text:
Customer Experience Management (CEM) software
Create customers for life by delivering intelligent and connected omni-channel experiences with OpenText Customer Experience Management (CEM) software solutions.
Recognized as a leader for CCM software
OpenText™ is a recognized leader in the 2019 Aspire Leaderboard for Customer Communications.
What is customer experience management?
Customer experience management (CEM or CXM) is a set of processes used to track customer interactions throughout the customer journey. CEM allows organizations to gain insight into these customer interactions and optimize each touchpoint to drive loyalty and improve customer lifetime value.
The best customer experience management software enables enterprises to provide customer-centric experiences across all customer interactions at scale, while optimizing operations, control, and compliance of the associated enterprise information and processes.
Experience platform overview
OpenText™ Experience platform offers a set of integrated CEM solutions that focus on delivering highly personalized content and customer engagement along a continuous customer journey. It helps provide a solid foundation for implementing a successful customer experience strategy.
OpenText Experience 16 is available on-premises and in the cloud to enable better creation, management and publication of secure, personalized and authenticated digital experiences. OpenText Experience ensures each user gets the best experience at every point of interaction, whether physical or digital, on any device throughout every phase of the lifecycle. Experience maximizes the Customer Lifetime Value and delivers a better way to work; addressing better engagement, insight and innovation across customers, partners and employees.
CEM software features
Web Content Management (WCM)
Delivers visual, modern customer experiences both pre- and post-login that are personalized, engaging, and profitable.
Connects employees, partners and customers with the information they need through optimized processes for managing and delivering content to the web, mobile devices or other media channels.
Customer Communications Management (CCM)
Enables omni-channel personalized communications at scale, driven by business users and business rules, to enhance customer journeys.
Optimizes the design, management and delivery of physical and digital ultra-personalized, consistent, and compliant communications such as invoices, letters, customer correspondence, statements, policies, and contracts.
Forms Automation
Improves productivity and customer experience of form-based processes by optimizing the capture, validation, processing and management of customer information bridging the physical world of forms with today's digital business world.
Experience Analytics
Uses powerful data visualization software to provide real-time business analytics reports along with customized dashboards that offer actionable insights into customer experiences across the customer journey.
Digital Asset Management (DAM)
Accelerates the creation, collaboration, production, storage and distribution of digital media across the ecosystem of authorized employees, users and partners. Enables digital assets to be tagged with searchable metadata so they can be retrieved, shared, reviewed and edited. DAM helps manage virtually any digital data format including video, images, audio, 3D files, presentations and many more.
Voice of the Customer
Provides actionable insight through customer behavior analytics and interactions through call recording analysis, email communications, social media and more.
Workforce Optimization
Helps drive significant workforce performance and customer service improvements across the call center with fulltime call recording, workforce management, contact center coaching, quality assurance training, call scoring, interaction analysis, and post call surveys.
Marketing Optimization
Maximizes online conversion and revenue by personalizing and optimizing customer experiences on any device through a/b testing, multivariate testing and geo targeting tactics.
Customer success stories
What are the benefits of CEM software?
Delight customers
Design and implement customer experiences that engage customers engage and build closer relationships by continuously evolving, refining and improving their experience.
Integrated system of engagement
Drive value across the organization by automating the creation and distribution of information, media, customer contact programs and more in one solution.
Connected experiences
Ensure the entire customer journey is addressed through complex data manipulation and sophisticated data integrity and governance capabilities—even within heavily regulated industries.
Speed time to market
Get to market up to 85% faster with powerful content management, customization and integration tools as well as powerful collaboration workflows.
Automate and optimize customer engagement
Personalize customer experience automatically and at scale to improve customer engagement and return on investment.
Insight out of the box
Gain insight from all data created within each customer journey to continuously improve your customer experience capabilities with embedded advanced analytics.
CEM Software Products
Download the eBook
Delivering the continuous, connected customer journey
Have questions? Contact us
- The differing attitudes to digital transformation in the utility sector
- Capturing customer attention with video
- Be a digital bank, don't just look like one
- What is customer experience management (CEM)?
- How to Choose The Best CEM Software in 2018


text:
November, 1893, Page: 22
Page Dimensions: 30.7 x 24.5 cms
Title: Round the studios, October 1893
Date: 1893
Inscription: 1 page of text. Part of 4 pages of text with 2 epigrams on p. 25
Keywords: exhibitions; reviews
Material: Pen and ink
Commentary: The essay offers the only extant evidence of the work shown in the 1893 Glasgow School of Art Club exhibition, a year before the reviews in the Glasgow press of the 1894 show which saw the Glasgow Style first rise to public notice. Lucy Raeburn concentrates on the work of the major female contributors to The Magazine: the Macdonald sisters, Agnes Raeburn, Katharine Cameron, Jessie Keppie and Janet Aitken. Raeburn indicates that Frances Macdonald was already designing the emaciated figures and employing the unusual colour schemes for which she would become known from the mid1890s onwards. Her work "Despair", referred to in the text, is untraced. The concentration on flowerpieces is noteworthy. It was a core study for Glasgow School of Art design students, and women artists in particular.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
It's rainy, cloudy...cold. We actually installed air conditioning like 3 weeks ago - yes, at the END of the summer (we were stupidly resistent to air-conditioning - I have no idea why, now - not that we're using it much these days).
A friend of ours from Montreal visted earlier this week. Travelling alone. She's never been to Croatia before. Man, it would really suck to be traveling alone while the rain is pouring. But what a great attitude she has! She's a real renaissance woman - travels all over the place. Speaks 5 languages. Knits, sews...makes soap...builds things with wood - and I'm not talking about bird houses - the woman actually makes structures, like gazebos and things!
Otherwise, I'm happily gestating. 7 months, now. Waiting with baited breath and praying for a good outcome.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
The Summer is Over...
Posted by An American in Croatia at 2:52 PM


text:
Services on Demand
Related links
- Cited by Google
- Similars in Google
Water SA
On-line version ISSN 1816-7950
Print version ISSN 0378-4738
Water SA vol.34 n.2 Pretoria Feb. 2008
Utility of EC 3M™ Petrifilm™ and sanitary surveys for source water assessment in Nyabushozi County, south-western Uganda
Amber L PearsonI; Marilyn C RobertsII; Olusegun O SogeII; lana IvanovaII; Jonathan D MayerIII; John S MeschkeIV
IDepartments of Geography and Global Health, University of Washington, Box 353550, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
IIDepartments of Pathobiology and Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Box 357234, Seattle, WA 98195
IIIDepartments of Geography and Epidemiology, University of Washington, Box 353550, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
IVDepartment of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Box 354695, Seattle, WA 98195
The majority of people in developing nations rely on untreated or minimally treated surface and shallow groundwater sources which are prone to faecal contamination. This study evaluated the utility of EC 3M™ Petrifilm™ and sanitary inspection forms (SIFs) as tools to assess 47 water sources and identify hazards of contamination in two rural Ugandan villages (90% were surface sources). Water samples were cultured on EC 3M™ Petrifilm™, which are intended for the enumeration of E. coli and total coliforms following 24 h incubation at 37°C. Isolated bacteria were cultured on MacConkey agar and identified using standard biochemical tests, while selected isolates were verified by sequencing 16S rRNA genes. From 105 Petrifilms, 110 presumptive E. coli were isolated and identified to genus level. However, only 33 presumptive E. coli isolates from 14 water sources (representing 27 distinct strains as determined by PFGE) were confirmed E. coli. The other presumptive E. coli isolates were identified as Citrobacter, Enterobacter, Proteus, Salmonella and Yersinia species. SIFs used an adapted survey designed for urban water sources of Uganda. The form yielded an SIF score based on binary data and characterized potential sources of contamination. SIF scores alone offered little information to distinguish between contamination levels of surface water sources, but the information collected in the surveys could be used to identify ways to improve sources. The results of this study suggest that the use of sanitary surveys may assist in identifying potential pollution sources that may be targeted to protect water sources. Bacterial monitoring using EC 3M™ Petrifilms™ may be effective for the screening of relative levels of contamination of source waters, including surface sources.
Keywords: drinking water, developing countries, sanitary survey, EC 3M™ Petrifilm™
"Full text available in PDF"
BELOTI V, DE SOUZA JA, BARROS MAF, NERO LA, DE MATTOS MR, GUSMAO VV and DE MORALES LB (2003) Evaluation of petrifilm™ EC and HS for total coliforms and Escherichia coli enumeration in water. Braz. J. Microbiol. 34 301-304. [ Links ]
BAUMGARTNER A, GRAND M, SIMMEN A and HALVAX M (1993) Quantitative analysis of Escherichia coli in water: comparison of ECD-agar and petrifilm™. Mitt.Geb. Lebensmittelunters. Hyg. 83 (3) 382-387. [ Links ]
BYAMUKAMA D, MACH R, KANSIIME F, MANAFI M and FARNLEITNER AH (2005) Discrimination efficacy of fecal pollution detection in different aquatic habitats of a high-altitude tropical country, using presumptive coliforms, Escherichia coli, and Clostridium perfringens spores. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71 (1) 65-71. [ Links ]
BYAPPANAHALLI M and FUJIOKA R (2004) Indigenous soil bacteria and low moisture allow fecal bacteria to multiply and become a minor population in tropical soils. Water Sci. Technol. 50 (1) 27-32. [ Links ]
FUNKE G (2003) In: Murray PR, Baron EJ, Jorgensen JH, Pfaller MA and Yolken RH (eds.) Manual of Clinical Microbiology (8th edn.). ASM Press, Washington, D.C. 334-344. [ Links ]
GRABOW WOK (1996) Waterborne diseases: Update on water quality assessment and control. Water SA 22 (2) 193-202. [ Links ]
GREISEN K, LOEFFELHOLZ M, PUROHIT A and LENONG D (1994) Probes for the 16S rRNA gene of most species of pathogenic bacteria, including bacteria found in cerebrospinal fluid. J. Clin. Microbiol. 32 335-351. [ Links ]
HÖRMAN A and HÄNNINEN ML (2006) Evaluation of the lactose Tergitol-7, m-Endo LES, Colilert 18, Readycult Coliforms 100,Water-Check-100, 3M petrifilm EC and DryCult Coliform test methods for detection of total coliforms and Escherichia coli in water samples. Water Res. 40 3249-3256. [ Links ]
HOWARD G, PEDLEY S, BARRETT M, NALUBEGA M and JOHAL K (2003) Risk factors contributing to microbiological contamination of shallow groundwater in Kampala, Uganda. Water Res. 37 (14) 3421-3429. [ Links ]
JANKE R, MOSCOU R and POWELL M (2006) PK-13 W-6 Total Coliform and E. coli: Bacteria Citizen Science. Water Quality Testing Series, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA. [ Links ]
LECLERC H, MOSSEL DAA, EDBERG SC and STRUIJK CB (2001) Advances in the bacteriology of the coliform group: Their suitability as markers of microbial water safety. Annu. Rev. Microbiol. 55 201-34. [ Links ]
LLOYD B and J BARTRAM (1991) Surveillance solutions to microbiological problems in water quality control in developing countries. Water Sci. Technol. 24 (2) 61-75. [ Links ]
McCarthy ts, gumbricht t, stewart rg, brandt d, HANCOX PJ, MCCARTHY J and DUSE AG (2004) Wastewater disposal at safari lodges in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Water SA 30 (1) 121-128. [ Links ]
MEDEMA GJ, SHAW S, WAITE M, SNOZZI M, MORREAU A and GRABOW W (2003) Catchment characterization and source water quality. In: A Dufour, M Snozzi, W Koster, J Bartram, E Ronchi and L Fewtrell (eds.) Assessing Microbial Safety of Drinking Water: Improving Approaches and Methods. IWA Publishing, London, UK. [ Links ]
NIWAGABA C, S GODFREY, A GISAGARA and G HOWARD (2003) System assessment to develop water safety plans. Proc. WEDC Int. Conf. September 22-26, 2003. Abuja, Nigeria. [ Links ]
PEDLEY S and G HOWARD (1997) The public health implication of groundwater microbiology. Q. J. Eng. Geol. 30 (2) 179-188. [ Links ]
SMITH M and HUSARY S (2000) Sanitary investigations as a sanitation monitoring tool. Proc. WEDC Conf.: Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: Challenges of the Millennium. 5-9 November, 2000. Dhaka, Bangladesh. [ Links ]
SCHRAFT H and WATTERWORTH LA (2005) Enumeration of heterotrophs, fecal coliforms and Escherichia coli in water: comparison of 3M petrifilm plates with standard plating procedures. J. Microb. Methods 60 335-342. [ Links ]
VAIL JH, MORGAN R, MERINO CR, GONZALES F, MILLER R and RAM JL (2003) Enumeration of waterborne Escherichia coli with petrifilm plates: comparison to standard methods. J. Environ. Qual. 32 368-373. [ Links ]
VERDU ME, COLL P, FONTANALS D, MARCH F, PONS I, SANFELIU I and PRATS G (1996) Endemic meningococcal disease in Cerdanyola, Spain, 1987-93: Molecular epidemiology of the isolates of Neisseria meningitidis. Clin. Microb. Infect. 2 168-178. [ Links ]
WOHLSEN T, BATES J, VESEY G, ROBINSON WA and KATOULI M (2006) Evaluation of the methods for enumerating coliform bacteria from water samples using precise reference standards. Lett. Appl. Microb. 42 350-356. [ Links ]
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) (1993) WHO Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality. Vol. 2 (1) WHO, Geneva, Switzerland. [ Links ]
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) (2000) Monitoring and assessment of microbiologic quality. Proc. Drinking Water Seminar. WHO, Geneva, Switzerland, Downloaded from http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/S02.pdf on 22January 2008. [ Links ]
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) (2002) The World Health Report 2002: Reducing Risks, Promoting Healthy Life. WHO, Geneva, Switzerland. WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (2006) Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality. Vol. 1. WHO, Geneva, Switzerland. [ Links ]
XIA M, WHITTINGTON WL, HOLMES KK, PLUMMER F and ROBERTS MC (1995) Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis for genomic analyses of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. J. Infect. Dis. 171 455-458. [ Links ]
3M (2001) Petrifilm E. coli / Coliform Count Plate Interpretation Guide. 3M. St. Paul. [ Links ]
Fax: 206-543-8123
E-mail: email@example.com
Received 15 November 2007
Accepted in revised form 15 February 2008


