text:
Grow Away! Or I'll Throw These Tomatoes At You
Grow Away! ($0.99) by Chillingo Ltd is a castle defense game with angry fruits and veggies and menacing garden pests. Throwing tomatoes means something entirely different in this action-packed game.
Players must use friendly fruits and vegetables to stop an oncoming army of snails, rats, bears, bats and other hungry critters. Tomatoes are your best weapons because they don't need to regenerate. However, they are also the weakest. You'll also need a little help from your garden friends.
To fight off the bad guys, players fling the garden residents at the oncoming attackers. A tomato or friendly veggie is shot at the pests with a slingshot. Pull back on the slingshot and aim at the enemy. Let go when you have the bad guy in your sights.
Friendly fire comes in the form of pumpkins, eggplants, onions, and more. Each one has a special power that will usually take out a few enemies at a time. However, support veggies take time to regenerate so they can't be used on every shot.
Players must learn which combination of tomato and veggies work best against enemies. For example, you may want to throw an onion to stun a bad guy and then throw a pumpkin at him to deal heavy damage and finish him off with a raging tomato.
Speaking of raging, fruits and veggies generate rage that gives extra firepower. A snail normally takes two hits from a tomato, but if you pull back on the slingshot and hold it for a few seconds, the juicy red fruit will stir up some frenzied rage and knock that snail out in one blow.
Players earn coins and gems that can be used to buy power ups and unlock additional slots for battles. You can have three allies and three different power ups after you've unlocked them all. Players will also randomly win power ups. These are helpful items that will usually clear an entire board with one shot. For example, the whirlwind will pick up all enemies on the board and take them away.
You can also spend one gem during battle in order to trigger a random power up. You can buy them with coins or gems, but it seems more cost efficient to just spend one gem and get a random one instead of buying specific ones for five or more gems.
Like most games these days, players can buy more coins and gems through in-app purchases. For the most part, this is not necessary because coins flow freely and gems turn up frequently enough. However, things do get pricey fairly quickly. For example, buying the third slot for your allies will cost 40 gems.
This is a fun game that is similar to a castle defense game, but has arcade shooter elements to it as well. It is entertaining and exciting, but not challenging at all. Fans of the genre will have a good time playing this game and it is reasonably priced at only $0.99.


