text:
Portia Provoskia swept the dust from her skirt with a calculated flourish as she exited the small carriage. Her driver, a young Shoyru who talked with a thick Meridellian accent, handed the Halloween Ixi the small case that contained the few possessions she owned. "Welcome to White River, Miss." He crowed as she paid him his fare.
White River was a small village situated where the great White River (also called the Lightwater River) met the ocean that formed Meridell's eastern border. The town was split into two parts, joined together by a large cobblestone bridge connecting them. The town contained a small set of docks, suitable for fishing boats and a few smaller shipping vessels. The lighthouse to guide the wayward seafarers stood on the top of a cliff just to the south of the town. Her driver had said it was one of the most beautiful in the country.
For the next little while, this sleepy village was to be her home, assuming of course that she could find some form of work. The Halloween Ixi brushed back a tendril of her red hair, sweeping it under her flat brimmed hat. Grabbing her case, she walked briskly towards the local inn, pausing for a second to read the sign above the door. "Rusty Wheel Inn. Breakfast included."
She stepped inside and found herself in a cozy dining area, with handmade wooden tables and chairs arranged against the wall. She made her way towards the counter in the back of the room, and rang the small bell located there.
"Coming. Coming. Give me one tick." the voice was muffled, coming from a back room hidden behind the long counter.
A second later, a grease covered pirate eyrie made her way from the back to lean on the counter. Portia couldn't help but look the strange looking girl up and down. Her auburn hair was covered with a pair of leather and metal goggles, and her shirt and trousers were covered with soot and grime. She looked like she was from Moltara, although she didn't have any metal coverings on her wings, or any sort of metal on her body, aside from a gold earring in her right ear. A light brown tribal tattoo peeked out from her left arm as she leaned towards Portia.
"Whatcha' need miss?" she asked.
"I'll need a room for at least the next week or so." Portia replied.
The eyrie's eyebrows lifted at her accent.
"We don't normally get people from Ursus in Meridell."
"Well, that is a pity, I have found your countrymen to be quite warm,
inviting..." Portia began, her gaze cold and steady on the innkeeper before her. "And quite...accepting." She let the comment hang in the air for a moment before dropping her Neopoints on the counter.
The Eyrie nodded quickly, then handed her a small brass key.
"Room 304, just down the hallway there. I'm Valerie, if you need anything. I own this inn."
Portia nodded, then headed towards her room, and the rest she would find within. It had been a long hard journey.
Ursus is a country to the west of Shenkuu, known for its rugged mountain peaks, large timber forests, and it's cold temperatures. It is ruled by a small royal family, with the Tsar as its ruling member.
From its northern border, the mountains ran west all the way to the south of the country, and beyond them the frigid sea oft containing chunks of ice broken off from the glaciers of Terror Mountain, far to the north. In the central areas, the taiga, dense and thick forest full of wild creatures and rich earth. To the east, grassy steppes that provided the only viable way out of the harsh land.
As to the history, even the most distinguished scholars of Neopia had no exact idea. Some suggested that a band of sailors, originally hailing from one of the clannish islands near Meridell settled in the region, bringing with them their rough language, their long wooden boats, and their love of battle, intermingling with the native population. Others suggested that the natives were descendants of the first nomads from Shenkuu. But regardless of where they came from, the people of Ursus were said to be as tough as the land that made them. Comprising of fishermen, soldiers, hunters, nomads, woodsmen, and craftsmen. All considered as cold and harsh as the winters they spent drinking Kadvo, the Ursian grog, by the firelight. They did not often leave their motherland.
She was one of the few.
She did not shiver as the fall wind tried it's hardest to blow at her ruffled skirt. She quickly made her way down the main street of White River, crossing the cobblestone bridge that spanned the gap between the two halves of the town. She took a look around at the shops, searching for any signs indicating an open job.
"Excuse me, miss."
"Da?" she answered, then hesitated. "I mean, yes?"
She turned toward the voice.
Standing in front of her was a Halloween Ixi, much like herself, but with a
rather different set of apparel. He stood tall in a purple striped suit, with a richly embossed tie hanging around his neck. The object that stood out most to Portia however, was his purple top hat, also patterned and beautifully designed. Brown hair peeked out from under the hat, swept slightly to the side.
"You're that Ursian that's staying down at the inn." It was a statement, not a question.
"Yes. Portia Provoskia."
"Charrie Riddle. I'm the hat maker, and currently the interim mayor." "Interim?"
"The previous mayor did not file the taxes correctly for the town, and our
benevolent king did not exactly feel like granting him much grace on that score. He's currently spending the next few years in the castle dungeons."
"Understandable." She replied, her eyebrows slightly raised.
They walked together for a few minutes, not saying much.
"Portia, I have a question, if you do not mind." Charrie stated.
"What are you planning to do in White River?"
Portia narrowed her eyes at the Ixi, moving her hands down to her hips.
"Calm down Portia. I promise, I am not making assumptions. I have been to Ursus, and I find your people lovely."
She moved her hands from her hips, but still kept leveling her gaze at the hat maker.
"Mister Riddle, I find that so few of my countrymen ever experience the world at large. Those that do tend to cause my country to have a...." she searched for the word...."unpleasant reputation. As such, I tend to not be warmly received, if I am received at all."
Charrie was silent for a moment, pondering.
"I am searching for a job, Mister Riddle. A new life here in Meridell, if all goes well." Portia stated.
"Well it appears that you are in luck Miss Provoskia, I need an assistant at the Mayor's office to help me balance the books and a few other things while I try to find someone to take over the job. If you cannot find someone willing enough to accept you and give you a position elsewhere, why don't you give it a try?"
She studied his face for a moment, trying to understand the motivation behind the offer. She saw nothing but honesty there, and nodded.
"Very well. I will contact you in a few days if I am interested."
Charrie left her then, tipping his hat as he headed towards the other side of town.
He entered his shop with a flourish, placing his top hat on a rack near the
door and letting his brown hair fall into his eyes for a quick moment. He wiped his face with a handkerchief and headed towards the back of the shop. He made it about halfway across the floor before the bell rang and Leeanna O'Fallon was standing directly in front of him.
The stern Pirate Lenny was in charge of White River's only public library, and also one of the most notorious keepers of gossip in town. She didn't spread rumors, but she knew most of the goings on in the town before Charrie did.
"I heard that a young lassie from Ursus made her way into town today." She said. She spoke with a lilting brogue that was musical and dainty, much unlike her stern and fearsome appearance. Her hair was swept up and pinned tight, and her smile often appeared just as forced as her hairstyle. She looked at Charrie much as a Crokabek would look upon a delicious morsel of meat or bread.
"Yes Leeanna, she did."
"I heard you offered her the position of your assistant."
"Just for the time being. I need the help and she needs the income." "What do you know about her?"
"Many things. Just from our conversation."
"Oh, do tell?"
Charrie sighed. Being a good judge of people and personalities was a large part of his job.
"She's a native Ursian, although she downplayed it by buying some local clothing before coming here. Her accent is noticeable, but not thick, indicating she's had some education and has been in a position that requires communication skills. From her posture I'd say former government official or military officer. I'm leaning military because of her eye contact."
"What does eye contact have to do with it?"
"When I introduced myself as just the hat shop owner, she looked down at me, as if I was below her in rank. When I mentioned that I was the interim mayor, she began to meet my gaze. I earned her approval with my ranking."
"Observant. Go on."
"She left Ursus for some reason. I'm doubting that it's a good one. Few people who live in Ursus enjoy leaving it, particularly to start a new life. They're known to be patriotic and loyal. If she was part of the government, ether as a military officer or as an official, she would have even more of a reason to stay. But she left, and now she is here trying her hardest not to look Ursian."
Leeanna clucked her tongue, shaking her head as she did so.
"Charrie, you know that you cannot save every wayward soul you come across."
"Leeanna, you know that lecturing me on the subject isn't going to change my mind."
"But think of the gossip that will spread around town if you take that girl under your wing? You know well that I won't say anything, but many residents will wonder why you're trusting an Ursian girl."
"I think they will find that their judgements and preconceived notions about this young lady are wrong...with time."
Charrie walked towards the window, looking out at the town from behind the display showing his handiwork.
Leanna stared at him, and took in a breath. She hated to mention it, but it was for Charrie's own good.
"You know, saving every person out there isn't going to bring your sisters home."
The Ixi turned toward her, acting as if he'd been struck.
"W-what do you know about them?"
"Not much. Just that you keep pictures of them around your workspace in your shop and you never talk about them. That means they're either dead or estranged. I'm leaning more towards the latter since you receive daily correspondence through the post office."
Charrie nodded grimly.
"Leeanna, the issue you just mentioned aside, I have a good feeling about this girl. She could just be what our town needs."
"Charrie, have you ever thought that she may not be what the town wants?
Charrie grinned before replying "Aye. I do. I take it under consideration, but like any good parent, I think first about its welfare, then about spoiling."
She had looked in the windows, and found few places with vacancies. Of those places she had been turned away every time. Portia sighed in frustration. She considered again the offer by the mayor. She would need funds at some point. The small amount of pay she had hidden away over the past few months would only carry her so far.
She'd asked at the seamstress' shop, only to have the snot covered proprietor tell her that they had no openings. She'd inquired at the library, only to have the stern Lenny librarian staring daggers at her the entire time she was in the building. She took that as an automatic no. There were a few more shops, but there were no signs posted, and she'd had enough prejudice thrown at her after two weeks of searching. Time to call it a day.
She walked back towards the inn, but was quickly hailed by a young Pastel Xweetok. "Are you Miss Provoskia?" She panted, quite out of breath.
"Da. I mean, yes." The girl nodded, then pulled out a letter from a brown satchel.
"I'm Nellie. I work down at the post office. This letter came a long way, special delivery from the looks of it."
"Thank you Nellie. I appreciate it." The Xweetok nodded and went on her way.
Portia clutched the letter tightly. She recognized the postmarked seal. It was from Ursus. She was surprised that someone could find her this quickly. Who's was it from? She waited until she slipped back into her room at the inn to open it. It was from Ivan, one of her old friends. She breathed out in relief. The green Yurble would surely have some news from home. "And he won't tell anyone else where I am." She thought to herself.
She began to read.
I know that you must be surprised at this letter. But one doesn't become the spymaster for the Ursian military without having contacts beyond the barriers of the Rodina. They promoted Volkov after you left, he is now the general of our battalion. The men are just as pleased as you certainly will be at the news.
Portia scoffed. Volkov was half as competent as she was. A good military man and strategist to be sure, but he was harsh and did not care much for the day-to-day duties of taking care of the men. She read on.
Nicholai is upset, and rightly so. The Tsar does not have many friends, as you know, particularly one who has known him as long as you have. He has asked me many times if I know of your location, and I have told him that even if I did, I would not betray your wishes.
He wonders, as we all do...how you are doing and if you are happy. We hope that you will one day come back to the Rodina that you have loved so long. The hole you have left in the hearts of your men and in your Tsar are not so easily filled by others.
I told Nicholai that it was best to let you find your own way. He knows as well as I do that Alexei's death has changed you. But he wants you to know that there is a reason that we call our land our Rodina, or our motherland. Because although we can wander away from her at times, ether in thinking, spirit, or physical distance, she is still a part of us. She is still a place we can return to.
I urge you to return one day, if only to give Nicholai and I some peace that you are alive and well.
Your comrade in arms,
Ivan Sokolov
Ursian generals should not cry. To cry was to show weakness to those below you in rank. But today, Portia did not care. She wept, letting her tears cascade down her face and smudge the ink on the letter below her.
Ivan was right about many things. She'd known it would hurt when she left, however she knew that it was something that must be done. Alexei's fate had sealed her own as well. She could not go back to fighting as she once had.
The illusion had been shattered. All that was left was to pick up each piece and hope she would not be cut.
To be continued…


