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Professional Community for Car Dealers, Marketing, Advertising and Sales Leaders
Prepping for a presentation on Call Center best practices and found a few questions that there are varied performance metrics measured...hoping to get some input from you Call Center/eCommerce Directors that may want to share.
1) How important is the 'empowerment' of the "BDC Director"? Especially with regard to input into the Floor Sales Process... what areas of opportunity lie in the "handoff" from phone to floor in terms of consistent experience for the customer?
2) Is it better to bonus the Call Handler for the show and the buy, or pay more and bonus just the 'buy'
3) How important is the 'confirmation process' to the show?
4) Who is best to make the confirmation call? Sales Manager, Sales Rep., Call Center Rep or other?
5) Please comment on your CRM adherence on both sides--Call Center and Floor Process... how have you brought success to total CRM data entry.....and
6) What is the best practice for no show and unsold follow up... Sales Rep, Sales Manager, Call Center?
Eager to get your thoughts!
Views: 268
Chip, I'm not sure where these statistics are coming from, but I will tell you from experience, 80% of appointments set take quite a bit of work as most callers have already done the research and are calling to confirm whether it's a scheme or something false advertised. On the "do you have" callers, they still want to negotiate price to the point where sometimes an appointment might not get set based on unrealistic expectations... for example, a car is advertised at $12,900 and the caller calls with their offer of $11,500 out the door. I would say with all the information available to consumers on the web these days, they believe that there is more of a mark up in new and pre-owned cars than is possible. A lot of customers are looking for a unicorn. Most times, even relaying to the customer that "rather than spend time calling around and negotiating to bare bones over a vehicle you haven't even seen, or test driven, consider the fact that you're going to have more leverage once here with cash/financing in hand ready to buy than you will going back and forth on the phone." So many customers want to do all the work from beginning to end over the internet or sitting on their phone looking at inventory on the mobile site, rather than getting in their car and visiting a store, dealing with salespeople, a TO or the financing process of packages, etc. I would say I have had a handful of customers call to get an appointment, without first trying to get the best price before they arrive.
Regarding scripts, there are different types for different customers and their needs, and they do change sometimes from day to day. As the market changes, so do the customers and their knowledge, which challenges the dealership. There are definitely questions we asked that helped secure appointments and avoid the haggling, but this is a big part of the call in and internet lead process.
Stan-thanks as always! Agreed--the Confirmation Process is the common denominator for the top performers... the 'who' seems to be store specific, but in general it seems the Sales Managers are too busy to rely on them for 100% adherence, and the Sales Team is consistent with it to the degree that they are consistent with Calls entered and owned in CRM.
Thanks Beth--good stuff!
Interesting note on item 2, in our measurements some stores have more than half of the callers ask for an appointment after verifying that the promotion they saw was true (lease pay't, etc) and some stores have 80% "Do you have?" and "Best Price" calls and the appointment setting is requires much more effort and adherence to the 'road map'....seems related to the style and consistency of the promotions. In the store that Stan mentions in his response, they have stuck with the same promotion for over a year, written a number of scripts around it and tested them till they got down to the best performer... thoughts?
Based on my experience working as a BDC Manager:
1) Based on trial and error, I found that most customers liked getting walked through the process prior to arrival so they don't arrive expecting to work directly with one of my staff members or myself, from A to Z. It's important to make it clear that there is a "hand off". Yes, the goal is to get the appointment, but how many times have appointments shown only to be disappointed because they feel they were brought in under false pretenses with who they would be working with, and this being just the beginning of an untrusted relationship where by public knowledge dealers are considered liars.
2) I think based on the work involved in setting the appointment, there should be a bonus for shows in the BDC department, as well as added incentive for sold. Very rarely does a customer call to say, "hey, I'd like to come in and see the car." Rather, they call to negotiate out the door price and avoid coming in at all to avoid pushy salespeople, so the work being done just to get them to show is the most challenging part of the sales process. Once they arrive, it's the sales department and management's responsibility to close the deal.
3) The confirmation process is very important as most consumers don't stick to appointments unless they know there's a fee attached, like a doctor or dentist appointment. Reminding a customer that they had been invited to the dealership also changes the dynamic as well... it's not an appointment, it's a visit, and we're looking out for the customers interest.
4) Whoever set the initial appointment, if available, should make the confirmation call. If unavailable, another team member should reach out on behalf, assuming a relationship has been developed.
5) With regard to CRM data entry, it's very crucial that everyone from sales to management knows how to utilize the CRM and understand its importance in the sales and retention process. The question that always has to be asked is "is this going to help everyone be successful??"... not just the store, but all the salespeople too. If information is not input or is left out from a transaction, what happens when someone is out for a few days? How does the company follow up? What are the next steps? How does anyone know if there is no trail?
6) For no shows, if a salesperson is already working with the customer and has a relationship with the customer, they should take it upon themselves to follow up and reschedule. If it is still at the call center level then that staff should take accountability. Each case will be different as each relationship is different... some customers just want to deal with a manager. If that's the case, then a manager should make the follow up call. This isn't about selling cars, it's about customer service and customer retention... relationship building.
Those are my 6 cents.
For number 2. I meant to say the focus should be set on the "show". My mistake. Thanks.
1. I believe that the sales floor needs to be trained on "The New Road To The Sale" in order to understand how the customer is worked by phone and internet. They need to utilize modern word tracks and be welcoming to the customer. They need to use the CRM and read notes to understand what was said and why it was said. Once they take over the process they need to be in tune with how they were brought in. This is something that dealerships all over the the country lack and it is the reason why the blame gets put on the BDC. In fact, when I worked at Teddy Nissan we made it mandatory for the BDC to be involved in sales meetings 1-2 days per week. The BDC would see what the sales floor is doing and how their process works while the sales floor would see how the BDC process works. As soon as everyone was on the same page, we started selling more cars.
2. I believe that the show and buy are both good bonuses. However, the focus needs to be on the "buy" where the "sold" need to be an added bonus just for doing a good job. The emphasis needs to be on the show though.
3. The confirmation process is key. Appointments setup before 12pm, need to be confirmed the night before. Appointments setup for 12pm and after need to be confirmed every hour on the hour as soon as they are scheduled for that day.
4. The best confirmation call comes from the BDC Manager or another BDC rep to show a second a face. Sometimes the customer will say something different to a different person and that information needs to be documented in the CRM.
5. CRM adherence comes from everyone in the dealership being trained and using it the right way 100% of the time. Since that is difficult, it is important that the BDC Manager or another expert in the CRM be employed to constantly monitor data entry and status updates. The CRM needs to be manipulated constantly to fix errors made by the showroom and sales managers. The bottom line is that if it is not manipulated then the data will be wrong and reporting will be wrong. I talk about this in this article (http://www.automotivedigitalmarketing.com/profiles/blogs/crm-manipu...)
6. No show appointments need to be called within 30 minutes after they are due to arrive. You will be surprised to find out how often they do show but they are not logged in by the sales floor. Again, CRM Manipulation. If customers do not show, resume your follow up process as you would with any lead that you are working until you setup a new appointment or they show. Unsold follow up needs to be a 5-10 process. Generally, a customer buys within a few days of visiting a dealership. I would make it a 5-10 process of effective phone calls and emails and move on. This process can be from the Call Center and tie in Sales Rep. Sales Manager needs to focus on desking and closing deals.
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I'm always in awe of how God uses people. How he puts a desire in their heart and then some people actually follow through and do something with it. I like to think that I'm on the path to doing something...to following through. It may be slow...baby steps;) I got brave and started the blog;) A few years ago I finally started my Etsy store. I eventually got around to doing a show. But going a little further and getting that book published or creating something and figuring out how to have it made...that's so amazing.
Two of my friends have done just that. My first "talented friend" is Courtney Walsh. She writes the blog Telling Stories...which is appropriately titled, because this girl can spin a tale. She recently got a novel printed. CAN YOU IMAGINE?! I knew her before, and can I just say I'm busting at the seams to think of her writing this book. I just finished it. SO GOOD! It's just weaved with goodness all throughout. It was weird reading a book from someone I knew. I tried really hard to detach myself, so I could be objective...and I did. I was able to forget that my Courtney was behind the characters. I thought it would be fun to get inside her creative process. Here's a little interview...
How did you come up with the story line?
We were gifted a weekend in a cottage by some friends of ours, and they told us the story of this little cottage community where the homes were passed down through the generations--some homes had been in the family since the early 1900's! I found that so fascinating...the history those homes had seen, and I knew that in that community, people mainly came for the summers...when we were there, I just started imagining what that looked like for the people in that community. I started picturing a group of women who grew up there, but only saw each other during the summer...and I thought a scrapbook was the perfect way for them to stay in touch...
Did you draw from personal experience to develop the characters? I did in a lot of ways, yes. There are elements of me and my story in many of the characters, and I found myself drawing on my personal experiences to shape the character's lives. But then, there are a lot of ways that these women don't resemble me at all too. ha.
Did you take classes or major in writing? I majored in journalism and theatre...and while you'd think the journalism degree helps me most in writing, the truth is, I think it was my time in the theatre that's helped me most. When you're an actor, you have to learn how to develop a character, to bring someone who only exists on the page to life...and I think there's a lot of the same techniques that go into writing a character. Also, dialogue is my favorite thing to write, and I think that's because I started by writing for the stage.
Do you ever get writer's block?
I do...sometimes when I get stuck I meander around the story until something hits me...and then I'm off again. Other times, I have to shut the laptop and walk away. It's funny, I could be cleaning the bathroom when a new idea strikes and I'm back to writing! :)
What inspires you to write?
Usually it's the characters...I have this innate need to tell their stories...to explore them, to find out what happens next. I also want to write in hopes that maybe someone else will benefit from it...storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to change lives...to allow people to have an experience. There's just nothing like it.
When, how, where do you write?
I used to do almost all my writing at Barnes and Noble. We lived in Illinois, and my mom came up once a week to hang out with my kids so I could do that...but then we moved to Colorado and everything shifted. Now, I have a work from home job, so I pretty much only write on the weekends. Under headphones, listening to Pandora...
Lots of people have ideas for books...how do you get published? You do a lot of research! There are tons of websites out there with great writing advice. For me, the key was going to a writer's conference and learning everything I could absorb. I read a lot of books and blogs about the topic, wrote a book (not the one that's published!) and the wrote a proposal. The next step is to find an agent and then do a lot of praying. It's a hurry up and wait kind of thing, and it's a TON of work...but it's worth it in the long run!
Are you going on tour?
The most I've done is travel home to Illinois for my first signing and a launch party...then I've done some live events here in Colorado, but that's it! With the ease of the Internet, many writers rely on that nowadays!
The most I've done is travel home to Illinois for my first signing and a launch party...then I've done some live events here in Colorado, but that's it! With the ease of the Internet, many writers rely on that nowadays!
What's next for you??
I have two more books releasing this year in the Sweethaven series, so that's what I'm focusing on right now. My final deadline for the third book, A Sweethaven Christmas, is this weekend, so that's my main writing focus right now! But then there's always the science fair projects and swim lessons to contend with! :)
Where can we get the book? It's at amazon in paperback and on the Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Sweethaven-Summer-Courtney-Walsh/dp/0824945190/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1330629533&sr=1-1
And at Barnes & Noble in paperback and on the Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/a-sweethaven-summer?keyword=a+sweethaven+summer&store=allproducts
Another friend of mine Suzanne had an awesome product idea. You know all the little cards that are thrown into your wallet that you can never find?? She came up with a GENIUS way of keeping them organized. Oh how I love organization!
I LOVE my Cardkeyper! Now when I'm at the grocery store or standing in line at Sweet Frog...I don't have to hunt for 10 minutes, in my bottomless pit of a purse, to look for that punch card. It's all in one spot and it doesn't take up my entire wallet.
Both of these gals are giving their goodies away today:)
I'll pick two winners!! Each will receive a signed copy of Courtney's Sweethaven book and Suzanne's Cardkeyper.
To win leave me a comment about what dreams you have seen become reality in your life.
I'll announce the winner Friday.
***Oh and I'm posting at Beautifully Rooted today. Don't forget to head over there and check it out. It's about Making it Yours.
Have a blessed day.
494. sunday afternoon naps
495. longer lightfilled days
496. spring blossoms...white and fluffy
497. the freckles that sprinkle my girls faces
498. a 22 year dating anniversary with my honey;)

