text:
We're in the phablet era now
Venture capitalist Fred Wilson looked at research firm Flurry's State of Mobile 2015 report and took note of the chart above, which shows that the greatest growth in time spent on mobile came from "phablets" — those large phones that blur the line between phone and tablet — and wrote:
There's not a lot new in this data to be honest, but it confirms a lot of what everyone believes is happening. We are converging on a single device format in mobile and that's driving some important changes in usage. We are in the phablet era.
Everything I needed to know about good user experience I learned while working in restaurants
At the Neilsen/Norman Group's blog, Everything I Needed to Know About Good User Experience I Learned While Working in Restaurants lists the many things that you can learn from restaurants and apply to your applications, from designing for both new and expert users to interaction design and error handling to community management.
If you're not familiar with the Nielsen/Norman Group, they're the "Monsters of Rock" of user interface and experience. Their principals are:
- Jakob Nielsen, who's probably best know for literally writing the book on web usability,
- Donald Norman, who's written a number of great books on usable designs, most notably The Design of Everyday Things, and
- Bruce Toganazzini, who's done all sorts of UI work, starting with founding Apple's Human Interface Group (which in my opinion needs to review its priorities).
The cautionary lessons of Evernote's "5% problem"
Evernote used to be my go-to note-taking app in 2011. I worked across platforms, and I loved that I could start a note on my laptop, continue on my iPad, and then later make tweaks or addenda on my phone. But as time went by, it got buggier and increasingly less usable to the point where I abandoned it worse and buggier until I abandoned it in annoyance.
Their note-taking app got buggier as the company tried to expand so that they had offerings that would appeal to as many people as possible. Therein lay their problem: as their own former CEO put it, people at Evernote conferences would go up to him and say that they loved the platform, but used only 5% of what it could do. The problem was that there was a different 5% for every person. They spread themselves too thin, lost their focus, started half-assign their product lines, and in an attempt to please everyone, ended up annoying them.
Keep calm and carry on developing Android apps
You may have heard that the ongoing legal battle between Oracle (who own Java) and Google (who own Android, which is Java-based) has led to Google's decision to move from their proprietary version of the JDK to Oracle's OpenJDK. You may be concerned, but you probably shouldn't be. It may cause headaches for Google and Android mobile phone vendors, but as Android developers, it shouldn't really affect you.
As Android developer and online tutor Tim Buchalka puts it:
We write our code accessing the same libraries, and things just work. Of course its going to be a decent chunk of work for Google to get this all working so that we dont have to worry about it, but if anyone has the resources to do it, Google do.
What do you need to do as an Android developer? Absolutely nothing, its business as normal! You dont need to change anything in your development process and it may well be that when Android N arrives you won't have to either. So fire up Android Studio, and get back to coding!
A story you might not know about Microsoft Solitaire: it was created by a summer intern!
Is Wes Cherry a bit annoyed that he never got paid to write one of the most-used applications of the Windows 3.x/9x days? He once answered "Yeah, especially since you are all probably paid to play it!"


text:
Omega vertical vegetable juicer and fruit juicer options offer a compact footprint. If you like your vegetable and fruit juicer vertical, we have slow juicers, masticating juicers and cold press juicers.
Juice fruits, veggies, leafy greens, and wheatgrass. These multi-purpose juicers can also make nut milks, nut butters, all-natural baby food & more!
Cold Press Juicer with Celery Juice Function- Delivers Maximum Celery Juice and Nutrition.
These slow vegetable juicers are slow cold press juicers in cube form. Our slow speed fruit juicers with cube design are easy to store.
Our high speed fruit juicers and vegetable juicers include fast juicers with pulp ejection. Try fruit and vegetable juicers to juice oranges, celery, carrots, apples and more.
Use our citrus juicers to juice all types of citrus fruits. The best fruit juicers make it easy to make orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, grapefruit juice and more.
Browse fruit juicers at Omega Juicers to juice apples, oranges and other fruits, and discover slow juicers that create tasty, nutrient-rich treats.
Achieve your nutritional and lifestyle goals with the easy-to-use, easy-to-clean Omega Effortless™ Batch Juicer. Get your day's worth of fruits and veggies by creating delicious, cold press juice.
Our best fruit blenders are not only great for fruit smoothies, but also for milkshakes, soups, and sauces and more.
This commercial drink mixer mixes milkshakes, bar drinks, eggs, batter & more.
All parts included to make all-natural nut milks, nut butters, frozen fruit sorbets, pasta, baby food, minced herbs and ground beans.
Triple Stage masticating technology extracts the maximum amount of nutrients, vitamins, taste and juice from minimum amounts of fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, and wheatgrass.
The adjustable end cap features 3 settings to get the most juice out of your fruits, vegetables, and leafy greens.
The J8006HDC Juicer and Nutrition system can make more than just healthy and delicious juice. You can extrude pasta, make fresh baby food, juice leafy greens, vegetables, fruits, citrus, and more.
Clean up is a breeze because all of the removeable parts can be sink rinsed or top-rack dishwasher cleaned.
Lower speed means less nutrient and enzyme destroying heat for a far superior health-boosting juice.
Less noise than high-speed juicers.
What's In The Box?
" I've been juicing with Omega long before it was 'cool'. I beat the 'incurable' disease, lupus, along with cancer with the help of juicing and my Omega.
Tracee, JuiceRecipes.com
" If you consume a wide variety of juices and want to experiment with new and interesting flavor combinations, Model 8006 is the juicer for you.
BestReviews.com Omega voted Best of the Best 2018
" Omega Vert proved efficient and powerful, chewing through every kale leaf and apple chunk we fed it.
Mens Journal, Gear of the Year
" Dr. Oz identifies the Omega VRT350 Juicer as his go-to-juicer in his Best Advice ever segment.
Drink well, eat well, live well . . . with Omega.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
"By the way, I must tell you how impressed we were, we even took pictures. Our food was put away and the rest displayed wonderfully."
"You run a top notch service. I ended up giving your website to some people at our resort for their next visit. It was wonderful."
"I was very pleased with your company during my visit to the island in August and look forward to our next trip. We'll be sure to place our order early so that the Belikin is cold."
"Just wanted to thank you for your help in making our trip to Ambergris Caye completely relaxing! It was GREAT to come in tired from a long day of travel and have everything we'd need for at least the first several days already taken care of. It really made a HUGE difference to all of us...we could grab a cold drink and snack and head straight to the pool. Everything was there for a filling and easy dinner, as well as for breakfast the next morning. Your service just made it a very easy beginning to a fantastic vacation! (Next time we'll order at least 2 loaves of cinnamon bread -- it was gone in a day!)"
"I was telling other sailors along the way what GREAT provisioning we had with you! I see franchise written all over it. We did enjoy our two weeks and all the great feasting along the way."
"The service was wonderful by the way and everything was wonderful. Thank you and regards"
"Thank you, the vacation was great and having the house provisioned could not have worked any better. Having cold beer in the fridge and rum on the counter when we arrived was excellent. Thank you again"
"We sincerely appreciated your service and it did make our arrival to Belize much, much more pleasant. We travel and rent homes frequently, and I must say, we were delighted with the service you provided for us. If we come back to Belize, we will most certainly use your company again."
"Thanks for the great service on our order delivered to White Sands Cove. Thanks again, we highly recommend your organization."
"Now that I am back and caught up with the pile that was on my desk upon my return, I just wanted to say "thank-you" for your help and provisioning service. We had a few items left over which I hope you recovered with all the empty's. I really appreciated your service and will be sure to contact you again next year around this time since it appears our group had a great time."
"Id certainly consider using the service again, and would recommend the service to friends."
"We were all totally pleased with your service and will definitely call on you in the future!!! I don't have a single complaint. The produce was fresh, prices were reasonable and it was all so convenient for us.
Hope to see you soon. Will probably head back down in May."
"I would certainly recommend your services and would use you again."
"We were all very satisfied with the quality, service and billing, Your staff was very gracious and helpful. As first time visitors to Belize, we felt at home right away. I would use your service again and highly recommend it!!"
"It was so pleasant to arrive late in the evening on our first day and
find the things that we had ordered neatly arranged in the house. Food is expensive in Belize, or at least on Ambergris Caye, so we found your prices to be in line with what we saw when we went to the market. The tomatoes and papaya you found for us were so good! And thanks for delivering the extra potatoes to the house, it was nice to meet you."


