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Hi There
Welcome to our Product Updates for Tuesday 13th September 2018. As always, should you have any questions about any of the Enhancements or Fixes below, please reach out and we'd be happy to assist.
The following Enhancements have been introduced:
Travelfusion - Replace "Cabin Class" with brand name for each Airfare
Replaced the "Cabin Class" with the brand name for each TravelFusion airfare for International flight search. If there is no Brand Name in response from TravelFusion, the Cabin Class is displayed instead as normal.
Refer - Pull request #2957 (LM-7197) and Pull request #2941 (LM-6993)
Super Admin users can now edit Traveller's profile
Refer - Pull request #2954 (LM-6970)
Seat Maps – Ability to "Remove Seat" selected
A new popup window for removing seat selection on the new seat map design has been added, however as this feature is still in progress, the design and functionality is not yet visible for users.
Refer - Pull request #2955 (LM-6933)
Enable TMC users to modify the Authorisation Deadline (date & time)
Travel consultants are now able to edit the 'Authorisation Deadline' (date & Time fields) when editing a quote option. This is only possible for existing 'active' quotes in the platform, which are quotes that are not in an expired/declined/archived state.
Note - If the amended expiry date and time results in the quote being set with the earliest expiry of all the quotes, then the system will trigger an email notification to the travellers authoriser(s).
Previously -
New -
Refer - Pull request #4860 (LM-7019)
Enable Admin user to add a 2nd level authoriser to traveller profile
This functionality supports multi-level authorisation, enabling a second level authoriser to be added to a Profile.
Note: The Multi-level Authorisation feature is not complete. Additional development is currently in progress to support this functionality, therefore changes across the platform (including email notifications) are expected to occur in due course as part of this feature.
Refer - Pull request #4872 (LM-7088)
TMP profiles are always exported and current in Platform
All TMP profiles are now always exported and current in our Platform database regardless of the source of profile creation/update. Previously profiles created via the bulk import method were not automatically exported to our database. All user profiles are needed in Platform to enable user authentication in Locomote MobileApp (Username; Password and SSO ).
Refer - Pull request #4853 (LM-6911)
Add "other" type to visas.
Consumers of our Profile API have a different set of Visa types than what we support on our system. In order to allow them to pass an unknown visa type (unknown to Locomote) via the API, we are adding in an "other" option for the visa type drop-down.
Refer - Pull request #4891 (LM-6927)
ProfileAPI – Name change to some Airlines in TMP
We have renamed some airlines in TMP to reflect the correct name per TravelPort. Updates were only made to the name of the airline - not the airline codes.
Refer - Pull request #4889 (LM-6715)
The following issues have been fixed:
Update Travelport reference data for fixtures
Updated the reference data for fixtures (e.g: cities list). This will help with cities searches and improve customers searches for flights, hotels and cars.
Refer Pull request #2958 (LM-7234)
File Finishing - Handling lengthy remark
This fix is to allow long remarks to be automatically truncated to the correct allowed length. When file finishing contained remarks longer than the maximum length, the file finishing would error out and not process the File Finishing. We have now fixed this by automatically truncating the excess character and putting the remark into the correct character limit and process what it has received.
Refer - Pull request #2875 (LM-3004)
Cost Center bug impacting API profiles (All cost centers are not displayed)
This fix only impacts profiles created via the API. It is no longer possible for user profiles to be incorrectly assigned to the wrong company's department, office, cost centre or policy group.
Refer - Pull request #4880 and #4905 (LM-7076)
Updated the mobile app specs to use the new @selenium_mobile_app tag
Refer - Pull request #4871 (LM-7157)
Remove old Zenbox API
Removed link to an old Zendesk (Support) API that no longer exists, which will speed up page load times and some internal tests.
Refer - Pull request #4893 (LM-7258)
Added additional fields to the Profile User extract report. The report now provides all profile data from the Personal tab within the Locomote Profile.
Refer - Pull request #4900 (LM-7283)
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Since nuts are a big part of Christmas gift giving both in the family I came from and in the family I married into, I was curious to take a closer look at this can of peanut oil I saw in the store. The one thing I couldn't figure out is if 100% is ALL of something, how in the world could it fit in "other ingredients?"
Do you know?

subset: commoncrawl


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Highlights of Community Infrastructure Planning Sessions at the 2018 Global Summit
The community convenes in San Diego in just under a month at the 2018 Internet2 Global Summit, and the team is gearing up, together with community leaders, for what we hope will be some important discussions that help lead Internet2 and community infrastructure planning in to the future. A few highlights:
- As part of Internet2 cloud initiatives, a team has been working since October to understand how to integrate new "cloud access" features in to our infrastructure offerings. Pilots are now underway with regional and campus partners for both Amazon Direct Connect and Microsoft Express route. (Google is coming soon too.) Campuses are using this regional/Internet2 connection for private cloud connectivity that we expect to be a staple of the kind of research support and academic infrastructure portfolio the community uses for years to come. In addition, a community advisory team has begun sorting through future requirements to help us create a long-term roadmap for cloud support across Internet2's services. Look for updates on the pilots and extended conversations and opportunities for future roadmap input on Cloud Access throughout Global Summit.
- In the area of infrastructure planning, we expect that Global Summit will become a pivot point where we begin to transition from 2.5 years of discussions and visioning on ecosystem-wide infrastructure planning to more concrete requirements for ecosystem-wide architecture frameworks and Internet2 service upgrades. We're in the process of writing a paper which we will share before Global Summit that attempts to bridge the input we've received into a concrete service and planning guideline that the community can react to. Sessions are planned with the regional networks, advisory groups, the executive track and in open sessions to talk about the state of planning and to get alignment on the next steps that will bring us to a network refresh in the coming years. See the full Global Summit Program for times and locations.
- There are also a series of planned discussions on community progress in support of national and global extensions to the successful Pacific Research Platform project. Project PI Larry Smarr and other community leaders will be participating in several discussions throughout Global Summit to advance this critical collaboration including the session Towards A National, Friction-Free Scientific Data Superhighway.
While each of these discussions will progress on their own merits, they all also come together into a set of critical and exciting components of the community's future. Global Summit is shaping up to be an exciting inflection point in envisioning our future, together. I'm very much looking forward to seeing all of you and hearing your take on these exciting programs and our progress.


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Thinking About Collaborating With Others?
The Council on Foundations' commitment to encouraging collaboration is commendable, particularly considering the great accomplishments that alliance building has produced. Collaborative philanthropy has had a far-reaching impact on public opinion, legislation, civil rights, education, the environment, and much more. Thanks to the power of alliances, several key Millennial Development Goals are on target for 2015. For example, from 1990 to today, 2 billion more people have access to safe drinking water.
Despite encouraging historic outcomes, collaborative efforts can be fraught with wicked problems, which are challenges that do not readily lend themselves to tried-and-true solutions. I believe that potentialities can be actualized and problems considerably reduced by carefully implementing best practices. Although there is a growing body of available literature to guide us, continued rigorous research would be of inestimable value.
Collaborative efforts fail to produce desired outcomes for understandable reasons. For example, parties may differ significantly in respect to culture, norms, or vision. Organizations may fail to use effective models and processes for running meetings and establishing protocols. Failing to implement a facilitation strategy, or person, for building trust, effective communication, and clearly defined agreements can lead to lingering tension and unproductive outcomes.
Choosing to engage in simple and gradual collaboration can lessen expectations, commitments, and wicked problems, while resulting in rewarding outcomes. Consider the great value of sharing information or contributing to existing infrastructures. Strategic planning is often thought of as an intra-organizational process—and it should be. I believe it would be highly beneficial if more foundations paid closer attention to their philanthropic "ecosystem" when developing strategies. Having a basic understanding about what other players in our respective spaces are planning could impact strategies and lead to reduced replication and efficient allocations of talent, while maintaining a simple autonomous structure likely to save time and be less problematic.
History is replete with examples demonstrating the benefits of collaboration. However, complex situations provide a particularly conducive breeding ground for wicked problems. Beginning by engaging in simpler, gradual collaborative initiatives requires less time and commitments, while also allowing parties more flexibility after determining which relationships should continue to be developed. Regardless, careful planning, implementing effective models, and applying skillful facilitation provide a disciplined, collaborative framework conducive to lessening obstacles and maximizing impact.
Peter Brach is the international development advisor for the Brach Family Charitable Foundation.


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I'm kind of obsessed with Kate Middleton.
Not in a creepy way, just in a I want to own all of her clothes way.
Banana Republic teamed up with Issa, a brand made very public by Kate.
Her famous engagement dress was made by Issa.
Here's what I'm loving from the collection:
Purple Version of the engagement dress
[the blue is already sold out!]
This envelope clutch is adorable!
This animal print scarf is great! I love the color scheme!
The whole collection is great, I wouldn't mind having it all magically appear in my closet…
It's crazy, the collection only opened last week, and it's already selling out of many products! Run to a store near you to pick up the collection!


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*** Jumilla
Hotel Monreal
Hotel Monreal, Calle Doctor Fleming, 6, 30520 Jumilla, España
The hotel
Hotel Monreal is located in the center of the wine producing municipality of Jumilla, 2 minutes walk from the town hall and 30 minutes by car from Yecla. It offers rooms with free Wi-Fi. They have heating, cable TV, telephone and a private bathroom with a hairdryer. The hotel café offers menus and à la carte dishes, such as traditional and regional tapas. There are vending machines for drinks and snacks. There are also bars, restaurants and shops 5 minutes walk from the hotel.
This hotel by hours is a 15-minute drive from the Sierra del Carche nature reserve. It is also 74 km from Murcia and Alicante airport at an hour and 20 minutes by car. Private parking is available for a fee.
Services and extras
- Free Wi-Fi
- Parking
- Restaurant
- Pets allowed
Check availability
3h From
Choose room


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Anti-Bullying Pink T-Shirt Day: On Wednesday February 27th, students are encouraged to wear as much pink as possible. Pink shirts should be worn with uniform bottoms, unless a student has pink pants to match! GAA will have a contest for wearing the most pink, where one lucky winner will receive an all pink certificate for their participation. Help spread awareness about bullying and do your part to stop it by showing your support on this day!
Lindsay Patterson, M.Ed.