text:
This Is What You Get When Former iPhone Engineers Make A Wearable Device For The U.S. Army
Yesterday we wrote about CENTR Cameras, a small startup founded by former members of the iPhone camera team.
Right now, the company is working on a camera that's poised to compete with GoPro's offerings — devices that can can be used in all kinds of conditions and still record great high-def video.
They're currently running a Kickstarter campaign to raise $900,000 to bring their consumer model to market.
Here's what the consumer model looks like today:
Before settling on the strategy of going after consumers for their panoramic video camera, the CENTR team adapted their technology for use by several companies — and the Department of Defense. They ended up making a camera system that combines their 360-degree video capture with forward-looking infrared ("FLIR") technology, which is what the military and civilian police forces use to see at night and through walls:
CENTR's implementation mounts four FLIR cameras on top of helmets worn by soldiers on the battlefield to capture everything happening around them in high-definition video that includes infrared data.
The idea behind the device is that soldiers will be able to record everything happening around them and beam that data to drones flying overhead, which would then be able to send the streams to commanders hundreds or thousands of miles away.
To get an idea of how powerful this technology can be, you've got to play around with one of CENTR's demo videos. As you watch, click and drag on the video with your mouse — you'll be able to seamlessly look around as the video plays.
SEE ALSO: Former Apple engineers have made a camera that can record everything around you at once
Join the conversation about this story »


text:
Zombie Blood, A Caffeinated Energy "Potion"
on June 1, 2010 at 4:57 am
Posted In: Uncategorized
Zombie Blood Caffeinated Energy Potion is loaded with iron, protein, electrolytes, and other fancy things to have the same nutrients and consistency of real blood. (…gee yummy. Like blood you say… gross) Throw in some lime flavoring and greenness, and[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…


text:
This month my due date falls on a Sunday. I mailed my credit card payment and it has not arrived there yet. If the payment is received on Monday, will it be considered as late?
If your payment due date falls on a weekend or a holiday when the bank does not accept or receive mailed payments, any mailed payments received by the bank before the cut-off time on the following business day will be considered timely.
For example, if you mailed your payment via U.S. Postal Service and the due date is Sunday, March 14th, but the bank does not receive mail on Sundays, then your postal payment would be considered timely if it is received by Monday, March 15th, before 5 p.m. However; it is important to note that:
- If the bank accepts or receives payments made on the due date by a method other than mail, such as an electronic payment; and
- You make your payment electronically;
Then your electronic payment must be received by the bank by the cut-off time on the due date (Sunday, March 14th) in order to be considered timely.
September 2017


text:
Complying with safety, quality and environmental regulations and standards is increasingly important and has become more difficult as operations grow. Individual facilities are frequently using different methods and descriptions to define and assess risks, different models to score the severity and likelihood of risk and a multitude of systems and methods to control operational risk. This creates isolated pockets of risk knowledge, and impedes the ability to accurately share best practices and lessons learned while effectively managing risk across the business.
Sphera enables you to standardize your process for identifying, analyzing, mitigating and monitoring operational risk. We provide a means to quickly and accurately understand your risk profile, helping you make better decisions and drive sustainable improvements.
Our Operational Risk Solution provides a framework for managing risk that ensures you have an appropriate response to the inherent risks of your operations.
Your reputation is important – and creating a unified approach to operational risk secures your good standing with shareholders, clients and regulators. This solution makes certain that you comply with various industry regulations and standards, and provides the real-time reporting you need throughout your organization to ultimately improve your business performance.
Risk Assessment
With Sphera's proven enterprise software, content and domain expertise you can gain a better understading of your risk exposure across sites and improve executioin by better allocating resources to higher risk areas.Learn more >
Management of Change
Our Sphera Operational Risk Solution reduces change complexity with best practices for initiation, evaluation, approval and start-up of change management processes. We simplify the MOC process by clearly identifying all of the required steps and approvals and prmpting each user through his/her tasks in the project.Learn more >
Incident Management
Incident Management is an integral part of the Sphera Operational Risk Solution. Our solution helps you capture, track, investigate, report and analyze incidents and near-miss events, and also control operational risks, improve safety performance and sustain learning.Learn more >
Quality Risk
Our Quality Risk solution helps you strengthen and improve your quality processes. It provides you with the platform you need to create knowledge-driven, data-centric quality specifications and control plans that are consistent across the enterprise and helps you effectively conduct proactive risk assessment methodologies such as Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FEMA) and Fault Tree Analysis (FTA).Learn more >
Maintenance, Repair & Operations
Sphera offers proven methodologies, software, content and expertise for achieving MRO Supply Chain Excellence.Learn more >


text:
Build your Legacy.
- Original Gymshark logo
- Tapered fit
- Flattering stringer cut
- 95% Cotton, 5% Elastane
- Model is 6'1" and wears size M
A physique-accentuating fit, on an iconic design. With a soft-stretch fabric blend and liberating cut, the Legacy Stringer gives you all the freedom you need for any workout. And printed with the classic Gymshark logo, it promises all the inspiration you could need too.
Select Country


text:
|P is for Practical
Re: How to reverse a (Unicode) stringby Juerd (Abbot)
|on Jan 09, 2008 at 22:03 UTC ( #661519=note: print w/replies, xml )
|Need Help??
If you entered this using an UTF-8 editor, you forgot to "use utf8;" to notify Perl of this fact.
You may be dealing with the string "\no\x{C3}\x{A4}u" instead of the intended "\no\x{e4}u"!
reverse works on characters. If you have a bytestring, every character represents the equivalent byte. If you have a Unicode text string, reverse properly reverses based on unicode codepoints.
This suggests that decoding is a workaround. It is not, it is something you should always do when dealing with text data!
Perl has no idea, and cannot be told, what kind your strings are: binary or text. Without "use utf8" you don't necessarily have byte strings, but if you have text strings, they're interpreted as iso-8859-1 rather than utf-8. Note that iso-8859-1 is a unicode encoding -- it just doesn't support all of the characters.
The rest of your post is accurate, but I wanted to respond to avoid that newbies get a negative feeling about Perl's unicode support from your post. Perl's unicode support is great, but the programmer MUST learn the difference between unicode and utf-8, and the difference between text data and binary data.
In Section Tutorials


text:
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Quote from: jack on December 06, 2010, 09:59:44 AMno...the year is almost over, and SLAP, your dead.I seem to recall Hidden Valley being set up and played without any help from you!
no...the year is almost over, and SLAP, your dead.
the last time I played will be the last time I play. That was the most shenanigans rule ever, even in homey. If you can't see the disc, you don't know where it is.Have fun, it was fun for the 10 years I played.
The proper call is its on a string from the basket from where it went in at as determined by the group. PERIOD!!End of argument. Just because one team says no doesn't mean you should listen. I had one end up in Mike's pond and was allowed my next shot on a string from a determined spot agreed upon by the group.It was on the very first hole!!!


