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Hello lovelies,
I'm feeling a lot more cheery today. Yesterday I was just in such a meh mood, which once I heard various other things it just made me a lot more weepy and a lot worse. I'm not really sure why but after a nice long sleep, I woke up today feeling very refreshed and ready to have the ultimate chill day.
So what have I actually been up to? Well when I woke up at 8 I just lounged around for a bit. I was supposed to be going out, I may as well tell you now that I had a date. I cancelled it. Sarcasm or not, telling a girl "No, I don't even want to see you" is that worst thing to say before meeting them. He messaged seeing if we were still on for the date, after a few question mark messages I replied with "No. Sarcasm or not that just upset me. I'm fine thanks". I felt like an empowered woman. It's a shame though, not much added up about him but he seemed lovely. I wanted there to be a spark, like I wanted butterflies but I just wasn't getting them.
The previous one you all know about, well that was there with him. This has sort of put it in perspective for me, as hard as it is being the only single person.......well I'm just fine on my own. I'm my own person and the thought of someone compromising that annoys me. The right ones out there but until he shows himself to be decent and everything I want.......for now I'll stay single. I'm not getting into a relationship that's questionable from the start.
Anyway off from that, I had a rather festive day. I got photos for a few blogmas posts I've got coming up. I spent my afternoon surrounded by brown paper, red ribbon and lots of bows. I finished writing my Christmas cards, wrapped all of L's presents and then thought of the cutest little thing for L and chummy. Like I'm even making a post out of it because I love the idea so much. I also spoke to L to see when he was free so I can give him his Christmas stuff, he said either Christmas eve or when he does his gift run. It was nice to actually hear from him. He's the only guy I trust with anything and the only man outside my family who's proved he's a decent human, the rest just irritate me ever so slightly. Here's a little look at chummys gifts all wrapped up, I will be doing a post on everything I used and that in a few days I think.
I had a very lovely dinner and made sure every ones Christmas presents are now tucked away safely. I also listened to Christmas songs all day which just took my mind off of everything that's been going on.


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101-B Centerpoint Rd.
San Marcos, TX 78666
ph: 512-256-1220
fax: 512-692-1919
Rev. Robert Wayland "Bob" Elliott went be with his Lord and Savior on June 30, 2017.
Bob was born March 17, 1939 in Columbus, Kansas to Rev. Clarence Wayland and Ora Marie (Jarrett) Elliott. He married Colleene January in Dallas, Texas on February 22, 1963.
Bob served in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War era in the Marine Corps Air Wing, VMA 223. He served overseas in Japan (Okinawa), the Philippines, and Taiwan. He was a member of the Marine Corp Drum and Bugle Corp while stationed at Millington Naval Air Station in Tennessee. Bob was selected as Marine of the Month three times in his MAG Unit earning him two meritorious promotions. He also served as the Chapel Choir Director and worship leader while stationed in Iwakuni, Japan. He was proud to serve his country. Semper Fi.
Bob was a graduate of Southwestern Oklahoma State University and Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He served churches in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, California, New Mexico, and Texas over 55 years of ministry. He served positions of leadership in the Kansas/Nebraska Baptist Convention, the Oklahoma Baptist General Convention, the Baptist General Convention of Texas, and the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. He followed a line of ministers dating back to his great-great grandfather.
"Bobby" as he was know by his family and many friends, was a kind, loving man that had a heart as big as Texas. He was an amazing husband, father and grandfather. He never let us down and was always an example. His love of serving others was evident in his daily life. He never met a stranger and never missed an opportunity to be a witness and tell others about his faith. Our hearts are heavy and we miss him so much, but are thankful for the time we had together.
He was preceded in death by his father, Rev. Clarence W. Elliott; his mother, Ora Marie Elliott; his mother and father-in-law Mr. Verdell and Mrs. Anna Margaret January and his beautiful niece, Megan Wickell.
He is survived by his loving wife, Colleene, of 54 years; his daughter Jan Margaret Blex; his granddaughter, Alyssa Paige Settle and spouse Dorman; his grandson, Robert Taylor Blex and 2 great grandsons that he adored, Hunter and Fisher Hight. He is also survived by two brothers John Elliott and wife Marilyn of Overland Park, Kansas and Dale Elliott of Wichita, Kansas and numerous nieces and nephews as well as great nieces and nephews, and cousins and their families.
Although Jan was an only child, Bobby inherited 3 more daughters, Kellie Holt, Jacqueline Garcia and Brandie Beall. He cherished these daughters as his own.
A Celebration of his life will be held at Calvary Baptist Church in San Marcos, Texas on Saturday, July 22, 2017 at 3:00 PM.
101-B Centerpoint Rd.
San Marcos, TX 78666
ph: 512-256-1220
fax: 512-692-1919

subset: commoncrawl


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Nine refugees accused of Austria gang rape, stoking election fears
Nine Iraqi refugees have been arrested in Austria on suspicion of gang-raping a 28-year-old German woman in a case that could ignite debate of immigration and crime ahead of this Autumn's presidential election re-run.
The arrest of the nine Iraqis, all either asylum seekers or recently granted asylum, comes as Austria's anti-immigrant Freedom Party seeks to over-turn the result of June's presidential election after mounting a successful legal challenge to pave the way for a re-run on October 2.
The arrests were made over the weekend, police confirmed, after DNA evidence and CCTV camera footage was used to build a case against the nine asylum seekers.
The woman filed the complaint on January 1 but it took nearly eight months of what Austrian police called a "protracted and difficult" investigation before the arrest were made.
The alleged attack took place on New Year's Eve at an apartment in Vienna where the woman, who was visiting from the German state of Lower Saxony, was visiting to celebrate the New Year with a friend.
The suspects range in age from 21 to 47, said Vienna police spokesman Paul Eidenberger. "There is no doubt about the gang rape according to the biological traces," the police spokesman told Der Spiegel.
"The investigations were difficult and protracted. On the trail of the suspects, investigators came by DNA material, interviews with witnesses and images from surveillance cameras."
They are alleged to have taken the woman from Vienna's central Schwedenplatz and then assaulted her in an apartment where two of the suspects lived, between the hours of 2am and 6am.
The men - five of whom were arrested in Vienna, three in Styria and one in Lower Austria - have all denied the accusations and police added they were unable to say how many of the men had participated in the alleged attack, and how many were possible accessories in the case.
The woman, who had been drinking and suspects she was drugged, had no recollection of being taken to the apartment, the police added.
"The presumed perpetrators are likely to have taken advantage of the female victim's high level of inebriation," they said in a statement.
On news websites in Austria some readers demanded the men be "immediately deported" if they are convicted of the rape.
The news of the attack comes as Austria prepares for a re-run of its presidential election which last June saw the far-Right Freedom Party losing out to a Green Party candidate by less than one per cent of the vote.
Although Austria did not experience scenes like those in the German city of Cologne on New Year's Eve, when hundreds of women told police they had been groped, attacked and robbed by mobs of men, immigration and crime has become a super-sensitive political issue.
Although Austria's government initially supported Angela Merkel's open immigration policies, it has since adopted a tougher line, organising a conference in February to close the so-called 'Western Balkan route' by which refugees were streaming in to Europe.
Immigrants have been accused of isolated sexual and other attacks committed in Austria, and the far-right Freedom Party, which is running first in opinion polls, has seized on cases in which immigrants have been accused of crimes to press for stricter immigration policies.
Norbert Hofer, the Freedom Party candidate, has further stoked anti-immigrant sentiment, promising to ban burqas and take his country out of the European Union if Turkey is ever allowed to join.


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The first thing you notice when you climb into a old Beetle are the doors. Calling them thin is a bit of an understatement. They seem to exist simply because doors are required, not because they would stop anything larger than a wayward cyclist. They shut with a not-so-reassuring click, and if you put any force into shutting them the car shakes. The seats are the kind of thing that the 1960's auto industry built, without any kind of headrest, because safety is overrated. Having exclusively driven modern cars, my mind started to conjure up NTSB crash test videos of 1960's Chevy Malibu's crumpling like tin cans.
The Beetle I was driving belongs to my friend's grandfather. He was kind enough to let me drive it on the twisty back roads of Bodega Bay, California. This particular Beetle is a '61 ragtop – and other then a small dent and some rust on the bumpers, it looks like it just rolled out of the showroom. One of the most charming aspects of the Beetle is its simplicity. It has four knobs in the interior – headlights, wipers, radio, and heater down by the gear lever. Seat belts were added, and it was converted to a 12-volt system rather than the original 6-volt system.
None of the technical stuff matters when you drive the Beetle on a back road. I've talked to plenty of enthusiasts about the sensation of speed and how fun it can be to drive a slow car fast. The most common fun car that enthusiasts talk about is not surprisingly, the Mazda Miata. A slick shifting manual, a decent helping of body roll, and a drop top help make driving a Miata at 40 feel like 50. Screw that, driving a '61 Beetle at 40 feels like 80. The speed is irreverent – not just because you don't stand a chance of breaking any speed limits without a runway's worth of straightaway, but because the wind noise and clattering make you feel like you are going stupidly fast when you would be hard pressed to pace a UPS truck.
I spent the better part of the day driving the Beetle and it put a smile on my face the entire time. The engine is louder than most modern sports cars and it battles with the road noise and wind for attention. It's absolutely glorious. You don't care about lateral G force or pushing the car to it's limit, it's just pure fun.
Modern car culture is so obsessed with horsepower and zero to sixty times that we forget the most important part of any car is how it makes you feel. The Beetle, with its 40 odd horsepower and suspension that has a mind of its own is the most fun I've had in any car this year. People like the Beetle. Mustang owners and Camaro owners wave at you. Even Jeep owners break from the cult to let you in. It is a car that makes you feel good, and makes people around it feel good. Isn't that what a fun car is all about?


