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Chiropractic Prone Distraction for Lower Back Pain
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Back pain is a major cause of disability in the United States. The lifetime prevalence of low back pain is estimated at 60-90%. Back pain has conservatively been estimated to involve total direct and indirect costs of over $25 billion annually in lost wages, treatment, and related issues. These losses clearly extend to the active duty population cared for by military health care facilities.
Chiropractic medicine is characterized by the use of a number of physical manipulations and mobilization techniques, which can be used singly or in combination to treat a variety of medical conditions. Although basic clinical practice guidelines for Chiropractic have been developed, few studies have rigorously compared techniques and their outcomes for specific conditions. Fewer still have sought to correlate treatment modality with both anatomical effect and clinical outcome.
Throughout the military, Chiropractic care is available only to active duty personnel and only at a limited number of medical treatment facilities. At National Naval Medical Center, it is a well-established treatment option, where the full array of techniques is employed, primarily for painful conditions, and most often for back pain. This study seeks to clarify the mechanisms of action and efficacy of one specific treatment option, prone distraction, for the relief of subacute sciatica due to radiographically confirmed herniated disc, and to compare it to side-posture manipulation and standard medical management.
Prone lumbar distraction utilizes a specialized table with motorized continual motion distraction. This table has multiple mechanical articulations that can be used to place patients in a wide variety of positions. Patients being treated with continuous motion distraction are placed prone with the table positioned for maximum comfort and centralization of symptoms.
Side posture manipulation is a widely practiced, standard chiropractic technique, which has been shown to provide considerable clinical improvement for patients with sciatica. Low- grade oscillatory stresses are performed within the physiological range of normal joint motion. The hip, pelvis and lumbar spine are rotated forward with manual pressure while a counter rotation of the chest and thoracic spine is applied.
|Herniated Disc Lower Back Pain Sciatica
|Procedure: Prone Distraction Procedure: Side-Posture Manipulation Procedure: Side-Posture Manipulation & Prone Distraction Procedure: Usual Care (Control Group)
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Factorial Assignment
Masking: Single (Participant)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Official Title:
|A Pilot Study of Chiropractic Prone Distraction for Subacute Back Pain With Sciatica
- Change in overall leg pain intensity, as assessed by the change, if any, of leg pain documented on the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) in the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) from baseline to 8 weeks
- Time to pain relief, defined as NRS less than 4 after 2 consecutive visits
- Change in overall back pain intensity, as assessed by the change, if any, of back pain documented on the BPI from baseline to 8 weeks
- Change in overall pain intensity, as assessed by the change, if any, of the sum of back and leg pain documented on the BPI at measured intervals
- Change in overall pain intensity, as assessed by the change, if any, of the sum of back and leg pain documented on the BPI from baseline to 8 weeks
- Patient satisfaction with treatment, as assessed by The Client Satisfaction Questionnaire
- Medication use, as assessed by the Medication Log
- Functional disability, as assessed by The Roland-Morris Low Back Pain and Disability Questionnaire
- Lost/decreased workdays
- Change, if any, in percent of disc herniation, as determined by the study neuroradiologist
- Descriptive changes in disc morphology, as assessed by the study neuroradiologist
- Variability of treatment, as assessed by the number or prescriptions written, the number of visits to the Primary Care Clinic, as well as the number of referrals to additional treatments outside of the chiropractic clinic
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|March 2006
|Study Completion Date:
|June 2006
|Primary Completion Date:
|June 2006 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years to 45 Years (Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Active Duty military personnel
- Aged 18-45 (age is limited to 45 years due to the natural aging and degeneration of the discs; the less hydration the disc maintain, the less likely manipulation will be successful).
- Have subacute low back pain (more than three months duration but less than six months duration), with radicular component (sciatica) rated at a minimum level of 4 on the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) of the Brief Pain Inventory
- Have a confirmed herniated disc, as noted on MRI, which correlates with the clinical findings (sciatica)
In this study, a "herniated disc" refers to any localized displacement of disc material, including nucleus, cartilage, fragmented apophyseal bone, or fragmented anular tissue, which results in back and leg pain. "Herniated Disc" also will include disc extrusions and disc bulges (protrusions) only when with associated annular tears.
In this study, "sciatica" refers to pain in the lower extremity/ies that follows the course of the sciatic nerve
Exclusion Criteria:
- Patients who are not able to give informed consent.
- Pregnant or nursing women
- Patients who have a primary bone disease, cancer, infection, spondylolysis or spondylolisthesis.
- Patients who have had prior spine surgery, including rhizotomy
- Participation in another conflicting research study
- Patients who cannot commit to a trial lasting up to eight weeks or cannot come for bi-weekly treatments
- Patients who are going through a course of physical therapy or chiropractic treatment or at the time of planned enrollment or are being currently being managed and/or treated for any pain condition
- Patients who have an unstable medical or psychiatric condition
- Patients who are planning or have been advised to have spine surgery
- Any contraindications to either prone distraction or side posture manipulation will disqualify potential subjects from any participation in this study
- Patients with a pacemaker.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00269503
|United States, Maryland
|National Naval Medical Center
|Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20889
|Principal Investigator:
|William E Morgan, DC
|National Naval Medical Center
|Principal Investigator:
|CDR Robert E Rosenbaum, MC, USN
|National Naval Medical Center
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00269503 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|December 21, 2005
|Last Updated:
|May 7, 2008
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Back Pain
Low Back Pain
Intervertebral Disc Displacement
Neurologic Manifestations
Nervous System Diseases
Signs and Symptoms
Sciatic Neuropathy
Peripheral Nervous System Diseases
Neuromuscular Diseases
Spinal Diseases
Bone Diseases
Musculoskeletal Diseases
Pathological Conditions, Anatomical
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


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Alex Clare On The Secret Sauce That Went Into Making "Too Close"With a soulful voice and a beard that can rival any indie-folk artist, Alex Clare's break-through single has taken the summer by storm.
Rita Ora On Taking Two Years To Write Her Album Courtesy Of Jay-ZJay-Z's latest protégée, Rita Ora, did something most artists don't get the luxury of doing anymore. She took two years off, after Jay signed her to Roc Nation, to live her life and find inspiration to write her debut album.
No Doubt Back After 11 Year Hiatus
Secret Hidden Audio Of Buck's Wife Going CRAZY
Charlie Sheen Collaborates With Snoop Dogg On A Song

subset: commoncrawl


text: Many experts are predicting that students are about to embrace e-books as a preferred form of textbooks. But a newly released survey [1] from the National Association of College Stores -- conducted last fall, before the arrival of the iPad -- suggests that the shift had not happened by that point. Rather it found that 74 percent of students preferred printed textbooks and that a slight majority wouldn't consider a digital version. The survey is based on data from 19 campuses nationwide.


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Once you hit the track though, you see where the last 5 years has gone. Each car feels different. Each has its own subtle handling differences, grip levels, traits and abilities. Some cars get squirrelly under braking, others start fishtailing under acceleration. Some are complete beasts requiring the most accurate finesse with the throttle and brakes, others are so sorted they virtually drive themselves. For the first time, the physics and handling feels absolutely spot on.
I've never felt so at home behind my Force GT wheel, enjoying just cruising around a track in a little 33HP Kart, or a 100HP Honda – or strangling a Bugatti Veyron around the corners of the N'Ring, thrashing a Mazda 787B down the endless Mulsanne straight at LeSarthe. Risk reaps reward. Throw a car into a corner too fast, snap some opposite lock and power out of a slide. Drifting actually seems possible with the wheel now too.
There's so much feel. You can feel the weight of cars with heavy steering and stiff suspension. Every twitch and bounce of the car is relayed to you through the force feedback. Get some wheels off the ground coming over a blind crest and the steering goes completely light – then almost snaps the wheel out of your hands as they find grip again upon landing. The cars react to the ripple strips, shake and slither as you power over kerbs at London in a 458 Italia – and you wind on more and more lock to counter the understeer in your old Mercedes-Benz 300SL.
It is an absolutely joyous experience.
You can watch all of your antics, your perfect and not-so perfect laps in race Replays. From here you can view it like a movie, or pause and bring up the Photo Mode options to capture that awesome drift or save. Sadly, fast-forward and rewind are gone from GT5, so you have to be quick if you want to capture that moment, or start again right from the beginning of your replay. Annoying if your 'moment' is on lap 10. And you miss it.
You can even compare your telemetry, showing you clearly where you could go faster, where you're on the brakes too early, on the throttle too briefly.
Online functionality is, thankfully, completely solid. From GT Home, you have access to Community, which is a Friends List of sorts. From here you can check out and compare your Friends' progress, collected cars, favourite photos and more. Additionally, you can set up your own lounge, or join a Friends' lounge and get into some online racing.
Public Lobbies are easy to find – and with the exception of day one niggles, have been solid since. Mic support is perfect, lag is minimal. A huge, welcome improvement over GT5 Prologue.
Finally, all of your classic modes, arcade, time trial etc. are still available from the main menu as well, with full online Leaderboards for times and drift trials. There's a good selection of cars available if you just want to jump straight into racing. Or if you were on board with GT PSP, you can import your entire garage over and use those.
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Graphics & Sound
The biggest visual disparity in GT5 is the difference between Standard and Premium cars. Standard cars use (mostly) untouched GT4 assets. In Gran Turismo 4 and back on your old standard definition television, they looked fantastic. In GT5 though, they do – sometimes – begin to look horribly dated. The closer you look the worse it gets obviously. And there's the lack of modelled interiors for driving.
Photo mode prevents you from zooming up to a Standard car like you can with a Premium. Justifiably so, as there's no detail to be had up close but jagged edges, flat textures and rough pixelation.
On track it's a different story though. And unless you're up really close, swapping paint, or really trying to look for the last-gen quality, you honestly won't see it. Whipping by a Standard car in your Mazda 787B Stealth car at 345km/h, you just don't care either.
Premium cars are a whole 'nother story. These cars are the most authentic, intricately detailed and fantastically modelled vehicle recreations we have ever seen in gaming. There are over 200 of them and each has to be seen to believed. Every nut, bolt, texture, subtle nuance of its real-life counterpart is faithfully recreated, inside and out. And it is bliss. Interior race cam is superb. Photo mode does even more justice. They are jaw-dropping brilliant. Windscreen wipers are functional, headlights, high-beam, interior dashboards light up at night. Superb.
The damage model evolves as your driver level increases. Premium cars exhibit the most thorough levels of damage later on, whereas Standard cars will only ever see basic scuffing and deformation. As of writing this, I am at driver level 22 and already I'm seeing bent panels, wings and crumpled metal work.
Tracks exhibit some visual disparity. There are some barely changed assets, particularly in flat wall textures and 2D backdrops (and I'd be slaughtered by some if I didn't mention the 2D trees). The Nurburgring Nordschliefe has undergone a massive overhaul though and looks incredible. Many tracks have improved massively, some only marginally, but generally there is improvement all round.
Rain effects are immense, particularly in the premium cars from interior view, as you struggle to see through frantic windscreen wipers, water mist from 4 cars in front of you. A night/day cycle has also been introduced for GT5, which also impresses.
There is a concerning 'pixelation' exhibited around the edges of cars surrounded by tyre smoke or water trails. Again, it does nothing to affect the racing, but it does ruin some potentially epic Photo Mode shots.


