text:
Update: Congrats to Dee of
Dee's Doodles.
You are the winner tonight!!
I am looking forward to not having to rush my kids off to school every morning :-)ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to working in my garden.
Iḿ looking forward to relax, not watching the clock all the time bringing/picking up kids to and from school, music, sports, etc.ReplyDelete
Ooo nice fabric!!! I am looking forward to 8 days off work so I can sleep. And sew. And pick my veg that I hope will grow which means I hope we have some sun...ReplyDelete
I look forward to sun! Having not seen the thing since last year at the end of September, I have trouble remembering looking forward to much else. But there is open windows and doors. Stitching in the garden, walking outside without a coat on. But mostly it is just the light that I look forward too.ReplyDelete
This 'winter' - yes, southern hemisphere here! - I'm looking forward to sitting in the sun every morning in my TV lounge. Lucky me!ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward my new job... Since that I will continue sewing.
Edit from Hungary
I'm looking forward to my son's graduation and two family weddings!ReplyDelete
Uninterrupted morning sleep in and the beach.ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to hopefully spending lots of time at the seaside. I'm not looking forward to going back to work on Monday after 9 months at home with my baby girl:-(ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to a few things - my dd and her dh moving into their brand new house! My son coming home from Hawaii, a dear friend's wedding (or is it the son of a dear friend??) and running in a Color Run with my family (my birthday present!). Love the colors and prints in FLATS!ReplyDelete
I am looking forward to a trip to Ireland. Thanks for the chance to win this charm pack.ReplyDelete
Looking forward to attending my oldest Grandson's Grade 12 Graduation!ReplyDelete
thank you again sisters for this new chance ^_^
I'm looking for a new home, maybe this could be the year
I am very much looking forward to more time to relax and sew, the only thing that could stop me sewing is a bit of lovely warm sunshine, which would be great!ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to slowing down, and not rushing around after the kids all the timeReplyDelete
I am looking forward to not having to get up at 5:00 a.m. for early morning seminary.ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to some downtime! Thanks, Corrie!ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to better weather, sunshine and hot days with a lot of icecream!
This summer will hopefully give me time to catch up with loads of things I've prosponed, like new wallpaper, finishing a lot of quilts, spending value time with the kids (it seems to me that the days just blow away ...)
Last but not least - I will rest!
Corrie, I am looking forward to 8 weeks of sleeping in, creating and not having to have to go to work.ReplyDelete
I love going to the lake. That is what I am looking forward to along with more me time.ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to family get togethers with my far away family.ReplyDelete
I am looking forward to having meals outside and pool time! AnaReplyDelete
Spending time with my adult kids and their significant others at camp...relaxing and catching up!ReplyDelete
I am looking forward to swimming in my pool!
Thanks for the giveaway!
Well, after that nasty alarm clock waking me up this morning, I am looking forward to sleeping in a little bit more! :) Thanks for the giveaway!!ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to sipping tea and quilting on my deck after a morning of golfing and tending to my vegetable garden... can't get any better than that... can it?ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to the better rush hour traffic! :> Thanks for the chance to win!ReplyDelete
I love the peacefulness of my drive to work without school buses in the summer. Ahhhhh...ReplyDelete
It is winter here so I am looking forward to snuggling under quilts, getting my knitting out and learning crochet!
I love winter for all the crafts I can do, puddings I can make and soups and stew I can cook!!!
I am so looking forward to spending time with my son since he's out of school! These Flats look fun!ReplyDelete
Looking forward to no school :) Thanks for the chance to win!
I'm looking forward to moving into our home at the lake. Thanks for sharing!ReplyDelete
Good morning girls!! This summer I just want some beautiful weather...it has rained enough...lol thanks for the giveawayReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to purposeful time with my family and time to tackle some of the clutter that has built up, especially in my sewing room!ReplyDelete
Besides the possibly obvious of spending more time with my children, I'm looking forward to being on our own schedule.ReplyDelete
I am looking forward to a little vacation time in massachusetts this summer. Thanks for the chance to win - I love Flats!!!ReplyDelete
Fireflies! I saw the first one last night!ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to sewing on my deck! thanks for the chance!ReplyDelete
Oh I love summer, hanging out with my kids all day and going to the pool! When I pick up my oldest from school we're heading straight there!ReplyDelete
Very much looking forward to my grown kids coming home to see our new home. We've been here two months now, and they haven't been able to come for a visit yet. Just seems wrong not to have them part of it any more!ReplyDelete
I am looking forward to our vacation this year!ReplyDelete
I look forward to a lot of sewing thanks for the giveawayReplyDelete
I am looking forward to keeping my 6 yr old busy!ReplyDelete
Hopefully spending time at the lake this summer.ReplyDelete
Lots of quilting this summer!ReplyDelete
The pool!ReplyDelete
Looking forward to just being a mom...not a mom and a teacher for the boys! LOL They've already been to the pool and the sunny weather always makes me happy!ReplyDelete
A visit with family in Virginia next month.
Visiting my family in South Dakota !ReplyDelete
My 10 year college reunion next weekend!ReplyDelete
Time with my hubby and little girls at the pool & outside.ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to the baby I'm expecting, but not looking forward to being pregnant in nasty heat like it will be here in Boston for the next 4 days.ReplyDelete
Taking a trip with my hubby. We have not had a vacation in years, so this will be a time to get away for some R&R.ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to vacation with my hubby in July.ReplyDelete
Summer brings so many good things, watermelon, fireflies, 4th of July fireworks and splashing in the garden hose... but the best part of summer... NO ALARM CLOCK!ReplyDelete
Celebrating the granddaughter's 1st birthday! Thanks!ReplyDelete
Looking forward to being with my kids at the beach.ReplyDelete
Looking forward to camping in Yosemite with my husband, daughters and granddaughter who is just 15 months old. We will probably be removing leaves and rocks from her mouth the whole time.ReplyDelete
Looking forward to camping and s'mores :)ReplyDelete
Those are great all around fabrics! I am looking forward to long summer nights outside.ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to my daughter being off of school. Thanks so much for the chance to win!ReplyDelete
Spending time building onto our new house and visiting my Dad.ReplyDelete
Vacation at the Beach! Yeah! Thanks!ReplyDelete
Several days in Island Park, just chillin'. Thanks Corrie. So fun to Des yesterday (and you)! :)ReplyDelete
I've been waiting for these for a looonnngg time!! I'm looking forward to sitting by the lake knitting and doing some hand sewing. Pure bliss!ReplyDelete
Moving into our new home! Going to yellowstone, and Disneyland!ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to moving to a new town and getting my craft/sewing room set up in a much more organized way.ReplyDelete
Never saw a Moda that I didn't love, especially this one! I am looking forward to lazy mornings on the porch, under the ceiling fans, coffee and hand quilting and sharing time with my faithful golden retriever. Perfection.
Thank you for this opportunity.
Looking forward to camping with the family and celebrating my parents 40th anniversary.ReplyDelete
I am looking forward to nice weather happy hours with white wine.ReplyDelete
These fabrics are great! I am looking forward to our week at the beach, just being lazy and hanging by the water!ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to summer softball, making quilts, fishing in Montana and having my son home from college. K-ReplyDelete
Such cute fabric! Looking forward to quilt show in Chicago, family for July 4th and finishing some projects.ReplyDelete
I am looking forward to using our new camper with our little tykes! Lots of memories to be made! and also squeezing in the occasional quilt project of course. Want to do some EPP for the first time as it will travel well. Thanks for the chance at the adorable giveaway!
Oh for goodness sakes, isn't that clever to have the fabric dolls printed and ready for assembling? I loved my paper dolls when I was young. Summer means bicycling, boating, gardening, and as always, sewing. :)ReplyDelete
I am looking forward to a family reunion in MN. Thanks for the giveaway.ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to spending some fun time with my daughter this summer. She is an art teacher and lives about 3 1/2 hours away. So while she has summer vacation, She'll come home for a week or so.
Love the paper dolls! Thanks for the giveaway!
