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The dust has settled at the Capitol after a long weekend of legislative triage.
With the fate of hundreds of bills now decided, the result is a reminder that defining Jerry Brown is not easy, if not altogether impossible.
Labor invested heavily in Brown's return to the governorship, bankrolling TV ads last year that helped him counter massive spending by his Republican opponent, Meg Whitman.
U.S. & World
But getting a solid return on that investment was never a sure thing.
Pundits are fond of referring to an old Brown quote about his "canoe" theory of governing; paddle a little to the left, a little to the right, to maintain a straight course. This weekend provided a reminder of that.
Brown's blizzard of bill decisions handed labor some big wins.
He signed, for example, SB 202, which moves all future initiatives to the fall ballot. That will help unions defeat a pending measure that would retrict their ability to raise campaign cash.
He also signed AB 183, which bans the sale of alcoholic beverages unless the transaction is processed by a checkout clerk, not a self-serve machine.
And he signed AB22, which prevents employers from using credit checks in making hiring decisions.
But the governor also handed labor some significant setbacks.
He vetoed SB 469, which would've required Wal Mart and other big box stores to pay for expensive economic reports.
He vetoed SB 931, which would've stopped employers from saving money by paying some employees with debit cards. And he vetoed a measure that would've mandated employers to give workers three days of bereavement leave.
The tug-of-war between business and labor is just one measuring point on the yardstick.
He also surprised the legislature by vetoing a bill that would've required state agencies to prepare detailed justifications for their spending.
"A siren song" of reform, the governor said, that would have us "bask in the pretense that it is some panacea for our budget woes."
Instead, he said it would result in thousands of hours of make-work.
Brown's bill marathon this weekend, punctuated by often-tart comments, is a reminder, if we needed it, that he doesn't mind if his "canoe" theory continues to make waves.
Let us know what you think. Comment below, send us your thoughts via Twitter @PropZero or add your comment to our Facebook page.


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Tagged: Washington & Jefferson College
Ballfields of PA: Washington Park
Recently, I visited a ballfield that I used to play on quite a bit. When I attended college at Washington & Jefferson, I would often drive to Washington Park to hit some baseballs. I hadn't been back to this field since 2003, so since Amy, Olivia and I were in the area – we decided to pay a visit.
Washington Park is a pretty big park, and the baseball field is near the main entrance, behind the tennis courts.
This is the view from behind the left field fence. Not much had changed here in 8 years except for a newer fence.
Here is a view from behind the pitchers mound:
You can see that there are trees behind the plate and also in foul territory, thereby making it possible to lose your foul balls. The park is surrounded by a small cliff though, which should help in narrowing down the areas that you'll have to search.
By the way, have a look at the dugouts. Meh:
Rather than doing a panorama, I took a picture of each field from home plate.
Looking out towards left field:
To center field:
And to right field:
The field has some decent dimensions. However, they aren't marked, so I brought a tape measure to make sure that I could get an accurate reading.
Left Field is 305 feet. Center field is about 340. Right field is 305.
It was time to hit and see if I could still take one out of here. The goal for the day was to smash one off of the scoreboard beyond the left field fence:
I used to do that on occasion back in the day and scare the heck out of tennis players who were standing several feet away. It makes a loud bang similar to a gunshot.
Amy and Olivia stood nearby and took some great action photos.
I'm not sure if it's because I have been visiting these parks and hitting more frequently, or because I've been hitting the gym on a regular basis – but I was launching balls today.
Ball after ball sailed over the left center field fence.
Here is a video that Amy took of a home run that clears the scoreboard in left field. If you watch it on full screen, you'll see it land and basically stay put since the grass was so soft. I also say, "Scoreboard! Scoreboard!" Anticipating the loud boom – but the ball cleared it. Olivia offers some color commentary at the end. If you have 11 seconds, here you go:
The only balls that didn't go out today, were line drives that I slightly got on top of.
I ended up taking twenty swings. Eleven of those swings resulted in home runs being hit over the left field fence. What a round!
And, by the way, I did hit one of the eleven off of the scoreboard. On my third to last swing. Mission accomplished. Here's the ball:
Condition: C
Dimensions: A
Location/Surrounding Area: C+
Parking/Access: A
The field isn't exactly in a picturesque location, but parking is easy. You just have to walk a little ways around the tennis courts to the field. The only way into the field is to walk the whole way down to the dugouts and enter by the on deck circle, as the entire field is encircled by a fence. I like the dimensions of the field, but it appears that the field isn't extremely well taken care of. Granted, its the fall – but even if the grass was well manicured and the infield had been dragged, the field just wouldn't look that great to me.
By the way, prior to going to Washington Park, Amy took me to the Washington Animal Shelter to volunteer. We were going to take a dog on a walk.
We went back into the cages and looked at all of the poor homeless dogs. There was a lot of barking and noise, but Olivia didn't seem to mind.
Finally, we selected Shadow, a 10 year old German Shepherd whose family had to give her up because they lost their jobs and home.
Here were are taking a walk.
It brought back memories of my two German Shepherds that I had when growing up.
Links to other fields that I've hit at and reviewed for the Ballparks of PA Series:
Riverfront Park, Boston
Wylie Park, Elizabeth
Peterswood Park, Peters Township

subset: commoncrawl


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Checking in on… the Big WestPosted by Brian Goodman on March 3rd, 2011
Ryan ZumMallen, the RTC correspondent for the Big West, is the Sports Editor for The Long Beach Post and a contributor to SLAM Magazine. You can also find him on Twitter (@RyanZumMallen).
A Look Back
Life in the Big West Conference has taken quite a turn, as one team ran away with the championship as is now looking like a significant player on the mid-major scene, while at least four other teams are doing some last-minute jockeying before the conference tournament at the Honda Center in Anaheim next week.
Since we're being honest, Long Beach State is the clear class of the conference. The 49ers are winners of eight straight going into their Wednesday night game at UC Riverside, including an 18-point home victory over Montana in their ESPN BracketBusters contest (one of only two Big West teams to win their BracketBusters game).
But the race ain't over yet. Cal Poly uses an absolutely suffocating defense to win seven out of their last nine, good enough to secure a second-place seed in the Big West tourney. On their heels are Pacific and Cal State Northridge, who each have two games remaining to settle their current tie. The Tigers seem to have righted the ship after a rough start and Northridge's potent offensive attack is apparently enough to overcome depth issues.
As well as the top four are playing, no one wants to face defending conference champion UC Santa Barbara in the first round. Terrible play of late has left them stalled in fifth place – the Gauchos really need a point guard and also can't rebound. UCSB still has two of the best scorers in the Big West in terms of ability, but rumors of infighting seem to have created a rift between guards Orlando Johnson and James Nunally.
POY Watch: Hand the trophy to Casper Ware right now. The Long Beach State point guard stands just 5'10, but that hasn't made it any easier for Big West opponents to squash him. Ware has scored 20 or more points in five of the last seven games and ranks second in the conference in scoring. His assists have fallen a bit since last season with the increased scoring load, but his importance to Long Beach State's March Madness hopes cannot be overstated. Teammate Larry Anderson has also played a stellar year and ranks in the top ten in the conference in points, rebounds, assists and steals (which he leads). Sam Willard of Pacific has also played exceptionally this season and put the Tigers on his back when they stumbled mid-season.
Power Rankings
1. Long Beach State (19-10, 13-2): Just one regular season game left against Riverside, and the 49ers look more focused than ever with their sights set squarely on an NCAA Tourney berth. All five starters are averaging better than 10 PPG and any previous concerns about depth seem to be shored up. Below, the 49ers clinch the conference title in front of a raucous crowd:
2. Cal Poly (15-13, 10-5): The Mustangs, led by high scorers Shawn Lewis and David Hanson at each over 15 PPG, are the only Big West team holding opponents under .400 shooting from the field. That's bad news for their final regular season opponent, UC Santa Barbara, and anyone they face in the conference tournament.
3. Pacific (16-12, 8-6): A double-overtime loss at UC Irvine last week was a major setback for the Tigers, but albatross-wingspanned forward Sam Willard is a force inside and you do… not… bet against head coach Bob Thomason.
4. Cal State Northridge (12-16, 8-6): If the Matadors had a third scoring option, they would be a lock for the three-seed here, but as it stands, they rely almost completely on power forward Lenny Daniel and combo guard Rashaun McLemore. It's truly a testament to the bond of this team that they've made it here. Northridge is very inexperienced beyond their two best players and we'll see how that plays out come Big West tourney time.
5. UC Santa Barbara (14-13, 7-8): It's not been good news in Santa Barbara recently as the Gauchos have lost six of nine in the most crucial part of the season. It's possible that they even drop another spot in the standings. Not what we expected this season from the defending champs.
6. UC Irvine (13-17, 6-9): Huge win over Pacific last week – the second of back-to-back 2OT victories – and forward Eric Wise (15.7 PPG and 8.2 RPG) is playing above himself recently, a perfect compliment for versatile forward Darren Moore (17.3 PPG and 6.0 RPG). All you need to do damage in the Big West is two effective weapons and the Anteaters are playing well at the right time.
7. UC Riverside (10-17, 5-9): Losers of five straight, the Highlanders need to beat either Long Beach or Irvine if they don't want to face the 49ers in the first round of the conference tournament.
8. Cal State Fullerton (9-19, 5-9): After showing encouraging signs to start the season, Fullerton has fallen off and dropped five straight games. They can score, all right, but the Titans haven't held an opponent under 70 points since January 22.
9. UC Davis (9-19, 3-11) -1 vs Northridge vs Fullerton: The Aggies have almost certainly worked themselves out of a spot in the conference tournament, so their remaining games against Northridge and Fullerton are worth watching only in the Matadors' race for third place.
A Look Ahead
The Big West took a big leap this season by scheduling the conference tournament at the Honda Center, a much larger and more visible venue than their former digs at the Anaheim Convention Center. Will it pay off? Tough to say. There is a lot of buzz around Long Beach State right now and the campus' close proximity to the arena would normally mean big profits, but ticket costs are so high the Big West may price out their own fans. Whatever happens, the higher-ups have to be rooting for the 49ers.