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Ex-reality TV dad Jon Gosselin took a break from his marriage and legal woes to wine and dine girlfriend Hailey Glassman during a romantic weekend in New York City.
The 32-year-old divorcing dad was spotted snuggling up to and laying some smooches on the 22-year-old daughter of his ex-wife's tummy tuck surgeon during a nighttime horse-and-carriage ride through New York City Saturday night, according to Usmagazine.com.
The PDA-heavy pair then dined at the Oak Room in The Plaza Hotel, the magazine reported.
U.S. & World
On Sunday, the couple took a romantic stroll in the rain through the city.
The father of eight, embroiled in a bitter divorce battle with estranged wife Kate, moved into a bachelor pad in a luxury doorman building on the Upper West Side in mid-July.
Gosselin was spotted with Glassman a day after he was slapped with a lawsuit by TLC, who said Jon was in breach of his contract for "Jon & Kate Plus 8." The ex-reality TV star had previously halted filming of his eight kids.


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A Veteran Designation on an Arizona driver license, instruction permit or identification card is available to U.S. military veterans or active duty service members.The word "VETERAN" will be printed on the front of the license/permit/ID in blue lettering.
Those who would like the designation should fill out the Arizona Driver License/Identification Card application (online form) or Commercial Driver License application (40-5124) and check the Veteran Designation box.
This application should be brought to any MVD field office or authorized third party that processes driver license transactions, along with veteran designation documentation. See below for a list of approved documentation.
Initial applications must be received in person and will require a new photo. Once on the customer record, a duplicate can be ordered online at ServiceArizona.com and it will have the VETERAN designation.
Standard transaction fees apply.
(One of the following documents must be presented at the time of application)
Arizona Department of Transportation
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State of SF Coffee
First... a little set up.
Goal - evaluate the state of high end quality coffee in San Francisco.
Process - three different cupping sessions each with a different selection approach (today was the first of the three).
Protocol - blind cupping with cuppers selected who are independent of any of the roasters and who each represent a different perspective, background and palate.
This first of the three cuppings was of coffees selected as follows:
- an employee of the vendor was asked for recommendations for two coffees to buy. The only constraint was that no blends would be selected and that this was not for espresso. They were not told this would be for cupping or for analysis of any sort. Coffees were paid for and there was no reveal of my role in any of this.
The cuppers were selected to be representative of:
1 - professional coffee cuppers / roasters
2 - serious home (semi-pro) coffee roasters
3 - serious food and wine professional (passionate about coffee)
I cupped as well (mostly for the fun of it).
The hardest part of the process was selecting which roasters to buy from. In the end I made an executive decision and chose what I thought were likely to be the top five roasters in the area (as calculated by average opinions of passionate coffee buyers and professionals). As a result, I left out two roasters who probably deserved to be on the list - which I feel bad about. But I think this is a good representative sampling none the less, and I do feel it's a good "average opinion" list.
The roasters were:
Four Barrel Coffee - San Francisco based roaster and coffee bar. The "newest" of the roasters on this list, Four Barrel has a lot of buzz amongst coffee professionals.
Ritual Coffee Roasters - San Francisco based roaster with three coffee bars. Ritual has a strong presence in San Francisco and has expanded into the Napa region as well.
Ecco Caffe - Santa Rosa based roaster, wholesale only. The smallest of the roasters on this list, Ecco is known for its espresso and its organic coffees.
Equator Estate Coffees - San Rafael based roaster, wholesale only. A well-known coffee brand, Equator won Roast Magazine's 'Roaster of the Year' award for 2010 and is served at The French Laundry.
Blue Bottle Coffee Company - Oakland based roaster with four cafes. One of the hottest coffee brands in the US right now, Blue Bottle is loved by SF foodies and is expanding nationally.
The coffees sourced were as follows:
Four Barrel:
- Costa Rica Cafetin 1900
- El Salvador Kilimanjaro
(It was no shock to me that the coffees selected were both from central america given Four Barrel's focus and their style of roasting.)
- Guatemala Xeucalvitz
- Honduras La Pinona
(Again, these selections were not a shock given the style of coffee that Ritual focuses on.)
- Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Dama Co-op
- Kenya Gichathaini
(While Ecco is well-known for their espresso, I'd ruled espresso out. And the new crop Brazils have not arrived for US roasters yet, so this selection made sense to me.)
- Nicaragua Aldea Global
- Costa Rica Montes de Oro
(I was a little surprised that both coffees were from central america given Equator's offering list, but both coffees seemed well chosen none the less.)
Blue Bottle:
- Mexico Chiapas
- Mexico Nayarita
(I was quite surprised by this selection. Suggesting two coffees from Mexico seems a little odd to me. The Nayarita was quite enthusiastically praised and the Chiapas was suggested as a way to compare the Nayarita to a more traditional coffee from Mexico.)
The cupping went very well.
It was informative and fun.
The mix of backgrounds and perspectives created a really interesting dialogue - and in the end there were only 2 coffees that provoked any dispute. And in some ways this dispute was the single most valuable take away from the day.
What we learned can be summed up by three statements.
The very best coffees from San Francisco are very good indeed.
The top four coffees were nearly unanimous, and when scores were averaged the gap between these four and the remaining coffees was quite large. In addition, there was almost no gap between the 2nd, 3rd and 4th coffees (they were effectively a three way tie).
Beyond this, however, these top four coffees were all of exceptional quality. We felt these four coffees could hold their own on nearly any cupping table in the US.
Coffee people like sour coffees - consumers with educated palates do not.
The most controversial coffee was one which was alternately described as "sparkly, tart, with lovely bright acidity" and "sour, painful, harsh and thin."
Our wine and food professional commented of this coffee, "this is the kind of coffee that you coffee people love - but the rest of us hate."
I think this is something that coffee professionals need to be concerned about. I've heard this sort of critique before and it's usually written off as coming from an uneducated consumer palate. In this case, the consumer in question had a palate FAR more educated than any of the coffee palates - so I think we have to pay attention.
The top Bay Area roasters still produce some bad coffee.
While the top coffees would stand on their own on any cupping table, the bottom coffees in our opinion were not of speciality coffee grade.
This is where SF coffee needs to improve the most. As compared to coffee in, for example, Portland - our good is good, but our bad is unacceptable. We need to raise the bar for what minimum quality is - and not sell or serve coffee that doesn't meet this minimal grade. Obviously, if the coffee is not of speciality coffee grade then it should not be used.
From this first cupping... the results were as follows.
The top rated coffee was the Ecco Caffe Yirgacheffe Dama Co-op. This was an absolutely lovely coffee with gorgeous grapefruit zest and a lovely hoppy flavour that reminded us of a pine-less Russian River Pliny the Elder. Wonderfully elegant and sophisticated, we all felt that this coffee was a true stand-out.
Following this were three coffees in a virtual dead heat. These were:
- Four Barrel Costa Rica Cafetin 1900 (wonderful sweet acidity, pluot and cherry notes)
- Ecco Caffe Kenya Gichathaini (juicy jolly rancher sweet fruit leading to robust, savory and fleshy barnyard and broth)
- Ritual Guatemala Xeucelvitz (super crisp lime acidity, mellowing over time to a rounded and full sweet blackberry)
These top four coffees were all considered to be exceptional.
After the top four, there came the controversial, "sour" coffee. This coffee was rated quite highly by two cuppers and very poorly by a third. In this case, we can conclude that the results have more to do with the style of coffee than the coffee itself.
- Ritual Honduras La Pinona (super bright with apricot and green apple and white grape skin in some ways hiding a bottom of cane syrup)
Below this coffee there was a reasonable gap before another group of three coffees. These three were less closely clustered than the top four and ranged in our opinion from good to servicable to acceptable in quality. They were:
- Four Barrel El Salvador Kilimanjaro (tons of midrange with dried fruit, spice and stonefruit and lovely aromatics but diminished acidity)
- Equator Nicaragua Aldea Global (some nice crisp tangerine acidity and hints of milk chocolate and spice but a little flat and slightly toasty tasting)
- Equator Costa Rica Montes de Oro micro-lot (smoky and flat with some decent sweet caramel but also noticeable ash and little to no acidity)
At the very bottom were the two coffees that in our opinion failed to make the speciality coffee grade. We were unanimous with our opinion on these. They were:
- Blue Bottle Chiapas (dirty with strong cardboard and mushroom notes; noticeable ash and hints of fish)
- Blue Bottle Nayarita (severe defect. heavy ferment. very dirty. rotting berries and diapers)
In looking at these coffees, I think that one thing we learned is that a significant part of the results have to do with the selection. I was a bit surprised by the selection from Blue Bottle - especially as there was a Yirgacheffe on the list. And the surprising selection obviously hurt them. I'm looking forward to the next two cupping sessions (where selection will be handled differently) as I'm expecting that Blue Bottle's coffees perform far better than this.