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Scrabble & Words with Friends Word Unscrambler
Definition of Aurists
0 Definition of Aurists
The definition of aurists, the meaning of word Aurists
Is aurists a scrabble word? Yes!
0 Synonym of Aurists
Aurists is worth 7 points in Words with Friends and 8 points in Words with Friends
There are 7 letters in aurists: A I R S S T U


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Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'view sql'.
Found 1 result
SQL lack of knowledge
Ahile07 posted a topic in Developer General DiscussionHello guys, maybe some of you can help me. I manage to connect with sql database and use a variable to search for different things when i do the select from database. My problem is that i'm reading the database with an MsgBox to see the values. But sometimes for the thing i'm filtering the dabase for it shows me different values and i only one to select one of it and move forward with my script. Is there any chance to read the database...view it...and in front of each value to have a thick box to select with value i want for the line. After i select the the line value i want to stock the values from each column in different variables and then i want to send them as values to write in another database. Is this possible? Hope any of you can help me in this matter Apreciate guys.


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It's Soviet Saturday again in formerly Communist Russia and what better time to celebrate than to show you a formerly Communist bus.
This is a Liaz 677M which was a Russian workhorse. Many of these busses can still be found on the road today.
Production started in 1967 and lasted until 1994. At the time it was a leader in its class having air suspension and automatic transmission. The bus was powered by a ZIL 7 liter V8 engine making 175 hp.
Since gas was cheap during the Socialist era nobody cared about fuel economy which is why this thing ate 60 liters per 100 km.
This is my favorite bus ever made.
I've been hunting for one of these models for a while since they are faily expensive. It is 1/43 scale diecast made by SSM. The doors do not open and it could use a little bit better detailing but overall it is very nice.
Next up I gotta find an Ikarus.


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Source: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada news release
Canada's hog sector, which includes over 8000 hog farms, is a key driver of the Canadian economy, accounting for $4.5 billion in farm receipts and $4 billion in pork exports in 2017.
Parliamentary Secretary Jean-Claude Poissant, on behalf of Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lawrence MacAulay, today announced investments of over $1.5 million to support animal health and disease surveillance in the hog sector.
The Government will invest up to $1.5 million in the Canadian Pork Council (CPC) to adopt a virus detection system to support animal health. Funded under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership's AgriAssurance Program, the virus detection system will enable the CPC to provide consistent information on the health status of the hog population across the country, track early disease warning signs, and rapidly identify new and emerging diseases in the sector before they spread.
This complements a previous investment of more than $94,000 to the University of Montréal (UdeM) to develop an advanced disease surveillance tool to enable faster threat detection across Canada. With funding under Growing Forward 2's AgriMarketing Program (Assurance Systems stream), the surveillance model developed by the UdeM's Diagnostic Services will enable the hog sector to better understand the frequency of diseases, emerging strains, and the movement of endemic diseases in Canada.
"Our Government continues to help the hog sector grow and remain competitive. Canada's pork producers are known throughout the world for producing safe, high quality products. These investments will further strengthen, and help bring stability to the sector and provide pork producers with more opportunities to sell their products abroad, helping to grow our economy and our middle class."
– Jean-Claude Poissant, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food
"Canadian pork producers welcome this investment in research and development from the Government of Canada in the area of swine health. This project will provide a comprehensive tests to laboratories and will help veterinarians and producers manage the Canadian hog herd. Furthermore, using the data obtained through this project to inform disease surveillance activities will greatly benefit the industry and help prepare for disease mitigation."
– Rick Bergmann, Canadian Pork Council Chair
"The project established the base of a model for sharing and managing swine microorganism sequences in Canada. This represents a structuring, complementary and synergic basis for surveillance to understand strain emergence and movement of economically important endemic diseases in Canada."
– Estela Cornaglia, DVM, PhD, Director of the Diagnostic Service, Faculty of Veterinary Medecine, Université de Montréal
Quick facts
• Canada is the 7th largest pork producer in the world, representing approximately 2% of global production. Canadian pork is known around the world for its premium quality, taste, safety, and commitment to following the highest standards in production.
• The Canada Pork Council is a not-for-profit national industry organization with a membership that includes nine provincial associations representing 7000 hog producers.
• The University de Montréal's Diagnostic Service is a nationally and internationally renowned centre of excellence and diagnostic reference that contributes to the improvement of animal health care.
• The Government of Canada is helping the sector meet the goal to grow Canada's agriculture and food exports to $75 billion by 2025 by advancing and defending international trade interests, as well as improving market development and market access activities to address emerging needs of the sector.
• The Government of Canada is committed to the protection of Canada's agricultural resources against animal diseases such as African Swine Fever.


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It's not surprising that a Christian would trying to explain the devastating wildfires in California by saying it's God's wrath for something. But what message was God trying to send in this case?
According to anti-LGBTQ Pastor Kevin Swanson, God was punishing the state for turning "pedophiliacs and homosexuals into heroes."
"In fact, it was the year of God's judgment on the state of California as well," he continued. "It was the year that California introduced 10 textbooks into public schools that turned sodomites — that is, men from Sodom doing what men from Sodom like to do — and turning pedophiliacs and homosexuals into heroes. That was the point of the 10 textbooks that were issued for the first time. I believe that Jerry Brown signed the bill that encouraged homosexual indoctrination in California public schools for six-, seven-, eight-, nine- and 10-year-olds and that came into fruition for the first time."
"Ten textbooks were introduced into California public schools that presented pedophiliacs and homosexuals as heroes," Swanson said. "This was the year that happened. It also happened to be the year that God brought the most severe possible judgment on California."
Swanson also said God would stop Hurricane Irma if the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and the Obergefell rulings, thereby banning abortion and marriage equality.
Why did Roy Moore lose the Senate race in overwhelmingly Christian Alabama? Well, said Swanson, "Alabama must have a problem with sexuality."
There's no problem in Swanson's world that can't be fixed by throwing LGBTQ people under the bus. They deserve it, in his mind, because they caused all the problems.
So why are the wildfires actually as destructive as they've been? There's no single answer, though California's extensive drought, climate change, a heat wave, and effects of La Niña may all play a role in the matter.
Science, somehow, never made it into Swanson's ignorant rant.
(via Right Wing Watch)


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Play Obetz 2019
Play Obetz is back! After many years, we're happy to be bringing this event back! Fortress Obetz is the perfect new home for Play Obetz.
Show off your skills at Play Obetz 2019! Compete in a number of sporting events for a chance to win a prize. This FREE family-friendly event is open to ages 4+.
We're going to be giving away tons of prizes! Basketball, football, lacrosse, soccer, baseball, and softball will all be represented at Play Obetz!
The baseball and softball portions of this event will consist of the MLB Pitch Hit & Run and the MLB Jr. Home Run Derby events! These events will have age restrictions. The Pitch Hit & Run age categories are 7/8, 9/10, 11/12, and 13/14. The Jr. Home Derby is for 12U and 14U.
Participants compete in either the Baseball Division or Softball Division and have the chance to advance through four levels of competition, including Team Championships at Major League Ballparks, and the National Finals during the MLB All-Star Week!
Click here for more MLB Pitch Hit & Run info: https://www.facebook.com/events/267019894183065/
Click here for more MLB Jr. Home Run Derby info : https://www.facebook.com/events/1006923669516526/
If you have any questions, contact Jacob Gifford at email@example.com or Kerri Duffy at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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My name is Suzanne Sparrow. I'm a qualified Naturopath and Nutritionist, and am also carrying out further study in Kinesiology and the Australian Bush Flower Essences.
I'm a wife and mother of two beautiful kids (and three fur babies) who is
passionate about good food, great coffee, the beauty of nature,
and spending time with my family and friends. I enjoy bush walking,
swimming, watching the AFL footy (I'm a Pies supporter, but a Bombers member - long story!), and cuddling up with my two rescue Red Heelers, Jack and Ginny, and my rescue cat, Biscuit (aptly named by my son as she has a "Biscuit-shaped" blob on the top of her head!).
I am passionate about using food as medicine, and work with my patients to help them incorporate practical nutritional and lifestyle changes into their everyday lives to achieve optimal health and well-being. I love incorporating energetic healing modalities into my patients' treatment plans, particularly the Australian Bush Flower Essences. I find that by shifting the underlying emotional and mental causes associated with illness, while we work on the physical presentation of disease, I see far quicker and greater improvements in patients' health and well-being.
I understand that life is busy and that it's there to be enjoyed, so the changes I encourage my patients to make are always realistic, achievable and sustainable, and are designed to improve energy, mood, sleep and overall health.
I am particularly interested in the connection between the gut and the brain (known as the gut-brain axis), and as a result, my patient consultations are largely focused on mood and mental health (eg. chronic stress, anxiety and depression) and digestive health (eg. IBS-type symptoms, gut dysbiosis and leaky gut). With my patients, I explore the link between the gut and the brain, and how their health and functionality relates to what we eat and drink, how we move, our mindset, and the relationships we form with ourselves and others.
Want to receive regular health tips in your Inbox? Subscribe to my newsletter:
Copyright © Sparrow Holistic Health. All rights reserved.


