text:
Conspiracy / NWO / Politics / History/ Patriotism
DESTROYING A NATION (and its people) FROM WITHIN . . .It
seems like our culture is under heavy attack, doesn't it? Men marry
other men and women marry other women; churches lose more membership
every year; abortions continue to climb killing; our birth rates
continue to drop, thereby effectively losing population, a form of
weakening; America's Christian traditions are criticized incessantly in
the mainstream media; marriages fail at ever increasing rates;; jobless
rates are higher than what is tolerable; and on-and-on it goes.
Could it
be a mere coincidence that the socialists from Frankfurt, Germany in
the 1930s and brought with them a hateful and destructive rhetorical
device called "Critical Theory," which teaches that if you criticize a
culture, government, religion, or way-of-life long enough you can change
it! This is exactly what is happening to America. The viewpoint of
these foreign socialists is now embedded in our media, in our schools
and colleges, even in many churches and in other public institutions. ON
THE ROAD TO AMERICAN SOCIALISM exposes the origins and agenda behind
the process.
America has been on the road to socialism a long, long time.


text:
$1,250—$1,595 2—3 bed 1300 SW Campus Dr, Federal Way WA, 98023
from $1,250 2—3 bed
1300 SW Campus Dr, Federal Way, 98023
Commute to Downtown Federal Way
The rent at Arcadia Townhomes Apartments ranges from $1,250 for a two bedroom to a $1,595 three bedroom. Apartments in this building are about 16% more expensive than the Federal Way average.
This apartment is in Federal Way. Nearby parks include Saghalie Park, Alderbrook Park and Coronado Park.
Arcadia Townhomes Apartments has a Walk Score of 57 out of 100. This location is Somewhat Walkable so some errands can be accomplished on foot.
Nearby schools include Saghalie Middle School, Sherwood Forest Elementary School and Silver Lake Elementary School.
The closest grocery stores are Bels Food International Corporation, La Nueva Lupitas and Safeway.
Nearby coffee shops include Starbucks, Asensio Coffee and Starbucks. There are 19 restaurants within a 15 minute walk including Taco Bell, Subway Sandwich Emporium and Oshio 2 Teriyaki & Burger.
Arcadia Townhomes Apartments is near Saghalie Park, Alderbrook Park and Fircrest Park.
Honest Reviews
Jul 24, 2014
My family and I have lived in these town homes for a little over 2 years now. All in all we had a pretty pleasant experience. The rent is very high, but considering the neighborhood and the type of people you may find around here it is worth it. We were never bothered in our home by anyone looking to harm us. Overall we felt pretty safe living here. When we first moved in there was a courtesy patrol, but I haven't seen that patrol in over a year. I have to agree with the other reviews here, the new management/front office team are pretty horrible. Every time I go into the office I feel as if I am bothering one of them. I can understand a few bad days, but recently every encounter with them has had me leaving their office angry. I agree that the management before were more pleasant and took care of things quickly! They also use to have nights where their office would hold certain things such a movie night or even a neighborhood watch sort of thing to get us all involved. Overall, I would have given this place a higher rating if it weren't for the poor customer service on their end. To me it doesn't hurt to be pleasant to another human being.
Jul 09, 2014
About 6 months ago this complex went under new management. I and several other residents have had many problems with them. Also they have been very rude to me and other residents, on top of that they really act like you are an idiot and that its all your or another parties fault and never their own. They are also very strict on what you can or cannot do. Good luck if you have pets as only the basics are allowed. Some of the issues I and other people have had are; did not give rental renewal paper and for months tried to charge month to month even after I resigned. Wait times for repairs are horrible. Me and other residents have called several times on items that need to be done and months later still not done. They also raised rent 70-100 for people that renewed recently. Lastly there were a lot of small corners cut when this place was redone that I noticed but under the old management I could overlook. The apartments/townhomes are pretty good to live in and under the old management I would have given a 4 star review but I promise the new management will give you hassle after you move in here.
Mack M
Aug 11, 2014
DO NOT RENT HERE!! Lived there for a year and a half in fear basically because of the instability with the "management", which was made up of RUDE and idiotic bozos who were NEVER helpful. Our rent was lost on 3 separate occasions, even though we always paid on time. After raising hell in their office about it, the rent would suddenly turn up and theyd give us some half-ass apology. ALSO, we had first signed a 12 month lease, and when our lease was getting closer to ending, we started looking at new apartments closer to our jobs. NOPE, Arcadia wouldn't allow it. We were denied at one apartment because they told them we had 3 noise complaints and 4 late payments -- WHICH IS 100% MADE UP. So I called their manager to get to the bottom of it, and she told me she doesn't know why that was said because we only had one noise complaint and zero late payments. Well, too late now -- So we had to resign a 5 month lease with Arcadia. Now, a year and a half of HELL later, my roommate is trying to find a new apartment, and Arcadia has told them it was only HER on the lease (nope, her and I both were on the lease for a year and a half) and that she has 9 late payments on there. Absolutely absurd. **Not only will you be overpaying for gloomy, shitty townhomes that are filled with families of 8 cramming into 2 bedrooms and shitty teenagers having parties on the weeknights, but you will also have to live in fear that your home may be broken into because of all the homeless and drug addicted people wandering Campus DR at all times of the day and night, right outside your home. LOOK at the rest of the reviews, this place is trashy and a living nightmare. Youre better off renting a playhouse from a toddler, considering toddlers have more knowledge than these idiots they have working for this company.
Lily sizzling
Apr 01, 2014
Overpriced garbage. Rent a home for less. We were charged $1500 roughly a month plus all utilities to live in a mold infested unit. It was so bad it got on clothes, mattresses, linens, and even food. The walls would turn black no matter how much we bleached and aired the place out within a few weeks of moving in. They painted over the problem and rent their units to suckers. Don't be a sucker! Our entire place is filled with mold and their solution is Mildex or painting over the junk that grows back in a week or two. If you ask for repairs they do retaliate. Right after moving in (2013) mold grew everywhere they come repaint it grows back. The company sold the townhomes to a bunch of slumlords who suggest tape to fix issues like bad floor tacking where the synthetic hardwood linoleum is coming up and to fix a broken refrigerator that food rots in because the door is severely misaligned and it was noted on the move in inspection but they won't fix it as promised. The mold is the biggest complaint it was black and it was everywhere. My child was in and out of the hospital with his Asthma day and night while living in this hole of a mold infested place. Way to try to hide a serious health risk. Don't move here for your health, wallet, safety, and sanity.
Mohammad Ahmadnia
May 30, 2014
Hi, First of all I hope you are finding this review useful. I am living at Arcadia for about 3 years now. I used to love it but the original owner sold this nice property to new owner(s) that lack customer service, judgment/ humanity, and management. Lease wise: When I renew my lease, the original owner told me once I have legitimate excuse then I can break my lease without penalty because 1. I've been leaving here for almost 3 years, never being late in rent and was an excellent renter. 2. she said she will work with tenants to provide options when they are leaving. So the paper is for official use only and they will work for me. Well when they bought this property they fired old staff and now I have to pay $3,500 to pay the lease. When I think about it, it's definitely worth it to pay and get out of there. Customer service wise: I have taken my rent to the office many times, they have decided to change their account name now I have to change all my pre-rewritten checks. Now I have to order new checks and make sure the old ones are destroyed. Now they are charging me different every month for different amount because they have decided to include the utility into rent. Who does that. I used to get different bill for water and sewer and loved it. Now every month I have to write a new check. NO I'M SORRY I DON'T TRUST YOU GUYS SO I WILL NOT SETUP AN AUTOMATED PAYMENT SO YOU GUYS CAN TAKE WHAT YOU WANT, WHEN YOU WANT. Now a days, garbage stacks up around trash bins without anyone tries to deal with. Old owners used to provide much more complimentary services to tenants. For instance, old owner replaced the light bulb on my microwave at no charge. The new owner wants $5 for replacing the fridge light bulb. She is telling me it is cheaper than me doing it. Really, I pay over $1000 in rent and you guys can't afford to give $5 back? What an excellent service To be honest, I recommend that you stay away from this place. .New office manager (Jessica) is just not customer friendly. I was going to bring up the whole situation to her boss but figured google can get my voice to you faster and easier. 1 last thing, since old management, they have not been refilling any towels, water, or napkins in the Gym. You have to bring it yourself. If you can try to rent from a homeowner . If this is the nicest place to live on Campus Drive, I can't imagine what other places like. Good luck to you with your search and remember, many like me have had bad experiences so you don't have to.... After all above issue the black mold that started growing in our master bedroom. My wife is a clean freak, She cleans and wash everything. We don't have a pet and no one can walk in the house with shoes on. She cleans the black mold every week but it keep grows back. We brought this issue up to management and they are blaming it on us. what a scumbags. -M
Federal Way, Washington, 98023
Some errands can be accomplished on foot.
A few nearby public transportation options.
Explore how far you can travel by car, bus, bike and foot from Arcadia Townhomes Apartments.
Arcadia Townhomes Apartments has some transit which means a few nearby public transportation options.
Bus lines:
0.0 mi
0.5 mi
0.5 mi
0.5 mi
View all Federal Way apartments on a map.
Popular apartment searches include fireplace, pool and fitness. View all Federal Way apartments and rentals.
Arcadia Townhomes Apartments is in the city of Federal Way, WA. Federal Way has an average Walk Score of 36 and has 89,306 residents.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Hollywood House Rental Photos and Description
Location, Safety and Beauty. This house has it all! Don't be fooled by others that look good but are located in less desirable neighborhoods!
This house has a magnificent large backyard perfect for entertaining. Gas grill, patio table for 6 (we have other chairs available) and the heated above ground pool (measures 16'x48') is all you need to have a good time.
The house is very charming and expensively done with crown moldings, granite counter tops. plantation shutters to name a few.
This 3 bedroom 2 bathroom House is absolutely cozy and welcoming. It has hardwood floors throughout (except in the 3rd bedroom which is tiled) which add a feeling of warmth to this cottage feel house. The woodburning fireplace works beautifully and it is perfect at night time in the winter months. This house is perfect for a large family because it contains many beds and it comfortable sleeps 8 people in the bedrooms alone. The master bedroom has a queen and a twin bed (sleeps 3) and an en suite bathroom with a shower. The other two bedrooms are conveniently located just outside the remaining bathroom featuring a bath / shower combination. One of the bedrooms features a queen and a twin bed (sleeps 3) and the other has 1 queen (sleeps 2) . Additional cribs / small beds can be placed in the rooms as per request. Most of the baby equipment we keep in the walk in closets available if our clients need it.
The living room has plenty of sitting with two comfortable queen sofas one which opens to a bed (sleeps 2). 42' flat panel high definition television is placed over the fire place.
Additional air mattresses will be supplied upon request.
Dining room features a wooden table that comfortably sits 8 and an armoir with dishes for 10.
The kitchen features granite countertops and stainless steal appliances coffee maker, garbage disposal, dishwasher and more.
Laundry room with Washer and Dryer is right off the kitchen.
FREE Cable and Internet connections and wifi in all bedrooms and living room.
FREE long distance phone calls within USA and Canada.
Televisions in all 3 bedrooms.
- Suitability:
- non smoking only
- children welcome
- wheelchair inaccessible
- pets considered
Why Ana Oliveira chose Hollywood
In one word, Location!
My husband and I bought this house a few years ago to live in it with our two young girls. We chose it because of its surroundings and the beauty and safety of the area. Because of our girls, safety was at the top of our list. Upon entering the house, we immediately fell in love with it. The crown moldings, hardwood floors, wood burning fireplace and plantation shutters add such beauty to the living room that we immediately fell in love with it. The rest of the house was just as lovely that we immediately placed an offer. After that, other offers came in but I am glad to say that we got the house!
We ended up buying a bigger house to live in, of course in the same neighborhood, but this house is still my favorite house.
This neighborhood has something that others do not- the Intracoastal which we call our lake. There, neighbors gather in the 4Th of July to watch the fireworks across the lake coming from the beach. During the year it is an ideal place to walk your dog or ride bikes. Simply beautiful and serene.
Guestbook comments from the owner
We rented two homes in the Hollywood, FL area for 5 days during June 2010. I must say, we were very satisfied with the accomodations. We also found the owner (Ana) to be very accomodating. I am looking forward to staying in the area again just so we can rent from this owner again. Thanks for making our stay great! -


