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At a symposium I hosted two decades ago featuring Warren Buffett and his annual shareholder letters, the legendary investor joked that his service on 17 public company boards revealed a "dominant masochistic gene." Buffett has since served on several more boards, interacting with some 300 members during his illustrious half-century career.
The Berkshire Hathaway chairman and CEO has devoted parts of his letters to describing what the best directors do. A condensed version of these points follows. Living by these "10 commandments," as I call them, has made him excel in the boardroom.
1. Selecting the right CEO comes before all other tasks.
The board's most important job is recruiting, overseeing and, when necessary, replacing the chief executive officer, Buffett stresses. All other tasks are secondary to that one, because if the board secures an outstanding CEO, it will face few of the problems directors are otherwise called upon to address.
Outstanding CEOs Bob Iger at Disney; Katharine Graham, who skillfully ran The Washington Post; and Jeff Bezos, the current owner of that company's legacy newspaper and founder and CEO of Amazon all meet Buffett's practical bottom-line test: They are people any director would like, trust and admire and be happy to have their child marry.
2. You should discuss a CEO behind his/her back.
All CEOs must be measured according to a set of performance standards, Buffett notes. A board's outside directors must formulate these and regularly evaluate the CEO in light of them — without the CEO being present. Standards should be tailored to the particular business and corporate culture but stress fundamental baselines such as returns on shareholder capital and steady progress in market value per share. Performance should not be based on quarterly earnings and emphatically not in terms of whether the manager achieves guidance targets. In fact, Buffett argues that companies are usually better off not providing analysts with earnings guidance.
3. Act as if you work for a single absentee owner.
All directors should act as if there is a single absentee owner and do everything reasonably possible to advance that owner's long-term interest, Buffett advises.
They need to think independently to tighten the wiggle room that "long term" gives to CEOs — while corporate leaders should think in terms of years, not quarters, they must not rationalize sustained subpar performance by perpetual pleas to shareholder patience. To that end, it is desirable for directors to buy and hold sizable personal stakes in the companies they serve so that they truly walk in the shoes of owners. Buffett's board service has almost always involved companies where Berkshire owns a significant stake. Prominent examples: Cap Cities/ABC (1986–1996); The Coca-Cola Co. (1989–2006); Gillette (1989–2003); Kraft Heinz (2013–present); Salomon Brothers (1987–1997); US Airways (1993–1995); and The Washington Post (1974–1986 and 1996–2011).
More from iCONIC:
Advice from the man who manages more money than anyone on Earth
The Bob Iger rules that have kept Disney on top of the media industry
Business lessons from Buffett's star stock-picking lieutenants
There is a sub-commandment in this lesson — call it Commandment 3.5: Directors can and should sometimes replace themselves.
In 2005, despite Berkshire's longtime substantial stake in Coca-Cola — worth $8 billion then and $18 billion now — CalPERS as well as Institutional Shareholder Services challenged Buffett's independence as a director. They cited business relationships between various Berkshire subsidiaries and Coca-Cola, including Dairy Queen, a customer. Buffett objected, stressing how Berkshire's large and lengthy stock ownership dwarfed the modest and routine business transactions of its subsidiaries.
In the ensuing board election, 16 percent of Coca-Cola's shares were cast as withhold votes on Buffett, so he was reelected, but he nevertheless opted to stand down. While I disagreed with those doubting Buffett's independence, he responded to the shareholder ballot and set an example: Any director receiving a non-trivial level of withhold votes should withdraw from the board.
4. Be fair, swift, decisive — and prepared to fire people.
If the CEO's performance consistently falls short of the standards set by the outside directors, then the board must replace the CEO. The same goes for all other senior managers they oversee, just as an intelligent owner would if present. In addition, the directors must be the stewards of owner capital to contain any managerial overreach that dips into shareholders' pockets. Such pickpocketing may range from imperious acquisition sprees to managerial enrichment through interested transactions or even myopia amid internal scandal and related crises.
In addressing these problems, the director's actions must be fair, swift and decisive; in crisis response the Berkshire mantra is "Get it right, get it out, and get it over." The classic case concerned Salomon Brothers' 1991 bond-trading imbroglio, four years after Berkshire acquired a block of preferred stock and Buffett joined its board. Amid knowledge of illegality, CEO John Gutfreund allowed problems to fester, refraining from firing the guilty and failing to inform the board or regulators. On becoming aware of the dire events, the board promptly requested Gutfreund's resignation — and appointed a reluctant Buffett to lead the investment bank out of its dark days and reshape its culture.
5. If you perceive a problem, speak up about it.
Directors who perceive a managerial or governance problem should alert other directors to the issue. If enough are persuaded, concerted action can be readily coordinated to resolve the problem. Aside from basics like whether the CEO is meeting performance standards or to curtail managerial excess, take the perennial topic of whether the roles of chairman and CEO should be separate or combined.
As stated in principles Buffett endorsed last year with a dozen other boardroom denizens (called "commonsense principles"), outside directors are best positioned to evaluate this question and then present it to the full board. Those with strong views either way need to make their case to fellow outside directors based on general research and the company's specific circumstances and culture.
6. When no one is listening, reach out to the absentee owner: shareholders.
When a director remains in the minority and the problem is sufficiently grave, reaching out to absentee owners is warranted, Buffett believes. Colleagues may resist or complain, which imposes a useful restraint against going public for trivial or nonrational causes. But consistent with confidentiality and other fiduciary duties, informing shareholders is sometimes appropriate, Buffett says.
In 1996, when Buffett served on the board of Gillette — of which Berkshire owned 11 percent — Gillette agreed to acquire KKR's share of Duracell International for $7.82 billion in stock. For its related services in the transaction, KKR's bill was double that of Gillette's advisors (though in line with market pricing), and Buffett strongly protested the fee. While outvoted by the rest of the board, Buffett made a public record of his disagreement for fellow shareholders to see.
As stated in the "commonsense principles" endorsed last year, companies should make their officers and directors available to their largest long-term investors.
7. Sometimes a leader has to burp at the table.
Even high-quality directors can fail because of what Buffett calls "boardroom atmosphere." Populated by the well-mannered, boards see broaching certain topics as akin to belching at dinner — from questioning the wisdom of an acquisition to CEO succession. Adjust the social atmosphere of the room, Buffett urges. How to do so depends on the corporate culture and personalities involved. Aside from formal meetings, boards can convene for meals, training sessions and retreats, all offering the chance for diplomatic engagement.
Any director unable to persuade enough fellow directors or shareholders that vital change is needed ultimately has one vital lever: threaten to resign.
8. Don't let any outside consultant decide how much people get paid.
Buffett admonishes boards as to compensation committees: "Directors should not serve on compensation committees unless they are themselves capable of negotiating on behalf of owners." In other words, this task should not be delegated to consultants, though it too often is.
At this year's annual meeting of Berkshire shareholders, he warned, "If the board hires a compensation consultant after I'm gone, I will come back." He quipped that CEOs who otherwise welcome him on a board do not want him on the compensation committee.
In the negotiations, directors must make one point non-negotiable: all forms of compensation, especially equity-based, must be treated as an expense for accounting purposes. No CEO can have his cake and eat it too.
9. There is only one way to avoid audit issues: pry.
The audit committee occupies a central role in today's financial reporting ecosystem, yet directors cannot conduct the audit and sometimes feel overwhelmed. Buffett's advice is to focus on what is possible, which is simply getting the auditors to candidly divulge what they know. Buffett prescribes getting answers to these four issues:
- If the auditor were solely responsible for the financials, would the audit have been done differently?
- If the auditor were an investor, would the audit have produced all relevant information to understand the company's performance?
- If the auditor were the CEO, would the internal audit procedure differ?
- Is the auditor aware of any actions involving shifting revenues or expenses between periods?
10. When it comes time to choose your own replacement, refer to commandments 1 through 9.
What qualities should be sought in directors when boards undertake their own succession planning? The answer: People capable of honoring these commandments, meaning those who are skilled managerial recruiters and overseers, given the company's particular business and culture, and are owner-oriented, engaged, articulate, communicative and astute. Basic habits such as diligence, preparation and attendance are also essential.
Buffett adds these qualifications that make for high-quality directors: business savvy, a strong interest in the specific company and an owner-orientation. Companies boasting such directors gain an advantage. If those directors then follow Buffett's 10 commandments, the shareholders are doubly blessed.
— By Lawrence A. Cunningham, professor at George Washington University and a director of both public and private companies who advises other corporate boards on conduct, culture and governance. He is the author of several books, including "Berkshire Beyond Buffett" (Columbia Business School, 2014) and "Quality Investing" (Harriman House, 2016).
This is a condensed and edited version of Cunningham's article for the summer edition of the National Association of Corporate Directors' Directorship magazine, published on Monday.


