text: Effectively Managing Base Pay: Strategies for Success By Robert J. Greene, Ph.D., SPHR, CCP, CBP, GRP 1/21/2010 Base pay is the largest component of the total compensation package for most employees (exceptions being direct sales personnel and top executives in organizations that utilize variable pay and equity plans heavily). Wages/salaries represent the largest cost item for many organizations and failing to manage them effectively is a sure ticket to poor organizational performance. Base pay is the foundation for total compensation, since it establishes the standard of living for employees. It also serves as the primary indication of the value the organization places on the role an employee plays and on the contributions the employee makes. For this reason the subject elicits great emotion and is often the source of conflict between the employee and the organization. It is therefore critical that base pay rates are viewed by both the organization and by employees as being: Internally equitable. Externally competitive. Affordable/cost effective. Legal/defensible. Understandable. Appropriate for the organization. Appropriate for the workforce. There are three primary approaches to determining pay. The first, merit pay, is based on the role an employee plays in the organization and how well they perform that role (aka, a "pay the job" approach). The second, person-based pay, is based on what the employee brings to the organization, in the form of knowledge, skills, abilities and behaviors (aka, a "pay the person" approach). The last, results-based pay, typically is not delivered in the form of base pay, but rather utilizes variable pay programs to reward results. This paper will focus on the first two approaches. The literature in the compensation field seems to be on a continual search for the holy grail, the one quick fix that will address the challenges of paying people in a manner that elicits their best and that attracts and retains the best people. This quest is of course futile and the answer to "what is best" is "what fits." What fits the organization (or portion of the organization), what fits the employees (or category of employees) and what is both effective and affordable may be "all of the above." Therefore the compensation practitioner must understand all the approaches, assess the context and fit the program to that context. Merit Pay For decades the principal approach to administering base pay has been merit pay, at least in the U.S. This approach bases an employee's pay rate on the value of the job/role held, the degree to which the employee has mastered that job/role and how well the employee has performed over time. The value of the job/role is determined by both its relative internal value and its external (market) value. The value determines the range of base pay opportunity for incumbents. Where an employee's pay rate falls within that pay range depends on their mastery and their performance. Merit pay has proclaimed dead and/or impossible to administer well repeatedly during its reign. But 90+% of the Malcolm Baldridge Award winners still use it as their primary tool for eliciting and rewarding performance, so it is hard to take this pessimistic view seriously. On the other hand, merit pay is devilishly difficult to get right and organizations continue to evolve their programs attempting to increase its effectiveness. Research has shown again and again that pay for performance can positively impact performance, but it must be seen as being tied to performance. Expectancy theory predicts that people will perform better if they believe they are able to achieve what is desired, are allowed to do what it will take, if they want to achieve it, and, of course, that they know what "it" is. Appropriate staffing, development, performance management and rewards strategies can address all these prerequisites. One of the failures most often encountered in firms that believe their merit pay programs are not successful is the lack of a strong, consistent connection between performance and rewards. That is where a sound merit pay program can help. By clearly communicating performance criteria and standards in advance, providing continuous feedback on results and making rewards clearly contingent on performance the organization provides the stimulus for high levels of effort and the focus for applying that effort to the organization's objectives. Many merit pay programs are underpowered. By failing to provide an adequate budget for performance-based adjustments the potential impact of the program is diluted. If an organization with a 4% salary increase budget adjusts its salary structure by 3% and then passes that on to every employee, it is left with only 1% to differentiate between the highest and lowest levels of performance. On top of this, many fall into the trap of "giving increases for performance" rather than "paying for performance." There is a difference. If someone is paid at or near the top of their range they are well (15-20%) above the market rate… and if their performance is at a "meets expectations" level they are already adequately paid. Therefore an increase is not justified. Then why do 99+% of employees typically get an increase every year? Because no one has clearly articulated that if an employee is already at or above the pay level warranted by performance that no entitlement to an increase exists. Since employees feel the organization has always given them an increase, often with little explanation, it seems reasonable they expect this will continue. Exhibit 1 illustrates the concept of paying for performance. The underlying philosophy is that increases will be based both on performance and on the position of the current pay rate in the established pay range. The largest increases go to employees low in the range who perform at high levels; the smallest (or no) increases to those high in the range who perform at low levels. If this philosophy is not applied and employees are given increases without considering the current pay rate those who are paid more will pull away from those who are paid less… even though convergence of pay rates over time is the desired result. Even worse, those very employees who are most prone to leave the organization (low paid; high performing) are the ones the organization most wants to keep (low cost; high contribution)… and yet is rewarding the least. Exhibit 1. "Pay For Performance" Pay Increase Guidelines: Position of Pay Rate in Range PerformanceRating % Rated LowerThird MiddleThird Upper Third Outstanding 10% X + 5 X + 3 X + 1 Significantly Exceeds Standards 20% X + 4 X + 2 X Fully Meets Standards 65% X + 3 X + 1 X – 1 Does Not Fully Meet Standards 5% 0 to X 0 0 Unacceptable 0-1% Prob. Prob. Prob. X = amount salary structure is adjusted in current year The "X" in each of the cells is the amount the pay structure is adjusted in that year. Historical data for the last twenty-five years shows that average pay increase budgets are 1 ¼ to 1 ½% larger than average structure adjustments. This seems to be the minimum amount needed to move people through the range in reasonable timeframes. The + amounts will result in spending approximately 1½% on top of the structure adjustment (X), assuming performance ratings distribute as shown in the second column (% rated). If an organization rates a large percentage of employees in the "Outstanding" and "Significantly Exceeds" categories these guidelines will require a larger budget (the converse is true as well). Failure to distribute performance ratings reasonably will also weaken the pay - performance linkage over time. People will compare to others rated similarly and if the majority falls in the upper rating levels the distinction of being rated at a high level diminishes. In order to administer guidelines like those in Exhibit 1 there must be an understanding of who should be paid in each of the sectors of the pay range, so that out of line pay rates can be corrected over time through pay actions. Exhibit 2 illustrates guidelines for positioning employees where they belong in the range, based on performance and job mastery. This philosophy may run counter to the culture of some organizations. If seniority has always driven pay levels and pay actions this approach will be resisted. What is often overlooked is that this approach can be administered in a people-sensitive manner. If a long service employee hits a bumpy road and performance drops off the correction of range position is gradual and the option of getting performance back up to past levels is clearly open. This approach does limit the salary growth of those do not perform at high levels, but this is consistent with a business-oriented philosophy. Part of the reason managers never seem to have enough money to reward the high performers is that they use up too much of the budget giving increases to those already paid at or above the level warranted by their contributions. Exhibit 2. Guidelines For Positioning Salary Rates In Range Position In Range Profile Of Employees Who Belong In Sector Lower Third Has not reached full competence in all aspects of job; or, performance does not fully meet standards on a consistent basis. Middle Third Fully competent in all aspects of job and performance fully meets standards on a consistent basis. Upper Third Has mastered all aspects of job and provides guidance to others; performance has significantly exceeded standards over sustained periods. The objections put forth when a system like this are implemented are to be expected. When a top performer begins to get smaller increases than she is used to (expressed as a % of current pay) there are going to be questions. But the reasons are relatively easy to communicate. The first is that the organization finally woke up and realized it should consider how someone is currently paid before deciding what increase is appropriate. The second is that as the denominator gets bigger (the higher the pay rate) the smaller the percentage will be, given the same increase amount. The third is one of equity – a larger portion of the budget must be used to increase the pay of those low in the range (assuming performance warrants it). Even though some employees will still feel disadvantaged by the change in the rules management can at least convey the message that the approach is both sound from a business standpoint and equitable. One of the problems experienced by many organizations with relatively stable, long service workforces is that their fixed costs for salaries become very high. And since variable pay programs and benefits are often tied to salary level their cost is escalated as well. In today's volatile environment a high fixed cost pay package is an impediment to sustained performance, particularly when revenues dive and the investment community drives down the stock price as a result of lower profits. High fixed people costs have contributed to the magnitude of job losses in many organizations. People who would be valuable to have around when things turn up are often let go when revenues decline – a byproduct of having direct compensation entirely in wages and salaries, which are fixed costs. This is one of the factors fueling the increased use of variable pay in the U.S. On the other hand, people got their mortgages on the basis of their salary (and not the uncertain incentive award) and executives and direct sales people are the only ones used to dealing with a partly contingent direct compensation package. In response to the high fixed cost result of escalating salaries over time some organizations are beginning to utilize a modified approach to merit pay. This approach calls for the use of both base pay increases and performance-based cash awards. By reserving a portion of what would have been the base pay increase budget for cash awards the compounding effect on base payroll is diminished, since the cash awards do not increase base pay (and therefore fixed costs). Exhibit 3 illustrates this approach. Exhibit 3. Combination Salary Increase/Cash Award Guidelines PerformanceRating % Rated LowerThird MiddleThird UpperThird Outstanding 10% X +4 % 5 % X + 2 % 5 % X % 5 % Significantly Exceeds Standards 20% X + 3 % 2.5 % X + 1 % 2.5 % X – 1 % 2.5 % Fully Meets Standards 65% X + 2 % 0 X 0 X – 2 % 0 Does Not Fully Meet Standards 5% 0 to X 0 0 0 0 0 Unacceptable 0-1% Probation Probation Probation The amount in the top row of each cell relates to salary adjustments and is similar to Exhibit 2, except that each amount is 1% less. The 1% is reserved for cash awards, which are indicated on the second line in each cell. Since only 10% of employees are expected to be rated "Outstanding" the 5% cash awards for them will cost 0.5% of payroll. Approximately 20% of employees are expected to be rated "Significantly Exceeds Standards" so the 2.5% cash awards for them will cost 0.5% of payroll. Hence the 1% carved out of base pay adjustments are converted into cash awards and the base payroll going forward will be 1% less. The expenditure for adjustments and cash awards in that year will have been the same as it would have been if all of the money had gone into increases , but a portion of it will have to be re-earned in future years. In difficult times the amount diverted from base pay increases to cash awards could be increased, perhaps to 1.5% – 2%. At some point there is a danger that employees performing at adequate levels will rebel at the extreme distinctions being made based on performance and the negative impact on their base pay levels compared to prevailing market rates. The use of cash awards in conjunction with base pay increases is a powerful way to amplify the "pay for performance" message. But it also can be tantamount to attempting to run higher voltages through old wires. If the performance management system is not sound and well accepted this approach should be used with caution. Using cash awards highlights differences in amounts allocated to individuals and it will raise emotions. Of course it is folly to attempt to administer any merit pay program with an inadequate performance management system. But in many cases people have accepted the way things work, albeit imperfectly… and will withdraw that acceptance when the stakes are raised. Notice how the good will and casual attitudes at family penny-ante poker games change when someone suggests a nickel-dime game. In fact there are many pre-requisites for any merit pay program to work well. The first is that jobs are appropriately valued, both internally and with respect to prevailing market rates. Additionally: • If the salary range, which represents an employee's salary potential, is not both equitable and competitive then that will be the dominant issue. • If the performance standards for the job are not clearly communicated in advance this will reduce the perception that the employee is being given a fair shot at performing well. • If managers are not well trained in continuously measuring performance and providing feedback this will frustrate employees (the No. 1 factor impacting employee satisfaction and effectiveness