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Virtual Tour
|Click below to take your very own virtual tour of one of our Swimtastic Swim School Facilities...
Note: Although our facilities are quite similar and all follow the same concepts, there may be slight structural differences from one location to the next. Swimtastic of Lincoln, Nebraska is on display below.
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text: Bob Humphrey - February 09, 2011 Band Tales: One Year Apart A hunter kills a matched pair of geese in consecutive seasons. By Bob Humphrey Over the past 20 years, resident Canada geese populations have grown from a novelty to a nuisance. One of the benefits to waterfowlers, however, is additional goose seasons. Designed to target resident geese in deference to their migrant cousins, these hunts typically occur earlier in the fall, when conditions are often quite mild and comfortable.It was on just such a bluebird day that Mike Coffman found himself in a goose blind not far from his Roann, Ind., home. The geese were flying that day. As one group worked toward Coffman, he noticed something peculiar. He zeroed in on the odd-looking bird and neatly dropped it with one shot. Upon retrieving it, his suspicions were confirmed. Not only was the old gander wearing jewelry, it also sported a dandy ascot, in the form of a white neck collar. The U.S. Geological Survey certificate he received for reporting his recovery confirmed the bird was indeed a local goose, banded four years earlier and just 10 miles from where it was killed. But the story doesn't end there. Almost exactly a year later, Coffman was back at it, hunting the same blind for another shot at the early-season geese."Everything was the pretty much the same except for the year," he said. And he wasn't just referring to the weather. The geese were flying and, as a small bunch bore down on his location, Coffman was suddenly overcome with a sensation of deja vu."Could it be?" he thought as he singled out yet another neck-collared goose. The hunter took careful aim, not wanting to miss such a rare trophy. Just as he had the year before, Coffman dropped the bird neatly, this time into the pond he hunted over.Approaching the upturned bird, he could see the silver leg band. But when he hefted the goose out of the water, he got a ghastly surprise. Coffman's aim was so good that he literally shot the bird's head off. The collar had sunk to the bottom of the pond.Fortunately, he still had the band, which he promptly phoned in to the proper authorities. Not only was his second Canada goose a resident bird, it was banded on the same day by the same bander as the previous season's goose. The band numbers were only 23 apart, proof positive the early resident goose seasons are accomplishing the intended objective. GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing. Sign Me Up


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Trevor and Dave take you on a tour of their community garden. They discuss what works and doesn't work when it comes to gardening, a few friends show up, and they discuss feeling like they embarrassed themselves in front of the cool kids.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram @thebooksareboringpodcast or on Twitter @booksRboring
Theme song by Chris Vandenberg.
Send your questions to firstname.lastname@example.com


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The Temple IV Studio Apartment is located in one of Paris' most cherished quartiers: le Marais.
This stylish apartment has a modern twist with an authentic atmosphere, featuring a naked stonewall, exposed beams ceilings and a wooden stairway which leads you to the mezzanine.
The living/dining area is fitted out with a double sofa bed, an elegant armchair, a modernist lamp and a very large closet. The dining table is next to the fully equipped and modern kitchen. The bathroom is fresh and perky in white & red tiles. This lovely nest welcomes up to two guests.


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Co-founder David Minicucci talks about the city's newest restaurant festival
Photo by Rick O'Brien
Remember the first Winterlicious festival in 2003?
"It was just after SARS," says David Minicucci. "The idea was to help the industry recover and promote the independent, neighbourhood restaurants during the slow season.
"There were only 30 restaurants participating and the fixed price was $20.03 wherever you went – because it was 2003. It was beautiful because it was all these little mom-and-pop restaurants around the city, people working 70-80 hours a week to support their families."
But today the Toronto "Licious" festivals (Summer & Winter-licious) have grown to over 200 restaurants of all types and sizes, and for many independents like Minicucci's L'Unità (134 Avenue Rd.) it's just not as effective as it once was.
That's what got he and his friends in the Consorzio di Ristoranti Italiani – a loose association of Italian restaurants in Toronto – thinking about an alternative, something closer in spirit to the original 'Licious festival.
"It had to be fun, and tell a story," says Minicucci, but at the same time "the menu had to be hardcore. As authentic and traditional as possible, to really make people say 'wow,' because it features certain dishes you can't normally do in our day-to-day restaurant settings."
It didn't take long for the group to hit on the idea of a restaurant festival featuring regionally themed, fixed price menus, a perfect vehicle for showcasing the diversity and seasonality of Italian cuisine.
Each restaurant picks one of Italy's twenty different regions to highlight for the week, and they chose the name Giro d'Italia (Tour of Italy) because it gives you the opportunity to take a virtual trip around the peninsula during the festival.
David Minicucci's L'Unità showcases dishes from his home region, Molise. Photo by Rick O'Brien
Andrew Milne-Allan brings little known cuisine of Sardinia to uptown eatery Zucca. Photo by Rick O'Brien
Ardo's Roberto Marotta takes a hiatus from Sicily to offer a classic Tuscan menu. Photo by Rick O'Brien
All restaurants offer a traditional 4-course Italian meal (antipasto, primo, secondo, dolce & formaggio) for $49, with select restaurants also offering a slimmed down 3-course meal for $29.
The set-menu format gives chefs the opportunity to experiment with lesser known dishes or regional cuisines (Molise, Marche, Sardegna). Or to simply do something out of the ordinary, like the Sicilian restaurant Ardo offering a Tuscan menu.
"In the winter we did Emilia-Romagna," says Minicucci about the inaugural Giro D'Italia that took place in January of 2017. "And it was cool the way everyone from the kitchen to the front of house learned about the region – the culture, the history, the industry, in addition to the food and wine.
Bricco executive chef Cherie Dee Leal cooks up Sicilian classics in the Junction. Photo by Rick O'Brien
Fabio Bondi offers highlights from Lazio at Local Kitchen in Parkdale. Photo by Rick O'Brien
Photo by Rick O'Brien
"You think about all the great products that come from there – the cars and designers, plus the salumi, the balsamico, the parmigiano. We were even able to bring in some hard-to-find wines from the area. It gave our staff and customers a new appreciation for the cuisine and the culture."
There are sixteen restaurants participating in the summer edition Giro, happening July 20-30, up from ten in January. And while it might be nice to get to twenty restaurants, one for each Italian region, by the next Giro, that's not what's really important to Minicucci and the Consorzio.
"The biggest comment I got from customers last time was 'what's in it for you? Aren't you promoting your competitors?' Yes, but they're also my friends and colleagues, we grew up in the restaurant business together. I want you to go check out their restaurants and tell me what you think. Because ultimately what I want, and what we all want as a group, is to promote Italian food and culture in this city."
"To be honest, what I get out of this the most is fun. And as long as it's fun we're going to keep doing it."
The summer 2017 edition of Giro d'Italia happens July 20-30 at 16 Italian restaurants across the city. See below for the complete list or visit www.girotoronto.ca for full details.
Mercatto Chef Doug Neigel highlights the flavours of Puglia in the financial district. Photo by Rick O'Brien
Ascari Enoteca's John Sinopoli brings a taste of Emilia-Romagna to Leslieville. Photo by Rick O'Brien
Photo by Rick O'Brien
Participating Restaurants: Giro D'Italia Summer 2017
Ardo – Toscana – www.ardorestaurant.com
Aria – Piemonte – www.ariaristorante.ca
Ascari Enoteca – Emilia Romagna – www.ascarienoteca.ca
Bricco – Sicilia – www.briccowinebar.com
Enoteca Sociale – Liguria – www.sociale.ca
F'Amelia – Basilicata – www.famelia.com
L'Unità – Molise – www.lunita.ca
Local Kitchen – Lazio – www.localkitchen.ca
Locale Mercatto – Puglia – www.localemercatto.ca
Mistura – Abruzzo – www.mistura.ca
Noce – Le Marche – www.nocerestaurant.ca
Oretta – Veneto – www.oretta.to
Paese – Calabria – www.paeseristorante.com
Quanto Basta – Campania – www.quantobasta.ca
Stelvio – Lombardia – www. stelviotoronto.ca
Zucca – Sardegna – www.zuccatrattoria.com


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I hate the winter.
I hate the cold.
I hate the dark.
That is not in any way conducive to living a happy life in Glasgow, where in November there are on average only eight hours of daylight. Not even the good hours of daylight, where it's all sunshine and blue skies and crispy leaves underfoot, November in Glasgow involves a lot of grey.
It's very easy to want to hibernate, but of course that is a Catch-22, if you stay inside all the time the world grows smaller, until it seems as though the walls of your own bedroom are as far away as South America. Every year the same thing happens, it starts getting dark- staying dark- my alarm goes off in the morning I think it's malfunctioning. I can't admit to myself it's that dark outside and in time to get up.
So I don't. I pull the covers up I roll over and the stay in bed where it is warm, where I can dream about sunny days. It is the easiest thing in the world for me to stay in bed. I know that's no way to live and a tumbler is not a replacement for friendship. I know that doing things is infinitely more enjoyable than not doing anything. I know toast is not a meal when it is all you eat for five days. I know I could be happier, but I don't care.
I know this will pass. I know that in a few short months the days will be longer, the skies will be blue again and I will be happy. Every year it myself at the next one will be different, that this is the last November I will waste drowning in depression.
Who knows, maybe next year will be the year it comes true.


