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In the penultimate blogpost of this series on wine investing and trading, I shall discuss two metrics which we have developed here at WineQuant to characterise market sentiment.
The first metric is called the WQ Spread. It takes into account the monthly highs, lows and average trading values for a particular wine. It is designed to summarize the state of market sentiment. Market sentiment is healthy when the WQ Spread is stable over a sustained period of time. The way we see it, market stability means solid trading activity. On the other hand, volatility in the WQ Spread signifies negative sentiment. In this case, we would expect little or only sporadic activity. Let's look at examples of these two scenarios, using Lynch-Bages 2010 and Haut-Brion 2010 as our pin-ups.
An example of the WQ spread over time is shown below. This is Lynch-Bages 2010 between October 2012 and January 2016.
Looking at the development of the WQ Spread over time, we see that market sentiment for Lynch-Bages 2010 has been positive and stable except for a blip in June 2015. The sudden movement was the result of an anomalous high trading price of £1600, compared to £1398 and £1380 in the months right before and after June 2015. The aberration did not disrupt the market: trading activity remained healthy in the following months. We will come back to this below.
The second metric we think is useful is called the WQ Normalised Spread-Stock Index. Let's abbreviate that to WQ-NSSI. This is a composite index which characterises both supply and the market sentiment by taking into account the monthly available stock as well as the WQ spread. The range of this normalised index is between 0 and 100.
In the figure below, I've plotted the WQ-NSSI together with trade volume as a percentage of available monthly stock for Lynch-Bages 2010. Trade volume as a percentage of monthly available stock is one possible measure of trading activity.
It is apparent from Figure 3 that there is no obvious correlation between the WQ Normalised Spread-Stock Index (WQ-NSSI) and the trading activity for Lynch-Bages 2010, a testament to the positive market sentiment for this wine. The anomalous trade which took place in June 2015 did not disrupt the market. In our previous report, we predicted that trading activity for Lynch-Bages to continue going strong through into Christmas 2015. The figure shows that this prediction has held true.
Seasonality is an important factor. Have a look at the seasonal trading peaks for this wine. In 2013 and 2014, the peak trading month was in May but the peak trading month was delayed until September in 2015. We can now attribute this to the summer market turmoil in the Chinese markets (see previous blogpost for a more elaborate discussion).
Finally, as a comparison, let's look at the WQ Spread, WQ-NSSI and trading activity for Haut-Brion 2010.
The WQ-Spread for Haut-Brion 2010 is generally volatile over periods with low and/or sporadic trading activity. Spikes in the WQ-NSSI are a leading indicator for trading activity. We attribute this to intermittent liquidity (stock) injections in the market. Sudden bursts of supply effectively satiate immediate demand. Trading activity eventually picks up again, but there's an inevitable time lag.
In the penultimate blogpost of this series, I have introduced two metrics developed by WineQuant to characterise the market sentiment: WQ Spread and WQ-NSSI. Used together, the metrics provide a sense of market direction, allowing us to read the tea-leaves and make predictions for trading activity in the months to come. It goes without saying that our best efforts are not immune to geopolitical or market shocks.
Talking about shocks, what would be the implications of Brexit on the UK wine trade? How might it affect wine-sourcing from the continent? We are not in a position to comment on this directly, but we are sure that our WineQuant metrics would reflect the effects of 1.) reduced access to the EU single market and 2.) an anticipated negative shock to the British Pound upon Brexit.
Other readable:
- In praise of footpaths by Simon Wren-Lewis and how they are examples of a splendid combination of private and public rights.
Credits: Data from Liv-ex.
Wine investing and trading IV: Market sentiment and activity by WineQuant is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on work available at winequant.com and https://winequantblog.wordpress.com/


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Review: Behind The Candelabra
PUBLISHED: 09:06 04 July 2013 | UPDATED: 09:06 04 July 2013
This film about the last decade of Liberace's life has two dynamite, sure-fire comic ideas going for it. The first is the notion of Michael Douglas playing Liberace.
After Basic Instinct and his pioneering role in gaining medical and social acceptance for sex addiction, Douglas is practically the spirit level by which heterosexuality is measured by.
Seeing him decked out in diamond-encrusted fur robes, playing kitsch versions of classical standards on a glittering beige grand piano for an audience of middle-aged ladies in Vegas, is inherently hilarious. It's like Jim Davidson in The Bobby Crush Story.
The second great, but troublesome, comic idea is Liberace himself. Anyone under the age of 30 is surely not going to be able to comprehend how an extravagantly camp piano player, who resembled Grandpa Munster, could have been the world's highest paid showbiz performer and believed to be heterosexual by at least half the world's population.
Even if you are old enough to remember (my gran loved him), it still seems almost like a myth. These days I doubt he'd make it through the auditions of Britain's Got Talent.
With all that going for it, the movie practically makes itself and Soderbergh's latest last-film-I'm-ever-going-to-make (Side Effects in March was his last movie proper but this is actually an HBO TV movie) is consistently hilarious and just a little poignant. The writing is a little clunky at times with lots of dialogue scenes that crudely wedge in reams of biographical information but the performers make it worthwhile.
Despite all the wigs and make-up, Douglas doesn't look too much like the real man – this would have been a great role for Bob Monkhouse – but it is still an extraordinary feat. He's matched by Damon as Scott Thorsen, the innocent young hunk he takes on as lover and chauffeur. Matt Damon basically plays him as Mark Wahlberg in a Partridge Family wig.
I have a very low tolerance for camp but I found this film constantly entertaining. I laughed a lot but my merriment was mild compared to some.
At the screening I attended, it was accompanied by consistent roars of laughter; derisive aggressive laughter, reminiscent of the smug metropolitan audience laughter you sometimes get for Mike Leigh films about the working class.
The film is affectionate but it sets up Liberace as a pathetic figure, the last and most foolish representatives of the generation that had to hide their love away. I wonder if having an icon of heterosexuality play the role inadvertently gives audience license to release some deep seated hostilities.
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Michael Douglas, Matt Damon, Rob Lowe, Dan Aykroyd, Scott Bakula and Debbie Reynolds
Length: 118 mins

subset: commoncrawl


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Feb. 14, 2006
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The Cal State Fullerton women's basketball team (9-13 overall, 6-4 in the Big West Conference), riding its second three-game winning streak of the season, continues its roadtrip this weekend as the Titans head north to take on Pacific and Cal State Northridge. The Titans and Tigers meet on Thursday (Feb. 16) at 7 p.m. at the Spanos Center in Stockton before heading back to Southern California to take on the Matadors on Saturday (Feb. 18) at 4 p.m. at the Matadome.
Audio for Saturday's meeting with the Matadors will be available online at www.FullertonTitans.com and, for the first time in the history of the program, fans of Cal State Fullerton women's basketball can watch the action live over the Internet thanks to a partnership between the Big West Conference and CSTV. All remaining men's and women's regular season games not on an ESPN or Fox Sports Net platform are to be streamed as part of a subscription service beginning Jan. 25 for \$24.95. To sign up an view the games, please visit www.cstv.com/ot/bigwest-aa.html.
Pacific enters the weekend in last place in the Big West Conference with a 5-17 overall record and a 2-7 mark in league games. The Titans defeated the Tigers, 72-64, in the two schools' first meeting this season on Jan. 9. Pacific has lost its last four straight contests and eight of the last nine since winning back-to-back contests on Dec. 30 and Jan. 4. Sophomore guard Kelsey Lavender leads the Tigers in scoring at 12.5 points per game while ranking second on the team in steals (32) and shooting 35 percent from the floor and 82 percent from the free throw line. Senior forward Carolina Ruiz is also in double figures at 11.6 ppg and leads the team on the boards at 8.6 rpg.
The Matadors enter the week in seventh place with a 5-16 overall record and a 2-6 mark in Big West games. The Titans defeated Northridge, 87-61, in the first meeting between the two back on Jan. 7. The Matadors have lost their last six straight games since winning two in a row against UC Riverside (Jan. 9) and UC Irvine (Jan. 13). Junior guards LaJoyce King and Jamie McCaa lead the team in scoring at 11.4 and 10.8 points per game, respectively. McCaa leads the team from the free throw line at 82 percent and is shooting .458 from the field - good for second on the team.
&\#149; PACIFIC: The Tigers lead the all-time series with the Titans, 28-15, dating back to the 1981-82 season with Fullerton winning the last two meetings... the Titans hadn't won back-to-back games in the series since the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons... Fullerton is just 5-15 all-time in Stockton after snapping a 12-game losing streak at the Spanos Center last season.
&\#149; CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE: Fullerton leads the all-time series by a 26-3 margin dating back to the 1970-71 season... the Titans have won eight of the nine meetings between the two schools since the Matadors joined the Big West in 2001... the Titans are 13-1 on the road against Northridge with the location of two games unknown.
With the win over the Highlanders, the Titans moved into sole possession of third place in the Big West Conference - standing 1/2-game ahead of Cal Poly and one game back of UC Santa Barbara entering this weekend's play. Fullerton also moved two games above .500 in conference play in over two seasons - the last coming in 2004 when the Titans were 5-3 in league play a the end of January.
Last week's victory over UC Riverside not only gave head coach Dr. Maryalyce Jeremiah is 401st career coaching win, but inched her ever so closer to becoming the all-time winningest women's basketball coach at Cal State Fullerton. Jeremiah, who is 401-291 (.579) overall in 25-plus seasons, stands just two wins short of matching Hall of Fame Head Coach Billie Moore's school record of 140 career wins at Cal State Fullerton. Jeremiah is 138-146 (.486) in her nine-plus years at the helm of the Titan women's basketball program.
For the first time in almost a year, the Titans won a game away from home thanks to last Thursday's four-point victory over UC Riverside at the Student Recreation Center and also won for the first time at UCR since the Highlanders joined the Big West Conference in 2001. Cal State Fullerton had lost the last 12 games (including neutral sites) away from Titan Gym since defeating Cal State Northridge at the Matadome on March 5, 2005.
The Highlanders did a fantastic job of defending the Titans' leading scorer Charlee Underwood, holding the junior to just two points (but on a bright side, a game-high 10 rebounds) in Fullerton's four-point victory. However, the two points were enough to move her into 18th place on the school's all-time scoring list with 862 points, passing Amy Torczon (1984-88), who scored 861 points in her four-year Cal State Fullerton career.
Junior shooting guard Andrea Adams has been shooting the lights out as of late, setting a new season-high with 19 points against Long Beach State two weeks ago and matching that offensive output last Thursday in the Titans' win over UC Riverside. In that span, Andrea is shooting 55 percent (11-for-20) from the field, 50 percent from three-point range (5-for-10), and an almost-perfect 11-of-12 (.917) from the free throw line.
Cal State Fullerton has had eight different players either lead or co-lead the team in scoring paced by junior Charlee Underwood, who has done it eight times, followed by freshman Toni Thomas and senior Amber Pruitt, who have each led the team in scoring five times.
With their wins over the Anteaters and 49ers to kick off the month of February, the Titans improved to 8-2 overall this season at Titan Gym - posting the most home victories in a single-season since the NCAA Tournament team of 1990-91 went 12-1 at home. With the two wins last week (and with two home contests still to play), Cal State Fullerton has secured its first winning home record since 1997-98 (7-5).
The Titans may have something here. After using 14 different lineups in its first 18 games this season, Cal State Fullerton's starting five has had a familiar ring to it as the Titans have used the same starting lineup in each of their last five games, posting a 4-1 record in that span. The quintet of Audrey Taylor, Andrea Adams, Charlee Underwood, Toni Thomas, and Amber Pruitt has also jumpstarted the offense as the Titans are averaging 70.2 points in those five games - six points better than the opposition - and are shooting .421 from the field compared to .411 for the opponents.


