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Microsoft is making me rich
Feb 13th
It's true. I've found a can't miss business opportunity that I wanted to pass on to my wonderful {grow} community! Microsoft is sending me valuable, free software, just by asking. Hey you can get it too! Here's how …
In December, I purchased a new computer and ordered replacement disks for both Microsoft Office and Outlook Business Edition (basically my CRM).
About 10 days later, I received the Office software … but no Outlook. I waited another week and still didn't have Outlook so I called Microsoft again. They had no explanation for the missing software and said told me they would have to re-order.
After two weeks I finally received a box in the mail. It was another copy of OFFICE! I called Microsoft again … they had no explanation but placed another order. I asked them what I should do with the Office, and the re-order fellow said that he had no idea.
After another two weeks, I still did not have Outlook. I called a fourth time. This time the representative said the software was out of stock and that it would be another three weeks before I would have the software.
I just have to ask — how can a software company run out of software? Can't they literally make infinite supplies of the stuff as long as they have shiny silver disks?
After three weeks, I finally got the disk. If you've been following along, it took me two and half months to get a copy of Microsoft Outlook.
A month later, I received two more suspicious-looking boxes in the mail. Each box contained another brand-new edition of Outlook. Huh???
So now I have two copies of Outlook and one copy of Office that I don't want, don't need, and don't know what to do with. Microsoft has sent me $600 worth of software and I didn't even have to ask for it!
It seems like Microsoft has taken the "free" business model to a new extreme. So now what do I do? Ethically, I need to return the software. But I am simply fed up with the time I've wated on this and can't even bear the thought of calling these goofballs to have them figure out what I do next!
How can a company this big and this important botch a simple software shipment? Maybe they need to use Outlook Business Edition. Works pretty well.
A strategy for dealing with Twitter spammers
Feb 12th
Writing a series of posts on Twitter scams has been pretty depressing.
I found there is a thriving subculture of deceivers that is bizarre and disturbing. The scammers exploit the elderly, the vulnerable, the under-educated, and the desperate. This is typical: A Twitter page of a friendly looking man who is a "Husband, Dad, Blogger and Entrepreneur" peddling this product: From Food Stamps To 7 Figures Online Free Video.
The scam sub-culture blogs about dodging regulations and adjusting tactics to capitalize on loopholes. "Best practices" spread at the speed of light and the pyramid schemes can vanish behind the social web's cloak of anonymity, free access and fake accounts. The scum has become more powerful through the recession, persistent unemployment and evolving technology that feeds their need to deceive.
The mere fact that I wrote articles containing the words "MLM" attracted automated spammers that nearly snowed me under with deceitful tweets. I am sickened by the vast resources devoted to tricking us into clicking.
What can be done about it?
On a macro-level, very little. Most regulations or policies could also hurt legitimate enterprises. We have to take the fight to the streets.
Here are some ideas to help you fight back and at least take control in your part of the blogosphere.
Use Twitter "report for spam" option. Any time I am spammed by porn-peddling, teeth-whitening, Trump Network sludge, I hit the report for spam button. Twitter seems to be processing at least some of these requests manually to avoid mob-rule against legitimate but unpopular tweeters, so I don't really know what it takes to get people kicked out. Just do your part. If enough people take the time to do it, it is in Twitter's best interest to figure out a way to handle it.
There's an app for that? — There is a new app called Stop Tweet that may provide hope to the idea of automatically blocking some spammers. This utility allows you to tweak your personal settings to block and report people based on two tell-tale characteristics – no or low number of tweets and a high following-to-follower ratio. It can also show you who among your followers who is a known spammer. I tried this app out and unfortunately it did block several legitimate small businesses just starting Twitter accounts. Play around with the settings and let me know what you think.
Separate email addresses — I have one email address I try to keep "pure" for correspondence with real people and another one I use for ANY app, service, or website. I even use my "spam" address when posting comments. Face it, it is only a matter of time before a database is hacked and all your identification and passwords violated. Minimize this inevitable risk by containing it to one account.
Mind the basics — You know the routine. Use strong passwords that are long, a mixture of letters and numbers, and nonsense words unrelated to any personal information. I just did research for a client project that showed the number one password for elderly people is "password." Help educate your loved ones, too.
Ignore them — Don't be tempted to do what I did and explore the spam underworld. Don't visit their sites or ask for more information, even in fun. If you respond to their spam, you're encouraging them to continue, and they only need a tiny response to be profitable. Take my advice based on experience — ignore them completely!
What are YOUR strategies for dealing with the spam tsunamai? What could Twitter do to step-up to the problem?
Part 1 in the series on Twitter's Biggest Scams: Multi-level marketing
Part 2: The teeth whiteners
Part 3: The Twitter follower scam
Part 4: The Trump Network
Twitter's Biggest Scams Part 4: The Trump Network
Feb 11th
Part 4 of a series
Yes, it's THAT Trump. "The Donald" is actually behind this Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) program. A key difference between this and the other MLM programs explained this week is that there is an actual product exchanging hands – nutritional aids.
The Trump Network was launched in the fall of 2009 — actually a re-branding of a pre-existing 12-year-old company — apparently endorsed by Trump himself.
They sell vitamins and supplements, which are popular with many other recruiting MLM companies. It costs $48 to join the program, and then you buy a marketing kit for $497 to start selling. Trump pitches it as a "gift" to the recession-wounded America, and says it is geared toward making Americans healthier.
Like a lot of MLM companies, it's light on product information and heavy on buzzwords (the recession, the national debate over healthcare, green/organic product popularity). The actual product being sold is an afterthought on the website, highlighting opportunities in the "explosive health and wellness wave" instead.
Becauset they sell vitamins, The Trump Network can skirt being called a "pyramid scheme" but it still looks that way in practice. People who join the network earn most of their money from enrollment fees and maintenance costs. The independent "distributors" are then pushed to recruit more distributors of their own. In many schemes of this kind, they are required to buy more inventory than they can probably ever sell, shifting focus toward recruitment as a means of re-couping their investment, which is unlikely.
One MLM resource website did a "review" of the Trump network and explained the "get rich" process:
"You call your sponsor, and they tell you what they were told, which is basically useless, and so you fall for the most gullible, stupid strategies that you could possible engage in – depending on your friends, neighbors, and relatives to make you rich."
I think one of the most disturbing aspects of this initiative is the judgment of Donald Trump to lend his name to something that is built on such shaky ground. Here's a guy whose brand is synonymous with the gold standard of quality – why jeopardize his brand by implying riches are at hand to people who are probably suffering?
Note: some of the debate in the comment section of this post focuses on the real value of the Trump brand name. This is addressed in WSJ article on a court case on this topic: click for article
Part 1 in the series: Multi-level marketing
Part 2: The teeth whiteners
Part 3: The Twitter follower scam
Part 5: What to do about Twitter scams
An experiment in crowd-sourcing
Feb 10th
This blog references a tweet I sent out today (Feb. 10, 2010) asking for help on a crowd-sourcing experiment. Here's the skinny:
I will open a voice and web meeting today at 4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time as an experiment to "crowd-source" a brainstorming session. To attend this meeting, all you have to do is click this link:
You can use your computer microphone or call in at 312-878-0206 ( Access code: 710-449-008)
If you plan to attend, please link in at least five minutes early to assure your computer is on the Citrix meeting app.
Here is the purpose of this meeting:
- My client is a company that installs, services and maintains business voice and data systems in the Southeast U.S.
- The 30th anniversary of the company is April 1.
- The founder of the company is still active as CEO
- They do not currently have a high public profile. In fact, brand awareness is a very big problem.
- With a budget of $5,000 or less, what creative PR activities could mark this milestone anniversary?
Hope to see you at 4 … Trying something new — we'll see what happens!
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Welcome to {grow}You're in marketing for one reason: Grow. Grow your company, reputation, customers, impact, profits. Grow yourself. This is a community that will help. It will stretch your mind, connect you to fascinating people, and provide some fun along the way. I am so glad you're here. -Mark Schaefer
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text:
Wadena residents warned about daytime burglaries
The Wadena Police Department is investigating several daytime burglaries that have been reported in the city of Wadena where personal property was stolen. Officers received a report of an attempted burglary on June 3 where the suspect fled after the complainant observed someone attempting entry into their residence.Officers were unfortunately unable to capture that individual at that time.
Are you a newspaper subscriber but you don't have a Digital Access account yet? https://secure.forumcomm.com/?publisher_ID=40&event=subscriber/lookup.
You will need your subscription account number and phone number. Not sure if you have an account? Email us at email@example.com and we can help you.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Home :: His & Hers Wedding Sets :: Three Piece Wedding Sets :: Three Piece
Wedding Set
14K White Gold
0.80 cts.
Product Selection
Thank You!
Thank you so much for the rings. i got them this morning, they are beautiful and the service was great and fast. My brother it is going to be very happy....
His & Hers Wedding Set HHSD-215
I just wanted to let you know that I received the rings I ordered and they are absolutely beautiful. Thank you so much for getting them to me so...
Link Wedding Band WG-754
I lost my previous wedding band in the ocean and was distraught by the idea that I could not find another one to replace it. Upon many web page...
Recently Viewed
Copyright © 2015 Joshua's Jewelry. Powered by WSC Cart


