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What is crm software?Customer relationship management (CRM) software is software that automates and manages the customer life cycle of an organization. It is usually used by the sales team, sales reps, and call center reps to maintain contact with customers and quickly respond to their needs.
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monday sales CRM
monday sales CRM
Built on top of monday.com Work OS, monday sales CRM is a no-code, customizable solution that empowers managers and sales teams to take control of their entire sales cycle - from lead capturing and sales pipeline management to pos...Read more about monday sales CRM
With an integrated system that includes ERP, financials, commerce, inventory management, HR, PSA, supply chain management, CRM and more – NetSuite enables fast-growing businesses across all industries to work more effectively by a...Read more about NetSuite
Freshsales is a salesforce automation solution that enables businesses of all sizes to streamline lead management, client interaction, marketing insights, customer relationship management and other operations. The platform enables...Read more about Freshsales
HubSpot CRM
HubSpot CRM
FrontRunners 2022
With its cloud-based, customer relationship management (CRM) platform, HubSpot CRM helps companies of all sizes track and nurture leads and analyze business metrics. HubSpot is suitable for any B2B or B2C business in a variety of ...Read more about HubSpot CRM
Pipedrive is a web-based Sales CRM and pipeline management solution that enables businesses to plan their sales activities and monitor deals. Built using activity-based selling methodology, Pipedrive streamlines every action invol...Read more about Pipedrive
LeadSquared is a cloud-based marketing automation and customer relationship management (CRM) solution for businesses of all sizes. It serves clients in industries such as finance, e-commerce, education, health and wellness, market...Read more about LeadSquared
Odoo Point of Sale (POS) is part of Odoo's integrated suite of business applications. The module is available both on and offline and provides unified data across stores and has an integrated inventory management function. Od...Read more about Odoo
In Mind Cloud
In Mind Cloud
Finally, a digital sales platform purpose-built for manufacturers that unites CRM, CPQ, and Commerce. Our end-to-end sales software flawlessly aligns your customers' wants with your production capabilities in ERP to help you sell...Read more about In Mind Cloud
Bitrix24 is an online workspace for small, medium, and large businesses. It features over 35 cross-integrated tools, including CRM, tasks, Kanban board, Gantt chart, messenger, video calls, file storage, workflow automation, and m...Read more about Bitrix24
Chatabox is a user-friendly customer relationship management (CRM) solution that is highly scalable coupled with automation features to assist with contact management, customisable dashboard reporting and to undertake task managem...Read more about Chatabox
Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM is a cloud-based business management platform that caters to businesses of all sizes. It offers sales and marketing automation tools with helpdesk, analytics and customer support functions. Zoho CRM helps users respo...Read more about Zoho CRM
ClickUp is a cloud-based collaboration and project management tool suitable for businesses of all sizes and industries. Features include communication and collaboration tools, task assignments and statuses, alerts and a task toolb...Read more about ClickUp
PORTERS is a complete solution for managing recruitment data from the beginning to the end. Candidates and Job Descriptions are registered into the system and matching for the best fit is done. The recruitment processes are manage...Read more about PORTERS
TOCA CRM is an intuitive mobile CRM application designed to maximize the effectiveness of updating client information. As an all-in-one CRM, users have access to all the necessary customer management tools that are needed for day-...Read more about TOCA CRM
Voiro simplifies work for media sales, operations, and finance teams, making them more efficient and productive. We enable faster and better decisions across teams, with a razor-sharp focus on data. We draw sharp insights from rev...Read more about Voiro
FrontRunners 2022
Salesflare is an intelligent CRM and email outreach platform used by thousands of small and medium-sized B2B businesses, who want to sell more with less work. It automates the data entry user would normally have in a CRM by g...Read more about Salesflare
Easily finding and contacting the people you're looking for is the cornerstone of every business, be it customers, candidates, clients, you name it. Jobin.cloud specializes in conglomerating this huge aspect of every business's w...Read more about Jobin.cloud
FrontRunners 2022
EngageBay is an integrated marketing, sales, support and CRM solution designed to help small to midsize enterprises acquire, engage and convert website visitors into customers. The cloud-based platform lets businesses use marketin...Read more about EngageBay
Bigin by Zoho CRM
Bigin by Zoho CRM
FrontRunners 2022
Bigin by Zoho CRM is a pipeline-centric CRM that is built and priced for small businesses. Minimal by design and focused on greater ease-of-use, Bigin brings spreadsheets-like simplicity to CRM and allows anyone to get started in ...Read more about Bigin by Zoho CRM
Agile CRM
Agile CRM
Agile CRM is a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) solution designed for small and midsize businesses. It offers contact management, telephony tools, appointment scheduling, marketing automation, project management,...Read more about Agile CRM
Popular Customer Relationship Management Comparisons
Buyers GuideLast Updated: November 19, 2022
What is CRM software?
Customer relationship management (CRM) software is software that automates and manages the customer life cycle of an organization. It is usually used by the sales team, sales reps, and call center reps to maintain contact with customers and quickly respond to their needs.
Note: Specific sales CRM platforms have features that are optimized for sales teams.
Basically, if you work with a lot of customers, a CRM is your team's best friend. Not only will it help you manage your data, a good CRM makes your customers' experience fluid and effortless.
Here's what we'll cover:
- Benefits of CRM software
- Competitive advantages of using CRM software
- Business sizes using CRM software
- Software related to CRM
- Features guide
- Pricing guide
- FAQs
- Tips and tools
Benefits of CRM software
CRM software provides your business with several tangible benefits, including:
- Customer data management: Most products provide a searchable database to store customer information (e.g., contact information) and relevant documents (e.g, sales proposals and contracts). While most CRMs offer this functionality, it can also be incorporated into other industry-specific systems. For example, contact management is a core component of salon management software.
- Interaction tracking: A CRM solution documents customer interactions, such as conversations held by phone, in person, through live chat, email, or other channels. These interactions can be logged manually, or automated with phone and email system integrations. Some systems can also track interactions on social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, and Google.
- Workflow automation: This standardizes business processes, usually through a combination of task lists, calendars, alerts, and templates. For example, once a task is marked as complete, the CRM system might automatically create a task for the next step in the process.
- Reporting: Management can use CRM tools to track performance and productivity based on activities logged in the CRM system—for instance, how many new contacts were added to the database that day, or how much revenue was generated. These tools can also be used for sales forecasting, such as for the next-quarter sales pipeline, lead management, scoring, and analyzing customer satisfaction.
Competitive advantages of using CRM software
Whatever business you're in, chances are you frequently have to deal with customers, prospects, or other important contacts. When it comes to these interactions, CRM software gives you an advantage over your competitors by helping you with the following:
- Scale your business: If you only have 100 contacts to deal with, then you might be able to keep all of their information straight using a simple Excel spreadsheet, or even pen and paper. Larger companies, however, deal with thousands or potentially millions of contacts and customers, which require customer relationship management software in order to keep that information well-organized and accessible
- Operate more efficiently: When everyone in your company has access to your customer and contact data, you can deal with those customers more efficiently and avoid the dangers of over- or under-contacting them. You can also track those customer interactions and analyze that data for more efficient resource planning and optimize the sales process.
- Compete with superior customer satisfaction: Staying in the right amount of touch with your customers, and using the communication method they prefer, lets you stay on top of their needs and concerns in a way that stands out. Superior customer service, focused on providing the best possible customer experience, will allow you to seriously compete against other businesses.
Businesses sizes using CRM software
CRM systems are used by many businesses, across a variety of industries, so there's no "typical" buyer. In general, though, you'll fall into one of the following categories:
- Single user: The smallest businesses consist of only one owner/employer, such as real estate agents, freelancers, or independent contractors.
- Small business buyer: These are companies with two to 100 employees and typically have no IT department.
- Midsize business buyer: These are companies that have 101-1,000 employees and tend to have an IT department.
- Large business buyer: These are companies that have more than 1,000 employees and have a dedicated IT department.
Software related to CRM
CRM can be divided into several related subcategories of software, all of which focus on improving your relationship with your customers:
- Sales force automation (SFA) software: Helps you manage your sales team's activities, and helps the sales team close more deals by keeping thorough, accurate records of their interactions with all sales prospects.
- Marketing automation: Provides tools that helps marketers reach out to potential customers through a variety of channels—especially email—and tailor messages to them.
- Customer experience software: Combines frontline customer service applications, such as live chat and tools for self-service knowledge bases, with tools that connect departments in order to oversee individual customer experiences.
- Help desk software: Stores customer information in a searchable database, tracks interactions, and automates the issue resolution process using an issue tracking system. It can be used for either external customers (consumers or businesses that have purchased goods or services from your company) or internal customers (employees).
- Live chat software: Allows you to have real-time conversations with website visitors in order to improve customer service, help increase online sales, and encourage repeat business by providing customers with precisely what they want.
