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As the media stopped paying attention, many believe that the Zapatista rebellion no longer exists. Quietly, away from the spotlight and cameras, they have deepened their autonomous construction to the point that one can now speak of a different society, governed by rules, codes, and laws distinct from those of the mainstream world.
Source: Americas Program
As the media stopped paying attention, many believe that the Zapatista rebellion no longer exists. Quietly, away from the spotlight and cameras, they have deepened their autonomous construction to the point that one can now speak of a different society, governed by rules, codes, and laws distinct from those of the mainstream world.
At his six-year old height, Carlos Manuel hugs his father's waist as if he'll never let go. He looks up at the ceiling and smiles. Julián, his father, tries to escape. The child gives up, but stays close to his dad. Irma, his eight year-old sister, observes from the kitchen corner where their mother, Esther, is working over a woodstove, flipping the corn tortillas that are still the staple food of rural families. The three other children, including the oldest, 16 year-old Francisco, observe the scene that is repeated like a ritual at every meal. The kitchen is a place for talking, for chats that spread slowly like the smoke that rises above the zinc rooftop. The words are as frugal and flavorful as the food: beans, corn, coffee, bananas and some vegetables, all planted without chemicals and harvested and processed by hand. Chicken raised out in the open countryside has a different flavor, like all of the food in this Tojolabal community.
Upon finishing, they all wash their own plates and spoons, even the father, who at times helps prepare the food. I ask if this is normal in these parts, and they tell me that it is customary in Zapatista communities. But not in the communities of the "bad government, " those they call the "PRI brothers" without sarcasm. The communities that bear a red star over a black background receive food and vouchers from the government. The government builds brick houses with floors for them.
Throughout the week there wasn't a single gesture of aggression between mother, father, and children. Not even a grumpy or reproachful one. It seems the prohibition of alcohol softens human relations. The women are the ones who most enjoy the changes. "I can tell the Zapatistas by the way they carry themselves, especially the women," journalist Hermann Bellinghausen remarks.
The day the world ends
This new chapter in the Zapatista history began December 21, 2012, a day marked by the media as the end of the world, and for the Maya, the beginning of a new era. Tens of thousands of EZLN support bases amassed in the five Caracoles, or local government seats, in Chiapas, the same ones taken over January 1, 1994. The reappearance of the Zapatistas shocked a large part of Mexican society. Not only had they not disappeared, but they had resurfaced with more force, showing they were able to mobilize a significant amount of people in military formation, without weapons.
In a December 30 communiqué, Subcomandante Marcos assured that "over the years we have gotten stronger, and we have significantly improved our living conditions. Our standard of living is higher than those of indigenous communities who receive handouts from the government and waste them on alcohol and other useless things. " He adds that unlike what happens in communities linked to the PRI, in Zapatista communities, "women are not sold as merchandise, "and that "indigenous PRI members go to our hospitals, clinics and laboratories because there isn't any medicine, equipment, doctors or qualified personnel in those run by the government. "
Some of this could be substantiated by those who attended the Zapatista Little School from August 12-16. Only "fellow travelers" were summoned to the school, which is a profound shift in Zapatista methods of relating to civil society.
"From now on, our word will be selective in its destination, and, except on limited occasions, will only be able to be understood by those who have, and who continue to, walk without surrendering to current media trends," the communiqué reads.
Subcomandante Marcos adds that "very few will have the privilege" of coming to know the other way of doing politics. In a series of communiqués titled "Us and Them," the Zapatistas emphasized the differences between the culture of the political system and Zapatista "culture from below," asserting that they are not proposing "to build a large organization with a governing center, a centralized command, or a boss, whether individual or group. "
The Zapatistas emphasize that unity of action should respect diversity in ways of doing things. "Any attempt at homogeneity is nothing more than a fascist attempt at domination; in this way it's concealed under revolutionary, esoteric, religious, or other language. When speaking of 'unity,' they don't tell you that that 'unity' is under the command of someone or something–individual or collective. At the fallacious altar of 'unity,' differences are sacrificed and the persistence of all of the small worlds of tyranny and injustice we suffer is hidden."
To understand this approach, which led the Zapatistas to pioneer "The Little School" (La Escuelita) in August, you have to understand the problems they came across in relations with the electoral Left, and also with people who, in their opinion, "appear when there are soapboxes and disappear when it's time for the silent work." The logic of the Little School is the opposite of that political culture. It is not a matter of going to listen to the comandantes or Subcomandante Marcos, but rather, to share everyday life with ordinary people. It's not a matter of a rational discursive transmission of codified knowledge. It's something else: experiencing a reality that can only be accessed through the ritual of commitment, or being and sharing.
A new life
"We don't have difficulties anymore," says Julian, sitting on a rustic wood stool in his tin roofed house with wooden walls and an earthen floor. He says this casually, opposite someone who has been sleeping on wood panels, barely covered by a light blanket for four days. Julian joined the clandestine organization in 1989. Marcelino, my guardian, or Votán, joined earlier, in 1987. They speak with delight of the clandestine meetings in remote mountain caves, dozens of Zapatistas arriving by night, while the bosses and their capangas slept. They would walk all night, barely returning at dawn to start the workday. Women would make them tortillas in the dark so that they wouldn't arouse suspicion. All things considered, he's right when he says that the worst is behind them–the hacendado's whip, humiliation, hunger, violence, and the rape of daughters. On January 1, 1994, the hacendados fled, and the capangas ran behind them.
The 8 de Marzo community where I arrived with fourteen other student-outsiders (half of them Mexican, a 75 year old Yankee, one from France, one from Colombia, two Argentines and a Uruguayan) is on land that was one day occupied by Pepe Castellanos. His brother, Absalón, was Lieutenant Colonel, ex-Governor, and the owner of fourteen estates usurped from indigenous people. His abduction in that distant January was the spark that set off the flight of landowners.
