text:
Davies will only be 27 when the Olympics come to London in five years' time, but he believes that would be the ideal moment to end his career.
"I always wanted to bow out of swimming at the highest possible level I could," Davies told the BBC's Sport Wales programme.
"I don't want to finish in some rubbish little event."
He added: "To bow out in a home Olympics, something we might not see again for years to come, would be an ideal opportunity."
The Olympic bronze and Commonwealth gold medallist is one of Britain's biggest hopes for success at the 2008 Games in Beijing.
Davies is among the favourites to take 1500m freestyle gold next summer, but he hopes London 2012 will represent the pinnacle of his career.
He said: "I wanted to bow out either at the very top - when I've produced my ultimate performance and I know I'm not going to do better - or at a home Olympics like London 2012, where the setting is going to be fantastic and the environment amazing."
"I've had four years now of doing world competition swimming, and the fact I've been to the Olympics before will make Beijing very different. The experience I have will be different to Athens.
"My heart will be racing faster come the Olympics - because that's the one. But the beat I have when I'm swimming for Wales is a different kind of beat, it's very special and very patriotic.
"I think Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau is the only song that will make me start crying. It's very emotional."
Davies, who hails from Barry, has left Wales to live in Loughborough to help improve his chances of Olympic glory, and the 22-year-old will spend Christmas warm-weather training at British Swimming's Offshore Centre on the Gold Coast in Australia.
Davies' main rival in Beijing will be Australian 1500m legend Grant Hackett, and the Welsh swimmer will take confidence from the strong challenge he presented to win bronze at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
"I used to watch Grant when I was a kid and I would think to myself that I'm never going to beat the guy," said Davies, who added Commonwealth gold to his medal collection in Melbourne last year.
"He's one of my role models, one of the all-time greatest swimmers.
"To be in the lane next to him and push him all the way was a very surreal experience."
Sport Wales is on BBC Two Wales & 2W on Thursday at 2200 GMT.
What are these?


text:
Capture Those Treasured Memories
Losing a loved one is one of the most difficult experiences we go through in our lifetime. And worrying that we will forget them is, I think, something that most of us, well, worry about.
The other thing that we have to do, which we often put off for a long time, is to go through their things. You give momentos to family and friends, but their clothing is so personal. And so full of memories.
Having a keepsake made out of their clothes is a lovely way of keeping your loved one close and holding on to those memories. It can help you to clear that wardrobe without having to give the clothes away. Their clothes are creatively transformed into something beautiful and practical. It can also bring a lot of comfort to the family and help with the grieving process.
Let me help you to celebrate the life of your loved one by making a beautiful keepsake for you out of their clothing.
You choose how you work with me.
- Select the keepsake you would like made
- Use my easy click and select options for choosing your backing
- Fill in your personalisation and upload your photo file
- Choose how you want to pay (in full or payment plan)
- Send your clothing to me
- Wait for your keepsake to arrive.
OR email me for a more detailed discussion and involvement in the design process.
What can you expect from me?
- Your keepsake made with the love, care and respect your loved one deserves
- Loving attention to detail to try to express their personality
- Top quality materials, so that your keepsake will last for years
- Notification when work starts on your keepsake
- A beautiful one of a kind family heirloom
- Free return postage of your completed keepsake.
If you would like to be more involved in the process of having a memorial keepsake made, do please get in touch.
It would be a great honor to make such a special keepsake for you.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Sand, water, stone, mud. Where paved paths end, the appeal for mountain bikers begins. Not only grippy tires and a bouncy chassis are a basic requirement – but also a robust helmet ensures perfect safety in every situation. With the uvex quatro integrale, you make every trail and every terrain your playground. For more self-confidence. And more power.
Deep cut. Well ventilated.
Enduro riders will never be let down by the 17 large vents – even on ambitious trails: the optimal ventilation guarantees a cool head and comfortable rides.
The individually adjustable shield not only protects against rain, falling rocks and low sun – depending on your trail, it can be easily folded up or down in three steps. In the top position, your goggle can even be parked underneath.
Perfectly protected from the elements: thanks to the impact and rockfall protection. And to the particularly deep-drawn neck area. So that you can give everything when your trail leads downhill.
The pleasantly soft and quick-drying interior provides unique comfort – even on long tours. All three shells of the inmould construction are seamlessly connected. Unsightly EPS edges between the shells? Not with the uvex quatro integrale.
The Gehrig Twins
The Swiss racing team, which belongs to the best of the best, is conquering the enduro world. With the uvex quatro integrale, the two sisters can go to the limit. And often even further.
Product Specifications
protecting people
We use cookies to personalize content and ads, provide social media features, and analyze traffic to our website. We also provide information about your use of our website to partners for social media (Facebook Pixels), Advertising and Analytics (Google). For further information, please refer to our Privacy Policy. Please confirm the "OK" button, if you agree.


text:
{View Larger} {View the PDF} {View Black & White} {View the Black & White PDF}
{More Sprites Paper Dolls}
Today's Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: What I see College Guys Wearing, But With More Color
Back when the Sprites started, I had planned to start with a lady paper doll as the first Sprite. However, I'd decided to name them in reverse alphabetical order. I find if I have a naming scheme it makes coming up with paper doll names easier.
So, I was stuck with starting with Z. There just aren't that many names that start with Z, so I started with Zachary here instead of starting with Yumiko.
I'm sure you all really cared about this random piece of paper doll blog history.
Anyway, I do think there are advantages to contemporary dolls. I think they sort of act as basic options. There's no colorful hair here, so this version of Zachary could be a mermaid or he could be going to the park or borrowing this nifty elf armor, The point is that he's a bit more neutral than the two pervious Zachary versions I have created.
Tomorrow, there will be a contemporary fashion Ursula to join Zachary.
Meanwhile, if you want to support the blog on Patreon I would be mighty appreciative. If you are interested in the process of how I work, there's a behind the scenes blog there.
Alternatively, you can follow the blog on facebook for blog updates, some random sketchbook photos (which my Patrons see first, I confess), fun historical fashion things I find, and picks from the Archives.
Looking for something for today's Sprite paper doll to wear? Pick out some clothing here.


text:
NDIS Provider No. 4050016946
We are registed provider with the National Disability Insurance scheme for the supply, service & repair of Mobility Scooters, Power Chairs & related accessories.
Mobility Scooters Wagga sell a range of reputable brand Mobility Scooters and Power Chairs including Invacare, CTM and Shoprider and all the accessories to suit.
Service & Repairs
Mobility Scooters Wagga can attend to all of your repair and service requirements for your Mobility Scooter or Power Chair.
Mobility Scooters Wagga deliver new equipment promptly to all neighbouring towns and beyond without any extra charge.
Mobility Scooters Wagga pre-owned Scooters and Power Chairs are available for short term hire when in stock. Please phone for a price as it will vary depending on delivery distance.


text:
2017 will be the 10th year that Drumstruck has toured Japan, this has been a very successful event taking place every summer in Japan in partnership with The Drum Café, Horipro, WOWOW and Fuji Television.
Over the years Drumstruck has become a firm favorite during the holiday period and has toured extensively throughout the regions of Japan finishing as always with a 2 week season at the Galaxy Theater on Tennozu Isle, Tokyo.
© 2013 Drumstruck. All Rights Reserved.


text:
The Galaxy Note II was once one of the fastest and most powerful smartphones on the market. But with newer Snapdragon chipsets and faster clock speeds, the Note II is begging to show its age, if only a tiny bit. The 1.6GHz quad-core Exynos 4412 chip is definitely no slouch, but it isn't quite as snappy or powerful as more modern chips.
To speed things up, nothing ever works quite as well as wiping the phone and starting from scratch. As you load more games and fill up the internal storage, the phone will naturally begin to slow down. But if you don't want to take the time to set everything up again (and we won't blame you if you don't), flashing a custom kernel and overclocking might do the trick. (Note the keyword in that sentence: might.)
In this video, we compare a Galaxy Note II running at the stock clock speed to one with an overclocked CPU.


text:
EPIC provides access to a range of databases containing NZ & international magazines, newspapers, biographies, reference resources and images. A Username and Password, confidential to the Christ's College community, is required to access EPIC. Please ask Mrs Trundley-Banks, the teacher librarian, or refer to the EPIC guide in the library.
You can access NZ Geographic on here!
Mrs Banks' pick!! Please use EPIC to access.
You cannot beat the information on Britannica. It has an image gallery, popular topics, quizzes and information on any topic you can think of. It is reliable and sourced and updated by research experts. There are daily specials - today's are on Albert Einstein, India and Global Warming. You can access this through Epic.
New Zealand History Online
This is an excellent website that has invaluable links to resources/material relevant to NCEA level 1, 2 & 3 history.
There are also links to high interest topics such as the Springbok rugby tour to NZ in 1981 and NZ units stationed in South Africa 1899-1902.
This database has current events and news, articles, information on every nation in the world. You can search for information by country or by subject. It also includes data on society, religion and philosophy.
This is an excellent resource, especially if you are studying World War II. The login is the same as Epic...
Find NZ Digital material that is hidden or buried on the internet. Search across more than 25 million digital items to discover New Zealand treasures such as amazing aerial photos, old posters and memorabilia, newspaper clippings, artworks, and publications. Items are contributed from partners including Te Papa, the Alexander Turnbull Library, Auckland Art Gallery, Te Ara, NZ On Screen and many many more.
Te Ara: Encyclopedia of New Zealand: A must 'go to' for all things New Zealand. Includes biographies and all aspects of New Zealand past and present.
Reference information you can trust. Encyclopedia.com has more than 100 trusted sources, including encyclopedias, dictionaries, and thesauruses with facts, definitions, biographies, synonyms, pronunciation keys, word origins, and abbreviations.
It also has amazing information on high interest topics such as:
Global Warming, United Nations, Afghanistan, Immigration, Water Issues. It also has links to literature, important events in history, and the sciences.
This is a great site with a wealth of NZ data. Set up by Lillian Grace, it is an awesome NZ initiative that looks at data specific to New Zealand, enhancing knowledge and understanding of the country that you live in!
2 million pages of digitised New Zealand newspapers and periodicals from 1839 to 1945 including 80 publications from all regions of New Zealand.
Here you can search for answers to popular homework questions asked at Anyquestions.co.nz
Topic Explorer: Find curated sets of resources on a wide variety of topics such as New Zealand Wars, Rainbow Warrior, Ocean Pollution, Disasters, Springbok Tour 1981 and much much more.
He Tohu is a permanent exhibition of three iconic constitutional documents that shape Aotearoa New Zealand.


