Throw Karen overboard

Summary: The Pikes win a cruise to Bahamas/trip to Disney World and invite Mary Anne and Stacey to come along as mother’s helpers, as they were so great at the beach. Then Watson decides to take the Brewer/Thomas family on the same trip, and bring Dawn and Claudia along so that we don’t have to wonder where they are or suffer through some boring plotline about them being back home. As in all the super specials, the chapters alternate between all the sitters, plus a couple other people. Everyone has a different plot:

Kristy fights with Dawn because Dawn’s a neat freak and Kristy’s a slob. She also meets some random grumpy older guy and hangs out with him.

Stacey meets a kid named Marc who has a heart condition and has to get around in a wheelchair. They bond because her diabetes helps her understand him better.

Mary Anne keeps seeing a girl named Alex who claims to be an orphan whose aunt is a countess. Turns out she’s just a lying liar who lies for attention, and her parents are singers.

Claudia is stalked by a “secret admirer” who buys her lots of stuff and ends up being Alex’s brother.

Dawn falls in love with some guy named Parker.

Mallory goes all Harriet the Spy on everyone, because things turned out so well for that girl.

Karen is a brat and thinks she has a personal ghost.

Byron Pike finds what he thinks is a treasure map and gets Adam, Jordan, Nicky, and David Michael all excited about looking for treasure. Except the map is actually a diagram of a Dutch copy machine. Hee hee hee.

Thoughts: I always loved the super specials as a kid because I liked reading longer books. (I’m still that way.) But this one…eh. It leaves a lot to be desired. Maybe because once you’ve been on a cruise and gone to Disney World, you know that reading about other people doing it is nowhere near as interesting.

I’m planning to read the super specials in the order they were published alongside the other books, but whoever determined the publication order screwed up a little – this book should actually come before 13, since Stacey’s still in Stoneybrook and Mallory isn’t in the club yet. It’s a little confusing to go back a step, but it means less Mallory, so I’m fine with it.

I don’t get why the Pikes would bring mother’s helpers on an all-expenses-paid family vacation financed by Mr. Pike’s company. Did they pay for all 12 people to come? Maybe that’s why they have to lay off people in book 39. The Pikes spend zero time with the kids on the trip, too. Why would you take your kids to Disney World and not experience it with them? And why would Watson pay for Dawn and Claudia to come along? Why not Logan and Shannon, too?

I never got invited into an airplane cockpit as a kid. I used to be bitter about it, but then I saw Airplane!

So here’s where Kristy screws up as a sitter. She lets Karen go from the ship’s pool to her room by herself, then doesn’t go looking for her when she doesn’t come back in a timely manner. Karen is six, Kristy. You’re an idiot. Also, Karen doesn’t get in trouble for stopping by a beauty parlor for a manicure and a café for a Coke, charging both to Watson’s room. She also barely gets in trouble for lying at the character breakfast and saying it’s her birthday. Does this child get away with everything?

How was Claudia’s secret admirer sure she would get the glass of juice with his note? How did she know the note was for her? Also, he’s a stalker. I bet Ann M. Martin is on Team Edward.

I can’t believe the Pikes and Kristy’s mom let David-Michael and Nicky Pike, who are seven and eight respectively, go off alone with the triplets, who are all ten. That’s insane.

Stacey has a snobby moment: “An older woman was at a table in front of ours, and a girl my age was at a table in back of ours. But neither of them looked like she deserved a Secret Admirer.” “Deserved”? Who does Stacey think she is, Jessica Wakefield?

Dawn drinks soda? With all those chemicals? I’m shocked.

More from annoying Dawn: When Stacey and Mary Anne complain about being tired after a day of sitting at Disney World, Dawn says, “Touchy, touchy.” This from the girl who’s on a free vacation and spent the whole day with a cute buy. Cram it, Veggie Girl.

Karen thinks a ghost is following her around. Watson should probably do something about those visual hallucinations. When she lies that it’s her birthday so people will sing to her, she tells Watson that the ghost made her do it. Problem!

Claudia pulls a Cordelia Chase: “I felt fooled. ‘I feel fooled,’ I told him.” Love it.

Dawn wears this hideous-sounding outfit, which is actually Claudia’s: “A white tank top under lavender overalls, lavender push-down socks, lavender high-top sneakers, and a beaded Indian belt.” Is she trying to be Violet from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory?

A paint job is just one of the costs you may need to budget for.

“A boat is a hole in the water into which you throw money.”

We all know that boating can be expensive, but where does it all go?  Tony Jones crunches the numbers.

Aspiring boaters often ask about the financial aspects of boating.   Despite my stock response being “An arm and a leg and your first born child!” it is a difficult question to answer given the enormous variety of boats and boaters and the various different types of waterways.  I asked a handful of boaters to keep track of their boating related spending for a whole year, listing everything from the mandatory licence fee, right down to the last fire-lighter, windlass and emergency repair bill.   Here is a summary.

The Big Three

Licence

Most canals and rivers in the UK are managed by either British Waterways or the Environment Agency and can be navigated upon purchasing a Gold Licence.  A handful of navigable waterways are managed by other organisations and so not covered by the Gold licence, a list of which can be found below.  A Standard Licence covers all of the canals and rivers specifically managed by BW, covering a choice of either England and Wales or Scottish waterways.  This licence is sufficient for vast majority of boaters, and any occasional forays outside its range can be covered by short term licences from the appropriate authority.  (See below for example costs.)  Boaters who are happy to restrict their cruises to just BW owned rivers can buy a Rivers Only Licence and these cost less than the others listed above.

The length of your boat is used to calculate the cost of the licence (the beam width is not a factor here) with discounts applying for prompt payment and a surcharge of £150 if payment is received late. For more information visit www.britishwaterways.co.uk/licence-it, but here are a few examples.

• Nb The Watchman is 50 feet long and has a 12 month England and Wales Standard Licence.  This would cost £669.60, but was discounted for prompt payment to £602.64
• Nb Aldebaran is 60 feet long and has a 12 month Gold Licence costing £1043.00 paid in full in advance.

Box Out: Visitors Licence fees (50 foot narrowboat)

• 1 Day on the Thames – £26.00 (Note – Length & Beam are considered.)
• 3 Days on the Basingstoke Canal – £27.15
• 1 Week on the River Wey – £56.00 (Lock tolls included.)
• Cruise the length of the Manchester Ship Canal – £128.00 (Conditions apply.  Call for details.)

