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Furniture World Magazine on 4/6/2012
This installment in Furniture World Magazine's "Selling Better Bedding" series will focus on one of the fastest growing and most profitable bedding sector items, variously referred to as the power base, adjustable base, power foundation or lifestyle base. Five industry experts were interviewed to give Furniture World's readers insight into how to best promote, display, present, and manage the category.
"Until recently a lot of people didn't know what an adjustable was," Ben Groce, CFO of Flex-A-Bed, a manufacturer of beds and mattresses tells Furniture World. "It was a product that retailers stuck in the corners of their showrooms for use by old people with back problems. Now that the industry is marketing the product to such a wide group of people, it has opened up the customer base, and created new awareness."
Jay Thompson, President of Leggett and Platt's adjustable bed group, the largest supplier of adjustable bases, also recalls that the "previous view of the category as something that your kids buy for you when you are one step away from the nursing home. I'm a part of the generation," he says, "that remembers commercials targeted to an older customer. The reason for this change are that an effort has been made to re-market the category. The product itself has been improved to include more style components, making it, in some ways, like a piece of furniture. The functionality is more advanced as well, with creature comforts that help improve overall well-being."
Industry veteran Niles Cornelius, General Manager, Hickory Springs Retail Products Division that markets the iCare line of adjustable bases, agrees. He remembers when, "Retailers used to put adjustable bases in the back of the store, a twin-long sold as electric bed, that was made for grandma to transition before she went into a nursing home. I know that sounds terrible, but I think that's what we were stuck with. And back then a number of people in our industry advised retailers to do a better job of selling adjustable bases. A few people like myself were passionate from the beginning, but we were swimming upstream. Retailers would tell me, 'We don't get very many calls for electric beds.'"
Martin Rawls-Meehan, Managing Member at Reverie, a leading manufacturer of Mattresses, Adjustable Beds and Pillows, provides perspective on the recent growth of the category. "We started selling in the US market in 2004," he says, "and at that time a lot of retailers were afraid to sell power bases. There were a limited number of suppliers, and it was difficult to get retailers to carry the product with more than one or two floor models.
"We've seen a big change over the last few years, and part of that is due to the emergence of specialty bedding. The industry has seen an explosion in the amount of advertising and the volume that's being done. Retailers are looking at consumer response, and are reacting."
Johnny Griggs, President of Domestic Sales at Ergomotion, a major OEM suppler of lifestyle foundations, agrees that the rise in the popularity of the specialty-bedding category created the right conditions for this transition. "The mattress industry used to enhance sleep products," he observes, "by adding coils and additional layers of foam. But the focus of the past five years has been on specialty sleep, which has seen significant growth. The industry made a lot of recent progress in producing mattresses that provide the proper support and comfort by adding new and innovative materials, but then asked, 'What else can we do?' So, now there is a focus on lifestyle foundations that allow consumers to more comfortably sit in bed and watch television, work on a laptop, read, or just sit up and have a conversation. The concept has been gaining ground for several years, but over the past year and a half, especially since there has been more brand advertising by Serta and Tempur-Pedic with motion being integrated into the message, we are seeing a huge transition. Consumers are starting to ask for it now."
Furniture World asked our experts what they think is driving this trend and, the answer we were told, is profit. Power bases provide a huge benefit for retailers because they don't take up any additional floor space.
Reverie's Martin Rawls-Meehan observed that the economics of the past few years has caused retailers to look for ways to increase revenue. "In the recent down-economy," he says, "retailers looked for ways to maximize the dollar value of every sale."
Johnny Griggs from Ergomotion elaborates, noting that, "Retailers have an finite number of square feet dedicated to their bedding department. So if a retailer has 50 SKUs on the floor, how great is it that all they have to do is put a lifestyle foundation under each mattress. It's a very easy process."
Hickory Springs' Niles Cornelius, told Furniture World that he "reminds retailers that they have a finite amount of retail space. "A 60-inch wide by 80-inch queen power base with a mattress on top," he points out, "has the ability to turn six to 12 times per year. So I ask them, if they would rather turn a mattress set that has a $300-$400 foundation made out of cardboard and wood, or turn a $2,000 base underneath that space. Even if they only turn the mattress 6 to 12 times per year, and the power base turns three times per year, that represents a big improvement in sales dollars."
Cornelius believes that although the sales volume in power bases is currently a small percentage of total bedding sales, the conditions are right for a huge increase in volume. He also believes that the industry only has a window of 18 months to two years to make this happen.
Martin Rawls-Meehan at Reverie is also optimistic. "Obviously," he says, "adjustable bases are still a very small percentage of the whole foundation market, however, when you look at some of the retailers and some of the brands that have really committed to the category, the attachment rates are extraordinary. There's no reason to think that the market share for the category as a whole couldn't substantially increase from where it is today if that wave of confidence continues. So, as we see more brands and retailers feel confident in the product's potential, and go from showing a couple of floor models to putting them under all the mattresses on their floors, we are going to see adjustable bases get to double digit market share overall. How much farther than that it gets, depends on us as manufacturers and innovators. It depends on what we are able to bring to the marketplace in terms of new functionality, price points etc."
When asked about what kinds of advertising support Furniture World's retail readers should provide to the category, Leggett & Platt's Jay Thompson explains, "It helps to condition the consumer with advertising that shows an image of a mattress with an adjustable base in television commercials, newspaper flyers and on websites. It's also a good idea to show the product articulated, with images of people from multiple age categories, not just the elderly". These are practices that help retailers promote the category and target their advertising towards people who are the best candidates to buy this product and might not know about it yet. This is what most good retailers are already doing today in order to condition their customers to say when they walk in the store, 'you know what? I saw that thing in the paper.'
"Some retailers that dedicate an entire flyer in the Sunday paper to adjustable bases, may not be the ones who are really knocking the cover off the ball. The ones who are, really know what to do with the consumer when they walk in the door."
More on what retailers are doing to increase consumer interest comes from Reverie's Martin Rawls-Meehan. "If you look at what's happening today," he says, "obviously you see some national advertising campaigns including some of the great things that Tempur-Pedic has done for the category. That's important. Retailers are also running ads featuring reasonable price points that include an adjustable base with a nice mattress -- and that drives consumers into stores. Slumberland has done a really good job of driving in business with ads that feature power bases in their general sale advertising.
"A lot of retailers are using promotional price point mattresses on promotional price point adjustable beds to bring in business. I've seen sets promoted at $999 or lower for an entry-level queen with an adjustable base. Retailers are trying to hit the sweet spot for price points and drive traffic into stores. And many lower price point mattresses these days are compatible with adjustable foundations. This brings customers into stores who, in many cases, will purchase a product at a higher price point than is shown in the advertisement.
"With that said, however, advertising alone is not going to do it. My sense is that particularly today, the biggest challenge that retailers have in selling adjustable bases is getting retail sales associates to show them every time, or even better, start the sale on an adjustable base every time.
In researching this article, Furniture World was told repeatedly that retailers who do a great job of selling power bases have sales associates that do an exemplary job of presenting them at every opportunity.
"We think that one of the first keys to doing this," comments Leggett & Platt's Jay Thompson, "is to have a number of adjustable bases on the sales floor, commit to the category, and place them in prominent places throughout the showroom. I was in a sleep shop last week and they were all buried in the back. None were articulated, they were displayed flat with no way for customers to tell that the foundations were capable of movement. A selling associate told me, 'Well, you know, I kind of bring adjustable bases up late and if someone mentions that they might have pain or something, I show it to them.' Retailers who are getting better results are placing these bases in prominent places in the showroom, under good selling mattresses that are adjustable-friendly. It also helps to display at least a few of them in an articulated position to attract the attention of customers.
"Another best practice is to not only have a number of bases on the floor, but also arrange them in a good, better, best lineup. A retailer that shows three bases on the floor, maybe one or two models of each, spread throughout the showroom and displayed nicely with some of them articulated will have an easier time of working them into a selling sequence.