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Phone: (937) 424-5390
Lori Cicero is a trial lawyer with remarkable criminal defense, family law, and business litigation experience. Her criminal practice includes representation for a multitude of criminal offenses such as Drug, Burglary, Robbery, Theft, Assault, OVI/DUI, and traffic offenses. She skillfully handles a variety of family law situations, including those in the Domestic Relations and Juvenile Courts. She often serves as a Guardian Ad Litem to represent those who cannot represent themselves. She represents several corporations in a multitude of matters from corporate formation, business litigation, collections, as well as drafting and review of contracts.
Mrs. Cicero handles administrative review hearings for businesses dealing with oftentimes overreaching government regulations. She served as the President of The Board of Zoning Appeals for the City of Dayton for several terms.
Pettit College of Law, 2005
Robert Morris College, 2001
B.A. Degree: Business Administration
United States District Court – Southern District of Ohio
Greene County Bar Association
Ohio State Bar Association


text: Bursting the Bubble Tulips were the first, but they won't be the last. What forms a "bubble" and what causes them to burst? Share | Have A Question About This Topic? Name Email Address Message Thank you! Oops! Related Content Events on Wall Street Can successful investors predict changes in the markets? Some can but others miss the market's signals. Asset Allocation Consider how your assets are allocated and if that allocation is consistent with your time frame and risk tolerance. Keys to Investing for Retirement There are some key concepts to understand when investing for retirement.


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Evanston/Skokie Council of PTAs Strongly Endorses District 65 Referendum
On April 4th, District 65 residents have a critical opportunity to show how vital our schools are to the very fabric of our community. Our strong, high quality schools are why many of us choose to live here. We value our schools' diversity and inclusiveness and entrust our talented teachers to help all of our children develop a love of learning that lasts a lifetime.
We're beginning to make much-needed progress in addressing the achievement gap and are eager to make even greater strides to ensuring all of our students are positioned to thrive. We're proud so many families are flocking to District 65. But this huge enrollment surge and inadequate funding has put our schools at great risk. That is why we're urging a YES vote for the District 65 referendum.
Over the last decade, District 65 has added almost 1,500 students, which cost $20 million annually to educate. The District has maintained balanced budgets over the last several years by making $11 million in reductions, but it can't cut its way out of this structural deficit. Without the referendum, the District faces a massive $112 million hole over the next eight years.
We have nowhere else to turn. The political paralysis in DC and Springfield means we must help ourselves. The consequences are incredibly devastating if we don't:
More than 30 students per class, schools closed, kids shifted to other schools and multi-grade classrooms, curriculum and enrichment programming gutted, free full-day kindergarten eliminated and many of our valued teachers laid off. This would greatly impact how our kids learn and permanently damage our community.
We cannot be the generation that lets our public schools fall apart. Since the District only gets 11% of its funding from the state, and even less from the federal government, increasing property taxes $1.25 per day for the average homeowner is the only option.
Voting YES for District 65 schools means balancing our budget for the next eight years, bringing more technology into the classrooms, introducing a new science curriculum, continuing investments in enhancing equity and further reducing the achievement gap, and investing in critical capital projects, including double-door entries for all our schools.
As PTA leaders, we know how much strong and vibrant schools matter. Our community is always quick to lend a helping hand in times of need, which is why we urge you to vote YES for District 65 schools.
Kristin James, President
Miriam Barnett, Vice President
Jenny Blickenstaff, Secretary
Elliot Frolichstein-Appel, PTA Council Executive Committee


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Mary Elizabeth Coleridgeb. 1861 d. 1907
Intellectually gifted Mary Coleridge was the great-grand‑niece of Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Her parents were impressively well connected to writers and musicians in the London of the last half of the nineteenth century.
Samuel Taylor Coleridgeb. 1772 d. 1874
Samuel Taylor Coleridge was born in 1772, the tenth and youngest child of the schoolmaster of the country town of Ottery St Mary. After the death of his father he attended Christ's Hospital School:


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Cosmo Blog Awards 2014...
2 comments:
I honestly couldn't be any happier upon seeing that you've been shortlisted once again, Stacie. Following your blog a year ago has been one of my best decisions ever. I mean it. I love following your journey and wishing alongside an incredible and inspiring woman like yourself for you to finally get the call, you've been waiting on for so long. It can't happy to a more deserving person and I truly mean that. Naturally, I voted for Life is Worth The Fight. I didn't even have to think twice about it. I really hope you win. :) Congratulations and keep putting a smile on my face because your positive attitude and heartfelt inspiring posts never fail to make me value what I have in life. Both positive and negative things. :) xxReplyDeleteReplies
Aww thank you Diane!!! It means so much to me that people enjoy it and you are so lovely for being so kind xoxoDelete


