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After visiting the enticing Floating Markets of Damnoen Saduak in Ratchaburi, I jumped on one of the local buses passing me by on the roadside to head towards my next destination of Kanchanaburi – a small town about 150 km north and capital to its very own Province. The town is located on the borders where the Khwae Noi and Khwae Yai Rivers converge into the Mae Klong River – a crossing where the Bridge on the River Kwai can be found forming part of the infamous Burma Death Railway – a project that was built by Asian Prisoners of War under the occupation of the Japanese in 1942.As I'd started the day at 5am, I fell asleep on the bus within a matter of minutes. After what seemed a brief spell, I was then suddenly woken up by the ticket inspector shouting at me to get off the bus. I thought I'd arrived in Kanchanaburi, when in fact I'd gone back on myself and ended up in the middle of a bus depot in Ratchaburi – about an hour and a half back towards Bangkok. After wandering around the bus station, I finally managed to find the right bus and swiftly got back on my way in the right direction.
After another 2 and a half hours, I finally arrived in Kanchanaburi after watching the beautiful green countryside pass me by. I jumped straight into a tuk-tuk and headed into the centre of town, dropping my bags off at the quaint Sugar Cane Guesthouse which was home to a number of shacked bungalows serenely perched at the sides of the Khwae Yai River – or what's better known as the River Kwai.
As it was only around 3pm, I took a quick wander around the town, which didn't take too long as it was actually quite a small village. There were also very few people around which set the perfect scene for a much needed relaxing couple of days ahead of me.
Kanchanaburi is a town unfortunately tied to a dark and torrid history. In 1942, during the Burmese conflict of World War II, the Japanese seized control of a British Colony in Burma and initiated the construction of a railway network between Bangkok and Rangoon to support its forces. The railway ran roughly 415 miles to the West and was built using forced labour – around 180,000 were Asian labourers and 60,000 Allied Prisoners of War. The working conditions were horrific, with many of the labourers put to work in some of the most treacherous conditions on some of the most lethal terrains. The brutality, torture, starvation, sickness and death led to the Burma Railway come to be known as the Death Railway, for around half of the Asian Labourers and a quarter of the POW died during its construction. This meant that much of the surrounding area of Kanchanaburi was dedicated to those who died in its construction, with two huge cemeteries at its border – the War Cemetery in Kanchanaburi which contains 6,982 personnel and the Chungkai War Cemetery on the outskirts with a further 1,750 graves.
The Bridge on The River Kwai, also located in Kanchanaburi, was made famous mainly due to the 1957 film by David Lean which depicts the perils of the construction of the Burma Railway, and what you can see today is the steel bridge that was reconstructed after the Allied Bombing in 1944.
Most of my time spent in Kanchanaburi was in relaxation, reading and listening to music whilst tucking into a few Lassies – a tasty fruit milkshake that originated from Punjab, India. Otherwise, I had a chance to experience the not so relaxing Thai massage, which was a mix of euphoria when the masseurs went to work on my back, to excruciating pain when they started to pull the bones out of my sockets!
On another of the days, I headed out to the beautiful setting of the Erawan National Park in the nearby Tenasserim Hills. Its Thailand's twelfth National Park that covers an area of 550 square kilometres and is home to a stunning 7-tier waterfall – one of the most perfect examples of natural beauty in Thailand. The falls sit in a deciduous forest that covers about 80 % of the park with some stunning tree species that create a perfect sanctuary for all kinds of wildlife. There was an abundance of birds and lizards, with the beautiful turquoise pools home to spectacular colourful fish. As I was determined to get to see the majority of the falls on all seven levels and experience the tranquillity of the Park, I bolted my way to the top as quick as I could to try and avoid the tourists that were arriving in their droves behind me. At the top, a beautiful waterfall cascaded down a huge bright orange rock face into a crystal clear pool beneath it. I had managed to get to the top in about half an hour, about 20 minutes ahead of the next person, so I jumped straight in the pool to relax whilst listening to the falls and wildlife around me.
This is when I discovered that some of the fish in the pools were of the Garra-rufa species – the species now famous for Feet Pedicures all around the world. As I sat there relaxing, the fish then formed all around me taking shots at biting at the skin on my feet and back, with one mole on my back getting a particular mauling.
After about an hour at the top, I then headed back down towards the bottom, stopping by for a quick dip in the many falls en-route.
There were also heaps of Macaque Monkeys jumping round the trees, but many of them congregated around the tourists on Level 3, scampering around for any bits of food or ice cream. I just swam around the pools beside them, watching them play and lure their prey into giving up the tasty snacks.
After a delicious lunch of Cow Pat Gai (Chicken Fried Rice), I then headed to an Elephant sanctuary for a quick ride around the jungle. It was the first time I'd ever had an Elephant ride, and to be honest, if I had another chance again, I would probably turn it down! I was teamed up with a young mischievous elephant which added a bit of an edge to the whole experience, but the ride was just so uncomfortably bumpy. As the sitting position is poised high on the back of the Elephant, every time the Elephant took a step, you'd feel like you were constantly going over speed bumps as its leg joints would move up and down like a set of slow engine pistons. I had the chance to sit on the Elephants neck which didn't help the situation, its coarse hair scratching at my legs with every move. The Elephant kept on defying its keeper, running off in the opposite direction in search for some fresh greenery to eat, with me clambering on for dear life in protest!
In the evening, with the town quiet, I sat around the Sugar Cane bungalows with a couple of other guests who were staying there. One was an interesting Iranian guy who after a few beers started to talk about the political situation in his country. He became very animated in what he had to say, but what was interesting was how he confirmed proudly about how Iran was amidst a massive weapons expansive program to protect itself from the conflicts of the region – but, he was quick to advise that any nuclear activity was solely for industry and not for war. As we discussed the possibility of construction of nuclear weapons, he became much more aggressive in his manner, maybe as I probed him for the finer details. I let him be at around midnight, and slipped off to sleep listening the the Geckos that protected me from the mosquitos buzzing around the bungalow.
The next day before heading back to Bangkok to meet Matt (the guy I met off my flight from Kolkatta) and head to Koh Phangan, I hired a scooter to go for a quick whizz around the local area. The area was quite flat with miles and miles of farming leading off into the distance where the higher mountains sat.After checking out the Chungkai Cemetary, I headed onto the Khao Poon Caves next to Wat Tham Khao Poon. These are a fascinating set of underground caves carved out of limestone where monks used to take regular worship. The caves are constructed out of a labyrinth of beautiful stalactites and stalagmites, with nine chambers interconnected together.
Each were named based on their apparent features or functions – for instance, the Phra Buddha Saiyas Room is home to a huge Reclining Buddha, the Mai Dern Room represented a Walking Stick, the Soi Yoi Room a Weeping Fig Tree and the Jorrakae Room a Crocodile.
As I wandered through the caves, I realised I was the only person there. The place was eerily quiet. As I went further and further in, the caves got danker and colder, with echoes of wind coming from the distance. Drops of water could be heard in the distance, with the flutter of bat wings high above. I squeezed my way through some tight passages as I moved onwards through the maze, and I couldn't help but build up a pent up fear inside me. I was all alone. The cold air that passed through me unnerved me. The heavy silence almost deafened me. I just hoped that no one appeared out the corner of my eye. As I quickened my step, the fear built inside me like a ten year old child fleeing something petrifying. But I loved it. Fear is one of the greatest feelings that actually make you feel more alive. After venturing through a couple more chambers, I finally saw a tiny light shine through a gap in the distance, and after another five minute fast-paced walk, resurfaced.
Quickly jumping on my scooter whilst glimpsing over my shoulder to ensure I hadn't disturbed anyone's grave, I raced off into the farmlands around me. I managed to go round the back of the caves to find myself on the Death Railway again, the tracks splitting the hills in two around me. I headed down the tracks for about ten minutes before coming across a small village sat by the Kwai Noi River.As I wandered through the village, I could feel a sense that I wasn't the most welcome here. There were only a few people around, but I could feel their piercing eyes upon me. A toothless dog even came out to warn me off proceeding further, but was quickly called back by her owner. As I walked on, I then got myself into a spot of bother. Round the back of the village sat a huge mansion, similar to a plantation house, with expensive 4×4 cars parked up outside. With an increasing unease building up inside me, as I turned around to head back through the village to my scooter, my heart sank as I turned to see a dozen dogs behind me. They were a mix of all shapes and sizes but all had their teeth bared with saliva dribbling out their jaws and an evil growl in tow. I've always been told to hold my ground to dogs and show them who's boss, but twelve against one was completely outnumbered. I started to slowly walk backwards and out of nowhere, the smallest of the dogs charged at me, leading to a surge from the rest. In blind panic, I turned on my heels and ran as quick as I could, grappling my camera in the hope I wouldn't drop it. As I rounded the corner kicking the dust up behind me, I managed to find a couple of big branches to pick up to try and defend myself. But, as I took position for a pre-empted strike, the dogs didn't appear. They had stopped outside the mansion. It was like they were trained to defend vampires from any intruders whilst they slept. With adrenaline pumping in my veins and the two branches in my hand, I slowly crept past the pack whilst keeping eye contact with its leader. With no sudden movements from the hounds, I then darted off through the village as quick as I could.
Back at the scooter, I whizzed off down some country lanes en-route back to town. I managed to luckily stumble across some corn farmers who in complete contrast to the previous village, greeted me in with open arms and offered me some juice whilst we tried to chat. They also showed me how they worked the harvest briefly – mainly of how they stripped the crops for packing.After an hour or so, I then called it a day and headed back to the Sugar Cane on the scooter, dropping it off in time for sunset and a much needed beer after an eventful day.
Further Reading on Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi Info
Erawan Falls
Bridge on the River Kwai
The Burma-Death Railway
More Photography :
"The Thailand Collection" by Antematters


