text: Come down and see us at Evans Halshaw Ford Coatbridge. We are just across the road from Albion rovers Football stadium on the main road. Our dealership in Coatbridge sells the full Ford range, including cars and light and heavy commercial vehicles. Additionally, our commercial side of the business is an accredited Ford Transit Centre. We have a brilliant range of brand new Fords on site, including the Ford Focus, KA+, and B-Max, as well as the award-winning Transit Courier and Transit Connect. Visit us in store today to see for yourself the latest vehicles and incredible advanced technology Ford has to offer, including SYNC 3, Active Park Assist and Hands-Free Tailgate, for a more enjoyable driving experience than ever before. We have an excellent variety of vehicles available on the Ford Motability scheme, many of which are available from nil advance payment. Additionally, we offer a wide variety of finance options across our new and used car, so we are sure to find a finance solution to suit your needs. If you not looking for either a new car or van, don't worry as we have around 160 used cars and 35 used vans available at any one time. Plus, we are part of Europe's largest dealer network and can access over 20,000 vehicles and can bring your perfect car closer to home through our Move Me Closer scheme. We also offer the Sell Your Car scheme at Evans Halshaw Ford Coatbridge, so if you were looking to sell your car we will purchase it from you regardless of its make, model, age or condition. So, for any Sales or Service query we are confident that we have the got the right vehicle or service available to you. Enquire at Ford Coatbridge Search used cars at Ford Coatbridge New car offers at Ford Coatbridge Book a service at Ford Coatbridge Book an MOT at Ford Coatbridge View Ford Motability Offers Careers at Ford Coatbridge


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San Francisco has been abuzz with iOS Developers who have descended upon the city like Walkers for Apple's annual World Wide Developer Conference. Apple reported this week that there are 650,000 apps in the app store with 225,000 being made specifically for the iPad. They also have over 400 million accounts in the iTunes ecosystem, and 30-billion apps have been downloaded and $5-billion has been paid to developers since the app store launched in the summer of 2008. Now that is a great reason to celebrate. And, celebrate we did! InMobi teamed up with our friends at Appcelerator, Box, uTest, and VentureBeat to host the Generation Mobile party this week at Jillian's. The party generated 700+ attendees over the course of the night that included a nice mix of mobile developers, ecosystem partners, senior IT execs, founders, VCs, tech press, and WWDC attendees. The event included live photo sharing from the photo booth captured up on the jumbo screens, Gen-tinis, sliders and as added entertainment, Bravo TV came out to film the new reality show Silicon Valley focused on startups and being produced by Randi Zuckerberg. The theme of the show is to captures the intertwining lives of young professionals on the path to becoming Silicon Valley's next great success stories. All we saw was some fake crying, a sibling spat and shattered glass when the "reality star threw down a glass to make her point. Thie show hasn't aired yet, if I were you, I'd stick to Top Chef. See you next year.
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subset: commoncrawl


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The mandrill is stout-bodied with a short non-prehensile tail, prominent brow ridges, and small, close-set, sunken eyes. The ribbed bare skin on the adult male's cheeks is bright blue, with scarlet on the nose, with the beard and neck a yellowish color. The buttock pads are pink to crimson, shading to bluish. There is a pronounced difference between the sexes, with females being duller in color and noticeably smaller. Males are also known for their long canines. All have an "ischial callosity" or sitting pad on the rump, which provides a comfortable cushion on the forest floor.
Mandrills live in troops of about 20, dominated by a single older male. The young are tolerated until they reach a certain age when the dominant male begins to instruct the young on proper mandrill behavior. Mother-daughter bonds last into adulthood; maternal bonds with sons last until sexual maturity, when juvenile males leave their natal group, often form bachelor troops and raiding other troops for females or challenging the dominant male in a group in a takeover attempt. The dominant male will control the troop with aggressive behaviors, such as raised eyebrows, ground slapping, and exposing his large canines. The group's subordinates respond with submissive behaviors, such as repeated sideways glancing, cowering or crouching, or grimacing.
Did You Know?
- Mandrills are also known as the forest baboon.
- Rafiki from "The Lion King" is a mandrill, although he is referred to as a baboon.
- Their cheeks have built-in pouches that are used to store snacks for later consumption.
Our Animals
We have 2 mandrills here at Potter Park Zoo, our male Loko and our female Susannah.


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e-Postal Match Reminders
Don't forget that this weekend is your last chance to shoot this month's e-Postal match. I will be accepting entries through midnight, Monday night, so get out there to the range, shoot some entries, and maybe resolve some "Common Problems" while you're there!
July e-Postal Match
Download the targets and rules, shoot the targets, score them, take pictures of them, and email them in. Simple, and fun!


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Sean Kenyon knows how to pour out both drinks and advice. A third-generation bar man with almost 25 years behind the bar, he is a student of cocktail history, a United States Bartenders Guild-certified Spirits Professional and a BAR Ready graduate of the prestigious Beverage Alcohol Resource Program. You can find him here most weeks, where he'll answer your questions. But right now, he wants to introduce you to one of the distillers that will be featured at the Colorado Cocktail Contest.
We've already profiled many of the bartenders competing in the Colorado Cocktail Project with its mission to create the official Colorado Cocktail. Now we're profiling the Colorado distillers whose spirits will be featured at the Colorado Cocktail Contest, the culminating event of the June 26-27 Colorado Cocktail Project at the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver.
Meet Todd Leopold, one of the brothers behind the Leopold Bros:
Todd Leopold
Distilling since: 2002
How and when did you get into distilling?
I'd say that my entry in the world of distilling started while I was in brewing school in Munich in 1996. I visited a few farm distilleries, sampled the famous Black Forest kirschwasser (cherry brandy), and got the bug. Several years later, in 2001, I attended distilling school in Kentucky, and headed back to Europe to work at a few shops in Austria and Germany, focusing on eaux-de-vie distillation.
What products do you currently offer?
Silver Tree Vodka, Leopold's Gin, Michigan Cherry Liqueur, Rocky Mountain Blackberry Liqueur, American Orange Liqueur, Maryland-Style Rye Whiskey, American Small Batch Whiskey, Apple Whiskey, Peach Whiskey, Blackberry Whiskey, Maraschino Liqueur, Peach Liqueur, Absinthe, Three Pins Amaro, French Press Coffee Liqueur, Sour Apple Liqueur and Rocky Mountain Peach Liqueur.
What is your favorite spirit to make? Why?
My favorite spirit is whatever I'm making on that specific day.
Any exciting things you are working on for the future?
Our Maraschino Liqueur will arrive in Colorado spirit shops, restaurants and bars in a matter of days. It's made with a blend of fermented and distilled Marasca Cherries (Little Marascas= Marasc-hino) and Michigan Montmorency Cherries.
Since moving to Colorado from Michigan, how have things been?
Wonderful. Our sales have risen dramatically each of the last three years. We are adding mash tuns and fermenters to keep up with demand.
What's the biggest difference you have seen in the different bar scenes?
Colorado's restaurant and bar scene has a unique sense of community that we didn't expect. Everyone seems to be pulling in the same direction, trying to make residents proud of our work and putting in the hours to make visitors and residents alike welcome.
We Believe Local Journalism is Critical to the Life of a City
Engaging with our readers is essential to Westword's mission. Make a financial contribution or sign up for a newsletter, and help us keep telling Denver's stories with no paywalls.
Support Our Journalism
What makes your product distinctly Colorado?
Scott and I are Columbine boys, and work very hard to represent our state with our works here in Denver, across the U.S. and even internationally.
For more iinformation, e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com.


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In the eye of a hurricane, there's an eye of a needle. In the eye of a needle, there's an eye of an eye. The island people call this eye a third eye and take their own eyes out whenever it goes seeing. For what it sees is visible to no one.
There was a visitor who called himself an optical magician, prescribing telescopes to those he diagnosed as near-sighted, and microscopes to those he saw as far-sighted. But the island folk, as far as he could see, were neither.
He plucked his own eyes out in a pique of speculation but it left him only sightless. The island people divined no notion why he'd make a scene like that. And so they led him in a starry-eyed procession to a long reflective beach and cast him out to sea.