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Outlook and appraisal [September 1988]
Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Battu, Harminder and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Grehan, Janet and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Lockyer, Cliff and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim (1988) Outlook and appraisal [September 1988]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (1). i-iii. ISSN 2046-5378
Text (FEC_14_1_1988_Outlook)
Final Published Version
Download (321kB)| Preview
The Scottish economy continues to perform well. Industrial production remains buoyant, although it is now clear that production has been growing at a lower rate than earlier statistics suggested. In the labour market, the improved output performance has yet to be reflected in a significant increase in net employment. Short term prospects for output growth are nonetheless favourable. But beyond the next three months, the outlook for the Scottish economy depends largely on the outcome of government actions to moderate the pace of growth of UK domestic demand. Policy action to date leaves some cause for concern. Swingeing increases in interest rates are questionable in terms of both the nature and the timing of their effects.
|Ashcroft, Brian, Love, Jim, Battu, Harminder, Boyle, Stephen, Draper, Paul, Dunlop, Stewart ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5729-9299, Grehan, Janet, Harrigan, Frank, Heeley, John, Lockyer, Cliff, Monaghan, Claire, McGregor, Peter ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1221-7963, McNicoll, Iain, Perman, Roger ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6862-7462 and Stevens, Jim ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6035-1580; Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim
|Item type:
|ID code:
|Fraser of Allander Institute, Scottish economy, Scottish economic outlook, Economic History and Conditions, Economics, Econometrics and Finance(all)
|Social Sciences > Economic History and Conditions
|Strathclyde Business School > Economics
Strathclyde Business School > Fraser of Allander Institute
|Depositing user:
|Pure Administrator
|Date deposited:
|22 May 2015 14:13
|Last modified:
|29 May 2020 00:37
|Related URLs:
|Export data:


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No better time than now to start learning! Start managing yout time effectively. SUBSCRIPTION AT 30% OFF
Limited offer
This microbook is a summary/original review based on the book: The 48 Laws of Power
Available for: Read online, read in our mobile apps for iPhone/Android and send in PDF/EPUB/MOBI to Amazon Kindle.
Also available in audiobook
Remember Machiavelli's story that the ends justify the means? Robert Greene is more evil, yet he brings some very powerful ideas ... If there are any authors that the 12' team would say is more Machiavellian than Machiavelli himself, this is the guy. Just kidding! In his words, he considers himself a realist and not a bad guy. Still, the reading is fantastic and will give you some insights that will help you understand how that guy you consider a loser became successful. Greene's premise is that trying to be fair all the time can destroy the chances of you becoming a successful guy. In this book, he decided to investigate the history of power to learn how to conquer it, use it, and protect it. Let's read on Greene's Laws?
You need to make your superiors feel superior, and you can achieve this by not showing off in ways that could make them unsafe. To gain power, you need them to look better and brighter than they are.
Eventually, your friends will betray you. For Greene, this is a fact, and you should never trust too much. Instead of leaning on your friends, he suggests that you hire your ex-enemies as they tend to be more loyal.
To have true power, you need to be able to leave people lost and uninformed. The easiest way to do this is by never showing your true intentions. They will never be able to prepare to go against you if you let them be lost. Also, you can always give wrong directions to maximize the effect of this law.
When you try to impress, the more you talk, the more common you seem and the less in control you get. It is important that you be vacant and speak as little as possible. Those who speak little seem more powerful and intimidate people with their discretion.
Your reputation is the foundation of your power. The more recognized and respected you are, the more powerful you become. A good reputation alone already helps you win, but if you want to destroy your enemies, do so by attacking their reputations. Once the attack is made, get out close and let the public finish demoralizing your opponents.
People are judged by their appearance, and if you want to have power, then not being seen or not catching people's attention can lead you to fail. You should always seek the attention of people and never be invisible in the crowd. Be mysterious, but differentiate yourself from the crowd to be noticed.
If you want to become powerful, you need to be able to capture the credit for the work of others. Use the people who work for you and, where possible, appropriate the merits of the activities they do. Never let people take credit for your work. That will make people think that you are a master of efficiency.
You need to get people to look for you because it gives you power and control. It is far better that your opponents come to you and that you never go to them. When they come to you, they abandon their own plans and follow yours. Offer baits and promises of great gains and, when you attract them, attack.
You never gain anything through a discussion because discussions generate resentment on the losing side, which impairs your ability to influence. To win you need to take actions that communicate what you want. Instead of explaining something to people, demonstrate it and tell how it should be done.
Being around unhappy and unlucky people drains your mental and emotional capacity. These people contaminate you and cause you to fail by contamination. Only associate with happy and lucky people.
To keep in control, you need people to depend on you. The more people depend on you, the more freedom you have. Make people need you and want to be close to your happiness. Never let them learn what you know to not need you anymore.
A sincere move is capable of hiding your dishonest moves. When you are honest, you initially lower people's custody and they begin to trust you. Be honest at first, gain the confidence of the person before deceiving.
If you need help, you can not humble yourself and depend on others' compassion. You should find something that will benefit that person to help you and emphasize it to the fullest. So you do not expose yourself, and you achieve your goal.
Get close to people to capture valuable information and ask indiscreet questions. Take every opportunity you have to get more information and make a note. It deludes people to appear close and earn their trust, and learn as much as you can.
Harming your enemy is not enough. The important thing is to destroy it so that it is not able to rise again. Attack him/her in mind and spirit and never pity to stop before ending him/her.
The more you make yourself present, the greater your circulation, the less your value. If you are part of a group, move away and let people notice that you are distant. That increases your value by generating scarcity of your presence.
Being predictable gives power to others. If you behave unpredictably and inconsistently, people stop trying to predict your movements. The more unpredictable you are, the more people will become intimidated and terrified about what your next step will be.
If you want to be powerful, you cannot isolate yourself. Isolation leaves you out of the most valuable information, and you get lost. It's best if you disguise yourself inside the group. You are protected from your enemies when you are in the crowd.
Never assume that all people will react the same way to your offenses. Know who you want to attack and choose your victims carefully. Never let your offenses be misunderstood and reach an unplanned target.
If there is any conflict, idiots rush to take sides. You must remain independent and never compromise with others, only with yourself. Get people to chase you and toss them against each other.
People like to feel smarter. Make your victims think they're smarter than you. If they find this, they will never think that you can have ulterior motives for them to mistrust you.
If you are weaker than your opponent, do not keep fighting, surrender yourself. When you surrender, you have more time to recover and time to wait for his power to diminish. Do not let the opponent have the satisfaction of defeating you. Surrender first, recompose yourself, expect him to weaken and take revenge.
Save your energies by keeping them concentrated at their strongest point. Focus and do not attack multiple targets at once. The intensity always beats dispersion.
The jester feels at home in a world where everything revolves around political power and ability. He flatters, submits to his superiors and imposes his power on others in an invisible way. If you flatter the king, there is no limit to where you can ascend within the court.
Recreate yourself by forging a new identity that catches the attention and interest of your audience. Be the architect of your image and never let others define it for you. Learn to use the theater in your actions and speeches, make it dramatic. That creates an interesting character beloved by people.
Create an exemplary facade and never get caught up in dubious activities. If you must do something wicked, let them do it for you. Your aura should communicate perfection, and your hands can never be involved in dubious activities. If you curl up, find someone to blame and get out with clean hands.
People need to believe in something, always. Use this to your advantage and give them a common cause to follow you as a leader. Communicate vaguely, make promises, demonstrate your superiority, and do not talk on the rational plane. Take advantage of others' faith. Create rituals for your disciples and ask them to make sacrifices for the cause.
If you are unsure about a particular attitude, do not do it. Your doubts and hesitations will hinder your execution. Take action with faith and draw attention. Everyone admires the brave and audacious; No one honors the fearful.
The end is everything, and you should plan every step up to it, taking into account the possible consequences and obstacles that can nullify your efforts and ruin your plan. Do not be surprised by the circumstances and know when to stop.
Your deeds should look natural and easy. Ignore your efforts and never mention that something has given you too much trouble. Always make it seem natural and simple and always seem to be able to do even more. However, do not teach anyone how you did it or your tactics will be used against you.
Shuffle your victims and let them feel they are in control. Give options for them to choose, but make sure all options offered match your goals. When they have to make a choice, make it a choice of the "least of evils" type.
Never appeal to the truth unless you are prepared for the indignation generated by disillusionment. People want to romanticize their lives, and if you manage to deceive them in this direction, you will become powerful.
Each person has weaknesses, and it is up to you to explore it. A weakness can be a fear, an addiction or a secret. If you know people's weaknesses, you can direct them to do what suits you.
The way you behave normally determines how you are treated. Sooner or later, appearing plebeian will lead to being ignored. Demonstrate your superiority and people will bow before your majesty.
Do not be in a hurry, for it denounces a lack of control over yourself. Be patient, as if you are sure that things will work out on your own. Know the right time to act and be quiet when the moment is not right.
The more attention you give to your enemy, the more powerful you make it, and a small mistake becomes more serious and more visible when you try to fix it. If there is anything you want and cannot have, show contempt for it, pretend it has no value. The less interest you show the clearer your superiority.
Great symbolic gestures with a dramatic air to an audience generate an aura of power. Mount spectacles for the people around you, full of images and symbols that reinforce your presence.
It is not worth showing people that you go against the status quo. They will only think that you want attention and that you are superior. It is safer to blend into the crowd and embrace common sense. Keep your originality to yourself and the people closest to you who admire eccentricity.
Anger and emotion hurt your performance, so you need to always be calm. Your goal is to annoy your enemy by keeping your cool and so take control. Manipulate them, so they lose their temper, destabilize them to attack assertively.
If something comes for free, you should be aware. This something usually comes with a favor that will be charged in the future. Pay for what you want and get rid of gratitude, favors, and guilt. It is wise to pay the price without discount. Keep your money flowing, for generosity is a sign of power.
If you have to replace a great man, you will have to do twice as much as he accomplished to be able to overcome him in his glory. Do not stand in someone's shadow, create your own space.
Neutralize the influence of a pack leader to disperse the crowd. Do this by isolating and banishing him. If you can reach the source of the problem, the flock will disperse, and you will be free to take over.
To make others serve your purpose, it will be necessary to seduce and influence them. The person you seduce becomes loyal, and to seduce a person you have to act on your weaknesses and your mind. Manipulate your emotions and be loved or feared. If you ignore people's minds and hearts, they will hate you.
The mirror reflects reality, but it is also the cause of illusions. When you mirror your enemies, doing what they do, they become confused with your strategy. The mirror effect mocks them and causes them to react in an unplanned way, opening up their weaknesses. Few resist the confusion and chaos caused by the power of the mirror effect.
Everyone understands the need for change, but in everyday life, people are creatures of habit. Too much change causes a revolt. If you assume a position of authority, you must maintain your respect for tradition, and if a change is necessary, make it appear to be a mere improvement of a tradition.
Looking better than others is dangerous, and giving the impression of being perfect is even more so. If you cause envy, you create silent enemies. Occasionally exhibit some defect and confess harmless vices, to divert envy and appear more human and less divine.
Victory is the most dangerous moment of all. When you win, arrogance and overconfidence can get you past the target you set, and by going too far, you create more enemies than necessary. Do not let success take over and come to mind. Set a goal and, when you reach it, stop immediately.
By taking on a physical form, clear and visible, you become vulnerable to attack. Instead of taking on a form that your enemy can assimilate, keep yourself adaptable and fluid as water. Never bet on stability and a lasting order, but on chaos.
Many people find it difficult to understand Greene's laws and apply them in their conduct because the book is based primarily on historical events where today's ethics is not exactly honored. Still, this is a book worth reading as Greene brings us unusual techniques to become more powerful. You probably will not want to use most of them (yeah, he's a bad guy) but it's essential to know them to protect yourself from people who are incessantly looking for power at any cost.
12min tip: How about checking out our microbook How to Make Friends and Influence People?
Robert Greene is an American writer best known for his books on strategy, seduction, and power. He worked in collaboration with rapper 50 Cent for the launch of The 50th Law. Greene grew up in Los Angeles and attended the University of California, Berkeley, before earning his Bachelor's degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a BA in classical studies. Before becoming an author, Greene estimates that he has worked in 80 jobs, includ... (Read more)
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During the birth the baby comes out through the mother's vagina into the world. For the first child, the birth takes between 12 and 18 hours. The second birth is usually shorter.
Before the baby is born, the mother will have contractions: The muscles of the uterus will contract and tighten. This will push the baby down. Contractions are almost always painful.
Contractions (labour)
The contractions slowly open the cervix and the cervical canal (entrance to the uterus). When the mother's cervix is wide open, the baby can come into the world.
There are several possibilities to relieve pain during labour:
- walking around
- breathing techniques that you have learned in a birth preparation course or elsewhere
- trying different positions
- a bath for relaxation
- using a device such as a heat pad or a birth ball
- asking for an epidural anesthesia if you are having your baby in a hospital. This is a injection in the lower back, which relieves the pain. You can get the injection while sitting or lying down.
Birth positions
You can choose a position for birth, for example
- lying on your side or back,
- squatting,
- kneeling,
- hanging on a rope or cloth.
You can change the position during birth as often as you want. The doctor or the midwife will ask what position you would like. Doctors and midwives can usually accompany and care for you in every position.
Birth in a hospital or birth centre
When you arrive at the clinic or in the birth centre, you will be welcomed by a midwife.
The midwife will
- check your contractions and the heart beat of the foetus using a monitor,
- conduct an examination through the vagina,
- answer all your questions during labour.
A gynaecologist will be informed about the approaching birth.
During the birth your partner or any other person of your choice can stay with you.
Sometimes it may be necessary for the doctor or the midwife to make a small cut with a scissors in the tissue between the vagina and the anus (perineum). Sometimes this tissue tears by itself.
The baby comes out through the vagina. The umbilical cord is cut.
10 to 30 minutes after birth the placenta will come out of the body.
Childbirth at home
If you want to have your child at home, talk to your doctor and midwife about it. If you have a normal pregnancy without risks, you can give birth at home. A midwife must accompany and care for you at home during birth. Find a midwife as early as possible in your pregnancy. Then you can prepare for the birth together.


