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Not all burgers were created equal. That's why we're on a hunt to find the best burger in Sydney.
Finding the best burger in Sydney is a lot harder in 2017 than it was a decade ago. It used to be relegated to the dull end of the menu, but these days the once humble burger is now – alongside kale chips and espresso martinis – a staple of the Sydney diet. Don't scoff. You know it to be true.
Fine dining and fast food are both deeply invested in the burger hype as are its consumers, who have gone on to create its own private Facebook group: Fatties Burger Appreciation Society.
Never before have you been able to get your two-handed dinner with such a variety: the classic beef, a cheesy weesy, an Aussie lamb, pulled pork, mini sliders, breakie burgers and even the humble veggie burger all make an appearance on this list.
Fine dining? Who needs it?
Some of us swear by the burger for a disappointment-free meal, while others are firmly in the "every once in a while" camp. You might be the healthiest little Vegemite in your bootcamp, but when you're having a cheat day, there's nothing better than sinking your teeth into a juicy hunk of meat between two buns.
Don't waste your calories on an average meal. These are the best burgers in Sydney. Memorise. Consume. Repeat.
And wipe off that drool. There's eating to be done.
Visiting Sydney? Check out our complete guide to Sydney for where to stay and what to do when in town
Dee Why Hotel, Dee Why
Now, somewhere in the past year or so you might have heard tale of the Trufflenator. It was a meaty monster of a thing consisting of two 100g Wagyu beef patties, bacon, American cheese and onion rings all dressed with black truffle mayo, truffle butter, truffle-infused Havarti cheese and truffle maple syrup, making it a heart attack between two soft Japanese buns that you couldn't help but say, "Oh god, yes" to.
Sorry, we got lost in a burger coma just there. Where were we? Oh yes, this mind-boggling monster was the brainchild of Dee Why Hotel's chef Brad Johnston and was on the menu for a "limited time" only. Now, for your enjoyment, it's back. Permanently.
Address: 834 Pittwater Road, Dee Why
Opening times: Monday-Sat 10am-late, Sunday 10am-10pm
The Potting Shed, Alexandria
This is perfection in a bite. Imagine a Big Mac that's everything you ever dreamed it could be: quality ingredients, soft buns, juicy meat with that sauce you know and love… that is the closest we can get to describing The Potting Shed's Angus Beef Cheeseburger which comes housed in a pretzel bun.
The terracotta pot the accompanying chips are served in goes well with The Potting Shed's charming country-house feel, too.
Address: 4143 Bourke Rd, Alexandria
Opening hours: 11:30am-late daily
Mary's, Newtown
Succulent, juicy and "ridiculously greasy", there's a reason people are lining out the door come weekends and we think it's more than the Americana vibe and friendly wait staff. It's not the Aria or Rockpool of burgers, more like the best fast food you've ever had, but we're not complaining.
You can't order cocktails at McDonalds.
To find Mary's look for the red lightbulb and the line of hungry burger worshippers. You'll get it when you get there.
Address: 6 Mary St, Newtown
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 4pm - 12am, Saturday 12pm - 12am, Sunday 12am - 10pm
Find them on: Facebook
Ze Pickle, Surry Hills
Queensland is fast becoming the origin for guilty pleasure noms with a penchant for Australian domination. First it was Doughnut Time, now it's Ze Pickle.
Its Surry Hills outfit is the third in its chain (it already has stores in Burleigh Heads and Fortitude Valley) and is "ze" place to knock back a craft beer and wrap your mouth around an inventive burger in a setting that screams "unpretentious".
The two time "Best Burgers on the Gold Coast" winner hand-presses many of its mouth waterers and tops them with jack "cheese" and a special zp sauce. For Doughnut Time fans, it serves a Doughnutfukwidis burger, which features hand pressed Wagyu, Nutella smoke bacon and jack cheese between a grilled Doughnut Time doughnut.
Address: 6/17-51 Foveaux Street, Surry Hills
Opening times: Monday - Friday, 12pm - late
Find them on: Facebook
Burgers by Josh, pop-up
Pop-ups are known to have launched many a chefs career and notoriety, and none so much as Burgers By Josh. Burger fiends travelled far and wide to gaze in wonderment at his overindulgent burgers and sides.
Jurassic fries, twice booked in beer batter and poured over with Americana cheese and house 1000 island dressing was only the tip of the iceberg when compared to its infamous burgers, which could house any number of artery-pumping combinations including Wagyu beef, Americana cheese, lemon aioli, smoked green chilli relish, and house made pickles to Wagyu beef, dorritos, pickled jalapeno relish, chipotle cremas, Americana cheese and pica de gallo.
And all on Josh's signature milk buns. Tuck in.
Find them on: the Burgers By Josh website
Bar Luca, Sydney CBD
If there's only one burger that you try at Bar Luca make it the Blame Canada. It's all kinds of mouth watering, artery pumping, Canadian goodness - from the maple glazed streaky bacon and maple aioli right down to the mountain of poutine. Licking your lips already, aren't you?
Now top that with a 200g wagyu beef battle and some all American cheddar and you'll be right ready to forgive Canada for just about anything. Well, maybe not Justin Bieber.
Still licking your lips? Order a side of ice cream loaded fries and we promise you, all will be right with the world soon.
Address: 52 Phillip Street, Sydney
Opening times:Monday-Tuesday 11am-9pm, Wednesday-Friday 11am-10pm, Saturday 5pm-10pm
Find them on:the Bar Luca website
Celebrating International Burger Day in style? So is Brad Johnston. For the day, he's hosting a pop-up at sister venue The Light Brigade in Woollahra where, for sessions between 11:30am and 4pm on 28 May 2017, you too can sump on the manic Trufflenator. Book your spot early here.
Pub Life Kitchen, Ultimo
Pub grub has come a long way from your standard fish "n" chips, steak and parmie options. These days, whole sections are dedication to burgers, ingredients are made "in-house" and menus change seasonally or sometimes even weekly.
While Pub Life does offers your typical "pub grub" menu, it also prides itself in its burger list which features salt-aged beef that's ground in-house. The menu is simple, with burgers that build off its standard O.G. (beef patty, American cheese, McClures pickles, lettuce, tomato and P.L.K. aioli, adding more and more toppings as you go down the list. Well, why stop when you've got a good thing going, right?
Address: 265 Bulwara Road, Ultimo
Opening times: Monday 5-9pm, Tuesday to Saturday 12pm-3pm and 6pm-10pm, Sunday 12pm-5pm
Find them on: the Pub Life Kitchen website
Burger Project, Sydney
Defy the messy American burger for one moment and delight in the beauty of the creations by master chef Neil Perry. Founded in 2014, his "burger project" is committed to healthy, nutritious burgers that made with tender love and care.
Expect nothing less than all-Australian beef, sourced from Cape Grim in Tasmania, cut and rolled daily and ice cream that is churned daily for your guilty pleasure.
Address: World Square, Sydney
Opening times: Monday 11:30am - 5pm, Tuesday to Saturday 11:30am - 10pm
Find them on: Facebook
Chur Burger, Surry Hills
New Zealand has done a few things right (Lorde, Hobbits etc) and we're adding Chur Burger to that list. When a place wins 'Best Burger' in a city awash with burger joints, you sit up and take notice.
Luckily, it hasn't gone to their heads; a burger will still only set you back $10.
Address: 48 Albion St, Surry Hills
Opening times: 11am-9pm daily
Find them on: Facebook
Bare Grill Cafe, La Parouse
You know a burger joint is serious about its burgers when it goes so far as to brand them. And the burgers are Bare Grill are seriously good.
Expect the cafe to bulge at the walls over the weekend, but to make up for it has a stunning view to stare at when you do finally get inside.
The menu is 16-burgers strong which includes everything from your stock standard "original" cheese burger to a "death by burger" challenge burger. Not for the small stomached, we suggest you starve during the day if you wish to take down the 10 beef patty stack it packs.
Address: Shop 3/1599 Anzac Parade, La Perouse
Opening times: Monday-Wednesday 11am-8pm, Friday to Sunday 11am-9pm
Find them on: the Bare Grill website
Five Points Burgers, North Sydney
The North Shore's worst kept secret is Five Points.
Believe us, it's worth crossing the bridge for.
Only a year young (as at 2017), Five Points offers quality American-style burgers and is open until late or until the store is sold out.
FYI - the burgers DO sell out.
Come in hungry, you'll need it to finish the massive whoppers these guys push out the doors daily.
Address: 124 Walker Street, North Sydney
Opening hours: Monday to Friday from11:30am-5:30pm
Find them on: Facebook
Bondi Hardware, Bondi Beach
Technically, Bondi Hardware's burgers fall under the category of 'sliders', but sometimes food in miniature form is twice as nice.
Sink your teeth into its mini cheeseburgers with pickled onions, or if you're down before 11am, a brunch slider with crispy bacon and avocado is an excellent hangover cure. Best served with a chilli-infused Bloody Mary and a dip in Bondi Beach afterwards.
Address: 39 Hall Street, Bondi Beach
Opening hours: Mon to Tues 5pm–11pm, Wed to Thurs 5pm–12am, Fri 12pm-12am, Sat 10am-12am, Sun 10am-10pm
Find them on: Facebook
The Soda Factory, Surry Hills
Our favourite hot dog joint The Soda Factory entered the burger game this year and we can't get enough.
Step inside this 1950s Americana speakeasy (yes, it's a thing) to find a dark wooden enclave of milkshakes and nostalgia.Its cheese and pulled pork burgers come served in a plastic basket with shoestring fries and on Thursday nights are usually included in their $5 food menu.
If you haven't been down to this Surry Hills bar yet, it's really time you did.
Address: 16 Wentworth Ave, Surry Hills
Opening hours: Mon to Wed 5pm–late,Thurs 5pm–2am,Fri to Sat 5pm–5am
Find them on: Facebook
Papi Chulo, Manly
Sometimes it's easy to think of the burger as the 'boring option'. Not the case at Papi Chulo, where, despite it competing for attention with the perfectly smoked ribs and the Wagyu brisket, it still manages to be a standout.
So popular is South American BBQ house Papi Chulo that you'll probably need to book a table, but it's worth it. Trust us.
Papi Chulo's cocktail list needs some perusing while you're there, too.
Address: 22-23 Manly Wharf, Manly
Opening hours: Mon to Fri 12pm–3pm (lunch) 5:30pm–10:30pm (dinner), Sat 11:30am-10:30pm, Sun 11:30am–9pm
Find them on: Facebook
Hashtag Burgers, Pop-up
Burger pop-ups are so in right now and Hashtag Burgers is one of those hidden gems that hasn't become too big for its britches... yet.
It's not exactly a burger joint to be fair, but it does host infamous burger pop-up Funk-N-Burgers. I say infamous, because the Funk-N-Burger event is known to have an In-And-Out Burger inspired pop-up. Take it from experience, while the burgers might not be the exact same as the chain, they're still pretty darn good. And in the spirit of In-And-Out, the kids' meal comes with a free toy, too. #winning.
Find them on: Facebook
Vic's Meat Market, Pyrmont
There's some about seeing your meat go from market to plate practically in front of you that's so deliciously mesmerising. Attached to Vic's Meat Market is its Kong Bar.
The menu is short and easy to swallow consisting of pulled port and brisket sandwiches, but you're looking at that smoked Wagyu cheeseburger, aren't you? It's everything you expect, from a butchery that specialises in Wagyu and owns a custom-built Yoder smoker which is only fed ironbark and applewood. Yeah, you know you want this.
Address: Sydney Fish Market, Bank Street, Pyrmont
Opening hours: Mon to Sun 10am-3pm
Find them on: their website
Soul Burger, Randwick
Vegan? While burger hounds will always be true to the meat patty we can appreciate that some of us might not worship at this same altar. That's why Soul Burger was born.
It's the holy grail of vegan burger joints, priding itself in fresh, healthy and plant-based burgers that look and taste a treat. Ingredients given the plant based treatment include spicy sausage, battered fish, cheese and, naturally, the "meat" patty. For those not completely sold on this plant based thing, there's also a falafel and mushroom burger to help ease you into the idea.
Address: The Spot,49 Perouse Road, Sydney
Opening hours: Mon to Fri 12pm-3pm and 5pm-9pm (closes 8pm on Monday nights), Saturday 12pm-9:30pm, Sunday 12pm-8:30pm
Find them on: Facebook