"The question of how to display power bases is a good one," Hickory Springs' Niles Cornelius adds, "frankly, retailers are all over the place on this issue. When consumers walk into the store they may not even know what a power base is, so one of the most successful ways to introduce them, is to have as many bases on the floor as possible, mated together with adjustable-friendly mattresses. Consumers will see people raising them up and down. There is immediate identification, and some will ask, 'what is that?' It's a talking point. And that gives salespeople an opportunity to start a conversation. When retailers display some of the beds half raised up, that's a talking point as well. Consumers will ask, 'So, these beds go up and down?' Then you're right into your presentation. But there is another view, that it is best to display all the beds flat and price tag them showing the mattress and foundation set price, and then underneath, include the words 'with power base'. So, perhaps it says, $3,000 for a mattress and a foundation, or $4,500 with a mattress and a power base. Even without sales assistance, customers will get the idea and think to themselves, 'Oh, I saw that ad on TV. That must be the power thing.' So they're already pre-selling themselves on the idea, and also getting used to a $4,500 price. There are a lot of stores doing it this way. Sometimes out of necessity, because salespeople may be waiting on multiple customers, it's a good idea to have this kind of display and good signage, so by the time the customer is engaged by an associate, they've got some pricing in their mind."
Ergomotion's Johnny Griggs suggests that retailers use the flat bed display approach, and that mattresses be paired with an appropriate base. "We always recommend that the retailer just put their lifestyle bases in the flat position because 99 per cent of customers that come in a store are looking for a mattress only. Adjustable bases are still thought of as a health/ older person's product. And, even though this perception is changing, when a retailer displays a mattress in an articulated or upright position, what happens a lot of the times is that younger couples, vibrant couples and people who don't have a health need, won't even look at that mattress. It can send a subconscious message that this is more of a health issue product than an actual lifestyle bed. So, in today's market, it is always better to just lay it flat and then you have the element of surprise once the customer has chosen a mattress. Then you can say, 'let me show you how you can enhance your new mattress choice,' and start the demonstration putting customers in positions that fit their lifestyles.
"Here is what we recommend regarding display. If a mattress is adjustable friendly, retailers should put a coordinating lifestyle base under it. That's because when a customer lays down on a mattress they love, you certainly don't want to ask them to walk across the room to a mattress that they didn't like, to show them the lifestyle base."
"With respect to display," adds Reverie's Martin Rawls-Meehan, who also suggests flooring as many adjustable bases as there are adjustable-friendly mattresses displayed, "retailers that embrace this practice have seen an amazing correlation between increasing the number of floor models and per floor model sales. Art Van has embraced this idea, and is seeing extraordinary success.
"It makes the sales process a whole lot easier if a retailer has an adjustable base under every mattress that's compatible, and has lined up the good, better, best mattresses with good, better, best adjustable foundations. So, whatever mattress a customer chooses, the sales associate can present the base right then and there. Not every retailer wants to set up their store like that, so the challenge then becomes how to figure out how to pair up the mattresses and foundations in such a way that the sale can happen as naturally and smoothly as possible."
The final word on display comes from Ben Groce of Flex-A-Bed. He suggests that retailers who don't show a large number of adjustable bases on the floor, leave their beds in a flexed position so that when customers walk by, it distinguishes them from all the other dozens of flat beds on the floor. "So, the customer will say, 'Hey this one moves, let's try it out.' We always recommend displaying two twins side-by-side," he suggests, "a dual king. That way customers can select different mattresses, even mix an innerspring on one side and latex or memory foam on the other."
There was some disagreement among our experts as to whether it is best for sales associates to introduce the subject of a power base early in their presentations. Jay Thompson at Leggett & Platt observes that, "Introducing the product earlier, is one of the things that some of the bedding brands that have a lot of success suggest.
They show their products as part of a system, working them into their selling sequence, and letting consumers experience them sooner, rather than later. Bringing it up early helps customers start to think, 'Maybe this is something I would like to consider,' or if they're not interested, they can shut it down. Bringing it up later in the process as an accessory -- well let's face it -- a power base is a very expensive add-on. Our recommendation is for sales associates to use the presentation style they are comfortable with to sell mattresses, but to be creative and work the adjustable base into the process sooner rather than later.
"By the time consumers have decided that they're going to buy a mattress; it feels to them like the sales associate is trying to add something on to the sale. And that's really what they are trying to do when they say, 'Now that you've chosen this adjustable-friendly mattress, could I interest you in this thing?' We've learned that attachment rates are reduced the later adjustable bases are brought up in the process. When it becomes a more integrated part of the experience of buying a new mattress, the likelihood of success is higher.
Hickory Springs' Niles Cornelius tells Furniture World that there is a way to "bring it up at the beginning. With this scenario, the sales associate can go through his or her usual welcoming ritual, and then say, 'By the way, have you seen the advertisement for the advanced Ergo power base that goes up and down?' And, if they reply, 'Yeah, I saw that on TV.' The salesperson can respond by saying, 'We just got a new base on our floor that I would like to show you. Do you have a second?' That's a merchandise greeting used to introduce the power base product early in the sales process. But unless the customer gives buying signals, it isn't a good idea to dwell on the power base. Instead get them focused on the more immediate goal of choosing a mattress.
"My observation with retail sales associates is that if a product, option or accessory isn't brought up early in the sale, they are dead. That's because as the sales process advances, customers are considering the price of the mattress, figuring out how they are going to pay for it, and maybe if they will be able to pay off their credit card balance at the end of the month. And as products are added, the total rises. So, if the customer has been closed on a $3,000 mattress, and then the subject of the foundation is brought up at the end by saying, 'By the way, this bed will bend,' and the sales associate starts to present a $1,500 power foundation, there is a higher likelihood of running into resistance. That's because she's already anticipated the total price she will be paying. Instead, sometime earlier in the presentation, it is useful to look her in the eye and say, 'You know, I just want to remind you that when you buy a new mattress it's not all you need for a good night's sleep.' At that point the mattress pad, pillow and the base can be brought up, so some or all of those items can be added into her internal calculations.'
Ergomotion's Johnny Griggs has a very different view. "My personal feeling," he says, "is that it is best to find the right mattress for the customer first, only introducing the base after the customer says, 'This is the right mattress. It supports me, comforts me and I would like to have it delivered on Wednesday.'
"99.9 per cent of customers who walk into a bedding department say, 'I'm looking for new mattress,' not, 'I want one of those mattresses that move.' Once they find the right mattress, it's time for sales associates to use those great questions they asked previously to help them introduce the lifestyle base to enhance the choice that they've already made.
"Even though I advocate presenting the lifestyle base later, as I do training across the United States I do see that some really good sales Associates will tell customers earlier in the sales process, 'We're here to find the exact right mattress for you, and we are going to make sure that the support and comfort is there.' They might also bring up pillows and mattress protectors at the beginning. And then they'll add, 'We're going to talk about the foundation choice as well because we do have a couple of options, so let's get started by finding the right feel and comfort for you.'"
Hickory Springs' Niles Cornelius adds, that aside from a possible brief mention at the beginning, it can be dangerous to introduce or demo an adjustable base too early in the presentation. That's because, "you don't know what kind of a mattress the customer is going to choose yet, so if you start at the beginning by saying, 'By the way, we have lifestyle bases that you are going to absolutely love,' and the customer chooses a mattress that is not adjustable-friendly, now all of a sudden you've backed yourself into a corner. You need to tell them that they can't have an adjustable base with the mattress they've chosen."
We've established that in order to effectively sell power bases you need to show them in a substantial way, and focus customers' attention on the category. The next step is giving a formal presentation. First and foremost, customers must be encouraged to lie down on the mattress and made to feel comfortable. A number of techniques for doing this were presented in "Dreaming of Better Bedding Sales – Part Three", posted to the article archive on the furninfo.com website.
"When a presentation that's ideal for an adjustable bed is given," Reverie's Martin Rawls-Meehan explains, "we see attach rates in many cases that are 50 per cent or higher. But when it's not shown, obviously, people can't buy it, or if it's not shown right, or not shown with confidence, it's not going to sell.
