Businesses in northeast Kansas ? WKSBDC ? Small Business ...

Attention: Businesses in northeast Kansas near the Missouri River

If you?re a business near the Missouri River, I want you to know about a group who, along with the KSBDC in Glacial Hills, is interested in helping grow your business!

Name: MINK, an acronym for Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas

Purpose: The group began meeting in 2010, concentrating on marketing the assets and small businesses in this region.

Contact:? Gary Satter, RCD? 785-608-8801, gary.satter@glacialhillsrcd.com

I was pleased to be invited to attend this group?s four state meeting last week at the beautiful Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge in Missouri.? I represented the Kansas Small Business Development Center in Glacial Hills, as a free resource to businesses in Northeast Kansas.? Also in attendance were representatives from the SBA, EDA, USDA and others.

Video of business owners and event coordinators can be viewed at:

http://kmaland.com/06168_MINK_FOR_WEB_160730.asp

If you are a business near the Missouri River and you have a story to tell?tell it here!? We are interested in hearing from you!

?

Helping rural businesses start and grow,

Mary Ann
Business Consultant
785-207-0267
maryann@washburnsbdc.org

I am compelled to link to the meeting location, having lived only about an hour away and never having visited before?I?d recommend it for a day trip! http://www.fws.gov/midwest/SquawCreek/History.html

?

?

dodgers sale tami roman jetblue captain los angeles dodgers christie brinkley seattle mariners geraldo rivera

Bank Auto Loans - Best Loans for Stretch Commuters?

People have to work to survive. The desire to maintain increasingly indulgent lifestyles drives 13% of workers to travel over 100 miles a day to get to and from work. These so called ?stretch commuters? make the majority of these trips by personal vehicle, but when it comes to trading in their tired automobiles for newer models should they just settle for a bank auto loan?

Stretch commuters do not have a lot of time on their hands. They spend most of their working week either at work, or travelling to and from it. When they get home exhausted the last thing they want to do is to look for the best deal for a car loan. Therefore, getting a bank auto loan is the easiest and most convenient option.

Let?s quickly take a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of this.

Advantages of bank auto loans

1. Convenience - Most consumers with checking accounts have held their account with one bank for a number of years. This may be due to inertia, but it is easier to manage finances if check accounts and a bank auto loan are held in one place.

2. You know your own bank - banks have strong brands and financial strength. They have spent years building a good reputation in society. This engenders trust from their customers who may find it daunting to take out a car loan from an unknown finance source.

3. Lower rates than car dealers - Bank auto loans will probably be able to provide you with lower interest rates than dealer loans. Most banks will offer to pre-approve customers for their loans so that they will have better bargaining power on the car lot.

Disadvantages of bank auto loans

1. Not necessarily the best rates - Even though banks have financial strength they may not be able to offer the best car loan rates. In a recent study by bankrate.com, the average interest rate offered on a 48 month bank auto loan was almost 2% higher than those offered by Credit Unions!

2. Placing All your eggs in one basket - Everyone has heard that saying and although it may be convenient why should consumers place all their finance needs with one institution. There are so many other deals out there.

3. Perfect or excellent credit preferences - People that have car loan bad credit or a damaged credit score for any other reason may be turned away. They may have to finance their car by taking out a bad credit loan and may find that this is not offered by their bank.

Even though free time may be scarce for stretch commuters, and anyone who has a need to finance a car for that matter, researching all relevant products with banks, credit unions and auto finance specialists is worthwhile. Go online as rates, terms and product benefits can all be researched from the comfort of home. Investing a little time, rather than opting for the ease of taking out a bank auto loan could save consumers money.

By Peter Siu

Peter Siu is a successful freelance writer providing valuable advice for consumers when applying online for credit cards, student credit cards as well as other personal & mortgage loans. You can visit his sites at http://www.uscreditcenter.net and http://www.ukcreditcentre.com ? His numerous articles offer moneysaving tips on a number of topics.

arnold palmer invitational ryan madson louisiana primary syracuse basketball chipper jones chipper jones dancing with the stars cast

Tigers aren't grrreat, but ....

Botched relieft pitching, infield errors and lack of overall offense are actually fixable

Jim Rogash / Getty Images

Tigers manager Jim Leyland reacts after being thrown out of the game by first-base umpire Chris Guccione, right, as third-base umpire Tim Tschida steps between them in the second inning at Fenway Park on Monday.

ASK THE BASEBALL EXPERT

updated 6:55 p.m. ET May 29, 2012

Tony DeMarco

Baseball Expert Tony DeMarco has been covering the big leagues since 1987, and been casting Hall of Fame ballots for the last 14 years. He answers questions weekly here:

Q. What's wrong with the Detroit Tigers?
? Irene, Detroit

A. The Tigers have been maddeningly inconsistent, and apparently, the losses are getting to manager Jim Leyland. In a strange rant to reporters Monday, Leyland vehemently urged them to rip the umpiring crew for blowing a call that triggered a loss to the Red Sox ? while also saying (with TV cameras rolling) that he didn't want to rip the umpires. Really, Jim?

But we do feel Leyland's pain, as the Tigers' frustrating first third of the season has been attributable to a handful of what for the most part can be correctable factors:

• The bullpen is 12th in the AL in ERA, 13th in opponents' batting average and tied for 11th in walks. Eleven relievers already have been used, including four departed ones who posted ERAs of 6.50 and above.
• Doug Fister missed four starts while on the disabled list, and Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello (both with plus-5.00 ERAs) haven't picked up the slack ? as opposed to the surprisingly good beginning to Drew Smyly's big-league career.
• You knew this was coming: new third baseman Miguel Cabrera has seven errors and first baseman Prince Fielder has six (although it seems like more), and the Tigers are 11th with 33 total errors.
• And at this point, the supporting cast around Austin Jackson, Cabrera and Fielder has dramatically underachieved. Through Monday, Andy Dirks is the only other regular hitting higher than .252 or with on on-base percentage higher than .331.

Cabrera and Fielder also have sub-.500 slugging percentages, and currently rank 19th and 22nd in the AL in that category ? behind Jackson at 14th.

So it's no wonder the Tigers? who were supposed to have one of the league's high-powered offenses, are 10th in the AL in runs scored ? 70 runs behind the league-leading Rangers ? and have a minus-5 run differential.

One more thing to keep in mind is the number of off-the-charts individual performances the Tigers received in running away with the AL Central last season, led by Justin Verlander's AL MVP/Cy Young sweep and Jose Valverde's perfect save streak.

Those types of seasons are tough to duplicate, so falloff has to be expected (although in Verlander's case, probably only in the win category).

But all that said, it's not wise to think these numbers will continue to trend as negatively, ?nor will the current streak of costly missed calls by umpires that have plagued the Tigers in the last week.