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Kansas City is middle America in many ways, including the median time that people start their workdays — 7:51 a.m. But workers in nearby Lawrence have one of the latest start times in the country.
Number cruncher Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight.com dug into the Census Bureau's American Community Survey to rank the best cities for early birds and sleepyheads.
Perhaps because of commuting hassles, New Yorkers have the latest median start time, 8:24 a.m., among the cities Silver ranked. He figured the national median at 7:55 a.m. San Francisco also was a late starter with an 8:17 a.m. median.
Lawrence gets a late start along with other towns with heavy college or tourism presences. The median workday begins at 8:15 a.m. in Lawrence, perhaps reflecting a vibrant nightlife rather than 8 a.m. classes.
Silver found some of the earliest start times in military communities. Hinesville, Ga., home to Fort Stewart, had the earliest workday on Silver's list, 7:01 a.m. Other early start times were found in agricultural communities such as Bakersfield, Calif.
Kansas City and other midsize Midwestern cities — St. Louis, Omaha, Milwaukee — were just minutes away from the national median. Denver hit the median exactly.
Many bigger cities aren't much different, though. Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, Baltimore and Seattle were among cities hovering around 8 a.m. start times.
And all those government workers and lobbyists in Washington, D.C.? They're on the job at a median time of 8:07 a.m.

subset: commoncrawl


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15 Examples of Athletes PoutingMay 28, 2014
15 Examples of Athletes Pouting
Although it's not usually a distinction worth making, there's a fundamental difference between someone pouting and someone throwing a hissy fit—particularly in the sports world, in which both are generally demonstrative of poor sportsmanship.
That being said, all displays of poor sportsmanship are not created equal.
While throwing a hissy fit is rarely an advisable course of action, it can often be explained away as an emotional outburst which displays an athlete's passion for the game. In fact, there have been plenty of times when pitching a fit was praised and/or admired—it can actually make a player more relatable.
The same cannot be said about pouting. There is, quite simply, no party more unpleasant than a pity party thrown by oneself, for oneself. And again, particularly in the sports world. Athletes are rich and famous and they get to play sports for a living—making it hard to feel their pain.
Behaving like a child and pouting makes it damn near impossible to feel their pain.
Here are 15 examples of athletes pouting.
Jimmy Graham
Although I don't completely agree with this one, Saints tight end Jimmy Graham has been accused by many of pouting this offseason. Perhaps he has been pouting over his contract situation, but personally I think he's got reason to be sour.
In March, Graham reacted to the release of running back Darren Sproles (and other things) on Twitter: "Wow unbelievable. Shocked and disappointed on everything that's gone on this offseason." Canal Street Chronicles blogger J.R. Ella noted the reaction was less than positive.
A few weeks later Graham, apparently still feeling combative, reacted to the NFL officially banning the touchdown celebration he's known for. Said Graham, "I guess I'll have to lead the NFL in penalties next year!"
Yeah…that's just passive aggression from a dude still pouting about his contract.
Alex Ovechkin
In January 2012 Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin decided to forgo the NHL All-Star game. Considering the monotony of these things, who could blame him, right?
Wrong. Ovechkin didn't skip it because he wanted to spend more time with family or systematically knock some stuff off the DVR—or get drunk and take his shirt off, whatever. He skipped it as punishment to the league for suspending him for an obviously suspension-worthy hit.
Ovi told Stephen Whno of The Washington Times, "My heart is not there. I [got] suspended, so why I have to go there? I love the game; it's a great event. I'd love to be there, but I'm suspended. I don't want to be a target. If I'm suspended, I have to be suspended."
Nice try.
Aaron Rodgers
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is highly competitive and passionate, which is why it's often easy to identify what's on his mind—it's written all over his face. Of course, that's nothing new for an NFL quarterback, it pretty much goes along with the job.
Rodgers pouting on the sideline over something that happened on the field is so accepted, if not expected, that it hardly even qualifies as such. Rodgers pouting about his unexpected plummeting in the 2005 NFL Draft, however, that totally counts.
Unlike Johnny Manziel's recent fall which was somewhat masked by the circus atmosphere, until recently only a handful of players were invited to attend the draft in person, which made it impossible for Rodgers to hide for even a second.
And you know he wanted to—just look at this face. Honestly, Rodgers is still pouting about the whole thing today, which is great news for the Packers. He's obviously one of those guys who operates best with a chip on his shoulder, and this created a very big one.
Ben Roethlisberger
In January 2012 Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians "announced his retirement," which is funny since he's been working ever since. The team and Arians obviously came to some type of agreement in which he would "retire" from Pittsburgh, rather than be fired.
Attempts at amicability did nothing to dissuade quarterback Ben Roethlisberger from throwing his own offensive pity party that would last the better part of two seasons. Roethlisberger loved Arians and clearly doesn't love Todd Haley, who he has been subtly (and not-so-subtly) taking digs at for years.
(Dig, dig, dig, dig, dig—that's less than one page of Google results)
Rory McIlroy
Though he has rebounded in recent months, Rory McIlroy was in a bit of a slump during the 2013 Honda Classic. Perhaps that's why he decided to bail before the end of his round in which he sank two balls in the drink and double bogeyed his second hole.
When McIlroy disappeared he was on his way to a triple bogey on the 18th but never finished the hole. Apparently he said his goodbyes to Ernie Els and Mark Wilson, giving them two different stories for his departure, then departed.
Sounds like your classic temper tantrum followed by a pity party.
Cam Newton
Whether or not you want to admit it, Panthers quarterback Cam Newton has had a pretty successful career in the NFL to date. Though the team has struggled at times, many of Newton's early struggles came off the field and in front of a microphone.
Well aware that he had his share of "haters" back in October 2012, Newton definitely made a bad thing worse by going off script following a frustrating loss to the Cowboys. And when it comes to NFL quarterbacks, the script is basically, "I'm sorry. It's totally my fault. I'll try harder."
The past couple of games have been the same script, by the same director. It's kind of getting boring...We just find a way to keep the game close just to see what happens at the end … and that's not a formula to win...I'm going to bring a suggestion box. And I want your suggestions in that box, because I sure don't know. I really don't.
One thing Newton now surely knows? That's the kind of stuff you keep in house. Pout in the locker room about losing, don't pout with a camera in your face.
Alex Bogomolov
In July 2013 Alex Bogomolov, Jr. demonstrated the professional sports equivalent of a kid taking his ball and going home. Only in this case, he took his racket and went home instead.
Playing against American Bradley Klahn and down 2-1 in the third (and final) set, an aggravated Bogomolov began arguing a call with the umpire.
Because that almost never works, obviously he didn't get the answer he wanted. That's when Bogomolov headed to his seat, packed his belongings and left.
AJ McCarron
There's no questioning the success AJ McCarron enjoyed as quarterback at Alabama. There is, however, a divergence in opinion that arises when dishing out credit. Some (maybe even most) say he's simply a product of Nick Saban's system and the 'Bama football machine.
Well, you can count AJ McCarron among AJ McCarron's true believers. Not only did he go into combine interviews with the "All I do is win" shtick (which he ripped off from Tim Tebow), he came out of those interviews legitimately believing he'd be taken 16-35 in the 2014 NFL draft.
McCarron went in the fifth round, and he didn't take it particularly well. He blamed NFL teams for concluding that he was arrogant, and he even criticized his former Crimson Tide teammates, who he said didn't want it enough his senior year.
Maybe if he stopped pouting for a second, he could gain a little self-awareness.
Alex Rodriguez
What isn't Alex Rodriguez pouting about these days? He's lashed out at the Yankees, MLB, and Bud Selig over his current season-long suspension. He even toyed with the idea of suing his own union to get the punishment overturned.
But A-Rod already used up some of his best stuff pouting over his 2008 divorce from ex-wife Cynthia. According to the New York Daily News, "even his staunchest defenders don't deny A-Rod's eye wandered," yet he still attempted to paint himself as an 'emotionally abused' husband.
Poor fella. Then again, we all know Rodriguez is a little sensitive—he can't even give himself his own steroid injections.
James Harrison
On the decline and having officially reached the second half of his 30s, the Steelers attempted to negotiate a pay cut with linebacker James Harrison in March 2013. It has to sting an athlete when this sort of thing happens, but it's important not to take it personally.
Harrison took it personally.
According to multiple reports, he was asked by Pittsburgh to take base cut of 30 percent, which would've made his salary $4.6 million the following season. Harrison declined, opting instead to sign with the Bengals for $4.45 million…over two seasons.
A year later he's out of a job and apparently wants to return to Pittsburgh. Hopefully Harrison learned his lesson: Pouting (literally) doesn't pay.
Kyrie Irving
Struggling through a slump through much of last season, the Cavaliers' Kyrie Irving apparently didn't handle his problems like a grown man. Like so many of us, Irving is certainly not above throwing himself a little pity party when the road gets rough.
In December 2013, Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal said:
Irving's performance is baffling not only fans and his teammates, but other executives around the league. Players in the locker room have told me on multiple occasions he's missing shots he never missed before. 'He's pouting,' was the explanation I've heard recently from two league executives.
Well, the Cavs did just get awarded the No. 1 overall draft pick again—so maybe pouting does pay dividends after all.
Dez Bryant
In December 2013 the Cowboys melted down at home in glorious fashion against the Packers, who came back from a 26-3 halftime deficit to win 37-36. No doubt a particularly bitter pill for Cowboy Nation to swallow, but one Cowboy didn't bother sticking around for his meds.
Wide receiver Dez Bryant, who knows how to make a headline or two, walked off the field with 1:24 left in the fourth quarter. Said Bryant, "I was very emotional…I cried when I got into the locker room. I didn't want to show that stuff on the sideline."
He was definitely pouting, but to be fair, Bryant was just giving the people what they want. A few months prior he had shown what was deemed an inappropriate level of emotion out in plain view, and the world about melted down.
Martin St. Louis
In February 2014 Lightning captain Martin St. Louis' relationship with Tampa Bay's general manager Steve Yzerman had turned so toxic over a perceived Olympic snub that he demanded a trade. According to Sports Illustrated, Yzerman's decision not to overrule the decision to exclude St. Louis damaged things irrevocably.
The issue in St. Louis demanding a trade is that he had a no trade clause in his contract, giving him the power to really make things miserable for Yzerman. St. Louis cry-babied his way to the Rangers, the only team in the league on which he would submit to being unloaded.
What's really insane, though, is that although Yzerman didn't overrule the initial decision to exclude him, St. Louis was still selected as a injury replacement for teammate Steven Stamkos. So St. Louis screamed and cried, and all it got him was an Olympic gold medal and a trade to New York City, the destination city for an inexplicable number of athletes.
Randy Moss
In September 2010 wide receiver Randy Moss, who was enjoying the most continuously productive stretch of his career in New England, decided to take his contract extension grievances public. Like very public. Like postgame press conference public.
It's fair to say the "Patriot Way" means a lot of things to a lot of people at this point, but to no one does it mean complaining about money publicly is fair game. Said Moss, "I don't want to talk about contracts. I just want to let you all know that I'm here to play my last season out."
Except for that he obviously did want to talk about contracts. Moss attempted to out passive-aggressive Bill Belichick, the absolute master of that game. That's why it came as no surprise when Moss got the heave-ho shortly thereafter for what Belichick described as "a combination of factors."
Yaya Toure
In May 2014 Manchester City's Yaya Toure took athlete pouting to creative new levels, with his agent joining him for the pity party, rather than advising him against publicly humiliating himself. The whole hullabaloo was because the 31-year-old didn't feel the club had properly recognized his birthday.
Seriously. That's a thing that happened.
Said Dimitri Seluk, Toure's agent, "None of them shook his hand on his birthday. It's really sick." He also said lots of other really insane things before adding, "The most important thing is a human relationship and maybe this is his opportunity to find that. If City don't respect him, then easy, Yaya will leave."
Seluk went on to explain all of the various birthday-related slights his client had been forced to endure, including mentioning other players (by name!) who got a cake on their birthdays. Toure attempted to write the whole thing off as a misunderstanding on Twitter, which somehow made him look even more ridiculous.


