TIME Inc.

: People

Rekindled Romances: Katie Hennelly and Shane Sullivan

to make eyes at (idiom) to make eye contact in a

loving manner

April 7, 2003

I knew Hanna and Steve liked each other -- they

spent the whole afternoon making eyes at each
other

Ever wonder what happened to your first true love? These folks did more than pine.

Katie Hennelly and Shane Sullivan

Cast as literature's greatest lovers in grade school, they are suddenly not acting anymore.
They first made eyes at each other way back in the third grade. "There was a lot of poking and teasing," says
Shane. "That was our way of flirting." So perfect was their puppy love they were cast as Romeo and Juliet in a
fifth-grade play at their Sacramento school. But soon their innocent romance soured, and "we weren't even
speaking," says Katie. "The way you showed you liked someone back then was by disliking them."
They went to different high schools and lost track of each other. Years passed, careers began, his in sales at a San
Francisco Internet firm, hers in Sacramento as a project manager. Then, in 2001, Katie, now 27, thought she saw
him in a restaurant; the next day, she e-mailed every Shane Sullivan on Hotmail. The right one responded, and
theydidn't miss a beat: Shane was soon sending flowers addressed to "my Juliet."

puppy love (idiom) tender and affectionate love,

perhaps a little nave

I remember our puppy love days when we were both

thirteen!
didnt miss a beat (idiom) didnt waste any time

He was so tired of his old job that when another

Six months later, Shane blindfolded Katie and led her to their old grade school. On the stage where they once
company offered him a position, he didnt miss a
played Shakespeare's doomed lovers, he gave her a diamond engagement ring. Now there is no poking or teasing, beat! He accepted the job.
"just a deep, deep love," says Shane, 28. And when they finally wed in May, a classic story will take its sweetest
twist. "I believe in fate," says Katie. "We are meant to be together."

To read more about this topic, click on the URL(s) below.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2249127.stm

Rekindled Romances: Jane Gavin and Bill Campbell

smitten (adj.) captivated or fascinated by someone

or something

Ever wonder what happened to your first true love? These folks did more than pine.

Mario just met Yumiko, but he is already smitten with

her.

April 7, 2003

to click with (idiom) to like somebody instinctively

Jane Gavin and Bill Campbell

A chance meeting in a bar helps a guy smitten in high school finally click with his dream girl.
The cute guy at the bar caught Jane Gavin's eye. He noticed her too, but for a different reason. "I instantly
recognized her as Jane," says Bill Campbell of the evening in July 1997 when, out with friends on Manhattan's
Upper West Side, he spotted the girl he'd taken to his high school homecoming dance 14 years earlier. Gavin,
having after-dinner drinks with her parents, didn't recognize him at all when he introduced himself. But she was
interested.
And so she told him she was listed. He looked her up and called. On their second date they "couldn't stop
smooching," says Campbell, 36, briefly married in the mid-90s. It was a dream come true. By their fourth date,
says Gavin, 36, an executive at a fragrance company, "we had become inseparable."

They met a few weeks ago but clicked with each

other instantly!
to spot (v.) to see, to notice

We spotted Miriam in the crowd at Dantes Caf as

we arrived.
o be listed (idiom) to be included in the phone
directory

I knew her name and address, but I couldnt get her

number because she wasnt listed.
Before cutting the cake at their July 1999 wedding, Campbell, a managing director at Sony and aspiring
songwriter, surprised his bride by singing a tune he had written about their romance, "Somewhere, A Memory
Lost." These days the couple are making plenty of new memories at home in Irvington, N.Y., with twins Liam
Donald and Gavin Edwards, born Feb. 3. "How strange is it that they would know each other when they were
younger, meet again and fall in love?" muses Campbell's mother, Toppy. "It's as if they were made for each other."

Beating a Royal Retreat to Mandu

A FORGOTTEN LAND IN THE HEART OF INDIA
To read more about this topic, click on the URL(s) below.
http://www.s-t.com/daily/10-95/10-31-95/REKINDLE.HTML

Michael Fathers
March 11, 2002

The chaotic congestion of India's big cities can overwhelm even

the most stalwart tourist, but when the time comes for a retreat,

the country also offers a peaceful sanctuary: the ancient royal city of Mandu. Recite the name like a mantra as the train rumbles 18 hours south of New Delhi to Indore. And
continue the chant on the four-hour bus ride to the fortified city that time appears to have forgotten.

Abandoned nearly 300 years ago after the dissolution of the Mogul empire, Mandu is now a medieval ghost town. The grand Islamic palaces, mosques and onion-domed
mausoleums have crumbled into the fertile soil of an isolatedoutcrop high above the Narmada Valley in central India's Madhya Pradesh state. The 23-hectare plateau, shaped like a
Rorschach inkblot and rent by precipitous ravines, attracts Indian day-trippers on weekends, but during the week one can roam the ramparts of the walled city in tranquility and
dream of the days when Mandu was celebrated by the Afghan Malwa Sultans as the City of Joy.

First settled by Hindus in the 6th century as both a fortress and a retreat, Mandu fell to the Sultans of Delhi in 1305, then to the Afghans a century later. Under their prosperous
reign, Mandu experienced a golden age, prompting the construction of a number of elegant mausoleums, palaces and monuments, including the elaborate Delhi Gate -- a massive
entryway of five sculpted arches -- and India's first marble tomb, said to be the inspiration for the Taj Mahal. These historic monuments are best visited by bicycle -- you can hire
one from the Mandu village market for less than $1 a day. No major site is more than a 3-km trip.

sanctuary (n.) a place of refuge, shelter or protection; a place of peace

Alaska has become a sanctuary for many endangered species.

ghost town (n.) a town, village or city that has been abandoned by its inhabitants

When the factory closed down almost all of the people abandoned the village, turning it into a ghost town.
outcrop (n.) rock formation that is visible on the surface

The ancient ruins appeared as outcrops in the jungle forest

precipitous (adj.) very steep, fast

While climbing in the Grand Canyon Bill almost suffered a precipitous fall!
ramparts (n.) a wall made of earth encircling a castle, fort, etc. for the purpose of defending it from attackers

Medieval cities were often enclosed in protective ramparts.

Death Valley Delights

to repel (v.) to cause distaste, dislike, aversion, to
fend off
Despite a forbidding name, California's largest national park has become a prime
vacation spot, attracting young and old alike

The sight of blood repels me.

vast (adj.) wide, very spacious, large

Jacqueline Savaiano
April 28, 2003

Death Valley. The very name repels. So do the superlatives: the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere (282 ft.
below sea level), one of the hottest places on earth (record high: 134 F) and one of the dryest (average annual
rainfall: 1.8 in.). A vast stretch of nothingness. Boring. Bleak. Empty. Right?

The Outback is a vast area that covers nearly two

thirds of Australia.
bleak (adj.) cheerless, gloomy, desolate, depressing

After a week of snowstorms the city looked bleak.

Dead wrong. The 3.3 million-acre Death Valley National Park -- about 300 miles northeast of Los Angeles and
120 miles northwest of Las Vegas -- is a major tourist attraction set in one of the most beautiful and varied terrains
known to man. It's filled with Wild West history, year-round social activities and amenities ranging from
pilgrimage (n.) a journey to a distant and sacred
campgrounds for the RV crowd to the historic Furnace Creek Inn & Ranch Resort for first-class comfort and Old
place undertaken for devotional purposes
World charm.
One million people make the pilgrimage to Death Valley each year, many as returnees. During a recent visit, I
spotted signatures in the hotel registry from Massachusetts, Tennessee, Michigan, Nevada, California and
Australia. I ran into a Russian couple on a hiking trail, a German family in the visitor's center and a French
family in my hotel. Because there is no desert in Europe, Europeans come to experience the extremes, says Toni
Jepson, manager of public relations for Furnace Creek Inn & Ranch. They are almost disappointed if they don't
feel
120.
uncluttered
(adj.) empty, free of obstacles
Although there are plenty of activities for the young -- bike trips, hikes in the numerous canyons and swimming
Iatlike
my apartment
uncluttered
-- theValley
only has become especially popular with middle-age
the having
family-oriented
Furnace Creek
Ranch -- Death
furniture
I
have
is
a
bed
and
a
bookcase.
vacationers and retirees. The 45-and-older set represents the majority of the 500 residents who work as store
clerks, waiters, registrars, maids and guides. The young look for excitement, the older for peace, says Jepson, 60.
Jepson and her husband Calvin, 57, the Inn & Ranch's general manager, came to work for only two years but
decided to stay indefinitely. "We grew to love the uncluttered lifestyle," she says.

