text:
Wow. This is too goodPosted: July 16, 2012 Filed under: Drivel 33 Comments
So, I posted on SpaceTraveller's site (I chimed in around 1:30am on the 3rd.) and took to task a woman who I encountered on her site. Well, she decided to post (i disabled the link, i'm not sending her anymore traffic- just google "charming disarray" if you really want to read the post) specifically about me. Color me fucking flattered. I've had more than one woman email me that they are just done with trying to get through to her. Honestly, the fact that she's dedicated a post just to me (seriously, who the fuck am i?) is telling. I commented on it, but wouldn't be surprised if it ends up in moderation land. I also want to point out the Bellita (Love you Mahal) is WELL steeped in Catholicism and ST is a very Catholic woman as well.
My mom read the post she was giving me shit about and mom laughed. I sent mom the link that I posted (this blogger is a practicing Catholic…and my mother works actively in her parish) just to hear her deconstruction of the post. Mom has mad girl game btw, she's been married for 16 years. Lol.
33 Comments on "Wow. This is too good"
CD is right. Your blog makes you look a little diseased compared to the many good Catholic men I know.
Well…best marry one of those lucky fellows then, if they'll have you.
I read Space's post and CD's post. I read both links.
CD's argument is in a nutshell:
1. that there's a subset of men in the 'sphere who want "good girls" (i.e. virgins, maybe?) but those same men don't want to be "good guys" (also virgins, I guess).
2, Men like Danny who date and, yes, have sex with, girls out of wedlock are weak and unworthy of "good girls" because "good girls" have high standards. "Good girls" expect a lot from themselves and rightly expect a lot from their men. Women don't want weak men. They want strong men — men stronger than their women.
3. Men in the manosphere are hypocrites because those men want to do whatever they want, but want their women to be virgins. That's not fair!
My responses are:
1. CD is tingling a bit for the Man from the 504. How much time you suppose it took to compose and write an entire post about one manosphere blogger?
2. "Good girls" can have whatever standards they wish. Problem is in today's world, when it comes to male-female relationships, more and more men are not even going to try to live up to someone else's standards. These men are forging rules of their own and saying "take it or leave it", which really isn't all that different from how women have been living their lives for the past 35 years or so.
I don't make it up; I am just seeing it and reporting on it.
3. Men and women who want relationships are still going to find each other and do their best to make it work, or not. It's going to take women giving some too. It's going to take meeting in the middle somewhere and women giving up some of the things they want, too. No, ladies, you CANNOT have it all — not if you want a man to stay with you long term.
My $ .02.
Deti's got it exactly right here, especially on points 2 and 3. When two people like each other, they will do what they can to make things work out. Relationships are two way streets where the two parties will have to bend a bit if they want to stay together.
hahaha … she is setting herself as the prize … and maybe she is a prize … for now … but I don't like her … and she has never been gamed … and she will be … Heaven help her …
her whole blog is tl;dr and I don't really care for most women's writing unless it involves pictures of their boobs.
She sounds bitter. Not all men are like that. What a loser. She should woman up.
tits or GTFO
A telling quote from CD's blog: "Good girls understand and empathize with how much strength of character it requires for men to stay "good" in a hyper-sexualized society. These are the men good women admire, and the ones they marry."
CD, in case you are checking out the comments here: the reality is that many men already fit the bill of having that "strength of character" you speak of yet they get *no* attention from the women in their parish. A couple of points below:
You linked to Darwin Catholic's blog entry How to Marry a Nice Girl: perhaps you didn't read the comments section there at all. Or you would have found how Darwin denigrated men who had their hearts broken by the good girls who should have found them worthy marriage candidates by implying that it was entirely their fault and the girls were never to blame, that something must be wrong with them, but nothing is ever wrong with the girl. It came out that women like this simply aren't in Darwin's experience, further he puts them on pedestals, consequently it falls completely outside his comprehension that "good" women could ever be like those cited by his commenters. In his defense, he had the ability to intentionally seek out environments that fully engaged his version of Catholicism. That, CD, is a luxury most of us do *not* have. At all. We have to make our stand where we are, live in the world we are in while trying not to be of it.
CD, if you had spent time in as many parishes as I have, you might have noticed that the supposed "good" women you speak so highly of often ignore the good men in their midst. Maybe because they're not good enough, not good looking enough, not tall enough, not charming enough, whatever, too many girls look for perfect, they'll never find it, they get upset when they have to "settle". Plus women initiate 2/3's of all divorces when children are involved, that is a fact. A substantial number of these are frivolous divorces, another sad reality that men must contend with and which makes many of us leery of marriage. All that just makes it tougher for those of us like myself who still want to marry a good girl and want to believe there is one out there for them, but find themselves ignored. Data isn't the plural of my anecdote but I will say I date outside of my faith because I have no choice if I want to go out with women and I rather suspect many other Christian/Catholic men do the same.
When good men routinely encounter attitudes like this and attitudes like yours on top of this, it is damn easy to become bitter and cynical about women in general which is definitely not a Catholic attitude nor one espoused in this blog. Has it ever occurred to you that a substantial part of the negative attitudes you perceive in the manosphere stem from real life experiences? Why are you so quick to deny us the validity of those experiences? Danny has experienced it too yet he is doing his best to show us his way to have a better attitude toward women even in the face of the attitudes we see in return. Bravo to him. That you find his conduct unbecoming of a potential husband is your prerogative and you might be right saying that about other men, but Danny's attitude about family shows up in spades, too bad you can't translate that into husband and father potential in his case. But some other girl will someday and she'll have a catch on her hands.
The woman who left the comment says it all. Just look at her name. For people that believe in tradition, using your maiden last name along with your husbands is anything but. To me, when women use that, it signals individuality instead of coming together as one. Typical boilerplate feminism clothed in religion. These women are not relationship material.
As you know, I too am just a 'learner' in this relationship business. I don't claim to know any more than the next woman.
But two things are clear to me (even me):
1. Being a 'good Catholic girl' is not enough. Yes, I said that. One can be as 'good' as one wants. Without the right attitude, one is still 'an empty vessel'. You may recognise this paraphrasing from The Good Book.
CD said this: "The so-called MGTOW movement, as far as I understand it, involves men refusing to get married because the women they meet are no longer interested in traditional marriage and blah blah blah something about divorce."
And this: "I don't know if Danny made this comment without having read my blog, but I'm very much in favor of traditional marriage, right down to the last detail and up to and including being against divorce."
The self-righteousness I perceive in her post seems to me to preclude a 'traditional marriage'. It really does. This takes me back to my original point that being a 'good Catholic girl' is not enough. And besides, nowadays, I know that men are turning to MGTOW or foreign women because the women they meet are simply unpleasant. That's a different accusation from saying that women are not into traditional marriage anymore.
A (worthy) man does not get a chance to know whether the woman is for or against 'traditional marriage' if he can't get past the 'hello' stage because of her graceless demeanor.
(Now, understand that I say this with all humility in the full recognition that a woman needs to be very careful who she actually responds to. It's not easy sometimes, granted…).
2. 'High standards' for a woman is very different from 'high standards' for a man. This is why there is a double standard. Men and women are different. A man is not as harshly judged vis à vis his sexual past as a woman is. I don't celebrate this fact, but I see the need to acknowledge it in order to live life. If I expect the man I marry to be a virgin, I am in trouble. That's not to say I expect to marry a 'manwhore' either. But frankly, his sexual past is not the most important thing to judge him by. I, and society judge him by a different 'standard'.
This is where I believe CD is stuck. Judging a man by the standards of a woman is just as bad as judging a woman by the standards of a man. Inasmuch as neither is helpful.
I think Deti's comment is an insightful one and it says more clearly what I mean to say.
"1. there aren't very many of you left.
2. "good girl" standards are so stratospheric that not even a mix of Jesus Christ, George Clooney, and Bill Gates would satisfy them"
True, there aren't many of us left, but we exist. I have plenty of female friends who fit this description.
To your second point, please re-read my post. It's about building up strength over time. I've pointed out that's it not so easy to be a good girl. We work at it for years. So what you wrote looks like the "but I caaaan't attitude" that doesn't interest or impress. Also, I know men who manage these standards. They certainly don't think it's impossible. They're just willing to try. One of them is my brother, who is happily married. Yes, it took him a while to find his wife, but what he was doing in the mean time? Living a moral life and working towards his future. I NEVER heard him complain about this, although I'm sure he had moments of discouragement. And if he had spent his twenties partying and "doing what he wanted," I doubt my sister in law would have wanted to date him–not out of a personal dislike, but because she was looking for good Catholic men.
""Good girls" like you are extremely selective because you can afford to be. More power to you. But you'll find fewer and fewer men who are
a. able to meet your standards; and
b. willing to even try to meet your standards.
Best of luck to you. You'll need it."
I have no delusions about this, but it's better than the alternative.
As I pointed out, I couldn't even be attracted to a man who didn't at least try to have character and morals. I and have met men who meet these standards–which are not "my" standards so much as they are an unwillingness to give up my own. Men are at the point where they demand sex after a couple of dates. This is where we are when it comes to society indulging in every whim men want, even when it comes to demanding another person's body. It's really absurd, and I don't want any part of it.
There isn't really any compromise about sex. You either have it or you don't. And if you want a good girl, you have to wait for sex. If you think you're going to find the only good girl, one who is not lying about her past, who is going to sleep with you and only you as soon as you meet…well….Best of luck to you. You'll need it.
if you wish to take this up further i recommend you email her directly at…..
are you getting the picture now Love?
one more comment, and i'll just post your email and people can take this "unworthy discussion" directly to you.
Since my email is visible on my blog, I hardly see how that's much of a threat. Nice effort though. I'm sure ST will have something to say to defend you.
good. anyone wishing to discuss this further can contact Io at:
I like a good fight as much as anyone. But not here, not now, and not about this.
Regarding the sexual double standard, Lolo Jones is a hero to many for holding to her virginity. That is her choice and I respect that. But most everyone thinks there is something wrong or even creepy about 30 or 40 year old male virgins. Even "good" Christian women think that… or else why would they consistently ignore that guy in their midst if they should encounter him?
This quote from ST hits the nail on the head: "A (worthy) man does not get a chance to know whether the woman is for or against 'traditional marriage' if he can't get past the 'hello' stage because of her graceless demeanor." It may be that in real life, CD's demeanor is actually quite pleasant, but I sure can't tell it from her writing.
I don't lack for attention from men, and have had more than one interested in marrying me, so it's strange to me that you're claiming I'm not marriage material. Maybe I'm not; who knows? But it hasn't stopped men from thinking so. I also never mentioned virginity in my post. None of this is about virginity. It is about expecting men to have self-control, which is masculine and good.
The amount of whining in the comments here doesn't show much strength of character to me.
Danny, your comment won't be lost in moderation.
I think it's unfortunate that good Catholic women like Bellita and ST flatter you, because it gives the wrong impression, but I seriously doubt either one would date you in real life. Oh and guess what–my mom loves me, too!! Ain't that shocking?And she would be horrified by your blog. She also, it should really go without saying, has been married for exactly twice as long as your mother has been married, is an awesome cook, and takes care of my grandparents. You won't find a better example of a good wife than her anywhere.
The trouble with all of this is that men go into hissy fits when they realize that their reputation counts.
Yes. Certainly men can choose not to participate, and good riddance. But my whole thesis, which you have so carefully summarized, is that the men who want good girls will also find that those girls are simply walking away from them. Men who want slutty women I'm sure have no trouble finding them.
I know a lot of "good girls" in real life, and I can state with certainty that none of them would consider a man relationship or husband material if he slept around or…and this is crucial…whined. Maybe pointing that out makes me the "bad buy," but it doesn't make me wrong, and if you guys have all the answers about how and when to attract these good girls that you like so much, why haven't you been more successful in doing so? I'm just giving a perspective that you haven't seen and should probably have the common sense to consider.
"the men who want "good girls" will also find that those girls are simply walking away from them"
As it has been since time immemorial.
"if you guys have all the answers about how and when to attract these good girls that you like so much, why haven't you been more successful in doing so? I'm just giving a perspective that you haven't seen and should probably have the common sense to consider."
1. there aren't very many of you left.
2. "good girl" standards are so stratospheric that not even a mix of Jesus Christ, George Clooney, and Bill Gates would satisfy them
"Good girls" like you are extremely selective because you can afford to be. More power to you. But you'll find fewer and fewer men who are
a. able to meet your standards; and
b. willing to even try to meet your standards.
Best of luck to you. You'll need it.
I never said you were not 'marriage material'. I said that your attitude precludes the very traditional kind of marriage you are in favour of. That requires a certain type of woman, eg. your mother. I don't know her, of course. But I can bet my bottom dollar (or in my case Swiss franc) that she has a different attitude from you. Think about it.
The virgin example was an extreme example to get my point across. Excuse this tendency of mine to use extremes. In certain cases I need to. Case in point: this one.
I don't flatter Danny. I simply recognise a good guy when I see one. If you care to look deeper, you might find that the so-called Manosphere guys are all just normal men with bad experiences behind them. They do change their minds about women when they encounter pleasant ones. And you know something? It doesn't hurt to be cordial, even if you disagree with them.
I know you did not intend it this way, but your post about Danny reads like a personal attack. As I said, I know you did not intend it like this. But there we are. It is the perception I got. And believe me, I am trying very hard to stick with 'Team Woman'. But somehow, it gets harder with your attitude sometimes. This is not a criticism, just an observation.
"I know a lot of "good girls" in real life, and I can state with certainty that none of them would consider a man relationship or husband material if he slept around or…and this is crucial…whined."
This made me smile. Might I say something here? Don't be so sure about this. A woman in love can get very forgiving all of a sudden. Ever heard of 'the hamster'? (Oh I forgot, you don't like Game terms). The hamster can make a devil seem like a saint. It happens. (It can also go the other way, sadly, lol).
Notice that Deti gives superlatively good advice to women in his last sentence. But I bet you missed it. You choose to dismiss him with your cursory 'good riddance'.
Each to his own, I say.
Like I said to you before, I don't care where I get my education. Ivy league school as you North Americans say, or the local community college, I'll take it as it comes.
You might well insist on getting yours from elsewhere. That's your choice. We agree to disagree on this one, perhaps?
CD, in your writing here and on your blog, you seem to really have something against men who , in your words " whine" . What do you consider whining? It looks like it's a man expressing any opinion that differs form yours or showing any human emotion and vulnerability. What's so special about you? You don't seem all that "nice" to be honest.
Oh, and I have had game used on me. If only men knew how transparent all that BS is!
So when you marry a man without game, and you've completely lost interest in him, send him back here so danny can patch him up and put him in the ambulance bound for Athol Kay's place.
right, Deti. Her husband is going to have to game her every waking hour lest she lose respect for him over any little thing. If not, it's a lifetime of passive aggressive hell. It's exhausting just thinking about it.
Danny, CD's comments on that same thread sent me into orbit as it was on ST's tribute to Tom Munson, who I considered a friend although I never met him. My only image of her now is of a fat turkey you are getting ready to send a friendly arrow through.
Of all the bloggers in the manosphere to show contempt for you picked HUS,The Private Man. and Danny. On a memorial tribute of all things. And now a personal attack on Danny. I don't understand your timing or your choices.
I just want to point out that "attention from men" is a woefully low standard. In the US, any woman who is not fat and even of average attractiveness, will have plenty of attention from men; much more so than a man of comparable sexual rank.
I tried reading the discussion above, but I can't figure out what her point is. I think she may believe that "good" as it applies to women, should apply to men in the identical way. Of course that's foolish, because men and women are different and have different sexual strategies.
Have you seen that video of virgins kissing? Lulz.
"I just want to point out that "attention from men" is a woefully low standard."
I was itching to make this point, but as I already had quite a lot of things to say to Io, I held my tongue. I am really glad someone else made this point, though. It IS worth making. Again and again.
"I think she may believe that "good" as it applies to women, should apply to men in the identical way. Of course that's foolish, because men and women are different and have different sexual strategies."
Again, thank you for reiterating this point. How many times do we need to remind ourselves that men and women are DIFFERENT? With totally different and (sometimes) opposing values?
Why is this so hard for some to understand?
CD obviously doesn't understand the way things work. Oh well. Others here have done a good job explaining why men who do what she claims to want rarely get ahead.
I'm mostly with you until you claim to be a Catholic. I'm not a Catholic but it seems some of what you think is "ok" really wouldn't pass the mustard.
Just because your mom or some other bloggers have no problem with what you may or may not be up to isn't enough. Evangelical type manosphere bloggers get called out when they go off script so why don't you just admit you're "lapsed" or whatever they call it. If I'm wrong and I'm slandering you then I apologize but you do have a few things to explain if you claim to be religious.


