text:
Occasionally we get asked – almost always from someone in the vendor community – why nobody audits the analyst research. For instance, here is an email from when I was the Director of AR for a major vendor: "Does anyone in the AR community ever take analysts to task for the accuracy of their predictions? There would seem to be a huge 'debunking' potential here – auditing the accuracy or otherwise of their claims."
When the response by one of my AR colleagues was "Answer to your question is Naaah, we don't take 'em to task, though it would be enjoyable," the original correspondent asked:
"I'm surprised that no-one in the industry takes them to task. Given the large fees charged for reports and prognostications it would be a real service for an independent agency to review the material 12, 24 and 36 months down the road and measure accuracy. This seems like serious low-hanging watermelon for someone with knowledge of the AR field to do as an independent and charge $$$ for their reports (hint: could even be done evenings and weekends and bring in some nice fees in addition to the day job :-)"
Because I just had a similar conversation with someone from Europe a couple of weeks ago, I thought I would go ahead and put my email answer to my then colleague into this post.
"If it was that easy and somebody (e.g., vendors or end users) would be willing to pay good dollars, don't you think that there would be many firms offering such a service?
The task is actually incredibly difficult, expensive to do, fraught with copyright issues, and nobody is willing to pay for such a service.
Sure the vendors would all love to have someone 'expose' the analysts, but they don't want to make any effort or pay any money – and most importantly – be identified as someone paying to try and discredit the analysts. Many vendors fear analyst retaliation so they would not want their fingerprints on such a service.
Reporters are not interested in whether the analysts are accurate or not, because they like the arrangement where they easily get fodder for their articles. If they couldn't just pick up the phone and call their friendly industry analyst for a quote to pad their stories, they would have to work harder.
Enterprise analyst clients, usually IT managers, are not interested in whether the analysts are usually accurate because they are looking for 'good enough' insights that will help them with their jobs. They know the analysts are often only giving 'educated guesses' and that is fine because 'good enough' has more than enough accuracy for the task at hand.
Very significantly, it is not the knowledge of AR that would permit someone to audit the analyst predictions, but domain expertise in the market for each prediction. For example, Gartner's Predictions for 2006 and beyond had 41 research notes in the series published in November and December 2005. That would require at least 41 market domain experts to evaluate the predictions. Each research note contains on average five predictions. So there are likely over 200 predictions that would have to be audited. Of course, assuming one could one's hands on the research notes without getting sued for copyright violations.
There is also the issue of how to grade the research and predictions of the analysts. In November 2004 as part of its year-end Gartner Predicts series, there was the following information 'By 2007, three of the top 10 PC vendors will exit the market (0.7 probability).' Well, since the prediction two of the top 10 (IBM and Gateway) did exit the PC market. While not 100% accurate, one could argue that it was well within the '0.7 probability.' So how would this prediction be graded?"
Since I wrote that response to a colleague, blogging has exploded onto the scene. My most recent conversation included a riposte by the person I was talking to about the effect that the blogosphere changes everything when it comes to auditing the analysts. While blogs provide an easy and cheap platform for publishing and there is the possibility of crowdsourcing or communitizing the work of auditing, it still does not eliminate the hard work involved, copyright issues, and individual motivation. What I have seen to-date is mainly people criticizing the analysts and saying how bad the analyst research is, but what I have not seen are people doing the hard work of analyzing specific analyst output, grading the analyst output, and backing up their analysis with proof. I would be delighted to see the blogosphere systematically audit the analyst research, but I am not going to hold my breath.
Bottom Line: Complaining about the poor quality of industry analyst predictions is a perennial topic for blogs and AR professionals congregating in bars at conferences. While fun to complain about, there does not appear to be a business model to support a commercial auditing service. We also don't see the motivations that would create a movement to create some sort of unpaid community effort to accuracy check the analysts.
Question: How much would you pay to have someone audit the analyst research?


text:
Charismatic Abstract Printed Flat and Round Drop Earrings
Aesthetically made to create an appeal to your look, this charismatic abstract printed, flat and round drop earrings with a black rectangle piece stud exhibits the attention you aim to your look. This pair from Beauty Gonzalez shows an uncommon poise an earring can bring to your style.
We ship from our warehouses located in Philippines, Southeast Asia /or directly from our supplier. Delivery times might be different according to your country and product availability.
Shipping & Handling Charges are as follows:
We offer delivery across Phillipines. Rates may vary depending on region (refer to figures at checkout page)
The processing time for orders is 3-5 business days. After that, delivery time within the Philippines is 3-6 days, and 10-15 business days internationally. Please keep in mind that during holidays or limited edition launches, this time may vary. Thank you for your patience.
We are not responsible for any shipping deliveries that may be affected by customs, natural occurrences, transfers from logistics to the local carrier in your country or air and ground transportation strikes or delays, nor any extra fees, customs or back end charges once the package has exited the Philippines.
Packages undeliverable by international 3rd party logistic companies and/or their international shipping partners will be cancelled and refunded once received and processed at our shipping hub.
We accept Cash on Delivery, Credit/Debit Card, and Online Banking Transfers. Product exchanges are available for defunct products (refer to returns/refunds policy) ONLY. All sales are final.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Dear Annie: My husband and I have been married for 30 years. We have four wonderful children, all college graduates with great jobs in their chosen careers. They are also involved in long-term relationships with people we like and respect.
So what's the problem? One of my daughters is at least 40 pounds overweight and doesn't seem to be doing anything about it. No one else in our family has a weight problem. We have always led an active lifestyle and encouraged healthy eating habits. We first noticed our daughter's weight gain when we visited her at college. Her roommates were overweight, and she said they all ate when they were stressed. She seems to have continued with those bad habits.
Whenever I try to discuss this with her, she shuts me down and says she doesn't want to talk about it. Her boyfriend is also overweight, so I'm sure that doesn't help. I worry that if she doesn't get a handle on this while she's young, it will become more difficult as she gets older. Do you have any suggestions that will help me encourage her to lose weight?
-- Frustrated Mom
Dear Mom: Your daughter knows she is overweight and probably doesn't like it any more than you do. But losing weight is difficult, and she must be motivated. Since her college friends and her boyfriend also have weight issues, she may have come to see her size as acceptable, and her eating habits also reflect the way she has been living for the past few years.
We know how hard it is for you to see your daughter struggle with something that will have an impact on her health, but she is an adult, and this is a do-it-yourself project. Just tell her you love her and want her to be healthy, and hope that she will do the rest on her own.
Dear Annie: Thank you for reprinting the list of symptoms of colon cancer. Could you add this one: extreme fatigue?
My husband noticed none of the symptoms listed. But when he became so tired after getting dressed in the morning that he had to lie down and rest, I finally got him to see a doctor. The fatigue was caused by internal bleeding from a tumor in his colon. He needed a blood transfusion and surgery. With chemo, he survived his stage-three colon cancer and has been cancer-free for seven years. I won't comment on men who refuse to see a doctor regularly, but I'm sure you get the picture.
-- Vermont
Dear Vermont: Thank you for the additional information. The problem with many symptoms is that they are vague. Things like fatigue can fall into many categories, some serious, some not, and both doctors and patients tend to dismiss them until they are advanced enough to be of concern. This is why it is so important for each of us to be an advocate for our own health.
Dear Annie: I would like to respond to "Disgusted in N.Y.," who said that her 85-year-old aunt never received a bath by the staff while in the hospital for six weeks.
I also ran into this problem with my 95-year-old father. When he was hospitalized, he went more than three months without a bath. However, it was not the fault of the nurses or anyone else. My father absolutely refused to be bathed.
When I approached the staff about this, they said it was his right to refuse. He is extremely private and would not allow anyone to give him any care that he felt impinged on his dignity. A patient of sound mind has the right to refuse treatment.
I'm not saying neglect doesn't happen in some facilities. But before you judge, find out the whole story and carefully question the patient alone and in front of the health professional.
-- A Daughter in Florida
Annie's Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please email your questions to anniesmailboxcomcast.net, or write to: Annie's Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254.


text:
Fergie—the Duchess, not the pop queen—is not invited to the April wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, according to People.
Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, was not one of the 1,900 family and friends on the guest list.
Her daughters, Princess Beatrice, 22, and Princess Eugenie, 20, first cousins of princes William and Harry, are expected to attend.
U.S. & World
The Duchess has also turned down any and all wedding-related offers.
"She has declined all commercial work relating to the wedding," a spokesman said in People.
The snub did not come as a surprise to the 51-year-old duchess, who last year tried to sell access to ex-hubby Prince Andrew for 500,000 British pounds.
"She never expected to be invited," her spokesman said.
Fergie has long been estranged from the British Royal Family. In 1992, with her relationship with Prince Andrew already on the rocks, topless photos of her allegedly sucking on an American businessman's toes appeared in a British tabloid, shattering her image.
The Duchess will be out of the country during April's ceremony.
She is currently working on a six-part documentary for the Oprah Winfrey Network about her personal struggles with relationships, money, and weight.


