text:
Determined to lay a solid foundation for his successor, Duane Otremba added a recent college graduate to his one-man marketing team in January 2013 to handle St. Cloud Federal Credit Union's new social media channels.
"Then she turned in her resignation in November," said Otremba, who plans to retire in May 2015.
Meanwhile, Marnie Perfetti Galston knew after setting up Mid-Minnesota Federal Credit Union's Facebook page that her two-person crew would be overwhelmed by a full-on social media strategy.
"I didn't want to do it halfway," she says. "If I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it right. It's a full-time job."
Fortunately, credit unions caught in these conundrums now have an alternative to handling social media duties in-house. The Minnesota Credit Union Network recently created a partnership with DAYTA Marketing, a fast-growing startup based in St. Cloud that handles day-to-day social media responsibilities for resource-strapped credit unions in that state and elsewhere.
DAYTA Marketing maintains or has set up all of the accounts for St. Cloud Federal and Mid-Minnesota Federal, including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google+, and YouTube, and also coordinates their blogs.
Otremba estimates the cost at one-fifth of a full-time employee, while Perfetti equates their bill to the tab for a large billboard.
"They do a fantastic job," Otremba says. "They're a great company to work with. The enthusiasm they bring to the job is important, because enthusiasm sells."SIDEBAR:
Social media has become a standard tool in most credit unions' arsenal in recent years, but many organizations struggle to consistently execute a cohesive, integrated strategy.
That's a problem for many industries, says Luke Riordan, who founded DAYTA Marketing in 2011 after implementing a transformative social media strategy for an medical clinic while still in college at Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minn.
Too often, organizations treat social media launches like a New Year's resolution and quickly run out of steam, according to Riordan.
"It takes time, diligence, and consistency to implement a social media strategy," says Riordan, who now employs 20 full-time staff and 12 interns to serve DAYTA Marketing's 140 corporate accounts. "One of the things DAYTA marketing has to offer is a team of social media experts in our offices. That's all we do. We're a social media marketing company filled with social media experts. We stay on top of things because it changes so fast."
Some might blanch at the idea of outsourcing social media, because experts regard expressing an authentic, unique voice as a standard principle for success.
But Otremba and Perfetti underscore they remain engaged in the process, feeding their content ideas to a point person at DAYTA Marketing who handles most of the posting responsibilities for their respective credit unions. They communicate primarily via phone and email, meeting occasionally to discuss larger topics or initiatives.
"We're constantly talking, and every morning, the first thing I do is monitor what's been posted," Perfetti says. "It's no different than checking that the newspaper ad read right."
But DAYTA Marketing also supplies the credit unions content—primarily educational material—and introduces strategies that have proven successful for their clients in other industries.
"That's maybe the strongest benefit of having an outside firm doing this," Otremba says. "It's easy to get blinders on; you're just seeing your business and you get indoctrinated into your industry.
"We constantly have to think about how people see us. They're not seeing us the way we see ourselves. It's a real challenge."
As for compliance concerns, Riordan says DAYTA Marketing knows and monitors NCUA and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau regulations and proposals. His uncle and business partner, John Riordan, notes that a robust social media presence can be beneficial from a regulatory perspective, as the backbone of a crisis management plan.
DAYTA Marketing promises its clients will experience significant audience and engagement growth if they adhere to its blueprint. Mid-Minnesota Federal's Facebook following increased eightfold to more than 1,600 in six months, and its Minnesota Vikings tickets giveaway post on Facebook produced more than 32,000 views and 600 shares.
"When I start seeing numbers like that, it's cool," Perfetti says.


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What Are The Seven Gifts Of Druidry?
Today our biggest problem is that we have separated ourselves from Nature - so much that there is a risk we may not survive as a species. We need philosophies, spiritualities, ideas, that can help us get back in touch with Nature again - our spirituality must become ecological. Prince Philip, in a speech to a Washington conference on religion and ecology controversially pointed to the direction in which we should look, when he said: "It is now apparent that the ecological pragmatism of the so-called pagan religions...was a great deal more realistic in terms of conservation ethics than the more intellectual monotheistic philosophies of the revealed religions."
It now seems that the Old Ways, reinterpreted for our times, can offer us the kind of spirituality that we need to heal the separation that has occurred between ourselves and our environment. Druidry is one such Way, and although at first sight it might appear to be just an old curiosity, a quaint memory from the distant past, if we take the time to look at it more closely, we will discover a treasure-chest just waiting to be opened. And in this chest we can find at least seven gifts that Druidry brings to our modern world:
The first gift is a Philosophy: which emphasizes the sacredness of all life, and our part in the great web of creation. It cares passionately about the preservation and protection of the environment, and offers a worldview, which is ecological, geocentric, pragmatic, idealistic, spiritual and romantic. It does not separate Spirit and Matter - it offers a sensuous spirituality that celebrates physical life.
The second gift puts us back in touch with Nature: with a set of practices that help us feel at one again with Nature, our ancestors, our own bodies, and our sense of Spirit, by working with plants, trees, animals, stones, and ancestral stories. Eight seasonal celebrations help us attune to the natural cycle, and help us to structure our lives through the year, and to develop a sense of community with all living beings.
The third gift brings Healing: with practices that promote healing and rejuvenation, using spiritual and physical methods in a holistic way to promote health and longevity.
The fourth gift affirms our life as a Journey: with rites of passage: for the blessing and naming of children, for marriage, for death, and for other times of initiation, when it is helpful to ritually and symbolically mark our passage from one state to another.
The fifth gift opens us to other Realities: with techniques for exploring other states of consciousness, other realities, the Otherworld. Some of these are also used by other spiritual traditions, and include meditation, visualization, shamanic journeying, and the use of ceremony, music, chanting and sweathouses, but they are all grounded in specifically Celtic and Druidic imagery and tradition.
The sixth gift develops our Potential: Druidry as it is practiced today offers a path of self-development that encourages our creative potential, our psychic and intuitive abilities, and fosters our intellectual and spiritual growth.
The seventh gift of Druidry is the gift of Magic: it teaches the art of how we can open to the magic of being alive, the art of how we can bring ideas into manifestation, and the art of journeying in quest of wisdom, healing and inspiration.

subset: commoncrawl


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Coalition readies $30b plan for 100 dams: report
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is reportedly considering building as many as 100 dams across the country as part of a plan to prevent floods, fuel power stations and irrigate food bowls.
News Limited on Thursday reported that the leaked draft policy discussion paper included a $500 million plan to raise Warragamba Dam, which now provides about 80 per cent of Sydney's water.
A 1995 environmental impact study on Warragamba recommended raising the dam's height by 23 metres to reduce the threat of flooding in the Nepean-Hawkesbury River region. A repeat of the record 1867 flood would inundate about 7,800 homes and force the evacuation of tens of thousands of people, the report said at the time.
The total cost of the coalition's water management plan, if all projects were approved, would be $30 billion. They include new dams for the Hunter Valley and along the Lachlan River in NSW, News reported.
Another of the proposals is to pipe water 1500 kilometres from the Kimberley to Perth.
In a foreword to the document, shadow finance minister Andrew Robb reportedly wrote: ''A coalition government will not support the construction of dams for the simple sake of building dams, however, it will back projects that bring demonstrable community benefits.
''Many opportunities to pursue projects that would enhance water security, help to mitigate floods, provide hydro power, and perhaps most importantly to grow our economic prosperity while being sensitive to the environment, have been missed.''
No specific plan
The federal coalition, meanwhile, has sought to distance itself from the leaked report, saying it has no specific plan yet to build 100 dams across Australia.
But the idea does show a long-term vision for alternative government, its environment spokesman Greg Hunt says.
The idea, outlined in a leaked draft policy discussion paper, would cost around $30 billion if the projects were approved and implemented.
Most however would be constructed in northern Australia, and would be used to irrigate dry zones and more than double Australia's food production.
Mr Hunt says the coalition has no direct proposal for the dams, but forward thinking is necessary for anyone wanting to run government.
''You can't just make it up as you go along,'' he told ABC Radio on Thursday.
The coalition was ''unashamed'' about having plans to tackle floods and build Australia into one of the world's great food bowls.
''What we have set out is a vision for northern Australia, and linked to that is a vision for new dams,'' he said.
''We are proud of establishing a vision, but these are draft papers.''
A coalition taskforce will update its ideas and formally release them as the year progresses, he said.