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Packers' Eddie Lacy Ready to Return After Concussion
ABC Digital
National Sports
Updated at
(GREEN BAY, Wisc.) — During their bye week, the Green Bay Packers offense got even better as rookie running back Eddie Lacy was clear to return to action after recovering from a concussion.
Back in Week 2, Lacy suffered the concussion and was forced to miss time as a result. He was a full participant during the team's practice on Monday, and is ready to go on Sunday against the Detroit Lions.
"I thought Eddie practiced well today," Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said. "So it was good to have him back out there. He's full go, and I think the week off definitely helped him."
Over the past few seasons, the Packers have struggled to run the football. The team decided they needed to commit to the running game in 2013 so they drafted Lacy in the 2nd round of the 2013 draft.
In limited action, Lacy has 51 rushing yards with 31 receiving yards along with a touchdown.
As of now, it is unknown whether or not Lacy will jump right back in the lead role in the Packers' backfield.
James Starks had been handling the duties in his absence and had been filling in admirably.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio


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Stop wasting precious time in rambling meetings. Learn five ways to trim the fat and have more productive meetings.
Chrysalis Ventures partner Alan Ying knows that productive meetings can seem like a myth. "As a venture capitalist," Ying often hears "liberated entrepreneurs discuss their escapes from the treadmill of eye-rollingly lame meetings." After a company progresses past the startup phase, meetings become more of a necessity.
To help your company have productive meetings, Ying recommends removing the "Big Company parts of meetings ('bad bureaucracy')" and adding "critical entrepreneurial elements ('good bureaucracy')." Ying then lists five ways to make your meetings more productive, including breaking meetings into two categories where founders only attend the "taste-testing" type, meeting individually with staff members before meetings to get a handle on things and keep them focused, and limit every meeting to a maximum of three topics. It's worth your time to streamline your meetings, because, as Ying says, "good meetings won't guarantee success, but bad meetings will guarantee failure."


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Go here to grab a coupon for $5 off a $5 PetSmart purchase. It is being reported that you can get anything $5 or less for FREE! It is intended for PetPerks members so get your membership.
This coupon can also be used at PETCO as a competitors coupon. Combined with manufacturer coupons you can get really cheap pet supplies if you want to go over the $5 limit.
Thanks My Pet Savings!


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The Countdown is on. There is only 17 days to go before over 200 golfers descend on the NSW Hunter Valley to take a coveted spot in an event they wait for all year, The Jack Newton Celebrity Classic.
Preparations are being made at the stunning Cypress Lakes Resort. The greens and the poolside marquee are getting some extra special attention. This is the one time of the year, when the stars of the scene, stage, business and sporting fields combine to create the ultimate three days of world class golf, music and entertainment, good times, fundraising and fancy dress.
Anyone who has been to the event over the years agrees on one thing, Jack sure knows how to throw a party. For that reason, there are players who return any chance they get. 2012 is no exception with NRL greats Wally Lewis and Terry Lamb, Ian "˜Dicko' Dickson, comedian Jimeion, Wendell Sailor and former Prime Minister and Patron of the event Bob Hawke all playing again.
Some new blood is also joining the exclusive group. Making their debut at this years' classic, star of the hit stage show "˜Legally Blonde', Rob "˜Millsy' Mills. Former member of AC/DC and author Mark Evans, House Husband star and ARIA Nominee Rhys Muldoon, Pat Davern, Kris Hopes and Joe Hansen from Grinspoon, just ahead of their appearance at 2013's Big Day Out, Deadly Award host & actor Luke Carroll who appears in the ground breaking series Redfern Now, currently airing on the ABC and the winner of 2012 series of the Block, Brad Cranfield.
This spectacular mix of players, come together to raise money for two causes close to the heart of their host, Jack Newton. The tournament, which is now in its 34th year, has raised over 3 million dollars for Diabetes education and prevention and Jack Newton Junior Golf Foundation. Jake Higginbottom who came through the program is testament to its success. The Charlestown 19-year-old made the decision to turn pro on Tuesday after he won the New Zealand Open on Sunday in Christchurch. We are thrilled to have him playing as a professional for the first time in the Classic this year.
"One thing I always encourage my invited guests to make is the Welcome BBQ on the Monday night, where I offer some vital riding instructions, house rules and most importantly the expectations we have around having a good time and raising money for our chosen beneficiaries." said Newton.
The likes of Damien Oliver, Michael Hagan, Wilbur Wilde, Justin Melvey and Ian Stenlake will swap their normal attire for their compulsory favourite footy jerseys at the Welcome BBQ, as the games begin.
There will be regular updates on The Jack Newton Celebrity Classic facebook page, where you can grab a slice of the history and keep up to date with the latest news or you can follow us on twiitter JackNewtonCC.


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Establishing a professional, successful online presence with an effective website doesn't have to be costly or complicated. That's where we come in at Simply Bella Web Design, a division of one of Atlanta's most successful web design firmsView Portfolio
We've designed hundreds of sites over 15 years in Atlanta. We're one of the oldest and most experienced web design firms in the country. We're an award winning company that specializes in working with business owners of all types. Our company is one of the highest regarded web design companies in Atlanta. We've also worked with companies in France, Germany, Scotland, Italy and Canada.Read More
Need a website but have a small budget? We're here to help. $4,500 gets you a beautifully designed, impressive site starting with a theme. We help you write all the content. Then our in-house web designers fully customize the theme with your logo, colors and images. The result? A beautiful, functional website done within 3 weeks! You can fully manage your own site once we're done.Read More
Want to know why we're the highest and most reviewed company on places like Kudzu.com and LinkedIn? We treat our customers with the utmost respect, especially those who are wary of technology. We love to educate our clients about the latest and greatest online marketing ideas and we take special care with those who are technology-shy.Read More
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Service Info
During the holiday break, we are planning for two maintenance periods for Ensemble (https://author.ensemble.vt.edu).
Reduced functionality: Dec 22 (5 pm) to Dec 23 (5 am)
We plan on re-indexing Ensemble starting 5 pm today and this should take about 12 hours (think of it as refreshing the giant directory of all the content in the system). During this time, while the system will be up and items can be created and published, images and files placed in the DAM will not be accessible via the assets browser to be placed inside of components. A temporary work around for placing images on a page would be to directly upload them to the component on the page.
Offline: Dec 28 (9 am - 5pm)
Ensemble will be down for maintenance on Wednesday, Dec 28th starting at 10 am. During that time we will be upgrading the system to 6.1 Service Pack 2 and Cumulative Fix 3. This upgrade provides a variety of product enhancements and improvements. Most notably, the link browser tool in the text component will be similar to the path browsing tool (which will make linking to assets easier). This upgrade will also give us the ability to rapidly deploy future fix patches as the vendor releases them. We are also upgrading the publishers at this time, but as these are load balanced, it should not affect end users visiting published sites.
If you have any questions, please file a ticket by going to http://ensemble.cms.vt.edu and clicking on the "Request CMS Support" link on the bottom right hand corner of the webpage.
Happy Holidays!
© 2011 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University


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Mashapers can now follow each other: follow everyone!
We've added an Hacker Feed in your Dashboard and a "Follow" button on every user profile, so you can always be up to date on what the other Mashapers are doing. For example: when they publish or update an API, or when they start hacking on a new API you never heard before. Starting from today, Mashape is also a social API marketplace 🙂 This is the


