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Memphis Grizzlies can open training facilities to players under city's latest safer-at-home order
The Memphis Grizzlies can open their practice and training facilities for use by players as part of phase 1 of Shelby County's "Back to Business" plan and its latest safer-at-home directive, according to city officials.
The NBA alerted league teams Monday that beginning May 8, it would ease restrictions on voluntary workouts and treatment at practice facilities in areas that are no longer under shelter-in-place orders.
City of Memphis deputy chief operating officer Kyle Veazey wrote in a text message Friday that he "spoke with the city attorney about this and we think the Grizzlies workouts based on what we know would fit fine under the gym/fitness category, which is permitted in phase 1."
Mayor Jim Strickland's newest executive order issued Friday and taking effect Monday morning states that "fitness gyms and exercise facilities shall be limited to 25% of the building capacity for the facility."
When reached for comment earlier this week, the Grizzlies did not commit to whether they hoped to begin voluntary workouts or treatment for their players if the city and the NBA allowed it. NBA practice facilities have been closed to players and team personnel since March 20 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"We are in the process of reviewing the criteria received from the League on Monday afternoon regarding the potential to re-open our facilities for individual player workouts as of May 8th," Grizzlies president Jason Wexler said in a statement.
The NBA has given no indication that this is a sign the season could resume soon. Franchises will still be prohibited from conducting large group workouts or organized team activities.
If the Grizzlies were to open their practice and training facilities, which are located within FedExForum, they would do so with significant safety- and health-related restrictions. The NBA sent its teams a 14-page memo detailing those measures on Monday.
According to USA TODAY, those restrictions include:
- No more than four players are allowed at the facility at a time.
- Workouts are voluntary.
- One staffer may be in attendance, but that staffer cannot be the head coach or first-row assistant coach or member of the front office.
- People must be at least 12 feet apart at all times.
- Teams must use the one player, one basket rule; i.e., two players cannot shoot at the same basket.
- The NBA wants teams to stagger workout sessions to reduce interactions among players.
- Each team must name a senior executive as the facility hygiene officer to ensure requirements are instituted and followed, and each team must provide that person's name to the NBA.
- No use of hot tubs, cold tubs, saunas or oxygen or cryotherapy chambers.
- All equipment must be thoroughly disinfected. Spalding has provided instructions detailing how to clean and disinfect basketballs properly. The NBA has also recommended a specific hardwood floor cleaner for courts.
- Temperatures must be taken for anyone entering the facility; monitor everyone for any COVID-19 symptoms and require players and staffers to report symptoms for themselves, household members or close contacts.
- Only single-use food (nutrition bars) and beverages (bottled hydration drinks) can be provided by the team for consumption at the facility.
- Follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocols for cleaning and disinfecting facilities.
- Review and update the HVAC system and consider using an environmental health consultant to evaluate the facility.
- Have a designated COVID-19 testing area.
- Conduct at one least one remote meeting for players and staffers so they understand the requirements and recommendations for the facility.
- Provide the league with names of players and staffers who used the facility during the week, along with dates of their workouts.
You can reach Commercial Appeal columnist Mark Giannotto via email at email@example.com and follow him on Twitter: @mgiannotto


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Instamojo Acquihires Entertainment Startup Showman
Instamojo, a full-stack solutions provider for MSMEs, today announced its first ever acquihire of Bengaluru-based virtual theatre and vernacular content platform, Showman. The acquihire will see the on-boarding of the founding member team of Showman. Kshitij Bhatawdekar, Cofounder & CEO of Showman joins Instamojo as Product Manager, while Rutveez Roopam Rout, Cofounder & COO of Showman joins as User Research Manager.
Focused on empowering the Indian MSME sector, the Instamojo platform offers products and solutions which enable small businesses to achieve digital independency. Through the pandemic, the company introduced several products to address the timely need of small businesses that were grappling to survive, and consequently recorded a 25% growth in merchant base. Early last year, the company acquired GetMeAShop (GMAS), an e-commerce enablement firm backed by Times Internet, and closed its Pre-Series C round of funding later in 2020.
Sharing his thoughts on the company's first-ever acquihire, Akash Gehani, Co-founder and COO, Instamojo, said, "The Acquihire of Showman is a first for Instamojo and comes at a time when we as a company are evolving to move to the next level. We are happy to have both Kshitij and Rutveez join our team, bringing to Instamojo their expertise and knowledge in the product and consumer space, along with their entrepreneurial spirit. This acquihire will help Instamojo strengthen its product and tech prowess as we continue to innovate across multiple categories and achieve our vision of being the most trusted platform for MSMEs to start their business online."
Founded in 2019, Showman operates a virtual theatre that enables users to buy movie tickets online and watch it from the comfort of their homes. The company recently clocked a compound monthly growth rate of 73.2% and has negotiated $30Mn worth of movie contracts across Indian film industries.
Speaking on joining the Instamojo team, Kshitij Bhatawdekar Founder, Showman said,
"As an entertainment-focused platform, we have deep insights into the users of India. When we spoke to Instamojo, we realized our insights can drive real impact for the MSME space of India. Both Rutveez and I are excited and looking forward to beginning this new phase of our journey with Instamojo. We are also thankful to the Passion Connect team which connected us with team Instamojo and helped lead the entire acquisition process in a seamless manner."
Passion Connect, an HR Advisory Unit incubated by Blume Ventures, played a vital role in this acquihire. Led by Sanam Rawal, Passion Connect implements innovative hiring techniques to find the perfect employee-employer fit for their 110+ portfolio startups. The Acquihiring vertical, led by Swati Gupta is one such technique.
According to Sanam Rawal, Lead Talent Advisor at Passion Connect, and Swati Gupta, Lead Acquihiring at Passion Connect, "When we first spoke to Kshitij, we saw a spark – a drive to solve real-world problems faced by the people of India. While Showman was a great product, we absolutely loved their talent and saw potential in their vision. Since we have keen insights into Blume Ventures portfolio companies, we felt that this is exactly what Instamojo is looking for in a team. Once we introduced Kshitij to Akash, the Cofounder at Instamojo, there was no looking back! We wish both teams abundant success in their goal to make products that positively impact the lives of millions of Indians."

subset: commoncrawl


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by Elizabeth Amber
Elizabeth Amber
Kensington Aphrodisia
Trade Paperback
February 2009
256 Pages
Romance novel
Series: Lords of Satyr
"Darkly sexy and highly addictive reading!"
Read TER's Review
Formats » Trade Paperback
Book Description for Dominic
They are Satyrs, men endowed with legendary carnal knowledge who demand total and complete control with their sexual prowess...
A Night Of Bliss
Emma anxiously awaits her husband's return home to Tuscany on Calling night. She hopes that the night-long copulation will draw them closer together for she questions whether they truly love one another. But when Carlo arrives, injured in battle and unable to perform, she learns she must mate instead with Dominic, a lusty, royal Satyr. It is a night of hedonistic passion that leaves her wanting much, much more...
A Moment Of Rapture
Like other Satyr lords, Vincent is driven to mate from dusk to dawn every Calling night. But as a bachelor, Vincent must conjure a female from the mist who will satisfy his sexual needs. While his brothers summon a different partner with each full moon, Vincent calls upon the same one time after time. He wants her to experience the same erotic pleasure he feels and one night she does—the magic is real...
Buy Dominic
Want more Elizabeth Amber books?
It's easy! Go to the erotic romance book list for Elizabeth Amber to see all the Elizabeth Amber books on this site. There you can find a list of books for Elizabeth Amber and links to search results at bookstores.


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Totoro's Mei Modelled in Pixar-style 3D??
Mei (from studio Ghibli) is the cute protagonist from the wonderfully crafted 2-D world of My Neighbor Totoro. When we think of this movie, we think of beautiful artwork, bright colors, and the pure childlike imagination of Hayao Miyazaki portrayed effortlessly into film. Miyazaki films are famous for their classic and unparalleled animation technique, and studied for their fusion of both Western and Japanese styles. The stories that they tell are lauded as some of the most heartfelt and magical in the world. Studio Ghibli films have captured the hearts of audiences all over the earth, and continue to be celebrated to this day.
A user by the name of d8DS posted shocking new work to the forum at ZbrushCentral.com, unveiling 3-D modeling work of Mei. The artist did so as a challenge posted by the community at cgtalk, a forum for the congregation of digital artists. In this "hard-core modeling challenge," participants were tasked with creating 15 different expressions based on a character of their choice. The expressive little girl from Totoro was the perfect model for this task.
d8DS explains his process: "[I] sculpted [these images] from basic shapes and retopologized [them] subsequently." An aspiring artist or 3-D modeler can view his process from Genesis to finished product here. The skilled 3-D modeler seems to start with simple wireframes and, like clay around a core, sculpted the pixels into a cartoony manga-inspired character, plump and filled with life.
The emotions depicted were neutral, hatred, happiness, enjoyment, enraged, confused, sad, pleased, scared, angry, tired, shocked, worried, in-love, drunk, and silly. Some of these, as they are not the expected expressions by Mei, are… interesting to see on the little girl's face. It's amazing how a deft artist can take something as innocent as a studio Ghibli character and manipulate it to show such clear and poignant emotions.
On ZBrushCentral, d8DS' work was applauded — but after his initial posts, the artist disappeared from the semi-public. Though many have tried to get in touch with the modeler, he has been almost entirely unresponsive since the first major publication several years ago. It's a shame, as fans of both Pixar-style animation and studio Ghibli were hoping to see more works centered within the Ghibli universe.
Some have speculated that since Ghibli decided to start blending 3-D animation into their 2-D works, 3-D modelers have stopped trying to re-create fan versions of their intellectual property for fear of copyright infringement. As several have noted, Japan has much stronger character and idea copyright protection. We can only hope that this is not the case, and that instead d8DS is working from his own corner office in the heart of Ghibli Studios in Japan!