Q. Like Mike Trout and Bryce Harper, Giants first baseman Brandon Belt was a highly touted prospect, and was supposed to be the Giants' first baseman of the future. But lately, he is looking more and more like Aubrey Huff than Willie McCovey. Is that a product of him being over-hyped, or poorly developed?
? Robert Pyper, Phoenix

A. In fairness to Belt, while he arguably has been the Giants' best position-player prospect besides Buster Posey in recent years, he wasn't nearly as highly regarded as Trout or Harper.

The latter was on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a 16-year-old, and was the first-overall pick in the 2010 draft as a 17-year-old. The former was a late-first-round pick in 2009 out of a New Jersey high school who immediately became one of the game's elite prospects once he hit the minor leagues. Both are on the way to stardom, possibly super-stardom.

In contrast, Belt was a fifth-round choice out of University of Texas in 2009, and didn't sign until August of that year as a 22-year-old. His prospect status leaped with a huge 2010 season at three stops ? Class A, Double-A and Triple-A.

But the jump to big leagues has proven to be a little trickier, especially when you throw in the fact that Belt has been moving between left field and first base ? never easy to do.

Still, he just turned 24 in April, and sometimes it takes power hitters longer to establish themselves. You also have to factor in how hard it is for left-handed hitters not named Barry Bonds to hit home runs at AT&T Park.

So it's way too early to label Belt a chronic disappointment ? even if it's taking him longer to get it going than the Giants would like.

advertisement

More newsJim Rogash / Getty Images

Liriano's return to Twins' rotation a big hit

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Francisco Liriano's return to the Minnesota rotation was a rousing success, with six shutout innings by the vexing left-hander Wednesday to lead the Twins to a 4-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics, their eighth straight loss.

bret michaels bret michaels pekingese ups tcu football westminster bonnaroo 2012 lineup

Supposed iPhone 5 casing surfaces, looks like it could hold a bigger screen

A Chinese parts manufacturer has added the above casing to their catalog, which some claim could be for the upcoming iPhone 5. You'll notice the bottom is hosting a slot for the new micro dock connector we've been hearing so much about.?

aaron rodgers 2012 golden globe nominations houston texans houston texans texans lana del rey snl enemy of the state

John Arensmeyer: Small Business Week Wrap-up: A Reminder to ...

As 2012 progresses, the political heat in Washington is climbing faster than summertime temperatures, and small business is becoming increasingly central to policy debates in Congress. Entrepreneurs make up a core constituency in the U.S. With National Small Business Week winding down, now is a better time than ever for legislators to reflect on these individuals' needs and work to address them -- one of which is tax relief. Luckily, Congress will have a chance to do just that when the Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act of 2012 comes up for a vote after Memorial Day.

Before we get into the policy nitty-gritty, let's talk about small business's impact on our economy. In early May, Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP) released data revealing our nation's smallest businesses -- those with 1-49 employees -- continue to outperform large businesses in the job creation arena. They generated roughly half of all new jobs in April, while large businesses created just over 3 percent.

Figures like these reinforce the fact that small businesses are indeed the backbone of our economy. If we want to sustain that, or better yet improve it, it's time for lawmakers to put partisanship aside and work together on policies that meet entrepreneurs' needs. And in fact, legislation recently introduced in the Senate would be particularly conducive to small business job creation. Authored by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the Jobs and Tax Relief Act would help small firms save money in two ways.

For one, it would give them a 10 percent income tax credit on increased payroll in 2012. This is meant to encourage small business owners to hire or boost employee wages right now, and to reward them for doing so. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has said that compared to other proposals for incentivizing small business job creation, proposals like this one would have the greatest value per dollar of output.

Another way the bill would boost small firms' bottom lines is by extending the 100 percent deduction for equipment purchases. That would lower entrepreneurs' after-tax costs, prompting them to make new investments that can accelerate our overall economic recovery. This deduction is widely known to enjoy bipartisan support, which makes sense, considering it reduces the average cost of capital across all investments by more than 75 percent for small business owners, according to estimates from the Treasury's Office of Tax Policy.

As we move beyond the recession, it becomes increasingly apparent that our smallest companies are the ones putting America back to work. That's why we've been celebrating them this week. From our online seminars that inform entrepreneurs about how to navigate loan resources, healthcare reform and energy upgrades to our national small business photo contest, it's been a busy week for us.

We're doing everything we can -- this week and every week -- to help make sure entrepreneurs have what they need to grow the economy. We hope legislators will make it a priority to do the same. By passing the Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act, lawmakers can give entrepreneurs some well-deserved relief. It would not only better financial conditions for them, but for the economy overall--and that means for each and every one of us.

John Arensmeyer is the founder & CEO of Small Business Majority

?

Follow John Arensmeyer on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SmlBizMajority

"; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

john edwards heart condition mena suvari joyful noise one life to live jeff fisher van der sloot heather locklear

Weekend thoughts on Obama and his image (Americablog)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

mega ball lottery winner lottery numbers mega millions lottery jackpot winning numbers mega millions megamillions drawing

Why List Building Is Essential For Your Business | You Only Live ...

One of the most valuable assets an online business can have is an opt-in list. What?s this and how does it work? We?re here to help!

An opt-in marketing list is where a customer (or potential customer, but it?s most often somebody who has purchased something from your site) gets an option to include themselves in on an email list that your company sends out.

This is very different from spam, which is where unscrupulous business owners go ?phishing? for random email addresses that they find on the Internet and relentlessly pelt these poor souls with emails. Spam does nobody any good and basically ends up costing a business a lot of money only to irritate people.

An opt-in list, though, is a brilliant for business because the people who receive your emails are actually interested in receiving them. You can send this list of people who are interested in keeping constant correspondence with your business occasional emails ? no more than twice a month, usually, and only when you have something of worth to say or offer ? which can detail everything from the current goings-on of your business to deals and offers and promotions. Many companies offer special promotions to those who join their opt-in list as an incentive to, well, opt in.

Opt-in lists give customers who are interested in you your attention. Even better, the effect of an opt-in list is entirely traceable, as if you start offering promotions through your list you?ll be able to tell how many of them get redeemed. Opt-in lists are also another great way to get out more of that free expert content you offer, specially designed for those who wish to follow you. Many smaller businesses offer Q and A sessions through their opt-in list, where followers can ask specific questions that can be answered through the general forum of your email.

These lists are also the digital equivalent to having ?regulars? at a store and engaging them in casual chat. Through an email list you can develop more intimate relationships with customers as compared to the normal ?anonymous buyer? that hops into your site to pick up a few items, and then hops out without you knowing anything more about them other than what they bought. Close relationships with customers generate brand loyalty, which is a hot commodity.

