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Please join Ambler Food Co-op for a very special cooking demo presented by member and instructor, Sheryl Wolff on Tuesday, November 01, 2016 from 6:30pm - 8pm.
Sheryl adopted a plant-based diet 10 years ago, motivated by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and their Food-for-Life plant-based food program.
There are only 30 spots for this intimate event, and we request RSVPs no later than Friday, October 28, 2016.
What to expect: Samples of various plant-based dishes. Attendees will receive copies of the recipes and a booklet printed by PCRM describing the health benefits of a plant based diet.
What is Food For Life?
Food for Life: The Power of Food for Health
The Food for Life program is a community-based nutrition education program of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM).
With more than million people being diagnosed with cancer and 26 million people diagnosed with diabetes in the United States each year—and many more cases in other countries across the globe—there is an urgent need for a new direction in battling diseases. The Food for Life program is an innovative approach to a medical challenge. It aims first to prevent disease. When a disease has been diagnosed, it works for improving survival.
Designed by physicians, nutrition experts, and registered dietitians, each of our curricula includes information about how certain foods and nutrients work to promote health and fight disease. The classes work to translate complex scientific nutrition information into simple and easy meals. Each Food for Life nutrition and cooking class features a nutrition lecture and live cooking demonstration all within a supportive group setting.
Launched in 2001, the program was meant to help cancer survivors take advantage of the healing power of foods. Since then, the program has grown to include classes focused on diabetes, children's health, and healthy weight management.
250 N Bethlehem Pike
Ambler, PA 19002
United States
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Sheet Music: Score
Alleluia / Dulcie Holland.
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Duration: 4 min.
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Delicious Way To Explore Udaipur
Food Tours in Udaipur are the best way of exploring this royal city and it's delicious cuisine. Each food tour is an optimal combination of the most popular food available in Udaipur and the most famous as well as hidden sights of the city which most people usually miss. The food walks/food tours can begin in morning or afternoon depending upon conditions like preferences of guests, weather etc and usually last for 6-7 hours inclusive of pickup and drop from most locations in Udaipur.
Part of the food tour involves walk in old traditional markets of Udaipur to visit some essential food joints while we drive to some places which are too far away. All the expenses inclusive of cost of food, transport and entry fee for monuments is included in the price charged, so the guests don't have to pay anything extra.
A large number of varied dishes with their origins in Mewar region of Rajasthan and neighbouring state of Gujarat are included in tour. Each dish is sourced from the most famous and most reputed food joints operating in Udaipur for decades and in some instances, multiple generations.


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Innovations of Drones
The commercial use of drones is becoming more popular. This paper that I wrote at the Center for Information and Communication Sciences, gives some real world examples of commercial uses of drones.
To view PDF version, use this link: Drone Innovations
One of the "hot new areas" in tech applications is the development and practical use of drones beyond the military for commercial purposes. Some uses of drone technology have evolved into industries such as healthcare and education. This research paper is going to talk more about safety and regulatory issues, practical applications, opportunity for innovation, and further industry possibilities.
The Meriam-Webb Dictionary describes drones as a "an unmanned aircraft or ship guided by remote control or onboard computers" (drones, n.d.). Based off this definition, drones aren't relatively new. In wars, such as Vietnam and World War II, 'drones' were used for many reasons. The reasons for and the evolution of drones over the years has changed drastically, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has claimed that "sUAS" (small unmanned aircraft system) have been supplemented to help helicopters in support of public safety operations, news reporting, and even real estate marketing.
Henry H. Perritt, Jr. and Eliot O. Sprague state that "microdrones provide a new capability for inexpensive, close-in, aerial activities. They will carve a new sphere for aviation support, thereby benefiting industries that have not had aviation support available to them at a cost they could afford" (Perritt, Jr. & Sprague, 2014). In comparison to microdrones, there are larger drones that are not yet available. These drones are called machodrones, and are still in the developmental phase because of the regulatory requirements.
Safety and Regulatory Rules
In front of the regulations and rules concerning drones is the Federal Aviation Administration. This past year, the FAA had a press conference that included many topics. Of those topics discussed, a big one to note is the new opportunities for business and government drone usage. As stated by Les Dorr, contact for FAA, 'these new regulations work to harness new innovations safely, to spur job growth, advance critical scientific research and save lives" (Dorr & Duquette, 2016). Although these regulations are discussing drones in general, it is important to note that 'microdrones' weighing less than 55 pounds are the only ones being affected by the new regulation.
Bloomberg writer, Justin Bachman, wrote an article called Drones are the New Threat to Airline Safety. This articles discusses issues and concerns with pilots. In his article, Bachman gives an incident report of 'Close Encounters and Sightings' of drones while pilots were flying. Tim Canoll, president of the Air Line Pilots Association says "your imagination can run wild with the problems of hitting hard metal objects and 200 mph". The most recent incident that occurred that was close to a collision with a drone was in March, when a drone flew 200 feet above an Airbus A380. Incidents like this, along with countless others, have raised flags about how to educate and inform commercial drone hobbyist " (Bachman, 2016).
Practical Applications
An article published by Margi Murphy and Christina Mercer gives us a sense of companies that are utilizing drones in 2016 in the United Kingdom. In the article, there are 19 companies taking advantage of the things that drones can do (Murphy, 2016). These 19 companies are from a wide range of industries such as Agriculture, Telecommunications, Law Enforcement, Entertainment and even Transportation.
Amazon Prime Air
According to the article, Amazon announced that it will partner with the British government to test small delivery drones. Along with this announcement, Amazon has advertised for a 'drone operator' with 5+ years relevant work experience. Another recent article by David Pogue, a writer at Yahoo! Tech, sits down with Paul Misener, Amazon's vice president for global public policy. Some key takeaways from the article are that Amazon is actually designing and building their own drones, they believe that after demonstrating the safety of the system, the regulations will quickly follow, and a proposition that describes the kind of airspace to separate drones from aircrafts (Pogue, 2016).
Qualcomm Technologies has announced that the company will be joining forces with AT&T to create a new drone project that will test the cellular networks on drones. "Snapdragon Flight brings together photography, navigation, and communication technologies in a compact and efficient package that fits on a single board" (Qualcomm Technologies, n.d.). The development Snapdragon Flight is to help developers support a wide range of applications for drones ranging from aerial photography to filming live sporting events.
United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service has announced that it has begun testing drones to make commercial deliveries to remote locations, working with CyPhy Works. UPS has performed a mock delivery to send urgent medical care from Massachusetts to island off the Atlantic coast. Mark Wallace, senior vice president for global engineering and sustainability for UPS, said that "UPS and a drone startup, Zipline, are testing the use of drones to deliver blood, vaccines, and other medical supplies to rural areas in Rwanda as an example of the kind of humanitarian drone delivery initiatives UPS is currently researching" (Vanian, 2016).
Royal Mail
Moya Greene, chief executive of Royal Mail, said that "modern technology requires less manpower and could improve the service". An article in the Telegraph, a newspaper in the United Kingdom, was written by Tim Wallace explaining the thoughts of drone usage by Royal Mail (Tim, 2015).
Shannon Pettypiece, a writer for Bloomberg Technology, discusses the topic of Wal-Mart utilizing drones in its warehouses. Although the distribution-center drone is still in testing, Shekar Natarajan, vice president for emerging technology at Wal-Mart, says that the drones will be done with testing within six to nine months. Pettypiece says that "The company also wants to use drones to assist with tracking merchandise, such as taking inventory of trailers outside its distribution centers, according to the FAA filing" (Pettypiece, 2016).
NASA is discussing a drone traffic management system with the FAA. There have been a couple of drone's test utilizing the air traffic control test, and a final test will be in 2019, after which recommendations will be made for a national solution for drones (Lozano, 2015).
Network Rail
ORBIS project, which will see the railways in the UK digitized with 3D cameras and visualized online to analyze maintenance and field worker distribution. Network Rail would like to use drones instead of aerial cameras to get a better picture of the transport networks (Murphy, 2016).
In conclusion, there is a lot of research and development going into drones. As you can see, many companies see the advantages, as well as the disadvantages, for drones. Although the use of commercial drones won't have for a couple of years, companies are looking ahead to possible innovation opportunities.
- Bachman, J. (2016, April 4). Drones Are the New Threat to Airline Safety. Retrieved from Bloomberg: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-04/drones-are-the-new-threat-to-airline-safety
- Drones. (n.d.) In Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary. Retrievedfrom http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/communication
- Dorr, L., & Duquette, A. (2016, June 21). Federal Aviation Administration. Retrieved from Press Release – DOT and FAA Finalize Rules for Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems: http://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=20515&_sm_byp=iVVFbscT507j4Msn
- Lozano, S. (2015, November 20). Developing New Standards of Drone Operations. Retrieved from NASA Aeronautics: http://www.nasa.gov/ames/image-feature/developing-new-standards-of-drone-operations
- Murphy, M. (2016, July 26). 16 UK companies Using Drones. Retrieved from TechWorld: http://www.techworld.com/picture-gallery/personal-tech/best-uses-of-drones-in-business-3605145-3605145/
- Perritt, Jr., H. H., & Sprague, O. E. (2014, May). Jet Law. Retrieved from Drones: http://www.jetlaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/PerrittSprague_Final.pdf
- Pettypiece, S. (2016, June 2). Wal-Mart Is Trying Out Drones in Its Warehouses. Retrieved from Bloomberg Technology: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-02/wal-mart-s-distribution-center-drone-hints-at-automation-plans
- Pogue, D. (2016, January 18). Exclusive: Amazon Reveals Details About Its Crazy Drone Delivery Program. Retrieved from Yahoo! Tech: https://www.yahoo.com/tech/exclusive-amazon-reveals-details-about-1343951725436982.html
- Qualcomm Technologies. (n.d.). Snapdragon Flight. Retrieved from Qualcomm: Developer Network: https://developer.qualcomm.com/hardware/snapdragon-flight
- Tim, W. (2015, November 09). Royal Mail Wants to Use Drones and Driverless Trucks. Retrieved from The Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/11984099/Royal-Mail-wants-to-use-drones-and-driverless-trucks.html
- Vanian, J. (2016, October 3). Here's What UPS Finds Interesting About Drones. Retrieved from Fortune: http://fortune.com/2016/10/03/ups-drones-delivery-testing/