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Bill Taylor
Head Coach
|(615) 966-7152
|(615) 966-1806
|Follow https://twitter.com/BillTaylorCoach
This is the twelfth year Bill Taylor has led the Men's and Women's Cross Country and Track & Field programs at Lipscomb University. During his time at Lipscomb, the program has seen a dramatic rise into the regional and national picture at the NCAA Division I level.
Taylor's Women's Cross Country teams have won six consecutive ASUN Conference Championships (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016), while the men's cross country team has won four of the past five ASUN Championships (2013, 2014, 2015, 2017).
Taylor's highlights at Lipscomb include:
-ASUN XC Champions:
Women: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
Men: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017
-Five NCAA Division I All-American honors in track and field
-Madi Talbert, 2016 US Olympic Trials Qualifier, Steeplechase
-NCAA Division I Indoor National Championship qualifiers: Gemikal Prude: High Jump, 2014
-NCAA Division I Outdoor National Championship qualifiers: Madi Talbert: Steeplechase, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016. Gemikal Prude: High Jump, 2014. 2015.
-NCAA Outdoor National Championship Prelim qualifiers: Courtney Brenner, 10,000m 2018. Wayne Newman, 110m High Hurdles 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 & 400m Hurdles 2016, 2017, 2018, Ryan Speer, 800m 2018, Kacey Kemper 3000m Steeplechase 2017. Juan Gonzalez 10,000m 2017. Madi Talbert, Steeplechase 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 & 5000m 2015, Barbara Lee Ball 10,000m 2016. Paige Stoner, Steeplechase 2015 & 5000m 2015, Sally Larson, 5000m 2015 & 10,000m 2016, Karly Hibbard, Javelin 2015, Gemikal Prude, High Jump 2014, 2015, 2016. Colin Dempster, 400m 2014, Tucker Peabody, 100m 2014 & 200m 2012, 2014. Kendra Lobley Steeplechase 2012, Dani Walker, 5000m 2012.
-96 ASUN individual champion honors. 434 All-ASUN athlete honors.
-ASUN COY honors for women's XC 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and men's XC 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017.
-86 of 95 men's and women's school records have been set.
-USTFCCCA National Academic Honors for all teams every year. Women ranked first in the nation 2015 NCAA Division I Track and Field for team GPA. Men ranked first in the nation 2009.
-Team has conducted eight mission trips to LA, Belize, Haiti twice, Jamaica and most recently the Dominican Republic three times.
Prior to Lipscomb, Taylor coached 11 years at the collegiate level, five years at the high school level and two years privately coaching elite runners.
From 1994 to 2004 he created and guided the Northwest University (Kirkland, WA) Cross Country and Track programs to national prominence. In particular, the women's distance program at Northwest rose to an elite level.
His 2002 Women's team won the NAIA National Cross Country Championship and his 2003 team finished second in the nation. From 2000 to 2003 (his final season at Northwest), his women finished in the top seven nationally every year and added two top ten national finishes in indoor track as well.
From 1999 to 2003 his women's cross country teams boasted a 98 percent winning percentage against all competition and an 84 percent winning percentage against NCAA Division I competition.
Along the way his women picked up four consecutive Cascade Conference Championships and two Regional Championships. His peers honored him with 17 Conference, Regional and National Coach of the Year honors.
In total Taylor coached 52 Athletic All-Americans, 31 Academic All-Americans, 201 National Qualifiers and 53 Cascade Conference Champions at Northwest University.
Kristina Proticova won individual National Championships in the Indoor 3000m and the 3000m Steeplechase and set the Slovakian National Record for the steeplechase while at Northwest.
In the Spring of 2012, Taylor and his 2002 Northwest University NAIA Women's Cross Country National Championship team were inducted into the Northwest University Athletics Hall of Fame.
In 2006-07, Taylor served as an assistant coach with the Women's Cross Country and Track programs at Belmont University, helping them regain the 2006 Atlantic Sun Cross Country championship.
A native of the Seattle, Wash., area, Coach Taylor and his family moved to Nashville in 2006. Taylor has a Bachelor's degree from Belmont University, a Master's degree in Conflict Management from Lipscomb University, and holds USATF Level I and II (Endurance) Coaching certification. He also has earned certifications in Emotional Intelligence (EQ-I 2.0), Executive/Leadership Coaching (Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coaching), and Facilitation (Leadership Strategies Effective Facilitator). He is also Co-Founder of Limitless Capability, a Management Consulting and Talent Development firm.
When he has time, he enjoys reading, writing, hiking, outdoor sports, watching any sport, marksmanship, fitness, and relieving stress on a set of drums. In the past he served six years as a 19D Cavalry Scout with the Washington Army National Guard and volunteered for 16 years with Snohomish County Search & Rescue.
Most of all, he enjoys spending time with his family. He and his wife Tabetha have been married for 30 years. They have two daughters, Bella and Ellie and they reside in Nolensville, Tennessee.


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I don't know what movie the CinemaSins guy watched to come up with seven minutes' worth of problems, but it couldn't have been the original Robocop — the movie is perfect.
Okay, so maybe it was perfect to whichever version of me first watched it back in 1987. Thing is, that weird little bastard, with his popped collar and feathered hair (oh, hair), still lives on inside me, drinking Slurpees and reading comic books. He'd be offended if he weren't such an idiot.


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Home improvement store Menards pulled plans to build in O'Fallon, Missouri.
The company blamed Obama for the decision.
KMOV reported:
Advertisement - story continues below
The city of O'Fallon Missouri will lose potential tax revenue after the home improvement store Menards pulled out of plans to establish a location in the area. The company is blaming the Obama administration for the project's failure.
Menards, which is based in Wisconsin, is moving into the St. Louis market with stores opening in Manchester, O'Fallon Illinois and St. Peters in the next six months.
A Menards spokesperson says the company no longer plans on adding a store in O'Fallon, Missouri because of the President's economic policies.
"We are on schedule to open our new stores in O'Fallon, IL and St. Peters, MO this Spring, 2013. For O'Fallon, MO, I'm very sorry, but we are a family owned business and with the Obama Administration scaring the dickens out of all small businesses in the USA at present, we have decided not to risk expansion until things are more settled. Thank you for your patience and understanding."
Hat Tip Ed


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Courtesy photo
Despite having a Snow Day on March 8, Mothers and Sons from Saint Mary Academy in Dover still celebrated on a Friday evening at Dover Bowl. Mother/Son night is an annual event at Saint Mary Academy celebrating family and relationships and is sponsored by the Home and School Association. Fun was had by all - including sons sporting a variety of eyewear in the photo booth! From back left: Mathias McComb, Nate Burnett, William Kalowsky, Joseph Hoeing, Joseph Dulac, Peter Georgikalis, Jake Fortier and Ben Fortier.
Mother/Son Night Out at Dover Bowl
Courtesy photo


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Vybz Kartel & Mavado Squash Their Beef!
Vybz Kartel & Mavado Call A End To Their Beef. Shout out to Mr. Exclusive
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Every obituary for J.D. Salinger, who died yesterday at the age of 91, will inevitably mention that he was a celebrated author and an enigmatic recluse who detested the spotlight. He was the Garbo of letters so too speak, whose first novel, The Catcher in the Rye, published in 1951, is an anthem of adolescent angst and youthful rebellion, and in the 1980's a couple of sociopathic assholes claimed they read something into the book that doesn't exist, which drove their actions. A few obits might also mention that Salinger was a big fan of Ring Lardner and F. Scott Fitzgerald, Alfred Hitchcock, W.C. Fields, the Marx Brothers and even psychic Edgar Cayce. But Salinger lives. His novels' popularity obviously endures today. His books continue to sell, Catcher alone sells more than 250,000 copies a year in paperback, as do his other books, Nine Stories, and two compilations, and possibly his very best writing, about the fictional Glass family-- Franny and Zooey and Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction.
As for me, here's something I'll add, Salinger wrote one of my all time favorite lines, I ate it up as a kid and even memorized it: "If you had a million years to do it in, you couldn't rub out even half the 'Fuck you' signs in the world. It's impossible."
Here are some other quotes from J.D. Salinger:
"I hope to hell that when I do die somebody has the sense to just dump me in the river or something. Anything except sticking me in a goddam cemetery. People coming and putting a bunch of flowers on your stomach on Sunday, and all that crap. Who wants flowers when you're dead? Nobody."
"I'm the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. It's awful. If I'm on my way to the store to buy a magazine, even, and somebody asks me where I'm going, I'm liable to say I'm going to the opera. It's terrible."
"All morons hate it when you call them a moron."
"If a girl looks swell when she meets you, who gives a damn if she's late? Nobody."
"Among other things, you'll find that you're not the first person who was ever confused and frightened and even sickened by human behavior."
"Goddam money. It always ends up making you blue as hell."
"I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff—I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I'd do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all."
"Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody."
"Grand. There's a word I really hate. It's a phoney. I could puke every time I hear it."
"I'm sick of just liking people. I wish to God I could meet somebody I could respect."
"It's funny. All you have to do is say something nobody understands and they'll do practically anything you want them to."
"It was a very stupid thing to do, I'll admit, but I hardly didn't even know I was doing it."
"You take somebody that cries their goddam eyes out over phoney stuff in the movies, and nine times out of ten they're mean bastards at heart."
"It was that kind of a crazy afternoon, terrifically cold, and no sun out or anything, and you felt like you were disappearing every time you crossed a road."
"Almost every time somebody gives me a present, it ends up making me sad."
"In my mind, I'm probably the biggest sex maniac you ever saw."
"Sex is something I really don't understand too hot. You never know where the hell you are. I keep making up these sex rules for myself, and then I break them right away. Last year I made a rule that I was going to quit horsing around with girls that, deep down, gave me a pain in the ass. I broke it, though, the same week I made it -- the same night, as a matter of fact."
"People always clap for the wrong things."
"I felt like jumping out the window. I probably would've, too, if I'd been sure somebody'd cover me up as soon as I landed. I didn't want a bunch of stupid rubbernecks looking at me when I was all gory."
"It's no fun to be yellow. Maybe I'm not all yellow. I don't know. I think maybe I'm just partly yellow and partly the type that doesn't give much of a damn if they lose their gloves."
"Catholics are always trying to find out if you're Catholic."
"Take most people, they're crazy about cars. They worry if they get a little scratch on them, and they're always talking about how many miles they get to a gallon, and if they get a brand-new car already they start thinking about trading it in for one that's even newer. I don't even like old cars. I mean they don't even interest me. I'd rather have a goddam horse. A horse is at least human, for God's sake."
'Anyway, I'm sort of glad they've got the atomic bomb invented. If there's ever another war, I'm going to sit right the hell on top of it. I'll volunteer for it, I swear to God I will.
It's funny. All you have to do is say something nobody understands and they'll do practically anything you want them to."
'That's the nice thing about carousels, they always play the same songs."