text:
2003 Toyota Sequoia Tailgate Handle
Great product better than original equipment from the Toyota dealer. Toyota should switch to this product! this is the third time the original from the dealer has broken. this one is all metal, probably will outlast my Toyota Sequoia.
The handle ultimately worked after some adjustment. The large mounting bolts were not properly aligned.
A new cable and latch were also needed to complete the job. Available from my local Toyota Dealership for $125.
This is the second time we've had to replace this handle on our '03 Sequoia. This piece was a great price and arrived within a week. My husband installed it and so far so good. Very sturdy and is the exact piece needed.
We received the part we needed from our car very quickly and at a very reasonable price after price shopping online. Thanks, Parts Geek, for your wonderful service!
The Price was very good. I installed it on the vehicle, and it all works well.Quality was the very same as the Toyota part i replaced.I have ordered several times from Parts Geek, and still do.Shipping time could be quicker, but all in all I,am Satisfied.
Part was better than another one I had purchased from somewhere else. The bolts lined up and mounted easier. Metal is also stouter than the other handle I had bought from somewhere else. Part arrived quickly and in good shape


text:
HEY WAS UP IM MANGAMAN.......fear me.....lol OK SO IM NEW IM HERE GET USED TO ME
Printable View
HEY WAS UP IM MANGAMAN.......fear me.....lol OK SO IM NEW IM HERE GET USED TO ME
Hey, mangaman2 welcome to AO and i hope you have read the Forum Rules, if not then please do so before any other posting. As you can see we are always happy to meet new members to be in this great community, and we appreciate to have certain people to cheer up others. Do pm me if you have questions or simply in need of a friend, i will be most online when i have the right time. :D: Until then have a great stay and do remain active during this great summer.
He` and welcome to AO. I'll mention reading the rules. outside of that, Post, have fun, post, make new friends, OH by the way did I mention posting???
ok.....your very spunky ill give you that......but anyways thanks and i will post and have fun
Greetings flellow member of AO. Remember to read the rules and have fun. Feel free to PM me.
Welcome to AO,
Have fun , post a lot, read the rules if you haven't already and pm me if you ever want to talk or something...


text:
Pat Archbold's Alternate Universe
Over at the National Catholic Register, Pat Archbold is very upset with the USCCB for their statement supporting President Obama's executive order on immigration. Mr. Archbold is entitled to his opinions to be sure. And the Register, which likes to claim the mantle of obedience to the hierarchy, is entitled to print it. But, all of us in the press, even those of us who write opinion columns, are bound by the basic requirement of sanity in our writing.


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Daimon Ferguson
hi, my name is daimon. i am 13 and i wrote my first poem on 4/12/12 which was yesterday. i never really cared for poetry until i heard about a poetry contest at my school and i thought about entering it.that was part of my initial inspiration to write 'The Meaning of Love' the other part is my girlfriend loves poetry and she has been reading it ever since she learned how to read, so i dedicated ... more »
Click here to add this poet to your My Favorite Poets.
Daimon Ferguson Poems
Love and Time
tick, tock, tick, tock... stop and look at him tock... for the keeper of time is a ticking, ticking, ticking... if he were to stop that would be the end of a clock... because he would stop a clicking, clicking, clicking...
Angels and Demons:
the warmth of their lights, the chill of their shadows, the delighted face of a holy being, the evil laughter of a demonic thing,
With bow and arrow he wandered the night, Deep in the Spine with the deer he must smight. Then out of thin air appeared a stone of blue. Where it came from he had no clue.
Fire, fire, burning bright, cackling, cackling with pure delight, Fire, thou art cruelly dark and blessedly bright, Fire, fire, The Bringer of Life,
Best friends
if you are feeling a little down, a real best friend will act like a clown,
A wish that was:
a wish that was, Is thought lost because.
There's A Chill In The Air:
The wind, oh how she'll whisper, In a gleeful tone, made much crisper, By the chill in the air, With secrets to share,
You Your smile gets me through the day, Your laugh helps me find my way, Your eyes make me wanna stay,
Dark They Are:
Dark they are and golden eyed, With grace like black panthers, sleek with pride, They prowl the night, spreading far and wide, Still, they walk among us, noticed, yet always untried,
The Legacy of Hope:
Hope.It is a fragile thing, it is the one thing that keeps humans going when all other motivation has failed them.Hope is the belief that no matter how hard Today is, tommorow WILL be better. It is the root of every successful story, every impossible feat that has been accomplished, and the very core of the human soul. Hope is the reason we, as humans, have kept going, kept SURVIVING, for without Hope, we are naught but the empty, hollowed-out shells of what we CAN and SHOULD be.
I'm Sorry
If the world was gonna end today, I'd try to find the words to say, I'm sorry, I'm sorry,
there for me
you were there for me, your love is the only light i see, i've been dragged so deep down this damn hole, when i see your face my soul becomes whole,
falling in love
i just need to let it out, i'm gonna tell ya with a great big shout. Chorus:
The Meaning of Love:
What is love? Is it an actual thing,
Comments about Daimon Fergusonmore comments »
Daimon F.
ok so, this is my first poem EVER. I'm kinda nervous about it cause it's not like it's Shakespeare so...
i wrote it today and i hope it is at least ok. if you like it then you should know that i am working on another one currently.
Maya Angelou
(4 April 1928 - 28 May 2014)
Robert Frost
(March 26, 1874 – January 29, 1963)
Emily Dickinson
(10 December 1830 – 15 May 1886)
William Shakespeare
(26 April 1564 - 23 April 1616)
Pablo Neruda
(12 July 1904 – 23 September 1973)
Langston Hughes
(1 February 1902 – 22 May 1967)
Edgar Allan Poe
(19 January 1809 - 7 October 1849)
Walt Whitman
(31 May 1819 - 26 March 1892)
William Wordsworth
Charles Bukowski
(16 August 1920 – 9 March 1994)
Love and Time
tick, tock, tick, tock... stop and look at him tock...
for the keeper of time is a ticking, ticking, ticking...
if he were to stop that would be the end of a clock...
because he would stop a clicking, clicking, clicking...
time and love, the food and drink of the soul,
they are the ones that keep me right and whole,
my love of a girl, and the passing of time,
the only things that hold me to this rhyme,
for without love and time the world wouldn't be the same,
because they are the essence of our name...
Love and Time,
PoemHunter.com Updates
Check out
Classic Poets
Footsteps of Angels
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
A Song About Myself
John Keats
A Very Short Song
Dorothy Parker


text:
ALERT: Planned West End power outage early Saturday
Peninsula Daily News
Print This | Email This
Most Popular this week
UPDATE: Woman hurt in Highway 101 wreck east of Port Angeles in serious condition in Seattle hospital — corrected
The outage is planned between 12:01 a.m. and 6 a.m., and will shut down power to all Clallam County Public Utility District customers in the Forks area, Jefferson County south of Forks, Sekiu, Clallam Bay, Neah Bay, Beaver, Sappho, Pysht and all areas west of Lake Crescent.
Clallam PUD said the Bonneville Power Administration scheduled the series of four planned outages to maintain its equipment at its substation at Sappho.
The final early morning outage is set for Sunday, Oct. 13.
The previous outages in the series were July 28 and Sept. 8.
Questions can be directed to Clallam PUD's Quimby Moon at 360-565-3210 or 800-542-7859, ext. 210 or 203, or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Last modified: September 19. 2013 6:27PM


text:
Separate names with a comma.
Discussion in 'The Hopper Zone' started by Chris04626, Sep 20, 2012.
When i press the input button, on my remote it goes to different channel
Yes it switches tuners actually. It swaps between the two tuners that are in the PiP buffer. If you are needing to swap an input on your tv, first press the "tv button" at the top of the remote and then hit the input button.
Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys
so im watching what another tv is watching when i press input?
Not necessarily. It means you are switching tuners whether anyone is using it or not.
Neat...if you're watching a DVR recording it doesn't kick out that tuner to live TV. Still the input button on my Hopper remote has never worked with my TV to change the inputs yet the 722/625 remotes allowed me to change what input my TV was on.
It could be you need to use a different code for your tv, although it is also possible Dish doesn't always get all the tv features to work with the codes they do us.
you have to turn off limited mode in settings/remote. while limited mode is on the remote will only work tv power and volume


text:
From Stampendous:
HMH02 Tiny Jumper
H310 Dance Like
MPW811 Mixed Media White Paper
MEM01 Memento™ Tuxedo Black Ink by Tsukineko®
SSH34 Small Perfectly Clear™ Acrylic Stamp Handle
Cardstock by Bazzill Basics®
Pattern Paper
Alcohol Markers by Copic® (E50, E53, E44, E23, E25, E29, B34, B36, Various Ink 00)
Zip Dry™ Paper Glue by Beacon Adhesives
3D Thin Adhesive Square by Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L®
Circle die or punch
Twine by May Arts Ribbon®
Muslin fabric scrap
- Create a card base by folding a 3 x 6 inch blue cardstock in half for a finished size of 3 x 3 inches.
- Stamp Tiny Jumper with Memento ink onto Mixed Media White Paper and color.
- Trim image with circle die or punch.
- Color background with light blue marker. Color dark blue dots near the mouse. Drip various ink onto muslin and press around the edges of circle to create white dots.
- Stamp sentiment on white mixed media paper with Memento ink. Color with light blue marker. Repeat with various ink and muslin.
- Distress edges of pattern paper and tie a bow with twine around it. Glue to card base.
- Glue Tiny Jumper image onto card base.
- Add foam square adhesives to the back of the sentiment panel and adhere to card base.