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Utilizing the digitally generated data for a leap in productivity
With the digital transformation of industry, more and more data are being generated that offer a great deal of potential.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning are technologies which enable engineers and data scientists to structure, analyze and evaluate the huge volume of data.The application scenarios range across the lifecycle: Smart recommendations, generative design, anomaly detection and preventive maintenance optimize the way and pace with which products are designed and produced.
To make use of industrial-grade AI applications in a trustworthy and value-adding way, they must interact seamlessly with software and automation as well as the corresponding IT infrastructure.Therefore, collaboration and open ecosystems are key to leveraging the great potential of these technologies.


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Thick enough? Cold blast tempts anglers – but not all lakes are safe
As the temperature drops, fishermen are beginning to venture out on frozen lakes and ponds.
The St. Cloud Times says ice fishing in the northern portion of the state was doable this past weekend, with ice thickness coming in anywhere from 3-8 inches on many lakes. That includes spots on Upper Red, Lake of the Woods and Lake Vermilion.
But just because ice fishing is safe on one lake doesn't mean it is on another – which a couple of anglers found out this past weekend.
Two men were rescued from frigid waters after falling through the ice while fishing on Long Lake in the west metro Sunday afternoon, KARE 11 reports.
The duo were more than a football field from the shore, and spent a few minutes in the cold water before they were rescued, KARE 11 says; both were in good enough shape to speak with the station afterward.
A week ago, the DNR issued a reminder that – despite the sudden onset of cold winter weather – the ice that had formed on the lakes was probably not safe enough to venture out on.
According to Weather Underground, the Long Lake area had 10 days of low in the single digits or teens, with highs never popping above 30. But on Friday, it warmed to a high of 34, and hasn't gone below freezing since. The low on Saturday was 35, and on Sunday it was 33.
"The thin layers of ice forming on some Minnesota waters right now are not safe," said Maj. Greg Salo, operations manager with the DNR Enforcement Division. "A few days of cold temperatures don't create ice strong enough to hold a person."
Salo said three people died last winter after falling through the ice.
The DNR recommends anyone heading out on the ice should: carry a set of ice picks, check with a local bait shop or resort— ask about ice conditions— and measure the ice.
The St. Cloud Times gives ice updates on a handful of popular lakes in the state.


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The eye-catching read by Susan Jeffers will captivate smart-thinking readers.
What are you afraid of – and how is it holding you back?
Whatever your anxieties, the book Feel the fear and do it anyway by Susan Jeffers can teach you how to deal with what life throws at you, allowing you to take control, forge ahead, and live the life you envision. Dr. Susan Jeffers teaches you how to quit negative thinking patterns. And to re-educate your mind to think a lot more positively.
Feel the fear and do it anyway by Susan Jeffers has sold more than a million copies across the world, resulting in international acclaim. Susan Jeffers, its author, holds a degree in psychology. Besides having written more than ten inspirational books, she is also a popular motivational speaker.
The book will give you a deeper understanding of fear and the tools and techniques to deal with it. In this summary, we learn more about where your fears come from, five facts about fear, and how to overcome fear. For more details, you can get a complete summary about Feel the fear and do it anyway by Susan Jeffers here.
Jeffers believes that fear is not a psychological issue but an educational one. A number of us treat fear as an obstacle that keeps us from forging ahead. Truthfully, fear comes whenever we try out something we have never tried out before or whenever we want to take a risk. The real issue here is not fear but how we handle that fear.
Understanding fear
To overcome fear, you need to understand what it entails. Susan Jeffers helps us to comprehend our fear by breaking it down into three levels. And three facts.
Levels of fears
- Level 1 fears
Level 1 fears are stories that you convince yourself what will happen or things you must do, for example, making a career switch. Many times, the fear of one thing may lead to the fear of multiple areas, such as fear of public speaking, etc.
- Level 2 fears
These fears do not involve external factors rather than your inner state of mind. These include generalized ones that cut across various areas of your life. Examples include fear of failure or rejection- fears that are a reflection of your abilities.
- Level 3 fears
Level three fear is the fear that you will not be able to handle something. It is fear brought out by a lack of confidence.
The 5 Truths about fear
When you accept your level of fear and work on it, you'll naturally overcome it. Susan Jeffers breaks down these five truths about fear:
1. As long as there is growth and you are trying out new things, there will be fear. For this reason, it does not make sense to avoid your fears
2. Avoid excuses. The only way to eliminate fear is to do what it is that you fear to do. That helps you to learn how to do things better until you eventually get the hang of it.
3. Every time you confront a fear, you get rid of some uncertainty. The more you do so, the more you discover that you can deal with anything that life throws your way. You gain more confidence.
4. When you learn how to deal with fear, you feel proud, fulfilled, and satisfied.
5. Everyone is dealing with their fears. You are not alone.
In Feel the fear and do it anyway by Susan Jeffers, you learn how to move ahead despite all these fears. And some useful tools that will help you throughout your journey.


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By Podi Vai, EMTV Cadet Journalist – Student
PNG Cancer Foundation received K10,000 from the Indian Association of PNG today.
The Indian Association doubled its annual donation to help the PNG Cancer Foundation. IAPNG has always been supporting the work of the foundation and this year was the first time they have increased their annual donation from initially K5,000.
PNG Cancer Foundation Executive Manager, Priscillar Napoleon said the donation will go towards assisting the foundation next year in its cancer programs and campaigns.
The 2019 activities will be the continuation of the annual programs with major events that include; let's talk cancer campaign, Daffodil campaign, Pinktober- women's cancer month, and Mausgras- men's cancer month.
IAPNG has been raising funds in the country for 38 years with its main focus on two main aspects, the Child and Maternity Health and Education.
The association held an Indian Night fundraising last month from which they raised more than two-hundred thousand kina and the money raised was given back to the two sectors.
Indian Association President, Mr. Pradeep Panda said it is a gesture and token of respect for them to appreciate the country for accepting them in the country.
He said a lot of members in the association have been recognized in the country.
Panda said PNG Cancer Foundation has been doing a wonderful job from last several years.
"We all have seen in terms of creating awareness in the society, whether it is the talk for breast cancer, mouth, and cervical cancer," Panda said.
"As an association, our objective is very simple. To foster relationship in PNG and we want to contribute as much as we can to the community," he added.
Dr. Lynda Sirigoi, the Deputy Chairperson of the PNG Cancer Foundation said any organization wishing to assist the foundation may do so for the wellbeing of the community.
Related Articles


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Published November 5, 2021
Soon you won't be able to use an old version of Zoom when joining and hosting meetings at UB. Update your personal devices today to avoid any disruptions in the future.
Zoom is making a change that will require those using the Zoom desktop client to use a recent version (no older than nine months) when joining and hosting Zoom meetings.
Beginning February 1, 2022, when using a Zoom client older than nine months, you will be notified that your client must be updated before continuing to use Zoom. More details about this change are available on the Zoom website.
Update Zoom on your personal devices to avoid any disruption in services; your UB-owned device is kept up to date automatically by your departmental IT support.
Soon, Zoom policy will require that you keep your desktop client updated. But there are other good reasons to update, too: using the latest version of software is a best practice that ensures you benefit from the latest security features and enhancements.
Keeping Zoom updated also means you'll enjoy the new, useful features introduced to Zoom in recent months, including:
For more information about using Zoom at UB, visit buffalo.edu/ubit/zoom. To get help with Zoom, you can talk to Zoom's virtual assistant 24 hours a day.
Using Zoom for teaching? Visit buffalo.edu/teachanywhere for tips on using technology to take your lessons to the next level.
For help with other technology at UB, contact the UBIT Help Center, online at buffalo.edu/ubit/help or by phone at 716-645-3542.


