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Back to Rep Firm Benchmarking Participants
Company Overview
For over 33 years, Permul Ltd. has been a trusted name in the food service industry. As a leading wholesale distributor and manufacturers' agent of commercial restaurant equipment, we have exclusive contracts with some of the most respected food service brands in the world.
Stephanie Perry President
Asha Rajan Accounting Manager
Janet Magno Office Manager
Jay Nimigon CPA, (Chartered Professional Accountant) Vice President Finance & Operations
Jeremy Cairnie Account Manager - Ontario
Jorge Da Silva National Strategic Accounts Manager
Lisa Lafond Corporate Chef/Territory Sales Manager
Marc Young Order Desk - Equipment
Marnie Rodgers Order Desk - Equipment
Permul Ltd. (Halifax NS Office) Mississauga, ON
Permul Ltd. (Montreal QC Office) Mississauga, ON
Permul Ltd. (Quebec City QC Office) Mississauga, ON
Permul Ltd. (Vancouver BC Office) Mississauga, ON
Rep Company
Brands - Equipment A-K
Aladdin Temp-Rite, BioZone, Carter-Hoffmann, Cooler Concepts, Dormont, Doyon, Franke Coffee Systems, Holman, Hoshizaki, Imperial Range, Jackson WWS, Josper Ovens, Kitchen BrainsBrands - Equipment L-Z
Lang, Modularm, Optipure, Panasonic, Sammic, Star, Toastmaster, Wells ManufacturingBrands - Supplies/Smallwares
BioZone Scientific InternationalProduct Categories - Overall
Equipment, Janitorial/Sanitation/DisposablesShowroom
YesTest Kitchen - Onsite
YesTotal Personnel for Rep Firm
12800 Company Phone
800-567-4432 (Canada Only)Region Code
26a - British Columbia, 26b - Alberta, 26c - Manitoba/Saskatchewan/Lakehead, 26d - Ontario/Ottawa, 26e - Quebec/Ottawa, 26f - AtlanticAdditional Rep Firm Regions
26a - British Columbia, 26b - Alberta, 26c - Manitoba/Saskatchewan/Lakehead, 26d - Ontario/Ottawa, 26e - Quebec/Ottawa, 26f - AtlanticTerritory
All of Canada for some products, British Columbia, Canada, Canada (Alberta), Canada (British Columbia), Canada (British Columbia The Yukon), Canada (Lakehead-Ontario-Manitoba-Saskatchewan), Canada (NB-NL-NS-PE), Canada (Northern and Eastern Ontario), Canada (Ontario and Maritime), Canada (Ontario and Quebec), Canada (Ontario), Ontario, Prince Edward Island, QuebecMTC Level (MAFSI Technology Certified)
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A lot of runners experience some minor soreness or pain after running several miles, but when should you think of having your foot pain checked out by a professional? I always advise any athlete to have foot and ankle pain evaluated by a podiatrist if the pain is persisting for more than 3-5 days.
Athletes can develop inflammatory issues such as capsulitis (soft tissue swelling around the joints), plantar fasciitis (inflammation of the plantar fascia) and Achilles tendinitis. If these inflammatory problems are not addressed with proper treatment, they can start to affect the way you run and how far you can run.
Treatment usually involves identifying what is causing the issue in the first place. Usually some type of biomechanical problem is occurring for your feet to develop these inflammatory problems and can easily be treated with the right tools and running advice.
At Advanced Podiatry, our doctors know how to treat runners and keep their feet healthy for training. If you are experiencing pain in your feet, call Advanced Podiatry at 813-875-0555 for an appointment today!

subset: commoncrawl


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Interested in knowing how many COVID-19 cases are in Southern California as of today? How many COVID-19 cases are in Northern California? How many COVID-19 cases are in all of California by historical date? This survey will graph the number of COVID-19 cases by date split up by the regions of Southern California and Northern California. I hope to update this daily – the data should be 12-24 hours old. I have attempted to graph the spread of COVID-19 (AKA coronavirus) in California (my home state). I hope that breaking this data down to specific regions may give us clues as to some of the properties of the virus.
Here are the two graphs:
I have arbitrarily defined "Southern California" as everything below Fresno County. Everything else is the North!
President Donald Trump once said that the coronavirus may go away with the warmer seasons. This is a general truth of respiratory viral infections – however, there is no reason to think this is certainly true or false for COVID-19. Will the above graphs give us any insights into this?
The "onset" of community spread is the date where case rise begins. The "onset" of NorCal is around 2/23/2020. The "onset" of SoCal is around 3/4/2020. SoCal's COVID-19 spread is roughly a week behind NorCal. This could very well mean that the respective region's "patient-zero" arrived 1-week apart. It can also mean that the patient-zero arrived at the same time, and something else (like weather, culture, or policy) affected its spread.
Look here for historical temperature of the two regions. Daily average temperate of LAX and SFO can be found in in their links. LAX is generally greater than 5-degrees Fahrenheit warmer than SFO. Could this explain the difference in disease onset date? SoCal started having an increase in cases on 3/4/2020. Interestingly, that follows about 3 days of colder SoCal weather where LAX is less than 5-degrees warmer than SFO.
Look, my informal survey doesn't prove anything. I'm just trying to show that a relationship with COVID-19 spread and temperature may be present. If this theory rings true, than future data would further support this pattern. Perhaps we will see a plateau in new cases with warmer temperatures. Let me yell yah, SoCal gets annoyingly hot. And if this pattern holds true, it will have profound implications. We can have less anxiety. Disneyland won't have to stay closed. I'll know what to do with that stock market.
Some weakness in my survey to keep in mind:
- I did not count COVID-19 deaths in the regions (should still be a small number as of today)
- based my data on paid news sites, so we gotta trust the sites
- likely there are more COVID-19 cases than what is tested. But the number tested should at least show the trend.
- I wish I was smart enough to blurt out math/statistic equations to show off my credibility. I'm not.
March 16, 2020 Update:
The virus continues to spread in my home state. I've though more about viral physiology in the context of this article post, so please allow me to share here. As we know, viruses are these little particles that infect other cells – they are not even considered "life" by most scientists (keep in mind that the definition of life is subjective and you can find well-qualified people arguing about what constitutes as life – that's a whole other story). A professor of mine explained it to me like this: think of a virus pathogen as a mouse trap. When it finds a suitable target, the spring is released, the trap "activates," and "rape" occurs in the microscopic level. The viral-particle-mousetrap injects its genetic code into the victim cell, hijacks the living organs of said cell, and forces it to make more copies of the viral-mousetrap with spring fully loaded.
So let's follow the journey of a COVID-19 virus. A new copy is made inside a human lung cell (epithelial cell) – let's call this specific COVID-19 copy "CORY". CORY, along with millions of its sisters are bundled up into mucous as soon as it leaves the epithelial cell. From the perspective of the infected patient, the body knows that the virus is a foreign body so it makes mucous to wash it out of the system. From the perspective of CORY, it gets a free ride out of the infected patient and into the environment. The infected patient coughs or sneezes. She catches the big luggie in a napkin, that's easy for such a classy lady. (my hypothetical infected patient is very attractive so don't be grossed out and don't be angry at her for being a COVID-19 spreader) But all the smaller microscopic mucous/saliva droplets are missed. It gets into her hands and then the stairway railing. Several minutes later, another person uses the railing. He walks up the railing, touches the railing, picks up the microscopic mucous droplet containing CORY, scratches his nose, then BOOM, we have another COVID-19 patient.
The fact that virus, such as the coronavirus, are non-living mousetraps is an interesting point. It means that it can't move or run. It can't repair itself. All it can do is stay still and hope that the right host will come into contact with it. Even if one small part of the virus breaks down, the whole trap mechanism will not work making it an impotent rapist. So in essence, the virus has to exist in ideal medium for it to stay functional. This medium is human saliva and mucous. I believe that COVID-19 has to exist in a hydrated, pH balanced, and electrolyte balanced medium to remain potent. Alter any of these factors (ie. dry out the mucous droplet) and the ability of COVID-19 to infect its next host drops significantly. This is why I believe weather may play a role in slowing down COVID-19. Its a contrarian idea, especially in these times where everyone seems to be going crazy.
So let's follow CORY's journey in sunny Los Angeles. CORY and his family gets deposited in the park railing under Los Angeles sunlight in 75 degrees temperature. The sunlight itself has strong UV light that destroys genetic material and proteins. The warm weather will dehydrate the mucous deposit quickly. Other people in contact with the park railing still pick up the microscopic mucous droplet – full of impotent viral particles. Gross as that may sound, at least that person doesn't get infected with potent COVID-19. There are so many environmental factors that affect how quickly the virus dries out, ie. if its in shade, if its on the under side of the railing, if its living in a crack in the surface. My point is that people can still potentially get infected with COVID-19 in warm/hot sunny weather, but how easily the virus infects the next person is greatly reduced. Stated in another way: how long COVID-19 can stay alive outside of the human body is much shorter in sunny hot weather versus cold humid environment.
The truth is that there are many details we are not certain about regarding this novel coronavirus. In these pessimistic times, I like to think that some of these details we learn in the near future may be positive.
~~~ the below is an advertising area to support my blog~~
During this virus season, you may have to telephone your doctor with a medical problem regarding yourself or a loved one. Give your doctor the most accurate clinical information possible so that they can treat you effectively. Medical equipment has become very affordable in today's internet age. Consider having these devices in your home as a safeguard – just in case you need them. The following are medical equipment needed to take "Vital Signs," the most fundamental piece of clinical information your doctor will use when assessing a patient:
- Thermometer for measuring temperature. You can buy thermometers here. NOTE! Thermometers are the best way to screen for COVID-19 currently. They are in high demand, so these items are completely sold out! You may need to check back here to buy one!
