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Meet the Toxic Chemicals That Are Lurking in Your Yoga Pants
Our friends at Shape Magazine tell us how harmful chemicals in our prized yoga leggings could be hurting rather than helping our health.
We consumers are good at telling brands what we want¡ªand getting it. Green juice? Virtually non-existent 20 years ago. Mainstream organic skincare and makeup that actually works? Popped up in the noughties. Alternatives to plastic water bottles? Hello| Bkr. It's no surprise Whole Foods has more than 400 stores. Our hard-earned dollars demand healthy| better alternatives| and the market has started supplying them.
And now| we look smoking hot while we strive to be our healthiest selves| because workout clothes have become off-the-hook gorgeous. Function and fashion have merged to form a new breed of figure-flattering| high-performance activewear¡ªfor all budgets and body sizes. In fact| workout clothes are the daily uniform for a growing number of women| according to global information company the NPD Group. We've swapped our skinny jeans for yoga pants| athleisure is officially a thing| and our lust for stylish gear is single-handedly buoying fashion sales. (See the 10 Best Instagram Accounts to Follow for Athleisure.)
But therein hides the blind spot in our otherwise noble quest for a life healthily lived. We buy the cleanest products and food we can| avoid toxins where possible and exercise| but are the workout clothes we wear while doing all this undermining our efforts?
The findings from two Greenpeace reports on chemical content in sportswear and fashion suggest they might be. Their analysis found that sportswear from major brands contained known hazardous chemicals| like Phthalates| PFCs| Dimethylformamide (DMF)| Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs)| and Nonylphenols (NPs). And a Swedish study estimates that ten percent of all textile-related substances are "considered to be of potential risk to human health."
In an article exploring toxic chemicals in sportswear| published by The Guardian| Greenpeace's Manfred Santen suggests we can't know the effects of these chemicals and how repeated exposure to them might affect us. "The concentration [of chemicals] that we find in clothing may not cause acute toxic problems for the wearer in the short-term| but in the long-term you never know|" Santen said. "Endocrine disruptors [chemicals that can mess with the hormone system]| for example| you don't know what the impact of long-term exposure is on human health."
This is new territory. There is little research on the topic (although it's growing)| and right now many industry insiders dismiss this line of inquiry as a non-issue. We're reluctant to look our Spandex-clad gift horse in the mouth. Afterall| business is booming and we look so good that no one wants to return to the days before activewear brands knew the value of a well-placed dart.
The potential presence of harmful chemicals in any amount our workout gear| however| should be troubling in large part because it's designed to sit against and interact with the skin in high-friction| high-movement| high-heat| high-moisture environments¡ªlike when we work out. Independent Swiss company bluesign technologies¡ªcreator of the toughest textile certification system| which aims to prevent chemicals of concern from entering into materials in the manufacturing process¡ªputs clothing for "next to skin use" and "baby-safe" in the same category| their "most stringent" one "concerning [chemical] limit values/bans."
Yet| retailer REI says that "some type of chemical finish is applied to nearly every synthetic fabric in order to boost wicking performance." A look at the tag in activewear garments reveals most are fashioned from synthetic fabrics. Plus| most trademarked technical fabrics¡ªthe ones we pay major bucks for¡ªare chemically coated synthetic fabrics| says Mike Rivalland| director of activewear brand SilkAthlete. Santen agreed| telling us that "the bigger problem is that brands use additives to make gear stain repellent with per-fluorinated substances (PFCs) or to avoid unpleasant sweat odors by using toxic substances like Triclosan."
But don't despair. Adam Fletcher| Patagonia's global director of public relations| points out how difficult it would be to absorb a harmful level of some chemicals in question through the skin. "Wearing [a] jacket does not offer a significant risk of exposure|" he says. "If one were to eat a closet-full of jackets| maybe then you would get on par with the exposure risk from food contact applications of these chemicals."
Some big brands are taking action| though| sourcing high-performance organic fabrics and recycled materials| and seeking natural alternatives to chemical finishes. Patagonia has invested in Beyond Surface Technologies| which develops "textile treatments based on natural raw materials" and is phasing out PFCs| similar to Adidas| which has promised that their products will be 99 percent PFC-free by 2017. Both brands partner with bluesign technologies| as do REI| Puma| prAna| Marmot| Nike| and Lululemon.
Smaller brands have also been producing outstanding non-toxic activewear with high-tech traits we demand. Ibex specializes in organic cotton and merino wool activewear. Evolve Fitwear only sells American-made gear with organic cotton (like LVR's 94 percent organic cotton leggings) and recycled materials. Alternative Apparel's soft| slouchy basics in organic and eco-fabrics easily transition from yoga to brunch. SilkAthlete's stylish silk-blend garments are not only naturally breathable and antimicrobial| they feel light as air and don't chafe like synthetic fabrics can. And Super.Natural makes high-performance| flattering workout clothes from engineered natural-synthetic fabrics hybrids. And these companies are a step ahead of the game in our highly health-aware| eco-concious culture. (And check out this Sustainable Fitness Gear for an Eco-Friendly Workout.)
What chemicals are in your favorite workout gear? Find out¡ªplus| learn how to protect yourself.
What's Lurking In Your Yoga Pants?Below| we rounded up some of the potentially hazardous chemicals that could be in your workout clothes¡ªplus| why you should care.
Phthalates: Commonly used as platicizers in textile printing (found in tons of consumer goods)| they're linked to certain cancers| adult obesity and reduced testosterone in men and women| and are on the Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen list.
PFCs (poly- and per-flourinated chemicals): Used in water- and stain-proof gear. Clothing is one of the most common ways we're exposed to them| according to The EWG| which classifies them as toxic to humans.
Dimethylformamide (DMF): The CDC says DMF is "an organic solvent used in acrylic fiber spinning| chemical manufacturing… It is also present in textile dyes and pigments…" It warns people to avoid skin contact with the chemical as it's easily absorbed through the skin and "can cause liver damage and other adverse health effects."
Nanoparticle silver: Used in anti-odor and antimicrobial activewear but not tested for safety in consumer goods| says Pew Charitable Trust. A 2010 study found "exposure to silver would be 'significant' for anyone wearing these clothes| in an amount that's three times higher than the amount you'd get if you take a dietary supplement that contains silver." A 2013 study links nanomaterials to potential endocrine disruption and a 2014 MIT study found nanoparticles can damage DNA.
Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) and Nonylphenols (NPs): Used in detergents and dust-control agents. According to the CDC| they're absorbable through the skin and shown to have "estrogenic properties in human cell lines". The EPA says they're "associated with reproductive and developmental effects in rodents" and they wreak havoc on the environment. The European Union classifies them as "reprotoxic."
Triclosan: Used as a coating in antibacterial and antimicrobial garments and gear| triclosan has been linked to liver and inhalation toxicity and has been shown to cause liver cancer in mice.
Buy Less Toxic Workout ClothesIf you want to avoid some of the nastier things found to fitness gear| follow our tips for a "cleaner" workout wardrobe.
Avoid screen printing and plastic prints| a potential source of phthalates.Buy natural and organic fabrics (or hybrids) like silk| cotton and wool. Natural fabrics are naturally antimicrobial and antibacterial| good at thermal regulation| and breathable.Seek the bluesign System certification. The bluesign label means hazardous chemicals are kept to a minimum (and are potentially absent) during manufacturing and in the end product.Pass on trademarked technical "fabrics"¡ªmost are chemically coated synthetics that wash out.When will you use it? If you're wearing something against your skin all day| invest in a piece with as few potentially hazardous chemicals as possible.
Wash Them SmarterWhether you have a closet full of silk sports bras or you don technical fabrics 24/7| keep your fitness gear clean| intact| and functional for as long as possible.
Wash every item before use. Santen says| "washing removes adherent substances that could be potentially hazardous."After a super sweat-inducing workout| wash clothes immediately. Synthetic fibers| particularly polyester| are breeding grounds for stink-producing bacteria.Hand wash or use the gentle cycle on with cold water so garments aren't destroyed by high heat or agitation.Line dry or lay clothes flat to dry. Some brands say using the lowest-heat dryer setting is fine| but anything hotter will break affect the coating on technical fabrics and could harm synthetic (i.e. plastic) fabrics| like Lycra| which becomes brittle if dried with high heat.Use gentle wash or specialized wash. Harsh detergents can ruin or wash out properties for which you bought a garment in the first place| and sports wash helps break down oily sweat and odor buildup. (Try one of these 7 Safer All-Natural Homemade Cleaners.)Avoid fabric softener and dryer sheets. They work by leaving a film on the fabric| which ends up blocking the wicking/absorbing/cooling/anti-odor ability of the garment.
More from Shape:
Do Ice Baths Live Up to the Hype?The Scary Side Effect of Running in the HeatHow Many Almonds Are Really in Your Almond Milk?Image Source: Shutterstock


