text:
Leading Blog | Posts by Month
LeadershipNow 140: September 2011 Compilation
Here are a selection of tweets from September 2011 that you might have missed:
Like us on Facebook for additional leadership and personal development ideas.
Posted by Michael McKinney at 03:16 PM
The 3 Core Elements of Delegation
Without delegation no organization can function effectively. Yet, lack of courage to delegate properly, and the knowledge of how to do it, is one of the most general causes of failure in organizations.
Authority Can Be Delegated
As a leader, you can transfer pieces of your formal authority to another teammate when assigning a task to that person. In essence, you can deputize your teammate to take action on your behalf within the boundaries of the delegated (transferred) authority.
Authority chiefly comes from the power of position. The more authority you have, the greater your ability to delegate higher-level, more meaningful and challenging tasks to others to help them learn, develop, and grow.
Responsibility Cannot Be Delegated, but It Can Be Assigned
As a leader, you can assign responsibility to another teammate in terms of the results that need to be achieved. However, you need to keep in mind that you only assigned responsibility to your teammate.
If your teammate "fouls up the thing royally," your manager will censure you, not your teammate. In short, you can never fully hand off any of your responsibilities to someone else. Assigned responsibility should be made in terms of the goals or results to be accomplished, not the detailed specifics for doing the job.
Accountability Means Obligation
Accountability is the moral compulsion felt by a teammate to meet the goals and objectives of an assigned task. As a result of accepting a task assignment, your teammate in effect gives you a promise—either expressed or implied—to do her best in carrying out the activities associated with it. Having taken on the task, your teammate is obligated to complete it, and thus is held accountable by you for the results produced.
Adapted from Building Team Power: How to Unleash the Collaborative Genius of Teams for Increased Engagement, Productivity, and Results by Thomas A. Kayser
Like us on Facebook for additional leadership and personal development ideas.
Posted by Michael McKinney at 12:09 PM
Leading: Sharing AccountabilityUncertainty necessitates the need for finding more wisdom within our organizations. This can only be accomplished by creating a leadership mindset throughout the entire organization. It is shared accountability. Any leader that thinks that they can do it alone is indulging their own ego.
James Champy and Nitin Nohria cautioned us not to assume that no one else on the premises can match our own ambition, competence, and vision. We have to accept the fact that there are many points of wisdom within our organizations and a wise leader will engage them. Too many leaders are not accustomed to accepting input from junior members no matter how valuable it is. This creates a lack of trust and openness. The currency of leadership is relationships and a wise leader would do well to encourage input from as many sources as possible and especially not from the usual suspects.
Phil Nolan, CEO of Eircom Limited, described it this way in A Time for Leadership, "The concept of distributed leadership will keep you in touch with the environment. If you want to prepare people for this environment, you have to get leadership further down the organization. We generally tend to drive managing down the organization, but not leadership.
"As an organization we have to prepare for acts of leadership further down the organization. I think that that is the hardest thing for us to do as people sitting at the top. It feels like an unnatural act."
Leadership needs to be the expected norm at all levels.
Like us on Facebook for additional leadership and personal development ideas.
Posted by Michael McKinney at 12:08 PM
The Art of LeadershipMax DePree popularized the idea that leadership is an art. So much of what a leader does cannot be objectively measured. To reduce leadership to a set of algorithms is to remove it from its context; to ignore the complexities, the contradictions, and the possibilities. Artists must deal with uncertainty, contradictions and diversity almost by definition. Leaders need to have this capacity.
Julie Burstein has created a valuable achieve of thought about art and artistry in Spark: How Creativity Works. Her book is drawn from hundreds of hours of conversations from the radio program Studio 360. Studio 360 was created to show how creativity works by talking to some of the world's most talented people. I hope you find these artist's thoughts on their work inspiring to you no matter where you lead.
Painter Chuck Close reminds us that leadership is about results. You will be judged on your accomplishments. So, you have to get on with it.
Inspiration is for amateurs, and the rest of us just show up and get to work. But so much of it comes out of the process … if you try to preconceive everything you do and conceptualize it, you're gonna do the same thing over and over. If, however, you just get busy and things occur to you in the process, you make the rules and therefore you can break them.Sound designer Ben Burtt talks about the importance of being what Saul Bellow once called a "first class noticer." We need to observe more, to listen closer, and be open to surprises.
Many of the most useful sounds I've used were discoveries made by accident. I would be going about some other business but then hear something interesting. I learned to keep my recorder nearby. I'd grab a sound that caught my attention. Even if you don't know what it's going to be. If something interests me, if something is provocative in some way, if it has a sense of suspense to it, or power, or humor, then it's worth gathering and stockpiling until I find a place in a movie to use it. I have a big collection and it's always growing. I'm probably always listening to what goes on around me, whether I want to or not.Being a leader means stretching yourself and your team; getting out of your comfort zone; becoming more than is expected. Choreographer Elizabeth Streb knows the importance of taking a risk.
"What the audience sees is somebody taking their physical entity and just stretching it beyond their comfort." It's not that the dancers want to put themselves in harm's way, she explained. "It's the other way around. To effect certain actions onstsage, it's necessary to put yourself in harm's way. I think it's a means to an end. If you don't allow yourself to get out of your comfort zone, then you can't discover new physical territory. And it comes with that territory that here's going to be certain things that scare you. You're going to try to locate them, and unravel them, and go further and further and further toward something that you couldn't imagine doing physically prior to that initial investigation.Getting out and discovering new territory is how leaders define choices. And some days it's easier than others says Streb.
We are all normal people and we're scared of similar things that other people are scared of. We just have an appetite to dig into them and conquer them on some level. And then the fear switches…. All of a sudden, on a Wednesday, you're just terrified, you can't do it. There's no accounting for those shifts in fear.The late poet Stanley Kunitz reminds us that like most things in life, leadership requires pruning; eliminating those things that distract and detract. Creative destruction. It's an art.
As with the making of a poem, so much of the effort is to get rid of all the excess, and at the same time be certain you are not ridding the poem of its essence.While it's in a leader's DNA to shake-up the status quo, it has to be done with the past in mind. The past is not all bad, and the future is not all better. The past can serve as an anchor, but it can also provide depth to the future. Director Alexander Payne points to the importance of our past.
We forget our past do quickly, but we need it for a sense of identity. For some idea of who we are.Photographer David Plowden would agree.
I fear that we are eradicating the evidence of our past accomplishments so quickly that in time we may well lose the sense of who we are.Of course, leaders can't do it alone. We are made better by the teams we build and the people we associate with. It's how we learn and grow. Robert Plant speaks of his collaboration with Alison Krauss on the album Raising Sand:
Something had to happen for me where I was going to learn something. I wanted to work with people who were going to push me, and not threaten me but challenge my whole capacity to be a really proper singer. Not just a one-trick pony, but somebody who could actually modify and adapt and get into some kind of dreamscape. As it happens, this is the combination that transpired, and it couldn't be better, really.If our insecurities get in our way and we exclude those with differing opinions or those who might be critical of what we are doing, we attenuate our leadership potential. We narrow our perspective. Architect's Denise Scott Brown and Robert Venturi are a married couple and partners in work. They value each other's criticism in the creative process. Denise explains:
We jump-start the design process by batting ideas around between us. Our ideas bounce back and forth….This questioning intensifies the process and speeds it up. Self-criticism might eventually have led him to the same position, but my questions and suggestions push him and he gets there faster. Of course, he does the same for me."Intensifies the process and speeds it up." That's a good way to think about it. As in any creative endeavor—and each of us is a creative endeavor—we need to be who we really are and not a reflection of someone we admire. Robert Venturi's respect for the past doesn't mean recreating it. Our heroes should serve as a reference point, but not a straightjacket.
Reference to the historical past can enrich architecture; copying stultifies it.When it isn't working you have to have the courage to rework it or even start over if necessary. Novelist John Irving once took an 800-page book back from the publisher because it wasn't right.
It was such an enormous undertaking to rewrite this book from the first person to a third-person novel. Took me nine months, all by hand. I hope I come to that conclusion sooner if it happens again.But when it is working, Chuck Close says you should celebrate!
Every time I finish a painting, I play Aretha Franklin full blast, from start to finish, and I usually sing along with her as my celebratory end to each painting.Author and producer Julie Burstein says that we should "never miss this essential step of celebrating the accomplishment." The work now, she concludes, is for each of us to create our own stories.
Like us on Facebook for additional leadership and personal development ideas.
Posted by Michael McKinney at 03:03 PM
5 Leadership Lessons: Good Strategy, Bad Strategy
Richard Rumelt has written an insightful book on developing the ability to identify and develop good strategy. Good Strategy, Bad Strategy is obviously the result of decades of practice developing strategy and the many case studies and classroom interactions made it personal and very readable.
We've all been there. The big conference room as the lights dim and the Power Point slides begin. We sit attentively as the leader steps to the podium to tell us something like: "Going forward we will attain global leadership in our markets, increase revenues and profits ten percent, rationalize our supply chain and eat the competition's lunch by taking huge chunks of market share—all based on one of the world's most highly talented work forces for whom success is never quitting until you win."When it comes to strategy, we have gotten off-track into thinking that fluffy platitudes, goals, motivational slogans, and wishful thinking are the same thing as strategy. As a result, we don't get the intended results. "Bad strategy," says Rumelt, occurs when there is bad doctrine, when hard choices are avoided, and/or when leaders are unwilling or unable to define and explain the nature of the challenge. Here are some key ideas from this classic on strategy:
A great deal of strategy work is trying to figure out what is going on. Not just deciding what to do, but the more fundamental problem of comprehending the situation. A good strategy honestly acknowledges the challenges being faced and provides an approach to overcoming them. Strategy must contain action. Winging it is not a strategy.
A talented leader identifies the one or two critical issues in the situation—the pivot points that can multiply the effectiveness of effort—and then focuses and concentrates action and resources on them.
Organizations experience significant entropy—the continual drift towards disorganization. Much of the useful work of managers and consultants is maintenance—the constant battle against entropy. Strategists must battle this never-ending drift towards disarray within their own organization. And they must try to exploit the disarray of their rivals.
Every organization faces a situation where the full complexity and ambiguity of the situation is daunting. An important duty of any leader is to absorb a large part of that complexity and ambiguity, passing on to the organization a simpler problem—one that is solvable.
A good strategy has, at a minimum, three essential components: a diagnosis of the situation, the choice of an overall guiding policy, and the design of coherent action. Many attempts at strategy lack a good diagnosis. As the star of most consulting engagements, the client wants an appraisal of a particular course of action or wants advice on what to do. I almost always back up and try to create a better diagnosis of the situation before getting into recommendations.
Of Related Interest:
The Four Hallmarks of Bad Strategy
Like us on Facebook for additional leadership and personal development ideas.
Posted by Michael McKinney at 06:49 PM
The Four Hallmarks of Bad StrategyGood Strategy, Bad Strategy, Richard Rumelt says that bad strategy "grows out of specific misconceptions and leadership dysfunctions." In short it is goals and not action. "It assumes that goals are all you need. It puts forward strategic objectives that are incoherent and, sometimes, totally impracticable. It uses high-sounding words and phrases to hide these failings."
To detect a bad strategy, Rumelt suggest looking for one or more of its major hallmarks:
Fluff. Fluff is a form of gibberish masquerading as strategic concepts or arguments. It uses "Sunday" words (words that are inflated and unnecessarily abstruse) and apparently esoteric concepts to create the illusion of high-level thinking. Make it simple.
Failure to face the challenge. Bad strategy fails to recognize or define the challenge. When you cannot define the challenge, you cannot evaluate a strategy or improve it. If you fail to identify and analyze the obstacles, you don't have a strategy. Instead, you have either a stretch goal, a budget, or a list of things you wish would happen.
Mistaking goals for strategy. Many bad strategies are just statements of desire rather than plans for overcoming obstacles. Bad strategy is long on goals and short on policy or action. Strategic objectives should address a specific process or accomplishment, such as halving the time it takes to respond to a customer, or getting work from several Fortune 500 corporations. An excerpt from Rumelt's response to a client that had a "strategy" that was long on goals and short on actions, is instructive:
If you continue down the road you are on you will be counting on motivation to move the company forward. I cannot honestly recommend that as a way forward because competition is not just a battle of wills; it is also a competition over insights and competencies. My judgment is that motivation, by itself, will not give this company enough of an edge to achieve your goals.He explained that "when a company makes the kind of jump in performance your plan envisions, there is usually a key strength you are building on or a change in the industry that opens up new opportunities."
Bad strategic objectives. A strategic objective is set by a leader as a means to an end. Strategic objectives are "bad" when they fail to address critical issues or when they are impracticable. The purpose of good strategy is to offer a potentially achievable way of surmounting a key challenge. If the leader's strategic objectives are just as difficult to accomplish as the original challenge, there has been little value added by the strategy.
Of Related Interest:
5 Leadership Lessons: Good Strategy, Bad Strategy
Like us on Facebook for additional leadership and personal development ideas.
Posted by Michael McKinney at 01:52 PM
Why Are You on Twitter?Twitter for Good: Change the World, One Tweet at a Time to do just that.
Claire says that Twitter is effective as a tool to coalesce your message, make a difference and create a movement. She has developed a framework—not surprisingly called T.W.E.E.T.—to help you build and effectively promote cause-based campaigns.
Target. Why are you on Twitter? The three most common targets or goals are:, information accounts, personalized accounts, and fundraising accounts. Which one you choose sets the tone of your tweets. Claire recommends choosing a personalized account if "you do not have a dedicated staff member who can devote a set amount of time to finding and culling important information about your cause."
Write. The important thing is to get going without over editing. Fail fast. Who should write the Tweets? "The audience is savvy, and users who are not authentic are drowned out and their audience stops listening." How often should I Tweet? Claire says that's a highly contested answer. She offers a host of answers from Twitter "experts." You're sure to find an answer and rational that you can be comfortable with.
Engage. Connect with others so you're not tweeting in a bubble or you won't get your organization where you need it to be. "Connecting your Tweets with existing relevant information that people are already viewing on Twitter—or making your own Tweets the relevant information that others are looking for—should be your goal." Use #hashtags to identify your Tweets as part of a group of like-minded Tweets. Use lists to follow the relevant Tweets of others—even if you are not following them. Retweet but fill your timeline with them. She notes, "If one follower retweets every Tweet your organization writes, their recommendation for you holds less weight."
Explore. Find new people. Twitter is about relationships.
Track. See how it's working by tracking your progress. Claire offers a list of over 30 potential points to measure to see if you are getting noticed.
Claire writes, "Learning to use Twitter well is not a science, but an ongoing lesson." Fail fast and explore.
More information can be found on the web at: hope140.org and Twitter4Good You can find Claire at ClaireDiazOrtiz.com or via @claired on Twitter.
And yes, you can find us (me) on Twitter via @leadershipnow.
Like us on Facebook for additional leadership and personal development ideas.
Posted by Michael McKinney at 10:18 PM
Hypocrisy Isn't Going to Get You ThereIf you've ever asked yourself, "What's the matter with them? Why don't they get it?" or said, "I feel like I am alone here," maybe they are listening more to your actions than your words.
Culture explains how things really work. Culture reflects practical values—values that will get you through the day regardless of what you say you believe. When it comes to preaching values, too many leaders are just talking heads. Preach change, demonstrate status quo.
Changing culture in an organization is often difficult because leaders make it so. A culture that does not resemble your stated values reflects a lack of ownership and accountability to those values. A value that is meant for "them" but not lived-out in the behavior of and choices made by the leadership, will never become part of the organizational culture. Culture is formed by the choices we make, not the lecture we give.
In Too Many Bosses, Too Few Leaders, Rajeev Peshawaria suggests three steps to cultural change:
• Define the desired culture. Articulate a set of behavior guidelines for everyone to follow.
• Socialize the behavior guidelines by example, training and ongoing communication.
• Reinforce the behavior guidelines by answering the what's-in-it-for-me question.
In this discussion he makes three statements that are worth reflecting on:
Leaders should use every opportunity to exhibit guidelines or values in their own behavior.Are you modeling the behavior you want to see in others?
Senior leaders of the company routinely showed up at these training sessions to show employees how important the values and brand were.Are you excusing yourself from what you expect others to be doing?
In sharp contrast, another client told me to design the session in such a way that it did not rely too heavily on the executive team's presence. He argued that the senior team was already under a lot of pressure, and that this would be a huge time commitment for them. I could not believe my ears. After all, as leaders, what do you spend time on if not aligning your organization's culture with your vision and strategy?Do you live by a different set of rules?
Sometimes this is difficult to see in yourself, so asking a trusted friend if there is a disconnect between your words and your behavior is helpful. As a leader, it is too easy to think of yourself as the exception. "I'm busy." "They don't have to deal with what I am dealing with." "This is for them, I don't need it."
When a leader's behavior conforms to their talk, there is a connective quality formed that is worthy of trust and attention. If we live our values we can create radical change.
Like us on Facebook for additional leadership and personal development ideas.
Posted by Michael McKinney at 07:07 AM
Too Many Bosses, Too Few LeadersToo Many Bosses, Too Few Leaders. The difference between mere bosses and leaders is that "leaders find the energy to stay on and fight, and energize others around them, while nonleaders give up."
"Superior leadership requires incredible amounts of emotional energy—the power to stay the course despite the most formidable of obstacles." This energy comes from discovering your purpose and values.
One of the biggest reasons we have many poor leaders is that too many of them get into leadership for the wrong reasons—personal fame, fortune or glory—or are given positions based on competence alone. Peshawaria cautions that "accepting a leadership position without carefully considering what you really want for yourself and for the people around you is a very dangerous proposition."
Real leadership is not easy or glamorous, but before you make the decision to lead, you should ask yourself six questions:
As a leader you need to focus on what he calls brains, bones, and nerves or setting direction, execution, and organizational culture. The trick of course is staying focused on these issues and not becoming distracted with all of the work you should be delegating.
To lead, says Peshawaria, "leaders must first uncover their own sources of leadership energy—their purpose and values—then enlist a few co-leaders and align their energy toward a common purpose. Finally, the leader and her co-workers must galvanize the energy of the rest of the organization by shaping and managing the brains, bones, and nerves of the enterprise."
In his view then, leadership development programs should help participants to become more self-aware—who they are and what they want. Peshawaria notes IMD Switzerland professor George Kohlrieser's thought that "when development focuses too much on presenting the 'how-to's,' the result is not deep enough to change the inner life of a leader." For the most part, most leaders know enough to lead, what is often lacking is the emotional intelligence to use it appropriately.
In light of the rapidly changing world, Peshawaria raises an important question: Does it still make sense to identify a few, anoint them as high potentials, and invest disproportionately in their development? As leaders, we are not good stewards of people if we don't give everyone a "similar development diet" and let the "cream rise to the top on its own. Peshawaria asks, "What if the world changes in ways that require a totally different type of potential in five years compared with the benchmarks used to identify today's high potentials? What about late bloomers—those who may not show early brilliance, but might become very valuable later on? And what about the negative impact on the morale of those not chosen as high potentials? It might be time to rethink the 'best practice' of identifying and developing a pool of high potentials." Amen. Then too, we also might want to rethink what it means to be a leader and stop developing functional leaders and instead develop true leaders that can lead in changing contexts. That's an entirely different focus.
Like us on Facebook for additional leadership and personal development ideas.
Posted by Michael McKinney at 08:01 AM
Advocacy: How to Champion Ideas and Influence OthersEven a great idea can be stopped.
An idea is like play. It needs a good producer and a good promoter even if it's a masterpiece. Otherwise the play may never open; or it may open but, for lack of an audience, close after a week.
Daly defines advocacy as "persuading people who matter to care about your issue. It's about getting listened to, being at the table when decisions are made, being heard by people who make decisions. It's about facing and overcoming resistance. It is about speaking and writing in compelling ways that make decision makers want to adopt your ideas."
Advocacy by John Daly, is a comprehensive handbook on influence. He covers the complex factors involved in selling an idea, supported by examples and current research in the fields of persuasion, power relations, and behavior change. Here are some of the ideas he shares:
Communicate Your Idea With Impact: Decide what you want to communicate before you ever start talking. Restate key aspects in alternative ways. Don't get defensive or humiliate those who ask questions. Alan Greenspan's advice: "Make every member of Congress look like a genius for asking a particular question, even when the question is truly idiotic."
Frame Your Message: Successful advocates communicate their ideas in ways that fit decision makers' schemas. When pitching proposals, wise proponents seek agreement on the problem before discussing possible solutions. Encourage people to buy into the problem the way you want it defined.
Build Your Reputation, Create a Brand: Regardless of how good your idea is, if it doesn't fit your brand name, people aren't likely to buy it.
Form Alliances: Understand people's basic needs—inclusion, control, efficacy, and affection. People want to matter. Let others feel indispensable to the success of the idea. Be proud of what you tout; how you talk and act about your idea shape show others respond.
Your Idea Is Only as Good as Its Story: Influential narratives are short, fresh, easily understood, and engaging, and they arouse curiosity. If you can't craft a good story around your idea, interesting and relevant factoids are the next best thing.
Network!: It's not who you know that matters, it's who knows you. Put yourself in the place of most potential. Befriend those without friends. Lyndon Johnson: "Remember, your opponent today may well have to be your ally tomorrow. Never burn personal bridges."
Timing Is Everything: The answer to "why now?" is your persuasive case. Problems have four features—magnitude, predictability, complexity, and affected parties. Address these. Random—not regular or cyclical—problems get the decisions maker's immediate attention.
Make the Idea Matter: Inexperienced advocates often spend too much time trying to sell the features of their ideas before pitching their benefits.
Demonstrate Confidence: Shorter words are remembered better than longer ones. Avoid hedges, disclaimers, disfluencies, and tag questions.
Even the most experienced advocate will be able to refine their skills and increase their influence by incorporating the advice found in this handbook.
Like us on Facebook for additional leadership and personal development ideas.
Posted by Michael McKinney at 09:07 AM
Ownership ThinkingOwnership Thinking is about developing leaders at all levels. "Fundamentally," writes author Brad Hams, "Ownership Thinking is about moving employees away from the 'me' way of thinking and towards concerns of the business and its financial performance." This is leadership thinking in a business setting.
When people understand the business, their role in it, and are informed of what is going on and take responsibility for the outcomes, then they become better stewards of the company's resources and help to create wealth. Hams has found that the vast majority of people "want to engage and contribute, and feel much better about themselves when they have the opportunity to do so … and they have the capacity to do so."
We often frustrate that effort and create cultures of entitlement because, in the words of Judith Bardwick author of Danger in the Comfort Zone, "managers are unwilling to do the work of requiring work." Hams says his mission in life is to eradicate habits of entitlement in organizations.
People who actually produce things do so primarily for two reasons: (1) They have a strong work ethic. In other words, they have to believe that rewards come only with hard work, and (2) They enjoy producing. It is exciting for them, and the reward for producing is not only the things they are able to afford as a result of it, but the personal growth and sense of worth that come from producing: that is, true self-esteem.A workforce that is helping to create wealth should be able to participate in the wealth they are creating. However, incentive plans should be self-funding and "it is the obligation of ownership and leadership to teach them how to do that and to provide them with them tools and training necessary to accomplish the task."
Simply put, your employees need to know what's going on. In a chapter entitled, Your Employees Think You Make Wheelbarrows of Money, Hams relates that when he asks the question: "Your company had 12 million in sales last year, what do you think the profit was?" it is not uncommon to hear 50% from employees of companies where financial information is not shared or business acumen taught. "In the absence of information, people make stuff up."
Generally speaking, the people with the greatest understanding and expertise in any given area are the people who are actually doing the work, and these people are not necessarily management. For an organization to achieve excellence, it must engage all of its organization members.Ownership Thinking is a how-to book. Hams explains how to create incentive plans that work (plans that clearly align employees' behavior to the organization's business and financial objectives), how to teach financial skills (how the company makes money and how they add - or take away – value), creating the right performance indicators, rapid improvement plans and how to implement Ownership Thinking for the long-term. "Practicing Ownership Thinking will allow you, as an owner or leader, to rest easier knowing that your employees are making decisions and taking actions that are aligned with what you would do yourself."
Like us on Facebook for additional leadership and personal development ideas.
Posted by Michael McKinney at 10:40 AM
Managing the Unmanageable
Instead of going deeper, it's easier to just label them and avoid the issue. He's rude. She's unreliable. He's an egomaniac. She's self-absorbed. Anne Loehr and Jezra Kaye, authors of Managing the Unmanageable, say that these "unmanageable" people are costing companies a fortune. Loehr estimates that her clients lose, on average, 30% of their productivity because of issues related to unmanageable employees.
The fact is, "there's a world of difference between someone who's acting unmanageable, and someone who can't [won't] act any other way. There's a world of difference between someone who's become unmanageable in response to a particular set of circumstances (that can, at least theoretically, be changed) and someone who's just like that." Perceiving the difference is the task of leaders, managers, and coaches. Most of the time we deal with people at the symptom level.
Managing the Unmanageable is written to help you do just that. They begin with an appropriate caution: If you find yourself being convinced that someone could never have the slightest redeeming good quality, find a way to deal with your own feelings before you try to manage theirs. Good advice.
There are some early warning signs that it is time to look deeper than the behaviors you see:
Diminished Motivation: "Frustration with a job can grow out of unmet or unrealistic expectations, company-wide uncertainty or relationship problems on a team or with a manager." You'll hear comments like:
"I'm just not into it anymore."Unclear Expectations: Misunderstandings are common. We don't always communicate as clearly as we think. Too much often goes unsaid. Sadly, too, "managers and executives sometimes purposely lead employees astray, confuse them, or keep them in the dark to avoid unpleasant issues or consolidate power in their own hands." It sounds like this:
"I have no idea what she wants."Lack of Confidence or Self-Esteem: "It's natural to wonder if you have what it takes when the stakes go up or your job becomes more complex. But if that lack of self-confidence persists, an employee can become resistant, defensive, and ultimately unmanageable. They will say things such as:
"I don't know why they thought I could do this."Personal Issues: "When your employee is distracted, self-absorbed, or unable to focus, her problem may stem from conditions outside of work. It might be expressed as:
"I haven't slept through the night in weeks.""A radical shift in behavior," say Loehr and Kaye, "may be your first indication that a good employee is morphing into an unmanageable employee."
In short, other people have many of the same problems we have, it's just that they haven't learned how to deal with it or are not in a position to do anything about it in the same way that we would as leaders.
The book specifically deals with the excuse-maker, the grumbler, the egomaniac, the loose cannon, the joker, the do-gooder, the wallflower, the gossip, the slacker, the rude-nik, and the AWOL.
Each "salvage" operation follows the 5-C Model: Commit or Quit, Communicate, Clarify Goals and Roles, Coach, and Create Accountability. The focus of each chapter is to get behind the behavior of each type and understand it. You will find helpful composite cases, practical tips and dialogues for dealing with each type.
Like us on Facebook for additional leadership and personal development ideas.
Posted by Michael McKinney at 08:41 AM
The Anywhere Leader
The anywhere leader is the kind of leader who can land on their feet no matter what the setting or situation presents. Mike Thompson, author of The Anywhere Leader, says that "managers who have advanced their careers through tumultuous times are the ones who find a way to fit in, build trust, and contribute in any setting in which they are placed."
In order to adapt to and broker positive change in any environment, the Anywhere Leader possesses three key traits:
Driven for Progress: Driven more by progress than politics. This means that they are discerning, daring and determined. Because they are driven for progress, they operate with the right and proper motives and remain determined.
To become a discerning leader, you need to immerse yourself in a constant state of evaluation…. Because these leaders never view their decisions as static, they aren't consumed by trying to make the perfect call. They can confidently move forward, knowing that they can, and will, make adjustments as they go.Sensationally Curious: Having an exploratory mindset. They are consummate learners, who continue to grow and improve themselves, their team, and their work. Corollary strengths include being reflective, receptive and perceptive.
Anywhere Leaders have a distinctive ability to go deep with their own personal insights—calling upon their experiences, connecting with them, and forming some pretty strong opinions from them—yet put their egos aside and be open to the opinions of others. These leaders aren't afraid to shift their thinking. They are in pursuit of the best idea regardless of whether it comes from them or from someone else.Vastly Resourceful: Able to get the most out of whatever you have to work with. Related strengths include being imaginative, inclusive and inventive. Because they are resourceful they never get stuck in uncertainty, but invent their way through setbacks and out of tough spots.
Leaders who can imagine are leaders who don't get stuck.Thompson devotes a chapter to developing each of these traits. Few have all of these traits in ample amounts but awareness creates an opportunity to develop and/or manage these qualities. Not everyone is cut out to be an Anywhere Leader, nor does everyone need to be, says Thompson. "A job for an Anywhere Leader is one that features uncertainty—the unfamiliar, the unknown, and the unpredictable nature of business."
Thompson suggests that you structure your life so that you are accessible, wired (connected), attuned, and un-nested (MBWA) so that you are transportable or able to lead effectively, anywhere and everywhere you are.
Like us on Facebook for additional leadership and personal development ideas.
Posted by Michael McKinney at 10:49 PM
Ones Should be CEOs, Twos Should Not
Wayne Gretzky has famously said, "I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been." Sports commentators would say that he seemed to be two seconds ahead of everyone else. In The Two-Second Advantage, the authors write, "Like Gretzky on ice, the most successful people in various fields make continual, accurate predictions just a little ahead of and little better than everybody else." They don't need to be able to see ten years out; just enough ahead will do the trick.
Part of what is going on in the brain is a function called "chunking." Predicting and chunking go together by looking for patterns and predicting outcomes. We chunk all types of information. It makes us efficient. If we didn't chunk, we would think about everything as if it was for the first time. Teaching computers to do this will make them more useful—"two-second-advantage" predictive technology.
What caught my attention in their discussion of predictive thinking—from a leadership standpoint—was the idea of two types of leaders found at the top of organizations: Ones and Twos.
Ben Horowitz, of the venture capital firm Andreesen Horowitz, told the authors that each type thinks differently. "Ones are predictive. Twos have to rely on mountains of data to figure out what they think." A one has a two-second advantage. They continue:
Ones tend to be founders. They are bullheaded and courageous. They tell people what to think, not what they think people want to hear. They see openings and get flashes of creativity—like Gretzky in a hockey game. They can take in everything that is happening at a company and see it from a higher level, the details blurring into instinct.Bill Gates is a prototypical one; Steve Ballmer is a two. Steve Jobs is a classic one.
The authors say that ones should be CEOs, and twos should not. Of course, a good CEO really needs to be both—and can be with practice—but only rarely do.
Of Interest:
Why We Prefer Founding CEOs
Ones and Twos
Bloomberg Businessweek: Data Analytics: Crunching the Future
Like us on Facebook for additional leadership and personal development ideas.
Posted by Michael McKinney at 04:57 PM
First Look: Leadership Books for September 2011Here's a look at some of the best leadership books to be released in September.
True North Groups: A Powerful Path to Personal and Leadership Development by Bill George and Doug Baker
The Anywhere Leader: How to Lead and Succeed in Any Business Environment by Mike Thompson
StandOut: The Groundbreaking New Strengths Assessment from the Leader of the Strengths Revolution by Marcus Buckingham
Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength by Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierney
Uncertainty: Turning Fear and Doubt into Fuel for Brilliance by Jonathan Fields
For bulk orders call 1-800-423-8273
Build your leadership library with these specials on over 120 titles. All titles are at least 40% off the list price and are available only in limited quantities.
NEW EDITION: How: Why HOW We Do Anything Means Everything by Dov L. Seidman
NEW EDITION: Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High - Second Edition by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan and Al Switzler
Posted by Michael McKinney at 07:50 AM
How to Do Your Start-Up Right
Grow Your Leadership Skills
Leadership Minute
Classic Leadership Books
|Follow us on:
© 2019 LeadershipNow™