text:
It was really nice to be able to handle everything in one place.
Funeral Arrangements
Here at the Wroblewski Funeral Home, we make it our mission to assist our families with planning every detail of the funeral service.
When it comes time to make funeral arrangements, we want you to take full advantage of everything our funeral home has to offer. We can handle every detail for you, from scheduling a funeral luncheon, assisting in floral selections or even helping choose a cemetery monument. One of our knowledgeable and expertly trained staff members will gladly assist you with making the decisions that best suit you and your family.
If you are considering a pre-planned funeral arrangement, you can take comfort in knowing that we will be there to help you with every step of the process. By developing a plan ahead of time, your family will be spared the burden of having to make decisions at the time of your passing. Also, pre-planning ensures that your wishes will be carried out in the exact manner you chose.
Whether you need immediate assistance or wish to pre-plan, our goal is to make the process as simple and effortless as possible. Place your trust in Wroblewski's and we guarantee you will be satisfied.


text:
Use our HBOC Research Search tool to find and participate in research focused on hereditaty cancers. Need assistance getting started?
If you are a researcher and have a study that you would like us to feature, please contact us.
Want to keep up with the latest articles on hereditary cancer? Sign-up for our email alerts.
Breast cancer clinical trials are often identified by the stage of your diagnosis, (stage 0 or DCIS -> Stage 4 or metastatic cancer) and by the characteristics of the cancer cells (hormone receptor positive or negative, Her2neu positive or negative). Some breast cancer treatment clinical trials are only open to people who have certain tumor types or people who test positive for a BRCA or other inherited mutation. Use the tool below to find hereditary breast cancer studies. If you need assistance getting started, visit our How to Search for Research Studies page.
Pick one or more of the criteria below to narrow down your search, or leave blank to see all trials.


text:
Our management team is the best in the business. Recognized for professional excellence, their experience and insight has helped LPP earn numerous awards for our healthcare and technology clients – including Silver Anvils from the Public Relations Society of America and Bell Ringers from the Publicity Club of New England.
Learn more about our team below.
Melissa Zipin
Melissa joined LPP in March
Christine Simeone
Christine has been a strategic
Lindsay LeCain
Lindsay is the manager of
Anastasia Efstratios
Anastasia joined LPP in 1998
Jaclyn Petros
Jaclyn brings 15 years of
Philip Moore
Philip joined the agency in
Lauren Sheanon
Lauren Sheanon is the Human
Brandi Martina
Brandi has been with LPP
Julie Sculley
A public relations professional since
Siobhan Nguyen
Since joining the agency in
Amanda Fountain
Amanda brings nearly a decade
Nina Gill
Nina Gill brings more than
Michelle Searer
Since joining LPP in 2015,
Scott Love
Scott Love has established successful,


text:
This is my midterm update of the Flight Simulator project
As the team lead on the student side for the first time in my life, I can feel the responsibility and challenge from my role all the time. I am basically using agile methodology I experienced in my previous coop work team and it turned out that everything worked out quite well. Tickets are opened and closed on time, and deliverables are officially accepted by IBM on the delivering date, so we can tell that the team is well on-track.
I learned and practiced a lot of project management skills in this project. Leading the scrum meeting which happens twice every week and sending out minutes is my common practice. I pressed hard to the team to use the tracking system so progress is always visible. I often ask the team for general feelings about making to the deadlines, and if we think we will miss it (by looking at our ticket closing rate for the current Sprint), we always try to notice IBM as early as possible. I figured out a work distribution plan to allow minimum coupling so even if we are working with 3 locations and time zones, each sub-team (location) can work independently most of the time.
As other members have mentioned in their updates, we got a lot of help from IBM and it helped enormously. The project plan IBM created for us at the initial code Sprint helped a lot in guiding us with the planning of each sprint. I also sought some advice from Frank Vandenberg, my Software Engineering course instructor at SFU.
We could have done a betting job in setting up the development environment during the Toronto code sprint, although we tried our best, it still took two weeks for the team to finish the setup. And the project could have been better if the setup speed of a server were faster.


text:
Hyderabad: A woman was killed and four were injured when a van ran over morning walkers here on Saturday, police said.
The incident occurred in Moosapet — a city suburb — when the speeding van while overtaking other vehicles hit the walkers on footpath.
The injured were rushed to a private hospital where Jyothi, 45, succumbed to her injuries.
Four others received grievous injuries. Two of them were in critical condition.
The CCTV footage shows the van trying to overtake other vehicles from the left side, hitting a group of walkers.
The driver escaped after the accident.
Police registered a case and were investigating the incident.
For more news updates Follow and Like us on Facebook


text: Seasonal Hello Poster — Autumn (2006) Member price: £3.50 Standard price: £4.95 Ref. T832 These colourful A2 'Hello' posters feature the popular children's entertainer, Dave Benson Phillips.Each seasonal poster includes the word 'Hello' in 20 languages. They present an ideal way in which to welcome families and visitors. ISBN/EAN: 0724120055084 Customers who bought this also purchased Seasonal Hello Poster — Spring Seasonal Hello Poster — Summer Seasonal Hello Poster — Winter The Essential Early Years Cookbook 50 Favourite Stories and Rhymes Nutritional Guidance for the Under Fives


text:
Photos by: Melton Findley
H&M: Jacket
Target: Button-up
Gap: Pants
Converse: Shoes
Glasses: Unknown
MAC Cosmetics : Lip
Happy Wednesday! I know it's been so long since my last post. A much needed break, it gave me some direction for my blog. Sometimes I don't feel any inspiration to write. I don't want to be a robot...seriously!?!?! Don't get me wrong, I love blogging but it should be more than what it seems. I want to add more of my creativity side to the blog. So stay tuned...oh yeah and I'm back!?!?
Yeah, it's fashionable to wear a top and a pair of pants of the same print in one look. Old school, right!?!?
I remember when my mom would dress my sisters and I....in a matching pastel sweat suit. I guess my childhood repeats itself. When having a difficult time finding that perfect look my go-to is the matchy-matchy trend. I decided to go for a comfy look playing with all my blues that compliment one another. It's essential to play with your colors especially if you're afraid of bold prints, neons, or floral...stay with what you know.Wearing all one color can be sophisticated depending on whether you dress it up or down. Regardless, you'll look extremely put together!!!!
See you next time!


text:
I love exploring new ground, my willingness and courage to initiate action can make the perfect mate for you! Even if I like to experiment and sometimes take things to the limit, I hope you won`t feel overwhelmed and you will feel free to explore anything you wish for about us!
Seductive eyes, mesmerizing. I can make you want more, just looking at you. Imagine what would be going to happen at the next level. Friendly, full of life and always smiling. Let`s know each other much better!
I like men who are confident enough to not be threatened by who I am or what I need, and can appreciate a strong woman. Do that, and whatever your mind will conceive, I`ll achieve!
Promises never kept and leaving without saying good bye! Rushing like i am doll to get undressed in a heartbeat.