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Nordhavnen Immortalized on "Someone Has Built it Before" Blog
HTDSTUDIO's 2008 competition proposal, Nordhavnen Pixel City was selected as a design example on the SHBiB architecture blog. http://bit.ly/eOcqrP
Architizer App for iPad, iPad2
Our good friends at Architizer.com have released their new iPad app. Enjoy.
Squatters on the Skyline
Photo: Meridith Kohut for The New York Times
The "Tower of David," a 45-story uncompleted skyscraper located in downtown Caracas, Venezuela, is one of Latin America's tallest skyscrapers. It is also home to more than 2,500 squatters.
By SIMON ROMERO and MARÍA EUGENIA DÍAZ of the New York Times
Published: February 28, 2011
Griffintown Interrupted Exhibition in Montreal
Photo © 2011 Alexis Schneider
In October 2010, international ideas competition Griffintown Interrupted was launched, calling for temporary structures in one of Montréal's most contentious districts. In response, forty-three teams of architects and designers from ten countries came forward to propose innovative temporary structures on five sites throughout Griffintown. These propositions were featured in an exhibition at the Fonderie Darling, which ran January 17-24, 2011. HTDSTUDIO's winning Horsepalace scheme was part of this opening and exhibition.
Dan Phillips: Creative houses from reclaimed stuff @ TEDx Houston
Dan Phillips, co-founder of Phoenix Commotion gave a great presentation at TEDx Houston last fall. The Phoenix Commotion is a local building initiative created to prove that constructing homes with recycled and salvaged materials has a viable place in the building industry. This process uses only apprentice labor and teaches marketable skills to anyone with a work ethic who is willing to swing a hammer. By keeping labor costs low and using donated or found materials, the homes created are truly affordable. No two are alike due to the myriad of materials used, so there is an artistic element that makes Phoenix Commotion homes unique. The Phoenix Commotion targets single parents, artists, and families with low incomes. They require that the homeowner be involved with the planning and construction of their own home. The result is a person who is empowered, not only by the useful knowledge and building skills, but by the opportunity to become part of a community as a vested participant.
Fantastic Chrysler Ad "Imported from Detroit"
Chrysler seems to have tapped into to the energy and determination coursing the streets of Detroit. This is a good start for the company 's way back, and the rest of the country should take something from it.
2011 North American International Auto Show, Detroit, USA…and Beyond
As a longtime fan of cars, machines and all things mechanical, I'm back in Detroit for the North American International Auto Show. Not only to witness the imminent resurgence of the US auto market, but to return to a city that blew me away on my first visit in late 2010. I've had the pleasure of meeting many extraordinary people here, many of them innovators and/or pioneers. For now, I will continue to exchange ideas, continue unfinished conversations, assist friends and colleagues, and feed off the energy I take away as we kick off 2011. Entrepreneurs, farmers, artists, industry professionals remain hopeful and positive that Detroit's rebirth efforts are both sustainable and REAL. Detroit, like dozens of 'post-industrial' cities around the US is fertile with potential in creating new markets, industries, collaborations and yes jobs, but one has to be positive, diligent and creative. The bittersweet mix of the future and futility swirls like the cold Detroit winter wind itself.
All Images ©2011 HTDSTUDIO
Exhibition | Griffintown Interrupted
40 international propositions for temporary, dynamic and disassemblable architecture on 5 sites across Griffintown
17-22 January 2011, Fonderie Darling, 745 rue Ottawa, H3C 1R8 Montréal
Please join us for the opening reception: 6:00-8:00 PM, January 17, 2011.
Exposition | Griffintown Interrupted
40 propositions internationales pour l'architecture temporaire, dynamique
et démontable sur 5 sites répartis dans Griffintown
17-22 janvier 2011, Fonderie Darling, 745 rue Ottawa, H3C 1R8 Montréal
SVP nous joindre pour le vernissage: 18h00-20h00, 17 janvier, 2011.
Montreal, December 18th, 2010 – HTDSTUDIO DESIGNOFFICE won a competition to build a temporary gallery space in the Griffintown section of Old Montreal, Canada. The Griffintown Interrupted Ideas Competition took five strategic vacant sites in hopes to create a series of temporary interventions to raise awareness of the history of Griffintown, Montreal, while creating cultural, community and public activity to rejuvenate the faded industrial area.
Each proposal was to include a plan for its own disassembly, de-habitation or disappearance at the end of its short-term lease. Each submission determined the conditions of the structure's use for the duration of the provided lease.
The five winning proposals will be featured in an interactive exhibition opening on January 17, 2011 at the Fonderie Darling, Montreal.
Fonderie Darling
745 Ottawa Street
Montréal, Quebec
About HTDSTUDIO
HTDSTUDIO DESIGNOFFICE is an internationally recognized, multidisciplinary design practice with a mission to bring innovative design excellence to architectural, interior, urban and sustainable design projects. Their clients include Aristeia International Inc., City of Newark, Nonprofit Finance Fund, the Permanent Mission of Namibia to the UN, and numerous organizations, corporations and private clients in the U.S., Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Caribbean.


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Steven Aus wrote:All In All, My Favourite Computer Game EVER!
That's really nice to hear mate! Would you mind sharing your enthusiasm down the skeptical folks at HC too? That could help with the game's reputation...
Panda Tar wrote:That Exalted Kirin could look a bit more threatening. It almost makes you feel like patting its head.
But you DO pat its head.
It's not an offensive creature, its teammates just love him for his very powerful heal and awesome cleanse.


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Pro Version Installation
- After you download the plugin, in your WordPress Admin menu go to Plugins > Add New > Upload;
- Activate the plugin through the "Plugins" menu in WordPress;
- Look for the WooCommerce Organizer in the left menu and click on "License Key"
- Copy and paste your license key in the designated field and click "Activate License"
Lite Version Installation
Follow the same instructions in steps 1 and 2 for the Pro version. The Pro version allows an unlimited number of customer product arrangements to be created. The Lite version only allows one arrangement. If you decide to upgrade to the Pro version, you MUST deactivate the Lite plugin and then delete it. DO NOT install the Pro version without first deleting the Lite version. Your arrangement will be saved – you will not lose your previous work.
Creating A New Product Arrangement
- Click on Woo Organizer in the WordPress menu > Add New
- Select the category or categories you would like to display and then click the "Next" button at the bottom
- You can either select "Check All" or hand select each product then click the "Next" button at the bottom
- The selected categories and products are now visible and can be rearranged in the order you would like them to appear. Categories can be dragged up or down, and products can be dragged to appear in order from left to right
- Name your arrangement and click on the "Save Selection" button at the top
- On the "View Selections" page copy the shortcode of the desired arrangement and paste it into the page you want it to appear
- The Settings option allows you to add custom css code for further design enhancements
Pasting Shortcode on PHP Pages
If you are going to be pasting the shortcode on a php page like index.php, you will need to use this code for it to work correctly:
<?php echo do_shortcode( "[insert your shortcode here]" ) ?>
If you use this php string, make sure you change the quotation marks " to apostrophes ' within our shortcode on either side of the number.
For example, here's how it should look:
<?php echo do_shortcode( "[wcs selection='13']" ) ?>
Additional custom css may be required to position the arrangement correctly on the page. For example:

<?php echo do_shortcode( "[wcs selection='13']" ) ?>

Working knowledge of how to add a class or ID in the stylesheet is necessary. As an alternative, you can create an alternative homepage in the Pages section, and paste the shortcode for the different features you want to appear on your homepage. Then go to settings > Reading > Static Page > Front Page > and select the page you created from the drop down.
Controlling the Number of Products
The number of products that can appear in each arrangement is controlled by the Blog posts field. To change this setting please go to:
Settings > Reading Settings > Blog pages show at the most [enter your max number here] posts


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A new book, "Give and Take", by Adam Grant has been named one of the best books of 2013 by Amazon, Apple, the Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal. It also made the Fortune's must-read business books, Harvard Business Review's ideas that shaped management and the Washington Post's books every leader should read.
The underpinning principle of this book is that by helping others we drive our own success. The world has frequently seen the model of the charismatic individual as a driver of success through their passion, hard work and talent. However, this book argues that success in an organisation increasingly is dependent on how we interact with each other. Grant states that at work most people operate as either 'takers', 'matchers' or 'givers'. 'Takers' strive to get as much as possible from others, whereas matchers aim to trade evenly, however 'givers' are the rare breed of people who contribute without expecting anything in return. Whilst some 'givers' get exploited or burn out, most go on to achieve extraordinary results across a wide range of industries. The best performing and most effective organisation is one that has the most amount of 'givers'. 'Give and Take' opens up an approach on how effective networking, collaboration, influence, negotiation and leadership skills have the power to transform the performance of not just individuals and groups, but entire organisations and communities.
2 Cor 9:7 gives us a simple principle that 'each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver' and in Luke 6:38 we are asked to 'Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.'
I hope this will challenge each and every one of us to think how we could 'give' in our community so we can bless the wider community around us. In the Conference Centre we give our best service each and every day to bless our lovely clients.


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Got digestion problems like irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, or gas? A "low-FODMAP" diet might help.
Never heard of FODMAPs? They are a type of carb. But this is not your typical low-carb diet.
The diet only limits carbs that are "fermentable oligo-, di-, monosaccharides and polyols." No wonder they came up with a nickname!
For most people, FODMAPs are not a problem unless you eat too much of them. But some people are sensitive to them.
FODMAPs draw water into your digestive tract, which could make you bloated. If you eat too much of them, they can hang around in your gut and ferment.
These types of carbs are FODMAPs:
- Fructose: Fruits, honey, high-fructose corn syrup, agave
- Lactose: Dairy
- Fructans: Wheat, onions, garlic
- Galactans: Legumes, such as beans, lentils, and soybeans
- Polyols: Sugar alcohols and fruits that have pits or seeds, such as apples, avocados, cherries, figs, peaches, or plums
Avoiding FODMAPs doesn't help everyone. But in a study published in the journal Gastroenterology, about 3 out of 4 people with IBS had their symptoms ease right away after starting a low-FODMAP diet and felt the most relief after 7 days or more on the plan.
Remember, FODMAPs aren't bad. Many foods that are rich in them encourage the growth of good bacteria in the gut.
Trying a Low-FODMAP Diet
If you have gas, bloating, belly pain, diarrhea, or constipation, you might consider nixing all five forms of FODMAP carbs (lactose, fructose, fructans, sugar alcohols, and galactans) for up to 4 weeks to see if that helps. If FODMAPs are the culprit, you'll probably start to feel better quickly.
You'll have many foods you can eat on this diet, but there's a steep learning curve about which foods are high in FODMAPs and what you could choose instead.
For example, these foods are high in FODMAPs:
- Anything made with wheat, barley, or rye
- Apples
- Artichokes
- Artificial sweeteners like in chewing gum
- Beans
- Cashews
- Cauliflower
- Dried fruits
- Garlic and onions
- High-fructose corn syrup
- Honey
- Ice cream
- Mushrooms
- Pistachios
- Watermelon
Low-FODMAP foods include:
- Almond, coconut, rice, and soy milks
- Bananas
- Bell peppers
- Blueberries
- Carrots
- Cucumbers
- Grapes
- Oats
- Potatoes
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Spinach, kale, and other leafy greens
- Tangerines
- Tomatoes
There are many other foods on the high and low lists. So it's a good idea to work with a gastroenterologist and a dietitian who can help you limit FODMAPs with a balanced diet that meets all your nutritional needs.
Giving Foods Another Chance
Once your tummy calms down, you can bring back foods one at a time at a rate of one item per week. You might discover that you're only sensitive to one or two FODMAP carbs, not all of them.
For instance, maybe dairy is a problem, but grains are OK for you. Or maybe you have trouble digesting high-FODMAP fruits or vegetables, but nothing else is a problem.
The goal is to figure out what foods trigger your digestive problems and create a diet that gives you all the nutrients you need but only includes the FODMAPs you can handle.