in the Gallup poll was "knowing what is expected"). • If managers do not determine the causes of good and poor performance and invest in employee development there will be a perception that employees are disposable parts. • If managers do not honestly appraise performance based on job-related behaviors and results the system will not be effective. *Finally, if a strong budgetary discipline is not in place managers may "go to bat" for their employees and either break the bank or rob other managers of resources. Once the rewards are clearly specified for performing at a given level the temptation to consider all of one's subordinates as "outstanding" is very strong (how many times has "if they were not outstanding they could not work for me" been heard in the corridors, or "to be an executive in this organization you have to be outstanding"). Given all of these obstacles it is not surprising that many organizations have given up on their merit pay plans being effective. Unfortunately, they have no viable alternatives in most cases. Those Malcolm Baldridge Award winners mentioned earlier continue to use merit pay, with all of its imperfections, but they do other things as well. For example, they use person-based pay programs for those employees where it fits the nature of the work and of the workforce. Person-based Pay There are many different manifestations of the concept of paying the person for what they bring to the organization, rather than what they happen to be doing at a given point in time. In the late 90's there was an outburst of claims that the holy grail had been found and that it was "competency-based pay." The euphoria has since declined but the attention focused on the possibility of paying the person at least in certain cases still exists. The literature binge also refocused organizations on behaviors as being a legitimate basis for measuring performance. Unfortunately paying people based on what they could do rather than on what they produce can bankrupt the organization— unrealized potential is hard to turn into profits. And given the legal environment in the U.S. it is very risky to differentiate between people on any basis other than job-related results. Yet there are approaches to reconciling what seems to be a contradiction between pay for qualifications and paying for results. There are three approaches to tying base pay to what people have in the way of qualifications: 1) skill-based, 2) knowledge-based and 3) credential-based. Skill-based Pay Skill-based pay makes the base rate contingent on how many job-related skills the employee has learned, the level of skill mastery or a combination of both. For example, if a work unit requires that in aggregate the workforce must possess five skills (or skill sets) and management believes it is most effective to have most or all employees completely cross-skilled then pay might be based on the number of skills a person has. Someone entering the unit would start at the 0 skill rate and then progress to the five skill rate when mastery had been demonstrated in all five skills. Experience has shown that average pay rates will go up under this system… good news for the employees. But if management utilizes the people well the staffing level can usually be reduced, since there is less wasted time due to the flexibility of the workforce to shift to meet the workflow. Therefore, total payroll may not increase, or even go down… good news for the organization. So skill-based pay can stimulate productivity and help control costs. But it is critical to use skill-based pay in contexts where it fits. Some cultures reward longevity rather than performance or job mastery and this is often difficult to overcome. In such a culture skill-based pay is difficult to administer well, since managers will be reluctant to bypass individuals that do not master skills, particularly if this persists for an extended period. Moving relative "rookies" past "veterans," even for the right reasons, is difficult. It is also difficult to retrofit a skill-based plan into a unit where longevity pay has prevailed, since people may be paid at levels that are inconsistent with their skill mastery. For this reason many of the skill-based pay systems have been installed in new "greenfield" entities. There are other obstacles as well. There must be some "test" that determines skill mastery and there must be someone willing to administer that test and to stand behind it. Many skills are difficult to test directly, particularly in white collar and service-related jobs, and the test often boils down to someone's judgment. And first line supervisors are reluctant to do the testing, given that everyone they fail will be miserable to be around. But if they pass everyone the system will not be viewed as having any teeth. Knowledge-based Pay Knowledge-based pay typically centers around career ladders, which identify expertise levels within the same occupation or discipline. For example, Analysts at all levels of expertise perform work of the same basic level, but do so at varying levels of knowledge, skill and responsibility (see Exhibit 4). An Associate Analyst may be defined as a person possessing a B.S. degree in a related field and having 0-2 years of systems experience, while a Senior Analyst is expected to have an M.S. or equivalent technical training and 5-8 years of relevant experience. There will be other differences as well, to include the complexity of work they are expected to deal with, the amount of latitude they are given and the impact of their work on the unit effectiveness. This occupational/job "family" represents a career progression followed by most occupational members and progression through the levels happens at differing speeds, based on individual abilities and the manner in which they progress in their command of the knowledge in their field. If the organization uses an integrated salary structure the levels within the family can be placed into job grades, based on relative internal equity and/or external market rates. The pay range for the grade assigned to each level becomes the range of pay opportunity for incumbents of that level, just as it does for other jobs. When an employee has developed to the extent that they more correctly belong in the next level, this can be treated as a promotion since the grade will be higher. Some argue that this is so similar to a job-based system using merit pay that it should be treated as such. The key distinction, however, is that employees are classified and progress based on their level of expertise, rather than on their specific job assignment. In effect, their pay opportunity is based on what they are capable of doing, rather than what they happen to be doing at the moment. For example, a Senior Engineer may operate as a worker bee on one project and then be the lead person on the next – but will always be a Senior. Exhibit 4. Analyst Career Ladder Job Criteria Associate Analyst Analyst Senior Analyst Nature of work(type; complexity; variety; difficulty; scope) Performs varied assignments involving routine analytical work. Performs a wide variety of relatively complex analytical work, ensuring schedule, budget and performance requirements are met. Must be able to perform multiple assignments simultaneously. May direct phases of a single revenue-producing project. May prepare customer quotations on routine jobs with clearly defined protocols. Performs the full range of analytical work in a given area, including the most complex tests, ensuring schedule, budget and performance requirements are met and that the technical quality meets standards. Evaluates customer requests, determine testing requirements and prepare project quotations. Latitude exercised/Direction received (authority; nature & frequency of supervision received) Under general supervision, works with established protocols, seeking assistance with unusual situations or when problems occur. Work is reviewed for technical soundness before it is sent to customer. Under general direction, works with established protocols, seeking assistance with complex/difficult problems. Work may be sent to customer prior to its technical review. Works independently with the full range of established protocols in a given area. Solves complex and difficult problems, assisting others as required. Work may be sent to customer prior to its technical review. Creativity and ingenuity required Exercises judgment in using defined procedures, in order to determine appropriate course of action. Exercises discretion in selecting protocols to use. May recommend revisions to established protocols. Develops improvements to established protocols and may create new methods and processes that improve productivity or expand capabilities. Responsibility for interpersonal contacts(nature; level; frequency; impact) Limited customer contact, involving the exchange of information and answering questions. Interacts with peers and internal support personnel to coordinate work Contacts customers to define scope of work, to clarify information and to resolve issues. Develops customer relationships to expand range of services provided and to maintain high level of satisfaction. Responsibility for assets and information Protects confidential information and proprietary processes. Handles materials and company equipment in a responsible and efficient manner Protects confidential information and proprietary processes. Handles materials and company equipment in a responsible and efficient manner. Protects confidential information and proprietary processes. Handles materials and company equipment in a responsible and efficient manner. Responsibility for the work of others May provide direction to support staff and technicians Provides technical direction to support staff/ technicians; assists in training Analysts. Provides technical direction to less experienced Analysts and assists in their training Potential Impact (costs; quality; customer satisfaction; productivity) Poor quality work or failure to obtain results may cause delays to schedules and require the expenditure of additional resources. Erroneous decisions may cause loss of revenue, excessive costs and/or customer dissatisfaction. Erroneous decisions typically cause loss of revenue, excessive costs and/or customer dissatisfaction. Education/formal training & work experience required(type: level; duration) BS or MS in science/ engineering or equivalent relevant experience. BS in science/ engineering plus 4-5 years specifically related experience OR MS plus 2-3 years OR PhD with no experience. Experience should be in performing analytical testing with sophisticated equipment. Material characterization experience highly desirable. BS in science/engineering plus 8-10 years specifically related experience OR MS plus 5-8 years OR PhD plus 2-5 years. Experience should be in performing analytical testing with sophisticated equipment. Material characterization experience highly desirable. The vast majority of scientific, engineering and professional occupations lend themselves to this approach. Accounting/Finance, Legal, IT, Purchasing and HR are examples of disciplines with a defined body of knowledge that people formally train for and work within for most or all of their careers. As a result, their knowledge and expertise in their field grows over time and it becomes the metric for shaping their roles in their organizations. Since what an Engineer (or other professional) actually does over time varies so much it is difficult to use a "job-based" system to assign job grades and pay ranges and to make employees feel current duties are the appropriate metric for gauging their worth. In addition, professionals tend to be oriented more to their fields and their growth in those fields than to their employing organization. This argues strongly for the use of career metrics that are oriented to that field. The use of merit pay is still a viable approach for administering salaries within the pay ranges. This raises the issue of whether this "person-based" system is really all that different from a conventional merit pay system. The real difference is the basis upon which the employee is classified (placed within the salary structure)… again, what the person is capable of doing determines their level, and therefore their grade, while what they are paid within the range is most often determined by a merit pay system. Credential-based Pay A third person-based approach recognizes formal credentials as a basis for determining pay. Licenses, professional certifications, admission to the Bar and other such formal designations can act to do several things: Limit who can do certain kinds of work, thereby acting as a gate-keeping device to control occupational entry. Control who can be promoted to higher levels. Act as the basis for paying differentials or lump sums that acknowledge the credential. Attorneys must be members of the Bar to represent the organization in court, Engineers must be licensed as PE's to sign off on bridge designs and people who obtain a professional certification (e.g., PHR or SPHR) may receive a differential for keeping it current and/or a lump sum upon receiving it. This approach is not a stand-alone approach to determining pay but can impact earnings in several ways. Administering Base Pay Programs Large organizations and those with occupationally diverse workforces may well choose several of the approaches to base pay rate determination already discussed. Although it could be argued that simplicity dictates using one approach for everyone that may result in the greatest administrative complexity. It is far easier to administer two or more programs that fit the groups of employees they are used for than it is to make one approach fit a variety of objectives and contexts. Sales and executive personnel have traditionally been covered by different compensation programs. As already mentioned many organizations use person-based approaches for professionals, even though they may use job-based systems for other employees. The differences will usually occur in the method used to define and value jobs/roles and to determine the range of pay opportunity. When it comes to administering individual pay rates merit pay is the dominant choice and is typically used for all employees. There are a number of administrative issues that must be dealt with no matter which pay determination choice is used: 1) timing of pay actions, 2) administrative controls utilized, and 3) evaluating program effectiveness. Timing of Pay Actions Pay actions most often occur either on a single (focal) date or on anniversary dates throughout the year. Although there are arguments for both approaches the vast majority of organizations utilize the focal date approach. It enables managers to make pay action decisions at a time when they best know how well the organization/unit did, how well the employee did and what resources are available for pay actions. Another plus for using a focal date is that all decisions are made at the same time, making it easier for a manager to compare across employees, relative