text:
The 2017 DStv Eutelsat Star Awards competition has opened with a bang afterscooping a Better Satellite Award at the third annual Better Satellite World Awards gala dinner in London, reports ITRealms.
The awards, ITRealms gathered,
honour established companies along with disruptive innovators who make the
world a more prosperous, healthier, better-educated, sustainable and inclusive
home for humankind.
Drawing on six
years of success across the continent, the DStv Eutelsat Star Awards is returning
for a 7th edition, just as students from secondary (high) or
combined schools can enter from today bywriting a creative essay or designing a
poster based on the following topic:"It's
sixty years since the first satellite, Sputnik, was launched,broadcasting a
unique and easily captured 'beep, beep, beep' signal. Looking back at this
historic moment, write an essay or design a poster depicting how satellites
have launched humankind into the 21stCentury and acted as a unifier."
ITRealms reports that the prizes of this
innovative competition are as big as the dreams of a young, energised African
generation ready to shape the evolution of our continent. Selected from
thousands of entries by a high-standard jury, the essay winner will be eligible
for a once-in-a-lifetime trip for two to Paris, Francein the company of
Eutelsat, and onwards to French Guiana to see a rocket launch into space. The
poster winner will win a trip for two to South Africa which includes a visit to
the South African National Space Agency as well as exploration of several heritage
sites as guests of MultiChoice Africa. The schools attended by the two winners will
also receive a DStv installation, including a dish, TV, decoder and free access
to the DStv Education Package.
The DStv Eutelsat Star Awards are open to all
learners from secondary (high) or combined schools on the continent where
MultiChoice Africa maintains operations. Entry forms can be obtained from any
MultiChoice Resource Centre, the nearest MultiChoice office.
that entries are accepted in English, French and Portuguese and will be judged
on the basis of high-standard criteria of accuracy, creativity, originality and
innovation.For the first time this year students are also invited to engage
with the Awards community through a dedicated Facebook page.
The competition
closes on 12 February 2018. Only entries submitted on the official entry form
will be eligible. The overall winners will be announced at an awards ceremony
in March 2018.
All details on
the judging criteria, national prizes and finalists' selection are available on
the DStv Eutelsat Star
Awards website.
Africa and Eutelsat are convinced of the power of science and technology education
to encourage young mindstopositively change their world. Now in its 7th
year, their joint initiative, the DStv Eutelsat Star Awards,inspire innovative
thinking among a young African generation.This pan-African collaboration has
created a meaningful engagement with students, the academic community and the
scientific world. Since the start of the DStv Eutelsat Star Awards in 2011, over
6,000 students have taken part in this unique competition.
Nonye Dom/GEE
ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!


text:
Ruy Lopes, MBA '04, has taken the best parts of his School of Management education and his years as a professional athlete and turned them into business success.
He played professional soccer while attending college in his native Brazil, earning a degree in civil engineering even as he faced the competitive challenges inherent in playing for the country's second-division team.
The importance of teamwork, both on the field and in his classes, along with a strong academic foundation have helped Lopes in his new career as an entrepreneur.
His drive and commitment impressed the managers at the Brazilian division of ThyssenKrupp Elevadores, an industrial conglomerate with 200,000 employees worldwide, who hired him as a human relations manager and later agreed to sponsor his MBA studies at the School of Management.
After completing his MBA, he returned to ThyssenKrupp, where he managed strategic planning and marketing. He later assumed responsibility for its larger business unit for five years.
Lopes says that much of what he learned in the MBA program is the key to his latest accomplishments—running two successful companies with his brother, Gustavo.
"Two years ago, my brother invited me on two big adventures," he says. "First, I joined him at G11 Engenharia, a successful construction company." G11 Engenharia specializes in apartment, condominium and leisure housing construction and has completed several projects in and around Porto Alegre, Brazil's capital.
"Second, we designed, planned and patented a new business solution named OBOX," he says. "The concept is a portable store that can be installed anywhere with a flat surface and electricity."
Designed in dimensions that allow for easy transportation, similar to a shipping container, OBOX can be customized for many different uses, such as a showroom, shop, pub or newsstand. Its flexible layout allows for the installation of shelves, doors and windows.
OBOX has won raves, including a 2012 bronze medal in the International Design Excellence Awards in the environments category.
Lopes cites the entrepreneurship classes taught by former School of Management Professor John Hannon as a key to his success. "His classes were fantastic and he gave very practical entrepreneurship lessons," he says.
"Eight years after I graduated I can affirm that the UB MBA is a great program," Lopes says.
In addition to his entrepreneurship classes, he acknowledges the important knowledge he gained in finance, economics, consumer behavior and marketing.
At his two companies, Lopes says the best part of his job is helping his people to do their best by making them feel confident about their talent and development. "You can achieve extraordinary results by keeping good relationships with your team members, suppliers and clients," he says.
Lopes continues to play soccer in amateur leagues and still loves the teamwork and strategy involved in fielding a winning team. He also enjoys spending time with his wife, Fernanda, and their "wonderful baby" Florença.
Written by Cathy Wilde