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28 December 2012
You have Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and almost all of the characters making up the Avengers – Iron Man, the Hulk, Thor.
In comics, one of things that defines a great comic is not just the hero, but the rogue's gallery. The villains that the hero faces. Stan Lee not only helped create some of the best rogue's galleries in all of comics, but he did it in an amazingly short period of time.
Look at the first year of The Amazing Spider-Man. In twelve issues, we get Doctor Octopus, the Lizard, the Vulture, Sandman, and Electro. Go just three more issues, and we get Mysterio, the Green Goblin, and Kraven the Hunter. Other heroes had to wait years, if not decades, to get a line-up of villains that good. Same famous superheroes still don't have a rogue's gallery that good. (Quick! Name all the Wonder Woman villains you can.)
In Fantastic Four, Stan created possibly the best villain in all of comics: Doctor Doom.
But I'm not singling out Stan Lee as the greatest writer in comics just because of the characters he created. At their best, Stan's stories had an amazing economy. It's no accident that retellings of classic stories Marvel stories often run many more issues than the original story did. Those Marvel issues routinely packed more plot and character in his single issues than most comics writers today manage in three or four.
One of the best examples is Fantastic Four #25, the first major battle between the Thing and the Hulk.
This is an issue that is near a high water mark for superpowered battle. In twenty-odd pages, this fight that takes so many twists and turns. The Thing gains advantage, then loses it, then gains it back. Ben Grimm knows he can't beat the Hulk in a straight-up contest of strength, but keeps himself in though ingenuity and quick thinking.
It's just amazing. Fights between superheroes and supervillains are so often used, so cliché, that it's easy to forget how exciting a good one can be.
Part of the success was no doubt that Stan had great artistic partners. They didn't call Jack Kirby (penciller of Fantastic Four, above) "The King" for nothing. Much has been written about just who contributed what (not to mention a bunch of court cases), and I don't want to undervalue the contributions of anyone in creating those books. But those books wouldn't be as good without Stan's dialogue between characters, and, more importantly, the inner monologues.
Thought balloons are something of a lost part of comics. The few times I've talked to comic writers about them, they seem to think that they're an unsophisticated storytelling device. I've always been intrigued by them, because comics is almost alone in the visual media for having a way to show the difference between what a character says and what a character thinks.
Again, nobody did that better than Stan. He gave his characters inner lives that were typically a stark contrast to their current situation. In fights, characters would get surprised, figure out plans, while retaining a cool exterior – the heroes snapping out the quips that Stan was famous for.
That's my case. Lots of people have written comics. Many of them have written great comics. But in my mind, Stan Lee, working with the artists he did, is without peer.
Written on the occasion of Stan Lee's 90th birthday.
Related posts
An appreciation
External links
Stan Lee turns 90
Stan Lee, Jack Kirby et al...The Birth Of The Marvel Universe
Posted by Zen Faulkes at 11:23 AM
Labels: art
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text: Latorre Communications is a pr firm located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. As a small, professional services business, their primary focus is presenting a polished and consistent corporate image. Graphic simplicity, geometric typography, dramatic changes in scale, full-bleed color fields and a bold accent color are used to keep things modern and fresh, while adding longevity to the rebranding effort. This concept echoes the company's own reputation for delivering clear and assertive communications strategies.


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Additional Information
One size
Classic hand bag with silver metal zipper and fittings. The cross-body shoulder strap is adjustable. The interior keeps you organized, equipped with one zipper pocket, two inner slip pockets and a removable lanyard to help you keep track of your keys. An external slip pocket is placed on the side of the bag to provide easy access to frequently used items.
Made in full grain vegetable tanned leather with silver metal details, FRANKA is a modern classic that will age beautifully over time.
Measurements: W 27 x H 21 x D 7,5 cm ~ 4 L
Material: Vegetable tanned leather.
YKK¨ silver metal zipper closure.
One size
Kernelæder & Canvas
Heavy 18oz cotton canvas
Vegetable tanned leather
Side zipper to main compartment
Inner 15″ laptop and iPad sleeve
Inner zipper pocket
Two inner slip pockets
Grey lining
Adjustable shoulder straps
Mål: 41 x 30 x 14 cm, 18 liter
A 100% natural leather care product developed together with Tangent GC and a British bee farm. The leather grease consists of bees wax, rapeseed oil and wool wax lanoline and a touch of pine oil for fragrance.
60 ml.
Material: Leather (Daffodil)
Height: 16 cm
Width bottom: 1,5 cm
Compartment for coins: zippered Compartment
Card Compartments: 4 creditcards-/ 2 banknotes- compartments
Small backpack sealed with a metal bucket, carrying up to 11 L. The organic cotton canvas and thick leather makes the bag very durable. Inside features like a 13" laptop sleeve, inner slip pockets and one inner zipper pocket, will help to keep you organized. A hidden zipper pocket placed on the side of the bag provides easy access to frequently used items.
Its size combined with a sophisticated design matching both your dressed and casual outfits, makes ALVA a great backpack for work and leisure.
Model is 175cm 5'9″ tall.
Measurements: 25 × 37 × 13 cm ~11 L
Measurements Laptop sleeve: 25 x 31 x 2
Material: Organic heavy 18oz cotton canvas and vegetable tanned leather. Grey lining.
Backpack in Cordura® with leather details
Highly durable 1000 denier Cordura®
Two side slip pockets
Outer flap zipper pocket
Inner 15″ laptop and iPad sleeve
Inner zipper pocket
Grey lining
Adjustable shoulder straps
Carry your books, beach wear, or office items comfortably around. The main compartment is shielded by the cover flap, but also can be accessed quickly by using the side-zip. Hidden iPhone® pocket and zip-pocket allows flexible storage options. Straps can easily transform the Tote into a backpack, when cycling through the city.
Lining color: Brown
Zipper: 5 mm, YKK
Length: 20 cm
Height: 14 cm
Width bottom: 3,5 cm
Shoulder Strap: 110 x 1 cm
Inside design: 1 Zip Pocket + 2 Open pockets
Shoulder Strap Material: Daffodil
Bag type: Evening bag
Shoulder strap trim: Dog Hook


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Finally out on lovely wax is our first ever Jahtari-12", "JAHTARIAN DUBBERS Vol. 1". Three heavy tunes from our upcoming label compilation album plus an exclusive and new cut of Rootah's "Holy Mount" appear here on this beautiful record. Every groove of it is filled to the max with deadly basslines, smashing delays and infinte deepness, just waiting to be discovered in full detail.
The opener "Roots Defender" by Blaze Dem will already smash any sound system with ease. With an ultra-deep bassline, a killer hook and crazy sampling madness in Swedish this tune is sure to shake any floor. Disrupt follows in his unmistakable style with "Kozure Okami" on A2, paying tribute to old 70s Samurai movies and Black Ark alike. From cutting-edge FX action, full force low-end niceness to a wicked synthie solo - all's in there.
The B-side starts off with John Frum's echo monster "January Dub". Soundscapes beyond words layered over these special drum and bass vibe that only our delay navigator is able to create are topped off with a big melody line that definitely will follow you in your dreams.
Rootah is finishing this heavy wax with his smaher "Holy Mount Part 2" which is nothing else but pure blizz, as you will see. Tube tape echo machines are being set on fire over this extremely hypnotic mutation of the Drum Song riddim. Watch your speakers. The original and pretty different version (Part 1) will appear on the full album compilation next. (Jahtari)


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Oh my! I did a lot of soldering today, a lot of sawing (breaking more than a few saw blades, they are so TINY), whacking things with a hammer, sanding, using a rolling mill, etc etc etc. I made a ring and a scarf pin so far -- the ring was sort of an accident and I didn't position the stone in the direction I really wanted, but it's my first attempt. Gotta learn somehow. Tomorrow I hope to set another stone and this time do a pendant.
There are so many ideas I have, but I have to be careful and not fill the house up with tools and try to just focus on a couple of things. Working with all that metal made me feel much more creative with my heavy-gauge wire, so I made several rings tonight (non-bezel, but very cool) and a necklace that I love. I'll have photos soon!