text:
Kit Carson Correctional CenterCustomer base: Colorado Department of Corrections - Facility Type: Medium-security, Owned since 1998
49777 County Road V,
Burlington, CO 80807
- Get Directions to this Facility
- Capacity1488
- ACA AccreditedYes
- PopulationMale
Facility Leader: Bobby Bonner, Warden
In May 2013, Bobby Bonner was named warden at Kit Carson Correctional Center. Bonner joined CCA in 2004 as case manager at Crowley County Correctional Facility, where he also served as unit manager and chief of unit management before transferring to the formerly CCA-operated Huerfano County Correctional Center as chief of unit management. Bonner transferred again to Kit Carson Correctional Center as chief of unit management. He was promoted to assistant warden at California City Correctional Center. Prior to joining CCA, Bonner worked for the Shawnee County Department of Corrections, where he started as a correctional officer and promoted through the ranks to corporal, sergeant and operations lieutenant. He holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Washburn University.
Community Activities
Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America; Rotary Club; Chamber of Commerce; Preventive Justice Arts Council; Prairie Family Center; Library; Old Town and Kit Carson County Carrousel; Fort Morgan Community College classes; the Burlington School system.
Related StoriesBraille: A Language of Touch
August 21, 2014
From an early age, children are taught to connect the dots – both in thought and with pictures. Not surprisingly, when it came time to teach the blind how to read, dots were used to create a … read more
Why I Accepted the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
October 09, 2014
On July 23, 2009, I received a phone call from my husband – we'd been preparing for news about a dear friend, Tim Gribben, who had spent the last four years of his life battling ALS (Lou Gehrig' … read more
Excelling in Health Care
January 20, 2015
CCA Kit Carson Correctional Center in Burlington, Colo., set itself apart from other facilities in the state when it earned accreditation from the National Commission on Correctional Health Care ( … read more
For media inquiries please consult Todd Holmes, the Public Information Officer for this facility.
Population: Male


text: Depends on the rate. Some require only a government ID. I've seen Marriott have some that required travel orders but that may be just a reflection of the standard government per diem for business travel. Many hotel rates for govt. employees (federal, state or local) do not require the employee to be on official business.


text:
Analysis of the SE Asian SMT Inspection Equipment Market
LONDON, Feb. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — UK-ReportbuyerReportbuyer.com just published a new market research report:
Analysis of the SE Asian SMT Inspection Equipment Market
Rise in manufacturing defects due to miniaturization will drive demand for SMT inspection equipment
This research service offers an insight into the Southeast Asia SMT Inspection Equipment Market. The market has been segmented by technology and geography. The technology covered includes automated optical inspection, X-ray inspection and solder paste inspection. The geographic scope includes Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and The Philippinnes. The study provides an analysis of the current state of the market and discusses factors driving/restraining growth. The base year for the study is 2012, with forecasts running upto 2017. The research service covers revenue forecast, distribution channel trends and competitive landscape.
Executive Summary
– The surface mount technology (SMT) inspection equipment market in Southeast Asia (SE Asia) generated revenue of $X million in 2012. The total SMT inspection unit shipment was estimated at X in 2012.
– The need for faster inspection of miniature components, coupled with that of reducing rework costs, are the key growth drivers for the market.
– The long life of existing systems is swaying manufacturers' decision with regard to investing in new inspection equipment, thereby restraining market growth.
– The market revenue is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of X% from 2012 to 2017.
– Among the end-user verticals, telecom contributed X% of the revenue in 2012.
– Revenue from the X-ray inspection equipment segment was the highest among all the technology segments. This segment contributed X% of the overall revenue in 2012.
– In Southeast Asia, Singapore generated the lowest revenue, contributing onlyX% of the overall market revenue in 2012. This is due to the low level of electronic manufacturing in the country.
CEO's Perspective
1. The increase in high-volume manufacturing is creating the demand for inline automated optical inspection (AOI) equipment with faster inspection speeds. The newer inline AOI equipment being introduced offers a X% faster inspection speed as compared to the earlier versions.
2. There is a demand for X-ray inspection equipment owing to the rise in hidden solder defects in manufacturing. However, high adoption in manufacturing lines has been restricted, as inspection speeds still don't match production line requirements.
3. Low prices for AOI equipment being offered by Chinese brands such as Jutze have forced other manufacturers to drastically drop prices.
Market Overview–Definitions
– The study provides an insight into the SMT inspection equipment market in Southeast Asia.
– All revenues are in US dollars.
– The SMT inspection equipment market has been segmented into:
oAOI equipment, including 2-D and 3-D inspection equipment
oX-ray inspection equipment, including manual, semi-automatic, and automatic X-ray inspection (AXI) equipment
oSolder paste inspection (SPI) equipment, including 2-D and 3-D inspection equipment
– The geographic scope covered includes:
oThe Philippines
Study Period: Base Year
Forecast Period: 2009?2017
2012: 2013?2017
– X-Ray Inspection
– Singapore
– Malaysia
– Indonesia
– Thailand
– The Philippines
– Vietnam
Key Questions This Study Will Answer
Is the market growing? What is the rate of growth of the overall market?
What are the main factors driving/restraining market growth?
What are the main market trends being witnessed in each segment?
Is the market for each technology segment fragmented or consolidated? What is the market share estimate of the top three participants in each technology segment?
Table of Contents
1. Executive Summary
2. Market Overview
3. Total SMT Inspection Equipment Market
– External Challenges: Drivers and Restraints
– Forecast and Trends
– Market Share and Competitive Analysis
4. AOI Equipment Segment Breakdown
5. X-Ray Inspection Equipment Segment Breakdown
6. SPI Equipment Segment Breakdown
7. The Last Word
8. Appendix
Read the full report:
Analysis of the SE Asian SMT Inspection Equipment Market
For more information:
Sarah Smith
Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com
Email: email@example.com
Tel: +44 208 816 85 48
Website: www.reportbuyer.com
SOURCE ReportBuyer