text:
A Comprehensive Investor Relations Website Solution – Allowing simplified implementation with ShortCodes. Website Content Automatically Updated, Customizable Content Layouts, HTTPS Secure, Responsive / Mobile-Friendly, Lighting Fast Load-times, and World Class Customer and Technical Support Team. Our team has over 2 decades of experience offering digital investor relations services including: corporate and investor website design – hosting – management, investor presentations, annual reports, ESG reports, webcasts – conference calls – virtual shareholder meetings, press release distribution through wire services, SEC filings edgarization (self service and full service), digital stock exposure campaigns (Pay Per Click) and much more.
Getting started
To begin using our Investor tools plugin, enter the following credentials on the Settings/B2i Options page after you install and activate our plugin:
Business ID: 2626
API Key: Sf6Ic9Gy8
Ticker: OCC
Post key: this is a private key to allow automated posting into WordPress. We walk you through this and conduct a test post to verify connectivity.
In ShortCodes that require a stock symbol/ticker, use: OCC – The symbol is used in the stock detail, charts, historical stock data and financial/fundamentals ShortCodes
Contact us to get your account set up today. Easily switch to your company's data by changeing out the credentials.
Next, visit the Settings/B2i options area to see available ShortCodes and ShortCode parameters for customization.
For examples and ShortCode usage, please see our Live View site
LiveView site
Live View
Older demo site transitioning from that does include more information
Live View
SAAS Pricing
While this plugin is free, the datafeeds are based on our software-as-a-service which is licensed software for a fee.
Pricing is very straight-forward, with scalable, customizable solutions.
For this reason, we welcome the opportunity to your discuss your specific needs during a discovery process to make sure all of your material disclosure and digital IR needs are met.
Client and Partner Feedback
"This has allowed us to offer publicly traded companies a complete website solution."
– Website Design Firm
"Your service is so responsive, we feel as though we are your only client."
– Investor Relations Firm
"We knew a tool like this had to be available. Thank you for offering such an easy to use plugin."
– NASDAQ Listed Company
"This is exactly what we've been looking for! A plugin to keep our data updated without losing control of our investor webpages."
– NYSE Listed Company
"It's about time someone brought a tool to market that keeps equity data updated on my website without charging a small fortune."
– Microcap Company
B2i (Business to Investor) Technologies, Inc. has been providing Investor Relations products and services since 2000 including these same plugins that have now been made available through WordPress. Our product offering has continuously grown to meet industry demand with valued input from our clients. Our business philosophy is centered on providing excellent personalized customer service while offering cost effective products and services. We challenge you to find a more customizable, better priced offering with our world-class, dedicated customer and technical support.
B2i White Glove Service is ready to support you and perform website edits and send email notifications for content that is not automated. B2i has been managing corporate websites for over 22 years leveraging our proprietary infrastructure to manage content efficiently, allowing your team to focus on other key business tasks.
Other Services
Other services include: Press Releases submission / Conference Calls / Webcasts / Whistleblower Hotline and Web Solution / AccessiBe for ADA and WCAG Compliance. Contact Us for more details.
More Information
More information about each plugin and our Live View demonstration site: Live View
- After receiving your credentials from our team, Install b2i Investor Tools automatically or by uploading the entire '/b2i' directory to the '/wp-content/plugins/' directory.
- Activate the 'b2i Investor Tools' plugin through the 'Plugins' menu in WordPress.
- Go to Settings / b2i options to enter your credentials received.
- Begin crafting your IR Site with the available shortcodes.
Plugin support
B2i offers email and phone support with direct access to developers. We encourage feedback and release new features based on user input and requests.
How does the plugin work – Tech Talk
All of our plugins integrate seamlessly into your website, allowing your CSS to control the look of the data. We AJAX all the data into the page to be part of your website, not an iframe, not a link carrying vistors away from your site and not a different domain that is out of your control. Press releases have an additional option to be posted into your website as a WordPress blog post to leverage your themes customized display. Latest press and calendar modules have ability t ouse server side loading for even better SEO.
WordPress multi-site installations
Yes! our plugin works with WordPress multi-site installations
Modules Available
SEC filings
Automated – Realtime – Multi-format – XBRL files & Viewer – Email Alerts -
Stock Quote / Historical Chart / Historical Data
Automated – Email Alerts – 15 Minute Delayed -
Financials / Fundamentals
Automated – Extracted From SEC Filings as Reported – Cash Flow, Balance Sheet, Income Statment -
Press Releases
Automated – Realtime – Multi-format – WordPress post – RSS Feed and Email Alerts -
Email Alerts
Opt-in Sign-up Form, Corporate Branded Emails, Automated Email List Manager, Dashboard Reporting, Contact Export, Receive Sign-up Notifications, A-B Test, and channel sign-up tagging -
OTC Disclosures
Automated with Email Alerts -
Documents Lists
Presentations, Annual and Quarterly Reports, Charters, Governance Documents & More -
Event Calendar
Automated Reminder Emails -
Customizable Banner Messages
Completely Custom Code blocks with scheduled display / expiration – great for adding earnings call information to your home page or investor landing page for easy access -
Directors / Management
Committee Composition
Shareholder material request system
Automated – Declared Date, Ex Date, Payment Date, Amount, Total for Year, Frequency, Change -
Quarterly Earnings – Multi Section Downloads
Versatile Usage – documents and links list with scheduled display / expiration, section expansion, custom code ability and much more -
Contact Us
Contact Form and Powerful Webform Handlers with auto-reply, email notify, follow-up reminders, CRM integration and More
Automated and Realtime Regulatory Disclosure
Save time and money with our website automation tools. Remove the frustration and concern for website regulatory disclosure -
Seamless Integration & Website Continuity
Incorporate your investor relations data within your corporate website using our shortcodes, your IR data becomes part of your website. No iframes, no sub-domains and only one site to maintain. Keep control of your webpages and user experience. -
Website Compliance
Compliance for SEC, NYSE, NASDAQ, ADA, GDPR, CASL -
Keep Contacts Informed Automatically
Realtime email notifications – Consistent communication is the foundation for Investor Relelations Excellence -
Automated Press Release posting into WordPress blog
Automatically kept up-to-date. Leverage your press releases as onsite SEO. -
White Glove Content Management Service
Extremely responsive service! We take pride in helping you when you need support.
Közreműködők és fejlesztők
"B2i Investor Tools" egy nyílt forráskódú szoftver. A bővítményhez a következő személyek járultak hozzá:
Közreműködők"B2i Investor Tools" fordítása a saját nyelvünkre.
Érdekeltek vagyunk a fejlesztésben?
Browse the code, check out the SVN repository, or subscribe to the development log by RSS.
Változási napló
* Update CMB2 vendor package – an external component to manage the admin forms and DB interaction for settings
* Small code update to adhere to the latest php version (8.3.3).
* Fix post when no date present
* List sort for Email alerts and request info modules
* BizID and Api manual entry for each module for integrating data from multiple accounts into one
* Minor fixes for php version 8.2.0 in stock historical module
* Director module now transforming to a generic member module with Groups for unlimited groups of people
* Fix for Get method to RSS feed
* Fix for php version 8.2.0 – check if request items are initialized – isset()
* Update documenttation
- New "class" parameter for each module to allow adding custom class names to each module's container DIV
- remove limitation for posting blog items with a duplicate title – number appended to slug
- link to JS resources within Chart module instead of usign enqueue
- fix CSS URL for chart module
- fix for Press Releases 2 module for passing Group
- New Press GET / RSS option for automatically populating press releases into WordPress blog from the B2i RSS feed – beta (working – verifing viable option without posting)
- Press release tags as WordPress Categories – Add tagging from WireServices as WordPess Categories
- Press release tags as Email opt-in list – Example: Earnings, Calendar Event, etc…
- Better logging for troubleshooting auto publishing press releases in WordPress
- Investment Calculator shortcode start – account must license before operational
- Move supporting script for charts to shortcode area
- New charts basic implementation for High Charts and AmCharts 5 – not a licensed product yet – early alpha
- fix for default class names on container divs
- fix for missing comma in intraday chart
- Allow default Press Library so no Group is needed but can be set to use other groups as needed
- New Version 2 of Press Release, Press Viewer and Calendar Viewer Module
- Email – Control showing company and name fields display
- Default classes added to all modules
- Document List – Set custom class(es) on container
- Document List – Sort documents by date asc and desc along with title by default.
- Stock chart settings – margins, candlestick & OHLC option with custom color, and price values on right or left
- Many new layouts for Mgmt, Directors, Committees
- SEC option to use fonticons – more versions of icons are already in our font icon library and will be made available with this option next
- Update: stop loading chart scripts unless the chart shortcode is present
- More modules extended to use Custom layouts – calendar, calendar viewer, analysts, committees, director viewer, management viewer
- Event Viewer Used in conjuction with Events/Calendar module.
- Events View link to target page where Viewer module installed
- Press Releases – view in WordPress blog The best SEO option with formatting controllable within WordPress.
- SEC list – multi-lingual options for language to display text items. Additional languages must be initialized.
- Accordion Page Content – multi-instance enabled
- Email Terms of service – Terms of service check box agreement.
- Email Terms of service label – Terms of service text label.
- Email Terms of service control – Terms of service checkbox controls when the Subscribe button shows.
- Business users can receive email when contacts signup for email alerts
- Custom naming for Management and Director div
- Custom SEC Filings Links – Add links to any filing
- Custom Domain for SEC Filings links – controlled in B2i Portal & DNS
- Social Share tools on Press Release – open in Floating window style – controlled in B2i Portal
- Update to posting Press into blog – preserve style and link tags – controlled by setting in B2i portal
- Update to blog posting to offer "Call home" option for validating Item Key
- Begin processing Press releases categories
- Integrate NewsFile Corp Wire service
- Investor Tagging – Email opt-in module can be placed in multiple locations and use tag for source
- Email List Group Filters for having alternate groups of lists.
- Chart Settings – Grid Alpha, Grid Color
- Debugging messages for blog posting
- Gap in version between JS API Plugin & WP Plugin – Sync versioning
- Update vendor dependency for CMB2
- Update instructions
- Fix default name of Financials div
- Update readme file
- Financial Statements – Extracted from SEC Filings – multiple layout options
- Chart settings added: Chart Background Alpha, Chart Border Color, Chart Border Alpha, Chart Multiple Instances on page
- Press releases List layouts 5, 6, 7 available – examples o="5″
- Press releases List now database driven templates for unlimited layouts
- Documents Lists – Year filter
- Documents Lists now database driven templates for unlimited layouts
- Management & Directors now database driven templates for unlimited layouts
- SEC Show filing Type groups on list display
- Multi-section display – Layout 2 added
- CSS override for several modules
- Symbol display separate setting for Chart to override symbol label on background
- Email Subscribe & Unsubscribe Custom Endpoints
- Email Notifications setting to have all list checked / hidden
- Email Optin Verify Email and Custom Endpoint
- SEC Filings Date formats
- Calendar Date formats
- Calendar Date Locations
- Quarterly Filings aka Multi-Section Downloads aka Page Code module – new layout
- Multi-instance on page – Press Release / Libraries
- Add options for setting custom icons for SEC Filings
- Stock Quote Detail parameters added
- Date formats
- Set custom arrows url to image or charater
- Set custom thousands and decimal separator
- Override exchange
- Stock Historical parameters added
- Date formats
- Set custom thousands and decimal separator
- Stock Chart parameters added
- Set custom thousands and decimal separator
- Press Release Viewer database template driven – easily add custom layouts
- Bug Fix on Press Viewer module
- Press Release viewer – displays latest item, can work with the Press Release module
- Many Stock Chart settings added
- Show Header for document lists
- More date formats added for document lists
- SEC Viewer: include logo and change icons with CSS
- Press Release: new window to view items with custom urls, domain and template
- SEC Filings: Date format 2
- Chart: More label size and color controls through parameters
- Custom Domain usage for Press Release Emails – allows you to use a custom domain/sub domain
- Management and Director module CSS control and customization
- Committee Composition custom icon available
- Committee Composition option to link to director profile when used on same page
- SEC Single Filing View – Layout 4 & 5
- Press Releases Date parameter to control location
- Bug fix for Press Releases RSS
- Updated CSS for chart period selector
- Updated display items for Directors and Management
- Ability to Show RSS feed on Press Releases module
- Press Release output 3 and 4
- Press Release Date Format 5 and 6
- Press Release Custom CSS in B2i Portal
- SEC Filings Custom CSS in B2i Portal
- SEC Filings more Filings types added to filter – Registration Statements, Special Disclosures
- SEC Filings Text header
- OTC Disclosures now offered
- maintenance Release – Remove unused variables
- SEC Single Filing View – Layout 3 – lo="3″
- Ability to control Left Margin on Stock Chart
- SEC instruction updated to use form types filters
- Tested fully compatible with WordPress 5.2.3
- Section 16 update – Link on Filer to view all filings by filer
- Dividends ShortCode added for Automated dividends
- Corporate Profile ShortCode added
- Tested fully compatible with WordPress 5.2.2
- Tested fully compatible with Multi-site enabled WordPress installations
- Update posting Press Releases to multiple tags
- Option for Press releases to open as PDF when clicking on headline list
- Option for Press releases to use an HTML template. Template will need to be loaded into the B2i portal.
- Option for Multi-Section to have top section already open
- Option for Multi-Section to control section count returned
- Option for Multi-Section to disable header Divs
- Updates to Chart for better visual display
- Option for Document list data sort by Date or Title
- Year filter for Press Releases and Libraries
- Allow Calendar to use custom images for Date and Time icons
- Update posting Press Releases to multiple categories
- Allow Press Releases posting to use current time for WP install
- Tested fully compatible with WordPress 5.0.1
- New link option for Press Releases to integrate on app page, using custom domain and short urls
- Configurable Post IP list for future updates to posting service
- New option for controlling Press Release links – open in new window instead of just new tab
- New option for controlling Press Release links – open in custom domain with custom URL and template
- Updates to make APIkey included for all shortcodes
- ClassNames added in Chart to reference Date and Selector buttons
- New options for controlling SEC text links and icons links
- Version 2.0 of Investor Request Information
- Version 2.0 of Investor Profile
- Management and Directors – stay open – no collapse option
- New option for Stock Detail Quote plugin: c for custom. You can create your own layout and CSS and store in the B2i CMS. The plugin will use this for the display. More data point available (EPS, PeRatio, PbRatio and Dividend items)
- Add parameter for document list to turn off CSS
- Version 2.0 of Email Alert sign-up
- Version 2.0 of Contact Us
- New option for Press release story to open in / consume the list div and write a "Back" link
- New shortcode for year over year, quarter over quarter results with downloads and links for items like 10-Q, earnings release, webcast link, transcript, slide presentation and can include much more including delay and expiration dates and times for each item or section. VERY powerful tool and display!
- Example links posted on shortcode page
- New Stock Detail Quote format: options are now 1-7
- New options for controlling chart: scroll bar, period selector, cursor, and volume chart.
- New shortcode for analyst
- New shortcode for custom code includes timed display and expiration
- Add ability for unique names for sec based on t parameter.
- Add ability for SEC custom sdiv name to override the default div name.
- Add ability for Stock custom sdiv name to override the default div name.
- More examples
- Post IPs updated
- update documentation and formatting
- Add New option for Press Releases to display a summary of the body
- parameter su="400″ where 400 is number of characters of the press release body to show
- New format style for Stock Quote f="6″
- Add Date format parameter for Press Release plugin: df="1″ Currently accepts 1,2,3
df="1″ May 3, 2018
df="2″ 05/03/2018
df="3″ 03/05/2018
df="4″ 03 May 2018
- Fix for chart custom period selected on mobile devices
- added parameter for calendar to control year as parameter
- added mode m="0″ for calendar to return all events (past and future)
- added parameter for chart to control colors with parameters
c – HTML color for line and fill: default 666666 (no # needed)
cc – HTML color for chart cursor: default ff0000 (no # needed)
lc – HTML color for top label color: default 666666 (no # needed)
lc2 – HTML color for other label color: default 666666 (no # needed)
- made https default on all plugins
- added parameter for chart to make default display period: p="" – acceptable values: 10d, 1m, 3m, 6m, 1y, max
- Press Releases Update: Restrict headline character count displayed.
- Email Alert Update: Multi-lingual handling.
- Plugin Update: versioning on JavaScript reference to prevent cache when updating plugin.
- Feature Update: B2i now automatically posts press releases into your WordPress post system. This allows you to leverage themes that format your post and use other plugins that work with your WordPress post.
- Chart updates, Press release expand funtionality
- Add historical quote search
- New Stock plugin with multiple format display options
- Event Calendar update to retrieve Past events
- Quarterly Financials: Cash Flow, Income Statement, Balance Sheet
- Event Calendar
- Parameters for Document lists
- Added Event Calendar
- Fix for Detailed Quote parameters being passed with default values
- Added Directors Committee composition chart
- Added custom control over SEC div to load data in
- Added paging feature for Documents list/Showcase
- Added search feature for Press releases and drop down/select option for tags
- Added ability for Press releases to use a link instead of floating div
- Added Interactive Chart and shortcode
- updated readme file for clarity on setup process
- Added new parameters for controlling https for all plugins, parameters for controlling content height / width.
- Initial public release