I was also shocked by the Equator Costa Rica. This is a micro-lot coffee that I would have expected to have had far more character and to be honest would have thought would finish ahead of the other Equator coffee. I think this shows just how much variance there is in coffee, and how much of your experience is going to be luck (was the roaster "in the groove" that day, are the beans at or near the end of their lifetime, etc).
But overall - I'm quite proud of these coffees and I think San Francisco has a lot to be proud of.
Thanks to my guest cuppers - you all are the best.
11 comments:
- 3030vision said...
Very interesting evaluation of high-profile SF roasters. It's easy to nitpick methods. That said, the most random factor seems to be the employee bean referral. I've never been amazed by a Mexican coffee so in my mind BB was at a disadvantage to start with. That said, there's no excuse for a dirty cup.
Taking the random employee factor out, I'd really like to see a comparison of coffees from the same region or style. That seems to be closer to comparing apples to apples. I'd also point out 80% of the coffees are Central American (not generally my preference either) so the Ecco would almost certainly suit my palate best as well.
- chris said...
The employee suggestion situation without a doubt hurt Blue Bottle in this case - and as noted I'm expected that in the next round of cupping Blue Bottle will perform far better.
As for preference - three of the four people cupping coffees had a self-confessed preference for Latin American coffees (with two of the four feeling that the best coffees in the world right now are coming from Guatemala, El Salvador and Panama). So I don't think that the results speak to a bias towards African coffees or against Centrals. In fact, two out of the top four coffees were Central American coffees.
Personally, I try to not be biased towards against any specific region (with the possible exception of Sumatra where I've yet to find a coffee that is better than simply acceptable).
While a comparison of each roaster's version of a specific coffee would be an interesting way to evaluate the craft skills of roasting - a large part of being a coffee business is choosing, handling and managing your green. I'd rather evaluate, as a result, in a holistic manner.
- James Hoffmann said...
Coffee people like sour coffees - consumers with educated palates do not.
I think this really is a big deal. I've pretty much stopped using the word acidity when writing labels, though still referencing it in more desirable terms (juicy, fresh etc)
I think we always need to ride the line between selling the coffees we love (as an industry) but also not getting so far ahead of the consumer's preferences that we leave them behind and alienate them. Worthy of much more discussion for sure.
Look forward to reading about the next tastings.
(On a side note - have you only just opened up comments recently or is that my memory playing tricks on me?)
- chris said...
I agree that the descriptor "acidity" is problematic when communicating with consumers - but I feel like this problem extends beyond the description to the actual taste of the coffee. As you say - we cannot get so distanced from the consumer preferences that we alienate them - and this seems to be happening with many of the boutique roasteries.
Comments were opened up about 1 month ago.
- James Hoffmann said...
The whole acidity thing is a constant back and forth for me. With our current roasting setup we've had to fight a bit harder to make some of our Kenyas sparkle - but sometimes it is easier to roast for the industry rather than the consumer. As long as character, uniqueness and quality are maintained I quite like a sweeter cup rather than an overly bright one.
Of course every individual business has to decide where to set its goals, by which they rate their progress and success - be it style of sourcing or style of roast/cup. Choosing between peers and consumers when trying to set that goal is not easy.
- firebus said...
I've had other coffees at blue bottle that came highly recommended (I think it was a Brazilian coffee at a higher price point served in vac pot at the Mint alley outlet) and had a poopy taste. They might just think that funk is a desirable flavor note.
And I note this as someone who buys blue bottle beans exclusively and has been unsatisfied with rituals and four barrel for beans.
In part, I think it's that I know what I like and what to avoid at blue bottle, but there are other ways (freshness for example) that the counter experience can differ from the cupping experience...
- chris said...
I'm confused by your last point. Are you saying that our cupping experience might have been problematic as the coffees were too fresh and that the counter experience is better as the coffees are older?
To be clear - the coffees cupped from Blue Bottle were all between 1 and 3 days out of the roaster (with only one of the coffees being 3 days old).
- firebus said...
No, I was trying to suggest that some of my bad experiences (with Ritual especially) may have been due to my getting older beans, or making poor choices at the counter (roasts that didn't match my preference or brewing style)
I guess I'm trying to talk/ask about the difference between the quality of the beans/skill of roaster as measured in a cupping like this and the every day retail experience.
For example, Intelligentsia may be the best roaster in the US, but I've never been happy buying drip coffee made from their beans ay Specialty's.
There are a number of variables in between the roaster and the customer in most cases (although a large part of espresso obsession works to cut out those variables :)
Not everyone has access to excellent equipment or the inclination to develop good barista skills - and I think that one part of being a good roaster is working after the roast to make sure the beans are being delivered to the customer (as whole bean, drip, or espresso) in a way that preserves the good qualities of the original beans...
- chris said...
A poorly prepared coffee is going to taste bad - even if the beans being used to make that coffee are fantastic. And a well prepared coffee made with bad beans is also going to taste bad.
This is one of the primary challenges of coffee. As a consumer - you have to find a coffee bar that prepares beautiful coffee - and which uses a roaster that sources and roasts beautiful coffees.
As a roaster, meanwhile, you need to find / educate / sell coffee bars that are as committed to quality as you are.
As a cafe, you need to find / select a roaster who can provide fantastic coffee and services to you at a price you can afford - and that your customers like the taste of
I suppose the next step in this series should probably be to do a State of SF Coffee Bars.
- Unknown said...
Thanks for this. These types of comments and spot evaluations are so important from a producer perspective. After all the hard work that goes into producing an exceptional bean with our name on it, it is important to know that who we sell it to is doing it justice in the roast and pour. Helps keep roasters on their toes and separate the Cafe hype from reality. It is a long chain from farm to cup to keep up and get right for the customer and it is a beautiful thing when it all works. Plus it sounds like it was fun. Tim O'Brien, Owner of Cafetin de San Martin 1900 used by Four Barrel
- chris said...
Thank you for your kind words. As you know, many of us on the final preparation and consumption end of the chain do what we do to respect the work of those who are producing these beautiful coffees. Keep up the good work - we all appreciate it.


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Results-Centred Leadership in St. Thomas
November 6, 2018 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
|Recurring Event (See all)
An event every 2 weeks that begins at 9:00am on Tuesday, repeating until March 26, 2019
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Effective leadership is the single biggest contributor to an organization's success. Results-Centred Leadership™ builds upon the inherent leadership potential in each person. Results-Centred Leadership™ will help organizations achieve better bottom line results through:
- Improved productivity and results
- Improved customer/client service
- Enhanced teamwork and co-operation
- Motivated and dedicated people
- People embracing responsibility
- Being accountable "without prompting"
- Conflict resolution and consensus building


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Tripp1 necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 183 diseños de 28 diseñadores freelance.
Atkins Law Firm, P.A.
The Atkins Law Firm, P.A.is a small law firm, in Greenville, SC that helps "regular folks" with their legal needs - primarily family and divorce law. This law firm is not like all of the "older" law firms who do things the same way they have been doing them for 100 years. We operate in a client-focused way and utilize technology to educate our clients, communicate with them and serve them better. One of my passions is teaching so while working with a client I like to make sure they understand how the law effects their particular case and what the impact that is going to be. In general, I use blogging, twitter, and videos to market my practice.
My typical client is between lower-to-middle class with an average income. Not too many high rollers. They are going through some of the most difficult times in their lives - divorce, child custody disputes, DSS removals of children, death of a loved one, or disability. Most clients are between the ages of 25-40 and a slight majority are women.
Your creativity will not be stifled here. There are no color requirements. Our firm is comfortable and laid back but also professional.
We would like to come across as professional and modern - not like the typical law firm with columns, gavels, scales, etc.
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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On Wednesday, May 5, 215, Barry University's Adrian Dominican School of Education will join the National Education Association and the National PTA (NEA) for National Teacher Day.
Formally adopted in the United States in 1976, National Teacher Day is a day for honoring teachers and recognizing the lasting contributions they make in peoples' lives.
Join NEA and the National PTA in saying "Thank You" to a Barry University professor on social media and you could win a $100 gift card to give to your favorite teacher. Post your message on May 5 using Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or Vine using the hashtags #ThankATeacher and #BarryU.
For more information on how you can win, visit:http://www.nea.org/grants/62581.htm.