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Revealed: Part Three: Lover, Friend, or Enemy? (The Nogiku Series 0.3) by S.J. Pajonas Blurb: Meeting Sanaa Griffin in the dōjō is not the kind of first date Jiro had in mind. In fact, teaching her to sword fight is more like a cruel joke. He's told not to get involved. He's told to instruct her and make her fight, but that's it. No flirting, no dating, and keep it business. Though she's small and nervous, Sanaa surprises him when he puts her to work, and a slight but cautious friendship develops between the two. Who is Sanaa really, and… Read more »
Posts Tagged: Nogiku series
Review: Revealed Part Two by SJ Pajonas
Revealed Part Two: Plan D, A Failed Proposal, and Jiro's Surprise (The Nogiku Series 0.2) by S.J. Pajonas Blurb Picking up the story after REVEALED Part One, Mark Sakai must now complete his mission to bring Sanaa Griffin into his employ. All the plans are in place, and he just has to execute them, but he's paralyzed with indecision and regrets. While Sakai tries to continue with his job despite his own cowardice, Jiro relives his past failures and watches his brother succeed without him. He didn't think his life could get any more depressing until his father surprises him… Read more »
Review: Revealed Part One by SJ Pajonas
Revealed: Part One: New Year's Eve with Jiro and Mark (Nogiku series #0.1) by SJ Pajonas Genre: Science Fiction Romance, Post-apocalyptic Age category: Young Adult, Adult Release Date: June 1, 2014 Blurb: Get immersed in the Nogiku world with Jiro Itō as he gets ready for a boring and annoying New Year's Eve out in Nishikyō. At least, that's what he expects his night to be like. Jiro would rather drink with the geisha all evening, and avoid taking anyone home, but he has family business to attend to instead. When the family business leads to an unfamiliar restaurant, Jiro… Read more »
Cover Reveal: Nogiku series by SJ Pajonas
Today is the cover reveal for the Nogiku series by SJ Pajonas. This cover reveal will be for the following books: Revealed: Part One (Nogiku series #0.1), Removed (Nogiku series #1), Released (Nogiku series #2) and Reunited (Nogiku series #3). This cover reveal is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. Here's a picture with all four covers: Cover Review While I loved the old covers for this series, I also love these and how well the covers in the series match each other. These cover do emphasize the japanese aspect of this series and the characters a bit more then the… Read more »
Free: Removed (Nogiku #1) by SJ Pajonas
So in case the banner wasn't clear enough, from 27 March till 30 March Removed (Nogiku #1) by SJ Pajonas will be free on Kobo ! I read removed back in December and I feel completely in love with this series. It was one of my favourite reads of 2013 and I am eagerly awaiting the third book in this series. Trust me this is a series you have to read if you love original books! Removed (Nogiku series #1) by SJ Pajonas Genre: Science Fiction Romance, Post-apocalyptic Age category: New Adult Release Date: September 11, 2013 Blurb: Duty knows… Read more »
Blog Tour: Nogiku series by SJ Pajonas
This is my stop during the blog tour for the Nogiku series by SJ Pajonas. This blog tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours . The blog tour runs from January 20 till February 2, you can view the complete tour schedule on the Nogiku series blog tour page on the website of Lola's Blog Tours. So far this series contains two book: Removed (Nogiku series #1) and Released (Nogiku series #2).I'll share links to my reviews of both books and the author has written an awesome tens list/ guest post about bento boxes and her ten favourite things to… Read more »

subset: commoncrawl


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Camellia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Theaceae. They are found in eastern and southern Asia, from the Himalayas east to Japan and Indonesia. There are 100–250 described species, with some controversy over the exact number. The genus was named by Linnaeus after the Jesuit botanist Georg Joseph Kamel, who worked in the Philippines, though he never described a camellia.
This genus is famous throughout East Asia; camellias are known as cháhuā (茶花) in Chinese, "tea flower", an apt designation, as tsubaki (椿) in Japanese, as dongbaek-kkot (동백꽃) in Korean and as hoa trà or hoa chè in Vietnamese. Of economic importance in the Indian subcontinent and Asia, leaves of C. sinensis are processed to create the popular beverage, tea. The ornamental Camellia japonica, Camellia oleifera and Camellia sasanqua and their hybrids are represented in cultivation by a large number of cultivars.
This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.


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One of the challenges of the spiritual life is society's pressure on us to become the most powerful, productive, and spectacular—often communicating that the number of followers we have determines our worth. God's story calls us to a different way of life which instead emphasizes community, transformation, and authenticity. Listen in on a conversation about the spiritual practice of simplicity with Rev. Eric Garbison from Cherith Brook Catholic Worker.
318 E 55th St. KCMO 64113


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James Redd
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Expertise: Car Painting
Training WorldSkills USA competitor Dylan Wertz
James Redd is excited to start training Dylan Wertz in preparation for the WorldSkills competition next year. He hopes Dylan walks away from WorldSkills knowing there is a constant need to gain knowledge and face new challenges. James believes the WorldSkills competition will show competitors that hard work and dedication really does pay off, and competing will be a lifelong source of pride.
James says that he doesn't believe there is a shortage in skilled laborers, just not enough patience or mentoring of novice tradesmen. He believes the veteran laborer must have the ability, patience and mentoring skills to allow the novice to learn and develop into a skilled worker.
James hopes competitors will always be open to new ideas and advice from peers and mentors who have insight into the industry.
"We don't all become experts overnight!"


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Search Engine Optimization
Search Engine Optimization Commonly is a method of making your web site search engine friendly. So that the website can achieve top position and ranking in the Internet searches and thereby increasing the scope for the website to be found by customers. Search engine optimization modifies the site to improve the ranking by using the keywords and contents. Content should be in such a manner that most important and poplar keywords are used in the whole of the website.
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The holiday season is just around the corner and this year we are urging people to give something that means something by donating to the Red Cross and helping those in need.
We have just launched our annual holiday fundraising campaign, and we ask that everyone visits www.redcross.org/gifts to make a donation in the name of the people on their gift list this year. Their donation can help provide food and shelter to a victim of disaster, help purchase things like phone cards and supplies for a member of the armed forces, or help supply basic necessities to families in desperate need in countries across the world.
Everyone is invited to browse through the Red Cross Holiday Giving Catalog and view symbolic gifts they can "purchase" for, or in honor of, a loved one – things like infant care kits for babies in emergency shelters, comfort kits for wounded warriors, or water containers used when natural disasters disrupt a community's water supply overseas.
People can give a gift that provides relief and support to those in need – when they need it most – when fire destroys a neighbor's home, when a patient needs blood, when disaster turns a child's world upside down. The country's ongoing economic problems are causing more people to seek help from the Red Cross and other organizations at a time when it's generally much more difficult to raise money.
We are working very hard to seek donations now so the Red Cross can provide help and hope when people need it most.
History has proven that Americans respond when people are in need. We are encouraging people to be generous again this holiday season in their support of the American Red Cross. It's been a challenging year – from Japan, to Alabama and Joplin to Hurricane Irene. These times remind us of what's really important, and a gift to the Red Cross to help people facing their worst moments is a way to show the best of what our country can offer.
So this year don't just buy "stuff" give back to your community by Giving gifts that really matter. Visit our online Holiday Giving Catalog today.
Filed under: Blood Services, Disaster Services, Health and Safety, Services to the Armed Forces | Tagged: American Red Cross, disaster update, Holiday Gifts, Holiday Giving, philanthropy, Shopping |


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Ellen Douglas wrote eight novels when she published this memoir in 1998. As the dust jacket says, "Douglas is the pseudonym for Josephine Haxton, whose family roots extend back to the earliest days in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana. These four tales describe her search for details of her ancestors. Sometimes she meets with talkative relatives who surprise her with some interesting information. Others stonewall her search, because she used the information from previous interviews in her novels and changed some important details.
This work should interest those who enjoy the historical aspects of fiction. Douglas talks about how she could use some people and incidents from her investigation in her next novel. Her meticulous search of records and memories of her family – and those who knew her family – adds a lot of weight to these tales. She readily admits when she will have to fill in gaps.
The most interesting of the four stories – "Julia and Nellie" – tells the history of her paternal grandmother, Nellie, and her friend, Julia, and a cousin, Dunbar (Dunny). Her prose has a soft and gentle quality – musical, enchanting, and absorbing. "I am sure now that I remember my grandmother and Julia—and Dunny, too—on the gallery at The Forest on a long, hot summer afternoon. I recall an embrace and then the two women in intimate, quiet conversation. I hear their soft voices, Julia's pitched a shade lower than my grandmother's, the voices, it seems to me now, of ghosts, alive only in my head and only for the time left to me to remember them. I remember the call and response of those voices as I might remember music—the oboe making room for the flute and then meditatively answering—and, like oboe and flute, they speak with deep emotion, but wordlessly." (81)
One incident in particular eluded her best efforts to uncover details. In 1861, an unknown number of slaves were tortured and whipped, and some were executed, because of a plot to kill slave owners as soon as "Mr. Lincoln and his army" came to Mississippi. Several "gentlemen of the county" served as judges, jury, and executioners. No newspapers reported the event, no record of any burials exist. The only evidence Douglas uncovered involved lists of slaves "interviewed" about the plot.
I most definitely need to track down some of those novels. (5 stars)
--Chiron, 9/26/10


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THE TAINT AND OTHER NOVELLAS by Brian Lumley, narrated by Joshua Saxon
Welcoming the chance to get my Lovcraftian horror on via the excellent narration of Joshua Saxon, I tore into THE TAINT AND OTHER NOVELLAS. What fun!
A collection of 5 novellas which were written back in the mid to late 1900s, these tales do not have the polish of Lumley's later works, like the Necroscope series. These stories are more the work of a writer starting out, (while serving in the military), a writer bewitched by Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos. The fun parts of the mythos are here, but they lack the racism and other issues of Lovecraft's work.
My favorites of the 5 were: LORD OF THE WORMS This tale featured Titus Crow, a name I remember from back in the day, though I can't quite remember the tales in which he featured. In this story, he's invited to a home under the pretense of cataloging a large book collection at an old estate. Of course nothing is as it appears. Throw in some mesmerizing hypnotism, (see what I did there?!), some maggots and some spiked wine and you have yourself a great time!
THE TAINT was a fun tale involving fish-men. That's right, fish-men. With all the creepiness inherent in that phrase. It's not as much a pulp tale as one would think, with just the right mix of horror and perhaps a bit of social commentary, (but that's just my take.)
Finally, the last story THE TEMPLE HOUSE takes the form of a man inheriting an old estate from his uncle. He takes a friend and goes to Scotland to inspect his inheritance, and soon finds a letter from his uncle asking him to destroy the place. Why? You'll have to read this to find out!
Regarding the narrator, Joshua Saxon-I've only listened to one other performance of his, which was the excellent THE CIPHER by Kathe Koja. In that book he was voicing only one character while in this collection, he voices all kinds of people and he does it quite well. English, American, Scottish, he does them all and never for a moment did I doubt the origins of any of the characters. Well done, sir!
This was a collection full of fun Lovecraftian monsters, fish people, maggots and worms. If these are the things that delight you, then you'll enjoy the hell out of this volume!
You can get your audio here: THE TAINT AND OTHER NOVELLAS
*I received this audio download free from the narrator, in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*


