text:
When SMS Marketing Campaigns Send You Running for Cover
Are you considering purchasing lists for your SMS Marketing campaigns? Ever wondered if the email or SMS list you purchased for a campaign was solid? Today, I'm sharing how to find out if you bought into a click farm.
Many times, and especially when you are breaking ground with a new market, your company needs a short term win. Pressed for time to reach the market and deliver results, you carefully evaluate list providers and purchase Email or SMS lists. You are aware that your conversion rates will be lower than if you had a house-grown list, but you did your homework, the odds are good, and the worst case scenario is that you break even. (I promise I will share with you later all that doing your homework entails.)
"Texting is the most widely-used and frequently used app on a smartphone, with 97% of Americans using it at least once a day." (Pew Internet)
But, sometimes, the results are too low to even abide by the laws of logic and you know, deep in your gut, you were sold bogus email addresses or fake cell numbers. Or, at the very least, the list was not good. The problem is how to prove it.
A supposedly reputable Hispanic market list provider who charged a whopping $5 per record but delivered mostly bot-like visits to an SMS marketing campaign's landing page prompted me to write this article.
As many people I spoke with about this experience didn't know how I was able to prove this, I want to share how to do it. That way, marketers can use the information to protect themselves from scammers that profit from well-intentioned and hard-working marketers trying to reach their Hispanic audience where research indicates it is: on mobile.
The Benefits of SMS Marketing
Texting has the best engagement rate of any marketing medium. Emails can sit unread in their inboxes, phone calls can go unanswered, and flyers or printed presentations can be thrown out before being read, text messages are almost always read, and read quickly.
As James Citron, CEO of text messaging service Mogreet, said to Forbes, "95 out of 100 of your customers who have opted into your text messaging program OPEN and READ your mobile messages within 3 minutes."
We all know the stats. The average Millennial exchanges an average of 67 text messages per day (Business Insider). It takes the average person 90 minutes to respond to email, but only 90 seconds to respond to a text message (CTIA). American women text 14% more than men (Nielsen). Text messaging has a read rate (or open rate) of 98%, while email has only a 20% open rate (Mobile Marketing Watch). And, according to Velocify, text messages have a response rate of 45%, while email only has a 6% response rate.
And, to top it all off, 63% of Hispanic adults own a smartphone, versus 60% of non-Hispanics (Experian Marketing Services).
With these numbers, not going for SMS marketing campaigns would be absolutely crazy. If you are B2B, don't have an app yet, and want to send notifications and special offers to your customers, you should definitely consider keeping in touch with your Hispanic customers via SMS.
Anatomy of Successful SMS Marketing campaigns
Here's a list of my own key insights to make sure your campaign performs as it should next time around. These elements will be crucial to prove that you have a trustworthy list.
- Segmentation. Segmentation. Segmentation. Ask yourself if the offer is relevant to your audience segment at this particular time.
- Make sure your message has all the key components needed for engagement: Benefits first. What's in it for your audience? Leverage the incentives and then provide a clear call to action. Make sure the offer is relevant to your audience. For example, if you send an SMS marketing campaign to people: "FREE T-Shirt with your $5 donation 2 Save the Puppies Foundation. Act Now! http://bit.ly/23y4fh/" will definitely do the trick, provided your audience has been carefully selected.
- A must: Add Google Analytics tracking code to your landing pages and make sure you have demographics enabled.
- Test your message/landing page, for a couple of months at least, with a more affordable PPC campaign to increase conversion rates to a level you are comfortable with and to fine tune your message.
- Make sure the strongest part of your SMS message displays within the first 100 characters so that it shows on the preview of even the smallest smartphones' screens.
- Think of when you want the audience to receive your text message. Is there a good day of the week? An ideal time? A time window when you shouldn't be interrupting them with your message? Should you split the database by time zones? Consider all this before scheduling your SMS marketing campaigns.
- Use a clone of your highest converting landing page for the SMS marketing campaigns' landing page.
- Use house-grown lists, if possible, and make sure you have obtained permission to text these mobile phones.
- With SMS Marketing campaigns you cannot text people who have not subscribed to that list. It's illegal. You have to provide a way for people to opt themselves in and out of your list directly from their mobile phone. So, make sure you do.
- If you really have to, use a reputable list provider. Make sure the provider is a member of the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) or the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and call them to ensure they are still a member. (The particular list provider I mentioned earlier had the logo on their website but, when I called to report them, the DMA explained they had been members. Not anymore.) Have the list provider sign an affidavit stating that the list adheres to and abides by all pertinent and applicable US Government regulations for SMS marketing campaigns, that they have verifiable documentation of their co-registration program's* opt-in point, that the records are run against the Do Not Call list on a daily basis, that their audience can truly be segmented as they offer it, that they are not selling you any type of bot-like activity or a click-farm, and that they agree to punitive damages if you prove otherwise. Please consult with an attorney to draft this document. They may sell to Fortune 100s and, I can assure you, this means bubkes.
(*) "Co-registration programs are considered opt-in, but be aware that the performance of co-registration lists is typically much, much lower than your house list. Subscribers are generally not aware of what they are co-registering for, and even though you have (or should have) verifiable documentation of the point of opt-in, in the mind of the subscriber, they will likely not perceive that they've opted-in and will still flag you for spam." (WhatCounts)
The SMS Marketing Campaigns: How to Make Sure You Got What You Paid For
You spent a lot of time and effort developing your email or your SMS campaign. You crafted and tested your copy and your landing pages. You had a great conversion rate. You made sure the list was double opt-in, co-registered, fresh, validated, and scrubbed against the Do Not Call database, and that the provider was a reputable one that sells to Fortune 100 companies and charges you a pretty penny for each mobile text.
If your results were close to or surpassed your original conversion rate, congratulations! This was a good list provider and a good list. You did an outstanding job of choosing your database selects and the time of send.
Maybe it's not even close, but you are happy with your results. After all, the list was not grown in-house and the leads may be a bit cold.
And maybe your results were extremely poor or you got a zero conversion rate.
Even with all of the above-listed assurances in place, unscrupulous list providers may scam you by using click farms. Unless you use the following steps to find out if your rented list was full of bots.
How can you prove the list was a dud?
First, let's check if the demographics you requested on the selects were the ones delivered.
As list providers do not provide any demographic or personal information on the mobile subscribers, including subscriber address, you can use this methodology to make sure the audience requested was the one delivered (thank you, Google).
The following Google Analytics reports will show you if your delivered audience was on track. As you used a unique landing page for the campaign, inside of the Google Analytics account, access your site. Then under Behavior/Site Content/All Pages, search for your landing page URL and select it. For educational purposes only, I am using one of the pages on this blog.
A quite common demographic requested is age. Let's say we requested people living in the U.S. between ages 18-24. Select as a Secondary dimension Users/Age and here's the report:
From these results, I can gather that my message was not delivered to the audience requested. You do have to allow and account for some differences as figures are not always exact. In this case, though, the difference is too large to ignore.
You can check your visitor's gender, location, device category (this better be mobile and/or tablet!), operating system, and service provider, among other things.
When looking at location, you may find that your list provider swears they only send text messages to, let's say, U.S. numbers. Your report indicates otherwise. It is not uncommon for Carriers and IXCs to utilize U.S. numbers for overseas calls. You may have heard of a technology called VoIP, used by many Telecom carriers (what is now trending as Wi-Fi calling and previously Unlicensed Mobile Access, or UMA), the number is a U.S. number but the geo location, or IP address, is not.
Are your Analytics demographics extremely different from your database selects? Then, stay away from this list provider.
Next, let's check if your visitors exhibited bot-like behavior.
Google Analytics demographics data is stored in a cookie and Google checks to see if the visitors have cookies stored from another site. This would tell us whether or not we were likely dealing with a human or a bot. If a visitor has one of these cookies, they are probably not a bot. As bots do not store cookies, they will display as "New Visitors", or they would have a cookie from the previous session. For this same reason, you will not be able to identify their age or gender, as this data is also stored in cookies from other navigated sites. Their visit duration would be zero seconds, the number of pages visited would be one and, therefore, bounce rate would be 100%, and their source will be mostly direct.
As you can see from the example above, the average time on page was 0 seconds for over 1,700 Pageviews, the number of Uniques (new visitors) was much higher than the blast reported click rate, and the Bounce Rate for the visitors with session duration = 0 was 99.94%. These are all strong indicators of bot-like activity.
This Google Analytics report by Behavior, Page, and Gender shows us that only 253 pageviews out of the 1,842 total pageviews were able to be identified as performed by a male or female. This could definitely be qualified as bot-like behavior for the rest of the Pageviews.
If you notice this visitor behavior after purchasing an SMS database, not only should you stay away from this list provider, but you should report them to the MMA and the DMA, as well.
I hope you found this information useful and, if you don't use it yet, you will on your next SMS marketing campaigns. Let us know what you find out!!!