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Cal Poly Events News — July 2, 2014
All News is for Immediate Release
Matt Lazier
Interim Media Relations Director Cal Poly Marketing & Communications
805-756-7109 (office) * 805-235-2000 (cell)
Contact: Jennifer Berg
Cal Poly History Graduate to Display SLO Equine History Exhibit July 13
SAN LUIS OBISPO Recent Cal Poly history graduate Jennifer Berg will display her senior project, "The Evolution of the Horse in San Luis Obispo County," from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 13, at The Dallidet Adobe and Gardens in San Luis Obispo.
The event will feature exhibits on San Luis Obispo County's equine history during Spanish, Mexican and American periods of California's history. Several horse-drawn vehicles used in San Luis Obispo will be on display, including a horse-drawn rail car; rural mail wagon; a democrat wagon (a light farm or ranch wagon with two or more seats that was usually drawn by two horses); a road cart; and a carriage.
Additional exhibits will explore the history of horse racing in California, influential equestrians, the equine business, horses at the missions of San Luis Obispo and San Miguel, San Luis Obispo Fire Department horses, and horses in art and literature.
The event is free and appropriate for all ages. The Dallidet Adobe and Gardens, at 1185 Pacific St., will also be open from 1 to 4 p.m. for visitors to view the home of Pierre Dallidet, a prominent member of San Luis Obispo and the Central Coast's first winemaker.
- History Department: cla.calpoly.edu/hist.html
- College of Liberal Arts: cla.calpoly.edu/
- The Dallidet Adobe and Gardens: dallidet.org/
About the Cal Poly History Department
Students in Cal Poly's History Department acquire multiple perspectives on the complexity and diversity of the past and present while developing effective methods of research. Students learn historian methodologies "the ability to gather, synthesize, analyze and interpret evidence and present conclusions in a lucid and logical manner. These skills are put into practice with the student-produced and award-winning historical journal The Forum and are preparation for a variety of professions.
About The Dallidet Adobe and Gardens
Built in 1856, The Dallidet Adobe was home to Pierre Hypolite Dallidet, a French-born developer, farmer and owner of the first commercial winery on the Central Coast. The home is now a California Historical Landmark and contains the original family furniture and belongings, illustrating more than 100 years of history. The Dallidet Adobe and its Mediterranean gardens are open to visitors Fridays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. March through November.


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Election forum debates pros and cons of Voter ID
Related Story
COLUMBIA- The League of Women Voters of Columbia-Boone County held an open election forum Tuesday night to discuss issues on the November 8th ballot.
The forum featured candidates from both parties in State Representative races and addressed presented speakers to talk about ballot issues including Constitutional Amendment 6, "Photo Voter ID".
This proposal require voters to present a federal or state-issued ID in order to cast a ballot.
Supporters of the measure say this would prevent voter fraud. Opponents say voter fraud does not exist and approximately 230,000 Missourians would be disenfranchised by this amendment. In addition, it would cost the state approximately $16 million over three years to implement.
Brian Smith spoke against the amendment, saying it would be a big step back for the State of Missouri if this proposal gets approved.
"It was targeting certain populations like people of color and low income voters, also senior citizens, in other case with people with disabilities," Smith said.
Smith also said some college students do not have a Missouri drive license, which will discourage them from voting.
Fred Berry, who spoke in favor of the amendment, said he's concerned about election and voter integrity.
"They really do provide a lot of protection for voters," Berry said.
Peggy Placier, the core president of the Columbia-Boone County League of Women Voters said the pro and con speakers play an important role in giving people ideas from different viewpoints.
"We have generally favored making voting more accessible, making it easier for citizens to do because we have a very low participation rate in this country," Placier said.
The group's second forum will be on Wednesday, October 19.