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Tennis Tiebreaker Mini-Breaks and the Social Media Age
The inspiration to compare the tennis tiebreaker mini-breaks to the Social Media Age came over a 2-week span. I "crashed out" of two divisions in a tennis tournament by losing 3rd set tiebreakers in each match. Then I watched John Isner push around Rafael Nadal in two sets – only to lose both of them to Nadal in tiebreakers. Then I tuned in to Serena Williams losing to Victoria Azarenka in a tough three setter – you guessed it, she lost the 3rd set tiebreaker!
So how do tennis tiebreaker mini-breaks compare to the social media age? Glad you asked – here are my thoughts:
1. Amps up the Pressure
So you've played hard-fought points for an hour – or perhaps you split sets and battled in a third set – and all of that hard work is going to come down to a few minutes in a tiebreaker?!?
Social Media Age: Your competitors are doing it, so you should be on social media IMMEDIATELY, right? Your consumers are talking about you on social channels, review sites, and blogs – and you can no longer control the message. All of this hard work to craft a stellar reputation for your brand, and you mean to tell me it could all be blown up by somebody doing something stupid with my product and posting it to YouTube?!? Or they give my services a bad review, and it seems like they have 50 million followers with axes to grind? There is a massive mountain of data available on social channels, to help you better understand your customers who will no longer fill out a survey, but how do you aggregate and analyze that data…umm, NOW?!?
2. Magnifies the Mistakes
If you lose a point in a tennis game, you have time to recover. If you lose a game in a set, you still have time to break back. However, if you lose a point in a tiebreak – it is the equivalent to losing a game in the set. You only get a few points to get back even, so every mistake is magnified!
Social Media Age: In an age of social sharing, every mistake or bad review has the potential to go viral. In fact, the virility is often determined by how you handle the crisis. Commit to monitoring your brand mentions, and then engage consumers before the train goes off the rails. Reassure them, thank them for their feedback, try to address their issues. Pick the right people in your organization for this task because it requires courtesy and competency.
3. Tempts to Go for Too Much
The primary reason you get into a tennis tiebreaker is because you are playing an evenly matched opponent. Up to this point, you haven't been able to maintain an edge, and get your "nose out front" and take the lead in the match. When players get into a tennis tiebreaker, they recognize it is do-or-die and how important it is to get that mini-break. Some players tighten up under the pressure, but some go for too much versus sticking to their fundamentals. The result…they lose!
Social Media Age: We see studies and charts every day that express the importance of a digital marketing strategy. Whether it is the number of people that consult their social networks before making major purchases, or it is how content creation on a corporate blog drives lead-generating web traffic, we feel the pressure to go for too much at once. Rather than "adding a wrinkle" to our game by supplementing our existing sales and marketing efforts with a phased approach to digital, we try to make wholesale changes that are WAY outside our comfort zone. The result…we get burned. Either we can't sustain these new communication channels, and they backfire on us as disgruntled customers complain, or we stretch our resources too thin and suffer on all fronts. Always be thoughtful about changes to your business strategy! Do not wait forever to enter the digital fray, because you WILL be passed by competitors willing to improve their game, but you do have time to practice before putting your brand's game on the line.
So have you ever lost a hard-fought tennis match in a tiebreaker? Have you witnessed some of the spectacular examples of brands feeling the pressure and going for too much in social media?
Photo Credit: Victory Wave by Chip_2904, on Flickr
4 Comments
These are all SUCH good points, and I'm sorry you lost! I think #3 is one of the most important takeaways here. Especially as the pressure is amped up (#1), there is a danger of not keeping one's head, or cool, right? And that can really decide whether you win or lose. I think that was one of the thing that impressed me most about Bjorn Borg's tennis; he was always so cool and measured, even if he was feeling the stress, he never let it show.
Shonali Borg…Edberg…Sampras…Evert…Hingis. All of them kept their head, and they were some of the best to play the game.
Even taking social media out of the equation, some folks have trouble keeping their head when the pressure is cranked up. Social just magnifies it for the WORLD to see.
Tennis is the fastest sport I have ever seen live. Lots of fun. Much of it has to do with momentum, and sustenance, which to your point is not something most people can continue. I think the mistakes are magnified, but less dramatic and important than social media wonks make them out to be.
geoffliving They did a fun commercial a few years back – where they compared a batter in baseball having to defend a small area with a ball traveling at them at 90+ mph. Then they showed a tennis player having to defend a much larger area with a ball traveling at 130-140mph. It is definitely a fast and fun sport.
And a lot of it comes down to anticipation and recognition of patterns and pattern disruption!
Some brands would probably do better in social media with a little anticipation and getting into established patterns of communications. Regardless, they definitely have less time to react in a socially connected world.


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By Jim Meyers |
Tuesday, 11 November 2008 10:17 AM
A comment by a high-ranking member of Barack Obama's transition team seemingly hinted at the mind-set of the incoming administration.
Valerie Jarrett, co-chair of the transition team, appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday and said that "given the daunting challenges that we face, it's important that President-elect Obama is prepared to really take power and begin to rule [on] day one."
Warner Todd Huston observed on the NewsBusters Web site that "rule" is a word "that reflects the worst fears that people have for Obama the 'arrogant,' the 'messiah,' that he's here to 'rule' instead of govern.
"Someone needs to get to Jarrett and inform her that American politicians are not kings and do not 'rule' from office."
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Built for bruising, cruising, and not losing.
Don't be fooled -- the Speedplay Brass Knuckles Pedals may look ready to brawl, but they're just as ready for the podium. The super-thin, CNC'd profile hides a burly spindle that's built to take a beating, and the proprietary pins employed on either side keep your foot locked in place. If you need a pedal that's as tough as it sounds, these are worth some serious consideration.
The first thing you'll notice about the Brass Knuckles is that they're thin — 13.5mm thick at the middle, to be precise. When combined with the massive footprint, they'll provide a stable platform when you're mashing away. The forged steel spindle is a massive 12mm thick, which makes it especially rigid. There are two sets of cartridge bearings and one set of roller bearings per pedal, which translates into a smooth, long service life. The built-in grease-injector port on each means you don't have to disassemble them to keep them running in tip-top shape.
The Speedplay Brass Knuckles Pedals are available in one size and in the colors Black, Gold, Polished, and Red.
- Super-thin, CNC-machined profile
- Wide platform with removable pins
- 12mm thick forged steel spindle
- One roller bearing and two cartridge bearings per pedal
- Built-in grease-injection port for easy maintenance
View more Platform Pedals
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I got these for my dad to go with his 5.10 shoes. He wanted an alternate to pedals with clips and he says these work great!


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Let's be honest, contracts are usually boring legal jargon that most people don't read, but they are necessary. Why? Because they hold us accountable to something or someone. They matter. Terms get decided, agreed upon, and our signature binds us to an agreement with someone else and ourselves. It is that agreement with ourselves that is often the easiest to break but with the most dire consequences. It is in that choice, that freedom, that we learn how much power we truly have over our own destiny. I've talked to many people from all walks of life, and given that my profession is a psychic medium, and based on my understanding from those who have crossed over in death, I have learned that we all sign a "soul contract" before birth. I know it may sound out there but keep in mind that I am as out there is it gets, existing in between the living and the dead. When I say we sign a soul contract; it's more of an energetic agreement with your higher self. These soul contract terms include who our families will be, who the significant people will be, even who the not-so-significant people will be and even, yes, our pets. This group is known as the "soul group." Within the soul contract will be established all the lessons about love that this soul group will teach each other. This means that your intention has always been for each person and experience to play a meaningful role in your life no matter how trivial they may seem. You made those choices prior to your life, while you were in your spirit form, but your soul can also choose to opt out of it's contract via an appropriate exit point if you feel you have learned your life lessons— also established prior to your life. Because we all have free will our destiny is never set in stone. When someone takes their own life this is a form of free will and it ultimately breaks the soul contract because the lessons they were sent to learn are not completed in the physical form. This was not a predetermined exit point.
But what is an appropriate exit point? An example of an appropriate exit point might be a situation where you have been recently diagnosed with brain cancer. You have battled several surgeries and survived cancer free. Prior to your cancer you and your brother had been estranged but once diagnosed you became close again, reminiscing of old times, deepening your bond and love.
Time passes and life seems to return to a sense of normal and one day you are driving to the grocery store and you are killed in a head on collision. You had several exit points in your battle with cancer but you chose not to leave because your soul had not learned it's final lessons. You had not made peace with your brother. But by the time of the accident you had learned what you were meant to learn with your brother. And you felt it was OK, on a soul level, to let go of your body and move on. That was an appropriate exit point. Not everyone gets closure like that but you get the idea of how this works. An exit point is just a predesignated opportunity for the soul to choose to leave its physical body and return to Spirit. These opportunities manifest in different ways ranging from illness, fatal accidents, to murder. The number can vary depending on the soul as can the reasons why. Perhaps the soul's karmic debt is cleared or it's spiritual lessons have been learned. Either way, the choice is not made lightly or alone. Your spiritual team of angels and Spirit guides chime in with their opinions and observations. They always watch over you and your progress, and their loving assistance is limitless. They want to help you learn and grow— remember, you chose them, and they chose you!
In my experience with channeling people who commit suicide I find that they often regret what they've done upon death. They immediately realize they made a mistake and are now in a state of learning. Most importantly they are at peace but they do regret the pain that their death has caused those left in life. Surrounded by other spiritual guides, angels, and ancestors, they are entering a phase of what I call "re educating of the soul." They are reflecting back on their life. This is like a spiritual facility holding room where they review from a soul perspective not ego perspective, their life lived and how their choices got them to this place. Even though they left on their own accord, breaking the spiritual contract, they are still greeted on the other side with the same if not more spiritual support that the rest of us experience in death. These are spiritual guides that are there to help orient us into the next realm.
For those who are suffering from loss through suicide I assure you that your loved one is removed from any darkness, depression, or negativity. They are in the light. Take the time to connect with them by going within to your heart center and sharing the love that connects you two through eternity. Trust that just as much as they are growing and evolving on the other side they are still very much a part of your everyday life, providing the synchronistic events that validate their love for you.
Bill Philipps is a world-renowned psychic medium and the author of the Amazon #1 bestselling book "Expect the Unexpected: Bringing Peace, Healing, and Hope from the Other Side." Visit him at www.billphilipps.com.


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About Kristine
Kristine currently serves as the Director of Economic Development for the Military and Defense sector for the state of Washington, focusing on the public and private elements of economic development as it relates to infrastructure, suppliers and contractors and community advocacy and public support organizations for the US Military in our state.
In this role, Kristine has worked to leverage public-private partnerships that support small business growth, was influential in facilitating a $5.3M federal grant to help the state support private sector job efforts and diversification, and leads a team committed to supporting a strong economy in our state. Kristine is also dedicated to supporting the transition of military personnel from active duty service to private sector industry jobs in Washington. Because of her work, Washington has developed some nationally recognized models for connecting public and private resources in support of transitioning service members.
Before joining the State of Washington, Kristine served as the Kitsap & Olympic Peninsula Director, the South Sound Regional Director and the Statewide Veterans Constituency Coordinator for U.S. Senator Patty Murray. As a member of the senator's staff, Kristine was instrumental in facilitating a U.S. Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Field Hearing in Tacoma, increasing networking and relationship development across an eight county region, and worked intimately on military transition, veterans' healthcare and veterans' workforce development issues in the state.
Kristine received her bachelor's degree in political science from Washington State University and her master's degree in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University. Kristine lives with her husband, Camron, and their two young children in Federal Way.