Want another bonus? Email marketing can also be entirely free if you manage it yourself. Even if you choose to outsource your email marketing or leave it to an employee to handle, it is much cheaper than print advertising because of how targeted it is. Individual customers make specific requests, and you fill them by sending out the information direct to those who asked for it. It?s a very simple, yet incredibly effective method of advertising that is guaranteed to optimize conversions and get people talking about you, particularly if you make your opt-in list a plum deal to join.

juan pablo montoya crash chardon high school shooting mark martin cleveland news daytona race the cutting edge fox 8 news

westminster kennel club dog show jeremy lin game winner chocolate covered strawberries shrimp scampi kate upton si cover lobster recipes hearts

Tornado touchdown confirmed near Montreal - CBC.ca

rondo morris claiborne mothers day gifts clippers lisa lampanelli lisa lampanelli bronx zoo

Dozens of children killed in new Syria attack

BEIRUT (AP) ? Gruesome video Saturday showed rows of dead Syrian children lying in a mosque in bloody shorts and T-shirts with gaping head wounds, haunting images of what activists called one of the deadliest regime attacks yet in Syria's 14-month-old uprising.

The shelling attack on Houla, a group of villages northwest of the central city of Homs, killed more than 90 people, including at least 32 children under the age of 10, the head of the U.N. observer team in Syria said.

The attacks sparked outrage from U.S. and other international leaders, and large protests in the suburbs of Syria's capital of Damascus and its largest city, Aleppo. It also renewed fears of the relevance of a month-old international peace plan that has not stopped almost daily violence.

The U.N. denounced the attacks in a statement that appeared to hold President Bashar Assad's regime responsible, and the White House called the violence acts of "unspeakable and inhuman brutality."

"This appalling and brutal crime involving indiscriminate and disproportionate use of force is a flagrant violation of international law and of the commitments of the Syrian government to cease the use of heavy weapons in population centers and violence in all its forms," said U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and international envoy Kofi Annan. "Those responsible for perpetrating this crime must be held to account."

More than a dozen amateur videos posted online Saturday gave glimpses of the carnage, showing lines of bodies laid out in simple rooms, many with bloody faces, torsos and limbs. In some places, residents put chunks of ice on the bodies to preserve them until burial.

One two-minute video shows at least a dozen children lined up shoulder to shoulder on a checkered blanket on what appears to be the floor of a mosque. Blood trickled from one girl's mouth. One boy, appearing to be no more than 8, had his jaw blown off. The video shows flowered blankets and rugs covering several rows of other bodies.

Another video posted Saturday showed a mass grave, four bodies wide and dozens of meters (yards) long.

Activists from Houla said Saturday that regime forces peppered the area with mortars after large demonstrations against the regime on Friday. That evening, they said, pro-regime fighters known as shabiha stormed the villages, gunning down men in the streets and stabbing women and children in their homes.

A local activist reached via Skype said regime forces fired shells at Houla, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of Homs. The shabiha entered the villages, raiding homes and shooting at civilians, Abu Yazan said. More than 100 people were killed, more than 40 of them children and most of them in the village of Taldaw, he said. Many had stab wounds, another activist said.

"They killed entire families, from parents on down to children, but they focused on the children," Yazan said.

The Syrian government blamed the killings on "armed terrorist groups" ? a term it often uses for the opposition ? but provided no details or death toll.

But like U.N. officials, the White House issued a statement directed at the regime.

The U.S. is "horrified" by the Houla attacks, National Security Council spokeswoman Erin Pelton said in a statement. "These acts serve as a vile testament to an illegitimate regime that responds to peaceful political protest with unspeakable and inhuman brutality."

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton condemned the attack "in the strongest possible terms," demanding that "those who perpetrated this atrocity must be identified and held to account."

"The United States will work with the international community to intensify our pressure on Assad and his cronies, whose rule by murder and fear must come to an end," Clinton said in statement.

U.N. observers, among more than 250 who were dispatched in recent weeks to salvage the cease-fire plan, found spent artillery tank shells at the site Saturday, and U.N. officials confirmed the shells were fired at residential neighborhoods. The head of the team, Maj. Gen. Robert Mood, called the attack a "brutal tragedy."

The bloodshed is yet another blow to the international peace plan brokered by Annan and cast a pall over his coming visit to check on the plan's progress. The cease-fire between forces loyal to the regime of Assad and rebels seeking to topple it was supposed to start on April 12 but has never really taken hold, with new killings every day.

The U.N. put the death toll weeks ago at more than 9,000. Hundreds have been killed since.

The grisly images were condemned by anti-regime groups and political leaders around the world.

"With these new crimes, this murderous regime pushes Syria further into horror and threatens regional stability," French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said in a statement Saturday.

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights released an unusually harsh statement, saying Arab nations and the international community were "partners" in the killing "because of their silence about the massacres that the Syrian regime has committed."

The Houla villages are Sunni Muslim. The forces came from an arc of nearby villages populated by Alawites, members of the offshoot of Shiite Islam to which Assad belongs, the activists said.

The activists said the Houla killings appeared to be sectarian between the two groups, raising fears that Syria's uprising, which started in March 2011 with protests calling for political reform, is edging closer to the type of war that tore apart Syria's eastern neighbor, Iraq.

"I don't like to talk about sectarianism, but it was clear that this was sectarian hatred," said activist Abu Walid.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 96 people were killed, 26 of them children and four of them army defectors.

The group's head, Rami Abdul-Rahman, who relies on activists inside Syria, said all were killed in shelling, but that no forces entered Houla.

Syrian state TV condemned the opposition groups for the "massacre" in a statement Saturday.

"The armed groups are escalating their massacres against the Syrian people only days before international envoy Kofi Annan's visit in a bid to defeat his plan and a political solution to the crisis and with the aim of exploiting the blood of Syrians in the media bazar," it said.

The videos could not be independently verified. The Syrian government bars most media from operating inside the country.

The harsh condemnation from anti-regime groups reflects their growing frustration with international reluctance to intervene in Syria's conflict.

World powers have fallen in behind the U.N. plan. The U.S. and European nations say they will not intervene militarily, and while Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Libya have said they will arm Syria's rebels, no country is known to be doing so.

A spokeswoman for the opposition Syrian National Council called on the U.N. Security Council "to examine the situation in Houla and to determine the responsibility of the United Nations in the face of such mass killings, expulsions and forced migration from entire neighborhoods."

Also Saturday, the story of 11 Lebanese Shiites who were reported kidnapped in Syria this week took another strange turn.

Lebanese officials first said their expected arrival on a plane from Turkey to Lebanon late Friday was delayed for "logistical reasons."

On Saturday, Turkey's Foreign Ministry denied the men were in Turkey ? raising new questions about their fate.

Lebanese and Syrian officials blamed Syrian rebels for Tuesday's kidnapping. No group has claimed responsibility.