text:
5 songs you need to hear this week
Each week, staff from CBC Music, Radio 2, Radio 3, Sonica and CBC regions across the country collect songs they just can't get out of their heads, and make a case for why you should listen, too. Press play below and discover new songs for your listening list.
Let us know via @CBCMusic what catches your ear, or if you have a new song you just can't stop playing.
Common, 'A Letter to the Free'
Editor's note: "A Letter to the Free" starts at 4:56.
This past Friday, Netflix released The 13th, a documentary by Ava DuVernay that looks at the impact of a single line in the 13th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees Americans freedom from slavery or indentured servitude "except as punishment for a crime." It exposes with great alacrity and clarity the impact this line has had on the lives of Americans with a certain degree of melanin. Rapper Common wrote a song for that film, entitled "A Letter to the Free," that distills the notion even further. The song packs a punch at the end of the film — a film that is altogether unbothered by our feelings, as it speaks a truth that needs to be heard. There are no "on the other hand" moments, here; it's a "this is how it is" kind of film.
— Judith Lynch (@CBCJudith)
Death Cab for Cutie, 'Million Dollar Loan' (30 Days, 30 Songs)
Death Cab for Cutie released a new track on Sunday, with a bit of a different vibe from the melancholy songs about love we're used to hearing. Instead, it's a track inspired by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who made a statement during his campaign about being a self-made millionaire thanks to a "small" million-dollar loan from his father to get his enterprise started. In the YouTube description for this new song, Death Cab lead singer Ben Gibbard calls Trump's statement "wildly untrue" and says "[Trump] is unworthy of the honor and responsibility of being President of the United States of America, and in no way, shape or form represents what this country truly stands for." The track comes from a playlist called 30 Days, 30 Songs, which is an independent project in support of defeating Trump in the presidential election. The playlist will include new songs coming out in the next 30 days by other artists including Jim James, Aimee Mann, Thao Nguyen and even a never-before-released live song by R.E.M
— Matt Fisher (@MattRFisher)
OneRepublic, 'Kids'
OneRepublic's new album, Oh My My, dropped Oct. 7 and fans of the band's ethereal stadium anthems and soaring ballads have lots to celebrate. Combining elements of rock and EDM, "Kids" is sure to be one of the album's big hits with its distinctive melodic contour and nostalgic lyrics: "We were sleeping in cars/ we were searching for Oz/ we were burning cigars/ with white plastics tips 'til we saw the sun." Staying up all night may be a receding speck in the rearview mirror of your life, but "Kids" makes you feel like a reckless romantic, if only for four minutes.
— Robert Rowat (@rkhr)
Mitski, 'A Burning Hill'
"I'm tired of wanting more/ I think I'm finally worn." On the closing track of Mitski's beautiful June 2016 album, Puberty 2, the New York singer-songwriter is focusing on what she can give herself, slowly accepting that what she wants from this other person isn't going to arrive. This week, Mitski released a simple, detailed video of that acceptance, outfitted in her white button-down uniform ("I can at least be neat/ walk out and seen as clean"). Directed by Bradley Gray, the video is a set of perfectly paired, detailed images to the singular guitar and Mitski's clear, devastating vocals. "I'll go to work/ and I'll go to sleep/ and I'll love the littler things/ I'll love some littler things," she sings, as her aim gets smaller, but more precise, with each lyric.
— Holly Gordon (@hollygowritely)
Ralph, 'Something More'
The Toronto-based synth-pop musician is back at it again, giving us yet another tease — she's only released singles since last year — before her EP drops some time this winter. In an interview with Independent, Ralph explains that the track "Something More" was inspired by Aziz Ansari's Netflix show Master of None, which narrates issues faced by young adults. With our access to social media networks and dating apps, Ralph explores the need of always wanting something more, but not always getting something better. At the core, this is a really catchy song, and the future of smart pop writing in Canada. — MF

