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An Age of HeroesMature
The Torjan war was one of the longest and bloodiest wars the old world had every known. Over a ten year siege thousands died, their bones forever left beneath the walls of Troy. Out of this great conflict between nations...Two heroes emerged.
From the top of the sandstone staircase that lead up to the grand Temple Achilles could see for miles, the ocean to his left, the great city of Troy far off in the distance to his right. On the sea, from horizon to horizon, sails. Countless swathes of fluttering colour as Agamemnon's hoards of conscripts and farm boys came to a country they had never heard of to retrieve a woman they had never seen from a prince they had never known. Only fifty or so ships were beached on the golden white sand of Troy's beach, fifty had the black sails of the Myrmidons as Achille's soldiers poured from their decks like ants swarming over the Trojan archers and fisherman as they retreated back to their city. One had the bright red sail of Ajax, he had to smile. Never one to miss out on a good fight my old friend. Kicking the body of a dead Trojan soldier down the steps Achilles cleaned his golden blades with the cape of one, wiping the thick red blood of the Trojans from the gleaming metal.
When the dead man's cape had done its job he moved and sat at the feet of the huge standing statue of Apollo, the old god's sandstone features worn away after centuries facing the winds, but so much weathering made the stone smooth and very comfortable to sit on. 'My Lord,' said a hard yet subtle voice from the huge open doorway of the Temple. Erastos looked down at his liege lord, pale face smothered in Trojan blood, spear as bloodied as its master, the black armour of the Myrmidons swathed in a fresh array of scratches. Yet those stark blue eyes still screamed out from the darkness of his appearance, as he moved to kneel before him Achilles removed his helmet to allow the soft breeze that drifted down the distant mountains run its soft fingers through his sweaty blonde locks.
'Erastos my friend,' Achilles said placing a hand on the crown of his head, the traditional greeting between king and soldier. 'How many have we lost?'
'My Lord it's too early for definitive...'
'How many,' he repeated with just the smallest bite to the end of his words. Erastos's face faltered.
'Thirty...maybe more.' his words were like an axe to the heart, Thirty of my men...thirty men I sent to their deaths. 'But my Lord, thirty men to take the beach of Troy! People will sing of this day!'
'Thirty men to slaughter a collection of fishermen, archers and Temple guards...' Achilles shook his head. 'They deserved better my friend. Their funeral games will be long lavish and full of great songs and as much laughter as can be mustered. I'll pay their charges to the Ferryman myself.' he said sheathing the bronze blades in their sheaths on either hip. 'Tell the men any treasure they find in there is theirs.' For the first time in almost ten years of service Erastos flinched, he normally took orders with a stiff nod and then they were done, but this time he lingered, saying nothing. Achilles looked to his general and grabbed him by the shoulder. 'Speak your mind brother; you earned that right with me a very long time ago.'
'My Lord...it's...Apollo is the god of the sun...do you think it right to defile his temple in this way? This war doesn't not need the wrath of the gods involved too.' Achilles smiled.
'Twelve temples rest on this beach my friend, each one will be ransacked its priests killed and its treasures and livestock's taken...the moment a god intervenes then come find me, only then will we talk of such things.' shaking him by the shoulder Erastos gave a watery smile before rising.
'Aye my Lord.' watching him as he rose Achilles caught a glimpse of the horizon, the walls of Troy nothing but a tiny smudge in the distance, but the great column of black stallions racing toward them stole his gaze from his general. Noting his look Erastos turned and jumped slightly at the sight, as if already readying himself to fight what was coming. Rising slowly Achilles stood beside him, watching them getting closer and closer, the hooves of the horses kicking up a great plume of sandy dust that swirled it's way upwards into the azure sky.
'Warn the men Erastos,' he said calmly. Without a word Erastos bolted into the dark temple, the sounds of rattling metal and cheering quickly stopped and the hushed sound of hurried footsteps taking position took over. Achilles shoved his helmet under his arm and slung his shield across his back turning he entered the temple feet slipping in the huge glassy puddles of blood that pooled around the bodies of the Temple Guard and the Priests of Apollo they had sworn to protect, the Priests throats had all been slashed, but the wounds were the jagged uneven cuts of nervous hands. Not the smooth clean lines of his soldiers, They killed themselves. It made sense in a way; they would rather die by holy hands than those of professional killers. The dark temple had only one tiny square window above the door that cast a great beam of golden light down onto the main alter at the correct time of day, this was the correct time, the great alter was illuminated in all of Apollo's glory. Yet Achilles and his men stayed hidden in the darkness behind the twelve circular pillars that supported the sloped roof.
Sitting below the alter Achilles heard the hushed whispers and the nickering of horses as the rather late Trojan reinforcements reached the temple and began to organise themselves. But one was in before the others, a tall man in elaborate armour and a grand gold and bronze sword in his hand, eyes peering over the edge of his shield. Interesting. Achilles thought as he watched the man slowly enter the temple, soon his men were behind him. All he had to do was click his fingers and over a hundred Myrmidons appeared from the darkness surrounding the small Trojan party, to give them credit they locked shields and stood ready for a fight even though they knew they were about to be murdered. 'You're very brave to follow me in here,' Achilles said leaning into the light. 'You must be Hector.' The leader stepped forward slightly, sword and shield still ready.
'What kind of men slaughter innocent priests! These were servants to the gods!' he raged.
'And now they can serve their gods in person.' Hector tightened his grip around his sword handle as he physically shook in rage.
'You must be Achilles.' he hissed threateningly. 'Leave this place! Go home know and all this will be forgotten! Your men will live and...' laughing loudly Achilles stood moving to get closer to the Prince of Troy.
'I just took your beach with nothing more than fifty ships of my men, why should I leave now when the rest of the war is still yet to come?' A few feet from him Achilles still couldn't really make out any details of his face in the dim lit Temple but he could see one thing in this man, honour.
'We will not release her to you! She is a princess of Troy now and...' he laughed again.
'Do you think we sailed all this way so Manelaus could scold his wife?' Achilles asked the dumbstruck Hector, he was sure the prince had never been spoken to like this before. 'Manelaus couldn't keep his wife, that is his own fault, not mine, or hers for that matter. I did not come here for her Prince of Troy, I came here for glory! Turn around and look out those doors, ten thousand ships from across the world are sailing here to fight a war that will be remembered for a thousand years. This is our chance to get our names written in history.'
'So you will fight a war for fighting's sake? Kill for no other reason to be remembered!' bellowed Hector in shout as loud as thunder. You wouldn't understand.
'Go home Prince of Troy, you are outnumbered surrounded and helpless. Go. Go to your chambers, drink some wine, make love to your wife. Tomorrow this war will begin.' For a moment Hector's proud and chiselled face stood in confusion while the other terrified faces of the men at his back already began slowly moving towards the door. But soon he followed his men, mounted his horse and galloped off towards his city as the first wave of ships beached themselves.
'Sir.' said Erastos. 'You're letting him go?' Achilles breathed a long deep breath and looked to the sun, it was barely past noon.
'It's too early in the day for killing princes.'