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This course is designed especially for Hotel's, Condo's, Apartments. Health Clubs and other facilities that have a "B" class pool. This course provides an introduction to the Ontario Health Regulations and code requirements for your pool and will provide the basics in Testing, filtration systems, water problems and the proper response as well as the Terminology used for Pool/Spas. The course also informs participants of the latest developments in water purification, pool controls and other technology.
An excellent one day course held at our corporate training center in Mississauga.
Training Seminar includes: information binder, lunch and breaks, certificate of Completion.
Ontario Regulation 428/05 made under the HEALTH PROTECTION & PROMOTION ACT states that 3.(1) Every owner shall designate an operator 3.(2) Every operator shall be trained in public spa operation and water maintenance, filtration systems, water chemistry and all relevant safety and emergency procedures.
We offer several BPO courses throughout 2023:
April 11th, 2024
May 9th, 2024
June 6th, 2024
October 10th, 2024
Course Location: 5170A Timberlea Blvd., Mississauga, ON
Course Cost: $225.00/per person + HST
Course Time: 9:00am-3:00pm
Please fill out all fields before submitting. Completion certificates will be mailed to the address input below.


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Cryptocurrency trading has taken the world by storm and this is what has become the norm for the majority of traders and investors. If you are keen enough to do your research before going into the trading, you stand a chance to enjoy real growth and profits in the end. The worst you can do when it comes to this kind of trading is going into it blindly simply because it is what everyone else is doing. A little research on the major currencies and getting deep into buying and trading fundamentals can make a huge difference. Below are a few guidelines that will jolt you into success with your trading.
Take time to understand how the block chain works
Blockchain technology has redefined transactions and it is changing everything. Blockchain can be defined as a list of records that continually grow into blocks secured and linked using cryptography. The blockchains are data modification resistant and serve as public transaction ledger between parties. The transparent and decentralized nature of block chain makes it highly secure and in the world of hacking it is truly functional and reliable. It solves manipulation problems that have become so apparent in the world today. Whereas no single person can claim to understand everything that is blockchain, learning a few fundamentals will give you a much easier time with your trading.
Know and learn the top currencies
The virtual currency space is becoming crowded thanks to how popular the currencies have become. The fact is that there are more than 100 cryptocurrencies today, which means you need to know which ones are top and popular, so you can choose your buying and selling properly with profitability in mind. Bitcoin accounts for half of the entire market with the highest volume, but Litecoin and Ethereum are also top and giving Bitcoin a run. Find out as much as possible regarding the currency you are interested in. The more you know the better you will be in making decisions; you can actually manage to trade more than one cryptocurrency without any challenge.
Mind the inherent risks
Bitcoin and other currencies are quite volatile even when compared the stock market and gold. Remember that this is still a technology in its early days and it does face lots of challenges. The profit probabilities are quite high but so are the risks to. Public sentiment about a currency can actually impact its prices. What goes up is most definitely bound to come down so be careful with the trade moves you make. The higher the risks the higher the rewards might be but be ready for losses as well. The best you can do whatever the cryptocurrency you choose is to keep an eye on events that can affect prices and act fast.
Once you know everything that matters in cryptocurrency trading, you can then go ahead and open a brokerage account and fund it then you can start buying and selling the currencies. The rewards are numerous for keen traders.


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San Francisco - Websites like YouTube have ushered in a new era of creativity and free speech on the Internet, but not everyone is celebrating. Some of the web's most interesting content has been yanked from popular websites with bogus copyright claims or other spurious legal threats. So today the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is launching its "Takedown Hall of Shame" to call attention to particularly bogus takedowns — and showcase the amazing online videos and other creative works that someone doesn't want you to see.
"Free speech in the 21st century often depends on incorporating video clips and other content from various sources," explained EFF Senior Staff Attorney and Kahle Promise Fellow Corynne McSherry. "It's what The Daily Show with Jon Stewart does every night. This is 'fair use' of copyrighted or trademarked material and protected under U.S. law. But that hasn't stopped thin-skinned corporations and others from abusing the legal system to get these new works removed from the Internet. We wanted to document this censorship for all to see."
EFF's Takedown Hall of Shame at www.eff.org/takedowns focuses on the most egregious examples of takedown abuse, including an example of a YouTube video National Public Radio tried to remove just this week that criticizes same-sex marriage. Other Hall of Shame honorees include NBC for requesting removal of an Obama campaign video and CBS for targeting a McCain campaign video in the critical months before the 2008 election. The Hall of Shame will be updated regularly, as bad takedowns continue to squash free speech rights of artists, critics, and commentators big and small.
Many of the bogus takedowns come from misuse of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Under the DMCA, claimants can demand that material be removed immediately without providing any proof of infringement. Service providers, fearful of monetary damages and legal hassles, often comply with these requests without double-checking them, despite the cost to free speech and individual rights.
"The DMCA encourages a 'take down first, ask questions later' approach, creating an unfair hurdle to free speech," said EFF Activist Richard Esguerra. "People who abuse this law to silence critics should be shamed publicly, and that's what we're aiming to do."
The Takedown Hall of Shame is part of EFF's No Downtime for Free Speech Campaign, which works to protect online expression in the face of baseless intellectual property claims.
For EFF's Takedown Hall of Shame:
For EFF's No Downtime for Free Speech Campaign:
Corynne McSherry
Staff Attorney
Electronic Frontier Foundation
Richard Esguerra
Electronic Frontier Foundation