Box Out – Other licensing agencies (Non BW/EA)

Boat Safety Certificate

Boats are tested for safety by qualified inspectors every four years and compliant craft are issued a boat safety certificate.  The test points are identical for all boats irrespective of size or type and so these variables will not affect the cost to any great degree.

David Tucker is the Membership Secretary for the Association of Boat Safety Examiners.  He said “The safety examination is a very black and white affair and so quite easy to budget for. Although the cost of the test is not fixed, most inspectors will charge around £150 which will cover the examination and the issue of the certificate.  Most fail points can be remedied with minimal financial cost and a couple of man hours, although non-compliant gas cookers are sometimes more easily replaced than repaired.  Some examiners may make an additional charge if a second visit is required following a fail, particularly if they have any distance to travel.”

Insurance

Like all insurances the price is dependent on risk and the amount of cover required.   Rod Daniel of Craftinsure shed a little light on the dark art of boat insurance:  “The value and age of the boat are key premium factors rather than the length or beam width.  Others factors to consider include where the boat is based and any additional cover you might require for boat contents.  If you live aboard you can expect to pay more.  Although live-aboard boats are less likely to be left unattended for long periods, increased use and the value of items on board do tend to add to the risk. “

Avoiding tidal waterways and opting for a higher excess can reduce your insurance costs but price is not the only consideration.  The current financial climate may encourage boaters to cut costs, but it is important to ensure your insurance provides adequate cover.  Some insurers will ask for a survey if your boat is over 20 years old.  This can add £400 to your insurance expenditure once crane/dry dock costs are included, although this survey will usually be valid for insurance for five years.

Some insurance quotes examples (Courtesy of Craftinsure.com)

Moorings

Moorings costs are dependent on geography, facilities and the size of your boat.  Moorings with facilities such as mains electricity, local pump-out/Elsan or laundry will cost more than a basic on-line mooring, as will moorings in picturesque or convenient locations.  Most marinas will also charge different fees if moored alone or abreast another boat and some also differentiate between frequent and infrequent usage.

Case Studies

1. Airedale Boat Club near Bingley sits on the Leeds Liverpool canal.  A 50 foot narrowboat on a breasted narrow-beam mooring costs £14.00 per foot per annum. (£700.00 per year.)  ABC has electricity supply and water is available from a BW tap on the towpath opposite.  Pump-out and Elsan disposal are a short walk away.  The club is run as a not for profit organisation and boat owners meet regularly to do maintenance chores around the site to keep mooring fees low.  Membership costs £7.50 per year.
2. Online moorings with limited facilities are a prolific and relatively cheap mooring option.  An offside mooring to accommodate a 40’ boat at Cowley South near Uxbridge on the Grand Union went at tender for £1271 per annum earlier this year.  Apart from the provision of mooring rings and gated access, this mooring site has no additional facilities although water and pump-out/Elsan are both within 15 minutes cruising time.
3. Apsley Marina can be found on the Grand Union Canal near Hemel Hempstead and was opened in 2003.  Facilities include metered electricity, water points, showers, pump-out and Elsan and a laundry facility too.  Nestling amongst a modern apartment block complex, a residential mooring here will cost £5412.00 per annum.
4. Part of the Ting Dene group, Pyrford is a fine example of a modern commercial marina with extensive facilities and an on-site engineer.  The River Wey is owned and maintained by the National Trust and boats moored here enjoy a stunningly beautiful setting, however the Trust does not allow residential moorings anywhere on the river.  Facilities include metered electricity, water point, pump-out and Elsan, toilets and shower block, dry docking and diesel.  At £66.94 per foot pet annum a 72 foot boat on a standard mooring would cost £4819.68, with an option to pay by monthly direct debit at additional cost.
5. Engineers Wharf can be found on the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal in London on a 26 mile lock free section of the London canal network and is a good example of a top of the range premium mooring.  Matthew Bannister, BW’s West London moorings co-coordinator said “Whilst location is an important factor I believe the range of facilities at Engineers Wharf is an equally attractive feature.  The land required to build such extensive and attractive facilities is in short supply in the capital and so there is a high demand for moorings such as those at Engineers Wharf.”

Facilities at Engineers Wharf include:

A residential mooring here was recently won by tender at a price of £9250.00 per annum.  It is important to remember that residential moorings are subject to Council Tax charges.

Utilities

Utilities costs will vary with usage and a live-aboard boater will obviously spend more than a weekend and holidays cruiser.  Mains supply costs for electricity are cheaper than domestic house charges as most marinas will purchase electricity in bulk.   Marinas cannot charge a premium to their customers as they are not regulated energy suppliers, so this discount is passed on to us down the line.

Water provision is included in the licence fee and so there is no extra expense here, although some boaters use filtration systems or water purification tablets at a small additional cost.

Gas bottles come in several sizes with the larger ones offering better value, but most boat gas lockers seem to accommodate the 13Kg canisters. In addition to the gas used for cooking, some boats have gas powered instantaneous water heaters.  These increase consumption considerably, though most boaters consider this a small price for instant hot water.

Case Studies

Tony – Nb The Watchman “I often work from my boat and so I have quite a high usage, particularly electricity to charge my laptop and phone.)

• Gas: (gas boiler & cooker) – 12 x 13kg canisters @ £24.00 = £288.00 per annum.
• Electric: (240v appliances: fridge, laptop, CD player, mobile phone charger.) = £180 per annum.

Becky – Nb Summer Wine. “I rarely cook aboard so my gas usage is quite low.”

• Gas: (Cooker.) = £21.40 pa
• Electric: (240v appliances: fridge, microwave, mobile phone charger, television, hair-dryer, portable electric heater.) = £70.00 pa via token fed mains electricity meter.

Lindsay – Nb Cerian “We always make a point of switching off the boiler pilot light.  You’d be surprised how much gas can be saved this way.  I find the gas powered fridge is more cost effective than an electrical one too.”

• Gas: (Gas powered refrigerator, water heater and central heating.) = £72.00 pa.
• Electric: £30.00 pa via token fed mains electricity meter.

