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HARNESSING CLOUD TECHNOLOGY How multinationals are using the cloud to reinvent business models
- Marybeth Blair
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1 HARNESSING CLOUD TECHNOLOGY How multinationals are using the cloud to reinvent business models A report by The Economist Intelligence Unit Commissioned by
2 Contents Introduction 2 Chapter 1: The early adopters 3 Chapter 2: How cloud technology will shape multinational corporations in the coming years 7 Conclusion 9 The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited
3 Introduction 1 Harvard Business Review, Cloud Computing Comes of Age, Available at: pdfs/comm/oracle/19128_ HBR_Oracle_Report_ webview.pdf 2 Netflix, Company Profile, 3 Netflix, Q1 15 Financials Statements (April 15th 2015). Available at: ir.netflix.com/ Cloud technology has entered a new phase; light years away from the staid, clunky back-office functionality of ten years ago, this new phase of cloud technology is transforming entire business sectors and forging new revenue streams from previously inconceivable avenues. Although there are plenty of agile, ambitious start-ups set on using cloud technology to disrupt and innovate business models, multinationals can also be found at the bleeding edge of cloudbased business innovation. If these multinationals succeed, expect seismic shifts across both the public and private sectors, reverberating across all areas of industry. Furthermore, research from Harvard Business Review shows a correlation between a more mature use of cloud and a variety of new business activities. Cloud leaders that is, companies that take a more managed, enterprise approach are significantly more likely to have launched new products and expanded into new markets than companies that take a more ad-hoc approach. 1 Video rental and streaming company Netflix, for example, transitioned away from an online subscription-based, postal DVD rental service to launch its cloud-based film-streaming service. It currently has 62m subscribers in over 50 countries 2, with cloud-based entertainment streaming accounting for 89% of the business s revenue of US$1.6bn in the first quarter of 2015, up from 84% a year earlier and 76% in the first quarter of Not only has Netflix gained access to new revenue streams across multiple jurisdictions, but it is also disrupting traditional content-creation business models in the entertainment industry by commissioning its own content, for example by distributing global hit shows House of Cards and Orange is the New Black. Cloud-based innovation is not just the preserve of the entertainment sector, or even just consumerfacing businesses. Pearson, a UK-based media conglomerate, has launched cloud-based educational curricula that can provide a data feedback loop on student progress and which introduce a potential new revenue stream in cloudbased professional development for teachers. This report will first explore the types and variety of opportunities offered by cloud technologies. In this context, the report will examine the case study of the Pearson System of Courses, illustrating how a multinational is forging new revenue streams by putting cloud technology at the centre of new business ventures. The report will then extrapolate from these early adopters to consider how cloud technology is likely to affect multinationals business models and revenue streams in the near future. 2 The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2015
4 1 CHAPTER 1: The early adopters Despite its fluffy moniker, cloud computing simply refers to data stored on a physical server that can be accessed through an Internet connection from anywhere, at any time, using any Internet-connected device. Faster Internet speeds, fixed and mobile, have increased the delivery of cloud-based services through high-quality, reliable content delivery (including multimedia) and near real-time updating of cloud-based data. Cloud applications have facilitated the delivery of a vast range of services through Internet-connected devices, from streaming services such as Netflix, Google Play, Amazon Prime and Spotify through to real-time international game play using Sony PlayStation or multinationals accessing cloudbased client relationship management software, such as Salesforce. Reimagining ownership: products as a service Brian David Johnson, a futurist at a multinational technology company, Intel, says: Technology has radically redefined what ownership means for businesses because cloud technology is now supported by the Internet infrastructure. This means that not only can you store and move all that data, but you also have the computational power to do things with that data. He explains that it is the computational power that allows us to, say, watch TV in the cloud, play games in the cloud and begin to have more enterprise ambition in the cloud. Just as US-based Apple revolutionised the concept of music ownership and distribution with the launch of its itunes music store in 2003, 4 so now is cloud technology contributing to a cultural shift in how people interpret the meaning of ownership, according to Mr Johnson. This provides far-reaching opportunities for multinationals to deliver services to anyone with an Internet-connected device. Apple s itunes was (and is) a software-based online shop that first introduced selling single songs via electronic file downloads, rather than as physical products (such as vinyl, cassettes and compact discs). By 2006, within three years of launching, Apple had sold 1bn songs; within five years it had sold 5bn; and after expanding into selling TV shows, films and apps, in 2014 Apple s CEO, Tim Cook, said that itunes software and services were the fastest-growing part of the business. 5 Mr Johnson explains: Apple was able to create a business model and strike the business deals that radically redefine what the ownership of a song is and that s not from a consumer standpoint but from a business standpoint. Cloud and the sharing economy Digital innovation, coupled with consumer demands for more flexible yet personalised products and services, has carved a new economic era: the so-called sharing economy. Facilitated by cloud technology, the sharing economy allows people to share property, resources, time and skills across online platforms. This enables micro-entrepreneurs to unlock previously unused or underused assets such as renting a spare room to holidaymakers via Airbnb or allowing access to expensive assets 4 April 28, 2003: Apple Opens itunes Store, Wired, April 28th Available at: com/2010/04/0428itunesmusic-store-opens/ 5 Apple: First U.S. company worth $700 billion, CNN, February 10th Available at: cnn.com/2015/02/10/ investing/apple-stockhigh-700-billion/ The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited
5 6 Dollar Shave Club, Case Study: Unilever, AWS & Intel Cloud Insights, February 25th Available at: cloudinsights.com/casestudy-unilever html 8 Nestlé Collaborating with Salesforce.com to drive digital transformation, PAC blog, May 27th Available at: com/nestl%c3%a9- collaboratingsalesforcecom-drivedigital-transformation 9 Salesforce helps Philips stay light years ahead of the competition, Salesforce. Available at: customers/stories/philips. jsp only when consumers want them; for example, renting expensive items such as cars, tools, or luxury watches and bags through peer-to-peer lending schemes. This means that the businessto-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) markets are accepting (and increasingly demanding) products delivered as a service. Paul Smith, senior vice-president and general manager for EMEA at Salesforce Marketing Cloud, says that it is at the intersection of the sharing economy and the convenience economy that multinationals can find significant opportunities for new revenue streams. Using the example of the Dollar Shave Club 6, which operates a subscription business model for replacement razors, Mr Smith explains that there are many similar products that could very easily become a service [which is] a lot more transformative in the way we ve done things, from being productownership-driven into being more servicedriven. Mr Smith says that this shift, powered by cloud technology, means that multinationals that had previously considered themselves B2B could grow new B2C revenue streams by delivering products as a service, particularly where convenience is a factor. Any products that a consumer has to remind themselves to purchase are primed, Mr Smith explains, for a subscription service enabling the producer to post the product directly to the consumer. The latter benefits from the ease of service, while the company gains from higher customer-retention rates and brand loyalty, as well as less dependence on an intermediary sales channel (such as a high-street shop). Data-driven personalised journeys at scale Echoing Mr Johnson s view, that increased computational power helps cloud technology to transform multinational businesses, Mr Smith believes that multinationals now have the power to collect and use both internal customer data and an increasing volume and variety of external data (such as website behaviour, tracking of Internet Protocol addresses and social data). These data can be shared in real time across geographies and time zones to enhance customer service and improve sales and marketing functions. In retail, this can mean that rule-based automation prevents inappropriate marketing messages from reaching a specific customer who may be complaining to customer service about a faulty product. In entertainment, it can facilitate cross-selling opportunities; the European division of Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE), a Japanese multinational, uses Salesforce Marketing Cloud to personalise and target real-time SMS and notifications based on in-game play on their PlayStation connected devices. Mr Smith says that SCE matches these data with targeted and personalised sales content delivered through SMS or . The result has been a marked increase in the company s engagement rate on its outbound marketing communications and its conversion rates on targeted calls to action. Regional variations Multinationals using cloud computing to process and share internal and external data to create personalised journeys at scale must consider regional technological preferences and consumer behaviour. In developed markets such as Europe, the variations are less country-specific and more about the concentration of industries in certain countries and markets that are innovating using cloud technology, Mr Smith explains; examples include Unilever in the UK 7, food and beverage company Nestlé in Switzerland 8 and technology company Philips in the Netherlands 9. In Asia, Singapore is at the forefront of incorporating cloud technology into its ambition to become a smart nation. Singapore has one of the highest smartphone penetration rates in the world (see chart below). However, this is only the beginning. A government agency, the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA), has the 4 The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2015
6 task of transforming Singapore into a country of complete connectivity. 10 Part of this ambition is an enabling environment for cloud technology. A key focus for IDA is developing capabilities in local Software-as-a-Service companies, to enhance their market competitiveness and consumer focus. 11 New initiatives in cloud and data analytics include a Data-as-a-Service pilot. 12 As at late April 2015, 21 companies from various industries were participating in the pilot. 13 Africa, meanwhile, has been described as not only a mobile-first continent 14 but a mobileonly continent, with mobile phones as common in South Africa and Nigeria as in the US. However, with significantly constrained smartphone penetration, multinationals cloud-supported, data-driven omnichannel business campaigns Chart 1 Smartphone penetration rate (% of total population) UAE South Korea Saudi Arabia Singapore Norway Australia Sweden Hong Kong UK Denmark Source: Google, Our Mobile Planet. must be sensitive to the bias towards SMS in this region. Mr Smith says that, as smartphone costs fall, multinationals operating in African countries, as well as in the Middle East, are increasingly seeing success from GPS-based push notifications to smartphone devices, in effect leapfrogging desktop computing and . Such regional variations in technology culture mean that, while Europe and North America are evolving mobile-first business and marketing strategies, multinationals are becoming far more innovative in the use of cloud and mobile technology in Africa and the Middle East, says Mr Smith. He singles out consumer-goods company Unilever and beverage firm SABMiller as strong examples in this regard. 64.6% 63.0% 62.8% 62.2% 59.0% 73.8% 73.0% 72.8% 71.7% 67.5% The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited Smart Nation: Singapore s vision to connect everyone to everything, everywhere, all the time, International Business Times, May 15th Available at: smart-nation-singaporesvision-connect-everyoneeverything-everywhere-alltime IDA, Cloud, ida.gov.sg/tech-scene- News/Infrastructure/Cloud 12 Singapore touts data, cloud registries in smart nation ambition, ZDNet, October 29th Available at: singapore-touts-datacloud-registries-in-smartnation-ambition/ 13 IDA, Data as-a-service Pilot, gov.sg/programmespartnership/enterprises/ data-as-a-service-pilot 14 Africa not just a mobile-first continent it s mobile only, CNN, October 4th Available at: com/2012/10/04/tech/ mobile/africa-mobileopinion/ 5
7 Case study: Pearson System of Courses 15 Pearson 2014 results, Pearson, February 27th Available at: announcements/2015/ february/pearson results.html 16 Microsoft, Customer Stories, Pearson, March 6th Available at: customers.microsoft.com/ Pages/CustomerStory. aspx?recid=18484 Pearson is the world s largest book publisher and the market leader for textbooks. Thematically, the business is transitioning from selling printed material to selling education services; since 2013 Pearson s online content and software revenue has surpassed that of its traditional printed products, generating 60% of the company s revenue. In its 2014 results, Pearson said that it was taking advantage of our new cloud-based, mobile-ready and data-analytics capabilities. 15 Pearson has sounded its commitment to cloudbased interactive learning; in 2014 it launched REVEL for US university students and the Pearson System of Courses (PSOC) for American kindergarten students both are cloud-based, multimedia immersive programmes designed to replace textbook-based learning with digital content delivered through mobile devices. For the PSOC, Pearson partnered with US-based Microsoft, using its Azure Cloud Services to process interactions with users that amounted to tens of millions of events in the PSOC s first fourmonth period. 