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Future shock, according to Alvin Toffler in his seminal book of that name, is what happens to people when they experience too much change within too short a period of time.
Since the book's publication in 1970, change seems to have accelerated, posing a challenge for executives who wish to keep up and for the business schools that aim to educate them. But despite the need to learn more and adapt faster, many schools report that there is less time to devote to education and less money to pay for it.
"There is an endless need for maintaining one's employability," says Eric Weber, associate dean of Iese Business School in Spain, which focuses heavily on continuing education for alumni. "You have plenty of people in their late 30s, early 40s or even 50s who suddenly see the need for more education."
Like his peers at other business schools with established executive education programmes, Prof Weber has noticed that in these cash-constrained times, companies are much less willing to foot the bill, especially for longer programmes.
"When you analyse who pays the fees, it used to be the companies. That has switched dramatically," he says, adding that 80 per cent of students used to be funded by companies, but the figure was now 40-50 per cent.
Peter Cappelli, director of the Wharton Center for Human Resources, has also seen a sea change in the source of funding for continuing education. "One development we have seen in executive education is individuals coming to our longest and most expensive development programme and paying their own way to do so. This never happened before. Attendees were always sponsored and paid for by their employer," he says.
US companies, he says, are less willing to pay for learning for anyone, especially for older executives. "We don't see many older executives in large corporations – they are bought out to leave long before that."
Companies are not only cash poor but also less able to release executives to pursue educational goals.
Prof Weber says Iese has had to look at the length of courses on offer. "More important than cost is time away from the office," he says, adding that middle management executives, due to cutbacks, are often doing the jobs of two or three people.
Dominique Turpin, president of IMD, also believes the trend for executive education is for courses to get shorter or for elements of courses to be provided online. "We used to have a marketing programme that was three weeks long. We were able to fill it twice a year with 50 people. Today, the same programme is one week long," he says.
IMD generates about 60 per cent of its revenues from short one-week courses; 10 years ago that figure was 40 per cent, says Prof Turpin.
Despite huge demand for short courses at IMD, Prof Turpin does not expect the age range of attendees to change significantly from its current average of just over 40. He says this is because attendance tends to be sponsored by companies that are less likely to invest in older executives simply because they are more expensive.
However, if Gianpiero Petriglieri, associate professor of organisational behaviour at Insead and director of its management acceleration programme, is to be believed, the age of participants in lifelong learning programmes will soon be on the rise.
"We used to associate seniority with knowledge and youth with uncertainty," he says, adding that he had noticed a change in recent years with a broader range of people, both older and younger, "giving themselves permission to learn".
"We often assumed everyone comes to business school because they want to be promoted or to keep their job. That couldn't be further from the truth," Prof Petriglieri says, adding that, in his opinion, managers come not only to learn something new but also to explore new possibilities.
Like IMD, Insead puts great emphasis on tailored courses for companies where it might educate 20-30 people at once in what Prof Petriglieri refers to as "diagonal slices" that cut across age and company rank. "These companies are using executive courses more as a way to combine the development of individuals with the development of the organisation," he says.
This close association with companies, or the fact that Insead operates not only in France but also in the higher-growth cities of Singapore and Abu Dhabi, might explain why Prof Petriglieri would not agree with peers who have seen a decrease in interest in executive education from companies.
"There is a growing realisation that there is nothing more dangerous than a leader who thinks they know everything," he says, adding that since the financial crisis companies have realised models and frameworks are not enough. "Companies no longer want the fiction that leaders can provide all the answers from the top."
Clare Kelliher, professor of work and organisation at Cranfield School of Management in the UK, also expects to see more older executives in lifelong learning programmes.
She says Cranfield's programmes are tailored to people's career stage, rather than age – a strategy that would fit with changing demographics. She believes other countries might follow the UK in removing the default retirement age.
Whatever age or stage people are at, it is important that they keep up, she believes, pointing to the influences of new technology and globalisation.
Prof Cappelli would agree. "Businesses are doing things differently, entering new markets, changing strategies, making use of new approaches. That requires new competencies," he says.
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October 24th 2013
Late Mediaeval Fonts in Norfolk Parish Churches
September 26th 2013
The Life and Times of Joseph Hall (1574-1656), Bishop of Norwich (1641-1656)
June 27th 2013
Norwich Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust (HEART) and May Savidge
May 23rd 2013
Norwich Yards
April 25th 2013
A Striking Village
March 28th 2013
Changes in the Norfolk Countryside
February 28th 2013
Medieval Graffiti
January 24th 2013
Miss Reeve's Own Battle
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Joseph Hall, detail of an engraving by John Payne, 1628 (Courtesy of the Master and Fellows of Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge)
David Berwick
About 40 members of the Heritage Society heard a talk at the Fairland Hall by David Berwick, a Norwich Cathedral guide, on the turbulent life and times of Joseph Hall, who was Bishop of Norwich from 1641 to 1656.
Hall was born in 1574 in Leicestershire and attended Ashby Grammar School from which he progressed to Emmanuel College, Cambridge, at the age of fifteen, eventually becoming a Fellow of the college, then a strong Puritan establishment. He became a writer of books, many satirical, upsetting people in high places in the process. In 1599 the Archbishop of Canterbury ordered the public burning of his books and the satirical works of several other writers, but in the event it was only his which were spared from the bonfire. Ordained a priest in 1600, he took over the living of All Saints' Church in Hawstead, Suffolk, but because of his views he had a torrid time with Sir Robert Drury, his benefactor in the parish. In 1608 he became Rector of Waltham Abbey in Essex.
The tolerant Hall made a visit to Belgium to learn about Roman Catholicism and in 1618 he was one of five English delegates to the Synod of Dort at Dordrecht in Holland. There he gave a keynote speech for which he was awarded a magnificent gold medal, which now rests in the Fitzwilliam Museum at Cambridge. In 1627 he was appointed Bishop of Exeter, but William Laud, then Bishop of London, was very sceptical of his views and even sent spies to listen to his sermons. In 1641 he was made Bishop of Norwich, but then incarcerated in the Tower of London for a short time, before being released to resume his post.
During the Civil War the cathedral was subjected to terrible violation and Hall moved to a house in the Heigham district of Norwich, which later became the Dolphin Inn. He suffered much abuse because of his tolerant views to Catholics and he was banned from the cathedral for the last ten years of his life, but he had become assistant priest at the church of St. Bartholomew in Heigham and on his death in 1656 he was buried there. The church was devastated during the Norwich Blitz of April 1942 and it was in May 1975 that his remains were finally laid to rest in the cloister garth at the cathedral. He left a pamphlet "Hard Measure", posthumously published, setting out his thoughts on the appalling desecration of his beloved cathedral.
The vote of thanks was given by Tony Wright, the chairman.
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"Real Housewife" Taylor Armstrong came forward about a physically and emotionally abusive relationship at the hands of late husband Russell Armstrong -- unveiling shocking photographs of a black eye injury and stating that her gig on Bravo's "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" may have inadvertently saved her life. Now, three months after Russell committed suicide by hanging himself, she's publishing a book about it that she says could have been only made possible with his death.
In a statement to ABCNews.com Thursday, Armstrong says:
"I wish I could have been able to tell my story before now... But, until my husband Russell's suicide, I didn't feel safe to bring my story into the light, to help all battered and abused women, and men, and aid them in their struggle.
"I discussed my book Monday night for the first time on Bravo's Watch What Happens Live. The overwhelming response from viewers and their outpourings of support has been gratifying. From the bottom of my heart, I believe if my book can help others find the courage to deal with the pain and fear of their abusive relationships, I will have made a real difference in their lives."
Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) for the National Domestic Violence Hotline.


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Okay folks, been a few weeks on the new plans. But this one makes up for it. Now you know we look at a lot of plans before we post them. We want to make sure they work, we want to make sure the documentation is good. And we want to make sure you know what you are getting with good pictures and video. This is not an exageration: This new plan is one of the best we have ever seen. Period.
The documentation is insane. Complete build guide. Complete with decals. Complete with a flight set up document. Full size plans, EDF, pusher, whatever. It's all there. What about pictures? Unbelievable pictures. Video too. Insane stuff.
This is not your beginner parkjet, which is probably why we are so excited. It rivals the master work of Steve Shumate in terms of scaleness. The details are just crazy. But it does involve some advanced building techniques. We love it.
We do want to give a big thanks to the designer Craig Clarkstone who has clearly put in hundreds of hours into this project. He contacted us months ago and said he was just not ready yet, he needed more time to perfect his design, test it for the users, and complete the documentation. It's just amazing stuff.
We haven't even talked about how cool the YF-23 was in real life. Craig covers that stuff too, so get on over to the download page and get to work.
Just amazing work!