Winter Warmth

The vast majority of boats use a multi-fuel stove for heat.  The debate rages continually over which coal is best so boaters are usually partisan and eager to compare costs and performance.  Many will endeavour to find a timber yard or similar source for free or cheap kindling.  Whilst fallen deadwood can be found on and around the towpath one should consider the impact this has on local wildlife.  Many types of insect use rotting deadwood as either food or habitat and so plundering this natural resource for your fire is frowned upon by naturalists as intensive harvesting can quickly lay waste to an area.

Some boats make the most of the heat produced by their stove to provide hot water and to heat radiators by utilizing a back burner system.  This is an efficient way to get “free” hot water during winter time, but lighting the stove is not practical during summer.

Diesel fueled heaters another option.  There are several types to choose from but most are fed from the same diesel tank as the boat’s engine making running costs difficult to obtain.  Once installed most diesel stoves have very low maintenance costs, but some types of diesel fueled heaters will require regular servicing.  Jason Kay of BK Marine Systems specializes in servicing Eberspacher and Webasto diesel fueled heaters and was keen to address their reliability issue.  “The units have a two year warranty from new and I wouldn’t expect them to need any attention at all in this time.  After a few years of use I advise that people get a routine service done every couple of years at least, and possibly yearly in high usage applications such as live-aboard boats.  More frequent problems are likely due to poor installation or poor quality fuels.  A standard service kit plus labour will usually not break the £200.00 mark.”

Coal and Kindling Usage – Case Studies

Debbie and her family live aboard their boat and have access to free seasoned deadwood through her work. = £140 pa.

Becky stays aboard her narrowboat Summer Wine near her workplace during the week. = £284.30 pa

Mike and his family use their boat Aldebaran for weekends and extended cruises and enjoy cruising during the winter.  = £90 pa.

Only for Boaters

Fuel Usage

Diesel fuel expenditure has been difficult to assess as usage and prices vary so widely.  Although many kept a log of the fuel they purchased, few (including me) keep records of engine running hours.  Also, as these figures pre-date the recent diesel tax overhaul the actual spend amounts would not be representative for today’s boaters and so have been omitted.

Case Studies

Lyndsay  – NbCerian 141 litres diesel. (132 engine hours.)

Becky – Nb Summer Wine = 219 litres diesel. (220 hours)

Pump Outs

The main factors governing pump-out costs are frequency (of boat use) and volume (of your black water tank).  Many boaters negate this cost by utilizing cassette type toilets as these are free to empty at Elsan sanitary disposal points.  Both pump out and cassette owners will utilise odour neutralising solutions but this cost is negligible, totaling approximately £20 per annum.  Replacements, spares and repairs are listed in the maintenance section of this article and are thankfully rare.

Lyndsay – Nb Cerian – 2 x pump outs @ £15.00 = £30.00 pa (“We have a huge black water tank!”)

Tony – Nb The Watchman – 10 x pump outs @ £12.50 = £125.00 pa

Becky – Nb Summer Wine – 8 x pump-outs @ £10 – £12.50 = £90 pa

Boat Maintenance

How long is a piece of string? Maintaining one’s boat is a major expenditure and the costs incurred here can vary enormously.  Not only is the age and condition of your boat a factor but the prices charged by companies providing services can differ hugely too.

Some maintenance issues creep up slowly whilst breakdowns can come from nowhere and require immediate attention.  Whilst it is difficult to know what’s around the corner, there are some constants to bear in mind when budgeting for boat maintenance such as replacement batteries, water pumps and stern gland packing.  These consumable and high workload items will invariably go wrong at the most inconvenient moment and so budgeting for them makes lots of sense.  Leisure batteries can cost anything from £70 and a new water pump will set you back around £100.  Overhauling a stern gland will cost less than a tenner but is a greasy, time consuming job

Engine servicing is usually carried out yearly with a view to avoiding breakdown expenses later.  A basic service, changing oil, filters, coolant and spark plugs will cost around £150.00 and a more thorough going over to take account of glow plugs and valves can set you back over £250.00.  It may be worth learning to service your engine yourself, not only to save on labour costs but also to nurture your relationship with your boat – the cost of replacing the consumable filters and fluids comes in at around £80.   If you have an older engine you may want to keep a small pot of extra cash to make available for small repairs that become apparent at this time.

Bottom blacking is a less frequent maintenance cost that most boaters execute every four years.  Prices ranged from £8 to £12 per foot for a full service job including getting the boat out of the water (with a crane or dry dock) to preparation and re-blacking.  Those with more time and patience may plump for a DIY blacking process. You’ll need to get the boat out of the water and back at a cost of approximately £200.00 and materials will cost around £100.  You may also want to hire equipment such as a pressure washer too.

Whilst the boat is out of the water it is advisable to check sacrificial anodes and replace them if necessary.  Purchase and fitting for 4 anodes will cost around £150.00 – £200.00.  A hull survey to check the integrity of your steel bottom plate is also an option at this time, particularly if your boat is approaching the age when insurance companies will require one.

.

Box-Out - Blacking

Hire boat companies will usually black their fleet of boats yearly as opposed to the recommended 3-4 years for private craft.  Often they will be happy to claw back some of the costs they incur when hiring a crane by blacking your boat at the same time.  This is particularly true if several boats pre-book for blacking at the same time and a bulk discount can sometimes be negotiated.  Contact hire companies late in the season and give plenty of notice and it may be possible to cut this cost.

Maintenance costs – Case Studies.

Becky on Nb Summer Wine – Total £839.88

Lindsay on Nb Cerian – Total £63.57

Bilge Pump      £20.00

Air Filter          £3.50

Oil                   £6.70

Polish               £9.99

Steel Wool       £3.99

Tools               £3.99

Cable               £3.50

Rope                £11.90

Sarah on Nb Debonair – Total £1723.99

Painting

For the purposes of this article I have concentrated on information from professional boat painters as DIY jobs vary widely in their costs and competency.

Oxon Boat Painting Company was recently featured in the Channel 5 program Hotel Inspector and I spoke to Chris Weston, one of the business owners.  He said “We offer a complete service starting with a thorough preparation, regardless of the current paint condition, being sure to deal with any rust issues – preparation is paramount!  From there the customer’s specification of panels and coach-lines is applied with a minimum of seven coats and the full process will cost £100 per foot.