text:
Whether you are looking for a fully customized vacation, want help navigating your ancestors' homeland or need personalized ideas for your itinerary, My Bella Vita Travel can help. We offer a range of services for individuals and families traveling independently, as well as those who prefer guided and escorted tours.
Custom Vacations
Want a trip that is customized to you but don't want to sweat the small stuff When you book a custom vacation, we help you plan your ideal trip, then book and confirm everything and are available 24/7 throughout your vacation.
Ancestry Tours
Do you want to visit Calabria, explore your heritage … meet living relatives and longtime family friends? Regardless of whether you are just getting started in your research or only need an on-site interpreter, we can help.
Travel Consults
Looking for some tailor-made suggestions? With your travel consult, we will help you choose destinations and offer you personalized ideas for your trip.
For more information on any of My Bella Vita Travel's services, email us at firstname.lastname@example.com or use the contact form.


text:
This thread has been bookmarked. Visit your bookmarked threads to review.
Forum / THE MAIN WALL / A call for volunteers
Post a Reply to this Thread
A call for volunteers (5 Posts)
Dan Holohan July 10, 2013 @ 11:09 AM
Contact this user
A call for volunteersAngel Gonzalez is leading a team of volunteers this weekend (7/13 & 7/14) to replace the heating system in
Christ Presbyterian By the Sea church, which was devastated by Superstorm Sandy. This is an Oil Heat Cares project and the church is at 104 Noel Road, Broad Channel, NY., which is in Queens.
Angel has a crew to install the boiler on Saturday and Al Breda (our friend from Connecticut, who is also president of OESP) is going to work on the baseboard on Saturday and the oil tank on Sunday.
Angel writes, "I still need more people for baseboard and plumbing work and some low voltage wiring either day. I plan to start the day at 8 am. My cell number is 917-217-4263. I am working on a list of volunteers so please call me if you can help. Thanks and I hope to see you this weekend."
There's no pay for this but you will affect the lives of a lot of people who have had a very tough time. Thanks.Site Administrator
[email protected]
Hug your kids.This post was edited by an admin on July 10, 2013 11:09 AM.
Ron Jr. July 10, 2013 @ 7:37 PM
Contact this user
I'll give a hand SaturdayWasn't sure I could make it , but I'm free now . Bob O'Brien was good enough to let me know by email last week about this project . Do you have the address ?
MikeyB July 10, 2013 @ 8:52 PM
Contact this user
VolunteerUnfortunately I cant make it, just moved into a new house, Ron Jr. if you need an extra B-Tank or some 18AWG for the wiring let me know, I have extra
Dan Holohan July 11, 2013 @ 6:09 AM
Contact this user
Thanks, RonAddress is in my post above.Site Administrator
dan@heatinghelp[email protected]
Hug your kids.
Robert O'Brien July 17, 2013 @ 7:03 PM
Contact this user
Follow upWhen this project was first discussed it was thought that OESP would take on a project specifically directed at helping a family victimized by Hurricane Sandy. In the NYC area, most families received assistance from FEMA, but churches, amongst other institutions, did not qualify. So what better way to reach out to many families than by helping them restore their church. So this past weekend, 7/13 and 7/14, several of our chapters came together in Queens, NY to restore the heating system of the Christ by the Sea, Presbyterian Church. . Garden State, Fairfield County, NYC and Long Island were there to install a complete new system. In two days we were able to install a four zone hydronic boiler, a 275 gallon oil tank and approximately 300' of baseboard.
Through careful planning and by working in mixed teams this project was completed in just two days, most of our volunteers arrived early in the morning and worked a full day until the task was completed. We even had students show up and help install baseboard. This has been one of the best projects for me, and a very worthy cause. I will be so happy to see these folks able to attend mass in their own church, that day is not far away and we had a part in that.
Not only are we grateful to the people worked on this project but we owe a great deal of gratitude to those who donated the supplies and materials needed to make this happen.
· Thank you Peerless boiler for donating the boiler package, you never hesitated when asked
· Thank you Roth for all the Pex tubing and fittings and for offering an oil tank as well
· Thank you Petro for donating the oil tank and for actively participating with a helping hand
· Thank you Taco for the controls, valves and circulators
· Thank you Gil Meyerowitz, a local supplier who donated all the pipe and fittings to install the boiler
· Thank you Sippin Energy for donating the misc. pipe and fittings and use your install truck (and use of Al) to install the oil tank
· Thank you Blackman Supply for the baseboard.
Thank you Guaranteed Chimney for your work on the chimney.
Here's a link to 19 photos in my Dropbox:
It It is a great feeling to see so many people who care enough to help, kudos to all, kudos to OIL HEAT CARES.
Thank You


text:
This Search and rescue exercise increases the collective interoperability between U.S. and Canada, ensuring that they can carry out their collective mission to conduct operations in the Arctic and surrounding areas.
The exercise involved the simulated crash of a plane carrying American and Canadian military.
The first step is getting the para rescue medics on scene to take care of the injured.
Greg Smit of Canadian search and rescue said "Its extremely important that we have and once we get the pjs and the sartecs in its extremely important that we have both US Army and Canadian army would come in with major disaster equipment to get these folks out of the environment keep them warm, keep them stabilized get some helicopters up here start flying these folkls out so."
Conducting the exercises means when a real emergency occurs they can come together on short notice knowing how both sides work.
Eric Bleakney of Northcom said "Our relationship with the Canadians has been phenomenal and this is also a partnership between the sar players, the search and rescue players have worked together for many years conducted anywhere from we conduct a range of search and rescue anywhere from routine search and rescue to mass rescue operations to catastrophic incicdent search and rescue. This is just one other method where we're able to practice our partnerships and improve them."
Monte bowen newscenter 11.


text:
Anya Marina
Presented by Johnny D's Uptown Restaurant & Music Club at Johnny D's Uptown Restaurant & Music Club
May 23, 2012
Come see Anya Marina perform at Johnny D's! See her website here for more info!
Johnny D's Uptown Restaurant & Music Club
17 Holland St.
Somerville, MA 02144
Admission Info:
Buy tickets now! - http://www.johnnyds.com/advance-tickets/
General Day and Time Info:
8:00 pm
Phone: (617)776-2004
Accessibility Information: Currently, no accessibility information is available for this event.
Facebook Comments
Member Reviews
There are currently no reviews/comments for this event. Be the first to add a review/comment , and let folks know what you think!


