text:
A. Roy
Cisco Systems
A. Zinin
March 2007
OSPF Out-of-Band Link State Database (LSDB) Resynchronization
Status of This Memo
This memo provides information for the Internet community. It does not specify an Internet standard of any kind. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
Copyright Notice
Copyright © The IETF Trust (2007).
OSPF is a link-state intra-domain routing protocol used in IP networks. Link State Database (LSDB) synchronization in OSPF is achieved via two methods -- initial LSDB synchronization when an OSPF router has just been connected to the network and asynchronous flooding that ensures continuous LSDB synchronization in the presence of topology changes after the initial procedure was completed. It may sometime be necessary for OSPF routers to resynchronize their LSDBs. The OSPF standard, however, does not allow routers to do so without actually changing the topology view of the network.
This memo describes a vendor-specific mechanism to perform such a form of out-of-band LSDB synchronization. The mechanism described in this document was proposed before Graceful OSPF Restart, as described in RFC 3623, came into existence. It is implemented/supported by at least one major vendor and is currently deployed in the field. The purpose of this document is to capture the details of this mechanism for public use. This mechanism is not an IETF standard.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction ....................................................2 2. Proposed Solution ...............................................2 2.1. The LR-Bit .................................................3 2.2. OSPF Neighbor Data Structure ...............................3 2.3. Hello Packets ..............................................4 2.4. DBD Packets ................................................4 2.5. Neighbor State Treatment ...................................7 2.6. Initiating OOB LSDB Resynchronization ......................7 3. Backward Compatibility ..........................................7 4. Security Considerations .........................................7 5. IANA Considerations .............................................7 6. References ......................................................8 6.1. Normative References .......................................8 6.2. Informative References .....................................8 Appendix A. Acknowledgements ......................................9
1. Introduction
According to the OSPF standard [RFC2328], after two OSPF routers have established an adjacency (the neighbor Finite State Machines (FSMs) have reached Full state), routers announce the adjacency states in their router-Link State Advertisements (LSAs). Asynchronous flooding algorithm ensures that routers' LSDBs stay in sync in the presence of topology changes. However, if routers need (for some reason) to resynchronize their LSDBs, they cannot do that without actually putting the neighbor FSMs into the ExStart state. This effectively causes the adjacencies to be removed from the router-LSAs, which may not be acceptable if the desire is to prevent routing table flaps during database resynchronization. In this document, we provide the means for so-called out-of-band (OOB) LSDB resynchronization.
The described mechanism can be used in a number of situations including those where the routers are picking up the adjacencies after a reload. The process of adjacency preemption is outside the scope of this document. Only the details related to LSDB resynchronization are mentioned herein.
2. Proposed Solution
With this Out-of-Band Resynchronization Solution, the format of the OSPF Database Description (DBD) packet is changed to include a new R-bit indicating OOB LSDB resynchronization. All DBD packets sent during the OOB resynchronization procedure are sent with the R-bit set.
Also, two new fields are added to the neighbor data structure. The first field indicates a neighbor's OOB resynchronization capability. The second indicates that OOB LSDB resynchronization is in process. The latter field allows OSPF implementations to utilize the existing neighbor FSM code.
A bit is occupied in the Extended Options (EO) TLV (see [RFC4813]). Routers set this bit to indicate their capability to support the described technique.
2.1. The LR-Bit
A new bit, called LR (LR stands for LSDB Resynchronization), is introduced to the LLS Extended Options TLV (see [RFC4813]). The value of the bit is 0x00000001; see Figure 1. See the "IANA Considerations" section of [RFC4813] for more information on the Extended Options bit definitions. Routers set the LR-bit to announce OOB LSDB resynchronization capability.
Figure 1. The Options Field
Routers supporting the OOB LSDB resynchronization technique set the LR-bit in the EO-TLV in the LLS block attached to both Hello and DBD packets. Note that no bit is set in the standard OSPF Options field, neither in OSPF packets nor in LSAs.
2.2. OSPF Neighbor Data Structure
A field is introduced into OSPF neighbor data structure, as described below. The name of the field is OOBResync, and it is a flag indicating that the router is currently performing OOB LSDB resynchronization with the neighbor.
The OOBResync flag is set when the router is initiating OOB LSDB resynchronization (see Section 2.6 for more details).
Routers clear the OOBResync flag on the following conditions:
- The neighbor data structure is first created.
- The neighbor FSM transitions to any state lower than ExStart.
- The neighbor FSM transitions to the ExStart state because a DBD packet with the R-bit clear has been received.
- The neighbor FSM reaches the state Full.
Note that the OOBResync flag may have a TRUE value only if the neighbor FSM is in states ExStart, Exchange, or Loading. As indicated above, if the FSM transitions to any other state, the OOBResync flag should be cleared.
It is important to mention that operation of the OSPF neighbor FSM is not changed by this document. However, depending on the state of the OOBResync flag, the router sends either normal DBD packets or DBD packets with the R-bit set.
2.3. Hello Packets
Routers capable of performing OOB LSDB resynchronization should always set the LR-bit in their Hello packets.
2.4. DBD Packets
Routers supporting the described technique should always set the LR- bit in the DBD packets. Since the Options field of the initial DBD packet is stored in corresponding neighbor data structure, the LR-bit may be used later to check if a neighbor is capable of performing OOB LSDB resynchronization.
The format of type 2 (DBD) OSPF packets is changed to include a flag indicating the OOB LSDB resynchronization procedure. Figure 2 illustrates the new packet format.
0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ | Version # | 2 | Packet length | +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ | Router ID | +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ | Area ID | +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ | Checksum | AuType | +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ | Authentication | +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ | Authentication | +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ | Interface MTU | Options |0|0|0|0|R|I|M|MS +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ | DD sequence number | +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ | | +- -+ | | +- An LSA Header -+ | | +- -+ | | +- -+ | | +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ | ... |
Figure 2. Modified DBD Packet
The R-bit in OSPF type 2 packets is set when the OOBResync flag for the specific neighbor is set to TRUE. If a DBD packets with the R- bit clear is received for a neighbor with active OOBResync flag, the OOB LSDB resynchronization process is canceled and normal LSDB synchronization procedure is initiated.
When a DBD packet is received with the R-bit set and the sender is known to be OOB-incapable, the packet should be dropped and a SeqNumber-Mismatch event should be generated for the neighbor.
Processing of DBD packets is modified as follows:
- If the OOBResync flag for the neighbor is set (the LSDB resynchronization process has been started) and the received DBD packet does not have the R-bit set, ignore the packet and generate a SeqNumberMismatch event for the neighbor FSM.
- Otherwise, if the OOBResync flag for the neighbor is clear and the received DBD packet has the R-bit set, perform the following steps:
- If the neighbor FSM is in state Full and bits I, M, and MS are set in the DBD packet, set the OOBResync flag for the neighbor, put the FSM in ExStart state, and continue processing the DBD packet as described in [RFC2328].
- Otherwise, ignore received DBD packet (no OOB DBD packets are allowed with OOBResync flag clear and FSM in state other than Full). Also, if the state of the FSM is Exchange or higher, generate a SeqNumberMismatch event for the neighbor FSM.
- Otherwise, process the DBD packet as described in [RFC2328].
During normal processing of the initial OOB DBD packet (with bits R, I, M, and MS set), if the receiving router is selected to be the Master, it may speed up the resynchronization process by immediately replying to the received packet.
It is also necessary to limit the time an adjacency can spend in ExStart, Exchange, and Loading states with OOBResync flag set to a finite period of time (e.g., by limiting the number of times DBD and link state request packets can be retransmitted). If the adjacency does not proceed to Full state before the timeout, it is indicative that the neighboring router cannot resynchronize its LSDB with the local router. The requesting router may decide to stop trying to resynchronize the LSDB over this adjacency (if, for example, it can be resynchronized via another neighbor on the same segment) or to resynchronize using the legacy method by clearing the OOBResync flag and leaving the FSM in ExStart state. The neighboring router may decide to cancel the OOB procedure for the neighbor.
2.5. Neighbor State Treatment
An OSPF implementation supporting the described technique should modify the logic consulting the state of a neighbor FSM as described below.
- FSM state transitioning from and to the Full state with the OOBResync flag set should not cause origination of a new version of router-LSA or network-LSA.
- Any explicit checks for the Full state of a neighbor FSM for the purposes other than LSDB synchronization and flooding should treat states ExStart, Exchange, and Loading as state Full, provided that OOBResync flag is set for the neighbor. (Flooding and MaxAge-LSA-specific procedures should not check the state of the OOBResync flag, but should continue consulting only the FSM state.)
2.6. Initiating OOB LSDB Resynchronization
To initiate out-of-band LSDB resynchronization, the router must first make sure that the corresponding neighbor supports this technology (by checking the LR-bit in the Options field of the neighbor data structure). If the neighboring router is capable, the OOBResync flag for the neighbor should be set to TRUE and the FSM state should be forced to ExStart.
3. Backward Compatibility
Because OOB-capable routers explicitly indicate their capability by setting the corresponding bit in the Options field, no DBD packets with the R-bit set are sent to OOB-incapable routers.
The LR-bit itself is transparent for OSPF implementations and does not affect communication between routers.
4. Security Considerations
The described technique does not introduce any new security issues into the OSPF protocol.
5. IANA Considerations
Please refer to the "IANA Considerations" section of [RFC4813] for more information on the Extended Options bit definitions.
6. References
6.1. Normative References
[RFC2328] Moy, J., "OSPF Version 2", STD 54, RFC 2328, April 1998. [RFC3623] Moy, J., Pillay-Esnault, P., and A. Lindem, "Graceful OSPF Restart", RFC 3623, November 2003.
6.2. Informative References
[RFC4813] Friedman, B., Nguyen, L., Roy, A., Yeung, D., and A. Zinin, "OSPF Link-Local Signaling", RFC 4813, March 2007.
Appendix A. Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Acee Lindem, Russ White, Don Slice, and Alvaro Retana for their valuable comments.
Authors' Addresses
Liem Nguyen Cisco Systems 225 West Tasman Drive San Jose, CA 95134 USA EMail: email@example.com Abhay Roy Cisco Systems 225 West Tasman Drive San Jose, CA 95134 USA EMail: firstname.lastname@example.com Alex Zinin Alcatel-Lucent Mountain View, CA USA EMail: email@example.com
Full Copyright Statement
Copyright © The IETF Trust (2007).
This document is subject to the rights, licenses and restrictions contained in BCP 78, and except as set forth therein, the authors retain all their rights.
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The western tower of this gothic church dates from the 15th century. The choir, the transept and the 3 aisled nave date from the 17th century. In 1826 a new tunnel vault was added.
In the western tower, there is a bell from 1309. According to some sources, this would be the eldest church bell in Europe! We contradict this, as in the Netherlands there is a bell from 1284 and one from 1285 in museums. During the second Worls War, the Germans wanted to steal this church, but the pastor managed to change thier minds... The Maria bell carries a text and <<+ ANNO o DNI o M o CCC o IX o N o DCB o + MARIA>>. The diameter of the bell 96 cm and it's 80 cm heigh. It's shape is comparable to one made in 1353 in a church in Saalfeld in Germany. It's wrtings are similar to the ones of the bell in the Saint Peters' church of Aachen. This brings us to the dia that proably this bell was made in Germany.
In the interior, there are quite some interesting treasures. We name
A funny story is related to the stone owls which are standing in the belfry windows. They were put there to scare off the pigeons. But as this failed, they had to close the belfry windows by gauze.
For more info and pictures, click here.
According to Thierry Pauwels (translated by us): 'It is wrong that the bell in Pulle would be the eldest in Europe. In fact, it's only a clock of the 3rd generation, already looking like the bells we know nowadays. Earlier shapes were the Zuckerhut bells, and still elder the Bienenkorb bells. The eldest dated bell hangs in Germany and dates from 1144 (Google on Iggensbach Bienenkorbglocke youtube), but there are other 12th century bells in Germany.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Jennifer Aniston says she has "lost a few people in my weekly routine" who have either refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine or disclose whether they were vaccinated.
"I feel it's your moral and professional obligation to inform, since we're not all podded up and being tested every single day," Aniston said in an interview with InStyle.
Aniston said it's a "real shame" that there is a large group of people who are anti-vaxxers or don't "listen to the facts."
"It's tricky because everyone is entitled to their own opinion — but a lot of opinions don't feel based in anything except fear or propaganda," Aniston said.
Aniston has been busy filming The Morning Show, which she told InStyle was different during the pandemic.
"I was able to walk into it pretty centered, knowing we had an incredible epidemiology team," Aniston said. "I missed seeing my crew's faces — that was tough. I also wasn't with Reese [Witherspoon, her co-star] or the rest of the cast as often as in the first season. But the writing is incredible."
The "Friends" actress added that the pandemic changed the way she lived her life. She said staying home allowed her to reassess what she needed.
"My level of anxiety has gone down by eliminating the unnecessary sort of fat in life that I had thought was necessary," Aniston said.