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NC couple to be tried separately in woman's death
RALEIGH — A Wake County couple accused of killing a Kinston woman nearly two years ago will be tried separately.
Wake County Judge Donald Stephens ruled Monday that 33-year-old Grant Ruffin Hayes and 40-year-old Amanda Perry Hayes should be tried separately.
Laura Jean Ackerson was the mother of two of Grant Hayes' children. Parts of Ackerson's body were found in a Texas creek in July 2011.
Amanda Hayes is to be tried next month. Grant Hayes is to stand trial in August.
An attorney representing Amanda Hayes has said in court documents that Grant Hayes intimidated her before and after her arrest.
Ackerson's body was found in a creek near the home of Amanda Hayes' sister.
Investigators say at least one of the Hayeses killed Ackerson and hacked her body into pieces.

subset: commoncrawl


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swyMed's Solutions for Mobile Telestroke
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stroke is the nation's number five killer and a leading cause of serious long-term disability, with nearly 800,000 strokes and 130,000 deaths occurring in the U.S. per year. For patients experiencing a stroke, every minute matters. Delay in care delivery increases risk of brain damage and long-term disability to the patient. This is a particular challenge in rural areas where local hospitals do not have 24-hour neurology coverage to make real time assessments, and patients often live too far away from a stroke center to receive timely treatment.
Telestroke, the use of telemedicine technology to assess and treat stroke, has become an increasingly popular practice to address the problems of distance, time and coverage. Neurologists are able to remotely evaluate patients in real time as if they were right in the room, leveraging advanced video telemedicine technology to communicate diagnosis and treatment recommendations to emergency care teams who are with the patient.
The Opportunity for Mobile Telestroke
In a series of studies, it was shown that emergency physicians had a nearly 100% accuracy rate[1] for stroke diagnoses, while EMS dispatchers were correct 52% of the time and EMS personnel on scene were correct 72%[2] of the time. As you might expect, giving the most highly trained expert the most direct contact with the patient improves the accuracy of the assessment. Following this logic a few more steps, with the right assessment, the chances of making the right treatment decisions go up, the chances of moving the patient once to the right place for treatment go up, and the chances that the patient will have an improved outcome go up.
Today, telemedicine technology can provide a reliable, high quality, real-time interaction between doctor and patient while the patient is still in the field. Mobility enhances both the speed and quality of care. With providers now able to see and assess the patient before they arrive at the hospital, patients can bypass the emergency department and immediately head to a CT scan that is ready and waiting, significantly speeding up access to proper treatment, including tPA, the clot-dissolving drug for ischemic strokes (87% of strokes)[3].
swyMed's Solutions for Mobile Telestroke
swyMed's patented software overcomes traditional connectivity issues such as latency or packet loss that can hamper life-saving mobile telestroke efforts, enabling healthcare professionals to treat and monitor patients from anywhere, even where bandwidth is limited. swyMed's software, along with the DOT Telemedicine Backpack, is designed for mobile use and equipped with the key components required to ensure reliable connectivity, when seconds count. The DOT Telemedicine Backpack is light, easy to use, and gives mobile care providers the ability to connect to doctors for real-time video telemedicine – anywhere, any time. It includes:
- High gain antenna array
- Dual-modem, multi-carrier cellular connection
- Eight-hour battery
- Integrated speaker / microphone
- Ruggedized tablet with full HD camera
swyMed's DOT Mini is also an ideal solution for mobile telestroke. It is an intelligent enterprise hotspot that provides the connectivity backbone needed to ensure a dependable video and audio connection, even in areas where networks are challenged and bandwidth is limited. It can be easily mounted in an emergency vehicle for mobile telestroke, and is equipped with two external MiMo antennas, battery, dual modems, dual carrier's swyMed's software, and comes with professional installation and ongoing technical support.
Every day, innovative hospitals and healthcare systems are counting on swyMed to provide a consistent, uninterrupted, high-quality connection to a physician even in the most difficult environments, saving not only time and money, but most importantly, the lives and lifestyles of stroke victims.
[1] Stroke Dec 1995, Kothari et al
[2] Stroke June 1995, Kothari et al
[3] American Stroke Association Website 12/2017


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Happy Friday everyone! I hope everyone had a relaxing Thanksgiving! I spent yesterday helping my dad cook dinner for about 20 people who came over to our house and I'm still stuffed from all the food I ate:)! Last year was the first year that I did Black Friday shopping in stores and I honestly didn't think it was worth waking up early because it was so crowded, I couldn't concentrate on getting gifts, and I was exhausted! So this year I opted out of it and I've been shopping the sales online! But, I do encourage all of you to go out tomorrow and support the small businesses in your area for Small Business Saturday! I'm excited to go back to work tomorrow at the boutique I've been at for the past few years!
For those of you who are shopping from home (hopefully snuggled up watching the Gilmore Girls revival) this year, I've rounded up some of the best sales happening as well as some picks that I think would be great for gifts or a little treat for yourself! Happy Shopping!
- J.Crew - 40% off your entire purchase, use code HOLIDAY
- Anthropologie - 30% off your entire purchase
- Madewell - 25% off your entire purchase
- Sephora - Holiday Gift sets starting at $10
- GAP - 50% off your entire purchase, use code TGIF50
- Baublebar - 30% off your entire purchase, use code THANKS30
- Tuckernuck - 20% off everything with code GIVE20, 25% off orders over $500 with code GIVE25, 30% off orders over $1000 with code GIVE30
- Kate Spade - 30% off your purchase with code THANKFUL


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Sanilac sheriff promotes several officers during 2017
In March of 2017, Sgt. John Moody was promoted to corrections lieutenant in charge of personnel at the Sanilac County Sheriff's Office.
Moody started his career at the sheriff's office in March 1994 and has worked within the dispatch and corrections divisions.
Deputy Mike Moore was promoted to uniform services sergeant in July of 2017. Moore began his career with the sheriff's office in May of 2006 and has worked at the drug task force and uniform services.
Deputy Monique Tank was promoted to corrections sergeant in September of 2017. Tank started her career at the sheriff's office in August of 2011 and has worked within the Dispatch and Corrections Divisions.
Finishing out the year, the sheriff's office had another graduation from the Delta College Police Academy. Deputy Joshua James tested and was awarded the opportunity to be sponsored to the academy by the sheriff's office.
James began his career in the corrections division in February of 2013 and began his duties in uniform services in December following his graduation.
"I congratulate and welcome the new members of our leadership team and recent transfer to the Uniform Services Division," said Sheriff Garry Biniecki in a statement. "I am very proud of the initiative shown by my staff and their willingness to step up and use their leadership skills to assist us in moving forward in our pledge to serve the public."