Every year, millions of devout Muslims make the

pilgrimage to Mecca.

Guess Who's Serving You Dinner

A Future Academy Award winner, perhaps. Today's stars recall how time spent waiting for their big break often meant waiting on
customers
Elyssa Lee
March 2003

With its irregular hours, heavy memorization and fickle patrons, waitering is without a doubt the perfect prep school for becoming a performer. From Gwyneth Paltrow to Al Pacino
to Sandra Bullock, many stars once added the time-honored job title of "waiter" (and sometimes "busboy" or "hostess") to their resume. In fact certain restaurants seem to have had
a better eye for spotting talented up-and-comers than Woody Allen. The Coffee Shop in N.Y.C. has seen Taye Diggs, Jennifer Esposito, Maxwell and Selma Blair all vie for
employee-of-the-month honors. Here, celebrities reveal the thrills, chills and, um, spills from their waitering days. --Elyssa Lee
KEVIN BACON "I worked as a waiter for about four years at this place called the All State Cafe on the Upper West Side [N.Y.C.]. I was also a busboy for about six months, but I
wasn't so good at that job. I remember this one time I dropped a bottle of ketchup on the floor. It smashed and the ketchup went all over this guy who happened to be wearing a
white suit. He was really annoyed."
ROBIN WILLIAMS "I was an awful waiter. I got fired after only one night because I was so slow. I was very entertaining, but I didn't get the food there on time. I was a great
busboy because then I could just be very funny."
LUCY LIU "I've done everything you can in a restaurant. I just remember spilling a lot of drinks on people."
patrons (pl. n.) regular customers

Sally and I have been loyal patrons of Tonys Diner since we came to New York City in 1979.
time-honored (adj.) honored or observed for a long time because of tradition

Eating turkey on Thanksgiving is a time-honored tradition in the United States.

busboy (n.) the person who clears and cleans the tables in a restaurant

I started in the restaurant business as a busboy.

up-and-comer (n.) a new and promising artist or talent

Gabby Rose is an up-and-comer who recently debuted in the movie To Love without End.

Dining in the Dark

Germany's Unsicht-Bar restaurant offers its customers a whole new way of looking at
food

Ursula Sautter/Cologne
July 29, 2002

In Cologne's trendy Unsicht-Bar (in German, an untranslatable pun on the words invisible and bar), light is
absolutely verboten, and patrons gather to wine and dine in utter darkness.
With the complete loss of vision -- and the resulting heightening of the other four senses -- an evening at
Germany's first-ever dark restaurant is an extraordinary culinary adventure. "You smell better, you are more
receptive to differences in texture, consistency and temperature," says Unsicht-Bar manager and founder Axel
Rudolph, 46, who opened the eatery in May 2001. "It's a holistic experience." As taste buds work overtime to
discover fresh nuances in well-known flavors, even simple, everyday foods like potatoes or plain yogurt morph
into nouvelle cuisine.
Before descending into the Stygian darkness of the dining room proper, where flashlights and even luminous
watches and mobile phones are prohibited, customers choose their fare in the restaurant's brightly lit, cheerfully
decorated entrance hall. To add to the spirit of mystery, individual dishes are not clearly identified as, say, goat
cheese on a tomato beignet. Instead, enigmatic descriptions such as "a flying visit to an Alpine cheese factory"
make the diners even more curious about what's soon to hit their palettes.
The Unsicht-Bar's waiters play a particularly important role -- all of them are either visually handicapped or
completely blind, and they not only serve the meals but also act as guides to the stumbling diners.
Since dining in the dark is not without its pitfalls -- knives and forks tend to miss their invisible targets -- certain
dishes and foods are absolutely taboo. Peas, prawns and spaghetti, for instance, would just be too hard to eat and
are therefore absent from the menu. Finger-food, however, and soup served in double-handled mugs are great
favorites with the clients and the chef alike. Whenever possible, the food is precisely arranged so that customers
can locate it using directions such as "celery at 3 o'clock" or "feta cheese at 9 o'clock."
But Cologne's Unsicht-Bar does more than just fire the imagination and stimulate the senses. After one or two
hours in complete darkness, patrons come to appreciate the skills of the blind waiters, who move around the room
with perfect ease. A trip to Unsicht-Bar thus sheds light on a strange sensual world in which the sighted people are
the ones who are blind.

pun (n.) a play on words; word or words that sound

alike but have different meanings

George is always cracking ingenious and witty puns.

He should write headlines for the Daily Standard!
verboten (adj.) strictly forbidden

Dont you even think of lighting a cigarette in an

airplane; its verboten!
enigmatic (adj.) perplexing, baffling, a riddle

She was an enigmatic woman. I never knew what

was on her mind!

Great Companies to Work For:

H&M, Sweden
Good food, good people, lots of fun -- sound like
a European holiday? No, it's a great job.
by Milton Moskowitz and Robert Levering
January 20, 2003

"We believe in people," proclaimed managing director Rolf Eriksen, sitting in an airless conference room at H&M's headquarters in central Stockholm. A cliche, yes, but one that
carries to the shop floor, where employees of this Swedish retailer of low-priced, fashionable clothes have the power to make decisions on their own. That makes for a happy
workforce -- and one in which employees clearly enjoy working together.
We sat down in Stockholm with ten H&M employees and asked, "What's different about working here?" We were off.
"I can work one day ten hours, and the next day I am tired, I go home after four hours."
"Everyone is smiling all the time. It's real -- it's not fake."
"Even though it has become bigger and bigger, you can always make your voice heard."
The starting salary for H&M salesclerks is about $1,400 a month, the same as at competitors like NK, the big Swedish department store. Very few own shares in the company, but
they look forward to work every day because of the highly charged atmosphere and the feeling they can make a difference.
H&M has tried to transplant that spirit to the 840 stores it operates in 13 European countries and the U.S. New stores are opening at a rate of 90 a year. H&M does close to $6
billion in annual sales, making it the largest apparelseller in Europe. The company didn't enter the U.S. until 2000, but it now has 45 stores.
H&M's strategy is to supply fashion at low prices -- and to keep changing the mix. New styles arrive at stores daily, and the company maintains 21 offices to work with contractors
that make clothes to H&M's specifications. Most of the garments come from China and Turkey. Guidelines and inspection teams ensure that there is no child labor and that workers
are not abused or overworked.

retailer (n.) one who sells goods to the public in relatively small quantities

Mark was a retailer for many years. His clothing store was on Main Street.
charged (adj.) positive, full of energy

As the deadline approached, the work environment became increasingly charged.

transplant (v.) to remove and establish in another place

The factory transplanted its workforce from Akron, Ohio to Miami, Florida
apparel (n.) clothing, garments

The womens apparel section is on the fourth floor.

strategy (n.) plan of action to achieve a goal

Pauls strategy is simple: to provide his customers with the best products at the lowest prices.

