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This is part 2 of my Dell's Dilemma series. In part 1 you can find how Dell Inc's business model is different from others and in this post I'm analyzing why Dell's business is (or appears to be) at risk.
Pros and Cons of dealing direct with Dell...
Advantage Dell:
The main features and advantages Dell and its customers have due to Dell's Direct to customer model are:
1 Cheap product: Dell's products have always been cheaper than competition for given configuration, due to Dell's unique business model (explained in Part 1), hence a cost conscious customer would always prefer Dell.
2 Highly Customizable: Just like an assembled PC, Dell allows its customers to choose the exact configuration they want and pay for only those features required. Other PC vendors usually release several pre configured models which can not be customized beyond a limit. (I find that even Dell customization has some limits, explained later)
3 Built to Order: Dell units are assembled only after an order is confirmed. This gives you fresh technology, directly from factory to your home. In other companies, products do spend some time in shelf, in factory, in warehouse, with distributor/reseller etc before you pick it up.
1. You can't see or feel the product before buying.
2. You can't just lift a model, pay and take home. You will have to wait for few days to few weeks from the time you decide to buy and till it gets delivered.
3. No service centers where you can take the system and get it repaired. You need to fix the system using telephone help given by Dell
Why Dell Sales declined?
Here are some simple reasons why Dell's popularity is declining over a period of time…(Prices are quoted in INR)
Note: Majority of Dell's business comes from huge corporate accounts who continue to prefer Dell. Below points are from a viewpoint of an individual customer (Home users, and SMEs (Small and Medium enterprises)...
1. Fall in price deference: Because number of units of PC/notebook being sold has increased, the additional expenses Dell's competitors had is getting leveraged across a large number of units, hence the additional expense per unit is minimal (Assume Rs 30000 per month is spent in running a showroom. If only 1 Notebook is sold then this entire 30 k needs to be recovered from this one notebook, in which case Customer will not buy at all (if he has to pay 30K extra for no apparent reason), if just 30 units are sold per month, each would have costed Rs 1000 extra (In this case customer will weigh his options and may or may not choose to buy from that shop), while if 100 units can be sold per month, extra cost per unit is just around Rs 333 which is negligible for a 30k to 50k product and the customer will not hesitate to buy. As other vendors are reducing their margin and focusing on volume, the Dell's advantage in terms of cost is falling.
2. Non technical customers: Traditionally those who used desktops and notebooks were technical (Hardware/Software professionals) people who had enough technical understanding of the product so that they could understand the configuration, could use, maintain or do simple trouble shooting themselves with minimal help and choose Dell mainly because of cost advantage. But of late computers have become very common and everyone can afford to own it. But many people who are not well versed with computer architecture (say people like Doctors, lawyers, accountants) would rather choose to physically see a laptop in a showroom, see if the performance and features are good enough for them and then buy then and there. In other words, not everyone can decide between complex system configurations.(Dell website gives some basic explanation, which is not good enough) Most of us have simple understanding that higher the numbers better the configuration, few of us have understood that Dual Core is better than Solo (Thanks to Intel's intense ad campaign), but tell me, can you suggest me which one should I choose out of Intel Centrino T5300 (1.73 GHz, 533 Mhz FSB) and T5500 (1.66 GHz, 667MHz FSB)? We're used to measuring clock speed, but few realize why FSB is critical. Is Core Duo sufficient or should insist on Core 2 Duo? What about Sata Rosa? Without physically experiencing, can you tell me if geforce 7400 is enough for the games I intend to play or do I really need 7600 (They are 256MB and 512 MB graphics card from NVIDIA respectively). Microsoft says 512MB RAM is minimum for VISTA, while PC vendors suggest 1GB. Shall I go with 1GB or should I really invest another 10k and opt for 2GB? Unless one has some technical understanding, deciding on a optimal configuration is very challenging. If you accept all recommended configuration at Dell's website, the price almost doubles the initial quotation. So many people who do not understand much of system hardware prefer Non Dell brands, partly because they can check the product before buying, and partly because they go by resellers recommendation.
3. Lead time: people want everything fast and instant these days. If it takes week's time from the time they decide to buy and till the product gets delivered, it discourages them.(It takes 10 to 30 days depending on mode of payment, availability of parts etc) Lot of things may change in the meanwhile: I may change my mind, I may get a better deal elsewhere, technology may change, price may fall, but once you commit, it is near impossible to change.
4. Dell discourages down selling: While choosing the configuration, Dell tempts you to go for higher configuration (This is called up-selling) but heavily discourages you from choosing lower configuration. For example, they give you an option to upgrade to Windows Vista Home Premium from Home Basic but do not allow you to choose Windows XP (which should be cheaper than Vista), or do not allow me to buy a naked PC (PC without an OS). (Most of the PCs sold with Free DOS/Linux are eventually upgraded to some version of Windows, pirated ones in most cases, but that can't be a reason why Dell should mandate that all notebook buyers should buy it with Vista. If I have some Microsoft employees as friends I get Vista at much discounted price and may choose to install it myself, or if I choose to continue with Widnows 2000 i bought few years back, it is my choice. I'm not bound to buy every latest product MS releases...Do you agree?)
Also I found while customizing an Inspiron model that for a T5300 based system, I have no option of choosing a 533 MHz RAM and I have to opt for 667 MHz RAM only. (A 533 MHz FSB processor can't make full use of 667 MHZ RAM and I would rather save some money by opting for 533 MHz RAM, but I don't have that option.
5. Limited Customization:
Note: Whatever I write below is based on the experience I had at Dell website while attempting to customize. Once you raise a request Dell Inc will assign an executive who will facilitate further customization, which may nullify some of the points mentioned in point 4 and 5.
Latitude model has finger print reader option but Inspiron series doesn't. Similarly you'll face many such restrictions when you try to customize your Dell. In most of the cases I don't have an option of choosing 1 Single memory of 1 GB (instead of 2 x 512 MB layout)(What difference does that make? It makes lot of difference while upgrading: Motherboard will have 2 RAM slots - if both are occupied by one 512 MB RAM each, if I have upgrade later from 1GB to 2GB there'll be no free slots, while if I opt for one single RAM of 1GB, second slot will be free)Ideally Dell should allow me to customize A to Z with any possible combination (as long as the combination is feasible), but that is not the case.
So there're many limitations in Dell's customization and it might discourage few, who are very specific about what they want.