I am looking forward to starting up again on the City Sampler QAL. I got 7 blocks done and then more projects got in the way.ReplyDelete
I am looking forward to spending time at the pool with my baby!ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to Wild Olive's Summer Stitching Club!! I'm also looking forward to doing some sock knitting and quilting. Thank you for the opportunity to win!ReplyDelete
phase 1 on kitchen remodel finished, not being pregnant anymore and birth of our first boy!ReplyDelete
Sunshine and warm days.ReplyDelete
Looking forward to lots of time relaxing outdoors this summer!
jgrov @ juno
Lots of time outside by the baby pool.ReplyDelete
Looking forward to my parents' visit and taking them camping in Yosemite with the kids!ReplyDelete
Diminishing my WIP piles :)ReplyDelete
Just moved my sewing room to a smaller space and am looking forward to getting back to sewing again and using up some of my stash.ReplyDelete
I am looking forward to going to Mexico this summer!!ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to actually SEEING summer this year. It seems like I get so busy with work and indoor projects that I'm always disappointed when autumn arrives and I haven't taken the opportunity to enjoy summer.ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to some "me time" this summer. I want to become better at machine piecing and quilting. I also want to lose weight, catch up on my reading, and organize my cluttered sewing area.ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to getting more sleep... :)ReplyDelete
total cuteness, oh my how fun is this fabric line!? I am looking forward to letting my kids sleep in this summer!ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to vacation!ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to moving into our brand new home! Yay!ReplyDelete
I am looking forward to getting my quilt room back. Had to pack up everything in order to put my house up for sale. Can't wait for August when I'll move into new home and set up the ol' quilt lab again.ReplyDelete
I am looking forward to warm weather, being outside, and MORE SEWING.ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to spending some quality time with my family. I live on Vancouver Island and they live in Vancouver, so will be having a reunion sometime in August. Love this new fabric line, especially the dolls and their clothes.ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to fresh tomatoes from the garden! Thanks for the chance to win.ReplyDelete
Taking the Grandbabies to the Beach and visiting FamilyReplyDelete
Looking forward to having my sister come visit.ReplyDelete
I look forward to BBQ's, summer festivals, and just being able to spend more time outside without a coat.ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward moving into our new home.ReplyDelete
I am looking forward to go to the beach.
I'm looking forward to seeing some old friends, and just having some down time without being in a rush. I thought being retired was supposed to be relaxing?ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to driving down to Austin, Texas with my daughter and getting her settled into her new apartment in preparation for grad school. My how time flies!ReplyDelete
I am looking forward to a trip to Utah for a family reunion! Let me know if you want/need some "Punctuation". I have a layer cake, jelly roll and some fat quarters!ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to warmer temperatures, swimming at the local outdoor pool, and barbequeing! I'm also really excited to go visit my best friend, who lives 8 hours away.ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to paddleboarding around our lake once the water warms up a bit!ReplyDelete
I am looking forward to selling my house and moving. The selling yes, the moving not so much. I have been sorting and arranging my fabric to pack. thanks, kathyReplyDelete
I am looking forward to some nice sunny weather. We have had nothing but a lot of rain lately.ReplyDelete
Wearing shorts! :DReplyDelete
Looking forward to taking some time off work & visiting family. Thanks.ReplyDelete
I am really looking forward to spending some outside time with the family! :)ReplyDelete
I am looking forward to doing some weekend camping and day trips to the lake, parades and fun.
I am looking forward to some family reunions! thank you!ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to homemade ice cream on the porch! Thanks for the chance to win!
laura _ piland (at) hotmail (dot) com
Looking forward to spending more time with our lil' Grandgirlie, now school is out!!! Yippeeeeee! :)ReplyDelete
I`m looking forward to be with my sisters.we spend one week together with our husband and kids and that week is just fabulous!!.ThanksReplyDelete
This summer I am looking forward to turning down the a/c for cooler temps indoors, and the chance to do some quilting. Thanks for the chance to win some Flats too so perhaps can be sewing with those charms too.ReplyDelete
We just moved, so this summer I`m looking forward to unpacking and being able to sew again! This fabric line is just precious!ReplyDelete
We live at a summer camp so that is exciting.ReplyDelete
I wish for a little bit of sunshine and warm temperatures.ReplyDelete
My in-laws are visiting from Panama for a month during the summer and it is always exciting when the kids get to spend time with their abuelos. Thanks! wonderlandbyalyce at gmail dot comReplyDelete
My husband just retired, so we're looking forward to taking the Goldwing out for a spin.ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to some days of sweet relax :)ReplyDelete
I am sooo looking forward to going to the Beach!ReplyDelete
The little men moving to the summer house. But it will be quiet and lonely while they are gone.ReplyDelete
I am looking forward to going to our state quilt show about 3 hours away. Otherwise, just local trips.ReplyDelete
I am looking to it getting warmer. I'm in SW Iowa and we had snow on May 1st!!
paweis at yahoo dot com
Looking forward to warm sunny days and cool nights. Ha!ReplyDelete
With summer comes time to travel. This summer we are visiting my oldest daughter and her family but don't have to travel very far. She will be about 50 miles away at a competition with her family for nearly a week. I have not seen her since last summer so I am very excited.The rest of the summer will be mostly indoors, quilting and avoiding the heat here in Florida.I have many projects planned, including a start on Christmas and several "quilts for kids"ReplyDelete
I am looking forward to pool time.
Thanks for the giveaway.
I'm looking forward to time to myself to do some sewing! This would be a great thing to start with! Just gorgeous! Please sign me up for the drawing!ReplyDelete
Im in Australia and we are coming up to winter :/ im looking forward to camping at the beach with my family for a week!!
Jessica email@example.com
My baby being born.ReplyDelete
Being able to cycle, hike and run more.ReplyDelete
more daylight.ReplyDelete
Being outside after a looooong winter.ReplyDelete
Hopefully a lot of outdoor time. Linda GerigReplyDelete
Finally getting settled into my new home and having a chance to sew and sew and sew. Plus a little gardening thrown in.ReplyDelete
I am so looking forward to the beach! Edisto here we come!
I am looking forward to playing outside in the sun with my sun!ReplyDelete
I am looking forward to the beach and having my girls home from school!ReplyDelete
I am looking forward to laying in the pool and teaching my great grandchildren to swimReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to hopefully getting pregnant this summer! We just got married and are on the baby wagon now!ReplyDelete
looking forward to getting my home business up and running!ReplyDelete
Helping my son on some projects on the house he bought this spring.ReplyDelete
Looking forward to some nice HOT weather!ReplyDelete
I am looking forward to working on some quilts for Christmas giving.ReplyDelete
I am looking forward to doing more sewing this summer and in going to Boston to see my family.ReplyDelete
Time at the pool with my boys!ReplyDelete
Well, I am retired so I hope to just keep on sewing. This is really cute fabric. Thank you for sharing..ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to nice weather!ReplyDelete
I am looking forward to celebrating my hubby's and my 30th wedding anniversary.
senstrings at yahoo dot com
Can't wait for swimming!ReplyDelete
Learning to free motion quilt. ThanksReplyDelete
I am a teacher and I am looking forward to no alarm clock, sewing, and reading whatever I want ; )ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to us all having a trip to the small local zoo with our 1 yr old Granddaughter. I can't wait to see how she acts because she gets so excited about everything.ReplyDelete
I am looking forward to playing outside with my little girl!ReplyDelete
I'm looking forward to swimming all summer!ReplyDelete
New comments are not allowed.


text:
Urging the Supreme Court to act on the pair of gay marriage cases it has heard in the past two days, President Barack Obama on Wednesday said that it is "consistent with our Constitution to recognize same-sex couples."
"I think it is time for the justices to examine this issue," Obama said in an interview with Telemundo.
NBC's Pete Williams reports on the latest from inside the Supreme Court hearing on the Defense of Marriage Act.
The court heard oral arguments Tuesday and Wednesday about the constitutionality of California's Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriages in the state, and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which grants federal benefits only to married heterosexual couples.
In the Proposition 8 case, some of the justices appeared reluctant to make a sweeping ruling about the constitutionality of gay marriage. But the majority of justices appeared to indicate at the arguments Wednesday that they are prepared to strike down DOMA's limitation of federal benefits to heterosexual couples.
In the interview, Obama reiterated that the federal government should recognize the unions of couples in states that allow gay marriage.
"I certainly believe that those states that have made a decision to recognize these couples as being married, that the federal government has to respect that decision by the states," he said. "That's traditionally been how it works. States have defined marriage and the federal government has followed the lead of the states."
Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
George Washington University students and hundreds of others rally outside the Supreme Court during oral arguments in a case challenging the Defense of Marriage Act March 27, 2013 in Washington, DC.
"I think not only is it right and fair but also consistent with our Constitution to recognize same-sex couples," added Obama, a former professor of constitutional law. "It doesn't mean everybody has to agree from a religious standpoint about this issue. It does mean that it is very important for us to remember that we're a nation where everybody is supposed to be equal before the law."
The administration has long argued that DOMA is unconstitutional on the basis that it discriminates against same-sex couples by depriving them of federal benefits even if they are legally married.
In arguments before the court today, Solicitor General Donald Verrilli said that, if DOMA is struck down on those grounds, it would be "difficult" to defend any state's ban on gay marriage.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Posts tagged 'Lean Six Sigma'
How to Achieve Operational Excellence
Part 1 of 2: Understanding Operational Excellence
Operational Excellence is the foundation of business growth, profitability and competitive advantage. An organization can only begin to forge new growth strategies and business models after it has developed a mature capacity for managing its current business operations effectively and efficiently in the course of meeting the needs of its customers/stakeholders as no one can grow a profitable business on an unsecured foundation.
