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According to Mondragon, its business philosophy is contained in its corporate values statement: Co-operation, Participation, Social Responsibility and Innovation. "The Corporation's Mission combines the core goals of a business organization competing on international markets with the use of democratic methods in its business organization, the creation of jobs, the human and professional development of its workers and a pledge to development with its social environment" (1,5).
Mondragon seeks to maintain worker participation in decision-making through worker-shared ownership and its "one worker one vote" system. After a probation period, workers are given the option to become members, meaning they can vote in the annual General Assembly (1,2). The membership fee is €13,400 (equal to approximately one year's pay/profit which is the company's income after non-labor costs) and can be borrowed from Mondragon's co-operative bank where monthly and year-end losses are credited or debited (5).
Each worker's vote in the general assembly carries the same weight regardless of placement or title within the coop. This is the key to democracy within the company. The general assembly controls production, income spread and elects members of the board. The elected board of directors then appoints management as well as a watchdog council to monitor management (8).
Another way in which Mondragon promotes egalitarianism is through it's fixed ratio between upper management and workers wages which cannot exceed 70 percent of the equivalent in other companies in the market and is generally 3:1 to 5:1 before taxes (2). "For instance, the CEO of the entire Mondragon Corporation earns only 9 times as much as the lowest paid worker in the entire complex" (5). As a consequence of Mondragon's policies, the lowest pay is generally higher than the local equivalent for similar work.
This social structure has led to a healthy and robust company, even in the face of economic downturns. Spain has gone through several troublesome periods over the last 20 years. In the 1980-83 recession the Basque country lost 20% of its jobs. Many companies in the area were forced to lay-off heavily or close. Yet there were very few layoffs at Mondragon during this time, helping to stabilize the region's economy (8). In order to avoid lay-offs, workers voted to take an 11% pay decrease, paid time off or be reassigned to other working factories. In 2008 worker-owners at the struggling Fagor appliance co-operative elected to give up their Christmas bonuses and cut their overall pay by 8% in order to spare layoffs and secure the competitiveness of their company (6).
What seems the most profound about Mondragon's policies is its focus on the sustainable relationship of mutual benefit between worker and company. In contrast to most capitalist companies, whereby the measure of a successful company is almost always based on maximum profitability, the cooperative model offers an alternative approach that supports democracy in the workplace through an egalitarian voting system, while at the same time promoting job security for worker-members, social justice and community responsibility (10% of Mondragon profits go back into the community) (4,7).
4. http://www.mondragon-corporation.com/ENG/Co-operativism/Co-operative-Experience/Historic-Background.aspx


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Here are The Sentinel's top offensive performers for the 2009 season — West Ottawa's Zac Boersema, Holland Christian's Conlin Britton, Saugatuck's Tyler Brunsting, Hamilton's Cody Buresh, Zeeland West's Derek Fritz, Zeeland West's Joe Gaiser, Holland Christian's Matt Hochhaleter, Zeeland East's John Kamps, Holland Christian'sCamron Kiekintveld, Holland's Steffon Mayhue, Hamilton's Evan Mudd, Holland's Chris Oviedo and Hamilton's Aric Spotts.
The top defensive players will be announced Friday, both online and in print.
Zac Boersema
School: West Ottawa
Position: Running back
Grade: Junior
Highlights: Averaged 4.9 yards per carry, rushing for 609 yards and eight touchdowns on 125 carries. Also caught 12 passes for 202 yards. Named first-team all-conference in O-K Red.
Coachspeak: "He is quick, strong and a three-year starter. He's a great kid." — Jim Caserta
Cody Buresh
School: Hamilton
Position: Offensive line
Grade: Junior
Highlights: A two-year starter for the Hawkeyes who clinched a share of the O-K Green Conference title with Byron Center. Helped protect quarterback Evan Mudd and spring running back Aric Spotts. Also had on defense 29 solo tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss."
Coachspeak: "He just plays with a lot of passion and a big motor." — Chris Myers
Conlin Britton
School: Holland Christian
Position: Running back
Grade: Senior
Highlights: Helped Maroons claim second consecutive Division 4 district championship. Leading rusher on team with 928 yards and 13 touchdowns. Also produced 341 yards and four touchdowns with 28 receptions.
Coachspeak: "He has excellent instincts and great heart." — Tim Lont
Tyler Brunsting
School: Saugatuck
Position: Offensive line
Grade: Senior
Highlights: Key blocker at left tackle on offense that averaged 48.9 points and 339.8 yards rushing per game. Helped Indians dominate SAC North foes and go undefeated and make back-to-back state playoffs appearances. Being recruited by Grand Valley State University, Ferris State University, Tiffin, Ohio, University and Western Michigan University.
Coachspeak: "Tyler's an exceptional athlete for his size. He has great feet offensively, is a dominating run blocker." — Bill Dunn
Derek Fritz
School: Zeeland West
Position: Offensive guard
Grade: Senior
Highlights: Earned all-conference honors for O-K Green. A two-year starter. Also lined up at defensive end.
Coachspeak: "He is the best guard we have had since 2006. He played every meaningful play for the last two years. Our unquestioned leader." — John Shillito
Joe Gaiser
School: Zeeland West
Position: Running back
Grade: Sophomore
Highlights: Rushed for 920 yards and 13 touchdowns on 145 carries — an average of 6.3 yards per attempt. Also recorded 265 total return yards.
Coachspeak: "He took on a lot of responsibility when he was our starting quarterback. He was our leading rusher and scorer for the second straight year." — John Shillito
Matt Hochhalter
School: Holland Christian
Position: Running back/wide receiver
Grade: Senior
Highlights: Overcome preseason shoulder injury to help Maroons win Division 4 district title by playing a number of positions — from running back to receiver to secondary. Scored six total touchdowns, four rushing and two receiving.
Coachspeak: "He is a smart player with excellent skills." — Tim Lont
John Kamps
School: Zeeland East
Position: Offensive line
Grade: Senior
Highlights: Two-way starter who is attracting recruiting interest from Central Michigan University, Western Michigan University, Grand Valley State University and Ferris State University. Also played at defensive end.
Coachspeak: "While he likely was one of the top offensive lineman in the state, he was even more dominant as a defensive end. He had over 20 tackles for loss on the season and basically was unblockable." — Derek Pennington
Camron Kiekintveld
School: Holland Christian
Position: Offensive line
Grade: Senior
Highlights: Helped Maroons earn second Division 4 district championship in a row by being a lead blocker on offense that produced 308 yards of total offense per game and outscore opponents 334-239. Also was a disruptive force on the defensive end.
Coachspeak: "He is a leader on both sides of the ball. He controls the line of scrimmage." — Tim Lont
Steffon Mayhue
School: Holland
Position: Fullback
Grade: Senior
Highlights: Totaled an area-best 1,381 yards on 119 carries this season — an average of 11.6 per carry. Also ran for 15 touchdowns.
Coachspeak: "His statistics are incredible considering almost every team we played concocted a defense to stop him first. He set two school records, rushing and scoring, because of his ability to break tackles, speed and never-say-die attitude." — Shawn McManus
Evan Mudd
School: Hamilton
Position: Quarterback
Grade: Senior
Highlights: Threw for 2009 yards and 13 touchdowns while competing 107 of 205 attempts. Also rushed for 310 yards and seven touchdowns on 83 carries. Helped the Hawkeyes finish with 9-2 record and win piece of O-K Green Conference title.
Coachspeak: "He did a lot of amazing things. He was the best quarterback I saw all year throwing the football. I never thought we'd become a passing like we were, but it was because of him." — Chris Myers
Aric Spotts
School: Hamilton
Position: Running back
Grade: Senior
Highlights: Rushed for 1,307 yards and 23 touchdowns in first year as a starter for the Hawkeyes. Also caught eight passes for 178 yards and one touchdown. Helped Hawkeyes go 9-2 and claim piece of O-K Green championship.
Coachspeak: "He never played a down before this year. That's the most amazing thing about this kid. He never started in his life. He was a self-made player. The work ethic was just amazing every night." — Chris Myers
Chris Oviedo
School: Holland
Position: Offensive line
Grade: Junior
Highlights: Played significant role in veer offense's success — Dutch averaged rushing for 323 yards per game. Also saw time in defensive line rotation. Made 23 total tackles, including one sack and two others for loss.
Coachspeak: "Chris was our best lineman this year. He was explosive at the point of attack, great at the second level finding linebackers. We knew that we could run behind him when needed." — Shawn McManus