text:
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Monthly Archives: December 2012
Anime: "Sword Art Online " Review
We went into this anime with no expectations, hope for the best…expect the worst. But the anime turned out be to extremely good. very good story, nice character development, and all around great animation. This is an anime that is based off the manga of the same name.
Without going into too many details or spoilers, the story is set in the year 2022 and is about a brand new virtual reality MMORPG game called SOA (Sword Art Online). Like every game, people are trying it for the first time and all of the players discovered that they are unable to log out of the game. Then the creator of the game appears and states that if the players die in the game, then they will die in the real world. And the only way to log off and come back to the real world is to reach the 100th floor and defeat the final boss.
The story basically revolves around the characters Asuna and Kirito. Both characters are quite powerful and they fall in love and even have a kid together (years pass in the game…long story on the child). There are 2 arcs to the 25 episode anime. The first is the SOA arc and the second is the ALfheim Online arc.
I really don't want to go into details on the story (people don't like spoilers) but I will say this: If you like MMORPG's, then you will love this anime. It really gives you that vibe of playing a game, from the pop up menus next to the characters, to the skill sets of cooking, killing monsters and level grinding! Watching this anime will put you in the mood to turn on the PC and start paying a MMORPG. Heck, this game really put us in the mood to play Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn when it releases next year(But right now I'm playing Guild Wars 2)!
Anyway, we highly recommend watching this anime. They have is available on crunchyroll.com (great place for anime). Tell us what you think about it, we would love to hear your thoughts!
Mike and Elio


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The unique URL that you send teachers allows them to book breaks. The URL you send parents allows them to book conferences. A teacher who is a parent will get two different URLs, one in each mail merge.
It's important that their Teacher ID match the Teacher ID in the course roster. And it's important that their Family ID match their child's Family ID. Their teacher email address and parent email address can be the same, but don't have to be.
Teacher/Parents will need to book breaks so that they can attend their child's conference without a parent booking them at the same time. And they will need early access so that they can get first chance at signing up during the break time.
You can use the early access feature to give them a head start. Another option is to send the mail blast in stages. If all teachers have school-issued email addresses, you can simply sort or filter your parent login link spreadsheet in order to invite teachers to sign up before everyone else does.


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MPs reject board quota for women
MPs have rejected European Commission proposals aimed at setting a quota for the number of women on corporate boards.
The draft directive sets a minimum objective of women making up 40% of non-executive board members of listed firms by 2020.
European Union states would be required to have sanctions in place for companies which fall short. But Business Minister Matthew Hancock said the Government backed a voluntary approach and dismissed the need for the EU to set a target.
Mr Hancock said the proportion of women on the boards of FTSE 100 companies had risen from 6.2% in 1999 to 17.3% now. The proportion is forecast to hit 37% in 2020, just short of the objective proposed by the Commission.
The Conservative minister said: "We think this business-led, voluntary approach is the right one for the UK and we think that it's making progress. Central to it is a change of culture at the heart of business and that is the only way that progress is going to be sustainable and long-term."
Mr Hancock said the commission's own impact assessment of its proposals weakened the case for Brussels to take action.
Shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna said Labour would not force a vote on the proposals.
But he feared the stance by ministers made it appear the Government was "dragging its feet" when it came to equality issues.
Mr Umunna said: "Given that other European countries are keen to see more women on boards, and given the extent to which so many of our major companies operate across Europe, why has the Government not put forward proposals on what constructive moves European countries could be making positively together to promote more women on boards, something that is good for tackling discrimination, promoting equality, and is good for business too.
"This is most unsatisfactory because here the Government has had a golden opportunity to make clear that the UK wants to be forefront of the debate to achieve greater equality in society, both here and in the EU."


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(PRWEB) November 24, 2012
On Nov. 22, 2012, Thanksgiving Day, the world's largest e-cig manufacturer KIMREE offered 5000 free electronic cigarette starter kits and spread health knowledge.
"KIMREE has specially produced 5000 e-cig starter kits for people in Huizhou. From Nov.15 to Nov. 16, there are already over 5000 people who have applied on our official website kimree.com, and most of them have visited the site of activity. This activity is much more popular than our expectation." Said Jack, the principle of this activity.
Mr. Li, a citizen of Huizhou, said, "I'm really very lucky to get one starter kit. Though I wanna try e-cigs long before, but I haven't decided yet. And thanks to KIMREE's Thanksgiving activity, I've got a chance to use e-cig. I'm surprised to find it's dramatically comfortable than smoking a real cigarette. From now on, I'll definitely turn to e-cigs."
"KIMREE want to set a good example in e-cig manufacturer industry, and hope more activities could be hold in the business." Said Jack at the end of this activity.