text:
Windows: Good, Better, Best, Overpriced
Looking to replace about 15 double hung and 4 casement windows in our 30 year old home. We will be here another 30 years. I don't mind paying for quality if I never have to replace windows again, so that eliminates a "good" window in my view. For discussion purposes assume all the brands I mention have comparable performance numbers. What I am looking for is feedback on which ones are well made (design, materials workmanship) and therefore more likely to be long lasting. If warranty is factor in your opinion/experience that would be good to know too.
Andersen Renewal seems to have a well made, Fibrex (hollow core wood/resin material) product that I would put in the better to best category. But comments here and elsewhere say its overpriced. The pitch was not hard sell but it was almost $27K.
Interstate Windows made with Compositwood, a solid core resin product seem well made and are similar to Renewal�s Fibrex, but $10K cheaper. They also have a vinyl window for about $15K cheaper than Renewal. Can�t find a lot of feedback on them though.
Okna is a name that gets many good reviews on this forum. Although they seem to be only vinyl made and do not offer a composite/resin material. No quote on them yet.
Thoughts, comments, experience with any of these and recommendations appreciated
First, Renewal is average based on performance numbers. Their Ufactor is only a .30 or .29 . Also, they have a rather high air leakage number.
That fibrex material they offer is mostly vinyl and some wood flower( saw dust). That is a fact. They train their salesman to spin the truth about vinyl.
Okna is a very well made/ solid window, especially the 800 " Envirostar". Its also a very sharp looking window.
Their Ufactor is much better than anything renewal has to offer. They have a Ufactor of .26 on their double pane glass,, so its much more energy efficient than renewal. Also, the Okna air leakage rate is MUCH better/ air tight than renewal; its a .01 , which is the lowest in the industry, try asking renewal about their air leakage rate and you will get a song and a dance, they will just say it was tested and passed but NEVER give an actual number. Both Okna and renewal were tested for air, water, and structural integrity by the same rating agency but yet Okna reveals their actual results while renewal does not.
Another fact, the okna has a structural rating of 60 while renewal is 30 or 35 if im not mistaken. Thats almost twice as good as renewal.
Okna does also offer a composite called Starmark which is also very solid.
That said, there are very poor quality vinyl windows. Believe it or not, Andersen offers one of the lowest quality windows in the industry called Silverline and so does Pella in my opinion. Stick with high quality vinyl offerings if you want maximum energy efficiency, long term durability, and looks. Stay away from MI , alside, and the other low end stuff.
This post was edited by mmarse1 on Fri, May 9, 14 at 8:33
I've installed a number of Simonton Vinyl windows, and couldn't be happier with them. The vinyl framing is pretty big, but the windows are great.
I saved some money by going directly to a wholesaler in my area and then hiring a window contractor to do the installation.
No offense to csk1007 but the OP seems to be more quality centric whereas simonton is basically an average window with average performance numbers. Simonton has a very bulky frame and a high air leakage number( .17) which is almost as high as andersen. I just think simonton needs to totally redesign their windows.
Okna , soft lite ( elements), Sunrise ( vanguard), kensington Quantum 2 are some higher end names.
No offense to csk1007 but the OP seems to be more quality centric whereas simonton is basically an average window with average performance numbers. Simonton has a very bulky frame and a high air leakage number( .17) which is almost as high as andersen. I just think simonton needs to totally redesign their windows.
Okna , soft lite ( elements), Sunrise ( vanguard), kensington Quantum 2 are some higher end names.
Mmarse1, thanks this is the type of insight I am looking for as well as the names of some other quality windows. Is it your experience that vinyl versus a composite makes a better window? Okna's website referred me to a local company that does not mention name brands but does have Okna windows pictured. They also have an Angie's list B rating and a reputation for high pressure lengthy husband and wife sales pitches. We do not want to sit thru that, just a quote. Is this how the replacement window biz sells? can I get Oknas another way, maybe direct and have my own installer? Thanks for the good info.
Pennsylvania - you are in OKNA's backyard. You will have to find an OKNA dealer as OKNA will not sell a consumer direct.
One way to avoid a lengthy sales pitch - be well informed / educated before they show up, or tell them straight up that they have 30 minutes to talk about their windows. After all it is your time, money, and house.
Thanks BPChill. Besides OKNA, several other better brands were listed that I will checkout. Lastly, has anyone any experience with or knowledge of Interstate Windows, also made in PA.? My one contractor is pushing them as better than Renewal price and material wise. I will checkout their performance but wondered if anyone had knowledge of how their construction and durability are compared to other better quality windows like OKNA, Softlite etc.
I mostly cover SE PA, NJ and DE
We have installs going on in Lancaster and the Poconos.
I will sell the windows only.
I handle most of the high performance brands mentioned.
You would be happy with Interstate but Okna/HiMark would be a better value and performer.
Renewal by Andersen was a multiple of 3 over our bid from Pella and a multiple of 4 over the local company we eventually signed with.
*Very* high pressure sales pitch which included that "This price is only good today" BS. Also: refused to leave us with a detailed quote-- he wrote the total and his phone number on a scrap of paper and left it with us.
After having sat through that I'll never buy an Andersen product on general principle.
Think about it: will RbA's windows really be 50% to 100% better than the other options? Because that's what they're quoting you.
"They also have an Angie's list B rating and a reputation for high pressure lengthy husband and wife sales pitches. We do not want to sit thru that, just a quote. Is this how the replacement window biz sells?"
I have really been struggling with this since looking for windows in this house. many of the companies won't even come to the house to give me a quote without my husband. (I'm perfectly capable of getting quotes, researching things, narrowing down companies and then sharing the info with DH to make a choice together. That's how we like it because we would rather his off work time together and with our kids than getting quotes which I can do while he is at work.)
One of the 3 companies I have had come (after verifying DH would not have to be there) really pressured me on the phone reminder to have him there and when they came they didn't give me a quote till I called asking for it - I've since learned not to do that.
So yes, I think this is how many replacement window biz sell.
the Interstate window is solid, but I've always been confused on the warranty and never gotten a straight answer. The real wood veneer scares me. Is it part of the 15 year "laminate" warranty (if so that is not impressive), or is it excluded completely by the line that says "wood components in all style windows and doors... are specifically excluded from this warranty"?
For me, if I want an actual wood interior with a crappy warranty that is what I'll buy. The synthetic stainable laminates are preferred.


