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South African Journal of Industrial Engineering
On-line version ISSN 2224-7890
Print version ISSN 1012-277X
S. Afr. J. Ind. Eng. vol.25 n.2 Pretoria Aug. 2014
Quantifying Quality Management System performance in order to improve business performance
R.A. SmithI, *; A. BesterII; M. MollIII
IThe author was enrolled for an MTech (Quality) in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Department Industrial and Systems Engineering Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa.I email@example.com
IIDepartment Industrial and Systems Engineering Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa. firstname.lastname@example.com
IIIDepartment Industrial and Systems Engineering Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa. email@example.com
This study investigates current methods of measuring quality management system (QMS) performance. It introduces a methodology to quantify QMS performance in order to provide a reference point for improved QMS performance and, in turn, the business's performance. By introducing metadata into historical or current QMS internal audit data, the study shows that it is possible, over time, to extract various levels of value-adding data, ranging from high-level, strategic, direction-oriented insight, to process effectiveness and implementation-level guidance. This is accomplished by a repeatable process of infusing cause and effect theming data and process-consequence severity data into the QMS audit-findings data, and subsequently analysing the additional metadata.
Die huidige metodes om gehaltebestuurstelsels se prestasie te beoordeel word ondersoek. 'n Metode om gehaltebestuurstelsels se prestasie te kwantifiseer word bekendgestel om as 'n verwysing vir verbeterde gehaltebestuurstelsels op te tree. Die studie toon dat, deur metadata in historiese of huidige gehaltebestuurstelsels se interne oudit data in te voer, dit moontlik is om, met die verloop van tyd, waardevolle data te onttrek. Hierdie data strek van hoë vlak, strategiese, rigting-georiënteerde insig tot proses doeltreffendheid en implementasievlak leiding. Dit is vermag deur 'n herhaalbare proses van oorsaak-en-gevolg data en prosesgevolg data in die gehaltebestuurstelsel in te voer en gevolglik die addisionele metadata te analiseer.
Many top-performing businesses that achieve superior levels of success and sustainability have also implemented a sound and well-maintained Quality Management System (QMS). The correlation between business success and an implemented QMS is presented in numerous papers [7, 17]. By presenting a quantifiable measure of an organisation's QMS performance, this research provides a reference point for gauging QMS performance, and a definitive measure that will help businesses to improve their performance.
Although this research was conducted at Eskom's Koeberg Nuclear Power Station (KNPS), the applied findings may be used, with minor adjustments, by any business that implements QMS internal audits as a business improvement tool. The study was performed on data produced over three years (2008 to 2010) from a programme of QMS internal audits, and was based on KNPS's quality and safety manual and the national regulatory licensing requirements. The audit monitoring programme, which was implemented over three years, considers all the management system processes that impact on nuclear safety and business performance. The individual audits each consider ISO 9001 criteria [12] within the context of the business area audited. Each major business area (e.g., design, maintenance) within the power station adheres to all generic ISO 9001 QMS clauses and considerations, such as documentation management, records management, and so on. Each process or business area audit is effectively a QMS audit. The combined audit results are therefore a representative measure of the organisation's overall QMS performance.
The research question seeks to determine how the performance measurement capability of the QMS can be improved in order to assist management in identifying business risk resulting from QMS deficiencies, and thus to improve business performance. This research reviews the literature to identify which quality management methods are currently used to measure and improve business performance. This study shows how deconstructing and analysing QMS performance measurements can provide the necessary insight for management decision-making.
2.1 Quality management methods and philosophies
According to Kellen [13], business performance measurement and control systems are the formal information-based routines and procedures that managers use to maintain or alter patterns in organisational activities. Kellen [13] notes that a typical performance measurement can help businesses to set business goals regularly, and subsequently provide managers with feedback on the progress towards meeting those goals. Kellen [13] cites Lebas and Euske (2002) when defining performance: "Doing today what will lead to measured value outcomes tomorrow". Kellen [13] concludes that business performance measurements are concerned with measuring this performance relative to some benchmark, be it a competitor's performance or a pre-set target.
Ghalayini and Noble [9] note that, in order for companies to ensure that they achieve their goals and objectives, performance measures are used to evaluate, control, and improve production processes. A variety of quality management methods and philosophies such as Business Excellence Models, Balanced Scorecards, and QMS Standards have been employed to measure performance. Choosing a specific quality management method depends on the market situation, product strategies, and the competitive environments to which the business is exposed. Van der Wiele et al. [22] conclude that quality management strategies such as certification to ISO 9000 series, and self-assessment against excellence models, can help companies move toward higher levels of excellence and improve overall business performance[23, 24].
Eskom has embarked on an ISO 9001 certification programme for all of its business units. Quality management within Eskom is seen as the overriding consideration that impacts on plant safety and reliability. KNPS attained SABS ISO 9001 certification during August 2012. A sound QMS is recognised as essential for providing sustained customer-focused process outputs that contribute to improved business performance [7]. The nuclear power generation industry has additional safety considerations and standards that need to be considered in conjunction with ISO QMS standards, in order to provide a more specific measure of QMS health and performance.
2.2 The role of QMS audits and process prioritisation
Ramly et al. [16] note that the need to improve organisational performance is a key issue to consider due to competitive pressure in manufacturing industries. The authors state that, in order to achieve a higher competitiveness level, these organisations must be able to identify their current quality performance and re-align their strategies, operations, and processes in order to improve it. Ramly et al. [16] go on to state that 'an audit' is one of the many useful tools for identifying the current quality performance: an audit helps to diagnose the opportunities for improvement, and to plan how to make improvements.
The Nuclear Energy Institute's (NEI) Standard Nuclear Performance Model (SNPM) provides guidance on how organisations can prioritise the more important processes from a safety perspective. This prioritisation guide is considered in the audit programme's planning phase so that resources may be re-directed more efficiently to provide the greatest value to the organisation, while still adhering to regulatory requirements.
The NEI's SNPM [14] has been considered extensively within the management systems of the Koeberg Operating Unit (KOU), of which KNPS is one business area. The NEI's SNPM is used as a guide for describing the process relationships and the method for grading ('severity grading') the various elements of the KOU management system processes.
The NEI's SNPM [14] notes how business outcomes can be established from both the core processes and the enabling processes. In nuclear generation, these business outcomes include the safe and reliable generation of electricity:
- Core processes: they are most directly-related to nuclear safety, and accomplish a key business function [14]. The core processes are 'Operate Plant', 'Work Management', 'Manage Configuration', 'Equipment Reliability', and 'Materials and Services'.
- Enabling processes: they are applied in support of one or more core processes [14]. The enabling processes are 'Management Processes and Support Services', 'Training', 'Nuclear Fuel', and 'Loss Prevention'.
The graded definitions noted in the NEI's SNPM (for core and enabling processes) will be used as a weighting criterion in Sections 4 and 5 to provide a significance dimension to the QMS health indicator for a nuclear QMS. The enabling processes have been further subdivided into 'management and support areas' in order to differentiate the significance between nonconformities.
2.3 Quality measurement instruments
When attempting to manage quality, the context of the environment needs to be taken into account and measured. Recent research has shown that a universalist approach is inappropriate because quality management is in fact context-dependent [20]. The management control discipline can provide important insights for quality management, because this acknowledged the importance of the business's context more than a decade ago. It is thus proposed that the criteria for the quality measurement instrument will adopt the context of its quality objectives. Two instruments, with different quality objectives and measurements, have been developed:
- Pan et al. [15] notes that the SERVQUAL instrument, developed by Parasuraman (1988), is widely used for measuring quality in the service industry;
- Saraph et al. [18] have developed an instrument that measures the 'critical factors of quality'.
Saraph et al's [8] paper identified eight critical factors (areas) of quality management in a business unit. These factors' operational measures were developed by using data collected from 162 general managers and quality managers of 89 divisions in 20 companies. They argue that researchers can use such measures to improve their understanding of quality management practice, and build theories and models that use the critical factors of quality management to improve the organisation's quality performance and environment.
2.4 Quality performance measurement inputs
To enable a reliable measurement of quality performance, quality data collected from audits must be rationalised, simplified, and questioned via complementary quality methodologies. Pan et al. [15] imply that methods such as the use of performance indicators enable conversion of the qualitative data into a quantitative domain; this makes it easier to uncover more meaningful information. This research proposes that using performance indicators and segregating data into cause-and-effect domains provides additional context to the information for management reporting.
Every measurement is subject to some uncertainty [2]. Bell [2] notes that a measurement result is only complete if it is accompanied by a statement of the uncertainty in the measurement. Measurement uncertainties can come from the measuring instrument, from the item being measured, from the environment, from the operator, and from other sources. This paper argues that such uncertainties can be estimated by using statistical analysis of a set of measurements, and by using other types of information about the measurement process. To categorise qualitative audit data, this research used a QMS themes table (an example is shown in Table 2). This list of themes was derived from a combination of functional decomposition and thematic analysis.
2.5 Standard themes produced using functional decomposition and thematic analysis
Fink [6] notes that the decomposition method is well known in the information systems and computer science disciplines. This technique is commonly applied during the systems analysis phase, when flow diagrams are produced of the system that have been broken down into increasingly smaller pieces. During the systems design phase, it is common practice that data is normalised to reduce redundancy, and that structure charts are constructed to reduce complexity in the cohesion and coupling of the data [6]. Fink [6] argues that the decomposition technique is essentially a top-down approach to solving a complex problem. This methodology was used to create the list of QMS themes presented in Table 2.
Guest et al. [8] note that thematic analysis methods such as grounded theory and cultural models require more involvement and interpretation from the researcher. They state that thematic analysis moves beyond counting explicit words or phrases, and focuses on identifying and describing both implicit and explicit ideas within the data - that is, themes. The authors explain that codes are typically developed to represent the identified themes, and then applied or linked to raw data as summary markers for later analysis. Thematic analysis methods may include the following: comparing code frequencies, identifying code co-occurrence, and graphically displaying relationships between codes within the data set.
Guest et al. [8] note that reliability is generally of greater concern in thematic analysis than in word-based analysis methods, because more interpretation goes into defining the data items (e.g., codes) and applying the codes to chunks of text. The authors argue that this issue is even more pronounced when working in teams with multiple analysts. To maintain rigor, strategies for monitoring and improving intercoder or rater agreement, and therefore reliability, should be implemented in the analytic process. The authors feel that, despite the few issues related to reliability, a thematic analysis is still the most useful method for capturing the complexities of meaning within a textual data set. Functional decomposition and thematic analysis [6, 8] was used to produce the comprehensive list of QMS themes shown in Table 2.
The literature review provided the theoretical foundation and reasoning for why this research selected the particular QMS performance measurement and quantification methodology. The research approach is considered to be inductive because the theory emerged from the data collection and analysis, and not the other way around [19]. Saunders et al. [19] argue that the defining feature of applied research is that it is driven by the need to answer practical questions related to the research topic. In this study, therefore, applied research is considered to be the most appropriate research approach. This study is based on the need to answer practical questions around the methods that may be employed to measure QMS performance. Section 4.0 on 'Environment and modelling' continues this discussion of the research methodology with its focus on the considerations for research modelling.
3.1 Secondary and primary data
Archival research provided the initial data population for this study, collected from the programme of QMS internal audits produced over the three years from 2008 to 2010. Saunders et al. [19] argue that archival research makes use of administrative records and documents as the principal source of data. They note that, although the term 'archival' has historical connotations (e.g., historical documents), it can also refer to recent documents. Saunders et al. [19] argue that all research that uses data contained in administrative records is inevitably secondary data analysis, because that data was originally collected for a different purpose. However, when this data is used in an archival research strategy, it is analysed for the value it provides to the current research.
Saunders et al. [19] caution researchers, explaining that archival research data may not contain the precise information required to answer the research question(s) or meet the research's objectives. Using an archival research strategy therefore necessitates establishing what data is available, and designing the research to make the most of it. Figure 1 shows the two main data types used in this study. The audit process produced secondary data (grey elements) in the context of the research method chosen.
The primary data in this study was obtained by introducing metadata to historical internal audit data (secondary data). The metadata comprises two themes assigned to each nonconformity, as shown at the data boundary in Figure 1 (discussed further in Section 4.4.).
The objective of introducing additional theming data into the audit findings (secondary) data is to provide locating tags related to the QMS, and to enhance the severity information embedded within audit findings collected over a defined period.
3.2 Data sets and sources
The data that will be analysed to support the research (Figure 1) comprises the following: Secondary data:
- Audit findings data collected over three years (2008 to 2010), comprising 254 nonconformities, that includes a severity grading of each nonconformity. The entire population was used. Table 3 shows a sample of the data set.
Primary data:
- Pilot study of a small sample of nonconformities, allowing themes to be assigned independently to support directing methodology; this helped to establish reliability for this study and for future research (data triangulation).
- Data resulting from assigning cause and effect theming by the researcher to the historical audit findings; this produced QMS process deficiency locating information on the audit findings.
- Data resulting from the researcher inserting quantitative generic severity information into QMS process areas related to the historical audit findings.
4.1 The QMS monitoring and reporting environment
A nuclear operating license was given to Eskom with the expectation that Eskom's KNPS would consistently comply with the licence's requirements. One element of the nuclear operation licence requires that KNPS give an assurance that they are implementing a QMS. To realise this assurance, a series of audits and reviews (monitoring activities) have to be implemented over a three-year period. This series of monitoring activities has to incorporate all process areas of the QMS.
Figure 2 is adapted from Eskom's internal audit process procedure [21] and shows the multiple monitoring activities (1 through n) that should take place over time. These monitoring activities result in findings or nonconformities (NCs) being raised where QMS deficiency is noted. The NCs are graded according to their potential consequences for the business. This specific severity grading takes place in accordance with procedures [21], and is aligned to pre-set criteria. This relates to the potential effects or consequences of the nonconformity within the context where the nonconformity manifested itself, graded as a High (H), Medium (M), or Low (L) consequence.
A report of the audit results is then provided to the auditee. This takes place during audit closing meetings and via an official written audit report. Overview reports are presented to senior management on a bi-annual basis or as required. All monitoring activity output data for the reporting period is collected and analysed to make up the overview report. Any actions in addition to the individual audit finding actions may be prescribed by management as a result of trends observed over the reporting period.
4.2 Dimensions of the QMS performance measuring instrument
The dimensions and value of the QMS performance measuring instrument are:
- The benefits of a cause-and-effect theming philosophy.
- Providing a QMS process deficiency locator/identifier.
- Providing the ability to extract a quantitative measure of the management system's performance or health.
4.2.1 QMS process deficiency locator
The 'current process' shown in Figure 3 [21] is derived from the existing audit process implemented at KNPS. This study proposes the 'new process' in Figure 3, which introduces elements 'C' and 'D' to support the objective of this research. The QMS process deficiency locating capability is achieved by assigning QMS themes (see Block 'C' in Figure 3) to audit findings. The themes are selected from a standard controlled list of themes (see Table 2) aligned and linked to accepted QMS process areas. The QMS process deficiency locator (or identifier) provides the following benefits:
- Identifies the peaks of the common processes where the QMS is deficient across monitoring periods (using Pareto methodology).
- Identifies the major effects on the business related to the QMS.
- Identifies the major causes of those effects.
4.2.2 QMS 'quantitative measure' tag
The 'quantitative measure' tag is made up of two components: the specific severity grading measure (see Block 'E' in Figure 3), and the generic severity grading measure (see Block 'D' in Figure 3). The specific indicator (High, Medium, and Low) is assigned to a nonconformity by the QMS auditor at the time of the audit, while the generic severity grading will already have been assigned to the process area, or may be assigned to the finding at the same time. All generic severity gradings of the findings in this research were assigned by the researcher as the analysis was conducted on historical data.