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Insurgent shale: prospects and perils for US LNG exports
Published June 2018
The emergence of the US as a major exporter has rapidly transformed the way the global LNG industry operates, but its economic success will not come without challenges, first and foremost from a potential bottleneck at the Panama Canal.
The Chinese dream: Energy and commodities in an era of change
Published May 2018
This report discusses China's current policy direction - now reinforced under a more empowered President Xi Jinping - and its wider implications for global commodity markets.
Beijing's visible hand: China's demand for iron ore and scrap through 2020
Ongoing production curtailments appear to be the "new normal" in China's steel industry. This is spurring the growth of new electric arc furnace capacity, much of which is being brought on in place of the traditional steelmaking route. S&P Global Platts examines how this may affect scrap usage and iron ore imports.
European Gas Daily: Platts guide to EU-Russian natural gas relations
This guide looks at relations between the EU and Russia in different natural gas-related areas, and gives an overall assessment of the relationship.
Benchmarks give way: How global met coal markets are changing with the adoption of spot price indexes
Published April 2018
Pricing in metallurgial or coking coal markets has entered a distinct new phase. Increased spot market activity, the use of futures and hedging, and the adoption of different price structures in coking coal are all part of longer-term trends that are transforming the market globally, in a way not unlike the changes seen in the iron ore market earlier this decade.
Logistics: Adapting to the expected surge in US polyethylene exports
Published March 2018
As new polymer capacities come online in the US Gulf Coast region, logistics players, from ports to packagers to railroads, are stepping up to get the resin moving.
Taiwan: Seizing opportunities in a changing world
This report provides an illustrated overview of the current state of the Taiwan petrochemicals market, including trade flows and interactions with other regional and global markets for olefins, polyolefins, aromatics, and polyethylene.
Opportunities and challenges of China's LNG expansion
We explore the effects that China's growing exposure to spot LNG fundamentals and prices may have on domestic gas sector policies and international supply agreements.
Riding the wave: The Dated Brent benchmark at 30 years old and beyond
Published February 2018
As crude production in the North Sea continues to evolve, its role in an increasingly globalized market has started to shift, having an impact on Dated Brent and its position as a global oil benchmark. In this report, S&P Global Platts delves into the dynamics affecting the North Sea and Northwest Europe crude markets and the continuing evolution of Dated Brent.
Changing lanes: A roadmap for transport and future energy markets
S&P Global Platts investigates the potential impact on energy and metals markets from dramatic changes sweeping the transport sector, led by electric vehicles but also including other alternative fuels, autonomous vehicles, policy and changes in consumer behavior. Includes insight from across S&P Global and interviews with thought leaders from OPEC, Rio Tinto and Groupe PSA.
EMEA Petrochemical Outlook H1 2018
Published January 2018
Rising domestic feedstock costs and new global supply will set the tone for the European petrochemicals industry in 2018, with a higher oil price environment overshadowing three years of remarkable margins for European asset-holders. In what is shaping up to be a year of two halves, producers may experience an easier ride in the run-up to summer. Numerous planned outages at steam crackers across the region will tighten European supply and
allow greater scope for appreciating costs to be passed through to customers.
Americas Petrochemical Outlook H1 2018
Major capacity additions stand to again play a prominent role in key petrochemicals markets in the Americas in 2018 as the US industry rebounds from Hurricane Harvey-related disruptions and project delays. In fact, if 2017 is to be defined by Harvey and the havoc it wreaked on the industry, the new year has shaken things up from the outset. Strength in global crude prices and expectations of strong demand stemming from rebuilding efforts in North America are lifting some markets, while projections of ballooning surpluses are depressing others. Read this special report by the Americas petrochemicals team to learn more about the themes that stand to drive regional markets during the first half of 2018.
Asian Petrochemical Outlook H1 2018
Equities and crude oil prices have surged at the start of 2018 - but will Asian petrochemical markets follow suit? And will the Year of the Dog see the tides of Chinese imports turn, and see the Asian giant start to increase its export volumes? Many challenges and opportunities face these markets in the year to come, such as the potential for anti-dumping duties and rising cost of production. Read this special report by the Asian Petrochemical Team to learn more about the outlook in Asia for the year ahead.
Middle East refined fuels trading: New benchmarks beckon
Published December 2017
We explore the dynamics in the Middle East refined products market that are shaping a new trading hub and look at the evolution of the region's independent assessments that have the potential to become key price benchmarks in global trade.
Volatility Analysis: EMEA
Published November 2017
This report goes through the quantitative analysis of volatility fluctuations for the most important crude and petroleum products in Europe: Brent, Eurobob, ULSD ARA, Jet CIF NWE, and Rotterdam Fuel Oil 3.5%. The current analysis is based on October data.
Dawn of a global commodity: LNG trading transformed
Published October 2017
We examine the key forces driving commoditization in the LNG industry, and the actions industry stakeholders are taking to capture opportunities in the changing business landscape.
European Gas Daily: Platts guide to EU-Russian energy relations
This guide looks at relations between the EU and Russia in different energy-related areas, and gives an overall assessment of the relationship.
The new revolution: how American shale is transforming European petrochemicals
Published September 2017
The emergence of US shale looks set to bring about a transformation in the European petrochemicals sector. What are the options for companies in the region as they strive to improve their productivity and performance?
ASEAN: Emerging Among Giants
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is set to have a significant impact on energy and commodities in the coming decades, as the region's demand climbs due to favorable geography and demographics.
Mexico's energy transformation takes hold
Published August 2017
Massive free-market changes are taking place across a broad spectrum of Mexico's energy industry, transforming the upstream, midstream and downstream areas of the natural gas, power and petroleum sectors. But the next year may end up being the most critical in determining how successful Mexico has been in dismantling its government monopolies and creating open market conditions.
Americas Petrochemical Outlook H2 2017
Published July 2017
After a strong start to 2017, key petrochemicals markets in the Americas enter the second half of the year with subdued expectations amid sub-$50/barrel oil, renewed political instability in key economies and capacity expansions in the US Gulf Coast region that stand to impact supply/demand balances. This report highlights the key themes that stand to shape petrochemicals markets in the Americas during the second half of 2017.
EMEA Petrochemical Outlook H2 2017
Rising global supply will set the tone for the balance of 2017 in European olefin and polymer markets as trans-Atlantic shale shipments gather momentum across the feedstock chain, creating new sources of cheap supply for European buyers. Aromatics and solvents markets also look set for a more bearish second half of the year as domestic stocks replenish and imports return to the region.
Asia Petrochemical Outlook H2 2017
Published June 2017
What stands out as the key trend in the second half of 2017 for many Asian petrochemical markets — olefins, polymers and aromatics alike — is the expectation of increasing supply. This as well as other factors will play a part in how the rest of the year pans out.
Mammoth moves: An analysis from CRISIL, an S&P Global company
In the past three years, the Modi government has tackled some elephants in the room. Relentless implementation is crucial to the next leg of growth, as details in this report from CRISIL.
Tackling 2020: the impact of the IMO and how shipowners can deal with tighter sulfur limits
Published May 2017
The International Maritime Organization's decision to tighten sulfur limits on bunker fuel has left shipowners with a dilemma they continue to brush aside. S&P Global Platts weighs up the options and the implications for the shipping industry, the market and refiners as the 2020 deadline approaches.
Western European refineries and acidity in crude oil
Driven by the growing availability of higher acid crudes, more and more refiners have become adept at processing such Western European Market crudes, with various strategies emerging to handle them. S&P Global Platts tracks the recent evolution of this key market.
US LNG: a benchmark for the future
We examine the US LNG market, the distinct characteristics of US LNG, and how the global market is fundamentally changing the way LNG is traded and priced. We also explore a number of the key factors that will fuel this transformation, from the impressive volumes delivered from the Sabine Pass terminal to future trends and outlook for global LNG.
'Make in India,' A new window of opportunity for commodities
Published April 2017
The "Make in India" campaign aims to boost manufacturing's share of the economy from 16% now to 25% by 2025. The push to expand manufacturing will trigger massive requirement for oil, gas and other resources. Find out more about the opportunities and challenges in India's commodities landscape.
Developments in the ferrous market across paper, port and physical aspects
The ferrous market has evolved significantly towards greater transparency and efficiency, with growth in the derivatives sector. S&P Global Platts tracks the recent evolution across the derivatives, physical and port stock markets, to understand both its development so far and potential for growth in the future.
French Presidential Elections: Crunch time for the country's energy mix
France is facing its most uncertain presidential elections in decades. The outcome is critical not just on a geopolitical level, but also in terms national energy policy, with nuclear the key battleground. In this special report, S&P Global Platts analyses the impact of the two main candidates' energy views.
Middle East emerges as LNG demand center
Published March 2017
The Middle East, traditionally associated with large-scale LNG exports, has become one of the fastest growing demand centers for the commodity. Over the past three years, LNG imports into the region have grown by more than 380%, at a time when deliveries to traditional demand centers have been relatively stagnant or in decline.
Ring in the new resin – added polyethylene capacity could reshape North American market - but when?
Polyethylene market participants have been watching the clock, anticipating the potential impact of a flood of new resin set to come online during 2017. This reports looks at current market dynamics to understand the potential impact of these new pellets.
The aromatics conundrum and the ever important role of toluene
As oil prices show signs of recovery, those gains are trickling downstream. This report looks at the US aromatics markets and explores the margins producers are enjoying, with special attention on the importance of toluene as we approach the US driving season.
Gazprom vs Naftogaz: Gas war to be settled in Stockholm?
We examine the origins of the current arbitration dispute between Russia's gas giant and Ukraine's state gas company, and spell out the gas market implications of whatever rulings the court makes. What are the complexities of the legal arguments and what are possible future scenarios?
Loop Sour Crude: A benchmark for the future
LOOP Sour crude, which encompasses the value of both domestic US and imported medium sour crude, has increasingly become a key part of the USGC crude complex and provides a valuable price point for physical sour crude barrels traded and refined on the US Gulf Coast.
This report goes through the quantitative analysis of volatility fluctuations for the most important crude and petroleum products in Europe: Brent, Eurobob, ULSD ARA, Jet CIF NWE, and Rotterdam Fuel Oil 3.5%. The current analysis is based on February data.
US LNG vs pipeline gas: European market share war?
Published February 2017
The response to US LNG from the traditional suppliers of gas to the European market has already been marked - with gas demand only steady in Europe, pipeline flows from Russia, Algeria and Norway have been significantly up on previous years. Are state-controlled gas exporters producing at full blast despite low prices to retain European market share?
Volatility Analysis: Americas
Published January 2017
This report goes through the quantitative analysis of volatility fluctuations for the most important crude and petroleum products in Americas: WTI, RBOB, ULSD USGC, Jet USGC and Fuel Oil 3% USGC. The current analysis is based on December data.
Bringing transparency to European olefin and polymer contract prices
Feedback from the market suggests that there's a dislocation between the published contract price and the actual price that has been paid. As a result we recently made a change to our methodologies. We see this as essential to bringing transparency to the polymer contract market. This report explains the detail of these changes.
Container Shipping: What next for the smaller TEU fleet?
The world is becoming an ever smaller place and the ability to conduct business with the most competitive companies globally is paramount for survival. The emphasis on customer needs now provides competitive advantage, and in the case of the container market, this may present opportunities for smaller TEU vessels for niche arbitrages in commodities like sugar, scrap or petrochemicals. Can the abandoned smaller TEU vessels become the workhorse for the customer focused container market?
Asia Petrochemical Outlook H1 2017 - Olefins and Polymers
Asian olefins and polymers markets will mostly face an oversupply situation, fueled in part by a lighter steam cracker turnaround season and fresh production capacity. Amid the supply and demand fundamentals, China's futures markets are expected to have a volatile impact on polymers markets. This outlook report highlights the key themes to look out for across Asia in 2017.
Asia Petrochemical Outlook H1 2017 - Aromatics & Blendstocks
Fresh supply is expected to enter Asia's aromatics markets over 2017, and the timing for the new aromatics plants will be crucial, especially as new downstream derivative plants start up and whether idle plants resume operations. This outlook report highlights the key themes to look out for across Asia in 2017.
European Petrochemical Outlook H1 2017
2017 is set to be one of two halves for many chemical commodities. A heavy turnaround season in Europe and Asia is expected to see a rise in many commodity grade chemical prices in the first half of the year, before a wave of additional cracker capacity comes online in the United States in the latter half of the year. This outlook report highlights the key themes to look out for across Europe in 2017.
Americas Petrochemical Outlook H1 2017
If you thought 2016 was intense, fasten your seatbelt because 2017 looks to give petrochemical markets in the Americas quite the ride. It promises to keep players on their toes, with major capacity expansions on the olefin and polymer sides set to come online in the US Gulf Coast region. This outlook report highlights the key themes to look out for across the North and Latin America in 2017.
Latin America's petrochemical dilemma
Published November 2016
Even as Mexico welcomes new capacity and Argentina's shale-fueled ambitions grow, the region grapples with limited investment and an uncertain future. This report explores the region's petrochemical landscape.
Iran: What is the state of play regarding petrochemical investments?
The easing of international sanctions has given the Iranian economy a lifeline to stabilize and grow on many fronts. So how is this playing out on the growth of the petrochemical industry, especially in ethylene and polyethylene?
This guide looks at relations between the EU and Russia in different energy-related areas, and gives an overall assessment of the relationship.
The IMO's 2020 global sulfur cap: What a 2020 sulfur-constrained world means for shipping lines, refineries and bunker suppliers
Published October 2016
On October 27 the UN's International Maritime Organization confirmed a 2020 start date for a much lower 0.5% global sulfur cap on marine fuels. With the uncertainty over, a sharply more regulated shipping emissions sector looms into view, with potentially a large increase in demand for middle distillates. What will the impact be on refiners, crude producers, bunker suppliers, and emissions?
Surging coking coal costs a boon for scrap prices?
This report examines the impact of rising coking coal prices out of Australia on the Turkish market for imported scrap.
2016 - A tale of two metals
This report provides a market overview on the non-ferrous metals market.
Platts Dry Bulk Market Survey
Despite the recent improvement in freight rates, the second annual Platts Dry Bulk Market Survey has revealed that participants remain overwhelmingly bearish on the potential timescale for a sustained recovery. Of over 120 respondents, some 94% believe that a prolonged rebound will not happen for at least another year.
What's behind high ethylene margins in Europe and Asia?
This Special Report investigates the factors that have led to the current high-profit environment. We look into the future to analyze what ethylene markets, sitting on the cusp of fundamental changes, should expect in the coming years.
Trump vs. Clinton: On energy, the stakes are high for renewables, coal
As with nearly every issue raised during this combative presidential campaign, the natural tension between environmental protection and the generation of electric power has revealed widely disparate positions by Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.
GCC's value-add push changes landscape across hydrocarbons, metals
In this special report, Platts commodity specialists look at the GCC's uneven success at moving local production downstream in hydrocarbons and industrial metals.
Hinkley Point C: The journey to final approval
The UK's Hinkley Point C nuclear power project's twin reactors are set to be the first built in the UK for over 20 years and could launch a nuclear renaissance in the country. This latest version of S&P Global Platts' special report tracks the UK government's approval decision, adds a chart showing how Hinkley's index linked strike price has risen since the initial 2012 agreement and includes recent news of downgrades for EDF from S&P Global Ratings and Moody's.
Japan's oil and LNG price evolution: On the path to transparency
In this special report, Platts looks at the ongoing changes in Japan's refining sector, potential development of new spot oil products price benchmarks, and the possible development of a spot LNG price benchmark.
Platts guide to Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipeline projects
Published September 2016
How does Russia's controversial planned 55 Bcm/year Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany compare with its existing Nord Stream 1 link? The two pipelines are technically almost identical, but this special report finds many differences in the market, political and regulatory conditions for each of them. It also includes the key milestones for both pipelines, plus a comprehensive map of Russia's current and planned gas export routes to Europe.
Anatomy of a price spike: Sugar's big move laid bare
Friday, September 16, 2016. A day in which bulls and bears watched as the New York number 11 ruthlessly set aside the will it, won't it debate and posted its largest one day price surge in over five years. When prices move in such a dramatic fashion in a sector as nuanced as sugar, there's rarely one factor at play. As the upward move took hold, the industry put forward a number of theories and kneejerk factors that could explain such a charge.
Iron ore market turns attention to benchmark-brand relationship
Market participants are increasingly looking at the premium or discount at which an iron ore grade – or brand – with identifiable qualities and characteristics, trades at versus an underlying index value. This approach to grade assessments has long been the norm in other commodity markets, where differentials are priced against benchmarks according to type, origin and qualities. But, it's rapidly gaining currency now in iron ore and related markets, such as metallurgical coal.
Steel futures keep the price party going
In China's steel markets this year, there has often appeared to be a growing disconnect between underlying fundamentals and steel prices. Market sentiment has always played a major role but has become even more the case with the rapid uptake of steel and iron ore futures on Chinese exchanges, in large part from retail investors. Buoyed by higher steel prices this year, investors and mills have been making better returns. No one wants to return to the dark days of 2015 and, as a result, there has been a tendency to jump on anything deemed to be supportive of steel.
Seaborne iron ore vs port stocks - a chance in market dynamics
Historically, the price of purchasing a seaborne cargo of iron ore on a per ton basis has been cheaper than purchasing smaller lots from a trader at a Chinese port. This makes logical sense for the market as seaborne ore provides the main source of the steel-making raw material with little competition from domestic products. However, for the most of 2016, this trend has been reversed with port stock prices generally lower than the seaborne cargoes. This report looks at why and how the market players are operating under this situation.
The Final Countdown? The last stages of European oil-fired power generation and the coming marine LSFO market
The writing is on the wall for the low sulfur fuel oil used in power generation – at least, that has been the narrative for many years. But even as European oil-fired power generation looks set to disappear within a decade, increasingly stringent shipping emission regulations are expected to create new demand for LSFO on a global scale. Can refineries adapt to this swiftly changing environment? Platts' latest analysis distils the technical and regulatory developments across the region.
Tail wagging the dog: Is China's MTO the driving force behind methanol pricing?
Over the last five years, the use of methanol in China has undergone a radical shift with the introduction of methanol-to-olefins technology. Now an exclusive S&P Global Platts statistical analysis shows that changes in polypropylene prices in China can be used to help understand changes in methanol prices in a statistically significant manner, with evidence from industry sources pointing to Chinese MTO plants as the mechanism.
The China corn problem: What will the country do with its strategic reserves?
While it had been limping along for a while, China's corn stockpiling policy was well and truly buried on March 28, 2016, when a senior official provided details of a new mechanism of "marketized purchases". Less than six months from the next harvest, and with a year's worth of production sitting in stockpiles, the news generated quite a buzz.
Middle East gas trends increase regional LNG, DRI steel costs
Along with shifts in the Egyptian gas markets and imports, Middle East gas pricing is moving up and increasingly cited for regional steel and aluminum production and competitiveness. S&P Global examines regional DRI steel costs alongside Egyptian gas and LNG trends affecting wider industrial gas availability and pricing.
India and the potential for growth
Published August 2016
With a 2% increase in world sugar consumption predicted by 2020, this report aims to assess the sugar production potential of India, the second largest sugar producer in the world. We also examine Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and some smaller sugar producing states to gage fully the country's medium-term potential.
TSI Market Watch: Ferrous scrap adapting to change
Steel and ferrous raw material trading is a difficult matter at the best of times. Add price volatility, substitutable products and a highly price sensitive market, and it becomes even more challenging. Turkey, with a geographical location straddling Europe and Asia is a key customer for many in ferrous scrap. However, what happens when Turkey starts to look to alternative methods in producing its finished steel products?
Platts Asia gasoil benchmarks - next stage of evolution
Platts is actively considering whether and when to evolve the FOB Singapore Gasoil benchmark assessment to the 10 ppm sulfur grade. This white paper aims to take the discussion further on the evolution of Asia's gasoil benchmark.
TSI Market Watch: Asian finished steel indexing
Finished steel prices within Asia over 2016 have exhibited extremely high levels of volatility, precipitating contract defaults on both buy and sell sides. In 2004, when the United States steel market experienced less volatility, it resulted in a fundamental re-structuring of steel pricing mechanisms that calmed commercial tensions and are still in place today. This report looks at the issues bedeviling producers, end-users and traders of steel within Asia.
Crack shot: Beleaguered blenders eye gasoline crack recovery
2016 has seen a reversal in the fortunes of European gasoline blenders seeking to profit from the value of octane and the components used in the production of finished grades. This report examines key market dynamics and takes a detailed look at key blending components MTBE and Toluene, to understand if the current doom and gloom over gasoline margins could be coming to an end.
A failed coup in Turkey could lead to drastic plastic concerns
Published July 2016
A failed coup attempt launched in July by a wing of the Turkish army had little impact on the polymer market. However, the coup attempt has raised concerns on the unstable state of politics as well as the Turkish economy in the near future, especially regarding the volatility of its currency. This report examines key factors affecting the country's political and economic landscape and potential impact on the plastics sector.
Cuba holds lion's share of Latin American growth potential
When attempting to predict supply and demand for sugar through to 2020, the majority of expectations are firmly focused on the growth in demand outpacing the ability to supply. Latin America and its sugar industry has many of the criteria that mean it could be well placed and have the most to gain in realizing its supply potential.
Gas Crunch: The UK faces a rough winter 2016-17
This report examines both the short and medium-term implications for the UK gas system of the extended maintenance at Rough, and analyses the opportunities open to other supply sources that could cover the loss of UK storage capacity during the next winter season.