16 Most PSOC users have selected a hybrid cloud solution. The PSOC s kindergarten students also share use of tablet devices. The integral people component Michael Chai, senior vice-president of schoolproduct technology at Pearson, says that an important component of cloud-based education provision is the power of large-scale data feedback loops to improve the quality and personalisation of education. Teachers have different access to the courses, including an analytical component; a teacher can monitor group and individual student activity in real time, as well as analyse recorded and stored data about student performance, individually or as a class. Mr Chai explains: The success of cloud technology in other sectors as much as in education is dependent on the people component and the capital component. Delivering reliable, effective technology to the classroom is a key enabler for improving the efficacy of the entire system. We have had enquiries globally for quite some time, so we do believe there is underlying market demand for this approach and, I would say, we re seeing a convergence happening at the global level around connecting teachers and students in this digital world. From a business perspective, the data collected and stored on the cloud provide Pearson with useful insights about patterns of learning behaviour and about the most effective teaching methods. It can be used at micro level PSOC analytics can provide granular insights selected by classroom and time or day, for example or (in theory) at macro level, where schools could benchmark themselves against competing institutions nationally or even internationally. Mr Chai says that PSOC data can be paired with third-party statistics, such as socioeconomic status or children in a school or region, and thus be used to benchmark schools performance against national norms. Acknowledging the cultural squeamishness around data treatment and application, Mr Chai says data privacy and security are extremely important topics and at Pearson we take these matters very seriously; at a larger level the education industry may find positive lessons in how the healthcare industry is handling an analogous transition to digital. He adds that, although Internet infrastructure poses a short-term challenge to cloud-based business opportunities, the biggest longer-term challenge is around data privacy and data-treatment laws. Although the PSOC was initially launched in the US benchmarked against the country s Common Core State Standards the course content can be customised to respond to the rigorous requirements of different countries education curricula, without changing the functionality and product structure. This should generate growing revenue across different geographies, the scope for expanding from English and Maths subjects, and additional revenue streams from professional-development modules available to teachers. Mr Chai adds: Not only can a cloud-enabled solution lead to a subscription model, it also includes a services component that we consider critical to implementation success. 6 The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2015
8 2 How cloud technology will shape multinational corporations in the coming years Looking at the outlook for cloud technology and its impact on multinationals, three key trends are likely to stand out: 1) the growing market opportunities arising from computational power; 2) the rise in corporate partnerships; and 3) the opportunities provided by collaboration between five generations. The smart, connected computational power of everything Mr Johnson points out that the next step in cloud tech is to understand we are beginning to see computational power approach zero, which means we will be able to turn anything into a computer our homes, our cities, our offices. This can already be seen with the influx of wearable technology, the Internet of Things and smart Internet-connected cities such as Singapore, Stockholm and Seoul. The market opportunity for multinationals is significant. A business-intelligence provider, IDTechEx, forecasts that the market for wearable technology will grow from US$20bn in 2015 to US$70bn by Similarly, an information-technology research and advisory company, Gartner, predicts that 4.9bn items will be connected to the Internet during 2015, increasing to 25bn items by Cloud technology is instrumental in joining up the dots of real-time data flow between these devices. The rise in corporate partnerships Partnerships between multinationals, as well as between multinationals and competitive new entrants, is nothing new. What cloud technology is changing are the types and nature of those relationships. Pearson, for example, is nurturing a consultative relationship with customers, which influenced its decision to partner with Internet infrastructure corporations. The Internet of Everything is brokering non-traditional, cross-sector partnerships and collaborations, too, as consumers expect a higher level of product and service interconnectedness and compatibility. Data access and sharing will continue to be a thorny issue for multinationals, as data-sharing among partners fuels dataprivacy concerns. Cloud-based apps are also introducing multinationals to new revenue streams (and Table 1: Internet of Things units installed base by category (million) Automotive ,511.1 Consumer 1, , ,172.5 Generic Business ,158.6 Vertical Business , ,164.4 Grand Total 3,032 3,750 4, ,006.6 Source: Gartner The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited IDTechEx, Wearable Technology : Technologies, Markets, Forecasts, January Available at: idtechex.com/research/ reports/wearable- technology technologies-marketsforecasts asp 18 Gartner Says 4.9 Billion Connected Things Will Be in Use in 2015, Gartner, November 11th Available at: gartner.com/newsroom/ id/
9 potential disruptors), such as peer-to-peer lending and crowd-sourcing/crowd-funding. An online money-management tool, Geezeo, which uses mobile and cloud technology to help people to manage their household finances, supplies its Personal Financial Management tool as an overlay to US-listed Regions Bank, which offers this mobile option alongside its e-banking and traditional services 19. The 5G workforce For the first time in history, five generations are working together: the traditional generation (born pre-1945); the Baby Boomers ( ); Generation X ( ); Generation Y, also known as Millennials ( ); and the Linkster generation (born after 1995). The latter two are considered digital natives, having grown up using computers and are comfortable with sharing personal data in the Internet-connected environment. Intel s Mr Johnson says that this will create incredible business innovation. global connectivity and the cloud set the bar for the new generation to do incredible business innovations. I think what keeps [multinationals] safe, what keeps us profitable, what keeps the engine of global commerce going are these five generations working together, with the newest generation a very powerful addition to the global workforce. Multinationals will need to juggle meeting the needs of the digital natives all that innovation coming through the [multinationals ] door while supporting Baby Boomers who have this incredible bedrock of knowledge. Global demographic changes, Mr Johnson predicts, will fuel corporate innovation because all those people will have computational power in their pockets or on their wrists, and the ability to connect to a massive amount of computational power in the cloud, which provides multinationals with a vast distribution network, as well as powerful knowledge-sharing. He adds: The post-millennials a generation that has never known a time before the Internet, 19 Regions Bank to Tie New PFM Tools to Online Banking, American Banker, January 25th Available at: com/issues/178_18/ regions-bank-to-tie-newpfm-tools-to-onlinebanking html 8 The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2015