"People have different perspectives, but in our opinion you really want to get customers to feel the benefits adjustable bases provide during the presentation. An extraordinarily powerful technique is to get the customer into the zero gravity position by elevating the head a little, then elevate the feet slightly above heart level. This takes pressure off of the lower lumbar curve, distributing it throughout the body, and giving the customer a sense of weightlessness. It's a position that relieves the pressure and tenseness generated by the central nervous system typical of lying in a flat-back position on many mattresses. We find that when customers are moved from the flat position to zero gravity, experience our massage system and are told about the system's features and benefits -- when they are lowered back to a flat position with the massage turned off, they sense immediately that going flat is no longer as comfortable as they initially thought.
"They may also sense the difference with the massage motor on versus off, realizing that a pain in their neck is gone or that there has been a positive improvement in circulation. That is something you can't replicate with just the pitch by itself. When they return to the flat position, customers realize that they do not want to lie flat anymore. As soon as that happens, the sale is pretty much made."
Leggett & Platt's Jay Thompson couldn't agree more. He says that, "Showing them how much more their mattress can be than just a flat surface, is key to closing the sale. Getting them on the bed and getting them to experience the range of positions, is absolutely essential to closing. Research suggests that the in-store presentation sequence is a key driver to closing the sale. Most people don't want to buy these things unless they've experienced them. If they see it in a magazine or a newspaper, they may say, 'That's interesting.' But if you don't get them to lie down and have an experience, they are much less likely to buy.
Thompson warns salespeople that, "Most consumers don't want to be overwhelmed by technical details. They care about buying a safe, high-quality product that does what it is supposed to do, lasts a long time, and is backed by a reputable company."
With regard to technical specifications, Hickory Springs' Niles Cornelius, believes that it is important that salespeople understand some aspects of construction so they can make general benefit statements to customers. "For example," he says, "they can say, the steel chassis that's under this unit is the strongest in the industry and what that means to you is if you have two people on your bed, along with a heavy mattress, having that strong steel chassis will ensure you that your foundation will have a long life because the weight will be distributed evenly.' When they know the features and benefits of a unit, it can't help but improve their retail presentations."
Ergomotion's Johnny Griggs provides additional suggestions on how to perform an expert presentation. "I always raise the lower body slightly before I do anything," he explains. "It's a feeling that everybody can recognize because when you raise the lower body first, it relieves stress off of the lower back. Then once the customer says, 'That's high enough, that feels really good,' I move the upper body into whatever position is appropriate for their lifestyle. If I found out earlier that they have a TV in their bedroom, and the customer told me that they wake up early in the morning and watch the news, then I might ask them, 'By the way, how do you watch TV? You usually stack the pillows, right?' And, if they reply, 'yeah.' Then I say, 'Let me ask you how would this be?' And then I raise the upper body. It is always a good idea to start with a lower body massage feature first as well. Then introduce the upper body massage.
"That's how I do it, but a lot of sales associates are successful with putting customers immediately into the zero gravity position that 99 per cent of customers love. Then they look at them and say, 'Do me a favor, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, don't move.' And then they press the flat button and don't say a word. They let it go flat, look at them, notice them wiggling, and say, 'How does that feel compared to the other position you were just in?' And they will say, 'Oh, please put me back in that zero gravity position.' At that point they've already sold themselves. They are thinking, 'I don't want to be put back in the flat position.'"
Flex-A-Bed's Ben Groce gives us an alternative way to language going from upright or zero gravity to the flat position. "As you are lowering them down," he advises, "say, 'Okay, I want you to tell me when it gets uncomfortable,' then lower the bed back down toward a flat position. As the bed lowers, every time they will say, 'It's beginning to get uncomfortable.' And then, when the customer gets back to a flat position, he or she will tell you, 'This is the most uncomfortable position.' And then you say, 'That's how you are sleeping right now.' That's the way we close sales here at our factory showroom and it works nine out of every 10 times
Our retail experts all agree that the most important contributing element to a successful close is a proper beginning. When retail conditions include great display, a willing customer, and a knowledgeable, motivated sales associate; closing can just happen naturally. Often times, however, customers can have objections and price concerns that can benefit from an additional sales technique.
"Either the selling process starts with signage, or with the beds displayed in different positions, showing that they are resting on power bases," continues Hickory Spring's Cornelius. "And one of the most successful retailers I've seen, after going through the process of mattress selection, closes by saying, 'Now, let's talk about the foundation.' And in most cases, the consumer looks at them quizzically and replies, 'What do you mean, the foundation doesn't come with it?' And the salesperson says, 'Of course it comes with it. But you have options. I'd like you to lie down here, and I'm going to show you my recommendation.' At this point the salesperson demonstrates the power base.
"But let's say that following the demonstration the customer says, 'So this adjustable foundation changes the price?' The salesperson replies, 'The foundation that comes with this bed has a certain amount of cost to it. But if you upgrade to a power base, I can give you credit for the flat foundation that comes with it, and you will only pay the difference.' At this point, the worst thing that will happen is that the customer will buy the mattress they selected along with the flat foundation.
"Another variation on this close that I happen to like better goes this way. The salesperson says, 'Let's talk about base options,' followed by the same reply, 'I thought that comes with it.' The salesperson then says, 'Yes it does, but let me tell you what your options are.' The salesperson then demonstrates the power foundation and quickly tells them, 'You can get this mattress with a standard height nine inch foundation simply made out of wood and cardboard. It has one job, that is to hold a mattress up to height so you can make your bed. Or you can get a low profile if you need your bedspread to touch the ground.' Consumers notice that the power foundation is the first option presented, and that flat foundations have the seemingly unimportant purpose of just holding the mattress up. This makes the adjustable base option seem much more attractive."
Echoing Cornelius' observation, Johnny Griggs at Ergomotion mentions that the close often begins with customers asking the price. His personal preference is not to give out pricing during the demonstration. If the customer asks for pricing, he also prefers to offer a credit for the cost of the flat base. "This really resonates with customers," he says, "When you tell them, 'Oh, and by the way, we're going to give you a $300 credit on the flat base.' It's a better closing technique than saying, 'Let me tell you how much more this lifestyle base costs.'"
Commenting on common errors, our panel of experts gave the following advice: Selling features without benefits: "A major error sales associates make is selling a feature without the benefit that is matched up to the customer's need." -Jay Thompson, Leggett & Platt.
Making assumptions about your customer: "Another mistake is assuming that your customer cannot afford an adjustable base, or for some other reason is not a candidate. That's too bad, because there are a lot of opportunities to get surprised when retailers actually take the time to put customers through the selling sequence and try to understand what their needs are. If you show them how the product can improve their lifestyle and their comfort level, a lot of people say, 'You know what, I want to invest in this, I'm investing in my comfort and well-being.' Judging them early definitely decreases the attachment rate. There are probably going to be low conversion rates in some parts of the market. But there is a much broader market for adjustable bases than the 45 or 50 year old man or woman who has a nice watch and is looking at Visco foam mattresses. There's a much broader audience that can afford it and is willing to pay. Jay Thompson, Leggett & Platt.
It won't fit with my frame: "Many problems arise because sales associates are not sufficiently prepared to professionally present power bases. So, for example, a customer might say, 'My grandmother passed down a headboard that was hand carved in 1812. Will this work with it?' And if the sales associate isn't properly educated, they might not know that any situation can be accommodated during delivery. So even though this is a question, not an objection, if the customer doesn't feel that he or she received a knowledgeable response, they will probably say, 'You know, I'm just going to go with the wood foundation. I know that will work.'" -Niles Cornelius, Hickory Springs.
Neglecting customers' health concerns: Most of this article has stressed the new found attractiveness of power bases as a lifestyle choice. Your customers' car seats recline, tilt and heat up for a bit of added comfort. Likewise, new iterations of power bases allow for more comfortable positions for sleeping, reading, interacting with family, television watching and massage -- all in a fashion forward, technically attractive package. The more traditional market for adjustable bases is still present and growing. "A huge percentage of our population are baby boomers who are starting to enter in to that age group where some of them need a little more than just a regular bed," instructs Flex-A-Bed's Ben Groce. "They are buying for health concerns. There's a huge customer base. It's a shame that so much of the marketing now is exclusively aimed at younger customers, because there is a big market among baby boomers and their parents. For people of all ages who have acid reflux, hiatal hernias, bad backs, poor leg circulation, restless leg syndrome and other chronic conditions, there are health benefits adjustable beds provide.
