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Oval Port Iron Castings
For anything less than a full-tilt, take-no-prisoners race engine, oval port heads are actually the hot ticket. Such a statement may seem to arise from a softening of brain tissue, but it is in fact true. While there's no question that rectangular port heads unquestionably offer greater maximum horsepower potential, it is also true that an extremely aggressive engine, (super-high compression ratio and fender-shaking cam) spun at high rpm is required to take full advantage of the air flow potential.
At less than tach-warping engine speeds, the smaller cross-sectional area of the oval-shaped intake port promotes higher velocities, which results in superior cylinder filling. Depending upon the degree of port rework, this advantage extends up to approximately 6,500 rpm with a 454, and somewhat higher with smaller engines. Above that speed, the ports become restrictive, whereas rectangular ports are just starting to get with the program.
Dyno tests by numerous engine builders have repeatedly proven the horsepower prowess of properly prepared oval port heads. A 454-cid Corvette engine, equipped with a single Holley four-barrel or electronic fuel injection, and the appropriate camshaft and exhaust system, will easily pump out over 615 hp and 540 lb-ft of torque. In milder trim, a 454 will easily push its horsepower curve to the 575 level and put torque over 520 lb-ft.
The oval port casting numbers of interest are 336781, 353049, 3992241, and 3993820, which were originally installed on '71-'74 402 and 454 engines. These castings were originally equipped with 2.06-inch intake and 1.72-inch exhaust valves. For high-performance use, these heads are routinely fitted with 2.19-inch intake and 1.88-inch exhaust valves.
Rectangular Port Iron Castings
The definitive rectangular port, cast iron, big-block head is casting number 6272990, (or 14096188), which was once available through GM Performance Parts dealers as PN 6260482. Originally released in 1971, on 425hp 427 engines, these castings feature open-style 118cc combustion chambers, 2.19-inch intake, 1.88-inch exhaust valves, and Texas-size intake and exhaust ports. This casting is very similar to 3994026, which originally brought exceptional breathing capability to '71 LS-6 engines.
Although there are numerous other Mark IV rectangular port castings, most are of the closed-chamber persuasion, which as previously mentioned are inferior in their ability to produce horsepower. About the only place you'll find Chevrolet head castings designed for Mark IV engines are at swap meets, or through companies dealing with used/reconditioned engine parts or new old stock.
Chevrolet Aluminum Heads
Almost since the inception of the big-block, Chevrolet has offered aluminum cylinder heads that are more appropriate for racing than for mundane service on a passenger car engine. As early as 1967, aluminum castings were supplied on the famous L-88 Corvette engines. As time progressed, so did demands for horsepower and several editions of big-block aluminum heads were released to meet those demands.
In late 1968, a second design L-88 head was released and brought the term "open chamber" to the lexicon of big-block Chevy engine builders. Service replacements were available (but aren't any longer) for both versions, with casting number 3919842 matching up to closed chambers and 14011077 pertaining to open chambers.
Proliferation of big-block aluminum head designs proceeded at a feverish pace when the Bow Tie high-performance parts program kicked into high gear. Along with a myriad of head configurations came an alphabet soup of exhaust port shapes- C, D, W, and O- which can be more than a little confusing.
The 077 head was a ground-breaker because it included a vane in the exhaust port flow that was designed to reduce turbulence. This vane, which is frequently removed by head porters, gives the port a "C" shape as opposed to the "D" shape it would have without the vane. So the same port configuration is alternately described as a "D" port with a vane or as a "C" port.
Bow Tie aluminum heads with rectangular exhaust ports and vanes in the floor are often referred to as "W" ports. However, the "W" may look like a "C" to some people, so the question then becomes is a "C" port a "D" port with a vane or a rectangular port with a vane? Typically, the "C" designation applies to the production heads, while the "W" is reserved for Bow Tie heads.
After the big-block went out of production, inventories of original equipment cylinders dwindled to the point that they became virtually non-existent. GM Performance Parts has introduced a host of replacement heads over the years, but there are only a few part numbers in the current catalog that are suitable for use on a Mark IV cylinder block. None of these are iron castings, so you'll have to look elsewhere if you're trying to maintain the original appearance of a cast-iron-headed engine.
Of the available aluminum heads, casting number 12363391 features oval 290cc intake ports, 110cc combustion chambers, and either a 2.25/1.88-inch or 2.19/1.88-inch valve combination (depending on the part number). Casting number 12363401 is also available in a number of configurations, including one that's NHRA-legal for L88 engines. All feature 315cc rectangular intake ports, 118cc combustion chambers, and- with the exception of the L88 bare casting-2.25-inch intake and 1.88-inch exhaust valve seats. The L88 head has 2.19-inch intake valve seats.
A number of aftermarket companies also offer big-block head castings, and while many of these are designed for "race-only" applications, some are suitable for engines installed in Corvettes that are street-driven or autocrossed. As is the case with GM-produced heads, the key to maximum performance lies in choosing a head that offers the optimum air flow characteristics for a particular set of operating conditions. The head with the largest ports doesn't guarantee the best performance.


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In the United States a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), sometimes known as a Neighborhood Emergency Response Team (NERT), or Neighborhood Emergency Team (NET), is a group of volunteer emergency workers who have received basic training in disaster preparedness, disaster fire suppression, basic disaster medical operations, light search and rescue, and team operations. They are designed to act as an auxiliary to existing emergency responders in the event of a major disaster.
In the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, residents of San Francisco's Marina District help run lengths of fire hose from a fireboat to firefighters ashore after the hydrant system failed. Later, the Fire Department worked with the community to form the City's NERT program
By 1993, the Federal Emergency Management Agency had made the program available nationwide; by 2003, CERT programs were offered in 45 states.
CERT and Citizen Corps were transferred to the Office of Domestic Preparedness (now the Office of Grants and Training) in August 2004.
CERTs provide their own personnel, supplies, tools, organization and equipment, but they are activated by, trained by, promoted by and liaise with the government. They are temporary volunteer government workers, usually organized as auxiliaries to the fire department. In some areas, (such as California) during declared disasters, registered, activated CERT members are eligible for worker's compensation for on-the-job injuries.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends that the standard, ten-person team be comprised as follows:
It is important to note that CERT teams often use the Incident Command System, and as a result their organizational structures are varied and tailored to the individual incident and the required response.
The city directly liaises with the neighborhood CERT team leader through the CERT's organic communication team. In some areas the communications may be by amateur radio, FRS/GMRS/MURS radio, or dedicated telephone or fire-alarm networks. In other areas, relays of bicycle-equipped runners can effectively carry mail between the teams and the city's emergency operations center.
In the short term, CERTs perform data gathering, especially to locate mass-casualties requiring professional response, or situations requiring professional rescues, simple fire-fighting tasks (e.g. small fires, turning off gas), light search and rescue, damage evaluation of structures, triage and first aid. In the longer term, CERTs may assist in evacuation residents, or assist with setting up a neighborhood shelter.
CERT training is easy for government. The training can be organized as mass-classes using pre-existing training facilities. Training usually combines expert lecturers, take-home emergency manuals and self-study materials with hands-on classes in small groups with previously-trained CERT volunteers. The result is a very good value for the cost.
Most effective programs run a program on a very predictable schedule so civilians can locate the training. For example, one effective format has a four-hour training program on the first Saturday morning of each month.
About 1% of adults will train simply because the training is available. More will train if the area is prone to periodic disasters, or the government effectively recruits public-service groups and schools. Civilians are recruited with advertising in schools, businesses, parks, recreation programs, libraries, and open-houses for fire and police departments.
CERT participation becomes much wider if the recruiting and training is made into a social occasion. One of the best social recruiting methods is to ask trainees to go door-to-door in their neighborhoods. This mobilizes CERT trainees to establish neighborhood teams. Typically, the volunteer distributes flyers that offer a "yard party" on a patriotic holiday, and then hosts it.
The classic way to recruit a neighborhood team is to offer food. Most people will come for the food. After that, the neighborhood at least knows where to go. The flyers or pamphlets usually also give the schedules of training sessions. The social occasion gives people a place to meet and lets interested persons find each other and organize.
The first step of each training meeting is always to register attendees. A notice and newsletter is mailed or e-mailed to previous attendees to arrive just before the next training session. The city also uses attendance to certify people, giving the city a database of trained volunteers.
As a last step, before graduating and certifying volunteers that complete the training, the city can run a criminal check on them. This means that even criminals can train (they need disaster preparation, too!), but the city can avoid depending on them.
During registration, the trainee gets a name tag, with a colored dot, or group number.
As part of registration, the trainee collates a self-training booklet for the class, and adds it to the notebook binder he was requested to bring to each session. This notebook forms an important resource to help remember procedures in a real disaster. It also assures that a trainee has an exact record of the areas in which he was trained - many trainees make up missed classes to fill their notebook.
The CERT organization may run a lottery to encourage attendance. The tickets are given at registration. The premiums are given after the training, and may include items purchased by the government (tools or supplies) as well as commercial promotional offerings from local businesses, such as free lunches or sample products.
After this, the group splits into parts (assigned by the colored dots on their badges) and trains. Having several groups permits smaller facilities to be used in rotation with lectures and demonstrations.
Topics for a week-end training session usually include: "need for disaster preparedness", "fire safety and fire extinguisher use", "first aid and triage", "cardiopulmonary resuscitation", "logistics and communication", "sheltering", "search and rescue", and "team organization".
In some areas, auxiliary classes are offered to train communicators, radiological safety officers, shelter cooking and organization, staffing of the emergency operations center, and advanced CPR and first-aid.
After the training, the lots are drawn and the premiums are distributed.
After a trainee graduates and passes the background check, they may get a service uniform, possibly a protective helmet or emergency-colored windbreaker with organizational logos.
More information: Starting and Maintaining a CERT Organization: Resource Center.