Great Companies to Work For: Nestl, Switzerland

Good food, good people, lots of fun -- sound like a European holiday? No, it's a great
job.
to ring true (v.) to seem or appear to be true
by Milton Moskowitz and Robert Levering
January 20, 2003

Nestl may be the only company in the world that exhorts its managers to behave modestly. As the companys
principles of management and leadership, handed out to all Nestl managers, put it, Nestl people do not show
off but are conscious of their worth and take pride in the positive image of the company. Basically they are
modest, but not without style and sense of quality."

Bobs story about his car breaking down did not ring
true, in fact I saw him driving it the other day!
premises (pl. n.) a piece of real estate; a house or
building and its land

The security guard asked the stranger to leave the

What's remarkable about this document is that it rings so true. To get a sense of the culture, one need only visit the premises.
sleepy town of Vevey on the southeastern shore of Lake Geneva, where some 1,600 people from 80 countries
work in Nestl's six-story, glass-walled headquarters overlooking the lake. French and English are the most
common languages, but meetings are conducted in whatever language is known by the most participants.

market leader (n.) the number one producer,

manufacturer or retailer of a particular good or service

It is from these premises that Nestl runs the world's biggest food company, with more than $60 billion in annual
sales, factories in 84 countries, and 237,000 employees. In the food business, Nestl is No. 1 by a wide margin -- JMZ Software is the market leader in desktop
software.
its annual sales exceed those of No. 2 Kraft by more than $12 billion. Nestl is the worldwide market leader in
instant coffee, mineral water, chocolate drinks, condensed milk, infant formula, chocolate, bouillon, pet food, and
frozen prepared dishes. It ranks No. 2 in ice cream and chilled desserts. The company markets under some 3,500
brand names, among them Nescaf, Perrier, San Pellegrino, Kit Kat, Polo, Power Bar, Stouffer's, Buitoni, Maggi,
After Eight, Friskies, Purina, Vittel, Poland Spring, and Alpo. Nestl owns 75% of Alcon Laboratories, the Texasbased eye-care company, and 23% of L'Oral, the world's largest cosmetics company.
Despite its size and breadth, employees talk without irony about the "Nestl family." They praise the company for
taking a long-term view. And they rave about their opportunities.

breadth (n.) magnitude, width, spaciousness

The breadth of his knowledge extends from chemical engineering to classical music
to rave (v.) speak about something enthusiastically

Sue and Lee rave about Lizs Diner. He says they make the best omelettes

How We Ring in the New Year

December 2002/January 2003

"When I was a child, my father started a New Year's tradition that my family and I still do: Everyone writes down their regrets for the year, puts the paper in an envelope,
and tosses the envelope into the fireplace. It's a great way to forgive yourself and start the year off right."
-- CYNTHIA STIELOW, HOUSTON, TX
"We usually make our daughters' favorite dinner -- chicken Kiev -- and take them to a movie. At 11:50, I serve a fizzy ice-cream punch (sherbet and Sprite). We clink glasses, kiss
and hug, and go outside so the girls can bang pots and pans at midnight."
-- MELANIE FURMAN, TINLEY PARK, IL
"Our family celebrates New Year's around 9:00 so my daughters can get to bed at a decent hour. We turn all the clocks to 11:59, count down, and sing 'Auld Lang Syne' at
'midnight.' Then my wife and I have some quiet time to ourselves."
-- MALCOLM WHITE, WATERTOWN, MA
"We cook a special meal, like pizza, and then go around the table and tell one another about our best memory, accomplishment, or event of the year."
-- KATRINA BELL, JANESVILLE, WI
"Since my husband is a police officer and usually works on New Year's Eve, we have dinner together around 5:30. Afterward, my son and I put on our pj's, snuggle in bed, and
watch a Disney video. The next day, we all make pancakes."
-- KIMBERLY HICKEY, PATCHOGUE, NY

"My family has a scrapbook that we update every New Year's Eve. We add two pages filled with our favorite pictures from the past year and record some of the most memorable
events -- such as the date our son, now seven months, sat up for the first time."
-- MATTHEW JENKINS, NORTH ADAMS, MA
"We eat finger foods and toast the new year at midnight with Shirley Temples in champagne glasses. Then my eight-year-old can stay up as late as he wants."
-- KYM BOETTCHER, SOUTH HACKENSACK, NJ

regrets (pl. n.) sorrows

I had no regrets when I quit my job

to toss (v.) to throw lightly and easily from the hand

Please do not toss your newspapers in the garbage. Our office recycles newspapers
to snuggle (v.) to lie close for convenience or warmth

I like to snuggle in bed during those long winter nights.

scrapbook (n.) a blank book into which pictures, newspaper clippings and souvenirs are pasted

I found my grandmother's scrapbook the other day. It contained pictures of her wedding day.
to update (v.) to make current

Let's update this mailing list before we lose track of all our clients.

Did Card Companies Create Any Holidays?

Reed Tucker
June 10, 2002

The calendar is chock full of suspicious holidays, and we're not just talking Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day
(Feb. 23, in case you missed it). Some seem to exist solely to fill card company coffers. But were any
holidays actually created by the greeting giants?

coffers (pl. n.) chests or trunks, especially those used for

keeping money

The hike in parking fines is going to add a million dollars

each year to the city's coffers.
grassroots (adj.) originating among or carried on by the
common people

"We have never created a holiday," insists Hallmark spokesperson Deidre Parkes. "We get that question all
the time." Laurie Henrichsen of American Greetings also denies a card conspiracy. "Even the minor
Sunshine is a grassroots organization formed by local
holidays havegrassroots origins," she says.

residents to keep their neighborhood clean and safe.

Such as? Mother's Day was first suggested in 1872 during the women's suffrage movement; then the idea
spread to churches, and the holiday was made official by Woodrow Wilson in 1914. Father's Day actually
got its start when a woman named Sonora Dodd felt sorry for all the unheralded dads at her 1909 Mother's
Day-themed church service. (It took until 1972 for poor dad to get official recognition.) Sweetest Day, an
obscure October holiday for which Hallmark prints -- get this -- 74 different cards, began 65 years ago
when an Ohio man passed out candy to the sick and orphaned. Then there's Administrative Professionals'
Day -- called Secretaries' Day until 2000 -- which was organized in 1952 (by secretaries, for secretaries).
And National Boss Day was created in 1958 by an insurance company employee to honor
her magnanimous superior. Okay, so the card folks are off the hook. Now, about those florists...

To read more about this topic, click on the URL(s) below.

unheralded (adj.) unnoticed, not pronounced, not

recognized

Phil is known as Mr. Tough Guy, but he is also an

unheralded donator to many charitable organizations.
magnanimous (adj.) noble, high minded; rising above
pettiness

Their feud started over a small disagreement, and now

neither one of them can be magnanimous and apologize.

http://www.holidays.net/index2.htm
off the hook (idiom) free or spared from something
onerous, such as taking a fish off the hook

You were supposed to walk the dog tonight, but Ill let you off the hook since you cooked dinner.

How to Throw the Perfect Dinner Party for Ten People

Dave Gibbons
November 2002

cozy (adj.) comfortable, warm, friendly and intimate

Instead of staying at a four-star hotel they decided to stay at

a cozy bed and breakfast.