to both performance appraisals and pay actions. The single best argument for anniversary date is the workload that a manager may experience at a given time, but since no manager can know the performance of more than a few employees well enough to do an accurate appraisal, others will probably be involved, reducing the workload. It is important that the timing of the performance appraisal and the salary action are coordinated. If an employee is to believe pay is tied to performance there must be a visible connection and long periods of time between the performance review and the salary action diminish the connection. Edward Lawler and others have used research to establish that employees view an appraisal as incomplete unless the consequences are made known as a part of the review process. Administrative Controls Utilized Pay ranges and pay increase budgets are the two most common control devices used for base pay administration. As described earlier when discussing merit pay it is critical to evaluate where pay rates fall within the pay ranges, in order to determine if the organization is acting in a manner consistent with its pay policy. Of particular concern to an organization are pay rates that fall below or above the pay range minimums or maximums, respectively. Pay rates below the range minimums have a relatively simple solution… raise them. However the cost of this option is often outside the organization's ability to pay. During times of rapid market escalation much of the budget is used up just keeping people at their current position in the range, since the ranges must be adjusted significantly in order to keep them competitive. The late 90's saw average market rates for people with certain Information Technology skills escalate dramatically, often by more than budgetary constraints would allow organizations to increase their pay rates. Those organizations that limited range adjustments so that actual rates would not fall below the minimum found during the next year that their pay structures had fallen even further behind market. This dilemma could have been solved for many organizations through the use of outside contractors, to perform the "heavy lifting" associated with implementing new network systems, rather than bringing legacy mainframe systems into compliance with Y2K requirements. Since conversions to new systems are primarily a one-time effort this approach could have limited the degree to which many organizations would have had to compete for scarce skills and this probably would have reduced the amount of temporary salary inflation. This experience has caused a lot of employers to question whether they must always be fully at market, no matter the cost, and perhaps to look more favorably at developing current employees through training as an alternative to competing in unbalanced labor markets. Pay rates that are above the range maximums are a much more difficult situation to correct than pay rates below minimums. Base pay is only flexible in an upward direction – to cut someone's wage or salary is typically viewed as an extreme act of aggression. So rates that are significantly above a maximum are going to take time to fix and the fix is often difficult. Freezing the base pay of an employee who has gotten increases every year for an extended period is a tough thing to do, particularly if the employee is performing at or above expectations. It makes things easier if the organization has had the "we pay for performance, not give increases for performance" discussion described earlier but it still is a difficult situation when it occurs. An employee who knows their pay is frozen, perhaps for more than one year, has no economic incentive to perform at the highest level possible, and in fact may be motivated to play it safe to protect the job and the income stream. Increasingly organizations are adopting performance-based cash incentives for people at or over their range maximum, to motivate them to high levels of performance. An example might be: no award for someone who meets standards, a modest cash award for someone who significantly exceeds standards and a large cash award for outstanding performance. The pay rate is not affected and as the pay ranges are adjusted the maximum will catch the pay rate, assuming the person stays employed long enough. The author installed a new pay plan in an investment firm and the pay of a long service employee was 30% over the range maximum. Given that the employee was already middle aged and that structures rarely move more than 4-5% even in the wildest times, it was unlikely the maximum would have caught up before retirement. Organizations should consider the consequences of not taking action to adjust salaries when situations occur that would cause a pay rate to be substantially above the range maximum. Often someone who fails in a management position is moved back in the ranks but no adjustment is made to the pay. Although this seems to be the humane approach it creates difficult situations and this should be anticipated. Budgets are a useful way of controlling overall pay levels, since they limit the increase to the fixed payroll. Unfortunately they raise significant administrative issues. The most common practice is to settle on an amount (e.g., 4% of payroll) that can be used for increases (the amount may or may not include promotional increases) and to give each unit the same percentage of their current payroll. But often there will be large differences across organizational units relative to where pay rates fall within the pay structure. A unit that has experienced considerable turnover may have a large percentage of its employees in the lower part of the range, given that they are still new and learning their jobs. But if that unit only has 4% of its (relatively small) payroll it will have a difficult time funding the larger percentage increases prescribed by merit increase guidelines such as those illustrated in Exhibit 1. On the other hand, another unit with a mature workforce may have most of their employees in the middle or upper third of the range and only need a smaller percentage of current pay. But that unit will have a larger dollar pool, since 4% of their larger payroll produces a bigger fund. So management is faced with giving one unit inadequate funds relative to need while overfunding another. Expecting the overfunded unit to offer some of their budget to the ailing unit is probably seriously delusional, so some type of correction is called for. A compa-ratio is a measure that expresses current pay rates as a percentage of range midpoints. For an individual at the midpoint of the range the compa-ratio is 1.0, while someone at the minimum might have a compa-ratio of 0.8 and someone at maximum a compa-ratio of 1.2. This measure is generated in most HR Information System packages since it is a handy way of monitoring actual pay rates against intent (range midpoints) and it can be calculated at the unit level as well. This measure can be used to adjust the out of line budget allocations just discussed. If the allocated 4% fund for each unit were to be divided by its compa-ratio this would result in an allocation better fitted to "need" and would avoid asking for voluntary give-ups of funds. Because units with compa-ratios of less than 1.0 will have their funds increased and those with compa-ratios greater than 1.0 will have theirs decreased a greater balance with need for increases can be achieved. Of course the argument will be made that people in the unit with the high salaries are better performers and should get larger increases and that needs to be considered and dealt with. Budgets are a constraint imposed by the organization's ability to pay and may conflict with what the organization feels it should spend on increases. But this does not diminish the usefulness of having policies and programs that incorporate sound principles, since they will result in the optimal allocation of what is available. Evaluating Base Pay System Effectiveness The best test of a pay system's overall effectiveness is whether it produces the desired results. If the organization is able to get and keep the critical skills it needs to function and if the workforce performs well it is logical to infer that the pay system is working, or at least not impeding effectiveness. As compensation practitioners read about the new fad that has broken out in the field there is a temptation to try it, to see if it will improve performance. However, employees tend to control their enthusiasm for frequent pay system modifications, and in fact get testy if it seems the organization is floundering. It is therefore important to consider the impact of revising the pay program vs. refining the existing program to increase its effectiveness. There are two dimensions of program effectiveness: perceptions and realities. What employees believe about the programs (How fair is it? How competitive?) will determine how they feel about it and how they react. It is therefore important that those responsible for program administration do not respond to employee claims that they are not being paid fairly or competitively with "they are wrong." They may be, but it is critical that HR change their minds if this is the case, since perception is reality for an employee. Attitude surveys, focus groups and other forms of dialogue can help HR understand what the prevailing beliefs are and enable them to use training or improved communication. How well a program really does function is also critical. There are numerous evaluation questions to be asked: Do employees know what is expected? Is job documentation accurate? Are employees correctly classified into jobs? Do job grade assignments reflect internal equity? Are pay ranges competitive, based on the desired competitive posture? Are performance ratings fair and accurate? Do performance ratings accurately reflect contribution, irrespective of the age, race, gender or other personal characteristics of employees? Do the pay increase guidelines reflect pay philosophy? Are individual pay actions tied to performance, irrespective of the age, race, gender or other personal characteristics of employees? Do increases stay within the established budget? Are employee appeals given the appropriate attention? Is the base pay program adequately integrated with other programs? If deficiencies are found when performing audits it is important to acknowledge them, address them and communicate why any changes that are made are necessary. HR may wish to have people from outside the function do periodic audits, in order to dispel the suspicion that the designers of the programs are defensive about acknowledging inadequacies. A task force representing a horizontal slice of the organization can lend credibility to the evaluation process and it may be advisable to involve people representing a vertical cross-section as well. Edward Lawler (already credited earlier) has been providing research results showing the adverse effects of pay secrecy for decades. His research argues for opening up all policies and processes to public scrutiny, although individual pay rates and pay actions should still remain a matter between an employee and the organization. Sunshine kills a lot of viruses and pay systems have too often been administered under a fog bank. Given the legal/regulatory environment in the U.S. one of the major concerns about pay administration is its impact on classes of employees. If audits find that one class of employee gets lower performance ratings and/or smaller increases while otherwise similarly situated this may establish adverse impact and may require justification. If there are unexplained differences they should be investigated, regardless of the probability of legal action. Pay should be correlated to the value of the job/role, the mastery level and performance, nothing else. If this is not the case the policies and programs need examination. However, if females get lower performance ratings on average than males it may be due to actual differences in performance, so there should not be a premature assumption of mismanagement. To accuse a manager of gender bias is a very serious indictment, especially if it is unwarranted. On the other hand, if the bias exists, even if it is unintentional, other steps need to be taken to ensure the end result of the system is equitable and consistent with policy. As mentioned earlier perception is reality to employees and it is wise to ensure there is confidence in the administration of the pay program. Conclusion Base pay is the foundation of the compensation package. How well base pay programs are designed and administered will have a major impact on the organization's ability to attract and retain the skills critical to its success. If base pay is administered in a manner that is viewed as equitable, competitive and performance-based it will facilitate meeting organizational objectives. The importance of base pay should not be underestimated. To give up on the concept of merit pay just because it is difficult and frustrating to administer a program well is sheer folly. It is not a viable option. Every HR practitioner, whether compensation specialist or generalist, has a stake in having the base pay programs of the organization be well designed and administered. In order to be able to contribute to effectiveness each practitioner must understand the concepts and principles underlying the organization's programs, and be knowledgeable about alternative approaches and competitive practices. In addition to being knowledgeable practitioners must be involved and be diligent, to ensure that what is intended is what actually occurs throughout the organization. Robert J. Greene, Ph.D., SPHR, is consulting executive officer of Reward $ystems, Inc. He may be reached at email@example.com. Bob has over 30 years of consulting experience with organizations on formulating and evaluating human resource/compensation strategies and designing, implementing, administering and evaluating compensation programs. He is a long-time member of both SHRM and World at Work, and a frequent contributor to their products and programs. This paper is intended to provide general information, and is not a substitute for legal or other professional advice. Related Article—External Effectively Managing Direct Compensation, by Robert J. Greene Related Articles—SHRM Building a Market-Based Pay Structure from Scratch, SHRM Online Compensation Discipline, December 2008 Rewarding Employee Contributions, Not Job Titles: A Base Pay Strategy to Retain Peak Performers, SHRM Online Compensation Discipline, January 2007 Quick Links: SHRM Online Compensation Topics & Strategy SHRM Salary Survey Directory SHRM Compensation Data Center • Sign up for SHRM's free Compensation & Benefits e-newsletter Obtain reuse/copying permission Related Content Compensation Policy Travel Expense Policy: Detailed As Economy Improves, It's Time to Revisit Pay Structures Generational Preferences Starting To Affect Rewards Design How Companies Use Non-Cash Awards ADVERTISING LINKS