text:
Join County Executive Ed Long at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 27 as he answers questions about the state of the county, the budget and other topics.
Edward Long
Good morning! I want to welcome you to our online chat session. I look forward to your questions and ideas. Let's get started.
Anonymous User
What is Sequestration and how is it going to impact the county? I've been hearing a lot about it on the news.
Edward Long
Sequestration is the automatic across-the-board reduction to federal government spending of $1.2 trillion over the next 10 years. Sequestration will begin on January 1, 2013, if Congress fails to enact its own plan to reduce the federal deficit. In FY 2013, the sequester would reduce spending by approximately $109 billion, to be split evenly between defense and non-defense discretionary spending including Medicare.
Fortunately, other programs that provide a safety net to our poorest residents would not be cut such as Social Security, Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and the Children's Health Insurance Program. Even so, a federal Office of Management and Budget report states that the cuts would be "deeply destructive" to national security and core government functions.
It is unclear at this time what this potential reduction in spending growth would mean for specific programs of interest to Fairfax County. No detailed impact analysis has been done because there are still too many unknowns at this time. There is a potential impact on our local tax base from the impact of sequestration on county businesses. Our county revenues and programs could also be affected by state reductions made as a result of sequestration.
Fairfax County's continued strong fiscal management and low overall debt burden bring stability during these uncertain national economic times. The County has a strong history of taking decisive actions to meet financial obligations. We have set aside a reserve in the current year's budget to help us deal with sequestration, and we will continue to stay informed about this and other issues that could possibly impact the County's revenues and programs.
Thom in Annandale
Mr. Long: No organization is perfect nor do I expect perfection. In your time as county executive, what are the two or three things that you've discovered need the most improvement within the government and how do you plan to fix them?
Edward Long
I'm very pleased to be serving as Fairfax County Executive and leading Team Fairfax. Fairfax County staff and programs are outstanding, however, there is always room for improvement in these changing economic times. Two of the early items I have focused on include: 1. The changing financial situation. Beginning with the carryover review, we have implemented a multi-year budget process to consider the long-term impact of short-term budget actions. When I present my budget in February of 2013 we will be presenting information for fiscal years 2014 and 2015. 2. Succession planning. Staff is currently working on a model to help better prepare our workforce to be competitive for future leadership opportunities as we begin to feel the impact of the baby boom retirements. I anticipate that our new model will be presented later this fall.
Peter Gibbons
Executive Long,
Have you ever thought for Halloween you could go as one of the "Bobs" from Office Space?
Just a free suggestion.
Edward Long
Selecting a Halloween costume is always a challenge for me. Thanks for your suggestion, I'll take it under consideration.
Anonymous User
At this time next year, do you see the county in a lot of trouble financially? What should we do to prepare?
Edward Long
Over 60% of the county's revenue comes from residential and commercial real estate and we are very concerned about the impact of sequestration and the overall economic stagnation on our community. Until the federal government takes action sometime next year, much uncertainty remains. Once action is taken by the federal government, I feel confident that our economic situation will stabilize and our business community will continue its strong performance and we will see the stable growth that this county has always experienced.
Anonymous User
I live near Tysons Corner and know that it is being transformed over the next few years, but I want to know when everything is going to be done and what exactly is changing.
Edward Long
Tysons Corner will be transformed into a walkable, green urban center based on an updated land use plan and zoning ordinance approved in June 2010 by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. The plan envisions Tysons as home to up to 100,000 residents and 200,000 jobs by the year 2050. It will become a 24-hour urban center where people live, work and play — instead of a sprawling suburban office park.
Because the plan was designed to take advantage of the four new Metro stations coming to Tysons in 2013, 75 percent of future growth will be within a half mile of these stations. Many offices and homes will be a three to six minute walk from the stations, allowing people to get around on foot, bicycle, bus or Metro. The plan is built on transit-oriented development principles; by building homes, stores and offices near transit, car trips can be dramatically reduced. The plan also encourages green building, affordable housing and open space.
A number of zoning and land use and development applications have been submitted for projects in Tysons. This week, the Board approved the Capital One expansion rezoning. Capital One is one of the first major landowners to be granted zoning approval under the amended plan for Tysons and it represents significant progress in the development of Tysons Corner.
The Capital One expansion project includes over $63 million in transportation improvements, a pedestrian-oriented design, and park spaces. When completed, the project will frame the existing Capital One 14-story headquarters building with a mix of high-rise office, residential, and hotel buildings within easy walking distance of one of the new Metro stations.
As a long-time county employee and resident, I am excited to see this transformation of the county's downtown area.
Current information about the Tysons transformation is available online: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/tysons/
Anonymous User
With all the discussion nationwide about public pensions has the county considered changing our system so that there is a ceiling to what you can earn in retirement, a cap, say $80,000 and then index that number to inflation or the CPI or wage index. It seems like a simply solution that will maintain our pension system but keep costs down, a win-win.
Fairfax County recently contracted with AON Hewitt and the PRM Consulting Group for a comprehensive review of our three retirement systems: the Employees' Retirement System (ERS), the Police Officers Retirement System (PORS) and the Uniformed Retirement System (URS). The study findings concluded that, given the important role of total compensation in attracting and retaining talent in a competitive labor market, the basic structure of the County's systems continues to make sense. The study did, however, recommend changes for newly-hired employees, all of which were adopted by the Board of Supervisors on September 11, 2012. Specifically:
• The minimum retirement age for members of ERS was raised from 50 to 55.
• The total of age plus eligibility service required for normal retirement was raised from 80 to 85 for members of ERS.
• For members of all three systems, the use of unused sick leave for determining retirement eligibility and annuity calculations was capped at 2,080 hours.
• The pre-Social Security supplement was eliminated from Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) accounts for members of ERS and URS.
Annual savings from these changes are projected to steadily increase from $602,000 in FY 2015 to $11,538,000 in FY 2027. Beyond FY 2027, the savings will continue to grow.
Anonymous User
Have you been attending the transportation meetings? How have they been going? Do you think we can bridge the shortfall?
Edward Long
I have attended all the transportation meetings where this process has been discussed with the Board of Supervisors. While road construction and maintenance remain a state responsibility, the board and the community are frustrated by the lack of state funding to meet these transportation obligations. We're looking forward to sharing this information with the public to get their feedback, both at the meetings and through the online survey, to determine how to best proceed with this critical issue for Fairfax County. I encourage you to take the survey, which you can find here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/fairfax-transportation-funding
Anonymous User
What have your first few months been like as the County Executive? What have you accomplished? What are your goals for the future?
Edward Long
My first few months have been busy to say the least. I have had the opportunity to get out in the community and talk with many of our residents and organizations. I've also had the opportunity to do many "walkabouts" in various county agencies and I have been impressed with the passion that our employees have for public service. It is obvious to me that the county is large and complex and I look forward, as County Executive, to continuing these outreach efforts.
Anonymous User
Mr. Long,
I am excited to finally see the redevelopment of Springfield Mall. can you explain how the mall will be transformed over the next two years. There is such a captive audience in the Kingstowne area wanting to know.
Edward Long
I, too, am excited about this redevelopment. The Springfield Mall is an important anchor in our community. Redevelopment there will do much to improve the property values, shopping opportunities and aesthetics of that area of the county. While much of the focus has been on Tysons, we cannot forget the importance of redevelopment activities taking place throughout Fairfax County.
Anonymous User
Would Fairfax County consider changing to a 10 hr-4 day work week for some buildings or agencies in order to save on utilities and other expenses that I'm not aware of?
Edward Long
The county reviewed this option a number of years ago. The county determined that given the adverse impact on the availability of services for county residents, this was not a viable option.
Taylor Holland
There's been a lot of talks about budget cuts for the next two years. If the county does, indeed, ask its agencies to make the cuts, how will it affect residents? Will it be noticeable?
Edward Long
With the economy continuing to lag and the impending impacts of sequestration, we started our budget process early this year and have asked agencies to identify ranked reduction opportunities for my consideration and the board's deliberation this spring. We have already taken significant cuts in past years. We want to maintain what makes Fairfax County a special place to live, work and play, but there will inevitably be an impact on our services and programs. A balance must be achieved between services provided to the community and the cost the community is willing to bear for those services.
Having said that, I would never underestimate the ingenuity, creativity and hard work of our employees and our community and business partners to come up with solutions to meet these challenges. An investment may be necessary to maintain the quality of life that we have come to expect here in our community.
Anonymous User
What are the current sources of revenue that fund the county's transportation needs?
Edward Long
County transportation projects and services are funded through the following sources:
• Local: General Funds, General Obligation Bonds, Revenue Bonds, Special Tax Districts, Commercial and Industrial Property Tax for Transportation, and Developer Contributions
• Regional: Gas Tax to support the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority; Tolls
• State: Gas Tax, Sales Tax, Auto Titling Taxes, Driver Registration Fees
• Federal: Formula transportation grants (major source: Gas Tax), special appropriations, Department of Defense funds
Anonymous User
First, thank you for your leadership and in trying to maintain a respectable health care program. However, I am concenred that the County has gone overboard by requiring a $100 decudctible for brand name presecriptions. This is a 100% increase. While I get generic wherever possible, occasionally there is the brand name prescription. Combined with the new deductible of $50 per year, I find this to be too much.
Edward Long
Prescription medications make up about 24% of the medical plan costs for the county plans. To better manage these costs, plan design changes were made for the 2013 plan year, however none of these changes require a $100 deductible for brand name prescription drugs for an individual. The prescription drug changes made to our three self-insured plans require an annual $50 individual deductible ($100 Family) and then a co-insurance of 20% for brand name formulary medications, not to exceed $50 per prescription and a 30% co-insurance for brand name non-formulary medications, not to exceed $100 per prescription. For mail-order medications the co-insurance percentage is the same, however the maximum cost per prescription is $100 and $200 respectively. To protect participant's costs the changes also include an annual out-of-pocket maximum of $1,000 for an individual and $2,000 for family. With the new changes actual cost over the year could be less than under the current co-pay plan design.
csb concerns
Hello. Just wondering if you think the Board of Supervisors' plugging of the CSB budget will get the organization out of hot water, if you will, and back on track. I know they've been asked to go back to the drawing board and find more cuts. Do you think that'll have huge implications on the community?
Edward Long
We have a work plan that we are implementing to assess both the short-term and long-term needs of the Community Services Board. Human services programs become even more important to the community during these times of economic stress. It is critical that we maintain our safety net for those most in need. Recommendations associated with the work plan will be incorporated in my 2014 and 2015 budgets.
Edward Long
Thank you for participating in this online chat. I hope it was useful. Unfortunately I didn't have time to get to all of your questions. I look forward to future opportunities to chat with you.
You can stay informed and up-to-date on the latest county news by subscribing to NewsWire. To subscribe go to: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news/email.
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JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said in an interview published on Monday that Israel must withdraw from nearly all of the West Bank as well as East Jerusalem to attain peace with the Palestinians and that any occupied land it held onto would have to be exchanged for the same quantity of Israeli territory.
He also dismissed as "megalomania" any thought that Israel would or should attack Iran on its own to stop it from developing nuclear weapons, saying the international community and not Israel alone was charged with handling the issue.
In an unusually frank and soul-searching interview granted after he resigned to fight corruption charges — he remains interim prime minister until a new government is sworn in — Mr. Olmert discarded longstanding Israeli defense doctrine and called for radical new thinking, in words that are sure to stir controversy as his expected successor, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, tries to build a coalition.
"What I am saying to you now has not been said by any Israeli leader before me," Mr. Olmert told the newspaper Yediot Aharonot in the interview on the occasion of the Jewish new year, observed from Monday evening till Wednesday evening. "The time has come to say these things."
He said that traditional Israeli defense strategists had learned nothing from past experiences and that they seemed stuck in the considerations of the 1948 war of independence.
"With them, it is all about tanks and land and controlling territories and controlled territories and this hilltop and that hilltop," he said. "All these things are worthless."
He added, "Who thinks seriously that if we sit on another hilltop, on another hundred meters, that this is what will make the difference for the State of Israel's basic security?"
Over the last year, Mr. Olmert has publicly castigated himself for his earlier right-wing views and he did so again in this interview. On Jerusalem, for example, he said: "I am the first who wanted to enforce Israeli sovereignty on the entire city. I admit it. I am not trying to justify retroactively what I did for 35 years. For a large portion of these years, I was unwilling to look at reality in all its depth."
He said that maintaining sovereignty over an undivided Jerusalem, Israel's official policy, would involve bringing 270,000 Palestinians inside Israel's security barrier. It would mean a continuing risk of terrorist attacks against civilians like those carried out this year by Jerusalem Palestinian residents with front-end loaders.
"A decision has to be made," he said. "This decision is difficult, terrible, a decision that contradicts our natural instincts, our innermost desires, our collective memories, the prayers of the Jewish people for 2,000 years."
The government's public stand on Jerusalem until now has been to assert that the status of the city was not under discussion. But Mr. Olmert made clear that the eastern, predominantly Arab, sector had to be yielded "with special solutions" for the holy sites.
On peace with the Palestinians, Mr. Olmert said in the interview: "We face the need to decide but are not willing to tell ourselves, yes, this is what we have to do. We have to reach an agreement with the Palestinians, the meaning of which is that in practice we will withdraw from almost all the territories, if not all the territories. We will leave a percentage of these territories in our hands, but will have to give the Palestinians a similar percentage, because without that there will be no peace."
Elsewhere in the interview, when discussing a land swap with the Palestinians, he said the exchange would have to be "more or less one to one."
Mr. Olmert also addressed the question of Syria, saying that Israel had to be prepared to give up the Golan Heights but that in turn Damascus knew it had to change the nature of its relationship with Iran and its support for Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia.
On Iran, Mr. Olmert said Israel would act within the international system, adding: "Part of our megalomania and our loss of proportions is the things that are said here about Iran. We are a country that has lost a sense of proportion about itself."
Reaction from the Israeli right was swift. Avigdor Lieberman, who leads the Yisrael Beiteinu party, said on the radio that Mr. Olmert was "endangering the existence of the State of Israel irresponsibly."
He added that those who thought Israel's problem was a lack of defined borders — as Mr. Olmert stated in the interview — "are ignoramuses who don't understand anything, and they invite war."
As they reacted to Mr. Olmert's remarks, Palestinian negotiators said it was satisfying to hear Mr. Olmert's words but they said the words did not match what he had offered them so far. Yasser Abed Rabbo, a senior Palestinian official, told Palestinian Radio that it would have been better if Mr. Olmert had taken this position while in office rather than while leaving it and that Mr. Olmert had not yet presented a detailed plan for a border between Israel and a Palestinian state.
In theory, Mr. Olmert will continue peace negotiations while awaiting the new government. But analysts generally say that having been forced to resign his post, he will not be able to close a deal.