text:
Citizen Science – Species observations
The Species Observations reporting system is a service that is open to both professional and amateurs to report species sightings. It is heavily used with around 2 million new observations added each year.
In November 2021 the system has reached over 26,4 million sightings. This makes the database one of the largest of its kind in the world that shares its records freely.
It involves a unique cooperative effort between NGOs, government agencies and volunteers.
Important contributor to Species Map Service
The Species Observations reporting system is largely based on volunteers, who contribute observations, documentation, and their knowledge of different species.
These observation reports account for more than 67 % of the species occurrences in the Species Map Service database (In Norwegian language)
These data are valuable contributions to the overall understanding of Norway's biodiversity and are used by a range of public institutions for both research and management purposes.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Hill-town in Catalonia, Spain, which in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries had a Jewish community. In 1328 a quarter near the San Miguel place was assigned by King Alfonso IV. to the Jews, who enjoyed full commercial freedom; but four years later, because of their increased trade, they received permission to live in the "Calle de Vent" (the Traders' street). At the time of the Black Death, in 1349, the Jews were attacked and plundered during a riot, and eighteen of them were killed. The rest fled, but returned to Cervera after order had been restored.
The liberality and benevolence of Don Juan II. won for him the hearts of his Hebrew subjects; and upon his death, in Jan., 1479, the Jewish communities of Agramont, Belpuig, Tarrega, and certain other places assembled at Cervera for memorial services. All were dressed in black. The most distinguished Jews of Cervera carried a coffin decorated with the royal escutcheon and covered with a silken pall. Four men bearing huge torches preceded it. Singing psalms and extracts from the Jewish liturgy, the procession marched from the "Calle de Mayor," the main street, to the market-place. There the coffin was set upon a platform erected for the purpose, with torches at the two ends; and men and women joined in antiphonal dirges. Crescas ha-Kohen, physician to the king, delivered the memorial address, dwelling on the virtues of the deceased monarch; and the impressive services were closed with more dirges.
- Jacobs, Sources, Nos. 179, 1021, 1042;
- Joseph ha-Kohen, 'Emeḳ ha-Baka, p. 66;
- Balaguer, Historia de Cataluña, xviii. ch. 27.


text: Iron Track Dirt Whip Truck 1:10 Scale 4WD Electric Desert Truck Ready to Run (Red) RC Remote Control Radio CarThe hot new 1/10 Scale Iron Track Dirt Whip Truck ready to run truck has loads of awesome features. The 2 in 1 electronic speed control and receiver unit pumps out 20amp continuous and 320amps of maximum burst current to the 550 brushed motor delivering ground pounding acceleration. All of this power induced by the included 7.2v Ni-Mh battery with charger included. Make no doubt that this ready to run radio control truggy is hobby grade. The 2.4ghz radio allows precise proportional control of this powerful truck. The steering servo delivers more than 6 pounds of torque to steer this truck in the right direction. Transferring all this instant electric power to the knobby tires is an efficient shaft driven 4 wheel drive system. The geared front and rear differentials driven by an aluminum center drive shaft ensure maximum traction and reliability in the roughest terrain. The oil filled shocks allow the suspension to soak up all the bumps and rough stuff you throw at it. A pre-cut and factory painted body permits you to get into instant action once you open the box and get everything charged. The Dirt Whip delivers smooth handling and precise response for you to enjoy the thrill of radio control truck action. With the Dirt Whip you are guaranteed to have hours of fun and excitement! Dirt Whip Features: Iron Track Dirt Whip Specifications: Required to Run: Popular Best Sellers: |


text:
How A Carnivore Survives On Bamboo
New research finds that the giant panda may get some bacterial help to digest its bamboo diet
Giant pandas are weird. They have problems mating, for one. And second, though they are technically carnivores (members of Order Carnivora), with the gastrointestinal tract and gut enzymes to match, their diet consists of 80 percent bamboo. A grown panda consumes around 25 pounds of the fibrous plant each day, but it lacks the multiple stomachs and specialized enzymes that help other plant-eating animals, such as cows and sheep, digest cellulose. And cellulose—the fibrous material that makes plant cell walls strong—contains a lot of energy. "If fully degraded, cellulose can contribute nearly half the calories in bamboo," Fuwen Wei of the Chinese Academy of Sciences told LiveScience.
Wei and his colleagues, thinking that the pandas might be getting a bit of help from some gut microbes, collected poop from seven wild and eight captive pandas in China and studied the genes of the bacteria in it to determine what kinds of bacteria were likely in the pandas' guts. (Their findings appear in this week's issue of PNAS.) They found signs of 85 different species of bacteria, but the ones that interested them the most were species in the genus Clostridium. It's a genus that includes several bacteria that cause human diseases, but the ones from the pandas of a kind that are good at digesting cellulose. "It is highly possible that it is this kind of bacterium plays an essential role in the degradation of cellulose of the giant panda," Wei told LiveScience.
The pandas also have a few other adaptations that help them survive on their bamboo diet: They have pseudothumbs that help them grip branches, and strong teeth and jaws to help them chew. But the most helpful of all may be the large quantity of bamboo they eat and the large amount of time (15 hours a day) they spend eating it. Even if most of the cellulose and other fibrous material simply passes through their digestive systems (a 1982 study of the National Zoo's pandas found that 92 percent of the cellulose consumed ended up in the pandas' poop), they are still able to consume enough calories daily to continue their leisurely lifestyle.


text:
Sedation Dentistry uses medication to help you relax for a better dental care experience. Sedation dentistry can even help patients with severe dental anxiety.
Sedation dentistry offers many benefits to meet your individual needs. Sedation allows your body to relax more completely. This increases the effectiveness of local anesthesia. Sedation dentistry reduces the sensation of passing time. This can be very useful if you need complex or multiple treatments in a single sitting. It also prevents your muscles from stiffening or becoming sore due to spending extended periods of time in one position.
We offer Oral Conscious Sedation. Your sedation is closely monitored by experienced dental professionals who ensure your safety and comfort.
Oral Conscious Sedation, or OCS, provides a stronger level of sedation than Nitrous Oxide. Many patients prefer to use OCS for the deeper relaxation it provides. Though you are still able to stand, walk, or answer questions, you remain in a calm and drowsy state throughout the treatment. With OCS, many patients have found they have little memory of the procedure after the fact. For patients with dental anxiety, this can be a great benefit.
Your safety is our top priority. At your appointment, be sure to tell us:
- Any prescription medications or over-the-counter medications you are taking.
- Any herbal or nutritional supplements you are using.
- Any allergies you have, particularly medication reactions.
- Any health conditions you have.
- Any questions or concerns you may have about your treatment or about sedation dentistry.
For more information about using sedation dentistry with your next treatment, contact Lavelle Family & Cosmetic Dentistry.


text:
If you enjoy using the extension we will more than appreciate if you will give us 5 stars rating, and a positive review.
If you plan to give us less than 5 stars, please contact us before, and we will fix your issue ASAP!
Click here to leave us a review


text:
Family Therapy
When married couples need to reconcile and make things right again, our therapist are able to arrange that happen!
Personal ApproachWhichever specific patient we're working with, whatever his or her emotional issues are all about, we always sketch out a personalized sessions plan that eventually becomes our winning therapeutic gameplan!
Intensive HelpIf you've been suffering from a specific emotional state for a long time or in case your emotional issues are severe and you need our help to get through them in an emergent way, we will be able to do that!
Empathic TherapistsRegardless of what kind of a therapy you're going through, be either an individual one or our family therapy sessions, our team of professional therapists will do everything and anything it takes to fix the way you think.
Request a Consultation
Whichever specific health issue you're currently facing, we'll be more than glad to give you a pre-appointment, free consultation on it!