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Life Spring Network's licensed mentors provide feedback, insight, accountability, and encouragement for every stage and season of life. From relationships and family to finances and work, an objective perspective is often all it takes to help you find and take your next best step.
In addition to teaching, Jesus spent considerable time with his inner circle (Peter, James and John) and with the Apostles. This one-on-one, life-on-life mentored is key to realizing our potential in all areas of life. It's the way Christ trained and molded His disciples into a group of spiritual leaders who changed the course of history.
Life Coaching Services
Intensive Mentoring (Christian Life Coaching): Encompasses a holistic approach to the life of discipleship. You will enter into a highly intentional, uniquely personalized and supportively challenging process that will guide, empower and encourage you to embrace God's presence, steward your life from God's perspective and realize life's potential through God's power. We will provide objective feedback and perspective for where you are now and will help you craft your personalized growth plan for where you want to be.
Our 12-session mentoring package provides the complete mentoring experience for those who are not able to attend a LIVE Delta or Omega Course.
Mentoring Services
Occasional Mentoring: Sometimes all it takes is a few mentoring sessions to really get things off the ground. Other times it's great to come in for a routine check up! It's timely advice and wise perspectives — when, where and however often you need it. It helps you to rightly view self, God, others, and circumstances as the need arises.
Passive Mentoring: Receive Mentoring through our Delta or Omega Courses LIVE or on DVD or through other seminars offered through the Life Spring Network.
Peer Mentoring: Get connected with others in your area that are interested in becoming more like Jesus. We will help you set up, connect with and maintain a peer-mentoring network wherever you are.
Mentor Training: Get trained as a recommended mentor in your area and be a part of the Life Spring Network Mentoring Network through our annual Mentoring Retreat and training events.


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Grow VC Unspecified API
[This API is no longer available and this page is being maintained purely for historical and research purposes.] Grow Venture Community (Grow VC) is a crowdsourcing platform for startup funding. In addition to posting opportunities for startup funding, Grow VC has online communities and forums to help startup entrepreneurs. The Grow VC is currently in beta and public documentation is not available. Developers interested in the API and building applications on top of the Grow VC platform should sign up here: http://www.growvc.com/blog/api-beta-program/.


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So what is that?
Anyone born in the early '70's (or earlier) has experienced this era when House and Techno established themselves on the worldwide charts and became one of the biggest and most successful music movements in history. Computer technology and synthesizers made it possible to create a hitherto unknown music, which at the time was still pressed onto records (or acetate), so that you could mix this music as a DJ in clubs, at a time when the CD was the most important musical medium of the time.
I have fully experienced this time, both as a clubber and as a DJ. For me, this incredible and crazy journey started in 1992, and shortly afterwards I also put on the first records myself. Now more 25 years have passed — a quarter of a century — and for me the music of that time has not lost its strength at all. Of course, many memories are linked to it, some of which I think back with sparkling eyes. We were young, we were free (at least we had that impression), and the drugs were excellent, I've been told…*
*I do not want to promote drug use. Please handle drugs carefully! Best not to start it. But if, then be careful.
I have been able to make countless friendships in the scene over the last 25 years, and I know some of my closest friends from that time. My own career as a musician grew out of the tender beginnings of this music. I grew up with rock music and always wanted to be a rock star before, suddenly I discovered a completely new music that I initially did not like. Electronically produced music was not my thing, I only liked handmade music, that was the "real deal" for me. But it didn't take long before this music cast a spell over me.
What did I do here?
In the last few months, I have picked out records that I consider the most important and best of that time. Here and there I had to ask friends if they could provide me with digital recordings from vinyl, because I did not own much of the material myself anymore. After I had everything digitally available, I carefully (re)mastered each track, always staying close to the original, I didn't want destroy that special "feeling" of that time. Not that it's much important to you, probably, but I also pitch-corrected tracks that were slightly "off key", partly because of unstable vinyl recordings or issues with the production itself. Back then not everything was 100%, especially not when producers used analog synths.
After improving the music, I made a DJ mix out of it in my studio. And the result is now available to you, as a lossless FLAC file. You have never heard that music in a better sound quality!
That's why I call this mix series "Past Perfect", because that's what it is for me. Talking about "series"… this is the second and final installment. Here is the first one.
- GusGus – Purple [Rough Trade Germany 4AD]
- Planisphere – Deep Blue Dream [Music Worx]
- Exit EEE – Epidemic [No Respect Records]
- Bedrock – Heaven Scent [Bedrock Records Pioneer Records]
- AMbassador – The Fade (Oliver Lieb Remix) [Kickin Records]
- Thomas P. Heckmann & Marc Romboy – Ultra Vixens [Le Petit Prince]
- Rank 1 – Airwave [Urban Kontor Records]
- At The Villa People – Open Your Eyes [La Musique Fait La Force]
- Paul Van Dyk – For An Angel (PvD's E-Werk Club Mix) [Polystar]
- Sunday Club – Healing Dream (Paul Van Dyk's Inner Mind Mix) [Stress Records]
- UNKLE – In A State [Global Underground]
- Albion – Air [Platipus]
- Deep Cover – Breakthrough [Hope Recordings]
- Gouryella – Gouryella [Black Hole Recordings]
- Paganini Traxx – Zoe (Timo Maas Mix) [INCtraxx]
- Planisphere – So Many Ways (Force Mass Motion Remix) [Music Worx]
- DJ Misjah & DJ Groovehead – Acid Energy (Special Acid Edition) [Vision Soundcarriers]
- Pete Lazonby – Sacred Cycles [Metronome Container Records Hamburg]
- DJ Gogo – Anjuna [Cyber Records]
- DJ Quicksilver – Bingo Bongo (Club Mix) [Club Tools]
- Art Of Trance – Madagascar (Ferry Corsten Remix) [Platipus]
- Niels Van Gogh – Pulverturm [Kosmo Records]
- Johan Cyber – Crash (Funk Function Groove Mix) [Bonzai Records]
- Meat Katie – Next Life [Kingsize]
- Natious – Amber (Silk Remix) [Amato International]
- Der Dritte Raum – Hale Bopp (Raumgleiter) [Kontor Records]
- Underworld – Dark And Long (Dark Train) [UnderworldLive]
- Smith & Selway – Move [Intec Records]
- Armin Van Buuren – Blue Fear [Nebula]
- BT – Mercury And Solace (Dub Mix) [ZYX Music]
- B.B.E. – Seven Days And One Week (Club Mix) [Urban]
- Paul Van Dyk – Out There And Back [Urban]
- Energy 52 – Café Del Mar (Nalin & Kane Remix) [Edelpitch]
- Emmanuel Top – Acid Phase [Sub Terranean]
- AWeX – It's Our Future [Plastic City]
- Breeder – Tyrantanic (Slacker's Kingdom Come Mix) [Songbird]
- Tilt – I Dream (Tilt's Resurrection Mix) [Lost Language]
- Z2 – I Want You [Platipus]
- Space Frog – X-Ray (Follow Me) [Energized Records]
- Space Frog Feat. The Grim Reaper – I Feel Ur Pain [Energized Records]
- Taucher – Waters [Dogondke Media]
- Ramirez – Sueño Latino [DFC]
- Ayla – Ayla (Taucher Remix) [Club Tunes]
- Space Frog – Lost In Space '98 [Energized Records]
- Mikerobenics – Julika (Pascal F.E.O.S. Remix) [Pull The Strings]
- Transa – Enervate [Perfecto]
- Incisions – Beyond Motion [Vicious Circle Recordings]
- Junk Project – Miralaca [Boxed (3)]
- System F – Out Of The Blue [Avex Trax]
- Jam & Spoon – Follow Me! [La Musique Fait La Force]
Also, check this Spotify playlist that contains a lot of the music above: ingovogelmann.net/pastperfect


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Project navigation
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Tesco.com Spring Flowers
This is a design I made for the new spring flowers range on the Tesco.com flowers homepage. This is one of the sections of the site I have regularly maintained while working for the company. Working for such a large and established company as Tesco's often means working within tight brand guidelines but this was an opportunity to refresh the page and produce a much lighter, cleaner feel.
Photoshop CS2, Illustrator CS2, XHTML, CSS