text:
I think you know that I am smitten with motherhood. It's not something I seek to underplay or overplay for the sake of this blog.
And though I wear many hats in the course of one day (writer, blogger, business owner, tea mixer, cook, maid, driver, punching bag, etc), motherhood is more than a hat because I cannot take it off. My children occupy a prime piece of real estate in my heart and my mind, and even temporarily my body.
They started out here, first inside of me and then attached to my breast and my lap and my side, so needy for me. For mommy. And though this is exhausting, I love it. I love my babies and I love being loved by my babies.
(Which is something I must remember when I feel swarmed with children and I hear myself wishing or even asking for space.)
When I was five years old I used to play house with my best friend and her little sister. My best friend was the teacher and I was the mommy and her little sister was my daughter. I clearly remember instructing this two year-old to hug me as I talked to the teacher. She was supposed to be so glad to see me after school.
Motherhood is more than a hat, more than a job, more than a career, motherhood is a life's work.
And yes, it is the hardest work out there, a lifestyle of selflessness and generosity and boundless patience.
I wonder if I'll ever get the hang of it.
Four years and 3 months into this thing and I've taken one trip sans children. It lasted exactly 48 hours including travel and though heavy with anxiety about being an airplane ride away from Giovanna, it was worth it for the time spent with James and a few special loved ones in the California sunshine. I love to travel, I love my husband, and like a migratory bird I love flying south in the winter.
But I didn't try for it again. It was fun, but a tad excruciating. As much as I want to maintain my sense of self I have a hard time leaving my children voluntarily, and I find it nearly impossible to leave my little baby. Even for a yoga class or a hair cut. Yes, I feel a bit trapped by my own anxieties and expectations. Yes, they could survive without me. But I want to be there, I want to be here. For only a short time, I hung the moon. My body delivers unparalleled comfort and nourishment and home. Sometimes I can even heal with a hug.
And I guess I don't want to miss a moment. Being a mommy to a baby is like nothing else. And though my love for my children is both infinite and always expanding, not unlike the universe, it is babyhood that I feel most adept at handling.
(Except for when my babies scream in their car seats, but that's another post.)
It is babyhood that makes me feel like I was made for this. When I look into Skyla's big black eyes and she looks back at me, I can hardly move. Everything else falls away. There's a person behind those eyes. She's here and she's beautiful and she smells like heaven. I wrote this on Instagram last week, accompanied by the picture below:
When my tiny baby smiles at me like this, the joy becomes so thick it clouds my vision, and reality seems more like a dream. Hazy and magical.
Literally. I meant literally my vision clouds over. This might sound dramatic but I'm going to trust that you know what I mean: it's like entering another dimension, a golden world, where the density of this realm fades away and everything becomes as light and joyful as babies.
Oh, babies. Their perfect innocence and helplessness let's them do something else perfectly: love. And all you have to do to be loved by a baby is love them first.
People are so kind, they always want to know how I'm doing.
The answer?
Yes, I am tired. I am carrying around more flesh than I am used to. I can't seem to find the time or energy to exercise. I crave dark chocolate like never before. I am a slave to her little rooting mouth. I am struggling with Giovanna who feels displaced. I am responsible for another person for 18 years. I am responsible for another person for the rest of my earthly life.
And I am blissful and I am happy and I am grateful and I am happy.
Because there's nothing I ever loved more.
Than being mommy to a baby.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
|Community Storefront
|Photo Gallery
|Statewide Interest
|Joe's Pond Newsletter
|Ice-out Contest
|Navigation Map
|4th of July Celebration
|History of
Joe's Pond
|Due to software incompatibility, I am unable to duplicate Jane's lovely newsletter with ads for you. I have however taken the text information and some photos and transferred them here for you to read and enjoy.
Fall Issue, 2005
Tom Dente, Pres., Don Sherwood, V.Pres., George Anderson, Treas., Jane Brown, Sec'ty
Directors: Dave Parker, Ray Rouleau, Andre LaPrade, Ray Richer, Bob Colombo
|President's Message
Red, orange and yellow has replaced the green of summer, the wind is sharper from the north, the temperature is falling and JPA Road Signs are secured, thanks Ray Rouleau and volunteers. Therefore, it must be time for the fall Newsletter.
A glorious summer is over. And what a summer it was! One of the warmest on record spawned a great Italian Dinner, thanks Andy and Sherry LaPrade, a bountiful Pig Roast, thanks Dave and Michele Parker, and many member events at the Pavilion. The fireworks were great, thanks Don Sherwood. Newly refurbished Tennis Courts were very busy; bocce event, basketball, kids playing on the swings, play scape and teeter-totters and other activities filled the Association lawn. Kayaking, afternoon boat rides, water skiing and swimming were enjoyed by many. A new JPA project to compile a JPA Cookbook began with over 400 recipes received to date. Publication is expected next spring. Thanks Sue Bouchard, Camilla Dente, Pam Hebert, Evelyn Richer, Cyndy Rouleau and Patty Rubalcaba for making this project possible.
The Joe's Pond Beach was crowded with many seeking to cool off and for the first time in a long time, never closed due to poor water conditions. It is gratifying to see so many members taking to heart protecting the wonderful resource we have with the pond. And although we had rain storms of 3 - 4 inches and one at 5 inches, no major flooding!
The Association moved forward with improvements. The tennis court fencing was replaced, a Pavilion gutter system and repaving to prevent water run-in was completed.
Pavilion side curtains were installed to keep the weather out. The basketball court was increased in size and resurfaced.
Most importantly, the focus on water quality continued (thank you Pam Hebert, Cyndy Rouleau, Ray Richer) with a comprehensive, underwater invasive plant survey of Joe's Pond (NO BAD PLANTS FOUND, although a 35 foot row boat was discovered!), boat inspections, numerous septic system upgrades or replacements and $50,000.00 from the Vermont State fine of Green Mountain Power which was channeled to the Joe's Pond Community to aid in Milfoil prevention, Joe's Pond Beach restoration, protecting your waterfront and other programs designed to improve our water quality. Remember, improving our water quality helps keep our water environment safe not only for ourselves, but for our children, grandchildren, guests and folks who use the beach. The Vermont State Agency of Natural Resources has provided and will continue to provide education, project support and programs to improve Joe's Pond water quality.
Community support was evident when two JPA road signs, two cross-walk signs and others were stolen in August. Special articles appeared in local media offering a reward for arrest and conviction of those responsible, signs were posted (thanks Jane Brown, Ray Rouleau, Evelyn and Ray Richer and George Baxter), and a comprehensive article with pictures was provided by the Caledonian. The road and crosswalk signs were subsequently returned thanks to an extraordinary effort by Larry Gochey from Cabot. Thank you Cabot, Danville, Walden and West Danville!
A special thanks to all members who offered comments on Joe's Pond Association activities. Thanks for helping the Officer and Director volunteers do a better job for all.
I thank all of you for your support and help this year and in particular, my wife Camilla for her continuing help, support and advice. Together we wish all of you health happiness and wonderful holidays until we meet again.
Tom Dente - President
| Secretary's Report
(Note: In the interest of conserving space, I will report only the highlights and motions passed or defeated at meetings in the minutes which follow. For detailed information, contact Secretary Jane Brown .)
President Tom Dente called the meeting to order at 10:10 a.m.
Reports were read and accepted and new members welcomed.
Tom detailed the proposed installation of side curtains on the pavilion with one panel in place for everyone to see. A motion was made and seconded to purchase the side curtains, and after brief discussion, it passed unanimously.
The meeting adjourned at 11:15.
A large group of members met for our Annual Meeting on July 2, 2005, at the JPA Recreation Area Pavilion. The weather was sunny, cool and windy, and the new side curtains provided a welcome shelter from the north wind.
It was requested that the treasurer's report include figures for all of the previous year rather than from Jan. 1 to June 30. George Anderson will provide the new format.
Jon Soder from Green Mountain Power Corporation spoke about maintaining the water level and controls at the dam in West Danville; Kelli Merrell from the Agency of Natural Resources spoke of the water quality at Joe's Pond and of keeping a vigil for aquatic plant pests.
The meeting adjourned at 11:45 a.m.
Jane Brown, Secretary
|Membership Report
Director of membership is my title and I'm "sticking to it"! This job puts me in connection with rules and regulations, membership, road sign placement and camp owner changes and I am the welcoming committee.
I volunteered for this? Actually, these projects were fun and kept me in tune with Joe's Pond.
First let me state that the Rules and Regulations committee has established most issues of concern, no direction of changes were brought up. Check your Joe's Pond Directory!
The welcoming committee portion of my job is rewarding. I met all new owners personally and gave them my speech of why Joe's Pond is such a special place. Each new camper receives a new directory and, most of all I emphasize joining the Association and participating. New property owners are asked to complete a form to assure we have the correct information and placement on their road sign. We also ask for permission to include phone numbers and e-mail addresses in our publications.
The road signs were another major project which Ray and Evelyn Richer, Jane Brown, and I had to contend with. Many changes needed to be made. Last summer, we fell behind and this summer, many camps were sold. We are now in control and have a system in place to keep us current most of the time. I like that feeling!
Road signs broken, stolen or vandalized will be an issue every year. I am "on top" of this particular project this challenging year because of the support of Jane, Evelyn, and Ray. I want to thank them for their help.
Ray Rouleau - email@example.com
The Aquatic Nuisance Control Project began in the summer of 2000 due to the efforts of former camper Rob Chickering who applied for and received a grant from the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. David Kidney managed the program from the fall of 2000 until this summer when Pam Hebert and Cyndy Rouleau assumed his role.
The purpose of this project is to prevent the infestation of nonnative invasive plant and animal species into our Pond. Joe's Pond has the third highest diversity of aquatic species in the State of Vermont. Of particular concern is that Eurasian watermilfoil, a highly invasive exotic plant which grows rapidly, can crowd out native plant species, is detrimental to fish populations and can impair swimming, boating and fishing activities. Currently 59 lakes and rivers in Vermont are infested with Eurasian watermilfoil. According to Kelli Merrell from the State of Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, the most successful and cost effective solution is primary prevention of the introduction of Eurasian watermilfoil into a lake. Once Eurasian watermilfoil invades a lake, control is costly and elimination is virtually impossible.
Thanks to the efforts of Rob and David, a greeter program was instituted in 2000 at the boat access. The greeter's main function is to inspect and remove any plant material from boats and trailers, and more importantly to educate boaters about invasive plant material.
This September, after consulting with Ann Bove, aquatic biologist for the State of Vermont, a team of scuba divers from Aquatic Concerns in Fairlee, surveyed Joe's Pond for the purpose of identifying any Eurasian watermilfoil. They spent two days concentrating on 10 areas and found no Eurasian watermilfoil. Interestingly the divers did find a 35 foot row boat with attached oars in an area near Clubhouse Circle. Joe's Pond was also surveyed five years ago by Andy Rudin who, along with Susan Warren, an aquatic biologist from the State of Vermont, covered the entire perimeter of the Pond by boat. They also found no Eurasian watermilfoil.
We will again apply for the aquatic nuisance control grant and reinstitute our greeter program next May. Funding has also been provided to us by the towns of Danville and Cabot who have joined us in recognizing the importance of our project. If you know of anyone 16 years or older who would be interested in these paid positions please contact Pam Hebert or Cyndy Rouleau. To date we have been successful in keeping Eurasian watermilfoil out of our Pond and our goal is to have "clean" waters for many years to come.
Pam Hebert
At our 2005 annual meeting, Jon Soter from Green Mountain Power gave a presentation about renovations to the dam in West Danville and how it could impact the maintenance of the water level. After the meeting was over, I emailed him some questions about generating electricity from Joe's Pond. Here are his answers, with help of fellow GMP employee Ryan Hipp.
The Joe's Pond watershed encompasses an area of approximately 28 square miles. We are in the Connecticut River watershed toward St. Johnsbury. Coles Pond feeds into Joe's Brook through Walden along Route 15 and into Joe's Pond. Beyond the height of the land to the south is the Winooski River watershed. To the north is the Lamoille River watershed.
John Moore published a geological history of Joe's Pond in the summer 1990 issues of Danville's North Star newspaper. The water used to flow out of our pond through Molly's Pond and into the Winooski River. That is why there is such a wide, fertile valley for Route 2 toward Marshfield. Starting two million years ago and up to 6,000 years ago, our area experienced four ice ages. The last of these produced glaciers that were higher than Mt. Washington. It spread southward to about Long Island, NY and scoured out the basin for Joe's Pond. As the glacier retreated, starting about 18,000 to 20,000 years ago, a huge block of ice may have rested in the deepest part of Joe's Pond, in the corner near the public boat access. This chunk of ice would have blocked the outflow of water toward Molly's Pond and changed its direction, causing it to go over the next lowest point of outflow, over what is now the dam.
Our 28-square-mile watershed brings a lot of water into Joe's Pond. In a 24-hour period, runoff from a half inch of rain is 33,343,080 cubic feet. Without controlling the water level with the bladder on the dam, this ˝ inch of rain would increase the water level about 22 inches, assuming all precipitation is converted to runoff. This does not account for foliage absorption, water evaporation from the 419 acres of pond surface, or any ground retention/absorption. Actual runoff changes monthly given many conditions. The percent of actual runoff to the total possible runoff can range anywhere from roughly 34% in August to 216% in April. April is over 100% because thawing snow is added to that month's rain.
The one-megawatt (1mW or 1,000 kilowatt) hydroelectric plant was first installed in 1917 by Mr. Daniels, who called it the East Vermont Public Utility Group. The plant was way too big to power just his house and sawmill, so he tried to give the plant to the Town of Danville. His offer was refused by the selectmen. In January 1927, People's Hydro Electric Vermont Corporation, one of GMP's Parents, purchased East Vermont Public Utility Corporation and the six plants that it owned at the time including the Joe's Pond plant, which GMP calls Plant No. 15. In 1928, this new owner changed its name to Green Mountain Power Corporation. It would be fun to see a picture of Sunken Island poking through the pond surface before the dam was built. Do any Association members have pictures of the Joe's Pond before 1917?
We've had a great hot summer on Joes's Pond with many days of sunshine and lots of people enjoying the public beach. For the first time in several years the beach remained opened throughout the summer. In past years, swimming at the public beach was prohibited for short periods due to e-coli bacteria. It appears that the signs instructing the public not to feed the waterfowl are being heeded and are playing a part in the improvement of the water quality. This is only one of the ways that we, the residents of Joe's Pond, can help to improve our natural resource.
This summer I attended a couple of meetings, which were both educational and enlightening. On July 25th I attended the annual meeting for "the Federation of Vermont Lakes and Ponds". Here I met with other property owners from different bodies of water throughout Vermont. Each representative was given a chance to speak briefly of the issues they are faced with on their body of water. Many issues such as: jet skis, milfoil, wash stations, wildlife, septic systems, new construction, etc. were discussed and common to several bodies of water. Believe me, some of the problems discussed made me happy to be on Joe's Pond, especially the horror stories of dealing with milfoil. Roger Thompson with the "Agency of Natural Resources" spoke on the new septic regulations and potable water supplies. (I do have a copy of the regulations if anyone needs information.) The guest speaker was Dr. Mary Watzin who had a slide presentation and spoke of invasive plant species troubling our Vermont waters.
On August 13th I attended a meeting of the "Agency of Natural Resources" which was held at the Danville town hall, targeting Joe's Pond. It was nice to see several camp owners take an interest in this meeting that was sponsored by the local Danville Vermont Coverts Woodlands for Wildlife group. The first speaker was aquatic biologist Jim Kellogg who is with the ANR and a life long resident of Joe's Pond. He spoke of the plants, fish, mollusks and other creatures that inhabit our pond. The second speaker was Vermont Loon Recovery Project Biologist, Eric Hanson, who discussed what types of birds live in and depend on the natural habitat found along pond and lake shorelines. The third item on the agenda was a slide presentation of the variety of wildlife that inhabits and utilizes lakes in Vermont, presented by yours truly. The most beneficial information, for lakeshore owners, was presented in the last segment of the program, entitled "Enhancing Your Lands for Wildlife: What Lakeshore Owners and Managers Can Do." Kellie Merrell who is with the ANR and a local Danville Vermont Covert presented this segment. Being local, Kellie holds a special interest in Joe's Pond water quality. The ANR has developed a program to help lakeshore owners landscape their properties to best suite their needs and help keep pollutants out of the water. Kellie has chosen Joe's Pond to be used as a pilot for this program. There is talk of special funds being available to shore owners, whose properties qualify, for such a program. We have offered our property as the first on the pond to take advantage of this opportunity. We have already met with Kellie and are on schedule for another meeting with Kellie and a colleague to further discuss what we can do to improve our property to help keep Joe's Pond a clean and happy place. Anyone interested in taking part in this program may contact Kellie Merrell at telephone # 802-241-4242 or via email: firstname.lastname@example.com.
Also, on Sept. 13th, the association hired scuba divers to inspect the waters of Joe's Pond for invasive species that may be a threat to our recreational water. Only good news resulted from the dive. The divers found only old bottles, jugs, and even a rowboat on the bottom of the pond. They searched different locations around the pond, from the marsh to the public beach and found no Eurasian water milfoil. Good news for property owners on the pond! We must continue to work together to keep Joe's Pond milfoil free. Please make a conscious effort to do your part, after all your efforts today will help insure a better tomorrow.
Hackett, Robert, 86, died this summer at his home in Rutland. Bob was a longtime summer resident at Joe's Pond and we will miss him. Our sympathy goes to his wife, Lois, and son Richard.
Pirie, Frederick D., 87, passed away on July 10 at his home in South Burlington. Fred was a summer resident at Joe's Pond for many years and was Patti Coffrin's father. Our sympathy to the family.
Loretta (Bona) Lewis, 90, passed away on October 28. Loretta, a longtime member of JPA, recently sold her cottage on Old Homestead Rd. Our sympathy goes to her family.
|The Danville Listers (assessors) have been working for two years to complete a reappraisal of all real property in the Town of Danville. A complete reappraisal has not been done since 1992 and the Town is under a State of Vermont order to reappraise because our common level of appraisal is less than 80%. We plan to have this completed for the 2006 tax year. We are required by law to determine the fair market value for over 1500 properties in town. There has been a dramatic increase in property values since 1992, especially in the last three years. The largest increases have been in land and Joe's Pond property. Preliminary reappraisal values for Joe's Pond are 2.5 to 3 times the current values. Following are three examples of recent sales:
|Parcel ID#
|2005 Appraisal
|Selling Price
| Our goal is to have the change of appraisal notice to all property owners by May 1, 2006. We plan to allow plenty of time for informal meetings with property owners to explain and hopefully resolve any disagreements before the formal grievance process.
We appreciate your cooperation as we bring this reappraisal to a conclusion.
Danville Listers
The 2006 Ice Out contest is officially underway with all campers' tickets having been issued at this point. We have printed 10,000 tickets again and hope to sell as many as possible. As you may recall, the 2005 Ice Out numbers were down a bit, so lets try to boost them up again this year.
If you need tickets give me a call at 802-479-2629 or email me at: firstname.lastname@example.com and we will get some out to you. As in the past, Hastings Store, JPCS and Martys' will be facilitating the sale of tickets and that is much appreciated.
Happy Holidays to all Joe's Ponders and a sincere Thank You for your help in this project.
David Parker
As some of you know, I am compiling the recipes for our Joe's Pond Cookbook, supported by our wonderful committee!! These girls are the best when it comes to getting a job done, and for making a person feel she can do anything… (My special thanks to them!) including laying out a cookbook that has turned into one of the most unique cookbooks that you can have in your personal collection!!! We are so proud of, and thankful for, all of your contributions, in the form of recipes and/or financial support…
One day, while trying to envision how our Joe's Pond Cookbook could be extra special, I had the idea that all the friends of Joe's Pond should be included. So I put out a request of our Governor and our President to join us in this mission. (Never really thinking that they would take the time to respond!) I was thrilled to receive a letter from Governor Douglas along with a couple of his favorite recipes! Then, on November 2nd, I was shocked to receive a letter from President Bush (or at least his "special assistant"). Imagine my surprise! (I must have said "Oh, my God!" six times from the mailbox to the house!) Well, even though we can only imagine what that favorite special ingredient is for his Texas BBQ (known only to the White House cook and Mrs. Bush), we at least, have a proper letter wishing us well!! (see insert). I thought you all would appreciate the interest your cookbook has generated!
Even with all this famous official recognition, the most special part of this cookbook is all of the wonderful submissions from our very own fabulous cooks and friends here on the pond!! I personally wish to thank you all for your prompt response and tasty variety of recipes. From time to time I open the "test kitchen" and Ray and Walter are all too happy to be my official "taste testers"!
So on these snowy winter days here on the pond you can be sure we are not only counting the snowflakes but counting each new entry as one step closer to the final awesome product!!! We have nearly 500 fabulous recipes, and an ever growing "history section" to make this a "must" for everyone's home! It's not too late to submit a short "memory" of Joe's Pond, send it to: email@example.com. (I emphasize SHORT and very soon) I may need fillers for the bottom of pages...Consider this a temptation you can't resist… it will make a wonderful gift for your friends and family next year! Oh yes, get the cookbook and find out what two recipes turned out to be President Bush's favorites after all!
Should individuals or families wish to contribute towards the funding of the cookbook, monetary contributions are being accepted.
The 'Friends' will be listed in a special section of the book, you may choose to remember or recognize someone special with a personalized entry. Prices range from $15 - $75, depending on the size of the listing. A photo may be included in a full page entry, but it will be printed in black and white. For more information on this, please contact Cyndy Rouleau before Dec 1, 2005 at 941-486-9075 or by e-mail at email@example.com Thanks from: Susan Bouchard, Camilla Dente, Pam Hebert, Evelyn Richer, Cyndy Rouleau, Pat Rubalcaba
|Click to View the last JPA Newsletter
|Camp Rentals
|Community Storefront
|Photo Gallery
|Statewide Interest
|Joe's Pond Newsletter
|Ice-Out Contest
|Navigation Map
|4th of July Celebration
|History of Joe's Pond