6. No fancy features: Dell has been very very slow in introducing most of the value added features its competition has incorporated (Such as face recognition of Lenovo, fingerprint recognition, Swivel Monitors and Tablet PCs by HP, detachable DVD drives of thinkpad, Blu Ray Disc reader by Sony Vaio etc). So except that you have the option to choose highest possible configuration, there won't be much you can boast about your Dell machine. (Dell will be launching Tablet PCs by end of 2007 in India, Dell Latitude model has an option of Finger print reader, XPS model comes with rotating Webcam, and Dell would soon launch ATG in India (All Terrain Grade rugged notebooks which meet military standards in their build), but most of them are not available in combination.
June 27, 2007 update: Dell's new inspiron 1420 series (and 15xx series) is featuring multi colour bodies and also Blu Ray writer option (at INR 32000, not sure how many will opt for it), Some Dell Latitude Models have some unique features like analog battery meter (to check how much power is left, without having to switch on the notebook) and Wi-Fi detector, which blinks when a network is available...
7. No service centers. Today most of the people who use PCs and notebooks are non technical people, who do not have the time, patience or technical skills to fix a problem in their system themselves. While techies would even enjoy troubleshooting and experimenting on their systems themselves these people would rather hand it over to a service centre person, tell the problem they face and get it fixed by experts. But dell expects everyone to fix their problems by internet/telephonic information. Most of the people are not comfortable with this option and do not even give Dell a consideration since it doesn't have a physical presence (I read somewhere that Dell has tie up with Wipro and PCS in India to provide service to Dell customers, but not sure of this as I don't find anything official about it)
8. Increasing non corporate, non technical customers: So far, majority of Dell's customers were corporate accounts, who had dedicated departments to take care of Computer Hardware. But of late individual consumers who buy a PC/laptop for personal use are on the raise and for these people, after sales support is a primary consideration, in which Dell fails to impress. These individuals approach a consumer electronic showroom or such shops while buying laptops and salesperson there shows all available models but never mentions that there's a company called Dell. Even if customer inquires, he tries his best to discourage a prospective buyer from opting for Dell, by highlighting all disadvantages of Dell. So not having some ground staff to promote Dell is diverting several potential customers.
9. No finance options: Today many people buy goods on credit. In any showroom you can find one representative of some finance company readily available, if you prefer credit. If Dell expects everyone to make full payment upfront (even before one sees their product and wait for weeks. It doesn't give easy credit options, and this diverts another set of potential customers (Dell do have Dell Financial Services in some countries. But I don't think that is operational in India)
10. No one to bargain or argue with: Most of us love to bargain with the shopkeepers and feel happy if we can get some extra discounts/some freebies. Also if somethin goes wrong many people prefer to walk into the showroom and question the people there. With Dell, these are difficult. (Dell will assign a salesperson to assist you in executing your order with whom you can bargain a bit. And if something goes wrong and Dell refuses to fulfill its obligations (extremely unlikely, I'm just exporing a possibility) legal actions are very difficult since the sales is purely online
Note: Dell's credibility has been very good, and most of the customers are happy with Dell (except few business users who are using the notebooks given by their company which doesn't fit their personal usage needs). Dell does good pre sales and post sale follow up and keeps its customers happy. Dell is setting up an assembly unit in India (in Chennai) which is expected to be operational from late 2008 (Currently Indian orders are assembled in Malasia and shipped to India, Dell products should be further cheap once they're assembled in India)(Note: The Hindu report dated 26th June 2007 says Chennai unit will be operational within months, my sources indicate it may take longer. This post doesn't intend to discourage people from buying Dell, but only analyses why potential customers may not prefer Dell.
These are some of the reasons I've figured out why Dell's model is at risk. Can there be a solution? Standby for Part 3 (Expected in mid- June)
Part 1 | Part 2 |If Dell were to sell motorcycles...(fun)| Comparision of Notebook Brands: Dell vs HP vs Sony vs Others
Friday, May 25, 2007
Dell's Dilemma - Part Two
This is part 2 of my Dell's Dilemma series. In part 1 you can find how Dell Inc's business model is different from others and in this post I'm analyzing why Dell's business is (or appears to be) at risk.
9 comments :
- Thilak Kumar M said...
Good one Bro.. Especially the Dis advantages of the model was well researched.
- Tuesday, June 05, 2007 8:22:00 PM
- Shrinidhi Hande said...
Thanks. Advantages and disadvantages of a particular model may change w.r.t time (depending on competition, pricing, configuration etc). My post was more generic, it is about Dell as a company and not specific to any one or two models
- Thursday, June 07, 2007 2:07:00 AM
- hari said...
Excellent analysis, Shri. I like the overall professionalism in your writing. Too many people introduce their personal biases while reviewing. This is quite an objective report.
- Friday, June 15, 2007 7:37:00 AM
- Shrinidhi Hande said...
Thanks Hari.
Its against my principle to give biased opinion. I do give straight forward opinion along with supporting evidence and logic. I usually give both positive and negative aspects and let people decide.
- Friday, June 15, 2007 9:42:00 PM
Hi Nidhi... A very good comparo and analysis.. Specially the downward customization part where they dont allow you to get wat u want.. That is one of the sole reasons why i opted out of buying a Dell and the other one is the main thing which is you cant touch and feel the computer before buying which is a very big disadvantage... I only had to see a compaq laptop and go thru the features and i decided to go for it then and there which was not possible with Dell..
And to answer you query on limited customization, Dell has this policy of Insipiron for home users and Latitudes and Vostro Series for Business users.. So they offer fingerprint reader as an extra security measure for business laptops for data protection since its more important to business users from Dell' point of view.. If they allow you to have fingerprint reader on the so called home PC series (inspiron) they will not be able to differentiate between the two categories and not be able to charge more for the business series. It was a nice read - Abhi
- Tuesday, February 26, 2008 4:16:00 PM
- Shrinidhi Hande said...
Thanks Abhi for the comment.
There can be other differences between business and home laptops-Business users need a lighter model, with international warranty, less focus on entertainment features and higher battery life. Home users often need more entertainment...
- Tuesday, February 26, 2008 6:58:00 PM
- Ashish Kanak said...
One of my personal experience.
- Paying by Cheque is a tough option while buying Dell laptop.While for other off-the -shel laptops it is just like any other mode of payment.
--Ashish Kanak
- Friday, May 09, 2008 4:12:00 PM
- Shrinidhi Hande said...
Yes, Dell won't process the order unless check is cashed. Other vendors who accept check may deliver the laptop on trust if you make partial cash payment and give some address/ID proof.
Thanks for the comment
- Friday, May 09, 2008 5:03:00 PM
I really liked the article, and the very cool blog
- Thursday, August 25, 2011 8:22:00 AM