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text: ELC 310 Day 10 (1/3 done) Agenda Questions? Marketing Plans due October 22 (3 weeks from now) Should be working on them 20% of final grade Finish Discussion Consumer Behaviors Being Discussions on Targeting Market Segments and Communities Individual Characteristics Affecting Internet Exchanges Characteristics specific to Internet users: A positive attitude toward technology. Online skill and experience play an important role in the exchange process. Gender affects attitudes toward use of technology: Men are more positive about Internet shopping. Language: the Internet would be more useful it had more content in the local languages of various countries. Individual Characteristics Affecting Internet Exchanges Online shoppers tend to be more: Goal oriented (= going to a specific Web site with a purpose in mind, or searching for the lowest price for a particular product + not having to deal with salespeople or crowds in the online environment, and appreciate the online product selection, convenience, and information availability) Than experience oriented: having fun, bargain hunting, or just surfing to find something new. Goal oriented individuals like the idea that they. 2 common traits of online shoppers: convenience or price orientation. Differences in the outcomes sought online based on family life cycle. Young kids in the house vs. empty nesters Consumer Resources For consumers: VALUE = BENEFITS - COSTS Costs = a consumer's resources for exchange: Money Time Energy Psychic costs Monetary Cost Consumers need enough discretionary income to exchange for the goods and services they want. What makes the Internet exchange different? Consumers have to pay by credit card, debit card, electronic check, or smart card. BUT not everyone is able to acquire or wants a credit card. = A big problem for e-marketers targeting: The teen market online Consumers in countries with low credit card availability. Monetary Cost Consumers with bank accounts can use: Debit cards. Electronic checks: the consumer sets up an account and authorizes a third party Web site to pay a specified amount and withdraw funds from the user's checking account. Smart cards = Splash Plastic: have an electronic chip that can be coded to hold a certain amount of funds, payable by the bank or a depository company. Advantages = anyone with the cash can get one and the limit of potential fraud is the amount of money coded into the card. Time Cost Time poverty = problem for today's consumers. They want to receive appropriate benefits for the time they spend online. Did the user get what she wanted for the time she invested? Internet firms to be sure their sites are well organized and easy to navigate so users can quickly find what they want. Search engines and shopping agents can help consumers find what they want to leverage their brief forays online. The Internet's property of time moderator helps consumers manage their scarce time. This is because users can shop, e-mail, or perform other activities anytime. Time resource is a critical topic = online attention from consumers is a desirable and scarce commodity: Consumers pay more focused attention to Web sites than to the content in any other medium. Time Cost Concept of flow in Web navigation behavior: 1. 2. 3. 4. Characterized by a seamless sequence of responses facilitated by machine interactivity, Intrinsically enjoyable, Accompanied by a loss of self-consciousness, Self-reinforcing. Consumers are 100% involved and not easily distracted when they are online. This is different from TV and Radio When e-marketers capture consumer's attention, they can make a big impression in a short time as long as the Web site is enjoyable, self-reinforcing, and engaging. Metric Quantity Number of sessions for the month 18 Number of domains visited 48 Page views for each session 43 Time spent online for the month 9:50 < hours Time spent per session 0:32 <mins Duration of page viewed 0:00:44 <secs April 2002 Global Internet Usage Source: Data from www.Nielsen//NetRatings Energy and Psychic Costs Energy + psychic resources = closely related to time. Sometime = Too much trouble to turn on the computer, log onto the Internet, and check e-mail. Rising popularity of short text messaging (SMS) via cell phones and handheld mobile devices. Consumers apply psychic resources when Web pages are hard to figure out or when facing technological glitches. 44% of all online shoppers abandon online shopping carts at one time or another due to technical problems. Reason Given % Reason Given % Page took too long to load 48 Returned the product 10 Site was confusing/couldn't find 45 product Site wouldn't accept credit card 9 Product not available/in stock 32 Tried/failed to contact customer service 8 Got logged off / system crashed 26 Site made unauthorized charge to my credit card 5 Had to contact customer service 20 Ordered product but never came 4 Product took too long to arrive 15 Wrong product arrived and couldn't return it 4 Most Common Reasons for Failed Online Purchases Source: Boston Consulting Group Study as reported in Wellner (2001) Internet Exchange These facilitate Internet exchange: Browser bookmarks = quick jump to favorite online retailer. E-mail messages contain hyperlinks to bring consumers directly to specific information, news reports, or advertised specials. The Internet has the added feature of automation to facilitate exchange. CNN.com sends one sentence e-mails several times a day or week with breaking news for those who sign up for the service. Exchange Outcomes What benefits do consumers get by exchanging all that money, time, and energy? What American consumers do online and how the Internet has changed the way people behave. The myriad of online activities can be categorized by the following general outcomes: Relationships Entertainment Media consumption Information gathering Transactions. Each is ripe with marketing opportunity. Relationships 43% of online time = e-mail or other communication related activities: It is an inexpensive way to keep in touch, It is usually text based = can be easily accomplished with a slow modem or over a wireless handheld device. Form new relationships with the people they meet online. Spend time in chat rooms, make phone calls, and visit online dating sites. Communication can take place in communities of interest. Relationships E-mail popularity explains the success of Web based e-mail services, such as AOL (61% of the Internet population), Hotmail (60%), and Yahoo (57%)! E-mail services are an important part of the traffic draw. These companies bring a lot of eyeballs to their sites=They exchange these eyeballs for commissions on products sold at the site and on advertising revenues. The paying customers = retailers + advertisers, these sites are exchanging free services with consumers. Outcome % Outcome % Send e-mail 95 Chat in online discussion 23 Send instant message 48 Make Internet phone call 12 Share files with others (music, video, games) 37 check e-mail on cell phone or 10 PDA Visit online support group 36 Visit dating Web site Proportion Performing Relationship Activities Online in the U.S. Source: Data from www.pewinternet.org 9 Entertainment Consumers use the Internet for entertainment (50%). Internet's big promises= audio and visual entertainment: 51% of U.S. users watch video online + 37% listen to music. These activities are difficult without a fast broadband connection. Only 20% of all users have broadband at home; Until more do, firms won't produce much of this type of online entertainment; BUT, until more entertainment is available, mass audiences won't be lured into paying for broadband. 1. 2. 3. All television content will be transmitted digitally within five years by federal mandate. More devices will allow TV programs to be delivered on demand. Consumers will adopt broadband as part of their cable TV service. Outcome % Outcome % Surf for fun 64 Listen/download music 37 Watch video or audio clip 51 Play a game 37 Visit adult Web site 14 Download games, videos, 41 pictures Proportion Performing Entertainment Activities Online in the U.S. Source: Data from www.pewinternet.org Media Consumption Consumers are accessing news, weather, sports scores, and radio broadcasts over the Internet. Consumers have a limited amount of time to exchange for media consumption, and that the Internet takes away from offline media time. Consumers use whatever medium is handy when they want news, including a handheld PDA—another indication that the Internet has morphed from novelty to utility. 33% of Internet users mentioned watching television less often, 25% read magazines less frequently, 23% read newspapers less often, 16% listen to the radio less frequently. Media Consumption This switch to online media consumption is why all the major media disseminate information on their Web sites: The challenge is making it pay off in profits. The advertising models are not paying the bills. Some, like the Wall Street Journal, charge for subscriptions. Online media firms must decide what strategic purpose their Web site investment serves. Outcome % Outcome % Get news 70 Political news / information 40 Check the weather 64 Sports scores 38 Listen to music from radio station, music store, recording artist 37 Proportion Performing Media Consumption Activities Online in the U.S. Source: Data from www.pewinternet.org Information Second to e-mail, consumers spend much of their time gathering research and information online: How do Internet users find information? Activity is especially acute during holidays and special events. 73 million Americans use the Internet for health information. 52 million Americans use the Internet to find job information. 85% have used search engines. Queries range from "the ridiculous", to the sublime to the heartbreaking. Google.com is the most popular search engine: visitors spend 25.9 minutes per month there. Users spend 10.8 minutes a month on Yahoo! and 6 minutes at MSN. Google's revenue model is entirely advertising based, It has drawn a larger user base because it does not crowd the home page with offers. Outcome % Outcome % Hobby information 80 Find phone number /address 53 Map or driving directions 79 Research for school/training 53 Travel information 66 Financial 44 A job 37 Books, activities movies, leisure 63 Health/medical 61 A place to live 29 Government site 57 Religious/spiritual 28 Research for job 54 Family history/genealogy 20 Proportion Performing Information Consumption Activities Online in the U.S. Source: Data from www.pewinternet.org Buy and Shop for Products 75% all Internet users seek information online prior to buying products: To purchase online, To purchase at a local brick-and-mortar. In total, U.S., consumers spent 79% of their shopping dollars in brick-andmortar stores, 15% online, and 6% on catalog sales. Consumers might not spend more: 5.5 billion people are not Internet users, and have no drive to get connected. The Internet does not provide the social experience found in the physical world. Consumers may not shop for most products online unless they are motivated by dissatisfaction with offline retailers. Some people do not trust the Internet enough to enter personal and credit card information on Web pages. 