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IBS builder talks: A Finer Touch Construction – High-end drinking fountains in Arizona
Episode 3
Brad Leavitt, president of A Finer Touch Construction (Scottsdale, Arizona), joins us on The Building Code podcast at the International Builders' Show (IBS) in Las Vegas, Nevada, to share his experience with moving his company from Excel to Buidertrend, building high-end drinking fountains, and creating a strong Instagram presence.
Two years ago, Brad and his team at A Finer Touch Construction ditched their antiquated Excel spreadsheets for Buildertrend construction project management software; for them, making this change was a no-brainer. First, they added their residential projects to Buildertrend, then they moved commercial projects to the program.
A Finer Touch Construction has strong "high-end drinking fountain" game. In Arizona – where the dry heat is present year-round – having cool water easily available is a must. Per Brad, "Think about it. It's Arizona, where it's hot. The kids can run in, get a drink out of the drinking fountain, and they don't need a glass." Well done, A Finer Touch Construction. Well done.
While Brad is not new to the world of construction, there are a few things that have really changed for him in the last two years. Not only has he attended IBS for the last two years, but Instagram has recently been a game changer for his business. In 2019 alone, out of their numerous projects across residential and commercial, four custom builds came from Instagram leads. There's only one way to describe that – "wild."
A Finer Touch Construction is a residential builder and commercial contractor, with a team of 13 employees. For their team, project and business management are all about being diverse, and that means managing many types of projects and business processes within Buildertrend.
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Applying commercial processes to residential construction with Steve Tankersley
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On this episode, Tom and Paul are chatting with Darren Brown of Decking Sydney.


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Wells Fargo, the financial services giant immortalized in lyrics to "The Music Man," has apologized for advertisements that seemed to suggest that teenagers should set aside their artistic dreams and choose careers in science.
The print ads, promoting a "teen financial education day" program, featured an image of a smiling young woman with the headline: "A ballerina yesterday. An engineer today." And a young man was shown with the headline: "An actor yesterday. A botanist today." Each picture featured the tagline, "Let's get them ready for tomorrow."
A number of prominent artists took to social media over the holiday weekend to voice their objections to the implicit career guidance, including the songwriter Robert Lopez ("Frozen"), the singer Josh Groban, and the actors Laura Benanti ("She Loves Me"), Alex Brightman ("School of Rock"), Michael Cerveris ("Fun Home"), Donna Lynn Champlin ("Crazy Ex-Girlfriend"), Cynthia Erivo ("The Color Purple"), Heather Headley ("Aida"), Zachary Levi ("She Loves Me"), Andy Mientus ("Smash"), Anthony Rapp ("Rent"), Alexandra Silber ("Fiddler on the Roof"), Wesley Taylor ("Smash") and Jenna Ushkowitz ("Glee").
What the...??? Totally shameful campaign. Boo on @WellsFargo for this. https://t.co/zgStf8Cifs— Anthony Rapp @🏡 (@albinokid) September 3, 2016
Wells Fargo, also on Twitter, then issued an apology, saying the company "is deeply committed to the arts" and that the ads "were intended to celebrate all the aspirations of young people and fell short of that goal." The company said it would change the advertising campaign.