10 Conclusion Successful businesses are never fully formed; businesses that thrive are constantly shaped by the business and cultural environments around them. The Information Age has heralded new tools, skills, revenue streams and expectations, while making others obsolete. Cloud technology is part of that digital evolution. Its new phase as a harbinger of new distribution channels for delivering products as a service, for faster and more live information flows between corporations and their customers is demanding that multinationals think bigger, and think differently. As computational power moves towards zero, making it easier to add an increasing array of physical objects to the Internet and to process large volumes of data from multiple sources, multinationals are ideally positioned to take advantage of the nimbleness and joined-up thinking facilitated by cloud technology. Speed is the new currency; with cloud-based applications facilitating crossborder, realtime collaboration, reducing duplication and streamlining business processes, the potential for major time savings when taking a new product or concept to market is enormous. When multinationals can adopt a quick-to-market test and iterate lean methodology to new products and services, the risk from similarly nimble startups that have less financial clout, fewer staff, lower brand penetration and higher barriers to international markets diminishes considerably. Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, puts it this way: In the new world, it is not the big fish which eats the small fish, it s the fast fish which eats the slow fish 20. Today, multinationals are being challenged to reimagine ownership to consider which of their products could be delivered as a service. Multinationals must commit to exploring what that intersection between the sharing economy and the convenience economy means for their business model(s). This requires a cultural and mental shift from both multinational leaders and each of their stakeholder groups, challenging every preconceived notion that they have about people, products, processes and place. Although cloud adoption by businesses and individuals has matured considerably in the past five-to-ten years, challenges remain. In the cultural sphere, there is some discomfort around data and privacy issues. There are concerns around security and the threat of cybercrime. And challenges remain regarding reliable and uniformed connectivity infrastructure. Nonetheless, these challenges also offer opportunities for innovation. The digital juggernaut means that the potential for harnessing cloud technology to reinvent business models will continue to grow. The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited Are you ready for the technological revolution?, World Economic Forum, February 19th Available at: weforum.org/2015/02/ are-you-ready-for-thetechnological-revolution/ 9
11 Learning points for multinationals Cloud technology is a top-ten strategic trend that will have a significant impact on organisations during the next three years. According to David Cearley, vice-president and Gartner Fellow at Gartner Research, cloud is the new style of elastically scalable, self-service computing, and both internal applications and external applications will be built on this new style. 21 But unlike for start-ups, business agility can be a challenge for multinationals, which are often encumbered by large legacy systems and product lines, and typically have large workforces spanning multiple geographies. In addition, many multinationals operate in the glare of the spotlight, with shareholders, board members and the media interrogating their strategy and research and development spending, along with potential regulatory complexities. Against this backdrop, how do multinationals navigate their behemoth businesses towards cloud-based business models, systems and revenue streams? Here are three essential considerations: 1) Invest in self-disrupting technology Invest in technology, even when it disrupts existing product lines and business systems. John Chambers, CEO of a multinational technology company, Cisco, says that: A whole series of shifts have occurred in the kinds of technology companies rely on All of them required companies to make big investments in technology. Those that didn t were, once again, left behind. For Cisco, each transition required a decision about when to jump from selling a profitable product to a new technology often one that would cannibalise our existing product line. These jumps were critical, though, if we wanted to stay ahead of the curve. 22 2) Innovate for, and leverage, existing customers Multinationals have significant advantage in their existing brand power and customer base. The latest phase in cloud technology is its swift rise and pervasiveness. Helping a customer base navigate the new digital world paves the way for innovative cloud-facilitated services, as well as potentially opening a new revenue stream in itself. Consumer (B2B and B2C) expectations are fast changing, and the data deluge if analysed correctly can provide tailored insights into a multinational s customer base, replacing redundant traditional demographic ideas. 3) Encourage technological maturity in all roles Pearson s Mr Chai says that a solid foundation of technological proficiency from staff, a technology-embracing internal business culture, and robust infrastructure and policies to support daily use are essential groundwork for multinationals to harness the cloud. He explains: If you want to make change happen, by necessity it means changing the everyday paradigm in our case that means teachers, in healthcare it means physicians. Then you need to facilitate leadership readiness from inside the business but also from institutional stakeholders so, for us, the superintendent role, the head-teacher role, the teacher role, the parent role and the student role all have to work together towards this. 21 Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2015: Cloud/Client Computing, IT Business Edge. Available at: com/slideshows/top-10- strategic-technologytrends-for html 10 The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2015
12 While every effort has been taken to verify the accuracy of this information, The Economist Intelligence Unit Ltd. and HSBC Bank Plc cannot accept any responsibility or liability for reliance by any person on this report or any of the information, opinions or conclusions set out in this report.
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While everyone came together as a cluster for the Tamaki Film Festival, darkness was approaching. Once people leaned on their seats with excitement, they were getting ready to SCREAM!
What made some of the students laugh out loud was a movie called 'Jandal Man' by Panmure Bridge. It tells you a little bit about 'Jandal Man' and what you can do with a plain old jandal, but in a classic way, like cutting a cake, waking someone up, etc.
WOW what a suprise to see students participating in their movies, everyone should be proud and wishing to go back in time and watch the movies again and again.