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It's a thing now. Capture the proposal and keep it all under wraps until the big reveal.
It started in Grand Central Station. I met up with Mazen and his very conspicuous-looking friend Sam before the arrival of Mazen's soon to be fiance, Fayrouz. Of course, it was crowded, and that doesn't make for clean photos. However, It did allow for me to be fairly close. Good thing everybody and their dog has a camera.
We're on our way to Central Park. That means passing through the Times Square Station, and it really really filled up on this post-Sandy day. I barely made it onto the adjacent subway car, and by barely, I mean my face was pressed up against the door.
We're out of the subway and walking. I'm feeling very sneaky now... and a bit stalkery. Okay a lot stalkery. Sam and I kind of lose them coming out, but Mazen discreetly communicates.
Finding good angles and trying not to be too obvious is...tough. We didn't map this out beforehand and that's fine. I would hate for this to be too scripted anyway.
And.... I've been made.
Just kidding. I just always wanted to say that.
Mazen found a secluded area. We hid behind some bushes.
And here we go.
Oh man, this is fun.


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Gasoline prices jumped nationwide in the last week, all due to rising oil prices and the belief by oil traders that OPEC's agreement to reduce output will send prices still higher in 2017.
After creeping higher in late 2016, oil today is trading between $52 and $55 a barrel.
The AAA Fuel Gauge Survey shows the national average price of self-serve regular is $2.35 a gallon, up about six cents in the last week and 18 cents higher than a month ago.
Last year at this time, fuel prices were headed lower, not higher, with the national average price at $1.99 a gallon.
What's different at the start of 2017 is the belief that the world's oil producers – OPEC and non-OPEC producers alike – are finally on the same page, agreeing to curtail production in order to shrink the oil glut and send oil prices higher.
Whether that actually happens or not is far from certain, but the market – which sets the price of oil – is betting that it will.
Price finds a middle ground
The result is gas prices that are higher than they have been all year, but still significantly lower than 2014, when the national average price was often above $3 a gallon.
According to AAA, the least expensive states in which to fill up are South Carolina, where the average price is $2.10 a gallon; Arizona, where gas averages $2.12 a gallon; and Alabama, where the statewide average is $2.13 a gallon.
Tennessee, Mississippi, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Missouri all have statewide average prices below $2.19 a gallon.
The most expensive gasoline states continue to be found in the West. Hawaii saw its statewide average climb above $3 a gallon for the first time in more than a year while California is the second most expensive state at $2.76 a gallon.
Midwest supply issues
In addition to higher oil prices, supply issues helped send prices higher in the Midwest during the last week. The latest data from the Energy Information Administration show gasoline inventories in the region fell by one million barrels last week, mainly due to lingering refinery issues.
But the pain was not felt evenly. Michigan drivers saw prices at the pump go up seven cents a gallon while Ohio motorists saw prices go down by the same amount.
Keep an eye on your inbox, the lastest consumer news is on it's way!


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***iPad 3 Users Please Read
Contact us with any questions about our games/apps, news, reviews, videos or pics of you and or your cat playing our games. We would love to hear from you. If you are having any technical issues with any of our iOS games please follow the instructions HERE as taking these steps have always fixed any issues that customers have and will get you up and running much quicker than waiting for a response from us. Though we normally reply to customer issues right away please allow 48-72 hours for a reply before repeating contact for the same issue.


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Five hundred rockers, most clad in leather and lace, celebrated the history of rock-and-roll at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Déjà Vu Rock Republic: A Tribute to Hard Rock, presented by Publix Super Markets Charities. Déjà Vu, featuring former Journey frontman Steve Augeri, raised $346,285 –up $40,000 from last year's gala – all benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County.
"We're just thrilled with the success of our signature Déjà Vu event, thanks to our fabulous community partners and committed supporters," said Ana Cedeño, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County. "We were sold out with 500 guests, plus we sold every item in our action, a total of 118 items, as well as 47 guitars signed by Steve Augeri, who played an amazing set of Journey songs."
Augeri rocked the night at "A Night of Journey" including hits "Don't Stop Believin'," "Any Way You Want It," "Wheel in the Sky," and "Lights." In addition to the iconic music of Journey, the Déjà Vu featured the ever-popular Shane Duncan/All Access Band, who played the top rock hits from the 80s to today.
The hard-hitting rock music was set against a backdrop of colorful lights, table-top guitar displays, a black-lit auction area with sporadic live entertainment, and creatively costumed guests – from Slash and Jimi Hendrix to John Lennon and Lady Gaga.
The event also featured Nerissa Street, Bethune Elementary School of the Arts' Drama Director, who was a Little Sister as a child. She shared her compelling experience as a "Little" and brought the audience of 500 to their feet in celebration. Plus, Déjà Vu recognized a group of honorees who continually show support and commitment to the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization and its mission of providing kids facing adversity with lifechanging mentoring relationships. They included:
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Visionary Corporation of the Year: Hard Rock's support of Big Brothers Big Sisters illustrates its mission to "do well by doing good" in its local and global communities. As of 2014, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood had supported hundreds of charities and community organizations contributing nearly $16 million in sponsorships and donations.
Chad Van Horn, Child Advocate of the Year: Attorney Chad Van Horn has mentored Little Brother Desmond, 17, for the past six years as part of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward program. Van Horn has served on Big Brothers Big Sisters' board of directors for five years, was named 2017 State of Florida Big of the Year and has provided significant financial and volunteer support to the organization. Van Horn is the founding partner of Van Horn Law Group, P.A., which helps individuals and businesses effectively navigate through bankruptcy and deal with the pressures of debt, foreclosure and loss.
Malena Mendez-Dorn, Champion for Children: Mendez-Dorn, director of corporate partnerships at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts and a longtime supporter of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward, is a charter member of Big Brothers Big Sisters' Women on the Verge support group. She captured the title "Woman on the Verge" at the LittleBig GlamSlam Fashion Show this summer for being the top model fundraiser at the event. She also is involved in Leadership Broward, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, the Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce and Hispanic Unity of South Florida. She was named a Hispanic Women of Distinction and March of Dimes Woman of Distinction, was recognized by the 100 Women of Broward, and received the Diamante Award of Broward.
Financial supporters of the event, in addition to Title sponsor Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Presenting sponsor Publix Super Markets Charities included Diamond sponsors Sixth Star Entertainment, iHeart Media, JM Family Enterprises and Publix. PCA came in as a Platinum sponsor and Gold sponsors included Apotex, Bank of America, Boost Creative Marketing, Comcast, Crowe Horwath, Gables Engineering, Marketing Matters, Ultimate Software, Van Horn Law Group, Wells Fargo and WSVN.


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Consumers reach for their mobile phones more than one hundred times each day to get "something" — even if only a text to mitigate their anxiety. Forrester calls this interaction "mobile moments", Google calls them "micro moments".
Whatever you name these moments, they are basis of your next marketing battleground. There has been a shift away from simply exchanging information and content on the web to building deep relationships on mobile devices through apps – the constant companions of modern consumers.
With mobile apps now accounting for more than 90% of consumers' time on mobile, the need for small businesses to accelerate their transition into mobile apps has never been more urgent.
Your customers journey to making a decision is a lot different than it was even 2 years ago. Since they can take action on any need or curiosity at any time, the decision journey has been fractured into many multiple decision-making moments — from choosing a place for dinner to buying a new coat or learning how to install a garage door. For small businesses, all these moments are an open invitation to engage. And they're the moments you have to be ready to win.
Someone is exploring or researching, but not yet in purchase mode. They want useful information and maybe even inspiration, not the hard sell.
Curiosity can be triggered by anything and satisfied at any time.
People are looking for a local business or are considering buying a product at a local store. Being there means getting your physical business in their consideration set in that moment.
Our digital lives connect us to our physical world.
These may come before or after the purchase. Either way, these are "how to" moments when people want help with getting things done or trying something new. Being there with the right content is key.
We seek instruction for just about everything.
These are huge, of course. Someone is ready to make a purchase and may need help deciding what or how to buy. You can't assume they'll seek you out; you have to be there with the right information to seal the deal.
Mobile assists in purchases across channels.
Encourage repeat business and customer retention by adding a loyalty scheme in your app. Forget about those paper stamp cards! It's a fresh approach to rewarding your customers that turns them into your biggest fans.
Drive sales and keep customers happy with special in-app deals and coupons. Add a new deal or coupon at any time then send real-time alerts direct to your customers. Run up to 20 at a time, as your customers are 10 times more likely to redeem offers if they're on a mobile device.
Push notifications are a powerful tool, putting you front and center on a user's personal device.
Drive higher ROI and reduce ad spending waste with our enhanced geo-locale specific targeting.
Radial Targeting: Geo fencing and targeting regions of specified radius around a particular point on a map.
Polygon Targeting: Geo fencing and targeting regions in a polygon shape (with three or more points)
When a customer decides to engage with your business over social media, they have truly accepted you and are willing to put their trust into your company.
Let your app serve as an extra distribution channel for social content while having your customers become true brand advocates. When you sync your app with social media like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, your customers can share content and promote your business. Customers can also "share" special promotions and contests you might have and their friends/fans will see the content and be moved to download your app.
Showcasing products and services with a beautiful photo gallery or demonstrating your business in action with compelling videos, invites users to browse and watch from right inside the app. That old adage of "Seeing is Believing" gives customers that extra vote of confidence in your business.
Keeping in mind the power of visual content, make these galleries a true showcase. Presenting the "best of the best" or most compelling instructional/informational videos will not only keep the consumers interest but also appeal to their desire to share your app.