4.2.3 Resultant finding metadata
The qualitative theme and severity data is associated with the quantitative data, as shown in Figure 4, by assigning the value-adding metadata Y and Z to each finding (NC).
The QMS theme serves as the QMS process deficiency locator/identifier, while the two severity gradings serve as input to the quantitative measure of the management system's health. Arbitrary values were used for the specific and generic severity grades in order to obtain a representative output measure of QMS health. Hubbard [10] defines 'measurement' as "a quantitatively expressed reduction of uncertainty based on one or more observations". Even though additional research may be performed to approach more accurate severity values, this research proposes that the values used will provide sufficient reduction of uncertainty to show the viability of the philosophy. The application of the association of the quantitative data is expanded on in Section 5.3.2.
4.2.4 Creating the list of QMS process themes
The aim of theming audit findings such as nonconformities and observations is to provide timeous information on the nature and location of deficiencies within the QMS process landscape. It enables us to extract credible insight and trends from the QA findings, and also to provide traceability pathways between recommendations to management and the low level process implementation anomalies.
The list of QMS themes shown in Table 2 was used to assign themes to the findings from the monitoring activity. To develop the list, a wide range of applicable documents were used as a guide. The main documents referred to are:
- 36-188: Quality Management Manual for Nuclear Generation.
- LD1023: Quality Management Requirements for KNPS.
- IAEA GSR-3: Management System for Facilities and Activities.
- NEI's SNPM Revision 4: Standard Nuclear Performance Model.
- RD-034: Quality and Safety Management Requirements for Nuclear Installations.
- ASME NQA-1: Quality Assurance Requirements for Nuclear Facility Applications.
Common areas and categories were extracted from the above-mentioned documents to provide the major theme headings noted in Table 1:
Each theme heading was then expanded to accommodate requirements and expectations extracted from the source documents, to produce the example shown in Table 2.
The comprehensive list used for this study consists of twelve major theme headings and 121 separate themes (including the major theme headings). The high number of separate themes required an extensive data population (three years' worth) in order to obtain useful research results.
4.3 Cause and effect chain philosophy
Ciardiello [3] implies that events, referred to as 'nonconformities' in this research, are all located within a 'cause and effect' chain of events (as shown in Figure 5). This implies that the nonconformity problem statement can be located dynamically within the 'cause and effect' chain. This introduces the difficulty that different auditors may position the same nonconformity effect or consequence in a different location on the chain. This potentially results in variations in local- and overview-reporting based on the overall variance due to auditor bias.
At least one cause and one effect QMS theme is assigned to each monitoring activity nonconformity; this results in a data format, as shown in Table 3.
4.4 Cause and effect theming and the severity grading philosophy
Davies and Davis [5] state that causal relationships are cause and effect links between deliverables, drivers, and benefits (consequences). The relationships are generally many-to-many: a deliverable can influence several drivers, and/or any one driver can be changed by the effect of several deliverables.
The QMS cause and effect theme and specific severity selection options are shown in Figure 6. The tags are assigned using the following criteria:
- Effect Theme: Relating to the problem statement - Answering the question "What was the issue?" or "What was discovered?"
- Cause Theme: Relating to the issue or what was discovered. - Answering the question "Why did this happen?" or "What was the main cause?" of what happened in the problem statement.
- Potential Effects: The potential effects are those effects or consequences that have not occurred, but that might potentially occur at various levels of severity, depending on the circumstances of the NC.
- Specific Severity Grading (SSG) - Relating to the potential effects or consequences of the nonconformity, taking into consideration the context in which the nonconformity manifested itself - graded as a High (H), Medium (M), or Low (L) consequence.
In contrast with the SSG, the Generic Severity Grading (GSG) only considers the process area as dictated by the NEI's SNPM [14].
4.5 QMS performance measurement inputs relationship
Figure 7 shows the relationship between the various components in order to produce the QMS health measure. The effect theme is the theme on which the quantitative elements act to produce the measurement. The cause theme is used to inform the action and strategy for corrective and preventative action, which ultimately causes improvement in the QMS health measurement.
The QMS health measure is considered to be a dynamic measure that will indicate QMS implementation improvement as nonconformities are closed, and will indicate weakening of the QMS implementation as more nonconformities are raised. The performance or health measurement is thus related directly to all open nonconformities and their individual severity grading. This research assumes that all nonconformities considered for this study are 'open'; this implies that no corrective action has been applied.
4.5.1 QMS deficiency location
The assignment and analysis of QMS themes helped to locate the management system deficiencies within the overall QMS context. This location happens at various data levels, such as the individual finding level and the process level. Various levels of action are therefore possible, depending on where management would like to apply corrective action. The corrective action can address only the nonconformity or a more generic process issue that affects wider influences.
4.5.2 QMS theme coding notation
Table 4 shows an excerpt from the list of QMS themes. The theme code consists of a numeric prefix and an alpha suffix (e.g., '1c'). In the example shown in Table 4, QMS theming notation '1c' would be assigned to a nonconformity that had a process or interface flavour.
The numeric prefix '1' in the above example indicates that the theme is a component of a 'process management' set, while the 'c' in this example denotes a specific descriptor related to 'process management'. This multi-layered methodology allows for reporting at various levels of detail. When the coding process is repeated over the entire population of nonconformities, a new relational data layer is available for analysis and reporting.
5.1 Pareto analysis of the cause and effect themes
When assigning themes, the coder must consider the same nonconformity from two different perspectives: the 'effect' and the 'cause' perspectives. The 'effect' question that must be answered is, "What is the effect of the nonconformity?" and the 'cause' question is, "What was the likely cause of the nonconformity?"
Table 5 shows the collective totals of each QMS theme assigned per nonconformity. Analysis of the data at a theme-specific level provides the detail of the common nonconformity within the business. As noted previously, the effect theme is the indicator of current nonconformity, which could be seen as the current business risk related to QMS deficiency. Theme '1e' (Process not fully implemented) is related to procedure noncompliance, and management thus has some indication of where further investigation needs to take place and corrective action needs to be taken.
The collective summary of allocated 'cause' themes is shown in Table 6. The 'cause' theme data provides management a guide to where corrective action and preventive action must be directed to reduce the effects or consequences of management system nonconformity.
From the results seen in Table 6, the major causes over the period are related to 'cultural controls' and 'training and competency' issues.
5.2 Pareto analysis at QMS process level
High level trends are observed from the analysis at the process level. To obtain the process level information, the individual themes are counted if they are associated with the same process heading - e.g., Process Management, Records Management, or Interface Control. Process level information may then be dissected as required to expose information that may direct action. Figure 8 shows the summary of themes collected for the period 2008 to 2010 from the 'effect' themes.
The 'effect' theme shows the consequence of the nonconformity. Records management is crucial in the nuclear environment, and the results will direct management to attend to this larger process area. Figure 9 shows the summary of 'cause' themes; the major contributor over the three-year period is 'cultural controls'.
A link can be made between the increase of nonconformity in the 'cultural control' area (cause NC) and the 'records control' area (effect NC) (in Figure 8); this will, however, require a more detailed analysis.
A similar analysis of 'cause' themes would then direct management to areas where the most value can be obtained by implementing corrective and preventive action that addresses the causes.
5.3 QMS-related performance measurement
As opposed to providing only the locating information (as seen in Section 4.2.1), the QMS-related performance measurement provides an additional dimension, 'severity'. This allows management to prioritise better where the more urgent action is required. The severity component is obtained by considering both the specific severity grading and the generic or process severity grading.
5.3.1 The NEI's coding value
The NEI's generic severity grading is assigned to the organisational process while taking the NEI's SNPM process [14] into consideration. The sample of process areas given in Table 7 shows the alignment with their respective organisational process areas, as aligned with the NEI's SNPM [14]. All nonconformities have a direct relationship with an organisational process area. The nonconformities thus inherit the NEI's process coding and its associated quantitative value. This enables extrapolation, as shown in Figure 10.
Arbitrary values were assigned to the three main clusters of the NEI model (as noted in the next section):
- Core processes are assigned '1'.
- Enabling processes are assigned '0.6'.
- Management processes are assigned '0.3'.
5.3.2 Assignment of NEI coding
Table 7 shows the weighting assigned to the NEI codes, based on the NEI's SNPM. The organisational process areas were extracted from the population of nonconformities, and might vary if additional data were added to the population. This is seen as an area for improvement in future studies to enhance the reliability of the study.
To obtain a quantitative severity value per nonconformity, the sum of the values assigned to the SSG (High, Medium, and Low) and the GSG (Core, Enabling, and Management) is used. The sum of the Nonconformity Severity Gradings (NSGs) within each process area makes up the Process Severity Grading (PSG). For each of the nonconformities and QMS process areas, the equation to obtain a quantitative value is as follows:
SSG = {High =1; Medium = 0.8; and Low = 0.3}
GSG = {Core = 1; Enabling = 0.6; and Management = 0.3}
Nonconformity Severity Grading (NSG):
NSG = SSG + GSG, hence
Process Severity Grading,
PSG = Σ NSG (severity grading related to the process area)
The example below shows the total PSG for the 'Documentation Control' process area for 2008, equalling 10.8, and made up of the sum of NSGs within the process area for 2008.
Figure 11 shows the overall process nonconformity value distribution in 2008. The identifier 'A' in Figure 11 shows the 'documentation control' area within the context of the other process areas for 2008.
The overall QMS performance measure over a period of time equates to the sum of the quantitative value of the PSGs within that time period. This allows us to see the 'cause vs. effect' at various levels of detail, namely:
- Nonconformity level.
- Process/System level.
- Organisational level.
5.4 QMS performance measure results
The quantitative outputs will also be visible at the above levels, and as a result we may be able to see some of the following:
- The nonconformities that carry the most risk to the business, while taking cognisance of the various facets of organisational risk: e.g., nuclear safety, regulatory noncompliance, plant health, etc.
- The process area where the most energy needs to be expended to reduce the overall risk (again taking cognisance of the various facets of risk).
- The organisational area that requires the most attention to reduce risk on business reliability.
Figure 13 shows the distribution of QMS process anomalies, and includes severity data by year. This figure highlights a decrease in 'process management' severity over the three year period: i.e., from 33.6 (2008) to 31.6 (2009) to 22.6 (2010).
The severity data informs the urgency of action by providing management with additional risk-oriented data. This might require different or additional actions than if only the QMS deficiency location data were considered.
5.5 Quantitative measure of the QMS performance.
To arrive at a quantitative QMS performance measure, the collective nonconformity data is analysed, processed, and aggregated. Figure 14 shows a summary of the 'severity informed' nonconformity data by year. The aggregation of the data shows the amount of QMS deficiency observed in each year. To provide a more conventional generic reference, the deficiency data (Figure 14) is converted into a positive percentage value (Figure 15).
The methodology to attain this value is encapsulated in the derived formula:
QMS performance measure % = 1-(Σ (SSG+GSG))/K
The constant 'K' should vary from organisation to organisation in order to obtain an appropriate reference point from which to gauge improvement. The value would be chosen to challenge the organisation and not to discourage it.
The value 405 is a variable used in this study to obtain a visual representation of the average QMS deficiency measure over three years to indicate 70% QMS performance.
A value of 100% QMS performance would indicate that zero open or unresolved nonconformity exists within the management system. Management can thus give its attention to, and act on, the 'cause' data in order to improve on the 73.7% QMS performance seen in 2010.
5.6 Validation and reliability of results
A survey was performed with a sample of three QMS lead auditors, including the author. The aim of this survey is to show a plausible methodology that could be used to support the validity and reliability of this research and any subsequent applications. The research constraints noted below, however, do not make an extensive reliability exercise viable. The reduced scale results provide positive encouragement for the success capability of this methodology.
5.7 Limitations of the study
To obtain the aggregated QMS performance value, a level of subjectivity is embedded in the inputs of various entry points to the model, contributing to the uncertainty noted in the final QMS performance measurement. These include elements such as:
- Auditor bias, competency, and experience.
- The quality and reliability of the comprehensive theme lists.
- The understanding and application of the nonconformity-specific severity grading.
Sufficient confidence is claimed to allow management to act on the QMS measurement and Pareto analyses data. The subjective inputs in the model will decrease as uncertainties are reduced.
This research has shown that QMS performance can be measured using quantitative analysis that deconstructs the elements making up the QMS: the process areas and nonconformity noted within those process areas.
By applying the methodology noted in this research, which includes overlaying QMS themes within audit data and analysing that data, management is presented with two information sources they can consider in different ways. When the extracted 'effect' data is analysed, it provides a measurement of the status that the 'effect' QMS deficiency has on the business. The 'cause' data provides management with a target that could reduce the negative results of the effects noted, if appropriate action is taken.
When the individual monitoring activity elements (such as nonconformities and their associated process areas) are aggregated and analysed, they culminate in a quantitative QMS performance measurement.
This paper argues that a positive impact on business performance can be seen if management is provided with a quantitative reference for improving their overall QMS implementation compliance, and if this compliance is then improved.
Further research is recommended in the following areas:
- Refinement of the criteria used to grade nonconformities, and a methodology for improving the understanding and application of the nonconformity-specific severity grading.
- Reduction of the level of uncertainty in auditor bias, competency, and experience.
- Refinement of the QMS process theme lists, with exposure for influence being opened to a much wider audience.
[1] ASME NQA-1. 2008. Quality assurance requirements for nuclear facility applications (QA). The American Society of Mechanical Engineers. [ Links ]
[2] Bell, S. 2001. A beginner's guide to uncertainty of measurement. Measurement Good Practice Guide No. 11. United Kingdom: Crown Press. [ Links ]
[3] Ciardiello, A.V. 2002. Helping adolescents understand cause/effect text structure in social studies. The Social Studies (February), pp.31-36. [ Links ]
[4] Creswell, John W. 2009. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. ,3rd edition, Sage Publications. [ Links ]
[5] Davies, R. & Davis, A. 2011. Value management: Translating aspirations into performance. Gower Publishing, Ltd. [ Links ]
[6] Fink, D. 2006. Value decomposition of e-commerce performance. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 13(1/2), pp.81-92. [ Links ]
[7] Fons, S. 2011. Measuring economic effects of quality management systems. The TQM Journal, 23(4), pp.458-474. [ Links ]
[8] Guest, G., MacQueen, K. & Namey, E. 2012. Applied thematic analysis. California: SAGE Publications. [ Links ]
[9] Ghalayini, A.M. & Noble, J.S. 1996. The changing basis of performance measurement. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 16(8), pp.63-80. [ Links ]
[10] Hubbard, D.W. 2010. How to measure anything: Finding the value of 'intangibles' in business. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [ Links ]
[11] IAEA GS-R-3. 2006. The management system for facilities and activities. International Atomic Energy Agency. [ Links ]
[12] ISO 9001. 2008. Quality management systems - requirements. The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO). [ Links ]
[13] Kellen, V. 2003. Business performance measurement, At the crossroads of strategy, Decision Making, Learning and Information Visualisation. 1(312), pp. 1-36. [ Links ]
[14] NEI SNPM. 2004. The standard nuclear performance model - A process management approach. Revision 4, Nuclear Energy Institute. [ Links ]
[15] Pan, J., Kuo, T. & Bretholt, A. 2010. Developing a new key performance index for measuring service quality. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 110(6), pp.823-840. [ Links ]
[16] Ramly, E.F., Ramly, E.S. & Yusof, M. 2007. Effectiveness of quality management system audit to improve quality performance - A conceptual framework. Paper presented at The Fifth International Conference on Quality and Reliability (ICQR 2007), Chiang Mai, Thailand. [ Links ]
[17] Rusjan, B. & Alic, M. 2010. Capitalising on ISO 9001 benefits for strategic results. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 27(7), pp.756-778. [ Links ]
[18] Saraph, J.V., Benson, G. & Schroeder, R.G. 1989. An instrument for measuring the critical factors of quality. Decision Sciences, 20(4), pp.810-829. [ Links ]
[19] Saunders, M., Lewis, P. & Thornhill, A. 2009. Research methods for business students. 5th edition, England: Pearson Education Limited. [ Links ]
[20] Van der Wiele, T. 2002. A context dependent approach to quality management, pp. 1-6. (paper read at 54th EOQ Congress. October 2010. Izmir, Turkey. [ Links ])
[21] Eskom Internal Procedure, KAA-832. 2009. Quality assurance monitoring processes. Eskom, Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, Internal Process Document. [ Links ]
[22] Van der Wiele, T., Dale, B. & Williams, R. 1999. Business improvement through quality management systems. Management Decision, 38(1), pp.19-23. [ Links ]
[23] Dick, G.P.M. 2009. Exploring performance attribution: The case of quality management standards adoption and business performance. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 58(4), pp.311-328 [ Links ]
[24] Su, Q., Li, Z., Zhang, S., Liu, Y. & Dang, J. 2008. The impacts of quality management practices on business performance: An empirical investigation from China, International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management, 25(8), pp.809-823. [ Links ]
* Corresponding author