Based on the criteria of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, Operational Excellence must be demonstrated by results, not just by words. About half of the 1,000 points associated with the Baldrige award are results focused. In order to maximize the degree to which these 450 points are attained, an organization must show sustained improvement over time, in all areas of importance, against 'best in class' organizations.
Operational Excellence is therefore demonstrated by results that reflect sustained improvement over time, improvement in all areas of importance (both performance areas and segments within each area), and performance at a level that is at, or superior to, 'best in class' organizations. Common areas of importance for a cost center are safety, quality, people, and cost. Profit centers add the revenue generation performance, processes, and information and technology areas to this mix. Common segments within each performance area include employee groups, facilities, departments, and external customer types. Organizations today are seeking to be operationally excellent for three key reasons: costs, customers, and competitors. They are continuously seeking the best ways to achieve operational excellence (lower costs, improve flexibility and speed to market, quality and reliability, and customer/stakeholder satisfaction and value. By effectively analyzing and managing operations, organizations can produce the right products with the right features at the right cost.
Part 2 of 2: Achieving Operational Excellence, to be continued…
Question: Does your organization have Operational Excellence initiatives in place?
Lean Manufacturing: Eliminating the 8 Hidden Wastes – Part 8 of 8. The E in DOWNTIME
Excess processing is doing anything more than the minimum required to transform material into an acceptable product. It is effort that adds no value to the service or product from the customer's viewpoint. After all, it is the customer, either internal or external, that needs to be satisfied. Clarifying customer requirements and changing the manufacturing or service orders causes different costs. If caught too late, this leads to re-work or even the rejection of shipped goods. This includes processing beyond customer values or taking extra steps that are not required. Whatever the cause, the result is predictable: wasted money, time, effort and resources. The only option is to closely examine the processes and correct them without sacrificing quality.
LOOK FOR poor process control, lack of standards, lack of or poor communication, overdesigned equipment, undefined true requirements, human error, redundant approval or inspection, non-standard business processes, re-entering data, just-in-case logic, "Not Invented Here and / or "Not My Job" syndromes, lack of teamwork or lack of adequate training.
REDUCE BY using Lean tools such as Value Added Flow Charts, Statistical Process Control (SPC), 5-Why Analysis, A3 Reports and Total Productive Maintenance.
The Value-Added Flow Chart is a tool to improve cycle times and productivity by visually separating value-adding from non-value-adding activities. Value Added Flow Charts give teams vision into where processes are creating value and where potential improvement efforts should be targeted. The charts are effective at showing current state and improvements resulting from projects. Teams can understand the value of process steps and identify waste in various forms. This tool is the cornerstone of any process improvement toolbox.
Statistical Process Control (SPC) is based on the analysis of data and requires, like any program, support from the top, and a great deal of coordination. If done successfully SPC can greatly improve a process's ability to be controlled and analyzed during process improvement projects. The process will be most effective if senior managers make it part of their daily routine to review charts and make comments. Some practitioners share initial charts when they review them to provide visual support. Charts that are posted on the floor make the best working tools-they are visible to operators, and are accessible to problem-solving teams. While the initial resource cost of SPC can be substantial, the ROI gained from the information and knowledge the tool creates proves to be a successful activity time and time again.
The 5-Why Analysis method is used to move past symptoms and understand the true root cause of a problem. It is said that only by asking "Why?" five times successively can you delve into a problem deeply enough to understand the ultimate root cause. By the time you get to the 4th or 5th why, you will likely be looking squarely at management practices. This methodology is closely related to the Cause and Effect (Fishbone) diagram and can be used to complement the analysis necessary to complete a Cause and Effect diagram. 5-Why analysis is more than just an iterative process or a simple question asking activity. The purpose behind a 5-why analysis is to get the right people in the room to discuss all of the possible root causes of a given defect in a process. Many times teams will stop once a reason for a defect has been identified. These conclusions often do not get to the root cause. A disciplined 5-why approach will push teams to think outside the box and reach a root cause where the team can actually make a positive difference in the problem instead of merely treating symptoms.
A3 Reports are one page reports used for documenting the necessary information needed for progress reporting and decision making. They simplify project reporting because they pull from otherwise numerous and detailed progress reports and extensive background analysis. A3 reports condense the information to a single page and visually communicate to the reader using graphs, charts and succinct bullet points. Also referred to as "1 pagers", the A3 report got its name from Toyota Motor Company and refers to the metric paper size that the report is produced on (equivalent to a paper size of 11 inches by 17 inches). This report can be characterized as a Lean tool best suited for solving relatively short duration Kaizen improvement activities. An A3 Report is comparable to today's computerized "dashboard".
Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) was developed in the 1970's as a method of involving machine operators in the preventive maintenance of their machines. This was a reaction to increasing specialization and centralization of the maintenance function that had crated division of labor barriers between operators and the maintenance of their machines and equipment. TPM involves both the operators and maintenance crews working together to improve the overall operation of the equipment. The operators are around the equipment all of the time and should be the first to identify noisy or vibrating motors, squeaky fan belts or chains and oil and air leaks. Operators need to understand the basic standards for their equipment and check it closely and routinely to assure it meets those standards. As soon as a minor defect in operation is identified, maintenance needs to be notified. Catching problems early and fixing them is the key to preventing catastrophic failure or complete shutdown of expensive equipment. Equipment reliability is a cornerstone of a lean manufacturing system. With little or no buffer inventories, equipment failures directly impact production volumes and customer service; therefore, effective preventive maintenance is a critical activity. By bringing together people from all areas concerned with equipment into a comprehensive PM system, overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) is raised to the highest possible level. This requires the support and cooperation of everyone from top management on down.
How much profit is your company losing due to non-value added processing activities?
Watch for upcoming articles on Lean Manufacturing and the remaining Hidden Wastes of DOWNTIME…
Lean Manufacturing: Eliminating the 8 Hidden Wastes – Part 7 of 8. The M in DOWNTIME
Motion waste is the unnecessary movement of people, product or equipment that adds no value to a process. Workers walk back and forth from the work area to supply, around unneeded equipment or perform redundant motions that can be eliminated to speed up a process. This can be one of the most frustrating wastes for workers and management. The lost time and production rob most processes of opportunities to function efficiently and make the employees work harder. While most processes are not designed to have motion wastes in them, it is one of the first wastes to creep in and cause disruption.
LOOK FOR excessive walking, moving or handling.
REDUCE BY developing and then examining a spaghetti diagram and Current State and Future State Value Stream Map (VSM) of every process to fully understand operator, equipment or material movement. Implement a Standard Work Practices program and develop an Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) record.
A Spaghetti diagram is a simple visual tool to demonstrate the flow of material, flow of information, and flow of money in a process, and is used to expose waste AND opportunity. The word "spaghetti" is descriptive because it describes flow that is not easily understood, cannot easily be followed, or if the flow is literally all over the place. It represents a point of departure, that is, what does the current state look like and what are the exact improvements needed to be made. Put another way, a spaghetti diagram is a visual representation of how bad things really are. Sometimes, through, poor thinking and poor choices, they are not just representations of how things are, but they can be representations of what we have created; sometimes we turn our processes into spaghetti diagrams. Remember, the spaghetti diagram process is not just completing a diagram but using it to fuel decisions that will improve the workplace. Ensure that operators are involved in the activity. In the results, look for large distances and repetitive movements; consider why they are made and what can be done to improve. Optimizing the workplace can only be carried out when its weak points are known.
Value Stream Mapping (VSM) is documenting an overhead view of a process that looks all the way from the finished product back through a process to the raw materials or request for action (information) which is where most processes start. VSM can help to clearly understand and communicate all of the steps in a process and also allows you to identify those hidden wastes that exist within a process. From the raw materials storage to delivery of a finished product or service, materials flow throughout a process and are handled many people and machines. Information also flows all the way from initial request for a product or service through to the customer reception of the product or service. Historically, most flow charting or mapping processes did not include this crucial element called information flow. VSM not only includes information flow, but also shows how it is intertwined with material flow, machines and manpower.
Standardized Work Practices allow process steps to be decomposed and optimized into simple easy to follow steps that any operator can easily perform. Standardized practices allow operators and workers to perform tasks the same way each time by combining and using all resources effectively such as time, technology, tools on shadow boards and raw materials. By breaking down any process into clearly defined tasks, one can achieve consistency and increase throughput and OEE. These standard tasks or sequence of tasks should be well measured and documented into Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and simpler tasks or standards developed into one point lessons, which form the basis for training new operators in performing a task and as a performance and quality measurement tool.
Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) is a method of measuring productivity performance. More specifically, it is a statistical metric to determine how efficiently a machine is running. The four bits of information required to calculate OEE are total staff time and the machine's efficiency, quality and availability. The result is the value that a machine contributes to the production process. OEE is a globally recognized best practice measure to systematically improve processes for higher efficiencies and better productivity, ultimately leading to lower manufacturing costs and higher profitability. It is frequently used as a key metric in a Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) program.
Are Motion Wastes walking away with your customer's and your company's profits?
Watch for upcoming articles on Lean Manufacturing and the remaining Hidden Wastes of DOWNTIME…
Lean Manufacturing: Eliminating the 8 Hidden Wastes – Part 6 of 8. The I in DOWNTIME
Inventory waste is any material in excess of the one piece required for the next step in the process and can be found in any of three states-raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods. Unless the product is being worked on and having value added to it, or it is on its way to the customer, it is inventory. Excess inventories hide many unwanted conditions. Excessive inventory may cover up quality problems like rework and defects, manpower and/or production scheduling problems, excessive lead times and supplier or vendor problems. It is very expensive to carry excessive inventory which requires capital to be tied up in interest payments. Excessive inventory reduces ROI on manpower and raw materials.
LOOK FOR inventory held "just-in-case" problems arise, or unreliable shipments from suppliers or for excessive service capability or excessive inventories with less than 12 turns per year. Also look for large lot production, unreliable forecasts, poor scheduling, poor market forecasts, unbalanced workloads, poor communications and management decision issues any of which result in increased labor, fuel, space and/or maintenance costs and material aging and risk of obsolescence.
REDUCE BY implementing Just-In-Time (JIT) movement of materials, Single Piece Flow, kanbans, 5S, and cellular layouts.
Just-in-time manufacturing is a strategy used to reduce costs by reducing the in-process inventory level. It is driven by a series of signals that tell the production line to make the next piece for the product and when it is needed. The signals used are usually simple visual signals, such as the absence or presence of a piece that is needed in the manufacturing process. In just-in-time manufacturing, reorder levels for certain inventory items are set and new stock is ordered only when those levels are reached. There is no overstocking of parts or items, which saves on space in the warehouse. This manufacturing strategy can lead to improvements in quality and efficiency. It also can lead to higher profits and a larger return on the company's investment. Although this specific manufacturing strategy was created by the Toyota company in Japan during the 1970s, previous businesses used manufacturing processes that were based on similar concepts. One of the first was created by Henry Ford, whose automobile company bought materials only for its immediate needs in the manufacturing process. Ford bought only the amount of material that was needed in the production plan and planned the transportations of materials so that the flow of the product would be smooth. This created a rapid turnover and decreased the amount of money that was tied up in raw materials.
The Single Piece Flow technique allows us to make only the quantity needed to fill the hole to be "pulled" by the next operation downstream from their operation. This keeps the work-in-progress to a minimum and is usually managed with a good kanban system. Often movement of batches are minimized to the smallest number efficiently handled and eventually further reduced to Single Piece Flow.
Kanban is a scheduling system that uses signals to help determine what to produce, when to produce it, and how much to produce. It is not an inventory control system. It works from upstream to downstream in the production process (i.e., starting with the customer order). At each step, only as many parts are withdrawn as necessary, ensuring that only what is ordered is made. The necessary part in a given process step always accompanies the signal to ensure visual control. The upstream processes only produce what has been withdrawn. This includes only producing items in the sequence in which the signals are received, and only producing the number indicated. Only the products that are 100% defect free continue on through the production line. In this way, each step uncovers and then corrects the defects that are found, before any more can be produced. The number of signals should be decreased over time. Minimizing the total number of signals is the best way to uncover areas of needed improvement. By constantly reducing the total number of signals, continuous improvement is facilitated by concurrently reducing the overall level of stock in production.
The 5S system is a workplace organization method that greatly improves the efficiency and management of an operational area while improving morale and saving time. The five S's stand for Sort, Set-in-order, Shine, Standardize and Sustain. 5S is often the first step in applying Lean techniques. It helps to get all of the "junk", including materials, out of the work area and then set procedures to keep it that way.
In Cellular Layouts, production work stations and equipment are arranged in a sequence that supports a smooth flow of materials and components through the production process with minimal transport or delay. Implementation of this lean method often represents the first major shift in production activity, and it is the key enabler of increased production velocity and flexibility, as well as the reduction of capital requirements.
Are excess inventories tying up your cash, creating financial inflexibility and costing your company money?
Watch for upcoming articles on Lean Manufacturing and the remaining Hidden Wastes of DOWNTIME…
Lean Manufacturing: Eliminating the 8 Hidden Wastes – Part 5 of 8. The T in DOWNTIME
Transportation waste occurs when people, product, equipment or information are moved more often or further than needed. During multi-step processes, materials and people are moved from process to process that are separated by distance and/or time. Instead of processes being sequential or positioned next to each other, they are far apart and require forklifts, conveyors or other moving devices to be re-positioned for the next step in a process. All of these movements add no value to the process or product.
LOOK FOR the movement of people, materials or information that does not add value to a process.
REDUCE BY minimizing the physical distances the materials, equipment and/or manpower travel with zoning, cellular layouts, value stream mapping, and sequencing.
Zoning is a technique of identifying the boundaries of a particular work center. Everything has a marked home and there is no excess work-in-process storage. When Just-in-Time (JIT) is fully implemented, equipment and personnel are optimized in new layouts. Techniques like frontal loading, retrieval and ergonomically correct work centers are implemented. Place supply and removal paths at least 1 meter away from the back of workers and make the paths at least 2 meters wide to reduce potential accidents. Some organizations establish parts "super markets" to locate materials near to where they will be needed and operators will "pull" materials into their work center, versus having work "pushed" to them.
A Cellular Layout should provide all of the equipment, tools, work instructions and materials to accomplish a single task or group of related tasks. It does not matter if the cell shape is a T, I, L, U or V, although the U is the most common. The best shape is the one that produces the most efficient productivity in a safe manner. Most people are right handed, so the most ergonomically correct flow of parts or objects in a cellular layout is counter-clock wise. Arrange production cells to minimize the stretching and reaching for parts, supplies or tools and to accomplish tasks. Place the height of the work surface based on the type of work to be done and the weight of the materials to be moved. Observe and talk to workers doing the task before determining the final layout.
Value Stream Mapping (VSM) is documenting an overhead view of a process that looks all the way from the finished product back through a process to the raw materials or request for action (information) which is where most processes start. VSM can help to clearly understand and communicate all of the steps in a process and also allows you to identify those hidden wastes that exist within a process. From the raw materials storage to delivery of a finished product or service, materials flow throughout a process and are handled many people and machines. Information also flows all the way from initial request for a product or service through to the customer reception of the product or service. Historically, most flow charting or mapping processes did not include this crucial element called information flow. VSM not only includes information flow, but also shows how it is intertwined with the flow of materials, machines and manpower.
Sequencing is a JIT technique which was revolutionized the Toyota Production System in which they scheduled their automobile manufacturing for mixed model production. Their implementation of Lean techniques allows them to effectively produce the correct model of automobile with variations needed to meet the changing customer demands. Similar models that require different parts are scheduled for production with the right parts delivered to the production line just-in-time. These techniques can be applied to any production line that produces similar items and knows the frequency of their customer demands. There is no need to tell customers that they have to wait until you complete a long production run of one type of product before you can produce a similar one. Operations that are process-focused versus function-focused, with smaller machines and well trained operators are usually flexible enough to use sequencing. In today's market, customers do not want to wait for their product while your competition is producing goods when the customer wants it.
Is transportation waste creating bottlenecks and roadblocks that are hindering the financial success of your customers and your company?
Watch for upcoming articles on Lean Manufacturing and the remaining Hidden Wastes of DOWNTIME…
Lean Manufacturing: Eliminating the 8 Hidden Wastes – Part 4 of 8. The N in DOWNTIME
Non-utilized resources waste is sometimes referred to as an additional waste. It is not one of Taiichi Ohno's original seven forms of muda identified in the Toyota Production System, but its potential to drain value from processes is tremendous. Waste from non-utilized resources typically refers to a failure to utilize the full potential of people in a team or organization, but it can also refer to the failure to use any sort of resource effectively, whether the resource is tangible or intangible, human or non-human. Tangible resources that are not used to their full potential are obvious forms of waste in the supply chain. Assets are associated with measurable costs that can be calculated to determine the specific results from underutilized assets or even assets that lie dormant for extended times. Intangible resources are sometimes harder to measure but can be equally costly. The waste of human resources can also take multiple forms. It can be costly to fail to utilize the full creativity and talent of people throughout the team or organization. When creative ideas and solutions remain untapped, the opportunity cost – the benefits that are foregone as a result – can be virtually impossible to measure. The wasted potential for improvement results when people doing the work are not involved and consulted for ideas on improving the methods and processes of the work.