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Secure Email Service
With the increase in fraudulent activities and e-mail scams, Montgomery Bank has taken another step to ensure your information is secure by providing a secure email service.
Our secure email service has recently changed. A link will be available to our new service soon. In the meantime, to send a secure email to Montgomery Bank, please contact our customer service center at 1-800-455-2275 for assistance.
Caution: Email is not a secure method of communication. We ask that you NOT include confidential information including account numbers, passwords, social security numbers, etc., in the emails you send to us. To discuss confidential information, please stop by any Montgomery Bank location or call us at 1-800-455-2275 between 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Central Time. The bank assumes no responsibility for interception of confidential information you send in an unsecured (unencrypted) email message.
The security of your private information is very important to us. Montgomery Bank will never provide your confidential information to any source not affiliated with the bank. We will never ask you for your personal information through an email so be aware of the phishers who try to gain this information via email.

subset: commoncrawl


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New Ulm in Brown County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Doughboy Monument
In sacred memory of the soldiers, sailors, and marines who served their country in time of war. Erected in 1941 by Veterans of Foreign Wars U.S.A. Albert Nagel Post No 1648 and Auxiliary.
Erected 1941 by the Veterans of Foreign Wars U.S.A., Albert Nagel Post No. 1648 and Auxiliary.
Marker series. This marker is included in the Spirit of the American Doughboy - E. M. Viquesney marker series.
Location. 44° 19.961′ N, 94° 29.216′ W. Marker is in New Ulm, Minnesota, in Brown County. Marker can be reached from Cemetery Avenue 0.2 miles north of 20th North Street (U.S. 14), on the right when traveling north. Monument is in Veterans Section I at New Ulm City Cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: New Ulm MN 56073, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Pioneer Monument (approx. 0.2 miles away); Turnverein Founding Site (approx. 1.4 miles away); Leavenworth Rescue Expedition (approx. 1½ miles away); In Recognition of a Minnesota Coaching Record In Recognition of a Distinguished Career as a Player and Coach (approx. 1.6 miles away); Colonel Wilhelm Pfaender (approx. 1.6 miles away); New Ulm's Glockenspiel (approx. 1.6 miles away); Buenger Store (approx. 1.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in New Ulm.
Regarding Doughboy Monument. The original statue was destroyed by vandals in 1995. Copyright on the back of the statue: Copyrighted 1934 by E.M. Viquesney-Sculptor · Spencer - Indiana.
Also see . . .
1. Viquesney Doughboy Statue. The E.M. Viquesney Doughboy Database. (Submitted on September 19, 2013.)
2. Minnesota's Doughboy statue. The American legion. (Submitted on September 19, 2013.)
Categories. • War, World I •
More. Search the internet for Doughboy Monument.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. This page originally submitted on September 19, 2013, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 669 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. submitted on September 19, 2013, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.


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1300 287 766
Burson Auto Parts with supply a full range of LED lighting alternatives, including fog, night and daytime running lights.
The crystal white light of LED simulates daylight and provides a clearer night vision alternative, as well as improved reflectivity of road signs and markings.
Market leading brands such as Narva, Big Red and MaxiLite are all part of our offering to customers.


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We can't ignore one of the stranger rumors circulating in Europe right now. You have probably seen the Sauber three-cylinder MotoGP prototype engine, as well as photos of the prototype machine as it recently appeared to take demonstration laps at a GP race. Sauber will not be on the MotoGP grid next year. If the latest rumors are correct, however, it may be on the WSB grid with the Triumph marque on its gas tank. Who will manage this team? Why, Carl Fogarty, of course.
Sounds strange, doesn't it? Triumph says it can't afford to go racing — certainly not at the WSB level. Fogarty bleeds Ducati red. Sauber's engine was developed for MotoGP, not WSB.
Nevertheless, the Sauber is a triple, and Triumph is known for triples. Moreover, Triumph could campaign the machine without homologating a street-legal version before the season starts — just as Benelli has done with its triple.
If it is going to happen, there will have to be an announcement soon. Preparations for the 2002 WSB season are in full swing. By the way, Harris Performance, a British chassis specialist, designed the frame used by the prototype Sauber, and may play a role in the WSB machine's preparation.


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Pasadena Board Game Night
Eastsiders! Come play games without an hour-long drive to the ocean! (Westsiders who love being in their cars are welcome, too.)
We host a board games night periodically on Wednesdays; our goal is to hold them 2-3 times per month as availability allows. Current attendees have a huge selection of games (many hundreds), but feel free to bring your favorites along! I don't list them reliably on the SALA website, instead we maintain a separate mailing list that announces each event when it is planned. In addition to RSVPing here, email Evan if you'd like to be added to that list.
Games we've played lately include:
- Race for the Galaxy (and related games)
- Eclipse
- Machi Koro
- Alchemists
- Spyfall
- Burgle Bros
- Camel Up
- Terra Mystica
- Many many more...
December 16, 2015 at 7pm - 11:59pm
Evan and Roxane's Place
1040 N Wilson Ave
Pasadena, CA 91104
United States
Google map and directions
1040 N Wilson Ave
Pasadena, CA 91104
United States
Google map and directions
Evan Dorn · · 626-319-6932
Showing 6 reactions
Evan Dorn rsvped +2 2015-12-16 14:49:13 -0800
Amy Boyle rsvped +1 2015-12-16 12:42:01 -0800
Leila May rsvped 2015-12-16 11:44:31 -0800
David Beadle commented 2015-12-14 19:02:25 -0800Keep me in the loop. I already have plans this Wednesday, but 1 or 2 nights a month I would love to come and play games.
Mollie Knute commented 2015-12-14 18:20:53 -0800Awesome! I won't be able to come this night (need to rest up for a Star Wars movie marathon starting at 1am), but the interest is definitely there! Woo!
Terri Smith commented 2015-12-14 17:56:38 -0800Wish I could attend but I have plans for that evening (mostly studying for finals). I'm so glad we have an east-side option now! I will definitely try to make the next one!


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Mullen deserves medal for Senate testimony backing open military service by gays
Mike Mullen's 42 years in the military earned him a chest full of ribbons, but never did he do something braver than what he did on Capitol Hill on Tuesday.
In a packed committee room, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff looked hostile Republican senators in the eye and told them unwelcome news: He thinks gays should be allowed to serve openly in the armed forces he commands.
"Speaking for myself and myself only, it is my personal belief that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would be the right thing to do," the nation's top military officer told the members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. "No matter how I look at this issue, I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens. For me personally, it comes down to integrity -- theirs as individuals and ours as an institution."
People in the audience looked at one another. At the press tables, computer keys started clicking. Reporters consulted the time on their digital recorders.
If opponents prevail in their effort to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which bars gays from serving openly in the military, they will doubtless point to those strong words -- until now heresy for a top military officer -- as a turning point. Supporters of the policy evidently grasped that, too, for they turned against the admiral with caustic words.
On the dais, Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), the Republican Party's 2008 presidential standard-bearer, accused Mullen and the other witness, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, of trying to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" law "by fiat." Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) accused the admiral of obeying "directives" from President Obama. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) accused Mullen of "undue command influence."
As the challenges to his integrity continued, Mullen pursed his lips, then put his forearms on the table, displaying the admiral stripes on his sleeves. After Sessions's provocation, the Joint Chiefs chairman glared at the diminutive Alabamian. "This is not about command influence," Mullen said. "This is about leadership, and I take that very seriously."
It made little sense to accuse Mullen of currying favor with the president. Nominated for a first term by George W. Bush, Mullen was renominated by Obama and began his second two-year term in October. Joint Chiefs chairmen traditionally serve only two terms, so the lame-duck Mullen is freer than ever to speak his mind.
That made the admiral's words all the more striking. Just three years ago, Mullen's predecessor as chairman, Gen. Peter Pace, gave a very different view on gays in the military, saying, "We should not condone immoral acts." Challenging that view, held by many top brass, couldn't have been easy. "Admiral Mullen, I want to salute you for the courage of what you said," offered Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.), a former Navy secretary and a classmate of Mullen's at the U.S. Naval Academy.
McCain, who once said he would support repeal of the law if top military brass did, instead challenged the candor of Mullen and Gates before they spoke. He held up a letter from retired officers who favor the current law and said they "can speak more frankly" than those still serving. McCain then protested when the committee chairman, Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), announced that senators would have three minutes each to ask questions.
"We need more than three minutes," McCain growled. He turned to Sessions and gave a derisive laugh.
"This schedule was shared with everybody here," Levin pointed out.


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NEW YORK - Fox News Channel anchor Megyn Kelly says she's offended by a male colleague's suggestion that children of working mothers don't do as well as those of stay-at-home moms.
A study released this week showing that women are now the primary breadwinners in households with children ignited a sharp debate with two of Fox's most prominent women taking on male colleagues. In an electric segment on Kelly's show Friday, she criticized Fox contributor Erick Erickson for saying that in nature males are dominant.
She said to Erickson, "What makes you dominant and me submissive and who died and made you scientist-in-chief?"
Earlier, Fox's Greta Van Susteren wondered: "Have these men lost their minds?"
The study was done by the Washington, D.C.-based Pew Research Center.


