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Nothing Has Changed
June 24th, 2017 | no comments | Posted in Uncategorized
Back in March, to mark the triggering of Article 50 (and before Theresa May called the snap General Election), I wrote a piece for the Telegraph. In it I argued that those who could help ensure the UK gets the best deal from the Brexit negotiations needed to stop criticising everyone who voted to Leave. Instead they should 'build a bridge' in order to be heard. You can read my article behind the Telegraph paywall by clicking here. (But as it's now 3 months' old, I think it's safe for me to provide the full text at the end of this post for non-Telegraph subscribers.)
Once Theresa May announced the General Election, and before the Conservative Party Manifesto was published, I wrote a piece for ConHome outlining how I thought voters would approach this election. I argued that, because Brexit to 'ordinary voters' was less about Europe and more a vehicle for changing the imbalanced and unfair way "the system" works in our country, the basic question voters would ask themselves before putting a cross in the box would be: whose side are you on? In other words, who will deliver the change they want to see happen. To read that piece, click here.
After the Conservative Party's manifesto was published and all hell broke loose about social care, I wrote another piece for ConHome explaining why that policy made such a negative impact on the polls: in short, because it did not fit with the agenda for change of those voters most likely to vote Tory; especially new Tory voters. You can read that piece here.
Finally, I wrote a long essay for CapX after the General Election about the chasm between ordinary voters and everyone else in positions of power which Brexit exposed and the General Election did nothing to close. The central point of the essay – as indeed the three other pieces – is that the most important thing we powerful and influential people must recognise is our role in causing the divide and our collective responsibility for closing it. That essay is here.
To coin a phrase (which was the most damaging in more ways than one to Theresa May during the election campaign), "nothing has changed". The divide between us remains as large and as deep as before. And that is the problem that everyone who enjoys some power or influence needs urgently to do something about.
Telegraph Article published 29th March 2017
The House of Lords – how we can make it more effective
December 5th, 2016 | no comments | Posted in Uncategorized
There was a debate in the House of Lords today on the following motion: "That this House believes that its size should be reduced, and methods should be explored by which this could be achieved."
This was my contribution to the debate:
"My Lords, I start by congratulating my noble friends who lead the Campaign for an Effective Second Chamber. That group's discussions and the debate we are having today show that there is a consensus that we must make some changes to the House of Lords so that our important work remains relevant to the modern world. In doing so, we should have an eye to the message of change that many voters rightly associate with the Brexit result.
My message is that we—your Lordships—have all the power we need to make positive change happen. In this debate, the premise is that the size of the House is the problem that needs addressing and that we should explore options to reduce it. But we need to be careful about addressing symptoms before tackling the cause of this perceived problem. We cannot escape the fact that there are 400 fewer of us than there used to be overall, yet more of us attend more frequently. So, before taking steps to reduce the size of the House, we need to consider some basic questions. First, why are more of us attending more often? Secondly, why do we hear disproportionately more often from the same colleagues? Thirdly, how can we ensure that more of our colleagues with current and fresh professional expertise contribute to our work so that we do the best possible job of revising and improving the legislation before us?
This House is at its best when it is not overtly party political and when it works together to find solutions in the public interest. I would like to believe that all of us agree that we owe it to the people we serve to come up with some honest, non-partisan answers to those questions. I think the source of those answers lies in us reaching a consensus and clarity over this House's purpose. I believe that our purpose is to complement the House of Commons and give people confidence in the laws that Parliament makes. That is why we are doing all this revising and scrutinising. But the fact that I cannot articulate that purpose, or any other, and know for sure that all Members of this House endorse it and are genuinely signed up to it is what will put our future at risk.
It is not by chance that the media now routinely ask how a piece of legislation will fare in this House. I am not seeking to lay blame on any side of the political divide for that—I am not. We all—and I include the Cross-Benchers and the bishops—have to accept some responsibility for the inescapable reality that for the past 15 years or so this House has become more political in its behaviour. Too often one side of the House is frustrating the will of the elected Government because it can; while the Government are so focused on getting their legislative programme through at all costs that they struggle to discern when to stop and listen.
I fear that if we start down a path of change towards a goal marked simply, "smaller House of Lords", we could compound that problem yet further. Fewer of us attending more frequently would diminish our range of expertise, and using election results to determine the numbers in this House would encourage us to be even more political—with the result that it would be hard to tell us apart from the House of Commons. We would have all the vices without the virtues.
However, if we could reach consensus on what the House of Lords exists for and unite in promoting that purpose, I truly believe that we would become more effective. That is because it would become clear to everyone that the motive of this House collectively, wherever any Peer sits in this Chamber, is to improve—not block or hijack—legislation for the benefit of the people of this country; in other words, it would be clear that all noble Lords believe that the value of this House lies in its important constitutional role, which is different from that of the more political House of Commons. The other place should be more political because only it has the authority that comes from democratic legitimacy.
My noble friend Lord Cormack has expressed the urgency of us taking action. The action I urge is for all noble Lords to encourage my noble friend and distinguished successor the Leader of the House, the Lord Speaker, the other party leaders and the Convenor to seek consensus and clarity over this House's purpose. That is what we need to be a more effective second Chamber. We hold all the power we need to make change happen. We just need to agree what this House is for and be united in working towards that common public purpose."
Don't focus on Trump, focus on his voters
November 9th, 2016 | no comments | Posted in Uncategorized
In my post last Saturday (Stay focused and mind the gap) I talked about the chasm exposed by Brexit and how Theresa May understands Brexit is a means to deliver change and not the end in itself.
The people angry enough to vote for Donald Trump, regardless of all he has said and done in the past, see him as a means to an end too.
The similarities between Brexit and Trump is that they exposed the chasm – they didn't create it. The way I picture it, as I said in my last post, is that all the people who voted for him and Brexit are on the other side, screaming to be noticed and pointing to the chasm which everyone can now finally see.
After Brexit in the UK, Theresa May understood quickly and built a bridge to the other side: "Brexit means Brexit". Or if you like, Theresa is the bridge. In my view, the rest of us in the UK have either to walk over Theresa's bridge or build our own to get there. Until we're all on the other side, and can see what life is like there, "expert" solutions won't get a hearing because people need to be convinced first that the experts have understood them and the problem as they experience it.
In the US, Donald Trump was on the other side of the chasm already with the people who voted for him, but he's not built a sturdy enough bridge yet for others to follow him. Trump voters knew that when they voted for him – but he was all they had, and as time went on more on more people became convinced this was the only chance they were going to get to be taken seriously.
I doubt any of them believes he'll build a 2,000 mile wall to keep the Mexicans out and get them to pay for it. They are not stupid and that's not what they really want. What they want, is to be taken seriously. And that's what the Donald did. They believed that by voting for him the rest of America would finally take them seriously too. He's their means to an end. He helped them blow everything up and now everyone else can see them on the other side of the chasm too.
What they and Trump now need is for experienced, clever people to build some sturdier bridges to help him make change happen so life feels more fair. They need a few Theresas of their own. That's why the plea in his acceptance speech was so important and must draw a constructive response:
"For those of you who haven't supported me…. I'm reaching out to you for your guidance and your help so that we can work together and unify our great country".
I'm not saying all this is easy and everything is going to be honky dory just like that. There are people who voted for Hillary who are worried and need reassurance too. I get that, and the signs are that Donald gets that too.
But smart people – politicians, businessmen, journalists – need to get over the chasm and find out what's going on. Understand and listen to the people who are there. It's only by seeing the world through the eyes of the people who live there that "experts" can earn the right and respect to be heard and we stand a chance of uniting the western world.
I said on Saturday that we'll find out on Tuesday if Obama and Hillary have been focussing on the right thing. They weren't. Look what's happened to them.
Doing nothing is not an option. Being upset that the US has elected Donald Trump to the White House is not only pointless (he's there) it's dangerous. Because rejecting him would feel to his voters that they have been rejected too.
Stop focusing on Donald and focus instead on his voters. He took them seriously. That's all. And look what together they achieved.
Donald Trump and his voters didn't create the chasm, they exposed it and, in doing so, have created the opportunity for everyone to do something about it.
Stay focused and mind the gap
November 5th, 2016 | no comments | Posted in Uncategorized
Even after the shock of Brexit, I still don't think we understand just how badly divided the western world is, how angry some people are, and the risks of us not responding properly to them.
All that jovial talk after the referendum that the Vote Leave campaign was "only meant to blow the bloody doors off" missed the point. The people who voted 'Leave' didn't want to limit the damage, they really did want to blow everything up – and start again.
Over in the USA, they are so angry that they will vote for Donald Trump regardless of what he says or has done in the past because people believe he's their only hope of blowing everything up.
Here Theresa May, an experienced and respected politician, understood immediately what Brexit exposed and responded by promising to change the way our country works when we leave the European Union so it works for everyone.
For our new Prime Minister, getting out of the European Union is a means to an end. It is not the end in itself. And that's why Theresa May is right to do nothing that undermines people's belief in what Brexit means.
We should consider ourselves lucky that the people who are angry believe our serious-minded, experienced Prime Minister can deliver for them.
I went to the "Women of the Year Awards" a couple of weeks ago where the Prime Minister presented an award to the Hillsborough Women. What happened was fascinating and tells us a lot.
Margaret Aspinall, the woman who has been most vocal in the Hillsborough families' cause, came to the stage to accept and gave Theresa May the most heartfelt embrace, even putting her hand on the back of the Prime Minister's neck. Margaret Aspinall then said, to a room full of several hundred other women and in front of television cameras, that Theresa May was the first person in power she had ever trusted.
Let's just stop and think about what that cameo tells us.
Theresa May can command the trust of people previously let down and therefore has the potential to unite.
Brexit exposed the massive chasm between those who have been ignored for too long and those who have the power to make change happen. The way I picture it, the people who voted 'Leave' are stood on one side pointing to the chasm between us and screaming at the other side for help. And Theresa May has crossed over to them.
That's what the rest of us have got to do. This really is not about politics at all. There's a mish-mash of parties and a coalition of all sorts of people on both sides of the chasm.
Until we're all on the other side and working together to fix that gap, the one thing I know for sure is that the normal game of politics won't work. A general election right now would be about politicians and their power to not make change happen.
There are many serious business figures, other professionals, experts, MPs and members of the House of Lords who want desperately to get the best Brexit for the whole of the UK and will work tirelessly to achieve that.
But the people who need our help don't believe us anymore.
So what do we do?
We have all got to follow Theresa. That doesn't mean people have to vote for her, agree with her, or not challenge her.
It means that if we want the people on the other side of the chasm to listen, to take us seriously and believe that we want a country that works for everyone too, we first have to walk over the bridge she has built, or build one of our own, and join them.
The judges were doing their job this week and they were doing it as they should. The newspapers were doing their job too. But the reason that judges are judging and newspapers are shouting is because powerful people – in business and politics – are not focusing on the chasm. Instead, they appear to everyone on the other side of the chasm to be focusing on themselves.
We have to accept we are coming out of the European Union. We will be triggering Article 50 by the end of March. Two years after that we will be out. I don't know if that means a Hard Brexit or not, but I do believe the sooner talk of delays, second referendums and Soft Brexits stops, the better Brexit will be for everyone.
At an election rally in the US on Friday night Barack Obama told the crowds they have to stay focussed. He said it over and over again. He's right. But has he and Hillary been focussing on the right thing?
We'll find out on Tuesday night.
The powerful who abuse their position
October 8th, 2016 | no comments | Posted in Uncategorized
"The powerful who abuse their position" is what Theresa May said when asked what made her angry by Nick Robinson on Tuesday morning.
That one sentence sums up why she is the right person to be Prime Minister at this time. It captures what people feel has been going wrong for years and what has led to this big divide between the people and power exposed by Brexit. And if Theresa May remains committed to addressing unfairness and goes after anyone who abuses their position of power she stands a good chance of bridging that divide.
But as we know, this massive gap between people and power is not exclusive to the UK. It's a western world problem and it's what is behind the rise of the extremist parties in Europe and the support for the non-politician US presidential candidate, Donald Trump.
That is, until last night's release of the tape of what Donald Trump said about women. But as much as what he said about women is horrific, it's that he bragged he could abuse his power to do things to women that would not be possible if he didn't have that power that's so abhorrent.
Donald Trump: "And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything"