The community has more than a thousand hectares of good land; they no longer have to farm the arid, stony hillsides. They grow traditional food as well as fruits and vegetables on the recommendations of the comandancia. Not only did they liberate themselves from the whip–they are better fed and are able to save in a very particular way. Julian harvests six sacks of coffee (some 300 kilos), leaves one for family consumption, and sells the rest. Depending on the price, he is able to buy between two and three cows per harvest. "The cows are the bank, and we sell them if there's a necessity."
By "necessity" they mean health problems. His oldest son had to undergo medical treatment, and to cover it, he sold a bull. The community applies the same logic. In communal lands, they carry out collective work in coffee plantations, and buy horses and cows with the harvest. Between the animals of the families and the communal ones, they have some 150 horses and 200 cattle.
Days before the students arrived, the water filter broke and to repair it they decided to sell a cow. They fund the health room, the school, and transportation and lodging-related expenses for the community members in the same way–all in order to perform the duties of the three levels of self-government: the local community, the autonomous municipalities, and the Good Government Board. Women also have community projects. In 8 de Marzo, they had a coffee plantation, with which they bought six cows and a chicken coop with fifty birds. They use the savings from these for transportation and spending for women holding appointments or attending courses.
The few goods they don't produce (salt, sugar, oil, and soap) are purchased by families in the municipal seats, in Zapatista stores installed on properties occupied after the 1994 uprising. There is no need to go to the market. Their entire economy remains within a circuit they control, self-sufficient, linked to the market, but not depending on it. Commune members tend the stores on a rotating basis. Julian explains that every so often he has to spend a month in the store at Altamirano (located an hour away from his community), which requires him to be away from home. "In that case, the community keeps up your cornfield for fifteen days, and I help out those that have to go the store in the same way." Esther held a position on the Board in the Morelia caracol a half hour away from the community, and her duties were covered in the same manner. We can call this reciprocity.
Health and education
Every community, however as small as it might be, has a small school and a health post. In 8 de Marzo, there are 48 families, almost all Zapatistas. The assembly elects its authorities, half men and half women, the teachers, and those in charge of health. No one can turn these down, for it is service for the community.
The school runs out of the living room of the mansions abandoned by the hacendado. The iron gate he used to pay his peons through still remains. They could barely see the hand that dropped the coins, as the boss's face remained shrouded in darkness. Early in the morning, the children gather on the basketball court in front of the mansion. They march in military step, in line, guided by a young person of the community not over 25 years old.
Zapatista education suffers from a lack of infrastructure; the classrooms are rickety, as are the benches and the rest of the furniture. Teachers do not receive a salary, but are sustained by the community, the same as the health workers.
This has enormous advantages for the students: the teachers are members of the community–they speak their language and are their equals–while in state schools (those of the Bad Government), the teachers aren't indigenous, but mestizo. They don't speak their language (and even look down on it), they live far from the community, and maintain their distance vertically from the students.
The climate of confidence in the autonomous schools enables more horizontal bonds and facilitates the participation of students and their parents in school management. Children participate in many of the community tasks, including supporting the school and their teachers. There is no gap between school and community here; they are part of the same network of social relations.
If government schools have a hidden curriculum through which they transmit values like individualism, competition, the vertical organization of the education system and the superiority of teachers over students, Zapatista education is the reverse. The curriculum is built collectively, and aims for the students to take ownership of their community's history to reproduce and sustain it.
Since students typically work in teams, and much of school time is spent outside of the classroom in contact with the same elements that configure their daily lives, transformation and critique are permanent features of building collective knowledge. What in state schools is separation and hierarchy (teacher-student, classroom-playground, knowing-not knowing) is complementary integration in the autonomous schools.
In the small health post, medicines produced by large pharmaceutical companies coexist with a wide variety of medicinal plants. A very young girl is responsible for processing syrups and ointments from those plants. There is a bonesetter and a midwife, who together comprise the basic health team for all Zapatista communities. In general, they tend to deal with relatively simple situations. When it's something more complicated, they move the patient to the caracol clinic. If the issue can still not be resolved, they go to the state hospital in Altamirano.
Health and education are divided on the same three levels as the autonomous power of the Zapatistas. The most advanced clinics, including one with a surgical unit for operating, are usually located in the caracoles. The caracoles, which house the Good Government Boards, also tend to house the autonomous secondary schools.
The Little School
It takes seven hours to traverse the 100 kilometers that separate San Cristóbal and the Morelia caracol. The caravan (containing thirty cars and trucks) left late and advanced at a tortoise pace. Around 2:00 am, we arrived at the caracol, and a maze of buildings that house the institutions of the autonomous region, made up of three municipalities, twelve regions, and dozens of communities governed by the Good Government Board. There is also a secondary school, a hospital under construction, clinics, amphitheaters, stores, dining halls, a shoe store, and other productive enterprises.
Despite the late hour, a long line of men and another of women await us, all wearing their bandanas. We divide up by gender and, one by one, we get to know our Votán. Marcelino extends his hand and asks me to accompany him. We go straight to the enormous assembly room, and fall asleep on the hard benches.
In the morning–coffee, beans, and tortillas. The members of the Board then speak, explaining how the Little School will work. In the afternoon, almost evening, we leave for the community. Among the students were Nora Cortinas of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, and Hugo Blanco, the Peruvian peasant leader and ex-guerrilla, both nearing eighty.
We arrive at the community around midnight after a half hour of jolts on the back of a small truck. The whole community, organized in lines of masked men, women and children, receives us with fists in the air. They welcome us, presenting students to their host family. Julián introduces himself, and once everyone has a family, we are off to bed.