text:
Instead of a company collecting its own data from its machines by purchasing a server—which can cause a plethora of technical issues, including patching, upgrading, malware, viruses, not to mention a large expense—a cloud computing service for manufacturing is often a more practical option. This is a large server farm that someone else runs and maintains, leaving the hassles of doing it yourself in the hands of the "cloud."
MT Connect, a good example of cloud computing for manufacturing today, is an open and royalty-free protocol standard that allows manufacturing equipment to have a common language to exchange information. As machine tools start spitting out gigabytes of information per hour, it doesn't make sense to store all this locally. But storing this information in the "cloud" securely and using as many or as few processors as needed to analyze this data can be a better choice.
Featured Content
Performance data from the machine tools can offer an objective, unbiased method that the cells can use to evaluate their machines' capabilities, to identify opportunities and to measure improvements for machining processes. For this reason, developing a system to monitor machine tool health and status is a priority for many machine shops, and MT Connect offers real-time data diagnostics to show how well machines are performing.
To discover more benefits of MT Connect and to read about some companies' experiences using MT Connect, visit "MT Connect is for Real" and "MT Connect: Two Shops Share Their Experience."
To learn more about the basics and history of cloud computing, read "Cloud Computing in Manufacturing."


text:
ESPN says Washington Nationals pitcher Gio Gonzalez did not obtain banned performance enhancing drugs from the South Florida Biogensis Clinic Sources: Docs link 5 players to clinic:
According to two sources familiar with Bosch's operation, however, the Washington Nationals' Gio Gonzalez, previously identified as being named in Biogenesis documents, did not receive banned substances from Bosch or the clinic.
Both sources, speaking independently, identified Gonzalez as the only Bosch client named thus far who did not receive performance-enhancing drugs. A document obtained by "Outside the Lines" bolsters their case: On a computer printout of clients, Gonzalez, identified by the code name "Gladiator," is said to have received $1,000 worth of substances, but under "notes" are several substances not banned by Major League Baseball: "gluthetyn" (which a source said was a misspelling of glutathione), "IM [intramuscular] shots" and amino acids.
Glutathione is an anti-oxidant, and one source said the "IM shots" Gonzalez received were "MICs," a medically dubious but legal combination of methionine, inositol and choline, often used for weight loss.
So, that's good. I still wish he wasn't pitching in the World Baseball Classic. I am not pleased that Ross Detwiler has joined him – 40% of the rotation is potentially pitching in it now. I'd rather they work up their intensity the traditional way. Throw in Danny Espinosa and his torn rotator cuff in his non-throwing shoulder and welp…
World Baseball Classic now a prime concern for Nationals The Wash. Times
Between the WBC and Bryce Harper on the cover of Sports Illustrated, the spring is nothing but doom for the Nats. Harper has bulked up in the offseason (The Post)
40 days until Opening Day…


text:
Jaguar CX-16 Concept
Exciting news are coming from Jaguar right before Frankfurt Auto Show. They will be revealing the new CX-16 Concept, a two seater that will compete in the smaller Porsche Cayman class, meaning it will be more affordable than the 911 class.
It will come with a 3.0 liter, 375 horsepower V6 engine. Supplementing this is an electric motor producing up to 94HP, available to the driver at the push of a steering-wheel boost button. Allied to an eight-speed gearbox and mounted in a lightweight aluminum chassis this allows the C-X16 to sprint to 62 mph (100 kmh) in 4.4 seconds. The interior showcases interesting future technologies such as multimodal rotary controls that incorporate miniature OLED screens, which reconfigure to reflect the different functions that can be performed via the controls, all of which are designed for maximum compatibility between sports car needs and everyday usability.


text:
At last someone from politicians finally volunteered for the cause of peace in Pakistan. We cannot expect any good from parliamentarians, government, army or agencies to work for the cause of peace because it will not serve their greed and lust for power.
People like Imran Khan , other leaders from PTI and Jamat e Islami,Ulemas who are trusted by tribesmen and other religious and political figures need to make a joint effort for this cause and this should be backed by the trust of Pakistani people and government.
Army and agencies shouldn't try to deceive the people this time as they have already created a huge mess just for dollars and to serve their imperialist masters.
We support this initiative from Imran Khan and demand the government and urge the people to honestly support it.
We need to get out of this war against humanity and peace, we are already too late and cannot afford more damage.
We oppose the killings of innocent people in army actions, suicide bombings or in any other way.
Imran says he got positive response from Taliban
The News
Source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=212671
By Ansar Abbasi
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf chief Imran Khan, who on Wednesday offered his services and even showed the willingness to go to the tribal areas to get the mounting terrorism issue resolved through political dialogue, got encouraging response from the Taliban side. His appeal, however, seems to have fallen on the governmentís deaf ears.
The cricket hero-turned-social worker, Imran Khan, told The News on Thursday that after his Wednesday's press conference, he was contacted by some important Taliban groups, who posed their full confidence in him for political solution of the problem. Khan said that no one from the government side contacted him though.
Imran Khan on Wednesday volunteered to mediate between the government and the Taliban leadership to bring peace, claiming that the menace of terrorism was bound to grow because of the military operation in South Waziristan and in the absence of a political solution.
In his press conference, he had said that if the government gave him the mandate, he was willing to travel to the tribal areas and elsewhere to negotiate peace. His only pre-condition to mediation between the two sides was that the government would not let the US-pressure to ruin his peace efforts like the past.
While some people believe the government has no political strategy to address the issue and is entirely dependent on the military operation that has allegedly aggravated the problem, Imran has taken a bold step amidst great chances that he would be dubbed pro-Taliban by confused Pakistanis and arrogant foreigners.
Imran Khan got an encouraging reaction from some Taliban leaders. Khan said that he was now even considering convening an all parties conference (APC) on the issue. Jamaat-e-Islami and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazlur Rehman Group) are also opposed to the military operation and seek a political solution to the problem by revisiting Pakistanís policy on the US war on terror, formulating an independent foreign policy and bringing an immediate halt to the military operation in the tribal areas, particularly South Waziristan.
Although, Maulana Fazlur Rehman is not appearing in the media these days, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Professor Munawar Hasan has become vocal in his opposition to the military operation. Interestingly, the PML-N is also not supportive of the present military operation but it lacks the guts to public its demand a political solution to terrorism. However, the party is not making its views public amid reports that it does not want to irritate Washington that is today quite pleased with the party and its top leadership.
In this situation, Imran Khanís daring initiative to do what others are shy to do, is expected to bring pressure on all other pro-dialogue parties, including the PML-N, the JI and the JUI(F) to sit together and chalk out a strategy where the government could be pressurised to save its innocents, whether in the tribal areas or in settled areas of Pakistan from being killed.