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/ Friday, May 1, 2009 / 12 Comments / Appetizers and Snacks , Dessert , Malaysian
Recently I received an email from Bee of Rasa Malaysia. She had invited me to be her guest writer for Rasa Malaysia. Well, my first thought was, what a timely invitation from Bee. I was thinking to post something special to celebrate my 7 months old blog. Hence, this is a special post for Seasaltwithfood and being a guest writer for Rasa Malaysia. YAY!! :-)
Okay, to me something special doesn't have to be expensive; but, perhaps it's something we haven't had for a while and most importantly, my family must enjoy them.
Well, I chose to make onde-onde and what a coincidence! Turned out, it was also one of Bee's suggestions! Anyway, I hope you will try this recipe. These taste great!
Onde-Onde is one of the traditional kuih in Malaysia (kuih is term for Malaysian cakes, pastries if you will). They are either made from sweet potato or glutinous rice flour. The cute little Onde-Onde are infused with Pandan juice and filled with palm sugar and then rolled in with some fresh grated coconut. The palm sugar that's in it, literally burst in your mouth when you take a bite. They are sweet and delicious. Enjoy!
250 g Glutinous Rice Flour
200 ml of Pandan Juice
150 g Gula Melaka (Palm Sugar), finely chopped
100 g Grated Coconut
A Pinch Of Sea Salt
In a large bowl, combine the glutinous rice flour with Pandan juice and knead lightly. Pinch a small piece of the dough (about 40 g) and drop it into boiling water. When the dough rises up the surface, remove it with a slotted spoon and shake off the excess water. Mix it back into the main dough and knead well to form smooth dough. Cover the dough and set aside for about 15 minutes.
Mix the grated coconut with a pinch of salt and steam for about 2 - 3 minutes and let it cool completely.
Bring a pot of water to boil. Pinch a small piece of dough (about 15 g each) and flatten lightly. Fill the center of the dough with palm sugar. Roll them in your palm to form a smooth ball and cook the glutinous rice balls in the boiling water. When the rice balls float to the surface, remove them with a slotted spoon and shake off the excess water.
Coat the rice balls with grated coconut and serve immediately.
Note: To make the Pandan Juice. Blend 10 Pandan leaves with 220 ml water.
12 comments:
Thanks for guest writing. Now, I have to make some this weekend! :)ReplyDelete
Nice pictures, Angie! Oh I so miss Onde Onde!ReplyDelete
These are so pretty!ReplyDelete
Oh goodness! Onde-onde is my favourite Malaysian dessert ever! I'm going to have to make this.ReplyDelete
I've never had these, but they're beautiful. Happy blog-versary!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMay 3, 2009 at 6:14 PM
Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe, I had so much fun exploring your blog.ReplyDelete
@Rasa Malaysia: You're welcome!ReplyDelete
@Ben: Thanks;)
@finsmom: Thanks:)
@Amanda: Nice, hope you'll try my recipe.
@Ninette: Thanks:)
@oysterculture: You're welcome and thanks for exploring my blog :)
oh my! i definitely would try this! they are like my favvv things:)ReplyDelete
I love this too. I think anything with glutinous flour is a must try.ReplyDelete
Ondeh ondeh is one of my favorite deserts. It always reminds me of home and now with this recipe, I can bring a little bit of home with me!ReplyDelete
Hi Angie, may I know what is the purposes of boiling 40g of dough then knead again with other dough?ReplyDelete