If he's a serious candidate (and I think he is) Donald Trump needs to be more specific than he has been so far in his broadcast apology, to show that he understands why ordinary people are angry having heard and seen that tape. If he doesn't do that, surely he will damage the support he already has as well as kill the prospect of gaining more.
And if Hillary Clinton is smart, she'll not use this opportunity to try to bring Donald Trump down because of what he said about women on that tape (because I don't think she would succeed and it could even make things worse for her, especially if he does what I've just described). Instead, Hillary should use this opportunity to rise above Trump and deal with her own weaknesses.
The American electorate is not overly enthusiastic about Hillary because they think she and Bill Clinton abused their position of power in the past. Right now she has the perfect opportunity to show very directly that she understands that, and to tell the American people what she is going to change about her own behaviour to prevent what worries some American people will happen again if they are returned to the White House.
The events of the last 24 hours could be the un-doing of Donald Trump regardless of anything more he or Hillary does in the final few weeks of the campaign.
But whoever wins the White House will have to deal with the causes that led to this most extraordinary of presidential elections. And that will require the next President to show they understand why it happened.
I wonder what the 44th President will answer if asked: "what makes you angry?"
"You talking to me?"
October 5th, 2016 | no comments | Posted in Uncategorized
I watched the Prime Minister's speech whilst I was in Canary Wharf earlier today. In that part of the world there is certainly some unease and anxiety following Brexit. And Robert de Niro's "you talking to me?" came to mind as I looked around me when the Prime Minister referred to "the privileged few" again.
If anyone had asked me I would have said, "yes – she means you". And, as a baroness who had lunch in Boisdales today, she means me too.
But c'mon. What have we got to complain about, really? So it feels a bit blunt and when has anyone ever been in favour of serving just the privileged few? But to convince all the people who are "not the privileged few" that things really are going to change she's got to reflect back that she understands. And they feel like no-one has taken much notice of how unfair things have been for too long.
The reason why in my previous blogpost I emphasised the risks for critics of Brexit is that – what that result exposed goes beyond Party Politics. Our society is seriously divided and we have got to do something about it. I think Theresa May's plan as outlined this week is the right one and I support it.
Now, as far as debating what created this social divide, Labour and the Libdems can criticise the Tories, the Tories can criticise Labour, or we can have a never-ending argument between Leavers and Remainers about whose "facts" were worse than the other. But if that's all that happens, the people who have every right to feel left behind and have been angry for a long time will stop voting for any mainstream party. This division has been created over decades and we are all to blame.
The person I had lunch with today is a CEO of a successful business he created himself and is a decent, good person who has worked hard all his life to get where he is. As we talked I wondered whether he might feel a bit hurt and worried to be lumped in with 'elites' as if they are all bad for being successful. I hope not, because we need good people like him to keep on doing what they do.
He mentioned that the recent G20 Summit 'family photo', where Theresa May was shunted to the back row and the side, was a telling illustration of how the UK is now marginalised and the impact of that on the economy.
I understand that. But I don't think they'll keep her back-and-side forever.
My point to him was that, the key word in the Prime Minister's speech today and over the last few weeks has been "everyone". Yes she is emphasising that those who have been marginalised for too long are going to get the change they wanted. And yes that might have to be at some cost to others who have had more than their fair share in recent times.
But if she is able to achieve what she has described today, and tip the scales so they are more balanced (without going too far the other way so people stop trying to be successful), the UK will soon be front-and-centre again. Because all those political leaders in the G20 face the same challenges as we do here in the UK. If we all help the Prime Minister succeed, they'll want a "bit of what she's having" and the UK will return to its rightful place.
Theresa May has a mountain in front of her and she is determined to climb it. There may be some miss-steps along the way, it won't be easy, and she should face challenge and scrutiny. But like it or not, that challenge and scrutiny has got to be constructive and in the interests of addressing the social divide if it is not to be counter-productive.
What all good, decent people need to do – whether they are rich, highly educated, middle-income, just managing, or poor – is respect the contribution everyone is going to have to make to help her get there.
Transfer of power to the people – get used to it politicians
October 3rd, 2016 | no comments | Posted in Uncategorized
In a couple of tweets earlier tonight I tried to make a point about Brexit and how critics of the process to leave the EU could be perceived by the public. But it's not always easy to be clear when you're working with 140 characters. So for the sake of clarity, my point is this:
The whole process of the referendum has changed the order of decision-making and that's the kind of change – a transfer of power from politicians to the people – that those who voted out were trying to achieve, and even more people now rather like.
Yes, on 23rd June people voted to leave without knowing precisely what they were getting. But they were clear in their instruction. And, quite properly, they placed responsibility on the politicians to interpret and implement that instruction.
Now at the moment we know little more than #brexitmeansbrexit. Businesses in particular are anxious to know more. But I get the feeling the people are content with just the certainty of exit and will remain contented whilst Theresa May keeps taking an orderly and nicely paced step-by-step approach. It is true that the Prime Minister and the Government face a massive challenge of getting Brexit right and the risk is they will fail to meet the people's expectations.
But right now – and until and unless Theresa May fails to succeed, and I think she might well pull it off – the bigger risk sits with the critics. And that's because the decision to come out was not Theresa May's, it was the people's. It's true that responsibility for how it is done and what is achieved sits with the Government and they will and should be held to account for that. But any comment or criticism that seems to undermine the Government's enthusiasm for getting this right on behalf of the people will be counter-productive. This tweet from Ed Miliband is just the kind of thing that will grate: it's mealy-mouthed about what's likely to be achieved and therefore sounds like he's criticising the people who voted for out for being stupid.
52% of people voted for #Brexit, but even more people would have voted for a "transfer of power to the people" if that had been on the ballot paper. Yet, in reality and for the moment at least, that's what it feels like they've got and it feels good. So what politicians have to understand is that far more than 52% of people won't like hearing politicians who can't get used to the idea of having to take instructions instead of telling us what they want. By all means scrutinise and challenge the Government, but don't challenge the decision that has been taken to leave and do get behind making it a success.
Signing off for a while
October 19th, 2011 | no comments | Posted in Uncategorized
This is just a short post to say that – having now been appointed a Government Whip in the House of Lords – I don't intend to write any new posts on this site for the foreseeable future. I started blogging occasionally when I went self-employed a year or so ago. My aim was to write about topical issues from a 'comms' perspective. I didn't post that often, and I was hardly top of the blogging charts, but they are all still available below should anyone want to read them.
Banks: why dont you try and trade radical, real and relevant for ring-fencing? We might listen if you do
September 1st, 2011 | no comments | Posted in Uncategorized
During Lords Questions in May this year, I asked the Government to demand the banks always pass the full tax relief on cash ISAs to their customers.
I had discovered evidence of some banks offering lower interest rates on fixed rate cash ISAs than on their fixed rate bonds. The Guardian, Independent and Daily Mail reported my findings and that I wanted the Government to take action. I thought the Government might and hoped they would, not least because the tax relief is a 'gift' from the Treasury to the general public to encourage saving, not a commercial opportunity for the banks (though there is more than a little something in it for them, because 15 million of us hold £172 billion – yes billion – in cash ISAs which they can use to lend…). More importantly, in asking the question and highlighting the practice I wasn't just giving an example of the banks taking advantage of their ordinary customers, I was trying to show how they needed to change and point to something they could usefully do to start rebuilding public confidence.
In response Lord Sassoon, the Treasury Minister, said my question had prompted him to check the banks' progress since an OFT ruling in 2010 about some other bad practice in respect of cash ISAs and, according to Lord Sassoon, "their [the banks] noses are being kept to the grindstone". But, as far as the government taking action, that was about it.
As to the banking industry itself, my question prompted a couple of meetings with very senior figures who tried to blind me with bond-cash-ISA-science. But no willingness on their part to understand my fundamental point to them which was this:
If you want to restore public confidence in banking, you need to do something radical, real and relevant which puts your regular customers before your own interest in making more money and getting rich.
Not surprisingly, but nonetheless disappointingly, that message wasn't very well received. In response I've been told I don't understand the complexities of setting interest rates for cash ISAs (I don't, and I don't need to because it's their job to be clearer with us so we know we're getting a fair deal); I've been shown charts as evidence of bank lending to small businesses and irritation that no-one is listening (I said we're listening, the problem is we just don't believe what we're hearing); and I've been told that so-called opinion-formers should stop attacking the banks (and I said why, when the banks haven't done anything radically different lately?).
I was surprised at their unwillingness to accept that taking action to restore public confidence was an important part of improving the regulatory framework.
The banks' opposition to ring-fencing has been growing for months and now we have a massive lobby from them to halt it completely – or to at least delay. Personally, I think the clearer and sooner we make the distinction between investment and retail banks the better – and I'd be inclined to go for further separation.
But if the right decision is to delay ring-fencing for the benefit of the economy as a whole, I hope the Government extracts from the banks something very radical, real, and relevant to ordinary customers as part of the deal. The answer might not lie in full tax relief on cash ISAs, but it's the sort of step the banks should take if they are serious about restoring public confidence and understand its importance to their own future.
The banks need to do something to show us they want the benefits of their commercial success to be enjoyed by everyone, not just themselves.
As I said in a tweet a few weeks ago, the banks would not go far wrong if they looked at the pharmaceutical industry – GSK in particular – for some inspiration.
In May ePolitix.com asked me to do an article to explain the background to my question about cash ISAs and tax relief and today they reposted it as part of their focus on the economy and business.
We need to focus on what the BBC is for, not just on BBC Four
August 17th, 2011 | no comments | Posted in Uncategorized
Yesterday MediaGuardian reported that BBC Four would be the main casualty of the BBC's budget cuts: its schedule and range of genres are to be "scaled back", making it a shadow of its current self. I've no idea if the wonderful Tara Conlan's report was inspired by an official bit of kite-flying or someone 'in the know' doing a bit of free-lancing, but it's certainly generated a lot of comment and concern amongst BBC Four fans.
Indeed, in a pithy blogpost on Huffington Post, my old friend and erstwhile colleague David Skelton (now Deputy Director of the thinktank Policy Exchange) makes all the relevant points about the quality and distinctiveness of BBC Four; why it is such an important part of what the BBC exists to do; reminds us of the 6Music debacle; and demands the Corporation think again.
I can understand that kind of reaction. On the face of it, this decision (if true) doesn't make sense. Why spoil and effectively ditch the service that so clearly represents the core purpose of the BBC and is so obviously not available elsewhere? But – and please hear me out on this – it could actually be a sensible decision if, and it is a big if, the BBC can convince us that what they are planning instead will not only protect but strengthen the BBC's delivery of the kind of programmes we currently find and love on BBC Four.
Many people have argued in the past that BBC Four is what BBC Two should be and that those two channels struggle to sit alongside each other because they have similar remits. Some would go as far to say that the existence of BBC Four gives BBC Two an excuse not to be the serious channel it should be. If it helps to give this some perspective and context compare BBC Four to Radio 4: axing Radio 4 would create an apocalypse because there is no alternative; no other BBC radio network exists to do a similar job; the same is not true for BBC Four.
Therefore, I would be interested and willing to listen to what a new BBC Two would look like if its purpose was to offer the kind of programming that currently sits on BBC Four. Or if you like, if BBC Two were to become BBC Four. Especially if – and at the same time – BBC One became home to some of the 'popular docs' currently on BBC Two and if BBC Three really stepped up to the plate in serving young audiences (ie, has a schedule which doesn't rely on movies and repeats of EastEnders). Put simply, if the management tell us what they are trying to achieve, it's a 21st century version of the Reithian purpose, and they come up with a coherent plan to deliver it, I am all ears and I'd like to think many others would be too.
I have to admit that the BBC's got recent form for selecting the wrong service for the chop, so people's confidence in the BBC making the right decision when it's got to make savings is pretty low. I think my friends and former colleagues at the BBC know this, but I hope in reaching their final decision they understand that the most important thing they need to do in light of that low public confidence is not blindly to save every single service, but to present us with a plan for the future that makes sense. A plan that is so clearly going to deliver quality programmes with real purpose for all its audiences that – even if it takes us a bit of time to get used to the change – we will be prepared to give it a go.
As to everyone who is jumping up and down about BBC Four and pushing BBC Three forward for the axe instead I would just say this: after last week's events I think that, now more than ever, we need a focussed BBC Three and Radio1 committed to serving young audiences with programmes with real purpose. When they do their public service job properly they are incredibly powerful and important.
In short, the BBC can fulfil its responsibility to everyone by doing its – always current, never out-of-date – inform, educate and entertain thing with a reduced licence fee and fewer channels and what we should be demanding is it do just that. In other words, what's important is what the BBC is for, and that's not just BBC Four.
As to the BBC, I would simply say this: please don't let us down.