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CEDIA Expo 2016 - Dallas, USA
- Details
- Written by Brent Butterworth Brent Butterworth
- Parent Category: CEDIA Expo 2016 CEDIA Expo 2016
- Created: 16 September 2016 16 September 2016
CEDIA Expo 2016: Speakers, Part 1
There aren't many mainstream audio products featured at CEDIA, but there are innumerable boutique audio products designed for custom installation -- including, of course, lots and lots of new speakers. On the first day of the show, I saw new high-end tower speakers, and new in-wall and in-ceiling speakers. There were way too many to pack into one blog post; I'm planning at least one more CEDIA 2016 post devoted to speakers, one focusing on subwoofers, plus another devoted to wireless speakers and soundbars.
Here are some of the most interesting speakers I heard while walking the CEDIA Expo. All prices in USD.
KEF's Ci5160REF-THX is basically KEF's Reference 5 tower speaker reworked into an in-wall form factor. It packs four 6.5" woofers, plus KEF's trademark Uni-Q driver with a 5" midrange and 1" tweeter. The front baffle is machined from 11mm-thick aluminum, making it stiffer and more massive -- both especially good things in an in-wall speaker. The $10,000-each Ci5160REF-THX is also THX Ultra2-certified, something I can't remember seeing in a new in-wall speaker in several years.
Monitor Audio's CSS230 SuperSlim speaker is only 2" deep and goes where other in-ceiling and in-wall speakers can't: into walls slimmer than the 2" x 4" norm, which are commonly found in high-rise apartments and in renovations where builders want to gain an extra couple of inches of floor space. The $375-each CSS230 incorporates three 3" midrange-woofers with C-CAM composite diaphragms, a 3/4" C-CAM tweeter, and a removable cover in the back that converts it to a ported design. It's rated to 100Hz bass extension, or 85Hz in ported mode, but it must be used with a subwoofer crossover in ported mode.
The new Persona line represents Paradigm's most ambitious engineering effort yet. The speakers use not only beryllium tweeters but also beryllium midranges, which are rare and expensive because beryllium is brittle and difficult to shape. (It's also extremely stiff and light, which is why it makes a great diaphragm material.) The model shown here is the $8500-each Persona 5F, which has three 7" woofers, a 7" midrange, and a 1" tweeter. The flagship model, the $17,500-each Persona 9F Flagship, incorporates four 8.5" woofers powered by an internal amplifier and with built-in Anthem Room Correction, a first for a loudspeaker. I can't think of a lot of speakers that sound as clean, colorless, and dynamic as the Persona 9F Flagship did in the demo.
Polk Audio's budget-priced Signature Series speakers incorporate the PowerPort, a feature common on Polk speakers for decades, and which is said to allow an extra 3dB output from the bass ports without adding port noise. The design mimics the look of a guitar, with a woodgrain finish that wraps around the curved top; a glossy baffle inspired by a guitar's pickguard; and visibly prominent hardware intended to evoke the look of a guitar's bridge and tuning pegs. Left to right, the three tower speakers in the line are the $329-each S55, the $449-each S60, and the $249-each S50. The line also includes three bookshelf speakers that double as surrounds, and two center speakers -- one of which, the $299 C35, is just 4" high so it can be used in front of a TV or wall-hung.
Revel is one of the most respected speaker brands in high-end audio, so seeing the company's products half-buried in a fake garden came as something of a shock. The mushroom-shaped device in the back is the $3000 L12XC subwoofer, which has a 12" driver in an enclosure intended to be buried underground. It's intended to be used with multiple small satellite speakers, either the $750-each L41XC (center) or the $1250-each L42XC. Both incorporate 1" tweeters. The L41XC has a single 4" woofer, while the L42XC adds a second 4" woofer and an integral low-voltage light.
TruAudio's ST-SUB-8 4PAK is the least-expensive landscape speaker system the company has offered, and the company's first that uses standard 8-ohm (instead of 70-volt) inputs. The orange SubTerrain 8 bandpass subwoofer is mostly buried underground, while multiple satellite speakers (shown encircling the potted fern) each pack a 4" woofer and a 3/4" soft-dome tweeter. Most landscape speakers are quite costly, but the 4PAK costs just $2150 at retail with one sub and four satellites. The price for the 8PAK, with eight satellites, is $3298.
Brent Butterworth
Contributor, SoundStage!
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When I saw that Jo of The Book Jotter had posted a summary of the first six months of the year by putting six books into six different categories, I thought it was a great idea and the perfect way to look back on our reading so far in 2012.
You can see my own 'Six Sixes' below. I've changed a few of the categories slightly to suit my own reading and although some of the books I've read would fit into more than one category I've only listed each book once.
Six books I loved:
Here are some of my favourite books from the first half of the year. I loved Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles so much it was very tempting to include all six of them here, but I wanted to give other books a mention too!
1. The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett
2. Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini
3. Here Be Dragons by Sharon Penman
4. The Gods of Gotham by Lyndsay Faye
5. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
6. Mariana by Susanna Kearsley
Six books by authors who were new to me:
I hadn't read anything by any of these authors until this year and would be happy to read more books by all six of them.
1. The Last Summer by Judith Kinghorn
2. The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
3. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
4. Wonder Girls by Catherine Jones
5. Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay
6. The Hunger Trace by Edward Hogan
Six books with a mystery to solve:
I haven't read many mysteries or crime novels this year but I enjoyed all six of these – especially my first two choices.
1. The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King
2. Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters
3. Towards Zero by Agatha Christie
4. The Bull of Mithros by Anne Zouroudi
5. Every Secret Thing by Susanna Kearsley
6. Now You See Me by S.J. Bolton
Six books that took me back in time:
Historical fiction novels appear in most of my other categories too, but as it's my favourite genre I decided to give it a category of its own.
1. The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau
2. The Secret Life of William Shakespeare by Jude Morgan
3. The Midwife of Venice by Roberta Rich
4. The Sultan's Wife by Jane Johnson
5. The Adventures of Alianore Audley by Brian Wainwright
6. Treason by Meredith Whitford
Six classics I've read this year:
So far in 2012 I haven't read as many classics as I was hoping to. Here are six of them – I'm sure I'll be reading more over the final six months of the year.
1. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
2. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
3. Three Men on the Bummel by Jerome K. Jerome
4. Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
5. Sylvia's Lovers by Elizabeth Gaskell
6. A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
Six books that I had one or two problems with but am still glad I tried:
I found these books slightly disappointing but there were still some aspects of them that I liked.
1. Sacrilege by S.J. Parris
2. The Map of Lost Memories by Kim Fay
3. A Small Circus by Hans Fallada
4. The Land of Decoration by Grace McCleen
5. The Glovemaker by Stacia Brown
6. The Professor by Charlotte Bronte
So those are my sixes – will you be posting your own?


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As LexArts announced the 2013 schedule of Gallery Hop, it introduced a welcome new element to the successful downtown series – live music.
For the first time, LAMA (Lexington Area Music Alliance) has partnered with LexArts to provide live music performances at three Gallery Hop locations during each Hop. Live music is sponsored by McBrayer, McGinnis, Leslie & Kirkland PLLC for the 2013 Season.
During the first Hop on Feb. 15, attendees can enjoy the following performers:
• Low End Duo (Yoonie Choi, cello / Paul Reich, bass) at New Editions Gallery (807 Euclid Avenue)
• Ben Lacy & Bob Bryant (guitar/bass) at Bread Box Artist Studios (corner of Jefferson Street and West 6th Street)
• Adrea LaRoche (guitar/vocals) performing live aboard the Green Route LexTran Trolley
According to Tom Martin, LAMA president, the addition of live music to the popular Gallery Hop series is just one more sign that Lexington is on a roll. "Live music adds a great dimension to the Gallery Hop experience while calling attention to the city's growing music scene. Special thanks goes to LexTran for accommodating live music on a trolley that will connect the downtown and Chevy Chase galleries. The collaborative spirit between LexArts and LAMA and among all the participants is an exciting sign for our city."
Lexington Area Music Alliance (LAMA) is a professional organization created to encourage and support the production and performance of local music. LAMA is made up of musicians, venue owners and operators, promoters, civic leaders and others with a shared interest in the music community in and around Lexington. By all working together for a stronger music scene, LAMA is committed to making a better Lexington.


