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North Park Theatre
Gerry Seymour | April 4, 2014 | 0 comments
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December 2, 2015
Over the years one of the most commonly asked questions by prospective students is, "How do I evaluate a dojo?" To someone who has no experience in martial arts this is a somewhat intimidating task. For me the task was easy. I was in Tokyo and the first person I saw, when I walked in
As with many martial arts, Nihon Goshin Aikido is taught in a structured atmosphere, with specific constraints regarding usage, movement, and application. The beginning student is told precisely how to perform the techniques and stances at every step of the way. Yet, when an advanced martial artist demonstrates even a minimal level of mastery, it
As with many instructors and experienced martial artists, I am often approached for advice in selecting a school, art, or instructor for training in the martial arts. While I can't effectively answer this question in an article (for reasons which will be explained in a few moments), I can provide the basic framework of an
On many occasions, I have heard Steven Weber Sensei (Godan, Nihon Goshin Aikido) speak of those students who seek "The Answer". …That one absolutely correct response to a given attack, technique, question, or conundrum. On these occasions, he paints a picture of an inexperienced martial artist begging him for the "right way" to respond, rather
"What's the best martial art?" This is a question most of us in the martial arts community have heard, in some form or another. And it's one that most of us groan inwardly at hearing. There is a real problem with trying to establish a "best" martial art. Or even in trying to say that
When faced with someone intent on doing you bodily harm in the street, or when training in the dojo, the ability to avoid being hit is a skill well worth developing. There are four basic ways to avoid being hit that are used by virtually every martial art, sometimes and stand alone techniques, but most


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Have you checked Keystone?
The screen is not level and you can fix this by adjusting Keystone.
How to fix
Non-Smart TV
Menu → Settings → Option → Auto Keystone : On or Keystone
If it has Auto Keystone feature, turn it On.
It if doesn't have, select Keystone and adjust manually.
※ What is Keystone?
Keystone is a function that allows multimedia projectors that are not placed perpendicular to the horizontal centerline of the screen to skew the output image, thereby making it rectangular.
The higher the value you set for the Keystone, the lower the quality of the image may be. So you are suggested to move it up/down/left/right physically to place it perpendicular to the screen as much as possible, then use the Keystone function.
Mini Beam provides Keystone function for Up/Down, but not Left/Right,
For Left/Right adjustment, move the Mini Beam physically.
If you install it on the ceiling, select 'reverse'.(Option->PJT Mode->Reverse)

subset: commoncrawl


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Boo Gee - Navigator
Added on September 5th, 2009
Viewed 34949 views
Inspired by "Spiral turtle"
The sea turtle symbolizes the navigator, and it´s a symbol of protection on the sea.
Sha requested a very stylized turtle with a simple spiral as shell.
The spiral itself is a symbol of growth and developement; usually a clock-wise spiral indicates expansion, the movement of the sun in the sky. The counter-clock spiral like the one in this design is instead often used to indicate ...


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Politics aside, good stewardship is always a good policy. I think playing nice with the green ball we all live on has more to do with being smart than it does with any government agenda.
The best thing about practicing green options is that, the majority of the time, they are the more cost-effective option. It seems to me that being eco-friendly will just plain save you money.
Here are a few low-cost or no-cost ideas. I practice many of them and will try to implement others. Let's all be eco-smart (eco-nomically and eco-logically).
- Plant a small garden in pots or in a raised bed.
- Create a compost bin.
- Cut down on lunch packaging. Avoid "snack size" foods by buying in bulk and filling your own snack containers.
- Reduce the new toys you buy. Swap toys with other parents as kids outgrow them (cardboard boxes are fun too).
- Switch to CFL lightbulbs (or at least a few).
- Use reusable bags at the store – or make your own.
- Buy a reusable water bottle instead of plastic disposable bottles.
- Wash laundry in cold water instead of hot.
- Turn off lights when you leave a room. Big one in my house trying to get the kids to do!
- Save gas by driving the speed limit and check the air pressure in the tires. Combine errands in one trip.
- Shop at your farmer's market – support your local farmers.
- Pay bills online if possible.
- Stop unsolicited mail — opt out of pre-screened credit card offers.
- Reuse scrap paper. Good for couponers too. Let your kids use it for crafts or drawing.
- Before buying new, check Craigslist, Freecycle, thrift stores and yard sales.
- Donate to – and shop at – thrift stores.
- Support restaurants that use locally-grown food.
- Fix leaky faucets.
- Line dry laundry.
- Lower the temperature on your hot water heater.
- Repurpose something – like egg cartons for crafts or glass jars for leftovers.
- Collect rainwater – use it to water your houseplants and garden.
- Use cloth instead of paper to clean your kitchen. Make rags out of old towels and t-shirts.
- Carpool. Set up carpools with friends to shop or to take kids to their activities.
- And now my favorite… Get outside. Many kids spend very little time outdoors each week playing. Maybe go hiking and camping as a family, or simply play in the yard.


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Tom clancy's Ghost recon: Wildlands price in kenya
BIENVENIDOS A BOLIVIA From the infamous Death Road to the world's largest salt flat, journey through Ubisoft's largest open world action-adventure game to date. Discover massive regions inspired by Bolivia and South America, their stunning vistas and incredible diversity. Explore the hundreds of villages, landmarks, and legends populating this country in one of the many available vehicles, both on and off road, in the air, on land, and at sea. Immerse yourself in Bolivian culture as you cross paths with inhabitants reacting to their own agendas and to the game's day-night cycle and weather system.
BECOME A GHOST Lead a team of four Ghosts, the absolute best of the US military. Play either solo or with up to three of your friends online in this gritty adventure as they seamlessly join you at any point in the game. Engage all your military missions in whatever order and manner suits you: stealth, distraction, and tactical or frontal assault always remain possible. Use the new iconic drones to recon the toughest terrains and to tag enemy outposts, or transform them into destructive weapons. Make difficult but critical choices: sabotage, interrogation, kidnapping, and assassination are but a few of the options available for you to reach your objectives. Upgrade and fully customize your Ghost with the experience and loot you gather on the battleground.
MANIPULATE AND FACE THE CONSEQUENCES Interact with different factions in the game: gather intel from the Santa Blanca cartel, bribe the aggressive Unidad military force, benefit from the local rebels' resources, or protect the native population. Start inter-faction battles to cause distractions and help you reach your objectives. The world will react differently to each of your choices: unexpected opportunities and threats could arise from any situation, turning into long-lasting and dire consequences. Manipulate the system. Manipulate the unexpected.


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First human West Nile virus case reported in Placer Co.
PLACER COUNTY, Calif. — A health official on Tuesday reported the first confirmed human case of West Nile virus in Placer County this year.
The individual didn't suffer severe symptoms, said Wesley Nicks, director of the Placer County Public Health Division, in a Tuesday afternoon phone interview.
Details such as the individual's age and residence were unknown as of press time Tuesday.
According to Placer County, most human cases in the county in recent years have occurred between mid-July and the end of August.
As of Tuesday, 38 human cases have been reported this year in California, with regional officials reminding the public to take precautions against the illness.
"With high temperatures enough for mosquitoes to thrive, but not high enough to keep people indoors, we must remind folks that West Nile virus is still a threat and that precautions need to be taken to reduce risk for exposure," said Joel Buettner, general manager of the Placer Mosquito and Vector Control District.
The disease is typically spread when a mosquito bites an infected bird and then bites a person, according to Placer County. While most people infected with the virus will not become ill, in certain populations the disease can cause serious illness and even death.
People 50 years or older and those with suppressed or compromised immune systems are more prone to becoming seriously ill. About one in 150 people will become very ill, while about 20 percent of those infected may experience mild to moderate flu-like symptoms.
"People should be aware, but not alarmed by (it)," said Ken Cutler, public health officer for Nevada County.
Cutler said there have been no human West Nile cases in Nevada County in more than five years.
Nearby in Nevada's Douglas County, officials last week confirmed that a 50-year-old man was infected with a less-serious form of the illness.
Officials advise the public to implement the following protection measures:
Drain any standing water that may produce mosquitoes.
Defend yourself by using an effective insect repellent and dressing protectively when outside.
Avoid spending time outside when mosquitoes are most active, particularly at dusk and dawn. If it's necessary to be outside then, wear long sleeves and pants.
Defend your home by making sure screens on doors and windows are in good condition.
More information about West Nile is available at westnile.ca.gov. Questions can be directed to Placer County Public Health at 530-889-7141 or Nevada County Public Health at 530-265-1450.
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Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.
Your donation will help us continue to cover COVID-19 and our other vital local news.