text:
No Other Name But Jesus (Gabbott)
Music for Choirs, Submitted Music (1992-1997)
No other name but Jesus,
No other name but thine,
Offers all men atonement,
Offers a hope divine.
No other one could suffer,
Nor act in mediation,
No other one but thee, O Lord,
Can offer men salvation.
Lord in the water's coolness,
I took thy name on me.
With sacrament I witness
I do remember Thee.
This is thy gift supreme Lord,
That I could be forgiven.
If I repent and honor thy name,
Our Father's Own Begotten.
No other way is certain.
None but thy narrow way.
If I would gain thy kingdom,
And live with thee some day.
Thine is a path of service,
Of love complete, supernal.
No other way but thine, O Lord,
Can lead to life eternal.
Text: Mabel Jones Gabbott
Music: Lynn S. Lund
Album: Submitted Music (1992-1997)
Composition Date: 1993
More Info: CMS 1993

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Provision of one specified advanced service is one of the four gateway criteria for the community pharmacy Quality Payments Scheme. A key role for pharmacists is supporting patients with medicines optimisation via the medicines use review (MUR) service.
As a pharmacist you will need to be accredited to deliver the MUR service by successfully completing an MUR assessment set by a higher education institution (HEI). We host an MUR assessment on behalf of the University of Manchester and have several resources to support you in successfully completing the assessment.
A good starting point is to take a look at our MUR FAQs for more information.
Once you have decided to work through the MUR assessment access our MURs: preparing to become accredited guide. The guide explains the structure of the assessment and signposts to useful learning resources.
Once you have successfully completed your MUR assessment, you can extend your knowledge with our programme High-risk medicines and MURs or our guide Targeting your MURs more effectively.
MUR guidance changes regularly, so to make sure you stay up to date and you are familiar with the key resources check the PSNC website information.
From March 2021 the MUR service will be phased out. As a result of this you will no longer need MUR accreditation in order to offer the new medicine service (NMS). This means completion of the assessment may no longer be required. Please check that you still need to complete the assessment, as we are unable to offer refunds once accessed.


