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Motivating Employees during Economic Downturn ( student's work)
AH, AH, & SMK , Jan 9th 2012 - Field work was excluded from this paper
Executive summary
The recent economic turbulences have drastically changed the jobs of managers. With the hectic economic conditions, the role of mangers as planners, leaders, organizers and controllers has become imperative and integral for the firm's survival. Motivation during recessions has become a tougher task with the competition for scarce resources. Several methods have been assessed to motivate employees on a non-monetary basis, while focusing on the psychological aspect to the topic at hand. Two comparative studies have been supplied to test these theories as well as the impact of the recession and mergers and acquisitions on employee morale.
Table of Content
2.1 Employee Motivation as a Key Function of Management:5
2.2 The Psychological Aspect of Motivation:5
2.2.1 Thorndike's Law of Effect:6
2.2.2 The Link between BAS, BIS and Motivation:6
2.3 Highlights on the 2008 Economic Recession:7
2.4 Motivation through Non-Monetary Practices:8
2.4.1 Motivation through Bridging the Communication Gaps:9
2.4.2 Targeting Motivation through the Need for Affiliation and Recognition:11
2.5 Case Studies from the Banking Sector12
1. Introduction:
There is no doubt that today's business world is not as easy going and stable as the ones previous generations of managers had to deal with decades ago. As seen by anyone who takes a closer look at the global economy, the financial crisis has left its marks on multi-national as well as local companies around the world. Starting with national governments having to bailout banks, to the sudden drop in stock trading, the drastic increase in the rate of unemployment, and the declaration of bankruptcy of several profound companies, we comprehend that management is up against a tide of contingencies which it has to plan, lead, organize, and control in effective and innovative ways.
We have been told while growing up that "desperate times require desperate measures". Indeed the previous comment is correct. Taking a closer look at the contracting world-wide economy; it is the responsibility of management to lead the company and employees out of the crisis and into a new era by which the company attains sustainable growth (Emmerich, 2001). Hence, the need to use resources in an efficient and effective manner has become an imperative condition for the survival of an organization. Undeniably, with the scarcity of resources, employee morale suffering, as well as the volatile nature of the economy, managers have to tap into the potential of existing resources and transform those prospects into reality. The research at hand discusses the above theme by tackling the concepts of motivating employees during economic downturns. It is based on the belief that investing in existing human resources will result in higher future returns in the short and long run and help build and sustain competitive advantage as employees grow in symbiosis within the organization.
2. Literature Review:
2.1 Employee Motivation as a Key Function of Management:
During challenging and ordinary times in order to keep your employee talents and decrease the turnover rate, employees should be satisfied, productive, and focused on their work. That's why motivation is a key factor in maintaining a healthy organization that aims to survive in the volatile nature of our world economy. Although this task may appear challenging, it could be accomplished through the theory of "the new 3R's" recognition, rewards, and recession (Sullivan, 2009).
As starters, mangers should keep in mind not to de-motivate employees especially during economic downturns, since research has shown that employees usually are willing to do their best at their jobs yet fail due to several factors that hinder their effort and hence, de-motivated in the long run. Hence, it is management's responsibility to identify, eradicate, or limit the effect of these factors on employee morale and performance (Sullivan, 2009).
Second managers should transfer optimism to employees especially during recessions since employees during these periods lose confidence in themselves as well as in the organization. Based on that previous concept, companies should train their employees in order to increase their confidence and make them more productive (Sullivan, 2009). Since employees don't like to be kept in the dark especially during ambiguous times, thoughtful and constructive feedback is needed to communicate to employees their position within the organization's short and long term plans. Also, managers should be flexible with their employees and frequently provide small raises; this could be a good motivator for employees especially with younger ones (Sullivan, 2009). Due to the fact that employees are the organization's most important asset, management is held accountable to look out for the welfare of employees especially during economic downturns when resources are scarce and have to be allocated on different departments. Therefore, according to Sullivan (2009) "employee recognition and motivation is a practice, not a program".
2.2 The Psychological Aspect of Motivation:
On a psychological level, several theories have dealt with motivation trying to explain its nature and how it differs from person to person. In the following section we focus on Thorndike's law of effect, behavior activation systems and inhibition systems and their effect on individual motivation.
2.2.1 Thorndike's Law of Effect:
Thorndike's law of effect suggests that behavior is affected by the consequences that follow it (reinforcement or punishment). Basically, the law states that a particular behavior is more likely to happen if it is coined with a positive or satisfying consequence, whereas the converse is true (Passer, 2010). For instance, if an employee suggests new methods to improve the company's business and his/her suggestions are met with openness and consideration from managers, then employees are more likely to sound their opinions in the future. Such concepts might be applied when trying to motivate employees during recessions. Simple words of encouragement, praise, and tokens of appreciation may help boost morale as they reinforce desired behavior by coining them with reinforcements.
In operant conditioning, where learning and behavior are influenced by the consequences of actions performed, motivating employees can be achieved through two types of reinforcement. Passer (2010) differentiates between positive and negative reinforcement. In the first scenario, a behavior is reinforced or strengthened when it is presented with a stimulus of favorable nature which urges people to repeat the behavior. This is applicable when management offers employees fringe benefits, monetary rewards, and moral support among other stimuli. On the other hand, negative reinforcement occurs when a behavior is strengthened by eliminating sources of discomfort, pain, stress or worry (Passer, 2010). For instance, to negatively reinforce employees, managers may try to decrease the amount of pressure employees are subjected to by offering a more flexible working-hour schedule, a warmer and more understanding environment, and other stress relievers. Therefore, eliminating sources of stress and other de-motivating factors will negatively reinforce employee behavior.
2.2.2 The Link between BAS, BIS and Motivation:
Michael Passer in his book "Psychology: The science of the Mind and Behavior" accounts for two neural sub-systems related to pleasure-seeking and pain-avoidance. The neural systems affect the motivation and willingness of employees to explore unfamiliar territories. Passer refers to them as the Behavior Activation System (BAS) and the Behavior Inhibition Systems (BIS) respectively. He suggests that people with a highly stimulated BAS system are people who are highly inclined to increase their movement towards a goal that is expected to yield positive reinforcements, rewards, achievement and pleasure. Whereas people with a highly active BIS system respond to a stimulus with potential pain or punishment, and hence, exhibit fear and inhibition of behavior.
One of the major differences between BAS and BIS people is that the initial are more likely to explore new fields since BAS induces emotions of "hope, elation and happiness" (Passer, 2010). Whereas people with active BIS are more likely to feel comfortable in routine situations, and hence they tend to remain in conditions they are accustomed to; to avoid failure and future punishment.
Understanding what type of motivation system (approach or avoidance) employees have dictates how employees will react to the stress accompanied by economic downturns. If employees have an active BAS then they are more likely to take the economic problems as a challenge and hence, management must capitalize on that aspect by giving them the autonomy to suggest different ways to increase efficiency and exploit the recession to their benefit. Monetary and non-monetary motivation might help in the process. On the other hand, if employees have a very active BIS, then management should also incorporate a "No-punishment" messages with their motivation and hence, continuous positive reinforcement is needed to ensure that employees are pushed to explore new territories.
2.3 Highlights on the 2008 Economic Recession:
The great recession is the economic downturn that started in December 2007, peaked in September 2008, and continued into 2010. Studies have described it to be the strongest since the 1930 great economic recession. In this recent recession, many financial crises have occurred affecting the global economy, yet it has various levels of ripples on some countries while excluding others. (Hurd & Rohwedder, 2010).
Some attribute the recession to the investment in bad mortgages by the most important and major banks in the United States and Europe. Yet, the financial crises wasn't limited to Europe and the U.S.; it terribly spread throughout the whole world affecting the economy of other countries, since many businesses conduct their activities on global levels. (Hurd & Rohwedder, 2010). In addition, the great recession had terrible impacts on many businesses and organizations, in which some businesses have shutdown since they went bankrupt and others tried to save some of their costs by laying-off some of their employees. For instance, Hurd & Rohwedder (2010) suggest that the unemployment in the United States increased from 4.7% (pre-recession) to 7.4 % at the end of 2008. Moreover the housing and stock prices decreased during this period and by October 2008 it dropped by 37% and precisely in October 2008 alone it dropped by 17% (Hurd & Rohwedder, 2010). On the other hand many organizations had overcome this recession by reducing employees' wages, and still others tried to motivate their employees during the recession in order to sustain their good performance and tried to reduce the impacts of the recession on them (Hurd & Rohwedder, 2010).
2.4 Motivation through Non-Monetary Practices:
One of the articles we base our study on is "Motivating Employees during Downtimes" which was published by Liz Thach in 2002. In her article, Thach identifies that employees are fearful when facing uncertainties. This fear affects their motivation which as a result has various ripples on their performance (Thach, 2002). Based on the proposed argument, the author asserts the importance of keeping employees motivated on a regular basis, during normal economic conditions as well as during recessions. Yet, she emphasizes the importance of motivation during the latter condition since HR is the best resource to invest in during such conditions to get the organization through the rough patch, i.e. economic decline.
Based on the previous assertion, Thach (2002) stresses the importance of rewarding employees' achievements, no matter how trivial, on a regular basis. The text suggests that motivation and rewards can go far beyond monetary aspects: "Novel approaches that go beyond cash rewards, stock options or other benefits packages are used by many companies to keep employees engaged during an economic downturn, and both managers and employees can take measures to breathe creativity, humanity and productivity back into the workplace" (Thach, 2002). Hence, the need to motivate employees during economic downturns when resources are scarce, employees are being laid off, and morale is suffering can be a difficult and frustration-causing task when the manager is not creative in his/her motivational plans while keeping the budget in mind.
Based on the previous presentation, the sections below represent several non-costly methods, which are used to motivate employees and increase efficiency and productivity without having to make significant resource sacrifices.
2.4.1 Motivation through Bridging the Communication Gaps:
During economic downturns when most employees are obsessing about the idea of getting laid off, good communication, if used properly, can build a more motivated workforce. It can be a stress reliever and a motivation tool employed to eliminate negative energy, build a more long term oriented outlook towards the future, and equip the organization with the tools to survive the economic downturns. In a recent article entitled "Planning Ahead: Packed Diaries" Tom Washington states that the recent economic situation dictates the need for better communication between management and non-managerial employees. Washington quotes Fraser Smart, regional director at Buck Consultants, when he says, "It has been a really tough year, but employers need to spend more money communicating with employees […] Staff need open and honest updates, even when times are challenging. Honesty breeds less fear and if you do not have that level of trust with staff, people start to get worried, and even suspicious, [which] leads to discontent" (Washington, 2008). Smart also refers to the negative influence lack of communication has on employee morale and motivation and suggests that one of the methods to address employee fear and uncertainty is to utilize communication to stretch management's goals, ideas, fears as well as reassurance to the working force (Washington, 2008).
In her article, Thach highlights the importance of communication between managers and employees through two methods that link to the psychological aspect of the human nature. She points out humans' desire to have sense of control over their lives especially during situations of uncertainty such as recessions (Thach, 2002). Based on her assumption, she suggests giving employees a voice of their own to bridge the gap between managerial and non-managerial employees. The first suggestion offered in her text concerns what she calls "Attack Teams". In simple terms, first-line, middle and non-managerial employees are given the freedom to develop and suggest methods to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of organizational procedures. Attack teams focus on tackling non-routine problems created by the recession to increase return on capital, return on assets (ROA), and contribution margin (Cm), and decrease employee turnover rate. For example, Thach refers to a company in Louisiana that adopted one of its employee's suggestions by selling disassembled inventory to clients; which earned them revenues that wouldn't have been made had it not adopted that suggestion (Thach, 2002). By doing so, top management communicates to the various fractions of the organization the significance of human resources as well as gives them a sense of worth, autonomy and control.