subset: commoncrawl


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Q: How is my pension affected if I go part time?
A: Pension accrues on the basis of your Pensionable Service and your Final Pensionable Salary. For many Fund members, assuming their contractual arrangements remain the same throughout their Pensionable Service; it's simply a case of the pension being calculated as one 54th or one 60th of Final Pensionable Salary for each year of Pensionable Service, depending on the Section that applies to you.
However, if different contractual hours have applied during your Pensionable Service, the calculation is based on the full-time equivalent Final Pensionable Salary but service is pro-rated for periods of lesser or greater hours.
For example, an employee who has been a member of the Pre-2009 Section since the end of 1995 and whose service has been full time since that date, changes his or her contractual hours at the end of 2010 to work 3 days a week. His or her full time salary was £40,000 a year. The employee subsequently leaves Company service in 2015. The five years working at 3 days a week is pro-rated to 3 years' service.
The calculation of that employee's pension would be as follows:
1995 - 2010: 1/54 x 15 years x £40,000 = £11,111
2011 - 2015: 1/54 x 3 years x £40,000 = £ 2,222
Total Pension payable at Normal Pension Date = £13,333 a year
Q: I understand that members do not pay pension contributions on reaching 36 years' pensionable service. Does my pension grow once I have attained 36 years' pensionable service?
A: Yes. Although SCPF member contributions for Pre-2009 Section members cease after 36 years' Pensionable Service, the pension still continues to accrue at the rate of one 54th of your Pensionable Salary a year (and part year) of service. SCPF member contributions for Post-2009 Section members continue after 36 years' Pensionable Service and the pension continues to accrue at the rate of one 60th of your Pensionable Salary a year (and part year) of service.
Q: What do I do if I want to take my pension early?
A: You may take your pension on or after the age of 55 and before Pension Age if you leave Company service. You must have at least two years' Pensionable Service or have transferred benefits in.
You have to resign from the Company (giving at least your contractual notice) and notify the Pensions Administration Team that you want to take your pension straight away. The Pensions Administration Team will then send you the relevant forms to complete in order to set up the pension. An early retirement factor will be applied for each year you retire before Pension Age and this factor is subject to periodic review.
Q: What does 'AVC' stand for?
A: Additional Voluntary Contributions. These are additional pension contributions that you can make voluntarily. The Additional Voluntary Contributions Arrangement Explanatory Booklet gives full details of the AVC Arrangement.
Q: If I take my pension at Pension Age but continue to work, can I still pay into AVCs?
A: No. The SCPF AVC arrangement is only available to active members of the SCPF and not those taking pension.
Q: If I go on an expatriate assignment do I have to leave the SCPF?
A: No. When you go on an expatriate assignment you will become a deferred member of the SCPF in the section that applies to you (Pre-2009 or Post-2009 Section, depending on when you joined the SCPF). If you return to work in the UK and have been in continuous Pensionable Service in the SOCPF while you were overseas, then you will be able to rejoin the section of the SCPF that you were in immediately prior to transferring.
The Inter-Fund Linking Rules factsheet (factsheet will be available shortly) gives full details of how the two funds are designed to complement each other.
Q: When will I receive the annual pension benefit statement?
A: The annual Pension Benefit Statements are usually available in June. The Pensions Administration Team will send benefit statements to Active Members at their home address.
Q: How do I transfer in pension from another Fund?
A: A factsheet, entitled Transfers into the SCPF, explains the process.
Q: Who is my nominated beneficiary for Death in Service Lump Sum?
A: Your Death in Service Nomination Form is held on your personal file, so you should contact the HR service desk (email: HR Service Desk Europe-AF-LA-RU, SSSC-HRVO/E-T1) who should be able to check the details for you. In order to ensure your wishes are up to date, you can complete a form which will replace any previous nominations.
Q: Can I attend a pre-retirement course?
A: The Company offers a pre-retirement course to employees leaving with an immediate pension and employees approaching Normal Pension Date. You should receive an invitation to the course automatically but you can contact the Course provider direct by using the contact details given in HR Online.


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Feedback from our travelers
The glow of your trip is still with me. Meeting your devoted followers and learning about English gardens are experiences that carry me on to new vistas. You were amazing in all aspects of the trip. Meeting your contacts and enjoying their hospitality made your trip 5 star ...or is it 6 plus?
Beth, Wayne, PA
We are so grateful for a lifetime experience and the pure pleasure of remembering and talking about the trip. I should also say that we have fallen in love again with our place at Stinson Beach, seeing it through the lens of the places we visited with you.
Charles and Sandra, San Francisco, CA
Thank you so much for all your work and care in organizing a wonderful English tour. The gardens were magnificent and our hosts, hostesses and gardeners so hospitable and generous with their time. I also enjoyed so much our merry band of travelers.
Mary, East Hampton, NY
It was a beautiful trip, you selected fantastic locations, each exquisite in its own way. And the owners and gardeners were extraordinary and a thrill to meet.
Judy, New York, NY
So lovely to be with you all for a divine week together. Thank you so very much, Emily and Katharine, for your wisdom in planning our exquisite garden tour! Every stone, step and view along the way was extraordinary.
Victoria, Sag Harbor, NY
Coco and I get to use the word "gobsmacked"; Completely stunned and thrilled by Rehana's book [a lovely book which one of our guests made for us]. Isn't it a marvel!!!
We have been through it 3 times since last night when we opened it and are overcome with sentiment and gratitude and just plain delight at the multiple pleasures it holds for reliving our wonderful time together. Such a crew! And such beautiful gardens! And so much irresistible food as well! I'd forgotten so much that this is just one of the greatest treasures imaginable.
We have not forgotten how beautifully Emily and Katharine managed our voracious appetites for all things good and beautiful, and the wonderful cast of characters to whom you introduced us. Seeing this book, no-one will be able to resist any trip you conceive.
Kyra and Coco, Boston, MA
I thank you for putting together such a wonderful trip. Looking forward to hearing about your future endeavors!
Martha, Salem, OR
Thank you and Emily for the marvelous trip.
Marian, Chicago, IL
Thank you so much for leading such beautiful days in England! I really meant that I could have stayed for weeks. Obviously the gardens themselves were the most captivating part for me and it was wonderful to explore the selection which were fascinating individually as well as by contrast.
Gabriel, Jackson, WY