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NG Models have just announced three special models that were available for the Hearthrow Aviation show this past weekend!! As always we work hard to get you a variety of models and we've got them coming in too for all those not able to make the show!!! The models are very limited so be sure to get your order in early to avoid missing out!!!
NG Models 1:400
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Happy Shopping!!! www.wafflecollectibles.com
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Secrets From The Sahara The holy month : Ramadhan
History and religion are important components of any civilization, of any region, as when we visit a place, we unconsciously start to wonder about the historical and religious and cultural background of that place in order for us to create that special link, that sense of belonging to that place. Tunisia is basically an islamic country as everybody knows. This article is an intermediaire between the previous article and the upcoming article as a response to the demands of some of my readers. In my previous article, i mentioned the month of Ramadhan, so i've been asked by some : « Hatem, what is Ramadhan? », and some others have been asking me « Hatem, what do you eat in Ramadhan? ». So in this article i will be giving a simple definition of the month of Ramadhan and my next article will be about the basic foods cooked in this month. The aim of talking about the holy month of Ramadhan is to give the readers an idea about it, and to encourage the readers to go witness the special life style in this month, and Tunisia would be my advice for you to visit.
Ramadhan is the month in which the muslims' book Quran was revealed, guidance for the mankind, not only for a special group of people, but to all the humans who believe in the one almighty God or Allah. Fasting as the main feature of Ramadhan, has been prescribed for humanity since ages, from Judaism to the prophet Moses in his book the Torah, to Christianity with Jesus Christ and the holy Bible ( peace and Allah's blessings upon them), and finally to Islam with the prophet and messenger of Allah Muhamed ( Allah's prayers and peace upon him) in Quran. Fasting begins from the sunrise and ends at the sunset. Some people consider it rediculous to starve, but fasting isn't just about starving, it's to teach us how to be self-restrained, to teach us discipline, to strengthen our religiosity, our devotion, our piety, it teaches us to fear God, to be more conscious about Allah, to protect ourselves from doing the wrong things…etc, which starts from where ? from our hearts. How ? i will not explain how in a deep religious way, i will try to give one logical explanation on how fasting stimulates our faith. First feeling we get when fasting is being thirsty, so throat will send complaints to the brain and heart, then from starving, stomach will do the same so, a war arises between our persistence on obeying God's orders and our bodies, surrounded by temptations, desires, wants..etc. The more our beliefs resist the body and mind needs, the more complaints emerge, by the sunset, we celebrate our victory upon desires. Water and food are not forbidden, but succeeding in facing these fundamental needs for thirty days would make it so easy to defeat the what is wrong in our daily life. Ramadhan is also the month of prayers and dua' that are our support and backing in our battle against the bad us, not to mention the physical benefits of fasting.
Ramadhan has became a tradition, a habit that people await. Timing in Ramadhan changes but people carry on their daily life with a new perception. Markets in Ramadhan are more active, more sellers and more buyers, more diversified goods with affordable costs. People in Ramadhan are more cooperating, more sensitive to the other, as they choose to feel the hunger, they would feel what it means to be poor and homeless, therefore, people prepare food tables in public places so they share with each others. Nights in Ramadhan are more active than the usual, all people are out to meet and talk and celebrate especially with the massive cultural activities that are dedicated to this month. To sum up, Ramadhan and fasting are a good chance to feel what it is like to be the good humans God has made us.


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359 Kč 8ml
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rejuvenates, hydrates, firms, revitalizes, reduces wrinkles, slows down skin aging, easily applicable thanks to practical packaging, PACKSTAR 2017 award winner
Apply an adequate amount of the rejuvenating serum to your cleansed skin in the area of eyes and lips by repeatedly pressing the elastic membrane in the top part of the bottle and massage it gently by means of the cooling applicator.
Aqua, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Hydroxyethylacrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Squalane, Polysorbate 60, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isopropyl Myristate, Glycerin, Bellis Perennis Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hexapeptide-9, Butylene Glycol, Panthenol, Ubiquinone, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Retinol, Pentylene Glycol, Lecithin, Alcohol, Polysorbate 20, Pottasium Phosphate, Beta-Sitosterol, Squalene, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Parfum
Do you need our help? +420 230 234 392 or firstname.lastname@example.com


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For its new original documentary "Ground Zero Rising: Freedom vs. Fear," CNBC interviewed a wide array of experts involved in the safety and security planning of the World Trade Center – and received exclusive access to the site's operations command center to learn how it keeps tenants and tourists safe.
Rising to a symbolic height of 1,776 feet, One World Trade Center is an emblem of American resilience.
With a cost of $3.9 billion, the tower is also a symbol of Western capitalism. Much of its price tag, however, is attributable to security enhancements that arguably make it one of the safest buildings in the world. Yet, even though One World Trade was specifically designed to withstand a 9/11-type attack or 1993-style bombing, the iconic building likely remains a target.


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In this message Pastor Jason shares three more reasons that Believers can have confidence toward God even when they have a guilty conscience. He wraps the teaching up by talking about how to live a life free from condemnation. Enjoy!
Messiah's House & Hillside Christian's Mutual Purchase
In January 2016, the Messiah's House Elders took a retreat and heard God saying, "Prepare to move."


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Winter Solstice To native people, this is the time of the long cold and hunger. People did without to survive. This is the shortest day and longest night of the year. It signifies the rebirth of the sun, the days getting longer. It holds wonderful energy for rebirth, and self reflection. It begins a new year cycle. It is the transition point between the seasons. Today, these things signify for us personal awareness and transformation Examine what self care means to ... Continue Reading »
St John's Wort
As we move into the months of the year that sunlight and warmth will diminish, I want to bring to your attention plants that can help us combat our loss of daylight hours and the benefits that we receive from sunlight. In Native belief, the months of fall and winter are the time of preparing for long cold months, of staying close to home, caring for home and going within. This is a great time to finish projects, things we have left unfinished. But; A time of going within? This ... Continue Reading »
Intuition and Trust
Intuition and Trust Intuition; is a feeling or thought you have about something without knowing why you feel that way. It's a function of the unconscious mind — those parts of your brain / mind (the majority of it, in fact) that you don't consciously control or perceive. Trust is defined as; assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something. One in which confidence is placed. Do you trust your intuition? These two things mean something ... Continue Reading »
Just as the sun gives us warmth and vitamin D, the Earth underfoot gives us food and water, a surface to walk, sit, stand, play, and build on, and something you never thought about—an eternal, natural, and gentle energy. Think of it perhaps as vitamin G—G for ground. What does that mean to you? Maybe the difference between feeling good and not, of having little or a lot of energy, or sleeping well or not so well. You can't see the Earth's energy, but some people can feel it as a warm, and ... Continue Reading »
Sacred Medicine Wheel
As you can see from the image, the wheel is separated into 4 quadrants. Those four quadrants themselves represent more than one concept. Let me explain. The quadrants represent the phases of life (Childhood, Adolescence, Adulthood, Elder), the seasons of the year (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter), the four cardinal directions (East, South, West, North) as well as our four sides (Physical, Emotional, Mental and Spiritual). It represents the four colors of mankind as Created. Although the picture ... Continue Reading »


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Course Administration Officer
Phone: 02 8838 8967
Email: email@example.com
Joanne oversees administrative matters relating to the academic life of the College as it functions within the School of Theology, Charles Sturt University. Joanne works closely with the Principal, Academic Dean, Faculty and visiting lecturers at UTC as well as the Head of School, Course Director and Course Advisors within the School.
Joanne is the Secretary for all the School of Theology Committees and is the main point of contact for University officers, in particular the Subjects Team in the Faculty of Arts and Education and the Research Office within the University.
Joanne has worked previously as the Student Administrator as well as in other administrative roles for UTC and Uniting Mission and Education since 2008.


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No. 85-I Inline Flame Arrester
The Tokheim Flame Arresters consist of a two piece cast iron housing and an aluminum plate stack. The plates are 1-1/4" wide, 4-3/8" long, and .061" thick. A total of 33 plates are spaced .020" apart to make a stack of 2-11/16". Fire cannot flash through this plate stack.
The units may be used on vent pipes from 3/4 to 2 inches in diameter. Working pressure on threaded in-line is 380 psi.
Be sure plate stacks and base are free of any packing materials. Apply pipe sealer to connecting pipes, screw arrester on pipe by hand. Then tighten securely with a pipe wrench applied to flanges of unit.
Flame arresters have no moving parts, however it is important to inspect and clean the plate stacks periodically. To inspect, remove the bolt holding the case halves together. Remove plates stacks and inspect by holding up to lights. Spaces between plates should be open. To clean plate stack, immerse in warm soapy water and agitate to remove dirt. Rinse well with water and blow dry with compressed air. Clean unit with soft cloth dampened with naphtha. Replace plate stack and tighten nuts firmly.


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Home > Teddy Bears > Sporting Bears > Cricket Bear
We are sorry, this product is discontinued and is no longer available. Please select another item.
Reference: TBF01225
Model: CSA695A
Size: 31cm
Colour: Light brown / white
Cricket Bear is one of the Hearfelt Collectible range of teddy bears from Trendle Teddy Bears.
Freddie the cricketer bear is first class and is ready to knock up a century and bowl out a few Aussies!
Dressed in his all whites, this cricketing bear would be a charming gift to give dad on Father's Day or to a fan of the game to celebrate an Ashes win.
Cricket Bear wears pads and carries his bat by his side.
I bought the teddy to use in a 'Name the Bear' competition in aid of the British Heart Foundation. A work colleague died suddenly from a heart attack and we are arranging a cricket day with associated fun things to do in his memory. He was a great fan of cricket and the bear was ideal. Everyone is over the moon with him and they all want him, so hopefully he will raise lots of money! I was really impressed with your service and would recommend you, in fact I already have. Many thanks.
Lesley Drouin
Loreno Teddy Bear
Peter Rabbit Photo Frame
Border Fine Arts
Dear Zoo Money Ball
Dear Zoo
A quality laminated gift bag, matching colour tissue and gift tag to present your gift item. Order during checkout.
Send a greetings card with your gift item to add a personal touch.
You can also add a box of chocolates to make the perfect gift.
© All images and text copyright Teddy Bear Friends 2004-2020. All rights reserved.
Westview Trading Limited. Registered Co No: 6555031
trading as Teddy Bear Friends
6 West View