Another method explored in our management book and restated in Thach's article is the concept of management by objective (MBO). Although MBO is an integral concept in management, the author asserts the importance of the notion during economic downturns. Thach argues that during such situations, letting first-line, middle and non-managerial employees have a role in the decision making process leads to efficient results since these employees are in direct contact with the market and are exposed to the effects of the economic condition more severely when compared to higher management level. This also fosters creativity and enthusiasm by allowing employees to share their visions, aspirations, as well as methods to attain sustainable growth in symbiosis with the company.
In addition, formal and informal discussions with coworkers can help relieve stress, build a positive working environment as well as boost morale. This method focuses on finding the silver lining in each unfortunate event. Thach gives the example of mangers stressing the fact that recessions can create a window of opportunity where management can be open to new suggestions that may lead the company to a new era of achievement. An example supplied in the previous article includes coffee and table talks that are used to explore employees' thoughts, concerns and suggestions in a very warm and friendly way. The mangers sit on the same table as their employees; this gives out the impression of equality and interest. Additionally, managers listen to employee concerns and try to communicate in an informal way the need to think about the long run without restricting the management plans to the present economic situations keeping in mind the current situation. Also, informal coffee chats can be used to reduce negative grapevine talk regarding bankruptcy, layoffs as well as fallacious rumors about mergers and acquisitions by other organizations. Other companies offer tokens and non-costly objects to their employees working on important projects or deals. These tokens are representation of management's belief and appreciation in their efforts. All in all, these non-monetary methods of motivation seek to build spirit within the organization and shed light on the silver lining of any unfortunate event.
On the other hand, companies tend to offer amenities to ensure their employees' welfare. Some companies present little boxes in the corridors that contain stress relievers such as aspirin, Panadol, and other relaxants to communicate the idea that the organization values their effort as well as understands the pressure they are being subjected to (Thach, 2002). Other companies distribute stress balls to their employees to help them channel their stress into something other than their co-workers. Although the idea might sound trivial, during economic downturns, such gestures might help boost morale as it acts as good medium for communication between employees and top management and builds a sense of communal welfare (Thach, 2002).
2.4.2 Targeting Motivation through the Need for Affiliation and Recognition:
Looking back at Maslow's pyramid of needs, managers aiming to motivate employees can target both the safety and social needs. Based on this argument, managers may focus on building a sense of affiliation and recognition to create a motivated workforce.
Managers seeking to motivate their employees may focus on the need for recognition especially for employees who have intrinsic needs for success and growth. Intrinsically motivated individuals engage in certain actions for self-satisfaction, growth and self-attainment, whereas extrinsically motivated employees are those who engage in activities for external benefits such as monetary rewards and recognition by others. Hence, by distinguishing between intrinsically and extrinsically motivated employees, employers and managers can utilize the need for recognition and affiliation on different levels based on the employee's psychological level. In general, non-monetary motivation techniques fit intrinsically motivated employees more. For instance, intrinsically motivated employees who succeed in their tasks can be thanked and praised in the open thus giving them a sense of recognition. Recognizing an employee doesn't have to be restricted to major achievements. In fact, positive reinforcement along the course of action is essential. Yet, this doesn't mean that employees who fail are judged and compared to employees who have succeeded. On the other hand, management should make an attempt to offer more support and motivating words to other employees by stressing on the importance of their effort as well as giving them constructive feedback. It is also important to remember that constructive feedback begins with identifying the points of strength in an employee's performance then isolating the areas that need development, and not the other way around.
Targeting the need for affiliation can be done through engaging in humanitarian work. This builds team spirit and strengthens the bond between employees. Also, charity sheds light on the unfortunate fractions of the society which may help some employees regard their situation from a different perspective. Also, group work outside the job description may help employees explore the strengths, inclinations, talents, as well as weaknesses of their co-workers. Hence, this builds better understanding for other co-workers and bridges the communication gap between different employee levels. Humanitarian work doesn't have to associate with costly implementations. Several companies have adopted charity work, donation of food, and clothing among others.
Although many might argue that these methods are too optimistic and unrealistic, sometimes these methods are needed when morale is suffering and employees see their colleagues and co-workers losing their jobs. Indeed, such trivial matters might communicate to employees that the organization is not constricted by profit and values its employee satisfaction.
2.5 Case Studies from the Banking Sector
Of practical relevance to the banking sector in a developing country like Lebanon, there are two case studies which outline what motivates employees in the banking sector in developing countries. Both case studies emphasized the importance of motivation during economic recession. The same methodology was used in both case studies in order to derive conclusions that would be of use to managers in the banking sector of a developing country during the economic recession.
The first case study took place in Greece and was conducted by Nikolaos Kakkos and Panagiotis Trivellas (2011). The findings of the case study were presented in 2011 at the 8th International Conference on Enterprise Systems, Accounting and Logistics. The purpose of the case study was to help banking managers maximize their human capital so as to maximize competitive advantage during the economic recession (Kakkos & Trivellas, 2011, p. 408). The case study distributed surveys to five branches of a public bank and five branches of a private bank and surveyed employees of different positions, gender, and age (Kakkos & Trivellas, 2011, pp. 419-420). The survey was designed to measure "employee perceived job performance" as a function of: multiple needs satisfaction, work stress, gender, age, bank type, work experience, position, and income. Because the case study measures the effect of multiple needs' satisfaction, the case study is based Alderfer's Theory of Motivation (Kakkos & Trivellas, 2011, p. 408). Alderfer's Theory of Motivation is a content theory because it focuses on the role of the manager in determining and satisfying the needs of the manager's employees (Kakkos & Trivellas, 2011, p. 411). The theory is also known as "Alderfer's Modified Hierarchy of Needs" because it is based on Maslow's Need-Hierarchy Theory. In Alderfer's Modified Hierarchy of Needs, physiological and safety needs constitute the first level, which is the "Existence Needs." Social and esteem needs constitute the second level, which is the "Relatedness Needs." Self-actualization and self-esteem needs constitute the third level, which is the "Growth Needs" (Kakkos & Trivellas, 2011, p. 412). Unlike Maslow's, this theory allows for simultaneous needs. Like Maslow's, the frustration-regression principle is applicable to the hierarchy (Kakkos & Trivellas, 2011, p. 413). In the banking sector, existence needs are pay and fringe benefits, relatedness needs are recognition by and relationships with peers and supervisors, and growth needs are opportunities to develop skills, to contribute creatively, and to take initiative (Kakkos & Trivellas, 2011, p. 408). Among the multiple needs, the case study found that only growth needs were significantly positively correlated with job performance; existence and relatedness needs showed no significant correlation. Additionally, gender, age, bank type, work experience, position, and income showed no significant correlation. However, stress was significantly negatively correlated with job performance (Kakkos && Trivellas, 2011, p. 422). The case study gives the following recommendation for managers in the banking sector: in order to maintain a competitive advantage through the economic recession, motivate your employees by trying to meet their growth needs and improve employee performance by trying to reduce stress (Kakkos & Trivellas, 2011, p. 424).
The second case study took place in Pakistan and was conducted by Muhammad Naveed, Muhammad Naeem Hanif, and Shahid Ali (2011, p. 353). The findings of the case study were presented in 2011 at the 3rd International Conference on Information and Financial Engineering. Because maintaining competitive advantage during an economic recession may result in banks merging or banks acquiring other banks, the purpose of this case study was to determine the effect of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) on employee perceived motivation and security (Naveed et al., 2011, p. 353). Surveys were distributed to middle and top management. The survey was designed to measure employee motivation and security as a function of employees with "pre and post M&A experience" and employees with only "post M&A experience" (Naveed et al., 2011, pp. 355-356). The study found that employees who worked before and after M&A were less motivated and less secure than those who only worked after M&A (Naveed et al., 2011, 357).
4. Conclusion of the Paper
From this field project, we can make the following conclusive statements: (1) whereas employees in the banking sector in Greece are motivated by growth needs only, employees in the banking sector in Lebanon require individualized motivators based on their needs and (2) employees in the banking sector in Lebanon have pre and post M&A experience because they witnessed the lay-offs incurred by the SGBL's acquisition of the Lebanese Canadian Bank and resultantly, M&A is viewed negatively by employees. The finding of particular importance is the difference between motivators used between developed and developing economies. Employees in the banking sector of a developed country like Greece have satisfied their existence and relationship needs so these needs cannot be used as motivators. However, in Lebanon, managers deal with a more dynamic workforce with reference to their needs, i.e. managers must individualize motivators for their employees. Based on our findings, we can make the following suggestions for managers in the banking sector in Lebanon who need to motivate their employees during the global economic recession: (1) determine the needs of each employee and use their needs as a motivator and (2) if a M&A is possible or imminent, talk to your employees and try to alleviate their fears about their perceived job insecurity.
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Personalizing the shopping experience for today's savvy customer requires much more than product recommendations based on past purchases or slapping their name on a promotional email. Consumers expect a smart shopping experience with low or no barriers to discovery and purchase. Tomorrow's consumers – you know, those high school kids with the Bieber bangs – expect brands to go far beyond traditional personalization practices to facilitate the discovery of new products, relevant content, deals and offers. Simply making product recommendations just won't cut it anymore.
The recent eTail West show provided a perfect opportunity to gather together a group of eCommerce pros to talk about the peaks, pitfalls and future of personalization. Baynote customers Bluefly, XO Group (formerly TheKnot Inc.), and Aurora Fashions led an interactive session with their peers over lunch. The panelists spoke candidly about the future of personalization – not only their personal perspectives as practitioners, but the perspectives of their respective organizations as well.
Sudev Balakrishnan, Product Manager at Bluefly, is honing in on improving the buyer's journey by structuring the navigational path in such a way that it minimizes the click path to purchase. In the case of straightforward product recommendations, Balakrishnan folds in suggested content closer to the point of purchase, where his experience has been that these suggested items are leveraged at a greater rate.
Tom Williams, the Group Head of eCommerce at Aurora Fashions, believes that the key to advancing personalization is simple: Listen. Technology has caught up with the needs for segmentation based on location, device type, and social interaction, and it's the eCommerce head's job to leverage it. One way to begin is to monitor user behavior by device type and leverage different algorithms to optimize the customer experience. For example, reduce the number of recommendations that are shown on smaller devices because the screen is smaller.
Cassie Troiano, the Director of eCommerce at XO Group no longer simply relies on algorithms to guide users to the right content. XO Group is now leveraging the data it gathers on user behavior across the site and leveraging it to determine which content is most appropriate to surface at each point in the buyer's journey. Instead of just implementing an algorithm that recommends cake toppers to brides browsing champagne flutes, XO Group can determine the right point in time to surface the cake toppers to brides, regardless of the items they're browsing or the article they're reading.