An optional extra, but one we strongly recommend, is the option to remove the windows as this allows us to deal with any potential rust issues lurking beneath the frame that could become apparent at a later date.  (Cost: £120 – £360)  Similarly we offer barber’s pole and harlequin work which, depending on the detail and workload can cost £100 – £500.”

Sign writing is an entirely different discipline.  Eight pound per letter seems to be the going rate but this can add up if your boat has a long name or includes other text as well.  Some painters will quote an all in price of anything from £250 – £400 if the sign writing is to be done at the same time as the paint job.

Optional Extras

Boating breakdown cover is usually a sensible precaution, particularly for those new to boating and so it is a cost I always quote to the uninitiated when the question of expenditure arises.  The cost will depend on the level of cover required and can range from £80.00 to £160.00 a year with the ever popular River Canal Rescue.

Surfing the net from your boat is easy nowadays due to 3G mobile technology.  Contract deals which include the cost of the USB mobile dongle start at around £10 per month, or if you don’t mind paying for the dongle then a pay-as-you-go deal may suit you better.  Top up vouchers start at around £10 for 1GB of data and are valid for 30 days. Some marinas offer a wireless internet service at hugely varying costs; I’ve paid as little as £5 per month and as much as £15 per month. It is worth remembering that both services have their downsides, 3G mobile internet relies on the strength of a signal which is variable in different parts of the waterways network, whilst marina based wireless services only work whilst you are moored in your marina.’

Box-Out Other Random costs

BW facilities key                     – £6.00

Anti-vandal (handcuff) key     – £5.00

Windlass                                  – £15.00

Key Float                                 – £3.00

Sea Magnet                              – £30.00

Tiller Pin                                  – £10.00

Conclusion

Clearly there is no single answer to the question “how much does it cost” – there are such an abundance of variables to navigate that boating expenditure can vary wildly.  This article couldn’t possibly be a conclusive list costs, I’m sure some readers will be paying more and hopefully some will have found fantastic bargains and be paying much less for the products and services I have listed.  Boaters seem to be a particularly prudent, resourceful and frugal bunch, but it is worth remembering that ‘price’ is not always the most important factor when making a purchase of any kind, and that ‘value’ should always be a consideration too.

Published Waterways World – November 2009

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I don't think this hair salon is on the up-and-up

Summary: Now that Stacey’s back in New York, the club needs a new member, and Mallory is the most fitting candidate. However, she’s two years younger than the other girls, and the club has been burned in the past by bad sitters, so they go to extremes to make sure she’ll work out. They give her a ridiculous test (including questions about tourniquets, the human digestive system, and other subjects that the girls later admit they themselves know nothing about), blame her for an accident that broke her younger brother’s finger, and watch her like a hawk on a trial sitting job. Ultimately, when the girls announce that they don’t want Mallory in the club, she realizes that they’re complete jerks and she doesn’t want to hang out with them anyway.

Mallory has recently met a new girl at school, Jessi Ramsey, who understands how she feels about being an outside because she’s black. (Apparently suburban Connecticut in the ’80s was the equivalent of everywhere else in the U.S. in the ’50s. I’m surprised Jessi’s allowed to eat in the cafeteria with the other kids.) They bond over horse books and their love of kids, and decide to start their own sitting club. It doesn’t go very well, and the BSC girls still need someone to replace Stacey, so they decide that they were too hard on Mallory and invite both her and Jessi to join. Happy ending!

Thoughts: As irritating as Mallory is later in the series, and for as much grief as I give her, she’s not horrible in this book. I give her major credit for basically noticing that Jessi’s black and then letting it go. She wants a best friend and she doesn’t care what that person looks like. The other girls in the club also barely react to Jessi’s skin color. They even agree that if any family they sit for doesn’t want Jessi as a sitter, they’ll stop working for that family. Maybe the BSC girls can solve some problems in other countries.

Interestingly, Mallory isn’t yet a redhead. She says everyone in her family has dark brown hair. Apparently the cover artist didn’t get that memo, though, since she has red hair on the cover.

Jessi and Mallory name their sitting club Kids Incorporated. Fergie and Jennifer Love Hewitt aren’t invited to join.

Claudia tells Mallory to give kids healthy snacks. Irony!

Speaking of Claudia’s eating habits, she and Dawn have a heated exchange about junk food while Claudia’s looking for a misplaced package of Ring-Dings. I think it officially kicks off Dawn’s transformation into Earth-worshipping granola-loving sun-goddess Dawn:

“Did one of you guys take it?” Claudia asked accusingly.

“Are you kidding? That trash?” replied Dawn. “I wouldn’t touch it with a ten-foot pole. You know, you’re going to rot your teeth, Claudia. Your face is going to break out and people will call you–.”

“They will call me happy,” Claudia interrupted her, “because that’s what I am when I eat Ring-Dings. So you can just stop lecturing me about food. If I ate health food, I’d probably turn into a rabbit like you. A skinny, pale rabbit.”

Kristy may be a businesswoman, but she doesn’t seem to grasp the concept of free enterprise. She can’t get over the idea of Mallory and Jessi starting their own sitting club. They’re not even the first rival sitting club. Chill out, Kristy.

Mallory has the weird outfit in the book: a “red jumper that said Mallory across the front, a short-sleeved white blouse, and white tights with little red hearts all over them.” Is she 11 or 4? vanessa tells her she looks like a valentine. Zinged by a 9-year-old!

Why does everyone look so happy? Do they secretly hate Stacey?

Summary: Stacey’s father is being transferred back to New York, so she has about a month to say goodbye to all of her friends. It’s not enough. Uh, and that’s basically it.

Thoughts: I’m not sure why Ann M. Martin decided to send Stacey back to New York, but it only lasts for 15 books, so it’s kind of a waste. And seriously, Stacey moving is pretty much the only plot. There are a couple of sitting jobs recounted – Jeff still wants to go back to California, the Pikes pretend to be secret agents – but it’s all about Stacey.

This is where all the foreshadowing about Mallory joining the club pays off. The BSC girls aren’t sure they should take on an 11-year-old – and with good reason, since most parents, given the choice between an 11-year-old sitter and a 13-year-old one, would choose the older girl – but they figure that with seven younger brothers and sisters, Mallory can hold her own. And since her parents let her help out with watching her siblings while they’re out and another sitter is present, she’s probably qualified enough.