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Time for our eleventh challenge over at Unstampabelles and for this month we want to see MOVING PARTS! The bonus technique for this month is TO USE A BRAD OR SPLIT PIN! You have until June 1st to get your entries in and the new challenge will start on June 4th.
*Just remember......NO STAMPS at all! No rubber, digi, sentiments, etc.!
Our sponsor for this month is
This is the fantastic prize on offer for this month!
Now for my DT project to get you started!
I did a suspension card and you can find a tutorial HERE!
The above is a "before" picture without a sentiment. The below images are after I had used a stamp for the sentiment. Just remember to enter your card into the challenge BEFORE stamping a sentiment! I could of used a sticker or cut letters out but I truly forgot before finishing this card....my brain is scattered these days! :P Hope to see you join in this fun challenge!
Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes
Creative Craft - Anything Goes
Delightful Sketches - Mother's Day
Mishelflo's Challenge - Celebration
Paper Sundaes - Mother's Day
Really Reasonable Ribbon - Mother's Day/Feminine Plus Ribbon
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Unstampabelles Challenge #11
Time for our eleventh challenge over at Unstampabelles and for this month we want to see MOVING PARTS! The bonus technique for this month is TO USE A BRAD OR SPLIT PIN! You have until June 1st to get your entries in and the new challenge will start on June 4th.
Posted by Stacie (craft-princess) at 5:00 PM
15 Comments:
- Danni said...
What a great card! I've never tried to do one of those before, fun!!
- May 6, 2012 at 6:33 PM
- Annmaree (Emu) said...
I just LOVE your suspension card, the awesome bright colours are so fabulous, really makes me happy!!! :-D
Your mum is going to LOVE it!
- May 6, 2012 at 9:08 PM
- Stacy H-W said...
Awesome card Stacie!! I love that suspended heart!! So cute!! Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving the nice comment!! Good luck in the giveaway. Stacy H-W
- May 7, 2012 at 2:29 PM
- Michelle H. said...
Very pretty card!!
Love the colors you used and love the border punch detail around the circle very cool!!
- May 8, 2012 at 12:32 AM
- Becky B. said...
Terrific card! I haven't ever made a suspension card, but have always wanted to try it...you've inspired me to give it a try while I'm on summer break! :)
- May 8, 2012 at 7:58 PM
- Merry said...
I so love the cheeriness of this card and such a fun technique too.
- May 9, 2012 at 4:51 PM
- Michelle said...
Lovely bright colours and I love the Design:)
Thanks for joining in at Mishelflo's Monthly Challenge and Good Luck!
michelle x
- May 9, 2012 at 6:10 PM
- JanR said...
This is cool. I'm definitely going to have to try one of these sometime.
- May 9, 2012 at 7:49 PM
- sara said...
great card thanks so much for joining us at paper sundaes this week
hugs sara x x
- May 10, 2012 at 7:03 AM
- NancyD said...
Very nice mother card. Thanks for joining us over at Creative Craft Challenges. NancyD
- May 10, 2012 at 10:42 AM
- Cheryl said...
oh this is one,really beautiful card,just love the colours on this ,bless you for playing at MMC this month,really appreciate,your support,hugs Cherylxxx
- May 10, 2012 at 2:37 PM
- Craftyanny said...
Love your bright bold colours. A smashing card.
Thanks for joining the fun with Michelflo
Anne x
- May 10, 2012 at 5:44 PM
- marion82 said...
amazing card sweetie love the colors you used!!!
Thanks for joining us at Creative Craft Challenges!!
you can visit http://whenthescraphitsthefun.blogspot.com/
for my free digis!!
- May 13, 2012 at 3:14 PM
- buglvr2010 said...
Awesome! Thanks for joining us at Really Reasonable Ribbon!
- May 14, 2012 at 3:09 PM
- Lorraine said...
this is fab huni i just love lime green and orange together its so zingy,thankyou for joining us at MMC this month and goodluck xx
- May 29, 2012 at 7:53 AM


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Howard Gordon, writer on 24 since Day One, showrunner of 24 seasons 5-8, creator/showrunner of Homeland and upcoming showrunner of 24: Live Another Day, got in touch with the following 24 veteran writers :
— David Fury (deal signed) : he's worked on one of the multiple versions of the two-hour pilot of Terra Nova, he worked on Fringe seasons 4 & 5, and he's currently working on Hannibal.
— Evan Katz : was the showrunner of The Event, worked on Awake, helped out on the Body of Proof retooling.
— Chip Johanessen : was the showrunner of Dexter season 5, working now on seasons 1 & 2 of Homeland.
— Manny Coto : he's been working on Dexter since season 5.
— Co-creator Robert Cochran : he hasn't done anything since he left his writing duties on 24, after episode 7.12.
"One day over dinner with Kiefer, I said, 'You know what? I'll do it, but only if we can get the old team back'. And as it happens, everyone is coming off a show or has got a deal wherein they've got some time. Some of them are on Homeland, so they can come in and pinch-hit. It's thrilling to have it out there, but right now we're at the very beginning of the process. I'm really just happy we have time to get the scripts right instead of the usual mad dash to September. It's almost civilized".
Other members of the gang that Howard Gordon might try to snatch up include :
- Alex Gansa : he co-created Homeland with Howard Gordon and worked on it ever since.
- Brannon Braga : he created FlashForward and worked on the first three episodes of Terra Nova.
- Michael Loceff : he hasn't done anything since he left 24 during the Writers Strike (between eps 7.08 & 7.09).
- Stephen Kronish : he wrote all 8 episodes of the Kennedys miniseries.
- And Gordon could also contact co-creator Joel Surnow. Since he left 24 during the Writers Strike of November 2007-January 2008, he created the Kennedys miniseries, but he's also written and directed his first film, the upcoming Small Time, starring Christopher Meloni, Bridget Moynahan, 24's Dean Norris (yep, "Hank" was in episodes 2.15 & 2.16) and 24's Xander Berkeley (the wonderful George Mason in seasons 1 & 2).
All of them are credited on at least 20 episodes of the first eight days of 24 — except Braga and Gansa, who got to write respectively 16 and 10 episodes despite working only on seasons 7 & 8.
@mattcail all I can say at this point is, yes I am in talks to return to #24Liveanotherday— Jon Cassar (@joncassar) 8 juin 2013
As for Jon Cassar, ever since he left 24, the Emmy Award-winning director (for episode 5.01) worked on :
- All 8 episodes of the Kennedys miniseries (of which he was an executive producer).
- 5 episodes of Terra Nova (episodes 1.03, 1.05, 1.07 & 1.12/1.13 - he was also was an executive producer).
- 1 episode of Human Target (episode 1.06, Lockdown).
- 1 episode of Touch (episode 1.10, Tessellations - thus reuniting with Kiefer Sutherland).
- 1 episode of Person of Interest (episode 2.02, Bad Code).
- 1 episode of Nikita (episode 3.13, Reunion).
- 2 episodes of Continuum (episodes 1.01 & 1.02, A Stitch in Time & Fast Times).
- 2 episodes of Revolution (episodes 1.05 & 1.15, Soul Train & Home).
- 2 episodes of Fringe (episode 2.06, Earthling, and the beyond amazing episode 5.06, Through the Looking Glass and What Walter Found There, which 24's David Fury wrote).
Cassar started on 24 by directing episodes 1.14 & 1.15, got promoted to executive producer in season 2, and went on to direct 55 more episodes between in seasons 2-7, usually directing 8-12 episodes each season. He also directed the two-hour movie Redemption, shot in South Africa. His contract was not renewed for season 8.
With 57 episodes and a TV movie, Cassar is obviously the one who directed the most 24 episodes, although Brad Turner came very close to achieving this number. He stopped at 46 episodes over seasons 3-8. Given the importance he had, Turner could also very well come back, though last week he was hired to direct multiple episodes of Howard Gordon's new TNT spy drama starring Sean Bean, Legends.
Milan Cheylov (two episodes directed in seasons 6, six episodes in season 7 and eight episodes of Day 8), Michael Klick (long-time assistant director who started to direct in seasons 7-8, currently producing Homeland) and Rodney Charters (24's director of photography from Day One currently working on Dallas who occasionally directs) would all be likely candidates to return for the filming of Day 9.
UPDATE : It's now official, Jon Cassar signed a deal to executive produce and direct multiple episodes of 24: Live Another Day, including episodes 9.01 & 9.02.
"I'm excited to call 'action!' again on the set of the resurrected 24. Considering I was not involved in Season 8, this gives me the chance for closure on a show that is very important to me".
Showrunner Howard Gordon added : "Jon was a profoundly integral part of 24 creatively and culturally. It doesn't feel like it would be 24 without him, and we're all just really thrilled to be working with him again".