subset: commoncrawl


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Strong's Notes: Keep A Cool Head
So, here we are again: the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders resume their rivalry for a second, 63rd, or 76th meeting, depending on how you want to define their meandering 36 years of soccer history (July 10, 1:00pm PT, ESPN/ESPN Deportes, 750 AM The Game, La Pantera 940 AM). The biggest difference between this meeting and the last in mid-May is the different fortune of the two teams. Whereas the teams were tied in the standings when they faced off in Seattle, there is now a 14 point—and four games played—gap between them.
The Timbers' narrative doesn't need extensive retelling here; since the 1-1 draw in Seattle, they're just 1-5-1, on a six-game winless run, and boasting the lowest point total for all MLS teams over that stretch. After their magical five-for-five start at home, the Timbers are winless in their last four matches at JELD-WEN Field, and both collectively and individually are in desperate search for things that are going right.
By contrast, the Sounders enter Sunday's game unbeaten in seven, without loss in five straight on the road, and with a 5-1-2 mark since that last meeting. Despite some busy stretches of games, and injuries that have forced coach Sigi Schmid to make numerous changes each game to his starting XI, Seattle finds themselves right in the hunting for the Supporters' Shield at the halfway mark of the league season.
So, given all that, it sets up as the perfect narrative for a glorious, transcendent, breakout win for the Timbers, doesn't it? Here are some of the keys I see to that happening:
Keep A Cool Head
We talked extensively before the first Timbers-Sounders game about the need to stay away from the types of emotional outbursts in rivalry games that lead to silly cards. While that remains true, there's an almost more important way in which the Timbers have to keep an even keel on Sunday, and that's to keep their focus and concentration when things go sideways.
Make no mistake, something will go wrong at some point during the game, whether it's (another) early goal against, a bad referee decision, a crucial miss in front of goal, whatever. The Timbers haven't done a great job during this dry spell of staying calm when that happens, and just as often a second goal against, or a second mistake, has followed the first.
Leave it to Timbers coach John Spencer to sum it up best. When asked what they key to the matchup was, he said Saturday, "Courage and desire. The team that wants it most, and has more winners, with bigger hearts in them, will win the game."
Mind The Middle
Again, same as the first matchup, the midfield battle will be crucial for the Timbers to hope for a win. Seattle plays a diamond in midfield, with—presumably—Osvaldo Alonso as the defensive base, breaking up attacks in front of the backline, and Erik Friberg as the floating, creating playmaker at the point. With the Timbers' style of two box-to-box midfielders in Jack Jewsbury and Diego Chara, communication and organization between those two will be crucial in not only tracking and closing down Friberg, but keeping Alsonso from bulldozing all their attacking attempts.
Incidentally, the last time the Timbers really launched attacks well from midfield, in my opinion? The last time they played Seattle.
Key Figures
One of the other points coach Spencer made to the media on Saturday was his team keeping a clean sheet, which hasn't happened in the last six games—dating, not coincidentally, to their last win. For that to happen, three key players must be accounted for at all times by the Timbers defensive corps.
First, on the right wing, is the Argentine Mauro Rosales. He's emerged in the past few games as maybe Seattle's best player, and currently is the team's co-leader with four assists. With a question mark hanging over who the Timbers will have at left back (Will Rodney Wallace be ruled out due to a knee injury? If so, will Jeremy Hall or Steve Purdy take his place?), it might be incumbent upon their left winger, whether Darlington Nagbe or Kalif Alhassan, to track back and shore that side up.
Second is Seattle's star attacking player, Fredy Montero. The Colombian hasn't been near to his best this season, though still leads the team in points with his three goals and four assists. The whole of the Emerald City is waiting for him to break out in a big way, and unless the Timbers' centerback pairing of Eric Brunner and Futty Danso can stay tight to him on and off the ball, it just might happen on Sunday.
Finally, the lightening rod, the villain, the Darth Vader himself, Roger Levesque. In addition to being a Timbers killer—11 goals and four assists in 28 all-time games against Portland—and a general pest, he's also playing perhaps his best soccer since the team went up to MLS in 2009. Reportedly set to start his third straight match, he has two goals and an assist in the previous three, and certainly would love nothing more than to sink Portland once again. And, just as with Montero, organization, communication, and denying him chances in front of goal will be key.
Random Stats and Facts
Sunday's game not only marks the halfway point of the season for the Timbers, but the end of their stretch of 10 out of 14 games at home. After the Sounders, Portland plays five of their next seven away, and will be on the road for most of the back end of the season.
The Timbers still lead the league with 68 percent of their goals coming from set pieces—as compiled, and defined, by MLS stats provider Opta—whereas the Sounders just two weeks ago conceded their first goal that originated with a corner kick.
The Sounders have their best record after 20 games of their three-year MLS history. A strong reason why might be because, of their 13 most regular players, nine have been with them since the start in 2009, and three remain from their expansion draft.
- The Timbers are (in the NASL and USL eras, at least) 15-14-3 at home against Seattle all-time, though with just one home win since 2006. That came in 2008, in the game some fans might remember for Takayuki Suzuki's laser beam of a shot past Chris Eyelander. If the Timbers can get a win or a draw, it will be their first ever season series without a loss to the Sounders, though by contrast a loss will give them their fourth without a win—the others being 1976, 1980, and, surprisingly to me, 2007.


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2014-2015 Season
New name, new season. Let the fun begin! Yes, we have a new name - The Dallas Winds. We're still America's Premier Windband, the wind symphony you know and love. But with our new name comes a fresh approach that we think you'll love! Here's what you can expect from our new concert season:


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boots are generally not overly difficult to care for. Wipe off all
mud immediately while still damp and sponge off dry dust with a
damp cloth. Allow them to dry naturally to avoid dehydrating the
leather, and keep well away from radiators. Saddle soap can be used
to help restore a very dry boot, but should otherwise be avoided,
as it can spoil the finish. The same can be said for hard wax polish;
shoe cream or leather conditioner is preferred. With age the foot
part of the boot will most probably scuff and fade (compared to
the decorated shaft). This is normal and to some extent seen as
a 'badge of pride'.
The relative expense of cowboy boots is difficult to pinpoint as,
such as with other shoe-types, price depends on the grade of the
particular brand, be it high end or budget. Price also varies according
to whether any, or all parts of the boot, are hand made. A middle-of-the-road
pair of cowboy boots might cost around $200.00, whilst it is not
unusual to see them advertised for $2000.00.
Cowhide cowboy boots are strong, sturdy, and wear extremely well.
They are smooth to the touch yet perhaps the toughest of all the
boots, and usually dark brown or black. To care for cowhide leather,
brush off loose dirt or dust, then clean using an approved leather
conditioner. Remove loose dirt or dust with a brush, clean thoroughly
with leather conditioner or balm, apply thin coat of matching colour
shoe cream, then brush cream into leather and buff with a soft cloth
until lustre is obtained.
Roughout or suede cowboy boots are also very durable yet feel softer
to the touch. They are often sold in pale brown or tan shades. To
care for them you should ensure your boots are kept away from mud.
Clean with a nylon brush, and treat often with a stain protector.
Alligator skin cowboy boots are can be dyed to suit the wearer.
Dark colours are usually preferred. To keep them in good condition
remove loose dirt or dust with brush or rag, apply Reptile Conditioner
with a soft cloth, let them dry and then buff the leather, followed
by thin coats of conditioner as often as needed.
Ostrich cowboy boots have a unique grain, especially full quill.
Smooth ostrich leather has reduced indent contents and thus is far
more fluid to the touch. Both forms of this leather are very strong
and versatile. The skin is soft, conforms well to the foot, and
feels luxurious on the feet. Care for this leather as you would
alligator skin.
Snakeskin cowboy boots are somewhat smoother and more delicate
to the touch. To keep them healthy you should wipe against the scales
to remove dirt and dust. Apply a coating of matching cream polish
- ensuring that you polish with the grain of the scales. Apply reptile
conditioner with soft cloth with the grain of scales. The yellowing
of snakeskin is a by-product of exposure to the sun and the age
of boots, and can not be reversed by cleaning products.
Matte Python has the same unique markings as glazed python but
is filled with oil or wax for a softer hand. Some colours are bleached
first to take out the markings. A matte finish give skin supple
glove feel. Python Snake leather also has unique markings and scales,
and is a subspecies of python from Asia. Subspecies with faint markings
are bleached back or bellycut.
Other "exotic" leather cowboy boots (such as elephant,
lizard) are cared for by brushing off loose dirt or dust, then cleaning
with a leather conditioner. Afterwards, apply a thin coating of
matching wax polish then buff with a soft cloth.
Generally speaking, cowboy boots are most expensive when made from
rare, exotic materials such as elephant and lizard skins. Prices
remain high for those boots made from snakeskin, ostrich leather,
and alligator skin, especially compared to the more economical cowhide
or rough out leathers. Their superior popularity is most probably
influenced by their lower prices (often hundreds of US dollars cheaper)
and by the ease with which they can be found and purchased.
Cowboy Boots are an American icon but have there roots in Britain
and Germany. Read more about the history
of cowboy boots here.
What's a roper, packer or a lacer? Learn all about
the different styles of cowboy
boots here.
What are your cowboy boots made of? Is it leather,
alligator or even exotic ostrich? Regardless of the type of material,
read more about how to care for
your cowboy boots
Not sure what you are looking for in a cowboy boot?
Click here for tips on buying
cowboy boots.
Read about Rex Beerbot here!