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South Carolina Slips Past Mizzou Tennis
ANN ARBOR, MI -- The No. 53 Mizzou tennis team (1-1) lost a narrow 4-3 match to the No. 31 South Carolina Gamecocks (3-0) in the opening round of the ITA Kick-Off Weekend Saturday, Jan. 26 in Ann Arbor Mich. The Tigers will face No. 63 Brown Sunday at 10 a.m. ET (9 a.m. CT) in the consolation match.
The doubles team of sophomore Alex Clark and freshman Madison Rhyner got the Tigers off on the right note with an 8-2 win over Adriana Pereira and Ximena Siles Luna at No. 3 action. However, South Carolina came back to win both the No. 1 and No. 2 matches to take the doubles point. The No. 46 Gamecock doubles team of Jaklin Alawi and Dominika Kanakova posted an 8-6 victory over junior Cierra Gaytan-Leach and sophomore Elisha Gabb at No. 1 and Mizzou's No. 2 team of senior Maria Christensen and junior Rachel Stuhlmann fell 8-3 to Josefin Andersson and Katerina Popova.
Gabb knotted the match at 1-1 as the sophomore earned a 6-1, 6-3 win over Kanakova at No. 3 singles. A 6-3, 6-3 victory for South Carolina's Pereria over Clark at No. 5 action and a 6-3, 6-1 win for No. 96 Popova over Stuhlmann at No. 2 singles put South Carolina back ahead, 3-1.
The Tigers responded with wins at No. 1 and No. 4 play to tie the match at 3-3. Gaytan-Leach, ranked No. 71 nationally, improved to 4-0 on the spring with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over No. 34 Alawi. Christensen followed that up with a straight-set, 6-1, 6-4 victory over Siles Luna.
South Carolina prevailed in the final match of the day, as Andersson slipped past Rhyner, 7-5, 7-5. Mizzou returns to the court Sunday to face Brown at 9 a.m. CT.


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I want to start to have a place on the internet I can call my own. Stack Exchange, Google+, and Twitter are nice, but they're all services where I have to play by their rules and I don't really own my own content. So I've decided that I really need my own site.
The problem is, my desired
.net domains are taken. If it matters, my desired domain involves my name.
- Will people have difficulty remembering or typing a less common extension and/or will I be judged in a less favorable light if I don't have a
- If not, which extension would be best for a personal site?
.us, and many others are available?


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Rescued hiker will never forget the night lost on Mount San Gorgonio
https://www.pe.com/2018/01/13/rescued-h ... -mountain/
Hiking, Climbing, Camping, Trail Running, Snowshoeing...
Ed wrote:I've had enough self-inflicted bad experiences to take a dim view of descending by any route I am not familiar with, unless it is a trail or I have a full view of it. But if you do, I wonder if it safer to stay on a ridge rather than descend a canyon.
OtherHand wrote:I've always felt strongly that cross country travel up or down is MUCH safer and superior when done on a spine. You have more options (good cell coverage) and much better visibility as to the terrain ahead. No such possibility down in a canyon and it's easy to get trapped (not that it's ever happened to me). There's also a good mathematical argument to be made that the average gradient of a spine is less than the adjacent ravine.
Myth wrote:Water makes canyons and water doesn't worry about vertical drops or getting back up.
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Tough times inspire belt-tightening, or so the popular notion goes, but scientists who study public health say they're worried that a slumping economy will make American waistlines wider than ever.
Rising unemployment, higher food prices and dwindling savings may exacerbate the nation's obesity problem, sending already high rates ballooning as consumers turn to cheaper, less healthful choices ranging from boxed mac 'n' cheese to fast-food dollar menus.
"All evidence suggests that obesity is the toxic consequence of a failing economic environment," said Adam Drewnowski, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Washington in Seattle.
As households struggle with falling incomes and with food prices expected to jump 6 percent this year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, families are scrimping on groceries. Nearly six in 10 Americans said they've cut back on the quality or quantity of the food they buy, according to an annual hunger survey released this week by Hormel Foods Corp.
But that doesn't mean they're dieting, noted Drewnowski, whose research has found a consistent link between poverty and obesity, including a recent study that showed that obesity rates were five times higher in lower-value Seattle ZIP code areas than in upscale neighborhoods.
"It is quite possible to spend less and eat more," said Drewnowski. "The very cheapest foods are calorie-rich and nutrient-poor. Because they contain refined grains, sugars and fats, they also taste good and, of course, are easy to come by."
Although more than a third of the nation's adults and children are obese, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate recently appeared to stabilize, particularly among young people ages 2 to 19. But Drewnowski said the current economic crisis, which affects a wide swath of society, is likely to erase any progress, leading to more obesity and related health harms, from heart disease to diabetes.
"Now that we are all poor, the rates will go up again," he said. "I predict an increase that will become apparent in about three years."
Whole grains, fresh fruit costs too much
Financiallystressed shoppers are likely to trade pricey whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables for low-cost but high-fat alternatives, said Lauren A. Haldeman, an associate professor in the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, who studies poverty and obesity.
That's partly because fruits and vegetables cost more for less energy than processed foods, said Dr. Judith Wylie-Rosett, a professor of epidemiology and population health at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.
"If you follow the five-to-nine suggestion [for daily fruit and vegetable servings], the diet is an almost threefold increase in price," she said.
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Check obesity rates in your stateIt's also partly because some consumers aren't used to adding fresh produce to their diets and because the marketing for convenience foods is too enticing to resist.
"There are deals all the time for 99-cent burgers," Haldeman said. "They're low in nutrition, but they also satiate. If they've got to feed a family, they're going to look for these low-cost foods."
At the same time, those grappling with economic uncertainty may be more likely to seek sweet or high-fat comfort foods and less likely to exert the effort it takes to maintain a nutritious diet.
"I wonder if they're feeling emotionally and mentally able to cook a low-fat meal, to learn a new skill, to read a food label," Haldeman said. "It might just be easier to stop off and get a hamburger or chicken nuggets."
Sales figures appear to support that theory. Fast-food giant McDonald's last week credited the company's Dollar Menu in part with boosting third-quarter sales in the U.S. by 4.7 percent in an otherwise dismal restaurant market.
Diane Michna, 49, of Winchester, Calif., doesn't need sales data to tell her that fast food is a cheap way to keep up with the appetites of three adolescent boys.
"We are forced to purchase the unhealthy and fattening low-cost premade frozen meals or to eat out getting the dollar-menu specials as I no longer can afford to feed my kids the healthy foods they deserve," she said. "We eat a lot of Top Ramen, that's for sure."
Michna, who retired from the local sheriff's department after a knee injury, is supporting her two sons, ages 11 and 18, and is a guardian for another boy, also 18. She also feeds the kids peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and homemade pizza, but she worries about the impact of her fixed budget on their health; two of the boys are already overweight.
"My youngest boy, I'm worried about him getting diabetes," she said. "It's the french fries. He grew up loving Happy Meals."
Michna said she feels the problem acutely because she remembers what it was like to buy quality food, including meats, fish, fresh fruits and vegetables. "Eating fast food was a once in a blue moon option only," she said. "Now even a lemon costs a dollar or more and they used to be 10 cents."
'A change of lifestyle'
New victims of the economic crisis may be especially vulnerable to weight-related health problems, said Gwendolyn Lipscomb, director of the office of minority health in Alabama, one of three states with overall obesity rates that top 30 percent.
"Those who have been economically independent with good health insurance coverage and retirement benefits might be more prone to the onset of obesity and diabetes, due to the stress and the compromises they have to make," she said. "It would be a new thing for them, a change of lifestyle."
Even consumers who've been able to focus on losing weight now worry that the bad economy will undermine their efforts. Bonnie Barnett, 48, of Hemet, Calif., has shed 45 pounds since January, thanks to lean meat, fresh produce — and regular workouts at a local health club.
"It was the hardest thing I've ever done," she said.
But Barnett works for the fleet services department of a local car dealership, where workers have seen layoffs and pay cuts in recent months. Her own salary has been reduced by half and now she's afraid she'll have to give up her gym membership — "$30 is $30," she says — and shop for cheaper, less healthful food.
Good food, lean times"I'm afraid the weight is all going to come back," she said. "The healthy stuff costs a lot more. I just went to the grocery store and spent $50 tonight and came back with nothing."
Not everyone agrees that hard times have to decimate a decent diet. Dozens of readers told msnbc.com that they've reduced their food costs and improved their health by cooking more at home, cutting back on expensive kinds of meat and produce, relying on leftovers and reducing waste.
Kim Kopen, a 48-year-old mother of two from of Oak Grove, Minn., had to take a hard look at her grocery budget after her husband, a union bricklayer, was recently laid off — again.
"I love organic, but I've gone away from organic," said Kopen, who can't work outside the home because she is disabled by rheumatoid arthritis. "We're doing a diet that is less expensive with less fresh fruits and vegetables and more frozen. We've been doing a lot of carbohydrates. Potatoes are cheap."
Actually, death rates fall in a downturn
But not all researchers agree that bad times equal bad health. Christopher J. Ruhm, a professor of economics at UNC Greensboro, said his research shows the opposite — that overall death rates fall during economic downturns and rise during booms. Similarly, several health markers — including smoking, alcohol consumption and obesity — actually improve when the economy tanks.
"The drop in tobacco use occurs disproportionately among heavy smokers, the fall in body weight among the severely obese and the increase in exercise among those who were completely inactive," Ruhm wrote.
However, Ruhm is quick to emphasize that he's not suggesting that an economic crisis is a good thing: "Never am I saying that if you go from rich to poor you'll be better off," he said.
And, even he notes that his past research has focused on what he describes as "garden variety recessions," not the global economic crisis now unfolding.
"It seems possible that this is something bigger," he said.
© 2013 msnbc.com Reprints


