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Defending Against Class Action Suits In The World Of Sarbox

In April of 1998 Cendant disclosed a restatement of 1997 results, including a reduction in net income of $ 100 million due to various accounting irregularities. Then on July 14, 1998 Cendant announced a further restatement of financial results for 1995, 1996 and 1997, including all quarters due to recognition of fictitious revenues and cookie cutter reserve mismanagement. At the end of August Cendant filed an SEC report indicating a reduction in operating income of $ 500 million; a reduction in net income before taxes of $ 297 million and the effect on earnings per share. As a result, the market price of the stock decreased from a high of $35. in April to $11. per share in August. Normally a 10% drop in stock price following an adverse announcement is enough to trigger a class action suit within 72 hours. Here the drop was precipitous: 69%.

Fifty lawsuits were filed in the U.S. District Court which were consolidated by the judge with several institutional investors as the Lead Plaintiffs. Hundreds of thousands of documents were produced by Cendant, Ernst & Young and the various defendants. An investment banking firm and a forensic team were retained as expert witnesses. Cendant settled for $2.8 Billion. Ernst & Young settled for $ 335 Million. This settlement was followed by even larger valuations in the cases of WorldCom ($ 6.2 Billion) and Enron ($ 7.1 Billion, pending final court approvals).

Enron directors agreed to settle class action against them for $ 168 million as their proportionate share of the settlement. Insurance covered most of the cost, but left them with terms that required the directors to personally pay $ 13 Million. WorldCom directors had a settlement requiring them to pay their proportionate share, $ 54 Million, leaving them $ 18 million owed on a personal liability basis. The directors in the settlement admitted no wrongdoing.

Backdating Stock Options

The backdating scandal we are currently reading about in the Wall Street Journal may, according to academics, affect up to 3,000 publicly-held companies. Defense attorneys, plaintiff attorneys and expert witness are beginning to mobilize. This potentially massive arena of litigation and expert testimony has occurred because of the practice in the last ten years of publicly-held companies granting stock options to key executives which were in-the-money but not properly recorded as compensation expense, thus violating GAAP, and misstating tax liabilities as well over every quarter since the practice began. In other words, dates were assigned to the options using hindsight that were earlier dates than the actual grant date. The SEC has just begun an investigation into approximately eighty companies, and the list is expanding daily. The DOJ and U.S. Attorney offices are making logistic decisions as to how to allocate predicted case load. Several criminal charges have been filed. At a minimum, companies that are involved will face civil charges by the SEC, massive restatements and therefore the virtual guarantee of class action and derivative suits. The suits have as their basis that the companies in question and their top executives as well as boards of directors have engaged in breaches of fiduciary duty, gross mismanagement, unjust enrichment and violations of the SEC Act of 1934. Back-dated options have allowed the defendants to reap millions of dollars in unlawful windfall profits at the expense of the company. One law firm alone recently filed 34 derivative suits. It's the largest area of civil litigation in history that is beginning to unfold before our very eyes.

Shareholder Derivative Suits

Shareholder derivative suits are increasingly filed in connection with class action suits. A primary concern is that directors and officers will find themselves without coverage for defense costs, awards for plaintiff's attorneys fees and a monetary settlement. Director & Officer insurance policies sometimes exclude payments for non-civil litigation, as where certain types of fraud which involve scienter exist. Even if it does, usually the coverage does not begin until an indictment is brought. Another area that contains elements of peril is that often payments are made on a first-come, first-serve basis. In other words, in the order that claims are filed. This can often lead to a shortage in the case of a settlement.

There is an upward trend in filings of derivative suits, which are filed primarily in state courts, as opposed to class action suits, filed in federal district courts. State courts often permit plaintiffs to recover on non-unanimous verdicts (required in the federal system) and some state laws permit lower standards of findings for recovery purposes. These stand-alone derivative suits are normally for breach of fiduciary duty, proxy violations, excessive compensation and breach of the duty of care or duty of loyalty.

The Business Judgment Rule supports active decisions of the Board of Directors, but it does not cover these breaches. For example, breach of the duty of care does not cover unintelligent decisions, ill-advised actions, or illegal breach of federal laws. Failure to question management representations is another example of this type of breach.

One solution to adequate D & O coverage is a Side A-only policy, which can protect directors and officers from losses not normally indemnified. These policies typically provide coverage even under adverse conditions, including corporate bankruptcy, when the limits of the traditional policy have been exhausted and under cases where the normal policy excludes payments. Some states do not permit corporate indemnification of unsuccessful defense against derivative suits and in these cases as well a Side A-only policy will provide coverage.

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provided modifications and a safe harbor for corporations in one aspect of derivative suits - the forward-looking statement. Tenuous inferences are not permitted in plaintiff pleadings. Allegations must include specificity as to falseness or why the statements made by the company were misleading. Under the safe harbor provisions of the Reform Act, a company is not liable for projections which are inaccurate if such statements are properly identified and accompanied by a cautionary statement which indicates that actual results could differ from projected results, and liability also does not exist if the plaintiff does not prove the forward-looking statement was made with knowledge that it was misleading. Forward-looking statements are often made verbally at analyst conferences, so this provides some measure of assurance to the corporate public relations department. However, as regards the option backdating practice, there is no safe harbor.

Trading Models

The economic basis of these settlements is an area of adversarial tests. In a monograph in the early 1990s, several authors criticized the use of trading models to estimate aggregate damages in class action suits, claiming that the results were not reliable and often overstated damages by as much as 74%. Daubert grounds have been challenged on a variety of proposed models. In Daubert the Supreme Court directed federal courts to consider four factors in evaluating expert testimony under Federal Rule of Evidence 702: (1) the general acceptance of the economic model; (2) potential rate of precision error; (3) peer review or publication; (4) whether the theory has been tested. In finding that various proposed trading models do not meet these standards, the court is concerned about whether the model has been tested and whether the model has been accepted by professional economists.

The Journal of Legal Economics is a good starting point for obtaining solid valuation models. It is a double blind refereed journal. Each manuscript is reviewed by at least three qualified individuals, in addition to the Editor. It was conceived as a forum for contributing authors, both from the profession of lawyers as well as the quantitative professions of accounting, economics and finance, to offer constructive insights to colleagues. It is designed to be a useful research tool for application as well as theory.

In theory, the "out-of-pocket" loss is the measure of damages in open-market class suits. Therefore a defrauded buyer can recover his share of class member's damages, less applicable attorney fees, which can range from 15-30%. However, since this actual trading data is buried in repositories, models have been chosen to produce tangible results. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 leaves it open for the court to select the most reliable method of damages proof that is available. Two-trader models also exist, which assume, probably correctly, that there are passive investors and there are traders. Traders of course have a higher probability of acquiring and selling shares, and thus this model utilizes parameters for damage estimates with the damages estimated using depository record data. One-trader models often significantly overstate damages by 90-98%. Assumptions can therefore lead to bias. Three-trader models also exist which involve high-activity investors, low-activity investors and intraday-traders (who do not utilize overnight positions). Often these traders can account for up to one-third of all trading activity.

Recommendations

One strategy that is sometimes effective is the formation of a special litigation committee (SLC) that has the substance and form of independence. The committee has the responsibility of retaining forensic teams to review thousands of pages of documents and interview hundreds of witnesses. One corporation alone has 2 million documents to review and expects to pay $ 70 Million just to receive a Findings Report. The purpose of the committee is to provide the Court with the "business judgment rule" confidence to dismiss the derivative action. However, this procedure is not as simple and straightforward as it sounds.

Delaware and other states permit the board of directors to respond to suits by appointing an SLC comprised of independent directors. As long as the SLC is in process, the derivative suit is stayed. However, in the adversarial process that is underway continues, motions are often filed that question the true objectivity of the SLC. Delaware courts often slam the door to the SLC by ruling against them and letting the suit proceed. If the SLC members have significant social ties to the defendants in terms of past or future relationships that is one disqualification. Another is a public statement by the head of an SLC at any time prior to the issuance of the report that illustrates bias. It is hard to believe this would occur but in specific cases it has and it has destroyed the company's defenses from the beginning.