text:
Mangle Detangle natural detangler is uniquely formulated to do and exceptional job clearing tangles with minimal effort. Naturally tear free and designed for tear prevention. Made with several organic ingredients to maximize shine and maintain strong, healthy hair.
Hypoallergenic, Paraben Free, Fresh Natural Scent
6.7 ounce bottle Made in USA


text:
previous rumors had some details on the general features of the upcoming hp ipaq devices, but mobile gadget news has now posted specific details on 7 new hp ipaq models, or 7 configurations of 5 models, that should be released between july and november this year. the site was swamped earlier and you may have trouble getting to it, but there is a summary of the details on pocketnow.com. as you will see, prices range from us$229 to $649, so it looks like everyone's needs can be met. hp's cheapest 624mhz model starts at $549, which is much higher than the $349 price you can pay for the new dell axim x30. the monroe is the model closest to the x30 in features, except that the monroe has a 1.3 megapixel camera and costs $499. while these models do cover quite a range, the only ones i would consider for myself are the explorer (ipaq 4700) and ipaq 6300 pocket pc phone edition. i think the 128 mb rom (or ram), large display, dual wireless, and dual slots would be nice, but then again this thing could be huge. the 6300 also looks good, but my current pocket pc phone edition has much more memory capacity and a 400mhz pxa263 xscale processor. i am a bit disappointed that there is no integrated keyboard on any of these models since i really loved what hp did with the 4350. what model grabs your attention, and will you pay these prices for a new device?
user comments 10 comment(s)
|ipaq (12:26pm est wed may 19 2004)
i am using 1945 and will be switching to a 5450.
i don't need a swiss army knife of a pda. i have a dedicated camera and a dedicated phone and will keep both.
– by old geek
|$$$$ (12:35pm est wed may 19 2004)
how does a 400mhz ppc compete with the dell 624mhz, when the 400mhz is more money!?!
im buying an x30 – by inomad
|temporary link to article (1:54pm est wed may 19 2004)
try this link
like inomad, i think the axim x30 looks to be a great device at a nice price and just wonder when dell will actually have them in stock. – by palmsolo
|axim x30 (2:46pm est wed may 19 2004)
dell says they are availabe now, and ready to ship. check their website. i never thought i'd see the day when i'll say an axim looks totally, completely desirable, but there you go. – by crosswind
|dell (10:46pm est wed may 19 2004)
doesn't have vga, and they send our jobs oversea. down with dell. hp has a broad running it, so that is something to avoid…. – by what is left.
|boring… (7:07am est thu may 20 2004)
this whole "new ipaqs" story running through websites seems not interesting. actually how cool is to have a "new" ipaq that has only "200 mhz more", some extra memory and new exterior. imo people want vga not qvga screens, wireless, keyboards, and new designs (look at cellphone industry)! – by lkluj
|re: what is left (10:03am est thu may 20 2004)
"hp has a broad running it" so we shouldn't buy from them? oh, yeah, i bet you're real popular with the ladies with that attitude. how about you judge a company based on product offerings or business practices rather than what sex the ceo happens to be. you did a good job on that with dell, then made your point irrelevant by shooting off your mouth with sexist comments about hp. – by opinionated
|how does the dell compete? (10:32am est thu may 20 2004)
it doesn't. inferior screen, older version of bluetooth. i am not saying it isnt a good device but the two devices are not in the same league. – by linuxgrilla
|wery gud (11:44am est thu may 20 2004)
i am now being thinking that i am now wanting to be upgrading to one of these new gadget palm hands. – by hello
|miniture kb (10:56pm est mon nov 22 2004)
why is hp 4350 end of life….we really need integrated keyboard. wonder when hp will launch new device with miniture keyboard – by max


text:
Start A Snowball, Inc. Privacy Policy
Simply Put:
We collect personal information from our users for one purpose: to run our website and programming.
We do not share any of our users' personal information.
Effective Date: November 20, 2013
At Start A Snowball ("SAS," "we," or "us"), your right to privacy is a primary concern. This privacy policy explains how the information you provide to us during your use of www.StartASnowball.com (the "Website") is protected by us. By using this website, you consent to the collection and use of your information in accordance with the terms of this privacy policy.
Changes to the Terms of this Policy
Prior to updating or modifying this privacy policy, we will send an email to the email address on file, notifying you that a change has been made to this privacy policy. The email will include a summary of the changes that will be made and the effective date of these changes. Your continued use of the Website after the effective date of the new privacy policy constitutes your acceptance of the new terms. Please review the Terms for Children and Parents/Guardians of Children under 13 section of this privacy policy for terms related to accepting new terms applicable to children under 13.
Use of the Website by Children under Age 13
After reading the General Privacy Policy Terms, please see the Terms for Children and Parents/Guardians of Children under 13 section of this privacy policy that apply to children under age 13.
General Privacy Policy Terms
Personal Information We Collect
This Website may be used without submitting any personal information. However, participation in certain online activities requires that all users "join Start A Snowball" by registering and creating a free Start A Snowball user account. Signing up for Start A Snowball programs might require the disclosure of additional information beyond what is required to "join Start A Snowball." Please note: we do not require disclosure of more information than is reasonably necessary in order for users to use any function on the Website.
There are several areas on our Website where we request information from you. If you register to use any limited access portion of the Website, we use the information you provide to deliver the services that you request. We will only collect your personal information, including name, address, email address and other demographic details when you provide it to us, and it will only be used for the purposes for which you provide it. If you are a registered user your information will be stored in the "user account" section which can be viewed by you after you log-in. The information you provide to us will be kept confidential. In the event that you choose to contact us via the links provided on the website, any information you have stored in your signature block may be uploaded into the email and sent to us. You acknowledge that this information is sent to us voluntarily.
We collect your information as follows:
- Your contact information (including without limitation, name, address, email address and demographic information) is collected when you register to use the Website, complete on-line surveys and when you sign up to participate in incentive programs and contests;
- Certain personally identifiable information is requested when you downloadable materials and review certain content;
- When you make comments, when you participate in the blogs and shared stories certain personally identifiable information will be collected;
- We may collect information, such as your name and e-mail address whenever you submit a question or suggestion to us or request assistance from us.
Non-Personal Information We Collect- Use of Cookies, IP Address and Other Aggregate Data
"Cookies" are small text files that are either used for the duration of a session ('session cookies'), or saved on a user's hard drive in order to identify that user the next time he/she logs on to the Website ('persistent cookies').
The Website uses cookies to store data about your visit. You may configure your web browser to prevent cookies from being set on your computer. Cookies help us learn which areas of our Website are useful to you and which areas need improvement. We also use cookies to save your password so you don't have to re-enter it each time you visit our Website.
We may also gather anonymous, or aggregate, information, which may be used by us or shared with third parties. This is information does not personally identify you, but may be helpful for marketing purposes or for improving the services we offer. Generally, this information is collected through "traffic data" and may entail the use of numeric codes used to identify a computer.
We may also use your IP address (the number assigned to your computer while it is on the Internet) to help diagnose problems with our server, and to administer our Website. If you download materials from the Website, your IP address may be used to help identify your computer and your online history and to gather broad demographic information.
Use of Your Information
Except as explained in this privacy policy, the information that you provide to us through the Website will not be sold, shared, or rented to any outside organization for its use in marketing or solicitation. We may share aggregated customer information such as statistics about our customers, traffic patterns and related site information, with our business partners and other reputable vendors, but such aggregated information will not contain any personally identifying information of any users of the Website. Additionally, we may disclose or access your account information when we believe in good faith that the law requires it.
Your Right to Choose
Any information that Start A Snowball collects from you on the Website is information that you specifically and voluntarily provide. You may choose not to provide any or all of the information that is requested on the Website. By so choosing, however, you may limit your ability to receive some or all of the services generally offered to users of the Website. In the event that you no longer want us to process or utilize your information, please contact us via email at email@example.com.
Access to Your Information
Upon request, we will take reasonable efforts to provide you with access to your information to review it for accuracy and make any modifications that you deem appropriate. You may contact us at email at email@example.com.
Required Disclosures
We may disclose personally identifiable information if required to do so by law or in the good-faith belief that such action is necessary to (a) conform to the edicts of the law or comply with legal process served on Start A Snowball; (b) protect and defend the rights or property of Start A Snowball or the users of this Website, and (c) take necessary action to protect the personal safety of the Website's users.
Public Forms
We may make various public forums (such as blogs, comments, and content reviews) and functions available to all registered users. During these activities, registered users will have the option to add additional personal information that is beyond the information gathered at registration. Any information you choose to share when using any of these forums or functions becomes public information. You should exercise caution in deciding whether to disclose such information.
You acknowledge and agree that Start A Snowball will own and have the unrestricted right to use, publish, in electronic form and otherwise, distribute and exploit any and all information that you post or otherwise publish on this Website ("Submissions"). You hereby waive any and all claims against Start A Snowball for any alleged or actual infringements of any rights of privacy or publicity, moral rights, rights of attribution or any other intellectual property rights in connection with Start A Snowball's use and publication of such Submissions.
Start A Snowball does not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any Submissions displayed, uploaded, posted on any message board, or otherwise distributed through this Website by any user of this Website, information provider or any other third party. Start A Snowball expressly disclaims any and all liability related to Submissions and you acknowledge that any reliance upon such Submissions will be at your sole risk.
You agree that you will not post or otherwise publish on the Website any materials that: (i) are threatening, libelous, defamatory, or obscene; (ii) would constitute, or that encourage conduct that would constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability, or otherwise violate law; (iii) infringe the intellectual property, privacy, or other rights of any third parties; (iv) contain a computer virus or other destructive element; (v) contain advertising; or (vi) constitute or contain false or misleading statements. Start A Snowball in its sole discretion reserves the right to refuse to post and the right to remove any information or Submission from this Site, in whole or in part, for any reason.
External Links
We may provide links to external websites whose content we believe might be of interest to our visitors. This privacy policy, however, does not apply to third party websites that may be accessible though our Website. We do not control the privacy practices of these external websites and we do not conduct ongoing reviews of their privacy practices. These external websites might collect personally identifiable information from visitors. Before using these websites, we recommend that you review their user agreements and privacy policies to learn how they may collect and use information about you. Children should always check with their parents or teachers before clicking onto any new websites.
Security Measures
We strive to protect the privacy of the information that you share with us. We have undertaken reasonable efforts to implement security measures designed to protect all data we collect against unauthorized access. We utilize encrypted authentication technology when you login to the Website in an effort to provide a secure environment that is protected from third party access, alteration, theft or misuse of the personal information gathered or confirmed at registration.
Unfortunately, no data transmission over the Internet can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. As a result, although we strive to protect your information, we cannot ensure or warrant the security of the information that you submit to us via the Site and you do so at your own risk. We also implement measures to protect your personal information off-line.
Transfer of Business Assets
As part of our business strategy, we might acquire, buy or merge with other businesses or assets. In such transactions, customer information generally is one of the transferred business assets. Also, in the event that Start A Snowball or substantially all of its assets are acquired, both personally identifiable and non-personally identifiable information will be one of the transferred assets.
Your Questions and Comments
We invite you to learn more about us. Please visit our website at www.StartASnowball.org. If you have any questions about our privacy policy, please contact us email at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Terms for Children and Parents/Guardians of Children under 13
Protection of Children's Information
It is our intention to make this Website a safe environment on the Internet for children, youth, and adults to explore volunteering and community service. We involve parents and legal guardians in, and to keep them informed of, the online activities of their children.
In compliance with The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998, Start A Snowball endeavors to make sure that all parents/guardians are informed about how we collect, use, and disclose any and all personal information collected from children under the age of 13. At this time SAS requires that in order for users to share personally identifiable information users be 13 years of age or older.
Children of all ages may view and explore the Website without submitting any personal information. However, participation in certain online activities (including submitting a story about volunteer experiences) requires that users be 13 years of age or older and attest to that prior to submitting a form.
Please note: To share a story or apply for a grant all users must be 13 years of age or older. For anyone under the age of 13 they will need their parent's help to complete these forms
We will use personally identifiable information from our online form submittal to send users information about this Website, Start A Snowball and its various projects and initiatives, or to communicate with users about a project in which you are participating..
Modifications or Changes to this Privacy Policy
Prior to updating or modifying this privacy policy, we will send an email to the email address for the parent/guardian on file, notifying you that a change has been made to this privacy policy. The email will include a summary of the changes that will be made and the effective date of these changes. The mail will also include a link that allows you to accept the changes to the privacy policy. You will be required to accept these terms before your child can log-in to the registered portions of this Website after the effective date. Your child will not be able to log-in to the registered portions of the Website unless you accept the new terms of the privacy policy.
Useful Links on Internet Privacy
- The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (Coppa)
- Common Sense Media – Internet Survival Tips for High School Kids, Elementary School Kids and Middle School Kids.
Start A Snowball Terms of Use
You take full responsibility for anything that happens while using our materials.
Kids and teens under 18 years old promise to get guardian's permission before carrying out any service project.
You promise to use this site to increase and improve youth service in the world.
You will get the permission of all individuals in a photo or video before sharing it with us and giving us permission to use it.
You will follow our brand guidelines when using our brand and get permission from us before using it.
Anything you share on our site must be authentic and original. No lying about numbers, no copyright infringement, no plagiarizing.
You can share our content on social media, print and make copies for non-profit use–but you may not tamper with any materials, and you must always give us credit.


