman Lacrus7 Jun, 2012 in 2012 MLB Draft by Rob Abruzzese


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The consultancy offers a range of services - Garden design, assistance with planning applications and turn key build services.
Working for private and commercial clients and architects to design, plan and build stylish, practical gardens and landscapes.
Tree Surveys and Arboricultural Method Statements for planning permission are undertaken. Also, planning advice regarding the latest environmental standards that comply with the Building Research Establishment?s Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM).
Garden Expert - as a horticultural consultant Barry Holdsworth can act as an expert witness in matters relating to horticulture.
Garden Design and Consultancy Services in East Sussex, West Sussex, Kent, London, Surrey, across the UK and internationally.


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ABC to Offer Full Hour of MODERN FAMILY, 10/10
Get a double dose of "Modern Family," winner of three consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series, with a special one-hour event on WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10 (9:00-9:31 & 9:31-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.
In the first half of the hour, entitled "Schooled" (9:00-9:31 p.m.), Phil and Claire drop Haley off at college, a difficult moment for any parent, but made worse when they manage to really embarrass her. Meanwhile, Manny forces Jay and Gloria to take a baby class, and when Lily gets into a playground tussle on the first day of kindergarten, Mitch and Cam have a meeting with the other child's confrontational lesbian parents (guest stars Wendi McLendon-Covey and Michaela Watkins). In the second half of the hour, entitled "Snip" (9:31-10:00 p.m.), Phil and Claire's five-year plan has him going in for a vasectomy, and today's the big day; Jay and Gloria disagree about whether or not to find out the sex of the baby -- and all the while Gloria's in denial about needing maternity clothes - and Mitchell tries to gently steer Cameron towards a part-time job, but will Cameron fall for it?
"Modern Family" stars Ed O'Neill as Jay, Julie Bowen as Claire, Ty Burrell as Phil, Sofía Vergara as Gloria, Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell, Eric Stonestreet as Cameron, SARAH HYLANd as Haley, Nolan Gould as Luke, Ariel Winter as Alex, Rico Rodriguez as Manny and Aubrey Anderson-Emmons as Lily.
"Schooled" was written by STEVEN LEVITAN and Dan O'Shannon, and directed by Jeff Melman.
"Snip" was written by Danny Zuker and directed by Gail Mancuso.
"Modern Family" is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's Selected HD Format, with 5.1 channel surround sound. These programs carry a TV-PG,D,L parental guideline.


text: Light & Motion's Seca 1700 Race Lighting System is so bright it can only be described as solar and it'll turn night to day for all your nighttime trail and road adventures. It utilizes 6 LEDs and custom-engineered reflectors to deliver an astounding 1700 lumens of brightness. The light's lithium-ion battery is specifically tailored for racing and runs for from 1.5 to 15 hours on the 4 available modes. You also get no-tools handlebar and helmet mounts and a quick charger that does its job in only 6 hours. The battery can be frame mounted or carried in a pocket or pack.


