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Bronson Lumber Company can be found at 10th St 3897. The following is offered: Home & Garden Retailers. The entry is present with us since Sep 9, 2010 and was last updated on Nov 14, 2013. In Baker City there are 4 other Home & Garden Retailers. An overview can be found here.


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New Yorkers gathered at the windows of a high-rise building, and tourists snapped photos like the paparazzi after six models dropped their pants and skirts in front of Grand Central Terminal revealing underwear emblazoned with the words "Booty Call." The attention-grabbing stunt was part of New York Health and Racquet Club's (NYHRC) strategic campaign to create buzz about its new butt-building class.
"The fitness industry is still talking about it, and it's four years later," says J. Travis, brand manager and PR director of NYHRC, which owns 10 clubs in Manhattan.
Although Travis expected tourists to snap photos with their camera phones, he wasn't expecting the kind of visibility that the campaign created.
"The return on investment was huge," says Travis, who says the company's advertising firm, Night Agency, didn't charge NYHRC anything for the publicity stunt because it wanted to prove it could work. "It was on Web sites from China to Zimbabwe to Alaska. If we had to pay per hit on Web sites, it would have cost millions of dollars, and as a small New York club, we don't have that kind of budget."
NYHRC's stunt was a form of guerrilla marketing, which Casey Conrad, president of Communications Consultants, Wakefield, RI, describes as a put-on-your-sneakers, low-cost, grassroots marketing approach that can reach a variety of people and carries less risk than traditional campaigns.
Ten years ago, health club owners could sit around and wait for walk-ins. As the economy continues in a downward spiral, however, health club owners must come up with creative, low-cost, grassroots marketing efforts, or they'll go out of business, she says.
"Every single club out there is saying tours are down, and they have to work harder to get people in the door," she says.
Different Moves
Although health club owners have heard about guerrilla marketing strategies for years, few actually do this kind of marketing, Conrad says. Instead, they're relying on the old standbys, such as radio and newspaper advertising.
"The competition is at an all-time high, and traditional marketing isn't getting the response rate that it used to," she says. "People aren't reading the newspaper or looking at junk mail, and that's a huge percentage of where clubs got their business."
Florence Auld, president and owner of The Women's Club in Chantilly, VA, knows this all too well. She spent many years advertising in newspapers and mailing promotional postcards with no return on investment.
"If you spend money on advertising, all you know is that you're spending money on advertising," says Auld, who owns a 15,000-square-foot club with 1,300 members, more than 52 classes, an indoor cycling program, personal training, a day spa and a nutrition program. "There are no guaranteed results — that's for sure."
Auld is part of a roundtable of club owners who meet four times a year. She says all of the roundtable participants face the same problem — a plummeting response rate to direct mail, decreasing circulations at newspapers and increasing postage prices. For that reason, Auld and other club owners have shifted away from traditional forms of marketing and more toward grassroots marketing efforts.
"We had to get quite creative because I found that nothing was working for me," says Auld, whose club is in a metropolitan suburb of Washington, DC, and is bombarded by competition.
Taking Action
Rather than sit back and continue to watch the number of tours dwindle, Auld began inviting nonmembers to all-day women's health symposiums and guest lectures at her club. She also started exhibiting at corporate health fairs. Using a tip from Conrad, she engaged the attendees in a game of "Wheel of Fortune." To play the game, the fair attendees had to write down their name and contact information. To redeem a prize, such as a free massage, they had to come into the club.
This strategy has also worked well for Andrea Metcalf, the owner of MBC Fitness Essentials in Westmont, IL, who has organized free food tastings and other events inside her facility.
"I think if you're not doing some form of guerrilla marketing, you're living under a rock," says Metcalf, who has 26 trainers, 150 members and 300 personal training clients. "In the last six years, this has been a big part of how I've grown my business, and I think everyone should be doing something at this level."
Jane Packer, associate director of marketing and communications for the YMCA of San Francisco, agrees. In the last year, the Y has created a page on Facebook, participated in another site called Yelp and tied print advertising promotions to personalized Web sites. During the Y's most recent community outreach program, the branches handed out guest passes, taught yoga classes and led bike skills training during a free open-air fitness festival called Sunday Streets.
"Thousands of people were there, and it was a great way for all of our Y branches to show off what they do best," she says.
Even some university rec facilities are getting in on the guerrilla marketing efforts. Temple University condensed 20 pieces of literature into a calendar, which is published twice a year and is distributed to residence halls and buildings across campus. Rather than using photos of models, the recreation center shot edgy, black-and-white photos of patrons, faculty and employees.
"Every other dorm room has one of the calendars hanging on the wall, and many students have asked how they can be a part of a photo shoot," says Steve Young, director of campus recreation.
Besides the Booty Call campaign, NYHRC has launched several guerrilla marketing campaigns to attract attention in the community, increase brand awareness and increase membership. The company is now developing strategic sponsorships with businesses, from home video companies to beverage manufacturers.
For example, NYHRC invited Glaceau Smartwater to set up shop in front of its Cooper Square club in late August. The club gave a free bottle of the vitamin-enriched water to anyone who toured the facility. To attract attention, the club organized push-up contests, stretching demos and five-minute massages outside the club.
Conrad says working with local business partners is a smart approach.
"In a down economy, more businesses are more open to working with health clubs on a joint-marketing relationship," she says.
Strike a Balance
Although Conrad applauds clubs that are doing more guerrilla marketing, she says it shouldn't completely replace a club's marketing strategy. Marketing has five pillars — external (newspaper, radio, TV and direct mail), internal (referral campaigns), guerrilla marketing, corporate (working with small businesses to promote the club) and community outreach (press releases and philanthropic activities). To be successful, clubs must consistently be active in each pillar, she says.
"If a club thinks that it can just do guerrilla marketing or just do traditional external marketing, that is not the case," Conrad says.
Despite the success with the guerrilla marketing campaigns, the Y of San Francisco branches will continue to blend marketing strategies, Packer says. The Y recently invested thousands of dollars to advertise in 10 community newspapers, and it sends out a direct-mail promotion each January.
"I'm not ready to give up on the more traditional methods of marketing yet," says Packer, who estimates that the Y currently has a 50 percent split between guerrilla and traditional marketing methods but will gradually shift to a 70/30 split.
As the economy tightens and competition increases, more clubs need to make guerrilla marketing a major part of their strategy going forward, Travis says.
"You can't sit back and wait for people to come in like you did 15 years ago," he says. "Sadly, many clubs are still waiting."
Eight Low-Cost, Creative Ways to Pull in Prospects
- Book a speaking engagement
Build brand recognition and draw in new members by giving a presentation on fitness at a local business or organization. "This is an interesting way to get your name out there, and it doesn't cost anything," says Andrea Metcalf, president/owner of MBC Fitness Essentials Inc., Westmont, IL.
- Go out into the community
How to Get the Most From Guerrilla Marketing
Increase foot traffic by pasting your business cards, guest passes or other promotional coupons to bottles of water and passing them out at local road races.
- Capitalize on the power of the Web
Draw visitors to your Web site, and ultimately to your facility, through blogging and social networking sites, Metcalf says. To make your Web site profitable and to connect with local partners, sell ads on your site to local businesses.
- Schedule a lunch-hour workout
Reach out to the corporate community by offering half-hour classes at local businesses. Charge a fee to cover the costs of the instructor, and schedule the class during the lunch hour in a conference room.
- Partner with doctors' offices
Design prescription pads with your club's logo on it and give that to doctors with whom you partner. Doctors can use the pad to prescribe exercise, and the prescription can serve as a pass for a free one- or two-week trial membership to your club.
- Be creative with brochure distribution
Glue a strip of waterproof and durable material to the back of a tri-fold brochure stand. Then, when you park your car in a public parking lot, drape material over the car door and place the brochures in the stand. Include a sign with a catchy saying, such as, "Lose weight here."
- Partner with local businesses
Develop a business relationship with 12 vendors in the community. Once a month, ask one of the local business owners if you can set up a table in their building with a lead box to obtain contact information for prospects. You also can ask companies to donate prizes for competitions or offer another kind of benefit.
- Put your members to work for you
Give members free bumper stickers with your club's logo. As members drive around town, they'll be getting the word out to non-members. You can also ask your members to give away fliers or coupons with their membership number on the bottom. When a prospect brings the coupon into the club, the existing member gets a referral credit.
- Guarantee a return on investment
When club owners put out a call for action, they need to determine how many new prospects they need to offset the cost of giving away a service or amenity, such as a class or a personal training session, says Andrea Metcalf, president/owner of MBC Fitness Essentials Inc., Westmont, IL.
- Make guerrilla marketing part of your club's culture
Clubs need to make the sales team part of the marketing process from day one. If you don't, when the economy turns sour and tours are down, the employees may be reluctant to lead grassroots marketing efforts, says Casey Conrad, president of Communication Consultants, Wakefield, RI.
- Hire creative thinkers
Whenever Conrad interviews a candidate for a sales position, she always asks him or her, "If you have no marketing budget, how would you drive your own prospects?" The answer to that question often determines whether or not the person gets hired, she says.
"Breaking the Marketing Mold in 2004," http://fitnessbusinesspro.com/mag/fitness_breaking_marketing_mold/index.html
"Off the Beaten Track," http://fitnessbusinesspro.com/marketing/fitness_casey_conrads_marketing_18/index.html
"Offbeat Marketing Ideas," http://fitnessbusinesspro.com/marketing/fitness_offbeat_marketing_ideas/index.html
"The Marketing Beat Goes On," http://fitnessbusinesspro.com/mag/fitness_marketing_beat_goes/index.html