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Hi again ladies, it is raining ice where I live….WHY NO SNOW!? Hurts my heart, but I had a great morning because [RA] has released some new hair for you noggin! The Michelle hair can be found at Cosmo room for a discounted price! Head over and have a look. I hope your day is fantastic! ❤
Hair- [RA] Michelle Hair @ Cosmo
Jacket- PEQE – Erynil (S) COMMON – Grey @ FG
Under garments- (NO) Sheer Valentines Set – White @ collab88
Face tatt- NOX. Ethereal [Fatpack] @ Creepy Kawaii
Lips for nyam- Clemmm /// Filthy love @ Cosmetic fair
Cheek definition- .random.Matter. – Contour @ Cosmetic fair
Eyebrow- NOX. Nyx Brows @ Cosmetic fair
Skin- DeeTaleZ Skin A.T.W. Duska Mixedtype


text:
Broncos still in on Brandon Mebane
The Broncos expressed interest in several free-agent defensive tackles when the market opened Tuesday. Talks with Brandon Mebane of the Seattle Seahawks are serious today.
The Broncos and Seahawks seem to be the strongest suitors for Mebane, according to an NFL source. ESPN.com reported New Orleans was also interested in Mebane, a 6-1, 311-pound defensive tackle who can both plug the run and disrupt plays in the backfield.
The Broncos have also expressed interest in Miami's Tony McDaniel. The Broncos are also still negotiating with their own Marcus Thomas.


text:
The Dark Night
This may come off as ignorant, but I don't watch the news. To be honest, it scares the crap out of me and I would rather live in a happy bubble of ignorance than be scared to leave my house. The only information that gets relayed to me is via Facebook or word of mouth.
If you haven't heard by now, there was a shooting last night at the midnight showing of the The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado. I started seeing Facebook statuses about it this morning, and it literally broke my heart. 12 killed, 50 wounded. How could someone do something so terrible? Babies, children, adults. Will we ever know why? Will we ever understand the sick and twisted thoughts that caused this man to do something so horrific?
There have been school shootings, gym massacres, and airplanes being hijacked. Now we have to fear watching a movie without someone walking in the emergency exit and killing for no reason? Is anywhere safe?
Being afraid to leave your house is no way to live life. But how can we not? People used to ask me how I stayed so calm and didn't worry about Zach getting killed in action while in Afghanistan. Trust me, I worried about that everyday but never let it affect me and consume me. My answer when people asked me this? So many terrible things have happened here that the chances of him getting hurt there or here are almost equal.
I will be saying extra prayers tonight. Prayers for the victims of this terrible crime. Prayers for the family members who have to feel this terrible pain and deal with the loss of their loved ones for no reason at all. And prayers that the sick people in this world find help and healing and that these pointless crimes cease.
Things like this really make you think, or at least they should. They should make everyone want to be a little nicer. You never know what someone is going through or how what you say or what you do can affect them. Especially now with the power of the internet, things spread like wildfire. Be careful how you speak to or about people; you could change the world with a simple act of kindness.
We've all seen the following quote on Facebook. Today, I encourage everyone to really think about what this means. Maybe things like shootings could be avoided if we were all a little more compassionate.
"You know the girl you just called fat? She overdosed on diet pills. You know that girl you just called ugly? She spends hours putting on make-up hoping people will like her. That boy you just tripped? He is abused enough at home. See that man with the ugly scars? He fought for his country. That guy you just made fun of for crying? His mother is dying. "
Take responsibility for yourself and your actions. God bless the victims and families from the Colorado shooting, and all other tragedies we've witnessed this past year.