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This section contains 2,622 words
(approx. 9 pages at 300 words per page)
Critical Review by Caryl Brahms
SOURCE: A review of Twelfth Night in Plays and Players, Vol. 7, No. 10, July, 1960, pp. 9, 11.
I Wish I could quote the whole of Hazlitt's analysis of the character of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, the whole of Agate's Brief Chronicle of Miss Jean Forbes-Robertson's Viola (and of that I would sacrifice the rest, if need be, for the three words in which this great critic lights a candle to her quality for all time: "This grave baby"). I wish that I had read CE . Montague for your delight. And that good crusty (in the sense that he will surely have produced some judgements for us to chew on) critic, Alan Dent, must sometime, somewhere, have written passages that would be infinitely quotable. And then too, the illuminating first string of The Times—to read him is always to be dumb-founded by his...
This section contains 2,622 words
(approx. 9 pages at 300 words per page)


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probability theory in a sentence
Example sentences for probability theory
Only those who did not learn mathematics beyond secondary school probability theory are trapped in this finite universe of events.
The distinction between the two patterns goes to the philosophical heart of probability theory.
The newer methods of identification rely heavily on both probability theory and precise measurement.
Another, older example from probability theory illustrates a variant of the idea.
The main problem with probability theory is that the logic is completely maddening.
What the author is thinking of is basic probability theory.
They are inevitable, which is confirmed by probability theory.
The idea gave rise to a new approach to probability theory.
Even probability theory bows to determinism where the boundary conditions can be known.
Prerequisites are calculus, probability theory, and elementary statistics.


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Runtime: 90 Mins
Classsification: PG
Mild coarse language and drug references
In cinemas:
22 December 2011
The Salt of LifeAlfonso Santagat, Alyn Prandi, Elisabetta Piccolomini, Valeria di Franciscis Bendon
Movie propaganda
Gianni, a recently retired house husband has many things to worry about but romance is not one of them. He lives with his wife and daughter in a small apartment in Rome. His days slip by walking his and his gorgeous neighbour's dogs, picking up cleaning and groceries, paying the bills under his wife's strict instructions, and being taken for granted by his daughter and her lazy, unemployed boyfriend, who seems to have moved in. His ancient mother, the aristocratically coiffed Valeria, a relic from a more glamorous era, lives with her pretty careworker Cristina in a huge villa. From her crumbling HQ, Valeria is swiftly draining Gianni's resources on poker, repairs and expensive champagne, and thinks nothing of making him cross town to fix the reception on her television. One morning, his good friend Alfonso tells an astonished Gianni about his most recent sexual escapades. Somehow Gianni has completely failed to notice that his contemporaries are all taking a second bite of the cherry! Even old Maurizio who always wears a tracksuit has a younger lover. Alfonso decides Gianni should take action, reinvigorate his life and get himself a girlfriend. But, despite his best efforts with some old female acquaintances interrupted by an endless stream of calls from his demanding mother and a dose of Viagra, poor old Gianni is like a rusty old motor. The spark is ignited but it is going to take a long time to get back him on the road to romance!
Persons of interest
Target demographic movie keyword propaganda
- comedy
- drama
Cinematic intelligence sources
- The Salt of Life movie trailers:
- Studios and distributors: Rialto


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5th March 2007
Boy George attacks Madonna's "homophobic" religion 6
11:08 AM — 80s pop sensation Boy George, the former Culture Club singer, has launched a fresh attack on Madonna, accusing her of betraying her gay fans.The English pop singer and songwriter is outraged at Madonna's affiliation with the Kaballah Centre.The spiritual organisation teaches the principles of the Kabbalah and is associated with Jewish mysticism.
Commentator causes a commotion with the F word 2
11:02 AM — Right-wing polemicist Ann Coulter, who once called Arabs towel heads, has outraged American political class by calling a Presidential candidate a faggot.Speaking at the influential Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington on Friday, the publicity-seeking Ms Coulter said:"I was going to have a few comments on the other Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards. But it turns out that you have to go into rehab if you use the word 'faggot.'"
Ruth Kelly adviser resigns over gay rights
10:33 AM — A senior aide to the Communities Secretary quit her job after clashes over the new Sexual Orientation Regulations, it has been reported.Rachel O'Brien left her £50,000 a year post last week. The Mail on Sunday reports that she fell out with Ruth Kelly over gay rights.The paper also reported that Ms Kelly refused to attend last year's Euro Pride march in London.
2nd March 2007
Students split over gay blood ban protest 5
3:14 PM — The National Union of Students LGBT group is divided over tactics in their campaign for the rights of gay and bisexual men to give blood.Gay students have staged protests outside of their local blood donation clinics, urging passers-by to donate for them because they are currently not allowed, despite the fact that blood from all donors is screened for infection.
Sydney's gay parade live online
2:52 PM — The Sydney Lesbian Gay Mardi Gras parade will be steamed live on the internet on Saturday night.The parade, one of the best-known gay events on the planet, will be viewed live across the world for the first time this year.The internet broadcast is being shown by Australian company Viocorp, and will cost $7.50 (£3.85) to watch online.
Transsexual gets insurance hike after operation
1:34 PM — A Swedish woman is outraged that her car insurance costs shot up following her gender-reassignment surgery.Carina Bladh from Linköping, central Sweden, became a woman at the end of last year, and at the same time bought a new Audi A6.She was shocked to discover that, as a woman, her annual premium was 1,200 kronor (over £87) more expensive.
Soho bomber to stay in prison for 50 years 1
12:38 PM — A High Court judge has ruled that the Soho nail bomber should not be considered for release for fifty years.David Copeland, now 30, terrorised London's minority communities for thirteen days in the spring of 1999.Bombs in Brixton and Brick Lane caused serious injuries. The nail bomb he planted in gay pub the Admiral Duncan, in London's Old Compton Street, killed three people and injured eighty.
Bucks Fizz Tory says sorry for gay comments 29
11:53 AM — A Tory candidate whose comments about a gay men's choir offended some voters has apologised.David Van Day, a former member of Eurovision-winning group Bucks Fizz, is standing as a Conservative candidate for the East Brighton ward.At a Valentine's Day charity fundraising dinner in Brighton Pavilion, Mr Van Day gave a speech after a performance by The Brighton and Hove Actually Gay Men's Chorus.
Magistrate not allowed to refuse gay adoption cases
11:53 AM — A Christian who claimed that he should be allowed to pick and choose which adoption cases he would hear as a magistrate has failed to win an employment tribunal.62-year-old Andrew McClintock brought his legal action against the Lord Chancellor, claiming that his Bible-influenced opinions should allow him to be excused from approving gay adoptions."Gay couples have human rights too," the tribunal said, according to the Daily Mail.
US airman given 50 years for rapes 1
11:32 AM — captain in the US Air Force who claimed that four men accusing him of drugging and raping them were lying to avoid being exposed as gay was sentenced yesterday.He had been found guilty earlier in the week on four charges of forcible sodomy, two counts of kidnapping and two counts of attempted sodomy as well as one charge of unlawful entry.Capt. Devery L. Taylor, had worked as a hospital administrator, was given 50 years in jail by a military jury of nine fellow officers.
Report says homophobia helps spread of AIDS in Africa
10:40 AM — The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) today published a new study which for the first time reveals how African governments and the global HIV/AIDS policy and funding community is denying basic human rights to same-sex practicing people in Africa.The report, entitled Off The Map, documents some shocking examples of how lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people are denied access to effective HIV prevention, counselling and testing, treatment, and care.
Mayor's office refuse to apologise to Tatchell 4
10:03 AM — The office of the Mayor of London has stood by comments by Mr Livingstone that gay rights activist Peter Tatchell was waging an Islamophobic campaign in relation to gay rights in Russia.Yesterday Mr Tatchell demanded that the Mayor prove his assertion or apologise.City Hall has responded with a detailed analysis of the statements of OutRage! and Mr Tatchell.
1st March 2007
"Pillow biter" acceptable language in Australia
5:02 PM — A tribunal in Australia has ruled that an outspoken radio host has the right to vilify homosexuals on air.The Administrative Decisions Tribunal in New South Wales was hearing a case brought by gay activists under the country's anti-discrimination laws.The tribunal agreed with gay activists that the use of terms like 'pansy,' 'fairy' and 'pillow biter' by radio broadcaster John Laws did constitute vilification.
Dublin teen sex ring exposes lack of LGBT support 1
4:35 PM — Reports from Dublin concerning a 14-year-old boy being sexually abused by a ring of middle-aged men have exposed the lack of support for LGBT teenagers in the country.The child was groomed on the internet and then taken to a range of addresses in Dublin where the abuse took place. Irish police (Gardai) have arrested two men already.A 21-year-old trainee police officer has admitted sending the child sexually explicit text messages.
Barrymore death investigation to be probed 2
4:02 PM — The Independent Police Complaints Commission has announced it will examine the police inquiry into the death of Stuart Lubbock, six years after his death at the home of entertainer Michael Barrymore.Lubbock was found dead in March 2002, and the new inquiry will examine the information Essex Police gave to the coroner about his death.During the inquest that followed, an open verdict was reached and to date no-one has been charged in connection with Mr Lubbock's death.
Interview: Lesbian voices amid the clamour of war 1
3:33 PM — One of the most acclaimed novelists in Britain, Sarah Waters is the woman behind seminal lesbian fiction like Tipping The Velvet and Fingersmith.Tony Grew met her to chat about sex scenes, The L Word and her latest work, The Night Watch. When I mentioned to my lesbian friend Rachel that I was going to interview Sarah Waters, her big blue eyes lit up.
Comment: The politics of religion and gay adoption
3:00 PM — By Ben Cohen The debate over exemption for religious groups from the Equality Act exposed a division within the government and the country.While we don't know exactly what happened behind closed doors, it appears that Ruth Kelly, the Communities Secretary and Minister for Women and Equality, was persuaded by her friends within the Catholic Church to exempt their adoption agencies from being forced to treat gay and lesbian couples in the same way that they would a straight couple.
MPs and peers say regulations should cover schools 1
12:31 PM — The parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights has produced a report on the Sexual Orientation Regulations that says there can be no exemptions for church-run agencies.The committee, which is made up of peers and MPs, also said that the regulations should be extended to cover schools, even ones run by religious groups.The committee praised the SORs as a significant human rights enhancing measure.
Tatchell demands an apology from Livingstone 4
12:07 PM — PinkNews.co.uk exclusive Gay rights activist Peter Tatchell says that the Mayor of London's assertion that he conducted an Islamophobic campaign is nonsense - and he wants him to apologise.In a press statement released earlier today, Ken Livingstone accused Mr Tatchell of focusing on the homophobia of the grand Mufti, a Russian Islamic cleric.
Gay playground jibe ends up in court
10:56 AM — An American judge will have to balance Constitutional rights with the protection of gay kids at school in a lawsuit about the phrase "that's so gay" that has come before the courts.A Mormon high school student in the United States used the phrase, was given a warning for doing so by school authorities, and now her parents are suing.They claim the word is youth slang meaning stupid, silly or dumb.