Directors often share institutional and social connections based on board service. This makes it particularly difficult to find objective third parties. Warren Buffet explained it this way: "Why have intelligent and decent directors failed so miserably? The answer lies not in inadequate laws - it's always been clear that directors are obligated to represent the interests of shareholders - but rather in what I'd call 'boardroom atmosphere.' Board membership requests are being declined in record numbers due to the perception of risk of being a director in this environment. However, corporate governance provisions are being taken much more seriously and since Sarbanes-Oxley mandates them, these recent revelations almost guarantee its place in history.

BACKDATING STOCK OPTIONS: CORPORATE REMEDIATION

As of August 17th the Wall Street Journal posted a study of 87 companies that have initiated probes, announced restatements, had executive resignations or Department of Justice inquiries into their stock options practices. The SEC has filed civil charges against executives of public companies, alleging that they engaged in a decade-long fraudulent scheme to grant undisclosed, in-the-money options to themselves and to others by backdating stock option grants to coincide with historically low closing prices of their stock. These complaints have alleged that former executives collectively realized millions of dollars of ill-gotten compensation through the exercise of illegally backdated option grants and the subsequent sale of related common stock.

In a separate matter, U.S. Attorney's Offices have unsealed criminal complaints charging executives with conspiracy to violate the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws, wire fraud and mail fraud. It has been alleged that backdated option grants and secret option slush funds were "deceits of the highest order" upon shareholders. Executives, according to the SEC, have repeatedly used hindsight to select dates when the closing price of their common stock was at or near a quarterly or annual low. The complaints further allege that under well-settled accounting principles, in effect at the time, companies that granted in-the-money options were required to record a corresponding compensation expense and disclose such amounts in filings with the Commission. The executives have also been charged with violations of the Sarbanes-Oxley officer certification provisions of the federal securities laws. Injunctive relief, civil penalties, disgorgement, with prejudgment interest, and officer and director bars against each of the defendants has been requested.

HOW THE BACKDATING OCCURRED

It is helpful to review how the practices originated in order that remediation of one's own internal control policies can effectively take place. The executives directed and controlled the option grant process and initiated the backdating schemes. Among other things, they specifically selected the backdated grant dates by interfacing with the Compensation Committee. Grant documents with false grant dates were approved by the Compensation Committee. Unscheduled grants were the modus operandi. A spreadsheet contained lists of proposed grantees. At some point, the executives "cherry-picked" the grant date by looking back at their historical stock prices and, with the benefit of hindsight, chose a grant date that corresponded to a date on which the common stock was trading at a relative low. The master list was then submitted to the Compensation Committee for approval.

Unanimous written consent forms pertaining to the proposed grant were sent to Compensation Committee members for signature. It was known among the executives that these dates were the "low-ball" look-back dates they had previously chosen. Compensation Committee members were generally not aware of an impending grant prior to receiving the master list. The Committee members then signed, but did not date their copies of the consents and returned them. Based upon their involvement in the option grant process, each of the defendants knew, or were reckless in not knowing, that the unanimous written consents were false because the "as of" dates that were inserted into the consents and reflected in the company's books and records did not represent the true grant dates.

The executives knew that no corporate action to approve the options grants had actually occurred on the "as of" date. They knew this because they were the ones who had picked the grant dates by use of the look-back tables, with the benefit of hindsight. They had examined historical trading prices and selected a date with a low trading price. Options with backdated dates in effect also accelerated the vesting schedule because the Company used the backdated date for vesting purposes, not the date of the actual Compensation Committee approval. A large number of grants were grants at or near the lowest price for the fiscal quarter or year. In an article published by the Wall Street Journal, the patterns of stock options grants were analyzed and astronomically high odds, some approaching one is six billion, were determined to exist that such grants would have fallen on dates just ahead of sharp gains in the related corporate stock price by chance.

The secret backdating schemes allowed the defendants to disguise the fact that the Company was paying higher compensation to executives and employees by awarding them in-the-money options, and to avoid having to expense the in-the-money options as compensation expense, thus avoiding reductions to the company's net income and EPS. In addition, certain large institutional investors have long been opposed to stock option plans that allowed grants of options at below the fair market value of the underlying stock at the time of the grant. This is the basis for the tens of billions of dollars of derivative suits filed in recent weeks against related corporations by law firms on behalf of large institutional investors.

The California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) is the largest U.S. public pension fund, with over $ 200 Billion in total assets. They have recently written an open letter to the Chairs of the Compensation Committees of a number of portfolio companies related to inquiries on employee stock option backdating practices. Their letter contains implications of allegations, including lack of oversight by the Board of Directors, weak internal controls, weak internal and external audit practices, poor accounting, significant income tax consequences for persons implicated for backdating options, and problems with the Executive Compensation Plan Administrator.

Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, has publicly stated: "It's one thing for an executive to make big profits because he's improved his company, but it's a whole different thing to make big profits because he's playing fast and loose with the dating of stock options. Outside the corporate suite, Americans don't get to pick and choose their dream stock price. The market dictates the price."

The CFA Institute recently published an open letter to the SEC stating "In the case of Post-Dating, senior executives (and possibly directors) used inside information or post-closing market prices to determine when to retroactively set the effective date of share-based awards in order to enhance the return of such awards. This practice also appears to have involved falsified accounting, may circumvent financial reporting requirements for 'variable' option grants, may conflict with governance requirements related to the pricing of stock options, and may ultimately lead to criminal and tax penalties against companies engaged in these activities, thereby harming shareowner value even more."

REMEDIATION

In the real world, the best stance is one of pro-active remediation before any investigation by third parties begins. Materiality thresholds need to be considered according to SEC Bulletin No. 99 and Sarbanes-Oxley thresholds. If the materiality threshold is not breached, then no restatements will occur. If a restatement occurs, it almost guarantees an SEC investigation and also a finding of a "Material Weakness" by one's third-party auditors. Material Weakness findings can cause the loss of significant blocks of market capitalization upon disclosure.

The problems are not restricted to Information Technology companies. Their excess returns in the studies performed by the academics at the University of Iowa and others were what caught initial attention to the issue, but the scope is beyond IT companies. It is estimated that close to 3,000 companies are involved. In many of these cases undoubtedly management has retained its integrity, and the element of scienter does not exist. The rest of the public companies need to study and research adequate Sarbanes procedures to assure they are not affected in the future. The initial studies of proxy statements for statistics on options before the implementation of Sarbanes Oxley changed the reporting requirements to 2 trading days following August of 2002 indicated the problem existed as early as 1996 with the majority of companies. Grant patterns on excess return post-option pricing began largely in the mid-1990s. One company alone has close to two million documents that need to be examined to determine the extent of the backdating issues. I understand investigative, forensic and related professional costs in this one case alone are targeted and budgeted for $70 Million dollars. This does not include defense or settlement costs for related class-action and derivative lawsuits.

Without going into specific detail what is referred to as the Tone at the Top must be re-established at Compensation Committees throughout the world today. Directors and particularly Audit Committee and Compensation Committee members need to be re-educated as to governance requirements that comply with both the spirit and letter of the law. Compensation programs should not be driven by competitive surveys but by superior performance over the long-term. Full disclosure is necessary in proxy statements. Independent directors are a major necessity. Experts have to be added to Compensation Committees. If they are not there, then third parties must be hired who are expert consultants. Issues of Incentive Compensation, Dilution, Performance Options and Structures, Repricing, and a variety of tax and governance issues have to be addressed. Steps have to be taken to ensure that Board and Committee evaluations of compensation are equitable and it would be advised to refrain from using company resources to satisfy legal and tax liabilities for executives who are implicated in wrongdoing. This could lead to further derivative suits. Independent detailed investigations on a case-by-case basis with strong Board of Director backing need to be undertaken. The implications of Sarbanes need to be fully understood and addressed. Lying to auditors is now a federal offense. Insider manipulation is now not being tolerated by the market, nor by enforcement authorities who have oversight. Justice officials have made it clear that executives can face possible prison time for backdating stock options. Serious change and corporate governance must now follow.