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Escape the Christmas stress and retreat to the blissful Kempinski Hotel Barbaros Bay
If one too many Christmas's has been filled with crowds, stress and distant relatives, Kempinski Hotel Barbaros Bay in Bodrum, Turkey has the answer. This serene and exclusive property is now offering guests the chance to flee the Christmas crowds, escape the Festive traditions and enjoy this special time of year in the most relaxing way possible.
Kempinski Hotel Barbaros Bay is the stunning hotel set within its own exclusive bay near Bodrum, on the Aegean Coast of Turkey. Featuring a magnificent award winning Six Senses Spa, Kempinski Hotel Barbaros Bay is the ultimate place to unwind. The Christmas Escape experience will allow guests the chance to relax with complimentary spa treatments, enjoy cooking classes with the hotel's expert chef and dine on gourmet fare in a truly sensational setting. Guests will enjoy Christmas morning from their peaceful balcony looking out over the beautiful Aegean sea and discover a new and serene way to celebrate. For those that can not bare to leave this serenity behind, guests will also enjoy an additional complimentary night of bliss courtesy of the hotel.
Every wish will be taken care of at Kempinski Hotel Barbaros Bay to make this stay totally stressfree. Whether it is a five, six or seven night break, all guests staying between the 23rd December 2011 and 1st January 2012 will enjoy:
- An additional complimentary night enjoying the sumptuous surroundings of the property
- A cooking class with the fantastic Executive Chef followed by a three course meal and wine in one of the hotel's six fantastic restaurants.
- A complimentary spa treatment in the haven that is the Six Senses Spa
- 15% discount on all additional spa treatments
- Airport transfers in a private limousine
To book contact Kempinski Hotel Barbaros Bay +90 252 3110303 or email@example.com / www.kempinski.com/bodrum


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|Ammonium is a Scrabble word. Scrabble point value for ammonium: 14 points.
|Ammonium is a Words with Friends word. Words with Friends point value for ammonium: 14 points.
Above are the results of unscrambling ammonium. Using the word generator and word unscrambler for the letters A M M O N I U M, we unscrambled the letters to create a list of all the words found in Scrabble, Words with Friends, and Text Twist. We found a total of 59 words by unscrambling the letters in ammonium. Click these words to find out how many points they are worth, their definitions, and all the other words that can be made by unscrambling the letters from these words. If one or more words can be unscrambled with all the letters entered plus one new letter, then they will also be displayed.
1. the ion NH4 derived from ammonia; behaves in many respects like an alkali metal ion
|Words that start with ammonium
|Words that end with ammonium
|Words that contain ammonium


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Funny story...
But the warehouse we stored our Nest Thermostats in burned down in massize blaze!
Sorry if you weren't able to get one, but we're working on getting back up and running. So stay tuned.
Hey! Just so you know, your device is fully charged and you're still charging it. Removing the charger will avoid degrading your battery 😊×Close window


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European Commission
Press release
Brussels, 23 May 2013
Antitrust: Commission renders legally binding commitments from Star alliance members Air Canada, United and Lufthansa on transatlantic air transport passenger market
The European Commission has accepted commitments offered by Air Canada, United and Lufthansa to address the Commission's concerns that the parties' cooperation under a revenue-sharing joint venture may be in breach of EU antitrust rules and harm premium passengers on the Frankfurt-New York route. Premium passengers are passengers travelling in the first, business and flexible economy classes. In order to address these concerns, the parties offered to make slots available at Frankfurt and New York airports and to enter into agreements with competitors, allowing them to offer more attractive services. As a result, competition on the Frankfurt-New York route will improve. After having consulted interested parties through a market test, the Commission has now made these commitments legally binding on the three airlines for a period of ten years.
Commission Vice-President in charge of competition policy, Joaquín Almunia said: "The Commission is committed to ensuring that consumers are not harmed by cooperation between airlines. Thanks to the commitments offered by the three airlines, passengers on the Frankfurt-New York route will benefit from stronger competition. This decision is a further milestone in our effort to create a level playing field on transatlantic aviation markets, following our decision on oneworld in 2010."
The revenue sharing joint venture eliminated competition between the parties on price and capacity. The Commission had concerns that this may have resulted in higher prices for premium passengers on the Frankfurt-New York route. In addition, due to considerable barriers to entry and expansion, new and existing competitors would have been unable to challenge the market power of the parties.
The parties argued that their cooperation created efficiencies on both the Frankfurt-New York route and on other related routes (such as Prague-Frankfurt-New York or Frankfurt-New-York Seattle), leading to benefits for connecting passengers. However, the Commission found that the efficiencies produced would not outweigh the negative effects of the cooperation on the Frankfurt-New York route.
The parties therefore offered commitments aimed at facilitating the entry of new competitors on the Frankfurt-New York route. Since the main entry barrier remains the slot shortage at airports, the parties offered to make landing and take-off slots available at Frankfurt and/or New York. The parties also offered to enter into agreements allowing competitors to offer tickets on the parties' flights (reducing competitors' frequency disadvantage) and to get better access to the parties' connecting traffic. Finally, the parties committed to submit data concerning their cooperation, which will facilitate an evaluation of the alliance's impact on the markets over time.
An independent trustee will monitor the parties' compliance with these commitments.
In July 2010, the Commission accepted commitments by several members of the oneworld alliance and made them legally binding to ensure competition on transatlantic passenger air transport markets (IP/10/936). The Commission is also currently investigating the transatlantic joint venture between certain members of SkyTeam (IP/12/79).
Background on the assessment of efficiencies
In light of the specific characteristics of the aviation industry and of the particular circumstances of this case, the Commission considered it appropriate to broaden the existing test for assessing efficiencies, contained in its Guidelines for application of Article 101(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
This broadened test includes efficiencies produced on routes related to the route of concern – the so-called "behind and beyond routes" (e.g. Prague-Frankfurt-New York or Frankfurt-New York-Seattle) – provided there is a considerable commonality between passenger groups travelling on the route of concern and these related routes. However, under this broadened test the Commission accepted only those efficiencies that accrued to the passengers also travelling on the Frankfurt-New York route. In other words, the broadened test does not weigh up the harm suffered by one customer group against benefits perceived by another customer group.
Background on the investigation
In April 2009, the Commission opened a formal investigation into the cooperation of the parties relating to passenger air transport on routes between Europe and North America (see MEMO/09/168).
The Commission had concerns that the airlines' cooperation might infringe EU antitrust rules (Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which prohibits anticompetitive agreements). In December 2012, the companies offered commitments, with a view to alleviating the Commission's competition concerns. In December 2012, the Commission consulted stakeholders on these commitments (see IP/12/1445). The companies subsequently proposed modifications in order to address issues raised during the market test.
The Commission may adopt a decision under Article 9 of the EU's antitrust Regulation 1/2003, to make commitments offered by parties legally binding. Today's decision makes the commitments offered legally binding and ends the Commission's investigation. If Lufthansa, Air Canada or United were to breach their commitments, the Commission could impose a fine of up to 10% of Air Canada's, United's and Lufthansa's total turnover without having to prove a violation of EU competition rules.
More information, including the full text of the decision and the non-confidential version of the commitments, is available on the Commission's competition website, in the public case register under the case number 39595.
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Summer Arctic in the Midnight Sun
From $2524 Per Person
Independent, 10 Days/9 Nights
Dates: May - September, 2019
Northern Norway covers about a third of the country. The region is multi-cultural, housing not just Norwegians, but the local Sami people. Experience Northern Norway highlights such as: The Arctic Circle, North Cape, scenery of the Lofoten archipelago, and of course the endless hours of sunlight that can only be experienced in the North.
Departure dates: May 1 - September 30, 2019
Day 1: Bodo - Svolvaer
Arrival in Bodo accordingly to your own itinerary. Bodo is located in the center of Nordland County and is surrounded by beautiful nature, including the Borvasstindene Mountains to the south and Landegode Island and the Lofoten Islands to the north. The city is located just north of the Arctic Circle where the midnight sun is visible from beginning of June to middle of July.
Accommodation at the Thon Hotel Nordlys or similar
Day 2: Bodo - Mortsund
Breakfast at the hotel. Ferry crossing from Bodo to Moskenes on the Vestfjord. After 3 hours you will arrive on the south part of the beautiful Lofoten archipelago. Drive north along the beautiful scenery passing through many charming fishing villages before arriving in Mortsund.
Accommodation at Statles Rorbu - the fisherman's cabins or similar
Day 3: Mortsund - Harstad
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning departure from Mortsund to continue your journey towards Harstad and the Vesteraalen Islands. Discover more about these amazing islands and enjoy the beautiful nature. Driving north you will pass by Svolvaer, known as the Lofoten Capital, and through the Lofast, the new fairway combining tunnels and bridges that is connecting Lofoten to the mainland and the Vesteraalen Islands. On Vesteraalen, the landscape is mountainous but the mountains have a more rounded shape compared to the sharp mountains on Lofoten.
Accommodation at Thon Hotel Harstad in Harstad or similar
Day 4: Harstad - Senja
Breakfast at the hotel. Today you return to the mainland to reach the famous Senja Island passing by the Gisund Bridge. Among the sights of interest is Aanderdalen National Park, traditional fishing communities and the world's largest troll: Senja Trollet (The Troll of Senja).
Accommodation at Hamn I Senja Hotel in Gryllefjord or similar
Day 5: Senja - Alta
Breakfast at the hotel; enjoy your drive through the Finnmark region, located at the northernmost part of continental Europe. Here, Norway swings eastward. East meets west in Finnmark, culturally and geographically. In this area you can discover more about the Sami culture and traditions. We also recommend a visit to the Rock carvings at Alta museum, dating from circa 4200 BC to 500 BC. These carvings are listed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
Accommodation at Thon hotel Alta or similar
Day 6: Alta - The North Cape/Honningsvaag
Breakfast at the hotel; today you will continue your journey north, driving towards the Mageroy Island where you will visit Europe's northernmost point. The North Cape is at a latitude of 71° north and rises to a majestic 308 meters above sea. It has always been an important point of orientation for sailors in the northern areas and a big attraction for people from all over the world. At North Cape the Midnight sun is usually visible from middle May to the end of July.
Accommodation at Scandic Honningsvaag or similar
Day 7: Honningsvaag - Hammerfest- Tromso
Breakfast at the hotel. Leave Honningsvaag and drive southwest towards Hammerfest, one of the northernmost cities in the world. At your arrival board the famous Hurtigruten, the Norwegian Coastal Express, to enjoy a half day cruise that will start at 12:45. Hurtigruten ships sail along Norway's spectacular western and northern coast. The whole trip has been described as the 'World's Most Beautiful Sea Voyage'. You will cruise south passing by beautiful islands and you will arrive in Tromso at 11:45 pm.
Accommodation at the Clarion Collection Hotel With or similar
Day 8: Tromso - Narvik
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning at your own disposal to discover Tromsø with its beautiful old and historic wooden houses that co-exist with modern architecture. Tromso has been named after the island of Tromsoya which it is situated on. The Arctic Cathedral, a modern church from 1965, is probably the most famous landmark in Tromso. Leave Tromso driving across the Troms region enjoying the beautiful scenery. Arrival in Narvik in the evening. In the city there are many monuments to commemorate the battle of Narvik in 1940 during World War II.
Accommodation at Best Western Narvik Hotel or similar
Day 9: Narvik - Bodo
Breakfast at the hotel. Continue your journey driving along the Ofotfjord, ferry crossing between Skarberget and Bognes. Continue along the coast with a magnificent view on many islands and islets. Arriving in Bodo, we recommend a visit to the Saltstraumen Maelstrom - World's Strongest Tidal Current. It is created when the tide tries to fill the fjord. In the attempt to level out the two sides, the water increases its speed and turns into something that looks like a very strong river. However this "river" has a twist, it runs both ways.
Accommodation at the Thon hotel Nordlys or similar
Day 10: Depart Northern Norway
Breakfast at the hotel. Independent transfer to the airport.
Or inquire to extend your vacation.
Your Trip Includes the following:
- Accommodation 9 nights incl. breakfast
- Compact manual shift car rental for 8 days.
- Ferries and cruises listed in the itinerary
Single supplement: $1203
NOTE: Other items can be added to your itinerary such as: Dinners at hotels and Fisherman's cabins, larger vehicles, additional nights in Northern Norway etc., Inter-Norway flights or trains. If interested, please inquire when booking.
This package is priced LAND ONLY. If you need assistance with booking your airfare, let us know and we will be happy to help you.