text:
Nine showcases, 103 startups, 3,000-plus investors, and $40 million-plus invested — welcome to the Icehouse Ventures Showcase. Read More
Founded almost thirty years ago, Lexus immediately established themselves as a premium vehicle marque that made luxury, craftsmanship and technology... Read More
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The all-new Lexus UX (Urban Crossover) brings advanced technology, convenient and efficient hybrid power and their radical new design language... Read More

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Donald Trump has suggested that an "attack first" strategy might be best when confronting America's enemies.
During a town-hall event in Sandown, New Hampshire, on Thursday, the Republican presidential nominee expressed contempt for Hillary Clinton's plan to fight terrorist groups like ISIS.
Clinton, the Democratic nominee, has proposed supply-line disruptions and increased airstrikes to drive ISIS militants out of key areas of Iraq and Syria.
Trump, who has been criticized for refusing to publicly discuss details of his campaign's antiterrorism proposals, asked on Thursday: "Isn't there an element of surprise?"
"Remember when we were young and we were studying history, and they talk about some of the great generals, and the great attacks? … Wouldn't it be nice if we attacked first, and talked about our great victory later?" the GOP nominee added.
"It's a very, very sad thing. We are being run by people that are incompetent."
Lees ook op Business Insider
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Clinton, who served as secretary of state during President Barack Obama's first term, has criticized Trump for not outlining the specifics of his plans to fight terrorism. At the candidates' first debate, she said, "He says it's a secret plan, but the only secret is that he has no plan."
Watch the full video of Donald Trump's town hall meeting below:


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Sen. Tammy Duckworth becomes first Senator to give birth while in office
Sen. Tammy Duckworth gave birth to a girl on Monday, becoming the first senator to give birth while in office.
The Illinois Democrat previously called attention to the Senate's lack of official procedures for pregnant members, saying she couldn't technically take maternity leave.
Duckworth delivered her second daughter, Maile Pearl Bowlsbey, with husband Bryan Bowlsbey and she is recovering well with her family, according to a press release.
"Bryan, Abigail and I couldn't be happier to welcome little Maile Pearl as the newest addition to our family and we're deeply honored that our good friend Senator Akaka was able to bless her name for us — his help in naming both of our daughters means he will always be with us," Duckworth said in a statement.
Sen. Daniel Kahikina Akaka, D-Hawaii, died Friday at 93.
"Pearl Bowlsbey Johnson was Bryan's great Aunt, an Army Officer and a nurse who served during the Second World War," Duckworth said in her statement. "He spent many summer months with her while growing up, we feel her presence still and are grateful for her service to our nation during the most challenging of times."