subset: commoncrawl


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July 22, 2011
By Susan Brogden
I want to die like my mother did.
Last Oct. 1, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She was 85. It seemed obvious that treatment would be both brutal and futile. But as a matter of course, she was referred to an oncologist.
The oncologist was positively bullish on treatment. He said her age was not an issue and pronounced her "spry." He recommended the removal of her entire reproductive system, with chemotherapy to follow. Chemotherapy, he assured us, was "kinder and gentler" than it used to be. Without treatment, he estimated that she would live perhaps three to five months. Treatment might double or triple her time.
We were befuddled. My mother was anything but spry. The treatment sounded gruesome. And what was the benefit of doubling her remaining time, if those extra months were spent recovering from surgery and then enduring chemo? So she declined.
She died not quite three months later, without ever seeing another doctor. She spent her remaining time in her apartment, surrounded by things and people she loved. Hospice of Cincinnati managed her care. And she died in her own bed, with my sisters and me and a Hospice nurse at her side – no 911 calls, no strangers, no flashing lights, no needles, no anguished last-minute decisions.
In 2009, Sarah Palin famously accused the Obama administration of proposing "death panels" to judge seniors' "level of productivity" and decide "whether they are worthy of health care." This was a response to a proposed amendment to the Affordable Care Act that would have covered the cost of end-of-the-life planning discussions between doctors and patients. The amendment was dropped. But my mother would have welcomed a compassionate and honest conversation with a physician about the physical, emotional, and – yes – financial cost of resisting her disease.
Money does matter here, not because a life can be assigned a value, but because we need to talk honestly about what's purchased with the dollars spent on end-of-life treatment for the elderly with terminal conditions. How many patients, if they fully understood their illness and their options, and if costly, unpleasant treatments were neither encouraged nor discouraged but merely explained, might accept death with composure?
Let's be honest about the realities of terminal illness in the elderly. Let's embrace palliative care as a matter of course instead of pronouncing them "good candidates" for treatment. Let's focus on addressing physical, spiritual and emotional comfort. We'll simultaneously improve the quality of both life and death for those we love, while ensuring that limited health care dollars are used where there's a real chance of altered outcomes.


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Since my, "Parting is such sweet sorrow… Again. (It is time to move on)," post, I have been receiving several messages from Partners across the US offering congratulations, well-wishes, and notes saying things like, 'sorry to see you go,' etc." Now while it is true that I am moving on from my US role to a Worldwide role, just like when I moved from the Midwest area to the US role, it is an expansion, not an abandonment.
So while my former territory used to be this:
My new territory is this:
The great thing about the new territory is, it includes the former territory and many, many new ones! The Blog and User Group will both continue on, just as they have, only now applicable to many more people. So for those of you who are Partners in the U.S., we will still have plenty of opportunities to work together moving forward and I look forward to continuing to work with you and your counterparts around the world to help increase the Partner satisfaction in working with Microsoft.
Thank you and have a wonderful day,
Eric Ligman
Global Partner Experience Lead
Microsoft Worldwide Partner Group
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
Bookmark on: MSDN , TechNet, and Expression


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It was by a stroke of luck one Sunday morning I came across Noel Osteen's program being aired on the television. I thought that I would flip the channel after listening to him for a few minutes, but this man had me mesmerized. I head him say "Have faith in God and he will bring you people who will help you." The sentence has stuck with me since the time I have heard it.
I thought back upon the times when this was exactly what had happened in my life. The instances are numerous but this one stands out.
When I started looking for a house I came across Mary Kettlehut, an agent with a reputed real estate agency. No one introduced me to her. I just was browsing on the internet, looking for a house. I put in all details about my needs on a web site and she called me within a couple of minutes. It's not that Mary was the first real estate agent that I had met, but this woman had a positive attitude and a ton of patience. Well to cut a long story short, I found my "dream house" after looking at about twenty five houses.
Our financial condition and our savings were not in a great shape and we were on a very tight budget. Mary's persistent efforts not only brought the price of the house down but she put in a clause within the offer that the seller shall return 4% of the sale price of the house at closing. I had previously worked with other agents and made offers on other properties, but this was the first time an agent had put in such a clause in the offer. Our offer was accepted.
Then came the question of mortgage. I had heard that the government offers MSHDA (Michigan State Housing Development Authority) loan through certain qualified lenders. I again went browsing the internet for information about the same and came across Harry Polemitis, a loan officer with a reputed bank. I now think back and realize that it was God's wish which is why out of about five hundred names it was Harry that I had to pick.
Harry is a very charming and considerate man. He handled our loan application as if we were his family members and not clients. He not only got us a low interest rate but also helped us lower our car insurance almost by half by advising us to switch over to another insurance company.
Why I am telling you all this particular episode is because having my "own house" is a dream that I have cherished for years. If it were not for these two people I think I would still be house hunting. I am now a proud owner of a beautiful four bedroom house in West Bloomfield, Michigan.
So I want to say that have faith and everything begins to fall in place on its own. Be positive in your attitude. Believe in God as well as in yourself. You yourself are in the way of your success. If we welcome every day as the first day of our life and are thankful for every breath we take then we can learn to appreciate the beauty around us and not surround us with negativity or complain about everything. Every breath, every day is a new opportunity to take a small step towards our goal. Try to quit smoking, lose weight, quit drugs, be open to meeting new people, and believe in yourself and God. Do not give up hope and he surely will welcome your efforts with open arms and cross your path with positive people and circumstances which will help you reach the threshold of success.
Always remember what Noel says "God has plans for everyone. No matter the mistakes, there is always a new beginning."
If you enjoyed this essay, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to This I Believe, Inc.