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30 quality corks, as these are already waxed corks, no prior soak is needed.
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There is no need to soak these corks before inserting, however if you want to clean them you can and also if using the Hand Corker, then putting them in boiling water for a few minutes first (be careful handling hot corks or boiling water) will help them push in.
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Galle District bounded on the North by Benthara river , South and west by the Indian Ocean and East by Matara and Rathnapura Districts. Topography of Galle District is very much dissent. The climatic condition of Hiniduma Patttuwa is very similar to the central hill country of Sri Lanka. This area consists of rainforests, which is the water catchment area for most of the rivers and lakes flow across Galle District. Sinharaja Forest Reserve is one of them. Galle district lies in a temperate climatic zone. The Gin River " Gin Ganga" starts from Gongala Hill of Hiniduma patthuwa and in its long journey of 113km (70 mls ) it passes Neluwa, Thawalama, Nagoda Baddegama and Thelida areas . After its long journey it flows in to the Indian Ocean in Ginthota area of Galle District. The river Madu Ganga starts from Polathu Kanda and flows into the sea from Balapitiya also helps to maintain ecological in the Galle district.
Hambantota District is located on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, in the Southern Province. Hambantota is famous for its salt flats and intensely hot arid zone climate .with sweeping sandy beaches on the side, it is a convenient base for exploring the nearby Bundala National Park, Yala National Park and the temples at Kataragama. Most inhabitants of Hambantota are Sinhalese and Malays.


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With over 3.5 billion searches conducted per day across the globe, almost 78% are performed on Google. The only thing we know for certain is those numbers will only be increasing each year. Let's take a look at some vital points in keeping in mind if your business counts on these searches to succeed. Each…Read more
Content Marketing- More is More
We love being able to say, 'you heard it here first.' So moving forward into 2015 we offer our crystal ball into the future of content marketing trends. Writing is no longer the overlooked sibling in the communication family. Words mean more now than ever, just in the written form. Blog posts are continuing the…Read more
Are Your Images Optimized?
Amazing images are front and center on your page but you are struggling with how to optimize them for image searches on Google, Bing, and other search engines? Look no further, we've created a checklist for best practices on image optimization. Let's lay strong groundwork for your images. 1). Image Size Size matters in the…Read more


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February 16, 2018 - 12:00pm
Umrath Hall, room 224
Sophomores who are prime majors in Comparative Literature/Comparative Arts should attend this Welcome session unless they are in class at this time. Second majors and minors are also welcome to attend! This welcome session will bring together IPH, Legal Studies and Comparative Literature and Comparative Arts. Pizza and beverages will be provided.


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MasterJack Garage Doors
One of the specialties that we offer our customers is the installation of garage doors. Whether it is a new installation or replacement door for commercial, residential or municipal applications, Masterjack has the most knowledgeable and experienced team on the Peninsula. We have a wide range of doors available from steel to wood to specialty overhead doors such as glass panel doors.
We are also equipped to service and repair all types of overhead doors. Whether it is a cable or spring that has broken, damaged panel or broken rollers, we can handle the work efficiently.
What better then to add a Liftmaster garage door opener to your newly installed or existing garage door. We offer chain and belt driven openers for most residential applications and are even able to program your cars if an opener is factory-installed in your vehicle. And, for those of you who love technology, we offer an opener that we can program to your smart phone.
For commercial use, we have all types of openers available for installation and replacement.