text:
John Bunyan's View of Baptism within the Spiritual Church
Dr. Mark Dever, Senior Pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church, continues in the W.H. Griffith Thomas Lectureship as he discusses how the church should be as united as possible by always including an obedience to Scripture. He draws on John Bunyan view of Baptism within the church.
W. H. Griffith Thomas Memorial Lectureship (Spring 2014)
- Richard Sibbes on the Right Preaching of the Word
- John Bunyan's View of Baptism within the Spiritual Church
- Jonathan Edwards on the Lord's Supper - For Believers Only
- Six Reasons a Right Ecclesiology is Important for the Church Today


text:
The three leading national organizations dealing with court issues relating to children and families have announced the formation of a Collaborative with a goal of improving outcomes for abused and neglected children. With support and funding from the Children's Bureau, the ABA Center on Children and the Law, the National Center for State Courts and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges will continue to work together as the National Court and Child Welfare Collaborative: Focus on System Reform.
The goals of the Collaborative are to assist courts in their efforts to keep children safe, ensure child well-being, and reach timely permanency. Each of the organizations has a long history of providing support and technical assistance to judges, courts, and court systems across the country. By forming the Collaborative the members believe that their combined efforts will result in even better outcomes for children and families who find themselves involved with both courts and the child welfare system.
The first significant event planned by the Collaborative is a training conference in November 2006 which will bring together the leaders of State Court Improvement Programs across the country. The goal of the conference is to provide support and training to these programs as they work in each state to improve court operations. For further information about the Collaborative, you may contact any of the three organizations or the manager of the Collaborative, Judge Leonard P. Edwards (ret.) at the California Administrative Office of the Courts. 415-865-8820 - email@example.com
Your feedback is important to us and will help improve our website. Thank you!


text:
Ordering a meal and more on tabletop tablets
In a sit-down restaurant, diners are at the mercy of the server every step of the way, unable to eat or leave without the server's attention.
But national chains like Applebee's and Chili's hope to soon have a server at the ready, perched on every table - a tablet that diners can use to order food, play games (for a fee) and pay or split the bill.
Redwood City startup E La Carte is pushing to have its Presto tablet in front of more diners' hungry faces this year. Its biggest deal, freshly inked, will put 100,000 Presto tablets in Applebee's restaurants nationwide - and they've been at the gargantuan Applebee's on Fisherman's Wharf since September. A rival company, Ziosk, based in Dallas, already has a major deal with Brinker, which operates Chili's and other chains.
Tech at the table is usually viewed as a faux pas. Smartphone addicts may try to send a quick text or e-mail at dinner, but they'll hide it under the table. When dining out, Millennials have been known to stage friendly contests where the first member of the party to take out a phone pays the bill.
But tablets can be more communal, especially when designed for shared activities like dining, said E La Carte founder Rajat Suri.
'Very interactive'
"A phone can be very solitary - it separates you from the rest of the world," he said. "But people can pass the tablet around. People love the games - a couples quiz, like 'The Newlywed Game,' or a game like 'Taboo.' It's all very social, very interactive."
And, as any parent will admit under duress, a tablet game can do wonders to calm a child.
"Unfortunately, we're satisfied with digital devices as a babysitter - but now it's a godsend," said Charlie Ayers, the fast-talking former Google executive chef and an early Presto adopter at his Palo Alto restaurant, Calafia, which is popular with families. "They're not banging a fork on the table and causing holy hell. It has so many purposes that lend itself to a quality way of life."
The tablets' makers say they help customers regain control of the dining experience, adding convenience and saving time. When pitching potential restaurant adopters, they bring up the tablets' other virtues: patrons' bills tend to go up, table turnaround time drops, and customers are more likely to sign up for loyalty programs or complete surveys.
And servers, despite scribbling fewer orders by hand, see higher tips - usually because the tablets suggest a 20 percent tip and do the math for the customer.
"Restaurants that had tips average just about 15 percent before see that go up to just under 20 percent," said Austen Mulinder, CEO of Ziosk.
The ability to order food and pay without needing a server is vital at the Applebee's at Fisherman's Wharf, which is the chain's second-biggest restaurant nationwide.
"I have the servers introduce it as their helper, their assistant," said Greg Flynn, who owns the restaurant. "They say, 'If you can't find me' - and that's meaningful here - 'you can get anything you want off this thing right here.' "
Some customers seem to have missed that message, even though the Presto has been at that Applebee's since September. On the restaurant's Yelp review page, recent customer complaints focused on inattentive waiters, as if they don't know there's another option. Others simply said they don't use the tablets on principle.
'Old school' customers
"After being seated we proceed to order with our waitress instead of the little electric touch screen box that came with our table since we're old school like that," wrote Trishie L. from Pacifica.
The Presto is designed to blend in: Its base is curved "to mirror the visual signature of the plate," Suri said. Many customers still order verbally and use it only to pay the check.
Flynn guessed that about 40 percent don't use it at all.
At Calafia, Ayers guessed that 65 percent of his customers never use it - but said that might be because many of his customers work in tech all day and don't want to see a tablet while they're trying to relax and eat. ("Does a butcher go and eat meat for dinner?" he said. "No, he eats fish.")
Mulinder said Ziosk controls almost all of the tabletop tablet market, though Suri, also a founder of the car-service app Lyft, hopes to catch up eventually.
Both companies are going after nationwide casual dining chains first. Larger companies have more financial flexibility to try new technology, and one big deal can put tens of thousands of new tablets on tables across the country right away. And ordering on a tablet is more of a fit for people interested in getting food and getting on with it than those seeking an evening of romance.
High-end Bay Area restaurants like the French Laundry and Barbacco have been using iPads for several years, but mostly to let customers navigate their vast and ever-changing wine lists, which were once printed daily. But ordering a tasting menu on a tablet may always feel a little off, even for an optimistic businessman.
"Do I think I'm ever going to see a Ziosk in a fine dining restaurant?" Mulinder said. "No."
Game revenue
For now, games are the sticking point. Most of the revenue for the tablet companies comes from the pay-to-play games, both companies said. The companies pitch their hardware as low-cost - though neither would specify the terms of their deals - and say restaurants will eventually pay for the devices with increased customer bills, faster turnover and higher gratuity.
Ayers is optimistic that over time, even hesitant diners will appreciate the convenience of the tabletop tablet.
"The ones that pooh-pooh it quickly find the value of it when my restaurant is busy like no other," he said. "And we're all very curious monkeys. We poke around the menu, see a picture and think, 'Wow, those pork belly buns look amazing.' I'm salivating. I just threw them in my cart. And you can do the same with alcohol. There's no judgment when you order another Chardonnay."
Ellen Huet is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: email@example.com Twitter: @ellenhuet


text:
Welcome to the ZBrush ZScripting Help Forum!
This forum is meant for sharing tips, techniques, and other information as it pertains to writing ZScripts and developing ZPlugins. This includes tutorials about ZScript authoring.
All threads should have one of the following words at the start of the post title: "Question:" "Tutorial:" "Tip:" or "Code Sample:" followed by a title that clearly states the content of the post. In the case of questions, this will help the people with answers find you, and for everything else it will help keep the forum organized and make it easy to locate the information that you need.
Finished ZScript utilities should go in the ZScript Utilities Forum. Please note that neither forum is the place to share tutorials that take the form of ZScripts. Those should go in the Tutorials Forum instead. It is also not the place to share recorded sessions.
Thank you, and happy authoring!


text:
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A youth football coach struck a 13-year-old player from an opposing team near the sideline during the fourth quarter of a tied game, giving the boy a concussion and outraging parents and spectators, a Utah police sergeant said Wednesday.
Police arrested Nathan Harris for investigation of felony child abuse after watching grainy video and talking to witnesses about Saturday's incident in Payson, about 60 miles south of Salt Lake City.
"As the 13-year-old ran down, Mr. Harris stepped out and hit him with his forearm under his chin," police Sgt. Lance Smith said. "And then Mr. Harris stepped back and just stood there."
Referee David Durrant said the boy looked like he was about to go out of bounds — or had just gotten out of bounds — when he was hit near the sideline of the visiting team.
"It looked like the coach had a lot of time to move, he didn't move, and he stood there and delivered a blow," Durrant said.
Durrant threw a penalty flag and ejected Harris.
The incident was an accident and there was no malice behind Harris' actions, attorney Dean Zabriskie said. He said police have relied too heavily on witnesses who were standing far away and the video — which was shot from the opposite sidelines — shows Harris wasn't too close to the field and appears to show the coach stepping backward as players came toward him.
Also, it looks like a player who was pursuing the 13-year-old had some contact that pushed the boy toward Harris, he said.
"It seems to me like a tempest in a teapot," Zabriskie said.
Harris, a volunteer assistant whose son was also playing in the game, was arrested Monday and posted $5,000 bail on Tuesday. The Utah County Attorney's office will decide whether to file charges.
Police said the boy was expected to miss a month of playing time. His team won in overtime with a field goal, Durrant said.