text: Folks, Sorry if I have to revive this thread. We have problems with birds feasting on the bees especially during foraging. Several suggestions were made, some were possible to do, some were illegal to do. The birds Im refering to is the Philippine swift (black with white streak thru the body). When the birds attack, the colony size drops, mostly the nurse bees are left. Here are some of the thing that was done1. Use a gun to shoot the birds -> cannot be done. There is a subdivision beside our place and the action of shooting those birds would give me a one way ticket to jail2. Use a decoy -> wont work for far foraging areas. And the birds seems smart enough to know after a couple of days that it is only a decoy and they again continue feasting.3. Use the real live predatory bird like eagles and owls-> sad to say these predatory birds are already on the endangered species list. Local laws will not allow us to keep or use these birds. These predatory birds are confined only to restricted wildlife areas.Some folks suggest that we use poision, but as much as possible we want to search for an environmentally friendly way to controlling those birds. Appreciate if anybody can give additional suggestions.Thanks in advance

subset: commoncrawl


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Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Jon Leibowitz recently applauded Congress' passage of the "Red Flags" Clarification Act of 2010, admitting that, in their original form, the rules went too far.
"We're pleased Congress clarified its law, which was clearly overbroad," said Leibowitz a recent press release. "Now we can go forward with less litigating and more protecting consumers from identity theft. I want to express my appreciation to Congressmen John Adler (D-NJ) and Mike Simpson (R-ID), and Senators John Thune (R-SD) and Mark Begich (D-AL), for their excellent work in resolving the uncertainty created by Congress."
Leibowitz had previously chided lawmakers for taking to so long to act on a clarification measure. In a release last May that announced a delay in the "Red Flags" Rule enforcement date, the Chairman urged Congress to quickly pass legislation that eliminated the Rule's unintended consequences. Lawmakers finally within the last two weeks with the "Red Flags" Clarification Act, which passed unanimously in both chambers and limits the definition of the word "creditor" in order to ensure that it doesn't apply to certain services and small businesses.
In the most recent release, the FTC also took the opportunity to reiterate that the Rule was always meant to be flexible. "It gives businesses the flexibility to tailor their written ID theft detection program to the nature of the business and the risks it faces. Businesses with a high risk for identity theft may need more robust procedures-like using other information sources to confirm the identity of new customers or incorporating fraud detection software," they noted. "Groups with a low risk for identity theft may have a more streamlined program-for example, simply having a plan for how they'll respond if they find out there has been an incident of identity theft involving their business."
However, with the new legislation, the "Red Flags" Rule should, at least theoretically, apply to far fewer businesses, meaning that many companies may not have to worry about having even something as simple as a documented plan.
Stay tuned to NACM's Credit Real-Time Blog for more updates on how this applies to you and your company.
Jacob Barron, NACM staff writer


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Alright, this is a pretty easy and straightforward giveaway. Minimum of 100 post, or one paragraph explaining why you want the game. No minimum join date, so basically anyone can enter.
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Post here if you would like to enter.


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'"I want to help with the side that often gets neglected, like the mental side of having and battling a disease. The right environment is an essential complement to medicine and we hope to provide the best chance for a patient to survive by providing psycho-social programs that will help them battle. Things like computers to help them communicate with friends, trips to events to give some mental release — normalcy is hard to duplicate, but we are striving to give them some."'
Archives for January 2008
Miller lends a Steadfast hand
Campbell more comfortable in his second time around
'"He's a great role model for guys coming up," Sabres center Derek Roy said. "He's one of those guys that is not totally vocal, he just does his talking on the ice."'
Win in Dallas boosts confidence
'"We can have a good feeling for those three days and enjoy the weekend instead of hanging our head again and worrying about what's going to happen," center Jochen Hecht said. "It was a good game against a really good team in the Western Conference, and we've just got to start believing we can do this and be one of the best teams in the league at the end of the year."'
Built from scratch
'Several teams are expected to make a strong play for him in the next month, especially if it appears the Sabres are out of playoff contention. Chicago has been among the teams rumored to be interested in him.'
Sabres return MacArthur to Amerks, sort of
'On paper and for salary-cap reasons, MacArthur was sent to the Amerks when the NHL All-Star break began. Patrick Kaleta also returned. Unlike Kaleta, who played in Friday night's 4-3 shootout loss to Lake Erie, MacArthur wasn't even in town. The Sabres can't risk MacArthur getting hurt in either American Hockey League game this weekend, so they let him have the time off. He's rejoining the Sabres on Monday for practice and will play at Tampa on Tuesday.'
Saturday's Rochester Coverage
Amerks are dealt Monster of a loss (Rochester D&C)
Sabres return MacArthur to Amerks, sort of (Rochester D&C)
Lake Erie rallies past Rochester (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
Monsters Rally to beat Amerks (RNews.com)
Amerks fall to Monsters in shootout, lose seventh straight (Amerks.com)
Monsters Come Back From 3 Down for SO Win (LakeErieMonsters.com)
Three added to Canadian All-Star roster (TheAHL.com)
Sabres: Flying high once again
'While Roy was out for four games this month, the team scored six goals. They have 16 in the four since.'
Captain Spacek addresses troops
'Spacek, the captain for January, called his teammates to center ice at the end of practice Wednesday. The defenseman gave a pep talk while players listened attentively, some on bended knee. They tapped their sticks as they skated away.'
Where has the magic gone?
'The struggles of players like Vanek, Jason Pominville, Tim Connolly, and Maxim Afinogenov (even before the latter two got hurt), are all the result of players stepping up into roles they are not ready to fill. The whole team is suffering from this. Management miscalculated the rate theses players would grow at and thought they were ready to lead the team on another deep run into the playoffs.'
Friday's Dallas Coverage
Dallas Stars squander chances in loss (Dallas Morning News)
Dallas Stars' rookie learns lesson (Dallas Morning News)
Thursday's game highlights (Dallas Morning News)
Photo gallery (Dallas Morning News)
Struggling Sabres end road streak, beat Stars (Fort Worth Star Telegram)
Stars notes (Fort Worth Star Telegram)
Sabres 2, Stars 1 (DallasStars.com)
Photo gallery (DallasStars.com)
Photo gallery (Sabres.com)
Buffalo 2, Dallas 1
'"To salvage a couple of points here helps us feel good," Roy said. "This gives us confidence that we can beat any team in the league. It gives us more confidence in our game."'
Buffalo 2, Dallas 1
'"I thought we played well in all areas tonight," said Buffalo head coach Lindy Ruff.'
Roy Leads Sabres To 2-1 Win Over Dallas
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Roy answers Ruff's challenge
'More telling of Roy's effect on the team is the production of his linemates: Drew Stafford and Thomas Vanek. The trio has combined for 10 goals and 21 points in those same four contests.'
Texas two-step
'"We needed a spark," said Roy "Getting a quick goal put them back on their heels."'


