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LONDON — All systems go.
The Games of the XXX Olympiad get under way Saturday in London with what people on this side of the pond would call a "cracker" of a day.
The Brits love a tasty rivalry and American swimmers Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte are willing participants on the first day of competition at the London Games with the grueling 400-meter individual medley.
It's a match race pitting the world's two finest swimmers in a four-stroke event known as swimming's decathlon.
"For someone who wants to promote the sport of swimming, there is not a better way than for him to swim that race," coach Bob Bowman said of Phelps. "It will be a coach's dream and I think a spectator's dream."
To which Phelps quipped, "Maybe not a swimmer's dream."
Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins pedals with his strong British teammates in the men's road race Saturday, but the Aquatics Centre is the place to be. The eight-day swimming competition is traditionally America's chance to rack up some precious medal.
They're calling it the "duel in the pool" although Phelps and Lochte did their best to downplay the hyperbole just ahead of the 400-meter individual medley.
"Michael is just one person," said Lochte, a versatile Florida swimmer. "There are other swimmers from around the world that I need to worry about. If Michael's right there, then he's right there but I can't rely on Michael being there."
Sure he can. The Phleps-Lochte showdown is a continuation of swimming's greatest competitors going at it stroke for stroke.
Truth be told, Phelps and Lochte are friends. Lochte never has been jealous of Phelps' fame although it has cast a giant shadow over his incredible career.
With 16 medals — 14 gold — Phelps has transcended his sport into the stratosphere of celebrity. He needs three more medals to become the most decorated Olympian of all time.
Lochte is a six-time Olympic medalist who proclaimed, "I'm here to win. This is my meet."
He stunned Phelps in the 400 IM at the U.S. Olympic trials last month in Omaha, Neb. So consider Saturday's contest Round 2.
Still, Phelps defeated Lochte three of the four times they raced head-to-head in Omaha.
Despite the hoopla, they only will meet in the two individual medley races. Phelps also plans to swim in the 100 and 200 butterfly, plus all three relays. Lochte is entered in the 200 freestyle and 200 backstroke, plus the relays.
In other words they should be teammates pulling for each other more often than chlorinated competitors.
They're not the only ones in for a big day of swimming Saturday. The American women kick off with the 4×100 relay in what should be the first of many skirmishes between the United States and Australia.
The women's relay will feature the Olympic debut of Missy Franklin, the first U.S. woman attempting to swim seven events in a single Games. It also is expected to be the only race for Cal great Natalie Coughlin, an 11-time medal winner.
But really when Phelps and his 80-inch wingspan hit the water everything else is left in his considerable wake.
Lochte knows it better than anyone. He won three gold medals, two silver and a bronze in Beijing but hardly anyone remembers that compared to Phelps' great haul of China — eight victories.
"Me and him, we've created a great rivalry but also a great friendship after the race," Lochte said. "I hope it continues that way."
Their personalities could not be more different. Phelps has been in the spotlight for so long he has an aura of professionalism.
He has been less automated on a farewell tour in London, saying at 27 these are his final Olympics.
Lochte, also 27, plans to continue over the next four years to try to make the team for the Rio de Janeiro Games.
Who could blame him? Lochte has the comportment of a laid-back surfer, which is something he likes to do in his spare time.
The Florida swimmer is receiving attention for his unorthodox training methods, including flipping tires.
"And we also pull big chains," he told a large group of reporters. "It's made me bigger and stronger, and as my times show it has made me faster."
Phelps, on the other hand, said he has no intention of throwing tires this or any year.
Lochte answered questions with his usual casualness, saying he feels no different in London than he did in Beijing.
"I go into each swim meet as a normal swim meet, it just has a different name," Lochte said. "It's like when I was 11, shooting hoops before I go to swim. Back home, people are talking about me and Michael and it's just talk. But I guess we'll see what happens in a couple of days."
Contact Elliott Almond at 408-920-5865 and follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/elliottalmond.


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The secretary of the Spanish ministry of education, culture and sports Mr Federico Moran Abad, traveled to China on the 13th of September giving a talk to a group of Chinese investors and students in Spain in Beijing about Spain's higher education system.
Following an agreement in 2007 Chinese students can be admitted to universities in Spain without taking the usual entrance exams and today China has the largest number of students in Spain from a non-EU country with numbers currently standing at around 6000 students.
This number has increased massively in the last 10 years rising from around 500 students in 2000. Two years ago First secretary Wang Zhiwei stated that Chinese and Spanish are two of the world's most important languages making it essential for Chinese students to study the Spanish language and culture. Wang also noted that the number of Spanish students studying in China had also increased and now stands at around two thousand.
Many of the leading Spanish universities are now offering scholarships for Chinese students wishing to study in Spain and the numbers of Chinese students are predicted to more than double in the next few years.
The number of Chinese tourists visiting Spain has also been growing rapidly year on year and is set to rise even faster following the Spanish governments new law granting permanent residency to non EU investors with Chinese buyers looking at investing in Spanish property to secure permanent Spanish residency for themselves and their families.
The China Daily have also reported that affluent Chinese students and investors are looking abroad particularly to Europe for high-return opportunities, access to European education for their children and free travel in the Schengen zone via the automatic approval of a permanent Spanish residency visa when purchasing a Spanish property over 500,000 euros.
Jones Lang LaSalle estimated that" China's overseas investment will maintain a 30 percent growth rate in 2013, with real estate as a main investment target".
Access to quality Educational systems and a higher standard of living are major attractions for high net worth individuals looking to invest overseas. Michelle Liu head of International Residential at Jones Lang La Salle Shanghai states that "From traditional immigration needs to children's education to the value appreciation of assets, we believe that Chinese investors and students in Spain demand for overseas residential property assets will continue to grow rapidly".
For information on Spain's new Golden Visa, the application process and also for details of qualifying properties please check our website or contact firstname.lastname@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


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Willow Maxipierre sheet
Removes calluses and roughness of the skin (feet, heels, knees, elbows,...)
Manufacturer: Feuille de Saule
- Description
SKU: 4746877 Willow Maxipierre sheet
Properties: the Maxipierre removes calluses and roughness of the skin (feet, heels, knees, elbows,...). instructions: after a hot bath, rub gently with the Maxipierre calluses. After use, rinse the stone to remove the remains and allow it to dry. Caution: it is inadvisable to use it on delicate areas or irritated skin. If diabetes or poor circulation, seek the advice of u doctor or a pharmacist before use. Composition: cellular glass fronted door-pierre. Presentation: a maxipierre + its door-stone.


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- Home
- Learning
- Our Learning
- MYBennies Integrated Learning
MYBennies Integrated Learning
MYBennies Innovation Project
How to better engage students in the middle years of schooling, Years 7 to 9, is one of the current focuses at Mount St Benedict College.
The MYBennies Innovation Project is the result of two years of research and ongoing professional learning in this area. Central to this project is our belief that girls learn at their best when they have strong connections, when they feel valued, respected and known, and when their learning is relevant and interesting.
The MYBennies tree represents visually the elements that are addressed in the MYBennies Innovation Project.
Our foundations remain - our Good Samaritan heritage, the gospels and Catholic tradition, and the Rule of Benedict.Building on our values and mission we draw on Positive Education, Teaching for Understanding and a more integrated approach to the delivery of teaching and learning programs to develop learners who pursue personal excellence, who have a service orientation, are critical and creative thinkers and have personal ethos and values.
In this way we believe we will be educating young women who can take their place in the world of the 21st century, with confidence and the ability to transform themselves and the world.
MYBennies – Year 7 Integrated Course
In 2015 a new integrated learning program MYBennies was introduced to all Year 7 students as part of the MYBennies Innovation Project. Nine specialist teachers work together from Religious Education, English, PDHPE, TAS, Geography, History and Drama to deliver the program which fosters students creativity and problem solving; communication; critical thinking; information and media literacy; global citizenship; collaboration and teamwork and independence in learning. The students are grouped in classes of between 21 - 23 students allowing students to meet students not in their base classes. The students complete four units throughout the year – What's Behind The Red Brick Wall?, Window To The World, Let's Talk About My Learning! (culminating in a Student Led Conference with parents) and the MYChoice project.
STEM – Year 8 Integrated Experiences
In 2016 (after piloting in 2015) Year 8 students have had several unique opportunities to experience the integrated project-based learning experience of STEM.
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) learning experiences integrate the teaching of skills from these disciplines so that what students learn is shown to be transferrable between disciplines and contexts, and relevant to real-world situations. All Year 8 students have participated in four high-quality STEM learning experience days. These days involved the whole year group working in small collaborative groups to design, construct and present projects using engineering principles in order to solve real-world problems.