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Boardroom/meeting tables

Hi, if you're looking for boardroom/meeting tables - www.euroffice.co.uk then this short video will give you an introduction to this category and give you a few recommendations too... Boardroom or meeting tables are generally smaller than conference tables they're perfect if you've got a smaller meeting room to kit out. But they're also useful for making a good impression. If the first thing a client or supplier sees when they walk into your boardroom for a meeting is a professional boardroom table, they know you mean business. So let's take a look at our best sellers to get your meeting room stylishly kitted out... The Sonix Boom oval meeting table is the perfect addition to any modern office. Its simple, organic shaped lines and top quality engineering give it a superior feel and style. If you're looking for a boardroom table to fit in with other ones you already have, a trapezoidal meeting table might be just what you're looking for. The Influx trapezoidal table is versatile and practical it's ideal for informal meetings or training. Plus when grouped with other tables, it gives you lots of different constructions depending on the shape of the room, the amount of people in the meeting and the space available. If you do have a lot of space and you're looking to transform it instantly, then the Trexus Boardroom table gives immediate elegance without giving you a pain in the wallet. This rectangular boardroom table is the ideal choice for small offices... but if you want ...

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If Animals Took a Gap Year

If you've heard the term 'Gap Year' bandied around, chances are you'll either know, or figure out, what they're all about. People take a gap year for many different reasons, the most common being the 'gap' between finishing high school education and moving into another three or four years of hard slog at university. They usually head off to foreign climes to assist in animal conservation projects or something like that. They are a great way to not only help conserve some endangered animals in their natural habitat, but to also have an adventure in a foreign country. But what if the tables were turned? What if the very animals that we humans are working so hard to conserve were able to go on their own gap year to repay the favour? What do you think they would do...?

The Elephants

Many gappers head off to the Eastern Cape of South Africa to work in elephant projects like the Addo Elephant Park. But if these gentle giants headed off on a gap year perhaps they would go further west in Africa to somewhere like Mali, where they would use their strength to assist in the building of schools. They could work on the construction sites moving timber, bricks and other materials knowing that their efforts would make a huge difference to providing valuable access to education for these deserving children.

The Monkeys

In Kenya, the Colobus Monkey Trust provides much-needed assistance in primate conservation. Many people volunteer to work in the sanctuary in various capacities. But if the monkeys were to brave the big world on their own project abroad, maybe they would venture to Zambia or Uganda to work in a children's orphanage. These delightfully mischievous creatures would brighten up anyone's day and they could spend their time entertaining the children with their antics and cheekiness.

The Lions

Despite his strength and majestic personality, the King of the jungle still needs human help in order to secure his safe future. Shamwari Game Reserve in South Africa is very popular with people on their gap year wanting to get up close and personal with the lions and other big cats. So, where would the King head for his own gap year? We tend to think that maybe he would tackle the problem of poaching somewhere like Zimbabwe, Botswana or Namibia. A huge threat to his animal subject the elephant, poaching is an illegal but still prevalent problem as the international demand for ivory continues. The stout-hearted lion could offer protection to the elephants and act as a very strong deterrent to the evil poachers and their senseless reign of terror.

There are many other animals in Africa, India and around the world who are helped by people on their gap year. These projects continue to educate and promote the ideals of animal conservation in an exciting and proactive way. The work on these projects is vital and the rewards the volunteers gain far outweigh the hard work they put in. So would these beautiful animals pay us back if they could? We like to think so...

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Boardroom Conference Table | Meeting Tables

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Office Furniture That Saves Space

Space saving office furniture is a necessary option for many companies. One of the first considerations in cutting costs is reducing office space by moving into smaller premises. Companies would rather opt to pay less for rental space than retrench staff members.

Downsizing may not necessarily mean less productive

In many instances, the smaller space has to be utilized in such a manner as to ensure maximum productivity in a comfortable and healthy work place. This is no easy feat as a claustrophobic condition will most certainly have a negative impact on management and staff alike. Investing in space saving office furniture can definitely help in creating an ideal environment for working. Installing the furniture with the help of professional consultant or contractor will in the long run prove to be much more profitable than paying high rental costs.

There are many ingenious ways to place office furniture such as office desks, as well as storage facilities and electronic equipment in a small space. Most office furniture retailers offer expert advice and assistance when it comes to maximizing new space with the space saving office furniture. Some even provide 3D layouts to help the client make the most cost effective decision. As the staff members are going to be put up in the small space, they may also have a say in the design. These layouts are very efficient and save the company plenty of time in tedious decision making.

The Professionals have mastered the art of space saving

Modular office furniture has been specifically designed for the purpose of saving space. As the versatility of this particular furniture allows you to change the setup as the need arises it has become the one of the most popular choices for those in need of saving space. Adding on more pieces to accommodate new staff poses no problem at all with modular office furniture. Style, quality and finishing plays an equally important role and the latest designs in modular furniture places great emphasis on this. It is quite a challenge to put up with a small space and tastefully designed furniture in a well-structured setup helps tremendously to create a pleasant working environment.

Desks and storage facilities are the two major items that take up the most floor space. Innovative ideas and designs are a-plenty in space saving furniture. A desk that can comfortably accommodate a few staff members saves valuable floor space. Attractive screens can be strategically placed to provide more private space among staff. Storage and filing facilities can become an office worker's worst nightmare if there is a space problem. The new floor to ceiling storage systems not only provides more storage space than the traditional cabinets but also takes up less that half of the floor space.

Mobile shelving systems has proven to be a big hit with clients. These shelves are placed on tracks that have been firmly bolted to the floor. They can be easily moved apart to provide a walk in isle between them. Mechanical, manual or electrical methods can be used to move the shelves apart. The brilliant design of the shelves offers ample storage facilities and saves considerably on floor space. Another advantage is that it makes accessibility easier to a wider range of office material. These attributes as well as the appealing appearance definitely have a positive impact on the workplace morale and can lead to a higher productivity rate amongst staff members. The chances of obtaining workplace injuries are also drastically reduced.

A very important in every successful business is the conference room. It is in here where key decisions and transactions are made that are vital to the business. Downsizing often means that the conference room has to go. With the new designer quality fold up tables this need not be the case. The new look tables are specifically designed to give a professional, sophisticated and up market appearance that will enhance the image of any business.

The beautiful finishing, styled legs and table top shapes are nothing like the old folding tables. They are sturdier and are made to hold more weight. It can be easily unfolded in a desired space and put out of the way when not in use. They come in various sizes and can even be adjusted to suit specific heights. To match these tables are equally beautiful stacking chairs. Improved designs have produced comfortable, sturdy high quality chairs. Padded seats and stylish appearance will definitely help in creating a relaxed and professional boardroom atmosphere.

Space-saving home office furniture

With increasingly more people working from home does not mean that the office has to be cramped and shabby. The variety of workstations, desks and filing cabinets are available and can be enhanced to suit the interior of the house.

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Skyclad - Skyclad

Album: The Wayward Sons Of Mother Earth (lyrics below) Lyrics: I'll sing to you of days departed, Times when men proud and stouthearted carved their names on history's bloody Page, The corpse of chivalry long dead Is turning in his loamy bed indignant at your new 'enlightened' age White-collared knights at boardroom tables dream their own financial fables, Fight to make their incomes larger--mounted on their 'credit charges.' Held within the safety of this mundane existence-- Facing endless grey Mondays of dull nine to fives, We all climb the social ladder with a dogged persistence, Forging chains we shall carry for the rest of our lives. We cannot see through clothes may maketh man they cannot give us shelter-- On this mortal helter-skelter if our loyalties are torn, Between the values we believe in and the egos we are feeding-- We stand all together naked as the day we were born. And so cast off the lies that are our lives and find the truth within. SKYCLAD--the veil has lifted, SKYCLAD--now I see through, SKYCLAD--your mask of illusion, SKYCLAD--to the fake that is you. Financial wizards read their spells from filofaxes Concrete hells of their own making pass for Avalon. These men self-made by shrewd investing spend their weekends child-molesting, Lost in 'green-belt' dreams they do no wrong. Your mortgage payment rocket-- Like your blood pressure rising, Executive stresses are the dragons you fight. In your Armani armour you are practically shining, So have no code of ...