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Fox's Kilmeade Sympathizes With Illegal Gas Price Gouging In The Aftermath Of Superstorm Sandy
Blog ››› ››› SERGIO MUNOZ
Fox host Brian Kilmeade announced on the November 8 edition of Fox & Friends that he doesn't "blame the gougers" who are jacking up prices for gasoline in the wake of superstorm Sandy. But price gouging after a natural disaster not only takes advantage of humanitarian crises, it's also illegal in both New York and New Jersey.
Kilmeade's expression of sympathy for price gougers occurred in a discussion of the difficulties victims of Sandy and the current "nor'easter" face in obtaining gas, which many desperately need for transportation, electricity, and heat. As reported by CBSnews.com:
Six days after a superstorm devastated parts of the northeast, the recovery -- and frustration -- continues.
At least 111 people are known dead. Nearly two million homes and businesses remain without power, down from a peak of over eight million -- most of them in New Jersey and New York.
There's still a scramble for gas and housing as temperatures drop.
Along the coast in Rumson, N.J., an old fashioned iron hand pump is the only way to get gasoline out of its underground tank.
The gas is fueling generators in a town largely without electricity.
One person in line said they were using the gas to power their house, take hot showers, feed their family -- in other words "the real basics like 100 years ago."
In the face of this demand - described by co-host Steve Doocy as "gas-amageddon" - some vendors in possession of gas and gas cans are charging exorbitant prices. This windfall, however, is clearly illegal under both New York and New Jersey law that prohibits such price gouging, a fact unmentioned by Kilmeade. Both the Republican Governor of New Jersey and the Democratic Attorney General of New York have warned that this practice, described by the conservative New York Post as "sleazy," will be prosecuted to the fullest extent.
From the New York law:
During any abnormal disruption of the market for consumer goods and services vital and necessary for the health, safety and welfare of consumers, no party within the chain of distribution of such consumer goods or services or both shall sell or offer to sell any such goods or services or both for an amount which represents an unconscionably excessive price.
From the New Jersey law:
It shall be an unlawful practice for any person to sell or offer to sell during a state of emergency or within 30 days of the termination of a state of emergency, in the area for which the state of emergency has been declared, any merchandise which is consumed or used as a direct result of an emergency or which is consumed or used to preserve, protect, or sustain the life, health, safety or comfort of persons or their property for a price that constitutes an excessive price increase.
Kilmeade is not the only Fox personality offering sympathy for those who are engaging in illegal price gouging at the expense of victims of this natural disaster. Fox contributor Judge Andrew Napolitano took the same extreme "free market" stance on Fox Business' Varney & Co, and announced that as a "practicality," he "doesn't believe in any government regulation of the economy." As reported by Fox Insider:
[Fox's] Stuart [Varney] believes if the stations were allowed to charge what they wanted, there would be a revolution, and Judge Napolitano thinks that is the practical way to go. "If buyers were willing to pay what they agreed to pay, there would be enough gas to go around," said Napolitano.
"The free market can allocate resources better than the government can," according to the judge, and gas station owners should be able to charge what they want.
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Democratic Senators Block Republican-led Net Neutrality Repeal
Jason Mick
November 11, 2011 9:11 AM
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Even if the repeal had passed the Senate, President Obama had promised to veto it
After months of threats and debating, the Republican leadership in Congress moved forward with plans to block the
U.S. Federal Communication Commission
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rolling out basic net neutrality rules
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I. Republicans Push for Net Neutrality Ban
As Republicans control the House of Representatives, the key battleground in the repeal effort would be the Senate.
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison
(R-Texas) sponsored the repeal resolution, S.J. Res. 6.
Sen. Hutchinson took a hard stance, arguing that ISPs should be allowed to charge users on a per-site basis and throttle as they wish, without regulation. She comments, "The internet and technology have produced more jobs in this country than just about any other sector. It has been the cradle of innovation, it does not have a problem, and it does not need fixing."
Others in her party took a softer approach.
Sen. Olympia Snowe
(R-Maine) wrote a "dear colleague" letter to her fellow Republicans. In it she wrote that she felt that net neutrality regulation
necessary to protect consumer abuse. But she argued the proper place for it was through the Senate, not the FCC.
But if "pro-net neutrality" Republicans senators had an alternative plan they failed to propose it in concrete form. And it was unclear when or if a replacement to the current rules would be drafted if repeal was pass -- or for that matter whether a net neutrality bill could past muster in the House and Senate given many Republicans absolute opposition to anything standing in the way of ISPs' efforts to increase profits by cutting back and restructuring regional internet services.
The hardline Republicans like Sen. Hutchinson who flatly opposed any regulation argued that regulation would kill jobs. Sen. Hutchinson
pointed to industry studies
that claimed net neutrality regulation would slow infrastructure deployment, and by proxy reduce jobs.
The Republican-controlled House had
passed a net neutrality repeal measure
in February 2011.
President Obama threatened to veto S.J. Res. 6
II. Democrats Warn That Repeal Would Kill Innovation, Free Speech
The repeal had Democratic President Barack Obama concerned enough that he
threatened to veto the bill
[PDF] if it should pass, with his office writing in a release, "If the President is presented with S.J. Res. 6, which would not safeguard the free and open Internet, his senior advisers would recommend that he veto the Resolution."
But this dramatic game of political theater end rather mundanely as the Democratic majority in the Senate rallied together in opposition of the resolution.
Sen. John "Jay" Rockefeller IV
, the great-grandson of famous oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller, led the opposition commenting:
There's still 53 of us, and if we stay together we'll win. I think we're going to prevail. Even if they don't, they'll still have the backing of the White House, which has already threatened to veto the resolution, should it survive past the Senate floor. It would be ill-advised to threaten the very foundations of innovation in the Internet economy and the democratic spirit that has made the Internet a force for social progress around the world.
III. Wednesday's Fiery Debate
Here's some video coverage of Wednesday's debate, which preceded a vote:
Democratic Perspective (~3 min)
Republican perspective (~17 min, but starts off strong)
IV. Democrats Emerge Triumphant
Sen. Rockefeller's stand paid off. The final vote was tallied yesterday and showed all 52 Democrats voting opposing the measure, and all 46 Republicans voting in favor of the measure. The bill was thus defeated, clearing the way for the FCC's new net neutrality rules to go into effect next week.
Two senators did not vote --
Sen. John McCain
(R-Ariz.) and
Senator Dan Inouye
(D-Haw.). It appears that Sen. Inouye was
at an event in Washington, D.C.
honoring a Japanese veteran of World War II. It was unclear why John McCain -- who had
previously led the charge against net neutrality
-- did not vote.
V. Legal Challenges Remain
The rejection of the repeal resolution now leaves the various lawsuits against the rules as the only thing standing in their way. Interestingly, advocacy groups have also opposed the rules claiming they do not go far enough, and unfairly exempt mobile devices from their provisions. Several groups have pursued legal action.
The Media Access Project
, who had been suing on the grounds of the lax approach to mobile regulation, dropped its legal action after it saw its case assigned to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. Policy Director Andrew Jay Schwartzman
that his organization feared a hostile atmosphere in that particular court would kill the case. He comments, "The D.C. Circuit Court is a very hostile forum. [It would be a] very close case."
That leaves The Free Press, who is suing on similar grounds. Strangely The Free Press's President and CEO Craig Aaron -- leading the suit
the rules -- cheered the Democratic success in block their repeal in the Senate. He comments, "The Senate sent a strong signal today to would-be gatekeepers that the free and open internet needs to stay that way. The American public doesn't want phone and cable companies undercutting competition, deciding which websites will work or censoring what people can do online."
Most public advocacy groups lauded the vote, while saying the rules still should be extended farther. Among them is the
American Civil Liberties Union
. In a post entitled "It Was Close, But We Won: Viva Net Neutrality!" ACLU Washington, D.C. staffer Sandra Fulton
Though the FCC's rules are not great, they do offer some protections for net neutrality on the wired Internet and overturning them would have been a huge setback for free speech on the web. During debate on the Senate floor yesterday supporters of the resolution railed against government regulation while opponents defended the rules saying they were necessary to maintain the openness and innovation that has allowed the Internet to thrive.
On the other side of the spectrum, there's also a suit from Verizon Wireless, the joint venture between Verizon Communications Inc. (
) and Vodafone Group Plc. (
). It's hard to understand why Verizon
decided to sue the FCC
, given that the Commission's proposal
closely mirrors
that which a Verizon - Google, Inc. (
pact proposed in Aug. 2010
. The rules offer virtually no regulation on mobile internet service providers -- just as Verizon requested.
Verizon's lawsuit will be heard in the Spring or Summer. In the meantime Verizon could request in court that the rules be suspended pending the outcome of the lawsuit. The FCC has already taken a preemptive strike,
moving to dismiss Verizon's lawsuit
on legal technicalities.
The Democratic-majority FCC under the Obama administration has been quite busy. It is currently in the process of finalizing a spectrum auction, an effort carriers laud but some TV broadcaster loathe. It's also assisting the
U.S. Department of Justice
in its case against AT&T, Inc. (
) who is trying to engulf T-Mobile USA -- a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom AG (
) -- a move which would
grant it a virtual monopoly on 3G GSM technology
in the U.S.
The White House
"If they're going to pirate somebody, we want it to be us rather than somebody else." -- Microsoft Business Group President Jeff Raikes
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text:
Are night sights necessary for the Glocks and if so which ones are good
Printable View
Are night sights necessary for the Glocks and if so which ones are good
Look at it this way; if it's too dark to see your sights it's too dark to see your target. If it's light enough to see the target, it's light enough to see your sights. Don't shoot at targets that you have not identiied. Spend the money on a good flashlight instead. You'll see the sights wonderfully in silhouette.
They are not necessary.....JJ
Night sights are a gimmick.
Invest in a small firearms quality flashlight. Streamlight and SureFire come to mind.
I disagree. yes there will be times where it is pitch dark outdoors, or in a pitch dark room, however, for the most part you have some sort of light outdoors at night, whether it is street lights or moonlight, or less than pitch dark in a room or house etc... In those times where you can see your target at night you will not be able to see your non tritium sights, however, you can see tritium very clearly and obtain the target easiliy and rapidly, at least I can. I'd go with Trijicon. They are not a must have, but i have them on every self defense pistol I own and it's been that way for a while. Likewise, if you have a flashlight the bad guy knows where you are, but with Trijicons only you will see the glow of your sights and the bad guy won't unless he is directly behind you..
I really like the TruGlo T/FO (tritium, fiber optic) sights I have on my G23. They are very easy to pick up in daylight and glow great in the dark. I don't know if I'd call them an absolute necessity but they certainly help my old eyes.
(Get a friend to hold your flashlight beam on the bad guy. :smt082 )
I like and use them on my two handguns. I have Mepros on both, Trijicon is another good brand.
Some like the Truglo TFO's but on the set I had the front sight would not stay tight.
I like night sights because they do not need a light source or batteries.
After the first shot is fired the flash makes night sights irrelevant.....HOWEVER having done low light defensive shooting the nightsights do make it easier to line up that first shot.
I like mine on my kimber CCW and I would recommend them to anyone who does carry YMMV
As far as flashlights go. I agree with you.
Also, why do you have to have a "firearm quality" flashlight? Any flashlight will work, unless you were talking about a gun mounted light. As long as it works and the batteries aren't dead a $20 Wal-Mart flashlight will put out light the same as a Surefire or Streamlight. Nothing wrong with a mag-light. Heck get the heavy duty one you can use it as a bludgeon if the bad guy gets too close.
I have Mepros on a Glock 19 and like them.
I like night sights and have them on several of my guns.
I like Trijacons and Meprolite both.
In semi-darkness they are super for my aging eyes.