subset: commoncrawl


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Meet Maestro Derric Johnson
By Mike Scopa, AllEars® Feature Writer
Feature Article
This article appeared in the
August 12, 2008 Issue #464 of ALL EARS® (ISSN: 1533-0753)
If you ever have the opportunity to meet and talk with Derric Johnson, the first thing you will notice is that he is a charming, warm, friendly and, above all, a most humble man.
Who is Derric Johnson? Well, if you've ever visited the American Adventure Pavilion in Epcot's World Showcase you might have experienced the wonder of the Voices of Liberty, who sing inspiring renditions of Americana songs in a delightful a cappella style. You can thank Derric Johnson for that — because Derric Johnson is the founder of the Voices of Liberty.
Also, if you ever visited Epcot during the Christmas holiday season and enjoyed the pageantry of Walt Disney World's Candlelight Processional then you would have experienced more of Derric Johnson's musical genius.
Derric Johnson has been a creative consultant to Walt Disney World for more than 20 years. In that time he has built a legacy of music that has brought joy and great memories to all who have visited "The Most Magical Place on Earth."
Recently I sat down and got a chance to talk with this man who has touched so many people with his wonderful musical arrangements. I found that there is more to Derric Johnson than his musical genius.
I guess many of you reading this would be somewhat surprised to learn that it wasn't until he became a student at Azusa Pacific University in California that music became an integral part of Derric Johnson's life. He was into football, not music, and he played the sport in both high school and in college.
While at college he became friends with some fellow students who were musicians and actually had a roommate who was a music major. Pretty soon Johnson found that he was really into music… more than he thought. He also discovered, as a sophomore, that if he changed his college minor to music that he'd be doing himself a big favor, as he would then avoid some not-so-pleasant classes with a not-so-pleasant Dean of Students.
Years later, while serving as an assistant pastor at a small San Diego church, opportunity knocked. The church choir needed help and Johnson wanted to do something about it. He approached the church pastor and offered his help. Alas, there was no music budget for the church — but that did not stop Johnson. He decided that the first step was to improve the overall musical quality. That meant sitting down and writing some music for the choir. He spent 13 years writing and working with that church choir, and in that time learned quite a bit about arranging music, blending voices, and producing magical musical memories.
As he became more and more involved with his musical writings, Johnson soon formed an a capella group he called "Re'Generation." This troupe of singers performed inspirational songs filled with the American spirit. Re'Generation's sound became quite popular and as their popularity grew so did the musical genius of Derric Johnson.
It was Bob Cross, then the director of Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, who in 1972 came across Re'Generation and thought, "That's the type of entertainment we need in the Magic Kingdom."
Cross had been looking for an act or talent that would be suited for performances in front of the Cinderella Castle. This talent had to be fresh, high-spirited, and above all represent the Americana spirit that goes hand-in-hand with the Magic Kingdom and Main Street USA. Re'Generation was perfect.
Little did Derric Johnson realize that while he was molding Re'Generation he was at the same time setting the standard for quality talent at Walt Disney World.
A portable stage was constructed in front of Cinderella Castle and on February 11, 1973, Re'Generation began performing for Magic Kingdom guests. The initial contract for Johnson and his troupe called for four performances a day for 11 days. To say that they were received well by the guests would be an understatement, as witnessed by the fact that some 35-plus years later Derric Johnson's influence, in the form of the Voices of Liberty, still reigns as one of the longest-running entertainment acts in all of Walt Disney World.
Obviously, after the wonderful debut of Re'Generation, there was a move to sign them to a longer deal. However, Re'Generation had some road commitments. To fulfill these road commitments and also continue to entertain guests at the Magic Kingdom, Johnson had to immediately start interviewing and hold auditions for more performers. Soon there were enough performers to go around, and the act soon became known as — and I know this will ring a bell — The Kids of the Kingdom.
Re'Generation continued to enjoy success, and soon released an album called "Christmas in Velvet," which was noticed by some Disney directors. It was obvious that there was more to Derric Johnson's music than songs of Americana. Again Johnson and his Re'Generation singers were approached to provide special entertainment to Walt Disney World guests. They were asked to be the Dickens carolers in Magic Kingdom's Liberty Square during the holiday season and to also perform at the nativity scene at the Village Marketplace (which eventually became Downtown Disney).
Again Derric Johnson was asked to write the script and the music. Little did he know that he would be doing that for the next 19 years. And then one thing led to another.
There was a new park on the horizon and this park was to be called EPCOT. Like all Disney theme parks it would offer guests attractions, fine dining, and of course top-drawer entertainment.
Before Epcot's opening in 1982 Derric Johnson was approached by Forest Beruth, then entertainment director for Epcot. Beruth wanted to speak to Johnson about designing some entertainment at what they were calling the American Adventure pavilion in World Showcase. The feeling was that an a capella group would work well in the pavilion's rotunda. Beruth knew Johnson was very comfortable and successful with a capella arrangements and asked him to come up with an act that would blend well with the pavilion.
Johnson went to work and on October 1, 1982, when Epcot opened its gates, those guests who were fortunate to be there on opening day were privileged to hear the first performance of the Voices of Liberty. And to this day, "…the mariachi band in Mexico is the only other remaining entertainment act from opening day," states a very proud Derric Johnson.
Also, from that opening day, only one performer has remained through all those years — Johnson's lovely wife Deb, who has participated in more than 30,000 performances. Of the original 16 Voices of Liberty performers, only nine were Re'Generation alumni.
As Epcot and the Voices grew in popularity, there was a need to increase the number of singers. In the late '80s and early '90s the cast expanded to 32 singers. In recent years the cast has been trimmed down.
The string of Derric Johnson successes was lengthening but what is perhaps his most widely known and loved achievement was still to come.
Walt Disney World's Candlelight Processional was first held at the Magic Kingdom and it soon became quite popular. To put it in Derric Johnson's own words, "Its success was its own demise."
The Candlelight Processional started out at the Magic Kingdom's train station. Obviously such an event would have an impact on the normal operation of the theme park. When Candlelight was first introduced performances were held only on Saturday and Sunday nights and for the most part these shows were put on for special guests.
Two important factors led Candlelight Processional to its present home at the America Gardens Theater. First its popularity grew in leaps and bounds and thus it could not remain in the Magic Kingdom. More shows had to be added, and it was just not practical to "tie up" the Magic Kingdom more than it was already tied up with the weekend Candlelight Processional shows. Secondly, Epcot's attendance was lagging, and every effort was being made to draw guests there, especially at night. It made sense to move the Candlelight Processional to World Showcase and the America Gardens Theatre.
There was more needed than just moving the show to Epcot, though. New music was needed, new arrangements as well. In 1983, Johnson was approached to tackle the task. He recalls, "We had 15 shows that first year. The shows were so successful the following year we increased the number to 30, which covered the time from Thanksgiving to New Year's Eve."
Johnson conducted and directed each and every show, taking no chances with their success. The move, the new arrangements and music — everything came down to the actual performance. Derric Johnson's fingerprint needed to be there for every note.
Candlelight's popularity soon soared. Soon there was a need to increase the number of performances to 30 for the season. It still was not enough, so the decision was made to hold three performances each night during the Christmas holiday season. With the addition of a third performance some adjustments had to be made. A third performance necessitated the need not just for a second conductor but also a complete second choir as well. Sure, you could use the same musicians for every performance, but not the same choir or conductor. As Johnson explains it, the issue is the comfort level between the conductor and the choir. There needs to be a familiarity between the two if the performance is to be the best it can be.
"When we went to three shows, that meant going to a second chorus and a second conductor," he says. "It was important to keep the choir and conductor together and that means rehearsal and performance both."
So the next time you see the first performance of the night of the Candlelight Processional, keep in mind that somewhere there is another huge choir rehearsing with its own conductor for the second performance of the night. Now you know a little secret about the Candlelight Processional.
Over the years Derric Johnson has had his hand in over 100 Americana and 75 Christmas arrangements. However, as I said earlier, there is so much more to Derric Johnson. For instance:
— He has written more than 150 original songs; 28 cantatas, and has produced more than 2800 musical arrangements.
— He is an author, having written 32 books ranging from the humorous, to the motivational, to the inspirational.
— He has been involved in producing more than 84 albums, which include American spirit, inspirational, and Christmas songs.
Wait… there's more. Derric Johnson also:
— has been a specialty writer for Radio City Music Hall and wrote four arrangements for the Christmas show.
— served as both an Artist in Residence and Director of Music Ministries at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon.
— is a Staley Foundation Lecturer and is often found delivering inspirational and motivational talks at national and international conventions.
— is listed as an Event Conceptualist by the Masterplanning Associates of Orlando, Florida. When people want to do a special event, he is a catalyst — an event planner.
— is an ordained minister, serving for 18 years in two churches as Associate Pastor, Minister of Music, Minister to Collegians and Minister to Singles.
You can imagine that anyone with such a robust background would somewhere along the way, collect some honors:
— named Azusa Pacific University's Alumnus of the Year
— named Society of European Stage Authors & Composers (SESAC) Inspirational Songwriter of the Year
— named Man of the Year by Life Enrichment
— twice awarded the George Washington Honor Medal by the Freedoms Foundation of Valley Forge
— awarded the Mousecar (Walt Disney World's version of the Oscar) for outstanding creative achievement
And last but not least he is currently listed in The International Who's Who in Music.
The first time I heard the Voices sing such songs as "Shenandoah" and "The Star Spangled Banner" I became a fan of Derric Johnson and his music. And so many years later I remain a fan. To this day, nothing moves me more than to see and hear the Voices of Liberty perform his arrangement of "Let There be Peace on Earth."
You often hear that question, "What would Walt think?" I'm sure Walt would give Derric Johnson an enthusiastic thumbs up.
So the next time you listen to the Voices of Liberty in the rotunda at the American Adventure Pavilion in World Showcase, keep in mind that the man behind the music can answer to more than just "Maestro."
Mike Scopa has been a huge Disney fan for as long as he can remember. He first visited Walt Disney World in 1975 and has returned many times (how many? he's lost count!) since. Mike is a contributor to the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World and Cara Goldsbury's Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World, and has served as keynote speaker for the 2006 and 2007 MagicMeets. He is also co-host of the WDWTODAY Podcast and writes a regular blog, The View from Scopa Towers, for AllEars.Net: http://land.allears.net/blogs/mikescopa
Other AllEars® articles by Mike Scopa: http://allears.net/btp/mikescopa.htm
Editor's Note: This story/information was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all current rates, information and other details before planning your trip.