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Welcome to Sublime Smiles!
Providing quality orthodontics for children, adolescents and adults. Our office uses clear and metal self-ligating braces, Invisalign® clear aligners, indirect bracket bonding techniques, impressionless digital model scanning and functional appliances in and around the Rockville and Gaithersburg/Kentlands Maryland areas.
Here at Sublime Smiles, Dr. Eduardo A. Avila and his team strive to provide the highest quality orthodontic care to patients of all ages in and around the Rockville and Gaithersburg, Maryland area.
The Sublime Smiles Experience
At Sublime Smiles, you're more than a number—you're part of our dental family! We know what a significant difference in health and self-esteem a beautiful smile can make, which is why we are dedicated to giving each of our patients the beautiful, straight smile they deserve. We recognize that every patient is different, so we will complete a thorough initial examination with same day records, digital models and x-rays, to properly diagnose your orthodontic situation, create a customized treatment plan and show you what the anticipated results will be!
We want the best results for our patients which is why we research and employ the latest technology available. Our technical advances provide multiple benefits for our patients, including more accurate diagnoses and faster, more comfortable treatment with fewer office visits.
Dr. Avila worked for the nation's leading provider of Invisalign for three years, and he has mastered completing orthodontic treatment using this cosmetic and least intrusive method. In fact, after a thorough consultation, Dr. Avila is able to prescribe Invisalign to most of his patients.
What sets us apart Invisalign is a series of clear, plastic aligners that straighten your teeth without the usual noticeable, bulky materials used with traditional braces. Using this clear technology, no one will know you're straightening your teeth and improving your smile unless you tell them!
Self-Ligating Bracket Systems
Self-ligating bracket systems use lighter wires and lower friction brackets, which results in fewer appointments, less discomfort and faster treatment. American Orthodontics Empower self-ligation metal brackets and GAC Ovation C clear brackets have improved on the Damon system, the first self-ligating bracket system, and Dr. Avila is proud to offer these exciting advances in orthodontics to all of his patients!
If you're looking for an orthodontic practice that stands apart—with a highly educated orthodontist and a competent, qualified staff that uses the latest materials and technology—Sublime Smiles is the orthodontic practice for you! Thank you for visiting our website. We appreciate your interest in our services.
At Sublime Smiles we're providing personalized orthodontic solutions for everyone!


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Carpe Diem
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Jesse Baldwin - Class of 1966
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Back to Photo Albums
US Army 1967
My hippie days 1970
On the job 1992
My dog Jack and I going for our daily ride!
part of my car collection
Trying to stay in shape at age 51 rollerblading with my nephew.
What a majestic and sacred land we live in.....and what a free and cherished `way` of life we have come to know. "God rules only in spite of people," wrote the philosopher Romano Guardini. Yet, hopefully the next generation of political leaders, will be worthy of the faith and trust placed in them.
With Doreen Groves, companion and long time friend of many years. 1977
A 21st century version of life on Walden Pond. Thoreau, were he still alive, would be very happy in the Great Northwest! Uploaded by Jesse Baldwin.
God at my doorstep
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Amazing Alex Level 1 for Week 4 (November 5) is called "Truck for Home". Place an inclined shelf to drive the lower RC truck onto the boxes. As it falls, it will run the other truck. Pop the balloon and position a slanted shelf to redirect the top truck leftward.
If you have a different strategy for completing this level feel free to leave a comment below.