Hinkley Point C: The long march to FID
The UK's Hinkley Point C nuclear power project's twin reactors are set to be the first built in the UK for over 20 years and could launch a nuclear renaissance in the country. In this report, S&P Global Platts summarizes the project's development to date, places it in the context of the UK's ageing reactor fleet and assesses the remaining uncertainties in the run-up to and after a Final Investment Decision, which came July 28, 2016.
North Sea Brexit special report
What is clear after the UK referendum is that the result leaves huge uncertainty over the UK's trade relations with its continental European neighbors. In this special report S&P Global experts give their view on what the Brexit vote, and its accompanying uncertainty, means for the North Sea and the Dated Brent benchmark.
Flexibility, optionality and the challenge facing Europe's power utilities
Europe's baseload power business model is dying. Conventional thermal plant operators have seen once-profitable generation operations turned upside down by renewables. There are, however, emerging opportunities for controllable plant in flexibility and optionality.
NWE petrochemicals industry faces choppy waters post-Brexit
The combination of currency volatility, varying feedstock costs and policy uncertainty point to stormy times for petrochemicals in and around the waters of Northwest Europe following the UK's vote on June 23 to leave the EU.
Americas Petrochemical Outloook H2 2016
As we enter the second half of 2016, the petrochemicals outlook for the Americas is one with more questions than answers amid complex developments in the world's political, financial and commodities sectors. This outlook report highlights the key themes to look out for in the second half of the year.
European Petrochemical Outlook H2 2016
This report highlights the key themes that the European petrochemicals sector faces in the months ahead, including pressure on styrene prices from a potential supply glut as supply returns, bullish benzene and bearishness in the blending components market.
Asia Petrochemical Outlook H2 2016: Aromatics & Blendstocks
The Asian aromatics market is entering a general period of oversupply in the second half of this year as new plants come on stream. As such, certain aromatics such as paraxylene and benzene will face surpluses, thus squeezing production margins. This reports outlines what's up or down in H2 2016.
Asia Petrochemical Outlook H2 2016: Olefins & Polymers
Most Asian olefin and polymer markets will be weak in the second half of the year as tepid downstream demand is compounded by rising production from new plant start-ups. This outlook report highlights the key themes to look out for in the second half of the year.
Sentiment bleak as Chinese mills face tough second half of 2016
Published June 2016
After a volatile first half year, China's mills face tough market conditions over the rest of 2016 as end-user demand softens. Meanwhile, international competitors fear that China will turn back to export markets rather than curb steel production, prompting a repeat of the steel price weakness and margin pressures seen last year. Download this special report for the details.
TSI Market Watch: Asian HRC
The North Asian export market and South East Asian import market for finished steel have altered radically over the last six years, as have pricing mechanisms in raw material markets. Trade tensions are high, as is price risk – especially during the price surge seen over the first half of 2016. Margins are thinning, once again.
TSI Market Watch: Coking coal
This TSI market watch looks at how the seaborne coking coal market is now a crossroad in its market pricing evolution. Six years after the first major change to contract terms, development may be starting to lose steam, while the lack of offshore derivative liquidity poses potential to alter the course of coking coal's commoditisation.
Mediterranean longs market: Seeking direction
The rebar market in the Mediterranean area is looking for a clear direction for the second half of the year. Prices are following not only market fundamentals linked to seasonal demand and supply but also reacting to Chinese oversupply and regional political decisions in North Africa: factors which have hit trade significantly and added to the current market uncertainty.
Latin America's Petrochemical Conundrum
Mexico's new Braskem-Idesa petrochemicals complex is poised to help the country minimize its ballooning polyethylene deficit. There are enormous opportunities and equally imposing challenges in Latin America, where many petrochemical producers, many of them state controlled, find themselves at a crossroads. This reports looks at the road ahead for Mexico's petrochemical industry.
Platts downgrades global steel output forecast
In early May, Platts slightly lowered its 2016 global steel production forecast, first published in January. The forecast now sees somewhat weaker global steel output compared to 2015. Global production is projected at 1.61 billion metric tons, down almost 1% from 2015's level of 1.62 billion mt. We see China, the world's largest steelmaking country -- which is still facing structural challenges -- producing about 784 million mt this year -- down 2.5% from 2015.
US methanol – bracing for growing pains amid unprecedented expansion
Oversupply, logistical constraints and crude prices are among the challenges faced by a resurgent, shale-fueled, US methanol industry that's looking to change global trade flows. The most recent phase of development has triggered a transition from a net-importer into a net-exporter. However, there are some challenges ahead. This report looks at some of the key issues facing the US methanol industry.
US scrap derivatives: ready for take off
A key steelmaking ingredient and a widely exported product, obsolete scrap is central to the conversation in US steel markets. And with volatility intensifying in ferrous scrap prices, the need to manage price risk is becoming even greater. One solution is the recent launch of the world's first US obsolete scrap futures contract, a hedging tool that gives participants in the steel supply chain forward price certainty and a hedge against increasingly volatile ferrous scrap prices.
North American steel markets looking to shake off 2015
Published May 2016
US steelmakers endured a trying 2015 with crashing prices for raw materials, finished steel and oil. After a year marked by mill shutdowns, layoffs and depressed steel prices, steelmakers started off 2016 positioned to take advantage of a healthier, more balanced steel market. Here's a lookback at the year the steel industry is eager to shake off and some insight into what's supporting the rally in pricing so far this year.
Kingsman sugar editorial: Will they/won't they? Has the EC signed off EU sugar with a whimper?
The expectation that the European Commission would at least discuss potentially taking special measures to boost the domestic supply of EU sugar was brought to a shuddering halt in the week ended May 20, when the Commission confirmed the discussion had been pulled from the agenda. The global sugar industry had watched to see whether the EC would intervene in regulating domestic sugar supplies as a final hurrah, or if it would leave the market do its job to regulate the situation as we are coming closer to the liberalization of the EU sugar market as from October 2017.
Chinese ethylene demand and the fortunes of global methanol -- a window for Europe?
The Chinese economy may be buffered by headwinds but a growing demand for polyethylene is prompting domestic producers to examine global feedstock options. One alternative to Asian imports of ethylene is methanol-to-olefins. This report examines key market dynamics, looking at Chinese PE supply and demand, spreads and margins for alternative feedstock options and potential challenges for MTO.
US Gulf versus China: who will soak up Asia's surplus benzene?
As a wave of new benzene plants come onstream over the next year, adding pressure to current benzene surplus in Asia, the biggest question on everyone's mind is – where will the extra supply go? This reports explores downstream demand growth in Asia and the US, in order to understand where this excess capacity will end up.
Dry bulk tonnage at a crossroads
The dry bulk market is in a sorry state. It is going through the worst downturn in decades and its main scourge -- tonnage oversupply, is projected to get even worse in 2016-2017. So, does that mean that the future only holds more disappointment for shipowners in this troubled sector? In this special report, Platts shipping editors explore the challenges of tonnage overcapacity, give an outlook for the global dry bulk fleet and identify opportunities that may still be there for the right investors.
Forward curve comes to the fore in iron ore markets
The growing interplay between index-linked pricing and the derivatives market is driving a revolution in the way iron ore is traded, with trading the commodity no longer a one-way upward bet.
Iron ore floating price trends
Alongside increased price volatility and a rise in paper trading volumes, the iron ore market has seen a surge in 'floating price' trades in recent years. Could it be going the way of energy product markets, in many of which floating price transactions are the norm?
Platts MVS China steel mill margins
Platts MVS China Domestic Steel Mill Margin spreads will provide a detailed interpretation of raw material and other costs against finished steel prices to better gauge operating conditions in the world's biggest steel market.
China's polypropylene importers battle for survival as domestic supply balloons
Published April 2016
China's polypropylene supply surge is changing the market landscape. The main reason is increasing domestic capacity, especially startups of CTO/MTO and PDH plants. In this report, we'll explore how the entire PP supply chain is reacting to this, who the winners and losers are, and if China is heading towards becoming a net exporter of PP.
Fragmented European biofuel markets: The challenges and opportunities ahead
The increasingly fragmented nature of the European biofuels market adds to the challenge of navigating through an already difficult industry for some participants but can also create opportunities for traders as shifts in the way the market trades offer the potential for innovative new pricing solutions.
Coking coal: Coming to terms with the end of the China bull run
This report examines the challenges and opportunities that the global coking coal market faces amid changing supply ownership, slowing steel demand in China and the fundamental basis of pricing.
Platts steel mill economics global spreads
This is an introduction to new Platts analysis identifying key operating margin ratios and price trends globally in the steel and steel raw material markets.
Keeping up: Dynamic markets need dynamic solutions - a case study on Asia ethanol
Published March 2016
A dynamic world has consequences for dynamic markets, and as the US has emerged as the world's biggest producer of ethanol, so the fundamentals of Asia's ethanol markets have altered. That change brings challenges for both the industry and for price reporting. This report explores some of the actions taken to address those challenges and ensure that price reporting is able to instill confidence, while accepting change.
Met coal market shift prompts methodology change
This paper is designed to provide details and background for methodology changes that will be made on April 1, 2016 for the following Platts coking coal assessments: Hard Coking Coal (Premium Low Vol) FOB Australia (code: PLVHA00); HCC (Peak Downs) FOB Australia (code: HCCGA00).
Methanol battles with cheap oil for olefins production supremacy
Until recently, methanol held a cost advantage against naphtha for the production of olefins. This advantage quickly evaporated as oil prices sank towards $30/b, potentially leaving billions of investment dollars stranded. The question now is can methanol survive as an alternative feedstock?
Will LPG fuel a petrochemicals renaissance?
The use of LPG as a feedstock in petrochemicals production is on the rise, as growing supply and falling shipping costs make it an increasingly cost effective feedstock compared to naphtha. Beyond its increasing popularity with crackers, LPG is also being used by propane dehydrogenation plants, a slew of which have started up in China in the past years. Are we about to see an LPG renaissance?
Australian wheat exports still challenging despite shipping slot reform
Published February 2016
Australian wheat exporters have, on paper, still been losing money this harvest in spite of a welcomed reform to the allocation system for shipping slots implemented last year, according to spot transaction data collected by Platts.
Platts decision to change T2 ethanol FOB Rotterdam to reflect Amsterdam and Antwerp loading
As trade patterns evolve in Europe's key trading hubs, volumes of ethanol in the key port of Rotterdam are augmented by additional volumes in other relevant locations. As such, and after a period of consultation with the industry, Platts has decided to reflect Amsterdam and Antwerp loadings of ethanol in its T2 FOB Rotterdam assessment. This paper outlines the reasons behind the change, how the decision will work and offers example scenarios.
Americas Petrochemical Outlook 2016
Continued weakness in the global energy complex and shale gas driven expansions in the US appear poised to shape the pricing landscape of key petrochemical markets in the Americas. This outlook report highlights the key themes to look out for in the first half of the year.
US crude exports: Rebalancing the global market
On Dec. 18, 2015, the US government passed the 2016 spending bill, which included a provision lifting restrictions on crude oil exports, thus ending the quasi ban on US crudes in the global market. In this two-part special report, we will examine current market conditions regarding US crude imports and exports, along with potential export channels and destinations, as the world accommodates yet another oil producer in the marketplace.
A bittersweet '16 for Supramaxes
While the Atlantic dry bulk Supramax market is in the grip of exceptionally weak freight rates, there are signs of support in 2016. This report takes an in-depth look at what has caused the negative freight environment Supramax owners have been dealing with in the Atlantic since the end of summer 2015, while looking at what loading areas still hold promise of strong flows in 2016, as well as providing analysis of the global Supramax fleet profile and orderbook.
2017: EU sugar odyssey sends exchanges back to the Futures
Published January 2016
With the European sugar market deregulating in 2017, there are many potential consequences for both the EU and global sugar markets. This paper explores the role that Futures might play in helping market participants face the challenges ahead.
European Petrochemical Outlook 2016
As we enter 2016, two interrelated macroeconomic factors will shape Europe's chemical industry -- China's slowing economy and the length of time crude oil prices remain low. This report includes articles on, the expected outages at crackers, higher benzene demand and lower supply, strong demand indicators for gasoline blending components and the impact of Asian expansions.
Asia Outlook 2016 -- Aromatics and Blendstocks
What does 2016 hold for Asia's aromatics and blendstocks markets? Tight supply in the paraxylene market is expected, but an oversupply of benzene. Adding uncertainty to the direction of the aromatics markets in H1 2016 will be global economic trends, with many market sources cautiously watching both China and whether crude prices rebound or sink further.
Asia Outlook 2016 -- Olefins and Polymers
Increased competition among olefins producers trying to hold on to or expand market share amid the increasing oversupply of polymers in China is widely expected in the first half of 2016. How many CTO/MTO and PDH project will survive if naphtha prices remain low? And where will the expected polyethylene and polypropylene exports go?
Automotive acceleration fails to boost secondary aluminum prices in the US, Mexico
The renaissance of the US automotive sector has provided a much-needed boost for the metals industry in the region. But with new environmental requirements for vehicles coming into force and demand for aluminum alloys initially rising, the industry's hope for a corresponding price increase has been offset by a plunge in London Metal Exchange aluminum values. Parallel to this, a booming automotive market in Mexico is dictating that it have its own regional pricing, with both nations on either side of the border competing for an increasingly limited scrap supply. After consultation with the industry, Platts is launching four new scrap assessments for the Mexican aluminum market. This special report also looks at the prospects for "closed-loop manufacturing" in the aluminum sector, as well as the general outlook for scrap markets. While Ford has chosen closed-loop, other automakers and stampers are not necessarily making that investment, resulting in more 5000 and 6000 series scrap in the spot market. Platts has responded to need for transparency in that market by adding a new price for 6022 auto sheet scrap in the US.
European propylene -- Under pressure from imports on a bearish globe
The European propylene market has been characterized by supply length in recent months. In addition, supply had been driven by an increase in imports. The question most widely heard in propylene markets now is: How much longer are these supply heavy fundamentals expected to remain?
Who will feed China's hunger for PX?
Who will quench China's increasing thirst for paraxylene as its domestic purified terephthalic acid (PTA) industry grows? This Special Report discusses the state of the global PX and PTA markets.
Europe PET -- The impact of changes in supply dynamics in 2016
This report looks at new PET capacity in and around Europe, as well as imports, duties and the fluctuations in the euro exchange rate. Price trends in both the virgin and recycled bottle-grade PET markets are also explored, along with key factors expected to influence PET prices in 2016.
Entering an oversupply era -- Deteriorating margins for Asian propylene
Published November 2015
The increase in propylene production capacity in Asia this year is expected to put weight on the market in 2016, with the startup of a new PDH plant in Ulsan in H1 2016 expected to tip the balance toward a supply glut.
All Eyes on Latin America
A new crude reality, declining economic conditions and slumping currencies hit regional polymer markets hard in 2015. This Special Report explores the 5 key issues to track in Latin America in 2016.
Is the party over for Asian styrene monomer in H2 2015?
The massive turnaround season in Asia and the Middle East, surprisingly, has very little impact on regional SM prices in the second half of the year and the expected pick-up in seasonal demand in the third quarter ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays failed to materialize.
European jet fuel: turbulence ahead?
Published October 2015
The price of jet fuel in the past year has followed the price of crude oil down. Jet fuel is now 35% cheaper in euro terms than it was this time last year. Are European airlines able to benefit from the jet fuel price plunge, or are there other factors at play that prevent airlines from making the most of cheaper fuel?
Contraction of Europe's PVC market
As Europe's polyvinyl chloride market undergoes unprecedented consolidation, several challenges remain for those that will continue to supply Europe's construction and packaging industries with PVC.
What does Q4 hold for olefins, polymers, and aromatics producers?
European producers have been celebrating a year of record profitability. But are falling costs and record profits here to stay? And can Europe now compete with the rest of the world? This Special Report looks at the key challenges faced by Europe's petrochemical producers.
Will Asia's ethylene market continue to see strength into 2016?
This exclusive Platts Special Report explores how low cost feedstocks are keeping ethylene margins positive, while profitability in derivatives production is pushing up spot ethylene demand. So what has been driving the Asian ethylene market? And will this trend continue in 2016 and beyond?
Asian petrochemicals markets: An outlook for H2 2015
Published August 2015
Markets have gone through considerable turbulence in the past six months following movements in crude oil prices and the ongoing macroeconomic issues in Europe. How does that affect the outlook for the second half of 2015 in Asia?
US benzene: The search for a new normal
Published July 2015
US benzene prices have defied expectations by hovering in the $2/gal range. This is only two years after many wondered if $6/gal benzene would be the new normal on expectations of tighter benzene supply. What has that meant for benzene and styrene pricing in the first half of 2015? And what can we expect to happen during the second half of the year?
Is 'styrene monomer party' over or is round two set to begin?
Published June 2015
Asian styrene monomer has led a surge in the entire aromatics market in the first half of 2015, hinging on China's appetite for petrochemicals for its manufacturing sectors. But as Chinese demand softens, styrene prices have begun to lose steam. Is the SM party coming to end? Or are we about to see further resurgence?
Have EU protectionist measures worked?
Published May 2015
The EU has become increasingly self-sufficient in polyethylene over the past 18 months. Has this been a consequence of temporary factors such as currency depreciation and cheaper feedstock? Or is the EU's revised import duty system having a more significant impact?
Crude volatility flows into petrochemical markets
Published March 2015
For two years, US polyethylene prices climbed higher and higher, with feedstock prices having little-to-no impact on domestic polyethylene contracts. How times have changed in a world where oil prices have shed roughly half of their value since June 2014.
Connecting the dots: As volatility in energy spikes, the North American resins industry could be in for a bumpy ride
A clear understanding of the link between crude and petrochemical pricing has never been more imperative. This report examines the relationship between crude and petrochemicals and its impact downstream.
Asia Petrochemical Outlook 2015
Platts petrochemical editors provide insight into market expectations for the Asia Pacific petrochemical industry in 2015. The report looks at how Asian aromatics, olefins and polymers will fare in the year ahead, as well providing a detailed assessment of events that shaped the markets in 2014.
America's polyethylene prices trend lower to open 2015
Published February 2015
This report takes a look at the Americas PE market and explores how: global resin prices are linked to movement in oil prices, US and Latin American demand is expected to rise and how US PE exports could become more competitive.
Petrochemicals and the slump in crude oil prices: Winners and losers
This report looks at the short term "winner and losers" in the global petrochemical industry, in light of the recent oil price slump.
European Petrochemicals Outlook 2015
Platts petrochemical editors provide insight into market expectations for the European petrochemical industry in 2015, as well a detailed assessment of events that shaped the markets last year.
Identifying price trends in the Turkey region long steel sector
Published October 2014
This introduces new Platts analysis in identifying price trends and price direction signals in the Turkish rebar, billet and scrap markets. The Platts Turkey ARC Steel Tracker (Turkey ARC ) has been designed to analyze price relationships of inputs and outputs to regional electric arc furnaces and rolling mills, and the suitability of this model and scope for its data is examined.
Metallurgical coal markets to remain China-centric
Published September 2014
It's no surprise that shorter-term pricing and China's emergence as a large coal importer have occurred at the same time. These can be seen as mutually reinforcing trends.
India to outweigh Chinese polyolefin demand growth over the next ten years
China is the largest polyolefin market in Asia and has seen the strongest growth in terms of demand for the last few years. This special report compares the Chinese and Indian markets and discusses various developments taking place within the petrochemical sector in both countries.
FOB Singapore Beyond Singapore -- Toward FOB Straits
Published August 2014
For the Singapore market to continue to grow, it will require access to greater infrastructure, and given the paucity of available land in the city-state it stands to reason that this will most likely come through crossborder developments.
Production restarts threaten to spoil bumper year for Europe's crackers
After years of bad news and rationalizations, olefin and polyolefin produces have experienced 6 months of improved margins and higher run rates. This special report looks at the reason for this and contextualizes it within an increasingly competitive global environment.
Implications of the partial lifting of sanctions in Iran
The lifting of UN sanctions in Iran will provide a boost to a number of the country's industries - including gold and precious metals, the auto sector and Iran's petrochemical exports. The focus of this paper is to look at the impact it may have on Iran's ethylene/polyethylene industry, which has suffered following the recent embargoes.
UCOME and TME pricing: Why Platts clarified its approach to UCOME prices and discontinued TME prices
Platts' view is that the UCOME and TME market is better served through full and transparent publication of all discrete pricing information, rather than through a single-point assessment of value at this time.
Glycerine pricing: Why Platts discontinued publication of Glycerine prices
Platts discontinued the assessments, but not the coverage of the glycerine market, effective July 24, 2014. Platts has observed that the number of pricing indications that exist for the glycerine market is limited by the size and nature of this market. The market is very fragmented from a quality and end-use perspective.
Bakken: The King in the North
Published May 2014
Platts launched on April 22 a new Bakken crude oil assessment representing the light sweet crude traded close to the wellhead at North Dakota terminals in the Williston Basin with the capacity to move crude by rail or by pipeline. Rail loadings in 2014 moved 70% of total Bakken production at 1 million b/d. Pipelines will continue to play an important role due to several projects coming online by 2016.
Easing Iran sanctions sparks hopes for petchems exports, but hurdles remain
Published March 2014
The relaxation of Iran's nuclear-related sanctions has raised hopes that petrochemical players around the world may once again have access to one of the largest global producer's material. But the practical and political realities will make it difficult for these players to reap benefits, even in the longer term.
Winter 2013-14: European gas industry poised for another upheaval?
Published December 2013
Is the European gas industry poised for another upheaval? The European gas market faced some local supply/demand challenges during the past two winters, and 2013 in particular has been an exciting year.