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All of the workshops include handouts and tools for the students or parents to take home. For more information or to book a workshop, please fill out this form.
Parent Workshops
Brain-Compatible Learning - The parents will learn how to the brain works and how people learn. They will learn strategies to help their students improve their learning in school. Parent will also learn what activities and actions can hurt student's learning.
Internet/Social Media - The parents will learn about the newest apps and what the students can do with the apps. They will learn which apps could be problematic and which apps can help improve learning.
Learned Helplessness - The parents will learn about learned helplessness. They will learn how to notice some basic signs of learned helplessness starting to development and some strategies to assist students with learned helplessness.
Math Strategies - The parents will learn some basic math strategies to help students at home with math homework. They will learn about household items that could be used as manipulatives. The parents will also learn about the progression of the math concepts.
Reading Strategies - The parents will learn some basic reading strategies to help students at home with reading homework.
SAT Exam and ACT Exam - The parents will learn the differences between the SAT Exam and ACT Exam. The parents will be provided with information to help them pick the correct exam for their child.
Accommodations in College - The parents will learn about the accommodations that colleges provide. They will also learn about FERPA and how it can impacts college students.
Mindset - The parents will learn about the Growth Mindset and the False Growth Mindset. The parents will learn strategies that they can use to help their children to develop a growth mindset.


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One of the major problems encountered by the end-customer in the textile industry is the lack of wet-fastness of dyes and printing on textiles. It is even more undesirable to see dyes and printings being removed during washing procedure in addition to the fact that the textile does not retain its original dyed color. In this regard, its common that textile manufacturers apply dyes fixing agents at the end of the process. They can also be used during the process of dyeing for environmental concerns (to reduce amounts of unfixed dyes in industrial waste water) and to improve the economic efficiency of the process linked to the amount of dye used. JAS manufactures high-performing cationic polymers under the UltraFix brand name to improve fastness of the dyes. In addition, we also offer anti-migration agents allowing a better uniformity of dying, a better color yield and brightness in the pigment dyeing processes.
During textile manufacturing, sizing of the warp yarn (appliance of a protective glaze) is essential to avoid breakage in the weaving machine. Acrylic polymers manufactured by JAS under the UltraSize brand are effective sizing polymers to be applied on fibers for a good protection of the wrap yarns. They improve flexibility and lubrication to all kind of yarns and are easily removed during de-sizing as they are completely water-soluble.
JAS Textile Additive Portfolio
UltraTan LA
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LATEST: Arsenal To Sell At Least 1 Key Star To Free Up Space For More Signing
Follow ooh to be a Gooner on Facebook and Twitter for more latest Arsenal news, match analysis, transfer news, injury news, team news and rumours from reliable sources around the World.
Arsenal could sell one of their top stars this summer, according to reports in the Daily Telegraph, via HITC sports.
Arsene Wenger is looking to strengthen his squad considerably this summer and there could be a number of high profile casualties who could be forced out of the Emirates.
According to the report, there are three players that could be sold this summer. The named players include Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Kieran Gibbs and Theo Walcott.
The Trio had a poor season at the Emirates and could be allowed to leave as Wenger attempts to strengthen the squad.
Chamberlain has been linked with a number of Premier League clubs and Wenger is reportedly willing to part company with the 22 year old winger.
Walcott is another who has been linked with a move away from the club. It is believed that Wenger is looking to strengthen his right wing with Mkhitaryan his top target and should the French man be able to sign a new winger, it would definitely spell the end of one of Walcott or Chamberlain's future at the Emirates.
Gibbs future has also been a constant feature in the rumour mill with Liverpool said to be preparing a £12m bid for the 26 year old defender. Gibbs lost his first team place to Nacho Monreal this season and the defender is believed to be open to the idea of leaving the Emirates.
Arsenal have been linked with both Leicester City's Ben Chilwell and Wolfsburg Ricardo Rodriguez and Gibbs would be shown the exit door should Wenger secure any of these targets.
The trio have played key roles for the Gunners in the past but their lackluster performance in recent seasons has made them fall out of the first team picture.
Wenger is prepared to be ruthless in strengthening his squad this summer and at least one is expected to be a casualty of the club's transfer dealings.Follow oohtobeagooner on Facebook and Twitter for more latest Arsenal transfer news, injury news, team news and rumours.


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Ron's Posts
I am sitting here in New Harmony, Indiana, just watching the world change. and sharing the odd bit of news. My posts are purely opinion, from the perspective of one old soldier in the tiny little tourist town named New Harmony, Indiana. I get to post my opinions, because I pay the rent and light bill, here at New Harmony Watch. You can contact me by Email at email@example.com or by phone at 812 682 3740. My snail mail address is below:
Ron Nesler — PO BOX 12 — New Harmony, Indiana — ZIP 47631


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Cherry Pie's parents are Granddaddy Purple and Durban Poison. With buds that are dense and full of orange hairs and a touch of purple, this strain smells of sweet and sour cherry pie. The effects have been known to come on in minutes and stick around for a couple hours.
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School Cheater
Cheating on tests
Alt URLsOther URLs that will get to this site (for in case one of them is down):
LinksSchool Sucks
Scared of School
Project 7
Learn in Freedom
"The only time my education was interrupted was when I was in school." George Bernard Shaw
IMPORTANT: If you're here because it hurts that schoolwork is taking up all your free time, leaving you with no energy for anything meaningful to you, this is for you. If you're here because it hurts to think, then please go and do your homework - you deserve every last hour of it.
Try these for more info:
The Bathroom
Submitted by Site Admin
If your teacher will actually LET you go, stash your books and notes in the bathroom, during the test make a list of everything you DON'T know the answer to, then ask to go to the bathroom, look it all up (if you have a bad memory, write it down somewhere), then go back to the test and fill it all in.
- 30 Visitors: 4.3, 0 Members: 0
The Covert-Ops
Submitted by beefy
requires 4-5 friends/cheaters... if you know the teacher keeps test papers inside the room, all you have to do is get 3-4 friends to go up to the teacher and somehow distract him/her or even better somehow get him/her out of the room... then the last person will go into the room silently and look for the test paper, copy all the multiple choice answers down, then quickly get out... everything must be done smooth, if not it is really risky... i suggest you get someone to copy the answers who doesn't go to the school...
- 21 Visitors: 3.9, 0 Members: 0
The Team Effort
Submitted by BinBin
You need 4 people for this cheat: first you make sure you have notes hidden away someplace. Make sure one group of two is sitting one side of the class (make sure left or right not in behind) then one group distracts the teacher with dumb questions while the other two cheat and then vice versa. Simple but yet effective.
- 10 Visitors: 3.9, 0 Members: 0
The Reviewer
Submitted by Faka Thority
This cheating method requires two people and a teacher who gives a review straight from the test. After your teacher is done giving the review while looking at the test...watch where it is placed. After class or later on that day...have a buddy distract the teacher with a question about personal problems or some shit that a teacher would pretend to care about. Then go in for the kill. The trick to this method though is not to take the test home...just pull it out and snap pictures of it with a dugital or something....this way the teacher wont suspect anything...otherwise the test would be changed.
- 5 Visitors: 3.8, 0 Members: 0
The DIY Marker
Submitted by Site Admin
If your teacher lets you mark each others' papers, and you can swap with a cheater friend, pretend to swap, but actually keep your own paper. Then fix and pretend to swap back at the end.
- 33 Visitors: 3.79, 0 Members: 0
The Cellphone
Submitted by badja
Write your notes in SMS and save them on your phone, then take it with you to the test/exam. Also, you and a friend can SMS each other during the test, IF your phones are both on silent for obvious reasons. If they don't allow you to have your phone with you... too bad :)
- 9 Visitors: 3.56, 0 Members: 0
The Camera Phone
Submitted by andtheidotis.....bush
for all you tech-i cheater out there with camera phones. you take a picture of the test if you have class at the beginning of class send it to your friends with fancy phones or send it to you email adress, go to the comp lab, and print them out for everybody to study. risky but cool
- 7 Visitors: 3.43, 0 Members: 0
The Irritated Eye
Submitted by dumistBlonde
act like you have somthing in your eye and touch ur eye acting like ur getting an eye lash out or fixing a contact that way u can look all over the place including some ones paper. the teacher wont suspect a thing!
- 10 Visitors: 3.3, 0 Members: 0
The Comfort Zone
Submitted by Nicole
When your sitting next to friend that your cheating with, pretend to stand up a little bit to put your leg underneath you so you can sit on your leg, but just pretend to be getting comferatable, and while you stand up, look at his/her paper.
- 5 Visitors: 1.8, 0 Members: 0
The Cough
Submitted by Mandy
Have a friend that needs serious help? In the middle of the test, have a HUGE coughing fit and cough the answers to them!
- 34 Visitors: 1.32, 0 Members: 0
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text:
Former Manchester United and Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 38, is set to reject a return to the Premier League and agree a deal with another of his old clubs AC Milan. (Telegraph)
AC Milan have also been offered Chelsea's France forward Olivier Giroud, 33. (Calciomercato)
Tottenham's Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen, 27, has made it clear he will not sign a new contract and will reject any attempts to persuade him to stay. (Telegraph)
Arsenal's board want former Gunners captain Mikel Arteta, currently Pep Guardiola's assistant at Manchester City, to replace Unai Emery as manager. (Mirror)
Arsenal are ready to assess as many as 12 contenders for the managerial vacancy. (Mirror)
However, Arsenal will offer interim boss Freddie Ljungberg, 42, the job on a permanent basis if he instigates a sufficient turnaround in fortunes. (Evening Standard)
Watford have held talks with former Athletic Bilbao boss Jose Angel Ziganda but it is understood he is no longer under consideration to succeed Quique Sanchez Flores. (Sky Sports)
Watford are considering making a stop-gap appointment to see them through to the end of the season. (Mail)
Everton are set to stick with Marco Silva as their manager before the derby match with Liverpool on Wednesday. (Express)
Veteran Neil Warnock, 71, could make a shock return to management at Middlesbrough, with Jonathan Woodgate facing the sack. (Sun)
Manuel Pellegrini has bought himself time as West Ham boss after his team's win at Chelsea. (Mail)
Former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has opened the door on an instant return to the Premier League, declaring himself ready to dive straight back into management. (Fox Sports, via Mirror)
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson says he is counting on having Ivory Coast forward Wilfried Zaha, 27, at the club for the duration of his contract, which runs until 2023. (Sky Sports)
Real Madrid are preparing to make an offer for Napoli's 28-year-old Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly – a long-term target for Manchester United – next summer. (Calciomercato)
Roma are planning an improved offer to buy Manchester United and England defender Chris Smalling, with the 30-year-old currently on loan at the Serie A club. (Il Romanista, via Manchester Evening News)
Liverpool have again sent scouts to watch Trabzonspor's Turkish goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir, 23. (Mirror)
Former Manchester United and West Ham striker Javier Hernandez, the 31-year-old Mexico international now with Sevilla, has hinted he is open to moving to the MLS. (Mail)
Golf fanatic Gareth Bale, 30, could be banned from the links during Wales' Euro 2020 campaign as Ryan Giggs bids to keep his star player fit. (Sky Sports)
Juventus, having already been linked with Brazil midfielder Willian, 31, and left-sided Italian Emerson Palmieri, 25, are now interested in another Chelsea player, Spanish winger Pedro, 32. (Calciomercato)
Liverpool could bring forward plans to bid for 21-year-old Norway midfielder Sander Berge from Belgian club Genk and the Reds see him as cover for injured midfielder Fabinho. (Mirror)
Inter are ready to offer Fiorentina money as well as two of their players for Italy international forward Federico Chiesa, 22, who has been linked with Liverpool. (Calciomercato)
Fulham have made an enquiry about signing Leicester's England Under-21 defender James Justin, 21, on loan in January. (Football Insider)
Former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has refused to rule his old team out of the Premier League title race despite falling 11 points behind leaders Liverpool. (Sky Sports)
Everton Soares, a 23-year-old Brazil forward who plays for Gremio, is a 35m euro (£29.9m) transfer target for Everton. (Sport Witness)
Turkish side Besiktas have been linked with a move for Aston Villa's French striker Jonathan Kodjia, 30. Besiktas are willing to pay £2.5m, but Villa want up to £7m. (Sporx, via Birmingham Mail)
Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen, 32, believes Mauricio Pochettino was a victim of his own success at the club and says all the players feel responsible for the Argentine's sacking. (Evening Standard)
West Ham are looking to sign a goalkeeper, a midfielder and a striker in January. (Star)
Manager Gareth Southgate says England have a fantastic opportunity to rectify an "appalling" record at the European Championship next summer that has seen them reach only one semi-final in almost 60 years. (Guardian)
Former Watford striker Odion Ighalo, 30, is looking to return to the Premier League in January and move from Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua. Everton, West Ham, Crystal Palace, Newcastle and Southampton have all expressed an interest in the Nigerian, as have the Hornets. (Team Talk)
Nineteen-year-old Swedish midfielder Dejan Kulusevski, who plays for Parma on loan from fellow Italian side Atalanta, is wanted by Manchester United, Tottenham and Arsenal but has revealed he is a Chelsea supporter. (Team Talk)
Aston Villa have been linked with a £10m January move for Millwall's English winger Jed Wallace, 25. (Birmingham Mail)
Southampton, Newcastle and Rangers are interested in signing 17-year-old English defender Jarrad Branthwaite, who plays for League Two side Carlisle. (Chronicle)