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Gain important insights into a major industry research study just completed on Customer Experience. Plus, read what one top thought leader, Dina Vance, urges contact centers to do now to optimize CX in a business environment that's becoming increasingly complex.
Learn what to do if you audit customer calls and hear your reps sounding like they don't mean the words they say. It's subtle sometimes, yes, but can be very destructive to your contact center's bottom line in numerous ways. In this eye-opening read, Dina Vance, Senior Vice President for Ulysses Learning, tackles the topic head on with techniques to not only address damaging rep behavior but to remedy it as well.
Spring is a busy season for implementing new contact center training initiatives. After months of planning and preparation, the excitement (and expectations) for tangible post-training results are high. What can you do to ensure your team's hard work pays off? Read what Dina Vance, Senior Vice President for Ulysses Learning and respected industry expert on the topic, recommends to ensure your training initiative checks all the right boxes.
Most contact center leaders will be charged with implementing at least one new initiative this year. And, as with any new initiative, leaders will be called upon to navigate change. How a leader navigates change and helps others to do the same is the key differentiator between a successful (and not-so-successful) initiative. Here are eight smart strategies from a top expert on change management to ensure you and your new projects in 2019 get high marks from your people… and deliver impressive results.
Make 2019 the year your contact center really stands out at your company. Dina Vance, Senior Vice President from Ulysses Learning, shares a powerful combination of five strategies and tactics to hire and retain reps who connect to your mission and deliver on the promise of your customer experience. This quick-read article is packed with nuggets of useful wisdom gained through Dina's noteworthy career as a contact center executive and leading industry consultant.
At a recent meeting with contact center execs, Dina Vance, Senior Vice President from Ulysses Learning, was asked what to do if you have a center staffed with plenty of reps who truly enjoy working with customers, but they're just not delivering the type of customer experience the company needs. Dina's answer, as one director exclaimed "was a real eye opener" and is explored in this fascinating article
Read what Ulysses' colleague Wayne Turmel has to say about how to effectively lead remote contact center staff. Wayne knows quite a few things about remote leadership. He not only co-founded the Remote Leadership Institute with Kevin Eikenberry, but the duo just released a new book on the topic The Long-Distance Leader: Rules for Remarkable Remote Leadership.
Dina Vance, Senior Vice President, Managing Director North America, from Ulysses Learning describes another 30-Day Challenge to quickly improve contact center team performance and customer experience. Read more about how you can infuse new energy in your center, while leveraging the performance improvement programs you already have in place.
If you already have a customer service training program in place and are looking for a simple way to energize your representatives and get better training results,
read this fascinating article by Dina Vance, Senior Vice President, Managing Director North America, from Ulysses Learning.
Dina discusses a creative way to noticeably improve your contact center team's performance and customers' experience in only a month.
As customer expectations continue to evolve, you want to measure the right metrics in your contact center to ensure a best-in-class customer experience.
In this article you'll learn recommendations from one of the most trusted resources in the contact center metrics space – SQM Group. Ulysses Learning has had the good
fortune to work with SQM group for over 15 years. They are the leading research specialist firm for measuring, benchmarking, and improving customer and employee experience.
Read what Andrea Pow, Senior Vice President of Client Advocacy with SQM Group, has to say on this vital and significant topic.
Contact centers with reps who consistently apply good judgment enjoy above average customer satisfaction scores and many are considered to be best-in-class.
Find out which best practices can transform your contact center into a customer experience-focused
operation that gets high marks in this article by Dina Vance, Senior Vice President, Managing Director North America, from Ulysses Learning.
If your "to do" list is a long one, check out Dina Vance's thoughts on how you can accomplish all you've set out to do, while optimizing your contact center results.
She shares business insights gained from a recent trip to Hawaii, including a harrowing trek to the edge a 300,000-year-old crater!
Dina Vance addresses a topic that's keeping more and more contact center executives up at night as the number of virtual agents continues to rise in their centers.
Dina's response also features best practices from two Ulysses Learning clients—Jeff Schmidt and Courtney Kaylor.
Check out a top expert's recommendations for what contact center managers must do to extract the real value from employee satisfaction surveys,
including ways to engage reps further with survey results. Ulysses Learning's long-time colleague, Anne Slough, Vice President from LSA Global, weighs in on the topic.
Dina Vance is among the first to be featured in a special project sponsored by Corporate Learning Institute and Fulcrum Network. The project Road Warriors: The Making of Organizational Trainers and Consultants,
showcases advice from training and development industry experts to assist others in their professional development. The focus of Dina's article is on developing the skills and knowledge to build healthy client relationships.
Read part two of a two-part series on what top call centers are doing to create and support high-performance coaching cultures. Learn
from some of the best. Four Ulysses-Certified Master Coaches are featured, including Stephaine Huston.;
Denita Johnson, Crystal Halter-Spratt and Carol Troxell.
Hear what some of the most progressive contact centers in the U.S. are doing to create and support a culture where coaching is a mission-critical
priority, not only for rep development but for achieving business goals and objectives. Four Ulysses-Certified Master Coaches are featured, including
Stephaine Huston, Denita Johnson, Crystal Halter-Spratt, and Carol Troxell. This is part one of a two-part series.
Personality profile training has been around for decades, yet the application of this psychology-based practice continues to vex and perplex managers,
especially those leading contact center operations. Tap into the wisdom of the frontline in this thought-provoking read from Dina Vance. While Dina has been a senior executive in
the contact center industry for over 20 years, she remembers with great clarity her experience as a front-line contact center representative
Ronnell Lovings, Senior Market Business Support, Call Strategy Facilitator and Coach, offers best practices and tips for transforming
a technically-focused call center into one that delivers a memorable, world-class customer experience. As an esteemed client of Ulysses Learning, Ronnell, offers a unique
blend of perspectives with his extensive experience and proven track record in both learning and development, as well as business and call center customer service operations.
Ronnell holds a Six Sigma Black Belt certification and is a recipient of the University of North Florida Excellence in Employee Development award.
Carol Troxell, Business Analyst, Senior Care Division, helps Ulysses tackle a topic that (surprisingly) impacts many contact centers,
but is not typically discussed at executive roundtables – supervisor engagement. Carol has more than
30 years of experience in Customer Service and supervision and is a highly respected Master Coach. Her perspective is invaluable
Read what Vince Pepper, Director of Customer Operations Support at one of the nation's leading energy companies and longtime client of Ulysses Learning, has to say on how you can create even
greater prosperity and prominence for contact centers today.
With over 30 years in the customer service and contact center space, Vince has seen our industry grow from its humble beginnings into one of the most sophisticated, high-stakes, and must-have businesses of today. Always the pragmatic visionary, we think you'll enjoy reading Vince's insights.
……It's not enough, and dare I say, it can be downright dangerous to share your data with CSRs and tell them they have to hit a certain number (or numbers). I know this because for 16 years I worked with contact centers around the world to benchmark their performance internally, as well as externally, comparing their data to their peer groups. As you probably already know, ultimately, the goal of good benchmarking is to better understand the customer experience and what is needed to improve that experience going forward. What I learned is that getting and sharing the data is only part of the equation, how the data is understood and acted upon at the point of customer contact matters most. he short answer to this question is that you need to start sharing very specific communications (both in writing and verbally) with everyone on your team right away. At the minimum, your people must have a clear understanding of these key questions...
…The short answer to this question is that you need to start sharing very specific communications (both in writing and verbally) with everyone on your team right away. At the minimum, your people must have a clear understanding of these key questions...
……I think the challenge that we have, particularly with folks close to the contact center industry but not necessarily in the industry, is that there is some confusion between a multi-channel and omni-channel customer experience. As I mentioned, omni-channel is a newer concept. Oftentimes, people like to focus on what's new without having a true or deeper understanding of it. They may talk about an omni-channel experience but what they really have is a multi-channel experience. There is a distinct difference between offering customers access to multi-channels – whether it be phone, Email, some SMS texting, or other self-serve options – and offering them a truly seamless omni-channel customer service experience where all the various channels are tied together…
…If you really want to send the right message to agents, have them focus on the customer experience…and that's it. And have your managers focus on the customer experience, as well as all other measures that matter most in your contact center.
I'm not saying that other business measures or areas of focus should not matter to your reps. They should. It's just I have found that it can be very dangerous to have reps focus on measures other than the customer experience. Rarely does it work out well for the contact center. Having been a frontline manager, I can tell you it can cause numerous business disruptions, poor morale, and many, many, many sleepless nights…
Before beginning anything, I would exam to see if any trigger pops up as to why the morale began to decrease. Was there a layoff? Did a very well respected leader retire or change jobs? Is the company going through a merger or acquisition, or possibly a takeover? You mentioned that it is a contact center team – and, in which case, have they been burdened with excessive workloads for an extended period of time? If the time frame can be isolated, and then from there isolate a cause of the decline, the senior management team has place to begin…
With over 25 years' experience in running domestic and international contact center environments, average handle time is a misnomer as related to performance or contact center metrics. Organizations that focus on average handle time or even attempt to balance average handle time are missing the point of customer service and relationship management…
According to recent studies published by Gallup, only 30% of employees are actively engaged in their job and disengaged workers cost the United States between $450 billion to $550 billion each year in lost productivity. In addition, the disengaged workforce is more likely to negatively influence their co-workers, miss workdays, and drive customers away. Given this information, the question becomes what can be done to increase employee engagement and motivation?
Aristotle once said, "Anyone can become angry - that is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way; that is not easy." Substitute any emotion for the word "angry," and the same is true. Many have experienced how emotions can get in the way of making good decisions, but may not realize emotional intelligence is the key for individuals and organizations to keep a competitive advantage in order to rapidly respond to change and maintain a motivated and talented workforce.
As a leader and coach, you have the ability to make an amazing impact to draw out the talents of your representatives and other coaches that were previously hidden within each individual. The investment of your time, efforts, and expertise are critical to maintain energy within your organization. Over time, however, there's also opportunity and methods for you to evolve your own skills to continue the dynamic process of unceasingly delivering the best possible customer experience.
Henry Ford is quoted as saying, "Quality means doing it right when no one is looking." Applying this thought to customer contact centers means that quality is woven into the fabric of an organization's culture. This quote also suggests that quality is everyone's responsibility rather than nestled in the QA Department or QA Manager. The challenge is, how do we accomplish this?
Perhaps when you were younger, you knew you were in trouble when your parent said, "Don't use that tone of voice with me, mister!" In a contact center, voice tone conveys 80% of our message, especially when we don't have body language to augment our intention or meaning. As important as it is to pay attention to our words, it is how we say it that ultimately conveys our intended message.
Providing feedback is critical to successful communication and employee support for every call center manager. Our research and experience indicates that a balance of feedback, including a combination of monthly one-on-one's, immediate coaching after a call, quality reviews and silent monitoring encourages employees to grow in their job. There are several important characteristics for feedback to be effective.
We make judgments every day throughout the day when confronted with caller concerns, all of which impact our customer's experiences. To ensure First Call Resolution (FCR), using past experiences enables good judgment which is imperative for high quality customer conversations. To make good judgments (decisions) we need to understand WHY we make certain decisions.
Building competencies in an ever-changing customer-centric organization is a continuous challenge for training personnel, because demanding customers require a heightened level of decision-making from customer service associates.
As more organizations turn to customer experience as a competitive differentiator, contact centers must ensure that staff at all levels and functions are fully prepared to drive customer-centric goals.
If we don't explain why we're asking employees to make a change and then tell them how to make the change, it's likely our organization won't see the changes we seek.
When trying to see the forest from the trees, it's important to remember that the key to call center success is to "hire them right, train them right and manage them right," which is a mix of the strategic and tactical.
First call resolution (FCR) continues to be a leading metric to gauge the effectiveness of contact centers and how loyal your customers are to your organization. As you know, FCR is typically defined as the percentage of customer calls that are resolved on the first try.
It comes down to building a better workforce and empowering them to make better decisions through strategic training and coaching. In short, the key to improving customer experience at the contact center-level is the trifecta of better recruiting, training and managing.
Think back to your first job. If you're a Gen X or older like me, it's likely that hard work is simply a fact of life.
Today, savvy organizations realize that providing a better customer experience is what is going to set them apart and give them the competitive edge. In order to keep improving this customer experience, it has to be monitored, measured and coached, which is the basis for strong quality management.
The smart grid is one of the most prominent hot topics these days, so much so that the Smart Grid Summit EXPO East 2011 is sure to demonstrate some pretty ingenious developments for the coming year.
This is the first in a series of articles exploring key issues focusing on key issues facing contact centers in 2010.
A team approach helped change workflow and improve the customer experience! Read all about it here.
A panel discussion about how others are surviving - and thriving - in 2009. Today's economy has taken a toll on Contact Centers. This discussion with Contact Center directors from multiple industries highlights what to stay focused on.
What distinguishes good contact center managers from great ones? This article provides five ways to ensure success as a contact center leader.
Today's economic conditions are forcing organizations to reduce expenditures in a number of areas. Contact centers are no exception. How do you ensure your training budget is seen by executives as an essential investment in your contact center's success?
Call centers are expending a tremendous amount of time, effort and money on call recording and monitoring. But what is the best use of that information to create a better customer experience?
Joe Fleischer, editor of ICMI's Customer Management Insight interviews Ulysses Learning's President & CEO, Mark W. Brodsky about how companies can link training to call center agents' overall professional development to help ensure their top performance over the long-term.
How to ensure international call center success through best practices in hiring, training and management.
On-Demand Learning holds the promise of improving workforce performance and productivity. Done correctly, it can arm employees with powerful "just in time" skill and knowledge reinforcement. Mark W. Brodsky examines this emerging trend and identifies best practices for leveraging this learning methodology in the contact center environment.
On-Demand Learning holds the promise of improving workforce performance and productivity. Done correctly, it can arm employees with powerful "just in time" skill and knowledge reinforcement. Mark W. Brodsky examines this emerging trend and identifies best practices for leveraging this learning methodology in the contact center environment.
This is the second in a series of three articles focusing on the success of the contact center team at Harris, N.A., a Chicago-based financial services provider ($38.3 billion in assets and part of the BMO Financial Group with $282 billion in assets).The Harris contact center exceeded all its 2006 performance goals early in the fourth quarter using a well conceived and executed performance improvement plan built on a solid foundation of trust. Also in 2006, the Harris team received industry recognition when they were named the "2006 Center of Excellence" in which they were rated #1 against 17 other large, U.S. financial services companies.
I recently had an opportunity to interview Hilde Betts, SVP in charge of the Harris, N.A. contact center operation...and a longtime client of Ulysses Learning, a leading sales, service and coaching training company based outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. Harris, N.A. is a Chicago-based financial services group with $38.3 billion in assets (its parent company is BMO Financial Group with $282 billion in assets).
To date, little, if any original research has been conducted on the use of e-Learning to improve contact center performance...until now.


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No Dulling Featuring L'aviye
One thing about me that you may not know is that I love wearing black. And not because it makes you slimmer, but because for me when I wear black I can easily play with colors, whether it's makeup or adding a bold accessory, or even with shoes. Wearing black is basically like my canvas, because I get to decide what I want to create, or use it as a base to create my whole look.
With this being said, I styled up an all black look with a kente bomber from L'aviye.
L'aviye is an Ankara online store in the U.K. Their goal is to combine vibrant and bold traditional African fabrics with Western styles to create the 'African Meets Western' look. I love the fact that they have great styles for ALL sizes. Also, they are true to size, which is great for an online brand. The size of my bomber is a size 16, I would size it up to an 18 though for jackets. I normally size up with jackets anytime.
I love this bomber because it gives me a chance to rep my culture. Anytime I get a chance to rep my Ghanaian culture, I'll grab it.
Check out the site for yourself for other cute Ankara styles for the summer.
Photography: Caitee Smith, Instagram: Caitee Smith Photography


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Come on out for our inaugural Trails & Ales H3 series happening out of South Lake Brewing Company.
Come join up mid week for a healthy happy hour and meet some other locals, get some exercise, fresh air and toss back a pint or two of South Lake's brews.
We'll meet up at 6 PM rain or shine on Wednesday for a pint of some of Tahoe's newest and tastiest ales and head out the door at 6:30.
Simple Bliss Vegan Cafe will also be on-site at the tasting room selling their amazing vegan nachos and chili!
Participants receive $1.00 off all pints after the run.
This weeks trail will be a running/jogging/walking trail. All levels welcome. Total trail distance ranging from 4 to 6 miles with some elevation climbs and descents.
Stroller and dog friendly.
Stay tuned for more in the Trails & Ales H3 series happening out of SLBC. Running, biking, mountain biking and more is planned for the coming months.
Facebook event link here!