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Paul Pierce has been tossing a lot of praise the Celtics' way every since he officially joined the Brooklyn Nets last month. His latest comments contest the popular theory that the Celtics are doomed for the coming season and that Rajon Rondo will struggle to be the man in Boston.
Rondo might not be the typical go-to guy, Pierce insists, but that doesn't mean the eighth-year point guard can't break convention.
"Without question," Pierce told Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. "I've already talked to Rajon; Rajon's mature. People talk about the relationship with Doc [Rivers], and they probably had their best years over the last two years. So I don't think that was a reason for Doc leaving. I've heard that, but that wasn't a reason for Doc not coming back.
"Rondo is one of the best players in the league. He's a guy who can be the face of a franchise. He's won a championship, he's been an All-Star. There's a lot of organizations who don't even have a face of that caliber."
Pierce, who will make $15.3 million in the final year of the four-year, $61.3 million contract he signed in 2010, said previously that Rondo's knee injury last season set off a "domino effect" that led to Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry being traded to Brooklyn after Rivers departed to coach the Clippers. A report last week indicated the Celtics are not trying to trade Rondo and that the team expects to see how he meshes with new coach Brad Stevens.
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Mexico's fast-growing aerospace sector is here at the Paris Air Show in strength once again (Hall 3 Stand D24), and the latest projections for its future suggest it is set to get bigger still in the next six years or so. Much of the growth in the past few years has come from foreign OEMs opening new facilities and expanding existing properties in their increasingly urgent pursuit of lower production costs and access to markets.
But the country's indigenous industry has also been growing, as evidenced by the increased number of Mexican exhibitors here at Le Bourget this week. In many cases, these exhibitors are officials from Mexico's states, vying with each other to attract inward aerospace investment.
According to new research by Jean-Claude Bouche, a senior aerospace consultant at the Monterrey Institute of Technology, the country could be home to as many as 1,000 aerospace companies, including 400 manufacturers, by 2015. By then the Mexican industry could be employing 40,000 people and generate exports to the U.S. alone valued at $12 billion. What's more, Bouche believes Mexico could produce its first complete aircraft by 2015–in theory having an airframe ready for display here at Le Bourget in June of that year.
As of the end of 2008, the Mexican aerospace industry consisted of about 660 companies (including 190 manufacturers). It employed 20,000 people and generated $3.4 billion in exports to the U.S. By comparison, the Canadian city of Toronto currently accounts for about 17,000 aerospace jobs. Bouche argued that Mexico is on track to have as large an aerospace industry as the city of Montreal–albeit with fewer staff of engineer grade (that is, more shop-floor personnel).
Back in January, Mexico Now magazine staged two one-day conferences in London and Toulouse. European aerospace executives attending the events heard details of the cost savings that can be achieved in Mexico, but also learned that the country's appeal goes beyond price alone and extends to factors such as growing availability of skills and improved access to key markets such as its giant U.S. neighbor.
"Mexico is definitely going to be on the world aerospace map," said Bouche. He predicted that by the end of 2009 three significant Western aerospace firms will have established new operations in Mexico: one from France, one from the UK and another from Canada.
According to Bouche the next wave of inward aerospace investment in Mexico will increasingly be led by companies from outside North America. He said that by 2015 about a quarter of the country's industry will be owned by European firms and 5 percent by Asians. By then, he believes that about 25 percent of the industry will be controlled by Mexicans.
Another anticipated trend is that Mexicans will ascend the aerospace food chain in terms of the complexity of the work they undertake. Bouche expects to see the proportion of engineering and design work to reach 20 percent by 2015 (having already increased from just 4 percent of total activity in 2004 to 15 percent last year). He expects to see Mexicans develop expertise in areas such as honeycomb structures and avionics.
Foreign Investment
To date much of the aerospace investment has been concentrated in the Mexican states of Sonora, Chihuahua, Queretaro, Baja California, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas. Other states such as Guanajuato and Coahuila are vying for investment increasingly–in some cases as part of a move to reduce dependence on a dwindling automobile sector.
In March, BE Aerospace opened a new facility in the state of Sonora, which is due to establish a new free trade zone at Obregon in August. Last year, Queretaro received a major boost with Bombardier's decision to establish a major composite aerostructures operation there mainly to contribute to its new Learjet 85. Honeywell has an advanced avionics test and engineering facility at Mexicali.
GKN, which has had a Mexican presence for almost 30 years, is to invest a further $55 million to build a 155,000-sq-ft components factory in Baja, California, where Goodrich Aerostructures is spending just over $92 million for a facility to build nacelles for the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 widebody airliners. MD Helicopters's plant in Monterrey is building complete fuselages for 500, 530F, 520N helicopters and it will add the 600N model to its portfolio this year.
The 2007 signing of the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) between the U.S. and Mexican governments should prove to be an important landmark in boosting Mexico's credibility in the global aerospace community. It is soon expected to be followed by an equivalent agreement between Mexico and Canada. According to Bouche, BASA is effectively the first step toward the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration accepting the certification powers of its Mexican counterpart, which could ease the way for the development of an indigenously produced aircraft.
In an increasingly global aerospace marketplace, Mexico is vying with countries such as China and India for foreign investment. Delegates to the January Mexico's Aerospace Industry conferences heard that production costs in the country are between 30 and 45 percent less than in Western countries (depending on variable factors such as duties and costs associated with establishing a new business), but that its labor and other costs are still higher than those of the leading Asian companies.
However, both legal experts and company executives with experience doing business in the country told the conference that Mexico offers a much surer foundation for foreign aerospace investors on key issues such as legal protection of intellectual property rights and ease of technology transfer–both of these being areas in which China has been found wanting.
Competitive Costs
According to Luc Beaudoin, aerospace vice president with The Everest Group management consultancy, the new competition from OEMs in China, Russia and India is a big factor driving Western companies toward the more competitive cost environment offered by Mexico. Increasingly, having a low-cost base like this is becoming a condition for getting selected for some of the larger aerospace programs and in some cases there is even a specific requirement to have a manufacturing presence in Mexico, which is itself a growing market for aircraft. "Having access to a low-cost supply base like this is one of the keys to surviving as one of the decreased number of approved suppliers these days," Beaudoin told conference delegates.
However, Beaudoin also cautioned that, in some cases, the customers of companies setting up shop in Mexico are all too aware of the cost savings available and try to siphon these into contract prices even before the foundations have been laid on a new factory there. "This is actually stopping some investment there [in Mexico] until agreement can be reached that the investment has to be win-win for everyone involved. The trouble is that customers want the whole savings now," he stated.
Beaudoin said that misconceptions about Mexico can present internal barriers to companies successfully implementing their offshore investment strategy in the country. "You don't have to compromise [on issues such as product quality] to be in Mexico," he insisted. "Mexico is an emerging country in learning so don't let Mexico dictate what your Mexican operation should be but, instead, instill in your new Mexican operation what has made your company a leader. People there are ready to learn."
Research presented by Mexico Now editor Sergio Ornelas demonstrated that the peso has maintained consistently good value for foreign companies during a period when a strong imbalance between the U.S. dollar and the euro has proved to be very damaging to European companies. A recent correction in which the peso lost almost 40 percent of its value against the dollar has made Mexico's currency especially attractive as a cost base for both American and European firms.
In Ornelas's view, Mexico's appeal for inward foreign investment benefits hugely from its close business ties to the U.S. and from the decade-old North American Free Trade Agreement. He added that the appeal would be greater still if the country could improve the following factors: better tax incentives, more user-friendly loan structures, clearer fiscal rules, a more coherent government industrial policy, reform of labor laws and rules governing the energy industry (for which costs are still high), and a more developed supplier base. Conference delegates were strongly advised to enlist the support of specialist inward investment companies to help them to navigate the potentially obstructive red tape in Mexico's still formidable bureaucracy.
One other definite plus in the country's favor is strong government-backed investment in aerospace education aimed at better equipping Mexico's workforce for its increasing role in the industry–including establishing an aeronautical university
in Queretaro.


text: I purchased a Boost Brothers turbo kit a few months ago. I have ported the hot side of the turbo and polished the cold side. I have ceramic coated the hot side and powder coated the cold side. I have ceramic coated the outside of the piping before the turbo and did the outside and inside of the hotside piping after the turbo. I have also powder coated the outside of the cold side piping and the intercooler. I will be wrapping the hot side with exhaust wrap. I have a 255lph fuel pump, 42# injectors, Lightning MAF, lightning wiring pigtail, a moates quarterhorse, roush boost gauge, and an innovate wideband. I also purchased a set of subframe connectors to help keep the frame of my weak convertible stiff. Am I missing anything before I start this install? Any suggestions or things to watch out for?


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Buttoned-Up Blouse Collar
Blonde Amy Smart was all smiles at the video premiere of "My Valentine" Video Premiere on April 13th, 2012. She also sported one of the dressiest, latest trends. Collars are back in fashion and Amy is wearing a silky blouse with a neat, small collar. The material of the blouse competes with the shine of her hair, which is cut in a long bob.
It is the simplicity of her hairstyle and her clothes that focuses all of the attention to her face and her bright eyes. These were enhanced even more with a dark eyeliner and a shimmering eyeshadow in a natural, color.
It is the silken shimmer that is repeated in her bob and also on the blouse that turns a simple look into a glamorous appearance. The perfect mix of casual and luxurious.
Related Posts:
More Amy Smart Hairstyles
How to get your blouse collars to stand up


text: Located in the remote south-western sector of Ruaha, Jongomero is the only camp in the area ensuring unmatched privacy. Jongomero camp is comprised of eight large and well-appointed tented suites. Each is set up under an enormous thatch roof which encompasses a spacious private veranda. The dining and living areas are very comfortable offering great vantage points to view the African bush that surrounding the camp. There is also a natural rock pool to cool off in on those hot African days.


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The Paradise Piranhas may have the next Michael Phelps in its program and not even know it yet.
John Webster, by far the most talented Piranha this year, capped his season by coveting the annual Louis Gricourt MVP Memorial honor at the Piranhas' awards banquet Friday night at the Aquatic Park.
Coach Devin Kutil praised Webster, 12, via a press release submitted to The Post on Monday.
"He attends all the meets that we go to, and is always running for high-point honors," Kutil said.
Webster, who's been swimming for the Piranhas since he was 6 years old, loves the 50-yard freestyle the best — ironically the one event that Phelps does not swim.
The other big award, the Adam Rider Spirit Award, went to Jennifer Resch on Friday. Kutil lauded Resch's "outstanding enthusiasm and spirit (that) she brings to every practice and swim meet."
Both awards, given out in honor of their namesakes, will continue to be a part of the Piranhas' awards banquet every year, according to the press release.
Other swimmers collecting praise from Kutil were Tierra and Tori Mckay, Eric Rein, Ethan Wells, Bryce and Hunter Barnard and Taryn Monnot.