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Front Sight Installation
by Bob Londrigan, published in Front Sight Magazine, November 2005
One of the most common modifications made to competition pistols involves switching out the sights. You may be trying to get a different sight picture, trying to get a pistol with fixed sights to hit point of aim, or trying to replace a broken sight. Whichever scenario applies, you'll need to change your sights. Changing sights is a fairly easy procedure once you know what to do and if you have the proper tools. This article will help you with the "what you need to know" part, and I'll give you a list of what tools you need to have on hand.
First the tools list – to change out your front sight you'll need a padded vise or some other mechanism that holds your slide securely without scratching it, calipers for making precise measurements, a file with one safe side, a brass punch, a hammer to strike the punch with, a large file or a sanding block, and some red (permanent) Locktite. If your sight has a pin in it, you'll also need a punch of the appropriate size to remove the pin.
|Once you have your tools and you know what type of sights you want to switch to, you must determine what dovetail cut your gun has. Although some factory guns have staked on sights, the norm for custom guns is sights that fit in a dovetail cut in the slide. Most custom guns will have a front dovetail cut with one of the following two dimensions: 0.300 x 60 degree x 0.060 or 0.330 x 65 degree x 0.075. The first number in these dimensions represents the width of the dovetail, front to back on the slide (at the widest point). The second number is the angle of the dovetail in degrees, and the third number is the depth of the dovetail.
measurement you want to be concerned with is the distance from the end of
the slide to the center of the dovetail. This measurement for the 0.300 wide
dovetail is usually 0.250 inch. For the 0.330 wide dovetail, it is 0.320
inch although there are a few that measure 0.250 from the front of the
slide. The easiest way to check this measurement is with calipers. This
measurement is taken on the slide at the widest point of the dovetail,
front-to-back. It may be hard to get an exact measurement, but it should be
easy to tell whether your measurement comes close to one or the other of the
above examples.
Measure from the front of the slide to the approximate center of the dovetail. Again, it may be hard to get an exact measurement but you should be able to tell if it's closer to either 0.250 or 0.320.
Now measure the depth of the dovetail – hopefully it's either 0.075 or 0.060. Only one more measurement and you are done.
Measure the height of your front sight. You want the height of the sight on the end furthest from the muzzle. Measure from the top of the blade to the top of the slide.
If you are happy with how your gun is sighted in then you want to get a sight that has the same height as the one presently on your gun. If you want to change heights, you will have to do a little calculation to figure out what you need. To determine how much a change in front sight height will alter your point of impact, do the following calculation: divide the distance to the target in inches (at your desired sight-in distance) by your sight radius in inches. Take the resulting factor and multiply it by the change in sight height. This gives you change in impact. For example, if your gun has a 6-inch sight radius and you are sighting in at 25 yards, your factor would be 150 (900/6). If you change your sight height 0.010, your point of impact will change 1.5 inches (0.010 x 150). Armed with these measurements, you can now choose your sight from those available with a dovetail cut that matches your slide.
Once you have chosen your sight, it is time to install it. Begin the installation process by removing your old sight. Cover your slide with masking tape to protect the finish. Then put the slide in a padded vise. Check to see if the sight is being held in by a pin. If it is, remove the pin before you continue. To remove the sight, use a brass punch to knock it out of the dovetail.
If you had a mill, you would continue by measuring your dovetail with pins and calculating its width. You would then measure your sight the same way, flip it over, and cut it to size with the proper dovetail.
However, since you likely do not have a mill or the proper tools to measure the dovetail, you are going to have to do it the hard way. Begin by prepping the dovetail cut in the slide by knocking the sharp edges off the top of the dovetail cut with a file. You want around a 0.010 flat on these edges so they don't cut into the sight and create a stress riser that could crack or break the sight.
To compensate for sloppy tolerances in the dovetail cuts of many slides out there, most manufacturers actually machine their sights a little larger than the measurements stated on the package. For example, the Lightning Rod sights we manufacture that are listed as 0.330 wide are actually 0.335 wide. This means you may have to cut the sight back a little to fit in the dovetail. We want the sight to fit tight, not loose. The easiest way to fit the oversize sight is to file or sand a little material off the bottom of the sight. This will have the effect of bringing both sides of the dovetail in a little. I recommend this method rather than trying to file material off the sides of the dovetail because it is hard to match the angle and take even amounts of material off the sides. Be careful to keep the bottom of the sight square as you file.
File and fit until the sight just starts to go into the dovetail. You want the sight to be snug but you don't want to have to knock it in with so much force that you damage the sight. Always hit the side of the dovetail and not the blade. If you strike the blade, you might bend it. Once the sight starts to go into the dovetail put a little bit of red Locktite in the dovetail and start to tap the sight into place. As the sight enters the dovetail and gets closer to the center, check that the bottom of the blade is not hitting the top of the slide. If it is, remove the sight and take a little more off the bottom of the blade until it clears the top of the slide. Zero clearance under the sight blade could put pressure on it and could cause it to break. Now measure to be sure your sight is centered in the slide, and you are done.
Wrap up the process by sighting in the gun at the chosen distance. If your calculations were spot on, you are ready to enjoy your new sights.