text:
|Category: Services Review
Written by Basti Salvador
|Hits: 4354
The best seminar I've been into in years. Props to Smooth, Nomer, July, Lia and X - they all earned the right to host and speak their topic. The room was filled with "Bro-vibe".
"Everyone was looking at us and I felt like I was on top of the world."
"When someone I admire turns out to be a rather normal guy, I get offended because it's an insult to my jealousy. " ― Jarod Kintz Just to be clear, the author of this artic...
"Attending the Boot Camp is one of the decisions I'll never regret."
"When people are ready to, they change. They never do it before then, and sometimes they die before they get around to it. You can't make them change if they don't want to, just like when they d...
Just some EPIC reviews: X Arts Masterclass
"Anyone can put paint on a canvas, but only a true master can bring the painting to life." ― Shaun Jeffrey, The Kult A series of Masterclass was held in late 2011 and 2012. ...
New Forum Posts
- No posts to display.


text:
Be better, do better, live better!
Cute! I wish I had your talent for this.:)
Aw shucks, thank you! :D
You have such a gift for this! My favorites are a tie between 2 & 3. Happy weekend! :)
Wow, thank you! I'm with you, outfit number 2 is probably my favorite.
Thank you so much for your visit. I love hearing from you and dearly appreciate your comment!


text:
Here is a small representation of products that we carry
Bath & Body products – Thymes, Caldrea, Northridge Gardens & more!
Kitchen accessories - Serving pieces, linens, aprons, cookbooks, etc.
Women's accessories – Purses (Baggallini & Miche), flat wallets, Card Cubbies, Trendy Tabs (for your wallet), beaded sandals & scarves!
Jewelry – Silver Forest, Magnabilities, L. Hunter Designs and a wide variety of affordable necklaces, bracelets, etc.
Garden – windchimes, bird feeders, garden stakes, screen savers and more
Baby/Kids – Little Golden Books, tons of baby gift items, toys & frames
Home Decor – Vases, framed art, lamps, decorative platters, silk florals and so much more!
Candles & Accessories - Root, Beanpod, Tyler, Woodwick, jar candles, candle warmers & diffusers!
Greeting Cards – lots of witty and sentimental choices! We also carry the "Hold On" line of cards.


text:
NEW ARRIVALS !!! BIG SIZE SHOES | Sizes 35 - 47
No products in the cart.
Username or email address *
Password *
Remember me
Log in
Lost your password?
Email address *
Password *
Product Details:
Silver Mettalic
There are no reviews yet.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Your review *
Name *
Email *
Hi there! Click one of our representatives to start a chat.


text:
I'm so excited to tell you about My Story: Daniel and My Story: Noah by Fiona Boon! These are two of the cutest sticker storybooks I have ever seen {I was given the opportunity to review My Story David and My Story Joseph in December as well} Each tells a story about a beloved Bible hero in simple, fun and exciting way! Not only did all my children LOVE these books but so did my husband and I! They really are so much fun! And the illustration are AWESOME! They were a HUGE hit with our kiddos! Each book is 24 pages long! The pages are full of fun illustrations multiple fonts that add a bit of whimsy to an already exciting story! Fiona did something really fun that I loved in these books…at the beginning of each book she introduces the reader to some of the people in the story, my children love that they already knew a little something about the characters and that they were able to recognized some of them! I absolutely LOVED the way that each book was narrated by the main character {Noah & Daniel}. To top off all that fun the last 2-pages full of stickers…yes "STICKERS" {My kiddos were REALLY excited about it!} There is even 'sticker journal' for the kiddos to complete as they retell the story using the stickers…AWESOME! These books are written in such a fun way the kids can't help but retain the story and the amazing thing God is capable of! Daniel in the Lions den is on of our oldest sons all time favorites! Our twins absolutely love Noah! They are all about animals and twos {which if there is two of something it means "TWINS" 🙂 } I would love to see a ton more of these ahem hint hint Fiona!! Ooh like Ether & Ruth! Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego would be AWESOME!
These books are some of our mot favorites! They are always a hit when we pull them out at bedtime! I HIGHLY recommend adding these to your bookshelf! These books are a great deal for $4.99 each.


text:
What is a Blend-Off? Work together to be the first to find the correct blend of "base" wines to match a wine-maker's finished wine! Each "blend-team" is provided all the equipment and base wines needed. But a winning blend depends on more than just good a good nose!
Who Blends-Off? Corporate and industry client groups, workplace or project teams and conference groups. Using wines by Tar & Roses, a successful Australian wine brand, makes this program very special for national and overseas companies. Winemaking is intriguing to everyone, so the program suits groups of all adult ages and backgrounds. Who wouldn't like to know a little bit more about wine?!
No previous experience or wine knowledge is required whatsoever !
When to Blend-Off? Any time, day or night, rain, hail or shine. As the program is about wine, it runs perfectly alongside corporate lunches, dinners, and in events as an opening/closing activity.
Where to Blend-Off? Any conference or meeting room, restaurant or function area, or protected out-door area. We have loads of great locations for you if you prefer to go off-site.
What's in a Blend-Off?
• A fun introduction to the world of wine and assessment
• "Base" and finished wines for blend-teams provided by Tar & Roses
• Gift from Tar & Roses to each winning blend-team member
What does a Blend-Off Cost? The 2 hour program costs only $75 per participant, all inclusive.
A minimum number of 6 to 40 participants is required at any one program.
(Larger groups can be easily arranged on negotiation)
Has your team got a perfect blend?
corporate functions team-building business networks
conferences program session public events
company events conference dinners private functions
Special! Corporate Blend-Off Conference Event
The ultimate conference experience!!
Your group takes on the Corporate Blend-Off challenge followed a special menu degustation with matching wines at an award-winning Sunshine Coast restaurant!!
Package includes: Bus transfers, complete Corporate Blend-Off program, 3 course dinner with matching wines, and presentation of wines during dinner
Contact BushLab for details today!


text:
No products
A universal light tent for all kinds of trekking activities. Very stable if fully pegged. Selfsupporting structure with an apse for putting off the backpacks.
A single-door, easy-to-build tent provided with the classic self-supporting structure with a large apse for backpacks. To enter the tent, left- or right-hand triangular door can be used or both doors can also be opened at the same time.
Innovative model with two doors, vestibules and two transversal poles. Thanks to its vestibules that are high enough and the rigidity of the supporting structure, this product is truly a weatherproof tent, able to withstand even the harshest weather conditions.
A roomy tent with variable door arrangement and a spacious vestibule guarantees campers' comfort while preserving the main advantage of small tents - easy and quick building.