subset: commoncrawl


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When we arrived in the city, we checked into our hotel, ducked into a Scottish pub for a bite to eat (where I had one of the best crab cake sandwiches of my life), and made a quick stop at the Disney store in Times Square. They had all of this gorgeous Cinderella merchandise out, in anticipation of the new movie (which I must see!). After freshening up back in our room, we headed out to meet my roommate from college for Thai food and to see A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder. I'd been wanting to see it since I saw them perform a number on the Tony's last year, and we ended up getting $35 tickets up in the highest balcony. The show was really clever and silly and fun, and it was wonderful to catch up with Caitlin.
|This dress is definitely on my wish list!
|Outfit Details:
cardigan: ModCloth // skirt: Kohl's // purse: Betsey Johnson // brooch: Tatty Devine // tights + hat: old
(I felt very clever with my (midnight) radio purse and Spinal Tap-inspired brooch!)
|Outfit Details:
dress: Lady Vintage (similar) // cardigan: Trashy Diva // brooch: ModCloth


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Five exhausting years later, I don't really care.
Let me amend that: I do care, I just don't care quite as much as his teachers think I should.
My sons' teachers do a fine job. We are fortunate to live in one of the top public school districts in the country, with off-the-chart teaching scores in every subject. I have volunteered in their classrooms, so I know the absurdly high quality of education my sons are receiving. Which is exactly why I don't spend 25 minutes reading the "Weekly Wrap-Up" sheet that comes home with Short, the one that says they are learning about ecosystems and the history of China and color theory.
I get hourly emails from the Spanish teacher, letting me know which vocabulary words we should be practicing at home as well as the conjugation of irregular verbs. Daily, the Director of Extracurricular Activities feels compelled to send home a multi-page list of things I should be doing with my child, such as complicated science experiments involving empty soda bottles, vinegar, and dry ice, or building historically accurate paper mâché models of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, or researching the origins of the Latin American political systems. The Room Mom sends a note home that she needs me to bake four dozen nut-free, gluten-free cupcakes for the school bake sale fundraiser. The art teacher wants us to craft detailed origami doves over Spring break, and make our own Play-Doh in 15 different colors, and she sends home a helpful recipe for just this purpose. Tall's teacher reminds us to review complex math strategies every morning at breakfast.
Frankly, I'm tired.
|The school's goal for mom
I wake up at a normal hour and get my kids ready for school. This involves multiple wardrobe disputes and editing. Jeans are deemed "too itchy" and the color red (which only yesterday was appealing) is now considered "what girls where" (to emphasize the point, Short calls attention to the fact that I, a girl, happen to be wearing a red t-shirt). Corduroy is "too hot" and cotton is "too plain." Green is "yucky" and "only people on TV wear orange." Oh, how I long for uniforms.
After the wardrobe dilemma is resolved (this only takes 20 minutes, an improvement from the previous day) I make breakfast. The boys are still too little to get it for themselves for the simple reason that they are not tall enough to reach the bowls or get the cereal out of the cupboard (note to self: redesign kitchen so that everything is accessible to someone under 48 inches in height). After breakfast, we have to have an argument about the merits of brushing teeth. The children inform me that they don't mind if their teeth "rot out of their head," since they are all baby teeth anyway. We compromise by brushing teeth with just water. Hey, I rationalize to myself, it's better than nothing.
Next, we spend 10 minutes locating shoes that match each other, backpacks, and coats that are not completely covered in mud. Usually about this time, I remember that I have to pack Short's lunch because he refuses to eat the school lunch (unless, of course, it's pizza day). We have to leave for the bus in two minutes, so I am dashing around the kitchen, chopping up apples and carrots, and chanting to myself "Don't forget his juice box, don't forget his juice box, don't forget his juice box."
I forget his juice box, and we almost miss the bus.
As you can imagine, this does not leave much time for math "strategies," unless the strategy is: Can our little family get out the door in only one hour like normal people? (No.) Could we possibly get out the door in two hours? (Still no.)
And where, pray tell, is The Husband in this equation? He is strategically absent, pretending to "get ready work" by engaging in such time-wasters as "taking a shower," "enjoying a cup of coffee," and "reading the newspaper." He is not chopping carrots.
After school is no better. The kids get out of school at 3:35 PM, and their bus deposits them at our stop around 4 PM. They play outside, we eat a snack, and then (the horror!) they might want to play with their Legos and cars for a while. If the Spanish teacher found out that we called cars cars and not coches like he advocates, he would be livid. If the Room Mom found out that we were not baking allergy-free cupcakes for the bake sale, she would immediately drive over here and search my pantry for the ingredients and pre-heat my oven herself. If the Director of Extracurricular Activities knew that we tossed our old plastic bottles in the recycle bin and did not save them for her recommended science experiments, she would call Child Protective Services.
Sometimes, because I am a very bad mommy and want to get dinner made, I will let the boys watch cartoons on TV, or play Club Penguin or Lego Games on the computer. This (obviously) was not approved by the Director of Extracurricular Activities.
My sons also play sports. A few times a week, Tall must go to his basketball practice or games, which gobbles up more of his afternoon time. It's a wonder he ever learned to read, what with all this time we waste on frivolous things like fun and exercise.
Tall is in second-grade, which means he has homework. He sits at the dining room table for three hours working out the quadratic formula and derivatives and anti-derivatives. As a "hands-off" parent, I do not offer assistance with this, mostly because I have no idea what a quadratic formula is.
Then he settles in with a short novel, like War and Peace.
Later in the evening, we eat dinner, take baths, put on pajamas, and read stories. This would shock their teachers to know, because it is not leaving much free time for building exact replicas of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
The kids go to sleep and I finally take a moment to rifle through their bulging backpacks, looking for stray permission slips or overdue library books. I retrieve their latest artwork and hang it on our kitchen bulletin board. I glance at the bushel of papers the school sends home, and I wonder which Stepford mommies actually do all the things the school tells them to. Do I know any of those mommies? Do they ever sleep?
Don't the kids do enough at school already? Can't the schools do what they need to do in their allotted eight hours without trying to control my limited time, too? Why am I feeling this intense pressure to do more-more-more when my kids are already doing so much?