Though speaking of the Pikes’ two-sitters-for-seven-kids rule, why is it that they hire two girls to watch seven kids but Kristy watches seven kids on her own?

Another moment that doesn’t quite hang together: Stacey says it’s too far for her father to live in Connecticut and commute to work in New York, but later in the series, that’s exactly what Abby’s mom does.

When Stacey first tells Claudia that she’s moving back to New York, the girls come up with the idea of Stacey moving in with the Kishis. It’s a completely age-appropriate suggestion, and once again a reminder that despite their maturity when it comes to watching kids, these girls are still in middle school.

Dawn claims that people in California don’t have yard sales. Dawn, just because you’ve never been to one doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

Speaking of Dawn, when she becomes the new treasurer of the BSC, Claudia remarks, “Too bad she can’t add.” Oh, so now we’re commenting on people’s weaknesses? Watch yourself, Spelling Queen.

There are two standout outfits described in this book, and, surprisingly, Claudia’s is the less flashy one. She wears “a purple-and-white striped body suit under a gray jumper-thing. The legs of her body suit stretched all the way to her ankles, but she was wearing purple push-down socks anyway. Around her middle was a wide purple belt with a buckle in the shape of a telephone.” Incidentally, I really wanted push-down socks when I read these books, and I wasn’t even sure what they were. I’m still not sure. Anyway, the weirder outfit is worn by Dawn: “She was wearing a very short kilt, an oversized red sweater, and yellow socks over red tights. On her head was a red beret with a sparkly initial pin attached to the side.” She’s dressed like a French ketchup/mustard bottle.

Acertado comentario de Héctor Chiriboga.

La prensa local -como tantas veces lo he dicho- sólo es un instrumento del poder. La pregunta es desenmascarar cuál.  A veces los intereses son muy grandes (y entonces, las batallas mediáticas gigantescas); otras, mucho más pequeñas. Sucedió hace algunos años atrás: Una nada tinosa presentadora de noticias amenaza con llevar un hecho menor que afecta a un hermano suyo a la televisión Esto -afirma como quien no quiere la cosa, como quien no dice nada- puede merecer un reportaje. Esa misma presentadora no le dedicará un reportaje al juicio por estafa que se impulsa en contra de otro hermano suyo.

Ya tanto se ha dicho sobre la calidad de la prensa ecuatoriana en este blog que empieza a convertirse en un tema excesivamente recurrente. Sin embargo, el aparente ensañamiento mío (que es un ensañamiento pequeño) en contra de la mediocre prensa ecuatoriana o el ensañamiento de Rafita (que es un ensañamiento inmenso, un, podría decirse, ensañamientototote) no debe entenderse sino como el producto de un ciclo que, tal vez para la clase periodística, no era tan evidente. Y es que suele suceder que el revolucionario termina transformado en burgués, la escopeta termina hecha ave o el conquistador, conquistado ¿por qué no se les ocurrió que el embolatador terminase embolatado?

La prensa debe asumir su nuevo rol; debe pasar a ser juzgada. No sé si el mejor remedio  es el proyecto de ley propuesta, pero la necesidad de una regulación, de una rendición de cuentas y de reconocimiento de errores (Más allá de los meramente tipográficos) se vuelve inminentemente necesaria. Hoy hay un artículo  en el Comercio que se titular Barcelona revisa 55 contratos de empleados y en el que, en su primera línea, afirma “La dirigencia de Barcelona analiza rescindir el contrato laboral que matiene con cerca de 55 colaboradores del club”. La fuente que cita el diario capitalino, a mi desgracia, soy yo.

Ayer recibí la llama de un señor Cheme del Comercio, efectivamente, al cual le dije que no había ningún análisis de resciciones de contratos y que BSC respetaría todos los derechos adquiridos de sus empleados, amparados como se encuentran en la Constitución y la legislación del trabajo vigente… Que lo que existe es un proceso de restructuración donde se está analizando qué metas debe tener cada puesto de trabajo y se está afinando lo que los gringos llaman el job description para poder fijar los objetivos evaluables de cada uno de los que colaboran en el Club.

Sustancialmente diferente, ¿verdad?

Lamentablemente Cheme no leerá esto que aquí escribo, ni el comercio moverá un solo dedo para rectificarlo. Lo único que me alivia es que el artículo se publica en la página 12 del cuaderno 1 de un periódico que casi nunca leo y circula muy poco en Guayaquil.

Lo que me emputa, sinceramente, es que el artículo aparezca junto a un aviso que dice Basta de Insultos +RESPETO. Tu elección merece respeto ¿Y mis declaraciones, mis palabras? Maldita sea, también.

RESPETO nada más; aunque cuando a ellos se lo piden, lo llaman CENSURA.

La prensa de este país vive de dos personas: una es una persona natural -Rafael Correa- y otra es una persona jurídica -Barcelona-. Sobre lo que sucede en BSC están sobre la picada. Recuerdo una vez que por error la CATEG fue a cortar la luz y en menos de cinco minutos los portales de noticia en internet habían hecho un drama hasta con foto de la camioneta de la empresa de energía eléctrica (la que verificado el error, se retiró sin hacer nada).

Hoy, por eso, estoy sorprendido de que ningún portal electrónico recoja la importantísima noticia de que la acción de medidas cautelares constitucionales presentadas por el ex vicepresidente de Barcelona fue desechada.

¿Es mucho pedir que al mismo hecho noticioso se le de un tratamiento igualitario? Ni una reseña, ni un comentario sobre la trascendental resolución que declara la inexistencia de violación de derecho alguno.

La diferencia entre causa y efecto. El Cuadro de Mando integral de tercera generación.

Yago Amat – Nov 2009

Uno de los errores más comunes en la gestión de empresas es la lucha insensata por atacar y luchar por un indicador que es consecuencia del trabajo y no en sí mismo algo que se pueda transformar en forma directa. La frase “Lo que importa son las ventas y todos a aumentar las ventas como cosacos” esta frase,…cuantas veces la habremos escuchado y cuanto nos hace perder los ánimos al ver que no se logra y que además es una pérdida recursos.

Uno no vende más porque lo desee o por muchas puertas que toque de forma insensata, sino porque tiene una estrategia detrás clara que simplifica el trabajo y que hace más efectivo el proceso comercial.