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Unsung heroes behind Street Faire success
Now that the heat of the summer is giving way to the cooler temperatures of the upcoming fall, I wanted to give a shout-out to two notable local "unsung heroes" who have brought enjoyment, smiles and good times to tens of thousands of area residents through their behind the scenes involvement in Louisville's summertime Friday Street Faires. I am writing this shout-out for myself and for the thousands of others who have enjoyed the Friday Street Faires because of these gentlemen's unselfish efforts to put on such a great event.
I wanted to give a loud and emphatic public "thank you" to James (Jim) Tienken and Thomas (Tom) Brophy for all they have done in putting on such a successful summer of music and enjoyment.
Jim leads a small army of other volunteers who unselfishly give their time for the benefit of all of us, by bringing in the music, the vendors and the overall organization of the event.
Tom heads up another thankless task by leading a small army of volunteers that helps to divert nearly all the waste from the event away from the landfill and helps make the event as nearly a zero-waste event as possible.
Please join me and extend a hearty "thank you" to both these gentleman and to their other volunteers for doing us and our community such a wonderful service. This event has not only brought tens of thousands of visitors enjoyment, it has helped to create more visibility and more much needed vibrancy to our local economy.
Thank you Jim Tienken and Tom Brophy.
John Beaupre
Opinions needed on Golden Run
This is in response to the guest opinion of Mr. Harber (Camera, Sept. 10) regarding Golden Run. I believe there are many things in the proposal with which the majority of the people of Erie take issue. In the past, I have suggested the town partake in a formal survey to quantify the degree of support or lack of support for the concept. But Mr. Harber and former members of the Board of Trustees would not agree to undertake a formal survey.
So now we get unsubstantiated statements from Mr. Harber that 1.) "last year we were told that the Town of Erie would be excited to host this innovative project" and 2.) "the project has been vilified by an adjacent neighborhood and the recently-elected trustees." The truth of the matter is that the pre-annexation agreement was approved by the old board by a 4-3 vote (hardly a landslide) and there were many citizens who spoke against the magnitude of the project. Also the truth is those who voted for the pre-annexation agreement were generally defeated by a large majority during the 2014 elections. Clearly, the citizens of Erie wanted new leadership which is now very capably being provided by Mayor Harris and the rest of the trustees.
The Golden Run concept will have a very negative impact on the citizens of Erie despite Mr. Harber's claims. I simply do not believe Golden Run has to be of the magnitude proposed or nothing. I believe in compromise.
So why could it not be located near (Interstate 25) rather than between Erie and Lafayette?
To put the size of the Golden Run density in perspective, it will have 38,000 people in half of a square mile. By comparison, the density of Manhattan is approximately 33,000 people per half-square mile. Is that what we want?
Jim Hoffmeyer


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Wayne Paquin's reason for pursuing driftwood art and the name of his business are one and the same, and for good reason.
"I just drifted into it," the Qualicum Beach artist explained of his artistic endeavor called "Just Drifting."
Wayne and his wife Marguerite were out exploring the area between their home and Courtenay, and their interest was piqued by a place called Fanny Bay Driftwood, a unique location stocked with driftwood collected from numerous freshwater locations. The man responsible for hand picking all the driftwood is Alan Morgan.
"We kept saying we have to stop in at Alan's place. So, one day we finally did, and the rest is history," said Wayne. He added that he and his wife love visiting the property, as it feels like an adventure every time.
As Wayne described the pieces he has encountered at Fanny Bay Driftwood, his eyes lit up, revealing that there are hundreds to choose from, collected from a network of about 20 different freshwater locations.
When choosing his pieces, Wayne said he doesn't initially know what it will become, but he recognizes something in it. "It's the process that says what it wants to be," he explained.
Once he takes it home, one piece can take anywhere from 10 to 50 hours to complete.
Although he has always been an artist, Wayne didn't always devote that much time to his craft. In fact, he said he didn't actually know he was an artist in his early days. Years ago, Wayne worked as a gas contractor that specialized in unique renovations in commercial spaces. He was called in to modify systems. "That satisfied my artistic ability because I have to connect my hand and my brain," he explained. "I built sculptures out of copper pipe and sheet metal and things like that to complete the project, and I dabbled in a few other [artistic] things."
But when he met his wife Marguerite everything changed, he said. He was assigned through his employer to go to her house and fix her fireplace, and the two had an instant connection. With a doctorate in multicultural art education, one of Marguerite's specialties is helping people bring out their creative spirit, he explained.
While working with master's program students on creative projects some years ago, Wayne joined in, creating computer animations for her student's projects. Wayne said Marguerite has also recognized some of his other artistic capabilities over the years and helped him realize them. Recently the couple has collaborated on some of the driftwood pieces.
Wayne begins a driftwood project by power washing it and then bleaching it lightly to get rid of any critters. He then leaves it to dry, which can take anywhere from a week to a month. Freshwater driftwood, he explained, dries quicker than saltwater driftwood. And there are other notable differences.
"There's a huge difference," he explained. "Wood carvers don't like working with saltwater driftwood because it's full of debris, [including] sand, which can be hard on tools." He added that saltwater driftwood is full of organisms and the chemistry of the water makes the wood go spongy.
After the pieces are dry, he sands them down, taking care not to manipulate the wood more than necessary. At this point he will name it, and that name generally arises naturally, he explained.
Wayne likes to bring out the grain in the wood, and he says there's a bit of mystery involved because he doesn't know what kind of wood he's dealing with, at least initially. Depending on what type of tree it is, it will react differently to the finish applied, so one piece may be shiny, while another is matte, even though it went through the same process.
Several pieces have been embellished with crushed, stained or fused glass, gemstones, jewelry, shells or wood. He also works with stones, like one piece adorned with kyanite, said to be a peaceful, rebalancing stone. He surrounded it with silver clay, which he formed and baked in a kiln, exposing the silver. After he polished it, he made some clay into a paste and painted it back on to the finished product "to give it a magic touch."
Wayne also creates sterling silver pendants, mostly which are day signs from the Mayan calendar, using the lost wax casting process. "Basically, I'll carve an image out of wax and then go through a process where I then transform it into sterling silver pendants." These can take around 20 hours depending on how intricate the design is. His wife Marguerite works with the Mayan Calendar and does Mayan birth energy readings.
Wayne said he feels like his art pieces are his kids and they must be born. He refers to his Metis ancestry which says once the pieces are made, they need time to "be born" before being presented to the public. He finds the driftwood pieces are very soothing to sit with, even meditative, and it forces people to look and feel a little differently, he said.
Wayne says he hopes his work reminds people how connected we are to the natural world.
"I can't tell you how many times people have said, 'Oh, I would have passed that by on the beach, it's just a piece of driftwood, but now, you have shown me it's more than that.' That's so gratifying," he said.
Wayne also does commission work. To view some of his work visit his website www.ladyrainbowspirit.com/Pages/driftwood.html , email him at email@example.com or call him at 250-752-2720.
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It's The Leads.
" When you reach the top keep climbing." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson.
An ambitious young salesperson was determined to get to the top no matter what it took. So he embarked on a quest. To find out what it takes to get to the top of the sales board he visited hundreds of companies around the country and asked everybody one simple question. "Why is the same salesperson always at the top of the board?" In every company, every year, it seemed to him that the same salesperson always came out on top. Earned the most. Won the most awards and led the pack.~ Every Year ~ Why is that? ~ he asked.
And every other salesperson answered ~ It's The Leads.
Then he returned to his company and sought out a wise old mentor.
A man who had been in sales for over half a century and would give him the straight skinny. After retelling his experience to the old campaigner he asked ~ "So is it the leads?" The seasoned veteran smiled and said ~ Yes. ~ But let me explain. The very best get the very best. That's how the world works, he said. A lot of salespeople need to grow up and recognize that business, and life, is all about dependability. Customers depend on it. Management depends on it. Shareholders depend on it and Employees families depend on it. Someone has got to deliver dependably. Those at the top of the board have made it a habit to deliver results dependably. ~ That's It.
So yes, he said, it's the leads. ~ But think about it this way:
L = Leads.
Whether you inherit, earn, are given, or prospect leads yourself you need to deliver dependably on them or they will go to someone else.
E = Expectations.
Those at the top of the board have higher expectations. Of themselves and what they do with leads. They expect and deliver results.
A = Actions.
To get to the top of the board you'll need to get yourself, and others, to take uncomfortable actions. You'll need to get leads to take action.
D = Deliver.
All the talk in the world won't get you the best leads or to the top of the board. You will need to deliver results first young man.
The old mentor gazed up at the sales board in his office and said...
Yep ~ "It's the leads ~ but to get the best leads you will need to deliver results first. He smiled and said ~ "Isn't that a bitch?"
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Browse our range of publications including performance and financial statement audit reports, assurance review reports, information reports and annual reports.
The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship's (DIAC) administration of the character requirements of the Migration Act.
The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of DIAC's management of the student visa program. Three key areas were examined in the audit: the processing of student visa applications; ensuring compliance with student visa conditions; and cooperation between DIAC and DEEWR.
The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of AusAID's management of tertiary training assistance.
The objective of the audit was to assess whether, in relation to appeals to the SSAT and the AAT, Centrelink undertakes its role effectively, so as to support the timely implementation of the Tribunals' decisions about customers' entitlements. In assessing Centrelink's performance, the ANAO examined whether:
- the information provided by Centrelink, in relation to appeals to the SSAT and the AAT, effectively supported customers' and Tribunals' decision-making;
- the relationships and administrative arrangements between Centrelink, DEEWR and FaHCSIA supported the effective management of the appeal process and the capture of issues that may have broader implications for legislation, policy and service delivery; and
- Centrelink implemented SSAT and AAT decisions in an effective and timely manner.
The audit focused on the external review and appeal mechanisms and completes the cycle of audits on Centrelink's review and appeal system. The audit examined those appeals where an implementation action was required and did not consider SSAT and AAT appeals that were dismissed, withdrawn or were not within the Tribunals' jurisdiction.
The objective of the audit was to assess how well agencies had implemented the CPGs and relevant FMA legislation when undertaking Direct Source procurement.
The audit examined whether selected agencies had developed a sound procurement framework; appropriately classified procurement methods when meeting external reporting requirements; implemented the CPGs and relevant legislation when Direct Sourcing; and established effective procurement monitoring and review arrangements.
The ANAO selected four FMA Act agencies to provide a cross-section of the 104 agencies that reported procurement activity in AusTender in
2008–09. The agencies selected for audit were:
- the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA);
- the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (Innovation);
- the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA); and
- the Australian Crime Commission (ACC).
The ANAO examined a stratified random sample of 645 procurements valued at $10 000 and over, across the four agencies. More detailed testing was undertaken for the 285 Direct Source procurements in the sample.
The objective of the audit was to examine the effectiveness of Centrelink's approach to investigating and responding to external fraud. The ANAO's assessment was based on four key criteria. In particular, the ANAO assessed whether Centrelink:
- had established a management framework, business systems and guidelines, that support the investigation, prosecution and reporting of fraud;
- had implemented appropriate case selection strategies and controls to ensure resources are targeted to the cases of highest priority;
- complied with relevant external and internal requirements when investigating fraud and referring cases for consideration of prosecution; and
- had implemented an effective training program that supports high quality investigations and prosecution referrals.