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Here is a presentation that I developed recently that explores the role that the entrepreneurial sector in Israel (or any country) can play in responding to the challenges of Global Warming. The response to Global Warming is not a simplistic one. There is a mental model of undisciplined exploitation of the Earth's resources - embedded deeply within us all, that needs to be altered to one of stewardship for future generations. We need new models of living on this planet that will sustain us as humanity into the future. In the short term, we all need to act and act swiftly. The potential of the CleanTech sector is that it enables us to act in ways that are profitable to businesses, countries and individuals while making the significant industrial transformations that are necessary to our survival. Download Global Warming עברית
Building sustainable responses to complex societal needs is a major challenge in contemporary society. Collective Impact is a holistic approach for responding to a complex societal issue in which a wide variety of interested parties work together to address the many different aspects of the given issue. It is a powerful approach appropriate for dealing with many of a society's challenges. Developing trust is a major aspect of creating a sustainable effort.
Hebrew version of this article can be found here. Download Hebrew version
Collective Impact does require a significant amount of time to put in place the key components of such an effort. These components are:
There have been a number of Collective Impact projects in the United States. In these projects, the interested parties spend a considerable amount of time meeting on a frequent basis in order to move through the stages of an effort. These stages have been described as:
Throughout a Collective Impact initiative, there is an emphasis on a data-based process of reflection, learning and adaptation of the effort. Participants need to have the patience to focus on building relationships as well as the proactivity to take specific, tangible action steps.
Building Trust
Building trust is a critical factor on which the progress of a Collective Impact effort depends. Trust is a "gating" item that will either facilitate or retard the movement through the requirements of the effort. At the early stages, it is particularly important as the parties endeavor to arrive at a common agenda.
Much can be said about what it takes to build trust. One perspective is that building trust is a process in which each party needs to demonstrate to the others over time that he/she will follow through on the promises and representations that they make. Also part of building trust is a growing awareness that each will conform to an accepted standard governing the dealings that each has with the other - whether that standard is fairness, equity, quid pro quo, etc. Another factor in building trust is the history of connection and past dealings among the parties which in turn reflects all of these other factors.
Trust and Sustainability
There is a relationship between the progress in building trust and the sustainability of the effort. The more progress in building trust, the greater the potential for sustainability of the effort. Beyond this, trust and sustainability are iterative in that each will reinforce the other in either a positive or negative vein.
Sustainability also requires the willingness and time on the part of the parties (as well as the donors) to "hang in" during the lengthy process of developing the effort before tangible results can be observed. The greater the trust, the more comfortable the parties will be with one another and the more gratifying will be the relationships that support the effort.
Trust and Context
The proess of building trust is also impacted by the context of the effort. Creating trust in a rural community where most people already know one another is a different proposition from creating trust in an urban setting where many are strangers to one another. Similarly, creating trust in a closed community where there are many historical relationships is different from creating trust in an open setting where there will be many, first-time relationships. National or regional culture is also an important variable in that different cultures have different norms of behavior, guiding principles and values and other sociological attributes. Trust and sustainability will vary based on the nature of these various factors.
Building Trust and Sustainability in Israel
This afticle asks the question of how might the process of building trust and achieving sustainability in a Collective Impact initiative in Israel be different compared to one in the United States. There are aspects of the Israeli culture that will both facilitate and retard the process of building trust and achieving sustainability.
Facilitating Factors
Retarding Factors
It may be that given all of these factors, Israel may not be different from the United States. In both societies, a complex constellation of factors requires a fine-tuned effort of trust building appropriate for the particular context. On the other hand, it may be that the strength of pre-existing relationships and networks, a sense of commonality and accepted norms of behavior do provide a stronger initial foundation for trust building than is possible in the more wide-spread and heterogeneous society in the United States. It is possible that the listed facilitating factors can be leveraged in order to more quickly build trust and provide for greater sustainability in a Collective Impact initiative in Israel.
The following video reflects the kinds of things that can be leveraged in the process of building trust.
Longer-term sustainability in a network is supported by managing the polarities of contact in the network. Specifically, I am focusing on the polarities of contracting and expansion. Each represents a different focus that needs to coexist in a larger network for that network to be ultimately effective and sustainable. I view these as akin to breathing which requires both a contracting and expansion phase.In approaching this discussion, we need to be mindful that in the overall network level of system, there are larger and smaller groupings. The smaller groupings are often called clusters or communities (of practice). The larger grouping is the overall network. The boundary of the network is its periphery.
Contracting with regard to a network is seen in the dynamic of "birds of a feather." Individuals in a network form dyads and most significantly triads. These are based on commonalities. Triads result because it is a natural human phenomenon to want to introduce one's friends to each other. Triads then connect. As time goes on, connections are established across all of the different individuals (nodes) in these connected triads. One ends up with a community of like-minded others.
The focus here is inward within the community. The emphasis is on establishing trust, relationships and contact. There is a wondrous, harmonious beauty as a community builds and interacts. We desire to be affiliated with like-minded others. This is one aspect of the important phenomenon of a network. Such a close grouping can prove to be highly effective in implementing previously derived knowledge.
I see this as a kind of contracting. The members of a cluster differentiate themselves from others who do not share immediate commonalities. This may be due to differing perspectives or different agendas at the current moment. The cluster pulls in members from the larger network. Other individuals (nodes) then move into other clusters. Other members exist as isolates apart from the cluster and out towards the periphery of the larger network.
The challenge arises in this harmonious clustering when the community or cluster needs to be innovative. Here the community encounters the underbelly of its harmonious side. In this situation, the confluent community will likely only be able to continually revisit the ideas that all share. What is necessary here is to reach out into the differentiated world to make contact with new and fresh ideas held by others.
These others may exist in other communities within the larger network or exist as isolates outside the immediate cluster or community. The isolates may exist on the periphery of the network. Though an isolate relative to the subject cluster, the individual node may in fact be part of another network beyond the network in question and thereby part of another rich tradition.
In order to be fully innovative, the community in question must have the ability to reach out to and make contact with those holding differing, fresh and needed perspectives. These perspectives will then need to be brought into the deliberations within the subject cluster. It is not necessarily the point for these other individuals to find a permanent home in the cluster. They will, however, need to exist at the end of a link that runs to the cluster. They will need to be pulled in to the extent necessary for their perspective to be heard.
There is a well-known paper by Granovetter in which he sets out his finding with regard to looking for new jobs. Networking amongst one's close friends - those with whom one has strong ties does not appear to be the most successful strategy. Instead, finding a new job results more from utilizing one's weak ties - ties to people with whom one has occasional contact. The point here is that talking to people who know what you know does not help as much as talking to people who know what you do not know. There have also been studies that point out that network success is a function of finding the sweet spot between the polarities of contraction and expansion.
Another way of talking about this polarity is that of exploration and exploitation. In a network, clusters and the network as a whole oscillate between exploration of what is not known and exploitation of what is already known. There is the contact one has as a result of building trustful relationships with those in one's immediate environment. There is also the contact that results from reaching out to those who do not hold the same perspective of reality and being able to benefit from their perspective.
"What would our network be like if we could achieve our full potential?"
Questions like these were at the core of a workshop that I recently attended that was given by Beth Tener. The workshop was about asking "strategic questions." A strategic question helps open up the person with whom you are speaking to new possibilities. A strategic question is characterized as being open-ended and positive. It asks the other person to look beyond the "shoulds" in their life to explore how a desired state could be attained. A question might be: "what would it take in order for you to attain what you are looking for?" Asking such a question also helps the questioner to have an experience as a positive, possibility-seeking person.A strategic question in addition to opening up a space inside the other person can also be used to open up space in a network or organization. A typical situation where such a question can be useful in organizations is to help the organization move beyond dejection to positivism, to move beyond griping to looking at what can be accomplished, to move from looking endlessly within the same old "box" to looking "outside the box."
I like the term "strategic question" because it connotes the idea that one is on the move. Such questions can also be called "appreciative questions" or "strength-based questions." I have in the past also referred to these kinds of questions as "provocative questions."
This kind of question can be of use in a network. Such a question can help to open up thought in a network. In the case where there is a cluster of closely connected individuals, the high density of connection in such a group can lead the group to become overly focused on one perspective or locked into a given solution. What can help here is to open up the cluster to new people and new ideas. Questions that might be asked are: "Who else could we be speaking with?" "What diverse perspectives and skill sets would be useful?" "In what other ways could we accomplish what we want?"
In another situation, people may not be connected to one another or weakly connected. A strategic or provocative question can be used to connect people. A person who is friends with two other unconnected people can say to each: "Are you aware that this other person has similar interests to you?" Another question here could be: ""What would happen if the two of you were to combine your resources?"
An individual on their own can also reach out to another person and endeavor to make a new connection. In this regard, several things can help such a person make a connection. A person can strive to be fully present and willing to share a variety of different aspects of him or herself. These can include their intellectual, emotional, physical, artistic or spiritual aspects. Doing this provides more around which the other person can make a connection. It provides a basis for interesting the other person.
It also helps to sincerely ask about the other person. What are their interests, what excites them. Asking the other to talk about the possibilities they see in a given situation is a positive approach that would be inclined to support openness rather than defensiveness.
I find that there is an experience that goes along with this process of questioning. It is an active rather than a passive experience. It is a non-judgmental experience of exploration. It is an experience of caring enough to try to understand the reality of another person.
When one makes these new connections, one reduces the tension borne of having unconnected friends and supplants that with the positive experience of creating mutual friends. Creating new connections helps others bring their fresh ideas into more established groups. It furthers innovation by reaching further out towards the environment of the network.
I think of all of this as supporting a vibrant network that breathes.The network community contracts and expands on an ongoing basis. In the contraction phase, new and stronger ties are built with similar others who are thus pulled into the community. In the expansion phase the realm of perspectives are expanded through reaching out to dissimilar others - people on the boundary of the network. In this ongoing pulsation of life, the network begins to answer the question: "What could we be if we were fully alive?"
We are learning that networks as a means of conducting business or creating social change cannot be treated like our traditional "bricks and mortar" organizations. This is true for both networks made up of individuals and those composed of member organizations. It is important to understand how networks differ from traditional organizations. This, in turn, leads us to changing the way we respond to networks in our efforts to help develop and improve them. Thinking of networks in terms of their value propositions can be very helpful in working effectively with networks.
One way in which networks differ from traditional organizations and even traditional knowledge organizations is that the roles are dispersed and not organized in a definitive manner. There are no departments, no functions, no bureaucracy. In a network operating at its optimum, the roles (and the people in them) can join together in various combinations in order to do the work of the network.
In traditional organizations, we could plot how the work of the enterprise is performed. We have called this "plot" the work process, the transformation process or the value chain. Traditionally, it was a linear sequence of activities that added value to preceding activities leading to the completed output that was handed off to customers. Even in more knowledge-driven organizations, there was some high-level sense of sequence though work was carried out in deliberations that might not necessarily be in sequence.
I believe that the value chain approach used in traditional organizations has less applicability in understanding and acting upon a network. This is not to say that a sequence of activities cannot in particular cases be identified. It is to say that such a sequence can no longer be generalized as an operational blueprint for the network enterprise. In fact, such a formalized approach is antithetical to a network and the unique value that can be gained from a network.
A useful way of thinking about a network is in terms of its value propositions. For any given network, there is an overarching purpose. Purposes are then translated into value for customers, members, society and the network itself. The value proposition is an articulated statement of benefit to each interested party. There could be one value proposition or several value propositions. A given value proposition could cover one or more groups of interested parties.
The value proposition becomes an organizing mechanism for the network. The value proposition becomes an embedded intangible structure that influences or governs what emerges or is planned within the network.
Ideally, value propositions influence planful activities. They also catalyze conversations in networks. Conversations can occur spontaneously or as the result of facilitating actions by network weavers or coordinators. These conversations can result in ad hoc configurations or more planful configurations to carry out the work of the network. We could call these configurations clusters, communities of practice, or committees. They can be in existence short-term until a new idea runs its course, longer-term to deal with a common grouping of ideas though with varying membership, and can spin off into other initiatives.
A network can be assessed in terms of whether its actions and factors like relationships, trust, inclusion, interactions, funding, convenings, etc. further the given value proposition or not. We can ask, is desired value being provided to interested parties; are we being innovative in how we pursue the value proposition? We can take action to bring alignment to these factors and the given value proposition.
In one network, my data indicated the following candidates for value propositions:
In another network, an educational consortium, some aspects of the stated value proposition were:
What can a network do to create greater alignment between a given value proposition and network actions and factors?
One step is to be explicit about these network value propositions. Think about them and even rethink them. Publicize them, talk about them, and create greater awareness throughout the network. Discuss whether the network has the most desirable balance among its different value propositions. Assess the impact that the network is having on interested parties and create network conversations about how to increase positive impact in line with these value propositions. A network can also share amongst its members what is working well in advancing these value propositions.
What is the role of emergence and serendipity in networks? More significantly, what is the role of both of these with regard to innovation in networks?
I define serendipity as those synchronous moments when different trend lines converge in an unexpected manner that lead to innovation. My view may not conform to the official definition of serendipity which is "an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident." An example might be the discovery of penicillin. I am more inclined toward the idea that we put in place conditions that lead to the emergence of innovations which we can then call serendipity.
Emergence is the way patterns emerge via the collective actions of many individual entities. It is the arising of novel and coherent structures, patterns and properties during the process of self-organization in complex systems. (Goldstein, 1999) Whenever you have a multitude of individuals interacting with one another, there often comes a moment when disorder gives way to order and something new emerges: a pattern, a decision, a structure or a change in direction (Miller 2010) This could appear as a new grouping, a new idea or a new initiative.
Creating a conducive environment for emergence often involves creating and holding the container in which the many interactions take place. It involves provoking what goes on in the container and supporting movement towards attractive directions.
Members of a network can support these conducive conditions. In one network, senior staff members of the network each had a portfolio of liaison responsibilities. They created unstructured time in meetings to allow for digressions - going off topic and off of the agenda. They were out and about listening to conversations. They would mingle with folks at different member institution gatherings rather than just seeing them at network meetings. In both formal and informal gatherings, they identified and supported "what if" conversations. "What if we took a joint approach?" "What if we combined our resources?" They kept their ears to the ground and listened to other voices. They looked for trends and fed them back at the meetings. They might say, "did you know that other people are talking about this?"
Not only did these people in the above network help to identify, circulate and bring in ideas from within the network, they also helped to bring in ideas from outside the network. They read emails and visited other networks. They learned how others addressed things so that they could bring these in when an opportunity presented itself.
These people acted like honey bees gathering ideas from flower to flower. They helped to make connections of people and ideas that could fuel emergence. They supported the system in exploring new directions. Ideally this role can be played by all network members.
The result of planned and unplanned interaction and collaboration in a network environment is that innovation can take place. One network leader used the term "innovative moment" or "revolutionary moment" to describe the epochal changes that occurred throughout the history of the network when emergence led to new innovations.
The internal structure of a network can specifically support emergence, serendipity. Certainly the diversity and density of conections can support emergence and serendipity and the flow of knowledge. In the end, a network like any other entity must balance planfulness and emergence. Planfulness requires some degree of governance or coordination at a meta level. This then allows for new ideas to emerge or fortuitious accidents to take place.
Over the last two decades we have seen a growing sophistication in discussing and using the concept of a value chain. In my own experience, this has consisted of the use of more well-developed approaches for understanding and redesigning linear processes especially the use of socio-tehcnical systems design (STS). We practitioners then experimented with non-linear design recognizing the increasing role of knowledge work. Others worked to perfect the value chain concept talking about what to do with the white spaces in between steps and extending the value chain on a global basis. Throughout all of this, the underlying assumption was that of the almost inviolate value chain even as we saw it as being less and less linear.
The challenge I believe we are facing now is what role does the value chain have in a network of providers. Can you have a value proposition without having a value chain? If so, then how is value produced? How do you account for the transformation of goods and services from raw materials to finished output? Does a value chain provide more room for maneuver than a supply chain?I admit to continuing my efforts to fit the idea of a value chain into my current concepts of networks and their realities. For example, I wonder if there is a fit with the collective impact approaches that now have currency and which have application to networks. If you are aligning providers so that each plays a role in remedying an identified societal challenge, e.g. increasing literacy in K-12, then does not each provider play a sequential role in what I call the developmental value chain? Does not the pre-school program come before the after-school program which continues to develop the individual? The end product here is the literate adult.
The alternative approach is to allow for emergence, to recognize that challenges and solutions will emerge and can be pursued by networking around them. According to the collective impact folks, the themes and ideas emerge and become bucketed as sets of initaitves. We assume that actions with regard to each bucket will help us get to the end result of producing value. A governance role is played by a backbone organization though it appears that in doing so the value chain is not a prominent approach.
A recent post spoke about moving from "optimizing a supply chain to leveraging a service constellation." I find this to be a provocative thought. It also adds to our discussion the ideas of governing and intervening in the value creation process.
For the moment, I continue to appreciate the usefulness of the "value proposition" as an organizing principle for a network. It helps with our decisions about structure, strategy and governance. I prefer to let the rest emerge over time.
For the last year, I have been endeavoring to identify the elements of a network, specifically an inter-organizational network. These are the components that networks often have that when pursued lead to important information about a network.
There are complexities in this kind of investigation. For example, networks have governance. So do corporations and countries. Exploring the nature of governance in a network leads to finding the unique ways that a particular network handles governance. If we find out that the network has a king, it is likely not a network. But, then maybe there are exceptions.
Networks have creative tension. So do corporations, sports teams and symphony orchestras. Again, it is what those unique tensions are that tell us something about a network.
Many networks do tend to have dispersed leadership. Here is where things get a little complex. A network at the early stage of development may not yet have dispersed leadership. And, some entities that call themselves networks seem not to have dispersed leadership. Does this make them not a network?
I have discovered that often networks have a great deal that is emergent in their operation, far more so than your typical bricks and mortar organization. Yet, is an entity with a low degree of emergence not a network?
The Executive Director of one educational consortium with whom I have been speaking took issue when I asked about a "leader's theory of change" which I have as one of my network elements. Although it appeared to me that the Executive Director did have a philosophy of change, his point was that there was no such uniform theory or philosophy held by the entire entity. Nor, he indicated was there a common culture. His advice to me I heard as saying, try to see each entity with fresh eyes.
This was welcome to me because of the self-induced plight I find myself in having to decide what is or what is not a network. I find myself bending my own criteria this way and that to include entities which are quite constructive and productive as if their lives depended on my edict as to their "networkiness."
I have tried to finesse this by using the phrase "network mindset" to encompass those entities that have their noses pointed in the right direction but do not meet the "typical" indices of a network. Still, one can rightfully quibble about what is the right direction to which one's noses should be pointed.
Since this Executive Director with whom I spoke is a non-linear physicist, I thought of the following explanation. Maybe an entity currently called a network is like like energy and matter. Sometimes when you look at it, you see dynamism, emergence, intense conversations. Other times you see form, structure, leadership. For an instant you can proclaim the phemonena that you are observing energy or matter or even a particular kind of energy or matter. This, however, really misses the point. It is all of these things and more. It is the "more" for which I seek a handy label.
In another recent conversation with an associate from the U.K. Rob Farrands, Rob expressed that maybe what we are speaking about are conversations. My view of conversations is that they are fluid, they involve different people, organizations, topics, places, media, purposes. Sometimes they occur in what we can see as part of a more steady state constellation. This constellation might be held in place for a period of time by common areas of self-interest, common ideology, common goals, common disciplines, common areas of focus, common work or practices. Rob thinks that language is one indicia of a conversation. For given periods of time, we act to help these conversations be more useful by becoming aware of what they are about and helping them to move through the creation of knowledge or towards taking action in the world.
I am left with the question of what to call this accumulation of related conversations. Rob suggests calling them "worlds." I find this a bit refreshing. It might get me off the hook from trying to figure out whether something is a network, a consortium, a look alike for the National Football League.
Still, we need to inquire into these worlds, these conversations. We need some handles to get our bearings. We can take a wide, open fresh view. But at some point, we do have to ask: how do you turn on the lights in this world, where are the rest rooms, how do you navigate in this world, who is here and why are they here. Rob thinks that worlds are held together by language. I think of Ken Gergen and his work in the field of social constructionism which holds that words create worlds. This is a deep, complex area. On the other hand, many conversations, worlds or consortia start by one person saying to another, "Come, let's talk?"
I have been thinking about leadership in an inter-organizational network. Specifically, I have been thinking about the valued role a leader can play in fostering engagement and in maintaining the boundaries in which engagement can occur. I like to call this "holding the container." Related to this is the role that the member of a network can play both in their role as a potential distributed leader as well as a person who collaborates with others.
One thing that is important here is the competency of the network member to engage and collaborate with others. This has, in fact, become one area of focus in my course in "Interpersonal Relations" In Management" that I offer in the business curriculum at Bentley University. I ask the students to consider what engagement would look like in a network environment and especially one that is mediated by technology. My question is as much for their learning as for my own. For a long time, I have considered how operating in a virtual environment impacts our traditional approach to collaboration and have written a good deal on this topic in this blog.
It strikes me that we could expand the issue of interpersonal relations and collaboration to how do our traditional notions of organizational behavior apply in a network environment. This has both practical and academic components. On the practical side is the issue of what phenomena of organizational behavior occur in a network and how do we intervene to deal with them. On the academic side is how do we adjust what we teach and how we teach in the business curriculum to be congruent with our contemporary world. By expanding our purview to that of organizational behavior, we encompass a variety of topics like leadership, motivation, group dynamics, inter-personal relations, decision making and conflict. We could then ask questions like the following.
Is the manifestation of organizational behavior in a network simply a variation on a familiar theme or does a network environment (often virtual in nature) represent a shift in paradigm such as to disrupt our traditional notions of organizational behavior? As an example of disruption, we can identify Daniel Pink's book "Drive" which sets out Motivation 2.0 as a shift in the traditional view of motivation.
I believe that a perspective of organizational behavior in a network environment requires a more contemporary view of leadership, and thus, of membership as in the case of distributed leadership. As for interpersonal relations, my students and I believe that relating virtually does require enhanced sensitivity and new tactical skills. As my students tell me, breaking up with a significant other via Facebook is not a good thing to do.
One can then go on to consider that in a network environment, the concepts of strong and weak ties, core and periphery replace the more solid sense of a group boundary and the striving for equal and equidistant relationships. This is especially so since theorists tell us that often innovation happens at and because of the periphery.
Being successful in network leadership may require the leader to let go of "knowing." This is likely also true of members. In turn, this creates a more hospitable environment for people to join together in the creation of new collective knowledge.
"Is this a network?" is a question that I find myself continually asking as I encounter each unique grouping of organizations that are linked together in different ways. Naturally, what one concludes in answer to this question depends on what one's definition of a network is. I have reviewed the literature and reflected on my own experience and here is how I would define an inter-organizational network.
(Sources: Plastrik, Taylor, Kania, Kramer)
I have encountered groupings of organizations who possess less than all of these characteristics. In these cases, it is possible that the grouping is on the path to becoming a network or even on the path to move away from being a network. In some cases, I would say that the grouping possesses a network mindset as might be the case for example where members make an effort to collaborate and support the lateral flow of knowledge but where the form of governance remains a traditional top-down one.
This is an evolving definition and I would be happy to hear from others as to what they would include or not include in such a definition.