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Sports Wallpapers Archive
Soccer Wallpaper 12
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text: Customer Spotlight - Hi-Rez Studios Hi-Rez StudiosHi, I'm Stewart Chisam, and I'm vice president of operations for Hi-Rez Studios. We really have been on the cutting edge of taking free-to-play games for the PC and bringing them up to the quality level that people usually expect when they buy a $60 title from say a Game Stopper or another type of retail outlet. All of our games really provide edge of your seat action. So we really envision all of our players and see it ourselves when we play our own games. Being right on the edge of our seat. Back into 2005 we had a dream of delivering exceptional online games to consumers for the PC. Started out in our server room in Alpharetta but we knew one day we'd grow to millions of clients, which we've done. And Internap was the first vendor that we selected. We worked with them through alpha, through beta, now through the release of two games. And look forward to a long partnership together. Internap has been able to always delilver and drive supportability from their different network operation centers. And the ability to pick up on any issues or any problems right away, and notify us if something happens, and work on it immediately. With the release of our game Tribes the community's just been growing like wildfire. And that means we need connectivity all over the globe. We work with Internap and their subsidiaries to make sure that we can seamlessly scale up our server infrastructure, and deliver the game to our consumers. We chose Internap mainly based on high IP performance. They brought great reference-able clients within the game industry. Gamers demand low latency, because ping makes a game unpleasant to play. Internap delivered that. And really uptime reliability is really important, and they're delivering exceptional uptime. Performance matters, and that's why at Hi-Rez Studios we drive our IT with Internap.


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The lack of new book reviews being posted is not reflective of the number of books I have been reading. As we enter the last week of freedom before the fall semester starts, I have continued to read steadily. But the reviews have been stalled as I try to craft a review that will do justice to the best book I've read in a while: The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. I often find it much harder to review books I really like than books I didn't like at all. I think it's because I want very much to convey just why I liked it so much in a way that will inspire someone to want to read it themselves. When it comes to reviewing The God of Small Things, one of the stumbling blocks is that the book is a marvel of beautiful, inventive language that seems to demand the same of its reviewer.
The book, for those completely unfamiliar with it, details the ways in which a family falls apart in late 20th century India, seen largely through the eyes of a pair of fraternal twins (or as the book calls them, the Two-Egg Twins), Rahel and Estha. It's a tragic story of a family brought to ruin by love for the "wrong" person, an Untouchable. To an outsider like myself, it stands as a subtly scathing indictment of the caste system, a societal arrangement that I am probably incapable of fully comprehending.
Ultimately, though, the story is about loss and how the human psyche deals with it. The twins experience a series of devastating losses:
- their friend, Velutha
- their beloved mother, Ammu
- the rest of their admittedly dysfunctional family
- their home
- and (most heartbreaking of all) each other
Roy finely draws the way each of these losses affects the emotional growth of Rahel and Estha, but central to their experience is always their forced separation at the age of 8. Roy refers to them as the Two-Egg Twins, a semantic device to convey the way their family and even medical experts discount that inexplicable bond between siblings born at the same time. Even as the label tries to diminish the bond, she strengthens it with examples that show Rahel and Estha are in fact as strongly linked as any identical twins. They experience the emotions of the other as if they were their own, and they communicate often without words.
As I read The God of Small Things, it was hard to separate my appreciation of the story from my admiration of the way that Roy plays with the English language. The liberties she takes are far from mere affect; she uses them to skillfully convey the seemingly infinite fluidity of English or any foreign language as it's being learned. Roy creates compound neologisms to describe the people and places that populate the book (the wetgreen grass; the thunderdarkness of the day); Rahel and Estha are repeatedly admonished for pronouncing English words backwards ("POTS" they read aloud as their car approaches an intersection. "naidnI yuB, naidnI eB".) And most strikingly, Roy re-creates word breaks within common phrases (an owl who lives inside the family's pickle factory is always and forever a Bar Nowl).
The fluidity of the language is reflected in the narrative, which slides back and forth from the past to the present. The reader learns early on that some tragedy has befallen the family and that as a result the twins were separated and sent to live apart. What, exactly, has happened is only gradually doled out by Roy. I found the suspense creating a low-level feeling of dread as I continued reading, both wanting and not wanting to know what the final break was. There's no question that things will work out, or that anyone will live happily ever after, but I still found myself compulsively reading to the end anyway. Now that is a writer.


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|Accession number
|29 mm
|Field diameter
|21 mm
|Previous Editions
DO Seals 2, no. 34.4.
Bust of St. Andrew holding a staff cross on his left shoulder. On either side the inscription: |Α|ΝΔ|Ρ.|..: ὁ ἅγιος Ἀνδρέας. Border of dots.
Inscription of five lines, a decoration above. Border of dots.
Σφραγὶς Νικήτα ποιμένος τῶν ἐν Πάτραις
Σφραγὶς Νικήτα ποιμένος τῶν ἐν Πάτραις.
Seal of Niketas metropolitan of the people of Patras.
Dodecasyllabic. Laurent identifies Niketas with the signatory of a synodal decree of March 19, 1067; see Grumel, Regestes, no. 897. A seal of a Niketas of Patrai is published in Zacos, Seals II, no. 651.
Today Patras, the city of St. Andrew. The see of Patras was functioning by the 4th century; it is mentioned as an archbishopric in the iconoclastic notitia and perhaps in the council of 787 (Darrouzès, Notitiae, 23, note 1 and no. 3, line 55). Sometime between 802 and 806 it was raised to the rank of a metropolis by being attributed three suffragans: Lakedaimonia, Methone and Korone. All this information concerning the foundation of the metropolis and its right to collect taxes from the neighboring Slavic populations is related to a miraculous intervention of St. Andrew to save the city from Slav rebels. In the 10th century, an archon exercised authority in Patras (Corinth XII, no. 2705). See Laurent, in REB 21 (1963) 129-36; Laurent, Corpus V/1, 471; Fedalto, 517-19; ODB II, 1597-98; Bon, Morée francque, 449-57.
|Accession number
|29 mm
|Field diameter
|21 mm
|Previous Editions
DO Seals 2, no. 34.4.
- Hierarchia Ecclesiastica Orientalis: Series episcoporum ecclesiarum christianarum orientalium
- The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium
- La Morée franque. Recherches historiques, topographiques et archéologiques sur la principauté d'Achaïe (1205-1430)
- Catalogue of the Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and at the Fogg Museum of Art, vol. 2: South of the Balkans, the Islands, south of Asia Minor
- Le Corpus des sceaux de l'empire byzantin, vol. 5, L'Église
- Les regestes des actes du patriarcat de Constantinople
- Byzantine Lead Seals, vol. 2
- Notitiae Episcopatuum Ecclesiae Constantinopolitanae
- Corinth, vol. 12, The Minor Objects


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Regenesis Enterprises Pty Ltd
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At Regenesis Enterprises Pty Ltd, you may find farm economics, environment, yield management, plus other products and services for Regenesis Enterprises Pty Ltd. Conveniently located at Myocum, NSW, you will find Regenesis Enterprises Pty Ltd are knowledgeable and helpful with any of your Farm & Agricultural Consultants enquiries. Give them a call during business hours on (02) 6684 ####.
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Beef and Lamb Consulting
"Absolutely fantastic service, was great meat, could not buy better!!! Best snags ever"
Nicole Portis on 26th Apr 2011


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Guangzhou blossom stage lighting Co.,LTD
MSN: firstname.lastname@example.com
Address:NO.88, Middle Road, XiZhou , ShiJing town, Baiyun distict, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Net Weight: 6.94kg
Gross Weight: 9.28kg
Product Size: 48.5x40x11cm
Packaging Size: 54x49x20cm
Detailed specifications: DMX512/1990 Standard, total 512 DMX channels.
2 output interface with optical isolated, withstand 2000Vrms.
Control 32 computer lights, 16 Channels each.
Big screen with back light displays the operation parameter.
16 computer channel handles 1 speed handle.
Memorizing capacity of 1600 chase steps. 48 chase, up to 100 steps each chase, The stay time and cross parameter can be set to each step.
15 environmental programs.
The combination of various scenes, chase, and manual control to the light can be applied to the environment very quickly.
The music signal can be got from audio frequency circuitry input or internal mike adapter.
Data can be saved after powering off.
Green switch power supply installed internally with high performance and the harmonic distortion with low power supply and big applicable scope of voltage is suitable for all the power supply in the world.
Imported durable keystroke with high quality and function of selecting special lights.
Connector: XLR-D3F×2.
12V gooseneck lights can be applied