First surprise. They divided the house with a partition, leaving one room for the guest with its own door, and the seven family members piled up on the other side. They wake us at first light for breakfast. Then we head off to work clearing the family coffee plantation, machetes in hand, until mealtime. On the second day, we lasso cattle to be vaccinated. On the third, we clear the communal coffee plantation. So it went each day, work combined with detailed explanations of community life. In the afternoons, we read the four notebooks handed out on Autonomous Government, Autonomous Resistance and the Participation of Women in Autonomous Government, all with stories by indigenous people and the authorities.
Students could ask the most varied questions, which does not mean they were always answered. We could live alongside a political culture different than the one we know–when a question was asked, they would look at each other, quietly converse, and finally, one would answer for everyone. It was a wonderful experience of learning by doing, sharing, and savoring the daily lives of people who are building a new world.
Raul Zibechi is international relations editor at the magazine Brecha in Montevideo, adviser to grassroots organizations and writer of the monthly Zibechi Report of the CIP Americas Program www.cipamericas.org
Translation: Paige Patchin
Photos: Pola Ferrari


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On April 3, 2008, a solemn and dignified first-publishing ceremony of a fact-recording book entitled H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, which published jointly by the World Buddhism Publishing LLC and the World Dharma Voice, Inc., was held at the Library of the Congress of the United States.The book was also formally accepted into the collection of the Library of the Congress of the United States. Only since that time, did people in the world know that Master Wan Ko Yee, who had been broadly respected by the great masses and who had also been known as Great Dharma King Yangwo Yeshe Norbu, had been recognized by the world's leaders, regent dharma kings, and great rinpoches of Buddhism through official documents as the third incarnation of Dorje Chang Buddha, who is the primordial Sambhogakaya Buddha of the universe. The Buddha's name is H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. Since then, people began to address His Holiness the Buddha by "Namo[1] Dorje Chang Buddha III." This is similar to the situation that Sakyamuni Buddha's name was Prince Siddhartha Gotama before attaining Buddhahood. However, after Sakyamuni Buddha had attained Buddhahood, His title changed to "Namo Sakyamuni Buddha." That is why we now address His Holiness the Buddha as "H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III."
In particular, on December 12, 2012, the Senate Resolution No. 614 of the United States Congress officially used "His Holiness" in the name addressing Dorje Chang Buddha III (That is to say, "H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III.") Since then, the title and status of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has been definitive by nature. And, as a matter of fact, "Dorje Chang Buddha III" is a name used legally in governmental and official legislative documents. Therefore, the previously used respected name and titles such as "Wan Ko Yee," Great Master, and Great Dharma King no longer exist.
However, the news below was published before the Buddha's title of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was publicly announced. At that time, people did not know about the true status of His Holiness the Buddha. Therefore, to respect the true history, we still kept the names used before the title of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was legitimately determined in republishing this news. However, all must clearly know that the only legitimate name of His Holiness the Buddha is H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and all other names used before the legitimate determination no longer exist.
The Explanation of the Buddha's Title – "H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III"
Link: http://dharma-hhdorjechangbuddhaiii.org/explanation-buddhas-title-h-h-dorje-chang-buddha-iii/

subset: commoncrawl


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For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'
Matthew 25: 35-40
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A team of MIT scientists have designed a new 3D graphene configuration. The team was able to compress and fuse together flakes of graphene to make a sponge-like configuration that is both strong and lightweight.
In its two-dimensional form, graphene is thought to be the strongest of all known materials. But researchers until now have had a hard time translating that two-dimensional strength into useful three-dimensional materials.
The new findings show that the crucial aspect of the new 3-D forms has more to do with their unusual geometrical configuration than with the material itself, which suggests that similar strong, lightweight materials could be made from a variety of materials by creating similar geometric features.
Other groups had suggested the possibility of such lightweight structures, but lab experiments so far had failed to match predictions, with some results exhibiting several orders of magnitude less strength than expected. The MIT team decided to solve the mystery by analyzing the material's behavior down to the level of individual atoms within the structure. They were able to produce a mathematical framework that very closely matches experimental observations.
Two-dimensional materials — basically flat sheets that are just one atom in thickness but can be indefinitely large in the other dimensions — have exceptional strength as well as unique electrical properties. But because of their extraordinary thinness, "they are not very useful for making 3-D materials that could be used in vehicles, buildings, or devices," Buehler says. "What we've done is to realize the wish of translating these 2-D materials into three-dimensional structures."
The team was able to compress small flakes of graphene using a combination of heat and pressure. This process produced a strong, stable structure whose form resembles that of some corals and microscopic creatures called diatoms. These shapes, which have an enormous surface area in proportion to their volume, proved to be remarkably strong. "Once we created these 3-D structures, we wanted to see what's the limit — what's the strongest possible material we can produce," says Qin. To do that, they created a variety of 3-D models and then subjected them to various tests. In computational simulations, which mimic the loading conditions in the tensile and compression tests performed in a tensile loading machine, "one of our samples has 5 percent the density of steel, but 10 times the strength," Qin says.
Buehler says that what happens to their 3-D graphene material, which is composed of curved surfaces under deformation, resembles what would happen with sheets of paper. Paper has little strength along its length and width, and can be easily crumpled up. But when made into certain shapes, for example rolled into a tube, suddenly the strength along the length of the tube is much greater and can support substantial weight. Similarly, the geometric arrangement of the graphene flakes after treatment naturally forms a very strong configuration.
The new configurations have been made in the lab using a high-resolution, multimaterial 3-D printer. They were mechanically tested for their tensile and compressive properties, and their mechanical response under loading was simulated using the team's theoretical models. The results from the experiments and simulations matched accurately.
The new, more accurate results, based on atomistic computational modeling by the MIT team, ruled out a possibility proposed previously by other teams: that it might be possible to make 3-D graphene structures so lightweight that they would actually be lighter than air, and could be used as a durable replacement for helium in balloons. The current work shows, however, that at such low densities, the material would not have sufficient strength and would collapse from the surrounding air pressure.