subset: commoncrawl


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A Peek into Early December
At this moment in time a year ago, winter was having a hard time getting going. November 2012 was a warm month of most of the lower 48 states with very little in the way of winter weather reported for most of the month. So far, November 2013 has been colder and more stormy than last November. Can we expect this trend to continue and carry forward into the month of December?
The answer is yes. While there have been episodes of colder weather this month, any cold snap has been brief. However, that is about ready to change. Beginning later this week and gaining momentum late Thanksgiving week get ready for much colder temperatures across most of the nation from the Rockies and points east.
There will be more winter weather taking place between now and through the month of December than we experienced for the same time period of last year. Stock growers will be digging into hay supplies early this year. This will be especially true in the areas outlined below.
The silver lining in this cold and sometimes snowy outlook for late November and early December is that snow pack, which is already off to a good start should continue to grow as we head into the end of November and through December. Near or above normal snow pack levels will be likely in many areas as we head into the New Year.
There are big differences in large scale weather patterns across the globe as compared to this time last year. Such as:
1. Water temperatures in the Pacific are warmer than last winter (which actually can lead to colder, more stormy winters).
2. Low solar activity could lead to jet stream blocking, which in turn can lead to longer lasting cold air outbreaks.
3. #1 and #2 above can work together to bring a very active winter pattern to most of the lower 48 states this winter.