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Happy New Year, friends! We've had a restful holiday week with a much slower schedule than normal. It's given me time to clean up the house and get organized, have play dates with friends, and just relax a little bit. We enjoyed a few easy dinners, and I've also got a new Overnight Oats recipe to share with you (scroll down for that!). My older boys will still be home from school for another week of Winter Break, so our schedule will continue to be a bit unusual for the next few days. Stay tuned for our adventures to come!
In the meantime, let's back up to last Sunday for another round of Our Week in Meals. For those of you who are new around here, this is where I share a little bit about what we've been up to over the past week — as it relates to our meals each night. I hope that this series gives you a glimpse "behind the scenes" at some highlights from our life, shows you how I balance a busy schedule with feeding my family, and offers a few new ideas for your own weekly meal plan.
When we last caught up, it was Christmas Eve and I was signing off for the holiday. Of course, we were up bright and early on Christmas morning (I heard Casey stirring in his room by 4:30 a.m.!), so after tackling the gifts from Santa we grabbed a quick holiday breakfast. The boys' only food request that day was Christmas Donuts, so that's what we had!
They spent the morning intensely working on new Lego sets,
and setting up construction sites before Aunt Barbara and Uncle Gary arrived for brunch.
Barbara brought a delicious bacon and cheese quiche,
and I took care of the sides: a fruit salad,
turkey and cheese sliders,
cheese crackers, and a salad. This was mixed greens with dried cherries, feta cheese, Honeycrisp apples, and toasted walnuts that I added at the last minute so that they wouldn't get soggy. I tossed it all in a Blush Wine Vinaigrette.
For dessert we had a tray of Christmas cookies (always)!
My Grandmother's Bourbon Balls, Chewy Ginger Oatmeal Cookies, Cherry White Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Gingerbread Cut-Outs (decorated by the kids)
It was just our family at home for dinner that evening, so we had a simple but delicious Christmas dinner. I broiled salmon that I basted in garlic butter,
and on the side we had oyster casserole (a Virginia classic for Christmas), green beans with bacon and mushrooms, and crescent rolls.
Spencer had been dealing with a cold and stuffy nose all week, so when he started complaining that his ear and head were hurting on Sunday evening, I naturally assumed that it was an ear infection (like Casey had earlier in the week). So…on Monday morning we were back in the car to get him checked at the pediatrician!
It turned out that he just had fluid in his ears (no infection), but we stopped at Target on the way home for some Ibuprofen anyway. I also snagged a Caramel Macchiato in the store!?
While we were running our errands in Charlottesville, Keith took the older two boys out to lunch in Culpeper and to a matinee showing of the new Star Wars movie in 3D.
Spencer and I spent the afternoon putting away Christmas decorations, cleaning up the house, and taking care of some other chores. I had a few very overripe bananas on the counter, so I baked a loaf of banana bread,
and then made some salmon salad to have with dinner. This was the leftover broiled salmon from our Christmas dinner + mayonnaise + pickle relish + wholegrain mustard + salt and pepper. Simple, yet so good! The rest of our meal was leftovers from the day before as well: a few turkey sliders, leftover salad, and leftover fruit.
Tuesday was a slow day around here, which we all needed. Keith was back to work, so the boys and I spent time at the house playing with new Christmas toys, cleaning up the holiday mess, and getting our house back in order. I was on a cleaning and organizing frenzy, which always feels SO satisfying when it's done. How do we accumulate so much stuff?!
The weather was unseasonably warm, so we took advantage of the temps and headed outdoors late morning. I dropped off some Herb-Toasted Mixed Nuts as a holiday gift for our neighbor (have you tried that 5-minute recipe yet? You can find it in THIS POST). By the way, the nuts would be a great healthy snack to have on hand in the New Year to curb your munchies! I think I'm ready for another batch…
And then we made our way to the school playground to get some fresh air and exercise.
I tried this Cold Brew Coffee mid-morning, which I picked up at Target the day before. I snapped a photo because I thought it was really good and I wanted to remember to mention it here! I don't care for a lot of sweetened coffee beverages because I often find them too sweet, so I just bought a small bottle to taste test. I was pleasantly surprised — it was just slightly sweet, slightly creamy from the almond milk, and had a hint of chocolate mocha flavor to it. Yum!
For dinner that evening I continued with the "cleaning out" trend and served some leftovers from the freezer. I had a container of Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili, so I stretched it by serving it over elbow macaroni, topping it with cheese and avocado, and calling it "Chili Mac." This is the kids' favorite way to eat chili, so they were very happy! We had corn muffins on the side (also from the freezer).
After a few quieter days at home recovering from the holidays (and sick germs), we were ready to venture out again on Wednesday. We were in Charlottesville for most of the day, including a stop at Jump for the trampolines with our friends Mary, John, and Baird.
We then stopped for chicken nuggets for lunch, a quick spin through Costco, and a grocery pick-up before making our way back home. We live far enough from Charlottesville that I have to maximize my trips to town and try to accomplish as much as possible (within reason), which can be tricky when I'm dragging 3 boys along with me.
Since I knew that we'd be gone most of the day, I stuck dinner in the slow cooker before we left the house in the morning. We had Slow Cooker Shredded Pork Barbecue (on sandwiches for the boys), with a green salad and a store-bought potato salad on the side. The recipe for the pork is in THIS post.
I had a delicious breakfast on Thursday morning, so I snapped a photo to share with you — Apple Pie Overnight Oats!
Here's what I did:
Apple Pie Overnight Oats
- 1/2 cup Old-Fashioned rolled oats
- 2 tablespoons vanilla protein powder
- 2 teaspoons chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
- Pinch of salt
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1 small apple diced
- 1 tablespoon chopped toasted walnuts
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
In a wide-mouth mason jar (or a small bowl), stir together oats, protein powder, chia seeds, apple pie spice, salt, and milk. Top with diced apple, cover, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Just before serving, add walnuts and a drizzle of maple syrup. You can warm these in the microwave if you prefer a hot oatmeal breakfast.
We had Gibbs's friend Chase over for the day, so the boys spent plenty of time running around outside, laughing, playing Minecraft, and building Legos.
I tried a new recipe for dinner that evening and it turned out really well — can't wait to share it with you! This was what I'm calling American Chop Suey — ground beef and tons of veggies served over rice. Cozy, easy, healthy, WIN. And the boys couldn't stop commenting on how good the kitchen smelled as it simmered — always a good sign!
On Friday morning the boys' old babysitter, Rebekah, came to visit the kids. She will always hold a special place in our hearts. Rebekah was the first babysitter who came into our home to help raise the boys while I was still working full time, she was the first person who cared for newborn Casey, and she traveled with me to job events so that I could nurse Spencer when he was an infant. She has seen the ups and downs, the good, the bad, and the ugly around here!
While Rebekah is still our neighbor, she now teaches school so we don't see her as often. Every time we drive past her dad's farm the boys ask for her, so you can imagine how excited they were to spend the day playing. Spencer was in heaven when she helped build a giant train track (after years of practicing with the older two, she's still the best when it comes to track construction)!
And as though that wasn't good enough, Rebekah even brought us a tray of her family's Christmas cookies. Always the best (and a great late-morning snack)!
While Rebekah was entertaining the kids, I took advantage of the help and spent a few minutes in the kitchen making (and photographing) our dinner. This was a Weeknight Meatball and Tortellini Soup — perfect for chilly evenings when you don't have much time to cook! The recipe will be on the blog in the coming weeks…
And one more pic from Friday evening…I love this for so many reasons:
Flying kites with Dad before sunset.
And just like that, it was New Year's Eve! Anyone with kids knows that it's tough to find a babysitter on New Year's Eve, and we certainly don't have many late-night hot spots to go to. Instead of a rockin' NYE party, we planned an afternoon visit with friends to the brand new brewery that just opened here in Madison — Bald Top. They had live music from 4-6 p.m., so the idea was to have some drinks, pizza, and fun with our buddies. Unfortunately, those plans changed slightly when I came down with a little bit of the same sickness that Spencer and Casey have been fighting all week. With a mild fever and an upset stomach, I just couldn't handle the thought of drinking beer (or sharing germs), so I dropped Keith, Gibbs, and Casey at the brewery for a cocktail hour…
while Spence and I came back home for a "chicken nugget picnic" on the floor of the living room. He watched Thomas the Tank Engine to his heart's content while I was horizontal on the couch. This was his idea of a great New Year's Eve party!
After we put the kids to bed at their normal hour that night, Keith and I watched football on t.v. while I ate a grilled cheese sandwich and crashed in bed early. No midnight celebrations for this gal!
Today I'm feeling better, I'm looking forward to the start of another wonderful year, and I can't wait to see what 2017 has in store. Thanks again to all of YOU for following along on our journey and for sharing your thoughts, comments, and ideas with me. I appreciate you so much! Have a great week!