text:
Take an all-Inclusive trip to China to tour factories and learn manufacturing overseas.
With our DRTV Summit quickly approaching, most of the talk around the water cooler here at InventionHome has been about the latest infomercial products… (honestly, can you believe that Happy Hot Dog Man??). While we've been busy searching for inventions with the "Wow! Factor", the United Inventors Association (UIA) has teamed up with China-2-West to wow us with an inventor's dream trip.
Any inventor interested in manufacturing his or her product should seriously consider signing up. The first 20 inventors will have the opportunity to learn about off shore manufacturing first hand through factory visits, educational seminars, and entry to the world's largest product tradeshow in Canton.
When: October 20 – 30, 2011
o Round trip airfare between New York or San Francisco and Hong Kong
o Transportation in China
o All hotel accommodations in 4 & 5 star hotels
o 3 meals per day
o All access pass to Canton Products Show
o Factory Tours
o Inventor Education Seminars
o Local Sight Seeing and Cultural Visits
The educational value alone would be worth the expense, but add the cultural experience of China to an already unbelievable deal and Wow! you have the trip of a lifetime!
For More Information or to save your spot – Contact Eric Bouldin by email on firstname.lastname@example.com or by phone on 650-921-3088.
For help with your invention or patent call 1-866-844-6512


text:
My client bought a brand new $35,000 boat that never returned to the dock under its own power during the time that he owned it. Most state Lemon Laws do not cover boats but there is a Federal law that does.
Michigan is one of the leading states in the nation for boat ownership. Not only does the state touch four of the five Great Lakes, it is chock full of watery wonder inland. As a result, boat dealers are quite common here and many people have boats tucked into their garages at their suburban homes and holiday weekends see the roads packed with boats being trailered to vacation spots. Despite this, like most other states, our Lemon Law does not protect boat buyers.
My client – we'll call him Joe – had grown up in a household which always had boats and had owned a few as an adult. He finally decided to spring for a brand new one and dropped a little over $35,000 in the process. Like many boats out there, the engine was made by one manufacturer and the rest of the boat was made by another. He took delivery at a dealer not far from his house. He lived on a lake and planned on using the boat there.
The first time he put it in the water he tooled around a little bit and the engine died. He couldn't get it restarted so he flagged down a neighbor who tossed him a line and towed him back to where he could pull the boat from the water. He returned it to the dealer who assured him it was a minor problem which could be fixed. A few days later, the cycle repeated: Boat in water – engine dies – towed to shore – dealer "repairs" – boat returned to Joe. Lather, rinse, repeat. In total, it happened four times.
Recognizing that this loop could go on infinitely, Joe called the engine manufacturer who sent a rep to assist the dealer with the repair. They assured him that this repair – the fifth – would take. It didn't. He called back and asked for further help. The engine manufacturer blamed the boat company. The boat company blamed the engine company. He asked the dealer to buy the boat back and the dealer refused; they said he should complain to the manufacturer. Joe called and asked me about the Lemon Law.
I had to explain to Joe that Michigan's Lemon Law does not apply to boats. But, there is a law which does cover boats and other large consumer products which are not automobiles. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act covers any consumer goods sold with a warranty. It is a Federal Law and, therefore, can be invoked in any state. In many respects it is like the lemon law in that it requires the manufacturer to repair a defective product under warranty and, should that not be possible, the manufacturer is liable for damages and can be ordered by a court to buy back the product or replace it.
One major difference between the Lemon Law and the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act is that most state lemon laws specify a bright line number of repair attempts at which point a vehicle becomes a lemon. In Michigan, that number is four. The Magnuson Moss Warranty Act simply states that the product must be subject to a "reasonable" number of repair attempts. Arguably, that could be less than four and I have seen manufacturers say it could be more than four for a complex product.
We argued that in Joe's case five was certainly enough, especially considering the safety issue. Each time his boat stalled, it stranded him in the middle of a lake. True, he did manage to get help each time he was stranded but who is to say that would always be the case? And, what if Joe wanted to take his boat out onto Lake Michigan? He would have been insane to try that in this boat. We filed suit against the seller, the boat manufacturer and the engine manufacturer. Shortly after, they settled. They agreed to buy Joe's boat back and pay his attorney's fees and court costs – another item which can be recovered under the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act.
What was wrong with Joe's boat? Who knows? It is not necessary for the consumer to diagnose or explain what is wrong with the product – it is enough if the consumer can prove that the product is defective and was not cured within a reasonable number of repair attempts.And in Joe's case, they never once claimed there was nothing wrong with the boat. Every time he brought it in they threw new and different parts at the problem.
As noted, the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act covers any consumer goods sold with a warranty. This means that there is hope for buyers of defective recreational vehicles, personal water craft, boats, motorcycles, and so on, regardless of what your state's Lemon Law does or does not cover. The law even covers automobiles for those occasions where the Lemon Law might not offer coverage or simply to give overlapping coverage for that extra oomph in filing suit.
There are some nuances to this law which I cannot possibly shoehorn into this space so I would recommend you do a little research and maybe talk with a local attorney if you have questions. The key here is that while the typical Lemon Law covers only automobiles there is a "Lemon Law" for everything else: the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act.
Follow me on Twitter: @stevelehto
Steve Lehto has been practicing consumer protection and lemon law for 23 years in Michigan. He taught Consumer Protection at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law for ten years and wrote The Lemon Law Bible. He also wrote Chrysler's Turbine Car: The Rise and Fall of Detroit's Coolest Creation and The Great American Jet Pack: The Quest for the Ultimate Individual Lift Device.


text:
Loreto Normanhurst
As a medium, clay has its own sense of reality and mass. The ability to fold, tear, stretch and distort inherent in the malleability of clay has allowed me to create geometric forms which buckle under pressure. They evoke the surface textures that decay and erode during the destruction of the natural world through the devastating effects of man's irresponsibility towards his environment. My intention was to create a sense of foreboding through the aesthetic order of the artwork; the ominous title suggests that all organic matter has been destroyed. My series of vessels express a state of flux and movement inspired by the cubist and futurists as well as post-modern architecture.
In her ceramic pieces, Anna Kovacs explores the notion of decay, erosion and destruction of nature. Consider the way these ideas have been revealed to audiences by examining Kovacs art-making practice. Compare the techniques and processes used by Kovacs with those of Suzuki Osamu and Roger Ackling and examine in what ways these artworks display the effects of fire and heat.


text:
You can't find the product you are looking for in our shop? No problem! We'd be glad to
get it for you...
Did you know that the Distilleria Caselli was born in 1860?
*regular prices = former selling prices
***excluding items on sale
Only on EXPERT24 you are
able to order in 7 specialized
online-shops at the same
time and saving shipping
costs & waiting time as well:
Thank you for your feedback!
Shipments to Germany
and Austria are free of
charge for purchase of
more than € 100,00
Secure Online Shopping:
More information...
Use our versatile payment facilities!
More information...
If you have any questions, please contact our Expert24-team:
We place great value on the opinion of our customers.
Read yourself...
Over 5.000 different items permanently in stock!


text:
This photos are of the grave of Mr. Hassan Moosa Khan Sahib, first Ahmadi Muslim in Australia. His grave is located in Karakata Cemetery, Perth, Western Australia.
The following is the writing on the grave stone:
In The Name Of Allah,
Most Gracious, Ever Merciful
Mr. HASSAN MOOSA KHAN
(1842 – 1939)
He arrived in AUSTRALIA in 1862.
He was among the early immigrants who
contributed to the settlement of AUSTRALIA.
He joined The Ahmadiyya community
in ISLAM in 1903
His services to the cause of Islam are mentioned
in Ahmadiyya literature.
May Allah grant him a lofty station in paradise.
Mahmood Ahmad
Amir and Missionary in-charge
Ahmadiyya Muslim Association of Australia
Article contributed by:
Shamoon Rashid, Perth


text:
Campers, outdoor enthusiasts and athletes now have access to the sweetest adventure vans in California. Each van will be custom built for off-the-grid adventure dry camping.
VANNON rentals have stock amenities readily equipped. We also provide a variety of optional accessories like SUPs, bike racks, chairs & tables, tents, hammocks and more.
We are currently teamed up with Outdoorsy and GoCamp to better facilitate your rental needs.
How it works:
- Pick a van
- Select one of our rental partners
- Lock it in
- Get your van on!
Questions? Send email@example.com a message.
Sterling Van Wagenen 144 2x4
Vanna White 144 4x4
Stoney Baloney 144 4x4 - Coming Soon
Big Gray Jr. 170 - 4x4 - Coming Soon
Features of the van
Solar power - outdoor shower - Portapotty - Sink - 24 gal fresh water tank - Outdoor cooking gear - cutlery & flatware - Diesel air and water heater - 110 and USB charging stations -
Bedding - towels
Where it can be taken (different terrains- snow, etc)
These vans can be taken just about anywhere. Our vans are built for everything 'From the Mountains to the Sea and for everything in between'.