- Pulse oxymeter will measure your oxygen levels and heart rate. You can buy "pulse ox" here. Any serious viral infection, including COVID-19, can lower your oxygen levels. A low oxygen level should definitely trigger you to call your doctor for further advice.
- Blood pressure monitor will measure your blood pressure and heart rate. You can buy a BP monitor here. Any serious infection, including COVID-19, can lower your blood pressure drastically. If this were to occur, you should definitely call your doctor for further advice.


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Palestinian woman shot dead by Israeli soldiers
A young Palestinian woman shot by Israeli forces after she reportedly attempted to stab a soldier at a checkpoint in the occupied West Bank has died. The woman, named as a university student, was fatally wounded at the checkpoint near the center of Hebron around 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday. "The attacker attempted to stab a… Read More Palestinian woman shot dead by Israeli soldiers


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Winter is right around the corner (and quite possibly at your front doorstep depending on where you live).
And even though I am not a fan of it, what I am a fan of is boots. Boots are a style essential for any man, and when your toes start to freeze, there's no better time to break them out.
What type of men's winter boots is trending right now?
Have a look:
(BTW These winter boots are not in order from most stylish to least stylish, but instead, they go in order from least to most suitable for wintertime. It's just easier that way, so make sure you check them all out.
I love chukkas. They are not only stylish but they are versatile as all hell.
Their only downfall, is most of the nice chukkas you will find are suede. Suede and water don't mix, so avoid rocking suede chukkas in the rain or snow and grab a leather pair instead. But on a cold day, when you're layering up, a nice pair of chukkas will keep your feet warm while making you look a little more distinguished. Overall they are a great winter boot for men.
We have picked out two pairs of chukkas which I totally dig, mostly the second from East Dane:
1) Dunn Cradled Tan Chukka – $95.00
These are a beautiful pair of chukka's, plus they are leather which is ideal for a man's winter boot.
2) Wolverine 1880 Julian Suede Chukkas – $155
These bad boys are handcrafted from suede with smooth leather trim. The single-piece toe and 3-eyelet design create a versatile style. Again, while great for the cold, not great for rain or snow, being they are suede. For more options on chukkas go here.
Lace-ups are a great look. This kind of boots go great with skinnier jeans and are my personal pick for casual events. A nice pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and some lace-ups boots will put your head and shoulders above the other guys in the room. Not only are they great winter boots, but they are great any season boots for men.
3) Clae Hamiltons – $140
In my opinion, Clae makes some of the best men's shoes on the planet. They are my personal favorites, and I personally own 5 pairs, 3 being Hamiltons. I have had my hamilton for 2 years now, and they look better than when I bought them. Most stylish boot out there, in my opinion, hands down.
4) Wolverine 1883 Ramon 6″ Boots – $195.00
For a more sturdy and rugged look, check out something like Wolverine 1883's. These boots are handcrafted with pebble leather and boat a thick rubber sole. They will outlast any winter storm while keeping you looking great.
Wingtip Boots
Next up are wingtip boots. Wingtip boots are pure class, and yes – they look great in the winter, summer, spring, or fall. They can take a normal outfit and dress it up immediately and are perfect for events, dates, and formal occasions.
5) Grenson Sharp Cap Brogue Boots – $440
These are great-looking boots. A bit pricey, but worth it in the long run.
Chelsea Boots
I'm not a fan of Chelsea's, in fact, I have never owned a pair. But most of my good friends have, and I know a lot of guys are into them. The great thing about Chelsea's is that they hold up in the snow and other wintery elements. Unlike chukka's, they won't go to ruin and still look great. They are better for guys who don't dig the skinny jeans and want something that will go over the ankle and rest on the top of the boot.
6) H&M Leather Chelsea Boot – $99
This is our first pick of Chelsea's, because you just can't beat the prices at H&M. And surprisingly, they look pretty damn good.
7) Montague 1000 Mile Chelsea Boots – $290
For something a little more sturdy and classy, check out these montague 100 miles chelsea boots. Or check out others like them at East Dane's chelsea boot section.
Stylish Weather Boots
Okay, so this post is a winter 2014 boots guide. Yeah, we showed you how to look good, while protecting yourself from the elements. But what about extreme elements, like those dudes from Alaska, or for guys who like to track through the wilderness in sub-zero temperatures and still maintain a sense of style.
8) Tretorn Garde Stovel Vinter GTX Boots – $200
What I love about these Treton winter boots are the sherpa interior and Gore-Tex® lining. Yeah, they have mixed leather upper with canvas insets that look awesome, but you know no matter how cold it gets your toes are staying toasty warm in these boots.
9) Tretorn Gunnar Boots – $95
These are awesome-looking men's boots that are pretty much one of the only pairs of boots I've found that would look awesome going to a bar in, and then would fully protect you walking through wet snow. They are lined with a rubber shell and have a fleece sock liner and rubber sole.
The I'm Shoveling Snow, But My Neighbors Hot And I Still Wanna Look Kinda Good Boots (A.K.A Duck Boots)
This last category of boots is for straight-up climbing a small mountain or shoveling snow, while still maintaining a sense of style. While most winter boots of this fashion are not built for performance, they lack style. But Sorel and Hunter have changed that.
10) Sorel Men's Caribou Boot – $140
Featuring a nubuck leather upper with waterproof construction, seam sealing and a removable ThermoPlus™ felt inner boot for warmth, comfort, and protection in any weather, these boots are a great conservative pick.
Bonus: 11) Hunter winter boots – $165
I linked straight to hunter's website, instead of just one boot, because that's how badass these men's winter boots are. Their winter boots are built for outlasting anything, from intense rainfall to extreme winter elements. See which ones you like.
Men's Winter Boots: Honorable Mention
There are a lot of good-looking winter boots out there for men. We could leave out a couple of brands that look great while providing awesome winter protection.
Men's Winter Boots Honorable Mention #1
The North Face – $150.00
The North Face makes quality winter boots and they look badass. If you are thinking of climbing Everest, and you want to do it in style, check out The North Face.
Men's Winter Boots Honorable Mention #2
UGG's For Men – Butte – $225.00
This is an honorable mention because Uggs are kinda girly, and even this winter boot for "men" is kinda girly. But some guys might like that. So to each his own. Wear it proudly.
Men's Winter Boots Honorable Mention #3
The Scott Derby Winter Boot – $510
This is a beautiful men's boot, but the reason they are shunned to the honorable mention list is because of the whopping price tag of $510.00. Nevertheless, they deserved a shout-out.
PS. On a different, but related note, if you are into hiking, HERE and HERE you can find some excellent trekking poles!
In Conclusion
There are a lot of winter boots of out there for men. And needing them doesn't mean you have to compromise on your look. Check out all the above brands and do some research for yourself to see what winter boots will be right for you.
And let us know your favorite brand or if you have any suggestions in the comment section below!
Hey guys, I'm Sean a self improvement enthusiast with over 10 years experience in the health and wellness industry. My mission is to help you become the best version of yourself.
Certifications: Certified Life Coach, Dating Coach, Nutritionist


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Alexandria, VA. – Commercial Window Film was applied to a Navy Federal Credit Union Location in Alexandria Va., to obscure the contents of the ATM room. The "White Out" product that was chosen, creates an almost opaque effect on the glass, allowing partitions to be built against the glass.
Commercial window Film's are available in varying opacities, colors, and patterns. When selecting Commercial Window Film, it is important to consider the desired effect. Do you need total privacy? Is it being used simply as a distraction? Will the glass being treated have structures built near it that need to be obscured? All these factors are important to your final selection.
XLNT Tint Window Tinting of Owings, MD has provided installation of window tinting for homes and commercial buildings throughout the Washington, DC metropolitan area for more than 20 years.
Our window tint film is attractive, durable and energy efficient, reflecting solar energy heat in summer and keeping in heat in the winter.
Glass window film also reduces glare, blocks 99% of ultraviolet rays, increases privacy and provides added security against break-in, vandalism and graffiti.
Learn More About XLNT Tint:
- Residential window tinting – Colors and shades to fit every home – and budget
- Commercial window tinting – Cut energy costs while boosting security and privacy
- Custom window tinting – hundreds of decorative film prints, patterns and transparencies
Our company is fully insured and is one of only a few licensed glass tinting contractors in the DC area. Please ask to see our references.
Contact XLNT Tint today at 410-257-5511, or browse the website for more information about our products and services.


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Who we are
Washington Communities for Children (WCFC) Olympic-Kitsap Penninsula is a network of coalitions dedicated to improving the well-being of children, families, and communities. Ten WCFC Regions across the state that have trusted relationships with over six-hundred organizations and individuals. Trusted partners include early learning providers, social service agencies, early intervention services, child welfare organizations, libraries, juvenile courts, school districts, public health agencies, higher education, families, and many others.
Connecting local and statewide efforts to improve the wellbeing of children, families, and communities.
Washington Communities for Children is made up of ten regions, each serving their respective counties.
Stay up-to-date and join our newsletter.
find my region
Connect with organizations involved in your local community.
Help us expand our impact.


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Move over, Kardashians. The Gutierrez family is so back, and for their reality TV show's second season, it's going to be bigger, better, and bolder. Come October 5, 2014, It Takes GUTZ To Be A Gutierrez will once again conquer the primetime slot every Sunday with new dramatic twists and turns plus more shocking revelations. If you remember, we already gave you five reasons why you need to tune in for the next season of this hit reality show. And since we can't contain our excitement any longer, here are five new things you need to watch out for as soon as it's back on E! next month.