text:
Books & Novels
The books & novels shown here were created by teens. Click any thumbnail to view the book or novel.
Lurking Shadows (Completed edition)
People say "Blood is thicker than water." however, the original saying is, "The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb." and while my family wishes I was gone, the friends I've chosen are here to stay. Or at least I hope so. (more »)
2 comments
Circus Daemonum
When Puck meets a strange boy in a graveyard, she never expected to go to a circus that would destroy her life. (more »)
1 comment
To Journey's End
The three sisters: Machiko,Mayumi and Koemi are in the past only knowing that they are harvesters and their parents were just murdered. In order to return home they must kill evil,face the ultimate tragedy and support one another. (more »)
Dezriel and Jassie
Two girls find each other at a concert, one saving her from sex demons, while the other finds out she's an angel. (Not finished yet) (more »)
A Demons Contract
What would you do for the one you love? Would you pray, or would you take an oath in desperation?
Love and life are entwined, but they are surrounded by darkness, tainted by the plague of death and greed.
How far would... (more »)
Love and life are entwined, but they are surrounded by darkness, tainted by the plague of death and greed.
How far would... (more »)
13 comments
The Hunting
A book of life after death, a truley capturing start to the afterlife and whats to come. (more »)
1 comment
Unknown Blood
In a world torn by darkness and corruption an unlikely set of heros will rise to save it. But in this world, trust is something easily lost. (more »)
1 comment
Desert Winds of Change
By Anonymous, Rockville, MD
Her mother was dead, her father hated them all, and her brother was a demon, or as close as one as you could be. How was she supposed to raise her family, when she was still a child herself? (more »)
A Wolf's Might and A Rose's Magic
Magic, monsters, hot guys, sexy girls, comedy acts and a whole lot of kick ass action scenes I welcome you to the world of Vahalla where anything is possible! (more »)
3 comments
Night of the Faun
Adelaide,a young french girl, comes in contact with rancorous demons from the other side. She must persevere and persist to remain true to herself before these unspoken creatures consume her morality. (more »)
1 comment
UltraViolet Storm
Violet is a PureBlood Angel. One of the very few left in the supernatural world. Angels aren't as every thinks they are. None of the supernatural is. (more »)


text:
Hi my name is Johnny and welcome to "I Need To Lose Weight Fast"! Have you ever been desperate? I know I have. The fact that you are on this website right now leads me to believe that you are looking for a fast and reliable answer to the question "what is the fastest way to lose weight?" This website is here to help you answer this question. I hope you find the information useful and enjoy reading it.
Thanks for sharing it with friends and family
To your weight-loss-success!
Johnny T. Richardson


text:
Next, you'll be asked to connect with Twitter. Rest assured, we will never send a tweet from your account without your permission.
Has twitter jumped the shark? via @bdorman264
Revamped Twitter offers new features for small business marketing via @martinjonesaz
Great PR Pros on Twitter from the Experts via @cision
From the Archive:: The Problem with Scheduling Posts on Facebook and Twitter
Here's why 100,000 people unfollowed me on Twitter via @markwschaefer
Watch Out For Fake Twitter Screenshots via @ShellyKramer
YouTube is closing, Twitter is no longer free, and other April Fools stories via @mike_allton
#MarchMadness on Twitter: #FGCU Dunks the Competition in Round 3 #Infographic via @kyleplacy
Should my SEO Strategy Include Twitter? via @DivaBusiness
Twitter: The Fastest Growing Social Platform via @SOCIALMEDIAINF0
Twitter 7th anniversary - infographic via @BerriePelser
Twitter: Using News to Connect With Your Audience via @HuffPostBiz
How to Use Twitter – Tips for Beginners via @BrittMichaelian
Auto-Direct Messages on Twitter- The Don't's via @markEATingllc
Building A Real Twitter Community At #SXSW with @Nestivity via @jkcallas
Social Media and Security: Have it Your Way – What the Burger King Twitter Hack Tells Us via @NealSchaffer
Twitter Chats for Public Relations & Marketing via @cision
Facebook, Twitter, Television, and the Second Screen via @NealSchaffer
Twitter Shortened Your Tweets with a Url by 2 Characters via @PamMktgNut
See what's Trending Now for @kmueller62


text:
It's been a busy summer and now an equally hectic fall. Be sure to check back next week for an excerpt from Linda Formichelli's forthcoming ebook, Write Your Way Out of the Rat Race…And Step Into a Career You Love.
In the meantime, here are a few writing-related projects I've been working on:
#ConnectChat: How to Generate Story Ideas: A few weeks ago, ProfNet hosted me for a Twitter chat about generating story ideas, dealing with an idea drought, and sourcing ideas on social media. (The photo at left is from ProfNet promoting the chat on a billboard in Times Square – how cool is that?) In case you missed the chat, click the title to view the recap.
10,000 Hours in 10 Minutes: Susan Johnston on Writing for a Living: Self-serve content engine MediaShower interviewed me about how writing has evolved, staying prolific, and my wackiest writing assignment. I'd love to get your thoughts on these topics so click on over and leave a comment.
5 Tips for Meeting with and Impressing Editors: Grabbing coffee or lunch with an editor is a rare chance to build rapport and get to know him or her on a more personal level. Late last year, I met up with an editor while I was vacationing in New York and that conversation sparked ideas that generated over a thousand dollars worth of freelance articles. Not bad for a half hour meeting, right? For an article in Contently's Freelance Strategist, I talked to several veteran freelancers about their in-person meeting strategies.
Writing Product Descriptions for Clients: I always look forward to listening to Ed Gandia's High Income Business Writing podcast, and earlier this summer, Ed hosted me on the podcast to discuss product descriptions. Many copywriters may not have considered this niche but there's a lot of demand for short, punchy product descriptions, especially as the holidays approach and retailers ramp up their inventory.


text:
edited :
Welcome to the online home of:
Psychic Kitty, where healthy pets thrive!
What is Psychic Kitty?
Were a unique source for holistic pet care to help your dogs and cats thrive.We welcome you to learn about our many offerings including a wide selection of healthy food, treats, toys and more to enrich the lives and health of your dogs and cats.
Find out whats new and nourishing in:
Because Psychic Kitty knows what dogs and cats need
to stay healthy and happy
copyright 2006 Psychic Kitty


text:
Where Business Begins in Iowa
Need help? Call us!
Need help planning your business or registering your company? Iowa does not have a "general business license". Licensing and other compliance requirements are based on the specific nature of your business or professional occupation.
IASourceLink can assist you with a comprehensive license search engine and with personalized assistance to help identify your compliance requirements. Search on frequently requested licenses or by a keyword search.
For more assistance contact firstname.lastname@example.com or call toll free at 1-800-532-1216. We are only a call away! We can assist your business to find and keep current on your licensing and registration requirements.
Our Mission: to Help Iowa Businesses Grow and Succeed.
Powered by:


text:
Medill Innocence Project investigation seeks brain scans
By Alison Flowers
Medill Innocence Project
Published: Aug. 28, 2012
Updated: Aug. 28, 2012, 9:02 p.m.
A federal judge on Tuesday blocked access to brain scans of a deceased infant, detailed medical images the Medill Innocence Project is seeking as part of its investigation of the first-degree murder conviction of an Illinois daycare worker who says she was wrongfully convicted.
In Chicago, U.S. District Court Judge Matthew F. Kennelly granted Northwestern University's petition, on behalf of the Medill Innocence Project, to intervene in the case as a journalistic enterprise aiming to inform the public. But the judge denied the university's motion to access medical records involved in the case. "Why should I disregard their privacy interests?" Kennelly asked at the hearing, referring to infant's family. "It's about as private as anything I can imagine."
In the motion, the Medill Innocence Project sought medical records with the hope of learning more about the infant's condition. The motion does not request access to the mother's health records.
After the brief hearing, Eric S. Mattson, an attorney at Sidley Austin who represented Northwestern, said, "We think that it's very important for lawsuits to take place in the public eye. That's what we were trying to accomplish with this motion."
Del Prete's Chicago attorneys, Jodi Garvey and Pat Blegen, who had obtained by subpoena the infant's medical records, supported Northwestern's motion for access to the infant's records but declined to give them to the Medill Innocence Project unless the judge formally allowed it. Northwestern last week submitted a motion to access the records. The Illinois Attorney General responded hours later by seeking a protective order to keep confidential the medical records of the mother and infant. Kennelly granted the state's motion for the protective order.
Medill undergraduate students have been probing the shaken-baby syndrome case since last March as part of an investigative journalism class supported by the Medill Innocence Project. The case hinges on complex medical understanding of a 3 1/2-month-old infant's condition when she lost consciousness under the supervision of former Romeoville, Ill., daycare worker Jennifer Del Prete in 2002. A Will County judge sentenced Del Prete to 20 years in prison in 2005 for allegedly shaking Isabella Zielinski, resulting in her death nearly a year later. Given medical advances over the past decade, the detailed medical images found in the MRI and CT scans could shed light on what caused Isabella's death, according to Northwestern Professor Alec Klein, director of the Medill Innocence Project. Del Prete awaits a hearing expected in December as part of her federal appeal.
Maura Possley, deputy press secretary for the Illinois Attorney General, said, "Because there are personal medical records involved, we had to act cautiously and ask the court to rule. Of course, if any documents are put into the court record, they will be accessible to the public."
Garvey, Del Prete's attorney, said she plans to enter into evidence what she considers relevant medical records, which she said could include MRI and CT scans.
Garvey and Blegen introduced scientific and medical research surrounding shaken-baby syndrome as evidence in Del Prete's federal habeas petition filed more than two years ago. Since her conviction, many experts have called into question whether the triad of shaken-baby syndrome symptoms—bleeding behind the eyes, brain bleeding and brain swelling—can solely identify the cause of an infant's injuries or death.
Court records indicate that Isabella experienced retinal bleeding and brain bleeding after she stopped breathing under Del Prete's care. However, the infant displayed no outward signs of abuse, according to hospital records.
Isabella's father, Richard, declined to comment about the case.
Read more: Illinois Attorney General Challenges Medill Innocence Project's Access to Infant's Medical Records