text:
HVAC Lead Installer- Sign On Bonus Up To $3K
- Req ID:
- 1297
- Category:
- Installation
- Location Name:
- Barlow Ogden - Service Experts
- Location Address:
- 2869 Commerce Way, Suite 1, Ogden, UT 84401
- Status:
- Full-Time
Sign On Bonus Up To $3,000
Location: Ogden, UT
Why You Should Join the Service Experts Team?
Our team consists of the very best; we believe in doing what is right for our customers and our employees. We provide our employees with the training, support and an opportunity for unlimited professional growth. Join us and become an EXPERT!
Service Experts Company Perks and Benefits for YOU
Top Pay for Top Performers, including incentive and bonus opportunities, depending on the position
- Our Top Installers earn over $80,000 annually
Generous PTO provided:
- 20 paid days off within your first year of employment (vacation & national holidays)
- 25 paid days off after your 2nd year of employment
- No layoffs during "Slow Season" – due to our extensive customer base, you will never have to worry about not being able to provide for your family year-round
- Ready to get out of your work truck? We have ample advancement and career-growth opportunities available across the U.S.
- Hold on to your more of your paycheck with Company-sponsored Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance programs
- We provided wellness program options for free employee medical
- Company-provided smart phone, tablet, uniform plan, and tool replacement program
- We'll make you better at what you do with our internal Training Academy
- Best-in-class 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with attractive company matching contributions
- Company-paid employee Life Insurance with options for YOU and your Family!
- Short-term and Long-term disability insurance options that will protect you and your family if you are unable to work
- Supplemental benefit programs such as: Legal advice, pet insurance, and health advocacy programs
Come join the BEST and the BIGGEST team in HVAC: Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning, & Plumbing!
Position Summary:
Responsible for the complete and satisfactory installation of residential and/or light commercial HVAC equipment and accessories. Communicates with customer to answer questions, resolves problems, and ensures complete customer satisfaction. Promotes products and services to customer. Trains other installers, performs install work on more difficult situations, and assists the Field Supervisor or General Manager on work audits, site supervision, and work planning. Works under the direction of the Field Supervisor or General Manager.
Key Responsibilities:
- Works under the direction of the Field Supervisor or General Manager to install HVAC equipment and accessories in the customer's home
- Installs heating, air conditioning, ventilation, and refrigeration equipment, as well as accessories, in accordance with company requirements and manufacture specifications. As needed, performs limited diagnostics.
- Designs, fabricates, and installs various ducts and duct fittings as required
- Performs start-ups on air conditioning and heating systems and other components
- Delivers excellent customer service and sustains high levels of customer satisfaction.
- Promotes products and services to the customer. Calls Sales and Service Coordinator with specifics on replacement product sales leads generated from customer service visit.
- Responsible for delivery and removal of equipment needed to complete the installation work
- Ensures company property, vehicles, and tools are being properly used, maintained, and accounted for • Completes all paperwork in a neat, accurate, thorough, and timely manner. Collects payment from customer
- Represents the company professionally, honestly, and ethically in all business matters and concerns
- Responsible for keeping installation vehicle clean and neat both inside and outside in keeping with the company's professional image
- Follows standard procedures and process, ensures that the company vehicle is properly stocked, returns defective warranty parts to branch, and orders/replenishes vehicle stock as needed. May be responsible for completing material requisition forms and related administrative activities.
- Assists the Field Supervisor or General Manager with site supervision, planning, and estimating
- Assists the Field Supervisor or General Manager with completing quality audits on selected installations to ensure superior performance, quality, and customer satisfaction
- Trains other installers in technical skills and company procedures, as assigned
- Performs similar/other duties as needed or assigned
Health & Safety Roles and Responsibilities:
- Reports any unsafe acts, conditions and hazards to direct supervisor/manager immediately
- Reports any contravention of legislation or company policy, procedure or program to direct supervisor/manager immediately
- Corrects substandard acts or conditions within area of control
- Uses and maintains appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) as prescribed by company program(s) or procedure(s)
- Never removes or renders ineffective any safety guards, devices, or clothing prescribed to be in place or worn
- Complies with the general rules as prescribed by company program(s) procedure(s)
- Operates devices or equipment as prescribed by company program(s) or procedure(s)
- Participates in any safety initiatives, teams, or committees
- Reports all injuries or incidents as prescribed by company program(s) or procedure(s) immediately
- Provides input on developing safety initiatives and plans to eliminate exposure that could cause accidents
- Does not perform any act that may endanger the safety or well-being of others
- Does not engage in any pranks, contests, or rough boisterous behavior
- Works in compliance with applicable legislative requirement
- High school diploma or GED with additional training and 5 plus years' experience in HVAC technical training certification required
- Must possess all valid licensing or certification as required by federal, state, provincial, or local governmental laws or regulations for the geographical work area
- EPA and safety certifications required
- Proficient in the fundamentals of the operational functionality of heating, air conditioning, and ventilation equipment as well as related accessories
- Advanced skills at installing heating, air conditioning, and ventilation equipment as well as related accessories
- Proficient in the layout and installation requirements of duct work and duct fittings
- Advanced mechanical aptitude and the ability to operate all necessary tools and equipment
- Proficient and able to operate all necessary tools and equipment to perform various installation projects
- Advanced skills at reading wiring diagrams and troubleshooting problems with electrical, refrigerant and duct systems on HVAC equipment
- Proficient and able to properly start up and balance airflow and to properly align belts and pulleys on all systems with little to no supervision
- Advanced skills installing electronic air cleaners, refrigeration systems, hot water systems, steam boiler systems, humidifiers, and related equipment with little to no supervision
- Ability to calculate heat gain and loss on buildings using approved methods
- Effective communication skills to communicate with customer and resolve customer issues, complaints, or concerns
- Effective and efficient time-management and organizational skills
- Valid driver's license with acceptable driving record
- Available to work flexible hours and on-call shifts as needed
- Ability to stand and walk and to climb ladders and attic stairs and to maneuver in attics, basements, and crawl spaces to access HVAC units. Ability to continually climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, and/or crawl.
- Ability to work in a variety of environmental conditions, including but not limited to the following: hot, cold, outdoor, indoor, dry, humid, slippery surfaces, heights, and congested areas
- Ability to safely climb 300lb load capacity rated ladders with a 30lb tool belt
- Natural or corrected vision to see and focus for close, distance, peripheral vision with normal depth perception
- Ability to lift up to 75 pounds and ability to lift and carry items weighing up to 50 pounds
Featured Jobs
General Manager
Position Title: General Manager Location: 3143 Skyway Cir, Melbourne, FL 32934 Salary: $115,000-$135,000 per year Bonus: 25-100% of Base Relocation: Assistance Available Join the team of experts and realize your true potential! Why You Should Join the Service Experts Team? Our team consists of the …
Assistant General Manager
Position Title: Assistant General Manager Reports To: General Manager Status: Full-time Address: 2500 Meadowbrook Pkwy Suite F, Duluth, GA 30096 Pay: $133,000 Per Year Bonus: Quarterly, totaling 35% of Base (OTE $179,550 Per Year) Relocation Requirement: The Assistant General Manager (AGM) role is part of a comprehensive training program designed …


text:
Vibratory Feeder with Magnetic Drive Circuit
February 12, 2008
1 Min Read
The Model 26C vibratory feeder is a rugged AC-operated unit that enables linear, exact feeding of large quantities of bulk materials. It is designed for feeding material up to 4 tn/hr and features a totally enclosed dust- and moisture-resistant patented magnetic drive that extends coil life and makes cleaning easier. The simple AC controls operate the feeder with high precision. This feeder features a Hi-Vi magnetic drive circuit that is powered by alternately opposing and attracting magnetic forces, which ensures low maintenance. There are no sliding or rotating parts, power consumption is low, and installation is easy.
Eriez, Erie, PA 888-300-3743 www.eriez.com
Sign up for the Powder & Bulk Solids Weekly newsletter.
You May Also Like


text:
The cover of this weekend's Barron's is a booming takedown of Facebook titled bluntly: Facebook Is Worth $15 (the stock closed $22.86 on Friday).
In other words, despite the massive plunge the stock has seen so far, it's got a lot more to fall.
The points made in the piece:
- The stock is trading at a PE of 48 and a forward PE of 36 times 2013 earnings.
- Meanwhile, Apple and Google trading at 16x 2012 earnings.
- It's also trading at 10x revenue, twice Google's valuation.
- Facebook is struggling with mobile monetization, and the management's response has been "trust us". The fact that it had to shell out $1 billion to buy Instagram is ominous.
- Mobile access grew from 9% to 11% in one quarter, a trend that's likely to continue to grow.
- The mobile ads it runs that are working are increasingly alienating users... Wal-Mart and Target ads that appear in the newstream are annoying.
- Demographics do not favor Facebook. It's getting less "cool."
- There are a lot more insider sales to come.
That's basically it: Nothing groundbreaking. But the bear case is simple: A stock doesn't deserve such a big multiple when it's business model is in doubt.