A New International Director
This season, It Takes Gutz To Be A Gutierrez flies in a new director all the way from down under. Karen Appathurai Wiggins, Australian director and series producer known for her work in various international franchises of reality TV shows such as The Real Housewives of Melbourne and Formal Wars, promises to deliver a more exciting experience with the Gutierrez family by tackling each member's challenging and most pressing issues.
The New Baby
Elvis Gutierrez and long-time girlfriend Alexa Uichico weren't so much in the limelight during the first season, but come October, we're going to see more of this couple as we dig deeper into the lives of each family member. And with a baby girl on the way, we're guessing it's safe to say that there's another Gutierrez waiting to steal the show.
A New Love
"Whether my mom likes it or not, I'm ready to fall in love again," declares the unica hija of Eddie Gutierrez and Anabelle Rama. And since Ruffa Gutierrez already confirmed this big news, we now know there's one more thing we can watch out for aside from her #OOTDs this season.
The New Family
Last season, social media buzzed over the newest addition to the Gutierrez clan— Richard Gutierrez and Sarah Lahbati's bundle of joy, baby Zion. Spotted at the press con wearing a Rajo Laurel suit no less, this stylish baby boy is indeed already a celebrity in his own right. And have we mentioned that Sarah's officially included in the main cast this time around? We can't wait to see how she and Richard will develop as a couple and as parents. As much as we'd love to say we're hearing wedding bells anytime soon, like you, we can only wait and see.
A New Shocking Surprise
During the press con for season two, Raymond Gutierrez revealed that if Richard had the biggest revelation last season, it's going to be his turn this time around. It does take some guts to say that, don't you agree? Thanks for the heads-up, Mond!
Now, if there's really a bomb waiting to explode, you don't want to be the last one to know.
Photos from @richardgutz @sarahlahbati @iloveruffag @mondgutierrez @alexauchico on Instagram
Hey, Preview readers! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Tiktok, and Twitter to stay up to speed on all things trendy and creative. We'll curate the most stylish feed for you!


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Flavius Armatus[1] (died 477), also known as Harmatius, was a Eastern Roman military commander, magister militum under Emperors Leo I, Basiliscus and Zeno, and consul. He was instrumental in the rebellion of Basiliscus against Zeno, and in his subsequent fall.
Flavius Armatus
|Byzantine Empire
|Magister militum, consul
Origin and early careerEdit
Armatus was a nephew of Basiliscus and of Empress Verina, the wife of Leo I. It is known that Armatus had a son, also named Basiliscus. During the last part of Emperor Leo's reign, Armatus, as magister militum per Thracias, successfully quelled a revolt in Thrace, cutting off the hands of the Thracian prisoners and sending them to the rebels. It is possible that the rebels were men of the Thracian Goth Theodoric Strabo, a military commander under Leo, and hence this revolt would have been the one started by Strabo between the death of Aspar (471) and the end of Leo's rule (473).[2][3]
Rise of BasiliscusEdit
Armatus supported the rebellion of Basiliscus in 475, probably gaining also the support of Verina, who was the mother-in-law of deposed Emperor Zeno, for the rebels. During the short reign of Basiliscus, Armatus exercised noteworthy influence on both the emperor and his wife and Augusta Zenonis. There were rumours about a relationship between Armatus and Zenonis. Zenonis convinced Basiliscus to appoint Armatus to the office of magister militum praesentalis. Armatus was also awarded the consulship of 476, together with Basiliscus.[3][4]
Armatus was a sort of dandy, who was interested only in his own hair and other body training, and Theodoric Strabo despised him for this reason. Strabo, therefore, grew unsatisfied with Basiliscus, whom he had helped in his uprising against Zeno, because he had given the title of magister militum praesentalis, a rank as high as Strabo's own, to such a man.[3][4]
After the honours and wealth received by his uncle Basiliscus, Armatus thought of himself as the bravest of the men, dressing as Achilles and parading around his house near the Hippodrome.[5] During his wandering, the people called him "Pyrrhus",[6] either because he was of reddish complexion or because they were teasing him.[3][4]
Fall of Basiliscus and Armatus' deathEdit
In the summer of 476, Zeno moved from Isauria to regain his throne, and bribed both the Basiliscus' generals Illus and Trocondus to join him. Basiliscus gathered all of the troops from Thracia, the city of Constantinople and even the palace guard, and, after binding Armatus with a loyalty oath, sent them to meet and defeat Zeno. When Armatus met Zeno, however, he was bribed into joining the Isaurian emperor, who promised him the title of magister militum praesentalis for life, his son, Basiliscus, the title of caesar, and the qualification as heir to Zeno.[3]
After his restoration, Zeno fulfilled his promises, letting Armatus keep his title of magister militum praesentalis (possibly even raising him to the rank of Patricius) and appointing his son Basiliscus Caesar in Nicaea. In 477, however, Zeno changed his mind, according to Evagrius by the instigation of Illus, an Isaurian general who had helped Basiliscus' rise and later changed sides to Zeno, and who would have gained by the fall of Armatus.[7] Armatus was killed, on Zeno's orders, by Armatus' own friend Onoulphus, who, as a poor barbarian, had been welcomed by Armatus, then made comes, then commander of Illyricum; Armatus even lent him a great deal of money to pay for a banquet. The citizens of Constantinople rejoiced after his death. Zeno confiscated all of the properties of Armatus, deposed his son Basiliscus, and had him ordained priest.[2][3][7]
Relationship between Armatus and OdoacerEdit
A 1986 publication by Stephan Krautschick opened the study of Armatus' life to new interpretations, in particular the relationship between Armatus and Basiliscus' family and Odoacer, chieftain of the Heruli and later King of Italy.[8] Krautschick's assertion, which has been adopted by subsequent scholars,[9] was that Armatus was the brother of Onoulphus and Odoacer, so that the leader of the Heruli was also nephew of Basiliscus and Verina. In particular, this interpretation sheds light on why Armatus was so keen to help Onoulphus, and that it was his own brother that killed him.[10]
The link between Armatus, Odoacer and Onoulphus is based on a fragment by John of Antioch, in which Onoulphus is stated to be the murderer and the brother of Armatus.[11] Before the work of Krautschick, and also according to other scholars, the reading was emended to read that "Odoacer was the brother of the Onoulphus who killed Armatus". This amendment made the fragment of John compatible with the accounts of other historians, since neither John Malalas nor Malchus make any reference to the fact that Armatus was killed by his own brother, and no reference is made to a blood relationship between Odoacer and Basiliscus.[12]
- ^ Also Harmatus and Harmatius; Greek: Ἁρμάτιος, romanized: Armatios, and Greek: Ἁρμάτος, romanized: Armatos
- ^ a b Suda, s.v. Ἁρμάτιος. "Ἁρμάτιος (Armatios)". Suda. Archived from the original on 2013-01-13. Retrieved 2006-08-27.
- ^ a b c d e f Martindale, J.R. (1980). The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire. Cambridge University Press. pp. pp. 148–149. ISBN 0-521-20159-4.
- ^ a b c Suda, s.v. Ἁρμάτος."Ἁρμάτος (Armatos)". Suda. Archived from the original on 2013-01-13. Retrieved 2006-08-27.
- ^ The Hippodrome was in the central part of the city. The imperial palace was directly connected to it.
- ^ Pyrrhus means "red like the fire", and was the name of Achilles' son, Neoptolemus.
- ^ a b Evagrius Scholasticus (1846). "III.24 Death of Armatus". Historia Hecclesiae. transl. E. Walford. London: Samuel Basgster and Sons. Retrieved 2006-08-27. Evagrius reports that Basiliscus, the son of Armatus, later became bishop of Cyzicus.
- ^ Krautschick, Stephan (1986). "Zwei Aspekte des Jahres 476". Historia. 35: 344–371.
- ^ For example, Armory, Patrick (1997). People and Identity in Ostrogothic Italy, 489-554. Cambridge University Press. pp. 282–283. ISBN 0-521-52635-3. and Demandt, A. (1989). Die Spätantike: römische Geschichte von Diocletian bis Justinian 284-565 n. Chr. Munich. p. 178.
- ^ Armory, People and identity, pp. 282f. Scholars accepting this interpretation claim that Basiliscus would have been of barbarian origin, but took a Latinized name to mark his (possible) conversion from Arianism, an act necessary to set a serious bid for the throne. The necessity to erase any reference to their barbarian origin in order to become emperor is attested also for other figures: apart from the Isaurian Tarasicodissa, who changed his name to the more Greek Zeno, the son of the Alan Magister militum Aspar was called Iulius Patricius, with a Latinized name, and Aspar was able to have Leo I elevate him to the rank of caesar in 470; however, Aspar was obliged also to promise the conversion of his son to Catholicism before his elevation. Also, the almost contemporary revolts of Odoacer in Italy and Basiliscus in Constantinople (475) would acquire a meaning in this new light.
- ^ John of Antioch, fragment 209.1; translated by C.D. Gordon, The Age of Attila (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan, 1966), pp. 122f
- ^ Macgeorge, Penny (2003). Late Roman Warlords. Oxford University Press. pp. 284–285. ISBN 0-19-925244-0.


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Is your order management system missing important features? Do you know which products you're out of and when to reorder more? Order management is such a critical process to companies that it can very well make or break your business. A poor order management system can become very frustrating and time-consuming if you try to remember when, how much, and from whom to order on paper or in Excel. Excel spreadsheets were never designed to handle a heavy order load or to make it possible to automate many parts of the order management process.
The Importance of Automation
You need an automated order management system to make your job easier. Don't settle for overpriced software when you can get the same (or better) functionality for a fraction of the cost with Fishbowl Manufacturing and Fishbowl Warehouse. You don't need a full ERP to handle your order flow. Fishbowl's order management features are more than adequate for most small and midsize businesses that are looking to upgrade from Excel and other simple solutions without having to break the bank.