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Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. IV:Early Church Fathers Index Previous Next
Writings in Connection with the Donatist Controversy.: Chapter 30
Chapter 30.—57. Another Januarius of Vicus Cæsaris 1700 said: "If error does not obey truth, much more does truth refuse assent to error; and therefore we stand by the Church in which we preside, so that, claiming her baptism for herself alone, we baptize those whom the Church has not baptized." 1701
58. We answer: Whom the Church baptizes, those that rock baptizes outside which are all they who hear the words of Christ and do them not. Let all, therefore, be baptized again who have been baptized by such. But if this is not done, then, as we recognize the baptism of Christ in these, so should we recognize it in heretics, though we either condemn or correct their unrighteousness and error.
Vicus Cæsaris, probably of ecclesiastical province of Byzacium. This Bp. Januarius may be the second of that name in Cypr. Ep. lxvii., and is to be distinquished from Bp. Januarius of Lambæse, ch. xiii. 20.493:1701
Conc. Carth. sec. 23.
Next: Chapter 31
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TENSIONS within the Russian government between those who favor radical economic reforms and those urging a more conservative course burst into the open over the weekend.
Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin, an advocate of a more gradual reform path, strongly criticized the architects of Russia's market reforms as being responsible for the election victory of extreme nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky in the Dec. 12 parliamentary vote.
``We should face the truth and admit that many people voted against the hardships and mistakes of the current reforms, rather than for any specific [political] platform,'' Mr. Chernomyrdin told the trade union daily Trud on Saturday.
Chernomyrdin specifically went after the two key reformers, Vice Premier Yegor Gaidar, leader of the pro-reform Russia's Choice bloc, and Anatoly Chubais, the minister in charge of Russia's highly successful privatization effort.
``The election defeat is a personal evaluation of Gaidar as the person responsible for the economy ministry,'' Chernomyrdin said. ``The same goes for Chubais.''
The statements increased speculation that a widely anticipated reshuffle of the government could lead to the ouster of some of the reformist ministers. President Boris Yeltsin plans to hold a press conference later this week where it is believed he will deliver for the first time his reaction to the election results and will announce changes in the government.
Mr. Yeltsin has given very little indication of how he will swing in this battle. He has tolerated what has been a de facto coalition government, with a Cabinet of both radical reformers and moderates, for at least a year. He may choose to continue on this path, while avoiding to make a definitive choice.
But there are clear signs that even if there is a dramatic purge of government personnel, a policy shift is already underway. Chernomyrdin and his allies are now calling for abandoning any further efforts to bring down Russia's inflation rate, currently running at 16 percent a month, and instead moving to try to boost production and investment.
``There are no plans for strong measures in this direction,'' Chernomyrdin said of the tough financial policy pursued by Finance Minister Boris Fyodorov. ``Now investment and production rise are becoming the main issues. These are ... where the key emphasis of future reforms will lie.''
Chernomyrdin also seeks to slow down the rapid privatization of large state-run industries. But he combines this with a pledge to open the country to foreign investment and to put government money into creating new industries, rather than ``keep hopeless enterprises afloat.''
In practice, however, the huge government bureaucracy, backed by the Central Bank, has been unable to make such hard choices, pumping subsidies into a wide range of factories and collective farms.
``The government should not give up the financial stabilization policy,'' Mr. Fyodorov told Rossiiskiye Vesti, a daily newspaper, on Saturday.
Now, however, the more conservative wing of the government clearly feels vindicated by the success of antireform parties, which together won more than half the vote in the elections.
``We have to draw a lesson from the election results and apparently look more attentively at Zhirinovsky's, [Communist Party leader Gennady] Zyuganov's and other opponents' slogans, which reflect a certain mood...,'' Vice Premier Oleg Soskovets, a key Chernomyrdin ally, told Rossiiskiye Vesti on Dec. 17.
Such thinking has found an echo in the voices of US President Clinton and Vice President Al Gore Jr., who last week sought to play down the election results as a ``protest vote'' against harsh economic reforms. Both men criticized the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other international agencies for imposing overly tough conditions of financial austerity in exchange for Western aid.
That line of attack is curiously similar to that of Russian politicians such as Communist leader Zyuganov who, in his first post-election press conference on Dec. 14, assailed Mr. Gaidar's reformers for following the prescripts of the IMF.
``Gaidar has no economic program of his own,'' Mr. Soskovets said, ``his program is the 20-year-old IMF program that has been implemented in about 20 developing countries.''
Mr. Zyuganov's party, and its allies, now appear to hold the balance of power in the parliament between the radical reformers on one side and Mr. Zhirinovsky on the other. At a reception for Mr. Gore last Thursday night, Chernomyrdin and Zyuganov were observed by reporters engaged in a deep and extended, and apparently friendly, conversation.


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Discussion in 'Making Money' started by jamesmith, Aug 18, 2009.
I request only Jr VIP's to reply.
Is Jr. VIP Membership worth taking?
You must have made at least 100 posts to be promoted to Jr.VIP
i guess he knows that..but he wants to know if its worth to pay for the Jr VIP Membership
OP doesn't know this thread should be in the 'Lounge section' instead of 'making money' section. So, I thought OP might now be knowing the rules.
@OP.. you can have a look at these threads to get your answers:
Is it worth it to give back to a community that gives so much to you?
That's the real question, the extras you get as being a JR VP are just a bonus.
I'm donating soon, so should you...
Yes it is worth it, there are methods exclusive to jnr vip. I would totally recommend it, it is cool.
I think it's definitely worth it. But for me, I just did it because without BHW and the people, and methods I have learned here, I wouldn't be making jack. So $97 donation is the least I can do to say thanks.
why dont try it and find out ^_-.
"Ask not what BlackHatWorld can do for you, but what YOU can do for BlackHatWorld" - Me
I hate to write a post that simply says "agreed", but this is almost word for word what I planned on posting.
I know it's gonna be worth it. I'm a member at two other BH sites, and I can't wait to access the jr level at BHW.
Anytime I can get access to "behind the scenes" BH stuff, I'm all for it!!
I think it will be, i will find out once i hit 100 post. For some reason my post count dont go up all the time
I'd say it's worth it
Good to see you in Jr.VIP blue bro!
can't say any better than that.
"That's one small step for a noob, once giant leap for Jr. VIPs"
I'll see if it's true in that day I finally grab that Jr. VIP
I think that it is really worth it.. Not just for being a jr. VIP.. but to give back something to the community from which we are learning so much!!!
Hmm i may be interested to join jr vip soon
After all bhw is quality and deserves donation
I am also going to upgrade when I have some more posts etc.
Looking forward to joining it, I have already made some $$$ and got my first checque a couple of days ago. Just waiting for another.
When i first got JrVIP I would have said no, it's not worth it. But the last few months, JrVIP has blown up and there are some really great things there.
bhw is a great community, and i feel honored to be a part of it, gaining the respect from helping other people also gives me a great sense of well being, especially as i know times are hard for some people right now - but being a donor is a great way to show your support for bhw
i know there will be a lot of instances where noobies will be unable to contribute due to there inexperience - by paying to become a jr vip you will be getting access to lots of valuable resources that would normally cost you much much than $100, not to mention if you take the advice provided and take action you should also be able to recoup that in no time at all.
i know personally i have spent a lot of time with some people on here, and provided support, advice and resources that had i had charged them and charged them my normal rates it would have cost well beyond $100, and am sure i am not the only one in this community who does this! so to me its more than worth it to become a jr vip!
i think more importantly, regardless of how it benefits you as an individual, it benefits the BHW community as a whole, it helps behind the scenes and helps maintain the site, it helps keep the integrity of the forum, but it also shows your support to the BHW community, and if it gives some of the guys some extra $$$ in their pockets good for them im sure this site has many many mans hours spent on it that we dont even realize - to me supporting the bhw community that in itself is enough to make me want to contribute, i hope it does you too...
make sure to report back how it is if you decide to become jr vip
Separate names with a comma.


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OpenEdit Introduces EnterMedia Digital Asset Management
Friday, May 29, 2009
Press release from the issuing companyOpenEdit, Inc., developers of the most powerful, fastest and flexible open source digital asset management software, will be showcasing a major release of their Digital Asset Management software, EnterMedia at the Henry Stewart Digital Asset Management Show in New York, June 1 and 2. This newest release of EnterMedia Digital Asset Management, due out June 2, has been supported in part by a Fortune 500 company using EnterMedia in an enterprise-wide, corporate environment to track, manage, share and archive digital files.
Formerly OpenEdit DAM, EnterMedia is a web based, open source digital asset management system which includes everything needed in a digital asset system such as Version Control, Related Assets, Cross Catalog Searching, Shared Albums, fast browser based Drag and Drop uploading and more. While in New York, OpenEdit will be introducing the EnterMedia Developer Community, a low-cost membership program directed toward developers and consultants interested in implementing EnterMedia digital asset management solutions. Included in the membership is the Entermedia software product, open source code, online support and more.
Visit OpenEdit Inc., June 1 and 2 in booth 111 for a live presentation of EnterMedia for digital asset management. Contact us to schedule a meeting with OpenEdit at while Henry Stewart.
Industry News
Copyright © 2018 WhatTheyThink. All Rights Reserved


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Show Summary Details
Quick Reference
A commodity market in which goods for delivery, storage, and resale can be carried over from month to month because the particular commodity does not perish.
Subjects: Financial Institutions and Services.
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Jog-A-Thon Volunteer Link
5th Grade Instrumental Music Program
Greetings from Mr. Paredes
Last year was a huge success and I am honored to be a part of a school and community that is united around its children. I am especially thrilled to be a part of a distinguished group of teachers and staff committed to providing the best possible education for every child in a safe, learning, respectful, and nurturing environment. I am truly fortunate to be part of such a remarkable team.
I strongly believe that it is important for parents, school, staff, and students to work together to maintain a positive educational atmosphere in which each student feels safe and secure. I strongly believe that if we work together, the students at Anza will continue to excel both socially and academically.
Please know that my door is always open and I appreciate your input! I look forward to working with everyone. Together we can continue to lead our students towards a successful future.
In Partnership,
Alberto Paredes
Do you shop at Amazon?? Use this link and help Anza's Library with each purchase!
Did you know that each purchase you make can support our school's library? You log in like normal and shop like always. Anza will not have access to any account or purchase information. Through the Amazon associates program Anza can earn up to 5% of your purchase without it costing you a dime. Your shopping can help our children.
Click here, bookmark this link, and shop like normal: Amazon for Anza
Reauthorize Your Account Now!!!