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Welcome to Fern Valley
Friday, 25 May 2012
Falling behind
I am just falling behind this week, falling behind posting and reading . Picked up a bug last weekend , and I thought I had kicked it till Monday when it hit me full force again . I wont get into super details other that to say it was a full body experience! Yeesh! I feel like a worn out dishrag today , but I am in fact on the mend .
Will be processing the calves on Sunday , and turning the bulk of the herd out to pasture , or at least all but the last couple. Normally this late in the year I would just let the stragglers calve on pasture, but it has been an odd season,(understatement of the week! ) And I would prefer to see the last couple up and going before we turn them out .This season has severely kicked my bum!All farmers know we have good years and bad, and this wasn't as bad as some folks have had .The wet spring brought scours to many farms and other issues as well. All in all it hasn't been to bad , I just have gotten spoiled with some very good years lately.
But as I quoted my late Uncle a few posts back . If you have livestock ...
So sorry if I have been absent from your blogs, I have read, just not always commenting . and as for here , updates with pics will come . And soon enough we will begin to watch for the foals!
Meanwhile stay safe my friends
10 comments:
Hope you continue to feel better with all that work to do!
- May 26, 2012 4:57 am
- Shirley said...
Sorry to hear you were so sick, hope you are all better. Thanks for the link to my post.
Do I smell a foaling contest upcoming?
- May 26, 2012 9:14 am
- Sherry Sikstrom said...
I believe you may just gotta get through this next week or so and figure out who is who and who is due
- May 26, 2012 9:17 am
- Ami said...
Take the time you need to recover!! Hope you're feeling a LOT better really soon.
Don't forget to take some little cow pics... those little cows are pretty darn cute.
- May 26, 2012 10:58 am
- kden said...
"Full body experience", lol. I hope you feel better each and every day.
- May 26, 2012 12:26 pm
- sally said...
Gee I hope you are feeling better ....I have loads of students falling sick at the moment with whole body experiences .....so far (touch wood) my family is ok.
- May 26, 2012 5:47 pm
- aurora said...
Feel better Fern! Whatever virus I had/have this past week has wiped me out too. Take some time to just get better, it's not a cure all, but it sure helps. Will look forward to updates when you are feeling up to it.
- May 26, 2012 5:51 pm
- Crystal said...
I hear you on being behind, I have not been sick but still am so far back. Hope you are truly over the illness and can get back to doing more fun stuff soon.
- May 26, 2012 8:48 pm
- Janice said...
Darn ...you can't be sick the place can't run without you.Hope you continue to feel better.I now have a mental pic of a full body experience, yeesh I hope it don't make it over here.
- May 27, 2012 4:30 pm
- GoLightly said...
Please, just take care of yourself. Blogs are not as important as your own rest and piece of mind!!
(stamps foot)
Johnny stomped, too:)
- May 27, 2012 4:35 pm


text:
|Check Point Reference:
|Date Published:
|18 Apr 2019
|Last Updated:
|24 Jul 2019
|Industry Reference:
|Protection Provided by:
Security Gateway
|Who is Vulnerable?
| Apache Software Foundation Tomcat prior to 7.0.94
Apache Software Foundation Tomcat prior to 8.5.40
Apache Software Foundation Tomcat prior to 9.0.18
|Vulnerability Description
|A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Apache Tomcat CGI Servlet. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to remote code execution on the target server.
This protection detects attempts to exploit this vulnerability.
In order for the protection to be activated, update your Security Gateway product to the latest IPS update. For information on how to update IPS, go to SBP-2006-05, click on Protection tab and select the version of your choice.
This protection's log will contain the following information:
Attack Name: Apache Server Protection Violation.
Attack Information: Apache Tomcat CGI Servlet Remote Code Execution (CVE-2019-0232)


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HOLDEN � Bullard Street resident Alan Seligman has filed an appeal with the Land Court regarding the Zoning Board of Appeals approval of a special permit and variance for Holden Youth Soccer's field project.
The appeal document, which was filed on Dec. 1, 2014, states that the variance decision is "detrimental to the public good and nullifies and substantially derogates from the intent and purpose of the Bylaw." The document also states that the special permit decision is "arbitrary and capricious and an abuse of discretion, exceeds the Board's authority, and is not in accordance with the law. "
Seligman is requesting that the court annul both the variance and special permit decision, as well as grant him such other relief as it deems just and proper.
"We can't comment on what has been filed within the Land Court," said Bill Donahue, Project Director for Holden Youth Soccer. "I can say, Holden Youth Soccer has been serving the families of Holden for over 45 years, I have been part of Holden Youth Soccer for over 20 of those years as a player, coach and board member and our number one concern is making sure the children and families are safe on the fields and in neighborhoods where they play."
The ZBA unanimously approved the special permit and variance on Nov. 6 with the following conditions:
� Fields are to be used in daylight only. Any proposal to light the fields in the future will require an application to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
� While school is in session, with permission from Holden Youth Soccer, only school personnel and students may use the fields and any nature trails that are developed.
� Use of the fields is only permitted for Holden Youth Soccer, Mayo School and the Holden Recreation Department.
� A fence, a minimum of six feet, must be placed starting at the C-Bound marker between 381 and 391 Bullard St. and continue in the north to northwest direction to halfway through the property of 455 Bullard St.
� A traffic study is required for the submission of the Site Plan Review Special Permit submitted to the Planning Board.
The proposed project includes two full-sized soccer fields and one, smaller practice field, as well as several structures for use as storage and a concession stand. The project will sit on 12 acres of land, which was given to Holden Youth Soccer for $40,000 at the May 2013 Town Meeting.
The full, 73-acre parcel of land was given to the town in 1994 by Worcester Polytechnic Institute for recreational purposes. Until now, no plan has come forward with how the land would be used.
According to the online public records for the Land Court Department of the Trial Court, the case was assigned to the fast track following the filing of the complaint.
On Jan. 12, a case management conference was held and attended by Attorney Patricia Davidson, on behalf of all the ZBA members, Attorney Jessica Wall, on behalf of Seligman, and Attorney Arthur Wells, on behalf of Holden Youth Soccer. The parties were instructed to confer about settlement and are to provide the court with a progress report by Feb. 12, according to the online document.
A telephone conference of the parties is scheduled for July 1 at 9:45 a.m.


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>According to Google I need……
- a hug
- prayers
- to cheer up
- to be nominated for the Kennedy Center Honors
- to come over and turn your charming studio into a warehouse loft
- 1000 mg today, and I start my day with cereal and milk
- a wealthy husband who can provide me with the high life I crave whilst sheltering me
- a Roommate!
- to go to the rest room ? Who will protect me?
- a chance to spread my wings
The first I totally agree with.
I should explain that I share my first name with a number of VERY famous women. Also for the record, I'm happy with my husband (who wouldn't be with a guy who does the ironing???) but could do with a few more hugs – big hint when you read this DH
I found this meme on Sheep in the city & it was fun to do.
BTW – I changed the list into the first tense so that they made more sense.