___

Associated Press writers Elaine Ganley in Paris, Zeina Karam in Beirut, Anne Gearan in Washington, Frank Jordans in Geneva and Selcan Hacaoglu in Ankara, Turkey, contributed reporting.

time person of the year sag nominations sag nominations time magazine person of the year time magazine person of the year la clippers verizon galaxy nexus

Can you claim on taxes if personal tools used mainly at work ...

Question by : Can you claim on taxes if personal tools used mainly at work
My husband bought almost $ 15,000 worth of tools (on credit) last year. He mostly uses those tools at work as a mechanic at a dealership, so we wanted to know if we could claim as a deduction those on our taxes this year? Best answer:

Answer by John
no way.

What do you think? Answer below!

naomi watts macaulay culkin steve jobs fbi safehouse brown recluse brown recluse front door

Get the Best Health Benefits from Massage Therapy

?

Massage is a best way to lighten up and relax the body muscles. Any massage therapy has now proven to be the best means to return many health benefits. A massage can also improve the mental stability by reducing the physical burden. Nowadays, lots of health and fitness centers tend to offer massage treatment programs that are performed by skilled and experienced masseur or masseuse.

The majority of health problems crop up when the regular blood flow is restricted in the vessels. In such cases, the heart cannot drive the blood capably and eventually causes health problems affecting other organs, muscles and the body skin. Blood is a main carrier of oxygen in a human body and without it, different body parts start to deflate.

A massage therapy helps to sustain the blood circulation at normal levels in a body.

The massage therapists are well trained to apply suitable pressure all over the body. Most of the people tend to feel a bit discomfort in their very first massage session, but there is nothing to worry. Just stay calm and let your therapist do his/her job. After the completion of the session, you?ll experience the ultimate comfort and relaxation in your body. Your tendons and muscles would be more unstrained than ever.

As the massage improves the circulation of blood, your brain gets the right quantity of blood for its proper functioning, this in turn improves your thinking ability. A massage therapy is an exceptional way to perk up the brain function too. A number of different massages are involved in one treatment session. Some of the massage therapies make use of special exotic oils with aroma to help you relax. Some of the therapies focus and massage of a single body part, whereas others perform on the whole body.

Normally, the fitness center offer different kinds of massage therapies, which might confuse you a little, especially while choosing a suitable treatment for you. You can consult your therapist, in order to get the accurate therapy, which will help you in future. You can also try out a specific massage type at your first visit and the remaining in the following sessions. Besides, the consultant would suggest the finest massage program for you depending on your health issues.

A massage treatment can take up to 30 minutes or a little more time. It will be best for you to let your masseur or masseuse decide your massage timings, as they know the best. It is true that the massage relaxes your body and mind, but if you are too intense about your troubles, you will not be able to get the full benefits out of your therapy. Take a minute or two to get your problems off your mind and be ready for the treatment.

All the massage treatments offer a large number of health benefits. If you are on any kind of medication, then it is recommended that you do not stop taking your pills and also opt for massage treatment sessions. Both, your medications and a massage therapy will do well to your health in a much faster manner.?

split pea soup recipe the client list yahoo.com/mail baylor april 9 sofia vergara phil mickelson

Charmed: More then one

The Story and Destiny of another group of Witches, and what thy will face. The question is is plain and simple: How are they supposed to Destroy Evil....when they can barely get along?

Owner:

Game Masters:

This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?Charmed: More then one?. Anything posted here will also show up there.

Topic Tags:

Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.
This is the auto-generated OOC topic for the roleplay "Charmed: More then one"

You may edit this first post as you see fit.

POWER TO THE ROLE PLAYERS: Most Recent Roleplay

i am 33% evil, 33% insane, 33% role player, and 1% other (Note: Insane and Brilliant are the same thing!)

My test:

My Brothers Test: [CENTER]

Mr. Baneling Squishy

Member for 2 years

---

---

I've thrown the eldest sister at you. Let me know if you need or want any changes to her.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. It's just that yours is stupid.
?I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.?
?I guess I just prefer to see the dark side of things. The glass is always half empty. And cracked. And I just cut my lip on it. And chipped a tooth.?

Lux_Disraeli

Member for 1 years

---

can i make a charrie for the medium sister. I watched this show all the time.

KaylaJay!!!

zerogravity145

Member for 2 years

---

Yes and Yes. Just don't be too tough though Lux. Emett is close to breaking as it is xD

Mr. Baneling Squishy

Member for 2 years

---

---

Post a reply

RolePlayGateway is a site built by a couple roleplayers who wanted to give a little something back to the roleplay community. The site has no intention of earning any profit, and is paid for out of their own pockets.

If you appreciate what they do, feel free to donate your spare change to help feed them on the weekends. After selecting the amount you want to donate from the menu, you can continue by clicking on PayPal logo.