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Donald Trump's verbal atrocities have struck public nerves before, but so far the discomforts have faded with bizarre haste. Nothing stuck. Not so with the Wrath on Khan, Trump's heartless attacks on Khizr and Ghazala Khan, whose son was killed in Iraq in 2004.
There's no mystery about why Trump's behavior this time is so disgusting to so many for so long. He's picking on "little guys" not public figures or other politicians. Worse, he's picking on parents who lost a son in war. Worse again, his attacks on the couple are overtly racist. As much as anything he has done so far in his ego-trip campaign, this sadistic spasm reveals how truly mean, out of control and void of empathy this man is.
"Have you no decency, man?" is the question on everyone's mind this week. The answer is obviously, "no." But we've known that.
I suspect one additional reason this controversy is still resonating is because it has so personalized the terrifying prospect that Donald Trump could really and truly have the power to send men and women off to die – your kids or your grandchildren or even you.
Hillary Clinton's pollsters believe that her opponent's greatest liability is that voters are scared of the idea that Donald Trump's finger could be on the button some day. That will be the spearhead of the attack against Trump in the general election.
"The finger on the button," though, is an abstract idea, even if it is a scary one.
But watching Trump in real time be utterly pitiless toward the Khans is anything but abstract; it is intimate and incontrovertible. Trump's behavior has made a vague worry vivid – that he truly is cavalier and reckless toward other human beings, that he really could press a button, launch a strike, send in troops or call out riot police in a tantrum of spite, malice or anger.
If he has no empathy for Gold Star parents, he has no empathy.
Many other layers of Trump's biography and performance that support this scary portrait are coming into sharper view after the conventions. That is what is giving the controversy with Khans the "perfect storm" quality that keeps it raging.
Immediately after displaying his rank meanness, Trump displayed his basic ignorance on one of the issues he talks about most – Russia. In an interview with ABC News, Trump revealed that he didn't understand that Russia had annexed Crimea from the Ukraine in 2014 and that Russia still had forces active in the Ukraine.
Obviously, this isn't the first time Trump flubbed National Security 101. Most famously, in one of the Republican debates Trump clearly didn't know what the nuclear triad was (a real tough one – nukes sent via planes, missiles and submarines).
But now we have the picture of a potential commander-in-chief who has no regard for a soldier's death and the grief it leaves playing generalissimo on a geopolitical map he can't read and doesn't understand.
On top of all that – and that's a lot – we have Trump defending himself from the Khans by equating his sacrifices in life to theirs; equating the sacrifice he made in expanding his inherited fortune into a greater fortune to the sacrifice of a soldier's life. "Have you no decency, man?"
This egomania digs up one more layer of Trump's history, how he avoided the sacrifice of service in the Vietnam War.
Both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush were put under the microscope to understand how they got out of Vietnam. Most voters didn't hold it against them, but there was a long spell of scrutiny and debate. Trump has avoided that, so far. Maybe now the laws that have long applied to mortal politicians will start to apply to Trump.
For these reasons and more, Trump's treatment of the Khans has sparked an epiphany about his lack of character for many people. Much of the world can't believe it has taken this long.
In his speech at the Democratic convention, the former Republican mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, said the country needed a president that was at least a "sane, competent person."
More and more people aren't just publicly questioning Donald Trump's character and judgment, but also his stability and mental health. It's about time, though it is deeply troubling that the Republican Party has put the country in a position of asking such questions of their nominee.


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Nicolini, Marcella
Preferred name
Nicolini, Marcella
Official Name
Nicolini, Marcella
Research Output
1 results
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Does Trade Foster Institutions? An Empirical Assessment
2011, Nicolini, Marcella, Paccagnini, Alessia
The relationship between trade and institutions has been extensively debated by trade economists and political scientists. The aim of the present paper is to provide some empirical evidence on the causal relationship between institutions and trade flows in a panel framework. We present a Granger causality test (1969) as well as a Hurlin and Venet (2001) test for panel data using a bilateral trade flows panel that covers 29 years. The issue of zero flows of trade is handled by using a panel Poisson Pseudo-Maximum Likelihood estimator.