text:
<< Back to OSHA Recommendations for Workplace Violence...
Slide 1
Slide 2
Slide 3
Slide 4
Slide 5
Slide 6
Slide 7
Slide 8
Slide 9
Slide 10
Slides 11-20
Slides 21-30
Slides 31-32
« Previous | Next »
Title: Goal of the Recommendations
Type: Text and Picture Slide
Speaker Notes: In 1989, OSHA published voluntary, generic safety and health program management guidelines, followed by recommendations for workplace violence prevention programs in late-night retail establishments, published in 1998.
The violent prevention information presented in the recommendations builds on these guidelines by identifying risk factors and describing some feasible solutions.
Although not exhaustive, these workplace violence guidelines include policy recommendations and practical corrective methods to help prevent and mitigate the effects of workplace violence in late-night retail establishments.
The goal of the recommendations is to encourage employers to implement programs to identify the potential risks of workplace violence and implement corrective measures.
These recommendations are not a "model program" or rigid package of violence prevention steps uniformly applicable to all businesses, since environmental and other risk factors for workplace violence differ widely among workplaces.
Employers may use a combination of strategies, recommended in this document, as appropriate, for their particular workplace.
Page last updated: 03/15/2010


text:
American Civil Liberties Union
~Keep the text in Context~
Why is context so important in studying the Bible? What is wrong with looking at verses out of context?
The main reason it is important to study the Bible in context is in order to obtain a correct understanding of the passage. Misunderstanding a portion of the Bible can lead to misapplying it in our lives as well as teaching something wrong to others. These are quite the opposite of God's desire for our lives, which includes knowing His Word accurately, applying it in our own lives, and teaching it to others, following the example of Ezra, "For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel" (Ezra 7:10).
Another concern with taking the Bible out of context is the temptation to make the Bible say what we want rather than what it originally meant. Those who have taken this misguided approach have used Scripture to "prove" a wide variety of practices as "biblical." However, a practice is only biblical if it is based on an accurate understanding of Scripture that includes studying the context surrounding a passage.
For example, some have taught that slavery was biblical since this practice can be found in the Bible. However, while it is true slavery is found in the Bible, the New Testament did not teach Christians to enslave one another. On the contrary, in Paul's most personal letter regarding this issue, he wrote to Philemon with the intention that Philemon should free his runaway slave Onesimus (Philemon 1).
In addition, Genesis 1:27 speaks of men and women being created in God's image. Christians are called to love neighbor as self (Mark 12:31), a practice that would certainly contradict the practice of modern slavery. Further, a close examination of slavery and servanthood in first century times shows that it often differed widely in application from modern slavery. A doulos (Greek word for servant) could have a servant of his or her own and held much responsibility. While there were certainly masters who treated their servants poorly in that time, slavery then was not practiced exactly as slavery has been in modern times. Without studying the context of biblical passages on this topic, however, past generations have used Scripture to support the most tragic of interpretations regarding the enslavement and mistreatment of people.
Scripture encourages readers to study the full counsel of God. In Acts 20:27, the apostle Paul told the elders in his presence, "I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God." Our lives are to follow this same practice of studying all of God's Word to accurately understand its teachings and apply them to our lives. Second Timothy 2:15 is clear, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."
Someone recently submitted a comment saying in part, "God is love PERIOD…Are you sure YOU know God?"
I had to admit, as I read the person's comment that it was abundantly clear we didnot serve the same God. The idol god they endorsed was someone completely alien to the Father, because their perversion of "love" does not involve obedience to God's commands. In this erroneous perspective, sin is of no consequence because God is love. Holding to God's truths are merely academics in "biblical knowledge" which has nothing to do with a Christian's call to "show love." Somehow, I don't think this is what God meant when He said that love covers a multitude of sins. God is love, but God is also Truth. You cannot separate the two without perverting who God is.
Christianity itself is being redefined to be about tolerance (of sin), diversity (of sin), and unity (with thosewillfully in sin). Anyone who speaks about sin is therefore "judging" and "unloving." The hatred coming against those who speak against sin has indeed become palatable.
Let me say unequivocally that I am not a servant of this idol "god of love" promoted by many in the churchworld which shies away from addressing sin and uses the grace of God to promote lasciviousness. If that makes me your enemy, so be it.
~Real Truth Is Coming Out~
Churches today are filled with people who hold to a faith that does not save. James referred to this as a "dead faith"-meaning a mere empty profession (James 2:17, 20, 26). Paul wrote to the people in the church at Corinth to test or examine themselves to see if they were truly in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). As important as it was in Paul's day, how much more important it is for people in our churches today to put their faith to the test and to make sure they have not been deceived.
But where do we start? By what criteria do we determine true from empty faith? What are the distinguishing marks of genuine saving faith? Surprisingly, there are a number of popular standards or tests that really don't prove the genuineness of one's faith one way or the other. So before we look at the tests that prove genuine faith, let's take a look at some popular tests that neither prove nor disprove the genuineness of one's faith.
Here is a list of seven conditions that do not prove or disprove the genuineness of saving faith. One can be a Christian and possess these things or one may not be a Christian at all and still possess them. While they don't prove or disprove one's faith, they're important to know and understand so you will not be deceived.
Seven conditions that do not prove or disprove genuine saving faith.
1. Visible Morality
There are some people who just seem to be good people. They can be religious, moral, honest, and forthright [trustworthy] in their dealings with people. They may seem to be grateful, loving, kind and tenderhearted toward others. They have visible virtues and an external morality. The Pharisees of Jesus day rested on visible morality for their hope and yet some of Christ's harshest words were directed at them for this very thing.
Many who possess visible morality know nothing of sincere love for God. Whatever good works they appear to possess, they know nothing of serving the true God and living for His glory. Whatever the person does or leaves undone does not involve God. They're honest in their dealings with everyone-but God. They won't rob anyone-but God. They're thankful and loyal to everyone-but God. They speak contemptuously and reproachfully of no one-but God. They have good relationships with everyone-but God. They are like the rich young ruler who said, "All these things [conditions] have I kept, what do I lack?" Their focus is on visible morality, but that visible morality doesn't necessarily mean salvation. Jesus told one of the Pharisees "you must be born again" (John 3:6), not "you must put on an external morality." People can "clean up their act" by reformation rather than regeneration-so reformation in itself is not a mark of saving faith.
2. Intellectual Knowledge
Another condition that can be misleading is intellectual knowledge. People can possess an intellectual understanding and knowledge of the truth and yet not be saved. While the knowledge of the truth is necessary for salvation, and visible morality is a fruit of salvation, neither of these conditions by themselves translate into true saving faith. People can know all about God, all about Jesus, who He was, that He came into the world, that He died on the cross, that He rose again, that He's coming again, and even many details about the life of Christ-and still turn their backs on Him.
That's what the writer of Hebrews was warning against in Hebrews 6:4-6. There were people in the church who knew all about God and understood gospel truths. They even had a measure of experience with gospel truth. They'd seen the ministry of the Holy Spirit at work in people's lives-and yet knowing all of that, they stood in grave danger of turning away and rejecting Christ.
In Hebrews 10 the writer warns this kind of man that he is treading underfoot the blood of Christ by not believing what he knows to be true. There are many people who know the Scriptures but are on their way to hell! A man cannot be saved without the knowledge of the truth, but possessing that knowledge alone does not save.
3. Religious Involvement
Religious involvement is not necessarily a proof of true faith. According to Paul there are people who possess an outward form (a mere external appearance) of godliness but who have denied the power of it. They have an empty form of religion. Jesus illustrated this when He told of the virgins in Matthew 25. They waited and waited and waited for the coming of the bridegroom, who is Christ. And even though they waited a long time, when He came they didn't go in. They had everything together except the oil in their lamps. That which was most necessary was missing. The oil is probably emblematic of the new life; the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. They weren't regenerate. They had religious involvement but were not regenerate. A person can be visibly moral, know the truth, be religiously involved, and yet not possess genuine saving faith.
4. Active Ministry
It is possible to have an active and even a public ministry, and yet not possess genuine saving faith. Balaam was a prophet who turned out to be false (Deuteronomy 23:3-6). Saul of Tarsus (later becoming the apostle Paul) thought he was serving God by killing Christians. Judas was a public preacher and one of the twelve disciples of Christ-but he was an apostate. In Matthew 7:22-23 Jesus said, "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'" Those whom Jesus spoke of had been involved in active and public ministry-but Jesus said he never knew them. Sobering words indeed.
5. Conviction of Sin
By itself, even conviction of sin is not a proof of salvation. Our world is filled with guilt-ridden people. Many even feel badly about their sin. Felix trembled under conviction at the preaching of the apostle Paul, but he never left his idols or turned to God (Acts 24:24-6). The Holy Spirit works to convict men of sin, righteousness, and of judgment, but many do not respond in true repentance. Some may confess their sins and even abandon the sins they feel guilty about. They say, "I don't like living this way. I want to change." They may amend their ways and yet fall short of genuine saving faith. That's external reformation, not internal regeneration. No degree of conviction of sin is conclusive evidence of saving faith. Even the demons are convicted of their sins-that's why they tremble-but they are not saved.
6. The Feeling of Assurance
Feeling like you are saved is no guarantee you are indeed saved. Someone may say, "Well, I must be a Christian because I feel that I am. I think I am one." But that is faulty reasoning. If thinking one is a Christian is what makes one a Christian, then no one could be deceived. And then, by definition, it would not be possible to be a deceived non-Christian, and that doesn't square with the whole point of Satan's deception. He wants people who are not truly saved to think they are. Satan has deceived multiplied millions of religious people into thinking they are saved even though they are not. They may say to themselves, "God won't condemn me. I feel good about myself. I have assurance. I'm ok." But that doesn't necessarily mean a thing.
7. A Time of Decision
So often people say things like: "Well, I know I'm a Christian, because I remember when I signed the card," or "I remember when I prayed a prayer," or "I remember when I walked the aisle" or "went forward in church." A person may remember exactly when it happened and where they were when "it" happened, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. Our salvation is not verified by a past moment. Many people have prayed prayers, gone forward in church services, signed cards, gone into prayer rooms, been baptized, and joined churches without ever experiencing genuine saving faith.
These are seven common conditions or tests that don't necessarily prove or disprove the existence of saving faith. What then are the marks of genuine saving faith? Are there some reliable tests from the Word of God that enable us to know for certain whether one's faith is real? Thankfully there are at least nine biblical criteria for examining the genuineness of saving faith.
Nine conditions that prove genuine saving faith.
1. Love for God
First of all a deep and abiding love for God is one of the supreme evidences of genuine saving faith. This gets to the heart of the issue. Romans 8:7 says "the carnal mind is enmity [hostility, hatred] against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be." Thus, if a man's heart is at enmity with God there is no basis for assuming the presence of saving faith. Those who are truly saved love God, but those who are not truly saved resent God and His sovereignty. Internally they are rebellious toward God and His plan for their life. But the regenerate person is set to love the Lord with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength. His delight is in the infinite excellencies of God. God is the first and highest affection of his renewed soul. God has become his chief happiness and source of satisfaction. He seeks after God and thirsts for the living God.