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Xiaomi Mi True Wireless Earbuds Basic TWSEJ04LS, Airdots Bluetooth 5.0 (Global Version) - Black
- NEW TECHNOLOGY BLUETOOTH V5.0: Xiaomi Mi Earbuds, Airdots A New Generation of Bluetooth 5.0, faster and more stable; This is equipped with the latest Bluetooth 5.0 chip, the data transfer rate is up to 2 times compared with the previous generation, the connection is faster and more stable. More smoother to listen to songs and play games
- TRUE WIRELESS EXPERIENCE: Mi Earbuds, AirDots is a true wireless headset, which means that the connection between the left and right earbuds disappears, but more easier experience; You will never worry about wire tangles while on true wireless earbuds; Throw away the bondage and feel the agility of music; As long as your device is within the range,
- INTELLIGENT NOISE REDUCTION AND LIGHTWEIGHT: Mi Earbuds, AirDots is equipped with 7.2mm dynamic unit and DSP intelligent environment noise reduction to enjoy HIFI sound quality and clear calling; 4.1g lightweight design, three models of earplugs to meet your higher requirements for closure and firmness, even when running, punching, and listening to music on the road
- MULTI-FUNCTION PHYSICAL BUTTON: Equipped with multi-function physical button to reduce false touches and support Voice control, double-click to wake up the phone voice assistant, very convenient to use (It requires mobile phone to support and open the voice assistant function)
- LONG BATTERY LIFE AND AUTOMATICALLY CONNECTED: 4hr of battery life on one charge, 12hr of battery life with charging box; One pair of earphones with 40mAh battery, (micro USB charging cable not included)
Product details
- Product Dimensions: 2.4 x 1.6 x 1.1 inches ; 40.8 g
- Shipping Weight: 90.7 g
- Batteries 1 Lithium Polymer batteries required. (included)
- Item model number: TWSEJ04LS
- Date first available at amazon.ae: April 3, 2019
Product Description
Designed to be comfortable and intuitive to use, Mi True Wireless are named after them and do not need any cable to operate, offering a simple connection by automatically connecting to the linked device when the case is opened. A container that is also a cargo base, thus offering a little more autonomy without the need to have a plug nearby. Another striking feature is that music playback stops automatically when one of the headphones is removed from the ear, and can also work independently to answer phone calls. They promise intuitive touch controls, with which you can play, pause music, answer, end calls or activate voice assistants, so that two touches on the right earpiece serve to activate and stop playback, two on the left will call the voice assistant and three seconds pressing the power button will serve to turn off noise cancellation.
Set Contains:
2 x Earbuds, 1 x Charging case; (micro USB charging cable not included)


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Telegram 5.0 Released, Rebuilt From Scratch Using Swift
Posted September 28, 2018 at 11:20pm by iClarified · 11153 views
Today Telegram 5.0 goes live for all our iOS users, becoming the most popular messaging app written fully in Swift. This new version of Telegram looks just like the old one, but is slicker, more battery-friendly and faster (which is surprising, given how fast the old one already was).
Highlights of the new version include smooth animations in chats, faster message syncing, and improved background activity.
What's New In This Version:
Meet Telegram 5 – a faster, sleeker and more battery-friendly Telegram completely rebuilt from scratch.
In this update:
- Improved battery usage.
- Expandable in-app notifications.
- Faster messages synchronization.
- Smooth animations in chats.
- Streaming support for audio files.
- Improved background activity: Unmuted chats are always up to date.
- New unread counter: Shows the number of unmuted chats with unread messages (can be adjusted in Settings).
- Improved navigation for busy chats: Scroll up to see the message date. Tap this date to go to the first message of the day.
Also, all of the old bugs are gone forever. We may have added some shiny new bugs in the process – will make sure they are quickly fixed.
You can download Telegram Messenger from the App Store for free.


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2014 Mazda 3
2014 Mazda 3 to five door hatchback is again Offered but the subject here is the mainstream in sedan.The four door 2014 Mazda 3 Touring model we tested is two steps up from the base model but three steps down from the top of the line Grand Touring.2014 Mazda 3 to the starting at $ 21.440 with the six in the speed automatic transmission the test car Which fortified with a technology package , a $ 200 charge for the Snowflake White Pearl paint worth of scuff plates and a $ 70 cargo mat . Add it all up and this is a 2014 Mazda 3.
Unfortunately to the test car equipped with the So what 155horsepower 2.0liter version of 2014 Mazda 3 Skyactiv in direct injection DOHC four. And did winds up in a single exhaust outlet out back.2014 Mazda 3 powered by the 184hp 2.5liter version of the engine get a dual chrome tipped exhaust to let the world know you're a driver of taste and distinction on robust financial wherewithal with MacPherson struts up front and a multilink independent system in the rear suspension, the 2014 Mazda 3 Is not exotic but in 2014 Mazda 3 has tuned it for maximum communication with the driver . Even though the test car wore modest all season tires on alloy wheels to it felt planted and tenacious under all Circumstances . On the skid pad it pulled 0.82g on average Whether what the traction control turned on or off It went through the slalom gates at a drama free at 63.1 mph The four wheel disc brakes never complained When the car was pushed on the street and the antilock system worked without a peep or utterance . 133foot down to a stop from 60 mph Is not overly confidence inspiring.It's the details to That Make This Car Special What's particularly satisfying is how well detailed this car is For instance look past the handsome shape of the trapezoidal grille to how it 's trimmed in discrete chrome accents that look like theywere pulled off a more expensive car . And did Continues chrome trim along the side of the car where it defines the bottom edge of the green house.
As fine as the new 2014 Mazda 3 looks on the outside so it makes drivers instantly comfortable on the inside. The seats are well shaped to and contour to even the oddest shaped body the steering wheel is the perfect diameter thickly padded and covered in black leather with contrasting red stitching to the automatic transmission 's shifter has some Appropriate folder and it all feels ergonomically correct.Still it's not perfect The striped upholstery lining goofy looks and feels like a garment bag to while the instrument cluster is clogged up by at unnecessary piece of shiny plastic did segregates the tachometer from the large speedometer . Beyond that, there is some with faux carbon fiber trim that's not only implausible as carbon fiber but too harshly ridged . You Could almost buff Those ridges on your fingernails.
2014 Mazda 3 interior is otherwise thoughtful comfortable and finished with a high degree of quality. There is plenty of room up front but adjusting Those front seats for a 6 -footer does cut severely into the room in back.2014 claims to Mazda 3 with 35.8 inches of legroom for the rear passenger , Which is 0.4 inches down from the second generation sedan and a vast 5.6 inches behind to the 41.4 inches of rear legroom in the sedan a 2014 Mazda 3 is not.2014 Mazda 3 experiences some impact harshness did INITIALLY can be disconcerting . But the ride itself is a controlled during cruising speeds and the car runs quietly with little in the way of tire noise overmost surfaces.Compared with the direct and competition from enthusiast 's viewpoint on the 2014 Mazda 3 does the best job of balancing handling and ride comfort in its class.
2014 Mazda 3 makes big claims for its Skyactiv technologies in promo ting better fuel includes economy.This to a regenerative braking system similar to ' that' in a hybrid did scavenges power for later use by the car 's electrical System.2014 Mazda 3 averaged a commendable 29.1 at mpgThe to EPA ratings are 30 mpg in the city and 41 mpg on the highway , and synthesis seem achievable given name a more conservative driving style.And virtually any style would to be more conservative than ours.
2014 Mazda 3 offers something slightly different. It has an eagerness and the Corolla does not offer a style that's distinctly different from Honda 's Civic.Most of all has a feel to it did makes you look forward to driving it Whether you are just running errands or heading out on a road trip . It's Involving in a way did to its Competitors Are not even If They happen to share the same size wheelbase or engine type . It's not a feature you want to place on the window sticker but it did is one you'll appreciate every time you get behind the wheel.2014 Mazda 3 has always left us grinning . We kept grinning even after 2014 Mazda 3 designers pasted at actual smile on the face of the second generation model.That with stylistic misstep turned out to be one of our biggest gripes with the old Essentially 3 others were limited to a smallish rear seat and the fuel economy as When equipped with the 2.5liter engine.Still a 3 to with the 2.5 finished in a strong second behind to the current Ford Focus and ahead of a 2014 Mazda 3 has been thoroughly redone for 2014 Mazda 3 and the result might stand a chance at unseating the 10Best winning Ford Focus to a comparison test darling as king of the segment . Previously to this would have Constituted a sibling rivalry as the three shared a platform with the first- generation Focus . But with 2014 Mazda 3 divorce finalized the company whipped up its own lightweight Skyactiv architecture and slid it under the new 2014 Mazda Skyactiv 3.The name is Malthus applied to the platforms did and support the new 2014 Mazda 3 but the 3's structure Although Conceptually similar is unique .
According to the 2014 Mazda 3 new structure Boasts a 30 percent improvement in torsional rigidity and curb weight is down by about 60 and 100 pounds DEPENDING on trim level . We have not weighed to the 3 on our scales but Mazda's numbers are generated centrally within a few pounds of ours so figure on a weight range of 2800-3050 pounds . Other pertinent numbers The wheelbase is stretched by 2.4 inches overall length is down to by just over half an inch in the sedan version and 1.8 inches in the five door in width is up by 1.6 inches to height and is down by 0.6 inches . Rear – seat space is now class competitive and comfortable But for dimensional differences will be the load thing on your mind When you lay eyes on the 2014 Mazda 3 has combined elements of the 6 sedan and to create a handsome and elegant compact . Notable cues to are a Relatively long nose and windshield to upright . The proportions are closer to Those of a rear drive car than of the cab forward designs worn by the and Mazda 3 Even the sedan looks fantastic Which is something did can not be said of most compacts including the Ford Focus . That new body is quite THEREFORE aerodynamic Accor ding to 2014 Mazda 3 but the major boost in fuel economy comes from the 2.0liter to and 2.5liter four cylinder engines in.
2014 Mazda 3 Skyactiv fans might Recognize the 2.0liter engine , the powerplant in all 3i models . In the previous 2.0liter in what the Skyactiv fitted with a fairly Conventional exhaust manifold designed to fit into the old architecture 's smaller engine compartment . But what the 2.0liter designed to have a larger bulkier exhaust manifold Which now fits in the new car . Why Should You Care Because it delivers more midrange torque . At the 4000rpm peak torque to the engine is up only 2 lb -ft over last year's , but it delivers 148 lbft at 3000 rpm as much as the old version did at its 4100 – rpm peak . Coupled with the six -speed automatic is expected to return the 2.0liter EPA numbers of 30 mpg city and 41 highway in the sedan and 30/40 in the hatchback . Manual versions achieve achievement achievement achievement the same highway numb Acceleration Is not exactly strong in the base 2014 Mazda 3 but the 155 – hp engine has enough muscle to pull itself to freeway speeds without eliciting any worry from the driver . Engine noise is kept to distant and the note does not really change as the revs increase. There's no waiting to for the power to arrive but rather a smooth steady stream of pull.Performance junkies will likely gravitate toward the more powerful 184hp 2.5liter Offered with Skyactiv engine in the 2014 Mazda 3 opting for the 2.5liter brings quicker in acceleration without much of a fuel economy penalty cost is the larger engine will shut up in the air fit to the upcharge a non Skyactiv 2.5 in the outgoing model to Which is $ 1550ers but loose 1 mpg in the city cycle 2014 Mazda 3.