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Fairy Nymph - Our new Fairy Nymph costumes made for one great Tinkerbell costume if that's what you're going for. This lovely costume includes one green frilly petticoat dress, a green headband with a rose attached, a belt and green wings. Available in various sizes.
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One, Two we are here for you, Three, Four with costumes galore! A fantastic Cheerleader costume for all your fancy dress needs, Halloween, Cosplay, etc. Cheer on the team with your own rhymes and dance...
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Dust off your book of spells, ready to rally the spirits found twixt heaven and hell on Halloween. Come out to play on Halloween night in this enchanting frock.
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Difference between revisions of "S19: Lightfury"
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[[File:CMPE_243_S19_PCB_Schematic.jpg|left|550px|'''PCB Schematic]][[File:CMPE_243_S19_PCB_design.jpg|right|550px|'''PCB Layout|]]
[[File:CMPE_243_S19_PCB_Schematic.jpg|left|550px|'''PCB Schematic]][[File:CMPE_243_S19_PCB_design.jpg|right|550px|'''PCB Layout|]]
Revision as of 08:05, 22 May 2019
- 1 Project Title
- 2 Abstract
- 3 Schedule
- 4 Parts List & Cost
- 5 Printed Circuit Board
- 6 CAN Communication
- 7 Sensor ECU
- 8 Motor ECU
- 9 Geographical Controller
- 10 Communication Bridge Controller & LCD
- 11 Master Module
- 12 Mobile Application
- 13 Conclusion
Project Title
LightFury is an autonomous electric car project that aims to bring different embedded system paradigms together and consolidate them with industry level sophistication and robustness. This project will feature an RC car which will employ different sensors and motors to navigate the track without human assistance. Every sensor/motor combined with a dedicated functionality is managed and processed by a controller. Such different controllers will communicate with the master node using the CAN bus protocol. The autonomous car navigation is a result of all electronic module functioning harmoniously to reach the destination location.
The project is divided into 7 modules:
- Master Controller
- Motor Controller
- Sensor Controller
- GPS Controller
- Android application and Bluetooth Connectivity
- Hardware (PCB designing)
- Testing
Team Members & Responsibilities
<Team Picture>
Project Link: Gitlab Link
- Sensors
- Ultrasonic
- Compass
- PCB Design
- Testing, Integration & Repository Maintenance
|Start Date
|Completion Date
Parts List & Cost
|Part Desciption
|RC Car
|From Prof. KaiKai Liu
|CAN Transceivers MCP2551-I/P
|Free Samples
|Semtec GPS
|Free Samples
|Tilt Compensated Magnetic Compass
|LIPO Batteries + Charger
|with car package
|RPM 6520 Traxxas
|UltraSonic Sensor
|$40.00 (estimated)
Printed Circuit Board
Initial prototyping was done on wire wrapping board for a common CAN bus and power input to all the controllers. Over time on finalizing the layout and components, we designed a PCB to have a compact and stable connections for our electronic and mechanical components. Planned a single PCB to place and route CAN transceivers and eliminate dangling wires.
CAN Communication
With the help of CAN transceivers, each sensor module sends data in DBC format to the controller. The data from ultrasonic sensor helps in obstacle detection. The GPS and Compass Module helps with navigation. The LCD gives live information of component status and values. Finally there is motors and control unit for navigating the car as per the controller commands.
Hardware Design
<Show your CAN bus hardware design>
DBC File
Sensor ECU
The sensor ECU is consist of SJOne board interfaced with four Parallax ping ultrasonic sensors. The primary objective of sensor ECU is to detect the obstacles and provide the corresponding information to the master controller in order to avoid those obstacles. According to beam angles, each sensor is mounted in such a way that the car can avoid the obstacles present in front and rear of the car. Based on the acquired information from sensors, distance is calculated and forwarded to the master controller over CAN bus. Based on the previous project reports, Parallax ping sensors were decided for this project as they provided reliable outputs with better range.
Parallax ping
The Parallax ping sensor works on 5V supply voltage. It provides precise distance measurement ranging from about 2 cm to 3 meters. Beyond the mentioned range, the measurement provided by the sensor is not accurate. The sensor operates at 40 kHz. Blinking of LED provided on the sensor depends on triggering frequency. It has only one pin called "Signal" pin for triggering and listening to the echo pulse, which reduces hardware complexity. The distance from the obstacle is calculated by measuring the width of echo pulse and multiplying it with a constant (speed of sound in air). Also, there are some scenarios under which these sensors won't give proper readings such as:
- Object is too small to reflect enough sound back to the sensor
- Obstacle with the reflective surface will reflect sound at a shallow angle ( < 45 degrees), which won't be reflected back towards the sensor
- The sound pulse gets reflected off the floor when the sensor is mounted low on the device
Hardware Design
Four ultrasonic sensors are used to detect obstacle on left, front, right and rear of the car. The sensor has 124 inches (3.1m) detection range for an obstacle in line of sight. All ultrasonic sensors are mounted upright with an upward tilt to avoid ground reflection. The sensors have a minimum overlap of detection area and have a blind spot too close to the car. All the sensors are interfaced with SJOne board on port 2. Four GPIO pins are used for each sensor and external interrupts are enabled for those pins. The measured distance is transmitted over CAN bus using CAN transceiver (MCP 2551).
Hardware Interface
- Pin 2.1 of SJOne board is configured as GPIO and is connected to the signal pin (SIG) of the left sensor. External interrupt for rising and falling edge is enabled to calculate the distance from an obstacle if any.
- Pin 2.2 of SJOne board is configured as GPIO and is connected to the signal pin (SIG) of the front sensor. External interrupt for rising and falling edge is enabled to calculate the distance from an obstacle if any.
- Pin 2.3 of SJOne board is configured as GPIO and is connected to the signal pin (SIG) of the right sensor. External interrupt for rising and falling edge is enabled to calculate the distance from an obstacle if any.
- Pin 2.4 of SJOne board is configured as GPIO and is connected to the signal pin (SIG) of the rear sensor. External interrupt for rising and falling edge is enabled to calculate the distance from an obstacle if any.
- Pin 0.0 of SJOne board is configured as RD1 and is connected to RXD pin (Pin 4) of MCP 2551 (can transceiver).
- Pin 0.1 of SJOne board is configured as TD1 and is connected to TXD pin (Pin 1) of MCP 2551 (can transceiver).
Software Design
Sensor triggering is implemented in the 100Hz periodic task. Sensors are triggered in sets instead of all the sensors triggering at the same time. This technique helped in minimizing signal interference between two adjoining sensors. The front and back sensors are triggered first and then the left and right sensors. Each sensor is fed with a 5us high pulse from the host controller and it emits a short ultrasonic burst and then starts listening for the echo. After sending out the pulse, the SIG pin becomes high and it goes low when the obstacle is detected. To sense this pulse, external interrupts are enabled. The maximum duration of this pulse is 18.5ms which denotes that there is no obstacle in front of the sensor. Given this time period, left and right sensors are triggered 20ms after front and back sensors are triggered. Each sensor is triggered at 20Hz, i.e., after 50ms.
After collecting the data from sensors, distance is calculated and it is transmitted over CAN bus. CAN transmission also takes place 100Hz task only so that updated values are sent at the faster speed. A heartbeat message is sent to the master controller indicating that the sensor controller is up and running. This message is sent using 10Hz periodic task.
- Initialize the CAN bus either on can1 or can2 with baud rate of 100 kbps and RX/TX queues of size 100
- Configure the host controller pins 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4 as GPIO pins (These pins are connected to SIG pin of left, front, right and rear sensor respectively)
- Enable the external interrupts for corresponding pins to detect rising and falling edge of the input pulse
- Set the micro-controller pin connected to SIG pin as an output
- Triggering the sensors:
- Send low signal from the controller to SIG pin (for a clean high pulse)
- Insert delay of 2us
- Send high signal from the controller to SIG pin
- Insert delay of 5us
- Send low signal from the controller to SIG pin
- Set the corresponding pin on the controller as an input which is connected to SIG pin
- Fetch the system uptime when rising edge interrupt occurs. The noted time can be considered as the "start_time" of the echo pulse.
- Fetch the system uptime when falling edge interrupt occurs. The noted time can be considered as the "stop_time" of the echo pulse.
- Calculate the distance from the obstacle. (Distance = ((start_time - stop_time)/147) in inches or Distance = ((start_time - stop_time)/57.14) in cm).
- Send the calculated distance to the master controller over the CAN bus.
Steps 4 to 9 are executed within the 100Hz periodic task.
Technical Challenges
Unreliable sonor sensors values
Problem Summary: Observed lots of false detection for sensor over CAN bus resulting in unwanted motor turning.
Problem Resolution: Reduced noise with the help of mounts to reduce vibration from car.
Reduced range when mounted on car
Problem Summary: Max detection range reduced when mounted on car with mounts.
Problem Resolution: Increased ampere to entire circuit to support complete functionality of sensors.
False triggering due to proximity
Problem Summary: All the sensors transmitted pulse at the same time which caused interference among adjoining sensors.
Problem Resolution: Revised sensor placement and triggered non-overlapping sensors at the same time to have minimum overlapping detection range and reduced interference among sensors.
Calculation Error
Problem Summary: Calculated distance in ISR which provided random results.
Problem Resolution: ISR should be kept simple and it should take less time for execution. So for distance calculation other function was created which was called in the 100Hz task.
Motor ECU
Hardware Design
The traxxas chassis came with ECU and servo controller. It has DC motor with servo control for turning. Working on 3.4 V/ 3000mAH power specifications it has axle to rotate all the four wheels. The feedback for PWM controlled speed attained is fed back through magnetic encoder. The front wheels have servo connection for turning. The chassis is placed on suspension unit for shock absorbing. An acrylic sheet is mounted over certain height on which the PCB and controller is placed. The motor controller sends signals for PWM and servo motor angles for driving the car.
Software Design
The motor gets signal from motor controller. The motor controller sends PWM signals for speed control of DC motor. Also it implements PID for uniform performance on ramp. For direction control, the servo has 2 levels of turning: soft and moderate. Depending on Driver Controller signal, the Motor Controller sends control signals to the motor. In case of communication loss from Master Controller, the Motor Controller displays CAN MIA condition on LED.
Technical Challenges
Finding PID constants
Problem Summary: For uniform speed over ramp, we implemented PID. However, calculating the constants for PID proved to be challenging due to oscillations of set speed.
Problem Resolution: Set discrete speed levels to prevent oscillations. Determined PID constants through trials and errors.
Determining RPM accurately
Problem Summary: No support available for motor encoder reed sensor.
Problem Resolution: After checking values on DSO, we noticed irregular output. We resolved it by using pull up resistor of 1k ohms.
Motor stop functioning before demo
Problem Summary: The motor stopped functioning even with correct power and signal input.
Problem Resolution: Had previously dismantled the chassis for encoder study. Re assembled the chassis to function correctly at demo.
Geographical Controller
<Picture and link to Gitlab>
Hardware Design
Software Design
<List the code modules that are being called periodically.>
Technical Challenges
<Bullet or Headings of a module>
Unreliable GPS lock
<Problem Summary> <Problem Resolution>
Communication Bridge Controller & LCD
<Picture and link to Gitlab>
Hardware Design
The bridge controller communicates with mobile SJ one board over Xbee. This mobile SJ one board and the mobile application communicate over Bluetooth (HC05). The bridge controller then sends start/stop and monitors heartbeat of Master controller. It sends sensor controller data(distance from obstacle from all three ultrasonic sensor), geo sensor data (source latitude and longitude) and motor controller (speed and servo turning data). In addition to this , it gives checkpoint details and destination details to the geo controller. The communication used by geo controller to communicate with remaining controller is CAN communication. It uses on board LEDs to indicate functionality of Master controller and Xbee transmission.
Software Design
The bridge controller being the controller to communicate with all the controller on the car has to adhere to the data formats send by the respective controllers. Especially when it communicates with mobile SJOne board, it receives data of location in string format, which has to be converted into longitude and latitude. The data from different modules is received in different frequency.
Technical Challenges
<Bullet or Headings of a module>
Insane Bug
<Problem Summary> <Problem Resolution>
Master Module
<Picture and link to Gitlab>
Hardware Design
The master controller is connected to all the controllers through CAN bus. It uses on board LEDs to display funtioning controller. To display sent motor command it sets appropriate numeric value on LED segment.
Software Design
The master controller gets start-stop command from bridge controller which communicates the signal from the mobile application. From ultrasonic sensor it gets distance to obstacle and compares it to threshold value. Then it checks for direction and magnitude from geo sensor input to send motor controller commands for driving and steer control. Also it displays heartbeat for remaining controllers through on board LED.
Technical Challenges
Levels of turning
Problem Summary: For turning on detecting obstacle, the large servo turning value would result in oversensitive behaviour.
Problem Resolution: Set 2 discrete servo levels for turning based on how many ultrasonic sensors are triggered. A moderate turning angle command is sent if two sensors (front or any one of the side sensors) and a soft turn command is sent if only one of the side sensor detects obstacle closer than threshold.
Determining threshold
Problem Summary: The car kept crashing even after detecting obstacle.
Problem Resolution: Determined threshold values through trials and errors. For high speed, large clearance is required for stopping distance. Ideally keep higher threshold value for front sensor than side sensors.
Unresponsive to GEO sensor data
Problem Summary: The motor command responded only to ultrasonic commands and disregarded the geo information even after including it the geo data in motor command decision making.
Problem Resolution: This was a programming bug. Code restructuring and verifying the conditions helped solve this problem. The nested if structure had most frequently used command at the top of nested if, to reduce time lag. This proved unreliable as the frequently used command had ultrasonics default condition which overshadowed the geo data analysis part. Putting this condition to the end of the nested structure helped solve this default behaviour taking precedence everytime. Geo data had same conditions for stop and no data received from geo sensors. Hence the car stopped when no geo data was received. Remedying this with separate constants for each helped solve this problem.
Mobile Application
<Picture and link to Gitlab>
Hardware Design
Software Design
<List the code modules that are being called periodically.>
Technical Challenges
<Bullet or Headings of a module>
Wifi Link Reliability
<Problem Summary> <Problem Resolution>
<Organized summary of the project>
<What did you learn?>
Project Video
Project Source Code
Advise for Future Students
<Bullet points and discussion>