Features guide
A list of common CRM features
When comparing CRM software, it's important to understand the functionality included in each. The most common functions of these systems are listed in the table below:
|Sales force automation
|Contact and opportunity management, sales forecasting, pipeline analysis, and reporting.
|Marketing integration
|Lead management, email and event marketing, marketing analytics, and campaign management.
|Customer service and support
|Trouble ticketing, self-service solutions, case management, customer experience platforms, live chat, and surveys.
|Help desk automation
|Trouble ticketing, knowledge management, self-service, and IT asset management.
Feature details and examples
Sales force automation: Provides you with the tools to streamline and manage your sales team's performance. Also gives your salespeople the ability to more efficiently track their prospects and customers with functions such as contact management, lead management, opportunity management, pipeline management, forecasting and territory management.
Marketing integration: This feature allows you to automate your marketing campaigns through the CRM system. It enables you to attract new visitors and customers, score customers as leads that can be nurtured along the sales pipeline, deliver marketing and promotional materials through various channels (e.g., via email marketing, social media etc.), obtain analytics about customers to improve marketing efforts and automate repetitive, time-consuming manual tasks.
Customer service and support: This functionality consists of a set of tools that allows you to cater to customers' needs by tracking their interactions with your company to focus on creating the best possible customer experience for each individual. Specifically, it allows customer service representatives to document, route, track, resolve and report on customer issues via a trouble ticketing system, using tools such as live chat, customer self service and multichannel management.
Help desk automation: This is similar to customer service and support in that it also focuses on creating the best possible individual customer experience. However, it is more focused on resolving IT issues, and the "customer" may be either external or internal (i.e., employees who need help with IT issues). Help desk automation involves the creation of an electronic ticket that customer service representatives track and associate with customer profiles that include contact information and, potentially, purchase history or assets.
CRM buyers' top requested features
The buyers we've helped at Software Advice tend to be looking for some of the more basic aspects of customer relationship management systems. Their top-requested features, by far, are contact management, interaction tracking and scheduling/reminders-all defining features of CRM software. The more specialized features are, the less buyers tend to request them.
The CRM software features you really need
Certain CRM features are more critical than others depending upon your business' stage of growth. Here are some of the most crucial features for different business sizes (see the "Business Sizes Using CRM Software" section of this guide for business size definitions):
|Single user
|Contact database: Your CRM database helps you manage and track each customer interaction, saving time by eliminating the need for complex spreadsheets or tracking your contacts through pen and pencil.
|Small business buyer
|Sales automation: Helps you manage sales activities down to individual sales reps. It can also generate sales forecasting and provide insight into your sales pipeline.
|Midsize business buyer
|Marketing automation: Helps automate your lead generation and nurturing funnels, provides insights and assists with targeted marketing campaigns.
|Large enterprise business buyer
|Customer service functionality: Allows your customer service representatives to fully track and manage the customer journey and make sure they're receiving the proper amount of care and individuality along the way.
Pricing guide
How CRM software is priced and hosted
CRM software is typically hosted online and licensed out to companies on a per user, per month basis, alongside one-time implementation costs—otherwise known as a Software-as-a-Service (Saas) or online CRM model. Some vendors may have a flat monthly fee regardless of the number of users, though it varies between different market segments. For example, sales force automation is almost universally sold per user/month, while marketing automation often is sold via a flat monthly fee. However, this flat fee is increasingly uncommon.
The per user/month costs across the SaaS market average from around $50-$90 per user/month, depending upon required functionality, though it can also be much cheaper (e.g., $10-$15 per user/month) and much more expensive (e.g., $200-$300 per user/month) depending on the vendor. Additionally, there are a variety of free CRMs, but these will offer limited functionality.
The flat monthly fees for more specialized systems tend to be more more expensive, starting at around $200/month, but can scale up to around $3,000-$4,000/month for more robust systems.
What businesses typically budget for CRM
Based on an analysis of the CRM software buyers we speak to, business budgets for a CRM solution vary widely. The highest percentage of buyers (about 32 percent) budget for $76-$100 per user, per month, while only 3 percent are willing to budget more than $301/user/month.
Please note that these prices do not include any potential up-front fees, such as installation and training.
Hidden costs of CRM software
Because it is such a staple of so many industries and businesses, CRM software vendors make their money more through volume than through nickel-and-diming customers. As such, there are few hidden costs, with one notable exception: implementation.
The majority of SaaS CRM systems can run without dedicated IT support, either internally or from the vendor, so extra costs come out of paying the vendor to install the software and provide training sessions for key users. Depending on the vendor and the system, this cost can range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.
An on-premise CRM solution will require a dedicated IT team in order to maintain the servers and administration duties.
What are the key functions of CRM software?
As discussed in the "Benefits of CRM software" section above, CRM software provides several key functions for your marketing teams, including:
- Contact management: Manage and store customer, client and prospect data so you can contact them at the right time using their preferred method of outreach.
- Interaction tracking: Keep detailed notes on each employee's interactions and email campaigns with customers, clients, and prospects for the future use of anyone at your company.
- Workflow automation: Create task lists, reminders, calendars, alerts, and templates that will help streamline your dealings with customers.
- Reporting and analytics: Generate reports that track and analyze the performance and productivity of your company and employees based on the data in the CRM system.
What should I ask vendors when evaluating CRM products?
When researching CRM vendors, don't just rely on the information they provide. Request a demo, where a representative walks you through the software and its various features.
However, don't let this demo just be a sales pitch. Be sure to ask important questions, such as:
What parts of the software do users most frequently report problems with?
Don't just focus on functions vendors rave about, but ask what tends to be challenging for users. This will also enable you to gauge just how frank the representative is willing to be with you about their product. If a key feature for your business needs and sales pipeline is a pain point for other customers, it likely will be for you, too.
What are the set-up costs for the software?
Most vendors will price CRM software based on a "per user, per month" model, but there are frequently up-front costs that come with implementation.
How likely are we to require tech support in order to set up, implement, and/or use the software?
If you have a small or no IT department, it will be important to know whether or not you'll require (potentially costly) tech support in order to implement and maintain the software.
How easy will it be to add features at a later date?
As you become more familiar with a given system, you may want to add more complex functions, such as marketing integration or reporting and analytics. Check to see whether there are any hidden costs or challenges associated with adding features later on. An integration to your social media management system is a possible example here.
Is there a mobile app?
Your team likely works from smartphones or tablets, therefore the type and cost of the CRM mobile app could be important for your business. Your team can follow up with customers quickly and sometimes in real time, make phone calls while on the go, check their email and social media interactions, and overall improve the employee experience with an intuitive mobile app.
Be sure to ask if the mobile app is optimized for Android or iOS devices—whichever your team uses.
What's the difference between marketing automation and salesforce automation?
CRM vendors offer a lot of applications with their products, and jargon is commonly used to describe them. We've demystified much of this in our article, "The ABCs of CRM: A CRM Terminology Primer."
What if my company doesn't differentiate between sales and marketing?
Many companies these days have call centers and marketing teams that communicate with such frequency that they often function as one unit, an alignment called "smarketing." You can find out how this influences software choice in our article, "How 'Smarketing' Paired With Software Can Help Align Sales and Marketing."
How do I get my team to adopt CRM software?
One of the biggest challenges of purchasing CRM software is getting your team to use it—especially sales teams that are often attached to practices they don't want to interrupt with new technology.
What are some drawbacks I should watch out for?
A CRM solution isn't a magic cure-all for companies that have problems due to their own dysfunctional business processes or poor corporate hygiene. Some businesses think that buying software will fix a disorganized sales team, an inexperienced marketing team, or poor data entry, but in reality the CRM tools may just scale up and worsen existing problems.
For CRM software to work successfully for your company, you need to make sure that the teams and individuals who will use the CRM platform are equipped to deal with the increased customer base that the software may bring on board.
Tips and tools
Build a business case for CRM software
Purchasing CRM software will generate a solid return-on-investment (ROI) for your business. You can use this ROI as a selling point when trying to justify the purchase price, as we explain in detail in our article, "How to Build a Business Case for CRM Software."
Relevant articles
Here are some recent articles about CRM software you should check out:
- "How to Use Google Sheets to Create Your Business' First CRM"
- "CRM Roadmap 2.0: The Better Path to Sales Success"
- "CRM Trends for 2019: A CRM Buyer Analysis"
- "FutureProof Your Small Business: AI in Sales"