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A very valuable lesson to learn ...for married couples most especially (Cairo)
Interesting quote from the movie 'Why did I get married?'
In most cases, especially in relationships, you will only get 80% of what you NEED and you will hardly get the other 20% that you WANT in your relationship. There is always another person (man or women) that you will meet and that will offer you the other 20% which is lacking in your relationship that you WANT And believe me, 20% looks really good when you are not getting it at all in your current relationship.
But the problem is that you will always be tempted to leave that good 80% that you know you have, thinking that you will get something better with the other 20% that you WANT
But as reality has proven, in most cases, you will always end up with having the 20% that you WANT and loosing the 80% that you really NEED and that you already had.
Be careful in deciding between what you WANT and NEED in your life.
Adultery happens when you start looking for what you don't have. 'Wow, this girl in my office is a real looker. But it's not her Wynona Rider features that got me. I'm crazy about her because she's also understanding, intelligent, tender - so many things that my spouse is not'
Somewhere along the way, you'll find a woman or a man who will be more charming or sensitive. More alluring. More thoughtful. Richer. Have greater sex appeal. And you will find a woman or man who will need you and pursue you and go loco over you more than your spouse ever did.
Because no wife or husband is perfect. Because a spouse will only have 80% of what you're looking for. So adultery takes place when a husband or wife looks for the missing 20%. Let's say your wife is melancholic by nature.
You may find yourself drawn to the pretty clerk who has a cherry laugh no matter what she says: 'I broke my arm yesterday, Hahahaha . . ..'
Or because your wife is a homebody in slippers and pajamas, smelling of garlic and fish oil, you may fall for a fresh-smelling young sales representative that visits your office in a sharp black blazer, high heels, and a red pencil-cut skirt Or because your husband is the quiet
type, your heart may skip a beat when you meet an old college flame who has the makings of a talk show host.
But wait! That's only 20% of what you don't have.
Don't throw away the 80% that you already have!
That's not all. Add to your spouse's 80% the 100% that represents all the years that you have been with each other. The storms you have weathered together. The unforgettable moments of sadness and joy as a couple. The many adjustments you have made to love the other. The wealth of memories that you've accumulated as lovers.
Adultery happens when you start looking for what you don't have.
But faithfulness happens when you start thanking God for what you already have.
But I'm not just talking about marriage.
I'm talking about life!
About your jobs.
About your friends.
About your children.
About your lifestyles.
Are you like the economy airline passenger that perennially peeks through the door of the first class cabin, obsessed with what he's missing? 'They have got more leg room! Oh my, their food is served in porcelain! Wow, their seats recline at an 80% angle and they've got personal videos!'
I guarantee you'll be miserable for the entire trip! Don't live your life like that. Forget about what the world says is first class. Do you know that there are many first class passengers who are miserable in first class -- because they are not riding in a private Lear Jet?
The main message???
If you start appreciating what you have right now, wherever you are, you are first class!


text: At the young age of 11, Kotoko Iwanaga was abducted by youkai for two weeks and asked to become their "God of Wisdom," a mediator between the spirit and human worlds, to which the girl quickly agreed but at the cost of her right eye and left leg. Now, six years later, whenever youkai wish for their problems to be solved, they make their way to Kotoko for consultation. Meanwhile, Kurou Sakuragawa, a 22-year-old university student, has just broken up with his girlfriend after he fled alone when the two encountered a kappa. Seeing this as her chance to become closer with him, Kotoko immediately makes her move, hoping to get married to Kurou one day. However, she quickly realizes there is something more to Kurou. With this knowledge, she asks for his help in solving the various issues presented by the supernatural, all the while wishing her newfound partner will eventually reciprocate her feelings.


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Citation Index
Bill Clinton, 42nd president of the United States: "When I took office [January 20, 1993], only high energy physicists had ever heard of what is called the Worldwide Web.... Now even my cat has its own page." -- announcement of Next Generation Internet initiative, 1996
Silicon Valley is explosively expanding its geographical borders. It was only a small part of Palo-Alto 's Stanford University Park 50 years ago. It has become one of the fastest growing regions of California now.
How Silicon Valley Came To Be ...
A Legal Bridge Spanning 100 Years: From the Gold Mines of El Dorado to the 'Golden' Startups of Silicon Valley
... even in those rare cases when the company employee signs an NDA in exchange for a persuasive large monetary reward - even in this case - an employer cannot, under the conditions of the state of California, create legal barriers to an employee leaving to work for his employer's competition.
Copyright @ 1995 - 2014, netvalley.com
History of the Internet. We all need it. We all want it. But how did it happen in the first place? Gregory Gromov provides a ... comprehensive ... history of the Worldwide Web before it was the Net we all know and love. By Matthew Holt.
NetworkWorld. June, 1997
For a history of the Internet readers should consult Gregory Gromov's The Roads and Crossroads of the Internet's History. Humanities Computing Unit of Oxford University,
History of the Internet and World Wide Web: 1. Internet Before World Wide Web Internet before World Wide Web - The First 130 Years: Atlantic cable, Sputnick, ARPANET,"Information Superhighway", ... 2. World Wide Web as a Side Effect of Particle Physics Experiments. World Wide Web was born in CERN: the most impressive results of large scale scientific efforts appeared far away from the main directions of those efforts 3. Next Crossroad of World Wide Web History World Wide Web as a NextStep of PC Revolution ... from Steven P. Jobs to Tim Berners-Lee 4. Birth of the World Wide Web, Browser Wars, ... Birth of the Web, Tim Berners-Lee, R. Cailliau, Marc Andreessen, Browser Wars, ... 5. Early History of Hypertext Hypertext Foundation of the World Wide Web: Vannevar Bush's hyperlink concept, Ted Nelson coins the word Hypertext, ... 6. "Living History" of Hypertext. Hypertext Saga of Theodor Holm Nelson: The Fate of Thinking Person in Silicon Valley ... 7. "Xanadu" Plan The Nelson's Xanadu Plan to build a better World Wide Web 8. Growth of the Internet: Statistics Statistics of the Internet & Worl Wide Web: Hosts, Domains, WebSites, Traffic, ... 9. Conclusion What is the nature of World Wide Web? 10 Prehistory of the Internet The Ancient Roads of Telecommunications & Computers 11 They said it ... People Wrote About This Book
The Roads and Crossroads of the Internet's History. By Gregory R. Gromov. A critically acclaimed site for a comprehensive history of the Internet.
The University of Texas, System Digital Library.
Gregory Gromov provides an impressionistic overview in "The Roads and Crossroads of Internet's History," ... with a particular concentration on the development of hypertext and the Web.
Current literature of the online community by Eron Main, Faculty of Information Studies,
University of Toronto, Canada
Gregory R. Gromov's The Roads and Crossroads of Internet History is probably the history that most students will enjoy as it is sprinkled liberally with files that illustrate his points.
Commencing with Internet pre-history work your way through 9 sections to read about the web, browser wars, and Xanadu to name a few topics. It is a long essay but extremely interesting.
The Australian National University. Faculty of Art, Canberra