text:
By Steven Brady, 2018 IADC Chairman It has been my honor to serve as your IADC Chairman in 2018. As Chairman, I have had the opportunity to talk with and meet a diverse slice of our membership. As we close out this year, I am thankful for those experiences. They showed me that, as an industry, we share the same goals of safety and efficiency. I began the year with a promise that our association would continue to focus on things that our industry has identified as key to our continued success – safety, environmental stewardship, technical resources and advocacy. It was an ambitious and lofty goal, as each of these areas is vast and technically difficult to achieve. Yet, through ...Read More »
Celine Martin, Total: Sidestepping life's 'disappointments,' turning differences into strengths can help to build diverse career
By Linda Hsieh, Managing Editor For Celine Martin, not being selected for an engineering program with the French Navy when she was a teenager came as a huge disappointment. She had undergone three years of post-secondary studies in specialized military classes in preparation for a selective entrance exam to the elite national engineering school, Prytanée National Militaire. She also dreamt of piloting the type of fighter jet she had seen soaring in the skies above her hometown of Hyeres in southeastern France. In hindsight, however, it was that "disappointment" that set Ms Martin on a path to something bigger and better – offshore oil and gas. "I didn't perceive it that way at the time because I couldn't do what I ...Read More »
News Cuttings
ULL Student Chapter members complete training In August, members of the University of Louisiana-Lafayette (ULL) IADC Student Chapter completed the IADC WellSharp well control level 3 (Driller) course after an extensive four-day training, held 6-10 August. The following month, 28 members of the chapter toured Parker Drilling's 2,000-hp Rig 55B in Amelia, La. The students had an opportunity to witness first hand drilling equipment discussed in the classroom, including accumulators, BOPs, top drives, pumps and solids control. Representatives from Parker Drilling were on hand to guide the students on their tour, including Perry Landry, Operations Manager; Ronal Savoie, Rig Manager (Pusher); Roger Wellbrock, Maintenance Manager; Rick Henley, Special Projects Manager; and Kent Gerdsen, US Sales Manager. Drilling Matters Module Encourages ...Read More »
Drilling & Completion Tech Digest
Halliburton sets record depth for expandable liner hangers on Stampede project in Gulf of Mexico Halliburton's XtremeGrip liner hangers were recently installed to a depth of 30,924 ft in the Gulf of Mexico Hess-operated Stampede deepwater development. This set a record depth for the system. To facilitate the completions, the company installed 37 XtremeGrip expandable liner hangers across seven wells, with no liner-top leaks or remedial work required. The challenge on the Stampede project was to isolate multiple hydrocarbon-bearing sands across the drilling and production liners with cement. The XtremeGrip system's unrestricted flow path prior to setting, and its ability to rotate while cementing, provided effective isolation without costly cement remediation. Each Stampede well includes up to five XtremeGrip liner ...Read More »
IADC: Paving the path to better, safer industry
By Jason McFarland, IADC President In the following pages, you will be able to read through a snapshot of IADC's activities over the course of 2018. It's an impressive list of accomplishments, and ones that I am personally proud of in my role as president of this association. I hope that you are able to see the value of your membership in the activities of our Government and Industry Affairs, Accreditation and Credentialing, International Development, Communications and Drilling Services divisions. Maximizing the value you receive as a member of IADC is something that is of utmost important to me. While the accomplishments in 2018 have been impressive, there are even more important projects that we are excited about looking to ...Read More »
People, Companies & Products
Ensco, Rowan Agree to Merge in All-Stock Transaction Ensco and Rowan Companies jointly announced that the companies have entered into a definitive transaction agreement under which Rowan will combine with Ensco in an all-stock transaction. The agreement was unanimously approved by each company's board of directors. The Saudi Aramco partner to the ARO Drilling joint venture has consented to the combination. Rowan President and CEO Tom Burke will serve as President and CEO of the combined company, which will have a rig fleet of 28 floaters and 54 jackups. Ensco President and CEO Carl Trowell will serve as Executive Chairman of the combined company. David Williams Joins Precision Drilling Board of Directors Precision Drilling has announced the addition of David ...Read More »
Forecasts through 2050 suggest balanced mix of fuel sources while underscoring need for continued investments in hydrocarbons
Natural gas likely to emerge as biggest energy source beginning in 2026, peak in 2030s By Katie Mazerov, Contributing Editor Increasing demand moderated by gains in efficiency. The rise of renewables as global climate objectives come up short. Development of conventional versus unconventional resources. Political tension between developed and emerging economies. These are some of the complex forces shaping the long-term global energy outlook, according to experts and trends outlined in two comprehensive reports released this year. The global energy transition forecasts present both opportunities and challenges for an evolving oil and gas industry over the next 20 to 30 years. "The world is producing and consuming more oil today than ever, and yet oil resources are still reasonably abundant," said ...Read More »
Even amidst recovery, impact of oil price crash reverberates as investors press companies to increase returns by cutting costs
Personnel shortages also being felt at multiple skill levels, with many employees wary of returning to a cyclical industry By Rick Von Flatern, Contributer For nearly two years, the drilling industry has been in a painfully slow recovery mode, and prospects for 2019 appear to be more of the same. In the latter half of 2014, average global oil prices went from a dizzying $100/bbl to just more than $50 by year's end. By the start of 2017, oil prices had hit a low of about $20/bbl. In the ensuing two years, oil prices have trended up toward $70, where it remains today. In the years leading up to the oil price crash, drilling contractors had invested billions of dollars ...Read More »
Shell bolsters well control training with incorporation of human factors principles
By Linda Hsieh, Managing Editor Shell is forging ahead with its Leading Advanced Well Control and Front-line Barrier Manager programs, which both incorporate human factors/crew resource management, as the operator seeks to reach its goal of working without any incidents. Such training courses have come a long way since the late 1990s, when they used to focus on topics such as deepwater or high-pressure, high-temperature operations; always purely technical in nature. Now, the courses are still technical, according to Mark van de Velden, Wells Learning Advisor, Shell Global Solutions. But they encompass much more simulation exercises where participants can be observed and coached on their human factors skills. These courses have been developed based on the International Association of Oil and ...Read More »
Putting people first: Oil and gas industry should consider a system thinking approach to IIoT revolution
Leaders must realize that digital transformation will be 20% technology and 80% how people work together By John F. Carrier, MIT Sloan School of Management, and Michael Fry, Deepwater Subsea "Are you digitalizing your business?" This is the question that people working in the field are being asked at every available opportunity. But is this the right question that the industry should be asking? While it is a good question, perhaps a better question is: "How do we lead our organization through the current digital transformation?" Unlike previous waves of innovation, there is little in the way of proprietary technology or access to capital that may be used to gain a strategic advantage. Instead, the winners will be determined by ...Read More »


text:
Tools for Self Reliance
Ryde Rotary Club are supporters of the Tools for Self Reliance project
Ryde Rotary Club is supporting the charity Tools for Self Reliance.
Ryde Rotary Club members will collect and send your donated tools for overhaul and re-use to help relieve poverty in Africa. Tools for Self Reliance works with local African organisations to deliver a programme of tools and training to bring about effective and sustainable change to trades people and their communities. The primary countries we work in are; Ghana, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. You can read stories of the projects here.
Tools for Self Reliance are an international development charity, supported by over 800 volunteers across the UK.
Their mission is to reduce poverty in Africa by helping people build sustainable livelihoods through the provision of tools and training.
The charity refurbish second hand tools and send them to training projects in Africa.
They welcome appropriate tools for the trades they support but unfortunately cannot accept everything. Here is a list of the trades they support to give you an idea of the items they need :


text:
Home » Gear Reviews » Hiking & Camping » Knives » Folding Knives » Benchmade 484 Nakamura
Benchmade 484 Nakamura ReviewAugust 24, 2014
The Good
- Extremely high quality steel
- Grippy, contoured handles
- Lightweight
- Reversible pocket clip
- Modified drop-point blade
The Bad
- Contoured grip may not work in all hand shapes and sizes
- The premium price may turn some potential buyers away
Knives like the Benchmade 484 Nakamura are rare. A lot of knife companies are focusing on the form of their blade as well as the function—but there aren't a lot of knives that have the small details that the 484 has, which makes this knife both an everyday-carry knife and one you can wear with a nice suit.
The Benchmade 484 is almost as fun to look at as it is to use. By selecting M390 steel and contoured G10 handles, Benchmade has created a functional piece of art with the 484.
Construction & Materials
G-10 is a fiberglass-based laminate that has solidified itself as the common mainstay for handle material today's knives. It's durable and allows for a good grip, even in the sloppiest conditions. When you pair it with a super steel like M390, and build it all off of a thick stainless steel frame; you're working with fried gold.
Ease of Use
Contoured handles that force your fingers into predetermined grooves are always a gamble. On smaller knives like this 484, I found the handle grooves to be spot on but in a bigger hand, they can make the grip seem unfamiliar and uncomfortable. Beyond that, this knife performs like a Jedi Lightsaber as the shape of the blade and the M390 steel allow it to pierce, slice, and chop with ease.
Steel Quality & Edge Retention
If you see a knife with M390 or Elmax steel, it will take more out of your wallet but pay you back ten-fold in function. You might as well retire your sharpening stone and honing oil, because you won't need it for years to come. After slicing up the shipping boxes the 484 came in, I was still able to easily slice through paper—and more cardboard—like a razor. Additionally, with a little bit of pressure on the spine, I could push the blade right through 3mm and 5mm cordage. It's almost silly sharp.
I might as well put in 10 for a durability score on all of the Benchmade knives that come through the office. I still test them like I do any other knife, but I know that they are built to last and will stand the test of time.
Because of its composition and popularity, M390 Super Steel will drive up the price of anything it's attached to. But, believe me, it's worth it. This steel—featuring high levels of chromium and vanadium—is extremely corrosion resistant, and too stubborn to get dull. However, in today's market, the average consumer may be hard-pressed to pay more than $150 for a standard pocketknife.
Continue Reading


text:
General Question
Does having a Safeway club card mean you have to pay membership dues?
Asked by guywithanaccountnow (313) February 24th, 2012
An annual contribution? Anything? It seems like they wouldn't have much other motivation to give you discounts, unless their normal prices are just artificially high.
Also, if there are dues, how much?
Observing members: 0 Composing members: 0
9 Answers
Rarebear (25159)"Great Answer" (1) Flag as… ¶
marinelife (62440)"Great Answer" (0) Flag as… ¶
deni (22853)"Great Answer" (1) Flag as… ¶
deni (22853)"Great Answer" (0) Flag as… ¶
MollyMcGuire (7725)"Great Answer" (0) Flag as… ¶
Answer this question
This question is in the General Section. Responses must be helpful and on-topic.
Wow! You've got 847 knowledge matches!Want to see them? Join Fluther!