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Training a dog with perfect hearing can be challenging for some, but trying to communicate with one that's deaf is even more difficult. It's not impossible to teach a dog with a hearing loss, though. Even a deaf dog can learn, as long as you're willing to think outside the box to develop creative ways to get your pet's attention. One of my dogs, Mickey, was blind and deaf, and was able to live a quality life despite his disabilities.
Hearing loss can be the result of aging, untreated ear mites, infection of the middle or internal ear, a ruptured ear drum, wax and dirt buildup in the ear canal, canine distemper, or other medical conditions. Some breeds are predisposed to congenital deafness which means a dog has a higher chance of being born deaf.
The first step you should take if you notice your dog isn't paying attention when you talk to him is to take him to your vet for a checkup. Depending on the cause of his hearing loss, some medical issues can be dealt with and his hearing impairment can be reversed. If it turns out to be permanent, he can still understand and follow commands by learning sign language.
Mickey lost his hearing when he was about 13. After finding out from my vet that it was a permanent loss, the next step was to teach him how to understand hand signals. The easiest way to get your dog's attention is to go to him since he won't be able to hear you call. When I wanted to get Mickey's attention, my cue was to touch him on the top of his head. He knew I wanted him to watch me to see what I wanted. You can use a laser light pointed on the floor or wall, but be careful not to shine it in your dog's eyes. A flashlight can also work, as long as you teach him what the light means. If you have other dogs, a deaf dog can also learn to take his cues from them.
The first command to teach is "watch me." It's not difficult to teach. All dogs should know how to focus on you. Get a handful of his favorite CANIDAE dog treats and hold one in front of his nose. When he sees it, slowly move your hand to your face. As he raises his head to watch the treat, hold it close to your face until he makes eye contact, then give him the treat immediately and praise. Since he can't hear you, give him a thumbs up to let him know he's a good dog and did what you asked. Praise can also include scratching his ears, playing fetch or tug of war. Practice until he makes eye contact each time you raise the treat to your face. Your hand signal is the motion you make with your hand with or without a treat in it. Eventually, you want to phase out the treat.
The "come" command can be accomplished by sitting on the floor. When your dog looks at you, wave your hand towards you and wait for him to come. If you have trouble getting him to come, put a long leash on him, wave your hand, and pull the leash towards you so he understands what your signal means. Reward with an immediate treat and praise. Practice daily. Whether your dog has perfect hearing or is deaf, never call him to you and then punish him. That's the best way to teach a dog not to come.
To teach "sit," hold a treat with your fingers and thumb, with the palm side facing you. Move your hand just above your dog's head until he's forced back in a sit. Treat immediately and praise. Holding your fingers and thumb as if you're holding a treat, with the palm side facing you, is your hand signal.
To teach "stay," hold your hand out in front of you with your fingers pointed straight up, palm side facing your dog. Keep hand signals simple and distinctive for each command. If you take the time, your deaf dog can learn any command, including tricks.
It's important to pick one hand signal for each command. It's also crucial that everyone in the family use the same signal/command combination. Be patient and practice daily. Even if your dog has perfect hearing, it's a good idea to use hand signals when teaching him basic commands. This way, if he should lose his hearing later on, he's already familiar with hand signals.
If your dog is hearing impaired, make sure to keep him on leash when you aren't in a secured area. A dog that can't hear is more likely to get lost or injured. Communication is a key part of any relationship, and taking the time to train your dog with hand signals will help him deal with his disability and understand what you want.
Read more articles by Linda Cole