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Lucy from Lucy Designs Online created super large letters made out of picture frame molding and caulk. You have to check out the tutorial for this one. I love the antiqued metallic paint finish she used on them. Many of the catalogs carry letters that you can purchase. She saw these Espresso Capital Letters at Pottery Barn Kids that … [Read more...]
Hanging Bouquet Mobile
Amanda from Be Sweet created a hanging flower mobile to hang above her daughter's crib. It is the perfect feminine touch, don't you think? She was inspired by one in a Pottery Barn magazine that wasn't even available for purchase. The flowered hanging wreath was simply a prop in the Pottery Barn Kids catalog used to add some color into the … [Read more...]
Paper Bird Chandelier
Lindsay from Living With Lindsay created a ribbon and bird chandelier for her new baby girl's room. Lindsay says, "Once I decided on a color scheme for my baby's nursery, I knew that this particular chandelier wouldn't work in the room. Never to let a little issue like that be a problem, I decided to recreate it using my colors and a … [Read more...]
Valentine Chair Backer
Kalleen from At Second Street added a little Valentine's Day color to the back of her kitchen chairs using some fabric scraps she already had on hand. She created Valentine's Day chair backer mail bags for her four children to leave love notes for one another all month. Her original inspiration came from last years Pottery Barn … [Read more...]
Farmhouse Table & Chair
Amanda from Serenity Now scored the ultimate prize on a recent shop to her Salvation Army store. She said she scored this small kids table for $10 on "Make a Deal Saturday." I don't know what "Make A Deal Saturday" is but it sounds right up my alley! With a fresh coat of white paint and some fabric for chair covers she had a gorgeous children's … [Read more...]
Girl's Room Mural
Lisa from Paint in My Hair hand painted this amazing mural for her daughters' room. My mouth dropped when I saw it. I love how she took care of every detail to make this beautiful for her twin girls' room. Ok and I don't normally do this but I couldn't resist this picture of the two of them. Ack! I want to love on them babies! They are … [Read more...]
Collector's Shelves
I love a girl who can think outside the box. Lesley from The Design File purchased a wood shelf and flipped it upside down and added some support rails to mimic the Collector's Shelves found at Pottery Barn Kids. Brilliant! Here is the original Pottery Barn Kids picture where she found her inspiration. I think that is awesome and she … [Read more...]
Classic Shelving
Gail from My Repurposed Life has one the best women wood working blogs out there. She finds old pieces and salvages them to make some gorgeous decor. I think she might even rival me for cheapness too! You have to check out her blog. This time she made a shelf for her daughter's birthday. She was inspired by the Classic Shelving from Pottery … [Read more...]
Truck Shelf
Nydia from The Evolution of Home made an adorable red truck shelf for her son's room. I actually have this page from the Pottery Barn Kids magazine ripped out myself to make one day. And get this…it only cost her $1. Don't you love it when the star align and you have most supplies on hand? Her original inspiration came from the Truck Shelf … [Read more...]
Rose Petal Lamp Shade
Brianne from The Jones Family Adventure decided since her baby girl had turned two that it was time to do a little room update. She decided to add a little feminine texture first. She took an old lamp base and a plain shade and turned it into a little rose petaled beauty.She was inspired by an adorable rose flower shade from Pottery Barn Kids and … [Read more...]
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text: Dark £27.00 Quantity: at £27.00 each Add To Basket 1 in stock. Digital image set 'dark.' These are the images that you get in the dark set. They are 2400 x 2400 pixels 300 dpi. When you buy this set we will email you within 48hours with a link for you to download and keep the images.