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Distances are calculated in a straight line and may not reflect actual travel distance.
Attractive four / five bedroom period house of generous proportions dating originally from the early 1800s set on a generous 0.8 acre plot and offering versatile accommodation and further extension potential (STPP).
Wrotham Heath Place is an attractive double fronted attached period property that is believed to have been the ballroom wing of the original manor house. The house is of a red brick construction with sash windows and benefits from being the end property, giving a more secluded feel.
The front door opens into an inviting double height entrance hall from off which is access to the ground floor rooms and a staircase leading to the first floor. Double doors lead through to an impressive 24 ft. reception room which boasts intricate cornicing and pretty ceiling rose, two large sash windows with shutters and window seats, stripped wood flooring and a striking open fireplace with marble surround.
Further ground floor accommodation includes a study, downstairs WC, kitchen breakfast room with adjoining utility room, a bright conservatory / orangery overlooking the garden that the current owners use as a dining room, and a second reception room with attractive wall panelling and French doors to the terrace is currently used as a fifth bedroom but could equally be used as a play room, library or snug. Access to the cellar is from this room via a trap door. The cellar extends to 605 square feet and has conversion potential subject to planning and a buyer's own investigations.
Stairs lead up from the hallway to a galleried landing on the first floor. The dual aspect master bedroom overlooks the rear garden and benefits from a spacious en-suite bathroom with separate shower. There are three further bedrooms and a family bathroom.
This fantastic property is located in semi-rural position set off London Road in Wrotham Heath. Local amenities include a petrol station with shop, Chinese restaurant, Vineyard restaurant, Beefeater public house with restaurant and the Holiday Inn Hotel and Health Club. The village of St. Mary's Platt is approximately a mile away and benefits from a primary school. A wider variety of shops and facilities is available at Borough Green.
Transport links include Borough Green & Wrotham train station 2.5 miles away, offering direct services to London Victoria (48 minutes), London Blackfriars (52 minutes), Maidstone (20 minutes) and Ashford International (50 minutes) and Sevenoaks Station (8.9 miles) which provides direct links to London Bridge, Cannon Street and Charing Cross from 30 minutes. Junctions to the M26 (for M25) and M20 are approximately half a mile away, giving easy access to the international airports of Gatwick and Heathrow, as well as seaports and resorts on the South Coast.
The house sits on a plot of 0.8 of an acre, which includes a generous area for off street parking at the front that also provides access to the double garage (19'5 x 16'3). To the rear of the house there is a raised terrace area leading down to the garden which is mainly laid to lawn with mature trees.
Additional Information
Tenure: Freehold
Local Authority: Tonbridge and Malling
Services: All Mains
Period House
Attractive Architecture
Believed to be the Ballroom Wing of the Original Manor House
Versatile Accommodation
Grand Reception Room
Inviting Entrance Hallway
Kitchen Breakfast Room
Four Bedrooms
Contact branch for relevant Energy Performance Certificate


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Ep19: 3 leadership lessons I learned from my first year of podcasting: The TalentGrow Show's 2015 Year in Review/
As I wrap up my first year of podcasting on The TalentGrow Show, I look back and shares my story of how the podcast got started and the three biggest leadership lessons I have learned that can apply to any leader as they think about their goals and their work. I get up-close-and-personal and share the behind the scenes stories, fears, concerns, hopes, and dreams I have experienced as a newbie podcaster and suggest lessons that you can immediately apply and benefit from. I also make a personal request for a couple of tiny, quick favors at the end - will you be one of the listeners who will grant me these easy wishes? Listen, enjoy, respond, and share!
Now - also on YouTube!
Transcript (ish)
It's a wrap! 2015 is ending and the first year of podcasting on the TalentGrow Show is in the books. And what a ride it's been! Whew!
This is my last episode and it only seemed appropriate to do a year in review and share some of the highlights and lessons learned. Plus, my informal survey of opinions on Facebook confirmed that this is what you would find interesting to hear.
How it all started
I have been a voracious consumer of podcasts for a couple of years now, and for a while I was a podcasting wannabe. But I had no idea how to start. It seemed so daunting. But if you know me at all, you know that once something strikes me as interesting and gets my ambitions riled up, I go research it with a fiery passion and gobble up everything I can find to learn about it.
And if you know me at all, you also probably know that I can stay in this 'analysis paralysis mode' for quite a while.
So I want to give a shoutout to two people who helped me break-out of that mode, in two different and very important ways:
First, Marcus Sheridan, the Sales Lion. I listened to an episode of his podcast where he riffed on the benefits of podcasting to the entrepreneur who publishes it. Most of what he said, I'd heard already. But it was something about how he said it that really resonated for me, really clicked. It really helped catalyze the decision for me to move forward with this dream. That day, I decided to move 'podcast' up on the list of goals, above 'book #2'.
Second, Espree Devorah, a fellow member of a Facebook group whom I'd never met or interacted with, who offered to give a free 15-minute coaching call to anyone in the group to help with their podcast. She spent almost an hour with me and totally pushed me to move into implementation mode BEFORE I WAS READY. Oh my gosh, so scary. At the time, I was busy learning about equipment, and recording methods, and editing, and publishing platforms, etc., etc.
Espree said "Why haven't you launched your podcast yet?"
I started listing all my 'reasons', or excuses as they probably really were.
She said, "you need to just schedule your first 3 interviews. You'll figure the rest out once you do it."
GULP! I started with various "Yeah, buts" but Espree was right.
She pushed me. It made me scared as heck. And I did it. Exactly a year ago, in December of 2014, I reached out to several colleagues and booked their interviews. And I recorded four different episodes in the course of the last 2 weeks of that month.
I then had a few more recording sessions in the first quarter of 2015 while I worked on figuring out the behind the scenes stuff needed to actually make the podcast a real thing that people could download and listen to.
I launched in March of 2015. I don't know if I would have kept sitting on the sidelines if it weren't for that coaching from this complete and generous stranger with whom I connected on Facebook in the most indirect, impersonal way to that point. Who said Facebook was a waste of time? Think again.
Lessons learned
So along the way, I've learned several lessons from my podcasting newbie journey. Here are my top 3 lessons that any leader can also apply.
Lesson #1: Start before you're ready
The first big lesson I learned from Espree was start before you're ready. When you're maybe 80% or 85% ready, get moving. Create some external accountability and/or schedule something important. Then you'll have a deadline and some pressure. And amazingly, you'll figure out what you need to do get it done.
Now don't get me wrong. I did NOT have it all figured out when I recorded my first few episodes. Nor when I started publishing. But we never have it 100% figured out. We just have to move forward when it's 'good enough', and keep learning and iterating. Constant Beta mode.
Lesson #2: Don't go it alone
The second big lesson I've learned from podcasting is don't go it alone – get help and delegate. At first, I intended to do everything myself, in true Halelly fashion. I'm overly ambitious, frugal, and independent. That's a deadly cocktail for burnout, lemme tell ya.
But I'm glad that I realized very early on that there are people out there who know podcast editing and production because that's what they do for a living. I mean, let's face it: I don't really have any ambitious to become a pro at editing or the technical aspects of getting the podcast to go live. And trying to learn the ins-and-outs of these processes was going to be the death of me. So I decided to get a pro to help me. I hired a guy who does nothing but edit and produce podcasts for a living.
First of all, I was not that expensive. And if you think about the value of the hours upon hours that I'd already sunk into trying to figure this out, and the hours I'd inevitably have to sink into this going forward to make it work (and probably not so well, either), it's really a no-brainer – it's a huge return on investment. This is one of the lessons I've been really trying to apply in my business, to try to do what I'm great at, and what brings me alive, and to outsource the rest.
Now, I've got a long way to go yet, and there are lots of things I still do on my own that I probably have no business doing and that I should delegate, but I've also made great strides and it's been very beneficial for my business and my sanity. So here's a big ol' shoutout to Tom Hanson of KNVP Studios who takes care of all the technical back end production stuff to bring you this podcast.
Lesson #3: Listen to your passion and maximize your strengths
My third big leadership lesson that you can also apply is to listen to my passion and leverage my strengths even more in my work. Doing this podcast has reminded me how much I enjoy the process of following my curiosity, learning and chasing down interesting ideas, connecting with fascinating people, and sharing my learnings with others to help them grow. I do this in my speaking and workshops work too, for sure, but podcasting allows me a unique way to really capitalize on my top strengths and to be my best self. I have found so much joy in podcasting that I wish I could just podcast full-time, so it's inspired me to re-visit some old dreams that I've been pushing back.
There are more ways that can perhaps help me leverage my strengths more fully, more frequently, in my work. I am working on fleshing these ideas now, as I plan my goals for 2016 and beyond. I can't quite share more with you because these ideas and plans are definitely not ready for prime-time, but I'm definitely acutely aware that there's a lot to this podcasting thing for me, and I am pushing myself past doubts and fears to explore what else, what more, can become of this passion of mine to be curious, to learn, to curate, to be open-minded and use my critical judgment to select and connect the best ideas and people, and to formulate them into interesting and digestible content that can bring insights and value to others.
So – in summary, the three big leadership lessons I learned from my first foray into podcasting were: when you are working on a big scary goal, start before you're ready, get help and don't go it alone, and listen to your passion and leverage your strengths, because that's what will give you joy but also allow you to add the most value to others.
I wish you a very healthy, happy, and fulfilling 2016. Thank you for listening to the TalentGrow Show and for sharing this journey with me. I would love to hear more from you about what you would like me to cover in future episodes – ideas, topics, and/or people – right in the comments below this episode here on talentgrow.com/podcast/episode19. I take your ideas very seriously!
Do me a favor... or two
And if you want to help me reach more people and make an even greater impact, you can do me 2 small, quick favors that will take you 4-5 minutes:
First, hop on over to iTunes and give the show a rating and a quick 1-3 sentence review about what you've enjoyed about this show. [Here's an easy tutorial I've created to take all the thinking out of this.] This not only assures others that it's worth checking out – it makes it more likely that they discover the show in the first place.
The second quick favor I would love from you is to share your favorite episode (or just the main page of the show) with others via Facebook, or Twitter, or LinkedIN, or email, or however you share stuff. It would mean so much to me.
Regardless, I want you to know that I really appreciate you, and I hope you make it a great winter holiday season and a happy new year. See you in 2016!
Intro/outro music for The TalentGrow Show: "Why-Y" by Esta - a great band of exquisitely talented musicians, and good friends of mine.
Don't forget to LEAVE A RATING/REVIEW ON iTUNES! It's easy to do (here's how to do it in 4 easy steps). Thank you!!
Get my free guide, "10 Mistakes Leaders Make and How to Avoid Them" and receive my weekly newsletter full of actionable tips, links and ideas for taking your leadership and communication skills to the next level!
You Might Also Like These Posts:
Ep032: Maximize, don't compromise -- Self-leadership and life lesson from the gym to your job [solo episode]
Episode 3: How to Set Good Goals, Be Happier, and Get Gritty with Caroline Adams Miller
Ep037: How to make better, faster decisions with Jeff Annello