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Daily Roundup: Brad Paisley, New Country Babies + More
Are country artists trying to produce the next generation of music stars? It sure seems like it, what with all of the new babies arriving -- and new babies on the way -- in 2012. Find out who is expecting baby No. 3, as well as who adopted a second little one, in today's Taste of Country Roundup. Oh, and don't forget to catch Brad Paisley as a cartoon on 'South Park'!
Each day, we bring you a recap of today's hottest country music news stories in list form, plus a few others from around the web. Discover what happened to that adorable little girl from the Pepsi commercials, get a listen at a new Beach Boys song and learn why Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga are posing as aliens -- all in our Roundup.
Today on Taste of Country:
Brad Paisley Gets Cartooned for 'South Park' Appearance
Josh Kelley and Katherine Heigl Adopt Second Daughter
Daryle Singletary and Wife Expecting Baby No. 3 in November
Kenny Chesney Dishes on Touring With Tim McGraw and What Fans Can Expect This Time Around
The Band Perry Reveal Their Favorite Part of Touring With Brad Paisley
Zac Brown Band Confirm New 'Uncaged' Album Release Date, Add New Member
Before They Were Famous: Chuck Wicks
Scotty McCreery Brings 'The Trouble With Girls' to 'Hart of Dixie'
Best Song About Trucks – Readers Poll
Josh Abbott Band Make Their 'Small Town Family Dream' a Reality With Release of New Album
Taylor Swift Dresses Up for a Night on the Town in Shirley MacLaine's Honor
Kix Brooks, 'New to This Town' (Feat. Joe Walsh) – Lyrics Uncovered
The Band Perry Shoot 'Postcard From Paris' Video in New Orleans
Taste of Country Also Recommends:
Woman Finds Lost Dog While Watching 'Today'
The Beach Boys, 'That's Why God Made The Radio' – Song Review
Kanye West + Kim Kardashian Are Hand-in-Hand at NYC Restaurant Opening
Justin Bieber + Lady Gaga to Portray Aliens in 'Men in Black 3′
Whatever Happened to Pepsi Girl Hallie Eisenberg?


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I don't see it.Originally Posted by Chux


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Forum Name: Wisefox
Character name: Deox Tribal
Proposed Rank: Private
Species: Fox
Gender: Male
Body Type: 20 year old male avarage
Height: 6'
Age: about 20
Description: A heavily scarred black fox who is missing his left arm.
Clothing: N/A
Personality: Very neutral, but goes out of his way to assist, and is determined to do so.
Items: His custom revolver, Outsider.
No no, I get that concept well and fine. I mean, who has never heard of "bring your own pitchfork to work" day?fesworks wrote:I was going for that she is/was a farmer... more specifically, a field worker... a crop gatherer. She does not need to have the pitchfork as her weapon... though for crowd control, it could be useful...
Laemkral wrote:Character name: Rahs Kehranki
Species: Imaseya (crocodile)
Items: a scrying glass, various trinkets and bobbles
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This version of Internet Explorer is out of date. For a better experience, please update or consider using a different browser. X
Employers want to promote employee health and wellness as part of a health benefits communication strategy to:
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BlueResource is provided as a service to our employer groups and our members. BlueResource files may be used "as is" or co-branded with an employer group logo. (Contact your Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana (BCBSMT) representative for information on co-branding.) With the exception of Word documents (copy), the files should not be manipulated or modified; all changes to a document should be approved by BCBSMT representatives prior to use. Any use of the BCBSMT logo, other than in the documents as provided, must also be approved in advance. Photographs and images should not be used or extracted from any document and must be used in the document "as is."


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Hallmark lays off hundreds of employees
Fewer people buy greeting cards
Fewer people are sending paper greeting cards, a worrisome challenge for the nation's top card company.
Kansas City, Missouri-based Hallmark Cards Inc. announced last week it's closing a Kansas plant that produced a third of its signature product. Hallmark is shedding about 300 jobs as it shifts work to two other plants.
Hallmark and companies like it are dealing with a cultural shift in which consumers are increasingly choosing cheaper and quicker ways to communicate.
Hallmark says that over the past decade, the number of greeting cards sold in the U.S. has dropped from 6 billion to 5 billion. An industry trade group puts the figure at 7 billion.
Hallmark executive Pete Burney says competition in the industry is "formidable" and that consumers have more ways to connect digitally.


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While our adoption centers are closed to the public due to COVID-19, we are now doing adoption by appointment. Learn more about this process.
4 animals matched your search
Searching for a lost pet?
View found pets & strays
For caring, compassionate advice and resources to address all your animal concerns.
Contact the Pet Helpline


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Crisafulli Pumps move fluids including clear water, sludges, slurries, and animal wastes. Crisafulli Pumps have flow capacities ranging from 50 gallons per minute (GPM) to 18,000 GPM.
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Oktoberfest Scrunchie
Time to get rid of that boring hair tie! These one-of-a-kind scrunchies are a must! This fun print makes it a perfect addition to any hairstyle. You can wear it on your wrist or in your hair! Works great for kids too.
They're great for...
❤ to wear all day long and not feel a thing.
❤ at night when you want to save your curls for the next day.
❤ if you have really long hair and the weight of it hurts when styling.
❤ when you need to put your hair up wet because they're so soft and gentle.
Measured for a regular "adult" sized wrist and hair - wrapping 2-3 times depending on hair thickness!
These scrunchies are all hand-cut and stitched in Oradell, New Jersey. Flat elastic is tied inside and the ends are liquid stitch glued together to make sure you've got the strongest bond that will stand the test of time!
⭐Pick three to make a Scrunchie pack for $10 here! Each Scrunchie is individually listed for order or you can do our popular pick 3 pack!⭐
All can be used for adults and kids for the perfect matching look.
*due to the fabric and designs, each Scrunchie may look slightly different than pictured!


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Welcome to Side City
Side City is a third party developer game studio for land based, online and social gaming markets based in Montreal, Canada. The studio provides full service turnkey solutions to some of the largest gaming companies throughout the world. Through its partners the studio distributes its games globally. And with an emphasis on high quality, premium graphics and unique math models, Side City has developed some of the best performing content in the industry. It's the place where unique creations come to life!
Our approach is based on two strengths. First, our commitment to maintain close relationships with our clients and partners. Second, our team which is made of outstanding and motivated professionals who work in constant synergy to meet our client's high standards of quality.
But, above all, we create the best of game slots because of our passion and dedicated love for gaming and gambling!


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The CVS disposable video camera isn't out in all areas but there are some folks who have started to take it apart, document it and more. It looks like it's using a Samsung 256mb flash chip, there's a bit about the connectors, so it's really just a matter of weeks now until you can pick one of these up, build a cable then have a really cheap digital video camera. Here's a forum with a lot of information starting to get posted up (and we'll have it here too as this progresses). Link.
CVS one-time use digital camcorder hacks..


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|Tax Foreclosure Insider Reveals...
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Don't tie up thousands of dollars for months or years, only to have a slim chance at a bargain tax foreclosure (I'll show you why this is the case).
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Get Tax Foreclosures Any Time of Year


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Karmichael Hunt's time at the Gold Coast Suns is coming to an end this year. Photo: Joe ArmaoMelbourne will attempt to become the first club to avail themselves of the NRL's new marquee contracting powers by attempting to bring Karmichael Hunt back to rugby league.
Hunt, with AFL club Gold Coast, is off contract at the end of the season. Storm powerbrokers met his management this week in the hope of luring the former Brisbane, Queensland and Australian custodian back to the game which made him famous.
Up until now, the NRL hasn't been able to compete financially with the AFL, where his annual salary is believed to be about $1 million after top ups from the AFL. However, the ARLC recently introduced a landmark change to the salary cap which will give CEO Dave Smith the power to personally intervene in order to retain or recruit marquee men in exceptional circumstances.
The NRL's chief operating officer, Jim Doyle, recently stated the new initiative will only apply to "once in every 10 years" players. While another code-hopper, Wallabies star Israel Folau, would qualify it remains to be seen whether Hunt fits that criteria. He has played 11 Tests and 10 Origins and also enjoyed a brief rugby stint for Biarritz Olympique before making the switch to the Suns.
Fairfax Media journalist Caroline Wilson has described Hunt's AFL stint as a "cynical dash for cash" and the 27-year-old has struggled to nail a first-team spot after injuries hampered him early in the season.
The Gold Coast Titans are on record as stating he is a player of interest, while a return to Red Hill is unlikely given the Broncos won the tug of war for the services of Canberra star Anthony Milford. But after missing out on Benji Marshall, the Storm see Hunt as turning the "big three" back into the "big four" should he line up alongside fellow Maroons Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk.
Ben Hampton has shown some promise in the No.6 jersey without cementing his spot and it's a role Hunt could fill, having worked on his kicking game in AFL. Storm coach Craig Bellamy also believes his ability to play a number of positions is a bonus.
Another plus for the Storm is Hunt's cousin, Hymel Hunt, joined the club this season after making his NRL debut for the Titans last year.
The Bulldogs are pleased with the form of Sam Perrett but remain open to the prospect of signing a star fullback recruit following the departure of Ben Barba. However, Canterbury chief executive Raelene Castle said the NRL's new marquee top-up powers didn't necessarily mean they would rush into the market.
"If you had the right player, yes. But I think everyone has gotten a little bit excited about what a 'marquee player' might actually mean," Castle said. "You would probably be lucky to name five players that would fit into that category of being game-changing and having that profile from a commercial perspective.
"We would only go to the NRL and have that discussion if we felt a player there was a player who fit that criteria."
This story Administrator ready to work first appeared on 老域名.