182 m illion (6 4% ) U .S. Inte rne t U se rs 103.7 m illion (5 7% ) Sho p o nline 92.8 m illion (51% of a ll use rs) B uy o nline T e n tra nsa c tions Spe nt $46 0 on line in pa st 12 mont hs Online Shopping Landscape Source: Data from www.bcg.com 89.2 m illion (49% of a ll use rs) D o n't buy o nline Buy and Shop for Products A final consideration involves the types of products appropriate for online and offline consumption, 3 types of products : Search goods can be evaluated by reading about them = software, automobiles, and computers, = the most appropriate for online purchasing Experience goods can only be evaluated through product use = clothing and flowers, Credence goods = items that are difficult to assess without someone else's opinion, such as expensive wine or even a book. 51% of Internet users are buyers. Outcome % Outcome % Research product before buying 75 Groceries 8 Buy a product 56 Charity donation 7 Buy/make travel reservation 42 Gamble 5 Bank online 23 Take class for college credit 5 Participate in online auction 20 Take any online class 5 Buy/sell stocks, bonds, mutual 12 funds Proportion Performing Transaction Activities Online in the U.S. Source: Data from www.pewinternet.org E-Marketing, 3rd edition Judy Strauss, Adel I. El-Ansary, and Raymond Frost Chapter 8: Targeting Market Segments and Communities © Prentice Hall 2003 Overview Segmentation and Targeting Overview Market Segmentation Bases and Variables Geographic Segments Important Geographic Segments for E-Marketing Demographic Segments Psychographic Segments Behavior Segments Targeting Online Customers Targeting Communities on the Internet Segmentation and Targeting Overview Companies need to clearly understand the needs and behavior of its target market. It must have in-depth: Market knowledge A savvy segmentation Targeting strategy E-marketing strategic planning occurs in two highly interrelated tiers: The first tier = segmentation, targeting, differentiation, and positioning, Second tier = the 4Ps and CRM. Segmentation and Targeting Overview Marketing segmentation = the process of aggregating individuals or businesses along similar characteristics that pertain to the use, consumption, or benefits of a product or service. Targeting = the process of selecting the market segments that are most attractive to the firm and selecting an appropriate segment coverage strategy. Sources, Databases, and Strategy: Tier 1 Strategies Overview Segmentation and Targeting Overview Market Segmentation Bases and Variables Geographic Segments Important Geographic Segments for E-Marketing Demographic Segments Psychographic Segments Behavior Segments Targeting Online Customers Targeting Communities on the Internet Market Segmentation Bases and Variables Marketers can base their segmentation of consumer markets on: Demographics, Geographic location, Psychographics, Behavior with regard to the product. Within each base, there are many sub categories. Market Segmentation Bases and Variables Companies create segments: Combining bases + focus on categories = geodemographics. Using any combination of variables that makes sense for their industry. That can be used to identify and reach the right people at the right time. Using any of these four bases alone or in combination + many other variables. To know which variables broadly identify the target segment + which simply further describe it because marketers use identification variables to enumerate and access the target. Bases Geographics Demographics Psychographics Behavior Identifying / Profiling Variable Examples City County State Region Country Age Income Gender Education Ethnicity Segmentation Bases and Examples of Related Variables Activities Interests Opinions Personality Values Benefits sought Usage level Brand loyalty User status Overview Segmentation and Targeting Overview Market Segmentation Bases and Variables Geographic Segments Important Geographic Segments for E-Marketing Demographic Segments Psychographic Segments Behavior Segments Targeting Online Customers Targeting Communities on the Internet Geographic Segments Geographic location of computers is not important to users accessing Web sites, but it is very important to organizations with an Internet presence. Most firms target specific cities, regions, states, or countries with their product offerings = develop multisegment strategies based on geographics. Product distribution strategy is a driving force behind geographic segmentation: Companies want to reach only customers in countries where it distributes products. Firms offering services online will only sell to geographic areas where they can provide customer service. Companies must examine the proportion of Net users in its selected geographic targets before deciding to serve the Web community. Posadas: • The leading hotel chain in Mexico, • Targets tourists in Mexican and United States markets. • Focuses heavily on the U. S. market and built its first site for the United States because it recognized that Internet penetration was much higher. Fiesta Americana Site in Spanish and English Source: www.posadas.com Overview Segmentation and Targeting Overview Market Segmentation Bases and Variables Geographic Segments Important Geographic Segments for E-Marketing Demographic Segments Psychographic Segments Behavior Segments Targeting Online Customers Targeting Communities on the Internet Important Geographic Segments for E-Marketing The United States = the largest Internet usage in the world. 10 other country markets have more than 40% Internet penetration. = 11 countries represent good markets for new technology. E-marketers use geographic variables for segmentation also evaluate online markets by region, city, urban area, and so forth. The quality of a country's market is evaluated using additional criteria: infrastructure variables designed to predict their ability to access and absorb information technology: computer adoption, information, Internet, social. In 2001, Sweden and Norway held the top two positions as the world's dominant information economies because of a high mobile Internet access. Rank Country Percent of Population Internet Users Rank Country Percent of Population Internet Users 1 United States 64.0 6 United Kingdom 48.7 2 Iceland 60.1 7 Switzerland 46.6 3 Hong Kong 54.2 8 Canada 44.9 4 Sweden 49.4 9 The Netherlands 42.5 5 Norway 48.9 10 Finland 41.3 11 Japan 40.5 Country Markets With Over 40% Internet User Penetration Important Geographic Segments for E-Marketing English is no longer the language of most Web pages and online bulletin boards, a major change from just two years ago. Top Internet languages: English (42%), Japanese (9%), Chinese (9%), Spanish (7%), German (7%). Huge implications for e-marketers desiring to reach global markets via the Internet Until more online text appears in local languages, users in those countries will not able to participate in e-commerce or other online activities. P ortugues e 3% Italian Korean O ther 9% 4% 5% D utc h C hines e 9% Englis h 2% 42% F renc h 3% S panis h 7% G erm an J apanes e 7% 9% Less Than Half of Web Users Access in English Source: Adapted from Cutitta (2002) Overview Segmentation and Targeting Overview Market Segmentation Bases and Variables Geographic Segments Important Geographic Segments for E-Marketing Demographic Segments Psychographic Segments Behavior Segments Targeting Online Customers Targeting Communities on the Internet Demographic Segments In the Internet's early years, the typical user was: In developed nations, A young male, college educated, with a high income = an innovator. Now, this is true in countries with low levels of Internet adoption. 76% of U.S. users are 18-49 years old, The annual average household income: about $50,000, The population is almost equally divided by gender. Knowing that U. S. Internet users mirror the population, marketers need to identify attractive demographic niches. Occupation Few years ago, the Internet = a place for the technologically- and financially-savvy. Today = a place where U.S. residents from all professions find something of use. Huge implications for e-commerce and advertising, and big changes are still taking place. Occupation Blue-collar workers: Are currently the fastest growing online occupational group in the U.S. This group is busy surfing and exploring, Represent a major marketing opportunity because segment members have not yet developed site loyalty and have some different product and entertainment needs from users in other professions. Other fast growing occupational groups include homemakers (49%), service workers (37%), and salespeople (34%). E-marketers can use such facts about occupational segments online as information and then knowledge to drive e-marketing strategy. Teens and Children In the US, 75% of 14-17 year olds + 65% of 10-13 year olds use the Internet: "The Net Generation" or Generation Y, One of the fastest-growing online niches. 12-17 year old: send e-mail (81%), instant messages (70%), play games, and purchase music, tickets, and videos. 58% use the Internet for homework, Teens' repeated requests for online access is what leads families into computer and ISP purchases. Teens and Children Driving future growth in this market is the fact that 95% of all U.S. schools now have Internet access. This market: Is not impressed with brand names online; wants utility + particular activities. Teens spread the news through online word of mouth (viral marketing). 38% of teens share their online findings with friends = a great marketing opportunity. Teens and Children One big problem = payment: They do not have credit cards for online purchases (only 12% have purchased online). Some are allowed to use their parents' credit cards. Those over 16 years of age can obtain a debit card. Innovative approaches such as "Splash Plastic" prepaid cards or "cyber allowance" accounts deposited at designated online retailers have emerged. Important characteristics of this market = the need to be honest about marketing tactics: revealing the motives behind asking for personal information. Teens are eager to play online games, download music and movies, and sign up for sales promotion premiums and free samples. Ethnic Groups African Americans: One of the largest and most quickly growing ethnic groups online in the United States. Tend to be younger, more highly educated, and affluent. Are heavy purchasers of music online and buy less clothing and travel. Go online from academic and public locations and are less likely to register at Web sites. Hispanics: A huge segment with 14.5 million users + 19-26% growth rate. 55% use the Spanish language when online = a market with unique needs in the US. Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Florida is the 15th largest market overall, but 3rd largest for Hispanic Web users. Hispanics who use the Internet outspend those non-users by a margin of 7%, a statistic that has caught the eye of marketers. Ethnic Groups Chinese-Americans: More than 50% have Internet access, 65% of those are online everyday, Purchase books, computer products and electronics online and enjoy a large purchasing power—the average income is $69,000. Differently Abled = "The Internet's next niche" : Spend 20 more hours a week online than other Internet users. Fifty-four million U.S. consumers have disabilities, health problems, or handicaps that prevent full participation in work, school, or housework. Exists Web accessibility guidelines to accommodate disabled people. BUT this segment is a demographically diverse group, and tend to have low incomes, making them difficult and undesirable targets for some firms. Differently Abled Why do marketers target this segment, despite its low income and accessibility challenges? Social values of full accessibility and potential legal action. To draw a larger consumer audience. The huge baby boomer group is headed for some of these problems as they reach age 65 and older. This market can be a productive target: The 2000 Paralympics Games from Australia last fall experienced good traffic. Most importantly, a market consisting of 54 million Americans has a great deal of purchasing power. Overview Segmentation and Targeting Overview Market Segmentation Bases and Variables Geographic Segments Important Geographic Segments for E-Marketing Demographic Segments Psychographic Segments Behavior Segments Targeting Online Customers Targeting Communities on the Internet Psychographic Segments User psychographics include: Personality: Values: Traits (other-oriented / self-oriented) and habits, Deeply held convictions (religious beliefs), Lifestyle: Activities: Non-product-related behavior (playing sports or eating out), Interests: Opinions: Attitudes and beliefs people hold. Attitudes And Behaviors How do attitudes and behavior differ? Attitudes: Internal evaluations about people, products, and other objects Either positive or negative The evaluation process occurs inside a person's head. Attitudes And Behaviors Behavior: Refers to what a person physically does (calling a 1800 number to order, shopping, or purchasing a product), Product behaviors are such a vital segment descriptor that they form an entirely separate category. Psychographics: The general ways that consumers spend time, Help e-marketers define and describe market segments so they can better meet consumer needs, Important for Web page design. Attitudes Toward Technology Marketers believe that demographics are not helpful in predicting who will purchase online. BUT it is important to know which demographic target is online. The segment's attitudes toward technology determine whether or not these users will buy when they surf the Web. Attitudes Toward Technology Forrester Research measures consumer and business attitudes toward technology. The system, Technographics, works by combining three specific variables: 1. 2. 3. Determine if a person is optimistic or pessimistic toward technology, Measure a user's income level ( important determinant of online shopping behavior), Query users about their primary motivation for going online. Attitudes Toward Technology Examples of the 10 consumer technographics segments in the United States: Fast Forwards the biggest users of business software New Age Nurturers the most ignored group of technology consumers Gadget Grabbers buy low cost, high-tech toys such as Nintendo Traditionalists use VCRs but not much more Media Junkies love TV and are early adopters of satellite television Attitudes Toward Technology Examples of the 10 consumer technographics segments in the United States: Mouse Potatoes Love interactive entertainment on the PC Techno-Strivers Highest proportion of PC ownership among lowincome groups Digital Hopefuls Strong potential markets for low cost PCS Hand shakers Don't uses technology for business (dinosaurs) Sidelined Citizens Technology laggards Motivation for Using Internet Technology Optimists 52% Technology Pessimists 48% Career Family Entertainment High Income (>$40,000) Fast Forwards 12% New Age Nurturers 8% Mouse Potatoes 9% Low Income (<$40,000) Techno-Strivers 7% Digital Hopefuls 7% Gadget Grabbers 9% High Income Handshakers 7% Traditionalists 8% Media Junkies 5% Low Income Sidelined Citizens 28% Consumer Technographic Segments and Proportion in the United States Source: Adapted from Modahl (2000) Attitudes Toward Technology Forrester's research revealed some interesting findings: Technology optimism declines with age: Older users tend to have a more negative attitude toward technology, Their attitudes may be less negative if they use a PC at work or live in one of the largest 50 U.S. cities, Men tend to be more optimistic, Peer pressure can increase optimism in all demographic groups, Income: 40% of high-income citizens are optimistic, Certain low-income groups such as college students and young families are also optimistic about technology. Attitudes Toward Technology How do these findings translate to online purchasing? Twice as many high-income optimists shop online (19%) compared with other groups. Only 2% of low-income pessimists shop online and, therefore, are not a good target for e-commerce firms. Combining Technographics with adopter categories, Early adopters = high-income technology optimists = the first consumers to shop online. Laggards = low-income pessimists = last to shop online. Technographic segments can be used to profile customers who shop online and to determine where to allocate resources to attract more of the same. Overview Segmentation and Targeting Overview Market Segmentation Bases and Variables Geographic Segments Important Geographic Segments for E-Marketing Demographic Segments Psychographic Segments Behavior Segments Targeting Online Customers Targeting Communities on the Internet Behavior Segments Two behavioral segmentation variables are: Benefit segmentation: form groups of consumers based on the benefits they desire from the product. "70% of online shoppers can be segmented into two groups: Bargain hunters: includes Hooked, Online & Single (16%), HunterGatherers (20%) Convenience shoppers: includes Time-Sensitive Materialists (17%), brand loyalists (19%), E-Bivalent Newbies (5%), and Clicks & Mortars (23%)." Product usage: Light, medium and heavy product usage. Brand loyal, loyal to the competitive product, switchers (who don't care which brand they use), and nonusers of the product. Benefit Segments On the Internet, there is something for everyone: information, entertainment, news, social meeting places, and more. Marketers form segments based on the benefits sought by users to design products to meet those needs. What better way to determine benefits sought than to look at what people actually do online? Check which Web sites are the most popular. Sites report monthly on the top online properties displays the top Web site parent companies. AOL, MSN, and Yahoo! are consistently among the top sites in most countries. Benefit Segments Commonly used segmentation variables: E-mail: 8 billion e-mails flying over the Internet worldwide. Shop. (eCommerce) Information search. Online stock trading and online banking. Online banking has a high usage but online stock trading is quite active. Streamies: People who listen to online audio. Rank Parent Company Millions of Visitors Percent Reach of all Users 1 Microsoft 39.4 50.7 2 AOL Time Warner 37.2 47.9 3 Yahoo! 33.8 43.5 4 Google 10.9 14.0 5 eBay 9.0 11.5 6 Terra Lycos 8.0 10.3 7 About-Primedia 7.3 9.4 8 Amazon 7.1 9.2 9 The Gator Corporation 6.0 7.6 10 USA Network 5.3 6.8 Top Web Properties in June 30, 2002 Source: Data from www.nielsen-netratings.com Usage Segments E-marketers: Identify segments according to how users behave and use the Internet. Profile the segments by user characteristics, geographical location, and so on. Difference between usage-based segmentation and user-based segmentation = when users shop online: sometimes they browse aimlessly, but sometimes they have a specific goal. Home and Work Access Segmentation by access point is important because the needs are different: Home: 80% of home users have slow connection speeds, making large graphics and other files undesirable on sites frequented from home. A small but growing number of households have more than one PC and are networking them within the home. Work: 42 million U.S. users access the Internet from work. People spend nearly twice as much overall time online than those who access only from home. The audiences in all countries are much more heavily male. Home and Work Access The most popular sites for U.S. at-work access follow: Telecom or Internet services (29.7 million visitors) Finance, insurance, or investment (21.2 million visitors) Travel (18.4 million visitors) Corporate information (14.6 million visitors) Special occasions such as greeting cards, gifts or flowers (14.1 million visitors) E-marketing strategists can use such information to target their Web site offerings. Strategies might include special products, the language in sites, and the amount of interactivity and multimedia possible for work users. Access Speed The type of Internet connection + the information receiving appliance both affect usage behavior. Faster connections at work allow users to receive larger data files filled with multimedia content. 20% of the U.S. population has broadband Internet access from home (21.9 million). 25.5 million office broadband users (60%). Home users: Are connected through ISPs offering cable modems and DSL (satellite). Cost is still a barrier for many home users. Broadband penetration is nearly high enough to reach the critical mass needed for true video and audio program delivery on demand. This will certainly change the face of the Web. Access Speed Broadband users operate differently from narrowband users online. They: Play audio CD's (75%), Play online games (60%), Download music (48%), Watch streaming video or DVD's (67%). Mobile wireless users have very small screens and slow access speed. About 200 million wireless devices were in use during 2001 = hard for marketers to resist! 13.1 million PDAs (personal digital assistants) The majority of the other 187 million devices are cell phones. Access Speed Wireless users do a lot more than talk on their cell phones. They send and receive data—anyplace, anytime: Wireless devices cannot access typical Web pages on their tiny screens E-mail and voice mail, Online banking, Access Internet, Track information on package shipment, stock quotes, airline schedules and changes, and news. Site developers have a mobile viewing mode and a regular viewing mode. The mobile mode = 100% text and serves precise information on demand. The mobile wireless segment = huge opportunities for firms wanting to produce wireless portals: a customized point of entry to the Net where subscribers can access Web sites and information in text format. Big technical problems BUT the market is unstoppable and will grow considerably. Activity Data Service % Activity Data Service % E-mail, Fax, Voice mail 30 Mobile office 7 Online banking 15 Telemetry 5 Location dependent information services 15 Games 3 Internet access/surf 13 Payments 1 simple info services 10 Telematics (in car) 1 2002 Predicted Revenue Proportion for Data Type on Mobile Devices Worldwide Source: Fichter (2001) Time Online Although the Internet has been growing, not all the people with access are as active logging on as others. Six user segments based on the active user's time online, pages, domains accessed, and the amount of time spent per Web page: Simplifiers want end-to-end convenience. Surfers want what's new. Connectors are novelty seekers. Bargainers look for deals.. Routiners want something special.. Sportsters desire highly interactive content. These segments are likely to overlap because people use the Internet for different purposes at different times—such as research, e-mail, chat, work, and so forth. Segment Important Facts Online Time 7 hours per month. Simplifiers 50% of total online purchases. 49% have been online for over 5 years. Longest online tenure. Surfers 8% of active user population. 32% of online time usage—far more than any other segment. More than the average 9.8 hours per month. Less than the average of 9.8 per month. Connectors 36% active user population. 40% have been online under two years. 42% have made online purchases. Bargainers 8% of active user population 52% are eBay users Less than the average of 9.8 per month. Routiners 6% have purchased online. They visit fewer domains. 9.8 hours per month. Sportsters 4% of active user population. 