"Furniture retailers are losing business to home health care stores and Internet specialists. I wouldn't suggest that most furniture stores feature photos of older, disabled people in their regular advertising, but for most furniture and bedding retailers, it's not best to ignore the health benefits either.
"Of course, it's important to be careful about the message given in advertising and sales presentations.
"Sales associates shouldn't say that if a customer buys an adjustable bed, it's going to cure all of his or her problems. What we always tell them is that the product will help to alleviate some of the symptoms.
"An adjustable bed can be a transitional product for some customers, Groce continues. "A flat bed is not quite good enough for them or their parents, but they are not to the point yet where they need a hospital bed. That's why a lot of our retail dealers display a hi-low that looks similar to the other adjustable beds on their floors. It has the massage, raises the head and foot, but for people that have a need, showing the bed in motion helps them to understand the benefits. It may be that most customers won't have any interest, but for those that do, there's a lot of margin to be had.
"Furniture retailers who make a commitment to this segment of the market have had success networking in their communities to get referrals from local physicians, social workers, chiropractors and other health professionals. The first thing though is to educate salespeople to be able to intelligently assist customers who have health concerns."-Ben Groce, Flex-A- Bed.
Weight and delivery objections: "There are sometimes objections about weight. Customers may say, 'I bet that thing is heavy. I'm on the third floor, and my house was built in 1610,' or 'I live on the fourth floor of a row house in Philadelphia and I don't think that you can get this up there.' If the retail sales associate isn't that savvy, and doesn't realized that there are queen split power bases, and that the mattress is bendable, many sales associates will find it easier to just let the sale convert to a regular foundation and lose an opportunity to improve the customer's life." -Niles Cornelius, Hickory Springs.
Making assumptions about the features customers will like: "It is a big mistake to assume that customers are going to like every feature of a base. For example, a lot of times the sales associate will turn on the massage motor and the customer will say, 'Wow, I don't know whether I like that.' And instead of saying, 'Oh, let's turn it off now, but maybe you might like it for those really stressful days,' Some sales people will respond, 'you'll love it after you lay there for a while.' But that's just sales 101; the importance of listening to your customers." -Johnny Griggs, Ergomotion.
Fear of adding to the sale: "Many salespeople, after they sell a mattress, are afraid of trying to boost the sale another couple of grand. That's one of the biggest mistakes of all." -Niles Cornelius, Hickory Springs.
There was also consensus among our experts that management oversight, proper reporting and continuous sales education can overcome low attachment rates.
Flex-A-Bed's Ben Groce, says that, "The main thing is that store management has to make a commitment. If you want to sell adjustables, you must learn a lot about them. The best dealers are the ones whose salespeople are the most knowledgeable about the product. But there are still times when I am in retail stores and see customers asking questions that salespeople just can't answer. They don't know the specific features or benefits, and that creates doubt in customers' minds about the product. I can just see customers thinking, 'If the salesperson doesn't know enough about this product to sell it, it must not be worth buying.' People can tell when salespeople are genuine and excited about a product.
"When a customer lies down on a mattress, they may have simple questions about the kind of foam used and warranty questions, but with an adjustable bed, sales associates really need to know what it is that they're selling. There's a lot that goes into an adjustable bed. You not only have the mattress, but there are motors, electronics, moving parts and hand controls. Most customers at the point of sale just want their sleep system to feel and look good, but others will be concerned about warranty and service, so salespeople also need to know about service policies and manufacturers' warranties so they can take some of the worry out of customers' minds."
Hickory Springs' Niles Cornelius elaborates, by observing that, "Salespeople have to make customers believe that their lives are going to improve if they buy a base. The key to making this happen is good sales training."
Cornelius explains that when he gives presentations to groups of salespeople, he removes the mattress, turns the base upside down to show quality construction and ease of maintenance. He then speaks about service and what customers should be instructed to do if they have any difficulties. "Sometimes," he says, "I see some of them dozing, and usually it's the top salesperson. But if there are a dozen people attending the session, there will be one or more that will immediately become passionate about my product. When that happens, it's like osmosis, and the passion will eventually transfer to everybody. Enthusiasm breeds enthusiasm. So I quickly figure who is going to be the passionate player, then I'll focus on that person to help train the rest of the retail sales force.
"We see good results from stores that do consistent training and have monthly evaluations based on attachments. Those retailers that hold salespeople accountable for bringing up attachment rates, and help them to go from, for example, a minimum of 10 per cent, pushing them toward 20 or 30 per cent, do best. Emphasizing this over a period of time, salespeople start remembering to offer power bases to every customer, every time."
Leggett & Platt's Jay Thompson agrees that management involvement is key. "Ensuring that sales Associates do a good job is more than putting a picture in the newspaper, posting images to a website, and flooring a few different models," he tells us. "The retailers who do really well are the ones that incentivize their people to sell the products. They allow their vendors to come in and train their retail sales associates, and they focus on the category in their sales meetings in a focused way, not as an amorphous bedding category. They watch attachment rates, see who the star performers are, and they allow those people to be spotlighted. There are certain salespeople who can achieve 30 or 40 per cent attachments, while another salesperson at the exact same store may only get 10 per cent. The people who get really good at it do so because management drives them to be good at it. They encourage salespeople with the best attachment rates to share their best practices and approaches."
Martin Rawls-Meehan at Reverie feels that reports are essential. "Reports are important," he says, "because in any retail organization there are a variety of different performance levels with respect to attach rates for adjustable beds. Some stores can be at 50 per cent while others will be at single digits. What good reporting does is provide detail on what practices are working to produce good results. They give managers a reason to go out and talk to those people who are doing things well, and those who are having trouble, to figure out how to resolve performance issues to bring everybody up to those high numbers.
"We've seen varying results from the use of incentives. And I think that part of the reason we are seeing this is that one of the biggest issues in our industry is still training. It's no secret that teaching people to present our products properly and to do it every time, is really the biggest challenge. That's the low hanging fruit in the industry today. I think that as training gets better and as confidence builds, incentives will begin to play a bigger role."
Still on the topic of education, Johnny Griggs at Ergomotion says that it is important to remind sales associates that presenting a lifestyle base isn't a lot of extra work. "Retail sales associates who work on commission," he explains, "all know that they only have so many ups in a day and need to maximize each one of those ups. So, management should continue to stress to their sales teams that they're not really doing anything more. If they are already talking to Mr. and Mrs. Smith, then all they need to do is show them one more thing that they can own to enhance their sleep system. If they are already showing pillows and making sure to tell them that a mattress protector is a must, then the lifestyle base is just something else that should also be introduced."
There's one last aspect of training that retailers neglect at their peril, Hickory Springs' Niles Cornelius tells Furniture World. It's making sure that delivery people know how to deliver and set up adjustable bases properly, plus answer customer questions about how to operate them.
Reverie's Martin Rawls-Meehan agrees. "Make sure that your warehouse and delivery guys are very well trained on how to install product," he advises retailers. "The lion's share of calls we get to our call-center are from consumers who haven't had their bed set up properly. And one way to lose a customer is when a beautiful, expensive, sleep system, complete with an adjustable foundation and mattress isn't installed properly and it doesn't work right, or they're just not happy with the installation crew. You don't want to work really hard in the store, only to have the delivery, which should be the easiest and most routine part of the entire process, ruin the sale for you. Adjustables are heavy and have working parts so you need to make sure that your people know how to handle them, set them up properly and make sure that customers are happy and everything is working before they leave."
Furniture World is the oldest, continuously published trade publication in the United States. It is published for the benefit of furniture retail executives. Print circulation of 20,000 is directed primarily to furniture retailers in the US and Canada. In 1970, the magazine established and endowed the Bernice Bienenstock Furniture Library (www.furniturelibrary.com) in High Point, NC, now a public foundation containing more than 5,000 books on furniture and design dating from 1620. For more information contact email@example.com.