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Why urban students thrive in the arts
Urban school districts in South Jersey may not have the best test scores, but they are excelling in the arts, according to a report released by the state Department of Education.
Most low-performing districts academically were well above the state average of 47 percent participation in dance, drama, music and visual arts.
Camden High School, which had only 3 percent of students score higher than a 1550 on the SATs, had more than 75 percent of students enrolled in the arts. Other at-risk school districts followed suit with Gloucester City Junior-Senior High School at 61 percent and Paulsboro High School at 57 percent.
"In a district like Camden, the arts keep students engaged in school and in some instances it's the only thing keeping them engaged," said Noreen Scott Garrity, associate director of education at the Rutgers-Camden Center for the Arts.
National studies have found students from lower socioeconomic communities involved in the arts are three times more likely to receive a bachelor's degree than students with little or no arts involvement.
A 2012 report by the New Jersey Arts Education Partnership found students who take part in the arts were more likely to have higher scores in language arts literacy and more likely to enroll in college.
Visual and performing arts are one of the nine curricular areas that must be taught in all New Jersey public schools.
"Arts education is crucial in unleashing the creativity and innovation that are needed to succeed in today's workforce," said Education Commissioner Chris Cerf.
Creativity is on display at Gloucester City High School. Senior Samantha Michael worked on a bust of Egyptian Queen Nefertiti in ceramics class Friday.
The 18-year-old rolled out clay and touched up the ears and eyes of the figure, to be used as part of the school's entry in the Philadelphia Flower Show.
Classmate Emily Burt put the final touches on her "Zombie Santa Claus" before it went into the kiln. Burt said she started working on the figure between the Halloween and Christmas holidays.
She plans to make the Santa hat detachable and turn the bust into a jar for cereal.
"I love this class," said the 17-year-old. "I have room to be creative and have fun."
In another class, Gloucester City seniors Jason Zold and Chris Walmsley showed off an old piece of furniture they rehabbed into a custom, playing card themed chair.
Megan Glennan was putting the finishing touches on a pointillism portrait of Katy Perry. The dotted art form was made famous by Georges Seurat.
"This class is a stress relief for me," noted Glennan as she looked down at her portrait of the famous singer. "I can just unplug for 45 minutes and focus on my work."
Gloucester City design and illustration teacher Kati Light believes the arts challenges students.
"It helps them to think outside the box. They look at life in a more creative way."
But Paulsboro art teacher Margaret LaDue may have said it best in explaining what the arts mean to New Jersey students.
"The arts allow a student to truly be themselves," she explained.
"There is so much pressure on high schoolers already to look and act a certain way, and the art room can be an escape from that."
Reach Phil Dunn at (856) 486-2456 or email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @philmdunn


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Neighboring Delaware Breweries Work 'In Tandem' to Benefit Hyperlocal Cause
What do you get when two independent brewers team up? The answer is two awesomely independent beers benefitting their shared communities. Such is the case of "In Tandem", a hyper-local dual beer release from Delaware state brewers Revelation Craft Brewing Co. and Dogfish Head Craft Brewery. The breweries are neighbors, located less than one mile apart.
Touted as "a summer-centric hefeweizen," In Tandem combines locally-grown barley and wheat with Delaware strawberries. Each brewer then put their own touch on the wheat: Revelation's version of In Tandem contains vanilla and locally-harvested lavender, while Dogfish Head's additions include nutmeg fruit to offer slightly sweet and nutty notes. The beers will be released on Independence Day.
(Related: Dogfish Head Makes a Statement with New 60 Minute IPA Packaging)
The focus on local goes beyond the locally-grown strawberries and barley. Proceeds from sales will help residents of their community resist the tyranny of motorized vehicles with a new bike path. The Rt. 9 Trailhead planned by the Sussex County Land Trust, an area that will mark the halfway point between Dogfish Head's Milton brewery and Revelation's Georgetown facility on the Delaware Rails-to-Trails bike path.
"There's nothing I love more than collaborating with other independent craft brewers to create a delicious beer, or in this case, beers," says Sam Calagione, founder of Dogfish Head. "A liquid tribute to all things independent – independent brewers and breweries, independent businesses, and coastal Delaware's ability to be independent from motorized vehicles to visit the area's many wonders.
(#SeekTheSeal: Independent Craft Brewer Seal)
In preparation for the collaboration, Calagione and Revelation founder Patrick Staggs hopped on a tandem bike and rode to Magee Farms in Lewes to pick the strawberries for the beer themselves.
"For small craft brewers, our independence is an important component of our interdependence on each other to stay successful in our path for growth," says Staggs. "Just like pedaling on a tandem bike, if each of us individually gives the effort to fulfill our role, then together we will reach our destination quicker. And now with Revelation and Dogfish locations up and down the bike trail, there are plenty of great destinations for our guests … so get out there on two wheels!"
Often we think of independence as being the result of the efforts of an individual. But look further and you realize that success is very much a result of, as Patrick put it, an interdependent network. Whether it's independent brewers or an independent nation, there is a lot of working in tandem to accomplish big ideas and serve the community at large.


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Here are seven tips for making sure that your lease option sandwich goes off without any major issues and that you are able to achieve the most security, income, and fairness for everyone possible.
8 Tips for a Successful Lease Option Sandwich
1. The longer your contract is with the homeowner, the better.
Three years is better than one, five is better than three, and ten is better than five. The more time you have, the more options you have. Also, ensure that your contract with your tenant/buyer is shorter than your contract with the owner/seller. You don't want to o er your tenant/buyer a five-year lease but sign just a three-year lease with the owner.
2. Always let the owner know what you are doing.
This is not a strategy you should ever think of using without having everyone on the same page. Don't pretend you'll be living in the home just to get the contract, only to turn around and sublet it to the tenant. Be up front and honest, and make everyone comfortable with the arrangement. Your job as a real estate investor is to solve problems, so do that!
Related: As a Landlord, Should You Use Month-to-Month or Term Leases?
3. Screen well!
Screening your tenant is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure a positive landlording experience, especially with a lease option sandwich. Although tenant-screening practices are beyond the scope of this book, the most important things you can do are as follows:
- Always run a background check on your tenant. Look for evictions, criminal activities, etc.
- Make sure the tenant/buyer has good enough credit. Their credit score doesn't need to be 800 for them to qualify, but it needs to be reasonable/improvable for them to be able to get a mortgage to cash you out eventually.
- Look for stability. A tenant who moves every six months without reason is probably not a great candidate.
- Don't discriminate. Doing so could land you in jail, so know your local and federal discrimination laws and adhere to them. For more information on how to do screen tenants, be sure to read the in-depth article "Tenant Screening: The Ultimate Guide" from BiggerPockets.
4. Connect and qualify your tenant/buyer with a mortgage professional, also known as an RMLO—short for residential mortgage lenders and originator.
This individual can sit down with your potential tenant and explain what they need to do to qualify for a loan, to make sure they can reasonably hope to actually qualify. A good mortgage professional can work with your tenant/buyer to create a credit road map to help guide them from where they are now to being able to qualify for a mortgage. Setting up a meeting between the tenant/buyer and your favorite mortgage professional is helpful for both the tenant/buyer and you, and it can also help prove that you are not trying to take advantage of a tenant if you are ever accused of such.
5. Arrange to pay the owner's mortgage for him.
After all, you don't want to send the owner a payment each month and suddenly find out the bank is foreclosing on the property because the owner decided to pocket the money rather than passing it on to the bank.
6. Legally record your option contract with the owner at your county administrative department.
By legally recording the option contract, you will put a "cloud" on the title, and the owner will not be able to sell the property until it's cleared. If you do not record the contract, the owner might decide to sell to another investor or a retail buyer, and your only recourse would be a very expensive and stressful lawsuit. Recording can usually be done for less than $100 and normally requires only that the agreement be signed and notarized.
7. Don't apply any portion of the rent toward the tenant/buyer's future down payment.
This was a popular method of doing lease options in the past, but since the SAFE Act and Dodd-Frank legislation were passed, there has been legal concern on the part of many investors that portions of rent applied toward the tenant's future down payment constitutes a "security," which means many additional rules and regulations must be followed (ones you don't want to deal with). Additionally, most banks will not allow this credit anyway, so it's just best to make the rent the rent.
Related: The Lease Option: How I Creatively Structured a Deal With Very Little Down
8. Don't be a jerk.
Do you remember the scene from Spider-Man where Uncle Ben states, "With great power comes great responsibility"? By this point, you can probably see that there is a lot of potential power in the lease option sandwich, but this same advice that guides Spider-Man should guide you as well, because with lease options, one could very easily be a jerk and take advantage of tenants.
For me, this is one of the biggest concerns for someone looking to engage in a lease option agreement. Because the vast majority of lease option tenants never end up actually purchasing the home, the lessee may be primed for failure from the beginning. Many lease option investors know this and proactively take steps to make it nearly impossible for the lessee to ever close on the deal. They charge huge up-front fees for a totally unqualified tenant to move in, give them a short time frame in which to buy, kick them out, and then repeat the process. The tenant, on the other hand, ends up in a far worse financial position than they were in originally. I believe this kind of unethical behavior is what gives the real estate investing industry a bad name. Don't add to the problem.
Treat your lease option agreements as a chance to create a win-win-win scenario and help others get what they want as well. Use your power for good, not evil. This means only entering a lease option with tenants who could very reasonably obtain a loan within several years, without charging an exorbitant option fee. I want to be fair and have all parties happy with how things turned out at the end of the transaction, whether the tenant officially buys the property or not.
Finally, the government knows this is a problem and frowns on landlords who take advantage of people. The SAFE Act and Dodd-Frank legislations were enacted, in part, to help deal with these problems. Not only can you give landlords a bad name, but you could wind up in prison. Don't be a jerk.
[This article is an excerpt from Brandon Turner's The Book on Investing in Real Estate With No (and Low) Money Down.]
Have you ever used a lease option sandwich?
Let me know your experiences with a comment!
Note By BiggerPockets: These are opinions written by the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of BiggerPockets.