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Rothstein Kass Reference Manual for Fund Managers
by Terri Eyden on printer friendly
The third annual Alternative Investment Fund Pro Forma Financial Statements Reference Manual, published November 15, 2012, by Rothstein Kass, provides the alternative investment community with a comprehensive guidebook for completing financial statements for hedge and hybrid funds, fund of funds, and master-feeder structures.
Updated to reflect the latest industry developments, this year's edition includes sample financial statements for Domestic Fund, L.P.; Offshore Fund, Ltd.; Master Fund, L.P.; Domestic Feeder, L.P.; and Offshore Feeder, Ltd. structures.
"Throughout last year, alternative investment professionals have faced ongoing volatility, a number of industry-wide developments, and growing economic uncertainty both in the United States and worldwide," said Vince Calcagno, principal in charge of the Rothstein Kass Beverly Hills office. "While fund managers are still experiencing continued positive trends in institutional investing, their time has never been more splintered. And on top of it all, fund managers are also faced with mounting regulations that are adding extra layers to an already complex financial reporting process."
Notes to Financial Statements Section
The Notes to Financial Statements section includes:
- Reference information and explanations on the nature of operations and summary of significant accounting policies
- Fair value measurements
- Investments in private investment companies
- Amounts due from/to brokers
- Derivative contracts
- Securities purchased under agreements to resell and securities sold under agreements to repurchase
- Securities lending agreements
- Securities sold short
- Concentration of credit risk
- Partners' capital
- Related party transactions
- Ddministrative fee
- Financial highlights
- Subsequent events
The reference manual includes sample templates for the statement of financial condition, statement of operations, statement of changes in partners' capital, statement of cash flows, and the condensed schedule of investments. Drawing on Rothstein Kass' industry-leading knowledge and deep expertise in the alternative investment sector, the manual also includes an extensive Notes to Financial Statements section for every fund.
"There's no doubt in our minds these regulations will help further build investor confidence in the alternative investment space by increasing transparency and consistency, ensuring accuracy and making statements more understandable to investors. However, the 'new normal' compliance burden for managers is considerable," said Howard Altman, co-CEO and principal in charge of the Rothstein Kass Financial Services Group. "That's why we've made it a top priority to update this year's guide. With this guide in hand, our goal is for fund managers to minimize time spent on financial statement reporting so they can focus on their investment objectives and on the business of the business - managing investor assets."
A copy of the guide is available on the Rothstein Kass website.
Source: November 15, 2012, Rothstein Kass Press Release
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If you are looking for a great location this is the place for you and very affordable. The second floor condos, including the studio are more updated. The owners live on property which is a plus! The property manager Yvette is AMAZING, you couldn't find a better person. she did everything in her power to make us feel at home... More
- Also Known As:
- Belizean Reef Luxury Beachfront Hotel San Pedro
- Belizean Reef Suites Belize/San Pedro