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Last night, I made a little trip to Wrigleyville to get some late night Taco Bell (I have a weakness. Don't judge.) On my way to satisfy my cheesy gordita crunch craving, I made a little detour to check out 3541 N. Clark St., the previous home of the iO theatre. Call it boredom, or curiosity, or nostalgia, though it might be a bit too soon for nostalgia, but I suddenly just really wanted to see it. What can I say, I'm a sucker for living in the past.
Before moving on, a quick recap for the uninformed. For 30+ years, 3541 N Clark Street was the home of long form improvisation in the City of Chicago. Formerly Improv Olympic, the iO theatre boasted not only the distinction of training some of comedy's greats, but also being the single flickering light of artistic expression amidst a pitch-black ocean of pig-headed, jock douchebaggery known simply as Wrigleyville. This long stretch of bar-lined, vomit-caked road basking in the glow of historic Wrigley Field is a bastion of comedic debauchery, filled with both college kids from Chicago's various institutions of higher learning, as well as the loud, overbearing middle-agers that many of the aforementioned "kids" are destined to become. Wrigleyville is the Chicago hotspot for all the guys and gals that, though graduated, never really left college. They still yearn for the all-night keggers, the week-long beer pong tournaments, and the ever-pathetic 2AM "Booty Hunts". On weekend nights, one could spend an entire evening just listening to the many native calls of Wrigleyville. These calls can range from the common, "Mikayla! Mikayla! Come get in the taxi!", to the less frequent, "Oh my God, he's such a jerk! I don't know why we're still together.", to the increasingly rare, "No way, bro! We're gonna be (HERP!) gonna be friends forever, bro!" I could keep spouting off examples until time stops, but I'm beginning to digress. The point I'm trying to make here is that the iO was the comedic receptacle that all of this human refuse fell into, yielding an unending battery of inspiration. If ever you felt stagnated, or just flat-out needed a quick shake of the funny bone, all you needed to do was step out the doors and take a 5-10 minute stroll through the bar-rio (see what I did there?) and take in all the rich sights. Hell, if there was a Cubs game going on, you'd get enough material for a whole show by simply walking from the train to the theatre, assuming you didn't get puked on during the trip. 3541 N Clark was the protecting force for creativity in that ovum of opulence. Like the Spartans of old, iO provided a shield, for artists and writers alike, against the torrential onslaught of tasteless dick jokes and not-so-subtle racist remarks – yeah, I mean you, overweight bald guy in a Cutler jersey. You're loud. But, again, I find myself digressing.
That was then. Now, the old blue brick building simply sits there, surrounded by dusty posters of shows long since gone. Well, moved, actually, to the new location in Lincoln Park. The majority of the shows in the old glass case are still in production BUT THAT IS BESIDE THE POINT! 3451 N Clark St is now a shell, an empty ruin of a proud comedy empire that has been reclaimed by the untamed masses. As I walk by the old place, I am greeted by the unbelievably foul odor of stale urine wafting through the air. It was as if the alley to the left of the theatre had become Wrigleyville's unofficial toilet. It was sadly clear that, much like the prison at the end of Walking Dead Season 3, N Clark St had been reclaimed by the douche zombies of Wrigleyville.
But I don't want this to be a sob story. I shed no tears, for iO has a new home at 1501 N Kingsbury! It's bigger, with more performance spaces, allowing for many more people to get a chance to play. The bar is bigger, the food is better, and there's even a fantastic Beer Garden outside!
Not only have we traded up in size, but we've traded up in class of douche as well. Before, we had the loudmouthed, overcompensating, fratty-esque, questionably employed, douche.
But now, we at the iO have OPTIONS! Option 1: Across the street from the new iO is, in fact, the largest Whole Foods in the Midwest. This gives us access to the refined, grain-munching, meat-denouncing, ironic shirt-wearing, hipster-esque class of douche. This is arguably the most preferable of the douche classes because, despite their blathering and general air of superiority, they at least try to improve society with their habits. Bravo, Hippy Douche! Bravo!
Then, of course, there's option 2:
Next door to the iO theatre sits VIP, a notorious (*ahem*) Gentlemen's Club. Here, we have the flashy, suited, cigar-puffing, spendthrift, fake mafia, objectification douche, also known as the "High Roller". While just as obnoxious as the Wrigleyvillian douche, this one is much less pronounced about it, often claiming his reserved nature as "cool". Often referring to the female clientele, or most females for that matter, as "The Ladies", he possess what can be defined as "Old World Chauvinism".
However you wish to call it, it's look but don't touch. And they let iO employees into VIP for no cover, which is a nice gesture. So I believe iO will have a bright future in Lincoln Park.
Plus the Whole Foods has wifi.


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This article was originally written by UIRC's executive director, Camille Hawkins, for Art of Infertility's blog. The original article can be found here.I was recently part of a discussion in a "Pregnancy & Parenting after Infertility" Support group. The question was posed: Would you change the fact that you struggled with infertility?
How would life be different if I didn't struggle with infertility? Even though this was the most difficult experience of my entire life, would I change it? It brought more heart ache, more tears, took more energy, and also more money than any other trial I've faced.


text: This debut novel about an English teen's abduction and imprisonment in the Australian outback unfolds as a letter from captive to captor. From its compelling opening, the novel delivers taut suspense and a riveting plot in a haunting setting. Privileged Gemma, 16, is sympathetic and believable. Her captor, Ty, in his late 20s, is a less-successful creation. Abandoned child turned wasted drifter and stalker, Ty is now an expert survivalist, bent on teaching his abductee admiration and respect for the harsh world in which he's imprisoned her. When Gemma's escape attempts end in near death, Ty rescues her, returning her to captivity, using such handy teachable moments to instruct her on outback ecology. While the landscape is beautifully portrayed and deftly mined for subtext and symbolism, the novel can't overcome its central contradiction. Ty—respectful of the struggling desert ecosystem from humblest succulent to deadliest snake, perceiving each element as part of a fragile, interconnected web—has kidnapped Gemma, in violation of her human rights and needs, and imprisoned her thousands of miles from home. (Fiction. 14 & up)


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Brighten your look, and your day, with joyous looking gemstones! Amethysts alternate with a peridot and a Swiss blue topaz in a dazzling display of color on this perfectly patterned ring! The rhodium over sterling silver shank features beaded detailing with bold oxidized and polished finishes while four little white topaz peek out to say hello with their own signature sparkle.
Check out the Ring Sizing Guide to find your ring size.
All weights pertaining to gemstones, including diamonds, are minimum weights. Additionally, please note that many gemstones are treated to enhance their beauty. View Gemstone Enhancements and Special Care Requirements for important information.
Sterling silver, also called fine silver, is a beautifully lustrous cool-toned precious metal favored in fine jewelry among other products. The most reflective of all metals (excluding mercury), sterling silver looks stunning by itself and brings out the best hues in an array of colorful gemstones.
Sterling silver can be polished to a higher sheen than platinum. In fact, Ag, the chemical symbol for silver, comes from a word that means "white and shining." The surface of silver can boast that shiny, polished appearance, or can be brushed, satin, matte, sandblasted, antiqued or oxidized (chemically blackened).
In order to be called sterling silver, a metal must be made up of a minimum of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% alloy (meaning other metals), including but not limited to copper and nickel. The alloy is added to pure silver to make the metal more durable, tougher and harder. Sterling silver is designated a fineness of "925." Pieces with sterling silver may be marked "sterling."
Finishes on Sterling Silver
Finishing, or plating, is a common treatment with sterling silver. Popular types of plating are rhodium plating, gold plating and anti-tarnish plating. Plating is used to extend the life and sheen of the jewelry. After sizing or buffing a piece of jewelry with a machine, it must be re-plated to restore the finish.
Caring for Sterling Silver
Sterling silver becomes tarnished as the result of a natural chemical process that occurs when sterling silver is exposed to chemicals in the air, rubber, wool and latex. Humidity also plays a role in accelerating tarnishing. It's easy to keep your sterling silver sparkling, though, by taking a few steps to prevent tarnish and other wear and tear.
Amethyst, the most precious member of the quartz family, exhibits purple shades ranging from pale lilac to deep purple, sometimes exhibiting reddish or rose overtones. Very deep-colored amethysts are the finest and most highly valued . Some stones are so over-saturated with color they have areas that are blacked out, which can negatively impact their value. Paler shades, sometimes called "Rose of France," were common in Victorian jewelry. Banding—darker and lighter zones of color—is also a common occurrence. Occasionally, amethyst is even found combined with its sister quartz, citrine, into a single stone called ametrine.
The birthstone for February, amethyst is an extremely popular gem for jewelry because of its regal color, variety of sizes and shapes, affordability and wide range of hues. It also is the recommended gem for couples celebrating their 6 th and 17 th wedding anniversaries. With a hardness of 7.0 on the Mohs Scale , a methyst can occur as long prismatic crystals that have six-sided pyramids at either end, or can form as drusies that are crystalline crusts that only show the pointed terminations.
The ancient Greeks believed that amethyst made one immune to the effects of alcohol. In fact, the name even comes from the Greek word amethystos, which means "not drunken." Legend has it that the amethyst originated from Bacchus, the god of wine. Bacchus became angry at the mortals and vowed that the next mortal to cross his path would be eaten by tigers. Amethyst, a beautiful young maiden, was on her way to worship the goddess, Diana. Diana turned her into colorless quartz to keep her from being eaten. Bacchus observed the miracle and repented his hasty decision. He poured wine over the young maiden, leaving her feet and legs colorless. This is the reason that amethyst crystals are usually uneven in color and have a colorless base at the bottom. Because amethyst was believed to prevent drunkenness, wine goblets were often carved from it in ancient Greece. Today, the gem still symbolizes sobriety.
Amethyst has been a part of history throughout the ages. Evidence suggests that prehistoric humans used amethysts for decoration as early as 25,000 B.C. Legends suggest that the Egyptian queen Cleopatra wore an amethyst signet ring, as did Saint Valentine, who bared an amethyst engraved with the figure of Cupid. During medieval times, people used the stone as medication to stay awake and alert. Leonardo Da Vinci claimed that amethyst could dissipate evil thoughts and quicken the intelligence. In some legends, the stone represents piety, celibacy and dignity. In the Middle Ages, for instance, the gem was an important ornamentation for the Catholic Church and other religions. It was considered the stone of bishops, and they still often wear amethyst rings. In Tibet, amethyst is considered sacred to Buddha and rosaries are often made from it. Amethyst has also long been a favorite of kings and queens for its royal purple hues that symbolize wisdom, strength and confidence. Amethysts are even featured in the British Crown Jewels and were worn by Catherine the Great.
Amethyst's availability and magical qualities make it the stone of preference in ancient lore and mysticism. As a meditation stone, it is said to quiet the mind, promote contemplation, sharpen psychic powers and uplift the spirit. It is a stone of deep wisdom. Folklore says it can quicken the wit, calm fears and ward off anger. It has a royal purple essence that is said to lend courage to travelers, scare off thieves and protect travelers from harm. Placed under the pillow or worn to bed, there are claims it promotes peaceful sleep and pleasant dreams. Amethyst can also be worn to supposedly make the wearer gentle, amiable and happy.
The stone is mined in Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia and Argentina, as well as in Zambia, Namibia and other African nations. Very dark amethyst in small sizes also is mined in Australia. But the ideal for fine quality amethyst was set by a Siberian variety, often called Russian or Uralian amethyst, which is now considered a defunct source. Generally, South American amethyst tends to come in larger sizes than African amethyst, but the African variety has a reputation for having deeper color intensity and is therefore considered more valuable. The African version also is harder to come by than amethyst mined from South America. Most of today's amethyst comes out of Brazil.
Lune de France is a very special variety of amethyst that rarely comes to market. From the northwest state of Amazon in Brazil, this gemstone comes from the Maraba mine. This lovely lilac gemstone features a unique velvet-like quality that at first observation can be confused for an opal or moonstone. The gemstone's internal structure contains natural, cloud-like veils of microscopic inclusions that are extremely minute, even under high power magnification. These inclusions cause the incoming light to scatter and reflect, thus creating an opalescent effect. While a similar inclusion structure can be expected in rose quartz, it almost never occurs in an amethyst. Lune de France features a natural lilac color and retains excellent transparency allowing it to be faceted for maximum light play.
About the Collection
Experience the world through the eyes of Judy Crowell with JOYA - an electrifying gemstone and sterling silver jewelry collection created by renowned on-air gemstone expert and designer, Judy Crowell. Rich with delightful color, geometric shapes and texture, JOYA is the result of Judy's multi-decade jewelry industry experience and passion for unique design aesthetics.
JOYA, meaning jewel in Spanish, is an instantly recognizable collection. As the designer, Judy seeks to create jewelry which highlights the natural treasures of the earth. Using sterling silver as her canvas, she creates her pieces to spotlight the beautiful, often overlooked opaque gemstones that she loves. Unusual shapes, complementary color contrasts and a variety of rough and polished stone finishes make this artistic collection an eye-catching addition to any outfit.
Always fashionable, each piece pairs perfectly with both casual and semi-formal dress, making JOYA a wardrobe staple you can enjoy every day. Stand out with gemstone jewelry from JOYA.
About the Guest
For more than two decades, Judy Crowell has delighted customers with her in-depth knowledge of jewelry and design. Using the expertise she gained as a GIA accredited jewelry professional, this author and gemstone expert shares her first jewelry collection exclusively with EVINE Live viewers.