text:
Retreatment With High Doses of pegIFN Alfa-2a and Ribavirin of Previous Nonresponders HIV-coinfected Patients With Cirrhosis Due to HCV 1-4
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01006031
Recruitment Status : Completed
First Posted : November 1, 2009
Last Update Posted : December 30, 2011
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- No Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of high doses of both peginterferon-alfa 2a (360 ug per week) plus ribavirin (800 mg b.i.d.) in HIV-infected patients with compensated liver cirrhosis by HCV genotype 1 or 4 without previous virological response(*) to a standard dose treatment of both drugs.
(*) Non previous virological response: no decrease of plasma RNA-HCV at least 2 log10 after 12 weeks in treatment or breakthrough viremia while on treatment.
Additionally, this study will evaluated the influence of simultaneous peginterferon-alfa 2a and ribavirin plasma concentrations on early viral response (EVR) and sustained viral response (SVR) in these patients.
Method: Pilot clinical trial, phase II-III, open labeled multicenter in which patients from several hospitals of the Servicio Andaluz de Salud will be enrolled.
The usual clinical and analytical follow up will be performed but additional blood samples will be obtained for determination of interferon and ribavirin plasma levels. The primary end point will be a sustained virologic response (defined as an undetectable serum HCV-RNA after 24 weeks after the cessation of treatment). Likewise, rapid virological response (at 4 weeks of treatment), early virological response (at 12 weeks), and end of treatment response rates will be evaluated as well as their relationships with the plasma interferon an ribavirin concentrations determined by ELISA and HPLC, respectively. The safety and tolerability of the studied medications will be evaluated by means of clinical adverse events, physical examination and laboratory results. The evolution of liver fibrosis will be evaluated comparing the basal and end of treatment results of transient elastometry.
|Condition or disease
|Liver Cirrhosis Hepatitis C Virus HIV Infection
|Drug: Pegylated interferon alfa-2a and Ribavirin
|Phase 2 Phase 3
|Study Type :
|Interventional (Clinical Trial)
|Actual Enrollment :
|25 participants
|Intervention Model:
|Single Group Assignment
|None (Open Label)
|Primary Purpose:
|Official Title:
|Efficacy of High Doses of Both Pegylated Interferon Alfa-2a and Ribavirin for Retreatment of HIV-coinfected Patients With Liver Cirrhosis Due to HCV Genotype 1 or 4 Nonresponders to Previous Standard Therapy.
|Study Start Date :
|October 2009
|Actual Primary Completion Date :
|December 2011
|Actual Study Completion Date :
|December 2011
Experimental: PegIFN alfa-2a and Ribavirin
HIV-coinfected patients with compensated cirrhosis by hepatitis C virus, genotype 1 or 4.
Drug: Pegylated interferon alfa-2a and Ribavirin
Pegylated interferon alfa-2a (360 ug per week) plus oral Ribavirin (800 mg b.i.d.) for 48 or 72 weeks. The treatment will be discontinued for patients who did not achieve a reduction with respect to baseline of at least 0.5 log10 IU/ml in plasma RNA-HCV levels at week 4 or 2 log10 UI/ml at week 12 and will be considered as viral failures.
Duration: 48 weeks for patients reaching an undetectable plasma RNA_HCV at week12 and 72 weeks for those without a negative viremia at week 12 but a reduction of at least 2 log10 IU/ml in RNA-HCV levels.
Other Names:
- Sustained viral response (undetectable serum HCV-RNA) [ Time Frame: Throughout treatment and 24 weeks after finishing it ]
- Relationships between the plasma interferon an ribavirin concentrations and efficacy [ Time Frame: Throughout treatment and 24 weeks after finishing it. ]
- safety and tolerability of the studied medications [ Time Frame: Throughout treatment and 24 weeks after finishing it ]
- The evolution of liver fibrosis will be evaluated comparing the basal and end of treatment results of transient elastometry [ Time Frame: baseline and after finishing treatment ]
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age older than 18 years
- HIV-infected patients with compensated liver cirrhosis by HCV genotype 1 or 4 without previous virological response(*) to a standard dose treatment of both drugs.
- Women of child-bearing age: negative pregnancy test
- Ability to understand and sign a written consent form
Exclusion Criteria:
- HCV genotypes different to 1 or 4
- Acute or chronic hepatitis B infection (positivity for hepatitis B surface antigen or plasma DNA) or other concomitant causes of liver disease
- Pregnancy or breast feeding.
- Decompensated liver disease at baseline.
- Neutropenia <1000/uL, anemia <100 g/L or thrombocytopenia <20.000/uL.
- Creatinine clearance < 50 mL/min.
- Concomitant treatment with immunomodulators or zidovudine, didanosine or stavudine.
- Organ or bone marrow transplantation
- Current alcoholism or iv drug abuse. Methadone is allowed.
- Current neoplasm and/or anti-tumor chemotherapy or immunomodulators
- Psychosis or uncontrolled clinical depression
- Auto-immune disease, including auto-immune hepatitis
- History of significant cardiovascular disease (NYHA III-IV) including but not limited to uncontrolled hypertension, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, coronary artery surgery and congestive heart failure.
- Thyroid dysfunction.
- Clinically significant retinal abnormalities
- Inability to understand and sign a written consent form
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01006031
|Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía
|Cordoba, Spain
|Hospitales Universitarios Virgen del Rocío
|Seviila, Spain
|Hospital Universitario de Valme
|Sevilla, Spain
|Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena
|Sevilla, Spain
|Study Director:
|Luis F Lopez-Cortes, MD, PhD
|Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla. Hospitales Universitarios Virgen del Rocío
|Principal Investigator:
|Luis F Lopez-Cortes, MD, PhD
|Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla. Hospitales Universitarios Virgen del Rocio
|Principal Investigator:
|Antonio Rivero, MD, PhD
|Hospital Universitario Reina Sofia. Cordoba
|Principal Investigator:
|Mª Jose Rios-Villegas, MD, PhD
|Hospital Universitario Viren MAcarena. Sevilla
|Principal Investigator:
|Juan A. Pineda, MD, PhD
|Hospital Universitario de Valme. Sevilla
|Responsible Party:
|Antonio Rivero, Luis Fernando Lopez-Cortes, Sociedad Andaluza de Enfermedades Infecciosas
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|First Posted:
|November 1, 2009 Key Record Dates
|Last Update Posted:
|December 30, 2011
|Last Verified:
|December 2011
Liver cirrhosis
Hepatitis C virus
HIV infection
Pegylated interferon alfa-2a
Treatment experienced
Hepatitis C
HIV Infections
Liver Cirrhosis
Liver Diseases
Digestive System Diseases
Hepatitis, Viral, Human
Virus Diseases
RNA Virus Infections
Flaviviridae Infections
Lentivirus Infections
Retroviridae Infections
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes
Immune System Diseases
Pathologic Processes
Interferon alpha-2
Peginterferon alfa-2a
Antineoplastic Agents
Antiviral Agents
Anti-Infective Agents
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
Immunologic Factors
Physiological Effects of Drugs


text:
Great pub, traditional style, warm welcome & good food.
Hi David,
We were very pleased with you and your drivers work over the Silverstone weekend and I would be delighted to discuss future possibilities.
Many thanks for all your assistance.
Kind regards,
Mr Lyes,
Just a quick note to say thanks for the minibus on Saturday night. The driver turned up bang on time and was extremely polite and professional. I will recommend WAG'S EXECUTIVE PRIVATE HIRE...
Hi Wag,
I'd like to say thank you for the excellent service that you provided it all went wonderfully smoothly - and the price just fantastic. You will definitely be my first port of call in the future...
Hi Tony,
Thank you for your email. I am pleased to say we were very happy with the service you provided. On the journey home we asked the driver if it would be possible to make an extra drop off that...
I tried out a great new service in Newmarket this week who we found to be efficient communications for booking (via internet, phone or mail), punctual with clean, comfortable vehicle & friendly...
I used your company back on the 18th of April to travel to Newmarket from Sawston and return. I just wanted to say a big thanks for your friendlyness and professionalism. It made a nice change and...
Hi there,
I just wanted to drop you a line on behalf of the group booking that David took care of on Sat 4th June at 9.30pm from Centre Parcs, Thetford to Newmarket, return.
The service from start...
I got the cab from stansted to norwich and return the weekend (my first time in Norwich), just like to say thanks it was a great service it really made our weekend perfect, my cousin is playing for Norwich...
Highly recommended. I have had lots of installations over the years and they are well recommended. Very tidy works too.
Excellent impartial advice from a family run business. A far better service than the multi - national stores. Highly recommended.
We went and had a lovely meal with a nice bottle of wine and all reasonably priced
I recommend Fenway for it's first class service and very professional service
A first class company always happy to help you and they give excellent advice
So helpful and take the time to explain what is needed. They go the extra mile to make you feel like a customer and not just another punter through their door
I a cracking pint of beer, in a village pub with a great atmosphere . The food is lovely with large portions and John made me feel very welcome.
Took us to the airport all went well. Clean comfortable cars and collected and arrived on time - a stress free start to the holiday!