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Scripture & the Sanctity of Life: Bible Study
Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
Revelation 21:1-2, 5 New creation: "I am making everything new."
John 1:3 Jesus identified as Creator: "Through Him all things were made . . ."
2 Corinthians 5:17 "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation."
God as Creator is fundamental to the Christian faith. We worship Him (Isaiah 45:9; Romans 9:21; Psalm 95:6), and recognize His authority to rule and govern our lives based on His prior work of creation. Any attack on God as Creator is an attack on His authority and His worthiness to be worshipped.
Satan's Attempt to Usurp God's Authority as Creator
Jesus came to save, restore, and renew life. Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy. John 3:16-17; 8:44; 10:10
The most dramatic picture of Satan's declared war against the offspring: Revelation 12:1-17
"Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring - those who obey God's Commandments . . ."
Demonic worship in the Old Testament often involved child sacrifice. Jeremiah 19:4-5; Psalm 106:36-38 (See God's reaction in Ezekiel 16:20-22: "You slaughtered My children... ")
The births of both Moses and Jesus were accompanied by a massive slaughter of the innocents. Satan has generated widespread infanticide in an attempt to eradicate the people of God. Exodus 1:15-15; Matthew 2:13-18
"All who hate Me love death." Proverbs 8:36b
The Humanity of the Pre-born in the Old Testament
God had plans for us before we were born. Jeremiah 1:4-5; Isaiah 49:1, 5
David discusses the spiritual state he was in before he was born (his personhood began at conception). Psalm 51:5
Jacob and Esau were distinct individuals before birth. Genesis 25:22-28
Scripture gives identity to unborn human life. Psalm 139 - notice the spiritual relationship the psalmist has while in the womb "The psalmist surveys his life in four stages: Past, present, future, and before birth, and in all four refers to himself as 'I.' He who is writing as a full-grown man has the same personal identity as the fetus in his mother's womb." (John R.W. Stott)
Samson's mother is told to alter her diet while pregnant because Samson, the child in her womb is to be consecrated unto the Lord. Here we have a direct concern for the life of the preborn. Judges 13:2-5
These verses do not distinguish between "potential life" and "actual life" when referring to the pre-born. Genesis 16:11; Isaiah 46:3-4; Psalm 22:9-10 (Notice in Psalm 22:10. "From my mother's womb you have been my God.")
Old Testament Law and the Sanctity of Life
Human life is valuable. Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 8:4-5
There is a serious punishment for anyone who takes an innocent human life. Exodus 20:13; 21:12.
R.C. Sproul writes. "The punitive measures against murder underscore the gravity of the crime precisely because of the value of the victim. Life is regarded as so sacred that it must never be destroyed without just cause."
Homicide is "an implicit attempt to murder God." Genesis 9:5-6
R.C. Sproul comments, "This test is not a prophecy. It is not saying simply that those who live by the sword will die by the sword. Rather, the passage is a divine mandate for capital punishment in the case of murder. The significant point is that the moral basis for capital punishment in Genesis is the sanctity of life. The Biblical ethic is that because man is endowed with the image of God, his life is so sacred that any malicious destruction of it must be punished by execution. Note that this Scripture implies that an assault against human life is considered by God an assault against Himself. To murder a person is to attack one who is the image-bearer of God. Homicide is regarded by God as an implicit attempt to murder God." (Abortion: A Rational Look at an Emotional Issue, p 33.)
The pre-born are protected in Old Testament Law. Exodus 21:22-25
Permitting the murder of innocents pollutes the land. Numbers 35:33-34
Believers are charged with defending life. Proverbs 24:11-12
God hates those that shed innocent blood. Proverbs 6:16-17
Cursed is the man who accepts money to kill an innocent person. Deut. 27:25
One of the sins of Ammon that resulted in God's wrath was killing pre-born children. Amos 1:13
It is worse to kill the innocent in a protected place. 2 Sam. 4:11: "How much more - when wicked men have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed - should I not now demand his blood from your hand and rid the earth of you!" (John MacArthur comments in a sermon. "How can you tell me that isn't a description of an unborn child. A righteous person in his own house upon his bed . . . Sure it means a good man, but if it means a good man it certainly would imply a protected child.")
The Humanity of the Pre-born in the New Testament
Paul was set apart from his mother's womb. Galatians 1:15
Jesus is spoken of in the womb. Matthew 1:20-21 (Note: The incarnation is the most compelling Christian apologetic for the sanctity of unborn human life. To argue that life does not begin at conception must lead one to assume that the human Christ was at one point a "potentially human" Christ. Those who say that life does not begin at conception are in direct opposition to the Apostles' Creed and in almost certain agreement with an early heresy, "adoptionism." which claimed that Jesus became God at some later point in life. The early church refuted this, and affirmed in the Apostles' Creed that the eternal Son became incarnate in Mary's womb, choosing the phrase, "conveived by the Holy Ghost." That which was conceived by the Holy Ghost was not an "it," a "potential human," or a "blob of tissue." It was our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.)
John the Baptist is spoken in the womb. Luke 1:15-17 - Filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb. Luke 1:39-44. John's reaction to the pre-born Christ entering the room. (Note that Luke 1:36 tells us Elizabeth was six months along when Jesus was conceived in Mary's womb. Verse 56 tells us that Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months until Elizabeth gave birth to John the Baptist. This means that Mary was literally in the first weeks or even days of her pregnancy when she approached Elizabeth, was called the mother of the Lord, and carried the embryo Christ who elicited John's leap in the womb.)
The Greek word brephos (lit. "babe" or "baby") is used to describe the pre-born and the born. Born: Luke 2:12, 16; Acts 7:19; 1 Peter 2:2. Pre-born: Luke 1:41, 44.
The Value of Human Life in the New Testament
Human life is more valuable than animal life. Matthew 6:26; Matthew 10:29-31
God's work invests human life with value. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; John 3:16
Jesus cared for people who had a poor "quality of life" rating. Matthew 4:23-25; 8:1-3; 9:1-8
Jesus valued little children. Matthew 18:1-14
We should have a Biblical attitude toward poor children. James 1:27; 2:5-9
The first charge given to men and women was to be fruitful and multiply. Genesis 1:27-28
Children are a blessing. Psalms 113:7-9; 127:3; Deuteronomy 7:12-14
"Spiritual adoption" is a model for physical adoption. Ephesians 1:5; Romans 8:15;9:4-8; Galatians 4:4-5
Jesus loved children. Matthew 18:1-14; 19:13-15
The "Hard Cases" and Christian Decision-Making
One basis for Christian action is love. Matthew 22:36-40 (See also John 13:34-35, Romans 13:8-10, and Galatians 5:14.) Can a decision in favour of abortion, by Christian standards, ever be an act of love?
We are to care for and respect the disabled. Exodus 4:10-12; Leviticus 19:14; Isaiah 45:9-12
Regarding abortion in the case of rape: Children should not be put to death for the sins of their fathers. Deuteronomy 24:16
Incest and adultery in Christ's bloodline: God can redeem even the tragic events of sin. Genesis 38 (incest of Judah and Tamar); 2 Samuel 11 (adultery between David and Bathsheba)
Responding to "freedom of choice:" Christians should not use freedom to cover-up evil. 1 Peter 2:16
We do not have an "unqualified right" to our bodies. Ezekiel 18:4; 1 Corinthians 3:16-19; 1 Corinthians 6:18-20; 2 Corinthians 6:16-17.
"Do not follow the crowd in doing evil." Exodus 23:2
Daniel includes himself in confession, though he did not personally participate in the sin mentioned. Daniel 9:4-11
"Blood-guilt" is on a land that sheds innocent blood. Numbers 35:33; Leviticus 20:2,4,5; Deuteronomy 21:7-8
We have a responsibility to speak out. Ezekiel 33:8; Proverbs 31:8-9
We should respond to needs with ministry (not just prayer). Luke 10:25-37
Encouragement for Those Facing a Crisis Pregnancy
"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trail, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him." James 1:12
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." Genesis 50:20
Life Principles
|God created life, making man in His own image and likeness to rule over the rest of creation. (Genesis 1:26-28)
|God loves and cares for human life, including the pre-born, transferring His image to them. (Psalm 139)
|Jesus, in His incarnation, identified fully with humanity, sanctifying conception through His participation in it. (Hebrews 2:14)
|Man was made to live forever. Death is the result of, and the punishment for, sin, and was never offered by God as a solution to problems. (Genesis 2:15-17)
|Human life is precious to God. Its wanton destruction is forbidden by God and invites His wrath. (Genesis 9:5-6; Revelation 21:8)
|Child sacrifice is particularly abhorrent to God, combining the shedding of innocent blood and idolatry. (Psalm 106:37-38)
|Man is commanded by God to reflect His view of human life by protecting it from wanton destruction. (Proverbs 24:11-12)
|Man is obligated to use law to reflect God's love and justice, providing alternatives to the destruction of human life. (Jeremiah 22:1-3; Matthew 22:37-40)
|Children are a gift from God for blessing the family, the Church and the world. (Psalm 127 and Psalm 128)
|God is in control of the "hard cases," using them for our good and His glory. (Exodus 4:10-12; Isaiah 45:9-12; John 9:11-13)
For more information and resources contact:
PO Box 36129, Glosderry, 7702, South Africa
Tel: (+27 21) 689-4481 Fax: (+27 21) 685-5884