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Is Planning Just Another Brick In the Business Wall?
You probably already know the statistics regarding the survival rate of start-up businesses. Nearly eighty percent of small businesses don't survive the first three years and only five percent of online businesses survive that same period.
In the words of Professor Julius Sumner Miller, Why Is It So?
Maybe it's just too easy to set up a business in this country. In fact, the World Bank Study researched 189 different economic regions and ranked Australia as the seventh easiest place to start a business and the fourth easiest place to get credit. We have very few start-up barriers and on average it takes just 2 days to get up and running. Also, we now have a generation of people looking to 'get rich quick' using the pulling power of the internet and social media. Their impatience means they pull the trigger on their business idea before they get professional advice. You don't need to be Confucius to know that businesses built on rocky foundations often collapse.
Laying the foundation 'bricks' of your business is critical and they include the right business structure, appropriate insurances, the most suitable accounting software and a business plan that incorporates a marketing plan and cash flow budget. Entrepreneurs in a hurry often bypass getting sound professional and instead rely on 'Professor Google'. The consequences of the wrong legal advice, the wrong tax structure and inadequate insurances can be catastrophic. In this blog we are going to specifically examine the importance of planning during the start-up phase of your business.
Another Brick In the Wall
When it comes to planning, a lot of business owners think like Pink Floyd, "All in all it's just another brick in the wall". However, developing a plan is a key part of your business foundations. Failing to plan is planning to fail. There are so many things to complete before you open the doors of your new business, which is why we recommend you have a written business plan.
Basically a business plan should provide an overview of your current position, where you plan to go and how you intend to get there. Within the plan, you need to demonstrate your current financial position and how it will change over the next few years. Having a business plan can deliver substantially more than just a document to satisfy your financiers. It can be a road-map for your business growth and success that both business owners and staff can refer to for guidance and direction. A business plan lets you establish your list of priorities and measure your success.
Most business owners fail to make a start on their business plan because they are either too busy or don't understand what is required in the plan. Too often they are working IN the business dealing with day to day issues instead of working ON the business with strategic planning. Devoting some time to work on your business is an investment that can pay substantial dividends.
To succeed you need a clear vision for your business and a business plan will convert that vision into strategies and steps. Your vision should outline where you want to take the business in the medium to long term and can be expressed as a series of objectives. So many business owners fail to put pen to paper because they are waiting for more certainty regarding their current financials, funding, sales or partners but your business plan should steer your activity, not the other way around.
By creating a business plan you can increase the value of your business, attract funding and partners, align strategy with action and improve your decision making. We believe every business should 'start with the end in mind' which is why we are so pedantic about helping clients with their business structure, accounting software selection, website and marketing plans. This is also important from a business planning perspective because you need to consider the financial outcomes you would like to achieve from the start. Using some financial modelling tools we can prepare 'what if' calculations including your best and worst case profit scenarios.
In summary, starting a business is a bit like a game of chess, to succeed you need to make the right opening moves. That includes building your business on solid foundations that includes a business plan that incorporates a marketing plan and cashflow budget. We have templates available to assist you and talk to us today so we can help you build your business on rock solid foundations.


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Round flat sequins made in Italia (Andrea Bilics).
Flat sequins from a Metal series. Bright colors on silver polyester base.
Color- Lilla (5009)
Size: 4mm Flat
Material: polyester
Useable in a haute couture embroidery, jewelry embroidery and accessories.
The price for 1 sequins strings (1000 pieces)
Hight quality!
In spite of our best care, some changes in the color's shades are possible between 2 orders of the same item.
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CRY63 CRYSTAL FACETED OCTAGON ON CRYSTAL BASE 6.5″ x 7.5″
Alpha will ship in 10 business days starting on the business day after the order is placed. Arrival of the item will depend on the shipping option chosen at checkout.
For additional information you want sent example: logos, engravings and other informations. Click on "custom engraving" button on our footer after your order is placed.


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Russ Regan, Who Signed Neil Diamond and Elton John, Dead at 89
Music industry executive Russ Regan, who secured the record contracts that made both Neil Diamond and Elton John household names, died at the of 89 on May 27, his family confirmed.
Noting that Regan had achieved No. 1 hits in four successive decades, Variety reported that he had worked with the Motown, Uni, 20th Century and Polygram labels during a career that ran from the '60s until the '90s.
He also worked with the Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, Smokey Robinson, and on the soundtrack for movies including This Is Spinal Tap.
"Russ Regan was there for me from the beginning at Uni Records and he knew a hit record when he heard it," Diamond said in a statement. "'Sweet Caroline,' 'Cracklin' Rosie,' 'I Am … I Said' and 'Holly Holy' are just a few of the hits Russ released during my time there. Russ was always on the artist's side and would come into the studio while I was recording, and his face would light up when he knew he heard a hit song.
"He made me and a new guy that he signed after me, Elton John, worldwide superstars," Diamond continued. "Russ was a great guy all around. This is a sad loss for the music industry and the end of an era. My deepest condolences to his family and friends."
John tweeted a picture of himself and Regan in the '70s. "RIP Russ Regan," he wrote. "Thank you for believing in me and helping launch my career."
"He was larger than life," John's longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin said in a statement. "A bighearted maverick, whose belief in us was a key component to our success in America."
Regan, whose real name was Harold Rustigan, started out as a singer-songwriter signed to Capitol Records in 1959. He released the Christmas single "The Happy Reindeer" that year, and sold more than 800,000 copies of the song. He also had a brief partnership with Sonny Bono and was present the night Bono met future collaborator and wife Cher.
Regan died at his home in Palm Springs. His family did not reveal the cause of death, but asked those who wish to commemorate him consider donating to MusiCares, his favorite charity.


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Ironbark Block Parquetry flooring Australian Species
Ironbark Block Parquetry flooring Australian Species
Block Parquetry can be laid individually to create an attractive pattern. Contrasting colour timber species can be used to create depth in the design. There are many popular patterns in Boral block parquetry. Alternatively, custom patterns or feature blocks can be created. Parquetry is an extremely durable floor covering making it the perfect solution for heavy traffic areas such as halls, steps, entrance ways and even commercial interiors. It can be laid down in countless patterns, limited only by the imagination. Should a small section be seriously damaged it can be easily replaced, and after years of wear the entire floor can be restored by sanding and refinishing.
Species: Blackbutt, Ironbark, Australian Beech, Brushbox, Spotted Gum, Sydney Blue Gum, Tallow Wood, Turpentine, Tasmanian Oak
Colour Stains: Raw
Size: 260 x 65 x 18 mm
Grades: Classic
Coverage: 1.352 m2 /box
Packaging: 80 pieces / box
Install Suitability: Glued over:
Install Over: Concrete slab , Old timber flooring, Plywood subfloor, Particleboard subfloor
Manufacturer: Boral
Spec Sheets:


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by Guest Columnist Eileen Goltz
One of my favorite best childhood foodie memories was sharing the plate of sliced pears and cheese that my mom had waiting for me after a long day at grade school. I so loved the concept of sharing a healthy snack and continued the tradition with my boys. Finding out that not only were they lactose intolerant, but allergic to pears (and bananas and a few other fruits I'd been giving them on a regular basis) put kind of a kink in my good mom armor. Needless to say, they ate other stuff after school and I ate my pears all by myself. My boys are now men, have moved on to other locations and feed themselves,so I've decided to bring back the pear with a vengeance.
Pears are a super delicious fall fruit that are related to apples and can often be substituted for them. Like apples, the color of the skin of the different varieties of pears range from yellow to green to brown and red or a combination of two or more of the colors. The inside fruit is cream colored, juicy, and runs the gamut from tart to sweet. They're a terrific source of fiber and vitamin C for only 100 calories per serving. Add to the fact that they're sodium free, fat free, cholesterol free, and you have one excellent fruit.
Pears, like apples, come in a multitude of sizes and types. There are two main varieties: the bell shaped European varieties and the round Asian pears. The most popular varieties available in your grocery or farmers markets include, but are not limited to:
• Anjou pears: Red and green, sweet can be cooked
• Asian pears: Round and crunchy, great raw
• Bartlett pears: The juiciest of the pears, great raw, not for cooking
• Bosc pears: Great raw or cooked. These are the ones with brownish skin
• Comice pears: Great raw
• Seckel pears: Smaller, tart and have a green/red skin. Can be cooked
To find the best pears, look for ones that give a little when pressed at their neck and have a slight floral fragrance. Most people don't know that pears actually ripen off the tree and if they're hard when you buy them, they will soften when left at room temperature or stored in a sealed paper bag with a banana for a few days.
The following recipes are all yummy and can be used to introduce your youngsters to the joy of pears, as well as reminding you that sometimes a simple plate of cheese and fruit is all you need to bring back the best of your childhood.
Tuna and Pear Salad, Pear, Mango and Cabbage Slaw, and Caramel Coated Pears.
This helpful Pear Guide, from the USA Pears Burea, lists pear types, seasons, and suggested usage of USA grown pears.
About the Author
Eileen Goltz is a freelance kosher food writer who was born and raised in the Chicago area. She graduated from Indiana University and the Cordon Bleu Cooking School in Paris. She lectures on various food-related topics for various newspapers, magazines and websites across the U.S., Canada, and South Africa as well as the OU Shabbat Shalom Website. She is the author of Perfectly Parve Cookbook (Feldheim) and is a contributing writer for the Chicken Soup for the Soul Book Group, Chicago Sun Times, Detroit Free Press and Woman's World Magazine. You can visit Eileen's blog at CuisinebyEileen.com.