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Change in the length of my rope after use
- Read the technical notice before viewing the following techniques.
- It is important to fully understand the information provided in the technical notice before using this complementary information
- Mastering these techniques requires training.
- Consult a professional before attempting to perform these techniques on your own.
It is important to know that your rope will get shorter with age, for two different reasons:
- You cut off one or two ends of the rope because they were damaged.
- The rope shrunk. With age, the rope swells in diameter and thus shrinks in length. You may notice shrinkage of 2-3 % after the first few uses, and up to 10 % over the life of the rope.
Note also that this phenomenon is not necessarily symmetric on each end of the rope: half of the rope can shrink by 5% and the other half by 10%. In this case, the rope's middle mark is no longer in the correct location.
Shrinkage is more pronounced if the rope gets wet and then dries without being tensioned (climbing a snow slope, for example).
To limit this shrinkage, we advise you to:
- regularly alternate the use of the two ends of the rope.
- for half ropes, be sure to alternate the use of the two strands of rope.
Finally, knowing that your rope can shrink over time, we recommend that you:
- regularly inspect the middle mark of the rope.
There is a simple way to find the middle of the rope: hold the two rope ends together, then slide the two strands simultaneously through your hands until the middle of the rope is reached.
- regularly evaluate the length of your rope.
- read the following tip Rope too short: warning - danger.


text:
On 10/29/12 09:38 -0500, Dan White wrote:
On 10/29/12 13:23 +0100, Simone Scremin wrote:Hi all, I'm in the process of learning the OpenLDAP authentication mechanics. I'd need to know what is the best way to configure an host based authentication system that allow to configure a per-user rule to include a group of host to which the user is allowed to login. In example: user Bob needs to authenticate on systems: sys01pra sys02pre sys03pra sys03pre some configuration on the LDAP server enable this hostnames for Bob with a regular expression like: sys0*pr* Is it feasable?Assuming that you will be using a PAM module on each host, the answer to that question will depend on which PAM module you choose, and what configuration it supports. If that module supports placing a filter within the PAM configuration, then 'host=sys0*pr*' should work.
Or, if you wish to literally store 'sys0*pr*' within your host entry in ldap, your filter could be: host=sys0\*pr\* -- Dan White


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Cobra IRadar S-Series
Description: The Cobra iRadar S-Series is the world's first under-the-hood radar/laser/camera detector to utilize a Bluetooth® connection to a smart phone. It is easily installed under the hood of the vehicle so it is completely invisible to those who do not know it is there. The Cobra iRadar S-Series connects to the free iRadar companion app and allows users to access the iRadar Community – the largest and most active crowd-sourcing community of smart detection users – and share valuable information with nearby users regarding live police, camera enforcement locations, dangerous intersections, and other caution areas.
Price: $299.00 to $300.00 Visit the Website
Cobra IRadar ATOM
Description: The iRadar ATOM is the most innovative, user-friendly and technologically advanced radar/laser/camera detection system on the market that employs smaller components while packing in its highest performance platform, making it the radar detector with the smallest footprint in the industry and 35% smaller than the iRadar 200. It allows users to share alerts in real time when connected with the iRadar app and the iRadar Community. The iRadar Community lets users report and warn other users of live police, caution areas, and photo enforcement areas. Its companion smartphone app vividly displays a host of valuable information including speed, compass direction, location-based mapping, maximum speed setting, and an array of warnings from the iRadar ATOM itself, and from other iRadar users nearby. Available in May.
Price: $199.00 to $200.00 Visit the Website
Updated SPX Radar Line
Description: Cobra's updated SPX Radar Line now includes three supercharged models – the SPX 6700, SPX 7700 and SPX 7800BT, which are the world's smallest radar detectors that offer more than double the detection range and performance. Models offer IntelliShield™ quad-level false signal rejection, pin-point radar frequency, auto mute/IntelliMute™/IntelliMute Pro™, super-charged LaserEye™ 360-degree laser detection, 5-level graphical signal strength meter, voice alert, car battery voltage display, low car battery warning and super-bright white OLED graphics display. The SPX 7700 and 7800BT features user selectable color themes and super-bright color OLED graphics display. The 7800BT offers users access to the Cobra iRadar® Community for live speed and red light camera locations, speed traps and gives to ability users to share alerts in real time with other members of the iRadar community.
Price: $169.95 to $229.95 Visit the Website
Cobra JumPack
Description: With plenty of power to jump start most vehicles or power up iPhones and other accessories, Cobra's portable powerpack, the Cobra JumPack™ is ideal emergency power for a home, vehicle or outdoors. Featuring a 200A starting current, 400A peak current, 2.1 Amp USB Output and a 7500 mAh Li-Cobalt Battery with an LED battery status indicator, the CPP 7500 offers users the reliability and convenience to charge multiple devices during low battery levels and is ideal for travel and multipurpose use. The Cobra CPP 7500 is available in April for a retail price of $129.95.
Price: $129.95 Visit the Website
Drive HD Dash Cams
Description: To deliver convenience, security and even entertainment, Cobra Electronics' Drive HD Dash Cams record everything drivers see in full 1080P HD video. With all the hazards on the road, Drive HD Dash Cams are the perfect solution to continuously record your surroundings and keep you and your vehicle safe and secure. An embedded G-Sensor automatically saves clips where an impact has been detected and the high-end model includes GPS to simulcast your precise location on a Google™ Map along with your video. Drive HD Cams also take 12 megapixel still shots and all images and videos can be viewed on a TV or Computer.
Price: $119.95 to $169.95 Visit the Website
CarChipPro Automotive Diagnostistics Data Logger From Davis Instruments
Description: The CarChip Pro is a great tool for the family car that can tell you how the vehicle is performing diagnostically, reset check engine light and track trouble code information in addition to know how the family car is being driven. The CarChip Pro is a great tool for the family car. It can tell you how the vehicle's engine is performing, reset check engine light and track trouble code information. CarChip Pro also records trip information so you know how the family car is being driven. CarChip Pro plugs into the OBD II port (located under the dash) on any 1996 or later model vehicle and starts recording vehicle performance and driving data as soon as it's installed. CarChip can be removed anytime and the information downloaded to any PC with the supplied USB cable and CarChip Pro desktop software. CarChip® Pro Driving & Engine Performance Monitor Installation is easy: plug it in, drive vehicle, download information. CarChip can record up to 300 hours of continuous driving time and up to 4 of 23 engine parameters using the desktop software. If you want to know how your vehicle is performing and being driven, you need CarChip Pro from Davis Instruments www.CarChip.com
Price: $99.00 Visit the Website
3M Paint Restoration System
Description: Protect your paint and help make it look like new again with 3M Paint Restoration System. This system provides you with the ability to restore any vehicle's appearance to a high gloss shine through the removal of oxidation, swirl marks, and light scratches. Your vehicle will look brand new! The kit comes complete with Scratch Remover Plus, Shine Restorer, a synthetic wax protectant, hook and loop attachment system and three corresponding six-inch foam pads. A three-inch scratch eraser pad is also for even more detailed finishing. This product is for use with an orbital sander or polisher.
Price: $64.99 Visit the Website
SYLVANIA SilverStar® ZXe Headlights
Description: Looking for a great gift for the car enthusiast? Consider the gift of safety and style all in one. SYLVANIA SilverStar® zXe headlight bulbs are the whitest in the SilverStar® line. The crisp white light will give your vehicle the look, feel and attitude of HID. The mirror top—which features precious metals—provides car enthusiasts with a striking look, even when unlit. While they're designed to be noticed, these lights are 100 percent street legal and provide the best peripheral vision while driving—great for seeing reflective roadside signage or markers, as well as identifying potential hazards in the road ahead. Whether you want to get the best style and look for your car, improve the range you can see while driving at night, or add the finishing touches to your car, SYLVANIA SilverStar® zXe is a great gift for the auto enthusiast who has your heart.
Price: $59.99 Visit the Website
Wear Your Heart On Your Grille: Artisan-Designed Auto Grille Ornaments Make The Perfect, Personal Gift For Any Occasion
Description: Grillie is the trend-setting maker of beautiful auto grille ornaments that put a contemporary twist on the personal imprint most car owners want on their vehicles. Each Grillie has its own distinctive character, making them the perfect, personal gift that will let your loved ones show off the things the passions that drive them. Unlike typically pricey car accessories like satellite radio subscriptions or GPS, Grillie makes finding a unique, high quality auto gift affordable and accessible. And in categories ranging from hobbies, fashion, seashore, sports, fishing, religious, occupations, sportsman/wildlife, dogs and others, there's likely a Grillie that highlights whatever interests the recipient devotes their free time to. To learn more about Grillies and see the wide range of styles available, please visit www.grillie.com.
Price: $49.99 to $50.00 Visit the Website
Cobra CPP Solar/Portable Power Series
Description: Cobra has utilized solar panel energy to create long-lasting power products with the Cobra CPP Series. Both models, the Cobra CPP 100 and CPP 300 integrate high efficiency solar panels and allow users to charge their mobile devices multiple times. Both models feature a 6000 mAh Li-ion battery and can be charged using both the solar panel and USB port. The Cobra CPP 100 includes a 2.1 Amp Outlet and LED Battery Status Indicator. The Cobra CPP 300 features an LCD Battery Status Indicator, Micro USB Output 1A and Dual USB Outlets with 2.1A and 1A Outputs. The Cobra CPP 100 and 300 will be available in February with retail ranging from $49.95-$79.95.
Price: $49.95 to $79.95 Visit the Website
Striker FLEXiT Hands-free, Flexible Task Light
Description: Striker is proud to introduce one of the most unique innovative task lights ever created—the FLEXiT. Imagine having a light you could bend like a sheet of paper to focus or spread light all around. It is a light that is able to wrap around tubes, bend into tight corners, and magnetically fasten securely to metal objects. The FLEXiT Light is a hands-free, flexible LED task light. It's ultra-thin, flexible silicone body allows an unlimited amount of light projections. The durable Shape-Loc frame makes it easy for users to bend, fold, wrap, stick or hook the FLEXiT around objects to position and aim the light. FLEXiT uses 16 Lumen Tech LEDs with three light functions (low, med, and high), and it can be bent into positions to create a focused spot or a broad flood light. The durable ABS base holds 3 AA batteries (included), the electronic switch and circuit, two large neodymium (rare-earth) magnets, and a loop to hang or mount the light. The FLEXiT is 0.85" thick, 7" wide, and 13" tall.
Price: $28.99 to $30.99 Visit the Website
CarLashes™ - Eyelashes For Cars
Description: CarLashes™ are flexible plastic eyelashes that are attached above cars' headlights; starting at $26.99/ pair, CarLashes™ are an adorable, affordable way to spread smiles for miles. CarLashes™ can easily dress-up any car (as well as many motorcycles and scooters) and are the perfect gift for spirited gals of all ages who want to add a little glam - or just plain fun - to their girly rides. CarLashes™ come in chrome, pink and frosted colors, as well as classic black. For those motoring mavens looking for some additional automotive bling, CarLashes™ now makes Crystal Eyeliner - a strip of light- and eye- catching rhinestones, - available in several head-turning colors, which retails for less than $20.
Price: $26.99 to $56.98 Visit the Website
Description: With motor vehicle theft topping the charts as the #1 property crime in the U.S., LoJack fills a clear market need for an effective stolen vehicle recovery solution. The LoJack® Stolen Vehicle Recovery System provides car owners with peace of mind knowing that if their vehicle is stolen, they have the best chance of getting it back. The LoJack® Stolen Vehicle Recovery System is directly integrated with the police to help them track and recover stolen vehicles.
Price: $25.00 to $695.00 Visit the Website
3M Custom Image Kit
Description: The 3M Custom Image Kit helps you personalize your car in minutes! This full, tools-free customization tool offers you an easy and fun way to apply a subtle image to your car's clear coat. The process is as simple as printing an image of your choice, tracing it, and transferring it onto your car using 3M's innovative abrasive technology. Unlike car sticker decals, the 3M Custom Image Kit also doesn't uses adhesives, so there's no residue left over and no chemicals required for residue removal. The matte finish image lasts as long as you like, and it won't leave a single mark after removal, if desired. With the 3M Custom Image Kit, the customization options are unlimited! The kit comes complete with stencil film, transfer film, abrasive, and tape, as well as easy-to-follow step-by-step directions. The contents of this kit will create one 8.5" x 11" or two 8.5" x 5.5" matte images on the surface of your vehicle.
Price: $24.99 Visit the Website
Striker Ultrasonic Garage Parking Sensor
Description: The Striker Adjustable Garage Parking Sensor is designed to take the guess work out of parking your car in tight garage spaces. It features adjustable, ultrasonic range-finding technology to accurately locate a vehicle within your desired parking constraints. The Parking Sensor is conveniently equipped with a range selector switch, making it easy for the user to pick different parking distances from the garage wall. Simply mount the base unit on the wall in front of the car at bumper level. Then mount the signal light in a position easily viewed from the driver's seat. As the driver approaches The Parking Sensor, they will see a green light, indicating that it is safe to proceed. As the car nears the sensor, a yellow light will illuminate as a warning to slow down. Finally, when the car is in the desired parking distance from the sensor, a red light will illuminate, signaling the driver to stop the car. It makes parking as easy as 1, 2, 3! The Striker Adjustable Garage Parking Sensor eliminates the dents and dings from garage "fender benders" and allows you to safely close the garage door every time. It is easy to install and use!
Price: $23.99 to $26.99 Visit the Website
3M Headlight Restoration System
Description: Dull and hazy headlights are both dangerous for nighttime driving and unattractive on your car. With a little elbow grease, fixing those hazards is simple with 3M Headlight Restoration System. This kit is for use on headlights, taillights, fog, and directional lights, and contains rubbing compound packet, various abrasive discs and a buffing pad. Along with an easy-to-follow four-step process that restores the clarity of yellowed, hazed, or dull headlight lenses, the 3M Headlight Restoration System can save you hundreds of dollars versus purchasing a brand new headlight. Drill is required for use with this product.
Price: $19.99 Visit the Website
Car Caché™ Makes Purse Storage In The Car A Cinch!
Description: The Car Caché is a Patent Pending invention that keeps your purse close & secure with easy access to its contents without taking your eyes off the road...greatly reducing distracted driving situations! It also eliminates car passenger inconvenience & frustration due to having to watch where they place their feet so as not to step on your purse... keeping 'shoe born' bacteria & dirt from car floor mats away from your handbag's outer surface. The Car Caché can easily accommodate both large & small purses (and bags, gloves, umbrellas, etc!) by simply adjusting the straps to make the small 'cup' at the base of the Caché fit your purse bottom as appropriate.
Price: $19.95 to $34.95 Visit the Website
Striker Light Mine Professional Hands-free Task Light
Description: Based of the hugely successful original, the Magnetic Light Mine, Striker has created a bigger, brighter, and more powerful version called the Light Mine Professional. The functionally-designed protruding posts can be used as tripods or quad-pods creating a 360 degree freestanding light. Eleven powerful neodymium magnets are located the end of each post, allowing the user to attach and aim the light accurately and securely in any direction. The Light Mine Professional has four electronic light functions; low power spot, high output flood, red night vision, and a high visibility signal beacon. The Light Mine Professional easily fits into your car's glove compartment as a roadside repair light or into your saddle bag to be used as a hazard light for your motorcycle. Attach a lanyard and use it as a magnetic pickup tool for a dropped screw. Use one in the garage to stick to your car's hood for engine repairs or on a creeper when sliding under a car. Keep one in your home for repairs in small tight spaces, such as under the counter, behind a stereo, or when upgrading computer equipment. Have one as your 'go-to' light. The potential uses are endless!
Price: $18.99 to $23.99 Visit the Website
3M Leather & Vinyl Repair Kit
Description: The 3M Leather & Vinyl Repair Kit cleans, shines, conditions and protects any vehicle's leather and vinyl upholstery in one easy step. The kit, which deep cleans dirt and grime from all vinyl, leather, rubber and plastic surfaces, has a fresh lemon scent to give it a nice, clean touch to it. Those who worry about a greasy residue left behind need not fear, as the kit produces professional results with any mess whatsoever. The 3M Leather & Vinyl Repair Kit includes Heat Cure repair rompounds, vinyl adhesives, three grain papers, backing fabric, practice vinyl, a mixing cup, a spatula and a heat transfer tool. Keeping these hard-to-maintain fabrics is easier than ever simply by using the Leather & Vinyl Repair Kit
Price: $16.99 Visit the Website
3M Door Edge Protection Film
Description: Dings and paint chips on car doors may seem unavoidable, but this new solution can help protect from everyday accidents. 3M Door Edge Protection Film, made from the same material as the professionally installed product used at car dealerships, defends door edges from scratches, weathering, abrasion and scuffs that can happen simply when shutting the door. This protectant is easily applied by hand with no tools required, and is virtually invisible and cleanly removable. It also helps keep any vehicle's appearance looking new and clean, as it is resistant to yellowing and staining. This kit includes two door edge strips ideal for most sedans, and no special care is necessary after installation.
Price: $11.69 Visit the Website