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On board the Indefatigable
Tuesday, 22 September 2015
We've spoke before on this blog about a training ship moored in Birkenhead called the Indefatigable. The Refuge had an arrangement with the committee of the Indefatigable to take boys who entered the Refuge and had a constitution for the sea. Hundreds made the short trip across to Merseyside to learn the sailor life and went on to have successful careers in the Navy.
Wednesday, 9 September 2015
Britain's longest reigning monarch
Today is a momentous day in history as Queen Elizabeth II officially becomes Britain's longest reigning monarch. She overtakes Queen Victoria's previous record of 63 years, seven months and two days. She also becomes the longest reigning female monarch in world history. Of course the Together Trust has seen the reign of both monarchs. In fact it has witnessed six sovereigns rule over England during its lifetime.
Charity's Homes in 1952
Wednesday, 2 September 2015
Criminal Manchester
Robert was admitted to the Central Refuge on Francis Street on the 1 November 1875. The first admission book, where his entry is recorded, is scant in detail, as was typical for the first few years of the charity. We do know however that he was admitted at the age of 17, both parents having passed away and that he was 'rescued' by the charity from the notorious district of Angel Meadow.
Admission Entry for Robert, November 1875
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As we approach the second half of the season, you need to keep your eyes wide open for that running back who surfaces. There is always at least one running back that either by an injury or improved play, emerges in the second half of the season to help carry fantasy teams into the playoffs and maybe to a championship.
In the past it has been
Jamaal Charles
(five 100-yard games from Weeks 8-17 in 2009),
LeGarrette Blount
(17.1 fantasy points per game from Weeks 8-17 in 2010),
Roy Helu
(18.6 fantasy points per game from Weeks 9-17 in 2011), and
Knowshon Moreno
(122 of his 132 fantasy points on the season came in Week 12 or later in 2012). This year I'm thinking that guy is going to be either
Mike James
Andre Brown
or Shane Vereen. If any of these guys are sitting on your waiver wire right now, stash them on your bench and see if they're the one this year. No guarantees on any of these guys, but it's a really low-risk move and could pay off huge. Having one of these second half guys really can turn around your season and give you that push into the playoffs if you're sitting around .500. Now on to the calls for the week.
This is the week to get
Carson Palmer
into your lineup. With six byes this week, your choices at quarterback are diminished. Palmer should be able to put up a good stat line against the Atlanta defense which allows an average of 267 passing yards and more than two touchdown passes per game. Palmer should be able to get you 20 fantasy points or more this week, and he'd be a good call to get into your lineup.
The only quarterback to not get two or more passing touchdowns against the New York Giants was
Josh Freeman
in his debut for the Minnesota Vikings last week. That's why you want to get
Michael Vick
into your lineup this week. Vick has been practicing all week, and looks to be fully healthy to play the Giants this week. The only other running quarterback the Giants have faced was
Cam Newton
, who had seven rushes for 45 yards and a touchdown in Week 3. Vick looks to be good to go for this week, and walks into a nice matchup as well.
Someone you might want to keep on your bench this week is
Tom Brady
. Did I really just tell you to sit Brady? Yep. His stats are down this year while trying to get on the same page as his wide receivers. The return of
Rob Gronkowski
didn't help as much as people thought it would last week. This week the Patriots play Miami, who have held two-thirds of the quarterbacks they've faced to one touchdown pass or less, and less than 300 passing yards in those matchups, as well. Add in Miami averaging more than one interception a game, and things just don't look good for Brady in this game.
Running Backs
Stevan Ridley has at least one touchdown in each of his last two games. After a slow start he may finally be getting going. Miami has been stopping quarterbacks but the run defense is pretty bad. The Dolphins rank just 28th in points given up to running backs. Ridley is the Patriots' leading rusher by more than 100 yards so he'll be the one doing the majority of the running. A lead running back against a bad team sounds like a good call for you to start this week.
Darren McFadden was able to rest his hamstring during Oakland's bye week last week, so he's fully healthy and ready to run all over the Pittsburgh defense. The Steelers have allowed rushing touchdowns to five different running backs over their six games. Every No. 1 running back that has faced Pittsburgh, except one, has put up 12 fantasy points or more. McFadden has been a good running back when healthy and should have no problem putting up some solid production for you this week.
The last four games
Darren Sproles
has been down, up, down, up with games of eight, 32, seven and 13 points, respectively. If he continues this trend this will be a down week. That seems likely with his matchup against the 11th-ranked Buffalo run defense. The Bills have allowed just one rushing touchdown to running backs on the year. In the past four weeks, no running back that the Bills have faced has more than 72 rushing yards. Starting Sproles this week would be a bad call.
Wide Receivers
Rueben Randle has just as many receiving touchdowns this year as
Victor Cruz
(four), while
Hakeem Nicks
has zero. All four of those touchdowns have come over the last three weeks. It seems that
Eli Manning
is favoring Randle more than Nicks right now. That's good for Randle with an easy matchup against the last-ranked Philadelphia Eagles. Teams get a lot more plays on offense with the Eagles defense moving so fast and not being on the field for very long. More plays mean more targets for Randle and more points for you. Randle is a good call this week.
Jarrett Boykin looks to be the one benefiting from the injuries to the Green Bay receivers. With Randall Cobb and
Jermichael Finley
out, and
James Jones
hampered with a hamstring, Boykin gets his shot to catch passes from one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
Aaron Rodgers
seems to hit his receivers no matter who they are, which means good things for Boykin. This week's matchup with Minnesota looks like a good opportunity for Boykin to get some good fantasy points. The Vikings secondary is pretty weak, and have allowed the third-most receiving touchdowns this year. Expect big things from Boykin this week.
If you're struggling for a bye week wide receiver, give
Jeremy Kerley
a look. After a slow start to the season, Kerley has double-digit fantasy points in three of the past four games. He's the No. 1 wide receiver on the New York Jets right now. The Cincinnati Bengals rank in the bottom half of the league in points given up to wide receivers, so he doesn't have a tough matchup. With
Leon Hall
out for Cincinnati, Kerley should have a little bit easier time finding some space to catch passes. He's not going to have a monster game, but he should be solid. And as a bye week fill-in, you could do much worse.
Tight Ends
Besides a one week goose egg,
Jordan Reed
has been a solid tight end this year. He's averaging five catches for 60 yards and an occasional touchdown. Not bad for a guy that was barely drafted this year. His game with Denver this week looks to be a good one.
Dallas Clark
, Brandon Myers,
Jason Witten
Coby Fleener
have all had games with 13 or more points against the Broncos. Starting Reed would be a good call this week.
The New York Giants rank 28th against tight ends this year. That's good news if you're starting
Brent Celek
this week. Five different tight ends have scored touchdowns against the Giants this year. With
Michael Vick
back and an easy matchup, look for Celek to have a good week. He's a guy you're going to want to get into your lineup.
Be very cautious if you're starting
Jordan Cameron
this week. Kansas City is the toughest team for a tight end to go against. No tight end has more than 43 yards against the Chiefs, and the Chiefs haven't given up a touchdown to a tight end yet this year. With
Jason Campbell
getting the start for Cleveland this week, things don't look good for Cameron. He's a bad call this week.
Good luck this week, and, as always, may your starters stay healthy and I hope you make all the right calls.


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BLACK PIXELS - Runescape's community with bad intentions
free, black, pixels, runescape, cheats, bots, blackmarket, account, trading, selling, community
Paving the way with good intentions. Cybrarian Services
Free forum : Welcome to our new clan Chaotic Intentions. If you would like to join, please add xD34DLYM4RKSM4Nx
free, chaotic, #intentions, welcome, clan, would, like, join, please, xd34dlym4rksm4nx


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|Teia, Spain
|High School:
|INS Mediterrania, el Masnou
|Other College:
|1 Letter
JUNIOR (2018-19): Went 3-9 in singles' competition… partnered with Anita Detlava in doubles competition for a season record of 7-8….won both singles' and doubles matches against ULM to help secure the Red Wolves first conference win… overcame opponent advantage in every singles' competition in her 3 winning matches… earned singles victories against Southeast Missouri, Oral Roberts, Presbyterian, Georgia State, Troy, ULM, and Louisiana.
SOPHOMORE (2017-18): Compiled a 5-12 singles' record while playing on the No. 4 court … teamed with Anita Detlava in singles' competition and had six wins, which was tied for the second most on the team … advanced to the consolation bracket finals of the 2017 ITA Central Regional Championship … earned the clinching point over Louisiana in a thrilling three set match to give the Red Wolves their first victory over a league opponent since 2014 … named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll.
PREVIOUS SCHOOL (MILWAUKEE): Had a tremendous first season at Milwaukee ... posted a 21-10 singles record and a 19-13 doubles ledger as a freshman ... 21 singles wins are tied for 10th most in a year in program history ... made her collegiate debut at the Huskie Invite Sept. 11, going 2-1 in singles play ... followed that up with an impressive showing at the Gopher Invite with a perfect 4-0 showing in her flight, winning the title with a 6-4, 6-2 win over South Dakota's Maria Pandya Sept. 25 ... won the consolation final at the Warhawk Invite two weeks later with a 2-1 showing in both singles and doubles play ... started her dual career at the No. 5 spot ... notched her first dual win Feb. 4 against South Dakota State with a 6-3, 6-1 performance ... recorded wins over Northern Iowa and Bradley on back-to-back days Feb. 10-11 ... took a point from Wisconsin with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Christina Zordani Feb. 24 ... was named Horizon League Doubles Team of the Week with teammate Alysa Straub after a big win over Northern Illinois Mar. 10 ... went 3-1 on the spring break trip, with wins over St. Bonaventure, Akron and SCAD-Atlanta ... moved up to the No. 3 spot at the start of conference play, taking a win against Northern Kentucky Mar. 25 ... won four-straight road matches, all in league play to start the month of April ... finished the season with a 7-6, 6-4 win over Youngstown State ... also was tremendous in doubles play all season long, going 11-2 overall with Straub at the No. 1 spot, including a 7-1 mark in Horizon League matches.
HIGH SCHOOL: Played club tennis for Barcelona, Teia.