But many other possible applications of the material could eventually be feasible, the researchers say, for uses that require a combination of extreme strength and light weight. "You could either use the real graphene material or use the geometry we discovered with other materials, like polymers or metals," Buehler says, to gain similar advantages of strength combined with advantages in cost, processing methods, or other material properties (such as transparency or electrical conductivity).
"You can replace the material itself with anything," Buehler says. "The geometry is the dominant factor. It's something that has the potential to transfer to many things."
The unusual geometric shapes that graphene naturally forms under heat and pressure look something like a Nerf ball — round, but full of holes. These shapes, known as gyroids, are so complex that "actually making them using conventional manufacturing methods is probably impossible," Buehler says. The team used 3-D-printed models of the structure, enlarged to thousands of times their natural size, for testing purposes.
For actual synthesis, the researchers say, one possibility is to use the polymer or metal particles as templates, coat them with graphene by chemical vapor deposit before heat and pressure treatments, and then chemically or physically remove the polymer or metal phases to leave 3-D graphene in the gyroid form. For this, the computational model given in the current study provides a guideline to evaluate the mechanical quality of the synthesis output.
The same geometry could even be applied to large-scale structural materials, they suggest. For example, concrete for a structure such a bridge might be made with this porous geometry, providing comparable strength with a fraction of the weight. This approach would have the additional benefit of providing good insulation because of the large amount of enclosed airspace within it.
Because the shape is riddled with very tiny pore spaces, the material might also find application in some filtration systems, for either water or chemical processing. The mathematical descriptions derived by this group could facilitate the development of a variety of applications, the researchers say.
"This is an inspiring study on the mechanics of 3-D graphene assembly," says Huajian Gao, a professor of engineering at Brown University, who was not involved in this work. "The combination of computational modeling with 3-D-printing-based experiments used in this paper is a powerful new approach in engineering research. It is impressive to see the scaling laws initially derived from nanoscale simulations resurface in macroscale experiments under the help of 3-D printing," he says.
This work, Gao says, "shows a promising direction of bringing the strength of 2-D materials and the power of material architecture design together."


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Our warranty is based on the legal requirements set by the country in which the customer lives. Should defects occur during this period, we will repair them under your retailer's warranty. The guarantor and contact for claims is always the retailer with which you concluded the purchase transaction. We cannot, unfortunately, assume any responsibility for damage caused by improper care and incorrect use. Such damage can, however, usually be repaired by us at cost price.
Product liability
We recommend that you have your footwear inspected five years after purchase by your specialist retailer or LOWA to look for wear or weak spots in materials or construction due to ageing or general wear and tear.
My LOWA boots are defective, but I'm not sure if that qualifies as a warranty claim or a justified complaint?
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Explanations on material ageing (hydrolysis)
Soles with a PU-based (polyurethane) impact-absorbing wedge have very good high cushioning properties and also retain them for a very long time. Nevertheless, PU foams are subject to usual ageing. Over time, the material becomes brittle and can come off. The rubber outsole also ages over the years and hardens. That affects both the cushioning and adhesive properties of the rubber. You should therefore have your footwear checked after five years at the latest by a retailer or LOWA. Whether the footwear has been worn a lot or not is irrelevant. Many models can then be resoled so that you can continue to use them.


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Our Mission
- Pickle and Fred at Base Somewhere
From Me to We
(In-Schools Program)
Dear 826 Valencia tutors,
We are all very pleased to be working with 826 Valencia
tutors again here at John O'Connell High School.
The project you will be working with our 11th grade students on is called
"From Me to We." It is a variation on
the classic "autobiographical narrative" – in this version, rather than
focusing on an incident that had personal significance to them, students tell a
story that illustrates the characteristics of a group they are a member of,
intended for an audience of people who are not members of that group. Their
personal essays aim to illuminate something surprising or important about their
group that others might not know or understand, and thus to increase
understanding across difference.
Before writing, we will start our unit by reading "The Myth of the Latin Woman: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria" by Judith Ortiz Cofer, "The Men We Carry in our Minds" by Scott Russell Sanders, and "Just Walk on By" by Brent Staples, each an example of a personal essay similar to those the students will write.
Having worked with 826's volunteers before, I know the deep level of commitment and the competency you all bring to our students. They will be in very good hands throughout this process, and you will share our tremendous privilege in working with some of the most remarkable and resilient young people you will ever meet. Thank you in advance for the hard and rewarding work you are about to undertake.
Best regards,
Kelley Leathers, Gabe Zwettler, and Vanessa Siino Haack
The 826 Valencia staff contact for this in-schools project is Lauren.
You may reach her at email@example.com or (415) 642-5905 x 207.
Grade: 11
2355 Folsom Street, 94110


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Well, this year I was allowed into the back room to see the arsenal of cameras and lenses, and it was incredible! I have a warning for all the photographers out there. The photos in this blog are going to make you salivate!
This is what all the press see from the outside. They can have their badged scanned and borrow just about any lens or camera that Canon makes.
They also perform repairs on the equipment as well. But this front registration is all that most people see...until now!
Want a couple of fish eye lens?
Or maybe you would be interested in a couple of longer lenses?
I was even enamored with the box of batteries. I know, I know, this makes me a total camera geek. But this is good stuff. Trust me!
I can not even imagine what this would all be worth.
They have everything in this room, including tele converters, flashes, straps, chargers. You name it.
And since I was in a room full of lenses, I decided to grab the Canon 8-15mm lens to get some shots. I have to say, it was fun being there and having all the lens choices at my disposal. That does not happen very often.
Here is a fish eye shot of the room.
And then I grabbed the new super wide Canon 11-24mm lens which has almost no distortion, and took some more photos.
Look at this photo to see an example of how straight the Canon 11-24mm lens is. For some of the other photos in this blog, I had to do perspective correction in Photoshop, but not with this baby!