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The Green Ripper
This is a recipe of mine called The Green Ripper. This cocktail continues my series of Tequila cocktails named after the Travis McGee novels of American author John D. MacDonald. I have always like the Travis McGee novels, and the titles of these novels just seem to me to be particularly well suited to be also the names of great tequila cocktails.
The Green Ripper
1 1/2 oz Blanco Tequila
3/4 oz Bols Blue Curacao
1/2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
Orange and Mango Soda (Koala Brand)
Place the tequila, the Blue Curacao, and the fresh juice into a metal shaker
Shake until the outside of the shaker frosts
Strain into the chilled wine glass
Add Orange and Mango Soda slowly stirring until the desired shade of green is achieved
Garnish with Lime if desired
Note: If you are interested in more of my original cocktail recipes, please click this link (Cocktails and Recipes) for more of my mixed drink recipes!

subset: commoncrawl


text: Happy New Year!! 새해 복 많이 받으세요!! And, Happy Last Day of G.O's Military Service!!! We made it. We really truly made it! True, G.O did make it bearable by staying in touch throughout the two long years he has been away, but I remember how forlorn we all were that first day ~ it seems like an eternity ago yet here we are at the 730th day. It is a holiday so I am wondering if G.O is actually off of work on his last day of service. The Lunar New Year is a high holiday across Asia and this year of the Dog celebration actually began yesterday in South Korea. So, has G.O officially completed his service and is already discharged, or will he actually be discharged tomorrow? It's a mystery! But in keeping with my schedule here on the Countdown, it is a Fan-Camming Friday and I plan to end with another dose of nostalgia. This time coming from a moment close to my own heart, Seopyeonje. I am probably most G.O nostalgic when it comes to Seopyeonje because that is where I saw and met him for the first time. I usher out Fan-Camming Fridays and, thus, this series altogether with a revisit to the 3 March 2014 Seopyeonje showcase.


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Turn Your Photos and Videos Into 3D Printables Use Your Smartphone or Tablet to Create and Make
Turn Your Photos and Videos Into 3D Printables
Use Your Smartphone or Tablet to Create and Make
ROCK HILL, South Carolina –January 9, 2013 – 3D Systems (NYSE:DDD) announced today that Cubify Capture, a new portal service that allows users to upload photos and videos from their digital, smartphone or tablet camera to its Cubify.com destination and automatically transform the images into 3D models, will be demoed at CES, January 8th – January 11th, 2013, in the Las Vegas Convention Center in the Main Hall, booth 15447.
The company plans to expand the services of its Cubify Capture portal to include a full suite of thematic scan-to-print web and mobile apps. Users can capture on the go and upload pictures or video to Cubify.com where a 3D model is generated automatically and saved in the user's Cubify account. These 3D models can be used for further modeling, customizing or fusing with other elements and readied for printing at home or through Cubify cloud printing, in monochrome, durable plastic or full color.
The company plans to develop a series of Cubify Capture apps starting with Cubify Capture: Faces, designed specifically to capture facial features and seamlessly turn them into customized 3D printable memorabilia. Cubify Capture: Faces for mobile will also be demoed at CES.
"We're thrilled to invite users and educators to explore and experiment with the beta release of Cubify Capture, the first true real-world-to-print capture tool," said Cathy Lewis, CMO, 3D Systems. "We are excited to see what our growing Cubify community will capture and print."
Be the first to experience Cubify Capture at CES.
About 3D Systems Corporation
3D Systems is a leading global provider of 3D content-to-print solutions including 3D printers, print materials and on-demand custom parts services for professionals and consumers alike. The company also provides CAD modeling, reverse engineering and inspection software tools and consumer 3D printers, apps and services. Its expertly integrated solutions replace and complement traditional methods and reduce the time and cost of designing and manufacturing new products. 3D Systems products and services are used to rapidly design, communicate, prototype or produce real functional parts, empowering customers to create and make with confidence.
More information on the company is available at www.3DSystems.com


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Number of N. Korean Defectors in South Rising, Says Official
The number of North Koreans resettling in the South has increased in recent years, said a South Korean official Monday.
Last year, about 2,900 people made their way to the democratic South, and over 2,000 have arrived so far this year, said Jong-joo Lee, an official with the Unification Ministry. Each month, an average of 200 North Koreans make it to the South, according to the Ministry.
In total, more than 20,000 North Koreans have defected to the South since the Korean War ended with a ceasefire in 1953. The 20,000th North Korean arrived in South Korea last Thursday.
Lee said the ministry believes worsening economic situations and food scarcity in the North is driving North Koreans to the South. Defectors escape by crossing into China and then making their way to a third country. Tens of thousands of defectors are believed to be hiding in China, which has a pact with its communist neighbor to repatriate North Koreans if found.
But once in the South, North Koreans receive automatic citizenship. They also receive three months of resettlement training by the government, a subsidy of about $5,400, and help with housing, according to Yonhap news agency.
"I love studying English. I didn't know my ABCs before coming here. Now I'm good," said Ho rim Ahn, a 14-year-old boy who defected last year, to Yonhap. "I also feel stronger now. I eat eggs and meat. I no longer have to eat bark."
Many children in North Korea face malnutrition given the North's chronic food shortage, said the United Nation's World Food Program executive director, Josette Sheeran, last week.
"Their bodies and minds are stunted and so we really feel the need there," Sheeran said, according to Reuters. "We want to make sure we reach the most vulnerable children."
As many as 6.2 million people out of 23 million in the North depend on food aid, the WFP said in March. In 2006, the WFP reported that 37 percent of children under the age of six in North Korea were chronically malnourished and one-third of North Korean women were anemic and malnourished.
The food scarcity has pushed North Koreans to migrate illegally into China, where they sometimes meet Christians who provide food, shelter and guidance to South Korea.
A Korean-American, Steve Kim, was jailed in China from 2003 to 2007 for helping North Korean refugees. His prison sentence is believed to be the longest in China for a humanitarian worker. Kim first encountered the sufferings of North Korean refugees as an American businessman who traveled frequently to China. As a Christian, he said he could not ignore nor forget the dire needs he witnessed and returned to America to raise financial support at his home church, Good Neighbor Community Church in Long Island, to help the refugees.
The same year that Kim was released, the Rev. Phillip Jun Buck, originally from North Korea, received the Civil Courage Prize from The Train Foundation that recognized his "steadfast resistance to evil at great personal risk." Buck spent ten years working in China to provide financial support, shelter, and food to over 1,000 North Korean refugees.
Buck began to move refugees to South Korea in 2001. To this day, he has guided over one hundred North Korean refugees out of China and ultimately to safety in South Korea.
Buck, who was jailed in May 2005 and released in August 2006, stayed at the same facility as Steve Kim during their imprisonment in China.
China classifies North Korean refugees residing within its borders as "illegal economic migrants" even though the U.N. Special Rapporteur on North Korea declares North Koreans who flee to China "refugees." Under the status of "illegal economic migrants," China treats the defectors as criminals, jailing or forcefully repatriating them back to North Korea where they face imprisonment, torture and sometimes execution for leaving the country – a state crime.
Both the United States and South Korea, however, welcome North Korean refugees to settle in their countries. But China has employed many tactics to block the refugees from escaping to these third countries.