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Brooke + Reece at Grand Geneva (June 17, 2017)
Brooke & Reece were married at Grand Geneva on June 17th, 2017. Photos in this gallery are the favorites from their wedding. More will be added in the days following their big day. Photographers at the wedding were Matt Mason, Ben Foster, and Matt Warren. Use promo code Happy to receive 15% off your order.Read More


text:
Tõnis Saag necesitaba un nuevo diseño de otro y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 59 diseños de 18 diseñadores freelance.
Sportlyzer is a web startup, that builds an online social workout site, where unique algorithms analyze and advise workouts and raise motivation. To make technology more human, we need a trustworthy Coach to deliver the messages.
Because of sedentary lifestyle our client has to work out to stay healthy and fit. He/she leads an active lifestyle and wants to be best at everything – makes career, is socially active and works out. Sometimes he/she misses workouts, because there is no-one to train with. Sometimes he/she takes part in public sports events, but has no idea about necessary preparation required. Therefore he/she can't improve his/her results and occasionally suffers from muscle pains and overuse of joints. He/she could read fitness literature or consult to a personal trainer, but he/she is too occupied and consultation service is also a bit too expensive. Due to those reasons he/she has long pauses in his/her workout routine and can't reach the desired fitness level.
We need a digital Coach character, who consults our customers's workouts. The Coach is respected and loved, but all human – a little weird and gossiped (see attached file).
Give us 3 impressions of the Coach:
1. I really believe in you!
2. I have a good tip for you!
3. Go for it!
Should be a clear image, when shrinked to 100px height for digital use.
Should be possible to use in print.
File type AI (vector).


text:
SAN JOSE – Police are asking for the public's help in finding an at-risk woman who went missing in San Jose on Wednesday.
Raquel Robiedo, 53, was last seen at about 9 a.m. Wednesday in the area of Almaden and West Alma avenues, according to police.
Robiedo suffers from Alzheimer's disease, dementia and severe depression, police said.
Officers searched the area where she was last seen and put out an all-points-bulletin to other police departments but so far have not been able to locate Robiedo, police said.
She has the mental capacity of an 8- to 10-year-old, according to police.
Robiedo is described as Hispanic, standing 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighing 165 pounds with brown hair. She was last seen wearing a red and white coat, blue pants, a white shirt, a brown beanie and brown shoes.
Police do not suspect foul play in her disappearance.
Anyone with information about Robiedo or her whereabouts has been asked to call 911 or the Police Department's missing person's unit at (408) 277-4786 and reference police case 14-092-0412.