text: Admin on January 17, 2012 0 Comments Life in a boat can be great, especially if you have the conveniences of home. Here are some appliances that will help make your boating experience as comfortable as can be. Portable Ice Maker While out boating, who doesn't enjoy a nice tall glass of iced tea? Well, you need ice for that, and a portable ice maker is a great way to give you the ice you want and need. These units do not require a drain, and are relatively simple to use. Just pour water in the reservoir, choose your ice size, and voila, ice appears in about 10 minutes (depending on model). My favorite is the EdgeStar IP210SS. This baby will make about 28 pounds of ice per day, holds about 2 pounds, and makes ice in as little as 6 minutes. Plus, the commercial grade stainless steel means that it will not corrode in the salty sea air. A quick tip though, if you use bottled water in your machine, you will want to add a tiny pinch of salt. Most of these ice makers need some type of impurity in the water to make the ice. Induction Cooktop You gotta eat, right? I mean, you are out on the boat, you catch some fish, why not cook it up and serve it? Fish, it's what's for dinner! Anyway, an induction cooktop I think is a better choice than a regular hotplate or portable stove for a boat because they are generally safer and use less energy. An induction cooktop only heats the cooking vessel, so the actual cooking surface is cold to the touch, which helps prevent burns. I am partial to the Avanti IHP1501. It's small and portable, has easy controls, and heats up to 440 degrees. Best of all, it comes with a skillet, so no trying to hunt down an induction ready piece of cookware. This unit comes with one. Portable Fridge / Freezer My coworker and I argued over this point, and since I'm writing this and she's not, guess who won. Basically, her point is that a mini fridge would be better. I say a portable because it has both a 115V and a 12V option. Plus, you will get more use out of it because it can go in the car with you and you can use it camping, hunting or fishing. Now, these come in various sizes, but I chose to just go relatively down the middle with the EdgeStar FP630. I am in love with this unit because it comes with a flash freeze option that will get it down to -8 degrees F in a matter of minutes. And, it will hold the temperature for several hours if you unplug the unit. However, you can set the temperature as high as 50 degrees, so you can use it as a refrigerator or a freezer. This is also a favorite among fishermen (or women, whatever the case may be). Portable Air Conditioner Last summer, while I was vacationing in South Texas, I cruised around the Gulf of Mexico in a rather nice boat. Not sure if you have ever been in South Texas in August, but it's like being 3 blocks from the sun. Enter the wonderful portable air conditioner. Now, like all air conditioners, these units have to be vented in some way. You can do it through a wall, ceiling, floor, window, whatever. You just have to be certain to get the hot air coming off the compressor out of the room you are trying to cool. My pick is the EdgeStar AP8000W. This compact unit is powerful, will keep your cabin cool, and only uses 840Watts and 7.9Amps. Plus, it will dehumidify up to 71 pints per day, and you don't have to empty condensation from the collection tray. Trust me, a comfortable cabin makes for a happy boater! Washer Dryer Combo Ok, so if you live in a houseboat, or are going to be on the water for an extended period of time, clean underwear, and well, clean clothes in general, are a necessity! You have several options to help you with this. A value option is the WonderWash and MiniSpin dryer combo, affectionately called The WonderSpin! The WonderWash is a hand cranked clothes washer. You basically put your clothes in, add water and detergent, spin it for about 5 minutes, drain the water into a sink, add more water for a rinse, drain, and you are done. You then put your wet clothes into the MiniSpin. This will spin dry your clothes for you to then hang them up. Now, if you have the room, and the money, then you may want to consider a washer dryer combo. These units will wash and dry all in the same drum, and most do not need venting because they use condensation drying. Your best option on these, in my opinion, is the LG WM3455HW. It has a 15 pound load capacity (2.7 cubic feet), and several washing and drying options. Because of the condensation drying, most of these machines do not dry effectively. However, the LG does a better job than most. Also, you can get the optional portability kit that will allow you to store it in one place, then wheel it out when you need to and hook to a standard sink. Finally, the great thing about this unit is that it plugs into a standard 115V outlet, so no special wiring is needed.


text:
'ise' vs 'ize'
Posted by James Briggs on March 14, 2002
The following comes from 'Mind the Gaff. The Penguin Guide to Common Errors in English'. by (Prof) RL Trask. Pengiun Books 2001. By the way, he's an American working at the University of Sussex in England.
I was given the book for Christmas and thought this section particularly
worth reproducing.
-ize, -ise
There are two groups of words here, and these should not be confused.
The first group consists of words which are always spelled with -ise in all varieties of English. The most frequent verbs in this group are advertise, advise, apprise, chastise, circumcise, comprise, compromise, despise, devise, disguise, excise, exercise, improvise, supervise, surmise, surprise and televise, to which we may add the nouns demise, enterprise, franchise and merchandise, some of which are occasionally used as verbs. These words do not contain the Greek suffix -ize and may never be spelled with -ize. British writers attempting to use American spelling sometimes slip up here and write, for example, *advertize, which is never acceptable.
The second, and much larger, group consists of verbs containing the Greek suffix -ize. Among these are realize, civilize, ostracize, jeopardize, organize and trivialize; there are far too many to list here, and new ones are coined almost at will, like hospitalize, finalize and prioritize. These words must be spelled with -ize in American English. In British English, the spelling with -ize is traditional, and is still preferred in many conservative quarters, for example at the Oxford University Press. But the newer spelling in -ise is now widespread in Britain and is preferred in other quarters. British writers may use whichever spelling they prefer, unless they are writing for a publishing house which insists upon one or the other.
Whichever spelling you prefer, you must, of course, be consistent, and use it exclusively, not only with the verbs but with their derived nouns like realization and civilization.
There is a complication with the verb exorcize, exorcise. Historically, this word contains the suffix -ize, and so it should be spelled exorcize in the style that uses -ize. However, many people no longer perceive this as containing the suffix, and so it is sometimes spelled exorcise even in the style with -ize.
Note also the unusual word capsize, which is spelled -ize in all
- Just superb TheFallen 03/14/02


text:
Hennet's Map of Lancashire – 1830
This map was surveyed by George Hennet in 1828 and 1829 and published in 1830 by Henry Teesdale. The scale is 7½ ins to 10 miles and the map measures 45 ins by 63 ins. The map that was used to produce this CD was a folded map. It was produced on 4 sheets these sheets were printed in black and white and then hand coloured. The sheets were cut up to give a total of 48 sections. These sections were mounted on linen so that it could be folded without the map sections being folded. On the CD adjacent sections of the map have been joined together to make a more convenient shape for viewing on a computer screen.
The map was engraved by W. Woolnoth. As a vignette, to decoration the map, he used R.T. Baron's architectural drawing of Liverpool's new Customs House. The Customs House was not finished and in service for some ten years after the map was published. Similarly some other features of the map were also anticipatory; some railways were not finished until a few years after the map was published. He even extended the Sankey Canal from Fiddler's Ferry to Widnes although the Act authorising the extension was not passed until 1830. Having said this it is one of the most attractive maps containing a great deal of information.