text:
All about improving the customer experience for older consumers
Friday, April 11, 2008
Do you know your demographic targeting from bidding?
Google's demographic bidding has been in beta testing for months, and was recently released to the world. It is now possible for an advertiser to target by gender and age. There are limitations inherent in demographic targeting mainly that it only applies to sites that collect demographic data on site visitors and report it to Google. So advertisers who target ads to sites like MySpace and Friendster will find the capability very useful; others, not so much.
What will be very interesting to do is compare the price people are willing to pay for consumers of differing ages. When I get the time I will conduct and experiment. Anybody already done this analysis?
These two links (link1 link2) tell you all you need to know about the subject. Dick Stroud
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Health insurance is on everyone`s mind these days. But little do many know there`s another type of health insurance that`s been available for more than 25 years that few opt to purchase, that`s because it`s for pets.
Pet insurance has been around for a while, and is increasing in popularity. In the last few years 300-percent more people have decided to get a policy for their pet. But it isn`t as much of a jump as it seems, as still only three percent of pet owners are buying into the idea of pet insurance.
What do you think about pet insurance? Leave a comment below and let us know if you have pet insurance and is it a good idea?
View the rest of the story here Pet Insurance


text:
BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:40 P.M.) – The Kurdish-led People's Protection Units (YPG) launched several artillery shells towards the positions of the Turkish Army and their allied rebels in the northern countryside of the Aleppo Governorate this evening.
According to reports from the Aleppo Governorate, the YPG fired several artillery shells towards the Turkish military's positions near the rebel stronghold of Azaz.
No casualties have been reported.


text:
Holiday Spicemint Tea – Organic Loose Herbal Caffeine-Free Tea
★A COMPREHENSIVE BLEND -Dr. Rosemary's Holiday Spicemint Tea is, of course, focused on helping you enjoy a great cup of delicious holiday cinnamon-minty tea, but with the added bonus of relaxation as well! Our organic loose leaf herbal blend is flavored with 4 refreshing herbs blended for great taste, and wonderful results!
★A BETTER HERBAL EXPERIENCE – All organic ingredients, vegan, caffeine and gluten free with NO PRESERVATIVES.
★TESTED AND TRUE -Our formulation is lab tested for quality, and offers true results. Backed by alchemic science and the expertise of Dr. Rosemary, who is an Acupuncture Physician trained in Herbal Therapy, we bring you a blend that is unmatched in taste & quality!
★STRESS FREE GUARANTEE -Our tea is painstakingly made for flavor and effectiveness, and we want you to buy stress free. That's why we offer a 90 day full coverage guarantee! If you find our amazing tea lacking in any capacity, just send it back our way for a full no questions asked refund! It's that simple. Buy today; you'll be glad you did.
★FREE Bonus Tea accessory (Tea Infuser, Fill-able Tea Bags or a magnetic measuring spoon – all randomly selected for you and included at no extra cost!)
Organic cinnamon, Organic peppermint, organic ginger, organic red rooibos


text:
Screen personas for [Painted Skin]
Source: Youth Daily
8 Jan 2008
Mega movie [Painted Skin] is currently undergoing filming in Hengdian. Recently, we visited the filming site, and saw the screen personas of Chen Kun, Zhou Xun, Zhao Wei and Donnie Yen. In the movie, Chen Kun's character is a famous general, while Zhou Xun's portrayal of the female ghost oozes eeriness. During filming, Donnie Yen nearly injured himself.
Zhao Wei: Hairstyle shows the grace of a lady
Because of the filming, Han Street in Hengdian tourist spot remained closed. Stars like Donnie Yen, Zhou Xun, Zhao Wei, Chen Kun and Sun Li have been participating in the filming, and as the story evolves around ghosts, night scenes featured heavily in the movie.
On 4 January noon, we reached the filming site, and found that all entrances to the site were closed. Production crew needed to display their passes before they were allowed entry. Originally, there was a footpath on the northeastern part of the Han Street castle, where tourists could walk up and admire the scenery at the top of the castle. The production team had also blocked the footpath by wooden planks. At one glance, one could see that filming was earnestly underway in the castle.
We could see many people milling around the site, and they seemed to be extras for the city street filming. About half an hour later, actual filming commenced. We saw Zhao Wei decked in her screen attire, which was a white overcoat, and she was having a very dated hairstyle, with her hair bundled up. The image was that of a graceful lady, and it was very different from her role of Sun Shangxiang in another epic movie [Red Cliff]. Standing beside her was a man decked in general attire. After the director shouted, "Cut!", the 'general' turned back, and we realized that the actor was not Donnie Yen, but Chen Kun.
Zhou Xun: White robe with black view oozes eeriness
At this moment, a female actress dressed in a white robe with a black headdress walked towards the filming site. At close glance, we found out that she was Zhou Xun. She had a focused expression on her face, as if she was concentrating on what she needed to do for her next act. This 'female ghost' has indeed brought creepiness to the scene.
On the second night, we ventured to Han Street again. Perhaps the tourist city was closed to tourist visitors, we saw that the previously boarded doors were open. We stepped into the filming site again, and saw that the crew was mingling at nearby buildings, meant to be inns and monasteries. The exterior of the buildings were painted a deep beige colour, and it felt specially creepy at night.
We crossed over to the back door of the monastery, and were nearly frightened by the scene that greeted us. There were two large portraits, a bronze mirror and some makeup items. So this was here Zhou Xun stayed to 'paint her skin' to transform herself into a beautiful lady.
Highlight – Donnie Yen escapes from possible injury during filming
That night, the team was supposed to film a scene of Swordsman Donnie Yen. This scene was supposed to be filmed on the rooftop of the second level of the inn. However, we saw Donnie sitting by the director all the while, while two artistes were 'flying' all over the rooftop. It appeared that one of the artistes was his double. The other person had a fierce and sinister looking expression, and should be Donnie's screen enemy. The entire site was alight by the projector lights, and there were several film records held up by cranes, which zoomed here and there as the artistes moved.
Donnie was chatting animatedly with some makeup artistes. We learnt that he nearly had an accident during filming two days ago. At that time, he was also supposed to film a night scene at height. At the last moment, Donnie felt unwell, and decided to let his double do the stunts. His instincts proved accurate, when the double accidentally fell to the ground. Donnie was pretty shaken up by the incident.
Related News
The might of Zhou Xun's female ghost will be enhanced during post production
The story [Painted Skin] has been modified several times, but he main focus was still that of a weak scholar's encounter with a vicious female ghost. However, it appeared that the latest version had more changes.
In the original story, Chen Kun's character is that of a weak scholar with a fondness for females, and needed the protection of priests. After the female ghost killed him, he needed his wife to resurrect him. However, in the movie version, Chen Kun's character is a strong general. In fact, he would have several horse riding and fighting scenes. It is anyone's guess as to how the story would develop further.
A few days ago, Zhou Xun, Zhou Wei and Sun Li had filmed a scene at the temple. In the movie, Sun Li is Zhao Wei's good friend, while Zhou Xun also has a close relationship with the duo. We also learnt that Sun Li's character is a good friend of Donnie Yen, and she is a swordswoman with brilliant martial arts skills. Sun has already done some of the stunts herself. Although Zhou Xun did not need to display any fighting skills, she was required to display the aggressiveness and terror of a lady ghost, and her might would be enhanced during post-production.
Filming for [Painted Skin] is expected to complete filming by end of February 2008


text:
Gift Certificate: PINPOINT WELLNESS™ - 001 Bespoke Facial
Everyone is different, therefore all our facial treatments are bespoke and tailored to your skin and well-being on the day when you come to see us.
We believe that our skin is a reflection of our internal well-being, our treatments are more than skin deep. Starting with a TCM Symptom Diagnosis protocol, we will examine your tongue, pulse, temperature and limbs while chatting to you in order to understand more about your lifestyle, emotions and specific skin concern(s).
We will design your treatment of the day which can involve any/a combination of the below:
- Accupuncture (Face &/ Ears &/ Body) (Do not worry if you don't like needles we've other stimulation techniques to do the same trick
- Intra-Dermals Stimulation
- Modern Gua Sha (Innovative combination of traditional and new techniques using different shapes and temperature of stone massage tools)
- Lymphatic Drainage
- Sacral Cranial Fluid Release
- Fascia/Tissue/Muscle/Bone Manipulation
- Buo Jin (Tendon Picking/Cross Friction Massage)
- LED Photon Therapy
- Oxygen Restoration
- Aromacology/Therapy
When being treated from within, you will see an immediate improvement in your skin and feel your body being lifted/relaxed with the right energy level. Lasting results can be achieved with a course of 4(+) treatments with the combination of a balanced lifestyle ('balanced' doesn't mean banning you from the things you love e.g. chips and alcohol - but consume moderately, nothing excessive).
Ada Ooi 90 minutes £450* (New Client)
Locations: Bond Street / Harley Street London
For booking enquiries please email: email@example.com
*No discount code can be used


text:
Woman charged in connection with 2 hit-and-run crashes
A family is one step closer to closure after police made an arrest in a hit-and-run case from May that seriously injured a Louisville man.
Louisville Metro Police said 25-year-old Melanie Crowe is also responsible for another recent hit-and-run.
The victim in the May hit-and-run is still recovering from his injuries.
Martel Adams, 34, finally has his voice back, and is now using his voice to speak about the ordeal he had to endure and the pain he continues to feel.
Police said the Crowe left the scene of his accident and at least one other recently.
Last month Adams was only able to use text messages to communicate. He's still recovering but is doing better and is finally able to speak.
"I've been counting them days, 54 days she was out here, that I've been in the hospital," said Adams.
Adams said he still remembers Crowe's face the morning she hit him, leaving him with a broken pelvis and pins and rods in his left hand.
"You almost took my life away from me then you get out of your vehicle and you look at me and don't even call the ambulance or the police for me?" said Adams.
With his family by his side, Adams reflected on what was taken away from him he was hit and thrown off his motorcycle on Preston Highway.
"I'm usually with with my son every day. My son is my sidekick and I miss being with him," said Adams.
Police said during the time Adams has been recovering, Crowe committed another hit-and-run in Jefferson County; running a red light and hitting a car carrying an adult and three children.
"(It) makes me feel even worse because I'm not the only victim she done did like this," said Adams.
Adams is now being treated in a rehab facility. He wants Crowe to be punished.
"They give me shots in my stomach everyday so I don't get blood clots. I'm on a respirator and I'm on a sleeping machine to keep my lungs going," said Adams. "She deserves to go to prison. She deserves not to even be out on the streets."
"We have to go through the justice (system) to get the full closure. We need to see something happen to her. We want to know why," said Martel Adams' sister, Jacoby Adams.
Adams is now working on being able to walk again.
He said he's grateful for the Waffle House workers who called for the help he needed the morning his life changed.
Crowe's total bond for both cases is $15,000 cash.
Crowe faces a long list of charges, including two counts of leaving the scene of an accident and operating a vehicle with a suspended license.
She will go back before a judge later this week.