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Snowflake is located in the state of Arizona.
Snowflake, Arizona 85937 has a population of approximately 5,666.
Snowflake, AZ has a median household income of
The median household income for the surrounding county is $36,591
compared to a national median of $53,482.
The median age of people living in Snowflake 85937 is
30.4 years.
The average high temperature is 90.2
degrees in July, with an average low temperature in January of 20.9 degrees.
Snowflake has an average rainfall of approximately 15.6 inches
per year, with 13.7 inches of snow per year.


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Know more about this business than we do? Cool! Please submit any corrections or missing details you may have.Help us make it right
Be the first OregonLive.com user to add photos or videos of Oak Court Apartments
If you care about the condition of your rental, and the atmosphere of your family, I strongly encourage you not to rent here!!!!! Ants, bad in the spring! police there alot!!!! Drama zone. Not somewhere I'd want to have my children. Its the cheapest place in town for a reason, keep that in mind,
These apartments are somewhat of a slum.. The landlords don't care about the condition of the units. I lived in a 2 bedroom it had rats, and the did nothing until I informed them the rat was chewing up the carpet. I then lived in a 3…
Oak Court Apartments can be found at Ne 10th St 819. The following is offered: Apartments. The entry is present with us since Sep 9, 2010 and was last updated on Nov 14, 2013. In Grants Pass there are 6 other Apartments. An overview can be found here.
Oak Court Apartments is located at 819 Ne 10Th St, Grants Pass, OR. This business specializes in Apartments.


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The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer
Absolutely primo modern speculative fiction. After a few different books that I sort of enjoyed and sort of just felt meh about, this one knocked my socks off. Concepts, delicious. Story, engaging. Philosophical meandering, minimal. Characters, fleshy and companionable.
I guess that just makes sense. Universe-building and character development are the heart of a coming-of-age novel like this. And the concepts employed aren't necessarily unique to this novel. I tasted traces of David Wingrove's Chung Kuo series, a little Dickens, big gobs of William Gibson - you know what I'm saying. And, of course, refined threads from Stephenson's own Snow Crash (which I didn't enjoy half as much as Diamond Age). But all that is just seasoning in a mighty fine soup.
In a world where most of your basic needs are met - one way or the other - what drives a person to succeed? To make something of herself? To rise from a childhood of abuse, neglect, and a mother named Tequila (really? but then, not so different from Brandy) into positions of leadership and fulfillment? Is it hardship? education? a close connection to parental figures? Stephenson takes his time in exploring these questions, and the reader is richer for it.
There was just so much to enjoy here. So many images created. The mouse army, building human rafts. The neo-Victorians, steampunkian in their top hats and watch chains. The Drummers' undersea orgies. Skullguns, smart paper, bodies in the river, actors in a ship. It's not perfect and the tech may or may not age well, but the blend of Idea and Story is right up my alley. I'm loaning this one to a friend, as soon as I run into him, and will probably have to buy myself another copy in a few years when I get an urge to read it again.


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Mathew Tsirides is a freelance concept artist and illustrator based in Greece. He was born in Athens in 1993 and raised in Molos. At the age of 16, he moved to Paphos, Cyprus, where he graduated from the Technical School of Paphos from the field of Fine Arts with specialisation in graphic design. He was always interested in painting and even though he started as a graphic designer when he got in the Department of Audio/Visual Arts he found concept art to be more fulfilling.
He has been part of various projects both as a concept artist and as an illustrator. He has illustrated a short story for STARLING Watch company, he has worked as a concept artist for the horror video game "Alone: the untold" as well as for "Roadside Picnic", a concept art project based on the Strugatsky Brothers' book with the same title. Finally, he is the director, art director and a concept artist for the video game "Case 32", that is in production.
Right now Mathew Tsirides is a senior at the Department of Audio/Visual Arts of Ionian University, in Corfu.


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Position available- Country Manager carpooling.com (Munich)
Hello All,
We are currentlty looking for an English speaking Country Manager in our Munich office for carpooling.com.
Carpooling.com GmbH operates Europe's largest carpooling network and has
established itself as a leader in intermodal mobility.
The network has 3.6 million registered users and offers daily access to more than 650,000 travel opportunities through the carpooling.com platform. The company was originally founded as mitfahrgelegenheit.de by three students in Germany in Protected content a cost-efficient traveling solution. Today, the site is available in 7 languages and 9 local platforms including: Germany, France, Poland, Italy, Spain,
United Kingdom, Austria, Switzerland and Greece. The company has also established an international team of more than 40 employees who are highly motivated to continue the growth of the company.
Country Manager United Kingdom
Permanent full-time position
• Responsibility for our English platform carpooling.co.uk
• Managing the implementation of new features onto the English platform
• Marketing and promotion of carpooling.co.uk within the English market place
• Acquisition of strategic partners in England, implementation of and support of partners
• Maximising PR opportunities for the brand carpooling.com in England
• Online marketing, email marketing and social media marketing
• Monitoring and optimisation of SEO and SEM activities
• Customer Care Management, dealing with client questions.
• Analysis of competitive market
• Interface with other internal departments such as Marketing or PR
• Excellent computer skills
• Good knowledge of the Internet, including social media
• Great creative writing skills
• Ability to work independently or as part of a team
• Positive attitude, ability to learn processes and tasks quickly
• Experience in HMTL a benefit
• English language as mother tongue, German knowledge an advantage
• Blogging experience and FB page management, large number of friends / followers on FB or Twitter is a plus
Are you interested in a career with exciting prospects? Then look forward to many tasks in a fast-paced and international environment. We offer a pleasant working environment in a dynamic, young team, a lot of responsibility and the opportunity to learn.
Please send your application, in English, stating your salary expectations to: Protected content .
Many thanks,
Abi Moore


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3 Amps.Loco addresses 0 to 9999 with recall.Accessory Addresses 1 to 2048All programming modes with read & write on a programme track.Advanced Consisting (multiple heading).Functions F0 - F28.
Zephyr can use 2 analogue controllers as accessory cabs.
A powerful 5 Amp system.Loco addresses 1 to 9999. Controls one analogue loco on address 00.Accessory addresses 1 to 999.Supports all programming modes but cannot read; no separate programme track connectionBasic, Advanced and UniVersal consisting.Functions F0 - F8.Up to 22 throttles.User selectable track voltage for N,HO/OO or large gauges.
Loco Addresses 1 to 9999. Controls one analogue loco on address 00.Accessory Addresses 1 to 999.32 routes of up to 8 accessories/nested routes.Functions F0 to F28.Supports all programming modes; read & write on programme track.User adjustable fast clock.Basic, Universal and Advanced consisting.4, 8 or 16 loco recall options.User selectable track voltage for N,HO/OO or large gauges.The Super Chief requires a separate transformer such as the Digitrains TR5.
Digitrax manufacture a wide range of moblile decoders; over 60 when you count harness variations. There are generic decoders with wire harnesses to suit all gauges plus the largest selection from any manufacturer of loco specific plug and play or board replacement decoders. All have advanced features and the best way to find what you need is to use the advanced search facilities on this site to narrow down the choices. Some decoders will suit more than one size of locomotive; some nominally N gauge decoders will work equally well in HO/OO for example. As a quick guide decoders annotated DN are designed for N gauge, DH for OO/HO and DG for larger scales. S series denotes sound decoders T versions are function only.
DS51 - For single Kato Unitrack turnouts.DS52 - Multi purpose 2 output decoder.DS64 - Multi purpose 4 output decoder. Can be controlled direct by Digitrax LocoNet or via the track bus of any other manufacturer. A powerful versatile unit.SE8C - This is a sophisticated signalling decoder using occupancy detection to control 8 signals of up to 4 heads each. Potential purchasers are advised to download and read the manual from the Digitrax website first.
Call us now on 01522 527731
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"The case isn't over the right to own guns, which is protected by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
It's over the images. The word.
The state bans gun stores from putting up signs telling customers they sell handguns. Images of and descriptions of rifles and shotguns are fine with the state."
(Via.) WND Businesses fire back against ban on the word 'gun'


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From India:
Generally, I control my eating so my blood sugar remains almost normal but, sometimes I overeat and my sugar figure jumps. Thus, my diabetes becomes acute from borderline. What should be done if I have committed a mistake in eating? Is there any medicine that I can take after eating to prevent my sugar from increasing? Is there anything else I could do?
In trying to determine what you need, in terms of therapy, it is necessary to define "sugar figure jumps." Note that all people have some degree of glucose elevation with any carbohydrate foodstuff. The magnitude and duration of the glucose rise is the point of interest. The glucose level two hours after a meal is the usual time point that people study. If your number is less than 140 mg/dl [7.8 mmol/L], you are doing well. If you are clearly above 180 mg/dl [10.0 mmol/L], your sugar is too high. Some patients can take medications, either oral, insulin, or other injectables, that can improve the post-meal glucose. I would also say that you and your physician should also follow your hemoglobin A1c level. A higher level suggests more aggressive therapy is indicated. A lower number means less aggressive therapy may be necessary to improve. Like you say, some dietary indiscretion does increase your blood sugar, but exercise and other lifestyle issues also make a difference.
Original posting 22 Jan 2008
Posted to Type 2
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Last Updated: Tuesday April 06, 2010 15:10:16
This Internet site provides information of a general nature and is designed for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your own health or the health of your child, you should always consult with a physician or other health care professional.
This site is published by T-1 Today, Inc. (d/b/a Children with Diabetes), a 501c3 not-for-profit organization, which is responsible for its contents. Our mission is to provide education and support to families living with type 1 diabetes.
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1 bed · 1 bath · 170 sqft
Guest Rooms are our coziest room type, featuring a custom built king or queen size bed with a Casper mattress, walk-in shower with a rainfall shower head, and vanity, custom made from Louisiana Cypress wood. Each room has been renovated for the modern traveler, but the history of the building is evident in original windows, exposed brick and plaster walls. Free wifi, a 32-inch flatscreen television, plush terry cloth towels, and amenities by AVEDA and local artisans complete the Guest Room experience. Average size 170 square feet.