text:
HOLLAND, MI (WHTC) -- A Holland Township man was in Holland District Court on Friday where he pleaded guilty to attempted assault and resisting and obstructing police. 19-year-old Steven Darwin Boeve has been in the Ottawa County Jail since July 13th after being arrested by Holland Public Safety officers. Police responded to the area of Central Avenue and 16th Street in the early hours of July 13th. When they arrived on scene, Boeve and his accomplice, Gregory Lambers led police on a chase eastbound on 16th Street that ended with their car crashing into a motor home in the lot of Holland Motor Homes, just east of U.S. 31. Boeve is being held on a 15-thousand dollar bond and is set for sentencing on September 10th. Lambers waived a preliminary hearing and is free on 10 thousand dollars bond. Local activists accuse the two men of hate crimes for allegedly targeting parked vehicles of prominent African-Americans for vandalism and uttering a racial slur prior to the police chase; Holland Public Safety detectives are investigating those allegations.
Stroy by: Diane E Coston


text:
Home » Developer page of Tamera A Shaw-McGuire
Products from Tamera A Shaw-McGuire (74 programs)
|Tams11 Aces Up 22.214.171.124It may be simple and fun, but it can be hard to win!
|Tams11 Cluster Buster 220.127.116.11Quickly remove the flowers to gain points.
|Tams11 Confondu 188.8.131.52The correct letter placement can get you mega points!
|Tams11 Block Drop 22.214.171.124Make complete lines by arranging the falling blocks.
|Tams11 Sliders 184.108.40.206Another Tams11 Board Game
|Tams11 Jumble Solo 126.96.36.199Links letters to create as many words as possible.
|Tams11 Wordline Solo 126.96.36.199Quickly create 10 high scoring words. Can you get on the high score list?
|Tams11 Survivor 18.104.22.168Be the last one with cards in the online trick taking game.
|Tams11 Squares 22.214.171.124Multiplayer online puzzle board game.
|Tams11 Reversi 188.8.131.52Online version of the popular strategy game.
|Tams11 Bingo Bunch 220.127.116.11Try this unique multiplayer Bingo game.
|Tams11 Bingo Blitz 22.214.171.124Don't let Bingo Bob defeat you!
|Tams11 Flip Flop 220.127.116.11Change one letter at a time to Flip Flop the starter word to the ending word.
|Tams11 Space Bourne 18.104.22.168A traveling card game.
|Tams11 Poker Squares Solo 184.108.40.206Play this solitaire card game where you make poker hands on a 5/5 grid.
|Tams11 Muggins 184.108.40.206Online version of the popular domino game Muggins.
|Golf 22.214.171.124Mutiplayer card game called Golf.
|Tams11 To The Top 188.8.131.52Complete the trip up three columns to win.
|Tams11 Domino Swap 184.108.40.206Sort the Dominoes as quick as you can.
|Tams11 Quence 126.96.36.199Get five chips in a row to make a Quence.
- » MP3 & Audio
- All In One Jukebox, Audio Converter, CD Burner, Rippers & Encoders, Media Player ...
- » Multimedia & Design
- Compression & Palette, DVD, Image Conversion, Image Editors, Media Management ...
- » Desktop Enhancement
- Clock & Reminder, Cursor, Desktop Theme, Font Tools, Fonts ...
- » Games
- Action Game, Adventure & RPG, Arcade Game, Cards, Casino & Lottery, Intelligence Game ...
- » Home & Education
- Calendar & Planner, e-Book & Literature, Food & Beverage, Reference, Health & Nutrition ...
- » Business & Finance
- Business Application, Accounting & Finance, Database Management, Inventory & Barcoding, Personal Finance ...
- » Internet
- Bookmark Manager, Web Browser, Chat & Instant Messaging, Communication Software, Online Privacy ...
- » Utility
- Antivirus Software, Backup & Recovery Software, File Compression, File & Disk Management, Launchers & Task Managers ...
- » Software Development
- ActiveX, Compilers & IDEs, Component & Library, Database & Network, Debugging Tool ...
- » Web Developer
- HTML Conversion Tool, HTML Editor, Java & JavaScript, Server, Site Management ...


text:
November 13
It was well reported yesterday that SAS's future is bleak with 6,000 jobs for the cut and a SEK3 Billion (or ~US$444 Million) costs savings plan.
More details have emerged with the Norwegian regional airline – Wideroe now on the sale block too, along with SAS Ground Handling.
SAS's CEO Rickard Gustafson says
"We are facing a very serious situation. That is clear,"
"We have not made money in a number of years and you cannot continue to operate if you don't make money. We need to create a new business model. We need to stand on our own two feet. That is what we need to demonstrate very rapidly."
Other assets up for sale make sorry reading with the airline selling some its crown jewels (its some property, even some aircraft engines).
They're also trying to save money by outsourcing more work to external suppliers including the call centres.
The elephant in the r0oom however is agreement with staff (pilots and cabin crew) with a chilling warning being given out
"The company's existence is subject to the new collective agreements being reached."
The plan calls for staff to agree to take pay cuts of up to 17%, and cabin crew pay being cut by an average of 12%.
With SAS's board meeting again on the 18th November, it could be that time is starting to run out for this carrier unless some serious fixes are found.
SAS's problems are exhausted by Norwegian Air Shuttle and other low cost carriers eating into its traditional markets. Norwegian is preparing to launch 787 services to Bangkok and New York with a much lower cost base as the crews will be based in Thailand.
Whilst services at the moment are unaffected, I'd be watching extremely carefully what happens next week at the meeting to see if SAS can survive – or if we'll see the implosion of the airline and something being born out of it that is leaner and meaner…
5 Responses to "SAS in trouble: Wideroe for sale…"
Another hit hurting Star if these guys go under. With Tam likely leaving, Spanair ending almost a year ago, and still a chance of a US-AA merger putting ex-US in oneeorld, not a great year for *A. Despite getting Avianca-Taca & Copa.
Sounds like Sabena a few years back…..they came out as Brussels Airlines….and under partial ownership of LH. Perhaps a "new" SAS will emerge as well….? Also wonder if they will still start SFO service in spring?
SAS – Swedish Airline System. Has a nice ring to it….
As to the Long Haul Additions… who knows right now. SAS could call it time next week….
Let's hope SAS stays afloat, in some form. Best service to Scandinavia, and not much alternative exists, at least now.
By the way, SAS stands for 'Scandinavian Airline System', not just Swedish; it's also Danish and Norwegian.
My little jibe of "Swedish Airline System" is what could happen if the funding is pulled and SAS has to reorganise itself quickly as a single country company


text:
May 8, 2013
Hunter Valentine romance London fans
Candy bar seems to have a Marmite effect on lesbians. It is the only exclusively lesbian bar in London, so one would think that the entire lesbian contingent would be flocking there like it's perpetually Dinah shore weekend. What do some lesbians object to? The following interchange between two of my friends sheds some light:
- "I believe ______ is going to Candy bar that night."
- "Lol. Why?"
- "Because she loves chubby teenagers with bleach-dipped, asymmetric, flock-of-seagulls haircuts."
It is true that the clientele are of a particular subsection of the lesbian community in London. One that doesn't seem to be replicated in, for example, the lesbian basement of G-A-Y, the late First Out, and Ruby Tuesdays at Ku bar.
Credit is due, however, to Candy bar in their recent attempts to appeal to a wider range of lesbians. Chick habit live is an 'indie/alternative' night which features bands and DJ sets from notable acts. On Thursday night, I headed down there to see Hunter Valentine (of Real L Word fame/notoriety) supported by Battle of you and The cut outs.
Battle of you were an absolute treat. An unpretentious five-piece band from Shoreditch with upbeat hooks that make every chorus as catchy as the last. Fantastic energy from lead singer (and aptly named) Melody Patman and keyboardist Nicola Hogg. Think Two door cinema club, but better. This is a band you must see live, but until I get the pleasure of this for a second time, I'll be listening to their EP.
The cut outs were a very different breed; all dressed in black stripped back to a drum machine and two electric acoustic guitars. Perfect harmonies from the two ladies, however, the band seemed to lose the attention of the crowd after a couple of songs until the final brilliant version of The killers' Mr Brightside. The cut outs' 'dirty-dance-rock' did not lend itself as well to an acoustic set; they're better when plugged in.
And then there was Hunter valentine (a.k.a. Kiyomi + 2/3 lesbians). As they walked onto the stage, screams of epic proportions were raised to the point that I could almost have been at a Take That concert. It was certainly a coup for Candy bar to book Hunter valentine: the first lot of tickets sold out in half an hour.
Was Kiyomi's girlfriend, Lauren, there? Yes she was, standing by the stage looking adoringly at Kiyomi. I actually felt like I was in The real L word for a brief time. Interestingly, as the band were tuning up, the shouts from the crowd were for Lauren rather than the band.
It was billed as an acoustic set although the only sign of this was the drummer, Laura Petracca's, substitution of a plastic shaky egg for the drums. Laura provided occasional backing vocals but mostly she was just enjoying the crowd, striking exaggerated tongue-in-cheek poses for the cameras. Aimee Bessada, the lead guitarist, did not feature in The real L word, but was an excellent addition to the band. She looked like she could have been an extra in Almost Famous with her shaggy hair, leather trousers, and pattern shirt.
But let's be honest, Kiyomi is the star of the show, with her trademark annunciation and swagger. Kicking off with "Staten Island dream tour", uber-fans sang along (to the point where they drowned out the band). We heard favourites such as "This bull rides tonight" and, after much pleading from the crowd, "The great Canadian love song".
During the set, two significant things happened:
1) A girl who was not wearing a bra danced a little too enthusiastically and I found myself witnessing a public display of nudity. Interestingly, when the girl realised what had happened, she proceeded to admire the offending tit in the mirror right next to her.
2) A fight nearly broke out between an incredibly short girl and a much taller girl. Clearly the short girl was confident in her ability to handle herself.
The set was good, if a little predictable. I wanted to hear or see something that a recording simply couldn't convey. True, their stage presence was a strong point, but musically I wanted something more, something unexpected, like a re-interpretation of a cover or a brilliant show of musicianship.
The question is whether Hunter Valentine can stand alone as a band, not just a lesbian band which had the enormous advantage of being given a platform on The Real L Word. But then again, personalities can never be entirely separated from the music; presumably One Direction fans are not fans solely on the basis of their music. It remains to be seen whether Hunter Valentine will make the transition from 'gaymous' to 'famous'.
Visit www.lercdesigns.com for more of Laura Cunliffe's photos.
Comments are closed.
Shit people say to pregnant lesbians
A collaboration between Lesbilicious and the Short & Girlie Show, exploring the reactions that lesbians get when they tell people they are pregnant or that they are trying for a baby.
This video was filmed in Brighton, UK.
June 21, 2013