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13th Annual Golf Tournament Results
The 13th Annual Foundation for Blue Valley Lutheran Homes Golf Tournament was held August 18 at the Hebron Country Club in Hebron, Nebraska. With a beautiful day and 76 golfers, the Tournament was a success; raising more than $7,000!
Thank you!
"We are so appreciative of the support we receive, particularly with the participation in our annual golf tournament," says Megan Hinrichs, Director of Development. "Everyone from individual donors, to players, sponsors, and volunteers step up to help make a difference. It's extremely gratifying, enabling us to address the needs of our residents."
Thank you to our sponsors, vendors and everyone that helped make this a success!
The Foundation for Blue Valley Lutheran Homes Golf Tournament began in 2004, as a way to raise funds for remodeling and upgrade projects that normal operating expenses do not cover. This year's funds are earmarked for a handicap accessible golf cart. The golf cart will assist in transporting residents to appointments or shopping in Hebron, provide easy outings for residents to experience the outdoors more and look at local sights.
A beautifully sunny day with a nice breeze set the stage for a wonderful day with golfers enjoying the scramble competition, food and beverages, flag prizes, and a great golf experience. Golf teams came from Hebron, Daykin, Ruskin, Bruning, Deshler, Nelson, Davenport, Lincoln, Omaha and surrounding areas to participate in a day of relaxation and golf.
Tournament Results
The tournament champion this year was the Dave Klauman, Gunner Mumford, Eric Krupicka, and Ryan Butler team with a score of 52.
The first flight winners were the Crop Production Services of Chester team with members Jacob Wit, Trevor Wit, Tyler Wit and Adam Tipton with a score of 63.
The second flight winner went to The Garbage Company and Norder Supply team with members Conner Hissong, Jake Feulner, Chad Priefert, and Tony Baines with a score of 72. Each flight winner was awarded a commemorative double walled mug.
We had wonderful sponsorship of the entire event and appreciate all that sponsored. Additionally the evening was capped off with a wonderful grilled hamburger and polish dog supper that was donated and cooked by NuStar Energy of Geneva, Nebraska.
The Foundation for Blue Valley Lutheran Homes would like to thank all of the sponsors, players, volunteers and donors for the tournament this year.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Hello, quiet readerfriends! As you might have noticed, the comic's been MIA for a bit. Sooooo, this is just a notice that real life has gotten a little crazy for both the Thief and the Crow right now, and that updating is probably going to be a little sporadic over the next month or so. We'll be trying to get the pages we've left up as soon as we can, but there might be some skipped weeks in the near future.
We've only got a few more pages of this first chapter of the story! After that, it's looking like we're going to need to take a brief hiatus, to straighten the aforementioned life stuff out and work up a backlog of pages for you all again, with the intention that when we return we'll be back in the swing of things, and have an emergency supply of pages in case real life comes knocking again. There should be more concrete information about the hiatus when we reach the end of this chapter. This has been our first stab at a webcomic, and it's been quite the learning experience, despite the past few months' falters.
A major apology for the issues, and a huge, huge thanks to any of you who have stuck with us this far. We hope you'll still be around despite the rocky start.