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General Conversation
I joined two groups on LinkedIn – one for general business opportunities and one for executives. Since most of the entries in both groups are advertisements for services I decided to use it to spread the word about the value design plays in the success of any company. I did receive two responses from one thoughtful gentleman and have decided to publish our dialogue. My comments are in black and his are in blue.
This Post will be used to share questions that are posed to me and my responses to them.
Beyond Strategy! The closest thing to a Silver Bullet in improving performance is Business Blueprints.
Strategy alone can not take you where you need to go. The design of each business must factor in the goals it has set and the strategies it wishes to execute. Goals that can not be reached and strategies that can not be executed are harmful to the entire organization.
Design is the key to success, not strategy. 80% of performance problems can be tied directly back to a poor design. This is true with businesses, processes and products. Go to my website at http://www.stankirkwood.com and see the top 10 common Business Pain Points that can be addressed with a set of Business Blueprints™. You can also request a presentation of the system we created to address business design issues at http://www.businessdesignconcepts.com.
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Plan you work and work your plan!
Business Design is much more than creating a plan and then executing that plan. Probably every large business that has failed had annual (business) plans as well as strategic plans.
The progression is: establish goals and identify desired strategies; design markets to support those goals; design processes to support the markets; design an organization to execute the processes, and design systems to support all of the above. The overall design must be able to execute the desired strategies. Then you create the implementation plan and execute the implementation plan. After the design is implemented it must be executed. An execution plan must be created and executed.
In theory I agree, however I've been associated with too many businesses that can't get out of their own way due to the weight of the planning process. And that process allows too many to forge their own agendas, diluting the resources to simply move from "A to B".
I sat in too many senior management planning sessions just mumbling on how we were able to make the simple overly complicated. And generally, once a process document was crafted, the senior most managers went on their way, comfortable in knowing their job was done! Never did it occur to them that outside of making sure their board meetings notes were put in lock step with the plan, did they ever think they actually had to work that plan themselves! That's why most major companies fail miserably when it comes to a plan.
I was cleaning up some emails and reread your message to me. You hit on several problems in your response: 1) the weight of a planning process; 2) covert agendas; 3) making the simple complex, and 4) lack of commitment or understanding on the part of senior management on their role in the implementation of a plan.
Each one of those issues does cause problems in many companies today. If a company were to go through the Business Blueprinting™ process the first three issues would be immediately addressed. The process itself is intentionally designed to deliver maximum impact with minimal effort required by the senior management team. The entire process of documenting the design of a company, analyzing that design to determine whether the company's goals can be achieved and strategies executed and then redesigning the business to ensure success only takes eight days of our clients' time. It takes us 8 – 10 weeks, but only eight days for our clients.
During the gathering of company and competitive environment information agendas become apparent. Why? Because our goal is "Total Business Performance". We are looking for what is necessary for the business as a whole to be successful. As Dr. Farson suggested: "Leaders have to become designers and designers need to become leaders". In actually we do the design with the input from the leaders. Our design is actually a recommendation which the leaders need to agree upon. It is exactly the same role an architect has in designing a house. S/he would gather important information from the prospective home builder and then design a house to meet those requirements.
We do the same in business – which leads to your third point about complexity. Businesses are complex. The challenge is to simplify them as much as possible and we are able to do that. Basically all businesses are the same. Certainly their products and services vary and how they do their work varies but the foundation is the same. For instance every business must create demand for its products and services (unless you enjoy being a monopoly or government agency). And every business must fulfill the demand for its products and services. We have created a common framework, common structure, common DNA, and common metrics for all businesses. We simplify the complex.
Another way we help address complexity is by documenting the design of the business. Five people can use the same word and have a different understanding of its meaning. By putting a picture in front of executives it brings them together and they share a common understanding. Those meeting rooms you spoke about are often like the Tower of Babel and they don't even know it. We give them the common language of pictures.
Lastly, we do our best to involve the senior management team by delivering not only an updated business design but also a strategic plan, master project plan and a governance model to keep the design current (Strategic Management). The master project plan is a very strong reminder that their responsibility is not over when the meeting ends. If the CEO will take ownership of the master project plan (does not need to manage it but does need to own it) then the issue you surfaced is greatly diminished.