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Introduction to Business Model
Before you go further in reading this document I want you to pause and answer one question. How do you define Business Model? If you take the time to create a thoughtful response to that question you will gain more from what I have to say.
The term business model often surfaces when CEOs are reporting on the success (or failure) of their companies. They use the term in so many ways that it brings doubts as to just how well they understand what a business model actually is. The next time you hear the phrase being used try to understand exactly what they are talking about. See if you can conceptualize their description.
I have found it difficult to do that because when many leaders are saying Business Model what they are referring to are vague images in their minds of what their business should look and act like. It is more of a transient vision statement than an actual model. Unfortunately for them, and those that work for them, that apparition exists only in their minds. And to make matters worse that ghostly image is unintentionally evolving. What was there three months ago has morphed into something new without anyone else knowing, even though there are projects and initiatives underway to try and capture the earlier vision. If the model is not visible how does one go about building it? How can a group of executives 'know' they have a common understanding of the desired model if none of them are looking at a model?
There was one company that had three executives and a strategy consultant spend nine months developing a strategic plan. The management team needed to have a plan in place in order to meet certain goals. At the end of the process the group had settled on a particular corporate direction and some of the key strategies needed to make their vision come true. The most important strategy centered on the company having a 'World Class Supply Chain Management System' put into place. The CEO upon being asked to clarify what that would look like stated that the company would spend exactly what it took to give the customer exactly what it wanted. If the company spent one dime more than was necessary then that would be a problem. The CFO was asked the same question and he responded that being a world class Supply Chain management meant studying Wal-Mart, P&G and Dell and developing something superior to their processes.
Compare those responses and ask yourself if you think both of those people had the same vision in mind. It is obvious that they didn't. Here were two people who had spent considerable time together to co-develop the strategy, could repeat the words of the strategy but weren't on the same page when it came to how to execute that strategy. That is the danger of language – assuming we all mean the same thing when words are being used.
The term Business Model can also be found in the world of academia. In undergraduate business studies but especially in MBA programs the phrase is often used. Case studies of companies typically refer to their business models. The term is used hundreds if not thousands of times in the course of obtaining an advanced degree.
Since the phrase is so widely used in business and universities wouldn't it be reasonable to expect a common definition? From seeing that term used in many different ways I came to the conclusion that people don't share a common understanding of what constitutes a Business Model.
To verify my suspicions I conducted two surveys. One was with a group of business people and university students and the other was with a graduate business class. The audience in both cases was there to listen to a presentation I was going to make on the concept of Business Models. Prior to taking the surveys I asked those present to raise their hand if they were familiar with the term Business Model. Every person showed me they 'knew' what the term meant. My next instruction was for them to write down their definition on the piece of paper I had given them without conferring with anyone else. I was not looking for a homogenized version of the term but wanted to hear from each person individually. I also asked them not to include their name. What they had to say was more important than who said it.
I collected and recorded all the responses and now have dozens of different Business Model definitions. Allow me to share the beginning of just seven of them.
- A business model is a process ….
- Business model is the technical design …
- A business model is a description ….
- Rules and goals of the business as a whole.
- The method of running the business …
- A plan …..
- The strategies needed ….
As you can see from just these definitions my hypothesis was confirmed. Every one of those definitions is very different than the others. A description is certainly different than a process. Rules and strategies bear no resemblance to each other or any of the other descriptions in that list. There is a vast array of ideas being applied to the concept of Business Model.
The question begs to be asked: "How can business leaders and students attending the same university, studying the same field, have such a large array of definitions for one of the most basic business concepts?"
I think I know why.
It is not unlike the parable of the seven blind men and the elephant shown below. None of the seven men had ever experienced an elephant before and therefore had no basis or context for this magnificent creature. Each blind man was asked to describe an elephant. The first one touched the tail and described it as a rope. The second one touched a leg and said it was like a tree. One touched a tusk, another an ear, another the back,… While each man's description of the elephant was technically correct if a person took only that one perspective s/he could not know what an elephant looks like.
In order for those men, or anyone else for that matter, to know what an elephant looks like they need to know all of its parts and their relationship to each other. By viewing each part individually it is not possible to know what any complex entity looks like.
A business is a very complex entity. Now mentally substitute the elephant in the story about with the idea of a Business Model. Scan the list of seven different definitions from my surveys and understand that each of those definitions is just one part of the business model.
I have come to understand that the reason why I receive so many different definitions for a Business Model is because it isn't just one thing. Plans, rules and regulations, processes, strategies, design,.. are all different parts of the Business Model elephant. Each piece doesn't capture the totality of the entity but it does provide one glimpse.
That doesn't mean a definition for a business model can't be created to describe a business model. I have spent many years in this area and have developed a definition that works well. It aligns perfectly with the system I have created to make the Business Model Design a reality.
A Business Model is:
An aligned design of the products, processes, people and support functions that enables a business to achieve sustained performance.
My definition encompasses all of the 'parts of the business model elephant' listed by the seven responses from my surveys. Some of the survey responses are easily seen in the definition while others exist at a lower level. My goal was to use the fewest words to capture the totality of a business model and I believe I have succeeded. If there are aspects you believe to be missing, such as strategies and goals, trust that they are accommodated in the process but not readily apparent in the definition.
I am a much more visual person than auditory. When I was in a senior executive role my staff would come to me with an idea and I would always say "Show me the picture". Without the picture I didn't know if we were on the same page. We unknowingly use the same terms when we are referring to different ideas. Just go back to the seven responses listed above for proof.
With that in mind I have created a visual document to go with the above definition for Business Model. It is my "Show me the picture" of a Business Model but unfortunately I am unable to import it into this document. If you were able to look at it you would see that the diagram illustrates how the business entity exists within the competitive environment and then how each of the components of the business exists within the overall context of the business entity. Context is King and that understanding is embedded into this approach.
The model works regardless of whether the company provides a product or service. And while I use the term 'business' I am not referring to only for-profit companies. It is any entity that provides a product or service for someone else. Corporations, single business units, agencies, organizations and even departments can all use this diagram to show its inner workings.
The picture is a high-level view. Each of the parts in the diagram can be decomposed to help the reader better understand the context of what it is they are viewing.
When you study my Business Model Design take notice of the red arrows throughout the diagram. Those arrows indicate a flow. That flow actually represents a progression or sequence which in turn creates dependencies resulting in this document taking on a more three-dimensional perspective.
Look to SlideShare for a PowerPoint by me on this topic. There I wll be able to share my business model design diagram or canvas.
Before closing there is a concept I wish to share with you. "The environment determines the relevance of a design". This is critical to understand because it can and should be applied in every aspect of a person's life. My definition of Business Model ends with the words 'sustained performance'. The only way to achieve that level of performance in anything we do is to constantly adapt to a changing environment. That is true for products, processes and businesses alike. As the expectations change so must the corresponding designs.
There is an entire system that goes with this diagram. And when applied it creates a laser-like focus on what a business needs to do in order to achieve its goals. That brings us full circle to the idea that "It's all about Performance".
Invalid Business Assumptions
Each person goes through the day making assumptions. We assume the sun will rise in the east; the light will turn on in the bathroom; the shower will have hot water; the car will start when we leave for work and our computer will connect to the internet. The number of assumptions we make every day as we walk through our lives must add up into the hundreds. We are blind to them because events unfolding in front of us do not challenge our assumptions but instead support them. Unknowingly to us most of our assumptions are strengthened every day.
Perhaps assumptions are mental habits or conditioning and serve a similar purpose to learning how to tie shoes. When we first learn to tie a shoe it requires considerable attention or intentionality. We think about each move and either verbally or mentally repeat the instructions. It is a very manual and slow process. As we learn to tie our shoes we create 'moving memory'. The more we practice the less attention is required and the faster and smoother we become. After the memory is completely programmed within us there is no benefit to keep thinking about each movement. Movement without thought can be a good thing. Ask any athlete about thinking too much when playing a sport. Just let your body do what it does and it will perform well.
Assumptions are often referred to as something bad. Many times I have heard the phrase: "You know what happens when you assume something? Makes an ass out of u and me". So what would our lives be like if we didn't make any assumptions? What if we thought through every situation and condition before making a decision or taking a step? If making assumptions is a bad thing then it follows that not making assumptions is a good thing.
We have all had an experience where we made an assumption that led to an unexpected and negative incident. In those situations we vow to never assume anything again because it can sneak up and bite us. Is that vow realistic or even desirable?
Why do we make assumptions? To relieve ourselves of the active thinking about events that almost always occur based upon our experiences. We don't waste our time thinking about whether the sun will rise. We don't think about how our bodies will digest the food we have for lunch. We don't think about many things going on around us.
So from one perspective assumptions are time savers. That is until the assumption does not work in our favor. It is similar to the noise the refrigerator makes when it is running – you don't notice it until it stops. We don't see our assumptions until things do not go according to plan. Then we look for what we missed and try to see how it could have gone differently. Quite often we discover an action we overlooked but did not recognize because we made an invalid assumption.
This is especially true in business. Decisions based upon invalid assumptions can lead to disastrous results but we are blind to the assumptions until the results are coming in. And then it can be too late.
Imagine the value of a list of common invalid business assumptions that lead to poor performance. By knowing the assumptions you can avoid making them. Stay blind and you are doomed to repeat them over and over again.
During the past four years my business partner and I have been compiling such a list and have found them to fall into four categories. For the sake of brevity I have only included one invalid assumption in each category along with a description of the assumption. I have three more invalid assumptions for each category listed in a lengthier document. If you wish a copy of that document contact me through this blog or directly reach me at firstname.lastname@example.com.
The first category of invalid business assumptions executives make are about the Goals they develop. These are important assumptions because the goals of a business establish the performance requirements for the entire enterprise. For instance if a corporate sales goal is to increase revenue by a certain dollar amount then the year will be considered successful only if the business performs at that level. Anything less is unsatifactory. Goals and performance requirements are the same thing.
· All Goals are Achievable.
o Just because you set a goal does not mean you can achieve it. Businesses are challenged to set "Big, Hairy, Audacious, Goals" (BHAGs) but if those goals are not achievable then setting and working on the goals is actually harmful. There is nothing wrong with setting stretch goals but they need to be attainable. If it is impossible for your business to grow a certain percentage with your existing Business Model – there are five discretely defined components to a Business Model – then you have to either change the goal or redesign your business to be able to achieve that goal. If you are not designed to achieve the goal then no matter how hard you work or push your people you will not reach the goal.
· Invalid Goal assumption 2
· Invalid Goal assumption 3
· Invalid Goal assumption 4
The second category of invalid business assumptions made by executives concern the Design of their business. There seems to be an intuitive understanding that businesses have a design because the term Business Model is used frequently by CEOs. A model is the physical manifestation of a design. When a product is prototyped the designer creates a set of blueprints (designs) that are used to build the model. The next time a CEO speaks about his/her business model ask him/her to show you the design. And since the CEO's understanding of the business design is so vague it is easy to have invalid assumptions about it. Here is one.
· Improving Information will Improve the Design of the Business
o Many executives look to IT systems to solve their problems. With better information they will be positioned to make more intelligent and timely decisions. Executives need to remember that systems support organizations / organizations execute processes / processes create products or services / products or services are delivered to customers. Systems are the last thing executives should be looking to change! Will replacing the dashboard (information system) in your car change its performance capabilities? No. The root cause problem in your business is seldom the result of any IT system. The fault usually lies in the design of the business.
· Invalid Design assumption 2
· Invalid Design assumption 3
· Invalid Design assumption 4
The third category of invalid business assumptions deals with Strategies. This is an activity that nearly executive has engaged in and can relate to. It is the source of out-of-the-box thinking and it sets the direction of the corporation for years to come. Strategic planning is considered essential for the survival of every company because executives know that to be stagnant is to die. They have to change and the vehicle for change is thought to be strategies. And if this is indeed the vehicle (which we know it is not) then any invalid assumption in this group can be crippling. Here is the first invalid business assumption in this group:
· Strategies are Strategies
o Not all strategies are created equal. There are at least three types of strategies: design strategies, implementation strategies and execution strategies. The nature of each type of strategy is very different as well as their timing. Business executives often confuse a design strategy with the design of the business. They are two completely different ideas and need to be kept separate in order to reduce confusion. Know the difference between design and strategy.
· Invalid Strategy assumption 2
· Invalid Strategy assumption 3
· Invalid Strategy assumption 4
The fourth group of invalid business assumptions is about Performance. Performance is important for the health of the organization. If there is substandard performance from the customer's perspective then sales will suffer and the business will fail. Customers are looking for companies that can offer the greatest Value Proposition. If there are performance issues as it relates to the return on investment then stockholders will opt to invest their monies in better performing businesses. Shareholders are looking to create personal wealth and companies that are not financially successful suffer in the market place and that has a negative impact on the company's stock price. Actual Performance is very important in the long-term prospects of any company.
· Performance Problems are Always Execution Problems
o Business executives are aware of the impact that the quality of a design has on the performance of the product but they fail to apply that understanding to their business. 80% of the time the quality and relevance of the business design is at the root of performance problems. A poor design can never result in good performance. But since executives are unaware of business design they see execution as the culprit. Execution is particularly attractive to management since those problems are the fault of the employees while the quality of the design is management's responsibility.
· Invalid Performance assumption 2
· Invalid Performance assumption 3
· Invalid Performance assumption 4
Knowing that you are operating under an invalid assumption may give you the chance to change your decision making. If you are making assumptions about things that you can control then you do have the option to make changes. If your assumptions are about large external events such as the economy, then you can not control the outcome but you can develop scenarios.
Customer Focus
This post is actually a response I gave to a blog from the ITtoolbox. The gentleman I was responding to takes the position that companies may believe themselves to be customer focused when in fact they fail to take into consideration what the customer wants. Seems fairly obvious but he is correct. It isn't unusual for executives to not understand who their customers are and still believe they are customer focused.
But the author of the original post and I quickly diverged when it came to how we see the organization. It is his contention that the organization (especially in those companies that view its employees as their number one asset) should drive the design of the processes. Read on to see how his opinion may contradict his own view of being customer focused.
There is one more point I want to make before you begin reading this blog. I view publicly-held companies, privately-owned businesses, government agencies, non-profit organizations and even departments to be basically the same. Each one of those entities has customers they are serving and processes they are executing. As you read through my response don't think it does not apply to you if you don't work in a 'business' – these ideas do relate to you.
I agree with your initial premise that a value chain that does not consider the customer is in trouble. How can a company believe it is customer focused if it does not take the time to define and quantify the expectations of the customer and take into consideration what the competition is offering?
How a business is designed will determine whether it is customer focused and plays a huge part in its level of performance. I know this to be true since I am a business architect. I provide customized business design tailored to reach the goals of my customers. In order to do that I have to understand all the components of a business and how they relate to each other.
Business designs have 5 components:
Ø Capstone – all strategic information about the business
o Internal: Vision; Mission; Values; Principles; Goals; Business Strategies, etc.
o External: The competitive environment (trends, obstacles, risks, critical business issues, …). Designs that do not take into consideration the competitive environment are flawed. It is a big mistake to not understand the context in which your business exists. A once robust design can become quickly obsolete if the context (environment) changes. As Joel Barker once said: "When the paradigm shifts everyone starts back at zero."
Ø Market Model
o Here is where your perspective comes into play. Business leaders need to understand what each market place is looking for from products and services being sold into that market. Leaders must take the time to define the expectations of customers and then quantify them. Vague and arbitrary requirements do not provide good input into product development.
o Here is where we appear to diverge. Business leaders have to understand if their existing Market Model can deliver on the growth goals of the company. The Capstone creates the performance requirements for the Market Model. The performance requirements for the Market Model are not arbitrary.
o If the Market Model is not designed to achieve the growth goals then either the goals need to be adjusted or the design needs to be updated. By having defined and quantified the expectations of the customers it is possible to analyze whether one's offerings to the market place need to be redesigned. This is being customer focused – you are delivering what the market wants.
Ø Process Model
o Input – Process – Output. Every business has processes to fulfill the demand for its products and services. Those processes do affect how the customer is being served. All of the processes performed by a company are considered to be its Process Model.
o Here is where we definitely differ. The Process Model receives its performance requirements from the Market Model. For instance, if the market place establishes a two week lead time your business will not be competitive with a four week lead time. You will have to reengineer your processes to deliver on the promises made to your customers. This is in keeping with being customer focused.
o Your processes will determine what skills, talents, knowledge and experience you need in your organization. Therefore processes create performance requirements for organizations.
Ø Organizational Model
o Processes are executed by the organization. As mentioned previously the design the Organizational Model receives its performance requirements from the Process Model. If the business needs to outsource some of its work and has never done that before then new skills such as Vendor Management and Service Level Agreements will be need to be executed and either the existing staff will be trained or experienced personnel will be brought in.
o Process designs should factor in the skills of the organization but the company should not under deliver to the market place due to inabilities of the organization. If you under deliver to the market place your sales will suffer accordingly.
o The organization needs to be designed in order to execute the processes that deliver its products/services and achieves the strategic goals of the company. The models are all connected and when designed to support each other the business can actually achieve alignment. Alignment has to be designed into an organization.
Ø Systems Model
o The organization uses systems to execute the processes. Many executives start with systems and work backwards. This is the reason why there are so many dissatisfied business leaders. They are applying a new system to an outdated business design.
o Will changing the dashboard in your car have an effect on the design of your car? Investing in new IT systems before updating the overall business design can only bring marginal improvements.
Designing a business is a cascading process and if you are changing your processes or organization before defining and quantifying the goals of the company and the design of the Market Model then you can not consider your company to be 'customer focused' and you can not know if your goals are even achievable.
Silver Bullet
Every business leader is looking for a "silver bullet" to help them solve all of their critical issues. Many executives mistakenly thought a new information system was the answer they were seeking, hence the well documented dissatisfaction with IT investments. We have found that the closest thing to a silver bullet is Business Blueprints™.
Here is a list of business problems that a set of Business Blueprints™ can resolve. Don't keep treating the symptoms but instead get rid of the problem. Business Blueprints™ allow you to go right to the root cause of many business ills.
Read through this list and see how many sound familiar. It is not uncommon to recognize three or four as being challenges your company is facing.
1. Performance Not Meeting Expectations
– 80% of performance issues are the result of the design of your business.
– How can you solve design problems if you can not see the design?
The business design needs to be visible to know whether your strategic sales and profit goals are reasonable. Changing strategies has absolutely no effect on the design of a company. The key to performance is Design, not strategy.
2. Disagreement on Direction and Strategies
– Are you certain everyone is going down the same road?
– How did you decide to go in a particular direction?
The Pareto Principle is intended to focus businesses on what is critical. Even with that tool most businesses are uncertain about what to do next. Business Blueprints™ provide clarity in determining what is important in order to achieve strategic goals.
3. Technology Selection
– Are you interested in minimizing the risk of selecting the wrong technology?
– Do you want to spend millions to automate the same ineffective processes?
A well-selected piece of software will support the updated design of a business. Selecting a piece of software before knowing the design of your business is very risky. Most companies do not know their design and most ITsolutions are considered to be a business failure for that reason.
4. Problem Prioritizing Projects
– How difficult is it for your management team to prioritize projects?
– What method do you use when prioritizing your work?
Companies look for quick wins when selecting projects. But the greatest ROI is not necessarily the best project to pursue. Most of the work after updating a design is centered on implementing the new design so that the desired strategies can be executed. Prioritize initiatives and sequence projects.
5. Unproductive Strategic Planning
– If strategy execution is dependent upon the capabilities of a design (and it is), how can you create strategies if you can't see your design?
– How much more productive would strategy meetings be if everyone was looking at the same blueprints?
Strategies must be embedded into the business design to enable the strategies to be executed. It is harmful to create strategies that can not be executed with your current design.
6. Alignment of the Organization
– Are all the departments within your company going in the same direction?
– How can you empower your people if they do not share a common understanding which is only possible with a set of Business Blueprints?
Alignment must be designed into a business; it can not be managed in. Therefore the design of each business must be documented and made visible and the parts designed to ensure Total Business Performance through alignment.
7. Value Provided by Departments
– How can you measure the value provided by the organizations within your business?
– Has each department defined and quantified the expectations of its customers for its products and services?
By having the design of a department documented you can see its critical customers, services and processes. You can also tell how well the department is performing against its customers' expectations. Raise the value of critical departments.
8. New Management
– How long does it take a new executive to understand all the parts of the business and their relationship with one another?
– Would it be helpful if an executive could see pictures of all the parts of the business and how they fit together?
By having a documented set of Business Blueprints™ an executive can understand in two months what it will take 12 months without them. This means better decisions can be made more quickly.
9. Mergers and Acquisitions
– Do you think that merging two cultures, product lines, customer segments, processes, organizations,…. is more difficult than adding a room onto a house?
– Would you like to significantly increase the likelihood of successfully merging two companies while reducing the time and cost?
Having the blueprints of two companies make mergers possible. You can actually see how the parts of one company compares to the other and how to best combine them. The costs and time necessary to create blueprints will pale in comparison to the risks and the efforts necessary to try and merge two undocumented businesses.
10. Growing Faster than an Organization can Accommodate
– How can you tell if each executive shares the same understanding about the destination of the company and how it will get there?
– How are you changing the company to accommodate your growth?
Growing too fast can introduce serious challenges to any organization. Communication become exponentially more complex as businesses grow. You need to ensure that the design of your business can support the increased growth and it won't collapse upon itself. A set of Business Blueprints™ allows you to see your existing design and to make adjustments to accommodate that growth.
It is interesting that so many diverse issues within a business can have the same root cause. And it is even more interesting to understand that having a set of Business Blueprints in your hand will position you to go after any of these issues within your business. What problems are giving you pain?