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Whether you are going to have a business lunch, romantic candlelight dinner or just a drink after a busy day, the five-star Grand Hotel Bohemia will always meet your needs.
Our luxury Franz Josef restaurant offers not only keenly price lunch menu but also a la cart menu specially created by our chef including a variety of seasonal offerings. You can also enjoy unwind over a cup of coffee or another drink of your choice in the Café-bar on the ground floor.
See the detailed description of Franz Josef restaurant or the Café-bar for more information.


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725 Condor Road Condor, Alberta T0M0P0 Canada
Phone: 403-729-3868
Fax: 403-729-2230
For any school based activities scheduled in the afternoon such as assemblies, Terry Fox Run, etc Condor School would like to ask all visitors to please park in the Condor Community Hall parking lot. This is to ensure the safety of our students, preventing the bus lanes from being blocked and allowing for emergency vehicle access.
Thank you for your consideration and help in keeping our children safe.


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Consider a Media Buyer who on a regular bases buys millions of placements (impressions) from different sellers (Big Publishers in Online and Mobile Media) and had to locate hundreds of … "Media Buying Ad Optimization Service"
2015 Big Data Trends
Trends prediction is a component of big data that countless fields utilize. It can make patterns trends like retail consumer sales, wellness, climate change, and energy consumption apparent. The duration … "2015 Big Data Trends"
How To Create An Aggregated Function With Internal Classes
Introduction SQL Server provides an easy way to integrate custom user-defined aggregated function implemented in .NET project. While a simple function with internal flat type variables (i.e. blittable: Int, Double) requires few … "How To Create An Aggregated Function With Internal Classes"
About Prediction Models
Prediction models can be crucial statistical tools to help companies make informed decisions. These models are basically ways of predicting events that will happen in the future based on patterns … "About Prediction Models"
More about Optimization
Optimization services are a form of data science, the goal of which is to figure how to employ data to make a system or company as efficient as possible. Several … "More about Optimization"
4000 Targeted Links per Campaign: Why is This the Magic Number
Getting 4000 targeted links for YouTube placement optimization is fantastic, but why not more? There is a very practical reason for this. To add specific placements to your YouTube ad … "4000 Targeted Links per Campaign: Why is This the Magic Number"
Is There a Way to Measure the Accuracy of the Links
The short answer: Yes. We use a standard Machine Learning performance measure called Precision/Recall. The long answer: What does Precision/Recall mean? This measure looks at how well our system is able … "Is There a Way to Measure the Accuracy of the Links"
A Case Study on Increasing YouTube Ad Audience and Responsiveness Reaching Out to New Parents
About the client and the campaign: A media buyer from a large media buying agency was asked to find placements for a YouTube in-stream ad that specifically targets new parents. … "A Case Study on Increasing YouTube Ad Audience and Responsiveness Reaching Out to New Parents"
How to Create a Targeted In-Stream Video Campaign
What is an in-stream video ad campaign? In-stream ads are video ads which play before or during another video from a YouTube partner. A user can skip your ads after … "How to Create a Targeted In-Stream Video Campaign"
How to Add Specific Placements to an In-steam Video Campaign in Google Adwords
The output of our system is a vast list of targeted placement URLS. How do you add these URLs to your Google Adwords campaign? Step 1: Sign into your … "How to Add Specific Placements to an In-steam Video Campaign in Google Adwords"


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Australian punk with members of Rupture. Catchy and fun while still maintaining a hardcore edge.
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thick wall of pounding riffs..
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The new website gives you a number of ways to access online schedule content, from dynamic search to PDF downloads, you can find the schedule information you are looking for.
Many of you have asked us how to download PDF schedules from the new site. It's easy! Here are the steps:
You will then be given a PDF based on your selection. Please note that we plan on adding colour to the PDFs in the future to help with easier scanning.
Until then, happy surfing!


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In my wedding photo albums I work with prestigious laboratories offering the best quality of work, using top of the line materials for printing and binding.My style of layout is simple and elegant at the same time, a style that never gets old; giving each photograph the importance it deserves. This layout is hand-made, keeping in mind each photograph and making each album unique.
The material covers can be chosen, in linen or fabric, with the possibility to choose between different colours and textures. The sheets can be printed on silk or matte paper. In both cases the durability of the images over time and use are guaranteed.I have two options for wedding photo albums that would perfectly suite every need, with the possibility of printing it on different types of sheets and format.
Option 01, Fine Art Wedding Album: An album sized 29 x 21 cm, comes in a panoramic format with flexible sheets of fine art ePhoto paper quality, a very light and portable album in which you can include a large number of images.
It contains 100 sheets (200 individual pages) where you can include up to 250 images with a simple layout that includes just one photo per individual page giving more importance to each image.
The album covers come in fabric, and this option includes a matching box with your names printed, both in the box and on the album.
Option 02, Vintage Wedding Album: An album with linen covers. It can be with an square format (30 x 30 cms) or a panoramic format (37 x 28 cm). An ideal format for storing and transporting, not being too big or too heavy.This type of album contains 30 sheets (60 individual pages), where you can include over 100 photos. It comes with a matching linen box and with your names printed both in the box and on the album cover.
Printed on photographic paper, it is possible to choose between hard and soft sheets.Additionally, together with the main album, you can order two identical parent albums, sized 25 x 25 cm with the same material, paper quality and matching linen box.


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Perhaps you have wondered why and how I built this website.
Stained Glass has been my passion for 38 years.
When we were younger, my husband and I owned a wonderful, full service, stained glass business. My favorite part of the business was, and still is, teaching people how to do stained glass.
I get such pleasure from watching people learn the techniques, and then growing to love stained glass work as much as I do.
As we grew older we realized that running a full time business was not going to be an option much longer, so we eventually sold the business and relocated closer to our family.
Starting out in a new area was not easy. We continued to design, construct, and do repairs in our home studio. I also helped out in a local stained glass shop, teaching some of their classes and doing all of their custom and repair work.
Most of that was satisfying, but not what I wanted to be doing forever. I did not like working for someone else. I wanted to do things "my way".
I Saw The Light
I Saw The Light
In the meantime, I became more and more interested in computers and the internet. I tried my hand at building websites with one of the free web hosting services. I managed to build four tutorials, but they remained pretty well hidden from the public due to very poor web hosting. They have now been moved to this web site.
I learned fast that, with web hosting, free is definitely not the way to go, and even if you pay, you seldom get what you pay for. Watch out for the scams that promise the earth and deliver nothing.
My husband and I searched for a genuine, helpful web host, thinking we'd probably never find one. We were wrong! We kept reading about SBI. That's short for Site Build It! We kept reading and investigating and asking questions.
Was it too good to be true?? Nope...it was exactly what we were looking for. An honest, up front business that wanted us to succeed and would help us every step of the way.
Now I could use the internet to teach people how to do stained glass. Wow...I can teach the whole world. I finally found a way to stay home and do what I love. That is how I built this website!
I bought my first SBI web site a little over two years ago and here I am today, providing you with all of this information about stained glass (and lots more to come). I built this
entire website by myself, with the help of SBI.
To be honest, I'm amazed that I have been able to build such a professional looking website. Without SBI I would not have been able to do it, and there certainly would not have been a page about how I built this website.
That's the power of Site Build It!. They teach you how to build a complete website from start to finish, and most importantly, how to bring visitors. What do visitors mean? Satisfaction in knowing that I can share my knowledge with anyone that wants to visit my website, and a nice income from my sponsors.
Right now I have around 2500 visitors daily. Those numbers continue to grow at an amazing rate. That really excites me because I get the satisfaction of knowing that more and more people are learning about stained glass.
I'm sitting in my living room, comfortable and content, writing about stained glass, and teaching people world wide. This is the life I was looking for!
If You Have A Hobby Or Passion,
Take a Look At SBI
If You Have A Hobby Or Passion,
You might not want to build a website about stained glass, but I'll bet you have some kind of interest or hobby you'd love to tell others about. If it interests you, there are thousands of people, world wide that want to know about it too.
Don't just take my word for it. Watch the following video, made by a fellow SBIer, to see how building a web site about something you love is a dream come true.
Using Solo Build It is how I built this website, and I have just one more thing to say...
I Love Solo Build It!
To find everything else on this website go to: Web Site Index
Return from How I Built This Website to Free Patterns For Stained Glass Home Page
This page was last updated on May 30, 2018
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Are Saying
You can't imagine how much I wish I had found your incredible website before I spent many hundreds of dollars on lessons, DVDs, tutorials, etc. I can tell that everything I need to know can be found here. All I can say is "Thank You!" Larry
I can't thank you enough for this site. The new search feature is amazing and it makes it so easy to find exactly what I am looking for. Thank you again! Laurie
Your site is fantastic! I took a six week class four years ago and recently started again (after forgetting almost everything I learned!). I have to say that your site is excellent and I can't wait to practice the techniques you've shown. Scarlet
I'm a subscriber to your "Stained Glass Gems" and I just wanted to say THANK YOU for your wonderful site! This is by far the best glass site I've run across. I recently purchased your publication on Patina FAQ and it's very helpful for me... I like to have hard copies of info so I added it to my library. Suzanna