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West Ham sign Stockport County starlet
Sam Allardyce has completed West Ham United's fourth transfer of the summer with the capture of Stockport County youngster Danny Whitehead for a nominal fee.
Attacking midfielder Whitehead had been on trial with the Hammers following a glowing reference from former Stockport manager Dietmar Hamann.
"He was recommended by Didi Hamann - who managed Stockport – as he felt he was a talent that needed nurturing," Allardyce told WHUFC.com.
"He's very capable of handling the ball and he's able to create with his passing.
"Danny is very slight, which we'll work on, but the question is can we create that potential into a Premier League player?"
Whitehead is an attacking midfielder who prefers to operate in the hole behind the central striker, although he can also operate off the right flank.
Small in stature, he relies on quick feet and a low centre of gravity to evade opponents and likes to link with short passes and quick movement.
Predominantly right-sided the 19-year-old contributed six assists and five goals in 42 appearances for County including a screamer against Cheshire rivals Macclesfield Town.
Speaking to the club's official website, Whitehead states he's determined to make the most of his chance.
"I'm very excited to have joined West Ham and I can't wait to get out there and play," he said.
"It's obviously a big step up, but I've got to take the opportunity and grasp it.
"I was on trial here at the end of last season and all the lads helped me fit in well during the two weeks of training I did.
"I've got a bit of experience from playing for the first team at Stockport - I'll probably be with the Under-21s here at the start, and then I'll be trying to push towards the first team."
While a stint in the Under-21s or a loan move looks most likely for Whitehead in the short term.
It's a tremendous show of confidence in his ability and he will be looking to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Ian Wright and Chris Smalling who have made the jump from non-league to top-flight football.
A move from Blue Square North is a shock to say the least maybe a bigger surprise is the fact Allardyce is on speaking terms with Hamann after the Kaiser opted to join Manchester City in 2004 despite having already agreed a deal with Bolton Wanderers who at the time were managed by big Sam.
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"The combination of Navistar's truck design, development and manufacturing expertise and Caterpillar's worldwide distribution creates a significant advantage for global customers through the ability to offer the right vehicle for the right application." -Dee Kapur, president, Navistar Truck Group
Hoo boy. Here we go. By the end of today, we'll have news stories galore all over the place detailing the just announced "memorandum of understanding" Caterpillar Inc. and Navistar International Corp. to form a strategic partnership aimed at garnering more share of the global truck business, while cooperating on a variety of engine platforms.
They intend to work together to develop, manufacture and distribute commercial trucks in select regions outside of North America - which includes a full line of medium and heavy-duty trucks in both conventional and cab over designs. Will we see those trucks come into the North American market someday in the future? If I was a betting man, I'd wager a few bucks that they will.
Caterpillar and Navistar also plan to develop a mid-range engines for diesel applications, such as school buses and utility trucks in the U.S. This engine development would support each company's stated path not to utilize urea-based Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology.
(Are Cat's on-highway products gone for good?)
"There are many opportunities for technology sharing and development that would result in the ability to better meet the worldwide demand for diesel engines in both on and off-highway applications," said Jack Allen, president of Navistar's Engine Group.
Here's the big shot across the bow, however: Through this alliance, Caterpillar says it plans introduce a 2010 emission-compliant North American Cat branded heavy-duty truck for severe service applications, such as road construction, large infrastructure projects and oil and petroleum development ... but WILL NOT supply EPA 2010 compliant engines to truck and other on-highway original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). In other words, no more on-highway Cat engines -- period.
"Caterpillar and our dealers will continue to provide product support and service beyond 2010 for all Caterpillar on-highway engines regardless of truck brand," said Douglas R. Oberhelman, Caterpillar's group president. "This new truck--targeted for 2010--will incorporate the legendary quality of Caterpillar's construction and mining machines and provide construction customers a one-stop solution."
(A diesel particulate filter [DPF] Cat came up with to help its engines comply with 2007 emission regs ... which may also disappear from the U.S. market too ... )
In addition, with nearly 90% of its engine business being off-highway, Caterpillar plans to continue concentrating on opportunities to supply engines in the petroleum, marine, electric power generation and industrial markets--as well as produce engines for its own construction and mining equipment, Oberhelman said.
"In the past 15 years, Cat has become significantly less dependent on the sale of on-highway truck engines in the total contribution of our global engine profitability," said Oberhelman. "Our global power systems business has grown significantly--in fact we supply approximately 400,000 diesel engines annually outside of the on-highway truck market. We intend to remain the world leader in clean diesel engines, and this collaboration is a key enabler."
Caterpillar has long faced problems adapting its engines to the emission mandates being put in place for commercial trucks, you know. One reason it did not follow the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) pathway every other truck engine maker did was because that technology didn't work in the construction, mining, and other engine markets Caterpillar served - forcing it to forge a different route to emission control.
It's also not surprising Caterpillar made this decision to get out of the on-highway market - especially as two of the largest users of its on-highway models, Peterbilt and Kenworth, are going to get their own proprietary engines starting in 2010.
In early 2007, Paccar announced it would build a $400-million engine plant in Missouri to manufacture 12.9-liter and 9.2-liter engines for its Peterbilt and Kenworth Class 8 trucks for the North American and global markets. These engines are based off what the company is building in Europe via its DAF and Leyland operations.
"The...facility...positions Paccar to capitalize on growing opportunities in North America, Europe and Asia," said Mark Pigott, Paccar chairman & CEO. "It will provide the flexibility to supply products and components to Paccar facilities and customers on a global basis."
This is the trend Caterpillar hopes to navigate with its Navistar partnership, for to comply with emission standards that differ by country as well as to keep production costs in check, many diesel engine manufacturers are tying their global network of factories together more tightly enabling them to use a single engine platform to meet worldwide needs. It's a topic I've written about many times, so I'll share some of that thinking gained from other engine makers over the last few months here.
"Engines are an international business nowadays," said Lothar Lemmermeier, head of supplier management and assistant general manager for Daimler AG's engine plant and foundry in Mannheim, Germany.
(Detroit Diesel's new DD15 is built on a global engine platform used throughout the world by its parent company, Daimler AG.)
"There's fierce competition in the engine market, added to the demands of emissions compliance," he noted. "As a result, we're trying to better optimize our global production flow - standardizing processes across all our plants, worldwide, while maximizing the benefits of scale."
To accomplish that, Daimler is creating a "synchronous factory" design to manage its far-flung network of factories - coordinating production and support between the Mannheim plant and Detroit Diesel Corp.'s facility in Redford, MI and Mitsubishi Fuso's engine plant in Kawasaki, Japan, along with Daimler's foundries in Capetown, South Africa and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Daimler's new HDEP global engine platform is being built via this new "synchronous" approach, said Lemmermeier - allowing the company to build just a single engine product line that can be "tweaked" to meet specific market needs, from emission standards to power ratings.
Under this new program, components are built to be shared among all the factories, rather than have each plant build entire engines specific to the markets they serve, he noted. "For example, our Atlantis foundry in South Africa supplies 14.8 and 12.8 liter engine blocks to Redford, with Mannheim supplying camshafts and head liners for the 12. 8 unit," Lemmermeier noted. "Redford builds the piston heads, liners, and camrods for the 14.8 liter engine - and supplies camrods to Mannheim for our 10.8 liter engine."
Other engine makers are also engaging in similar global manufacturing strategies - especially Navistar, which partnered with MAN Nutzfahrzeuge AG, based in Munich, Germany to forge a "strategic agreement" back in 2004 to collaborate on the design, development, sourcing and manufacturing of components and systems for commercial trucks. That deal resulted in the new big bore line of MaxxForce engines for International highway trucks.
(Navistar is still going to equip its on-highway products with MaxxForce engines ... no Cat need apply.)
How that deal gets affected by the new one with Caterpillar we can't say right now - we'll learn more later. But it's safe to say that Cat-Navistar partnerhsip is going to create a large seismic shift in the truck engine market, meaning fleets and owner-operators alike will again see spec'ing options they used to enjoy in the past disappear completely in the near future.
"This is an important step for Caterpillar and we look forward to working with Navistar for the continued benefit of our customers, " said Jim Owens, Caterpillar's chairman and CEO.
"This relationship is a perfect example of Navistar's strategy of growth through leveraging our own assets and those that others have built," added Daniel C. Ustian, Navistar's chairman, president and CEO. "In partnership with Caterpillar we intend to extend our leading-edge product focus that we have in North America into the rest of the world."
Needless to say, this is a deal that's going to create some interesting reactions in the truck and engine market in the U.S., I can assure you of that.