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In Webb We Trust
It's no secret that I am a big fan of Jack Webb, having mentioned his classic album 'You're My Girl: Romantic Reflections by Jack Webb' in an earlier post. Well, lots of folks just loved the Nichelle Nichols song a couple of days ago, so I decided to follow up with a memorable tune by Jack Webb.
One of the most memorable tracks on this classic album is Mr. Webb's rendition of 'Try A Little Tenderness.' Well, I've surrendered to popular demand and am sharing this wonderful track with you all! Enjoy!
Jack Webb sings 'Try A Little Tenderness'


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Texas Gov. Rick Perry finds himself just above the bottom of the pack in Iowa in a recent InsiderAdvantage poll.
The InsiderAdvantage poll, conducted among registered Iowa Caucus voters on Nov. 3, gives Perry 6 percent of the vote, which puts him ahead of only former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who has two percent support.
Iowa was a state in which Perry's support surged when he first entered the race, but it's clearly waning. And with the caucuses coming on Jan. 3, turning things around in Iowa could be pivotal in Perry's fight for the GOP nomination for president.
Herman Cain continues to take first in Iowa with 30 percent of the vote–four percentage points more than he had in the last InsiderAdvantage poll, in mid-October. The surge, however small, is still significant as the poll was conducted in the midst of heavy media coverage of sexual harassment allegations made against Cain. And almost every other candidate lost support since the mid-October poll–Cain is the only candidate to gain points, while Newt Gingrich is the only candidate to hold onto the same amount of support he enjoyed in October.
Mitt Romney comes in second still, but he's 15 points behind Cain with only 15 percent, a three-point fall in support from mid-October.
Gingrich takes third in yet another poll with 12 percent support, and Rep. Ron Paul, R-Lake Jackson, comes in fourth with nine percent. Fifth, sixth and seventh places are taken by Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., Perry and Huntsman, respectively.


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Broken trust
Italian fund investment
Italy's professional classes did not expect to come back from their summer holidays to find their pension funds being battered by a financial crisis. The bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers on September 15 unexpectedly impacted the professionals' 'first pillar' pensions, because the doctors' and retailers' trusts had in recent years been among the bank's most active Italian buyers of collateralised debt obligations (CDOs).
But Lehmans was not alone in doing brisk business with the trusts. Other well


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Home Buyer Tax Credit Questions Answered
In a past post I wrote about the first time home buyer credit in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. As part of the IRS' consumer outreach effort and with the April 15 individual tax filing deadline approaching, the IRS has begun a concerted effort to educate taxpayers about additional options at their disposal to claim the new $8,000 first-time homebuyer credit for 2009 home purchases. For people who recently purchased a home or are considering buying in the next few months, there are several different ways you can get this tax credit even if you have already filed your tax return. In a recent Wall Street Journal, Cracking a Valuable Homebuyer Credit, the service answered some very important questions some of which include:
- Who can claim the credit?
- How much is the credit?
- How do the income limits work?
- What if I built a new home?
- I own more than one home. How do I figure out which is my "main" home? And does it have to be a house?
- Are there any other qualifications?
- Will the credit help if I don't owe any tax?
- What form do I use?
- Where do I put the credit on my Form 1040?
- I've already filed my return for 2008. Can I still claim it? If so, how?
- If I buy this year, should I claim the new credit on my 2008 or 2009 tax return?
For additional information go to IRS website and read a recent article they posted this week. "First Time Homebuyers Have Several Options to Maximize New Tax Credit"
Go Green with Your Home and The Government will give you Green Back
If you are not in the market to buy a new home, there are other credits available to you when improve the energy efficiency of your existing home. President Obama made renewable energy a cornerstone of his fall campaign; and to encourage homeowners in making green decisions, the Treasury has made available some lucrative tax incentives for energy-efficient and renewable-energy home improvements. This may offer some consolation to homeowners who feel they are falling between the cracks with the government's various economic stimulus efforts. They include up to $1,500 in tax credits for adding qualifying windows, doors, insulation, roofs, heating and cooling equipment, water heaters, and even wood and pellet stoves to your house in 2009 and 2010.
Perks for installing pricier renewable energy like solar technology, small wind-energy systems, or a geothermal well system include a tax credit of 30% of qualifying expenditures with no upper limit through 2016. This tax credit can be taken in conjunction with similar, but less generous, tax credits offered by many states. The benefit of tax credits versus a deduction is the dollar-for-dollar write off you get to claim on the taxes you owe, rather than a deduction which trims money off taxable income. The IRS is expected to issue firm guidelines on details of the credits soon, and you should consult tax professionals for clarity on filing. To find out more read another Wall Street Journal article How Your Home May Qualify for Bailout Cash; Energy-Efficient Upgrades Yield Valuable Tax Credit.
Posted by Clint Coons, asset protection attorney Seattle, Washington


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Tools and Resources to Help You Grow Your Wedding Industry Business
Downloadable Handouts
Free Videos
Is Doing What You Love Enough?
Angela Lukenbill
Tuesday, August 02, 2016
5 Tips to Grow Your Business with Videos
YouTube has become an incredible way for business owners to grow their business. An effective video commercial of your business can increase traffic and sales beyond the reach of other advertising methods. This is why we include a video ad as a benefit when you join the Kansas City Bridal Group. It can be intimidating to make your first video, but the great thing is that it doesn't have to be perfect. As you do more you will get better. Have fun with it and just get the first one done.
Become the Entrepreneur You Want to Be
One thing I love about being an adult is that you get to design yourself to be the person you want to be. I believe entrepreneurs tend to be some of the best at designing themselves. I don't mean you design the career you want - that is a completely different topic. What I mean is no matter if you grew up shy, being picked on, average, etc., you can choose to take on any traits you want as an adult. You can become more outgoing, great at public speaking, and rise to the challenges your
Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Successful Entrepreneur
I hear many conversations about what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur. There are suggestions that it takes a good business plan, the money to get the business off the ground, the right staff. While there is truth to all of these, I believe there is something even more important that you MUST have to be successful. You see, a good business plan doesn't necessarily mean the plan will be implemented the way it should. There are many moving parts to implementing a business plan that