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Current Legal Issue: Muhammad Ali Sues Fox
On June 3, 2016, boxing legend Muhammad Ali passed away from sepsis in an Arizona hospital, after a long fight with Parkinson's disease.[1] Ali was known for his brash, braggadocious banter before bouts, as much as he was known for his fighting style in the ring. Many, including (and especially) Ali himself, regard him as the greatest boxer ever. After winning an Olympic Gold medal, becoming the then-youngest ever heavyweight champion at the age of 21, losing and regaining the heavyweight title twice more, and inventing both the "Ali shuffle" and the "rope-a-dope," he was probably right.[2]
Aside from being a great boxer, Ali was also an entrepreneur. In 2006, Ali sold 80 percent of his company, G.O.A.T. LLC (Greatest of All Time), for $50,000,000. G.O.A.T. LLC, which was subsequently renamed Muhammad Ali Enterprises LLC (MAE), controlled the use of Ali's intellectual property, including his name, image, likeness, and rights of publicity.[3]
Super Bowl LI aired Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017 on Fox. During that broadcast, Fox ran a three-minute-long commercial about greatness and being the greatest. The commercial contained many images of people that appeared to look like Ali in his younger years, nicknames associated with Ali, clips of Ali fights, and the in-ring interview of Ali after he defeated Sonny Liston the first time.[4] On Oct. 10, 2017, MAE sued Fox, alleging that Fox violated Ali's rights of publicity under both the Lanham Act of 1946 and the Illinois Publicity Act of 1999.[5]
"The right of publicity is a property right," and that property right can be transferred even after an athlete such as Muhammad Ali dies.[6] The publicity rights of athletes are protected under Section 43(a) of the Lanham Act, also known as the Trademark Act, which forbids "false designations of origin, false descriptions, and dilution" by:
[a]ny person who, on or in connection with any goods or services, or any container for goods, uses in commerce any word, term, name, symbol, or device, or any combination thereof, or any false designation of origin, false or misleading description of fact, or false or misleading representation of fact, which–
(A) is likely to cause confusion, or to cause mistake, or to deceive as to the affiliation, connection, or association of such person with another person, or as to the origin, sponsorship, or approval of his or her goods, services, or commercial activities by another person.[7]
Trademarks are a form of intellectual property, and they are protected from "misleading representation" under the federal statute above. In order to enforce the property rights of the Lanham Act, a plaintiff must show the underlying tort that violated the property right above. In this case, MAE is alleging that Fox commercially misappropriated its intellectual property.[8] The idea of commercial misappropriation comes from the historical enforcement of tort law against the violation of the common law right to privacy.[9]
In order to successfully show commercial misappropriation by Fox, MAE "must prove: '(1) the defendant's use of the plaintiff's identity; (2) the appropriation of plaintiff's name or likeness to defendant's advantage, commercially or otherwise; (3) lack of consent; and (4) resulting injury.'"[10] MAE brought the claim in Illinois, so there are additional statutory protections under their alternative cause of action. Of note, Illinois' Publicity Act positively recites an individual's right of publicity[11] and the transferability of those rights,[12] and persons found to violate the statute are liable for the greater of damages or profits and punitive damages if the violation was willful.[13] In addition to the damages, profits, and punitive damages to which MAE may be entitled, the court may enjoin Fox from using the commercial, and award court costs.
Ultimately, the court's decision will be based on the four elements of commercial misappropriation cited above. If MAE can show that Fox used Ali's identity, then the commercial advantage of a three-minute Super Bowl advertisement about greatness should be relatively easy to prove. Super Bowl LI commercials were valued at approximately $5,000,000 for one 30 second advertisement.[14] MAE's claim in the amount of $30,000,000, for a commercial 6 times as long as a $5,000,000 commercial, seems like a reasonable calculation. The fact that MAE brought this complaint suggests a lack of consent. Finally, the resulting injury is clear just based on the value of the commercial; whether Fox acted willfully, or profited more than the value of the commercial, may increase the amount of damages that MAE is entitled to recover.
Since elements (2)-(4) of commercial misappropriation appear to be present based on the value of the commercial, apparent lack of consent, and clear injury, the court will almost certainly focus on whether Fox actually used Ali's identity. Fox used a combination of previous television broadcasts of Ali and people of a similar height, build, wearing monikered robes. Courts have held an athlete's stance, skin color, and a similar number can be used to "rationally find" the athlete "was readily identifiable, even though his facial features were not entirely visible."[15]
Fox may seek safe harbor in one of the limitations to the right of publicity. Courts have found that incidental or informational uses associated with an athlete do not necessarily violate the athlete's right of publicity. However, even a newsworthy commercial may still qualify as unauthorized commercial misappropriation of the athlete's persona or publicity rights.[16] Additionally, Fox can assert that the expressive nature of the commercial is constitutionally protected expression under the First Amendment. The First Amendment prohibits "abridging the freedom… of the press," which gives the media the right to publish newsworthy information.[17] However, courts have limited this right when it is commercially exploitive of a performer.[18]
Based on the Super Bowl LI commercial and the facts supporting MAE, Fox will have a hard time avoiding a court decision finding that it violated the publicity rights of Muhammad Ali.
Jonathan Lewis is a 3L at UNC-Chapel Hill School of Law.
[1] Robert Lipsyte, Muhammad Ali Dies at 74: Titan of Boxing and the 20th Century, N.Y. Times, Jun. 4, 2016, available at https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/04/sports/muhammad-ali-dies.html.
[2] Id.
[3] Richard Sandomir, Businesses Explore New Ventures to Cash In on the Muhammad Ali Brand, N.Y. Times, Jun. 19, 2016, available at https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/20/sports/businesses-explore-new-ventures-to-cash-in-on-the-muhammad-ali-brand.html. The original purchaser, Robert Sillerman, sold Ali's rights to the private equity firm Apollo Global Management which, through its subsidiary, Core Media Group, then sold the rights to Authentic Brand Group in 2013. Id. Core Media Group is a merger subsidiary of Apollo Global Management according to multiple media outlets. Hilary Lewis, Fox, Apollo Finalize Deal to Combine Endemol, Shine and Core Media, The Hollywood Reporter, Dec. 17, 2014, available at https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fox-apollo-finalize-deal-combine-758839; Lillian Rizzo, American Idol Lenders Sue Apollo, 21st Century Fox, The Wall St. J., Dec. 15, 2016, available at https://www.wsj.com/articles/american-idol-lenders-sue-apollo-21st-century-fox-1481844772.
[4] Eriq Gardner, Fox Sued for Using Muhammad Ali in Super Bowl Advertisement, The Hollywood Reporter, Oct. 10, 2017, available at https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/fox-sued-using-muhammad-ali-super-bowl-advertisement-1047333. The magazine article also contains an embedded link to the commercial. Vedad Colic, Super Bowl Open 2017 – The Greatest – Muhammad Ali, YouTube (Feb. 1, 2018, 5:24 PM), https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rURPF8C3GyY.
[5] Gardner, supra.
[6] Matthew J. Mitten et al., Sports Law and Regulation Cases, Materials, and Problems, 1016 (4th ed. 2017).
[7] 15 U.S.C. § 1125(a)(1)(A) (2016).
[8] Muhammad Ali Enter. LLC v. Fox Broad. Co. (Compl. 1:17-cv-07273:1, Oct. 10, 2017), available at https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4105801-Ali-Fox.html.
[9] Matthew J. Mitten et al., Sports Law and Regulation Cases, Materials, and Problems, pp. 1014-16 (4th ed. 2017) (citing Samuel D. Warren and Louis D. Brandeis, The Right to Privacy, 4 Harv. L. Rev. 193 (1890)).
[10] Newcombe v. Adolf Coors Co., 157 F.3d 686, 692 (9th Cir. 1998) (quoting Eastwood v. Superior Court of Los Angeles County, 149 Cal. App. 3d 409, 417, 198 Cal. Rptr. 342).
[11] 765 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. § 1075/10
[12] 765 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. § 1075/15
[13] 765 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. § 1075/40(a)-(b)
[14] Sapna Maheshwari, $5 Million for a Super Bowl Ad. Another Million or More to Market the Ad., N.Y. Times, Jan. 29, 2017, available at https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/29/business/5-million-for-a-super-bowl-ad-another-million-or-more-to-market-the-ad.html.
[15] Newcombe v. Adolf Coors Co., 157 F.3d 686, 692-93 (9th Cir. 1998).
[16] Mitten, supra, at 1014-16 (citing Abdul-Jabber v. Gen. Motors Corp., 85 F.3d 407 (9th Cir. 1996) and Town & Country Properties, Inc. v. Riggins, 457 S.E.2d 356 (Va. 1995)).
[17] U.S. Const. amend. I.
[18] Mitten, supra, at 1014-16 (discussing Zacchini v. Scripps-Howard-Howard Broadcasting, Inc., 433 U.S. 562 (1977)).


text:
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Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to Families Helping Families Of Acadiana whenever you shop on AmazonSmile.
Monday, the Governor announced that Louisiana will move to Phase One under the White House COVID-19 guidance this Friday, May 15, allowing additional businesses to open under strict occupancy, protection and social distancing guidelines. This guidance also states that high risk individuals should continue to stay at home, except for essential activities, like getting food or medical care. For the safety of and concern for the families we support (many of whom are in this high risk category), the Families Helping Families of Acadiana office will not YET provide face-to-face support, but are here to help in so many other ways:
Phone: (337) 984-3458 Toll-free Phone: (855) 984-3458 Email: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FHFAcadiana Webinars, social media posts...
We miss seeing everyone in person. We look forward to hearing from you, in whichever other format you prefer, to help and support you and your family, until we can see each other again, face-to-face.
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Predicting Top Quartile Private Equity Performance
Predicting Top Quartile Private Equity Performance
October 6th, 2017
"Past performance is not an indicator of future results."
A well-known, well-used adage in the investment world, but how applicable is it to private equity?
According to a number of research studies on the asset class, extremely.
One of the first studies to investigate the persistence of PE performance was published in 2014 by Robert Harris, Tim Jenkinson, Steven Kaplan and Rudiger Stucke. Their research found top quartile persistence among private equity managers is low: only 19% of buyout funds raised after 2001 that were a successor to a top quartile performer have repeated this level of performance.
McKinsey carried out their own research on this topic in 2017, using more recent data than the aforementioned study: McKinsey analysis is based on vintages from 1995 through 2013, while Harris et. al used data from 1984 through 2008. McKinsey found top quartile persistency to be even lower with just 12% of buyout funds repeating top quartile performance, the result of a steady decline since 1995. The research also finds manager's persistency of performance in general to be low (figure 1).
Figure 1. Persistency of Performance is Still Falling. Source: Global Private Markets Review, McKinsey, 2017
Interestingly, the only place where Harris et al. find persistence is among the "lower end of the performance distribution."
For investors, this presents a significant challenge in their manager selection. Even though funds have realised top quartile performance, a thorough due diligence process must be carried out to uncover potential risks.
"This shift makes it quite difficult for even the most astute LPs to predict how fund managers will perform."
McKinsey, Global Private Equity Report 2017
This is not the only research that highlights the challenge investors face in predicting top quartile funds, either.
NAVs during fundraising poor indicator of final performance
Research published by Jenkinson, Sousa and Stucke in 2013 found no evidence of correlation between manager's NAVs during fundraising, and the realized performance of those investments.
Jenkinson et al. report that while private equity valuations are generally conservative and understate subsequent distributions over the life of a fund, this does not hold true when follow-on funds are being raised. Their research suggests that there is no statistically significant relationship between IRRs reported on fund n – 1 at both four and two quarters before a manager holds a first close on fund n, and the final performance of fund n – 1.
While Jenkinson et al. highlight this using what they even deem to be an extreme example (Figure 2) their results suggest that it is "by no means an isolated case" as displayed in the cumulative NAV data (Figure 3).
Figure 2. IRR Development of an Exemplary US Buyout Fund., Figure 3. Cumulative Abnormal Changes in NAVs
(Source: How Fair are the Valuations of Private Equity Funds?, Jenkinson et al, 2013)
This may not be intentional or artificial NAV inflation by the managers, but could simply be a result of managers choosing to return to market when they can point to a strong track record.
Predicting Top Quartile Performance
To combat the issue of NAVs presented during fundraising not reflecting final performance, Jenkinson, Sousa and Stucke suggest LPs should carefully consider the weight they put on IRRs reported by managers during fundraising that contain portions of unrealized investments. They also suggest using public market equivalent analysis instead of IRR in this evaluation, as their research showed that this increases the predictability of future performance significantly.
In addition to assessing metrics other than IRR, investors also need to look beyond headline numbers in their assessment of a private equity fund manager. These metrics alone are proven to not be reliable indicators of future success.
Leveraging and analyzing granular data on performance at the fund and portfolio company level is critical to understand the true drivers of a manager's returns and how they align with the new fund's strategy.
This can include analysis such as:
- Valuation bridges
- Gauge whether value was delivered through operational improvement, market dynamics, financial engineering and/or M&A activity and how this measures up to a manager's proposed strategy.
- Sensitivity Analysis
- Understanding what deals have driven a fund manager's performance and how sensitive the fund level performance is to them is critical. This can be done through a simple exclusion of specific deals based on IRR, TVPI, size etc. to remove outliers.
- More sophisticated approaches include the use of box plots, return curves and impact charts to determine what proportion of deals have had a positive or negative impact on performance.
- Performance attribution
- Private equity is a people business so understanding the history, skillset, and performance of the current team is critical.
- Investigate if strong performance in early funds by retired professionals propped up an overall track record, how have current team members impacted deals, what succession plans are in place and more.
- Integrating both quantitative data and qualitative data can help you effectively evaluate a fund manager's team. "Data is important – it is the integration of the quantitative assessment and qualitative work that get you to the end conclusion," advised one industry practitioner in our whitepaper.
Explore the data and considerations behind leveraging this data and analysis to enhance fund selection in our whitepaper "Enhancing Private Equity Manager Selection with Deeper Data"