text:
To Lie Awake and Pretend You Can Hear Me
She didn't remember the night they met each other for the first time for the seventh time. She'd somehow lost sight of the first six with time. The pattern they had established was confusing her, leaving her alone when she in truth had seven men of drastically different personas who would each kill to keep her.
The second time they met for the first time they met, it was in a subway station. Kind of an experiment to see what would happen. It was awkward at best: the majority of their conversations consisted of numerous breaks in character and recurring continuity errors in each of their structured personas. But it was romantic and sweet nonetheless. And for a while, the spark of their relationship boomed. But when a spark has to be relit, it never lasts very long. It died out within a couple of weeks. So they tried it again.
He—or rather they—knew this was a bad idea.
"This isn't normal," he would preach.
"What if something happens?" he would ask.
"And what could possibly happen?" she would laugh as she clasped his hand in hers lovingly, taking specific time to stroke each vein and joint with a careful touch. That was the one thing they had in common with one-another. Through all of the strange outfits and varied personalities, he couldn't ignore how soothing her touch was. And because he couldn't ignore, neither could they.
No matter the outcome of their first encounters; whether it be romantic or sexual or funny or sweet or even angry, every night he would inevitably fall asleep to the feeling of her fingers on his. It was like a safety net. If the roleplay ever became too unfamiliar, she could just take his hand in hers and be assured that they were him.
Maybe that's where he went wrong. Maybe having that one consistency in every encounter is what confused her. Maybe she wasn't as stable as he had thought. Maybe he was just too good of an actor. Whatever it was, he was beginning to lose her to them. They were slowly becoming her reality while who he truly was started to become the roleplay. The more characters he created, the worse it got.
So he stopped. He told her it needed to end. He told her why, but it only made her upset. She didn't believe him and the more he tried to convince her, the further away she slipped, this time at a frightening rate. He begged for her to stay, for her to see the truth and the more he fought, the more disgusted with him she became. She saw him less as her eternally devoted husband and more as that guy who liked to hit on her despite knowing she was a married woman.
But married to whom? Apparently that shifted day to day. Some days he would wake up and refuse to see anyone other than Leon as her lover. Other times it was Jameson. On occasion she even loved Marion, whom he considered to be the least appealing of all of them.
Until one day, he would wake up next to her after a night of being one of them. She screamed. She hit him and screamed and covered her naked body and screamed and threw things at him and wouldn't stop screaming. She trembled like an animal that had been left out in the rain overnight; her speech shaken and utterly distraught. She was about to call the police so, in a panic, he put on the wig and became one of them. And instantly, she calmed down. She clung to one of them as if she had just been raped, like some stranger had drugged her the night before and done horrible things to her as she slept.
But she simply did not remember him.


text:
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Blizzard stated some time way back sometime around early Wrath (last time flying was disabled) that they don't want to increase ground speed any more. They don't like people moving that quickly on the ground. Too many technical and aesthetic problems. Of course, as with anything that may change.
"If you want players in the world, give them a compelling reason to do so and look around."
The flying restriction isn't focused on getting people out in the world, it's more about managing the questing experience. With flying mounts, no matter how fast, you can hop on the mount and fly to the exact quest location and ignore everything in between. Ground mounts encourage you to experience the terrain and allow Blizzard to create quests knowing what you will see by keeping you on the ground.
I like it! Flying is fun, but being grounded is better for the questing experience. In my opinion. :) And it won't last forever, just until level 90.


text:
I have a customer that does it all the time. She says when she taste soap, she will buy a new one, ha!
She is not suppose to do it b/c of the soap in the dishwasher. There may be other reasons but that is the only one I know.
I went over to my friends house for lunch today and when I put my plate in the dishwasher, there was her small bar pan. I screamed. She asked me why she shouldn't put it in there and quite frankly, I didn't know what to tell her. I just never have done that. She said she does it all the time.
I have a customer that does it all the time. She says when she taste soap, she will buy a new one, ha!
She is not suppose to do it b/c of the soap in the dishwasher. There may be other reasons but that is the only one I know.
supposedly, the stone can absorb(?) the soap and make your food taste off. personally, my hubby hand washed my 1st stones with soap and water once and it didn't affect them. however, I wouldn't encorage it. although, if she is willing to buy a new one when that one starts messing with food flavors, i guess that just means repeat business in the future!
Putting a stone in the dishwasher is a bad idea because:
1. it voids the warranty
2. it could cause thermal shock and later could break while in use
3. it gets rid of the seasoning
4. the soap taste thing
not to mention the insane water pressure
I just don't get it, my stones, even before they were seasoned, are some of the easiest things to clean! I don't understand people who think they have to put everything in the dishwasher!
its not always because people are lazy (some of us are OCD & don't like things out looking messy)
there are days I am so busy, I don't have the extra time to wash, dry and put it away.
I refuse to have a dish drainer for them to drip dry and put away later
my DW sometimes runs up to 3-4 times a day (always full)
A customer has a broken stone and says she does run it in the dishwasher. Do I do a product adjustment if they insist or tell them tough luck? Honestly, I don't understand how this could make it break more....
I have customers who put them into the dishwasher all the time, BUT they do NOT add soap. I have strongly recommended that they don't do this. But as far as I know they still do.
I wouldn't do the adjustment...I would just politely explain that it voids the warranty because it is not supposed to be used that way. It's not YOUR fault, nor PC's responsibility to make sure they actually READ. Best I would offer is to let her know about September's specials, if she seems upset or turned off, MAYBE offer an extra 10% off (from your commission).
Just doesn't seem honest to me to return something we know is voided for the warranty. THere is no way of knowing if her putting it in the dishwasher caused problems that resulted in the breakage.
And I read somewhere that the soap isn't absorbed into the stone, but that it "sticks" to the fats/oils that are seasoned onto the pan, and that is why we taste it. I also read that the baking soda-paste concoction could help eliminate that (haven't tried it).
my dh washed mine with soap (he was trying to help), and for the first couple times after that things didn't cook just right. they weren't as crispy and my rolls were still doughy on the bottom, but a year later and its back to normal! and my dh knows to never ever EVER put my stones near soap again!
the stones are similar to cast iron. they have to build a season to be effective. who puts those in a dishwasher?
The pressure of the water in the dishwasher is also bad for the stones. It can force the water into the pores of the stone, where it sits until the stone is used. Then it turns to steam and can break the stone.
I would explain that washing the stone in the dishwasher voided the warranty. The product information says that it is not dishwasher safe.
The temperature changes of the dishwasher and the harsh detergent enzymes are definitely not good for a stone. Stones tend to be temperamental anyway (both my small oval baker and my DCB had to be returned under warranty before I was a consultant and I take impeccable care of my stoneware). I once turned up a stone baker in the center of the oven higher than 450 (of course it was my favorite long-retired one) and it cracked it right in half. I do use my pizza stone at 500 every time, but at the very, very bottom of the oven. And it's the old stone without handles.
I won't put sharp knives in the dishwasher either, but I am a freak like that.
Some people (like my OCD MIL) don't think that anything can be cleaned without tons of soap. She still doesn't understand how the stonewear gets cleaned just with hot water. Its partially an old fashioned thing imho.
We put the color-coated tomato knife in the DW and it was fine... Then we put 2 in there and it turned the Food Chopped plastic green as well some of the dishwasher plastic. Won't make that mistake again!
I'm confused why we say that it can't be washed with soap because it will absorb the taste of soap. Don't we also claim that the nonporous surface doesn't absorb flavors?! I understand that we say no soap because it breaks down the natural non-stick finish.. but we claim that it does not absorb oils or flavors from cooking, so how can we say it absorbs the soap taste??