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Welcoming Reception - open to all International Students and Scholars on Friday, October 4, 2013 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. in the Chinese Rotunda of Penn Museum. Hosted by the Penn Museum's International Classroom Program, the Office of the Vice Provost for Global Initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania, and co-sponsored by 60 area colleges, universities and programs.
Refreshments, music, gifts and more! A Great opportunity to make friends from many colleges and countries. The evening's entertainment, as diverse and international as the guest list, features performances by Penn's multicultural fusion dance group Hype, the Penn Chinese Dance Club, and La Salle College's Neo-African Drums 'n Dance group.
Dress Code: Business or Traditional
For more information, call 215-898-4065 or email email@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


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The internators by dumYouth - over 7 years ago
"These are two of our most outstanding youth interns here at Davidson UMC. Our 6th grade group, called Genesis, have a wonderful time playing games and learning about the Bible. These two interns are showing off our new shirts and general excitement about 6th graders. This photo is taken to encourage general excitement about our new, amazing, and beautiful Genesis aparrel."


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I provide outpatient care for Cancer Center patients at CHOP's Pediatric and Adolescent Specialty Care Center in King of Prussia, Pa.
At our King of Prussia Specialty Care Center, Cancer Center patients and their families receive the same services and care offered at the Main Campus in Philadelphia in a convenient suburban location. They have access to comprehensive psychosocial services, the latest clinical trials, and expert care from diagnosis and treatment through long-term follow-up. Our close-knit staff focuses on providing the most state-of-the-art care in a supportive, family-centered atmosphere, and we get to know each patient and family very well. Families that live in the King of Prussia area and in other suburban communities tell us they appreciate having the resources of a world-renowned cancer center right in their own backyard.
My work at Children's Hospital is especially meaningful to me because it allows me to combine my passion for clinical care with my interest in community outreach. In addition to treating children with all types of cancer, including leukemias, neuroblastoma and sarcomas, I meet with referring doctors to provide information about Children's Hospital's clinical services. I also lead educational sessions for physicians in surrounding communities, helping them learn how to recognize pediatric cancers and giving them other useful information that they can use in their own practices.
For me, providing excellent care means building strong relationships – with the other members of the Cancer Center team, with colleagues at nearby hospitals, and, most importantly, with the patients and families I care for.
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California Fractional & Territorial Gold Coins
California Fractionals are unique collectibles. Even the most common of the California Fractionals come from populations of only 500 to 1,250 coins. Those few that remain in Brilliant Uncirculated condition have become the most sought after and highly prized coins in the series.
To view available products, click on the image representing the item of your interest:


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Definition of Reasonable Effort
Section 108 of the Copyright Act allows libraries to reproduce published and unpublished materials under certain conditions provided that a reasonable effort is made to determine that the material cannot be obtained at a fair price from other sources.
The scope and nature of a reasonable investigation to determine that a copy in acceptable condition at a fair price cannot be obtained will always require recourse to commonly known trade sources, i.e., current publication lists or distributors of the specific medium. The reasonable effort will vary according to the circumstances of a particular situation. If there is an address, permission must be requested from the copyright holder to make the desired number of copies. At least one attempt must be made to obtain permission. The library will request from the appropriate Copyright Office or publisher the address of the copyright holder.
Required Documentation
A record of all relevant efforts, including correspondence, must be maintained for five years and be available for inspection.


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BUST Magazine
Date: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 - 4:00 pm
Duration: 1 Day
Repeat Event: Every Day
Tibet House US will hold its 19th Annual Benefit Concert at Carnegie Hall on Tuesday, February 3rd. Philip Glass, the concert's Artistic Director, once again brings together an original line-up of contemporary artists including rock icon Patti Smith and her daughter Jesse Smith, Brooklyn's The National, and 2008's breakout New York indie rock band Vampire Weekend, with more performers being confirmed soon. Tibet House US marks its 22nd anniversary this year.
Powered by JCal Pro Calendar 2


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Welcome to SortedFood...
The online hub for beginners & pros.
There are hundreds of quick, easy, delicious recipe videos plus a whole load of skills, tips & tricks and cool food stuff from around the web.
Whether you want to get smarter at cooking, save some money, or just have a good laugh in the kitchen, we can definitely get you SORTED.
This week it's Halloween, and we're going all out to make some special lanterns!! Instead of going for the traditional pumpkin, we're using much more standard ingredients... Oranges!