Who is online

Registered users: 4ever_dreaming*, 7achary, A.C.*, Abaddon, Adantas*, addicted, Akionakamura*, angel51897, Animality Opera, Annaky*, Annalysa Jones*, Arabella13, Aramay*, ArcticFox*, Armageddon*, asfjnm, aterriblewriter*, AugmentationAudit, AugustArria*, BabyFaceBeauty, Beta Type Jakuri*, BLaCK SHeep, Blackbird26*, BleedingLover, Brock10, Bromander Shepard, BubbleYum*, BumbleDrop*, caelsoreni*, CaptainGuy*, ceh12*, Chikawaa!~, Chloe De Luca*, Choclate~Pyrus*, chocolateloversuntie, ChristineF*, Chuckles*, cmpuncle, codemaster23*, Coloratura, CrazyIrish, CriminalMinds*, curtsive*, Cypher*, danm36*, Deallo*, defiante1, demented-tiger*, DemiKara*, Demon of Bereavement*, dienow239*, dig17*, Digital_Muse, dimon lord*, drampire, ElvenEllis*, EmperorCaesar*, evilfang, Firewind*, Flamingo*, flieslikeabrick, ForeverADream*, freakofnature*, FreeRunner*, Fruity_Loopsxx*, Gamer_Templar*, Genesis Rhapsodos, Giggles1245, girlwt*, Google [Bot], Google Adsense [Bot], Google Feedfetcher, GothBabeAlex, GracieGray*, Grumpy-Converse*, Gryazi*, Guilty Carrion*, hanybanany*, HitoriRaven, Idiosyncratic*, ilikepurplezebras, Imehal, Immedian, iowa90, Irish Wolf, jackrules158*, Jacopo*, JokerofSpades*, Kai, Kallas Redwater*, Kappuke-Ki-Chu, Kariin, Kawaii Desu*, Kenzi*, Kiyasama*, Korrye*, krumbla*, KuroRyu*, KuruLesperance*, Lainpinky131*, laughingstock, LeBeau*, LenaC1007*, LeNarcissus, Lifecharacter, littlegreeneyes*, LittleMissGeorgia*, Lloyd999, loowman141414*, lorditsuki*, lordnekko, lostamongtrees*, Lucian1549, Lupine, LycanGod13*, Madara1*, Majestic-12 [Bot], MarchHare, Mat_z6*, mechanimated*, Mela, Methodical, MilkHoney*, minibear*, Miss Fortune, miyavi mortifiedmoon, Mr. Crow, mummydove, MusicLover*, NemotheDroneAlien, Nevan*, NewArthur*, Nightmaric_Angel*, nightwolf, NotAFlyingToy, November_Rain_18, Oblivian, Panda!AtTheDisco, Perry136*, Pichu-Chan, pieluver*, PINKanime*, pipzel, PirateofPie*, poeticjustice8012, Pretty*, Princess Awinita*, PrincessBoy*, Prose*, qbsuperstar03*, R.T.M.X.*, Raidose*, RainWish, ReaperGirl4, Rem?us*, renka~~*, RiotTerritory*, Risen, RydeDawg, Saikua*, Saraphine, sasha-jen*, ScarletRivers, Scorpion01*, Shavnia_Velmount*, Sneakyrio*, Something?, SoulCandy, StefanLF*, Steffix*, StitchSaysHi*, stormwolf321*, StrangerDanger*, Sullenkiller*, Surfergirl, Sweet Angel Jocelyn*, Tainted Twinkee, tallyrebel, TeenyAnn, Tempest, The Great Thundorz*, The Illusionist*, The Painkiller*, The Sister*, TheFirstFist, TheSpiritWolf*, ThexTwistedxOne*, Tiko*, tornadofan2, twi-twi*, TwiliXDragon, TwistedxXxAffairs*, Varnis54*, Vestiline*, victim130*, VidiDici*, VitaminHeart*, Wake, WalterF, Welcome Home, whenwefall, WhisperedHeaven*, Wing06Twilight, Writer, Wudgeous, XavierDantius32*, xTheSmokex*, XxEvil1xX*, yamada*, Ylanne, Yonbibuns*, Zentose*, ZeroTolerance*, Zitacamron95, ZombieGil*, ~Skylar~*

red hook romney tax return the tree of life movie academy award nominees 2012 2012 oscar nominations kyle williams florida debate

NBA Betting Picks: Thunder vs. Spurs

By Pieri

Western Conference Titans Collide Series Preview Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs Series start Sunday, May 27th Well, the matchup we all have been waiting for the entire season is around the corner presenting the best two teams on the Western Conference and maybe the best two teams around the league. The Oklahoma City Thunder has emerged as a new force in the league with their rising superstars. Durant leading the team on points and rebounds, Westbrook on the assists and steals, Ibaka on the blocks, Perkins giving the team the physical game on the paint and Harden coming from the bench refreshing the team as one of the best sixth men on the league. This team seems to have it all, and now they have to show what they are made of against the most solid team on the league. Now it?s the time for the Thunder to step up and show the whole world they?ve grown since last year playoffs when they got eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks. The first step of this revenge was a strong and powerful one, sweeping the Mavs and then taking care of Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers on a vibrant series, now is the time for the Thunder to prove they are for real.

On the other side of the court we have the San Antonio Spurs, unbeaten on this year?s playoffs pulling the brooms out on their two previous series against the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Clippers. Now things won?t be so easy for the Spurs because if there is a team capable of putting them against the ropes is precisely the Oklahoma City Thunder. San Antonio has the most compact and solid team on the league and they have shown the best basketball this year, with Tim Duncan making everyone remember David Robinson?s golden years becoming an undefeatable tower both sides of the court, Tony Parker contributing with his experience scoring at key moments of the game and passing the ball like no one else can and Manu Ginobili coming from the bench delivering points and assists with an outstanding defense. Now going by the numbers San Antonio won two out of the three games they faced each other during the regular season, both teams average 103 points per game with 47% field goal accuracy making everyone notice how close this series will be. Taking a side here might be risky, but I will have to go with the Spurs to reach the NBA Finals, they have more experience and anyone on the court can take the leadership role and take the team on their back while the Oklahoma City Thunder despite being a complete show on the court they have shown some tiny weak spots on defense that might be the difference here if they don?t correct them because if not the Spurs will take huge advantage there. I see this series going to 6 or even 7 games, so you can bet on the amount of games for the series going there, San Antonio Spurs winning on 6 or 7. Fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the ride.

Related posts:

1. NBA Basketball Betting Picks: Thunder vs. Lakers
2. Basketball Betting Picks Spurs vs. Mavericks
3. NBA Betting Picks: San Antonio Spurs vs. Portland Trail Blazers
4. NBA Basketball Betting Picks: Los Angeles Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs
5. NBA Basketball Betting Picks: Spurs Mobility in Trade

1 views

leon panetta luck sag awards 2012 nominees sag awards pro bowl 2012 roster yamaguchi road house

Wildlife researcher photographs rare Sumatran rabbit

Friday, May 25, 2012

Using camera traps, wildlife researchers including doctoral candidate Jennifer McCarthy and environmental conservation professor Todd Fuller of the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently captured photographs of one of the rarest animals on earth, the Sumatran striped rabbit. They say it may now be found only in two remote national parks on the Indonesian island.

Their pictures and other observations are reported in the current issue of Oryx, The International Journal of Conservation. The rare rabbit was first photographed in Kerinci Seblat National Park in 1998 and has rarely been seen since.

"Whether the rabbit does occur undetected in other parks is not certain, but the importance of protecting these two known strongholds of the species is critical," say McCarthy and colleagues. "As the human population of Sumatra rises, both parks are increasingly threatened by encroachment of villages and development of roads and infrastructure. It is important to focus conservation efforts in these areas to prevent a loss of what could be the final two populations of Sumatran striped rabbits."

Sumatra's Bukit Barisan Mountains, where the rabbits were captured on film, form the rugged backbone of the sixth largest island in the world. Since 2008, McCarthy and Fuller have been conducting an ecological study of the clouded leopard, Asiatic golden cat, marbled cat and leopard cats in Indonesia's Bukit Barisan Seletan National Park.

McCarthy says, "As part of my dissertation research on the four felids, or cats, we also happened to get pictures of this very rare rabbit. There had been a few camera-trap photos seen of it before, but very, very rarely. We wanted to take these observations a step further, so we worked with colleagues from the University of Delaware and the Wildlife Conservation Society's Indonesia Program to contact every researcher we knew throughout Sumatra who was doing camera-trap research, probably 20 or 30 people. This gave us good coverage of the island."

"We asked them about sightings of the Sumatran striped rabbit and report the results in our paper." Overall, the conservation biologist adds, "The biggest news is that we only received recent sighting information from these two parks. For the first time, we can pinpoint that these two areas may be the only ones remaining where this species occurs. We can't say they don't occur elsewhere, but we are saying it's important to preserve those areas in order to save the species."