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Archive for the 'Designing 360 processes' Category
Strategic 360 Forum
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I am organizing a one day event in New York City on July 24 for organizations that are using 360 Feedback processes for purposes beyond just leadership development. There is no cost. Any organization wishing to be considered for attendance should contact me. The representative must be a senior leader who has responsibility both for implementation and influence regarding its strategic use in the company.
Strategic 360 Forum
July 24, 2013
One day meeting, coordinated by David Bracken (OrgVitality), of organizations using 360 Assessments for strategic purposes, including support of human resource processes (e.g., talent management, staffing, performance management, succession planning, high potential programs). Attendees will be senior leaders with responsibilities for both process implementation as well as strategic applications. Larger organizations (5000+ employees) will be given priority consideration for inclusion.
If there is sufficient interest and support from the participating companies, the Forum would continue to meet on a semi-annual basis.
Location and Date: July 24 at KPMG, 345 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10154-0102
Tentative Participant Organizations: Guardian, Bank of America, GlaxoSmithKline, KPMG, Starwood, PepsiCo, Federal Reserve NY, JP Morgan Chase
Benefits for Participants
- Learn of best practices in the use of 360 Assessments in progressive organizations
- Discover ways that 360 Assessments support human resource initiatives, including problems and solutions
- Create personal networks for future situations
- Create opportunities for future professional contributions, including 2014 SIOP Conference
NOTE: The specific process and agenda will evolve as the organizers interact with the participants and discover their expectations and ways that they can best contribute to the event.
There is no cost for participants beyond their active contribution. Lunch is provided.
The core content will consist of brief presentations by select attendees. For attendees interested in participating in a submission for the 2014 SIOP Conference, we will use the format and content of their presentations to feed a proposal submission.
Presentations will be followed by a group discussion where questions can be asked of the presenter and alternative viewpoints shared.
Depending on the programs and interests of the participating organizations, we will explore select theme topics of high relevance relating to use of 360 Feedback. These topics may include:
- Performance Management
- Succession Planning
- High Potential Identification and Development
- Staffing/Promotions
- Coaching Programs
- Sustainability
The Forum meeting will also include a presentation by Bracken and Church based on their People & Strategy (HRPS) article on the use of 360 Assessments in support of (or replacing) performance management processes, followed by discussion.
1) As noted above, the content will be the basis for a proposal for inclusion in the 2014 SIOP Conference.
2) The presentations and discussions will be organized and reported to participants.
Contact Information
Interested organizations should email me with a brief description of the 360 process(es) you wish to highlight/share (purpose, size, longevity, innovations), and your personal role/responsibilities.
David W. Bracken, Ph.D.
Vice President, Leadership Development and Assessment
OrgVitality, LLC
402-617-5152 (cell)
Pay Attention to That Leader Behind the Curtain
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One of my early posts was titled "Snakes in Suits" (https://dwbracken.wordpress.com/2010/10/12/snakes-in-suits/), which is also the title of a book about psychopaths in industry, specifically in leadership positions, and how skilled they are (because they are psychopaths) in escaping detection until the damage has been done. The blog post highlighted a 360 process whose primary purpose is to identify the bottom tail of the performance distribution, essentially managing the quality of the leadership cadre by fixing or removing the poorest performers/behaviors. The metaphor is pulling back the curtain on the pretender/offender, like Toto does in "The Wizard of Oz," who has escaped discovery for many years through cleverness and deception. Of course, he cries out, "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain."
I got to thinking about this topic recently (no, not because of the new Wizard of Oz movie) when I got an update from Bill Gentry at the Center for Creative Leadership regarding his evolving thinking and research on the topic of Integrity (see his YouTube video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d7yQHHUL-Q&list=UU9ulOx1rJK5FMlC5gbS91cQ&index=1).
One of the possible reasons that the "Snakes in Suits" book didn't get more traction in our field is the fact that true psychopaths are relatively rare in our society (maybe 3-5% of the population by some estimates), though their "cousins" (bullies, jerks, add your own adjectives) are much more prevalent and all can cause substantial damage. By expanding the definition of inappropriate behavior to include integrity (or lack thereof) as Dr. Gentry highlights, we now have a behavioral requirement that hopefully applies to every leader, and every employee for that matter.
One of Bill's research articles uncovers a finding where integrity is identified as a critical trait for senior executives but much less so for mid-level executives. His hypothesis is that success in mid-management is much more on the "what" that is achieved (e.g., revenues, sales, budgets) than the "how" (e.g., adherence to the values of the organization). This de-emphasis on the "how" side of performance measurement causes organizations to promote leaders to the most senior levels without sufficient scrutiny of their character, resulting in some flawed leadership at the top of companies where integrity is essential (including some very high profile examples that Bill enumerates as part of his publications).
While I'm at it, I found another piece of research that relates to the significant impact that abusive management can have across large swaths of the organization. This article (cited below) suggests that employees partly attribute abusive supervision to negative valuation by the organization and, consequently, behave negatively toward and withhold positive contributions to it. In other words, employees may believe that abusive supervisors are condoned by the company, and then lose commitment and engagement to said organization. And there is probably a lot of truth in that logic.
Organizations have a responsibility to identify and to address situations where leaders are behaving badly, and the research cited above strongly suggests that it is in the best interests of organizations to do so. So how is that done? Many organizations rely on anonymous processes that encourage employees to "speak up" without fear of retribution. That is such a passive approach as to almost be amusing if it weren't so important.
Of course, you know where I am going with this. A 360 Degree Feedback process that is consistently administered across the organization AND has provisions for the results being shared with the organization (e.g., Human Resources) is about the only way I can think of where this systemic problem can be addressed. This should be a critical aspect of Talent Management systems in organizations, and as common and ubiquitous as performance management. As the authors of "Snakes in Suits" point out, 360 feedback can be a powerful way to identify the "snakes" early in their careers. One problem is that these snakes are very skilled at avoiding detection by finding loopholes in inconsistently administered 360's so that they don't have to participate, or don't have to share their feedback with anyone.
Who is that leader behind the curtain? It may be a wizard. It may be a jerk. It may be a hero to be honored. But we won't know unless we have our Toto to pull back the curtain, hopefully before it's too late.
Blaming the organization for abusive supervision: The roles of perceived organizational support and supervisor's organizational embodiment. Shoss, Mindy K.; Eisenberger, Robert; Restubog, Simon Lloyd D.; Zagenczyk, Thomas J. Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol 98(1), Jan 2013, 158-168. doi: 10.1037/a0030687
©2013 David W. Bracken
It's Human Nature
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One question that has been at the core of best practices in 360 Feedback since its inception relates to the conditions that are most likely to create sustained behavior change (at least for those of us that believe that behavior change is the ultimate goal). Many of us believe that behavior change is not a question of ability to change but primarily one of motivation. Motivation often begins with the creation of awareness that some change is necessary, the accepting the feedback, and then moving on to implementing the change.
One of the more interesting examples of creating behavior change began when seat belts were included as standard equipment in all passenger vehicles in 1964. I am old enough to remember when that happened and started driving not long thereafter. So using a seat belt was part of the driver education routine since I began driving and has not been a big deal for me.
The reasons for noncompliance with seatbelt usage are as varied as human nature. Some people see it as a civil rights issue, as in, "No one is going to tell me what to do." There is also the notion that it protects against a low probability event, as in "It won't happen to me. I'm a careful driver." Living in Nebraska for a while, I learned that people growing up on a farm don't "have the time" to buckle and unbuckle seatbelts in their trucks when they are learning to drive, so they don't get into that habit. (I also found, to my annoyance, that they also never learned how to use turn signals.)
I remember back in the '60's reading about a woman who wrote a car manufacturer to ask that they make the seat belts thinner because they were uncomfortable to sit on. Really.
Some people have internal motivation to comply, which can also be due to multiple factors such as personality, demographics, training, norms (e.g., parental modeling), and so on. This is also true when we are trying to create behavior change in leaders, but we will see that these factors are not primary determinants of compliance..
In thinking about seatbelt usage as a challenge in creating behavior change, I found study from 2008 by the Department of Transportation. It is titled "How States Achieve High Seat Belt Use Rates" (DOT HS 810 962). (Note: This is a 170 page report with lots of tables and statistical analyses, and if any of you geeks want a copy, let me know.)
The major finding of this in-depth study states:
The statistical analyses suggest that the most important difference between the high and low seat belt use States is enforcement, not demographics or funds spent on media.
This chart Seatbelt Usage in US, amongst the many in this report, seems to capture the messages fairly well to support their assertion. This chart plots seat belt usage by state, where we see a large spread ranging from just over 60% (Mississippi) to about 95% (Hawaii). It also shows whether each state has primary seatbelt laws (where seatbelt usage is a violation by itself), or secondary laws (where seatbelt usage can only be enforced if the driver is stopped for another purpose). Based on this table alone, one might argue causality but the study systematically shows that this data, along with others relating to law enforcement practices, are the best predictors of seatbelt usage.
One way of looking at this study is to view law enforcement as a form of external accountability, i.e., having consequences for your actions (or lack thereof). The primary versus secondary law factor largely shifts the probabilities of being caught, with the apparent desired effect on seatbelt usage.
So, back to 360 Feedback. I always have been, and continue to be, mystified as to how some implementers of 360 feedback processes believe that sustainable behavior change is going to occur in the vast majority of leaders without some form of external accountability. Processes that are supposedly "development only" (i.e., have no consequences) should not be expected to create change. In those processes, participants are often not required to, or even discouraged from, sharing their results with others, especially their manager. I have called these processes "parlor games" in the past because they are kind of fun, are all about "me," and have no consequences.
How can we create external accountability in 360 processes? I believe that the most constructive way to create both motivation and alignment (ensuring behavior change is in synch with organizational needs/values) is to integrate the 360 feedback into Human Resource processes, such as leadership development, succession planning, high potential programs, staffing decisions, and performance management. All these uses involve some form of decision making that affects the individual (and the organization), which puts pressure on the 360 data to be reliable and valid. Note also that I include leadership development in this list as a form of decision making because it does affect the employee's career as well as the investment (or not) of organization resources.
But external accountability can be created by other, more subtle ways as well. We all know from our kept and (more typically) unkept New Year's resolutions about the power of going public with our commitments to change. Sharing your results and actions with your manager has many benefits, but can cause real and perceived unfairness if some people are doing it and others not. Discussing your results with your raters and engaging them in your development plans has multiple benefits.
Another source of accountability can (and should) come from your coach, if you are fortunate enough to have one. I have always believed that the finding in the Smither et al (2005) meta-analysis that the presence of a coach is one determinant of whether behavior change is observed is due to the accountability that coaches create by requiring the coachee to specifically state what they are going to do and to check back that the coachee has followed through on that commitment.
Over and over, we see evidence that, when human beings are not held accountable, more often than not they will stray from what is in their best interests and/or the interests of the group (organization, country, etc.). Whether it's irrational (ignoring facts) or overly rational (finding ways to "get around" the system), we should not expect that people will do what is needed, and we should not rely on our friends, neighbors, peers or leaders to always do what is right if there are no consequences for inaction or bad behavior.
©2012 David W. Bracken
What Is a "Decision"?
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My good friend and collaborator, Dale Rose, dropped me a note regarding his plans to do another benchmarking study on 360 Feedback processes. His company, The 3D Group, has done a couple of these studies before and Dale has been generous in sharing his results with me, which I have cited in some of my workshops and webinars. The studies are conducted by interviewing coordinators of active 360 systems. Given that they are verbal, some of the results have appeared somewhat internally inconsistent and difficult to reconcile, though the general trends are useful and informative.
Many of the topics are useful for practitioners to gauge their program design, such as the type of instrument, number of items, rating scales, rater selection, and so on. For me, the most interesting data relates to the various uses of 360 results.
Respondents in the 2004 and 2009 studies report many uses. In both studies, "development" is the most frequent response, and that's how it should be. In fact, I'm amazed that the responses weren't 100% since a 360 process should be about development. The fact that in 2004 only 72% of answers included development as a purpose is troubling whether we take the answers as factual or if they didn't understand the question. The issue at hand here is not whether 360's should be used for development; it is what else they should, can, and are used for in addition to "development."
In 2004, the next most frequent use was "career development;" that makes sense. In 2009, the next most frequent was "performance management," and career development dropped way down. Other substantial uses include high potential identification, direct link to performance measurement, succession planning, and direct link to pay.
But when asked whether the feedback is used "for decision making or just for development", about 2/3 of the respondents indicated "development only" and only 1/3 for "decision making." I believe these numbers understate the actual use of 360 for "decision making" (perhaps by a wide margin), though (as I will propose), it can depend on how we define what a "decision" is.
To "decide" is "to select as a course of action," according to Miriam Webster (in this context). I would build on that definition that one course of action is to do nothing, i.e., don't change the status quo or don't let someone do something. It is impossible to know what goes on in person's mind when he/she speaks of development, but it seems reasonable to suppose that it involves doing something beyond just leaving the person alone, i.e., maintaining the status quo. But doing nothing is a decision. So almost any developmental use is making a decision as to what needs to be done, what personal (time) and organizational (money) resources are to be devoted to that person. Conversely, denying an employee access to developmental resources that another employee does get access to is a decision, with results that are clearly impactful but difficult to measure.
To further complicate the issues, it is one thing to say your process is for "development only," and another to know how it is actually used. Every time my clients have looked behind the curtain of actual use of 360 data, they unfailingly find that managers are using it for purposes that are not supported. For example, in one client of mine, anecdotal evidence repeatedly surfaced that the "development only" participants were often asked to bring their reports with them to internal interviews for new jobs within the organization. The bad news was that this was outside of policy; the good news was that leaders saw the data as useful in making decisions, though (back to bad news) they may have been untrained to correctly interpret the reports.
Which brings us to why this is an important issue. There are legitimate "development only" 360 processes where the participant has no accountability for using the results and, in fact, is often actively discouraged from sharing the results with anyone else. Since there are not consequences, there are few, if any, consequential actions or decisions required. But most 360 processes (despite the benchmark results suggesting otherwise) do result in some decisions being made, which might include doing nothing by denying an employee access to certain types of development.
The Appendix of The Handbook of Multisource Feedback is titled, "Guidelines for Multisource Feedback When Used for Decision Making." My sense is many designers and implementers of 360 (multisource) processes feel that these Guidelines don't apply because their system isn't used for decision making. Most of them are wrong about that. Their systems are being used for decision making, and, even if not, why would we design an invalid process? And any system that involves the manager of the participant (which it should) is creating the expectation of direct or indirect decision making to result.
So Dale's question to me (remember Dale?) is how would I suggest wording a question in his new benchmarking study that would satisfy my curiosity regarding the use of 360 results. I proposed this wording:
"If we define a personnel decision as something that affects an employee's access to development, training, jobs, promotions or rewards, is your 360 process used for personnel decisions?"
Dale hasn't committed to using this question in his study. What do you think?
©2012 David W. Bracken
I Need an Exorcism
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Being the 360 Feedback nerd I am, I love it when some new folks get active on the LinkedIn 360 discussion group. One discussion emerged recently that caught my eye, and I have been watching it with interest, mulling over the perspectives and knowing I had to get my two cents in at some point.
Here is the question:
How many raters are too many raters?
We normally recommend 20 as a soft limit. With too many, we find the feedback gets diluted and you have too many people that don't work closely enough with you to provide good feedback. I'd be curious if there are any suggestions for exceptions.
This is an important decision amongst the dozens that need to be made in the course of designing and implementing 360 processes. The question motivated me to pull out The Handbook of Multisource Feedback and find the excellent chapter on this topic by James Farr and Daniel Newman (2001), which reminded me of the complexity of this decision. Let me also reiterate that this is another decision that has different implications for "N=1" 360 processes (i.e., feedback for a single leader on an ad hoc basis) versus "N>1" systems (i.e., feedback for a group of participants); this blog and discussion is focused on the latter.
Usually people argue that too many surveys will cause disruption in the organization and unnecessary "soft costs" (i.e., time). The author of this question poses a different argument for limiting the rater population, which he calls "dilution" due to inviting unknowledgeable raters. For me, one of the givens of any 360 system is that the raters must have sufficient experience with the ratee to give reliable feedback. One operationalization of that concept is to require that an employee must have worked with/for the ratee for some minimum amount of time (e.g., 6 months or even 1 year), even if he/she is a direct report. Having the ratee select the raters (with manager approval) is another practice that is designed to help get quality raters that then also facilitate the acceptance of the feedback by the ratee. So "dilution" due to unfamiliarity can be combated with that requirement, at least to some extent.
One respondent to this question offers this perspective:
The number of raters depends on the number of people that deal with this individual through important business interactions and can pass valuable feedback based on real experience. There is no one set answer.
I agree with that statement. Though, while there is no one set answer, some answers are better than others (see below).
In contrast, someone else states:
We have found effective to use minimum 3 and maximum 5 for any one rater category.
The minimum of 3 is standard practice these days as a "necessary but not sufficient" answer to the number of raters. As for the maximum of 5, this is also not uncommon but seems to ignore the science that supports larger numbers. When clients seek my advice on this question of number of raters, I am swayed by the research published by Greguras and Robie (1998) who collected and researched the question of the reliability of various rater sources (i.e., subordinates, peers and managers). They came to the conclusion that different rater groups provide differing levels of reliable feedback, probably because the number of "agendas" lurking within the various types of raters. The least reliable are the subordinates, followed by the peers, and then the managers, the most reliable rater group.
One way to address rater unreliability is to increase the size of the group (another might be rater training, for example). Usually there is only one manager and best practice is to invite all direct reports (who meet the tenure guidelines), so the main question is the number of peers. This research suggests that 7-9 is where we need to aim, noting also that that is the number of returns needed, so inviting more is probably a good idea if you expect less than a 100% response rate.
Another potential rater group is external customers. Recently I was invited to participate in a forum convened by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) to discuss the use of multisource feedback in physician recertification processes. ABIM is one of 24 member Boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), which has directed that some sort of multisource (or 360) feedback be integrated into recertification.
The participants in this forum included many knowledgable, interesting researchers on the use of 360 in the context of medicine (a whole new world for me, which was very energizing). I was invited to represent the industry ("outside) perspective. One of the presenters spoke to the challenge of collecting input from their customers (i.e., patients), a requirement for them. She offered up the number of 25 as the number of patients needed to create a reliable result, using very similar rationale as Greguras and Robie regarding the many individual agendas of raters.
Back to LinkedIn, there was then this opinion:
I agree that having too many raters in any one rater group does dilute the feedback and make it much harder to see subtleties. There is also a risk that too many raters may 'drown out' key feedback.
This is when my head started spinning like Linda Blair in The Exorcist. This perspective is SO contrary to my 25 years of experience in this field that I had to prevent myself from discounting it as my head continued to rotate. I have often said that a good day for me includes times when I have said, "Gee, I have never thought of (insert topic) in that way." I really do like hearing new and different views, but it's difficult when they challenge some foundational belief.
For me, maybe THE most central tenet of 360 Feedback is the reliance on rater anonymity in the expectation (or hope) that it will promote honesty. This goes back to the first book on 360 Feedback by Edwards and Ewen (1996) where 360's were designed with this need for anonymity being in the forefront. That is why we use the artificial form of communication of using anonymous questionnaires and usually don't report in groups of less than 3. We know that violations of the anonymity promise result in less honesty and reduced response rates, with the grapevine (and/or social media) spreading violated trust throughout the organization.
The notion that too many raters will "drown out key feedback" seems to me to be a total reversal of this philosophy of protecting anonymity. It also seems to place an incredible amount of emphasis on the report itself where the numbers become the sole source of insight. Other blog entries of mine have proposed that the report is just the conversation starter, and that true insight is achieved in the post-survey discussions with raters and manager.
I recall that in past articles (see Bracken, Timmreck, Fleenor and Summers, 2001) we made the point that every decision requires what should be a conscious value judgment as to who the most important "customer" is for that decision, whether it be the rater, ratee, or the organization. For example, limiting the number of raters to a small number (e.g., 5 per group or not all Direct Reports) indicates that the raters and organization are more important than the ratee, that is, that we believe it is more important to minimize the time required of raters than it is to provide reliable feedback for the ratee. In most cases, my values cause me to lobby on behalf of the ratee as the most important customer in design decisions. The time that I will rally to the defense of the rater as the most important customer in a decision is when anonymity (again, real or perceived) is threatened. And I see these arguments for creating more "insight" by keeping rater groups small or subdivided are misguided IF these practitioners share the common belief that anonymity is critical.
Finally (yes, it's time to wrap this up), Larry Cipolla, an extremely experienced and respected practitioner in this field, offers some sage advice with some comments, including the folly of increasing rater group size by combining rater groups. As he says, that is pure folly. But I do take issue with one of his practices:
We recommend including all 10 raters (or whatever the n-count is) and have the participant create two groups–Direct Reports A and Direct Reports B.
This seems to me to be a variation on the theme of breaking out groups and reducing group size with the risk of creating suspicions and problems with perceived (or real) anonymity. Larry, you need to show that doing this kind of subdividing creates higher reliability in a statistical sense that can overcome the threats to reliability created by using smaller N's.
Someone please stop my head from spinning. Do I just need to get over this fixation with anonymity in 360 processes?
Bracken, D.W., Timmreck, C.W., and Church, A.H. (2001). The Handbook of Multisource Feedback. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Bracken, D.W., Timmreck, C.W., Fleenor, J.W., and Summers, L. (2001). 360 feedback from another angle. Human Resource Management, 1, 3-20.
Edwards, M. R., and Ewen, A.J. (1996). 360° Feedback: The powerful new model for employee assessment and performance improvement. New York: AMACOM.
Farr, J.L., and Newman, D.A. (2001). Rater selection: Sources of feedback. In Bracken, D.W., Timmreck, C.W., and Church, A.H. (eds.), The Handbook of Multisource Feedback. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Greguras, G.J., and Robie, C. (1998). A new look at within-source interrater reliability of 360-degree feedback ratings. Journal of Applied Psychology, 83, 960-968.
©2012 David W. Bracken
A Dangerous Place
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The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it.
–Albert Einstein
I hadn't heard this quote before this weekend. It happened to be on a sign carried by a lone protester outside the entrance to the Penn State football game, standing by the Joe Paterno statue. Needless to say, his presence and message wasn't appreciated by some of the PSU faithful, though he stated that he was once "one of them" but now had a different perspective as a family man in the wake of these recent events.
Another article in today's (Nov 12) NY Times also caught my eye in what I felt had a related message, titled "For Disabled Care Complaints, Vow of Anonymity Was False." (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/12/nyregion/ombudsmen-gave-whistle-blowers-names-to-state-agency.html?src=me&ref=nyregion). A spokesman for the agency, Travis Proulx, said in an interview in August that "there is no confidentiality for any employee who is reporting abuse or neglect, even to the ombudsman." Is it any wonder that people are afraid to step forward?
Organizations, including universities, are in many ways closed systems with their own methods for defining and living values (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/12/us/on-college-campuses-athletes-often-get-off-easy.html?ref=ncaafootball). See also the recent news story about the Texas judge who has been exposed via YouTube of his own brand of values inside his "organization,", i.e., his family (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/13/us/ruling-against-judge-seen-beating-daughter.html?scp=1&sq=texas%20judge%20belt&st=cse). Without getting into legalities and regulation and the such, let us focus on the fact that organizations (of any kind) need some sort of internal processes, formal and/or informal, to define proper behavior and to rectify instances of wrongdoing.
Whatever the unit of analysis, the definition of "evil" is a very subjective process. In an earlier blog, I pointed to some research that suggested that some questionable practices are more acceptable in some industries than in others (https://dwbracken.wordpress.com/2011/03/15/what-is-normal/). And I do believe that organizations have the right to define their values and to hold employees accountable for behaving in ways consistent with those values. Some actions are egregious that they are universally rejected (at least within certain cultures), including those exhibited by psychopaths as described in the book, Snakes in Suits.
One of the many benefits of doing a system-wide (e.g., company, department) 360 feedback process is the opportunity it creates for miscreants to be identified through anonymous input from coworkers. If system-wide, they hopefully also detect psychopaths and the such who are also very skilled at escaping detection. Unlike other "whistle blowing," 360's rely on a consensus from feedback providers that theoretically protects both the raters and the ratees. The data generated by 360's is reported in aggregate form, usually requiring a minimum of three respondents to create a mean score. Assuming the organization has access to these scores, they can be analyzed to detect particularly low mean scores that indicate that the leader in question is being cited by multiple coworkers as being out of synch with the rest of the organization.
So what do we need to do to make our 360 processes useful for detecting misbehavior and protecting both the raters and the ratees alike? Some suggestions include:
- Be clear as to the purpose of the process
- Require participation by all organizational leaders
- Give access to results to the organization (including HR and management)
- Strictly adhere to minimum group size requirements for reporting results (e.g., minimum of 3)
- Use a well designed behavioral model to form the basis for the content.
- Include write in comments.
- Train users (managers, HR) on the proper interpretation and use of results
- Administer on a regular (annual) basis
- Immediately address instances of leaders seeking retribution against raters (real or inferred)
Any other suggestions?
©2011 David W. Bracken