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Reaching President Obama's CO2 emissions goal for 2050 will require strategic planning
Alex Pavlak
Engineers—not policy makers—devised the programs that developed the atomic bomb, put men on the moon and built the Internet. So how would engineers manage the challenge of building a clean energy system?
Engineers are rational planners. They know that systems development starts with a well-defined goal. In early 2009 President Obama declared an admirably clear target: Reduce CO2 emissions by 83 percent below 2005 levels by 2050. This is a rational strategic goal because if we are serious about controlling climate change, we will need emissions reductions on that scale.
People without experience in building complex systems tend to take an evolutionary approach to planning. They start with what exists today, for example by looking for ways to reduce CO2 emissions via direct implementation of off-the-shelf technologies. Prevailing market forces drive decision making. An evolutionary energy program can lead to efficiencies such as a switch to natural gas, the smart grid, wind power and solar installations. Some of these interventions may even make a contribution to the long-term goal, but taking a systems view, some are nearly certain to be counterproductive.
From a strategic perspective, there are few feasible paths to achieving an 83-percent reduction by 2050. Based on what we know today, the President's goal is realistic, but we must accept what a disciplined, strategic analysis tells us about how it can be reached.
Rational planners, starting with the strategic goal, conduct scenario analyses to identify feasible choices. Based on factual scenarios, policy leaders can then create a vision that becomes the basis for a comprehensive engineering plan. This plan becomes the basis for interim goals. Various governments have been seen to leapfrog the logic by declaring interim goals such as 30-percent renewable energy by 2020. These targets are capricious and not derived from a comprehensive engineering plan. The thinking seems to be that if we are going to achieve an 83-percent reduction in 40 years, we should be able to achieve 20 percent in 10 years. A useful metaphor is the task of building an 83-story building. A strategic planner designs the whole 83-story building, then builds the first 20 stories. An evolutionary approach builds the first 20 stories and worries about how to finish the building later.
Our political leaders have shown that they do not understand the difference between systems and components. We need a system that delivers clean energy on demand. Instead we are piling on clean components. Clean components do not necessarily mean a clean system.
A good example is the wind turbine. Wind turbines produce power at 100 percent of their rated capacity when a storm front passes through. Without wind, no power. Even at windy locations, wind turbines on average generate only 20 percent of their full capacity. Shortfalls must be met with dispatchable (available on demand) energy, likely generated by fossil fuels. (If we had nonfossil-fuel generators that could respond quickly enough to back up wind, why have wind at all?)
Once the number of wind farms on a grid reaches about 5 percent of the average load, we encounter periods when the grid has too much power—typically in the middle of the night when load is low and the wind is high. Current law, which is the basis for much current investment in wind power, requires the grid to buy all the wind power that is produced. This forces grid operators to interrupt operations at coal plants that are designed to operate at constant power. Coal units that stop and start emit much more CO2 and nitrogen and sulfur oxides than units that operate at constant power. Think of a Formula 1 race car in stop-and-go traffic. The excess emissions of integrating wind can wipe out the savings.
Before governments approve a wind farm, they should ask "What is the system impact? Will the system emit more or less pollution?"
Wind advocates argue that grid-scale storage (which does not exist today) can improve the average capacity. Perhaps it can, a bit. Advocates also argue that long-distance transmission increases average capacity. It does, a bit. Even if it increases average capacity by 50 percent, from 20 percent to 30 percent, 70 percent of the power must still come from backup generators.
There has been no disciplined effort to verify that wind can reduce CO2 emissions systemwide. We do know that Denmark with 20 percent wind has not reduced its consumption of coal. A study of the Irish electrical grid showed that CO2 reductions due to wind may have been only 60 percent of expectations. A study from Bentek Energy, a leading analyst of natural-gas market fundamentals, suggests that wind farms in Colorado are increasing, not decreasing, pollution by forcing coal plants to cycle on and off and spew pollution.
Once coal plants are forced to cycle, all bets are off. A responsible engineer would not deploy wind systems without evidence that it satisfies its purpose. The purpose is not to deploy wind but to reduce CO2 emissions by a specified amount.
The figure at right shows actual CO2 emissions in the United States in 2005, the reference date for President Obama's strategic emissions goal. The first three bars indicate the amount of CO2 emitted by electricity generation, motor transport and everything else. The red bar indicates the 2050 goal for CO2 emissions, which is 17 percent of the 2005 total, an 83% reduction.
The fossil-fuel sources are divided among coal, natural gas and petroleum. The "everything else" bar separates residential and commercial heating from other applications. The heating contribution can be shifted to electricity fairly easily when we create a source of clean power. The rest of the "everything else" bar indicates CO2 emissions from a mix of gas, petroleum and coal used for difficult-to-reduce, high-value applications such as industrial and chemical processes, metallurgical coal, lubricants and petroleum-based fuel for aircraft and ships.
Electricity plus motor transport accounted for 73 percent of total CO2 emissions in 2005. Adding natural gas used by the residential and commercial sectors increases the amount to 79 percent, within 4 percent of the amount that the 2050 goal intends to eliminate. A zero-carbon power grid should allow us to substantially eliminate natural-gas emissions from spaceheating. And a variety of other technologies, such as cleaner-than-petroleum biofuels, should enable us to push emissions reduction from 79 percent to 83 percent.
The lesson of the figure is this: An 83-percent reduction in CO2 emissions is feasible if we can create a zero-carbon electric-power grid and a zero-carbon motor vehicle fuel, with additional controls on remaining sources of emissions. Conversely, we can hardly hope to achieve an 83-percent reduction without zero-carbon electric power and a zero-carbon motor vehicle fuel.
Engineers use two approaches to create new systems. One is agile development, the other is classical planning. Agile development, sometimes called rapid prototyping, is a valuable approach for consumer products serving markets in flux. The idea is to get an early prototype to the end user quickly to discover where the real value lies. Developers then make improvements. The approach is useful when time to market is important, requirements are unclear, and the technology is changing. Agile development is the reason we have seen so many updates of the Windows operating system. The downside to agile development is that it leads to ugly, buggy and inefficient systems. Again, think Windows.
Classical planning is the best approach when requirements are explicit; reliability is important (no agile development for spacecraft); the technology is stable; and the cost of deployment is high (get long-distance power transmission right the first time). Another advantage of disciplined classical planning is education of the public along the way as scenarios are reviewed.
Agile development starts from where we are and works through a trial-and-error process similar to natural selection. Agile development is excellent when you don't know what you want until you see it. Classical planning starts from where we want to be and works backwards to develop a plan to get there from here.
The U.S. National Research Council has published a series of studies under the title America's Energy Future, in which committees were asked to develop a "reference scenario" that reflects a projection of technology, cost and performance. The Summary Edition published in late 2009 concluded that "...There is no 'silver bullet' technology that can be deployed to overcome U.S. energy challenges. Contributions will be needed from the full array of currently available and emerging technologies." That is not a useful conclusion. We need to resist putting faith in a shotgun approach and focus on a comprehensive program designed to get us to the 2050 goal.
The danger with the evolutionary task statement is that it leads to huge investments in infrastructure, such as long-distance electricity transmission to support wind power, before it has been demonstrates that wind will have a role in the new system.
Rational planning begins with strategic scenarios, simple system models of end-state solutions. Any architectural problem involves a set of models with enough detail to capture the structural components and produce rational estimates of cost, performance, schedule and risk. Models are based on what we know today, ignoring legacy system constraints and current policy.
Strategic scenarios are subjected to critical design reviews, the more public the better, to smoke out biases and improve objectivity. The results are then presented to policy makers for value judgments, including how much cost, performance and schedule risk is acceptable. A sketch of opening arguments for two strategic scenarios demonstrates how they compare with evolutionary thinking.
Nuclear Scenario—The development of nuclear power has been held up by unresolved waste and safety issues. Robust scenario development would require engineering solutions for both issues, rolled out in a way that explains feasible solutions to the general public during critical reviews and to policy makers during management reviews. An educated public simplifies policy. From a strategic perspective, policy makers must face the question of whether we can reach or even come close to the strategic goal without nuclear power as our primary energy source. A thorough 2050 scenario analysis would almost certainly conclude that nuclear power must have a central role.
Many feel that the job of converting to nuclear on a vast scale faces too many roadblocks. Is it true? During the past 40 years, the French built an electric-power system that is 78 percent nuclear. During the next 40 years, the U.S. could surely do the same if not better, having the example of France in view.
A persistent argument against nuclear power is the cost compared to alternatives. An important reason costs are high is the high cost of capital for nuclear construction due to political uncertainty. A widely consulted MIT interdisciplinary study, The Future of Nuclear Power, and the International Energy Agency have both estimated the direct cost of various generator technologies using the same cost of capital, which is an achievable policy goal. Both conclude that if the capital cost of electricity from natural gas, coal and nuclear light-water reactors were to be levelized, the cost of energy per kilowatt hour would be about the same.
Motor Vehicle Scenario—Our top-level analysis of the challenge earlier showed that both zero-carbon electric power and a zero-carbon motor vehicle fuel are essential to achieving an 83-percent reduction in CO2 emissions. One purpose of scenario development is to identify the lines of research that are most likely to be productive. Cars propelled by hydrogen fuel cells, with hydrogen generated by zero-carbon electricity, probably nuclear, are a feasible option for the future. Building an infrastructure for fuel cells and introducing them to market will require a clear vision and considerable investment. The investment must inevitably compete with other options such as development of wind power. One will crowd the other. A determination must then be made about which direction is more likely to put us on the path to reaching the 2050 goal.
America wants to be the global leader of the clean-energy revolution. But the world needs to believe that the leader will get the job done. The actual global leader will be a rational planner who pushes the limits of classical strategic systems engineering.
It is important to keep engineering separate from policy. Legislators should not be making engineering decisions ("We don't need a system integrator, the markets will do it"), and engineers should not make value judgments ("We can't afford that"). Mixing the roles degrades the solution.
America's energy industry is highly fragmented, with many agencies responsible for different aspects of a very mature system. America desperately needs a system integrator, an engineer in chief with the authority to enforce best engineering practices. A clear vision based on facts derived from competent scenarios can then provide the basis for global leadership. If the United States does not lead, someone else will.
You can find this online at http://www.americanscientist.org/issues/num2/strategy-versus-evolution/2
© 2016 Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society