I was also allowed to see the repair operations in action. Canon has a staff of more than 70 people at the Olympics. Heck, that is more representation than many countries have here.
Here is a shot of one of the Canon technicians working his magic.
I was also taken into a really long narrow room where they perform the lens calibration. They have a rolling cart on a long track, where they mount the camera and lens, with which they can perform precise lens calibrations on any focal length lens. I was not allowed to take photos in this sensitive area, but trust me, it was really cool.
After viewing the service area, I took one more visit back into the storage room to get some tight shots.
I saw this row of 70-200 2.8 II lenses, and just had to take this shot. I love this lens.
And at this point, you may be wondering what I walked out of their with. Today I borrowed two of the Canon 1D X Mark II cameras, some extra batteries, and the awesome Canon 200-400mm lens.
I hope that you enjoyed this exclusive look at Canon.
Subscribe to the blog HERE.
If you are interested in purchasing ANY equipment, please click here to go to B&H Photo, as I get a referral from them if you enter this way. It does not change the cost to you in any way, but it helps me keep this blog up and running.
Check out my upcoming photo tours to amazing places around the world.


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Madie Shirt - Kaleidascope Print
Free standard shipping
The Madie Shirt has a relaxed fit crafted from breathable satin back woven viscose fabric. This button up shirt includes a stand collar, short sleeves and a pleated back yoke with side splits. Pair it with the matching Madie Pants for a statement look.
Model is 179cm tall and wears a size 10.
Key Features:
- Relaxed fit
- Collar with stand
- Short relaxed sleeve
- Front placket with self covered flat buttons
- Back yoke with pleat
- Side Splits
- Exclusive print
- Satin back breathable viscose fabric
- Co-ord with the Madie Pants
Made in China from 55% Viscose and 45% Rayon.
Cold hand wash with mild detergent
Wash colours separately
Do not bleach, soak, wring or rub
Do not tumble dry
Reshape whilst damp and dry in shade
Warm iron under a cloth
Dry cleanable (P)
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text: Bio SOME advance listeners claim they can hear the benign, bearded influence of Kenny Loggins in almost every song on Chop Chop's self-titled debut, Chop Chop. There are also rumours circulating that this album was secretly produced by the mad genius behind Celine Dion's most beloved chart toppers. Let us put an end to this Kenny Loggins nonsense now. His influence is nowhere to be found on this album. Were anyone to utter such crap, he would be immediately bundled into a taxi, driven to an abandoned industrial park, and pummeled by unknown assailants. However, it is not entirely inconceivable that Ms. Dion's maestro fiddled with a few knobs here and there. This is what is actually known about Chop Chop. It is the musical creation of Ms. Catherine Cavanagh, who wrote, sang, produced, engineered, and thought very hard about every song on the album. She also played guitar, drum machine, and occasionally bass and keys. Catherine was joined by Christy Cheng on keyboards and Carla Caruzzo on bass. The name Chop Chop is inspired by the double 'C' initials of each of the musicians (as 10cc was taken a very long time ago and 11cc just sounds silly). Since recording the album, Ms. Cavanagh has decreed that anyone associated with Chop Chop has the initials CC, even if it means legally changing her/his name. This is what is known about Chop Chop's album. It was recorded in an attic apartment behind the railyards of Allston, Massachusetts, a student ghetto where on any night you can stroll the streets to the sounds of countless up-and-coming local bands and vomiting students. The album features 12 or 13 songs, each quite different from the other, encompassing sounds ranging from guitar rock to electronica. It could not have been recorded anywhere other than Allston; the neighborhood is part of Chop Chop's canvas, especially the sounds of trains at night and the desolation of the railyard. Aubrey Anderson of Skating Club added a sunny Saturday feeling to the mix, as he spent many a sunny Saturday mixing the songs. Since finishing the album, Chop Chop have been playing like mad, with a lineup that includes Catherine and Jason Pancake on bass.


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Weekly Stock Market Update with EP Wealth Advisors Managing Director, Investments -
Adam Phillips, CFA®, CAIA, CFP®
Often quoted in major national media, Adam is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®), a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®), and has been included on the Forbes NextGen Best-in-State Wealth Advisors 2019 list. He is a member of the CFA Society of Los Angeles and the CFA Institute. Adam helps establish asset allocation strategy as a member of the EP Wealth Investment Committee, which supports all EP Wealth Advisors and their clients. The Committee's top-down approach to portfolio construction begins with an outlook on the economy's likely direction, followed by the implications for different economic sectors and asset classes. This culminates in strategic selection of the individual stocks, bonds, mutual funds or other investments deemed most appropriate for each individual client's portfolio.
Market Update Topics for Week of June 24th, 2024
Is Market Breadth improving?
Politics Heat Up in France & US
1st Time Unemployment Examined
Global Travel Hitting Records
Have More Questions About the Market and Investments? Talk to an EP Wealth Advisor!
EP Wealth Advisors offers a comprehensive range of services to help you invest with greater insight, as well as develop a holistic wealth management strategy. To discuss your finances and investment goals, we invite you to contact one of our advisors.
- EP Wealth Advisors ("EPWA") makes no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, timeliness, suitability, completeness, or relevance of any information presented in this report. EPWA has used its best efforts to verify the data referenced. The information presented was obtained from sources deemed to be reliable. However, EPWA cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information offered. All expressions of opinion are of the presenter and are subject to change without notice.
- Past performance is not be indicative of future results. Therefore, no current or prospective client should assume that the future performance of any specific investment or strategy, or product made reference to directly or indirectly, will be profitable or equal to past performance levels. Future financial conditions and events can never be accurately predicted. No analysis, plan, or report has the ability to accurately predict the future.