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In this lab activity, student teams hypothesize which source has a greater becomes CO² concentration: their breath, auto exhaust, or air in the classroom. They test gas samples from each of these sources, plot data, and hypothesize about the... (View More) respective role engine exhaust and animal respiration play in contemporary climate change. The lab procedures require Bromthymol Blue indicator solution (BTB), household ammonia, vinegar, and balloons. Links to videos supporting the investigations are provided. This activity is supported by a textbook chapter, "How is Carbon Dioxide Measured?," part of the unit, Climate Change, in Global Systems Science (GSS), an interdisciplinary course for high school students that emphasizes how scientists from a wide variety of fields work together to understand significant problems of global impact. (View Less)
Materials Cost: $5 - $10 per group of students
In this activity, students are introduced to light and colored gels (filters). Students make and test predictions about light and color using gels; learn about the importance of gels (filters) to astronomers; then analyze images taken with regular... (View More) and infrared cameras to see that objects opaque to light at one wavelength, may be transparent to light of a different wavelength. Section 1 of the activity guide includes teacher notes, information on materials and preparation, student misconceptions, and a student pre-test. Each activity section also includes teacher notes, student activity sheets, and answer keys. This activity is the first of four activities in Active Astronomy, which are designed to complement instruction on the electromagnetic spectrum, focusing on infrared light. (View Less)
In this activity, students build a photocell detector, and use it to detect different colors of light in a spectrum. Then they place the detector just outside the red region of the visible light spectrum and see that the detector detects the... (View More) presence of light there, even though there is no color visible. Students learn that invisible light exists and that we can detect this light with instruments other than our eyes. In a final part of the activity, students investigate the infrared signals emitted by TV and VCR remote controls. The activities build upon each other and are best taught in order. Section 1 of the activity guide includes teacher notes, information on materials and preparation, student misconceptions and a student pre-test. Each activity section also includes teacher notes, student activity sheets, and answer keys. This activity requires some special materials (e.g. a small solar cell, alligator clip leads, plus common classroom materials (e.g., overhead or slide projector). This activity is the second of four activities in Active Astronomy, which are designed to complement instruction on the electromagnetic spectrum, focusing on infrared light. (View Less)
In this two-part investigation, students explore the concept of transits. In the first part, they discover that a transit is an event where one body crosses in front of another, like when a planet goes in front of a star. In the second part,... (View More) students investigate how a planet's size and orbit affect the transit and then learn how to interpret transit graphs. Extension activities, an explanation of the mathematics used in the activity, background information, real data from NASA missions, and an answer key are included. (View Less)
Bringing More Meaning to Weather Predicting: The Weather Station and Reading the Sky Help Put it All Together
This chapter provides teachers with instructions to install a school weather station, and to build simple instruments to monitor weather conditions. Materials need to create a homemade weathervane include a two-liter soft drink bottle, a shallow... (View More) metal pie pan, a plastic drinking straw, and a compass. Building an anemometer requires plastic cups, soda straws, a pencil with an unused new eraser on the end, a paper punch, and a thumbtack. Thermometers and a rain gauge must be purchased. A data table is included for estimating windspeed using the anemometer. The chapter includes research ideas that allow students to validate their instruments and test the predictive capability of resources such as the Farmer's Almanac. This resource is chapter 15 of Meteorology: An Educator's Resource for Inquiry-Based Learning for Grades 5-9. The resource includes background information, teaching tips and questions to guide student discussion. This is chapter 15 of Meteorology: An Educator's Resource for Inquiry-Based Learning for Grades 5-9. The guide includes a discussion of learning science, the use of inquiry in the classroom, instructions for making simple weather instruments, and more than 20 weather investigations ranging from teacher-centered to guided and open inquiry investigations. (View Less)
Materials Cost: $5 - $10 per group of students
This is a lesson about how magnetism causes solar flares. Learners will set up an electrical circuit with magnets to examine magnetic fields and their similarities to magnetic fields seen on the Sun. Learners should have a conceptual understanding... (View More) of magnetism prior to exploring this lesson. This activity requires special materials including a galvanometer, copper wire, and sandpaper. This is Activity 2 in the Exploring Magnetism in Solar Flares teachers guide. (View Less)
In this demonstration, students experience the Doppler effect for sound. Students can compute the frequency change for motion along the line of sight (LOS) and determine the vector LOS component for motions not exactly on it. A buzzer, battery,... (View More) bicycle wheel, string and a rubber ball and a timer are needed for the demonstration. The resource is from PUMAS - Practical Uses of Math and Science - a collection of brief examples created by scientists and engineers showing how math and science topics taught in K-12 classes have real world applications. (View Less)
Materials Cost: $5 - $10 per group of students
In this activity, students quantitatively evaluate the accuracy of a classification and understand a simple difference/error matrix. Students sort birds into three possible classes based on each bird's beak: carnivores (meat eaters), herbivores... (View More) (plant eaters), and omnivores (meat and plant eaters). Students compare their answers with a given set of validation data and generate a difference/error matrix. Students discuss how to improve their accuracy based on identifying specific mistakes they made as indicated by the difference/error matrix. The resource includes color diagrams of common birds, a data table, and four student activity sheets. The activity is part of the Land Cover/Biology chapter of the GLOBE Teacher's Guide, and is supported by Land Cover/Biology protocols. GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment) is a worldwide, hands-on, K-12 school-based science education program. (View Less)
Materials Cost: $5 - $10 per group of students
This lesson is comprised of three parts grouped to enable student understanding of classifying organisms. In part one of the lesson, students classify imaginary organisms represented by a mix of breakfast cereals, candies, nuts, raisins, etc.... (View More) according to similar characteristics. Students use a flow chart to show the characteristics by which they divided the imaginary organisms into groups. In part two, students classify a series of single-celled organisms using a dichotomous key. In part 3, students apply skills acquired from the previous activities to create a dichotomous key for their specimens from the first activity. These activities are part of an astrobiology guide called the "Fingerprints of Life" which contains background information for the student, worksheets, extension activities, suggested assessments, and alignment to standards. (View Less)
This is a lesson about planet formation. Learners will observe and describe differentiated samples in the Meteorite Sample Disk (or photographs), conduct experiments to model the separation of light and heavy materials within a planetary body,... (View More) relate meteorites to the core, mantle and crust of asteroids, and model the break-up of differentiated planetary bodies to expose the interior layers. Materials lists, and advanced preparation and procedural tips are included. This is lesson 11 of 19 in Exploring Meteorite Mysteries. (View Less)
Materials Cost: $5 - $10 per group of students