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In This Moment Say Lineup Change 'Sparked a Fire in Us Creatively' for New Album
In This Moment's fourth studio album, 'Blood,' drops on Aug. 14, and the band are opening up about the creative process for the release. Speaking with Bare Bones Music, frontwoman Maria Brink explained that this past year has brought plenty of trials for the band, including a lineup change, but that has only served to make In This Moment stand taller.
"It's definitely been a crazy year for us. We lost two members right before doing ShipRocked and Soundwave in Australia and had to deal with that," she said. "We also knew in the back of our minds that we were going to be going into the studio at the first of this year to begin work on the new album and we had that to think about too.
"All the stuff that happened really motivated us, it sparked a fire in us creatively that I don't think we had ever felt before. I've referenced it to the blood of the phoenix as it rises from the ashes; it's like a re-birth for us on many levels. I also reference death a lot in it and I do want the fans to understand that I don't mean it literally. It's more about the phoenix dying and being born again."
Brink added that she hopes the forthcoming album moves fans in a very emotional way. "For me personally, it's as if a rebirth happened from the death that we felt," she said. "We were on fire and I hope that the fans can feel it when they listen to the album. I think we will also bring on new fans who may not have heard of us before just on the strength of this album. We're always experimenting and we did bring in some new elements. I like for something to move me and I hope it affects our fans that way too."
In This Moment will play Dirt Fest 2012, which happens Aug. 11 at the Birch Run Expo Center. Check out details on the festival and how to get tickets here!


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With spring on the way, I'm inspired by a fresh springy color palette lately!
Here is another page made with the 365 Degrees kit. I had a hard time getting a photo of this page with the white background, it is really brighter in person! I used the Artistan Tapes at the top of the page, and layered some new Artisan Swirls misted with Glimmer Mist under the title! In class, we cut the leaves and made the flower from crepe paper and then misted them with Olive Vine Glimmer Mist.
This line works really well with vacation or beach photos, or even spring and summer pics. These were taken one weekend when we took the girls to the park and out to eat. I used Graphite Glimmer Mist in the background and kept the top clean and neat for a nice contrast.
You also get the blue weathered chipboard letters and yummy new cork buttons with this kit!
Grab one here!
HERE! I've never had anything on a cover of a magazine before. Not my favorite card that I've ever made, but very exciting for me! Thanks for listening to my excitement! :)
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Greens, blues and yellows...
Posted by Danielle Flanders at 3/25/2010 09:00:00 AM
10 comments:
- Dorrit said...
cool flower!
- March 25, 2010 at 9:07 AM
- Diana Waite said...
This layout is wonderful! Congrats on the cover!! How exciting for you! :)
- March 25, 2010 at 10:03 AM
- Molly said...
Congrats! The cover is SO well-deserved!
- March 25, 2010 at 10:47 AM
- Vanessa said...
The color palette here is great!
- March 25, 2010 at 1:42 PM
- Renata Pacheco said...
Love the colors and composition of this page! Awesome!
- March 25, 2010 at 2:48 PM
- Cathy said...
Just recieved my Slice of Life
kit the instructions were missing. Help
- March 25, 2010 at 4:07 PM
- Danielle Flanders said...
Cathy, e-mail me at email@example.com and I'll e-mail them to you.
- March 25, 2010 at 5:11 PM
Just amazing!! Love the colors so fresh!
- March 25, 2010 at 5:39 PM
- Wendy Kwok said...
this is beautiful!
- March 25, 2010 at 7:01 PM
- Kay said...
So pretty! I really like the clean contrast at the top. Great effect!
Woot! Woot! Covergirl!! I don't believe it's your first cover. It truly will not be your last!! Hugs! ♥♥ Kay
- March 27, 2010 at 6:41 PM
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Pleasant weather encourages us to venture outdoors, breathe some fresh air and indulge in a leisurely soiree with friends. And, let's face it, outdoor enjoyment is never complete without a BBQ, grill or wood oven! An outdoor kitchen allows you to roast meat, prepare a yummy stew or bake a pizza with ease. So give your underutilised patio a whole new edge with one of the ovens, barbeques or grills presented here. From rustic to ultramodern, you will surely find the style that suits your taste and needs!
Equipped with its own chimney, this brick grill features a quaint gabled roof lined with tiles. It exudes countryside charm and comes with compartments for storing utensils and charcoal.
This brick-based outdoor kitchen flaunts a contemporary rotisserie, ample work space, a quaint dome oven and a charming niche for storing firewood. Credit goes to Design Outdoors Limited, a company dealing with garden and landscape supplies.
Beautiful black and blue mosaic tiles add unique charm to this outdoor kitchen. Wooden cabinets, wooden furniture and gleaming stainless steel appliances add to the power play among different textures.
This magnificent brick oven is perfect for executing multiple tasks at the same time. Bake a bread here while preparing a delicious stew or roasting a bird. The structure comes with adequate space for prepping, cooking as well as serving.
Black and bold in its simple avatar, this charcoal grill can be moved from place to place depending on where you want to host your party or picnic.
This one not only looks trendy and elegant, but also offers more control over the cooking temperature and is easy to maintain. Its modern and practical design is very inviting, even for novice chefs.
Brick and mortar have joined hands to create this smart and elegant design which combines a rotisserie, oven and sink. The overall look is rustic yet modern and the structure is very robust.
Crafted entirely from natural stone, this massive oven acts as a cosy fireplace during winters.
The two black modules accompanying this gas rotisserie offer room for storage, and their tops act as work surfaces as well. This unit can be used in any outdoor location.
By incorporating a modern stove, this rustic brick outdoor kitchen has become more functional and convenient.
Cement and bricks were used to build this oven and grill complex entirely by hand. Simple finishing and relaxed contours contribute to the rustic appearance of the structure.
A sophisticated and modern barbecue, a wine cooler, a sleek TV, and a stylish counter with washbasins make this summer kitchen a stunner. Trendy lamps, a gorgeous vertical garden, and steel and rattan chairs complete the lavish look.
Embedded in a rustic wall of stone, this grill impresses with a minimalist design and futuristic technology. Now host outdoor parties with style!
By introducing the right kind of material in the patio flooring, you can protect it from heat or grease. This way, the portion on which the barbecue is positioned can be maintained easily.
This sleek and minimal wooden grill is perfect for earning your neighbour's envy. With a glossy white top and matching stands, it looks neat and functional. Along with the wooden cladding in the background, it looks ideal for a trendy patio.
All that a spacious terrace or patio needs is an outdoor kitchen like this one. Smooth and elegant cabinets for storage, ample workspace for prepping and plating, a trendy TV and stylish double sinks make this a very modern and functional space. The brick masonry of the oven and barbeque lends a charmingly rustic and traditional touch though, which is unique.
For more smoking hot barbecue ideas, take a look at: 9 amazing BBQ grills!