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Sometimes, when you're sitting at your desk, all you want are some piping-hot baked beans. Hey, we all know it, why not admit it? That's why Heinz is working on a USB beans microwave.
Deadly Mississippi Tornado Kills More Than 2 Dozen | Extreme Earth
No, this isn't a joke. The Beanzawave—yes, Beanzawave—is billed as the world's smallest microwave, measuring just 7.4 inches tall by 2.6 inches wide and 5.9 inches deep. It's perfect for desktop bean cookery, and Heinz is even dabbling in Lithium Ion batteries for on-the-go beans heating. Amazing.
The whole shebang should be released for a mere $160 if Heinz ever does release it, which it'll do if consumer feedback is positive. Consider us on board, Heinz. [Daily Mail via Fast Company]


text: Back Ways for Working Parents to Tame Stress As a working parent, do you need some relief from the stress of managing a career and a family? Here are a few tips to help you enjoy the time you spend at home. End the workday When you get home from work, change your clothes at once to signal the end of the workday. "Take deep breaths while changing and then take at least 20 minutes to be alone," says Arlene Brown, M.D., a family practice physician in New Mexico and a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians. "You'll be better able to deal with stress at home if you can find a small amount of time every day to be away from your family and unwind." Use work skills at home Business skills—time management, goal setting, planning, delegating—can help at home. Write lists of activities and errands for the week. Keep clutter magnets like countertops clean by using baskets or folders to hold what you really need. And don't forget those fellow co-workers at home, your children. Children can help around the house as long as the job is practical and they know the value of their effort. Find a family hobby "Hobbies can be a good de-stressor, and if the whole family is involved you are building communication plus developing a lifelong habit for your children," Dr. Brown says. Choose any activity—cooking, walking, bike-riding, or bird-watching. Use the time to talk without being rushed. Practice kindness Doing something for someone else can make you feel good and help you appreciate your life. Make a meal for a new mom or pull the weeds from your older neighbor's yard. Ease your mind We're all in the same boat, so stop worrying if the house isn't spotless. Set realistic expectations at home. One final tip: If stress is getting in the way of your ability to get through the day, talk with your doctor. A physician can check for health problems that stress may cause and offer advice for coping with stress.


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- This event has passed.
Country Line Dancing – Darlington VFC
February 7 @ 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm
|Recurring Event (See all)
An event every week that begins at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, repeating until March 21, 2023
Come out to Darlington Volunteer Fire Company for an evening of good ole fun Country Line Dancing!!
When: Every Tuesday night. Doors open at 6pm. Line dancing starts at 7pm until 10pm.
Price: Entrance cost is $10 per person which includes line dancing, a snack and a beverage. Additional food and beverages will be available for purchase. Tickets are only available for purchase at the door
Where: 2600 Castleton Rd, Darlington, MD 21034


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Travel & Landscape Photography from 100 countries around the world
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
156 / 204
Asia - Sri Lanka - Ceylon - The Pearl of the Indian Ocean - Emerald Isle - Colombo - Galle Face Beach - Capital city coastline of Indian Ocean
Sri LankaCeylonDemocratic Socialist Republic of Sri LankaIndian OceanSouth AsiaAsiaAsieFar EastSoutheastern AsiaSoutheast Asiasubregion of Asia


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Editor's note: Peter Bergen is a fellow at the New America Foundation, a Washington-based think tank that promotes innovative thought from across the ideological spectrum, and at New York University's Center on Law and Security. He's the author of "The Osama bin Laden I Know: An Oral History of al Qaeda's Leader."
Peter Bergen says with all of its problems, Pakistan isn't in danger of being taken over by religious militants.
(CNN) -- In the past few weeks as the Pakistani Taliban have marched ever closer to the capital, Islamabad, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has sounded the alarm about the threat posed by the militants, who she said in congressional testimony pose "a mortal threat to the security and safety of our country and the world."
Some media commentators have even warned that the populous, nuclear-armed state might fall into the hands of the religious zealots.
This is hyperventilation. Pakistan has myriad problems -- its economy is tanking; its political leadership is feckless; its military is not trained or equipped to fight a domestic insurgency; and the Taliban now can control the lives of millions of Pakistanis. But none of this means that Pakistan is in danger of becoming a failed state or that the religious militants are about to take over the country.
The present crisis with the Taliban is not nearly as severe as the genuinely existential crises that Pakistan has faced and weathered in the past. Pakistan has fought three major wars with India and has lost each encounter, including the 1971 war in which one half of the country seceded to become Bangladesh.
Pakistan's key leaders have succumbed to the assassin's bullet or bomb or the hangman's noose, and the country has seen four military coups since its birth in 1947. Yet the Pakistani polity has limped on.
And lost in the disturbing pictures of well-armed Taliban foot soldiers advancing on Islamabad are three promising tectonic shifts in the Pakistan body politic.
First is the "lawyers' movement" that was largely responsible for the ouster of the military dictator Gen. Pervez Musharraf last year and the restoration of an independent judiciary.
Second is an explosion in independent media. Where in the 1990s there was one government-controlled television station, there are now dozens of channels. The new media is largely pro-democratic and secular in its orientation.
Third is that ordinary Pakistanis are fed up with the militants. The alliance of pro-Taliban religious parties known as the MMA secured enough of the vote in 2002 to win control of two of the four provinces that make up Pakistan. But in 2008 voters threw the MMA out of office, and it secured a miserable 2 percent of the vote.
Similarly, support for suicide bombing among Pakistanis had dropped from 33 percent in 2002 to 5 percent in 2008, according to the Pew Global Attitudes survey, and favorable views of Osama bin Laden and the Taliban have steadily eroded.
Pakistan also lacks a unifying religious figure of the stature of Ayatollah Khomeini, who united disparate Iranian forces to overthrow the Shah of Iran three decades ago. The Shah, after all, was a dictator and not the leader of an elected government.
But, conversely, Pakistan also lacks a leader to unite the country and the army in a common goal of defeating the religious militants. Benazir Bhutto, the country's most popular politician when she was killed by the Taliban in December 2007, might have been able to do it. But her husband, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, doesn't have her stature.
A new Pakistan leader will have to emerge who has the courage to say something like the following: "I have a plan. It is a Pakistani plan and not an American plan. Our main enemy is no longer India; if we go to war again, we may well destroy each other with our nuclear weapons. Our new enemy is the militants claiming to act for Islam in our midst. They do not represent the Pakistan that our great founder, Ali Jinnah, envisioned; a country for Muslims living in peace, not an ideologically Islamist state. We will make no peace deals with the Taliban again. Every time we have done such a deal the Taliban have used it as a prelude to steal more of our land and impose their brutal rule on more of our citizens. We will task and train our military for an effective campaign against the militants, and we will wipe them off our lands."
The United States can do little to help the process of such a politician emerging except to support Pakistan's fragile democracy and not be tempted by the mirage of another military strongman promising stability, but delivering instead a weakened Pakistani civilian state.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Peter Bergen.
All About Pakistan • The Taliban • Suicide Attacks


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Homebuyers to get springtime boost from lower-than-expected mortgage rates
Less than six months ago, mortgage rates marched above 5 percent – the first time in seven years – and for weeks showed no signs of abating.
It was a tipping point for house hunters. Beaten down by rising prices, meager housing choices and bidding wars, they saw rates as one more obstacle and called it quits, causing sales to plummet, even in the hottest of U.S. markets.
"It was somewhat of a surprise to see the degree and intensity of the pullback," said Robert Dietz, chief economist of the National Association of Home Builders. "Five percent at those pricing levels was enough to take the wind out of sails of the housing market."
Enter Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, who in December promised patience on further interest rate hikes and, on Wednesday, predicted that rates wouldn't budge for the rest of the year.
Mortgage rates are at 4.5 percent and aren't forecast to rise much for this year.
Here's what it means for this year's homebuying market.
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More buying power
Buyers won't have to race against the clock like in 2018 when rates started at 4.25 percent in January and were a half-point higher by April, said Mike Fratantoni, chief economist of the Mortgage Bankers Association.
"By the time they found a house, prices and rates had priced them out," he says. "That's very frustrating for buyers."
Lower rates – coupled with rising wages – helps affordability, too. The monthly payment for a $200,000, 30-year fixed mortgage is $71 dollars cheaper at 4.5 percent versus 5 percent. That doesn't sound like much but can make the difference for a buyer on the margins. Total interest savings over the life of the loan is more impressive at $21,699.
"While folks might not have hit the bottom of the rate cycle – no one can perfectly time markets – on the historic side, these are still very attractive rates," said John Pataky, executive vice president, chief consumer and banking executive at TIAA Bank.
Take the gains and run
On the seller's side, there's finally some evidence that more move-up buyers are getting into the market, eventually freeing up inventory of desperately needed lower-priced homes. The average mortgage balance for purchases has reached record levels because of more move-up buyers, according to Fratantoni.
"It's a musical chairs game," he said. "You need someone in the higher end to move, and it works its way down the ladder, eventually opening up an entry-level home."
Inventory in general has also been inching up, largely on the higher end, which has also seen the greatest slowdown in prices. Perhaps the trifecta of more supply, softening prices and lower rates is enough to persuade some once-stubborn owners to trade up, adding more affordable homes on the market.
In Denver, there's anecdotal evidence that single-family landlords are putting their homes on the market to realize the gangbusters appreciation from the last several years – which slowed significantly in the fourth quarter – and reinvest those gains in a smaller, multifamily unit, says Nicole Reuth, branch manager at Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp. in Denver.
"We're seeing renters coming in, saying their landlords are selling the house and they want to buy," says Reuth, a real estate investor herself with 22 properties. "These are houses under $500,000. Sellers know they have something in very high demand."
Unexpected fuel?
Mark Fleming, chief economist at First American, has a contrarian view. First, rates aren't low enough to shake off the rate-trap effect, when homeowners decide against selling their home because they have a mortgage rate lower than the current levels.
"You would need rates to go down into the high threes to undo the effects for a lot of existing homeowners," he said.
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Some inventory is coming onto the market, but not enough, he says, to satisfy demand. He still expects a wave of first-time homebuyers to come back into the market – especially given that rates have moderated from those scary, 5-percent levels.
"A lot of the softening may be off the table now. Yet again, we're setting ourselves up again for a pretty solid seller's market," he said. "I wouldn't be surprised if appreciation starts to pick up again."
Buyers: What you can control
As a buyer, you can't control the Fed or any of the other factors that could affect long-term interest rates. But there are a handful of things you can control that determine the interest rate you get on your mortgage.
Down payment: The more money you put down, the smaller your rate – with all other factors equal. That's because you're taking on more risk as a buyer and lessening the risk for your lender. On a monthly basis, you can eliminate private mortgage insurance portion if you can get a 20 percent down payment.
Credit rating: Lenders give the most favorable rates to people with higher credit scores who demonstrate a positive track record of repaying debts. On a $216,000, 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage, you'll get a sub-4 mortgage rate if you have the highest tier of credit scores – 760-850 – versus a 4.5-percent rate if your score is 660 to 679, according to FICO.
Debt-to-income: Lenders also look at the percentage of your debt payments to your total monthly income. The higher the percentage, the riskier the loan. If you can, pay off the debt with the highest monthly payment to lower your DTI.