text:
On a late-August Saturday in Oakland Chinatown, a Taiwanese-American cover band performed a version of "Uptown Funk" to the great delight of the handful of middle-aged white couples gyrating at the foot of the stage. The 28th annual Oakland Chinatown StreetFest sprawled over the eight blocks that constitute Chinatown proper, and although the festival had just kicked off, Webster Street was beginning to fill up with tourists.
Sponsored by the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, the two-day StreetFest is easily the single biggest event in Chinatown — the one time each year when the spotlight shines most brightly on the historic neighborhood. At a time when the entire city of Oakland is undergoing rapid changes, the festival is also, depending on who you talk to, either a symbol of Chinatown's vibrancy, or a sign of how out of touch its leadership is.
To spend time in Oakland Chinatown is to risk falling in love with the place, especially if you go on a random weekday when there isn't any special event scheduled. Day-to-day life is what sets the neighborhood apart: elderly Chinese doing their early-morning tai chi exercises at Madison Square Park, or squabbling good-naturedly in Cantonese at the Ruby King Bakery — a folded-up Sing Tao newspaper in their lap, the table scattered with crumbs from the flakiest egg custard tarts in town. If you want to buy a live fish to steam at home, or choose between a half-dozen varieties of fresh Chinese noodles, or eat a bowl of jook before the parking meters start running for the day, Oakland Chinatown is the place to be.
This is why folks who frequent the neighborhood talk about how Oakland Chinatown is a "working Chinatown" — a characterization that doubles as a jab at the trinket shops and tourist traps that dominate the more famous Chinatown across the bridge. And it's also why StreetFest, for all its pomp and circumstance, might be the worst time to visit the neighborhood if you want to get a sense of Chinatown's real flavor.
At no other time does the area feel quite so corporate than during StreetFest. Onstage, the emcee rattled off the list of sponsors, whose logos covered the large banner that served as a backdrop for the morning's proceedings: Kaiser Permanente, Xfinity, Budweiser, Wells Fargo, Allstate. Later, about twenty local dignitaries with perfunctory connections to the neighborhood (someone from the Oakland Police Department, a person from the district attorney's office, etc.) lined up and each offered his or her own two-minute variation on a theme of "why I love Chinatown." It was a lot of glad-handing.
StreetFest included a full slate of cultural performances — a lion dance, kids doing choreographed martial arts routines to the Mortal Kombat theme song, and so forth. But the main emphasis of the festival was the tables and booths that lined the streets. They ran the gamut from community organizations to the Graton Resort & Casino to at least two different funeral homes that were — rather macabrely — offering discounts to the local Chinatown seniors that stopped by their displays.
The food, too, wasn't exactly what Chinatown regulars would have expected: Taiwan Bento, a Taiwanese restaurant in Uptown, had set up a table, as had the downtown Korean takeout specialist E+M Catering. At another booth, a Southeast Asian vendor pressed thick branches of sugar cane into juice. The rest were your typical, generic festival food purveyors.
Noticeably missing were Oakland Chinatown restaurants. None had set up booths. Moreover, little of the food that was being sold seemed particularly Chinese. Instead, a small cluster of gourmet food trucks hawked wood-fire pizza and frozen custard.
The festival's organizer, the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, was founded in 1985 by a group of local business owners as a way to foster economic development in Chinatown. The chamber's board is a mix of property owners, real estate agents, business owners, and corporate execs. Jennie Ong, the longtime executive director and the chamber's only full-time paid staff member, has been putting StreetFest together since 1994. Besides the Lunar New Year Bazaar held in February, it's the chamber's signature event and its biggest source of revenue. The idea, Ong explained, is to attract people who don't normally visit Chinatown, and, once they're there, to show off all the things the neighborhood has to offer so that they'll come back.
But the chamber isn't without its critics. Sonny Le, a community activist and a former board and staff member of the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, doesn't mince words in that regard. As Le sees it, there are really two Chinatowns. On the one hand, there's an "upstairs" Chinatown that consists of property owners, lawyers, doctors, and real estate developers. Then, there's the "downstairs" Chinatown, which includes the minimum-wage workers and the struggling immigrant-run businesses — marginalized folks who tend to be hidden from view during big events like StreetFest.
Who in Chinatown is speaking up for those "downstairs" people? From Le's perspective, and that of other local Asian-American activists, the chamber's efforts — which, in recent months, have included railing against Oakland's minimum wage increase and advocating for extensive market-rate development — mostly benefit the developers, property owners, and landlords. "I don't see anyone fighting for those businesses and workers in Chinatown," Le said.
These issues have a particular urgency right now as Oakland Chinatown faces a crossroads. What may not have been obvious amid the upbeat atmosphere of the street festival is the grim reality that many Chinatown businesses aren't doing so well. A recent walk around the block on 8th and 9th streets, between Webster and Franklin streets — the very heart of Chinatown — revealed no fewer than five empty storefronts. Meanwhile, the neighborhood's large group of low-income seniors are particularly vulnerable to being displaced by Oakland's citywide affordability crisis.


