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YouTube - Step Aside - What's Done In The Dark
I will not upload the whole play. Please buy it.Tamela Mann sings Step Aside in the play What's Done In The Dark.A Tyler Perry ProductionPlease don't ask to have the whole play uploaded. Thats why we purchase dvd's from retailers.Check out Tamela Mann at:http://www.tamelamann.com

Win a Two-Night Getaway to Wilderness at The Smokies in Sevierville, TN ($500 value!)

Taken from FunandFrugal.com:

I'm very excited to announce the biggest giveaway yet on FunandFrugal.com…a getaway to Wilderness at The Smokies in Sevierville, TN (near Knoxville) - a new indoor/outdor waterpark resort!  This is an awesome prize package!  The winner will get a two-night stay at the Stone Hill Lodge, four waterpark passes for two days, Ripley's attraction tickets, and kids eat free!  (Blackout dates do apply to holidays and peak times and 2-night stay must be used before March 15, 2010.)  The total prize package is valued at $500!!!  This looks like such a fun place to stay! Details on how to register to win are below, but first a few words from the generous sponsor, the Wilderness at The Smokies:

Looking for something fun to do this weekend?  Something different? Something WILD?  Why not head out to the Wilderness - Wilderness at the Smokies, that is.  Located just a short drive away in Sevierville, TN, Wilderness at the Smokies is the region's newest and largest waterpark resort, and it offers adventurous travelers the perfect blend of fun and relaxation.  Snuggled up next to the foothills of the scenic Smoky Mountains, Wilderness at the Smokies is situated on 700 acres in one of the nation's most popular vacation spots.  Visit us at www.wildernessatthesmokies.com or call 877-325- WILD (9453)!

You decide….how in the world did Andrea Matthews get the information in this article from the questions that I answered!

I love it when journalists twist your words to work for their agendas.

See the article online that was published and read the questions and answers below…then you decide!

From: Andrea Matthews [mailto:andrea.matthews@leeclarion.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 3:37 PM
To: Nate Tucker
Subject: Lee Clarion

Dear Mr. Nate Tucker,

Thank you so much for helping me out with these questions. 

Web Advisor:
1. It has been two years now, how are we doing?
We are doing well and have a few additional items to activate to make it easier for Lee to communicate with students and employees.  The performance for WebAdvisor has been tweaked and we will continue to monitor this and make adjustments as needed.

2. Do most people give good feedback?
We usually receive good feedback about WebAdvisor.  I think that it has taken a while for folks to get used to the software.  The criticisms that we have received has been constructive and reasonable.  We want to continue to receive feedback about the software.

3. Does Web Advisor do everything Lee wants it to?
WebAdvisor in conjunction with Portico, our in-house developed application, meets the majority of the needs of the Lee community.  There are still a few items that we haven't activated for prospects and alumni.  We will continue to implement these services over the next couple of years to enhance the interactions between Lee and its constituents.  Datatel Inc., the vendor we purchased the software from, continues to make improvements and pass those along to Lee through our maintenance agreements.

4. What are some things Lee is doing to make things run more smoothly?
In addition to upgrading some hardware components to accommodate the high use, we have implemented a monthly maintenance schedule that occurs on the 3^rd Sunday from 2:30 PM to 6:00 PM.  This maintenance windows allows us to install all patches/fixes for software related issues from the previous month that have been resolved by Datatel, Inc. and submitted to the general public.

5. What are some thoughts on Web Advisor?
Datatel, Inc. has a little over 750 installations across the United States and Canada.  It is an evolving product that was developed to meet the general needs of higher education institutions.  It is the web front-end to a powerful application used to meet the needs of institutions in the areas of student records and registration, advising, finance, accounts receivables, human resources and payroll, financial aid, admissions.

6. Are there any things students can do to make WebAdvisor meet their needs better?
Because the software is still fairly new, students should spend some time browsing the application to become more familiar with its functionality.

7. How does it compare to Lee Central?
Although Lee Central was simplistic and familiar, it doesn't compare to WebAdvisor's capabilities because technology improvements were limited for Lee Central.  Also, Lee Central was a custom developed application that was developed specifically for Lee that ran on older technology that is no longer an option for delivering the high level of service that we expect to provide via our online offerings.  Again, WebAdvisor has over 750 installations and will be developed with the industry technology advances in mind!

8. A lot of students say that Lee Central was more user friendly, why the switch and why is Web Advisor not more user friendly?
WebAdvisor is different from Lee Central and students will appreciate the additional services that WebAdvisor offers once they get used to it. 

Sounds like Mr. Harrison Keely likes being opinionated and communicating his thoughts, but can't take the criticism and opinions of others when they are not like his.  I think that its great for the Lee Clarion to be reviewed and criticized as it does to others; they are just opinions; everyone has one.

Lee Clarion: Critically thinking about the Lee Clarion

I haven't joined the bandwagon of overly expressing my opinion about which candidate is best for the job.  My wife and I discussed the two candidates, but we both agreed that its too early to make a decision on who we were voting for.  I don't vote based upon party and I am waiting for the one-on-one debate before I begin to move towards a decision.  That's the extent of what you will get out of me for now. 

However, I saw this article about the Washington Post making fun of God, Pentecostals and specifically Sarah Palin.  This is an unnecessary attack on Christians in general. 

The Lee University faculty have been sending emails to the editor and rallying support for other Christian organizations to participate in expressing their discontent with this article.  For the record, I am appalled by this and encourage you to join the team in expressing your thoughts to the editor at letters@washpost.com.

nt

Cartoon Goes After Palin's Faith - The Brody File: David Brody Blog - CBN News

Ok...I just finished my last final exam tonight at 10:13 PM.  It was a killer because it wasn't a simple task of regurgitation of information.  I spent about 20 hours on the take home final and it ended up being 7 pages of single spaced text.  Nonetheless, I am glad that its done.