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5 - 9
$9.61 ea.
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4-6 oz (118-177 ml) Banquet Saf-T-Scoop� is the best way to serve ice in catering and banquet applications.� Patented design keeps scoop off the table when resting, and the drain holes ensure your drinks never get waterered down.� This scoop includes San Jamar�s patented dual Germ- Guards� to prevent ice from contact with hands and knuckles.� An integrated hanging hook keeps scoop out of ice and ready to use.� Banquet Saf-T-Scoop� is also great for front-of-the-house, bar and beverage station use.
Oversized/Heavy Items: Some of our larger, bulky and heavier items are delivered via Oversized Delivery or Standard Truck Delivery. Additional shipping charges will apply based on the weight/size of the item. These charges are applied in addition to standard shipping and handling charges for each item.
Extremely heavy orders or items that cannot ship via UPS Ground due to their weight and/or size ship via LTL shipping. Please allow extra days in transit for delivery based on the availability of the carriers.
If an order will be delivered via LTL freight line, we may contact you to arrange a window of time for delivery. Orders shipped via LTL freight line to a residential address are strictly delivered curbside unless otherwise specified by customer (example: additional charges may be required for inside delivery). Our shipping LTL fees do not include any delivery service beyond curbside - customers are responsible for any extra charges incurred for any extra services. In addition, customers are responsible for additional charges incurred due to missed delivery appointments or re-deliveries.
Hazardous and Other Items: Glassware and Hazmat items may also incur delivery surcharges because of the additional handling and processing time to ship these items. Due to federal and state shipping regulations, some items cannot be shipped via plane. These items can only be shipped using the UPS Standard Ground delivery service.


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Cornish hens are specially bred young chickens that typically weigh no more than 2-1/2 lb. Look for them in the fresh meat or frozen food sections of your supermarket.
Place the hen, breast side down, on cutting board. Cut along both sides of backbone with large sharp knife or strong kitchen shears. Discard or save bones for making broth. Flip hen over, then firmly press down on breast bone to flatten hen. Cut through breast bone to cut chicken lengthwise in half as directed in recipe.
Serve with a green salad tossed with your favorite KRAFT Dressing.
Prepare using red new potatoes.
* Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients used.


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Report: Welker has reservations about role with Patriots
Wes Welker, now an un-tagged soon to be full-blown unrestricted free agent, has reservations about his role with the Patriots, according to a report.
The Patriots' star receiver caught a team-high 118 passes this past season, but was upset about his season-low five targets in the opener against the Tennessee Titans, according to Yahoo! Sports, which cites a source close to Welker.
At the time, the Patriots were favoring wide receiver Julian Edelman in the offense, which led to an epic debate about Welker's role as a prominent piece of the offense and Edelman's rise on the team. The situation changed after Edelman hurt his hand in a Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. He missed three games and Welker's receptions rose significantly in the weeks ahead. But apparently the issue stuck with him.
That bit of tweaking stuck in Welker's craw all season. So did the notion that if tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski hadn't both gotten hurt at different times, there's a strong belief that Welker would have been limited to far fewer than the 118 receptions he finished with last season. In short, there's a little paranoia in the Welker camp these days about his role with the Pats.
Welker will become an unrestricted free agent at 4 p.m. March 12.


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Many of us know what success means. If you surf the net using your service provider like FiOS Internet, you will find that the dictionary or the theoretical meaning of success is an event that accomplishes the intended purpose. While in practical senses, it means achieving something that others haven't done and fail to do so. Whatever it is, whether you take the theoretical or practical meaning; success means achieving something.
Nowadays, many of us are living a pretentious life. In a sense, we just build our future based on the definition of success divulged by the society, family and peers. To an extent, that is fine, if you like and chose to live by those values. But, everyone can't have the same set of values. Also the success which many of us want to achieve has little or nothing to do with what makes you content.
Seriously, think about this, what success you want to achieve should be defined by you. You can't allow others to define the success which you plan to chase. It would be like being a puppet in other's hand. If you want to take control of your life, you need to take some serious steps. Here the steps mean to make your life meaningful and better.
Don't you think success should be something that comes in your way? Going back of success will only help to beat the competition and not the satisfaction of achieving something. It does not mean that competition is bad. Competition helps to pump up your energy and enthusiasm in doing work. It just stimulates you to work hard and to the best of your abilities.
But competition to an extent is demoralizing. It just creates a base of dividing people on the basis of some pre-defined goal. You would be trying to degrade people on the basis of those who can achieve their goals and those who can't. It can sometimes create a feeling of negative vibe and frustration among the people.
The same can be said about a pre-defined success. You constantly drain your energy and skills to achieve that success. While many are able to achieve that but some don't. If you use this energy and skill to do something that you like, it would be worthwhile. It does not mean that success does not play an important part in our lives. Being successful is what every person strives in his or her life. But the success should be something that you wish and that comes to you naturally.
If you are good at something or have a skill, you could do something to harness that skill or continue to do the thing you like. As you continue to do the thing you like for example being a good writer or cook, slowly you will become best in it. Ultimately, when you become an expert in it, it will then slowly take you to the dream that you have. That is being successful.
When you start doing something that you like, you will give in your entire energy and concentration to it. You would work hard and give into your best of the abilities. There will be no pressure and you will enjoy doing it. Doing the work that makes you happy and enjoyable slowly motivates you and leads to the path of being successful.
Frankly, in order to be successful in life, you need to be brave, bold, and honest. You need to trust yourself in the decisions that you make. The confidence level should be high and try to make sure that it doesn't tilt to the overconfidence side. Life is a tragic thing to waste as each of us are born with the potential to be something in life. This potential to do something is what sores us to the summit of being successful.


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Have a lot of great fun with this beautiful BBW hottie Kaylee Holly right now and I am sure and can tell without doubts that you would not stay disappointed from this such a cool experience. The diva always looks so wonderful and there are a lot of different naughty things that she would make satisfied for you. Now just stare at how Kaylee is starting to strip again right in front of the camera exposing her best forms and demonstrating all of the most magnetic parts of hers.
Kaylee Holly videos
Have you ever spent time with Kaylee Holly? If your answer is affirmative then I can tell with 100% confidence that nothing as well as nobody would or could prevent you from repeating this wonderful experience because you already know that Kaylee is one of the best! But if you have not ever relaxed with the diva then I recommend you to do it for the first time. This time the BBW poses in her short dress with deep cleavage before demonstrating some of her best forms.
Kaylee Holly password
If you have not got any idea about how to relax and how to spend your free time but want to relax with a wonderful, seductive and sexual diva then Kaylee Holly is before you right now! The big beautiful woman not only looks so cool and so alluring but it is truth as well that she is ready to do her best to make us feeling so great and so kinky about her. Now just take a glance at this scene with her participation where Kaylee is staying in her small outfit before starting to expose her delights.
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I really don't know right words to describe cool positive impressions I get every time when I am fooling around with this so charming, so sexual and so seductive diva Kaylee Holly! She looks luxurious all the time and it is really so difficult for me to imagine what or who could prevent you from relaxation with the fatty. This time the girlie with beautiful face and big body is stripping in front of the camera again and making some of her hottest parts visible to us. Enjoy!


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Joy Young was 18 years old when her mother, Thelma Stussy, passed away from ALS. That was 26 years ago, but the memory remains strong. That memory motivates Joy to do what she cans to bring hope and comfort to others living with ALS in her community. As a result, Joy Young is the Greater Philadelphia Chapter's May 2016 Volunteer of the Month.Over two and a half decades after her mom's passing, Joy still tells people her story. It was a very difficult time for her and for others who knew and loved Thelma. No 18 year old should have to take care of a dying parent. Today, Joy doesn't focus on the pain of that experience. Instead, her smile and good nature is just like her first name, full of joy through the work of helping others.Many years after her mother passed away, Joy wanted to find ways to give back to the ALS cause. She looked on the Greater Philadelphia Chapter website and followed a link to volunteer. Following a website link was not possible when she first encountered ALS in 1990. Joy's first volunteer experience was at the 2013 Greater Philadelphia Walk to Defeat ALS. There she helped register teams and welcome people on walk day. She immediately loved the happiness and unity of all of the participants. It felt like home and the memory of her mother was not far behind. Since then, she's continued to volunteer at the walk in Philadelphia, assisting with registration, selling t-shirts, and doing whatever is asked to help the walk run smoothly.Each event with the Chapter motivated Joy to do more. She volunteered at the annual ALS Patient and Family Holiday Party, at Hot Chocolate, at a research meeting, and the Annual Luncheon. Each event brought new tasks, whether it was helping kids with crafts at the holiday party or setting up the auctions at Hot Chocolate or selling raffle tickets. Joy Young is happy to find more ways to help at each event and she is always eager to be involved. Since 2013, she has become such a common presence that event organizers look forward to seeing her there, even before the first team registers or the first ticket is sold."Since I've started volunteering, I've learned that ALS is still awful," said Joy. "However, I think the Chapter is amazing. I have seen first-hand the care given to all of the patients. The people are so kind and caring. I am sure the Chapter is making huge differences in so many lives and I am very happy to help in any way that I can."In fact, Joy, who had attended so many events, did find more ways to help. While volunteering at a Chapter Holiday Party, she learned about the Visiting Volunteer program. She emailed Gail Houseman, a nurse with the Chapter who runs the program, the very next day. After discussing the role and going through training, Joy began visiting Anita, a person with ALS that Gail helped connect her with almost three years ago. To this day, Joy goes to visit with her on Sundays for a few hours, bringing companionship and friendly conversation.Joy's role has continued to grow. Recently she began to visit with Ron, another person with ALS in the Philadelphia area. Joy sees him on Saturdays for a few hours and helps with cleaning, going out to eat, making appointments, and doing whatever is needed to make life easier."I love being a Visiting Volunteer," said Joy. "When my mother was sick, I would have loved the two or three hours that a volunteer could have given to allow me just a little break. I know how difficult this illness is for both the patient and their caregiver. Hopefully I am making it a little easier for all involved."When it comes to Joy Young, we don't have to hope. Anyone who has worked with her, whether at events or as she visits patient families, knows for a fact that Joy is making life easier for everybody touched by ALS. It was hard for 18 year old Joy to watch her mother battle through the effects of ALS, but today, years later, that experience motivates Joy to make the lives of others easier. Thank you Joy for all that you do.
The ALS Association Greater Philadelphia Chapter321 Norristown Road - Suite 260, Ambler, PA 19002215-643-5434The ALS Association is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.
©2018 The ALS Association Greater Philadelphia Chapter. All content and works posted on this website are owned by The ALS Association Greater Philadelphia Chapter. All Rights Reserved.