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Brent Rhees Named Regional Director for Reclamation's Upper Colorado Region - - Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Estevan López today announced the selection of Brent Rhees, P.E., as Upper Colorado Regional Director. Rhees has served as the Salt Lake City-based regions deputy regional director since October 2007. More...
$1.5 Million Contract Awarded to Repair Colorado-Big Thompson Infrastructure Damaged by 2013 Flooding - The Bureau of Reclamation has awarded a contract totaling nearly $1.5 million to Lillard and Clark Construction Company Inc., Denver, for repair to the Big Thompson Diversion Structure, an element of the Colorado-Big Thompson project that was damaged during the September 2013 flood, known as one of the worst natural disasters in Colorado history. More...
The Bureau of Reclamation was honored at the 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers Region 9 (California) Infrastructure Symposium and Awards Dinner on March 6, 2015. The Mid-Pacific Region was awarded the 2014 Outstanding Project Award for the development of the Red Bluff Pumping Plant and Fish Screen Project. Presented at the San Diego Air & Space Museum in Balboa Park, the award was accepted by, Richard Welsh, Mid-Pacific Regional Construction Engineer, and Richard LaFond, Division Manager for Civil Engineering Services at Reclamation's Technical Service Center in Denver. More....
Girl Scouts of America Annual Rock the Dam - We were happy to welcome the Girl Scouts of America for the annual Rock the Dam event and to celebrate their 103rd birthday! During the 2015 event, scouts and their leaders exchanged souvenirs, conduct sing-a-longs, participate in hands-on activities, and, as a sea of green, took their ceremonial walk across Hoover Dam.
Weekly Video from Interior - This Week at Interior, March 27, 2015. A new video will be posted each week from the Department of the Interior featuring activities of the Department and it's bureaus. Click the video above to play or go to the DOI YouTube Site.
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Last updated: 3/27/15


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Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist Eric B. Banks, announced that the application evaluation cutoff date will be Friday, Nov. 16 for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).
Terry and Sandy Gregg announce the engagement of their daughter Maggie Gregg, to Greg Glynn, son of Robert and Jenny Glynn.
Elward and JoAnn Hiss celebrated their 65th anniversary on Oct. 25 with their children, Richard and Tina Hiss, Sandy Hiss and Jim and Melinda Hiss. The couple has four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Al Kroeker of Great Bend will celebrate his 95th birthday with a reception from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 4 at Sterling House 1206
The Great Bend City Slickers 4-H Club met on Oct. 11. Six members, on leader, five parents and one guest were present. Roll call was answered by a favorite color. Election of officers results were announced: President, Caleb Maneth; Vice President, Joshua Crawford; Secretary, Nicole Likes; Treasurer, Kyle Rziha; Reporter, Audrey Likes; Song Leader, Analah Crawford and Rziha; Recreation, Schecks; Parliamentarian, Stephen Crawford; VIP Charles and Inga Atkinson. Joshua Crawford presented a demonstration of woodworking and Stephen Crawford demonstrated Parliamentarian. The club will hang a banner at Orschlen's and the Like's family will present table favor's for ...
Golden Sheaf Chapter #226, Great Bend, Order of the Eastern Star, met at the Hoisington Masonic Lodge Hall at 7:30 p.m on Oct. 15 at a regularly stated meeting.
The launch of Rosewood Services Inc.'s latest social entrepreneurial venture blew in with the wind. Rosewood Winery was christened by way of an open house during a day of gale-force winds. That didn't prevent dozens of people from traveling to the country setting, located nine miles west of Great Bend, to participate in the evening event.
The Pilot Club of Great Bend recently brought to the area schools an award-winning program designed to educate the public on avoiding brain injuries.
Unified School District 428 Board of Education will meet at noon on Tuesday at Riley Elementary School, 1515 10th Street. Items on the agenda include approval of Great Bend Middle School Booster Club contribution. Riley Elementary School Principal JoAnn Blevins and other staff members will share information regarding the academic programs and the school improvement efforts at Riley School.
The Busy Buzzer 4-H club had their installation of new officers meeting on Oct. 21. It was held at the Long's Pumpkin Patch. After the meeting the club enjoyed gourd launching and picking out pumpkins from the pumpkin field. Pictured are: back row, Delaney Buehler, Parker Dicks, Cal Kaiser, Dalton Dicks, Ellis Long, Payton Mauler, Konner Ireland, Keely Ireland and Kyle Clasen; middle row, Lindsey Barton, Calista Long, BreAnn Anshutz, BrayLynn Anshutz, Jessika Stroud, Caleb Straub and Brice Kaiser; and front row, Hannah Mauler, Nolan Barton, Allyson Kaiser, Aubrey Snapp and Katheryn Snapp.
The families of the 13 children of Alois and Hattie (Habiger) Debes gathered for dinner at the Hudson Community Center in Hudson recently for a reunion. The Wheatland Café catered a delicious meal. Activities included the taking of family pictures, looking at older family pictures from years ago and visiting. Prizes were given for the oldest and youngest family members present. The oldest person was 84 years old and the youngest was 3 years old. Hostesses were Anita Ellison, Shirley Lytle and Marylin Hitz. Get well wishes were sent to Don Rief and Tom Lytle. It was decided to have ...
Verizon Wireless, the nation's largest wireless provider, has activated a new cell site in Claflin to provide additional network coverage and capacity.
BOSTON (AP) - Prosecutors rested their case against Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on Monday after jurors in his federal death penalty trial saw gruesome autopsy photos and heard a medical examiner describe the devastating injuries suffered by an 8-year-old boy killed in the 2013 terror attack.
Meet the Chamber director
The Central Kansas Community Choir (CKCC) rehearses Sunday night in the Fine Arts Auditorium at Barton Community College.
TOPEKA – Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt announced Monday the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear the state's appeals of the Kansas Supreme Court's decisions overturning the death sentences of Jonathan Carr, Reginald Carr and Sidney Gleason.
The Hoisington Middle School has released the Honor Roll for the 3rd nine weeks.
As the final days of National Nutrition Month pass us by I want to give you some good reasons to choose to eat healthier. Whenever I present educational materials that promote health and wellness I start by asking participants if they think what they choose to eat affects their overall health? Nearly everyone thinks it matters, yet the reasons they give for not eating healthy abound. The USDA developed thirty-seven one page fact sheets as part of the 10 tips nutrition education series. Titles range from: "Kid-Friendly Veggies and Fruits," "Make better beverage choices," "Salt and Sodium," to "Eating Better ...
Karla Kraft and Eldon Reif announce their engagement. The bride-elect is the daughter of Vella Mae Jantz of Wichita. The prospective groom is the son of Dorothy Reif of Great Bend.
Superintendent's Honor Roll
Leroy Rube will celebrate his 90th birthday on April 3, with a card shower.
While we humans are getting our excitement watching the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament, the animal world is gearing up for one of the most impressive natural phenomena in the world – migration! Thousands of species of birds around the world travel vast distances each year to get the most out of their habitat.
Ryan Flick and Jennifer Stelmach Flick announce the birth of their son Bennett Ryan Flick on Dec. 15, in Salina. He weighed 5 lbs. 14 oz. and was 17 in. long. He has a big sister, Harper Flick.
Samantha Kay Hickel and Matthew William Hafner were united in marriage on Oct. 18, at Dozier Vineyard and Winery in Ellinwood, in a double-ring ceremony officiated by Pastor Lenard Maxwell. Parents ofthe couple are Doug and Karen Hickel of Claflin and Rod and Kathy Hafner of Great Bend. Grandparents of the bride are Alice Bednasek of Holyrood and the late Vernon Bednasek, and Betty
Gentry Sauder and Scott Peltier were united in marriage on Nov. 1, at the First Evangelical Free Church in Wichita in a double ring ceremony officiated by Kevin Ingram of Manhattan. Parents of the couple are Art and Connie Sauder of Great Bend and Jim and Theresa Peltier of Concordia.
Clayton and Teddy Williamson will celebrate their 55th anniversary with a reception from 2 to 4 p.m. on April 4, at the GPS building located at 352 W. 12th in Hoisington. Hosts for the event will be Jettie and Jeff Zoller, Brad and Laura Barnard, and Karla Weeks and their families.
Clayton Williamson of Hoisington will celebrate his 80th birthday with a reception from 2 to 4 p.m. on April 4, at the GPS Building, 352 W. 12th in Hoisington. Hosts for the event will be Jeff and Jettie Zoller, Brad and Laura Barnard, Karla Weeks and families.