text:
And, this little blog of mine, has given me the opportunity to meet amazing people. Both virtually and locally! And one of those friends is Jackie, from Teal & Lime.
Jackie & I met this summer when we decided that it would be a good idea to cross virtual lines and meet in person for a fun day of thrifty shopping. We hit it off, chatted all day, and stayed in touch ever since!
I have been inspired over Jackie's home since I found it quite awhile back, she has a great, fresh style that is clean, current and colorful. So, I did what anyone would do. I invited myself over to check things out in person! Heck yes! And, I asked if I could bring my camera and share the goods with you!
Ready to swoon?
Right when I walked into her home, I was smitten! It hugged me and greeted me and told me the story of the darling family that lives there. Jackie is married and has two incredibly sweet and handsome little boys.
All of the colors in her home work together and feel fresh, yet warm at the same time. As you enter the home, one of the first rooms that pulls you in along the way is this stunning dining room!
They installed the wall treatment on their own and also DIY'd their chandy for a huge fraction of the cost of the high end crystal versions.
And how wonderful is the armoire cabinet? It fits the space oh so perfectly!
But what I really love, is the prettiness and organizational bliss behind the doors!
Jackie stashes all of her party and hosting supplies in this old TV cabinet. Did you know that it was an old TV cabinet? Me either. Because she purchased the stackable Closetmaid shelving to customize the storage inside to fit her needs! I think she succeeded!
Continuing forward is a bright and airy living space that opens to their eat in kitchen.
They utilize their built ins for storage to keep their living space clean and clutter free.
It is all styled to nicely and the art, yeah, she made that too!
Looking back toward the kitchen, first, your eye stops at the fun table, which sports the most incredible FLOR carpet tiles below and a DIY pendant above.
Her kitchen totally made my heart race. Check out those globe pendants {from West Elm}. They are a show stopper!
As is the beautiful kitchen tile!!
Right off of the kitchen, is the home's entry from the garage. This is their main entry coming home with their kiddos each day, so organization was essential here.
Simple baskets for shoes below and magazine bins above, which hold everything from hats and mittens to chalk and bubbles.
And, just when you think it can't get better, you see this!
This was one of the most impressive multi-functional rooms I have ever been in. Jackie and her family use this room for laundry, cleaning and kid's crafts! It only makes sense to have kids do their crafts where cleaning supplies are right? And the desk is also perfect for folding clothes!
Above her wash sink, she decanted all of her detergents into beverage dispenser for easy to use access! She also installed the most darling little baskets to hold all of those smaller laundry supplies.
All of her other cleaning powers are stored across the way in a cleaning station! Be still my heart.
Everything is out of kid's reach, yet easy to tote around when cleaning day comes. She even created designated caddies labeled with chalkboard labels.
And speaking of kids. How great is this arts and crafts station she has set up?! IKEA Trofast to the rescue!!
Loving all the color as much as I am? Good, because there is more to see!
Like the charming nursery!
Again, the colors leave you grinning ear to ear. Perfect for a little guys bedroom!
I had to know the secret to such a streamlined and organized nursery. She shared:
"Don't get all the stuff on the baby registry list, babies don't need all those things. Also, we keep our diapers in the top dresser drawer with the changer on top of the dresser. This has been super convenient and worked for both our boys. We also keep toys in our loft playroom and not in the nursery, this keeps clutter and mess at bay. The nursery is for changing and sleeping."
The art was created with a large white canvas and flash cards and the vinyl numbers on the drawers not only make the most a fun addition to the room, they also add an organizational twist!
When someone stops by to watch the kiddos, Jackie can say, "the diapers are in drawer number 2". Easy peasy yet so so smart!
And Jackie's smarts and creativeness and love for vinyl does stop there. One of my favorite projects, is coincidentally her favorite too!
Chalkboard vinyl lining her cosmetic drawer, topped with acrylic dividers. Seriously, does it get any more fun than that?!
Talk about making you smile every day! It's all about the little things!
And last but not least... my new bedroom. Because I am moving in. She just doesn't know it yet.
The side table is incredible. Jaw dropping lovely!
I adore every inch of their lovely home. Every. single. inch. There was so much organizational goodness around every corner, and she has done such a great job making her house a beautiful home for their clan.
I asked Jackie her number one tip, and here is what she had to say:
"My top organization tip is to be clutter-free. We are constantly purging clothes, toys, and anything else we are done with. The only stuff we keep is hand me downs from my oldest for his brother. Since we are so clutter-free and don't hold on to things, we have way more storage in this house than we would ever need. It is a nice feeling to have half empty closets."
Love what you see? You can find tutorials for all of Jackie's DIY goodness over on her blog. She has a great project page with endless ideas and inspiration.
I can't thank her enough for letting me pop by with my camera! It was so much fun and I left with a few ideas up my sleeve for our own home.
How about you? Any new ideas? What's your favorite space? Hard to pick just one right?


text:
Do you enjoy playing slots? If you do, you are going to enjoy the concept of Free Bonus Slots, may perhaps one of the finest things that may have asked for. Considering how these slots work, it is no surprise that numerous people are hooked onto slots and turn to it for getting away from their mundane techniques. You too should find this pertaining to being quite interesting as well as something that you take advantage involved with. After all, you would ideally in order to enjoy the best things in life that are no cost!
Video slot is interesting game for entertainment value for it has just additional than yanking a handling and placing table bets. You can play free bonuses and try your luck in that as to be honest.
There are some tips which may help you slot online out some. Some of these actually make sense while other people just kind of silly and steeped in wives' recommendations. Or in this case granny myths. I don't know.
Founded in 2005, Karamba is a fun and lucrative casino gaming site for your whole residence. Of course, you should be over 18 to carry out. Slots will leave you on the edge of your seat, always anticipating the next symbol with the three in a row fit. Of course, you become someone can be not entirely thrilled about playing slots but luckily Karamba recently the treat for your family. Not only do they have online slots, however a regarding other games as extremely. Such games include "Macau Nights", "Monaco Glamor", "Sakura Garden" plus more. Two of one of the most popular games currently is the "Conga Beat" and "Monte Carlo". Upon signing up, you will have a way to to view most recent winners very well as read many of the reviews, directly there.
Another factor when playing slot machine games is how you can find exercise slots perform with. Being a slot player, it is mandatory to play in machines near the winning claims booth because this is where greatest and most fun paying machines are usually placed. Casinos do this because it may be a common simple fact that passersby tend to be attracted perform slots when they hear the victorious cheers of those winning in slot machine.
Casino goers should avoid slot machines which are placed in near casino table games. Casino operators don't place good machines near tables for poker and blackjack simply because want card game players to have full focus on the game and not get distracted with typical coming from a people playing slots.
Scatter symbol on this USA online slot may be the naughty or nice symbol, 3 symbols activate the bonus around. Four symbols anywhere on the reels pays 20x total bet and 5 scatters pay 200x. Note net my bonus rounds triggered when I ended the reels after first scatter symbol hit. Your bonus round you will prompted to select your feature bonus symbol which ever you choose will offer special goodies when appearing on the reels. Bonus symbols will double payout on any winning combination and every and every one happens on the reels search for receive either +1 free game, of up to a 20x bet or will be held on the reel for your very own next rewrite.
You will surely break away to a zone of thrilling excitement following. You will find nine-line slots, five-line slots, three-reel slots, traditional slots games, and bonus round slots games. That's quite a bounteous associated with slot action, by about anyone's routine.


text:
Granite Slabs Near Rolling Hills Estates
We are stone specialists, providing the highest quality travertine, marble, limestones and various decorative stones at the most competitive
prices in Rolling Hills Estates, California.
Marble Expo International supplies the highest quality natural stones from around the world.
Having a large network of partners worldwide, we are serving many major clients with the product of their need. We own and operate several stone quarry in Greece and directly ship to our store.
As a company we are committed to offering our clientele
the best service and products possible.
Best source and quality of Quartz countertops, Quartzite Countertops, Granite Countertops, Marble Countertops, near me Torrance, California. Kitchen, Bathroom, Backsplash, Floor Tile Specialist Natural and Fabricated


text:
Workers Vanguard No. 1057 | 28 November 2014 |
Same Old Story: Killer Cop Walks
Ferguson Righteous Fury
Cops, National Guard Out!
NOVEMBER 25—The whole world was watching and waiting for the grand jury decision on whether to indict Ferguson cop Darren Wilson for the coldblooded killing of unarmed black youth Michael Brown in broad daylight. The news, which is no news at all in a country where racist cop terror is the law of the land, is that Wilson got away with it. Protesters in Ferguson erupted in fury and frustration, while thousands demonstrated in cities across the U.S.
The capitalist politicians, from Missouri's white law-and-order Democratic Party governor Jay Nixon to America's first black president, decry the "violence." But the truth is that the whole situation was set up to incite what they now denounce as a riot. More than a week ago, Nixon declared a state of emergency and mobilized the National Guard. While U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder piously lectured on the importance of protest to initiating a "national dialogue" between the cops and the communities they terrorize, his FBI sent out a nationwide APB warning against "extremists" out to attack "law enforcement and critical infrastructure." Emboldened by the racist rulers, the lynch mob murderers of the KKK promised to use "lethal force" against "terrorists masquerading as 'peaceful protesters'."
All these are the real forces of violence in this society. As one Ferguson protester put it last night, "If you got a badge, you can get away with murder." Accounts in the bourgeois media this morning were filled with lurid tales of "looters" running amok in the Missouri town. But as could be seen from the news images, it was the cops who were on the rampage, firing tear gas and "non-lethal" projectiles.
As of this morning, 61 people had been arrested, including some just trying to go about their business. Our team in Ferguson ran into a young black couple who had just been released from a nearby jail; they had been arrested for "trespassing" at an open gas station and their car was impounded. One of them told the cops: "I guess Darren Wilson is the only person not getting arrested tonight." We demand: National Guard, cops and FBI out of Ferguson! Free the arrested protesters and drop all charges now!
Together with the iron fist of state repression comes the velvet glove of black Democratic Party politicians and preachers mobilized to douse the flames of protest by pushing illusions in federal investigations and appealing for the cops to be reformed to "serve the people." This is like asking the plantation master to make his overseers treat the slaves with respect. In capitalist America, the job of the cops, courts and prosecutors is to maintain and defend a system rooted in the brutal exploitation of the many by the few—a system built on racial oppression from chattel slavery to wage slavery.
Just as it took the Civil War to smash the Southern slavocracy, it will take a third American Revolution to shatter the power of the capitalist ruling class and the state apparatus that defends it. There is only one force in this society with the social power to do that: the multiracial working class, whose labor produces the wealth that the capitalist rulers claim as theirs. All workers, including white workers, face the same enemy—a ruling class that condemns them to ever more vicious exploitation and wields the knife of racism to maintain its power. That the workers have not been mobilized in their own defense, much less in defense of the ghetto poor, is the responsibility of the trade-union misleaders who have shackled labor's power to the defense of the interests of the capitalist class enemy.
The Spartacist League/U.S. is dedicated to the fight to forge a new leadership of the working class—a multiracial revolutionary workers party. The cause of black freedom will be a great driving force in the struggle for a socialist America and a great achievement of workers revolution. Only when those who labor rule will the wealth of this country be used for the benefit of those who produced it—not least the descendants of black slaves whose labor was a bedrock on which American capitalism was built. And only then will there be any real justice for the working class, black people and all the oppressed.