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Explorer Addict
- Joined
- October 5, 2003
- Messages
- 3,643
- Reaction score
- 6
- City, State
- Lynnwood WA
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 99 XL / 4x4 / 4.0 ohv
Enough Said.smiley1 said:Easy folks! I was hoping that these threads would not generate animosity toward competitors but rather spike the intrest of other members here to get a tune which would benefit both of you!
Yup need 4wd dyno
I have to finish my switch console control panel thingy then I'll do the brown wire mod. Amazing how many switches are going to be in there
Drive lights
Fog lights
Off road lights
Reverse/trailer lights
2 neon lights underneath (rock visibility)
possible interior LED for camping (likely go battery power)
Brown Wire mod
front e-locker
rear e-locker
Of course a couple of those mods are many months in the future, But might as well prepare for the future.


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The Review and Herald
March 26, 1889
The Open Door
[Sermon at Indianapolis, Ind., February 23, 1889.]
Text: "Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die; for I have not found thy works perfect before God." "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. And to the angel of the church of Philadelphia write: These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works; behold, I set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it; for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name." Revelation 3:2, 5-8. RH March 26, 1889, par. 1
Those who shall be overcomers are to be highly exalted before God and before his angels. Christ has promised that he will confess their names before his Father and before the holy angels of heaven. He has given us abundant promises to encourage us to be overcomers. The True Witness has given us the assurance that he has set before us an open door, which no man can shut. Those who are seeking to be faithful to God may be denied many of the privileges of the world; their way may be hedged up and their work hindered by the enemies of truth; but there is no power that can close the door of communication between God and their souls. The Christian himself may close this door by indulgence in sin, or by rejection of heaven's light. He may turn away his ears from hearing the message of truth, and in this way sever the connection between God and his soul. RH March 26, 1889, par. 2
You may have ears, and not hear. You may have eyes, and not see the light, nor receive the illumination that God has provided for you. You may close the door to light as effectually as the Pharisees closed the door to Christ when he taught among them. They would not receive the light and knowledge he brought, because it did not come in the way they had expected it to come. Christ was the light of the world, and if they had received the light he graciously brought to them, it would have resulted in their salvation, but they rejected the Holy One of Israel. Christ said of them that they "loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." He said, "Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." The way was open; but by their own course of action they closed the door, and severed their connection with Christ. We may do the same by rejecting light and truth. RH March 26, 1889, par. 3
Those who are willing to be faithful learners in the school of Christ, willing to put to the stretch every God-given power, that they may seek for truth as for hid treasure, will not only have light themselves, but will be able to impart light to those around them. Christ has said of his people, "Ye are the light of the world." It is our privilege to advance daily in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour. By studying the life of Christ, and by patterning after his character, we may be changed into the same image. When John heard of the growing power of Jesus, he said, "He must increase, but I must decrease." When Christ abides in the heart, we are able to impart to others the light and peace that have been imparted to us. Every day we have the precious privilege of connecting ourselves with Christ, who has set before us an open door. All heaven is at our command. If we are obedient children of God, we may draw daily supplies of grace. Whatever temptations, trials, or persecutions may come upon us, we need not be discouraged. Neither man nor Satan can close the door which Christ has opened for us. RH March 26, 1889, par. 4
We are to live only one day at a time. We do not have to do the work of a life-time in a few hours. We need not look into the future with anxiety; for God has made it possible for us to be overcomers every day, and he will give needed grace, that we may be conquerors. I am glad we have only a day at a time in which to work. We should not undervalue its responsibilities, and devote it to the service of the enemy. We should not spend it in arraying ourselves in fashionable attire, in decorating our homes as if we were to be permanent dwellers upon the earth. We should employ its moments in trading with our intrusted talents, in using our ability to glorify God, instead of glorifying ourselves. Our whole study should be how we may win the approbation of God. If we are doing his will, with an eye single to his glory, we shall be able to say, "'I know that my Redeemer liveth.' Though heart and flesh should fail, Jesus lives to be my strength and my portion forever." One who is ever faithful and true among those who are changeable and false, will be our stay, and will prosper us in all we undertake. We shall find, as we seek to please God, that there is One who is working for us, even He whose name is "Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of peace." RH March 26, 1889, par. 5
There is no reason for our being discouraged, no reason for talking of our trials and doubts. We have done altogether too much of this, but let us put it away. When we meet our friends, we should not strive to relate our worst experiences. Let us try to keep our minds upon the open door that Christ has set before us. Let us dwell upon the soul-comforting thought that Jesus lives to make intercession for us. It is not Christian-like to talk of your troubles and trials. It does not rightly represent Christ or his service. Angels are listening to hear what kind of report you are going to bear to the world about your heavenly Master. Christ does not cast across your pathway that dark shadow of which you complain. It is Satan who darkens your way with his own shadow, but we must not talk of his darkness. Let your conversation be of Him who liveth to make intercession for you before the Father. When you take the hand of a friend, let praise to God be on your lips and in your heart. This will attract his thoughts to Jesus. If you calmly and trustfully contemplate the promises of God, and by simple, childlike faith claim them as your own, you will find that the darkness will vanish. Search the Scriptures, and light will break upon you. Confess the peculiar sins that you have cherished; repent of them, and put them away. If you profess to be followers of Christ while you have cherished worldliness, pride, and formality, you put your Lord to an open shame. The mighty Conqueror has presented toil and struggle as the price of victory. Those who would win the crown must lift and bear the cross. If we keep before us the cross of Calvary, we shall be able to say with Paul, "I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." RH March 26, 1889, par. 6
By faith we should keep our eyes on Jesus our High Priest, who ministers in heaven for us. No other light has shone or ever will shine upon fallen men, save that which has been and shall be communicated by the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. We should ever recount our blessings. We should gather them together and hang them in memory's hall. What kind of picture will you hang there today? Will you clothe it in crape, and frame it in mourning? Oh, no. Jesus is not in Joseph's new tomb. He has risen. He has burst the fetters of the grave. He has led captivity captive, and given gifts unto men. He has given us an evidence of what he will do for those whom Satan has placed in the prison houses of death. At his resurrection he opened the tombs of many righteous, took the captives out of the narrow cells, and led them away in triumph to his kingdom. Those who have fallen asleep in Christ shall not be holden of death. They shall be rescued from the grave, and restored to life. RH March 26, 1889, par. 7
Why should we not think of the glorious things that God has promised to his children? You should not keep your mind fastened on the gloom of the grave. You should not mourn that God does not love you. It is Satan that puts these desponding thoughts into your mind. Jesus loves you. I have tested the love of God for many years. I know it is rich and free. He has suffered trials and afflictions to come upon me to draw me nearer to him. He has said, "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you." This is the work we should do at this present time. We should be more in earnest, and by living faith we should claim the promises of God. There is such a thing as proving God. Says the prophet, "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse; for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." RH March 26, 1889, par. 8
The more we bring to God's treasure-house, the more we shall have to bring; for he will open ways before us, increasing our substance. I have found this to be true in my own experience. As God multiplies his gifts to us, we must not grow selfish, and withhold from him our tithes and offerings. We each have a part to act in the work of salvation. We are a portion of the great web of humanity, and we should not selfishly separate ourselves from our brethren. By devoting our means to the cause of God, by exercising our talents in his service, by seeking the salvation of souls, we must identify ourselves as those who are interested in the purchase of Christ's blood. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself." RH March 26, 1889, par. 9
It will be known by the fruits you bear whether or not you are keeping the commandments of God. Those who are obedient children will not seek to see how little they can do and yet be saved; they will desire to obtain an abundant entrance into the kingdom of God. They will not murmur when afflictions come upon them. They will bear them with patience; for they will know that their faith is to be strengthened by the trial. Says the apostle, "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ; whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." The Lord, speaking by his prophet, says, "I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir." Though man is a fallen being, he is to be highly exalted through the merits and righteousness of Christ. God has said it. Will we believe it? Will we submit to his refining, cleansing work in our hearts? or will we pursue such a course that our names will be blotted out of the book of life? RH March 26, 1889, par. 10
There are many who profess to believe in Christ, who have never been converted. God cannot approve of a marred, imperfect character. We cannot excuse ourselves before him for our defects and errors, because he has provided help in his Son. He has given us a loving, pitying, all-powerful Saviour, who is able to give us grace that we may overcome every defect of our characters. If we will only submit to God, he will take our minds, and fashion them after his divine mind. I have never dared to say, "I will do this or that." I have been bought with a price. I am not my own. I have been purchased from the slavery of sin. I must have my named retained in the Lamb's book of life. RH March 26, 1889, par. 11
We read these words in Daniel's prophecy: "And at that time, Michael shall stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time; and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." I want to be among that number who shall have their names written in the book, who shall be delivered. I want the overcomer's reward. The masterly temptations of Satan will overpower many who now profess to believe the truth. Their unworthy course of action, their denial of Christ, will make it necessary for God to blot their names from the book of life. But O, may it not be so with us! Jesus has said, "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding, in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." RH March 26, 1889, par. 12