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How To Create a Furniture Placement Plan
Home Hacks
Today we've invited new Apartment Therapy Los Angeles contributor Marcia Prentice to share her first post for us, an informative Home Hack which may help reduce a lot of the guesswork involved in rearranging and decorating a new space from scratch using some simple and affordable preparation.
What You Need
Equipment [OR] Tools
- Paper (preferably a 24" x 18" sheet)
- pencil
- scale ruler
- straight edge
- eraser
- drafting dots/tape (or a low adhesive tape)
- measuring tape
- tracing paper
- 30-60-90 triangle and T-square are optional
When moving into a new home/apartment, one is faced with the daunting task of decorating a new, open area and purchasing all new furniture. With anything in life, is it always best to have plan before setting forth. Before purchasing any furniture and accessories, layout your space on paper, so you you'll know how to fill in the space effectively and within the limits of your new home while avoiding layout mistakes, such as positioning lighting too far from outlets or in the way of a door swing. By mapping out all relevant pieces in your home in advance, you'll reduce stress and physical labor decorating your home.
1. Measure the entire room including ceiling height, doors, windows, built-ins and any niches. Also, locate all outlets, phone jacks and cable jacks.
2. Using the scale ruler and a straight edge (preferably a T-square and 30-60-90 triangle), draw your floorplan to ½" scale (the scale could be smaller or larger depending upon the size of your space and the size of paper being used). Each number on the ½" scale indicates one foot.
Draw in outlets, phone jacks, cable jacks, built-ins, openings and niches. Include all doors, with the appropriate door swing and windows. Draw a border around the frame to indicate wall thickness (the average is 5") and write in all major dimensions.
3. Once the core floor plan is drawn, draw furniture blocks on tracing paper using the same scale as the floor plan. For a sofa, draw 6'x3' rectangle according to ½ scale - keep it simple, using the average sizes for furnishing for the foundation of your plans. If you find you want a slightly smaller or larger piece, you can always create another furniture block. Draw as many different blocks as you see fit for your space and for layout experimentation.
4. Arrange your furniture blocks on the floor plan to determine your space plan. Repeat this step until you find the desired layout, paying particular attention to door swings, the location of outlets, spacing between furniture, and traffic flow. For example, the standard distance needed for a walkway is 3 feet.
5. Now that you have created a furniture placement plan it will be much easier to of shopping with a set list to fill your space. Bring the floor plan while shopping, with furniture blocks taped on (or better yet, snap a digital photo or use your mobile phone's camera). This way you'll always have a plan to reference when choosing which size furniture best fits within the dimensions of your room.
Additional Notes: An additional step one can take is using painter's tape on the actual floor of the room to designate placement and location before actually moving/purchasing major pieces.
Want more smart tutorials for getting things done around the home?
See all of our Home Hacks tutorials
We're looking for great examples of your own household intelligence too!
Submit your own Home Hacks tutorial or idea here!
(Top photo: Flickr member thundertype licensed for use under Creative Commons; Plan images: Marcia Prentice)
35 Comments
Who buys all new furniture when moving?! Aren't we in a recession here?
That said, I think having measurements of space and furniture when shopping is a good idea.
all new furniture?!?
but yes, a layout with measurements is a good idea regardless...
I love this article!
I have a bit of a design dilemma, so I own my condo and above me is another unit. The guy who lives above me is a very odd tenant, If I open a drawer in my main room(the entrance to my place) he knocks on the floor.
Well for the past two years I made it so my living room is in my second bedroom and my main room has basically ended up being for storage and not really for use. I would love to make my main room the living room, but as my second bedroom already has everything set up and a tv wall mounted, I would love to try and do something different with the main room. I was wondering if anyone thought it would look alright if i designed my main room with a dining table type set-up?
Who buy all new furniture when moving? My mother. Over and over again. And not only new furniture-- all new accessories, rugs, lamps, etc, and always a boatload of new chatchkes to match. She's a *tad* excessive. The houses I grew up in always looked very clean and completely uninhabited.
Sorry to hijack the comments. Measuring is good. Tracing paper is a great idea.
UNRELATED - i have been looking for that Montreal Olympics poster with Amik the beaver since the earlier post on the olympics! only place i have found it so far is for 300 bucks on ebay for an original. anyone know of/see any repros?
All new furniture or not - thank you for this post! As someone who can really work herself into a frenzy overcomplicating things.. this really helps me grasp a starting point!
And... I am pretty sure the same method can be applied to the furniture I already own;)
I hear you, skyesage - every time I visit my mom I walk into a completely new living room/ kitchen/ bedroom/ bathroom. It's exhausting! But to be fair, it's probably not like most of the apartment therapy readership.
Hi Kaths3...
Regarding your design dilemma, I first have to say that your neighbor above you is a little weird. Have you ever tried talking to him? To help you with your challenge, I would think that having a dining table in your main room would look ok as long as it is a large enough open space.
... how is this a home hack?
The better homes and gardens website has an online tool to do this. You can make the shape of the room, add furniture of different sizes, and change the colors to fit your pieces.
I just did a floorplan using www.Floorplanner.com and was really impressed with how easy and fun it was to use, and how great my floorplan turned out. Among other things, it makes it really easy to draw everything to scale. Highly recommended!
Reminding me to not go out there and just wing it...
The plan is better.. I'll stay focused on the my design and not switch half way through to another half ass plan in my head.. "The Plan" is gooooood! Saves money too, all pluses.
Always informative AT
I think it's a great ideal. It really sucks when you buy or need to arrange furniture and you spend the whole day moving things around. Great job.., Marcia... thanks for the tip.
Los Angeles, CA
Great Post! I always run into trouble when I just try to "eyeball" a table here, a couch there.... Always ends up too crowded. Having interchangeable shapes to place around a floor plan is an awesome idea.
Thanks for the useful strategy!
Thanks Sean, you are right on. That is the usual strategy many people take, but if you spend a little time planning you will have a much more aesthetically pleasing arrangement.
Gotta love that circa '76 beaver!
Sneakers, I think this is the wrong time to hunt for one of those... wait until the Olympic brouhaha dies down, say in 6 months, and then try looking. Olympic memorabilia is now fetching top dollar because the Olympics are on -- well, in a few short days.
This post will be a big help to my wife and I as we are looking to purchase a new, larger home! With the added space to fill, we will need to purchase new furniture and these tips will really help us!
my mom starts doing so when i was 5 and we did my first move into a new house.
it was like a game for me, i got my room to fill with my furniture :)
always old furniture, not so much money for buy new every time (i moved 4 times... ^^ )
This is a helpful post, but for those who don't have drafting tools, just do the same steps using grid paper.
We are moving into a new house in a couple of weeks. I took some rough measurements of each room and noted the window/door placements I then found this cool and free website that allowed me to create the floor plan and then place furniture to see how it will work. You can resize each of the standard pieces to match your furniture sizes. The software was fairly easy to use -- and it was fun to do. Here's the link:
Wish I had read this yesterday morning before buying my new sofa. I'm one of the strange creatures buying all new furniture (product of divorce - lost everything because sticks of furniture aren't worth fighting over). I purchased a sofa based on cuddleability with my kiddos. Now that I look at the space, I'm not 100% sure it'll work. I have an issue with a less than 3 foot walkway between the chaise's edge and the wall. I have measurements for the sectional, so I'll have to set up a room plan to see how I can fit the rest of the necessities into the room in a comfortable and uncluttered way. Kind of worried I may have to cancel the couch!
Google Sketch-Up is also an excellent free online tool for planning, but it can do full 3D models. I took extensive measurments of my new condo at the home inspection, and went home and built a full model of it to play with paint colors, flooring, and of course furniture placement so I could make the major decisions necessary before I moved in.
I furnished "for now" using existing pieces and Craigslist finds, but when I'm ready to buy any major new pieces you can bet I'll have my netbook in my bag and will sit right down and add the piece to the model to see how it will fit.
well, not buying all new furniture. but when i bought my house, i did finally have room for a couch. so i made up a floor plan to experiment with different size couches. that way i could make the most of my space. and it has been fun to use this to experiment with different kitchen arrangements, as i consider a distant future, small scale kitchen reno.
I just did this for my living room and it worked great! My living room is small and I just wasn't satisfied with the original arrangement we came up with when we moved in....the only way I could convince my boyfriend to help me rearrange the furniture was to make a scale plan. Now the arrangement is much improved.
To those inquiring about the Montreal 1976 Olympics posters: All of these are original prints, with a copyright of 1974 on them. I got them all on EBay, and surprisingly, the three smaller ones were $10 each! The larger one, seemingly more "collectible," was just under $100. I had them framed locally. Try searching EBay -- but another post here is correct, try after Olympics 2010 are over.
Melindac...I agree. If you are picking out furniture as a couple, your boyfriend will be very impressed if you take the time to plan out the layout first. Then, you both will be happy because he will be more excited when it comes to furniture shopping. ;)
I have an iPhone app for doing this. I think it's called "Mark On Call". I've found it to be really useful. Just enter furniture measurements, snap a photo of the material on it to use as a color fill-in, and then move it around to your desire. I think it was like $2-$5. I recommend it if you have an iPhone or iPod Touch.
I like the advice, I actually did something very similar for my apartment. The only difference was that i used a piece of graph paper with the 1/4" blocks and made one block equal to 1 foot. Your system seems better as it is a larger scale.
I am curious how you would begin the planning process in terms of picking furnishings. Would you design a layout with the ideal scale of furniture to fit the layout then go and find furniture that fits, or would you start off with a few pieces then build the rest of your layout around it?
Regarding how you would ideally start the process, first layout your space with an idea of the type of furniture pieces you want to use. The sizes and particular pieces don't have to be set in stone, but it is good to get a solid idea and know what you are working with as far as space is concerned. Laying out your space is more functional, while picking up individual pieces is more aesthetic. Knock out the function part first, which will make things easier and the aesthetic aspect much better.
When you are shopping for furniture after you lay out your space, if you find an inspiration piece, style, or color, you can build the rest of your pieces around that particular item. This process is the most effective and you will really enjoy the designing process vs. being frustrated by the technicals.
Why is this a "hack"????? Ugh.
thanks for the tips on the posters guys! thats common sense - i don't have a tv and sometimes if i don't pick up a paper often enough i get a little out of touch with what's going on outside of work and school....oops!
Great idea and suggestions Marcia! I'm always looking for ways to make life simplier and more time efficient. This also saves on the back pain when you're moving paper instead of furniture. I plan on moving soon, so I'll certainly be using your advice. Thanks
Grid paper a great short cut as are the on-line tools.
Suggest you aways carry a small tape measure and remember to measure the door ways, halls and stairs. It is very expensive to pay for delivery (or rent a truck) and not be able to get your furniture into your space.
For the thoroughly organized: keep a small paper book with room dimensions, doorways, current furniture dimensions, etc. Especially when looking for a new space, this will be a lifesaver. (school of hard knocks experience) :)
Love that TV Console. Where is it from? Does anyone know of any similar ones that are budget friendly?
Huh. When I was a kid, we always used graph paper -- a lot easier, you can just count the squares. (We just had the same old beat up furniture everywhere we went, but the technique works regardless.)