text:
(Reuters) – Jets used for corporate travel by Russian state-owned oil major Rosneft flew at least 13 times to Mallorca, Ibiza, Sardinia and the Maldives when CEO Igor Sechin or people from his social circle were in the same vacation spots.
Using publicly available data, Reuters tracked 290 Rosneft flights between January, 2015 and May, 2019. Of those round trips, 96 took place during Russian public holidays or between Friday lunchtime in Moscow and Monday morning.
Since the start of 2015, Rosneft corporate jets traveled eight times to Sardinia's Olbia airport, 15 times to the Maldives and seven times to Spain's Palma de Mallorca, according to the flight tracking data from planefinder.net, flightaware.com, opensky.network.org and flight-data.adsbexchange.com.
Reuters found no public information released by Rosneft or the Russian authorities about official events at those destinations, although the company does not always disclose information about its meetings.
For some of the flights to vacation spots, Sechin's associates, including his wife before their divorce and mutual friends, posted photos on social media placing them at the same location as the Rosneft aircraft at the same time.
Sechin, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin and head of the world's largest listed oil company by production, has not appeared in social media posts from the holiday resorts.
But Reuters did photograph a man closely matching his description boarding a Rosneft plane at Palma da Mallorca airport on Aug. 6 last year.
Overall, Reuters found public information from Rosneft or the Russian authorities about official events corresponding to 42 of the 290 flights.
In a statement issued on Tuesday in response to Reuters questions, Rosneft said that as a global company it works in all parts of the world, and that expenditures on corporate aircraft are "carried out in accordance with the approved corporate standards." It did not give details.
Rosneft declined to answer detailed questions from Reuters, saying the news agency was conducting "information sabotage in the service of the intelligence services of interested states."
Among the questions the company declined to address were whether Sechin's employment contract entitled him to use corporate jets for personal purposes or whether Sechin reimbursed the company for private flights.
In a reply sent in April to previous Reuters questions about the use of corporate aircraft by the friends or family members of Rosneft employees, the company said: "No private transport of family members was carried out at the expense of the company."
A source close to the Rosneft board of directors said no clause in Sechin's contract allowing private flights had been put before the board for approval.
Sechin's use of corporate aircraft for travel to holiday destinations – regardless of whether his contract permits it or not – is part of a pattern of wasteful spending by Rosneft, said Vladimir Milov, Russian deputy energy minister until 2002.
Milov is now a critic of the Kremlin, arguing that Putin's circle is using Russia's natural resources wealth for their own benefit.
He also cited a 2017 order placed by a company subsidiary to buy tableware including caviar dishes and silver spoons with a total value of $83,000.
After Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny disclosed the order on YouTube on May 22, 2017, it was canceled the next day, according to Rosneft's website.
The office of Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the Rosneft flights, saying it was an internal, corporate matter. The Russian government's spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.
Between January 2015 and May 2019 Rosneft used a fleet of six business jets registered in Austria and the Isle of Man. They were owned by Rosneft subsidiaries, chartered by Rosneft, used for official Rosneft corporate trips, or in most cases all three.
The photograph Reuters believes is of Sechin shows him boarding a Rosneft-operated Bombardier 6000 aircraft at Palma de Mallorca airport on Aug. 6, 2018. The photograph was taken from a public thoroughfare.
The same jet – with tail number M-YOIL – flew into Palma de Mallorca six times between mid-July and late-August, 2018, according to flight tracking data and photographs taken by Reuters at the airport.
Over that period, the aircraft was on Mallorca or nearby for 27 days, not including the day of arrival or departure.
On July 15, the day a Rosneft flight landed in Palma de Mallorca, the Russian pop singer and Sechin family friend Anita Tsoy posted on Instagram that her family's long-awaited vacation had begun.
On July 19, she posted a photograph on Instagram, tagged as having been taken on Mallorca, of her, her 26-year-old son and her husband, Sergei Tsoy, a senior Rosneft executive.
On Aug. 1, the day after the Rosneft jet landed back in Moscow, she posted a photo tagged Moscow. "The holiday has come to an end," she wrote.
Neither Anita Tsoy nor Sergei Tsoy responded to requests for comment. Rosneft did not respond to questions about the flights to Palma.
Rosneft's corporate code of conduct, a public document, states that "we do not use the company's property and assets not for the purposes intended, or to personal ends or with the aim of extracting personal benefit."
The full cost of the flights is not available, but Reuters found documents showing the costs of running one of the private jets in 2016.
The jet with tail number M-YOIL is operated by a Singapore-registered company called AV Asia Developments Pte Ltd, according to Eurocontrol, an inter-governmental aviation body.
A 2016 financial report for AV Asia Developments, 100 percent controlled by Rosneft, stated the company received $1.86 million for the charter of the sole jet it operated at the time, and more than $2 million for services related to the same plane.
AV Asia Developments did not respond to a request for comment.
Flight tracking data showed that during 2016, the plane carried out 12 flights totaling around 96 hours in the air.
When set against the figures in the AV Asia Developments report, that works out at an hourly cost – a standard industry measure of the cost of private jet services – of about $40,000, or about $19,000 excluding services costs.
A return business class flight from Moscow to the Maldives with Russian carrier Aeroflot, departing June 28 and returning July 4, costs $3,770 according to the Aeroflot booking website.
Sechin's then-wife Olga Sechina spent part of the summer of 2015 at Costa Smeralda in Sardinia, according to her posts on social media tagged with the location, and posts of her friend Olga Tonkikh.
Sechina's first post from there was on June 30, and the last social media record of the vacation was an Aug. 21 post on one of Tonkikh's social media accounts, featuring Sechina.
Around that period, a Rosneft Bombardier Global 6000 jet with the tail number OE-IRS was recorded three times at Sardinia's Olbia airport: on July 26, Aug. 16 and Sept. 9, according to flight tracking data.
On Aug. 14, the Cala Di Volpe hotel at the Costa Smeralda resort hosted a private concert by British pop singer Robbie Williams, according to the hotel's Facebook posts.
The same day, Olga Tonkikh posted a photograph on Instagram showing both women with hashtags including #robiwilliams.
Neither Tonkikh nor Olga Sechina responded to requests for comment. Rosneft did not reply to questions about flights to Sardinia.
On the night of Dec. 24, 2016, a Rosneft Boeing business jet with tail number OE-IRF took off from Moscow's Vnukovo airport in the direction of the Indian Ocean, flight tracking data showed. Two days after the flight departed, Tsoy, the pop star, posted a picture of herself on Instagram from inside an aircraft that matches the interior of a Boeing business jet.
"And here the long-awaited moment has arrived: VACATION," she wrote next to the photo.
On Jan. 3, 2017 she posted a picture of herself on a golf course that matched publicity photos for Velaa Private Island, an exclusive Maldives resort.
On Dec. 28, 2016 and Jan. 4, Sechin's then-wife Olga posted photographs on Instagram of herself in a room that matches publicity material of Velaa Private Residence posted on the resort's website.
Sechin and his wife divorced in June 2017, according to court documents seen by Reuters.
There have been Rosneft flights to the Maldives since then.
Flight tracking data showed two Rosneft private jets flying into the international airport in the Maldives on Dec. 28 and out again hours later. The same two planes flew back to the Maldives on Jan 9. and returned to Moscow on Jan. 12.
Reuters saw photographs of the aircraft taken while they were at Velana International Airport in January before they took off for Moscow.
There is no public record of Rosneft executives having any business meetings in the Maldives in the last three years.
Sechin's ex-wife and Anita Tsoy did not respond to questions about their trips to the Maldives.


text:
Exercise makes your muscles work and burns calories. Exercises are activities designed to improve fitness, enhance health, and prepare your body to meet the demands of life. Physical activities like running, swimming, walking, jogging, and dancing are often used synonymously with exercise. Although not technically exercise, physical activities are an excellent way to enhance health.
No matter your age, gender, or physical activity level, regular exercise can boost your physical and mental health.
If you haven't exercised in a while, you may want to try easing back into it with moderate-intensity aerobics. Soon enough, you'll start feeling the positive effects of regularly moving your body.
How Exercise Improves Your Physical Health
Helps control your weight. Whether you want to drop extra pounds or stay at your current weight, exercise is one of the best ways to do it. It helps you burn calories, and the more intense the activity, the more calories you torch. That said, the amount of calories you burn depends on a number of things, including your age, gender, weight, and type and intensity of activity.
For example, a 155-pound person will burn about 198 calories doing 30 minutes of low-impact aerobics. If they do 30 minutes of high-impact step aerobics, they could burn upwards of 360 calories.
Strengthens your muscles and bones. Exercise is vital for building and maintaining strong bones and muscles. Weightlifting can boost muscle building when you also get enough protein.
As you become older, your body loses muscle mass and function. This puts you more at risk of injuries and disabilities. Regular exercise reduces muscle loss and helps maintain strength as you age. Exercise also builds bone density, which is crucial in preventing osteoporosis later in life.
Helps prevent health conditions and diseases. For a good, strong heart, exercise regularly. No matter your current weight, physical activity boosts "good" cholesterol ( high-density lipoprotein or HDL) in the body. This is key for keeping your blood flowing smoothly while lowering your chances of getting conditions like:
- Heart and blood vessel diseases
- Metabolic syndrome
- Many cancers, including breast, bladder, kidney, lung, and stomach cancers
- High blood pressure
- Stroke
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Type 2 diabetes { National Health Services: "Benefits of exercise."}
Could boost your lifespan. Regular exercise can help you live longer. It lowers the chance of dying early from conditions like cancer and heart disease. Try to be active for at least 150 minutes a week.
Before you start any new exercise program, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor. After checking your health, they'll recommend the right amount of activity for your age.
How Exercise Improves Your Mental Health
Some benefits of exercise on your mental health can even happen right after you work out.
Makes you feel happier. Exercise helps block negative thoughts and distracts you from daily worries. Your body releases chemicals, such as serotonin and endorphins, that trigger a happy feeling. Exercising with other people can boost that effect even more.
Improves learning, thinking, and judgment capabilities as you age. When you exercise, your body releases proteins and other chemicals that change the brain's function and structure. It also makes the brain grow new cells that help prevent age-related mental decline.
Helps relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety. Exercise acts in a similar way to antidepressant medications for treating mild to moderate depression -- just without the side effects. Exercising improves brain function, lowers inflammation, and promotes the growth of nerve cells, all which can help your mood.
Through the release of endorphins, physical activity also helps relieve tension and stress tied to anxiety. Being mindful of what your body is doing and how it feels as you exercise can also help interrupt the flow of negative thoughts and worries.
Helps manage ADHD. Exercise is one of the best ways to take charge of the symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. It helps improve motivation, mood, memory, and concentration by immediately boosting hormones that support focus and attention.
Tips for Making Exercise a Part of Your Routine
Exercise doesn't have to be hard or demanding. It also doesn't need to be expensive or take up too much of your time. Try these tips to make it a regular part of your weekly routine:
- Do fun types of physical activities that you like.
- Involve friends and family.
- Keep track of your progress.
- Find activities you can do even when the weather is bad.
Aim to get in around 150 minutes of exercise a week. That adds up to about 30 minutes a day for 5 days per week. Spending that little extra time to move your body will give you a wide range of health benefits.