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Conclave Capital is a multi-strategy hedge fund focused on generating positive (absolute) returns, regardless of prevailing market conditions. It uses a combination of quantitative model driven trading and qualitative macro positioning to maximise client returns. Eurekahedge interviews its Chief Investment Officer, David Ward.
- Conclave Capital is an absolute return multi-strategy hedge fund designed to maximise investor returns through the use of model driven trading and low frequency strategic positioning. Along with a brief introduction and background of your company, please tell our readers a bit more about these 'model driven and low frequency trades'.
- Would you describe your investment model as being strongly quantitative driven? Please share with us about any in-house proprietary models that you may have developed to complement your strategy and how well they have worked in your favour.
- Could you provide us with a rough breakdown of your exposure to the various asset classes? To what extent do liquidity considerations determine your net exposures?
- What is the rough breakdown of your portfolio across regional mandates? How has it changed since the fund's inception and which regions have contributed the most to your returns?
- Could you take us through your investment process from end to end? We understand that 80% of your trade orders are never executed. At what stage of the investment process do these trades usually get filtered out?
- Risk management is of paramount importance to a hedge fund that seeks absolute returns. What sort of risk management tools do you have in place to guard against both market and operational risk?
- What profile of investors are you targeting this fund to (HNW investors, institutions), and what competitive edge would you provide your investors with, over other similar hedge funds in the market?
- How has the fund's location in Singapore played to your advantage? Based on your personal experience, how would you rate investor appetite for a hedge fund product such as yours in the region?
- Given the fund's considerable exposure to commodities, what is your near to medium term outlook for precious metals; in particular for gold which was a considerable source of duress for some hedge funds in 2013.
- Finally please share with us your high conviction themes going into 2014. How well is your fund prepared to adapt to the post QE global financial markets?
Thanks for giving us the opportunity to speak with you. We are predominantly a relative value commodity/macro volatility fund, taking smaller directional positions where we see attractive opportunities.
The model driven approach systematically identifies opportunities, entry and exit points, which are reviewed by our investment committee against qualitative factors including the macro environment. Our investors benefit from the tremendous 'always watching' capabilities of the models, without the assumption-risk that has resulted in substantial unexpected losses for some purely quantitative funds.
We position our portfolio to profit from lower frequency (weeks/months) macro trends and events.
Like most quantitative approaches, our proprietary models are statistical or arbitrage based. These are used to identify potential opportunities, entry and exit points. The danger of a purely quantitative approach is that it ignores non-model factors. These failures can have dramatic adverse effects for investors. We mitigate this through the addition of 'human intelligence', a qualitative filter which then screens out 'theory strong' but 'real-world weak' trades.
On an annualised basis we have returned 40% since inception in mid-2012 with a Sharpe Ratio above 2.2. The unwinding of QE looks set to present us with further opportunities.
Broadly, commodity exposure 55%; macro volatility 35%; related equity exposure 10%. FX, rates and credit exposure is minimal.
Being relative value focused, our net exposures tend to be small. Our strategies typically hold a high proportion of cash waiting for the right entry points. All products are highly liquid/commoditised (exchange traded), we do not trade anything that is at risk of a substantial margin increase or major liquidity event. As a result, we maintain very generous liquidity buffers at all times.
Asia is a large driver of commodity prices, our exposure and returns are approximately 60% in Asia, the remainder from western markets.
The investment and filtering process consists of i) initial identification using systematic quantitative models; ii) qualitative assessment by an investment committee; iii) placement of orders. Filtering happens at every stage – quantitatively, qualitatively and through market forces (does our order get filled).
Our orders are almost always placed outside the current market price, and in about 80% of cases those orders are never filled. This may seem surprising, but it is a false economy to chase a market by entering at unfavorable levels. Patience has been the single biggest contributor to our performance.
We use a wide array of measures to manage risk. Any singular measure by itself is largely worthless, and our toolkit includes (but is not limited to) real-time analysis of all input factors (greeks), liquidity, volatility, scenario analysis/statistical distribution, gap risk correlation/cointegration and proprietary measures, along with active management including stops and non-linear portfolio structuring. Our preferred exposure is to systematic (macro) risk, we tend to avoid trades that are heavy with idiosyncratic (asset specific) risk.
Operationally we maintain extremely tight controls around all aspects of the business. We can trade investor funds, but require independent third party approval to move them. Monthly statements are accompanied by independent third party verification so investors have complete assurance that the funds are secure and the positions are real. Internally, trading privileges are extremely tightly controlled alongside models, systems and analytics. We use two-factor authentication, the highest available encryption and off-site backups for disaster recovery. Processes, systems and security are constantly being reviewed, and wherever possible, improved.
We target investors looking for the growth of capital. Our daily returns have a correlation of approximately 0.25 with the S&P500, and as volatility increases this will fall further – providing a particularly appealing profile to many investors.
Our results have considerably outperformed our peers in Asia, with an annualised return of 40% and Sharpe Ratio of 2.2 versus averages of 9% and 0.9 respectively (source: Eurekahedge database).
The biggest advantage with Asia is having access to news and markets before Europe and North America open. The other advantage is being able to see what is happening on the ground versus what is reported in the media. With 60% of our returns driven by Asia, it is a natural fit.
Post-Madoff it has been difficult for smaller less established funds – ironic given Madoff ran a large well known fund. However we are seeing this change as risk appetite returns. Investors reaping the highest rewards have remained receptive to new funds which remain nimble and tend to outperform.
We tend to trade commodities on a relative value basis rather than outright, so an outright view on any one commodity is fairly immaterial. We have made money on both sides of the gold trade, sometimes long, sometimes short (versus other commodities), depending on the prevailing macro environment.
Metals tend to be less exposed to supply shocks and more demand driven, macro drivers include geo-political events, growth, consumer confidence, QE and inflation. If you believe the recovery story, then 'risk-on' metals with industrial/commercial uses look more interesting. If you doubt the recovery story then 'risk-off' metals look more interesting.
Our views are that the recovery has been boosted by massive stimulus, but the unwind will take considerably more time than people expect due to unwind sensitivity – central bank rates will likely remain low for much longer than the market implies. I see this as a central theme for 2014.
That said, we also believe that by the time inflation starts to appear in official figures it will already have built-up considerable momentum on the ground. There are many reasons for this, but in short we already observe widespread inflation in certain markets – competing forces are obfuscating it, but it is there.
Our performance is already benefiting from the reduction in QE and associated price volatility, October was our strongest ever month (+12.7%) and January our third best (+6.9%), we anticipate 2014 will be a highly profitable year.
Contact Details
David Ward
Conclave Capital
+65 84633707


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Privacy Policy
Effective as of October 18, 2022 (ver 4)
Thank you for visiting Flexienvíos BHD, a service of Omnex Group, Inc. ("Omnex"). We take concerns about security and privacy very seriously. Please read the following Privacy Policy to understand how we may collect, store, and use the Information of visitors to our websites (including via any mobile devices and any mobile applications) and users of our Services (as defined in the User Agreement). Federal law gives you the right to limit some but not all sharing of Information; at the end of this policy you will find information regarding how you can direct us not to share certain Information with certain parties.
We Collect Information for a Number of Important Reasons, Including:
- To verify your identity
- To process your orders and collect payment
- To detect and prevent fraud
- To detect and prevent use of the Services not in compliance with the User Agreement
- To help the government combat money laundering and the financing of terrorist and other illegal activities
- To resolve user disputes
- To understand our users "preferences"
- To improve the Services and the functioning of the websites
- To communicate with you
- To enable our third party service providers to fulfill their agreements with Flexienvíos BHD for transaction processing and fraud detection
- To enable promotional partners to fulfill their obligations for analyzing, promoting or otherwise supporting our Services.
Information That May Be Collected
We may collect and store the following information about you, which may include non-public personal information, all of which will be referred to as "Information" in this Privacy Policy:
- Information provided by you while using the Services. This may include your name, address, phone number, email address, date of birth, social security number, bank account information and credit/debit card information, an image of your identity document such as a driver's license, and photos or videos of you;
- Third party personal information supplied by you, such as your recipient's name, address, telephone number, email address, date of birth, and bank account information;
- Information about your credit history;
- Information gathered from your usage of the Services, including your transaction history; and
- Information that we indirectly obtain from you, including your Internet Protocol Address, image meta data, the date and time you visit our websites, information about the mobile device and platform you are using, your location while using the device, the websites you visited prior to visiting the site, the pages you visit while on the site and whether you have opened emails sent to your account.
By using the Services and visiting the websites, you (i) consent to our collection, transfer and storage of the Information and (ii) authorize us, directly or through third parties, to make any inquiries we consider necessary to validate the Information that you provide to us.
How We Collect Information and Cookies
We may utilize "cookies" to improve your experience in using the Services by helping us remember your information. Cookies are small data files placed on your computer that remember your preferences each time you visit. If your browser permits, you may decline the use of cookies. Additionally, you can disable or delete similar data used by browser add-ons, such as Flash cookies, by changing the add-on's settings or visiting the website of its manufacturer. Because cookies allow some of Flexienvíos BHD's essential features to operate properly, we recommend that you leave them turned on; otherwise, the websites may not function properly without cookies enabled.
Our third-party service providers may use both session ID and cookies to enhance our websites. The use of cookies by our third-party service providers is not covered by this Privacy Policy. You are free to decline these cookies if your browser permits. We do not have access or control over these cookies. Our third party partners may employ clear gifs, images, and scripts that help them better manage content on our site. We may use an analytics tool in order to develop and analyze use of the Services. Analytics companies may access anonymous data (such as your identifier for advertising or device ID) to help us understand how the Services are used. They use this data solely on our behalf. They do not share it except in aggregate form; no data is shared as to any individual user. If you wish to opt-out from analytics, please contact us at [email protected]. From time to time, we may also tie cookies, clear gifs, images and scripts to personally identifiable information for reasons such as analysis, security, content generation or marketing.
Information Retention
We will retain your Information for at least 5 years after our business relationship with you has ended, as required by federal law. If you cancel your account, we will retain your Information as necessary in order to comply with applicable laws, rules and regulations, as may be reasonable to prevent fraud or because of a potential ongoing claim.
Sharing Your Information
We do not share or sell your Information for any purposes to third parties. However, as with all financial companies, we need to share our users' Information to run our everyday business. We may share your Information with the following categories of third parties, solely for the purposes of improving, delivering or promoting our Services:
- Law enforcement agencies, government officials or regulatory bodies in connection with a subpoena, court order or similar request.
- Our third party service providers, such as pay-out partners in foreign countries and databases that we use to verify your information and for credit checks.
- Banking and financial service partners including Visa, Mastercard and payment processors.
- To credit bureaus or collection agencies if you delay or fail to make payment for the Services.
- Our third party vendors or partners who may show our ads on sites across the Internet or may assist us in location-based services or may provide surveys to tailor the marketing or operation of our Services. These third parties may use cookies to serve ads based on your visit history to our websites. You may opt out of the use of cookies by declining the cookies if your browser permits.
- Some of our third party advertising vendors or partners show our ads on sites across the Internet. These third parties may use cookies to serve ads based on your visit history to our website. You may opt out of the use of cookies by declining the cookies if your browser permits.
- In the event of the sale, spin-off, acquisition or merger of some or all of the assets of Omnex, your Information might be a part of the transferred assets. You will be notified via notice on our website and/or email of any options you may have regarding your Information in advance of the consummation of any such transaction.
- Communications service providers to help us send you emails, SMS messages, text messages and push notifications.
- Analytics providers and search information providers to help us improve our website and application.
- Law enforcement in order to comply with any applicable law, to report suspected illegal activity, violation of our User Agreement or to prevent physical or financial harm or loss.
The determination of when to disclose Information shall be in our sole discretion. Additionally, we may share your Information with Sharemoney and Omnex group companies in order to provide you with the best service.
Updating Your Information
Please log in to your account to modify or update your Information as well as your preferences. If your contact information changes, please update it in your account settings as soon as possible so that we may continue to process your orders and contact you with important notices.
For other rights you may have with respect to your Information please see the Flexienvíos BHD User Agreement
Internet Security
- We built our websites using SSL (Secure Socket Layer) which encrypts your Information. We also require a username and password for each visit to our website. Although you will "time out" after a certain period of inactivity on the website, you should always remember to sign off when finished using a shared computer.
- We reveal only the last four digits of your Bank Card numbers when confirming an Order. Of course, we transmit the entire Bank Card number to the relevant credit or debit card company for authorization of your Order.
- Nothing on the internet is 100% secure and we cannot promise absolute security. Your Information will be treated as confidential. This policy prohibits the unlawful disclosure of personal information and limits access to it as described herein. Despite our efforts, third parties may unlawfully intercept or access your transmissions to us or may wrongly instruct you to disclose information to them by posing as Flexienvíos BHD or by misinforming you about our services. We will continue to investigate additional security measures as they become available and encourage you to maintain your username and password separate from your computer and in a secure location, accessible only to you.
Options Regarding Use of Your Information
Federal and state laws allow you to restrict the sharing of your personal information in certain instances. However, these laws also state that you cannot restrict other types of sharing. Because we have chosen to refrain from certain types of data sharing, the only type of sharing of your Information that you may restrict is as follows:
- If, after giving us your permission to share your Information with third parties with whom we market our jointly offered products, you later decide that you no longer want us to share such information or to request that we delete any of your personal information, you may contact us by email at [email protected] or by mail at Flexienvíos BHD c/o Omnex Group, Inc., attn: Customer Service, 580 Sylvan Ave LL-A, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632 U.S.A.
- You may also opt-out from promotional email and text messages sent to you by Flexienvíos BHD or our third party partners by accessing your Preferences under "My Account" or selecting the "Unsubscribe" function in the promotional email message and providing the required information or texting "STOP".
- If you are a new consumer or customer, we may begin sharing your information 30 days from the date you registered for the Services. When you are no longer using the Services, we continue to share your information as described in this notice. However, you can contact us at any time to limit our sharing.
Vermont and California Consumers
Flexienvíos BHD will disclose Information about consumers with a Vermont or California mailing address only with your written authorization ("consent"), unless otherwise permitted by law. Written authorizations from Vermont consumers may be delivered to us at the address above or by email at [email protected] and must contain your name, address and signature and your consent. You may revoke your consent at any time by calling us at (800) 810-5857 FREE or by writing or emailing us at the addresses provided above. California consumers should contact us at the addresses above for instructions on how to deliver their consent.
Users of the Services, regardless of their state of residence, cannot opt-out of certain disclosures including:
- disclosures necessary to process, send, administer or enforce your Order;
- disclosures to our authorized service providers, including our pay-out partners;
- disclosures permitted or required by law; and
- disclosures to prevent fraud or other illegal activities.
Links to Third Party Websites
Our websites may contain links to other websites. We are not affiliated with these other websites and cannot control or be responsible for the content or the privacy practices of these separately owned and operated websites. It is your responsibility to read or request the privacy notices from these other websites prior to engaging with them. Our websites include "social media features", such as the Facebook "Like" button and widgets, such as the "Share this" button or interactive mini-programs that run on our site. These features may collect your IP address, which page you are visiting on our site, and may set a cookie to enable the feature to function properly. Social media features and widgets are either hosted by a third party or hosted directly on our websites. Your interactions with these features are governed by the privacy policy of the company providing it.
Future Changes to this Policy
We may amend this policy at any time, and shall notify you by posting a revised version on our website. Should we make a material change to the manner in which we collect, use or store your Information, we shall provide prior notice on our website, or by email.
If you have a complaint or need to contact Flexienvíos BHD for any reason, please contact Flexienvíos BHD Customer Service at (800) 810-5857 FREE or via email at [email protected] or via regular mail to Flexienvíos BHD, c/o Customer Service, 580 Sylvan Avenue, Suite M-J, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632.
If you are a Texas resident and you still have an unresolved complaint regarding Flexienvíos BHD's money transmission activity, please direct your complaint to: Texas Department of Banking: 2601 North Lamar Boulevard; Austin, Texas 78705; 1-877-276-5554 FREE (toll free); www.dob.texas.gov or email [email protected].