text:
I have a Toshiba Satelite pro 6100. Lately the laptop started rebooting and switching off. The screen would go blue then black and lots of technical writing. But Today when I switch on all I get for a few seconds is Toshiba across screen as normal but then it goes to a Black screen and all it says is---- Built in Hdd password=
I really need to get serious legal documents off my laptop. What do I do, from what i read its looking bad.
Does anyone have passwords i can try or software to download. How will I get my documents
thanks in advance
Toshiba came up with a fix for that...you need to update the BIOS to version 1.90.
"Made a change to prevent the message requesting for HDD password to appear when the HDD is malfunctioning"
Download the above, double click, then read the instructions for the "Boot CD-ROM Installation Method"
Thank you I will try that. Sorry but I am no expert. What is BIOS? and When I switch on my Laptop all I have is a complete black screen and up in top left corner it says Built in HDD password=
Its looking for a password. No Mention of BIOS
When I download the above link , How do I install it on laptop. Do I burn to cd and put it in laptop. Will that work
BIOS = Basic Input / Output System. It's a program contained on a small memory chip on the motherboard & holds all the basic hardware configuration information. Think of it as a tiny OS...it's purpose is to allow the CPU to properly interact with all the rest of the hardware components in the system. It's the 1st thing that loads when you boot up a computer & the 1st thing you see on your screen.
Manufacturer's periodically release BIOS updates which have more up to date info about HDDs, CPUs, memory, etc. Many times these updates also contain 'fixes' for problems that have been identified, such as your "Built in Hdd password=" message.
The instructions on how to update the BIOS are included in the download that I linked to in the other response. You will have to download the file (2610v19.exe) on a different computer, double click on it to unzip it, open the folder, then read the instructions for the "Boot CD-ROM Installation Method". Once you create the bootable CD, pop it in your laptop, boot off it & perform the update.
After you've done that, you *should* be able to boot into Windows. Backup all your important files ASAP because your HDD may be on it's last legs.
Hi. Thanks for your help. I downloaded file off another laptop on to a CD-R . I inserted disc into problem laptop and nothing happens. All I have is a black screen with Built in Hdd Password wrote on it.
That means your BIOS isn't configured to boot off the CD-ROM drive. You need to enter the BIOS & reconfigure the boot order settings, placing the CD drive in the # 1 spot & moving the HDD to # 2.
Here's how to enter the BIOS setup program:
Sorry I managed to make a booteable CD-R.
Screen now says
Prepareing to start your computer
this may take a few minutes. please wait...
and alot of technical writing
and it stays that way
how long wait
"Sorry I managed to make a booteable CD-R"
OK, what did you put on the bootable CD-R?
"and it stays that way....how long wait"
That's as far as it's gonna go. You didn't do as I instructed. I supplied the download link & the instructions, but you have to READ them!
If your Toshiba PC is equipped with a bootable CD-ROM device (CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, DVD-RW, DVD-Multi, etc.), and you have access to a CD writer (burner, either installed in your Toshiba PC or in another PC), you can create a bootable BIOS installation CD-ROM using the ISO CD image, 2610v19.iso, provided in this distribution. Once you create the bootable CD-ROM, simply boot your computer from the resulting CD.
To boot from CD, you can either hold down the "C" key while you turn your computer on, or you can use HWSetup to change the boot priority so the CD drive boots before the HDD.
Note, if your CD burner supports it, you can use a rewritable CD (CD-RW) disc to create the bootable BIOS installation CD-ROM. Be sure to erase the rewritable disc (if it has data on it) before you proceed. Once you are finished updating your system's BIOS, you can erase and re-use the rewritable disc.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Creating the bootable BIOS Installation CD requires a specific set of steps that is unique to each CD authoring application. You cannot simply copy the ISO image to a blank CD and expect to be able to boot from it.
All you need to concentrate on is what I have highlighted in blue. Here's a program that you can use to convert the ISO file & burn it to a disc:
Thank you for your help. As I said I am abit pc ignorant and I am sorry if I annoy you but I do appreciate your help.
Firstly I downloaded http://askiris.toshiba.com/ToshibaS...
Secondly I burnt a booteable cd-r disc via NTI Media maker
I inserted disc into dodgy laptop
I held the letter 'C' Down
And the screen said
Prepareing to start your computer
this may take a few minutes. please wait...
and alot of technical writing
Now what have I done wrong or what have I forgotten? Thanks
I will recheck booteable disc
I keep burnin that to cd-r.
When I open it it says 16 files unzipped but I cant see files, it keeps prompting me to use on current laptop or copy to floppy diskette
OK, one last time. I'll explain it a little differently this time;
1. Download & install ImgBurn 18.104.22.168 from the following link:
2. you should already have downloaded the BIOS file from the other link & unzipped it. The unzipped folder will be named "2610v19". Inside that folder is an ISO file named "2610v19.iso". Right click on it & select "Burn using ImgBurn". When ImgBurn comes up, pop in a blank disc, wait for it to be recognized, then click on the icon on the bottom of the left column.
3. Once the BIOS boot disc has been created, simply boot off it & let it do it's thing. When it's finished, remove the disc & reboot the system.
When I down load the link it prompts me to unzip files I click unzip and it says 16 files succesfully unzipped, I click ok and another pop up comes up.
Please select the method by which you want to install the Bios
1. Diskette installation
2. install from windows
3.show instructions.
What do I do or where do I find the 16 files or the iso file you mention
You're really starting to piss me off. I have duplicated every single step on my PC & have had no problems whatsoever.
Did you install the ImgBurn program? You can't do sh!t without it. If you haven't already done so, go back to the link I supplied, download & install it.
Got it? OK, moving on....
After you double click the 2610v19.exe file, it unzips into a folder named 2610v19 & places it in the C:\ directory. If something else pops up, close it...you don't need it!
Go to My Computer, click on C:\, then find the folder named 2610v19. Inside that folder, find a file named 2610v19.iso. Right click on it & select "Burn using ImgBurn". When ImgBurn comes up, pop in a blank disc, wait for it to be recognized, then click on the icon on the bottom of the left column.
Once the BIOS boot disc has been created, simply boot off it & let it do it's thing. When it's finished, remove the disc & reboot the system.
Hopefully you got it this time because I'm NOT explaining it again!
I put .iso file on to disc. Inserted disc & left it do its thing
to find Same writing.
Prepareing to start your computer
this may take a few minutes. please wait...
and alot of technical writing
I explained Im no genius and I thanked you everytime and had no intention of pissing you off. I am in a Jam and have been very appreciated but now finally after doing everything you say and spending 2 days trying fix this thing it did not work. I think I am the one who is the most Pissed off at this stage.
Just to let you I got it workin. The laptop was slugglish and not responding and finally when I scrolled over files to save them it switched off.
I have tried disc all over again and it wont start up
it now says'' IDE #0 error '''and it boots up and it asks to switch of ac power and when I do, it just reboots and nothing
Now I give up
If you go all the way back to response # 1 & read what I copied from the Toshiba website about the BIOS update, you can make an assumption. Here's what it says:
"Made a change to prevent the message requesting for HDD password to appear when the HDD is malfunctioning"
The last view words tell the tale...the HDD is malfunctioning.
Thanks for the Help
All I wanted was a few more seconds


text:
Salem, OR— Kate Brown (D), governor of Oregon, said last week that she would be striking down a recent law that went into effect January 1st that allowed some Oregon residents to pump their own gas after hundreds of deaths resulting from drivers incorrectly filling their tanks.
The law came to an end June 1st, but not before nearly 5,000 Oregon residents burst into flames at gas pumps around the state.
"Never in my worst nightmares did I ever think so many people would lose their lives this way," a visibly shaken Brown said. "The carnage that this law, this horrible, terrible law brought forth…I'll be forced to live with the terror this law has wrought for the rest of my life…"
It is unknown exactly how many immolation deaths occur in the state each year on average, but Brown conceded that number "skyrocketed" during the first five months of 2018.
"They were right," Brown said of the critics who felt the law was a bad idea. "They were so, so right. God help me, they were right and I was wrong. People in Oregon clearly just aren't meant to pump their own gas. How in holy hell does the rest of the country do it?" New Jersey is currently the only other state in the U.S. that does not allow motorists to pump their own gas.
The worst day for gas pump deaths came on March 17, when 242 people, more than one every six minutes, caught on fire and burned to death while trying to fill up their cars. That day also saw 48 gas stations destroyed.
Brown did not answer questions about whether she would be resigning as governor. "My only focus right now is preventing these senseless deaths and protecting the vulnerable people of the great state of Oregon," she said. "It's obvious they need me more than ever right now."