text:
No products in the cart.
Showing all 2 results
400mg THC Indulge Chocolate Bar
400mg THC Peace Chocolate bar with F.U. Putin messages in Russian & Ukrainian
Username or email address *
Password *
Remember me Log in
Lost your password?
Username *
Email address *
User Type * Individual CustomerCommercial (Requires Approval)
First Name *
Last Name *
Company Name
Street Address *
Address Line 2
Country and State *
United States (US)
Select an option…AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict Of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingArmed Forces (AA)Armed Forces (AE)Armed Forces (AP)
Town / City *
Postcode / ZIP *
Phone Number *
Get updates to the latest CBD and D8 medical research including links to the actual journal articles with plain English summaries by Jeff Naughton our scientist and product formulator.
Your personal data will be used to support your experience throughout this website, to manage access to your account, and for other purposes described in our privacy policy.


text:
Royal Building Products is relocating its western Canada PVC fittings production operation to take advantage of better manufacturing and transportation logistics.
Royal said Oct. 17 it will move fittings operations from Surrey, British Columbia, 40 miles east to Langley, British Columbia. The move was effective Oct. 21.
"Our new location is optimal for manufacturing and storing more than 1,000 fabricated and injection-molded fittings products that Royal supplies," stated Royal pipe and fittings vice president Lorne Smith in a news release. "This new location with proximity to the Trans Canada Highway, will provide easier pick-up for customers in the lower mainland of British Columbia as well as easier carrier access for shipments across Canada."
Royal is moving its entire manufacturing team as well as white collar workers to Langley.
Royal began producing fittings for western Canada in Surrey in 1975. Initially the operation focused on the municipal market but in 1999 it added production for electrical, plumbing and industrial markets. Langley will continue injection molding of fittings from ½ inch to 36 inches in diameter. Although its main focus is on western Canada markets, it is making custom fittings for the whole Canadian market.
Royal Building Products is a division of Axiall Corp. Axiall was formed early this year by the merger of PVC major Georgia Gulf Corp. of Atlanta and the commodity chemicals business of PPG Industries.


text:
His house is in the village though.
He will not see me stopping here to watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer, to stop without a farmhouse near.
Between the woods and frozen lake, the darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake to ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep.
And miles to go before I sleep. And miles to go before I sleep.
(Thank you Mr. Frost!. Stopping By Woods On a Snowy Evening)
Below is my virtual stopping by the woods I long so desperately return to. I miss my home in Colorado.