text:
Larry Zbyszko
Class of 2015
The Other Living Legend, Owner of Larryland
Hall of Fame Rating
6 out of 10
Our next inductee comes from the long list of former WWE enemies. Larry Zbyszko, for a long time, sat squarely in the camp of those no one ever expected to join the WWE Hall of Fame. The reasons were many, in 2001 Larry Zbyszko sued the WWE over the moniker "The Living Legend"as WWE had started calling Chris Jericho by the name and Larry took exception, claiming it was his. This quickly deteriorated into a "pride off", with both Zbyszko and the WWE giving each other the "finger" publicly. WWE began repeating The Living Legend Chris Jericho often, with McMahon himself even saying it on RAW (Not that Jericho needed ANOTHER moniker or catchphrase)
Zbyszko then challenged McMahon to a legit fight on the World Wrestling All Stars PPV and began working for TNA, all the while continuing to bash the WWE at any given moment. It was a bitterness which, historically, is very common with former WWE talent after the death of the last territory: WCW. Zbyszko really had nowhere to go, plus probably had a chip on his shoulder for not being brought in for commentary in 2001 (rumored to replace Jerry Lawler when he left). Can you imagine this pairing?
A common phrase is apropos here: time heals all wounds. Hopefully the older you get, the more you temper and Larry is in his 60s now.So last year, Larry Zbyszko made peace and even signed a Legends contract. His WWE Hall of Fame induction has quickly followed. WWE tends to like to bring back those who used to hate the organization. It's a good story and contrition feels good for both parties. Plus, NXT films down from Larry's house. Convenience!
Larry didn't get into the Hall of Fame because he made peace. He deserves it. He is a type of pro wrestler that really doesn't exist anymore. Larry Zbyszko ,as a heel, exuded negativity and became inherently unlikable, a role he played to a tee. Today, you rarely see a super successful mid card heel character. The best comparison in modern WWE is the Miz. The difference between the "Must See Superstar" and the Living Legend is their environment. Miz has to deal with both the mindset of modern wrestlers (be the cool bad guy) and the PC PG environment. Larry Zbyszko could be as unlikable as possible; a good smarmy heel.
Larry didn't start out as a heel, his debut and first six years were spent as a fairly generic tough Pittsburgh babyface. He has runs throughout the territory systems, holding tag gold. What stopped Zbyszko from being just another Tony Garea was his career defining mid-card feud against Bruno Sammartino. This feud lit fire due mostly to the time period it occurred. Bruno was the semi-retired beloved figure. Larry was his student and protegé.
Larry not only betrayed Bruno, he battered him. The fans of the 1970s wouldn't accept it. How could anyone turn against the beloved Bruno? Instant heel, and done well.
Larry was a product of his time. As his feud with Bruno cooled, Zbyszko cooled in the WWWF. But in 1981, he could go to another part of the country and succeed in a separate territory. The territory system benefited wrestlers as their careers were not automatically over if they cooled in WWE (Looking at the Miz once again). Vince McMahon being the see all, end all of wrestling has hurt some very talented individuals, such as Mr. Kennedy. Kennedy is a wonderful example of a heel who was following in Larry's footsteps. Both strived to be as annoyingly heelish. Once Kennedy was fired, he had nowhere to go (TNA doesn't count), Larry went to the AWA.
In AWA, Larry had two larger successful runs, due both to his skills and that great to decision to marry the owner's daughter:
Verne Gagne also seemed to believe in Larry's abilities, at least more than his own son Greg Gagne's. Larry ended up becoming a two-time AWA World Heavyweight Champion, while Greg….looked like this:
Zbyszko has the dubious honor of being the last AWA World heavyweight Champion before their closed their doors permanently in 1990/1991. While in the 70s and early 80s the championship was a great honor, held by legends like Nick Bockwinkel and Mad Dog Vachon, by 1989, it didn't really matter. Larry's first series of feuds were poor, mostly due to his opponent caliber. AWA's death knell period was weird and mostly nonsensical. (Anyone remember the Team Challenge!?)
On top of that, Larry won his belt in a battle royal, the weakest position for a new champion's legitimacy, (Looking at you Khali), in a nonsensical over the top rope pinning battle royal. It was AWA in its final years…
Larry's final active stop was WCW where he played the role of veteran. He ended his career teaming with Arn Anderson, being part of Paul E. Dangerously' Dangerous Alliance and winning the World Tag Team Championship. While he hadn't lost a step promo wise, his age began to catch up to him in the ring. By 1993/1994, Larry stepped into semi-mostly retirement and used his promo skills for another career: commentating. (Think Jerry Lawler circa 2010)
Larry Zbyszko wasn't the best commentator, but he certainly wasn't the worst. He had his niche, he played Larry Zbyszko, a smarmy heel like guy who supported WCW in the fight against the NWO. He coined the comically disparaging nickname, New World Oder for the rogue group. Larry had his last great fight against the New World Order, challenging both Scott Hall and Eric Bischoff to matches in 1997 and 1998.
Both Bischoff and Hall got the opportunity to step into Larryland, a term Zbyszko used for stepping into the ring with him. The phrase was so old-fashioned, silly and frankly bizarre that it got over. Fans could be heard wailing :LAAAAARRRRY at Zbyszko in what has to be the most annoying chant to exist before the dreaded "WHAT?!" chants.
While Larry wouldn't be a first ballot inductee, his status as multiple time World Champion (even from the AWA) makes him qualified. More 2015 heels should look at Larry's work and learn from him when he visits the performance center. To be a heel is to be unlikable, Larry's speciality. Expect him to give the best speech of the night at the 2015 Hall of Fame Ceremony.
On one final note, I am finally excited to talk about a wrestler in the 2015 class who doesn't frustrate on some level. With 9 inductees, this is the biggest class since 2004, and it includes three terrible inductees and one deceased child….. Larry Zbyszko is the type of inductee who belongs in this Class….
Why 2015?
Larry Zybszko recently made peace and has come in regularly as an advisor at NXT. He has joined the WWE family and WWE likes to reward those who come back to the fold.
Plus every year lately have wanted to do a back to the fold candidate. 2013 was Bruno. 2014 was Warrior and even Roberts and Hall to a degree. 2015 is Alundra Blayze and Larry Zbyszko.
Opens Door For?
More outside World Champions who never were in WWE. Rick Martel should go in soon. Stan Hansen too. Perhaps Lex Luger or DDP from WCW. I agree with all these choices.
Reasons this shouldn't have happened.
WWE instead of hitting all the possible categories for inductees in 2015 (and going with 9) decides to only do terrible ones. Gotta leave Larry off at that point.


text:
Held across October 5th and 6th at the festival's flagship edition in Kraków, Unsound Lab will cater to agents and managers primarily from Poland and Central and Eastern Europe. Sign up here.
- 0/
Most popular news
Mon, 19 Oct 2020
Legendary Ibiza DJ José Padilla dies age 64
The Balearic pioneer, known for his extended sets and mixes for Café del Mar, was battling colon cancer.
Wed, 21 Oct 2020
New documentary on Larry Levan and the Paradise Garage streaming free online
Larry's Garage is screening as part of ADE Online.
Tue, 20 Oct 2020
Aphex Twin announces AFX Station, a new synth from Novation
It's a new version of the Bass Station II, which also comes with presets from Richard Devine.
Mon, 19 Oct 2020
Arts Council England announces £18 million fund for DJs, artists and other performers
Successful applicants will receive between £2,000 and £10,000.
Tue, 20 Oct 2020
Music From Memory marks 50th release with a compilation of mid-'90s ambient music
Out in December, the record features the likes of Bedouin Ascent, Move D and Mark Hollander.
Mon, 19 Oct 2020
Arts Council England reveals next round of culture recovery grants
589 organisations, including NTS Radio and The Jazz Cafe, have been awarded grants of under £1 million.
Fri, 23 Oct 2020
DJ International Records cofounder Benji Espinoza has died
Espinoza played a crucial role in bringing the house sound of Chicago to the world.
Tue, 20 Oct 2020
Italians Do It Better to release After Dark 3 compilation this week
Johnny Jewel's label will host a pre-listening event on Twitch on Wednesday.