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Counterfeit drugs have become an increasing global threat over the last few decades. More and more regulatory authorities, including those of Argentina, Brazil, India, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Turkey as well as those of Europe and the USA, have adopted or will adopt requirements for the use of globally unique drug identifiers and serialization in order to protect the supply chain.
End-to-end verification system
Prerequisite for the protection against falsified medicines is the unique assignment of a serial number in conjunction with individual production data as data matrix code (product identification GTIN/NTIN/PPN, expiration date and batch number). This unique serial number ensures the authenticity and integrity of medical products together with seal labels at the top and bottom of folding boxes serving as a protection against manipulations.
Millions of serial numbers – generated by pharmaceutical companies or provided by authorities – have to be organized, printed and sent to national verification processes. Finally, the serial numbers will be scanned on the folding box of prescription drugs in pharmacies in order to start the verification against the central database. Only if the serial number is valid and the medical product is thus authenticated, it will be handed over to the consumer.
Experts expect approximately 90 percent of prescribed medications worldwide to bear a serial number by 2020.
Track & Trace solution requirements
To fulfill these legal requirements and process workflows, pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies need a reliable Track & Trace solution which should provide the following features:
- Compliance with international anti-counterfeiting requirements
- Support of GS1 labeling information
- Management and randomization of serialization numbers in operations
- Management of modular aggregation for e.g. item, bundle, pallets
- Integration with centralized Track & Trace repositories using standards like EPCIS
- Handling of packaging orders and batch information
- Dialogs to create, discard, aggregate and disaggregate units and hierarchies
- User management including rights management & audit trail
- Recording and reconciliation of used and unused serialization numbers
System architecture according to ANSI/ISA S95
According to the internationally accepted ANSI/ISA S95 standard, an efficient Track & Trace solution should integrate level 4 with the packaging equipment and line controllers on shop floor level 2 via standard interfaces.
Level 4 comprises the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) for the administration of material master data as well as the Central Repository which is typically responsible for the generation and randomization of serial numbers. The Track & Trace solution must be able to submit these numbers to different line systems of level 2. Please note that in some scenarios no level 4 repository might be required, so that the level 3 Track & Trace solution should also be able to generate serial numbers and act as a long term archive for these numbers at least at site level. Afterwards, the used serial numbers including their status need to be sent back to the Central Repository.
In case of a contract manufacturer (CMO) the customer (Marketing Authorization Holder, MAH) will act similar to the central repository and provide serial numbers to be used by the CMO for his products and reported back to the MAH.
This architecture has to ensure the seamless information exchange in both directions. For example, the production can be immediately stopped due to missing or inconsistent data without manufacturing unusable, i.e. incorrectly serialized products.
Benefits of a Track & Trace and MES integration
The Track & Trace solution can also be directly integrated into a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) on level 3. The benefits:
- Seamless integration of Electronic Batch Records (EBR) and serialization order
- Batch Record Reports (BRR) include serialization data
- Only one graphical user interface for the operator
- Fully automated stock creation
- Central maintenance of material master data
The ERP system links business process areas such as procurement, resource planning, sales, human resources, and finance by means of a common data basis. The central number management system providing the serial numbers is also located on the same level 4. Imprinting individual packages with serialization numbers is one sub-process on level 2.
Implementation challenges for Track &Trace solutions
The implementation of Track & Trace projects will be a great technical and personnel challenge for pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies since it will be touching all departments. Due to missing standards, serialization solutions have to be adapted to existing processes in the internal value chain according to individual project execution methods in the companies. Suppliers have to integrate requirements such as coding, inspection, integration, and data management into existing processes. In addition, pharmaceutical manufacturers fear to generate higher one-off and running costs caused by production outage, additional equipment and upgrades due to the high complexity of fully integrated information systems. It can take about two years from the first planning via process analysis and supplier search through to the implementation and verification of the Track & Trace solution including employee training.
Standardization of data exchange: Open-SCS Working Group
To accelerate the project execution, the development of an open standard is of significant importance. This standard should cover the data exchange during packaging serialization for the entire business transaction. This is one of the main targets of the Open-SCS Working Group, a working group hosted by the OPC Foundation to which Werum IT Solutions is also committed. Open-SCS will define global serialization use cases across all levels. This includes interfaces between levels 2 to 3 and 3 to 4 for level 2 plant (line and equipment) and supply chain packaging serialization activities (distribution centers (DC) and warehouses) and level 3 functions (plant and warehouse operations management).


text:
142 Mercer St. New York, NY 10012 • lurefishbar.com
I was debating whether or not to lead with a photo of their food or of their decor, but in truth there really is no contest as to which is more impressive, hence the photo above. It's almost as if they built a restaurant using parts from the boat in the movie "On Golden Pond." Just gorgeous. But sadly that's close to about it in terms of plusses- well, that and it's location, right in the heart of prime Soho shopping.
And while the Yelpers may swoon, I have to scratch my head, because the food simply doesn't hold up to the adulation. For example, the lobster roll is an eye roll, paling in comparison to places like Pearl, Luke's, Mermaid Inn and Red Hook. And the other dishes weren't much better, or perhaps even worse, because they were so unmemorable as I can't even recall what else we had- only that it was more of blah, and enough blah to form a solid opinion that we would rather eat at any of the other dozen or so places in Soho that we love. Guess the name should've been a dead giveaway, lure's are inherently shiny, attractive objects, but when you bite into them, well, you get screwed.
P.S. The sister restaurant Burger & Barrel is much, MUCH better.


text:
Eleni Sikelianos
Two poems from Make Yourself Happy
I HAD TAKEN THE LONG WAY HOME, the really long way.
will the web?
was the widow their window?
what is an act of poetry?
Catching the light
with the side
of my eye.
the horse says neigh
the human says yeay
a grasshopper, you said
will never be sad.
That's the first thing.
WHAT I MEAN AND WHAT I meadow
What I want and what I winnow
When I see it it's Sappho biting into a sesame seed
She arrives right through the centuries
Walked from Mólivos to Pétra
Bright blossoms along the way
Green fields seaside and some rundown stone houses among the hotels
Sappho, how's it going
Everything's great, I recognize
The sun but where have our gods gone never
Mind, so much hiding the meat, giving them the fat
Now I can piss in the garden
I can throw my book in the sea
Drink my wine
Without wondering which meadow will winnow me, what girl
Like an apple will make me
Sweet-mouthed, happy
Here I am eating ordinary bread! Leaping out of that terrible habitat
(the past) I can pluck & pluck
Her maidenhead
From the top of the Present
Maidenhead tree
Eleni Sikelianos's hybrid essay/memoir You Animal Machine was published this June. She is the author of another hybrid memoir, The Book of Jon, and seven books of poetry, most recently The Loving Detail of the Living & the Dead. In October, she opened for Cibo Matto and Nels Cline at the Henry Miller Library.


text:
KOTA KINABALU - Police have voiced concerns over students' unsupervised access to the Internet through their smartphones as it led some of them into committing crimes.
"There is so much information available online. Without the guidance of parents and teachers, things can happen," Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib said.
Although peer pressure was a key factor, he said the prevalence of smartphone usage among students to access the Internet could not be ignored.
Speaking at the launch of a Crime Prevention Club at the Kota Kinbabalu High School here, Hamza noted that 28 students were arrested in Sabah last year for rape.
They were among 223 students held for various offences.
He said other students were arrested for murder (two), robbery (nine), various thefts (74), motorcycle thefts (49), house break-ins (36), causing injury (24) and snatch theft (one).
Hamza said between January and March, 10 students were detained for rape, adding that they were among 83 students held within that period for various offences.
However, he said police had not detected any student in Sabah involved in organised gangs.
Hamza said activities organised by Crime Prevention Clubs in 189 schools around Sabah were being stepped up to deter students from becoming involved in crime.
"Our school liaison officers will be closely monitoring the activities of these clubs," he added.
He said special notice boards were also being put up in schools to provide information about the Crime Prevention Clubs.