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The team, led by researchers at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and the University of Oxford, published two reports in the journal Nature about how they decoded and compared the genome sequence of 17 mouse strains.
Since the first mouse genome was sequenced by public and private teams in 2002—that of a female C57B6/J or "Black 6" Jackson mouse—the scientific world has amassed vast quantities of physiological data about the Black 6 strain and many other inbred strains. Researchers measure physical characteristics, known as phenotypes, such as blood pressure, heart rate, weight, cholesterol levels, and even some behaviors.
According to Laura Reinholdt, Ph.D., research scientist for The Jackson Laboratory's Genetic Resource Science Technology Development unit, "We now have the potential to quickly attach much of that phenotyping information with genotypes, which is a powerful tool for discovering the genetic basis for biomedically important physical characteristics." Reinholdt, Genetic Resource Science Director Leah Rae Donahue, Ph.D., and Genetic Resource Science research assistant Anne Czechanski were co-authors of one of the papers.
In creating this unique resource, the biggest catalogue for any vertebrate model organism, the team found an astonishing 56.6 million unique sites of variation (known as SNPs) among the strains, in addition to other more complex differences. Among these they identified sequence differences associated with over 700 biological differences, including markers for diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, so linking genes with medically important individual differences.
The catalogue, funded by the Medical Research Council and the Wellcome Trust, with mouse materials provided by The Jackson Laboratory, can be used by researchers to understand the genetic basis of individual variation, and to ask fundamental questions about how genes function and make us more or less likely to have particular diseases.
Inbred strains of mice are invaluable sources of genetic information. Every animal within each inbred strain is essentially genetically identical, but each strain is different from the others both in their genes and across a huge range of medically and biologically important characteristics.
"We are living in an era where we have thousands of human genomes at our fingertips," says David Adams, Ph.D., of the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, who led the project. "The mouse, and the genome sequences we have generated, will play a critical role in understanding how genetic variation contributes to disease and will lead us towards new therapies."
Reinholdt says the new resource will fast-track research by giving scientists a place to start when looking for genes associated with a given trait. "If you have one inbred strain of mouse that's prone to glaucoma and one that's not," she explains, you can now very quickly get to the potential underlying genetic differences."
She notes that when she started her postdoctoral training in 2001, before the release of the first public mouse genome sequencing data, the process of identifying genes associated with a particular phenotype was long and laborious. "You had to slowly walk your way down the chromosome to find the mutation underlying a trait of interest. You might spend your whole two-year postdoc tracking down a single gene." Coauthor Thomas Keane, Ph.D., of the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, adds, "Now with our catalogue of variants the analysis of these mice is breathtakingly fast and can be completed in the time it takes to make a cup of coffee."
Using the sequence of the 17 mouse genomes, the team looked for variants associated with quantitative trait loci (QTLs) implicating differences in the sequence between strains as being associated with the phenotypes that distinguish them.
The Jackson Laboratory scientists provided the DNA and tissue samples from pedigreed mice representing 15 of the 17 inbred strains of mice, some available only from Jackson repositories—a vital component in a project that establishes the official sequence of those strains. "We collected samples from not only a female representative of each strain," Reinholdt adds, "but also from both her parents and a female sibling. Down the road this will be a valuable source of information about mutations that might be unique to the sequenced mouse." The Jackson team also conducted other genetic tests for the project.
"This study is a first step in a long path that moves from understanding what the genome is, to what it does," says study co-leader Jonathan Flint, Ph.D., of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics.
The project will be extended by sequencing further mouse strains, defining the genetic changes in mouse cancers and investigating the effect of variants on gene function.
The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute is one of the world's leading genome centers. Through its ability to conduct research at scale, it is able to engage in bold and long-term exploratory projects that are designed to influence and empower medical science globally. Institute research findings, generated through its own research programmes and through its leading role in international consortia, are being used to develop new diagnostics and treatments for human disease.
The Jackson Laboratory is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institution and National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center based in Bar Harbor, Maine, with a facility in Sacramento, California. Its mission is to discover the genetic basis for preventing, treating and curing human diseases, and to enable research and education for the global biomedical community. The Laboratory is the world's source for more than 5,000 strains of genetically defined mice, is home of the mouse genome database and is an international hub for scientific courses, conferences, training and education.
Mouse genomic variation and its effect on phenotypes and gene regulation. Nature: doi:10.1038/nature10413, available online
Joyce Peterson, 207-288-6058, The Jackson Laboratory
Don Powell, 44-1223-496-928, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute
For information on automatic email delivery of news releases (journalists only), please send an email request for details to [email protected]. Please address other inquiries to [email protected].
Media Relations, Communications Office
The Jackson Laboratory
600 Main Street
Bar Harbor, Maine 04609-1500
Phone: 207-288-6058 (journalists only)
Main Jackson Laboratory phone: 207-288-6000
Fax: 207-288-6076