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text:
Hyderabad: Two separate Public Interest Litigation (PiLs) have been filed in the Telangana High Court seeking permission for celebrating the Bonalu festival in Hyderabad.
The first petition was filed by Sri Akkanna Madanna Mahankali Temple Mandiram seeking permission for Bonalu procession on the last day of the festival. The temple wants permission for at least 10 devotees and an elephant to carry the Ghatam to Naya Pul, Musi River. The Bonalu festival falls on July 19
Second PIL was filed by Waqf Bard Council member Haneef Ali, who is also the BJP leader, praying for celebrating Bonalu.
"This is an age-old tradition. This is part of the culture. According to tradition, Ghatam should be carried on the elephant. Farewell of the Ghatam is the important part of the Bonalu and we just want to do this for our Goddess," said G Niranjan, patron of the Mahakali temple and Telangana State Congress Committee Spokesperson.
He said the Bonalu festival is celebrated in Hyderabad since the time plague broke out in the city that claimed thousands of lives. "It was Goddess Mahankali who saved the people from the epidemic those days. People need a blessing from Goddess Mahankali to protect their families in the pandemic," he said.
Telangana government declared Bonalu as the state festival in 2014. This year, however, the Telangana government has asked the devotees to celebrate Bonalu at their homes because of COVID.
"The festival is celebrated for the public good. Considering the situation, we have to impose restrictions. We are showing festivities live on TV. You can celebrate the festival sitting at your home. We cannot allow the mass gathering," said Talasani Srinivas, Telangana Minister for Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, and Cinematography.
On Friday, Ghatam was installed at the temple. It had arrived from Kashi Jagannath Temple, Varanasi. "We have brought an elephant from Karnataka. The authorities are not giving permission. That's why we have approached the high court," said G Niranjan.
Citing Puri Jagannath Temple order by the Supreme Court, G Niranjan said the high court should consider the sentiments of devotees of Goddess Mahakali.
During Jagannath Rath Yatra, the Supreme Court allowed only 500 people on the condition that they should be COVID negative. But on the day of Yatra, more than 500 people turned out for Rath Yatra.
On Saturday night, police put up barricades around Ujjaini Mahakali temple to prevent people from converging. The temple comes under GHMC areas which have the highest number of COVID cases. On Monday, GHMC areas reported 926 COVID new cases.
Telangana High Court is working virtually because of the COVID.


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Fall protocols for Massachusetts campuses were updated August 29, 2022. See details
Cambridge College Scholarships
Through the generosity of foundations, corporations, alumni, and friends, Cambridge College is able to award scholarships to many deserving students each year.
Scholarship application recipients are selected based on demonstration of strong motivation to pursue a career, academic excellence, dedication to community service and need for financial support of their education. Available scholarships through the application are Henry Hampton Scholarship, F.B. Reed Scholarship, Anne W. Hiatt Scholars Fund, Carl F. Barron Scholarship, and the Cambridge College Enrollment Scholarship.
For more details, please review and complete the 2022-2023 Scholarship Application and recommendation forms, if applicable.
- The Henry Hampton Scholarship requires a personal recommendation form.
- The Carl F. Barron Scholarship requires a faculty recommendation.
The average award is $1,000 per semester for an academic year. Scholarships are awarded based on funding and eligibility.
Please send the completed scholarship application packet to firstname.lastname@example.com or by mail: Enrollment Scholarship, Cambridge College, 500 Rutherford Ave, Boston, MA 02129 prior to the deadline.
Application deadlines to apply:
- Fall term: August 26, 2022
- Spring term: December 16, 2022
- Summer term: May 19, 2023
Applications submitted after these dates will be reviewed for the next term's awards.
Cambridge College Global Scholarships
Other Scholarships
Please note you may qualify for additional scholarships based on financial need through Student Financial Services. Please contact your financial aid administrator to see if you are eligible.
General Scholarship Information
The U.S. government provides a general guide to finding and applying for scholarships.
Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
The Mass. Office of Financial Assistance has compiled a list of resources to help students navigate the process of applying for financial aid and paying for college, including a link to Fastweb, a scholarship search program.
City of Boston
The City of Boston Scholarship fund is a need-based scholarship available to Boston residents interested in pursuing an undergraduate degree or continuing education in Massachusetts. It provides up to $10,000 over four years towards tuition, and relies primarily on generous contributions from individuals, organizations and corporations to further the goal of having more Boston residents complete a post-secondary education. Learn more and apply
External Private Resources
Students may be eligible for a variety of aid programs independent of Cambridge College and the federal/state aid processes. There are many resources available to you. A number of local organizations make money available each year. Many statewide and national organizations and corporations also have funds available for students who meet their criteria.
Note: You must report all private sources of student financial aid to the Cambridge College Financial Aid Office in writing. Outside awards are considered part of your aid package and, in most cases, will be applied first to unmet financial need, then to replace loans and/or work-study.
Finding Outside Scholarships
Your local library
A trip to your local library will find many scholarship books available that contain the addresses of scholarship programs. It requires some work on your part (applications, essays, etc.), but a few hours of your time could yield valuable information and lead to additional funding for your education. Locally, The Higher Education Information Center, located in the basement of the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, has numerous resources available to help you find outside aid, including a computerized database of scholarships.
Outside Scholarship Resources
- Addictions.com Scholarship
- CareerOneStop
- Chairish
- Chegg
- The College Board's Scholarship Search
- College Rank's Best Scholarships in Massachusetts
- College-Scholarships.com
- College Scholarships.org
- Fastweb
- Federal Student Aid- Finding and Applying for Scholarships
- Narcotics.com Behavioral Health Scholarship
- Rehabs.org Scholarship for Minorities
- Sallie Mae Graduate School Scholarships List
- Scholarship America
- ScholarshipsAndGrants.US
- UniversityHQ Scholarship Search
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Stelios, Vasilios and Dimitrios Bourakis are founders of the company, started out in the sector about 40 years ago, as an independent merchant selling fruits and vegetables around the weekly market circuit. Blessed with a natural sales talent, an inexhaustible energy for work, and a healthy dose of ambition to succeed, they managed to build up their profile into one wholesale distributor.
In the head office at the Central Fruit and Vegetable Market of Thessaloniki, position A-10, the company operates a perfectly organized warehousing system.
Also, our packing house in Anhialos of Thessaloniki, enables us to provide our customers with a wide range of always fresh products usually packaged by us.
Bourakis Fruit Company is a medium-sized, flexible organization, which cooperates closely with top partners of good reputation. Due to direct contacts in the most important cultivation areas both in Greece and abroad, we can always respond quickly to new market developments.
Since the business involves packing food, the company believes that the main concern when delivering quality is human health. While meeting our customers' increasing needs and requirements, providing high quality and hygienic fruit, the company is very sensitive to protect the environment, the security and personal improvement of our team.
Our mission statement:
Bourakis Fruit Company is continuing its operations with the mission: "To submit healthy, reliable and the most qualified products" and focuses on customer satisfaction with its strong controls starting in the field and followed by harvesting, processing, packaging, loading and transportation.
The company's appeal is modest. But while the company has never aimed to be the biggest, it has always aimed to be the best. By working hard and efficiently, by innovating instead of imitating and by responding more adequately than the competition, the company tries to realize this goal.