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- Armed and Dangerous
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Category Archives: RetroChallenge
FPGA-Elf actually running PIXIE graphics demo
My VHDL reimplementation of the CDP1861 PIXIE graphics chip is mostly working! This still image looks almost the same as the one from a few days ago: The difference is that now it's being generated by the 1802 program (seen … Continue reading
ELF-CMOD-A7 runs its first actual program
After removing one solder bridge, cutting one trace, adding one wire*, and changing a few lines in a Xilinx constraints file, My RetroChallenge Elf project has now let me successfully toggle in and run its first simple program, which is … Continue reading
RetroChallenge board almost working!
Not everything is installed, but the power supply, data hex LEDs, most of the switches, and the composite video output are working. The switch for data bit 3 doesn't work because I wired it to an analog input pin of … Continue reading
Elf hexadecimal data display working
I just hacked up more VHDL code to get the Elf hexadecimal displays working. I've only tested the data displays, but the address should work as well. This probably doesn't sound like much of an accomplishment, especially compared to my … Continue reading
Elf switches and video
I did test the switches wired to my RetroChallenge project solderless breadboard last night, and they work fine. Today I worked on the monochrome NTSC composite video output. First I got the video counters working, and generated a frame with … Continue reading
Posted in FPGA, General, RetroChallenge Leave a comment
Parts from Digi-Key arrived a day early
Thanks to Digi-Key and UPS, parts for my RetroChallenge project arrived a day early. I just got back from my client's product launch party, where I had entirely too much excellent food and drink, so I'm not actually taking advantage … Continue reading
RetroChallenge Half-TIme Report
Although I got the LTP-305HR dot-matrix LED multiplexing working, it doesn't look anywhere near as nice as the original HP 5082-7340 or TI TIL311 hexadecimal displays. I've decided to drop my original plan to use the LTP-305HR displays, and use … Continue reading
Full multiplexed display for RC2017/10
I've now got full multiplexed display operating on the breadboard prototype for my RC2017/10 project: I also shot a brief video showing chaning hexadecimal values. There are six 5×7 displays, physically all in one column to fit the breadboard, but … Continue reading
RC2017/10 finished wiring LED matrix
I finally finished wiring the LED displays on the breadboard prototype. What a mess! The LTP-305HR displays are still being driven basically statically, with only one column of LEDs (on both logical rows) being illuminated at a time, and only … Continue reading
More LED matrix prototyping
I've added a second breadboard to prototype with all six LTP-705HR displays, and the additional sink and source driver needed. The matrix is wired, but not all of the drivers are hooked up.


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Y CITY, Ark. - Flash flooding and tornadoes killed three people in Arkansas overnight in the nation's latest severe weather outbreak. Among the dead was a county sheriff who drowned while checking on residents whose house was eventually swamped by rising water.
More bad weather was poised to strike the nation's midsection Friday, with tornadoes and baseball-sized hail forecast from Oklahoma to Missouri.
But Thursday night and early Friday the danger was from torrential rain - 6 inches or more in the rugged terrain of western Arkansas. The Fourche La Fave River rose 24 feet in 24 hours and for a time closed U.S. 71 north of Y City.
"The water just comes off that hill like someone is pouring a bucket in there," said Danny Straessle, a spokesman for the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department. "This was an incredible amount of water."
Sheriff Cody Carpenter and wildlife officer Joel Campora traveled by boat up Mill Creek to reach two people who had called for assistance. While they were in the home, the river swamped it.
"Other deputies heard a loud crash," Hollenbeck said. "They thought that the bridge had actually collapsed. Looking into it further, the house had imploded as a directly result of rising waters from Mill Creek," said Bill Hollenbeck, the sheriff of neighboring Sebastian County.
Campora and the two women inside the home remained missing Friday afternoon, Hollenbeck said. Carpenter's body was recovered about 1 mile downstream from the home.
Separately, authorities discovered a woman dead in a car in Scott County. That death is also being attributed to the flooding. And a man died after strong winds toppled a tree onto his car in Voll, just west of Little Rock.
The agency's Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., said large hail and tornadoes are likely Friday in Oklahoma and parts of the Ozarks in Arkansas and Missouri. The areas at greatest risk include Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Joplin, Mo., where the second-deadliest American tornado on record killed at least 158 people in 2011.
Flooding is also a concern in parts of Missouri, Iowa and Illinois through Sunday.


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It's easy to fall behind in a communications world that's constantly
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1. You can't remember the last time you've done a communications audit.
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3. You're struggling to produce content that gets noticed online.
It's time to commit to better communications. Fortunately, you don't have
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With our knowledge and expertise, your organization will be prepared to
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Contact Rebecca Shaffer to learn more today.
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text: SAN FRANCISCO (MarkeWatch) - Technology stocks notched modest gains Wednesday morning as Juniper Networks and Molex posted solid gains following earnings reports. Juniper JNPR, -2.94% was up more than 6% while Molex molx was up 5.4%. The Nasdaq Composite Index $compq was up 0.2% while the Morgan Stanley High-Tech Index MSH, +0.00% rose 0.5% and the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index SOX, -0.54% made a fractional gain. Yahoo yhoo was down more than 2% following its fourth-quarter results, which included a weaker-than-expected forecast for the March period.


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Four Simple Steps To Ask Someone R U OK?
Be a good mate and check in
It's a simple question, but it can be a tough one to ask.
Today is R U OK Day – a national day of action held every year to remind people just how important it is to check in with your mates.
The suicide prevention day is in it's tenth year and while we're familiar with the concept, recent research has shown more than half of Australians admit they've wanted to ask someone if they're okay, but didn't.
So how do you do it? Here's some tips:
- Be relaxed, friendly and concerned in your approach.
- Help them open up by asking questions like "How are you going?" or "What's been happening?"
- Mention specific things that have made you concerned for them, like "You seem less chatty than usual. How are you going?"
- Take what they say seriously and don't interrupt or rush the conversation.
- Don't judge their experiences or reactions but acknowledge that things seem tough for them.
- If they need time to think, sit patiently with the silence.
- Encourage them to explain: "How are you feeling about that?" or "How long have you felt that way?"
- Show that you've listened by repeating back what you've heard (in your own words) and ask if you have understood them properly.
- Ask: "What have you done in the past to manage similar situations?"
- Ask: "How would you like me to support you?"
- Ask: "What's something you can do for yourself right now? Something that's enjoyable or relaxing?"
- You could say: "When I was going through a difficult time, I tried this... You might find it useful too."
- If they've been feeling really down for more than 2 weeks, encourage them to see a health professional. You could say, "It might be useful to link in with someone who can support you. I'm happy to assist you to find the right person to talk to."
- Be positive about the role of professionals in getting through tough times.
- Pop a reminder in your diary to call them in a couple of weeks. If they're really struggling, follow up with them sooner.
- You could say: "I've been thinking of you and wanted to know how you've been going since we last chatted."
- Ask if they've found a better way to manage the situation. If they haven't done anything, don't judge them. They might just need someone to listen to them for the moment.
- Stay in touch and be there for them. Genuine care and concern can make a real difference.
If you're worried someone may be suicidal: Contact Lifeline for crisis support. If life is in danger, call 000


text: This book provides a framework for understanding and managing factors required for achieving successful project and program outcomes. It presents guidelines to help readers develop an understanding of governance and its connection to strategy as the starting point for decisions on what work needs to be done. The book describes how to craft appropriate communication strategies to develop and maintain successful relationships with stakeholders. It highlights the strengths and weaknesses of existing project controls and outlines effective communication techniques for managing expectations and acquiring the support required for successful delivery.


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big house in the little woods
Thanks for sharing my blog, Kenny. ;) I hope we meet really soon!! xDReplyDelete
How sweet of you to add my blog to your list ;)
I'm not on the list!! *sobs*
..Just kidding! :) I know what you mean about un-following blogs..I've had to un-follow a few here and there, just because I only have the time for so much, ya know? I only read about 5 blogs constantly, just like you. :)
I love most of those blogs, too! Grace is such a dear, and Olivia at HF posts such interesting things!
Your blog looks loverly, Miss Kendra! <3
Blessings in Him,
I will have to do this on my blog! I read most of these blogs to they are great!ReplyDelete
Pleasant Post. This enter helped me in my university assignment. Thanks AlotReplyDelete
Very funny, anonymous . . .ReplyDelete
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Very funny, again. Wonder if you're the same person.ReplyDelete


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The Alliance laboratories recently detected a spike in the full spectrum weirdness continuum. This has proved to be a very reliable guide to alien activity in human form. The alien in question lurks under the name of Philip Atkinson. Reaching for Ockham's Hammer to crack open this nut, we must ask ourselves, can this be a human?
The wisest course would have been for President Bush to use his nuclear weapons to slaughter Iraqis until they complied with his demands, or until they were all dead.
President Bush can fail in his duty to himself, his country, and his God, by becoming "ex-president" Bush or he can become "President-for-Life" Bush: the conqueror of Iraq, who brings sense to the Congress and sanity to the Supreme Court.
For the Romans the use of genocide was not evil but essential for securing and protecting their property and lives, and therefore a good act.
This attack was a Barbarian Raid signalling the start of hostilities that will only cease when the citizens of Western Civilization have all been killed or enslaved.Now this may very well be alright in this creature's home dimension, but do we really want it here?
If President Bush copied Julius Caesar by ordering his army to empty Iraq of Arabs and repopulate the country with Americans, he would achieve immediate results: popularity with his military; enrichment of America by converting an Arabian Iraq into an American Iraq (therefore turning it from a liability to an asset); and boost American prestiege while terrifying American enemies.
He could then follow Caesar's example and use his newfound popularity with the military to wield military power to become the first permanent president of America, and end the civil chaos caused by the continually squabbling Congress and the out-of-control Supreme Court.
In this war Nuclear weapons compel an unwelcome choice upon the citizens of Western Civilization: genocide or suicide.
For example, following the threat by Iran (who is now (circa 2006) building nuclear weapons) to "wipe Israel off the map", should the Israelis wait and see if their cities disappear in a flash, or should they make the Iranian cities disappear first?