text: The side-chain architecture of alternating copolymers based on thiophene and quinoxaline (TQ) is found to strongly influence the solubility and photovoltaic performance. In particular, TQ polymers with different linear or branched alkyloxy-phenyl side chains on the quinoxaline unit are compared. Attaching the linear alkyloxy side-chain segment at the meta- instead of the para-position of the phenyl ring reduces the planarity of the backbone as well as the ability to order. However, the delocalisation across the backbone is not affected, which permits the design of high-performance TQ polymers that do not aggregate in solution. The use of branched meta-(2-ethylhexyl)oxy-phenyl side-chains results in a TQ polymer with an intermediate degree of order. The reduced tendency for aggregation of TQ polymers with linear meta-alkyloxy-phenyl persists in the solid state. As a result, it is possible to avoid the decrease in charge-transfer state energy that is observed for bulk-heterojunction blends of more ordered TQ polymers and fullerenes. The associated gain in open-circuit voltage of disordered TQ:fullerene solar cells, accompanied by a higher short-circuit current density, leads to a higher power conversion efficiency overall. Thus, in contrast to other donor polymers, for TQ polymers there is no need to compromise between solubility and photovoltaic performance.


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Hudson Explorers Train to Work Together
January 15, 2016
by Len Lathrop
When you think laser tag, don't you just think fun? Well, in this case, it wasn't fun and games. Instead, the vocational wing of Alvirne High school was changed into a site where "training helps you feel comfortable with what you're doing in a stressful situation." This was the first thing that Officer Roger Lamarche of the Hudson Police Department told a roomful of both Police and Fire Explorers in a joint training experience for the groups. Under the watchful eyes of Detective Allison Cummings, Captain Dave Morin and Lamarche, the explorers, armed with laser guns, searched the classrooms and horticultural greenhouse for armed suspect(s) portrayed by Taylor Morin, a member of the Police Communication Division and an assistant with the Police Explorers.
Prior to the issuance of the weapons many safety issues and handling procedures were outlined by Lamarche. This included how to hold the weapon and what is the proper way to check a room as a team, which included how to round corners and open doors. Lamarche outlined what the police would do in certain situations and how fire personnel were needed to support them handle the different types of armed assailants with and without active gun fire.
Captain Morin explained to the explorers the importance of assisting victims while preserving the evidence at the scene –not to move items unless you could not treat the injured. All three professional public servants talked about how important the working relationship between police and fire is, and that everyone whose job it is to run toward gunshots or run into a fire knows how vital training is.
The explorers were divided into squads of five people who geared up and went looking for the armed suspect. Watching the different teams enter the rooms, open doors and always with a guard covering the groups' back, show that these high school students had listened and were practicing what Lamarche had told them.
Detective Cummings wanted our readers to know how supportive Alvirne Principal Beals is in allowing the explorers to hold training of this type at the school, as well as how this training helps the students better understand the careers they are considering.


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[welcome to my kitchen on the farm: breakfast=banana + taro root + sardines]
clarie thomas and gray reilly have just left the country. they were here to investigate the opportunities for development work in los frios. we made some great progress and claire might start working as a english and computer teacher in the school system. gray might return in a year to do some development work. they will be missed.
my life long friend max is here with me until we leave on oct. 9th. it is different traveling with company as i usually travel here alone. everyone has been wonderful and let me see my home in a other light.
hello coffee. the coffee harvest is just now getting started. hence i will miss most of it, therefore i will get antonio processing a few bags pulp natural. speaking of which, i must run to buy some more chicken wire for some raised beds.
till soon
Monday, September 29, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
shades of red
first: i´m alive, in health and doing well.
second: with all the rain i´ve tried to do what i can. when it rains here things don´t get done; water logged soil can´t be shoveled; the road we cut can´t be driven on because of a muddy section; coffee shouldn´t be picked because the pezón(where the coffee bean attaches to the branch) gets soft and even green coffee falls off the tree when one lowers it to pick the ripe cherries. hence the house only has the trench for the foundation dug and our first real coffee picking started last week.
antonio and i argue about what is truly ripe in terms of red cherries. is it fully ripe when the skin has only a little bit of yellow and mostly red? is it fully ripe only when skin has that deep red-purple color? if we pick super strictly, we will have to pick the same tree every 3 days. how is that sustainable? i still try to hold the quality line, but i also want to have a few bags to show for effort here. . .
i must run to visit a coffee coop in Monte Bonito.
be well friends.
Posted by Young Tree Coffee at 8:28 AM 1 comment:
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Hello friends. (smile) Happy Friday! Welcome Lexa and co-host, L.G. Keltner @Writing Off The Edge, to another Friday, to celebrate the small things. Hope all is well in your world.
God bless those who…..
Have a wonderful and blessed weekend.
Abundant blessings, my friends, because the just shall live by faith. Praise The Lord.
As always, I welcome your thoughts. (smile)
©Ann V Friend, afriendofjesus2013Blog, Aug 2013 to present.


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Wednesday, 2 October 2013
Make: Visualize Your Heartbeat With This Homemade Pulse Sensor
It s a front end sensor for measuring your pulse rate with an arduino, raspberry pi or any other board with GPIO access.
The principle is simple, illuminate the inside of your thumb with an LED, and measure how much light comes back. It works because there is an artery in your thumb that reflects back some of the light, but as the blood pulses the diameter of the artery increases so it reflects more light.
The Op-Amp circuit detects these changes in light level, amplifies them and passes then as a clean digital signal onto the processor board.
The whole thing can easily be built on vero-board or some other pre-printed generic PCB, although in practice if you were just making it out of curiosity I can't see any reason why it wouldn't work on a breadboard.
It only uses readily available components, although its not clear why they use a quad op-amp and then don't use half the circuit, perhaps it was just the way their PCB was made. Personally I would try a dual op-amp to save space and few pence.
For full details, and a video, go to http://makezine.com/video/visualize-your-heartbeat-with-this-homemade-pulse-sensor/
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Watford manager Gianfranco Zola vowed to learn valuable lessons after a below-par performance from his side ended in a 1-0 home defeat against Ipswich.
A last-gasp Michael Chopra goal at Vicarage Road ended Ipswich's remarkable 15-game run without a win against their opponents. The Hornets won their first match of the npower Championship season at Crystal Palace thanks to a late show of their own on Saturday, but they are still coming to terms with their new style of play and the Italian's passing philosophy.
Ipswich were the better side for most of the game and Chopra should have fired them in front before he was in the right place to convert Carlos Edwards' low centre in the last minute of normal time. Asked if it was a fair result, the Zola replied: "Absolutely, no doubt about it. It is a fair result and the team who played better has won the game."
He continued: "I knew about that [how much work he had to do]. I didn't get under the illusion that the game we played the other day was the solution to everything. We know there's a lot of work to do and, as I said to the players, games like this will help us improve.
"I never said it was easy [to change the style of play]. I said that the first day but that doesn't stop me from trying and I'll carry on. It certainly won't be a bad result which is going to kill my enthusiasm or desire to play football in a certain way."
Watford did improve as an attacking presence as the game neared its closing stages, and Almen Abdi and Nyron Nosworthy both missed fine chances to head the hosts in front.
"We could have won - that is the story," Zola said. "We had a couple of very good chances, maybe three, which we could have scored but honestly, that wouldn't have been fair, so I take it and I will learn from it."
Ipswich boss Paul Jewell was delighted with his side's display, particularly in the opening period.
He said: "We played outstanding, I felt, first half. The only thing that concerned me was we were so much on top, you know that any team at any level is going to come back into it and I just didn't want to see that extra touch and being that bit sloppy in possession.
"We knew they would have a bit more of the game in the second half and that was the case but to score a goal and keep a clean sheet, I thought was the least we deserved."


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Ghana is said to be facing an uphill task in the fight against corruption because existing edicts and habits make the practice a highly rewarding but low risk venture. This was expressed by leadership of GACC led by the Board Chairman Rev. Fred Deegbe during a courtesy call on the Minister of Justice and Attorney General Mrs. Betty Mould-Iddrisu and leadership of the Ministry to deliberate on how to nib the canker of corruption as promised by the NDC in its manifesto. On her part the Minister noted with concern that, over the years efforts aimed at fighting corruption have yielded very little results.
She reiterated that fighting corruption is not only about giving enough resources to institutions but ensuring that there are the right laws in place to act as deterrence to those engaged in corrupt practices. To show the NDC administration's commitment to the fight against corruption, she stated that, the ministry has put together the anti-corruption laws into a single manual that will enhance easy reference and usage. Ms. Anna Bossman, the Ag. Commissioner, CHRAJ, and Vice Chair GACC urged the government to resource anti-corruption institutions as it promised. She also said that GACC was following up on pledges made by the government to fight corruption to ensure that they fulfill all their promises.