text:
Gutierrez defeats Vasquez
Story and photos by Felipe Leon
Mayen Promotions, the most active Tijuana club show promoter of the year, closed out his year with an action packed card which saw a former world title challenger get back on track and a couple of rookies suffer their first loss in mind upsets. Held at the Las Pulgas night club in the heart of Tijuana's downtown, the fight card was in association with Zanfer Promotions and will be broadcast on Azteca America at a later time. In the main event, former interim super featherweight WBC champion Humberto "Betillo" Gutierrez (29-4-2, 21KOs) finally beat the Jose Luis "Pepe El Toro" Vazquez (3-3, 3KOs) of Tijuana in the fifth round of a scheduled welterweight eight round bout.
Gutierrez, who has gone through a rough patch losing three of his last six with a draw and only two losses, had trouble with the scale for this bout coming in a pound over weight and did not bother to try to drop it. In '09 Gutierrez challenged Takahiro Ao for the WBC 130 lbs. full-fledged title but was beat by the fourth round. In his last bout, Gutierrez dropped a majority decision to Mexicali tank Armando "Chato" Robles two months ago.
Being a natural 130 pounder, Gutierrez looked lethargic in the first round because of the added weight but Vazquez was even more hesitant. For most of the three minutes both fighters were content in circling each other and only throwing sporadic range finding jabs. The slow pace continued in the second but the southpaw Gutierrez of Tijuana by way of Los Mochis, MX, did begin to let his hands go a bit more focusing on the body more than the head. The body attack continued for the next rounds with "Betillo" adding hard uppercuts to his arsenal that ripped through Vazquez's defense. Vazquez tried to keep up with Gutierrez in the offense department but he looked more like he was trying to survive than to win. In the fifth Gutierrez had enough and went after Vazquez with measured aggression and convinced referee Juan Jose Ramirez to protect Vazquez and stop the fight at the 1:52 mark of the round.
Enriquez Pleases Crowd
Tijuana female flyweight Kenia "Jaguarcita" Enríquez (4-0, 2KOs) is the latest craze to catch the local boxing fans' imagination and she did not disappoint this night when she completely dominated amateur foe Brenda Flores (1-1) for four rounds, both of Tijuana. No strangers to each other, they faced each other in the amateurs four times splitting wins but prior to the bout Enriquez vowed that in the pros she would come out victorious.
She did not lie.
Despite Flores being game, Enriquez was just too much as she controlled every minute of the fight, punishing Flores to the body and in the last round going for the kill with hard over hand rights to the chin but to no avail since Flores was able to survive. Flores had her best round in the third when she made it somewhat uncomfortable for Enriquez by clinching and scoring once or twice to the body but it was not nearly enough to deter the Tijuana favorite.
Enriquez, who is a junior in high school, took all three judges' scorecards with Alejandro Rochin and Jesus Gonzalez giving her all the rounds with a 40-36 and Carlos Flores seeing it 39-37.
Agaton and Garcia Split Heads
Mexico City welterweight southpaw Ramses "Faraon" Agaton (10-1-1, 6KOS), who was Juan Manuel Marquez's chief sparring partner for Manny Pacquiao, had a tough four minutes against Guillermo Garcia (6-6-1, 1KO) of Tijuana by way of Durango. Mid-way through the first round an accidental head butt caused a severe cut over the right eye of Agaton. Agaton kept fighting on and looked the better of the two as he scored jabs to the body of Garcia followed by punches to the head. At the start of the second they clashed heads again and both walked away with a cut in the center of the forehead. As both fighters were checked by the ringside physicians, it was decided to stop the bout and deeming it a technical draw. Official time of the halt was :59 of the second round.
The bout was scheduled for eight rounds.
Other Results:
In a slight upset, Brandon "Gladiator" Adams traveled from Los Angeles, CA, to spoil the party for Edgar "Roca" Bojorquez of Tijuana by stopping him in the second round of a scheduled four. Adams (9-0, 5KOs) seemed hesitant as Bojorquez (4-4-3, 2KOs) looked as the more active but did enough to land a right that wobbled Bojorquez enough to make him touch his glove to the canvas. In the second Adams landed an uppercut followed by a tow hooks from both fists that dropped Bojorquez for the ten count administered by referee Christian Curiel. Official time was 1:53.
Christian Renteria (0-1) was defeated in his first pro fight by Jose Pech (1-2), both of Tijuana, in a featherweight four round. Despite his losing record, Pech looked the more seasoned of the two and dropped the southpaw Renteria with a lead right in the first as he never allowed Renteria to establish an offense throughout the fight. Judges Diana De La Mora and Esteban Franco scored it 39-36 while Jocelyne Ortiz saw it 40-35 for Renteria.
Middleweight Jose "Bolivita" Uzcategui (16-0, 13KOs) scored yet another stoppage against a clearly over matched opponent in Gilberto Flores Hernandez (21-13, 16KOs) of Hidalgo. Despite Flores Hernandez's winning record, it was obvious that he did not belong anywhere near the technical Uzcategui of Tijuana by way of Venezuela forced the TKO with a barrage of punches after hurting Flores Hernandez with a body shot. Official time was :32 of the first.
In another upset, first timer Jose Arteaga (1-0) easily defeated Tijuana fan favorite Pastor Elenes (3-1, 1KO) with a unanimous decision. Arteaga also of Tijuana was the busier of the two as Elenes reacted to his opponent's offense instead of establishing his. In the third and fourth Elenes pushed the action with a body attack but it was just not enough as judge Jesus Gonzalez saw it 40-36 while Sergio Lechuga scored it 39-37 and Carlos Flores a close 38-38, all for Arteaga.
Tijuana super featherweight Erick Martinez (1-1, 1KO) earned his first pro win by stopping Jose "Rata" Caravantes (0-5-1) who is still in search of his first win. Martinez scored a hard right hand in the second that sent Caravantes, both of Tijuana, down for the second time when it forced Christian Curiel to halt the action. Official time was 2:08 of the second of a scheduled four.
In a back and forth four round featherweight battle, Rafael Rivera (3-0-2, 2KOs) and Juan "Pitufo" Gomez (2-4-1, 1KO) fought to a majority draw. Judges Jesus Gonzalez and Carlos Flores had it 38-38 while Sergio Lechuga scored it 39-37 for Gomez.
Southpaw lightweight Daniel "Huracan" Ramirez (4-0, 3KOs) remained undefeated with a body shot to the liver of Jesus Montenegro (0-6), both of Tijuana, at 1:36 of the first round of a scheduled four.