text:
The federal government has done such a bang-up job of picking winners in the "clean energy" field here at home (see, e.g., Solyndra) that it is now planning to spend $20 million of taxpayers' money on similar projects in Africa — with "hundreds of millions of dollars" to follow, according to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Clinton, speaking at the United Nations Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development, announced the U.S.-Africa Clean Energy Finance Initiative, whose purpose, she said, is to "help clean energy projects in Africa get started." The initiative involves three federal agencies: the State Department, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency. "We plan to use an initial $20 million grant fund to leverage much larger investment flows from OPIC," Clinton explained. "That will open the door then for hundreds of millions of dollars of OPIC financing, plus hundreds of millions of more dollars from the private sector for projects that otherwise would never get off the drawing board."
"Clean energy," she averred, "will bring new jobs, create new livelihoods, support education, new businesses, healthier and more productive lives, as well as reducing the emissions that contribute to climate change."
But if clean energy is such a wonderful thing, why would these projects "otherwise … never get off the drawing board"? It's not a matter of resources or technology, Clinton maintained, but of "obstacles and risks" that frighten off investors. "So if we can remove some of the risk and cover some of the costs of preparing a project," she said, "we believe we can spur significant new private investments in clean energy."
This is, of course, the same rationale that was applied to funding clean energy in the United States. The projects, so the government said, had great potential but were unable to get off the ground because of skittish private-sector investors. Thus, the government (i.e., taxpayers) had to step in and assume the risk. And what have taxpayers gotten in return for their "investments"? "At least 12 green energy firms that received about $6.5 billion from the [Obama] administration now face financial troubles, … with at least 5 companies declaring bankruptcy," CNSNews.com reports.
It was also the rationale behind the creation of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for the purpose of financing mortgages that the private sector wouldn't touch — and we all know how well that turned out.
The $20 million that the administration is so generously shelling out for African energy projects is just the beginning, as Clinton noted. OPIC is expected to kick in "hundreds of millions of dollars" in financing; and while OPIC is at present self-funding, should too many of the projects it backs go belly up, taxpayers will undoubtedly have to bail it out, too. Beyond that, said Clinton, the U.S. government is committed to spending "tens of billions of dollars a year over the next 20 years to extend our energy infrastructure" as part of its "commitment to the UN's Sustainable Energy for All Initiative, which seeks to give all people everywhere access to clean energy."
Therein lies another problem: In addition to being both unconstitutional and unwise, the aid disbursed under the U.S.-Africa Clean Energy Finance Initiative "is being handled by the famously corrupt United Nations as part of [a] costly plan to conquer global warming," as Judicial Watch put it in a blog post criticizing the program.
Judicial Watch's Tom Fitton told CNSNews.com that this latest $20-million plan "is part of billions and billions of dollars in foreign aid that's gone for naught in Africa. Africa is worse off after receiving decades of foreign aid than it would have been if it hadn't." Moreover, he observed, the whole program is "based on dubious science and ideology. It has nothing to do with the needs of the people of Africa, whose needs often get short shrift to social planning and environmental extremism."
Social planners, naturally, are in favor of such programs. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the Council on Foreign Relations, an organization that has the best interests of neither Americans nor Africans at heart, has praised the U.S.-Africa Clean Energy Finance Initiative as one of "Rio+20's unheralded achievements."
Clean energy, whether in America, Africa, or elsewhere, may or may not be a good investment. The only way to find out is to see whether private investors are willing to risk their own money on it without a taxpayer backstop. If so, they don't need taxpayer funding in the first place. If not, taxpayers shouldn't be put at risk. The last thing Americans need in a time of persistent high unemployment and low economic growth is to have their hard-earned dollars confiscated for investment in boondoggles on the other side of the world.
Photo of Secretary of State Clinton at Rio+20: AP Images


text:
Kolli Hills is a major mountain range and is an outliner of the Eastern Ghats. It is eighteen miles ( 28 Kilometeres) long (north south) twelve miles(19 Kilometers) wide(east/west) and the Koll Block covers 441.4 square kilo meters. It falls within the following coordinates:- Rest Longitude 78º 17'05" to 78º 27'45" and North Latitude 11º 55' 05" to 11º 21'10". The name Kolli Malai refers to the mountain's once hostile nature; the unsuspecting and unaccamatised aliens, attracted by natural beauty. Viewed from plains of Namakkal the mountain appears as a flat-topped mass. The mountain has been inhabitated from prehistoric times. It is much celebrated in the Tamil Literature of the Sangam period; at least eleven poets mention it in their poems.
As per Census 2001, t he population of the Kolli Hills is 36852. There are 14 village panchayats and 275 hamlets. The population predominantly consists of scheduled tribes called Hindu Malayali whose spoken language is only Tamil. In two pockets SC population is found which is around 700.
Cultivation of Jack Fruit, Guvava, Hill Banana, Pineapple, Pepper, Coffee, Cardamom,topioca, honey and rice are the main agricultural activities.
The government reserve forests are seen in Ariyur, Puliyan Solai, Selur and Vazhavandhi Nadu. An area of 200 hectares is in the process of reforestation. Tigers and elephants which were once common in it are now extinct; only small animals such as black bears, hares, porcupines, and wild dogs are seen.
Legends have it that the hills were part of the famous Madhuvanam (Honey Forest) reserved by Sugriva of the epic Ramayana. The Maximum elevation ranges from 3500' to 4500' with the tallest peak Vettakaramalai, is rising to 4663' above sea level.
The hills formed a natural boundary between the Kongu Nadu and Chola Nadu. At the beginning of the Christian era the Mountain and its habitants were rules by Mazhavars and the King Vaivil Ori ws much celebrated among them. Legends have it that he was a great archer and released a arrow by him pierced first and elephant, then went through the open mouth of a tiger, then a deer and the a pig and then hit a monitor lizard killing instantaneously all. A statue was erected to honour the king in 1975 by Thiru Kalaingar M. Karunanidhi, Honorouble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and the Government sponsored festival (VALVIL ORI VIZHA) every year named after him. Apart from known abode of the Saints, the Buddhists, the Jains set up a number of retreats, those fell prey to time. A stone image of Theerthangar reminds the existence of the earlier Jain influence. The famous Shiva Temple called Arappalleeswarar Temple dating back to 12th century situates at periakoviloor near the famous water falls Akasa Gangai. Reportedly an ancient and powerful deity called Kolli Paavai of Ettukkai Amman is also at Kolli Hills. It attracts large pilgrims on fiew moon days originally a Jain retreat.
The glory of Kolli Hills and the Charity of the King Valvil Ori is liberally sung by the Sangam literature like Agananooru, Purananooru, Kurunthogai, Pathitrupathu and Natrinai.
Numerous streams originate from Kolli Hills. The major rivers traversing the hills are Aiyar, Varattar etc.
At present Kolli Hills could be reached through a ghat road which was 70 hairpins bends. The village at the foot hill is Karavalli.. From Namakkal to Kolli Hills the distance is 55 KMs.. The ghat road alone 26 KMs. The district administration taking steps to form an another ghat road called Nariankadu-Mullukurichi road which, when formed will have only 2-3 hairpin bends.
For the convenience of the tourists the Panchayat Union has constructed six cottages at Semmedu. At near Arapaleeswarar Temple an Youth Hostel is also available which could accommodate up to 30 persons. This could also be used as a training center. An excellent lawn and a rose garden greets the visitors. The inmates can avail the tasty Kollihill food supplied from the canteen run by the Women Self Help Group. All these accommodations are available fro rent from the Commissioner, Kollimalai Panchayat Union, Semmedu (Phone No. 04286 247425). Apart from these at present two private lodges with boarding facilities are available.
Akasa Gangai is an enchanting 300 feet waterfall of river Aiyaru, located near Arappaleeshwarar temple. Thousands of steps lead down to the falls. It is situated in a beautiful valley surrounded by the mountains at all sides. Enroute, the natural beauty of the valley and the vegetation-covered peaks . The location is ideal for trekking and the breeze is pleasant, the cascade of silvery water touching and brushing the innumerable herbs which are abound in Kollihills keeps everyone spell bound and fresh with its herbal qualities.
for video ofthis falls visit
kollihills click here
The wilds of Kolli Hills are known for their medical herbs and plants. The vast expanse of forests of Kolli Hills boasts varieties of rare medical plants and these are regular sources for the preparation of indigenous Indian Medicines. Major tree species are Neem,Veepaloai,Usil, Velvel, Neermathi, Tamarind, Seetha Odai, Naval, Illupai., Silver Oak etc. Lemon grass is also prominent in most of the Reserve Forest areas. Wild animals like Rabbit, Wild boar, Bear, Hare, Peacock, Jackal, Jungle cat, Monkeys and variety of birds are seen in forest.
The important sight seeing places are Telescope House (at Solakadu), Government Herbal Farm, Botanical Garden, View Points at 34,35,36 and 37 hairpin bends. Picturesque vies point at Solakkadu, at Akasa Gangai, Selur Nadu view point, Boat lake at Vasalurpatti, view point at Seekkuparai. Arappaleeswarar temple, Kolli Paavai Temple, Jain temple and ofcourse a pleasent never ending landscape crisscrossing 441 Kilo meter Kolli Hills range.
View point Pine apples
A Shiva temple in the Valappur Nadu situated on the stream Aiyaru. Its is dedicated to Arppalli Iswarar. The deity's other names are Thiru Arappalli Ashavar, Thiru Arappalli Mahadhevan and Thiru Arappalli Udaiyar, The Deity's consort is Archalai. It is a 12th century temple. Valli Amman, also known as Sucmathamba, and Thayammai. Because of the belief that Arappalli Iswarar resides in the small fish of Aiyaru, the temple has also the name of Fish temple. It is customary for the pilgrims to catch the sacred fish by hand, adorn them with gold or silver nose rings in fulfillment of vows. The Hindu legends of the temple's origin claim that the lingam in the main shrine was unearthed during the ploughing of a field. The scar on its top is supposed to have been caused by the plough.