I suppose I could be studying up on what the school wants me to do while my sons are in school all day, or I could be making the damn cupcakes, but I work part-time, and if I am not working, I must wash eleventy-seven loads of laundry, go to the grocery store, run errands, or attempt to clean the house. This doesn't always happen either. Sometimes I collapse on the couch and give in to the decadent pleasure of eating frozen Girl Scout cookies while watching back-to-back episodes of House Hunters.
I always feel guilty afterwards. But not guilty enough to make my own Play-Doh.
*didja laugh? then click over HERE and vote for me as a funny blogger! (need to vote every day)


text:
Mechanical Engineering Department,
University of Saskatchewan,
57 Campus Drive,
Saskatoon S7N 5A9, Canada
Mem. ASME
Mechanical Engineering Department,
University of Saskatchewan,
57 Campus Drive,
Saskatoon S7N 5A9, Canada
e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
1Corresponding author.
Manuscript received January 15, 2014; final manuscript received May 24, 2015; published online July 27, 2015. Assoc. Editor: Andrew P. Murray.
This paper describes a human-inspired method (HIM) and a fully integrated navigation strategy for a wheeled mobile robot in an outdoor farm setting. The proposed strategy is composed of four main actions: sensor data analysis, obstacle detection, obstacle avoidance, and goal seeking. Using these actions, the navigation approach is capable of autonomous row-detection, row-following, and path planning motion in outdoor settings. In order to drive the robot in off-road terrain, it must detect holes or ground depressions (negative obstacles) that are inherent parts of these environments, in real-time at a safe distance from the robot. Key originalities of the proposed approach are its capability to accurately detect both positive (over ground) and negative obstacles, and accurately identify the end of the rows of bushes (e.g., in a farm) and enter the next row. Experimental evaluations were carried out using a differential wheeled mobile robot in different settings. The robot, used for experiments, utilizes a tilting unit, which carries a laser range finder (LRF) to detect objects, and a real-time kinematics differential global positioning system (RTK-DGPS) unit for localization. Experiments demonstrate that the proposed technique is capable of successfully detecting and following rows (path following) as well as robust navigation of the robot for point-to-point motion control.
General model of the robot for path following
Geometric configuration of the mobile robot
The structure of the robot navigation algorithm
2D point clouds acquired by the LRF in two example scenes: (Left) titling angle θ = 10 deg; (Right) the angle θ = −15 deg. The point clouds are analyzed for path planning and obstacle avoidance algorithms.
(a) A group of lines passing through a point (x0, y0); (b) each line can be represented by a pair of (ri, θi) that becomes a sinusoidal curve at the ri–θi plane
(a) Collinear points with normal parameterization of (r0, θ0). (b) Collinear points are transformed into curves that intersect in a single point in the r–θ plane.
(a) Original laser point clouds. (b) Hough transform of the points. (c) Line detection using the Hough transform algorithm. Detected lines are shown in light blue (lighter gray in print).
Row of bushes detected by the LRF, and lines (1) and (3) generated by the Hough transform
LRF position
Polar (r–θ) representation of a line
Spherical mapping for laser point clouds
(a) A sample scene. (b) Section A-A view of the obstacle map generated using the laser data (point cloud) for scene in (a).
A local map of the environment generated using laser data from Fig. 12
Terrain slope definition
Estimating the normal vector at point P
A sample of the traversable region modeling from the laser scanner data: traversable paths are depicted as dashed lines. The width of the AGV is also shown along these paths. The axes are in meters.
Fuzzy membership functions for measured distance
Fuzzy membership functions for change in the robot heading angle
Experimental results for validating navigation strategy for eight different setups (a)–(h). Solid line: robot's path using the HIM; dashed line: robot's path using the FLB approach.
Snapshots of the robot run for the experiment in setup 8: the robot is traversing from the start point to the goal point, using the HIM for obstacle avoidance. Top-left: the robot at start point, and bottom-right: the robot at the goal. Image sequence proceeds to the right and down. Tests were performed in Ref. [33].
Sample 2D laser scanner data from the environment. Dark dots are obstacles detected by the laser scanner.
Obstacle avoidance behavior of HIM
Different regions in the laser scanner view
Scape-points are defined as Si. Li is the distance from the scape-point Si to the robot position.
Two typical performance characteristics of the HIM for mobile robot navigation
Experimental outline: 4 × 4 differential drive Grizzly mobile robot (AGV), tilting LRF for obstacle detection, and a base RTK-DGPS for localization
Snapshots of the robot for a typical experiment: the robot is traveling from the "start point" to the "goal point," using the HIM for obstacle avoidance. Left: robot at start point, middle: robot at midpoint, and right: robot at the goal point in a campus farm field [33].
Experimental results for the path following scenario in the presence of both positive and negative obstacles on the way of the robot. The size of positive obstacle was 50 × 50 × 40 cm (length × width × height), and the hole depth and diameter was 50 cm.
Experimental results obtained for scenario 1 (path following test)
Experimental results obtained for scenario 2 (path following test)
Experimental results obtained for scenario 3 (path following test)
Experimental results obtained for scenario 4 (path following test)
Snapshots of the robot following a path on a hill in location [34]. Top-left: the robot at the start point, and bottom-right: the robot at the end-point. Image sequence proceeds to the right and down.
Experimental results obtained for scenario 5 (path following test)
Snapshots of the robot following a path while avoiding obstacles, tested in [33]
Lines corresponding to the rows detected by the navigation method using the Hough transform, tested in Ref. [33]
A typical experimental result for row-detection and the path following scenario: desired and actual paths of the robot are depicted by dashed line and solid lines; bushes are shown by stars
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|Home | Before Pickup | Starting Pickup | In The Middle Of Pickup | The End Of Pickup
What's The 3 Second Rules
If You want to be in a group within 3 seconds of entering the room, just walk straight up to the first group of people that you see and open them. This is called the 3's rule. Remember, you are not only working the set, but the entire place-
No one else knows whether you are already acquainted with these people. It certainly seems as if you know them — you entered the venue, walked right up to them, and now they are having a fun conversation with you. You must be a social guy with lots of friends!