On Sunday, I will walk across the stage and receive my Master's in Business Administration.  This has been a long and interesting journey.  I have made some lifelong friends that I will stay in contact with.  It's amazing how "things work together for them that love Him!"

Again, I will try to do more blogging!

If you are reading this, shoot me a note with an update on your life.

Yesterday, I ordered my graduation announcements and I will order my cap and gown sometime next week.  I'm getting pretty excited about being done with school.  August 10 is the big date!

Currently, we are in the ATL because Stacey is interviewing some Assembly of God churches for her research for her dissertation.  She had her first interview today and is pretty excited.  We will visit the morning worship service on tomorrow.

While here, we are staying with some longtime friends, Noel and DeAnna Gilliam.  They have been the "super hosts" of hosts.  They have a beautiful home and have been a real blessing to allow us to stay with them.  Things are going great for them and I'm proud of the things that they are doing.  If you can remember, please pray for DeAnna's father.  He's needing a miracle.  That's all that I can say right now!

In a previous post, I wrote about work conditions and I'm happy to report that God has come through again.  His timing and plan is almost never lined with mine, but His is always perfect.  I've been praying for a miracle and he sent one!  Stay tuned as I discuss the blessings that are on the way in the next few months.

Remember, God is in control and will never let you down.  I was reminded about this again when talking to a colleague and friend on yesterday.  We discussed some things that we've seen God do at Lee and how he used others to touch our lives.

Be blessed!

Ok..I haven't been very consistent with blogging, but at least I'm making an attempt.

Summertime is a time when I get a "second wind" and I'm able to focus and be refreshed.  I'm not sure why this happens this way, but I have thoroughly enjoyed it.  There's something about gearing up for the next school year that is exciting and calming!

In the midst of this refreshing, I will finish my graduate school work on August 10 with a Masters in Business Administration from University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.  This has been a great two years of my life and I would do it over again if I had too.

Lee University as a whole has been very supportive in my quest for self-improvement in more ways than I could have ever imagined.  I can't say enough about how happy I am with my job situation!

So, Stacey and I are in New Orleans this weekend because Stacey is presenting a poster at a sociology conference as a requirement for her PhD program.

While here, were able to drive around and see how things are progressing after the Katrina storm.  I was quite surprised to see so much progress, but sadden by the fact that there are a lot of homes that are sealed off; private and public housing.

Like most sociologists, my wife immediately went to the discussions of social issues; :-).  I agree that there are much larger issues that need to be dealt with and hopefully the government help meet the pending needs.

We visited the French Quarters, Bourbon Street, the French Market, and several other local attractions.  From a person born and raised in a big city; Washington DC, I like to visit and don't want to live there!  All in all, NO was a nice place to visit.

Over the last four months, I have been extremely busy with work and school.  I've learned how to trust God again even when it seemed impossible.  This semester presented many challenges for work and school.

I had an employee of three years that was very beneficial in the implementation project for our ERP system leave.  His departure left many wholes in my development group, but many opportunities presented themselves as a result.

In the midst of the emptiness and trying to figure out what to do next, a sense of peace came over me and I knew that God was near.  I started accepting resumes and under the advice of a dear friend, I made some internal changes that turned out for the better.

We haven't hired anyone yet, but we prospects are awesome and I anticipate us being able to make a difference in the lives of students over the next several years by utilizing our talents and gifts for the glory of God.

Stay tuned for the updates; it will amaze you!

Ok folks!  It's been a while since I posted an update.  Both Stacey and I are still in school.  I hope to finish my MBA this summer in August and Stacey is doing the research for her dissertation this summer with the intention to finish her writings by December.  As you can see, we will be very busy over the next several months.

We just decided to go to Orlando FL for vacation in May.  This sounds like it will be expensive, but it won't.  It should be a relaxing time away from our hectic lives that we both need.  We will be accompanied by Stacey's parents which it always fun.

Oh yeah!  We bought a Wii for Christmas this year and we love it.  Stacey loves the DDR game (dance, dance, revolution) and I love the Wii Sports.  I'm a Pro in tennis and bowling now and hope to conquer the other three sports too.  Needless to say, its a great way to relieve stress.

 Ok, the news media has taken this to a new level of ignorance.  I can't believe an article like this was posted to disprove prayer.  One can't believe and God and not believe in the power or prayer.  Prayer is not just one asking God for something, but it is being still and hearing the voice of God.  If God decides to not answer a prayer, he can because He's God.

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Power of prayer flunks an unusual test - Heart Health - MSNBC.com
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 This merger will definately raise the prices of washers.  The merger involving Maytag and Whirlpool will control 70% of the market and that would put them close to being a monopoly.  In actuality, they will be an oligopoly and I believe their market share will increase and pose some competitive challenges for other retailers.  I don't think that this merger was a good idea.

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Justice Dept. approves Whirlpool-Maytag deal - U.S. Business - MSNBC.com
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 This article gives important information on coaching employees and why its important.  Coaching requires time and a lot of us don't have the time, but its necessary to accomplish the goals of the employee and the organization.  I think that its one of the most important things a manager can do and I will be intentional about coaching my employees and getting to know them on a personal level.

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Leadership Development: for Your Employees, the Enterprise—and You - Leadership Research Center - CI

 This article gives great information, but make me a little sad since gas prices are still too high.

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Check gas prices in your state - Automotive - MSNBC.com
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 I have a Ford Expedition and I love it.  I hope that Ford will bounce back from its loss in profits.

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Ford set to close plants, cut jobs in revamp - Automotive - MSNBC.com
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