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Welcome to "Ask the White House" -- an online interactive forum where you can submit questions to Administration officials and friends of the White House. Visit the "Ask the White House" archives to read other discussions with White House officials. |
February 9, 2004
Greg Mankiw Karen, from Germantown, MD
writes: Greg Mankiw These shocks led to a recession, which surely would have been deeper if the President had not responded with his pro-growth fiscal policy. The tax cuts maintained consumer spending and helps stimulate investment spending in a difficult time. The unemployment rate reached a peak of 6.3 percent this summer and, shortly after the President signed his Jobs and Growth tax relief package, started declining.
The unemployment rate is now 5.6 percent and heading downward. The administration and most private forecasters expect strong growth in incomes and employment in 2004. Michelle, from San Diego
writes: Greg Mankiw An open world trading system is generally a positive contribution to economic prosperity. It increases living standards both at home and abroad. That is the reason the President has actively pursued trade agreements to open up markets abroad.
At the same time that we pursue a more open trading system around the world, we have to acknowledge that any economic change, including those that come from trade, can cause painful dislocations for some workers and their families. The goal of policy should be not to stop change but to ease the transition of workers into new, growing industries. The Presidents initiative to support education at community colleges is one example.
Rodney, from Detroit writes: Questions: 1.) Is the President and his Administration aware of how rapidly and agressively the auto industry and other manufacturing based industries are moving operations to low cost countries (China, India, Malaysia, Indonesia)? (Go to Home Depot or Target and try to find something made in North America, let alone the US.) 2.) How does the President's Six Point Plan for the US Economy address the continued outflow of US jobs to countries such as China? 3.) How does the current weak US dollar help export opportunites when countries such as China peg their currency to the US dollar? Thank you. Greg Mankiw Your questions are answered in great detail in the Economic Report of the President (click here). Chapter two in particular addresses the challenges faced by manufacturing industries. The recent recession experienced particular weakness in business investment . Much of the President's tax relief has been aimed at reducing the cost of capital in order to stimulate investment growth. We are starting to see the results.
The chapter in the economic report also discusses specifically how the President's Six Point Plan will aid manufacturing industries. I encourage you to read it. Justin, from Indiana, PA writes: From everything that I have learned so far, I know that two ways to stimulate economic growth are to cut taxes or to increase government spending. Each of these practices I know comes with risks if recovery is too slow. My question is this; how economically dangerous is it to give a tax cut in the middle of a major military operation? I'm sure you know that President Bush will be the first person to do so since the Civil War. I am deeply concerned, not for myself, but for the financial stability of my children (20 years from now). I suppose my real question is the following: In your highly educated, and off the record opinion, would I be better off moving to Canada? I thank you very much for your time. I also thank you for making your text books so informative without being convoluted. Even I understood then, and for that feat alone, you should win a prize. Greg Mankiw On your economic question: the President's job is to set priorities - and restoring job growth was priority number one. However, he is committed both to getting America back to work and to reducing the budget deficit over time. The tax cuts were aimed to stimulate aggregate demand in the short run and promote sustained growth in aggregate supply in the long run. As the economy recovers, more tax revenue will flow in. Together with spending restraint, this will lead to reduced budget deficit. Michelle, from Houston, Texas writes: Greg Mankiw
The alternative to higher taxes is spending restraint. The budget the President released last week puts high priority to defending the homeland and providing sufficient funds for national defense. Non-defense, non-homeland security discretionary spending grows at a rate of less than one percent. Through this spending restraint, he will reduce the budget deficit in half over the next five years. Gautam, from Bothell, WA
writes: Greg Mankiw There is a wide range of views among professional economists about how much deficits affect interest rates. My own view is that deficits do, other things equal, tend to put upward pressure on interest rates, which in turn puts downward pressure on investment spending. That is one of the reasons why reducing the budget deficit is a priority for this Administration. Manfred, from Evanston writes: Greg Mankiw Since the Jobs and Growth tax relief package was passed and signed in law in May, the economy has shown robust growth. Real GDP in the last half of 2003 showed its best six-month performance in about 20 years. Forecasts for real GDP growth in 2004 are about four percent, compared to an historical average since 1960 of 3.3 percent.
The United States is growing faster than most developed economies around the world. This is in part due to our vibrant free market economy and to the expansionary monetary and fiscal policies we have pursued. Hernst, from Silver Spring, MD 20904
writes: Why does not the Bush administration champion more the fact that they took us out of a recession created by the previous administration, despite the impact of Sept 11? Greg Mankiw You are also right that the President inherited an economy that was entering a recession. In addition, the terrorist acts of 9/11 had economic as well as broader geopolitical implications. In the face of these circumstances, the President has set priorities. His first economic priority is to get America back to work and we are making progress in that direction. The next priority is to reduce the budget deficit over time and the President's budget submitted last week demonstrates how that will be accomplished.
Fortunately, the U.S. economy has bright prospects based upon the creativity of the American people and their spirit of entrepreneurship. Valerie, from Bell Canyon, California
writes: Greg Mankiw
Greg Mankiw |


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Cuban (Silver) - 3mm
Nearly all brands resell at 8-11 x the actual cost. Which we think is ridiculous.
We only sell at a fair price, from us directly to you. Also, with a lifetime warranty, you know you can buy it once and wear it forever.
Hey look sometimes accidents happen, we've got you covered!
Email email@example.com with your order number and a photo of the damaged piece, and we'll sort you out with a free replacement or credit to spend on something else.
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Please note: Our Lifetime Warranty only covers accidental damage. So heads up – If your piece is lost, stolen, misuse or damaged via a third-party, we can't cover this.
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All sets are solid 316L stainless steel or with 316L stainless steel with premium 18k Gold Plating. These finishes are created via anodising & dipping multiple times to thickly seal & plate the jewellery for maximum and unbeatable durability. Guaranteed to NEVER rust, tarnish or turn skin green.
- Micro cuban chain included with pendant
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Cuban 3MM
Our Chains are a must in everyone's collection. Worn individually or paired with a pendant! You come away with multiple different wearing variations to suit each outfit. For everyday use, no need to take it off! Wear at the gym, or even for a night out. An essential piece of every man/woman's collection.
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How our jewellery's made
All our products are carefully crafted with plated with 18K Gold or Premium 316L Stainless Steel.
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I finally made it through an FTL game to sector 8 (on easy mode, of course), whereupon I found that everything changed.
Now I start at the right side, and there's a flagship on the left, and nodes are getting picked off one-by-one. I also was given some repair nodes, but apparently with no time to get to them before the flagship reached my base. (Later I discovered that the flagship doesn't move one node per turn, but only one node per two or three(?) turns.) Furthermore, I lost the game when the rebels reached my base even though the flagship was still a couple of nodes away.
How does sector 8 work? How fast does the flagship move? What conditions cause me to lose the game without getting blown up? (I realize this is more than one question, but I'm looking for an overall understanding of how sector 8 is supposed to work.)