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Mary Ellen
Teaches Piano
Bachelor's of Music Education from Miami University, Master's of Music from the Ohio State University
Performance experience includes Big Bands and accompanist for "The Pleasure Guild's Children's Theater"
Over 30 years teaching experience
About Mary Ellen
This is what Mary has to say about her lessons studio:
I believe that classical music is the foundation on which all other styles of music are built. I also beleive that music lessons should be fun, which is why I intersperse the classical music I teach with pop music as well. I have great patience and set goals that are realistic for each individual student. I believe that parents are a vital link in the learning experience with younger students. For that reason I encourage one parent to sit in on lessons for the first little while. I start lessons with children as young as 7 but I also teach a number of adult students.
I believe that performance opportunities are very important to the development of a musician which is why I provide numerous recital events each year. On top of the recitals available at the store almost every other month I provide outside performances as well. At least twice a year the older students get the opportunity to perform on a harpsicord. We also have Ice Cream Recitals which I host at my home where the students are able to perform a prepared piece on a concert grand piano.
Learning music helps my students to develop self-confidence, a sense of responsibility and the ability to stay focused. Everyone should have the opportunity to take music lessons.


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Grandstream Announces Beta Release of Cloud Controller for WiFi APs
GWN.Cloud offers an enterprise-grade secure cloud management platform for Grandstream's GWN series of WiFi Access Points
Boston, MA, USA (February 12, 2018) — Grandstream Networks, Inc., connecting the world since 2002 with award-winning SIP unified communication solutions, today announced the beta release of their cloud controller for WiFi Access Points, GWN.Cloud. This enterprise-grade WiFi network management platform provides a secure, reliable, and scalable management platform for Grandstream's GWN series of WiFi APs. GWN.Cloud allows installers and users to quickly deploy WiFi networks within seconds of scanning the device's barcode and manage them easily using a mobile app or a web browser.
GWN.Cloud is designed to offer a secure, centralized WiFi network management platform for an entire enterprise with any number of WiFi APs across any number of locations. Key features and benefits of GWN.Cloud include:
- High reliability thanks to being hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS) with 99.99% uptime
- Virtually unlimited scalability with no restriction on the number of sites or WiFi APs being managed
- Industry leading end-to-end security with bank-grade TLS encryption and X.509 certificate authentication, coupled with the strong security features embedded in Grandstream's GWN series WiFi AP (for example, random default password and unique certificate per device)
- Built-in Captive Portals with customizable landing pages for collection of access credential information
- Real-time network monitoring and control tools, configurable alerts, and indepth reports by network, AP, client and more
- GWN.Cloud mobile app, available for iOS™ and Android™, for adding WiFi APs easily by scanning their barcodes, and the same cloud management and monitoring tools also available through a web browser
- Additional features, including a built-in RADIUS server, to be added in the near future
- GWN.Cloud service is free
How to Participate
This beta test is free and open to any users of Grandstream's GWN series WiFi APs. Those interested in participating in the beta test should go to https://www.gwn.cloud to create an account. Once an account has been created, users simply add GWN series APs to their account by scanning the barcode of their device using the iOS or Android app, or by manually entering the MAC address and default password of each AP using a web browser. Technical support for this beta test will be provided via Grandstream Forums.
About Grandstream Networks
Grandstream Networks, Inc. has been connecting the world since 2002 with SIP Unified Communications products and solutions that allow businesses to be more productive than ever before. Our award-winning solutions serve the small and medium business and enterprises markets and have been recognized throughout the world for their quality, reliability and innovation. Grandstream solutions lower communication costs, increase security protection and enhance productivity. Their open standard SIP-based products offer broad interoperability throughout the industry, along with unrivaled features and flexibility.
Grandstream Contact
Phil Bowers
*Android is a Registered Trademark of Google, Inc.
**iOS is a Registered Trademark of Apple, Inc.