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So it's official. Electric Hot Tuna has booked two nights, December 3-4, 2010, at the renowned Beacon Theater in NYC to celebrate the 70th Birthday of founding member, Jorma Kaukonen.
We know some of you heard about this earlier, but we waited to announce it until we knew when tickets would go on sale. That date is September 11, 2010.
The band plans to rock the show with songs that span Jorma's entire career. We also plan to invite friends old and new to join us in celebrating this special event!
We want to know who you would like to see join the band on stage. Leave us a comment on your dream line up.
Stay tuned, more to come.
from the press release
Press Release
Legendary Guitarist Jorma Kaukonen turns 70,
Celebrates on stage with Hot Tuna & friends in NYC
Hot Tuna has decided to throw the ultimate party for Jorma's 70th birthday, one that will mark over 50 years of performing for the renowned guitarist.
On Dec. 3 and 4, 2010, Jorma will take the stage with his celebrated band Hot Tuna for an electric show at the Beacon Theatre to kick-start the celebration. Throughout the night, fans should prepare to be astounded, as a star-studded line up of musicians and friends of Jorma's have committed to helping him commemorate the evening. In a career that has spanned over half a century, Jorma has played and collaborated with the best musicians around. For the 70th birthday celebration, these performers will join him on stage to help embrace the occasion, their camaraderie, and most importantly the music.
Joining Jorma first and foremost will be Jack Casady. His friend and musical partner since the fifties, Jack joined Jorma in California when the two of them helped launched the legendary band Jefferson Airplane. From here they branched off and founded Hot Tuna who's longevity and popularity has astounded even them. This union has spanned over 50 years, making Jorma and Jack two of rock's longest standing duos.
Teaming up with Jorma and Jack will be their electric band mates. Currently touring with Hot Tuna Electric is mandolinist Barry Mitterhoff. A friend since his work on Jorma's 2002 Grammy nominated CD, Blue Country Heart, Barry's musical contributions to Hot Tuna add an element all their own. His career highlights are unmatched; he's performed at the White House, and his work can be heard many movie soundtracks.
Hot Tuna is also thrilled to be playing with special guest drummer Skoota Warner. Known as "The Funky Drummer," Skoota has performed with the likes of Santana, Matisyahu, Mary J. Blige, Cindy Lauper and Lionel Ritchie. He is tagged as one of the best Soul, Rock, Gospel & Pop drummers around and is a fresh addition to guys' electric lineup.
Finally, Hot Tuna is ecstatic to play with this A list guest directory. Without naming names, because quite frankly they'd like to leave that a surprise, fans would be foolish not to take in one or both of these shows. The guest appearances are quite different for each night but all Jack and Jorma are willing to say is that the music will cover their early years to present with musicians from the folk, blues, songwriter, psychedelic, southern rock and contemporary world of music.
These guys are veterans of their craft. They continue to play not only because they have the ability, but also the drive to push themselves as musicians and the desire to play under any and every circumstance. It is this notion that makes this collaboration, especially on a milestone birthday like Jorma's 70th, a truly epic event and one you won't want to miss.
For media and interview requests, please contact: Maria Varonis at firstname.lastname@example.com. Bio, photos & media materials available at www.hottuna.com