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How can I delete a list of subscribers from my Newsletter list?
You can delete the subscribers in your list by navigating to your account settings on the top right, clicking on Account> Settings > Account Maintenance and selecting the list from the dropdown menu on that page. Next, click the "Delete People" button. Please note that deleting the list from your Lists & Segments page will not remove the subscribers from your account. Instead, it will delete the name of that list from your account.
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by Tim Vander Wilt, PT
By far the most common type of neck pain that people experience, especially among those of you who are younger, is described as a "kink" or "crick" in the neck. Often times, that localized area of pain makes it difficult to turn your neck one way or the other. It is, quite literally, a pain in the neck!
Over the years, I've had many people consult with me reporting that they have a pinched nerve in the neck, and then they proceed to describe the typical kink in the neck that makes neck movement difficult and painful. While those symptoms are not pleasant, this common type of neck pain is not a pinched nerve.
To be sure, there are nerves that travel through small openings that exist between each vertebral body in the cervical spine (and each set of spine segments traveling down the back). However, if you have a condition that compresses one of those nerve roots, you will likely have distinct symptoms that are different from a kink in the neck.
What causes a kink in the neck?
Most medical providers suggest that a painful kink in the neck is the result of muscle spasms. A leading expert in this type of pain, Dr. Robert Maigne, a French medical doctor, described common neck pain as "painful intervertebral dysfunction." The intervertebral joint consists of several structures: the disk, the vertebral bones above and below the disk, ligaments that provide structural stability, and the facet joints, which are located both on the left and the right where one vertebral bone connects to the neighboring vertebral bone. Irritation of any of these structures can cause a painful kink and possibly headache pain.
In my many years of experience as a physical therapist, I've found that the facet joint is often the primary culprit. When a facet joint gets irritated, which can happen from time to time if you move wrong, posture yourself awkwardly, or have some arthritic changes in the neck, a signal is sent to the brain, and the brain will unconsciously respond by telling the muscles around the joint to spasm. This unconscious response is a natural protective mechanism for the irritated joint.
It is important to know that a kink in the neck, though painful, is not dangerous. Most people can relieve the discomfort by modifying the aggravating postures, movement, or activities and applying ice and/or heat. If the pain lasts for more than a few days, consider seeing a physical therapist trained in evaluating and treating neck dysfunction. Early intervention usually results in a short course of care, and you will feel better very quickly in most cases.
What kind of distinct symptoms are present with a pinched nerve?
Our nerves carry critical information between the brain and the body. Some of this information is sensory, which travels from the body to the brain and includes our senses of pain, numbness, tingling, burning, temperature discernment, and pressure sensitivity, among others.
Some of the information carried via the nervous system is motor, which travels from the brain to the body and helps us create voluntary and involuntary muscle actions.
Nerves can potentially be compressed both centrally as they exit from the spine and peripherally by structures like tight muscles that exist external to the spine. Spine-related issues that can put pressure on a nerve as it exits the spine (i.e. central causes) include herniated disks and other arthritis-related changes like narrowing of the disk space, disk degeneration, and bone spurring.
Interestingly, if you are experiencing a pinched nerve, you may not even experience neck pain at all. Some do; others don't. What you most definitely will be feeling, however, is pain, numbness, and/or tingling that extends into your arms and even your hands. Sensory changes in the arm are typically the earliest symptoms you will notice with a pinched nerve in the neck.
Like a kink in the neck, a pinched nerve is not necessarily serious. Most pinched nerves result in sensory changes only and can be easily managed conservatively. I would recommend you seek professional consultation if you experience these types of symptoms. A well-trained physical therapist can help determine the source of the nerve compression and determine a plan of care that will help you eliminate the symptom and restore your function.
If you experience changes in muscle function in your arm and/or hand, like a loss of pinch or grip force or other signs of muscle weakness, the compressive forces on the nerve(s) are more substantial and potentially need more advanced care. Our physical therapists typically refer people with these advanced symptoms to a physician or spine specialist for diagnostic testing to determine the extent of the problem.
If you are experiencing any arm symptoms or simply have a kink in the neck, I encourage you to take advantage of one of our free screens. A brief and complimentary 20-minute consultation with one of Kinetic Edge's movement experts can yield a bounty of solid advice that will put your problem to rest. Please email us or call 866-588-0230 today to claim one a free screening.


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All the money and success in the world means nothing if you are not healthy enough to enjoy it and live long enough to spend it. The better we take care of our mind and body, the better we are able to be the divine vessel we were created to be - channelling and directing life force energy to fulfill our unique life purpose. Before the advent of conventional medicine, doctors learned how to read body energy to diagnose, and use herbs, minerals, energy balancing, along with other natural methods to heal. With the popularization and commercialization of chemically manufactured substitutes, came quick relief for symptoms, but not much relief for the cause of the disturbance. Naturopathic medicine deals with the cause, not the effect or symptoms.
Your Health is Your Wealth, Cash In
Join SIS during our Healing Energy segment of SIS Talk Radio with our special guest, Dr. Aliyah Frazier, Naturopathic Doctor on Thursday June 20th at 8 PM Eastern, as we discuss optimizing our greatest asset – our health, through a myriad of natural methods, including Kemetic Yoga and iridology. The show will also be available in the archives for those of you who are not able to join live.
Dr. Frazier is passionate about providing optimum wellness to her patients by focusing on mind, body and spirit. She is on a mission to educate others about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle through her organization, Zari Health Inc.


text: Cable labels Are cost effective and made in the USA to provide the best cable labels for your projects. They are made from the highest quality self laminating wrap around materials and printed on any standard office laser printer. Our cable labels are self adhesive with an opaque section which over laminates the printed area.https://www.ncusa.com/Our new Tech cable la...Read More


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Flügel Inflatable Bottle (small)
Your favorite drink, now inflatable and even bigger! Unfortunately it does not contain Flügel. Height: 50cm
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16 May 2018 09:41
Bingo guidelines are very important when you want to begin taking part in the game. It is extremely important sport theory for every learner. Numerous online casinos have varying bingo rules therefore you should get acquainted with the rules and laws of the game at the site. You must usually check out the guidelines of the game prior to you established out to perform at any website or on line casino as the guidelines can alter for different places.Aim for the Unbiased. There are a lot of critiques out there that recommend a particular website at the end following they have effective rebuffed 1 or more. Steer clear of critiques that fall inside this line and try to concentrate on some that gives you a psychological overview of what to expect in the casino with out directly selling it to you.If you have by no means visited any casinos online, and had been questioning how difficult it is to start playing, it is extremely easy. 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After coming back from my seven weeks Feng Shui working holiday, I have been very busy with my clients in Melbourne. Some clients want me to do their annual Feng Shui update. Some clients want me to look at their new house design. Another good news is that when I came back. I client rang me and told me after the Feng Shui changed, she is already pregnant.
Before I went way in November, I have put up the Good Days Bad Days for November and December 2014. Sorry for not putting up the January 2015.
From now on, I will put the good and bad days up again for you in the different format. I have done a whole year one. if you are planning ahead, you can buy it in my shop.
If you are just happy with month by month, then here you are. And hope you will be benefit from it.