By the way, we must be careful to distinguish the difference between that kind of true love for God that seeks His glory from the kind of self-serving love that sees God primarily as a means of personal fulfillment and gain. True saving faith doesn't believe in Christ so that Christ will make one happy. The heart that truly loves God desires to please God and glorify Him. Jesus taught that if someone loved their father and mother more than they loved Christ, they were not worthy of Him. In Matthew 10:37-39 Jesus put it like this: "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matthew 10:37-39).
The question then is this: Do you love God? Do you love His nature? Do you love His glory? Do you love His name? Do you love His kingdom? Do you love His holiness? Do you love His will? Is your heart lifted when you sing His praises-because you love Him? Supreme love for God is decisive evidence of true faith.
2. Repentance from Sin
A proper love for God necessarily involves a hatred for sin that leads to repentance. That should be obvious. Who wouldn't understand that? If we truly love someone we seek their best interests. Their well being is our greatest concern. If a man says to his wife, "I love you but I could care less what happens to you," we would rightly question his love for her. True love seeks the highest good of its object. If we say that we love God, then we will hate whatever is an offense to Him. Sin blasphemes God. Sin curses God. Sin seeks to destroy God's work and His kingdom. Sin killed His Son. So when someone says, "I love God, but I tolerate sin," then there is every reason to question the genuineness of his love for God. One cannot love God without hating that which is set to destroy Him. True love for God will therefore manifest itself through confession and repentance. The man who loves God will be grieved over his sin and will want to confess it to God and forsake it.
In examining our faith we should ask: "Do I have a settled conviction concerning the evil of all sin? Does sin appear to me as the evil and bitter thing that it really is? Does conviction of sin increase in me as I walk with Christ? Do I hate it not primarily because it is ruinous to my own soul or because it is an offense to the God I love? Does the sin itself grieve me or am I only grieved over the consequences of my sin. What grieves me most-my misfortune or my sin? Do my sins appear to me as many, frequent and aggravated? Do I find myself grieved over my own sin more than the sins of others?" Genuine saving faith loves God and hates what He hates, which is sin. That attitude results in real repentance.
3. Genuine Humility
Saving faith is manifested through genuine humility. Jesus said blessed are those who are poor in spirit, and those who mourn [their sin], and those who are meek, and those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:3-6)-all marks of humility. In Matthew 18 Jesus said that "unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3). True saving faith comes as a little child-humble and dependent. It is not the man who is full of himself who is saved, but the man who denies himself, takes up his cross daily and follows Christ (Matthew 16:24).
In the Old Testament we see that the Lord receives those who come with a broken and contrite spirit (Psalm 34:18; 51:17; Isaiah 57:15; 66:2). James wrote: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6). We must come as the prodigal son, broken and humble. Remember what he said to his father-"Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son" (Luke 15:21). Those possessing genuine saving faith do not come boastfully to God with their religious achievements or spiritual accomplishments in hand. They come empty-handed in genuine humility.
4. Devotion to God's Glory
True saving faith is manifested by a devotion to God's glory. Whatever believers do, whether they eat or drink, their desire is to see God glorified. Christians do what they do because they want to bring glory to God.
Without question Christians fail in each of these areas, but the direction of a Christian's life is to love God, hate sin, to live in humility and self-denial, recognizing his unworthiness and being devoted to the glory of God. It is not the perfection of one's life but the direction of a life that provides evidence of regeneration.
5. Continual Prayer
Humble, submissive, believing prayer is mark of true faith. We cry "Abba, Father" because the Spirit within us prompts that cry. Jonathan Edwards once preached a sermon titled, "Hypocrites are Deficient in the Duty of Secret Prayer." It's true. Hypocrites may pray publicly, because that's what hypocrites want to do. Their desire is to impress people-but they are deficient in the duty of secret prayer. True believers have a personal and private prayer life with God. They regularly seek communion with God through prayer.
6. Selfless Love
An important characteristic of genuine saving faith is selfless love. James wrote, "If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' you do well" (James 2:8). John wrote, "Whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?" (1 John 3:17).
If you love God you will not only hate what offends Him, but you will love those whom He loves. "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death" (1 John 3:14). And why do we love God and love others? Because this is the believer's response to His love for us. "We love Him because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19). Jesus said we will know that we are His disciples by our love for each other (John 13:35).
7. Separation from the World
Positively, believers are marked by a love for God and for fellow believers. Negatively, the Christian is characterized by the absence of love for the world. True believers are not those who are ruled by worldly affections, but their affection and devotion is toward God and His kingdom.
In 1 Corinthians 2:12 Paul wrote that "we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God." In 1 John 2:15 we read: "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John 2:15). True saving faith separates one from the pursuits of this world–not perfectly, as we all fail in these areas, but the direction of a believer's life is upward. He feels the pull of heaven on his soul. Christians are those whom God has delivered from the power of darkness and conveyed into the kingdom of His Son. The believer is marked by the absence of love or enslavement to the satanically controlled world system (Ephesians 2:1-3; Colossians 1:13; James 4:4).
8. Spiritual Growth
True believers grow. When God begins a true work of salvation in a person, He finishes and perfects that work. Paul expressed that assurance when he wrote in Philippians 1:6, "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."
If you are a true Christian, you are going to be growing-and that means you are going to be more and more like Christ. Life produces itself. If you're alive you are going to grow, there's no other way. You'll improve. You'll increase. The Spirit will move you from one level of glory to the next. So examine your life. Do you see spiritual growth? Do you see the decreasing frequency of sin? Is there an increasing pattern of righteousness and devotion to God?
9. Obedience
Obedient living is not one of the optional tracks given for believers to walk. All true believers are called to a life of obedience. Jesus taught that every branch that abides in Him bears fruit (John 15:1-8). Paul wrote that believers "are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10). That speaks of obedience. We are saved unto the obedience of faith (see 1 Peter 1:2).
How can we know our faith is genuine? Examine your life in the light of God's Word. Do you see these characteristics in your life? Do you have a love for God, hatred for sin, humility, devotion to God's glory, a pattern of personal and private prayer, selfless love, separation from the world, the evidence of spiritual growth and obedience. These are the real evidences of genuine saving faith.
~ A Product of your environment~
"I find it wholesome to be alone the greater part of the time. To be in company, even with the best, is soon wearisome and dissipating. I love to be alone. I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude."
― Henry David Thoreau, Walden
"Do not be deceived: bad company corrupts good morals."
― Anonymous, Holy Bible: King James Version
"Interpersonal relations" is not usually thought of as a Bible topic, but advice about dealing with other people makes up a large part of the teachings of Jesus and His apostles as well as the wisdom books of the Old Testament. Whether dealing with parents, children, spouses, family, friends, co-workers, strangers or even enemies, the Bible's advice is spiritually sound and effective for promoting peace and harmony.
The Greatest Commandment
All of the New Testament teachings on interpersonal relations follow from Jesus' commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." When Jesus was asked which of the commandments was most important, He replied,
The first is, "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength." The second is this, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." There is no other commandment greater than these. (NRSV, Mark 12:26-31)
The English word "love" has many different meanings, but this "Christian love" of the Bible comes from the Greek word agape which means respect, good-will and benevolent concern for the one loved. It is deliberate, purposeful love rather than emotional or impulsive love. The King James Version of the Bible often uses the word "charity" for this kind of love.
"Love your neighbor" was not a new commandment (Leviticus 19:18), but the people of Jesus' time had developed a rather narrow view of who should be considered a "neighbor." In HisParable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus corrected that view and teaches us that a "neighbor" is anyone we come in contact with, regardless of race, nationality, religion or other distinctions..
Related verses: Matthew 22:34-40, Luke 10:25-28, John 13:34-35, John 15:12, Acts 20:35, Romans 13:9-10, 15:1-2, 1 Corinthians 13:1-7, 16:14, Galatians 5:14.
Self-righteousness, Arrogance, Smugness
No one is perfect; we are all sinners in our own ways (Romans 3:21-24, 1 John 1:8). If we treat people we consider to be "sinners" with scorn, or think we are better than they are, we are guilty of the sin of self-righteousness:
Then Jesus told this story to some who had great self-confidence and scorned everyone else: "Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a dishonest tax collector. The proud Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: 'I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don't sin, I don't commit adultery, I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.' But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.' I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored." (NLT, Luke 18:9-14)
Related verses: Proverbs 26:12, Isaiah 5:21, Matthew 9:10-13, 18:10, Luke 7:36-50, John 8:1-11, Romans 14:1, Galatians 6:1-3.
Judging, Criticizing, Condemning Others
Self-righteousness is one of the hardest sins to avoid because it is so much easier to see other people's faults than to see our own faults. But, judgment of a person's character must be left to God (Romans 2:1-4, James 4:11-12). Rather than look for faults in others, we should look for the good in others and try to correct the faults within ourselves. Rather than criticizing other people, we should concentrate on living holy lives, ourselves. Jesus' comical parable of a person with a log in his eye trying to see to remove a speck from another's eye reminds us that we probably have bigger faults within ourselves (including self-righteousness) than the faults we like to criticize in others:
Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye. (NRSV, Matthew 7:1-5)
This does not mean, however, that all sin should be ignored:
- Christians should help each other recognize and overcome sinful actions and attitudes, but it must be done in a sincere spirit of love and not with the intention to punish, embarrass or disparage (Matthew 18:15, Luke 17:3-4, 1 Thessalonians 5:14, James 5:19-20, 1 Timothy 5:1-2, 2 Timothy 4:2).
- Governments have the right to act for the common good and take action against offenders who threaten law and order (Luke 20:20-25, Romans 13:1-7, Titus 3:1, 1 Peter 2:13-14).
- Churches have the right to excommunicate members who are disruptive to their mission (Matthew 18:15-17, 1 Corinthians 5:9-12, 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15).
Related verses: Luke 6:37-38, 6:41-42, John 8:2-11, Romans 2:1-4, 14:10-12, 1 Corinthians 4:3-5, James 2:12-13, 4:11-12.
Humility, Humbleness
But the greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted. (NAS, Matthew 23:11-12)
An attitude of humility is the key to dealing with other people in a Biblical way. Humility or humbleness is a quality of being courteously respectful of others. It is the opposite of aggressiveness, arrogance, boastfulness and exaggerated pride. Humility is the quality that lets us go more than halfway to meet the needs of others. Why do qualities such as courtesy, patience and deference have such a prominent place in the Bible? It is because a demeanor of humility is exactly what is needed to live in peace and harmony with all persons. Acting with humility does not in any way deny our own self worth. Rather, it affirms the inherent worth of all persons.
Related verses: Psalms 147:5-6, Proverbs 11:2-3, 12:16, 19:11, 22:4, 27:1-2, Matthew 5:5-9, 18:2-4, 20:25-28, Luke 14:8-11, 22:25-27, Romans 12:3, Galatians 5:26, Philippians 2:3-8,James 3:13-18, 1 Peter 5:5-6.
The Golden Rule
Do to others as you would have them do to you. (NIV, Luke 6:31)