Fishbowl gives you all the tools you need to manage your orders, from selling and shipping to purchasing and receiving. Fishbowl shows you where your inventory is at all times. Plus, Fishbowl's features are scalable, so you can stay with the same order management system for the long term instead of having to learn a new one every few years when you outgrow your old one.
Reporting is also an essential tool in any order management system, so Fishbowl offers dozens of prebuilt reports and it also has the option to create custom reports for you. You can use these reports to check each product's gross sales, monitor profit margins to see if you're pricing your products appropriately, and keep track of each customer's purchase history using numerous filters to get to exactly the right data you're looking for. And that's just a small sample of all of the reports available from Fishbowl.
Auto Reorder Points
Fishbowl lets you easily create auto reorder points based on past sales and future projections. You can also manually create company-wide or location-specific reorder points. Simply hit the Auto PO (Purchase Order) button and Fishbowl will calculate how much to order and from whom. Once you have reorder points set up and an item reaches its reorder point, Fishbowl automatically creates a PO for that item containing the preferred vendor and the proper quantity. You can immediately issue the PO to the vendor or alter it first and then issue it. This function is a huge time saver!
Quick Find Functionality
Along with the purchasing process, every company needs to be extremely efficient in its sales process. Fishbowl helps you achieve that with its ability to easily find the right product using its Quick Find feature. It shows an image of any product and its current quantity, location, and other relevant data to help you find it. Fishbowl also integrates with a number of merchant services and payment gateways, such as Authorize.Net, CardConnect, QuickBooks Payments, and Square. These allow you to process payments through all major credit cards, like Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. That way, your sales representatives don't have to log into QuickBooks to process payments. They can do it right through Fishbowl's interface, and then Fishbowl sends that information along to QuickBooks to be recorded in the general ledger.
Emailing Customers
Once an order is issued and shipped, Fishbowl will ask if you want to send your customer an email with the appropriate tracking information and packing list. This email will also have the sales order attached, and you can customize the To, Cc, Bcc, and Body fields. This is a great tool to keep your customers in the loop when they are expecting products to be shipped to them. They can check the progress of their shipments on their own rather than calling your company and tying up your resources to get updates.
Fishbowl gives you all the tools necessary for a clean and efficient order management system.


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New expansion announced for Uncharted Waters Online
Netmarble announced an expansion for Uncharted Waters Online, allowing players additional ship building choices. Players can choose materials for various parts of their ship, which further determines the ship's capabilities and durability.
Players will also attain "Steering Proficiency" with their new ships, giving them more control while sailing, and opening up more options for customization. The update also promises to expand the chat system, so players may talk globally.
Netmarble also publishes Mini Fighter Online.
Uncharted Waters Online Gameplay Screenshot
Man the Starboard! Uncharted Waters Online Is Experiencing A Sailing Revolution with the Release of A New Shipbuilding System
With New Ways to Improve Your Ship and Sailing, Players Have More Options to Become a Nautical Superpower
This Release's Tags
Action RPG, CJ Internet, MMO, MMOG, MMORPG, Mac, Massively multiplayer online role-playing games, Online Games, Online Multiplayer, Online RPG, PC, PC gaming, action, freemium, online gaming
Seoul, South Korea – August 31, 2011
CJ E&M announced today an expansion of ship building choices in the seafaring MMO Uncharted Waters Online, along with additional updates. In the nautical adventure, a stealthy and fast ship is a vital asset, but the previous shipbuilding options were limited and prevented customization. With the additional features to shipbuilding, players will be able to upgrade and customize their vessel to get the upper hand against other voyagers.
Players can choose the materials for the hull, sails and gunport to build their own unique ships. How you combine the materials and equipment will decide how durable and capable your ships are and contribute to success or failure for the expedition. Not only are players offered more options, as they become familiar with their ship they can attain 'Steering Proficiency,' which gives players more control while sailing and additional shipbuilding options. With all upgrades and customization, ships will attain higher resistance to the rough weather. If a player receives a 'Wave resistance' higher than 11, their ship will have the power to pass through a storm or blizzard, flying past opponents to victory!
Check the website for details on the Shipbuilding System: http://global.netmarble.com/uwo/guide/customShipbuilding.asp?mCode=4
These new changes will also update Premium Ticket. Premium Ticket consists of the most needed items of Uncharted Waters Online, and among them, one item is randomly given to the players to assist with gameplay. To celebrate the new shipbuilding update, the new Premium Ticket will consist of the items related to the new custom shipbuilding, such as 'Emergency Shipbuilding', 'Special Shipbuilding Improvement Permit', and 'Special Shipbuilding Dismantlement Techniques'.
Additionally, CJ E&M is providing players with new ways to communicate and explore uncharted territory. Currently the chatting system limits communication to players within a certain distance. But with this update, the chatting system is open to the world, so players now can talk to others located anywhere in the Uncharted Waters Online!
These new updates provide continued ways for players to explore Uncharted Waters.
To start playing Uncharted Waters, visit the homepage: http://global.netmarble.com/uwo/
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As we see in scripture, when Jesus ministered to people, he often times met their physical needs first. We do well to learn from His example. With God's help, we launched the Pathways Project in Chisinau, Moldova. Pathways is a ministry to "at risk" young people. These are kids from very difficult home situations or kids that are aging out of the State run orphanages in Moldova. These kids must leave their orphanages after the 9th grade. These girls and boys are about 16 years old. They are extremely vulnerable and without some type of intervention, many of them may be at risk to become victims of human trafficking.
We want to offer these young people a safe place to stay. We want them to see, first-hand, the love of Jesus Christ through their mentors, peers, and the Body of Christ in Moldova. Together, we will help them continue their education, develop life skills, and integrate into mainstream society. All while pointing them to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Pathways is the "Core" project of Crossroads Compassion Project. The average cost to support a girl or boy is about $100 USD per month for basic care.


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common name: palmetto scale
scientific name: Comstockiella sabalis Comstock (Insecta: Hemiptera: Diaspididae)
Introduction - Distribution - Description - Life Cycle - Hosts - General PLant Damage - Management - Selected References
Introduction (Back to Top)
The palmetto scale, Comstockiella sabalis Comstock, is probably native to the southern United States, and is not normally a significant pest as long as appropriate parasitoids are present. When palmetto scale arrived in Bermuda as an invasive species in the 1920s, parasitoids were not present and severe damage as well as tree death occurred for a native palm species, Bermuda palmetto, Sabal bermudana. Management of palmetto scale was achieved by introducing parasitized palmetto scales from Florida to populations on heavily infested Bermuda host plants. The identity of the parasitoids was not confirmed at the time (Evans and Pedata 1997).
Figure 1. Adult female palmetto scale, Comstockiella sabalis Comstock, with exuviae, or shed skin, present. Photograph by Avas Hamon, FDACS-Division of Plant Industry.
Distribution (Back to Top)
Palmetto scale is distributed throughout the southern United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, and may be found in greenhouses on appropriate host plant material in more temperate regions (Evans and Pedata 1997, Miller and Gimpel 2009).
Description (Back to Top)
Females are light pink to reddish brown, have an almost circular but irregular shape; and are between 0.039 - 0.059 inches (1-1.5 mm) in diameter. Their exuviae or shed skin is white, covered with yellow wax, and is slightly off-center to the body of the scale. Eggs are light pink or cream. The male puparia is light pink or cream in color, wingless, very similar to the female but it is smaller and more elongated. Similar to other male scales, adults (if known to be present) are winged, rarely seen, and short-lived (Comstock 1883, Dekle 1965, Ferris 1938, Miller and Davidson 2005).
Figure 2. Light-colored pink to red body of the adult female palmetto scale, Comstockiella sabalis Comstock. The oval exuviae, or shed skin, has been removed. Photograph by Avas Hamon, FDACS-Division of Plant Industry.
Figure 3. Adult female palmetto scale, Comstockiella sabalis Comstock, with exuviae, or shed skin, present. Photograph by Avas Hamon, FDACS-Division of Plant Industry.
Figure 4. Light pink to cream eggs of the palmetto scale, Comstockiella sabalis Comstock. Photograph by Avas Hamon, FDACS-Division of Plant Industry.
Life Cycle (Back to Top)
Details specific to the palmetto life cycle are unknown, but it is reportedly often associated with a fungus (Miller and Davidson 2005).
Hosts (Back to Top)
Palmetto palm is fairly host-specific, and reported damage has focused on palms. An exception to its palm-focused host range includes reported infestation of globe daisy (Globularia salicina, family Globulariaceae) (Miller and Gimpel 2009).
Reported palm (family Palmae) hosts include the following:
- Cocos spp., coconut palm
- Erythea spp., Mexican blue palm, San Jose hesper palm
- Sabal spp., cabbage palm or sabal palm, dwarf palmetto
- Serenoa repens, saw palmetto
- Washingtonia robusta, Mexican fan palm
General Plant Damage (Back to Top)
Palmetto scale is commonly found on leaves of its hosts, but may be found on the trunk or the fruit particularly with high infestations. Feeding damage is evident as yellow leaf splotches or an appearance of chlorosis (Miller and Davidson 2005).
Figure 5. Damage on palm leaf due to feeding by the palmetto scale, Comstockiella sabalis Comstock, evident as yellow leaf splotches or an appearance of chlorosis. Photograph by U.S. National Collection of Scale Insects Photographs Archive, USDA, www.insectimages.org.
Figure 6. Infestation of palmetto scale, Comstockiella sabalis Comstock, showing advanced feeding damage on palmetto, Sabel spp. Photograph by U.S. National Collection of Scale Insects Photographs Archive, USDA, www.insectimages.org.