7.1 hours per month. User Segments Based on Online Viewing Behavior Source: Adapted from McKinsey and MediaMetrix study Industry Specific Usage Segments Segmenting by usage vary from one business type to the other. Visitors to car sites behave differently than visitors to other ecommerce. Even serious car buyers tend to visit car sites only a few times—64% of all buyers complete their online research in five sessions or fewer. Three visitor segments for car Web sites: Explorers are the smallest group, but almost half buy their new vehicle within two months of visiting a car site. They want a convenient, explicit buying process. Off-roaders tend to do a lot of research online and subsequently are very likely to purchase in an offline showroom. Cruisers visit car sites frequently but only 15% buy a car in the short term Still, they have a strong interest in cars and heavily influence the car purchases of others, making them important visitors. Targeting by Usage Occasions Marketers identify segments based on how consumers are using the Web at particular moments = occasionalization. Behavior patterns = "usage occasions." 4 key variables for defining discrete clusters of online behavior: Session length—the time a user stays online. Time per page—the average time a user spends on each page during a session. Category concentration—the percentage of time a user spends at sites belonging to the most frequented category. Site Familiarity—the percentage of total session time a user spends at familiar sites, defined as those previously visited four or more times. Targeting by Usage Occasions 7 Occasionalization Segments: 1. Quickies: users concentrate on visits to two or fewer familiar sites extracting specific bits of information or sending e-mail (duration = 1 minute). 2. Just the Facts: users look for specific information from related sites = transaction-oriented or time-consuming sites such as shopping, travel, and sports sites (duration = 9 minutes). 3. Single Mission: users want to complete a certain task or gather specific information (involve more reading), duration = 10 minutes. Targeting by Usage Occasions 7 Occasionalization Segments: 4. Do It Again: users spend 95% of the session at familiar sites for auctions, games, investments (duration = 14 minutes). 5. Loitering: leisure visits to familiar sticky sites, such as news, gaming, and entertainment sites. (duration = 33 minutes). 6. Information Please: used to build in-depth knowledge of a topic by gathering broad information from a range of sites, typical for travel and automotive Web sites (duration = 37 minutes). 7. Surfing: 70 minutes, with few stops at familiar sites with wide, but not deep, exploration. Users gravitate to sites that grab their attention immediately, such as shopping, online communities, and news. Why Use Occasionalization in Targeting? None of the session types was dominated by a single demographic group. Usage occasion data + demographics, online marketers: Raise the chances of communicating with their target consumers when they are paying attention to and influenced by the message. Can tailor their environments in real-time to meet the interests of the user + the occasion. By examining how the four session variables (session length, time per page, category concentration, and site familiarity) define the different segments, A marketer can identify behavioral patterns that can help in the creation + placement of communications. Occasionalization allows marketers to reach a larger number of users more effectively by pinpointing when they are most likely to be receptive. Reaching Users During Sessions When sessions are long: In Surfing occasions, user behavior is impatient, impulsive clicking. Site or message need to be interesting to appeal to impulse users attracted to novelty. When the sessions are shorter: Users are less inclined to buy, Marketers want to post messages to generate click-throughs to their own sites as a way to build brand awareness. Click-throughs should be the goal only in very specific situations. How can marketers identify usage sessions? Cookies are small bits of text placed on user hard drives that allow Web sites to identify users and send them the appropriate advertising. Overview Segmentation and Targeting Overview Market Segmentation Bases and Variables Geographic Segments Important Geographic Segments for E-Marketing Demographic Segments Psychographic Segments Behavior Segments Targeting Online Customers Targeting Communities on the Internet Targeting Online Customers Marketers must select the best potential segments for targeting: Review the market opportunity analysis, Consider findings from the SWOT analysis, Look for the best fit between the market environment and the firm's expertise and resources. Sometimes it is easy to discover a new segment and experiment with offers that might appeal to this group Other times it is a lengthy and thorough process. To be attractive, an online segment must be accessible through the Internet, sizable, growing, and hold great potential for profit. Targeting Online Customers 1. 2. 3. 4. E-marketers select among 4 targeting strategy: Mass marketing = undifferentiated targeting = when the firm offers one marketing mix for the entire market. Multi-segment marketing = when a firm selects two or more segments and designs marketing mix strategies specifically for each. Most firms use a multi-segment strategy. Niche marketing = when a firm selects one segment and develops one or more marketing mixes to meet the needs of that segment. Micromarketing, = individualized targeting = when a firm tailors all or part of the marketing mix to a very small number of people. The Internet's big promise is individualized targeting =giving individual consumers exactly what they want at the right time and place. Overview Segmentation and Targeting Overview Market Segmentation Bases and Variables Geographic Segments Important Geographic Segments for E-Marketing Demographic Segments Psychographic Segments Behavior Segments Targeting Online Customers Targeting Communities on the Internet Targeting Communities on the Internet The Internet is ideal for gathering people with similar interests and tasks into communities. People join communities to feel connected with others who have the following common interests: 44.8% with folks who share their hobbies; 31.5% with other professionals; 27.2% with family members; 15.7% in support groups… Targeting can be achieved by building community through online chat rooms, discussion groups, bulletin boards, and online events. Motivation: value received in both information and social bonding. A firm needs to build and maintain the watering hole to present products and messages customized to the group's interests. Targeting Communities on the Internet Two of the most publicized consumer community sites include: Yahoo! GeoCities: Members build Web pages that Yahoo! hosts for free and also join in chats and bulletin board postings geocities.yahoo.com. Google groups provides Web access to the Usenet with over 35,000 special interest bulletin board discussion groups and 700 million community messages. Business communities also play a big role in B2B commerce. Most professionals subscribe to discussion groups containing information in their field, and many Web sites promote community. Targeting Communities on the Internet In discussion groups, users feel part of the site by posting their own information and responding to other users. Amazon allows users to write their own book reviews and read the reviews of others. These kinds of Web sites encourage users to return again and again and see what their cyber friends are discussing and doing online. Yahoo! Games: Chess Source: www.yahoo.com. Reproduced with permission of Yahoo! Inc. © 2000 by Yahoo! Inc. YAHOO! and the YAHOO! logo are trademarks of Yahoo! Inc.


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You heard it right. Records from the Maryland Comptroller's office show many jurisdictions are actually getting less revenue from their speed camera programs. Some smaller jurisdictions have seen some of the biggest drops in cash from the cameras. Read our story for more details.
Still, some counties and towns are issuing huge numbers of tickets. Remember, the programs have continued to expand in the state and the best way to avoid a $40 ticket is to slow down. But if you are curious to know where the most tickets are issued, this list of the top 5 speed camera fine collectors last year gives you a good idea:
Montgomery County – $16.9 million
Baltimore City – $13.5 million
Prince George's County – $13.1 million
Baltimore County – $3.6 million
Gaithersburg – $2.9 million
Some towns that broke the million-dollar mark include Chevy Chase Village, Rockville, College Park (each collected about $1.6 million in fines) and Hagerstown, Laurel and Bowie (each collected $1.5 million in speed camera fines).
Please note that these amounts represent the money collected in fines in fiscal year 2013. The net revenues are much lower after implementation and administrative costs are deducted. Find your town, city or county in the full list.


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Sussex Sharks are straight back into Royal London One-Day Cup action today as they take on Surrey at the Kia Oval (2.00pm start). The Sharks will..read more »
Sussex Sharks pulled off an incredible victory at The BrightonandHoveJobs.com County Ground lastnight as they saw off Durham by three wickets. ..read more »


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Ruth and Naomi
by Melineze Hite
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Ruth and Naomi
adapted story from the Bible
by Melineze Logan Hite
There was once a family of travelers who were journeying to the country of Moab. The family of four was from Bethlehemjudah- Elimelech, Naomi, and their two sons, Chilion and Mahlon. There was famine in their land, and they sought a home in Moab. The father, Elimech, died there in Moab, and Naomi and her sons grieved his great lost. However, the sons met and married two fine Moabite women. Orpah was married to Chilion; Ruth was married to Mahlon. For ten years the family lived in this land until the untimely deaths of both of Naomi's sons.
Naomi said to her daughter in laws, "Go, return each to her mother's house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me." Ruth 1:8
They both loved Naomi who was a God fearing woman. "They said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people." Ruth 1: 10 Naomi would not hear of this idea. She felt that her life was over, and she knew that the women had their whole lives ahead of them. They needed to return to their families and later find someone else to marry. She loved both of the women and wished both of them well. There was no hope of prosperity and success with her. Naomi felt as though her life had been cursed. "Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me?...Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband." Ruth 1:11-12 Ruth knew that she did not have any means in which to take care of them and protect them. Because she loved them so, she ordered them to separate from her and go home to their parents. She sadly stated, "For it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me." Ruth 1: 13
Orpah wept, kissed Naomi, and went tearfully back to her original family. However, Ruth clung to Naomi very tightly, and she could not be persuaded to leave her mother in law. Naomi said to her, " Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law." Ruth 1: 15 Ruth stubbornly declared, "Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me." Ruth 1:16-17 Naomi suddenly and clearly knew that she could not convince the young woman to leave her, so they traveled together to Bethlehem, Naomi's home.
When others saw Naomi returning, she told the people sadly, " I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?"Ruth 1: 21 Naomi was so deeply depressed and overcome with her sorrows and losts that she did not realize nor could she clearly see that she had gained something so very perfect, a loving and faithful daughter in law.