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A Sri Lanka hen has given birth to a chick without an egg, in a new twist on the age-old question of whether the chicken or the egg came first.
Instead of passing out of the hen's body and being incubated outside, the egg was incubated in the hen for 21 days and then hatched inside the hen.
The chick is fully formed and healthy, although the mother has died.
The government veterinary officer in the area said he had never seen anything like it before.
PR Yapa, the chief veterinary officer of Welimada, where it took place, examined the hen's carcass.
He found that the fertilised egg had developed within the hen's reproductive system, but stayed inside the hen's body until it hatched.
A post-mortem conducted on the hen's body concluded that it died of internal wounds.
The BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo says that the story has made headlines in Sri Lanka, with the Sri Lankan Daily Mirror's concluding: "The chicken came first; not the egg."
-With bbc.co.uk input


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Shia LaBeouf Says Sex Scenes in Upcoming Lars Von Trier Film Will Be Unsimulated
Child-actor-turned-penis-model Shia LaBeouf will be having for-real sex in Lars von Trier's upcoming film Nymphomaniac, according to the actor himself.
"It is what you think it is," the former Disney star told MTV. "There's a disclaimer at the top of the script that basically says, we're doing it for real. And anything that is 'illegal' will be shot in blurred images. But other than that, everything is happening."
LaBeouf's co-stars Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem Dafoe previously appeared together in von Trier's 2009 film Antichrist, which featured an unsimulated sex scene between two porn stars.
Other well-known mainstream films featuring unsimulated sex acts include 2006's Shortbus, and 2003's The Brown Bunny, which contains an infamous fellatio scene between Vincent Gallo and then-(maybe)-girlfriend Chloë Sevigny.
Nymphomaniac, which will be broken up into two parts, follows the sexual development of a woman (Gainsbourg) from birth to adulthood. Stellan Skarsgård and Nicole Kidman have also been tapped to star.


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Complaining is a pleasant mental state that is characterized by such effects as a feeling of accomplishment and distraction from one's conscious thinking. It can lead to emotions such as euphoria and satisfaction. Complaining is a highly effective method of solving problems. See also whining.
Examples of using complaining to resolve issues:[edit]
- Instead of voting, complaining is often used to remove presidents from office.
- Complaining has raised the minimum wage by $.04 three times since 1971.
- The deplorable crime rates and living conditions in New Orleans were complained away in the course of one week.
- As a result of extensive whining and complaining on the Yahoo Message Boards, there have been 2 major wars, the launching of nuclear programs in Pakistan, North Korea, and Iran; and 12 ceasefires, 400 suicide bombs, and 98 peace agreements between Palestine and Isreal.
- Australia's nuclear war plan is completely devoted to using the Complaint Letter war method. Sending Complaint Letter after Complaint Letter to defeat the enemy. This Strategy was also used by the French before they realizes it is slightly more effective to nuke a country.
How it works[edit]
A complaint is a stimulus that can produce a highly effective state of annoyance in another person. It can be used to inflict a persistent and mild physical pain upon one's boss, a little sister, husband, or that fatass bitch in the returns department who won't refund the original price because the item went on sale after you bought it. I can't stand it when that happens! Who do these minimum wage workers think they are anyway? Why can't these superstore chains come up with a decent returns department? I'm sick of waiting in a long line with 50 people in it when CLEARLY there are 4 other registers but only one is ever open. Especially when there's 3 other workers wandering around behind the counter chatting and eating potato chips. They get paid for this? %&*#! I remember back in the day when the Customer was treated like royalty. They even had plaques stating "The Customer is Always Right" hanging up behind the front desk....but I digress.
Complaint Letter[edit]
This is almost as effective as the verbal complaint, but it takes so long to type it out and think of a way to complain without cussing and making the evil faces which are so much easier to do in person and then you have to find a stamp and a mailbox and wait for a response so you're probably better off complaining in person. The complaint letter is considered a legal and binding document and once the complainee receives one he is obligated by law to resolve the complaint.
A little known fact is that this is how the little know country Australia wages war.
Famous Whiners[edit]
The main users[edit]
The main users of this technique is needy girlfriends or annoyed mothers.


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The Real Santa Claus
- Sarah Jennings Crosswalk.com Family Editor
- 2008 10 Dec
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. Romans 1:16 NIV
His eyes-how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
~ "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" by Clement Clarke Moore (1823)
My dad used to take my sisters and me down to Miller & Rhodes for a visit with the "Real Santa Claus." The trip made for some of my favorite childhood memories. This Santa wasn't some ordinary mall Santa. The "Real Santa" arrived via reindeer-pulled sleigh and -- you bet – slid down a chimney. His full, white beard was genuine, and his beautiful friend, the Snow Queen, glittered as she greeted each awe-struck child.
But the real clincher occurred when, after waiting for hours in a sea of overexcited children, Santa called my siblings and me by name to join him on his big, comfy lap.
Of course, come adulthood, I discovered the beloved "Real Santa" was actually a local man with a local legacy -- a kind-hearted, Christian grandfather who delighted in bringing joy to children like me. (And, if you're wondering, the friendly Snow Queen was wired so "Santa" could hear our names as we approached).
I suppose we all have to step off the Polar Express at some point and accept that Santa is just a mythological figure. Or is he? As it turns out, there really was a Santa Claus. He went by the less marketable title Bishop Nicholas of Myra. While he never wore a red suit, smoked a pipe, or slid down chimneys, his story actually has a lot to do with the true meaning of Christmas.
Stories of the Real St. Nick
Researching the life of St. Nicholas presents a challenge – he seems destined to be obscured by legend, even in the history books. But even if the facts are a bit murky, there are some things we know with relative certainty.
We first encounter Nicholas as a compassionate young man in 4th century Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). Both of his parents had passed away, leaving the grief-stricken youth a substantial inheritance. Nicholas decided the money would go to charity.
It wasn't long after this decision that he encountered a family in need. The father had lost his daughters' dowries, and in those days this meant the three women had no hope for marriage. As a last resort, the father decided to sell them into prostitution.
When Nicholas heard of the family's plight, and the father's horrific solution, he did something very much in the spirit of Santa Claus: He secretly visited their home by night, throwing a bag of gold coins through the family's window. He repeated his covert act of charity three times, resulting in the marriages of all three sisters. During his third visit, the father discovered his identity and expressed deep gratitude for his kindness.
St. Nicholas went on to assist many others, often anonymously. His generous and creative commitment to the needy gave rise to many unconfirmed legends and miracles over the centuries, but one fact is known for certain: his virtue resulted in his appointment as Bishop of Myra.
Defender of the Faith
Though less magical sounding, Nicholas' role as Bishop gives us even greater reason to associate this Saint with Christmas.
That's because Nicholas' life unfolded during a pivotal era of Christendom. After years of terrible persecution, the rise of Roman Emperor Constantine in 313 A.D. brought legal acceptance of Christianity. Legend has it that Bishop Nicholas was among the many Christians who endured imprisonment and torture for the faith until Constantine freed him.
But the joys of freedom were short-lived because the Church faced a threat from within: A heresy called Arianism was spreading confusion among the faithful.
Arianism, named after its promoter Arius, denied Christianity's central doctrine of the Trinity by claiming that while Jesus was the Son of God, the Son was not one (united in essence, nature, or substance) with the Father. In other words, Arius claimed Jesus Christ was not the eternal Word made flesh (John 1:14), relegating Him to a lesser status -- a sort of "secondary god."
St. Nicholas was one of the defenders of the true Gospel, clarifying Jesus' identity against Arius' confusing teachings. Some stories even claim Bishop Nicholas boldly confronted Arius face-to-face at the historic Council of Nicea (although there are no official records of Nicholas' presence at the Council.)
Thanks to the devotion of Christians like St. Nicholas, St. Athanasius, and St. Gregory of Nyssa, Arianism eventually died out. But had it prevailed, we could not celebrate the true miracle of Christmas: the Incarnation, the Word made Flesh, realized in the birth of Jesus Christ. And without fully understanding Christmas we ultimately would have lost the meaning of the Cross, too.
When Did St. Nick become "Santa Claus"?
When did St. Nick trade in the Bishop's miter for a fuzzy, red hat? Not for a long time. Bishop Nicholas' generosity and devotion endeared him to the masses. After his death, churches were named after him, and artists portrayed him in their works, spreading his popularity throughout the Mediterranean, Europe and Asia. Over time, St. Nick's legacy was associated with love of children and gift-giving, but the widespread lore kept much of the original Christian context for centuries.
"Santa Claus" is actually a very modern and very American version of the Saint. It wasn't until Dutch and German settlers brought their magical tales of Sankt Niklaus (German) and Sinterklaas (Dutch) to the New World that St. Nick began to look a little like Santa. From there, St. Nicholas still didn't take on his plump, elfin appearance or slide down chimney's until the early 1800's thanks to a satirical work called Knickerbocker's History of New York by Washington Irving.
In 1823, the red-suited image of an elf transported by flying reindeer finally solidified thanks to the poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" (later renamed "'Twas the Night Before Christmas") penned by New Yorker, Clement Clark Moore. Popular culture and marketing by companies like Coca-Cola further ingrained the icon into American tradition.
While 4th century Christians would not recognize the modern Santa, it's hard to imagine a better candidate for the job than a man who helped preserve the real meaning of Christmas. Bishop Nicholas exemplified the Christian life by giving his all to Christ and to those in need. Hopefully, in the midst of all the glittery commercialism surrounding our modern holiday celebrations, we'll be able to prepare for Christmas '08 in a way that genuinely reflects the spirit of (the real) St. Nick.
"St. Nicholas" http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=371
The St. Nicholas Center (http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=35)
"Santa Claus" wikipedia.org (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus)