Management (Back to Top)
Evans and Pedato (1997) described a new species Coccobius donatellae Pedata and Evans (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) as the primary parasitoid of palmetto scale. Originally, literature mentioned two species as responsible for controlling palmetto scale in Bermuda, "Physcus sp." and Encarsia portoricensis. Based on surveys of parasitoids in Bermuda, Evans and Pedato (1997) suggest that these species were misidentified as the female and male specimens of Coccobius donatellae. Although Coccobius donatellae in believed to be the primary parasitoid of palmetto scale, other Aphelinidae parasitoids confirmed in Florida include Aphytis fuscipennis Howard and Encarsia citrina (Craw).
Selected References (Back to Top)
- Comstock JH. 1883. Second report on scale insects, including a monograph of the sub-family Diaspinae of the family Coccidae and a list, with notes of the other species of scale insects found in North America. Department of Entomology Report, Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station 2: 47-142.
- Dekle GW. 1965. Arthropods of Florida and Neighboring Land Areas: Florida Armored Scale Insects. Vol. 3. Florida Department of Agriculture, Division of Plant Industry. Gainesville, FL.
- Evans GA, Pedata PA. (1997). Parasitoids of Comstockiella sabalis (Homoptera: Diaspididae) in Florida and description of a new species of the genus Coccobius (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae). Florida Entomologist 80: 328-334. (6 January 2016)
- Ferris GF. 1938. Atlas of the scale insects of North America. Series 2. Stanford University Press, Palo Alto, California.
- Miller DR, Davidson JA. 2005. Armored Scale Insect Pests of Trees and Shrubs (Hemiptera:Diaspididae). Cornell University Press. Ithaca, NY. 456 pages.
- Miller DR, Gimpel ME. (April 2009). Diaspididae: Diaspidinae and Leucaspidinae. ScaleNet. (6 January 2016)


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6 Easy Hair Trends Every Lazy Lady Needs to Know
Because spending 45 minutes on your hair every morning just isn't your thing.
You know those folks who wake up every morning, wash their hair, and painstakingly curl or straighten it? That's not you. That's not most of us, in fact! Whether it's a blowout before breakfast or heading to the salon every six weeks like clockwork, all that extra time spent on your hair can add up.
We asked pro stylists to tell us which 2016 cuts, colors, and styles are totally on trend but also don't require a ton of upkeep. Hey, there's no shame in being a little lazy.
One of the biggest hair trends of the past year, this style is beloved for its easygoing appearance and low-maintenance nature. "Babylights are super soft highlights that delicately soften the roots of solid-colored hair," says Devin Toth, hairstylist at Salon SCK and Rowenta brand ambassador. Unlike chunky highlights, platinum bleach-and-tones, or solid dye jobs, babylights are perfect for folks who want their hair to look great while only necessitating a visit to the colorist two or three times per year.
If you're looking for an easygoing style that won't have you schlepping back and forth to the salon, try balayage, which involves hand-painting highlights for a natural look. "Balayage has been getting more popular every year and in 2016, it's stronger than ever," says Samra. "It requires very little maintenance because the color grows out much more naturally than foil highlights, which are very precise, making the line of demarcation super obvious." A natural look without much upkeep? Yes, please.
This celebrity staple shows no signs of stopping in 2016, and with good reason. "A happy medium between short and long, this shoulder-length sensation is making a statement," remarks Samra. "The beauty of the long bob is its versatility and ability to be worn a number of ways." The length allows for every kind of style — curly, straight and even beach waves.


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Avoid Phosphates
While many people are aware that fast foods and processed foods are not generally sources of good nutrition, and they can contain chemical additives that could contribute to health problems, added phosphates are rarely among the list of concerns, but they should be. Chronic kidney disease and a potential causal link to cardiovascular disease are topping the list of health risks associated with hyperphosphatemia-a condition of having an elevated level of phosphates in your system.
Phosphates do occur naturally in foods, but naturally occurring phosphates are not a high risk for most people, as these phosphates are organically bound and are not easily absorbed into the digestive system. However, phosphates that have been added to foods such as sodas, processed and canned meats, including many ingredients found in fast food chains or hot dog brands, cold cuts and commercial baked goods are of concern. In these products the chemical phosphate has been added to serve as a preservative, and these phosphates (inorganic) are easily absorbed through the digestive system and can lead to hyperphosphatemia.
While hyperphosphatemia has largely thought to have been a problem specific to kidney disease, research published by the National Institute of Health in January 2012 stated that more recent studies have shown that the association between high phosphate concentrations and higher mortality is not restricted to persons with renal disease. Researchers Eberhard Ritz, Prof. MD; Kai Hahn, MD; […]; and Johannes Mann, Prof. MD reported, "It can also be observed in persons with cardiovascular disease and even in the general population. High-normal serum phosphate concentrations are associated with coronary calcification in young, healthy men and were found to be a predictor of cardiovascular events in the Framingham study. Elevated mortality in association with high-normal serum phosphate concentrations was seen mainly among persons with cardiovascular disease who had normal renal function. In the Framingham study, 375 of the 4127 subjects died within 60 months; the adjusted mortality risk was 22% for each 1 mg/dL elevation of the serum phosphate concentration."
These published results were so alarming that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) was asked by the European Commission to undertake a scientific assessment of the association between "high intake of phosphates as food additives and increased cardiovascular risk in the general population." While the preliminary research published in 2013 reports inconclusive evidence, the evidence did suggest that there is a possibility of a causal link that needs to be explored. The research of the EFSA is ongoing.
In America, while the FDA considers phosphate additives to be dangerous, and it has even issued a warning: using more than one dose in 24 hours of over-the-counter (OTC) sodium phosphate drugs to treat constipation can cause rare but serious harm to the kidneys and heart, and even death;" phosphate additives are not required to be specifically included on food labels. Instead, a common phrase such as "artificial preservatives" is used.
The most effective way to prevent dangerous effects of hyperphosphatemia is to ensure that you and your family stick to a natural whole foods diet, consisting of fresh vegetables, fruit and fresh meats and fish while drinking purified water, tea and fresh raw vegetable and fruit juices. Eating organic foods as often as possible is also recommended. While a small amount of phosphate additives consumed on rare occasion is not likely to cause any health problems for most healthy adults, making attempts to avoid it completely is highly recommended.


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There are several significant features which identify the stereotypical cyberpunk story. Most readers would agree that one is setting. Near future almost necessary to bear the sub-genre's label, Gibson, Sterling, Shiner, Rucker, and other writers known for the form did their share to propagate visions of technology burgeoning in our lives just a few years in the future. The stereotypical cyberpunk view rarely one that looked long term; a life replete with technology to the point of utopia was not on the agenda. Such perspective appeared in the wave of science fiction that came next: the Singularity, the Accelerated Age, whatever you want to call it. Segueing the two nicely is John Varley's Steel Beach (1992), which examines the personal effect of having an existence where technology is expanded to the point it can provide every dream. What will humanity want next? Varley's answer is disturbing.
Steel Beach is the story of Hildy Johnson. A magazine journalist living on Luna, he works for the Nipple, covering whatever entertaining material he can get his hands on. Society lacking for nothing, his reports typically feature the latest in sex change technology, what actor A is doing with diva B, and the latest in body modifications. The two-hundredth anniversary of the Invaders' takeover of Earth upcoming, Johnson's editor assigns him the task of producing an article a day comparing life when the aliens came to Earth to life on Luna now. But before the reader can groan "Oh no, here comes a lengthy, episodic, self-indulgent examination of how the future is different from Earth today", Johnson's life takes a twist. Living in an underground Texas cabin, complete with slivers, horse shit, and a doctor whose medicine bag contains more whiskey than medicine, Johnson's ennui begins to dig its thorns deeper and deeper into his mind, and he takes to reckless behavior. A slash-boxing competition injuring him severely one day, in rehab a virtual dream changes his life. Meeting Luna's Central Computer while under, he emerges with a new perspective pushing him to seeking meaning like he never had before. Trouble is, which is it, real or virtual?
A classic post-modern idea (searching for meaning in a meaningless life) imbued with all the tech and ideas of another post (post-humanism), Steel Beach is, if nothing else, a smorgasbord of ideas. The tree man, the brontosaurus negotiation, the Texas Disneyland, the pleasure tech, "zombies"—and on and on goes the list of futuristic imagination. Vacillating between pertinent to to the main storyline to digressive merely for creativity's sake, the smorgasbord can sometimes feel like too much for one sitting. At about the halfway point, however, the novel starts to gain momentum and drive itself towards what is a very personal, relevant conclusion. But the opening, for as colorful and innovative as the ideas are, still requires some patience to wade through.
Varley making these easy for the reader, the wading is through a shallow river. The ten years between novels showing, the prose of Steel Beach is honed razor sharp. Varley's anti-establishment act is dressed to kill in black sarcasm and candid observations on people and society. That some plot material is indeed extraneous is something realized only after the fact. Varley's voice strong and clear but his ideas iconoclast, in my notes I have "an irreverent Ray Bradbury". Given the humanity underlying the cutting prose, I stick by it.
In the end, Steel Beach is a bildungsroman as only science fiction can write: discovering life and self in utopian Lunar setting. Endlessly inventive, a post-modern ennui must be dealt with as life replete with every pleasure one could want doesn't (apparently) make everything better. Varley's prose slicing and dicing, the surplus of ideas move fast and quick as Hildy the newspaper reporter attempts to sort out life.


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Ball Don't Lie's playoff predictions: Memphis Grizzlies vs. Los Angeles Clippers
The 66-game regular season, mercifully, is over. The NBA jam-packed 66 games into a space where 50 usually went, and the result was a strange five-month run that had us talking about rested legs and oddball rotations more than we spoke of learning and growing and all that typically mindful stuff that comes to our heads when discussing the NBA. The playoffs start on Saturday, though, and the brains behind Ball Don't Lie are ready to break down the first-round matchups.