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What Apple Needs to Say at Black Hat
It should come as no surprise that the most highly anticipated and hush-hush talk at Black Hat this year is the blandly titled "iOS Security" session on July 26, which will be delivered by ?Apple platform security manager Dallas de Atley.
Although this is Apple's second scheduled appearance at Black Hat (if you count the sudden cancellation in 2008, according to Bloomberg), this year is shaping up to be Apple's first official appearance at the pre-eminent security conference.
It's hard to say what new information Mr. de Atley could possibly tell the most unforgiving, Apple-ambivalent, and tech-savvy audience out there. After all, the audience will include famed Apple platform hackers like Charlie Miller and Dino Dai Zavi, who recently published the "iOS Hacker's Handbook," and the AV community, which has always been critical of Apple's slow response time to patch its platforms (Flashback, anyone?)
I really, really hope Mr. de Atley isn't just going to regurgitate the iOS "whitepaper" Apple released in June. That 20-page report contained absolutely no new information to researchers – one person I spoke to said it was probably written by marketers – but it did make iOS security sound, well, easy for CTOs and other decision makers to figure out. Leave that presentation to RSA.
Instead, here are four things Mr. de Atley could talk about that wouldn't disappoint the crowd:
- Details on iOS 6: With the iPhone 5 apparently the "most anticipated smartphone" ever, it'd be great if Apple discussed some of the security measures in the OS. Just yesterday developers playing with iOS6 beta discovered that Apple wouldn't require a password to download free apps – a strange, backwards move from a security standpoint.
- Why it pulled BitDefender's permissions app, Clueful: Last week Apple inexplicably yanked BitDefender's privacy app after two months in the App Store. Clueful scanned installed iOS apps and displayed all the permissions they required. Frankly I was surprised it ever made it into the App Store, as it revealed alarming things like how Instagram tracked my location, Twitter credentials, and address book.
- A bug bounty program: Google and Facebook have one. Even though black markets pay more for vulns, Apple doesn't even give hackers the opportunity to wear white.
- Charlie Miller's iOS developer's license: Apple frustrated a lot of security researchers when it revoked Charlie Miller's developer's license for a year last November. Miller had released a proof-of-concept showing how he added a malicious app (which harmed no one) to the App Store. Given that Miller's exploit disclosures have saved Apple's security team a lot of work over the years, this seemed a little ungrateful.
We'll see what happens this Thursday. Meanwhile, stay tuned as Security Watch brings you all the latest coverage from Black Hat 2012, starting Wednesday, July 25.
For more, see Ten Ways To Avoid Being Hacked at Black Hat.
Correction: This story was updated on July 26. Microsoft does not have a bug bounty program, but they do hold competitions for security research, like the BlueHat Prize. We apologize for the error.
For more from Sara, follow her on Twitter @sarapyin.


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halasalih replied on Permalink
large classes and TBL
Most of the TBL activities depend on group or pair work. I was just wondering how does fit with large classee.
Skip to content
This article also links to the following activity.
Try - Speaking activities - Task-based speaking - planning a night out
Present Practice Produce (PPP)
During an initial teacher training course, most teachers become familiar with the PPP paradigm. A PPP lesson would proceed in the following manner.
The problems with PPP
It all sounds quite logical but teachers who use this method will soon identify problems with it:
A Task-based approach
Task -based learning offers an alternative for language teachers. In a task-based lesson the teacher doesn't pre-determine what language will be studied, the lesson is based around the completion of a central task and the language studied is determined by what happens as the students complete it. The lesson follows certain stages.
The teacher introduces the topic and gives the students clear instructions on what they will have to do at the task stage and might help the students to recall some language that may be useful for the task. The pre-task stage can also often include playing a recording of people doing the task. This gives the students a clear model of what will be expected of them. The students can take notes and spend time preparing for the task.
The students complete a task in pairs or groups using the language resources that they have as the teacher monitors and offers encouragement.
Students prepare a short oral or written report to tell the class what happened during their task. They then practise what they are going to say in their groups. Meanwhile the teacher is available for the students to ask for advice to clear up any language questions they may have.
Students then report back to the class orally or read the written report. The teacher chooses the order of when students will present their reports and may give the students some quick feedback on the content. At this stage the teacher may also play a recording of others doing the same task for the students to compare.
The teacher then highlights relevant parts from the text of the recording for the students to analyse. They may ask students to notice interesting features within this text. The teacher can also highlight the language that the students used during the report phase for analysis.
Finally, the teacher selects language areas to practise based upon the needs of the students and what emerged from the task and report phases. The students then do practice activities to increase their confidence and make a note of useful language.
The advantages of TBL
Task-based learning has some clear advantages
PPP offers a very simplified approach to language learning. It is based upon the idea that you can present language in neat little blocks, adding from one lesson to the next. However, research shows us that we cannot predict or guarantee what the students will learn and that ultimately a wide exposure to language is the best way of ensuring that students will acquire it effectively. Restricting their experience to single pieces of target language is unnatural.
For more information see 'A Framework for Task-Based Learning' by Jane Wills, Longman; 'Doing Task-Based Teaching' by Dave and Jane Willis, OUP 2007.
Also see www.willis-elt.co.uk
Richard Frost, British Council, Turkey
halasalih replied on Permalink
Most of the TBL activities depend on group or pair work. I was just wondering how does fit with large classee.
taekwon79tkd replied on Permalink
Hi Hala,
In response to your question, I will actually recall Jane Willis reply in her interview on this same website. When she was asked if a task-based approach would fit a large class, she said that the only way to teach a large group was to give them a task. And most of the tasks require group or pair work. There might be a little noise but that's how it goes.
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Dave Willis replied on Permalink
It's a good question, Halasalih, and one that is often asked. I think there are three parts to the answer. The first part is suggested by Hussain in his comments above. If you keep a large class under close teacher control all the time they have very, very little opportunity to use the language. The only way to give them this opportunity is to break up into groups or pairs.
The second part of the answer goes into the history of TBL. One of the earliest users of the notion of task was N.S. Prabhu, working in Bangalore in South India. Prabhu used TBL in very large classes but based his teaching around a series of tasks, most of which involved problem solving of various kinds. Prabu's classes were teacher led with no pair or group work. His classes were conducted entirely in English. He would explain the background and perhaps explain how to solve a problem. He would then set a similar problem and work through it with the class in teacher led mode - in the same way as a maths teacher, for example, works through a problem with the class. Finally he would ask learners as individuals to solve the problem. They were then asked to explain in English how they had done this. If you had seen one of Prabhu's lessons you might have though you were observing a maths lesson or a geography lesson, depending on the nature of the problem. You would probably not have guessed that you were observing an English lesson. But his pupils learned to use English more effectively than their counterparts who were engaged in traditional language lessons.
So it is possible to use a task-based methodology in teacher led mode. In our book Doing Task-based Teaching (OUP 2007) we have devoted a section (7.6) to teacher roles, including a discussion of teacher led tasks. Basically you need to extend the teacher led introduction to a task. You can then do two things to replace the usual group work. First work through a similar problem or part of the problem in teacher led mode. Secondly allow learners time to work as individuals instead of asking them to work in groups. You can follow this up by asking learners to work as individuals to solve the problem then giving them time to prepare their answers before explaining their answers to the class.
This teacher led approach is a viable methodology, but I don't think it's ideal. As we have seen above it does not allow learners enough opportunities to produce language for themselves.
This brings me to the third part of my answer, which is a part of Richard Frost's excellent article (above). Both of you, Halasalih and Hussein, have obviously though carefully and critically about TBL. You have recognised difficulties and looked for ways around them. This is what good teachers do when they meet new ideas and approaches. But the trouble is that we don't always subject established approaches to the same critical scrutiny. Why, for example, is it that learners who have worked in a traditional PPP mode can do grammar exercises but can't actually use the language? Why is it so difficult to motivate learners? Why is it that most learners do not have a usable competence in the foreign language even after six or seven years in the classroom. These are really important questions. And these are the questions which TBL can answer if it is sensibly and sensitively applied.
Roseyanni replied on Permalink
Hi all,
I have another question, that is: what if there are some very shy students in the groups of big class who are not willing to work with others ? How can we encourage them to coorporate with others and make sure they can learn something?
Thank you.
mazibulhaque replied on Permalink
Hi allGreetings from me!I think that teacher is the feature of nature.Every teacher can create an innovative idea how teach samething in different way.Better late than never. As a matter of great regret that teachers of Bangladesh are seldom trained.A trained teacher can create live discussion on any lesson.I have earnest request to British council to arrange TKT as a pilot project for the underdeveloping country like Bangladesh. Kind regardsMazibul Haque
mazibulhaque replied on Permalink
Hi allGreetings from me!I think that teacher is the feature of nature.Every teacher can create an innovative idea how to teach samething in different way.Better late than never. As a matter of great regret that teachers of Bangladesh are seldom trained.A trained teacher can create live discussion on any lesson.I have earnest request to British council to arrange TKT as a pilot project for the underdeveloping country like Bangladesh. Kind regardsMazibul HaqueEmail: firstname.lastname@example.com
DebbieT replied on Permalink
I guess I need to read your book(s) but I'm intrigued by your ideas. In attempting to work with tasks, I've found that in a monolingual classroom, the students consistently use their L1 instead of the L2 when working in pairs or groups, thus not benefiting from the opportunities to practice the L1. What can I do to improve this? Is the task too difficult? Is their proficiency too low for attempting to problem-solve in the L2? The students are so concerned with getting the "right" answer that they forget about using/learning the L2.Thanks for your suggestions. DT
Nataliya13 replied on Permalink
I use both methods. It sometimes depends on the stage of learning, sometimes on the age of students. Those who are older prefer being taught via PPP, younger learners enjoy TBL.
Zuhaira replied on Permalink
Hi all,
Recently there has been a debate on this new approach called 'dogma' by Scott Thornboury and I see it quite relevant in my own teaching context. However, I have not been able to draw clear lines between TBL and Dogma approach since both of them depend heavily on teachers' guidance in the lesson and depend less on structured courses. Or is it so that we can apply TBL to any course?
wmyartawan replied on Permalink
I to a considerable extent agree with you that TBL as explained in this article has resemblance to the Dogma approach by Scott Thornbury in which both are based on an unstructured lesson framework. Are they really the same? However, when our lesson is restricted by a set of curricular content that we should follow, is TBL still feasible to be applied?
© British Council, 10 Spring Gardens, London SW1A 2BN, UK
© BBC World Service, Bush House, Strand, London WC2B 4PH, UK


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Working at home today finishing up a report on all my travels, I heard on the internet that there's blackout in the UK. I went to turn on CNN to find out what's going on, and this is what was on...
CNN was doing a live coverage of some painter guy getting stuck on a water tower in Texas.
Judy Woodruff...
"It's hard to see what's happening from the picture, but clearly he was in some kind of danger…"
What the f---! Clearly she had nothing to report, nor was the story in any way news worthy, yet a few minutes later she's on the live report again….
"we were told that the harness is keeping the paltform he's standing on hanging on the tower, and he is in no immediate danger….but clearly we need to get him down somehow…."