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Function Centres on the Sunshine Coast

Let's face it; it can often be quite a challenge to find a suitable function centre, considering that there are so many to choose from nowadays. However, with the Sunshine Coast, Australia boasting spectacular views across the ocean, together with stunning scenery, a Sunshine Coast function centre is without doubt an ideal candidate. Whether you're planning a wedding reception, a birthday party, or even a corporate function, there's a venue available to meet your needs.

Of course, in order to choose the ideal function venue you need to pay particular attention to what your actual requirements are, even though most venues are able to cater for a wide range of events. For example, you need to try and determine how many guests will be in attendance, and if the event is along the lines of a meeting, you'll need to decide whether or not you require training rooms, an auditorium, or perhaps a boardroom. Also, you'll need to take into consideration whether the venue has an adequate amount of parking space, either onsite, or at least nearby.

As you no doubt already know, conferences can vary tremendously in size, ranging from small business meetings all the way through to large corporate gatherings. Obviously, an ideal venue should be capable of catering for a group irrespective of the number of people attending. For this reason you'll need to ensure that enough tables and chairs can be provided, and if it's a wedding reception you're planning, then you need to make enquiries about decorations and a decoration service. Providing you choose a reputable function centre, they should be able to tailor their services according to your requirements.

Most functions centres nowadays are able to provide a catering service, but of course, you may need to choose a function centre based specifically on your catering requirements depending on how many guests will be attending, and also on dietary requirements. Ideally, depending on what type of the event you're planning, you should choose a function venue which is capable of providing a selection of menus. Better still, you should choose a venue which has their own in-house caterers, particularly if the food is to rate high on the agenda.

Considering that organizing a conference can be extremely taxing, you may even want to consider booking a Sunshine Coast function venue that offers an events management service. This way you'll at least have peace of mind in knowing that there is a dedicated person taking care of all the details and preparations. Essentially, a good function centre should appreciate the value of your conference, rather than seeing it simply as another function. As such, they should be willing to set aside sufficient time in order to discuss your requirements with you, and this is why it's imperative for you to choose a venue which strives to provide a high level of service.

Furthermore, a good function centre is not only about logistics and planning, but instead, you should be able to rely on them with regard to any technology you may be requiring. For example, a function centre should be able to provide audio and video equipment such as projectors and etc. Of course, before you go ahead and sign on the dotted line you need to determine what the booking fees include, and you need to determine whether or not you'll be expected to pay any additional costs. You should even go as far as determining whether the function centre has wheelchair access should you be expecting any disabled guests. The deposit is something else you should also discuss so that you know how much you need to pay up front, and also when the balance will be due.

Last but not least, you need to make sure you choose a function centre which your guests won't forget in a hurry, and this is what makes a Sunshine Coast function centre an ideal choice. Let's face it; your event or function deserves the best, including a great service, a good location, and a guarantee that it will run smoothly from beginning to end. Obviously, the better the function centre is, the more chance there is of your event being a success.

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Offline Data Entry - 3 Ways of Offline Data Entry Solution

Your company can get out of critical situation only if you have right information on hand. This is one of the most common problems in most of the organizations. They do not understand the preciousness of the information. There is another barrier that companies are facing such as cost of storing and managing the information.

Offline data entry is the solution for organizing the information. By offline data typing, you can generate digital copy of important paper document. The digital format is very easy to manage. It also requires less storage space. So, offline data typing can solve your problem of storage space, time of management as well as the cost.

Most of the companies require following 3 ways of offline data entry solution:

Entering Information from web: This is related to research. It is merely a copy-past type of task. For instance, medical organization requires the data of doctor such as name, degree, address, phone number and other detail. So, coping from web and pasting in to require application. Generally, organizations are using such service to collect person/company related information. You can outsource detail requirements to some reputed company as offline data entry project.

Entering Information in Software: In this type, you have to provide software of program as well as the paper document. Data typing professional from entry firm will enter the information into your program from the paper document. Such type of task is helpful to generate big database or organizing the lacs of detail.

Entering Information in word, excel and other application: If you have reports or huge documents and want to convert into digital format, this is the way. It is very hard to maintain the same quality of paper year by year. I am sure that the quality will degrade over a period of time. By entering the information in word, excel or other application, you can easily solve such problem.

The payment is the issue for any company. In such type of task companies are charging the money per entry. If you have descriptive offline data entry, they may charge per page or per word. These are the general formats of payment.

One Advice "To avoid scam; please outsource your offline data entry requirement to reputed company only."

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Euroffice appliance for accessory out your office

If you are looking to buy some office furniture then visit www.euroffice.co.uk Hi if you're looking for office furniture, then you've come to the right place. We sell everything from desks and chairs to school benches and desk screens. Our offering is broad enough to make this video an epic blockbuster, but to keep it short and sweet we'll look at our most popular office furniture. Our desks and tables come in enough varieties to deck out any office. We sell boardroom or meeting tables, ergonomic desks, executive desks, rectangular desks and round tables to name just a few. And of course chairs are a must for any office. This is a product we are experts in... any office, any budget, we've got the chairs you need from the penny-pinching £30 office chair to our high quality heavy duty operators chairs. We also stock everything from executive chairs for the boss man and a whole range of office chairs for the worker ant. Just click on Office Seating to see our full range. This is just the tip of the iceberg, but whatever you're looking for we'll have a great product for you. Take a walk around our virtual office to see all the office furniture we sell. And remember... We love office stuff.

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Strike Anywhere - Lights Go Out

Strike Anywhere - Lights Go Out of the album Exit English ( Released 2003 - Jade Tree Records ) Lyrics: So here we go, an international war and we're buying the voice to lie and justify the schore fight the confusion, anger and hate our shot in the darkness it's never to late one will and one heart a worldwide calling out for your muted voices we scream and shout our leader invoke their gods and their eyes glaze profits and prophets religoins of guilt and decay will we fall will we fight black out in the daylight in world justice name will we fall will we fight blackout in the wokryards of the killing game... BLACKOUT i don't wanna fight BLACKOUT against our rights BLACKOUT won't take the life, the spoils of war we'll profit from no more BLACKOUT i don't wanna fight BLACKOUT won't take the life there are no saints, there are no patriots, designer gods fulfill their prophecy but they're not talking to me while crocodile tears pour from the tv well you were once boardroom tables apart while trading our reason for the businessman's art, how many fabricated enemies willl it take til we see? will we fall will we fight black out in the daylight in world justice name will we fall will we fight blackout in the workyards at the killing game BLACKOUT i don't wanna fight BLACKOUT won't take the light the spoils of war we'll profit from no more BLACKOUT don't wanna fight BLACKOUT won't take the life BLACKOUT against our rights. HERE WE GO! there are no saints, there are no patriots ...

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Last Minute Family Summer Getaways

If you haven't already planned and booked your family summer getaway, you're probably thinking it's too late. The truth is, there are still many options available, plus you'll reap the benefits of booking a last minute cheap flight. The hardest part of last minute travel is organizing an itinerary that works for mom, dad, and the kids, so an easier alternative is to choose a destination that will do the organizing for you. A great way to experience this and still stay within a budget is by attending a family camp. There are hundreds located throughout the country, all at different price ranges and with different accommodations and activities. The following three should give you a better idea of the kind of camp that would suite your family best.