- Information presented is general in nature and should not be viewed as a comprehensive analysis of the topics discussed. It is intended to serve as a tool containing general information that should assist you in the development of subsequent discussions with the appropriate professional(s). Content does not involve the rendering of personalized investment advice nor is it intended to supplement professional individualized advice. Always consult a professional Financial Advisor before implementing or applying any of the approaches or strategies made referenced to directly or indirectly here.
- Any direct or indirect references to investment allocation, specific securities, security sectors, or any investment vehicle(s) should not be taken as a recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell a particular security or invest in any specific investment strategy. There is no guarantee that any of the information or investment strategies discussed will be suitable or profitable.
- Asset allocation and diversification do not assure or guarantee better performance and cannot eliminate the risk of investment losses. There can be no assurances that a portfolio will match or exceed any particular benchmark.
- Hiring a qualified advisor and/or diversifying your portfolio do not guarantee investment success, and does not ensure that a client or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance or results. No guaranty or warranty is made that any results, projections, or other information being represented in this presentation will be met or sustained.
- All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. Changes in investment strategies, contributions or withdrawals, and economic conditions, may materially alter the performance of your portfolio. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that any specific investment or strategy will be suitable or profitable for a client's portfolio. There is also no assurance that a portfolio will match or outperform any particular benchmark.
- EP Wealth Advisors, LLC is a registered investment advisor with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Registration with the SEC does not constitute an endorsement by the SEC, nor does it imply that EP Wealth Advisors Inc. has attained a certain level of skill or ability.


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Thank you for the great comment! I think our business model is different from those low-end service providers. We understand if we offer large storage / bandwidth for free, we will have a lot more users. However, the service quality will also be degraded. Free service always has a catch and comes with risks.
Remember XDrive offered free service 7 years ago, and attracted millions of users. Eventually that business model didn't work. So they dropped free service altogether, which screwed up lots of people and their user base shrinked dramatically.
Today, lots of people think storage is cheap; it is partly true because hard disk price is getting lower and lower. But most people don't pay attention to the fact that the storage used in a high-end service like DriveHQ is not just an IDE or USB drive!
In order to ensure high performance and reliability, DriveHQ uses massive NAS and RAID storage, all storage systems and network components are redundant. That is, your data is first protected by RAID in one set of NAS device; then we have another set of NAS RAID system to be identical to the first set. DriveHQ developed technologies that mirror the two sets of RAID storage in near real-time!
Considering the scale and complexity of the system, network bandwidth cost, management / network operations and support cost, 1GB storage actually costs more than $2.5, which is more expensive than USB hard disks. We have no idea why some smaller companies feel they can afford to offer a lot of free storage and bandwidth. But it is high likely that they cannot afford it; and when it happens, users are screwed up.
By offering modest amount of storage and bandwidth for users to test our service and for casual / personal use, DriveHQ can ensure to offer the best high-end service for premium users. Our approach is simple, let those smaller companies get lots of free users to burn their cash and lower their service quality; and we will focus on offering the best high-end service for high-end users.
Starting in Nov, we have increased maximum download bytes for free service.
Many people don't really get that DriveHQ service is way more than just a regular online storage or online backup service. It has a lot of best features, services and software applications. Our FileManager 3.5 software is more powerful than any FTP client applications; it even bundles DriveHQ FTP hosting service, which also is accessible through web-based online storage, plus it supports advanced file publishing / hosting, folder synchronization. Anyway, please make sure to look at our product and service demos. Remember, you pay only one low price, even lower than a single copy of CuteFTP or ws-FTP client software, and you get client software, server software, backup software, folder synchronization software, photo editing software, plus online storage that can be accessed from anywhere. There is really no excuse not to upgrade! If you do, please feel free to send your suggestions to email@example.com
User: DriveHQ Webmaster - 12/27/2006 2:47:48 AM
Sorry we didn't notice this message. It was posted as a reply to a very old message...
If you order xGB storage, you get 4 times of xGB download bytes per month, which is usually far more enough. If you have a legitimate reason for more download bytes, please contact DriveHQ customer support. DriveHQ might offer you more download bytes for free, or for a discount price.
If you use DriveHQ free service, then please try to use all our main features. You will get up to 1GB download bytes / month by using all major features and client software.
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Please be assured that we are working closely with our delivery partners and taking all necessary precautions to ensure the health and safety of our customers and our team members. Thank you for your patience and be safe and healthy!
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Item availability is intended as a rough guide only. If an item is listed as 'Out of Stock' and we are accepting orders for it the order will be placed on backorder and your credit card will NOT be charged until the item has shipped. You may cancel the order at any time before the item ships. In most cases if an item is listed as 'In Stock' your purchase will be shipped in a timely manner. However, due to the constant flow of orders into our system we cannot guarantee the immediate availability of any product.
After being on my feet all day, this is a great way to hit all the pressure points with minimal effort.
Age: 40 to 49 Fit: True to size Comfort: Durability:
I bought two recently (one for myself and one for my mom). My mother works in a hospital and is always on her feet so she constantly suffers from foot pain. I decided to buy one for her to see if it would help relieve some of the pain. Almost immediately, she felt relief! She cried (I was shocked, haha!) because she hasn't been able to get any treatment for it due to covid. I'm glad she's enjoying it and will continue to buy more when they need to be replaced. Very happy with my purchase!
Age: 22 to 29 Fit: True to size Comfort: Durability:
I bought one of these I don't know how many years ago and it is excellent for massaging my feet and other tight muscles. I can use as much or as little pressure as I want, and I have gotten a better massage on my feet using this than I have gotten getting a pedicure. I always carry one with me in my dance bag. After letting my friends try mine, they all bought them themselves.
Age: 30 to 39 Fit: True to size Comfort: Durability:
These are wonderful. They loosen the muscles in my feet so well and they are also great for massaging calves. If you like something squishy to roll out your feet these may not be the best for you for everyday use but it is perfect for getting out stubborn foot cramps.