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Option lists with many items may cause problems for users with assistive technology, such as screen readers. The solution is to use the Optgroup element to split options in the Select list into manageable groups. This also better practice for usability.
Download Web Axe Episode 51 (Option Groups [OptGroup])
WCAG 1.0 says: Guideline 2.3 Divide large blocks of information into more manageable groups where natural and appropriate. [Priority 2]
- The SELECT, OPTGROUP, and OPTION elements (W3C)
- Grouping Form Controls (W3C)
- Accessibility Conformance Tests, Further Improvements
- Accessible Forms from HTML Dog
Sample Code:
- What is an on-screen keyboard?
- WCAG 2.0 Polishing the Rough Edges from Jared Smith at WebAIM


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Privacy Policy
Your privacy is important to The Rosewood at Fort Oglethorpe. We're committed to protecting the privacy of data you submit to this Website.
The policies listed below will tell you what information we collect about you, how we protect it and what choices you have about how that information is used. Please review this policy carefully. The Rosewood at Fort Oglethorpe reserves the right to change its privacy policy at any time, in which event the site will contain a notice of the change.
The Rosewood at Fort Oglethorpe may ask you to provide information about yourself, or your companies, in order to better serve you. Examples of information requested may include name, title, company, address, phone number, email address, and other relevant data. The Rosewood at Fort Oglethorpe does not require this information to obtain access to any area of the Website. Contact Forms are used only to deliver requested information and respond to your questions. When you submit a form, the encrypted information is protected using "Secure Socket Layers (SSL)" as it passes between your browser and the The Rosewood at Fort Oglethorpe servers. Any information that you voluntarily share with The Rosewood at Fort Oglethorpe in a form is kept strictly confidential and fully secure. Only authorized persons are permitted to access the information you submit.
When you visit our site, we will collect anonymous "usage" information such as the type of browser you use, the pages you visit, and your source domain. We use this information to monitor traffic and site activity, and to improve the performance and content of our site.
In order to compile this information, The Rosewood at Fort Oglethorpe may collect and store on a non-secure server your IP address, your operating system version, your browser version, the pages you visit within the site, the length of time you spend on pages within the site, the site from which you linked to ours, search terms you used in search engines which resulted in you linking to the site, etc. While all of this information can be associated with the IP address your computer had while you visited the site, it will never be associated with you as an individual, or associated with any other information you may submit through the site.
The Rosewood at Fort Oglethorpe may use web site "cookies" in the process of compiling the statistical information mentioned above and to tailor certain pages of the site for your browsing convenience. You have the option of setting your browser to reject cookies, but our site may not function correctly if you do.
The Rosewood at Fort Oglethorpe does not target children and does not intend to collect any personal information from anyone under 13 years of age. If you are under 13, you should not enter any personally identifiable information about yourself on any The Rosewood at Fort Oglethorpe web site.
Our web sites may contain links to other 3rd party web sites. The Rosewood at Fort Oglethorpe is not responsible for the security or privacy practices of these sites, the products or services offered by these sites, or the content appearing at these sites. The Rosewood at Fort Oglethorpe does not endorse any of the products or services marketed at these other sites.
Stay connected with the latest senior living and health related information. From safety tips and money matters to the benefits of retirement community living, stay informed with The Rosewood at Fort Oglethorpe Retirement Community.


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IObit Driver Booster Pro v10.0.0.38 Multilingual (Portable)
IObit Driver Booster Pro v10.0.0.38 Multilingual (Portable) | 49 MB | Language: Multilanguage
Updating drivers is usually an initial step to avoid hardware failure, system instability and hidden security vulnerabilities. To update drivers regularly is also an effective way to enhance your overall PC performance, and maximize your gaming experience. While this process could be risky and frustrating if done manually.
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– Update Drivers 300% Faster with Just One Click
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Driver Booster Pro Features:
– Download and Update Outdated Drivers with One Click
– Enhance Hardware Functionality for Top Performance
– Specialized Driver Tweaking for Top Gaming Experience
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– Enjoy Priority to Update Outdated Drivers Promptly
– Backup Drivers for Safe Restore
– Download and Update Drivers up to 300% Faster
– Automatically Update to the Latest Version
Operating System:Windows 7, 8/8.1, 10, 11.
Homepage: http://www.iobit.com/