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Talk about the generation gap: When it comes to planning issues, retirement and wealth transfers, the disconnect between parents and their adult children appears to be getting worse, according to a new study.
Yet the same study found good news for financial advisors: Both parents (61%) and their adult children (57%) report they are more comfortable talking to a financial advisor than to one another about these sensitive issues.
Almost two-thirds of parents and their adult childrenwere out of sync on the issue of when when they should start talking about getting ready for retirement, elder care, estate planning and other critical financial topics, according to the latest Intra-Family Generational Finance Study from Fidelity Investments.
While parents would prefer to wait until after retirement, the study found their children want the conversations to take place well before their parents retire or experience health issues.
"It's a great opportunity for advisors," says Larry Sinsimer, senior vice president of practice management at Fidelity Financial Advisor Solutions. "They need to find a way to begin process of having a conversation. That's challenging, because it may not be natural to introduce the subject -- but advisors need to find a segue to talk about planning for the future with parents and children. They can even use this study as way to introduce the topic."
To be sure, the gap between parents and adult children is considerable.
Adult children significantly underestimate the value of their parents' estate by more than $300,000, according to the study. This number more than doubled from just two years ago, when the estimate was off by more than $100,000 on average.
The study also revealed major split over who will care for a parent if they become ill. Nearly half oftheadult children (43%) say they expect that they or a sibling will need to handle caregiving duties, whereas only 6% of the parents expect their children would need to become caregivers.
What's more, while 56% of adult children say their parents often worry about financial security, only 23% of their parents actually do.
Even if conversations are taking place, the level of depth appears questionable.
For example, 40% of parents indicate they have not had detailed conversations with family members about covering living expenses in retirement -- and an additional 15% have not had any conversations at all. On health care and elder care expenses, 43% of parents indicate they have not had detailed conversations, and another 20% have not had any conversations.
And although parents are more likely to have discussed wills and estate planning with their children, nearly one-third failed to have detailed conversations -- and 10% have not had any conversations about the subject at all.
"Children want to have the conversations, but are reluctant for three reasons," says Sinsimer. "They don't want to seem like they're after their parents' money; they're afraid their parents haven't saved enough; and no one wants to face aging and mortality. It's a logical conversation but you can't ignore the emotional aspects."
"This is a very real issue, very problematic," agrees Greg Friedman, founder and chief executive of Private Ocean Wealth Management in San Rafael, Calif. "The vast minority -- maybe 10% -- of parents and children want to address these issues.
"The barriers run very deep," he adds -- "and it's particularly difficult because it's not a one-way conversation. You have to convince both the parents and the kids, and you may be dealing with 50 years of baggage."
What can advisors do?
Private Ocean tries to broach the subject in the discovery process with clients, Friedman says:
"We'll ask clients if they've thought about what their parents are doing, and open the conversation that way."
At Carnegie Investment Counsel in suburban Cleveland, advisors ask clients who else they should share account information with, reports Richard Alt, the firm's principal.
Advisors also urge clients to act sooner rather than later, Alt says. 'We tell them, you never know what will happen," he explains, "and there's never a bad time to communicate better. We say, 'You're not going to be smarter five years from now, so make the call now."
Wealth Access, a high-net-worth wealth management technology platform, offers clients "multi-generational wealth views" so all members of a family can share account information.
And its chief executive, David Benskin, says he is seeing more advisory firms redesign their offices with less formal, more comfortable rooms, softer chairs, candy jars and electronic fireplaces -- to offer clients a homier atmosphere to talk through planning issues.
Fidelity offers these suggestions for advisors:
1. Open the conversation with your clients. First, zero in on your clients' values. An advisor should find out what the clients want to achieve with their wealth and how they envision the rest of their life and the type of life that they want for their children or heirs.
2. Initiate family discussions early, and ask as many detailed questions as you can. On all subjects, the study shows that the earlier and the more detailed conversations are, the greater the sense of preparedness.
3. Follow the "voice not vote" rule for family discussions. While younger family members should have a role in the planning process, make sure the ultimate decisions made are consistent with the wishes of the parents, who are charting the course of their retirement.
4. Be appropriate: Have the right people talking about the right things, at the right time, in the right way. Advanced planning can help advisors define family members' roles, determine what conversations to have, and choose when and how different people will be involved. For example, who will have power of attorney or be the executor of your estate?
5. Commit to follow-up conversations to keep the dialogue going. These conversations are not "one and done." Keep the momentum going and schedule as many get-togethers as you need -- and revisit the plans you make at least annually, to make sure they still make sense.
6. Strengthen your core wealth transfer offering. Less than a third (28%) of advisors have generational wealth transfer as part of their core offering. A generational wealth transfer offering includes: helping clients educate children/heirs on managing wealth and engaging with those heirs at an early stage; educating clients on tax implications; and creating a comprehensive estate plan with clients.
7. Help clients facilitate family communication. Ask clients how they want to inform adult children of their retirement income and healthcare plans, and recommend that adult children participate in your client's periodic meetings with you. Advisors can also be creative in order to engage with the next generation -- consider hosting family meetings around philanthropy. And suggest to your clients creating starter accounts that each child or heir manages with an advisor -- potentially a younger advisor at the firm.
"Clients consolidate the number of advisors they have as they get older," Sinsimer says. "If an advisor isn't working on inter-generational transfers, clients will choose advisors who provide the most service."
Read more:
- 7 Smart Ways to Work With Next-Gen Clients
- Clever Ways to Connect With Clients' Heirs
- For Wealthiest Clients, 4 Best Practices
- Inheritance Planning: How to Conduct the Family Meeting
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Vintage Jewels / Antique Haven,LLC ®
Vintage Jewels / Antique Haven / Deb Hancock, Glendale AZ
Edwardian Era Sterling Silver 3-D Cheeta Figural Cat c.1900's Pin Brooch
$95.00 This is a truly nice piece of, finely crafted and rare vintage Sterling silver jewelry. It is puffy and very sturdy. I have not polished it...we like the rich patina but as it is Sterling this will brighten right up should you choose to d so! This big cat cheeta is very detailed. From the top to the bottom he measures 1-1/4" tall, 1" across and almost 1/4"thick. Weighs 8.4 grams.Rare. Circa 1900's. The pin catch is the old 'C' style and it works great. Excellent condition.
Subscribe to my Favorite Shop for a Sneak Peek at my items Before They Appear on 'Todays' Arrivals' Page.. due to the photo enhance process.
Any THREE ship for FREE if total is over $50.00. This is for multiple item orders.
We are a brick and mortar store, with a top A+ BBB rating..
Call us at 602-573-4975 with your credit card # and skip the hassle of the paper work if you prefer.
International buyers please use Pay Pal.
Pay Pal members may use the Bill Me Later option for one item or a group of items totaling $100 or greater and take up to six months to pay with no interest. Our shop is paid by Pay Pal and your purchase is shipped immediately.
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GOLD Sold ONLY Online! No gold at my brick and mortar store! Offers welcome, most reasonable offers accepted.


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Published: 2007/03/22
by Lara Purvis
Jimmy Swift Band ~ A New Sound, A New Era
Fighting for the Dream
"Ten years ago I had hoped to be driving expensive cars and living in LA with Pamela Anderson at this point in my career but it is funny how things change now I would not trade the way we have progressed for anything it keeps us real and honest and true to what we believe in. And I now think Pamela is heinous"
Craig Mercer describes his initial hopes for The Jimmy Swift Band with the dry humour that only a touring Canadian musician would truly understand. But we catch the drift. It may have been fun but it hasn't been easy.
The Jimmy Swift Band is one of Canada's hardest working, hardest rocking bands. They've been touring steadily since 2001, recording and releasing three studio albums along the way. Their latest album, Weight of the World, released October, 2006 earned JSB a nomination for an East Coast Music Award, the category Best Rock Album.
"But," says Mercer, "We don't put any weight at all on awards or nominations, which is a good thing, since we lost to Sloan!"
Without question such recognition is a nice pat on the back, but it isn't enough. It doesn't put food on the table. And while being in a touring band is commonly known as a struggle anywhere, it is arguably a lot more challenging in Canada than the USA. Being an exceptionally large country with a low population, cities are many hours, sometimes days apart. This is especially severe if you're from the east coast. A cross country tour is less efficient and more expensive than touring elsewhere. Still most bands feel it's necessary to build a fan-base at home before moving on.
As such, JSB has become a touring phenomenon, busting their asses playing hundreds of shows a year and gathering a loyal fan base along the way. Explains Craig, "I'm not sure exactly how many shows we played last year but a lot I think we did over 200 shows in 2004 but we haven't quite kept up that insane pace. We do lose our minds regularly"
It's quite obvious though that their hard work has paid off. Where there is JSB, there is a buzz. Those States-side may remember 2003, moe.down 4. The beer tent was overflowing with dancers raging to this band they'd never heard of – the dark heavy beats and spinning, flowing keys were unforgettable. North of the border, JSB plays shows like that regularly – which is why it's hard to understand why they still have an underground status, flying for a long time, just below the radar.
It's not just the inescapable driving songs and the powerful jams that get to people. Visually, the band is riveting. A naturally charismatic frontman, Mercer storms across the stage, fixing the audience with a moody glare as he spits out lyrics. Between songs, he toasts the audience with a charming smile, sometimes an entire bottle of Jagermeister held high. Supporting Mercer and sharing the lead instrumentally is Aaron Collier, an incredible keyboardist and effects wizard, whose leaning towards electronic music has featured strongly in the signature JSB rocktronica mix. Providing a foundation for the energetic melodies with deep grooves are bassist Mike MacDougall and the unstoppable Nick Wombolt on drums.
What may change the band's festival slots and touring has been the recent evolution of their sound. Five years ago JSB could have been described as a jamband but JSB's newer material is pure, testosterone-charged rock. There are some that might cry selling-out as JSB takes a more mainstream hard rock path. But Mercer feels the evolution has been entirely organic.
"I think our sound has just naturally evolved as any band's sound tends to do over time. This is the first album with our newest member [drummer Nick Wombolt] and that certainly helped to change the sound a bit. His style is a bit more driving and rocking than our former drummer Paul Christian. I think that the addition of Nick changed the songs quite a bit and I feel that our sound has finally evolved into what it was attempting to be for the past few years."
Weight of the World
JSB's newest album, Weight of the World, is the evidence of this evolution. Mercer is happy with the response to the album.
"Response from the fans has been awesome so far I think that most of them feel as we do that it is our best album to datefrom critics it has been quite varied they seem to either love it or absolutely despise it but I think it is great that we are able to evoke such powerful responses from critics with it."
Weight of the World is not a jamband record, nor the rock-electronica which some critics may have come to expect. The album is darker, heavier and more polished that JSB's previous work. The album still falls along the rock spectrum, from arena rock Evacuation,' to the aggressive guitar-driven Road Rage' to the synth-heavy, 2012.'
What's interesting about the album is also the striking cover-art. The bright red cover is eye-catching and the graphic is intriguing and vaguely disturbing a large black crow wearing a gas mask. Disconcertingly, it appears suspended in mid-air. Like the edge to JSB's sound, there is a sense of foreboding. Craig acknowledges the connection.
"When we were putting the songs together for the record there seemed to be a common thread between them that was pretty apocalyptic in nature. This wasn't something I had set out to do when writing the lyrics or anything, but something that just happened once we looked at all the songs that were going to be on the record. The bird was drawn by Four Serious Creations after they had listened to our music and we felt it was a good image that encompassed a lot of what some of the songs on the album are about."
Turnaround on Video
But Mercer's never been content with things as they are. Perhaps one of JSB's strongest attributes has been their driving ambition. JSB was approached by a fan, the director of Halifax's Copernicus Studios and they leapt at the opportunity to create a music video for the song Turnaround.' The band describes the video, "The video chronicles the journey of the band, portrayed as puppets, from simple minstrels to revolutionaries, as they try to survive in the newly industrialized world of the execubots, giant corporate machines who've taken control of the land."
Mercer is upfront about the video's significance to the band. "The idea is pretty much an extension of our lives and the way we fit (or don't fit) in the music industry. We have never really been a part of the industry as it is in its' established form we have instead set out to create a new industry almost. In the video, the robots run a record company called "execubot records," who have us under their control until we break free. It is a statement about how record companies have for years jammed crappy music down everybody's throats and forced them to believe it is good."
If there's a touch of bitterness in Mercer's words it's because he's worked so hard within a system that doesn't necessarily reward talent or originality. There isn't anything like JSB and instead of that working for them, it works against them. But the scenario is not new, nor unique to JSB. A similar chip on the shoulder can be found in many original independent touring acts. The challenge is not allowing it to bring you down.
Serve JSB lemons and they'll make lemonade. Early in his career Mercer created Below Me Music to release his music in an industry that wasn't working for him. Through this label Mercer also took several other talented East Coast acts under his wing. Since then, Below Me Music has become a successful label in its own right.
What lies in the future for JSB is a mystery. What's for sure is that it's not the beaten path they've followed so far. An evolved sound means new possibilities. Mercer knows this, and looks forward to their US tour this coming June.
"I know we are going to go down and blow some shit up. For a band like us, who have built our reputation on live shows and are not really involved in the industry end of things, the States offers great opportunity and we look forward to sharing our music with as many people as possible there."