LOOK FOR old guard thinking, politics and business culture, and no or low investment in training.
REDUCE BY eliminating worker's "check your brain at the door mentality". Tap into and embrace the thoughts, ideas and intelligence of the persons performing the work, and require that level of involvement as part of the daily business culture. Implement balanced scorecards for measuring performance and create a visual workplace. Brainstorming sessions, idea gathering techniques, team work, training, and clear leadership are required to begin to involve all employees in the company's drive towards perfection; for continuous improvement to succeed there must be welcomed involvement by each and every employee. Encourage people to take ownership of their areas, processes and products to promote a sense of pride and involvement. Employees must always be considered the company's biggest asset and leadership should respect them, nurture them, and involve them in the business. Those companies that do so will create a competitive advantage and reap the rewards.
A Balanced Scorecard (BSC) is a strategic management tool that measures how well the business activities are aligned with the organization's strategic vision. It balances financial results with non-financial performance metrics. The novelty of the Balanced Scorecard is the addition of non-financial metrics. It is also a management system, not just a measurement tool, in that it helps to clarify vision and to translate strategy into activity.
A Visual Workplace is not about buckets and brooms or about posters, signs, and lines on the floor. It is a compelling operational imperative, central to the war on waste, vastly reduced lead times, and an accelerated flow of material, people, and information in and through the workplace. Visuality is first and foremost a language; the language of the company's operational approach, optimized through visual devices and systems. This language translates vital information into visual displays as close to the point of use as possible, thereby making it possible to recognize the pattern of work without speaking a word. A visual workplace is populated by the many visual devices invented by a workforce that knows how to think visually. Visual thinking is a person's ability to recognize motion and the information deficits that trigger it, and, then, to eliminate both through solutions that are visual. One of the main by-products of effectively implemented visual workplace is the emergence of a new core competency – employees who know how to think visually, and a workforce of visual thinkers is the way to true visual management in any company.
Is your company leadership reaping the maximum rewards of sustained financial success by harnessing the intelligence, skills and experience of all employees?
Watch for upcoming articles on Lean Manufacturing and the remaining Hidden Wastes of DOWNTIME…
Lean Manufacturing: Eliminating the 8 Hidden Wastes – Part 3 of 8. The W in DOWNTIME
Waiting wastes come from people, processes or partially finished goods sitting idle while waiting for instructions, information or raw materials. Poor scheduling, poor vendor support or communications and inaccurate inventories cause processes and people to come to a halt and cost valuable time and profit.
LOOK FOR idle people or machines waiting on the preceding or following operation, materials, schedules or information.
REDUCE BY Line Balancing (schedule balancing) workloads and using a Cycle Time/Takt Time Bar Chart for process synchronization.
Line Balancing is simply leveling the cycle time for all operations within a line or process. It is building the cycle time concept into the standardized operations of a production line for maximum efficiency. Line balancing smoothes work tasks and operator motions to create a harmonious and uninterrupted flow of product through the process steps. Workers learn to identify those processes that are out of balance with others and how to bring them back into line. While most companies assign the duties of measuring and improving production lines to process engineers, there ARE things that a team of line personnel can measure and examine for improvement opportunities. These people handle the process daily and understand the impact that balanced flow has on through-put, lead time to the customer and inventory levels, all of which play a very important role in the financial success of the organization.
Cycle time is the time that elapses from the beginning to the end of a process. It is the sum of all value-added processing time AND the all non-value added time.
Takt Time is an expression of your customer demand normalized and leveled over the time you choose to produce. It is not, and never has been, a pure customer demand signal. Customers do not order the same quantity every day. They do not stop ordering during your breaks, or when your shift is over. What Takt Time does do, however, is make customer demand appear level across your working day.
Using chart paper and a stop watch, record the time for each process or operation and the time for all steps or sub-processes. Record the minimum and maximum time for each step as it is completed by more than one operator.
This information can be used two ways. The first is to identify the number of workers and the duties each should accomplish to meet the changing demands of the customers. This information can be used to balance a production line for different levels of production and keep everyone informed. Another way this information can be used is to develop a Takt Time/ Cycle Time Bar Chart. Identification of the maximum and minimum individual process times within an operation points out the variation between the ways different operators complete their duties. Improvement teams can work on developing better SOPs and continued operator education to reduce this variation.
The average cycle time for each operation within a larger overall process needs to be shorter than the customer's demand time or Takt Time. Analyze lengthy operations to see if there are small incremental sub-processes that can be moved to the operations with a shorter cycle time to help balance the line. Very few production lines will ever be 100% balanced. The goal should be a maximum variance of approximately 10%.
What are your customers and the improvement of your company's bottom line Waiting for?
Watch for upcoming articles on Lean Manufacturing and the remaining Hidden Wastes of DOWNTIME…
Lean Manufacturing: Eliminating the 8 Hidden Wastes – Part 2 of 8. The O in DOWNTIME
Many manufacturers believe in the traditional long runs of equipment because it is supposed to be more efficient to run a big batch versus running several shorter batches that include change-overs. Long runs require large inventories. Large inventories tie up large sums of money and keep our customers waiting longer. Thus, long runs reduce our ROI! Manufacturers that are leading their industries have found that when change-over times are drastically reduced and simplified, they can change-over more often and please more customers.
Over-Production waste occurs when we manufacture, assemble, or build more than what is needed. We make something just-in-case instead of Just-In-Time (JIT). Inaccurate scheduling, long lead times, long changeovers and not being close enough to our customers to understand their changing needs, leads us to longer production runs. We worry that our customer might need more while we have to suffer with the associated cost of unsold goods or services.
LOOK FOR processes producing more than is being "pulled" by the customer and requires storage between processes.
REDUCE BY improving Change-over and Set-up times and Line Balancing (Balancing Production Lines).
Quick Change-over and Set-up times on smaller and more flexible equipment make it easier to please many customers while reducing the overall cost of holding large quantities of inventory that is waiting for production opportunities. Drastically reduce change-over times requires an in-depth 2 step analysis and documentation of the process. The first step is to identify and move as many of the now internal ("power off") activities to external ("power on") activities. This first improvement step cost almost nothing to change, but are sometimes the hardest to implement because of years of old habits and resistance to change. The next step is to reduce the time required to perform the remaining internal activities. A valuable resource available on the subject is A Revolution in Manufacturing: The SMED System by Shigeo Shingo. His referral to SMED stands for Single Minute Exchange of Dies, and he believes the target for all change-overs should be 9 minutes or less. If you put together a cross-functional team from maintenance, operations, quality assurance and the tooling department (if it is separate from maintenance), the results can be amazing. These people have many ideas on how to improve change-overs and reduce the time required. They need to be empowered to suggest, plan and implement these improvements.
Line Balancing is simply leveling the cycle time for all operations within a line or process. It is building the cycle time concept into the standardized operations of a production line for maximum efficiency. Line balancing smooths work tasks and operator motions to create a harmonious and uninterrupted flow of product through the process steps. Workers learn to identify those processes that are out of balance with others and how to bring them back into line. While most companies assign the duties of measuring and improving production lines to process engineers, there ARE things that a team of line personnel can measure and examine for improvement opportunities. These people handle the process daily and understand the impact that balanced flow has on through-put, lead time to the customer and inventory levels, all of which play a very important role in the financial success of the organization.
What financial impact is Over-production having on your organization?
Watch for upcoming articles on Lean Manufacturing and the remaining Hidden Wastes of DOWNTIME…
Lean Manufacturing: Eliminating the 8 Hidden Wastes – Part 1 of 8. The D in DOWNTIME
Some waste exists in every system. From manufacturing and assembly, to hospitality, healthcare, transportation, and social services, some waste is hidden within all processes. Identifying and eliminating these hidden wastes saves millions of dollars every year for those organizations that have embraced and continuously use Lean assessments. These wastes fall into eight basic categories: Defects and rework, Over-production, Waiting, Non-utilized resources, Transportation, Inventory, Motion, and Excess processing. As listed here, the 8 wastes are most easily remembered using the acronym "DOWNTIME".
Defect and rework waste happens when we do not have robust preventive systems that include Mistake Proofing, or Poka-Yoke, techniques. When we cause a defect or an error and pass it on to the next operation, or worse, pass it on to the customer, we are accepting rework as part of the process. We lose money when something is manufactured, assembled or serviced twice, while our customer will only pay us once for the goods or service.