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Marble and Granite in Lester, Pennsylvania
Lester Granite and Marble ExpertsEast Coast Renovations, LLC has provided exceptional marble and granite installation in Lester Pennsylvania. Our highly skilled craftsmen will work with you every step of the way to create the new kitchen, bathroom or beautiful Lester stone flooring of your dreams. We pride ourselves in providing the best quality products available for an affordable price. Our Lester marble and granite offerings are extensive and design ideas are endless.
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East Coast Renovations, LLC offers a wide variety of marble and granite to Lester residents and businesses. Whether you would like to update your counter tops with sparkling, polished granite or install gleaming marble floors or a staircase, East Coast Renovations, LLC is skilled and experienced in providing quality marble and granite installation at a reasonable price. Our Lester natural stone installation team will work with you every step of the way, from choosing the stone to suite your taste, to choosing colors to compliment your home's existing furnishings. Put our experience in the industry and creativity to work to make your dreams become reality.
Some of East Coast Renovations, LLC's Lester Stone Projects Include:
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Central Air Conditioning Installation in Folcroft, PA2016-07-28
★★★★★ - "After having our crawl space under the bedroom wing dug out to an extended basement, we realized we would need a second furnace and ac system. Original furnace could not handle the extra space, and a new I-beam was blocking the pathway for the old ducts. We got several estimates, but the second lowest was from Dave at East Coast Renovations. I took a chance on his company, and so glad I did. Dave and his assistants were pleasant, eager to please, and thoroughly knowledgeable about what they were doing. We had an ongoing project installing a ledger board in the basement (which delayed installation of the return ductwork), and he was totally flexible in adjusting his schedule to accommodate that work. My home is in Cheltenham, which is a long drive from their home base in Ridley park, but they were thoroughly reliable, punctual, and scheduled the work quickly, so the project never dragged on. East Coast Renovations' performance was superb: Lots of attention to detail, very professional in listening to all of my concerns, left the premises thoroughly clean, and high quality workmanship in everything they did. I would give Dave and his crew my highest possible recommendation. The heater works flawlessly!"
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Ep. 13 — 2017 Here We Come
In the first episode of 2017, The Denver Post's Patrick Saunders breaks down the Rockies' offseason moves, what still needs to be done and the state of the catching situation. Saunders finishes off the show by opening up the Rockies mailbag to answer questions about bullpen coach Darren Holmes, outfielder Gerardo Parra and shortstop Trevor Story.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download


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Actemra, Carla Kienast, Cimzia, Enbrel, Humira, Kineret, Orencia, Remicade, rheumatoid arthritis, Rituxan, Simponi, TNF inhibitors
I ran across a very interesting article about the "next" treatment options for RA patients who either fail to respond to TNF-inhibitor biologics (primary non-responsiveness) or the drug loses its effectiveness (secondary inefficacy where the body may develop antibodies to the drug). These are some of the most popular biologics on the market and include Remicade, Humira, Cimzia, Simponi, and Enbrel (which also includes a circulating receptor fusion protein — whatever that is). I personally have been through all of those except Remicade and also Orencia which is not a TNF receptor but rather affects the action of T-cells.
I've provided the link to the entire article below (which is a blogger's trick to get you to read the entire blog post first), but here are some things that struck me about it:
- About one-third of patients will make a change from a TNF inhibitor drug within a year.
- If the reason for changing the TNF drug is because it isn't working well for the patient (as opposed to toxicity or side effects), many clinicians would consider trying another anti-TNF agent. However, there is evidence (four to five studies) now show equal or better results for changing to a drug other than another anti-TNF agent.
- A study published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases showed that rituximab (Rituxan) was significantly more effective than an alternative TNF inhibitor after a first failure.
- A different study published in the same journal showed similar results for abatacept (Orencia) at six months, but was not as effective as rituximab at 12 months.
Many of us have been through a gamut of treatment plans searching for something that works. There is always the early part when you're wondering if the drug will "kick-in". Sometimes it does but then (according to my experience) it will stop working as well or seemingly stop altogether. So having some hard evidence on what does and doesn't work in these cases and what the criteria might be for selecting "what's next" is encouraging. Note that Actemra and Kineret were also mentioned in the article, but without any specific results.
But what struck me the most is something that it seems we don't hear that often — an interest in patient preferences. Specifically, the article pointed out that patient discussions need to include their preference for an infusion vs. injection and for monotherapy or multiple drugs.
Additionally, one of the physicians interviewed commented, "It's also important to keep in mind the patient's perspective. Their numbers might look good, and their joint exam might look good, but if they're still having a great deal of fatigue and musculoskeletal pain secondary to their RA, that's also an important integral part of the whole treatment."
Wow. All of that great information AND caring what the patient prefers and how they feel instead of just how their numbers look. It doesn't get much better than that.
The bad news? Well for people like me who have been on multiple biologics, the article says, ""But what gets extremely frustrating is patients who have already been on multiple biologics, TNFs, one or two non-TNFs. They have a very small chance of having a major clinical benefit with a further agent."
We'll see. There are new drugs and treatment ideas coming along and I haven't been through the entire list of current drugs (yet!).
I hope whatever treatment plan you're on is doing wonders. Here's the link to the article. Thanks for checking in. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Rheumatology/Arthritis/44257