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[NEWS] In the style of
In the style of: Statement necklaces
Bibs, not just for babies anymore! "Put a bib on it" is one motto of the hip New York jewelry designer duo Dannijo. According to them, necklaces have to be big, bold and eye-catching. And we're loving every bit ...See more


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Kenya poor show in the ICC Africa Senior women's Twenty20 World Cup qualifiers persisted as they went down by a whooping 9 runs to hosts Tanzania at Anadil Burhani in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.
The results meant that Kenya, who went to the six-team event as favourite, finished second from bottom with only a point from the draw with Namibia.
Zimbabwe, who beat Kenya by 25 runs on Tuesday at the same venue, will represent the continent in the global qualifiers to be held in Ireland next year after they beat Namibia on the last day. Hosts Tanzania came second with Uganda coming third from two wins over Kenya and Namibia.
Kenya's last match was reduced to eight overs after the pitch was rained on, forcing the match to start late. Batting first, Kenya put on 47 runs for the loss of 5 wickets with Sarah Bhakita scoring 23 runs. Kenya lost Emily Ruto for a duck from two balls to put Kenya at 0 for 1 and immediately lost Sharon Juma for one.
Mercy Adhiambo made 11 before she was bowled by Monica Pascal with eight balls to go. Bhakita followed immediately when she was stumped off Fatuma Kibusa with the board reading 44. This left Pearlyne Omamo and Margaret Banja in charge but the two could only manage 2 runs before Banja was brilliantly caught by Pascal.
In reply, Tanzania were more aggressive as they attacked Kenyan bowlers with ease, putting on 50 for the first wicket. Pascal made 24 off 21 balls that had no boundary. Pascal was assisted by Khadija Nasibu who made 16. She was caught by Ruto at covers, off Maska after having done all the damage.
Kenya opened the bowling with Adhiambo and that seemed to have paid off in such conditions as she conceded only 5 runs in her only over. Omamo was the most impressive as she posted 15 in two overs.
Cricket Kenya (CK) boss Jackie Janmohammed who attended most of the matches expressed her disappointment with the team's performance and promised to make changes in the team. She said her board will ensure young players are incorporated in the team in the near future.
"The performance has been disappointing and we will try and ensure this doesn't happen again. Performance of some of the players has not been good and calls for action. I will be asking the board to support the proposals that will come from those concerned," she said.


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In now famous words, the American feminist poet Adrienne Rich called the mother-daughter relationship "the great unwritten story". All "the materials are there" she wrote, "for the deepest mutuality and the most painful estrangement" (225-6). Rich praised Virginia Woolf for creating in To the Lighthouse "what is still the most complex and passionate vision of mother-daughter schism in modern literature", referring to it as "one of the very few literary documents in which a woman has portrayed her mother as a central figure" (227). How tragic that in 1972 when Rich began her ground-breaking book Of Woman Born: Motherhood as Experience and Institution, she did not even …
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Carpentier, Martha. "Brook Evans". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 01 October 2006
[http://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=16006, accessed 30 June 2015.]


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Dear visitors,
the pre-sale for Classic Open Air 2015 has started!!!
You can find more informations on the concerts here.
To get tickets click here.
Your COA-Team
Dear visitors,
Every summer since 1992, the Gendarmenmarkt square in the heart of Berlin has been transformed into a spectacular backdrop for the Classic Open Air Festival - a series of concerts which attracts crowds from all over the world. Since its inception, the festival has attracted about 693,000 people to 123 concerts, with a musical range covering everything from opera, operetta and stage musicals, to pop classics, soul, swing and jazz - and much in between.