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Keep the Republic is hosted by Daniel Bobinski of True Idaho News and Uncover DC. Daniel is a Christian, international bestselling author, and U.S. veteran. He believes in the importance of maintaining Judeo-Christian values in this world and shares those principles through interviews with like-minded individuals on Keep the Republic. Tune in every Saturday at 8 AM.


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John F. Williams of Suquamish, known for his brilliant underwater videos, has worked his way upstream from Puget Sound and into the freshwater streams of the Kitsap Peninsula.
His latest video project began somewhat haphazardly, John told me. But the end result is nothing less than an entertaining and educational series that anyone can enjoy. It helps that each video is just a little over four minutes. In such a short time, John was able to tell a story while packing in a lot of information.
"It all started," John said, "when Ron (Hirschi) invited me to come film him taking some preschool kids down to the South Fork of Dogfish Creek. He thought that would be fun."
Ron Hirschi, who grew up around Port Gamble, worked as a biologist for years before becoming a successful children's author. He tells stories of nature in simple and endearing ways. In the first video on this page, you'll see Ron reading from one of his books.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Ron and I have known each other for more than 30 years. He was an early mentor for me as I was learning about streams and shorelines in Western Washington, and I still rely on him for advice from time to time. He was an important voice in the book "Hood Canal: Splendor At Risk."
Anyway, it was nice to see the two storytellers — John and Ron — link up on a project together.
"At the time, we had no idea where this was going," John said.
A member of the Kitsap Environmental Education Program, John learned that some money was available for education projects through the "Puget Sound Starts Here" campaign.
"It occurred to me that what I was doing with the streams fit into what they wanted," he said, "so I pitched the idea of doing several movies about streams and people's interactions with them. I wanted people to understand that these streams, which are hidden behind the trees, are part of their lives."
John completed the video with Ron Hirschi, showing a visit to a forgotten stream, Poulsbo Creek, as well as the well-known Dogfish Creek, both in North Kitsap. John also obtained leads for stories about Olalla Creek in South Kitsap and Chico Creek in Central Kitsap.
His contact in South Kitsap was teacher Lisa Wickens at Ollalla Elementary School. It so happens that I had worked with Lisa on a story about elementary school children building a rain garden to prevent dirty water from getting into Olalla Creek. Check out "Olalla students learn science with a rain garden," Kitsap Sun, Dec. 13, 2013 (subscription).
John was blown away by the intellectual and scientific skills of this younger generation.
"I was sitting in Lisa's classroom one day, and she was giving her second-graders an assignment to write a persuasion piece," John noted. "She wanted them to persuade someone to take care of the Earth. I said I would love to come and film the kids reading their papers… It was so amazing."
You'll get a feeling for their abilities in the second video.
For the third video, John connected with Maureen McNulty, a teacher at Klahowya Secondary School who was organizing the students to build a rain garden. It turned out that older students were teamed up with younger ones on the project, so that everyone learned something.
John also traced the path of a stream from the school wetlands into the adjoining forest and encountered Frank Sticklin, the chief guru for Newberry Hill Heritage Park. Frank educated John about beaver dams.
"I had never seen beaver ponds, and he showed me these incredible things," John said.
In reality, John probably had seen beaver ponds and beaver dams without knowing that beavers were responsible. After Frank's tour, he went for a walk south of Port Gamble and encountered something that he immediately recognized as a beaver dam. Once you've seen one, you know what to look for.
"I think of this as a metaphor of what I do with my movies," John told me. "I help people see things that they haven't seen before and to look at the world in a new way."
John's videos have been recorded onto DVDs and distributed to nearly 200 schools and environmental organizations throughout the area.
He's now working on some projects involving the Puget Sound shoreline. I'll let you when they are done. Meanwhile, you may wish to check out his websites, Still Hope Productions and Sea-Media.org.


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To anyone who has ever spent time with UAW members, it's no secret that we take pride in the work that we do and the products that we build. When you see that something is UAW-made, you know you're getting something that was crafted with skilled labor.
You're also supporting a better economy. That's because the more than 400,000 active, UAW-represented workers in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico can collectively bargain for better wages, benefits, training and working conditions at nearly 1,600 employers.
When you buy a UAW-made product, you're making a statement about the kind of country you want to live in. You're saying that you want to live in the kind of place where people still make things. Where people work hard, get paid an honest wage, and can live the American Dream.
And, when you buy UAW-made vehicles, you're also saying that you expect the finest craftsmanship and quality. More and more folks are discovering just that.
UAW-made vehicles swept this year's Motor Trend Car & Truck of the Year awards. The Chevrolet Bolt, an all-electric vehicle with a 238-mile range built at General Motors Orion Assembly Plant by members of UAW Local 5960, took home this year's Motor Trend Car of the Year award. The Bolt faced stiff competition from contenders like the Jaguar XE, Porsche 911 and Tesla Model S, but, ultimately, UAW-made quality and American engineering prevailed.
Likewise, in the Motor Trend Truck of the Year category. The 2017 Ford Super Duty, built at Ford's Kentucky Truck Plant by members of UAW Local 862, blew the competition away. In giving the award, Motor Trend noted, "Sometimes, one vehicle so clearly satisfies or exceeds our criteria that we spend more time looking for faults than attributes, just to be sure we haven't gotten ahead of ourselves." That's the power of UAW craftsmanship.
Big congratulations go to the members who build the Motor Trend Car and Truck of the Year for 2017, and to all UAW members who bring their skills and expertise to the job every day to make great quality products.
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HSBC Holdings Plc, already facing a $2.46 billion judgment in an 11-year-old securities-fraud case, must keep litigating claims as a U.S. judge ordered more exchanges of evidence for a potential follow-up trial.
A federal jury in Chicago ruled in 2009 that executives at Household International, now part of HSBC Finance Corp., misled investors, violating U.S. securities laws. After a four-year claims review process, U.S. District Judge Ronald Guzman last week entered a $2.46 billion judgment on some claims.
Today, the judge ordered the parties to produce a schedule for developing evidence, a process known as discovery, to resolve about 200 more claims.
Guzman rejected a request by defense attorney Mark E. Rakoczy to delay the discovery process until a federal appeals court rules on the bank's challenge to the trial's outcome.
"Eleven years is a long time," the judge said. He also predicted that the appellate court would issue its ruling before the remaining claims were ready to be tried. "Let's move forward with discovery."
Mike Dowd, a plaintiffs' lawyer, today told Guzman there remains a pool of 16,000 claims that are still in dispute. Dowd said those claims are worth about $550 million, while he acknowledged that this number is also being disputed.
A group of 6,500 claims, to which there are no objections, will be paid, Dowd said, while about 9,500 more will be placed on a rejected list because of the claimants' failure to respond to additional inquiries.
Household was acquired by London-based HSBC in March 2003 for $15.5 billion.
The case is Lawrence E. Jaffe Pension Plan v. Household International Inc., 02-cv-05893, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois (Chicago).