text:
The Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler
Marine Park
Cruise Options
Image Gallery
Experience the history of the Columbia River Gorge and learn about the Lewis and Clark Expedition on a cruise aboard the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler. We board from Marine Park at Cascade Locks, in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Enjoy riverboat cruises on our authentic triple-deck paddle wheeler, providing 360 degrees of breathtaking vistas. Watch Native American tribes fish from their legendary platforms as they have for centuries. Meal cruises and cruises to take in the views are available. Step on board for a unique viewing of the Columbia River Gorge.The Sternwheeler's historic-looking interior and exterior along with its historic setting in the scenic Columbia Gorge makes it a wonderful experience for tourists and history enthusiasts. It has seating for 232 passengers for plated meals, an on-board galley, two full-service bars, and is licensed to carry 599 people.
The Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler was built in Hood River, Oregon by Nichols Boat Works and was launched in 1983. On April 19, 2006, the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler became the first and only paddle-boat leased by American Waterways, Inc.
Length 119.9 feet
Draft 5 feet
Gross weight 92 tons
Cruising Speed 9 knots
Engines (2) Cummins Diesel Electric
The history of Cascade Locks is intimately tied to the Columbia River. The small settlement that grew up on the banks of the river helped early travelers portage around the rapids, first by foot, then by mule-drawn rail cars, steam engines, and finally riverboats.
Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery portaged around the rapids of the Cascades in 1805. They wrote in their journal, "this great chute of falls is about 1/2 a mile with the water of this great river compressed within the space of 150 paces…great number of both large and small rocks, water passing with great velocity forming & boiling in a horrible manner, with a fall of about 20 feet" (October 30- November 1, 1805).
In 1896, the navigational canal and locks at the site of the rapids were completed, and modern-day Cascade Locks was born.
The locks allowed safer navigation of the river, and riverboat whistles echoed in the Gorge each day as the boats made their runs from Portland and The Dalles. Passengers still disembarked at Cascade Locks for portage around the rapids until 1938, when Bonneville Dam succeeded in completely taming the rapids.
Eventually, passengers and freight were drawn to more modern forms of transportation, and roads and railroads displaced the sternwheelers. Although the romantic days of the sternwheelers are now past, you can experience a taste of history aboard the Sternwheeler "Columbia Gorge," an authentic replica of a triple-decker paddle wheeler in size and construction.
information and images acquired from portofcascadelocks.org
In 1803 Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson to learn and report about western geography, climate, plants and the indigenous people encountered on their journey to find the great waterway to the Pacific Ocean.
Relax and picnic in Marine Park and Thunder Island. Travel the famous Bridge of the Gods between Cascade Locks, Oregon and Stevenson, Washington. We have RV accommodations and a marina available. The Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler and Marine Park are available for all occasions. Whether you are planning a special evening just for the two of you, celebrating an anniversary or birthday, entertaining guests, planning your wedding or wedding reception, or hosting a group event for up to 200 guests, our professional, courteous staff and knowledgeable event planners will help ensure your special occasion is one to remember.
Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler Image Gallery
Learn more about Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler Cruises→
Portland Cruises Columbia Gorge Cruises Specialty Cruises 15 People or More
About Us
Site Map


text:
Bodybuilding begins in the kitchen. Everybody has heard that one. But when it comes right down to it, is it fact or one of those well-worn bodybuilding myths? So, which is it really? Its emphasis on amino acids for muscle growth or exercise, with a focus on decks, reps, and technique, is nutrition. This is an interesting question that deserves an answer. This article is an … [Read more...]
What You Have to Know About Calories & Body Fat
Description: Most folks use the word fat to refer to all body fat, while there are various types of it. Some can be dangerous, affect your health and cause diseases, while some, such as visceral, essential, or subcutaneous, are useful. Read on to discover more about it! Checking the number of calories in your diet is important There are two fat types in the body; for … [Read more...]
The Harmful Effects of Weight Cycling
Weight can be stubborn and become difficult to control. A problem that many dieters face when undergoing a weight-reduction plan is the yoyo effect or weight cycling. It is where people lose weight fast and regain it back, over and over, hence the struggle continues. Weight watching becomes a vicious cycle that makes it difficult to lose weight permanently. It hurts the … [Read more...]
The Top Diets To Try in 2019
New year, new you… or so you thought. If you haven't started the year off on the right foot or if your current diet isn't working for you, it's time to change how you think about food. While diets of the past suffered from a lack of scientific evidence and misunderstandings about weight loss, current diet plans are advanced and structured to suit your specific dietary needs. In … [Read more...]
Helping Your Child Have a Healthy Diet
As parents, many of us understand the task of aptly preparing our kids for the long journey ahead of them. One of the most important factors for a long, healthy life is nutrition and exercise. In a world of fad (sometimes harmful) diets, as well as the growing rate of childhood obesity in the U.S., teaching kids at a young age the importance of a well-balanced lifestyle is … [Read more...]
Ketogenic Diet Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them for Healthy Weight Loss
A ketogenic diet is getting more popular today and with good reason. This type of meal plan can offer multiple health benefits and facilitate fast weight loss. However, like any diet, when practiced unwisely or incorrectly, it can do more harm than good. To make sure your ketogenic diet experience results in a positive change, you need to know how to avoid deficiencies caused … [Read more...]
Diet For Table Tennis Players – WHAT FOOD YOU SHOULD EAT?
Table Tennis is currently one of the commonly played sports in the world. It is a sport which either involves two or four players holding rackets, where they hit a ball forth and back across a table. The game of table tennis takes place on a hard table which is partitioned into two equal sides by a net. Not all Table Tennis players are aware of the fact that the nutrition … [Read more...]
Keto Diet 101: Detailed Overview
With so many dieting options out there, you might be looking for the right one. Chances are, you will have to try out more than one before you figure out which one will work for you and your lifestyle. The Keto Diet is worth looking into. It is a diet that has been around since the 1920's and was first used to control seizures in those with epilepsy. It also has many other … [Read more...]
Why Working with a Virtual Dietitian Nutritionist Can Be Good For Your Health
Gone are the days when dieting was a thing. As per an estimation, 95% of the people who follow a diet plan would either fail or regain the weight. The primary way to achieve a healthy body weight and improve health is to adopt lifestyle changes that you can follow religiously. It is just about letting go of the old habits that don't work and bring your healthy eating practices … [Read more...]
Detoxing Why It's Important and How to Prepare
The colon is responsible for filtering out toxins, reabsorbing water, and preparing waste for elimination. It's important to keep it running smoothly, not only so you can feel better in the short term, but also because keeping a clean colon may prevent more serious problems in the future. Why You Should Detox We wash our hands to prevent dirt and illness-causing germs and … [Read more...]


text:
Ellesse Mens White Filippo Badge Slide
Stock alert
Please alert me via email when this product is back in stock.
Ellesse Filippo Badge Slide in White. A simple design with a rubber sole and strap that carries Ellesse's classic arch logo made form a textile material.
- Ellesse
- Filippo Badge Slide
- Slip-On
- Textile Ellesse Branding
Info & Care
- Rubber Sole & Strap
- Textile Branding
- Wipe Or Brush Clean
We aim to dispatch all orders placed before 15:30 on the same day, Monday – Friday. Orders placed after 15:30 or placed at weekends/bank holidays will be dispatched on the next working day (working days are classed as Mon-Fri).
Please see the Delivery page for further information.
Masdings offer 7 delivery options across the UK, Europe and Rest of the world, for more details check the delivery page.
Please return the item(s) to us in their original condition complete with labels* within 14 days of receipt in a protective postage bag/box.
For more information please see the Shipping & Returns page.


text:
"He was tied up to the trailer out behind the stands, a blaze-face palomino gelding, roughly 15 hands, high withers, slightly ewe-necked, back a little swayed, …white hairs on his muzzle,eyes sunk in with age. An old warrior with his best years long since gone away, left here baby-sitting at a small-town horse play-day.
Watched over by her parents, a young girl kissed the horse; they coached her on the fine points and wished her luck, of course. He hardly seemed to notice when the small girl took his lead; he followed without balking but not with any speed. She climbed on and walked him round some, he went without a fuss; his head was down, the reins were slack, his feet dragged in the dust.
When they called her name his ears pricked up, she sat up in her seat; trotting to the gate there was new lightness in his feet. When they got into the alley he flared his nostrils wide, picked up the bit and arched his neck, she latched on for the ride. She let him go and as they went the years melted away, and he was once again the barrel horse he'd been in younger days.
With eyes on fire and muscles bunched, raw power in his stride, blazing speed and energy wrapped in horse's hide. He had chased the cans from old Cheyenne to the Calgary Stampede, from Amarillo to Salinas, he had lived the game horse creed: "Run to live, live to run," it was printed in his genes, from nose to tail his big heart pumped blue blood through his veins.
Coming through the pattern they touched the last can some; it was still up on its edge when they were halfway home. When she asked him for a little, he gave her all he had; the barrel stood, the run was good, and the time was not too bad. When she pulls the saddle he's an old horse once again, but while he's running barrels, he's all he's ever been.
So here's to that old gamer — may our golden years like his be filled with golden moments and glorious memories, Of races run and races won, of places that we've been, of friends we've made along the way and good things we have seen, And someone who will need us for what we still can do– may our needs be small, our wants be less, and our troubles be but few."
-unknown author


text:
How to Soften and Stretch Braids (and fishtails!)
If you search for braid inspiration on Pinterest or Instagram, I'm sure you'll stumble across a really wide, thick looking braid or fishtail in about .001 seconds. I love that this is where the trend is going because I love lived in, soft, romantic hair. And tight, perfect braids are a thing of the past (unless you are a little girl, in which case you can do whatever you want with your hair because you're adorable).
Getting the look of wide and stretched out braids is incredibly simple. And once you see how easy it is, you'll be able to transform your braids into the ones you see all over Pinterest and Instagram, I'm sure of it!
Texture spray (or powder if you prefer) is SO VITAL to softening out the braid without pulling it out completely. Here is a post all about texture sprays, including a few of my favorites.