Camp Concord in South Lake Tahoe, California is the most basic of family camps, and priced accordingly. A family of four can reside here for a week for about $1,260, meals included! Nestled in the Eldorado National Forest, Camp Concord can house up to 18 families at a time. Activities offered include hiking, canoeing, and swimming. At night, shuttles are available to Nevada casinos for the adults, and babysitting is provided for the little ones. The icing on the cake is the weekly beach barbeques and champagne breakfasts.

If you can afford to spend a bit more, Medomak Camp for Families is a great choice. Pack up the kids and hop on a last minute cheap flight to Washington, Maine, where activities range from yoga and photography, to sailing and kayaking. For the estimated price of $2,100 for a family of four, you'll get fresh produce from the camp garden, weekly lobster bakes, and coffee and fruit available throughout the day. For the adults, Medomak Camp offers massages and weekly beer tastings while the staff supervises the kids.

Kids get bored easily? Your best option is Wonder Valley Family Camp in Sanger, California. Sure, it's the most expensive at $3,700 for the week, but this camp has got it all: a skateboard park, go-kart racing, a mini-bike dirt track, and waterslides. Additionally, every Thursday night is Parent's Night, which consists of a prime rib dinner, casino tables, and free babysitting until 11:30pm.

No more excuses! Between the affordable family pricing, complete activity planning, and the deals you can score on a last minute cheap flight, you may even want to leave today!

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Used Office Furniture For Boardrooms and Conference Rooms

For many companies, the boardroom or conference room is the location where important deals are signed, where first time customers and vendors are met, and a focal point for corporate meetings. For this reason, the furniture in the boardroom or conference room should reflect the image of the company, in many cases functional, professional and state of the art. One cost effective way to make your boardroom or conference room a status symbol without delving too far into the company coffers is to make use high end of used office furniture.

Whether the dimensions of your conference room will best suite a 6 foot or a 24 foot table, it is possible to find a refinished, beautiful table specific to your style and needs. You can find used hardwood boardroom tables in maple, cherry, oak, mahogany or even veneers and laminates. There are several popular shapes including oval, rectangular, boat and figure eight. Some used conference tables even fold down for easy storage when not in use.

Even though the table is a focal point of the room, eventually your guests and employees will also sit in your chairs, and these should also be comfortable, aesthetically pleasing and functional. If a chair is uncomfortable, wobbly or squeaky, it can be very distracting in an important meeting.

Conference and boardroom chairs should be fully adjustable for all heights and postures. Also make sure that the chairs you choose will fit well under your table, and slide or roll easily so that they can be pulled in under the table. The chairs will also complete the look and style of your boardroom, enable productivity, and provide comfort during long meetings.

Your boardroom or conference room can be well designed by purchasing used office furniture at terrific savings, enabling you to present your company to guests and clients in a positive light. They may even look forward to a meeting and be eager to do business with you if your boardroom is functional and comfortable.

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Christmas Skate Edit

Just Some Skateboarding from the xmas holiday. harry jamie brogan isaac jordan randomers song 1 : jamie t - Sheila song 2 : jamie t - if you got the money

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Fry Laurie --- MARGORY

Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie - boardroom shenanigans.

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An Overview Of Online Meeting Services

With the help of communications technology, an online meeting can take place at a moments notice, for next to no expense. Meetings held online are similar to a standard, face-to-face meeting, especially when you use one of the many specially designed conference software options.

In an online environment, people can interact with a group regardless of the participants physical location; or one person can give a presentation or demonstration while the other participants become the audience. There are both visual and audio capabilities that make meetings held online a quality business experience.

Online meetings work by using conference software that offers services to participants to mimic a face-to-face meeting. You can typically use a conference program that allows for the host of the meeting to present information with various tools- similar to what you'd find in a business conference room.

A whiteboard for illustrating points and drawing objects, a voice component that allows individuals to speak to one another either via a computer microphone or through a telephone conference service, and sometimes a text chat feature. In some online meetings, the software that is used can support video.

There are numerous advantages of conducting online meetings over the setting up of more traditional meetings in your office, or renting a large conference room in a hotel. First, the expense of face-to-face meetings can be costly, particularly when people are traveling great distances to meet together regularly, or when the meetings are expected to run for hours and food is brought in to feed all participants.

If you must rent a large hall or conference room, the expenses can be astronomical. The costs of conducting meetings online are minimal, and include the cost of membership to one of the conferencing online services, and maybe a long distance phone call depending on the service you use for audio capabilities.

Another advantage to having online meetings as opposed to face-to-face meetings is the ability to conduct the meeting from whatever location you may be in.

If you are working from home, for example, using the internet and conference software allows you to instantly connect with co-workers or your employees. If you must travel, you can still "sit-in" and participate in the meetings of your co-workers or employees so you aren't missing important information while you're conducting other business, even if you're on the other side of the globe!

Time management is improved with the use of online meetings as opposed to traditional meetings, as well. It takes time to gather everyone into the same room, settle people down and get a meeting undergo. When you use conferencing software, everyone logs in at the same, specified time, and the meeting begins.

There is less time required to plan for an internet meeting, and no tables or chairs have to be set up for the certain number of participants.

Online meetings are also extremely useful for providing demonstrations and hands-on training to customers. If you are a company that develops software or web based programs, you can use the meetings to show your customers how to operate the programs.

Training employees can effectively occur while conferencing online. You could actually conduct online courses to train employees on new policies or procedures, whether your employees are located in the same building or in various locations around the world.

With multiple options for online meetings and internet conferencing available, how do you know which one is right for you? Before you sign up for one of the many companies that provide meeting services, you should access your needs for meeting software and figure out how you are most likely to use it.

Will you be having monthly team building meetings or a weekly conference with your sales team? Do you need to show videos or will a whiteboard be sufficient for illustration purposes? Will you want the ability to show other programs on your computer through the meeting software? A nice feature of most online providers of conferencing software is that you can try their programs before you commit to a monthly fee or to purchase the software.

This allows you to try out each of the features for free, in order to determine whether or not the program will meet your needs. Once you've determined your likely uses for online meetings you can determine which provider offers the solution to best meet your needs.

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Through Mexico's Copper Canyon With the Chihuahua Al Pacifico Railroad

I

The streets of Chihuahua appeared black, movement-devoid slabs as the van unimpededly slipped over then at 0530 to the train station, not a single automobile encountered during the brief journey from the Hotel San Francisco. Founded in 1709 by the Spaniards and taking the Indian word for "dry and sandy place" as its name, Chihuahua City, located on a 4,667-foot desert plain, is the capital of Chihuahua, Mexico's largest state, with a 150,000-square-mile area. A cowboy city, it is characterized by the Franciscan Cathedral in its main square, Pancho Villa house, cowboy hat-clad citizens, and stores displaying endless rows of cowboy boots. The state itself, topographically distinguishable by brown, vegetation-less formations, is the leading producer of apples, walnuts, cotton, and jalapeno peppers, and is prevalent in lumber production and cattle ranching. An agrarian Mennonite community produces its own indigenous type of cheese.

Ahead, and beyond the fence, appeared the two locomotives and the four lighted passenger cars comprising the daily westbound Chihuahua Al Pacifico Railroad, operating as Train 74, cradled by one of three tracks as it was prepared for its still-nocturnal departure to the Copper Canyon and, ultimately, to its Pacific coast terminus, Los Mochis. I would only travel halfway today, to Posada Barrancas.

The tiny, twin wooden-bench terminal, sporting little more than two ticket windows-'tequillas" in Spanish-was almost equally devoid of life, save for the attendant behind the barred window and three other luggage-toting, still-sleeping travelers.