GETTING READY: First, decide where you want the dining table -- and it doesn't have to be in the
intimate (adj.) private and friendly
dining room. Move it into the living room if you've got a fireplace there, or outside to a porch if the
weather is warm, or into acozy kitchen. Then set it for 10 (it's better to have more people at a smaller
table than the other way around -- it's more intimate and helps the talk flow) and arrange a centerpiece: a I invited a small group of my close friends to my house for
runner topped with seasonal branches (try bittersweet or fruit-tree branches) or fresh fruit (persimmons, an intimate dinner.
apples, pears), along with votives in rich jewel tones of gold, garnet or amethyst.
FOOD & DRINK: Set up a wine bar so guests can help themselves. Choose a couple of reds (a pinot noir,
a Beaujolais Nouveau, a merlot) and a full-bodied white (such as a burgundy); have six to eight bottles
total on hand. For the perfect cold-weather dinner, serve a Provencal-inspired feast. Start with an easy-toprepare charcuterie platter (dried sausages; soft and hard French cheeses such as Camembert, Gruyere,
Roquefort, etc.; olives and cornichons; along with crusty bread, crackers and breadsticks). As a main
course try a roast chicken marinated in garlic, rosemary and fresh lemon juice. Serve with roasted
potatoes (cooked with the chicken), and swiss chard or spinach sauteed with shallots. For dessert, offer a
buffet of fruits and sweets. It's easy, and a great excuse to break out a dessert wine (try a Tokay or a
Moscato).
SETTING THE MOOD: You've set lots of flickering votives on the table, but you can also add them to
mantels, sideboards, windowsills and the bathroom (nothing's worse than bright lights when you've been
relaxing by candlelight for a few hours). Splurge on Christian Tortu's delicious new woodsy scent, Forets,
$45; 888-233-3715). For the evening's soundtrack, channel an international jazzy vibe by choosing from
Cesaria Evora's Cafe Atlantico (RCA); Ella Fitzgerald's Pure Ella (Verve), Edith Piaf's La Vie en
Rose (Delta), Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli's The Quintet of the Hot Club of
France (ASV/Living Era) and The Essential Louis Armstrong(Laserlight)

on hand (idiom) present, available

Are there enough people on hand to finish the project?

to break out (idiom) to bring something out so you can use
it

Upon winning the championship, the winning team broke

out the champagne.

Instant Party: The Easy Way

Dave Gibbons
November 2002

GO ON, ORDER IN
No doubt your guests want to enjoy your company more than they do a
homemade meal. So if you're short on time, don't worry. First, buy dessert (no one has time to bake!). The next easy-to-order course is hors d'oeuvres. Call local restaurants for dim
sum, or sushi rolls and edamame, or samosas and kabobs, or small brick-oven pizzas (ask to have them cut into small squares). Still swamped? Make the sides and order the main
dish: shrimp curry from an Indian restaurant, chicken Milanese from your Italian place. Of course you can always order the whole meal in, but please take it out of the cartons. Use
real serving pieces, and spruce it up with fresh ingredients: extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, chopped herbs, scallions, etc.

DECOR: FAST FIXES

So you decided at 5 to have a dinner party at 8. Don't agonize over a fancy centerpiece. For a quick eye-catchingarrangement, line up glasses -- all clear, all one color, all flutes, all
shot glasses, etc. -- and fill with flowers, cut short. Or just buy a few beautiful big blooms: roses, dahlias, magnolias (one type or one color of a few) and float in shallow bowls. Do
a smaller version of whatever you choose for the coffee table and you're done.
WHAT TO KEEP IN YOUR KITCHEN
Stock these staples and smart extras, and you'll always be able to entertain in minutes. Two or three types of pasta, one green. Rice: long-grain and short-grain; Arborio for risotto.
Beef, chicken and vegetable stocks: frozen or canned (combine a pureed cooked vegetable such as squash, sweet potato or white beans with stock for an instanthearty soup in
almost no time). Tapenades: sun-dried tomato, olive and artichoke (spread on warm grilled or baked pizza dough and/or lightly toasted pita points as appetizers). Breadsticks,
crackers, cheese sticks (as cocktail snacks). Good-quality extra-virgin olive oil (for vinaigrettes, to drizzle on bruschetta, pasta, etc). Dijon mustard (for vinaigrettes, sandwiches and
potato salads). Canned Italian tomatoes (for pasta sauce with anchovies, capers, peppers, eggplant, mushrooms, sausage, etc.). A chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (grate it
fresh over pasta and soup). Sorbets and ice creams for desserts (serve plain or with toppings and a cookie on the side). Frozen fruit (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, peaches,
etc.) for frozen blended cocktails and smoothies as well as desserts. A few bottles each of white and red wine, champagne, beer and sparkling water.

to swamp (v.) to overwhelm

She was so swamped at work that she had to call her friends and cancel their weekend plans
to spruce up (v.) to make smart and neat in appearance

If you got a new sofa, it would really spruce up the living room.
eye-catching (adj.) easily noticed, visually appealing

Cars marketed for young people usually have eye-catching colors.

hearty (adj) providing abundant nourishment; substantial

After the long hike, they sat down to a hearty meal.

I'll Be Your Actor Tonight

For a pair of London plays, surprise pays: mystery guest stars keep audiences
coming back for more

James Inverne/London
December 2, 2002

homage (n.) special honor or respect shown or expressed

publicly

The retrospective at the National Museum paid homage to

the artist.
succession (n.) a group of people or things arranged or
following in order; a sequence

There has been quite a succession of people in that

position -- the company can't find the right person for that
When Kylie Minogue took the stage last week in The Play Wot I Wrote at Wyndham's Theatre in London,
job.
the crowd went crazy, with cheers and whoops of "We love you!" The audience didn't know the
Australian songbird would appear until she danced out from the wings. Playing herself in the hit comedy
-- a homage to the legendary British funnymen Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise -- Minogue was a
typically good sport, letting the regular cast members make fun of her name (they kept calling her Kevin)
and her career (they played off her Aussie TV past by introducing her as the star of Skippy the Bush
Kangaroo). At one point, she even dressed up as a fat, balding French friar. Truth be told, she's not much
of an actress. But the audience had paid to be surprised by a mystery guest star, and it got its money's
worth.
The secret ingredient in the success of The Play Wot I Wrote is, well, secrecy. Audiences have been
entertained by a succession of surprise guests -- from Ralph Fiennes on the opening night a year ago, to
Jude Law, Minnie Driver, Roger Moore and Ewan McGregor. Even Kenneth Branagh, who directs the
play, has taken a turn. The role is simple: a celebrity auditioning for a part in a play-within-the play goes
unrecognized by the lead actors, who proceed to tease and taunt him (or her) mercilessly. In Kylie's big
prison scene, her speech was interrupted by a fellow inmate asking, "What are you in for, bad acting?"
The conceit works precisely because the role has no fixed actor: the revolving-door casting constantly
refreshes the part, and by extension the play. The element of surprise also helps keep the play in the news.
Says producer David Pugh, "It's the show's greatest marketing tool. The chance to see a celebrity brings in
new audiences."

To read more about this topic, click on the URL(s) below.

http://www.branaghcompendium.com/artic-tpwiw_nypost2003.html
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/78463.html

to taunt (v.) to try to make someone angry or upset by

saying or doing something insulting

The other children taunted her for her out-of-date clothing

style.
conceit (n.) an imaginative idea

The brilliant conceit of the film is that the same story is told
from the point of view of four different characters.

Money Back, Guaranteed

Don't get mad, get every cent. How to get the credit you deserve
loophole (n.) a way of escaping a difficulty
by Laurie Sandell
September 2002

The store can't wait to sell it to you -- the clerk will practically jump through wire hangers to get your
credit-card imprint. But when the product fails to impress and you return to the store with receipt in hand,
watch her try to slide through the tiniest loophole to avoid giving you a refund. In this kind of
circumstance, when the store owes the buyer something, many customers may be too tired -- or lazy -- to
put up a fight. For example, stores reap an estimated $650 million each year in uncashed or lost gift
certificates, often because people won't expend the energy to recoup a small loss if the certificate
disappears, or they don't get around to spending it at all. If you're persistent, creative, and a bit of a sweet
talker, however, you can get your money back.

There was a loophole in the law which enabled the

company to avoid taxation on certain types of income.
to reap (v.) to get as a result of effort

Because my colleagues have already done so much

research, I can reap the benefits of their work instead of
doing everything myself
to recoup (v.) to get back something you have lost

FIVE SUCCESSFUL STRATEGIES

The insurance policy allowed them to recoup most of their

losses after the flood.