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When it comes to the securing mobile computing, government agencies are challenged not only by traditional software vulnerabilities, but also by the number and types of services accessible through mobile apps.
The Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate began taking an active role in validation and threat protection for mobile apps two years ago when it began working with Kryptowire for assessing risk, analyzing vulnerabilities and archiving mobile applications. On Sept. 6, the company won its second S&T award for a $1.9 million project with Red Hat to secure the entire app development lifecycle.
"Our work in the past was focused on the testing of third-party apps, which is any app that you don't have access to the source code," Tom Karygiannis, vice president of product at Kryptowire, told GCN. "With the new award, we are analyzing mobile applications during the development process so we can detect any security or privacy issues before the apps end up on a user's device or in an app store."
The partners will develop a framework for automating security and privacy compliance in the mobile application lifecycle. The goal is to automatically ensure app code and third-party libraries comply with security standards through the development, deployment and maintenance processes.
This most recent funding for mobile research came out of agencies' desire to build their own applications, according to Vincent Sritapan, mobile security program manager for S&T's Cyber Security Division.
"There could be a commercial off the shelf capability that is good, but we need it to meet a standard … [that ensures] the apps are not risky, vulnerable or include additional malware," Sritapan said. "Having an app development platform that integrates security is the next step."
Mobile security provider Lookout received a $1.8 million award to add capabilities to detect threats, risks and vulnerabilities to its cloud-based Mobile Endpoint Security platform. The company will focus on detecting malicious behavior in applications whether they come from man-in-the middle attacks, side-loaded applications and other risky behaviors.
"The government would like for us to alert them when applications have been removed from the app store and need to be removed from devices because of malicious activity," Bob Stevens, vice president of federal at Lookout, said. "They want to know if data from apps is being sent to a particular cloud service and other enhancements to risky behavior that we are detecting today."
DHS is also purchasing 2,500 licenses for Lookout's Mobile Endpoint Security to be used by any government agency. S&T will share the licenses with agencies for testing, and they can provide feedback on other desired capabilities from the Lookout service.
S&T also issued three other awards related to mobile app security research.
QualComm Technologies received $1.84 million to demonstrate how mobile app security can be integrated into a device's hardware.
The United Technologies Research Center was awarded $1.45 million to develop a hybrid mobile-device-cloud environment to detect malicious and vulnerable apps and build a device-based behavior monitoring service to dynamically track the behavior of vetted apps in real time.
Apcerto received $1.64 million to develop solutions to normalize and rate apps based on predefined standards and create a framework for orchestrating the entire mobile app security process.
About the Author
Sara Friedman is a reporter/producer for GCN, covering cloud, cybersecurity and a wide range of other public-sector IT topics.
Before joining GCN, Friedman was a reporter for Gambling Compliance, where she covered state issues related to casinos, lotteries and fantasy sports. She has also written for Communications Daily and Washington Internet Daily on state telecom and cloud computing. Friedman is a graduate of Ithaca College, where she studied journalism, politics and international communications.
Friedman can be contacted at email@example.com or follow her on Twitter @SaraEFriedman.
Click here for previous articles by Friedman.
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This video was about Anh Do, a refugee from Vietnam who arrived to Australia when he was 2 years old. He has grown up to become a bestselling author and his brother became the Australian of the year Here is what I got from the video:
Anh Do and his family travelled to Australia on a boat. They were travelling for five days before being picked up by a German ship and dropped off at Australia. Anh Do said that Australia really accepted him and welcomed him and his family with open arms. An insight on this was that Australia has really changed since 1851 when Australians believed that the Chinese were stealing their money and wanted to create laws to keep them away. Australia has really grown to become more loving and accepting and less racist. Another fact was that Anh Do left Vietnam because of the war that was going on. He said that his Uncle was a sapper for the war (someone who clears land mines)
Something that fascinated me he said was that the crew on board wanted to take him and his family in on the boat but the captain would only do it if their ship was sinking. So they tossed him and axe and since no one could understand German on his ship, his father had to figure out they wanted him to make a hole in the boat. It was a huge act of kindness.
Two questions were, did Ahn ever experience major racism that effected him and did he ever face any huge problems with being a refugee?


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Merced Dreams
The Merced picks up the sky's azure blue, complimented by the warm sunset tones reflecting off The Leaning Tower across the valley. At Valley View, the Merced was wearing some striking clothes this day in the Spring.
ValleyriverMercedYosemiteCaliforniaCalifornia MountainsLandscapeMerced RiverPaul PorterPaul Porter PhotographySierra NevadaSierrassunsetValley ViewYosemite National ParkYosemite Valleymountainspaulporterphotopaulporterphotophotography


text:
The Ultimate Playground to Communicate, Connect, Trade and more!
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Launching Next is a community of tech startups.
Visual form builder. OpenSource, serverless and dev-friendly
Record fast, personalized videos on the go
Based on science of sleep, productivity & social psychology
The songs you loved most this year, all wrapped up.
Turn any idea Into a prototype
Optimize your customer support with Knowledge Base by Dashly