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A versatile fine art surface that offers the user a wide range of artistic expression. This product is the result of 12 years of experimentation and actual use by professional artist Charles Ewing. Claybord's mineral-coated, pH neutral surface will accept any media from pencil to oils with the scratchboard advantage of being able to remove pigment exposing the white surface as part of the creative process. Unlike scratchboard or paper-based products, this unique drawing surface can be easily manipulated, erased and reused multiple times. White.
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Rob Ninkovich may be the Patriots' true renaissance man.
FOXBORO — If the Krafts decided to name the hotel at Patriot Place "Rob's Renaissance Hotel & Spa," it would be a fitting cross-promotion.
While he might have some competition across the team, from quarterbacks turned receivers in Julian Edelman, or wide receiver/special teams aces like Matthew Slater, Rob Ninkovich may be the Patriots' true renaissance man.
Ninkovich has made a career as an NFL everyman. Hand in the dirt, hand in the FieldTurf, up on his feet on defense, on special teams — he's seen the league from many an angle.
On a Patriots defense that employs seemingly countless fronts and personnel combos, it helps to have a player like Ninkovich around.
"Whatever it is he can do it," second-year linebacker Jamie Collins said of Ninkovich after Thursday's offseason training activities (OTAs) at Gillette Stadium. "You have to be happy with a guy like that."
With the team employing more 4-3 fronts in recent years, Ninkovich has been able to return to his Purdue University roots as a player who lined up in the three-point stance.
But he never gets too comfortable there, as he has developed skill as an outside linebacker in the 3-4 as well.
"You know, anything they ask me to do I'm gonna go out there and play hard and do to the best of my ability," Ninkovich said. "If that's playing defensive end or being a linebacker, that's what I'll do. It helps to have experience doing both."
While it is more work for Ninkovich, entering his ninth year in the league and his sixth with the Patriots after signing a three-year, $15 million extension last September, he still works to perfect both positions.
"I think it's just being as versatile as far as being a defensive end and a linebacker, not having any drop in play," he said. "You know, if I'm a d-end, I'm a great d-end, and if I'm a linebacker, I'm a great linebacker. So just being able to do both at a very high level, that's kind of what you want to be."
So how tough is it, making that transition on the fly?
"It's definitely two different positions when you're going from an attack mode to a coverage mode," said the 30-year-old Ninkovich, who played 1,028 defensive snaps in 2013. "So, really, it's just knowing when to be a linebacker and when to be a defensive end, knowing when to change mentally, what your assignments are, and what you have to do. It's not too tough, you just have to go out there and do it. It just takes a little bit of repetition."
Those lessons can be passed on to others in the young defensive end/outside linebacker corps. His usual starter on the other side of the defense, Chandler Jones, is a prototypical pass rusher with plus ability to get to the quarterback. But in the Patriots' scheme, one-trick ponies don't last long.
Jones, while collecting 11.5 sacks, also played a bit in coverage last year. Ninkovich, he of eight sacks in 2013, sees no limits to what the third-year man from Syracuse can do.
"Chandler, again, he's a terrific athlete, he's a real tall guy, he's got all the tools so, you know, for him, it's just going out there and doing it," he said. "There's nothing stopping him, so he's just gotta go out there and put in the work. Nothing's given to you, especially in this league, so he's just gotta go out there and earn it."
While noting the difference between his own frame — 6-2, 260 — and Jones' — 6-5, 265 — Ninkovich said his capacity to borrow from Jones is limited.
"I'll try to do some of his moves," he said. "I definitely can't do some of his dance moves. Those are a little much."
And then there's Collins, who flashed tremendous coverage ability as a linebacker when he dropped back and intercepted the Colts' Andrew Luck downfield in the AFC divisional round in January.
"He definitely has the tools to do what he wants in this league," Ninkovich said of Collins. "He just has to earn it."
Whether Collins could be another guy who plays both defensive end and linebacker is another story.
"We'll see, you know, sometimes they run the ball in the league, so you've got to be able to go up and stop the run, so that's another big thing," Ninkovich said. "Right now, everything's passing, it's a passing camp. Once you put the pads on — then you get a big boy on top of you, you've got to press him off of you and stop him and throw him down and go make a play so, we'll find that out."
Ninkovich was once the unknown entity when he arrived in 2009. Now, while not a Pro Bowler, he's got a well-rounded skill set and barely leaves the field when the Patriots are defending.
He had his shirt on inside out on Thursday. Did it have anything to do with not showing the number?
"No, no," he said. "I think everyone here knows what number I am."
When you're this multi-faceted and valuable with the Patriots, your number tends to stick.
Tim Whelan Jr. can be reached at 508-626-4402 or email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @thattimwhelan.


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Developing for the iPhone is a bit of a shift for me; in more ways than one. I spent ten years climbing the career ladder towards bigger projects, bigger budget titles, bigger studios, etc. But when I found myself taking leave of the million dollar projects and high profile studios and joining up with a little 3 man startup iPhone app company, I had no idea the very next rungs on the ladder would be some of the most challenging and rewarding of my career. Now just before I … [Read more...]
A Story About iPhone Game Development
Desktop Theatre Sc 50: Robot Castaway
800x600 1024x768 1440x960 1600x1200 1680x1050 1920x1200 2560x1600 … [Read more...]
Offset mounting bracket for Nikon P90
So I love my new Nikon P90, but I don't love the fact that the battery and memory card are behind an ill designed battery/card door on the bottom of the camera. Which has a hinge so close to the mounting point that you cannot open the door to get to your memory card and battery while the P90 is on the tripod. This fact never bubbled to the surface in researching the new camera before purchase, but I thought, well, I'll just live with it and download the pics over the usb … [Read more...]
Desktop Theatre Sc 49: Freestylin!
Desktop Theatre Sc 48: From Below!
Desktop Theatre Sc 47: Robots are not easily fooled
Employment Adventures
Or One Way To Become A Game Designer Sunday night. The phone rings. It's my boss John. "Brad, do you want the good news or the bad news?" Freeze frame. Okay, so to explain what's going on here, I had been pacing back and forth since Saturday. A phone call from John means one of several things. Either my game project's cancelled, or I am laid off, or the whole company's shut down. It's nervous … [Read more...]


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Computed tomography (also known as a CT or CAT scan) uses a narrow beam of X-rays and high-powered computers to generate images of bones and soft-tissues in the body. Below is a list of the most-common CT procedures offered at the accredited S. Mark Taper Foundation Imaging Center. On each page you can find detailed information about the procedure and what to expect if you are coming for an exam. The exams are listed by the part of the body.
- Why choose the S. Mark Taper Foundation Imaging Center for a CT study?
- We are committed to Imaging Gently and Imaging Wisely, which are American College of Radiology programs dedicated to the wise use of radiation in medical imaging.
- General CT preparation instructions
- (Oral and IV contrast information if required for your study.)
- Please follow this link to see a video about our CT Exams. Some of the video is only for patients staying in the hospital. But much of it will be helpful to those who just come to our imaging center for this exam.
- If you are having a CT colonography, whole body or musculoskeletal scan, you can print the CT registration questionnaire and complete it before you arrive to speed up your registration process.
A volume rendering of a three-dimensional set of computed tomography (CT) images shown as a two-dimensional projection. In this case, extremely thin slices were created from the original scan and sent to a separate computer, which transformed them into these 3-D images. The surgeon then used these images to aid in surgical planning to repair fractures, including one clearly visible in the jaw and others on the bridge of the nose and the outer edges of the eye sockets.
The S. Mark Taper Foundation Imaging Center provides a full range of advanced imaging, both radiology and cardiology, as well as interventional radiology and interventional tumor (oncology) treatments to the greater Los Angeles area, including Beverly Hills, Encino, Mid-Cities, Sherman Oaks, Silver Lake, Studio City, Toluca Lake and West Hollywood.