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Tire piles litter the landscape
They're an outright requirement for daily life, until the day they're not.
Americans discard 292 million tires every year, nearly one for every resident. In Texas last year, more than 32 million tires were thrown away.
Although it's illegal to dump them, 14 million tires, many of them shredded, lie in heaps across Texas, according to the state Commission on Environmental Quality. Five million form a mountain in Odessa. Two million sit on a massive lot on San Antonio's South Side just off Highway 16. Another 809,000 are piled alongside Genoa Red Bluff Road in southeast Houston.
An analysis of public complaints shows that in the last five years, 1,200 people were upset enough about illegal piles of tires near their homes that they dialed up the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Of those 1268 complaints, 60 came from Bexar County, more than any other county in the state.
They complain of hundreds of tires, or thousands. Often they worry that tires are collecting water — warm tubs for mosquito larvae, future carriers of West Nile virus. West Nile afflicts more people in Texas than in any other state.
In other records, people report they can't enjoy their yards due to tire fires, usually deliberately set, on adjoining property. Tire fires create polluted runoff when it rains, points out Kim Jones, director of the Institute for Sustainable Energy and Environment at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
"They're a real hazard," Jones said.
Relegating tires to landfills also is outlawed in most places, and has been for two decades, but several still-common practices amount to landfilling even if they go by other names.
In Texas, one in 10 discarded tires still ends up in the landfill, albeit shredded, according to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality data for 2011. Add to that the fact that nearly a quarter of all tires in the state end up buried in "land reclamation" projects, mostly used for site leveling.
These tire shreds will remain tire shreds. They do not biodegrade readily.
It shouldn't be this way, says Maia Corbitt, executive director of the state Alliance for Recycling.
"Tires are a material, not a waste," Corbitt said.
Fire burns in memory
Fire burns in memory
The public complaint callers describe thousands of tires dumped in creeks and arroyos.
Marie Flickinger, publisher of the South Belt-Ellington Leader, whose husband owns property near that 809,000-tire pile in southeast Houston, says it continues to breed a curtain of mosquitoes so dense that Harris County has used the property to test different mosquito abatement equipment.
Several residents interviewed near this dump recall a blaze a decade ago that burned for days. According to press reports, at one point, 80 firefighters were at the scene.
"It was a real stout smell," recalled Eddie Ramos, who repairs foundations, coaches football and grew up hunting squirrels in the neighborhood. He raises his arm and points at 20-foot trees along the fence line. "The pile used to reach that high," he says.
The fire reduced the pile. But little has happened to reduce it since. Freshly discarded tires collect in a nearby ditch. For some people, the creek or side yard still beckons when they want to get rid of old tires.
"It's been a horrible, horrible battle trying to get anything done about it," Flickinger says. "We've given up."
Three and a half hours, give or take, from that stretch of road in Houston, you can find one of the largest illegal tire dumps in the state on San Antonio's South Side, just off of Highway 16, on Applewhite Road.
The lot the tire dump sits on looks as if it has been abandoned. Weeds crawl up the barbed-wire fence that lines the side of the property facing the street. An old warehouse-style building is open, and tires can be seen inside. A pile of what looks like shredded rubber sits in front of the building.
Dry grass, natural fuel for a fire, looks to cover vast swaths of the property, as seen from the street.
However, the presence of 2 million tires isn't really detectable until you look at satellite pictures of the site. From the sky, you can see mound after mound of tires.
Roger Martinez, who lives in a mobile home neighborhood just across the street from the dump, said he believes the dump is a fire hazard and breeding ground for mosquitoes.
"Water gets into those tires and it holds the water and mosquitoes... We had a lot this summer," he said.
Beyond that massive deposit of tires, roadside tire dumping also has become a problem in parts of San Antonio.
It has "really has shown itself throughout the district," said District 4 City Councilman Rey Saldaña, who represents the city's Southwest Side. Volunteer crews organized by Saldaña's office to help clean up some of the worst streets in his district usually find 12 to 18 tires over a stretch of four or five blocks.
"As long as you have a dark corner on an empty street, you'll have illegal dumping," said Saldaña, who believes that San Antonio has made legal disposal too costly.
To help combat the problem, he said that the city is establishing two drop-off locations — one of the North side and one of the Southside — where residents can drop off solid waste for free if they meet certain conditions.
Fuel for furnaces
Fuel for furnaces
The TCEQ issued 420 citations for illegal tire disposal in the last five years. But that doesn't guarantee a rapid remedy.
Meaningful progress actually has been made across the state. The 14 million tires still stacked in unauthorized piles are a far cry from the 80 million that existed ten years ago.
Nowadays tires travel a well-worn path to legal disposal from the vast majority of legitimate tire shops.
Michael Blumenthal of the Rubber Manufacturers Association, which represents major tire makers, sees discarded tires as a problem that's largely solved.
"Tires do not accumulate anymore," he says.
Today's system for collecting tires at tire shops and taking them to shredders began in the 1990s. Early efforts were not auspicious. The state paid shredders a fee per tire.
Some shredder operators collected the money while allowing tires to build up on their property. Mountains of rubber resulted, including the one in southeast Houston. The incentive ended in 1997. Texas continued to clean up some piles for a while, until the money ran out.
Meanwhile, Blumenthal, together with employees at the TCEQ and the federal Environmental Protection Agency, sought endpoints where spent tires could be consumed. That's when tires began their path to cement kilns and paper plants, where they fuel furnaces.
Rubber burns hot. It also produces emissions.
Since then, many of the tire mountains that once proliferated have been drawn down and even disappeared from maps kept by the EPA. Those that remain are usually controlled, complete with truck-wide fire lanes and active transport out to furnaces or to landfills.
Bill Luthans is regional manager for Border 2012, an EPA effort between the U.S. and Mexico to address environmental challenges for the 12 million people living along the border. He cites, as proof of progress in taming the problem, a legendary tire mountain in Mexico's Ciudad Juarez, across the Rio Grande from El Paso. At one time it contained 7 million tires, but it has now been reduced to approximately 2.5 million.
"It is out-streaming now to a tire shredder and a cement kiln. There are no large, static legacy piles," Luthans said.
Repurposed as roads
Repurposed as roads
Many mounds that remain are near the border — which tends to attract the cars Americans give up and that others are still willing to use for however long they last.
According to Jones, of Texas A&M-Kingsville, no one wants the dirty, steel-belted tires left there. His engineering students are experimenting with using old tires to build new roads.
"We're looking for low-tech, affordable solutions that will work on both sides of the border."
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When the Shelby High baseball team plays at Smoky Mountain in the third round of the 2A playoffs at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Shelby coach Chris Emery doesn�t know who will take the mound for Smoky Mountain.
It could be Mark Thompson, who is 12-0 with a 1.50 ERA, 103 strikeouts and 28 walks in 70 innings. Or Lee Plank or Cal Raleigh could get the call. But Emery knows it will be a tall challenge no matter who�s throwing.
�They all go out and attack the strike zone and try to let their defense work for them,� Emery said.
That means Shelby (18-7) will need the same type of effort it had in knocking out Maiden and Bandys in the first two rounds if it hopes to advance to face the East Rutherford-West Lincoln winner in Tuesday�s fourth round.
�We�ve just showed up to play every day,� Emery said. We understand our strengths and weaknesses. And we�ve played to our strengths. Our kids are excited to be playing at this time of year.�
Emery noted his team�s success in throwing strikes, playing good defense and scoring enough to back up that defense.
The assignment Friday will be slowing down a team with speed on the bases and power in the middle of the lineup. Seven Smoky Mountain (17-7) players are hitting at least .300, while six have double-digit RBIs.
�We know they�re a really good hitting baseball team,� Emery said. �We know it�s going to be a big challenge, and we�re excited for the opportunity.�


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Age-standardized DALYs (Disability-Adjusted Life Years) rate from alcohol and drug use disorders (not including tobacco), measured per 100,000 individuals. DALYs are used to measure total burden of disease - both from years of life lost and years lived with a disability. One DALY equals one lost year of healthy life.
Our World in Data is free and accessible for everyone.
Help us do this work by making a donation.