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The writer Wil Haygood grew up watching movies with mostly white actors — Elizabeth Taylor, John Wayne, Henry Fonda.
"They all had one thing in common — they were all white. As a little kid, I never saw a Black actor," Haygood said.
Black actors were on screen, but mostly in the background.
So, in his new book, Colorization: One Hundred Years Of Black Films In A White World, Haygood puts them in the foreground, exploring the history of Black artists in Hollywood.
He holds up films and the context in which they were released to better show the life of African Americans.
And he explores what the movies say and what they don't say, from Woodrow Wilson showing Birth Of A Nation in the White House, to the use of cameras in nationalizing issues of Black life.
Here, Haygood highlights three notable films and tells us what they reveal about the United States' ideas on race through their Black characters.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Imitation Of Life (1959)
It's very important to know that when it came out in 1959, there were no Blacks on weekly TV, other than playing the role of maids or chauffeurs.
And so here was a movie that was directed by Douglas Sirk that was ostensibly about a white family. And there was a famous mother who was an actress, and she had a daughter.
But Sirk had another plot about a Black family, who was a mother who was the maid living with this famous actress played by Juanita Moore. And she had a daughter who looked very light of skin. And the daughter wanted to pass as white.
America had never shown on the big screen the psyche and the turmoil that could take place inside of a Black family. And it really went to the roots of raw racism and self-hatred in this country.
It was a searing moment, especially so that Hollywood was very afraid to make movies that involved race and especially to make movies that involved white racism and seeing that up close like that.
Lilies Of The Field (1963)
This is based on a novel about a handyman [played by Sidney Poitier] looking for work. He comes across a group of nuns from Europe who are here in the U.S..
It was very difficult for Ralph Nelson, who was the director, to raise the money for this film. He convinced Sidney Poitier to slash his salary, which he wanted to do because he loved the script so much.
To have a Black man who was not speaking in stereotypical patterns was very meaningful and very huge.
And of course, the following year, 1964, Sidney Poitier became the first Black to win an Oscar for a non-stereotypical role. So this was a big step forward in 1963, when this film came out.
Selma (2014)
This film was about the famous March 7, 1965 march led by civil rights workers in Selma, Ala. across the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
For years, the script had been floating around. Filmmakers couldn't get the movie made. And then a wonderful filmmaker by the name of Ava DuVernay decided to make it. And she cast David Oyelowo in the role of Martin Luther King Jr., and he gave a towering performance.
Selma was such a huge hit that it really started to wake so many people up.
Many people had questions — how come we are only just now, in 2014, seeing a big epic film about Martin Luther King Jr.? Why have we had to wait so long?
Many people were upset that David or Ava were not nominated for Oscars. And we later had a movement that became known as #OscarsSoWhite. And that was spawned in 2015, when there were no Black actors or actresses nominated. And that happened again in 2016. Which is why we need to know the history.
How do these things keep happening? Why do they keep happening to Black filmmakers? Because if you look back 100 years into film, then you see the pain and you see the effort and you see the struggle.
I think that the future for Black film is very bright. Filmmakers like Lee Daniels, like Spike Lee, like Ava DuVernay — I think they are inspired by the struggle that went on before them.
And so the pace is sluggish. It's still too sluggish. But thank goodness there are folks out there who want to change things, who want to make things better.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Video on Climate Change Lines of Evidence by the National Academy of Science
Posted on 26 January 2013 by John Cook
The U.S. National Academy of Science have produced a series of videos providing a basic overview of climate science - the series is called Climate Change: Lines of Evidence. The 7 chapters covered are:
Chapter 4: Increased Emissions
You can also watch the entire series in a single YouTube video.
The information is also available in booklet form which can be ordered from the National Academies Press in sets, at just $1 per set (which IMHO is a steal) plus shipping and handling. There are two options: (1) a set of 2 booklets + 1 DVD and (2) a set of 3 booklets
The booklet summarizes the current state of knowledge about climate change, explains some impacts expected in this century and beyond and examines how science can help inform choices about managing and reducing climate risks. The booklet has lots of great figures, freely available for redistribution.
The video series was recently featured on Real Climate and there was a quite vigorous discussion where RC readers accused the videos of not having enough passion. This is the NAS perspective on what their videos are meant to achieve:
Keep in mind that the National Academy of Sciences and the National Research Council are not in the business of advocacy but rather providing objective scientific information. Thus, the narration is intentionally evenly toned.
The videos provide an overview of how we know what we know based on the lines of evidence that were covered in Advancing the Science of Climate Change (NRC 2011), which is part of the America's Climate Choices series of reports. It was cut into chapters so the public and educators can learn about some of the major lines of evidence that show climate change is human caused.
We hope that people can use this objective information to advance their own understanding. An accompanying booklet has additional text and figures for those who are looking for a bit more in-depth information.
This movie is only a summary of 'some' of the basics of climate science pertaining to how we know what we know. Climate science is complex and there are many more lines of evidence not included in this video. We hope that these videos will be useful in helping more people understand Climate Change and its Lines of Evidence.


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When it comes to driving in the dark, the quality and quantity of lighting you have is paramount to your safety, and the safety of those around you. In recent years, automakers have begun to put significant effort into their lighting systems. From the days of incandescent lighting to upgrades with halogen gases, high-intensity discharge (HID), light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and – most recently – lasers, lighting has come a long way. The aftermarket is evolving quickly as well, so let's look at some of the options that can make your nighttime drive safer.
Light Source Options
Factory headlight replacement options are the most popular upgrades available. There are three basic options: incandescent, LED and HID. Incandescent bulbs use a high-temperature filament that glows white-hot when current passes through it. Advances in materials and the selection of gases that are used in the construction of the light bulb have improved efficiency and longevity, as well as increased light output. A few years ago, tinted incandescent bulbs were popular – they gave the white/blue appearance of high-dollar HID kits. However, any time you put something between the light source and what you are trying to illuminate, you decrease the light output. Cool? Yes. Bright? Not so much.
The latest rage is LED lights. Vehicles like the Toyota Corolla, Acura MDX and new Honda Civic are available with LED headlights. These light sources are very bright. They produce full output very quickly when turned on. In the aftermarket, LED replacement headlight bulbs are becoming more and more popular. The quality of LEDs available is increasing in tandem with demand. However, the light output (measured in lumens) is still a little behind that of HID bulbs. LED lights often cost more, because not as many are being produced – a supply-and-demand issue. LED lights also require external cooling. Aluminum heat sinks, braided metal tabs and fans are common solutions for helping to dissipate the heat generated by LEDs. These can pose challenges regarding installation and available space.
The 1996 Lincoln Mark VIII is credited as being the first production vehicle with HID headlights. This system works by increasing the 12V vehicle electrical system voltage up to around 100 volts. This voltage goes to a pair of electrodes in a gas-filled chamber. A steady spark between the two electrodes is what produces the light. However, it takes around 25,000 volts to get the lights to start working. That's why you get a small, bright flash when you first turn on an HID system. HID lights are among the brightest on the market. The color of the light they produce is closer to that of sunlight, with more blue content than with incandescent bulbs.
Light Color
We should talk about light color, or more accurately, light temperature is rated on the Kelvin scale. Lower numbers, around 3,500–4,500 K have significant yellow and orange content, and are similar to incandescent bulbs. Moving up the scale, 4,500–6,000 K is bluer and closer to sunlight. That said, as the blue content increases, so can the propensity for eye fatigue – blue light can be tiring to look at. You don't want to go too high for daily use. Bulbs rated at 6,000–10,000 K are for appearance purposes only. The light becomes more purple toward the high-end of the spectrum. These are fine for a show car, but not practical or safe for daily use.
Light Intensity
Many people believe there is a direct correlation between color temperature and light output. That depends, of course, on the manufacturer of the bulb. The thinking is that lower temperatures produce more light output. Ultimately, the amount of light that is produced will determine how much and how far you can see.
Light output is measured in lumens. More lumens means more brightness, which, for a given beam pattern, means that the road will be illuminated better.
Beam Pattern
When upgrading your headlights, it is critically important that you are conscious of the resulting beam pattern. The light that is emitted from the front your vehicle is in a specific pattern – not round like a flashlight. The beam has a flat line through it, ever so slightly below horizontal. This allows the light to illuminate the road without blinding oncoming drivers. The light should also be brighter near the edge of this cutoff, putting more light down the road rather than in front of the vehicle. Too much light in the foreground will cause your pupils to close slightly, reducing how far down the road you can see.
Likewise – and this is a great night driving tip – the brightness of the vehicle interior can have the same effect. Keep the dash and radio illumination as dim as possible. That can help you see further down the road.
If the new light bulbs you install change the beam pattern, remove them. They are not compatible with your headlights, and they will blind oncoming drivers. This is extremely dangerous and can cause accidents.
Headlight Styles
There are two types of factory headlight assemblies in use today: reflector style and projector style.
The projectors are fairly easy to recognize – they have smallish, 2–3" round lenses. Reflectors have a large, molded, mirror-finish bowl behind the light. While one is not necessarily better than the other, you do need to know which you have when you go shopping for upgrades. Aftermarket HID kits don't typically work properly in reflector-style headlight assemblies. The beam pattern becomes uncontrolled, pointing light into the eyes of oncoming drivers. In many cases, depending on the specific design of the kit you choose, you can use an LED upgrade in those applications.
In projector-style systems, the shape of the internal reflector is designed to work with either incandescent or HID style bulbs. The position and shape of the light source differs between these two bulb types. You can often get away with putting HID bulb kits in a projector designed for Incandescent bulbs without any detrimental effects, but they may not be quite as bright or focused as an HID bulb in a projector designed specifically for that application.
If you are looking for the ultimate lighting upgrade, you may want to contact your local mobile electronics specialist about a retrofit. A retrofit involves removing the headlights from the vehicle, taking them apart, and installing new projectors with OEM-quality bulbs and ballasts. Most of these solutions use what is known as a bi-xenon projector. These projector assemblies have motorized shutters that move to produce a "high beam" light pattern. The output of these systems is among the best there is – perfect beam pattern, excellent cutoff and great light output. Some headlights are easier to work on than others, so contact a local specialist for details about your lights.
You can also make some cosmetic changes while the lights are apart. The installation of LED halo rings, and painting some of the interior components can have a dramatic effect on the look of the vehicle.
When you want to change headlights, wiring is often involved. Many new vehicles have systems in place to detect when a bulb is burnt out. They can also modulate the voltage to high-beam lighting circuits to operate them as daytime running lights.
When it comes to wiring, nobody is better than your local car audio specialist retailer. Work with them to ensure that your new light wiring can provide enough current and operates the way it should. Relays, capacitors and load resistors may be required to achieve the results you want. Don't ever skimp on wiring – it affects the reliability of the lights you install, and your safety is at risk.
A Word of Caution About Vehicle Lighting Upgrades
We want to remind you that your headlights are a tool. They are not toys, and their performance and reliability are of the utmost importance to your safety and the safety of those you share the road with. Lighting upgrades are a great way to improve your safety at night. Drop by your local mobile electronics specialist and discuss your options.
This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.