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GET TICKETS HERE! or $15 on the door - Band Room
Starring The Amazing 4-piece Andy Layfield Sound with The Awesome talent of Geoff Achison This won't be your average blues and rock ensemble people.
Be prepared to be 'blown away' with distinctive blues & groove riffs, layered with funky jive overtones, that weaves a rich tapestry of guitar, harmonica, Hammond, sax and vocals, gluing all with a tight crisp rhythmic chill. Let's face it, when you blend these 'greats' together for one night, you're going to transcend the world of music.
You're 'gonna get blasted' with a montage of Achison's creative eclectic blues and funk licks in combination with Layfield's uniquely chameleon style, multi-instrumental sounds and exceptional original material.
You'll be transmuted into a cerebral vortex of spine chilling music EARgasms all night long. Bring yourself, bring your money, (heaps of CD's and merch available), and bring your friends, cause this is going to be one hell of a ride you won't want to miss out on.


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I consider the attention industry analysts pay to emerging technologies to be an interesting barometer for the market. Not long ago I attended the Next Gen Storage Summit, where object storage was a key focus, and met with a long list of industry luminaries to discuss object storage and where it is headed. Lots of probing discussions about Lattus, as well as observations about use cases for various industries, that stand to benefit from more cost efficient, scalable and accessible storage. They have also echoed a sentiment consistently: Demand for capacity growth is real industry wide and there is clearly a mix shift toward unstructured content that is driving this.
In a more recent briefing with Simon Robinson from 451 Research, we discussed Lattus and how it is addressing these challenges. Simon wrote about it in a recent report "Quantum Embraces Object as Part of Shift to Scale-out Storage."
Simon notes:
"Quantum's heritage and focus on archiving and retention leaves it well placed to benefit if (or when) the market goes more mainstream. In addition, its support and integration with adjacent products – especially StorNext – will be an important part of the company's story." Very true. In fact, we just revamped the Quantum.com StorNext pages in part to accommodate this evolving narrative."
He also describes StorNext within DXi as "the perhaps unheralded jewel in Quantum's crown." We couldn't agree more.
I was pleased to see 451 note Quantum's 'Strength' as:
"Quantum offers a good range of capabilities in and around the object storage space for certain use cases and verticals. Integration with its StorNext file system and Storage Manager provides a point of differentiation."
Under 'Opportunities,' Simon notes:
"Quantum's heritage is in data protection and archiving, making it well suited for the emerging object storage market opportunity."
Subscribers to 451 can access the full report HERE. Additionally, you may also have seen articles in InfoStor and Enterprise Storage Forum that shed more light on the utility of object storage and the options available. As the analysts have warmed to the benefits of object storage, so are our customers.
Want to Learn More?
Then check out our brand new Lattus Product Page on Quantum.com. It walks you through everything you need to know about Extended Online Storage.


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|Scout & Elena Jo-March 5, 2014
Scout talks about Elena fondly and is interested in what she's doing (or what we are doing to her). But Scout doesn't try and pick her up and take matters into her own hands. Now that Elena spends a bit more time on the floor on a play mat, or in a bouncy seat, Scout will run over and turn the music on or make it bounce if Elena starts fussing. And she's great at running to get us a diaper or a burp rag when we need it. Really, it's the perfect mix of being interested and loving, without overbearing. For her part, Elena is pretty interested in what Scout is doing and is starting to give her some big goofy grins. Granted, she gives those to Lucy too.
I'm excited to see how the relationship between these two develops as they get older, sisters can be pretty awesome. A piece of advice I heard (read?) about having a second child, was to respond to the needs of older child first whenever possible, mostly because you spend so much time having to ask them to wait while you take care of the baby. That stuck with me. I don't always remember, but I try to do that, if I can. Mostly it's lots of little ways, like if I'm sitting down to feed Elena, and Scout asks for milk, I try and get up and get her some before I start nursing. Or if I'm home alone putting Scout to bed, I've started leaving Elena on her play mat in the other room, even if she fusses for a few, so that Scout can get a few minutes of quality, snuggly, undivided time while I get her in bed and sing her songs. Maybe it helps, I'd like to think it does. If anyone has any other amazing advice on raising siblings to be friends, I'd love to hear it!
|Scout & Elena Jo-March 5, 2014


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Board of Directors
Althea Chaivan
Althea and her children have been a part of Pinnacle from the start. She brings with her over 12 years of project and team management experience. She was also a volunteer coordinator with the Big Brother, Big Sister program. Althea has a strong belief that all children should have access to programs that encourage scientific understanding, environmental stewardship and camaraderie. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling with her family and fostering rescued Jindo pups.
Fan Zhang
Fan has been designing products and leading product teams that help people for over 10 years, ranging from life-saving medical products to impactful consumer electronics. Fan received his BS in materials science and MS in bio-engineering from Stanford University. Fan is passionate about working with underprivileged youth, serving as a mentor for the Big Brother & Big Sister program for over 5 years. Outside of work, he also enjoys hikes and spending time outdoors with his family.
Jonathan Koomjian
Jonathan is the computer programmer responsible for keeping this site running. He grew up in the Midwest, and earned a Bachelors degree in Computer Science from Grinnell College before moving west to be closer to the mountains. Jonathan spends his free time dreaming up and building cool tech projects that help people reduce their environmental impact. On the weekends, he can be found backpacking in the Cascades, making up for lost time.
Interested in joining the Pinnacle Explorations Board of Directors?
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- Willing to join one or more board committees and to participate in fundraising activities
If you are interested in this volunteer opportunity, please contact our Executive Director Sean Chan at email@example.com or (917) 509-2843.


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HR Officer Cover Letter Template
A HR officer cover letter template must clearly demonstrate the applicant's ability to handle and supervising the official duties related to human resource department of an organization. The cover letter must clearly state the reasons for the employer to seek that particular applicant's application to be the best one.
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Category: Cover Letter Templates
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I do believe all the ideas you have offered to your post. They are very convincing and will definitely work. Still, the posts are too quick for newbies. Could you please extend them a bit from subsequent time? Thank you for the post.


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"I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day:
the night cometh, when no man can work."
John 9:4
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If you closed your eyes and listened, this could have been just one more routine business conference. Veteran corporate executives praised the Reagan administration's economic policies, but identified problem areas to watch.
John Tipton of Louisville said that the 25 percent tax cut means that "the people are going to be exercising their individual freedom in how they spend this money, giving us a better chance it will be spent well."
But, according to Carol Maier from Minneapolis, "the tax cut could be really inflationary." She called for new incentives for business investment.
Opinions spilled out in a rush because these enthusiastic young executives all needed to catch flights home. Most were headed back to another year of being executive officers in their own corporations.
All of them were heading back to their school books.
They had been attending the 38th annual National Junior Achievers Conference held every August at Indiana University. This year's conference, which ended Aug. 14, brought 3,000 students together. They were selected from the over 210, 000 students taking part each year in an international business-funded program giving 10th to 12th graders practical experience in how business works.
Students become Junior Achievers by signing up for weekly after-school meetings run by local business men and women. Working with materials provided by the nonprofit Junior Achievement Inc. of Stamford, Conn., the students form their own companies, sell stock, and develop and sell a service or manufactured products. At the end of each school year they liquidate their companies to distribute profits or count losses.
Adult volunteers teach students the theory and practice of economics. But the 15- to 17-year-olds run their own business. These "minicompanies" sometimes achieve 25-week gross sales of more than $10,000, with average profits in the 3 to 5 percent range, as for most adult-run corporations.
Along with their corporate responsibilities and regular schoolwork, Junior Achievers face a year-long series of tests and competitions which single out the best locally and regionally, leading to the national conference in Bloomington, Ind.
More tests and interviews with business executives are part of the week in Bloomington. Here, says minicorporation president Greg York from Akron, Ohio, he faced such questions as:
"What are the long-term implications of the government's supply-side programs?"
"How does the CPI (consumer price index)) operate?"
"As Chrysler Corporation president, how would you handle a strike threat by 600 engineers?"
Carol Maier's corporate achievement of a $150 profit on $2,600 in sales for custom-designed T-shirts, Halloween insurance, and stuffed toy seals led directly to a series of tests and interviews on economics, business administration, and current events. She emerged with second place in the Vice-President of Marketing category and selection as Junior Achievement's Outstanding Young Businesswoman of the Year.
Kelley Dixon from Birmingham, Ala., winner of the Public Speaking award, logged company losses of $38 and $96 for her first two years in the corporate whirl. But even the losses which hit some 20 percent of the student companies each year count as learning experiences. Miss Dixon hopes to be a vice-president of finance this year, and to turn a profit.
Past losses certainly haven't dented Kelley's enthusiasm for the free enterprise system, which she describes as the "the freedom for private business to organize and operate for a profit in a competitive system without interference from the government beyond the requirements necessary to protect the public interest."
For minicompany president Thomas Kushner from New York City, one high point of Junior Achievement is trading ideas with top business executives. After a number of seminar groups at the Bloomington conference, he commented: "So what if they are making $1.5 million. The important thing is that we can talk with them and respect them as people. And we find out that their businesses are just the same as ours, except their sales are in the billions, ours are in the hundreds."
With its high-school companies program, classroom programs for younger students, and economics programs for college students and adults, Junior Achievement's goal is to increase the nation's economic literacy.
But the young Junior Achievers are determined to have a two-way exchange, which is just what Nalco Chemical Company chairman Robert T. Powers says he's found when attending the Bloomington conferences as one of over 300 top adult executives.
Much of the Bloomington experience centers on preparing the students for entering the business world. The message is that they are headed into a competitive environment which demands as well as offers a great deal.
So the conference sounded in many ways like any other business conference, until the tearful closing speeches from outgoing conference officers. William Herp almost left the podium after giving the typical businessman's advice to "Press on to the top." But then this young man planning a career in corporate accounting bent back over his microphone and told the 3,000 delegates, "I love you."
The Junior Achievers instantly responded, "We love you, too, Bill."