text:
President & CEO: Jacques Desbiens
AM Best Rating: Not Rated
Total Assets: $1.7 billion
Net Income: $16.4 million
Assets Under Management: n/a
Net Premiums Written: $121 million
Mutualists Equity: $178.9 million
Number of Insureds: 300,000
Financial Size Category: n/a
FSR Outlook: n/a
Best's Issuer Credit Rating: n/a
ICR Outlook: n/a
As of date: n/a
Organization Type: Mutual Company
Specialty Lines of Business: Annuities, Life, Living Benefits, Investment, Retirement
Marketing Type: Broker
Life Insurance Product Portfolio: Non-participating and limited-pay whole life, Year-to-term cost of insurance, term-to-100, term life.
Living Benefits Product Portfolio: Critical illness, group benefits
Compliance Head: Eric Timmons
Privacy Policy: http://www.uvmutuelle.ca/uv/legal_notice.html
UL Mutual Head Office
142 Heriot
P.O. Box 696
Drummondville (Quebec)
Claims Inquiry Phone: 1 800 567-0988
Fax: 819 474-1990
Web Address: www.uvmutuelle.ca
Email Address: Use the form on their website under e-mail.
*Info courtesy of A.M. Best 2013 Key Reference Guide and UL Mutual's 2012 Annual Repot.
UL Mutual, similar to other Canadian life insurance companies, offers numerous products targeting clients with various insurance needs.
Though LSM Insurance is not directly affiliated to this insurer, our experienced life insurance brokers have access to products and quotes of over 20 Canadian insurers similar to the ones provided by UL Mutual such as term life insurance quote, whole life insurance quote, universal life insurance quote, disability insurance quote, critical illness insurance quote, no medical life insurance quote, long-term care insurance quote, group benefits and others.
UL Mutual is a mutual insurance company serving Quebecers since 1889. The company has also been present in Ontario and New Brunswick since 2004. UL Mutual's financial condition is the envy of its rivals and its success is mainly thanks to its sound business management and a solid network of over 2000 independent financial security advisors.
UL Mutual distributes products that include life insurance and critical illness insurance as well as savings and retirement investment products. The company also offers solutions in the field of Group Insurance.
UL Mutual's image is one of stability, durability and avant-gardism. It remains one of the last of Canada's mutual insurance companies and its members have voting rights at its general meetings as well as the right to elect its board of directors.
UL Mutual is a member of Assuris which administers a guarantee fund established to protect policyholders in the event that their life insurance company should fail.
- Over 7 billion dollars of life insurance in force
- A solvency ratio of 300%
- Over 200,000 insured members
- Over 2000 independent financial security advisors


text:
- blend.io/polygonrainbow
- Eugene Oregon
- 56 projects
I am a 25 year old Music Producer from Eugene Oregon. My influences cover a huge spectrum and I try to make sure my music is a reflection.
Store your projects in the cloud and restore them at any time.
Invite anyone to collaborate on your projects or remix them, publicly or privately.
Gain more exposure as your projects rack up likes, comments and plays!
Buy & sell on our democratic marketplace and reach a worldwide audience with the Blend Label.
We've updated our privacy policy. Read more here.


text:
Update: The Election on April 7, 2015 recorded 551 votes cast regarding the SBD.
Yes – 240 (44%) No – 311 (56%)
This page will remain visible as a reference while the residents of Lafayette Square reconsider our options for neighborhood initiatives.
See why some of our neighbors voted *YES* on April 7th.
Six BIG Reasons for supporting the SBD
A group of Lafayette Square residents has been working throughout 2014 to propose and promote the idea of a Special Business District ("SBD") for our historic neighborhood. The SBD would provide much-needed funding for maintenance, safety initiatives, and capital projects. SBDs are in place in many other St. Louis neighborhoods (Soulard, the Central West End, the Grove, etc.). The funding mechanism relies on an incremental increase in property taxes on all properties, not just businesses; the term SBD is a bit of a misnomer in that way.
Community meetings were held in September 2014 and October 2014 to serve as public forums during which the SBD Study Group made a fact-based, formal presentation followed by a Q&A session. The Powerpoint presentation used at the meetings is posted on this page for your reference. The meetings were facilitated by St. Louis public policy experts Laura Lock (in September) and Mack Bradley (in October). Both Ms. Lock and Mr. Bradley work with SBDs in other neighborhoods. We estimate that over 150 people attended these meetings, and we are grateful for their input. The SBD Study Group committed to sharing information openly on this concept. This webpage will serve as the home for all pertinent information on the proposed SBD. We will keep it updated as information arises on the SBD effort. Thank you for your interest in this proposal!
Why do we, as a neighborhood, need to raise more money?
Great question! Despite impressive progress in many visible areas, the Lafayette Square neighborhood is suffering from decades of deterioration, under-investment in neighborhood infrastructure, and the city's shrinking tax base and budget shortfalls. Many of the neighborhood's standout successes have stemmed from the valiant efforts of individual residents and businesses to restore and develop individual properties and features. Much of the neglect and deterioration, however, is associated not with individual properties but with public infrastructure features that affect quality of life, continuing development prospects, property values, and the neighborhood's long term vitality.
The city of St. Louis will continue to be responsible for city-wide public infrastructure components, including streets and sidewalks, refuse collection, and many other key areas. But like most other major cities nationwide, St. Louis is facing chronic revenue and budget shortfalls of its own, and has been reducing its financial support to city neighborhoods for years. Beyond basic infrastructure support, the city will not be a source of substantial funding for the Lafayette Square Urban Plan improvements or for meeting our other neighborhood-centered improvement needs and obligations.
Lafayette Park in particular, while it has benefited from tireless volunteer efforts, has a fragile infrastructure, including the ornate 1869 iron fence, the imposing gateway fixtures, the lake and fountain systems, the walkways and lighting, that is increasingly at risk. The entire park, which could easily be a gem-like destination for residents and outside visitors alike, suffers from chronic deferred maintenance. These problems will cost millions of dollars to fix and are far beyond the scope of the most dedicated volunteer efforts. Every year the historic district's maintenance costs alone require funding that is equal to about what the LSRC can raise in a good year. (For the last several years the LSRC has had more expenses than revenue every year.) Neighborhood safety and security add another layer of unresolved challenge that will be expensive to deal with. And in the past 14 years, critical new items have presented themselves for addition to our to-do list. In an era of increasingly constrained city budgets, there are still millions of dollars of critically-needed infrastructure projects and improvements, deferred maintenance, and safety and security measures for which no funds are available, or likely to become available.
What is the Urban Plan? Here is a little background:
In 2001, as part of a sustained community effort led by an urban planning team from Washington University, Lafayette Square residents and business owners developed and secured City of St. Louis approval of an Urban Plan for the neighborhood. A key part of the plan was a To-Do List of critically needed neighborhood improvements that would ensure the long term viability of the Square's often-fragile infrastructure, recognize both its unique heritage and its contemporary urban culture, support intelligently-planned future development, and enhance the quality of life in the neighborhood.
Neighborhood Questions and SBD Answers
FAQ – updated February 2015
Petition to the Board of Aldermen
Proposed Board of Commissioners
SBD Next Steps – Proposed Timeline


text:
Article Text
This response to Gail Henderson et al argues that they were right that interviewees' appraisals of cure study participation should inform (future) protocol review decisions, but wrong to take these appraisals at face value.
- Autonomy
- Clinical Trials
- Decision-making
- Ethics
- Research Ethics
Statistics from Altmetric.com
Contributors NE is the sole author.
Funding Writing this response was enabled by NIAID grant 1 R01 AI114617-01A1 (HIV cure studies: risk, risk perception, and ethics).
Competing interests None declared.
Provenance and peer review Commissioned; internally peer reviewed.
Request Permissions
If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center's RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.


text:
Hi,We ran into an issue when creating toolchain because the implementation of Gcc and Clang supports X86 by default. In our case, we want to setup two different toolchains for x86 (32 and 64 bits).
The problem comes when we define the platform to include the x86 as the architecture. We would define them as something like this: model { platforms {
x86 { architecture "x86" operatingSystem "linux"
} x86_64 { architecture "x86_64"
operatingSystem "linux" } }
}Any Gcc/Clang toolchains we create will support both platforms because of the default TargetPlatformConfiguration in AbstractGccCompatibleToolChain. This makes it impossible to use different toolchains for different x86 platforms.
Is there any plans to add the ability to remove the default TargetPlatformConfiguration?


text:
Pendant Set
Wedding Rings
Why Buy From Us ?
" Thank you so much FK Jewellers, I was really satisfied with your product and services...I got my jewelry items and I liked it so much, Elegant designs with discounted price!
- Armigirl Perez
View More
Kuwait: #121, Ground Floor, Souq Al Watiya, Maliya Kuwait CityUAE: #4481,Level No 1, Jewellery & Gemplex Building 3, JLT Dubai
Sun - Sat : 10:00 - 21:00
FK Jewellers is leading destination for high quality fine jewellery in Kuwait and UAE. We aim at revolutionizing the fine jewellery and lifestyle segment with a firm focus to make unique and beautiful jewellery Accessible, Affordable and forever wearable with enhanced customer experience.
*price may vary depending on current gold rate


text:
Did you know that one in five people has high cholesterol? Anyone can have it — even if you're active or thin, young or old.
|The truth is that high cholesterol levels can lead to cardiovascular disease, for example heart attack and stroke, which claims a life every 33 seconds.That's why it's important that you find out where you stand. Knowing your cholesterol level will help you better manage your risk. Get Checked.


text:
Ying Ruan
More info
Ying Ruan
Ying Ruan, a serial entrepreneur, is the CEO of Bright Beacon and founded Bright Beacon in 2013. Under his leadership, the company focuses on NFC resolutions, including base transceiver station, app, back-end processing system, and developer toolkits. Bright Beacon can keep track of changes in the user's location via the base tranceiver station, and trigger various functions on Bright Beacon App. It is certified Apple iBeacon and has been applied in scenarios like museums, shops, tourist attractions, and office buildings. Behind the product lies Bright Beacon's will to make offline business more interactive and connected.