Fifteen minutes before its 0600 departure, the door to the platform was opened and the handful of passengers exited through it, re-impacted by the cold, dark morning and met by the conductor, who indicated the passengers' seat numbers. The first of the two passenger cars, configured with 68 thick, reclining seats in a four-abreast, two-two, arrangement and alternatively upholstered in red-gray or dull green, featured car-length overhead luggage racks, window pane-encased adjustable blinds, and aft, men's and women's lavatories. The dully-lit car, soothing to the early-morning, incompletely-opened eyes, greeted me with welcome, heater-generated warmth, as evidenced by the steady hum audible before boarding.

Protracted reaction, as the couplings snagged the trailing car, produced an initial jolt as the chain initiated movement. Creeping past the still-dark and empty streets, the train lurched over the silver rails, which passed through the suburbs of Chihuahua, seemingly slipping away from day before day itself had even arrived.

Operating over the long-envisioned rail link between the fertile Chihuahua plains and the Mexican west coast in order to transport goods to the port of Topolobambo for transfer to the shipping routes, the Chihuahua al Pacifico Railroad traces its origins to Albert Kinsey Owens, an American railway engineer, who moved to Mexico in 1861 and conceived a Chihuahua-Topolobambo connection. Forming a Mexican-American company two years later to design it, he was awarded a contract by the Mexican government to build a rail line between Piedras Negras and Topolobambo which would eventually offer spur lines to Mazatlan, Alamos, and Ojinaga. However, ultimately unable to secure sufficient funding to complete the project, Owens ceded it to Foster Higgins, whose Rio Grande, Sierra Madre, and Pacific Railway Company operated over the 1898-completed, 259-kilometer section between Ciudad Juarez and Casas Grandes. Insurmountable obstacles equally precluded its further extension.

The project was next adopted by Enrique Creel, who operated the Kansas City, Mexico, and Orient Railroad and who was able to further connect Casas Grandes with La Junta after four years of additional construction, from 1910 to 1914. But revolutionary attacks thwarted further completion of the next sector, that from Ojinaga to Creel.

By 1900, Topolobambo was connected to El Fuerte by several Mexican and US rail companies, but the fully envisioned route, from Chihuahua to Ojinaga, remained elusive until 1927, when the Mexican government itself completed the sector which Creel had started. Remaining was the 260-kilometer stretch within the canyon whose topographical obstacles and 7,000-foot elevation change would require extreme engineering feats to overcome. Nationalizing the independent rail companies which operated over either end of the still-unconnected line in 1940, the Mexican government announced 13 years later, in 1953, that the program would be completed.

The originally estimated five-year construction project, commencing with Owens' work in 1863, ultimately took some 90 years and $90 million to complete, the final track not laid until 1961. The project, having experienced multiply-failed attempts by several companies, cost overruns of hitherto unimaginable proportions, engineering failures, the Mexican revolution, and World War I, ultimately triumphed with a rail connection between the sea-level city of Los Mochis and the high-elevation capital of Chihuahua via the rugged, inhospitable topography of a series of Sierra Madre Occidental-located canyons traversed by tracks which threaded their way through 86 tunnels and over 37 bridges, thrice crossed the Continental Divide, and were subjected to an 8,000-foot elevation change in the process.

Dawn encroached itself on night's blackness as a colorless metamorphosis, progressively revealing the opaque hue of the cloud cover. The Chihuahua suburbs yielded to rich, chocolate-brown foothills and the gold, straw-like hay growing right up to the rails.

Decreasing speed, the Chihuahua al Pacifico Railroad ceased its momentum at Cuauhtemoc, now 132 kilometers from its origin. Originally known as San Antonio de Arenales, the village, later adopting the current name after the Aztec emperor, traces its origins to the railroad's arrival in 1900, but experienced significant growth some 21 years later when the Mennonite community settled there.

Reinitiating motion, the train moved amid wheat-gold fields, which stretched on either side to the foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountains. The first hint of the topography to come had been glimpsed. The sky, now an illustrious blue, retained a few scattered white cotton formations.

I walked into the Dining Car for breakfast, my first meal on the rails. Located directly behind the locomotive, it featured a forward galley; four, four-place booths; a glass divider; two two-place booths on the left and a c-shaped, inward-facing divan with tables on the right; a second glass divider; and another four, four-place booths. Brass lamps attached to the car sides hung above each table. Seats alternated between dark red or green upholstery.

A standard, two-page menu featured purchasable breakfast, lunch, and dinner items. My own breakfast included an omelet of ham and cheese, fried potatoes with peppers and onions, refried beans with grated cheese, and tortillas and salsa.

Leaving the valley and its ubiquitous apple orchards, the Chihuahua al Pacifico Railroad passed over the Continental Divide for the first of what would become three occasions and briefly stopped at La Junta, site of the railroad roundhouse, now at a 6,775-foot elevation. Upon departure, it commenced its gradual climb, leaving behind the plains of Chihuahua.

By 1030, having covered some 200 kilometers, Train 74 wound its way through the Sierra-Madrean oak-pine woodland as it ascended through 7,000 feet. San Juanito, at 265 kilometers from Chihuahua and at an 8,000-foot elevation, was Mexico's coldest community, although the sun currently shined unobstructedly. Established in 1906, it, like many villages along the route, took root as a result of the railroad's expansion.

At kilometer-marker 551, the peaks of the Sierra Madre Occidental loomed ahead.

Plunging through Tunnel 4, at 4,134.8 feet the line's longest and the location of the third crossing of the Continental Divide, the Chihuahua al Pacifico Railroad emerged onto dual-branching track, ceasing motion while an eastbound freight train passed to the left before partially backing into the tunnel and reemerging on the spur line for its approach into 7,735-foot Creel. Founded in 1907, during the first stage of railroad construction, it is the gateway to the Tarahumara Indian culture and, as the principle community within the canyon proper, is inhabited by some 5,000 people. Its current economic activity includes trade, the railroad itself, the lumber industry, and tourism. A brief stop permitted a large, name tag-bearing tour group to board the otherwise empty passenger cars before the train almost instantly regained momentum and moved past the town's main square and line of wooden shops and guest houses. Redirecting itself off of the spur line, it rejoined the main track for its canyon-penetrating journey.

As the four-car chain thread its way though rock wall and pine, the Ferromex diesel engines appeared ahead and either to the left or the right of the windows as they negotiated the turns. Climbing toward the line's highest point at kilometer marker 583, 8,071-foot Los Ojitos, Train 74 followed the winding, ever-ascending, single track, wafts of crisp pine air and smoldering wood fires entering both ends of the cars at the conductor's stations.

At 1235, the train threaded its way through tall, dense pine and the carpeted expanses of the canyon became visible through the left windows; moving through kilometer marker 592, it commenced a steep descent over "el lazo" as the track's geometry looped into a complete circle and recrossed over itself.

Approaching Divisadero at 1320, now 354 kilometers from its origin, the two-locomotive and four-car Chihuahua al Pacifico Railroad transitioned from mountain to canyon topography and decreased speed, moving past a chain of flatbed freight cars supporting vehicles, and ceased movement at the two-track station. Unleashed for a 15-minute scenic stop, its patrons were instantly engulfed in a Mecca of activity as they negotiated the stalls which served as the temporary displays of the Tarahumara Indian's basketry and wood carvings enroute to the Divisadero Overlook, where they were met with the thin, crisp air and the panoramic view of the Copper, Urique, and Tararecua Canyons whose size, depth, and grandeur were awe-inspiring and silence-promoting. A thin line, representing a tributary to the Urique River, snaked 4,135 feet below. The geological formations themselves were the result of plate tectonic shifting some 90 million years ago, a planetary phenomenon which later produced the mountains of North and South America. Earthquakes of hitherto unimaginable magnitude ultimately produced the Sea of Cortez between Baja California and the Mexican mainland. Today's canyons were deeper, greener, and four times larger than Arizona's Grand Canyon.