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I grew up in a very religious society which claimed to make sense out of non sense usually with an eye toward faith and not critical thinking. From the start, I chaffed at the thought of not having a definitive answer.
My mother always had a little devotional booklet called "The Daily Bread" which one could read a short story daily with a religious connection to a positive approach to the day. I came to understand that it was her way of meditating and she was able to make sense of non sense usually while drinking a cup of coffee on the front porch or in winter in a nook by the piano in the dining room.
My father has been dead many years. My mother is now 84 years young and a twice cancer survivor and a survivor of abuse......her little booklet served her well.
These days, I most often go to the gym at 6:30 am and when I return I sit on the front porch or by my guitar in the sunroom and have a cup of coffee. I read. I contemplate. I meditate.
This morning, I had two incongruous thoughts. I remembered catching fireflies as a child in Mason jars with lids that had holes poked in them. Their light seemed inexplicable and fascinating. I often kept the jar until morning and just as inexplicable and fascinating....their light was gone.


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T-Reezy (West Coast Artist) - Stay Tuned [Label Submitted]
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Beach Bits:
• On the FIVB Tour, Rogers and Dalhausser began the 2007 season with a pair of fifth-place finishes, but then played for a medal in 41 of 49 international tournaments through the end of the 2012 season (winning 22 times in that span).• From 2008-2010, Rogers and Dalhausser won nine of the 13 FIVB Grand Slams they played, along with two seconds, one third and one fifth.• Rogers was tied atop the AVP Tour in victories over the five seasons from 2006-10, tallying 43 in those five years.• He was the only AVP player to have won at least one title every year from 2004-10.• Rogers and Dalhausser were in the semifinals of 39 consecutive AVP team events they competed in, from July 2006 to May 2009.• Rogers and Dalhausser won a gold medal in Quebec in 2011, helping the USA to its first ever podium sweep on the FIVB Tour.2015: Rogers played with Stafford Slick, and the duo had a best of a third-place finish on the AVP Tour. Rogers ended the year ranking 10th in digs per set (4.42). In their first event together, in China on the FIVB Tour, Rogers and Slick finished fourth. They played three FIVB events on the season.2014: Rogers formed a partnership with Theo Brunner, with their best finish a second-place showing in Manhattan Beach. They played seven AVP events together, and also had a third and three fifths on the year. Rogers was second on the AVP Tour in digs per set (5.73). Rogers and Brunner competed five times on the FIVB Tour, getting their best finish in Long Beach as they won a bronze.2013: Rogers began playing with Ryan Doherty, who had never played on the FIVB Tour, marking the first time Rogers played an FIVB event with a partner other than Dalhausser since 2005. They placed 17th in the World Championships in Stare Jablonki and had their FIVB season best of ninth in the Grand Slam in Long Beach. Rogers teamed up with Theodore Brunner for the Grand Slam in Xiamen, and finished 17th. On the AVP Tour Rogers and Doherty placed second in the season opener, and then their other two semifinal appearances both came in the first four events. The duo was the fourth-ranked team on tour.2012: Rogers and Dalhausser won their first two FIVB events of the year. The rest of the season the duo advanced to four semifinals, winning two bronze medals. They finished ninth in the London Olympics. For the season, the pair played in nine events with four medals, ending as the third-ranked team on the FIVB Tour.2011: Rogers and Dalhausser began the year with two gold medals, extending their streak to seven straight tournament wins, and in the process established a new FIVB record for consecutive match wins (40 straight until the gold medal match in Prague). After three tournaments without playing for a medal, including a ninth-place finish at the World Championships in Rome, the duo ended the year with medals in each of their last six events, including two wins.2010: Rogers and Dalhausser advanced to the championship match in the AVP season opener in Fort Lauderdale, but the match was cancelled due to weather. The duo swept their first 13 straight opponents on the AVP and won all 34 matches, winning five titles in the process. The pair dropped only six sets on the AVP Tour. On the FIVB Tour, Rogers and Dalhausser came through the contender's bracket to win the season opener in Brasilia, becoming the first American team to win a title in Brazil since 1996. They won nine titles in their 12 international outings, setting the mark for the most team wins in FIVB single season history. The pair won the last five FIVB events they played in, including three Grand Slams, ending on a 23-match win streak.2009: Won the season opener with Dalhausser, marking the third straight season the duo has begun the AVP year with a title. The pair won four of the first five AVP events but then did not win in their next three tournaments, marking the first time since 2007 the duo had gone that many domestic events without garnering a title. Rogers and Dalhausser won the next three AVP events, locking up their fourth straight season with the most team wins on the AVP. On the FIVB Tour, the pair placed third in the World Championships in Stavanger. In Marseille, Rogers and Dalhausser put an end to the record 25-match win streak by Germany's Julius Brink and Jonas Reckermann en route to winning the title, their first international victory since their Olympic Gold in Beijing, before winning another Grand Slam title in Klagenfurt. The duo returned to the U.S. and won three straight AVP titles before their 34-match winning streak was ended in the Chicago finale. Rogers ended the AVP season ranked eighth in digs per game (4.81).2008: Rogers and Dalhausser began the season claiming the first five AVP titles, winning their first 27 matches before placing third in Atlanta, the only AVP event they did not play in the finals. The duo won 11 domestic titles and for the second straight season Rogers was the top-ranked player. He was third in kills per game (7.41), eighth in hitting percentage (.411) and ninth in digs per game (4.85). Internationally, the duo played seven events, winning medals in all of them. They began the season with a pair of bronzes, then in four Grand Slams won a silver and three golds. During the Olympic qualifying process, they accumulated the highest point total in the world, and entered the Beijing Games on a 21-match FIVB winning streak, one win shy of the record. In their first match, they were upset by the 23rd-seeded team, but rebounded to win the gold medal.2007: Rogers and Dalhausser advanced to the semifinals in all 16 AVP team events, winning 10 times, including in Manhattan Beach. In the indidual event in Las Vegas, he placed third, and the winnings pushed his career total over $1 million as he became the 13th player to do so. Rogers was the top ranked player on tour and he was fifth in digs per game (4.89) and seventh in both kills per game (7.08) and hitting percentage (.418). Internationally, the duo won three medals, including a gold medal in the World Championships in Gstaad, marking the first time an American team had won that title.2006: Began playing with Dalhausser, and the duo placed ninth in the season opener before winning the next four tournaments. They failed to advance to the semifinals just once after that, finishing fifth, and tallied a total of eight wins in nine finals appearances, including a win in his hometown of Santa Barbara after four straight second-place finishes. In the individual event, Rogers won and played with Scott in the finals. Rogers was the third-ranked player on tour, and was sixth in digs per game (4.53), eighth in kills per game (6.82) and 10th in hitting percentage (.429). He and Dalhausser played six FIVB events, winning three medals, including a gold medal in the Grand Slam in Klagenfurt that ended a 50-event drought for U.S. men winning internationally.2005: Rogers played one event with Scott, then one event with Reid Priddy, finishing 17th after being eliminated by Scott. Rogers and Scott reunited and played in two straight AVP finals and closed the domestic season with three consecutive wins. Rogers had his first top ten player ranking (ninth) and was fourth in digs per game (5.17) and seventh in hitting percentage (.436). On the FIVB Tour, Rogers played with Phil Dalhausser for the first time in the World Championships in Berlin, placing seventh, and in six events with Scott, with a best of fourth.2004: With Scott, played in the semifinals in six of seven AVP events, winning once. Rogers was fourth in digs per game (5.28). Internationally they competed in 11 events, finishing fourth twice. They just missed qualifying for the Olympics, finishing as the third-ranked U.S. team and were the fourth-highest ranked team worldwide to not qualify for the Olympics (due to country quotas). 2003: Started the season playing two events with Eli Fairfield, finishing ninth both times. Then he reunited with Scott, making two semifinals including one championship match on the AVP, and a best of fifth on the FIVB.2002: Began playing with Sean Scott, with a best of fifth four times on the AVP Tour and once on the FIVB Tour.2001: Won the season openers on both the AVP and the BVA with Holdren, followed by second-place finishes on both tours. Played eight FIVB events with Holdren, with a best of fifth in the World Championships in Klagenfurt, and one event with Sean Scott, finishing ninth.2000: Began the year with a win on the USA Volleyball Tour with Holdren. Early in the season the pair played in an FIVB event in Rosarito, Mexico, and after qualifying won despite being the 32nd seed. Immediately following, the duo played in four straight AVP finals, winning twice.1999: Advanced to the semifinals in six of 10 AVP events with Holdren, with a win in Louisville. Holdren played one tournament with Canyon Ceman, finishing third.1998: Played 19 team events with Holdren, and did not have a finish lower than ninth. They played in four semifinals, getting their first win in Minneapolis.1997: Earned Rookie of the Year honors as he and Holdren advanced to three semifinals, including one championship match. He played one event with Kevin Martin, placing 17th.1996: Played four events with Holdren with a best of 13th.1995: Made his pro beach volleyball debut in Manhattan Beach with former college teammate Dax Holdren, finishing 25th in his only event.Olympics: • Qualified for 2008 Beijing Olympics as the number two seed with Phil Dalhausser. After finishing pool play with a 2-1 record, the duo won all four matches in bracket play in winning the Gold Medal, defeating Marcio Araujo / Fabio Luiz Magalhaes of Brazil in the finals.• Qualified for 2012 London Olympics as the number two seed with Phil Dalhausser. Advanced from pool play with a 3-0 record, then lost in the first round of the elimination bracket to Italy's Daniele Lupo and Paolo Nicolai, finishing in ninth place.College: Attended University of California Santa Barbara where he earned All-American volleyball honors (1995-96). Set the school record for career digs (783) and recorded the second best season total with 246. He left the school second all-time in assists (4,831), ninth in total blocks (270) and eighth in block assists (222). He received a degree in Religious Studies and a minor in coaching from UCSB.Personal: Rogers was the assistant men's volleyball coach at UCSB from 2000 to 2005. He is married (Melissa), and has a daughter, Hannah, and a son, Nate.