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Parents take the children to the 26th annual Kiwanis Club Free Kids Fishing Derby at the Cape Yacht Club fishing pier on March 29.
The derby is limited to 400 kids ages 5-15. Younger participants should be accompanied by an adult. No advance registration is required. Just check in before 8:30 a.m. Rods, reels and bait provided.
All participants receive a rod and reel. Bicycles will be given away as door prizes. Trophys awarded for the first, second and third largest fish and a trophy for the smallest.
Article Photos
Capt. George Tunison
This annual event is sponsored by the club in hopes of getting more kids involved in fishing.
If we keep one kid out of trouble by offering a positive alternative then it is time and effort well spent. Besides the smiles on the faces are priceless. Call Wally Laumeyer for more information at 239-772-8678.
If it's time to teach your child the safe and responsible use of firearms and are looking for a good place to shoot, head over to the range at Shoot Straight in Fort Myers, 2418 Colonial Blvd. Children 12 and under shoot for half price and ladies shoot free on Mondays. LEO and first responder discounts. Range memberships are available. Open seven days. Call 239-939-0357 for information.
Please contribute to the NRA today. Make no mistake, your legal rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment and future rights of our children to protect their families and to enjoy the shooting sports are under attack 24/7. Radicals like Gov. Cuomo of New York already have called for door to door confiscation of all firearms in his state. Now with a President that rules by Executive Order bypassing Congress at every turn, who knows what the future will bring for lawful and responsible firearms owners, especially after the upcoming elections.
When getting the kids out fishing or shooting make sure to size the equipment to the child so it's comfortable for them. Be patient. Don't expect the gang to get too excited about making a thousand casts an hour with no results. Their excitement level ship sailed about 15 minutes into that boring cast fest.
Put them on ladyfish or a school of trout. Travel out to the passes for Spanish mackerel with multiple catches and lots of action. Be wary of flying hooks with four 13-year-olds in the boat where constant supervision is needed.
When going to the shooting range fit the gun to the child. Consider weight and recoil. Most good ranges in the area rent a variety of firearms to use at the facility. These ranges offer gun and gun safety classes and are glad to assist with any questions.
Offshore anglers are catching when the winds permit a trip. Capt. Roy Bennett took a crew out to 90 feet to catch a limit of red grouper. Live grunts on the high hooks and ladyfish chunks fished on 6-oz. bucktail jigs did the trick.
Inshore the bite continues with redfish prowling mangrove shorelines and oyster bars. Snook are everywhere and hitting netted baits as well as lures. Trout are stacked in holes and fan out over the flats on warming afternoons. Sheepshead continue to eat your shrimp without you knowing it at a bridge or dock piling near you.
Remember the secret to catching sheepies; set the hook just before they steal the bait.
Been catching lots of rat reds on lures, but seeing some bigger fish that won't respond. If you're looking to score on the bigger bulls pick an area and do the cut ladyfish/shrimp on a jighead or circle hook under the mangroves thing on a rising tide.
Pitch the bait under the trees. Sit quietly for 15 minutes. Move quietly to the next spot. Remain quiet and repeat. It's a low tech, no-brainer method that produces reds year in and year out.
Capt. George Tunison is a Cape Coral resident fishing guide. Contact him at 239-282-9434 or firstname.lastname@example.com, or www.flyingfinssportfishing.com.


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Regular price
100% cotton unisex adult sweatshirt with a neon printed alphabet, inspired by the book Once Upon an Alphabet.
Every product in the debut line of apparel by Oliver Jeffers Stuff has been built from the ground up to ensure top material quality and ethical manufacturing practices. Each of the sweatshirts and t-shirts featured in this collection was specifically designed by Oliver and team at his Brooklyn studio. All the elements of the garments — from printing and stitching to tags and labels — have been personally selected and approved by Oliver.
Ships from the USA, please read our notes about international customs.
OJ Stuff is proud to support the International Rescue Committee in their mission to help people around the world that have been affected by war and other forms of conflict. A portion of every sale will be donated directly to the IRC.
Made in Canada. Machine wash cold.
Male model wearing size 'M'.Female model wearing size 'S'.


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JRConrado needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 26 designs submitted by 15 freelance designers.
Need a logo that is young and fresh, yet appealing to target market of insurance agencies and companies.
eProoft, Inc. (tm)
Reassurance for Your Insurance
Desired Color Scheme:
red/black first choice, would like additional colors incorporated
Desired Style:
online company, so a forward-thinking concept is great. Does need to appeal to insurance companies
Accepted File Formats:
Photoshop or illustrator
Are interested in conveying safety and security with the logo: lock/key concept is one idea.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Total global agricultural productivity is growing at the rate needed to meet the demand for feeding more than 9 billion people by 2050, the Global Harvest Initiative said in a report released at a World Food Prize event in Des Moines, Iowa, today.
But the rate of food productivity gains in some of the fastest-growing regions of the world such as Africa and Southeast Asia are falling short of the 1.7 percent required to meet the ambitious goal of feeding those billions, analysts speaking at a briefing said.
"Based on the new FAO estimates, the current rate of global total factor productivity (TFP) is 1.7 percent, on target for the projected rate required each year to produce enough food to feed the world by 2050," said Keith Fuglie, branch chief for resource, environmental and science policy of the Resource and Rural Economics Division of USDA's Economic Research Service.
"But many parts of the world are falling short; Africa's TFP rate, for example, is growing at less than 1 percent a year. A productivity measure like the GAP Report allows us to track TFP progress on both a global and regional scale, and gauge the capacity to feed a growing global population in the future."
Skyrocketing growth
"Combined, Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia will account for nearly 90 percent of the population growth over the next 40 years," says Neil Conklin, president of the Farm Foundation, NFP, who also spoke during the briefing.
"Looking past the necessary productivity improvements to meet future needs, even greater challenges to address hunger and food security lie in our ability to facilitate the movement of food through international trade and to develop the necessary infrastructure to support more food production such as roads, processing, and storage facilities."
In those regions and throughout the world, Conklin said, countries are also seeing a notable increase in protein-based diets, which will increase overall demand on agriculture.
Those were some of the findings in the second annual Global Agricultural Productivity Report released by the Global Harvest Initiative at the World Food Prize Symposium. GHI was organized two years ago to address the problems of feeding a growing world population.
The report finds progress in the current growth rate of agricultural productivity worldwide but highlights the challenges that lie ahead to maintain the current growth rate over each of the next 40 years.
"The 2011 GAP Report sheds new light on the steps necessary to address the challenge of feeding the more than 9 billion people expected to inhabit the earth by 2050," said William G. Lesher, GHI chairman of the board and former chief economist at USDA.
Challenges 'daunting'
"We can be cautiously optimistic about the new evidence of faster productivity growth revealed this year, but the long-term solutions to hunger and food security remain daunting. We must continue to pursue key policies with proven results in improving global agricultural productivity and development, such as investing in agricultural research, removing trade barriers, adopting new technologies and innovation and enhancing the role of the private sector."
Factoring in new data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the 2011 GAP Report includes an updated GAP Index, which measures the difference between the current rate of global agricultural productivity growth and the rate required to meet future needs.
During the briefing, Laura Barringer, a John Deere economist on loan to the Global Harvest Initiative, discussed national-level case studies of the emerging market economies of Brazil, China, Indonesia, and Ghana. Those studies highlights how select policies can help address hunger and food security while also addressing poverty by empowering farmers with new technologies to boost productivity.
While each of the four profiled nations applied a different strategy with varying levels of success, active government support for the agriculture industry, investment in research, the adoption of science-based technologies and a shift toward more open markets enabled all four nations to achieve meaningful increases in agricultural productivity.
fourfold return
"Oftentimes, the amount of investment in agricultural research and development is a key factor in the growth in agricultural productivity in a country," she said. "We're finding that a $1 investment can bring a $5 to $20 increase in economic activity."
She said the study found that Brazil is increasing its investment in agricultural research and development by more than 1 percent of its GDP growth per year. China, meanwhile, is spending $4 billion a year on agricultural research.
"The study found that China has tripled the number of farm tractors it's using in the last 10 years," she said. "They are also making big strides in increasing the use of biotechnology and crop nutrients."
The full 2011 GAP Report is available on GHI's website.