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President Hinckley Dedicates Kirtland Historic Sites
In an emotional service at the dedication of historic Church sites in Kirtland, Ohio, on 18 May, President Gordon B. Hinckley paid tribute to the early Saints and marked the tremendous growth of the Church. The restoration project was the largest ever undertaken by the Church outside of Nauvoo.
"May this area become a great gathering place for Thy people from over the earth," said President Hinckley in the dedicatory prayer. He prayed that Church members would "come here, walk about with reverence and memories, … and grow in faith and testimony concerning Thy work and Thy kingdom," and that Kirtland would become a "place where the stranger will be touched by Thy Spirit and come to know something of … Thy cause and kingdom."
At the dedication President Hinckley spoke of the Kirtland Ward sacrament meeting he had attended earlier in the day, during which time he said his mind began to wander across the globe to similar meetings being held in 160 nations.
"I thought of the miracle of what has come to pass as this work has spread across the world," said President Hinckley.
"I think those who walked these roads could not have dreamed—although the Prophet [Joseph Smith] spoke of it—of the marvelous expansion of this great work," President Hinckley said, then paused to contain his emotion. "We are part of an incomparable miracle. I wish to emphasize that."
In April 2000 Church leaders announced plans to reconstruct and restore sites in Kirtland, the 19th-century pioneer settlement where the Church's first temple was built, the priesthood quorums were organized, and extensive missionary efforts began. Kirtland was the headquarters of the Church from 1831 to 1838, when persecution in the area eventually caused the early Saints to move on to Missouri.
Nearly 2,000 Latter-day Saints had settled there by the time of the Kirtland Temple's completion in 1836. The temple is now owned and operated by the Community of Christ, formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
The first phase of the restoration project was completed in 2002 when the Church opened the new Historic Kirtland Visitors' Center, the restored Newel K. Whitney home and store, and the reconstructed John Johnson Inn.
Projects completed for the May dedication include a 170-year-old sawmill that was originally constructed to provide lumber for the temple, the only known restored ashery (which produced potash, then used in manufacturing) in North America, and Kirtland's first framed schoolhouse.
President Hinckley was accompanied at the dedicatory service by Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Presidency of the Seventy, and Elder Dale E. Miller of the Second Quorum of the Seventy. Other religious, community, and government leaders also attended.
Prior to the dedication, President Hinckley accepted a road marker plaque from Ohio Lieutenant Governor Jennette Bradley. The road marker summarizes the significance of Kirtland to the state of Ohio and is one of more than 340 to be presented around the state as part of Ohio's bicentennial celebration.
While in Kirtland for the dedication, President Hinckley also held a fireside with members in the Kirtland area. Fifteen hundred Latter-day Saints filled the Kirtland Ohio Stake Center on 17 May to hear President Hinckley commemorate the restoration and reconstruction of Historic Kirtland.
"Kirtland is an unusual place, a remarkable place, an interesting place, and a very important place in the history of this work," President Hinckley said.
He spoke of Palmyra and Harmony as the birthplaces of the Restoration and of Kirtland as the place where many of the principles that govern the Church today were put into place. In Kirtland the first high priests were ordained, the Word of Wisdom was received, and the first high council and stake were organized. Other important events that occurred there include the organization of the First Presidency, the calling of Apostles who were organized into a quorum, the calling of the original First Quorum of the Seventy, the filling of the office of patriarch, Joseph Smith's receiving of the Egyptian scrolls that he later translated into the Book of Abraham, and the acceptance of the Doctrine and Covenants revelations by the body of the Church.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell added his testimony and spoke about "the Kirtland cascade," referring to the revelations and manifestations that occurred in Kirtland during the Church's time there. "These important revelations connect us to daily life," Elder Maxwell said.
Latter-day Saints and Muslims Prepare Aid for Iraq
Within the walls of a Latter-day Saint meetinghouse in southern California in May, the world changed just a bit due to a special partnership and an act of service for people suffering from the conflict in Iraq.
The event was an unprecedented humanitarian aid effort between Muslims and Latter-day Saints, organized and held in Pasadena, California. The mission was to prepare some 10,000 family hygiene kits for people in need in Iraq. The project was part of a large shipment of emergency supplies donated by LDS Humanitarian Services.
"We are told by relief workers in Iraq that these family hygiene kits will be most welcome," said Elder Tad R. Callister, an Area Authority Seventy. The kits contain such items as hand soap, towels, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and combs.
Nour International Aid and Mercy Corps International transported the goods by ship, which traveled from Los Angeles to Turkey and then on to Iraq.
The cultural hall in the Pasadena California Stake Center lived up to its name at this multicultural gathering. Members of local mosques arrived dressed in traditional attire. Raymond O. Lowry Jr., president of the Pasadena California Stake, welcomed the 300 Latter-day Saint and Muslim volunteers, then offered a prayer to begin the event. Dr. Yahia Abdul-Rahman, head of the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California, also shared a prayer on behalf of his people. It was a testimony to the importance of the day that both spiritual leaders prayed for almost identical blessings upon their people—to please God, to care for their families, and to bless their service.
The shared labor of the volunteers will be a permanent memory for everyone. Members of the Pasadena stake worked shoulder to shoulder for several hours with members of the Muslim community, assembling kits with washcloths, toothbrushes, and other hygiene necessities, while discovering how much they had in common.
"We've just been talking, and I found out that Hedab lives next door to one of my good friends!" said Carolyn Peterson of the Pasadena stake after meeting one of the Muslim volunteers.
Most of the Muslim volunteers, like Traore Lancind of West Africa, had never been inside a Latter-day Saint meetinghouse. "When they spoke at the mosque and said that we could help today, I wanted to come," said Mr. Lancind. "This is much different than our mosque. We go only for prayers. You do so many things inside your church."
A particularly memorable moment occurred when those of the Muslim faith requested to use the nearby Relief Society room for a midday prayer. In minutes, shoes came off, prayer rugs came out, and without restraint some 50 faithful Muslims expressed their thanks to God surrounded by the walls of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was a very reverent moment, and it spoke volumes of how welcome the Muslims felt. Friendship and understanding between the two faiths blossomed.
Dr. Abdul-Rahman expressed his admiration for the Church: "You have so many examples to offer us to learn from—your commitment, your voluntary work, your prompt action to help those who need it and without asking for any rewards. Our friendship is not just for today."
New Area Presidency Assignments
The First Presidency has announced changes in assignments for Area Presidencies. The changes are effective 15 August 2003. All presidency members belong to the First or Second Quorum of the Seventy unless otherwise noted.
1. North America Northwest: Quentin L. Cook, President; Stephen A. West, First Counselor; Keith K. Hilbig, Second Counselor
2. North America Central: Donald L. Staheli, President; Donald L. Hallstrom, First Counselor; William W. Parmley, Second Counselor
3. North America Northeast: Glenn L. Pace, President; H. Bryan Richards, First Counselor; David R. Stone, Second Counselor
4. North America East: Dale E. Miller, President; Gordon T. Watts, First Counselor; Ronald T. Halverson, Second Counselor
5. North America Southeast: Gene R. Cook, President; Keith Crockett, First Counselor; H. Aldridge Gillespie, Second Counselor
6. North America Southwest: F. Burton Howard, President; H. Bruce Stucki, First Counselor; Stephen B. Oveson, Second Counselor
7. North America West: Lynn G. Robbins, President; Val R. Christensen, First Counselor; Ned B. Roueché, Second Counselor
8. Utah North: Robert S. Wood, President; Merrill C. Oaks, First Counselor; Robert C. Oaks, Second Counselor
9. Utah Salt Lake City: Ronald A. Rasband, President; Bruce D. Porter, First Counselor; Richard H. Winkel, Second Counselor
10. Utah South: John H. Groberg, President; W. Rolfe Kerr, First Counselor; Monte J. Brough, Second Counselor
11. Idaho: Lynn A. Mickelsen, President; Jay E. Jensen, First Counselor; E. Ray Bateman, Second Counselor
12. Mexico North: Gary J. Coleman, President; Robert J. Whetten, First Counselor; Adrian Ochoa * , Second Counselor
13. Mexico South: Craig C. Christensen, President; Clate W. Mask Jr., First Counselor; Benjamin De Hoyos * , Second Counselor
14. Central America: Spencer V. Jones, President; W. Douglas Shumway, First Counselor; E. Israel Pérez * , Second Counselor
15. South America North: Claudio R. M. Costa, President; Walter F. González, First Counselor; Roberto Garcia * , Second Counselor
16. South America West: Carlos H. Amado, President; James M. Dunn, First Counselor; Willy F. Zuzunaga * , Second Counselor
17. Brazil North: Adhemar Damiani, President; Robert R. Steuer, First Counselor; Pedro J. Penha * , Second Counselor
18. Brazil South: Neil L. Andersen, President; Mervyn B. Arnold, First Counselor; Paulo R. Grahl * , Second Counselor
19. Chile: Jeffrey R. Holland ** , President; Francisco J. Viñas, First Counselor; Carl B. Pratt, Second Counselor
20. South America South: L. Whitney Clayton, President; Carlos E. Agüero * , First Counselor; Jorge L. Del Castillo * , Second Counselor
21. Africa West: Sheldon F. Child, President; H. Ross Workman, First Counselor; R. Conrad Schultz, Second Counselor
22. Africa Southeast: Steven E. Snow, President; Christoffel Golden Jr., First Counselor; David J. Barnett * , Second Counselor
23. Philippines: Dallin H. Oaks ** , President; Richard J. Maynes, First Counselor; D. Rex Gerratt, Second Counselor
24. Pacific Islands: Robert K. Dellenbach, President; Dennis E. Simmons, First Counselor; Spencer J. Condie, Second Counselor
25. Australia/New Zealand: Kenneth Johnson, President; John M. Madsen, First Counselor; Lindsay T. Dil * , Second Counselor
26. Europe Central: Marlin K. Jensen, President; Bruce C. Hafen, First Counselor; Holger D. Rakow * , Second Counselor
27. Europe West: Harold G. Hillam, President; W. Craig Zwick, First Counselor; Gerald N. Lund, Second Counselor
28. Europe East: Douglas L. Callister, President; Robert F. Orton, First Counselor; Wayne S. Peterson, Second Counselor
29. Asia North: Yoshihiko Kikuchi, President; William R. Walker, First Counselor; Won Yong Ko * , Second Counselor
30. Asia: John B. Dickson, President; Daryl H. Garn, First Counselor; D. Allen Andersen * , Second Counselor
Primary Celebrates 125 Years
The first Primary meeting was held on 25 August 1878 in Farmington, Utah, with 224 boys and girls. Today—125 years later—there are nearly one million Primary children throughout the world, and the Church has marked the anniversary with events throughout the year.
The Primary commemoration began in February, when more than 20,000 children, parents, and Primary leaders gathered at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City and tens of thousands more gathered in meetinghouses around the world to participate in the first-ever broadcast for Primary children.
"I think there never was before a meeting such as this of boys and girls," President Gordon B. Hinckley told the congregation. "And your coming together in these many different places is a sign of the wonderful growth which this Church has experienced since it was first established."
Children and their parents heard messages from President Hinckley; Sister Coleen K. Menlove, Primary general president; Sister Sydney S. Reynolds, first counselor in the Primary general presidency; and Sister Gayle M. Clegg, second counselor in the Primary general presidency. The full text of each of their talks was printed in the May issue of the Ensign.
"We hope children will remember this all of their lives," Sister Reynolds said of the broadcast.
Individual branches, wards, and stakes have been encouraged to hold their own local anniversary celebrations in August. The Primary general presidency encouraged local Primaries to participate in service projects or explore the history of Primary, tying activities to the theme "I'll Follow Him in Faith," says Sister Reynolds.
The Museum of Church History and Art in Salt Lake City is commemorating the 125th anniversary with an exhibit of Primary memorabilia and nostalgia. Visitors will see bandalos, Merrie Miss Articles of Faith banners, Targeteer flags, and issues of the Children's Friend dating back to the early 1900s. Visitors to the exhibit can also vote for their favorite Primary songs. Submissions are tallied each week during the exhibit, and as of 29 May, the top five all-time favorites were: (1) "I Am a Child of God," (2) "I Love to See the Temple," (3) "A Child's Prayer," (4) "We'll Bring the World His Truth," and (5) "Book of Mormon Stories."
"If you are under 100 years old and you ever went to Primary, you'll find something [in this exhibit] that will remind you of your Primary experience," says Marjorie Conder, the exhibit's curator, "and more especially, the feelings of your Primary experience."
The exhibit is on display through November.
Artists Shine in Art Competition
With works ranging from traditional oil paintings to a collage of beads and straw, the Sixth International Art Competition, sponsored by the Museum of Church History and Art, honored the talents of Latter-day Saint artists throughout the Church.
"This is one of the finest gatherings ever of artwork with Latter-day Saint meaning," says Robert O. Davis, a curator at the Church's museum who served as a judge for the competition. "The artists delivered works that are ambitious and thoughtful and express their visual content in compelling ways."
With the theme "Latter-day Saints Yesterday and Today: Beliefs, History, Life," the competition drew more than 700 entries from Latter-day Saint artists representing 30 countries. Of the entries, 171 were selected for display in the Sixth International Art Competition exhibit at the museum. Twenty works of art were given Awards of Merit with cash prizes of U.S. $500 each, and six of the works were given Purchase Awards and added to the museum's permanent collection.
The exhibit is on display at the Museum of Church History and Art through 1 September. It can also be viewed online at www.lds.org/museum.
This year's competition drew a wide variety of entries. Among those recognized were a hand-knotted rug depicting Lehi's vision of the tree of life, an acrylic painting on papier-mâché with scenes from Church history and modern times, a photograph of an apartment with the walls papered with images of the Savior and photos of Church leaders, a bronze statue of children eagerly waiting by the mailbox for a letter from their missionary brother, and a mixed-media composition depicting the universe.
"The works of art showcase many styles and many different media and cultural viewpoints," says Brother Davis. And that's really the point of the competition. Museum curators hope to encourage Latter-day Saint artists—both professional and amateur—to create works reflecting the gospel through an artist's personal and cultural lens. The museum hopes to uplift visitors with gospel-oriented art and discover artists the Church may be able to use in the future—to create works of art for use in temples, visitors' centers, or Church magazines, for example.
"We really do discover artists through the competition, and that is one of our goals," Brother Davis says.
The museum is already planning for the Seventh International Art Competition, to be held in 2006. The theme is "Our Heritage of Faith." Information about the next competition is available on the museum's Web site.
Sister Elaine Cannon Dies at Age 81
Elaine Anderson Cannon, who served as the Young Women general president from 1978 to 1984, died 19 May 2003 in Salt Lake City. She was 81 years old.
Born in Salt Lake City on 9 April 1922 to Aldon Joseph and Minnie Egan Anderson, she married D. James Cannon in the Salt Lake Temple on 25 March 1943. They have six children, 25 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren.
Sister Cannon most recently served as a stake Relief Society president and a temple worker. In addition to her service as Young Women general president, she also served on the Young Women Mutual Improvement Association General Board, Youth Correlation Committee, Curriculum Planning and Writing Committee, Church Activities Committee, and BYU's Church Educational System faculty.
The Lesson I Remember Best
Do you remember a lesson or gospel discussion that was particularly insightful or enjoyable and that blessed your life or the life of someone else? Please send an account of the lesson you remember best to Teaching, Ensign, 50 East North Temple Street, 24th Floor, Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3220, USA; or e-mail email@example.com with "Teaching" in the subject line. Please include your name, address, telephone number, and ward and stake (or branch and district).
New Testament Chronology Chart
Published in the January, April, and July 2003 Ensign magazines, this chart can now be purchased as a two-sided foldout poster. The chronology chart (item no. 36835; U.S. $.50) is designed to assist members in their personal study and teaching of the New Testament. To order, contact your local distribution center or visit www.ldscatalog.com.