text:
Volunteering involves providing your knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as your time and energy, without establishing an employment relationship and usually without any monetary compensation. Employees who take on volunteer roles are able to build new skills and practice existing skills in a different setting from their day-to-day job. They can try something that is different from their usual work and bring back those skills, thereby adding value to their employer by improving their current job performance. They may even enhance the succession management efforts of their employer because they become ready to move into positions of greater responsibility faster and more effectively than they would had they not taken on the volunteer role. The best part about this employee development strategy is it doesn't cost the organization nearly as much as sending the employee to costly training workshops or hiring a coach. In fact, it often costs the organization nothing.
In my ASTD Press book, Employee Development on a Shoestring, I describe 11 different ways to develop employees outside the classroom, including a chapter on Volunteering as an employee development method. In it, I define how volunteering can serve as an employee development method and explain who should try it, how it benefits learners and the organization, the competencies it can develop, and how it works. I also give tips for establishing volunteering as one of your approaches to employee development and conclude with a case study that depicts the success PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) enjoyed as a result of offering this type of development method.
The case study describes how 200 PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) volunteers—partners, staff, and interns from across the United States—traveled to Belize City, Belize, in the Summer of 2011 as part of Project Belize, an initiative that builds on a three-year relationship with schools in Belize City, and is primarily focused on financial literacy and environmental sustainability. The PwC team connected with more than 1,200 students in 10 schools in some of Belize's poorest areas and focused on hosting a youth financial literacy camp, leading a scholar's mentoring program for current and former Belizean students, providing financial and technology training to teachers, and building "Learning Landscape" playgrounds using repurposed materials.
According to PwC participant Justin Suissa, "the experience [building learning landscape playgrounds] was valuable on so many levels." Justin was out of his element—construction is not where his expertise lies—and had a tight deadline and clearly defined "deliverables," but many pitfalls and unexpected obstacles to overcome. Having to pull together as a team to build six playgrounds for the children through pouring rain and intense heat and humidity in five days was a challenge that developed his leadership and team-building skills. Justin developed his flexibility and agility competencies to figure out new technical skills in an unpredictable environment. "While I did not expect it, it was like a learning playground for us, the volunteers. With high stakes and a tough deadline, my teammates and I had to solve problems creatively and let go of pre-established hierarchies in this new environment."
For another volunteering employee, Jack Teuber, this experience meant a change in his environment and operational mode—from an unconsciously competent managing director leading a team to a novice middle school teacher in a foreign country, working with children and with a totally new and mixed team of associates and interns. Jack understood that his challenge was "to get out of people's way and encourage them to grow, solve problems, and develop their leadership skills." He developed his ability to collaborate and support others' success through coaching. Jack reflected that he and his teammates all needed to rise to the challenge based on "soft skills" in this new environment—building relationships, establishing empathy, communicating, and partnering. These skills are "extremely important back in the PwC environment because they help us serve our clients better and be better leaders and team players to our colleagues." Finally, Jack gained tremendous partnering and networking benefits—"the team members still keep in touch after returning home and all of us have developed greater access to and understanding of other areas of the business, which serves to break down barriers, especially the hierarchical ones. Belize affected my self-awareness and has caused me to want to do this for my own team [at home]."
While this case study describes a large and generous company undertaking a big expenditure, the same principles can be applied and the same developmental benefits can be yours for absolutely no money. Volunteering can be done in your local community—no international flights needed. Volunteering can be conducted by individual employees joining other members of the wider community or as a team effort—sending a group of volunteers from the same organization on a volunteer mission. The learning that took place for those Belize Project volunteers could happen in your local neighborhood. I hope you give it a try!
Employee Development on a Shoestring has lots of additional tools, checklists, self-assessments and other supports to help you implement the various development methods, consider some of the objections you might encounter, and provide ways to overcome them. Catch my presentation at ASTD ICE on Tuesday, May 8, 2012, from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. about this topic to get even more ideas!
Tags: : employee development, halelly azulay, books, human capital, professional development
Categories: Books | Human Capital | Learning & Development | Learning Technologies
All over the world, professionals like you are faced with a challenging task of helping employees grow and develop their knowledge, skills, and competencies in the face of shrinking budgets and timelines and ever-increasing pressures to 'do more with less.' Supervisors and employees desperately need alternatives and complements to the usual approach of employee development training or e-learning events, because formal learning is not enough. And so many of us are so overwhelmed with a growing workload that we simply don't have the time or the requisite knowledge to come up with new, creative ideas for developing skills within the parameters that are presented to us.
Toby is a star performer on whom you can always rely. He is smart and decisive and has a strong sense of accountability. He has been getting feedback from peers, other stakeholders, and you about needing to respond in a more flexible and nimble way to unexpected information or quick changes in plans. He wants to develop his Flexibility competency and you concur—it will help him move to the next level of leadership readiness. But how?
Here is an example of three of the 11 development methods I've outlined in my book, Employee Development on a Shoestring (ASTD Press, 2012), centered on this one sample competency of Flexibility. I hope that it generates some good ideas on how to develop employees year-round, outside the classroom, outside 'the box,' and with a low budget.
You need to help Toby develop a SMART (specific, measurable, aligned, results-oriented, and time-bound) goal and plot specific actions that will lead him to achieve this goal. Assuming that a training class or e-learning program on flexibility is either not an option or already covered, here are three ideas for development outside the classroom and 'on a shoestring.'
Toby quickly adapts his behavior and work methods in response to new information, changing conditions, or unexpected obstacles. He adjusts rapidly to new situations warranting attention and resolution.
Toby will read at least three books on change and flexibility and write a summary of the key lessons he can apply from each book.
a. Identify and purchase first book or loan from library. b. Repeat for second and third books. c. [Manager name] will be available to meet with Toby for each report for one hour.
a. Obtain first book by Friday of next week. b. Complete reading first book and write report by the end of the month. c. Discuss with [manager name] by first Friday of next month. d. Repeat for second and third book. e. Complete all three books by end of second quarter.
a. Toby has read and reported on at least three books about change and flexibility by the end of second quarter.
Toby will join an action-learning taskforce where he will take on a more observant, quiet role during problem solving and project planning meetings to allow and understand multiple views and perspectives for each problem. He will also personally write down three alternative explanations to each idea or judgment that he thinks of before articulating his opinion in meetings.
a. Journal or record-keeping notebook or electronic document for insights and generating alternatives. b. Inform team members about this challenge and develop a special hand signal they could give him when Toby becomes active when multiple other views have not yet been expressed.
a. Begin immediately and conduct this behavior during every team meeting where a deliberation of a problem and possible solutions occurs. b. Journal as soon as possible after a meeting to reflect and capture insights and lessons learned. c. Check in with [manager name] to report progress and insights once every two weeks for the first two months, less frequently after (based on mutual agreement at that time).
a. Toby will have regular journal records of attempts showing increasingly more observant and less active behavior during deliberations. b. By the end of second quarter, Toby will have 85% success rate of withholding his ideas and comments from deliberations until at least ¾ of those present have actively participated with their ideas, as reported by him in his reflection journals.
Toby will complete a job rotation assignment in a department/location that is known to be under a lot of stress and pressure to gain a new perspective on organizational issues and develop new ways of working, especially in a challenging environment. He will keep a journal of his challenges and insights and debrief his manager afterward to identify what was most challenging or difficult for him and how he could handle those aspects more effectively.
a. Identify location for job rotation. b. Correspond with rotation manager and ensure availability of rotation assignment. c. Determine a succession plan for Toby's current role for the duration of the rotation. d. Communicate plan to staff and management and gain their support.
a. List 5–8 possible assignment ideas by end of month. b. Finalize the target assignment location by end of second quarter. c. Identify succession plan by end of second quarter. d. Communicate plan to staff and management by mid-July. e. Begin rotation by end of August. f. End rotation by the next January. g. Conduct a debrief discussion within two weeks from return to current role.
a. Toby will have successfully planned for and completed a six-month rotational assignment with a focus on developing flexibility under pressure and new perspectives for organizational issues by year's end.
Toby should be able to demonstrate a substantial improvement in his ability to respond flexibly to changes and new situations as a result of this plan. Then, you can begin to focus on a new development goal. Maybe Toby will be ready for that promotion you've been considering for him?Employee Development on a Shoestring has lots of additional tools, checklists, self-assessments and other supports to help you implement the various development methods, consider some of the objections you might encounter, and provide ways to overcome them. Catch my presentation at ASTD ICE on Tuesday, May 8, 2012, from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. about this topic to get even more ideas!
What unique employee development methods, which didn't require any official 'training' events or lots of resources, have you tried? Please share your ideas, experiences, and questions in the comments, below!
Source: Employee Development on a Shoestring by Halelly Azulay (ASTD Press, 2012). * Self-directed learning is covered in Chapter 2 of Employee Development on a Shoestring** Special Teams are covered in Chapter 7 of Employee Development on a Shoestring*** Job Rotation is covered in Chapter 6 of Employee Development on a Shoestring
Credit: Photo by Hamed Saber via Flickr Creative Commons
Tags: employee development, halelly azulay, books, human capital, professional development
You're busy, busy, busy. So is your staff. There are skills and competencies that they need (or want) to develop, but you don't have the budget to send them off to some three-day training seminar. Or maybe that's not even an option for the content or experience you're looking to develop. Or you've been there, done that. What to do?! Relax! There are actually lots of things you could do, right now, to develop your employees. And many of them won't cost you a dime. Here are five ideas to get you started:
Additional Resources:In my forthcoming book, Employee Development on a Shoestring (ASTD Press, 2012), I describe these and six other creative employee development methods that help you keep your budget and time investment to a minimum. Dan Pink describes the Creativity Zone idea in his 2010 book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. Excellent resources on Learning 2.0 ideas and tips are Tony Bingham and Marcia Conner's The New Social Learning: A Guide to Transforming Organizations Through Social Media (2010), Jeanne Meister and Karie Willyerd's The 2020 Workplace: How Innovative Companies Attract, Develop, and Keep Tomorrow's Employees Today (2010), and Jane Bozarth's Social Media for Trainers: Techniques for Enhancing and Extending Learning (2010).What are ways you've developed your employees' knowledge and skills without spending an arm and a leg? I'd love to hear your ideas, stories, and questions in the blog comments below!
*Photo by Alan Cleaver via Flickr Creative Commons
Contributed by Sarah Wakefield, Author of Technical Training Basics
Technical Training can be hard to create. Course developers are doubly challenged: they must complete all the regular challenges of writing and putting together courseware, but they must do it by using words and concepts they don't fully understand. And this is just one obstacle they may face. Among other things, constant updates in product offerings and changes in best operational practices can leave them confused or frustrated. It is no wonder that many technical training projects fade into oblivion or never get finished on time.
However, not all hope is lost. Technical Training Basics explores strategies available to streamline technical training development. Some of these tactics include:
Create the right development team – Of course this involves selecting the subject matter expert (SME) that's right for the job, but it also includes making sure that you as the developer also focus on a few things – namely, communication skills.
Start the project off right – Asking the right questions is important at the beginning of a technical project. Sometimes irrelevant technical content is included in a class because, well, no other content seems to exist. This doesn't make it right, however. Technical Training Basics explores how to ask questions to your SME to lead you to relevant and valuable content and it also offers suggestions for internal and external sources of information.
Effectively work with your SME – Yes, we are returning to the communication theme again. Many of the strategies mentioned in the book are really targeted communication strategies. Learn about the different ways you can effectively work with your SME – everything from explaining project roles to preparing your SME for the pilot course.
Make your course interactive – Just because you have a highly technical topic doesn't mean that you have to have a highly boring course. Like any good training design, technical course design should include exercises and activities to support your course objectives. Suggestions and ideas for exercises are included in the book.
Hang in there! – Technical training development is not for the faint of heart. Common challenges and solutions to technical training development are discussed in the book, and you will find that a lot of what makes you successful as a developer is your own ability to problem solve, communicate and persevere.
Technical training development is always going to have its challenges. But with a little focus and preparation, you can be successful in your projects and produce a valuable end product.
Tags: manufacturing, technical training, e-learning, books
Categories: Books | Learning & Development | T+D
We spoke at the International Conference & Expo with Change Book authors Mary Stewart and Tricia Emerson. The two talked about culture, getting executives aligned with change initiatives, and why it's all about the research.