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Working on my tune for my Beretta (7730 $A1) and ran into a new problem. I've been using this same car, ECM, sensors, etc and basic tune for many years. Changed heads & cam and injectors and the main thing that's different is the BPC vs EGR to account for the injectors.
Several times (probably almost a dozen) in the last couple days it has suddenly stalled. And it's immediate like I turned the key off. Fires back up no problem though. And it has only been while idling, or when coming back down to idle after disengaging the clutch. I noticed in the logs it goes from normal readings to dead readings in one sample. Capture attached.
Not sure what I got going on here. Any ideas? Attached a log and my ADX too. Thanks


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PUTNAM � The fate of Putnam�s public library will soon be in the hands of voters � but first, they need some information.
On Tuesday and Nov. 13, the Library Building Committee and project architects will host informational sessions for residents in the Putnam Middle School cafeteria. A floor plan and design have been created for a new, $7.8 million facility on Church Street, which is expected to go to referendum in early December.
�We have developed a plan that we believe will serve the library for decades, as well as provide community space in a central riverfront location,� said committee Chairman George Tsanjoures. �And this site will offer everyone an opportunity to enjoy this beautiful location on the Quinebaug River in downtown Putnam.�
The library has applied for $1 million grant from the state for the project. The town has a purchase agreement for the site, comprising just more than one acre of land across from Town Hall, and the purchase of the land is contingent on the town receiving the grant, Town Administrator Douglas Cutler said.
In need of change
The existing library on Kennedy Drive, which last had a facility update in 1979, is in need of renovations just to come up to current building codes.
The proposed library would include meeting space for 150 people that would be accessible after library hours, quiet rooms for tutoring, a computer lab, a local history room for collections, research and meetings and a dedicated area for teens and children. None of those features are available currently.
Library Director Priscilla Colwell said the Kennedy Drive library cannot meet its service demands.
�The library has a real need for handicapped-accessible space for our community to use for multiple purposes,� Colwell said. �Events such as library programs for all ages, literacy classes, community meetings and tutoring have been vying for very limited space.�
The exploratory committee had looked a numerous options for the library, including renovating or rebuilding the existing building. However, the site is not big enough for that, Tsanjoures said.
The committee also investigated building at the north end of the shopping plaza, but there was not adequate space. Using the armory site on Wicker Street would cost as much as building new, and it is not within the heart of downtown, officials said.
The Owen Tarr recreation complex on School Street and the purchase of Provincial House on Church Street we also considered. The exploratory committee felt the recreation complex was outside the core downtown area, and Provincial House does not have adequate space or the ability to bear the weight of a library, according to architects.


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I currently study herbal medicine under the tutelage of Michael and Leslie Tierra and their East West School of Planetary Herbology. My focus in much of my work in herbal medicine has been maternal and child health, which you may note from many of my posts. One of the things I love about the world of herbal medicine is that the masters — our masters in this current time — are always intersecting in one way or another. The most respected herbalists of the United States are usually connected to the American Herbalists Guild (AHG), the closest thing to a regulating body that we have. It's not easy to get AHG after your name, either!
I was looking through Naturally Healthy Babies and Children, a great resource by Dr. Aviva Jill Romm, mostly in thoughts of preparing for a course I have been dreaming about since last spring — and nodded to in a earlier post — and I came across this wonderful formula for a "Calm Child Formula". Aviva Romm writes about it. Michael Tierra came up with it. And probably hundreds of children have been happily subjected to its calming effects. How wonderful to have a formula sanctioned by our modern masters and certainly born of a long herbal tradition of empirical evidence and experience.
The formula is a nervine, which means it has a calming effect on the nervous system, and digestive calmer, helping to bring a sense of tranquility to a child, even during times of sickness. It can be used as a tonic for active children or even during long car trips. Tierra's company, Planetary Herbs, sells it in their formulas, or you can prepare it at home as a water-infusion or a syrup. (Ref: Romm 2003) The recipe below is for a syrup. An alternative way to make a syrup would be to use all the same herbs and to prepare it as I describe in this post for the Herb Companion last year.
Calm Child Formula
1 oz. catnip tincture
1 oz. chamomile tincture
1 oz. lemon balm tincture (fresh lemon balm is superior)
1 oz. valerian root tincture (stinky!)
1/2 oz. lady's slipper tincture
1/2 oz. hawthorn tincture
1/2 oz. vegetable glycerin
To Prepare: Combine all ingredients in a dark amber jar.
To Use: Dosage is 1/2 to 1 tsp as needed. Shake well before using.
REF: Aviva Jill Romm (2003) Naturally Healthy Babies and Children: A commonsense guide to Herbal Remedies, Nutrition, and Health. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press


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Single row deep groove ball bearings for electric motors in dryers
Two deep groove ball bearings are mounted to support the motor shaft. Typically the bearings have metal shields. The internal radial clearance is normally standard except where special technical needs arise.
The choice of lubricant depends on the application requirements for noise and temperature.
SKF Application Specialists are pleased to recommend the most suitable options dependent upon design requirements.


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There are welcome developments in a tragic and horrific case that R20 has followed for five years ...
The New York Court of Appeals will consider an appeal in the case that set convicted killer Dwight Delee free in July 2013, reports Syracuse's CBS 5 and ABC 9. DeLee had been sentenced to 25 years in prison for the hate crime killing of Lateisha Green. The 22-year-old transgender woman was gunned down at point-blank range in November 2008 in Syracuse.
The Appellate Division of state Supreme Court dismissed the charge, ruling the jury's verdict was flawed. Though DeLee was convicted of manslaughter as a hate crime, he was not found guilty of a simpler charge of manslaughter, which officials called a mistake. Justices said the jurors should have been sent back to deliberations after finding inconsistent verdicts.
"I was outraged that our daughter's killer was released from prison on a technicality," said Roxanne Green, Lateisha Green's mother, in a statement to CNYcentral. "Now I feel some relief that New York's highest court will review this case. I want justice for Teish."
Oral arguments will begin early next year.
DeLee was convicted in August 2009. At that time he became only the second person in the United States convicted of a hate crime that involved the death of a transgender victim. The first conviction was the Angie Zapata case in Colorado.
The Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund, Lambda Legal, Empire State Pride Agenda, Anti-Defamation League and New York City Anti-Violence Project filed a "friend of the court brief" with the New York Court of Appeals that urged the Court "to reverse the 4th Appellate Division's ruling and reinstate Dwight DeLee's conviction," TLDEF Executive Director Michael Silverman wrote in an op-ed last month at the Syracuse Post-Standard.
"The jury reached a proper verdict," said Silverman. "It saw first-degree manslaughter alone as a lesser offense and therefore chose 'not guilty' on that charge, but concluded that first-degree manslaughter as a hate crime was the correct verdict,"
Lateisha Green transitioned at the age of 16 and had been living as a young woman for six years. The victim shared this information with DeLee before he gunned her down in rage, according to police and witnesses. Green was "lured" to a house party where she was waiting outside in a car. DeLee walked up to the car, "pointed a loaded .22 caliber rifle at [her] and shot [her] once in the chest," according to police. Green's 18-year-old gay brother was also shot and injured.
Also worth noting: Prosecutors said DeLee's family threatened witnesses after two witnesses recanted previous testimony.
Lateisha Green's mother has become a powerful trans advocate and ally. Roxanne Green wrote an impassioned essay on the murder of her daughter and anti-transgender violence at Essence.com on the day that DeLee was sentenced. Green's family is lobbying state legislators to pass the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act, which would includes transgender persons in hate crime protection laws.
Numerous studies have shown that Black and Latina trans women are at the greatest risk of violence and the murders of Black transgender women often remain unsolved. Black trans women face "extreme discrimination and poverty" and are more than likely to experience violence, physical or sexual abuse, police brutality, HIV/AIDS and bullying, according to a first of its kind survey conducted by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Black Justice Coalition.
Some Background ...
Lateisha Green's Mother Talks to Essence
DeLee Sentenced to 25 Yrs in Syracuse Trans Murder
Dwight DeLee Convicted in Syracuse Trans Murder Trial
Witnesses Threatened in Syracuse Trans Murder Trial
Suspect Arraigned on Syracuse Transgender Murder
Hate Crimes Charges in Syracuse Trans Murder
Will Hate Crimes Charges Be Filed in Trans Murder?
No Bail for Syracuse Suspect, Victim ID'd as Trans
Black Syracuse Man Killed Simply for "Being Gay"
Family Defends Accused Killer of Trans Woman


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Not all robots are as lovable as ASIMO.
From the soul-crushing creations of Boston Dynamics to the speaking toilets of Japan (Do those count as robots? If so, you shit in their mouths.), the somewhat animate machines of our lives can very much disturb our fragile sentient egos.
I, for one, am always a little put off by the welding robots of car factories. Maybe it was the ad where one committed suicide, maybe it's how their lifeless drudgery plays against the humans who share the line with them.
What robot do you find the most disturbing?
Photo Credit: Getty Images


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HOLLAND - Hope College is one of four colleges and universities participating in a new academic exchange program with Chinese universities through support from the John Templeton Foundation.
The exchange program is part of a larger project titled "Science, Philosophy and Belief: A Program for Chinese Scholars" initiated by Calvin College's Nagel Institute for the Study of World Christianity in conjunction with the Society of Christian Philosophers, and supported by a $2 million grant from the foundation.
Hope, Calvin, BaylorUniversity and the University of Notre Dame are each participating in the exchange program. Each of the four institutions will receive $40,000 a year for three years to support visiting graduate students in philosophy and religious studies from China.
"Hope has been a part of the world community since its founding in 1866," said Alfredo Gonzales, who is associate provost and dean for international and multicultural education at Hope. "Engaging Chinese students at Hope's campus is good for China and for the United States. The presence of Chinese students will enliven our campus and engage Hope students in study and conversations that will lead to the mutual understanding of these two important countries. We are very pleased to play a role in this significant undertaking whose goal is education and cross-cultural understanding."
The Chinese exchange students will enroll in courses in the English language, philosophy and religion at Hope, and also pursue their own independent research. They will also become involved in campus life, participating in activities of the Office of International Education and giving talks on contemporary China, as well as visiting local elementary and middle school classrooms.
"As China becomes increasingly open to the west in the areas of cultural and economic exchange, it is also more open to influence by western thought, and not just scientific or technological ideas, but also philosophy and religion," said Dr. Andrew Dell'Olio, who is director of the Hope-China exchange program as well as an associate professor of philosophy and chairperson of the department of philosophy at Hope.
"There is a deepening recognition in China that the great societal changes taking place there must be accompanied by a renewal in traditional moral values," said Dell'Olio, who participated in a conference in Beijing in 2002 on the foundations of morality, east and west. "And they are looking both to their own traditional moral resources as well as those of the west."
Hope's connections to Asia extend back more than 125 years. Two out of the six students in Hope's graduating Class of 1879 were Japanese, one of whom was the valedictorian, delivering the graduation address in both Latin and Japanese. Over the years Hope has continued to host students and scholars from Asia and to send American students and scholars to Asia.
The relationship continues in the present day through a number of academic programs and cultural resources, including the international education program; the Japanese Studies major and minor; the Asian Studies minor; the De Pree Art Center's collection of Japanese art, including the Maurice Kawashima Collection of Japanese Ceramics; and exchange programs with Meiji Gakuin University and Technos University in Japan.
Hope has been hosting students from China with other support since 2004, including through grants from the United Board of Christian Higher Education in Asia and Hope's CrossRoad's Program.
The mission of the John Templeton Foundation is "to serve as a philanthropic catalyst for discovery in areas engaging life's biggest questions. These questions range from explorations into the laws of nature and the universe to questions on the nature of love, gratitude, forgiveness and creativity."