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(LifeWire) -- Janice Shih might be the most educated pastry chef you'll ever meet.
Janice Shih left her career in medicine at age 38 and became a pastry chef.
Shih attended Johns Hopkins University, followed by medical school at George Washington University, then practiced for eight years as an obstetrician/gynecologist before realizing that baking, not medicine, was her calling.
"Everyone would say, 'You're a doctor; it must be so great to be able to save lives,'" she says. "But I felt like I was just pushing papers and feeling pressure to see more patients in less time. It was very draining. It just wasn't fun anymore."
So in 2004, at age 38, she swapped her stethoscope for a rolling pin and enrolled in the pastry program at L'Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
"I had always been interested in pastries -- mostly interested in eating them," she says with a laugh.
Shih now owns Tenzo Artisan, a bakery and catering company in Baltimore that specializes in pastries for people with food allergies -- it's rewarding, she says, to make birthday cakes for people whose dietary sensitivities had forbidden such treats.
She's one of thousands of career changers who have left their cubicles for culinary school. Enrollment has risen 40 percent since 2000 at the Culinary Institute of America, and it's up 15 percent this year at The Art Institutes, which operates 30 culinary programs across the country. The trend is helped by a growing cultural interest in gourmet food and a proliferation of cooking-themed TV shows like the Food Network's "Ace of Cakes" and Bravo's "Top Chef."
Plenty of possibilities
Students attending the grueling programs, which can last six to 38 months, can dole out as much as $30,000 to $40,000 for the diploma. And then the real work begins.
Neil Robertson, 44, was technical director at a graphic design firm in 2003 and felt like he no longer fit the mold. He quit his 18-year career and attended the French Pastry School in Chicago. "I've always loved to bake," he says. "But baking in a professional kitchen? I wasn't sure that I could handle it."
In his first professional experience after pastry school, he found out how tough it can be: "I came very close to tears." Yet he persevered, and five years later became head pastry chef at Seattle's Canlis restaurant.
"You're not a chef as soon as you finish culinary school," says Michael Ruhlman, author of "The Making of a Chef," an inside look at life at the Culinary Institute. "You're a chef only after spending several years further honing your craft and learning the ropes. To say otherwise would be like saying grads of medical school could instantly be called pediatric neurosurgeons the day after graduation."
And becoming a chef isn't the only option. "There are so many possibilities today," says Culinary Institute President Tim Ryan. "Catering, sales, manufacturing -- we even have graduates who have launched clothing companies (or) become food scientists."
Jen Beltz, 38, and Thom Householder, 40, testify to that. In 2004, they quit their jobs at AARP and followed their palates to Italy.
Using the proceeds of their house sale, the couple attended a five-month culinary program in Florence, then a nine-month course in Canada. All the while, they had no idea where their gastronomic education would take them.
"Some of our friends and family seemed to think we were a bit insane," Beltz recalls.
But with their newfound culinary know-how, Beltz and Householder launched Front Burner PR, a boutique public-relations and marketing firm in Portland, Maine, that focuses on restaurants, hotels and other food-related clients.
Don't quit your day job just yet
Think carefully before writing your resignation letter -- culinary school is no cakewalk, says Robertson. "It's hot. It's fast. It's high-stress. It's a pressure cooker."
Ruhlman agrees. "I can't even tell you how many people have read my book and thanked me for saving them from going to culinary school," he says, "because they had no idea how hard it really is."
Before taking the plunge, Robertson and Ruhlman suggest getting a feel for the job via a culinary vacation, like those offered through gourmetontour.com and foodvacation.com, or by shadowing a chef.
For the second option, "go to a restaurant that you like and respect and ask if you can spend a day in the kitchen," suggests Ruhlman. It's called trailing, and some restaurants are open to it. If you have some food experience, you might be able to stage (pronounced stauge), which entails working in a kitchen alongside a chef, without pay, for a day or two.
"You get to see what life is really like in a professional kitchen," he says, "and it will really open your eyes."
Looking back, Robertson says leaving his job for the culinary world was a bold move, but worth every deflated soufflé along the way:
"I'm much more excited about what I'm doing now." E-mail to a friend
LifeWire provides original and syndicated lifestyle content to Web publishers. Sarah Jio's work has appeared in "Gourmet," "Health," "O, The Oprah Magazine," and many other publications.


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Yes, you read that right. U.S. officials found an "extensive" pornographic video collection at the compound. Holy, indeed.
It's possible it didn't belong to bin Laden himself — if authorities know exactly who lived in the compound and when, they aren't saying — but it's hard to believe one of his minions would have found it safe to hoard a whole bunch of XXX VHS over the course of years.
No, your eyes do not deceive you: VHS. We already knew the compound lacked an Internet connection. No word on what tastes the collection betrayed, but we know there's an entire subgenre that might have been appropriate.
As for whether it's inconsistent or hypocritical for a radical cleric to thus partake, Reuters says, "Three other U.S. officials familiar with evidence gathered during investigations of other Islamic militants said the discovery of pornography is not uncommon in such cases."


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The Late Movies: Great Performances by Blind Musicians
By Greg Sabin
As a musician (OK, maybe musician is too strong a word; I do, after all, play the banjo), I'm impressed by anyone who has total control of his or her instrument. Whatever your axe of choice, if you can make the thing sing, it's impressive. These performances are impressive, sure. They'd be impressive no matter who did them. They're just that much more impressive because the musicians are blind.
Jeff Healey: "See the Light"
Healey had a brief stint on the rock/pop stage in the late "˜80s/early "˜90s with his work in the movie Roadhouse, but it was really his work as a blues and jazz guitarist that set him apart. That and the unique lap-style he uses to shred!
Rashaan Roland Kirk: "Making Love After Hours"
Kirk thought that just playing one saxophone was a bit boring, so he played three, plus a flute, a nose flute, a clarinet, a police siren, and anything else he could get his hands on. Had he just stuck to one sax at a time, he'd probably be remembered as one of the best players of the 20th century. Instead, his rather crazy penchant for multiple horns has discounted his musicality in the mind of jazz purists. I still think he's pretty swell.
Ray Charles: "In The Evening"
Brother Ray. "˜Nuff said.
Doc Watson: "Black Mountain Rag"
Probably one of the finest flat-picking bluegrass guitarists ever, Doc Watson. Roll forward to 1:00 for the start of the song, or to 3:00 to see the fireworks show.
Stevie Wonder: "Alfie"
Stevie has been a popular subject here on Late Movies. I figured I'd choose a clip showing off his harmonica skills. Gotta dig that Burt Bacharach creepily staring at Stevie the whole time. Fast forward to 1:30 for the start of the song.
Marcus Roberts: "Ain't Misbehavin'"
Roberts was a fixture in Wynton Marsalis's band in the "˜80s and into the "˜90s. He's pretty much a stud.
Bob Ringwald: "The Pearls"
Bob is a fixture in the traditional jazz scene here in Sacramento. His piano playing is pretty stellar. He also happens to be the father of "˜80s fixture Molly Ringwald.
Nobuyuki Tsujii: "Etude No. 3"
This is just flat out impressive.
Art Tatum: "Yesterdays"
This is cheating just a little. Tatum was legally blind by today's standards, blind in one eye and with only about 10% vision in the other. Nevertheless, he was probably the most technically proficient jazz pianist of all time.
* * * * * *
This is by no means a complete list. If you know of any other great blind musicians, let us know in the comments.


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SP Plus Corporation Washington , DC 20319
Posted 2 months ago
SP+ is driven by Our Promise, "Making Every Moment Matter for a World on the Go." Our team understands that time is scarce, so we are intentional about putting ourselves in the shoes of those we serve. The result is a unique combination of talented people and industry-leading technology that enables SP+ to prioritize each and every moment, recognizing that the time colleagues, clients and customers invest in us must always matter.
Basic Function - Ensure that appropriate number of cars is kept on location throughout shift, cars are being parked in an appropriate fashion and the lot is kept clean and presentable.
Direct incoming customers to available parking spaces.
Count vehicles on location throughout shift, as needed.
Write and issue violation warnings to tenants and visitors that violate garage policies.
Patrol transient and reserved parking levels on foot or in customized motor carts, if applicable.
Provide assistance to customers that have forgotten where they parked their vehicle.
Responsible for being at work every scheduled day, on time and in uniform.
Courteously assist Customers by answering any questions they may have. If necessary, direct the Customer to the Facility Manager for further assistance.
Control traffic at entrances and exits as needed.
Assist in the maintenance and repair of parking equipment and any general maintenance tasks as directed by the Facility Manager.
Report any known accidents, observed or suspected violations of Company policy, safety hazards or any unusual occurrence to the Facility Manager.
Communicate debris, water, oil spills and etc. to garage office.
Substitute for Valets when necessary, if authorized.
Have a thorough knowledge of all areas of the garage, thorough knowledge of the major streets, landmarks and freeways in the area of the garage.
Assist Facility Manager with other duties as needed.
Salary Range: $17.00 per hour
Benefits: Eligible employees will participate in the various benefits plans including medical, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, long/short term disability, life insurance, accident insurance, 401k and paid time off.
Qualification Requirements: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Education/Experience Required: Less than High School education or one month related experience, training or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
License Requirement: The individual will only be required to have and maintain a valid state-issued driver's license, with a current address and acceptable driving record, if the individual is expected to be able to drive a company vehicle or drive on company business.
Availability to Work: Special shift requirements, if any, will vary depending on a location's hiring needs. If applicable, availability to work 2nd shift, 3rd shift and/or week-ends may be required.
Language Skills: Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to write simple correspondence. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one situations to customers and other employees of the company.
Mathematical Skills: Ability to add, subtract, two digit numbers and multiply and divide with 10's and 100's. Ability to perform these operations using units of American money.
Appearance: Employees will be required to maintain a neat and clean appearance and be in complete uniform at all times.
Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; and use hands to handle cash and equipment. The employee is occasionally required to sit and climb or balance. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
SP+ is an equal opportunity employer committed in policy and practice to recruit, hire, train, and promote, in all job classifications, without regard to race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, age, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, disability or other classes protected by federal or state law. SP+ does not tolerate harassment or retaliation against any employee or applicant based on these characteristics or because the individual exercised their EEO rights.
SP Plus Corporation