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Found this over on the Mongoose Traveller forums. It's really, really nicely done.
Edit: Unfortunately it seems they had to remove the Carl Sagan clips. A shame. The video is still nice, but it loses a lot without the voice over.
Edit 2: Good to see the voice-over was restored.


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tuesday. july 7. 2015
we decided today with the jensen's, to meet and kayak and have a picnic lunch. when you kayak at lee's place, you get to hang out in hammock's and relax until you are ready to go. it's fantastic. our whole group was together, and we headed out. it was such an awesome kayaking day. we enjoyed visiting and talking, everyone did a great job-small and large kid alike. we headed back to lee's, dropped off kayaks, and ate our picnic lunch. we then caught a boat to pana, and shopped for a couple of hours, trying to help juventa find some good gifts for her family. she then caught a shuttle to take her back to guatemala city. her visit went by so fast…it just seemed like a day! but it was a blast-so grateful she came. it made our week so much more fun with her there. the girls and i headed back to the house, always enjoying walking through the village and seeing and playing with the kids on our way up the mountain.


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I imagine it's quite difficult to market a new display because unless you've got a potential customer in front of one you really can't show them how amazing it is. So, clever marketing campaigns must be employed, and LG has come up with a doozy.
LG's latest line of IPS monitors are being advertised as lifelike. How do you prove that to people? LG decided to modify the floor of an elevator by installing 9 of the new displays, hooking them up to a speaker, and playing a video of the elevator floor falling away. They also installed a camera to record people's reactions.
The end result works well with people using the elevator first looking concerned at the sounds and lights flashing, and then quickly moving to the sides of the elevator as the floor falls away. For the most part people looked both relieved and amused when they realize it wasn't real, however, there's one woman (at the 1m 25 mark) who is not happy at all and exits the elevator as quickly as possible.
As advertising it works well, and there's plenty more they could do with it. Simulating the elevator falling shouldn't be too hard to achieve, but you might then get a few people crying in the corner of the lift and suing LG afterwards.
There's a question mark hanging over the authenticity of the video. Notably with what's thought to be a greenscreen reflected in the hand rail at the 1m 26 mark and a perspective issue. If that's the case then LG really missed a trick as the true reactions of people getting on an elevator like this would have been even better.
via Mashable


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Dear Parents
Our Parent Association (PTA) known as 'FOSAH' is a group of parents who volunteer to organise and run social and fundraising events throughout the year for you and your family to enjoy.
The money raised enables the school to purchase additional items, from which our children will benefit. The staff, with the agreement of our Co-Head Teachers, then select the items that are required, recent purchases have included IPads for the school, shade sails for the playground and The Trim Trail. We feel that FOSAH has a valuable role to play in the life of the school, not only as helpers and fundraisers, but also as a way of helping parents meet each other and learn more about our school community.
The committee normally meets once every half term. Sub-committees are then created for larger projects and may meet at other times. Even if parents are unable to join meetings, there are lots of ways to help in the planning and supporting of individual events. We are really keen to bring together more parents as helpers so that we are not reliant on the small committee to organise all the events. Your help, however small, is really valuable to us.
We really appreciate the time that parents give to St Ann's Heath and we thank you for your support.
FOSAH'S PRIVACY STATEMENT - Click Here for further details.


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Tank Long Gown - Sales Rack - Clearance
$ 32.50 $ 130.00
- Long Tank A Line Tank Gown with Lace V back
- Made From Super Soft 50/50 Peruvian Pima Cotton/Modal Fabric
- Like Tone Lace on Bodice, Tank Straps and V Back
- Breast Area Lined with Pima Cotton/Modal Fabric
- Peak-a-Boo Lace Empire Seam for Added Support
- 50 inches Overall Length on Size Medium. Overall Length Varies by Size
- 58 inch Hem Circumference on Size Small. Circumference Varies by Size
- Sizing: Extra Large
- Colors: Navy Blue
- Machine Wash Cold Water Gentle Cycle, Tumble Dry Low Heat