Then you move on to the next set, and the positive perception of you continues to grow. You are becoming socially proofed in this venue. Notice the magical ease with which sets will open up to you when you have this level of social proof For this reason, it is important not to be too selective in choosing your sets. It's better to be in a set than to get picky and end up alone when you should be working the room.
Another interpretation of the three-second rule states: Within three seconds of spotting a set that you want to open, you must open that set.
This really adds a natural spontaneity to the approach. The difference in your state of mind is noticeable. A woman can usually tell when a man is working up the courage to approach her, which can lower her perception of his value. But if you follow the three second rule, she will have a feeling like you just popped up out of nowhere. A very nice energy is added to the interaction when following this rule.
www.seductionbase.com @2009 - The Ultimate Collection Of seduction Opener, Close Routines and Other seduction Tactics


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Thursday, January 29, 2009
More shots from Sean
This is another shot sent to me from Sean in the US. This is Brighton's seafront and the white building is a restaurant called Al Fresco. Great views out to sea from the dining area.
Posted by Unknown
1 comment:
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Horsing Around
She says "A few of my favourite views in/of Brighton attached for your blog if you still need some pictures.
I am out of camera at the moment, I think it spent too much time in Fiji lately and the humidity has affected its ability to focus. Guess I need a new one it's bugging me not being able to take pictures. My phone camera isn't too bad but not great either. "
Thanks again for the post Franziska and we'd be happy to welcome you back to Brighton any time.
Posted by Unknown
2 comments:
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Brighton at night
Here's what Sean has to say:
"I enjoy BDP very much; I check it regularly while taking breaks at work. I am an American, former serviceman, who was stationed in the UK (Berkshire) for a number of years. I have a very dear friend from Berkshire who now lives in Brighton so I have visited your city a couple of times now.I am attaching 4 photos I took last time I was there (2006). I am by no means a professional photographer... and these photos are not anywhere as nice as your's and the donations you get from photographers. But, I saw your "Desperate call for submissions!" and figured I would send these in hopes that it may help you out while you're slammed at work.Two of the photos were taken at night; I was playing around with nightime settings. The other two are daytime: one of the Juggler Pub that I went to with my friend and the other of a church (you probably know the name of it... I do not) at the end of a road going down to the sea. I did mess around in Photoshop a little with blue filters on the sky in the two daytime photos... to try to get the sky more blue. The nighttime shots I didn't do anything to.Thanks for your work on BDP... it has made a nice diversion for me on many dull afternoons at work. You are very fortunate to live in such a beautiful city! I live in Raleigh, NC... a nice enough city but not nearly as scenic as Brighton.Best regards, Sean"
Well Sean - I certainly think this shot is totally justified and is deserving of a place here on BDP - I love the moon on the sea - the street lights on the left and the way the masts are lit by the road lights. Thank you very much.
Posted by Unknown
No comments:
Monday, January 26, 2009
Brighton Seafront
This time we have a submission in from Emily:
"Loving the site! Been a fan since I visited Brighton from Sydney in March 2008.
Here's a photo of mine from the beachfront. Loved the town so much, I'm heading back in 4 weeks. This time, with a one-way ticket and a working holiday visa.
Keep up the awesome work!"
Here's hoping you have a great time when you're over Emily, and thanks for the submission.
Posted by Unknown
No comments:
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Brighton - Down Under!
Here's a pic of Brighton, The only difference is, it's Brighton in Adelaide, South Australia.
According to my good friend Dean Brazier (who moved there last year) "It's on my alternative route in to work. Just after turning right at these lights you drive down a hill (and you have THE most fantastic view of Adelaide and its beaches – including Brighton Beach stretching out before you. If you can zoom in – the can see the sign better...
You will also be pleased to note that Hove (SA version) is right next to Brighton as suburbs within Adelaide."
He adds modestly "Not sure if this will qualify for inclusion on your blog – it was taken with my phone, and I've zoomed in a little hence quality not so good"
You can catch up with Dean and his family over at his blog site http://braziersinoz.blogspot.com/ A brief snapshot of life in Oz, from a family of 4 who have just taken the plunge, left the UK and headed for Adelaide in South Australia. Watch as we try to build a new life down under. See the new life unfold with all its new challenges, ups and downs and daily dramas.
Posted by Unknown
No comments:
Friday, January 23, 2009
The Piers
This latest shot in from Paul Dc
He says:
love your blog when im in Btn i always try and take a loads of pics. Here is one that i thought you might like
i also have others on www.flickr.com/photos/pauldc
thanks for a great blog.
This picture was taken on a summers morning 2008 while taking a walk down by the beach
Thank YOU paul for such a great shot with great composition too.
Posted by Unknown
1 comment:
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Juan Carlos Merino
Big shout out to Juan Carlos Merino who has sent me 3 pics for Brighton Daily Photo - taken in March 2007 Juan sends along his pics asking us to enjoy them and with his greetings from Spain!
Thanks Juan - I like this way of running BDP!
Posted by Unknown
1 comment:
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Jade van Drie-Brown
This pic just in from Jade van Drie-Brown, I didn't really get much info with the pic - other than I know it's down by the Arches - and that looks like a wetsuit? Perhaps Jade - you could leave a comment here with a bit of background to the shot.
Thanks and keep them coming in.
Posted by Unknown
No comments:
Desperate call for submissions
January in the workplace has gone nuts! I simply am struggling to get out to take shots of my beloved city.
So - if you have a photo of Brighton that you'd like to submit to the site - please email me the picture on email@example.com
Would love to hear from you.
So - if you have a photo of Brighton that you'd like to submit to the site - please email me the picture on email@example.com
Would love to hear from you.