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Our Dining in Disneyland columnist, Heather Sievers, celebrated Lunar New Year in Disneyland with this special egg roll!
A few weekends ago, I had the chance to visit Disneyland's special "Family Fun Weekends" event for Lunar New Year. The celebration was held in the Festival Arena next to Big Thunder Ranch. The decor was amazing and there were special character appearances that included Mickey, Minnie, Chip & Dale, Mulan & Mushu, all dressed in traditional Chinese costumes.
My focus though: the food! There was a special menu for the event and Family Fun Weekends, including the egg rolls.
I immediately honed in on the little egg roll cart in the corner and decided to take one for the team. I found a nice little table where my boys could watch the karate performance and I could enjoy my snack!
The egg roll was vegetarian and came nice and warm in a little foil pouch. It included a small container of hot mustard and a pre-packaged sweet and sour sauce packet.
I'm not a huge hot mustard fan, but I did give it a try. A bit too spicy for my taste. The sweet and sour however was the perfect companion for my egg roll.
The outside wrapper was crisp and not too oily, and the inside veggies were a pretty typical "American" egg roll mix: mostly cabbage and lettuce. Honestly, I really enjoyed the flavor and it was fun to try something different at Disneyland.
And as an added bonus, it came with a fortune cookie!
The egg roll was $4, which I thought to be a bit pricey for the size, but since it was a special event, it was definitely worth a try.
Also available for purchase at the Lunar New Festival were various teas from a cute little cart that was set up in the middle of everything.
Another great event at Disneyland!


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Please visit our Open House at 1318 51ST AVE W in Vancouver.
Open House on Saturday, March 3, 2012 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Wonderful well maint South Granville 6 bdrm family home. This home has recently had new interior paint and upgraded kitchen & bathroom cabinets. Lovely grand formal entry with spacious principal rooms. Four bdrms Up all with ensuites and agenerous sized lower level w rec room, games room ideal for the kids! The home is loc in the Osler Elem & Churchill Sec School catchments and is a short distance to parks and Oakridge shopping. The home is bright and is situated on a corner 63 x 120 ft lot. 1st viewings are Thur Feb 9th and Open House Sat & Sun Feb 11 & 12th 2-4pm.


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Julie Lindsey and Larry Dark recently announced the finalists for the Story Prize, and you have to hand it to them: They picked a pretty eclectic group. Lindsey, who founded the Story Prize in 2005, and Dark, the director of the annual award honoring short story collections, chose Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri, Demons in the Spring by Joe Meno, and Our Story Begins by Tobias Wolff as the final three from among seventy-three story collections.
Lahiri, whose third book, Unaccustomed Earth, was published by Knopf last year, became the youngest writer to win the Puliltzer Prize when her first book, the story collection The Interpreter of Maladies (Houghton Mifflin), was so honored in 2000, when the author was just thirty-two. "Interpreter stood out because it didn't try to stand out," wrote Matthew Solan in a profile of Lahiri in the September/October 2003 issue of Poets & Writers Magazine. "There are no 'shock plots'; she instead focuses on the uniqueness of ordinary life. You can relate to her characters because their plights could easily be your own—a young couple trying to stay together after losing a baby; a housewife yearning to be more independent. Beneath the surface, though, her fiction takes the pulse of first- and second-generation Indian Americans trying to bridge the gap between the country they call home and the heritage that defines them."
Joe Meno's first two books, Tender as Hellfire (1999) and How the Hula Girl Sings (2000), were published by commercial publishers, but with his third, The Hairstyles of the Damned (2004), he moved to the independent Punk Planet Books, and he's been with small or university presses ever since—Demons in the Spring was published last year by Akashic Books. (Later this year, however, he's back in the big house: Norton will publish his novel, The Great Perhaps, in May.)
Tobias Wolff has been a consistent presence in the contest arena for the past thirty years, having been honored with the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, the PEN/Malamud Award, the O. Henry Award, the Rea Award, and others. He's also been a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award. Our Story Begins, which was published last year by Knopf, gathers the best stories from three previous collections: In the Garden of the North American Martyrs (Ecco, 1981), Back in the World (Houghton Mifflin, 1985), and The Night in Question (Random House, 1996). "Something always happens in a Wolff story—something troublesome, something violent, either literally or emotionally," wrote Joe Woodward in profile of Wolff in the March/April 2008 issue. "Indeed, so much violence to the human spirit hasn't been seen in a short story collection since Flannery O'Connor's A Good Man Is Hard to Find."
Story Prize judges Daniel Menaker, Rick Simonson, and Hannah Tinti (who last year won the ten-thousand-dollar John Sargent Sr. First Novel Prize from the Mercantile Library Center for Fiction for her novel The Good Thief) will choose the Story Prize winner, who will be announced at an event on March 4 at the New School in New York City. The winner will receive twenty-thousand dollars and the other finalists will each receive five thousand dollars.
Who do you think will win?


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Sarah Palin may hunt moose, but the Alaska governor looks prim and proper compared to Michaelle Jean, Canada's governor general.
Jean gutted a seal slaughtered for her during an official Arctic trip, cut out its heart and ate it to show solidarity with Inuit seal hunters, according to CTV.
Hundreds of Inuit attended a feast in Rankin Inlet in Nunavut, where Jean stopped on her tour of nine remote northern communities this week. Jean's is Canada's head of state and was meeting the Inuit as a representative of Queen Elizabeth II.
After the seal was slaughtered, Jean reportedly knelt above the carcass and used a traditional ulu blade to slice meat off the skin.
"Could I try the heart?" Jean asked her obliging hosts.
After chomping into the seal's ticker, Jean pronounced it "absolutely delicious" and said it tasted "like sushi."
As she wiped her blood-soaked fingers with a tissue, she explained her support for Canada's traditional seal hunt and trade, which locals fear will be devastated by a European ban on seal products.
The European Parliament recently voted to endorse an EU ban on seal products in protest against commercial hunting methods, although it will only take effect in 2010.
Northern aboriginals are exempt from the ban, but they worry it inevitably affect their livelihoods too.
"Once you destroy a market for one group, it is destroyed for all," explained Inuit leader Mary Simon.


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Google may bring air fleet to new Silicon Valley home
'Google Map it'
Just when we thought Google's digs couldn't get any swankier, news comes that the search engine is building its own airport.
According to the San Jose Mercury News, a deal is in the works to create a privately funded airport adjoined to the Mineta San Jose International Airport. That's basically Wi-Fi distance from Google headquarters in Mountain View, Calif.
Signature Aviation and Blue City Holdings (the companies in charge of Google's fleet) are looking to build the 29-acre, $82 million facility in San Jose to house Google aircraft along with the companies' other corporate and private clients.
Google Air
The blueprints for the private airport include an aircraft servicing facilities, an executive terminal, hangers and ramp space for giants aircraft such as Boeing 737s and 767s.
Rent for the airfield will run the two companies $2.6 million annually, and the proposed lease will last for 50 years. Similar leases normally last for about 20 to 30 years, so hopefully Google will be happy with its future plane parking lot.
Google's fleet is currently hanging out at Moffett Federal Airfield in Mountain View. The company had previously offered to pay for restorations of NASA/Ames' Hanger One located in the airfield in exchange for use of two-thirds of the facility's space. But it's too early to tell what this new deal will mean for that arrangement.
The proposal is set to go to the San Jose city council's Airport Competitiveness Committee later this month. then it will be up for a vote from the full council in April. If the deal gets approved, the airfield will take about two years to build.
And maybe after that, Google will tackle building its own moon base.
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Utilitarianist Ethics
This paper has benefited from the complaints, exclamations, objections, and obscenities of posters to rec.arts.books and alt.postmodern.
Working Toward Good Results
I suspect that most Westerners at the end of the twentieth century would subscribe to the idea that when you do something, it's a good idea to consider what the results of your action will be. That is, if without mentioning "ethics" or "morality" you ask someone "Do you think it's a good idea,


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GEOL-4003 Geomorphology
Characteristics, classification, genesis, and evolution of major earth surface features (landforms) and their associations (landscapes). The conceptual framework will involve understanding lithologic, structural, climatic temporal, and process controls. Includes applied aspects of humans as geomorphic agents and geomorphic processes as natural hazards. Topo-graphic map and air photo interpretation will be stressed.
Lecture Hours: 2.00 Lab Hours: 2.00Total Hours: 3.00