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Spend enough time featuring and driving modern performance cars and you begin to develop a somewhat skewed outlook on things. This is not necessarily a bad thing. After all, we can't really complain about either how fast and effectively the automobile is evolving, or how the aftermarket scene is currently flourishing. Sit your butt down in a car from the 1980s and the general ambience will further emphasize what a big jump has occurred in the last twenty years. So what the hell am I talking about? Well, if that aforementioned derriere happens to land in a Toyota AE86 Levin, like the one seen here, a few definite characteristics will not only shine through but really make you wonder. Are 600-plus horses, so commonly found in tuned cars today, really necessary to have fun behind the wheel?
We met up with Miguel Varella-Cid of New EraImports.com and NewEraParts.com, which specialize in selling cars and parts straight out of Japan. He is, without question, car crazy and has recently finished building one of the most complete street-going hachi rokus we have come across. As Miguel explains, he wanted to create the ultimate AE86 that would have to impress equally on the street, on the circuit, and on the occasional drift day. Not an easy task to say the least, but with these objectives in mind he went straight to Techno Pro Spirits in Japan, a shop with plenty of experience tuning these little Toyotas.
It was decided to spec the engine up to 200 hp (remember this is a 1.6L engine), which would guarantee ample performance for the 900kg-or-so hatchback. The first-generation engine the car came with was already fitted with some high performance carbs but this didn't fit in with Miguel's plans so it was replaced with a 4A-GE engine from a later model AE92. Techno Pro Spirits paid a lot of attention to the head, which was gas-flowed and fitted with a race-spec valvetrain in the form of TRD N2 springs and Toyota Yaris (yes, the tiny city car) one-piece bucket shims. Wild 304-degree Tomei cams are used, which allow for a maximum 11mm lift, perfect for getting as much air and fuel as possible into the cylinders. The crankshaft is taken from the five-valve A111 engine and is mated to AE101 connecting rods, which in turn are connected to 82mm special high-compression Techno Pro Spirits pistons. An 0.8mm thick head gasket is used to raise compression to the staggering 11.5:1 needed to develop the 125 hp/liter required to reach the horsepower goal.
AE101 individual throttle bodies are used with aluminum trumpets to make sure every cylinder gets an equal amount of air. A special baffling system makes sure hot air stays away from the intake, but for the time being no form of air filter is used. The cam covers (both left-units with individual oil caps) are painted in an eye-catching red crackle finish matching the hue of the high-performance ignition leads. An SW20 MR-2 fuel pump feeds the four 327cc/min Denso injectors while fuel and ignition maps are managed by the Freedom ECU, which is set to cut the engine out at 9250 rpm.
Chassis rigidity isn't much of a selling point for these hachi rokus, especially the hatchbacks, which do away with a closed rear structure. As such, Miguel was very happy that his car was already fitted with a Cusco bolt-in roll cage, which is padded in soft foam. For a car that is over 20 years old this Levin is in outstanding condition with hardly any rust spots and exceptionally sound bodywork.
The suspension consists of special TRD adjustable dampers tuned to offer the best possible performance when pushing hard. Also from TRD are the bushes, while Cusco adjustable pillow-ball tie-rods, rear anti-roll bar, and strut bar keep things nice and tight. The Nobby Booth front strut bar deserves special mention as it not only looks superb with its carbon main bar, but with three fixing points it really stiffens up the front structure.
Since Miguel loves to drift, his Levin is fitted with steering knuckles from a GT-V, which add a little bit more lock to the steering, helping place the car in more extreme and controlled slides. A TRD two-way LSD (with 4.778:1 final) has been specially shimmed to lock earlier and makes sure the perfect amount of traction is shared between the rear wheels for optimum performance and, of course, lurid power slides.


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Animal Mens Swim Shorts (2 Pack)
- Low stock, selling fast
0 review
- Delivery
Animal Elasticated Waist Mens Swim Shorts (2 pack)
From the pool to the beach, you'll always be looking stylish with this two pack of swim shorts from Animal.
Delivering a splash of colour to your collection of beachwear, these swim shorts feature an elasticated waist and an adjustable drawcord, supplying the perfect fit as you top up your tan. They both feature individual bold, attitude-inspiring Animal branding down the leg and two further logos to the rear.
Two surfers in their bedroom created Animal back in 1987 and ever since, every item they've fashioned has been injected with the spirit of adventure, then tested for durability to ensure it can stand up to the severities of the journey.
Useful info:
- Mens swim shorts by Animal
- 2 pack
- Elasticated waist with adjustable drawcord
- Individual prints
- Back pocket
- Logos to rear
Please note this item is slim fitting. For a more comfortable fit order next size up.Colours: White/Black. Polyamide. Machine washable.
Animal Bagnell Mens Swim Shorts
- Low stock, selling fast
0 review
- Delivery
Animal Bagnell Mens Swim Shorts
Catch the colour wave with these vibrant swim shorts from Animal, perfect for packing in your holiday suitcase.
With an elasticated waist providing superb fit, the Bagnell swim shorts include assertive Animal branding across the fabric that's an instant attention grabber. Two side pockets and a singular back pocket offer a place for your hotel key when you're not in the water, whilst branding comes in the form of a small logo attached to the waistband.
In a chillpepper colourway, hit the pool in these Animal swim shorts when you're feeling red hot. Don't forget about your flip flops and shades!
Useful info:
- Mens swim shorts by Animal
- Bagnell
- Elasticated waist
- Twin side pockets
- Singular back pocket
- Embroidered logo to rear waistband
Please note this item is slim fitting. For a more comfortable fit order next size up.Colour: Chillipepper. Polyamide. Machine washable.


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Web Designing
Mymsn5 offers premium website designing. We ensures that your website will meet your needs and choices, at the same time look absolutely flawless on every browser.
SEO, WSO, SMM Solutions
Mymsn5 is more than just a web designing company, we are total package that your business need to reach a new highier level. We take care of SEO, WSO, Social Media Marketing, Website management, Reputation management, Domain and Web hosting, we take the worries off your shoulder.
Amazing Customer Support
Place your order with confidence knowing that we have an entire team dedicated to answering your questions in a professional and timely manner.


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great store
LOVE this store, they always have what I need!
Thanks Michelle!
We are so glad you enjoy the store.
This store is great! Great prices on everyday household items, I come here every holiday and beginning of the school year for shopping.
Great Store. love it
I always see the flyers in the paper and see all the nice stuff in it. I just wish that there was another store some place south of Boston. The Dorcester store is too far away.
© 2013 NSC Wholesale Holdings, LLC. All Rights Reserved.


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Solveig Haugland has worked as an instructor, course developer, author and technical writer in the high-tech industry for 15 years, for employers including Microsoft Great Plains, Sun Microsystems and BEA. Currently, Solveig is a StarOffice and OpenOffice.org instructor, author, and freelance technical writer.
She is also co-author, with Floyd Jones, of three books: Staroffice 5.2 Companion, Staroffice 6.0 Office Suite Companion and OpenOffice.Org 1.0 Resource Kit, published by Prentice Hall PTR. Here fourth book, the OpenOffice.org 2 Guidebook, is available now from Amazon and Cafepress.com. For more tips on working in OpenOffice, visit Solveig's OpenOffice blog.
Do you have a question for our experts?
Contributions from Solveig Haugland
- Using search in OpenOffice Calc
- OpenOffice.org 2.3: New features, extensions and a new
- Migrating a corporation to OpenOffice
- Migrating a city government to OpenOffice
- OpenOffice 2.0 use with ODBC
- OpenOffice 2.0 market share
- Preserving templates in Oxygen Office Professional 2.0.4 and OpenOffice 2.0
- Comparing functions in Excel vs. Base
- 3 ways for inserting spreadsheets Writer documents
- OpenOffice 2.0 tutorial: Using SQL View, Query Design a
- OpenOffice vs. Microsoft Office GUIs
- OpenOffice security cracker
- Mail merge workaround
- Grammar checking in OpenOffice
- Macros in OpenOffice
- Help with OpenOffice's Impress
- Novell's OpenOffice or OpenOffice.org?
- Faster loading with OpenOffice
- Google Docs vs. OpenOffice
- Functions in OpenOffice Calc