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Another break from spanking talk here. This post will be a bit grim, but nothing like that post a week or so ago. I'm still shaken by the news of my friend's wife.
I found out back in(December I believe) that I have Keratoconus. It a degenerative disorder involving the cornea. Due to my age I was hopeful that I would stabilize and at the very least my vision wouldn't get even worse. Well the condition continues to advance in my right eye, meaning that I will need to have a procedure done. As surgeries go, this will be non-invasive. However, it involves my eyes, so it's not exactly something I'm excited about. It's possible that this procedure will reverse the condition at least a little, but at the very least the progression should stop. Recovery time is a couple of weeks.
The stopping of the progression is very important. If things continue as they are I could end up needing a cornea transplant. I do not want this. You're talking a year recovery if it ever came to that. Hopefully things go smoothly and I can get this procedure done and behind me sometime this month.
Sports have not been fun for me lately. The Cowboys season was an absolute disaster. I'm excited about Ezekiel Elliot behind that offensive line, but if Romo fucks up his clavicle again, it won't really matter. The Chicago Bulls have become a joke. Tom Thibodeau is an excellent coach, and it's more evident than ever now. That front office is a joke. I watched Thibodeau's press conference in it's entirety and he will do very well with Minnesota. He's got good young talent, draft picks, and plenty of cap flexibility there. As far as the New York Yankees, they look old, and are boring. They finally took their bats out of their asses a couple of nights ago, but last night it was back to the same shit. They need to make some change, quickly.