A blow of the locomotive's whistle indicated that it was time to return to the train for the journey's continuation. The quick, four-kilometer trek to the Posada Barrancas Station, which served three canyon lodges, took me to my overnight destination, the small pick-up truck awaiting only feet from the rail car's steps. After only a 30-second stop, the train reinitiated power and its trailing passenger car disappeared as it moved between the track-sandwiching rock faces and rounded the bend, the location's daily lifeline now severed for another 24 hours. The truck, making its way up the dirt hill with the luggage on its flatbed, stopped in front of the Hotel Posada Barrancas Mirador.

A three-story orange adobe lodge built on the rim of the 5,770-foot-deep Copper Canyon, it featured wood-framed balconies in rustic Tarahumara Indian style and included three daily meals. The lobby, adorned with a brown tiled floor and yellow adobe walls with an Indian-patterned border, featured a cathedral ceiling of wood slats and thick, tree trunk beams with three wagon wheel-like chandeliers, a huge adobe fireplace with a pottery-adorned mantel and a crackling fire during evenings, and leather sofas and arm chairs. A small, separate bar featured small, round wooden tables, colorful Indian-motif chairs, an orange adobe fireplace, and a painted, wall-length mural of the Copper Canyon and the railroad tracks which ran through it. A large, outdoor, canyon-overlooking balcony framed by a natural branch- and trunk-border was accessed by a door from the lobby.

A tiled, outdoor walkway led past crevices of pottery, rocks, and cactus on the right and the room doors on the left. The rooms, in quintessential Mexican-Indian style, retained the hotel's tile floors and featured rough, white adobe walls; wood-beamed ceilings; small, white adobe fireplaces with orange bases; separate, outside sinks and closets whose wooden doors were made of diagonally-patterned tree branches; inside tiled showers; and rustic tree trunk and branch balconies overlooking the canyon.

Lunch was served in the dining room, which contained long, wooden tables, and featured a downward-slanting ceiling made of thin wood branches, four wooden chandeliers, a green slate fireplace, and floor-to-ceiling windows which looked out over the canyon, and included cream of mushroom soup; filet of grilled beef, baked potato, refried beans and cheese, nachos with melted cheese and tomato sauce, and tortillas and salsa; peach cream pie with a graham cracker crust and chocolate sauce drizzle; and coffee.

The few wisps of cloud brush-stroked on the western horizon above the rock-sculpted walls of the canyon temporarily transformed themselves into pink and purple hues. The air, thin, pure, and brisk, exuded tranquillity. Far removed from a settlement or town of any appreciable size, the orange adobe hotel overlooking the rim became an isolated world unto itself.

Dinner, the second meal in the canyon, included lentil soup; barbecued chicken breast, lime rice with green olives, and mixed vegetables; and pineapple cake.

The canyon, now devoid of light, was reduced to a black, referenceless hole. The grid of stars, unobstructed by a single cloud vapor, pollution-caused haze, or ground light, penetrated the night sky like high-intensity beams melting into black wax. The cold, rarefied air was heavy with the aromas of the burning logs in the lodge's adobe fireplaces. Surrendering to sleep, I lapsed into the void of oblivion...

II

Pierced only by the sounds of the periodically-howling coyotes, night had remained invisibly black. At 0630, between the Copper Canyon and a band of black cloud, dawn poured itself into day as molten orange lava through a sliver on the eastern horizon, progressively encroaching itself until the once-black cloud band became infused with tinges of orange, like a sponge gradually absorbing day's liquid. The crevices and corrugations of the canyon's cliffs, although still indistinguishable, became visible in silhouette form beneath the dark-blue sky whose nocturnal light, the profusion of interstellar stars, had faded until only a planet-representative pinpoint of light remained diagonal to the lodge's balcony. Absorbing the full fury of day, the cloud band hovering over the horizon became engulfed in fiery red flame.

The daily westbound train, which would take me the remaining half of the distance to its terminus, Los Mochis, had just pulled out of Chihuahua. The clouds, now totally consumed by fire, were completely engulfed by red. As the flame burned itself out, the red once again progressed to a cooler orange and the sky transformed itself into a morning baby blue. The gray granite of the canyon's sculpted rocks and the green of its lower-elevation vegetation became distinguishable. Breakfast, served in the hotel's dining room, had included orange juice; a fresh fruit plate of watermelon, papaya, cantaloupe, banana, cherries, and limes; pancakes, maple syrup, and bacon; and coffee.

By late-morning, the lodge seemed suspended by its silence as its guests, temporarily away, became involved with hiking and horseback riding excursions, almost in anticipation of the daily train from Chihuahua, lifeline to the isolated canyon community. A very small, colorfully-clad Tarahumara woman, carrying a baby cradled in a fabric sling behind her back, peeked into the lodge's window, in curiosity of the "other" life experienced here.

The suspension of silence, time, and society was abruptly shattered at 1330 as the dark green and red Ferromex diesel locomotive, sprouting gray smoke and pulling its chain of five cars, appeared between the bushes on the single track, following the right curve and stopping at the "Old West'-resembling wooden platform on which some 20 people, having emerged from Posada Barrancas' three lodges, congregated. Unlike yesterday's train, today's was comprised of a single locomotive, the standard dining and bar cars, and three passenger cars. Clamoring on board with the rest of the luggage-carrying passengers, I reached my left-hand seat just as the engine had released its brakes and the westbound train had slipped between the two rock faces on the other side of the dirt road.

Only moments after leaving the station, the Chihuahua al Pacifico Railroad followed the multiplying tracks into San Rafael and stopped parallel to the eastbound train. A gradual descent, from 7,500 feet to sea level, would characterize most of the remaining journey. Lunch, served in the dining car, included a California baguette of ham, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, mayonnaise, and Dijon mustard on French bread with crispy French fried potatoes.

Rounding a left bend, the Chihuahua al Pacifico Railroad plunged through a tunnel and over the 695.4-foot Laja Bridge, the tracks now nestled in a pine tree-rich canyon. At 1515, it pulled into the 5,300-foot station of Bahuichivo, which serves the town of Cerocahui, located 16 kilometers amidst apple and peach orchards, and the village of Urique, which is located at the bottom of the canyon. Between kilometers 688 and 708, the train bored through a series of 16 tunnels carved into the canyon's edge. The track, paralleling the slender, rocky, almost-dry Septentrion River below, was itself "miniaturized" by the green-carpeted peaks of Chihuahua pine, Douglas fir, and Quaking aspen towering above it. The sky, abundant with majestic, floating silver cloud islands, was otherwise an illustrious blue.

Reduced to but a model railroad, the six-chained linkage moved amid the towering, granite and green alpine-topographical peaks of oak and pine, periodically swallowed by a series of tunnels, which instantaneously reduced day-blue to night-black. Mimicking the locomotive's turns, curves, and jolts at slightly delayed rates, its trailing cars followed suit with uncanny precision. As soon as the train exited a tunnel, the seemingly tiny round hole representing the entrance into the next always appeared ahead.

Entering tunnel 49, the train, now descending into the Santa Barbara Canyon, executed a 180-degree turn before emerging and again was subjected to a second 180-degree bend on the bridge spanning the Septentrion River. The village of Temoris, founded in 1677 by Jesuits and located on a 3,365-foot plateau above the station, had been reached by 1610 in the afternoon.

Passing through the Rio Septentrion Canyon, Train 74 traveled through notably tropical topography, characterized by banana, palm, and mango trees. At 1708 and kilometer-marker 748, the train crossed the 1,018.5-foot Chinipas Bridge which, at 335 feet above the green surface-appearing Chinipas River, was the highest of the line, and, six kilometers later, bored through the last and longest of its tunnels, number 86, which was 5,966 feet in length. Like the last sounds of a symphony, the Chihuahua al Pacifico Railroad exited canyon country.

As evening approached, the passengers, many of whom belonged to one of two travel groups, made way to the bar car for wine and cocktails. The car itself, located between the dining and the passenger cars, had been configured with an inward-facing bar with several round bar stools, mirrored shelves for wine and liquor bottles, and upside-down hanging glasses. Primarily upholstered in red, its lounge chairs were sandwiched by small, round drink tables, while a stand-up bar and a concessions counter for salable snacks and souvenirs was installed at the front of the car.