The Golden Rule, spoken by Jesus, is possibly the best-known quote from the Bible and is the standard Jesus set for dealing with other people. If we wish to be loved, we must give love. If we wish to be respected, we must respect all persons, even those we dislike. If we wish to be forgiven, we must also forgive. If we wish others to speak kindly of us, we must speak kindly of them and avoid gossip. If we want happy marriages, we must be faithful, forgiving and kind to our spouses. If we wish to be fulfilled in our lives, we must share generously with others.
Related verse: Matthew 7:12.
Anger, Retaliation, Holding a Grudge, Revenge
"Under the laws of Moses the rule was, 'If you murder, you must die.' But I have added to that rule and tell you that if you are only angry, even in your own home, you are in danger of judgment! If you call your friend an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse him, you are in danger of the fires of hell. (TLB, Matthew 5:21-22)
No one makes us angry. Anger is our own emotional response to some action or event. More often than not, our angry feelings are based on a misinterpretation of what someone said or did or on our own exaggerated sense of pride. Angry words and actions escalate hostilities and block communication rather than solve problems. Whether between parent and child, spouses, siblings, friends, or nations, expressions of anger divide us and drive us toward open hostility.
It is all too easy to react to life's annoyances and disappointments with anger. It is far more challenging, but much better, to react with understanding and empathy. In this way, we can quickly settle disputes and avoid turning minor incidents into major battles:
You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God's righteousness. (NRSV, James 1:19-20)
Holding a grudge can consume us with hatred, blocking out all enjoyment of life. A grudge clouds our judgment and may lead us to an act of revenge that can never be undone. The Old Testament law specified equal revenge for equal wrong: "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" (Exodus 21:23-25, Leviticus 24:19-20), but that rule was too harsh for the new age of the kingdom of God. Jesus said the right thing to do is to take no revenge at all:
You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. (NRSV, Matthew 5:38-42)
Related verses: Leviticus 19:18, Psalms 37:7-13, Proverbs 14:29, 17:13-14, 17:27, 20:3, 20:22, 29:11, 29:22, Matthew 5:43-48, Romans 12:14-21, Ephesians 4:31-32, Colossians 3:8,1 Peter 3:8-11.
If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. (NLT, Matthew 6:14-15)
We should always be willing to forgive others and not hold any ill will against them. Holding a grudge and seeking revenge have no place in the lives of those who truly love their neighbors. Jesus calls us to remember that we are all God's children. Just as He loves all His people and is willing to forgive their sins, we should be willing to forgive also.
Related verses: Matthew 6:12, 18:21-22, Mark 11:25, Luke 11:4, 17:3-4, Romans 12:14, Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:12-14.
Honesty, Gossip, Slander, Lies, Deception
A good person produces good words from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil words from an evil heart. And I tell you this, that you must give an account on judgment day of every idle word you speak. The words you say now reflect your fate then; either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned. (NLT, Matthew 12:35-37)
The words we say or write have tremendous power for good or evil. Words can promote love and understanding or inflame prejudice and hatred. It is words that make or break marriages and other relationships. Words can make peace or make war. Our words should always show a spirit of Christian love.
A lie is any false statement made with the intent to deceive someone. We must always be honest in our dealings with other people. The Bible strongly condemns any attempt to deceive with the intent to hurt someone or gain unfair advantage:
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. (The Ten Commandments, NRSV, Exodus 20:16)
Those who desire life and desire to see good days, let them keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking deceit. (NRSV, 1 Peter 3:10)
Gossip or slander is an act of hostility intended to harm someone's reputation. We must avoid the temptation to misrepresent someone's character or actions:
An evil man sows strife; gossip separates the best of friends. (TLB, Proverbs 16:28)
~Send The Cushite to the King~
The Assumptions Underlying Racial Profiling
Defenders of racial profiling argue that it is a rational response to patterns of criminal behavior.
In the context of street-level crime, this argument rests on the assumption that minorities—used in this context to refer to African Americans and Hispanics—commit most drug-related and other street-level crimes, and that many, or most, street-level criminals are in turn African Americans and Hispanics. Thus, the argument continues, it is a sensible use of law enforcement resources to target African Americans and Hispanics in this context. This assumption is false.
The empirical data presented in Chapter III (A) of this report reveal that "hit rates" (i.e., the discovery of contraband or evidence of other illegal conduct) among African Americans and Hispanics stopped and searched by the police—whether driving or walking—are lower than or similar to hit rates for Whites who are stopped and searched. These hit rate statistics render implausible any defense of racial profiling on the ground that African Americans and Hispanics commit more drug-related or other street-level crimes than Whites
Well, the problem is that the profile many people think they have of what a terrorist is doesn't fit the reality. Actually, this individual probably does not fit the profile that most people assume is the terrorist who comes from either South Asia or an Arab country. Richard Reid didn't fit that profile. Some of the bombers or would-be bombers in the plots that were foiled in Great Britain don't fit the profile. And in fact, one of the things the enemy does is to deliberately recruit people who are Western in background or in appearance, so that they can slip by people who might be stereotyping.
Driving for Change-AB-953( Racial Profiling)
I am not amazed at how God will change your whole message and how He will use a little force to drive a "BIG" idea. I am thankful for our partners ICUC and PICO who allowed us to support them as they support "Second Chance Alliance" and it's desire to drive change within the Inland Empire.
"If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy. If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day."
― E.B. White
Hello All,
My name is Aaron Pratt and I am one of the founders of Second Chance Alliance a reentry facility that is still at vision stage.
I have been given this opportunity to support (ICUC) Inland Congregations United for Change on behalf of AB-953. I want to personally welcome you all to this life changing, relationship building and accountability voice of togetherness event.
The reason this event is so imperative is because unless we all take a look at the issue of racial profiling and make suggestive interventions to stop it we will live unfulfilled lives. Our world as we know it is without social accountability; which stands the reason Inland Congregations United for Change has arranged this press conference to lift our voices together so that Governor Brown can hear the herald of a community that desires social accountability that relies on civic engagement with law enforcement agencies throughout the Inland Empire and abroad to unite ordinary citizens and/or civil society organizations who participate directly or indirectly in exacting accountability with law enforcement.
Racial profiling was alive and well three thousand years ago. God hated it then as He does now, because He made all mankind of one blood and in his own image Acts17:26.
Racial profiling can been seen clearly in the text of old chirography 2 Samuel 18:19-21 and verse 20 tells the "TRUTH"
According to the Sentencing Projects Manual on Reducing Racial Disparity in the Criminal Justice System for Practitioners and Policymakers (2000) there are four key aspects to addressing racial disparity in the criminal justice system and they are as follows:
(1) Acknowledge the cumulative nature of racial disparities. The problem of racial disparity is one which builds at each stage of the criminal justice continuum from arrest through parole, rather than the result of the actions at any single stage.
2) Encourage communication across players in all decision points of the system. In order to combat unwarranted disparity, strategies are required to tackle the problem at each stage of the criminal justice system, and to do so in a coordinated way. Without a systemic approach to the problem, gains in one area may be offset by reversals in another.
3) Know that what works at one decision point may not work at others. Each decision point and component of the system requires unique strategies depending on the degree of disparity and the specific populations affected by the actions of that component.
4) Work toward systemic change. System wide change is impossible without informed criminal justice leaders who are willing and able to commit their personal and agency resources to measuring and addressing racial disparity at every stage of the criminal justice system, and as a result, for the system as a whole.
Please click this link to view our petition for hiring practices of ex-offenders-https://t.co/oN0a7fK1dC
Like us on Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/MayandAaronSecondchancealliance
If God can use anything He can use me!– Click to view..
~Where does your integrity stem from?~
A Christian view of work is distinctive in the way it insists that human work ultimately derives its meaning from God's character and purposes. It is who God is and what God does that shape the way we see the world, our place and work in the world, and the values that we take to work. Fundamental to this understanding is recognition that God is at work in the world and we are workers made in the image of God and invited to work as partners in God's continuing work. We work to further God's purposes through our work and to reflect God's character in the way we work. It is our understanding of this reality that injects distinctive Christian perspectives into our view of workplace ethics. But we begin with some more general observations about ethics.
Christian ethical living is concerned with "…ordering our steps in every situation of life according to the fundamental faith commitments we share as Christians." Or, according to another definition: "Christian ethics is the attempt to provide a framework and method for making decisions, that seeks to honor God as revealed in Scripture, follow the example of Jesus and be responsive to the Spirit, to achieve outcomes that further God's purposes in the world."
The command approach asks, "Is this action right or wrong in itself, according to the rules?" It is often called the deontological approach (from the Greek deon for duty or rule.It is based on the proposition that actions are inherently right or wrong, as defined by a set of rules or duties. This set of duties/rules may be given by divine command, natural law, rational logic or another source. In Christian ethics, we are interested in commands given by God or logically derived from God's self-revelation in the Bible.
The consequences approach asks, "Will this action produce good or bad results?" It is often called the teleological approach (from the Greek telos for end because it says that end results decide what is the morally correct course of action. The most moral course of action may be decided by:
- What will result in the greatest good? One well-known example of the teleological approach is called Utilitarianism,[5] which defines the greatest good as whatever will bring the greatest happiness to the greatest number of people.
- What advances one's self interest best? For example, the system known as Ethical Egoism assumes that the most likely way to achieve what is in the best interests of all people is for each person to pursue their own best interest, within certain limits.
- What will produce the ends that are most in accord with God's intent for his creation? This approach can focus on subordinate goals, e.g., gaining a better quality of life for a disabled person, or an ultimate goal, such as glorifying God and enjoying him forever. In the case of complicated circumstances, this approach tries to calculate which actions will maximize the balance of good over evil.
Because neither happiness nor self-interest seem to be the highest results God desires for his creation, neither Utilitarianism nor Ethical Egoism are generally considered Christian forms of ethics. But this does not mean that consequences are not ethically important to God, any more than the fact that there are unbiblical systems of rules means that ethical commands are not important to God.
This approach asks, "Is the actor a good person with good motives?" In this approach, the most moral course of action is decided by questions about character, motives and the recognition that individuals don't act alone because they are also part of communities that shape their characters and attitudes and actions. This is often called virtue ethics. Since the beginning of the Christian era, virtues have been recognized as an essential element of Christian ethics. However, from the time of the Reformation until the late 20th century, virtue ethics — like consequential ethics — was overshadowed by command ethics in most Protestant ethical thinking.
But how do these three different approaches apply to Christian ethics?
The Bible is the basic source for the commands we are to obey, the consequences we are to seek, and the characters we are to become as followers of Jesus Christ. Although the Bible's commands may be the first things that come to mind when we think about Christian ethics, consequences and character are essential elements of Christian ethics too. For most of us, the most effective way to become more ethical is probably to give greater attention to how our actions and decisions at work are shaping our character. The best ethical decisions at work and elsewhere are the decisions that shape our character to be more like Jesus'. Ultimately, by God's grace, "we will be like him" (1 John 3:2).