It was harvest time in the fields and a relative of Naomi's husband owned a part of the field. His name was Boaz, the son of Salmon, and he was a wealthy, well respected, and very influential man. Ruth went out to the fields and sought a job working for Boaz. She said to a man in charge in the field, "I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves." Ruth 2:7 She worked very hard for many hours in the hot sun, and when Boaz arrived to check on the work that day, he asked his worker, the same man who had given Ruth the job in the field in the morning, "Whose damsel is this?" Ruth 2: 5 Boaz was quite impressed with her, and he had heard only good things about her. Boaz went to her and said, "Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens."Ruth 2:8 He wanted her to stay and work for him only. He added, "Have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee?" Ruth 2: 9 He had made sure that she would be safe and protected. Ruth was so grateful for his kindness and his notice of her. "Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me , all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore" Ruth 2: 10-11 He had great respect for her because of her great love for Naomi and because of her great courage. Yes, Ruth knew not the future, yet she was unafraid to set out for the unknown with Naomi. Ruth was good and true! He blessed her, by saying, "The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust." Ruth 2: 12
Ruth believed strongly in Naomi's god. Ruth truly had trust in God. Boaz was very kind to Ruth. She immediately liked him also. She appreciated his words of encouragement and praise. She said to him, "Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens." Ruth 2:13 She only thought of herself as just a stranger, just another young woman working in the field. Yes, she was not like the other young women. Indeed! She was something very special! She would cherish his kind words to her.
The next day she worked for Boaz, and her work load this day was not at all difficult. Boaz had instructed the men earlier to not criticize her work or disgrace her in any way. In fact, the work was made easier for her. The young men did much of the heavier and difficult cutting for her. "Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not: And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not." Ruth 2: 15-16
Naomi began to ponder over this situation at hand. It seemed as if she could tell where things were headed, and she wisely seemed to know exactly what to do. Naomi had faith in God that things would change for the better for them. She told her daughter in law to stay among the women workers, not the men, and stay in Boaz's field only, until the end of barley and wheat harvests. Ruth obeyed.
Later, Naomi requested that Ruth do the following: "Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy rainment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: and make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking. And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do." Ruth 3:3-4 Naomi told Ruth to go to Boaz's secretly, hide herself, lie down at his feet once he is asleep at night, and uncover his feet without his knowledge. Although it would be a difficult task to perform and it was very questionable behavior, Ruth, forever faithful and obedient to Naomi replied, "All that thou sayest unto me I will do." Ruth 3:5
At midnight Boaz wakened to find a strange woman at his feet. In Ruth 3: 3:9 of the Bible it was recorded, "Who are thou?," he cried out. "I am Ruth thine handmaid," she calmly assured him. He began to think about this peculiar situation that they have found themselves in. He was a single man; she was a widowed woman, single also. However, the situation looked bad, for they were both believers in the faith. They knew that adultery was a great sin, and they would not allow their earthly desires or their flesh to overcome their belief in the laws of Moses dictated by God Almighty. Knowing that she was a virtuous woman of respectable character, he knew what he must do, so he requested that she remain there, alone, until the morning arrived, then leave as quietly as possible, telling no one of what had transpired there. "And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor." Ruth 3:14 She would tell no one about this night. No one, except Naomi, her confidant. Before she left, Boaz gave Ruth six measures of barley to take with her home. Naomi, after hearing everything that happened that night, advised Ruth to "Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day." Ruth 3: 18
Boaz went to the gate of the city and requested that ten elders of the city sit, along with a near kinsman of his, while he talked to them about an important matter. He told them that, "Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's." Ruth 4:3 He wanted to know before the trusted men of the city, whether the kinsman wished to purchase the land. The kinsman wanted to redeem the land, but he finally declared after much thought , "I cannot redeem it for myelf, lest I mar mine own inheritance."Ruth 4:6 The kinsman could not afford to purchase the property and take on all of its burdens. Boaz could and did. Boaz bought the property, and as the custom of the day dictated, a shoe was taken off and given which signified that a legal transaction was made before witnesses. Boaz proudly announced to all, "You are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's,and of the hand of Naomi. Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day." Ruth 4: 9-10
Boaz and Ruth became husband and wife, and they had a son. Naomi was overjoyed. She felt as though she was somewhat responsible for bringing these two fine individuals together in marriage. And indeed she was! Her actions caused Boaz to make the right move without any further delay. He knew that he wanted to do the right thing and be married to Ruth.
"And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it." Ruth 4: 14-16 Naomi loved the baby boy which the female neighbors named Obed. And Obed, although he may not be well known today, was the father of Jesse. And Jesse was the father of David. And David was the little shepherd boy, about whom millions have heard and read in the Bible stories and at bedtime, who slew Goliath. David was also the king of Israel for 40 years. He married the beautiful Bathsheba, and they gave birth to Solomon, the great and wise King Solomon who ruled over all of Israel for 40 years, also. From the bloodline of the obedient, loving, true, and faithful Ruth, great kings have come forth, and Israel had been blessed by Almighty God.
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Systems Biology Opens New Research Pathways
Systems Biologists Are Attacking the Encrypted Messages That Would Allow Us to Predict and Change the Course of Disease
Individual Tumor Profiling
Has Tumor Molecular Profiling Enabled More Effective and Less Toxic Cancer Treatment?
Top 10 Under 40
Up-and-Coming Stars Shine in Biopharma Research and Business
Podcast: FDA's New Commissioner Hits the Ground Running
Scott Gottlieb, M.D., Commits to Speeding Up Drug Reviews, and Maintaining Safety and Efficacy
Karolinska Institutet Awarded $13M to Establish Regenerative Medicine Research Center
Sweden's Karolinska Institutet has received a SEK100 million (about $13 million) grant from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation to establish a regenerative medicine research center. Work at the new Wallenberg Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WIRM) will cover a broad range of therapeutic fields, with a particular focus on the continued development of bone-marrow transplantation technologies for disorders that currently can't be treated.
"The establishment of WIRM represents a unique opportunity to bring Karolinska Institutet's internationally leading basic research and clinical research together at a completely new center," comments Urban Lendahl, Ph.D., WIRM scientific director. "It will make it possible to address research issues we currently lack the resources to tackle."
Karolinska Institutet claims to be one of few universities with capabilities and expertise in the whole spectrum of regenerative medicine, from experimental stem cell research to clinical applications of cell therapy and regenerative medicine. Establishment of the WIRM will allow the university to bolster its capabilities with new technical equipment and experimental techniques. "The grant opens up fantastic opportunities for us to pursue pioneering research at the very highest international level in these extremely important areas," states Harriet Wallberg-Henriksson, M.D., president of Karolinska Institutet.
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International Social Work and Community Development
Please note that the Community and Youth Work related Programmes are no longer available.
Students on these programmes may be eligible to apply competitively for limited financial support towards the cost of studying from the Youth Work Foundation; for full details, eligibility criteria and application deadlines, please see http://www.nya.org.uk/supporting-youth-work/youth-work-foundation/.
Community and Youth Work
Community and Youth Work Leaflet
- HIstory of Youth and Community Work Conference (last modified: 12 February 2015)


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SymInstallStub and Norton?
Oh my god you too!?Holy god of some other god!!!IT HAPPENED TO ME TOO!Okay so this is what I'm gonna try , hope this helps...Go to search , search for Sysinstallstub and then press enter. let it go...
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How to Use My Norton Key?
Norton AntiVirus is a computer protection application provided by Symantec. When you purchase one of the products, you receive an activation key that allows you to download the latest virus updates...
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Is Norton a rip off?
i work at a computer company and the only i can say is YES it is everyone who brings in there comps with a million viruses and trojans and spyware all were "protected" by norton>>>>> IT SUCKS AND S...
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Mc afee or norton ?
AVG its free and very reliable
How do I remove Norton 7.5?
Sequence to "Add or Remove Programs"Power on your computer. Click the "Start" button, then "Control Panel." Double-click "Add or Remove Programs."Uninstall SequenceScroll through the list, then cli...
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Shrewsbury: Library hosts tax talk
October 21, 2012
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Oct. 21, a Tax Talk on Health Care Savings will be held at the Shrewsbury Public Library, 609 Main St., starting at 2 p.m. If you'se like most people, you'se probably unaware of an important way to save money come April 15. Taxpayers with health savings accounts and high deductible health plans often overlook or are unaware of some of the benefits these tax deferred vehicles offer them, especially when it comes to reducing your tax burden. A local certified tax preparer will be at the Shrewsbury Public Library to explain all this, and participants will learn how to maximize their savings while reducing taxes. This is a very timely topic, particularly since most employee benefits open enrollment periods are ending soon. Call 508-841-8531 for further details.