text:
At 3:15 in the morning, in London, England, on August 13 of the nineteenth century, the great film director Alfred Hitchcock was born, a solid Leo with a macabre imagination (moon in Scorpio). When August 13 falls on a Friday, as it did in 1993 and 1999, you may expect bats to fly in through the slightest opening in the bathroom window, and the phone will ring at 11 PM and it will be someone you have never met, a waitress who writes poetry and is calling from Oregon to ask you for a job. She sounds drunk and promises to make it worth your while. But when you explain nicely that it is very late and not the right time, etc, she says fuck you and hangs up. Then you grab a broom, turn out the lights, and chase the bats out the door. Hitchcock was short (5'5) and stout and perhaps unaware that he shared his birthday with both Annie Oakley and Fidel Castro.
There is a tremendous amount of fire in his natal chart (see below): more than 50%. This accounts for his energy, drive, ambition. The water in his chart, topping 18%, indicates a man of subtlety and sensitivity. He has three times as much yang as yin in his personality, and no one should be surprised to learn that a man whose dominant planets are the sun, Venus, and Mars may luxuriate in bathtubs in the English manner and have an almost phobic distrust of showers ad oceanic vastness, which comes through in such movies as "Lifeboat" (in which Tallulah Bankhead and company survive on a raft in the North Atlantic in World War II), "Vertigo" (in which Kim Novak does not drown in the Pacific Ocean) and "Psycho" (in which Janet Leigh meets her shocking fate behind a torn shower curtain). Leo, Sagittarius, and Scorpio are the predominant signs of a man whose self-confidence can lead him to commit the sin of pride. I hear that Janet Leigh greatly prefers baths to showers and has ever since working with Hitch.
A picture of the master of suspense emerges from a study of Hitchcock's chart. He is a Roman Catholic; a lover of blondes (especially American blondes); and a prankster of the imagination who knows that a straight face is best for effects either comic or scary and that the best way to get an actor and an actress to understand their parts as quarreling lovers is to handcuff them together and lock them in a room overnight, as in the filming of "The 39 Steps." When he was a boy, Hitchcock's dad sent him to the local police constabulary with a note instructing the officer on duty to lock the boy in jail for a few hours. This experience had the desired effect on the lad, who worked out his guilt complex by dispatching heroes, heroines, and villains to their deaths from the top of a church tower, or from a moving train, or in a wood stove, or by an attack of killer birds, or from the top of the Statue of Liberty, or in an out-of-control merry-go-around at an amusement park, or by a nasty piece of goods who uses his necktie as a strangling device, or sometimes with a gun, a knife, or a pair of handy scissors. The leonine Hitchock had his sun and his Venus in Leo. This makes him a most logical man, a constant man, generous in his affections but domineering, and almost tyrannically loyal to his lovers and friends.
Given his stellar combination of assertive confidence and deep-seated guilt, it comes as no surprise to students of the great man's chart that (1) the great Hitchcock actors (male) tend to be old-fashioned types (James Stewart, Cary Grant) rather than the method-trained new breed; (2) in some (not all) of the best Hitchcock movies, the villain is either more interesting than the hero (Robert Walker versus Farley Granger in "Strangers on a Train") or at least complicated in an attractive way (e.g., Joseph Cotten in "Shadow of a Doubt," James Mason in "North by Northwest," Ray Milland in "Dial M for Murder," the birds in "The Birds"); and (3) the perfect Hitchcock heroines are Grace Kelly, Ingrid Bergman, Kim Novak, Doris Day, Janet Leigh, Priscilla Lane, Larraine Day, and Teresa Wright. Hitch shows us the craziness inside every man and his (almost invariably blonde) fantasy lady.
A tip of the old fedora to Bernard Herrmann, who wrote the music of Hitchcock's mind-- DL
Note: Readers of "astrological profiles" know that the use of astrological terms is laid on pretty thick but with tongue in cheek, firmly so, on the nervy assumption that the horoscope -- like the "haruspicate or scry," "sortilege, or tea leaves," playing cards, pentagrams, handwriting analysis, palm-reading, and the "preconscious terrors" of the dreaming mind in T. S. Eliot's "The Dry Salvages" -- may be a bust at prediction bur may turn out to be not only "usual pastimes and drugs" but the means of poetic exploration.


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Residential Pressure Washing in Myrtle Beach
Pressure washing is a process of cleaning objects and surfaces such as vehicles, buildings, or concrete surfaces by the use of a mechanical sprayer. Myrtle Beach has many companies that offer pressure-washing services and use the most advanced pressure washer that removes mildew, dust, mold, mud, and loose paints leaving your building or vehicle sparkling clean.
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Paddy's near Misawa Air Base serves you authentic Irish beers
Situated just a couple-minutes-walk from the main gate of Misawa AB, Paddy's offers authentic Irish beers in a cozy, military-friendly and smoke-free setting.
When I entered through the typical Irish-style wooden façade, a pair of dogs, Shannon and Liffey, were there to greet me. Their cheerful expressions and the dark brown wooden interior, furniture and bar, along with dimmed lighting made me feel welcome.
"The interior was coordinated by an Irish designer," says owner Kazuko Fukuda, explaining that she opened the pub in May 2000 in an attempt to start an authentic Irish pub with good food, tasty beers and cozy atmosphere. "When I visited Misawa, the town reminded me of Ireland a bit, and that kind of became the driving force for me to open an Irish pub here," Fukuda said.
Shop manager, Toru Komukai, who completed training through Guinness and mastered how to pour beer, puts those skills to work as he maintains the authentic Irish taste.
Following the Guinness instructions, Komukai pours the first portion of beer into a glass without any foam. After waiting for 90-120 seconds and making sure that surging foams have settled down in the glass, he pours a second portion to fill up the glass with extremely smooth foam on top.
Komukai then perfects it by drawing a shamrock on the head of foam.
"The most important part of the pouring process is to do it slowly with care," said Komukai, who never fails to apply this time-consuming pouring method.
The beautiful look of the beer with shamrock-shaped foam, full-bodied, fresh and rich flavor, along with complicated tastes of sweetness and bitterness of Irish stout beer really stand out.
According to Komukai, washing glasses, cleaning serving equipment and taps are also important to maintaining the quality taste of the beer. Glasses always air dry as opposed to being dried with a rag.
"If you don't wash the glass well enough, it can spoil the flavor," Komukai said. "It can change the appearance of the beer and smooth foam."
Their quality-first goal led to the smoke-free policy, which prevents smoke particles from sticking to glasses, as well.
"The policy also helps non-smoking customers enjoy their beer without being bothered by smoke, but that was the secondary effect," Fukuda explains. "Quality of beer is our utmost interest."
Be sure to sample the fish and chips when you visit. The large portion of the homemade Irish dish goes well with the Guinness or Kilkenny. Komukai gets the fresh cod from a local fish port.
Fukuda, Komukai and both dogs are very sociable and friendly, which likely contributes to the shop's popularity. The authentic Irish food and drinks don't hurt either, as the pub continues attracting many American servicemembers and employees of Misawa AB.
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(photo courtesy of Adore magazine)
You have to check out a brand-new online magazine called ADORE.
I am loving all of the great Australian design that is out there....and this magazine captures the colorful, youthful style of some of my Aussie blogging friends, as well as some very talented American designers. It's amazing to me how the internet has made distance a completely null barrier, especially in the world of design and decor. About 50% of my readers and clients are Australians now and I think it's beyond amazing how we all feed off of each other and with no real time delays anymore - pretty cool!