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My First Hike - across Lamma Island
I am now a biiig boy. I can walk, I can run and I can go on a hike. Here I take mom and dad across Lamma Island - from Sok Kwu Wan - treading uphill and crossing over to the other side of the mountain all the way to Yung Shue Wan. On the way, I get a peek into the Japanese Kamikaze caves, and we break for a little bit of waves and sand at the Hung Shing Yeh Beach. I sure had a lot of funRead More


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State environmental officials grant waivers for Montaup work
SOMERSET — State environmental officials confirmed they issued five waivers to the new owners of the closed Montaup power plant to perform spring demolition work that has concerned residents.
The state Department of Environmental Protection issued waivers on May 15 after performing a pre-inspection of the 21.5-acre site at 1606 Riverside Ave., along the Taunton River.
"A site visit was conducted prior to issuing of waivers," DEP spokesman Joseph Ferson said.
After approximately one month of work, DEP completed a post-demolition inspection on June 25, Ferson said.
He said this week the agency issued the waiver demolition permits to Great Northern Site Corp. of Everett.
An entity called Somerset Riverside 1606 LLC, registered in Everett with William Thibeault as the principal, purchased the power plant property for $2.55 million dollars through a bankruptcy foreclosure on March 7.
They own another 16.9 acres with oil holding tanks, which is mostly undeveloped, on the other side Riverside Avenue.
Efforts to clarify the different ownership listings were unsuccessful Wednesday during brief phone conversations with two of Thibeault's lawyers, Anthony Rossi and Richard Bennett.
Ferson confirmed the identified waivers that Town Administrator Dennis Luttrell said he received from Bennett in an email more than a month ago.
Luttrell showed waiver listings for a catwalk/silo, coal conveyor, a warehouse, salt shed and a unit for oxygen storage, with the DEP waiver numbers.
Luttrell said he has requested copies of the waiver permits from Ed Burke, a DEP field officer working on the case, but he hasn't received them.
A Herald News request to obtain copies from DEP is pending.
Rossi, Thibeault's lawyer, said the waiver permits also have been filed with the Somerset Board of Health. Efforts to confirm that were unsuccessful.
Ferson said the main power plant silos were not part of the demolition permits the state issued. He said DEP inspected the premises to ensure demolition structures did not contain asbestos.
With heavy equipment removing and bringing materials to the site in May and June, demolition of a towering crane drew the attention of residents.
Luttrell said the town determined the crane was classified as "equipment" and not a structure and could, therefore, be removed without a town demolition permit.
The owners applied to the town building department for demolition permits in early April and were denied.
Town officials have said they would not issue any permits to Somerset Riverside 1606 LLC until tax obligations and a tax payment plan were in place.
Town officials have continually responded to questions from citizens asking how this demolition work has continued while the owners are significantly delinquent in taxes.
According to Tax Collector Lisa Viana, with the last quarterly tax bill of $51,727 due Aug. 1, more than $500,000 is owed in taxes.
The coal-fired power plant closed four years ago.


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Sales points
COUNTRIES where we operate
Kinnarps has six production facilities in Sweden. Production and assembly are carried out in Kinnarp, Jönköping, Skillingaryd, Vinslöv, Tranås (2). The largest facility is located in Kinnarp.
We take responsibility for our entire supply chain - from production to delivery. We can deliver and install over one hundred workstations, per customer, per day. Orders within Europe are completed in four to six weeks. We also deliver worldwide. Every day, 24 fully loaded containers leave our factories to deliver workspace solutions designed for prosperity and wellbeing. Instead of traditional packaging, we use blankets and cardboard to protect our furniture. The blankets and cardboard are then returned and reused time after time. This means a saving of 270 kg of packaging per container. Delivery routes are optimised using an advanced route planning system, which is linked to production. We've also invested in a modern fleet of eco-friendly vehicles to reduce our environmental impact. Each truck is manned by our Kinnarps fitters. On delivery, they carry in the furniture, unpack it and assemble it. The idea is that the customer has their furniture in place quickly and efficiently with minimum disruption.
"Our Core Values are important to us. They have a favorable effect on our business on many levels - right from how we develop products to how we cooperate with people. They're a direct heritage from my parents, Evy and Jarl Andersson, and contribute to our company's success."
We endeavour to pursue development and to always see opportunities. We aim to be creative, dare to be different and dare to do what nobody else has done. We work effectively, persevere and always strive to do better.
We endeavour to trust our own knowledge and skills and believe in the opportunities that present themselves. We perform our work in such a way that we can be proud of our profession and strive after personal development.
We endeavour to be open and honest in all communication and behave respectfully towards all people, regardless of their status or role. We comply with laws and regulations and keep promises.
We endeavour to take responsibility, be thrifty with resources and carry out operations in such a way that they can be sustained. We go to the source with problems and find out the real needs for long-term solutions. We understand connections, predict consequences, take all aspects into consideration, evaluate and balance.
Kinnarps provides interior workspace solutions for offices and public environments. High quality and low environmental impact mark the entire chain – from raw material to finished solutions for the workspace.
The Kinnarps financial year 2020/2021 resulted in an annual turnover of SEK 3.2 billion (EURO 294 million)
Kinnarps is one of Europe's largest provider of workspace solutions. Sales operations are conducted in approx. 40 countries with 250 sales points.
Kinnarps has six production plants in Sweden. Production and assembly are carried out in Kinnarp, Jönköping, Skillingaryd, Vinslöv, and Tranås (2). The largest facility is located in Kinnarp.
Group management and operations are located in Kinnarp, Sweden.
Approx. 1650 people work for the Group.
Kinnarps Group designs, develops and markets the following trademarks: Kinnarps, Materia, Skandiform, NC Nordic Care, Drabert and MartinStoll.
Kinnarps was founded in 1942 by Jarl and Evy Andersson.
Kinnarps is 100% family owned by the children and grandchildren of Jarl and Evy. Some of the owners are also active within the company.
Kinnarps AB has a number of central corporate departments who work with Group-wide functions, coordination, management and control. These departments also support other parts of the organisation in their respective areas of responsibility. Kinnarps AB also has commercial responsibility and product development responsibility for the Group's product brands; Kinnarps, Drabert and MartinStoll. Kinnarps AB is responsible for Materia Group.
Kinnarps AB is responsible for product manufacturing at the three production units in Kinnarps, Jönköping and Skillingaryd in Sweden. Functions, including procurement, logistics, production and technical design, are coordinated to provide the best efficiency possible.
Kinnarps owns a number of sales companies around the world. Each company is headed by a managing director with a national team and other resources to effectively carry out its sales activities. Each company has commercial responsibility for its region.
Kinnarps also employs a network of independent contractual dealers. Kinnarps has approximately 200 sales outlets around the world.
Kinnarps AB is managed by the Executive Management Board, which includes:
Looking for a specific product? Interested in customising a solution to meet your individual needs? Or simply intrigued to learn more about what we have on offer? Get in touch - we are here for you.