Age: 19 to 21 Fit: True to size Comfort: Durability:
This massage ball feels so good on my feet after any class, and especially after pointe. I would definitely recommend this to anyone!
This product is amazing, thats all I can say because words can't even describe how useful the foot rub is.
I suffer from plantar fasciitis, and years ago was told to use an AcuBall for relief during class. At the time, the only place to find such a thing was an expensive running equipment store. This is essentially the same thing, but at a much lower price point! My old AcuBall had the tendency to lose some spikes with use, and I expect this will eventually as well, but overall it's a product I take with me everywhere. Definitely worth having!
Great help for pointe! Tennis balls are too soft for me so I like having something more firm. The size is great for feet and it really helps with rolling out before class and relaxing afterwards. Overall I'm very pleased!
Age: 19-21
After dancing pointe for hours, or practice a contemporary piece barefoot, this ball works wonders! Yes, a tennis ball is a fair substitute, but this ball really digs deep into your foot and hits the right muscles when you roll your foot on it! Its especially great after rehearsals the day of a performance!
Age: 15-18 Comfort: Durability:
Many 'release' products are either awkward or moderately painful...this one is absolutely tolerable to downright heavenly, depending on your sole sensitivity. I find the spike ball superior to the old rolling pin variation, though not as comfortable as a manual foot massage. Overall a great product, incredibly durable, and easy to keep on hand!
Age: 30-39 Comfort: Durability:
I received this as a gift and when I first used it, it kind of tickled a bit. But the second time I used it, it felt amazing. Just as amazing as if you were to go get a foot massage. It feels very relaxing after a long day of dance. Sometimes my mom uses it if she has been running errands all day and her feet are tired.
It gives me immediate relieve from the pain on the bottom of my feet. I bring it into every of my ballet class. Cannot take the class without it.
This is the best purchase I have ever made!!! Until a few months ago I didn't know that you could purchase miracles for like 5 dollars, this ball is truly amazing. It gets all the knots out of your feet soooo well and its also great to use for your calfs. I HIGHLY recommend this.
I saw this at my dance studio and lots of students were using it. So I thought I would give it a try. This is great! It's small, so you can just put in in your dance bag, and right before/after class, you can treat your sore muscles. I also have a foam roller, other spiky roller, and this is a great addition to all of my other "pain relievers."
This little ball is great for rolling your feet on during long rehearsals or after a pointe class. The hard rubber ridges help it dig in to really relieve tired achy feet.
Age: 19-21 Comfort: Durability:
I used this before ballet class, and it seems to have helped my feet not cramp up as much. It also feels really good after class.
Age: 22-29
I use this as a general roller on my feet, legs, and shoulders. It's really hard and rolls around well, so it's good for massaging. I was expecting it to be spiky-er though. It doesn't provide a very deep massage.
Age: 22-29 Durability:
Love this it really helps sore feet and feels great my friends love it too. And for under 6 bucks great thing to add on to your order. I use it all the time.
Very useful for relaxing and working the foot muscles. Use it during most classes.
Ahh foot rubz.... They feel so nice after class. I was I was expecting the ball to be soft and it was hard though....
This saves me after class escpecially when my feet are extremely sore! I use to have my mom massage my feet after dance class because they would hurt soo much, but the Foot Rubz allowed all the pain to disapear! I don't even remeber the last time having serious pain in my feet! So much better than using a tennis ball because of its wonderful little stubs that remove pain so easliy and fun! Some people say hair and dust gets caught, mine doesn't, so to help avoid that problem try storing it in your dance bag when finished using it! I highly recommend this little product to anybody who has feet sores! I love this product... get it!
I like this little massager! Just what I needed for tendonitis in my arches. A friend recommended it and it can't be beaten for the price. Just the right size to toss into a dance bag and take with you. I've only tried it on my feet, but my friend has used it for her back and shoulders as well, and it really would work anywhere.
Age: 22-29 Comfort: Durability:
I really like my Foot Rubz. When you first get it, it takes a while to getting used to the feeling. It does make your feet feel better though. :)
I have really bad arches and they hurt a little while into dance class. I used to have to put my foot on the barre to try to get the knots out of my feet but this is so much easier and better! I ordered two, because my mom wanted one. she said that it made the injury in her heel feel 90 percent better. this product is definatley worth buying. I havnt had any problems with it picking up dirt on the floor. it isnt squishy like i though it would be. it is actually pretty hard and isnt very comfortable when you are using it but it still helps ALOT. it gives your feet relief after you use it, not while you use it.
I love that it's so compact and portable. I always have it in my bag no matter where I go.
I LOVE MY FOOT RUBZ BALL! It not only works amazingly for your feet, its also great for rolling out sore calf muscles, hamstrings, and pretty much everything that tightens up. Best $4.00 that I've ever spent!
This is a great product because I can use it all over my body. It's not just great for my feet and hands but makes it easy for me to massage my calves, arms, and thighs too. Quick and easy and always gets the job done!
This ball is very comfy and cool. It is not nig, nor small, you can use it to massage ANY body part! My feet feel graet after it!
This just came yesterday and I already love it :) I'm using it right now actually! I do lots of ballet, so my feet are tired all the time! after just two minutes of rolling this under my foot, it feels amazing!!! It is well worth it's price!
I love my Foot Rubz. I keep it in my dance bag at all times. It is ideal for after dance when your feet have become tired. I roll it under my feet and it really relieves pressure and pain. I also like rolling it in between my fingers. It is easy to transport and very durable. I highly recommend this product especially if your feet (arches) cramp frequently.