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Ryan Hinchman Bus 632: Organization & Leadership Individual Research Paper on Leadership West Marine's Mission Statement and Company Vision: "Our Mission is to be the best supplier of boating-related products and services that provide outstanding value to every Customer. We are committed to providing the best possible customer experience, so that every Customer regards us as an exceptional company and rewards us with their business.
We will provide an open, supportive, challenging, team-oriented environment where our Associates can achieve job satisfaction, professional and personal growth, and be compensated based on company and individual performance. We will work to improve and protect marine habitats, reduce our impact on the environment, and promote boating. We will achieve superior financial returns for the benefit of our Associates, Customers and Shareholders. " West Marine's Core Values:
Sustainability, quality products and service to our customers, to create a challenging and rewarding work environment for associates, promote boating, and achieve returns for investors. Introduction Leadership is defined as "the ability to influence a group toward the achievement of a vision or set of goals (Robbins & Judge 2011). " Management is the ability to create order with plans and systems and monitoring results against plans, while leadership is about coping with and implementing change (Robbins & Judge 2011). For the interview portion of this project I interviewed West Marine's CEO Geoff Eisenberg, and included he leadership style of Direct Merchandise Manger Kevin Osborne. These two individuals are both exemplary leaders that reinforce the company's vision and mission statement in their management style at West Marine. Consideration: An Employee-Oriented Leader I asked for an interview with the CEO of my company (West Marine) at 4:26 pm on a Monday. I had an instant response from his assistant that he was available the next day at 2:30. I was amazed at how fast the response was, and that he was available and open to the conducting an interview with me.
With the huge amount of work and projects to be done by a CEO, I felt honored that Geoff Eisenberg took a half-hour out of his day to discuss his ideas of leadership and management with me. This directly spoke to his ability to administer "Individualized consideration: Gives personal attention, treats each employee individually, coaches and advises (Robbins & Judge 2011). " This is one of four key components that represent a transformational leader. One of Geoff's accomplishments that he is most proud of as CEO, is that QWL (quality of work life) has improved during his tenure.
This immediate response spoke directly to his emphasis on collaboration and team-building with an emphasis of concern for his associates. The leading attribute for leaders is conscientiousness in the Big 5 Model (Robbins & Judge 2011). Geoff clearly demonstrates a high-level of conscientiousness with all of his associates. Initiating Structure: A Production-Oriented Leader Geoff also spoke directly to the improvements in marketing, merchandising, and overall-growth that the company has been able to accomplish by continually being in alignment with West Marine's vision and mission statement. We are constantly getting better (personal communication August 2, 2011). " The conundrum of balancing the preservation of the core values of the company and stimulating progress has been systemically achieved by placing a strong emphasis on QWL while challenging growth with new store development, sales channel growth, and overall sales dollar growth for the company. Geoff takes a fair and balanced approach. When considering the Blake Mouton leadership model, Geoff would fall into the "Team Leader" quadrant. It is important to note that consideration the context of leadership is important as the model below.
A leader is more focused on people then systems and structure (Bennis & Nanus 1985). Geoff is motivated more by concern for his people then just concerns for production. [pic] The Authentic Leader Having worked under Kevin Osborne for over two years it has become apparent that his approach to leadership is best characterized as an authentic leader as cited by Robbins & Judge (2011). "The primary quality produced by authentic leaders is trust (Robbins & Judge 2011). " The concept of authentic leaders is relatively new, however notable leaders such as Mike Ullman of J.
C. Penny and Douglas Conant of Campbell Soup have been classified as authentic leaders (Robbins & Judge 2011). These leaders foster open communication, share information, and stick to their values (Robbins & Judge 2011). By building the trust of their associates, authentic leaders are able effectively generate the motivation in driving the business. Kevin has over 20 years experience in the boating industry, and a natural talent to compromise in business strategies while maintaining the company's core ideology.
The authentic approach to leadership secures companies futures by grounding the company's approach to business decisions in the company's vision. "They build first and foremost for the long-term while simultaneously holding themselves to highly demanding short-term standards (Collins & Porras 1994). " Consider the flywheel depiction below as cited by Jim Collins (2001). Collins cited that from the outside, the break through in great companies look like revolutions, from the inside they feel like organic development (Collins 2001).
Often times, companies are not even aware of the transformation that they are undergoing, until it is complete. [pic] The key of the flywheel is to leverage the momentum for the long term success of the company, and to manage the short term pressure of the organization (Collins 2001). Leaders that successfully create momentum within the flywheel do so unknowingly to their associates. Effective leaders like Kevin do not hold motivational seminars or speeches. Instead they lead by example, and demonstrate evidence that their strategy works.
Jim Herring, CEO of Kroger stated "We tried to bring our plans to successful conclusion step by step, so that the mass people would gain confidence in our success, not just our words (personal communication 1989). " In his 2011 Winterizing Strategy presentation to the company's sales channels, Kevin outlined the projected strategy for our winterizing products. His presentation was supported with pricing strategy, sales trends, and a brief analysis of the competition. He let the flywheel do the talking so that the company could extrapolate the momentum for themselves.
Transformational Leaders Transformational leaders "Inspire followers to transcend their self-interests for the good of the organization and have an extraordinary effect on their followers (Robbins & Judge 2011). " Research has shown that transformational leaders are generally the most active and effective types of leaders. "A review of 87 studies testing transformational leadership found it was related to the motivation and satisfaction of followers and the higher-performance and perceived effectiveness of leaders (Robbins & Judge 2011). Geoff has this approach to leadership that has recently been associated with more successful business then any other form of leadership. CEOs have different styles, motivated by money and success. Geoff subscribes to a people-based approach, and that production follows. Collaboration, team-oriented work, and ethical approaches to problems define Kevin and Geoff's style of leadership. CEOs have different styles and are often motivated by different drivers. "It is a narrow vision to be driven by money and success (personal communication August 2, 2011). Geoff is motivated by the values of the company and vision statement, a strong work-ethic, and motivated to be great. I asked Geoff is he was motivated more by his successes or failures. He responded, "Probably more by the successes that have drawn me toward emulating great examples as opposed to just avoiding what not to do. There is more precision in a good example (personal communication August 2, 2011). " Geoff takes a balanced approach to managing the business. Everything is a compromise. Often business decisions are too expensive, and the best decision is a cognitive balance. 80% of any position is interchangeable and can be done by anyone, it is the 20% that defines your value to the organization and makes you effective (personal communication August 2, 2011). " "Transformational leaders have been described as fostering moral virtue when they try to change the attitudes and behaviors of followers (Robbins & Judge 2011). " Core Values and Vision Jeff has taken West Marine back to its core values of excellent customer service, providing a challenging and rewarding work-environment for associates, and creating returns for investors.
He has also added the importance of sustainability and preserving the environment to the company's vision and mission. In the new emerging business climate, companies are held to the triple bottom line: "Economic prosperity, environmental quality, and social justice (Elkington 1999). " With the profound shift in society's expectations, West Marine has incorporated sustainability into the company's mission statement. "We will work to improve and protect marine habitats, reduce our impact on the environment, and promote boating. This direction of the mission statement and vision for the company are what set standards of conduct when the organization is faced with business decisions. Along with protecting the environment, West Marine is committed to making the organization a great a place to work for associates. "We've also remained clear that profit-as important as it is- is not why the Hewlett-Packard Company exists; it exists for more fundamental reasons (Young 1992). West Marine like HP, Motorola, and Marriott, all have made concern for their employees central to their ideology (Collins & Porras1994).
Collins cited that visionary companies do not have a singular unifying theme for their core value across all companies. His research indicated that "Authenticity of the ideology and the extent to which a company attains consistent alignment with the ideology counts more then the content of the ideology (Collins & Porras 1994). " By focusing the company to the mission and vision statement, and applying transformation leadership techniques that encourage associates to transcend their roles, we unify the company and create a successful direction for the business and motivated employees. Success, as defined by the given attitude, requires focus with an underlying process and implementation homogeneity that excludes alternate strategic options (April & Shockley 1994). The challenge of leading an organization is to find pragmatic solutions and act consistently with the company's core values. Core ideologies transcend business trends, technological break throughs, management fads, and even individual leaders (Collins & Porras 1994). Great leaders help make great companies by supporting and reinforcing a company's core values. Transactional Leader
Kevin Osborne is the DMM of the merchandising department at West Marine. He is a great example of a transactional leader (transactional and transformational leaders are not necessarily mutually exclusive concepts). With multiple emerging responsibilities in a fast-paced business, Kevin effectively is able to guide his associates to established goals by "clarifying role and task requirements (Robbins & Judge 2011). " His true talent lies in his ability to empathize with his associates, and clearly see the compromised solution in difficult business and organization challenges.
Transformational leadership is not equally effective in all situations as cited by Robbins & Judge (2011). Kevin's style of management by exception as cited by Robbins & Judge (2011) is effective in allowing new associates to develop their own tact and approach to business solutions. Of course Kevin also deploys characteristics of the transformational model as well in order to be an effective leader and manager. He gives strong individual consideration to associates he coaches, and has a strong sense of individualized influence, instilling pride and gaining trust from the people that work with him (Robbins & Judge 2011).
When I started at West, Kevin gave me a great deal of autonomy and allowed me to develop my own approach to solving business problems and issues. The Company Vision and Mission Statement Geoff's vision for the company is firmly based in the company's mission statement. The statement has changed over time to incorporate the different goals of the company, and encompass the direction that business headed. This dedication to the mission statement and vision of the company highlights the strong idealized influence of a transformational leader.
He "provides vision and a sense of mission, instills pride, gains respect and trust (Robbins & Judge 2011). " Transformational leaders set an example and encourage others to transcend their traditional roles. When I asked Geoff for advice on how one improves their career and skill-set he replied "Put yourself in a position with the potential to fail. Taking on more challenges will get you noticed, and be motivated by success. Winners like winners (personal communication August 2, 2011). Companies with vision do not rely on "Any one program, strategy, tactic, mechanism, cultural norm, symbolic gesture, or CEO speech to preserve the core and stimulate progress. It's the whole ball of wax. (Collins & Porras 1994). " My Leadership Style and Approach I have always prided myself on being an effective leader that inspires associates and is respected by my subordinates. For this paper I interviewed four associates (former employees from my previous job as a Project Manager so), and two current associates. I also interviewed a few superiors just to get the 360 degree feedback.
Communication and attention to detail surfaced in every interview as leading attributes to my approach to leadership. This was not something that I was completely cognizant of prior top conducting this research. My personal values to work hard and be the best in my field have made me an effective leader and manager. An area to improve on is my resilience to failure, and learning from setbacks and mistakes. The Caliper At West Marine we have a standardized test that associates take prior to being hired. One of the aspects of the management dynamics profile created by the test is leadership.