text:
User Tag List
Thread: Ask The Expert: Batting tips
Results 1 to 8 of 8
5th December 2011, 09:09 #1
Ask The Expert: Batting tips
PakPassion is delighted to announce the next edition of our Ask the Expert section. This time we be focused on - Batting. Thanks to all who sent in questions.
Who better to discuss this with then Mohammad Haroon. Haroon is a former first class cricketer who has been coaching for many years. He is currently undertaking the ECB Level 4 qualification and has worked with many international cricketers over the years, including Mohammad Asif.
Haroon's work can also be found at PitchVision.
roshan s
Age: 19
Level: College team
Position: Middle order bat, usually 2nd down and sometimes as opener
I am a right-handed batsman and I am really struggling playing leg spinners and left arm orthodox bowlers. Please suggest some tips on batting against leg spinners and left arm orthodox bowlers.
Mohammad Haroon: The reasons a batsmen could struggle against leg spinners and left arm orthodox bowling is not picking the length early enough, not taking into account the type of wicket or the angle of the delivery coming towards batsman. So I would suggest, try to pick the length early and try not to predict if the ball is going to pitch up or short, be ready for all the lengths. Secondly, try to read the wicket and see how much the ball is going to turn this will bring more confidence in your game. Then look at the angle the ball is approaching to you so that your feet movement is more effective. And lastly, if possible watch the ball more efficiently in the air to see the number of revolutions a bowler is putting on the ball
roshan s
Age: 19
Level: College team
Position: Middle order bat, usually 2nd down and sometimes as opener
Are trigger movements necessary? Sometimes I use back and across trigger movement against medium pacers, which gives me time to play horizontal shots like the pull and hook shot. The disadvantage is that sometimes I miss the straight ball and get lbw.
Mohammad Haroon: My personal opinion is that trigger movements are not for everyone. They are not something to easily adapt to or get rid off. So whatever is working for you is suitable for you. To bring technical changes in the game I always suggest specialist one to one session with a coach.
If you are getting out to straighter balls, it might be due to lack of practice or being complicated in your thought process. To address this issue, you just need to practice more. Practice against bowling machine or throw-downs by mixing the length of the ball.
roshan s
Age: 19
Level: College team
Position: Middle order bat, usually 2nd down and sometimes as opener
Can you suggest specific forearms and shoulders exercises or various other exercises that help to add power to the shots?
Mohammad Haroon: To play any sport requires certain level of power strength and flexibility. To play cricket we do not only need power and strength but flexibility too. Appropriate gym work requires keeping in mind all three things to bring improvements in a player. Too much bodybuilding can decrease your flexibility.
It is not only the forearms which bring power into the shots, in fact our base which are legs, thigh and groin area needs to be strengthened too. Lunges and squats are very good exercises as these will help give you better transfer of weight into your shots. To help build your forearm and shoulders, what you can do is use a bat and ball and hold the bat from the handle with both hands and gently bounce the ball in a continuous motion with small dabs on the face of the bat. Spread your arms so that they are not too close to the chest and start gradually bouncing the ball, closely watching the ball. When you are comfortable, take one hand off and try it again with each hand. This is a brilliant exercise to work on your forearm and shoulders and I have seen lots of cricketers benefit from this. In addition, it increases hand-eye coordination. Light weight training is effective as well.
Age: 21
Level: BackYard Cricketer
Position: Middle Order bat
I am really struggling to sweep the ball, please advise how I can improve this aspect of my game.
Mohammad Haroon: The sweep shot is played on the length not on the line of the delivery so every ball which pitches on the leg side doesnt mean it could be swept. Normally a sweep is played on a good length ball which is about four yards from the wicket. Sweeping on a ball that is too full in length or too short in length is not a safe option. Some batsmen try to hit too hard while sweeping, which makes the sweep, shot riskier. Try to time the shot by using the pace of the ball rather than hitting it too hard. Keep the head still and pick the right length. Start practising with a pre-established position of sweeping and gradually play from the stance. This will help improve your ability to sweep.
Age: 26
Level:Sunday League
Position: Opener
Over the last season, I have serious issues in playing the ball that is coming onto my legs. Most of the times the ball that pitches anywhere and comes in towards me is blocked or hit on my pads, really no chance to play them across the line. Overall I feel I have lost my leg side game unless the ball is pitched short.
Mohammad Haroon: Try to pick the line and length early and get into the right position to play the shot. Try not to hit the ball too hard and use the pace of the bowler. Try to keep your toes towards the line of the ball and keep your head still.
Age: 19
Level: Grade Cricket
Are there any specific exercises for improving your reflex times, reflexes, and reacting to the ball faster in general while batting.
Mohammad Haroon: This is something which can be done in throw-downs or with a bowling machine by keeping the distance short and with rapid fire all the while keeping safety in the mind. Initially use rapid fire tennis balls under arm throw downs from 6-8 yards then gradually move on to cricket balls and then use a bowling machine with quick fire bowling by keeping realistic speed. Playing squash is useful for improving reflexes too.
Age: 30
Level: Amateur level
Position: Lower order
I have a tendency to play every ball on the back foot. Even though my first movement may be the front foot, naturally I end up on my back-foot. How do I resolve this? I have tried to talk to myself between balls, but it just doesn't seem to work.
Mohammad Haroon: There are very few batsmen in the world who are equally good on both front and the back foot. So it should not be a big worry as long as you have your positives working for you all the time. If you have a strong back foot game, it is still a very good skill. If you want to improve on your front foot game, go in the nets and get some throw-downs in the nets and get used to playing on the front foot.
The other thing I am gathering is that you are talking too much to yourself when batting. I think you need more practice so that you do not need to talk to yourself when out in the middle. When the ball is coming towards you, you need full concentration to face the ball. Let the decision-making become a part of your game. The only way to achieve that is to practice more on both the front and back foot as effectively as you can.
Age: 30
Level: Amateur level
Position: Lower order
I am very uncomfortable playing with a helmet. It seems the visor is always in my vision and hence I generally don't play with one. Am I wearing the wrong type of helmet, or not wearing it properly? Or is it just a matter of just practising with a helmet?
Mohammad Haroon: Equipment is very vital in cricket. If you have proper and suitable equipment, it makes the delivery of your skill easier. Your helmet as you have rightly said, is disturbing you as it is preventing you from sighting the ball, and hence you need to look at the equipment. The helmet may not be of good quality or I suspect that maybe you do not have the correct size helmet. There are helmets available which are adjustable, in that you can move the visor up and down.
I strongly believe that modern cricket demands modern equipment as well. Before players would play without helmets, now I think a helmet should be worn as it gives you extra safety and allows you to play more freely without the fear of getting injured. Cricket is very much a professional game, so it is important that you look after yourself with the right quality safety gear.
Age: undisclosed ( but old!)
Level: Occasional player
Position: Specialist No 11
Have a question about stance:
Imran Khan had some weird stance where his bat was never on the ground but held in such a way that, at least to the untrained eye, it was ready to hit the ball - I try copying that but always get bowled as I am never able to get my bat down in time!
Is this a good stance or should I be happy with the traditional bat on ground stance?
[B][color=blue] Every person is different from another in the way we think and the way we react, our limbs and our movement pattern are different. There are fundamentals which should be put right in place. Some players like Graham Gooch, Chris Broad, Imran Khan, Amir Sohail they would keep their bat high in the air at delivery and it would work for them. If you are able to play all your shots by keeping your bat on the ground, there is no reason to try and change it solely because one of the elite players in the world do it so. There are many cricketers who played without keeping the bat in the air. It is a matter of personal ease and technique. Try not to fix something which is not broken.
Level: Club Cricket
Position: Opener
I have a high back lift stance and I am very comfortable with it facing the faster bowlers, but I generally cut my backlift and take much lower stance against the spinners, so should I keep it this way or stick to one stance?
Mohammad Haroon: This is a good question. When we keep the bat in the air to face a bowler, our bottom hand becomes slightly loose on the grip of the bat handle. For some batters it is easier to come in the line of the ball but at the same time our ability to hit the ball over the fielders becomes less effective. Generally top order batters dont want to hit the fast bowlers in the air over mid on or mid off so this technique is adopted by those batsmen who just want to use pace of the quick bowlers. However, when it comes to face the spinners, its better we have strong bottom hand grip on the handle so that we can generate extra power to play the shots.
I recently moved up from the middle order to open. I am mainly a front foot player and can play a decent pull but sometimes struggle to put away fuller deliveries angled towards my pads. I think it has to do with balance at the crease. If so, how could I work to rectify that?
Mohammad Haroon: Before you were facing a semi-new ball lower down and now you are facing a new ball. When you are opening and facing a brand new ball, you need a different timing for your shots. Technically your front toes should be pointing towards where the ball is coming from. This makes it easier to play on the leg side. To maintain balance while playing towards leg side, try and keep your head in the line of the ball rather than falling over towards off side.
Cover Drive
Age: 21
Level: Club Cricket
Position: Middle Order
I have seen coaches saying that for a pull shot you should go across the stumps and then play, however, if one plant his front foot towards the direction of the ball [meaning where it lands] and then transfer his weight on back foot and plays the stroke wouldn't this be okay?
Mohammad Haroon: One defined technique is not for every one. Cricket has moved on, and nowadays players are batting with different techniques. If you watch Chanderpaul playing and see some other world class players play, they all have different techniques. Important thing is that you maintain your balance while batting.
Pull or hook are normally instinctive shots so if you are effectively playing these shots on front or back foot with good success rate I would not suggest to change anything. Viv Richards and Ricky Ponting, two fantastic hookers and pullers with different techniques one gets his front foot away from the line of the ball and plays on the back foot while the other brings his front foot towards the line of the ball and make contact with the bat even on the front foot.
16th October 2012, 01:41 #2
Good advice in this thread!
Full credit to Micky Arthur for realizing Babar Azam was born to bat at 3 in all formats.
29th January 2013, 20:42 #3
- Debut
- Jan 2013
- Venue
- united arab emirates
- Runs
- 0
- Mentioned
- 0 Post(s)
- Tagged
- 0 Thread(s)
i'm natural bowler i have in swing out-swing line length speed evrything of a bowler and i rarely play cricket these days but i want to become batsman because my batting is failure i hit every ball comes my way i can't play defensive i try it but still cannot is it mental problem or my temperament issue?
25th July 2013, 14:54 #4Local Club Regular
- Debut
- May 2009
- Runs
- 1,610
- Mentioned
- 0 Post(s)
- Tagged
- 0 Thread(s)
^^^ keep practicing. .. keep defending in nets, watch misbah bat... over the time you Will notice the change... got to have the hunger and mental toughness to stay at the wicket...
28th December 2013, 20:36 #5Debutant
- Debut
- Sep 2013
- Runs
- 11
- Mentioned
- 0 Post(s)
- Tagged
- 0 Thread(s)
I wanted somebody to give me some tips about playing the short ball/bouncer on chest height or face.I usually nudge it to the keeper or fend it off but i have problems and usually get out to short ball.
28th December 2013, 20:54 #6
The hook shot and the pull shot are instinctive shots. They are natural shots.
You have to get on top of the bounce and play the ball. If you are not getting much success with the pull and hook,try to practice ducking,swaying and dropping your wrists. You have to maintain a good balance and try to watch the ball right on to the bat if you chose to play the ball.
If the ball isn't short enough to really duck/sway,you can try to defend. You need to ride the bounce,watch the ball,play it late and defend it right near your feet.
I hope that I have helped you in some way.
19th October 2014, 19:33 #7
by some issues from last 6 months i have a problem.i am not able to pick ball.i used to love playing sheer pace but now i have some were in my mind that i cannot play them well.i can play any cricketing shot but this problem always resists me from scoring big runs.since i started playing cricket with leather ball i never been bowled by any even by bests in area i most often get run out.plz any suggested to be focused to pick ball early which i used to do before.
6th February 2019, 09:35 #8Debutant
- Debut
- Feb 2019
- Runs
- 4
- Mentioned
- 0 Post(s)
- Tagged
- 0 Thread(s)
thanks for your best tips.