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RedFlag, Allegation and/or Complaint against Joshua Lefler
Disclosure #1 for Joshua Lefler
- Event Date: 1/22/2020
- Disclosure Type: Financial
- Resolution: Final
- Type: Compromise
- Disposition: Direct Payment Procedure
Should I file a FINRA complaint against brokers like Joshua Lefler?
Many investors (presumably, like yourself) are unaware of the legal recourse available to them after losing money due to securities broker fraud and/or negligence. The truth is that investors who lost money in this fashion may actually be entitled to damages. You may suffer significant losses at the hands of your financial advisors' misconduct, such as if they misrepresented or failed to disclose the risks associated with a particular investment, recommended frequent trades for the sole purpose of generating commissions, or used high-pressure tactics to make a sale. The rules and regulations of securities laws and FINRA policies are complex, and investment loss claims require an extensive understanding of securities arbitration to achieve the best possible results.
Frequently Asked Questions About Joshua Lefler
What is Joshua Lefler's Central Registration Depository (CRD) Number?
Which firm is Joshua Lefler associated with?
Where is Joshua Lefler located?
Where can I find more details about Joshua Lefler's Investment Firm?
Are there any disclosures, allegations or complaints filed against Joshua Lefler?
Where can I download a detailed FINRA report for Joshua Lefler?
Is it safe to do business with Joshua Lefler?
All information displayed on this page is publicly available information under SEC guidelines, in compliance with 5 U.S.C. § 552 (Freedom of Information Act) and 5 U.S.C. § 552a (the Privacy Act) and is published unmodified, as provided by FINRA. BrokerAudit.com does not modify the data and makes no claims regarding its accuracy, nor will entertain any request to remove any entry. The inclusion of a person or entity in the BrokerAudit Database is not intended to suggest or imply that they have engaged in illegal or improper conduct related to FINRA. BrokerAudit.com intends to offer a platform where suspicious activities can be shared and discussed in a secure environment.
Originally reported on November 17, 2022 @ 9:08 pm


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AKA season 1, episode 12
Episode 11 of The Tripods was an action-heavy chapter that dealt with the boys resorting to theft to get food while traveling to the White Mountains. The aftermath of said choice was basically the resulting punishment they received. Not only did they have to escape a tribe of murderous "Vagrants" living outside the town, but were apprehended by some Blackguards and put on trial for theft.
They apparently have a semblance of a fair trial, but it seems that the trial itself is more of a ritual than an actual legal proceeding. It seems like it's a foregone conclusion that they will get capped once a Tripod arrives, and that is even if they are somehow found innocent. Boys of their age simply do not walk around uncapped, it's uncivilized and terrifying! Our buddy Danielle, the French Blackguard that has been stalking the boys ever since they left the vineyard, shows up and punches holes in their defense. Danielle basically ruins everyone's day by stating that he knows they are up to no good. he's no Duc Du Sarlat on the scale of jerkitude, but he's got to be pretty close.
They are caged, and Danielle volunteers to take him back to his precinct for processing. Suddenly the boys are in a moral dilemma – Henry feels bad that they have to hurt Danielle in order to escape seeing that he is part of the family that took care of them. It comes down to the fact that "it's either him or us" and the boys attack.
Danielle isn't killed or anything, but bound, gagged, and stranded in the middle of nowhere locked inside of the cage he trapped the boys in. I liked this scene a lot because Henry had to come to terms with the fact that he probably wasn't going back to that vineyard, and that Danielle was not their friend and family member.
The rest of this episode is full of some very important information including our very first glimpse at what the true nature of The Tripods is. This kicks off when the boys are traversing an eerie ruined city and stumble onto a Tripod that is guarding it. Somehow they have gone completely undetected, or as beanpole puts it "just like how a fat man cannot see his own feet".
Pretty soon a plan is concocted to attempt to destroy this Tripod. Henry climbs up a rock face and places a hammer under the foot of the hulking enormity of the machine's foot. Beanpole then hoists one of the grenades that were plucked from the shopping mall way back in the beginning of the show, and pulls the pin with a rope. The resulting explosion knocks the beast over and a hatch opens on the front face of the Tripod.
Until this very moment we were not exactly sure if the Tripods themselves were sentient robots or if somebody was inside of it piloting. With the hatch opening, the boys get a glimpse of an off-screen face that proves the latter is most likely the case. This is, of course, right before another grenade is hurled into the cockpit rendering the occupant inside nothing more than a thick green slime oozing out of the door.We are not only one step closer to knowing the true nature of the villainous Tripods, but we now know that they can also be killed.
As the episode closes, we see The White Mountains off in the distance, signaling that the first part of the boys' quest is nearly complete. They aren't sure what to expect other than the fact that there are probably more like-minded individuals there, and none of them should be capped. Here's hoping that crazy old coot Ozymandias was right and this whole ordeal wasn't a wild goose chase.
Last week I discussed how much I loved the location shooting in this show, and this is yet another episode full of great shots. The ruins that the boys walk through were especially eerie, seemingly plucked from a medieval village that was destroyed. I did a bit of research, and it appears that this was actually an old Welsh slate quarry called Diffwys Quarry, that had been abandoned since the 1950's. I'm not sure how something so recent fell into such disrepair so quickly, but it definitely gave this episode the terrifying post-apocalyptic vibe that it had lost a bit of in all of the pastoral episodes.
Also of note, were the awesome model shots and practical effects especially in the Tripod battle at the end. I've seen far more recent films have less realistic scenes of large creatures or machines walking around, and it really goes to show that sometimes models and puppets work better than computer generated effects for some things. My hat goes off to the director, Christopher Barry, and his entire crew.
That's it for this week, join me again in seven days as discuss the final chapter of season one – Episode 13, The White Mountains! Remember, if you missed any entries for this series and want to read more, go to the front page and click the "Tripods" button.
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Opening of 3D Movie Featuring ESO's Paranal Observatory
26 October 2009
In close cooperation with ESO as part of its International Year of Astronomy 2009 activities, the production companies parallax raumprojektion and fact&film have produced a unique 3D documentary about the most powerful visible-light telescope in the world, ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT). One of the world's largest telescopes, capable of taking some of the sharpest pictures of the night sky, the VLT is located in a breathtaking, arid environment, providing astronomers with superb sky conditions as they study the deep Universe.
The film, The EYE 3D — Life and Research on Cerro Paranal, stars the young scientist and ESOcast host Dr J, aka Joe Liske. In June 2009, a German film crew who specialise in making 3D movies accompanied Dr J on a trip from ESO Headquarters in Garching, Germany, to the landscapes of the Atacama Desert in the North of Chile, one of the driest sites on Earth and home to the VLT observatory.
Along with stunning views of the telescopes and clear explanations of how such a technical masterpiece functions, the movie also follows the lives of people at Paranal: astronomers, engineers, physicists and technicians, showing just how everyone's work at the VLT contributes not only to the acquisition of astonishing pictures of the Universe, but also to cutting-edge research about our cosmic origins. The movie is aimed at a broad audience, from schoolchildren to science scholars. Its extraordinary 3D technique gives viewers a real sense of being in the middle of the action, taking them on virtual tours inside the huge telescope domes or for a walk in the desert with Dr J.
The film was co-financed by the film subsidy agencies of the German federal states of Baden-Württemberg and Bremen, several charitable and public organisations and ESO. It has been appointed Special Project of the International Year of Astronomy.
The EYE 3D, directed by Nikolai Vialkowitsch, will have its world premiere on Wednesday 28 October 2009 at the Film Festival in Biberach, Germany. It will be shown in 3D theatres across Germany from 29 October 2009 and all over Europe later this year. An international version in English language is available, and further translations in other European languages are in production.
- More information on the ESO events page
- The movie's web page
- The EYE 3D, press kit (German, PDF, 13.8 MB)
Lars Lindberg Christensen
ESO, Garching, Germany
Tel: +49-89-3200-6761
Cell: +49-173-3872-621
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Nikolai Vialkowitsch
parallax raumprojektion, Karlsruhe
Tel: +49 (0) 721 / 62 76 741
E-Mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
About the Announcement


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Study: Worrying About Math Can Activate Pain Areas In the Brain
The brain registers the anticipation of math -- but crucially, not math itself -- as physical pain.
PROBLEM: I'm not one for self-diagnosis, but judging from my dread of calculating tips and my avoidance of the cash register at my otherwise-ideal summer job at a bookstore, I think I might be an HMA: someone with "high levels of mathematics-anxiety."
Are HMAs merely hysterical, or might math-induced dread be a real, visceral phenomenon?
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METHODOLOGY: Sian Beilock (author of the best-selling Choke: What the Secrets of the Brain Reveal About Getting It Right When You Have To) and Ian Lyons of the University of Chicago identified 14 HMAs and 14 LMAs (low math-anxiety individuals) on the basis of their responses to a series of math-related hypotheticals.
While hooked up to an fMRI machine to measure their brain activity, the participants were given a series of word and math tasks to complete. Their ability to solve the problems didn't matter -- what did was their responses to the Pavlovian cues given before each task: a blue square signaling an upcoming word problem or a yellow circle indicating that math was next.
RESULTS: When math cues were show to HMAs, activity in four regions of the brain increased in proportion to their level of math anxiety. The more the subjects dreaded math, the greater the response from these regions, specifically those implicated in pain perception and the detection of physical threats.
This occurred even when controlling for the response to word-cues, performance on both types of tasks, and general anxiety traits, meaning that it was the specific anticipation of math, and not just any difficult task, that prompted the the subjects' reactions. But none of these brain responses occurred when the subjects were actually performing the math problems. They found no significant relationship between brain activity and math cues in LMAs.
Unexpectedly, in HMAs, the opposite effect was seen for word cues: Activity in these same brain regions decreased as level of math anxiety increased.
CONCLUSION: When people with high levels of math anxiety anticipate having to do math, they experience pain-related brain activity.
IMPLICATIONS: According to Beilock and Lyons, the pre-math visceral pain registered by HMAs is validating, giving them "every right to feel anxious" about numbers. The negative effect of word-cues on brain activity underscores this assertion: It "raises the interesting prospect that, in the context of doing math, anticipating the word task may have served as a kind of refuge, in that, for the moment at least, it meant one didn't have to do math."
Fellow HMAs would probably relate. But the results also show that math itself isn't painful, raising the possibility that people can be helped to get over their anxiety and go on to embrace math, signing up for math classes and even pursuing math-related careers.
The full study, "When Math Hurts: Math Anxiety Predicts Pain Network Activation in Anticipation of Doing Math," is published in the journal PLos ONE.