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Akt Signaling Pathway: The Master Regulator in Human Disease
Dissect the Akt Pathway Using ABfinity Antibodies, Luminex Multiplex Assays, and More
The serine–threonine kinase Akt (also known as protein kinase B) is a central convergence node in a broadly influential signaling network. Akt activation serves as a master switch of these cellular signaling pathways, generating a multitude of intracellular responses through a plethora of downstream targets and interacting partners (Figure 1). Because of its pivotal role in cell signaling, and the consequences of that signaling in diseases ranging from cancer and diabetes to neurodegeneration, Akt is one of the most actively studied kinases in both basic research and drug development. Here we highlight our newest products for analyzing the Akt signaling pathway and its downstream targets.
Figure 1. The Akt signaling pathway.
Akt Phosphorylation Leads to Activation
Akt is expressed as three isoforms—AKT1/PKBα, AKT2/PKBβ, and AKT3/PKBγ [1]. An amino‑terminal pleckstrin homology (PH) domain, a central serine–threonine catalytic domain, and a small carboxy‑terminal regulatory domain are present in all three isoforms. The PH domain binds phosphatidylinositol-3,4-bisphosphate (PIP2) and phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP3), products of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). This binding causes Akt to translocate to the plasma membrane, where it becomes phosphorylated by phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1) on Thr308 in the activation loop of the catalytic domain.
Thr308 phosphorylation leads to activation; however, full activation requires phosphorylation at a second site (Ser473). Current evidence suggests the mTOR–rictor complex (mTORC2) is the primary kinase for the second phosphorylation event (Figure 1), although other kinases like integrin-linked kinase (Ilk) [2], PDK1 [3], DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) [4], and ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) have also been identified [5].
Activated Akt targets downstream signaling substrates to regulate cell processes that are associated with tumor development, including regulators of apoptosis, gene transcription, cell cycle progression, and cellular metabolism (Figure 1). Dysregulation in the Akt signaling pathway, as well as in downstream pathways, is therefore one of the hallmarks of cancer, making Akt a critical target for the development of anticancer drugs and therapies [6].
Validated Products for Multiple Assay Platforms
We have developed a wide selection of Novex primary antibodies, including phosphorylation site–specific (phosphospecific) antibodies that allow you to analyze differential patterns of protein phosphorylation in the Akt pathway. These products include our new high-quality ABfinity recombinant monoclonal antibodies, which are validated for multiple applications including western blot analysis (Figure 2), immunocytochemistry studies (Figure 3), indirect ELISA (Figure 4), and flow cytometry assays (Figure 5). Produced by cloning and expressing functionally screened, immunogen-specific antibody genes in mammalian cells, the ABfinity™ recombinant monoclonal antibodies provide superior specificity, sensitivity, and consistency in immunoassays; see page 18 for a more complete description of the innovative ABfinity recombinant antibody technology.
In addition to ABfinity antibodies, antibody pairs, and ELISA kits, we also offer Novex multiplex assay panels for measuring the levels of total and phosphorylated proteins in the Akt pathway using the Luminex platform. The new Akt Pathway Total Magnetic 7-Plex and Phospho Magnetic 7-Plex Panels provide accurate quantitation of seven different proteins simultaneously in cell lysates and tissue homogenates (Figure 6). These magnetic bead–based Luminex assays simplify the wash steps while increasing both throughput and precision. Our Luminex multiplex assays are suitable for use with the Luminex 100/200, FLEXMAP 3D, and MAGPIX systems.
Figure 2. Western blot of NIH/3T3 cell lysates labeled with anti–AKT [pS473] ABfinity recombinant rabbit monoclonal antibody. Anti–AKT [pS473] ABfinity monoclonal antibody was used at 0.1 µg/mL to label AKT [pS473] in lysates of untreated 3T3 (lane 1) or PDGF-treated (lane 2) NIH/3T3 cells.
Figure 3. Immunocytochemistry of mouse fibroblasts labeled with anti–AKT [pS473] ABfinity recombinant rabbit monoclonal antibody. Mouse fibroblast cells were labeled with anti–AKT [pS473] ABfinity monoclonal antibody at 5 µg/mL, followed by green-fluorescent Alexa Fluor 488 goat anti-rabbit secondary antibody. Nuclei were stained with blue-fluorescent Hoechst 33342 nuclear counterstain.
Figure 4. Indirect ELISA of anti–AKT [pT308] ABfinity recombinant rabbit monoclonal antibody. Indirect ELISA was performed using various dilutions of anti–AKT [pT308] ABfinity monoclonal antibody to detect recombinant AKT [pT308] protein coated onto the plate.
Figure 5. Flow cytometry of Jurkat cells labeled with anti–AKT [pS473] ABfinity recombinant rabbit monoclonal antibody. Jurkat cells were incubated with (red trace) or without (green trace) 50 µM LY294002 for 1 hr prior to being fixed and permeabilized using FIX & PERM reagents (An Der Grub Bio Research GmbH). Cells were then stained with 1 µg anti–AKT [pS473] ABfinity monoclonal antibody, followed by Alexa Fluor 488 goat anti-rabbit secondary antibody. The blue trace represents secondary antibody alone.
Figure 6. Multiplex quantitation of Akt pathway signaling proteins using the Luminex platform. MCF-7 cells were treated with insulin to induce protein phosphorylation, and then cell lysates were prepared. Protein concentrations in the MCF-7 cell lysates were measured for seven phosphorylated proteins—AKT [pS473], GSK-3β [pS9], IGF-1R [pYpY1135/1136], IR [pYpY1162/1163], IRS-1 [pS312], p70S6K [pTpS421/424], PRAS40 [pT246]—using the Akt Pathway Phospho Magnetic 7-Plex Panel and the Luminex 200 system.
Find Many More Products Online for Akt Pathway Research
We have highlighted just a few of the many products that we offer for Akt pathway research. Our page on Akt pathway products has much more information on our complete selection of antibodies, assays, and proteins associated with the Akt signaling pathway, all arranged in a comprehensive and easily navigable format. There you'll find:
- ABfinity recombinant monoclonal and oligoclonal antibodies
- Bead-based Luminex multiplex assay kits
- Novex antibodies and antibody pairs
- Novex ELISA kits
- Gibco growth factors and cytokines
- Vivanco I, Sawyers CL (2002) Nature Rev Cancer 2:489–501.
- Persad S, Attwell S, Gray V et al. (2000) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 97:3207–3212.
- Balendran A, Casamayor A, Deak M et al. (1999) Curr Biol 9:393–404.
- Feng J, Park J, Cron P et al. (2004) J Biol Chem 279:41189–41196.
- Dong LQ, Liu F (2005) Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 289:E187–E196.
- Liu P, Cheng H, Roberts TM et al. (2009) Nat Rev Drug Discov 8:627–644.
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Ashley Giles has promised to be "ruthless" in his role as coach of England's limited-overs sides. Giles could reflect with some satisfaction on England's ODI series victory in New Zealand - their first such success in the country in more than two decades - but knows he has some tricky decisions to make ahead of the Champions Trophy in June.
Giles' main issue is how to accommodate the return of Kevin Pietersen - rested for the ODI series in New Zealand - into the Champions Trophy side. England's decision to rest players from ODI series - Pietersen in New Zealand and Jonathan Trott in India - allowed Joe Root an opportunity which he grasped impressively, leaving England wrestling with the issue of fitting six batsmen into five available spaces for the June event. While Alastair Cook is certain to play alongside a wicketkeeper and five bowlers, the remaining five batsmen - Pietersen, Trott, Root, Ian Bell and Eoin Morgan - would appear to be competing for four places.
But if anyone feared sentiment may play a part in the decision making - two of those five, Bell and Trott, are former team-mates from his days with Warwickshire - Giles was quick to dispel such doubts.
"I have to be more ruthless as a coach," Giles said. "You are not being nasty, but you've got to make strong decisions. When you drop someone, you always look them in the eye. Sometimes it will fall to the captain, sometimes I might do it, but all you can do is to be honest. If your performance isn't good enough, I'm going to tell you. I don't expect you to like it, but it doesn't change the conviction behind the decision. Players are selected to perform and ultimately we have to pick the side that we think will win games.
"The most difficult decisions are when you leave players out and you never do that lightly. If you don't step in, and everyone else can see you should be doing it, you lose respect quite quickly.
"With the Champions Trophy being in English conditions we have the opportunity to do really well. I'll go away and look very closely at Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, the other teams in our group. But we don't want to get too cute with the game. The formula with which we play is pretty simple but homework on the opposition, like bowling very straight to Ross Taylor, is important."
Giles also plans to speak to the coaches at many of the counties to ensure that their plans and those of England are in harmony. Most pertinently, he will speak to Somerset about their wicketkeeping plans. At present Jos Buttler, now first-choice with the gloves in ODI and T20 cricket, is denied the gloves at Taunton by Craig Kieswetter. Giles hopes to persuade the club to reverse that policy with a view to providing Buttler with more experience.
Somerset are likely to oblige. Not only do they have a record of accommodating England - they drafted Andrew Strauss into their team in 2011 when he required match practice ahead of the India series - they also have a strong relationship with Giles Clarke, the ECB chairman, who was previously chairman of the club. The fact that they are keen to host ODI cricket may not be irrelevant, either.
"I will be speaking to Somerset about both players," Giles said. "Obviously we have a responsibility to Craig, who I'm sure wants to get back playing for England but Jos is keeping for us now.
"Craig wasn't left out of the squad, it was by mutual consent really. The opportunity had gone for him. With Jos taking the gloves and Jonny Bairstow being next in line it made sense on both sides for Craig to go home and get his game in order.
"I hope to speak to most of the directors of cricket at counties about the players involved this winter and how we think they can improve. I can't tell Somerset what to do, but it's pretty obvious that Jos needs to keep wicket now. It is a very different situation for Somerset, though, because they have a duty to help Craig get back into international cricket. I don't envy their position and Jos, Somerset and Craig will have to discuss it."
Somerset would be understandably reluctant to lose either Buttler or Kieswetter. Both were schooled locally and have long careers ahead of them in the game. But, in the long-term, it could be that one of them feel the need to leave for more opportunity elsewhere.
Nor is the issue just at Somerset. Ben Foakes, the England Lions keeper, also requires first team cricket if he is to progress, but is currently denied the gloves at Essex by the continuing excellence of James Foster. Giles may also reflect on the situation at Warwickshire, where Trott tends to open the batting in domestic limited-overs cricket and Bell comes in at No.3; a reversal of their England roles.
While Giles will now return to the UK, his work as England's limited-overs coach continues. Firstly he will stop off in Australia where England Lions are struggling against their Australian counterparts while, following a full series debrief with Cook, Giles will further the planning ahead of the Champions Trophy allowing Andy Flower to concentrate on England's Test plans.
"Cooky is an exceptional bloke," Giles said. "I hope we don't agree on everything because it would be dull but we're singing from a similar hymn sheet on most stuff.
"We had three hours when we talked about a number of things going forward. By the time he gets home a lot of time will have passed so it was important we knocked around ideas and I'll take them home to work on. It was a really good chat.
"Sometimes you do fall into one-day games on the back of a major Test series. It suddenly catches up with you and it's a case of 'let's get the white balls out and get on with it.' But now it's my job to make sure we have a very clean switch between forms. The idea is that I will be looking at opponents and venues for the Champions Trophy very closely now."