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Teen Mom
Maci Bookout Reveals Surprising Diet and Fitness Secrets — Is She Really Trying to Gain Weight?!
Most girls would kill to have a body like Maci Bookout's — especially after popping out a baby at the age of 16 — but the Teen Mom star has insecurities just like everyone else.
While most girls struggle to keep weight off, it seems like Maci has trouble keeping it on. Anyone else wish they had that problem?!
Today, Maci revealed that she's starting a new workout plan — except she's doing things a bit differently than most girls. "I'm on a gain weight workout and diet!" she said to a fan. "I'm always doin stuff backwards lol."
We think Maci looks beautiful no matter what, but there's no harm in working on your fitness — especially when you're single and ready to mingle. Maybe she can even get some pointers from her new bestie Dalis? We kid.
What do you think of Maci's new plan to bulk up? Tell us below!
Wanna chat with fellow Teen Mom fans? Join the discussion on our Teen Mom Facebook page!
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Great articles on other sites
Great articles on other sites
- Unless kids are working, coding should not be taught: Abbott | ZDNet
- CSIRO, NICTA merger could cost 200 jobs - Training & Development - News - iTnews.com.au
- Sydney Opal card travel history can be accessed by police
- NBN analysis 'like foxes reviewing the hen house': Clare
- Call made to end inflight phone ban
- Australian government undoing profit shifting clamp down: Labor
- National security law reforms
- Victorian Government calls for contributions to shape Victoria's digital economy
- Will IBM pip Azure at the Aussie cloud post?
- Competition watchdog should break up Foxtel monopoly: Ludlam
Gadgets, News - Written by Renai LeMay on Wednesday, March 28, 2012 12:57 - 16 Comments
In court: Apple offers refunds to iPad buyers
in brief Iconic technology giant has reportedly offered to refund any Australian customers who bought its new iPad tablet under the misapprehension that 4G network speeds were available in Australia, in a preliminary hearing in Melbourne this morning, after the national competition regulator filed a lawsuit over what it called 'misleading' advertising in the area.
Late last night the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission revealed it would take Apple to the Federal Court today for alleged contraventions of consumer law for falsely advertising the 4G speeds locally. This morning, several outlets including The Sydney Morning Herald and The ABC reported that Apple had told the court it would be happy to take corrective action to resolve any customer issues in the area. According to the SMH (click here for the full article), a lawyer representing Apple said:
… the company is prepared to email customers to say the device was not compatible with the Telstra 4G network. Apple, the world's most valuable company, is willing to offer a refund to any customer who believed they had been misled by references to 4G, he said.
The ABC reported (click here for the full article):
Apple has agreed to publish a clarification that states the product supports ultra-fast mobile networks but is not compatible with the Telstra network.
One of the key features of the new iPad is support for 4G speeds, which will allow users in countries such as the US and Canada to access the Internet much faster than the traditional 3G mobile broadband speeds which have become very widely used internationally over the past half-decade.
However, the 4G speeds which the new iPad supports will not be available in Australia, with Apple's technical specifications page only listing it as supporting the 700Mhz and 2100Mhz spectrum bands, neither of which are being used in Australian telcos to provide 4G services. Telstra and Optus' existing 4G rollouts are based on the 1800Mhz spectrum, although Optus is also planning a rollout in the 2.3GHz band. 4G is a term used to describe the next generation of wireless broadband services, which will allow speeds up to levels such as 100Mbps — far beyond the current generation of 3G services.
The case continues.
Image credit: Capcom/Nintendo (Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney video game)
16 Comments
It wasn't that long ago that Harvey Norman advertised 3D TV's for people to watch the football in areas where 3D broadcasts were unavailable. They received something like a $1M fine from memory.
This Apple case is pretty much the same as that, so it wouldn't shock me if they cop a decent fine for false advertising.
and yet it didn't stop idiot media outlets proclaiming faster internet speeds with the new ipad in australia.
every time i heard a tv channel going on about how the new ipad will be able to take advantage of new 4g speeds in australia, i felt like smashing my tv!
Check out last Monday's Media Watch on iView just to see how uncritical the media was (including the ABC) and how it encouraged the Apple hype.
It is faster that the iPad2 as it supports Dual band 3G HSPA+ which is marketed by some OS telco's as 4G (eg AT&T).
I thought the most interesting part of the Apple lawyer's statement (quoted by SMH) was this:
"[U]ltimately at trial, it will be contested by Apple there are in Australia networks – that according to international definitions are 4G – are properly described as 4G… what Apple says is that other networks operated by Telstra are in fact properly described by international standards as 4G even though Telstra itself does not so describe them."
I can't think of a much more disingenuous argument than that. The "international definitions" to which he refers are purely marketing definitions, just as much as the label 4G is for their own device. It makes no sense to say the 4G tag refers to Telstra's high-ish speed offering. That's not something they've claimed before and they never would have done so without Telstra first making the claim.
Yes, I can see the lawyers lining up to argue what is and is not a 4G network…
I think that the ACCC, rather than get bogged down in a never-ending debate over marketing vs tech speak, will give Apple a slap on the wrist, demand a slightly more succinct "clarification" with Apple advertising, and leave it there with a stern admonition that they will look more closely in future to marketing of this kind.
I doubt that the return rate on these grounds would even make 1% of total sales – not a big hit.
Agreed on all counts.
I like the comparison Tezz makes above to the Harvey Norman case, but as far as misleading advertisements go, this is nowhere near that level.
Wonder how many people will take up the offer.
This is all about what a reasonable consumer would find misleading, especially in regards to the marketing push on 4G that is currently being undertaken by Telstra (and soon others).
Apple to the normal non Technically inclined user is stating falsely that 4G is available on the new product. The ACCC has a mandate that if this is a false statement to have this corrected in such a manner that the offenders are held responsible for educating and informing their current and future customers of the falsehood and to offer a refund, or if available replacement.
For the ACCC not to do this to Apple, would be inequitable in the extreme to any other company. Even more so when looking at the facetious statement by Apple's lawyers that "Apple,[is] the world's most valuable company". That will NOT be taken well by any court
In my opinion this is a perfect opportunity for any of the other manufacturers who actually do offer a 4G product, or will in the foreseeable future (unlike Apple) to initiate a marketing campaign like "Get the newest 4G Tablet that will actually work in Australia for X $'s less on production of a a statement showing you got a refund from your iPad off Apple". Apple mightn't like it, the socio-religious like Apple diehards will cry in rage to the heavens, but it might be better than any fine the ACCC via the courts ever impose.
The problem is that the International standards body will let you describe Dual Band 3G as 4G (see AT&T is the USA) and Telstra do support Dual Band 3G on their network. While the iPad2 doesnt support Dual Band 3G, the iPad3 does and so "technically" does support 4G in Australia.
PS. even Telstra 4G isnt really 4G, It's really pre-4G as it doesnt support 100mbps-1Gbits speeds as descibed by the standards body.
see this article: http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/ACCC-iPad-Apple-4G-LTE-network-Telstra-sprectrum-U-pd20120328-ST8C2?opendocument&src=idp&utm_source=exact&utm_medium=email&utm_content=26613&utm_campaign=kgb&modapt=commentary
I understand all that, and so do anyone else with a technical/electronic background but this is not what the reasonable consumer understands.
All they understand is what they are told in puffery voiced advertisement from media outlets and companies. They trust the telcos to create something that is faster, newer, better. They then trust that the manufacturers will produce and sell them this new fangled technology that will serve their purpose in the way that they trust that it will. Whether it is technically factual and splitting hairs is irrelevant to the act.
Apple have stated in their advertisements that it does something within Australia that in fact it does not. That is false and misleading. Not only this, but Apple by their own admission are stating they knew this and are now trying to play the innocent, and the "oh we have the most money and we can do no evil" card.
I think this could, and most likely will in the short term, cause them a major trust problem with the standard Australian consumer who doesn't really care who or what Apple is, or about their philosophy. All they care about is will this thing they spent hard earned cash on do what it states on the packaging.
The ACCC should be charging those Telstra and Ericsson retards for misrepresentation by not building a network that is actually 4G.
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Blog, Enterprise IT - Jul 5, 2014 13:53 - 0 Comments
Super funds close to dumping $250m IT revamp
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Blog, Telecommunications - Jul 5, 2014 12:12 - 0 Comments
What should the ACCC's role be in guiding infrastructure spending?
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Analysis, Industry, Internet - Jun 23, 2014 10:33 - 0 Comments
'Google Schmoogle' – how Yellow Pages got it so wrong
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Blog, Digital Rights - Jun 30, 2014 22:24 - 0 Comments
Will Netflix launch in Australia, or not?
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Malian troops received reinforcements in the central town of Mopti on Tuesday night (January 8th), AFP reported.
Troops in the area are receiving a boost after the army reported that shots were exchanged with Islamist fighters after the rebels tried to move into Kona, a town near Mopti.
"Terrorists and Islamist armies from al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Ansar al-Din and the Movement for Tawhid and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO) attempted a movement of force" to get around the town of Kona on Monday afternoon, the defence ministry said in a statement.
The reinforcements will help "ensure the safety of the people and cope with the enemy", a security official told AFP.
In related news, a second round of talks between Touareg rebel groups and Malian government, scheduled to start in Ouagadougou January 10th, have been postponed to a later date, SAPA quoted Burkina Faso officials as saying on Tuesday.
Burkina Faso Foreign Minister Djibrill Bassole, who leads the negotiations on behalf of Burkinabe President Blaise Compaore, said that "all the parties asked that they be given more time to prepare".


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The Jura Impressa XS90 One Touch allows you to prepare cappuccino at the touch of a button. Designed for commercial use in small restaurants, cafes, offices or homes producing up to 100 drinks per day.
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Features of the Jura Impressa XS90 One Touch Commercial Super Automatic Coffee Center:
A high-performance all-rounder A touch of a button is all it takes to make one of the seven individually programmable specialties that can be prepared with the IMPRESSA XS90. Use the professional cappuccino frother to take all the hard work out of making special favorites like Cappuccino or Latte Macchiato.The height of the coffee dispenser is adjustable, which means you can use virtually any size of cup or glass. The machine has two separate integrated heating systems to facilitate seamless switching from hot water to steam production and save you time. A ground coffee by-pass chute allows use of a pre-ground coffee (decaf) to give you even more possibilities.
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Precision grinding machine The process of making an outstanding cup of coffee starts with the grinding of the fresh coffee beans, and the important thing here is the optimum blend of small and large grains.This is guaranteed by the six-setting precision grinder, which is now even quieter thanks to the contribution of a team of sound acousticians. And an active bean level monitoring system ensures that the grinder will never run empty. So it's goodbye once and for all to cups that are only half-full.
Design A great deal of attention was paid to the machine design during its development to ensure that it looks just as good as the freshly prepared coffee specialties accentuated by the cup lighting. Control elements such as the selector switch with the pictograms and background lighting, the Rotary Switch and the graphic display not only make an outstanding visual impression, but effectively lead the way through the simple navigation.
Ecological intelligence Use the machine's energy saving mode (E.S.M.©) to suit the situation: this helps you save energy – and money – without having to give up enjoying genuine coffee specialties. And if you plan not to use the machine for a while, you can use the built-in mains switch to shut off the mains power supply completely. Capacity, Less is not necessarily always more. And that's why the IMPRESSA XS90 comes with a 6 quart water tank, a container for over 1 pound of coffee beans and a used grounds container for up to 40 portions.This makes it ideal for situations where a daily capacity of up to 100 cups is required.
Below, the Jura XS90 One Touch showing the included external bean hopper and the optional Jura Milk Cooler.
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- The definition of candour is the British spelling for candor, which means frank honesty or the quality of being impartial.
- An example of candour is telling a friend they look like they've gained weight.
- An example of candour is not taking sides in an argument between two friends.
Variant of candor
- the quality of being fair and unprejudiced; impartiality
- sharp honesty or frankness in expressing oneself
- Obsolete
- whiteness
- purity; innocence
- kindliness
Origin of candorClassical Latin whiteness, openness ; from candere, to shine: see candescent
Brit. sp. candour