text:
Remarks by Angel Gurría, Secretary-General of the OECD, Moscow, 18 July 2013
G20 Meeting of Labour and Employment Ministers: Labour Activation, Equity and Inclusion
(As prepared for delivery)
Minister Topilin, Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to begin by thanking the Russian Government for hosting this meeting. Never has it been more important for the G20 Labour and Employment Ministers to come together to address the challenges facing the global economy.
According to our Employment Outlook launched this week, unemployment is set to remain high in the OECD area, around 8% well into 2014, not very far from the peak reached at the depth of the crisis in 2009. But there are also growing disparities across countries; while unemployment is gradually declining in the United States, Mexico and Japan, it is increasing in the Euro area. In emerging economies, tackling low paid employment in insecure jobs with little social protection remains a key challenge.
The impact of the crisis has been extremely harsh for youth. In fact, youth unemployment has risen to alarming levels: exceeding 60% in Greece, 55% in Spain, 52% in South Africa and approaching 40% in countries like Italy. To compound things further, as countries shift their fiscal stance from stimulus to tackling unprecedented deficits, pressure on social spending continues to increase further.
Declining job prospects, rising unemployment, diminished social spending and rising inequalities - never has your role as Labour and Employment Ministers been so important to promote inclusive growth and jobs.
In the context of this session on "Labour Activation, Equity And Inclusion" I would like to share with you the OECD's assessment of the urgent need to address some key labour market challenges.
High unemployment cannot be addressed without a return to sustained growth.
Macroeconomic policies – supportive monetary policy, fiscal consolidation, and banking sector reform – remain vital. These must be complemented by a broad range of structural reforms.
Increasing competition and productivity through product market reforms and labour market reforms is essential to deliver more and better jobs. The OECD was called on by the G20 Leaders to monitor progress with structural commitments under the Framework for Strong, Sustainable and Balanced Growth. It is crucial that employment measures have a central role in this process and that you, as Labour and Employment Ministers, be closely involved.
Macroeconomic and structural policies are just two key parts of the solution to re-ignite and strengthen economic growth and job creation.
Activation strategies for stronger and more inclusive labour markets
At the same time, the OECD's background report on "Activation Strategies for Stronger and more Inclusive Labour Markets in G20 Countries", highlights the critical role of activation policies in all G20 countries to build more inclusive labour markets. This can be achieved by taking action now to help youth and the long‑term unemployed get (back) to employment quickly and to strengthen the labour market attachment of other groups that face significant employment barriers, such as women, migrants, the disabled and older workers.
The objective of these policies is to complement short-term policies to promote job creation and economic growth. But there are significant long-term gains to be achieved, which can be visible in lowered poverty and strengthened well-being, reduced economic and social inequalities and ultimately stronger, more resilient, economies and labour markets.
There is no "magic formula" for designing effective activation policies conducive to more inclusive labour markets.
Based on the wide range of experiences and good practices reviewed, there are three key areas where lessons can be learned from G20 countries in developing and implementing activation strategies:
- Poor households and recipients of welfare benefits require broad and integrated packages of support, services and incentives as well as a delivery model that can successfully bring these services to the families that need them the most. Conditional cash transfers can link benefit receipt to a broad range of integration measures and programmes to address structural and long-term poverty (Oportunidades in Mexico; Bolsa Família in Brazil). Where comprehensive social protection systems remain lacking, public work schemes (such as the case with the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee in India; the Community Work Programme in South Africa; and construction of village infrastructure in Indonesia) have an important role to play as emergency safety nets. China has several public employment projects targeted to particular groups at higher risk of poverty, such as men over 50 years old.
- In the case of measures for the long-term unemployed, the provision of paid work linked to skills acquisition and work experience offer promising outcomes; the Work Programme in the UK and Work Experience Phase in Australia are two telling examples here. Efforts in this direction need to be combined with intensive and specific case management and interventions, such as the individualised action plans and employment service centres in Japan.
- For youth, different forms of hiring incentives,such as the Youth Contract in the United Kingdom or the Zérocharges Jeunes in France and the tax incentives introduced recently in Italy, could be considered as short-run measures targeted to provide job opportunities, especially for the low‑skilled youth. Other countries have focussed more on the role of infrastructure projects as a vehichle to acquire work experience in the private sector (Jóvenes Constructores de la Comunidad in Mexico; or Programa Jóvenes con Futuro in Argentina; internships in SMEs in the Republic of Korea).
- In the medium- to longer-run, many countries need to introduce better and more attractive options for allowing youth to combine study and work experience and for encouraging their participation in vocational education and training. Useful examples in this direction are provided by the German and Australian experiences. China has also taken measures in this sense, recently.
- For school drop outs and other disconnected low‑skilled youth, intensive second-chance programmes may be needed, with US Job Corps and Employment Generation and Marketing Mission in India being two telling examples. The promotion of Youth Guarantees is also an important policy option. In the EU, countries are now encouraged to put in place measures to ensure that young people up to the age of 25 receive a good quality offer of employment, continued education, an apprenticeship or a traineeship within four months of leaving school or becoming unemployed.
- For women,opportunities to work, and to return to work after child‑related breaks need to be strengthened. In all G20 economies, a range of measures can be used to address the needs of working women, including adjustments in the tax systems, in out-of-work transfers, in childcare support and in parental-leave provisions.
- In emerging economies, basic social protection measures can assist women in accessing earnings opportunities. This is the case for example with the Child Support Grant in South Africa. The promotion of gender-equal employment opportunities can also be reflected in the regulation as has been the case with the Employment Promotion Law in China. Affordable and high quality childcare – the Rio de Janeiro public day care programme -- and parental leave policies -- Dad and Partner Day in Australia -- also play an important role in supporting female labour force participation in all G20 countries.
- Last but not least, for informal workers stuck in low-productivity, low-pay jobs, further extensions of social safety nets may be required. Action in this direction needs to be combined with financial incentives for employers to fully and transparently disclose their employees and greater efforts are to be undertaken to strenghten tax and labour inspections. In many countries, overly strict employment protection may also contribute to make employers more reluctant to formalise employment relations.
Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The need for activation policies to make labour markets more inclusive has been further reinforced by the global financial crisis. Going forward, the potential for policy dialogue and for sharing experiences are of utmost importance in the field of activation policies.
The G20 process can play a pivotal role in this context, in helping countries identify effective policies. The OECD stands ready to assist the G20 in this process.
Thank you.
Related Documents


text:
DescriptionWelcome to the King Pin Bowling Alley. Strike down the pins and show your worth! Realistic controls, believable physics and great sound makes this an alternative to the real thing!
- Move the mouse to position the ball for your throw.
- Grab the ball with your left mouse button and throw it by making a forward movement with your mouse.
- Release the mouse button to let go of the ball, and add some spin afterwards by moving the mouse sideways.


text:
"I Have a Family Here on Earth," Friend, May 2008, 14–16
Sharing Time
I Have a Family Here on Earth
The family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children ("The Family: A Proclamation to the World").
How many people are in your family? Where does your family live? What do you like doing with your family? How do you feel about your family?
In 1995, President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) introduced "The Family: A Proclamation to the World," which teaches that "the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children." Heavenly Father planned for you to come to earth and belong to a family. He knew that you needed a loving family to help you grow and learn how to return to Him someday.
Gather for family home evening and invite your family to read the proclamation. Talk about what it teaches, and choose ways that you can work together to strengthen your family. Sing this Primary song to remind you that families can be together forever.
I have a family here on earth. They are so good to me.
I want to share my life with them through all eternity.
Fam'lies can be together forever through Heav'nly Father's plan.
I always want to be with my own family,
And the Lord has shown me how I can.
The Lord has shown me how I can.
("Families Can Be Together Forever," Children's Songbook, 188).
Remove page 14 and draw or glue a photo of your family in the center. Cut out the frame on the broken lines. Glue short edges together to make a cylinder. Punch two holes in the top as shown, and tie yarn or string through them to make a loop for hanging. Cut six streamers out of paper. On each streamer, write one way you can strengthen your family. Attach the streamers to the bottom of the wind sock.
Sharing Time Ideas
(Note: All songs are from Children's Songbook unless otherwise noted; GAK = Gospel Art Picture Kit; TNGC = Teaching, No Greater Call.)
Play a simple guessing game by giving a series of clues to introduce the monthly theme on the family (see "Examples of Games," TNGC, 169). When the children have discovered the answer, write the word family on the chalkboard.
Share the story of Lehi traveling into the wilderness (see 1 Nephi 2). Invite the children to share ideas from the story that could strengthen a family, and list the ideas on the chalkboard. Sing "Book of Mormon Stories" (pp. 118–19), verse three.
Share the story of Noah (see Genesis 6–8). Invite the children to share ideas from the story that could strengthen a family. List the ideas on the chalkboard. Sing "Follow the Prophet" (pp. 110–11), verse three.
Provide copies of the family tree from Primary 3, lesson 39, p. 196. Invite the children to put names of parents and siblings in the tree and write or draw on the back of the paper ways they can strengthen their family. Bear testimony of how the scriptures teach us ways to strengthen our families.
Using simple figures of people that can be combined to make families, or using the children themselves, invite children to come forward and make a family similar to their own. Talk about how families are the same and how they are different. (This discussion should follow the teachings in the proclamation.)
Read Ephesians 6:1–4. Explain that each member of a family has a divine role. Help the children memorize these phrases from the scripture: "Children, obey your parents" and "Honour thy father and mother."
Write the words honor and obey on the chalkboard. Explain that the word honor means to show respect for our parents, and the word obey describes our actions when we show that respect. Sing verses one and two of "Quickly I'll Obey" (p. 197).
Prepare several case studies (see "Case Studies," TNGC, 161–62) to help the children apply in their lives the principles of honoring and obeying parents. Sing the phrase "quickly I'll obey" between each case study. Bear testimony of the importance of honoring and obeying parents.
For older children: Give each class a scriptural account of children honoring and obeying parents. Invite them to read the account and then briefly share the story with the rest of the Primary. (Examples: Abraham and Isaac, Naomi and Ruth, Alma and Helaman, Lehi and Nephi, Mormon and Moroni.)
Show a personal family photo or GAK 616 (Family Togetherness). Show Family Home Evening Video Supplement, 1. "Fortifying Your Family." (Because the narration in this video segment is for parents, explain to the children that the sound will be turned off, and that you would like them to watch for ways the family protected themselves from the storm and what they did to strengthen their family.)
Invite the children to share what they noticed from the video. Make a short list on the chalkboard. Compare the list with the Faith in God Award requirements in the Faith in God guidebooks, pages 4–5. Emphasize how scripture study, individual and family prayer, and family home evening can strengthen our families.
Provide a copy of the wind-sock activity on page 14 in this month's Friend. Review the instructions and gather the necessary materials to complete this activity during sharing time. Invite the children to write "scripture study," "prayer," and "family home evening" on the streamers of the wind sock.
Sing a song that reinforces scripture study, prayer, or family home evening. (Suggested songs: "Search, Ponder, and Pray" [p. 109], "Family Prayer" [p. 189], "Family Night" [p. 195], or "Families Can Be Together Forever" [p. 188].) Bear testimony of how these activities strengthen your family.
Write the weekly gospel principle on the chalkboard as shown:
The p___________ can b______ and s__________ my f_______. Sing the first line of "The Priesthood Is Restored" (p. 89). Have the children listen for a word to complete the first blank in the sentence. When the children guess correctly, write the word priesthood in the first blank. Sing the first two lines of the second verse of "Love Is Spoken Here" (pp. 190–91). Have the children listen for two words that will complete the next two blanks in the sentence. When the children guess the words blessed and strength, explain that to help the message make sense, you will need to change the words to bless and strengthen. Write them in the blanks. Sing the first line of "Families Can Be Together Forever" (p. 188). Listen for the word that completes the sentence. Write in the word family, and then read the sentence together.
Use the following pictures from the Primary 2 picture packet: 2-20, 2-27, 2-29, 2-30, 2-31, 2-32, 2-33. Give each class a pencil, a piece of paper, and a picture of a priesthood ordinance. Ask them to keep their picture a secret so they can play a guessing game. Ask each class to think of three clues that would help someone guess the priesthood ordinance shown in their picture, and write them on the paper. Invite each class to share their clues, and let the Primary guess what priesthood ordinance they are describing. As each ordinance is discovered, place the picture on the chalkboard. Invite children and teachers to share positive experiences that have blessed their lives or the lives of their family that relate to each priesthood ordinance. Bear testimony of how the priesthood blesses and strengthens families.
Song presentation: "Home" (p. 192). Gather pictures of homes, or invite children to draw pictures of homes. Display the pictures and explain that even though homes look different, they are all places that provide shelter for a family.
Teach the melody of the song by using the pictures of the homes as visual clues. Invite children to the front of the room to hold the pictures. Hum or play the first phrase of the song, and help the children discover the melody line by placing the pictures at different levels to match the melody line of the phrase. Teach one phrase at a time until the melody is learned.
Explain that this song teaches important truths about a home. Ask, "What is in a home?" Sing the first phrase to the children and have them listen for the answer ("heart"). Ask the children to touch their heart as you sing that phrase together. Next, ask them to listen for two words that describe feelings in our hearts. Sing the second phrase to the children and get their responses ("warmth" and "love"). Sing the second phrase together. Explain the meaning of the word abound. Teach the third phrase by asking the children to listen for words that describe a hug. Sing the third phrase and get responses ("warm, circling arms"). Sing the phrase together. As you sing the last phrase, hold your arms out in front of you as if you were going to hug another person, then as you sing the phrase bring your arms close to you and give yourself a hug. Sing the final phrase with the children. Sing the first verse together. Bear testimony of the blessings of a home.
Continue to ask questions that focus the children's listening, and sing to the children as you teach verses two and three.
Friend references: "Love at Home," Sept. 2004, 42–43; "Strengthen the Family," May 2000, 45; "Pie Dough to Play Dough," Nov. 2006, 38–40; "Strengthening My Family," June 2004, 36–37; "A Perfect Match," Oct. 2006, 20–22; "A Brother's Example," Dec. 2005, 8–9.