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#MyFitStory – with HARRY DUNN
Harry Dunn has always been fit. At high school, he competed in cross country and rowing and in Summer he would often be on lifeguard duty at Portsea Back Beach. You could say fitness was a part of daily life for Harry. In 2015, a friend convinced Harry to participate in Connor's Run - Australia's largest fundraising event for paediatric brain cancer. Harry was happy with both his performance as well as the knowledge that he was supporting a great cause – a cause that would come to mean more to him than he could have anticipated.
#MyFitStory continues its series that celebrates the lives and stories of the people in our community who inspire us to keep pushing forward and never give up.


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I wanted to draw some line art that amounted to something cool. I was looking through the tattoo section of the site and noticed that I didn't have a tutorial on a certain tribal object. Because I wanted to fill this need right away, I decided to do a lesson on how to draw tribal dragon art step by step. Drawing tribal flames can be complicated sometimes and so can dragon art. Tribal tattoos are probably one of the most popular art to get inked on the human body. There are so many things that can be drawn out and needled onto the skin. Not only is there tutorials on how to draw tribal flames, you can get tribal art lines, tribal eyes, and other tribal animals like lions, tigers and panthers. The art of tribal lines is a technique that has come a long way. And since I love dragons there is no better lining to draw than that of a dragon head. I kind of got the inspiration of the design from the Mortal Kombat dragon that is used as an emblem. I did switch it up by adding some cool wings and a claw. Did you know that tribal tattoo designs originated from the Polynesian Islands? It's true, tribal tattoo art came from different islands ranging from Hawaii to Tahiti and with every island comes a different tribal style for the lining. Today one of the popular tribal design art consist of all black ink with an Asian twist. Dragons have become an ever growing phenomenon for tattooing. This tutorial is all about learning how to draw tribal dragon art step by step. You can customize the design to your liking; this is just a basic stepping stone to creating your very own tribal design. Have fun and stick around for more lessons on the way.
DragoArt members upload artwork and drawing tutorials! They are also allowed to leave comments on tutorials, profiles, etc. Many more features, as well; it's way better than just being a boring guest! Register Now!


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Exceptional flavor, remarkable quality
Our Whole Foods Market® products are carefully selected for exceptional taste, authenticity and remarkable quality. From small batch, artisan recipes to exotic flavors, the variety of our products will expand your culinary vocabulary. With natural and organic choices, we have more unique and exquisite products in development.
Learn more with our Products FAQ.


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The following information is intended for the three people out there who have worn out Shimano Deore shifters and want to replace them with something affordable.
MicroShift is a Taiwan company that makes basic, Shimano-compatible shifters, in business since 1999.
I recently replaced my Deore mountain bike shifters with MicroShift 9-speed shifters and I was pleasantly surprised by how well they work. At $29 they're a great value.
Why the Deore shifters wore out is a mystery. I bought the bike used. It was about five years old (2000 model) and looked to be lightly ridden. I tried everything to get them to work, but they just wouldn't shift reliably. When I moved the shift lever the gears would not engage. This shifter has no replacement parts. An oil "bath" did not fix the problem. Usually Shimano components are extremely reliable.
Installing the levers requires removing the bar grips and brake levers. Bar grips can be difficult to get off if they're dry and sticking. Try peeling back the grip and adding a dab of liquid soap. The brake levers come off using a 5 mm allen key.
The old shifters also use a 5 mm allen key. Slip them off the bar and disengage the cable ends, another 5 mm allen key operation. Pull out the cable from the housing, remembering the sequence.
Slip on the rear shifter. The MicroShift shifter comes with a cable already installed.
Rethread the cable into the housing. I like to add a little oil. Pull the cable tight and secure the clamp with your 5 mm allen key. When reapplying the bar grips you may need to add a drop of liquid soap. On the other hand, if they're loose try hairspray on the bar. I found that they'll dry out and tighten up in a couple of days.
Assuming the shifter shifts well enough, I like to fine-tune the shifter using the cable adjustment knob where the cable comes out of the shifter. To learn more about adjusting the shifter, check out this video on Bicycle Tutor.
The front shifter is a bit more difficult to adjust. The cable has to be tight when tightening the cable clamp with the allen key. Fine-tune the shifter using the cable adjustment knob.
I'm not saying this shifter is something the pros use. It's basic stuff and a bit bulky. It was a tight fit to get everything onto the bars. All in all, I give it 9 out of 10 stars for value, with one ding for being bulky.


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CraftKitsandSupplies carries a large selection of Wood Craft Kits and Wood Model Kits. These Workshop Wood Kits are BIG DURABLE wood kits that require NAILS and screws. Building a Wood Craft Kit is a perfect project for children to learn and participate in group activities. Geared for ages 7 and older, these craft kits are ideal for Girl Scout and Boy Scout projects.
We also carry a complete line of Beads, Birdhouse Kits, Christmas Crafts, Craft Supplies, Kids Crafts, Misc Crafts, Wood Craft Kits, and much more.


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Posted: May 21, 2012
FOXBORO, Mass. -- Harvard will act as the host for the 2012 NCAA Division I, II and III Men's Lacrosse Championships, which will be played at Gillette Stadium May 26-28.
On Saturday, May 26, the Division I semifinal games will be held at 2:30 and 5 p.m. respectively, and will be shown live nationally on ESPN2 and ESPN3.com.Division I Semifinal 1: No. 1 Loyola vs. No. 4 Notre Dame at 2:30 p.m.
Division I Semifinal 2: No. 3 Duke vs. Maryland at 5 p.m.
On Sunday, May 27, the Division II championship game will be played at 1 p.m. and will be broadcast live on NCAA.com, while the Division III game will be played at 4 p.m. and will also be shown on NCAA.com.
Division II Championship: Limestone vs. Dowling at 1 p.m.
Division III Championship: Salisbury vs. Cortland at 4 p.m.
Division III Championship: Salisbury vs. Cortland at 4 p.m.
The Division I championship game will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, May 28 and will be broadcast live on ESPN and ESPN3.com.
The full Division I, II and III brackets, along with other event and ticket information, is available at NCAA.com and www.GilletteStadiumLacrosse.com.
Tickets can be ordered in advance from www.GilletteStadiumLacrosse.com.
Harvard will serve as the host institution for the event as it did for the 2008 and 2009 NCAA finals at Gillette Stadium. Harvard also hosted the NCAA quarterfinals at Gillette Stadium in 2011.
About NCAA Lacrosse at Gillette Stadium
Gillette Stadium, located in Foxboro, Mass., has hosted lacrosse at all levels, including the 2008 and 2009 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships. After setting attendance records in 2008 and 2009, the NCAA again selected Gillette Stadium to be the site of the 2012 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships.


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Convenient and Easy to Use
Our products make life (and washing laundry) easier. At Laundry Alternative, our products are famous for their high ratings, affordable prices and fast shipping for over 15 years. Our portable washing machines and portable clothes dryer make laundry days a breeze, accommodating small loads of delicate items like lingerie, cloth diapers or a few pairs of jeans. Our passionate team of specialists promotes the newest and cleanest forms of laundry technology, because we truly care about the environment. Our products are known to be much more affordable than other sellers, because we believe that it shouldn't cost more to go green.
Days of wasting water on a few items, or frequent trips to the laundry mat to wash cloth diapers are a thing of the past. Our customers are amazed at our efficient, high-pressure technology to thoroughly clean its loads. It cleans at the same quality and sometimes even better than conventional washers. Astoundingly, our products wash up to 100x faster than regular washing and drying machines.
Set-up for our lightweight washers and dryers is simple. Unlike conventional washers and dryers, they don't require a lot of work. Forget about hookups or complicated installation procedures -- start cleaning your laundry in 2 to 3 minutes.
Compact and lightweight, our washers and dryers use less space than conventional machines, making them ideal for small apartments and tight living areas. Most of our products fit on top of your kitchen counter allowing you save trips to the laundry mat. If you're tired of lugging around heavy laundry and spending money on expensive laundry rooms, switch to a handy, user-friendly compact washing machine.
Washing laundry has never been easier. The Laundry Alternative is proud to carry convenient, easy-to-use washers and dryers, made to save you time, money, and space. Many of our compact models can fit into car trunks, require no maintenance, and pay for themselves after only 8 weeks. Wash loads in a few minutes while conserving water and energy.