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Language Learners Use VoiceThread to Practice Speaking - Bophany Huot, City College of San Francisco
By Bophany Huot
This is one of many examples of how an ESL student can practice her computer skills and her language skills to talk about everyday activities. Students can practice speaking as many times as they like before sharing it with their teachers and classmates. This is a rare opportunity for ESL students. Usually, if this activity is done in class with a partner, Jenny, the narrator, can only say what she wants to say once; on VT she can go back and change her speech until she is completely satisfied with her work. The comments she receives boost her confidence and make her feel validated; she is proud that others enjoy her work and find it interesting. VT provides a place where our lessons are available in speech as well as in text 24/7. For my students, the ability to do something over and over again and the ability to listen as many times as one wishes is priceless.
Initially it takes my students a long time to do a VoiceThread on the computer. I decided that I would limit myself to just one technology per semester, and create activities where students have to use VoiceThread over and over again so they will get used to the format. And they do. My non-credit ESL students can now comment as well as make their own VoiceThreads to share with the class. I started this project with an icebreaker where all students commented on a VoiceThread, but didn't make their own. Next, we did an activity where we had to use the doodling tool, and finally everyone got to make his or her own VoiceThread. It took us most of the semester to learn these three things, but the results were amazing.
My major objective was to get students speaking in English, hearing each other speak in English, and learn from each other from our shared conversations on topics that are relevant to them. Having access to our conversations 24/7 increases my class participation, which gave my students more confidence and helped them improve their listening comprehension skills. The big bonus for us was that VoiceThread is fun, and they want to do it again and again.
Easy Parts
The easiest part of our project was getting students to comment.
Getting students to speak loudly was a challenge: they were so shy in the beginning.
We added life skills such as using Google Maps to show the trips of how students get from one place to another. I frequently uploaded documents if I wanted students to see what I was saying as well as listening to me talk. Students wanted to do videos, but our Internet speed at school was not very fast, so I had to say no to that one. Also, students wanted to use the phone to call when they wanted to comment, but couldn't, because phone commenting isn't free.
Browse around and see what others have done. VT is a fantastic tool for language learning, especially in an Adult Ed/Non-Credit program because it focuses more on oral skills rather than writing which is perfect for non-academic track students. It's also a great tool for oral feedback and assessment. Before VT I never had enough time in class to do oral tests with my students because there just wasn't enough time in class to test everyone. Now there is! And I can listen to their speeches at home!
My students, who are not good writers, have begun to use VT as a social networking forum. They talk about what is happening in their lives and send VTs to their families and friends all around the world. It's much cheaper than the telephone and there are pictures to share.

subset: commoncrawl


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Practice texturing objects using Photoshop CS
Hello. Today we are going to practice texturing objects using Photoshop CS. You know a lot is done by texture in digital world. Mastering the texture will save you a lot of time painting bumps and cracks.
So let's get started.
Here is the final image that I've made.
It can be used in a texture of some environment or whatever.
Now let's begin!
Create anew document with these dimensions.
I will now paste a pattern that I have just downloaded.
Here is my collection of textures from Ambient Light Studio, helps me a lot.
I will use this one.
I've got the pattern no my initial document.
I will now use color range tool to select all the darks.
Follow me.
All that is white will be selected.
Here we go.
Copy this to a separate layer.
And apply some layer styles.
There we go. The look is changing instantly.
I will now continue with texturization.
I' will create a new layer and use any rusty big diameter brush.
And of course I've used some layer styles to change the look of the rust. I want to make it less solid.
Note that the opacity and fill are at 100%. We are gaining the effect of less solidness through gradients and another texture in bevel and emboss section.
So now goes another layer. I will create a shadow from something that stays somewhere there and not in the picture.
I will use gradients to create a picture. See the settings carefully. The Transparency is on.
And the gradient style is – reflected.
Opacity: 50%.
every artist or even every person knows that the further the shadow
goes from the object the more contrast and solidness it loses.
That is why we will make this selection and apply Gaussian blur.
And our final result.


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- To link up, I would first love for you to follow my blog. I like followers. The more the merrier. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy!
- Link up your crafts, recipes, home decor....anything that has been made by you! {Multiple links to different posts are fine}
- Link back here by grabbing the super cute button on my sidebar and posting it either in your post or somewhere on your blog to let others know you've joined the party!
- If you see something you like, click on it and go leave them a comment. Everyone loves comments!
- Lastly, feel free to help me spread the word about Made with Love Monday! Follow me on Twitter {just click on my little Twitter button} and use this tweet "I linked up my craftiness to @sewchatty's Made with Love http://sewchatty.blogspot.com Check it out and link up your craftiness too!"
Sunday, March 4, 2012
{ Made With Love Link Up}
A HUGE thank you to everyone who came and linked up to Made With Love last week! It was the largest link party to date here at Sew Chatty!
The top 3 posts were:
Alright party people...are you ready for this week's link up???
Let's get to it! I'll be featuring
my favorite links on the Facebook Fan Page throughout the week! Are you a
fan? I also try to Pin my favorites to Pinterest. The top three clicked links will be featured during next weeks party!
{Just a few party guidelines}
Thanks for stopping by! Now go link up something crafty!
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Managing Purchase Orders
In this section, you can learn about the different methods of creating purchase orders and sending it to your vendors.
- Creating a New Purchase Order
- Creating Purchase Order from Contacts
- Creating a drop shipment
- Status of a Purchase Order
- Editing a Purchase Order
- Deleting a Purchase Order
- Cancelling items in a Purchase Order
- Multi-warehouse operations related to Purchase Orders
Creating a New Purchase Order
- Click on the quick create (+) icon next to the Purchase Orders tab or the +New icon placed on top of the purchase order window to create a new purchase order.
- You will be navigated to a new window for entering the details for the new purchase order to be created.
Primary Purchase Information
- Under the Vendor name field, you can either pick the vendors from the list you have already created or you can add a new vendor by clicking on the + New vendor option.
- After filling up the required details, click on Save And Select to add the new vendor to the purchase order being created.
- In the Purchase Order# tab, a purchase order number is generated by default.
- If you wish to manually enter a purchase order number:
- Click on the Settings icon next to the tab.
- A pop-up will appear where you can select between auto-generated estimate number or manual entry of purchase order numbers.
- Date tab is the date on which the purchase order is created.
- In the Expected Delivery Date tab, you can set the date by which the product should be delivered by the vendor to the you.
- In the Shipment Preference tab, you can choose or type to add the preferred method of shipment to be done by the vendor.
Item Information
- Items can be added from the list of items shown in the drop down that have already been created by you in your Zoho Inventory account.
- Click on + Add another line option to add another item.
- Alternatively, you can also click the Add items in bulk option to add several items at once to your sales order.
Pro Tip: Instead of searching for the items from the list, you can select an item by scanning its barcode. When you scan the same barcode more than once, the quantity of the item gets incremented automatically.
- Enter the Quantity, Rate and Tax if applicable from the drop down.
- Tax drop down shows the taxes you created in the settings tab under taxes section and an option to add a new tax if applicable.
Discount Information
- Enter the discount rate (in currency or in percentage) provided by your vendor, if any.
- Click the Apply before tax option if the discount has to be applied before tax.
Note: Likewise, you can apply discounts on your bills.
Additional Information
- You can record Notes of up to 2000 characters and purchase Terms & Conditions of up to 5000 characters for the purchase order.
- Check the Use this in future box to use the terms & conditions in all future purchase orders.
- This will be carried forward while converting the purchase order into a bill.
- In the Deliver To tab you are provided with two options.
- To create a normal purchase order, choose the option Organization.
- To make a drop shipment check the box near Customer. To know more about drop shipments, click here.
- The address to deliver can be changed by clicking on the Change destination to deliver.
- Now click on the Save button to save the new purchase order as a draft.
Creating a Purchase Order from Contacts
- Navigate to the Contacts tab.
- Select a contact.
- Click on the New Transaction button and select Purchase Order from the drop-down.
- You will be navigated to the New Purchase Order screen.
- Fill up the necessary details.
- Click on the Save button.
- After creating the new purchase order, you will be able to find it as a draft under the Purchase Orders tab.
Status of a Purchase Order
These indicate the stages of progress a purchase order goes through. Lets take a look at what each status indicates:
- Draft - This status indicates, that a purchase order has been created and is yet to be sent to the vendor.