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One of the certainties of winter, even a mild one such as this year's, is that people will gripe about the cold.
One of the certainties of winter, even a mild one such as this year�s, is that people will gripe about the cold.
But when that cold comes with snow, you won�t hear any complaints from cross-country skiers. They dig the stuff, and lots of it.
Cross-country skiing, done correctly, is a full-body workout, said Mary Hiland. The 67-year-old Gahanna resident has been a skier since 1986, when she joined the Ski for Light program, which links people with vision or mobility impairments with skiers who serve as guides.
�I just love being outside in the crisp, cold air. I love the quiet, the solitude,� said Hiland, who is blind.
�The problem with winters in Ohio is that we don�t get enough snow to make it really fun, and people just complain bitterly about the lack of snow.�
That said, she encourages everyone to embrace this winter-weather workout, for both its physical and mental benefits.
Cross-country skiing has a short learning curve because it uses the body�s natural movements. And it works the heart and all the major muscle groups, according to the Cross Country Ski Areas Association, which recommends a couple of hours with a professional instructor to get going.
�Anybody can do it. It�s not just for young people. You don�t have to go out there and go fast and hard, and there�s nothing wrong with taking off your skis if you come to a hill that looks scary,� Hiland said.
And there�s one definite perk over downhill skiing or snowboarding. Once you have your equipment, the sport is free. Nobody charges for a lift ticket to ski on a snow-covered golf course or a Metro Park trail.
Hiland said it took some time for her to build endurance, but now she can ski more than 3 miles in 45 minutes without breaking a sweat.
Glenn Beachy, a cross-country skier and winter activities chairman for Columbus Outdoor Pursuits, said a lot of people have a pair of cross-country skis in their garage, but probably only a few hundred central Ohio residents ski regularly. Those who do often travel to more snow-covered parts of the state, Beachy said this month as he prepared for a trip to the Cleveland area.
To ski on a golf course or somewhere similar, you need about 3 inches of snow. On a hiking trail, you need 10 inches or more, Beachy said.
Some of the muscles used in cross-country skiing are different from those used for downhill, but it can make for a good cross-training activity for those who like to ski in the mountains, he said. It�s also good for runners and cyclists looking for something else to do outdoors, said Beachy, an avid cyclist.
Equipment (which is much lighter than downhill ski equipment) runs about $300 new. Used equipment is a good bet, but skiers should buy new boots to ensure a good fit, Beachy said.
Injuries happen, but they are rare, especially if you have strong muscles around your joints.
�When you�re on cross-country skis, you can go anywhere you want to go. And there aren�t any lift lines, no ski-resort music blasting,� Beachy said.
In central Ohio, he favors Prairie Oaks, Highbanks and Battelle Darby Creek Metro Parks.
A lot of people in the wintertime, they put all their (exercise) gear away and start getting sad. I can highly recommend cross-country skiing for battling that seasonal affective disorder."
For more information about activities in Columbus, go to Columbus Outdoor Pursuits at www.outdoor-pursuits.org. For more information about Ski for Light, go to www.sfl.org.


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Remember: Caribe Car Rental for the best deals on Bonaire!
We accept and encourage Master Card, Visa, Discovery, PIN and cash. For more information see "Make a reservation" and go to Card Type.
Our office is located at the Kaya Industria z/n. That's on the first roundabout when you come from the airport. Across Bonaco petrol station. On the same property next to the Bocar garage and next to the Carwash. You can visit our office by yourself or we can take care of transportation from the airport to our office. We can pick you up at the Flamingo Airport or any other location on Bonaire for free. If you already have your holiday to Bonaire planned you can also make a reservation or contact us for all car rental questions you have.
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Caribe Car Rental is the newest car rental on Bonaire with over 15 years of experience and very close to Flamingo Airport, with free pick up service. For diving at Bonaire, wind surfing at Bonaire, business at Bonaire or holidays at Bonaire we have all cars, jeeps and pickup trucks you require. For AB to C car service, for a Total car rental package, for all Island information, ask for Budget deals, Caribe Car Rental knows car rental.
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Phone (+599) 7176050 | Fax (+599) 717 6721 | Mobile (+599) 7868080 | Mail: email@example.com


text:
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The CVA Hunter Break-Action Rifle features a easily maneuverable 20" blued-steel barrel and Black Synthetic Stock which both offer exceptionally long life as well as great accuracy. The Barrel is drilled and tapped to accept the CVA DEAD-ON scope mount . The Hunter Gun comes fitted with a 100% Ambidextrous stock, and Reversible Cocking Spur. The CrushZone Recoil pad is designed to handle recoil exceptionally well for those young shooters. The Hunter Gun also features an Automatic Hammer Blocking Safety System that positively prevents the firearm from discharging before the trigger is pulled.
Features and Benefits
• Break Action
• 20" blued-steel barrel and Synthetic Stock offers exceptionally long life as well as great accuracy!
• Barrel is drilled and tapped to accept the CVA DEAD-ON scope mount (not included) Academy Item number for scope mount AC411B
• Automatic Hammer Blocking Safety System to prevent unintentional firing before trigger is pulled
• 100% Ambidextrous stock
• CrushZone Recoil Pad
• Reversible cocking spur (left handed threads)
• Length of Pull: 13"
• Lifetime Warranty
Please Note: This description and product image may represent a general group of products. Please read the item's title and specifications for more specific information about this particular item.
Guns can only be shipped to a location within the USA that holds an FFL (Federal Firearms License) - this can be your local gun shop, pawn shop, sporting goods store, etc. Your local gun dealer will then handle the transfer of the firearm to you.
Please ensure that you have familiarized yourself with the process before placing a firearm order. Please note that you must confirm your acceptance of all of these policies to place a firearm order:
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It's the perfect Halloween set-list for alternative rock fans. Featuring head-bobbing hits and ghoulish graphics, HalloScream is guaranteed to thrill laser show-goers who appreciate music with a bit of edge. Artists include Rob Zombie ("Living Dead Girl"), Nine Inch Nails ("Hurt"), Korn ("Freak on a Leash"), and Marilyn Manson ("Beautiful People"). Halloween just got awesome!
|Oct 12, 2018
|11:00 pm


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with photographer, Jasmine Anwer.
Average thoughts from an average man.
I have a lot of clothes, and most of them I have bought second hand for a few pounds. I love styling, so this is a blog of what I wear!
A Canadian lifestyle blog that focuses on motherhood, family travel, beauty, fashion, and food.
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Mens Fashion, Style, Grooming & Lifestyle Blog for today's man
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This evening I have a post for you about the Shane brothers….this would be my grandfather Robert Nolan Shane and his brother John. They died just 12 days apart in 1918 and this article appeared in the Monticello Express, April 18, 1918:
"Death of the Shane Brothers
The older Settlers, those who lived in this vicinity, twenty years or more, will remember the Shane family, which lived five miles north of Monticello. Two of the sons, Robert N. Shane and John Shane, died within twelve days of each other, last February. This information we get from W.H. Samels, of Minneapolis who visited the family of Robert N. Shane, one of the deceased, at Portland, Oregon, a short time ago.
Robert N. Shane, who was 55 years of age, died February 18th at Portland. He was born on the Shane homestead, north of Monticello, and lived there 36 years, when he moved to Minneapolis, about 19 years ago. After living in Minneapolis 9 years, he moved to Portland, Oregon, which place was his home for 10 years. He is survived by his widow, Susie Samels Shane, and one son, Frank L. Shane; also one brother, James Shane, and three sisters, Mary, Nancy and Frances. His funeral was held at the St. Francis Catholic church, at Portland and interment was made at Mt. Calvary cemetery.
On the 4th of February, twelve days before his death, his brother John Shane died at Portland, at the age of 36 years. He lived on the Shane homestead for 21 years, and the rest of his life was spent at Portland. As we understand it, he was not married but is survived by the brother and the sisters named above.
Note: According to the death certificates, Robert Shane died of Pernicious Anemia and John of Pulmonary Tuberculosis.
Source: Monticello Express, April 18, 1918. Digital copy, courtesy of the Monticello Public Library data base.
November 12, 2012, Susan J. Edminster, Granite Falls Washington, All rights reserved.


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It seems obvious to everyone today that species change.PDF Download
The biblical framework of history explains the world around us.PDF Download
The Green River Formation of Wyoming, USA, is familiar to geologists not only for its well-preserved fossils but also because it has come to the forefront of debate on the age of the earth.
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Answers in Genesis is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.


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Senate Benghazi Report Spreads Blame
Panel Findings Say 2012 Attack Was 'Likely Preventable'
A long-awaited Senate report on the 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya, sharply criticized American diplomats and spies, saying the assault that killed four Americans was "likely preventable" with better security and intelligence operations.
The bipartisan report released Wednesday by the Senate intelligence committee represents the most comprehensive analysis to date of the U.S. government's actions in the lead-up to the attacks on the diplomatic compound, and their aftermath. It reinforced conclusions of previous reviews...