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The health of your lawn is determined by your irrigation and mowing techniques. For example, too much water can make the grass turn yellow and too little mowing can make your lawn brown.
Although there are many different types of grass, they all have similar guidelines for lawn care during the summer. Here's what you need to know to keep your lawn green, even if your thumb is not.
Make Your Own Mulch
When mowing your lawn, it's important that the grass clippings do not leak into lumps that could choke the lawn. If you want to make the most of your cutting machines, check out a Mulch Lawn Mower . These mowers cut the blades of grass into small pieces that fit into the lawn and become a healthy mulch for your garden. Mulch holds moisture in the ground and keeps the grass cool. As it decomposes, it also acts as a natural fertilizer.
If you're not looking for a new mower, you can still mulch with a standard bagless lawnmower. After mowing, allow the cut to dry a bit and then go back over it with the mower. This will cut the blades of grass into a finer mulch.
Carefully Cut
If you're the type who believes a perfect lawn is 1 to 2 inches high, then you'll need to rethink your cutting plan this summer. The ideal height is actually 4 inches. The longer blade length helps the grass store more water and grow the grass deep.
Also, make sure your lawnmower blades are sharpened early in the season. With blunt blades, you'll end up with frayed grass ends that can make your lawn unhealthy and ultimately kill you.
Not sure they need to be sharpened? If blades of grass have serrated ends after a cut, the blades are dull. You can get your local lawnmower workshop to sharpen the blades, or you can do with these tips yourself .
Give your lawn time to recover
If you also mow things. Cutting in the middle of the day can lead to burning and brown spots. Wait until evening for the blades of grass to have time to recover overnight before being hit with intense heat and sunlight again.
Water right
Many people over water, which can lead to ugly yellow grass. At most sites, grass only needs 1 inch of water per week to be healthy, and that includes rain.
So that your grass gets enough water, do the foot test . Walk over your lawn and look behind you. If the blades of grass do not pop up after entering, it is time to water. When they jump back, your grass is well watered.
As if you are making your grass, if you are water, it is also important. The best time to water is in the evening when it cools outside. This prevents the water from evaporating in the hot sun before the lawn and soil can drink. Here are a few tips for irrigation for the perfect lawn .
Get everything you need for a beautiful, healthy garden with CNET's Gardening Guide .
Can Technology Grow a Better Garden? We are testing the latest horticultural technology at Smart Home .
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Aluminium will form a layer of aluminium oxide onto its surfaces naturally in the atmosphere if left unprotected. The anodising process will suffice in eliminating this problem, but still may not be suitable for customer requirements. This is because whereas anodising deposits a thick layer of protective electrically resistant oxide onto components, the following passivation processes do not. Both Alocrom 1200 and Iridite NCP processes offer excellent protection and are ideal foundations for paint/powder coating. They also provide superb corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity.
Because these processes do not require electrolysis, it is more practical for larger components to be protected by these methods where anodising would prove impractical.
Whilst stainless steel offers excellent corrosion resistance in itself, it is still not totally immune to corrosion. Often during a customer's machining processes, tiny amounts of contaminant materials are embedded into the surfaces of the finished stainless steel components. This chemical process restores the protective qualities of the stainless steel by ensuring the removal of residues of metal particle and oxide contamination.
Alocrom 1200
This immersion process forms an excellent golden coloured chromate coating onto the surfaces of components made from aluminium and its alloys.
To discuss your requirements, call us today on
Iridite NCP
The new, environmentally-friendly Iridite NCP process applies a clear/very light blue coloured chrome-free coating onto the surfaces of components made from aluminium and its alloys.


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Fasting Diet: Find Out How When You Eat Affects Your Metabolism
While "dieting" has been a health conscious buzzword for decades, "fasting diet" seems now to be gaining in popularity. Perhaps that's because fasting is associated with boosting metabolism and even promoting longevity. But how is fasting different than just cutting calories—and what's the difference between…
Counterintuitive Health Tips—Surprising Techniques to Make a Change
Living a health conscious lifestyle often means taking steps forward towards a goal—but what about steps that seem to take you backwards? This Week's blog post explores counterintuitive health tips that go against the grain. Read on to learn more about anti-movement exercises, reverse dieting,…
This Week's What Do I Need to Know About……Intermittent Fasting, Calorie Cutting, and Curbing Cravings
There's a lot of debate on whether cutting calories is a safe, sustainable, or healthy option—with conflicting information on what works and what doesn't. This week, we take a closer look at the latest research on which methods for cutting calories are the most effective…
This Week's What Do I Need to Know About……Workout Timing, Espresso Hits, and Post-Meal Walks
This week, we explore how simple hacks in the timing of your workouts or when you have a cup o' joe can have scientifically proven benefits for your health and performance. What time of day is the body at its physical peak? Circadian rhythm patterns…
Reduce Body Fat by Eating Earlier
A new study published last week from the University at Alabama at Birmingham has shown that timing meals earlier in the day can help contribute to body fat loss.
Meet the Team
Health IQ's team is a wonderfully diverse group of people with different approaches and at different stages of our personal health journeys. We're an insurance company on a mission to reward those living healthy lifestyles.Learn more
Get a quote
- Special rates for healthy lifestyles
- Savings increase the more coverage you buy


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Happy New Year Friends! Do you come up with 'one little word' for the new year, instead of a bunch of goals too? I have a hard time letting go of my word for the year, when it is time for a new one. This one little tradition of coming up with a word for the year has been woven into my life for years. I can look back on each year and see that year's word woven through that year's events as a theme. It's fun to see how the years build on one another in such a big scoop way. Going into 2018, Continue Reading
Goodbye 2015
Pain. It's one of those small little words that we all probably wish did not exist. When I think of my 2015, pain is one of the words that I would use to describe it. There are a lot of factors on why that I can't really share, but I'm sure (more now than ever before) that I'm not alone in some of what I went through. You might be like me, I often find myself wrestling through why bad things happen to good people. Why are there so many miscarriages? Why do we prepare for and dream of kids, Continue Reading
Quiet Your Heart
Breaking habits can be hard. Change can be hard, but it's a battle worth fighting at times. My life is pretty busy and full, and I find at times when I am carrying more on my shoulders...my family knows it. What seemed life a good idea, might lead to a load of stress that makes it not a good thing. As a dreamer, a crafter, someone with a entrepreneurial spirit, I constantly have new ideas. Like hosting craft days (my Spoonful Labs) or sending out craft kits (my Spoonful Tribe). Or maybe Continue Reading


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Free app to interpect txt messages How can i intercept someones textual content msgs with out installing software program on their cellphone? Intercept sms from another cellphone with no surveyIs there any methods that can permit me to tap into one other individuals cellphone calls and intercept their textual content messages ? These calls shall be both block or direct to voice message with none ring in your telephone. Nonetheless South Carolina prison officials received FCC approval to test jamming technology that intercepts and terminates cellphone calls. How do i intercept txtx messages from my girlfiends telephone? Intercept text messages free for my phoneHello there, do spying software work? Here's the best way on how to intercept text messages. Spy on SMS: Mobistealth permits you to spy on text message despatched from or obtained by the monitored blackberry cellphone. Start a secret photograph that's sent to your account to be taken by the cellphone 's camera.
Read the full post: text messages intercept
Make sure to install updates to your software program as quickly as a new version is launched, to minimize this risk. Absolutely Undetectable: The spying software works in stealth mode with out leaving a trace behind. Other software program solely works on Android. Go checkout the best WhatsApp spy software through the hyperlinks on this page at the moment! So now you know that you want to jailbreak your cellphone and also you perceive a little bit concerning the different OS versions – now you just need to find spy software program to fit your wants. Have you ever had your telephone stolen? The important thing goal of the attacker is to accumulate this one time password and to make it possible, lots of the choices are developed like cell phone Trojans, wireless interception, SIM Swap assaults. SMS's, MMS's and Cellular Instant Messages are archive and monitored in addition to different types of cell communication Message Guard, permits enterprises to log, archive, assessment, extract, and supervise all messaging communication on company mobile devices.
There's a little bit of efficiency difference when users are on several types of networks. Attacker opens up a terminal and scan your network to search out goal/victim ip deal with and MAC. In some jurisdictions, police use cell-site simulators recurrently. Police solely sought copies of messages saved within the Telus database, Cromwell and McLachlin wrote, not conversations as they have been actually taking place, so a basic warrant was appropriate. Take away incoming mail from your private mailbox as soon as possible, or use a P.O. For example, in the event that they get misplaced whereas carrying the iPhone, you need to use it to trace them simply. Whereas iOS has seen fewer common vulnerabilities and exploits (CVEs) lately, iPhones nonetheless aren't hack-proof. NexSpy has considered one of the biggest lists of social media app monitoring capabilities in the marketplace. VME Locator – Breakthrough Massive Information Technology Identifies Terrorists, Terror Organizations, Ticking Bombs and Prevents Terror Assaults.