- Issued - This status indicates that a purchase order has successfully been sent to the vendor.
- Partially Received - This status indicates that portion of the list of items in the purchase order has been received by you/your organization from your vendor.
- Received - This indicates that all the items in your PO has been received by you/your organization from your vendor.
- Cancelled - This indicates that your purchase order has been cancelled.
Editing a Purchase Order
To edit a purchase order:
- Navigate to the Purchase Orders module.
- Open the preferred purchase order.
- Click the Edit button(Pencil like button).
- Update all the necessary changes.
- Click the Save button to update your changes.
Note: Be sure to mail the edited purchase order to your vendor after making the changes or he might fulfil the older unchanged order.
Important Note:
- Only Purchase orders in Draft or Issued status can be edited.
- In case of Issued purchase orders, if they have bills associated with them, then you can only increase the quantity of existing items or add new items to the order.
- You will not be able to remove or reduce the quantity that has already been billed.
- Workaround: If you need to reduce the quantity or remove a billed item from the purchase order, then the only way to do is, by deleting the bill associated with the order and try again.
- Once you are done with the changes, you can again convert the purchase order to a bill easily.
Deleting a Purchase Order
To delete a purchase order:
- Navigate to the Purchase Orders module.
- Open the preferred purchase order.
- Click on More - Delete.
- Confirm your choice and the purchase order will be deleted.
Note: You can only delete purchase orders that are in the Draft and Issued status without any bills and receives associated with it.
Cancelling items in a Purchase Order
After issuing a purchase order to your vendor, you might realize that you have ordered a wrong item or you have ordered some items excessively. In such cases, you can cancel selective items in the purchase order you have issued.
Prerequisite: Items in the purchase order must be partially billed or received.
Pro Tip: If there aren't any bills or receives associated with the purchase order yet, you can invalidate the purchase order by clicking More and selecting Mark as Cancelled.
To cancel selective items in a purchase order:
- Navigate to the Purchase Orders module.
- Open the preferred purchase order.
- Click More - Cancel Items.
Insight: The quantity to cancel for each item is calculated automatically. You will only be able to cancel from the remaining quantity that has not been billed or received.
- Edit the items and the quantity to cancel for each item.
- Click Proceed to cancel the items.
- You can view the details of the cancellation under the Cancelled Items tab in your purchase order.
- To undo the cancellation, once again go to More and click Reopen cancelled items.
Multi-warehouse operations related to Purchase Orders
If you've enabled multiple warehouse management for your organization, you'll have additional steps and capabilities related to purchase orders. To know more, click here.


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Test Print 24-011
Sold out
Test prints are artifacts of the screen-printing process. Their original function varies from sampling the tone or opacity of ink, verifying registration or to simply clear ink from the screen at the end of the screen.
Because these prints begin their lives as by-products they are not treated as precious items. In addition to ink, these prints are accented by dirt, bent corners, footprints, beer spills and sundry other accidental imperfections that all add to the overall composition of the final mono-print.
18x24 Signed and numbered edition 1/1


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This is part #5, "What is the Shroud of Turin?!" and is the beginning of Section 2 of my series, "Shroud of Turin: Burial sheet of Jesus!." The series is based on a PowerPoint presentation that I am preparing to give to church and any other interested groups. For more information about this series, see parts "#1 Title Page" and "#2 Contents" .
[Click on the above image to enlarge it.]
Here are quotes on, "What is the Shroud of Turin?" (in date order-oldest first):
"We next ask, what is the Holy Shroud of Turin? It is a piece of very fine, oriental material, fourteen feet in length and about three and a half in width, on which can be traced the figure of a man, very tall and dignified in appearance, with a face of surpassing majesty ... It reveals a double figure, that is, the front and back of the same person. The back shows that he is completely naked, and the back shows also, from head to feet, the traces of a terrible scourging. It is claimed that that Shroud is the Sindon of Our Lord, in which Joseph of Arimathea wrapped His body, and that the figure we see on it is that of Our Lord Himself. Assuming for the present that this is true, I will answer the question which will naturally be asked, how came the double figure on the sheet? Our Lord's body was laid on one end of the sheet, and this portion of the sheet took the impression of His back. The sheet, let us remember, is very long, but not wide. Accordingly, it could not be folded across the body width-wise, but instead it was drawn over His head and stretched as far as His feet ...This part of the sheet took the impression of His face and the front of His body. Accordingly, when the sheet is extended to its full length, it shows two figures, front and back, head to head, of the same person ..." (Beecher, P.A., 1928, "The Holy Shroud: Reply to the Rev. Herbert Thurston, S.J.," M.H. Gill & Son: Dublin, pp.17-18).
"Turin, Shroud of. A linen cloth, which measures 14"3' by 3"7', housed at Turin, Italy. On the material is a double, head-to-head image of a man, revealing the obverse and reverse of the body. Known to exist since at least 1354, there are indications that the shroud is much older. Pollen studies point to its presence in Palestine at a much earlier date, while the weave and type of linen is compatible with first century cloth. It is also quite possible that a coin over the right eye is a lepton of Pontius Pilate, minted ca AD. 29-32. While some have raised biblical questions concerning various aspects of the shroud, such a burial is well supported. Evidence reveals that the head napkin was rolled up and wrapped around the head as indicated in the Gospel of John (11:44; 20:5-7), the Mishnah (Shabbath 23:5), and the Code of Jewish Law, `Laws of Mourning' (chs. 351-52). The lengthwise wrapping and positioning of the body is supported by Qumran burial procedures and the `Laws of Mourning' (ch. 364). The lack of bodily washing is explained by the `Laws of Mourning' in that those who are executed by the government or who die violent deaths are not to be washed. The use of several strips of linen described in John is also confirmed by the shroud, where pieces were also used. Additionally, the hasty burial recorded in the Gospels (Mark 15:42; 16:1-3; Luke 23:54-56; 24:14) explains a number of these issues. In October, 1978, the Shroud of Turin was the subject of an intense scientific investigation revolving around such questions as the nature of the bloodstains and the composition and cause of the image. It was found that the shroud is very probably not a fake of any kind. There is no sign of paint, dye, powder, or any other foreign substance on the cloth that can account for the image. Additionally, the image was found to be three-dimensional, superficial, and nondirectional, each quite an enigma to the explanation of the image. The man buried in the shroud apparently died from crucifixion, and his body is in a state of rigor mortis. The Gospels, which have been shown to be trustworthy on historical grounds, present reliable accounts of Jesus' crucifixion. A comparison of the man of the shroud with Jesus reveals that they suffered the same wounds, even in several points that were not normal crucifixion procedure. Both men received a series of punctures throughout the scalp from a series of sharp objects, a badly bruised face, a severe whipping (over 120 wounds are visible on the shroud), shoulder abrasions from a heavy object, and knee contusions. There are punctures in both wrists and both feet, the absence of broken ankles, and a postmortem chest wound with a clear flow of blood and watery fluid. Both were buried hastily individually, and in fine linens. There certainly are strong indications that the two men might be one and the same since they agree in such features and disagree in none. Most significantly, there is no decomposition on the cloth, meaning that the body exited comparatively quickly. Many of the bloodstains are intact, including the blood clots, meaning that the body probably was not unwrapped, since this would have disturbed the stains. Additionally, it is very possible that a light or heat scorch caused the image. The convergence of the data certainly indicates that the dead body appears to have left the cloth in some mysterious manner. It is still possible that the shroud is a fake, or that it is a genuine ancient shroud but simply not the burial garment of Jesus. Yet, the evidence thus far indicates the probable conclusions that the shroud is ancient (perhaps from the first century), that it does not contradict the NT accounts, and that the image is not a fake. It may well be the actual burial garment of Jesus, as indicated especially by the similarities in areas of abnormal crucifixion practice. Lastly, the image on the shroud may have resulted from Jesus' resurrection, which is complemented by the demonstrable historical evidence and reliable Gospel testimony for this event, as well. However, no absolute conclusions are possible at present concerning the shroud with regard to some of these matters. " (Habermas, G.R., "Turin, Shroud of," in Elwell, W.A., ed., 1984, "Evangelical Dictionary of Theology," Baker Book House: Grand Rapids MI, Seventh Printing, 1990, pp.1115-1116. Emphasis original).