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Ancient Carthaginians really did sacrifice their children
After decades of scholarship denying that the Carthaginians sacrificed their children, new research has found 'overwhelming' evidence that this ancient civilisation really did carry out the practice.
A collaborative paper by academics from institutions across the globe, including Oxford University, suggests that Carthaginian parents ritually sacrificed young children as an offering to the gods.
The paper argues that well-meaning attempts to interpret the 'tophets' – ancient infant burial grounds – simply as child cemeteries are misguided.
And the practice of child sacrifice could even hold the key to why the civilisation was founded in the first place.
The research pulls together literary, epigraphical, archaeological and historical evidence and confirms the Greek and Roman account of events that held sway until the 1970s, when scholars began to argue that the theory was simply anti-Carthaginian propaganda.
The paper is published in the journal Antiquity.
Dr Josephine Quinn of Oxford University's Faculty of Classics, an author of the paper, said: 'It's becoming increasingly clear that the stories about Carthaginian child sacrifice are true. This is something the Romans and Greeks said the Carthaginians did and it was part of the popular history of Carthage in the 18th and 19th centuries.
'But in the 20th century, people increasingly took the view that this was racist propaganda on the part of the Greeks and Romans against their political enemy, and that Carthage should be saved from this terrible slander.
'What we are saying now is that the archaeological, literary, and documentary evidence for child sacrifice is overwhelming and that instead of dismissing it out of hand, we should try to understand it.'
The city-state of ancient Carthage was a Phoenician colony located in what is now Tunisia. It operated from around 800BC until 146BC, when it was destroyed by the Romans.
Children – both male and female, and mostly a few weeks old – were sacrificed by the Carthaginians at locations known as tophets. The practice was also carried out by their neighbours at other Phoenician colonies in Sicily, Sardinia and Malta. Dedications from the children's parents to the gods are inscribed on slabs of stone above their cremated remains, ending with the explanation that the god or gods concerned had 'heard my voice and blessed me'.
Dr Quinn said: 'People have tried to argue that these archaeological sites are cemeteries for children who were stillborn or died young, but quite apart from the fact that a weak, sick or dead child would be a pretty poor offering to a god, and that animal remains are found in the same sites treated in exactly the same way, it's hard to imagine how the death of a child could count as the answer to a prayer.
'It's very difficult for us to recapture people's motivations for carrying out this practice or why parents would agree to it, but it's worth trying.
'Perhaps it was out of profound religious piety, or a sense that the good the sacrifice could bring the family or community as a whole outweighed the life of the child.
'We have to remember the high level of mortality among children – it would have been sensible for parents not to get too attached to a child that might well not make its first birthday.'
Dr Quinn added: 'We think of it as a slander because we view it in our own terms. But people looked at it differently 2,500 years ago.
'Indeed, contemporary Greek and Roman writers tended to describe the practice as more of an eccentricity or historical oddity – they're not actually very critical.
'We should not imagine that ancient people thought like us and were horrified by the same things.'
The backlash against the notion of Carthaginian child sacrifice began in the second half of the 20th century and was led by scholars from Tunisia and Italy, the very countries in which tophets have been found.
Dr Quinn added: 'Carthage was far bigger than Athens and for many centuries much more important than Rome, but it is something of a forgotten city today.
'If we accept that child sacrifice happened on some scale, it begins to explain why the colony was founded in the first place.
'Perhaps the reason the people who established Carthage and its neighbours left their original home of Phoenicia – modern-day Lebanon – was because others there disapproved of their unusual religious practice.
'Child abandonment was common in the ancient world, and human sacrifice is found in many historical societies, but child sacrifice is relatively uncommon. Perhaps the future Carthaginians were like the Pilgrim Fathers leaving from Plymouth – they were so fervent in their devotion to the gods that they weren't welcome at home any more.
'Dismissing the idea of child sacrifice stops us seeing the bigger picture.'


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I continue to be obsessed about email – it's by far the most significant comm channel I use. And – it's accelerating, not decelerating, especially as it proliferates across devices as well as other comm channels.
I've watched as many of the companies we've invested in use email and CRM systems (such as Salesforce) as though they existed in separate parallel universes. I've listened to the endless complaints about the complete and total lack of real integration between the two. I've watched the workflow, even from very disciplined sales people, and shaken my head in total bafflement at the lack of integration and the perverse contortions the sales person goes through to try to make the two systems work together. And – as I've continued to manage the enormous flow of email I get in Gmail, I've been searching for more efficient (and effective) ways to deal with it, besides just ignoring it which, while efficient, wouldn't be very effective.
To address this, we've invested in a new company called Yesware.
At the beginning of the year I was kicking around some ideas with my long time friend Raj Bhargava. Raj and I have done a bunch of companies together since we met in 1994. He acutely felt this problem in his most recent company StillSecure as he dealt with the garbage in / garbage out problem of his CRM system. Over a few months we bounced some ideas around until one day he mentioned to me that he'd run into two entrepreneurs in Boston – Matthew Bellows and Cashman Andrus – who were working on something similar. Over a few weeks everyone connected, Matthew, Cashman, and Raj decided to merge efforts, and I agreed, along with Rich Miner at Google Ventures, to provide a seed financing.
A few weeks later we had our first board meeting in Google's NY office where I discovered Zico Coconut Water. Matthew and Cashman showed us a detailed product road map along with the MVP they were working on and planning to ship in 30 or so days. We spent the entire meeting talking about the product (I'm sure Matthew had other slides but I don't remember them.) While the first MVP was interesting and an extension of the ideas they had started with, it didn't feel right to anyone in the room.
Rich and I both suggested – in different ways – that the team delete what they had done so far. We felt they were falling into a classic startup trap as they'd spent three months raising their round and were now anxious to get a product out the door. But they hadn't spent much time in the previous three months thinking deeply about the product, so their plan was an awkward continuation of their demoware and concept pitch.
At some point in the meeting I said something that Matthew has told me stuck with him. I said, in my most Yoda-like voice, "slow down to speed up." The seed round was an ample amount of money for them to go for at least a year. Their vision didn't have an expiration date. Sure – other people were likely working on similar stuff and getting to market fast is always important, but getting to market with something compelling is even more important.
The team heeded the advice, stopped trying to ramp up headcount to work on extending the demo, deleted the product roadmap, and started again. The progress over the next 60 days was awesome as they went very deep with real salespeople on the problem, simplified their product vision, and defined a very clear MVP, release plan, and path to a revenue producing product.
At the time we made our investment I asked Matthew if he wanted me to blog about it. He didn't – he saw no reason to talk widely about it until the company had shipped something interesting for people to use. That time has come – if you are a salesperson and use Gmail in Chrome, give Yesware a try. And give us feedback.


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Learning Outcomes Assessment Step-by-Step: Enhancing Evidence-Based Practice in Career Services
Book Review By Joy Evans and Phyllis N. Weatherly
While assessment of client and student satisfaction is not a new topic for career development practitioners, the demand placed on units like career services from organization and campus administration continues to grow by leaps and bounds. In the early part of the 20th century, the Carnegie Foundation started a trend that began the widespread use of standardized, objective testing to measure learning in higher education, which, over the years, expanded from classroom based assessment to the evaluation of student services. However, fleeting are the days where simple attendance metrics and evaluation surveys can justify worth and prove effectiveness; career services centers today face growing pressure to clearly document the lasting effect their services have on the transformation of today's college students. This NCDA monograph reinforces this important theme and lays out effective processes for implementing learning outcomes assessment within your own center.
Summary of Content
This 80 page paperbound monograph includes 5 chapters and 2 appendices. The authors' purpose was to educate readers about the value of learning outcomes assessment and to demonstrate a step-by-step process that can be used in a career services organization. While Makela and Rooney have focused this work primarily towards higher education professionals, the process laid out is applicable in many other settings.
The authors' learning outcomes assessment process is called the Assessment of Learning Outcomes for Interventions Cycle, the ALOI Cycle (pronounced "alloy"). The authors use Chapter 1 to show the necessity of shifting the focus from counting individuals or static objects (such as things that career professionals do) to interventions for groups showing the relationship between career services and those who receive them. The key question becomes: In what ways do our interventions help clients to change, develop, and move from Point A to Point B? The authors want to help the reader learn how to develop and refine an "evidence-based practice" based on the best available data about the efficacy of a career intervention.
Chapter 2 sets the stage for embracing a learning framework for assessment in career services as an on-going event. The authors define learning as "the process of transforming experiences, both past and present into acquired knowledge, skills, and values that can be applied to future endeavors" (p. 7). While measuring satisfaction, demographic categories, and the needs of current participants are important, shifting to a learning framework for assessment provides more accountability data to demonstrate the value of career services to the mission of the institution. Makela and Rooney maintain we must define learning holistically and view ourselves as educators and our career development interventions as learning opportunities. They want to shift our focus from processes to interventions, diversify our approach to assessment, connect to the core learning mission of our institutions, and develop a learning outcomes assessment frame of mind.
Chapter 3 lays out the step-by-step process for learning outcomes assessment, complete with clear instructions and multiple examples applied within a career services context. This process includes defining context, brainstorming outcomes, writing outcomes statements, connecting theories and professional standards, prioritizing learning outcomes, evaluating learning outcomes, reflecting on results and processes, and using learning outcomes assessment. This chapter is both logical and a work of art. The authors consistently use sample charts, worksheets, and diagrams to demonstrate each step of the ALOI Cycle so it can be applied to the reader's unique situation.
In Chapter 4, the authors provide three very different examples of the ALOI Cycle in action, demonstrating that the process can be used for a wide variety of interventions such as office-wide learning outcomes, outcomes of a drop-in resume review service, and individual career counseling for first year students who are exploring majors. In each example, the authors demonstrate how they would proceed through each step systematically in order to provide learning and dialoguing process for all parties involved.
The authors use Chapter 5 to reflect on the importance of (a) creating an organizational culture of learning outcomes assessment that helps clients make informed educational and career decisions, (b) gathering evidence about the effectiveness of possible interventions and how they can be improved, (c) providing evidence of how career services can enhance the mission of institutions, and (d) building a sense of community among career professionals.
Review and Comments
It is difficult to find weaknesses with this monograph. Makela and Rooney have obviously spent considerable time refining their ALOI Cycle learning outcomes assessment process, making it user friendly, and refining the monograph itself.
Their topic is difficult for most counseling and career professionals to enjoy because of the increasing mandates for learning outcomes assessment and the steps necessary to complete the process well. In the past, assessing participant satisfaction levels and gathering demographic and current needs information has been considered adequate, especially if a high percentage of questionnaires or completed surveys were obtained. However, the authors' make the point that a shift in thinking about outcomes assessment is necessary. It is becoming essential that career services practitioners clearly define and refine an evidence-based practice so it is clearly understood how interventions cause participants to grow, develop, and move from Point A to Point B.
Chapters 1 and 2 lay the groundwork beautifully for the purpose and value of learning outcomes assessment. Chapter 3 teaches the process and Chapter 4 moves the reader through three practical examples. The appendices provide multiple worksheets on each step. The monograph's systematic way of defining the process steps, numerous examples, worksheets, and diagrams are among its significant strengths.
The authors end with Chapter 5, moving the reader a step further than anticipated towards a vision of an on-going "culture of learning outcomes assessment" where decisions about the efficacy of interventions are made more objectively and the reporting of outcomes can be used to openly claim a rightful place within the mission of the institution.
We found this monograph to be essential reading for those not well experienced in learning outcomes assessment. It serves as a guidebook and an effective learning tool for an individual or a group. We believe it could also become a welcome library addition for any career services professional, a supervisor of career services providers, an instructor within graduate programs teaching career development courses, or a workshop leader.
Learning Outcomes Assessment Step-by-Step: Enhancing Evidence-Based Practice in Career Services can be purchased in the NCDA Career Resource Store .
Joy Evans is the Director of Counseling and Career Services at Gainesville State College. She received her PhD in Counseling Psychology and Human Systems from Florida State University. She can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Phyllis N. Weatherly is the Director of Career and Counseling Center at Southern Polytechnic State University. She can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.
1 Comment
Kim Meredith on Wednesday 03/06/2013 at 04:42 PM
Thanks Joy and Phyllis for reviewing this monograph. I am going to add it to my library this year.