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PATH 501: Foundations of Human Histopathology (2 credits)
An overview of the microscopic anatomy of human tissue and organs in both health and disease. Students with an MD or BLMSc degree (or course equivalent) may be exempt from PATH 501. Please discuss all requests for exemption with the Graduate Advisor.
Course Objectives:
- Students will learn the principles behind and practice of histological analysis and its applications in pathology.
By the completion of the course, students will be able to:
- identify and list histological features of cells and basic tissues that make up our organs including epithelia, connective tissues, nervous tissue, vasculature (heart & lung), lymphoid cells & organs
- relate the structure and function in cells, tissues and organs and
- learn to operate a light microscope properly. Students will be introduced to the basic pathological processes of cell injury/necrosis, acute inflammation, wound healing & chronic inflammation, neoplasia (General Pathology) and understand their contribution to diseases encountered in specific tissues/organs (Systems pathology) as well as the student's own research/project.
PATH 501 SSC Course Schedule Listing | PATH 501 resources
PATH 502: Current Topics in Pathology Research (2 credits)
A series of short lectures accompanied by research paper on various aspects of experimental pathology from expert faculty. The skills required for success in this course are excellence in critical thinking and in communication.
Course Objectives:
- Provide students with a strong foundation for critically evaluating scientific literature across a range of pathology research disciplines.
- Provide students with essential skills in summarizing and communicating research findings as oral presentations.
- Provide students with the ability to contribute to scientific debate and discussion in a group setting.
PATH 502 SSC Course Schedule Listing | PATH 502 resources
PATH 535/635: Graduate Studies Seminar (GSS) (2 credits)
Students will learn oral and written scientific communication skills and have a venue to practice those skills. This course will also provide an opportunity for graduate students to exchange on their research with peers, and witness the diverse research programs pursued within the department.
Course Objectives:
- To expose the students to research in pathology and laboratory medicine conducted by students within the department, to broaden knowledge beyond their own area of expertise.
- To learn skills to communicate scientific research findings through oral presentations, posters, abstracts, etc.
- To provide opportunity to apply these skills, to improve presentation, teaching, critical listening, and questioning skills.
- To develop and apply critical thinking and listening toward the assessment of scientific communication in a manner consistent with scientific peer review.
PATH 535 SSC Course Schedule Listing | PATH 635 SSC Course Schedule Listing | PATH 535 resources & PATH 635 resources


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When I was in business school, I learned about Michael Porter's model as a way to understand the five forces that outline an industry attractiveness and competitive intensity. Porter's Model a great starting point to get you to think more strategically and how you can win through power. However, I want to show you how brand leaders can go beyond Porter's Model and start to see other sources of power, which reinforces our idea that the more loved a brand is by consumers, the more powerful and profitable that brand will be. I see brand love as a stored energy that can be used to drive further power and profitability.
How tightly connected is your consumer to your brand?
I first came up with the idea of a brand love curve when I ran a marketing department with 15 different consumer brands, which exhibited various degrees of success. Honestly, it was hard for me to keep track of where each brand stood. I did not want to apply a one-size-fits-all strategy to brands with dramatically different needs. I could have used some traditional matrix with market share versus category growth rates or stuck with revenue size versus margin rates. Every day on the job, I noticed brands that had created a stronger bond with their consumer outperformed brands that lacked such a close connection. I started to refer to the high-performance brands as "beloved" because I could see how emotionally engaged consumers were with the brand.
At the other end of the scale, I referred to the inferior performance brands as "indifferent" because consumers did not care about them. They failed to stand for anything in the consumer's mind; they were not better, different, or cheaper. I could see how these brands were unable to create any connection with their consumers – and they faced massive declines.
Beloved brands have it easier
Everything seemed to work better and easier for beloved brands. New product launches were more impactful because the brand's loyal consumers were automatically curious about what was new. Retailers gave these the beloved brands preferential treatment because they knew their consumers wanted them. With a beloved brand, retailers knew their consumers would switch stores before they switch brands. Everyone in my organization, from the President to the technician in the lab, cared more about these beloved brands. No one seemed to care about the indifferent brands. Internal brainstorm sessions produced inspiring ideas on beloved brands, yet people would not even show up for brainstorms on indifferent brands.
I found that everyone wants to be part of a beloved brand
Our agencies bragged about the work they did on beloved brands. Even my people were more excited to work on these beloved brands, believing a move to the beloved brand was a big career move while being moved to an indifferent brand was a career death sentence.
These beloved brands had better performance results and better consumer tracking scores on advertising. They saw a stronger return on marketing investment, with a better response to marketing programs, higher growth rates, and higher margins. The overall profitability fuelled further investment into beloved brands.
It takes a strategic mind to figure out brand love
What would you rather have; a monopoly or a brand that is loved by consumers? Who has greater margins and profits; the monopoly utility company or Apple, Amazon, Netflix or Nike?
To show the differences in how consumers feel about a brand as they move through five stages, I created the brand love curve. It defines consumers' feelings as unknown, indifferent, like it, love it and onto the beloved brand status.
For unknown brands, the strategic focus should be to stand out so consumers will notice the brand within a crowded brand world. For indifferent brands, the strategy must establish the brand in the consumer's mind so they can see a clear point of difference. At the like it stage, the strategy is to separate the brand from the pack, creating happy experiences that build a trusted following. At the love it stage, the focus shifts to tugging at heartstrings to tighten the bond with the most loyal brand fans. At the beloved brand stage, the strategic challenge is to create outspoken, loyal brand fans who are willing to whisper to their friends on the brand's behalf.
The tighter the bond a brand creates with its consumers, the more powerful the brand will become with all stakeholders. Think of brand love as stored energy a brand can unleash in the form of power into the marketplace. You can use that power with consumers, competitors, new entries, employees, influencers, media, suppliers, and channel partners.
Porter's Model talks about how competitive rivalry can lead to power
Let's take a spin with Porter's Model and see how a beloved brand plays out
These beloved brands command power over the very consumers who love them, as consumers feel more and think less. These consumers pay price premiums, line up in the rain, follow the brand as soon as it enters new categories, and relentlessly defend the brand to any attackers. They cannot live without the brand.
As your brand moves to the loved and beloved stages, the power shifts from the buyers to the brand. We see that consumers start to feel more and think less. They become outspoken brand fans who can't live without the brand. Your brand is becoming a favorite part of their life, built into their normal routines. These brand fans defend you, sell you and crave you at times.
Beloved brands have power over channel customers, who know their consumers would switch stores before they switch brands. Stores cannot stand up to the beloved brand; instead, they give the brand everything in negotiations. The beloved brand ends up with stronger store placement, better trade terms, and better promotions from retail partners.
Going beyond Porter's Model to assess the power of a brand
The beloved brand also has power over the media whether it is paid, earned, social, or search media. With paid media, the beloved brand gets better placement, cheaper rates and they are one of the first calls for possible brand integrations. The beloved brand is considered newsworthy, so they earn more free media via mainstream media, expert reviews, and bloggers.
Being a famous, beloved brand helps bypass the need for search engine optimization (SEO). The beloved brands become part of the conversation whether it is through social media or at the lunch table at work. Beloved brands can use their homepage website to engage their most loyal users, inform the market of upcoming changes, allow consumers to design their version of the brand, and then sell the product directly to brand lovers.
The beloved brands have power over key influencers, whether they are doctors recommending a drug, restaurant critics giving a positive review, or salespeople at electronics shops pushing the beloved brands. These influencers become fans of the beloved brand and build their own emotions into their recommendations.
Beloved brands even have power over employees, who want to be part of the brand. They are brand fans, who are proud to work on the brand. They embody the culture on day 1 and want to help the brand achieve success.
Brand love means brand profits
In the simplest of economics, a beloved brand will use their consumer desire to create more demand which drives up the volume and the price.
When we look at accounting, a beloved brand can drive higher margins because they can command a premium price and can use their volume to drive lower costs. The beloved brand wins on volume because of the share of the market and the ability to expand that market size. That drives down the costs–both product related and marketing costs.
The 8 ways a beloved brand drives higher profits
With all the love and power the beloved brand generates, it becomes easy to translate that stored power into sales growth, profit, and market valuation. Here are the eight ways a brand can drive profits:
- Premium pricing
- Trading up on price
- Lower cost of goods
- Lower sales and marketing costs
- Stealing competitive users
- Getting loyal users to use more
- Entering new markets
- Finding new uses for the brand.
Beloved brands can use higher prices and lower costs to drive higher margins
Most beloved brands can use their loyal brand lovers to command a premium price, creating a relatively inelastic price. The weakened channel customers cave in during negotiations to give the brand richer margins. Satisfied and loyal consumers are willing to trade up to the next best model. A well-run beloved brand can use their high volume to drive efficiency, helping to achieve a lower cost of goods structure.
Not only can beloved brands use their growth to drive economies of scale, but suppliers will cut their cost to be on the roster of the beloved brand. The beloved brand will operate with much more efficient marketing spend, using their power with the media to generate lower rates with plenty of free media. Plus, the higher sales volumes make the beloved brand's spend ratios much more efficient. The consumer response to the marketing execution is much more efficient, giving the brand a higher return on investment.
Beloved brands use higher shares of a bigger market to drive higher volume
The beloved brands use their momentum to reach a tipping point of support to drive higher market shares. They can get loyal users to use more, as consumers build the beloved brand into life's routines and daily rituals.
It is easier for the beloved brands to enter new categories, knowing their loyal consumers will follow. Finally, there are more opportunities for the beloved brand to find more uses to increase the number of ways the beloved brand can fit into the consumer's life.
A century ago the best stock performers were commodities and monopolies. Today the best stock performers are the beloved brands whether it's Apple Amazon Netflix or Tesla. I would rather run to beloved brand than a monopoly.
Now, you can get our ideal brand plan format
- Get our ideal Brand Plan in a downloadable PowerPoint file that includes formatted blank slides with key marketing definitions where you can insert your own brand plan.
- We include slides for vision, purpose, analysis, key issues, strategies, brand positioning statement, and execution plans.
- You will get the one-page brand plan and brand strategy roadmap.
To purchase Beloved Brands or B2B Brands, click on the icon where you buy your books
Beyond the MBA is our virtual brand management training program designed for the real world
You will learn how to think strategically, figure out brand positioning, write brand plans, make decisions on marketing execution and analytical skills.
This is your opportunity to gain access to world-class brand management training
Click on the arrow above to view a quick video outlining our brand management training program