"The `Holy Shroud' is a large, oblong linen cloth, of great but contested age, which is normally housed in a chapel built especially for it in the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in the city of Turin, in northern Italy. It is displayed only on rare occasions, contained in a frame that shows the length of the cloth parallel to the ground. The cloth, marked by various blemishes and stains, measures fourteen feet three inches long and three feet seven inches wide - or, according to the measurement in use in the Middle East in the first century, eight cubits by two. Experts in the field of textiles have determined that the threads were hand-spun and the fabric hand-woven in what is known as a `three-to-one herringbone twill.' This was a type of weaving practiced in the Middle East at least as far back as two thousand years ago. The linen has a number of scratches and burn holes, as well as water stains. The features most visible to the naked eye are two dark blemishes, one on each side of the fainter body image, running parallel to the sides of the cloth. Along these streaks, on both front and back images, on either side of the shoulders and on either side of the knee, are diamond-shaped patches. These are the result of a fire that broke out in December 1532, in the chapel in France where it was housed. The patches cover holes that were burned through the folded cloth by hot metal. There some other burn marks on the fabric which are much less obvious. There is a row of three small holes with burnt edges on either side of the crossed hands on the frontal view, and similar configurations on each side of the posterior portions of the figure on the back image. No one knows the cause of this damage, which seems to have been the result of a hot poker being thrust three times through the center of the cloth. Because these holes are evident in a copy of the Shroud which dates to 1516, it is clear that they predated the damage from the fire. ... Less evident on the Shroud than the sixteenth-century fire damage are the two faint head-to-head straw-colored images of an undressed man that appear in the center of the cloth, one of the front of the body, the other of the back, with the feet of both images facing the outer margins of the fabric. There are only a few inches between the front and back images of the head. It seems as though a body had been laid on its back at one end of the cloth, which was then drawn over the front of the man, and that somehow an image was made of him. If the viewer approaches too close, he (or she) is unable to see anything except stains. Standing three to six feet away from the cloth, he will be able to discern some detail. From the frontal image the observer will be able to make out the shape of a man with long hair and a beard, with his hands folded over his pelvic area and his knees slightly drawn up. Around the head, wrists, and feet are what appear to be bloodstains, especially on the back image. Viewing the cloth with the naked eye, it is hard to make out anything else - much less determine whether the image is a painting. With its ghostly face and great owl-like eyes, it certainly does not look much like a real image of a real person." (Ruffin, C.B., 1999, "The Shroud of Turin: The Most Up-To-Date Analysis of All the Facts Regarding the Church's Controversial Relic," Our Sunday Visitor: Huntington IN, pp.12-13).
"What is the Shroud? The Shroud of Turin is a linen cloth stored in a cathedral in Turin, the major city in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy. It is in the shape of a large table cloth, approximately 14 ft long and 3.5 ft wide, and down the middle of the cloth, there is a faint, straw-coloured image of the front and the back of a naked man. Since this cloth exists today, it can be, and has been, subjected to numerous scientific investigations. But after decades of study, science has yet to determine how this image got on the cloth. Tradition states that the faint image represents Christ as his lifeless body laid in the tomb following his crucifixion, but alas, there is also no scientific means to test if the image is Christ. On the other hand, science has been able to determine firstly that this image is not the product of an artist, and secondly, that this image is, so far as modern science can tell, a flawless representation of a man who was crucified and buried as Christ was. Historical documents on the Shroud start in 1357 AD, and because this places the Shroud in the Middle Ages during the golden age of religious relics, many skeptics believe that the image on the Shroud was painted in order to be used as a relic to obtain funds for a struggling church. Other experts believe the Shroud to be authentic, and Wilson has provided a reasonable scenario which places the Shroud first into the hands of Jesus' disciples, then found in Turkey where it was used to impart healing, and eventually ending up with the Crusaders prior to the collapse of Constantinople at the hands of the Turks. According to Wilson, the Shroud was cared for by the Knights Templars for several centuries. The Knights Templars was a secret sect composed of knights who were crusaders or the descendants of these crusaders. The appearance of the cloth in Medieval Europe corresponds roughly to the time the Templars were undergoing severe persecution for political reasons, possibly explaining why it appeared at this point in history. ... After being moved around to a number of cities because of various wars, the Shroud came to Turin. ... For any Christian who believes the Gospels are historically accurate, it would be safe to conclude that not only did a burial cloth exist, it must have had some importance; each of the gospels describes the body of Jesus being wrapped in this linen. It is the assumption of many today that the Shroud of Turin is the actual burial cloth or linen that wrapped the body of Christ." (Chiang, R.G., 2004, "Science meets Religion: Shroud of Turin," in "Overcoming Prejudice in the Evolution Creation Debate: Developing an integrative approach to Science and Christianity," Doorway Publications: Hamilton ON, Canada. Emphasis original).
"WHAT IS THE SHROUD OF TURIN? A large piece of ancient linen, it apparently bears images of a bearded, naked, crucified man. ... It is a piece of ancient linen cloth, presumably a burial shroud, fourteen feet three inches long by three feet seven inches wide. .... It was hand woven in a three-to-one herringbone twill from fairly heavy yarn made of Near East or Mediterranean-Basin flax, and the cloth is in an excellent state of preservation. On the Shroud are indistinct images of the front and back views of a man. The two views are nearly joined at the head, as if the man's body had been wrapped in the cloth lengthwise, foot to head to foot. ... Apart from being indistinct, the body images are ... of a faint sepia color (light tan) on the off-white, yellowing old cloth. Superimposed on these body images are darker markings resembling bloodstains, that are brownish red in color. These `bloodstains' are significantly seen at the wrists and feet, which exactly correspond to the blood stigmata of a classical Roman crucifixion. There also appear to be wounds covering the top of the head, the face, and one side of the body as well as several dozen smaller wounds on the back, all of which dramatically conform to the biblical description of Jesus' wounds. On the back, or dorsal, view, a narrow configuration extends for some eight or ten inches from the long hair of the head to a point midway between the shoulder blades. Some experts feel this may be a pigtail or ponytail hairstyle, as if the hair was caught and tied at the base of the skull-a common hairstyle among Jewish males in Palestine during Jesus' time. The Man's beard seems to show the twin points of the Nazarene style of that day." (Tribbe, F.C., 2006, "Portrait of Jesus: The Illustrated Story of the Shroud of Turin," [1983], Paragon House Publishers: St. Paul MN, Second edition, pp.1,3-5. Emphasis original).
"The Shroud of Turin has been described as the single most studied artifact in history. Whether this is true or not it is certainly one of the most controversial subjects of all time. To the true believer it is the burial shroud of the crucified Christ, left in his tomb at the time of the Resurrection. ... The Shroud has given rise to its own branch of science, known as sindonology. To the sceptical it is a piece of mediaeval trickery which has been fooling the gullible for the last six hundred years or more. The Shroud itself is an ivory-coloured cloth with a herringbone weave. It measures 14 feet 3 inches long by 3 feet 7 inches wide. These measurements may seem a little odd. They make far more sense when converted into first-century Jewish cubits. Using a measure of 21.4 inches to the cubit, based on the Assyrian standard, the measurement of the Shroud converts to exactly 8 cubits in length by 2 cubits in width. It was made in a single piece, apart from a strip approximately three and a half inches wide running the entire length of the left-hand side of the Shroud. This strip is attached to the Shroud by a single seam. On the cloth itself is a faint image, almost shadow-like. This shows the back and front of a well-built man, nearly six foot tall, with a beard and long hair, laid out with his hands crossed in front of him. He appears to be dead, and somehow there is a peacefulness and serenity about his features.... There is no visible outline of the image; it melts away into the fabric. It can only be seen clearly from a distance; when viewed from close up it almost seems to disappear. Also apparent on the Shroud are what seem to be bloodstains. There are flows from several points on the upper forehead as well as from the back of the head; flows from the wrists and the feet; and a copious flow from an elliptical-shaped wound on the left side of the body. The Shroud material is disfigured by stains and by fire damage. One night in December 1532 a fire broke out in the Sainte Chapelle, Chambery, in south-eastern France, where the Shroud was then being kept. ... a drop of molten silver fell on to the linen inside the casket, resulting in scorching of all forty-eight folds of the Shroud. This was then doused with water, which resulted in further stains. Almost as if by a miracle the image itself was scarcely touched." (Oxley, M., 2010, "The Challenge of the Shroud: History, Science and the Shroud of Turin," AuthorHouse: Milton Keynes UK, pp.3-4).