text:
Languages at your meeting
Which languages do your listeners understand? Which languages do your speakers speak comprehensibly? Choosing the right languages for your meeting is crucial for its success.
- Published:
- Last updated:
Active languages are the languages into which interpretation is provided. All listeners will need to understand one of them in order to follow the proceedings.
Passive languages are the languages participants will be able to speak. There may be more passive languages than active languages.
Your choice of active and passive languages will determine your interpreting needs and budget. You will look for interpretation to cover active and passive languages according to your speakers' and listeners' language skills.
- Active and passive languages
- Relay language
- Languages used by international organisations
- Session-specific languages
- Booking interpreters
Active and passive languages
Here are some practical cases to illustrate the use of active and passive languages.
An international car launch by a Spanish carmaker for journalists from Germany, France and Italy... No questions allowed. Most of the journalists invited are used to covering news in their own language.
You will need passive English and active German, Italian and French. This means six interpreters (2 German-speaking, 2 Italian-speaking, 2 French-speaking), as they will alternate in 30-minute shifts.
They must all have a perfect understanding of English – including automotive terms – and a perfect command of the language they interpret into, usually their mother tongue.
An IT meeting where everyone understands English "computer-speak" but which includes Polish and Russian participants who do not feel comfortable speaking English.
You will need active English and passive Polish and Russian. You will need two English-language interpreters who can work from both Polish and Russian.
Your organisation's official languages are English, French, German and Spanish.
You will need active and passive English, French, German and Spanish. Participants will be able to listen and to speak any of these four languages.
The English-language interpreters will need to understand French, German and Spanish at a professional level; the French will need a full understanding of English, German and Spanish; and so on. You will need 8 interpreters – two for each language.
Relay language
A relay language is one of the conference languages which some interpreters will be listening to when they do not master the speaker's language. It is not always possible to find interpreters who speak all of the conference languages. Relay is best avoided, but is sometimes inevitable.
Italian and Chinese authorities are meeting to discuss cooperation. Italian-Chinese interpreters are not available.
In this case, your consultant interpreter will propose a team of two Chinese–English interpreters and two English–Italian interpreters. When Chinese is spoken, the Italian interpreters will listen to the English translation provided by the Chinese-English interpreters and then interpret that into Italian. English in this case is a relay language, used to facilitate interpretation between two other languages.
Languages used by international organisations
At most international conferences interpretation is offered in the official languages of the organisation. The UN uses 6 official languages at its meetings: English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic and Chinese.
The EU uses 23 official languages at some of its meetings; at others it uses fewer, with several in passive form. International federations and associations often have two or more official languages.
Session-specific languages
Not all sessions at a conference need the same languages. In Example 3 above, of an organisation with English, French, Spanish and German as official languages, for instance, the Budget Committee may have only German and English speaking members. There is no need for its meetings to have French and Spanish interpretation.
Separate choices can be made for each session. Your consultant interpreter can help you gauge the financial impact of different options.
Last-minute changes in your language requirements can be expensive, especially in the case of large teams of interpreters.
Booking interpreters
It is advisable to book your interpreters early, several months before your event. The best interpreters are often in high demand. Unusual language combinations may be hard to find at the last moment. Ask your AIIC consultant interpreter for advice.


text:
|There's more than one way to do things
comment on
|( #3333=superdoc: print w/replies, xml )
|Need Help??
actually, this documentation has never helped me. i just didn't get the difference of the two parameters.
a couple of years ago, when I had the problem to install an application onto the customers machine and the dependant modules (packaged with the application) into a certain directory nobody in c.l.p.m could really help me, and the MakeMaker docs didn't either. I only used the PREFIX parameter and was wondering how to predict in which directories the modules would end up (as this changed also between perl versions).
I happened to stumble over a website where Makefile.PL was called additionally with the LIB parameter (I don't remember where I found this). I tried it, and it just worked. Foo::Bar ended up reliably in prefix/Foo/Bar.pm, so that I knew that I could just say use lib qw(prefix);
But why?
So I think the docs are not really easy to understand. It says for PREFIX=~:
and for LIB=~/lib:
What exactly is the difference between "all files in the module" and "the module's architecture-independent files"? (Note that also using PREFIX will use a different directory for architecture dependant files.) If you read the documentation for LIB, you don't know why you still have to use PREFIX.
I think a part of the confusion is caused by the fact that both parameters can contradict each other (saying PREFIX=/foo/bar LIB=/foo/baz)
In reply to Re^2: What are the "prefix" and "lib" arguments to makefile.pl used for?
by tinita


text:
STATEN ISLAND, NY — A Jewish Community Center in Staten Island, NY, has made changes to its policies even before it opens next month. The changes came after Orthodox Jewish members expressed concerns about some of the facility's policies, especially about the JCC being open on Saturday, which is the Jewish Sabbath. On Saturdays, Orthodox Jews are not allowed to work, exchange money, exercise to the point of exertion, or start or stop electrical equipment such as treadmills.
While the JCC in the community of Seaview, NY, will remain open on Saturdays, management agreed to set separate hours for women and men in the pool, to implement a system so that no money changes hands on Saturdays and to not schedule any Saturday sporting events at the fitness center.
By remaining open on Saturdays, the 115,000-square-foot JCC can offer recreation opportunities to members of all faiths and backgrounds, says Ruth Lasser, spokesperson for the JCC.
"Not all of our members are Orthodox Jews or are Jewish," she says. "The vast majority of our Jewish members are thrilled that the opportunity will exist for them to participate in recreational programming in a Jewish environment on a day when most of them are not working."
The JCC worked with the community to get approval for its Saturday operating hours, she says.
"Our board of directors and executive staff were very wise to work with the local rabbis and open the dialogue with them early so there would not be any surprises," Lasser says. "Everyone had an opportunity to put forward their thoughts and come to an understanding on what would be the best for the overall community and the community at large."