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Photo: Courtesy of Netflix.
Instead of spending my weekend interacting with actual humans, I'm watching the entire second season of Netflix's original political melodrama House of Cards and posting one recap per day. Catch the recap for chapter 21 here.
I could go for some ribs right about now.
Maybe it's odd to still have an appetite after this episode, which parabolically throws Freddy the barbecue man through the air, fleshing out his history and dismantling his hoped-for future in about 48 minutes. After all, Freddy's always been likable, but I can't shake the feeling that he fills some kind of meta-magical negro role, counterbalancing Frank's deceitfulness with a sort of folksy authenticity. Until this episode, we've been given none of Freddy's backstory; he simply existed to run the down-home rib shack Frank visits in between political maneuverings. It is literally Frank's moral center, where he goes to recharge and receive sage advice in metaphor (e.g., "That's why God gave us reflexes: So we can move the f**k outta the way when a fridge come outta nowhere.") In the first season, Frank even half-jokingly tells Zoe that he was at Freddy's, "on the other side of the tracks, trying to find the meaning of life."
It seems like this episode is meant to correct that imbalance by giving Freddy his own moment in the spotlight. Life is good, and business is booming, thanks to a recent newspaper profile. He's on his way to a lucrative franchise deal and has a good chunk of change coming to him.
When one of his partners shows him a mock-up of one of the new rib joints, Freddy's surprised at its intentional decrepitude. (He understands the stereotype he plays both in his business and in the show at large: "You want them white folks to feel like they slummin'?" he asks. "And, I get to play the n**ger.") Even so, he signs the contract — not out of greed, but for his estranged son, Darnell. Freddy visits him and his grandson in their tenement building and offers to pay for a new apartment with his coming paycheck.
Things aren't so good for the Underwoods. The gang's gathered to deal with the fallout from Tusk leaking a photo of Claire asleep in Adam Galloway's bed. "Claire must be the surgeon," confides Frank. "Only she can stop the bleeding."
At her request, Adam holds a press conference with his gorgeous Colombian fiancée and denies that he shot the photograph. Claire, however, is scheming: She and Frank counter by saying that Adam did in fact take the photo, discrediting him in the process.
Later, Remy meets with Adam at his gallerist's and threatens his fiancée's father, who is imprisoned as a dissident in Bogotá. He's up for the death penalty, and Remy claims to have the judge in his pocket. (Reality check: Remy would have a man executed if he can't cause a minor embarrassment to the Vice President and his wife?) In response, Adam releases another picture of Claire — this time, a sexy shower shot.
Team Underwood is back on the offensive. Seth recruits a young woman to pose for photos designed to look like the shower picture, giving a highly flimsy rebuttal to Candy Crowley on State of the Union: If we can fake these photos, what's to say Adam didn't fake them, too?
Photo: Courtesy of Netflix.
Meanwhile, Intrepid Reporter Ayla Sayyad visits Tusk, and she's starting to connect the dots between him and Feng and the White House. Tusk points out her Iranian origins and her Jewish ethnicity and makes veiled threats with an old vase. It's a bizarre moment of weakness for him. After Ayla leaves, Tusk calls up Remy: "Hit 'em again."
All that Remy has left, however, is to leak a story about Freddy's checkered past: As a teenager, Freddy was in a gang and robbed a liquor store, and during the subsequent police chase, he accidentally mowed down a couple of old people. Apparently, this is enough to embarrass Frank. (Reality check number two: It must be one hell of a slow news day to print a story about how the owner of a rib shack that the Vice President happens to frequent did time in prison more than two decades prior.) Freddy's son doesn't make things any easier when he pulls a gun on a photographer.
Frank pays a final visit to Freddy and explains how he must offer him up as a sacrificial lamb — instead of defending Freddy and his son, he needs to cut him off. At the same time, Freddy's franchise deal and upfront money have fallen through due to a morality clause in his contract. In order pay his son's bond, he decides to sell his storefront, and he's left with nothing.
As he heads back home, Frank looks wistful, but not repentant. "The road to power is paved with hypocrisy — and casualties. Never regret."
Adam, too, is a casualty. He comes over to the Underwoods' full of pride and spite, but there won't be any negotiation. Claire puts it plainly that he has no other option: Adam will recant and say that the whole scandal was part of a publicity stunt to raise the value of his work. And, if he refuses? "I will bury you," she says.
Tusk presses Remy to go forward with their plan, but Remy tells him that the State Department is now involved. With Adam's prospective father-in-law no longer in play as a pawn, Tusk snaps the neck of one of his birds in frustration.
The episode opened with a shot of Freddy, smiling as he walked toward his restaurant. It closes that circle at the end, zooming in on Freddy, now emptied of everything he had, walking away.
Will I miss him? Probably not, just as I don't particularly miss Gillian or Christina or any of the other minor characters who have been painted with just enough backstory to give them depth, but who are ultimately disposable and, at this point, unrelated to the grand narrative. The show is just as ruthless as Frank: It has no time for useless things.


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Our special guests for our winners' workshop in May are Alex and Tyler Mifflin—the award-winning hosts and creators of the acclaimed documentary eco-adventure television series The Water Brothers. Over the past six years, Alex and Tyler have travelled around the globe from the highest peak in Africa to the world's mightiest rivers, deserts, and to the bottom of the ocean, exploring some of the most important water stories of our time. Commissioned by TV Ontario (TVO), the series is shown in over 40 countries, including the United States where it is available in 50 million homes on Participant Media's PIVOT TV. Additionally, they are winners of the BBC Earth Best Newcomers award at the UK's Wildscreen festival, known as the "Green Oscars"
Alex and Tyler are huge supporters of the YRE Canada program and spoke at last year's winners workshop. This upcoming workshop, they will be hosting a special session where students can learn more about documentary filmmaking, including getting some hands-on experience. We're excited to have them on-board!