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There are a lot of myths about the 'failure' of the British Army to use the 3.7″ anti-aircraft gun as a multi-role gun, as the Germans and Italians did with the 88mm AA gun. Quite often there is a claim that this was not allowed. What happened in reality, in my view, is rather that the guns weren't anywhere near the ground fighting (and neither should they have been), and that the British army valued air defense over ground defense for these guns. One should note that the Axis did not have a free lunch either. Using (and losing) their precious 88mm guns in ground defense roles weakened the in-depth air defense, and allowed the Royal Air Force far more freedom in attacking bases such as Benghazi, Derna, and Tripoli. Nevertheless, I guess this wasn't appreciated by the UK tank crews at the time. Apart from that, it is also often overlooked that the 3.7″ gun was much heavier and bulkier, and probably not designed for a multi-role use, unlike the 88mm.
In order to lay to rest the myth that it was actually not allowed to use the 3.7″ gun in the ground role or wasn't used as such until much later in the war, I am posting here an excerpt from a Lessons Learned document of 8 Army, published after Operation CRUSADER.
The Comd 70 Division reports from TOBRUCH that on many occasions during recent operations, 3.7 AA guns were used against ground targets, notably the EL ADEM aerodrome when enemy aeroplanes were seen landing. They were also used for engaging enemy movement, and for counter battery(1) at ranges beyond that of normal artillery, and for night harassing of roads.
Results were very effective. The guns were very accurate, and fragmentation was excellent. Fuzes were set at safety, and no unexploded round was found on subsequent examination of the areas.
Owing to their high rate of fire, these guns were invaluable for use, in conjunction with others, on one minute area shoots on centres of hostile action.
It is interesting to note that in the German instructions for the defence of the HALFAYA position against Tank attacks, all AA guns were given an A.Tk role while Small Arms fire was to be used against attacking aircraft.
The following points however must influence the use of AA weapons in roles other than A.A.:-
(i) Effective A.Tk range of 40mm shot is 500 yds.
(ii) AA ammunition stocks in M.E.F. are not unlimited.
(iii) Carriages are conspicuous tagets in field operations and must be carefully camouflaged.
(1) engagement of enemy artillery positions to subdue the enemy guns.
AA/A.A. – anti-aircraft
A.Tk – anti-tank
Comd – Commander
M.E.F. – Middle East Forces