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Ethics Center: Reputation Management
Reputation Crisis? What to Do, Part 4
By: Harry J. Lew, NEA Chief Content Officer on November 25th, 2014
Who knew it would come to this? In today's social-media era, our reputation consists of what people say about us online. When friends, colleagues, and strangers rave about us—liking our posts, sharing our content, tweeting our exploits—then our reputations soar. But when people tear us down, either because of something we've done or because of the malicious words of others, then our reputations can implode, wrecking havoc on our lives.
In part 1 of this series, we showed how this damaging process played out in the case of financial advisor Glenn Neasham. In part 2, we described how to analyze the severity of an online reputation crisis, and then in part 3, we showed how to attempt a do-it-yourself (DIY) fix. In this final part of the series, we'd like to discuss how to hire an online reputation management (firm) when a DIY fix isn't feasible.
In prior articles, we suggested that some reputation problems—say, having a couple negative reviews on Yelp—might not require fixing. But when bad reviews mount or when damaging content dominates your page-one search results, it's time to assess your problem and initiate a fix. However, when you become the subject of hundreds or thousands of negative web pages, creating a drumbeat so deafening it threatens your livelihood, then it's time hire an online reputation management (ORM) firm.
What's an ORM company? It's a professional-services provider that specializes in monitoring and responding to reputation problems that have gone viral. It does this by using its search-engine expertise (actions that promote and demote content on search engine results pages [SERPs]). Unlike so-called Search Engine Optimization (SEO) companies, ORM firms don't primarily focus on getting your content on Google's first page. They're equally concerned with moving negative content off the first few pages, hopefully rendering it invisible to the public.
Sound reasonable? At first blush, yes. However, in practice, ORM firms have reputation issues themselves. Problem is, the industry is less than a decade old and lacks a formal credentialing process or code of ethics. Consequently, some firms have engaged in dubious business practices that benefit their bottom lines, more than their clients'.
According to experts, the industry's ethics problems stem from abusive sales techniques, posting of fake product/service reviews, and the use of so-called Black Hat SEO techniques to account-management practices that penalize clients who try to cancel their ORM contracts. Here are some common issues:
Spamming companies who receive negative consumer reviews on sites such as Yelp or Angie's List. The ORM firms sift through a company's reviews to uncover negative results, then send it e-mails suggesting its reputation is on the verge of destruction. Guess who can help?
Searching arrest records for mug shots, which the ORM firm publishes on web sites it controls or with whom it contracts, then contacting the defendant promising to take down the photo for $X. When the person or company pays the fee, the ORM firm moves the mug shot to another site and repeats the "offer."
Hiring people from the developing world to write and post positive (though fake) reviews on consumer-review sites (AKA "astroturfing").
Discouraging clients to cancel contracts through abusive "handcuffs". For example, an ORM might arrange to own any web sites created for clients. If they try to cancel the project, they'll lose control over their own sites. Then the ORM firm can take the sites down, allowing negative content to rise again.
- Engaging in SEO techniques that violate Google's ethical standards.
In short, claims Rosanna M. Fiske, a Wells Fargo PR executive and former chair and CEO of the Public Relations Society of America, the ORM industry "'cleans up' clients' online messes, while creating muck for the rest of us (PR practitioners). For those who value ethical communications and marketing practices, it's not a pretty sight."
For these reasons, it's important to engage a "White-Hat" ORM firm, not a "Black Hat" one. The distinction is crucial. A "Black Hatter," as suggested earlier, will often engage in unethical techniques that best case may not be sustainable and worst case may damage their clients. Getting removed from Google's index is the nightmare scenario.
A dead giveaway of a "black hat" orientation is when a company fails to support Google's Webmaster Guidelines, which promote the following principles:
Always create content that benefits users, not just games search engines. In other words, always create legitimate content with lots of useful information for users.
Don't try to trick users into visiting your pages or staying on your pages.
- Avoid dubious techniques designed to improve search-engine rankings. These include tactics such as producing "auto-generated" content that has no real meaning and serves no purpose other than to contain keywords; link schemes that attempt to manipulate SERP rankings; and cloaking techniques, which involve offering different content to site visitors as opposed to search engines.
There are many other ploys for "faking out" Google. However, the common theme is using tricks to promote a page in the rankings, rather than replacing negative content with high-quality positive information. Another giveaway: business practices that serve the ORM better than they serve the client. These include:
Assigning ownership of all content and websites in the program to the ORM firm. This can make post-project transitions difficult.
- Lack of transparency about business practices. Any refusal to fully disclose ORM tactics should be a huge red flag
Use of highly templated vs. customized solutions, which makes for more profitable engagements for the ORM firm and less effective results for clients.
- Outsourcing of content development to India or other developing-world nations. This often results in poorly written web pages that ultimately harm the client.
Given these dangers, how should you structure your due diligence? Here are some tactics to implement before, during, and after your initial meeting with an ORM company.
Before the meeting:
Do what you'd normally before hiring any vendor:
First, run a basic Google search to check out its online reputation.
Second, do a Better Business Bureau search to determine its BBB grade and complaint history.
Third, check various consumer-review and complaint sites to see what customers say about the company on the Internet. However, watch for negative reviews full of bad grammar and syntax. These may be coming from foreigners that ORM competitors hired to badmouth the firm.
Fourth, carefully read the firm's website to see how it approaches an ORM engagement.
- Finally, do Google and LinkedIn searches on the firm's leaders and a WhoIs.com search to see who owns its web domain.
During the meeting:
Determine whether the firm is willing to listen to your story patiently or whether it's more interested in touting its services.
Watch for unrealistic claims, especially if it promises to "take down" all negative content.
Verify that the firm adheres to Google's Webmaster Guidelines.
Ask about the firm's accountability practices. In other words, does it establish project objectives, set reasonable timeframes, and report results on a regular schedule?
Ask to see its case studies, including web sites the firm has created. Make sure those sites include legitimate information, not just SEO schemes. Beware any firm that seems unwilling to discuss its business practices in detail.
Probe the firm's content development philosophy. Does it understand what real web content should be or does it merely view content as a ploy for gaming search engines.
- Ask how the firm feels about astroturfing. Any ORM firm that commissions fake reviews on your behalf is playing with fire.
- Probe the firm's transparency policy regarding changes it will make to your website. Will it ask permission first before executing those changes?
Determine how (and how often) the firm will communicate with you. What success benchmarks will it report on during your meetings?
- Determine how much and on what basis (project vs. retainer) you will compensate the firm. Make sure not to make any open-ended commitments.
Ask for a list of current and past clients. If an ORM is legitimate, it shouldn't have a problem providing references.
Confirm whether you will own all additional content and websites created as part of your project.
After the meeting:
Once you've met the ORM firm's personnel, weigh the pluses and minuses of working with the company and then summarize your "gut feel" about the people you'd be working with. If your bottom-line assessment is positive, then start calling references.
If all of the references pan out, then do one final thing: buy a background check on all of the firm's principals. Given the importance of your project, this will be a sensible investment for all concerned.
By taking the above precautions, you'll be on solid ground addressing your serious reputation problem. With any luck, in a matter of weeks, you'll start seeing signs of improvement and in a few months, the online furor may die down. However, in cases of major reputation damage (think Glenn Neasham), it may take many months or even years before your reputation recovers fully (or even partially). Given the Internet's unforgiving permanent memory, that will be a major victory.
For more information on reputation management, please visit the National Ethics Association's Ethics Center. For more information on affordable errors and omissions insurance for low-risk financial advisors, visit E&OforLess.com.


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Adrien F wrote:So the beta 9 version (formerly known as beta8) came out today.
We don't plan to add new features to the 1.1 beta branch in near future, except bug correction.
However we will focus on a new branch called 1.5 where the separation of APT in two versions will take place.
In order not to mix people with our product registration and the krpano registration, and to provide the software versions that correspond to everyone, we will release :
* a standard version
* a pro version
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


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We are proud to supply the brands listed below:
Kepak is one of Europe's largest meat groups, with 10 factories across Ireland and the UK.
With a turnover in excess of €800m, the company farms cattle, slaughters and de-bones beef, lamb and pork and further processes in excess of 50,000 tonnes per annum of meats.
The product range represented by The FoodFellas extends from raw beef burgers to barbecue pork ribs, beef ribs, pulled pork and a wide selection of slow cooked meat products.
Big Jake's is a Kepak brand, under which our wide range of slow-cooked pork ribs are packed.
Together, we are experts and market-leaders in the supply of pork ribs to the UK foodservice market.
With sauced, marinated, seasoned and even plain cooked options available, we can supply full racks, half racks, individual riblets and our "Ultimate" large racks.
An award-winning, family owned, traditional German sausage producer, established in 1934.
Producing an exciting range of Premium Bockwursts, Bratwursts and Corn Dogs.
The AvoGrande avocado range is made from the finest Haas avocado, grown and ripened to perfection in Mexico and Peru.
As market leaders in the supply of frozen avocado products to the UK foodservice sector, we use only the best ingredients to bring quality and authenticity to your table.
The FoodFellas sources speciality food products from factories around the world.
A number of these are packed under the FoodFellas brand, which stands for high quality and innovation, at competitive prices.
A speciality range of quality products with a Latin flavour from around the world.
A fully vertically integrated lamb processor, operating in the temperate climate of New Zealand's North Island.
Ovation produces some of the world's finest cuts of tender New Zealand Free Range lamb for the discerning chef.
Based in Maine USA, Penobsot McCrum is a vertically integrated potato grower and manufacturer of high quality frozen potato products.
Their potato skins are made from the finest Russet Burbank potatoes, grown on the same farms that the McCrums have been farming for five generations, and provide a taste and texure not available from European potatoes.
It all started when Eli Schulman decided to create a great dessert for his Chicago restaurant – Eli's 'The Place for Steak'.
He developed a cheesecake so rich and creamy his customers proclaimed it Chicago's finest.
From Eli's crisp cookie crust base to the highest quality 100% all natural ingredients, every Eli's Cheesecake is hand-made by people who care.
From the original plain cheesecake to the most indulgent carrot cake, quality is the hallmark of every Eli's dessert!
Pomone is a family owned fruit-grower and dessert manufacturing business.
They have been growing apples in the Loire Valley for 5 generations, supplying supermarkets and other manufacturers across Europe.
In recent years, the company has invested in BRC-accredited manufacturing facilities, enabling them to produce delicious traditional French desserts, many of which contain apples, of course…
Founded in 1889, Shaws has been producing high quality chutneys, relishes, jellies, sauces & salsas for more than a century. Still a family run business, the company is now in its 5th generation.
The range is extensive, supplied across the foodservice, manufacturing and retail sectors. A BRC accredited factory able to produce both high volume and smaller production runs, Shaws has great flexibility but at highly competitive prices.


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It can be difficult, expensive, and time-consuming to find and hire the right talent for your organization. Plus, it can be costly if you don't hire the right candidate. We can help.
Talentcor provides personalized, selective recruitment services for professionals seeking jobs in today's hottest fields. We help employers recruit and hire top talent for temporary, temp-to-perm, and permanent career opportunities.
Hiring doesn't have to be challenging. When you partner with a recruitment specialist at Talentcor, you can be sure that a full sourcing plan, resume review, screening process, required testing, and shortlist of qualified candidates will be completed. We will only present you with top talent for the job. We help companies save time and money by finding the right candidates the first time.


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November 2015, Cape Town, South Africa: Visa Inc. (NYSE:V), a global payments technology company, has partnered with online payments leader MyGate to process Visa Checkout in South Africa.
Managing Director of MyGate, Dan Edmiston said: "We're very pleased to be partnering with Visa as we aim to create enjoyable online payment experiences that are secure and simple for customers to navigate. Customers will also benefit from the simplified checkout process."
Consumers store their shipping and payment information in a secure account with Visa once and, after enrolment, customers can complete any future purchases in just a few clicks by entering their user name and password. Visa Checkout also offers a consistent experience across devices.
James Simpson, Visa Country Manager for South Africa said: "Visa recognizes that nobody enjoys filling out field after field of personal information every time they make a purchase on their phones or tablets. Visa Checkout takes all the pain out of paying for goods and services online, and keeps your personal information safe and secure so you can shop on the internet with confidence."
Since its launch less than a year ago, more than seven million customers have signed up for Visa Checkout accounts in 16 countries including South Africa.
Said Simpson: "We are looking forward to partnering with MyGate to help drive quicker and much more convenient online payments in South Africa."
About MyGate
MyGate, one of Africa's largest and fastest growing online payment gateways, helps thousands of merchants accept payments online and process billions of Rand annually.
Processing methods provided include online, MOTO, recurring payments and debit orders. The company also offers a tokenisation system to eliminate the need for merchants to store customer credit card data.
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For more information on MyGate, please visit www.mygate.co.za or call 021 555 3260.
MyGate. Sell more.