I don't necessarily agree with every part of the above quotes. But read together they help provide a comprehensive answer to the question, "what is the Shroud of Turin?" As explained previously, these quotes both help to illustrate my points in this post, and will be a resource base for helping me answer questions at the Q&A session at the end of each of my presentations.
The previous post in this series was part #4 "The Shroud's image is a photographic negative!"and the next is part #6 "An old, yellowed, rectangular, linen sheet about 4.4 x 1.1 metres."
Stephen E. Jones, BSc., Grad. Dip. Ed.
My other blogs: CreationEvolutionDesign Jesus is Jehovah!


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Pyramid Solitaire Halloween
Celebrate Halloween with an amazing spin on the classic solitaire game of Pyramid Solitaire featuring over 25 challenging and fun levels, Game Center integration and graphics/sounds optimized for both the iPad and Retina displays.
– Over 25 unique and classic levels
– Fantastically fluid gameplay that is intuitive, responsive, and enjoyable
– Compete against the world for the top score with Game Center integration
– Great graphics, animations, sounds, and music optimized for the iPad and Retina displays
– Undo last card flipped
– Wild Cards
– iPad users get detailed cards and iPhone/iPod touch users get easy to read cards
How to play
Pyramid Solitaire Halloween challenges you to clear out a stack of cards by selecting two cards which together total 13. You can clear any Kings by themselves or two cards which together total 13 as long as they are free (not face down because they are overlapped by another card). You can use the deck to match up with any free cards. If you deal all of your cards and cannot match up the face up deck card the game will be over. Wild Cards can match anything and help you out of difficult situations.
Cards are valued as follows: Kings=13, Queens=12, Jacks=11, 10-2 are face value, and Aces=1.
1. Old-school pyramid
2. Pretzel
3. Old-style stack
4. Riding the lines
5. Square dance
6. Pyramid in Australia
7. X marks the spot
8. Piled on
9. Fair and square
10. Big stack
11. Lazy 8
12. Tale of two cities
13. Smiling away
14. Out of synch
15. Fun run
16. Tri Peaks reflected
17. Diamond
18. Victory formation
19. Pieces of Pi
20. Stacked against you
21. Tea time
22. Jaggies
23. Always + forever
24. 3D box
25. Nearly impossible
(and more!)


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BRISTOL, Va. (AP) — An orphaned black bear cub has been placed with a substitute mother this week after being saved by a dog and brought to safety.
The rescue effort unfolded after the dog turned up at its owner's home in Washington County with a cub in its mouth on Feb. 5, Bill Bassinger, wildlife biologist with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, told news outlets. The male cub wasn't hurt by the dog, he added.
The cub, estimated to be two to three weeks old, was taken to the Virginia Wildlife Center in Waynesboro for treatment and eventual resettlement with his own species. The center keeps female bears with monitoring collars on for this purpose, according to Bassinger. Conservation officers use the collars to locate the bears, then track them and listen for cubs making sounds in their dens, the center's website says. If they find a good match, staff members place orphaned cubs outside the dens, and mother bears usually adopt them as their own, Bassinger and experts said.
"The mothering instinct is just very strong in most animals," Bassinger told the Wytheville Enterprise. "Generally, most females will take the young back, even after it has been handled by humans."
The male cub was settled into an incubator earlier this week where he received constant care and feeding, an update on the wildlife center's website said. He was described as bright, alert and "vocalizing readily." The center said the cub was placed with a new mother who was nursing three cubs of her own on Wednesday.


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One of the most frequently asked questions I receive via e-mail is "How do I begin my embroidery thread without using a knot?" Way back when Needle 'n Thread first started, I wrote a post (with a really corny title) about waste knots. But sometimes, it's better to see it in pictures, so…
I worked up a series of photo tutorials on starting threads when you embroider. There are several ways to begin your embroidery thread, and I'll be covering my favorite ways with these tutorials over the next week or so. I'll also categorize them in an easy-to-find index.
The Waste Knot
We'll start with the easiest one (in my opinion…), the waste knot, which is great to use when you're stitching along a line. It's very convenient to use when you're beginning a thread that is not adjacent to any other embroidery stitches, although I sometimes like to use a waste knot even if I am adjacent to other stitches, too.
You begin on the front of your fabric, and yes, you do use a knot! Put a small knot at the end of your thread. Then, with the top of your work facing up, take your needle down into your fabric about an inch or so down the line from where you will begin stitching.
You want to head towards the waste not as you stitch. I'm going to use a stem stitch here.
Take your first stitch forward, then turn your work over:
I'm turning the work over here, so you can see the back. Usually, when I use a waste knot, I don't turn the work over. I use a finger to move the thread on the back up and down, to make sure I'm crossing over it. Once you get used to the whole concept of a waste knot, you'll also get used to manipulating the thread on the back up and down, so that you don't have to turn your work over.
Each time you come up to the front of your work from the back, you want to cross over that thread that's lying across the back of the line you're stitching, so that you are, in a sense, couching that thread down.
Alternately, some stitchers like to pierce through the line of thread on the back, rather than cross over it, stitching through the back thread down the line. I don't really like doing that, especially if I'm using a thread that has any "fuzz" to it, because the fuzz can pull back up with your stitching. Also, I think on some threads, splitting the thread tends to weaken it or fray it, which would make this whole concept somewhat useless!
On the front of the work, you want to stitch up to the knot, checking the back to make sure that you're crossing the thread (or using your finger on the back of your work to move the thread up and down so you can cross over it).
When you're within a stitch of the knot, pull up on the tail of the thread to lift the knot off the fabric, then snip the thread right under the knot, close to the fabric.
On the back of the work, you will have a neatly couched line, and your thread is now secured without leaving a knot in your work. Simple, isn't it?
Pros of the Waste Knot
1. It's very easy to use for straight lines and gentle curves, and it works great for surface embroidery, needlepoint, cross stitch, and other counted techniques.
2. It conserves thread, compared to some other ways of starting threads. At the most, you lose around an inch and a half of thread in the anchoring process and in the knot.
3. Once you get used to it, you can manage a waste knot solely from the front of the fabric, which is convenient.
4. It's a great way to start a new thread when you're not working adjacent to any other embroidery stitches (or even if you are, if you want).
Cons of the Waste Knot
1. To work it efficiently, you need to get used to it. Until you can manipulate your thread without turning your work over, it'll take time and it'll be a bit of a pain to have to turn your work over to make sure you're stitching over the back thread.
2. There are other ways of starting your threads that do not use as much thread as the waste knot.
If you've never used a waste knot, go ahead and try it out! Let me know what you think!


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Welcome to Our Office!
Welcome to Affiliates in Podiatry, PC
Foot & Ankle Care - Concord and Meredith, NH
The doctors and staff at Affiliates in Podiatry are dedicated to providing the finest comprehensive foot and ankle care to you and your entire family. We will provide quality individualized care to our patients using up-to-date, proven technologies in a modern podiatric facility with your comfort and satisfaction are our top priority.
Our podiatrists provide complete foot and ankle care. We specialize in: bunions, hammertoes, heel pain , orthotics, diabetic foot care, wound care, ingrown toenails , neuroma (nerve swelling and pain), foot and ankle sprains, stress fractures, sports injuries , children's and adolescent foot problems, bone spurs, tendonitis, foot pain, foot fungus, warts and other skin problems of the foot and ankle.
Please visit all the pages of our website to learn more about what we do. You will find it educational and helpful to understand you or your family member's foot and ankle problem.


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PRIVACY POLICY | Updated 01/01/2023
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Last Edited on 2021-01-01.