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More Social Networks Opinion
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Opinion: Buffer Schedules Your Tweets Automatically
There's a new sharing service in town: Buffer, which allows you to share links on your own schedule--instead of automatically posting whatever you want to share, it sends links to your Facebook and Twitter accounts at scheduled times.
Opinion: Get Google's New Search Bar Now
A quick and simple hack can give you early access to the new Google navigation bar that the company has been rolling out this week. The new Google navigation bar promises a new drop-down menu of Google apps, better integration of Google+, and a color change from black to white. While Google promises the bar will roll out to most users by the end of the week, all you have to do to get it right now is make a few tweaks to one of your cookies from Google.
- 01 December 2011
Opinion: Shopycat: Walmart's Facebook App for Last-Minute Holiday Shopping
If you're not sure what to buy your friends for the holidays, and don't want to broadcast a lack of imagination with gift cards, Walmart offers Shopycat: A social shopping Facebook app that takes shared data from your friends' profiles and news feeds and transforms them into gift ideas.
- 30 November 2011
Opinion: Can Facebook Reshape Its Privacy Image?
The Federal Trade Commission recently reined in Facebook for its numerous privacy gaffes, but the social network has a long way to go to prove it's worthy of user trust. People are tired of dealing with indirect data leaks, being forced to accept new information-leaking features, and an ever changing set of privacy controls.
- 26 November 2011
Opinion: Social Media, American Express Helping Holiday Shoppers Get Good Deals
Move over Black Friday, it's Small Business Saturday, and American Express has a deal for you that you can use online social networks to help you get.
- 16 November 2011
Opinion: 22 Million Workers Used Social Networks to Land Their Current Job
Social networks are no longer just for keeping in touch with friends and family--they're also great resources for job hunters.
Opinion: How to Use Twitter for Customer Support
You can use Twitter for more than just gaining a huge mass of followers. It's also a great way to engage with customers--even dissatisfied ones--and turn them into happy advocates of your brand in less time than traditional customer service often takes. All it takes is being active on Twitter and following a few simple steps.
Opinion: Facebook Porn Spam Attack: How to Protect Yourself
Many Facebook users have been inundated with pornographic spam in their newsfeeds as part of a malware campaign targeting the social network. The company told the BBC it has identified the culprit and vulnerability that was exploited, but is asking users to stay vigilant.
- 15 November 2011
Opinion: Social Network Users' Main Focus is Staying in Touch
Two-thirds of adults online use social media like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and LinkedIn, primarily to maintain connections to friends and family, according to the results of a survey by the Pew Internet and American Life Project.
- 14 November 2011
Opinion: iTunes Match Still MIA as Google Readies Music Shop
Two weeks after Apple missed its deadline to launch iTunes Match, Google is ready to unveil its own Android music shop on Wednesday. The search giant's music store, coupled with the beta cloud music service unveiled in May, will rival Apple's unreleased vision of both selling and storing music in the cloud.
Opinion: Facebook and Privacy Don't Mix Well
Rumor has it that Facebook is close to reaching a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to settle charges related to privacy. While the privacy settlement may sound like a good idea, it is sort of a smoke and mirrors exercise because the reality is that privacy and social networking are polar opposites that don't play nicely together.
- 11 November 2011
Opinion: Privacy: Will Facebook Ever Get It?
With Facebook reportedly close to cutting a deal with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over privacy sins dating back to 2009, the question remains whether or not the social network's brain trust really gets the privacy issue.
- 10 November 2011
Opinion: Putting Humpty Dumpty Together Again
The recent challenge issued by DARPA to reassemble shredded documents seems like trying to put Humpty Dumpty together again. Why would government need to reassemble shredded records? Because troops in war zones confiscate the remains of destroyed or shredded documents that contain valuable information. DARPA is seeking the best technologies for document reconstruction, and has issued a Shredder Challenge to computer scientists, puzzle enthusiasts and anyone else who likes solving complex problems." Although reconstruction techniques ranging from manual assembly to computerized algorithms already exist, by issuing this challenge, DARPA is looking to gain insights into the most efficient solutions.
- 09 November 2011
Opinion: Why Facebook Is Better for Business Than Google+
Google revealed its Google+ Pages for business this week. While they are a must for any business playing in the online space, however, they still leave a lot to be desired when stacked up against arch-nemesis Facebook Pages. We are only seeing the first stages of Google+ and the network may develop over time into something more useful for business, but for now the service doesn't even come close to the services that Facebook offers business.
- 07 November 2011
Opinion: Twitter aids Thai flood victims
Although much of Southeast Asia's major peninsula is flooded, media have concentrated on the region's prime city: Bangkok. The Thai authorities have gone to great lengths to protect central Bangkok, although it's still not certain if the CBD will remain dry or if the patchwork of canals/sewers/sluice gates/sandbags will yield to water-pressure.
Opinion: Google Launches Google+ Pages for Businesses
Google's social network is now ready for business. The Google+ social network has grown at a decent pace with over 40 million members, but Google was slow to open it up for businesses and brands. But, Google recently made Google+ available for Google Apps subscribers, and now it has finally rolled out Google+ Pages for businesses and brands.
- 04 November 2011
Opinion: How to Promote and Maintain Your Facebook Business Page
Now that you've created a Facebook page for your business, you need to grow your fan base. Before getting started, however, know what your goals are. What do you want the fan page to accomplish for your business? Collecting a large number of fans is great, but you have to decide whether you're happy with exposure alone, or whether you want fans to become customers. Do you want your Facebook page to help you sell more products and services?
- 31 October 2011
Opinion: Steve Martin Tweets a Book
Comedian, actor, director, and banjo picker Steve Martin is joining the twitterati. He announced this week that he's writing a book based entirely on tweets from his Twitter account.
Opinion: Stream and Share Music for Free Online
Forget about buying music; streaming your own playlists for free is now the way to go. Rdio is one of those sites that helps you share tunes. It has an extensive library of music, and it lets you add songs to playlists that you can share with followers who "add" you--much in the same vein as Twitter. Although Rdio emphasizes sharing songs within the site (and on Facebook and Twitter), you can also do your own thing and just use Rdio as an Internet radio station, streaming your hand-picked music all the time.
- 28 October 2011
Opinion: How to Create a Google+ Profile For Your Business
Google+ has finally opened up business profiles to its Google Apps for Business users, presumably in an effort to roll out any kinks before throwing their doors open to the world. Being first at bat can have intangible benefits on the Internet, including a valuable backlink to your company website from your Google+ profile. Here's how to join this limited group of users and make the most of your Google+ profile before everyone else.
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OverviewHoffmann + Associates Inc., a Toronto Canada, based company, is an internationally recognized multimedia company incorporated in 1992.
H+A, the abbreviated name by which the company is commonly known, develops, publishes and distributes recreational and educational software. It was founded by Isabel Hoffmann, president and chief executive officer.
Hoffmann + Associates won Goodwill Toronto's prestigious Employer of the Year award in 1996.
The company acquired Corel Corporation's CD HOME COLLECTION (over 60 multimedia titles) in 1997 as well as the Corel ChemLab studio. As part of the deal, Corel held a minority interest in Hoffmann + Associates as well as an ongoing royalty stream over a specific time period.
At the time the purchase was announced, there were several other divisions within the company structure:
- ABCD's, a children's products division for the main purpose of development and production of the Nikolai's AdventuresO series of CD-ROMs
- InterNetWorks division, devoted to internet services (website design, development, hosting etc.)
Also Known As
- Hoffmann + Associates Inc.
TriviaCompany information (circa 1998):
Hoffmann + Associates, Inc.
34 Ross Street
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M5T 1Z9
Phone: (416) 977-6732
Fax: (416) 977-0766
Former company website: www.h-plus-a.com
Related Web Sites
There are no links to other websites on file.
Browse Games
List Games
Logo from 1997 to 1998
Top Games
Most popular games as rated by MobyGames users.
|Jewels II: The Ultimate Challenge
|Dracula's Secret


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Pronunciation: apophyse
Added on: 2010-01-21 Listened: 11 timesin: anatomy, body parts
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