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Akaka Falls State Park, Honomu, Hawaii
SW end of State Hwy 220, Honomu, Hawaii 96728| Map |
Other Nearby Places to Visit
Akaka Falls State Park is named after a 422-foot tall waterfall that can be viewed from several vantage points along the trail. The area is lush and ideal for hiking.
Cathy Austin Bach and 1 other parent have been here
Ratings by kids' ages
- Tots (0-2)
- Little kids (3-5)
- Big kids (6-8)
- Tweens (9-12)
- Teens (13+)
Tips for Families
Address: SW end of State Hwy 220, Honomu, Hawaii 96728| Map
Phone: 808-587-0300
URL: http://www.hawaiistateparks.org/parks/hawaii/Index.cfm?park_id=2
Hours: Open 24 hours More Info
Price: Car: $5 More Info
Family Trips that include Akaka Falls State ParkView All
Recent User ReviewsView All
Houston, Texas
- Visited: March 2014
- Submitted: Mar 24, 2014
- Traveled with:
Little Kids (3-5), Tweens (9-12) and Teens (13+)
Great ExerciseFlag review
This was a great place for my 4 year old to run around. The tropical rain forest had plants we didn't see anywhere else in Hawaii. The waterfall kept all three of my children staring for a good 15 minutes. My 10 year old was inspired enough to make a video at this park. My 18 year old is an aspiring photographer and the whole park gave him tons to work with. There is no swimming (we came in our swim suits) but it's still worth the trip for the easy hike and exercise.
Tips for Families
Take the path to the right first to build up suspense til the big wartefall.
Suggestions for nearby family-friendly accommodations
Suggestions for nearby family-friendly restaurants
My Kid's Review
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Oct. 15 Doug Fister pregame interview
Q. What did you learn about watching the first two games and watching today's game, what will we learn about pitching to the Red Sox?
DOUG FISTER: I think a big thing is the fact that both teams never say die. They compete until the last out and it showed that Boston did that the last game, obviously. So we've got to go out there and we've got to play every out and make sure that we get everything done.
Q. What did you learn about watching the first two games and watching today's game, what will we learn about pitching to the Red Sox?
DOUG FISTER: I think a big thing is the fact that both teams never say die. They compete until the last out and it showed that Boston did that the last game, obviously. So we've got to go out there and we've got to play every out and make sure that we get everything done.
Q. You had a really good start at Fenway Park in September. What do you remember about that outing, what worked for you, and how could you apply that for tomorrow?
DOUG FISTER: I think a lot of it was the fact of executing. Keeping the ball down, mixing pitches and not get in any sort of routine. Their hitters are very smart, very intelligent. We've seen each other a lot. It's a matter of going out again and executing and making sure that each one of us do our jobs.
Q. What's it like pitching in this rotation, and how does your style complement the guys that you follow or precede and vice versa?
DOUG FISTER: I think a big part of it is the fact that we do it altogether, whether it's Ver or Scherz or anybody else on the mound. Everybody is out there trying to help each other, and trying to go through pitch sequences, and picking apart each guy's delivery. Different things. Whether it's a running game or how to attack a certain hitter, we're always trying to communicate with each other and trying to help each other. That's a huge part.
It's an honor for me to be a part of this rotation. We've got guys that have succeeded to such great levels, Anibal who did the ERA award this year, Justin and Max, alone, you know, but it's just an honor for me to be here.
Q. You mentioned a bunch of, keeping up with the Joneses, Verlander, Scherzer, Sanchez, Porcello. When you see all these guys doing all these fantastic things on the mound, you're a competitor. How do you keep yourself in check or go about approaching it and not trying to keep up with the Joneses, so to speak?
DOUG FISTER: I think that a lot of that is the fact of coming to terms with what you do and do it well. I'm not a strikeout guy. I'm a guy that goes out and gets ground balls. That's my job. That's what I want to do. I want to go out there and get bad contact as much as possible in the early three pitches of the count. And I have to rely on the team. And that's where we're all at, we rely on each other. And to go out there and do our job and put up zeroes, and that's our biggest goal, we're going to go out and put up a W.
Q. Since you've been here, what have you learned about Justin Verlander from watching him pitch and being around him in the clubhouse as far as what makes him an exception?
DOUG FISTER: The way he prepares. He goes out there every day well versed in every category. He sits and watches a lot of film, goes over with Jones, the pitching coach, all the hitters and the strategy, what they want to do. They always know what they want to do two steps ahead. And I think that's a big thing. It's a matter of him, he's got a knack of turning it up when he needs to and being able to lock in and execute.
Q. When you were a little boy and going through high school or at some point in time, when did you really believe you had a legitimate shot at being a Major League baseball pitcher?
DOUG FISTER: You know, it was always something I wanted to do, obviously, growing up. It was a part of my goal going through college. It was just a matter of hey, I want to play baseball, but I am going to get my education, also. If I can get my education paid for by playing baseball, that's even better. Once I was able to do that, obviously I just tried to keep continuing into pro ball and see where it could take me.
Q. Because of the other guys that you mentioned, Scherzer, Verlander, Anibal, you're not a guy who's normally talked about very often, the No. 4 starter in this rotation. Do you like flying under the radar? Do you think that's a good thing that a guy like you could be overlooked?
DOUG FISTER: I think my perception of it is the fact that I'm here. I want to be here. I want to be a part of the team. When I'm asked to pitch, that's when I go out there, whether I'm in the bullpen or in the starting rotation. That's my thing. I want to be a part of the team. I want to go out there and perform with the best of them.
Whatever that takes, whatever that calls for, that's where I want to be. Obviously I look up to those other guys. They've performed very well this year and in years past. Again, it's something special for me to be a part of.
Q. Verlander talked a little bit the other day about Shane Victorino being so close to the plate. What are your thoughts about being so close?
DOUG FISTER: We're never looking to hit them, by any means. But I'm still going to pitch inside. That's what I do. I throw a sinker and try to keep it down. Obviously numbers‑wise this year I've hit a few that have gotten away from me. And guys that do stand on the inside of the plate, I think they know that. And it doesn't change from hitter to hitter who it is. It's a matter of we're going to make our pitch. And that's kind of the way it goes.