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Marketing research is a complex group of responsibilities under the marketing umbrella. Indeed, marketing research supports all four "Ps" (product, price, promotion, place) and all four "Cs" (customer, cost, communication, convenience) of marketing.
I began my marketing career more than three decades ago in a marketing research position. It was a great foundation for my career, which led me into sales, product development, product management, and marketing management. Marketing and sales professionals have many applications for research skills, such as:
- Salespeople conduct needs analyses to learn more about the specific pain points of prospective clients.
- Product development managers research customer needs and desires, competitive products, target markets, pricing sensitivity, and channels of distribution.
- Product managers rely on research to gain insights into how one or more elements of the marketing mix can be tweaked to better serve customers and create customer evangelists.
- Marketing managers leverage traditional research and digital analytics to build brands that better serve customers.
Over the next few months I will bring you a series of articles diving deeper into several marketing research methods. Before launching into secondary research, which is the topic of this article, the following chart provides an overview of the information to be shared with you in this three-part marketing research methods series.
Secondary Research
We often take secondary research for granted. In our personal lives we routinely investigate options for lunch, vacation, even medical care. When we explore alternatives for necessary decisions we often conduct secondary research. Secondary research uncovers data that was previously collected, analyzed, and organized for use in making decisions. When you go to your favorite Internet browser and enter a search request, you are conducting secondary research as you explore available data on the subject.
Of course, you could conduct primary research to analyze options for lunch, vacation, or medical care options. This might entail you going around the office and asking for suggestions. Canvassing your colleagues would most likely take a bit more time than letting Google do the work. The following table summarizes differences between primary and secondary research.
Differences – Primary and Secondary Research
|Primary Research
|Secondary Research
|Original data collected
|By you or a company you hire
|By someone else
|Surveys, focus groups, interviews, observation, experiments
|Searching public data sets, industry data, literature reviews
|Qualitative or Quantitative?
|Can be either
|Can be either
|Key Benefits
|Specific to your needs; you control design, sample, quality
|May be cheaper and quicker; not always
|Key Disadvantages
|Usually costs more and takes longer
|Data may be old, not specific, not reliable (must analyze methodology, sample source and size, relevance to your objective)
(Adapted from Market Research Guy)
If sufficient secondary data exists for your decision-making needs, you can gather and summarize it, rather than first designing a primary research study along with a sampling plan, collecting data, then editing, coding, analyzing and reporting the findings. Depending on the data, it may be less expensive to access secondary data since there is so much of it available on the Internet for free. Caution: you might get what you pay for! You must evaluate the source by determining factors such as the research methodology, sample source and size, and quality control. Primary research may result in a better investment of both money and time if it provides specific information customized to your needs.
Researchers always seek to understand what is already known about a topic before initiating a new research study. Secondary research is a powerful tool, but only if it is undertaken with a clear research objective, an understanding of secondary research data source limitations, and a specific research scope. To illustrate, consider the following example.
Secondary Research for Mobile Banking Product
|Research Objective:
|What is known about the market for small business mobile banking in Southeast U.S.?
|May need to extrapolate from existing data sets of consumer or business mobile banking; age of data sets, bias in information
|Research Scope:
|Identify 10 or more sources, summarize, and recommend further action.
Let's look at three common sources of secondary research that could help us with the example secondary research project: public data sets, industry data, and literature reviews.
Public Data Sets
Common public data sets include the U.S. Census, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and U.S. Census County Business Patterns. There are hundreds of public data sets available, some free and some available for a fee. I always start with the free ones and then determine if I need to pay for more specific information. In our example, we can start with the U.S. Census and search for "small business banking." Search results include a Small Business Lending Survey conducted in 2016, which covers banking issues of small businesses that are worth scanning for relevance. Other search results include economic and miscellaneous statistics about U.S. businesses.
A general Internet search with Google using the search term "small business banking in US southeast" uncovers many well-known business banking brands in addition to a small business survey conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. When I scrolled down that search results page I found a small business survey conducted with firms in the Southeast. As I find possible sources, I must scan the short description to decide which ones appear most pertinent, then I open the interesting ones to determine relevance and uncover leads within the source to other data sets or valuable information. This continues in an iterative process until I have identified a few relevant sources to provide insight on the research objective.
Industry Data
Too often people overlook industry associations as a source of industry-specific information. What better source is there to obtain industry information than from an association that specializes in that industry? We certainly don't want to restrict our research to only industry association data because there may be some self-promoting bias in it. Nonetheless, we need to review what the "insider" industry experts have to say, and look for research studies the association may have sponsored with outside research firms. Syndicated data falls into this category including services such as Hoovers and Dun and Bradstreet.
By searching for "banking industry associations" on Google, we find information on several industry associations focused on banking issues. Clicking on the first search result for the American Bankers Association, I explored "Tools and Resources" and found "Mobile Banking" under a "Millennials" tab. Also on that search results page we find a paid listing for NFIB—National Federation of Independent Businesses. NFIB has a tab for "Financial Products and Services" with information on credit lines, credit cards, payroll taxes, and many others.
Just as I did with public data sets, I review possible sources, scanning them for relevance, methodology, quality, and new leads to potentially helpful information. I continue searching until I have identified a sufficient number of sources to provide insight on my research objective.
Literature Review
A literature review casts a bigger net to see what has already been written about your topic and perhaps who has already done research pertinent to what you are seeking to learn. I go back to Google, and type in "research on small business banking in southeast U.S." In addition to several paid ads, I find a small business banking survey conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta survey found previously, and a summary of a small business banking conference.
Literature reviews require a substantial investment of time to scan each possible source, determine if it is worthy of more in-depth review, and follow new references found within the material. When done in a structured and quality manner, literature reviews are well worth the effort. If the information you need has already been researched and reported to the world, you don't want to pay for new research on the same topic. You may decide primary research is an appropriate next step, and in that case the literature review provides a foundation upon which your primary research can expand upon, confirm (or not) findings from a national survey, and add to the conversation in your industry.
Secondary research is often conducted prior to a primary research study as part of the design phase. It provides the tools to answer the first question of any research project: "What is already known on this subject?" Stay tuned for Part II of this series where we will explore primary research methods.
What helpful hints have you found for doing secondary research? Please share below and follow us on social media.
GitHub, Inc. Awesome Public Data Sets. Retrieved from: https://github.com/caesar0301/awesome-public-datasets
Market Research Guy. Primary vs. Secondary Market Research: What's the Difference. Retrieved from: http://www.mymarketresearchmethods.com/primary-secondary-market-research-difference/


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Reach plc supports the local business community with #ThereWithYou initiative
Reach plc's #ThereWithYou campaign provides businesses with a raft of free commercial products and services.Read More
The rise is a kick in the teeth for manufacturers, retailers, and office tenants alike – the people the Chancellor is depending upon to boost capital investment and drive productivity growth – especially after this year's revaluations saw many firms' rates bills spiral.
The BCC proposes offsetting this by pausing further cuts in Corporation Tax from the current rate of 19% until after we leave the European Union, using the resulting headroom to help pay for an up-front business rates cut.
Simon Beardsley, Chief Executive at Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce commented on behalf of Lincolnshire businesses saying:
"Tackling the upfront cost of doing business as well as pledging not to introduce any more input taxes and other significant costs including business rates is key to saving and supporting those businesses who are currently facing spiralling upfront costs.
"Many smaller retailers are telling us that business rates are precluding them from either taking on new premises or are significantly knocking profitability, which may have a huge impact on the landscape of our market towns".
"Support to improve our county's infrastructure including digital, broadband, mobile data and transportation and road maintenance and increased capacity is also a priority given our rural surrounding and connectivity.
"Lincolnshire businesses would also benefit from a business incentive during the Brexit process – through the introduction of a 'Brexit Special' Annual Investment Allowance temporarily increasing the limit to £1 million.
"Overall, there needs to be a strong focus on boosting productivity and growth as well as housing and development, and support for Lincolnshire businesses who are looking to enter new markets".
Mike Spicer, Director of Research and Economics at the BCC, said:
"As a share of national income, the UK has the highest commercial property taxes of any major economy, which drains firms of the cash flow needed to invest in the talent, tools and technology of the future. Higher and higher rates mean British businesses are less likely to improve their plant and premises for fear of even greater rates bills.
"It would be unconscionable for the government to slam businesses with a huge rise in rates, particularly when they already face spiralling up-front costs. A failure to act would hit the high street, manufacturers and others hard – and undermine the sort of investment we need to boost productivity.
"The Budget is a time where tough decisions have to be made. But clobbering businesses with up-front costs at a time when productivity is in dire need of a boost is not the answer. The Chancellor must raise the animal spirits of companies and take real action on business rates at the Budget."
Reach plc's #ThereWithYou campaign provides businesses with a raft of free commercial products and services.Read More
The City of Lincoln Council is offering the Coronavirus grant funds to eligible firms.Read More
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Greyhound Bus Driver Costume
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Greyhound Bus Driver
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|Costumes for Pets
This homemade costume for pets entered our 2012 Halloween Costume Contest.
A word from Kendall, the 'Greyhound Bus Driver' costume creator:
Lucy, our rescue Greyhound sports her original (and official) Greyhound Bus Driver uniform.
The outfit was made from scratch, using discarded children's clothing and fashioning her photo ID and badge from scratch.
The hat was fashioned from a store bought Harley dog hat and painted and modified to match the style of a real drivers hat along with the metal badge.
Similar costumes:


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Together We RISE to the top!
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Candidate Handbook
MA RE Laws
A. Condominiums, Cooperatives, and Timeshares
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F. Deeds and closings
G. Homestead
A. Licensee responsibility
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A. State sanitary code
A. Radon
B. Private sewage disposal
C. Smoke and carbon monoxide detection
D. Wetlands and rivers protection
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B. Asbestos
C. Fuel storage
D. Massachusetts Superfund Law 21E
A. Property disclosures
B. Misrepresentation
C. Other provisions
D. Sanctions and enforcement
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The range between minimum price and maximum price is incorrect. Please submit the correct range.
When you have decided to buy or sell a home, the services of a qualified real estate professional are of utmost importance.
The ideal sales agent will have a good working knowledge of local real estate market conditions, be prepared to deliver a high standard of service to customers, and have the support of a large real estate company. Most importantly, a good agent will save you time and money.
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As promised in the earlier post, here is the 2nd video produced by Best Friends in the 2015-16 school year. This is a great song called Brother. I hope you enjoy it. The album can be found on iTunes at this link.
LCU and Best Friends Pt. 2
LCU and Best Friends
In 1983, as a sophomore in college, I was part of something new. John Paul Blankenship was forming a new mixed ensemble a capella group to travel and recruit for the college (Lubbock Christian College, at the time). I was recruited as part of the original group that became known as Best Friends and stayed with the ensemble for the next three years.
Thirty years later, what goes around comes around, I suppose. LCU has recruited me once again for Best Friends… this time as director. As I write this, we are drawing close to the end of the first year. It has been very enjoyable and has kept me busy and young at heart.
I've produced a couple of music videos for the group. I'll post the 2nd one later, but here is the first. This is the title track to their 2016 album That Was Then, This is Now. The music, by the way, can be found on iTunes at this link. Hope you like the video…
Make Your Worship Song Slides More Appealing
If you are a visual/tech person for an a cappella church, you may be interested in this post. Otherwise, this is a fun exercise in graphic editing.
Many churches are using worship song slides that include music notation. Quite often, there is somewhat of a debate between the people who like the notes and people who want pictures and words. Some need the intellectual stimulus of singing parts from a prepared arrangement while other prefer the visual stimulation of nature, colors, backgrounds, etc. It's very hard to find common ground. This is a tutorial on how to create song slides that appeal to both tastes.
This will not be an all-inclusive tutorial. I will proceed on the basis that you are aware of some fundamental aspects of editing graphics, and I will be using Photoshop CC 2014 as my graphical interface.
To begin, you'll need a song. Some churches create their own notation. If so, more power to you. That's not what I'm covering in this tutorial. If you don't have the ability to create notation from scratch, take a look at Paperless Hymnal or A View of Worship. Both offer excellent arrangements in pre-formatted slides. For this illustration, I will be using Paperless Hymnal's version of In Christ Alone.
Stay away from GuitarTapp Pro
GuitarTapp Pro nuked me.
It's not often I write inflammatory posts, but this one deserves it. I've even reached out to 8:45 Tools, the creator of GuitarTapp Pro, for help.
Some background… for quite a while I was in possession of a very nice iPad. It belonged to a company I no longer work with, so I lost it when that employment ended. One of my most used apps on the iPad was OnSong (on which I've done a previous review that you can see here). OnSong is a great song chart viewer for live situations… sort of like a teleprompter with all the bells and whistles.
When I moved over to the android platform, OnSong was not available. Shame. Anyway, I had to find an alternative. I thought I had found it in GuitarTapp Pro.
For the past year or more, I have used that app heavily… at least once a week, if not more often. I have over 150 songs programmed into it, all of them tweaked to the way I like and prefer. I even have some alternate arrangements to songs that I liked to use.
It was going swimmingly until a couple of weeks ago. Either android did an update or GuitarTapp Pro updated. Either way, my entire song catalog is now gone. Over a year's worth of work, disappeared. Talk about frustrating…
Consequently, I would encourage you not to use GuitarTapp Pro. It is most definitely NOT a safe platform. I am even considering getting back into an iPad because of this failure.
It's Time for a Compulsory License for Musical Arrangements
As an arranger of musical works, I often feel as though my hands are tied behind my back.
I have arranged hundreds of songs for various events and groups, 99% of them being a capella in nature. I would love to publish these arrangements and make them available to the general singing public. How many have I published to date? One. Count them. One. Do not proceed to two.
The problem, as far as it concerns me, is in obtaining a license to publish. Now, any recorded work is a different story. If there is a song that I'd like to record that is something other than public domain, the tools are in place to obtain a mechanical license to be able to record and publish (thank you Harry Fox, Limelight, Loudr and others). Release on video? No problem, just get a sync license.
To release a written arrangement of a work… well that's a horse of another color. There are no laws in place that allow you to do so. An arranger must contact the owner of the song and request a license to release the arrangement. The answer can be no. Or, the answer could be, "You want to release an arrangement that may sell 10 copies? Ok, that'll be $2,000.00." Might as well be a no.
Responses and processes are all over the map. All those composers who make themselves available to arrange that special song you've been wanting? Most likely you are breaking the law, since the majority of them do not seek permission and leave it up to you to request the necessary license. And who will most likely get zapped if the copyright police come calling? The arranger.
I read an article that sums up the problem quite nicely. Jonathan Minkoff wrote "The Legality of Arranging" in 2009 and it's still applicable today (unless a law has changed since I wrote this in the summer of 2014). It's worth your time to read, but I quote his last paragraph:
The best answer, as I've proposed in the past, isn't a change in the behavior of all these arrangers. It's a change in the law. It's time for a compulsory license for musical arrangements. Composers get revenue, arrangers and artists get peace of mind and everybody wins.
I agree. And I've got loads of arrangements waiting on it. How about you?
The High Calling of Worship Leaders
It seems that worship wars will never desist. They only move from one front to the next. Satan allows no cease-fire.
I was recently reading a post by Jamie Brown entitled, "Are We Headed For A Crash? Reflections On The Current State of Evangelical Worship." Jamie had just returned from the National Worship Leader Conference, hosted by Worship Leader Magazine. In his article, he reflected on the state of worship, specifically regarding the role of worship leader.
He picked up on a theme that has been building in the church universal for a while now, which he referred to it as "performancism." The worship leader as the performer. The congregation as the audience. The sanctuary as the concert hall.
I agree. It's a worrisome thought and it's something I've also seen growing in the past decade.
Where did it come from?
How did this tendency arise? That's a tough question. I suppose the easiest answer is that anything God intended for good can be turned bad by the father of lies. I will be the first to admit that standing before hundreds of people to lead and direct their worship by using your own talents is fertile ground for the seed of pride to root and grow. It is something that all worship leaders must guard their heart against.
I also believe that the rise of worship music as a popular medium has also contributed to performancism. Before I get bashed here, let me first say that I love worship music and it's an important part of my life. There's nothing better than dialing up KLOVE or Air1 in the car. It's meant to be uplifting and it is.
But again, anything good can be turned to bad with the wrong heart direction. In the early 2000's, we saw the rise of Chris Tomlin, Lincoln Brewster and Michael W. Smith's worship albums. There were others who shared in the same vein. This was quickly followed by "worship-oriented music" by Building 429, Casting Crowns, Jeremy Camp and others. Many of these songs were adopted into corporate worship, and rightfully so. The model of worship-minister-turned-professional-musician was born.
While I'm certain most, if not all, of these professionals you hear on the radio came into their international recognition with a good heart, great intentions and amazing results, it's still easy to see how this would be enticing to the everyday worship leader who's muddling away in the trenches on a weekly basis. The opportunity to be seen and heard on a larger scale is a desire for most musicians out there, and desire can easily become a temptation.
What should it be?
I need to stress that performance of Christian music is not bad in and of itself. I did it for 11 years all over the world. Still, there is a distinct difference in the performance of Christian music and the leading of corporate worship. I certainly believe that everything we offer God, especially in corporate worship, needs to be of the highest caliber. I am a big devotee of Willow Creek and their approach to the quality of worship arts, but there is much more to consider when leading worship than the presentation of good music and how good the "performance" may be.
Let me quote Jamie on this one:
"Sing songs people know (or can learn easily). Sing them in congregational keys. Sing and celebrate the power, glory, and salvation of God. Serve your congregation. Saturate them with the word of God. Get your face off the big screen. Use your original songs in extreme moderation. Err on the side of including as many people as possible in what's going on. Keep the lights up. Stop talking so much. Don't let loops/lights/visuals become your outlet for creativity at the expense of the centrality of the gospel. Point to Jesus. Don't draw attention to yourself. Don't sing songs with bad lyrics or weak theology. Tailor your worship leading, and the songs you pick, to include the largest cross-section of your congregation that you can. Lead pastorally."
The leading of corporate worship is a high calling and one that should not be taken lightly. Our job is to point people to Christ. If that leads to a larger audience, then let the glory be to God. If not, you're calling is already fulfilled.
The Fab 3 Strike Again
My son, Austin, has released his third video in the series of five he must do as his Senior Project in high school. This time, he went for a classic (at least in my opinion). He chose The Beatles' tune Come Together. Enjoy!