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1916: The Irish Rebellion. Directors. Ruán Magan & Pat Collins. Narrator. Liam Neeson. Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies, 2016. Film.
There are few great documentaries about Ireland's turbulent history. Almost any part of that history has been fought over, disputed, subject to revision, and has sustained actions that have killed the disputatious and the innocent alike. But few events have been the subject of more historical and political debate than has Dublin's Easter Rising of 1916. In this, the Rising's centennial year, Ireland and its people, both at home and in the vast community of Irish expatriates, have wrestled with how to think about what was the most important week of modern Irish political history. Inevitably, if you are going to commemorate the Rising there are questions to be answered. What happened? What led to it? What did it mean and what does it mean today? 1916: The Irish Rebellion is a documentary attempt at coming to grips with this controversial and unresolved event. The director and the producers have given us a three-hour film that, while not without its flaws, is nevertheless both masterful and engaging, and will probably stand as the authoritative project on this subject.
The first hour of the documentary deals with the long and tortured history that preceded 1916. Given the complex side roads that can lead someone astray with this material, the film makers are to be congratulated for highlighting the major themes that will prove useful later in their accounting of the event itself, without getting bogged down. More attention might have been given to the constitutional political tradition of Daniel O'Connell and Charles Stewart Parnell, especially of their manipulation of nationalist themes and symbols. Critical in that story is the Anglicizing pressure upon native Irish culture, social institutions, and practices, which managed to survive and find expression in modern politics. While the film acknowledges this point, it might well have been fruitful to explore this issue further, given the cultural interests of most of the major figures of the Rising. Furthermore, the ability of Irish culture to survive under that pressure and provide the cultural inspiration for Young Ireland, The Irish Literary Renaissance, the Gaelic League and Athletic Association, and down to Patrick Pearse, Thomas MacDonagh, and others, was essential in the revival of the revolutionary fervor that took over from before the Rising to inform a major part of Irish nationalist politics ever since.
The film does an admirable job of explicating just how international the advanced nationalist movement was and how it led to the Rising. Its emphasis on John Decoy's Irish community in America, with its theodicy where Britain was to be the source of all Irish woes, and the source of exile, is an important and well-made point here. Sometimes the vision of things is both clearer and simpler from far away, and that expatriated sense of grievance invigorated the republican movement well beyond the provision of financial support.
Pearse was already an established cultural figure and educator, as well as a recent member of the IRB when he went to America in early 1914 to raise funds for St. Enda's School. Meeting the old Fenians there strengthened his convictions and impressed him greatly. He returned to Ireland to the welcoming arms of Thomas Clarke, who had successfully recruited Pearse, MacDonagh, Joseph Plunkett, and others to the IRB in no small measure because of the integrity of his own struggle against British power. The film correctly identifies Clarke's role to be the pivotal one in grooming a new, if unlikely, group of men that would move the population to think of the possibilities that could only be realized in armed struggle. Clarke was the person ultimately responsible for getting his revolutionary cadre in the position to take over the Volunteers, certainly the most single important tactical achievement of the whole affair.
The documentary's exploration of the event itself does a truly superior job in explaining the complicated action of Easter week. It communicates the nearly spontaneous nature of much of it, including the frequently farcical tactical decisions made by so many amateur soldiers. One wonders how anyone thought taking St. Stephens Green without taking the rooftops that surround and look down upon it was a good idea. The laughable failures to capture Dublin Castle and the telephone exchange were compounded by a bewildered and increasingly unreceptive citizenry that viewed the thing with skepticism and then hostility. Pearse never fired his revolver and he spent much of his time under rifle and artillery fire telling ancient Irish tales to the besieged men and women in GPO—it was bound to be comforting. But there was of course much heroism and tragedy as well, and the film is often moving in its telling of these events. One should note that the cinematography and editing are first rate.
Two features stand out in particular in this telling of the Rising. The first is a result of recent scholarship addressing the hitherto unacknowledged role of women in the Rising. It is a miracle more of them did not die. They provided aid and support at the sites of the conflict, often participation in the shooting war, and were the backbone of communications between combatants. And the film is to be congratulated for its stressing the cost to the innocents who perished. There were many more of them than there were to be dead revolutionaries. In the process, the center of the city was reduced to rubble and it is a well-made point that Dublin's post-Rising landscape gives us a glimpse of how much of Europe was to look in the future. Both the British and the rebels were indiscriminate when it came to fighting and its consequences, and of course, at the very end, the rebels famously suffered the ire of Dubliners as they were marched off to jail because of it.
The last part of 1916: The Irish Rebellion contends with the legacy of the Rising. There is a little too much summation of what has already gone before, but there is also a seeming unwillingness to credit the ideas that made it all possible. The scholars who offer opinions are correct to stress the idea that for most of those who participated as well as the country that went through it, the Rising had its foundations in a long-simmering, historically-complex, and popular resentment at British colonial power. Despite being part of a union, Ireland was never treated as such nor did the vast majority of the Irish people think of themselves as equal in any sense.
One point in which the documentary could have been improved is in its examination of the cultural legacy of the event. The Rising has yielded endless fiction, drama, and both "high" and "popular" art. Much of its cultural legacy has been negative and an exploration of that would have been useful. It sits astride the historical landscape and has played a critical role in an internecine war between traditional history and "revisionism."
The revisionists were correct in moving away from the teleological comforts of Ireland's traditional history. They opened the way for an empirically-driven focus on the archives, which has exposed the vastness of the Irish historical experience apart from the story of the nation. Nevertheless, theories of revolution in the academy are increasingly focused on the question of agency. How is it that people are motivated to make that step, a step that involves the killing of others and the very likely death of oneself?
One of the wonders of this film is its inclusion of past interviews filmed with the survivors of the event. They reveal motivations that are anchored in political, economic, and social frustration, yet again, they cite ideas about what they believe Ireland should be, could be, and must be as the things that took them over the top. Ulstermen were doing the same thing at the Somme just weeks later for different ideas.
Inevitably, the ideas are the major legacy of 1916 even when the implications of those ideas are frightening and terrible. It might say more about our time that we want to dismiss Pearse's idea of a blood sacrifice as nothing more than a rhetorical device, yet many a death has occurred since then with Pearse at the forefront of explaining a life given up for an idea of an Ireland yet to be. The film acknowledges that the iconography that followed 1916 was almost wholly Catholic in tone, but then Pearse expressed the rising in similar terms.
Many a political scientist ended up dismissing nationalism, ethnicity, and religion as important forces in Europe in the 1980s. As the Cold War ended some even thought it was the "end of history" in that liberal democracy had won out and the conflicts of the future would not look to those of the past. Then came Sarajevo, and then all over Europe, nationalism, ethnicity, and religion reappeared to challenge the status quo. The film would suggest that Ireland is mostly past all that. Peace in Ireland today might mean that a way has been found to the future without armed struggle, but history might well suggest that the unresolved issues are enduring. The Rising's ideas have not left us.
The Easter Rising will be debated as long as national identity and the nature of the Irish state continue to be an issue in Irish and British politics. However, revolutionary events rarely yield themselves to conclusive understanding. In this rising, as in all of the other risings of human history, the causes that led to them, the motivations and experiences of the participants, and the "meaning" of them, will continue to be debated. The filmakers of 1916: The Irish Rebellion did not intend it, but they do convey how Patrick Pearse's vision of a rising with eternal spiritual repercussions was achieved despite republican failure in 1916. The fervor which animated those rebels, and all the other rebels over the ages, resists being contained by reason.


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Eiffel Tower Earrings - Steel
$ 65.00
Features 3D printed steel models of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Comes on hypoallergenic oxidized sterling silver, antique brass-plated, or stainless steel ear hooks. Model dimensions are 1.5" x .6" x .6".
Our 3D printed steel products are printed from a stainless steel powder. After printing, the pieces are infused with bronze to make a dense metal part. The steel is strong with a rustic look and feel, and comes with a variety of finishes and platings. The raw steel is approximately 60% steel and 40% bronze.


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Car Insurance
Comparing car insurance quotes is one of the fastest and most efficient ways to ensure you are properly covered with the best rates.
Call now: (866) 845-3808
Owning a vehicle, no matter how often you drive it, likely means you need car insurance. Most people, experts or not, would agree that driving without car insurance is simply an irresponsible act. In fact, many states consider it unlawful for motorists to operate vehicles without mandatory minimum car insurance, so uninsured drivers risk facing considerable fines if caught driving without required coverage, you can check more on Wikipedia on Vehicle Insurance. Car finance and leasing companies may include car insurance provisions in the repayment agreement requiring the registered owner maintain minimum coverage on the vehicle equal to at least the current payoff amount on the loan.
A car insurance policy provides protection in some combination of collision, liability, theft, and related coverage(s) to protect you, others, and your car:
Car insurance carriers may use a combination of rating factors to determine a policy price and discounts, including but not limited to:
What To Do After a Car Accident When You're Not At Fault
Is Car Insurance Tax Deductible? EInsurance Explores This Puzzle
2014 Auto Insurance Laws: EINSURANCE Explains Who Is Most Affected
Insurance Credit Score Has No Effect on Your Credit Score
3 Things You Need For Cheap Auto Insurance Rates
Does Your Auto Coverage Cover a Skunk Attack?
You Wouldn't Believe What Determines Auto Insurance Cost If We Told You


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The $450 Cookbook Is Going Strong
Before it was published last year, Modernist Cuisine, a 2,400 page, 47-pound , five volume food science cookbook co-written by Nathan Myhrvold, former chief technology officer of Microsoft, drew smirks. What exactly, pundits asked, was the target market for a $450 cookbook? Who but a small cadre of professionals wanted to understand the thermodynamics of a broiler or how to make carrot butter in a centrifuge?
At least 45,000 buyers worldwide is the answer, Mr. Myhrvold said when we spoke to him last week. The book has been translated into French, German and Spanish; more translations are soon to come.
"It changes the conventional wisdom about whether people will buy an expensive book if there is value in it," Mr. Myhrvold said.