text:
Ask any quick-serve operator who's been through a crisis. He will be able to tell you the exact date, time, and day of the week the fate of his concept came under attack. Whether it's a food scare, a rodent infestation, a food-borne illness, or a product recall that threatens a brand's reputation, its every detail—along with a feeling of peril—is emblazoned into his memory.
What would you do if your company came under fire? In this day and age, the unpredictability of crises is no longer an excuse for responding to them poorly. Preparation can be the deciding factor in whether your brand survives the onslaught of customer concerns and media coverage that will inevitably follow.
It's 2010. Do you know where your crisis-management plan is?
Assess the Situation
Last April, when news of the swine flu started to consume the media, Richard Averitte, marketing director of Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Q, a 33-unit concept in North Carolina, realized it could present a problem for the concept. He could already imagine the questions from customers: Is it safe to eat at your restaurants? Where does Smithfield's get its pork from?
And then he imagined customers who wouldn't even ask those questions, who would simply avoid Smithfield's completely to be on the safe side.
"I wanted to answer those questions," Averitte says. "So I did the research."
Often, the first step in crisis management is the same one Averitte took: gathering as much information as possible.
"It's reconnaissance," says Eric Dezenhall, author of the book Damage Control. "It's, What exactly on a factual level is the problem that we have? Until you know that, there's not a lot else you can do."
Averitte visited the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Web site to learn as much as he could about the swine flu. Luckily, he found the information he needed quickly—and it was good news.
"One of the questions on the swine flu Q&A page that I read said you cannot get swine flu from eating pork," Averitte says. He also learned that the infected pigs were thought to have come from Mexico and California. Armed with the information necessary to settle customers' fears, Averitte decided to take action that day (a Saturday) by writing a blog post that would start a conversation with customers on the subject. The post first addressed the foremost question on customers' minds by reassuring them that Smithfield's pork came exclusively from North Carolina farms. It went on to explain that you can't become infected with H1N1 by eating pork and gave a link to the CDC Web site to prove it.
Averitte thinks the order of the message was crucial in addressing customer's concerns and preventing a potential sales dip.
"You often have to put on your customer shoes," he says.
At the time, the public was concerned more with whether Smithfield's was using infected pigs to make its barbecue than with learning enough about the technicalities of swine flu to realize that they couldn't catch it from eating barbecue.
"You have to think, 'What would they think?'" Averitte says.
Be Level-Headed
When a crisis hits, each level of a brand takes on a distinct responsibility, regardless of whether the problem is local or national.
"All crises are both," disaster control expert Dezenhall says. "In actuality they're local, but they become national by virtue of the media bloodstream."
Take Domino's, for example. Last April, two employees in a Conover, North Carolina, store decided to make a series of repulsive videos, which they posted on YouTube.
"Our first step was trying to figure out who they were and where they were," says Tim McIntyre, vice president of communications for Domino's. He grabbed still images of the employees from the videos and sent them out to the company's 5,000 U.S. stores as soon as possible.
Immediately, the corporate, regional, and store managers at Domino's took on different roles. The manager of the Conover store where the incident occurred fired the responsible employees then closed his store so all of the food could be thrown away and the entire store could be sanitized.
Other store managers, under the direction of corporate, were encouraged to "be pissed" when reassuring concerned customers that the incident was an isolated event that happened in one store.
At the regional level, managers were directed to respond similarly to customer concerns and to call McIntyre for guidance with media inquiries.
All the while, corporate continued to make strategic decisions—such as when and how to communicate about the issue.
The five times weekly e-newsletter that keeps you up-to-date on the latest industry news and additions to this website.


text:
John Kerr, Ed.D., Senior Director
Baldwin Park Adult & Community Education
Albert Michel, Principal
Bassett Adult School
Leticia Covarrubias, Chief Financial Officer
East San Gabriel Valley Regional Occupational Program
Greg Buckner, Ed.D., Executive Director
Hacienda-La Puente Adult Education
Virginia Espana, Assistant Principal
Tri-Community Adult Education
Covina Valley Unified School District
Ivan Ayro, Ed.D., Director
Charter Oak Unified School District
Enrique Medina, Ph.D., Director
Pomona Adult & Career Education
Copyright © 2017 Mt. SAC Regional Consortium for Adult Education and its licensors. All rights reserved. Website Developed By CatapultK12™. | Log In