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Also high on corporate IT recruiting wish lists are any and all skills having to do with cloud and software-as-a-service (SaaS) technologies, as well as the business process and technology integration know-how needed to link these newer technologies to legacy computing environments.
Recruiting experts say this particular need is both a blessing and a curse for corporate IT departments. On one hand, IT professionals want to work with these newer technologies, so in-house cloud and SaaS projects can help corporate IT departments attract and retain the best and brightest.
At Purdue Pharma, a privately held pharmaceutical company in Stamford, Conn., CIO Larry Pickett says a modern IT infrastructure that includes cloud technology is a big reason the company is able to retain its most talented IT employees. "We're right in the middle of implementing state-of-the-art technology and doing things that are innovative and building [IT employees'] skills, so it increases retention," Pickett says. "We are implementing a private cloud infrastructure across two data centers, so there's an opportunity to learn those skills without leaving Purdue."
Competing With Vendors
On the other hand, corporate IT's need for IT professionals with cloud, SaaS and integration skills pits corporate IT directly against technology companies themselves in the escalating war for talent.
"Vendors look at people who have worked at [user companies] as bringing institutional and cultural knowledge with them and a hands-on knowledge of workflows," says Russell Reynolds' Banerji. This makes corporate IT employees prime poaching targets for technology vendors.
What puts IT shops in an especially tough position, experts say, is that job seekers typically view technology vendor companies as more innovative and better able to offer opportunities for growth.
"If you think of corporate IT budgets and the way they spend, 80% is usually going to maintenance of old stuff and maybe 20% goes to innovation," notes Woodson Martin, a senior vice president who heads recruiting at Salesforce.com. IT professionals "want to work on cloud and languages like Ruby. They want to work on the future, not the past, but the fundamental mechanics of that 80/20 means it's hard to keep the talent happy."
Big budgets for research and development give vendors another advantage, says Steven John, strategic CIO at Workday, a SaaS vendor based in Pleasanton, Calif.
"Corporate America can't go as deep [into the technology] to challenge the best people. That's all happening on the vendor side," says John, who was previously CIO at specialty chemical maker H.B. Fuller; he joined Workday when Fuller became a Workday customer.
"Workday is doing some very cool technology. We're one of the leading cloud vendors out there, so this is one of the places high on the list of places to be on the cutting edge," he says.
Nick Colisto, CIO at Hovnanian Enterprises, a home builder in Red Bank, N.J., puts it this way: "Twenty years ago, everyone wanted to work for IBM when they came out of college. As companies built larger systems, people switched off and went to work for large user companies. Now, with companies like Google, Amazon and LinkedIn, we'll see a shift of IT resources back to technology companies."
Colisto says what concerns him most are the cloud companies.
"Cloud computing is expected to go from around $68 billion in 2010 to over $100 billion by 2012. So, yes, I am concerned we're going to find our infrastructure resources pilfered," he says.
Minneapolis-based Medtronic is in what CIO Mike Hedges describes as IT "maintenance mode." As a result, "we have had several people go. In some cases, people came to me [and said they had better job offers] and I could not match what they had been offered -- in money or projects," he says.
Hedges notes that Minneapolis is headquarters to Cargill, 3M and Target, all of which compete for the same IT talent. "Wherever there's a lot of companies with large projects just getting ready to start, there's definitely poaching going on," he says.
"When you talk to CIOs, they'll tell you they're not poaching. They say that if people apply, they apply," Hedges says. "But I know that when one or two people left Medtronic to go to other companies, what happens is they call their friends."
In other words, when someone leaves for a better opportunity elsewhere, it's likely that you'll lose other staffers looking for the same opportunity, he says.
Where's the Leading Edge?
When IT consulting firm Taos provides consultants to corporate IT organizations looking to design cloud architectures, the client's IT employees see the writing on the wall, says Coco Brown, president and chief operations officer at the San Jose-based company.
"It may not be that their jobs are in danger, but they see that their traditional corporate IT world will be diminished in time, and they see where the exciting things are happening," she says. "It's a very competitive market right now, and one of the attractive messages we have is, 'Come work for us and we'll get you into those [cloud] environments where you'll be on the leading edge.' I see CIOs very frustrated by this."
Workday's John says he fully expects to see more IT employees within corporate IT organizations move to technology vendors -- and in his book, that's not a bad thing.
"The cloud is changing things," he says. "You're already seeing operations and the non-differentiating work move to the cloud." It only follows that IT professionals focused on operations and infrastructure would also move to cloud and other technology vendor companies, he adds.
"Now, we're not just outsourcing bodies, but technologies, processes and people," he says. "The line between vendor CIO and corporate CIO will cease to exist, and IT people will move back and forth between that boundary much more frequently."
This story, "Talent Wars: Are Your IT Staffers Being Poached?" was originally published by Computerworld.


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