LOOK FOR defective, partial or un-completed products or services and completed units that are re-worked or thrown away. Stacks and piles of items anywhere in the process are good indicators of waste.
REDUCE BY improving Visual Controls and initiating more complete Standard Operation Procedures. Implement Mistake Proofing or Poka-Yokes at the source or the place in the process where errors occur.
Visual Controls can help employees monitor the status of production or services at a glance and help to identify developing bottlenecks that will need to be cleared to keep operations running smoothly. Managers can keep employees at all levels informed of current production schedules, performance levels and accomplishments with large colorful Visual Controls. Worker assignments, qualifications, training levels and suggestions can be displayed to improve morale and give recognition using Visual Controls.
Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) must be simple, user friendly and helpful tools, not unnecessary burdens. Inputs from all areas of the organization need to be formed together to supply all of the information required for doing the job correctly the first time. The ultimate goal of an SOP is to document the best way to perform a job for your situation of materials, equipment, location and people. The SOP should be written specifically for your situation. This will assure that you really are doing the work in the best way – at least until the next improvement come along.
Mistake Proofing, or Poka-Yoke, is the method of applying techniques to eliminate the possibility of errors occurring. Poka-yoke (poh-kah yoh-keh) or more literally avoiding (yokeru) inadvertent errors (poka) was coined in Japan during the 1960s by Shigeo Shingo, a pioneer of the Toyota Production System. Ideally, poka-yokes ensure that proper conditions exist before actually executing a process step, preventing defects from occurring in the first place. Where this is not possible, poka-yokes perform a detective function, eliminating defects in the process as early as possible. Workers, engineers and managers work together to establish procedures and design devices to prevent errors from occurring at their source of origin. The most economical and least costly time and place to detect and prevent errors is at the start of the process.
Can a substandard product or service be produced or performed and passed on to the next step in your processes?
Watch for upcoming articles on Lean Manufacturing and the remaining Hidden Wastes of DOWNTIME…
How to Achieve Operational Excellence: Part 2 of 2 – Achieving Operational Excellence
In order to achieve operational excellence in this global economy, organizations need to change their perspectives on how to manage their core competencies; they must change from a focus on maintaining the status quo, to one that is continuously searching for better and rational ways for managing those core competencies. Organizations must continuously look for new and rational ways (strategies, capabilities, methodologies, and solutions) to enable the continuous effective and efficient management (optimization, transformation, and sustainment) and leverage their business' core competencies to meet the needs of customers and /or stakeholders.
They will need to: (a) develop a mature capability for accurately identifying customer's/stakeholder's needs, (b) define those processes and metrics that employees will have to follow and measure to meet those needs, (c) develop employees capabilities to carry out those well defined processes that meets the needs of its customers/stakeholders, (d) fuel those business processes with timely, accurate, measurable and relevant information/data/metrics, and (e) support them with the right information technology for their effective and efficient performance.
Question: Are your Operational Excellence initiatives aligned with your organization's core competencies?


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The Dominican Republic's Southeast
The Santo Domingo valley stretches east from the capital along the Caribbean coast all the way to the Mona Passage, the body of water separating the Dominican Republic from Puerto Rico, encompassing vast tracts of sugar cane along the way, once practically the nation's sole source of hard currency. North of these fields roll the verdant high hills of the Cordillera Oriental – really a final spur of the Cordillera Central – which themselves terminate at the bowl-shaped swamp basin of Parque Nacional Los Haitises. This sizeable region is the Dominican Republic's southeast, known primarily for its popular Punta Cana resort zone, a 45km strip of idyllic, uninterrupted sand lined with all-inclusive hotels that are far less expensive than what you'll find around most of the Caribbean. While these beaches may be a bit remote for extensive day-tripping and countryside exploration, they do make perfect spots for utterly relaxing holidays. And the upgrading of the region's roads – which has seen much of the coastal highway widened, and the start of a new highway through to Punta Cana – means that the whole area is becoming ever more accessible.
Continue reading to find out more about...
Aside from the large resort area, the southeast is fairly poor, rural and somewhat bereft of must-see sights – with the notable exception of the two national parks that help frame the region. One of these, Parque Nacional del Este, protruding into the Caribbean at the southeastern tip of the Dominican Republic, more or less continues the theme of great beachfront, especially along the remarkable nature reserve on Isla Saona. Nearby, you can visit three cave systems – Peñon Gordo, Del Puente, José and Padre Nuestro – though the extensive Taino rock art that these caves hold is mostly off-limits to tourists. Not far to the west, the pretty seaside village Bayahibe, the latest centre of all-inclusive construction, is the best base from which to visit the park's various points of interest. At the northwestern edge of the region, the mangrove swamps of Parque Nacional Los Haitises, on the Bahía de Samaná, hide several Taino caves visited on boat trips organized from towns both in the southeast and on the Samaná Peninsula.
La Romana and San Pedro de Macorís, which lie on Highway 3 between Santo Domingo and Parque Nacional del Este, serve as urban exceptions to the backwater feel of much of the region. These two mid-sized towns, which both flourished during the glory era of the sugar industry, have enjoyed contrasting fortunes in recent years. La Romana has grown into a relaxing and prosperous place, having benefited quite a bit from Gulf & Western's investment in local industry and capitalizing on some resort build-up – notably in the vast Casa de Campo complex just east of town. San Pedro, on the other hand, is still struggling economically despite its widespread reputation for turning out numerous baseball professionals – such as home-run king Sammy Sosa – from its poverty-stricken slums.
Brief history
It's not entirely surprising that the southeast, save for a few choice spots, seems slightly left behind – at least when its rocky history is considered. Shortly after arriving in Santo Domingo, governor Nicolás de Ovando waged a particularly brutal campaign of Taino extermination in these parts, and the newly cleared land was quickly settled in 1502 by explorers Ponce de León and Juan Esquivel, who established sugar estates and cattle ranches in the area, while at the same time setting up slave-capturing outposts in Puerto Rico and Jamaica. The one notable relic of the era is Casa Ponce de León, the fortified keep of the famous conquistador near the village of Boca de Yuma. In the late sixteenth century, though, the area was abandoned and became home to roaming herds of wild cattle left by the Spanish estates. When the devastaciones forcibly moved north-coast settlers into Monte Plata and Bayaguana in 1605, the colonists resorted to hunting the cattle for their livelihood, setting up tanneries and ranches to export leather and beef via Santo Domingo. The rancher ethos is still very present, particularly during the many fiestas patronales, which feature long processions of cowboys and livestock parading through the countryside and city streets. This ranching system promoted a less egalitarian economic system than the prosperous family farms of the Cibao Valley, and during the chaotic nineteenth century the Southeast produced most of the caudillos – political strongmen who imposed their will on the country by force of arms – who recruited private armies and battled each other for supremacy.
Even as the caudillos fought for national power, their economic clout at home was being undermined by the burgeoning sugar industry. In the 1860s, Cuban financiers, who had fled a revolution in which their plantations had been burned and their slaves freed, began large-scale sugar production in the eastern Santo Domingo valley; sugar quickly became the country's principal commodity. Former fishing villages San Pedro de Macorís and La Romana were built up into bustling port cities during the Dance of Millions, when American corporations pushed the Cubans out and prices increased tenfold due to World War I, though the global depression of the 1930s wiped out much of the region's prosperity. The revival, spurred on by the construction of the many lavish all-inclusives along the eastern coast, did not really take hold until fairly recently as more and more of the glorious pristine coastline is gobbled up by large-scale tourist developments.
Top image © cieniu1/Shutterstock
The southeast
- San Pedro de Macoríschevron_right
- La Romanachevron_right
- Bayahibechevron_right
- Parque Nacional del Estechevron_right
- Boca de Yumachevron_right
- Higüeychevron_right
- Punta Cana, Bávaro and aroundchevron_right
- Laguna Limónchevron_right
- Micheschevron_right
- El Seibochevron_right
- Sabana de la Marchevron_right
- Parque Nacional Los Haitiseschevron_right
- Cueva Funfún chevron_right
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Biology and Marine Biology at UAS
The Biology and Marine Biology degree programs at the University of Alaska are delivered by top-notch faculty actively involved in a wide range of disciplines including marine ecology, marine mammalogy, phycology, comparative physiology, neurobiology, population genetics and conservation biology. They maintain active research programs that allow undergraduate students to participate in unique hands on learning opportunities.
The location of the university in the Tongass National Forest provides students with a natural laboratory that includes extensive marine habitat, rainforest, wetlands, and ice fields -- all within walking distance of the classrooms. A small student-to-professor ratio ensures a more personal approach to learning than is possible at larger universities.
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Monday, 6 June 2011
It's OK to be Takei!