text: / Thesaurus / T Synonyms of taste tester Find synonyms for: Noun1. taster, taste tester, taste-tester, sampler, criticusage: someone who samples food or drink for its qualityWordNet 3.0 Copyright © 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. Related Content Daily Word Quiz: spelunk Analogy of the Day: Today's Analogy Spelling Bee: Today's Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language


text:
"In this business," says Howard "Howie" Leveton, the shoe salesman, "you make your money by the volume.
"You know that joke about tires? 'You can sell one for $1,000, or 100 for ten dollars each.' Some guys are lucky. They only have to sell one; other guys have to work."
He sucks on a cigarette as he talks to his companion, and steers his compact Toyota onto Roosevelt Road. He's 35 years old, and president of H. Leveton & Sons, a wholesale company he took over when his father Harry retired. Today he's calling on the merchants who work near the Maxwell Street market on the near south side.
"I don't have any orders today. Maybe I can make some sales, maybe I can't. But that doesn't mean I don't make a visit. I stop in, we schmooze. You know, 'How's the wife? How's the kids?' That sort of thing. And I pick up what's hot on the market. These guys know. They hear it from the kids. It's important that I keep my ear to the ground.
"I mean, sometimes there's no logic to this business. A lot of it's instinct. You know what's the hottest gym shoe on the market today?"
"Fila. Can you believe that? It's made by a European company, who got started in tennis clothes. You know, real North Shore stuff. They make a shoe, and for some reason, in Detroit, it becomes the hottest shoe for black people. Now everyone on the south side has to have it.
"I mean, it makes no sense. I'm talking to this president of a shoe store. And he's telling me about his aerobic shoe. The design, the style, they're both beautiful. He's going on and on about what a great shoe it is. I let him go for ten minutes; I enjoy listening to him. And then I say, 'Your shoes are great, but you don't do any advertising.'
"He says, 'Well, we advertise in the trades.'
"I say, 'No, you need to sign a first-round NBA draft choice, and hope he gets hot.'"
Howie snubs out his cigarette, and pulls to a stop in a small commercial strip.
"We're here," and he tucks in his shirt as he leaves the car. Appearance is important. He wears a fresh-pressed shirt and nice slacks. He doesn't have to wear a suit. But he doesn't want to look like a schlub either.
"Now this guy here," he says, as he approaches a large retail outlet in a small mall, "I've sold him some gym shoes. I've got him some Converse. We've done good business. Who knows? We'll chat. Maybe I got something he needs."
"Yes sir. Can I help you sir? Do you need some shoes?" It's a salesman, short and rotund.
"I'm looking for Bert," Howie replies.
"Who isn't?" the salesman cracks. "You know Bert. The weather gets warm, he leaves early."
They laugh.
"Do you want to leave a message?"
Howie thinks.
"Not that that's any of my business," the salesman adds.
"Tell Bert that Howie came by."
"Howie Leveton."
"Sure, Howie Leveton. Yeah, Howie Leveton. You've been here before. I knew that. I didn't know your name, but I knew your face. I never forget a face."
They pause, standing before a pink leather gym shoe that has a tiny British flag just below the brand name.
"See this shoe," says Howie. "It's the Reebok aerobic. It sold thousands and thousands and thousands."
"Millions," says the salesman.
In silence, they stare.
"A nice shoe, huh?" says Howie. "Looks sporty, comfortable. But they all look sporty, they're all comfortable. And yet, there was a time, every woman on the north side had to have that shoe. But it was a big revolution, they used garment leather. That was a first. Like a big admission. That, yeah, it's a gym shoe, but you're gonna wear it because it looks good with jeans. And you know something, most people that buy it, they never work out. Can you figure that?"
He turns back to the salesman. "Well, just tell Bert I was here."
And he leaves.
"Not a bad guy that salesman. They're all pretty decent. Most of them work on a commission. Now you take the salesmen at Chernin's. They really work their asses off. They'll take three or four customers at a time. And they'll never let you walk out of the store. You say you want a size 11 black dress shoe. Let's say you want a Bally. The salesman comes back and says, 'Well, listen, we don't have your size in a Bally. But try this. It's just as nice.' And, you know, nine times out of ten, you'll buy the shoe. Because, when you think about it, what's the difference?
"It's all business. A real tough business. The retail markup is 50 percent. We call it a keystone markup. That means you double the wholesale price. If I sell it to them for $20, the store sells it to you for $40. At least. You're paying for the salesmen, the insurance, the freight cost, the store stereo, the carpets, the mirrors, everything, the whole bit. Some of these old guys, they tell me, 'Every time my salesman touches the shoe, it costs me 50 cents.'
"Sure, they're going for the keystone plus."
He turns his car off of Roosevelt onto Halsted, a dirty street whose gutters are lined with debris. It's just after noon. The sidewalks bustle with business activity.
"Well, here it is. Maxwell Street. Where it all started. This is where my grandfather started. He ran a scrap leather business."
He pulls his car to the curb. "We're gonna visit a guy who took over from his father, and his father used to do business with my father."
With that he slips into Mike's, a dimly lit store with boxes of shoes cramming the shelves from floor to ceiling.
"Tell Mike," Howie says to, a roly-poly sales-man who runs to greet him, "that Howie's here."
The salesman disappears into the basement and returns a moment later with Mike, a wiry young man with a punkish haircut.
"Hey, Howie, how ya doin' Howie? So what brings you here? As if I don't know," he says, pausing only to bum a cigarette off of Howie.
And they start to talk. Howie telling Mike that he has a good deal on Converse. And Mike telling Howie that he can get them cheaper. Then Howie gets a little indignant because he knows it's not true. And then Mike notices Howie's companion is looking at some display sneakers.
"Yes sir," he says, "you looking for a basketball shoe? What kind of shoe do you want?"
"I dunno."
"You don't know. How about this?" he says, pointing to the Cimarron, by Converse.
"Is that the Magic Johnson shoe?"
"You don't want the Magic Johnson shoe," Howie says.
The companion looks confused.
"The Magic Johnson shoe costs more because they have to pay for Johnson's endorsement," says Howie. "You get the Cimarron, and you get a better shoe. Because they can spend more money making the shoe and less on Magic Johnson."
"How much does it cost?"
"That shoe will cost you 60 bucks downtown," says Mike. "But I'll sell it to you for 40, 35, 30, hell, I'll make it 29, because you know Howie."
The companion looks to Howie, who shrugs, as if to say that really is a good deal.
They sit while he laces the shoe.
"So, you play basketball," says Mike. "Where do you play?"
"In Logan Square."
"Oh yeah, well, you tell those guys you play with where you got those shoes. Tell them to come here. Tell them you got a good deal. Just tell them to come to Jew town. They all know where that is."
With that, Howie and his companion walk back out to the street. A slight drizzle has started.
"Well, I think it's time we called on Hand," says Howie. He nods his head. "Yeah, let's go visit Hand."
He seems a little reluctant. Earlier that morning, he had called Hand and asked if he needed shoes.
"He told me not to bother. But you never know. I caught him early in the morning. His phone was ringing. He was really busy. The last thing he needs is a salesman. So I stop by now. It's later in the day and more quiet. He has a few minutes to think. I say, 'Mr. Hand, I happened to be in the neighborhood. I thought I'd drive by.' Maybe I can sell him some work boots.
"I won't sell him gym shoes. I used to, but not anymore. He used to have a store on Devon. But now he's got this big outlet on Division Street. Yeah, he's big now. He's one of the first Koreans to really make it big. He gets his gym shoes straight from the companies. He's got his own line of credit. He doesn't need me.
"Oh yeah, Hand is big, he's phenomenal. He's carrying half the Koreans in town. He sells them a shoe and gets a dollar markup. He gives them the credit that no one else will. He's all over the place; he must make a fortune.
"But, it's funny, he can't get work boots, at least not as cheap as me. I've got a good connection, a Cuban guy in Miami. He gets them from Guatemala. Isn't that something? A boot made in Guatemala, I buy them from a Cuban in Miami to sell to a Korean on Division Street. Only in America."
He parks his car, hops out, and slips through a side door, where, in the rear business room, sits Hand, a lanky man with jet black hair. He smiles, barely, as Howie enters the room.
"Hello, Mr. Hand, Howie Leveton. I'm in the neighborhood, so I thought I'd drop in."
Hand nods.
"The wife, the kids, everything OK?"
Hand nods again. He fidgets and looks away, while Howie struggles with small talk about a mutual acquaintance who does business somewhere in Wisconsin.
"So, have you seen him lately?" Howie asks about the acquaintance.
Hand ignores the questions, turning, instead, to address in Korean a secretary who sits nearby.
"Well, anyway," says Howie, rising to leave, "if you need some work boots, just let me know."
Hand stops talking to the secretary. "What do you got?"
"Steel toe, high tops, sturdy. At a good price."
"Any displays?"
"Well, you're lucky. I think I might have some in the car." Howie slips out the door, and the only sound in the room comes from a salesman, speaking over the phone in heavily accented English.
"Henny, listen to me," says the salesman, "Please, Henny. I like you. I'm not going to buy directly. OK, I buy from you. OK, Henny. Trust me, please, OK."
A few seconds later, Howie returns, holding a red nylon bag.
"Well, here they are," says Howie, as he dumps the shoes on the floor. Hand picks one up, strokes the leather, squeezes the steel toe, and then tosses it to another man, who sits behind a desk tabulating figures on a calculator. They speak to each other in Korean. Howie, his legs crossed, sits on the floor and says nothing.
"How much do you say it is?" Hand asks.
"$15.50 a shoe, if you only buy a few cases. If you order 12 pairs a size, then it's $14.50 a shoe. That way I make a buck and a half a shoe."
Hand turns to his associate. They talk some more in Korean. Suddenly, Hand glares at Howie. "$13.50," he snaps.
Howie sighs. He looks tired, almost sad.
"No, I can't do that," he says. And he starts slowly packing the shoes into the bag.
"OK," says Hand. "$14.50."
Howie smiles. Hand agrees to buy more than 200 pairs. And Howie fills out an order form.
"I'll have my man send you those shoes within a week," Howie says. Hand grunts. They exchange a quick handshake, and then Howie is out the door.
Outside, the rain has stopped and the sun is shining.
"It's something, huh? You got these black kids paying 50 bucks for a gym shoe, and in the back room the Jew and the Korean are haggling over nickel-and-dime work boots. But those nickels and those dimes add up. I made my expenses today. I didn't expect that. It could have been worse.
"Now Hand will sell those shoes for a buck or two markup to the Korean merchants on the south side. Or he'll dump them at a flea market. He'll get his markup.
"He won't make a lot of money, unless he sells a lot of the shoes. But that's the way it is. Remember those tires. You can sell one for a thousand bucks, or 100 for ten dollars each. Either way it's the same amount of money. It's a tough way to make a living."
Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): photo/Bruce Powell.