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Fresh from his new appointment as managing director of Thistle Hotels and Guoman Hotels, Heiko Figge is laying out his plans for 2010 that will see him oversee hotel operations and growth of both brands, while developing the distinction between them and continuing to push Thistle's £100 million rebrand programme.
Figge, who originally held the position of chief operating officer for Thistle, takes up the role of managing director of Thistle and Guoman as part of an international restructure of both brands.
Despite the different positioning of these brands, both Thistle and Guoman pride themselves on listening to their guest's needs and drawing on guest comments to continue to innovate in the marketplace.
Heiko Figge, said: "2010 is set to be an exciting year for both brands. We need to continue to build on our great work in 2009 and recognise what our customers want from us in 2010. Thistle's £100 million rebrand programme is well underway with over 1,100 bedrooms across the group refurbished, 9 hotels reverting to their original names as a mark of their heritage and 40 meetings and events facilities renovated.
February sees Thistle introduce its revised meeting and events proposition, 'Let's Meet' which has a 'Back to Basics' approach in response to guest feedback for simplicity and value for money.
Simplicity comes in the form of transparent packages, with clear costs that are easy to book via an experienced team in Thistle's centralised London sales office.
The 'Let's Meet' offering also reinforces Thistle's flexible approach to meetings and events. With a huge range of meeting room types across the UK, well-trained staff manage requirements on a case by case basis. Vibrant dining options also offer delegates the flexibility to choose between saintly break snacks or indulgent treats.
Additionally, there is a real focus on rewarding loyal conference and events organisers with special perks such as free room upgrades, late checkout and a cashback Booking Bonus scheme.
It's the combined commitment to simplicity, flexibility and reward that makes 'Let's Meet' a proposition which ensures meetings and events can be both inspiring and easy.
Heiko, commented: "It is apparent from guest's opinions that there is no one size fits all approach when it comes to what clients want. By getting back to basics we are able to offer bookers and delegates bespoke packages that are tailored to suit their needs."
The programme also focuses on training staff across the group to guarantee Thistle's famously high service standards are continually met. Moreover a reinforced commitment to value-for-money enables the group to provide guests with the peace of mind that they will receive the warmest welcome at the best possible price.