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Non-Tankers Next on OPA 90 List
In 2008 the USCG issued the tanker final rule for salvage and marine firefighting (SMFF) under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. This rule primarily required tank ships and barges carrying oils as defined in the 33 CFR 155 as cargo to pre-contract qualified salvors to promptly respond to a marine casualty in U.S. waters.
While tankers were the primary focus of the new rules, Non-Tankers – defined by the USCG as any vessel over 400 gross tons – waited quietly for a likely turn with SMFF requirements. Long stalled in Washington, the Non-Tanker rules were recently accepted by the Office of Management and Budget and will likely be issued as Maritime Reporter goes to press.
Why the Delay?
Raymond Lord, President of Donjon-Smit, explains succinctly: "Slow and steady often wins the race. Since the concepts of OPA90 regulations were first introduced in the wake of the Exxon Valdez disaster the world of emergency maritime response has continued to be an ongoing evolutionary process. Granted that was over 20 years ago but we need to step back and give credit to the progress that has been made thus far."
As is the case with most new rules to industry, prudent evaluation instead of an emotional rush often yields stronger rules for the good of all.
"Many factors must be taken into account when proposing legislation that will have a profound effect upon what may be considered the back bone of U.S. commerce - the shipping industry" Lord continued. "The new non-tank regulations will effect close to 20,000 vessels. The additional administrative burden for vessel owners, the USCG, as well as the approved salvage companies will be substantial. Again, the considerable time taken to develop and institute these new non-tank regulations will only be of benefit to all parties involved giving everyone time to make the proper adjustments and to ensure a smooth implementation process."
"The expected economic and procedural implications of the OPA-90 Non-Tank SMFF regulations on both government and industry are notable, so it was important to take the time to align all stakeholders prior to its implementation," said Maurice Denis, Regional Manager, SVITZER Salvage Americas. "However, with the successful entry of the Tank sector into SMFF compliance in February 2011, both the public and private sectors are now better prepared to take on compliance for the 16,000 vessels in the Non-Tank segment, which is likely driving the recent push we see now for Non-Tank SMFF enforcement."
Implementing SMFF rules for tankers first made sense, since their cargoes presented the greatest risk of a major disaster. Also, this created several indirect advantages to regulators. Working with an industry considerably smaller than the non-tank market, the already heightened regulatory culture for tankers resulted in a much easier implementation process, Lord said.
What does it mean to you?
The new regulations address the need to identify appropriate response resources, including diving, salvage, firefighting or lightering equipment and personnel, within Vessel Response Plans (VRPs). Expected to impact some 16,000 vessels, shipowners likely have already examined the new rules and their likely impact. That said, there remain as many unanswered questions as answers on what this means for shipowners and salvors alike.
Several leading salvage companies weighed in on the new rule, and the preparations necessary to ensure a seamless and painless implementation for shipowners.
"OPA 90 regulations place strict liability on the shipowner himself and as such it is critical for them to diligently evaluate to select the best contractor, and not just go by third party recommendations or fancy websites," said Mauricio Garrido, president, T&T Salvage. He added, USCG regulations concentrate on industry's ability to deploy proper equipment and personnel to a casualty in U.S. waters, no matter the cause.
"The OPA-90 Non-Tank SMFF regulations will now put emergency response and preparedness front and center within the vessel owner's business," said Denis. "The regulations will require shipowners to take more proactive measures to prepare for and mitigate the impact of an emergency situation, and at the same time will offer vessel owners more commercial predictability in case of a response."
Each firm contacted for this story insisted that shipowners first and foremost be diligent in vetting the prospective salvor to ensure that it is qualified, as well as being a match to the operator's global fleet profile.
"Salvage is a relationship-based business, where reliability and trust between shipowner and salvor is paramount for a successful emergency response," said Maurice Denis, Regional Manager, SVITZER Salvage Americas. "(This presents a) very unique opportunity for shipowners if they select a SMFF Provider which can offer them truly-global emergency response coverage and thus fully capitalize on these benefits anywhere their vessels transit worldwide."
Making the Case
Never shy about most things, Marine Salvors did not disappoint when queried about the road ahead and what each needs to do to be ready for what comes next.
Citing an inventory of prepositioned owned salvage and firefighting equipment, Garrido said that T&T Salvage meets compliance in all USCG Captain of the Port Zones and stands ready to support Non-Tankers for compliance with the new rules, as well as with capable response to actual emergences. According to Garrido, T&T Salvage holds more than 60% of tanker market share, with a client list that includes BP, Chevron, Conoco-Phillips, Kirby, SeaRiver, Mitsui OSK, Aramco and Maersk.
High profile, experienced players Smit Salvage and Donjon Marine teamed years ago to create Donjon-Smit; their OPA 90 face to the market. Today, they are considered by many as the leading provider of worldwide emergency response salvage services, said Raymond Lord, President Donjon-Smit LLC. "Currently we have a majority of the present tank vessel clients under contract and anticipate we will continue to lead with a dominant share of the non-tanker market as well."
At Resolve, Joe Farrell and his crew pride themselves on differentiation, finding and exploiting market specialties, while maintaining a full menu of salvage and emergency response.
"For response, non-tank owners can trust the same guys that met them in their office, or talked to them on the phone or communicated by email to be on the other end of the phone in an emergency," Matthew Hahne of Resolve Salvage & Fire (Americas) Inc. "In the early days, it was Joe Farrell that answered the phone and Joe that responded. Now, Joe has ensured everyone in his company has the same passion for response and customer service that he always showed."
Hahne pointed to three reasons that sets Resolve apart:
1. Firefighting. Continuously improving its response posture, it is the only emergency responder with a live-fire academy; one that has produced 30,000+ marine firefighters.
2. Commitment. Resolve has invested close to $20m on its equipment, ensuring compliance for not only Resolve, but clients fleets as well.
3. Funding Agreement. Resolve's funding agreement – as required by regulations – is owner friendly. It commits Resolve to immediate response and materials while mutually approved contracts are negotiated.
Hahne adds that Resolve has added more firefighting and emergency lightering equipment to the coasts and Great Lakes areas, equipment that is tailored to meet the needs of new non-tank peculiarities. Beyond this, Resolve has adjusted and increased staff. Lana Farrell is interacting with QI's and Owners on Client Services, and Daniel Dettor moved to London to better serve European clients.
Denis points out that Svitzer has been in the salvage business since 1833, providing a depth of experience that cannot be matched. "Secondly, being a truly global company, with offices and operations in more than 40 countries, enables us to offer customers a unique value proposition for OPA-90 response and compliance as well as global support," Denis said. Additionally, Svitzer has made a number of investments in anticipation of the Non-Tank regulations, including emergency response equipment that includes generators, compressors, firefighting pumps and foam, lightering pumps and subsea oil removal systems. "Our largest and most important investment thus far has been on human capital, including strengthening our own operational, technical and administrative organization, building relationships with key subcontractors, and training our marine firefighting assessors and response teams," Denis said.
(As published in the June 2013 edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News - www.marinelink.com)
Read Non-Tankers Next on OPA 90 List in Pdf, Flash or Html5 edition of June 2013 Maritime Reporter
Other stories from June 2013 issue
- "Lies, Damned Lies & Statistics" page: 6
- Maersk Rate Hikes Hitting the High Notes page: 8
- Does Svitzer Dominate the Indian Salvage Scene? page: 8
- What You Need to Know to Operate Offshore Brazil page: 10
- Why TWIC? page: 14
- Cargo Morphs in New Directions page: 16
- Annual Economic Sanctions Update page: 18
- Infrastructure for Alaska's LNG and Other Resources page: 22
- Non-Tankers Next on OPA 90 List page: 26
- Sail Safe BC Ferries' Safety Initiative page: 30
- Simulation Trends of Tomorrow page: 32
- Economic Impacts of STCW 2010 page: 34
- Breaking Down The Cost of MARPOL page: 36
- The Year in Review page: 40
- Dr. Shashi Kumar page: 44
- Boxed In page: 46
- Contamination Controlled page: 48
- If in Doubt, Ask the Doctor: Is it Time to Buy? page: 52
- Finnish Shipbuilding and Arctic Operations page: 54
- Irving Plans for the Future page: 55
- German Shipbuilding Prospects are Fair & Partly Cloudy page: 58
- Hull Medic: Keep Coats Efficient page: 72
- Diesel-Electric Units Prepared for Navy's AGOR Project page: 73
- Integrated Bridge Shaping the Future page: 74