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Traianos Gioultsis
Professor - Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering-AUΤh
Traianos V. Yioultsis received the Diploma degree (with highest honors) in electrical engineering, in 1992, and the Ph.D. degree in electrical and computer engineering, in 1998, both from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. From 1993 to 1998, he was a research and teaching assistant in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the same university. From 2001 to 2002 he was a postdoctoral research associate at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA. Since 2002, he has been with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, where he is currently a Professor. His current interests include the analysis, design and fabrication of microwave circuits/antennas, silicon integrated circuits and optical devices with fast computational and optimization techniques and the modeling of complex wave propagation problems. He has published more than 70 papers in international refereed journals, with over 1000 citations and an h-index of 18. He has served as principal investigator and participant in several national and international research projects and also as a member of the Editorial Board for IEEE Communications Letters and several international conferences.
The subject of his speech...


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By Kim Stacy, FSHS Board President
It's another historical moment-in-time for the Fulshear-Simonton community. Thankfully, this time, it's not a flood or a fire, but the formation of the Fulshear-Simonton Heritage Society. Both Fulshear and Simonton have partnered together in the past with the Fulshear-Simonton Volunteer Fire Department, the Bob Lutts Fulshear-Simonton Library, and of course the Fulshear-Simonton Lions Club!
Frances Smart and Jo Douglass, two long-time residents and best friends have been collecting historical items for many years. It has long been their dream to open a museum so others may begin to understand and appreciate the unique history of Fulshear-Simonton.
The Fulshear-Simonton Heritage Society will be looking to adopt the following Mission Statement at their next Board meeting: "It is the mission of the Fulshear-Simonton Heritage Society to collect, catalogue, preserve, curate, prepare, present and share with future generations, the rich historic heritage, which is found in and around the area of Northwest Fort Bend County, Texas. Through the work of this group, we will endeavor to understand the collective history of our area so that we may be better able to honor the legacies of those who created the family and cultural foundations on which our area is now so fortunate to build."
The Fulshear-Simonton Heritage Society Board of Directors is comprised of President, Kim Stacy; Vice-President, Gilbert "Herc" Meier, Jr.; Second Vice-President, Debra Sabrsula; Treasurer, Terry Crockett; Secretary, Rhonda Kuykendall; Assistant Secretary, Daniel McJunkin; Honorary Board Members Jo Douglass, Viola Randle and Frances Smart.
We appreciate all of the support and excitement The Society has garnered. We hosted our first general information meeting on Wednesday, July 6, 2016. In addition to the Board Members, attendees were Viola Randle, Carole McCann, Linda Wooten, Cheryl Stalinsky, Tommy Kuykendall, Susan Strickland, Robert Foster, Leigh John Bentley, and Sonya Simmons.
Once we have received our 501(c)3 designation, we will be kicking off our first gala. Memberships will be available on the website, so you may be "A Friend of Fulshear-Simonton Heritage Society". We can be found at www.FulshearSimontonHeritage.org, on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/FulshearSimontonHeritageSociety, Twitter: www.twitter.com/fsheritage @FSheritage, and on Instagram: www.instagram.com/fsheritage/.
If you have items such as photographs, diaries, journals, maps, etc., you would like to share or donate, please contact The Society at email@example.com. Stay tuned, in the coming weeks and months, The Society will be releasing interviews and background stories on many families of the Fulshear-Simonton area.


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When we browse the internet, we very often come across some interactive and creative Adobe Flash files or Adobe Flash files. The animation files have caught our eyes and you are very keen to download it for safekeeping. How to download flash files such as flash videos, flash movies or flash games? Well, one of the easiest ways to download flash files is via FlashGet program. FlashGet is a commonly used download manager on the internet to download flash files.
To use FlashGet to download flash files, of course the first thing you need to do is to download and install FlashGet. (Download Link via here). The latest FlashGet version, FlashGet V 1.9.6, was just released last month. This version has added a few new features such as "Add FlashGet Recommendations", "Optimized the BT module", "Fixed the messy code in 'New Download' window", etc. Once the software has been completely downloaded and installed, you can start using this fantastic software. When you run the program, FlashGet will present you to the interface as shown in the screenshot below.
From the FlashGet window, go to "File" and select "New Download". Alternately, you can also use the shortcut key, F4, to start a new downloading task. In the latest version 1.9.6, while you are running FlashGet, you can see a small pop up message indicating the word "Download" when your mouse move over the Flash file that you want to download. If you click on "Download", it will perform the same task like you select "New Download" from the menu bar.
When you have selected "New Download", a small pop up window will appear. You need to enter the URL of the file that you want to download. You also can do some setting from the pop-up window, e.g. add in the referrer, set category, set the source to save the files, etc. You are also required to furnish your username and password if you login to some servers. After you have clicked the "OK" button from the pop-up Window, the download process will begin. While downloading the file, you can also view the information of the file such as file size, time, speed, downloading process, etc. Of course you can also pause the downloading process and continue it later. This software caters for these user-friendly functions. Finally, the downloaded file will be saved in the destination selected by you earlier and you can use, import, export the download flash file from time to time as you like.
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Jean T. Gavula, age 79, of Mahanoy City, died Thursday morning at Schuylkill Center in Pottsville. Born in Mahanoy City she was the daughter of the late Raymond and Wanda (Dembrowski) Poremba. She attended the former Immaculate Heart School in Fountain Springs. She had been employed as a nurses aid and activities director at Broad Mountain Nursing and Rehabilitation in Frackville. She was a member of St. Mary's Byzantine Catholic Church in Mahanoy City and was a member of the church choir. Preceding her in death were her husband Stephen, a daughter Lori Ann, an infant son Stephen and a brother Raymond Poremba. Survivors include two sons Stephen and his companion Brenda of Winter Haven Florida, Mark of Louisville KY, a daughter Jean Marie Holman and her husband Dieter of Barnesville, a brother Zigmond Poremba of New York, five grandchildren Dieter Holman Jr., Derich and Ericha Holman and Stefan and Mark Gavula, niece and nephews. Relatives and friends are invited to attend Divine Liturgy with Office of Christian Burial to be celebrated by the Rev. James Carroll on Tuesday morning at 11 AM from St. Mary's Byzantine Catholic Church in Mahanoy City. Interment will follow in the parish cemetery in Mahanoy Township. Friends may call a the church on Tuesday morning beginning at 10 AM. Contributions in Jean's name to St. Mary's Church would be appreciated by the family and will be accepted at the visitation. David D. Jarrett Funeral Home of Mahanoy City is in charge of arrangements. Please visit www.jarrettfuneralhome. com for more information.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Jean T. Gavula, please visit our floral store.