Habitats critical to many forms of wildlife in the parks face constant pressure from nearby coffee and palm oil plantations and from those who want logging roads built, she adds. Roads would not only destroy habitat but would allow humans, including poachers, access into relatively wild and remote places. In Sumatra between 2000 and 2009, more than 7.6 million acres (3.1 million hectares) of forest were lost to such encroachment, McCarthy says.

Much of her work was done at fairly high altitudes, in dense rainforest and rugged terrain, along volcanic ridges up to 3,900 feet (1,200 meters) high, where human encroachment is low, McCarthy says. The area has a relatively high density of wildlife, including tigers, so the investigators never travel alone and always have a park ranger with them. After walking miles to visit their cameras and snares, they roll out their sleeping bags in local villages as guests of families with no electricity, running water or modern plumbing.

McCarthy says, "It's such a beautiful place. I hope we are able to increase conservation initiatives. At this point we really need to increase the involvement of local people in order to save these areas. There is some appreciation of the value of wildlife, especially for the tiger. But the root of the problem, the loss of habitat, hasn't really slowed down. We feel our presence and the fact that our research supports a park ranger has helped to make a difference."

###

University of Massachusetts at Amherst: http://www.umass.edu

Thanks to University of Massachusetts at Amherst for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 69 time(s).

lra lra eric johnson eric johnson big east tournament ashley olsen new apple tv

USC Dornsife Scientific Diving: Chamorro Women and the Spanish

By Santiago Fernandez-Barrera and I?aki Pedroarena-Leal

As practitioners of Mexican culture and native Spanish speakers visiting Guam, we have quickly become attuned to a familiar tone in the Chamorro language. Guam was once under Spanish power, used primarily as a stopping-relay point for the lucrative galleon trade route. Colonized in 1668, Guam was subjugated by Spanish settlers, and Spain became a major influence in the formation of modern day Chamorro culture and society.

Plaza de Espana in Hagatna; remnants of Spanish influence on Guam. (Photo courtesy Guam-OnLine.com)

The island of Guam retains much evidence of the degree to which the society and culture was influenced by Spain. One of these influences is Catholicism, the major religion in Guam. Chamorro people, to this day, hold monthly fiestas in honor of their villages? respective patron saints. Even some major buildings seem to have been transplanted directly from Spain as they reflect the traditional style of Spanish architecture, particularly those pertaining to the missionaries and cathedrals. To be entirely accurate, these are reconstructions, as the remaining Spanish structures did not survive WW II.

As prominent as the colonial Spanish influence has been on every aspect of the Chamorro way of life, the foundation and the fundamental values of the original, native culture in Guam have survived directly as a result of an unexpected circumstance. During their conquest of Guam, the Spanish implemented the policy of Reducci?n, which displaced people from the Marianas into concentrated settlements on Guam and the neighboring island of Rota. Reducci?n also lead to the massacre, and almost total annihilation, of the majority of Chamorro men, in an effort to weaken traditional societal and cultural structure. Countering the Spanish effort, pre-Hispanic Chamorro culture was matrilineal, limiting any absolute Spanish cultural dominance.

Tan Lourdes, a retired techa. (Photo by Paleric)

After the Spanish conquest, many Chamorro women married Spanish and Filipino settlers and were expected to conform to 17th-19th Century European ideas that a woman?s place was strictly at home. Despite not being able to exert power openly, women were able to maintain cultural structure by keeping traditions alive, most importantly through continuing to expose younger generations to Chamorro culture. Amongst these influential women emerged the techas, spiritual leaders who lead the people in the traditional chanting and prayer that form part of Chamorro folklore and culture.

During our visit to Guam, we had the pleasure of an invitation to a dinner celebration in a Chamorro family?s home. In a display of the culture?s hospitality, we were received as an extension of the family and treated to anecdotal Chamorro history. After our traditional feast, an elder of the family explained to us the Chamorros? profound connection to nature, exemplifying the important traditions that women, and techas in particular, have been able to pass on through subsequent generations.

USC Dornsife students at a traditional Chamorro dinner celebration, including one of the authors, I?aki (standing up). The dinner consisted of Chamorro historical anecdotes and traditional foods in a large familial setting.

It became apparent just how much influence women have maintained and exercised throughout Chamorro history. Indeed, women have played a fundamental and crucial role in the survival of the Chamorro culture during and after the Spanish colonial occupation.

Still, this may have been a different story had the Spanish planned to establish a more permanent settlement in Guam, as it was only a supply stop in the Spanish galleon trade route. Fortunately, for the Chamorro culture, the women of the island were dedicated and persistent in carrying on the fundamental traditions of Guam?s intriguing and exceptional native culture.

The authors, Santiago (left) and I?aki posing with a Chamorro woman at the Chamorro Village on Guam.

About the Authors: Santiago Fernandez-Barrera is a junior in the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences najoring in Environmental Studies. He hopes to return to his home country of M?xico and promote environmentally sustainable business practices.

I?aki Pedroarena-Leal is a junior in the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences double majoring in Economics and Environmental Studies. His family?s agricultural history in Baja California, M?xico, and his deeply rooted passion for the ocean, are both instrumental in his goal of practicing the aquaculture industry in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Editor?s note: Scientific Research Diving at USC Dornsife is offered as part of an experiential summer program offered to undergraduate students of the USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. This course takes place on location at the USC Wrigley Marine Science Center on Catalina Island and throughout Micronesia. Students investigate important environmental issues such as ecologically sustainable development, fisheries management, protected-area planning and assessment, and human health issues. During the course of the program, the student team will dive and collect data to support conservation and management strategies to protect the fragile coral reefs of Guam and Palau in Micronesia.

Instructors for the course include Jim Haw, Director of the Environmental Studies Program in USC Dornsife, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies David Ginsburg,, SCUBA instructor and volunteer in the USC Scientific Diving Program Tom Carr and USC Dive Safety Officer Gerry Smith of the USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies

Previously in this series:

Catching Up with Scientific Diving at USC Dornsife: Surfgrass Monitoring at Catalina
Catching up with Scientific Diving at USC Dornsife: The Robot Submarine
Catching up with Scientific Diving at USC Dornsife: Diving into the Aquarium of the Pacific
USC Dornsife Scientific Diving: Moving Forward to Guam and Palau 2012
USC Dornsife Scientific Diving: Finding My Career Through This Course
USC Dornsife Scientific Diving: The Devaluation of Ecosystem Services
USC Dornsife Scientific Diving: Why USC Dornsife was the Right Decision For Me
USC Dornsife Scientific Diving: Why Experiential Learning is Vital to Academic Life
USC Dornsife Scientific Diving: My Walden South of Los Angeles
USC Dornsife Scientific Diving: Crown-of-Thorns Outbreaks and Anthropogenic Pollution
USC Dornsife Scientific Diving: The International Policy Rationale for the Military Buildup on Guam and Some Environmental Drivers
USC Dornsife Scientific Diving: Marine Ecology from Antarctica to Micronesia
USC Dornsife Scientific Diving: Palau Water Supply
USC Dornsife Scientific Diving: The Contributions of J. S. Haldane to Dive Safety
USC Dornsife Scientific Diving: Human Impacts on Mangrove Forests
USC Dornsife Scientific Diving: Global Sea Cucumber Fisheries
USC Dornsife Scientific Diving: Palauan Mermaids
USC Dornsife Scientific Diving: The California Spiny Lobster
USC Dornsife Scientific Diving: The Invasion of the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle
USC Dornsife Scientific Diving: The Coconut Crab in Guam
USC Dornsife Scientific Diving: The Ordot Dump and Layon Landfill
USC Dornsife Scientific Diving: Marine Ecosystem Based Management
USC Dornsife Scientific Diving: The Navy Dive Tables
USC Dornsife Scientific Diving: Entangled in the Excitement of Every New Day
USC Dornsife Scientific Diving: Economic Effects of the Revised Military Buildup in Guam
USC Dornsife Scientific Diving: The Guam and Calayan Rails

abc store nate diaz vs donald cerrone ufc 141 lesnar vs overeem appetizer recipes alistair overeem alistair overeem

Quarter Horse For Sale, Texas, Rhome

Skye is a gorgeous liver chestnut mare with 4 white socks and a streak face. She is a great propspect for western pleaseure and halter, based on her bloodlines. We were told by a previous owner that she has placed several times when shown in halter. She is a really pretty mover, very atheletic, intelligent and show lots of potential for someone who has the time to work with her. She has had some basic training, but needs an experienced rider due to her age and number of miles previously put on her. I purchased her as a well broke trail horse with lots of miles on her, which she definintly has the potential of being, but she is not there yet, and I don't have the time or knowledge to take her there. She is a really sweet horse and I would like to find a good home hor her. I'm only asking $2500, which is way less than I paid for her. Everyone that has seen her has commented on how pretty she is, the pictures don't do her justice. Please email or call me if you have any questions.

Price: $ 2,500 (Negotiable)

sam houston state university sam houston state university bradley manning whoopi goldberg tebowing tebowing washington wizards

Business Sales Manager ? Plusnet Careers

Here at Plusnet, we?re very proud of our award winning products and services and our high level of customer support.? We recognise that our people are critical to the success of our business so that?s why if you work with us we?ll give you a competitive salary, a generous bonus structure and a free lunch.

So if you want to be part of a fast growing business that puts its people at the heart of what it does, please apply today.

Business Sales Manager

A vacancy has arisen for a Business Sales Manager to work in our Commercial Department.?The role holder is responsible for driving business sales through defining a clear sales strategy.? The sales manager will own a sales forecast and work to defined volumetric and financials target defined by the Head of Business.? Responsibilities include: new business generation and management of prospects from initial contact through to contract signature, line management of sales resource, bid governance and ongoing relationship management to optimise revenue and volume.

The role holder drives the sales of Plusnet?s Business products and services to Small Businesses through Indirect channels.? The role holder will help set and influence the Indirect channel sales strategy in the dealer/distributor/partner channels.? He/she will work to a volumetric target and will be responsible for a creating the Plusnet substantial distribution network including management of an indirect sales team.

Core skills include: self-driven, results-oriented, accountable and ability and desire to take ownership.? The role requires the ability and confidence to deal with people at senior management level and able to work under pressure and to targets.

An understanding of the sales process and techniques and broadband industry are key requirements of the role.

Detailed Roles &Responsibilities are as follows:
Work with Head of Business and Operations Manager to define Plusnet?s Indirect Business sales strategy.
Understand Business and Indirect Channels market and use this knowledge the shape Plusnet?s Indirect sales Channel strategy including key drivers, influences and developments competitive and portfolio landscape.
Work with the Business Acquisition Marketing Manager to define and execute marketing activities to support Indirect sales channel launch and indirect partner acquisition.
Work closely with BT Business Indirect channel teams to maintain and evolve a dual brand channel strategy to optimise acquisition whilst minimising cannibalisation.
Define and own Indirect Channel volumetric targets for all Plusnet Business products and services.
Define the commercial proposition including dealer commissions linked to volume performance.
Define and execute new business generation activities within Indirect Channels to achieve an agreed set of volumetric and financial targets by identifying verticals or sectors for new business generation.
Work closely with PR team to promote the Plusnet Indirect Sales programme in the media.
To proactively define and target acquisition accounts through management of proactive telephone activity and face to face interaction.
Manage and maintain a prospect list and order pipeline.
Define proposals, documentation and legal terms ensuring compliance with a defined product portfolio, pricing matrix and any regulatory considerations.
Work with Head of Business, Operations Manager and Commercial finance to follow bid governance process on acceptable financial risk on a per opportunity basis prior to issuing contracts.
Manage all aspects of the sales process from initial enquiry, tender / bid response, proposal generation, contractual agreement and handover to operations for establishment.
Implementation and management of an Indirect sales team.
Proactively contribute and recommend improvements to Plusnet?s Business proposition.
To identify and secure cross selling and up selling opportunities within existing channel partners.
To actively participate in sales initiatives and marketing campaigns.
To proactively inform customers and channel partners of new products.
Work closely with business partners, create relationship, develop and drive proactive approach into assigned accounts.
Seek opportunities to drive product take up, and improve product margins through pricing, usage and cost reduction.
Work with customers and key suppliers to ensure effective delivery of products to maximize sales / margin.
Work with Service Delivery Managers to handover new customers to in-life delivery.
Maintain an Account Management relationship with customers to drive volume and ensure all customers meet contractual commitments.
Own all sales/commercial discussions with existing customers on re-contracting and / or contract renegotiations.

Key Skills:
High level of education.
Proven telephone sales track record with experience in B2B sales / business development.
Experience in building strong customer relationships.
Broadband industry experience preferred.
Excellent ability to communicate and negotiate via telephone.
Excellent ability to understand and articulate customer requirements in order to propose solutions and benefits which meet and exceed customer requirements.
Strong planning, organization and sales reporting skills.? Being able to prioritise pipeline activities is a must.
Excellent decision making and problem solving skills with attention to detail.
Strong team player.
Literacy and Numeracy: Able to construct customer deals within agreed financial parameters.? Good business acumen and competent communicator of business quotations and proposals.

Please clearly state your current salary and package details within your CV and upload via the link below.

https://tbe.taleo.net/NA9/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=BTUK&cws=1&rid=1643

To apply for this position, please email recruit@plus.net with your C.V. and a covering letter.