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I'm not a big fan of Apple and their overpriced products. I do use Google products, like this blog. However, my phone is a Nokia running Windows, and yes, I like my Windows phone and I don't want an Apple or Google phone. However, there is something Apple and Google are doing that I hope Microsoft (and other companies, for that matter) will do-- cop-blocking encryption for their phone-related products. I don't have anything to hide, but I don't need the NSA collecting my pictures of crap I'm selling on eBay and CL (which is pretty much all I have on my phone).
At first glance, it seems this is unrelated to sex offenders, until you see the punchline by FBI Director James Comey. What is it with the FBI, anyways? First Louis Freeh, now this schmuck. For longtime followers of this blog, we know anyone who uses sex offenders as a tool to pimp an idea or a product is Shiitake-worthy. But it is "Detective" John J. Escalante of the Chicago PD that steals the show with the dumbest quote of the article. This guy is as good a detective as Inspector Gadget. Wowsers!
FBI Director James B. Comey sharply criticized Apple and Google on Thursday for developing forms of smartphone encryption so secure that law enforcement officials cannot easily gain access to information stored on the devices — even when they have valid search warrants.
His comments were the most forceful yet from a top government official but echo a chorus of denunciation from law enforcement officials nationwide. Police have said that the ability to search photos, messages and Web histories on smartphones is essential to solving a range of serious crimes, including murder, child pornography and attempted terrorist attacks.
"There will come a day when it will matter a great deal to the lives of people . . . that we will be able to gain access" to such devices, Comey told reporters in a briefing. "I want to have that conversation [with companies responsible] before that day comes."
Comey added that FBI officials already have made initial contact with the two companies, which announced their new smartphone encryption initiatives last week. He said he could not understand why companies would "market something expressly to allow people to place themselves beyond the law."
Comey's remarks followed news last week that Apple's latest mobile operating system, iOS 8, is so thoroughly encrypted that the company is unable to unlock iPhones or iPads for police. Google, meanwhile, is moving to an automatic form of encryption for its newest version of Android operating system that the company also will not be able to unlock, though it will take longer for that new feature to reach most consumers.
Both companies declined to comment on Comey's remarks. Apple has said that its new encryption is not intended to specifically hinder law enforcement but to improve device security against any potential intruder....
Not all of the high-tech tools favored by police are in peril. They can still seek records of calls or texts from cellular carriers, eavesdrop on conversations and, based on the cell towers used, determine the general locations of suspects. Police can seek data backed up on remote cloud services, which increasingly keep copies of the data collected by smartphones. And the most sophisticated law enforcement agencies can deliver malicious software to phones capable of making them spy on users.
Yet the devices themselves are gradually moving beyond the reach of police in a range of circumstances, prompting ire from investigators. Frustration is running particularly high at Apple, which made the first announcement about new encryption and is moving much more swiftly than Google to get it into the hands of consumers.
|John J. Escalante
"Apple will become the phone of choice for the pedophile," said John J. Escalante, chief of detectives for Chicago's police department. "The average pedophile at this point is probably thinking, I've got to get an Apple phone."
The rising use of encryption is already taking a toll on the ability of law enforcement officials to collect evidence from smartphones. Apple in particular has been introducing tough new security measures for more than two years that have made it difficult for police armed with cracking software to break in. The new encryption is significantly tougher, experts say.
"There are some things you can do. There are some things the NSA can do. For the average mortal, I'd say they're probably out of luck," said Jonathan Zdziarski, a forensics researcher based in New Hampshire.
Los Angeles police Detective Brian Collins, who does forensics analysis for anti-gang and narcotics investigations, says he works on about 30 smartphones a month. And while he still can successfully crack into most of them, the percentage has been gradually shrinking — a trend he fears will only accelerate.


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Under The Radar: Happy Meals
Published in the Scotland On Sunday, Spectrum Magazine - 23 August 2015
by Derick Mackinnon and Olaf Furniss
Originally from Dumfries & Galloway, Glasgow-based Happy Meals is high-school sweethearts Suzanne Rodden and Lewis Cook, who also perform together in psychedelic-rock quartet The Cosmic Dead.
Their debut record, Apéro [released via Night School Records], is a bright and joyous mini-album; mixing sunny disco with blissful vocals on a bed of bleeps, blips, analogue synths and distorted drum machines. Interestingly, from six-tracks there is an almost 50/50 split of French / English lyrics.
The boy/girl duo play two gigs on 29 August, first at Electric Fields Festival, Drumlanrig Castle in Dumfries & Galloway then at Song, by Toad's Pale Imitation Festival at Henry's Cellar Bar in Edinburgh [alongside label mates Apostille] followed by Incubate Festival in the Netherlands on 16 September, and a string of dates in Glasgow for October.
Visit: http://www.happy-meals.com


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Hey blog fam!!! Yes it's me again and YES I'm blogging 2 times in less that a month. I know you all are as shocked as I am. Lol
As much as people get on my nerves at times, I really do enjoy meeting new people. Not to say that I'm immediately inviting them into my circle of friends (the few that I have) but I do enjoy talking to people and hearing their stories.
A few months back when I first got licensed I had some flyers made and decided that I was going to do some door knocking in the neighborhood and do a little marketing. Something happened where I wasn't able to print at home and I didn't feel like going ALL the way back to the office since I had JUST left there moments ago. I opted for running to one of the Office stores near my home (that I so often confuse with one another) and make some copies so I could move ahead with my mission. Lol
I'm waiting at the counter for my print job to finish and oddly enough they were having technical issues also. I ended up spending about 45 minutes in there waiting. Another woman happened to be also waiting to have flyers printed for a event for her business. We started talking and found that our backgrounds were very similar and had tons in common. She told me about her business that she was just getting up and running (A Counseling Center) and that she would like me to come to her grand opening that was happening a few weeks later. I actually attended and had a fabulous time and met some great people and a few potential business contacts. Networking is great.
We've actually communicated quite a bit since then and she is such a sweet woman that is actually evolving into a friend. We've visited several times and it's funny because we end up chatting it up for hours. Lol All this to say, you can meet some really great people in the strangest of places and you never what affect those people may have on your life.
Ok....that's it for me. It's Monday so I'm wishing you all a enjoyable week and I will be back at ya all soon. Peace and Blessings!!!!


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After a first half of back-and-forth action, Eastern Connecticut State broke open the contest when they opened the second half on a blistering 15-1 run capped by a three-point hoop by junior guard Jessica Moriarty (East Haven, CT) with 14:14 remaining to put the Warriors up 53-29.
The Eastern Connecticut State bench provided several minutes of solid play late in the game, and overall, the visiting reserves outscored UMass Boston's second unit 29-10 to help the Warriors coast to the 78-42 road victory.
The Beacons connected on three of their first four field goal attempts, including two three-point buckets by freshman guard Sarah McDonough (Weymouth, MA) to jump ahead 8-7 early in the first half.
With 1:12 remaining in the half, Eastern Connecticut State took its largest lead of the stanza when Kelleher converted a layup to put the Warriors on top 38-23. UMass Boston answered and closed out the first half on a 5-0 spurt fueled by a McDonough trifecta and a jumper by sophomore forward Molly Rattigan (Dorchester, MA) to pull the home team within 10 points heading into the locker room, trailing 38-28 at the intermission.
After allowing the Beacons to shoot 40% (4-10) from behind the arc in the first half, the Warriors' defense locked down the home team in the second stanza, holding UMass Boston to a dismal 7.7% (1-13) from downtown.
For the Beacons, McDonough led the squad with a career-high 15 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Sophomore guard Jaci Goodwin (Melrose, MA) also scored a career-high with 10 points and added a game-high six assists.
Junior guard Brittany Whiteley (Windsor Locks, CT) led Eastern Connecticut State in points with 12 to go along with three assists. Moriarty finished with 11 points, four assists and three rebounds, while freshman forward Tanisha Carter (East Hartford, CT) chipped in with nine points and seven rebounds.
Both teams will be back in Little East Conference action on Tuesday, February 9 at 5:30 p.m., when UMass Boston travels to North Dartmouth, MA to play UMass Dartmouth, while the Warriors head to Keene, NH for a date with Keene State College.