text:
"Spirituality in the Workplace is a movement that began in the early 1990s. It emerged as a grassroots movement with individuals seeking to live their faith and/or spiritual values in the workplace. One of the first publications to mention spirituality in the workplace was Business Week, June 5, 2005.
The cover article was titled "Companies hit the road less traveled: Can spirituality enlighten the bottom line?" However, prior to that, William Miller wrote an article titled "How Do We Put Our Spiritual Values to Work," published in "New Traditions in Business: Spirit and Leadership in the 21st Century" edited by John Renesch, 1992, San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.
Gilbert Fairholm wrote, "Capturing the Heart of Leadership: Spiritual Community in the New American Workplace" in 1997 and Jay Conger wrote "Spirit at Work: Discovering the Spirituality in Leadership" in 1994, both considered germinal works in the field. Spiritual or spirit-centered leadership is a topic of inquiry frequently associated with the workplace spirituality movement (Benefiel, 2005; Biberman, 2000; Fry, 2005; Giacalone & Jurkiewicz, 2003; June, 2006).
The movement began primarily as U.S. centric but has become much more international in recent years. Key factors that have led to this trend include:
- Mergers and acquisitions destroyed the psychological contract that workers had a job for life. This led some people to search for more of a sense of inner security rather than looking for external security from a corporation.
- Baby Boomers hitting middle age resulting in a large demographic part of the population asking meaningful questions about life and purpose.
- The millennium created an opportunity for people all over the world to reflect on where the human race has come from, where it is headed in the future, and what role business plays in the future of the human race.
In the late 1990s, the Academy of Management formed a special interest group called the Management, Spirituality and Religion Interest Group. This is a professional association of management professors from all over the world who are teaching and doing research on spirituality and religion in the workplace. This action by the Academy of Management was a significant step in legitimizing workplace spirituality and spirituality in the workplace as a new field of study."
A proliferation of book titles (currently over 500) reflects a growing national movement to bring spiritual values into the workplace: The Soul of Business, Liberating the Corporate Soul, Working from the Heart, The Stirring of Soul in the Workplace, Jesus CEO, What Would the Buddha Do At Work?, Spirit at Work, Redefining the Corporate Soul, The Corporate Mystic, Leading with Soul, etc. Some books on this theme, such as Stephen Covey's pioneering The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, have sold millions of copies.
There are several national newsletters and associations based on spirituality at work, as well as dozens of national conferences on this theme, including one I organized in Washington in 1998 with over 50 leaders, including many from local businesses such as Marriott International and Riggs Bank. The prestigious American Management Association held a conference on "Profiting from a Values-Based Corporate Culture"-on how to tap into the 4th dimension of spirituality and ethics as crucial components for success.
To the surprise of many, this movement is beginning to transform corporate America from the inside out. Growing numbers of business people want their spirituality to be more than just faith and belief-they want it to be practical and applied. They want to bring their whole selves to work-body, mind, and spirit. Many business people are finding that the bottom line can be strengthened by embodying their values. They can "do well by doing good."
People at all levels in the corporate hierarchy increasingly want to nourish their spirit and creativity. When employees are encouraged to express their creativity, the result is a more fulfilled and sustained workforce. Happy people work harder and are more likely to stay at their jobs. A study of business performance by the highly respected Wilson Learning Company found that 39% of the variability in corporate performance is attributable to the personal satisfaction of the staff. Spirituality was cited as the second most important factor in personal happiness (after health) by the majority of Americans questioned in a USA Weekend poll, with 47% saying that spirituality was the most important element of their happiness.
Across the country, people increasingly want to bring a greater sense of meaning and purpose into their work life. They want their work to reflect their personal mission in life. Many companies are finding the most effective way to bring spiritual values into the workplace is to clarify the company's vision and mission and to align it with a higher purpose and deeper commitment to service to both customers and community.
Many people use prayer at work for several reasons: for guidance in decision-making, to prepare for difficult situations, when they are going through a tough time, or to give thanks for something good. Timberland Shoes CEO Jeffrey B. Swartz uses his prayer book and religious beliefs to guide business decisions and company policy, often consulting his rabbi. Kris Kalra, CEO of BioGenex uses the Hindu holy text, The Bhagavad Gita, to steer his business out of trouble.
The ABC Evening News reported that The American Stock Exchange has a Torah study group; Boeing has Christian, Jewish and Muslim prayer groups; Microsoft has an on-line prayer service. There is a "Lunch and Learn" Torah class in the banking firm of Sutro and Company in Woodland Hills, CA. New York law firm Kaye, Scholer, Fierman, Hays, and Haroller features Tallmud studies. Koran classes, as well as other religious classes, are featured at defense giant Northrop Gumnan. Wheat Internatonal Communications in Reston, Virginia has morning prayers open to all employees, but not required. Spiritual study groups at noon are sometimes called "Higher Power Lunches" – instead of the usual "power lunches."
The Los Angeles Times reported that Marketplace Ministries of Dallas placed freelance chaplains at 132 companies in 38 states. Fellowship of Companies for Christ International based in Atlanta has 1500 member companies around the world. They promote "The importance and practice of prayer in company decisions; a commitment to excellence; following Jesus' example of focusing on people, not things. "Do unto others in the workplace as you would have them do unto you," is what they strive for. Fast food companies such as Taco Bell and Pizza Hut hire chaplains from many faiths to minister to employees with problems and credit them with reducing turnover rates by one half.
In addition to prayer and study groups, other spiritual practices at companies include meditation; centering exercises such as deep breathing to reduce stress; visioning exercises; building shared values; active, deep listening; making action and intention congruent, and using intuition and inner guidance in decision-making. According to a study at Harvard Business School published in The Harvard Business Review, business owners credit 80% of their success to acting on their intuition.
Apple Computer's offices in California have a meditation room and employees are actually given a half hour a day on company time to meditate or pray, as they find it improves productivity and creativity. A former manager who is now a Buddhist monk leads regular meditations there. Aetna International Chairman Michael A. Stephen praises the benefits of meditation and talks with Aetna employees about using spirituality in their careers. Avaya, a global communications firm that is a spin-off of Lucent/AT& T, has a room set aside for prayer and meditation that is especially appreciated by Muslims, as they must pray five times a day.
Medtronic, which sells medical equipment, pioneered a meditation center at headquarters 20 years ago, and it remains open to all employees today. Prentice-Hall publishing company created a meditation room at their headquarters which they call the "Quiet Room, where employees can sit quietly and take a mental retreat when they feel too much stress on the job. Sounds True in Colorado, which produces audio and videotapes, has a meditation room, meditation classes and begins meetings with a moment of silence. Employees can take Personal Days to attend retreats or pursue other spiritual interests. Greystone Bakery in upstate New York has a period of silence before meetings begin so people can get in touch with their inner state and focus on the issues to be discussed.
Lotus founder and CEO Mitch Kapor practices Transcendental Meditation and named his company after a word for enlightenment. A research project by Prof. Richard Davidson at the University of Wisconsin at Pomega, a biotechnology company that had a very high-stress workplace, found a mindfulness meditation training produced astonishing results in reducing stress and generating positive feelings.
Paula Madison at WNBC TV in New York City prays before each show and says she became the number one news show in the area when she increased coverage of spiritual stories. Apparel manufacturer Patagonia provides yoga classes for employees on their breaks, as does Avaya telecommunications. A Spiritual Unfoldment Society has been meeting regularly at The World Bank for years, with lectures on topics such as meditation and reincarnation.
Executives of Xerox have gone on week-long retreats led by Marlowe Hotchkiss of the Ojai Foundation to learn a Native American model of council meetings and experience vision quests. The vision quests inspired one manager with the idea to create Xerox's hottest seller, a 97% recyclable machine.
The CEO of Rockport Shoes, Angel Martinez, talks openly of the spiritual mission of his company and encourages employees to spend work time envisioning ways to express their deepest selves in their work. Companies such as Evian spring water have successfully used spirituality in their advertising, as for example.: "Your body is the temple of your spirit."
The Service-Master Company, with six million customers worldwide, provides cleaning, maintenance, lawn care and food services, and puts its spiritual values upfront in its annual report. It begins with a biblical quote, "Each of us should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms."
"Are spirituality and profitability mutually exclusive? Bringing ethics and spiritual values into the workplace can lead to increased productivity and profitability as well as employee retention, customer loyalty, and brand reputation, according to a growing body of research. More employers are encouraging spirituality as a way to boost loyalty and enhance morale.
A recent study done at the University of Chicago by Prof. Curtis Verschoor and published in Management Accounting found that companies with a defined corporate commitment to ethical principles do better financially than companies that don't make ethics a key management component. Public shaming of Nike's sweatshop conditions and slave wages paid to overseas workers led to a 27% drop in its earnings several years ago. And recently, the shocking disregard of ethics and subsequent scandals led to financial disaster for Enron, Arthur Anderson, WorldCom, Global Crossing, and others.
Business Week magazine reported on recent research by McKinsey and Company in Australia that found productivity improves and turnover is greatly reduced when companies engage in programs that use spiritual techniques for their employees.
In researching companies for his book, A Spiritual Audit of Corporate America, business professor Ian I. Mitroff found that
Spirituality could be the ultimate competitive advantage.
A study reported in MIT's Sloan Management Review concluded that, "People are hungry for ways in which to practice their spirituality in the workplace without offending their co-workers or causing acrimony." The word "spirituality" is used generically and seems to emphasize how one's beliefs are applied day to day, rather than "religion", which can invoke fears of dogmatism, exclusivity and proselytizing in the workplace.
Research by UCLA business professor David Lewin found that "companies that increased their community involvement were more likely to show an improved financial picture over a two year time period." A two year study by the Performance Group, a consortium of seven leading European companies such as Volvo, Monsanto, and Unilever, concluded that environmental compliance and eco-friendly products can increase profitability, enhance earnings per share and help win contracts in emerging markets. Investment returns on the Domini 400 Social Index (publicly traded, socially responsible, triple bottom line companies) have outperformed the S&P 500 over a ten year period ending last year.
Business Week reported that 95% of Americans reject the idea that a corporation's only purpose is to make money. 39% of U.S. investors say they always or frequently check on business practices, values, and ethics before investing. The Trends Report found that 75% of consumers polled say they are likely to switch to brands associated with a good cause if price and quality are equal."
Our spirituality in the workplace services helps organizations to grow and to contribute to society in a meaningful way. It is about care, compassion, and support of others; about integrity and people being true to themselves and others. It means individuals and organizations bringing their values more fully in the work they do.
Faiez's work in this area has been focused on the following services:
- Organizational Spiritual Analysis (to determine organizational and its people readiness for introducing spirituality in the workplace
- Facilitation/Development of Strategy for Workplace Spirituality
- Review, advice, and development of ethical plans and programs to support strategy including:
- People Management Practices
- Employee Relations
- Workplace Health, Safety and Security
- Corporate Social Responsibility
- Procurement practices
- Supply Chain Management
- Quality and Production Management
- Operations
- Supply Chain Management
- Customer Services/Care
- Vendors/Associates Relations
- Corporate Governance
- Financial Management
- Workplace Spiritual Audit
- People/HR Audit (to determine employee satisfaction/stress level and their needs)
- Work-Life Balance strategies and programs
- Corporate Vision Statement and its Spiritual Impact analysis
- Corporate Social Responsibility and its Spiritual Impact analysis
- Values-centered leadership practices
- Developing a value-based workplace culture