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Singapore Bans 'Archie' Comics Over Same-Sex Wedding
The very progressive and legendary comic book series "Archie" has gained notoriety over the last few years for exploring controversial issues, like gun control and same-sex marriage. But it's the latter hot-button topic that sparked leaders in Singapore to ban the series in the Southeast Asian island country.
Jezebel points to a report by P. Nash Jenkins of Time magazine, who said the ban is a result of a crackdown on publications that highlight homosexuality. The country's Media Development Authority guidelines do not allow material containing "alternative lifestyles or deviant sexual practices," including homosexually, group sex and sadomasochism.
The team behind "Archie" comics created the spinoff series "Archie: The Married Life" and the series' first openly gay character, Kevin Keller, in 2010. Writer Dan Parent even earned a GLAAD Media Award last year for his work on the comic books. But that didn't do anything to please Singapore officials.
"[We]... found its content to be in breach of guidelines because of its depiction of the same sex marriage of two characters in the comic," an MDA spokesperson said in a statement to TIME. "We thus informed the local distributor not to import or distribute the comic in retail outlets."
Jezebel notes the MDA censored the comic earlier this year but news of the ban is just surfacing.
Archie made headlines earlier this week when it was revealed that Riverdale's main character would die in an upcoming issue after taking a bullet for Keller, his best friend.


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MRG - Home Slider (EN)
Backed by 20 years' experience in the car rental industry we take special care in selecting our suppliers, so that we can provide you an unbeatable service.
Competitive prices
We always make sure you get the best price for every destination of your choice.
Safety Comes First
New, safe cars, and round-the-clock (24/7) service with emergency phone for the entire rental period.
We take particular notice of any comments you make in order to offer you even better service for your next chosen destination.
David Martin
I have to admit; it was an excellent service! It was my first time rental from your company and we'd love to collaborate again in the future
George Oliver
We had no issue. Everyone was very helpful.
Alfred Schmidt
I found your company using google search. At first I was afraid considering the low price but in the end I must say that your job was professional and your partner in Halkidiki was very friendly. Exactly as befits on my vacations!
Thank you for your cooperation!
Thank you for your cooperation!
Lydia Cohen
4th time already. Thanks for the discount.
I would advise everyone to try your service.
I would advise everyone to try your service.
Frank Murphy
As a father of 4 children, my number one priority is the safety of my family.
Your 7 seat van served me well. See you next summer
Your 7 seat van served me well. See you next summer


text:
No. These facilities are not available in case of SIP with Insurance.
Articles in this section
- How do I start a SIP with Insurance investment through FundsIndia?
- Will I get tax benefits under 80C of the Income Tax Act?
- Why am I being asked for a nominee?
- What are the mutual fund schemes that offer SIP with Insurance?
- Can I change the scheme/amount/SIP date?
- How long will the SIP insurance cover be valid?
- Does SIP Insurance Fund have any restrictions on age?
- Does Sip Insurance fund have any exit load?
- What is SIP with Insurance?
- What if I hold the folio jointly with my family member?


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Phone over function?
The UI is a far cry from the slick modern interfaces of HP's Palm, Apple and Windows Phone 7, and Android. Does this actually matter? There's more to usability than eye candy. In practice – yes and no. Symbian^3 shows the result of some emergency, roadside repairs, and some of these work so well, you don't see the joins. But elsewhere the legacy UI pokes through – you notice the extra, now unnecessary level of indirection. Imagine operating Windows by poking a mouse with a toy broom.
The dialler screen
For example, the phone has been criticised for lacking a keyboard in portrait mode, and presenting the user with a graphical implementation of a T9 dial pad. Cue guffaws. But once you get over the incongruity, you can see the wisdom of the decision. In practice, the T9 pad made finding and calling people as easy to use as any phone on the market, and easer than most - and isn't the point of a phone?
The dialler rapidly finds contact by using a trick pioneered by Qix, but part of Windows Mobile and Nokia's E-series for years. So entering "5-3-8-4" finds you all your Kevins. [
jkl - def - tuv- ghi]. Or all numbers with the string 5384.
For many core functions that the user might repeat frequently, it works well. I was surprised, because initial impressions – formed from trying to use the Home Screen(s) – are really horrible. But taking and reviewing images and videos is fast, and browsing them fast too. Symbian phones would typically lag when asked to start a new process. But starting (say) Profiles or Clock and switching to the app is instant.
Onto to the not-so-good. You'd think that after the criticism of the N97, Nokia would clean up the Home Screen and focus on a really great experience. If anything, this has gone backwards. And yet another year has gone by without rationalising the settings, which remain spread all over the place, some in non-obvious places.
The N8's default Home, Menu and Apps
The default Home Screen is now screens, these are populated by blocky widgets, just as before. It imposes a rigid structure on the phone and tailoring it isn't easy. You can't place a shortcut to a person, or to a person-orientated action ("eg create a new SMS with Dave as the recipient"), and you can't drop applications wherever you like. You can't set a shortcut to activate a particular setting, either – although the default behaviour of one of the built-in widgets goes a long way – you can open the clock (instantaneously), set Profiles, and view connections.
Sponsored: Ransomware has gone nuclear


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Summer Reading Camp Enrollment Now Open
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.—The Penn State College of Education announced that it is holding its eighth-annual Summer Reading Camp this July. The camp is for elementary and middle school students who are experiencing challenges in developing their literacy.
According to Kathleen Shannon, the camp's coordinator, campers will read across all types of texts in order to become experts on a topic. Campers will learn word solving and comprehension strategies while involved in large group, small group and independent activities based on their interests and needs. Such activities may include constructing a museum exhibit, preparing a readers theater performance, writing and publishing personal magazines and individual research projects.
"Students who attend will participate in activities including reading, writing, drawing, painting, singing and sculpting," said Shannon. "In addition, visual artist Amalia Shaltiel joins the camp staff courtesy of the College of Education's Dean David H. Monk's Arts in Education initiative."
During the 16-day camp, Shaltiel's role will be to help campers visualize, design and construct exhibits, which will be part of a museum that is open to the public, said Shannon.
"Graduate student candidates for the reading specialist certification provide literacy apprenticeships, supporting campers' reading to become experts on a topic and writing to represent their new knowledge," said Shannon. "To further support learning, the camp provides a low student-to-teacher ratio."
Shannon said she looks forward to another productive and rewarding camp.
"We measure our successes in smiles, engagements with texts, poems, essays and maps, pride in accomplishments and returning campers," said Shannon.
The Summer Reading Camp is scheduled July 7–31, Monday through Thursday, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Chambers Building on the University Park campus.
The enrollment fee is $50. For more information or to register for camp, contact Shannon by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com.
--by Kevin Sliman (March 2014)


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"Keep Calm And…" is like the glitter of inspirational slogans.
Full of pinnable pith, and boasting the seemingly endless potential for cute little graphic accessories, it's the tiny tag-line that just won't quit. When something this insidiously inspirational shows up in your email inbox on an otherwise uneventful Monday morning, there's only one thing to be done.
Keep calm and make a collage out of Google Image results.