Se vende porque el mensaje es claro, porque se busca al cliente adecuado y que puede comprar, porque los vendedores son los interlocutores válidos, porque hay una diferencia competitiva real del producto o servicio en contra de la competencia. NO se vende más solo por el hecho de lanzarse al mercado.

EL empresario cuando desea vender más debe entender porque le han comprado los que hoy son sus clientes, hacer el análisis de su competencia y revisar constantemente que el mensaje que lanza al candidato es claro, concreto y le ofrece una ventaja sobre las otras opciones que seguramente están cometiendo o no los mismo errores.

Intentar modificar un indicador que es efecto y no causa en la empresa es como querer cambiar el precio del petróleo por el hecho de solo pensarlo,… así de absurdo. Un indicador, un resultado en la empresa se logra si la causa es alterada y corregida.

La metodología del Balanced Scorecard, permite identificar cuales son estos causantes del crecimiento, y ayuda a definir la forma de mejorar y transformar los resultados que generan.

Para lograr un objetivo es fundamental hacer un estudio de la competencia, saber las necesidades del cliente, validar el mensaje y verificar que es recibido por el mercado como uno desea,… incluso verificar que el mensaje propone un servicio o producto que agrega valor al cliente, sino no tiene caso ni acercarse: desprestigia, cuesta dinero y desmotiva al equipo.

Otra de las piezas fundamentales a definir en este proceso es tener un pleno conocimiento de las habilidades y potencialidades de la empresa y mantener los pies en la tierra cuando uno se acerca al mercado. La grandilocuencia suele verse en el mercado más como ignorancia que como una ventaja. Ser claro, concreto y especializado da más confianza que el abstracto genérico y gran proveedor de servicios y productos. EL comprador no se sentirá confortable de entrar en una tienda en la que se vende de todo sino encuentra una unidad en el mensaje.

Las “tiendas de chinos”, por ejemplo,  venden absolutamente de todo y podría parecer que no hay unidad en su catálogo, está claro que su mensaje es “vendo barato: todo lo que pueda, aunque la calidad sea mala… es barato y ya” Mensajes tan claros como ese dan confianza al cliente y acercan al consumidor cuando tiene una necesidad que la empresa cubre. La parte más difícil de lograr vender más, es identificar la necesidad que se cubre… pues crearla (que es el ideal) a no ser que sea francamente algo genial, (ipod, nespresso,…)

El tiempo perdido en intentar vender algo,  un mercado tan competido y más en tiempos de crisis requiere de reflexión, análisis y estudio antes de saltar al vacío. La metodología del Cuadro de Mando integral es una buena herramienta para identificar cuáles son las tareas previas a realizar antes de definir un crecimiento comercial. Recuerda que si no vendes no es porque el mercado se caiga exclusivamente, sino porque no has sabido reaccionar al cambio ni adaptarte a las necesidades del consumidor.

Los inmobiliarios que hoy sufren tanto lo hacen pues no supieron cambiar en el momento adecuado, buscar alternativas de financiación, e incluso otros mercados. Los que quebraron fue porque pensaban sin conocimiento que el mercado soportaría hasta el infinito. La producción de casas, cosa que hoy vemos como un absurdo. Las empresas que hoy sobreviven son aquellas que tenían una estrategia clara desde el principio y que reconocieron el momento de cambio cuando se daba y no cuando ya se dio, redujeron su nivel de endeudamiento y crearon alternativas para seguir vendiendo apoyando al comprador con técnicas innovadores de financiación. O simplemente no fueron tan arriesgados y reconocieron que su mercado es y siempre ha sido de largo plazo, por lo que las inversiones siempre estuvieron soportadas por la estrategia tanto financiera como comercial.

Hoy las empresas productoras de automóviles innovan constantemente la forma de pelear por los pocos compradores que hay en el mercado. Los que adapten sus precios y la forma de vender serán los que crecerán en estos tiempos. Los que se sienten a ver pasar la crisis perderán la oportunidad. Pues las crisis, que no son más que ajustes temporales del mercado, son momentos de oportunidad para todos, siempre y cuando la estrategia sea clara, concreta consistente e interesante para el consumidor.

Les invitamos a conocer la Práctica del Balanced Scorecard como una alternativa a los tiempos de crisis, pues como saben esto no ha terminado,… aún.

Yago Amat Martínez

Strategy Management

Målstyrning, även känt som Balanced Scorecard (BSC), kan hjälpa en organisation att sätta upp mätbara mål. Valmöjligheterna för målstyrning är många, exempelvis kan du som användare välja vilken typ av hantering du vill använda dig av: månadsvis, kvartalsvis eller annan form av tidsperiod som passar dig bättre.

En el proceso de crear una estrategia balanceada para una organización podemos utilizar esta matriz de conceptos e indicadores que nos permitirá ir construyendo nuestro tablero de mando de la estrategia

De esta manera podemos ir haciendo conceptos estratégicos que coadyuven a la visión cada vez con más complejidad partiendo de lo general a lo particular

Esta iteración puede llegar a ser manual o automatizada y se puede llegar a tener un sistema completo de documentos que midan en tiempo real cada una de las iniciativas

Y todas ellas enfocadas y alineadas a la Vision de la empresa y tomando en cuenta las 4 perspectivas básicas

Ejemplo

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mexico-City-Mexico/SIGNAL/142722830175?ref=ts

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En los procesos de Planeación Estratégica podemos hacer uso de la herramienta conocida en inglés como SWOT Analysis

SWOT = Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats

Y en español como ANALISIS DOFA o ANALISIS FODA

FODA Análisis de Fuerzas, Debilidades, Oportunidades y Amenazas

El análisis FODA es la base para desarrollar estrategias y tácticas que ayudan a crear una hoja de ruta para escribir el plan estratégico de operaciones del negocio.

Antes de definir un análisis DOFA que incluya los puntos fuertes de la compañía sus debilidades y las oportunidades y amenazas que enfrenta, se necesita al menos los siguientes procesos previos:

• Tener por escrito La Visión de la empresa, su Misión y una declaración de sus valores.

• Haber completado una minuciosa evaluación interna y externa de la situación del negocio.