text:
- Home
- Departments
- Development Services
- Business & Development Resources
- Business Licensing
Business Licensing
Business License Activity
A searchable report of business licenses issued and/or renewed is available in the permitting and licensing portal.
View the Business License Fee Schedule (PDF).
Contact Us
Business Licensing is part of Development Services, located on the west end of the main floor of City Hall at 435 Ryman Street. Call (406) 552-6121 or email for more information.
- General Business License
- Construction Contractor License
- Mobile / Itinerant Vendor
- Commercial Rental License
- Liquor LicenSe
- Medical Marijuana License
- Smart911 Facility
General Business License
Most businesses fall into this category. If you are providing goods or services in the City of Missoula that does not involve construction, commercial rentals or liquor, you will need a General Business License. A background check (PDF) is required for all owners and employees who go onto residential property for any purpose.
Business License Application (PDF)
Wastewater Classification Survey (FIllable PDF) *Must accompany all commercial location applications
*For all Home-based businesses located within Missoula City or County: Please fill out the Home Occupation Additional Info (PDF) Form and submit along with your application.
Construction Contractor
A Construction Contractor is someone who builds, repairs or installs materials or devices on new or existing commercial or residential property. Contractors are required to have General Liability Insurance, Workers' Compensation coverage or a Workers' Comp exemption.
A background check (PDF) is required for all contractors going onto residential property.
- Contractor Business License Application (PDF)
- Construction Contractor Requirements (PDF)
- Wastewater Classification Survey (FIllable PDF) *Must accompany all commercial location applications
- Home Occupation Additional Info Form (PDF) *For all home-based businesses located within Missoula City or County.
Mobile/Street Vendor
A mobile or itinerant vendor is anyone soliciting or providing goods and/or services in the City of Missoula out of a temporary location. All mobile vendors must pass a background check and route the application before they can set up for business.
There are specific guidelines for setting up on city streets that mobile vendors must comply with. Please see street vendor requirements.
Commercial Rental License
Anyone who has Commercial property available for rent or lease must obtain a Commercial Rental License. The fees are based on the square footage of the building.
Liquor License
Any person who has acquired a State of Montana Liquor License must also obtain a City of Missoula Liquor License before the sale or serving of alcoholic beverages. A copy of your State Liquor License must be submitted with your City Liquor License Application. The license must be posted for the public to see and there are no refunds if the business closes. All liquor licenses expire at midnight on January 31.
- Liquor License Application (PDF)
- Wastewater Classification Survey (FIllable PDF) *Must accompany all commercial location applications
The City Liquor License can be transferred upon application signed by the applicant for the transfer accompanied by evidence of approval of the transfer of the license by the Department of Revenue to the named business.
Medical Marijuana Business License Application
Any business that is involved in the "acquisition, possession, cultivation, manufacture, delivery, transfer or transportation of marijuana within the city limits" or if the owner of the business resides within city limits, must apply for a Medical Marijuana Business License.
How to Apply
What you will need to bring in with you to apply: Copies of drivers license/state picture or governmental ID of all owners and employees
The physical address of all owners and employees
The physical address of the business
Process and Length
How long it will take to obtain your license depends on where your business is located. The Police Department will need to verify the caregiver status of all employees and owners. This process can take up to 10 business days or longer depending how responsive The State of Montana Department of Health and Human Services.
Outside a Commercial Location
If you operate out of a commercial location, a City of Missoula Business License will not be issued until all appropriate departments have approved this location. This process can take up to 90 days.
- Business License Application (PDF)
- Wastewater Classification Survey (FIllable PDF) *Must accompany all commercial location applications
Emergency Preparedness for Businesses
Signing up with Smart911Facility is a great way for you to protect your business by allowing you to provide additional premise information for your business during an emergency 9-1-1 call. Missoula County provides Smart911Facility to all businesses and other organizations that operate and have physical locations in Missoula County at no cost.
Click here for more information and to register for Smart911Facility.


text:
Channel Vision >
Home Intercom Systems >
Channel Vision Intercom Door Stations > Channel Vision DP Series - Front Door Intercom
Designed to match popular lock and door hardware, Channel Vision's 1/4″ solid brass Front Door Intercoms provide residents with one of the largest selections available, including two sizes and eight different finishes. These units integrate a weather-resistant speaker/microphone, doorbell button, and wall plate into one entry unit. Both models are available in four different versions to suit a variety of systems, along with an option for a hidden camera. By combining the Front Door Intercom and camera with a Channel Vision RF modulator (sold separately), a complete residential audio/video access control package can be created.
Antique Brass, Antique Copper, Black, Chrome, Oil Rubbed Bronze, Polished Brass, Satin Nickel, White
Color Camera, No Camera
Cat5 Intercom Compatible, Panasonic Compatible, P-0920 & P-0921 Compatible, TE-AMP Included
Size: 50mm
Depth: 1.5 in
Impedance: 8 Ohms
Power Peak: 0.2W
Frequency Range: 500 Hz- 4.5 kHz
Waterproof: Yes
Camera Lens: 5.5mm
Resolution: 550 lines
S/N Ratio: More than 48 dB
Min Illumination: 0.2 LUX @ F2.0
Power Consumption: 12VDC, 65mA
Electronic Shutter: 1/60s – 1/100,000s
Iris Control: Automatic
White Balance: Automatic
Video Output: 1 Vp-p @ 75 ohms
Dimensions: 1.18" x 1.18" x 0.55" (30 x 30 x 18mm), camera only
Operating Temperature: -10˚C to 50˚C (14˚F to 122˚F)
DP-Series Instruction Manual
DP-Series Spec Sheet
Founded in 1993 and ranked among the top companies in the custom electronics industry, Channel Vision Technology is a leading manufacturer of innovative technology products in Home Automation, Structured Wiring Systems, Wireless Audio, Whole House Intercom Systems, Security Cameras and DVR's in both residential and commercial applications.
Its broad-range of electronic solutions are designed to provide lifestyle enhancements for residents, while equipping homes and business for greater safety, convenience and entertainment.
Bulk CCTV Store
41W195 Railroad Street, Unit A
Pingree Grove, IL 60140


text:
I was recently asked on Twitter why some Blue Line trains in the morning and at night go to Merlo, Elmonica, or Ruby Junction instead of all the way to Cleveland Ave or Hatfield Gov Center. Since Ruby Junction and Elmonica are the two yards where trains are stored when not in use, several runs will end such that the train can pull into the yard from the adjacent platform. Other runs will go to the ends of the line where the operator will clear the cars out and run the train out of service back to the yard.
During rush hour, there are a number of "tripper" trains that essentially function to get people to either downtown or slightly beyond, but they don't run the entire length of the Blue Line. The frequency of trains during rush hour means that if someone's destination is beyond where the tripper goes, a train to the end of the line will generally be only a few minutes behind it. However, these trains work well for most commuters' destinations.
Morning rush hour tripper as it appears on TriMet's webpage…
…and the paddle for that same train,
which runs only from one yard to the other
In the morning rush hour, westbound tripper trains have overhead signs to "Merlo/SW 158th." At this platform, the operator will clear the cars of passengers and then bring the train into the yard. The signal for westbound trains at Merlo allows for a choice of routes – a normal route on the mainline to the Elmonica platform or a diverging route into the Elmonica yard.
Out of service and into the yard, westbound from Merlo
The rest of the signs would say "Not in Service" but Type 1s have to be manually scrolled, so this still shows how it was set at the beginning of the trip.
This is somewhat different during the evening rush hour, when more people are heading out of the city than into it. One of the ways passengers are accommodated in the evening rush is by westbound Red Line trains turning into Blue Lines to Elmonica, Willow Creek, or Hatfield, allowing them to get farther west than Beaverton TC.
These trains run with overhead signs to "Gateway TC," "Ruby Jct/197th," or "City Center." The "City Center" train is the one in the morning that goes east from Hatfield to Old Town/Chinatown, into Interstate/Rose Quarter, out of service up to the Broadway Siding, and then back to Merlo and into the yard as shown above. Despite the announcements that start downtown and tell passengers that the last stop for this train is IRQ and all passengers must exit (there is no platform in the Broadway Siding and no safe place for passengers to exit the train), without fail passengers ask "Aren't you a Yellow Line to Expo?" at IRQ because this is the only scheduled train that makes a move like this.
View from the Broadway Siding – this train will go west from here to Merlo and then into the Elmonica Yard
The Gateway-bound trains are like regular Blue Line trains from Hatfield through 82nd Ave. From 82nd Ave, they go into the auxiliary track at Gateway through the pocket track, where all passengers will exit since there is no platform for them to safely exit the train in the auxiliary track. Those trains will then go west from the auxiliary track back to Merlo, where they will pull into the Elmonica yard.
The Ruby Junction trains will run as far east as the eastbound platform at Ruby/197th. Once there, the operator will clear the train of passengers and then bring the train into the yard for storage. Similar to the ABS signal at Merlo, the signal here also allows for a choice of routes to either continue east or into the yard.
Signal 120, eastbound at Ruby will show a red over yellow for trains heading into the yard
There are some other oddities with scheduling that people have questioned, like the westbound "Blue to Gateway TC" trains that are actually trains that leave the Ruby yard and run in service down Burnside to Gateway. At Gateway, the operator will swap cabs and continue to Clackamas as a Green Line as pictured.
I've posted this picture before – a Green Line that had come in from Burnside sits in the auxiliary track at Gateway. It will wait for that Red Line coming off the fishhook to go through the pocket track first. After the Red Line is gone, the Green Line will pull in to the pocket track, and the operator will swap cabs and call a route for Clackamas from there. This process is reversed in the evening, where a Green Line from Clackamas will pull into the pocket track and call a route for Gresham (technically the Ruby yard, but either way that requires going on the eastbound mainline) and continue back to Ruby. Similarly, Yellow Lines from Expo that are yardbound will call a route (no picture of that signal aspect handy) at IRQ that will send them through Rose Quarter and back to Ruby instead of the typical Yellow Line route over the Steel Bridge to downtown.