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Using Brokers Successfully
Buyers that I meet at trade shows and conferences most often describe brokers to me in less than glowing terms. Some buyers complain that brokers "steal their time" or "don't have a clue" when they come to the co-op to sell their products.
From these comments, it's clear that the co-op in question has not learned to work effectively with brokers. Brokers are a vital part of keeping the store where I work, Weaver Street Market, successful in a very competitive natural foods marketplace. Many brokers tell us that Weaver Street is their favorite stop. Such comments tell me that Weaver Street's buyers have learned to manage effectively the co-op/broker relationship.
A product manufacturer pays the broker a fixed percentage of the product's sales in the region the broker represents. The broker's major job requirement is to increase sales in that region. The broker needs to maintain good relationships with the retailers in order to do her job well.
Located in Carrboro, North Carolina, Weaver Street Market competes with two Whole Foods stores and several upscale mainstream grocers. Additionally, the area is home to a large gourmet and mail order retailer. In spite of all this competition, our co-op has enjoyed three years of double digit growth and ever increasing gross profit margins. This year, both the grocery and nutrition departments are growing at over 15 percent over last year.
What has this got to do with brokers? Recently, we analyzed our purchases from our primary and secondary natural foods suppliers (alas, neither is a cooperative). We were astounded to find that over 60% of purchases from our primary supplier were "on deal," and a whopping 78% from our secondary supplier. These numbers are indicative of the positive relationships we have built with our brokers. We have a keen awareness of discounts the manufacturers and distributors are offering on the products that we want to buy. Brokers are the most important link in the information gathering process of successful purchasing.
Defining expectations
How do you make successful buying happen? The first step in a positive broker/store relationship is defining clear expectations. Always let the broker know exactly what you expect. Ask the broker what she needs from you. Usually, the answer is fairly similar on each side. "Don't waste my time. Honor your commitments to me. Treat me fairly. Don't hide valuable information. BE HONEST WITH ME!" Retailers should be explicit in their demands of any broker.
Here is a list of basic broker requirements that has served me well during my years as a buyer:
- Always make an appointment in advance. Don't expect me to squeeze you in.
- Be prepared for your meeting. Know what is happening with your manufacturers for the next quarter. This includes deals (at every distributor in the trade area), new product introductions, supply problems, etc.
- Bring product samples if you expect me to buy. I know what my customers want.
- Expect to work for me. I need you to walk the store and offer suggestions and help. When I am resetting a section, come prepared to get dirty and stay until the job is done.
- Offer critical information. If you feel a product is overpriced, or poorly merchandised, or if I am missing key products, tell me.
- Be my advocate with manufacturers and distributors.
In order to maintain the most productive relationship, you as the retailer should be willing to meet the broker's needs too. Our buyers know that they need to treat brokers as internal customers who can address their needs. Here are basic rules that our brokers know they can expect us to follow:
- Always honor commitments to meet the broker at his appointment time.
- If you commit to buy something, always do so. If you can't, call the broker and tell him why you cannot.
- Listen to what the broker has to say. It is his job to sell you products. Give him a chance to do so.
- Write purchase orders with brokers. Their manufacturers and office need to see the results of the broker's work.
Now that the ground rules are set, it's time to get to work. Use the broker's manufacturer list to set goals for your meetings. Brokers can often offer ongoing discounts on some of their lines. Find out which lines you already have give you an "OGD." Decide whether you need others. Use examples to explain how the manufacturer would benefit by offering you better pricing all of the time. Try an always-reduced price option and a high/low option.
If you have a newsletter, decide which lines to promote there. Tell the broker how many cases of the product you would be willing to sell at a reduced price for an attractive discount and co-op ad money. Prepare a list to inform the broker of which products are not selling at this time. Ask her to help you to analyze why and offer suggestions to move these products. Ask the broker to arrange a demo to spark interest in the line.
This preparation will help you when the broker arrives. First, allow the broker to go over new products and deals. Take notes about the particulars of the deals and their length. Order the ones that meet the store's needs. Say no to the others. Go over the store needs list you have prepared. Discuss which needs are priorities that need to be attended to immediately and which are for followup. Set a time for the broker to call you with answers to your requests. Place initial orders for upcoming promotions.
After the buying and selling, walk the store with the broker. Ask for ideas and suggestions regarding shelf sets, endcaps, and other merchandising ideas. "Have you seen another store with particularly good merchandising?" is a question I often ask. Ask for help setting displays if you wish. Ask the broker to do price comparisons when she is at other stores -- they're already doing this for the manufacturer anyway. Don't forget to set the time for your next meeting.
Dollars and cents
Now, let's talk dollars and cents about the benefits of developing the store/broker relationship. Learning the specifics of how manufacturer deals are structured gives the co-op information to purchase most effectively now and in the future. For example:
Cereal manufacturer Z is offering a great promotion on shredded wheat. First, find out what percentage discount is being offered to the distributor. This is called an off invoice discount. Ask the broker to tell you what additional discount the distributor is offering. Thirdly, find out if the manufacturer is allowing the broker to offer an additional discount for large purchases. These discounts are usually passed on as manufacturer charge backs or "MCB." MCBs are given to the co-op by the distributor, who then bills the manufacturer for the discount at the distributor's catalog price. Knowing all three pieces of information gives you important tools for better buying.
"Z" Shredded Wheat: Regular
Manufacturer invoice price $1.25
Freight $0.25
Total landed cost to distrib. $1.50
Distributor margin (25%) $0.50
Catalog price $2.00
Co-op cost with 13% volume discount $1.74 (13.79% GPM to distrib.)
In our example, Shredded Wheat at wholesale is $2.00 per unit; the off invoice discount is 10%; and the distributor is matching is for a total discount of 20% or $1.60 per unit. The manufacturer is authorizing an additional discount of 5% for a 10-case order and 10% for a 25-case order. So, you can expect to pay $1.40 (30% off of $2.00) on a 25-case order, right? Maybe not! You can expect a minimum of 30%. Here's how:
Ask the distributor to offer additional discounts on volume purchases. The broker cannot guarantee, but can send in the request to your distributor. Most often, distributors are willing to offer additional discounts on large purchases with manufacturer charge, because the MCB gives them additional gross margin too.
"Z" Shredded Wheat: Deal
Manufacturer invoice price $1.25
Freight $0.25
Total landed cost to distrib. $1.38 (8% less)
Distributor margin $0.22
Catalog price $2.00]
Co-op cost with 20%
volume disc. $1.60 (13.75% GPM to distributor)
25 case discount $(0.20)
$1.40 (30% off)
In the Shredded Wheat deal example, the distributor bills the manufacturer the full 20-cent reduction for the additional discount. This means that the distributor pays $1.18 per unit and sells it for $1.40, realizing a gross profit margin of 15.71%, almost 2% higher than the expected GPM. Consequently, the co-op should be able to negotiate to get additional discount from the distributor (up to 5%) on deals with a manufacturer charge back. Although you will not always be successful doing this, additional discounts on key promotions allow you to offer the most competitive prices to your owners and customers on the items they want to buy.
The next important thing to find out about the "Z" Shredded Wheat deal is the duration. One month? Three months? Is it a year-round promotion? Many manufactureers offer these promotions on top selling items every day. If they do, find out whether they can arrange an ongoing deal for your co-op. This gives you a high movement product at the best price to your customers.
Often, the distributor or manufacturer will eliminate or reduce the minimum order requirement in echange for attractive retail pricing. Remember that the big guys in the natural foods industry have more purchasing pwoer, but they have higher overhead too. You can compete effectively if you focus on key products your customers want and work well with brokers to get the best pricing.
You can apply the above test case to a range of situations. Negotiating monthly specials can help expand your ongoing deals. Knowing the breakdown of any deal will help you to negotiate the best pricing from the distributor and manufacturer. Consistently purchasing through the broker gives them an added incentive to work hard to meet the co-op's needs.
Merchandising and shelf sets
Another major area where the broker can help the co-op is merchandising and shelf sets. A good broker looks at the set of a section and compares it to the sales numbers on her movement reports.
Most of the brokers that visit Weaver Street Market walk the store and take notes of particular areas of concern to them before they meet with the buyer. They can alert you to poor merchandising, or pricing, or product with short shelf life remaining. Often they have seen a good shelf set design to suggest to us. They replace damaged product with fresh stock from their sample inventory. This preliminary work frees up time together for finding collaborative ways to sell more products -- both the co-op buyer's and the broker's main goal.
In closing: the key to using brokers most effectively in your co-op is establishing a plan that works for the co-op, the broker, the manufacturer and the distributor. Deciding what that relationship looks like is up to each co-op. By establishing clear expectations for all to work with, paying close attention to discount and pricing options, utilizing the broker's information about competition, and collaboratively working to best present products to customers, the broker and co-op buyer serve the interests of all parties well.
Ultimately, the broker and co-op buyer have confidence that the relationship is a win-win one. This also benefits your owners and other customers, and it can offer a compelling co-op advantage in pricing and presentation as well as the more traditional areas of customer service and community relations.