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Conveniently located just south of Boston, Avalon Blue Hills is set in a beautiful wooded landscape on the Randolph-Canton city line by the scenic South Shore Plaza. This community offers spacious one- and two-bedroom floor plans with scenic views, nearby shopping and easy access to the best of New England. These Randolph apartments are a perfect combination of suburban style and urban convenience. Inside, you will find all the Randolph apartments equipped with gourmet kitchens with maple cabinetry, sleek energy efficient black appliances, walk-in closets and patios or balconies with views of the wooded area. Avalon Blue Hills offers residents a wide variety of facilities to utilize in their free time. You can enjoy the state of the art fitness center, the sundeck by the sparkling outdoor pool, the landscaped picnic areas and the resident lounge. It is easy to see why Avalon Blue Hills is the ideal choice for your new home.
The Randolph apartments are just minutes to the South Shore Plaza, where you'll find plenty of shopping options to go along with the international fare and a wide range of picturesque views and wonderful entertainment options. You'll also be close to the Gillette Stadium, plenty of parks and ponds, the majestic Quincy Bay and all of the Northeast's best sites. The convenient location also puts you just 20 minutes outside of Boston, perfect for daily commutes or taking a weekend escape to the famed city.
In these apartments in Randolph, you can always expect high quality and exceptional service. The Avalon Advantage includes a 30-day move-in satisfaction guarantee, 24-hour maintenance guarantee and the ability to make your rent payment, request maintenance and interact with the rest of your community online. This unbeatable combination of service and perks, combined with the amazing floor plans and amenities, make these Randolph apartments the most sought-after in Norfolk County.
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Pineapple fried rice actually comes in a hollowed-out pineapple at Mai Place, adding an authentic and exotic twist that delights customers of this Canton eatery. They also love the crispy sesame chicken and the Valentine's roll, a sushi creation that's made sans rice and with slices of cucumber instead of... Read more
Your pets are part of your family. That means finding a home that welcomes all of you. We couldn't agree more, which is why we are a pet-friendly community and created WAG The Pet Program to take pet-friendly living to the next level.
Cats and dogs are welcome! Please check the dog breed and pet restrictions below.
Max of 2 Pets Allowed
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For Residents: Resident parking is free. Residents will receive an Avalon Communities parking sticker upon move in. The parking sticker is required to be displayed on the vehicle during their residency. Garages and additional parking spaces are available to rent for an additional monthly fee.
For Future Residents: When touring the community, future residents may park in the parking lot outside the Leasing Center in spaces designated, "Future Resident".
For Guests: Guests visiting for more than 3 days are required to obtain a temporary guest parking tag, free of charge.
Maybe you want room to entertain. Maybe you're going for class without the extravagance. Maybe you'll know when you see it. So look around, and make yourself at home.
Square footage and/or room dimensions are approximate and may vary between individual apartments. The pricing displayed is per month for new move-ins to the community and based on the move-in date selected. Pricing may vary between individual apartments that share the same floor plan and based on lease terms available for the apartment selected. Other fees and charges that may be part of your lease are not included in the pricing displayed (i.e. utilities, parking, etc.). Please contact the community for details. Prior to signing a lease, pricing, specials, availability, and other terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.
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From I-93 North (aka Rte 128 South)
Take Exit 2A towards Stoughton and merge on to Rte. 138 South. Follow Rte. 138 for 1.7 miles. Turn left on Randolph Street (Randolph Street becomes Canton Street). Follow for 1.7 miles. Avalon Blue Hills is on the right.
From I-93 South (aka Rte. 128 North)
Take Exit 5A, Rte 28 South towards Randolph. Follow Rte 28 South for a half mile. Turn right on Scanlon Drive and follow until the end. Take a left onto High Street. Follow for .8 miles. Turn right on Reed Street (Reed Street becomes Canton Street). Avalon Blue Hills is 1 mile on the left.


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Taking a spill
April 17, 2012 at 4:59 pm in Worthington Daily Globe
A cement truck carrying a full load rolled onto its side Tuesday afternoon while attempting to make a left turn on Nobles 16 after traveling north on Minnesota 91. The Lismore Fire Department freed the driver from the cab, then spent hours washing out the truck with their fire hoses so it could be stood back up and removed from the scene. The driver was transported by ambulance to Sanford Medical Center with unknown injuries. Continue Reading


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Tunis — Parties taking part in national dialogue gathering, on Wednesday until late at night, decided to resume, Friday June 13, their works, failing to reach a compromise on the priority order in the presidential and legislative elections.
After a marathon session, the concurrency or no of the two elections which is an issue that had been decided since May 30, was raised again, Bar President Fadhel Mahfoudh said to the media at the end of Wednesday's plenary session, specifying that the parties decided to reach a compromise on the issue, Friday 13, after a meeting marked by a fluctuation of positions.
Some parties, including Afek Tounes, announced that they will boycott Friday's session as a protest against what they described as "a waste of time."
According to UGTT Deputy Secretary-General Samir cheffi, this issue will be decided upon within a week at the latest, pending the start of the voter's registration, June 23.


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May 3, 2006 12:52 PM PDT
Open-source hunt digs up more flaws
- Related Stories
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Vulnerabilities have been found and fixed in X Window System and Ethereal, two popular open-source software packages, according to Coverity, the maker of the code analysis tools used in the bug hunt.
The X Window System is used as the foundation of the graphical user interface of many Unix and Linux systems, while Ethereal is a sniffer tool used to analyze network traffic.
Several bugs were found in Ethereal, which is used by network administrators and hackers alike. The latest version, released last week, includes fixes for a host of security holes, including several that were identified in the scan. These flaws could allow a full compromise of a system running the vulnerable software, Coverity said. Security monitoring company Secunia deems the Ethereal issues "highly critical."
"Many of these are remotely exploitable," Andy Chou, Coverity's chief scientist, said in an interview on Wednesday. "You can send data packets, exploit it and get whatever access Ethereal is running at."
The flaw identified in X could allow a local, nonprivileged user to gain full, root-level access to a vulnerable computer, Coverity noted. The flaw, for which a patch has been available since March, is rated "less critical" by Secunia.
The bug hunt is part of a three-year "Open Source Hardening Project," dedicated to helping make such software as secure as possible. In January, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security awarded $1.24 million to Stanford University, Coverity and Symantec to find vulnerabilities in open-source projects.
Developers have been quick to fix many bugs found as part of the program. More than 900 flaws were repaired in the two weeks after Coverity announced the results of its first scan of 32 open-source projects.
See more CNET content tagged:
Coverity, flaw, open source, security


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July 3, 2015
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives or ATF reports Alabama ranks 10th in the nation in the number of stolen firearms.
And pawn shops are trying to help police locate the missing property.
"We will turn you in a minute if you come in here with something stolen and we know it we've got too much of that going on in this town," said Tim Hawkins, owner of West Main Jewelry & Loan.
Pawn shop owners will not tolerate stolen merchandise, they say if you come in with it you will end up behind bars.
Police say thieves will do whatever it takes to get your property.
"A plethora of different ways it can be in their car that has been broken into or a person that can actually be a victim of an actually robbery and they may have it on them and they may get hit or beat up or something like that when it is taken from them," said Cpl. Maurice Eggleston of the Dothan Police Department.
Dothan Police make it a point to have a good relationship with local pawn and gun shops, helping them nab more criminals.
"We have a good rapport most of the gun shops and pawns shops to the point when something like that were to happen they are quick to notify us," said Cpl. Eggleston.
Notification that keeps stolen goods out of pawn shops.
"We don't want stolen merchandise of any kind whether it be a gun a diamond ring or anything else... we just need to stop all this stealing there is too much of it going on," said Hawkins.
Police also say a serial number, model number, color and any identifying marks are things gun owners should have written down just in case their gun is stolen.
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2009-10 (REDSHIRT): Redshirted during the indoor and outdoor seasons to complete her student-teaching requirement.
2008-09 (JUNIOR): Indoor: Became the first ever All-American in the pole vault for the IU women's program, and the first indoor All-American in any event since Ara Towns in 2004 when she cleared 4.15m (13-7.25) at NCAAs, which put her in a tie for sixth ... took fourth place at the Tyson Invite breaking her own IU record with a clearance of 4.20m (13-9.25) . Outdoor: Took second after tiebreakers at the Billy Hayes Invitational clearing 4.20m (13-9.25) to set a new facility record for Gladstein Fieldhouse as lightning forced the high jump and pole vault competitions indoors ... claimed a victory at the Pepsi Team Invitational and All-Big Ten laurels at the Big Ten meet with a second-place finish ... crushed the facility record and moved past the regional and school marks as well on her way to an NCAA Mideast Regional pole vault crown ... cleared 4.31m to become the first IU woman to clear 14 feet ... finished second at the NCAA Championships, clearing 4.30m ... was perfect through her first four jumps at NCAAs, clearing 4.00m (13-1.5), 4.10m (13-5.25), 4.20m (13-9.25) and 4.30m (14-1.25) ... is the highest finisher for IU since Irina Kharun won a national title in 2003 ... garnered ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American honors.
2007-08 (SOPHOMORE): Indoor: Improved her best mark of the season in the pole vault with her fourth-place vault at the Big Ten Championships ... the mark of 4.05m (13' 3.5) was good for a tie for second place, but Neuenswander finished fourth after tie-breakers ... her Big Ten mark was ten centimeters better than the provisional qualifying mark of 3.95m ... narrowly missed out on a return trip to the NCAA Indoor championships. Outdoor: Finished in third at the Alabama Relays, recording a regional qualifying mark of 3.85m (12' 7.5) ... improved her season mark to 3.95m (12' 11.5) at the Sea Ray Relays on April 11 ... recorded a season-best mark of 4.10m (13' 5.25) at the Indiana Invitational, good for first place ... the season best was 30 centimeters above the regional standard and two centimeters away from her career best of 4.12m (13' 6.25) ... won the pole vault with a mark of 4.00-meters (13-01.50) at the Jesse Owens Track Classic.
2006-07 (FRESHMAN): Indoor: Was the top freshman pole vaulter in the nation during both the indoor and outdoor seasons ... finished 12th at the NCAA Indoor Championships with a mark 4.00 meters ... set a championship and school record with a mark of 4.11 meters at the Big Ten Indoor Championships on Feb. 24 ... her mark earned her Big Ten Indoor Freshman of the Year honors. Outdoor: Set a new outdoor pole vault record when she cleared 4.12 meters at the Billy Hayes Invitational ... was a Big Ten Outdoor Champion in the pole vault, earning first team honors ... was an NCAA Mideast Regional qualifier ... finished 12th at the national outdoor meet with a final mark of 3.90 meters.
PREP/PERSONAL: Helped lead Jefferson City to four consecutive district and sectional championships in track field, while also winning the 4A state championship in 2003, 2005 and 2006 ... was the district, sectional and state champion in the pole vault in 2003, 2005 and 2006, setting school records each year ... cleared a career-best vault of 12-3.00 ... was the 4A Missouri State record holder and Team MVP in 2006 ... also earned all-district honors in the 100m hurdles ... also qualified for the 2006 Nike Outdoor Nationals ... graduated as salutatorian at Jefferson City... was a National Honor Society member ... earned American Legion, Citizenship and All-School Service awards ... maintained a 4.0 grade point average over four years.
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A Beautiful Lady That Is A Refreshment To Our Site great mother beautiful lady supporter of LE and military has lots of charm pretty eyes smile
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See the full forecast for your area.
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Home Sheerness News Article
The building firm which has taken on the work of repairing the Glass House in Sheerness has had to withdraw its services due to unpaid bills.
Fire ripped through the former pub in Marine Parade after an arson attack in June, last year, and last week we reported how police has shelved their investigation into the crime.
The families and people who lived there were made homeless due to the extent of the damage.
It is under the ownership of NatWest bank after it was repossessed – something which happened before the blaze.
Bexley-based building firm Gaysha Ltd was working to fit a temporary roof and make it structurally sound, but a spokesman has said for the time being its services have been withdrawn because there are outstanding bills to be settled.
NatWest said it was not in a position to comment at this stage.
A spokesman for Swale council said: "Building control has made sure that the property is no longer dangerous.
"We will continue to work with the owners of the site to assist where possible to help bring the building back into proper use.
"Renovation and rebuilding is a matter for the owner."
Attempts to find out who owned the Glass House before it was repossessed have been unsuccessful.
Click here for more news from Sheerness.
Click here for more news from around the county.