text:
Get the most out of your choice with our Portland sectional. This versatile design comes in beautiful mocha/espresso color and microfiber coating for easy cleaning. The Portland sectional loves to accommodate, by turning into an extremely comfortable queen size bed, including a spacious storage under the chaise lounge, convenient espresso wood trim on the arms and extra shelf storage on the side, and don't forget the tufted seating and back support, making this model a great option for comfort, convenience and of course style. A smart choice indeed.
- Upholstery material: Microfiber
- Upholstery color: Beige
- Seating Firmness: Medium
- Leg material: Wood
- Assembly required: Yes
- Converts into a queen size bed
- Elegant two-tone combination
- Storage ander chaise lounge
- Wood trim
- Overall W 100" x D 38" x H 39"
- Sofa W 64" x D 38" x H 39"
- Chaise W 36" x D 68" x H 39"
Additional Info
Additional Info
Curbside Delivery
What is Curbside Delivery?
Curbside Delivery is also known as Threshold Delivery. This is our standard delivery method. During this shipping method your items will arrive unassembled in its factory boxes. The freight company will deliver your items to your carport or entryway, and you will be responsible for getting it into your residence or business. Since furniture is heavy, you may require assistance from a friend or family member. If you have any questions about Curbside Delivery please give us a call at 800-345-7060.
White Glove Delivery is Only Offered in New York City and in the State of New Jersey.
What is White Glove Delivery?
White Glove Delivery is the delivery and installation of your furniture for extra charge. Please contact us at 800-345-7060 or email firstname.lastname@example.com for White Glove Delivery quote. White Glove Delivery consists of a two-person installation team that will deliver, unpack and install your furniture in your room of choice.
Limited Lifetime Warranty
Thank you for choosing Creative Furniture product. We express our confidence in our products by advising you of our Limited Lifetime Warranty. Please read the terms of coverage carefully.
Creative Furniture offers Limited Lifetime Warranty on all of its Frames. Creative Furniture frames will not twist, warp or crack, because we only use kiln-dried solid and laminated hardwoods. Structure is secured by corner blocks in all stress areas. Upholstered in the original fabric under normal household use and conditioning, is warranted to the original residential purchaser against defects in materials and workmanship for the lifetime of the product.
Creative Furniture warrants to customers that the suspension on all of Creative Furniture product is free from defective material and workmanship for the period of three (3) Years from the purchase of the product by the original residential purchaser under normal household use and conditioning.
Creative Furniture offers its customers one (1) Year Limited Warranty on all of reclining motion mechanisms. Incliner, swivel, and glider mechanisms will be free from defective materials and workmanship for a period of one (1) year from the date of purchase under normal household usage.
Creative Furniture warrants to customers that all electrical products (motors, hand controls and other electrical units) will be free from defective materials and workmanship for a period of one (1) year from the date of purchase under normal household usage.
All Creative Furniture sleeper mechanisms will be free from defective materials and workmanship for a period of two (2) years from the date of purchase under normal household usage.
Creative Furniture warrants all standard seat cushions against abnormal loss of foam resiliency for one (1) year from the date of purchase to the original residential purchaser. It is very important not to confuse normal softening that occurs in all foam with actual loss of resiliency.
Creative Furniture offers many different styles of cushioned seating to achieve the desired comfort and appearance. Seat and back cushions will conform to its user with usage and aging. All fiber and fiber foam combinations should be fluffed regularly to retain even distribution of fibers. To keep your new purchase in best condition, we suggest vacuuming (if fabric) and, if reversible, turning the cushions over on a regular basis for prolonged cushion life.
Although the mills offer us no warranty, Creative Furniture warrants all upholstery fabrics against defective material and seam slippage under conditions of normal use and prescribed cleaning for one (1) year from the date of purchase. Fabric damage or failure due to chemical treatments applied by the retailer or consumer, heavy soiling or improper cleaning will void this warranty. For major cleaning, consult with your retailer or a professional furniture cleaning service. Since manufacturers of upholstery fabrics do not guarantee products for wearing quality, color fastness, fabric shrinkage,fiber migration, pilling, wrinkling or stretching, these properties are not covered under this warranty. Viisible defects such as rubs, tears, or holes should be reported to the retailer within 7 days after receiving the product.
On all 100% top grain cowhide leathers and top grain leather/vinyl splits, Creative Furniture warrants the leather against splitting and tearing for one (1) year from the date of purchase under normal household usage. Visible defects such as rubs, tears, or holes should be reported to the retailer within 7 days after receiving the product. This warranty does not include coverage for natural markings, wrinkling, stretching, or variations in grain or color. These are nature's signatures and prove the authenticity of the leather used on the product. These distinguishing marks should not be considered defects. Claims due to cuts, burns, pet damage, damage caused by contact with rough or sharp objects, or damage from acts of God are excluded from this warranty. This warranty also does not cover spills such as acid, dyes, wine, solvents, any corrosive chemicals, ink, paint, or body fluids. The following will void this warranty: evidence of excessive soiling, improper cleaning, abuse, negligence, treating the leather with chemical products applied by the retail dealer or the consumer, as well as fading due to exposure of the leather to the sun, extreme heat, or bright lights.
Creative Furniture offers one (1) Year Limited Warranty on all the stitching and zippers against failing. Visible defects should be reported to the retailer within 7 days after receiving the product. FLOOR SAMPLES OR AS-IS PURCHASES this warranty does not cover floor samples or products designated "as is" at time of purchase.
All accessories, parts, components, and other furniture products not specifically included in the above warranties, including but not limited to, bedroom furniture, dining room furniture, occasional tables, entertainment centers and accent pieces, as well as finishes, are warranted to the original residential purchaser for one (1) year from the date of original purchase, to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal household use and conditions. While we strive to maintain the highest quality standards, many of our products utilize materials where some color variation will exist from time to time.
Creative Furniture will either repair or replace at its option any product which has a defect in materials or workmanship covered by this Limited Warranty without charge. Creative Furniture will pay the cost of labor and materials to repair or replace defective part(s) for one (1) year from the original date of purchase. To obtain service under this warranty, customer must contact the original furniture retailer from whom the purchase the product was made and provide the proof of the original purchase. The dealer or retailer must contact the Creative Furniture Claims Department to obtain service. All packing and transportation charges for delivering the product requiring service to Creative Furniture are the responsibility of the original purchaser. Creative Furniture is not responsible to pay for any transportation charges. Creative Furniture reserves the right to change specifications without notification. If a problem occurs and your retailer or a dealer, where the original purchase was made has moved, contact the Creative Furniture Claims Department at firstname.lastname@example.com 1-732-248-0255 ext.303. If identical materials are unavailable at the time of repair Creative Furniture reserves the right to substitute materials of equal quality.
This limited warranty extends only to the original residential consumer purchaser. creative furniture's liability under this limited warranty is limited to repairing or replacement of the defective product at its option. This warranty is expressly in lieu of all other warranties, liabilities or obligations, oral or written, expressed or implied. the duration of any implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose that the consumer/homeowner may have are limited to the duration of this written warranty. in no event shall creative furniture be liable for any person for any special, incidental, indirect or consequential damages, including without limitation, damages resulting from use or malfunction of the products, loss of profits or revenues or cost of replacement. no representative of creative furniture, its distributors or dealers are authorized to make any changes or modifications to this warranty. In any case, the liability of creative furniture shall be limited to not greater then the purchase price of the product covered by this warranty or the value for replacement. This warranty gives customers specific rights, and customers may also have other rights which vary from state to state. none of these warranties apply to rental, business, commercial, institutional or other non-residential uses or to anyone other than the original residential consumer purchaser. this warranty does not apply to furniture sold as is, distressed, or second hand condition. any extended or additional warranties other than those listed above shall not be the responsibility of creative furniture.
All motion furniture, including but not limited to recliners, reclining sofas and loveseats, sleep sofas, etc., has many moving parts. Caution must be used in operating (reclining, opening, closing, etc.). children should not be allowed to play on or operate motion furniture. always leave recliners in an upright and closed position and keep hands and feet clear of mechanism. only the occupant should operate it.