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June 26, 2007
Stories this photo appears in:
Fairfax City Council Candidates Speak Out
Besides voting for mayor, Fairfax residents will choose six City Council members in the May 6 election. All Council candidates except Cristina Gaines responded to The Connection's questionnaire.
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Month: April 2008
Best Deals-"best money saving tips"
What does 100000foryou.com mean?-
best online deals– "best money tips"
Well, this is meant to be my gift of $100000 to you. Surprised? Worried? Doubtful? Don't worry. This is not a scam. I am not going to ask you to make any payment anywhere on this website. Everything is free. Even the $100,000.
I am born and brought up in India. Then moved to the USA- first to do my MBA and then to settle down (In between, I founded and managed an investment services company in India). I am in the USA for around 10 years in total. I have learned a lot (and am still learning) about how US economy- the most advanced and most competitive- works. That is during my MBA as well as during living with my family in California. If you do not know, I am also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) from the CFA Institute which I believe is the most ethical organizations of financial professionals around the world. If you are familiar with CFA charter, I am sure I have your 100% trust and confidence. This website is not a scam. Let me repeat.
On 100000foryou.com, I am going to attempt to help an average American family save or make around 100,000 dollars. (Frankly speaking, I do not know if I have things for you that add up to $100000 for you at this time. Today I thought about creating a website to share my money tips with the world and have just registered the domain name 100000foryou.com. However, I am seriously going to share all my knowledge, wisdom, tricks to make you more wealthy and your life a more pleasure. April 07,2008.)
Unlike most MBAs, project managers or authors who believe in planning first, I am a doer. I like to start doing it. Just do it- I like Nike for it. I know my goal: that is to help you with 100000 dollars worth of savings. If I can make it happen, I would pat on my back. If I fail, to whatever extent I could help you, please take it as my gift alongwith my apologies for creating false expections in minds of readers like you. Also, everything on this website is not my brainchild nor are my own ideas. The life is a journey and whatever comes along it, I like to take it for my personal benefit and to share with people like you. With that spirit in focus, I am going to share my tips, knowledge, smartness (if there is any), wisdom on this website. Said that, if you have something that can help me reach to my $100,000 target, please share it with me for the benefits of fellow Americans.You will be given full credit for your ideas.
Deal: 15000 for 15 days! This simple Mortgage trick will save you
Wonderful World of Mortgage Payments
Born in India, I was brought up in a society/ulture that never liked debt. Now living in the USA, I could not avoid debt for long time. I gave a tough fight but when I bought my home, I had to have a debt.
Surprisingly in the USA, there are two numbers very important for you: Naturally, the first number, is your Social Security Number and the second one is your average credit score. (There are three consumer credit rating companies so you have 3 credit scores as such but average score is the one that counts.). Social Security Number (SSN) is a boring number; once you get it, you are stuck with it for your life but credit score is a real fun game. There are so many strategies out there on talk-shows, in books, in magazines and on the Internet that teach you how to improve your score. There is one Credit Score expert around you wherever you happen to be- usually within 10 feet of you or only 10 digits away! Talk to 3 people around you in a gathering or at workplace, or talk to any 3 friends, and I bet you one of them would give you some solid tips on credit scores! I am just trying to highlight how much our attitude has changed towards debt.
Most of us living in the USA pay Mortgage payment every month. It is part of the American dream- dream of owning a home. That not only gives you a home, but helps American economy in a big way. When you purchase, usually 6% of that amount is paid to brokers, around $5000 gets paid in terms of closing costs to variety of parties, when you sell, there is another 6% paid to brokers, and then every year, around 1 to 2% gets paid in the form of property taxes to state and local governments. Knowing or unknowingley, each of home buyer is doing a lot of good to the American society and contributing his/her dues to maintaining standards of living in the USA. We embrace this mortgage debt on the wonderful selling point of Internal Revenue Service (IRS)- "deduction of mortgage interest"! This whole cycle works very well- for you as well as for others.
Anyway, the purpose of this page is to play around with some numbers and to do some financial math that can help you save some money.
TRICK 1: Mortgage payment voucher comes in the mail every month with a due date of 1st of the month but did you know that you usually get 15 days of grace period to make your payment? I believe most of us pay on the 1st itself. We don't care of 15 days worth of holding onto our monthly mortgage payment. Now if you decide to delay your payment by 15 days each month, what kind of benefits do you have? Most of you would immediately tell me that it is not worth the trouble. But if you get into details, I am sure you will get surprised.
If you don't care about paying 15 days late, I am sure you can stretch yourself and pay 15 days earlier too. I mean to say that if you are planning to pay your next mortgage payment on say 1st of May, please pay it on 15th of April instead and then on every 15th of the month. Now the payment you make on 15th of April, mark it as payment towards your principal. Do you know how much wonders this will do overall?
Let us run some numbers on the following scenario:
Assume this is your mortgage:
You are supposed to pay 2398 every month till January 2038:
Now instead of paying on the 1st, you change to pay it on 14th of the month and somehow squeeze in one payment by paying it early towards your principal.
Do you know that this "don't care of 15 days" would save you full 5 monthly payments at the end? Plus, $2000 on the last payment you make?
(If this image is not visible clearly, please visit this link: http://jayesh.profitfromprices.com/Deals_mortgage_savings.htm )
Sounds confusing? Please email me:


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For some pleasant reason, I feel like trying to go back to a steadier rhythm with the blog, so you might see an increased activity in the coming weeks over here. It's been such a wonderful musical year so far, with yet too many great tracks remaining in the shadows. Let's try to adress that!
Bertrand Delanowave


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Making Sense of White Elephants: Cultural Research for Brand Positioning and Innovation
While brands in today's global marketplace face many challenges, lack of information is rarely one of them. There is so much data generated from the daily lives of consumers especially in the digital space: where they go, what they buy, what they read, who they follow, what they like (thumbs up) and how they feel (emoticon). Oftentimes consumers vocalize their unmet needs spontaneously on social media, marketers don't even have to anticipate them anymore. Likewise, with business intelligence, companies know what products are flying off the shelves and which ones are stagnant, which categories are expanding or contracting, whether it's at the neighborhood corner store or the world over.
It is also common knowledge that information is not enough: Brands need insights, which can emerge from many sources: the perspectives of managers, employees, distributors; consumer behavior and discourse; quantitative data and statistics. But there is another dimension that influences all of them (and is in turn influenced), and that dimension is culture.
Whether you consider culture a sea in which we are all swimming, a web that we have spun, or a mental software humans use to interpret information, structuring and analyzing culture is a rich and often untapped gold mine of insights for brands. So let's have a closer look at cultural research, a topic we are basically obsessed with at Labbrand.
Arguably culture should be a key consideration for any research or branding activity, but in particular semiotics is an approach that helps decode and also encode cultural elements for brand innovation. Although consumer research makes very valuable contributions to brand, product, and communication development, the participants can be limited in terms of what they can articulate, forecast, or share openly in a research setting.
Semiotics is an academic discipline with its origins in linguistics, however in recent years semiotic methodology has been applied to a multitude of topics, from movies, advertising and fashion to politics, products and design.
In general, semiotics can be defined as the study of sign systems and how they create meaning. For brands, semiotic research allows them to understand how meaning is produced by analyzing codes within the cultural context. In addition to being a tool for deconstructing and understanding, semiotics also gives us the answers on how to construct the desired meaning in a culturally relevant way. While it is a rigorous stand-alone method, semiotics can also be used in conjunction with consumer research to enhance its effectiveness. For example, semiotics can be used to first structure a given category or topic prior to consumer focus groups so the discussion can be more precise and deep, and the interpretation better informed.
Now let's take a more detailed look at some of the key concepts in semiotics as well as the typical analytical process.
For semiotics, giving attention to cultural context is essential. Signs and symbols convey different messages in different cultures. An amusing example is the "code" of a white elephant: in China, white elephant has the meaning of steady and has been used by a local battery brand; in Thailand it is considered sacred and royal; and in the West the white elephant is an expensive, often unwanted, item that is costly to maintain. We can imagine White Elephant batteries may have a bit of brand localization work to do if they ever want to enter markets outside of China.
We call the basic unit of analysis for semiotic research a "code". A code is made up of an expression and a meaning. In other words, a code links an abstract concept to something that is perceivable through a medium, be it written, visual, tactile, etc.
For example:
Like the white elephant above, the code of red lipstick will have a different meaning in different cultures: In the West, the meaning may be Sexy; in China it may be traditional! (Of course codes are not always in a colour + object format.) Since the Chinese language is character-based it gets even more fascinating here: letters and words can also be or contain pictures, but that's a story for another day.
家 [jiā] is the most frequently used character to express HOME in Chinese.
The structure of 家 [jiā] gives insights into the meaning of home in Chinese culture: Home is a place to shelter you and store your property in.
Semiotics is very useful for identifying trends. The codes that are observed in the marketplace can be categorized as residual (they have been around for a while), dominant (most players in the category are using them), and emerging (the up and coming meanings and expressions in the category). Brands can determine where they stand in terms of codes and identify ways to move their codes into emerging territories to build differentiation and relevance.
Firstly, semiotics can help identify opportunities for brand positioning. This could be for a new brand/product, or if it is an existing brand entering a new market it can help check the positioning and determine whether it is where the brand wants to be or not.
Once a brand positioning has been plotted on the category map, semiotics is used to identify existing codes or innovate new ones to trigger the intended meaning. For example, they could borrow codes from an adjacent category, such as the codes or colours from anti-aging cosmetics being applied to food or pharmaceuticals.
Then, on an ongoing basis, semiotics can be incorporated into development of new products and communications in order to uncover and capture trends in the market.
Example of Code Borrowing: Codes of Junk Food on a Healthy Snack
Typical Semiotics Research Process
While techniques for applied semiotics take varied forms, a typical process is as follows:
1) Materials Collection and Structuring: collect material from relevant categories such as packaging and communications for a period of time (eg. The past five years)
2) Mapping and Analysis: explore themes and subthemes, decode expressions, identify key structuring dimensions of the category or topic
3) Trends Analysis: identify dominant and emerging trends
4) Semiotic Square Exploration (optional): Develop a framework of meaning making for more thorough understanding/exploration
5) The "So What": Key Findings and implications for the brand
The process is highly rigorous and thorough and uncovers insights on strategic and tactical levels that often cannot be realized through other methods.
In summary, cultural research offers the following benefits:
1. Access to industry or category communication trends
2. Avoids localization mistakes by providing interpretation of meaning/perceptions across different cultural contexts
3. Unveils new positioning opportunity or reveal new expression of meaning/concept theme
4. Generates ideas/directions (ideation map) for product/service innovation, communication and brand content
5. Contributes to the design of effective and relevant consumer and Social Media Research
6. Structures consumer insights and provides a meaningful and actionable interpretation
This article serves as a basic introduction to the use of cultural research for brand innovation. Semiotics is an approach that is becoming increasingly popular among researchers, advertisers, consultants, etc. and across different types of organizations. At Labbrand we feel there are still great contributions to be made to the field itself, and collaborations such as Semiofest, A Celebration of Semiotic Thinking, Semionaut, an online magazine/knowledge resource, and the Semiotic Thinking group on LinkedIn are some of the first opportunities for practitioners to collaborate and contribute to the development of commercial/ applied semiotics. For more information please visit: semiofest.com.