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Jeb Bush: Too Many Burned Bridges to Run in 2016?
He made further heretical statements in June when he castigated Republicans for their refusal to accept a budget deal with a ratio of budget cuts to tax increases of 10-1. Calling for bipartisanship, Bush's most pointed remark was his belief that Ronald Reagan would not be entirely welcome by today's Republican Party:
"Ronald Reagan would have … a hard time if you define the Republican Party—and I don't—as having an orthodoxy that doesn't allow for disagreement, doesn't allow for finding some common ground," Bush said, adding that he views the partisan sclerosis as "temporary."
"Back to my dad's time and Ronald Reagan's time—they got a lot of stuff done with a lot of bipartisan support," he said. Today Reagan "would be criticized for doing the things that he did."
Jeb has a short memory because Reagan was heavily criticized for some of his policies, including his tax increases and his negotiations on nuclear arms reductions with the Soviets. But again, Bush was echoing the worst criticism that national Democrats were directing toward the GOP. Did he really have to do that?
But it is on immigration and outreach to Hispanics that Jeb Bush has been most vocal. He called Republicans "stupid" for stressing border security over immigration reform and not embracing a more inclusive attitude toward Hispanics and other immigrants.
Demographically, he is 100% correct. Politically, it is a stance not likely to win him any friends among conservatives and simply gives the right one more reason not to support him. Is that smart? One might claim it is a principled position, but why not grant the same to your opponents?
Jeb Bush's problems go far beyond his name and even his harsh criticisms of the party. He now finds himself to the right of fellow Floridian and friend Senator Marco Rubio, who supports a "path to citizenship" for illegals. Bush also formerly supported the concept, but the champion of Latin outreach in the party told Matt Lauer during his appearance on Today that he now opposes it.
"There has to be some difference between people who come here legally and illegally," said Bush, the younger brother of former President George W. Bush. "It's just a matter of common sense and a matter of the rule of law. If we're not going to apply the law fairly and consistently, then we're going to have another wave of illegal immigrants coming into the country."
Just months earlier, during a June appearance on CBS, Bush explicitly referred to a pathway to citizenship as something "I would support."
Allahpundit suspects a subtle bit of politicking at work:
Is there any obvious explanation for this reversal besides him watching Rubio roll out the Senate bipartisan bill, suddenly realizing that his 2016 niche on immigration had now been filled by a younger, more charismatic candidate, and then repositioning himself as moderately hawkish on this issue in order to gain a second look from conservatives? This shift has to be electorally-driven because there's no way his new plan — allowing illegals to apply for permanent residency but not citizenship — will ever be accepted as policy. For Democrats, it's a non-starter. The whole point of comprehensive reform on their end is to add illegals to the voter rolls sooner or later. Even if, by some strange twist of luck, Bush's plan was implemented, immigration activists would get to work immediately on changing the law (legislatively or in court) so that illegals-turned-permanent-residents could eventually apply for citizenship.
A small, fence-mending step toward conservatives? He has to start somewhere, and immigration is as good a place as any to reach out.
The idea that the establishment's preferred candidate can garner many conservative votes seems remote at this point. It may be worse after 2014 if the GOP experiences another debacle. The party might double down and nominate a "true" conservative who would energize the base, but find votes from the rest of the country hard to come by.
If that happens, Jeb Bush will almost certainly be on the outside looking in, perhaps regretting the bridges he burned in his desire to appeal to a broad base of voters by stressing his ability to criticize Republicans as harshly as he criticizes Democrats.


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Fall is finally here! The weather is great and it's time to bake. But it's also a perfect time to "create a purpose list". I never liked the term "bucket list" so I decided I wanted to create a purpose list.
So this list is complied of things I feel give me purpose in life.I want to create meaning and memories is the season of Autumn.
For my purpose list I am going to volunteer, create both short/long-term goals, organize my life, completing a project I started then abandoned, read a different genre of books, spending quality time with family, go on fall nature walks, and bake!
For my first purpose I want to volunteer more at my children's school. Teachers do so much with our children and sometimes they can get overwhelmed like any parent.
Volunteering my time in my children's classroom is a time to give back. To give a helping hand wherever I'm needed. With volunteering I am able to create more of a bond with my children because I am showing them I am supportive.
In return can be something they will do for their children. Creating memories of togetherness.
Now that the Autumn months are upon us schools will have lot's of actives planned like; fall festivals, dances, and classroom activities. Giving my time is something my mom has always instilled in me. Now I want to be that example to my children to volunteer whenever they are needed.
Creating Short/Long Term Goals
My second purpose is to set goals to achieve this fall. To make an effort to take control of my life and be held accountable. I made the mistake in the past when listing my goals, they were not attainable goals. And I would fall into a cycle of not achieving my goals.
So this time I am making sure I'm setting realistic goals for myself. Goals that will build towards my long term goals.
Creating my goals will allow me to see purpose moving forwards towards the greater goals for my life and my family.
Get Organized
I came across a quote on Pinterest that read:
Is that not the cutest thing ever? I laughed so much because I completely get it. It's the way feel my mind operates. I feel like I'm all over the place at times. This season I'm making it my purpose to organize my life.
Needing to organize my home as well as my mind is needed. My purpose to organize is to make sure everything is tidy in my life. This fall I want to make time to organize any area of my life that needs more attention.
Making time to organize your life will allow in a way to focus on things you may have abandoned or completely ignore.
So my purpose to organize is to tidy up. Organize my blog, magazine/book collection, and my personal life. Having everything in it's place hopefully and making good habits to take organized will make life a lot more simpler.
Completing an Abandoned Project
Early summer I started creating a workbook for myself to guide me through my life. I wanted a place to write my thoughts, answer thought provoking questions, and set goals for myself.
It's a workbook that would allow me to reflect, make changes and create the life I want. This workbook is for seeing the beauty of my life, to make time for myself, and dare to dream big.
So my purpose is to complete projects that I started and put away for whatever reason.
It's about the bigger picture and completing this workbook will show I can complete something that will be amazing.
Read More
I have been reading lot's of inspirational books as of lately. Now I want to read different books.
Reading is so freeing and gives the mind a chance to use your imagination. My purpose is to open my mind to different types of books and view points. Maybe a thriller or mystery book. Or a few autobiographies.
Reading has transformed my life more ways I could ever imagine.
My purpose for reading is to continue to learn and grow. To be inspired by others stories while creating my own.
Taking time to read means taking a break from my own realty to dive into the imagination of someone else's. To escape for a moment to go to India while reading The Namesake or Eat. Pray. Love
I have been reading a book call The Little book of Hygge. Hygge is basically having a sense of comfort, togetherness and well-being. So basically a state of coziness and with having the feeling of wellness and contentment in life. The Danes are smart people. From what is being told is that the Danes are the happiest people in the world and I want a piece of it.
Family Time
So I'm starting my purpose with learning everything there is to know about Hygge. What better place to incorporate this way of being is by starting with my family, which is the most important purpose for me this fall is to spend time with family outside the home as well as do things they like to do.
Spending time together creates memories and a bond that can never be broken. Whether we go to a pumpkin patch, go to a high school foot ball game, or enjoy an activity in the community.
A quiet night at home playing gold fish or uno (a family favorite). Family time does not have to be complicated, just make a big bowl of popcorn and watch a family movie.
Go for Fall Nature Walks
I love Autumn, but I have not truly experienced the season. I want to be in nature this season. Go for walks, take pictures, and enjoy my city.
Doing things a simple as going for a walk shows appreciation for your surroundings. I have been learning photography so Fall is the perfect time to practice.
Taking pictures of the leaves that have fallen from the trees. The squirrels looking for food for winter. Sunsets from the bays and watching the birds fly over the waters.
There are so many things to capture in this season, so why not get out and witness it.
Bake More
For as long as I can remember I have always loved to bake. I never really took it seriously or ventured to far from baking cookies, so I am going to put my cook books to use.
There's nothing like your home smelling of cookies, brownies, and pies. My favorite things to bake are cinnamon rolls. They can be made in so many different ways from sweet potato to chocolate chip.
My purpose for baking is to reconnect with a part of myself that loves to bake. My favorite show on Netflix is The Great British Baking Show. The show is a competition about baking.
And at the end they select a winner.
It's inspiring because the contestants are amateur and semi-professional bakers given a chance to prove they are exceptional bakers.
Baking makes me happy, so my purpose is to do what makes me happy this Autumn. Get back to the things I have tucked away all these years and return to what makes my spirit ignite.
Creating purpose means to have a reason for all things in your life. To know you are needed somewhere, by someone or even for yourself.
I love the sound of my purpose because its bringing me to realize I have a purpose in life. Even though it's a smaller piece of a bigger picture.
So for an example I love to bake, that may turn into baking things for my children's school for an event I volunteer for. Knowing that I fit into a space where I am needed gives me a since of purpose to continue to grown and learn.
To perfect my craft. To organize my life to prepare for the things that are coming into my life.
So what is your purpose for this fall? How can you create meaning in your life?
As always take care. Until next time.
Stay Beautiful