Con la Herramienta de Análisis FODA se identifican en una matriz las Fuerzas, Debilidades Oportunidades y Amenazas

A pesar de tener 40 años o más sigue siendo una herramienta útil para entender situaciones más o menos estables en el caso de situaciones inestables y cambiantes a gran velocidad tiene una aplicación más limitada y su uso debe ser más frecuente

Es sin duda una herramienta muy útil para centrar diagnósticos y sirve también para la definición de Objetivos los verbos que pongo en cada panel definen ciertas acciones útiles ambas para hacer un diagnóstico o proponer una meta

Para elaborar una estrategia balanceada con el Tablero de Comando el DOFA es sin duda otra herramienta que puede permitir un análisis útil de cada una de las 4 cuatro perspectivas ( Finanzas , Clientes, Procesos, Aprendizaje)

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Okay so i’m completely new to blogging. It’s been happening for years but iv never given into it, simply due to my lack of need for it, with social networks until now being my primary usage of online activity. Social networking has finally taken it’s toll on me, with the fore runners such as the well known “book of faces” being completely riddled with hopeless App’s etc.

So here I am, about to give blogging a go. I’m yet to figure out exactly what i’m going to ramble on about here, but my major interests are Property (Bsc Real Estate) and water based activities such as surfing.  **I’m also very very very interested in enterprise and entrepreneurial thinking.

*Watch this space and subscribe. Ste*

Nice skirt, Half Pint

Summary: There’s a new girl in school named Ashley Wyeth. She dresses weird and likes art, so she and Claudia are soulmates. Until Ashley becomes strangely territorial, wanting Claudia to only hang out with her and only spend her time doing art-related things. This leads to skipped BSC meetings (THE HORROR) and some very crabby BSC girls. Once the Kool-Aid makes its way out of Claudia’s system, she realizes that her new “friend” is actually a jealous, pretentious, irritating snob, so she breaks ties with her and returns to the BSC fold. Because if you’re going to engage in cult-like behavior, it should be to a group that can help you earn money.

There isn’t really a B plot, but there’s a mention of Dawn’s brother Jeff having trouble in Stoneybrook and wanting to go back to California. This is a theme in the next couple of books and comes to a head in book 15.

Thoughts: I used to think this book was really boring, and I wasn’t exactly looking forward to rereading it, but this time around, I found it kind of hilarious. And I mean intentionally hilarious. Claudia’s funny! There’s an especially funny moment when Ashley announces to the BSC girls that she’s Claudia’s mentor, and Claudia thinks that that isn’t helpful to sorting out the situation because Ashley’s the only person who knows what the word “mentor” means. (Which I find sad, since they’re in the eighth grade.) There’s also the mean note Stacey leaves Claudia which reads, “In my breadbox of friends, you are a CRUMB,” and Claudia making a list of lists of things to do. I never caught a lot of the humor in this book before.

I also never realized how much of a girl crush Claudia has on Ashley in the beginning. It borders on a tiny obsession. Ashley really does become a mentor to Claudia, which is just strange since she’s a freaking 13-year-old hippie. She’s not exactly Georgia O’Keeffe. She also hilariously tells Claudia that by doing things like sitting, spending time with her friends, and, I don’t know, homework, she’s ruining her “career.” She’s 13, you freak. Also, I don’t think you can call it a career until you actually make some money doing it.

The unintentionally funny moments come when Claudia and Stacey note how weird Ashley’s clothes are. Stacey can’t get over the fact that Ashley wears bellbottoms, and Claudia describes an outfit that she wears that doesn’t match. Yes, Claudia. Talking about a girl’s clothes not matching. Is it ironic in here or is it just me? (Claudia: “What, we’re ironing now?”)

Kristy, Stacey, Mary Anne, and Dawn decide to get revenge on Claudia for missing meetings by eating a bunch of her snacks, then hiding the leftovers in the wrong places. Remind me never to make them mad.

In the one chapter that talks about Jeff, he gets in trouble at school, is told he can’t leave until his teacher talks to his mom (I…actually don’t think that’s legal), and, since he can’t reach Mrs. Schafer, calls Dawn to come in and talk to his teacher instead. Since when is a 13-year-old an acceptable parent or guardian for a ten-year-old? Though the situation is made even better when Dawn has to bring Myriah and Gabbie Perkins, her sitting charges, with her to the school. She pulls them in a wagon and they’re covered in makeup because they’ve been playing beauty parlor. I bet Jeff’s teacher retired after that meeting.

Tablero de Mando Balanceado de Empresa Orientada a su Estrategia

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Like, OMG! The BSC has a stalker. Obviously, it must be some sort of sexual deviant to be stalking thirteen year old baby-sitters. Right? Wrong.

Baby-Sitters Club is one of my guilty pleasures. Recently, I have been re-reading them. When I was very young, I used to go to our local, small bookstore and buy a crisp new BSC, Sweet Valley High, Fabulous Five or Sweet Valley Twins book. I admit, this took me into high school, until I decided to start reading VC Andrews and Christopher Pike books (VC and Christopher seriously warped my delicate sensibilities.)

So, for my birthday, a friend sent me a stack of books. I am currently re-reading them in some sort of desperate attempt to recapture my youth.

Dawn Schafer is the focus of this book. She has never been my favorite character. She seems so…stoic. Why should I care if she has long, white blonde hair? Is this going to get her a career in the future? Err…maybe it will. Who knows what kind of mindset there is in Stoneybrook, Connecticut, or California, or England, or wherever the hell her adventures take her. Anyhow, needless to say, she is not my favorite.

So, Dawn is starting to get disturbing notes and phone calls while she is baby-sitting. Then the other girls start receiving them. Things like dead mice, dead flowers, terrible notes from a character identifying himself as Mr. X. So, what do the girls do? Well, naturally, they don’t tell the others about the incidents. They don’t tell their parents, or the police. Instead, they are each busy competing with each other for the all-important baby-sitter of the month title. This is like, totally abnormal (yes, I actually said like, totally. After all, Dawn is a California girl. Valley girl has not yet been established.)

No parents, no police, not even each other. I suppose this is how responsible, baby-sitters of the month behave.  We have come to expect this from bonzer sheilas such as Mallory (I think I will refer to Mallory as dishrag from here on out. It seems to fit her.)