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Vice Chair of Research, Department of Surgery
Professor and Raizman-Haney Chair in Surgery
Division of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery
University of Pittsburgh School of MedicineCo-Director, UPMC Liver Cancer Center
UPMC Montefiore, 7 South
3459 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2582
Phone: 412-692-2001 or Toll-free at 1-855-74-LIVER
Fax: 412-692-2002
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Allan Tsung, MD, FACS, is Professor and Raizman-Haney Chair in the Department of Surgery, Division of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He serves as co-director of the UPMC Liver Cancer Center. His clinical interests center on the comprehensive care for all forms of liver, bile duct, and pancreas cancer. He is specialty-trained in liver and pancreatic surgery, with a focus on minimally invasive (laparoscopic and robotic) surgery. Dr. Tsung also co-leads the liver-directed therapy program utilizing hepatic artery chemoembolization and Yttrium 90 internal radiation for primary and metastatic liver cancers, bile duct cancers, and gallbladder carcinoma.
Dr. Tsung earned his medical degree at the SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn College of Medicine. He completed his general surgical residency and a fellowship in hepatobiliary and pancreas surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. His primary research interests are directed toward hepatobiliary and pancreas cancer clinical trials and the role of the tumor micro-environment in the progression of these cancers. Dr. Tsung has active research grants from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the NIH, and is also the Principal Investigator on multiple clinical trials for liver cancer. He is a member of the Society of Surgical Oncology and has authored more than 50 manuscripts and four book chapters.
Affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences
| Supplemental content provided by Healthwise, Incorporated. To learn more, visit www.healthwise.org
For help in finding a doctor or health service that suits your needs, call the UPMC Referral Service at 412-647-UPMC (8762) or 1-800-533-UPMC (8762). Select option 1.
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Medical information made available on UPMC.com is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should not rely entirely on this information for your health care needs. Ask your own doctor or health care provider any specific medical questions that you have. Further, UPMC.com is not a tool to be used in the case of an emergency. If an emergency arises, you should seek appropriate emergency medical services.
Pittsburgh, PA, USA | UPMC.com


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Little Feet Bootie (Blue)
- Gift Details
A lovely keepsake for a new born baby boy.
This gorgeous fine china baby bootie is perfect as a new baby gift, new mum gift or christening gift, beautifully hand finished to the highest of standards. Hand painted with delicate tiny baby blue foot prints with a satin double edged ribbon as lace.
Each bootie is carefully inscribed with the child's Name and special Date in platinum.
Approx 3.5" long. Personalisation will be added exactly as you have written so please check that all spelling and capital letters are correct.
Delivery Details
We operate Monday to Friday only, so weekends and holidays do not count in the production or postage timescales quoted.
Orders placed before 11am begin production that day, while orders received after this time begin the following day.
Orders placed on a Friday afternoon or over a weekend will begin production on Monday.
The majority of our gifts are made to order, so please allow time for the product to be made (produced)
as well as the time for delivery. The table above outlines our production time for both standard and urgent orders,
please add these to the postage lead time for an accurate idea of when you'll receive your item(s).
You can track your order via our
Track My Ordertracking facility.


text: Over the hills and far, far away; yet with all the comforts of home and more! This delightful outdoor space also has a charcoal grill and dual rocking chairs perfect for relaxing the evening away while taking in the awesome view of the Great Smoky Mountains and Mt. LeConte. Step inside and you'll find an open floor plan and vaulted ceiling combine with abundant wood surfaces, all naturally finished, for a crisp, natural feeling. Windows flank the home on the valley side, allowing for plenty of natural light and constant enjoyment of the beautiful surroundings. The fully furnished kitchen is on one end of the home while the king size bed sits on the other, covered with country quilts. In between there is a gas fireplace and heart shaped Jacuzzi to help set the mood for nearly any occasion. Satellite TV and a VCR are also at your disposal. The cabin is serviced by one full bath with a stackable washer/dyer on the bedroom end of the home. There is also a hot tub available for your enjoyment! Don't wait! Pack your bags for the misty mountain and let your spirit fly away.


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January 6, 2011 (CHICAGO) --Mayor Daley is speaking out against a proposal to charge a $20 admission fee for the Taste of Chicago.
A group called Celebrate Chicago has made a bid to run the Taste and has proposed the fee.
Daley says the festival should focus on food, not drawing big music acts like Summerfest in Milwaukee.
"This is not the taste of Milwaukee. This is the Taste of Chicago. It's only a food festival," said Daley. "We got into all tangents, start getting into everything. It became-- it's a food festival, not a music festival,"
Daley stopped short of completely rejecting Celebrate Chicago's plan.
The mayor has proposed privatizing the Taste.


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Children's Book of the Month
This book in 3 words
Quirky. Fun. Adventure.
Beetle Boy - M. G. Leonard
Darkus is miserable. His dad has disappeared, and now he is living next door to the most disgusting neighbours ever. A giant beetle called Baxter comes to his rescue.
But can the two solve the mystery of his dad's disappearance, especially when links emerge to cruel Lucretia Cutter and her penchant for beetle jewellery? A coffee-mug mountain, home to a million insects,...


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2011 St. Louis Tea Party Kickoff Protest Saturday at Claire McCaskill's Delmar Office
The Obama unemployment rate is at 9.8% . This is historic. It is dangerous. It is unacceptable and it completely swept under the rug by the state-run media.
Barack Obama is the worst jobs president since the Great Depression and he doesn't seem to care.
Despite the fact that that jobs are hard to come by these days Senator Claire McCaskill reportedly pushed the DNC to hold their convention in Charlotte because she was afraid of the St. Louis protesters. Claire is afraid of dissent. She should be after she voted for Obamacare and the failed Trillion dollar stimulus. Because of her actions St. Louis missed out on millions of dollars of revenue.
Claire might not care – but we care.
Come join us on Saturday at noon at Claire McCaskill's Delmar office for our first 2011 tea party event.
Location: 5850 Delmar Blvd, Ste. A
St. Louis, Missouri 63112
Time: Noon to 1 PM CST depending on temperature.
BYOHC: Bring Your Own Hot Chocolate (You'll need it.)
Hope to see you then!
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Kildare LandingKildare Landing is located steps from Bell Bay Golf Club. The majestic Bras d'Or Lakes are just outside your door where you can enjoy boating, swimming and nightly bonfires by the beach.
At Kildare
- Golf at Bell Bay
- Bell Bay Driving Range
- Spend the day on the water in the Pontoon Boat
- Picnic at the Beach
- Expansive lawn for children's games
At Inverary ResortInverary Resort is the only property in Baddeck situated righ on the magnificent Bras d'Or Lakes giving you exclusive access to these majestic waters. Go kayaking, canoeing or hiking. Tennis anyone? Golf Bell Bay or unwind on our lakeside boardwalk. Plus you can enjoy:
- Sailing
- Salt-water fishing
- Peddleboats
- Bird watching tours
- Volleyball or badminton
- Whirlpool, sauna or indoor pool
- Children's playground
- Mountain bike rentals
- Fitness centre
- Bonfires


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CHICAGO — As I am sure The Tribune intends to endorse Michael Dukakis, could your page setters, journalists and editors humor the George Bush supporters? I have always thought that journalists strived to present responsible and objective information. Sadly, I know this is not the case.
Just for a change, could we see some information on George Bush somewhere other than page 21, below glowing articles on Michael Dukakis (continuation of a page 1 article) or Jesse Jackson. Or the editorial page asking for ``decent George`` (weren`t you recently looking for the real George Bush, or is it that you don`t agree with what you`ve found?).