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Brown 97D Rifles
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Long Range Accuracy and Big Game Reliability at All Distances
Core bonding is a flux welded fusion of the bullet jacket to the lead core so that they won't peel apart. The core mushrooms and smears back right along with the jacket and gives the bullet high weight retention so that it penetrates deeply. The Swift Scirocco takes this concept further with a special jacket design that's thick at the base and thinner at the bullet tip. This makes the bullet expand over a wide range of velocities from 1,440 fps to 2700+ fps. The design is capped off with a high ballistic coefficient and polymer tip to give the Scirocco flat shooting long range accuracy comparable to match grade target bullets.
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| Flat Rate $7.95 Bullets Only Shipping - Freight is prepaid to the 1st 48 states on our choice regular ground service only. Each Bullets Only order will have a Non-Refundable $7.95 Flat Rate Shipping charge, excluding AK, HI, PR, and VI orders, or any order where the customer pays actual freight & insurance. Orders shipping to AK, HI, PR, and VI or any customer requesting a different shipping method will pay actual freight & insurance. We reserve the right to ship by UPS, FedEx, commercial truck, U. S. Postal, or Speedy Delivery. As you know, bullets are heavy and shipping charges for traditional methods (UPS, etc.) are usually expensive. This $7.95 Flat Rate is for a single shipment of up to 15 lbs of bullets, packed in a single container for shipping. The shipping charge will be $7.95 whether you order 2 boxes, 5 boxes, 7 boxes or more (up to 15 lbs).
Out-of-stock and partially out-of-stock orders will be back-ordered, held, and shipped all together in one shipment as soon as we are re-stocked. (Back Orders aren't charged until they ship and split ship of partial back orders is available at $7.95/Shipment).


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In April, I guided a group of photographers on a three day instructional photo tour into southeast Arizona. I'd always heard about how great the birding and bird diversity are in that place, but seeing is believing.
With the heavy rains throughout last summer, autumn and winter, the vegetation was lush and the birds were scattered. Water was abundant so the bird concentrations were not as good as usual.
The weather was great. Our cabins were at about 5,000 feet so the temperatures were really nice. If I'd known how hot it was going to get in south Texas this year, I might have stayed on in Arizona.
The group did a lot of photography at my high-speed flash setup for hummingbirds. Because the birds were scattered, we only got three species of hummers…blue-throated, broad-billed and black-chinned. Everybody got tons of good images at the setup, however.
Click on an image to enlarge and sharpen it. Click on the right edge of each photo to bring up the next image.
This male black-chinned hummingbird was photographed with natural light at 1/400 second, f4 @ ISO 640 with the new Canon 7D II.
My first hepatic tanager (above) was shy but posed for a few images.
These painted redstart photos were my first, too. This hyper little bird was feeding young, but allowed our entire group to stand on the walking trail and photograph. Talking about a difficult exposure…a black and white bird with a red breast.
I left that magnificent hummingbird dream photo out in Arizona, but just seeing it was a big reward for the effort.


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My wife's second and last Civil War concession during our recent visit to the Crescent City, Metairie Cemetery proved a little frustrating. After taking the Canal Street trolley to its terminus, we de-streetcarred in an area surrounded by cemeteries (that's why, when you are looking for which streetcar to board, you look for the one that says "Cemeteries" – $3 for a 24 hour ticket).
You'll have to walk about a quarter-mile or so from the streetcar stop to the cemetery's pedestrian entrance, crossing Metairie Road and passing under I-10 in the process. This gets you to the entrance, which is very near the Civil War related "attractions" in the cemetery. Sounds simple, and it is – if the pedestrian entrance isn't padlocked. Which, of course, it was. So, we walked a long way, maybe half a mile, up Metairie Rd looking for another entrance, and we struck out. We walked back to the entrance and checked out the option of paralleling I-10 to another entrance, but you can't walk there. About ready to give up and head back to the streetcar, the wife called the cemetery office and about 20 minutes later a volunteer came to pick us up and take us to the main office at the north end of the cemetery. There we picked up maps (they have one geared for Civil War personalities) and set off. Of course, all the Civil War sites are in the older part of the cemetery, which is at the south end near the pedestrian entrance. The kind woman in the office told us she would have maintenance open the gate, so we would have a relatively short walk to the streetcar afterwards. Needless to say, my Fitbit was working overtime and I finished the day with over 10 miles walked, including a walk to the Superdome and a return trip to Bourbon Street.
Here are the photos. I apologize for being unable to find John Bell Hood's grave. Also note that there are plenty of other famous folks buried here, like Al Hirt, Louis Prima, Mel Ott, the founders of Popeye's Chicken and Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, and many more. Click on the images for bigger ones. Keep an eye out for the Easter Egg!
If true, very sad.
Army of Northern Virginia
General Richard Taylor
I hope you've enjoyed this three-part travelogue. I hope some day to get back to New Orleans to see more of the sights, Civil War and otherwise. But maybe when it's not so hot.