text:
"As a Dad in the pool with all the other Mum's, I felt quite intimidated, but Kate put me at ease straight away and gave me so much confidence in the water with my little boy. I was amazed as he went underwater the first time and now he can swim independently plus he has learnt to be safe around the pool. Thanks Swimbabies-R-us for giving us both incredible confidence in the water" - Ben, Swindon.
"I started swimming lessons with my son, when he was just 10 weeks old. He has progressed so fast and can now swim several meters unaided. Kate is a great teacher and has encouraged him to reach his potential" - Victoria, Chippenham.
"Kate is a great swim teacher we have been with her since Denzel was
4months old and he cried every week on the first term but with Kate's
help and patience Denzel now loves swimming is very confident in water
but also knows how to safely enter the pool aswell. Thank you so much
and really looking forward to the next term of swimming" - Rachel, Tidworth


text:
With Black-Friday weekend and Cyber Monday in the books and Christmas around the corner it's easy to bring up the subject of shopping habits. One that quickly comes to mind is the battle between shopping in a physical store or shopping online. It is widely known that e-commerce is on the rise and reports show that it will continue to do so for the years to come.While some have claimed that in-store shopping is in decline. It is the combination of e-commerce and digital tools that has started to make things really interesting lately. For instance 2/3 of shoppers note that they have made purchases in the last year that included multiple channels. What this means is that they could have either tried or sampled a product in store to later buy it online. Or they could have researched the product online to later buy it in store.
Once you start digging in shopping statistics like this you will naturally find statistics stating how one method of shopping is better or more effective than the other. But what is more interesting is you will likely find more data on how one can leverage the other. For instance, did you know that 3/4 of customers who find your product online are more likely to visit the stores in person.
Now I would say it is rather easy to pinpoint the main advantages of each shopping method. The sensation of physically holding or trying something on is so far hard to replace in an online format. And the time efficiency and smoothness of ordering something online is hard to beat.
As E-commerce emerged and grew the online retailers looked to traditional retail and mimicked a lot of the elements. Words like "shopping cart" and "checkout" are just metaphors to give the customer of recognition and relatability. With e-commerce now taking a bigger slice of the pie, maybe it's time to look the other way and learn how E-commerce can inspire better in-store shopping.
E-commerce, has been fast to adapt new tools for analytics, payment systems and delivery. Solutions like Masterpass, Paypal onetouch and Klarna have made payments incredibly easy smooth and new delivery methods like urb-it and uber-rush have made deliveries way faster. And while physical store surely benefit from these things it is the incorporation of digital tools and that will start to make things really interesting in my mind.
To measure the amount of clicks and views or quickly finding and suggesting related items is nothing new to the online world but what if you could bring these tools into the stores more effectively? For instance measuring how many times an item is picked up, and how many of those pick ups are turned in to actual purchases. Or analyze customer flows and suggest relevant items on the way. Maybe Virtual Reality- can be used to change the color of the sweater you're trying on, without you having to bring the same sweater in 5 different colors to the dressing room. Point being; data and digital technology have brought advantages to online stores for years, maybe it's time to start thinking more about what these tools can do in physical stores and merge the two experiences.
A few digital agencies are doing interesting experiments with this. They build experimental stores where they use technologies like VR, beacons, and digital scales etc. to measure things in the store and gather all the data online. That is one way to use the digital methods in-store.
To conclude, when you do your Christmas shopping this year – or any other shopping for that matter – Your experience is likely to include digital elements, whether you do it online or in-store. You're likely to experience the same brand or retailer in both a digital and a physical format. The question is not which of the two ways is better, but which retailers are doing a better job of merging the two experiences. Because those who do, are likely the ones that will come out ahead.


text:
The UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country is participating in a study into treating them with a magnesium-rich additive as opposed to traditional, lime-based applications
Soil samples treated with lime (left), and with magnesium (right). The formation of ettringite caused the test tube treated with lime to break. (Credit: Seco et al., 2017)
Stabilization by means of conventional additives cannot be carried out on soils with sulfates because the calcium in these additives adversely reacts with the sulfate present in the soil. This signifies important technical, economic and environmental implications that have remained unresolved until now. A piece of research, in which the UPV/EHU lecturer Beñat García-Grancianteparaluceta is participating, indicates that the use of an alternative, magnesium-based additive would avoid the problems of the calcium-based ones allowing the constructional properties of soils with sulfates to be improved more cost-effectively and with lower environmental impacts.
The journal Applied Clay Science has recently published the paper 'Sulfate soils stabilization with magnesium-based binders', a piece of research led by Dr Andrés Seco-Meneses on the stabilizing of sulfate soils in which Beñat García-Grancianteparaluceta, lecturer in the UPV/EHU's Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science, has collaborated alongside a group of researchers from the Department of Projects and Rural Engineering of the NUP/UPNA-Public University of Navarre and from the company Magnesitas Navarras, S.A.
"Sufate soils are highly abundant materials in nature. Yet their poor constructional properties mean that they are materials that are unsuitable for executing a whole host of works. As a result, they have to be removed and taken to landfills and be substituted for materials extracted from quarries. All this leads to considerable economic and environmental costs which have until now been unavoidable," explained the lecturer at the University School of Engineering in Vitoria-Gasteiz.
The difficulty in stabilizing soils of this type is due to the fact that the regular stabilizing additives are calcium-based. In these cases, the sulfate combines with the calcium in the additive and the aluminium in the clay resulting in a highly hydrated expansive mineral known as ettringite. This causes the treated material to swell and even destroys it.
The study now published analyses what happens when calcium-based additives are replaced by a magnesium-based alternative additive, an industrial by-product known as PC-8. "Treating natural soils with 4% and 8% of lime or PC-8 improved their mechanical properties to levels routinely obtained in other clayey soils. In all the cases, the resistances developed were greater for the doses of 8% than for those of 4%, and for the PC-8 over the lime, demonstrating the capacity of magnesium rather than lime as an additive with the potential to stabilize clay from the mechanical perspective," said Beñat García.
In the samples treated with 8% PC-8 a significant reduction in the natural swelling of the soils was observed, as was the dimensional stability of all the samples treated over time. As far as this UPV/EHU lecturer is concerned, "the conclusion is that the use of magnesium-based additives could potentially be a good method of upgrading materials containing sulfate in construction applications". Although further studies in this direction are needed, the results obtained point to an improvement in the constructional properties of the soils treated, which turns them into materials suitable for building purposes. This allows significant savings to be made, and the environmental impacts associated with the generation of landfills and the mining of materials in quarries to be reduced.
Source: http://www.ehu.eus/
Do you have a review, update or anything you would like to add to this news story?
Cancel reply to comment
We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing to browse this site you agree to our use of cookies.
More info.


text:
The Electrical Department provides a wide range of services and supports a variety of end users; providing 24*7 support. Services offered include, but are not limited to, the operation and maintenance of air conditioning, electrical works as well as fire safety . It works closely with other departments within the hospital
Scope of services:
Along with regular departmental staff; Engineering Services Department is duly supported by outsourced staff to provide and maintain the services.
Contact Us
0484 2885 279


text:
POS Printers (Point-of-Sale Printing)
For the ever-changing POS (point-of-sale) market, BIXOLON offers a wide range of 2 and 3 inch POS printers. Our multi-interface Thermal and Dot-Matrix printers are perfect for all receipt and ticketing applications.
They meet both Retail and Hospitality customer requirements. They provide superfast print speeds and excellent reliability. You may need to print receipts at a dining table or print a ticket for an event. Providing quick and reliable service will keep customers coming back. Providing great POS (point-of-sale) service also keeps customer traffic flowing. We offer intuitive printing solutions for every market.
We offer a range that offer splash resistant, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and thermal printing capabilities for your point of sale devices.
BIXOLON's POS printers are compatible with all major operating systems. Whether you need Apple iOS™, Android™, Windows™ & Symbian™ our products offer easy set up with smart devices including tablet based applications and Smart devices. Our products are easy to hold. They measure up to 3 inches to create more ease on the job at hand.
Bixolon Point-of-Sale, POS Printer
mPOS Hub Printing Solution Connecting Traditional POS Peripherals with Tablet Based Applications


text:
While being an independent developer certainly has its benefits when it comes to creative freedom, it also has quite a few drawbacks. Chief among them is the lack of manpower and resources, which often means that games are only available for one platform. Hothead Games, the developer behind Penny Arcade Adventures, is hoping to help with this by partnering up with these developers in order to port games to new platforms.
The Vancouver-based studio will start things off by partnering up with Jonathan Blow to bring the long-rumored port of the Xbox Live Arcade hit Braid to the Mac. The deal will give Hothead exclusive digital publishing rights to the game on the Mac platform. Additionally, Hothead will be teaming up with Twisted Pixel to bring its recently released XBLA game The Maw to the PC. The game will be available as a digital download, though no services have been announced at this time.
"We focus on finding new distribution opportunities so that they can focus on what they do best: developing their next great game," Hothead COO Joel DeYoung said. "These two titles represent only the tip of the iceberg. We're committed to working with indies and helping them be successful, so look for lots more announcements to come."
Obviously this is a very exciting announcement, and will benefit both gamers and the developers. Not only will the games be available to a wider audience, but this means more revenue for independent developers, which will allow them to continue creating unique and exciting games.