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Hey Ya'll! It's Marcy from Saddle Up For 2nd Grade!
Classroom teachers always have old Scholastic reader order forms lying around. They either send way to many or you have stacks that just don't ever get sent out. Why not put them to good use?!? They are perfect for teaching and reviewing authors purpose.
After reviewing the three types of stories, I busted out some old scholastic reading order forms. They created a graphic organizer with drawing paper then they had to find 4 examples of each type and sort them onto their paper.
They did really well with each type except for persuade. This was tricky for them because a lot of the stories in the order form they haven't heard before and I hadn't either. So we brainstormed a list of books that we have read as a class that fall under that category. While they were searching for inform and entertain, I printed off the covers of some of the books we came up with as a class. All of their "P" books are the same but everything else they did on their own.
This activity was quick, easy, and required NO PREP! Even my lower learners were able to do this without much guidance. It is visual, hands on, and ENGAGING!
So next time you get extra Scholastic order forms, don't throw them away!


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"Having this canvas print on my wall is like looking at the most glorious view outside, through a window."
- Veronica Wilson, United Kingdom
Colorado is considered by many to be the most beautiful state in America, with it's majestic mountains, brightly colored fall trees and abundant wildlife. Our exclusive Colorado wall art gives you a selection of the very best nature photography by David Sorensen, to help you enjoy the beautiful vistas of Colorado in your home.
"The canvas prints are absolutely perfect and look sharp, colorful and amazing! Really enjoy it. Thank you!"
- Jonathan Rohrlach, Australia
"I am very pleased with the canvas. It exudes peace, light and beauty. Your service and attention to satisfy your clients is exceptional."
- Vicky Hurlbut, USA
We were created to live alongside and even surrounded by wildlife. Tender deer, powerful wild horses, clever bobcats, and more. They are no threat to us. but they add to the wealth of living on this amazing planet. Our wildlife canvas prints provide the opportunity to behold the wonderful beauty of wildlife, in your home or office.
"I bought two prints which I'm so happy with, that I'm buying a third print, because they are so beautiful!!! ❤"
- Alyssa Brown, USA
Who can describe the beauty of nature? Who can create anything that even comes near to this level of creative expression? Our nature wall art shows exquisite nature photography of some of nature's amazing wonders. Buy this nature wall art and bring the highest level of beauty into your living room, bedroom and office.
Christian wall art with the expression of God's overwhelming love for us can be very encouraging and inspring. Discover the unique collection of Christian wall decor designed by David Sorensen and experience more of God's wonderful goodness and mercy in your daily life.
Science has proven that seeing the beauty of nature has a healing effect on humans. That's why many hospitals and hotels decorate their walls with beautiful nature images, to help their guests feel more relaxed and positive.
The colors and the harmony, plus the expression of abundant life, influences our brains and nervous system and brings relaxation and a sense of well being. The beauty of nature relieves stress and gives mental strength and hope.
It's not always possible to spend a lot of time in the wonderful outdoors. But the wall art of Paradise Canvas Prints helps you experience the majesty, beauty and joy of nature wherever you are, every day of your life.
Purchase Paradise Canvas Prints with peace of mind, knowing that you always receive a refund or replacement if your print would turn out wrong or get damaged during shipping.
There is a very personal reason why I started making this unique collection of nature canvas prints.
In the year 2005 I was so overworked, that my body couldn't sleep anymore due to extreme exhaustion. That was the beginning of a very difficult time in my life, but it was also the start of one of the greatest discoveries I ever did.
After struggling with the sleeping disorder for about a year, I discovered that spending time in nature had a very soothing, refreshing effect on me. I bought professional equipment for nature photography and started taking thousands of pictures of the incredible diversity of beauty I saw in nature.
Suddenly I realized that we are all surrounded by the most inspiring beauty we can ever imagine. Even in the city we can find the majesty of God's creation all around us, in parks and gardens.
Enjoying this vast open air exhibition of endless beauty had a profound healing effect on me. It helped me overcome feelings of depression and despair and it gave me joy, rest and enjoyment of life.
After a while I started realizing that one of the reasons for my sleeping discovers was that I had spent too much time behind a computer and not enough time in nature, where we originally belong. It dawned on me that mankind was originally destined to be surrounded by the beauty of nature, that inspires us and ignites our own creativity. It gives us a sense of rest, freedom, life and so much more.
It is then that I decided to bring the healing beauty of nature more into the lives of other people. First I published a nature photography book, that sold ten thousand copies. But I wanted to bring nature's majesty into peoples lives in a more lasting way. Creating a beautiful interior collection is the perfect way to do this.
When you hang a large nature canvas print in your living room, bedroom or office, you can see it every day, and the positive influence of it can be life long.
That's how Paradise Canvas Prints came into being, to help people enjoy the wonderful beauty of nature much more, so we suffer less from stress that comes from being too far away from paradise.
I hope you will enjoy this unique collection of nature wall art. It takes a little investment, but the enjoyment of it is worth far more.
I believe this nature wall art is also perfect as a high quality, precious gift for a beloved one.
Enjoy it!
David Sorensen
Nature Photographer


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John Bitter and Amy Van Scoik are University of Florida CALS alumni who started the farm on five acres in 2011. With the help of family, friends and members of our local community who joined our CSA, we have grown to 21 acres of certified organic farm land. We are working towards bringing all of that land into production, using methods such as cover cropping and crop rotation to improve and build soil.
Each week we provide about 75 members of our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) with shares of the farm's harvest. We also serve four farmers markets, including the Union Street Farmers market, and a few local restaurants. We grow a wide variety of vegetables, herbs, fruits and flowers. We also produce value-added goods like strawberry jam, kim chi, pickles, soap, and art from the farm.
We currently employ four full wonderful time staff with diverse origins including Florida, Michigan, Mexico, and Dominica. As a young business, we strive to offer as many benefits as we can, and plan to offer more in the future. We currently provide paid sick leave and three prepared lunches per week. We also pay all applicable state and federal employment taxes and workers compensation insurance.
We work to feed our community in the way we want to feed ourselves. Our farm is open to visitors by appointment, and during our annual farm tours. We are happy to share information about how your food is grown, and we encourage all farmers market shoppers to ask all producers many questions about the materials and methods used, including pesticides, fungicides, herbicides and synthetic fertilizers. We believe that USDA Certified Organic, with annual independent third-party verification, holds food producers to a high quality and safety standard.
We hope you will make the farmers' market a primary way that you feed yourself and your family. Take advantage of the abundance our region has to offer and buy local and in season.
Thank you for your support of local & organic farmers!
Frog Song Organics, L.L.C.
Hawthorne, FL
(352) 468-3816


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Pancetta Sliced 100g
Greenvale Farm
Sold Out
Greenvale Farm Pancetta Sliced 100g
Greenvale Farm was established to raise heritage breed genuine free range pigs. Their 1,150 acre property in Western Victoria was built in the 1850s, and today their farm is founded upon the beliefs of clean, natural farming practices and animal welfare. Greenvale's free-range rare breed pigs are raised without growth hormones and without antibiotics. They live in large paddocks with access to water and foraging, and sleep in large sheds (or on summer nights prefer to congregate under a tree). Greenvale is dedicated to a future of sustainable agriculture.
In addition to fresh pork, Greenvale Farm produces award-winning smallgoods with their production partner Casalingo. These award-winning smallgoods include bacons, hams and fresh preservative free sausages, as well as an extensive range of air-fermented smallgoods.
Ingredients: pork (96%), salt, dextrose (maize), sucrose, speices, antioxidant (316), sodium nitrite (250), sodium nitrate (251), spice and herb extract, mineral salt (341), cellulose (460), magnesium carbonate (504), yeast extract, culture.
Product of Australia.


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Meet the 2019 BookLife Prize Finalists in Fiction
'Canyon Dreams:' High School Basketball On The Navajo Nation
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12 Apr Why Are Student Loans So Difficult to Discharge in Bankruptcy?
In light of the recent news that Sallie Mae, America's largest student loan provider, fraudulently provides monetary incentives to schools pushing their student loans, it makes one wonder why loans from this company, and other student loan companies are (a) guaranteed by the U.S. Government, (b) given extraordinary collection powers and (c) are virtually non-dischargeable in bankruptcy. Nowhere have I found a decent explanation.
At first blush, it seems obvious. Higher education is expensive, and young borrowers would not otherwise have the established credit to borrow the funds necessary to go to college. Lending to this group would certainly never occur without guarantees backed by the U.S. Government. Really? Have you been to a college campus lately? Like the cigarette industry marketing to minors, credit card companies set up carnival booths and give away merchandise in exchange for filling out a credit application. They practically beg to lend young students money. By the way, Citibank, who is also bribing institutions to hawk their student loans, provides student loans guaranteed by the government and totally unsecured credit cards to the same collegiate borrowers. So why is the guarantee necessary?
What would happen if the U.S. government stopped guaranteeing student loans? Would people stop going to college and graduate school? Would there be a shortage of doctors? A likely result is that young people would scrutinize the absurd cost of many institutions, and said institutions would actually lower the cost of education to compete.
Student loans are too easy to get, and too difficult to get rid of. By virtue of section 484A(a) of the Higher Education Act, there is NO limit to how long the U.S. Department of Education, or the guaranty agency, can collect, sue, or enforce judgments a borrower in default. That means forever. They can garnish wages without suing the borrower. They can collect credit card-like interest, penalties and collection fees. They can take a borrower's federal income tax refund. They can even take Social Security payments, both retirement and disability. Wow!
In bankruptcy, discharging a student loan is extremely difficult, as pointed out in Andy Miofsky's article. Given all the protections afforded to lenders who turn educators into pimps, it makes no sense why discharge should be so difficult. As usual, the burden falls back on the middle class, who are too poor to pay for college but too rich for financial aid.
Latest posts by Chip Parker, Esq. (see all)
- Can I Lower My Car Payment in Bankruptcy? - April 15, 2017
- How Will Bankruptcy Affect My Credit? - March 28, 2017
- Will the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act be extended? - January 18, 2017
- How will my bankruptcy affect my spouse's credit? - February 15, 2016
- Bankruptcy is an excellent retirement strategy - January 15, 2016