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Macadamia Natural Oil Flawless Holiday Gift Box
Macadamia Haircare let's you love the hair you were born with no matter what the texture. Filled with Omega 3, 5 and 7, Macadamia Oil mimics your scalp's natural oil production to renew dry, damaged and color-treated hair of all textures.
Comes packaged in a box along with product brochure - perfect for gift giving!
Retail Value $44.50 - 33% SAVINGS!
Set Includes:
- Deep Repair Masque (3.3 oz.) - An instant hair reconstructor that penetrates and rebuilds stressed, damaged hair for improved health. shine and elasticity without weighing hair down. It leaves weak and damaged hair silky, conditioned and full of movement and bounce.
- Healing Oil Treatment (1 oz.) - Lightweight and instantly absorbs into hair. It provides intense nourishment, eliminates frizz, reduces blow drying time and extends the life of color treatments.
- Flawless (3 oz.) - The ultimate 6-in-1 cleansing conditioner that reinvents the art of shampooing. The gentle suds-free formula works in conjunction with hair's natural oil to restore any hair texture back to it's optimal condition full of shine, managability & vitality.
Folica stands behind the authenticity of everything we sell. Since 1998, Folica has made it our mission to provide you with an outstanding selection of hair and beauty products at highly competitive prices.
Most Helpful Reviews
First of all the bottle looked strange (it was almost faded). When I pumped it out, it was the same consistency of my current bottle (purchased directly from the company - two months ago), however it… Read More
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Macadamia Natural Oil Flawless
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The Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV) announced that it will partner with the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) initiative. With the addition of BMV, the SSE now counts four of the five largest stock exchanges in the Americas as partners.
The Colombian Securities Exchange (BVC for its Spanish initials) today announced that it will partner with the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) initiative. Colombia is now the second Latin American exchange to join the SSE, along with ten others from the US, Europe, Africa and Asia. This diversification enables shared learning, with sustainable business practices reaching greater parts of the world.
The 2014 edition of UNCTAD's flagship World Investment Report, launched in June, sparks interest from policymakers looking ahead to the Sustainable Development Goals and how to achieve them.
UNCTAD's Public Symposium featured an in-depth look inside the workings of capital markets, briefing civil society on how to engage with companies, investors, regulators and exchanges to promote corporate responsibility and sustainable development.


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seminar overview
Wednesday 30th January 2013
Theatre 4 12:30 - 13:00
E-learning empowers business change at Daiichi Sankyo UK
Owen Rose, Managing Partner, Acteon Communication and Learning
When learning initiatives are aligned with business goals and embedded in the organisation, they can be powerful agents for change. But how do you ensure your learning is aligned and embedded? When Daiichi Sankyo UK put e-learning at the heart of their change journey they achieved outstanding results.
This seminar showcases what they have done and highlights some of the key success factors:
- Enhancing accessibility with mobile learning
- Promoting collaboration through social media
- Aligning with core business goals
- Building stakeholder engagement
- Internal marketing and support


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The newest room at Hotel Pelirocco is decked out entirely in yarn, featuring both crochet and knit items throughout every aspect of the room.
by Kathryn on October 30, 2011 · 0 comments
Crochet Saved My Life tells my story of how crafting healed me from chronic depression. It also shares the stories of 24 other amazing women who hooked to heal. Read the book today!
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Subscribe to my newsletter where I share crochet news and updates every 1-2 months.
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(FOX 11) You would think that after all the City of Bell went through this would be a day to rejoice; A day you would find people would be walking around smiling because on Tuesday five former council members, including ex-mayor Oscar Hernandez, were convicted of misappropriating public funds.
There is a sense of relief. As I walked around streets here some people told me "justice was served."
Councilman Nestor Valencia, who was with one of the groups fighting for change when the old council was unseated, says he wishes all of the counts would have stuck and ex-councilman Luis Artiga would have been convicted instead of acquitted, but the outcome is a good one. He admits there are still tensions in this city and many legal battles ahead including the main bout coming up with Bell's former City Manager Robert Rizzo and his Assistant City Manager Angela Spaccia.
One thing I couldn't help notice were the tears dripping down Linda Hutson's face as we talked about the verdicts. She was angry. She's lived in Bell for 29 years. Lost her home. She's had a tough time. She says she used to do things to help the old council. Now, she feels they "stabbed me in the back." Now, she says, people are hurting.
As far as bugs go, caterpillars are usually pretty tame – except for one.


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For being such a wonderful customer, Verizon Wireless is offering me the chance to increase my talking habits in turn to increase the chance I'll go over my plan's limit and pay for excess "overage." Yes, they sent me a reward of 100 free anytime minutes, which I will retrieve from a special website for people like me.
Unfortunately for them, I am always under my limit, so this reward is nice but wasted on me. These 100 minutes are "good" for 60 days, at which point any unused bonus minutes will expire. I might as well not even bother.
I also received another rebate check from Citi as a result of my continuous use of my Citi Dividend World MasterCard, which at some point I should switch to a new card with better rewards programs. That's an extra $200 I can use for… savings, I suppose.
Updated February 6, 2012 and originally published September 21, 2007. If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to the RSS feed or receive daily emails. Follow @ConsumerismComm on Twitter and visit our Facebook page for more updates.