1. Avoid hostility. Remember: You're dealing with human beings, not computers. Be as polite and as firm
as possible. "Give yourself 24 hours to calm down," says Ron Rosenberg, founder of Drive-Youto storm (v.) to rush into a place with anger or force with
Nuts.com, a consumer-advocacy site. "The person on the other side of the counter can either help you
the idea of capturing or overcoming the individuals there
immensely or say, "Nope, I'm not going to do a thing for you."
2. Don't give up. After your call has been endlessly transferred in an extensive phone tree, it's easy to just Daniel was so angry about his boss's decision that he
hang up. Unfortunately, that's what many stores count on.
stormed into her office.
3. Keep documentation. If a store treats its gift certificates and merchandise credits as cash, all the
pleading in the world won't get your money back without some documentation.
4. Don't wait. Unless the merchandise doesn't work or doesn't last, most companies have 14-day return
policies, which means you need to act fast. And you're always better off taking action when events are
fresh in your mind.
5. Know the facts. Before you storm the store and demand your money back, know what you're dealing
with. Call the store and find out return/replacement policies and the managers' names. If you're prepared,
you'll be able to argue your case in less time.
Keep a record of every phone call you make. Write down names, phone numbers, and extensions so you
don't have to repeat your story each time you call.

The Face of Your Business

If you want to manage customer relationships, invest
in your people, not in software.
Jeffrey Pfeffer
December 2002/January 2003

A few months ago, my wife and I planned to fly Virgin Atlantic to London, but the airline messed up our reservation. When I called to get it fixed, I waited, and waited, and waited
some more for someone to answer. I finally got a disgruntled employee who put me on hold for a while and then disconnected me. We flew British Airways.
My experience shouldn't surprise anyone. A Pew Charitable Trusts survey last spring found that 46 percent of consumers had simply walked out of a store during the preceding
year after encountering bad service; 81 percent believed that stores were cutting corners on hiring. Corner-carving, in fact, turned out to be the problem with Virgin, which reduced
its reservations staff after 9/11 and therefore didn't have enough qualified people when business came back.
Does anyone besides me find it odd that customer service is deteriorating even as companies are investing heavily in customer-relationship management software, the technology
that tracks customer activity and tailors marketing efforts accordingly? AMR Research reports that some 34 percent of technology managers plan to invest in CRM software this
year. ARC Advisory Group estimates that companies will spend nearly $38 billion on the stuff between 2001 and 2005.
Maybe companies are spending on the wrong thing. Before you can manage a relationship, you first need to build it. And relationships are built less by fancy data mining than by
what happens to customers when they actually make contact with the organization.
These interactions are still, even in the Internet age, conducted by -- drumroll, please -- people. That's why successful organizations in industries like airlines, hospitality, retailing,
and financial services take care to hire people who fit into a service-oriented culture. They train them and treat them well so they'll stay. The best companies build cultures in which
front-line people are empowered to do what's needed to take care of the customer.
Retailers talk about "the final 3 feet" -- the distance between the customer and the associate -- as the most crucialpiece of real estate in customer relations. I agree. It's in this space
that the battle for survival and growth will be won.

disgruntled (adj.) in a state of sulky dissatisfaction

The disgruntled child sat in the corner and did not

speak for the rest of the day.

to cut corners (idiom) to do something in the

cheapest or easiest way

Mobile Phones Get the Picture

With more handsets offering picture-taking capabilities, consumers will want to

keep an eye on resolution, compatibility and price.

Cutting corners in construction can lead to serious

safety
problems in the finished building.
Suzanne Kantra Kirschner
June 2003

to deteriorate (v.) to grow worse

It's easy to dismiss the camera-in-phone concept as another tech pairing born without reference to need.
But these combo devices enable the spur-of-the-moment photo for people who regularly carry phones but
not cameras -- and sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words. Moreover, the best of the cellcam units, like Samsung's SPH-A600, are beautifully crafted, cleverly designed gadgets that are fun just
to hold and use. Of course there are the inevitable early-development drawbacks: The phones cost about
$200 to $300, although prices have started to fall, and require a data service package at about $10 a
month. Picture quality (VGA, at best) means these photos are strictly for electronic sharing--making a 4
by 6 print would be stretching it. And while you can send a photo from your handset to any e-mail
address, only handsets on the same network can receive. But hold tight: Impending industry agreements
on intercarrier messaging mean you may soon be able to cross networks.

The diplomatic situation deteriorated and war looked

immanent.
crucial (adj.) extremely significant or important

An adequate money supply is crucial for the smooth

working of the economy.

Siemens SX1
Features: VGA (640 by 480 pixels), GSM 900/1800/1900 network, video clips (15 fps), Bluetooth, MP3
player, FM radio. Bottom Line: Slick and well-equipped, but the vertically oriented keypad makes onehanded dialing impossible. Available later this year.

Sony Ericsson T610

Features: CIF (352 by 288 pixels), GSM 900/1800/1900 network, QuickShare, flash accessory. Bottom
Line: The most stylish phone of this bunch and the smallest. Available later this year, this phone's only
noticeable drawback is its low-resolution camera.

spur-of-the-moment (idiom) made quickly, on impulse

They made a spur-of-the-moment decision to close the

shop for two weeks and go on vacation, much to the
surprise of their regular customers.
drawback (n.) a disadvantage or inconvenience

Samsung SPH-A600

The main drawback of living in the city is the general lack of

Features: VGA (640 by 480 pixels), CDMA network, 4x digital zoom, 180-degree rotating lens, rotating space.
display. Bottom Line: Fine detailing throughout makes this the most refined model among the phones
we've seen. The built-in flash and a lens that rotates inward for protection and discretion are nice features.
slick (n.) skillfully done
One problem is the tiny lens knob, which is as stiff as it is small.
A dedicated photo button saves you from fumbling through submenus while your shot passes by. This
model even has a second button on the side for easy panoramic shots.
You don't want people to know you're spying on them, so rotate that lens inward for moments that require
discretion. That's also a good way to keep the lens clean.
Some phone/cameras have low-light or night modes, but nothing's better than an honest-to-goodness
flash. This tiny spot flash is surprisingly effective in the dark.

I Do How-Tos

Etiquette expert Peggy Post shares the tough questions that brides most
frequently ask her -- and the easy answers

Peggy Post
Spring 2002

Through a slick advertising campaign, the company

attempted to change its out-of-date image.
discretion (n.) ability to deal with a situation in a way that
does not embarrass or offend people

Q My parents are paying for our wedding, but my fiance's parents just gave us their guest list and it
She asked me not to tell anyone about the error, and said
exceeds our numbers -- and budget -- by 30 people. Is it OK for us to ask them to pay the added expense?

she appreciated my discretion.

A It used to be that the bride's family footed the bill for most of the wedding expenses. But today, up to
40 percent of couples pay for their own wedding. And in many cases the bride and groom's families share
the costs of the celebration. When families are willing to share the bill, the bride and groom should
consider the range of possibilities ahead of time and be certain that they are in agreement, then sit down
with their parents to discuss the budget. Keep in mind that any conversation about money should be
dignified and sensitive. It is not polite to request that they pay the added expense. However, should they
to foot the bill (idiom) to be the one who pays for
offer this as a solution, it is fine to accept.
something

Q This is my second wedding. My matron of honor wants to throw me a shower, but my mother says it
would be improper. What should I do?

Building a new convention center is a great idea, but who

will foot the bill? The taxpayers?

A It is perfectly acceptable to have a shower for a second marriage. In general, the guest list should be
made up of new friends of the bride or the couple or close friends and relatives. It is better not to invite
guests, other than the closest of friends, who attended a shower for the first marriage. For couples who
may already have all of the basic necessities, food showers, garden showers or ticket (to some form of
entertainment) showers may be more appropriate than traditional showers.

shower (n.) a party held for someone with the purpose of

honoring them and giving them gifts, e.g., a bride-to-be or a
mother-to-be

Q What is the correct amount of money to spend on a wedding gift? And if you've been invited to a
wedding and reception but cannot attend, must you send a present anyway?