text:
Editor's note: William Bennett is a CNN contributor and a fellow with the Claremont Institute. Bennett and Seth Leibsohn are the authors of "The Fight of Our Lives: Knowing the Enemy, Speaking the Truth, and Choosing to Win the War Against Radical Islam."
(CNN) -- For years, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was seen as a Republican guiding light. Not only did he show a lot of the party -- and the conservative movement -- how to fight when we were not in the majority (especially in the 1980s and early 1990s), but with his use of language and passion, he showed us how to win majorities.
The landslide congressional takeover of 1994 made Gingrich the indispensable man of the moment. But there was a problem that would reveal itself shortly after 1995 and ever since.
Gingrich is a broad-thinking and broad-speaking public intellectual. He can expatiate on a number of issues, from foreign to domestic policy. But he can also rush in where he should not, with verbal grenades that can put his whole movement and party on the defensive. This past weekend, Gingrich did exactly that. But the Republican Party has rallied and now Gingrich is, himself, the one in trouble.
On "Meet the Press" this past Sunday, the former Speaker was asked about Republican efforts, as led by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, to reform Medicare and rein in federal spending. His response: "I don't think right-wing social engineering is any more desirable than left-wing social engineering. I don't think imposing radical change from the right or the left is a very good way for a free society to operate."
When the host, David Gregory, asked for clarification from Gingrich, explicitly asking whether he was disagreeing with Ryan's approach, Gingrich said that Ryan's plan was "too big a jump," and an example of a "conservative imposing radical change." Although he has since apologized after several attempts to defend these statements, giving his campaign another chance, the damage from this interview may still be long lasting.
To work off this in reverse, it is a critical part of the Ryan plan that it does not "suddenly impose" a "radical change," as Gingrich said. In fact, it would not even affect anyone 55 or older. Second, when looking at reforming entitlements, one of the great successes of the "Gingrich revolution" in the 1990s was the reform of the welfare entitlement in 1996.
The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, or welfare reform, was much more radical than the Ryan plan on Medicare, which has been described as a conservative version of a sober, long-term and detailed effort to keep Medicare sustainable and provide its recipients with more choices and options.
As David Brooks summarized the Ryan plan, it turns Medicare "into a defined contribution plan. Instead of assuming open-ended future costs, the government will give you a sum of money (starting at an amount equal to what the government now spends) and a regulated menu of insurance options from which to choose."
Brooks was right when he posited that Ryan's overall plan would "set the standard of seriousness for anybody who wants to play in this discussion."
There was someone else who agreed with that as well -- Newt Gingrich. Just over a month ago, on April 5, Gingrich said on my radio show, "Paul Ryan has stepped up to the plate. ... This is a very, very serious budget, and I think rivals with [what] John Kasich did as budget chairman in getting to a balanced budget in the 1990s, just for the scale and courage involved. ... Paul Ryan is going to define modern conservatism at a serious level. ... You can quibble over details but the general shape of what he's doing will define 2012 for Republicans."
Evidently, Gingrich said much the same to others as well, saying he'd even vote for the Ryan proposal.
But aside from his change in view of the Ryan plan over the past month, perhaps the oddest locution Gingrich used was when he called the plan "right-wing social engineering," on par with "left-wing social engineering." This is political moral equivalence that will be used again and again by the Democrats in opposing Ryan's prescription.
One of the first rules of politics is not to give your political opponents their talking points or write their ads for them. That's what Gingrich did -- and without much explanation as to why -- upsetting the nearly unified Republican support for Ryan's plan (only four House Republicans have opposed it).
Finally, Gingrich said that rather than what Ryan proposed, what was needed was "a national conversation to get to a better Medicare system with more choices for seniors." Google "Paul Ryan" and "Medicare" and you will see the kind of precise "national conversation" that Ryan has, in fact, begun.
What Gingrich did on Sunday was make that conversation opaque, leaving many of us who have been talking about it confused as to just what Gingrich would support, especially after showing what he has supported cannot be counted on to last.
Ryan and his supporters will be able to rescue and defend their plan in the public debate over Medicare, and we hope even bringing it to fruition. And many in the movement have jumped to the Ryan plan's defense (see here as but one of many examples). What will be much more difficult is for Gingrich to rescue himself.
The advice I gave to Gingrich on my show yesterday, when he generously took time out to go through all of this again, was this: "You take a man in the totality of his acts, and you have done much to advance the cause, but you didn't on Sunday and you need to acknowledge it."
Now that he has done so, the question remains: Is it too late?
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writers.


text:
We believe that in the modern business world, digital marketing and a solid online presence are vital to success. All entrepreneurs and small business owners, regardless of their level of business experience, should be able to manage their online presence, marketing, and sales process. builderall business However, juggling all those parts and still delivering your product can be time-consuming and frustrating!
That's why Builderall has developed the most complete and easy-to-use digital marketing platform available. Now, you can bring your ideas to life, bring more customers to your doorstep, deliver your message to thousands of people, sell your products, and more.
With Builderall, you can start out with a simple test website and build it out using a platform equipped with the most advanced and sophisticated sales funnels and dozens of other included features. That's why Builderall is the perfect solution for all small business owners who want to become great entrepreneurs, service providers, digital marketing professionals, designers, coaches, networking professionals, and much more.


text:
re: El Nino regaining strength?
I read a couple of articles today that suggested that El Nino is (or may be) regaining it's strength/development. I don't remember where I read them , but I think one was from an Australian news service. Do you think it's possible that as the seasons change now and the southern hemisphere heats up, that will be enough to get El nino going?


text:
Metal Products, Stainless Steel, Steel, Cabinet, Cart, Table, Workbench, Platform, Mobile Cabinet
8" x 2" mold-on rubber casters on steel rigs, two rigid, two swivel
Brakes - Code B8 will change to two rigid and two swivel with brakes on the swivels.
Floor Lock - Code F8 will indicate a floor lock between the two swivel casters.
All Swivel - Code AS will change to all swivel casters.


text:
DevShed has posted the first part of a series looking at the installation, configuration and usage of two web-based file managers - BytesFall Explorer and PHPfileNavigator. This first part of the series focuses on BytesFall.
Everybody knows how to use a conventional desktop application that acts as a file manager. And we all know how useful these manipulation utilities really are. They give us a hierarchical view of the content of our folders. They also have dozens of extra functions. [...] We will present two freeware PHP-based file managers. You'll find out how to install and configure them.
Part one handles the first steps with BytesFall - the installation and configuration (you'll already need a web server with PHP installed for this one).


text:
Your information will not be stored for future visits. You'll have the option to create an account later on.
Forgot your Password? Enter your email address below associated with your account. An email password reset link should arrive within 15 minutes.
From there, you'll be asked to create a new password. The link in the email expires after 2 hours, so be sure to use it as soon as possible.
Sent the request but never received an email?
An email has been sent to the address provided.
Men's Sweatshirts
Nike club fleece fabrication crew designed for the fan cheering on their team. Center front team graphic wordmark showcases team spirit. Swoosh design trademark centered below wordmark. 100% polyester. Imported.
Available to ship in x days
Please enter an order quantity.
Temporarily out of stock
Please select style and size
Please select a size
Please select a style
Requested quantity no longer available
News and Offers:Enter Email AddressSign Up


text:
This is a guest post contributed by Joey Lam, owner of Kanga Organics.
Every time I flip the pages of any fashion or beauty magazines, the advertisements scream out to me "buy me, try me, use me!" And believe it or not, I was actually a dupe for such adverts just eight months ago. Even now, these adverts still scream out to me, but I have more self restrain as I go by the organic set of rules for any skincare or makeup purchases. If the product advertised is not organic or even natural, I will only read the advert, and then turn the page without having second thoughts if I should pop by the stores to check them out.
Benefits of the organic ruling
This organic ruling has actually helped me save quite a substantial amount of money, not to mention time spent at these stores. At the same time, it has allowed me to be more aware of what goes onto my skin, and be conscious of what I'm buying is actually helping or contributing to global warming by supporting products that are not animal friendly or environmental friendly in its production process.
Product hopping and not finding something that help me
I used to be such a disloyal customer to any skincare brands I use, simply because there were so many advertisements to sway me from continuing with what I was using, and as a result I switched from brands to brands, one after another, and am always dissatisfied with what I'm using, and always on the lookout for more brands with more promises, only to get disappointed in the end that nothing I've tried seems to work for my skin's problems.
Advertising claims and scams
The fact is most of the commercial advertisements claim their products to be able to deliver all the promises within days or weeks, only to entice one to make a single purchase to try them out. However, once you have tried, you may realized that it usually doesn't work as claimed. But of course when confronted, the sales assistants will tell you that you will only see better results with continuous usage. So doesn't this mean you will need to become a long term customer to see results? This for me simply smells of advertising scam, and I end up feeling cheated as a consumer.
Less advertising for organic skincare
On the contrary, you don't really see that many organic skincare advertising. They tend to be more discreet in their promotional methods and let consumers who already know the benefits of using organic or are interested to read the ingredients, decide for themselves. But I do recognize that with the influx of so many new organic brands, this may change overtime and consumers may also find it increasingly harder to know which is the best.
Simple skincare routine and a healthy lifestyle works best
And now that I've gone organic, I realized that I only need to keep to a basic skincare routine that works the best for me, along with a healthy and happy lifestyle to have better skin glowing from within. I also found that lots of laughter also helps to lower stress hormones, thus helping skin's ability to regenerate, and drinking plenty of water to flush out toxins to let skin glow works the best too.
Less overspending and less obsession with skincare
This mindset has helped save me from overspending on expensive skincare products and unnecessary products, and reduced my stress of wondering when my skin will get better after using any new particular product purchased. Without using so many products, I actually realized that my skin becomes better too.
So it is possible to rely on products you can afford within your means if you keep to a basic skincare routine that addresses what your skin only needs!