text:
Australopithecus afarensis
This species is one of the best known of our ancestors due to a number of major discoveries including a set of fossil footprints and a fairly complete fossil skeleton of a female nicknamed 'Lucy'.
Background of discovery
This species lived between 3.9 and 2.8 million years ago.
What the name means
Australopithecus means 'southern ape' and was originally developed for a species found in South Africa. This is the genus or group name and several closely related species now share this name.
The word afarensis is based on the location where some of the first fossils for this species were discovered – the Afar Depression in Ethiopia, Africa
Stay in the know
Uncover the secrets of the Australian Museum with our monthly emails.
Sign up todayKey fossil discoveries
During the 1970s, two fossil hunting teams began uncovering evidence of ancient human ancestors in east Africa. One team, co-led by Donald Johanson, was working at Hadar in Ethiopia. The other team led by Mary Leakey, was over 1,500 kilometres away at Laetoli in Tanzania. Fossils discovered at the two sites were found to have very similar features and ages but they did not match the fossils of any species known at that time. A new species name, Australopithecus afarensis, was therefore created for them in 1978.
This species is now represented by several hundred fossils from east Africa.
Important specimens
- 'Lucy' AL 288-1 – a partial skeleton discovered in 1974 by Donald Johanson in Hadar, Ethiopia. This relatively complete female skeleton, dated to 3.2 million years old, is the most famous individual from this species. She was nicknamed 'Lucy' after the song 'Lucy in the sky with diamonds' sung by The Beatles. This song was very popular at the time she was found. Lucy was only about 110 centimetres tall but was a fully grown adult when she died. She was bipedal which means she could walk on two legs but she probably also spent a lot of time climbing trees in search of food or shelter.
- Knee AL 129 1a + 1b discovered in 1973 in Hadar, Ethiopia. When this 3.4 million year old knee was discovered, it was the first fossil to provide evidence that our ancestors that had been walking on two legs for more than three million years. The discovery of this fossil encouraged Donald Johanson's team to return to Hadar where they ultimately found 'Lucy' and hundreds of other fossils of this species.
- LH 4 – a lower jaw discovered in 1974 by Mary Leakey's team in Laetoli, Tanzania. This fossil is the type specimen'or official representative of this species.
- The 'First Family' - a group of A. afarensis fossils discovered in Hadar, Ethiopia in 1975. It became known as the 'First Family' because it contained fossils from nine adults and four children. Some unknown disaster overcame this family group, burying them all at the same time. This important find has allowed scientists to gather insights into the biology and development of a single fossil species. It also provided evidence that this species lived in small groups based on possible family bonds.
- 'Selam' or 'Lucy's baby' – a partial juvenile skeleton discovered in 2000 in Dikika, Hadar, in Ethiopia. She lived 3.3 million years ago and was about 3 years old when she died. Bones are preserved that have never before been found in this species. This is the earliest juvenile hominin skeleton ever found and should provide fantastic opportunities to uncover more about this species and about how our early ancestors developed.
- 'Lucy's big brother', nicknamed Kadanuumuu ('big man' in Afar) - a partial skeleton of a male uncovered in Afar, Ethiopia. An arm bone was first found in 2005 and other parts recovered over the next four years included shoulder blade, ribs, neck vertebra, pelvis, leg bones (complete tibia and partial femur) and a collarbone. This individual stood about 1.6 metres tall (30% larger than 'Lucy') and lived about 3.6 million years ago.
Laetoli footprints
These fossil footprints were discovered in Tanzania, East Africa and date to 3.6 million years ago. Fossil bones from A. afarensis have been found nearby so it is presumed that they left the tracks.
The quite human-like footprints were made by hominins that walked through a layer of ash burst that had settled on the ground after a distant volcano erupted. Raindrops made the ash damp and, even now, the indentations made by these raindrops can still be seen on parts of the ash layer. At first glance, it looks like two people walked side-by-side. The one on the left was much smaller than the other and may have been a child. On closer examination, we can see that the prints on the right-hand side are blurred and were actually made by two adults - one following the other and treading into the prints left by the first. Part way along the trail the individuals pause and turn to the left before continuing. The sun soon dried the damp ash, which hardened like cement. The active volcano continued to throw out ash until a layer up to 20 centimetres thick blanketed both the ground and the footprints.
Over millions of years, additional sediments were deposited and some were eroded away by wind and water. Eventually some of the footsteps lay uncovered. Then a lucky fossil hunter came across them and the story began to be revealed.
The footprints are of major significance as they are the first direct evidence (ie not fossils bones) that our ancestors were walking upright by 3.6 million years ago. The fossil footprints are very similar to our own footprints. They show that the heel was the first part of the foot to strike the ground. The big toe was aligned with the other toes and left a deep impression showing that each step ended with the toe pushing downwards. The feet also had central arches to help launch the body into each step.
Fossils have been found at Hadar in Ethiopia and Laetoli in Tanzania, about 1,500 kilometres away.
Relationships with other species
Australopithecus afarensis is usually considered to be a direct ancestor of humans. It is also considered to be a direct ancestor of later species of Australopithecus and all species in the Paranthropus genus.
The names Praeanthropus africanus and Praeanthropus afarensis have been suggested as alternatives by researchers who believe this species does not belong in the genus Australopithecus.
In 2015, a team under Yohannes Haile-Selassie described in the journal Nature a new species A. deyiremeda (from the Afar language, deyi meaning 'close' and remeda meaning 'relative'). The fossils date to 3.5 to 3.3 million years old and were discovered in Woranso-Mille in Ethiopia, close to sites of a similar age that produced A. afarensis specimens. If correct, A. afarensis was not the only hominin around in east Africa at this time.
The fossils, all found in March 2011, include a partial upper jaw bone (holotype BRT-VP-3/1), two lower jaws (paratypes BRT-VP-3/14 and WYT-VP-2/10) and an isolated P4 tooth in a maxillary fragment (referred specimen BRT-VP-3/37). Key features included forward cheek bones, three-rooted premolars and small first-molar crowns. Comparisons were made with other known middle Pliocene hominins such as Kenyanthropus platyops and A. afarensis; the discovers believed there were enough differences to warrant a new species designation. Others disagree, claiming that making comparisons with K. platyops is problematic (the only skull was extremely distorted and possibly badly reconstructed) or that the small sample size is not enough to draw such major conclusions. They consider the remains part of a variable A. afarensis population instead.
Whether these particular fossils do represent a new species or not, it is becoming likely that A. afarensis was not the only species around at this time in this area. Haile-Selassie announced in 2012 the discovery of a 3.4-million-year old partial foot (BRT-VP-2/73), found in the Afar Region of Ethiopia. It clearly did not belong to A. afarensis, but has yet to be assigned to a species.
Key physical features
Fossils show this species was bipedal (able to walk on two legs) but still retained many ape-like features including adaptations for tree climbing, a small brain, and a long jaw.
Body size and shape
- females grew to only a little over one metre in height (105 – 110 centimetres) and males were much larger at about 150 centimetres in height
- rib cage was cone-shaped like those of apes
- brain was small, averaging approximately 430 cubic centimetres and comprised about 1.3% of their body weight
- reorganisation of the brain may have begun with some enlargement to parts of the cerebral cortex
- many cranial features were quite ape-like, including a low, sloping forehead, a projecting face, and prominent brow ridges above the eyes.
- unlike most modern apes, this species did not have a deep groove lying behind its brow ridge and the spinal cord emerged from the central part of the skull base rather than from the back.
- males had a bony ridge (a sagittal crest) on top of their skull for the attachment of enormous jaw muscles. In this species, the crest was very short and located toward the rear of the skull.
- a small hyoid bone (which helps anchor the tongue and voice box) found in a juvenile specimen suggests A. afarensis had a chimp-like voice box
- semi-circular ear canal similar in shape to African apes and A. africanus, suggesting this species was not as fast or agile on two legs as modern humans
Jaws and teeth
- jaws and teeth were intermediate between those of humans and apes:
- jaws were relatively long and narrow. In the lower jaw, the teeth were arranged in rows that were slightly wider apart at the back than at the front. In the upper jaw, the placement of the last molar results in tooth rows that curve in at the back.
- front incisor teeth were quite wide.
- canine teeth were pointed and were longer than the other teeth. Canine size was intermediate between that of apes and humans. Like apes, males had much larger canines than females.
- a gap (diastema) was often present between the canines and adjacent teeth. This ape-like feature occurred between the canines and incisors in the upper jaw, and between the canines and premolars of the lower jaw.
- premolar teeth in the lower jaw had ape-like cusps (bumps on the chewing surface). The front premolar tended to have one large cusp (ape-like) rather than two equal-sized cusps as in humans.
- back molar teeth were moderate in size and were human-like in having a 'Y-5' pattern. That is, they had five cusps arranged so that the grooves between the cusps form a Y-shape.
- pelvis was human-like as it was short and wide, but it lacked the refinements that enable humans to walk with a striding gait
- limbs displayed human-like features that indicate an ability to walk on two legs
- femurs (thigh bones) that slanted in toward the knee
- knees with enlarged and strengthened outer condyles
- arched feet and wide heels
- big toes aligned with the other toes and not opposable
- ape-like features that suggest an ability to climb trees
- powerful arms with long forearms
- very short thigh bones
- long, curved finger and toe bones.
- shoulder blade socket that faces upwards like an ape's, rather than to the side like a human's, but shared other similarities with human shoulder blades
This species probably used simple tools that may have included sticks and other non-durable plant materials found in the immediate surroundings. Stones may also have been used as tools, but there is no evidence that stones were shaped or modified in any way. It seems likely that they lived in small social groups containing a mixture of males and females, children and adults. Females were much smaller than males.
In 2010, fossil bones bearing cut marks were found in Dikika in Ethiopia, dating to about 3.4 million years old. These bones show clear evidence of stone tools being used to remove flesh and to possibly smash bone in order to obtain marrow. No actual tools were found so it is not known whether the 'tools' were deliberately modified or just usefully-shaped stones. Although no hominin remains were found at the site, the discoverers believe A. afarensis was responsible for the cut marks as no other hominin species dating to this period have been found in this region.
Environment and diet
This species occupied a range of environments. Some populations lived in savannah or sparse woodland, others lived in denser forests beside lakes. Analysis of their teeth, skull and body shape indicates a diet that consisted mainly of plants. However, fossil animal bones with cut marks found in Dikika in 2010 have been attributed to this species, suggesting they may have included significant amounts of meat in their diets. Microscopic analysis of their tooth enamel shows that they mostly ate fruits and leaves rather than seeds and other hard plant material. Their cone-shaped rib cage indicates they had large bellies adapted to a relatively low quality and high bulk diet. The position of the sagittal crest toward the back of the skull indicates that the front teeth processed most of the food.
Further reading:
Yohannes Haile-Selassie et al (2015) 'New species from Ethiopia further expands Middle hominin diversity', Nature 521, 483-488
Yohannes Haile-Selassie et al (2012) 'A new hominin foot from Ethiopia shows multiple Pliocene bipedal adaptations', Nature 483, 565-569
Spoor, Fred (2015). 'Palaeoanthropology: The middle Pliocene gets crowded'. Nature 521, 432–433


text:
PASSINGS: Dave Duerson, Joe Frazier, Alan F. Segal
Dave Duerson
NFL player on Super Bowl-winning teams
Dave Duerson, 50, a four-time Pro Bowl safety who played on Super Bowl winners with the Chicago Bears and New York Giants, was found dead Thursday at his home in Sunny Isles Beach, Fla. Investigators have not determined the cause of death.
The Bears released a statement Friday saying they were "stunned and saddened" by the news and called Duerson "a great contributor to our team and the Chicago community."
Born Nov. 28, 1960, in Muncie, Ind., Duerson was a four-year starter at Notre Dame, where he also earned a bachelor's degree in economics. A third-round draft pick by the Bears in 1983, he became a key figure on the 1985 team that had one of the greatest defenses ever assembled, featuring Mike Singletary, Dan Hampton and Richard Dent.
The next season, Duerson picked off a career-high six passes while setting what was an NFL record for sacks by a defensive back with seven. That mark stood until 2005, when Arizona's Adrian Wilson had eight.
Duerson would go on to win another Super Bowl with the 1990 Giants after being released by the Bears and spent three years with the Arizona Cardinals before retiring after 11 seasons.
Joe Frazier
Former New York Mets manager
Joe Frazier, 88, a former New York Mets manager who led the team for just one full season before it went into a sharp decline, died Tuesday of a heart attack in Broken Arrow, Okla., said his wife of nine years, Jean.
In 1976, his only full season as a major league manager, Frazier guided the Mets to 86 victories and a third-place finish in the National League East.
But the team faltered in 1977 and Frazier was fired after the Mets won only 15 of their first 45 games. He was replaced by Joe Torre, and the Mets went on to finish last that season and the next two.
Frazier never managed in the big leagues again.
Born Oct. 6, 1922, in Liberty, N.C., Frazier played parts of four seasons in the major leagues as an outfielder for Cleveland, Cincinnati, St. Louis and Baltimore.
He batted .241 with 10 homers in 217 games, then went on to a long career as a minor league coach and manager before getting his break with the Mets.
Alan F. Segal
Expert on religions' views of afterlife
Alan F. Segal, 65, a leading scholar known for his comparative studies of how religions view the afterlife, died Sunday from complications of leukemia, his family announced.
Segal, who lived in Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J., had retired as the Ingeborg Rennert Professor of Jewish Studies at Barnard College in December after 30 years on the faculty.
Born Aug. 2, 1945, in Worcester, Mass., Segal received bachelor's degrees from Amherst and Hebrew Union colleges and master's from Brandeis and Yale, as well as a doctorate from Yale.
He wrote frequently for scholarly and general audiences on topics such as Judaism and early Christianity. His 2004 book, "Life After Death: A History of the Afterlife in Western Religion," is considered one of the definitive treatments of the subject.
Segal's views were routinely called upon, including after a 2008 Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life survey reported that 74% of Americans believed there was a heaven, while just 59% believed there was a hell.
"Hell is for nonbelievers, and most Americans don't believe there are nonbelievers next door, even if their religion is different," Segal told the Houston Chronicle. "So hell is disappearing, absolutely."
For a 2008 Associated Press Easter season story on the Resurrection, Segal said most Americans expect the afterlife to be a continuation of life on Earth — "like a really good assisted-living facility."
Times staff and wire reports
More to Read
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for the L.A. Times biggest news, features and recommendations in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.