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Your main objective isn't limited to simply increasing traffic to your website and improving rankings by using search engine optimization (SEO) – search marketers can do more and play a critical role further down the line. Rather, SEO should lead to the next stage: increasing conversion on your site.
Taking ownership of what happens to traffic once it lands on your site will go a long way toward accomplishing what really matters, which is increasing conversion and sales. Let's analyze the areas of transactional sites, with some tips on where you can improve conversions.
Return Better (Changed) Results
When a user searches on your site or clicks on a category page, consider increasing the number of results returned per page. Returning only 25 results per search? Consider increasing it to 50 or to an endless scroll. This change can result in a significant bump in conversion at 50 results and another bump when moving to endless scrolling.
However, a word of warning. It's key that such an increase doesn't greatly impact your page load speed, Today's consumer is used to instant results, so this would likely have an adverse effect and potential customers could well leave your page before they have even clicked through.
Also, allow the user to sort search results so they are closer to their needs. In travel, it could be along the lines of proximity to a landmark or star rating. For other products, it could be the likes of brand, size, price range, features, etc.
Ensure Clear Price Displays
It sounds simple, but price is clearly a massive persuader (or dissuader), so the quicker the consumer gets an idea of how much money they could be parting with, the quicker they will make their mind up (and hopefully convert). Therefore ensure the price is clearly shown both on product pages and in search results.
Another tip: using a slightly bigger font and in a color that stands out increases conversion.
Also, if there is a promotion, sale, or discount in place, display the reduced price using a color that stands out with a strike through the existing price. Also recommended would be a message mentioning the percentage off the original price or an offer such as "buy 2 nights, get 1 free".
Instill Urgency
If there is a limited supply of the product, make sure you mention it. If there are only five products left, let your users know. It will appeal to consumers' competitive nature and desire not to miss out on a great deal.
Also, let your audience know how many times the product has been purchased in the last 24 hours or time of last purchase. People like to purchase items that others are purchasing.
Create Better Content Pages
Giving the consumer all the information and content they need in one place will undoubtedly help with conversion. Create one-page product pages and remove tabs. It's important that these have the necessary details in one place, so they don't have to search and navigate around a site for those key pieces of information they need.
User reviews are useful pieces of content to include here. They not only promote stickiness, but also allow the users to feel more comfortable they are purchasing a quality product.
Streamline the Checkout Process
The checkout process is naturally the stage that the user is least partial to, so it's essential that this is as efficient and as painless as possible. Remove any unnecessary fields and steps and also test one page flow.
Other tips to achieve this could include:
- Eliminating most links from the checkout header.
- Providing a phone number in case they have questions they can't find on your site.
- Giving a complete summary of what they are purchasing, clearly stating the exact price including taxes, shipping, etc.:
- For travel that could include name, dates, location, room type, etc.
- For non-travel it could be model, style, color, brand, sizing, etc.
There is no silver bullet for simply increasing conversion, but brands can ensure that they are taking feasible steps to give them the best chance of attracting and retaining more consumers.
Related reading
Guide to call tracking and the power of AI for analyzing phone data
An in-depth guide to call tracking technology that reviews how these tools help marketers connect digital campaign data to inbound customer phone calls.
Converting custom: Using analytics to optimize sales funnels
There are five key elements behind a strong sales funnel. Focus on raising awareness of your business. More tips included optimizing sales funnels.
How to set up Google Analytics annotations to show Google updates
With Google releasing more information about updates, you should see it as a good practice to highlight this information in your Google Analytics account.
Three tools providing actionable competitive research insight
The powerful driving source of any business is its competition. Three competitive research tools that provide highly actionable insights.


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WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 (UPI) -- Congressional Republicans claimed President Obama's looming healthcare reform act was already costing jobs and causing insurance premiums to soar.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said on "Fox News Sunday" that whatever jobs the business community was creating were low-paying part-time work with no insurance benefits because of so-called Obamacare.
"When you look at what has transpired since Obamacare has moved forward, we've created more than 840,000 jobs in this country -- more than 90 percent of them have been part-time because of Obamacare," said McCarthy, "That creates a part-time economy, part-time opportunities. And in the end, it creates a part-time America."
McCarthy, the Republican Whip in the House of Representatives, also cited a letter he said he received from the widowed mother of one of his staff members who claimed her premiums had jumped to levels she could no longer afford. "He cannot ignore this problem," he said. "This is an opportunity when you find that Obamacare is not going to work, to delay it."
A Democratic senator, however, told Fox he had doubts about the veracity of such accounts. "I don't believe everything an insurance company says," said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., "I'm sure the insurance company says, well, this is because of the Affordable Care Act. These are the same guys who were kicking people off of policies and turning people away from policies because they have pre-existing condition."
Kane predicted the competition among companies on the insurance exchanges that are key to Obamacare would soon create a menu of policies that will cost significantly less than current open-market coverage.


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While shopping for formal wear at Goodwill, I found some other great stuff by cruising through the housewares. And I snatched it up for $1 – $2 a piece before Christie could get her hands on it. Hahahaha (triumphant laugh).
I realize these knick-knacky items are what my mom would call "stuff to dust around". Hi mom. But I'm a sucker for colored glass and low, low prices, so I splurged on this slightly-less-than-useful stuff.
Its a candlestick, a bird, and a … another candle holder? For a pillar candle? Yeah, that must be it. Its about the right size, maybe a little bigger, than a pillar candle.
This has a subtle feather pattern around the base, and unlike the other pink glass I have, it has a frosty finish.
Tweety here is a little chipped around the edges, but he is pretty nonetheless.
I also found some picture frames next door at the Habitat for Humanity Re-store next door to Goodwill. I can Never find square frames that are the right size, so I jumped on those like a trampoline. I have a few 6×6 inch cards that I've wanted to frame, but Ikea square frames are a little too small.
A coat of spray paint and voila. I also turned the mats backwards to use the white side. The mat hole wasn't big enough for the cards, so I just put the cards in front of the mat. Not really kosher, but who's going to notice.
The sweet little lamb photo is from Yes and Amen on Etsy. The phone booth drawing is a Christmas card from a co-worker in London, and I think it is simply adorable. I love British things.
If you were wondering why I was shopping for formal wear at Goodwill… here is why. Don't be scared.
I wanted a costume for Run for Your Lives (a zombie-infested 5k obstacle course). Yep, we dressed like zombies and chased mud-covered runners in the woods for 3 hours one Saturday afternoon. What do you do with your weekends? Something normal?


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New Orleans claims to be one of the most gay friendly cities in the United States, perhaps in the world. Come celebrate the unique gay culture and pride in what is considered to be the largest gay event in NOLA, the Southern Decadence Festival. Celebrating its 40th anniversary, Southern Decadence 2011 will be held on Labor Day Week-end (Wednesday Aug. 31st – Monday Sept. 5th.) Most of the Southern Decadence events are held in the French Quarter, but for a full listing of events just check out this easy to read map.
Southern Decadence started out as a small gay pride festival 40 years ago. Today it has grown into one of the biggest gay pride festivals / around the clock parties in the world! Most of Southern Decadence happens in the streets of the French Quarter and is free. But a weekend pass is available for admission to events at some of the hottest gay bars in the world, including the famous Bourbon Pub.
For gay people, gay allies, straight people, and every person in between, this festival is worth experiencing. Southern Decadence offers one the unique chance to witness gay pride at its best as well as the unique culture, party atmosphere, and history of the famous French Quarter. This festival is one of a kind so come check out Southern Decadence, we promise you won't regret it!


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We're in blissful weather now, cool in the mornings with promises of jacket-shedding weather in afternoons, sunny and puddle-less. In no time the trees and bushes will be all a-haze with buds making noses run with allergies, but I can hardly care.
Today was exactly the kind of day I always hope to have. Besides the weather that was cooperative and lovely, I spent it walking around town gathering things like small flower bunches (from a store with a little corgi leaping with joy in the window) and books that I never intend to really read, but can't leave behind because the typography and designs on the spine are too gorgeous to leave behind.
My hair has faded quite a bit, it's almost back to my normal color, and I'm left with decisions to make about my appointment next week. Do I keep the auburn or go back to identifying with Snow White and return to dark locks? Honestly, I'll probably try the reddish hue again, because it's something I've become a little bit fond of even if I don't always feel myself with it.
Also (atrocious way to start a sentence, let along a paragraph), do you ever have days where your outfit looks truly the way you always hoped it would in person, only to have it photograph less-than-perfectly? I suppose it's what people mean by 'editorial' when used in terms of describing outfits, or something. Somehow, probably because of the edible color of the skirt, nothing seemed to come out exactly representing how it felt to wear it in life.
Oh well. I can't be too irritable about it, since I ended up peeling off my tights in the car. My legs, free at last, have never been so happy in the sun.
Outfit details:
Slip: Vintage
Blouse: Anthropologie via a friend's hand-me-over
Skirt: J. Crew
Jacket: J. Crew
Tights: Nine West
Shoes: Urban Outfitters
Scarf: Talbots Outlet
Bag: fieldguided, I am forever dedicated to those totes!
Pin: Vintage, ebay
Pictures taken, ever obligingly, by John.