Q: Let's first scratch the surface: Visually, The Change Book is a very unique business book. How do you feel this look and feel help to drive home your ideas and strategies?Mary: One of the big principles that we explore in the book is taking the learner's point of view. One way to think about that is that we're talking to people like ourselves, but we are also talking to people with a variety of learning styles. And we asked ourselves, what would we want to read if we were reading a business book about change. There are different kinds of people with different perspectives, different cultures and styles of learning. How do we incorporate both of those things: What do we want from a reader's perspective?
So we thought about that and we came up with a couple of different things: First of all, we are busy. So we don't have a lot of time. If I start to read a book that's very linear in fashion and it's 300 pages long, I might not feel as though I've gotten what I should get until I've read the 300th page. So that might be an investment of time for me.
So we wanted a book that delivered content in small packages—each chapter is something you can literally open up, read (each chapter is probably 3 pages long), and then you can close the book, and you've gotten something from it. Another thing is, we know a lot about some things and not others. What we thought about with our book is that maybe we want people to go directly to the topic they want to learn about. We want people to go directly to the table of contents and say, 'For the questions I have, I want to look at this chapter or that chapter, and maybe that's all I need for now.' And they can skip the ones that they feel they have a handle on already. Tricia and I are both visual learners and so we didn't want to rely too heavily on words. We wanted to layer the content. All people learn on different levels. Maybe some people are persuaded more by stories and metaphors. Some people (like us) are persuaded by visuals---if I can imagine the four quadrants of a model in my head, then I can remember it, and I can teach it. But if I have to read everything in a narrative form, sometimes it doesn't stick as well.
So we tried to layer these things: words plus visuals, plus stories, plus metaphors, plus tools you can use. So maybe one of those ways appeals to you, and that's what resonates with you. We also need the ability to transfer knowledge to others so that we have something we can take away, and a lot of words on a page doesn't really facilitate that. And finally, the last thing that we need at the end of a long day is something that's grim and dry. So we try to make it kind of fun. If I'm reading a book about work, after work, I don't want to feel like it's more work! I want to feel engaged and have something that cheers me up. We wrote a book that we liked!Tricia: I think that if something is fun, the ideas will resonate. We wanted to be not only playful, but deep, and based in research. The challenge was that people already know a lot about this topic, so we said, let's challenge them by capturing those ideas in a way that is playful and fun, but meaty.
It would be easy to dismiss the book as a 'puff' piece because it is so visually pleasing. But because it is grounded in evidence, that was the fun part: Making the hard work seem fun. That's what expertise is: Doing something really complicated and making it look easy.Q: You insert a bit of Jungian theory in the book in terms of "archetypes." What inspired you to connect these ideas in writing about culture change?Tricia: As world-class 'nerds,' we're always looking for research and seeing what comes out of the universities. There was work being done by a woman named Carol Pearson out of the University of Maryland. She latched onto her ideas as she was doing work with CAPT (formed by Isabel Myers who was administering her surveys from there). What I thought was compelling was that she was working with PR firms taking the research around stories and around Jungian archetypes and associating it with brand. The reason why archetypes are so important for change is that stories define who we are as people.I can define myself as a caregiver, or jester, or a hero, and you're going to know exactly what I mean. So it goes primarily to who I am as a person. Carol was saying that organizations have similar story lines. If I tell you that I work for Google, you're going to make some assumptions about me. If I say that I work at Apple, you'll say I'm a creative anarchist, and wear black t-shirts to work [laughs]. There are assumptions based on that brand. That's compelling because it attracts people whose personal stories resonate with the brand story. That's how culture comes about.
So whenever you start to implement a new change, you have to be aware of the aggregate of all those individual stories and how that plays out from an organizational standpoint. People often come to me and say 'I want to change our culture.' And I'll say first of all, 'Why?' And secondly, I get them to understand that they are changing the course of a river. So there has been 'water hitting those rocks' for many years, and the truth is that that organization was created by a lot of people gravitating toward the story that it projects.
So If I am going to go there and change the culture, I'd better know what that story is, and if I'm going to work within that culture, I need to understand the overriding culture and the substories. And if I want to implement change, I'd better bring some dynamite, and I'd better build some dams. It's better to work with the course of the river than to try to reroute it!So I think it was a perfectly logical extension on the Jungiuan work into the culture arena. I think we in the profession need to be thinking very hard about that. Q: Harnessing the right kind of people power is a huge part of change undertakings, so how can change leaders combat the dreaded competing silos in shaping their initiatives?Mary: There's a finding in sociology that people can be motivated by a superordinate goal. That means a goal that affects everyone, that is compelling and that is more important than the goal of one's own group. One thing we talk about is not shying away from the pain of the current state of an organization. In thinking about moving from state A to state B, organizations don't like to use negative messages that say, 'things are going to be bad if we don't change,' and they say instead, 'things will be a little better if we do change.'We recommend that they do say those difficult things because that creates the difference between that terrible future we don't want and the great future that we're all moving toward. So that can create a really compelling sense of urgency in their organization so that they stop competing with each other and instead compete with 'the world' as a group. Tricia: It's base-level. You see what people call "the common enemy" … that's an expression of the superordinate goal. Essentially, what we're talking about is executive sponsorship. Leaders have to be aligned. Often, the first thing we do in embarking on a large change is to put the executives in the same room together and have them come up with the four words that define what this change is about. This is basd in political science and political commnication. We get them on message. Because if they are not in agreement, it's not going to happen. It has to happen at the very beginning; at the very top.Often, what companies do in a change initiative is create communications (slides or memos) for their executives. But when you meet that executive in the hallway, they're not on message. And it doesn't come from the heart. People look to the senior executives during changes, and if they're not talking about it, people are going to assume this is a flavor of the month, and they're not going to pay attention. So the upfront conversation has to be about why the status quo is no longer acceptable.
Systems theory tells us that we don't change until the current system no longer works for us. We have to be clear that the current system is broken. People don't want to say that, but we've got to get executives on point with that. Second, we need to say 'this is what the vision looks like'---the 'shining city on the hill.' It has to be graphic. Then we show them the first steps. This is why we equip them with those four words.Also, groups self-correct. There are unspoken rules that are created when people come together. This is the concept of emergent norms. This is also true of cultures---unspoken rules. People eventually come to understand what's correct and what's not. And they behave accordingly. When you pull the executives together and have them come up with these messages, the norms come out. This is all grounded in research.
It's time for us to start employing these principles in trying to have an impact on our organizations. We tend to start with the learning solution, which is great because that's how you sustain change. But it's really about behavioral change first, and how you get the system to work to your benefit.Q: In a sentence, what is one pearl of wisdom you'd like your readers to go forth with after reading The Change Book?Tricia: HPI and change management is a field of discipline that requires study. People need to read more research!Mary: Change is hard, but don't be afraid of the negatve stuff because you can make it work to your advantage.
Tags: books, the change book, mary stewart, tricia emerson, conferences, ASTD 2011
Categories: Books | News | T+D
"I don't get no respect" could be a catchphrase for an internal consultant—but not anymore. A few days ago, ASTD Press published Consulting on the Inside, 2nd edition, and once internal consultants get their hands on this book and start applying its lessons, they will get respect in spades.
How are internal consultants different from externals? Well, let's look at external consultants first. The external consultant—often perceived as having a lot of expertise, experience, and credibility—is brought in by senior executives to "facilitate a client-requested change without having the formal authority to implement the recommended actions." He or she is often viewed as an objective outsider, someone who has a lot of broad business experience and knows all the latest and greatest business thinking. Often he or she is viewed as a hotshot who is trusted by the executive team to fix an organizational problem.
Internals, however, sometimes seem to lack credibility and aren't taken seriously. They can be viewed as having an agenda, as not being objective. Also, they lack the broad business exposure that external consultants gain as part of their everyday work.
However, internal consultants do some advantages externals don't have: They have deep knowledge of the organization—its culture, its lingo, its history, the ways things are done—which can give them an edge in getting projects off the ground because they know who to talk to and how to make things happen.
In Consulting on the Inside, 2nd edition, Beverly Scott and B. Kim Barnes provide all that an internal consultant could need to leverage their advantages and minimize their disadvantages. The book provides an eight-phase consulting model that allows for the often nonlinear and iterative nature of the internal consulting process.
One of the new additions to this second addition is a section devoted entirely to the interpersonal skills that are required for success in internal consulting (and in business in general). The skills that B. Kim Barnes brings her considerable experience and in-depth knowledge to include influence, negotiation, innovation, change, and team effectiveness.
And finally one the real values of the book are the tools provided both in the hard copy and on the web. These include meeting agendas, self-assessments, processes, models, flowcharts, and more.
So read the sample chapter at the Consulting on the Inside webpage, pick up a copy, and get some respect!
Tags: ASTD Press, ASTD books, books, Press, consulting, consulting on the inside, internal consultant, external consultant, consultant, Bev Scott, Beverly Scott, B. Kim Barnes, Barnes
Categories: Books
It's that time of year again. When we at the Press are scrambling to get books ready for the International Conference & Exposition, and somehow all of that content seems to run together into a big blur. So what I am working on that you can expect to see in Orlando?
First off, we've got the revised edition of Consulting on the Inside by Beverly Scott and B. Kim Barnes coming out in the beginning of March. In her endorsement, Elaine Biech says, "Expecting nothing but excellence from these two master consultants, I was not disappointed to see new models and valuable concepts intertwined with many of the practical tools such as sample contracts, agendas, team charters, and others from the first edition. Bev and Kim ensure your success from helping you define your internal consulting role, to overcoming the most common challenges, through ensuring successful implementation. They do this with the practical ease of consultants who really know their business. Consulting on the Inside sits obligingly on my bookshelf within easy reach at all times." In other words, this book is packed with tools and information; moreover, the authors have provided a wealth of web appendixes, which will be made available in a few weeks. I will be sure to post a blog when the webpage is up and running.
Next is another revision. This time of ASTD Press's most popular book of all time: Telling Ain't Training. Authors Harold Stolovitch and Erica Keeps have revised and expanded this treasure while maintaining the relaxed voice and research-based content of the original. You can expect to see that one sometime in early May.
Rita Smith, vice president of enterprise learning for Ingersoll Rand, has written Strategic Learning Alignment, which provides a model that provides clear explanations of how executives in organizations speak and what they want, which will help leaders of learning organizations to communicate their value, get recognition, and make a difference. The book will be out in early May.
Last, but not least, I am working on a contributed volume called The Executive Guide to Integrated Talent Management. Edited by Pat Galagan and Kevin Oakes, the book features 17 chapters written by "gurus" and practitioners that will take you inside the concept and practice of integrated talent management. Topics covered include an overview of integrated talent management; recruiting; compensation and rewards; performance management; succession management; engagement and retention; leadership development; as well as section on pulling it all together. This book will also be available in May.
Of course, I am not the only person working on books at the Press. Ashley McDonald, who came on board only a few months ago, is working on a revision of ISD From the Ground Up by Chuck Hodell and 10 Steps to Successful Change Management by George Vukotich, both of which will be available at ASTD's International Conference and Exposition in May. And you show up to the conference, don't forget to stop by the store and say hi! I'll be there!
Tags: ASTD Press, books, book, Press, consulting, consulting on the inside, bev scott, scott, b. kim barnes, barnes, telling ain't training, stolovitch, keeps, rita smith, strategic learning alignment, talent management, pat galagan, galagan, kevin oakes, oakes, integrated talent management, executive guide to talent management
Categories: Celebrity Bloggers
IncMagazine just tweeted an article about how to manage managers that provides some guidelines for ensuring that the people you hire are helping you to grow your business. The article outlines these steps for managing managers:
In the last couple of years, ASTD Press has published a variety of books with guidelines for becoming a better manager, including
To browse the ASTD Press collection of management titles, click here.
Tags: manager, ASTD Press, books, book, management, management development, IncMagazine, savvy manager, 10 steps, middle manager
(From Bloomberg Businessweek) McGraw-Hill Cos., which publishes textbooks and owns the ratings agency Standard & Poor's, said Thursday it bought Starting Out Inc., which publishes life-skills learning and workplace readiness information for the education, work force and corrections markets.
Read more.
Tags: books, publishing, business news
Categories: News
You can't manage time. You can't save time. No one has more or less time in an hour, a day, a week, or a year than anyone else. And yet, some people seem to manage to accomplish more with the time they have than others. Some people seem to be more satisfied with their lives and less stressed than others. What's the secret?
Cyndi Maxey and Kevin E. O'Connor provide some answers in their new book 10 Steps to Successful Time Management. Right from the start they say "Our goal…is not to save you time. Rather, it is to save your life—the life you want to live while everything else is getting in your way." The key to doing this is identifying what is important to you and learning to self-regulate your behavior so you can use your time well.
In 10 steps, Maxey and O'Connor outline some ideas, strategies, tools, and techniques for making the most of your time:
Learn more about the book and get a free sample chapter here. To purchase the book, click here.
Tags: 10 steps, 10 steps to successful time management, ASTD Press, new book, book, books, time management, kevin o'connor, cyndi maxey, time, productivity
The opinions expressed herein are my own personal opinions and do not represent my employer's view in anyway.
© Copyright 2014