text:
Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), previously known as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, is defined as isolated thrombocytopenia with normal bone marrow and in the absence of other causes of thrombocytopenia. ITP has two distinct clinical syndromes, manifesting as an acute condition in children and a chronic condition in adults.
ITP is primarily a disease of increased peripheral platelet destruction, with most patients having antibodies to specific platelet membrane glycoproteins. Relative marrow failure may contribute to this condition, since studies show that most patients have either normal or diminished platelet production.
Acute ITP often follows an acute infection and has a spontaneous resolution within 2 months. Chronic ITP persists longer than 6 months without a specific cause.
United States
Incidence rates are as follows:
The incidence of ITP in adults is approximately 66 cases per 1,000,000 per year
An average estimate of the incidence in children is 50 cases per 1,000,000 per year
New cases of chronic refractory ITP comprise approximately 10 cases per 1,000,000 per year
According to studies in Denmark and England, childhood ITP occurs in approximately 10-40 cases per 1,000,000 per year. [1] A prospective, population-based study in Norway indicated an incidence of 53 per 1,000,000 in children younger than 15 years. [2] A study in Kuwait reported a higher incidence of 125 cases per 1,000,000 per year.
Hemorrhage represents the most serious complication; intracranial hemorrhage is the most significant. The mortality rate from hemorrhage is approximately 1% in children and 5% in adults. In patients with severe thrombocytopenia, predicted 5-year mortality rates from bleeding are significantly raised in patients older than 60 years versus patients younger than 40 years, 47.8% versus 2.2%, respectively. Older age and previous history of hemorrhage increase the risk of severe bleeding in adult ITP.
Spontaneous remission occurs in more than 80% of cases in children. However, it is uncommon in adults.
Sex- and Age-related Demographics
In acute ITP (children), distribution is essentially equal between males (52%) and females (48%). In chronic ITP (adults), the female-to-male ratio is 2.6:1. More than 72% of patients older than 10 years are female.
In children, peak incidence is at ages 2-4 years. Approximately 40% of all patients are younger than 10 years. In adults, peak incidence is at ages 20-50 years.
What would you like to print?
- Overview
- Presentation
- DDx
- Workup
- Treatment
- Medication
- Follow-up
- Questions & Answers
- References


text:
Aynsley – Vermont
Formal Range: Covers a extensive range of tableware matching accessories
Dinner Plate, 10.5″
Fish Plate, 9.25″
Sweet Plate, 8.25″
Cheese Plate, 7.25″
Side Plate, 6.25″
Teacup & Saucer
Ad Can & Stand
Soup Plate, 7.75
Soup Plate, 9.25
Cream Soup & Stand
Oatmeal/Coupe Soup, 6.25″
Fruit/Cereal, 5.25
Gravy Boat & Stand
Gravy Boat
Covered Veg Dish
Soup Tureen,
Baker/Open Veg Dish, 10.75″
Scallop/Salad Bowl, 9
Dish/ Platter Oval, 13.25
Dish/ Platter Oval, 15.25
Pickle Dish
Crescent Salad,
Coffee Pot 40oz,
Teapot 40oz,
Cake Plate (B&B),
Sugar Box,
Sugar Bowl (Round),
Cream Oval,
Cream Round,
Service Plate, 12.25″
Place Setting – 5 Piece,
Breakfast Cup & Saucer
Formal Tableware:
It was a tradition that households had two sets of tableware One set was for daily use and of inferior quality. The second set was for special ocassions or entertaining and usually far superior in quality. However, fashions and trends change households do less entertaining in fact there is unlikely to be one full set of tableware.


text:
If your loved one has recently been diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia, you're going to want as much information about the disease as you can find. One thing you should know is that Lewy Body Dementia, or LBD, affects roughly 1.4 million Americans. You should also know that it can be extremely difficult to obtain a diagnosis for LBD. That's because the symptoms can often mimic other disorders. However, once a diagnosis is made, immediate treatment is crucial. Here are four things you'll need to know about LBD, and how it will affect your loved one.
LBD is Not Alzheimer's Disease
When your loved one received the diagnosis of LBD, you might have immediately thought of Alzheimer's Disease. While both diseases are forms of dementia, they are significantly different. LBD is caused by a buildup of Lewy body proteins in the brain, while Alzheimer patients develop neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques in the brain. Because of these differences, LBD will affect your loved one quite differently than Alzheimer's would.
LBD Does Come with Dementia
While you're learning to deal with your loved one's diagnosis, it's important to remember that they will suffer from the affects of dementia. However, unlike Alzheimer's when the memory deteriorates gradually over time, LBD can cause a rapid onset of memory involvement. With LBD, your loved one may have fluctuations in their ability to remember people and things. For instance, your loved one may have a vivid recall of everyone and everything one day, and have no recollection of anyone the very next day. This can be very difficult for you and your family to adjust to, since you have no way of knowing whether your loved one will recognize you from one day to the next.
LBD Does Have Cognitive Fluctuations
Cognition is another area that can be difficult to adjust to once your loved one has been diagnosed with LBD. One of the problems is that LBD can cause fluctuations in cognitive ability including attention, mental alertness, and sleep patterns. You may find that your loved one falls asleep for long naps during the day, regardless of the amount of sleep they got the night before. You may also find that their ability to concentrate will fluctuate from day to day.
LBD Can Cause Vivid Hallucinations
If your loved one has been diagnosed with LBD, they may begin to suffer from vivid hallucinations. LBD may cause your loved one to experience hallucinations involving people and animals. In most cases, the hallucinations will not pose any serious risk to your loved one. However, in some cases, the hallucinations can become so vivid that your loved one will believe that someone is seeking to harm them. If your loved one experiences hallucinations that cause them to act out violently, you'll need to speak to their physician as soon as possible.
Contact a treatment center, like Lewy Body Dementia Resource Center, for more help.Share


text:
October 29, 2015
OLYMPIA, Wash. – Individuals and families looking for health insurance this fall have 15 insurers and 210 health plans to choose from, starting Nov. 1.
Health insurers requested an average rate change of 5.6 percent for their 2016 individual health plans, but the Office of the Insurance Commissioner approved 3.9 percent after a review. Actual premium amounts will vary based on the plan someone selects, their age, how many people are covered, and where they live.
Twelve insurers will sell 143 plans inside Washington's exchange, Washington Healthplanfinder and eight insurers will sell an additional 67 plans outside of the exchange. All plans must include the essential health benefits but tax credits or premium subsidies are only available for plans bought through the exchange.
"The number of choices consumers have this year is evidence that Washington state's individual market is thriving under health care reform," said Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler. "Consumers should shop around, even if they have coverage today. With this many new plans, they could find a better deal than last year. But remember – tax credits or premium subsidies are only available for health plans purchased through, the exchange, Washington Healthplanfinder."
See a map of plans and rates by county.
Insurers selling plans inside the exchange:
- Bridgespan Health Company
- Columbia United Providers
- Community Health Plan of Washington
- Coordinated Care Corporation
- Group Health Cooperative
- Health Alliance Northwest Health Plan, Inc.
- Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest
- Lifewise Health Plan of Washington
- Molina Healthcare of Washington
- Premera Blue Cross
- Regence BlueShield
- UnitedHealthcare of Washington, Inc.
Insurers selling plans outside of the exchange:
- Asuris Northwest Health
- Group Health Cooperative
- Group Health Options
- Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest
- Lifewise Health Plan of Washington
- Premera Blue Cross
- Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon
- Regence BlueShield
Moda Health Plan, Inc. of Portland, OR was previously approved to sell plans inside and outside of the exchange but is voluntarily withdrawing from the Washington state insurance market, including the individual, small, and large employer markets. The company is responsible for notifying all of its customer about its decision.
Consumers who are re-enrolling should pay close attention to their tax credit amount for 2015 as well as their premium when selecting a plan. Tax credits are based on the lowest-cost silver plan and, this year, the lowest-cost silver plan will be cheaper in many counties, resulting in a lower tax credit for some people.
Open enrollment for the individual market starts Nov. 1 and runs through Dec. 31.
# # #
Release No. 15-46


text:
Begin the harvest party fun early with free printable Halloween activity pages that combine enjoyable with learning. All the tutorial games, free printables, puzzles, exercise pages and craft sheets featured on this lens have a harvest season theme.
We let our son watch Netflix and I love that they've a kids's film part. He learns rather a lot this way, however no ads. In Physique Parts , from e-Studying for Children, kids get a tour of the human body with a guide who exhibits them the functions of each system. I never did babysit myself in my residence nation. Babysitting was not widespread there. So I wished to know the best way to play with children. This lens is great for particular person like me! Thanks!
Does your daughter ask you for a kitty like every single day? However who has time to look after a pet? It is disappointing, however they cannot have a dog or cat right now. Hey, give your youngsters the next neatest thing, a Furreal Pals Pet! And the museums' newest interactive, Smithsonian – Critically Amazing, solutions some fascinating questions that connect history, science, and the humanities. nice lens! youngsters really want to learn about using their money appropriately. it would not damage if us teenagers learned about it, too! (and then applied it to our lives!) blessings!
I discovered it essential to discuss the promoting messages in the commercials as youngsters imagine all the pieces they hear with out skepticism. We can't completely protect them from getting advertised to, so it is important that they learn how to deal with it. i agree. it's worthwhile to educate the youngsters tips on how to handle cash from an early age. Should you wait until they're in there teen it is a lot more durable as lots of them have shaped habits. dangerous ones are hard to interrupt. Candie V 6 years ago from Whereever there's wolves!! And Bikers!! Cummon Flash, We want an journey!
I grew up on cards and board video games. My fondest memory is family sport night time. We might make popcorn or another enjoyable snack, unfold the sport on the desk and luxuriate in one another's firm nose to nose. The market is broad open for a new sport changer. Who's going to make it? A distinct segment is open for the next generation of digital edutainment. ASSIST – The participant might ask anybody available for assist…this may embody calling Grandma on the cellphone.