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Tag: GM, Cash for Clunkers, CARS, NHTSA, July Sales, auto industry, DOT, LaHood, inventory, pickup, 2009.
August 19, 2009
It has been a couple months since The Automotive Lyceum published it last article, right as General Motors (GM) was entering Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. In that time there really has not been much to report on until the US governments Cash for Clunkers was implemented in July to jump start car sales. The intent of this latest article is to focus on the market conditions in the US and try to gauge where the situation is heading. This article will examine the US government's incentive program discuss and if it will have any lasting impact with consumers that will encourage a market rebound. To start things off, this article will briefly touch upon the major industry developments over the last couple months.
Industry Highlights:
GM and Chrysler have both taken their quick rinse court and have successfully emerged from bankruptcy protection. At least in the case of GM, the company appears to be accelerating their future product plans and based upon what I have personally heard about a recent preview, the product appears to well done. GM also may have reached a deal with Koenigsegg to sell all or a majority stake in its SAAB that has been up for sale as part of its restructuring effort. The company has also reached an agreement with Penske Automotive Group to sell the Saturn retail arm. Why Penske would want Saturn continues to baffle me given the saturation of brands in the US. However, when the deal is concluded, the company can focus on its remaining brands in the US. Finally, GM has yet to finalize any deal to sell a majority stake in its European Opel division to auto parts supplier Magna International or the investor group, RHJ International. One would think that Magna would have learned after their failed attempt to buy Chrysler and where Chrysler ended up. The German government prefers a deal with Magna, however, I believe Opel would be in better hands with RHJ. An Opel-Magna deal poses more risk and potential conflict of interest with GM as they will retain a minority stake in Opel. I also have to assume RHJ does not want to remain in the auto business and will sell their stake back to GM once GM can afford to do it.
This leads me to Chrysler. At this time the situation is eerily quiet since the Fiat takeover. I have not heard of any major product going through or what Fiat plans to do with what is left of the company. My outlook on Chrysler Group is still dim. As for Ford, they appear to be going forward and continuing to execute their business plan (Financial Results). In the second quarter, the company reported a paper profit of $1.2 billion and more importantly cut their cash drain for the quarter to $1 billion. The company also had $21 billion in cash on hand and the stock also recently hit a 52-week high of $8.86 per share. This is impressive considering the company now has over three billion shares outstanding. Also, Ford could continue to dilute to further raise cash and exchange debt for equity in the company. For the time being, the situation at Ford appears to have stabilized.
On the international front, Volkswagen (VW) and Porsche will finally be merging their operations (See The German Auto Industry: Daimler, Porsche and Opel Struggle) to save the Porsche hedge fund from bankruptcy after an unsuccessful highly leveraged attempt to buy VW almost took it down. After almost a year into the financial crisis, my biggest disappoint to date has been the lack of consolidation in the industry. GM shedding a couple brands or even the VW-Porsche merger has not been the drastic consolidation that is still needed globally. It still may happen once there is some stability in the markets.
US Market Analysis
The main purpose of this article, is an update on the near term market outlook in the US. GM has shown there was a direct relationship between new home construction and the sales of fullsize pickup trucks. Last March I conducted a similar analysis based upon that relationship (See "A Going Concern" – The Global Auto Industry). The purpose of tracking this relationship is GM concluded historically sales of fullsize pickup trucks lead the recovery in vehicle sales with passenger vehicles following. Pickup trucks have been shown to outpace the overall market in sales declines during a recession but also outpace the overall market in improved sales when the economy recovers. At the time, the data suggested the market appeared to be reaching bottom but it was too early extrapolate further. Back in May the analysis was updated with three additional three months of data (See 2009 US Auto Sales May Have Reached Bottom - Slow Recovery Expected). That analysis showed it appears the market has at least hit bottom and was showing signs of stability. With three additional months of data, this article will revisit this metric for possible insight into the market's direction.
This article will also factor in what if any lasting impact the US government's Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS or Cash for Clunkers) will have on sales. The Cash for Clunkers program went into effect late July. As it stands now, the government allocated $3 billion to the incentive program which is design for consumers to exchange vehicles with poor fuel economy for new more efficient models. The program will rebate dealers up to $4,500 depending on the efficiency of what is traded in by the consumer. This program will subsidize approximately 750,000 vehicle sales.
The most recent sales data shows the Cash for Clunkers program had a direct positive effect on sales in July. The sales rate for the month was 11.1 million and up from 9.5 million in June (Figure 1). The program was all but out of money by the end of the month and congress allocated another $2 billion in August. Earlier in July and prior to the Cash for Clunkers program being available, Edmunds anticipated a 10.5 million sales rate for the month.
Beyond the good will the industry received from the program, sales were only up 17% over June. Yet sales were still down 20% compared with June 2008. With sales being so low for so long, it did not take a lot to move the sales needle in the positive direction. With the additional $2 billion allocated for the Cash for Clunkers program, sales could touch 12 million sales rate before the money runs out. However, low inventories at the dealer could dampen the actual results even though the program has been expanded to include vehicles not inventory. According to Automotive News inventory data, as of August 1st, there were only 1.8 million vehicles at dealers or about a 48 day supply. Traditionally, the manufacturers maintain about a 60 – 70 day supply at the dealers. The program did clean out some inventory because as of July 1st there were 2.2 million vehicles on the lots. The low levels of inventory should help the manufactures as production will have to increase. It should be noted that in July, manufacturers sold just under one million vehicles. By comparison, in July 2001 the industry sold almost 1.4 million vehicles.
Figure 1: Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate of US Vehicle Sales - Click to enlarge (Source: Automotive News)
As with the prior studies, pickup trucks sales and new home starts continue to track (Figure 2). After February of this year, both truck and home starts stabilized after the sharp free fall. Moreover there does not appear to be any trend where pickup sales or home starts are increasing beyond some month to month variability. This does not bode well for any significant recovery in auto sales in the near term. With Cash for Clunkers incentive money available and the economic stimulus spending trickling into the economy, truck sales could increase but not appreciably.
Figure 2: Relationship Between New Housing Construction and Pickup Truck Sales - Click to enlarge
Pressure from the extremely weak state of the US economy will continue to suppress a sales recovery. As illustrated in Figure 3, auto loan delinquencies are up significantly. Indirect auto loans arranged through a third party such as an auto dealer have been creeping up since the start of the current recession in 2007. However, direct loans are up 78% since the second quarter 2007 low. At the end of the first quarter 2009 direct loan delinquencies were at 3.0%. During the recession earlier this decade the direct loan delinquency rate was at a high of 2.56% in the first quarter 2003. Given how fast the unemployment rate has increased since March of this year, it is very likely the delinquency rate in the second quarter could increase accordingly (Figure 4).
According to data compiled by the American Bankers Association, the delinquency rate for recreation vehicle, mobile home, home equity, personal loan and bank cards has also increased with job loss being the number one driver. Since July of last year, the unemployment rate has increased 62% from 5.8% to 9.4%. It maybe to early to tell but unemployment may have stabilized at around 9.5%. Based upon the increase in unemployment, the direct auto delinquency rate could come close to 4% in the second quarter when that data is released.
Consumer confidence as measured by Conference Board also remains down. Since June of 2007, Consumer Confidence has fallen from over 100 to 46.6 in July 2009. July was down from the 49.3 the previous month. Figure 5 illustrates the downward trend in the index up to 2008. Currently consumer sentiment is up from lows in February and March when the index was around 30. With the index well below the 100 baseline, it certainly does not appear that there will be a sharp rise in consumer spending as there continues to be uncertainty in the market.
Figure 5: Consumer Confidence Index - Click to enlarge
Cash for Clunkers created some needed excitement for the public, dealers and manufacturers and will most certainly run through the full $3 billion allocated to the program in the next few weeks. The program help clear out already low levels of inventory at the dealers and as a results the manufacturers will have to begin ramping up production. GM has just announced it will add 60,000 vehicles to its third and fourth quarter production schedule. Ford made a similar announcement that they will increase production through the rest of the year by about 150,000 vehicles. The added production will certainly improve the revenue picture. As part of the increased production labor will be called up to work and the supply base will be kick off again. However, it does appear that the manufacturers are not about to significantly ramp up production and are being very pragmatic.
As of August 15th, North American production is down 47% from the start of the year. At the end of July, sales in the US dropped 32% and inventories were at a record low of about 48 days. The manufacturers have no choice but to add production because production was cut so sharply since early winter last year.
Consumer demand is not driving the production increases but lack of inventory from the steep production cuts over the past eight months. Cash for Clunkers drove some demand but it does not appear it will significantly change the momentum. The above market analysis does not indicate consumers are ready to jump start vehicle sales.
Unless Congress reauthorizes and loosens up the Cash for Clunkers program such as lowering fuel economy restriction, I expect the recent blip in the SAAR to go down to the mid 10 million rate for the rest of the year once the money is exhausted. There will not likely be a year-over-year sales increase until October or November at the earliest when the 2008 SAAR was 10.9 and 10.3 million, respectively. August 2009 should be a very healthy month and sales may exceed August 2008 but at what cost to the SAAR for the rest of the year as sales are pulled ahead. The economic indicators, such as unemployment, loan delinquencies and personal bankrucies do not appear to be improving and will continue to depress sales.
Furthermore, given auto loan delinquicies and bankruptcies, the used car market could be flooded with product that drives down used vehicle prices. This could also dampen any auto recovery. Also, the auto market has likely oversold for about 10 years prior to the collapse. As long as the economy remains weak, consumers will have plenty of vehicles at used car lots to choose from.
Lastly, the data presented in Figure 2 shows a very differnt trend at the nadir than the historic data pickup truck sales in Figure 6 from a GM presentation. The severe early 1980s recession resulted in a "V" shaped recovery in pickup trucks where today the market is still at the nadir months later and the recovery appears to be "L" shaped. This is a very good indication the auto industry will not recover any time soon. The market may be stable but serious growth toward pre-crisis levels may be years away. The doom in the industry might be over but the gloom will certainly persist for the rest of this year and likely into the next. However, with inventories cleared, the manufacturers can build vehicles again but at a much lower rate.
Figure 6: Historic New Housing Construction and Pickup Truck Sales - Click to enlarge
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Smokey Barn Wedding at the Lucky Old Sun Ranch
Tyler and Austin's outdoor barn wedding was an oasis of love at the Lucky Old Sun Ranch in Jupiter, Florida. The lush landscape and sunset skies shed light on the two as they conjoined their lives together forever. Our cheeks hurt from smiling as we captured the happiness and joy their special day brought them. We even got to play with smoke bombs during formals, that was a first for us! The celebration continued under the stars in the barn lit by lanterns, filled with music and laughter. They were sent off with a sparkler getaway and we wish them a lifetime of paradise!
jack bates