39 comments:
- DEZMOND said...
I wonder what did Sulu change into :)
And there's something really rotten in the state of Tennessee!
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- CorvusCorax12 said...
i guess they figure if you don't say it , it doesn't exist.
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- The Episcopagan said...
I'll leave it to the Gay and Lesbian community to fight it with humour. Personally, I am angry beyond words.
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- Suzie said...
I've been reading about it, and it made me heartsick. Just when you think that awareness and acceptance are moving forward, some primordial slime (an insult to decent primordial slimes everywhere .I'm sorry) rises up to try and stuff everyone back into the closet, where, as every child knows, the Night Monsters hide, waiting to grab them in their sleep!
Are teachers going to make their little students, who have two Mommies, or two Daddys, feel like the old circus "odditites"? I truly like to think that not all Tennesseans have been breathing too much swamp gas. .I'm sure that not everyone fits the stereotypical mold that comes to mind when one thinks of Tennessee. . .
On second thought though, I'd love to adopt their attitude. If I eliminate the words "Cancer" and "Dementia" from my vocabulary, then they don't exist, and my darling Hubs is well!! Consider it done!
I like this! What else do we want to rid the world of? Bigotry? Homophobia? Poverty? Abuse? Tyranny? This is SO easy! Why didn't anyone think of this before?
I love George's video! So clever, and funny! And how generous of him to lend his name as a solution!
- Monday, June 06, 2011
another case of head in the sand,
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- mxtodis123 said...
Just goes to show you. Society will always find a scapegoat.
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- Unknown said...
Ya know..having lived in the south for a bit..and knowing the issues there..even this surprises me..seriously..how stupid is that! REALLY!!!?? Don't say the words? Like in this day and age the kids are not all over their phones and internet and don't know anything about folks being gay...really?? Ignorant adults it seems..they neee an Iphone already..geesh!
HUGE WHOOT for George..way to defuse stupid with wonderful!!
Wonderful post hon!
Hugs, Sarah
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- turquoisemoon said...
Great post!!! Humor has a way of helping people get over their silly prejudices
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- Auntie sezzzzzz... said...
Creative thinking. LOL.
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- Anne Huskey-Lockard said...
I am totally ASHAMED to say my people are originally from the state of Tennessee. This is without a doubt the MOST ASININE and HATE MONGERING of laws (and I use the term *law* loosely, because I always thought of law as just and proper...).
I never thought I would live to see the day when Americans became, or reverted to, such petty, fearful, ignorant individuals BY CHOICE.
And no, it isn't going to make anything disappear~~there is still the internet, TV, music.....unless, of course, Tennessee plans to ban all that too.
And it wouldn't surprise me....
P.S. ♥LUV♥ George Takei!!!
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- Dreaming of Jeanie said...
Oh, how I love that man! I'm ordering my t-shirt.
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- Wendy said...
Fantastic! Takei, I mean. Not that stupid law. Having taught sex ed to 6th graders, I can promise you, not being allowed to talk about it will just make them want to learn about it more. Way to shoot your homophobic self in the foot, Tennessee!
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- jaz@octoberfarm said...
i love george. i listen to him on howard stern all the time!
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- laughingwolf said...
tennessee, being in the 'bible belt', who's surprised? GRRRRRRRR
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- Lois said...
Every time I start to think that the U.S. is kinda like Canada something like this comes to my attention and I just am boggled. So Freaking Boggled. And heartsick.
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- Laeli said...
That is just nuts!
And scary too. Yikes..
I love George,so so much:)
That man is a class act.
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- Mercurio said...
And if you don't mention the name is like they don't exist? what a shame, kids need information about things (people in this case) they will face while growing up. If they are not told about LGBTQ people then they are gonna freak out when they discover that they exist and then they could make them feel like weird people.
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- Laura said...
what planet do these people live on??? (pardon the star trek pun) But seriously????? If we stop saying "right wing nut job" maybe they will beam up to their alternate universe and it will officially be "takei to simply be humans loving humans living peaceful as our lives unfold with kindness, compassion, sanity and righteous humor! UNBELIEVABLE!!!!
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- ensouling said...
::Mental note:: So in Tennessee I'm now Takei? Got it!
I love George T. soooo much. He's brilliant.
And I wish I could say I was shocked, but I spent part of my life tracking bashing statistics in a conservative state. So I'm not shocked.
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- Wendy said...
Someday (hopefully really soon) people will realize how absurd, ignorant and dangerous it is to not acknowledge the LGBTQ community and the laws surrounding them the same way "most" of us shake our heads that slavery happened...In the meantime, I'm so glad that humour is being used as a rallying cry for all...Always loved "Takei" :)
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- fromsophiesview said...
Once again, more ignorance....!
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- karen said...
This is ridiculous...who are these idiots making these laws...let's heckle 'em. American government gets dumber by the day.
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- Kathy said...
I can't imagine these discriminatory laws passing constitutional scrutiny but crazier things have happened of late. My son seriously would like to move to Canada or somewhere not so anti-gay.
OTOH, Takei rocks!!
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- Unknown said...
Way to go George Takei! I am still shocked, which I shouldn't be, by the political responses and laws to LGBT families. How is a child os same-sex parents or with same-sex family supposed to talk about his/her family, openly, with the teacher if the teacher isn't even allowed to mention "your moms" or "your dads". What a horrible thing for these children.
Thank you for shining some light on this very scary law.
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- The Traveler said...
Is there nothing that Star Trek humor can't help? While stupid can't be cured at least it can be mocked, and mocked well. I really hope that saner people prevail and that law does not go into effect.
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- BugginWord said...
I love George so hard.
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- Tricky Nag said...
Takei is awesome. And only today did I learn that I've been saying his name wrong (long i at the end). I'll never get it wrong again.
As for those in the south...there's actually too much to even say....
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- Helmuth W. Kump said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- Dancing With Fey said...
I love that guy!!!
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- Miss Robyn said...
totally off subject... but we call them Beanies.. that hat on my head in my photo :)
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- JACKIESUE said...
I heart taki.
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- Jim said...
Way to go, Sulu!
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- Chris 'Frog Queen' Davis said...
When I saw that video I fell in love with that man all over again. I think he is one of the coolest people on the planet!!
- Monday, June 06, 2011
- SUZY8-TRACK said...
I'm loving the Star Trek humor! That really cracked me up!
- Tuesday, June 07, 2011
- Sarah said...
For inquisitive youth, this ridiculous enforced censorship will hopefully end up fueling their curiousity even more and make them demand explanations of their teachers, thereby doing the exact opposite of what the &*%#@ lawmakers want.
- Tuesday, June 07, 2011
- Elena said...
Fear breeds stupidity. Idiots.
- Wednesday, June 08, 2011
- Frostbite and Sunburn said...
You might want to google a story this week about St Joseph's Catholic School in Ontario banning "Rainbows" - whatever next?!
- Friday, June 10, 2011
- Cameron said...
I adore Takei! And I am blessed to actually know the artist who DESIGNED the flippin' logo for "Its OK to be Takei!" Really, not kidding! However, they requested that a)their name not be given publicly, and b)that they receive no payment for the logo, everything to go to activism. (and no...its NOT me.) That, folks, it how ya do it! Thanks for spreading the word on She Who Seeks! Let us be activists, and let us make a difference, each of us, one at a time! 3 cheers for Takei!
- Saturday, June 11, 2011
- Unknown said...
Is that really a serious law? OMG it's worse than Victorian England.
- Saturday, June 11, 2011


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Remember this post? I was hoping to have some good news to share, but it doesn't look like that will be the case. We went to put in an offer on house #1, but just as we were about to do so we found out that the house had just gone under contract. Bummer. Then we had a little glimpse of hope, because the house across the street which was identical was also for sale, but overpriced. In the end we couldn't come to an agreement on the price so no new home :(
Thanks for all of your great advice on which house to pick. It was great to get your feedback.


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At least some content in this article is derived from information featured in Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery. Spoilers will be present within the article.
Chieftainess Elfrida Clagg (1612 - 1687) was a British witch and the Chieftainess of the Wizards' Council either in the fourteenth[5] or seventeenth century.[1] Either way, she was Burdock Muldoon's immediate successor of the post.[5]
Early life
It is debated whether Clagg was born in 1612 or about one or two centuries earlier. She presumably attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in her youth, like so many other witches.