text: One Jump Ahead at Hornchurch 9th September Posted by Kit Packham on 31 May 2018 in Gigs Related show Artist: One Jump Ahead Date: 09/09/18 Time: 8:30pm Venue: Hornchurch Conservative Club City: Hornchurch , Essex Address: 25 North Street Venue phone: 01708 442213 Country: United Kingdom Admission: £10 Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed Notes: Now one of the established roster of bands at this excellent jazz club, One Jump Ahead will play their usual lively mix of original songs and covers – although some of the latter may be somewhat different to the way you've heard everyone else play them! One of the regulars here writes lyrics and Kit Packham has set a couple of them to music. There's a good medium sized dance floor and the drinks are very reasonably priced. The band play 2 one hour sets so what's not to like? See you there! Add to Google Calendar | Download iCal


text:
[The wind of that dream lasted a horizon]
The wind of that dream lasted a horizon
of years in my stomach, leaving a lone tree
bent in the gesture of listening. That's why
my hand flickered at the dud key of an
accordion in my sleep, why the mood
of that dream took enough steps
into reality, reached the door & arrived at
breakfast, making my fist a bird too heavy
to fly from the table, tipping over a sunlit
glass of water instead. Those broken pieces
on the floor the coins that bought me
a block of ice, for years the gun frozen
at its center had my name engraved
on its handle.
[Aluminum children run holding snakeskins up...]
Aluminum children run holding snakeskins up
to every car that passes, shaking them like sleeves
of shirts drivers keep leaving behind.
Out of improvised holes, shanties cooked up
with sticks & soda cans, out of roofs that invent
rags of shade on the ground,
they emerge ecstatic to announce their market:
coyote pup, vulture fledgling, scorpions
clicking in chicken-wire cages raised like lanterns,
like a futile conjure they must attempt
hundreds of times. Hard to know– belt or boot
maker, medicine man– who ever stops to reward
their cunning. On this road only a kettle of vultures
stir the bored stadium of survival.
But the truth is, once in a while, a black
Bronco pulls over, with a rack of Ibex
horns as its hood ornament, with dice
that dance from its rear-view mirror above
a dash plated with gold, & the eagerness
of those children surrounds the opened door.
They must have a name for the exotic boot
that gravels the ground, maybe God is a man
who comes every thousand cars, lets them
recover their faces in his mirrored sunglasses.


text:
Kyle Pfortmiller made his Metropolitan Opera debut as the Marquis d'Obigny in a new production of La traviata directed by Willy Decker during the 2010-2011 season. He was heard later in the season in Capriccio and has returned to the MET as Marquis d'Obigny in La traviata in 2011-12, 2012-13, 2014-15, 2016-2017 and has also been heard as Brian's father in the New York Premiere of Nico Muhly's Two Boys, Wagner in Faust, and Simonetto in Zandonai's Francesca da Rimini and the Majordomo in Andrea Chénier.
Some of his most recent roles include his role and festival debut as Musiklehrer (Ariande auf Naxos) with Berkshire Opera Festival, his role and festival debut as Aquiio in Vivaldi's Farnace with Spoleto Festival, a return to Chautauqua Opera as Malatesta in Don Pasquale, and his festival debut with Protoype Festival (NYC) in the World Premiere of Du Yun & Royce Vavrek's Pulitzer Prize winning Angel's Bone.
Kyle has appeared with opera companies throughout the United States including the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Michigan Opera Theatre, Florida Grand Opera, Opera Carolina, Chautauqua Opera, Opera Memphis, Berkshire Opera Festival, Tulsa Opera, Sarasota Opera, Forth Worth Opera, among many others.
He made his European debut with the De Nederlandse Opera as Silvio in Pagliacci in March 2006 to critical acclaim heralded as "a voice that could give us a father Germont and other lyric roles in the great American baritone tradition of Robert Merrill."
Kyle was born in Elgin, Illinois and currently resides in New York City. He has employed his unique talent in opera, operetta and musical theatre from the contemporary to the classic. His repertoire includes the title roles in Rigoletto, Don Giovanni, and Il barbiere di Siviglia, as well Valentin (Faust), Eisenstein (Die Fledermaus), Count Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro), Silvio (Pagliacci), Henry Higgins (My Fair Lady), Billy Bigelow (Carousel), Pierre/Red Shadow (The Desert Song), Hajj, the Poet (Kismet), and Fred/Petruchio (Kiss Me Kate).


text:
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Who is a tinker, and what does a tinker do?
Simply put, a tinker is a repairer - someone who mends various contraptions, fixes broken instruments and gets into the tiny, metallic, brass-filled heart of appliances to make necessary adjustments.
In Paul Hardings' 2010 Pulitzer-Prize winning novel Tinkers, we meet two such characters: George Washington Crosby and his father, Howard Aaron Crosby.
Throughout the novel, each either tinkers with clocks, various paraphernalia in the drawers of wagons, and finally - in an attempt to revisit the past or as a result of being helplessly thrown back in time because of a hallucination - their own memories.
The novel begins with George Washington Crosby, who is suffering one such hallucination:
"George Washington Crosby began to hallucinate eight days before he died."
Using variations on that same sentence, Harding places markers throughout the novel that gradually count down the hours to the day George dies (the end of the novel).
The story itself, however, does not progress so linearly. Rather, key moments in the childhoods of both George and Howard are fleshed out in the span of 191 pages in prose that is at once devoid of quotation marks yet punctuated by italicized text and the occasional 'extract from a manual' (more on that later). Indeed, why should there be any quotation marks? After all, everything is happening inside George's/Howard's head. It is therefore fitting that Harding also heavily uses parentheses to indicate interruptions in otherwise ceaseless trains of thought - thought that is often spelled out in long, Proust-worthy sentences.
(don't feel obliged to read the quote below, but it's a great example of 1) Harding's style 2) George's reflection on death as he considers his future )
"And so this end in confusion, where when things stop I never get to know it, and this moving is the space, is that what is yet to be, which is for others to see filled wherever it may finally be in the frame when the last pieces are fitted and the others stop, and there will be the stopped pattern, the final array [...272 words...] why can't I stop all the moving and look out over the vast arrangements and find by the contours and colors and qualities of light where my father is, not to solve anything but just simple even to see it again one last time, before what, before it ends, before it stops. But it doesn't stop; it simply ends. It is a final pattern scattered without so much as a pause at the end, at the end of what, at the end of this."Apart from these long sentences, extracts taken from various manuals (e.g. The Reasonable Horologist) also appear in Tinkers and deal mostly with clocks: their parts, their history, their inner workings: time. After all, the characters are all so immersed in time and revisit it throughout the novel. In remembering his past and remembering about his father, George is 'tinkering' with time and his memory of his father. In changing his name after running away from home, Howard is tinkering with his identity.
Another defining stylistic feature of Tinkers emerges in Harding's very detailed descriptions of nature.
Here's a lovely example:
Those early flowers smelled like cold water. Their fragrance was not the still perfume of high summer; it was the mineral smell of cold, raw green. He crouched to look at a daffodil. Its six-petaled corona was fully unfurled, like a bright miniature sun. A bee crawled in its cup, massaging stigma and anther and style.Indeed, nature is omnipresent in Tinkers and tied to its characters. The mute and enigmatic Gilbert practically seems like wild nature in homo sapien form; at one point, Howard's brain is likened to branches that flare in the "metallic blue of dusk" before they are "drained from the sky."
When Howard has his epileptic seizures, a thick stick shoved into his mouth saves him from biting off his tongue and leaves him with bark caught between in teeth. So the presence of the natural world in Tinkers isn't 'light;' such an image brims with violence. Nature in this novel is described with such detail, strength and rawness that Harding's language itself is what powerfully transforms the experience of reading Tinkers. His diction, although not always reader-friendly, is what magnifies an otherwise short 192-page novel into a work that transcends time.
I don't think Tinkers changed my life or is a book that will, mostly due to its inaccessible prose. But I can still see why it won the Pulitzer - Tinkers is deep despite its brevity, thought-provoking and absolutely, ABSOLUTELY beautifully written.
Choose any hour on the clock. It is possible, then, to conceive that the clock's purpose is to return the hands back to that time, a time which, from the moment chosen, the hands leave and skate across the rest of the clock's painted signs and calibrations and numbers. These other markings on the face become irrelevant in themselves; they are now simply clues pointing in the direction of the chosen time. It is then possible, too, to conceive of the clock's gears and springs as each having its own intrinsic function, but within a whole mechanism, the larger purpose of which is to return to the chosen time. In this manner, the clock resembles the universe.
Your cold mornings are filled with the heartache about the fact that although we are not at ease in this world, it is all we have, that it is ours but that it is full of strife, so that all we can call our own is strife; but even that is better than nothing at all, isn't it?
And as the ax bites into the wood, be comforted in the fact that the ache in your heart and the confusion in your soul means that you are still alive, still human, and still open to the beauty of the world, even though you have done nothing to deserve it. And when you resent the ache in your heart, remember : You will be dead and buried soon enough.View all my reviews


text:
Beijing Qianmen Street Photos
Qianmen Street Photos – Lying on Beijing's historical central axis just south of Tian'anmen Square and the Forbidden City, the newly renovated Qianmen Street is fast becoming one of the most popular sites for a walking tour in the Chinese capital.
Take a virtual walking tour of Qianmen Street by enjoying these beautiful and representative photos and pictures of Qianmen taken by our customers and real travelers.
Click on the image for a large version and view!
Beijing's historic street cars: 'diang diang che' started running up and down the street
The fabulous dining lobby of well-famous Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant.
Most typical site: a Beijing local selling the candied haws on sticks.
Here, have a close-up to the delicious candied haws on sticks
Neiliansheng shoe store is famous for making cloth shoes.
Two statue figures of Qing Dynasty. The famale one is supposed to be Dowager Cixi.
the outside of the Ruifuxing Store at night
Ruifuxiang is famous for its silk and satin with over 110 years old.
Some 200 meters south of Qianmen, you can see the Dashanlan
- To Qianmen Street Guide Page
- To Beijing Photo Gallery Page
Recommended Beijing Private Tour Packages
- Half Day Beijing Night Show Tour from US$58
- Half Day Classic Beijing Hutong Rickshaw Tour: Gulou & Local Family from US$80
- 1 Day Olympic Village and Summer Palace Tour from US$86
- 1 Day Beijing Classic Tour from US$39
- 1 Day Badaling Great Wall & Ming Tombs Tour from US$50
- 2 Days Soul of Beijing Tour from US$209
- 2 Days Beijing City Break/Beijing Stopover Trip from US$202
- 3 Days Beijing Essence City Break from US$290
- 3 Days Beijing Essence Tour Package with Hutong Rickshaw from US$326
- 4 Days Classic Beijing Tour Package from US$327
- 4 Days Beijing Classic Tour Package with Hutong Rickshaw from US$333
- 5 Days Experience the Real Traditional Hutong Life from US$445
- 5 Days Beijing Highlights Tour Package with Great Wall Hiking from US$419
- 6 Days In-depth Great Wall Experience Tour from US$598
- 6 Days Discover the Imperial College & Confucius Education from US$499
- 7 Days Beijing Side Trip to Chengde from US$679
- 7 Days Beijing Eco-friendly & Green Adventure Tour from US$564
- 8 Days Beijing Cultural and Historical Immersion Tour Package from US$753