We're throwing a baby shower for my colleague

Lucy -- her baby's due in October.

A There's no "correct" dollar amount for a wedding gift. The amount spent on the gift should be based on
your affection for and relationship with the couple (and/or their parents) as well as your budget. People
may tell you that a wedding gift should cost at least as much as the bride and groom are spending on
entertaining each person at the reception, but that is simply a myth. Guests invited to the ceremony and
reception have an obligation to send a gift, whether they are attending or not. There are a few exceptions.
If you live far from where the wedding will take place, have been out of touch with the couple for several
years, and are not planning to attend the wedding, there's no need to send a gift. Those who receive an
announcement after the wedding has taken place have no obligation to send a gift.

myth (n.) something which may be believed by some but

which is untrue

Q How much time does a bride have to write thank-you notes? Is it OK to send e-mail thank-yous
instead?
A Get your thank-you notes out as soon as possible -- within three months of receiving the gifts. Although
there's no need to have pen in hand on the beach during your honeymoon, get "write" to work as soon as
you return. If you receive gifts prior to the wedding, try to write those notes as soon as the present arrives.
Otherwise, prepare to spend the first few weeks of your married life writing notes. Brides needn't go it
alone; today's grooms share in this task. As for e-mail, save that for thanking a friend for lunch or your
assistant for a job well done. Wedding gifts require thoughtful handwritten thank-you notes.

The story about alligators in the sewer is not true -- it's just
a myth!

Targeting the Right Customers

mercenary (n.) professional soldier who fights for material

rewards rather than ideals; person who acts likewise in his or
her daily lives

Because the government didn't have enough soldiers, it

Not all customers are good customers -- in fact, some customers are completely wrong for your company.
hired mercenaries to fight for it
Successful companies know exactly who their ideal customers are, and they focus their energy on creating
products to please them, and only them.

Develop
New
Products
Many customers
are what
you might call mercenaries -- theyre the kind who, for example, change
telephone services several times a year, lured by the cheapest rates and the biggest incentives. When the
introductory
offer
out, so
do they, long
beforeofthey
can ever beproducts
profitable.
Your company
hasruns
probably
developed
a number
long-standing
or services -- offerings that
have been in the marketplace for a while. But most likely, it also develops new offerings on a regular
A successful
must concentrate
on satisfying
targeted
group of customers
who placeproducts
the
basis.
In fact,organization
for many companies,
success hinges
on the aability
to continually
create innovative
highest
value on the goods or services it offers. The company that does not make additional efforts to
and services.
please these customers can stumble badly. Busy chasing the wrong customers, the company strays from
what it does best, is more likely to encounter failure, and, in the process, alienates its most profitable
Why new products or services?
customers.

stumble (v.) to accidentally fall, to trip

His office is a mess! We almost stumbled on the files he

had on the floor.
to stray (v.) to veer from a given path; to be unfocused

Since Liza strayed from the original project plan, she has
now jeopardized the project schedule.

As
know
fromcustomer?
your own day-to-day
personal
businessand
life,
companies
are always
Whoyou
is the
"right"
Only focused
effortsand
at product
service
development
willoffering
pay off new
in the
products
servicesorganizations
-- whether it'sdetermine
a new camping
backpack
with handyare,
features,
an do
easier
way to pay
long run. and
Successful
who their
target customers
and then
everything
in
beacon (n.) fire or light set up in a high or prominent
your
bills electronically,
an innovative
database-management
tool. is a beacon for an organization to
their power
to please andorretain
them. A well-defined
target customer
follow. (Sometimes, an organization can determine its target customers by looking at the other side of the position as a warning, signal, or celebration
coin -- in other
asking
who and
it should
not try
to please.constantly
After all, no
company
please
Consumers
likewords,
to haveby
new
choices,
successful
companies
research
andcan
create
new
everybody,
some
customers
are simply
worth
Simply
stated,
products to and
satisfy
these
desires and
to buildnot
sales.
Buthaving.)
continually
coming
uptargeted
with newcustomers
offeringsshould
is
The new CEO was a beacon of hope for the employees,
be those who
loyal over
time.
important
for will
otherbereasons
as well:

who had seen the company performing poorly all year.

- Consumers are often fickle creatures -- their attitudes toward existing products can change quickly and
unexpectedly.
- Most products have a natural life cycle and eventually become outdated.
- Your competitors are also looking for ways to offer bigger and better deals to customers.

to hinge (v.) to depend on

In most businesses, companies are under pressure to constantly come up with either entirely fresh
offerings or improvements on existing products.

Our hopes for long term profitability and growth ultimately

hinge on innovation.

Yet new offerings, in particular, fail at an astounding rate. In fact, 80% of recently launched products are
no longer around! Products fail for many reasons; for example, product-development costs may prove
higher than a company expected, or competitors fight back more fiercely -- or numerous other surprises
pop up to foil the plan.
What's the best way to make your new or improved product or service as successful as possible? Generate
and test good ideas, then develop effective marketing programs for the most promising-sounding ones.

fickle (adj.) indecisive, changeable, capricious

Laura is very fickle. She has changed her ideas for this new design several times this week!
astounding (adj.) amazing, hard to believe

We are in trouble! Our main competitors are having an astounding double-digit growth rate for the fourth straight year.

Budget Matters
To some degree, preparing a budget is a matter of crunching numbers, a process being left more and more to financial models, computers, and technology. But behind those
numbers are real people like you -- people who make assumptions, people who think about future situations, people who know the market idiosyncrasies. Ideally, everyone
involved in the budget process has the same goal in mind -- achieving the organization's strategic objectives.
However, what may seem to some to be a straightforward, even mechanical, process is, in reality, complicated bygenuine disagreements about assumptions of future trends and
events, by conflicting functional needs, and by individual concerns overshadowing the larger corporate good.
The budget process can be defined as a series of negotiations between disparate interests. Top management wants the highest possible economic value in terms of profit. Middle
management may have contrary needs, such as new equipment or new technicians. The human element is what can make the budget process so engaging and, at times, so
frustrating.

idiosyncrasy (n.) behavior or thought peculiar to an individual, peculiarity

Hes great to work with once you get used to his idiosyncrasies
genuine (adj.) real, valid, authentic

Mr. Klein's plan for improving the city's recycling program shows his genuine concern for the environment.
engaging (adj.) attractive, captivating

What an engaging book! I couldnt put it down until I finished it.

The Manager's Role

Is your group having trouble generating new business ideas?

Is the group thinking too much along traditional lines, or having difficulty thinking very far down the
road?

reluctant (adj.) hesitant, doubtful, undecided

The retailer was reluctant to pass on the costs of handling

credit cards to his customers.
dilemma (n.) predicament in which a difficult choice has to
be made

Is your group reluctant to take risks?

The
Economic
Facts
about
Customers
Heres the
good news: the answer
to the
last question
is yes. Essentially,and
all the Loyalty
dilemmas just described

Minako is facing a dilemma: She has been offered a good

promotion here and an exciting new job in Chicago.

trace back to a problem in the creative functioning of the group. Contrary to what many people believe,
group creativity doesnt just happen -- it can be planned for, nurtured, and enhanced.

mold (v.) give something a desired shape

What can you do as a manager? Are there steps you can take to change such patterns of behavior?