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About Samsung Geeks
Best and Worst Features Of Samsung Galaxy S8May 18, 2017 | Samsung Geeks
Lots of you have been in touch asking what are the best and worst features of the Samsung Galaxy S8. So here's our run down on things we love and things that don't quite float our boat about the S8.
Common S8 Issues And How To Fix ThemMay 16, 2017 | Samsung Geeks
The Galaxy S8 and S8+ are supremely popular, and some believe they are the best smartphones that have been released so far. However, regardless of their amazing 5.8 inch OLED display, Mobile HDR Premium certification, screen to body ratio, face … Read More
Galaxy S8 vs iPhone 7May 9, 2017 | Samsung Geeks
There was a time when Apple lead and other premium brands followed. But it seems those days have passed. When it comes to comparing the Samsung Galaxy S8 with the iPhone 7, the master has clearly become student, with the … Read More
Infinity Blade 3 For Samsung/Android 2017May 4, 2017 | Samsung Geeks
Looking for Infinity Blade 3 for Samsung? There's no disputing that Infinity Blade 3 is flipping fantastic. With its mind blowing graphics, and awesome characters, it is no surprise statistics show 4 years after it was released it had over … Read More
Switching from iPhone to Samsung: What you need to knowApril 25, 2017 | Samsung Geeks
Once leaders in the field, Apple have met a chief rival in Samsung, with many long-term iPhone users now making the switch. Switching from iPhone to Samsung can be a bit of a faff to begin with – especially as … Read More
Samsung alternatives to Apple iMovieApril 18, 2017 | Samsung Geeks 1
iPhone users rave about Apple iMovie. It is a pretty good app for video editing, but unfortunately its not available for Android. But have no fear! Whether you're an avid Apple fan and suddenly found yourself in the hands of a Samsung, … Read More
What is Bixby AI Assistant?April 6, 2017 | Samsung Geeks
Bixby is Samsung's new AI assistant for their S8 and S8+ devices, and is a strong rival to Apple's Siri, Google's Assistant, Amazon's Alexa, and Microsoft's Cortana.
Samsung claim Bixby rivals the competition in three core areas.
1: "Completeness"
The … Read More
Complete List of Samsung Mobiles with Micro SD SlotsMarch 31, 2017 | Samsung Geeks
Removable storage, usually in the form of micro SD slots, has come to be expected as a staple feature of any decent mobile phone, like a camera or volume control. It is just one of those features that we would … Read More
What's The Difference Between The Samsung Note & Samsung S?March 29, 2017 | Samsung Geeks
Samsung has been one of the few companies to successfully design phone models that take on Apple and its game-changing iPhone. The Galaxy S model, launched in 2010, was the real game-changer that took many people away from their Apple … Read More
What is Samsung J series?March 27, 2017 | Samsung Geeks 1
The Samsung J series is the entry level smartphone for the Samsung Galaxy range, sitting below the more well-known S and A range.
To put it bluntly, the Samsung J series is on the budget end. It's Samsung's effort … Read More


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The drive itself is small, just 41x152x219 mm in size. However, one main use of this drive is portability, and the hard drive is small, but it could be smaller to make it easier to carry. It weighs about 2 pounds and 11 ounces, which is manageable.
The drive has a nice bluish shiny coat, and black rubber corners. The front of the drive has two LED lights (one is orange, the other is green), and the OneTouch button. The back has a power port, a USB 2.0 port, and two FireWire ports. The bottom has a sticker with information on the drive, including the serial #.
Unfortunately, Maxtor didn't put a power switch on the drive. This isn't a big complaint, but it would have been nice.


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2019-2020 Catalog
Where We Will Be
You can find Green Fuse® Botanicals at some of the industry's key events and tradeshows across North America. Please stop by to see Green Fuse® Botanicals' products in person, and to discuss how we can help you bring your business to the next level of success. We look forward to seeing you!
2019 California Spring Trials
March 23, 2019 to March 27, 2019
8:00AM to 5:00PM
15245 W. Telegraph Road
Santa Paula, CA 93060
July 13-16, 2019
Find Green Fuse® Botanicals at Booth #861


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I just realised that the series of pages I put together while back regarding setting up and using a personal (or local) certificate authority was missing the final page, giving examples of an application making use of the CA.
https://github.com/slugbucket/package-inventory-server/tree/cert_based_client_registration contains some rough examples of such an application.
I was really interested in making sure I developed a set of tests before adding more functionality and then I got distracted with other work projects.
The code in the branch isn't entirely practical and my Python is not far from laughable but it does kinda work and can help illustrate the principles.
The Python service in PackageInventoryServer.py can be run using,
uwsgi --ini application.ini
nd can easily be provided over https with a build of nginx with uwsgi added and including the following directives in a 'location /' block,
include uwsgi_params; uwsgi_pass unix:/tmp/PackageInventoryServer.sock;
Then running a test command like the following should show some hits on the uwsgi application terminal and a file in the cache directory for the hostnme,
curl -v https://inventory-master.localdomain/package-inventory/packages/new -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d '{"hostname": "fnunbob.localdomain", "Packages": [{"Version": "1:1.2.8-7", "Architecture": "x86_64", "Name": "zlib", "Description": "Compression library implementing the deflate compression method found in gzip and PKZIP", "URL": "http://www.zlib.net/"}]}'
This should return a warning about invalid certificates for the request. But when we combine the command with options for the client certificate and key chain we get a more favourable response,
--cacert /path/to/client-cert-auth/intermediate-ca/certs/ca-chain.cert.pem --cert /path/to/package-inventory-server/python/ssl/fnunbob.localdomain.cert.pem --key /path/to/package-inventory-server/python/ssl/fnunbob.localdomain.key.pem
Using the client test program, python post-host-packages.py, will post a full package inventory from the localhost with the results saved on the cache directory.


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Permits & Licensing
Information on City of Gold Coast permits and licensing requirements can be found from this page. To find a topic, scroll through the full list below (this is sorted alphabetically by category) or search using specific keywords or categories in the search fields below. Click 'Go' to activate the search.
- Search results
- Entertainment
Busking is permitted within the Gold Coast CBD (Southport), in parts of the southern Gold Coast (Coolangatta/Kirra/Tugun), Surfers Paradise, Burleigh Heads and Broadbeach.
Displaying 1 – 1 of 1 items
- Libraries
- Media Centre
- Find a park
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- Find a waste centre
- Report a problem
- Contact us
- Forms & applications
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- Have your say
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- Disaster management
- Community Directory
Trending pages


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A teenage girl was allegedly gangraped in Risia area here by four youths, who also prepared MMS of the act and circulated it, police said today.
The incident took place on April 6 when Dildaar Khan, Mahmood Khan, Dawood Mirza and Azam Mira caught the 16-years old girl, dragged her to field and raped her, they said.
They also made MMS of the act and circulated it among their friends.
An FIR has been registered in the matter and police has launched a manhunt to nab the accused, police said.


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PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES (STANDARDS OF CONDUCT) [YOUR COMPANY NAME] wishes to create a work environment that promotes job satisfaction, respect, responsibility, and value for all of our employees, clients, customers and other stakeholders. Every employee at [YOUR COMPANY NAME] has a shared responsibility toward improving the quality of the work environment. By agreeing to work at [YOUR COMPANY NAME] you have agreed to follow the company's rules and to refrain from conduct which is detrimental to our goals. The prohibited conduct that is listed below is not an inclusive list, as the company cannot, with foresight, d
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Someone revved the living crap out of a Ford GT race car at the Concours d'Elegance of America, and I was right there behind the exhaust pipe recording while simultaneously having an eargasm. Prepare to hear the most beautiful sound that has ever entered your cochleas.
After someone hooked up some jumper cables to a 2006 Ford GT race car, a woman hopped behind the wheel and fired up the greatest sounding engine I've ever heard—one that has fundamentally changed me as a person. Hold on to something firmly, and click play:
This car was in a line of Ford GTs sitting on the fairway at St. John's golf course in Plymouth, Michigan. This particular one, called the Ford GT-R, was was owned by Doran Racing from Cincinnati, and was prepped for the GT-2 Class with the ultimate goal of racing the 24-hours of Le Mans.
Its GT-2 days are over, so the only chance you'll have to see the car lets its 560-horsepower, 330 cubic-inch V8 loose is at Sportscar Vintage Racing Association events. And you should totally go, if only for the sound track.