As Chieftainess of the Wizards' Council
Clagg was Burdock Muldoon's successor on the post of Chief of the Wizards' Council. Madame Clagg attempted to redefine the classification of Beings and Beasts by declaring that all those magical creatures that could speak the human tongue were Beings. However, this once more caused problems with the beings meeting as the Trolls were again classified as Beings and destroyed the meeting chamber, Jarveys were in attendance and tore as many Council members' ankles as they could, and the Centaurs boycotted the meeting as the Merpeople were not invited. A large delegation of ghosts also attended, but left in disgust of what they later called "the Council's unashamed emphasis on the needs of the living as opposed to the wishes of the dead".[5]
Also, due to the declining numbers of Golden Snidgets, Clagg made them a protected species, and outlawed both their hunting, and their use in Quidditch matches.[6]
"Elfrida" is from the Old English name Ælfþryð meaning "elf strength" from the element ælf combined with þryð "strength". Ælfþryð was a 10th-century queen of England. This name was rare after the Norman conquest, but it was revived in the 19th century.
- Quidditch Through the Ages
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
- Wizard of the Month
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) (Appears on a Famous Wizard Card)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game) (Appears on a Famous Wizard Card)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game) (Appears on a Famous Wizard Card)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game) (Exploding Snap Famous Wizards Card)
- Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery (Mentioned only)
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Wizard of the Month
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Pottermore: Timeline.
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 J. K. Rowling's official site
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - What is a Beast?
- ↑ Quidditch Through the Ages, Chapter 4 (The Arrival of the Golden Snitch)


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Donation Made to Process Technology Program
by Iowa Central Information
Posted on 6/19/2014
Several valves and valve components were donated by the Wolseley Industrial Group via local company Ferguson Enterprises Inc. to Iowa Central's Process Technology Program. Randy Howard, Regional Sales Manager, and Dave Weiss, Ferguson Branch Manager, were on campus Tuesday, June 10, to visit with Process Technology Instructor, Shadd Scharf, about the donation and the Process Technology Program. These valves will provide valuable hands-on experience for our students as they will be integrated into the valve dissection curricula in the Introduction to Process Technology program. They will be used in different ways to illustrate the system valve placement and set up.
"I want to thank Ferguson Plumb Supply Company for this donation; having actual valves for the students to work with makes it a better learning experience", said Shadd Scharf, Iowa Central's Process Technology instructor. To find our more information on our Process Technology Program, visit www.iowacentral.edu/industrial_technology/process_technology/index.asp


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2011 National Conference - Session 9 (R.C. Sproul)
from Alex Chediak Mar 25, 2011 Category: EventsHumans in all cultures have an affinity for clothing and a sense that nakedness is shameful. We see this, for example, in the behavior of Noah's sons (Shem and Japheth) who covered their father's nakedness while not looking upon him. Adam and Eve, when they sinned, had to be clothed by God himself in this first act of redemption. One of the indications of our culture's decadence is the lack of shame in nakedness (i.e., the prevalence of fornication, even among some regular church attendees). Keep Reading
2011 Ligonier National Conference - Session 7 (Steven Lawson)
from Alex Chediak Mar 25, 2011 Category: EventsThis address from Pastor Steve Lawson was entitled Worshiping the Triune God. Worship in heaven is worship at its best. Pleasing God, not others, is what matters in worship. But there is a new way in worship in our day—one that seeks to please the unconverted person, to be cool, not transcendent and reverent. The preacher, likewise, is be trendy, not weighty, and more therapeutic than theological worship, however, should be a foretaste of heaven. Let's take a look at the worship of heaven in Revelation 4. Keep Reading
2011 Ligonier National Conference - Session 2 (Steven Lawson)
from Alex Chediak Mar 24, 2011 Category: EventsSUMMARY In every era of history, the holiness of God has been under assault. Satan is the original antagonist against God. The principle attack of Satan against the holiness of God is aimed at impugning and assaulting the character of His being and His word. Keep Reading
2010 Ligonier National Conference - R.C. Sproul (II)
from Alex Chediak Jun 19, 2010 Category: EventsDr. R.C. Sproul brought the conference to a close with a message entitled Can We Enjoy Heaven Knowing of Loved Ones in Hell? To address this topic, Dr. Sproul read from Revelation 21:1-8 and also from Romans 8:19-30. Keep Reading
2010 Ligonier National Conference - Burk Parsons
from Alex Chediak Jun 19, 2010 Category: EventsReverend Burk Parsons serves as associate minister at Saint Andrew's in Sanford, Fla., and he is editor of Tabletalk. He holds the Master of Divinity degree from Reformed Theological Seminary, where he is also completing his Doctor of Ministry degree. He speaks regularly at various conferences and schools in the United States and abroad and has contributed to various books and journals. He is author of the forthcoming booklet Why Do We Have Creeds? (P&R, 2010), and he is editor of the books Assured by God and John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine & Doxology. Mr. Parsons brought a message entitled Is Calvinism Good For the Church? Keep Reading
2010 Ligonier National Conference - Derek Thomas
from Alex Chediak Jun 18, 2010 Category: EventsDr. Derek W.H. Thomas is the John Richards Professor of Practical and Systematic Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Miss. He is also the minister of teaching at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson and editorial director for The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. Among Dr. Thomas' many books are Praying the Saviour's Way, Mining for Wisdom, and Calvin's Teaching on Job. Dr. Thomas addressed the question How Do We Know Which Interpretation is Right? Keep Reading
2010 Ligonier National Conference - R.C. Sproul Jr.
from Alex Chediak Jun 18, 2010 Category: EventsDr. R.C. Sproul Jr. is the founder of the Highlands Study Center in Mendota, Va., which seeks to help Christians live more simple, separate, and deliberate lives to the glory of God and for the building of His kingdom. Dr. Sproul travels extensively as a conference speaker and has written several books including Tearing Down Strongholds, When You Rise Up, Bound for Glory, Biblical Economics, and Believing God. Dr. Sproul Jr. message took up the question Why Do Christians still sin? And Why Do I still sin? He took his text from Romans 7:14-25. Keep Reading
2010 Ligonier National Conference - R.C. Sproul
from Alex Chediak Jun 18, 2010 Category: EventsDr. R.C. Sproul is recognized throughout the church for his articulate and winsome proclamation of the holiness of God and other essential doctrines of the Christian faith. As the founder and president of Ligonier Ministries, his teaching can be heard worldwide on the program Renewing Your Mind, which is available on 230 radio outlets in the United States and in fifty countries worldwide. Dr. Sproul also serves as the senior minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew's in Sanford, Fla., and has authored over sixty books including The Holiness of God, The Truth of the Cross, Truths We Confess, and The Lightlings. This morning Dr. Sproul addressed the conference on the two age-old questions: What is evil? and What is its origin? Keep Reading
2010 Ligonier National Conference - John MacArthur (II)
from Alex Chediak Jun 17, 2010 Category: EventsJohn MacArthur brought a second message this evening. This one was entitled Does the Doctrine of the Divine Decrees Eliminate Human Will? He took us through several passages (Isaiah 10, John 3, Acts 1-2, and Romans 9-11) which richly display that the Bible teaches the compatibility (or the concurrence) of God's sovereignty and human will. In addition, we must embrace evangelical duty: Our obligation to present Christ to everyone. Keep Reading
2010 Ligonier National Conference - Michael Horton
from Alex Chediak Jun 17, 2010 Category: EventsDr. Michael Horton is J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary California, and he co-hosts White Horse Inn, a nationally syndicated radio talk-show that explores issues revolving around Reformation theology in American Christianity. Dr. Horton is a minister in the United Reformed Churches of North America and is an accomplished writer whose many books include Christless Christianity and Introducing Covenant Theology. Keep Reading


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A federal grand jury has indicted three men who worked at Camp Pendleton on charges they stole millions in medical equipment destined for combat troops around the world and resold it, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
All three appeared in federal court in San Diego Thursday and pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy and theft of government property, court documents show. The defendants are Henry Bonilla, 25, of Pomona; Richard Navarro, 39, of Fallbrook; and Michael Tuisee, 34, of Oceanside.
The three worked in warehouses of the 1st Medical Logistics Company at the Camp Pendleton Marine base, prosecutors said in a news release. The unit maintains and ships out medical equipment needed by troops.
The indictment said that in 2012 the trio stole more than $3 million in medical equipment, then resold it to medical equipment resellers. The government said the men used their own cars to haul the goods away and often struck deals with the resellers in parking lots and other locations across Southern California.
It could not be determined what type of material was stolen. The news release described the warehouses where the men worked as containing "sophisticated, expensive" medical equipment.
Lawyers for Bonilla and Navarro did not respond to messages left late Thursday afternoon at their offices for comment on the case. It could not be determined who Tuisee's lawyer is.
The three were released in lieu of posting $10,000 bond.
The indictment may signal the start of a broader probe. In a news release, U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy said the charges stem from an "ongoing investigation into the theft of valuable property" at the base. She said anyone with information can contact the Naval Criminal Investigative Service at (800) 264-6485.