As a manager, you are the designer of your group. Even though you probably didnt have the opportunity
to handpick the members of the team you supervise, you can shape and mold their interaction. The way
you manage the various personalities can help unleash your teams creative potential. Make no mistake
Studies
thatbethevery
longer
customers
are You
loyal,start
the by
more
profitablea they
Why?
has
about it,show
this can
demanding
work.
developing
deep become.
appreciation
forThe
theanswer
different
to
do withstyles
whatofare
known
as theofthree
of customer
thinking
each
member
yourRs
team.
Then youloyalty.
consciously try to have those differing
approaches rub against each other -- making sure that the "abrasion" improves rather than undermines the
quality of the
Retention.
Angroups
ongoingwork.
relationship with a customer creates a steady stream of revenue over time as the
customer
continues
to
buy
products.
associated
with
marketing
decline,
and,you
in many
cases,a so
There are other steps you can
take asThe
well.costs
By paying
close
attention
to group
norms,
can foster
do
the
costs
of
actually
serving
the
customer
who
becomes
familiar
with
the
company,
its
product
lines,
climate in which people feel good about their work, in which they are motivated to seek out problems
and
and
procedures.
solveitsthem.
You can alter the physical workspace in ways that make for more robust, stimulating
communication. And you can lead your group through structured thinking exercises that will help them
Related
sales. The they
profitmight
generated
by selling
new products and services to existing customers is great.
make connections
not have
made otherwise.
Theforward-thinking company develops new products by listening to its loyal customers. Loyal
customers are therefore more likely to buy because the new product has been designed to meet their
needs, and because they have a degree of faith in the company already.
In fact, the original product may generate a minor profit compared to related sales over time. For
example, an elevator companys installed elevator is only the first of a long stream of revenue from
service contracts. Many software companies sell add-ons, new releases, and extra features that enhance
and upgrade the original software.
Referrals. Positive referrals are the best kind of marketing -- and theyre free! Positive customer referrals
are vital to profit and growth. Research suggests that satisfied customers are likely to tell five other
people about a good experience, while dissatisfied customers are likely to tell eleven other people about a
bad one. From your own experience, you know that personal referrals carry much more weight than
traditional marketing.

Conrad did a great job of molding the team he actually

managed to turn Tony and Cynthia into the best working
partners Ive ever seen!
to undermine (v.) to weaken, to damage

She often undermines our efforts to implement changes by

complaining to our manager.

ongoing (adj.) sustained, enduring

We are currently conducting ongoing research in order to improve our new line of products
forward-thinking (adj.) anticipating problems and situations; planning ahead

Alex is a forward-thinking manager; he anticipated the need to have his team develop a new product
add-on (n.) item added onto a product that enhances the product it is added to

The new add-on I just got for my Web browser prevents those annoying pop-ups from appearing.

The Economic Facts about Customers and Loyalty

Knowing the customer

The relationship between the loyal customer and the successful organization is a dynamic, ongoing
process based on constant two-way communication and responsiveness.

responsiveness (n.) the quality of responding quickly to a

situation

We were impressed by the responsiveness of the customer

service department.
hard-sell pitches (pl. n.) very persuasive statements
intended to attract customers

I really don't think that hard-sell pitches are appropriate for

The difference between average and excellent organizations is how effectively management generates
feedback, listens to it, communicates the information internally, and acts on it. Instead of "telling" through this product.
constant advertising and hard-sell pitches, companies must focus on "listening." Every organization
already has built-inmechanisms for getting feedback, but they are not necessarily used well.
built-in (adj.) incorporated, integrated

Get customer feedback

Carla's laptop has a built-in modem.

The successful company is the one that meets and exceeds the expectations of its target customers. To
accomplish this it listens continually to its target customers to find out what products and services they
feedback (n.) information about reactions to a product, a
want to meet their needs, and the way in which they want the products or services delivered. But
person's performance of a task, etc., which may be used as a
customers are moving targets -- their expectations are constantly changing. For this reason, organizations basis for improvement
need as many opportunities to hear and respond to customer feedback as they can find. Every
organization has listening posts, places where employees hear customer feedback. Organizations can
create both formal and informal ways to find out how they're doing.
All tools that measure feedback are best used in an atmosphere of trust. They should be used to gather
useful information as a way to improve products and services, not as weapons or methods for assigning
blame or punishing people. And all tools should measure both positive and negative feedback.

The new product line has benefited greatly from customer feedback.

The Competitive Analysis

Competitors can be companies within the industry producing similar products or services such as motorcycles within the motorcycle industry. Or competitors could be companies in
rival industries producing products or services that fall into another industry category but that solve the same consumer problem -- for example, if the problem being solved is
finding a low-cost alternative to owning and driving a car, then owning and riding a motorcycle or taking public transportation would both be competitive solutions.
The readers of your business plan will want to know who the direct and potential competitors of your businessventure are because they represent a threat to the success of your
venture. Understanding who and what your competitors are can reduce the risk of the failure of your business. Here are some questions your readers may ask:
Who are the competitors? Think in terms of what companies solve the same problems for the customer. Identify the major competitors, their products and services, and their
strengths and weaknesses. How much market sharedoes each competitor control? What are their marketing strategies? What are their key success factors?
What differentiates your product or service from the competitors' products or services? How are you responding to a customer need in a new, useful, and unique way?
How much of a threat are your competitors to your venture? Do they enjoy strong brand recognition of their products? Will they aggressively block the entrance of a new rival?
Will they recognize your special differentiatingattributes and appropriate them for their own products or services?

venture (n.) a business activity that involves taking risks

Regardless of how much faith you have in your business venture, selling a new product is always risky
market share (n.) the portion of a market controlled by a particular company or product

The merger was banned because the company would've controlled over 80% of the market share.
attributes (pl. n.) characteristics, features, traits

Mario has many positive attributes that make him a successful leader

The Business Plan

critical (adj.) decisive, crucial, vital

Having a thorough knowledge of the industry in which you

operate is critical to the success of your business.
Getting Started
Depending on the size and state of your project, the process of preparing, developing, and writing the
business plan can take some time to accomplish. And once that's done, the business plan should be used
and reused often to see whether your critical assumptions about key success factors are becoming realities
or, given new information, whether your assumptions need to be revised and your business plan needs to
be modified. Business planning is an ongoing process that continuously maps the paths your business
travels down. So before you plunge in, think about some of the overarching issues that can help shape the
process of preparing the business plan.
Define your purpose for constructing the business plan
Determine from the beginning what shape your business plan should take. Ask yourself why you are
preparing a business plan and what you are trying to accomplish by this undertaking.
Define your business plan audience
Know who will be reading the plan and why. Throughout this topic, the term reader will be used to
describe the audience of your business plan. Different types of readers will look for different information
in a business plan. If you are clear about who your readers will be, then you can be more successful in
providing them with the information they consider most important.

assumptions (pl. n.) something you think is true although

you do not have solid evidence, speculations

Your business plan relies on an interesting set of

assumptions, but I think you need to do some more
research.
to plunge in (verb) to dive in, to become completely
involved in something

Before you plunge in, you should know there are some
considerable risks involved.

Accepting and Adapting to Change

to disseminate (v.) to spread or disperse something

I think it's important to disseminate this information to all our

employees.
First and foremost: remember that information is the lifeblood of any organization. During times of
change, getting and disseminating information is critical to operating effectively, flexibly, and quickly.

to withhold (v.) to keep for oneself, to hold back

In times of change most people tend to withhold information, either to maintain a false sense of security Sam knew everyone would overreact if he told them the
and control or to protect others from difficult situations. Yet, the release of information typically provides news, so he decided to withhold the information.
everyone with a greater sense of security and cohesion; it conveys the feeling that we're all in this
together.
cohesion (n.) unity, uniformity

Getting and giving information

With Fred as their leader, there was a greater sense of

Getting and giving information allows you opportunities to do something useful, for yourself and others. cohesion and belonging.
Gathering information is an important task. Many results-oriented managers and team members fail to
appreciate the action or task aspect of effective listening, that is, gathering intelligence.
Effective intelligence gathering is not only essential for making good decisions, it also reflects on you as
an effective manager. Equally important is the act of giving or disseminating information.