So, yeah. In case you didn’t know, the Baby-Sitters Club is made up of 13 year olds: California girl Dawn Schafer; timid, shy, slightly insane Mary Anne Spier; bossy, tomboyish Kristy Thomas; wild, artistic Claudia Kishi; and New York tres chic Stacey McGill. There are a couple of junior members, 11 years old: that dishrag Mallory Pike and some new, oddly put together quickly token black character Jessi Ramsey. I really do not like the characters of Jessi and Mallory. There are other characters as the series progresses, other people that play a role, etc…but really, those are the only ones you need to know about. Oddly enough, the most neurotic character in the series is the only one to have a steady boyfriend. That is an odd relationship I will cover some other time.

In the end, the true Mr. X is found trying to scare the girls in Dawn’s supposedly haunted home. It turns out to be Mel Tucker, a very young boy who is a bully and was upset that the baby-sitters tattled on him. Talk about issues, this kid desperately needs some help.

Young kids stalking baby-sitters, nobody being terribly responsible…just another chapter in the BSC’s unrealistic life.

I have to give this book 2 out of 5 stars. It wasn’t the worst BSC book out there…but it certainly wasn’t the best. At least I got to recapture some youth, and get some giggles.

Heidi-Lore

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Shannon's Mini Me has her own cat of evilness

Summary: Kristy’s having trouble getting along with the rich kids in her new neighborhood, especially Shannon Kilbourne, who’s mad that the BSC girls have moved in on her territory. They engage in a series of juvenile pranks – Shannon actually goes for the old order-a-pizza-and-make-the-other-person-pay-for-it trick – and eventually…just kind of stop fighting. I don’t know, it’s weird. But the BSC girls end up inviting Shannon to become an associate member. And this is the only book where Shannon is heavily featured, so don’t get too attached.

The more memorable plot, however, revolves around the Thomases’ dog, Louie, and his health problems. He develops arthritis that gets so bad, they eventually decide to put him down. And it’s actually really sad and made me dread having to reread the book. But Shannon brings the Thomases one of her dog’s puppies, as sort of a peace offering, and they’re able to move on. Except David Michael names the puppy Shannon, so thanks for confusing everyone, DM.

The B plot introduces us to the Delaney kids, who will also be featured in book 39. Amanda, who’s eight, is the epitome of snobby and makes me not blame Kristy for thinking everyone in the neighborhood is a snob. Amanda and her younger brother Max are brats who bosses Kristy around when she sits for them, marking possibly the only time Kristy actually takes crap from someone. But then Stacey sits for the kids, packing some reverse psychology in her Kid Kit, and turns them into normal kids.

Thoughts: Louie’s death really is pretty emotional, especially for anyone who’s experienced the death of a pet. These books are usually so innocent and mostly fun, and it’s a jolt to come across a plot like this. Poor Louie.

In later books, Shannon – who really is barely mentioned ever again, except in the obligatory second-chapter club descriptions – seems like such a nice person, but she’s a real witch here. The pranks she pulls on Kristy are mostly dumb and harmless, except for one: She calls Kristy while she’s sitting and tells her the house she’s in is on fire. What a lovely person.

Shannon also introduces herself to Kristy using her full name. Who does that?

Stacey’s usage of reverse psychology on the Delaney kids is her most awesome moment ever. No wonder Stacey likes Mary Poppins so much – she kind of is Mary Poppins. Except with more of a challenge. No one ever wanted to shove Michael and Jane down a flight of stairs.

For such a sad book, it actually contains a pretty good joke. Karen tells the BSC girls that the ghost of Ben Brewer, which she believes haunts the house, sometimes chases her down the hall: “He says otherwise he never gets any exercise.” Mary Anne replies, “You mean any e-x-o-r-c-i-s-e?” Who knew the mouse could bring the funny?

Mesut Özil (Werder) war überragender Akteur in Freiburg

Dank eines 6:0-Erfolges beim SC Freiburg übernimmt der SV Werder Bremen die Tabellenführung in der Bundesliga. Überragender Mann beim SVW war Nationalspieler Mesut Özil, der an 5 Toren beteiligt war. Hannover 96 verlor das erste Spiel nach dem Tod Robert Enkes auf Schalke 0:2. Die Magath-Truppe aus Gelsenkirchen ist vorerst Dritter. Dank eines 4:0-Kantersieges beim 1. FC Köln schob sich 1899 Hoffenheim auf Platz 4.  Im Kellerderby zwischen dem VfB Stuttgart und Hertha BSC Berlin gab es keine Sieger (1:1).  Außerdem verlor Eintracht Fankfurt gegen Mönchengladbach 1:2. Morgen steigt dann das mit Spannung erwartete Spitzenspiel, zu dem Spitzenreiter Bayer Leverkusen beim FC Bayern München gastiert.

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We are pleased to announce our new name: Songwriters Network Qld!

Bridgewater State College--Boyden Hall

Adam Here–Class of 96!

I guess I was so good the first time a sequel was bound to happen. I envisioned my return as more The Godfather: Part II, rather than Dumb and Dumberer or Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds In Paradise….and I think it was a success.

I was invited back to my alma mater, Bridgewater State College, to speak to a PR/Marketing Class about my education at BSC and how it prepared me for the “real world”. I shared my BSC Thirsty Thursday night bar routine, Friday night hang-out bar, and Saturday party spots (I kid, I kid… the library was plenty of fun for me!) onto my wild path to Strategis.

I was really happy to hear that many of the students were already using Twitter, (shoutout to @DavidAPacheco, @CourtneyCormier, @PRSSA_bridgew and @Ginamcummings. Some students were using LinkedIn, a couple had their own blogs and of course every single one had a Facebook page.

We talked a lot about social media and how it’s affecting Marketing/PR and building relationships and of course questions like:

Q: What did my resume look like after I graduated?

A. Yes I did a couple internships but still needed to fill a lot of real estate. Thank goodness for 14PT Gil Sans.

Q: What is a typical day like at Strategis?

A. I have my “to do” list and if I can check off one thing it is a great day. Everyday is unpredictable and that’s why it’s fun.

Overall it was a great discussion. You may think of college students are all about beer pong, ultimate frisbee, or any other college cliche — the future marketing minds may come up with the next Apple campaign…so you may be wondering why I am convinced my sequel was a success?

They were taking notes!

WOW. Maybe I’ll be invited back to complete the trilogy: Back to School: The Saga Continues or maybe they were writing their next blog post… hey, I’ll take either one as a compliment.

Thanks again!! Class Dismissed.