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Toronto Seafood Cafeteria-restaurant, Cafeteria by Sun Liming
Sun Liming Illustrates The Toronto Seafood Cafeteria Restaurant, Cafeteria
Sun Liming, the creative mind behind the awarded work restaurant, cafeteria:Toronto Seafood Cafeteria by Sun Liming says, "Market is always changing, the same as the thoughts of operators. A designer needs a business operator's vision to treat design, which means finding solutions to the operation, to the profits and to the sustainable development. Only by this, a designer could transfer himself from server to guide. So, the most important thing is that never stop learning and creating, growing up with your landlord.".
Toronto Seafood Cafeteria-restaurant, Cafeteria by Sun Liming Images:
End of the article, click here to go back to previous page, or alternatively go back to Who Design homepage.


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Oh, the challenge of designing for the "real woman"! This challenge always provides so many great opportunities for joy and empathy, opportunities which some designers grab on to while others let them fall away into the abyss. This episode provided so many highs and lows for my emotional spectrum that I might have a hard time writing a controlled recap, but I'll do my best.
Turns out the first person to fail with this episode was really Lifetime, or the Project Runway execs, or whoever has the episode-naming rights. When I clicked on my DVR to catch up on this episode, I got to see that it was titled "Fix My Friend." Awesome. Can we please take a giant step back from the notion of having to "fix" people, society? Cool. Thanks for working with me on that, because it sucks.
So, as the title implies, this challenge involves people who believe a certain friend in their life needs a little boost, in their style and their life. Naturally, there are a wide variety of women who are involved, and everyone accepts that designing for different sized women is a challenge when you're used to designing for a size 0 week after week. However, the only person who proves to immediately be an asshole about it is Ven. After he first meets his client, he tells the camera that he is "shocked, and very disappointed."
Well! How sad for you that just looking at a completely normal woman disappoints you! Oh, can you not hear this tiny violin I am playing for you? He continues to whine throughout the rest of the episode that it's "unfair" to have to work with a "plus sized" woman while other people have skinny women. Poor, poor baby. Life is so hard for you.
He continues to show even more of the devil spawn which apparently lives inside of him when he talks to Tim Gunn, describing her "before" picture as a "nightmare," essentially describing her as the largest and most monstrous being he has ever met. I think that he somehow believed Tim would sympathize with him, proving that he doesn't know Tim at all. When Tim asks, "Well, what size is she?" Ven replies, "Oh my God, I don't know," and then with a horrified laugh, "I'm thinking…14?!"
OH NO! Not a 14!! Is this woman a freak of nature?! If she is, I must be an abomination, because I am–Ven, you might want to take a deep breath and sit down for this–a size 16. I know, it's amazing that I can even find clothes that fit me! It's a good thing you didn't have to work with me, Ven! Especially because I think I look hella good and want to tell the world that I'm a size 16! I know, I am so weird! I must also have "no fashion sense," as you keep telling everyone about your own client, who might I add was wearing a pretty cute shirt when you first met her!
Okay. Okay. Deep breath, Jill. Let's take a step away from rage for a moment, even though rage is so fun. Because across the room, there is a completely different scene unfolding, and it will melt your heart. Gunnar is the only designer who openly says that he is "excited" about this challenge, because taking "normal" women and making them feel good is what he lives for. Thank goodness, Gunnar. You are immediately my favorite person right now. His model is, in my view, also pretty similar in size to Ven's, but Gunnar never once views this as a downside or even comes to complaining about it. He is sassy, fun, and warm when talking with his client, and near the end of their first meeting, she starts to cry. When he asks, "Why the tears?," she chokes something out that sounds like, "I'm just happy." Then they hug! And I start crying too because I can't deal with people crying out of happiness for themselves! Legit, y'all, there are tears all over my face!
Gunnar tells the camera that her spirit is going to get him through the challenge. He says, "It's funny how a random person can step in at the right moment to help you out, and not even know that they're doing that." Look, Gunnar, I'm already crying, okay? Cool it with the strangely accurate and unexpectedly heart-warming statements.
The other highlight of the new client-designer relationships is Fabio and Ko-Rely, who is a super duper fly adorably dykey tomboy. She doesn't like wearing girly clothes because she doesn't like to be sexualized. She's wearing flannel. She's a film student. She also got a completely rad haircut halfway through this episode. Listen, girl is pretty dreamy.
During the time in the workroom, we also start to delve into some cute Sharing Time, reaching that point in the season when the numbers have been whittled down to a point where we can actually start to get to know some of these designers. They chat about their siblings for a little while; Fabio video chats with his boyfriend, an exchange which is too cute for words. His boyfriend even makes their cat say hello. Oh, the gays. We also learn that Dmitry used to be a professional ballroom dancer before he moved to the US. I repeat: Dmitry used to be a ballroom dancer. And all the happy-shocked reaction GIFs entered my head and danced all around.
It's also clear from the comments in last week's recaps that there are lots of mixed feelings about Elena, which I understand. But thankfully the Elena from last week and the Elena from this week are almost opposite creatures; Elena this week is laughing and joking and pretty much being hilarious, all while wearing this crazy bright pink lipstick. She also seems to work well with her client. Dmitry dryly notes that it's the first time he's ever seen her be nice to someone. The Dmitry-Elena dynamic is my favorite. I hope they make out in secret.
Alicia, meanwhile, is once again quietly drifting into the background, but this time while she quietly works, she's creating a little pink dress. Yeah, a little pink dress–the complete opposite of what she normally makes. It's unclear how exactly it will turn out, but it's always great to see people pushing outside of their comfort zone, especially without whining incessantly about it.
After more workroom time which includes Ven making his client cry–I just…can't–it's runway time. If you're suffering from Ven-induced-rage, take a deep breath and make yourself feel better by examining what a wonderful dress Heidi Klum is rocking today:
I always love watching these "real women" get to walk down the runway, because the ones who are feeling good about themselves know how to WORK. IT. Gunnar's client is so happy that she is practically bouncing, sashaying her fine self all over that thang. It's hard not to smile from ear to ear just looking at her, which is what all the judges are doing.


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Britney Spears threw a huge joint birthday party for her sons on Saturday (15.09.12).
The singer's boys both had birthdays last week - with Jayden James turning six on Wednesday (12.09.12) and Sean Preston turning seven on Friday (14.09.12) - so she hired the Sky High arcade and trampoline park in Calabasas, California, to celebrate.
Around 20 of the boys' friends were at the party, as well as Britney, her fiance Jason Trawick and father Jamie Spears. It is not known if the children's father, Kevin Federline, was at the bash.
The group enjoyed playing games and cake, but presents were all opened back at home.
A source told E! news: "Britney was smiling ear-to-ear during the whole party and enjoyed watching her kids play with their friends. It was a really lovely occasion; everyone was in a good mood and in the spirit of the birthday. She looked overjoyed and at one point was singing happy birthday to them."
"Jason and Britney were beaming and couldn't have been more proud of Jayden James and Sean Preston."
Britney - who is a judge on 'The X Factor' USA was said to be originally planning to marry Jason this year, but has since put the wedding date off until she knows what type of ceremony she wants.
A source said: "She just isn't ready to commit to concrete plans, because she's not sure what the right thing to do is. She's confused. This is her third wedding, so she doesn't know whether she should go really big and make a huge statement or just do it super toned down."
Britney was previously married to childhood sweetheart Jason Alexander, although their marriage was annulled after just 55 hours in January 2004. She was then wed to dancer Kevin between 2004 and 2006.