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Nashville, Tennessee, is famous for a number of things. History buffs know it as the home of seventh president Andrew Jackson. For music fans, it is the heart of country music and the Grand Ole Opry. Foodies crave the abundance of meat-n-three lunch places.
Our family discovered on spring break that it is also a great place to satisfy a sweet tooth.
Last October at the Mississippi State Fair I discovered, quite by accident, that Goo-Goo Clusters were made in Nashville. I was discussing all the deep-fried possibilities with one of the food vendors there, and he remembered they'd just been to Nashville, and might have one Goo-Goo left from that trip. He did, and of course, I ate it. That was an original flavor version (until it was altered by batter and hot oil). They also make a peanut butter flavor that I actually prefer, and I happened to find one of those at the Grand Ole Opry gift shop. It was devoured before we got out of Opry earshot.
As I wandered gift shop after gift shop looking for other local specialties, I was re-acquainted with a Colt's Bolt. I can't remember the last time I saw one of these, but something in my memory bank was triggered, and I bit — a big bite. Colt's Bolts look something like a hockey puck in size — they just taste better. Way better. Solid layers of chocolate anchor the top and bottom, with peanut butter and whole roasted almonds in the center. Gracing the wrapper is a photo of Mackenzie Colt, the candy's inventor, a former Hee-Haw Honey. You can't get more Nashville than that.
A bit newer to the Nashville chocolate world is the Olive and Sinclair Chocolate Company. They've only been around a few years, but have already attracted lots of attention — I happened to see them featured in Southern Living. They make Southern Artisan Chocolate bars in small batches, beginning with single-origin coffee beans that are stone-ground and slow-roasted.
Most of their flavors are variations on a theme of dark chocolate (which means it's healthy, right?), but few are what I would consider ordinary flavors. We chose three bars (apparently hand-crafted chocolate is kind of expensive to make): sea salt, Mexican Style cinnamon chili, and coffee bean. The coffee bean bar was easily distinguishable — chock full of bean pieces. It was pretty strong, but not too strong for true coffee lovers. Our favorite was the Mexican Style — the cinnamon gave it a slightly sweeter touch, with a little kick at the end of the bite from the chili. At the candy store, we were torn between the sea salt and the salt and pepper varieties.
The candy man recommended the sea salt with a pretty high degree of enthusiasm. I had been leaning toward the salt and pepper, but Wife made a face when I suggested it. I should have gone with my gut. When we returned from the trip, I brought out all the bars for sampling. Daughter's Little Friend was visiting and she is an avowed foodie, so I knew I had the right team for tasting. This time she was the one who made the face — the sea salt flavor scored no points with her. But rest assured no chocolate will go to waste. Just because it wasn't the favorite doesn't mean it won't be eaten.
Perhaps the sweetest fun we had was at the Bang Candy Company. I was aware of its existence before the trip, but didn't realize it was in Nashville. I was perusing the tourist guide, and with just a few clicks, I discovered it was next door to a branch of the Antique Archeology Store, made famous by the television show American Pickers. At Bang Candy they have a little lunch café with paninis and such, but their true claims to fame are homemade marshmallows and syrups.
I had my heart set on the strawberry mint syrup (can you imagine that in lemonade this summer?), but it was out of season. There were plenty of marshmallows ready, though, and we tried just about all of them. Regular flavors were rose cardamom, chocolate chili, toasted coconut (bagged separately on my request), and orange ginger cinnamon, most of which were half-dipped in chocolate.
They were featuring a lemon lavender blueberry marshmallow, and the flavor of the day was lemon-lime. I'm not sure I had ever had homemade marshmallows before, and certainly none that were flavored like these. All of them were scrumptious, but I was even more thrilled that Daughter was actually excited to find this place. Food-related side trips usually get a roll of the eyes from her. At Bang Candy Company she actually spent her own money to buy a bag of lemon-limes for the road. Just about brought a tear to my eye.
I've already told of Las Paletas popsicles, but there were other frozen delights to be had as well. As we wandered around Broadway we happened upon Mike's Ice Cream shop. The ice cream there was handmade, and we were — well, we were us — so we stopped. Son got a scoop of oatmeal cookie dough — perhaps a bit more out of the box than traditional chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, but a very nice change. (Of course I tried it.
I pay, I try. That's how it works in my world.) Even more out of the box was my choice: maple bacon with chocolate chips. I know what many of you are thinking — ugh, bacon in ice cream? It wasn't just bacon flavored — there were bits of bacon throughout. I am not afraid of the bacon. With an ice cream like this, one must simply embrace the bacon. I chose to embrace it, and it was the best maple bacon chocolate chip ice cream I've ever had.
Go to Nashville. Eat sweet. Leave your culinary inhibitions at home, but bring a toothbrush.
Jay Reed is a local foodie and pharmacist. The culinary tastes expressed here are his and do not necessarily reflect the appetites of the Starkville Daily News or individual members of its staff. He welcomes your comments at email@example.com [2].
[1] http://starkvilledailynews.com/sites/default/files/JayForWeb_8.jpg
[2] mailto:email@example.com


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A Racing Simulator Game for the Playstation 3
Mass Effect is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare for the Xbox 360 and then ported to Microsoft Windows by Demiurge Studios. The Xbox 360 version was released worldwide in November 2007 published by Microsoft Game Studios. The Windows version … see full wiki
A Racing Simulator Game for the Playstation 3
Video game by Namco Bandai for the Xbox 360
An RPG developed by Mistwalker exclusively for the Xbox 360