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I was recently reading the post "Are you really a doctor" from Penny Wilson. This got me thinking about what its like to be on the other side. I'll get onto my thoughts but first a story which set the tone for my medical career.
During my 4th year of medical school (first clinical time) on my 2nd day on general medicine.
Post take ward round, desperately trying to keep up with the team as I wasn't sure which room was which etc.
They were seeing a moderately confused woman in her 80s. The patient had been seen by a female registrar in ED then clerked by the female house surgeon and reviewed by the female registrar.
As I was still trying to find the notes (who hides these!) I was late and missed the consultant reviewing the history and as I nipped through the curtain the female consultant who held not one but two fellowships was examining the patient.
As soon as the patient locked eyes on me she let out a loud sigh and said "thank God! finally I get to see a doctor!" I tried in vain to push the patients attention back to the consultant but was unsuccessful. Each answer the consultant gave was painfully checked with me. Finally after what seems like a lifetime the consultant explained what we would be doing next. the patient replied "If that's what the doctor thinks is best"
The team took it pretty well and I was the recipient of my fair share of jokes over the run. They had all heard it before but not as clearly as this time.
Very occasionally my gender leads to trouble. I am usually sent to see the trouble makers in ED (fair enough but they are more likely to take a swing at me) I was recently told by a medical protection society worker that a chaperone should be present when listening to female patients heart sounds. They didn't appreciate "I can understand that when I forget my stethoscope"
Being a bloke leads to the reduction in the number of groping incidents but doesn't completely stop them. Comments are pretty frequent. Whilst on geriatrics it was considered a pretty accurate assessment of patients frontal lobe status if they suggested my slippers might be welcome under their bed.
I remember hanging out on the labour ward for days trying to get involved with births as people were uncomfortable about a bloke being present. In general practice the split is clearer most women see a female GP for their "women's issues" I have never had a patient present for a cervical smear (makes a mockery of Fears, Smears and Tears).
And finally I thought I Would finish with a little Margaret Thatcher.
"If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman."


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We have a winner: congratulations to La Feria, the tapas wine bar that will open in Detroit.
Organizers for the Comerica Hatch Detroit retail contest announced Thursday that the concept from Elias Khalil, Pilar Baron Hidalgo and Naomi Khalil has won the grand prize of $50,000 and support services to open their bar, complete with patio and the atmosphere of southern Spain. They have a space selected, a building they will share with an art gallery at Cass Avenue and West Willis Street in the Cass Corridor neighborhood.
More than 250 business plans were submitted to the contest, and earlier this month, the public cast 30,000 votes to whittle the 10 semifinalists down to a final group of four that included Detroit Vegan Soul, Detroit River Sports and Rock City Pies.
But the intention of Comerica Hatch Detroit isn't just to launch just one business. Through connections, introductions and promotion, the contest can help move all the semifinalists forward, Hatch cofounder Nick Gorga explained.
"We wanted to be confident any business the public selected would have a good chance of being a viable business," he said about last year's contest, the first for Hatch. "Our goal was not to just hatch one business, but to hatch hopefully 10 businesses."
2011 winner Joe Posch has been gearing up to open his store Hugh this fall in the Auburn development, also on Cass, and others contestants like the Detroit Institute of Bagels have been moving forward with plans to open shop.
See all of this year's semifinalists in this slideshow.


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Mud Creek, Superior National Forest, Minnesota
I loved the shapes of the vegetation and water in this wetland area in the Superior National Forest south of the Boundary Waters area.
Sunset over Mirror Lake, Porcupine Mountains Wilderness
A beautiful scene taken while canoeing on Mirror Lake in the Porcupine Mountain Wilderness at sunrise on a stormy morning. The Porcupine Mountain Wilderness are located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, aka the U.P.
Cordwalk at Point Beach State Park
A sunny day with puffy clouds at Point Beach State Park on Lake Michigan in Wisconsin
Star Lake Sunset
A lovely sunset with wispy clouds over Star Lake in Star Lake, Wisconsin.
River Bend Woodland
A fall day in the woods at River Bend Nature Center in Racine, Wisconsin.
A Hint of Fall on Mirror Lake
We were up before sunrise, paddling the canoe on the glass calm Mirror Lake in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness Area in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, trying to catch a hint of Fall color at sunrise. Peak color was very late this year, but I love how the red in this tree helps it pop out!
Wood Walkway in Fall at Riverbend
Hallett Peak
Hallett Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
landscapephotophotographyWisconsinStar LakeVilas Countysunsetcloudssolitudenature


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12 Questions to Enhance Your Career, Part 1
In our work with clients, we're always struck by the power of asking the right questions – and the benefits that accrue to those who ask them. These "better question folks" tend to be up-and-comers who are well-positioned (regardless of job title) to garner important influence in their organizations.
If you'd like to be one of these people – able to guide organizational conversations with better questions – here are three initial questions for you to consider:
1. If I were offered the opportunity, would I invest any of my available personal assets in my organization? (If yes, then continue to the following questions. If no, then you'll definitely want to read Part 2, which will appear in our October newsletter.)
2. What are the primary strengths of my organization that would lead me to invest?
3. What are the risks I would be most concerned about as an investor?
Then, what do your specific answers to questions 2 and 3 suggest to you about the following:
4. The key strategic directions your organization should be pursuing?
5. How you should be spending your time as an employee?
6. Your career trajectory?
7. What your department should be doing differently?
8. The measures and analysis you should be providing to your CEO, Board of Directors and investors?
Why think along these lines? Truth be told, whether or not you actually invest personal financial assets, you're already making a huge investment: the scarce resource of your time. Thinking like the investor that you are can lead to asking more powerful questions. The answers to those questions will help guide your organization – and enhance your career.
HC analytics – poll results
The results from our mini-poll are now in! (First, it should be noted that the poll was highly unscientific, open to anyone who chose to participate.) We received a total of 65 responses, predominantly from individuals in for-profit organizations of medium to large size.
Asked about organizational areas of focus where respondents thought that HC analytics could have a positive effect, three areas were each selected by over 85 percent of respondents: employee engagement/ commitment, employee retention, and leadership effectiveness. All other possible choices (including sales, quality, diversity, and safety) were each selected by fewer than half of respondents. When asked which of these areas represented the single highest current priority for improvement, 41 percent chose leadership effectiveness.
In almost half of all responding organizations (43 percent), the CEO makes decisions about spending on HC analytics. Interestingly, respondents reported budgets for HC analytics are generally quite tight. Many reported their budgets were zero, minimal or unknown. Among the respondents who reported budget levels, the average budget is $6.90 per organizational employee. Finally, many respondents (44 percent) indicated they'd look first to a firm with a specialty in analytics for outside assistance in this area.
So what do we take away from all this? First, it's clear that most respondents are still thinking about HC analytics in "traditional" areas – leadership effectiveness, employee engagement/commitment, retention. Only a minority have begun to extend their thinking to incorporate HC analytics into assessing key organizational outcomes like sales and quality.
We were also intrigued by the low analytics budgets for most respondents. It appears that the dollars may not yet have caught up to the talk – people are more interested in HC analytics, but only a vanguard of organizations have truly committed monetary resources to following through on that interest. We'd expect that those on the cutting edge in this area will begin to develop a competitive advantage over their peers whose commitment is more lagging.
Full results from the mini-poll are available here.
Tools for tapping the wisdom of the workforce
Under increasing pressure to innovate – without adding more to the research budget – companies are systematically attempting to tap into the insights and good ideas of employees.
An array of software products is now available to help firms solicit, gather, sort, sift and synthesize their employees' ideas for saving money, improving customer satisfaction, and growing revenues.
But unless a company has already earned the goodwill of its employees, these new efforts (which we heartily endorse) are unlikely to ever reach their full potential. The wisdom of the workforce is a gift that will be given only to employers who are worthy of it.
What makes a great place to work
Two very good central points in a recent article from the Canadian Management Centre, which reminds us of two crucial factors in making your company a better place to work:
First, "people join companies, but they leave managers." So it's vital to ensure that managers and other leaders reflect the organization's values. This can be done through a strong emphasis on management culture, accountability, and training.
Second, great workplaces should build on their own special qualities. So don't just try to "cut and paste" new initiatives from generic lists of best practices – which may or may not fit in your unique organizational culture. Instead, identify what's best and most important in your organization's work environment, and take steps to build on and improve that.
Employee morale been lagging? Consider a company retreat
Would your team benefit from improved communication, creativity or unity? Consider an out-of-office team-building exercise or weekend retreat.
Remember, this doesn't mean lectures, board meetings or pounding the corporate drum. Instead think outside the box and consider some different and off-beat ways for your employees to work together towards a common goal while having fun.
In an in-depth exploration of the possibilities, Catherine and Jen Seda highlight multiple choices, including a gourmet cooking class, a high ropes course, volunteer work, a weekend spa trip, guided tours of your local city – or even more exciting opportunities like race car classes or paintball. Any of these options should allow your employees to bond outside of work, potentially learn new life skills, and feel that their company cares about them by giving them a chance to recharge their batteries.
If done right, it should create an immediate benefit for you and your employees – as well as helping with attracting and retaining employees over the longer term.
What employees want at work
Susan Heathfield's blog has a nice list of five factors that she's found employees look for in their work: respect, access to information, development opportunities, involvement in decision-making, and good leadership.
(Our analytic work with clients through the McBassi People Index® has confirmed the importance of each of those factors in multiple organizations.)
Two other factors that our analysis often finds particularly important in driving employee commitment? Jobs that make good use of an employee's skills and talents, and being part of an organization that encourages and enables teamwork.
The most important employee factors – in shaping employee commitment as well as key business outcomes – vary significantly across different organizations, of course. So it's always smart to analyze the unique drivers of employee and business outcomes for your specific organization.
New thinking about pro bono work
Engaging in pro bono work is a good way to help companies establish a track record and expand their portfolios of satisfied clients. An article in Inc. Magazine explores other benefits as well (including keeping employees sharp and motivated) and offers a few tips to companies interested in starting such programs.


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Few costumes seem to have as many sexy variations as the classic witch costume. And to make this classic Halloween costume even hotter, a few babes have decided that going topless with the classic witch hat would make Halloween a little hotter. Not only does it do that, but it helps to make more than a few brooms more stiff as well.
Well, happy Halloween to you. Be safe and enjoy yourself…..
This is awesome. Happy Halloween Ladies…
Paul Hooson
Adam Stone