Please make sure you include the job title and your full name in the subject line of your email.

breedlove florida state football florida state football ben breedlove kid cudi ben breedlove matt barnes hcm

POS Management ? Device to Enhance Gross sales Rate

Read more about jtc rent house.

It appears that the winds of enterprise are shifting nearly daily. The necessity for people with skilled management skills is larger than ever. Those that have an interest on this field can take business administration courses to obtain a degree, both a bachelors or an associates.

Lead Management. Sales managers new to the sphere of lead administration usually have a tough time understanding exactly what the method entails.

One of many greatest errors they make is attempting to pigeonhole lead administration into simply one other side of promoting or sales.

Business programs are helpful to folks with all sorts of expertise in business. You should utilize them when you?re simply starting or a business, or in case you have some experience working business, and need to brush up on strategies.

Because their business is entrusted to the BPO, they compel assurance that high quality service is provided. It principally is a cycle which by some means has been conflicting with views on the right way to have proper administration for a selected account.

That is where lead management is applied.

A business manager will want a number of abilities to succeed. They mainly have the job of helping the corporate for which they work to succeed in its objectives and acquire success.

Goals are vital and can assist encourage employees and create more of a team environment. They can additionally assist enhance customer service, quality merchandise, and monetary well being of your whole company.

Read more about jtc housing.

By creating your management expertise, you will have the opportunity to offer your company with the effectiveness needed to put you forward of the competition.

This is additionally what is going to provide help to proceed to see success on your firm, your crew members, and everyone else involved.

Read more about jtc corporation. ArtId: 091220111016JTC

bo jackson weather houston weather houston small business saturday small business saturday hank baskett beyonce dance for you

The truth about brand strategy | Marketing Team Direct

The last 25 years have been fascinating. The growth in brand understanding, practice and exploration has taken the subject from art to science, from marketing function to boardroom policy and from image change to shareholder value. The last few years has seen an acceleration in brand science and sophisticated brand strategy development ? enabled by technology shift, data acquisition and interrogation, and, let?s be brutally honest, the need for businesses to transform fundamentally in order to survive and thrive.

And yet, there are still businesses that consider brand as an image, positioning, sales and marketing tool ? something distinct and separate from the rest of their organisations infrastructure, operations and business strategies. These businesses consider brand as a cost (a bit like marketing) rather than an organisation wide investment in their conduct, operation, offers and future. As a consequence, they never realise the true value of embarking on brand development as central to business strategy and planning.

It would be easy to assume that B2B brands have been slower to adopt a sophisticated approach to serious brand development than their B2C counterparts. This may be true from an overtly image, marketing, channel and consumer experience perspective, and it has certainly been true in the last few years as Lead Generation and sales support activity have been the priority. However, as Joel Harrison brought into focus in last month?s B2B Marketing editorial, focusing on lead generation alone is being increasingly seen as a dry well, and savvy businesses are returning to a focus on their brand. It is the best B2B organisations that have most rapidly understood, and begun to utilise brand strategy as a fundamental business strategy ? for their longer term transformation, marketing, operations and financial benefit

Simply put, brand is ?what people think of us?. Brand strategy is, and always has been, about growing and maintaining business equity (What people think of us) in the minds of an organisations whole audience base. This can only be nurtured if the entire business is driving towards this end state.

For this to be truly affected, 2 essentials need to be in place -

1) Brand development has to be routed in authentic, real and sustainable profound TRUTH. Truth that is constantly and continuously portrayed inside and outside the business, and remains what truth should be ? believable and highly emotive.

For this truth to be profound, defined and continuously delivered, a business needs to look in on itself. Too many businesses have confused brand development with marketing activity and as a result, have defined brand strategy based on customer and audience need. As with any other profound truth, brand can only be discovered on the inside, not in the perceptions of others.

2) Brand strategy has to not only have the advocacy of business leadership, it has to be owned by it in order to ensure that every aspect of business (brand) conduct, decision making, operation and offer delivers against this profound truth ? hence the argument that brand strategy is business strategy ? to be managed and maintained with the same levels of rigour, care, long term planning and investment. In fact, as David Wheldon has recently stated ?brand should be the primary focus of C Suite and leadership teams? and all other decisions stem from this recognition?.

With these essentials embedded in the psyche and culture of a business (and I don?t mean the development of internal comms drives and brand guidelines), brand can contribute to business transformation and growth in many fundamental ways, some immediately apparent, others less so.

We live in what B2C organisations have long understood as being a transparent world. Anything other than continuously reinforced truth will be discovered and exposed by empowered and information rich customers and audiences. By association, truth, when properly identified and communicated, will gain deeper trust from cynical and time poor audiences. This gain of trust, once won, needs to be carefully maintained and built on, but will ultimately yield greater rewards, more effective sales and marketing outcomes (including lead generation) and more deep rooted internal stakeholder advocacy and adherence.

If a business subscribes to the ideas shared here, it will ensure that all decisions are driven towards gaining greater rewards by continuously reinforcing truth. Business acquisitions and mergers, corporate governance, reputation management, transformation strategy, regional development, recruitment and talent nurturing, shareholder activity, technology investment, financial management, in fact every business activity, will be geared towards this.

In recent times, and in some organisations, brand has become a dirty word and something that gets in the way of marketing speed, automation, tactical relevance and much else. Recent thinking has recognised that, although owned in many businesses by marketing teams, brand has a wider impact and remit. ?total marketing? and ?the marketing organisation? are buzz phrases designed to broaden brands remit across a business without upsetting the marketing status quo. Surely, it is now time to reinstate brand as the central business strategy that it?s always been rather than simply marketing ?fluff?. If you are a marketer with brand responsibility, isn?t it time you ensured that your ?total marketing organisation? supported you more fully?

After all, Brand strategy, when properly engaged with, is about as far from being fluffy as you can get ? and that?s the essential truth.

election results wiz khalifa taylor allderdice mixtape reggie wayne taylor allderdice vincent jackson vicki gunvalson pierre garcon

Canada labor minister to meet with CP Rail, union

[ [ [['A picture is worth a thousand words', 5]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/why-facebook-bought-instagram-4-theories-160400376.html', '[Related: Why Facebook bought Instagram: 4 theories]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 9]], 'http://contributor.yahoo.com/join/yahoonews_virginiabeach', '[Did you witness the jet crash? Share your story with Yahoo! News]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Dick Clark', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/dick-clark-dies-at-82-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/c/21/c217c61aa2d5872244c08caa13c16ec5.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'Reuters', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['Titanic', 7]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/titanic-anniversary/', ' ', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/b/4e/b4e5ad9f00b5dfeeec2226d53e173569.jpeg', '550', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]

[ [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]

edgar vs henderson berkshire hathaway ufc 144 james jones james jones aladdin black forest