text: 28 Apr 2014 09:30 Etihad Airways today welcomed airberlin's decision to accelerate structural change within the airline to target sustainable profitability. airberlin announced a strategic review of its long-term business model as it reported its 2013 annual financial results. The predominant objective will be to restructure the airline and shape a robust business model that is fit for purpose in today's competitive market conditions. For this purpose airberlin will strengthen its management board with the appointment of a Chief Restructuring Officer. In support of this restructuring, Etihad Airways will subscribe to a €300 million eight per cent perpetual subordinated cumulative convertible guaranteed bond. This will form part of a recapitalisation which is intended to strengthen and assist in the reorganisation of airberlin's capital structure and secure the improved long-term prospects for the business and its stakeholders. Etihad Airways' stake in airberlin will remain unchanged at 29.21 per cent. airberlin will issue a further bond of a minimum of €150 million for general corporate financing purposes. James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, reaffirmed that Etihad Airways was a strategic minority investor in airberlin, and remained confident and committed for the long term. He said: "The airline is clearly in a very challenging position. However, we are confident the business is moving in the right direction, and can be turned around but it needs an accelerated and fundamental restructuring. airberlin has our full support in this process. "We're here for the long term - for the airline, the travelling public and the community. With the right strategic vision, and the right implementation, Etihad Airways believes airberlin can become a sustainably profitable business, securing the jobs of its 8,900 employees and the many thousands more workers it indirectly supports." Explaining the merits of Etihad Airways' equity investment strategy in Germany, Mr Hogan said: "This partnership has very clear benefits for Etihad Airways too. When we embarked on our partnership with airberlin in 2011 our access into the tightly restricted German market was limited. We operated just 25 flights per week to three destinations. "In one single transaction at that time, for less than the cost of a single wide-body aircraft, Etihad Airways gained access to more than 30 million passengers and a combined European network of 228 destinations across 84 countries. "Today the picture is very different and Germany is at the centre of our European network. Just two years on, the two airlines now operate 56 weekly flights and, in 2013, delivered more than 560,000 passengers onto each other's networks. This is an increase of 75.3 per cent on 2012, generating more than €200 million in new revenues. "The cumulative total of codeshare passengers since our partnership with airberlin began is now approaching one million, and Germany has overtaken the United Kingdom as Etihad Airways' largest outbound European market. airberlin is the biggest contributor of passengers to Etihad Airways' global network." Both airlines' passenger numbers are expected to grow further as Etihad Airways' equity alliance partners, such as Air Serbia and Etihad Regional, and airberlin's broad range of commercial partners extend codesharing to airberlin's route network. The benefits of this equity partnership extend beyond network access. Leveraging economies of scale and collective purchasing power, the cost synergies came through joint procurement initiatives in aircraft, engines, maintenance, catering and technology. The successful contribution came despite very challenging market conditions for airberlin, which reported operating losses for the year ended at 31 December 2013 of -€231.9 million. The German carrier was successful in reaching its €200 million cost reduction and revenue contribution target for the year, achieving key elements of its 'Turbine' turnaround program and reducing available seat kilometres, a key measure of capacity, by 5.1 per cent. Business and cost synergies achieved with Etihad Airways played an important part in these savings. However, airberlin reported an unusually sluggish outbound summer season due to the hot weather, followed by the traditionally difficult winter quarter. This was compounded by increased competition and on-going weakness in the European economies. お問い合わせ エティハド航空は国際的な航空会社として、徐々に世界にネットワークを広げています。 お近くのエティハド航空への連絡方法は、こちらをご覧ください。お問い合わせ先を見る ご意見・ご要望 ご意見・ご感想、激励、苦情、ご質問などがございましたら、こちらをクリックして、入力フォームからご送信ください。 いいね! フェイスブックで弊社のページをご覧ください! ご覧ください エティハドの YouTube チャンネルを見る Twitter(ツイッター) エティハド航空 | エティハドの特典 | エティハドヘルプ | エティハドのリワード


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Women on the Move: A Look at Migration, Women and Cities
By Lee Kanthoul
Around the world, cities are welcoming migrants and displaced populations like never before, with women and girls arriving in unprecedented numbers. Not only do they make up nearly half of all international migrants, but they are also more likely than men and boys to migrate internally, most often settling in urban areas.
As urbanization continues to expand, it is becoming increasingly apparent that men and women use cities in different ways, in terms of public transit, public spaces and housing, for example. It is also becoming evident that cities also impact migrant men and women differently.
Women and girls are coming to cities with hopes of creating new opportunities, finding greater independence, gaining more security, and forging new lives for themselves and their families.
Whether migrating voluntarily or forced to leave their homes, many migrant women and girls are finding the education, jobs, networks and communities they are looking for, enriching and improving their lives in the process.
They are taking control of their lives in a new and often very challenging environment, sometimes a world away from what they have been used to.
But too often, their hopes are not realized. In many countries, as women and girls migrate, they risk being subjected to violence, exploitation and abuse. In some cases, they fall into the hands of human traffickers, who often offer false promises of employment or assistance.
Upon reaching their urban destination, new challenges can arise. Precariousness, withholding of earnings, and physical and sexual abuse are common threats for women and girls, particularly in the informal economy.
Stories of their plight, like those of the "Kayayei" in Ghana, are not uncommon. Other women may find themselves in a more formal situation, such as in care work or manufacturing, but still disadvantaged, in large part due to discrimination and unfair labour practices.
Female migrant workers in China, for example, despite representing only one third of all internal migrants, are vastly over-represented in low-paying, labour-intensive factories, where they are exposed to rights violations and sexual harassment and abuse by employers.
These difficulties are not only being felt by migrant women performing low-skilled work. In many high-income countries, skilled and highly skilled migrant women from different parts of the world settle in cities with hopes of continuing their careers.
But a variety of barriers—including the non-recognition of their qualifications, rigorous certification programmes, employment limitations on their residence permits, and discrimination based on gender, nationality and ethnicity—combine to confine these women to low-skilled occupations, often resulting in loss of their professional skills, or de-skilling.
A report published by IOM highlights the widespread nature of this problem and documents how migrant women are facing such challenges in Switzerland, Canada and the United Kingdom.
Yet for all the challenges that they hold, cities can also offer empowering opportunities for the millions of women and girls who have adopted these cities as their home. By earning their own income, they can discover newfound economic and social independence. They can increase their access to formal education that is so often viewed as a luxury for rural children, especially for girls, but is increasingly considered a necessity for securing decent employment in urban areas.
Migrating to cities can also have positive impacts on the reproductive and sexual health of women and girls, which can in turn allow them to gain more control over their lives. To start with, many of them come to cities to escape traditional customs and practices, such as early and forced marriage.
What is more, pregnancy and childbearing at very early ages are not as desirable in cities as they might be in rural areas, where pressures for women to stay at home and raise children tend to be stronger. Delaying childbirth can allow girls and young women to focus on their own development while they are still young.
To assist migrant women and girls to realize their full potential, many cities are implementing innovative measures to address the challenges that they face. In Barcelona, the city provides workshops to help migrant women, who are often isolated, become more autonomous and self-confident, enabling them to participate more in city life.
In Copenhagen, a Danish non-governmental organization has developed a mentoring programme that partners migrant women with Danish women to combat the professional and social isolation that migrant women often face.
And in response to a lack of information and access to health services among migrant women in Bilbao, city officials are training migrant women as "agents of empowerment" to become community leaders and reach out to other migrant women from marginalized communities on issues such as sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence.
As the leading organization working in the field of migration, IOM must work with migrant women and the cities that house them in order to mitigate the risks and capitalize on the opportunities that they face.
We must ensure that they are agents of their own destiny, and that they determine when and how to migrate and what course to take upon arrival. This is what it means to be empowered, and as we celebrate International Women's Day, we must remember that the empowerment of women migrants, of all migrants, is what we are striving towards.


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Enriching Lives
23.03.2016 / Anti-poaching Camp upgrades!
In partnership with US based Tour Operator and Ultimate Safaris, the Conservation Travel Foundation was able to gather a further NAD 76 000 (USD 7000) for the upgrade the Anti-Rhino poaching camps in the heart of Damaraland. This will ensure the improvement of living conditions for the Rangers and allow them to spend longer periods of time out in the field.