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Finally, the music created when the King of Pop met Queen will be released. And it's only taken 30 years.
Queen guitarist Brian May says he's working to complete duets recorded three decades ago by the band's late frontman Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson.
May wrote on his blog that he was working on the tapes with producer William Orbit, who has previously collaborated with Madonna ("Ray of Light") and Blur ("Think Tank"). May added the project was "exciting, challenging, emotionally taxing. But cool."
U.S. & World
The tracks were originally recorded at Jackson's California home in 1983, but the material was not released. Shortly following the recording sessions Mercury and Jackson reportedly had a falling out. According to Jim "Miami" Beach, Queen's manager, the two split ways after Jackson brought a llama into the studio.
"Mercury rang me and said: 'Miami, dear, can you get over here? You've got to get me out of here; I'm recording with a llama." Beach told NME.
May said in 2011 that he had been given permission by the Jackson estate to release the recordings and wrote recently that, "We will have something for folks to hear in a couple of months' time, hopefully."
Mercury died in 1991 and Jackson in 2009.
In related news, comedian Sacha Baron Cohen recently dropped out of playing Freddie Mercury in a biopic of the band citing creative differences.
According to Deadline, Cohen ("Borat") opted out of the role because he wasn't seeing eye to eye with Queen's remaining bandmembers who have approval over the movie's script and director. Cohen reportedly wanted to portray a grittier side of the singer while the bandmembers wanted a more PG-friendly film.


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There's a Minecraft Christmas song. It's by Area 11, a band from England. As of two days ago, it was apparently just outside the top 40 singles in the United Kingdom, given a massive boost by the popular Minecraft community program Yogscast.
Those fearing that video game communities can somehow and suddenly sabotage the record industry's machinations, don't worry. With that bump already done with, the song has slipped all the way out of the top 100.
Hillsborough charity single takes critical lead in Christmas Number 1 race [OCC]


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MARTINEZ — Political and labor leaders ripped Tesoro on Tuesday for backing out of two volunteer worker-safety programs in 2012 as scrutiny of the company grew in the wake of two acid spills in less than a month that sent workers from its Golden Eagle oil refinery to the hospital.
Tracy Scott, a representative of United Steelworkers Local 5, said Tuesday that Tesoro management opted out of the union-driven Triangle of Prevention safety program and the Voluntary Protection Program, a cooperative program among management, workers and Cal/OSHA, the state workplace safety agency, designed to prevent and control occupational hazards.
"We believe pulling out of (the programs) was a mistake," Scott said. "Other refineries we represent have these multilayered programs in place and embrace them, whereas Tesoro is decidedly against them."
Rep. George Miller, D-Martinez, also slammed Tesoro for ditching the Triangle of Prevention program in a news release Tuesday, noting that the program remains in place at other Tesoro refineries in California and Washington.
"Tesoro should reinstate its successful labor-management safety program … that it has regrettably terminated," Miller said in the release.
As part of the program, the local refinery union appoints a representative who coordinates and participates in on-site training, organizes incident and near-miss investigation teams, takes part in the investigation process and communicates results of investigations and the status of recommendations to the refinery community. VPP includes regular on-site evaluations and is overseen by Cal/OSHA, which works with labor and management to "systematically identify and correct hazards," according to Cal/OSHA's website.
Tesoro, which previously came under fire for refusing to allow officials from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board on site to investigate the Feb. 12 accident before relenting last week, defended its safety record at Golden Eagle, saying 2013 was the safest on record at the refinery near Martinez, with the equivalent of three recordable injuries in approximately 3.5 million working hours. The refinery has about 700 full-time workers.
"Our Golden Eagle refinery has more than 10 represented health and safety workers, which is a robust group, and employee engagement remains an integral part of our safety and incident investigation process," spokeswoman Tina Barbee wrote in an email.
Barbee also said the refinery had dropped the Triangle of Prevention program because of "inherent shortcomings" and had replaced it with something more comprehensive.
Asked about the shortcomings of the program, Barbee wrote, "We believe our current system has better root cause analysis during incident investigation than the TOP program."
Barbee said safety indicators in Tesoro's performance review made it technically ineligible to participate in the Voluntary Participation Program.
But Scott said workers see the situation differently. He said an internal survey of workers at the refinery last year revealed "a significant disconnect between management and hourly (workers) in their beliefs about the refinery's safety."
"The survey was to ascertain how people felt about certain things, including safety," Scott said. "Management gave a glowing report, while employees who deal directly with the work in the refinery had an opinion that was considerably deteriorated from the last survey in 2007."
Scott added that workers are concerned with the refinery's widespread use of "leak seal repairs," which bolster failing pipes with wraps consisting of Fiberglas and durable resins.
The rapid succession of two incidents involving acid burns has drawn harsh spotlight onto the refinery, which, according to Tesoro's website, is the second-largest in Northern California.
Two contract employees of Brinderson, a refinery contractor in Benicia, were treated at a hospital Monday morning after they were exposed to sulfuric acid, according to county health officials and Cal/OSHA spokesman Peter Melton. The workers, who were wearing protective clothing, were taken by ambulance to a hospital for injuries and released later that night.
Monday's spill occurred while the workers were trying to remove a damaged pipe, according to Contra Costa County Hazardous Materials Division Director Randy Sawyer.
An official who answered the phone at Brinderson said the company would have no comment.
Two refinery employees, who reportedly were not wearing protective clothing, were burned with sulfuric acid in the same alkylation unit on Feb. 12 in a mishap that resulted in the release of an estimated 84,000 pounds of sulfuric acid, according to the Chemical Safety Board, which accused Tesoro in a statement on Monday of publicly downplaying the scope of that release. After that incident, Cal/OSHA shut down the unit from Feb. 18 to Feb. 28 while it investigated.
" … based on what we have learned so far, there is a troubling trend of degraded safety conditions, and a loss of confidence by employees that the refinery's management will adequately maintain equipment and piping," Miller said in his statement.
Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia, of Richmond, also stepped up pressure on Tesoro.
"This raises a very serious red flag that there is a safety culture issue at the refinery," Gioia said.
In an email Monday night, Barbee disputed the Chemical Safety Board's claim that Tesoro had misrepresented the scope of the Feb. 12 spill, saying "the release was contained in a process sewer, which is part of the system's design."
But on Tuesday, Sawyer of the county's Hazardous Materials Division disputed any classification of the incidents as "minor."
"Any time you have workers burned I consider it serious," Sawyer said.
Contact Robert Rogers at 510-262-2726 or email@example.com. Follow him at Twitter.com/SFBaynewsrogers.


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Posted by: thaiga« on: June 10, 2017, 01:21:31 AM »
Blame it on the buckie
Are those AA meetings that are held there on the 18th of the month?
Are those AA meetings that are held there on the 18th of the month?No answer
But I'll give it a rest - you too ?
Concerning the monthly meeting mentioned by Ben. Can anyone just show up?seems no problem I think.
Right, Roger, I've never been there...and I'd never go there, after the posts by Jürgen on Korat-Info and the PMs (with allegations of what his guests had said) he sent me there. I didn't start anything with him. Opposite, I welcomed him to the forum, even supported his then new venture "Restaurant Treff".
Maybe Dirk's encouragement actually did help him improve. We all certainly wish he did get his act together. Though, an apology I or the folks on Korat-Info never received from him. I've seen businesspeople doing better in PR
If I get hungry or feel like looking for company in a restaurant frequented by farangs in Pak Thong Chai I will definitely give Top Cafe the priority it does deserve.
There was no mischief in my original post at all.
no problem, park almost in front of the restaurant.
juergen kopf hoch da geht was man muss arbeiten an sich selbst


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Home Page Press Ray Robson Achieves title of 2009 U.S. Junior Chess Champion!
|Ray Robson Achieves title of 2009 U.S. Junior Chess Champion!
|By Joan DuBois
|July 22, 2009
Official Press Release
July 22, 2009
Contact: Joan DuBois
[email protected]
(Crossville, TN) This 8 person round robin event was one of the strongest championships ever held with the average rating of participants at 2455. Prizes: $1,000-$500-$300. The winner of the tournament qualifies for the 2009 World Junior Championship and the 2010 U.S. Closed Championship. The U.S. Chess Federation national chess championship was held July 12-17 at the Ramada Conference Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Event organizer was Alex Betanelli.
The youngest participant International Master (IM) Ray Robson of Florida won the tournament with 6.0. Alexander Lenderman's game vs Ray Robson w/Black can be viewed at: http://main.uschess.org/content/view/9540/141/. Additional information can also be found at: http://wisconsinchess.blogspot.com for round by round schedule and sponsor information.
2nd place: IM Sal Bercys, NY 5 pts.
3rd place: IM Alex Lenderman, NY with 4 pts.
4th-5th place: FM Michael Lee of WA and IM Sam Shankland of CA tied with 3.5 pts.
6th place: FM Joel Banawa of CA finished with 3 pts.
7th place: FM Elliott Liu, CA finished with 2.5 pts.
8th place: CM Maxx Coleman of KS finished with 0.5 pts.
This tournament was organized and sponsored by United States Chess Federation, Vaja International Chess Academy, Wisconsin Chess Blog, and Wisconsin Chess Academy. Many thanks to Wisconsin Scholastic Chess Association, Internet Chess Club and the Milwaukee Brewers for their contributions. Thanks to the chief arbiter Frank Berry.
The United States Chess Federation (USCF), founded in 1939, serves as the governing body for chess in the United States and is now headquartered in Crossville, Tennessee. USCF is devoted to extending the role of chess in American society. It promotes the study and knowledge of the game of chess, for its own sake as an art and enjoyment, and as a means for the improvement of society. The USCF is a not-for-profit membership organization with over 80,000 members. For additional information on the USCF see: http://www.uschess.org.