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U.S. Open Golf Tournament History
It's time for another classic golf event – the U.S. Open Golf Tournament. The history of the U.S. Open goes back almost one hundred years.
Beginning in 1895 as almost an afterthought to the U.S. Amateur, the U.S. Open golf tournament is now one of golf's four majors, and one of the most storied tournaments in the world.
The United States Golf Association holds the tournament, which is held on some of the top-rated and most well-respected golf courses around the country.
On Oct. 4, 1895, the first U.S. Open Championship was conducted by the United States Golf Association on the nine-hole course of Newport (R.I.) Golf and Country Club. The first U.S. Open was considered something of a sideshow to the first U.S. Amateur, which was played on the same course and during the same week.
Both championships had been scheduled for September but were postponed because of a conflict with a more established Newport sports spectacle, the America's Cup yacht races.
Ten professionals and one amateur started in the 36-hole competition, which was four trips around the Newport course in one day. The surprise winner was Horace Rawlins, 21, an English professional who was the assistant at the host course. Rawlins scored 91-82-173 with the gutta-percha ball. Prize money totalled $335, of which Rawlins won the $150 first prize. He also received a gold medal and custody of the Open Championship Cup for his club for one year.
In its first decade, the U.S. Open was conducted for amateurs and the largely British wave of immigrant golf professionals coming to the United States. As American players began to dominate the game, the U.S. Open evolved into an important world golf championship. Young John J. McDermott became the first native-born American winner in 1911 and repeated as champion in 1912.
In 1913, the U.S. Open really took off when Francis Ouimet, a 20-year-old American amateur, stunned the golf world by defeating famous English professionals, Harry Vardon and Ted Ray, in a playoff.
Another surge in the championship's popularity coincided with the amazing career of Georgia amateur Bob Jones, who won the U.S. Open four times (1923, 1926, 1929, 1930). Spectator tickets were sold for the first time in 1922 and a boom in entries caused the USGA to introduce sectional qualifying in 1924.
In 1933, John Goodman became the fifth and last amateur to win the U.S. Open. The others were Ouimet, Jerome D. Travers (1915), Charles Evans Jr., (1916), and Jones.
In each era, the world's greatest players have been identified by surviving the rigorous examination provided by the U.S. Open. Ben Hogan's steely determination boosted him to four victories (1948, 1950, 1951, 1953). Arnold Palmer's record comeback win in 1960, when he fired a final round of 65 to come from seven strokes off the lead, cemented his dashing image. Jack Nicklaus' historic assault on the professional record book began when he won the first of his four U.S. Open Championships in 1962, his rookie season as a professional.
Nicklaus, who also won in 1967, 1972, and 1980, is one of only four golfers to win four U.S. Opens. The others are Willie Anderson (1901, 1903, 1904, 1905), Jones and Hogan.
In 1954, the U.S. Open course was roped from tee to green for the first time. That year also marked the first national television coverage. Coverage was expanded by ABC Sports in 1977 so that all 18 holes of the final two rounds were broadcast live. In 1982, on the ESPN cable network, the first two rounds were broadcast live for the first time. NBC began televising the U.S. Open in 1995.
The format of the U.S. Open has changed several times. The USGA extended the championship to 72 holes in 1898, with 36 holes played on each of two days. In 1926, the format was changed to 18 holes played each of two days, then 36 holes on the third day. In 1965, the present format of four 18-hole daily rounds was implemented for the first time.
In 2002, a two-tee (Nos. 1 and 10) start was used for the first and second rounds. In addition, Bethpage State Park's Black Course in Farmingdale, N.Y., was the first facility owned by the public to host a U.S. Open.
International qualifying sites were added in 2005 and the champion at Pinehurst Resort in N.C. was Michael Campbell, who qualified in England.


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VIEW HERE: Governor unveils six key indicators that will be considered before modifying state's stay-at-home order
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today unveiled six key indicators that will guide California's thinking for when and how to modify the stay-at-home and other orders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Governor noted that the progress in flattening the curve, increased preparedness of our health care delivery system and the effects of other COVID-19 interventions have yielded positive results. However, these actions have also impacted the economy, poverty and overall health care in California. Any consideration of modifying the stay-at-home order must be done using a gradual, science-based and data-driven framework.
"While Californians have stepped up in a big way to flatten the curve and buy us time to prepare to fight the virus, at some point in the future we will need to modify our stay-at-home order," said Governor Newsom. "As we contemplate reopening parts of our state, we must be guided by science and data, and we must understand that things will look different than before."
Until we build immunity, our actions will be aligned to achieve the following:
- Ensure our ability to care for the sick within our hospitals;
- Prevent infection in people who are at high risk for severe disease;
- Build the capacity to protect the health and well-being of the public; and
- Reduce social, emotional and economic disruptions
California's six indicators for modifying the stay-at-home order are:
- The ability to monitor and protect our communities through testing, contact tracing, isolating, and supporting those who are positive or exposed;
- The ability to prevent infection in people who are at risk for more severe COVID-19;
- The ability of the hospital and health systems to handle surges;
- The ability to develop therapeutics to meet the demand;
- The ability for businesses, schools, and child care facilities to support physical distancing; and
- The ability to determine when to reinstitute certain measures, such as the stay-at-home orders, if necessary.
The Governor said there is not a precise timeline for modifying the stay-at-home order, but that these six indicators will serve as the framework for making that decision.
He also noted that things will look different as California makes modifications. For example, restaurants will have fewer tables and classrooms will be reconfigured.
For more information on California's response, visit covid19.ca.gov.


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There are several things that we really like about the TI Stellaris. We think the peripheral library — called Stellarisware — has a pretty intuitive API that makes it easy to get into. But we're also quite impressed that the software comes with makefiles that build the libraries and examples using your own GCC cross compiling toolchain. We spent quite a bit of time pawing through those makefiles and the makedefs settings file to figure out how TI was doing things. Now if you don't want to do that sleuthing yourself you can head on over to the GCC with TI Stellaris Launchpad guide which [Brandon] just published.
Shown above is the helpful chart of compiler flags which he pulled from the files with his added comments on what each does. He did the same for the linker flags, and then discusses the program calls made during compilation and linking. He then delves into how the driver library on the chip's ROM can be accessed in code. This is just the first in a four-part series he plans to write. We can't wait to see what he has to say about the hardware FPU as we haven't had time to explore that for ourselves quite yet.