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The Art-Studio Program offers beginning and intermediate courses that provide students with the knowledge and experience needed for a broad understanding of the visual arts.
For beginning students, the curricula offer drawing and composition, two-dimensional and three-dimensional design, and art history. After completing the four core courses in studio art, students may then advance to intermediate courses and complete their major by concentrating their course work in one of the studio art discipline options.
Career opportunities include: exhibiting artist, art teacher, graphic designer, artist/photographer, art illustrator, art technician, commercial artist, and other professions in creative endeavor. Career opportunities are also available in galleries, museums, and art organizations.
Video above produced by Denise Gallant's DM 35 Intermediate Video Production Class:
Denise Gallant - Instructor/Final Edit, Peggy Seltz - Edit/Camera, Margaret Murray - Edit/Camera, Suzanna Whittpenn - Edit/Camera, Alia Outrey - Edit/Camera, Kimberly Parrish - Camera, Sabrina Clem - Camera DM 34, Christopher Teague - Camera DM 34.
|Art Studio Department
Claire Thorson


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13 Fascinating Facts about Aaron Brilbeck
• I began working in broadcasting as a DJ with a radio station in Syracuse, NY when I was just 14 years old. I started reporting and anchoring news for that same station when I was 16.
• My first car was a 1960 Hearse.
• I've been friends with my wife since we were 13 years old, but we didn't become romantically involved until 10 years later.
• I've been a member of the Guardian Angels for the better part of 25 years. Most recently I oversaw patrols for Toledo, Cleveland, Akron and Detroit.
• I taught self defense for 3 years.
• My mother & grandmother raised me.
• In college, I took an interpretive dance class—and failed.
• I'm an avid motorcyclist.
• I taught college broadcast journalism for a year.
• I am deathly afraid of spiders.
• For several years I volunteered as a ghoul in a haunted house to benefit the Make A Wish Foundation.
• I've been shot at—twice.
• I hate onions!
Aaron Brilbeck came to WHO-DT in November 2009 and is a reporter for Channel 13 News at 5, 6, 9 and 10.
Aaron came to Iowa from Toledo, Ohio where he reported and anchored for WNWO, the market's NBC affiliate and reported for WSPD Radio.
Aaron is an accomplished journalist earning several distinguished honors including a National Edward R. Murrow award for Spot News Coverage in 2004 plus regional Edward R. Murrow awards for Best Investigation, Best Continuing Coverage and Spot News.
Prior to Toledo, Aaron worked as a reporter at WXXA-TV and WGY Radio in Albany, New York from 2000 to 2005. He has B.A. degree in Communications from SUNY Potsdam and an A.A.S. degree in Broadcast Journalism from Onondaga Community College.


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Pumpkin Cheesecake
I've been wanting to make a pumpkin cheesecake since last year, but for any different reasons, I couldn't, so finally, I made it. It was so delicious, definitely a keeper. I had many many recipes for this cheesecake, and wanted to try them all, but finally, I decided that the first test would go to Jamie's recipe, althought I ended up changing it a little bit. And it was a great adventure, the oven caught on fire! Anyways, read more about this later in the post.....
Barley & Veggies Soup
So, as autumn continues, so does my craving for soup, soup and more soup every day!!! And now, I made a barley soup with many veggies. And chicken stock. Pretty yum actually. And I have a confession to make. I have never tried before barley. As a grain u know? So I did and I liked it. IT's definitely a keeper for my family. So here's the recipe I made, I hope you enjoy it as much as I
Creamy Cauliflower Soup
So, you know me. I love soups, no matter what time of the year it is, I just love them. Anyways, so I looked for a creamy soup, that wouldn't need a lot of cream or cream cheese or greasy stuff, but that used very little milk. And I also wanted something healthy, and I found Jessica's recipe and couldn't resist. I swear, as she also did, it's sooooo goood!!! And so comforting... anyways, give a try and tell me how do you like it!
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Is there a change afoot in the RV finance arena that perhaps reflects an overall prospect for improvement in the U.S. economy and the recreational vehicle marketplace?
That's hard to say. Based solely on the fact that Bank of America Dealer Financial Services and GE Commercial Distribution Finance — the two big dogs in RV finance — are talking to the press lately after months of silence during the depths of the recession, it's certainly beginning to look that way.
Ellsworth "Ellie" Clarke, president of B of A's Dealer Financial Services, last week provided an overview of B of A's programs and the RV market in an interview with Jeff Kurowski, director of industry relations for the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA), that was posted on RVBUSINESS.com. And only yesterday (July 1), GE Commercial Distribution Finance's Pete K. Lannon, managing director and president of GE Capital's Motorsports and RV Group, addressed modifications to GE curtailment policies in a wide-ranging interview with RV Business.
Lannon also fielded questions on an array of other related topics, the crux of which is as follows:
What can you tell us about finance rates in general? We're told that they spiked for GE in March across the board – including both the RV and marine sectors. Do you anticipate any sort of an easing of interest rates?
There are a lot of factors that go into interest rates. Part of it is the macro-economic environment, the general cost of funds and what it takes to raise funds in the marketplace. Another component is our cost of operations, and then there's a risk component. So, we're attuned to all of these items, and we would make rate adjustments in accordance with what they are telling us.
The Small Business Administration is beginning to provide floorplan financing for RV retailers. Has this played into any of GE's decision, announced yesterday, to moderate its curtailment interest rates?
I think it's a little early to see exactly how it (SBA financing) is going to be implemented. The SBA is still concluding its regulations, formulations, etc. I think any additional (financing) capacity in the industry for dealers certainly is welcome, particularly for dealers that are challenged. We just need to see what the final formulation is from the SBA. It's still somewhat uncertain.
We're told that GE occupies about a 25-35% share of the RV marketplace's wholesale financing. Is GE looking to increase that share?
We have a significant share. I'm not going to speculate as to the exact amount, but we know we're a significant player in the industry. We look to increase business that makes sense, that's profitable for both us and for our dealers. Whether that leads to market share or not … we're still dealing with an industry that's been heavily impacted, and I think most of us are thinking more about just getting to the right size versus getting into a market share 'game' at the moment.
'Right size' could be applied to the RV industry as a whole. Do you feel that there may in fact still be too many dealers, as some have argued, for a downsize market?
I don't know about too many dealers… What we've got is a situation (where) there's still an imbalance of inventory in the field to the sell-through at retail. I don't speculate whether it's too many dealers. I do know that there's too many units available right now. It's depressing the sales prices of the inventory dealers are holding, and there just aren't enough customers willing or able to make the purchase at the dealer level. We need a better balance for the industry to get healthy again.
So, GE's decision to eliminate the interest hike isn't necessarily a reflection of the company's more confident outlook on the state of the industry?
We do have a fairly confident outlook. Let's put it this way: we're 'cautiously optimistic.' At this point, I don't know if we've found the bottom quite yet, but if we haven't, we're awfully close. We're seeing some positive indications in our RV business with the way inventory levels have come down, and dealer performance metrics are improving. They're not healthy yet – we're not prepared to make that statement – but we've seen a couple of months of upward trends in some important performance metrics that indicate that we think we are near, or have found, the bottom.
If you want to take a step up and look across the entire economy, Jeff Immelt, GE's chairman and CEO, was quoted in London today (June 30) on behalf of GE with an outlook that said, "things seem to be brightening." Again, I don't think anyone's prepared to say that things are where they should be or that they are absolutely healthy, but I think overall in a lot of areas besides the RV industry we are seeing signs of improvement on a lot of different fronts.
Another leading finance provider is telling the industry right now that they are in it "for the long haul." Is GE?
We are going to continue to invest in and support this industry. We've been a very long-term player in this industry. When you think about the predecessor companies that were acquired by GE, we go back in the RV industry at least to the late '70s, and our intention is to make sure that we are here through this cycle and back when the industry is healthy again. We want to be a participant in that.