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Laytown (Irish: An Inse, meaning "the holm") is a village in County Meath, Ireland, located on the R150 regional road and overlooking the Irish Sea. Historically it was called Ninch,[2] after the townland it occupies.[3] Together with the neighbouring villages of Mornington and Bettystown it comprises the census town of Laytown-Bettystown-Mornington with a combined population of 10,889 at the 2011 Census, which is part of the wider area collectively known as East Meath. The 2016 Census recorded a population of 11,872 in the area which is now called Laytown-Bettystown-Mornington-Donacarney.[4]
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Simple Tips on How to Choose the Best House Cleaning Service
Prior to you schedule a house cleaning service …
When trying to find the finest home cleaning service, it's simple to get overwhelmed with details overload.
Sorting through websites, getting quotes, and speaking to each service provider could take numerous days, perhaps even weeks, to go through.
Even then, you still may not make certain whether you're getting the most out of your cash or not.
So to assist you browse the world of housekeeping, we're sharing 5 Insider Tips on How to Choose a House Cleaning Service.
You'll discover what to search for in a trusted home cleaning company, the best times to book, and how to make your cleaning company cheaper.
Make sure to read this before reserving anywhere if you've never ever reserved a housecleaning service prior to or are in the market for a brand-new clean service.
1. Minimize the Scope
Choose what you require cleaned in your house
What do you really need aid with?
Of all, it's important to take stock of the things you really want cleaned up because not all cleaning services perform the very same services. For instance, some do your laundry, make the beds, wash the dishes, etc.– so it's essential to know what you need before you book and make certain that the business you work with does those jobs.
Don't presume anything. Since it's not part of their service contract with you, there's nothing even worse than coming house and expecting the laundry to be folded and recognize it's not done.
If you're on a spending plan, choosing on what you truly require cleaned is a method to customize your cleaning to make it a little less expensive.
Perhaps all you actually require aid on is the kitchen and restrooms? Some cleaning services allow you to book cleansings for just parts of your house (normally the restrooms and kitchen area due to the fact that they're the hardest parts of the home to clean). Cleaning and wiping down of other surfaces they take care of themselves.
Or possibly you simply require some assist with your housekeeping once a month instead of every week or every two weeks? If you don't have kids, this is a more realistic choice, but even if you do, getting a break once a month can be something you eagerly anticipate.
2. The More Frequent the Appointments, the Better
Frequency matters
Need a month-to-month cleaning, bi-weekly, or weekly cleaning? Or maybe just a one time clean for leaving? Take an actually close take a look at how frequently you need home cleaning appointments. Possibly you can get away with bi-weekly cleanings rather of weekly?
With that in mind though, generally the more routine the service is the cheaper (in terms of expense per visit) it will be. Bi-weekly cleanings will be cheaper per visit, than regular monthly gos to, often costing just a couple of dollars more per month. You could also try going weekly, then changing your cleaning company later if you seem like you don't need it as frequently, or vice versa by going monthly and increasing the frequency if required.
Vacate and one-time visits will often cost the most per check out since of how intensive the cleaning is and due to the fact that it's not a continuous, routine service.
3. Look Up Reviews Or Ask Friends For Recommendations
Asking good friends, family and coworkers who have actually had employed a home cleaning company prior to for their suggestion can conserve you a great deal of headaches due to the fact that you can be fairly sure that if they had a great experience, you will too. That's one of the primary methods Scrubbi grew the method we did.
A side advantage of going through a cleaning service that was recommended you is that in some cases, they'll offer a referral credit to you AND a credit to the person suggesting you. It's a win-win for both of you.
If you don't have anybody to ask, or wish to do your own search, checking out up on a companies' client reviews can give you an idea of what you're entering into.
Look them up on Google, Yelp, Homestars, and their own site for reviews that individuals have installed.
4. Flat Rates and Walk-throughs
Flat rate is better
You know that jaw-dropping cleaning quote that's €100 less than the others?
Yes it sounds fantastic and all however you'll definitely wish to double check to see if it's a flat rate.
Opportunities are that it's not and that they've grossly under estimated the task.
When you believed you were getting it for about €170, which is how you could end up with a surprise €350 bill at the end.
Not only that, however the effectiveness and effort of the maids is not something you will know beforehand– a flat rate is more stable and makes sure that you know what you're spending for and aren't stunned when you see the last expense.
Do a walk-through
This is one we can't worry enough.
As soon as the cleaning has been done, do a walk-through with the cleaner to ensure that absolutely nothing has been missed.
This offers you a possibility to see if anything was missed out on or if an area of your house needs a bit more attention to be done a bit better.
Once the cleaners leave, it's essentially impossible to get them to come back the same day, so ensure whatever looks excellent before they leave.
If you can't be home at the time of service, make sure to do the walk-through as soon as possible. The more credible cleaning companies have a cleaning company guarantee however you generally need to notify them within 24 hours about any issues.
Visit our website: www.ecocleansolutions.ie
5. Search for A Better Cleaning Experience
There are drawbacks and benefits to each and those distinctions lead to big distinctions in regards to your experience.
Whatever from online consumer support chat to scheduling, visit tips, and more, we utilize innovation to develop a better customer experience for you.
We're likewise in advance with the costs and don't try to deceive you with "man-hours" or charge you for cleaning add-ons that you do not need.
Just what are "man-hours"?
What takes place is people fall into the trap of being estimated a rate per hour but they do not understand is that this rate per hour is per cleaner.
For example, if a company states they'll charge you €25 per man hour and 3 cleaners show up, you're actually being charged €75 per hour (3 x €25).
The other issue with charging by the hour is that the cleaners do not have an incentive to work harder or faster– in reality, they in fact have an incentive to go SLOWER!
Fortunately we've discovered a service to both these issues by charging a flat rate and offering our cleaners a benefit if you're pleased with your cleaning.
This ensures that you get the great quality cleaning that you're trying to find without the surprise expense at the end.
The "More Maids" fallacy
I get why people think that having more cleaners is better.
It makes sense to believe that having more maids will mean that your house will be cleaner and be ended up in less time than simply one.
That line of thinking is based on a couple of presumptions like: A) all housemaids are terrific at cleaning and B) there will be no chit chat or wasting of time while they're in your house.
While 'B' isn't as big of a problem, 'A' certainly is.
The fact is, it's hard enough to discover one great house maid that: takes notice of details, has the understanding to get out different stains on a range of surfaces, is dependable, appears regularly, and works effectively.
Having entire groups of 2, 3, or more terrific maids like that are– while possible -really, very rare.
Bonus offer: What to Look Out For in Move Out Cleaning Services
Relocating or out of your home? The above ideas still look for the a lot of part with some changes. Here's a fast summary of what to look out for:
Book early
Not just can it get more expensive as you get closer to the end of the month, bookings fill FAST. If you wait to long, you could miss out and need to clean the house yourself (which does not help when you're currently hectic) or you'll have to opt for any assistance you can discover– not precisely ideal for a time sensitive project like moving out of a home.
Flat rate is still better
Go for one that cleans for a flat rate instead of a hourly rate if you're scheduling a move-out service. The performance and effort of the housemaids is not something you will know in advance advertisement a flat rate makes sure that you understand what you're spending for and aren't hit with a shock when you see the last bill.
Do a walk-through
This is one we can't stress enough. As soon as the cleaning has actually been done, do a walk-through with the cleaner to guarantee that absolutely nothing has been missed out on. If you can't be home at the time of service, make certain to do the walk-through as soon as possible. The more trusted cleaning companies have a cleaning service guarantee however you normally need to alert them within 24 hours about any problems.
If you choose to go through an independent cleaner, sometimes they don't have a service guarantee and will immediately challenge any issues you claim if you bring it up with them. The exact same chooses anything that may have been stolen or damaged so once again, check your insurance coverage to see if you're covered.


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Rio military deployment stirs controversy in Brazil
- Published
Twelve days after Brazil's President Michel Temer deployed the military to boost security in the state of Rio de Janeiro, criticism about the move continues.
Officials have so far provided little detail about what has been achieved while residents complain about harassment and intimidation.
The general in charge of the operation said Rio was a "test case" for military deployments in other parts of Brazil.
The move came after a surge of violence in the state during Rio's carnival.
President Temer issued a decree on 16 February putting the military in charge of security in Rio de Janeiro arguing that he was "taking this extreme measure because the circumstances demand it".
The presidential decree was approved by Brazil's National Congress only four days later by an overwhelming majority.
While soldiers have been deployed to the crime-ridden neighbourhoods of Rio before and were also used to patrol the streets during the 2016 Olympic Games, the decree puts the army in charge of Rio's police force for the first time since a new constitution came into force in 1988 following the end of military rule.
About 3,000 soldiers have been sent to patrol the streets of the city. But questions have been asked about the effect of the operation.
Walter Souza Braga Netto, the general in charge, said on Tuesday that Rio was a "test case" but added that it was not up to him whether the military deployment should be expanded to other parts of the country.
In his first news conference since assuming his new role, he provided little detail of how he planned to reverse the spike in violence that Rio has experienced in the past two years, saying only that "the objective is what is in the presidential decree: recover the operational capacity of public security organs and lower crime rates".
Brazilian media has been critical of some of the measures taken by the soldiers, such as photographing residents and searching their belongings.
"It seems a case of discrimination, which ignores the presumption of innocence," columnist Vinicius Torres Freire wrote in Folha de S. Paulo.
Human rights activist Leonardo Sakamoto said that photographing and retaining people was a "bizarre" move targeting the poor.
All pictures subject to copyright.