text: Mobile Agents Introduction Mobile agent is a distributed computing paradigm. It has become viable, with recent technologies such as those provided by Java. It has great potential for network applications. It has not been widely deployed. 2 Mobile (transportable) agents An agent is "an independent software program, which runs on behalf of a network user". A mobile agent is a program that, once it is launched by a user, can travel from node to node autonomously, and can continue to function even if the user is disconnected from the network. 3 ... user File server Agent server Database server Agent Agent Server Server A mobile agent performs work on behalf of a user as it travels to multiple locations on the network. 4 Advantages of Mobile Agents They allow efficient and economical use of communication channels that may have low bandwidth, high latency, and may be errorprone. They enable the use of portable, low-cost, personal communications devices to perform complex tasks even when the device is disconnected from the network. They allow asynchronous operations and true decentralization 5 Mobile Agent Paradigm vs. Client-Server Paradigm c l i e nt ho s t s e r ve r ho s t ... d ata c o m m u n ic atio n The c l i e nt - s e r ve r par adi g m ho s t B ho s t A ag en t tr an s p o r tatio n 6 The m o bi l e ag e nt par adi g m Basic Architecture An agent server process runs on each participating host. Participating hosts are networked through links that can be low-bandwidth and unreliable. An agent is a serializable object whose execution state can be frozen for transportation and reconstituted upon arrival at a remote site. 7 Basic Architecture m obile agent agent s erver agent s erver hos t 8 What's in the Agent? An agent is an object, hence it contains state data and methods. Among the instance data is an itinerary of the sites to be visited, which may be dynamically constructed or adjusted. Other data may include an agent ID or other authentication data. The agent's behavior at each stop can be preprogrammed and dynamically adjusted. 9 A simple demo See the mobileAgents folder in the program samples. RMI is used to implement the agent, the server, and the agent-launching client. The agent is a serialized object with an "execute" method, which is invoked by a server that receives the agent. 10 Mobile-agent applications Information retrieval Monitoring Virtual market-place/ meeting room Shareware Personal Mobile Agent white paper, http://www.x-fetch.com/common/X-Fetch_Personal_Mobile_Agent_White_Paper.pdf IEEE Network Magazine special issue on Applicability of Mobile Agents to Telecommunications, May-June 2002 11 Security in Mobile Agent Systems http://mole.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/security.html Security concern is the primary deterrent of deploying the mobile-agent technology. There are concerns for both the agent hosts and the mobile agents. – Agent host concerns: Malicious/unauthorized agents can misuse/destroy system resources (e.g., worms). – Agent concerns: Malicious hosts can destroy or alter an agent's logic, ( e.g., Mobile agent's route can be altered.) 12 Security in Mobile Agent Systems http://mole.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/security.html Measures: Authentication – an agent must authenticate itself to the host, and an agent server must authenticate itself to the agent. Encryption – an agent encrypts its sensitive data. Resource access – a host enforces strict access control to its resources. 13 Mobile-agent framework systems Using RMI to implement a mobile agent application is not generally recommended (http://developer.java.sun.com/developer/onlineTraining/rmi/RMI.html - MobileAgentArchitectures) "The solution to the mobile computing agent using RMI is, at best, a work-around. Other distributed Java architectures have been designed to address security concerns and other issues. These are collectively called mobile agent architectures. Some examples are IBM's Aglets Architecture and ObjectSpace's Voyager System. These systems are specifically designed to allow and support the movement of Java objects between JVMs, carrying their data along with their execution instructions." 14 Existing Mobile-agent framework system IBM Aglet: http://www.trl.ibm.com/aglets/ Mitsubishi Concordia • http://www.concordiaagents.com/ • white paper 15 The Mobile Agent System Interoperability Facility (MASIF) From the OMG (The Object Management Group): "Mobile agent platforms have been developed, built on top of different operating systems, based on different programming languages and technologies. Even new languages have been realized, exclusively designed for the support of mobile agents. However, common trends can be noticed: Interpreterbased programming languages like Java build the basis for most of today's agent platforms, and several approaches are associated with the integration of mobile agents and RPC-based middleware like CORBA." 16 MASIF Several fundamental requirements have been identified due to experiences that have been made during research and development activities. These requirements cover the following topics: – – – – – – Management Support Security Support Mobility Support Support for Unique Identification Transaction Support Communication Support 17 MASIF Due to the considerations mentioned above, the OMG issued a Request for Proposal (Common Facilities RFP3) for a mobile agent standard in November 1995. The corresponding Mobile Agent System Interoperability Facility (MASIF) submission, developed by Crystaliz, General Magic, GMD FOKUS, IBM, and The Open Group, has been adopted by the OMG in February 1998. 18 MASIF The idea behind the MASIF standard is to achieve a certain degree of interoperability between mobile agent platforms of different manufacturers without enforcing radical platform modifications. MASIF is not intended to build the basis for any new mobile agent platform. Instead, the provided specifications shall be used as an "add-on" to already existing systems. 19 MASIF The following list comprises the mandatory requirements that were identified within the MASIF RFP: – Marshalling and un-marshalling of agent programs – Encoding of agent containers for transport – Transport of agents from one agent facility (i.e. execution engine) to another – Runtime registration and invocation of agent facilities – Runtime query of a named agent facility by agents – Runtime security of agents 20 Ongoing Research D'Agents: Mobile Agents at Dartmouth College – overview; position paper The MAP system (Italy) Gypsy (Austria) Grasshopper (Germany) 21 Sources of Information Mobile Agents Introductory http://www.infosys.tuwien.ac.at/Research/Agents/intro.html The Mobile Agent List http://mole.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/mal/mal.html Mobile Agent Applications http://www.computer.org/concurrency/pd1999/pdf/p3080.pdf Software Engineering Concerns for Mobile Agent Systems http://www.elet.polimi.it/Users/DEI/Sections/Compeng/GianPietro.Picco/I CSE01mobility/papers/cook.pdf 22


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In the News
06/07/2017 - 18:00
06/11/2017 - 12:00
06/11/2017 - 08:00
Our Sponsors
Paterson to Extend Protection to Transgender Employees
The New York Times
|12/15/2009"Gov. David A. Paterson is preparing to issue an executive order that would include transgender people in antidiscrimination policies that govern state agencies."The order, which the governor plans to sign on Wednesday, represents the broadest protections ever extended to transgender public employees in New York State.
Pair reflect on months as married gay couple
The Des Moines Register
|1/20/2008"One image encapsulates the chaos of the summer morning five months ago when gay marriage was legal — briefly — in Polk County.
Pace Statement on Gays and the Military
Today Show
|3/13/2007"In a newspaper interview Monday, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had likened homosexuality to adultery and said the military should not condone it by allowing gays to serve openly in the armed forces.
Organization helps place gay foster kids
Miami Herald
|10/23/2007"Dexter Colston landed in the foster care system when he was about 13 after his mother rejected him because he is gay."He bounced through a couple dozen foster care facilities where adults couldn't relate to him and other children could be brutal."...Many gay foster teenagers never find a good home.
OPM defies order on same-sex benefits
The Washington Post
|12/22/2009 "Last month, Alex Kozinski, chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, ordered the Office of Personnel Management to allow health insurance companies serving federal staffers to provide benefits for same-sex spouses of the court's workers.
Olson, Boies Unite to Fight Calif. Same-Sex Marriage Ban in Federal Court
|5/28/2009"Gay-rights lawyers on Wednesday welcomed longtime conservative lawyer Theodore Olson into the fight for same-sex marriage, but warned him and liberal colleague David Boies that they could hurt the cause more than help it by launching an attack on California's Proposition 8 in the federal courts.
Obama Widens Medical Rights for Gay Partners
The New York Times
|4/15/2010 "President Obama on Thursday ordered his health secretary to issue new rules aimed at granting hospital visiting rights to same-sex partners.
Obama Stand Does Gay Americans No Favors
|President Barack Obama has a problem with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) community: He keeps making steady progress on some very important matters, and we keep complaining that he has let us down. Our glass is half empty and his, it seems, is half full.
Obama signs bill expanding hate crimes to sexual orientation
The Christian Science Monitor
|10/28/2009"The gay community applauded President Obama's signing Wednesday of a hate-crime law that covers crimes against people based on their gender identity and sexual orientation, real or perceived.
Obama Set To Sign Bill Widening Hate Crime Laws
National Public Radio
|10/28/2009"At a ceremony in the White House Rose Garden Wednesday afternoon, President Obama plans to sign a bill into law that was more than a decade in the making. It is an update to the federal hate crimes statute that Congress initially passed in 1968.


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Psych Synopsis
Psych follows Shawn Spencer who has developed a keen eye for detail after being instructed by his police officer father to note even the most minute details of his surroundings. After Shawn calls in a tip on a crime to the police, he is actually accused of committing the crime. To try to clear his name, Shawn convinces the police that he is a psychic and he begins solving cases for the police.
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How do you get addicted to hydrocodone?January 9th, 2017
Hydrocodone can be habit forming and might trigger dependence if misused or abused. More on hydrocodone's addictive potential and tips for safe use, here.
Hydrocodone can be habit forming and might trigger dependence if misused or abused. More on hydrocodone's addictive potential and tips for safe use, here.
What is the difference between hydrocodone dependence and addiction? Learn how to recognize the signs and symptoms of a hydrocodone addiction here.
Tolerance to hydrocodone can develop over the course of several days to a month after you have started taking hydrocodone. More here on what's considered a high tolerance to hydrocodone, as well as how tolerance differs from hydrocodone dependence and/or addiction.
Hydrocodone dependence can develop as quickly as three (3) weeks after regular dosing begins. More here about dependence on hydrocodone and how it differs from addiction. Plus, a section for your questions about hydrocodone dependence at the end.