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The best foods for arthritis sufferers include omega-3 fatty acids, olive oil and vitamin C, claims Healthline. Other foods that are suitable for arthritis patients are ginger, broccoli, vitamin D, anthocyanins and beta-cryptoxanthin.
Omega-3 fatty acids can prevent body inflammation and minimize the symptoms of arthritis, explains Healthline. According to the Center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health, the COX-2 enzymes that are responsible for joint inflammation become more active when an individual incorporates a high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in his diet. One should therefore minimize the intake of omega-6 while maximizing the intake of foods high in omega-3, such as salmon, trout, sardines, walnuts, flaxseed and mackerel.
Olive oil quells pain and stiffness in patients who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, states Healthline. It contains oleic acid that fights inflammation in the body. Arthritis sufferers should mix 3 parts olive oil with 1 part vinegar, and add herbs and spices before eating. Olive oil can also be mixed with lemon juice.
Vitamin C-rich foods, such as strawberries, kidney beans, oranges, mangoes, bell peppers and pineapple, minimize the chances of developing rheumatoid arthritis, reports Healthline. However, an individual should avoid supplements that contain a high vitamin-C content as high doses of vitamin C worsen arthritis symptoms. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends a daily dosage of 90 milligrams.


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At Catts & Doggs Pet Boutique we offer a complete line of grooming services. If you have a special request just let us know and we will accommodate! As a part of our grooming services we feature natural Shampoos and Conditioners. Which are natural, Ph balanced, bio-degradable and leaves a fresh clean scent. We also have terrific special treatments for pets who have a variety of skin conditions or allergies.
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First grooming is first step for. Puppies should be introduced to professional grooming when they are about 12 weeks old. Contact with us to discuss y…
By Henry Cerny, DVM, MS If your dog is frequently scratching, you may suspect a problem with fleas. But fleas are far from the only cause of skin irri…


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Dec 03, 2003
LEXINGTON, Va. -- The National Soccer Coaches Association of American (NSCAA) recently released its College Team Academic Award Winners from the 2002 season and Washington and Lee women's soccer was among those listed.
The Generals were one of 264 women's soccer programs from all divisions honored for achieving a team grade-point average of 3.0 or higher for the 2002-03 school year. W&L's team total was 3.39.
The awards will be presented at the College Coaches Luncheon on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2004, as part of the 57th Annual NSCAA Convention, to be held in Charlotte, N.C., Jan. 14-18, 2004.


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DEMOCRATS on Capitol Hill are searching for a way out of the ruins.
Disoriented and divided, the party - in the minority for the first time since the 1950s - is groping for a new strategy. Surviving members are jostling for party leadership.
One contest in particular, Rep. Charles Stenholm versus Rep. David Bonior, will send a powerful signal of whether the Democrats cooperate with the Republican majority or obstruct its agenda.
Mr. Stenholm, a Reagan Democrat from Texas, is vying for party whip, the No. 2 slot in the House. The post is currently held by Mr. Bonior, an old-fashioned, pro-union, Rust Belt liberal from Michigan.
The outcome of the Stenholm-Bonior race on Nov. 30 will either put the Democrats squarely on the left with Bonior or swing them center-right with Stenholm.
``The key is Stenholm vs. Bonior,'' says Jim Thurber of American University in Washington. ``The Democrats have to move toward the center in the House. They've got to build a coalition around moderate Democrats and liberal Republicans.... They need to make the Republicans look extreme.''
But James Sundquist, a scholar at the Brookings Institution, argues against the wisdom of Democrats moving in Stenholm's direction.
``Any deliberate announcement of a move toward the center would stir the party,'' he says. The strength of the more liberal black and Hispanic Democratic caucuses grew after the election. ``Democrats in the House are more liberal than before. The moderates were defeated.''
Some Democrats on Capitol Hill would agree. They insist the Nov. 8 vote was a rejection of inefficient government - not an endorsement of the right. They say the central Democratic objective should be to encourage the Republicans to self-destruct.
If Bonior keeps his post, he will be a fiery opponent of House Speaker-in-waiting Newt Gingrich (R) of Georgia. Last week, Bonior launched the first Democratic retort since the election, attacking a Republican proposal to abolish the House ethics committee.
Bonior says: ``The American people have to know where the contrasts are between the Republicans and Democrats. They will be the champions of corporate welfare. We will be the champions of working folks.''
Stenholm is more cautious. An advocate of deficit reduction, he supports a balanced- budget amendment and line-item veto - the first issues on the Republican ``Contract With America'' that will come before the House in January.
``If the Democrats are obstructionist, it will be seen as sour grapes,'' says John Haugen, Stenholm's press secretary. ``Nov. 8 was not just a referendum on Bill Clinton, but on the leadership of Congress. If the Democrats are to recapture Congress, they must change direction. Bonior ... won't change.''
More at stake
In the aftermath of the midterm elections, there is far more at stake for the Democrats than the passage of bills. The party's traditional base, rooted in labor and agriculture, is gone. So is the South. For the first time since the end of Reconstruction in the 1870s, Republicans won a majority of House seats in that region. If the party is to retain the White House and regain Congress in 1996, analysts say, it needs to realign and unify.
``The South is no longer `yellow-dog' Democratic. It may be yellow-dog Republican,'' says Stephen Hess, another Brookings scholar. ``The completion of the post-New Deal transition has been realized. It started when Eisenhower captured Virginia and Florida.'' With the House in GOP hands, the process is complete.
Charles Fant, press secretary for Rep. John Spratt (D) of South Carolina, agrees: ``The Democrats have not realigned since the New Deal, and the party needs to do so. It used to stand for labor, urban areas, Catholics, and Jews.''
Such a realignment will be tricky. If Democrats stay too far to the left, as under former House majority leader Richard Gephardt of Missouri and Bonior, they will risk not capturing the growing body of independents, who made up 24 percent of the voters in this last election. If Democrats shift to the center, they could alienate black and Hispanic voters, who provide safe seats.
Any realignment will have to reflect the increased prominence of minority Democrats. Rep. Kweisi Mfume, a prominent black from Maryland, is mounting a credible challenge to Californian Rep. Vic Fazio to head the Democratic House Caucus.
But perhaps the biggest problem facing the Democrats is disunity. After four decades in the majority in at least the House, Democrats may have forgotten how to march in step.
``The R's are a tribe,'' says a Democratic Senate staffer, referring to the Republicans. ``The D's aren't. They lack party discipline. They lack a coherent ideology. They lack leadership.''
To overcome this in the legislative arena, Mr. Thurber argues, the Democrats on Capitol Hill will have to go issue by issue, working with the White House to build coalitions. Looking ahead to 1996, he says, the party needs to break with localized politics and find major national planks.
``The Democrats will have to pull rank for impact,'' agrees Mr. Fant.
Mr. Sundquist says the Democrats will have to decide whether to abandon their agenda or stick with their convictions. But citing historical examples of both parties waging triumphal returns two years after disastrous elections, he offers a reason for Democrats to be optimistic.
``The party in power creates dissatisfaction,'' he says. ``Politics is cyclical. The pendulum starts to swing back the day after an election.''