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In the 2012 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans added former Baylor wide receiver Kendall Wright. Just a week ago, they drafted former Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Justin Hunter . Although Hunter is still raw at his position, he's a legit athlete and the Nashville Tennesseean speculates that the Titans are ready to move on with or without Kenny Britt . David Climer, the author of the article, describes it succinctly: "[Hunter] has Kenny Britt's ability without the baggage."
Fantasy Analysis:
Well, there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. Hopefully Britt skipped this morning's newspaper otherwise that next post-practice interview with Climer might become a little awkward. The truth is though, Hunter is a better athlete and even though there are some character concerns, they mostly have to do with focus and work ethic. The rookie will need a redshirt year to really refine his talents and attention to detail. He will flash his talents though on more than one occasion, as most rookies do. The question revolves around whether he can fully tap into that potential and how soon (or long) will it take him.


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Shop Our Favorite Brands
BurnTees > ST. PATRICK'S DAY T-Shirts > Drink Well > Drink Well Long Sleeve Dark T-Shirt
Some people say be well, but on St. Patrick's Day we say Drink Well! With this Drink Well Four Leaf Clover St. Patrick's Day t-shirt you can drink well with your friends all day! Only from BurnTees.
Drag the square at the left to choose the part of your image you want to use. Tips: Click and drag any corner to resize; click and drag from the inside to move.
Click done if you're happy with the way it looks.


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'Rochester Americans General Manager Jody Gage announced today that three players have been recalled by the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. Forward Drew Stafford, defenseman Mike Card and goalie Adam Dennis are heading back to Buffalo after returning to Rochester on Tuesday.'
Three Amerks recalled by Buffalo Sabres today
November 15, 2006 Submitted by
Via: Amerks.com


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Mantaray Brown stab stitched leather sandals
Item No.0840108755
Item No.0840108755
These brown sandals from Mantaray contrast brown leather panelling with beige wavy textured interiors and light brown top stitching.
Sunday to Friday - order by 9pm
Saturday - order by 6pm
Monday to Sunday - order by midnight
Orders over £20 - FREE
Orders under £20 - £2
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Subject to exceptions, Debenhams is happy to exchange or refund your purchase within 28 days of delivery. Please check here for more details on our returns policy and exceptions.
Open a Debenhams Credit Card today and receive:
Please note: if the amount you pay on your card is less than £500 after the 10% discount is applied, the 0% interest offer will not be available.
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Number one car rental under 21 in Huatulco - Airport [HUX], Mexico, great service, affordable prices and quick search – everything's here on Rental24H.
Here you can see a list of the most popular cars rented in this area. If the car is highlighted in orange, it is likely to be available for drivers who are younger than 21 years. If the vehicle is shown below but not highlighted, we recommend you to check its vendor's rental conditions.
Chevrolet Chevy
Nissan March
Renault Megane
BMW 3 Series
Dodge i10
Chevrolet Aveo
Mercedes A Class
Jeep Patriot
Dodge Caravan
Chrysler 300
Quite often starting from 18-20 years old drivers have an opportunity to rent a car only of a certain group: mini, economy and compact cars.
Luxury/prestige cars, convertibles, minivans, passenger vans, specialty vehicles, and SUVs are most commonly not available to 21-year-old driver, or they can be rented only in case of paying an underage surcharge.
Below you will find other convenient nearby locations which are the closest to Huatulco - Airport [HUX], Mexico.
On the map below you can see locations posted where cars are available for under 21 drivers.
Here you can rent vehicles from the most trusted vendors which allow under 21 car hire:
Are you younger then 21? Get acquainted with special conditions of rent for under/over age drivers because mostly an additional surcharge is required for renting a car in under 21.
To save your time we've made a comparison table where the additional fee amounts for under/over age car rental are stated. Just look through and select your perfect variant with no time wasted!
|Standard terms
|Terms for young drivers
|25-99 years old
|18-24 years old — $ 10.00/day
Our comparison table shows you how much you need to pay additionally per day along with your main car rental rate if you're under 21.
The additional under/over age fee is paid at the rental desk upon arrival.
If you're planning a trip to Huatulco - Airport [HUX], Mexico and you're under 21, you can easily rent a car, but be careful with driver's age requirements. There is a stereotype that 21-year-olds can drive worse than older drivers because of their age and inexperience, and they may not count on renting a car. But we are against stereotypes and always try to meet our client at least halfway.
Yes, it is true that most of the cars are supposed to be rented by drivers of 21 years and older. Age terms are different in each and every country, so look up on "Rental Conditions", which rules are applicable when you rent a car in Huatulco - Airport [HUX], Mexico.
In most cases, 25-year-old drivers can rent a vehicle without surcharges. But, if you're under 21, you can pay a little extra and get yourself a deal. It's called a young driver's surcharge and it varies according to each company's price policy and country.
Sometimes you can hire a car if you're a 21-year-old and add an additional driver, who is 25. Also, you can be listed as an additional driver while a primary one is of 25 years or older. Both drivers have to present a valid driver's license; generally you need to present an international one at the rental counter.
Just pick your journey dates, pick up and drop off locations, look through the offers and compare their prices. See whether the vehicle is available to young driver on "Rental Conditions" and book your car.
Young drivers, as drivers of any age group, must pay by valid credit card(s) only.
That's it! No complicated steps, and you already have a comfortable car for your unforgettable trip to Huatulco - Airport [HUX], Mexico.
Try to find an answer in our F.A.Q.
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Laws, Regulations & Annotations
Business Taxes Law Guide – Revision 2017
Oil Spill Response, Prevention, and Administration Fees Law
Revenue and Taxation Code
Chapter 3. Determinations
Article 5. Redeterminations
Section 46353
46353. Oral hearing. If a petition for redetermination is filed within the 30-day period, the board shall reconsider the amount determined to be due, and, if the person has so requested in his or her petition, the board shall grant him or her an oral hearing and shall give him or her 10 days' notice of the time and place of the hearing. The board may continue the hearing from time to time as may be necessary.


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Figured I'd put this here and see what would happen since Mr. Keith is from Georgia!
I have a never hunted just practiced with Muddy Paws Game call. It is the standard call Bubinga wood with an aluminum band on it. Sounds great but just not quite my style. I will sell it for $75 or would prefer to trade it for a Keith Custom Calls only. Doesn't matter which model or material just as long as it is a shortbarrel and we are in business. Please let me know Thanks for looking


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$ 25.90
Bull's Eye
Beat your internal daredevil with bull's eye cufflinks! Simple yet popular design. Great as a gift.
Made with rhodium plated alloy, which does not tarnish or rust over time. No polishing required.
The Little Link offers various modes of shipping:
a) Same Day Express Delivery (S$15.90)
b) Courier Delivery (2-3 working days)
International Shipping
a) Registered postal mail worldwide (7-18 working days)
b) Express International Courier (2-5 working days)
The Little Link Membership Program
Accumulate your total spend with us for fabulous discounts off subsequent orders
Spend ≥ S$150 / US$110 - 15% off
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Spend ≥ S$1000 / US$720 - 30% off


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When you use any gun, it will get scratched, or otherwise blemished.
If you don't want your gun to be scratched, just put it into your safe, and leave it there.
There is nothing wrong with a well-used pistol, with some amount of finish worn off here and there.
If you have your gun refinished, it'll just get all scratched up again.