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NEW YORK — Five weeks out from the midterm elections, MSNBC/McClatchy polls, conducted by Mason-Dixon in eight states, show Democrats are in striking distance of taking control of the Senate.The Democrats are very likely to gain several Senate seats with some races still rated as toss-ups.
In the Senate, Democrats need to gain six seats to regain control of the chamber. Our polls show that this is certainly possible as five races are toss-ups, one now narrowly shows a gain for Democrats -- Pennsylvania -- and the party maintains control of Sen. Maria Cantwell's Senate seat in Washington. In addition, other Mason-Dixon polls released Sunday indicate trouble for Republicans in three other GOP-held seats.
The numbers
Here are state-by-state results of the latest MSNBC/McClatchy polls. Click the state name to read the poll data. And click the candidates' name for their profiles.
- In Pennsylvania , incumbent Sen. Rick Santorum is well behind his challenger Bob Casey , with Casey currently ahead by 9 percentage points, 49 percent to 40 percent, with 10percent undecided.
- In Rhode Island , incumbent Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee and Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse are in a virtual tie with Whitehouse supported by 42 percent of likely voters compared to Chafee's 41 percent. But there are still 1 7percent undecided.
- In Virginia , incumbent Republican Sen. George Allen , whose campaign has recently been plagued with public gaffes and charges of the candidate as racist, and his Democratic opponent, Jim Webb , are tied with 43 percent each and 12 percent undecided.
- In Missouri , incumbent Republican Sen. Jim Talent and Democrat Claire McCaskill are tied with 43 percent each and 13 percent still undecided.
- In New Jersey , incumbent Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez is in a virtual tie with his Republican challenger, Tom Kean, Jr ., with 44 percent of likely voters supporting Menendez and 41 percent supporting Kean. There are still 13 percent undecided.
- In Washington , incumbent Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell leads Republican challenger Mike McGavick by 10 percentage points, 50 percent to 40 percent, with 9percent undecided.
- In Maryland , Democratic candidate Ben Cardin is leading his Republican opponent, Michael Steele , 47 percent to 41 percent, with 12 percent of voters still undecided.
And in other Mason-Dixon polls, Democrats seem well positioned to gain seats:
- In Ohio , a Plain Dealer poll shows incumbent Republican Sen. Mike DeWine and Democrat Sherrod Brown in a virtual tie, 43 percent for DeWine to 45 percent for Brown. There are 10 percent undecided in this race.
- In Montana , a Lee Newspaper poll shows incumbent Republican Sen. Conrad Burns trailing Democratic challenger Jon Tester by a 40 percent to 47 percent margin with 10 percent undecided.
- In Tennessee , a poll conducted for the Memphis Commercial Appeal Chattanooga Free Press shows Harold Ford, Jr . and Bob Corker in a virtual tie, 43 percent for Ford to 42 percent for Corker with 14 percent still undecided.
In all, these key Senate races show the following:
- Two Republican incumbents in very serious trouble, Burns and Santorum.
- Four Republican incumbents tied with their challengers, Chaffee, Allen, Talent, and DeWine.
- One Democratic incumbent tied with his challenger, Menendez.
- One Democratic incumbent with a real lead, Cantwell.
- One Democratic open seat with a Democrat in the lead, Cardin in Maryland.
- One Republican open seat with a tie, Tennessee.
The results show that the Democrats have a real chance of gaining control of the Senate. However, as the election approaches, Democrats may have to lead by significant amounts to counteract the well-funded Republican get-out-the-vote effort. And almost every toss up seat needs to break for the Democrats for them to gain the six seats that they need.
The issues
Democratic candidates are better positioned to win in those Senate races that are largely being shaped by voters' unease over Iraq and a sense that the nation is on the wrong track.
In all eight states polled by MSNBC/MCClatchy, more likely voters believe that the most important issue is Iraq than terrorism. And in keeping with the partisan political rhetoric, Democratic Senate candidates win among those who believe Iraq is the most important issue, whereas Republican Senate candidates win among those who believe terrorism is the most important issue.
Opinions on troop withdrawal from Iraq and disapproval of the Bush administration's policies in Iraq also help the Democrats as a majority of voters in each state disapprove of how the war has been handled. Also, in each of these states, more respondents want to see a partial or total withdrawal of troops from Iraq than want to keep the same number of troops or send more troops.
Other political news of note
Animated Boehner: 'There's nothing complex about the Keystone Pipeline!'
House Speaker John Boehner became animated Tuesday over the proposed Keystone Pipeline, castigating the Obama administration for not having approved the project yet.
- Budget deficits shrinking but set to grow after 2015
- Senate readies another volley on unemployment aid
- Obama faces Syria standstill
- Fluke files to run in California
- Animated Boehner: 'There's nothing complex about the Keystone Pipeline!'
A majority of voters in all eight states polled believe that "things in the country" are "off on the wrong track". Most of the likely voters in all these states are either "very" or "somewhat" worried about the direction of the nation's economy in the next few years and worried about another terrorist attack.
Although recent polling shows Bush's presidential approval rating improving slightly, public opinion of the President remains somewhat weak with approval ratings below 50 percent in each state poll. Congress fares much worse with approval ratings below 30 percent in each state.
The political environment in these eight states seems to favor the Democrats. These polls show that Republicans need to move the agenda away from Iraq to issues where the party demonstrates more strength.
Governor races
A glance at the key governor races around the country.
- In California , Incumbent Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger leads his Democratic opponent, Phil Angelides, by 13 percentage points, 49 percent to 36 percent, with 12 percent undecided. And incumbent Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein leads her Republican challenger, Dick Mountjoy, 53 percent to 23 percent, with 20 percent undecided.
- In Pennsylvania , Democrat Gov. Ed Rendell leads Republican Lynn Swann, 54 percent to 37 percent, with 10 percent undecided.
- In Maryland, Democrat Martin O'Malley leads incumbent Republican Gov. Bob Ehrlich by 47 percent to 43 percent, with 9percent undecided.
- In Rhode Island , incumbent Republican Gov. Donald Carcieri leads Democrat Charlie Fogarty 50 percent to 34 percent, with 16 percent undecided.
These polls were conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, Inc.of Washington, D.C. from:
- September 25 through September 28, 2006, in Rhode Island and California.
- September 24 through September 27, 2006, in Missouri, Washington, and New Jersey.
- September 23 through September 27, 2006, in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.
- September 26 through September 28, 2006, in Montana.
- September 25 through September 27, 2006, in Tennessee and Ohio.
A total of 625 likely voters in each state were interviewed by telephone. Those interviewed were selected by the random variation of the last four digits of telephone numbers.
A cross-section of exchanges were utilized in order to ensure an accurate reflection of the state. Quotas were assigned to reflect voter turnout by county. The margin for error, according to standards customarily used by statisticians, is no more than plus or minus 4 percentage points in each poll. This means that there is a 95 percent probability that the "true" figure would fall within that range if the entire population were sampled. The margin for error is higher for any subgroup, such as a gender or regional grouping.
© 2013 NBCNews.com Reprints


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- Decomposition Books
Decomposition Books
Decompostion journals are made from 100 percent recycled materials. These lined books are an inexpensive, fun alternative for those of us who fill journal after journal with our thoughts and ideas. Replace those old compostion books with the recycles versions. Available in two sizes- "full size" version is 7.5 by 9.75 inches, the "mini" version is 4 by 6 inches.


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Michael Jenkins, CEO, Roffey Park
Sian Harrington, September 13, 2016
Michael Jenkins spent his early childhood years in Malaysia before moving to Uganda. He then returned to the UK where he completed his university education at Durham University in Chinese Studies.
He left the UK to study Japanese politics and economics at Nanzan University in Nagoya, Japan, on a Rotary Foundation scholarship after which he worked for Toyota as a motor industry analyst for four years.
He was the recipient of a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Travelling Fellowship in 1992 and he spent some time in Australia thanks to it. He researched the training of Japanese and English interpreters while he was there. He set up the UK's first MA in Interpreting and Translation for Japanese/English and Chinese/English at the University of Bath after returning.
He joined the business school INSEAD, based in France, in 1999 as a regional director for Japan and Korea. Jenkins transferred to Singapore two years later to become director of INSEAD's executive education department in Asia. He then joined the Centre for Creative Leadership in Singapore as managing director and vice president before returning to the UK in 2009. He is now CEO of charitable trust Roffey Park.


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I realized I start thinking about Valentine's Day way too early. Like for the past few weeks, my mind has been racing with idea of what pink, red, hearty confections I can whoop up. I looked back at some posts, and I kinda whooped it up last year too.
Pop Tarts for my Sweetheart | XOXO Cupcakes | I Heart Cake Pops
Don't you worry -- I'm not just dragging up the old stuff to "recycle". I have some new V-Day treats to post very soon!


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After visiting this page you may want to visit our e-Safety page to read our e-Safety Policy and find out more about staying safe on-line in this digital age we live in.
How we teach computing…
Teachers have both a professional and moral responsibility to prepare pupils for their future life. Computing gives teachers an opportunity to help children develop the transferable technological skills that they will need to integrate into modern society.
The core computing skills and knowledge outlined in the National Curriculum (read by clicking here https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/239033/PRIMARY_national_curriculum_-_Computing.pdf ) are taught discretely in weekly sessions.
Pupils are also given an opportunity to apply these skills, in context, to enhance learning across the curriculum. For example, pupils will be given a chance to apply their understanding of how to use search engines when given the task to research for a purpose within a different subject discipline.
Children have access to both iPads and laptops to facilitate learning in this area of the curriculum, and help them to develop the skills needed to use the different types of hardware they will encounter in life. The core school values of independence, creativity and respect are instilled when learning in this subject: children are given opportunities to work independently; children have the chance to use technology to create content and problem solve and children learn about the importance of being a respectful member of theonline community.
iPad Apps
As well as a tool for teaching specific ICT skills, at St. Stephen's Junior school we use iPads to enrich our delivery of the curriculum we offer to your children.
iPads are an effective tool for teaching as, in addition to providing pupils with portable internet access, they are able to run programs called 'Apps': many of which are designed to support and enhance the learning experience of children.
A diversity of different 'Apps' are available from the Apple App store that you can use at home to support the education of your child. Many are recommended on the link below:
In school we use a number of different Apps, of which some of the most popular are listed below:
- Pages
- Numbers
- Keynote
- Alex (to help learn coding)
- Edumotion
- Garage Band
- Safari
We like like to use technology to enhance learning at St Stephen's in a variety of ways, for instance with KAHOOT – a way for children to be assessed at the end of the lesson through an interactive quiz!
Coding is an important part of the new Computing curriculum. At school we are currently using a learning resource on the website Purple Mash to facilitate part of this. Feel free to have a look at some of the activities your children will be undertaking by visiting the link below and opening '2Code':
You will need to log in to access the Purple Mash site. Any parents interested, please see your child's respective class teacher.
Lego WeDo 2.0
We have also invested in Lego WeDo to enrich our computing curriculum further, and extend the learning of our older children.
It is a unique combination of LEGO bricks, easy-to-use software and stimulating projects – all aligned to the KS2 computing curriculum and allows our children to make models, and then use the software to create code to instruct the models to perform specific functions.
As described on the Lego Eduation website, LEGO Education WeDo 2.0 makes primary computing a tangible hands-on experience for pupils. With LEGO Education WeDo 2.0, KS2 pupils will be able to get an invaluable head start with the computing curriculum and it encourages them to be curious and ask questions.
www.studio.code.org - is a website that we will be using to teach some of the skills associated with the coding section of the National Curriculum. Children learn about coding here in a variety of exciting ways for example by coding their own Flappy Birds game! It is a resource that can be enjoyed at home as well as in school, so feel free to explore with your children.