The leadership profile is based on assertiveness, aggressiveness, ego-drive, empathy, ego-strength, risk taking, urgency, and cautiousness scored from 1-100. I took the test two years ago and scored highest in empathy (my ability to sympathize and understand people), and lowest in ego-strength (my ability to bounce back from failure). [pic] The report then generates a few paragraphs based on 200 answers to questions. It suggests that I am very capable of communication my directives in a direct and convincing fashion and that I will use targeted persuasion to build consensus rather then just issue orders to subordinates.
Since I tend to be self-critical I could benefit from tempering my expectations. Task or People-Oriented Approach? While conducting the SAL "What is my Leadership Style," I noticed that I scored an equal 7 and 7 on task and people-oriented focuses of leadership. In the Blake Mouton leadership grid, this would place me in the team leader quadrant. "You have a high attention to detail and very persistent to get the job done when we approach challenging deadlines, but you put the workers before the task (Buchannan, C. ersonal communication August 5, 2011). " "Between task and people oriented, you lean toward people-oriented (Preto, R. personal communication August 5, 2011). " As a Project Manager, I always made sure that my associates were paid for their work on time, even though I was often not. I set high standards for my crew, and made sure that they were paid accordingly which increased job satisfaction and productivity. This would be labeled as a transactional leader. The transformation piece of my leadership was cited by Tom Dewey. You motivated us to continually learn new trades and improve our work (personal communication August 5, 2011). " Interpersonal Communication Downward communication is common at West Marine, as managers convey information to the organization form one management level to the next. While interviewing a co- worker named Matthias, he pointed out that I do an excellent job of communicating with my team. The communication process in formal channels as cited by Robbins & Judge (2011) doesn't always convey the reason "why" decisions are being made. When ITT was unable to deliver our products on time, the senior executives told us to purchase the key products through the season for quarterly deliveries. You pushed back and purchased all products with monthly deliveries and we had the best in stock we have had in years. They wanted us to be in stock, but you pointed out with our normal purchasing pattern, ITT would be unable to fill POs on time and we would be in the same position we were in 2009. You gave specific details (personal communication August 5, 2011). The use of the phrase "push back" is common in our business, and really means lateral or upward communication in response to organization decisions. This particular scenario was a great example of how I effectively managed the expectations of the executive team, translated are goals into an implementable and measurable strategy, and communicated to my team "why" we are taking this approach to the business. The trait theories of leadership perspective considers "Personal qualities and characteristics that differentiate leaders from non-leaders (Robbins & Judge 2011). This understanding of personal attributes would highlight my interpersonal-communication skills as the distinguishing feature contributing to my ability to be an effective leader from my associates' perspectives. The Big 5 I showed my 4 former associates (and 2 current) the Big 5 Model below and asked them to rate on a scale of 1-5 each trait for my style of management. The average score among my associates was highest in conscientiousness (4. 5), and lowest in emotional stability (3. 3). This again reinforces my SAL score on "Personality Insights" as I scored highest in conscientiousness and lowest in emotional stability and openness. pic] Opportunities for Future Improvement After interviewing former associates, fellow co-workers, and managers, I concluded that my most effective leadership attributes from my employees' perspective was my ability to effectively communicate, and attention to detail. All of the traits approaches to leadership, various tests, and interviews unanimously point to me being self-critical, and needing to improve on set backs that I encounter. I am taking this as an action-item to review setting attainable goals for myself.
I need to view failures and losses as potential learning situations. Having established values and sticking to them in all business decisions is what separates great leaders from mundane managers. I also need to be more open to new experiences. As CEO Geoff said, "Continuously put yourself in position with an opportunity for failure… Take on more responsibility and you will get noticed (personal communication August 2, 2011). " Geoff and I discussed some of his failures; unshipped mail advertising, over purchasing products, and incorrect marketing strategies.
But at the end of the day, he stuck to the company's vision and mission statement. After 25 years he is the CEO of the organization, and well-respected by associates, vendors, and the business community as an effective leader. What I have learned more than anything from this course and interviewing associates and leaders, is that having established core values and vision are the most important attributes of being an effective leader of any organization. I consider the "Level 5" leader as depicted by Jim Collins (2002) as he described in the diagram below.
As I continue to refine my leadership skills with a balance of humility and professional determination, it is important to adhere to my personal values as well as the vision of my company. [pic] Interviews Questionnaire given to Interviewees on 8/5 Big 5 Questionnaire |Rick |Casey |Tom |Matthias |Mark |Bill |Averaged Total | |Emotional Stability |3 |3 |3 |4 |4 |3 |3. 3 | |Extraversion |5 |4 |3 |5 |5 |5 |4. 5 | |Openness |3 |3 |3 |4 |5 |3 |3. 5 | |Agreeableness |3 |3 |4 |3 |5 |5 |3. 8 | |Conscientiousness |4 |5 |4 |5 |5 |4 |4. 5 | |Grand Total |18 |18 |17 |21 |24 |20 |19. | | Interview with Geoff Eisenberg 8/2/2011 Q: What is your leadership style, how does it make you an effective leader? A: "I strive to treat people fairly, be respectful of others, and be team oriented. CEOS have different styles, some are motivated by money an d success. This is a a narrow approach. " Q: Are leaders made or born? A: "I would like to think that they are made. I am constantly improving on my ability to effectively lead and manage people. I am the manager of a wide span of the business and I am constantly seeking to do what is right for the good of the company.
It is a constant challenge that I do not think people are innately born with, It is skill-set that needs to be developed over time. " Q: What motivates you? A: "I am motivated by working hard, and the prospect of being great. I have said many times, I want to do what is right for our organization. If the boartd ot I believe at any time that someone else can do a better job then me, I have no problem stepping down. I am here to build a great company. " Q: Who are great leaders that have inspired you? A: "Randy Repass the founder of this company is a great example of an ntrepreneur that was able to hire and leverage great managers to build this business. He is an inspiration to me. Walter Scott, a consultant we hired a few years back was a brilliant man, and someone I admire as a motivator. My dad was someone that worked very hard and I try to immolate. He wasn't successful in making money, but he built a great business and put a lot of time and energy into being a hard worker. " Q: How does an effective leader balance social responsibility and providing returns for investors and workers? A: "It's a balanced approach. We have set up a system of QWL to make sure that people are being treated well.
We have an organized fashion to set target goals for revenue and profits for the company on an annual and quarterly basis. It is a constantly eveolving process and we are always getting better. Sometimes solutions are two expensive and we need to compromise, it is always a compromise. It is rare that I get to do things 100% the way that any party would like. 80% of any job is interchangeable, anyone can perform it. It is the 20% where you get the value of the job. For me that 20% is about making effective compromises and presenting them to people involved. " Q: What is the achievement that you are most proud of as CEO?
A: "QWL is up, and the way that people treat each other and interact has improved. I think that is the most important thing. " Q: What is a big mistake you have made as a leader? A: "We had a n advertisement for a product one year and I set up a marketing concept with a mail flyer. When the weekend came, no one showed up for the event. Turns out the mail did not go out in time, and no one received the flyer… I have made lots of mistakes but I always learned from them and we as a company constantly improved through the years. " Q: How does one improve their career track?
A: "Put yourself in a position ot fail, constantly. Take on more responsibility and getr noticed. Winners like other winners. Do hard work and having a strong work ethic is important. Jerry Rice once said "I hate tp o loose. " His primary motivation was not being great, but not loosing. " Interview with Tom Dewey, Rick Preto, Casey Buchannan, Matthias Kennerknecht, and Mark Dewey 8/5 Q: What are the aspects of my leadership style that make me an effective leader? Rick: The way that you communicate with us. Some bosses stop by and tell you what needs to be done and walk off.
You give workers the big picture of the scope that needs to be accomplished. " Casey: "I would agree communication was very strong with you. I remember a couple of times when you had to calm down workers when our deadlines were to close, and we got it done working over time. I think you motivate people well which is why you were a good manager for us. " Q: Am I more task of people-oriented in my leadership? Casey: "You have a high attention to detail and very persistent to get the job done when we approach challenging deadlines, but you put the workers before the task.
I would say that you are probably more people-oriented. " Mark: "It was always people first with you and it has to be in our business. There is no way that someone could be as effective if they cared only about getting the job done on time. It is rare that I have worked in other insurance jobs and been paid every Friday. You always put the crew first which is why they busted a__ for you. " Matthias: "I would say your ability to understand your team. When ITT was unable to deliver our products on time, the senior executives told us to purchase the key products through the season for quarterly deliveries.
You pushed back and purchased all products with monthly deliveries and we had the best in stock we have had in years. They wanted us to be in stock, but you pointed out with our normal purchasing pattern, ITT would be unable to fill POs on time and we would be in the same position we were in 2009. You gave specific details. " Rick: "Between task and people oriented, you lean toward people-oriented. " Tom: "You are highly motivated and have strong attention to details of every project. We knew that if anything was not done correctly, you would find it and we would have to start all over.
You never let the details slide, but you didn't micro manage us, you just wanted results. " Q: How Can I improve my Leadership Skills? Matthias: "Do not be afraid to speak your opinion in company meetings. You push back on executives in private, but the company doesn't see that. " Tom: "Be willing to be open to new business trades. I think you have a tendency to pigeon hole yourself in one position or one industry. I think you are doing that with the MBA program. Another thing is you don't bounce back well from set backs. Mark: "I would agree that the resiliency to failure is where you could improve. When we went over budget you took it personally as reflecting on you rather then a learning opportunity. That would be something good to work on. " Casey: "I would say continue on your strengths, people like you and respect you. Your word is trustworthy and that is what makes people in this business. Don't over commit to things that you cannot deliver and keep the communication lines open with your team. " Rick: "You have a tendency to get stressed when the projects go over budget and we don't hit our deadlines.
Using that stress to motivate you instead of hurt you is something that could be improved on. " References: Bennis, W. G. , & Nanus, B. (1985). Leaders: The strategies for taking charge. New York: Harper and Row. Robbins, S. , & Judge, T. (2011). Organizational Behavior ( 14th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Elkington, J. (1999). Triple bottom line Revolution- Reporting for the third millennium. Australian CPA. Nov 1999; 69, 10; Retrieved from http://extendededonline. csumb. edu/assets/BUS632/W_3/W3_Triple_Bottom_Line_V1. pdf Collins, J. Porras, J. (1994) Built to last successful habits of visionary companies. New York, NY: Harper Business Ulrich, D. , Kerr, S. , & Ashkenas, R. N. (2002). The GE work-out: How to implement GE's revolutionary method for busting bureaucracy and attacking organizational problems–fast!. New York: McGraw-Hill. Smith, L. (2011). Executive Council. Executive Offsite Prework Abstracts for West Marine. April, K. , Shockley, M. (2007) Diversity. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan. Collins, J. C. (2001). Good to great: Why some companies make the leap–and thers don't. New York, NY: HarperBusiness. Image References Blake Mouton Grid. Mindtools. Image retrieved from http://www. mindtools. com/pages/article/newLDR_73. htm Big 5 Personality Triats. Gaurdian. Co. UK. Image retrieved from http://www. guardian. co. uk/lifeandstyle/2009/mar/07/personality-test Flywheel. A Kitch Consulting. Image retrieved from: http://akitch. wordpress. com/2011/06/29/always-applicable-good-to-great-by-jim-collins/ Level 5 Leadership. Mindtools. com. Image retrieved from http://claudius. blogsome. com/2009/10/01/level-5-leadership/