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About Wisconsin's Healthy Lakes
Healthy Lakes includes 5 simple and inexpensive best practices that improve habitat and water quality on your lakeshore property.
We encourage do-it-yourselfers to use these practices but have also created a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Healthy Lakes grant for funding assistance. Local partners like qualified lake associations, lake districts, and counties may apply for Healthy Lakes funding on behalf of lakeshore property owners, or they may choose to integrate the Healthy Lakes initiative into their lake management, comprehensive planning, and shoreland zoning ordinance efforts.
Lakeshore Property Owners
Interested in grant funding? Partner with an eligible grant applicant like a local unit of government or qualified lake association for funding.
Learn more
Action Plan
Wisconsin's Healthy Lakes & Rivers Action Plan builds off the success of the 2014-2017 Healthy Lakes pilot. Healthy Lakes & Rivers remains a collaborative team effort that depends on private and public waterfront property owners, businesses, and the Wisconsin Lakes Partnership to promote and install relatively simple and inexpensive best practices benefiting habitat and water quality. This goal-oriented plan also includes funding, promotion, and evaluation strategies.
Goals & Objectives
Our Goals
To protect and improve the health of our lakes by increasing lakeshore property owner participation in habitat restoration and runoff and erosion control projects.
Our Objectives
Single-parcel participation in Healthy Lakes will increase 100% in 3 years (i.e. 2015 to 2017).
Individual lake
Lake groups or other partners may identify their own habitat, water quality, and/or participation goal(s) through a local planning and public participation process.
Partners may integrate the Plan into a complementary planning process such as lake management or comprehensive planning.
Our Team & Partners
Collaboration and participation were key in this team effort to create Wisconsin's Healthy Lakes Implementation Plan and our statewide initiative. We would like to thank the staff, agency, business, and citizen partners, including Advanced Lake Leaders, who provided feedback for our team and the many partners who completed a customer survey and provided valuable comments during the public review of proposed Department of Natural Resources guidance.
Dave Ferris
Tom Onofrey
Patrick Goggin
Carroll Schaal
Amy Kowalski
Shelly Thomsen
Jane Malischke
Pamela Toshner
We would like to express our gratitude to the following contributors and information sources:
Cheryl Clemens
Karen Engelbretson
John Haack
Dave Kafura
Jesha LaMarche
Eric Olson
Flory Olson
Tim Parks
Bret Shaw
Scott Toshner
Bone Lake Management District
Maine Lake Smart Program
Vermont Lake Wise Program
We appreciate your continued feedback, please contact us if you have comments or questions.
Pamela Toshner
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Lakes and Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Control Grant Contacts
For assistance with specific or science-related aspects of your project, contact the Lakes or AIS Grants Coordinator in your area. For assistance with financial aspects of your project, contact the Environmental Grant Specialist in your area.
Download contact list
Additional information on Lakes and AIS grants
River Planning and Management Grant Contacts
For assistance with specific or science-related aspects of your project, contact the River Coordinator in your area. For assistance with financial aspects of your project, contact the Environmental Grant Specialist in your area.
Download contact list
Additional information on River Planning and Management grants
Science of Healthy Lakes
The science of lake management has advanced significantly over the last few decades. We better understand natural science – how lakes function and the importance of shorelands to lake health, as well as the social science – how people and their attitudes and behaviors affect lakes.
Social Science


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Al Maura, Akume and others endorse Buhari for re-election
Political leaders from the North-Central region, Tuesday, announced their support for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.
Among those who asked the president to seek for reelection were: Governors Samuel Ortom, Simon Lalong, Tanko Al-Makura, of Benue, Plateau and Nasarawa States respectively, as well as Senator George Akume, former governor of Benue State.
They made announced their decision at the North Central meeting of the National Committee of Buhari Support Groups in Abuja.
Senator Akume moved a motion urging President Buhari to seek a second term in 2019 which Governor Lalong seconded.
The audience comprising All Progressives Congress, APC, stalwarts from the zone unanimously endorsed the motion.
Senator Akume, who chaired the meeting listed successes in the fight against terrorism, economic recovery, sustenance of democracy, restoration of the Nigeria's reputation in the comity of nations, and the President's personal integrity and patriotism as justification for their call.
said four years were too short for leaders to record lasting milestones and legacies for the people hence the constitutional provision for a second term.
Governor Ortom stated that President Buhari represented everything that could make Nigeria great.
"For 2019, there is no credible presidential candidate for the APC other than Buhari," he stressed.
Governor Lalong disclosed that major stakeholders in his state had already moved a motion to compel the President to seek re-election pointing out that his fight against insecurity and corruption as well as efforts to diversify the economy have endeared him to the people.
Nasarawa Governor, represented by his Deputy, Silas Agara, declared that for the people of his state, there was no going back on the Buhari project.
Source: Daily Post


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text: Family Resource Center on Disabilities General Support Organization Last Updated: Jan 3, 2019 03:54:07 pm Established: 1969 Area Served: N/A To improve services for all children with disabilities. Website: http://www.frcd.org 20 E. Jackson Blvd. Room 300 Chicago, Illinois 60604 United States 312-939-3513 email@example.com This organization has not provided any social media links. Staff Speaks: English Telephone Translation: No (Translation services available for other languages) Our Organization Business Entity Type Area Served Not 501(c)3 Professional/Medical Board Board of Directors Paid Staff Our Financials This organization has not provided Financial details. N/A Funding for Services N/A Annual Budget N/A Funding for Research Our Membership N/A Membership Size N/A # of Chapters N/A Total Number on Mailing List What We Do Support & Peer Matching Referrals to Matching Individuals/Families Peer Support Peer-to-peer Counseling Referrals to Local Chapter or Group Patient Navigators Translation Services Therapy & Counseling Professional Counseling Crisis Intervention Grief Counseling Medical Referrals Medical Care Clinical or Treatment Centers Rehabilitation Services Respite Care Genetic Testing Genetic Counseling Legal Advice Workplace Issues Malpractice Help with Adoption or Placement Financial Assistance Medical Care Transportation Assistive devices Insurance Scholarships Home Modifications Research Referrals to Research Studies Registry of affected individuals Blood and Tissue Sample Storage Education & Training Telephone Helpline E-mail List Training Speakers Bureau Advocacy Training Other Pen pal Program Summer Camp This entry will be permanently deleted. Are you sure you want to continue? Are you sure you want to change the status of this editor?


text: Casper my best friend passed away last night. He was such a loyal and loving dog, we had a huge bond and this is killing me! You will always live on forever in my heart and mind my love bug! Your gentle nature was what made us pick you at Adopt-A-Dog you can never be replaced.


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Angie's List Answers is the trusted spot to ask home improvement and health questions and get answers from service companies, health providers and consumers. For ratings and reviews on companies in your area, search Angie's List.
*Updates every 4 hours
Could have been terminally fried by lightning, but could also just have had its brain scrambled by stitic electricity. First (having in hand the password if connected to central alarm center because
Answered 3 years ago
by LCD
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Done Deal: Arsenal FINALY Agree Terms To Sign £50,000-a-Week POWERFUL Star Not Elneny
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is planning a major title push this season and the boss is aware of the need to bring in only the best to achieve his target.
Arsenal left back Nacho Monreal has agreed to extend his contract with the Gunners beyond next year.
The attack minded defender who joined from Spanish side Malaga in January 2013 was signed on four and a half year deal which was due to expire in 2017.
The player has now put pen to paper on a two year contract extension following negotiations over a new deal which had started in October according to Goal.
The Spanish international who dislodged Kieran Gibbs from the first team during the course of last season has continued to deliver impressive performances this term.
Arsenal are believed to have hastened talks of a new deal due to interest in the player from his native Spain.
It is believed that several clubs are interested in luring the defender back to Spain. Top amongst them seems to Atletic Bilbao , understands that the Basque club hold a long standing interest in the player and are preparing to make a move in the summer.
The fullback who has played every premier league game so far this season, however seems to be happy with life in England.
"Everything feels right," he told Arsenal's official podcast.
"I can say that I feel at home on and off the pitch. If you don't feel good off the pitch and in life in general, obviously you can't give 100 per cent.
"However, at the moment, I love England, I love London and I love my team-mates so everything is positive."
Monreal,29,remains an integral part the defence of an exciting Arsenal team competing on three fronts. The Gunners are top of the premier league and through to the next rounds of both the FA cup and the Champions league.


text: Earthy turmeric and floral tulsi blend with the woodsy bite of Hudson Valley spicebush, giving Eastern spices a local twist. A few drops add an aromatic complexity to classic whisky and rum cocktails, such as an Old Fashioned or a Mai Tai. This bitters will also enhance the flavor of salsas, curries and casseroles. A 2017 Good Food Awards Winner!


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About This Event
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is pleased to invite you to participate in a public work group to discuss the development of the Clean Mobility in Schools Pilot Project of the Low Carbon Transportation Investments and Air Quality Improvement Program (AQIP).
This work group will provide an opportunity to meet with staff and other participants interested in the development of the Clean Mobility in Schools Pilot Project. Staff will provide an overview of the process, criteria, and potential implementation strategies. Staff will be available to answer questions and receive stakeholder input.
The work group will be held via teleconference on the following date and time:
Date: Thursday, January 17, 2019
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Dial-In #: 888-390-6586
Passcode: 9163823
For teleconference information and additional details, please see the work group meeting notice.
The fiscal year 2018-19 Funding Plan allocated up to $10 million from the Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Fund for Low Carbon Transportation Investments to provide incentives for reducing greenhouse gases from schools in disadvantaged communities.
The goal of this new grant is to deploy synergistic greenhouse gas emission reduction techniques that can be emulated on school campuses statewide. This funding is geared toward clean transportation and mobility options in and around schools. The project concept includes strategies for electric vehicles and electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) in schools (K-12) such as electrification of the school's yellow and white fleet, a car share component for staff at schools to rotate using zero-emission vehicles, and outreach to students, parents and the community.
If you have questions or comments regarding this work group, please contact CARB staff, Ms. Amy Volz.


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I discovered french rapper (and grapher) GREMS a few years ago when someone gave me a project he worked on called Rouge à Levres which I've been playing ever since.
Tons of guys who know their shit like Lefto, Onra and my friend Etienne (from the Rhytmologie show in Montreal) also swear by Grems. So everytime there's something new out, It always gets to me. He was part of a cool project last year called Klub Sandwich but I'm liking this new video a lot too. Taken from his 4th solo LP called "Algebre 2.0".
(please excuse the hillarious french pre-video ad!)