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On Oct. 4, roughly a month before the U.S. presidential election, headlines across the nation proclaimed that "Abortion Is Threshold Issue for One in Six U.S. Voters," with the subhead: "Nearly as many single-issue abortion voters are pro-choice as pro-life."
According to a Sept. 24-27 Gallup poll, 45 percent of voters say abortion will be one of many important factors they consider in voting, whereas 34 percent don't see abortion as a major issue.
But for every woman who is considering an abortion or who has aborted a baby, it is a major issue. In the heat of the current political environment, we quickly forget the human, emotional toll of abortion.
When the American Psychological Association asked a sample of respondents who reported having an abortion about their reaction, 76.6 percent reported negative emotional consequences.
"Without the Lord's healing I would have a hard time dealing with the blood on my hands," Jeniece Learned said on the prolife.com website. "Abortion is not a quick fix. It's not a bandage you can put on the sore. When that bandage falls off, a scar remains forever."
Can God heal those scars? Will He? Shari Rigby, who recently starred in October Baby, would argue "yes."
The Road to Healing
The film follows the journey of a young woman who discovers she survived an abortion and was then put up for adoption. Her search for the truth leads her to her birth mother and to discovering the power of forgiveness.
Rigby, who plays the birth mother in the movie, was taken on her own emotional journey in the process of filming.
It started with the script.
When Rigby's friend and colleague Jon Erwin called to talk about October Baby, he said he had a part that would be perfect for her without providing further details.
"I was so excited as I sat down to read the script," Rigby recalled.
It took about 90 pages before she got to her role, the part of the birth mother. "I was overwhelmed as I read it, because there were these things from my life that no one knew but me and my husband and a few close people."
Things like her job as a paralegal in a law firm 20 years ago. Things like her own abortion.
Rigby became involved in a serious relationship at a very young age—the end result being a teen pregnancy. She was married and had her first baby when she was 17: "I graduated from high school when my son was 5-weeks old. That marked the beginning of my journey as a mom."
A couple of years into the marriage, Rigby realized she needed to leave it. "I knew my son was a true gift from God. When he was little, I would look at him and think, 'I want something different for his life. I don't want him to be brought up in something that is not a good environment.'"
Rigby got divorced and went on to college, working two jobs to make the proverbial ends meet. "I was just trying to be a single mom and support my son. During that time, I definitely wasn't walking the right walk—I was very much in and out of relationships—and just trying to get by, really."
That is when she faced the agonizing choice of abortion, one she kept shrouded in secrecy for many years.
Meeting her new husband and rededicating her life to Christ at the age of 25 brought a true turning point for Rigby. "At that point, God started pruning me. Everything that I had walked through in my life and all of the things I had endured, He just started breaking off of me and creating this new person."
A Personal Script
Fast forward to 2010 and Rigby is curled up in her favorite chair, reading the October Baby script. "I started crying because I felt as if God had written it for me."
She realized she was holding something that only God could have ordained–it was her very own story. "He started a work in my life the moment I started reading the script. He knew that I still needed to be healed, even though He had forgiven me."
In doing the movie, God showed her what grace really looks like. "When filming got underway," said Rigby, "Jesus met me on the set and walked me through each one of those scenes. That wasn't me up there. It was His message."
She found complete healing and didn't even need to act. "That was my moment with God and His with me. I felt him speaking to me, saying, 'It's OK. It's over. You've been forgiven.' I received forgiveness in my life and then started to see what this movie was going to do."
The producers, after hearing how many people were interested in Rigby's story, approached her and asked if she would share her testimony to use at the end of the film.
Now Rigby receives message after message on Facebook. When she meets people at screenings or after speaking engagements, they will share personal stories of what they've gone through.
"I've never been so touched," said Rigby.
Women share how they were healed not just from having abortions, but sometimes from toxic relationships. Men who paid for abortions or had taken their girlfriends to the clinic talk about receiving forgiveness. "It's story after story after story of overwhelming physical and mental pain," Rigby said.
She sits in awe that the Lord has given her an opportunity to share her story and to be a sounding board for men and women to say, "I've gone through this and I found forgiveness."
Sometimes Rigby thinks she will cry the rest of her life. "When you know that God has chosen you to do something, you have to put your faith in Him. You want to know why—but there is no reason. You just look back and you are so thankful."
The Next Chapter
After October Baby was released, Rigby got caught in a whirlwind because no one was expecting that so many men and women would find healing through her character and story. The film prompted such an outpouring of questions that she now is putting the finishing touches on a book that will share her story in depth.
"It's about what I went through in finding my identity as a teenage mom, and really understanding the grace and forgiveness of Christ and how He took all of the things I had done in my life, and all of the ashes, and made them into something beautiful," said Rigby.
Look for the book in early Spring of 2013.
A Word to Readers
If you have had an abortion or are considering one, Shari Rigby has a few words of encouragement:
- We all belong to Christ – He forgave us. He knows what you are going through in this moment, and He wants to be there for you to hold you, and give you the freedom that you will not be held captive by shame. If you have gone through an abortion—or several—don't allow it to hold you captive in secrecy. Allow yourself to rest in the arms of Jesus.
- If it's something that you are contemplating now, think about what you are going to go through as a young woman or a young man—that this is something that will be with you for the rest of your life. You really want to choose wisely. You want to seek counsel from wise people who will guide you and give you correct information.
- The choice for life is so beautiful. You want to choose life. If you don't want to have this baby, give it up for adoption. Make an adoption plan and give somebody else the joy of life.
- If you are contemplating abortion, think for a moment that you might be carrying the next president of the United States, or the person that cures cancer or Alzheimer's disease. Every person has been formed by God and they have a purpose from the time of their birth. They could be the most special individual in this world and you would not want to destroy that.
Struggling with questions about abortion? Find godly wisdom on peacewithgod.net.
"You saw me before I was born" ~ Psalm 139:16


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Parks & Trails
|Locations with "Playground"
|Community Parks
Centennial Park
Cheam Centre Park
Fairfield Park
Sardis Park
Sardis Sports Field
The Landing
Townsend Park
Vedder Park
Watson Glen Park
Yarrow Pioneer Park
|Neighbourhood Park
Allan Creek Park
Jinkerson Park
Kensington Park
Kinsmen Park on Portage
Little Mountain Park
Peach Park
Webster Park
Yarrow Community Park
|Sub Neighbourhood Park
Amadis Park
Apple Tree Park
Armitage Park
Ashwell Park
Aspen Park
Barber Park
Bole & Fletcher Park
Bonny Park
Carmel Park
Cheamview Park
Chehalis Park
Clover Park
Coote & Auburn Park
Coote Park
Cornwall Park
Davis Park
Eden Park
Edwards Park
Emerald Park
Fern Park
Fiesta Park
Garden Drive Park
Glasgow Park
Glengarry Park /Watson Park
Guinet Park
Hazel Park
Higginson Park
Hildebrandt Park
Hill Park
Hilton Park
Hope River Kinsmen Park
Hymar Park
Johnson Park
Laurelwood Park
Lawrence Park
Lazenby Park
Lindys Park
Lombardy Park
Maple Park
McCutcheon Park
McDonald Park
Mellard Park
Mountview Park
Nowell Park
Parker Park
Paula Park
Pebble Park
Rosedale Park
Ryder Lake Park
South Sumas Park
Southdowne Park
Spruce Grove Park
Stewart Park
Strathcona Park
Sunset View Park
Swanson Park
Third Avenue Park
Thomas Park
Topley Park
Twin Creeks Park
Victoria Park
Walden Park
Wells Landing Park
Adopt a Park/ Adopt a Trail
The City of Chilliwack has partnered with a number of local organizations and non-profit groups to develop an Adopt-a-Park and Adopt-a-Trail program. Groups volunteer their time to cleanup parks and trails in Chilliwack, to keep the community looking its best!
Greenspace / Trail Network Plans
Created as a supporting document to Chilliwack's Official Community Plan (OCP) the Greenspace Plan and supplementary Trail Network Plan sets out the City's goals and visions for developing new parks and trails over the coming decades.
The City of Chilliwack has over 100 parks and natural areas which together make up over 400 hectares of green space.
Responsible Drinking in City Parks
Information about the areas in Vedder Park where responsible alcohol consumption will be permitted May 1, 2022 - October 31, 2022.
A listing of cycling / hiking trails in Chilliwack and vicinity.
Online Field Status
With the changing weather these days, it's easy to check the status of Sports Fields online.


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The Last Good Man by Patience Swift
Synopsis from Beautiful Books:
His solitude is broken by the discovery, one early morning on the flat sands of a low tide, of a child washed up on the beach. Somehow, she is still alive.
In the village, a woman reflects on a lifelong fascination with an ancient love story as she faces an unknown future.
The new arrival on the beach sets in chain a sequence of events that no-one can alter, and in this mystical and powerful novel, we witness a man experiencing our world as though for the first time.
Discover Sam: the last good man on earth.
Sam is a loner, but he likes that. He enjoys his own company, and the company of nature. His life is shaken up when he finds a girl washed up on the beach. He takes her in and looks after her. Isobel is also alone, back in the village to deal with her mother's estate. She has been looking for love that she has read about, but without success. She crosses Sam's path too, and things start to look up. Sam takes in the two ladies and his life changes for good….
This is a short book. It is descriptive and enjoyable. It is an easy read, with short, simple sentences. The book flowed and was a lovely read, even though it is a tragic read. It is beautiful read. Swift writes gorgeous characters, and wonderful scenery. Sam was sweet and caring. Isobel was vulnerable, with a troubled streak. The girl is silent, but was happy and a lovely read.
I found the ending a bit strange. The majority of the book was written in third person and then in the last few pages the book switches to first person. The ending is sad, but I felt it was a bit inconclusive. However, I do recommend this book, I really enjoyed it.