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Last week, I caught up with Shaquille O'Neal at the official Reebok launch of the re-releases of his two greatest sneakers ever: the Shaq Attaq and the Shaqnosis. The Diesel was in a great mood, joking throughout the event. There was a big monitor running O'Neal highlights in the old sneakers, and at one point they were showing a photo of O'Neal dunking on Dennis Rodman in his trademark "legs in the air" power jam with his groin right in the Worm's face. Swizz Beatz, the event's MC, asked "Is Dennis Rodman ever gonna forgive you for that picture right there?" Shaq paused, then said, "Depends on if he likes them nuts or not." Hilarious.
He was as excited as we all were, mainly because his first two signature sneakers with Reebok probably represented the pinnacle of his shoe game. They were ahead of their time and incredibly popular. And now, after 20 years, they're finally coming back.
I got the chance to chat with O'Neal about the shoe, and as always, he had plenty to say.
*** *** ***
Dime: Obviously it's been 20 years since the shoe first came out, but why now? Is that the particular reason for it or is it simply because they reached out?
Shaquille O'Neal: I wish we were smart enough to say re-release 'em. I think a lot of times, they – they being the sneakerheads and the kids – prompted them/us to do it because, like a lot of the big cities, they already have stores like this but they're killing us with the prices. There's a store in Melrose that my kids took me to, they're selling $1500 for these retro joints.
Retros are hot and these kids these days, especially with all the technology, they want to be the first to tweet about them, the wanna be the first one with them. It's good now, and then when they know you only have 80,000 pair coming out? Oh, it's gonna be a madhouse trying to get them. Wow. And then being that I was a pretty good player back then and being that the shoes looked pretty good and I'm still hot right now, it's gonna be a double madhouse.
So when Swizz reached out, I thought it was a good idea. I actually knew it was a good idea when I got my kids asking about it and then my kids trying to make money on the side because they have their friends asking him can they pay him extra to get a pair? I thought that was the cutest thing. You know how much it costs but the kids was gonna give them… because you know my kids and their friends are the same type of kids that they are, so it was like whatever they were gonna cost, they were gonna give my kids $200 extra just to get them first. It was the cutest little business hustle ever.
Dime: Does that feel weird that it's been 20 years?
SO: It does. It feels weird. I'm blessed and I'm happy. I'm happy that Reebok reached out. I'm happy that Swizz reached out. It's good. They still look good. My whole thought process when I was helping design them I wanted to create something that was futuristic. If you look at this cosmic blue, you know this shit wasn't out in '92. So when we first did them, there were a lot of people in the upstairs office that were like "Shit ain't gonna sell." A lot of times we had a lot of fights with them, but I had to try to get them to see in the future. But right now, we're Shaq to the future. My vision is a reality.
Dime: I was actually about to ask you that. They were real futuristic when they came out. Did you know immediately that they would be like that?
SO: Yep. I made them get rid of all their old designers and get some new, young kids that could really draw and really wanted to take it out of this world. I wanted to create stuff that made people look. When you look, like me when I look at some shit, I go, "Ew" or "Wo."
Wanted something that people couldn't stop looking at – to him, that's what makes a memorable shoe, even if it's something he wouldn't like wearing. "Somebody gonna like those."
Hit page 2 to hear how O'Neal gave the sneakers their names…


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Read the full story here Web Link posted Friday, August 28, 2009, 12:00 AM
Town Square
The Best of Mountain View 2009
Original post made on Aug 28, 2009
Read the full story here Web Link posted Friday, August 28, 2009, 12:00 AM
Comments (3)
a resident of another community
on Aug 28, 2009 at 12:53 am
How does Chef Chu's win Best of Mountain View when it's in LOS ALTOS???
a resident of Old Mountain View
on Aug 28, 2009 at 12:40 pm
This "Chef Chu's" anomaly (a "best of MV" restaurant located in Los Altos) raised eyebrows in 2008 when it first happened. It even caused speculation about why (especially since this survey had a history of rejecting efforts to vote for restaurants outside MV, including Estrellita, adjacent to Chu's). Until 2008, the Best MV Chinese Restaurant award went regularly to Cafe Yulong, squarely in downtown MV.
I raised this issue with the Voice's publisher this year during the survey period. He remarked to the effect that the survey has grown to contain several candidate businesses outside MV, with an intent to open it to greater MV-area businesses, including those outside but near MV. (Note that Chu's is near the borders of MV, Los Altos, and Palo Alto. "We are a tri-city restaurant!" quipped Lawrence Chu when I asked him about the same issue.)
If such is the Voice's intent, I think it could be made clearer in the survey and in the published results -- "Best of Greater MV" or something like that. Otherwise, reasonable questions will continue to arise about "Best of MV" businesses outside MV (whether or not they are advertisers).
a resident of Monta Loma
on Aug 30, 2009 at 10:03 am
I totally agree with Bob with regards to why Chef Chu, and even other "non-Mountain View" establishments like Watercourse Way should NOT be among the "Best of MV". Larry Chu's comment of "We are a tri-city restaurant" is not applicable here. Aren't all establishments "tri-city", and in fact "ALL-city"? We should be recognizing establishments in our city. This list should be for MOUNTAIN VIEW ONLY.
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By virtue of that music, it has to be played with energy and force and it's emotionally draining and to have to do that for a 90 minute show…
That was never the problem—some people [in the band] just wanted to play rock or indie or whatever, and after a while you could just see it in their faces. That's why when we decided what we decided it was cool. It's ending exactly how it's supposed to end. People ask if we thought about calling it quits when Aaron [Gillespie, drummer/vocalist] left [in 2010]. No way: We had to keep going. We had a huge purpose in us to keep going at that point and then I think now it's just with everyone having two children and not having the time to tour, it's cool. It was a great run and we feel good about everything we've done. We never want to get to a point where we write an album or song that we're unhappy with and we never did that. Maybe we wrote some things that weren't as smart or we could have songs on the radio or whatever—we never did any of that. We never had to go to that spot where we wrote something that we weren't happy with or didn't want to play live because we're Underoath and we have to sound this way or we need to do this so we can keep going or we should change this. We did exactly what we wanted.
So there's no backpedaling involved at all.
That's the cool thing about Underoath. It's always been that way. When everyone thought we were going to write Chasing Safety on steroids and become a huge radio band, we wrote Define The Great Line and changed everything. It was great—we always did what we wanted and we wanted to end it that way, too. Except for the fact that we can't play everywhere, but we can't. People are really mad. There was all these kids on my Twitter just ripping me apart and I'm like, "Hey, if you only knew that I was one of the ones that wanted to tour everywhere. Come on."
How much of this has to do with the Christian community's expectations of the band? There was so much of that in the band's history.
I don't know if you remember it, but a few years ago we decided that we weren't going to be a Christian band anymore and that made a lot of people angry, as well. I think that was another thing where Underoath did what we wanted. We wanted to be honest with everybody. There were some members who didn't believe that anymore. When those kids grow up, they might feel the same way that some of our guys do. I came into a huge problem with it over the years, seeing how some of these kids reacted and treated each other, other Christians and non-believers. It was a very uncomfortable thing for me. The judgment there was worse than anywhere else and I didn't like it.
When you put any sort of label on your band, you've already cut off a lot of the world. Music is a universal language—it might be the only universal language there is. I go to Japan, and I see people cry over lyrics that I wrote. And I think, "you don't even speak English, but it still means something to you." When you put the word "Christian" or whatever in front of it, you no longer have made it a universal language. That really bothered me and some of the other [guys in the band]. When we made that announcement, people were confused and didn't understand why, but being out there for so long and seeing different effects that something positive is supposed to have on somebody changes your viewpoint. I think everyone is entitled to believe whatever they want to believe and I don't think it should be labeled as far as bands go. You should just be a band. I didn't write songs about God and we were a Christian band: I know bands that aren't Christian bands that write a lot of songs about God. You're entitled to do whatever you want; just don't label it as far as that goes.
I was really positive with Underoath's embracing of that ethos. As a guy who's maybe not of the Christian faith, I would gravitate to a band like Underoath than typical contemporary Christian "rock music." Bands from 20 years ago like Petra or Stryper seemed like knock-offs of the same horrible stuff, but there is genuine power and menace and atmosphere in Underoath. You guys are the cornerstone of the contemporary… I don't even want to say "contemporary Christian rock" scene, because that phrase immediately gives a knee-jerk reaction to something that is lame. There was a subculture you ignited that was like, "I like heavy, aggressive music. I am a person of faith. This works for me."
Absolutely. There were a lot of great things that came with that, for sure. I just think that, over time, it changed for people. People felt like they didn't want to lie to me. There are a lot of people who appreciated it in the right ways, but there were a lot of negatives that came with it, too. The cool thing about Underoath was, when I wrote lyrics, my whole point was that I wrote about myself and the flaws I see in myself and the things that I try to change. I wrote from the spot where these are the things I have a hard time telling my best friend. I brought that energy to the forefront of "But it's okay because you're not alone" space. I think kids reacted to that and that's what made being a hardcore Christian band cool, because I wasn't up there screaming, singing and diving off speakers singing, "I love Jesus." There was a lot of pain and the aggression was coming out in the right way, but with a different outcome.
What are your plans at the end of these dates? Are you going to take some time off, start a new band, higher education? What are your post-Underoath plans?
I've only told one person this before, about two years ago. I'm a musician; I'm not just the guy who fronts Underoath. I've been playing piano and guitar my entire life. I've been singing since I was in elementary school. I played my first show when I was 12 years old. I can't leave behind the people that have followed anything I've done. I can't leave the industry behind. It's like working as a lawyer and your firm decides to shut down, you start your own firm or you can go join someone else. I'm not going to go join someone else's band—that's just not what I do. But I was coming home a lot and locking myself in rooms and studios and writing songs even when Underoath were not even close to breaking up. Even talking about it, I was doing stuff. I never wanted to make the mistake that Aaron made and release something at the same time, because I think he could have gone way further with the Almost, but he had to do double duty with Underoath. I saw that happen and was like, "Dang, that sucks." I feel bad, but this band happened first. It's not fair for us to sit there while he tours with the other band, but that really did hurt that band. Not that they're not doing well, but I feel like it was bad timing.
In my mind, I'm writing stuff I want to hear and I can't do anything with. I'm already halfway done recording it. I have 30 songs—it's different [sounding] and some of the fans will come with me, but some of them will probably be mad at me. I made that decision when I started writing songs. I was like, "If I'm writing some style of music and it's just not as good as my favorite band then I'm doing something wrong." So, I took all of the elements from the things that I loved and sat down and decided to make something that I want to listen to. I've got a lot of stuff to share with people and a lot of stuff to say. That's as much detail as I'm going into—I am not stopping. There is another band and I'll make that announcement when the time is right.
At the end of the day, what's the thing you're most proud of in the whole Underoath experience?
That's the toughest question anyone could ask. I don't know how to answer that. So much stuff happened that we thought was never going to happen. It's not about how big your band gets or how much money you make. It was just the fact we did something and we made a difference. I think we were part of something important. I feel like when I look back on it in 10 years, people will remember Underoath. And no offense, I'm not talking shit, but I think there are a lot of bands in that scene no one will ever remember. I think that's another reason why we're stopping. We did our job in that world. It's done for us. I don't know what my proudest moment is, but I think being a part of something that was a positive movement that changed people's lives for the good is all I can imagine saying because there are so many different, awesome things we did I never thought Underoath was capable of.
I think you did well.
That's why I like to tell people we're not throwing in the towel.
More like Underoath are soaking the towel in sweat and slapping folks in the face and shoulders with it to remind them of your legacy.
Exactly. I don't take all the credit for it, but the bands that we grew up with have all done the same thing. Thursday were a huge part of that movement and so were Thrice and Poison The Well, and they're all done, too. They'll be remembered and people are going to look back and go, "Man, I wish I could see them again, but that was awesome." Those are the bands that show up at a huge festival and play an hour-long set of songs they wrote 10 years ago.
Like I said, I'm not leaving this behind. I'm closing a chapter and starting a new one. That's also not the reason we're stopping: I waited until it was done. I'm in Underoath until January 27 or something like that. As of now, it's all about Underoath until the chapter is closed. Alt