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During the past 20 years, great progress has been made in the diagnosis and surgical management of almost every form of congenital heart defect. This progress is due to improved cardiac catheterization techniques and improved surgical techniques. These are in turn due to the accumulation of detailed knowledge of the embryologic development, anatomic relations, and physiologic function of the heart. Dr. Okamoto has made many contributions to our knowledge of the embryology and anatomy of congenital heart defects, and his experience and knowledge are evident in the lucidity of this text.
The tremedous knowledge that has accumulated in this field
Congenital Anomalies of the Heart. Embryologic, Morphologic and Experimental Teratology.. Ann Intern Med. 1980;93:649–650. doi: https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-93-4-649_2
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Published: Ann Intern Med. 1980;93(4):649-650.
Copyright © 2019 American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.
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Buffalo's City Council, at Tuesday's meeting, voted to approve Resolution No. 1347, to submit a grant application to the Wyoming Water Development Commission (WWDC) to replace an existing outdated water supply line.
The Third Annual Buffalo Chamber of Commerce Oktoberfest will be this Saturday from noon to 6 in downtown Buffalo.
Chamber Director Angela Jarvis tells us more about the festival and the associated events.
The Sheridan County Road and Bridge Department will be receiving a new 2012 CAT all wheel drive motor grader thanks to a municipal lease-purchase agreement that was approved by the County Commissioners Tuesday.
The Wyoming Republican Party State Central Committee was notifed by Governor Matt Mead Monday that Representative for District 30, Jon Botten has resigned effective September 10th, 2012. Sheridan County Republican Chairman Jesus Rios.
Sheridan residents and business love their Sheridan High School Broncs, and some out-of state swindlers are looking to make a quick buck off their allegiance.
The Johnson County School District One Board of Trustees, at their last meeting, discussed the current audit report and the upcoming audit with District Business Manager Matt Ramey.
The Sheridan County Commissioners Tuesday awarded the bid for the sewer extension project at the Sheridan County Airport to Northern Underground of Sheridan in the amount of $68,375. Commissioner Steve Maier.
Sheridan College is hosting a two-part lecture this week focused on how small agricultural practices have global impacts. Keith Klement, Director of Agriculture, sums it up.
The latest information on the Gilead Fire, as of 9am this morning, is that the fire has grown to 8,028 acres and is now only 38% contained.
It's flu shot season around the Big Horns. Public health officers have officially started to push the flu shot onto the public.
Road & Travel


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Working Papers from Boston University - Center for Latin American Development Studies
Keywords: economic models; export subsidies; social welfare; production (search for similar items in EconPapers)
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RUConnected #32 – Slide2Learn-2011
This is the Slide2Learn special. The 2 day, conference was held at the Sunshine University, on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. Jenny and Lois chat about some of the highlights and resources from the conference. The experience of being at Slide2Learn – mobile immersion- workshops put you in the position of being a student.… Continue reading


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When Piranhas Attack!
Thursday 17th November 2011
How to defend yourself from Piranha attack
News today that 15 swimmers are nursing injuries inflicted by piranha fish in western Brazil got us thinking about how you would protect yourself against these nasty nippers. The fearsome flesh-hungry fish got their teeth into bathers at the Daveron beach on the Paraguay River, which is in Caceres in the Mato Grosso region on Brazil. The beach is popular with tourists and swimmers, but these attacks have meant people are staying out of the water.
Piranhas are only found in the wild in South America, and live in rivers and lakes, NOT the sea. They prefer easy prey such as other fish, cadavers of animals that have drowned in the water, or things that have fallen in and are too old or ill to escape. They will attack humans if they are desperate for food, if the water levels are low, and there is not much else for them to eat. The sheer number of piranhas in a shoal means they are very efficient at eating, and can strip a carcass in no time, which is where their rep as deadly killers comes from. If you do happen to be near shallow freshwater in South America during the dry season, watch what the locals are doing. If people are avoiding the river or lake, then do the same. In Caceres, local fishermen have been staying out of the water, seeing how low the water level is, and how desperate the piranhas are for food. No matter how hot it was, or how tempting the Paraguay river looked, nothing would persuade us to take a dip right now.
South America is a one of the top backpacker destinations for a gap year or year out. You can volunteer, teach English or just go an a great adventure. Why not take a look at the tours, trips and placements which you can get involved with in our Destinations South America section.


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Cheeky female footballers are being hauled before an FA panel to show that their sponsor's logo isn't turning their kit blue.
Chester-le-Street Town Ladies will argue the case for their "No bollx" emblem at a Durham Football Association hearing on March 26.
The belles had already put the logo onto their tracksuits and were also planning to use it on their playing shirts - but Durham FA bigwigs are worried some people will find it offensive.
If the team fails to persuade officials that the logo is not ethically or morally offensive, they will lose out on £2,000 sponsorship.
Team manager Pauline Godward said: "We have had a letter saying we did not write for permission so we cannot wear them.
"I think it is because of the nature of the logo, but it is like French Connection's and everybody wears that. I don't think we have a member on the Durham FA below the age of 50.
"Everybody at the club thinks it is all right. The girls love it.
"We have girls playing from the age of 14, and we asked all the players' parents if they were for it, and they all were.
"We have already got it on our tracksuits and if we get the OK it will be going on our playing shirts."
John Topping, secretary of the Durham FA said: "They are wishing to advertise something on their tracksuits and to do that they must obtain permission from ourselves.
"They have provided me with a copy of the advertisement and I will put that before the council of this association on March 26.
"It will make a decision on whether it is appropriate. The actual advertisement does have an impact on whether it goes before the council.
"We do exactly the same for any which we have concerns about. This is not a one-off."
The logo was chosen because the team is sponsored by author Keith Brown, who wrote True Masculinity, No Bollx.
He has already spent £1,300 on providing the team's tracksuits and will spend a further £700 on the kits if the Durham FA allow the logo to be used.
Keith Brown said: "The FA is not giving money to grassoots football but wants to dictate how they get their sponsorship.
"This is a club that last year did not have enough money to buy leather footballs. They need the money.
"Magistrates decided in 1979 that the Sex Pistols' Never Mind The Bollocks was not offensive, so why are we saying it is offensive in 2003?"
The FA meeting will be chaired by Durham FA chairman Frank Pattison.


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What are the penalties or fees associated with downgraded Visa and MasterCard transactions? Downgrade fees, or surcharges, for credit card transactions are relative to your type of merchant account plan. Merchants may process under various plan types – Tiered / Bucketed or Interchange Plus / Passthrough – depending on how the provider sold the merchant on the account. For this article, we'll assume an Interchange Plus or Passthrough type of account, as that is the … Read More
Who is the Best Merchant Services Provider?
There is no single merchant service provider that can be considered the best. A merchant needs to evaluate several options, but before even researching merchant service providers, they should have a grasp on their specific needs and limitations, and understand the basics of merchant services. A merchant who only needs to run a limited number of transactions through a virtual terminal or payment gateway may find a better fit with one merchant service provider versus … Read More
Merchant Service Provider – Underwriting and Risk
A merchant service provider offers many products and programs to help businesses process payments and may also act as the underwriter on your merchant account; meaning they assume the risk should your business not deliver on its promise. The Risk The risk associated with credit card processing is complex. There are a number of variables that are considered when determining a merchant's payment processing application: Merchant's longevity and financial stability Type of industry and business model … Read More
Payment Processing Downgrades
The Visa, MasterCard, and Discover Card Associations all maintain Interchange Downgrade rates for credit and debit card transactions that do not meet the requirments for the transaction to clear at the card type's correct Interchange Rate. Downgraded Interchange Rates are higher than the card's normal Interchange Fee, so it's always in a merchant's best interest to avoid downgrades whenever possible. Always clearing transactions at the correct Interchange, and avoiding downgrades allows merchants to obtain the … Read More
Merchant Service Account Types
There are two main merchant account pricing plans, Tiered/Bucketed pricing and Interchange Plus pricing. However, from a cost savings perspective, there's only one plan you should consider – Interchange Plus pricing. Interchange Plus pricing is the most transparent pricing plan for credit card processing and is the payment processing plan type VeriProcess recommends for all merchants. The merchant pays the interchange rate set by the card association – without any intermediary markup. The 'Plus' portion of the pricing plan, the … Read More