Posted by Unknown
No comments:
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Ooooh new gadgets....
Posted by Unknown
No comments:
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Sunrise over Brighton Rooftops
Is a wonderful shot from my dear friend Charlotte Cumming who recently left iCrossing (co. where I work) to go and find her fortunes travelling the globe. Nice work Lottie.....I'll get a link up to her blog so we can follow on her travels.
Posted by Unknown
5 comments:
Monday, January 12, 2009
The big thaw sets in..
Posted by Unknown
No comments:
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Hove lagoon freezes over
As the freezing conditions continue in the UK, our local lagoon has frozen over - really unusual here on the south coast - it made for some fun this morning - especially those with ice skates!
Posted by Unknown
4 comments:
Friday, January 09, 2009
Posted by Unknown
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Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Posted by Unknown
No comments:
Monday, January 05, 2009
Let it snow
OK so not quite a deluge - but we woke up to a nice light dusting of snow this morning - with arctic temperatures to boot. Brrrr.
Posted by Unknown
2 comments:
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Yer big puddin'
Not a spectacular start to the year, I am aware, however this enormous Christmas pudding adorned the roundabout at the Marina - I hadn't been down there all Xmas - so was surprised today to spot this. It'll be gone tomorrow.
Posted by Unknown
1 comment:
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"It's been a good week! We had the open house on Saturday, and it went really well. We had rooms set up by the different companionship's, and for those that came it was a really good activity. We didn't have too many people, but it was good for a first time and next time we do it we'll hopefully be able to get even more people there. It was also a good week for lessons, we had six during the week again which we were happy about, and we have two scheduled for tonight, It's always great when you have a lesson on a Monday, it's a great start to the week, and it will be even better if both our appointments come through tonight!"
Replies to Mums Email
"That's great that you went out with the sisters, they will have been so grateful. It makes such a big difference to have members in the lessons, and members who are willing to help teach quickly become missionaries' favourite people in the world! About the man with lots of questions, don't feel like it's your job to answer them! Missionaries study for two hours every single day and then teach several times a week answering those questions! It's way more important for members to share their personal experiences with the things that the missionaries talk about, and to help the investigator see how he/she can apply the things they're being taught in their life in a practical way. For example, don't worry about talking about what the Book of Mormon is, but think more abut what it does in your life! And it's the same with every question :)"
"I got the postcard yeah, thanks for that! And don't worry too much about writing, I've been useless too, and in a couple of weeks I'll be home. About your questions, I'll write them down and think about them, and I'd prefer to explain the answers to you when I see you rather than writing them in an email, as I don't think I'd do them justice. And it's also a great way for me to organise my thoughts to start telling you all about my mission experiences, I'd been wondering how I'd possibly start to tell you about everything that has happened in the last two years!"
"The most olives I've ever seen in one place, there are 4 tonnes of them! And they're good too! They're being stored at the warehouse where we do service ready to be taken to refugee camps near the city."
"We had to tip the brine out of two of the barrels so that they could be transported. With the brine each barrel is 250kg, and without they're about 100kg lighter! The open barrel you see is without the brine"
"Elder Reed looking contemplative on the number 23 bus"
Email Between a Father and Son
Over two years Mum and dad have had different roles in our emails. Mum being far better at detail has kept Elder Teal up to date on family life. Dad had the role of scripture discussions. I have decided to include we exchanged this week as a window into our email lives. This weeks email to him was inspired my comments shared by our Stake President..
To Elder Teal..
"Geese and other migratory birds use a very distinctive V formation when flying.
Scientists believe there are two reason for this flight. Firstly the lead bird creates , at its own expense, better flying conditions for the birds that follow. When tired the lead drops back to the end of the V and another takes over. It is this selfless pattern that allows the skien to travel such immense distances. The second reason is the formation allows all birds to be watched by the others, creating safety for all.
By simply being obedient in all things , like nature often is, geese become successful.
What can we learn? Well there is a time and a season for all our service. You have been the lead in many ways in your missionary service. This last couple of weeks you have been obedient and dropped to the back of the V. As you prepare to come home you will again drop back as you leave the work to your companion.
As you wisely wrote this week , taking off the tag does not remove the Saviour's name from your heart. You just change your position in the V again.
There is no reason why you can't continue to have the same spirit you have now , when you come home. Nothing has to change. As Elder Holland remarks. 'I include in that call to fixed faithfulness every returned missionary who ever stood in a baptismal font and with arm to the square and said, "Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ." That commission was to have changed your convert forever, but it was surely supposed to have changed you forever as well.' source
You have learnt that every decision you make determines your spirituality. That applies as much here as there. If a missionary comes back and resumes the lifestyle they had before, they return to the spirituality they had before. It's a choice thing. Put bluntly this refers to commuter games, films, waking and bed times . The distance you move away from the live you live now, is directly proportional to the change you will experience in your spirituality. As always life is full of agency!"
From Elder Teal
"Thanks for the thought about the V-formation, it describes well how I've been feeling! And I've really enjoyed dropping to the back of the V, it's a new perspective on the work which has been a refreshing change. It's also been really great to see this area be productive. I told Elder Reed how wherever he goes in his mission and however little is happening in an area when he arrives, if he just talks to lots of people about the Restoration, things will start to happen, as that's why we're here. I think too often missionaries overthink things, and it's so good to be able to just focus on helping as many people as possible to hear about the Restoration, which has happened, and then telling them about why it's important.
I remember telling Rachel the same thing in an email before Toby came home about how she shouldn't wait for him to get "back to normal", but rather help him to have his mission self become his new normal. I've seen myself change for the better in so many ways during my mission, and I have no intention of going backwards. I don't think I was a bad person before, but I'm a better person now! I have started to identify some things that we do in mission life that are not necessary for me to continue to maintain my current level of spirituality, and there are some things about "normal life" that I'm looking forward to, but the things that are beneficial to a part-time missionary I definitely intend to keep!"