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CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES: Hurt other people, apologize to Jesus, and get into Heaven.Read on »
Posts Tagged: lingo
The Redneck Dictionary of Medical Terms
Bacteria – Back door to cafeteria.Read on »
Neologisms and New Words Dictionary: A – L
Neologisms are alternate meanings for common words – a few of those, plus some new words from old ones.Read on »
Neologisms and New Words Dictionary: M-Z
Neologisms are alternate meanings for common words – a few of those, plus some new words from old ones.Read on »
A Women's Glossary
Argument (ar*gyou*ment) n.: A discussion that occurs when you're right, but he just hasn't realized it yet.Read on »
What Your Resume Really Means
I'm Extremely Adept At All Manner Of Office Organization: I can make my own coffee.Read on »
New Office Lingo
Author Unknown Adminisphere: Middle Management: the rarified organizational layers beginning just above the rank and file. Decisions that fall from the adminisphere are often profoundly inappropriate or irrelevant to the problems they were designed to solve. Assmosis: The process by which some people seem to absorb success and advancement by kissing up to the boss.Read on »
Hickbonics/English Dictionary
HEIDI – (noun): Greeting.Read on »
Dictionary of Evaluation Comments
Some of you might like to know what the supervisor is really saying in all those glowing employee work performance evaluations s/he keeps cranking out.Read on »
Job Advertisment Glossary
COMPETITIVE SALARY: We remain competitive by paying less than our competitors.Read on »
Jewish English or 'Hebonics'
The Encino School Board has declared Jewish English a second language. Backers of the move say the district is the first in the nation to recognize Hebonics as the language of many of America's Jews. Here are some descriptions of the characteristics of the language, and samples of phrases in standard English and Jewish English.Read on »
Parent's Dictionary
Amnesia: condition that enables a woman who has gone through labor to have sex again.Read on »
Computer Definitions
404: Someone who's clueless. From the WWW message "404, URL not found." Meaning that the document you've tried to access can't be located. "Don't bother asking him; he's 404."Read on »
College Glossary
Author Unknown ABSENT: (n) The notation generally following your name in a class record. ADMISSIONS OFFICE: (n) Where they take you to get you to admit you've mooned the keynote speaker during "new student weekend." ANATOMY: (n) One of those classes that sounds vaguely risque until you find out what it REALLY involves. BIOLOGY: (n)Read on »
Cheddarhead Dictionary
If you think you can deck yourself out in green and gold and walk around occasionally bellowing "Go-Pack-Go!" and qualify as a Wisconsin native… you're dead wrong. Youse gotta know the lingo too, ya-know, hey. For your enjoyment, here's an updated list of Wisconsinisms. This stuff drives a spell checker crazy.Read on »


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Senkaku Islands(redirected from Uotsuri-jima)
Also found in: Dictionary.
Senkaku Islands
Senkaku Islands (sĕnˈkäko͞o), small, uninhabited island group, 8 sq mi (20.7 sq km), Okinawa prefecture, extreme SW Japan, in the East China Sea. Located 90 mi (45 km) NNW of Ishigaki in the Ryukyu Islands, the group comprises five generally low-lying coral islands and scattered islets. Uotsuri-shima (2.5 mi/4 km long, 1 mi/1.6 km wide) is largest island. There are submarine oil deposits nearby. The islands, also known as the Pinnacle Islands and Diaoyu Islands, are claimed by China and Taiwan, and have been a source of regional tensions. Beginning in 2012 China repeatedly used ship and air traffic to challenge Japan's control of the sea and airspace surrounding the islands. In 2013 Japan and Taiwan signed an agreement that permits Taiwanese fishing in part of the exclusive economic zone around the islands.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia™ Copyright © 2022, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.


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AC Services in Lower Matecumbe Key
The Lower Matecumbe Key is located north of Craig Key. Like most of the Upper Key islands, the Overseas Highway cuts through most of the land. However, unlike some of the smaller surrounding keys, the highway does not limit the ability to have a large residential area, specifically off Palm Drive and Gulfview Drive. Because there is a larger permanent residential area, those seeking AC services in Lower Matecumbe Key as well as sales, repair, or maintenance may be able to find it nearby. Here are a few considerations that you should think about as you're looking for an HVAC/AC contractor in the Lower Matecumbe Key.
Native Americans and Railroads
The Lower Matecumbe Key has a history involving the Native Americans as well as the railroad line which brought about so much change to the Florida Keys, like most of the upper to middle keys. While a great many of the mounds and middens have been destroyed, there are a few sites that remain. The railroad line is no longer present on the island, but the development and layout established during that time still remain to this day.
Where, Exactly, Is Islamorada?
There is a bit of confusion regarding the location of Islamorada for those who are not native to the Keys. The Upper Matecumbe Key is where Islamorada was established. On November 4, 1997, the Lower Matecumbe Key was incorporated and both Upper and Lower Matecumbe Keys became part of a larger area of Islamorada. So, while the upper key has a claim to the original physical location of the city, Islamorada is associated with five different keys overall. If you are a bit confused, don't worry, the two islands are so close together that it really does not matter in the grand scheme of things.
Gulf Side Buildings
One of the advantages of the layout of the island is that most of the buildings are oriented to the Gulf. And while there are winds which blow from the gulf, there is a bit of shelter from the storms on the northern rather than the southern side of Highway One. That being said, it is a small island and therefore the elements of both the Atlantic and the Gulf come into play. The weather is generally temperate as a result, but this does not mean that residences should not have an HVAC/AC unit installed. The average temperatures in Lower Matecumbe Key during the summer range from the 80s to the 90s. While the breezes may stifle the heat a bit, a Lower Matecumbe Key AC maintenance consultation might be a good idea to learn how a unit could substantially lower the temperature in your home.
The Best of the Best
While there's an abundance of residential neighborhoods on the Lower Matecumbe Key, certified AC contractors in the area are few. There are a few AC services in Upper Matecumbe Key as well as other listings showing up in Marathon Key. Those who wish to have AC services in Lower Matecumbe Key along with repair or maintenance are encouraged to seek our premium services in the Lower Matecumbe Key. With our premium services and our outstanding customer care, you'll be happy you chose the pros at All Brands Corp, Inc.
As you prepare for the installation of an air conditioning unit in the Lower Matecumbe Keys, there are a few factors you need to consider before finalizing everything. You should note the water level, or rather the height above sea level where your unit will be installed. There are a great many waterways throughout the key, especially those around El Capitan Dr. and those perpendicular to Ponce De Leon Blvd., Bayview, Buttonwood Ln, and Toll Gate Blvd. Lower Matecumbe Key is only 10 feet above sea level, meaning that when the tides rise, there is a high probability of seasonal flooding. AC/HVAC systems should be installed high enough to avoid damage caused by flooding. Many houses are on stilts or otherwise elevated, which gives you a better idea about the level or height you should mount your HVAC or AC unit. Check with your AC residential contractor to find out more about the local regulations and stipulations.
For All Your Questions About AC Services in Lower Matecume Key, We Can Help!
Should you wish to find out more about AC sales, services, repair, or maintenance in the Lower Matecumbe Key area, there are plenty of AC services and repairs that are available to assist you. For more information about various aspects of AC and HVAC maintenance, brand analysis, components, as well as helpful articles on what to do in an emergency situation check out our air conditioning blog.
If you have any questions about AC services in Lower Matecumbe Key, or if you have general inquiries please contact a technician on our AC/HVAC team today!


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Taking Content Across Borders
Developing a successful content strategy is tough enough when your organization is restricted to one region or country. Extending your content marketing tactics to other major global regions – Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, etc. takes a lot of planning and consideration. Rebecca Lieb gives marketers some global content advice.
Regional Content Leaders: We recommend that every major global region (Europe, the Middle East, Asia, etc.) have someone who "owns" content marketing and content strategy. There should also be leaders on the country level.
It's important to have content managers on a local level to ensure that everything being published adheres to brand and cultural standards. Localization of content is also crucial. Content can't just be translated, it needs to be localized and adjusted for cultural differences. Best practice is to have in-country translators and local content teams.


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Email Newsletter Sign-up
Thank you for your interest in our Priority 7 email newsletter subscription! By signing up for this service, you will receive the latest inside information about Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Pennsylvania's outdoor adventure headquarters. Simply select the categories that most interest you and we will send you emails based on your preferences, highlighting incredible lodging offers, upcoming events, activities, news and more. Also, if you want to know when it snows and how much has fallen, you can sign-up for our snow reports!


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Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Branch announced that the deaths of two individuals, who were located inside a residence in the 3600 block of 13th Street, NW, have been ruled a homicide and a suicide.
On Tuesday, August 14, 2012, members of the DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the 3600 block of 13th Street, NW and discovered two unresponsive adult males inside the location.
The first victim, identified as 35-year-old Mesfin Nega of Northwest, DC, did not show any signs of life and was pronounced dead by a member of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The second victim, identified as 38-year-old Shimelis Yegaza of Aurora, Colorado, was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead on August 19, 2012.
The investigations into both deaths were conducted by members of the Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Branch. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the cause of death for both males to be acute phenobarbital intoxication. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled that Mesfin Nega's death was a homicide and Shimelis Yegaza's death was ruled a suicide.