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2005 Saab 9-5 information
In 2005 Saab 9-5 was released in 5 different versions, 1 of which are in a body "Sedan" and 1 in the body "Wagon".
At the time, according to the manufacturer's recommendations, the cheapest modification 2005 Saab 9-5 Linear 2.3T 4dr Sport Wagon (2.3L 4cyl Turbo 5M) with a Manual gearbox should do its future owner of $32550.On the other side - the most expensive modification - 2005 Saab 9-5 Aero 4dr Sport Wagon (2.3L 4cyl Turbo 5M) with an Manual transmission and MSRP $40750 manufacturer.
Did you know that: the earliest Saab 9-5, which you can find information on our website has been released in 1999.
The largest displacement, designed for models Saab 9-5 in 2005 - 2.3 liters.
Did you know that: The most expensive modification of the Saab 9-5, according to the manufacturer's recommendations - Aero 4dr Sport Wagon (2.3L 4cyl Turbo 5M) - $40750.
For models of the Saab 9-5 in 2005 were used the following colors in the color of body: Black, Chili Red Metallic, Laser Red, Nocturne Blue Metallic, Parchment Silver Metallic, Polar White, Silver Metallic, Smoke Beige Metallic, Steel Gray Metallic.
Most of all modifications Saab 9-5 2005 weighs Aero 4dr Sport Wagon (2.3L 4cyl Turbo 5M) - 3620 Lbs.


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Ally Financial Inc. has agreed to settle for $19.7 million a 2014 class action lawsuit alleging the lender overcharged consumers who sought to purchase leased vehicles at the end of term, according to court documents filed in Florida federal court last week.
Borrower Robert Schreiber sued Ally on behalf of the proposed class after alleging that the lender charged him nearly $400 more for the lease-to-own contract that he bought from a third party, according to Law360. He claimed the overpayment constituted a breach of contract and violation of the federal Consumer Leasing Act.
Schreiber sought remediation for fees dating back to 2009, but because Ally did not retain full records dating back that far, the parties reached the $19.7 million figure based on data that was available. The lender did have records of buyers who were charged between $50 to $1,000 more for their car than the price listed on the lease, for an average of $238.
"Ally has reached an agreement to settle the class action lawsuit Schreiber v. Ally, related to dealer-document fees that may have been charged to customers in lease-to-retail purchase transactions," the company told Auto Finance News in a statement. "Ally continues to believe that its customer experience is best in class, but also believes that settling the case at this time is in the best interests of all parties."
Early on, Ally successfully brought the case into arbitration where it hoped to settle privately, however, a judge in the Eleventh Circuit overturned that earlier decision.
"This is an exceptional result for the class," Schreiber said in a statement. "It offers class members benefits approaching or equivalent to a complete trial victory without the risks, costs, and delay of continued litigation, a trial and possibly an appeal."Like This Post


text: Sitting by my terrace, I was wondering when was the last time I did nothing-work-wise for 24hours and well… I couldn't remember! So, I decided to take a day off with myself and the result is below. It's an ode to my Mauritralian – mix of Mauritian and Australian.. haha – cousins whom I miss a lot. We emptied these bottles together haha. It's weird how seeing these bottles remind me of the good times we had last December. And these memories bring the same smile over and over on my face.


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NATO Communications and Information Agency Selects Polycom Video Collaboration Solutions to Help Foster International Peace and Collaboration
Thursday, January 15th 2015, 12:09 am
Polycom PLCM, +0.00% announced today that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the alliance of 28 countries from Europe and North America focused on defense, security, and crisis management, has selected Polycom® Open Telepresence Experience® (OTX) for its Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency). High quality, secure and reliable communications solutions play a critical role in completing missions and conducting day-to-day business operations. Using a blended implementation that includes video, voice and email together with other high-speed military communications solutions, the NCI Agency will rely on Polycom OTX, an immersive room-based video conferencing solution, to foster collaboration for future crisis, diplomatic missions and humanitarian efforts.


text: Raw figures captured for analysis. These are the most basic web analytics metric. For example, some marketing companies need counts for a variety of things for statistics. In need of these things, these agencies turn to other companies who deal with counts. Companies which deal with counts, have a great deal of information in their database, and provide these information based on what the clients ask for. There is a whole team of people who deal with counts. The way it works is that a client sends usually an email to the company providing counts. This email consists of information they need, like how many IT industries there are in given countries, with a specific number of employees who have a specific salary. Once the mail is received, they run the given information through their database and give out the total number for a fixed price.


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EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY: We are temprorarily shutting off all International Sales of merchandise.
May God Keep You and Your Loved Ones Safe and Healthy. We will get through this. Keep your focus UPWARD.
Debbie Turner Originals is and has been a full-service Wedding Flower and Event Design Company for 30 years. In addition, we do Christmas Decorating for your home or business, maintain year round gardenscapes, planters and window boxes in the Western Suburbs and the Lake Minnetonka area.


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With milling, too, Weinmann will give you the best that man and machine have to offer.
Milling at Weinmann is becoming steadily more important. At first it was an important enhancement of our machining abilities and our flexibility – today it's a profit centre in its own right.
Over the past few years, step by step, we've further developed this acknowledged competence in milling via permanent investment and the successful mastery of even the most difficult challenges – every single day.
State-of-the-art milling centres with all the operational possibilities and up to five axes allow us to produce even large components with complex geometries up to a length of 500 mm.
Would you like to see the services Weinmann provides at a glance? Then please go to Variety (machining possibilities and component dimensions) or Vertical integration (possibilities for materials and finishing).


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"We are so grateful for the many contributions made by these award recipients and the entire business community over the past year," notes chamber Executive Director, Alyssa Yolda.
North Woodstock, NH (PRWEB) November 07, 2016
The Western White Mountains Chamber of Commerce, the tourism destination marketing organization (DMO) for the Lincoln, Woodstock, and Franconia Notch region of New Hampshire, recently hosted its Annual Dinner and Awards night at the Woodstock Inn Station and Brewery. The sold-out event honored three community and business leaders, included the chamber's annual membership meeting, featured a silent auction, and wonderful meal provided by the famed Woodstock Inn Station and Brewery.
The Chamber of Commerce, now completing its 57th year leading the business sector in these mountain towns, welcomed business leaders, friends, sponsors, and community members to celebrate accomplishments from the past year, and look ahead to continued success in 2017. Among the dignitaries attending the event, was keynote speaker Lori Harnois, Executive Director of Discover New England, the destination marketing organization that promotes New England tourism internationally, who spoke to the importance of partnerships in building great destinations and marketing campaigns.
The first to be recognized at the dinner for their commitment to the Western White Mountains Chamber of Commerce, was Board Member of the Year, Board President Molly Mahar. Molly is the Director of Marketing at Loon Mountain Resort and continues as the chamber's board chair. The second award of the evening was the Eileen Rice Outstanding Business Leader of the Year, awarded to Muffy Copenhaver of Gordi's Fish and Steak House. Muffy has led this iconic landmark restaurant, themed with the ski tradition in Lincoln for over 30 years. Last, but certainly not least, was the Rising Star Award, honoring Steven Bomba, accepted by his parents, Stephen and Christine Bomba and 5 siblings. Steven's professional and personal contributions to the community in his 25 years were far more than most can ever hope to accomplish in their lifetime. Steven's life was devastatingly cut short this past summer, but his selfless dedication to the Lincoln Fire Department, local business community, and friends and family will never be forgotten.
"We are so grateful for the many contributions made by these award recipients and the entire business community over the past year," notes chamber Executive Director, Alyssa Yolda. "Without these efforts, there's no doubt our destination here in the Western White Mountains would not be thriving as it is today."
By all accounts, the Western White Mountains Chamber of Commerce's 57th Annual Dinner and Awards, sponsored in part by Bank of New Hampshire, was a complete success. In the coming year, the chamber will continue to market the Western White Mountains region cooperatively through its innovative and successful Destination Marketing program, and offer its 200+ members the many benefits and services they can use to strengthen relationships,
The Western White Mountains Chamber of Commerce, located in North Woodstock, NH, represents over 200 businesses in all sectors of the economy, most notably the tourism industry, and promotes the western slope of New Hampshire's White Mountains - Lincoln, Woodstock, Franconia, and Sugar Hill. The chamber's Destination Marketing Program is funded by a number of private and public sources, and is the largest concentrated effort of its kind in Northern New Hampshire.