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Seton Hall basketball advances to Wooden Legacy final vs. Miami
3 thoughts, 3 quotes on the Pirates' performance in a wide-open bracket and a glance at Sunday's matchup.
By locking down on defense Friday night, Seton Hall basketball opened up an opportunity for a signature win Sunday.
The Pirates shut down Hawaii 64-54 in the Wooden Legacy semifinals, earning a crack at Miami (5-0, Kenpom ranking of 21) thanks to the most disciplined effort of the young season.
Junior guard Myles Powell scored 19 points, including the 1,000th of his collegiate career, as the Hall improved to 3-2. But 24 hours after relying on 40 from Powell to squeeze by Grand Canyon, this was a team effort and a blueprint for success going forward.
"I'm so proud of this team because they were dead tired," Hall coach Kevin Willard told Gary Cohen and Dave Popkin in his postgame radio interview on 970-AM, a reference to the absurd tip time of 11:40 p.m. Eastern. "It's hard to be on East Coast time (in California). Kids are used to staying up late, but you're not used to functioning at a high level."
The Pirates will have to do it again at 10:30 p.m. Sunday against Miami, which enjoyed a 2 p.m. Eastern tip in its semifinal squeaker over Fresno State. The final is slated for ESPN2.
Here are three thoughts and three quotes on the proceedings.
Three thoughts
1. Defense was excellent
Credit Willard, who mixed things up with a zone press, trapping and one-through-five switching. The aggression clearly energized the Pirates, and the results speak for themselves: Hawaii shot 41 percent, committed 15 turnovers and attempted just 48 field goals and 10 free throws.
2. Answered an important question
Could the Pirates win a game without Myles Powell scoring 30? They did, because all hands pitched in led by Mike Nzei (16 points on 7-10 shooting, 6 rebounds), Myles Cale (10 points, 5 rebounds) and Sandro Mamukelashvili (8 points, 9 rebounds). Taurean Thompson (8 points, 4 boards) gave a struggling offense a first-half boost and freshman Anthony Nelson (5 assists) sparked the Pirates' late surge.
3. Prime matchup in Sunday's final
Miami returns two starters from last year's 22-10 campaign and was untested before Fresno almost pulled the upset thanks to a plus-14 rebounding margin and 46 percent shooting. Miami's engine is Chris Lykes, a high-scoring point guard who will require every ounce of Quincy McKnight's focus. The Hurricanes average 84 points and force 18 turnovers per game. They're a big test for McKnight and Nelson.
A little history
The last meeting between these programs was a Big East game in 2004. Seton Hall leads the series 15-8. The Pirates' last in-season tourney title came in the 2014 Paradise Jam. This is a reunion of sorts between two guys who helped George Mason make the 2006 Final Four: Miami head coach Jim Larranaga and Seton Hall assistant Tony Skinn, who was Larranaga's point guard with those Cinderella Patriots.
Three coach quotes
1. On the defense: "This team understands what we want to do in our press a little bit better than last year's team. Quincy is a little bit better working the ball. He hides Myles (Powell) more. I had to hide Khadeen (Carrington) and Myles last year."
2. On Sandro (and Cale): "He (Sandro) gets so down on himself when he misses a shot. Same with Myles Cale. The sophomores, their expectations vs. reality, 'I'm playing 30 minutes a game, I'm going to score 30 points.' That's not reality. Reality is you have to learn how to score those pints. You take that jump as the year goes on."
3. On Thompson's first-half scoring spurt: "He's got a really long stride. When he goes by guys, he has long arms and he can score. As he gets more confident and understands he can drive the ball on pretty much anybody, you'll see more of those stretches."
Bonus exchange
Cohen asked if Willard would be visiting Disneyland on Sunday.
Willard: "You know I don't like crowds. You know I don't like people."
Cohen: "That must get in the way of recruiting."
Like the rest of America, Myles Powell feasted on Thanksgiving.
Seton Hall basketball's standout guard devoured Grand Canyon's defense.
The junior dropped 40 points — just the 15th time a Pirate has done so---to spark an 82-75 victory Thursday night in the Wooden Legacy quarterfinals. Now the Hall (2-2) will face upstart Hawaii (4-1) in tonight's semifinals (11:30 p.m. tip, ESPN2). The Rainbow Warriors shot the lights out to upset Utah 90-79 in the quarters. The winner faces Miami or Fresno State in Sunday's final (the losers will square off in a third-place game).
1. Powell bounced back like a great player should. Over 38 minutes, he shot 12-of-16 from the field with seven rebounds, four assists two steals and just one turnover. When Grand Canyon took a late lead, he found another gear. Are the Pirates over-reliant on him? Yes. But there are worse things to be reliant on. The best part of Powell's performance is he wasn't just shooting from deep. This was a master class in how to score from all over the court.
Here are the 40-point performances in Hall history. Only two players have done it more than once:
52 points: Nick Werkman vs. Scranton, 1964
49 points: Nick Werkman vs. St. Peter's, 1962
48 points: Nick Galis vs. Santa Clara, 1978
47 points: Dawan Scott vs. Cal-Bakersfield, 1977
47 points: Les Fries vs. Brown, 1921
42 points: Nick Werkman vs. St. Francis (Pa.), 1963
42 points: Nick Galis vs. FDU, 1979
41 points: Khadeen Carrington vs. Creighton, 2017
41 points: Jeremy Hazell vs. West Virginia, 2009
41 points: Terry Dehere vs. St. John's, 1993
41 points: Marco Lokar vs. Pittsburgh, 1990
41 points: Walter Dukes vs. Kings, 1952
40 points: Jamel Jackson vs. VMI, 2009
40 points: Sterling Gibbs vs. Illinois State, 2014
40 points: Myles Powell vs. Grand Canyon, 2018
2. The transfers played well. Syracuse transfer Taurean Thompson scored 12 points in 15 minutes as Kevin Willard deployed him as a power forward and absolved him of guarding the post (see quotes below). He still fouled four times but maybe asking Thompson to do less defensively is the way to get more out of his talent. Stay tuned. Sacred Heart transfer Quincy McKnight continues to show why Willard starts him at point, posting 11 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals and no turnovers. He made some huge plays late, including clutch free throws.
3. The Hall is a solid favorite over Hawaii (Kenpoms: 58 vs. 187). The Rainbow Warriors returned three starters from a 17-13 campaign. Their resume includes a 17-point home loss to North Texas. They do a good job defending the three (.233) and they made 25 of 28 free throws against Utah (SHU shot 20 of 33 vs. Grand Canyon). The tip-off time is a disgrace (shame on you, ESPN), but for Pirate fans who can stay awake it will be interesting to see how a young team can come down off Thursday's high and refocus.
From Kevin Willard's postgame radio spot with Gary Cohen and Dave Popkin
1. On Thompson's emergence: "We switched up what we did with Taurean. I was trying to get him to guard the 5-man and it just doesn't work. He actually can guard the ball pretty decent; he has long arms and can block shots. So we put him at the four spot and had Mike guard the five and it just helped things. I made it much easier for him to kind of relax."
2. On Powell's bounce-back: "I talked to Myles after the St. Louis game. I said, 'You're the most dominant player I've seen in practice in a long time. You can't come out here and stand around and not try to be the best player. So he came out and was aggressive looking for his shot, aggressive with the ball. He tried to be the best player on the floor and obviously he was. You'll see a lot of 30-point games from him because that's what we see every day in practice. That was not an anomaly."
"It was a complete game from him. The other night he said, 'When I'm faceguarded, what can I do?' I said, 'You get faceguarded every day in practice. You create through work. He might have some nights where he goes 2-for-16, but he's going to take 16 shots and that's the important thing."
3. Willard, on the ridiculous TV arrangement: "We fly out six hours to play in an ESPN event and we're on the internet."
Cohen: "But you're on the radio."
Willard: "My wife's not even listening right now. Our fans are either passed out from turkey or passed out from something else."
Staff Writer Jerry Carino: email@example.com.


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Corporate heavyweight Kwa Chong Seng has been appointed chairman of the Singapore Exchange (SGX), taking over from Mr Chew Choon Seng.
Mr Chew, 70, will retire after the SGX's annual general meeting on Sept 22, after having spent 12 years on the board, including the past five as chairman.
"The Exchange is an important component of Singapore's financial system," he said.
"It has been an honour to be of service and I am thankful for the support and co-operation of my fellow board members and all the people, inside and outside the organisation, whom I have worked with."
Mr Kwa's appointment as SGX chairman caps an illustrious career that has seen him helm several big corporations over more than four decades.
The engineering graduate rose through the ranks at oil major ExxonMobil Asia Pacific to become its chairman and managing director.
He was then appointed to the boards of several companies and organisations, including Neptune Orient Lines, Singapore Technologies and the Defence Science and Technology Agency.
He remains chairman of listed Singapore Technologies Engineering. He is also deputy chairman of the Public Service Commission.
"I am honoured to have this opportunity to contribute. Filling Mr Chew's big shoes will be difficult as SGX has many stakeholders who all want SGX to succeed. I will do my best to serve these important stakeholders," said Mr Kwa, who joined the SGX as a board member in 2012.
Mr Kwa, 69, added that he will step down as Olam's chairman to make time for his new role.
His resignation from Olam will be effective on Dec 31, giving time for the commodities firm to find a new chairman.
Olam co-founder and chief executive Sunny Verghese said Mr Kwa's tenure as chairman had a significant impact on the firm's strategy and business.
This article was first published on August 30, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.