text:
Georgia Governor Receives School-Reform Proposals
Gov. Joe Frank Harris of Georgia this month promised to make the recommendations of the state's Education Review Commission the beginning of "a campaign for educational excellence" that will occupy lawmakers for much of the 1985 legislative session.
Last week, after 18 months of deliberation, the commission presented its first report for overhauling the state's educational system, "Priorities for a Basic Quality Education," to Governor Harris and the state's General Assembly.
The far-reaching proposals, to be phased in over the next four years, would cost an additional $153 million over the $1.4 billion in state funds now budgeted for schools for fiscal 1986. By fiscal 1989, the proposals would cost the state approximately $506 million and would require an additional $218 million in local funds. The costs would increase by approximately $17 million each year thereafter, according to Edward C. Harris, vice chairman of the commission.
Setting Priorities
The commission listed as its priorities increased compensation for teachers, higher standards of accountability for educators, mandatory full-day kindergarten, and a state-aid formula based on student need.
The commission has proposed that the state:
Raise salaries for beginning teachers by at least 17 percent over the next three years, from $14,329 to $16,750, and provide an additional 7-percent "catch-up" salary increase for school administrators, effective in fiscal 1986.
The commission also recommended that the annual salary increase that teachers now receive based on years of service be contingent upon a satisfactory annual evaluation by the teacher's supervisors.
Establish a "career ladder" for teachers, with five plateaus of career development.
The commission also suggested career-development incentives for superintendents and principals. These would include annual performance evaluations, with additional pay for above-average and outstanding performance; extra pay for principals and superintendents with 12-month contracts and for principals in middle, junior, and senior high schools; and higher salaries for administrators who are responsible for a large number of students.
The report recommends that the Governor appoint a task force of those who would be affected by the proposals to develop plans for a career ladder and leadership incentives, to be implemented in fiscal 1987.
Strengthen Georgia's performance-based certification for teachers by revising existing knowledge tests and performance assessments and by requiring more teachers to take the examinations. Approximately half of Georgia's teachers now hold "life certificates," which exempt them from requirements for performance-based certification and continuing education.
Create state-supported, manda-tory, full-day kindergartens in every elementary school, with at least 4.5 hours of instruction per day. Children would be required to take a post-kindergarten readiness test for advancement to the 1st grade or to transitional classes. The state's attendance law--which requires that all children attend school by age 7--would remain unchanged.
Revise the state-aid formula to provide an adequate financial base for each student, according to the student's grade level and particular needs. The annual base for each student in grades 4 through 8, for example, would be approximately $1,293. For a student in kindergarten, the rate would be about $1,700 per year because of lower student-teacher ratios. The base would increase according to the amount of time that a student spends in more expensive programs, such as remedial- or special-education classes.
Require a local contribution to education equivalent to a 5-mill tax rate, with additional state funds provided to districts that exceed 5 mills.
Expand the assessment program for students to include tests for 1st-grade readiness; measures of progress in writing, science, and social studies; a writing test for graduation; vocational achievement tests; and testing for national comparisons in grades 4, 7, and 11.
Establish teams of trained state employees, local business leaders, parents, and educators to evaluate each school and school system at least once every five years, with a focus on student achievement. Find-ings would be publicized in local newspapers.
Create a statewide core curriculum built around 76 academic competencies, and alter vocational curricula to place more emphasis on academics and less on training for specific jobs.
Set standardized, statewide eligibility criteria for compensatory education, and reduce class sizes in compensatory education.
End elected local superintendencies in the state and replace them with board-appointed positions.
No New Taxes
The blue-ribbon commission was appointed by Governor Harris last year to propose possible school re-forms. The Governor praised the commission for providing the "most complete and far-reaching assessment of public education ever undertaken" in the state.
He admitted that the proposals would demand significantly more money than is now available for education, but vowed to provide those funds without a tax increase.
The necessary money, he said, would come from "new levels of accountability, a new local commitment to education spending, and new formulas" for spending available funds.
The Governor will develop budget recommendations based on the commission's proposals in the next few months, according to Barbara Morgan, his press secretary. She said he will present that package to the legislature early in 1985.
Mixed Reactions
Charles McDaniel, superintendent of the Georgia Department of Education, said he is pleased with "most of the recommendations" in the report.
"If implemented, they will go a long way in correcting many of the problems that have been plaguing Georgia public education for so long,'' he said. "I am especially pleased to see the recommendations for increased teacher salaries and for full-day kindergarten." He said that the department has been working for those improvements for a number of years.
However, two members of the commission--Lisa S. Collins and Anne Tolleson--contended that the on a small group of people in the Governor's office.
Edward Harris called the criticism a "tempest in a teapot," noting that the two women did not express explicit disagreement with a single recommendation.
Teachers' groups in the state criticized the evaluation requirement for teachers, saying that it closely resembled merit-pay proposals.
'Consensus View' Claimed
The commission's report claims that the recommendations are the "consensus view of over 1,000 educators, business people, and parents" in Georgia.
Governor Harris asked that those responsible for educational excellence in the state make "every humanly possible effort to avoid obstructions to reaching that goal that may be thrown up by special-interest groups."
No Time To Waste
"We do not have time to waste in turf-guarding and self-preservation tactics," he cautioned.
Members of the Joint House and Senate Education Committee, the3Education Review Commission, and the Governor's staff were meeting last week to discuss the report's contents.
The commission's final report, including all of its recommendations, will be issued by the end of 1984. Members of the commission have said that all of the recommendations could be initiated in three years. Many of the recommendations, they said, could be implemented in the coming year.
Citizen 'Report Card'
Consequently, the panel recommended that a group of citizens be appointed to issue a "report card" on the state's progress in implementing the proposals by June 30, 1986, and again by June 30, 1987.
"One of the great difficulties in education, especially in Georgia,'' said the panel's vice chairman, Edward Harris, "is that the process is shrouded in mystery. We have very little that tells us what our students are achieving individually or collectively. We have very little method of determining whether we have good or bad leaders or teachers. Our principal objective is to open up the process for the people of the state to see."
Web Only
We encourage lively debate, but please be respectful of others. Profanity and personal attacks are prohibited. By commenting, you are agreeing to abide by our user agreement.
All comments are public.


text:
Some Ideas For Shopping for Foreclosed Homes
Shopping for Property in Japan, Foreclosed Japan Actual Property, Philippine Real Estate, NZ Property. Therefore it's best to probably make your preliminary bid at a price that is at the least 20% beneath the present market value, or maybe even more if the property you're bidding on is situated in an space with a excessive incidence of foreclosures.
Monetary establishments typically wish to rid themselves of foreclosed properties promptly (for a reasonable value, in fact – they have to answer to investors and auditors that they made each attempt to recoup as much of the original mortgage amount as attainable).
As a part of the indictment, federal authorities are in search of a courtroom-ordered forfeiture by Earquhart of greater than $1.1 million in cash, practically $300,000 in gold bullion cash, a Rolex watch and some other property he gained by way of his actual property transactions.
If a home-owner can promote the property during this time, he or she could possibly avoid foreclosure proceedings, and its unfavourable effect on their credit score historical past and future prospects (see Getting a Mortgage After Chapter and Foreclosure) As such, some homeowners are keen to negotiate.
Because properties purchased from HUD are offered as is, and since foreclosed properties can have injury starting from easy poor maintenance to stripped copper, the one reason you do that's for revenue," says Steve Stout, residential field supervisor on the Oklahoma County Assessor's Workplace.…


text:
Japanese shaved ice (Kakigori) will take off for real June 15th at the shop. Follow @ssshavedice on Instagram for the times and details as it gets close.
For a little background the shaved ice project starts with Sakiko, part owner of Courier. Her and i met at the coffee bar, later we got married at the coffee bar by David (funny guy who works in the morning), and so we became partners. Sakiko is an editor and writer in Japan, who came to Portland before Portland was known in Tokyo. One of Sakikos interests is Kakigori (shaved ice).
So we brought a manual Kakigori machine (Kakigoriki) back from Tokyo as a checked piece of luggage. Carrying a 56 pound machine on the train along with other luggage is tough. jumping in and out of trains, using the escalator. We ended up buying a little cart to make it easy, but traveling with a Kakigoriki is not, entirely, easy. Neither is, bringing this machine to Courier whenever we do shaved ice, or carrying it up the ladder to stow away. Thankfully we have a car, otherwise the machine, the crates, the 16 month old daughter- well, we have not talked about bike trailers yet.
Japanese shaved ice probably differs by style and the type of the machine from say, Hawaiian, or Vietnamese. The blade is very sharp high carbon tool steel which is meant to cut ribbons from crystal clear ice. This should produce almost "snowball making snow," if the ice is too cold then it will produce powder- which won't take any liquid if you pour condensed milk on top. Flavors commonly almost always include sweetened condensed milk as the sugary part. But if you want to really know, then you should come try it at Courier on the days we make.
a month ago when the power went out the blocks of ice in our freezer saved all of our other product. we moved these to the refrigerators and kept the temperature in the safe zone for food products.
Projects lately include digging through our 600 plus records at the roastery, trying to figure out their origins. We got a new Milwaukie corded drill and some rivets and have been refurbishing an old higgens toolbox. We are trying to refurbish our silca pumps- recently retapped the threads and have new leather. Piles of free firewood at the roastery from all our cut up palettes. and probably the most thrilling thing lately has been fixing the gate hinges for the backyard so that the latch always catches. we are very proud of this work as we accomplished it with zipties, a few beer caps, a bic pen tube, and brass compression nut.
the roastery is hot. its 80F now, but once we turn on the 1200F afterburning the room will hold at a 100F. its always summer at the roastery.