text:
A Mystical Ceremony
About Us
About the Minister
About the Process
All About You
Customizing Your Ceremony
Words of Grace
Our Services
The Photographer
Wilderness Weddings
Pricing Schedule
Hints & Tips
Photo Albums
Charming Locations& Preferred Vendors
Contact Us
Planned everything else months ago and now(whoops!) need a minister on short notice?
We honor all faithsand traditions!
Visit us on Facebook!
Visit us on Facebook!
If you are seeking an imaginative and original way to enhance or celebrate an extraordinary occasion, an officiant who will respect your beliefs, listen to your wishes, and perform the ideal, customized ceremony on your special day, or just a little guidance in creating the wedding of your dreams...
You are in the right place!
Update: We are currently on hiatus and will resume booking services in the Fall of 2018.
We specialize in Wilderness & Remote Locations!
Arizona, wedding, marriage, ceremony, commitment, ceremonies, rite, ritual, blessing, rites of passage,handfasting, same-sex union, officiate, ministry, clergy, minister, officiant, non-denominational, spiritual, vow, outdoor, travel, short notice, Grand Canyon, mountain, climb, climbing, mountaineering, Krawarik, mystical, wilderness, back country, remote location, photography, 2009-08-23


text:
DISCLAIMER: AC line (mains) voltage is not something to be taken lightly! Attempting to safely handle line voltages while minimizing the risk of harmful or fatal electric shock is the main motivator for me to design and build this circuit. However, I am no electronics engineer and I definitely have no formal training on international standards pertaining to high-voltage safety. I accept no responsibility, direct or indirect, for any damages that may occur if you attempt to make this circuit yourself, including personal harm or property damage. Additionally, there is no warranty or guarantee, express or implied, on any content pertaining to this blog post (or any other posts).
UPDATE (November 19, 2018): Added isolation voltage ratings for the amplifier and DC-DC converter.
As seen on Hackaday!
Back in mid-2017 I won a Keysight DSOX1102G digital storage oscilloscope (DSO), a piece of equipment long on my wish list but never acquired until then. One thing I've wanted to be able to measure with an oscilloscope for a long time was the waveform of the AC utility (in other words, the wall outlet). However, doing so presents a very real risk of blowing equipment up or shocking yourself (and possibly other people). In order to prevent this, I needed a way to perform measurements on the AC line without being directly connected to it; in other words, I need galvanic isolation.
Continue reading


text:
This is a sneak peek at my devotional thoughts for Sunday morning's communion service. Last minute meditation givers are free to use it with proper attribution.
"We're All Here Because We're Not All There". I saw those Poignant words on a bumper sticker in Atlanta. It advertises the unofficial motto of a part of town called "Little Five Points". It's were all the weird hippies and cool kids hang out. I think what their trying to say is 'you gotta be crazy to hang around this place!' I would tend to agree. If you ever get there you might meet Wolf.
Wolf has been homeless a long time. Once upon a time I worked with a ministry called Jesus Place, and about 10-15 years before I came to work there, Jesus Place had a presence in Little Five Points. At that time, it's where a lot of homeless people and run away kids liked to hang out. Wolf was there then, and he was there when I started working with Jesus Place. Of all the things Wolf was famous for, the most famous was probably for sleeping in a tree in a park near Little Five Points. When I asked why he slept in a tree, his answer was "Because it's against the law to sleep on the ground." I'm pretty sure Wolf slept in that tree because he "wasn't all there."
I can relate to Wolf. I do things that make perfect sense to me that seem crazy to other people, especially when it comes to faith. Sooner or later, someone is going to think we are out of our minds for believing that our savior died, was buried, and rose again, furthermore, that he's coming back. Let's read 2 Peter 3:1-9:
1This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2 that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, 3knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, "Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation." 5For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.When we read our Bibles cover to cover, it's hard to comprehend the amount of time that passes between events. We forget that from the time the Israelites leave the promise land to the time that Jesus comes, is about fifteen hundred years. We forget that it took a little while for God to get mad enough at the world to destroy it in flood, and we forget that it took a little while for Noah to build the Ark. It may yet even be a little while longer before the Lord returns. Until then, Jesus wants us to do one thing together, the very thing we do together every Sunday morning. He wants us to remember the new covenant. We come together on the first day of the week to remember that one day, this world will pass, and there will be no more pain! We remember that our sins have been forgiven, and they will haunt us no more! We remember the awesome and powerful words Jesus spoke right before he departed from the disciples after rising from the dead: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
8But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
-English Standard Version
Let's remember that we are all here, around this table, because we are not all there YET!


text:
Sometimes the hardest part of a divorce is waiting for it to be over. One frequently asked question is, "How long will a divorce take?" Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to that question. Every case is different. A simple divorce may only take a few months, while complicated divorces can take a year or more to complete.
Elimination of Waiting Period
Throughout the end of 2015, Illinois has a waiting period for people seeking a divorce based on irreconcilable differences. However, after January 1, 2016, the waiting period will be eliminated. So long as the Illinois residency requirements are met, a divorce can happen as quickly as it takes to get all the paperwork executed and moved through the court.
How Much is There to Fight About?
The major factor that determines how long a divorce will take is how much the parties have to fight about. The more property there is and the more disagreement there is, the longer a divorce will take.
If both sides are fighting to have the children live with them primarily, child and spousal support issues, and property division, the divorce will take longer to complete.
Part of the divorce process in cases with a lot of conflict is a lengthy discovery period. This means that both sides have the chance to request documents, order depositions, and send written interrogatories to each other. The discovery process is an important tool for discovering all of the assets in a case, and for learning about each side's fitness to be a parent. However, discovery makes divorce cases take longer.
Coming to Court With an Agreement
The sooner the two sides can come to agreement, the sooner the divorce will be over. Sometimes the existence of a prenuptial agreement or a postnuptial agreement can keep the divorce process moving smoothly. However, if one side decides to contest any agreements, those issues will have to be resolved before the divorce can become final.
During the course of a divorce case, the parties are always able to come to a settlement. Often mediation is a useful tool in forging an agreement, even when the two sides seem far apart on many issues.
Even if a complete settlement is not possible, the parties can come to a partial settlement as to specific issues. Even small agreements will speed up the process.
If you are considering filing for divorce, or you have any questions about property division, custody, or support, please consult with an experienced DuPage County family law lawyer. Call Sullivan Taylor, Gumina & Palmer, P.C. today at 630-665-7676 to schedule a consultation today.


text:
Cotacachi Real Estate
El Encanto (The Enchantment)
A Premier Development in Cotacachi--23 Houses
Exterior view
City: Cotacachi. Short walk to City center.
Province: Imbabura
Type of Residence: Single-family, brick colonial Spanish style
Dimensions: Approximately 1299-1958 ft2 (120-182 m2)
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
Home Features: Custom-designed home by famous Ecuadorian architect Patricio Falconi. With lots of interior wood, granite countertops, custom cabinets and great views.
Grounds: Lot sizes 5382 ft2 (500 m2) to 7000 ft2 (650 m2)
Price: houses with lots range from $125k to $168k. Large communal green space/gardens. Includes fabulous clubhouse with pool and sauna. Stable available.
Click here for more information about the development.


text:
Science policy weekly roundup: June 1, 2018
Episode 9 of "Pipettes and Politics" is now available.
Episode 9 of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology science policy podcast, "Pipettes and Politics," is available. The ASBMB public affairs staff provides an update on the fiscal year 2019 appropriations, the ASBMB August is for Advocacy campaign, and the progress of the ASBMB Advocacy Training Program. Staff also analyze the recent National Academies report on graduate STEM education for the 21st century. Listen to this episode on Soundcloud, iTunes or Stitcher.
National Academies releases report on graduate STEM education
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released a series of recommendations to improve graduate STEM education for the 21st century. The report includes a description of an ideal graduate education and a list of recommendations for multiple stakeholders such as universities and professional societies to implement. The recommendations highlight the need for increased diversity, better mental health resources, and improved career development resources. Read the report here.
The NAS will explore changing its bylaws to expel academy members who have committed sexual harassment. Previously, NAS declined to remove members because they had been elected to lifelong terms. More than 2,700 people have signed a petition urging NAS to remove members who have been "sanctioned for sexual harassment, retaliation, and assault." Read more here.