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I really wanted to have a play with my CraftArtist 2 and this Fishy Bulb image from The Stamping Chef gave me the perfect opportunity. I imported the image into the program and had a play with the cutout studio, punches and styles. I have used several layers in the program to achieve this page and I printed it out and stuck it to some greyboard I then attached a big clip to the top. I plan on using it as a place to put the letters etc I need to deal with. I've pictured it nice and big in the hope you can see the effects on the light bulb. A metal top, a smooth glass effect underneath the top and a glass effect with a ripple for the water. I then had to make the fish into a punch so I could cut out the material I wanted and then put the image back over it. I've still not quite got it right but I'm really please with the work.
Here are some close ups I hope you can see the effects.
|not quite got the fish righ but I will be working on this
Hope you all have a great weekend and don't forget to hop over to the Challenge and leave us your Strawberries and Cream (red and white) projects.


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A Dream for the New Year, Part 3 OF 4
For those just joining in reading this series, all our regular bloggers are weighing in on their hopes and dreams for 2015. Here are two more of our bloggers giving us their thoughts on this topic.
I'm not a dreamer but rather one who quests and questions. Sometimes this does lead me to the land of dreams but that's rare. To think of dreaming for the New Year challenges me to look beyond the present and quest towards the future. On one level, the undetermined future time is already known – peace, with the lion and the lamb resting together in harmony.
My dreams, if I allow them free reign, range wide to a future that sees all the peoples of the earth dwelling together in harmony; children of every color and ethnicity joyfully playing together, their elders sitting in one another's homes sharing table fellowship around the Messiah in the midst. In that dream, everything that divides us in this day is forgotten in the light of His face. And all who sit with him from the youngest to the oldest are joyful. Sorrow and sighing are absent, pain and fear are banished.
That's the far reaching dream, but for the year to come my more realistic dream is to see growing numbers of people willing to move out of their comfort zones and encounter the brother or sister who lives on the other side of the wall that divides our land. If I can dream big, there is no wall, only fields of green between our peoples in this land. Those fields call us to cross and find the gentle flowing waters of fellowship. A dream of sharing without competition and giving with no thought of return. A dream of peaceful seasons, with no words of violence spoken and no weapons of destruction deployed.
One year seems too short for my goal, but it is a start. My ultimate goal is to see our peoples, the Israelis and the Palestinians, living side by side in peace. I call it a goal because it is not a dream. Dreams are something you wish to happen but there is a high probability they won't happen. I am determined to keep peace a goal - achievable, reachable and real. It is already happening; it just needs to spread more, especially in the political circles. However, this is a goal I spend much of my time achieving, so I wish to share an objective for this year that is more personal and related to this ultimate goal.
Throughout my adult life, I have shared and celebrated many of my friends' weddings and the birth of their children. Recently, though, I have nearly stopped attending these occasions as they highlight 'single' status in the midst of countless couples around me.
When I contemplate when I might make the leap from single to married, I am usually discouraged by my chances. If the average age of marriage for a female Palestinian in Israel is 25.4, then I am past my prime. Or, let's take a look at it from another perspective, particularly the percentages of single men and women within my age group. There is a 16.1% statistic for single women, and a 2.1% statistic for single men. So according to my logic, a single Palestinian man has more choices of single Palestinian women to choose from, and a single Palestinian woman has far fewer options available to her. My discouragement is valid, right?
Having said this, I do believe there are other fish in the sea, and other options beyond eligible Palestinian men in Israel. To me, marriage is like a journey into the future that two people commit to take together. And for that to happen, they both have to believe that they can handle anything together. But would a possible companion from somewhere other than Israel/Palestine be willing to continue in my current journey, working with me toward my current goal?
It is my choice to live in Israel despite existing discrimination against the many minorities of which I am a part - a woman, an Israeli-Palestinian, a Christian. It is a daily battle to fight this mentally - to reject what is imposed on who I am and what I am worth. I can move away to a more 'fair and acceptable' country, but I choose not to. I stay here because I feel strongly about being the change I want to see. And I feel that this hinders my chances of finding a life companion. Is there room for a partner in this goal? Will he want to stay here and fight with me? I need to believe that there is.
My objective for 2015: I need to believe there is someone who will be my companion and who will commit to take this journey with me.
What are you dreaming for and hoping for in 2015? What are your goals? We would love to hear them!


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Dynarex Non-Skid Shoe Covers are manufactured of spunbond polypropylene and feature sewn seams, not glued, which offers greater strength. These blue shoe covers have an elastic opening that provide a snug, comfortable fit as well as non-skid bottoms offering improved floor traction.
Will cover shoe sizes from S to L shoes (gender non-specific).
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Photo Of The Day: Swan
Here's a quick dose of inspiration for your Monday morning, (or Monday afternoon at this point depending on where you live!) This beautiful Swan was swimming in the lakes in a local park when it decided to stand up and stretch. Luckily I caught the display at just the right time
Taken with a Fuji X-Pro1 and processed in Aperture


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The Lessons of Bunker Hill for Gen. Washington
The first lesson was the value of preparation. New England troops moved onto the Charlestown peninsula on the evening of 16 June 1775 in haste, fearing that the British army was about to make a similar move. As a result, there was a lot left to arrange.
Col. Richard Gridley, Col. William Prescott, and Gen. Israel Putnam spent significant time discussing which hill to fortify. None of Gridley's American artillery units went onto the peninsula until the next morning; one company discovered its gunpowder cartridges wouldn't fit inside its cannons. Several regiments came onto the field on 17 June, but Prescott and Putnam were frustrated at the lack of reinforcements for the redoubt, leaving the same men who had spent all night digging that fortification to defend it.
In contrast, Gen. Washington and his staff meticulously planned the move onto the Dorchester peninsula in March 1776. Geography and the frozen ground made that a bigger challenge, solved in part by Col. Rufus Putnam's idea to use pre-fabricated fortifications to provide cover while the men dug in. But Washington also made sure the artillery was moved in the night and well supplied. Fresh troops came onto the peninsula before daybreak. The Continental troops on Dorchester heights were in much better position for a fight than the troops in Charlestown nine months before.
However, Washington also took the lesson from Bunker Hill that he should seek to draw the British army into a big battle so that the Continental soldiers could kill and wound a lot of them. Throughout the siege of Boston the new commander kept proposing ways to storm the British positions. Washington agreed to Gen. Artemas Ward's Dorchester strategy only after all the other generals had voted against his own plan, and only because he hoped that the British would finally come out for the big battle he wanted.
When Gen. William Howe cut short his attack on Dorchester and instead sailed away, Washington wrote to a friend in Virginia, "I can scarce forbear lamenting the disappointment as we were prepared for them at all points."
For the next two years Washington and some of his generals kept pursuing the Bunker Hill strategy, trying to draw Howe into a deadly attack. The American commander did get the big battles he wanted—at Brooklyn, at Harlem Heights and White Plains, at Brandywine. But of course Gen. Howe won those battles, and the big casualties were on the American side.
Not until the Valley Forge winter of 1777-78 did Gen. Washington drop his quest for a big, decisive battle and become what his new artillery commander Henry Knox called "our Fabian commander." Washington never oversaw a battle like Bunker Hill, with such high numbers of the enemy killed and wounded, but he had finally realized he didn't have to.