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Sponsors Jack and Deanne Anderson visited their sponsored child, Jose, in Guatemala this year. Here Deanne describes the experience of meeting Jose.
When you listen to the words of Bob Hentzen's song ìLove the Childrenî not much else needs to be said. Our trip to Guatemala proved to be one of the most beautiful and meaningful events we have experienced in a long time.
Jack and I have been blessed with three children and seven grandchildren. We are a close family and we have many dear friends. We have traveled all over the world, but nothing prepared us for what we experienced going to Guatemala to meet our sponsored child, Jose.
Immediately upon our arrival Bob and his staff made us feel like we were special. We had no idea what was in store for us. That night we met the people we would be spending the week with and got to know a little more about CFCA. Next morning we loaded into the vans and off we went on a three-hour journey to the CFCA project. The welcome we received was that of royalty or movie stars. The children were all cheering and their band was playing. It was unbelievable. That evening after dinner the sponsored children gave a performance. The first of a nightly event we all looked forward to.
Monday was the day Jack and I had been waiting for; we were going to meet Jose, our sponsored child. The emotions we felt the moment we saw him cannot be put into words, or if I did try it would take many pages of typing. His mom, dad, and little niece came with him so there was lots of hugging and tears. Then came the joy and excitement of getting to know each other through a great interpreter. Again, I wish I could share each moment of the time we spent together. All the sponsored children gave a little performance and Jose's was a beautiful poem he wrote for Jack and me. Well more tears and hugs followed. We took lots and lots of pictures and loved each minute we had with him.
Finally, it was time to say goodbye. Again, more hugs and tears of joy when we knew we would be back again to visit this very special child the Lord brought into our lives. One thing I must share are the words of Jose when he looked at Jack and I with tears in his eyes and said, "I've been waiting a very long time for you."
Each day brought a new project to visit, with warm, loving and grateful people of the land to meet and make us feel so very special. Bob Hentzen and everyone connected with CFCA are gifts from the Lord helping us to LOVE THE CHILDREN.
Please know these are only a few words of the three pages I started with. If you have the opportunity to visit your sponsored child, PLEASE GO. If not, the other most important thing you can do is write often. Let them know you are thinking of them and praying for them.
Thank you Bob, CFCA and each one of you giving, caring and loving staff. Because of you our trip was blessed, as you made it a wonderful journey for everyone there. We will be back and several of our grandchildren have expressed a desire to come along with us.


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Flat Out Sleigh Ride
Looking for an intelligent, innovative, totally interactive teambuilding experience for this year's Christmas party? Flat Out Sleigh Ride is a fun packed festive alternative to really bring out the best in your team.
Each team works together and turn a 'flat-pack' cardboard kit into a perfectly engineered sleigh powered by human reindeer. After installing their very own Santa this hi engergy challenge concludes in a head-to-head race where teams vie for advantage in a crucial costume swap.
Team building activities with a Christmas festive twist
Catalyst have many other creative solutions that lend themselves perfectly to Christmas parties and festive themed events. Here are a few ideas for your next staff Christmas party event.
Essence of Excellence
Add a touch of class with Essence of Excellence, a unisex activity that explores the olfactory sense and guides teams in creating their own take home fragrances.
Boost after dinner energy with Boomtime, an immersive, whacky 'play along' event with interactive screen graphics, guaranteed to get everybody into the groove and smiling.
Whiskey Wisdom
Have some light-hearted banter and test your teams deductive reasoning with Whiskey Wisdom, a brand new informative icebreaker that educates the palette and provokes conversation.
Contact Catalyst Teambuilding to find out more about these and other exciting Christmas activities to enhance staff engagement and enjoyment in the festive season.


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Throwed Ese (Feat. Blaze Won) - One Day [Unsigned Artist]
"@ThrowedEse FT @BlazeWonMusic - ONE DAY (PROD BY @PhamiBeatz)
Follow on Twitter/FB/IG : @ThrowedEse @BlazewonMusic @phamiBeatz
#TeamThrowedEse WE HERE !!"
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text:
Fishface necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 148 diseños de 38 diseñadores freelance.
Dentistry at Happy Canyon
We are building a new office in a beautiful area of Castle Pines Village, Colorado. Located in a boutique shopping center (http://www.thevillageatcastlepines.…llage.org/), (. Please visit these websites to get a feel for the area. We are in the midst of a new office build-out and are in need of a refined, classy, new logo. Our outdoor signage will be in Copperplate font but logo does not have to be in copperplate. Inside of office will be travertine tile thruout (Arizona tile Nu-Travertine walnut) see Arizona tile's website for sample, granite, white maple woods, and black dental chairs. There is a Dr. Davis in Texas whose reception area we are copying. See it at (http://www.pdgfazio.com/) look under portfolio, 3rd office from left. Look at consultation and reception rooms. We are a niche office specializing in implant, sedation, orthodontics, jaw joint (TMJ) and full mouth reconstruction. We will offer 5-Star spa experience with hand waxing, smile rejuvenation, exemplary service!
Upper middle class to high end.
Please try to WOW! me. Something unique. Maybe with (DHC) lettering in logo. I can send pictures of Happy Canyon via you-send-it due to size of photos. Colors are earthtones. There is a Tuscan feel to building I am in.
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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Iguana Meat Is on the Table
By Victoria Russo for Worldwatch Institute
Green and scaly, with a mouth full of sharp teeth, the iguana might not look like a nutritious meal. But as the iguana population surpasses the human population in Puerto Rico—destroying gardens, digging holes under houses, and blocking roads and runways—residents are beginning to use the animal for meat.
Although there is, as of yet, little global demand for this untraditional dish, Puerto Ricans are looking to international meat markets to support local pest control.
Iguana meat is said to taste like chicken.
Iguanas originated in Central and South America and were first brought to Puerto Rico in the 1970s to be sold as pets. The reptiles reproduce quickly, with mature females laying up to 70 eggs annually. Once iguanas entered the wild in Puerto Rico, the population quickly spiraled out of control. The animals are well camouflaged and very fast, which makes them difficult to catch.
By using iguanas for food, Puerto Ricans have found an effective way to control the reptile's exploding population. Iguana meat has been compared to a slightly sweeter version of chicken, and common recipes include stews, tacos, and roasts. Iguana eggs are edible as well, and are said to have a rich, cheesy flavor.
Puerto Rico is not the only place using iguanas for food: in Central and South America, the meat is seen as a delicacy. Nutritionally, it is rich in minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, and has more protein than chicken. If Puerto Ricans develop a taste for the meat, iguana could become a staple food source for the island.
Some other countries, including El Salvador and Mexico, already have export industries for iguana meat. Between 2001 and 2008, the United States imported more than 9,071.85 kilograms of the meat to meet the low but rising demand for consumption by humans.
According to the Dallas Observer, iguana meat can go for up to $50 per pound in some U.S. markets. The business can be so lucrative that people in some countries have established iguana farms to ensure consistent supply. The production of iguana has resulted in markets for other products as well: iguana skin is used to make leather, while iguana oil is used for medicinal purposes (for example, for rheumatism, to clear up bruises, and as an aphrodisiac).
The production of iguana meat and other products could benefit Puerto Rico in multiple ways: it could protect other Puerto Rican fauna, offer new employment opportunities, and boost domestic food security.
Victoria Russo is a research intern with the Worldwatch Institute's Nourishing the Planet project.
Category: Featured Articles, People & Solutions
Comments (1)
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I was appalled to read this blatant advertisement for eating yet another intellegent, affectionate fellow creature. "an effective way to control the reptile's exploding population"? I guess we should start cooking and eating our dog and cat overpopulation as well. What a horrible contribution to a magazine called "Living Green" that promotes plant-based diets. I have enjoyed many articles, but after reading at least two contributing authors who promote disease-causing flesh eating, I believe I will elsewhere for some true Green Living.