text:
Partying at Nikki Beach
September 3, 2014
Nikki Beach knows how to cure your hangover: waterfalling back in with a beach party and buffet. Jeninne Lee-St. John spends her days-of-rest in a hedonistic blur of bounties that put soporific brunches to shame.
Published on Sep 3, 2014
If you don't think a motorcycle-mounted belly dancer zooming around the pool with sparklers to a dramatic soundtrack straight out of a Rocky movie is the most effective way for bar staff to deliver that guy's magnum of champagne, then this probably isn't the brunch for you. If, however, you'd take your waffles and wontons with a healthy side of live saxophone, signature sangria and near Cirque de Soleil-level acrobatics, then spend your Sunday sunning at Nikki Beach. Because that guy just might buy a round of bubbly for the entire place, which is a surefire way to get everyone dancing on the daybeds.
Jamming with the saxist in Samui
Not that they'd necessarily need more incentive. DJs spin poolside, outlandishly attired models pose and preen, that roaming saxist serenades, and hip-shakers groove on platforms—happy to take the hands of little kids who clamber up. Yes, this is relatively wholesome fun for a broad age range, having been named, after all, for the beloved daughter of the brand's founder.
Local b-boys battle atop the pool.
Ah, but wait. We're talking about brunch, which more than holds its ground here in a vast party-spanning spread. Jive and sway as you load your plate with everything from omelettes to sushi, Thai noodles to raw oysters. The carnivore station has been known to boast three kinds of beef, though I'm also partial to the porchetta with extra-thick crackling. And take this tip from an insuppressible DIYer: Stop by the prosciutto carver and then pick up some camembert or emmental at the cheese station before hitting up the mainly sweets-stocked crêperie to custom-order yourself a savory, melty galette.
Raw oysters and fresh seafood at Nikki Beach
Brunch ends at 4, but the fiesta rocks on until the last merrymakers boogie off their daybeds—dusk or beyond, in the high season. At this point, if you're in Samui, you'll be thanking the gods that this Nikki Beach, the first in Asia, is the brand's only location with an attached hotel. Makes it a lot easier to drag yourself off to one of the 48 suites, bungalows or villas.
Nikki Beach Samui 96/3 Moo 2, Lipa Noi; +66 77 914 500; nikkibeach.com. At both, Amazing Sunday Brunch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Reservations required.
See All Articles...
Related Articles
- Discovering Batanes in the Philippines' Verdant North
- Exploring Tibet's Kham Region
- Here's What It's Like To Eat At Singapore's Most Expensive Restaurant
- This Is How to Eat Your Way Through Osaka
- Return to Paradise: Boracay's Green Comeback
- Three New Resorts in Remote Vietnam Highlight the Country's Layered History
- The Guide to Family Travel for Every Kind of Family
- How Becoming a Father Changed the Way I Travel
- Why You Need to Visit This Dreamy Malaysian Island
- Snacking Across Vietnam's Ancient Capital


text:
Alameda, California (EastBayDaily) — Leading ecobeauty and wellness products company, Skin, Mind, Body Essentials (SMB Essentials), is pleased to announce the launch of its newly redesigned website.
The new website showcases their family of brands, Lotus Moon, Plain Jane Beauty and DetoxRx all under one roof. Now customers can add any of their favorite natural, organic and cruelty-free skin, body and hair care, mineral makeup and body detoxification products to one shopping cart.
This was also the perfect way to introduce the brand new Rewards Program. With every qualifying purchase, customers will earn points that can be used for cash discounts on future purchases. In addition, we started a Friday only one-day special on a mystery product that is only revealed on Fridays.
"We wanted to find a way to reward our loyal customers and welcome new ones," says Chief Ecobeauty Officer (CEO), Lake Louise.
This expansion of product lines over the past year has made the management of various websites inefficient. Therefore the ground was set to bring the family together – http://www.smbessentials.com is now home to all four brands. However, each brand will continue to have their own unique website to maintain the brand identity of each product line.
The premiere line, Lotus Moon, was launched in 2002. The blended symbolism of the lotus and the moon embodies SMB Essentials. From the beginning they have strived to identify the various needs of their customers and rigorously researched ingredients in order to perfect Lotus Moon formulations. In 2008 they began the creation, development, and introduction of their second brand: DetoxRx, a line of wellness and detoxification products; most recently, they have put out Plain Jane Beauty, a line of natural and organic cosmetics. In the Summer of 2013, they will present their latest creation: SON, a grooming and skin care line for men!
About Skin Mind Body Essentials: Skin Mind Body (SMB) Essentials is a natural and organic skincare, cosmetics and wellness products company producing popular brands Lotus Moon, Plain Jane Beauty, DetoxRx and SON to address the beauty, grooming and wellness needs of men and women. Founded in 2002; the company is run by Chief Eco-Beauty Officer (CEO) and founder Lake Louise. Combining her passion for sustainability, beauty and whole body wellness, these products are effective yet affordable, all while having minimal impact on the environment. To see what SMB Essentials can do for you and your skin, mind and body, visit http://www.smbessentials.com.
Michelle Stewart
Skin Mind Body Essentials LLC


text:
To follow up on yesterday's posting (Click Here), we now all know that MP's held their vote last night after a full day's debate over the proposed Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill.
Anyone who's been watching the news will know the results, but I'll post them anyway: the bill has been passed by a vote of by 400 to 175 (a majority of 225). According to the BBC Website:
Their decision to back the bill at second reading signifies that they approve of it in principle. The legislation will now receive more detailed parliamentary scrutiny.
If it becomes law, the bill will enable same-sex couples, who are currently able to engage in civil partnerships, to get married in both civil and religious ceremonies – the latter only with the consent of religious institutions.
Of course, whenever anyone brings up same-sex marriage there's always talk about the churches and their 'rights'. I personally think the churches have way too much say in all this, especially when I don't believe most gay people will suddenly want their weddings in a church that doesn't accept them.
However this bill has specifically stated that churches will not be 'forced' to perform same-sex marriages, and there have been stipulations put in place in this bill to safeguard them.
The 'quadruple lock' as promised by Culture Secretary Maria Miller for religious groups who oppose gay marriage involve:
- No religious organisation or individual minister being compelled to marry same-sex couples or to permit this to happen on their premises
- Making it unlawful for religious organisations or their ministers to marry same-sex couples unless their organisation's governing body has expressly opted in to provisions for doing so
- Amending the 2010 Equality Act to ensure no discrimination claim can be brought against religious organisations or individual ministers for refusing to marry a same-sex couple
- The legislation explicitly stating that it will be illegal for the Church of England and the Church in Wales to marry same-sex couples
Meaning, if the big guys upstairs haven't said yes, the little minister around the corner who thinks everyone is equal can't perform the marriage.
You know, I can kind of understand that these religious organisations need this kind of pandering to try and make them feel better about the whole issue (it hasn't, they continue to lobby against the bill anyway..). But it makes me think 'What are they truly afraid of?'.
It's not like we're planning to take over their churches, synagogues, or mosques (yes, it's not just the Catholics or Anglicans..), or force them to perform some unspeakable act during a marriage ceremony.
All the gay community is looking for is to be treated equal to their straight counterparts. And let's be honest, a 'civil partnership' is not the same thing and perpetuates the notion that same-sex relationships are not as valid as heterosexual ones, and the legal rights are still not exactly the same as those conferred by marriage.
Home Secretary Theresa May and Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone say:
"Put simply, it's not right that a couple who love each other and want to formalise a commitment to each other should be denied the right to marry."
It's great to see common sense is finally paving the way towards proper equality.


text:
Forest River RV Sunseeker 3270S Ford Motor Home Class C For Sale
Forest River Sunseeker Class C gas motorhome 3270S Ford highlights:
- Bunk Beds
- Master Suite
- Sleeps Nine
- Full-Wall Slide
This Sunseeker Class C gas motorhome is exactly what you should be looking at when it comes to traveling with a larger amount of people. A full-wall slide, a set of bunk beds, and plenty of space to entertain a few guests are just a few of the features that you will enjoy in this model. You will find that there are seatbelts in each of the seating options in this unit to keep your passengers safe while you are traveling. The rear master suite gives the owners some privacy at night with its own private entry into the bathroom, and your kids will just love the bunks or the bunk over the cab for sleeping!
Forest River RV Sunseeker motorhomes come in a few different color choices for the interior and exterior. The block foam insulation helps to keep all the warm or cold air in, and each model has a one-piece fiberglass front cap which allows for enhanced aerodynamics. Most of the models also have heated/enclosed holding tanks to make sure everything stays nice and protected in every season, and all of the Sunseeker models by Forest River are "Certified Green" by TRA Certification.We have 2 3270S Ford availableView Inventory
Sleeps 9 Slides 1 Length 31 ft 11 in Ext Width 8 ft 5 in Ext Height 11 ft 3 in Int Height 0 ft Interior Color Stone, Khaki, Hazelnut Exterior Color Standard, Oxford, Topaz Hitch Weight 7500 lbs Gross Weight 14500 lbs Fresh Water Capacity 44 gals Grey Water Capacity 39 gals Black Water Capacity 39 gals Furnace BTU 30000 btu Generator 4.0KW Onan Microquiet Fuel Type Gasoline Chassis Ford Fuel Capacity 55 gals Wheelbase 220 in Number Of Bunks 3 Available Beds Queen Refrigerator Type Double Door Refrigerator Size 6 cu ft Cooktop Burners 3 Number of Awnings 1 Axle Weight Front 5000 lbs Axle Weight Rear 9600 lbs Water Heater Capacity 6 gal Water Heater Type DSI Gas/Electric AC BTU 13500 btu TV Info LR LED TV Awning Info 16' Electric with LED Lights Gross Combined Weight 22000 lbs Shower Type Radius Electrical Service 30 amp
Similar Motor Home Class C Floorplans
Motor Home Class C
A FULL WALL SLIDE and BUNK BEDS!
- 26 Photos
- 1 Tour
- Stock #: 12977
- Length: 31 ft 11 in
- Location: Windsor Locks, CT
- Sleeps up to 9
- List Price: $112,439
- Save: $18,970
- Our Price: $93,469
- Payments from: $504 /mo.
- 27 Photos
- 1 Tour
- Stock #: 13050
- Length: 31 ft 11 in
- Location: Windsor Locks, CT
- Sleeps up to 9
- List Price: $112,862
- Payments from: $608 /mo.
Longview RV Superstores is not responsible for any misprints, typos, or errors found in our website pages. Any price listed excludes sales tax, registration tags, and delivery fees. Manufacturer-provided pictures, specifications and features may be used as needed. Inventory shown may be only a partial listing of the entire inventory. Please contact us at 800-516-9058 for availability as our inventory changes rapidly. All calculated payments are an estimate only and do not constitute a commitment that financing or a specific interest rate or term is available.