Becoming an Effective Team Leader

Traditional managers often take on the roles of decision maker, delegator, director, and scheduler of the work of others. Team leaders, on the other hand, are more like coaches. In
moving from a traditional management role to that of team leader, you might shift the focus toward facilitating rather than directing. You will want to rely on the expertise of others
rather than being seen as the "expert." In addition, empower others to solve problems rather than being the problem solver. You may also consider sharing your planning
responsibilities with the team rather than creating plans yourself.
There are three important roles that a team leader generally plays on a high-performing work team.
- Initiator: beginning actions and processes that promote team development and performance
- Model: shaping behavior and performance that reflects the expectations set for the team
- Coach: serving as counselor, mentor, and tutor to help team members improve performance

Electronics
Mark Fleischmann
December 2002

Version 1 of any new technology often leaves raw edges. Next comes the smoothing and polishing, until a
technology becomes a boon to use instead of just a wonder to behold. This year, wireless data
connections, long agonizingly slow, finally beat dial-up modems. Kenwood and Apple made managing
The team leader performs other tasks, such as
MP3s brainless. Sony ingeniously hid a keyboard beneath a PDA's articulating display. Even our Grand
Award winner is a refinement, a trickledown of videophile big-screen, big-money technology -- for an
- communicating information, policies, and work orders
affordable price.
15 YEARS OF... GOING DIGITAL

- guiding members in how to manage processes and evaluate results

- facilitating communication between the team and other groups

CD Recorder, 1988 Tandy promised a $500 CD recorder by 1990, "baffling scientists," noted the L.A.
Times. Six years later, Pioneer's PDR-09 debuted -- for $4,000. Tandy never delivered.
PDA, 1992 Apple coined the phrase "personal digital assistant" for its Newton Message Pad, which we
judged "as easy to use as a pencil and paper." Handwriting software was overhyped, however, and Apple
had a Newton bomb on its hands. But it led to the Palm Pilot explosion three years later.
Digital Satellite TV, 1994 RCA launched DSS, with digital signals from three Hughes satellites captured
by 18-inch dishes. Result: 1 million customers in the first 10 months.
Dolby Digital Sound, 1995 We marveled at the technology (then named AC-3), calling it "true movie
theater sound at home." Audio is separated into five channels that envelop the listener, plus a subwoofer
for low frequencies. The setup becomes known as 5.1.
Digital Camcorder, 1995 Sony's DCR-VX1000 Digital Handycam, with a then-revolutionary 410,000pixel sensor, delivered the highest-quality video ever. The $4,200 camcorder also incorporated 12-bit
audio and a Firewire connection.
DVD Player, 1997 No less than 17 DVD players hit the market in late 1997, with the Toshiba SD-2006
leading the charge. The $599 price was surprisingly reasonable.
Portable MP3 Player, 1998 MP3 files freed from the PC! We called the Diamond Multimedia Rio
PMP300, the first portable MP3 player, a "forerunner of things to come." The Recording Industry
Association filed suit to block its introduction, but lost.
Personal Video Recorder, 1998 ReplayTV's hard-drive-based recorder had live-TV pause. TiVo's version
followed in 1999.
DVD Recorder, 2000 Panasonic's $4,000 DMR-E10 was the first device to record onto a DVD disc -specifically, a DVD-RAM. Still-unresolved format wars subsequently delayed the mainstreaming of DVD
recorders, with competing DVD-RW and DVD+RW devices arriving in 2001.
Satellite Radio, 2002 Satellite radio, a 2001 Grand Award winner, got a huge jumpstart when GM agreed
to offer it in 2003 model-year cars.

- encouraging process improvements and behavior that support the team

culture
- mediating conflicts.

to shift (v.) to change, to move, to modify

When the dotcoms began to fail, there was a shift to

traditional stocks in Wall Street.
to empower (v.) to give someone the confidence and power
to do something

Brian gave the new assistant an assignment that

challenged and empowered her.
mentor (n.) an experienced and trusted adviser

I really considered Julia my mentor; she taught me

everything I know about this industry.

O.K., Now What?

A key question for retirees is whether to stick with familiar activities or try
something new. There are many answers
Coeli Carr
June 2, 2003

boon (n.) something that is timely, very useful and makes

life easier

The mild weather was a boon to the rescue workers; they

could work long into the night excavating the building.
to articulate (v.) to connect by or as if by a joint

Mechanical engineer Joe Szuba of Dearborn, Mich., was elated when his early-retirement package came
through. A 35-year veteran of the Ford Motor Co. who supervised a rapid-tooling project at the company's The articulating tray that I have for my computer keyboard
scientific-research laboratory, he cleared out his desk on a Friday afternoon. Two days later he was at his allows me to move the keyboard around very easily.
new job -- as a consultant for Koppy Corp., an automotive-equipment firm he had worked with during his
Ford years -- to help carry out a previously shelved Ford project. "It made sense to me," he says. Since
to baffle (v.) to frustrate, confuse or perplex
"retiring," Szuba, now 61, has incorporated his own consulting company, gained two other clients and
filed for five new patents. "A retiree can't afford to think like a retiree," he says.

The problem had baffled scientists, until she made her

Well, that's one theory. Another is that a retiree should capitalize on retirement's freedom by taking a flyer discovery.
on something that might never have been possible during the pursuit of a career. New Yorker Judy
Rosenblum tried that path. After retiring at 55 from teaching elementary school in Cedarhurst, N.Y., she
decided to go to art school. "It was an unknown for me," she says. "I never in my life thought I could
paint. It was like
Sheoffound
that something
she could exhibit
and sell her paintings. Buoyed by this success,
jumpstart
(n.)magic."
the act
getting
started
she that
took courses
to learn
how to play bridge. Then, building on her teaching expertise, she enrolled in a
so
it can be
successful
class on how to teach the game, which she now does during her winters in Florida and aboard cruise ships
that
takenhad
her and
herpending
husband tofor
Hawaii,
Europe
Thehave
project
been
so long
thatand
it the Caribbean. Says Rosenblum, 72: "Don't
ever be afraid to try something new, because you never can tell where it's going to lead you."

needed a jumpstart.

Szuba and Rosenblum illustrate two answers to a crucial question about retirement: Should you spend
your golden years doing what you have always done or maybe take one last shot at turning a longtime
dream into reality? Which way you answer the question is less important than the fact that you ask it, say
Jeri Sedlar and Rick Miners, authors of Don't Retire, Rewire! (Alpha Books). When the pair, who
previously owned a New York City-based executive-search and transition-coaching firm, asked preretirees about their vision for the future, the responses ranged from "none" and "none, but it'll evolve" to
vague statements like "reading" or "playing with my grandchildren." To the basic question "Do you have
to shelve (v.) to put away or put aside
a plan?" most respondents said no.

The idea was shelved in favor of other more promising ones

Before current or future retirees can formulate an agenda, they need to figure out what gives them
satisfaction and pleasure in the first place, say Sedlar and Miners. The authors explain that knowing your
"drivers" -- they identify 30 of them, such as the need to be creative, powerful or part of the action -helps you select activities that best align with your needs. Whatever direction they are headed in, retirees
patents
(pl. n.)
grants
bysooner
a government
that
are well advised
to take
that made
first step
rather than later.

To read more about this topic, click on the URL(s) below.

http://www.retiredlifefun.com/rlf6b.htm

confer upon the creator of an invention the sole right

to make, use, and sell that invention for a set period
of time

The patent for Valium was very profitable for its

holder.

to capitalize (v.) to take full advantage of; benefit

We really should capitalize on this opportunity and learn as much about this location while we are here.
to take a shot (idiom) to make an attempt, to try

Give me the computer for a day -- I'll take a shot at fixing it.