text:
Oh it's on! Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been confirmed to be in the next installment of the Batman saga currently titled "The Dark Knight Rises". Which character he will play has yet to be released but if I know my Batman trivia, which I think I do, I assume he'll be playing the role of King Tut. Google it, trust me it's funny.
Jodi Foster will step behind the camera for a new sci-fi flick that she's developing. No real details on the movie but apparently it'll have a nice warm family feel to it. So maybe something like "ET 2". The world demands it!
"The Seventh Son" has added Julianne Moore to its cast list which already includes Jeff Bridges. Moore will play the most bad ass of all witches who uses blood magic, whatever the hell that is. This is funny because I've always assumed Julianne Moore was a witch in real life because she looks exactly the same as she did 20 years ago. In days of old she would have been burned at the stake for being in her 50's and still being pretty hot.
Everyone and their mother has joined the cast of "Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters 3D" including Derek Mears who you might remember as Jason from the "Friday the 13th" remake. Fans of the "MacGruber" movie may also recognize him as "Large Henchman" which I believe got him an Oscar nomination.


text:
For this purpose, we have developed a framework, which we call The Strategic Workshop. This framework is based on our reports, and the workshops are customized to fit individual clients individual strategic challenges. The aim of the workshops is to help clients convert new knowledge into action. The workshops are a pass for a better strategic understanding of the current and future market. To help clients sell more products in less time at reduced cost. How are the workshops organised?The workshops combine analysis and practice in order to provide a complete picture of how technology, revenue models and distribution will affect your future business. The workshops convert technical lingo into plain language and help participants equip themselves for future challenges. Examples of our strategic workshops:All our workshops are tailor made to fit individuals clients' current and strategic challenges. To help you get a sense of the workshops we offer, we have described some of the workshops that have proven popular with our clients. Click on one of the workshops and read more:
Workshops developed specifically by Strand Consult
- How to deploy 5G: Best practices for infrastructure, regulation and business models- Next gen telecom policy and regulation - Workshop for leaders in the telecommunications industry- How to get success on the smartphone market- Executive workshop for Top Management and Board Members in the mobile industry- Digital Strategy for the Telecom and Media industry- How mobile operators can reduce cost for mobile masts and improve mast regulation- Next Generation Prepaid- Mobile Broadband, how to get success- How to get success in a MVNO market- The future VAS market, what does it look like, and what is the driving force - How to be successful in the future VAS market - The difference between winners and losers- Mega trends in the mobile industry, what is driving the market- New business models in the mobile industry – What do they look like, and how will they influence the industry- Convergence, how will this influence the mobile industry- Growth strategies for mobile operators- New technologies, and how they will affect the mobile industry- How to get a business case in a HxPA market- The future telecom evolution, Triple-Quadroupple play, UMA, Wimax, HSDPA- The Mobile Discount (MVNO) EvolutionSee also our classic workshops


text:
Listings in Methodist, Asian, Ice Cream/Frozen Custard/Frozen Yogurt, Buffet and Greek/Mediterranean
Wildwood Bistro
in Steak, Soups/Salads, Seafood/Fish, Sandwiches/Subs/Grinders/Hoagies, Italian, Hamburgers/Hot Dogs/Wings, Buffet, Breakfast/Brunch, American
The "Wildwood Bistro" in Branson's elegant Radisson Hotel, is a great dining experience for both guests and the public.
120 Wildwood Drive South
Branson 65616
The Wheelhouse Restaurant
in Steak, Seafood/Fish, Hamburgers/Hot Dogs/Wings, Buffet, American
The Wheelhouse offers an incredible catfish buffet and more!
3100 Green Mountain Drive
Branson 65616
Stage Door Restaurant at Welk Resort
in Steak, Pub/Bar & Grill, Pizza, Buffet, Breakfast/Brunch, American
"Stage Door Restaurant" in the beautiful Welk Resort in Branson, Missouri!
1984 State Hwy 165
Branson 65616
MoMo Sushi & Grill
in Food, Wine, & Treats, Asian
"Momo Sushi & Grill" brings a variety of interesting, authentic, and very tasty sushi selections to Branson.
120 N Sycamore St
Branson 65616
Paradise Grill & Steakhouse
Branson's choice for American Food at affordable prices.
3250 Shepherd of the Hills Expressway
Branson 65616
Greek Gyros & Deli
in Vegetarian/Vegan, Greek/Mediterranean, Food, Wine, & Treats
Greek Gyros and Deli on Main Street will satisfy your palate.
111 E Main Street
Branson 65616
Red Barn Cafe & Hen House Bakery
in Sandwiches/Subs/Grinders/Hoagies, Hamburgers/Hot Dogs/Wings, Buffet, Breakfast/Brunch, Bakery, American
The Red Barn Cafe offering a full menu, buffet, private meeting & banquet areas, catering, and bakery.
2845 W 76 Country Blvd
Branson 65616
India Clay Oven
in Vegetarian/Vegan, Buffet, Asian
Dining at "India Clay Oven" isn't just about great, authentic Indian cuisine, it's also about the hospitable service!
2005 W 76 Country Blvd
Branson 65616
Japanese Kitchen
in Asian
"Japanese Kitchen" in downtown Hollister is proof that fantastic things come in small packages!
1965 South Business 65
Hollister 65672
Hawaiian Monkey Shaved Ice & Panther Snack Hut
in Ice Cream/Frozen Custard/Frozen Yogurt
15561 Hwy 160
Forsyth 65653


text:
40 Days and 40 Nights!
Frank Yamada, president of McCormick Seminary, recently said, "Forty days often represents some weighty symbolic moment in the biblical world." I'd like to believe, that the survey results provided by Tom and Rita Walters will provide us with a symbolic moment to help us recognize that we need to wake-up to the 21st Century around us and get with it in the area of technology in Catechetics!
Figure A summarizes the results of the Spring, 2011 survey. Please look carefully at the findings. This data is real! I'm concerned that we are relying on pre-21st Century methodology with Digital Natives! I'm looking forward to your being part of this conversation.
We have been invited to offer our reflections with Tom. I am sharing my reflections with him via this blog. I am inviting you to share in this conversation so that we can share our wisdom with one another as we engage Digital Natives to be engaged in learning and sharing their faith. As I ponder the results, here are my observations. I am inviting you to share your insights and observations.
- Email appears to be the primary way for parish communications, however recent articles indicate that families are more involved with social media and other communication tools. Tools for parish registration (e.g., Flocknote) are now asking those who register to indicate what mode of communication they prefer – phone, email, texting, social media like FB and so on. Are we listening to what they tell us? Are we comfortable with the tools our students and families are comfortable with?
- Communication via a static website appears to be the norm (49.2%). Online communication is becoming more and more of a participatory nature. Our models do not necessarily encourage or allow online participation, how do we prepare ourselves to use the mostly free social communication tools to engage our membership in sharing their faith wisdom and news?
- Unfortunately classroom projectors and the Smartboard are "lumped together". A projector is a very different tool from a "Smartboard." I'm wondering – what percentage of religion classrooms are actually using a "Smartboard?" However if the projectors are LCD projectors, with the addition of Smartboards…we still have a small percentage (about 23%) of our religion classrooms beginning to use standard and normal 21st century tools. This would also indicate that few classrooms have little or no access to laptops/computers/tablets or the Internet. Those who have these tools, what are your success stories? Any problems?
- Online courses could be a major way of teaching and forming our catechetical volunteers and leaders. Instead only 17.5% responded that they have taken online courses which indicates that we still have a long way to go. The resistance to online learning experiences is often rooted in the mindset that F2F learning is superior to online learning. Research tells us otherwise, especially in support of a blended format. Are we ready to teach or learn the faith in a blended format? Do we dare explore webinars, SKYPE presenters, and more at the parish level?
- Of the social tools, Facebook stands out as a recognized tool for social communication (20%). While NOT a tool appropriate for students younger than 13, the potential of this tool is not always understood by catechetical leadership. Now with the advent of other social tools like Google+, the uniqueness of each tool needs to be understood. The minimum use of blogs, mini-blogs (e.g., Twitter) and Listservs also indicates that our audience is limited in their tech saviness. Research indicates that the unique use of Facebook, Twitter, and a Blog enhances overall communication for a product or service. In the religious marketplace, we need to learn how to utilize these tools to benefit our ministries and overall communication. Do we see the need to do this? Where are the pastoral success stories with these tools? Where is the training?
- Moodle is a course management system or a learning management system (LMS). Most of our catechetical personnel have little or no experience in integrating electronic tools into a learning process. Even free tools like "Collaborize Classroom" could be used to enhance student or catechist interaction and online conversation. However, the "technology rich environment" that is needed for these types of tools to be used in a classroom, does not exist at the parish level. If it does exist, it exists in the school setting and is often NOT shared with the religious education/catechetical group. For the Church to become a 21st Century Learning Community, we will need a radically new way to imagine how we do technology in the parish! What we are currently doing today is not bringing us into being a 21st Century Church using new media tools for evangelization and learning. We have yet to learn how to be "Digital Disciples." What do we need to do to have ministers prepared to teach and evangelize in an online community? Will all ministries (school, religious education, youth ministry, and more) have equal access to the technologies that they need at the parish level?
- Electronic textbooks are being talked about and demonstrated in various ways. Where this will go is still in the discussion stage. Will textbooks go completely electronic? Some say yes and others say no! I love my Kindle and iPad. And when I'm reading a traditional book – I love that as well. Yet, if and when our publishers create electronic e-books, will WE be ready for this next generation of learning tools? There is more to this than meets the eye!
I'd love to hear your comments and perceptions related to these statistics. What questions come to mind? What success stories are currently happening? What issues are we facing in a culture and world that uses electronic tools in a variety of ways to enhance learning? I am inviting you to enter into the conversation!
Copyright ©2011 Caroline Cerveny