text:
The Gleaner Co. Ltd.
Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing And Printing Jamaica
| Jamaica Stock Exchange: GLNR
Similar to: Glacier Media, Inc., Gannett Co., Inc., FP Newspapers, Inc.
The Gleaner Co. Ltd. publishes and prints newspapers. The company operates in one business segment: Media service. The Media Service segment includes newspaper and online operations in Jamaica, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United State and its two radio stations in Jamaica. It also engages in publication and production of books and contract printing. The company was founded by Jacob and Joshua deCordova in 1834 and is headquartered in Kingston, Jamaica.


text:
I asked the same question a year ago, and they answered me this:
Have fun! :)
Type: Posts; User: Randomly; Keyword(s):
I asked the same question a year ago, and they answered me this:
Have fun! :)
There is -and this should be obvious- a significant difference between well-lit and poorly lit, which has nothing to do with barbell strength training :p. I've noticed myself that I look A LOT more...
I too have found conventional cardio to be less effective than hard-hitting short interval training. I do these on a high-resistance bike or go for sprints in the fields behind my house, 2X30mins a...
In earnest, that article is freaking brilliant, and I'm saving a copy on my computer. Then again, I suffer from autism so I have different reasons to be in this game. Still a great insight
To quote Rip: "You can't do squats on a Smith machine anymore than you can do squats on a pinball machine"
Smith squats take a lot of stabilizer muscles out of the equation, and fixes your path to...
*Spits out milk in terror*
We're doing WHAT?
Come to think of it, you *could* do this with a barbell as well, technically speaking, yet it would require intricate balance, a zen state of mind, and some clever strapping :)
How about preacher...
Well, as said in the above post I've been squatting 3X/Week on SS and frankly, I'm tired of em. I'm squatting 130 5x3 and don't really have the ambition of squatting anything over 300lbs (135kg) so...
Okay, fair. Anything else I can do on lower days that only require a barbell besides good mornings/shrugs? Based on the ideas you guys gave me, I'm thinking
Squat day:
531 squat
Thanks for the comments :)
The problem with dips and dumbbell work is that I'm moving into a home gym and I can't do them, the first because my ceiling is too low (I'd hit it with my head when...
Hey guys,
I like to keep things short so I'll try to do just that. I finished reading 5/3/1 and am planning on doing my next winter bulk on the program. 5/3/1 is fairly complex so I have some...