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DASH is
an eating plan that can help lower your blood pressure. DASH stands for Dietary
Approaches to Stop Hypertension. Hypertension is high blood
The DASH
eating plan focuses on foods that are high in calcium, potassium, and
magnesium. These nutrients can lower blood pressure. The foods that are highest
in these nutrients are fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, nuts, seeds,
and beans. Taking calcium, potassium, and magnesium supplements instead of
eating these foods does not have the same effect.
Low-fat and fat-free milk and milk
2 to 3 servings a day
A serving is 8 ounces of milk, 1 cup of
yogurt, or 1 1/2 ounces of cheese.
4 to 5 servings a day
A serving is 1 medium-sized piece of fruit,
1/2 cup chopped or canned fruit, 1/4 cup dried fruit, or 4 ounces (1/2 cup) of
fruit juice. Choose fruit more often than fruit juice.
A serving is 1 cup of lettuce or raw leafy
vegetables, 1/2 cup of chopped or cooked vegetables, or 4 ounces (1/2 cup) of
vegetable juice. Choose vegetables more often than vegetable juice.
7 to 8 servings a day
A serving is 1 slice of bread, 1 ounce of
dry cereal, or 1/2 cup of cooked rice, pasta, or cooked cereal. Try to choose
whole-grain products as much as possible.
Meat, poultry, fish
No more than 2 servings a day
A serving is 3 ounces, about the size of a
deck of cards
Legumes, nuts, seeds
4 to 5 servings a week
A serving is 1/3 cup of nuts, 2 tablespoons
of seeds, or 1/2 cup cooked dried beans or peas.
Fats and oils
A serving is 1 teaspoon of soft margarine
or vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise, or 2 tablespoons of salad
Sweets and added sugars
5 servings a week or less
A serving is 1 tablespoon of sugar or jam,
1/2 ounce of jelly beans (about 20), or 1 cup of lemonade.
The DASH eating plan is one of several lifestyle changes
your doctor may recommend. Your doctor may also want you to decrease the amount
of salt you eat. Lowering salt while following the DASH plan can lower blood
pressure even further than just the DASH plan alone.
For more information on nutrition for high blood pressure, see Nutrition for High Blood Pressure and Sample Menu for the DASH Diet.
Taking calcium, potassium, and magnesium
supplements will lower my blood pressure just as well as the DASH plan
Calcium, potassium, and magnesium are
nutrients that lower blood pressure. It's good to get these nutrients from a balanced diet. Taking supplements does not have the same
Fat-free milk is an important part of the DASH
A glass of fat-free milk
has only 80 calories and no fat and is packed with nutrients that
lower blood pressure.
Continue to Why?
Not eating enough potassium, calcium, and
magnesium may help cause high blood pressure. These nutrients come from
fruits, vegetables, and dairy products.
believe that it is the combination of 8 to 10 servings a day of fruits and
vegetables and 3 servings of low-fat or nonfat dairy
products that causes the DASH eating plan to lower blood
pressure. Simply taking calcium, potassium, and magnesium
supplements does not lower blood pressure.
Good sources
All fresh fruits and vegetables
Low-fat and nonfat dairy
Legumes (cooked dried beans and peas),
seeds, nuts, halibut, milk, yogurt, brown rice, potatoes, tomatoes, bananas,
watermelon, leafy green vegetables
A balanced, low-fat eating plan
that contains 8 to 10 servings each day of fresh fruits and vegetables and 3
servings each day of low-fat or fat-free dairy foods will
help me lower my high blood pressure.
Many people don't get
enough potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Eating 8 to 10
servings each day of fresh fruits and vegetables and 3 servings each day of
low-fat or nonfat dairy products can lower blood
Continue to How?
have more success in changing your eating habits if you make a plan. The plan
should include long-term and short-term goals as well as ideas for getting past
barriers—things that might get in the way of changing your eating
What is your long-term goal? A long-term goal is something you
want to reach in 6 to 12 months. When you have high blood pressure, the
long-term goal is to lower your blood pressure to a specific level. Talk to
your doctor about what your specific long-term goal should be.
What are the short-term goals that will help you reach your long-term goal?
Short-term goals keep you going day to day. They are usually goals you hope to
reach tomorrow or next week.
Look at the DASH eating plan. Come up with a short-term goal
that looks pretty easy. For example, you might decide that your first
short-term goal will be to eat 4 servings of vegetables every day. As soon as
you've made those extra vegetables a habit, you can add another short-term
Here are
some ideas for eating with the DASH plan:
Many people find that it helps to write down
everything they eat every day. That way they can easily see how much of each
food group they've eaten and where they need to add or cut back
A registered dietitian can work with you to
change your eating habits and help you plan menus that follow the DASH eating
style. Ask your doctor to recommend someone.
Take the time to think about what things could get in the way
of your success. These are called barriers. And by thinking about them now,
you can plan ahead for how to deal with them if they happen.
An example
of a barrier might be eating in restaurants. If you do that a lot, you may want
to plan ahead for how you will stay on your DASH plan when you eat out.
Possible solutions could include:
It's perfectly normal to try something, stop it,
and then get mad at yourself. Lots of people have to try and try again before
they reach their goals.
Having a lot of support can make it easier to change your
eating habits. For example, if family members tell you that they love how
you're getting healthier, you may be motivated to keep up the good work. Here
are some other ways to get support:
It can be frustrating to start a new project like
healthy eating and then have to stop because something gets in the way—illness,
travel, or even just boredom. Your goal is to get back in the habit and make it
a routine part of your life.
Remember that
you can't create a habit overnight. Keep at it, even if you slip up along the
way. It can take as long as 3 months of repetition to form a habit, so every
day is a step in the right direction.
you slip up, don't get mad at yourself or feel guilty. Think of it as a
learning experience. Figure out what happened. Why did you stop? Think of ways
to get yourself going again. Learn from your slip-ups so that you can keep on
toward your goal of healthy eating.
The best way to
deal with barriers is to wait until they happen and then worry about how to get
around them.
By thinking about barriers ahead of
time, you can plan ahead for how to deal with them if they happen. And then
you'll be more likely to have success in getting around them.
Continue to Where?
Now that you have read these
tips on following the DASH eating plan, you are ready to
change your eating habits to lower your high blood pressure.
For more sample menus and recipes for the DASH eating
plan, contact the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
More information about high blood pressure can be found
in the topic:
Return to topic:
Other Works ConsultedNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (2006). Your Guide to Lowering Your Blood Pressure With DASH (NIH Publication No. 06-4082). Available online: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf.
Last Revised:
April 5, 2011
Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine & Rhonda O'Brien, MS, RD, CDE - Certified Diabetes Educator
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
To learn more visit Healthwise.org
© 1995-2012 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.


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Earlier this year, Jonas Buud, an amateur runner from Sweden, was laid up with a stress fracture in his hip bone. Things weren't looking good; his recovery meant walking instead of running. But he had his eyes on his local race and decided to do it anyway, despite only two months' of running on his legs. It was the 90 km Ultravasan, which follows the route of the famous Vasaloppet cross-country ski race. Not only did he win, he did it with some style, averaging a pace of 3'49 per kilometer for 90 km on an off-road course that packed an ascent of 872 m. We had one question:
That's a 2h 40m marathon time. How did you sustain for 90km!?
It's crazy! I didn't know my shape as I had not run much. The plan was just to follow others at the start. Max King, the 2014 100 k world champion was also running. The plan was just to follow him for as long as I could.
Talk us through the race
I thought I was running a bit slow in the beginning and I wasn't checking my speed, but I did the first 5 km in 20 min, which was not so slow – and it was uphill!
"I couldn't slow down. My legs just continued running."
When did you realise you were doing well?
The first 30 km is not so technical. It's fast. It's then a bit hilly at the halfway mark of Evertsberg, the sprint prize is also there, so Max took that one – he was running really fast. He then stopped to fill up some water but I continued through the checkpoint. There's then a really long descent, the fastest part. I left Max and just continued at the same speed.
And you kept up the same pace?
At 25 km to go, I thought, 'Oh maybe I'm going too fast; I should slow down – I don't want to run faster than a 4 minute km', but I couldn't slow down! It was a really nice run the whole way and I was in the shape of my life. My legs just continued running.
What a turnaround for you!
It's been a strange season. I got a stress fracture in December and could not run for six months. My first run was 1 min walk, 1 min run which I increased every week. My first 30 min run without stops was in late May.
You came late to running as well?
Yes, I started really late although I've been orienteering since I was 10. I did my first marathon aged 30 in New York [2:36] where I met some other runners who told me to go on a training camp with them in Portugal. There I heard about the Swiss Alpine Marathon. I thought it would be too tough but I won. [He's since won it eight times in a row!]
The finish must have been special?
The year before was one of my best races ever [6:02 h]. Under six hours can be really tough. I had 5k left and I started to see what time I should have. I thought it can't be true it's too fast. It was one of the best moments as a runner because the history of the season, it's also my hometown and a lot of people were at the finish.
What's your training secret?
I just run!


text: Playing basketball is a great source of enjoyment and burning calories. It also improves coordination. When you want to buy a portable basketball hoop, then you should be careful and must know few things. There is some guidance about the purchase of a portable basketball hoop. So if you want http://basketballhoopsonline.edublogs.org/2017/02/05/portable-basketball-hoop-wheels/


text:
Have fun this Friday with some April Fools food pranks!Cook up some tasty surprises for your family!
"Sushi"Pound cake, flaked coconut, swedish fish candies & fruit leathers.
Get the all the details here
"Fish Sticks & Peas Dinner"Sugar wafer cookies, corn flakes, green taffy candy & strawberry jam.Get the details from Family Fun
"French Fries & Ketchup"Breadsticks sprinkled with sugar and strawberry jam.Get the recipe details Family Fun
"Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese Sandwich"Vanilla pudding with red food coloring and toasted slices of pound cake with "cheese" tinted icing. Photo via Flickr
Get the all the details here


text:
I know it�s perverse, but every time I eat sausage, I think about �The Jungle,� Upton Sinclair�s fiction-based-on-fact expose of the horrors of Midwest meat packing plants. I had to present a report on the book in junior high school, and it still freaks me out from time to time.
I know it�s perverse, but every time I eat sausage, I think about �The Jungle,� Upton Sinclair�s fiction-based-on-fact expose of the horrors of Midwest meat packing plants. I had to present a report on the book in junior high school, and it still freaks me out from time to time.
And yet, I continue to eat sausage. At least nowadays I try to buy it directly from the guy who raised the animals, or from one of those crunchy granola stores. It makes me feel a little virtuous. I won�t argue the merits of sausage with you. We all know that, nutritionally, it doesn�t have a lot. But, like bacon, its blend of salty, earthy and spicy flavors can stand alone or lend themselves to a complex dish.
Sometimes, you can cheat and use �healthier� sausage. The other night, faced with some beautiful orange and yellow peppers, I decided it was time to stuff those babies. I opted for sausage links made with chicken, spinach and roasted garlic. I figured, hey, the green vegetable is already in there � saves me a step. And the combination is a winner.
I like using red, orange or yellow peppers instead of green ones, which have a stronger taste and don�t get as soft during the baking stage.
To the usual ingredients � sausage, rice, onions and garlic and cheese � I added a handful of mixed dried fruit that included golden raisins, cherries, cranberries and blueberries. Bingo. The bites of fruit beautifully offset the savory ingredients. The sausage adds plenty of flavor to the stuffing mix, so be sure to taste it first before you add any salt. I didn�t add extra salt to the mixture.
If you have pepper haters in your family, this mixture also tastes great stuffed in a pita or a wrap. And I managed to make it through the entire meal without thoughts of � well, you know.
� cup raw pumpkin seeds (almonds or pecans work too)
2 Tbs. olive oil
4 chicken sausages (any flavor combination works well)
1 sweet onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/8 cup dry sherry
3 Tbs. water
� cup dried fruit, chopped if necessary
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 yellow, orange or red peppers, sliced in half and seeded
Lightly coat a 9-by-13 casserole with cooking spray.
In a large skillet over medium heat, toast the nuts or seeds and set aside. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the olive oil. Remove the casings from the sausages and crumble the meat into the pan. Saut� about 8 minutes, until the chicken starts to brown. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the onion and garlic and saut� another five minutes. Pour the stuffing into a large bowl. Keep the burner on and pour the sherry and water into the pan. Scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. When the liquid has been reduced by half, mix it into the stuffing, along with the rice and fruit, cheese and seeds. Cover and let sit for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Slice a thin strip from the bottom of each pepper half to keep it level and steady and mound the stuffing in each half. Bake for 30 minutes and serve immediately.