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Wi-Fi Terms and Conditions
These terms and conditions apply to the free use of the Wi-Fi network of The Magnolia Hotel, owned by Caddyrooms Lda.., headquartered at Quinta do Lago, 8135-024 Almancil, owner of the number 514374950.
If you do not agree to these General Terms and Conditions, do not use the Service.
These General Terms and Conditions and all changes applied to them are accessible at all times on the site https://themagnoliahotelqdl.com/terms-conditions/
In these General Terms and Conditions, the following terms have the following meanings:
General Terms and Conditions: these general conditions for use of the Service.
Peripheral Device: The device with which the User connects to the Wi-Fi network.
Privacy Policy: The privacy statement of Quinta do Lago, available through the address https://themagnoliahotelqdl.com/privacy-policy/
Service: the provisioning of wireless network access to the internet through the Wi-Fi network.
User / you: a person who uses the Service.
"We" and "us": means Caddyrooms Lda. and "our" should be interpreted accordingly.
Wi-Fi Network: an unsafe network that provides the User with free internet access.
2.1. It is our right at any time to modify and / or supplement these General Terms and Conditions. The most current General Terms and Conditions are informed to the User before the Service is used.
2.2. In the event that these Terms of Use are deemed to be partially invalid, you remain bound by the provisions of these Terms of Use which are deemed to be valid.
3.1. The Service allows users to connect to the Internet for free via the Wi-Fi network. However, additional charges may be levied by your (internet) provider.
3.2. In order to use the Service, the User must log in using his guest login, assigned at the reception desk, or his social network profile, enter his or her email address or otherwise provide us with his or his data. More information is provided in the Privacy Policy on the information collected by the User when using the Service.
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- Contents
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(f) that violates our rights or the rights of third parties, including without limitation, intellectual property rights or rights corresponding to the protection of privacy;
(g) is fraudulent or is related to a criminal offense or, in any case, illegal or unlawful.
4.4. In case of suspected misuse in the interpretation of Article 4.4, we may be forced by law to inform the competent authorities of the said suspicion. The details of the User will be communicated to the competent authorities for this purpose if we are legally obliged to do so or have any other reason to do so.
- Warranties
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5.3. We are not responsible for: (i) the acquisition and / or proper functioning of your peripheral device; (ii) transmission errors, malfunctions or unavailability of computer, data or telecommunications facilities, including the Internet; (iii) loss, damage, inaccuracy and / or existence of any gaps in any Content; (iv) creating backup copies of any content; (v) any unauthorized use of the Service.
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- Termination
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In the event of any complaints or observations, the User should contact Caddyrooms Lda.. through the email address firstname.lastname@example.com. We will do our best to respond to complaints and observations as soon as possible.
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Unless otherwise indicated by us, we will post any changes to these General Terms and Conditions online at https://themagnoliahotelqdl.com/terms-conditions/


text:
Jason Rezaian, the Washington Post correspondent accused by Iran of espionage who has been imprisoned for more than 10 months, went on trial in a Tehran courtroom on Tuesday morning, state news media reported.
The trial, which is not open to the public, began at 10:30 a.m. at Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, the semiofficial Tasnim news agency reported.
The trial was adjourned after two hours, and the judge in the case, Abolghassem Salavati, will announce a date for the resumption of the proceedings, IRNA reported.
The nature of the charges against Mr. Rezaian, 39, was not disclosed until last month, when his lawyer, Leila Ahsan, said they included espionage. Ms. Ahsan has been permitted to meet with Mr. Rezaian, a dual Iranian-American citizen, only once.
The Iranian government is presenting two pieces of evidence of espionage, Mr. Rezaian's brother, Ali Rezaian, said: an American visa application for Yeganeh Salehi, Jason Rezaian's wife, an Iranian citizen and a journalist, and a form letter sent by Mr. Rezaian to Barack Obama's 2008 White House transition team offering help to improve relations between Iran and the United States. It is unclear why the Iranian authorities believe those documents to be incriminating.
Judge Salavati has a reputation for tough sentences that led the European Union to place him on a blacklist in 2011 for human rights abuses. He has ignored foreign requests for court access.
"If Iran had a case against Jason Rezaian, it would try him in public," Kenneth Roth, the executive director of Human Rights Watch, wrote on Twitter. "It doesn't and won't."
The trial is expected to last two to three days, Ali Rezaian said in a telephone interview from California, where he and his brother were born and grew up, adding that the lawyer had told the family of the judge's decision on court access only on Monday. He denounced the decision, calling it "unconscionable."
A senior editor of The Washington Post applied for a visa to attend the trial but was unsuccessful.
"The shameful acts of injustice continue without end in the treatment of Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian," the executive editor of The Washington Post, Martin Baron, said. "Now we learn his trial will be closed to the world. And so it will be closed to the scrutiny it fully deserves."
Mr. Rezaian and Ms. Salehi were arrested in July at their home in Tehran. Ms. Salehi was released on bail after a few months and warned not to discuss the case; Mr. Rezaian has remained in prison, where he has been interrogated and denied medical treatment and legal counsel.
The prosecution of Mr. Rezaian is now seen as a bargaining element in the negotiations between the United States and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program. Last month, congressional lawmakers, who will have a say in any agreement between the United States, its negotiating partners and Iran, voiced their growing anger over the incarceration of Americans in Iran.
"Iran should release all detained Americans immediately and provide any information it possesses regarding any Americans that have disappeared within its borders," Representative Dan Kildee, Democrat of Michigan, said in a news conference last month in Washington. Though he said that the nuclear and prisoner issues should remain separate, he acknowledged that members of Congress were upset over what many regard as Iran's use of American hostages for negotiating purposes.
Iran is holding at least two other Americans, in addition to Mr. Rezaian. Amir Hekmati, 31, of Flint, Mich., is a Marine veteran whose parents emigrated from Iran. He was seized while visiting relatives in August 2011 and convicted of spying. Saeed Abedini, 34, of Boise, Idaho, is a Christian pastor who has been imprisoned since 2013 on charges of disturbing national security.
A day before Mr. Kildee's news conference in Washington, Iran's foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, told an audience at New York University that he hoped that Mr. Rezaian — whom he called a "friend" — would be cleared of the charges against him.
"I hope that no one – nobody will be lingering in prison, including a lot of Iranians who committed no crime across the world but are waiting in prison to be extradited to the United States for violating U.S. sanctions, which are illegal anyway," Mr. Zarif said on April 29, adding that Mr. Rezaian "will have to face a court."


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Anyway! I wanted to pop in and share some actual photos of the 2014 Planners which will begin shipping next week! I am so excited about these and can't wait to to start using mine! I don't know about y'all but I love a colorful planner and I fill mine out with different colored pens and use pretty washi tape! So fun!
In case you missed the last planner post, here's a quick run-dow:
- This is a complete 2014 planner that also includes the last months of 2013 as well as the entire Jan '15.
- Dimensions: 9" x 7" - The perfect size. Large enough to be able to write down everything you need to and small enough so you can throw it in your purse and take it on the go.
- White, Wire O binding - beautiful and durable.
- Dated, weekly and monthly formats.
- Monthly Views
- Monthly format features some of my favorite inspirational and uplifting quotes and Bible verses.
- I know the week technically starts with Sunday and ends with Saturday but I have never thought of my weeks in that way so the monthly format is laid out staring with Monday and ending with Sunday.
- The weekends are done in fun patterns to help us remember that they are different than the rest of the week and we should act accordingly! :)
- Space is available for notes as well as personal goals for the month.
- This is something that may exist in a planner out there but I have never been able to find one. I have combined all monthly views together. When I am using the monthly view, I like to flip easily between months. I don't want to have to flip through the entire weekly view of that month.
- Weekly Views
- Lined sections to keep track of everything you have to get done in the day.
- Notes sections available for both halves of the week to keep track of any extra to-dos.
- Many planners I've used in the past have had super small Saturday and Sunday sections. The weekends are sometimes when I have the most going on so I tried to keep these sections large enough to fit all of our plans.
- Includes a notes section for all those things you need to jot down quickly.