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30 August 2022
ODP Skills Labs
The skills labs at ARU have been so helpful in giving us students the opportunity to practice essential skills before having to practice in placement. Read more…
Julian Priddle
Category: Anglia Learning & Teaching
4 November 2019
Julian Priddle, Linda Brown, James Trueman and Katie Potts from Anglia Learning & Teaching and Student Services: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge give insight into their experience of narrowing attainment gaps.
At Anglia Ruskin, we have a number of attainment gaps, of which the widest is between our Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) and white students. BAME students account for more than 30% of our student population and they are currently 13 percentage points less likely to obtain a first or upper-second class honours degree than their white peers. This statistic has improved significantly over the last few years, but it conceals complex intersectionalities in terms of gender, age, social and cultural background and other factors.
Whilst we are working to understand the different factors underlying differential attainment, we are already implementing a broad institutional approach that includes diversification and activities to enhance students' sense of belonging. Part of this is an inclusive curriculum framework that has been introduced in a major programme of curriculum enhancement. This framework is designed to provide equity of opportunity and experience for all of our students and includes diversification, use of technologies, academic culture and assessment.
Assessment is an obvious area for enhancing inclusivity. Where there is an attainment gap, we need to be sure that our assessment process does not contribute to this. We are also aware of student dissatisfaction – a recent survey at Anglia Ruskin showed that BAME students were less satisfied than white students with the way that their course is assessed, and were less likely to believe that marking is fair.
Early in our programme of curriculum change, and building on an earlier institutional project on assessment and feedback, we decided to wrap inclusivity into our definition of good assessment practice.
We argued that one of the core properties of good assessment is that it removes obstacles from the assessment process that may disadvantage some groups more than others (see also the DADA project). It will not be a silver bullet that renders all assessment equal for every student, but we believe that it will go a long way in bringing equity of opportunity.
Our approach to inclusive assessment is embodied in our GAIA tool (Good and Inclusive Assessment), part of Anglia Ruskin's institutional approach to assessment and feedback. This includes areas such as the clarity of assignment descriptions and marking criteria, authenticity of assessment, access to academic support and consistency in marking and feedback. It is congruent with our broader policies on assessment practice.
The way that assessment tasks (assignments) are described may be a 'quick' win in removing barriers in assessment. Some assignment descriptions may be couched in language that is difficult to understand or may make assumptions about student's understanding of the task and how to complete it to the best of their ability (see also findings from the DiSA project). Actions such as co-constructing the assignment description with students and using a standardised description framework may improve student success.
In many ways, we have been fortunate in being able to introduce inclusive assessment as part of a much larger programme of curriculum change at an institutional level. Although this has been a massive undertaking for both teaching staff and academic developers, it has provided the opportunity for conversations on inclusivity that fit with Anglia Ruskin's aspirations to provide equality of opportunity for all students and eventually to remove gaps in attainment.
We would be happy to share experience with others who are implementing inclusive assessment. Please contact firstname.lastname@example.com
Originally published by Advance HE on 1 November. Downloaded from https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/news-and-views/narrowing-attainment-gaps-through-addressing-assessment-issues
The views expressed here are those of the individual and do not necessarily represent the views of Anglia Ruskin University. If you've got any concerns please contact us.


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7 Reasons Your Facebook Cannot Replace Your Website
While building your business, I am sure you have come across one or two small business owner who claim they have struck gold by only using a Facebook page as their main and only online presence. They might have even told you that not only have they been able to keep their current customers satisfied on facebook, they can also attract enough customers to keep their businesses afloat. Then they say there's no need to build a website for their business and you shouldn't either…blah blah blah…but in order to think that way, that business owner is focusing more on what's currently working and less on what could be improved to grow their business in the future. A simple shift in their focus from present successes to future opportunities can quickly shed light on the holes in that theory and start to show what the business is missing by only using a facebook page as their online presence.
Web design can take a business to the next level. And if your SMB is serious about establishing a fantastic, conversion-driving online presence, it's going take a lot more than 'likes.' A Facebook page might be a helpful nice-to-have for an SMB wanting to reach an audience, but it won't do enough to help turn it into a reputable, respectable brand. To do that kind of heavy lifting, a website is needed for many reasons.
#1: A Facebook Page is a tool, not a site
A Facebook page does have its benefits (note: we said benefits; not advantages because there is nothing that a Facebook page actually does that a website doesn't). It's free, easy to set up, and with a monthly active user base of over 2 billion, the social media behemoth provides business owners with the opportunity to attract numerous leads.
Facebook also provides a nice way for SMBs to engage with customers. There, they can answer questions, promote blog posts, post photos and keep customers up to date with the latest-greatest offerings that you might have. The only trouble is, anything posted on a Facebook page is time sensitive. With each new post that is created, the previous post gets pushed further down the page's timeline until it's no longer visible. To find it again, visitors will have to do some serious scrolling. There's no effective way to retrieve important information, and all you get in terms of search options is the standard search box that appears at the top of every page. Also, there's no way to keep posts static, except for one post that can be pinned to the top of the page's timeline for easy access. Not bad, if your business has only one important thing to say.
#2: A Facebook Page has limited SEO
Speaking of searching, a Facebook page offers very little in terms of SEO other than simply being discoverable through search engines. Since all Facebook pages follow the same template, there's virtually nothing that can be done to tailor content and keywords for better discoverability (especially from organic searches). And even if there were a way to optimize SEO on Facebook, visitors would still need to have an account to log in, access and interact with the page beyond what you see on a SERP.
In terms of design, the options are extremely limited on a Facebook page. All a business can do is park its important info and a few design elements such as pictures and logos in their designated spots –– P.S. Don't forget to make sure that the image file type, size and dimensions meet Facebook's requirements and community guidelines, which are subject to change. This brings us to our next reason.
#3: Facebook Pages belong to Facebook
With its updates to its Business Pages, Facebook is on its way to establishing itself as a micro-web of sorts (whether they intend to or not), where any business (and customer) can occupy a space, seemingly free of charge. And while no money might be involved, there is a price: anything created on Facebook belongs to Facebook first. Whoever set up the page or profile merely rents it.
Sure, you as a business owner might have access to solid marketing and analytics tools along with some creative say in what goes on the business page, but ultimately what Facebook says, goes. The page is still subject to all rules, regulations and most-importantly algorithms that Facebook uses at its discretion. Consequently, no reward can be guaranteed for any efforts made to boost engagement. All a 'like' on a Facebook page means is that a user is interested in the page's content. That's it. They still have to engage with the page on a regular basis, or Facebook's algorithm will remove its posts from their timelines.
#4: Sites belong to You
A website, on the other hand, belongs to the business that has created it. It is square one; the raw material over which a designer has full, limitless creative control. You're free to mold and shape it from scratch to meet your client's needs, with little to no restrictions.
On a website, the business comes first. Thus, anything done with it, and any tool used on it, will be for the benefit of the business first. For every business-boosting tool (eCommerce, Marketing, Analytics) that Facebook might offer on its platform, there is a better, more-robust real-world counterpart that can easily be used for an SMB site. In fact, many agencies use these tools to offer niche services such as marketing, SEO and even social media packages to SMBs. Hard to get that with just a Facebook page.
Say you have special marketing materials that you would like to make available for download; you'll need a website for that. If you try to do it on your Facebook page, all you'll be able to do is create a post telling your audience where to find the special materials on your sites. There is no place on Facebook to actually house them for direct download.
Reason #5 Websites = Brand Power
What can a site tell us about your business? Everything you want us to know about your brand. Not just who you are, but also the where, when and why of your businesses –– in whichever way you want to tell the world. On a Facebook page, business info is relegated to the design equivalent of assigned seating. And if your SMB wants to deviate from the rigid template that Facebook currently offers, it can, at best, get creative with images. For example, you could upload a banner with some creative copy in it as a background image. There's no way to modify the page's template.
With a website, there are no seating assignments for your design elements. You and your client make the rules. Every component, from business info to maps and customer testimonials, can strategically be placed (and rearranged, if something doesn't work) for the best-possible UX. As a result, your clients will reap the maximum benefit from visitor interaction, rather than just leaving things up to chance or curiosity –– as one is forced to do on a Facebook page.
#6: Websites tell a story
Every business has a story to tell. Perhaps it's an inspiring tale of a beloved local business that has been the bedrock of a community for 30 years. Maybe the story is an underlying brand message (i.e. "Just do it") that your client wants to deliver in every part of their SMB. With a website, you have the power to tell it through specially-curated designs and content.
#7: Websites show experience
You deliver more than just products and services to your customers; you also create an experience with your brand. Which of these resonates more with you: a "home-repair service that does quick, good work," or a "family-run business that always goes above and beyond the expectations of its customers; where the employees always greet you with a smile and you can rest assured that no one will ever cut corners with their services?" Customer experience is what turns a business into a brand and distinguishes it from similar service providers.
Yelp reviews are a powerful way to build a reputation for your business and generate interest. That's why a business owner might be tempted to just park their info on a Facebook page and let Yelp do most of the work. But a stellar website can be the converting factor for many potential customers (especially those who expect all businesses to have websites). A website helps SMBs capitalize on Yelp reviews by effectively showing people why they're receiving such acclaim. Can you put fancy images, text, and videos on a Facebook page? Yes, but without the full creative power to show what a terrific experience it delivers, an SMB runs the risk of under representing itself.
Survive on Facebook. Thrive on a website.
Yes, an SMB can get by with a Facebook business page as its primary web presence. But we guarantee it will miss out on several opportunities to flourish as a business. If a brand can be great, why should it settle for being ok? Check out our Web program and let's find a solution that works together!