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A City We All Love to Call Home
February 7, 2018
Do you know someone out there who is in search of a new city to call home? Many cities across the country are looking to attract professionals who will establish themselves, their families, and their skills right within their city limits.
If Duluth were a single person wanting to attract just the right person, Duluth's personal ad might look something like this: ISO cool vibes, music lover, culturally interested—must love theater, ballet, symphony as much as you love a really great beer and local music. Must be active! Avid runner, hiker, biker? Yes, please. Enjoy dining out and taking long walks along the shore. Work hard, play harder. Are you out there?
Just like companies look for candidates that will fit well into their culture, people look for cities and cultures that fit well with them. Sometimes it works out; sometimes it doesn't. But, I'll tell you that I'm a little biased about this particular cultural fit. Duluth has run away with headlines, TV spots, and magazine feature stories in the last several years when people are talking about the next "it" place.
But, seriously, for a minute: cities thrive when there's a good match made between people living there and what's available to them. Like any good relationship, there has to be enough in common to make you want to stay and work hard at it.
Duluth works hard at its part in the relationship. Cities with culture and creativity contribute to higher economic growth, especially for cities with low-income people. The size of a city doesn't determine its performance, either. Duluth's number of artists of all kinds is outsized per capita than many larger cities.
Access to the arts and diverse culture define the livability of our cities. Smart cities take advantage of promoting their culture to attract the right partners, so to speak—retaining and nurturing creative workforces and dynamic personalities that ultimately contribute to the life of their city.
Our downtown is thriving. That's been said so many times by so many and it's well deserved. But, is it a match for you? Our music, restaurants, entrepreneurs, coffee, trails, lake, symphony, theater, and performing arts culture are accessible and welcome. These are treasured benefits for people who work hard and play harder. There are few places with a bustling downtown business corridor where, in just moments, you can walk onto a scene like the Lakewalk, where all the stress melts away with a lake breeze.
Not only does the city have so much to offer culturally and naturally, but there's a supportive business community here where people from all business backgrounds can be valuable resources for those just starting out and for those looking for advice on expanding or even for those expanding their business here from other locations. In many ways, Duluth is that city with real small-town appeal and relationships. Organizations like the Greater Downtown Council are valuable resources for everyone in our business district here. Make sure you have a great support system when you start a relationship with your new city.
All of this makes a match if I ever saw one. It's why you should want to work here, play here, thrive here. Duluth is that city you've been dreaming about.
If you're ISO amazing opportunities and a relationship with room to grow long into the future, hey, I've got just the right place for you.
Shelley Jones, of Jones Group of Duluth, is a commercial real estate broker based in Duluth and is a board member of the Greater Downtown Council.


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Telematics Update
Ever wondered why we live in a world where homes, offices, even pant pockets and airplane seats are tapped into the Internet, yet the dashboards of most automobiles remain glaringly unconnected? Some newer cars have Bluetooth, maybe some navigation. Older cars? Zilch.
Telematics is the industry filling the gap, Telematics Update the online publication covering the industry. I'm the former deputy editor of the site and a current weekly contributor who reports on important telematics topics like distraction and safety, the emergence of self-driving cars, and the rise of automotive Big Data (two-part series).
I also write the weekly intelligence brief, a round-up of all the big (or moderately big) news to make a splash on the telematics radar each week. Four years ago when I first joined Telematics Update, the brief included lots of names of companies you've likely never heard of before. Now it regularly features Google, Verizon, Sprint, Apple, and pretty much every automaker you can think of. Watching the industry come into its own and contributing to its safe growth along the way has been a fun ride.


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My Clinique experience, plus get a chance to win a gift and a date with me to the Clinique Real Women Party!
My love affair with Clinique is pretty young, but there is none a love more passionate and consuming. Lol. Theatrics aside, Clinique is probably my favorite brand out of all I've tried so far - because of it, I have come to realize that there is so much more to skincare and makeup than the drugstore products I've been using before.
Adik! Most of my Clinique stuff. Some I've already repurchased. Read my reviews here.
So why am I in love with the brand? Simple. Before Clinique, my skin looked like crap. Now, I use AT LEAST three Clinique products everyday: the Clinique Liquid Facial Soap (Oily Skin Formula), Derma White City Block Anti-Pollution SPF40, and the Moisture Surge. Barring any hormonal stuff and new products breaking me out, these three keep my skin glowing and smooth. I've tried other cheaper and more expensive products before, but I always go back to Clinique.
Wearing the Superbalanced Powder Makeup here
However, if I must pick only one Clinique product to use for the rest of my life, it will have to be the Moisture Surge! This gel moisturizer keeps my skin hydrated without the sticky feel. It also instantly smoothens my skin and gives it a glow - you really have to try it to believe it. Sorry, I know I sound like a broken record already, but I can go to my grave swearing this. :P
As for Clinique makeup, the brand makes excellent foundations. You have to try the Clinique Superbalanced Powder Makeup SPF15/PA+++ - it's my current favorite powder foundation. I also like the Perfectly Real Powder and the Superfit.
Again, it still depends on your skin type, so what works for me may not work for you. Clinique has several product lines for your major skin concerns, so if you use the wrong one, you won't get the results you want. That's why I recommend that you have a consultation at the counter, and always ask for samples!
The Project Vanity Clinique party: an afternoon of beauty and new friends
That said, I'm happy that I found my Clinique soul mates. Thanks to the brand, I have nice skin. Not super awesome model skin, ok, but real skin that I can be - I am - proud of.
So that's my Clinique experience. If you share yours, you're going to be part of something cool!
- Share your Clinique story with me in the comments box! It can be about how your fave Clinique product changed your life (naks), when you first used it, or just why you love Clinique.
- Leave your email address and link to your Facebook profile so I can contact you.
- The winner will get a Clinique gift pack + a date with me to the Clinique Real Women Party on November 5! It's gonna be awesome, I tell you. We can hang out!
- Deadline of entries is November 3. Best answer wins, as chosen by Clinique. Winner will be announced November 4.
Terms and conditions
If you plan to join, please make sure that you are available for dinner in Makati on November 5, when the event will take place. You must be able to respond within two hours after the announcement of winners - if not, we will pick another one. :) Sorry for the rush but this is time-sensitive.
Ok, I'm waiting for your comments! Show Clinique some lovin'!
The winner is in! Mina Aguilar will be attending the Clinique Real Women Party with me. She will also get a gift at the party. But wait! Since Clinique's very happy with the results of the campaign, they decided to give gifts to runners-up Krystle Wong-Ngo and Kurochanizer for joining the promo! They will be e-mailed by Clinique on how they can claim their gift at Rustan's Makati. :)
Congrats, guys!


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Want to up your descending game? Learn from the coach who has coached 3 times World Downhill Champion Greg Minnaar, Enduro Stars Cody Kelly, Mckay Vezina, Shawn Neer, Mitch Ropelato, more than 100 more pro racers and over 3,000 riders just looking to improve!
This is the exact same camp all of the above racers have taken!
Attend my Enduro Mountain Bike Skills camp, Apr 5-7 Moab, UT Enduro Mountain Bike Camp


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Need a little break on this Friday afternoon? Since it's unlikely you have an aromatic garden modeled after childhood-favorite board game Candyland to escape to, why not watch a video of one?
I loved Candyland growing up - a great mix of luck and skill not too hard to enjoy or too boring (I'm looking at you Othello!) to finish. I also love candy - and fear for my health if a real Candyland existed. But this garden takes the fun of the journey through Candy Cane Forest and Molasses Swamp sugar-free. Plus it only took 7 months to create/grow, but think kids - or anyone who loved Candyland as a kid - would love it forever.