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Footy tips: getting even with the boss
So it's that time again. And it's always the same. Every year, people in offices around Australia start out full of anticipation, paid up and ready to go. And every Friday, hundreds of thousands of Australians grab a newspaper, sit at a computer or tear off a piece of paper and do their tips.
And yes, by the end of August, they're sweating over their final round selections.
Football tipping is as Melbourne as the game itself.
Sean Dooley sums up the curious phenomenon here.
As he says: "Forget religion or politics or Australian Idol, tipping is Victoria's great social glue; no other topic allows for such direct communication between all strata of society in quite the same way. If you get caught stuck next to the chief executive in a lift, there are relatively few options available to you. Uncomfortable silence is one, but that simple phrase, 'So how'd your tipping go this week?' works better."
The interesting part is that it changes the usual pecking order in the office because for the next few months, junior staff will be pitted against bosses.
Accountants have told me that something like $7 million is pumped into tipping every year. Nobody has shown me any hard numbers but it's easy to believe that.
The other interesting part is that with the rise of tipping, people don't follow football the same way anymore. Sure, there are rusted-on fans but more people now seem to follow all games, not just their own team's.
I have friends here from Karachi, London, Berlin and New York who tell me they've never seen anything like it. Two years ago, I had to help a senior banking executive from Singapore with his tips. He had trouble getting his head around the concept of the home-ground advantage. He finished in the top five.
And then there are those burning questions:
Will West Coast survive their off-season upheaval. Will Dick Pratt inspire Carlton to drag itself up from wooden spoon disgrace? Will Luke Darcy get through a season unscathed? Do Collingwood's prospects hinge on Buckley's suss hamstring?
So tell us about footy tipping at your workplace? What sort of effect does it have? Does it bring people closer together? Or do things turn tribal? How did you go last year? Do you always tip your own team, or do you have any particular method?
PS: Go Dees.
- Posted by Leon Gettler at 10:29 AM
Multi-tasking overload - 10 tips
Most of us like to think we're really productive and switched on monitoring our emails and taking notes while participating in a phone conference. Some even manage to do all that plus get into an IM session with five different people and deal with text messages from another two.
But then, there's a spate of research from neuroscientists, psychologists and management professors suggesting all that multi-tasking is not making you that productive, or smart
The studies, detailed here in the New York Times piece Slow Down, Brave Multitasker, and Don't Read This in Traffic show that people should learn how to better manage multi-tasking in the office or studying. Doing it when driving a car is a no-no. Indeed, even talking on a hands-free while driving is a bad idea.
The researchers say that the human brain, with its hundred billion neurons and trillions of synaptic connections, doesn't perform well when put on to simultaneous tasks. Now on most daily tasks, the loss of a few seconds here and there wouldn't amount to much. Different story though when you're behind the wheel.
Multi-tasking limitations even apply to teenagers and young workers in their 20s. True, they seem to be whizzes at emailing, instant messaging and listening to iPods at once. But the New York Times piece cites one study coming out of Oxford University that shows older folk are slower but better equipped to block out interruptions and choose what to focus on.
Still, there's no denying emails and mobile phones help us get a lot more done. The issue is not so much the technology but how to manage it.
Here are some rules that work for me.
1. Go unplugged to meetings.
2. Make a list and prioritise. Bundle non-urgent tasks together so they don't keep coming to mind when you're under pressure.
3. If there's something you really don't want to do, do that first. Otherwise, it just sits there.
4. Don't try and do too much.
5. Check your email no more than once an hour.
6. Be smarter when using technology. Unsubscribe to useless email lists.
7. Delegate wherever you can.
8. Know when you work best. Try and work to your rhythms. I tend to work a lot better in the morning but I know plenty who are firing on all cylinders at midnight. A bit of self-awareness goes a long way.
9. Take time out at scheduled times so you don't end up wandering around looking for human contact at inopportune times.
10. Don't put your family, partners or friends on hold when you multi-task. Don't treat them as items on your to-do list.
What tips would you add? How do you handle multitasking? Is it a problem? If it's bad now, is it getting worse?
- Posted by Leon Gettler at 9:45 AM
- Comments (1)
Merger misery
Company mergers are big business now. In Australia last year, about $140 billion in mergers and acquisitions was announced last year, as reported here.
Ahead of us, we're looking at a spate of deals including the potential marriage of Bank of Queensland and Bendigo Bank. Coles is also on the auction block. OK, the proposed private equity takeover of Qantas is not looking real good but the way private equity is travelling and with all that cheap debt sloshing around, there should be plenty more where that came from.
But do mergers work? Apart from the massive fees they generate for various advisors and hangers-on, do they really achieve that much? Take for example the extraordinary Myer result this week. One year after it was jetissoned by Coles after the disastrous merger in 1985, the company reported an 84 per cent increase in earnings. Just another sign of how badly the department store had been neglected by Coles. It says a lot about Coles management too.
Study after study shows that most mergers fail to deliver the intended benefits and actually destroy economic value.
The latest from Hay Group, reported here, shows that more than 90 per cent of European coroporate mergers and acquisitions failed. According to the study, executives doing the takeover were focused so much on financials and systems that they ignored so called intangible assets, such as business culture, human capital, company structure and corporate governance. In other words, they were so obsessed with numbers that they forgot about people.
So if mergers hurt shareholders, why do companies keep doing them? Maybe the answer comes from the guy regarded as world's best investor, Warren Buffett. In one of his letters to shareholders, Buffett wrote:
"In the past, I've observed that many acquisition-hungry managers were apparently mesmerized by their childhood reading of the story about the frog-kissing princess. Remembering her success, they pay dearly for the right to kiss corporate toads, expecting wondrous transfigurations. Initially, disappointing results only deepen their desire to round up new toads ... Ultimately, even the most optimistic manager must face reality. Standing knee-deep in unresponsive toads, he then announces an enormous 'restructuring' charge."
Come to think of it, maybe the term "merger" might be a misnomer. As my fellow blogger David James points out, "they are only mergers in the sense that a shark merges its teeth into a seal".
The other thing about takeovers is that they are always followed by job cuts and the kind of misery that executives, directors and those blood-sucking consultants like to call "restructuring".
So have you been through a merger? What was it like? What did you see? Were you better or worse off? Do all mergers end in misery?
- Posted by Leon Gettler at 10:37 AM
Lonely at the top
OK, you've worked your bum off to get to where you are. You've put in the hours, sacrificed big time, maybe even lost a few friends along the way up the career ladder. Now you have that management job and guess what - you discover it's a massive crock.
That's a complaint I always keep hearing from middle managers. The politics are toxic, everyone wants a slice of you, resources have been cut to a slow drip and the people you had so admired that you now have to work with are a bunch of useless, scheming tossers.Some also talk about bullied by employees.
Sorry sunshine, you wanted the job, welcome to the world of management!
Well, that's what I could say. But the sad truth is it's a big problem for business and organisations everywhere. And it's something captured well by Irish management consultant Rowan Manahan in his Fortify Your Oasis blog.
The problem, he says, is that the management wannabe has an unrealistic view of the job.
"The first thing they think is, great, I don't have to do the drudge work any more. But instead of doing the boring day-to-day stuff, they suddenly discover that they're in a minefield of company politics. Firstly, there may be huge resentment from their colleagues who didn't get the job. They find that they have to deal with rivalries and personal problems within the staff. This woman is going through a divorce, that guy is going through a bereavement. This one here won't work with that one there. The higher up the ladder you go, the less you're involved in the operational detail of the job, and the more you're dealing with people's lives. You learn very quickly that, as a manager, you plough a very lonely furrow. The people you could previously talk to and bounce ideas off, now you can't. It would be inappropriate for you to do so. You always used to go and talk to Johnny but he's now your subordinate. You're not one of the guys any more ... If you sit down, in vino veritas or otherwise, with a bunch of people who have made it, nearly all of them will tell you candidly, I was sh***ing myself at some stage along the way."
Add to that some research from human resources consultants DDI, reported here, that getting promoted can be as stressful as divorce.
So how many managers out there have had this experience? Is management all it's cracked up to be? Have you had to walk over others to get to where you are and was it worth it? Have you ever thought about just tossing it in and rejoining the rank and file? Is it lonely at the top?
- Posted by Leon Gettler at 2:40 PM
- Comments (1)
Green workplaces and the myth of the paperless office
For all the talk about more environmentally friendly workplaces, the paperless office still seems to be way off. Despite more recycling, most countries seem to use more paper than they did 10 years ago.
Indeed, there are stats coming out of some places showing paper consumption has doubled over the last two decades. Check this news report from Canada from last November as an example.
Still, the founder and chairman of Planet Ark Jon Dee did a presentation at the Sydney Convention Centre last week on how offices can reduce their paper output and help the environment.
According to Dee, strategies could include adopting email (including not printing them out), electronic invoices, reusing paper, printing on both sides etc. He cited radio station Nova in Perth as an example.
But if it's so simple, why are we still so far away from having a paperless office?
"It's possible because everything is available electronically," Dee told me. "But its because of insecurity of people wanting it on paper, you need to have company policies to enforce it."
I suspect the problem is not so much about insecurity of people as it about the qualities of paper. Some of these qualities include what researchers call "tangibility" where people can flick through the document, read the bits that are more important, and bend over pages before they have even finished reading to look at other sections.
I looked at these issues in a piece I wrote five years ago. The findings would be just as true today.
And hey, even Microsoft has come up with a device that makes the paperless office look even more remote. It's called Text2Paper which turns text messages into stickers. More on that from ComputerWeekly.com.
So we're no close to the "paperless office". More chance of changes to the environment coming from stuff like carbon offsets for travel. Just think of that in the context of business travel.
So how close is your workplace to being paperless? Have you yourself cut down on paper use? Is it doable? Or do you reckon it's a myth and just a fantasy of management consultants?
- Posted by Leon Gettler at 10:20 AM
Net scams at work
Next scam email you delete, think of the ones that manage to get through! Cyber-crime is cleaning up big time in the United States, and the scamsters are getting people here too.