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Because Unique Performance declared bankruptcy and had debts outstanding, what was left in the UP warehouse was auctioned off this weekend. The hope was that, after the $900K went to the government there would be some left over for the 140 individuals with claims (including 40 employees owed back-pay). According to our source and records on the auction company's website, the auction netted approximately $1.037 million, leaving $137K after the IRS took their cut, which means $978 per person... before lawyers.
We don't have a final tally on how much the lawyers get, or if there are other ways to recoup the money (maybe not). Either way, it doesn't look like those on the wrong end of this are going to get justice from this particular auction. Though, as one former employee told us "I guess we have the memories... and the hope to see [owner Doug] Hasty behind bars!" More when we get additional information.


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GLENDALE, Ariz. — Jairus Byrd's second interception of the game set up Rian Lindell's 25-yard field goal 3:50 into overtime that gave the Buffalo Bills a 19-16 victory over the Cardinals on Sunday.
The loss ended Arizona's eight-game home winning streak.
Byrd picked off a pass from John Skelton, who had replaced the injured Kevin Kolb, and returned it 29 yards to the Arizona 6 to set up the winning kick.
Arizona's Jay Feely kicked a franchise-record 61-yard field goal with 1:09 left in regulation to tie it 16-16, but his 38-yard attempt to win it as the fourth quarter ended careened off the left upright. Feely says someone tipped the attempt.
The Cardinals (4-2) lost their second in a row after a 4-0 start. The Bills (3-3) won after allowing 1,201 yards and 97 points in their previous two games.


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Justin Bieber would have liked Anne Frank to be 'a belieber'
AMSTERDAM – Justin Bieber wrote an entry into a guestbook at the Anne Frank House museum in Amsterdam, saying he hoped the Jewish teenager who died in a Nazi concentration camp "would have been a Belieber" -- or fan of his -- if history were different.
The comment triggered a flood of criticism on the museum's Facebook page Sunday, with many criticizing the 19-year-old Canadian pop star for writing something they perceive to be insensitive.
Calls made and emails sent to Bieber's publicist and agent in Los Angeles weren't immediately returned.
Museum spokeswoman Maatje Mostart confirmed that Bieber visited Friday evening. She said the museum was happy to have received Bieber and didn't see anything offensive in his remarks.
Anne Frank was a Jewish teenager who hid with her family in a small apartment above a warehouse during the Nazi occupation of World War II. Her family was caught and deported, and Anne died in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945.
The diary she kept in hiding was recovered and published after the war, and has become the most widely read document to emerge from the Holocaust.
Bieber's whole note read: "Truly inspiring to be able to come here. Anne was a great girl. Hopefully she would have been a Belieber."
Mostart said Bieber called ahead and was given a guided tour.
Bieber's remarks led to criticism from some quarters, as a Facebook response insulting Bieber received more than a thousand "likes" -- slightly more than the museum's original post about the incident.
Meanwhile on Twitter, posts mocking Bieber and imagining that he had visited the museum and walked away thinking only of himself began circulating Sunday, though the message is open to interpretation.
But Bieber had some support from the Anti-Defamation League. The organization's national director Abraham Foxman told the New York Daily News that the pop singer's message was not that far fetched.
"If you read Anne Frank's diary, she was into celebrities, she was into pop culture," Foxman said. "So for (Bieber) to say he would have hoped that she would have been a fan, it's a nice thing."
Some of Bieber's 37 million followers also Tweeted messages of support. Others in his fan base -- which is heavily weighted toward young girls -- tweeted that they didn't know who Anne Frank was.
Frank was 13 years old when she began keeping her diary in 1942. Like many teenage girls, she made a collage of the celebrities of her day -- movie stars, dancers, and royalty -- and kept it on her bedroom wall.
"Our little room looked very bare at first with nothing on the walls; but thanks to Daddy who had brought my film-star collection and picture postcards ... with the aid of a paste pot and brush, I have transformed the walls into one gigantic picture," she wrote on July 11, 1942, just days after going into hiding. "This makes it look much more cheerful."
Many of those pictures can still be seen on the walls of the museum Bieber visited Friday.
Bieber has had a tough few weeks in Europe. He had to leave a monkey in quarantine after landing in Germany without the necessary papers for the animal. Before that, the 19-year-old singer had a trying stay in London. The star struggled with his breathing and fainted backstage at a show, was taken to a hospital and then was caught on camera clashing with a paparazzo. Days earlier, he was booed by his beloved fans when he showed up late to a concert.
He performed in Arnhem, Netherlands, on Saturday night, and will next perform three nights in Oslo, Norway.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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And really, we're not talking about money or even about repressive politics, so much as the eventual prospect of serious loss of life here, of one sort or another.
How many people died in the US because the Depression? How many have died since the start of the Bush War on the Have-Lesses?
So, the question would be, how many would die over a few decades of poverty, versus how many died when Argentina's economy collapsed.
At the end of last year the Spanish government announced their intention to partially privatize the national lotteries. The suggested price was ridiculously low. Basically, the government was reacting to "the markets" demanding 5%-7% for long-term lending by selling the lotteries at a 15%+ implied yield. A lot of people made the same back-of-the-envelope yield calculation and were wondering how one would go about buying some stock when this is privatised...
DiagonalPeriodico.net: El coste de la privatización de la lotería
En diciembre, el Gobierno anunció la privatización del 30% de Loterías y Apuestas del Estado. El motivo, según confesó la ministra de Economía, Elena Salgado, a un medio extranjero, era "hacer caja". Sin embargo, los números no cuadran: el Ejecutivo anunció que con ese 30% preveía ingresar unos 5.000 millones de euros, cuando la entidad permite ingresar a las arcas públicas casi 3.000 millones de euros al año. El PP, que se opone a esta venta "de saldo", cifra en 20.000 millones la operación para que esta sea rentable.
In December, the Government announced the privatisation of 30% of the State Lotteries and Bets. The motive the economy minister Elena Salgado's confessed to a foreign media outlet was "to cash in". However, the numbers don't add up. The government announced that with this 30% they intended to raise 5bn, when the public entity produces an income of 3bn a year for the public treasury. The PP, opposing this "firesale", values the operation at 20bn for it to be profitable
Short term tax cuts which screw the country in the long term.
And I'll give my consent to any government that does not deny a man a living wage-Billy Bragg
If you think universities are real messed up right now, check this out.
I've recently had the idea that sit-ins wouldn't work at the university. So I thought to myself why not shit-ins. They piss you off, you all go in, pop a squat in their office, and then leave.
Seriously though, asset stripping is a huge problem, and we should start to refer to "privatization" schemes that have this effect as such.
And I'll give my consent to any government that does not deny a man a living wage-Billy Bragg
He: We sold it--- last year.
She: Oh, yes.
"In such an environment it is not surprising that the ills of technology should seem curable only through the application of more technology..." John W Aldridge
When you're all in it together, when the balance of things is set aright (i.e. your public assets are working for you), then there's more cohesion.
What Greece has now is producing the opposite effect.
I liken it to Greece coming to the USA to ask that I invest in diasporic bonds. Why in the world would I give money to be funneled to the pockets of bank CEOs in Europe? I already sent some money to distant relatives in Greece.
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