[Related: Yahoo! Sports' predictions for the 2012 NBA playoffs]
We continue with the Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers.
From your pal, Kelly Dwyer
Hey. It's Kelly. That wasn't fun, was it? The silly lockout, the terrible season, the Dwight Howard. It's OK, though. It's over now. That is a bird chirping in the distance, I made a pretty good sandwich for your lunch and we don't have anything to do when you get home from work but watch a series of basketball games played by players that are rested, well-instructed, and mindful of what town they're in.
You're going to feel better, now. Your pal insists on it.
We pinned a whole heck of a lot on Chris Paul this year, and though the Clippers guard can be a notorious sourpuss, he's responded. Even in a season that clearly didn't create a whole heap of magic between the laser-accurate passer and his would-be sidekick in Blake Griffin, the Clippers still grew and developed enough to nearly take the Pacific Division from the Los Angeles Lakers, and almost earn the home court in this series. We're OK with "almost." You tried your best.
And now, based solely on Paul's ability to take over the second and fourth quarters of games, we're looking back to the man that the San Antonio Express-News' Mike Monroe expertly penned an MVP-endorsing ode to late last week. Griffin's still-developing footwork could shift things, as could the foul-drawing ability of Rudy Gay (who missed Memphis' playoff party last season), but the onus is still on Paul to be the tilting factor.
It's OK, though. He's into that. He nearly led a clearly lacking New Orleans Hornets club to a series win over the Los Angeles Lakers, and now that he's engaged and healthy with the Clippers (not to say that CP3 took time off with NOLA; we wouldn't say that on such a pretty day!), it's time for Paul to work his way past Memphis' depth and home-court advantage.
[Video: Do the Miami Heat have the talent to win the NBA title?]
There is a problem in Paul's way, and that's the long arms of Grizzlies guard Mike Conley, who is a potential favorite for All-NBA Defensive first team. But Paul can't look at Conley as a "problem," friends, he has to regard him as "a potential solution." Sure, Chris only shot 39 percent against the Grizzlies this year, with Los Angeles taking two of three contests, but he can use Conley's aggressiveness against him. Let the floor tilt to Paul's side, only for dimes to result.
Memphis did earn that home-court advantage, and the Clippers were pretty terrible on the road this year, but this is the spring. This is a time for rebirth, new ways, a cleaned-out shed and cramming for finals. Experience pitched with intelligence, discovering things about yourself that you'd never considered before.
You know, all that crap.
That was rude, but we're just 12 months removed from those little cubby bears in Memphis turning into big, mean Grizzlies and making a go of it all the way to the second round. Who among us is to discount the Clippers before they make their own growth spurt? Sure, the team was far more heralded than last year's Grizzlies, showing up on national TV seemingly every third night, but that doesn't mean the team doesn't have a soul worth leaning toward. And a first-round win would mark the first time in Vinny Del Negro's career that …
Shoot. Perhaps we should rethink this.
Actually, no. In all seriousness, this is Chris Paul's group. And while I think the Grizzlies have a legitimate shot at getting to the Finals this year (I don't want to discount a team that great; we love the Grizz), and the fact that Conley plus Tony Allen will be abject horror for Paul to work through, he can break plays and run sets in the same style that kept his Hornets teams somehow afloat. Or much in the same way Derrick Rose kept V.D.N.'s Bulls competitive in their two first-round losses in 2009 and 2010.
[Related: Jeremy Lin outsells Kobe, LeBron on NBA's best-selling jersey list]
Are we making it stupidly simple by pointing to the series' best player as the tipping point? Sure. But Paul gets to the line, and he develops solid late-game looks even if the screening footwork of his bigs in Los Angeles isn't as pronounced as it was during Paul's time spent with David West in New Orleans. And as much as we respect those Grizzlies, we admire the heck out of Paul, and his rope-a-dope style.
Clippers in six.
'Deep Thoughts' and Cheap Thoughts with Dan Devine
For every postseason matchup, Ball Don't Lie's resident dummy will offer a topically appropriate entry from the best-selling series of "Deep Thoughts" books written by legendary humorist Jack Handey, plus some of his own original thoughts on the playoff series. The combination will cost you literally nothing; we suggest you use the savings to purchase one of Mr. Handey's life-changing books.
No. 4 Memphis Grizzlies vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers
"Many people don't realize that playing dead can help not only with bears, but also at important business meetings."
Shouts to Flop City. Vinny Del Negro might think it's a misnomer, but DeMarcus Cousins, Greivis Vasquez and anyone who's gotten near Chris Paul knows the deal.
Whether or not the Clippers actually try to take any dives against this batch of bears, how effective they are at getting to the line could be a key factor. While the Clippers are awful at the line -- especially, as we've covered, their big men — and shot the league's second-worst percentage for the season, their ability to draw whistles contributed to success earlier this season. In L.A.'s two regular-season wins over the Grizz, the Clippers shot 60 free throws to Memphis' 45, going +8 from the line in the victories. When Memphis won the teams' final meeting 2 1/2 weeks ago, they out-attempted the Clips at the line 20 to 18. If the refs call these games tight, the Grizzlies' aggressive on-ball defense could work against them, allowing Paul's penetration and Blake Griffin's work near the basket to put Memphis in the penalty early.
If the officials let the two teams play and the Grizz can color within the lines the same way they did during the season — the only Memphis regular who posted a foul rate higher than 3.9 per 36 minutes was late-season addition Gilbert Arenas — then the half-court matchup should be fascinating to watch. Paul and Griffin working the high screen-and-roll against some defensive combination of Tony Allen, Mike Conley and Marc Gasol is the stuff of hoop nerds' dreams.
[Video: NBA's MVP race comes down to LeBron James and Kevin Durant]
Can Paul — so good at creating fluid offense and controlling games with that steady dribble, pacing the Clips to the league's second-lowest turnover percentage — hold steady against the swarming Memphis D, which causes cough-ups at the league's highest rate? Will Zach Randolph — brought along in limited minutes as a second-unit scorer in 24 games since returning from a right MCL tear — be able to regain the form of his epic 2010-11 postseason run, bully the Clippers' front line on the block and take control? Will Randy Foye's hot shooting (41.4 percent from 3-point land since the All-Star break, 44.3 percent in April) continue to give the Clippers' offense shape, spacing and punch from the off-guard spot? Is Rudy Gay, lost to injury during the Grizzlies' run last year, going to hit the ground running in his first postseason appearance?
Both teams closed the season strong; Memphis was 16-4 in their final 20 games, L.A. was 14-6, though that includes losses in its last two. Both teams were dominant at home (26-7 for the Grizz, 24-9 for the Clips) and sub-.500 on the road (15-18 and 16-17, respectively). When things are as evenly matched as this series seems to be, matters often come down to which team can perform best with its weaker hand; in this case, Memphis' offense vs. the Clippers' defense. I believe in the Grizzlies' bottom-half-of-the-league offense more than I believe in the Clippers' bottom-half-of-the-league defense. Plus, if this comes down to a Game 7 — which it very well might — the Clippers will have to make one last business trip to the FedEx Forum, where no amount of playing dead will save them.
PREDICTION: Grizzlies in seven.
Five Predictions for Los Angeles vs. Memphis, From the Sensible Eric Freeman
1. Chris Paul will be the best player on the floor in every game.
2. Blake Griffin will score enough to remain a budding star, but he'll seriously struggle defensively against Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol.
3. We will all feel dumb for ever wondering if Rudy Gay's return would upset the Grizzlies' chemistry.
4. It might not go the longest, but this series will be the most entertaining of the first round.
5. Grizzlies in six.
Related NBA playoffs video on Yahoo! Sports
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Nokia's been holding an interesting "crowd sourcing" experiment recently, where it's been asking its fans to come up with the spec sheet for a possible future dream Nokia smartphone as part of its Design by Community initiative.
As well as voting for obvious things like a 4″ capacitive touchscreen and an 8megapixel camera, Nokia users demanded one very interesting feature – an "Open source operating system with unlimited multitasking".
Which sounds a bit familiar.
Read the results of Nokia's Design by Community feature here, which is where the above design concept comes from. Will PEOPLE POWER finally convince Nokia to go with Android?


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R.E.M. lawyer, activist, Downs to speak at UGA
Bertis Downs, an Athens entertainment lawyer and longtime adviser to Athens-based band R.E.M., will take part in a talk Feb. 18 at 4 p.m. in the University of Georgia Chapel. Downs will join UGA's Nicholas Allen, Franklin Professor of English and director of the Jane and Harry Willson Center for Humanities and Arts. The structured conversation on "Bertis Downs in Conversation: Don't Get Me Started-On Athens, Music Lessons and, of course, Good Schools for All Kids" is part of the Willson Center's Global Georgia Initiative.
Downs, a 1981 graduate of the UGA School of Law and a retired adjunct professor in the school, represented R.E.M. throughout the group's 30-year career. He continues to serve as an adviser in R.E.M.'s ongoing business interests since the group disbanded in 2011. Downs has been an Athens resident since 1978 and has long been active in the town's civic life.
Downs has an intimate perspective on an era of rapid change in the music industry, some of which he plans to share at the talk.
In recent years, Downs increasingly has turned his energy toward advocating for public education as government funding for schools has steadily decreased.
A reception will be held in Demosthenian Hall following the event.
The Global Georgia Initiative is a series of lectures and conversations organized by the Willson Center. Its goal is to present global problems in local context by addressing pressing contemporary questions with a focus on how the arts and humanities can intervene.