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Happy Friday everyone! This weekend I'll be heading up to Tarboro, N.C. to visit my true blue, Susan. Her and I have been best friends since 7th grade and she relocated to Tarboro for a teaching job and this will be first visit to her new place! I'm excited to see her and I know we are going to have a fun weekend. I'll be driving back home on Monday, so I'll see you back here on Tuesday. Have a great weekend!
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Launched by Arts Audiences in November 2009, the New Media Mentoring Scheme matches individuals with expertise in digital media, with individuals in arts organisations seeking mentoring for specific projects in the area of new media marketing.
Following an open submission process, individuals from eight organisations were selected for mentoring. On completion of this process, these individuals are required to produce case studies, to be published on this website, in order to share learning achieved with the wider arts community.
Under this scheme, Aoife Flynn of asquared mentored Marcella Bannon, Director of Droichead Arts Centre over the past 3 months. What follows below is Marcella's report on this.
If you are interested in discussing this work with Marcella and Aoife, please visit the Arts Ireland group on LinkedIn – if you're not already a member, it's free to join.
to download a pdf of this report, click on this link: Marcella Bannon Mentoring Scheme Report
Report: Marcella Bannon, Director, Droichead Arts Centre
Our requirement in brief:
We felt we had all the right elements in place to build an increasingly rich relationship with our audience online, however we realised that in order to do so, we would need an overall plan as to how to draw all of these element together into a successful strategy.
Our starting point when we met the mentor:
Droichead Arts Centre had upgraded its website in September 2009, and we were in the process of moving into a more "on-line" strategy in terms of advertising and marketing. The new website has links to our facebook and twitter, and includes a bright area homepage, with a flash moving screen and an online booking service. The site was designed specifically to highlight areas of our programme we specialise in i.e. Youth Theatre, Visual Arts, Community Outreach and the Film Club.
We knew we needed to market our organisation to a greater extent online, in order to stay relevant and to reach a new audience of a younger demographic. In addition to this, significant funding cuts necessitated a review of our overall marketing strategy, placing e-marketing a priority, as we were no longer in the position to afford seasonal programmes.
We found e-marketing attractive as a sales and marketing tool, as it involved low outlays in terms of cost and staff maintenance. We had a presence on Facebook and Twitter along with our own "blogging" space on the homepage of droichead.com. In addition, we were producing a bi-monthly constant contact e-guide being circulated to 3,000 people, and we were sending regular webtexts to a catchment of 900 people.
However, we were not optimising our time and energy in using this media, as we were maintaining facebook, twitter and web text hap-hazardly, as an 'extra add on' instead of integrating as a key tool in the overall marketing strategy of the centre.
In this mentoring process, Aoife Flynn helped us to evaluate each of the individual strands of activity in our online campaign, and in so doing, helped us to come up with plans for an overall strategy as how to best move forward.
Oliver! at the Droichead Arts Centre
Developing A Sales Led Strategy
Aoife helped us to put together an overall digital strategy, designed specifically for Droichead Arts Centre. This strategy is sales led, although this would not be the case for all organisations.
With tighter funding, our reliance on digital media will grow, and it is imperative that we can change the habits of our audience, encouraging them to seek information online, book online and give feedback online. Such changes do not happen overnight, and it will take a number of months to realise this.
We are now reviewing ways to evaluate, on a weekly basis, the sales impact of campaigns through our digital media and linking it directly to our box office. This involves planning around the following;
- Analytics – each digital package has an analytical facility which can measure the success the usage of the application including Facebook, WordPress Blog, Constant Contacts and Google, we are looking at ways of measuring the successes.
- Setting up direct code on Databox to link in with offers on Facebook and E-guides. We are also exploring a newsletter facility offered by Databox [Droichead's Box Office system] as an alternative to Constant Contacts, as it would feed directly to our sales system.
- The track-ability of digital marketing is very significant – it is possible to set up special offers on facebook pages with their own specific url so you can track how many people accessed an offer on facebook. You can also get stats from facebook on fans locations.
- The re-training of staff. Droichead Arts Centre hosts a CE employment scheme with staff changing annually. It is vital for us to develop strict training plans within our strategy and procedures to encourage the audience to seek information about our service digitally. This needs to happen at the first point of call through our box office and on all printed marketing material. Training also needs to be given to all Marketing staff and managers on how digital reports should be delivered always relating back to Sales.
Facebook & Twitter
We can see that Twitter can be a powerful tool in engaging with the public. However, when we considered the various factors, we decided that at this point it would not be worthwhile utilising this facility.
It takes staff resources & management time to plan and sustain a successful campaign, and we don't feel that there is a sufficient cohort of our audience on Twitter to make this worthwhile, so we decided to focus our resources into Facebook. However, the facility exists if our situation changes.
With regard to Facebook, before meeting Aoife, Droichead Arts Centre already had a group profile and a personal profile. The personal profile was required to maintain the group page, and to feed into the daily newsfeeds. Aoife recommended it was better practice to set up a business page. [Arts Audiences note: for further info on the advantages of a facebook page over a facebook group or facebook personal profile, read this article by Aoife Flynn].
So in March, Droichead made the change over to the page. Now, people are no longer our friend on facebook, instead they are fans. This is attractive to people, as it protects their privacy, as we can't see their private data, nor can we email them (so no junk mail). Now, to receive our news, our fans must subscribe to our news feeds. Another advantage of a facebook page is that members of the public can access a facebook page without actually having a facebook account, which broadens access.
When we set up, we encouraged all our group members to transfer over, and we now have just under 600 fans and rising. We update this daily with news snippets, and the page has definitely increased interaction, with some posts opening up a lot of discussion, which we are very happy to see.
We've also linked our wordpress blog to feed directly into our facebook page, which reduces duplication of work load. This means that people who are more comfortable with facebook may read our blog entries, whereas they mightn't visit the site of the blog itself.
We are currently experimenting with different campaigns but it's difficult to assess the outcomes against sales just yet.
Digital Loop – website, blog
Arising from this process, Droichead Arts Centre realised the importance of creating a digital loop between all the digital media we use.
Rather than have all of the various applications bringing the public in a variety of directions, now, as part of our sales led strategy, all digital media feeds back to the website and specifically to the booking facility. Similarly, from our website, the customer should be able to easily access facebook, our blog, e-guides and staff email.
Our wordpress blog is integrated with facebook and the website. One person is responsible for updating the blog twice weekly however all staff, artists, and youth theatre facilitators are requested to relay news to this person. The blog will contain interviews, behind the scenes information, information on outreach projects and conversations. This is targeted towards people who want to know a little bit more in an informal environment.
Exhibition in the Droichead Arts Centre Gallery Space
Constant contact E-guide
Constant Contact is a software application which tracks the success of email campaigns. Having spoken with Aoife we found that what we thought was a 'low' opening rate for our e-guide was in fact above average.
We weren't particularly happy with our opening rate, but in conversation with Aoife, we found our opening rate of is actually above average – our last mail out had an opening rate of 35% – sometimes it's higher or lower, depending on the events. Average opening rates vary sector by sector, but generally are around 20%.
We agreed our aims in this respect are to;
- create a more accessible, sales driven e-guide.
- Increase the number of members opening the e-guide by introducing incentives like competitions.
- increase the traffic on the website with the introduction of more hyperlinks to the website.
When evaluating the e-guide, we realised that its layout was a concern, as we found that every computer hosted a different programme with individual spam filter preferences. With so many embedded images, our e-guide was being viewed differently on each computer e.g. often images needed to be right clicked on to open or they wouldn't appear at all. This was leaving the e-guide untidy and busy to the viewer and we had no control on this.
To rectify this problem we did the following;
- listed our up incoming events to the top of the page linking directly to more information on our website.
- removed all images except for the banner.
- detailed offers on the side panel of the e-guide again hyper linking back to the website.
- introduced competitions and special offers at the bottom. Due to the change in spending trends in Drogheda we decided to offer special offers if people booked events 2-3 weeks before events.
We realised though this mentoring that digital marketing strategies are, by their very nature, constantly evolving with the technology and platforms available. This document is a first step to gathering our thoughts on how digital marketing can work for us, but we recognise that any strategy is an organic document that will need constant updating.
It is still early days yet to measure the success of the changes we have made. For one thing, it will take time to incorporate the strategy in totality due to limitation on staffing and the need for ongoing training.
However, we feel we have taken very positive steps towards using the various different aspects of new media to move towards a system which makes the most of our limited resources in our goal of bringing an increasing amount of our business through the website.
Finally to say, we found the mentoring process extremely helpful, and are very grateful to Aoife Flynn for giving her time voluntarily for this mentoring. Her broad understanding of the arts and in-depth knowledge of the new digital marketing technology, coupled with her familiarity with the resource restraints on arts organisations ensured the targets/ tasks she set were achievable, and the advise she offered was relevant, timely and highly valuable.
Some quick DIY tips
Ensure your have a booking online facility on your homepage. Ensure your Facebook link, twitter and blog are clearly linked on your homepage.
Set up a business page. Not a group page or people page. Use a bright image and a description which describes your organisation best. Update 2-3 times weekly. Don't always push events – people see through this. Instead, update on activities in the venue. Set up a vanity URL i.e. www.facebook.com/droichead
Set up a wordpress blog. It's simple and easy to use, plus it free. Nominate one person in you staff to update it twice weekly. Look at other organisation blogs to get a sense of the kind of language you need to use.
Constant Contacts
Review how it's appearing in patron's inbox. Keep it simple and have direct link to you website and booking online facility. Introduce Special offers and competitions to entice more user/higher rate of opening.
Digital Loop
Ensure each digital media feeds into each other. A simple example is this; all Droichead Arts Centre staff is now updating their email signatures to include links to our website, facebook, blog and e-guide sign up.
Droichead Arts Centre does not have a professional Marketing Manager. If your organisation is the same, identify someone who is it savvy and interested or/and identify a work place student who can focus on this area for you. Training is important to ensure all staff are clear on the kind of language used in each medium and can evaluate its effectiveness. I believe this training needs to be integrated to management, marketing staff and box office sales staff.
The wider arts community
We all face similar challenges in the arts these days. It is important to look at what other organisations are doing to keep up with current trends and technology.
There is always the danger that the sales generated from these strategies are not worth the time and money spent pursuing them. As such, it is important to put in place clear evaluation procedures to assess the level of resource input against the sales, for each different element of the digital marketing strategy. Introduce analytical reports as part of the marketing report in your operations/staff meeting.
A word from Arts Audiences
Are you interested in discussing this further?
If you are interested in asking Marcella or Aoife about aspect of this mentoring, please join us in the Arts Ireland group in LinkedIn. If you're not already signed up for LinkedIn, it can be done in 5 minutes. If you are already on LinkedIn, but not part of the group, enter "Arts Ireland" in the search box and you'll find us!