According to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Centre's annual report US consumers filed 207,492 complaints and claim they lost $US198.4 million ($A248 million), the highest total ever.
While most of the people who fell for it were from the US, the FBI has received complaints from as far afield as Australia, Britain, Canada, India and Germany.
And there's no accounting for greed either. Idiots hoping to get something for nothing fell big time for what the FBI calls the Nigerian letter fraud, at a median loss of $US5100 a pop.
The report lists a whole lot of scams including identity theft, investment fraud, cyberstalking, phishing, spoofing and spamming.
But my fave is the one where the fraudster sends an email threat to murder the scamee if they don't pay up. And people fell for it! Yes, 115 of them believe it or not!
Some interesting stats. Most of the people who fell for scams were men. Indeed, men lost an average $US1.69 for every $US1 reported by women. Go figure!
As part of its service, the FBI provides tips on how to avoid Internet crime. Here's one from me: don't be stupid.
To check out more scams, take a look at 419 Eater.
So have you been scammed? Do you know anyone who has? What happened? How much did they lose?
- Posted by Leon Gettler at 10:33 AM
Costs of ageing
The ageing population is rated as one of the seismic changes that will confront business and the workforce over the next few years. It's right up there with globalisation. Just the prospect of businesses facing a shortage of talent and experience as millions of baby boomers head off into the sunset is shaping up as a significant issue. And that's not even talking about other potential problems like healthcare, housing and living arrangements. Or for that matter economic growth, savings, investment and consumption, labour markets, pensions and taxation.
This is not a "baby boomer", "Gen X" or "Gen Y" issue. It's going to have an impact on everyone.
But a Boston College study sugests that most US businesses are unprepared for the change. And there's no reason to think it would be any different here.
According to the study, more than one in four (25.8 per cent) had not analysed the demographics of their workforce, only 12 per cent had done anything about it, and fewer than four out of 10 (37 per cent) had encouraged employees to work past retirement date. This is despite 39.9 per cent of companies claimed that managament skills are in short supply.
And it's going to get worse. Check this United Nations report World Population Ageing: 1950-2050 .
When the 21st century began, the world population included 600 million older persons, triple the number recorded fifty years before. This is expected to more than triple again to two billion by 2050. According to the report, by 2050 the proportion of older persons in the world will exceed the proportions of the young, under the age of 15, for the first time in history. Just as significantly, the older population itself is getting older. The fastest growing group is the so-called "oldest old", those aged 80 or older. They are increasing at a rate of 3.8 per cent a year, compared with the total older group which is growing at 2 per cent a year.
This raises another significant issue. With people living longer, it means more of us will taking time off work to step in as carers for elderly parents who are frail, suffering from strokes, Alzheimers Syndrome and heart trouble. And anyone who has been through that will tell you it takes up a lot of time and emotional energy. In any case, there'll be a lot more of these cases around and it means bosses will have to be very flexible.
And the problem is Governments have a limited number of options. They can encourage people to stay at work longer or they can encourage immigration. Alternatively they can lay down conditions, such as maternity leave and child care funding and tax rebates, that might encourage women to have more children. Apart from that, there's little else they can do.
So are you seeing the impact of this trend already? How prepared is your organisation? What should organisations do? Are you already taking time off work to look after a parent? How are you balancing that with work and the rest of your life? And are you yourself ready for the Agequake?
- Posted by Leon Gettler at 9:43 AM
Santo and sinners
The big political story over the last few days has been former Federal ageing minister Santo Santoro's shenanigans. The PM has ordered a further investigation and there's an expectation that more dirt will come out. That's on top of those 72 share deals.
Over the weekend, there were reports of Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull rejecting Opposition calls for the Ministerial Code of Conduct to be policed by an independent body.
Still, the whole saga does raise questions whether codes of conduct and codes of ethics actually work.
For example, one of my favourite documents that I have sitting in my system is Enron's Code of Ethics, made available through www.thesmokinggun.com. Particularly the hand-on-heart declaration from Enron boss, the late Ken Lay:
"As officers and employees of Enron Corp, its subsidiaries, and its affiliated companies, we are responsible for conducting the business affairs of the companies in accordance with all applicable laws and in a moral and honest manner...We want to be proud of Enron and to know that it enjoys a reputation for fairness and honesty and that it is respected."
The rest, as the cliche goes, is history.
The message from all that is that unless the values expressed in that code are made real and enforced, the document is about as useless as your standard Mission Statement.
And it seems that many organisations haven't woken up to this. According to a European-wide survey, reported by thelawyer.com, about half the companies there are leaving themselves wide open to ethics abuses. As Paul Basson, president of Integrity Interactive Europe says in the piece, it's just "not good enough to have codes of practices buried on an intranet site where employees have to proactively seek them out".
So does your company have a code of ethics or code of conduct? How effective is it? Or is it just sitting there on the intranet? How do you go about putting it into action? Should organisations bother with them? Or aren't they worth the paper they're written on?
- Posted by Leon Gettler at 10:27 AM
- Comments (2)
How green is your car?
It's a question that will start coming up more with Origin Energy announcing a carbon trading scheme for businesses to buy and sell verified carbon offsets, and with the Business Council for Sustainable Energy pushing the Federal Government to set up a national emissions trading scheme.
It's certainly a concept gaining traction in Britain with reports that one in four companies over there have a green transport policy and some four out of 10 actively encourage car sharing.
It's likely to gain even more momentum with The Times reporting that Britain is the first country to create a law limiting carbon emissions (so far, the best we can come up with to fight climate change is to ban old style light bulbs).
Of course, there are different interpretations of what makes an environmentally friendly car. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has reinvented himself as the Green Gubernator, says you don't have to get rid of the luxury car. As he explained when interviewed in the English language version of Der Spiegel, you can be wasteful and conservationist at the same time.
"Protecting the environment does not require us to be against large SUVs or trucks. Instead we should develop technology to cut down greenhouse gas emissions because that is where the action is - it's not about what the size of the car is. We just have to redo the vehicles ... When those people drive around it again sells the idea that it is cool to drive a hydrogen car. But that doesn't mean that you should take this big car and make it smaller. Instead we should be saying: 'Keep the luxury car!' "
So what do you think of Arnie's approach? Is your company adopting a green transport policy? What initiatives is it taking up? What about your own car? Have you contemplated trading in for a hybrid or some other eco-friendly model? Or do you think it's just hot air?
- Posted by Leon Gettler at 10:08 AM
Stress busters
Whether it's because of increased workloads, family breakdown or lunatic bosses, workplace stress is on the rise.
An American Psychological Association study last year found that more than half the population of working adults, and 47 per cent of the total population, said they were concerned with the amount of stress in their lives. According to the study, these are the ones more likely to develop hypertension, anxiety, depression or obesity.
Add to that a recent New Zealand study which found that office workers chained to their computers run a greater risk of potentially fatal blood clots.
So how do we reduce stress?
Some take to the gym but many working people reckon it's impossible to get away. Going away for a short walk might help. Some swear by meditation or even prayer. I have one friend who uses a breathing exercise, about five minutes three times a day. Simply close your eyes, take a deep breath through your nose, hold it in and let it out through your mouth. She reckons it works every time although it seems to do nothing for me.
But then, I have this other friend who drinks. Come to think of it, that mightn't be for everyone.
So what other ways are there of beating stress? Here are 10 tips from the Belfast Telegraph.
They include actually understanding what stress is so that you can manage it better, getting your company on the case, chilling out with a drink, TV or music, moving to a place like Vanuatu or just turning off your mobile.
Actually the most interesting bit of advice there was to avoid joining a successful organisation. The piece cites research showing that people who have the highest level of growth are more likely to get sick.
So how do you deal with workplace stress? What are the best ways to handle the problem? Tell us your stories. And is stress getting worse?
- Posted by Leon Gettler at 10:24 AM
The next managers: X marks the spot
- Posted by Leon Gettler at 11:26 AM
Boomer bonanza: baby it's old out there.
It's boom times for boomers.
With John Travolta in the road film Wild Hogs making a complete goose of himself, in the words of my mate Jim Schembri, and boomers holding half Australia's household wealth, according to this report, it's no surprise that the old and hoary are more upbeat than younger folk.
Indeed, confidence in your financial situation these days seems to depend on whether you were born around the time usually identified as starting in 1946 and ending in 1964. That seems to be the take in the March 2007 Sensis Consumer Report
According to that research, confidence for the 50-plus group has skyrocketed over the quarter. The outlook for younger Australians is looking gloomier. Australians over 64 have a confidence level of 68 per cent, and this is followed closely by the 50-64 year olds. Their confidence rose from 38 per cent to 61 per cent.
By way of contrast, confidence for the 40 to 49 year olds fell 15 percentage points, for 30 to 39 year olds it was down two percentage points and for the under 30s, it slipped 11 percentage points.
That might reflect problems with home affordability and rising rents.
It might also have something to do with the concerns of Australians mentioned in the report. Drought was the number one headache, but the the environment, health system and war in Iraq were right up there too.
So how upbeat are you? Or not? How does that compare with those around you? Are the boomers having an easy ride?
- Posted by Leon Gettler at 11:17 AM
- Comments (2)
Curing BlackBerry fever
In his book CrazyBusy, Dr Edward Hallowell tells us story about one of his patients.
"Is it normal," she asks in all sincerity, "that my husband lays his BlackBerry down next to us when we make love?"
It would be funny if it wasn't true. You see it at meetings, in restaurants, even at the pictures. Someone sitting there checking their BlackBerry.No doubt trying to find a life.
Forget all this crapping on about work life balance. A US survey shows that Blackberry owners are more likely to be chained to their work. According to that study 19 per cent of BlackBerry-owners claimed to work more than 50 hours a week and more than half felt they didn't have enough personal time.
Another study, this one from Ryerson University in Toronto, finds that the BlackBerry can turn users into anti-social, anally-retentive types.
The addiction to the BlackBerry is part of a bigger story about how we are all more and more dependent on emails, mobile phones and text messages.