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Thanks for the nice buzz Bumblebee! We love you too <3
Click below to sign our petition to legalize beekeeping!!
(…you do not need to live in Los Angeles to sign)
Thanks for the nice buzz Bumblebee! We love you too <3
Click below to sign our petition to legalize beekeeping!!
(…you do not need to live in Los Angeles to sign)
"Pam" from True Blood just signed our petition to legalize urban beekeeping!! Now it is your turn <3
Fresh Figs with Blue Cheese and Honey
A dozen fresh figs (if no figs are available, try peaches instead)
1 oz blue cheese, room temperature
Candied walnuts (optional)
Slice the figs in half from the top down and arrange on the plate. Crumble the blue cheese over the figs. Drizzle the honey over the figs and cheese and serve with candied walnuts (optional).
These simple cookies, an interpretation of the Middle Eastern pastry of baked phyllo layered with ground nuts and soaked with honey syrup, go nicely with ice cream.
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
4 phyllo sheets (18 inches by 13 inches each)
2/3 cup pistachios, walnuts or a combination of the two, finely chopped (about 8 tablespoons total)
Melt the butter with the honey in a small saucepan over medium heat, then remove from the heat and stir in the cinnamon and allspice. Reserve 2 tablespoons for brushing the formed batons. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner. Lay one sheet of phyllo (cover the remaining stack with dampened paper toweling to keep the sheets from drying out) on the counter, with one of its long edges running parallel with the edge of the counter. Use a pastry brush to paint the sheet with the butter mixture. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of nuts evenly over the sheet. Carefully grip the edge closest to you and fold it one-fourth of the way, away from you. Fold the folded quarter in half and then in half again. This will create a kind of pastry baton that you can then easily roll all the way to the end of the sheet, until you have created 1 long baton. Cut the baton into five 5 1/2-inch lengths. Transfer the batons to the lined baking sheet, with the seams on the bottom. Repeat the process with the three remaining phyllo sheets. Before baking, brush the tops of the batons with the reserved butter mixture. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool before serving.
Makes 20 batons
Harry's Honey: Nature's Sweet Treat
"Harry Stein, founder of Harry's Honey, has been offering different varieties of honey since the Mar Vista Farmers' Market began in 2006. He joined up in the second week to sell a startling array of choices including clover, sage, orange, lemon, buckwheat and eucalyptus. He even has unusual honeys gathered from avocado, cactus, strawberries and blackberries… While talking with Harry at his booth, it was clear that customers consider him to be as much of a Farmers' Market staple as his honey!"
Click here to read the full article by Christy Wilhelmi on Mar Vista Patch
love it =)
All Rights Reserved © 2013 HoneyLove.
Designed by The Bright Studio


text: {-# LANGUAGE NoImplicitPrelude #-} {-# LANGUAGE MultiParamTypeClasses #-} {-# LANGUAGE FlexibleInstances #-} {- | There are several types of numbers where a subset of numbers can be considered as set of scalars. * A '(Complex.T Double)' value can be converted to 'Double' if the imaginary part is zero. * A value with physical units can be converted to a scalar if there is no unit. Of course this can be cascaded, e.g. a complex number with physical units can be converted to a scalar if there is both no imaginary part and no unit. This is somewhat similar to the multi-type classes NormedMax.C and friends. I hesitate to define an instance for lists to avoid the mess known of MatLab. But if you have an application where you think you need this instance definitely I'll think about that, again. -} module Algebra.OccasionallyScalar where -- import qualified Algebra.RealRing as RealRing import qualified Algebra.ZeroTestable as ZeroTestable import qualified Algebra.Additive as Additive import qualified Number.Complex as Complex import Data.Maybe (fromMaybe, ) import Number.Complex((+:)) import NumericPrelude.Base import NumericPrelude.Numeric -- this is somehow similar to Normalized classes class C a v where toScalar :: v -> a toMaybeScalar :: v -> Maybe a fromScalar :: a -> v toScalarDefault :: (C a v) => v -> a toScalarDefault v = fromMaybe (error ("The value is not scalar.")) (toMaybeScalar v) toScalarShow :: (C a v, Show v) => v -> a toScalarShow v = fromMaybe (error (show v ++ " is not a scalar value.")) (toMaybeScalar v) instance C Float Float where toScalar = id toMaybeScalar = Just fromScalar = id instance C Double Double where toScalar = id toMaybeScalar = Just fromScalar = id -- this instance should be defined in Number.Complex instance (Show v, ZeroTestable.C v, Additive.C v, C a v) => C a (Complex.T v) where toScalar = toScalarShow toMaybeScalar x = if isZero (Complex.imag x) then toMaybeScalar (Complex.real x) else Nothing fromScalar x = fromScalar x +: zero {- converting values automatically to integers is a bad idea instance (Integral b, RealRing.C a) => C b a where toScalar = toScalarDefault toMaybeScalar x = mapMaybe round (toMaybeScalar x) -}


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Secure /tmp And /var/tmp Directories On CentOS Linux
A couple days ago a CentOS Linux server that I took over administration on had some mysterious files show up in the /tmp and /var/tmp directories. The files were placed in /tmp and /var/tmp by the apache user meaning there is some form of security hole in Apache, PHP, or one of the virtual hosts has an insecure application installed. Before looking into where the issue is I needed to lock things down so no applications could be executed from these directories in the future regardless of a security flaw in the future. Below are instructions on how to secure /tmp and /var/tmp.Details


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Compare cheap flights to Kiev
Kiev is the capital of Ukraine, and is considered one of the oldest Eastern European cities, which date back as early as the 5th century. Kiev is a proud survivor of World War II, the Soviet rule and the Chernobyl incident, and is now dotted with tourist attractions.
When is the cheapest time to fly to Kiev?
Flights to Kiev
There are both international and domestic airports in and around Kiev that can take you to and from the city on your holiday: the Kyiv Zhuliany International Airport, Boryspil International Airport, Havryshivka Vinnytsia International Airport, and Juliani and Gostamel airports. KLM, Lufthansa, Aeroflot and Turkish Airlines fly round trip to Kiev.
The Centre of Ukraine's Cultural Heritage
Kiev is considered the center of culture, and it is where cultural and historical sites abound, like Saint Sophia Cathedral and The Monastery of the Caves, which are both awarded as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Tourists also flock to the Museum of Great Patriotic War.
Kiev is regarded as one of the greenest cities in Europe, so expect to see trees and parks all over the city where you can bask in the sun and go for a picnic. Invest in a decent pair of walking shoes when exploring the city. Spring and autumn are the best times to visit the city. The city of Kiev is teeming with historical structures harmoniously blending with modern architecture that you can feast your eyes on. There are also the golden-domed churches that are a sight to behold.
Immerse yourself in Kiev's culture and history and book a cheap flight through Skiddoo.
Temperature average in September
Rainfall average in September
53.7 mm
Cheapest time to fly to Kiev (IEV)
All prices refer to return flights to Kiev and include taxes and charges.
Our experiences customer support team is there to help you every step of the way.
With the Skiddoo Price Promise, if you find a cheaper price online we'll match it!


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Training and Development
Training and Development is designed to enhance professional and personal growth of all employees for the current and future well-being of the students we serve and the benefit of the communities we live in. We will also provide information for the new employee and an ongoing commitment to safety through courses such as First Aid/CPR and Defensive Driving. We will strive to provide employee training for excellence in current positions and create leadership development opportunities.
Vision Statement:
Training and Development provides quality training programs and development opportunities for all college employees to provide the ultimate service to students and the community.
Mission Statement:
Training and Development is to continuously improve the knowledge, skills and abilities of all employees so that they are able to serve the students and community in the best way possible, think critically and communicate effectively, adjust to a changing environment, and enhance the quality of their work.
This will be accomplished by implementing a cohesive training and development plan by using innovative learning concepts and technology.
Want more training?
See what Blinn College's Small Business Development Center has to offer.
Visit the Instructional Design Page for handouts, tutorials and to request training and assistance or to find other helpful resources related to faculty instructional design.


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ATLANTA — Matt Ryan took the snap in his own end zone and threw it about as far as he could. Roddy White went up and got it. Matt Bryant took it from there, giving the Atlanta Falcons another victory.
After Ryan completed a 59-yard pass to White, Bryant kicked a 40-yard field goal with 5 seconds remaining to keep the Falcons perfect on the season with a 30-28 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
The Falcons (4-0) are off to their best start since 2004, when they reached the NFC championship game. Despite taking a career-high seven sacks, Matt Ryan threw three touchdown passes for Atlanta. Bryant added three field goals.
The Panthers (1-3) nearly clinched it on Cam Newton's run with just over a minute remaining, but he fumbled the ball while trying to dive for the necessary yardage. Carolina recovered and wound up punting, downing the ball at the Atlanta 1.
But Ryan immediately got the Falcons out of the hole, throwing a 59-yard pass to Roddy White. Four plays later, Bryant won it.
Ryan took an awful beating — he was hit nine times after throwing and hurried on eight other attempts — but still managed to throw for 369 yards. White caught a pair of touchdown passes, but his biggest play came after Carolina downed the ball in the shadow of the Atlanta end zone with 1:09 left.
The Falcons had no timeouts, so Ryan just stepped back and hurled one from the back of the end zone. While was sandwiched between cornerback Josh Norman and safety Haruki Nakamura, but managed to leap over both of them to bring down the pass at the Carolina 40. A pass interference call and two short completions set things up for Bryant, who had yet to miss on his first eight attempts this season.
He was automatic again, even after the Panthers called their final timeout just before the snap looking to freeze him. Bryant went ahead and kicked it away — right through the uprights — then did it again when it counted, putting his kick straight down the middle to give Atlanta only the third 4-0 start in franchise history.
Newton threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score, rallying the Panthers from a 24-14 deficit in the second half. It looked like he had clinched it when, on third-and-2 at the Atlanta 46, he took the snap and bulled his way over the left side, his body surging across the spot he needed to seal the victory. But John Abraham knocked it loose, the ball squirting backward. Fullback Mike Tolbert covered it for Carolina at the 45 — 1 yards shy of a first down.
After attempting unsuccessfully to draw the Falcons offside, the Panthers punted it away. When they downed it at the 1, it looked as though they would still be able to preserve the win.
But Ryan and White had other ideas. Newton's fumble ruined what had been a stellar performance. He threw for 215 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown to Greg Olsen early in the game, then a 36-yard scoring play to Kealoha Pilares that put the Panthers ahead 28-24 with 7:55 remaining, capping their comeback from a 24-14 deficit.
Newton also ran for 86 yards on nine carries, bulling his way into the end zone from 4 yards out late in the third quarter. The Panthers played much better than they did in their last outing, a 36-7 home loss to the New York Giants, but it wasn't enough to prevent them from sliding a daunting three games behind Atlanta in the NFC South.
Charles Johnson spent so much time in the Atlanta backfield, he should've worn a black jersey. He made life miserable for Ryan with 3 1/2 sacks, had two other tackles behind the line, and even knocked down a pass.
When it counted, though, the Falcons linemen were able to keep Johnson away from the quarterback on the final possession. With Julio Jones hindered by an injured right hand, White came up with a huge game for the Falcons. He had eight catches for 169 yards.
Ryan's other touchdown pass was a 60-yarder to Michael Turner, who took a short screen pass right about the line of scrimmage and zigzagged down the field for the first TD pass reception of his nine-year career. DeAngelo Williams scored Carolina's other TD on a 13-yard run.