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Although it doesn't show up explicitly in any personality test, some people seem to be more prone to creating complexity than others. Instead of cutting to the heart of an issue, they tangle it further; rather than narrowing down projects, they allow the scope to keep expanding; and instead of making decisions, they defer until there is more data and better analysis.
These behaviors are characteristics of people that I call "complexifiers." Like Pig-Pen, the Peanuts character who carries around his own cloud of dust, complexifiers seem to leave complexity in their wake, making it more difficult for subordinates, colleagues, customers, and even family members to get things done. Here's a brief (disguised) example:
Due to changing market conditions, price compression, and the slow introduction of new products, a billion-dollar consumer products unit was starting to see erosion in market share and profitability. To turn things around, senior management brought in a new general manager, an industry expert named Phillip who had previously run the consumer products practice for a large consulting firm.
Phillip turned out to be a classic complexifier. At every meeting with his team he asked for additional data and berated his people for not knowing the answers to every detailed question he could think of. And although he seemed to be dissatisfied with some members of his team, he kept telling HR that he wanted more time to evaluate them, so no changes were made. Eventually he reorganized the unit into a functional/geographic matrix that he explained through an intricate series of slides that most of his people didn't fully understand. He also created additional metrics that required people to spend more time on reporting. The net result of all this work was that people in the unit were busier and under more pressure than ever before — but market share and profitability continued to decline.
Obviously Phillip represents an extreme example of a complexifier with his insatiable hunger for additional data and inability to make fast decisions. But all of us fall into this category from time to time. If this kind of pattern seems all too familiar to you, and you want to learn how to think more like a "simplifier," here are four questions that you can ask yourself and/or discuss with your team:
How much data is enough? Complexifiers always want more information, with the hope (or fantasy) that the next bit or byte will answer all questions and hold the key to success. Simplifiers understand that there will never be complete data and that it's necessary to create hypotheses and action plans based on an intuitive sense of how much is enough.
Have we agreed on the key priorities? Complexifiers like to hedge their bets and not commit to a definitive course of action, particularly since some new information might surface that will change the plan. So rather than get locked in to a few things, complexifiers ask their people to keep multiple balls in the air. Simplifiers on the other hand narrow the focus to a few key things and give their people permission to stop doing things that don't make the cut.
Do we have an efficient process for rapid review and course correction? Complexifiers like to spend their time in long meetings, sorting through reports and analyses, and trying to manage lots of disparate and unfocused work streams. Simplifiers have focused reviews of the key priorities and hold people accountable for their commitments and results. They also learn as they go, continually testing their hypotheses about what should be done against the reality of what's working and what is not. This allows them to shift course whenever it seems appropriate or necessary.
Can we explain our plan to others? Complexifiers have a hard time communicating their plans to colleagues and customers, relying on intricate charts and diagrams and convoluted slides rather than simple, straightforward messages. One of the key characteristics of a simplifier is the ability to tell stories that convey the situation, the goals, and the plans — in a way that helps people understand what they need to do and how their work fits with everything else.
Some people are naturals at simplification. But for the rest of us, asking these questions can help keep us honest about whether we are slicing through complexity, or creating it.


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You've long held off, but it's now time -- even past time: You need to make your website mobile. Between what you see in the news and what your site logs reveal, it's clear that the number of people surfing the Web from their mobile devices is growing by the day.
Here are a few tips to help your site (and you) get up to speed in this new mobile world.
[ InfoWorld's Dori Smith shows you how to use HTML5 on your website today. | Keep up on key mobile developments and insights with the Mobilize newsletter. ]
Addressing the device proliferation challenge
If you start off by panicking about all the cell phones you (and your family and your friends and your coworkers) have had over the years, and then ask youself how you're going to support all those mobile OSes and models, rest easy.
The truth is that while mobile browsing is growing by the minute, virtually all that growth is from just a few devices -- mainly those running Apple's iOS (iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad) and Google's Android (used by HTC, Motorola, Samsung, and others in a bunch of models).
Here's the proof: Quantcast's August data showed iPhone and iPod Touch together claim 56 percent, Android devices 23 percent, and RIM BlackBerrys 10 percent. AdMob, which focuses on sites with ads, found similar results in its May survey [PDF]: iPhones accounted for 54 percent of usage (it doesn't track iPod Touches or iPads), Android devices for 33 percent, and BlackBerrys for just 7 percent.
The good news: The popular Apple and Android devices' browsers run on WebKit, the open source rendering engine, as do the less-popular WebOS-based Palm Pre and Pixi and the new RIM BlackBerry Torch.
The bad news: These devices come in all sorts of screen dimensions, as the table below shows. (If the table, screen images, and code snippets in this article do not appear correctly, see the original article at InfoWorld.com.)
Screen dimensions
HTC Tattoo, HTC Wildfire
240 × 320
HTC Aria, HTC Hero, HTC Legend
320 × 480
Google Nexus One, HTC Desire, HTC Evo, HTC Droid Incredible, Samsung Galaxy S
480 × 800
Motorola Droid, Motorola Droid X, Motorola Droid 2
480 × 854
BlackBerry OS 6
BlackBerry Torch 9800
360 × 480
Apple iPhone 3G/3G S, iPod Touch
320 × 480
Apple iPhone 4
640 × 960
Apple iPad
768 × 1,024
Palm Pixi
320 × 400
Palm Pre
320 × 480
The really bad news: Although all of these browsers run on WebKit, all of them run WebKit just a little differently. Peter-Paul Koch of QuirksMode ran 19 WebKit-based browsers through 27 tests and described the results as "thinly veiled chaos."


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Global Finance held its Transaction Processing Awards ceremony in Dubai in September—during SWIFT's Annual Sibos conference. Leading corporate and financial executives from around the world were present to accept their awards and honor other recipients.
1 - Krishnakumar Duraiswamy (right), head of trade finance, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, with Joseph Giarraputo , publisher of Global Finance
2 - Daniel Scanlan , regional head, transaction banking, Standard Chartered
3 - Nigel Dobson , global head, transaction banking product, ANZ
4 - Ee Fong Soh , managing director, head of securities and fiduciary services, DBS Bank
5 - Azrol Faizal Ahmad Padzli , director, executive vice president, global head of financial institutions and non-banking financial institutions, Maybank
6 - Pornnit Dunnvatanachit , executive vice president, Bangkok Bank
7 - Kevin Brown , interim global head, transaction services, Royal Bank Of Scotland
8 - Hasan Khan , head, transactional products and services, Africa, Standard Bank
9 - Jacqueline Keefer , md & head trade finance and factoring, Credit Suisse
10 - Sabine Zucker , head of cash management, Raiffeisen Bank International
11 - Lee Waite , global head of direct custody and clearing, Citi
12 - Evy Passa , group head, global transaction services, National Bank of Greece
13 - Teresa Carvalho , head of international and trade finance, Banco Espírito Santo
14 - Pramod Mohan , senior executive officer, Scotiabank Dubai
15 - Andrea Bolger , executive vice president, business financial services, Royal Bank of Canada
16 - Edi Poloniato , SVP, strategy and corporate development, Kyriba
17 - Per Trifunovic , CEO, Fundtech BBP
18 - Scott Stevenson , senior manager: global trade and supply chain finance & trade advisory, International Finance Corporation; and Bonnie Galat , global head, business development-global banks


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Traditionally, organizational strategy has been cast as equal parts analysis and prediction. A small group of elite organizational leaders apply a framework (e.g. Porter's Five Forces), consider trends that might alter the status quo, and then produce a plan to guide decision making and resource allocation for the foreseeable future. It's that "foreseeable future" thing that has undermined the value of strategic planning. Market conditions are increasingly turbulent and competition arises from unexpected places. Who would have predicted that Amazon, once an on-line bookseller, would be competing with grocery stores?
As the future has become less foreseeable, strategic planning departments in large organizations have become marginalized. Compared to fifteen years ago, fewer and fewer Fortune 500 companies have a role called "Chief Strategy Officer." I recently spoke to a Director of Corporate Strategy who described the strategic planning process at his organization as an annual ritual during which business unit leaders begrudgingly fill out a template without giving any real thought to market trends and conditions.
Go into any large organization and ask someone at least two levels removed from the top team to describe the corporate strategy. In my experience, you'll hear some version of "we don't really have a strategy" or "we're focusing on _____________;" you can fill in the blank with: Solutions, Customers, or Quality. If you ask how the strategy influences their daily choices or activities, you get blank stares. Whenever I have mentioned to senior leaders that the people in their organizations have only a vague notion of the corporate strategy, I get a reaction somewhere between baffled and outraged. I am likely to hear, "But, we just had a town hall meeting on our strategy!" or "It's the first thing they see when they log on to the corporate intranet."
More recent perspectives on organizational strategy suggest that strategy formation may be more akin to a discipline of observation and communication than to a discipline of prognostication. Strategy conceived of as a description of what people do and how people think shifts the leadership burden from deciding and telling to paying attention and co-designing. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Henry Mintzberg introduced a paradigm shift in strategy theory by talking about strategic thinking instead of strategic planning. Mintzberg wrote about crafting strategy rather than planning strategy. Under the crafting image, strategy takes shape when skill and inspiration come together with raw material to produce something unexpected, but useful.
During a lecture at the University of Lille in 1854, Louis Pasteur remarked, "In the fields of observation, chance favors only the prepared mind." One may read the quote to imply that the payoff for rigorous inquiry is an expansive outlook, a mindset attentive to options and weak signals that the unprepared mind might mistake for background noise. In the same sense, perhaps strategy favors the prepared organizational mind.
Framing strategy as what emerges through the collective understanding of what organizational actors are doing and what meaning they attribute to their choices suggests a very different approach to training leaders how to think strategically. The key to strategic thinking may boil down to developing our ability to pay attention. The raw material of our organizational strategy is always present, it takes shape when know how to see what's changing about the way people do their work. For example, a salesperson starts being asked by a potential customer to explain the company's sustainability programs. Is this an anomaly or a leading indicator of an emerging trend? The barrier to strategic thinking may not be a lack of analytical skill or imagination. The problem may be that the unprepared organizational mind only knows what it sees, because it can only see what it knows.
Read other posts by Jay G. Cone
Keep up with our community: Facebook | Twitter | Saybrook's Organizational Systems Program


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|Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20554
|News media information 202 / 418-0500
Fax-On-Demand 202 / 418-2830
Internet: http://www.fcc.gov
|Released: August 17, 1999
Prepared by the Office of the Secretary
Ex Parte Presentations and Post-Reply Comment Period Filings
The following is a list of ex parte presentations and Post-Reply Comment Period Filings received by the Commission's Secretary on or before August 6, 1999. For your reference, a public notice released June 10, 1999, briefly describes the most commonly listed docket numbers; this notice can be found at the FCC's Internet website as cited above. Copies of the following written presentations and memoranda reporting oral presentations, if they relate to docket proceedings, are available for inspection and copying in the appropriate docket in the FCC Reference Center (Room CY-A257,445 12th Street, SW). The FCC Reference Center is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM. After a brief period, presentations concerning non-docketed proceedings are available only in the appropriate bureau.
The duplicating contractor, ITS, Inc., will provide, for a fee, copies of the material listed below. ITS, Inc. has offices at 445 12th St., S.W. in Room CY-B400 (202-314-3070), and at 1231 20th St., N.W. For additional information, contact Barbara Lowe, Office of the Secretary, at (202) 418-0310.