At kilometer marker 781, the train passed over the Agua Caliente Bridge, which spanned the Fuerte River and, at 1,637 feet, was the line's longest. Traversing low, scrubby cactus and thornforest terrain at 1730, it moved at considerable speed beneath paling blue skies and dark, periodic nimbus cloud collections characteristic of dusk. Horizontal lines of cloud, brush-stroked on the western horizon, were eaten by burning orange coals. Hovering only feet above the curved silhouettes of the mountains, the sun, in pure cylindrical geometry, burned with orange fury before slipping behind them. Settling into nocturnal rest, it projected a volcanic eruption of purple and orange liquid lava skyward in its aftermath. The snaking river below the bridge cradling the track seemed lit with a violet match. The cloud formations, temporarily torched by orange, metamorphosed into purple as night snuffed out the few remnants of day's embers burning just above the horizon. A quilt of ruby and gray stratonimbus draped itself over day, covering it with suffocating darkness, and leaving the warm, lighted interior of the passenger cars as the only remaining light.

Train 74, now traveling parallel to flat, almost-desert scrub in the state of Sinaloa, had left the Copper Canyon and the foothills of the Sierra Madre behind, and would close the remaining gap to its final destination in blackness, leaving only the "clock" of its wheels against the track as audible evidence of its advancement. Walking to the dining car for the last meal on the rails, I ordered a bottle of French white wine and an entrée of chicken cordon bleu with a mushroom cream sauce, Mexican rice, and mixed vegetables.

The town of El Fuerte, reached at 1910, was of Spanish colonial architecture and had been founded in 1564 by the Spanish conqueror Francisco de Ibarra for the purpose of erecting a fort to protect its citizens against Indian attack. Serving as a trading post on the Camino Real for three centuries, whose Spanish mule trail had connected Guadalahara, the Alamos mines, and the Sierra Madre Occidental, it had become the capital of Sinaloa in 1824.

Lurching on the single track beneath dark velvet, star-diamond skies and moving over the flat expanse of land, Train 74 covered the remaining 82 kilometers between El Fuerte and Los Mochis, the rectangles seeming to skim along the sides reflections of its lighted passenger car windows on the track-side vegetation.

The rectangular reflections of the car windows were like the reflections of the journey: unlike other rail lines, which offered alternative transportation means to certain destinations, the Chihuahua al Pacifico Railroad offered the only land line to and through the Sierra Madre Occidental and its related canyons. The life line to the communities along its track, from Chihuahua to Los Mochis, it offered singular-method, vital transportation; traveled over 653 kilometers of track whose route could only be equated with an extreme feat of railway engineering; offered unparalleled mountain and canyon scenery; and connected the Mexican and Tarahumara Indian cultures.

The single track burgeoned into many and the train passed a considerably-sized railway yard. The lights of Los Mochis, the modern city located only 19 kilometers from the port town of Topolobambo, loomed ahead. Creeping through the suburbs, the houses of which were only yards from the actual track, the Chihuahua al Pacifico Railroad moved past the modern Estacion de Los Mochis at a snail's pace and snagged its brakes for the last time at 2205, completing its 16 hour, 20-minute journey from the plains to the Pacific.

Taking my suitcase from the overhead rack and climbing down the few stairs to the platform, I watched the uniformed crew turn off the train's lights and file into the terminal, having completed another westbound run, and could only marvel at the vital role they played in the railroad's purpose to link the Copper Canyon with the rest of Mexico.

Thanks To : Home Owner Insurance Wire Shelf

Why Do Team Building Sessions Always Involve Games

Team building activities are becoming increasingly popular with organisations in singapore. Organisations are paying huge sums of money to consultants to get their staff out of the office to play games with them. Why play games during professional team building activities? Will these team building games ultimately benefit the staff or the company?

People are the most valuable assets of any organisation. People - humans - have been created with the capacity to achieve beyond boundaries, but, the catch is that not everyone comes close to unleashing their latent potential. Why so, you may ask?

Oftentimes, mentoring and support is essential for a person to realise his potential. each individual's ability to learn and change, and to subsequently put more energy into their work, very much stems from how they feel about themselves. An environment where people feel valued and capable is an environment that fosters growth - and is poised for success.

Any organisation intent on success should be mindful about grooming leaders, nurturing individuals and team building among individuals. Every individual must be empowered with skills that would directly influence their job scope, as well as skills that build camaraderie across job scopes.

Playing Team Building Games
In his book 'Understanding How People Learn', author David G Reay explains that learning is in fact a natural phenomenon - something which all animals do to a greater or lesser extent, particularly during their maturing period, but also throughout adulthood.

Learning is:

1· Continuous
Consciously or unconsciously, we are learning new things all the time, be it superficial - like learning it's hot today - or profound - like learning what it means to fall in love!

2· Natural
Wanting to learn is a natural state of affairs. knowing how to do something is associated with success; not knowing is associated with failure - and no sane person wants to be a failure.

3· Closely related to doing things - 'experiential learning'
Learning through theory is an acquired skill but experiential learning is a natural skill. Take the example of a child trying to force objects into a box with cut-outs of different shapes in the quest to understand spatial relationships. The child makes attempts to match shapes until he understands how it works and successfully completes his 'game'. it is only when you can do something can you actually claim to understand how it is done.

Now that we know that experiential learning is a natural process, how is that some people do not learn? There are several barriers to experiential learning, being:

· Lack of motivation

· Unsuitable work environment

· Inappropriate subject matter

· Past experience

· Self image

· Inadequate study skills

· Poor memory

Any combination of the above factors will hinder the experiential learning process and cause resistance to learning.

One ingenious way to overcome these barriers is to introduce and encourage experiential learning through play - the playing of games.

Team building games will help us remember. Studies show that we remember well when enjoying ourselves. In her book 'The Power of Mindful Learning', Ellen J Langer encourages introducing learning materials through play. the rationale behind it is that people seek novelty in play and have no difficulty paying attention in those situations, because when something is novel, we notice different things about it. In playing team building games, players look more closely at all aspects of the situation to figure out how to win - to win/overcome is a strong motivating factor.

Moreover, when playing games, people are in a relaxed mode and are therefore less self-conscious and less conscious of past experiences. Defences are also down in an informal setting, assuring low, or little resistance to the intended learning values.

Yet another good news is that playing games does not require comprehensive study skills or extensive use of memory - at least not for the team building games developed at änergy. thus, anyone in an organisation can participate, regardless of educational qualifications, and everyone can benefit from the intended learning points during the team building session.

Co-authors of "World Class Training", Kaye Thorne and Alex Machray, state that, "most memorable learning experiences(expriential learning) usually take place in a special environment". The correct choice of location and layout are vital to encourage experiential learning. Most of our team building games require out-of-the-norm settings, away from the rigid work stations, structured boardroom tables or classroom/theatre-style arrangements. The different settings would prove to be a refreshing and certainly more interesting change for people. during team building, the informal atmosphere also sets the stage for people to sub-consciously reveal traits otherwise concealed during formal settings.

Another research by the National Training Laboratory (USA) has also proven that learning by doing (experiential learning) proves to be most effective, next to personal coaching.

"If we find ways of enjoying our work - blurring the lines between work and play - the gains will be greater." - Ellen Langer, Professor of Psychology, Harvard University

Yet another gratification from playing games during team building is the bonds that will be established within teams. When team members strive together to achieve something, the spirit of comradeship is inculcated, and it lingers even after the event. through having fun together, team members also gain more in-depth understanding of each other in a non-threatening environment. this would eventually help in managing differences in personality styles, and adds to the greater cohesiveness within an organisation.

What more can we say? in a nutshell, experiential learning through team building games would prove to be more productive, effective, memorable and thus, more worthwhile!

As articulated by a wise man of the old, "What I hear, I forget; what I see, I remember; but what I do I understand." - Confucius 451 BC

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