text:
Welcome back to our Getting Started with Excel and Power BI Series.
In Part I of Getting Started with Power Pivot we created our first Excel Data Model. Today we will create additional relationships and start using DAX to add business logic to our Model.
To follow this tutorial you will need:
After making the data show up using the right relationships in part I, we want improve the Pivot Table as we want to slice my data by year. To do this I'll add a slicer to my worksheet:
Clicking the slicer doesn't do anything yet as there again no relationship between the Invoice and DateTable. After inspecting the fields in both tables I find out that there is no field in the Invoice table that I can use to relate with. Luckily we can create a field in the table that allows us to create the relationship.
To work with the Data model In Excel 2013 we use the Power Pivot add-in. This add in is installed by default in many versions of Excel, you just need to enable it.
Now that we have enabled the Power Pivot add in a new ribbon will show up in Excel:
To work with this model I click the "Manage" button, this will open the Power Pivot dialog:
The initial dialog that opens shows each tables in the Model with all the rows of data, in this case it shows the DateTable. You can switch between tables by clicking the table tabs at the bottom:
I now select the Invoice table where I want to create a column that adds a Date value to for each row of data. I do right mouse click on the CalendarYearMonth column and select "Insert Column".
This creates a calculated column in the Invoice table where I use a formula to populate the column with values, I combine values from the CalendarYearMonth column to create a new date value using the following formula:
, RIGHT([CalendarYearMonth],2)
, 1)
As you might notice the formula used here is very similar to the formula's you would write in Excel, this on purpose, the DAX language used in Power Pivot is designed to be familiar to the Excel users. It has some differences that are mostly focused around capabilities that are not supported by Excel like traversing relationships and special built-in functionality for calculations.
Adding the calculation to the data model will give us a new column that we can use in the relationship:
I then rename the column to InvoiceDate. To create the relationship I can also move over to the diagram view in the Power Pivot add-in and drag and drop the fields that I want to create a relationship between. Dragging and dropping results in a relationship being created:
If we now go back to our PivotTable and we now see the results we expect:
Now I want to compare the RevenueAmount for the selected year with the RevenueAmount for the previous year. In order for me to do this I can again use a DAX formula. In this case I want to create a calculated field in Excel to add to my PivotTable.
I go to the Power Pivot ribbon and click Calculated Fields, "New Calculated Field":
This opens a new dialog that allows me add a new DAX formula that leverages some of the special DAX time intelligence formula's to calculate the "Sum of RevenueAmount" for the previous year:
[RevenueAmount PreviousYear] =
[Sum of RevenueAmount],
This will add a new field to the PivotTable that shows the RevenueAmount for the previous year compared to the Year selected in the slicer:
Now I can add another calculation that will calculate the Year over Year Growth in percentage:
[Sum of RevenueAmount YoY%] =
([Sum of RevenueAmount]
– [RevenueAmount PreviousYear])
,[RevenueAmount PreviousYear]
In this calculation we divide the Sum of RevenueAmount minus the RevenueAmound previousyear by the RevenueAmount previousyear that results in the percentage growth. Adding this calculated field to the PivotTable gives us the percentage of growth for revenueamount:
I hope these blog post gave you a good overview of the capabilities of Power Pivot. Having said that this blog post will be just the beginning of your journey to getting to know Power Pivot and unlocking all its wonders.


text:
Sealed enclosures are designed for indoor or outdoor installation, and they will normally have holes positioned outside the sealed area to enable the enclosure to be attached directly to flat surfaces without compromising the environmental protection.
In response to the need for small electronic monitoring and control systems to be installed in an increasingly wide variety of locations, Hammond Manufacturing has introduced an initial five sizes of pole mounting kit, which enable three sealed enclosure families to be attached to round, square or rectangular poles with diameters from 38 to 381 mm. The corrosion resistant stainless steel kits reduce installation time and secure the enclosure against twisting once installed.
The initial range of kits are sized to fit the 1554/1555 IP67 ABS and polycarbonate range, the 1590Z IP66 heavy duty die-cast aluminium family and the 1590ZGRP IP65 glass reinforced polyester range. The kits enable a total of 93 different sizes and styles across the three families to be pole mounted. Each kit consists of two brackets, two clamps and mounting hardware, all in stainless steel.
Comments will be approved before showing up.


text:
Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish PeasantryEdited and Selected by W. B. Yeats[1888] |
This is an anthology of Irish folklore, edited by W. B. Yeats. Many of these stories are from books which are archived at this site; some are from books which have yet to be converted to etext or now-rare source material. He selected many of the best (and often funniest) tales from other writers such as Lady Wilde, Croker, Lover, Hyde, and Carelton. Yeats wrote introductory material and notes to many of these stories.


text:
Accessing updates
Some software products provide a mechanism for accessing software updates through the product interface. Review your product documentation to identify the recommended software update method.
To download product updates:
- Hewlett Packard Enterprise Support Center
- www.hpe.com/support/hpesc
- Hewlett Packard Enterprise Support Center: Software downloads
- www.hpe.com/support/downloads
- Software Depot
- www.hpe.com/support/softwaredepot
To subscribe to eNewsletters and alerts:
To view and update your entitlements, and to link your contracts and warranties with your profile, go to the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Support Center More Information on Access to Support Materials page:
Access to some updates might require product entitlement when accessed through the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Support Center. You must have an HPE Passport set up with relevant entitlements.


text:
Hurricane season may not officially begin until June 1, but that did not stop Tropical Storm Arlene from forming in the Atlantic Ocean.
The storm officially attained tropical storm status at 5 p.m. Eastern on Thursday, with top sustained winds of 45 MPH. By 11 p.m. Eastern, the storm was up to 50 MPH top winds.
The storm is located in the North Atlantic, far away from the US coast.
Download the Storm Shield Weather Radio App for your iPhone or Android device and get severe weather alerts wherever you are.
The storm is supposed to drift to the west before dissipating on Friday.
Arlene is the first April tropical storm to form since Ana formed on April 20, 2003.
This is the third straight year that a tropical system has formed before the official start of the season.


text:
Calculating start-up costs – how much money do you need?
Before you start a business, you need to know exactly how much money you'll need, and where it's coming from. You're out of business fast if you fall short before you've started.
Why you need to plan ahead
If you want to see your new business start-up succeed, you can reduce some of the financial pressure by planning ahead. Spend some time estimating your start-up costs before you launch your new business enterprise. It could help to prevent cost blowouts later.
Estimating your start-up costs falls into two basic categories:
- Set-up costs.
- Working capital.
Determining your set-up costs
This is what it's going to cost you to get your business up and running. Set-up costs are one-off expenses that are required for your business's launch.
It's common for some business owners to underestimate the actual amount of money needed to start up a new business venture. Take the time to work out exactly what equipment your business will need to start generating income.
Every business has different start-up costs to consider. Yours will depend on whether:
- You're starting up a brand-new business.
- Buying an established business.
- Purchasing a franchise.
If you're buying an established business or a franchise, that's the first amount you need to enter into the calculator.
Starting a new business
Tally up all the purchases you'll have to make to get your business up and running. Some of these costs will include:
- Vehicles
- Plant equipment and machinery.
- Office equipment – like computers, scanners, printers and photocopiers.
- Fitting out your business premises.
- Fees for licenses or permits.
Put together a reasonable estimation of the costs involved in starting up your business. It's much easier to determine how much could be paid for from savings, and how much could be borrowed on a small business loan, if you have a clear estimate to work from.
Working out your working capital
Once you've determined all your set-up costs, work out how much working capital you'll need. In other words, how much is it going to cost to keep your business running until you think you'll break even before starting to show a profit?
Examples of these ongoing costs are:
- Rent – if you're working out of commercial premises, factor in the rent.
- Power – whether you're working from home or a business location, estimate the cost of power.
- Additional overheads – consider all your monthly expenses, such as Internet, phone, rates and wages.
It's a great idea to work on a four-month basis when it comes to your working capital in the start-up phase – meaning you estimate it'll take four months before you generate enough sales to break even.
If you're unsure how long it'll take to break even, start with a base of four months and see how your sales go.
You'll also have to consider your initial purchases of supplies, whether they're raw materials for manufacturing your products or simply stock.
Total up your costs
You can tally your set-up costs and working capital expenses using a spreadsheet. Sit down with your accountant and go through all your estimates, as they'll make sure they're accurate and you haven't missed anything out.
Once you've added up your costs and have a solid figure in front of you, it's time to run a break-even analysis.
This is how long you think it'll take your business to break even based on your start-up costs. It's an important step, because if your business isn't going to break even within a certain time frame, then it's going to take even longer to show a profit and might not be worth getting into at all.
If your figures show you don't have enough money to start, don't give up straight away. If you can't raise the extra money you'll need, you can try:
- Reducing overheads – look for cheaper premises or see if you can get a better deal on your energy costs. Reduce your salary and the number of staff you'd planned to hire.
- Reduce set-up costs – look for cheaper machinery and equipment or investigate leasing it instead of buying.
You need to be sure that the costs of setting up your business are feasible, and that you'll see a return on your investment. It's important to be as honest and accurate as possible when calculating your start-up costs.