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It's become difficult to keep track of the all the ridiculous charges that have been thrown at Secretary of Defense nominee Chuck Hagel over the past few months, but surely one of the most absurd is the idea that the government of Iran "endorsed" his nomination.
That this had become the latest claim to make the journey from goofy right-wing bleat to conservative political "fact" became evident during the Senate Armed Services Committee debate over Hagel's nomination last week. Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz, doing his best impersonation of what he thinks a very serious person sounds like, gravely intoned that, with Hagel's nomination came "something that was truly extraordinary, which is the government of Iran formally and publicly praising the nomination of a defense secretary. I would suggest to you that to my knowledge, that is unprecedented to see a foreign nation like Iran publicly celebrating a nomination."
When Senator Bill Nelson responded that Cruz had "gone over the line" with this suggestion, Senator James Inhofe, the committee's ranking member, defended Cruz, saying Hagel was "endorsed by [Iran], and you can't get any cozier than that."
Let's stop here for a moment and note that the sum total of the evidence for the claims of Senators Cruz and Inhofe is a statement from Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast, who, when asked about the Hagel nomination at a press conference, said that he hoped that the U.S. would seek a different policy course. "We hope there will be practical changes in American foreign policy and that Washington becomes respectful of the rights of nations," Mehmanparast said.
These comments are utterly unremarkable. Last November, Mehmanparast responded with almost exactly the same boilerplate language when asked about Obama's re-election. Senior Iranian government figures have also said similar things when asked about new Secretary of State John Kerry, but for some reason this was not trotted out as evidence that the Islamic Republic sees Kerry as a friend. In other words, the claim that "the government of Iran formally and publicly" praised Hagel's nomination is simply fiction. Much like the belief that Barack Obama is a secret Islamist sympathizer, Cruz's comments were the product of a hermetically sealed, Fox News-fed reality. (The ensuing stories in Politico, The New York Times and The Washington Post scolding Cruz for his antics are a win-win for the freshman senator, providing him both greater visibility and negative attention from the "lamestream media" that delights his right-wing base.)
More important, however, the notion that the government of Iran has embraced Hagel because of his previously stated concerns about the possible consequences of a strike on Iran (a position he shares with both previous Secretaries of Defense, as well as pretty much every serious national security analyst in the country) is based in a fundamental misunderstanding of what Iran's rulers actually fear. In the Times earlier this month, Alireza Nader, an Iran analyst at RAND, wrote that U.S. military action "isn't what keeps the Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, up at night." A U.S. strike "would spur the Iranian public to rally around the flag and buck up a wobbling, wheezing theocracy—and an Israeli strike would do so in spades."
"What the Islamic Republic fears most isn't that American officials will be blustery and belligerent," Nader concluded. "It's that they will be patient and pragmatic."
Hagel's critics clearly believe that, in order to effectively confront Iran, more threats and bluster are required. But we actually have a relatively recent example of such an approach, and the evidence is not favorable to it. In his 2002 state of the union speech, President George W. Bush (in)famously labeled Iran as part of an "axis of evil" that also included Iraq and North Korea. While conservatives fell over themselves to praise the speech's boldness and "moral clarity," in terms of actually advancing U.S. security, over a decade later it's clear that the impact of the speech was almost entirely negative, scuttling the possibility of rapprochement that had arisen from U.S.-Iran cooperation in Afghanistan, and undermining Iranian moderates while dramatically empowering their hardline opponents.
In a 2007 article for the Middle East Journal titled "What the Axis of Evil Metaphor Did to Iran," scholars Daniel Heradstveit and G. Matthew Bonham interviewed a number of pro-reform Iranian moderates, and found an overwhelming consensus that the belligerent tone of Bush's speech had been "a godsend to the conservatives and ultra-conservatives" who profited from continued hostility with the U.S. According to one of these reformers, "After Afghanistan, Iran expected that the dialogue with the USA would get wind in its sails, but then came the speech that gave the right-wingers the chance to say, 'If they want to hurt us, then we'll hurt them.'"
One of the most prescient critics of that speech was Chuck Hagel himself, who remarked shortly afterward, "We ought to be a little more thoughtful. That [axis] comment only helps the mullahs."
Interviews with Iranian democracy activists confirm this. In 2010, Iranian dissident journalist Akbar Ganji told me, "The belligerent rhetoric of Bush didn't help us [the Iranian democracy movement], it actually harmed us during that period." Shirin Ebadi, an Iranian lawyer and human rights activist who won the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize, was similarly critical of Bush's rhetoric, going so far as to suggest in an interview with me that the Iranian government probably "wouldn't mind the U.S. throwing a missile at them," as it would provide the perfect pretext for the regime to do away with all of its domestic opponents. President Obama, on the other hand, by showing a willingness to engage with Iran, helped show the international community and the Iranian people "that it is the Iranian regime that doesn't want to talk," Ebadi said.
What Iran's leaders would like more than anything is another Dick Cheney or John Bolton, someone willing to play the villainous role that Iran's anti-American propaganda narrative requires. One of President Obama's most important decisions was to refuse to play that part. And he's picked a Secretary of Defense who won't either. It's sad that so many of their critics continue to audition for it.


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Tuesday, August 2, 2011
My Genealogy Obsessions
But it did get me to thinking about things I really am obsessive about in my genealogy research:
1. The Moore Family. All of them. All of Samuel Moore's descendants. All of the Moores who show up in Greenville, South Carolina who may in some way connected to these Moores. All the stories. Every scrap of material - besides Greenville and Anderson Counties in South Carolina and Dallas and Baylor Counties in Texas, I have to go to Henry County, Georgia (Bud Mathis Moore and Freeman Manson Moore were there at one point, plus an Andrew Moore who looks kinda promising...), plus DeKalb County, Georgia and Cleburne County, Alabama (Freeman's son William S. Moore was in those counties, and we know so little about him), plus Izard County, Arkansas (Preston E. Moore was there in 1870, and he is a Topic of Special Obsession (TSO)).... And please, please - Samuel Moore's wife (wives?) and parents? No piece of information is too insignificant, no courthouse is too remote. I will get the information on these people.
2. My #1 Brick Wall, Susan Elizabeth Smith Bonner Brinlee. Looking for a Smith in Tennessee is like looking for a needle in a haystack. But I Will Do It.
3. "Reverse orphans." I described this phenomenon when I hosted the "85th Editions of the Carnival of Genealogy: Orphans and Orphans" and was surprised to find out how many other researchers also get involved in researching these people with no direct descendants. And although Preston Moore is apparently not a reverse orphan, he's still a Moore, so I am still obsessed with him.
4. Visiting and researching in all the states that my ancestors have lived in, which covers all of the South and border states (except for Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi), Vermont, and Illinois as well as a good part of the mid-Atlantic states.
5. Learning everything there is to know about the Elisha Lewis-Rosannah Dalrymple family and the Elisha Berry Lewis-Martha Poole family.
6. Finding all of my husband's ancestors back to the first immigrants (his ancestors arrived here between the 1850s and 1910s, so I am hoping this is feasible). And, as usual, this includes all of the collateral lines.
7. Using some clues from DNA results to find the parents of brothers Hiram Brinlee Sr. and George Brinlee.
8. Finding George Floyd's parents: was his father William Floyd (as several of us think) or James Floyd (as written by the grandson of George's younger brother Ransom to my great-grandfather Charles Augustus Floyd)?
9. Finding out how my great-great grandmother Emily Tarrant fits into the Greenville, South Carolina Tarrant families.
10. There is no #10 right now. But I have a feeling that research will lead me to another one - you know, the next brick wall. One that really intrigues me. One whose story I absolutely MUST know.
5 comments:
I suspect that your comment at the end of #1 ("I will get the information on these people.") is the root of all genealogy obsessions.ReplyDelete
Greta, It's no surprise that you are obsessed with genealogy. Nice to see some familiar surnames and locations mentioned in your post. Here's to you in solving a few brickwalls and finding a few more...you need to keep busy!ReplyDelete
#1 last sentence, #2: You Go Girl! I'm sure you'll succeed, Greta.ReplyDelete
So with you on these. I'd need only to change a name or two and some (but not all!) locations. The Reverse Orphans especially resonate with me. Frequently their lives are more interesting than their siblings' lives.ReplyDelete
Bart - yeah, sometimes we can be a little extreme, can't we? I guess you could call us "devoted to digging."ReplyDelete
Barbara - Thanks, it's good to have an obsession that people actually encourage you in!
Nancy - Thanks - hoping that wishes will turn into reality. And may you also succeed in finding those hiding ancestors!
Susan - Exactly! I get so wrapped up in some of those (however many great) uncles and aunts - some real characters there.