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ctaipd is a social network
Motion Leadership
Michael Fullan | 58 minutes (2010)
Organizing Your Site for Positive Change
Chuck King & Stacy Begin | 32 minutes (2009)
Program Improvement Districts & LEAs
Marlene Fong | 54 minutes (2009)
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Common Core State Standards Materials and Spirals - Updated March, 2013
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Learn about the revised National Board Certification process which is now more manageable and less expensive. This 30 minute online session will explain the certification process, explore links to common core, share resources, and more.
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Read a new report by a group of California's leading education experts - including Linda Darling-Hammond and CTA's president Dean Vogel - just released by the California State Superintendent of Public Instruction's Task Force on Educator Excellence. The report calls for sweeping improvements in the way California teachers are recruited, prepared, brought into the classroom, mentored and evaluated.
REPORT NOW AVAILABLE: Special Education in California
In July, CTA held two 3-day summer seminars focusing on the National Board Certification Process: Jump Start for New Candidates and CSP training for NBCTs
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POSITION: Left Wing
SHOOTS: Left
BIRTHPLACE: Stockholm, SWE
DRAFTED: COL: 2011-2 overall
Calder Memorial Trophy (1)
|OHL All-Rookie Team (2010) NHL All-Rookie Team (2012) Calder Memorial Trophy (2012) Signed as a free agent by Djurgarden (Sweden-2), October 3, 2012.
|Was named team captain of the Avalanche on Sept. 4, 2012, becoming the youngest captain in NHL history (19 years, 286 days)…Was 11 days younger than Sidney Crosby, who was 19 years, 297 days when he was named captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins on May 31, 2007…Is just the fourth captain in Avalanche history, joining Joe Sakic, Adam Foote and Milan Hejduk…Is the 11th captain in the history of the Avalanche/Nordiques franchise and only the third European-born, following Hejduk and Peter Stastny…Wore the 'C' for the first time in the 2012-13 season opener at Minnesota, becoming the second-youngest permanent captain at the time of his first game in NHL history (20 years, 57 days)…Vincent Lecavalier was 19 years, 315 days when he captained his first game with Tampa Bay…Won the 2012 Calder Memorial Trophy.
Set career highs and finished second on the Avalanche in points (65), goals (26) and assists (39-tied)...Led the team with a +21 plus/minus rating, the highest by an Avalanche player since Paul Stastny was +22 in 2007-08...Was the first Colorado player to score 25 or more goals with a plus/minus of +20 or better since Alex Tanguay in 2003-04 (25 goals, +30)...Finished second on the team in hits (176)...Led the club in even-strength points (55) and goals (21-tied)...Ranked first on the squad in road scoring with 36 points (15g/21a) in 41 away games...Helped Sweden to the silver medal at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia...Appeared in all six games for his country, tallying one point (0g/1a)...Was the youngest member of Team Sweden (21 years old)...Did not dress on Oct. 4 vs. Nashville (leg)...Had a career-high nine-game point streak from Jan. 24 to Feb. 8...Also had an eight-game point streak from Dec. 23 to Jan. 8, making him the first Avs player to have two point streaks of at least eight games in the same season since Andrew Brunette in 2006-07...Recorded his 100th NHL point on Jan. 6 vs. Calgary...Registered a career-high three assists on Jan. 8 vs. Ottawa...Tied for the league lead with 10 points (5g/5a) in seven games during the month of February...Tied his career high with two goals on Feb. 1 vs. Buffalo, his first multi-goal game since Feb. 25, 2012 at Detroit...Equaled his career high with two goals and three points, and added the shootout winner, on March 25 at Nashville...Scored the tying goal with 4:57 remaining in regulation and potted the game-winner with 32.2 seconds left in overtime on April 1 at Columbus...Became the first player in Avalanche/Nordiques history to score the tying goal in the final five minutes of regulation and then win the game in overtime...Spent his second season as team captain.
2013-14 PLAYOFFS: Scored a goal in his Stanley Cup Playoff debut April 17 vs. Minnesota (Game 1)...Scored twice in the Avalanche's Game 2 victory against the Wild on April 19...At 21 years, 147 days, was the youngest Avalanche player to score two goals in a postseason game (Alex Tanguay was 21 years, 200 days when he scored twice in Game 7 of the 2001 Stanley Cup Final)...Finished the postseason leading Colorado with eight PIMs and was -2 in seven games played.
2012-13 SEASON: Recorded nine goals and eight assists for 17 points in 36 games…Led Colorado with three short-handed goals, the most by an Avs player since 2006-07 (Brad Richardson, 3)…Landeskog's three short-handed goals tied him for second in the NHL, just one behind Ilya Kovalchuk…Missed 11 games due to injury (head/leg) suffered on Jan. 26 at San Jose…Was placed on IR, Feb. 1 (retro to Jan. 26) and activated on Feb. 22…Recorded his first career three-point game (1g/2a) on Feb. 28 vs. Calgary…Scored a goal in four straight games, March 14-20, the longest goal streak of his NHL career…Tallied a short-handed goal in back-to-back games, March 18-20, the first Avalanche player to score a SHG in consecutive games since Joe Sakic did it from Feb 23-25, 2001.…Appeared in his 100th NHL game on March 20 vs. Dallas…Sat out on March 23 at Dallas (torso)…Following the season, helped Sweden capture the gold medal at the 2013 IIHF World Championship.
2011-12: Won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year…Joined Chris Drury (1998-99) as the only players in Avalanche history to win the Calder Trophy…Became just the fourth player in the 32-year history of the Avalanche/Nordiques franchise to capture rookie of the year honors, joining Peter Stastny (1980-81), Peter Forsberg (1994-95) and Drury…Became the third Swedish-born player to win the Calder, following Forsberg and Daniel Alfredsson (1995-96 with Ottawa)…Named to the NHL All-Rookie Team…Finished tied for first among rookies with 52 points (22g/30a) while appearing in all 82 games…Was awarded the rookie scoring title in a tie-breaker over Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (18g/34a) on the basis of more goals…Ranked second among league rookies in goals and was third in assists, making him the only player to finish among the top three rookies in all three categories…Led all rookies in shots (270) and takeaways (58), while ranking second in plus/minus (+20), game-winning goals (5), power-play goals (6-tied) and hits (219)…Was the second NHL rookie to ever surpass 20 goals and 200 hits in a season, joining Dion Phaneuf with Calgary in 2005-06…Led the Avalanche in games, goals, plus/minus, shots, hits and GWG (tied)…Was the only NHL rookie to lead his respective club in goals…Became the youngest player in franchise history to lead the team in goal scoring, surpassing the previous mark held by Owen Nolan, who was 20 years, 63 days in 1991-92…Landeskog's 270 shots were a franchise rookie record and the second-highest total by a rookie left wing in NHL history (Alex Ovechkin 425 in 2005-06)…It was the most shots by an Avalanche player since Joe Sakic (332) in 2000-01…Became the first Swedish-born teenager in NHL history to reach either the 20-goal or 50-point milestone…Led all freshmen in road goals (16) and road points (29)…His 219 hits led all rookie forwards, as did his average ice time of 18:36…Made his NHL debut as an 18-year-old in the season opener on Oct. 8 vs. Detroit…Became the youngest Swedish-born player in league history to score a goal when he potted his first career tally on Oct. 12 at Columbus…Represented the Avalanche at the 2012 NHL All-Star Weekend in Ottawa, participating in the All-Star Skills Competition…Was named the NHL's Rookie of the Month for February after leading all first-year players with 13 points (7g/6a) in 12 games…Set a franchise rookie record with nine shots on Feb. 4 vs. Vancouver and equaled that on Feb. 19 at Winnipeg…Compiled a six-game point streak (5g/5a) from Feb. 17-27, the longest streak by an Avalanche player all season…Recorded his first NHL fight on March 1 vs. Columbus (Jack Johnson)…Scored his first career overtime goal on March 12 vs. Anaheim, becoming the youngest Colorado/Quebec player to score an OT goal (19 years, 110 days).
2010-11: Captained the Kitchener Rangers (OHL), becoming the first European captain in the 48-year history of the Rangers franchise…Was named captain at the age of 17 on Oct. 24, 2010, becoming the youngest player in 30 years to be named captain of the Rangers…Despite an ankle injury shortening his season to 53 games, Gabriel led Kitchener with 36 goals and finished third on the team with 66 points…Suffered the injury during the IIHF World Junior Championship…Shared the team lead with six goals and ranked second with 10 points in seven games during the OHL playoffs…Was rated by NHL Central Scouting as the No. 2 overall North American skater entering the 2011 Entry Draft…He was the top-ranked skater at the mid-term rankings.
2009-10: Named to the OHL All-Rookie Team after tallying 46 points (24g/22a) in 61 games with Kitchener…Ranked third among league rookies in both goals and points…Finished third on the club with 23 points (8g/15a) in 20 playoff games.
2008-09: Debuted in the Swedish Elite League at 16 years and 90 days, making him the youngest player in Djurgarden's history.
Helped Sweden capture the gold medal at the 2013 IIHF World Championship held in Stockholm and Helsinki…Appeared in all 10 games at the tournament, tallying three goals and one assist with a +4 rating…Served as an alternate captain for Team Sweden at the 2012 IIHF World Championship, recording five points (1g/4a) in eight games…Was an alternate captain for Sweden at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo, but only played one game before being sidelined with a high ankle sprain…Competed for Sweden at the 2009 IIHF World Under-18 Championship, finishing second on the team with four goals in six games…Was also selected to play in the 2009 Under-20 Four Nations Tournament in Finland…Wore the 'C' as captain for Sweden's under-16, under-17, and under-18 teams.
Gabriel's dad, Tony, a defenseman, played in the Swedish Elite League for Hammarby (1977-85)…Nickname is "Landy"…Developed "#Landeskoging" T-shirts in which proceeds of every shirt sold are donated to the Children's Hospital Colorado Foundation…Joined with CCM to raise money and donate equipment to the Foothills Hockey Association in Colorado…Participates in the Icebreakers charity hockey games in Sweden.


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Relive the BCS title game through time-lapse
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Relive the BCS title game through time-lapse1:41
From the pregame excitement outside the Superdome to Alabama's celebration, take a unique look back at all the excitement from the BCS National Championship Game through time-lapse photography.
BCS Championship: 1-on-1 with Auburn defensive end Dee Ford0:54NCAA.com's Chelsea Cannell speaks 1-on-1 with Auburn defensive end Dee Ford following their 34-31 loss to Florida State in the 2014 BCS Championship.
BCS Championship: 1-on-1 with FSU wide receiver Rashad Greene1:29NCAA.com's Chelsea Cannell speaks 1-on-1 with Florida State wide receiver Rashad Greene following their 34-31 win over Auburn in the 2014 BCS Championship.
BCS Championship: 1-on-1 with FSU offensive lineman Ruben Carter1:07NCAA.com's Chelsea Cannell speaks 1-on-1 with Florida State offensive lineman Ruben Carter following their 34-31 win over Auburn in the 2014 BCS Championship.
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Roll with the Tide to the BCS Championship2:28Take a look back at Alabama's season as the Tide sailed past early opponents and overcame a few roadblocks to secure yet another national championship against Notre Dame.
Tide's Tinker reflects after emotional victory1:33NCAA.com's Kristina Akra catches up with Alabama long snapper Carson Tinker on the field after an emotional 42-14 victory against Notre Dame and securing back-to-back BCS national championships.
Alabama WR Cooper reacts after title win1:26Alabama WR Amari Cooper reflects with NCAA.com's Kristina Akra after the freshman recorded 105 yards and two touchdowns in Alabama's dominating 42-14 title game win against Notre Dame.
Notre Dame DE Tuitt reacts to tough loss1:09In Stephon Tuitt's mind, the Roll Tide played like they had been there before. Now that Notre Dame can say they same, the hunger is already in place for a return. Watch more with NCAA.com's Kristina Akra.
UND's Nix III talks about learning from loss1:41NCAA.com's Kristina Akra talks to Louis Nix III in the locker room after the Irish lost to the Crimson Tide in a blowout BCS National Championship game 42-14.
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Notre Dame's journey to the BCS title game1:50Take a trip through the Notre Dame season as the Fighting Irish climbed their way up the rankings, finished the season a perfect 12-0 and earned their spot in the BCS Championship game.
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Richardson praises QB, defense in title game2:04NCAA.com's Kaylee Hartung talked with Alabama RB Trent Richardson after the junior posted a quiet, but effective 96 yards on the ground in Alabama's dominating 21-0 title game win.


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Walls & Training forum
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Topic - Is this a decent new years training routine?
colin8ll on 04 Jan 2013
Hi all,
I'm trying to devise a New Years training plan to get generally fit and strong (so not specifically for climbing). I've managed to train in the past for a couple of months at a time to achieve climbing goals but then I seem to loose motivation, get a wee bug or something and the training slips. So I'm trying to come up with a training plan that will have enough variety to keep me interested for longer.
The plan is to work on a different area of the body each day
Day 1 = finger strength
Day 2 = core
Day 3 = upper body
Day 4 = legs
Day 5 = deep stretching session
And for each day I plan to devise a couple of different routines to keep things interesting.
My question is will this plan lead to improvements in each area? i.e. if I only work specifically on finger strength once every five days am I likely to see improvements or do I need to work on it more frequently? This being the case I could devise routines with exercises that work each muscle group more frequently.
Any thoughts and advise would be appreciated.
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