There could be a whole swag of reasons why this has happened. It keeps life interesting (can you imagine how boring life must have been before emails and mobile phones?), you're not bored when you're busy, everyone else is at it, you don't have to feel guilty when you're not doing anything and it's better than not knowing what to do. And besides, it gives you a great excuse not to connect with people you don't want to see.
Still, breaking the addiction is next to impossible.
Take the story, for instance, of the Forbes managing editor who tried going cold turkey. No mobile, BlackBerry or email for seven days. He didn't last 48 hours.
Would you do any better?
- Posted by Leon Gettler at 10:43 AM
Working green
A high-powered roundtable in Melbourne last week agreed that global warming was a serious issue. That came from 120 leaders drawn from business, government, academia and social organisations. Not a global warming sceptic among them. It's a significant development because it shows that global warming is turning into a bipartisan issue. My colleague Malcolm Maiden looks at the conference's implications here.
That's at a macro-level. So it's not surprising that sustainability is becoming a workplace issue.
There are a number of things companies can do to cut carbon emissions. Like installing more efficient light bulbs, ensuring all A4/A3 is paper is recycled, making it a rule for everyone to switch off their PCs, appliances and machinery when they finish work, and more rigorous assessment of travel plans for meetings, conferences and training sessions.
Some more suggestions from Sustainable Workplace, an initiative of British trade unions and employers.
So what other green initiatives can you come up with? Is your workplace going green? Or is it lagging? More the point, can turning green be too expensive or inefficient(e.g. using post instead of couriers, spending money on reconfiguring lighting throughout the organisation by installing sensor lights etc)?
- Posted by Leon Gettler at 10:43 AM
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Workplace rules: still working for The Man
Today is International Women's Day and all the signs say the stereotypes are alive and kicking.
First, we have the news report of a global survey revealing that fewer Australian businesses are appointing senior female managers, about one in three admit they have none and that Australia has fallen behind the rest of the world in this area.
Then we have this report of a US workplace survey of 60,000 respondents. It found that most people, men and women, reckon that men are more likely to be effective leaders and that even women are suspicious of female bosses. According to the survey, three out of four women said they would rather work for a man. Also there was no end of stereotypes with women labelled as "moody", "bitchy", "emotional" and "catty".
In other words, there are lots of people out there who still see leadership as masculine.
Now let me give my two bob's worth. Some of the best managers I've had have been women, but then I've come across a few with all the leadership and social skills of a toilet seat. I've had exactly the same experience with men, so I reckon gender has nothing to do with it.
I suspect people are more comfortable with men in leadership roles because that's what they're familiar with. Simply put, that's what you get when you have more men at the top. And yes, I've heard horror stories from women about working for a female boss, but then male bosses can get bad press too.
So what do you think? Is it different working for a female boss? Are they better? Worse? Or are they all the same? Do you have any preference? Or does it all come down to the individual?
- Posted by Leon Gettler at 10:45 AM
Chucking it all in
Sooner or later, it happens to all of us. At one stage or another, you've had enough of the crap at work. Enough of the petty politics, ridiculous deadlines and no thanks. Those are the times you start thinking about throwing it all in and quitting.
For me, I always treat it like bad weather and the mood passes. For others, it just doesn't stop raining. So how do you know when it's time to toss it all in?
Kate Lorenz from CareerBuilder.com identifies 10 warning signs: your co-workers get on your nerves, the work environment is toxic, the work leaves you mentally exhausted, your boss is a nightmare, you're watching the clock - every 10 minutes, you get no respect, your co-workers are like a pack of animals, nobody communicates, you're not valued, you feel stifled.
She offers another five reasons here: you dread going to work, you get no enjoyment from your day-to-day responsibilities, you're uncomfortable with the company culture, your relationship with your boss sucks, and there's no opportunity for career advancement.
Sound familiar? No job is perfect, but if three of these warning signs ring a bell, you're probably in the wrong job.
But then there's the other problem. Not everyone is cut out for hitting the road. In her analysis in BusinessWeek, Liz Ryan says there are three groups of employees.
First are the Rabbits who are too scared to leave. Then you have the Searchers who always hit the ground running when they come to a new workplace, but then get easily deflated six months later so they start looking out for a new job again. And finally, there are the Pragmatists. They don't rush in but they let the data pile up until the day comes when they know it's time to pull the pin.
And for others, there are the financials. Can you afford to jump ship? Depends on your circumstances, and how badly you want to do other stuff. Check out this piece from Steve Belanger, a former vice-president of a US corporate who explains why he quit his six-figure job to become an actor.
It got me thinking about whether I should toss it all in and become a full-time musician and get those John Coltrane licks down solid. But then, Mrs Management Line would remind me that anyone who's worked in a six figure job could probably afford to take some time out.
So do any of the warning signs ring a bell? Any to add? Have any of taken the plunge and how was it? And what best describes you: rabbit, searcher or pragmatist?
- Posted by Leon Gettler at 10:28 AM
Wanna career boost?
Some say it's all about getting the right degrees and qualifications. Others reckon it's about experience and putting yourself in the right spot at the right time. Then there are those who seem to get ahead by schmoozing and sucking up to the right people (aka "networking").
Now we have a new study that suggests we need to do something else.
The study, according to Forbes, finds that parents make better managers. The researchers claim that being a parent teaches you how to handle stress, multi-task and negotiate. It also builds leadership skills and self-esteem.
Of course, being a parent and a manager are not one and the same thing, even when the work place feels like a kindergarten and some people carry on like spoiled brats. But there is a bit of overlap, says the study, because parenthood teaches you important skills.
The interesting part is it seems to go against the conventional wisdom that you need to put in 80-hour work weeks to get ahead. Maybe it's because having something else in your life makes you a better-rounded person.
So how credible is this study? Some of the worst managers I've had have been childless. Selfish, inconsiderate types who have trouble relating to bipeds. From what I hear, they have not reproduced which has to be a good thing for the planet. On the other hand, some of the managers with kids haven't been much chop either. Poor kids!
So what do you think? What about the best managers you've had? Have they had kids? Does parenting teach you skills you can use in the work place? Or are we talking about two different worlds?
- Posted by Leon Gettler at 10:21 AM
Green ways to make a buck
Can you make money from going green? That seems to the line from efficiency guru Paul Tebo. A former sustainability director at US chemical gian DuPont, Tebo reckons the green mindset can generate strong profits.
Certainly there are signs of new businesses springing up everywhere that try to cater for the eco-savvy consumer.
A new magazine, Portovert, (pronounced porto-vair) is launching the first US wedding carbon calculator that tallies up carbon emissions produced by all the main wedding-related CO2 sources, like guest travel, venue power and heat. Available online only at this stage, the magazine was founded by Meghan Meyers, a former editor for Family Circle and sustainable travel writer.
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal tells us about various projects that are tapping the human body to reproduce energy. Everything from a Hong Kong gym that uses bike and walking machines to power its electricity, a night club in Rotterdam that has a dance floor converting vibrations from the feet, to flooring materials now being developed in London to collect the energy of crowds walking in subways.
You can also check out the Fast Company slide show on the world's greenest ski resorts.
Paul Tebo says when companies like Wal-Mart and GE start making green business a priority, it's a sign to take sustainability seriously. But that's ok when you're the world's biggest retailer and the world's biggest conglomerate. What about the rest of us? As one manager said to me last week: "If we stopped all our carbon emissions, the Chinese would replace them and it would take them only six months. So why should I give up driving my SUV?"
Is he right? Can you make money of being green? Is the market big enough?
- Posted by Leon Gettler at 10:37 AM
Snooze and lose: is this the future of work?
Is this the shape of things to come? There's a new batch of stimulants, eugeroics, coming on to the market. More effective than caffeine and amphetamines, it's said, because they tweak specific sleep-related mechanisms in the brain. The result: users don't feel jittery or wired, they just stay alert with their radar on.
Welcome to the future of work, according to this report.
Still, workers are getting mixed messages. A new study by Greek scientists suggests that a daily nap is actually better for your work and reduces the risk oif cardiovascular disease.
Indeed, great nappers in history have included Winston Churchill, Napoleon Bonaparte, Thomas Edison, Salvador Dali and US presidents John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. You can read about that here. By all accounts it didn't get in the way of their work.
As Churchill famously said: "You must sleep sometime between lunch and dinner, and no halfway measures. Take off your clothes and get into bed. That's what I always do. Don't think you will be doing less work because you sleep during the day. That's a foolish notion held by people who have no imaginations. You will be able to accomplish more. You get two days in one - well, at least one and a half."
And he still helped the Allies win the war.
Still, the findings of the Greek study might be inconclusive. "Napping is a great solution if you are energetic and active and if you have adequate exercise during the day, but it's not a great solution if you are a couch potato," one physiologist and businessman told Workforce Management.
Whatever the answer, the studies raise a few interesting questions.
With more of the workforce in casual employment, or coming in as contractors, is there more pressure on people to stay awake? What do we make of the companies that champion the managers who put in 80-hour weeks, or the road warriors who move from hotel to hotel? Are you more sleep deprived these days because of work? Or is other stuff keeping you up?
- Posted by Leon Gettler at 10:55 AM
Accountants and sex (exposure draft)
What's with those beancounters? They're still out there trying to convince the world that accountants are, believe it or not, cool and sexy.
Last year, I looked at how they had set up web sites of "extreme accounting", where you have them trekking through the unexplored tax havens of the Amazon, or putting out hip-hop recruitment videos.
Now they're at it again.
First we have the Hong Kong Institute of CPAs putting out a cheesy recruitment video spoof of The Apprentice.
Then you have websites like CPA track (sponsored by the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants) introducing us to some really cool accountants. Like FBI special agents, athletes and musicians. Yeah right!
Meanwhile, British beancounters Solomon Hare are sponsoring body boarding championships.
Not to be outdone, some marketing genius at CPA Australia last year launched a TV ad campaign. And in case we didn't get the message that number crunchers are cool and sexy, they also released (shudder) mobile ring tones blasting us with the music from the commercials. As if we want to know.
So what gives? Do accountants really need this sort of makeover? For that matter, is it going to help?
- Posted by Leon Gettler at 10:28 AM


text:
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