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Nazareth, PA -- C.F. Martin & Co.® (Martin Guitar) continues to support music education by sponsoring the VH1 Save The Music Foundation. As part of a year-long celebration of 100 years of ukulele manufacturing, Martin Guitar has made a monetary donation and provided the Foundation with ten ukuleles to be used by music educators in schools throughout the country as part of VH1 Save The Music's "Thank a Music Teacher" program.
Nazareth, PA -- C.F. Martin & Co., Inc. (Martin Guitar) located in Nazareth, Pennsylvania is proud to announce it has regained the rightful ownership of three of its legendary trademarks in China.
Nazareth, PA -- C.F. Martin & Co. ® debuts a new Junior Series model, the D Jr. 2 Sapele, crafted with sapele top, back and sides, at the upcoming 2016 Summer NAMM Trade Show. First introduced at 2015 Winter NAMM, the D Jr. E (also available without electronics) https://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/junior/ has quickly become a favorite amongst guitar enthusiasts and popular singer/songwriters. The new D Jr. 2 Sapele will be available without electronics and the D Jr. 2E Sapele will come equipped with Fishman Sonitone electronics.
New York, NY -- Ace Hotel and Martin Guitar have been friends and partners for a half-decade now, cultivating a collaboration that's deeply rooted in a shared passion for music and the desire to support those who make it. In 2016, Martin and Ace Hotel will evolve their partnership from in-room strumming and 5 at 5 into a two-part initiative that centers around public outreach and an openhanded support towards musicians.
Nazareth, PA -- C.F. Martin & Co.® is continuing to add to their official Martin Guitar Ambassador program with today's hottest artists including Grammy nominee Elle King, Sam Hunt, Anderson East, Father John Misty, Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes, Flo Morrissey, Brett Dennen, and Megan Rapinoe. These musicians join the family of Martin Ambassadors who comprise a venerable group of career artists that love and proudly represent the Martin Guitar brand known worldwide for 183 years of premiere craftsmanship and guitar innovation.
Nazareth, PA -- Martin Guitar (www.martinguitar.com) will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of their iconic Dreadnought model (1916-2016), known worldwide as the most copied body size in the world. To launch the year-long celebration, Martin Guitar will unveil two distinctive limited edition models during the 2016 Winter NAMM Trade show in Anaheim, CA: the D-222 Anniversary Edition and D-28 John Lennon 75th Anniversary Edition. The two limited edition models pay homage to the highly influential instrument which shaped the sound of American music.
Nazareth, PA -- C.F. Martin & Co. will exclusively debut a new pickup and preamp system in 2016, the Aura® VT Enhance™ acoustic amplification by Fishman®, which offers the most advanced technology, Aura Acoustic Imaging, to preserve the unique and pristine acoustic tone of each instrument with studio microphone quality. In addition, the new streamlined Matrix VT Enhance™ will be offered on select models.
Nazareth, PA -- NAMM, Booth 902 -- C. F. Martin & Co. continues to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the iconic Martin D-35 model with two commemorative limited-edition D-35 models at the 2015 Summer NAMM show in Nashville July 9th through July 11th. The limited edition D12-35 50th Anniversary model and the HD-35 FM IV 60th will be among six other models showcased.
Nazareth, PA -- C.F. Martin & Co., Inc. (www.martinguitar.com) hosted the Fifth Bi-Annual Wood Summit at the company's headquarters in Nazareth, PA on Thursday, May 7, 2015. The full-day Summit commenced with an agenda of discussions, networking and presentations on a myriad of key topics that ranged from CITES Permits & Process, Lacey Act Due Care, DNA Chain of Custody Tracking, and alternative material sourcing.
Nazareth, PA -- C. F. Martin & Co. (www.martinguitar.com) is celebrating 50 years of their legendary D-35 Dreadnought with a very special model to debut at the 2015 Winter NAMM Trade Show – D-35 Brazilian 50thAnniversary Limited Edition. The innovative D-35 was first created by C.F. Martin & Co. in 1965 and has gone on to be one of the most popular and replicated models of our time. With no more than 100 created, the D-35 Brazilian 50th Anniversary Limited Edition model is constructed with Madagascar rosewood sides and back wings, a Brazilian rosewood back center wedge and headplate, FSC certified European spruce top, ¼" non- scalloped X bracing, and ivoroid bindings.
Nazareth, PA -- The Rainforest Alliance will honor C.F. Martin & Co. with the Sustainable Standard-Setter Award at their annual gala this evening, May 7th at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. The dinner and awards ceremony recognizes industry champions who prioritize environmental sustainability. C.F. Martin & Co. make the popular bluegrass and folk acoustic guitars.
Nazareth, PA -- C. F. Martin & Co. marked the 25th anniversary of its factory in Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico with a celebration attended by the Board of Directors and the newly released Road Series DRSGT and 000RSGT models.
Imagine you standing on the stage of the Lyric Theatre alongside Michael Johnathon and the WoodSongs crew during an actual WoodSongs broadcast and having upwards of two million people in over 175 nations hear your voice on radio and see you on TV. It can happen - that's just one of the many premiums they are offering for your kindness in helping WoodSongs upgrade to HD TV. The Martin Guitar Company has just pledged $6,000 towards the WoodSongs HD Kickstarter Program.
Nazareth, PA -- C.F. Martin & Co. is pleased to announce that chairman and CEO Chris Martin IV has been named incoming secretary of the NAMM executive committee through 2015. The appointment was announced during the annual board meeting at the Summer NAMM conference this past weekend in Nashville, TN. Chris Martin previously served on the NAMM board of directors from 2000 to 2003. "It is an honor to be appointed to the NAMM executive committee," Martin said. "NAMM has been a wonderful supporter of the Martin brand and our products for many years, and I am looking forward to working on a deeper level with the group on opportunities and issues that are relevant to the industry."
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