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A City with a History
The City of Casselberry started as a vision in one man's mind, Hibbard Casselberry, and today is a growing metropolis. In 2004, the official population estimate is 24,735 a far cry from the population of 407 in 1950.
Today, Casselberry encompasses an area of approximately eight square miles, including more than two dozen lakes, the largest of which are Lake Howell, Lake Kathryn and the Triplet Chain of Lakes. Within Casselberry there are two public schools, Casselberry Elementary and South Seminole Middle School and two private schools, Kenworthy School and The Geneva School.
A City Grows in Central Florida


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In a previous stint as North Carolina's attorney general, Mike Easley helped reserve Robert Bacon, Jr. a seat on death row at Raleigh's Central Prison.
Earlier this month, Mr. Easley came face to face with Mr. Bacon again. But this time, Easley - now governor - saw the case in a new light: Two days before Bacon faced the ultimate sanction, Governor Easley commuted the sentence to "life without parole."
Easley gave no explanation for his leniency, but he's widely believed to have acknowledged a racial disparity in the case. According to capital-punishment statistics, Easley's uncertainty about the fairness of the conviction is in fact part and parcel of an uptick in the number of death- row commutations granted by US governors and parole boards.
Indeed, the trend may be emblematic of a stirring debate from the Carolinas to California - not about the morality of the death penalty, but how fairly and accurately it's applied.
As it is, the number of commuted sentences has gone from an average of one per year since the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976 to an average of three per year since 1999. (The one-a-year average in the 1980s is high, skewed by anti-death penalty governors like New Mexico's Tony Anaya, who once commuted five people at once.) By contrast, the recent decisions come from a broad swath of social conservatives such as Oklahoma Gov. George Keating and pro-death penalty Democrats like Easley.
"[Commuting a death sentence] is no longer a political death knell for a governor who worries he'll be depicted as being soft on crime," says Rick Halperin, head of the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.
To be sure, a reprieve from death row is still considered a long shot for most of the 3,716 death-row inmates. But at the same time, the recent uptick in commutations is one of a number of trends indicating that Americans - from the public to elected officials - are looking more carefully at the ultimate sanction.
While a majority of Americans still support the death penalty, that number has slipped from 77 percent five years ago to 63 percent, according to polls.
What's more, the number of executions across the country is down for two years in a row - a first since they were reinstated. Also down for the first time: the number of people sentenced to death by juries.
In addition, while only Gov. George Ryan of Illinois has temporarily halted executions - after six out of 13 death row inmates in his state were freed because of problems with their cases or because they were innocent - the moratorium has affected how many Americans view the whole capital punishment machine.
Lawmakers are sensing this shift. Next month, New Mexico will ask residents to vote on whether it should become the second state to impose a moratorium. This summer, North Carolina legislators banned the execution of mentally retarded inmates - the 18th state to do so.
In Oklahoma, top officials have taken a turn toward lenience in the past few years, administration aides there say. For one, its famously impervious parole board recommended two clemencies in the past two years - both approved by Governor Keating. Recently, he proposed reforms he says will ensure "absolute certainty" of an inmate's guilt. Like Illinois, Oklahoma has its own prison scandal brewing: A state chemist who testified in thousands of cases has been deemed mentally incompetent. At least one person has been freed because of tainted testimony.
"The governor feels there needs to be a higher standard for juries to meet in order to impose the death penalty," says Phil Bacharach, deputy press secretary. "But he also said it's possible to remedy what problems there are in the system without tossing out the whole system altogether."
Currently, Raleigh is one of the US capitals of capital crime and punishment. But in three years, governors have approved three out of the nine commutations nationwide.
In the most recent case, Bacon, a black man, was convicted for killing his white girlfriend's ex-husband. An all-white jury gave Bacon the death sentence. The ex-wife, who was convicted of planning the murder, has a chance at parole in 2009.
Death-row critics say Easley's decision to commute Bacon's sentence, despite his proved guilt, allows the question of fairness to be applied to other death-row appeals. "The problem is that, where you've got co-defendants who are equally guilty, you can't justify sentencing one to death," says Jim Coleman, an attorney for the Center for Capital Litigation in Durham, N.C. "Justice is supposed to be consistent, and what [the commutations] say is that this whole thing is arbitrary."
But by shifting from questions about the morality of executions to the issue of whether the system is just, death-penalty supporters say, abolitionists are in fact acknowledging a kind of defeat.
What's more, critics say claims of a "broken system" are wearing thin under close scrutiny. There have been inconsistencies that have led to wrongful convictions. But, according to testimony from the National District Attorney Association, the justice system has already largely repaired problems with bad lawyers and prejudiced juries. "I don't think governors have much wiggle room to be flatly opposed to the death penalty," says John McAdams, a political scientist at Marquette University in Milwaukee, who supports the death penalty. "But I think they now can actually get good publicity by scrutinizing cases more carefully."


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A number of Glasgow players have recently returned from Paris where they were part of the Scotland squad competing in the European Championships, 10-13th July 2008. Victor Francisco Suarez played in the 2nd placed Mens Masters, Douglas Johnson in the Mens Open, Nicola Jobson Womens Open and Nikki Walker Womens 30s. Congratulations to Donna Kirisome and Damien Richardson who were part of the successful Mixed Open team who brought home the gold!
The players committed endless hours of their weekends (usually in very wet conditions) in preperation for the Championships, and helped Scotland achieve 3rd place overall. A total of 17 countries were in attendance, including invitational squads from New Zealand and Australia. Also representing Glasgow in Paris were Douglas Mannix and Pauly McGilveray who stepped up to play for Italy.
'And one for the refs', special mentions also go to Nicole Teo and Rachel Edwards who time and again showed the players exactly 5 metres.
Well done to all for their hard work and achievements and check out the gallery for some pics of the guys and girls in action.


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KwaZulu Natal DestinationsNewcastle, Battlefields
Deeply involved in the Anglo-Boer War, Newcastle today is the largest town in northern KwaZulu Natal and shares its name with a further 27 sister Newcastles worldwide. It is awash with history and some fairly original ways to spend ones time.
Newcastle was originally known as Post Halt Two - a stop on the journey from Port Natal-Durban and the then Transvaal. Whilst todays major road, the N3, between the two provinces no longer runs through Newcastle, the town is worth a visit for the battle sites just outside of town, which include Laings Nek, Majuba (which also offers braai and picnic facilities) and Schuinshoogte.
There are a number of monuments and memorials in Newcastle, including Hilldrop House, once the dwelling place of author Rider Haggard whose books included King Solomons Mines, She and Jess - said to be based on his time at Hilldrop House; and ONeils Cottage, used as a makeshift hospital during the war, including a number of grave sites.
Chelmsford Nature Reserve, with a wonderful variety of fishing, wild game and birding opportunities, as well as water sports on the dam, is just outside Newcastle. The Carnegie Art Gallery in town displays some wonderful examples of African Art, and you can arrange a tour through your choice of chemical rubber plant, pottery or textile factory with the Newcastle Publicity Association.
There is a Hindu Temple on Kirkland Street in Newcastle, with a beautifully shaped dome, and Snowys on the Newcastle / Volksrust Road sells wonderful home bakes and is renowned for its biltong.


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It's been a tough couple of weeks. In fact, this year has been crazy so far.
I've been *slightly* overloaded with work, and just when I thought I had more time on my hands to work on my photography, B and I were given notice on the flat we're in at the moment, and told by the landlady that she'd like to move back in.
This has thrown me off course more than I'd like to admit, as I've, yet again, completely underestimated how much time goes into moving: finding flats, booking and going to viewings, packing, sleepless nights worrying if we're going to find another place as nice as where we are now.
But it's also made me re-evaluate what I'd like our next flat to be: bigger, with more space, more rooms, more light, definitely a bigger kitchen, and hopefully some sort of outdoor space. I can only dream! I see this move as a new beginning, a fresh start, and I can't wait to see what we'll find.
And in the middle of all this, I can't believe I forced myself to carve out some time to bake yesterday. I had to. Baking keeps me sane. And I think this is the first time that I've baked something other than whoopie pies this year.
I've been craving friands for a while now and Bill Granger's friand recipe is one of my favourites. I've changed it slightly, using oats and raisins in the batter, then filling each one with whipped cream, and topping off with a generous spread of apricot glaze. Hits the spot, everytime.
Satisfaction guaranteed.
(A *massive* THANK YOU to Roslyn for sending me this friand tin!)
And of course, not forgetting last week's breakfast photos:
Oranges & Apples With Sesame Seeds, Flaked Almonds & Goji Berries
Waffles With Melted Butter & Honey
Cantaloupe, Avocado, Cashews & Parsley
Banana Bread With Maple Butter (made by Bruce)
A big thank you to everyone for all your lovely emails and suggestions regarding Turkey. We finally booked our trip, and we'll be going to Istanbul first, then Oludeniz, and hopefully a few other places in between.
p.s. I love that when you type 'Oludeniz' into google images, it fills your screen with blues and greens. Gorgeous - can't wait!
Oats & Raisin Friands (adapted from Bill Granger's recipe)
135g ground almonds
220g icing sugar
85g plain flour
8 egg whites
150g unsalted butter, melted
45g raisins
30g oats
350ml double cream
100g apricot jam
1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C. Butter and flour a 12-hole non-stick friand tin.
2. Mix the ground almonds, icing sugar and flour in a large bowl. Stir in the egg whites until just combined. Pour in the melted butter and gently fold under.
3. Pour the batter into the tin. Top with raisins and oats. Bake in the centre of the oven for 30 minutes or until golden. Place on a wire rack and allow to cool.
4. Whip the double cream until thick. Cut each friand in half, place a tablespoon of whipped cream on the bottom half and cover with the top half of the friand.
5. Place the apricot jam in a small ramekin, add 1-2 tablespoons of water and stir to form a glaze. Spread the glaze generously over the tops of the friands.