For more information on the Global Georgia Initiative, see http://willson.uga.edu/programs/public-programs/global-georgia-initiative/.


text: So how about this (ld --help) | awk '{for (i=1;i<=NF;i++) if ($i ~ /build-id/){n++} }; END {print n}' This will return a 1 if it finds the string build-id in the ld help. /********************* Marc Karasek MTS Sun Microsystems mailto:marc.karasek at sun.com ph:770.360.6415 *********************/ Uwe Hermann wrote: > On Mon, Dec 17, 2007 at 02:55:35PM -0500, Marc Karasek wrote: > >> That would work, but this brings up a rather interesting point. What >> are we todo about all the other Distros? At some point (if not >> already) they will also face a similar issue. >> > > Yep, true. The correct thing IMO is to check for the actual feature/bug, > not for version number strings of compilers or programs or distros. > > > Uwe. >


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Millions of Millennials
The Millennial generation—also known as Generation Y—includes people born between 1980 and 2000. Most are now in the workforce. There are about 81m Millennials in the US—more than a quarter of the total population, and they now outnumber Baby Boomers.
The good news for fintech is that Millennials tend to share the same lack of patience with legacy systems and, unlike other generations, expect technology to help them navigate complex financial decisions. In other words they are the perfect fintech customers, and the fight to cut through the noise and connect with them is on.
Reaching hyper-connected Millennials – beyond basic marketing strategies
Millenials are hyper-connected: disproportionately drawn to mobile and wearable devices for their day-to-day needs; far more likely to make purchases on them instead of desktop computers or in-person; and they are constant users of social media.
This creates opportunities for marketing efforts that go beyond more traditional digital marketing channels like paid search and SEO to reach Millennials on the devices they take with them everywhere, every day.
Consider Venmo: The premier money transferring platform with a social component that allows people to quickly pay friends and family.
Founded in 2009, Venmo was the first to integrate a personal/social component to making payments. This mobile app quickly struck a resonant chord with Millennials, allowing them to settle up on things like rent, bar tabs, and dinners in a way that was most reflective of and inherent in their everyday activities.
Through social media and social sharing, Venmo caught on like wildfire and is now actually used as verb to describe paybacks: "I'll Venmo you later." This payments platform juggernaut caught all the biggest banks by surprise, completely catching them off guard and having to spend billions to catch up.
Scratch's 2017 Millennial Disruption Index reveals that Millennials see more change on the way.
- 68% say that in 5 years, the way we access our money will be totally different
- 70% say that in 5 years, the way we pay for things will be totally different
- 73% would be more excited about a new offering in financial services from Google, Amazon, Apple, Paypal or Square than from their own nationwide bank
- 33% believe they won't need a bank at all in 5 years
Challenges of marketing fintech solutions
The greatest obstacle for fintech companies to reach millenials is lack of awareness about their brand and technology (see below). Fintech companies need to invest in building their brand and driving product awareness to overcome this. Only then can they help their audiences understand and desire the benefits they can offer.
Although less likely than other generations to stay with their current fintech brands, Millennials are more likely to buy additional products from them. This suggests that while product awareness and information are important for top-funnel marketing efforts, lead nurturing, community management, and content marketing will be increasingly important for bottom-funnel marketing efforts.
Millennials' purchasing decisions are heavily influenced by non-traditional, modern digital marketing tactics. The survey found that:
- 66% are affected by SMS ads
- 63% are affected by social ads
- 68% remain influenced by email
- 66% remain influenced by programmatic and direct buy ads
A combination of advertising, promotions, and online community has a strong influence on Millennials' purchasing behavior. Although awareness and lead generation campaigns can still be effective, Millennials also look for reviews, comments, and other content that will help them trust the brand.
Cracking the Millennial code
Millennials live in a hyper-connected world. Their mobile devices are the newest and best avenues for your brand to reach them. They're also much more trusting of brands when they find social validation and valuable content available.
It's critical to get and keep your brand in front of Millennials in environments that seem natural (marketing that doesn't feel like marketing), and to reward them as customers and motivate them as brand ambassadors. It requires creative thinking. There's no easy button, but the reward is too great to ignore.


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Some helpful sites for information and ideas.
Links to construction-related information sources, manufacturer's sites, and industry associations.
|LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) is a third-party certification program that ensures a building project is environmentally responsible, profitable, and a healthy place to work.
|Build It Green
|Build It Green is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote healthy, energy- and resource-efficient building practices in California. They offer trusted green building training, tools, technical expertise, and partnership opportunities for professionals and homeowners.
|EPA Green Building Site
|The EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) is a great resource for more information on green building.
|An organization to reduce waste in Alameda County. Information about recycling, green building, and eco-friendly landscaping.
|Sustainable Forestry Initiative
|SFI Inc. is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management.
|Berkeley Parents Network
|Thousands of pages of recommendations and advice contributed by members of the Berkeley Parents Network, a parent-to-parent email network for the community. Many busy parents take the time to give their suggestions, wisdom, and experience, archived for all who need it. Please help yourself and use it in the spirit of sharing!
|Cal Alumni Partners
|A directory of local businesses preferred by the Cal Alumni Association.
|Home Improvement Forum
|Home Improvement Forum is a networking group started by a Berkeley homeowner created to give locals a place to ask and share advice about home improvement projects. Topics include discussion of local resources, recommendations for contractors, building permits, and anything else you can imagine having to do with home improvement.
|Monument Impact
|Located in Concord, Monument Impact serves one of the most densely populated communities in the Bay Area, and actively engage with the Monument Community to provide training and tools in order for people to become economically self-sufficient, healthy and safe, civic engaged, connected to each other, and committed to lifelong learning.
|Asbestos Abatement
|Hiring an asbestos abatement company, and not doing it yourself, is the wisest and safest decision when it comes to removing asbestos from any residential, commercial or public building. Asbestos abatement companies will properly test for the toxic mineral, follow strict regulations and processes, and carry the right abatement removal equipment to keep them, others and you safe from exposure.
|California Contractors State License Board
|The California Contractors State License Board has a comprehensive web site that covers topics from hiring a contractor to legal ramifications. This is worth a visit before you begin a project.
|Builder Online
|The Information Source for the Home Building Industry. Whether you're a home builder looking for news or business advice, or an architect researching house design ideas, Builder Online has what you need.
|Building Online
|The only true search engine exclusively devoted to the building and home improvement industry. Access to over 200,000 building industry websites. Supporting building industry professionals with Industry News, New and Interesting Sites, Product News, Trade Shows, and Podcasts.
|Online source for home plans on the web. Constantly updated with new plans and resources to help you achieve your dreams, this site is the most comprehensive, easy-to-use source for home plans on the Web.
|Design Basics
|Design Basics Inc. designs and markets plans for single-family homes. The nation's largest home plan design service to the building industry, offering a variety of home plans as well as associated products and services.
|Mold Resources
|Provides information and guidance for homeowners and renters on how to clean up residential mold problems and how to prevent mold growth.
|Nova Hardwood Exterior Decking
|Important checklist for installation of Ipe and Batu hardwood decking.
|Seismic Design Review
|This link will take you to Simplified Engineering I and II which contain load tables, information for understanding truss layout, design, and configuration, seismic training, and more.
|Tools of the Trade
|Find generator, power tool, hand tool, safety equipment reviews, and more. Dozens of tools tested and rated. New tool recommendations.
|Journal of Light Construction
|Practical construction information for home builders and remodelers about building materials, products, and business management.
|My Home My Style
|Whether you've lived in your house for a few months or a few decades, My Home My Style will help you make it feel more like home. Our pages are packed with inspiring ideas, practical projects, and makeovers made easy — plus the instructions and information you need to DIY
|American Wood Council
|America's web site dedicated to bringing you credible up to date information on engineered and traditional wood products. Includes span charts, technical info, construction publications with CAD designs, and more.
|American Wood Protection Association
|The American Wood Protection Association (AWPA) is a non-profit organization which is responsible for promulgating voluntary wood preservation standards.
|APA – The Engineered Wood Association
|APA – The Engineered Wood Association, a non-profit trade association with 70 years of experience, is the authoritative source for information on engineered wood products and their related construction applications.
|International Wood Products Association
|The International Wood Products Association is the only association in the United States committed to the promotion and enhancement of trade in the imported hardwood and softwood products industry. IWPA provides valuable policy guidance on legislation, regulations, and issues to enhance the sustainability and commercial value of international trade in wood products.
|National Association of Home Builders
|This site is designed for those interested in home building and the industry – it contains resources for both members and consumers.
|National Association of the Remodeling Industry
|The National Association of the Remodeling Industry, or NARI, connects homeowners with its professional members and provides tips and tricks so that the consumer has a positive remodeling experience.
|National Hardwood Lumber Association
|NHLA is a trade association of companies that produce, sell and use North American hardwood lumber, or provide equipment, supplies or services to the hardwood industry.
|Structural Building Components Association (SBCA)
|Established in 1983, the Structural Building Components Association (SBCA) has become the only international trade association representing manufacturers of structural building components.


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War hero honored
On a weekend where many Americans are remembering the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2011, a local hero was honored for his service to this country.
Army Sgt. Christopher Hemwall, 22, was honored shortly before the football game between his alma mater, Jefferson High School, and Riverview. In March, he was shot three times during an ambush when he was stationed in Kandahar Province in Afghanistan. Two of his fellow service members were killed in battle.
His younger brother, Nick, a senior on the football team, helped wheel him onto the field shortly before the start of the game. Prior to the recognition, Sgt. Hemwall shouted and waved at his little brother who led the team into the locker room after warm-ups.
"This is crazy," Sgt. Hemwall said of being honored at the football game. "I knew the whole town was patriotic and has come together to support me."