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You are currently browsing the tag archive for the 'recluse writer' tag.
If I ever decide to runaway and become a recluse writer or visionary filmaker or something equally as mysterious and moody, you might be able to find me on the island of Syros in Greece. (If I need a country with no extradition treaty, I'm considering Morocco. Or maybe Laos. There are a lot more options for the fugitive than you would think.)
We still found plenty of ways to spend our time on Syros. We rented an apartment in Ano Syros, a medieval town high up on the hill behind the Port of Ermoupolis. We shared the apartment with Nellu's parents who met up with us in Athens for the Grecian leg of our adventure.
You could take a cheap cab from the port to the Ano Syros car park, where you could then access the apartment with a short walk and 40 or so steps. Or you could walk from town. The later option requires you take on more than 100 steps—just the amount of exercise to keep a recluse writer in shape.
Architects, who got whisked off to work in London, owned and renovated the apartment. It was a dream—a true refuge.
In my runaway fantasy, I could see myself making a life here. And if you'd like to play pretend, you too can rent out Frini's apartment. Check out the airbnb.com listing of her apartment in Ano Syros by clicking here.
We spent hours roaming up and down the marble steps of Ano Syros, accessing pathways winding around homes accented with pops of bold or smokey color. For more photos, please check out randombutbeautiful.com.
The town was built by Venetians and had a fair number of Catholic churches for a Grecian Island. Our hosts actually told us that religiously, the island is about half Greek Orthodox and half Catholic. When it comes to Easter festivities, which the Orthodox and Catholics often celebrate on different Sundays, island residents get together and choose one weekend for joint festivities. If only all religious differences could be solved in such a amicable manner.
We rented a car to check out the island's beaches and got up the courage to take a dip in the Aegean even though the water was still cold. And we ate our way all over the island. Our host recommended the restaurant Plakostroto for its sunset views.
Besides the steps and the swimming, there's plenty of hiking to do on Syros. Nellu and I went out looking for ruins on the north side of the island and got super lost. We started out following a well-marked path, but that path disappeared as we got further away from home by foot. We just ended up roaming up and down the rocky hillside and through rustic, traditional villages but made it back just as rain was setting in. (Nellu contends that we weren't lost. We knew about where we were and how to get back home. We just couldn't find the ruins.)
Oh and we saw a lot of goats. Some alive. Some dead. One in the process of being carved up on a dirt and stone pathway, perhaps for an Easter feast. We asked the carvers for directions to a cave. (Don't ask. These things just happen to travelers.) As a huge feta fan and recently reformed full-on meat-eater, I tried not to look.
So that was something else entirely. And I guess I could consider it just one of the island's perks. At least if I did go AWOL, I'd still have plenty to write about.
~ Molly


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The "new" Apple stores don't look all that different, and that seems to be OK for the company itself.
They're still crowded, still pumping out music by hip iTunes superstars, and still full of lots of shiny new Apple products. And, yes, the geniuses are still there.
What is new is pretty subtle. No more paper, for instance. Now, your signs are all broadcast via iPad 2s. You can search through specs and prices, and can press a button to summon a helper.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
Pretty cool, and a way to get just about everyone to at least try an iPad 2, even if shortages keep some from taking one home.
Apple has also updated its "store" app. This is a pretty cool change, frankly overdue. Now, you can see where your appointment is, and how long it will take you to actually see someone if you make an appointment. Kind of like the DMV website. A good idea. An even cooler idea? Let us know how much inventory of a specific product is in a specific store. That would be awesome.
Finally, an update to what used to be only for new iPad owners: In-store training. It's now open to buyers of all products. This makes sense. If you get something new, the company will train you, on the spot, to use it well. A very Apple-like touch -- and maybe it keeps you away from Genius Bar appointments for a little while.
We don't have to suggest that you check it out -- we know that if you're a fan, you're probably on your way.
Scott admits, he's tempted to buy every time he's in one of those stores. He's on Twitter: @scottbudman


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Philadelphia Phillies – Awards: Earned Run Average.
During the Phillies' 127-year existence as a member of the National League, that had lead the league in ERA only four times, being done by just three men.
The first Phil to lead the lead in ERA was Dan Casey, who led the NL in 1887 with an ERA of 2.86. The second Phil to have the lowest ERA was Hall of Fame Grover Cleveland Alexander who did so during his pitching triple crown seasons of 1915 (1.22), when he help lead the Phils to their first NL pennant, and 1916 (1.55). The third, and at the moment, last Phil to lead the NL in ERA was Hall of Famer Steve Carlton, who did it during his pitching triple crown year of 1972 with an ERA of 1.97.
Of the three Phils to lead the National League, two of them (Alexander and Carlton) are in the Hall of Fame. Of the four time that a Phil led the league, it was done once in the 19th Century and three times in the 20th Century. Grover Cleveland Alexander had the lowest ERA, with his 1.22 in 1915, while Dan Casey had the highest with his 2.86 in 1887.
Who is the most likely Phil who is most likely to next lead the NL in ERA? More than likely it would be Roy Halladay, although Cliff Lee is also likely to do it.


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Kiwix is an offline reader for Web content. It's especially intended to make Wikipedia available offline.
With Kiwix, you can enjoy Wikipedia on a boat, in the middle of nowhere... or in Jail.
Kiwix manages to do that by reading ZIM files, a highly compressed open format with additional meta-data.


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Emma Stone, Ashton Kutcher + More Read Mean Tweets About Themselves on 'Jimmy Kimmel' [NSFW VIDEO]by Maggie Malach | PopCrush
One of our favorite recurring segments on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' is when the late night host convinces celebrities to read mean tweets about themselves. The stars take the disses with a great sense of humor, proving that the haters can't get them down!
In the seventh installment of the series, celebs like Emma Stone, Sofia Vergara, Julia Roberts and Ashton Kutcher read the Twitter putdowns.
"There are people who think Julia Roberts is hot!?" the Oscar-winning actress read, before cracking up as she continued. "Her gigantic mouth looks like it will devour an elephant in one bite."
Of course, some stars added in their own commentary.
"Mindy Kaling is not funny or attractive, she has an annoying voice and just plainly sucks…why does she have her own show," the TV star said, adding her own reaction: "I feel like this is more than 140 characters."
Watch the video above to see which stars laughed, which stars feigned hurt feelings — and which stars had sassy responses! (Fyi, the video has some censored NSFW language.)


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Did you know that only 15% of lung cancer patients survive more than 5 years after their cancer has been identified? As Vicki Griffin of the Atlanta Journal Constitution puts it in a recent AJC article on lung cancer, "The bleak bottom line is that lung cancer overwhelmingly terminates lives within months of the initial diagnosis." But as Dr. Curran of the Winship Cancer Institute reported weeks ago in a lung cancer blog post, this number could be improved. How, you ask? Through low-dose Lung CT scanning.
A recent 5 year study sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), which is the same organization that has designated the Winship Cancer Institute as one of only 65 NCI designated cancer centers in the United States, shows that when lung adenocarcinomas are caught in earlier, more treatable stages, lung cancer death rates for those at high risk are reduced by 20%. Based on our knowledge that 157,000 people died at the hands of lung cancer in the U.S. in 2010 alone, this means last year, over 31,000 lives could have been saved.
The study evaluated over 53,000 participants at high risk for lung cancer in 25 states, including Georgia. As part of the evaluation of the effectiveness of low-dose Lung CT scans, the study compared the ability for Lung CT screenings and the currently standard chest X-ray technology to identify lung cancer early on.
Emory was a participant in the NCI sponsored study, and we conducted trials across the state of Georgia. As a result of the study's significant findings, our teams at the Emory Clinic and Emory University Hospital Midtown are now offering current and former smokers with a significant smoking history high risk for lung cancer an opportunity to get a Lung CT scan at very reasonable rates.
Lung cancer remains the number one cancer killer in the U.S., claiming more lives than the next three most common cancer killers — prostate, breast and colorectal cancers – combined. But Lung CT screening may help with the early diagnosis and ultimately, increased survival rates, for lung cancer patients.
For more information on Lung CT scanning, or to find out if you are a candidate for screening, please visit our newly launched website dedicated to educating our community on Lung CT screening and its benefits. You can also call us for more information at 404-778-7777.


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"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a
new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for
you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."
Romans 12:2 (NLT)
Just as knowing God changes the way we view life and the world, The Daniel Plan teaches us to begin thinking differently about everything we do. Transforming your mind will reduce stress, improve your decision making and memory, help you think clearer, feel better and ultimately help you to live a healthier life.