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When astronomers discovered a reservoir of icy bodies in the nether-space beyond the orbit of Neptune, they thought they had identified the main source of comets that periodically swing into the inner solar system. But now, a meticulous search for small objects in this so-called Kuiper belt has turned up fewer than 4% of the expected number. The puzzling find may shed new light on the early evolution of the solar system.
The Kuiper belt is made up of lumps of dirty ice--probably leftovers from the birth of the solar system--known as trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs). Most astronomers agree that the planet Pluto and its moon, Charon, would be better classified as the largest TNOs. So far, more than 800 TNOs have been found, most of them more than 100 kilometers across.
Using the eagle-eyed Advanced Camera for Surveys on board the Hubble Space Telescope, a team of astronomers led by Gary Bernstein and David Trilling of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia has carried out the first sensitive search for very faint (and hence relatively small) TNOs in a tiny but typical patch of sky in the constellation Virgo. Based on the known numbers of large bodies, the scientists had expected the search to turn up some 85 TNOs as small as 20 kilometers across. Instead, they found three.
In a paper submitted to the Astrophysical Journal, the researchers say their results are "wildly inconsistent" with the observed number of short-period comets--comets with orbital periods of less than 200 years--that are believed to be small TNO escapees.
"This is very exciting work," says small planetary body specialist Dan Durda of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado. The dearth of small bodies suggests that the Kuiper belt experienced a bout of intense collisions in which icy bodies a few tens of kilometers in diameter were smashed to smithereens. "This new find is a valuable clue to the early collisional history of the outer solar system," Durda says. As for the short-period comet problem, Durda thinks it's possible the comet precursors are not missing at all, but just too small to be seen by Hubble's prying eyes. At the same time, he says, it's also possible the observed number of comets could be generated by fewer TNOs than researchers had assumed.
Related sites
Preprint of research paper with link to full text
Background information on the Kuiper belt
List of trans-Neptunian objects discovered so far


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Helen Mirren and Jimmy Fallon Play Mirren, Mirren
Posted on August 5, 2014
Helen Mirren was a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Helen is will reprise her role as Queen Elizabeth II in the Broadway version of The Audience, which has been huge hit in London. The show follows the reign of the Queen from 1952 to the Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and focuses her weekly confidential meetings with the British prime minister at Buckingham Palace.Jimmy and Helen did a little sketch calle "Mirren, Mirren" in which Helen is the magic mirror from Snow White which would answer the Evil Queen's questions. Here she is dressed as a queen while Jimmy asks questions such as what she thinks about legalizing marijuana and what her dream job would be.
Jimmy is dressed in Renaissance era garb with a pageboy wig and looks absolutely ridiculous. As for his British accent? He asked Helen later if his accent had gotten any better and she kindly told him that it was absolutely awful. Jimmy asked the mirror what she thinks of Fifty Shades of Grey. She replied, "The whips and chains are not my style, but who doesn't love a jolly good spanking once in a while?" As for her dream job, well, it's not what you might be expecting. Helen later noted that the queen costume she wore did not appear to have been cleaned since her last visit. It's a very funny bit. Take a look:


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Fun for all the family
Maori TV has brought the old fashioned game show back to Kiwi primetime. James Croot talks to Whanau Factor's host Matai Smith.
How did you get involved in the show and what attracted you to hosting it?
The producer of Whanau Factor Anahera Higgins approached me as she thought I had the skill and wit to pull off this role. I've always wanted to host a game show having been a fan of shows like Wheel of Fortune and Sale of the Century , as well as iconic Kiwi hit It's in the Bag so this was the perfect ''golden opportunity'' to give it a go and I've really enjoyed the experience.
Have you had much say in the games that have been dreamt up?
I didn't have that much say but I did meet regularly with producers before we started rolling to go through the various games to ensure I fully understood them and could relate the necessary information to the contestants.
What's been your favourite so far?
Family Whispers (similar to the concept of Chinese Whispers). That's where a family member in the team must pass down a particular catchphrase, song lyrics, proverbial saying etc with the hope that by the time it gets to down to their team captain, he or she can relay it back to me correctly. Let's just say it produced some very ''interesting'' and sometimes ''hilarious'' results.
What do you think is the appeal of this kind of show?
The appeal is simple. It's real people on screen giving it their all to hopefully take home some great prizes while at the same time having some fun along the way. But what's obviously a point of difference with this one is that one of the family members must have a strong degree of fluency in te reo Maori so as to help the other member ensure they get through to the final round. Whanau Factor has bite-sized pieces of te reo for people to snack on throughout the smorgasbord of ''edutainment'' that we offer on the show.
Growing up, what was your favourite game show?
Probably Wheel of Fortune , hosted by Phil Leishman and Lana Coc Kroft. My Nan and I would watch it religiously and try and beat each other when it came to working out final answers as the vowels and consonants would light up on our screens. I have to say I was pretty good at working out most of them but there was the odd one where Nan would scream the answer out before me and I'd be on cup of tea duty as a result. I hope Whanau Factor might remind viewers of the grassroots feel of game shows of yester year and perhaps reignite the need for this type of programme genre to take precedence once again in our everyday viewing habits.
What are the keys to being a successful host of a show like this?
Ensuring you go out of your way to make the contestants feel comfortable and talk to them like you're one of their whanau. So I do this by going and chatting to them before the show either in makeup or the green room to suss them out and make sure they're okay. I think this is really important and it became my ritual every episode. In saying that, you can't have favourites and remain impartial because you totally want each and every one of them who comes onto the show to walk away saying, ''Man I really enjoyed my experience on Whanau Factor'' and must tell my other mates or whanau to give it a go.'' That's the goal for me with each contestant. Every one of them must leave thinking they won, whether they actually did or not.
What's the biggest challenge of creating the show? And how much of the live recording doesn't make it to air?
The biggest challenge of creating this show is relying of each of our contestants to give it their all in every episode. There's nothing like watching a show and seeing someone not enjoying their experience of whatever they may be doing.
It's pivotal for contestants to walk away with a smile on their dial. Most of the stuff we record does make it to air so there's not too much left sitting on the editing floor. We tighten one or two of the segments, but there's definitely no editing in the final round where the contestants stand to win up to $4000 worth of prizes!
That's my favourite round because one family member is blindfolded while the other family member has to describe to them in te reo Maori what they see up on the big screen. Initially the picture is somewhat pixelated but then it slowly unravels itself and the family member then does their best to describe the prize to the other without actually saying what it is.
For example if the prize is an IPhone then they start by saying, ''he pango te tae'' or ''it's black'' and then ''he mea iti'' or ''it's something small'' and then maybe as the picture becomes clearer they say ''ka taea e koe te whakarongo ki ngā waiata'' or ''you can listen to songs on it'' and by then the family member should have guessed it. There are nine potential prizes to win all up in two minutes so that's when we see the pressure start to heat up and family members doing their best to describe what they're seeing.
What aspect of making the show do you enjoy the most? There are heaps of fun aspects to this game show. One in particular is one of the games called Out of Time which requires me to dress up in costume. For example, if the year was 1981, then I would have to wear clothes from that particular period - aka leg warmers, shiny track suits etc - and then we place 12 items in front of the two teams and they have to guess which of those items is out of time or wasn't around in the 80's.
Whanau Factor 8pm, Fridays, Maori TV