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From an impressive formal reception and banquet for 120 people to a private room for an hour's brain storming session at lunchtime, we have the perfect function or meeting space for your requirements and the dedicated service team to go with it.
Meeting rooms for Business in the City of London: Set the tone for a productive meeting in the grand, yet convivial, surroundings of The City of London Club. Our venue offers a range of purpose-designed, flexible meeting spaces that can accommodate any event from small meetings in private function rooms, to business lunches in banqueting suites and conferences and AGMs in our city conference venue.
London Banqueting Suites and Private Function Rooms: The City of London Club is also an ideal venue for social events or private dining in the daytime or evening. It's double-winged, sweeping staircase and the lofty banqueting halls with sumptuous décor provide a dramatic backdrop for exciting and memorable events.
City Roof Terrace: Make sure you ask to see our beautiful roof terrace with the new, heated table umbrellas. The large (80sq m) open terrace is completely private, and is overlooked by the dramatic City skyline. It's hired as part of our Garden room, the perfect indoor-outdoor space for spring parties, summer barbecues and autumn events.
" I wanted to extend my thanks for your help with our New Year reception that took
place at the Club last month.
The team on the night conducted themselves very professionally and I have had lots
of positive feedback from our guests and staff alike.
Your help prior to the event with the menu and drinks choices and advice on furniture
all helped to create a bespoke event. "
Thanks again
Emma P
" May I thank you for all of your help and assistance during the past two days.
Every member of the Club staff that we encountered was without exception courteous,
extremely helpful and highly professional. An absolute credit to the Club.
Our overseas guests were not only impressed by the overall venue, but also the friendliness
of all the staff.
Without your support and organisation, our meetings may have gone completely the
other way. "
Stewart B
" I just wanted to say thank you to you and your colleagues for the excellent
service that we received yesterday evening.
The function went extremely well. We loved the food and drink, and the garden terrace.
Thanks again for all your help "
Katrina M
" My colleagues and I once again greatly enjoyed our lunch on Tuesday and very
much appreciate the excellent service from you and all the Club staff. Please would
you pass on our sincere thanks to all concerned. "
Philip B
" The evening went very well with your staff being very attentive and ensuring
everyone had a good evening. The guest of honour had a wonderful time. Other guests
commented what a lovely venue the Club is and were rather impressed with the terrace. "
Dawn B
" Thank you so much for lunch today- a great success and enjoyed / very much appreciated
by one and all.
Our compliments to the Chef and staff who looked after us so well and please convey
my thanks. "
Many thanks to you all.
Jeremy U
" I just wanted to drop you a note to sincerely thank you for your help with our party.
The event was a complete success and exactly what we wanted. Compliments also to
the Chef for fantastic food and well done to the service team who ensured everyone
was well fed and watered. "
Many thanks again
Francesca B


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Phone: (612) 632-3404
Fax: (612) 632-4404
Blog: DigitalPassing.com
James Lamm is a third-generation Minnesota estate planning and tax attorney and a principal in Gray Plant Mooty's Trust, Estate & Charitable Planning group. James Lamm focuses his practice on estate planning, tax planning, family business succession planning, probate and trust administration, and charitable giving. James Lamm works with executives, entrepreneurs, professional athletes, high-net-worth families, and family offices to achieve family goals, pass on family values, and plan for family businesses.
James Lamm is nationally-known for his speaking and writing on advanced estate planning and tax topics, and he has been interviewed and quoted by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Forbes magazine, The Hill, Intellectual Property Magazine, Kiplinger's Retirement Report, InvestmentNews, Morningstar, Twin Cities Business magazine, the Pew Research Center, The Associated Press, Reuters, the StarTribune, The Seattle Times, The Washington Post, MSNBC, KSTP television, KMSP television, National Public Radio, and more. James Lamm is a Fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), and he's an Adjunct Associate Professor (2012 to 2015) teaching an Estate Planning and Drafting seminar at the University of Minnesota Law School.
James Lamm plans and prepares foundational estate planning documents for families including wills, revocable trusts (living trusts), financial powers of attorney, health care directives (living wills), and beneficiary designations for life insurance and retirement plans. James Lamm also works with families and family business owners to plan and implement trusts for children or grandchildren, irrevocable life insurance trusts (ILITs), spousal lifetime access trusts (SLATs), grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs), qualified personal residence trusts (QPRTs), intentionally defective grantor trusts (IDGTs), dynasty trusts, installment sales, split-dollar life insurance agreements, private foundations, charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, prenuptial agreements, family limited partnerships and limited liability companies, and buy-sell agreements.
James Lamm also works with families, family offices, and other professionals to help them through the probate and estate settlement process, to administer trusts, prepare tax returns, and resolve trust, estate, and tax disputes.
James Lamm blends a strong background in math, technology, and computers with his estate planning practice. James Lamm is a national thought leader in the area of estate planning for passwords and digital property, including electronic data, online accounts, intellectual property rights, and Internet domain names. James Lamm authors the Digital Passing blog, and he was the founding Chair of ACTEC's Digital Property Task Force. James Lamm also coauthored the proposal for and actively participated in the drafting of the Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act.
Prior to joining the Trust, Estate & Charitable Planning practice group of Gray Plant Mooty, James Lamm was an attorney in the Trusts & Estates Department of Rider, Bennett, Egan & Arundel, LLP, for ten years.
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¹AV®, BV®, AV Preeminent® and BV Distinguished® are registered certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ fall into two categories—legal ability and general ethical standards.


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Miami-Dade County
Teen shot by Miami Beach police Taser died of accidental cardiac arrest
A young graffiti artist shot by a Miami Beach police Taser stun gun died of heart failure from the "energy device discharge," authorities said Thursday.
But the six-month-long medical examination concluded that the "sudden cardiac death" of Israel "Reefa" Hernandez-Llach, 18, was accidental.
The Miami-Dade medical examiner's office informed prosecutors of the findings on Thursday, State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said.
Hernandez-Llach's death drew international headlines, sparked rallies accusing Miami Beach police of heavy-handed tactics and reignited debate over law enforcement's use of stun guns.
Israel Hernandez, the father of the teen, said Thursday night that the ruling was not a surprise.
"We've been saying it for seven months. It's nothing new," said the elder Hernandez, who has called for police to stop using Tasers. "My son didn't deserve the death penalty."
The autopsy report by associate medical examiner Dr. Mark Shuman has yet to be finalized and turned over to police and the state attorney's office. Miami-Dade prosecutors must now conclude whether police broke any laws.
"We're all parents, and our hearts go out to his family and all of his friends," Fernandez Rundle said. "We understand everyone is waiting for our final conclusion, and we will do it as quickly as humanly possible, without compromising, of course."
On Aug. 6, a Miami Beach police officer caught Hernandez-Llach spray-painting a shuttered McDonald's on North Beach. After a foot chase, Officer Jorge Mercado shot the local street artist with his department-issued Taser. The teen later died at Mount Sinai Medical Center.
Miami Beach police have insisted that Mercado, who saw the teen rushing toward him, acted according to department policy in dealing with someone who was resisting arrest.
Hernandez-Llach's relatives have filed legal notice that they intend to sue the Miami Beach Police Department on a claim of excessive force.
Todd McPharlin, the family's lawyer, said the medical report supported their criticism of police.
"Our reaction is that these officers used what turned out to be deadly force for what everybody understands was a minor property offense," he said.
The medical examiner's finding was unusual because a Taser, commonly used by police, has never been cited in an official cause of a death report in Florida.
Most local Taser-related deaths have been ruled as cases of "excited delirium," a rare brain malfunction — often fueled by cocaine or mental illness — that researchers say morphs victims into raging, violent, feverish attackers who often encounter police while in public spaces.
Not all excited delirium deaths involved Tasers. But critics contend that authorities use excited delirium to explain away deaths caused by over-aggressive police tactics.
In Hernandez-Llach's case, medical investigators — who conducted a battery of toxicology exams and tests at the University of Miami's Brain Bank — explored the possibility of excited delirium.
Hernandez-Llach's body temperature was well over 102 degrees more than an hour after he was pronounced dead, which can be a sign of delirium, according to law enforcement sources. But the teen did not appear enraged during his encounter with cops — and his toxicology did not detect any known drugs other than marijuana.
Nationally, it is rare for medical examiners to list a stun gun as contributing to a death. Miami-Dade's medical examiner did not cite the Taser brand, listing it only as a "conducted electronic device discharge."
Arizona-based Taser International has been aggressive in suing medical examiners that do cite the brand. In Ohio, the company in 2008 persuaded a judge to remove the stun gun as a cause of death in three cases. The company maintains that the device provides a valuable, less-than-lethal option for restraining suspects.
However, in 2009 the company suggested officers try to avoid shooting suspects in the chest, as was done in Hernandez-Llach's case, because of the risk of cardiac arrest in some people. In 2012, in a small study published in an American Heart Association publication, a cardiologist found that the weapon can cause heart failure in some healthy people.
A spokesman for Taser International, Steve Tuttle, had this to say on Thursday:
"TASER International is always concerned when a death tragically occurs in custody and mourns the loss of a life. We do not comment, however, on an unfortunate death without having been provided any factual documentation by the medical examiner or the opportunity to review the autopsy report."
The scrutiny on the weapon is bound to increase in South Florida. Three times since Feb. 5, Miami-Dade men zapped by police Tasers have died.
The first instance took place in Liberty City on Feb. 5. Willie Sams, 21, got into an altercation with Miami-Dade police who fired a Taser at him as he tried to flee. Sams was pronounced dead a few hours later at North Shore Medical Center. His mother said he was in town visiting his grandmother and father.
Two men died on Feb. 27.
When Miami-Dade police arrived at a South Miami-Dade home they found an agitated Maykel Antonio Barrera, 37, who tried to slam the door on them. They held it open, and Barrera somehow ran out, police said.
They chased him and shot him with a Taser. He, too, died a few hours later at an area hospital.
That same day, Hialeah police said, they were called to a home because Treon Johnson, 27, was beating a dog. They found him tossing coconuts at a dog from the roof of a home, and zapped him with a Taser to subdue him. He was pronounced dead a few hours later.
Last September, there was another high-profile Taser death. Norman Oosterbroek, a 280-pound former bodyguard for Lady Gaga, died after Pinecrest police used a Taser on him as he gobbled drugs.


text: Double Hoo award for Jennifer Goertz and Ioana Marin! Double Hoo award to study the contribution of the gut microbiome to depression in Multiple Sclerosis patients. Newer:Ioana and Jennifer paper on depression and microbiome is now onlineOlder:Congratulation to Sabbie for getting the Minerva & the Harrison Undergraduate Research Awards! PostedApril 5, 2016 AuthorAlban Gaultier