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Bonneville Power Administration is the largest utility in the Northwest, and in Congressional hearings today, it's hiring practices and alleged retaliation against whistleblowers will be in the spotlight.
(Bruce Ely, The Oregonian)
It's the opening scene in the public power community's worst nightmare: The federal government swoops in and assumes control of the
, the federal agency that sells low-cost hydroelectric power to 140 publicly owned utilities in the region.
Only this time, it's real, with congressional hearings set to begin this morning. BPA's management is trapped in a vise of several investigations that show "systemic" problems at the agency, according to advanced copies of today's testimony by BPA's suspended chief operating officer and the Department of Energy Inspector General Gregory H. Friedman. Internal emails obtained by The Oregonian add detail, and suggest the scope of both the problem and potential remedies is wide.
In the last two weeks, the U.S. Department of Energy has suspended and taken over BPA's internal hiring and promotion authority after an investigation found BPA's hiring practices ignored federal rules and discriminated against veterans. It took the unprecedented and likely irreversible step of suspending BPA's top two leaders after "credible" allegations of whistleblower retaliation. And DOE installed an
that many public utilities in the region were reluctant to embrace when the job was up for grabs six months ago.
All this before the DOE has finished its investigation or received BPA's response.
The DOE's findings are expected soon, but Congress isn't cooling its heels. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform's hearings will focus on allegations of whistleblower reprisals, including terminations, by BPA managers.
Anita Decker, BPA's chief operating officer, is one of three officials slated to testify.
, she says she was restored to active duty Sunday afternoon to work on testimony, and was reluctantly appearing to avoid a subpoena. She expects to be placed on administrative leave again when she returns to Portland. BPA Administrator Bill Drummond was also
placed on leave.
The hearings are part political theater, as the Republican dominated committee has consistently worked to embarrass the Obama administration, and whistleblower retaliation has become a hot button issue in the wake of the IRS and
. The DOE has its own whistleblower problems at the Hanford nuclear reservation, and House Oversight Chair Darrell Issa, R.-Calif, has already accused the department of muzzling BPA employees.
In the end, politics are outpacing the facts, and that momentum already appears to be influencing outcomes.
BPA's destiny, meanwhile, has spun out of its own control. And for the time being, the agency is beyond the protection of the region's congressional delegation, which typically runs interference to block outsider's meddling.
"This is the first couple steps down a long road that sees the re-centralization of administrative decisions, and eventually of policy decisions, in the Department of Energy," said Randy Hardy, former BPA administrator and now an energy consultant in the Northwest. "That's a prescription for real conflict between regional interests and national interests."
, said Tuesday that he doesn't recall being informed of the hiring problems or investigations. But they fall squarely during his 12-year tenure, which ended in January. And Wright, hired last week to run a public utility in Washington for $295,000 a year, says he's responsible for anything on his watch.
"Everyone ought to slow down and let the investigation take its course so the scope of the problem can be defined, and therefore the scope of the remedy," he said.
Some facts are undisputed, first and foremost that Bonneville's human resources staff blew it when implementing federal rules on ranking job applicants that were handed down in 2010.
Under those rules, the basis for ranking applicants was supposed to be set in stone before vacancies were announced. Bonneville staff, however, changed the rules after vacancy announcements were closed and applications were reviewed.
Bonneville's rationale, according to the Inspector General, was to winnow the pool of applicants to a manageable number for hiring managers. But it ended up discriminating against veterans and other candidates.
Bonneville told investigators it stopped the prohibited practices in May 2012 after a complaint by an employee. But it failed to notify applicants and correct the actions. BPA management, Decker said, was waiting for DOE guidance.
DOE suspended Bonneville's hiring and firing authority when it received credible complaints that BPA managers were retaliating against whistleblowers, including terminating two employees and disciplining others.
At least two competing narratives are circulating about the reprisals. The first, which Decker's testimony supports, is that the affected employees were already under performance review and are using whistleblower protections to protect their jobs.
The second is that Bonneville's hiring decision are rife with political favortism and cronyism.
There may be truth to both.
The DOE's investigation concluded that BPA's prohibited personnel practices were "systemic," according to the Inspector General's prepared testimony. Copies of internal emails obtained by The Oregonian support that view.
Connie Langston, an evaluator for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, concluded in May that BPA's "HR Specialists lack competencies in most fundamentals of federal staffing." Her e-mail identified 27 human resources specialists decertified for hiring because of significant errors that led to illegal appointments and violations of civil service laws.
Another internal e-mail suggests BPA managers tried to control what went to the Office of Personnel Management and Inspector General.
David Clark, a human resources supervisor, sent an e-mail to a number of BPA staffers and contractors in early May with the subject line "data protection."
"All. Please route any data/audit request (formally or informally) fro (sic)any of records, audits, file reports, etc for DOE, OPM or DOE or IG through me. I need to be able to confirm we have a secure and clear process around our information security. Dave."
The Inspector General quickly set Clark and his boss, Roy Fox, straight. It sent an email noting that "all DOE employees must cooperate fully and promptly with requests from the OIG for information and data relating to DOE programs and operations."
Fox retired July 3, a week before BPA's problem went public. He could not be reached for comment.
BPA's required remediation to address the impact on veterans and other applicants is still a big, open question. The Inspector General determined that Bonneville broke the rules in 65 percent (95 of 146 cases) of its competitive recruitments from November 2010 to June 2012. Reviewing just those cases and compensating applicants would be an enormous undertaking. It's unclear if there's any precedent or roadmap out of the problem.
Hanging in the balance when it's all said and done: Who will be running the agency? And does control of the region's largest utility remain local, or does it migrate to Washington D.C.?
The Northwest's congressional "delegation better be paying attention," said Hardy, the former BPA administrator, "because there's a real risk that will happen."
-- Ted Sickinger


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If you buy UKE Magazine Issue 7, prominently featured you'll find James Hill. This Canadian musician is a ukulele phenomenon, doing more than most to shatter the non-ukulele playing public's perception of the instrument. His interview plots his rise to the top of the ukulele tree, and gauges his opinion on music, family, ukuleles, strings, pickups and gigs.
There is also an interview with Bluesman Manitoba Hal, forming a Canadian double-act for UKE Magazine's 7th edition. He describes the bolt from the blue that changed his life, setting him on the road as a professional musician. And, in the first of a series focussing on Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain members, Hester Goodman answers our questions.
There are so many other features too! An important one is the launch of our UKE Magazine Awards. We've decided upon the awards we'll be giving, and now want to ask your ideas on who should receive nominations - all of this before a public vote for the winners. We also follow Southern Ukulele Store's Rob Pratt over to Hawaii, where he gets the lowdown on the famous K-Brand ukulele makers, in the first of a two-part special.
We review solid body ukuleles, check out an Australian made twin-neck, announce a new competition alongside our 2017 ukulele calendar, follow our travelling ukulele around Europe, get a tour diary from Taimane Gardner's visit and review the latest CD's. And, that's just the start of what's inside the world's best looking UKE Magazine!


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This article isn't really about LeBron James cropping his hair all the way to the scalp. It's about so much more than LeBron James. It might be about you. In fact, it's definitely about you if you're dealing with a hairline that's receded almost as much as the American economy over the past six years.
LeBron has finally recognized that as amazing as life is — especially for him — there are certain things that remain inevitable. 1. Haters gonna hate. 2. Biology may bless you, but it can also curse you. All in all, a receding hairline isn't a bad trade off for a 6'9″, 260 lb. frame.
Sure, there are things we dudes can use to generate a few more follicles, but when you're gonna wear your hair really short anyway, why not cut it off?
That's exactly what Mr. James did, and it's a great look for him. He looks younger. I'm gonna go out on a risk-free limb and suggest it's also going to lead to an NBA three-peat. Yes, because of the fresh look and only because of the fresh look.
So, now let's talk about you. If you're cool with what hair you have left, that's great. On the other hand, if you're frustrated when you look in the mirror and find yourself saying things like, "Damn, I'm losing my hair," consider copying LeBron.
Then when people ask you if you wanna play some pick-up basketball, you can honestly state, "I have similarities to players like LeBron James and Michael Jordan."


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Ami Kaufman
A double whammy for American advisers to Israeli campaigns
Stan Greenberg and Arthur Finkelstein are both architects of two of the biggest election flops Israeli politics has ever seen. First of all, let's get things straight: these elections results show that the two evils - corporate capitalism and the occupation - will continue to reign supreme. Yet, there are a few bright sides: mainly, Israel seems to be a bit less fascist. Just a tad. For example, Aryeh Eldad and Michael Ben Ari will not be in the Knesset (as of 99% of vote counted). Good riddance. Also, there will be many more women in parliament than before, and…Read More... | 4 Comments


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Mosaic Building Solutions to Build Discount Market in Auburn/
AUBURN, Ind. (July 18, 2017) – Breaking ground last month, Mosaic Building Solutions is working with ALDI to bring the discount supermarket to Auburn's marketplace by year's end.
Located at 207 Touring Drive, Mosaic began the project by demolishing the existing building on the lot. The hope is the brand new 20,000 ft2 space will better serve the community that has limited choices in where they are able to buy groceries.
"With only one discount grocery in the Auburn area, we believe it is important to the community to have more choices in where they can access good food at affordable prices," President of Mosaic Building Solutions Jake Fetters said. "ALDI's also realized how significant their store could be to the area and that is why we are proud to be working with them on this project."
The $2.5 million project will wrap up in December and should be open at the beginning of 2018.
About Mosaic Building Solutions
Founded under the mantra Design. Manage. Build., Mosaic Building Solutions was established to better serve the client's vision and the bigger picture of construction management. Working with clients from square one, Mosaic creates innovative solutions that maximize the client's value and then sees them through, taking ownership of the project until its completion.
Established by industry veterans Jake Fetters and Steve Park, Mosaic combines years of construction and design industry experience with a new vision for the building industry, all aimed at a better experience, value and result for its clients and partners.