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A woman one day realized that an elderly man she passed each morning appeared to spend his time weeping on his porch. She approached him, and said, "Sir, I don't mean to pry, but why are you crying all the time?"
The man said, "I have two children, and both run shops. One sells umbrellas; the other sells sunglasses. On days when it's bright and sunny, nobody buys umbrellas, and I worry about my child who runs the umbrella shop. On days when it's cloudy or rainy, nobody buys sunglasses, and I worry about my child who runs the sunglasses shop! I can't win!" He burst into tears.
The woman nodded. "But," she said, "why don't you think about your child who runs the sunglasses shop on clear days, and how well that business is doing; and on cloudy and rainy days, think about how well your other child's umbrella shop is doing!"
The man looked up. "I hadn't thought of it that way!" And from then on, whenever the woman passed the man on his porch, he was smiling and laughing to himself, rain or shine.*
We think of information coming in as "bad news" and "good news". But really, it's just news. The information itself isn't bad or good, just information. We are the ones ascribing badness and goodness to it.
So why not make the opposite choice when we see what we think of as "bad news"? There is an opportunity even when developments come that we've been conditioned (or conditioned ourselves) to think of as painful.
(If you are like the average person, you're going to resist this, hard. That's okay. Just be mindful of why you're doing it. What beliefs do you have that are causing you to reject the idea that you can transform bad news into good news, or at least find goodness in it?)
* adapted from a story in Zen Speaks: Shouts of Nothingness, by Tsai Chih Chung


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Nice Milk glass juicer made by McKee. Raised lettering reads SUNKIST on the side. Nice condition with no chips or damages.
All Items : Glassware : Depression : Companies : McKee : Pre 1940 item #774256 (stock #safn-514)
I believe this casserole bottom is made by McKee, as they make a cameo pattern just like it with same wedgewood blue coloring and appearance. 1 1/2 Quart, and measures 7 5/8 in diameter and 3" deep. Fired on blue is in very nice condition with barely a trace of wear. Pattern appears to be Greecian dancing ladies with an urn and swags. No chips, cracks or scratches. There is no lid, but a standard pyrex lid should fit.


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Many of you likely first heard of Small World News through our work on Alive in Baghdad, a web series produced by local Iraqi journalists in the midst of the ongoing Iraq conflict. Given all of our recent activity outside Iraq, in Afghanistan, Iran, Honduras, etc. you may be wondering what's up with the Iraq project.
As I wrote recently, one of our difficulties in the last months has been that our Bureau Chief Omar was in hiding in Syria, due to threats related to his work with Alive in Baghdad. He's since been relocated to Sweden, leaving us without a full-time coordinator in the region. We are also in the process of rethinking how we move forward with Iraq coverage. As Iraq coverage continues to flag, despite the continuing presence of international forces and violence, it is a priority for us to return to regular coverage as well as analysis from Iraq.
Unfortunately with a flagging budget and recent staff losses, we have to figure out how to do Alive in Baghdad smarter, more effective and with more ease. All along our work on Alive in Baghdad has been very time-intensive. This is one of the difficulties inherent in producing documentary and news video. These difficulties are further exacerbated by the necessity of lengthy translations and coordinating staff across multiple countries and timezones.
We have been examining the integration of other social media and journalism tools within the Alive in Baghdad website. Specifically, with the coming Iraqi parliamentary election in January 2010 we hope to implement a process similar to our recent coverage of the Afghan election. We will crowdsource updates from Iraqis, and others present in Baghdad and around Iraq. We plan on integrating mobile submission as well as semi-realtime content.
We will temporarily shift gears, rather than focusing on a few highly produced videos each month, we hope to begin producing a variety of content, primarily short video clips, but possibly audio discussions, as well as photos, and written analysis, in particular examining events leading up to the elections.
We look forward to your comments and critiques, and welcome suggestions about how we can further involve the audience in our coverage of Iraq. We will also continue to need your support. Although we have a small amount of funds in our bank account, we will not be able to continue sustaining Alive in Baghdad, or build our other projects such as Alive in Afghanistan without your help. If you can support us with a one time donation, please do. If you are able to commit to a recurring amount, it would be a huge help to our work. We are currently investigating options for long-term and sustainable funding, but anything donated via PayPal from our audience will go directly to local producers and will not be subject to overhead costs to run support our American contributors.


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VDSL 2.0 tag
1 result(s) displayed for VDSL 2.0 (1 - 1 of 1):
G.fast Promises a Copper Speed Boost with VDSL2 Vectoring 2.0
By Mae Kowalke, TMCnet Contributor
There was a time when fiber-to the-home was seen as the future of broadband. But all that changed with the introduction of VDSL2 vectoring.
"With a single innovation, the market shifted," noted Alcatel-Lucent colleagues Paul Spruyt and Dr. Stefaan Vanhastel in a recent blog post, The Numbers are in: Vectoring 2.0 Makes G.fast Faster. "Copper became a valuable commodity again as operators began using their copper assets to deliver fast broadband speeds faster."
Making that copper even more valuable potentially is the new G.fast standard.
G.fast can increase aggregate bit rates over copper loops shorter than 250 m to fiber speeds of more than 1 Gb/s, the authors explained. It also delivers a cost advantage over deploying fiber directly to the home.
The trouble is that G.fast suffers from crosstalk even more than VDSL2. Tests by Bell Labs on older, unshielded cables in Austria showed that G.fast reached speeds of 500 Mb/s over 100 m when a single line was active, but they fell to a measly 60 MB/s when crosstalk was introduced as a result of a second G.fast line being added.


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It is important to spend some time understanding what employers are looking for in their employees. Every employer is looking for 3 main things:
- An appropriate level and type of education ('Knowledge requirements')
- Evidence of well developed 'Soft skills'
- As much related experience as possible
1. Knowledge requirements
This refers to the skills learnt through specific educational programmes. This can be general learning, for example a Leaving Certificate, or more specific e.g. An Honours Degree in Architecture.
In many cases, applicants for a particular job will share similar levels of educational achievement, so this alone will not ensure a position.
The educational requirements are almost always specified in a job advertisement so it is important to be fully aware of what is required.
2. Soft Skills
Soft skills are also called transferable skills or career skills. These refer to general employability skills and include such things as communication, problem solving, positive attitudes and behaviours, adaptability, and working with others.
These are skills that employers want you to have, regardless of the type of job and the knowledge base skills (or Hard skills) that a particular job might require.
To the employer, someone who can show that they have these skills will be able to learn and grow in a job, get along with co-workers and will be a long-term asset for their organisation.
The good news is that most job-seekers possess these skills to some extent. The better news is that job-seekers with weaknesses in these areas can improve their skills through training, professional development, or obtaining coaching/mentoring from someone who understands these skills.
Where do I start?
Worksheet - Career Skills Self-Assessment
[pdf - 540Kb, 4 pages]
|Explore Career Skills in detail here
3. Experience
Employers view previous experience as very significant for a number of reasons:
- If you have experience in a similar role or organisation, you are likely to work effeciently more quickly, as you would require less time to learn what to do and how to do it.
- Significant previous experience suggests you may have developed a good level of competence, and the possibility that you may bring new ways of working to the benefit of the organisation.
- For people entering the workforce early in their career, previous work experience suggests that you would have already some sense of what working life is, and that you have successfully adapted to a business work environment. Employers will seek to find out how closely related your previous experience has been compared to the position they are now offering, and the 'closer the better' is the general rule.
In all cases, employers will look for evidence that you posess the knowledge, skills and experience that you say you have - simply telling them will not suffice! You communicate your knowledge / skills / experience in a number of ways, typically through your CV, the Cover Letter that goes along with it, and any interviews and follow up communications that may arise.
10 Things Sought by Employers
The following list is typical of the things that an employer will be looking for in many cases:
1. Communication skills - Excellent communication skills are the number one thing that employers and interviewers look for in a candidate. These can be either verbal or written communication skills but you must be able to prove that you can communicate and work alongside others in an excellent manner.
2. Honesty and integrity - This is the 2nd most important thing interviewers and employers look for in a person, so it is worthwhile to remember this during the interview process and make sure that any answers you give to questions you answer honestly as you may be caught out later during the interview if asked the same question in a roundabout way.
3. Teamwork skills - These are another important asset you must have, preferably you will have backed up any claims you make regarding teamwork in your CV with evidence presented during the interview showing and confirming previous experiences you have had with teamwork skills.
4. Interpersonal skills - You must be able to prove your interpersonal skills to the interviewer or employer during the interview, skills such as working alongside others, being able to evaluate and accept responsibility, make team work more efficient and identifying methods used when dealing with conflicts.
5. Strong work ethic - you must be able to prove that you are willing to go beyond the call of duty for your employer and that you are willing to give 100% commitment to the company and the job.
6. Motivation and initiative - You should give examples during your interview to demonstrate that you are willing to show initative and can show motivation when left to your own devices.
7. Flexibility and adaptable - You should be able to give examples from previous positions that show your adaptability to situations that can arise and that show you are able to be flexible and not stuck in a rut.
8. Analytical skills - try to give examples showing off your analytical skills backing up claims with evidence from previous work during the interview, employers and recruiters look for ways that you have been able to analyse and clearly identify problems.
9. Computer skills - With today's modern technology focusing on the use of computers excellent computer skills and understanding of various types of software are essential. Try to prove that you are literate in the use of computers and software in your CV or portfolio.
10. Organisational skills - You will have to prove that you are able to organise in a quick and clear manner and show that you are not afraid to take charge of a situation and find a solution. This again can be shown in your CV with examples from previous jobs.


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you are here > HOME
AQUANOVA AG is a manufacturing b2b enterprise, located in Darmstadt (near Frankfurt Main). Our company manufactures liquid colloidal formulas on pharma GMP level (NovaSOL® "solubilizates") for the food, healthcare and cosmetics industry. Our internationally patent protected and scientifically approved technology relies on the nature like micelle encapsulation structure, which significantly enhances both the efficacy as well as the application scope of natural ingredients.