Yes, you can get addicted to hydocodone. In fact, hydrocodone is one of the most abused prescription drugs in the U.S. More on how to avoid hydrocodone addiction here.
Hydrocodone is a semi-synthetic opioid that that affects the central nervous system by binding to opiate receptors in the brain, changing our perception of and pain while causing side effects, including euphoria. Regular, daily use of hydrocodone may lead you to physical dependence, which manifests as withdrawal symptoms when you significantly lower dosage or stop using hydrocodone altogether. How and why does dependence develop? We examine here and invite your questions about hydrocodone at the end.
Hydrocodone use may lead you to physical dependence, or even addiction. On one hand, the body creates a level of tolerance towards the drug after using hydrocodone for a period of time. An expected outcome of regular use, the human system starts to adapt to hydrocodone so that it can maintain homeostasis. After a few weeks of daily dosing, the physical need to take hydrocodone is required to feel normal.
Hydrocodone dependence means that the body functions normally only if there is hydrocodone in the system. When the hydrocodone dose is lowered, or totally cut out, hydrocodone withdrawal symptoms take place. Furthermore, hydrocodone withdrawal symptoms start only three hours after the last dose intake, and they can be severe and hard. The sharp symptoms peak about 72 hours after the last intake, and may last for up to couple of weeks. Some hydrocodone withdrawal symptoms include:
On the other hand, hydrocodone addiction is characterized by psychological dependence manifested as drug cravings, obsessive thinking, and drug seeking. Moreover, you can be diagnosed with hydrocodone dependence, but not be addicted to it. To sum up, dependence is the state of the body, while addiction is the state of the mind.
Every hydrocodone user reacts differently to the drug. Some may develop physical dependence only a few weeks after the first intake, some need more weeks to develop hydrocodone dependency. To mitigate risks of becoming dependent on hydrocodone, use hydrocodone only as prescribed by doctor.
Signs of hydrocodone dependence occur if you:
The first step to take to end dependence is to admit that you have a problem. The very next step is to seek help from licensed medical worker such as a family doctor, psychologist, MD addictions specialist, or a psychiatrist. Moreover, hydrocodone withdrawal treatment can be more likely successful if you have supportive care from friends and family and appropriate medical help. The principle methods used during hydrocodone addiction treatment include:
Tapered withdrawal – Perhaps the most safe and widely recommended process, tapered withdrawal includes specially designed and controlled cessation therapy supervised by an addiction professional. At least 2-3-weeks of slowly lowering doses has proven to be less severe and possible more effective than sudden cessation. But, in some case cold turkey hydrocodone withdrawal is also effective.
Supportive withdrawal – Being a habit-forming opioid, hydrocodone cravings can be difficult to address. Therefore, becoming a part of supportive group can be very helpful in overcoming hydrocodone withdrawal symptoms.
Pharmacological treatment – Sometimes, it helps to take medication when you are ending dependence on hydrocodone. Medications such as clonidine, naltrexone, buprenorphine, benzodiazepines, and/or antidepressants may be prescribed to you to address symptoms of withdrawal, cravings, or even underlying mental health issues.
Home treatment- Hydrocodone withdrawal can be treated at home if you receive medical clearance to do so. If you are in good health and have a strong desire to end hydrocodone dependence, over-the-counter medications, massage, hot baths/showers, and home remedies can help ease individual withdrawal symptoms. For example, you can use Advil or Ibuprofen to treat pain and aches; icy hot creams or hot packs to treat chills, and so on. Keep in mind that you will need an evaluation before trying to detox from hydrocodone at home; it isn't for everyone.
Did we address your questions about hydrocodone dependence? If you have any concerns and questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section at the bottom of the page. We will try to respond to you as soon as possible.


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East India Rubber Works Private ... vs Government Of Madras on 18 October, 1967
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Section 9A in the Central Sales Tax Act, 1956
1[9A. Collection of tax to be only by registered dealers.—No person who is not a registered dealer shall collect in respect of any sale by him of goods in the course of inter-State trade or commerce any amount by way of tax under this Act, and no registered dealer shall make any such collection except in accordance with this Act and the rules made thereunder.]


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|Reviews for Chasing the Wind
| Hells True Mistress chapter 1 . 12/20/2014
"me", it usually means "oneself" or "I", but Shinji naming it... it's ment as "me", isn't it...
| Archdruid-Sephiroth chapter 1 . 9/21/2011
Another good one. Really starting to like you're writing style. Wow, I need to get back to my own projects at some point. Thanks for the read, this one actually made water works this time.
| 3ohIII chapter 1 . 8/30/2010
Kwl fic jst wat i needed 2dai
| NemesisZero chapter 1 . 5/23/2008
Not sure what I think of this one. It's rather melancholy, but in a way that feels quite natural. I'm not quite sure why he gives in at the end however, after it seemed like he had come to terms with his role as a pilot.
The ending probably is for the best though... this rendition of Shinji has no place on a battlefield. Granted, the whole world may be screwed because of this, but it's better for him, at least.
| jcmoorehead chapter 1 . 5/28/2006
Good story I enjoyed reading it, found the section with the whole Rei bringing cheese part hilarious. Keep up the good work.
| ZeroSinRaid chapter 1 . 4/19/2006
wow this story is took me three and a half hours to read. i think i may have to read it again. keep up the great work
| Blue Taboo chapter 1 . 1/22/2005
Why is this not on my favorites?
| Yazu chapter 1 . 7/25/2004
This story is very interesting and incredibly detailed, I wish for you to continue this possible as soon as you can. Thank you.
| Spiritblade chapter 1 . 12/29/2003
An excellent story, and like each one you wrote, a classic. I look forward to your future works.
| lonley beast chapter 1 . 9/25/2003
... ok begining was great. the midle was funny as all hell. the end...disaponting, he never pilots again and unit-01 gose to the forth it left me feeling a bit pissed ya know it flowed well and all but in the end it disaponted me to the up most
good story but please write a different ending
| Warriorsong chapter 1 . 3/19/2003
I really don't know how to start this review, aside from the usual compliments on style and flow, as well as exquisite characterization. Nonetheless, it hit me as I read what the doctor was shocked about. A name is something that belongs to you, sets you apart from the masses. Not seeing a name as important, means that individuality is not important, hence you, as a person aren't important. What makes you do the things you do then? Why do you continue? Everyone searches for understanding, but eventually, in a lot of ways, we need to make small amends and gain the smaller truth before the larger one is revealed. Apart, together, you define yourself by both.
| Quincy007 chapter 1 . 11/3/2002
To be honest I didn't find the story dark as much as I found it sad. As I read it I almost hit tears. I did like the interaction between the characters, it seemed to work. This is a good piece of work, I enjoyed reading it.
| Dave S chapter 1 . 9/10/2002
Well I read this story ten times already and still enjoyed it. Excellent wwriting. Cause and effect techniques well played. And to think that Shinji views each life as important clashing with the worlds' "Acceptable Losses" view was also well place in the story was good as well.
| Kevin chapter 1 . 8/6/2002
Beautiful writing, partly due to the fact that the story changed tones in parts of the story, so it always left me thinking further forwards in the story itself. I am even more impressed though by the dialogue/conversations between the characters. For example, Shinji's first meeting with Asuka after the battle, Asuka seemed pretty much hostile and almost 'insane'- infact, I kinda thought she would actually commit some sort of death-related action. Same for the part where Asuka and Shinji talk before the last battle- I was kinda freaked out to see Shinji acting almost so disillusioned, and again, was scared by what Shinji might do. It's these aspects that I think makes this story one of the best I've read so far :)
| Ivan chapter 1 . 8/3/2002
Such a wonderful story. I found it very sweet and collected. The interaction was understandable and I find Shinji's mentality to be particularly inspired. (Though, as I think upon it, sweet may not be quite the right term... oh, well)
Jibun: the self, ego, myself. Also, (a proper) time, hour, season.
Taken in another sense Jibun could also mean "the writing of a period. Contemporary writing.


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Hester claims RBS office full of asbestos and tigers
RBS chief executive Stephen Hester has claimed his job is full of hidden dangers that could kill him.
Rail bonuses to be replaced with knackered bus
THE £20 million bonus pool for Network Rail bosses is to be repeatedly postponed then replaced by a former school bus.
Facebook IPO fails because nobody can find 'Buy' button
THE first public listing of Facebook has failed after users could not find the bit of the website that allows them to buy shares.
Goodwin loses knighthood for same reasons he got knighthood
THE reasons for Fred Goodwin getting and losing his knighthood could have been separated at birth, it has been confirmed.
Thomas Cook ad to feature 'Debaser'
THOMAS Cook has become the latest travel company to base a television advert on a song by the Pixies.
Hester turns down shares in unsuccessful bank
STEPHEN Hester last night turned down a share bonus package after discovering the shares were in the Royal Bank of Scotland.
Key financial decisions now based on free toy
BRITONS will spend any amount of money in order to get a 'plush toy', it has emerged.
RBS chief to get bonus or legal fees and bonus
THE taxpayer will have to pay for Stephen Hester's bonus or pay for his bonus and his lawyers, it has been confirmed.