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AMD's Radeon HD 6970 & Radeon HD 6950: Paving The Future For AMDby Ryan Smith on December 15, 2010 12:01 AM EST
Finally among our benchmark suite we have Wolfenstein, the most recent game to be released using the id Software Tech 4 engine. All things considered it's not a very graphically intensive game, but at this point it's the most recent OpenGL title available. It's more than likely the entire OpenGL landscape will be thrown upside-down once id releases Rage next year.
Wolfenstein is a game that normally favors AMD's GPUs, and even an architectural refresh can't change this fact. It takes running in to the game's CPU bottleneck to slow things down for AMD, otherwise even the 6950 is faster than the GTX 570, while the 6970 manages to take down the GTX 580. The million dollar question of course is whether we'll see a similar outcome for Rage next year.
168 Comments
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MeanBruce - Wednesday, December 15, 2010 - linkTechPowerUp.com shows the 6850 as 95percent or almost double the performance of the 4850 and 100percent more efficient than the 4850@1920x1200. I also am upgrading an old 4850, as far as the 6950 check their charts when they come up later today. Reply
mapesdhs - Monday, December 20, 2010 - link
Today I will have completed by benchmark pages comparing 4890, 8800GT and
GTX 460 1GB (800 and 850 core speeds), in both single and CF/SLI, for a range
of tests. You should be able to extrapolate between known 4850/4890 differences,
the data I've accumulated, and known GTX 460 vs. 68xx/69xx differences (baring
in mind I'm testing with 460s with much higher core clocks than the 675 reference
speed used in this article). Email me at firstname.lastname@example.com and I'll send you
the URL once the data is up. I'm testing with 3DMark06, Unigine (Heaven, Tropics
and Sanctuary), X3TC, Stalker COP, Cinebench, Viewperf and PT Boats. Later
I'll also test with Vantage, 3DMark11 and AvP.
Ian. Reply
ZoSo - Wednesday, December 15, 2010 - linkHelluva 'Bang for the Buck' that's for sure! Currently I'm running a 5850, but I have been toying with the idea of SLI or CF. For a $300 difference, CF is the way to go at this point.
I'm in no rush, I'm going to wait at least a month or two before I pull any triggers ;) Reply
RaistlinZ - Wednesday, December 15, 2010 - linkI'm a bit underwhelmed from a performance standpoint. I see nothing that will make me want to upgrade from my trusty 5870.
I would like to see a 2x6950 vs 2x570 comparison though. Reply
fausto412 - Wednesday, December 15, 2010 - linkexactly my feelings.
it's like thinking Miss Universe is about to screw you and then you find out it's her mom....who's probably still hot...but def not miss universe Reply
Paladin1211 - Wednesday, December 15, 2010 - linkCF scaling is truly amazing now, I'm glad that nVidia has something to catch up in terms of driver. Meanwhile, the ATI wrong refresh rate is not fixed, it stucks at 60hz where the monitor can do 75hz. "Refresh force", "refresh lock", "ATI refresh fix", disable /enable EDID, manually set monitor attributes in CCC, EDID hack... nothing works. Even the "HUGE" 10.12 driver can't get my friend's old Samsung SyncMaster 920NW to work at its native 1440x900@75hz, both in XP 32bit and win 7 64bit. My next monitor will be an 120hz for sure, and I don't want to risk and ruin my investment, AMD. Reply
mapesdhs - Monday, December 20, 2010 - link
I'm not sure if this will help fix the refresh issue (I do the following to fix max res
limits), but try downloading the drivers for the monitor but modify the data file
before installing them. Check to ensure it has the correct genuine max res and/or
max refresh.
I've been using various models of CRT which have the same Sony tube that can
do 2048 x 1536, but every single vendor that sells models based on this tube has
drivers that limited the max res to 1800x1440 by default, so I edit the file to enable
2048 x 1536 and then it works fine, eg. HP P1130.
Bit daft that drivers for a monitor do not by default allow one to exploit the monitor
to its maximum potential.
Anyway, good luck!!
Ian. Reply
techworm - Wednesday, December 15, 2010 - linkfuture DX11 games will stress GPU and video RAM incrementally and it is then that 6970 will shine so it's obvious that 6970 is a better and more future proof purchase than GTX570 that will be frame buffer limited in near future games Reply
Nickel020 - Wednesday, December 15, 2010 - linkIn the table about whether PowerTune affects an application or not there's a yes for 3DMark, and in the text you mention two applications saw throttling (with 3DMark it would be three). Is this an error?
Also, you should maybe include that you're measuring the whole system power in the PowerTune tables, it might be confusing for people who don't read your reviews very often to see that the power draw you measured is way higher than the PowerTune level.
Reading the rest now :) Reply
stangflyer - Wednesday, December 15, 2010 - linkSold my 5970 waiting for 6990. With my 5970 playing games at 5040x1050 I would always have a 4th extended monitor hooked up to a tritton uve-150 usb to vga adapter. This would let me game while having the fourth monitor display my teamspeak, afterburner, and various other things.
Question is this!! Can i use the new 6950/6970 and use triple monitor and also use a 4th screen extended at the same time? I have 3 matching dell native display port monitors and a fourth with vga/dvi. Can I use the 2 dp's and the 2 dvi's on the 6970 at the same time? I have been looking for this answer for hours and can't find it! Thanks for the help. Reply


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Bella Spinner necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 113 diseños de 15 diseñadores freelance.
Bella Spinner Designs
30 years ago, my mom made Christmas spider ornaments and webs and sold them at a craft fair. I have one on my Christmas tree and always get comments on it. This year we decided to make a new batch, and I have so many ornaments (and had such fun doing it) that I intend to sell them. I've attached a photo so you can see what they look like.
Bella Spinner Designs is a made up name, playing off "pretty spider", but generic enough that I could use it if I decided to expand my inventory.
I'm really excited about this project, and will be giving (at least) daily feedback!
Affluent women who enjoy buying pretty things and are attracted to the combination of beauty and whimsy in my ornaments.
I expect to sell primarily online (via etsy), and also potentially through local craft shops and craft fairs.
My customers are likely to buy these items as gifts, so the look should be high-end.
Classy, clean, with perhaps a touch of whimsy.
I do not want the design to explicitly reference spiders or webs. It could possibly be incorporated in a very subtle way.
I do not want the design to be 'Christmas-y' as the name was chosen to be useful year-round.
I'm open to a design that uses the initials BSD, but am more interested in keeping the words spelled out. It's very important that the typeface be legible.
The logo should work either in black & white or in color. I'm open to color combinations (and like color), but am currently using forest green boxes, which I intend to label with the logo via a sticker (foil?) on top, so it would be great to coordinate. I'll use tissue paper inside that color coordinates based on what you come up with.
Because I want to use the logo on a sticker, it should render well at a ~1.5"x2.5" size (proportions to be determined by the logo, of course).
Please do not use any stock images or clip art in the logo.
I'll need files in the following formats:
Print file format - .ai (CMYK)
Web file format - .jpg and layered .psd file (RGB)
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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In the last post, What would you do? | The Case of the Lourdes holy water, I asked for your advice. Here are my next questions:
What do you do when you go to pick up your child from their home with residencial services and find problems with their personal appearance?
True Story 1: Shoes
Scenerio A
We walk in the front door to pick up Aaron, smile at him and then ask the caregiver, "Are Aaron's shoes on the wrong feet?"
My husband and I trade "looks," sit next to Aaron on the couch and change his shoes.
What do we say to the staff person?
Scenerio B
What do we do if Aaron's housemate is the one with his shoes on the wrong feet?
True Story 2: Socks
We are helping Aaron undress at night. We untie, take off his shoes and find out his socks are turned upside down. The heal of the sock is squished up near the top of his foot causing a red mark. The sock has a grey area clearly showing where the heal of the foot is supposed to go, but it is on the top of his foot.
What do we say to the staff person?
True Story 3: Red Marks on Face
We give Aaron our biggest smiles as we walk in the front door of his house and immediately notice there are red marks near his nose, mouth and the sides of his face.
Mom says, "Aaron has red marks on his face, how did that happen?"
Staff person says, "I saw that, I'm not sure what that is, but I put some cream on his face."
Mom goes over and traces the marks on Aaron's face, "Gee, it looks like a scrape or burn."
Staff is still sitting in her chair, but has put down her cell phone.
Dad says, "It looks like a scrape or burn from a razor. Which razor did you use, the electric razor or straight razor?"
Staff answers she used the straight razor?
Dad asks, "Did you use shaving cream? Was the razor dull?"
Staff person gets very defensive and swears it was a new razor and she used the shaving cream.
So, what would you do?
True Story 4: Roommate's shirt
We are undressing Aaron for his bath. We notice the t-shirt he is wearing is too tight, we can hardly get the shirt over his head. Aaron bites his hand and is clearly aggravated. When we check, the t-shirt has Aaron's roommate's initials inside the collar.
So, what to do?
Aaron, our 36 year old son with the label of autism, has lived in a house with another man for over thirteen years. They have a 24/7 staff person who has the responsibility for his shower, grooming, dressing, and all self-help areas.
These examples have happened not once, not twice, but in the last thirteen years, many times. Again, this was on days when the staff knew we were coming. Who knows how many times Aaron went to his day program with shoes on the wrong feet? How many Saturdays has he been dressed in uncomfortable clothing.
So, what to do?
In the comments please share your thoughts and ask your social networks of Twitter, Facebook, etc. if they have any answers.
Remember there are no "right or wrong" answers.
Please share your thoughts. What would you say to Aaron? To the staff person? To Aaron's case worker? To the administration of the company providing residential services? To anyone else?
What attitudes and messages does this convey for the individual, the family and/or the culture?
You can't fire a person because of upside down socks—so how do you resolve this? How many times do you forgive these mistakes before you give them the boot?
As a parent, how do you choose your battles for advocacy? After all, these people take care of your child every day.
Keep Climbing: Onward and Upward,
All my best,