Sgt. Hemwall waved to the crowd who stood on their feet clapping for the wounded soldier.
"We love you, Chris," shouted someone from the stands just before the National Anthem played.
The honor is certainly appreciated in Sgt. Hemwall's eyes especially when he has seen others react differently to those who have served.
"You see protests at servicemen's funerals and here so many bad things on the news about war, so this is great to see the support," he said.
Sgt. Hemwall enlisted in the Army in September 2008. He spent time serving in Germany before his deployment to Afghanistan in June 2010. He has been at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C. since March 24 recovering from his injuries. He was shot twice between the lower back and buttocks area and once in the thigh. Sgt. Hemwall does have nerve damage.
"My common peroneal nerve is dead," he explained. "Just before I left to come back here, I found out about an experimental treatment that I will try once I get back."
Sgt. Hemwall plans to stay in the area for a few weeks before returning to Walter Reed for continued medical care.
After months of physical and aquatic therapy, Sgt. Hemwall has been able to walk with crutches, but was in a wheelchair on Friday.
He said he will have at least two more years of recovery time ahead of him. It is possible that his right leg will have to be amputated below the knee if the experimental treatment is not successful.
In May, the Hemwalls celebrated a wedding in D.C. when Sgt. Hemwall married his girlfriend Valerie, whom he met while attending Jefferson High School. The younger Mrs. Hemwall has not left her husband's side since he was injured.
"It's been hard," she said of the recovery. "Everyone here has been great and very supportive."
Last school year, students at Jefferson High School wrote letters of encouragement to the injured soldier.
"The letters were great," Sgt. Hemwall said. "I had banners hanging in the hospital and packages that were sent. The words helped keep my mind off things."
Michelle Hemwall, Sgt. Hemwall's mother, is an inclusion aide at the high school. She said the district has been very supportive of the family.
"It's good to have him home," Mrs. Hemwall said. "It's been the best medicine."
Fran Roberts has known Sgt. Hemwall for years and her son, Andy, went to school with the soldier.
"In a way, he is an honor to us for serving," Mrs. Roberts said. "Everyone is thanking him for his service and it means a lot."
To see a video of Sgt. Hemwall, visit www.youtube.com/monroenews.


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Browsing M.Sc. Chemistry by Author "Kelusky, Eric Charles."
Now showing items 1-1 of 1
Studies of some cocondensations of nickel atoms with unsaturated organic ligands and with mixed ligand systemsKelusky, Eric Charles.; Department of Chemistry (Brock University, 1980-07-09)The cocondensation of nickel with a number of unsaturated ligands was studied, as was the cocondensation with a number of mixed ligand systems. Enamines were found not to react with nickel while acrylonitrile was polymerized. In the mixed ligand syst.ems different products were obtained than when the ligands were cocondensed individually. Cocondensations of benzyl halide/allyl halide mixtures gave unstable products that were not observed when the halides were cocondensed individually. The effect of Kao-Wool insulation on nickel/benzyl halide cocondensations was found to be significant. Kao-Wool caused the bulk of the benzyl halide to be polymeri zed to a number of poly-benzylic species. An alkali metal reactor was designed for the evaporation of sodium and potassium atoms into cold solutions of metal halide and an or ganic substrate. This apparatus was used to synthesize Ni(P¢3 )3' but proved unsuccessful for synthesizing a nickel-enamine compound.


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Her gün ücretsiz lisanslı Android uygulamaları ve oyunlar sunuyoruz.
Bu programın süresi doldu. Seeing Assistant Move artık firmadan temin edilebilir.
Seeing Assistant Move is an application developed by Transition Technologies S.A. in order to support blind and visually impaired people in everyday life. Application provides very advanced geo-location and navigation features.
Seeing Assistant Move has been developed in close co-operation with visually impaired people in order to address their needs as well as possible.
• fast access to OpenStreetMap points
• route planning and following
• automatic route recorder
• support for LoadStone and OpenStreetMap POIs text databases
• advanced neighborhood scanner with world directions
• "nearest address" and "find address" functionalities
• sharing points, databases and routes
• entering text by voice
• Dropbox integration
and the possibility to use voice commands!
Please bear in mind that this application uses background updates to track the location even when minimized. Continued use of GPS running in the background can significantly decrease battery life.
Seeing Assistant Move uses Internet for many of its functions. Depending on configuration of your device you may be charged for Internet connection or data transmission.
Note, to install Seeing Assistant Move, you may need to have your screen undimmed.
Transition Technologies SA
Maps & Navigation
4.1 and up


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"Lymond is back."
It was known soon after the Sea-Catte reached Scotland from Campvere with an illicit cargo and a man she should not have carried.
(Any Dunnett fans out there? Can anyone guess the scene I'm thinking of? Or alternatively, what do you consider to be the most romantic scene you've ever read?)
Anyway, to reach the moment, you have to be willing to invest in the Lymond Chronicles series- a worthwhile investment for historical fiction lovers. Dorothy Dunnett is not an easy read. Her protagonist is brilliant and likes to show off his learning. It's hard to keep up. The plot twists and turns are not always entirely plausible, but everything moves so fast, there's no time for doubt.
The first book in the series begins in 1547 Scotland, a country threatened by England most immediately and by political machinations just about everywhere else. No one can be trusted. Even inside Scotland traitors abound. One of these (the man who should not be back in Scotland) is Francis Crawford Lymond. He is back to redeem his reputation, but goes about it in a way that seems designed to condemn himself further. He will either be the savior of his country or help bring about its ruin. Even those closest to him doubt his intentions. But as we watch Lymond at work, the reader can't help but root for a man of such savage cleverness. A man who pretends so hard not to care must care a great deal.
This book, this series, is not to be missed.


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insolytics.co.uk publishes weekly Insolvency Practice league tables which rank Insolvency Practices by the number of advertised appointments. They use CVL, MVL and Administration appointments in their calculations, and advertisements are those included in the London and Edinburgh Gazettes.
Clarke Bell are proud to be regularly in the Top 10, among the big national firms.
This achievement is a reflection of how hard we are working to help companies with their insolvent and solvent liquidations.
For everyone who has referred a client to us, we would like to take this opportunity to say a big "Thank you".


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Ad-focused budgets threaten engagement: column
Cameron Wykes says spending won't save brands that don't adjust to the new realities of customer engagement.
by Cameron Wykes, president at Jacknife Design Inc.
When I ask prospective clients to name three of their brand engagement touch points, without fail, they start naming advertising initiatives.
It was my wise friend Will Novosedlik who said that "engagement comes from the interaction with a brand, not the ad… and all you should expect from an ad is awareness." A lot of brands continue to invest the vast majority of their budgets against awareness, and leave very little, if anything, to critical brand engagement initiatives and experiences that complete the customer experience.
When budgets are so lopsided, marketers run a very real risk of not fulfilling a brand promise when the customer chooses to engage. The arena of that engagement is increasingly dictated by disruptors like Google and Amazon, and that lopsided budget does not account for how drastically different the path to purchase has become in even the last five years.
Many clients will assume their social media marketing initiatives cover off branded engagement with their target audience. But true engagement focuses on brand, reputation management or driving business outcomes. Marketers are still relying on retweets and Snapchat followers to demonstrate engagement, but ultimately that's not what I believe builds businesses.
When things don't connect as promised, consumers will feel cheated and will trust your brand less.
If marketers don't start bridging this ad/engagement divide, they will be chasing their tails when it comes to the rapid evolution of both the customer journey and user experiences. Consider what a big ad spend will do against these two examples of purchase disruption.
Voice vs Brands
Despite being in only 4% of North American households, voice-controlled connected devices like Amazon's Alexa are pushing their own generic products and leveraging AI to circumvent a typical online brand experience. With a verbal command, Alexa will fetch products found on Amazon and seemingly prioritize them based upon Amazon's generic brands first. In tests, Alexa results have not included non-Amazon branded products even if they are available in a standard Amazon web search. While die-hard brand lovers will simply flip back to good old online surfing to get the brand they love, most will trade loyalty for a more seamless and intuitive experience, a cheaper price and free delivery.
This is certainly not new, as Scott Gallaway points out in that video linked above. Many larger retailers favour house brands over the more popular known brands. But where the real issue begins is when brands competing with Amazon's generics are forced to lower their pricing model in order to stay on store shelves. This move leads to decreased margins and forces cuts from within, which in turn gives brands no choice but to cut costs on the P&L statement. And we all know what's first to go… the marketing budget.
Bots vs Brands
I find the concepts of bots both enticing and terrifying (I'm still wrapping my head around the idea of cashiers going the way of the dodo). Well, bots are coming to your fave online retailer and will be the catalyst to driving more relevant and intuitive online shopping experiences.
But they will also reboot the typical online browsing behaviour by letting shoppers find exactly what they're are looking for based on benefits and desired outcomes rather than brand names (asking "what do you need" instead of "who are you wearing?" for example).
This essentially turns casual browsers into short-path buyers and leaves many brands out in the cold, trying to find other means of driving that brand connection with a prospective purchaser who is well down the ol' funnel.
So far, the stories about successful bots for brands like Domino's, North Face and others have focused on the business efficiency they've brought to the shopping process. Not enough attention is being paid to the changes they've brought to the customer journey.
We all know that customers are not searching for brands, but seeking benefits and desired outcomes. Branded ads generate awareness, make a promise and point your customers in the right direction.
So how do you ensure your brand fulfills on those outcomes? By rebooting your brand strategy, investing more into tangible, sharable and memorable brand engagements; by ensuring that your engagement strategy is staying in-step with technology; and by looking beyond retweets and likes as a measure of brand engagement success.