text:
- 2,603 sq.ft.
- 6,472 sq.ft. lot
Property Description
Once in a Lifetime opportunity to capture a beautiful- Pride of Ownership - 4 unit Trophy -historical property! Located on the most desirable street in Santa Monica! - 2 blocks to THE BEACH, steps to MAIN Street! Architectural Craftsman details abound! Front house features 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, fireplace, updated kitchen, delightful front yard, & private porch! Third and fourth units are TWO SEPARATE- Charming Craftsman houses, 244 Beach Street and 250 Beach Street. Each 1 bedroom , 1 bath, updated kitchen, storybook front porches & private decks! Three units have washer & Dryer's! Rare- mature plant species frame the huge 6,472, s.f. lot (per assessor)! Endless possibilities to create a family compound- live in the main house with income! All reasonable offers considered. Parking for 4 cars, Please do not disturb tenants, inside shown with an accepted offer Only! Sold AS-IS! Square footage is not guaranteed , buyer to investigate.
Listing Courtesy of Ian Brooks, Berkshire Hathaway HomeService
raj qsarCEO | Owner |
CalBRE# 01744847
- cell 714.412.5019
- office 949.612.2535
Use of this site means you agree to the Terms of Use
Based on information from California Regional Multiple Listing Service, Inc. as of August 30, 2019. This information is for your personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties you may be interested in purchasing. Display of MLS data is usually deemed reliable but is NOT guaranteed accurate by the MLS. Buyers are responsible for verifying the accuracy of all information and should investigate the data themselves or retain appropriate professionals. Information from sources other than the Listing Agent may have been included in the MLS data. Unless otherwise specified in writing, Broker/Agent has not and will not verify any information obtained from other sources. The Broker/Agent providing the information contained herein may or may not have been the Listing and/or Selling Agent.


text:
What would you like to know?
Mortgage Calculator
What is your availability for a viewing?
627 E 28th Avenue, Vancouver
A fabulous opportunity to buy this one of a kind custom built home on a pretty tree lined street West of Fraser just 1/2 block to famed Le Marche St. George. Extra long 33 by 143 lot. Shows like brand new. Perfect for large or extended families. Featuring 4 good sized bedrooms on the top floor with 2 ensuites and a private deck off Principal Bedroom. Custom detailed millwork throughout. Bonus 2nd kitchen on main floor for the special chefs. The huge 440 sq/ft roof top deck has panoramic views of city skyline/mountains and surrounding neighbourhood. Features top end appliances, Air Conditioning, hardwood oak flooring, and so much more! Legal 2 bedroom suite for additional revenue Plus 1 bedroom and den laneway house with single garage.
Taxes (2020): $7,566.29


text:
Why don't you say what's on your mind – constructively, of course?
Why do you feel there is a bowling ball in your gut when you have to offer someone feedback?
Why do you hide behind the formality and rigor of the rules and forms when someone fails to perform?
As much as there is a discipline to the art of difficult conversation, there's a mindset that precedes it.
Logically we know that when things are communicated well, improvement happens, knowledge increases, change occurs and relationships strengthen.
Many consider themselves great communicators and, granted, you likely have natural talent. However natural talent, left un-nurtured, can become stale if not outright atrophied.
Great athletes and musicians and artists who practice their discipline to improve skill, also recognize the power of mindset.
Let's start there.
Why do you struggle? Perhaps the answer lies in one of three mindsets.
1) You lack empathy
- Factual and logical are cornerstones to great communication. When you fail to weave in understanding and empathy for emotions and how others think, you may become so focused on the task at hand that you fail to connect.
- Disconnected communication is the root of many a problem.
- Take a walk in someone's shoes, consider the facts, honor your own emotions and then move forward.
2) You have been socialized to be polite
- Think of the little child who has been told by their well-meaning parents to never lie and when confronting a slightly overweight Mrs. Smith in the grocery store, follow the rules and doesn't lie when pointing out her physical condition. "Mommy, why is Mrs. Smith so fat?" asks the innocent child. It's his truthful observation. The flustered and embarrassed mother tells the little child to "not be impolite….you shouldn't say that…." Mixed message about truth, fact and being polite.
- How about the adult you, conditioned to not be impolite or hurt people's feelings, who now has to deliver some tough performance feedback? You get that childhood mixed message and your present day message comes out weak, unclear and apologetic.
- The mindset shift will take some time. New thought is that the truth, told with compassion and neutral fact, will truly set you free (if you are willing to hear it!).
3) You want others to like you, so you are unwilling to rock the boat
- This is the most self-justified mindset of all. Of course you want people to like you and regard you well. Depending upon your level of commitment to impression management, having a direct and truthful conversation with someone may be elusive to you.
- You may find yourself overusing the "sandwich technique". With so many compliments or "can-do's" surrounding the meat of the feedback, the person never truly knows what you want or need from him.
- Take a deep breath and re-frame the mindset. Trust and respect are a more powerful gift than being liked. You can like any goof at a party – he makes you feel good – but he's still a goof. You trust and respect people who have your back and are willing to move through their discomfort to support you to be the best you can be.
These mindset traps prevent you from suspending judgments and assumptions. They prevent you from getting to a neutral place to see what there is to see. They prevent you from understanding the real emotions that are present, and not just the safe ones.
Open up the door to presence, authenticity which then opens up the door to finding, living and spreading trust and inspiration.
Mindset shifts are like muscle shifts. You don't bench 250 in a day. You practice until you become better. You celebrate the small wins. You forgive your mistakes. Each and every day,
- look for opportunities to tell the truth with compassion
- find ways to say what you need to say in less words
- observe the emotional feeling you get from another without needing to soothe it
- correct your mindset setbacks as soon as you notice them
With practice, you will create safety for you and for others. This safety is surrounded in trust and respect and provides a space for people to grow.


text:
Udaipur Best Hostels - 4 Hostels, 1 Cities
Hotel Kumbha Palace
Kumbha Palace is a charming and very relaxing hostel centrally located in the old city, run by a Dutch/Indian couple. As the hotel is situated about 50 meters…
Backpacker Panda Fateh Sagar Lake
Backpacker Panda, Udaipur welcomes you to the City of Lakes! We are located just besides the beautiful Fateh Sagar Lake and are well connected by any means of…
Backpacker Panda Lake Pichola
One of the most spectacular properties in Udaipur, Backpacker Panda is situated right next to the captivating marvel of Lake Pichola. In the vicinity of nature…


text:
The International Affairs Division Internship provides an invaluable experience in public diplomacy and governance.
The division tracks and brings to the attention of the local authorities information regarding international competitions, initiatives for joint projects, professional conferences and exhibitions in municipal fields, and actively creates opportunities for urban economic development.
As such, the intern will aid the International Affairs Division in the following areas:
-Researching and identifying events
-Communicating with host organizations
-Promoting events among local municipal leadership
The Federation of Local Authorities in Israel is a government body which incorporates all municipalities and local councils in Israel. The Federation was established in 1938, a decade before the State of Israel was established, under the name "Commonwealth of Local Authorities". It was officially registered as an Ottoman association, and was recognized by the Mandate government as a body which represents the local Hebrew authority in the land.
Internship Program
Foreign Affairs Department, Federation of Local Authorities in Israel (FLAI)
Provided by
WUJS – Young Judaea


text:
Chairman and CEO of Rockwell Automation , Keith D. Nosbusch will deliver a keynote presentation during the inaugural Internet of Things World Forum, a global event that unites thought leaders, business leaders and practitioners in business, industry, government and academia.
Hosted by Cisco and held October 29-31, 2013 in Barcelona, Spain, the Forum aims to create a collaborative framework that will accelerate the adoption and positive impact of the Internet of Things on the global economy, society and environment.
Nosbusch will articulate the Rockwell Automation vision – in collaboration with Cisco and others – to help its industrial customers lay a foundation for a secure, connected enterprise using standard Ethernet and Internet protocols to connect people, processes, data and things, and drive greater productivity and sustainable competitive differentiation.
According to Nosbusch, Rockwell Automation is dedicated to industrial automation and information, and has been at the forefront driving connected-enterprise strategies for more than a decade. As the industrial space continues to become a more pervasive element of the Internet of Things, the operational rewards of securely making the right information available at the right time within the enterprise are even greater. He adds that this seamless integration of the enterprise, supply chain and plant floor is becoming the next wave of competitive differentiation.
At the Forum, Rockwell Automation executives will lead discussions on several topics including: addressing network and physical security within Internet of Things environments; understanding the value of a secure, holistic, digital-communications fabric based on standard unmodified Internet Protocol via the Industrial IP Advantage partnership; building the Internet of Things business case; and transforming supply chains with the Internet of Things and big data.


text:
Presented by Julia Bradbury and Ore Oduba, Britain's Favourite Walks: Top 100 showcases the finest rambles, scrambles and ambles across the countryside and through cities to bring viewers the ultimate guide to the beautiful British outdoors.
Based on the results of the largest survey ever conducted into the UK's hiking habits, the top 100 have been voted for by more than 8,000 walking enthusiasts.
The programme looks at day walks rather than long distance trails and gives a great idea of the stunning scenery and hikes to be found in Britain. We know of plenty more that surpass many those included in the show – browse these itineraries if you don't believe us.
Yes it is wonderful but a day is no where no long enough on the Lizard. Try walking from Marazion to Coverack to really explore the peninsula.
As the first walk in the majority of our listed itineraries, we couldn't agree more that this should be included in the list. Wild, rugged and wind-swept, this walk really will take your breath away.
Cornwall's north coast offers exhilarating hiking past some of the Britain's best beaches. Our St Ives to Padstow itinerary takes you along this walk and plenty more.
Ontvang als eerste alle Laatste Nieuws en Speciale Aanbiedingen...


text:
Pretty In Pinky! Remembering Davy Jones From The Monkees and Getting Kissed Just Like Marcia Brady!
February 29, 2012 Pretty In Pinky, RIP
Man, such a sad day. I'm sure you have all heard the news that The Monkees star Davy Jones has passed away. I can remember watching The Monkees when it was syndicated on Nick at Night as a kid. It's funny, but The Monkees have so many