text:
Commenting on the brash, presumptuous and ultra-confident demeanor of Miami football during the '80s and '90s would have been redundant even before ESPN's recent 30-for-30 film on the 'Canes. It would be utterly superfluous now. Every college fan knows [even those that weren't around at the time] that those perennial championship contending Hurricanes played their own brand of football. That approach allowed Johnson to coach his teams to a 51-9 record with two national championships. Besides the oft-commented-upon "swagger" and the relentlessly dominant winning, those Miami teams are typically remembered as fertile breeding grounds for future pro talent, explosive pass-oriented offenses, and a barely-restrained penchant for thuggish behavior.
Those traits certainly did characterize Johnson's Hurricanes, but Miami had plenty else going on as well. The aerial feats performed by quarterbacks Bernie Kosar, Vinny Testaverde and Steve Walsh [two of whom were future Pro Bowl selections] were matched by the uncontainable receiving skills of athletes like Michael Irvin, Brett Perriman and Lamar Thomas. Irvin's particular brand of unapologetic self-promotion defined his professional persona throughout his remarkable NFL career. By proxy it came to also define his alma mater's entire football program. But not every memorable and productive Hurricane from those heady years fits the stereotype of the pugnaciously self-assured NFL star-in-waiting.
Even by comparison to the rest of Miami's staggering two-decade run, Johnson's teams from 1987-89 attained an observable high watermark. The 'Canes went 34-2 over three seasons and missed out on an unprecedented national championship "three-peat" only by virtue of a controversial one-point loss at eventual 1988 AP champion Notre Dame. During that stretch the high-flying, fast-paced, offensive-minded Hurricanes scored less than twenty points only twice and averaged well over thirty. Those teams produced three consecutive NFL quarterbacks, six running backs and five receivers, but all four of Johnson's consensus all-America selections played defense. Three of them – Daniel Stubbs, Bill Hawkins and Greg Mark – were linemen.
Jimmy Johnson's emphasis on the defensive front is an overlooked aspect of his legacy at Miami, overshadowed as it was by more memorable backfield speed, offensive output and off-field antics. Johnson played defensive line at Arkansas under the great Frank Broyles, including during an 11-0 national championship campaign in 1964.While Johnson and his staff clearly possessed an eye for innate talent and enjoyed a large pool of local recruits, Miami also coached players very well — in Johnson's case, particularly defensive linemen.
Daniel Stubbs left Miami in 1987 as the school's all-time leader in both a career and single season sack totals at 39.5 and 17 respectively. Both records remain unsurpassed. To no one's surprised the 6'4" 250 lb pass-rush machine went on to a successful ten year NFL career that included Super Bowl rings with the 49ers in his rookie and sophomore years. Hawkins and Mark, on the other hand, did not enjoy such fortune as players beyond college. In four injury-hampered seasons with the Los Angeles Rams Hawkins started fewer than twenty games. A disappointing pro career contrasts markedly with the heights Hawkins attained in college, such as his 1988 18 tackle-for-loss and 7.5 sack marks in 1988. The following year Greg Mark became the unit's leader, registering an amazing 15.5 sacks en route to a national championship. Like Hawkins, Mark also failed to make an impact at the next level. His two year NFL career with the New York Giants included few highlights. By 1992 Mark was back in Coral Gable as a graduate assistant, beginning an assistant coaching career at his alma mater that was to last until 2005.
Jimmy Johnson's 'Canes: Unquestionably No. 1
Hawkins' 3.85 GPA in High School led his football team. He went on to earn a finance degree with a solid 3.4 GPA. Mark's coaching career proved his organizational and leadership abilities, and analytical skill. Neither was a brainless jock riding a broken system at a "pro factory" school that invariably passed its football through with no semblance of an education. No doubt plenty of Miami players left Coral Gables without much education [as they did every where during the 1980s], but that was not necessarily the rule and certainly wasn't for Hawkins and Mark. For lovers of the college game it should be these players that define the greatest teams of the greatest era of Hurricane football. They went to class, studied, and graduated. And both achieved the highest points of their playing lives in college playing the game as amateurs. Player of their ilk, as much as Irvin, Perriman, or Testaverde, carried Miami to victory after victory over other highly teams that looked to knock the 'Canes off their perch.
When Miami defeated Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day 1988 it marked the third consecutive season they had handed the Sooners their only loss. In meetings between college football's two most successful programs of the 1980s Miami emerged as the undisputed champion. That had a great deal to do with passing offense. In each of those three seasons Miami not only provided OU's only loss but was also the only team to hang more than twenty points on them. Through three seasons no other opponent came any closer than seventeen. Behind Testaverde and Walsh's downfield passing the 'Canes posted twenty-seven, twenty-eight and twenty points. In October 1985 Miami waltzed into Norman and stunned OU as Testaverde hit 17 of 28 passes for 270 yards and two touchdowns. The next year back in Miami he was even better, completing 21 of 28 for 261 yards and four touchdowns. In the 1988 Orange Bowl Walsh made 209 yards on 18 of 30 for two scores and one pick. All three of those Sooner defenses ranked statistically among the very best nationally. Miami emphatically showed that the days of front-loading defenses with the best athletes playing in the box to stuff the run were over. Those offensive performances left an enduring impression on football fans in general and OU fans in particular.
But just as important to those victories were the stifling performances of Jimmy Johnson's defensive lines. OU reached its great heights during the Switzer era on the strength of a seemingly unstoppable manifestation of Darrel Royal's wishbone offense. In 1985 quarterback Jamelle Holieway rushed for 861 yards on 161 attempts. In contrast he threw the ball on only 58 occasions all season, completing an unimpressive 24 for 517 yards and only 5 TDs. Passing stats hardly seemed necessary for the AP champion Sooners, however, with fullback Lydell Carr adding 883 yards on 188 carries. OU's two most proficient backs generated more than 1,600 yards rushing offense alone. That productivity continued. In 1986 Holieway rushed for 811 yards on 139 carries, supported again by Carr who made 548 on 101. Earl Johnson added 537 on 72 carries at halfback. Again Holieway's passing game was a mere afterthought, amounting to 541 yards and 4 TDS on 30 of 63 [barely five attempts per game]. In 1987 the trio of stand-out juniors ran roughshod again. Holieway made 860 yards on 142 attempts while Carr and Thompson were good for 676 and 731 yards respectively on 105 carries each. Oklahoma's prolific ground game averaged around three hundred yards per outing, except when they played Miami. The 1988 Orange Bowl was typical. Despite their second consecutive No. 1 ranking going when meeting Miami, OU once again stalled. The Sooners managed just 179 team rushing yards. Between the all-American bookends of Daniel Stubbs and Bill Hawkins the Miami line held OU's wishbone attack between the tackles all day.
While Miami's high-flying air attacks are rightly remembered as trend setting offenses that ushered in a new era of pass-first college football, the 'Canes epic threesome of contests against the other great power of the 1980s were won on defense at the line of scrimmage. Perhaps because many of the players involved in those defensive stands did not go on to legendary pro careers, the legacy of Jimmy Johnson's defensive lines are often subsumed in the image of his irrepressible offenses. That may be understandable, but it is also unfair.
Miami-OU, 1985-87
Sources: Sooner Sports, OU-Miami; Wiki, Bill Hawkins, Danny Stubbs; USA Today CFB encyclopedia; Gainesville Sun, Sept. 4th 1987; Hurricane Sports, Greg Mark; CFB data warehouse)


text:
DailyDirt: Diets That Work...?
from the urls-we-dig-up deptSome people think losing weight is simple: just eat less. But that formula isn't as easy to put into practice as it sounds. There are also various arguments that overeating is triggered by the foods we eat or by hormonal changes that are not under conscious control. Researchers are studying a variety of variables that effect weight loss/gain and associated symptoms, and here are just a few interesting links on the research for fighting fat.
- The Nutritional Science Initiative (NuSI) is an organization dedicated to improving the quality of research for nutrition and obesity. NuSI is currently looking to clarify the root causes of obesity (and related conditions), determining what makes people obese: overeating itself or hormonal/biochemical triggers that cause overeating. [url]
- Consuming seaweed enriched toast seemed to get some people to subsequently eat 179 fewer calories for the rest of the day. The seaweed was ground up and added to the bread without affecting the taste, and it apparently acts as a bulking agent in the stomach to make people feel full. [url]
- Is snacking at night worse than eating the same thing in the morning? Possibly. It might not just be what you eat, but when you eat it. [url]
- Marijuana smokers tend to eat more than 600 extra calories in a day, but for some reason, they have slimmer waists, higher levels of HDL and lower insulin levels and insulin resistance. So if you needed another reason to smoke pot, it's possibly a treatment for obesity and diabetes.... [url]
Filed Under: calories, diets, food, hdl, hunger, insulin, insulin resistance, marijuana, nusi, nutrition, obesity, seaweed, smokers, snacking