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Discounts Up to 75% Off at The Mexican Shack
Shop all fine and fashion jewelry, housewares, and accessories at The Mexican Shack in Somers through Mother's Day at 10 to 75 percent off regular prices.
Up to 75% Off at By The Yard Interiors
Save 40 to 75 percent on accent chairs, floor and table lamps, wall décor, and more during the floor sample sale at By The Yard Interiors in Scarsdale through the end of the month.
Take Up to 70% Off at West Elm
Shop the West Elm Furniture Flea event in Scarsdale and save up to 70 percent on floor models, markdowns, and final clearance items, while supplies last.
Save 40% at Free & Co. Store Closing Sale
Purchase jewelry at 40 percent off at Free & Co. in Katonah through 5/11, when the store closes its location at 135 Katonah Avenue.
Citrine Gift Card With Operation PROM Donation
Shop until 7 pm on 5/9 at Citrine in Bronxville. Donate gently used handbags or jewelry to Operation PROM at Citrine and receive a $10 store gift card through 5/17.
Stickley, Audi & Co. Special Pricing and Roadshow Event
Purchase merchandise at Stickley, Audi & Co. in White Plains through the end of May at 2012 prices. Also, sign up for the Stickley Roadshow event on 5/9 at 6 pm in White Plains to have a company historian evaluate your Stickley antique for free and for a chance to win a piece of furniture. RSVP at stickleyaudi.com/roadshow.
20% Off at La Gravinese Jewelers
Purchase any in-stock items at La Gravinese Jewelers in Bronxville through Mother's Day at 20 percent off. Shop until 8 pm on 5/9.
Designing Women With the Women's Club of Rye
Join the Woman's Club of Rye at the Apawamis Club in Rye for its annual Designing Women annual spring boutique event on 5/8 from 10 am to 8 pm. Enjoy a Girls Night Out starting at 6 pm, when the first 50 shoppers receive a free gift bag.
25% Off at Bronxville Jewelers
Take 25 percent off all merchandise at Bronxville Jewelers in Bronxville on 5/9.
Teatown Plant Sale
Purchase plants and buds that are unique or traditional at the annual Teatown's Plant Sale in Ossining on 5/10, from 4 to 7 pm; and 5/11, from 9 am to 2 pm. $10 admission.
» For more shopping resources, click here.
» For more deals, steals and insider savings, sign up for our Shop914 newsletter.


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Do you ever feel like the people you're talking to are mumbling or speaking too quickly? Are you having to ask others to repeat themselves frequently? Or maybe you're struggling to follow a conversation when there is background noise?
If so, these could be indicators that you have a hearing loss.
It's not uncommon for friends and family members to notice we have hearing loss before we do. Most likely, it's because we use them as a crutch to help fill in the blanks when we are missing parts of a conversation. Or they'll recognize we're having a hard time on the telephone. Another common issue is how loud the volume on our TVs is.
If any of this sounds familiar to you, it's time to get your hearing checked.
How to get a hearing test
Getting a hearing test is actually very easy. There are free hearing screenings you can take online that are a good first step. With a computer and your headphones, you can find out in a matter of minutes if you have a hearing loss.
But the most for-sure way to find out if you have a hearing loss is to get your hearing tested by a licensed hearing healthcare professional. They will be able to confirm not only if you have a hearing loss, but what type of loss you have and how severe it may be. They can also give you advice on options for treating it.
So, should you get a test? Well, if you answer yes to any of these questions, the answer is "YES!" and get a hearing test.
- Do you have trouble following conversations in groups?
- Are you having difficulty on the phone?
- Do you think others are mumbling?
- Do you think "I can hear, but I can't understand"
- Is it hard hearing in noisy environments like restaurants?
- Have you noticed the volume of the TV or radio needs to be turned up?
Hearing is important to our health and quality of life. And with today's advancements in hearing technology, there's no need to struggle. So don't wait — find out once and for all. Early detection is the key to hearing and living better!
Find out what noises you may be missing! Schedule an appointment today for a hearing consultation.


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Elite UK Mistresses is a fully searchable directory. Search by the name of a Mistress or by the Mistress's town, city or services/interests. Search using the search box near the top right side of every page.
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N1 121914Z TF 2 Fury Reports Direct Fire Vic Qarabagh DC
2007-05-12 17:14:00
Afghanistan: GREEN-BLUE, RC EAST, 0 casualtiesElements of Appache Thudner 12 received small arms fire, possible sniper fire. at the Qara Bagh Distric Center form the Sout East. Apache Thunder element was located at the Qarabagh DC to assist and a...
201435Z TF Gladius Camp Eggers EOF
2007-12-20 13:35:00
Afghanistan: GREEN-BLUE, RC CAPITAL, 0 casualtiesSIGACT: 07-12-016 REPORTING UNIT: CAMP EGGERS EVENT TYPE: Shots fired at US Convoy DTG: 20 1918L Dec 2007 GRID: IVO RTE Violet between V1 to V3 PROVINCE: Kabul DISTRICT: Kabul REMARKS: Warning s...


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America's best-selling author and inspirational columnist Catherine Galasso-Vigorito brings practical Biblical advice and true, modern-day stories to serve as illuminating encouragement in the face of life's challenges.
Filled with encouraging true stories, rich Biblical passages, and pragmatic words of wisdom, The Open Window provides workable suggestions and concrete ways to help deal with the challenges of life. This unique devotional offers strengthening principles for difficult circumstances, as well as stories of encouragement that reveal how times of adversity can become windows of opportunity—if we can see that a window is open.
Featuring eight weeks of daily guidance, The Open Window will show how, with faith and trust in God, one can take focused steps to look beyond present difficulties and find the Light that is shining inside. In a captivating voice, Catherine Galasso-Vigorito shares personal moments from her own life as intimate examples of persistence. Recommended for individual or group study.


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Supplier Pledge
At MP we strive to deliver the very best consumer experience. We pride ourselves on our high quality and innovative products that are ethically and responsibly sourced.
Prior to on-boarding, our suppliers are required to meet a range of quality, safety, environmental and social standards. Through these measures, we can be transparent with our consumers and ensure that all of our product is fit for purpose. All of our supply bases are fully audited and accredited by SEDEX or BSCI and we are careful and considerate when selecting suppliers ensuring that all regulations are met.
All of our products are tested to the highest standard to ensure that they are as sustainable as possible and comply with REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation & restriction of Chemicals).
It is our mission to ensure that we continue to ethically source our products to ensure we can support our consumers in meeting and exceeding their fitness and performance goals.
More Potential. More Progress. More Performance.


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Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Covered-Call ETFs Disappoint So Far
At its core, a covered-call strategy involves owning stocks and selling call options on those stocks. Compared to a strategy of just owning stocks, the difference is obviously the short position in call options. So, for a covered-call strategy to outperform, the excess profits would have to come from the options.
For the options to be profitable, traders would have to consistently trade call options far above their real value. Why would anyone expect this to be the case for such short-term financial instruments?
Even if writing covered calls has no expectation of excess profits, it is reasonable to expect that it will change the volatility of investment returns. But again, I see no reason to expect that we will be left with anything other than the usual relationship between risk and reward: the higher the risk, the greater the expected reward.
Investors who like a covered-call strategy because of the way it changes the volatility characteristics of returns may be making a sensible choice for their situation. But this is very different from expecting outperformance.
Carrick is quite right that "We'll need a full cycle of stock market ups and downs to properly judge covered call ETFs." My expectation is that a full stock market cycle will see the covered-call strategy underperform by the costs involved in implementing the strategy. If covered calls prove to be profitable, it would expose a surprising inefficiency in markets.
4 comments:
- AnonymousJuly 17, 2012 at 8:37 AM
A covered call strategy should outperform when the mkt has small gains or down. That's generally the type of mkt when many of these cov call ETF's have existed. But instead they have underperformed
ReplyDelete Michael,
One hugely important item is missing from this discussion: What strategy is being followed by these covered-call-writing ETFs?
To evaluate the strategy (rather than the performance of the ETFs), it is essential that the ETFs actually write covered calls on 100% of their holdings.
I note that Horizons does that with at least one of their funds. They write ATM and OTM calls. That strategy seeks to earn a significant portion of its profits when the stocks move higher. A more conservative ETF would write ITM options.
BXM (the CBOE buy-write index) also writes OTM options and provides evidence that the strategy slightly outperforms, after dividends. If the ETFs are under-performing, I'd suggest that management fees (0.65%) and trading commissions are to blame.
Here is the unusual part: It is almost impossible, by definition, for a covered call portfolio to earn less than the traditional, uncovered portfolio, when stocks do not rally strongly. Under-performance in a falling market suggests that something is rotten with fund management. business.@Anonymous and @Mark: It's true that a covered call strategy clips the upside of returns, and we would expect it to work better when stocks are not rising. However, the costs of using the strategy (trading costs and management fees) can certainly consume option premiums.
@Patrick: I agree that maximizing returns isn't always the goal. But I'd guess that over 90% of covered-call ETF investors bought with the hope of outperformance and little thought about volatility.


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Application Insights includes telemetry export and segmentation editing
Published date: December 11, 2014
Application Insights is an all-in-one analytics solution, and it is part of the Visual Studio Online services.Note Application Insights is in preview.This update includes many bug fixes and performance improvements. Additionally, continuous export is available for your telemetry data, performance improvements, and customization of segmentation charts in Metrics Explorer.Telemetry exportYou can set up a continuous export of your telemetry data from the Application Insights portal in JSON format. The data is in blob storage in your Microsoft Azure account. You can access it there, and write whatever code you need to process it.Learn more about Applications Insights telemetry exportSegmentation editingIn Application Insights, you can enable, disable, and customize segmentation charts in Metrics Explorer.