Before we dicovered this helpful device i tried using a tennis ball , that didnt work for me at all....then mom saw this on the internet and bought it , now i use it everyday before and after class, and my arches or what little arches i have are very pleased with this product, and now my friends ask me to use it, around the studio it's become a popular tool for me to have and to use...i loved it so much my mom also bought me a bigger one for my calves and lower back it's yellow :) .....my favorite so far
I got this at a sports shoe store for the same price, and it works great!!! I use it of course on my feet, but also to massage my calves and hip flexors :) Definitely recommend it :D
I found a tennis ball to be more effective at massaging my sore muscles. The ball seemed to small to me. Though it felt pretty good on my feet after pointe class.
I love this soo much,it feels so good and releases the tendons in my foot! But my dog loved it almost as much as I did.. and that didn't end well. So BEWARD..KEEP AWAY FROM ANIMALS!! (im ordering another. :)
Wow is all I have to say. It immediately relieves all tension on any spot that you rub it. Gives a nice massage. It's amazing.
I really love my Foot Rubz. I use it after dance and it seems to just knead away all the knots in my feet effortlessly. I love how it's so small so I can carry it around and use it immediately after dance class! Oh and after a day of shopping, these do some real good too :)
When I bought these, I expected them to be lousy and not that great. I was SO wrong. The ball's hard stubs provide a great pain-reliving feeling. I use it on my feet while in my dressing room at competitions and other performances, and at home due to everyday pains. Overall great product.
Does this also work on back upper part of thighs and lower back of thighs?
This is a smaller ball, but it can be used on your legs/calves.- DDS Customer Service (06/24/2014)
YES!!!!!!!!!!! It works amazing on almost EVERY muscle!! - Clarebear (11/02/2014)
Sign in before answering this dancer's questions.
Does this product relieve foot pain?
The foot rubz is used to relive achy feet.- DDS Customer Service (04/17/2013)
I have only just purchased this but I have found that it does ease the pain from tendonitis in my arches. I used it after 10 hours of rehearsals on Sunday and it really did help! - Sarahr (06/07/2013)
Yes! It is a nice pain reliever and, more importantly, a maintenance tool for feet! - Molsmama (09/29/2013)
Yes it helps a ton - Dancinganimals (11/21/2013)
It should. Obviously, some pain, like a broken foot, won't be helped by this. This ball is like a massage for your feet without having to put your hands on your feet. - Ballerinagirl93 (02/11/2014)
This depends entirely on the origin of your foot pain. Generally speaking, this product will alleviate 'stuck' spots and overall soreness, but part of the reason it works is because your are mashing on lots of little nerve endings in your foot. Under normal circumstances, temporary pressure on the nerves is fine and even helpful. If your pain is from a more serious problem, however, this will not permanently relieve pain or nerve tingling in the foot...that will need a good therapist! But still a good thing to have on hand for foot fatigue! - Sarahsophia (06/21/2014)
Yes! it works AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!! It will start to lessen your foot pain in 7 minutes or less! This product is so helpful!!!!!!!!!!!! - Clarebear (11/02/2014)
In the picture, it shows the Foot Rubz in green. Do they come in other colors?
The only color we carry would be green.- DDS Customer Service (01/22/2013)
I think it is actually closer to blue, but this is the only color in this specific product. - Anonymous23456 (01/24/2013)
No I looked at other websites and it only comes in green - Ballet2day (02/03/2013)
I wish but no - Justanotherdancer (08/12/2013)
No just green - Dancinganimals (11/21/2013)
Nope. Just green. - Ballerinagirl93 (02/11/2014)
We're sorry this item is temporarily out of stock. Would you like to order it anyway?


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Box Announces Intent to Acquire E-Signature Innovator SignRequest
Previews Box Sign: native electronic signature capability to help customers digitize business processes
"The past year has fundamentally shifted the way we work, pushing businesses to move critical processes to the cloud. Streamlining digital transactions is integral to digitizing business and the e-signature category is ripe for disruption. We're thrilled to welcome SignRequest to our team," said Aaron Levie, cofounder and CEO of Box. "For the past several years, we've been building the leading content cloud, enabling some of the world's largest and most regulated organizations to secure, manage, and collaborate on their valuable information. Adding e-signature with Box Sign extends our vision for the content cloud and will help our customers accelerate their digital transformation."
"The last year has shown us that we can effectively work virtually and that we don't need to rely on in-person meetings to get business done," said Geert-Jan Persoon, CEO of SignRequest. "Our mission is to build the most intuitive e-signature technology in the market and we are very excited to join the Box family to scale that vision in the enterprise. Marrying our powerful and affordable e-signature solution with Box's enterprise-grade content platform will help digitize more transactions."
Box Sign to streamline digital transactions
2020 marked an unprecedented transition in the way people live and work. Across every industry, the way businesses need to operate has increasingly moved online. Content underpins nearly all of mission-critical business processes, from closing deals with sales proposals and contracts, to getting new products to market faster with innovative designs and manufacturing specs, to securely onboarding new customers and employees.
More than 100,000 businesses, including 69% of the Fortune 500, already use Box to create, share, and govern their content in the cloud. The addition of SignRequest and introduction of Box Sign will make it easy for customers to have access to simple, secure electronic signatures natively integrated into Box where their content already lives.
SignRequest complements Box's existing capabilities and its modern, easy to use product fits with Box's core design principles. Box Sign will inherit Box's industry-leading security and governance capabilities, ultimately helping customers reduce IT spend, eliminate content silos, and facilitate legal and regulatory compliance.
"E-signature is a large, high-growth market," said Varun Parmar, Chief Product Officer at Box. "With less than one-third of organizations deploying digital authorization because of cost barriers and legacy solutions, work is slowed down by paper-based signatures. Over 100,000 customers already use our platform to power the way they work, and we believe that by making electronic signature capabilities native to our core offering with Box Sign we will drive incredible value for our customers — speeding up and simplifying workflows, lowering security and compliance risk – while cutting costs."
Box Sign to create the complete content cloud for the enterprise
The Box content cloud provides businesses with a secure platform for managing all of their content in the cloud, making it simple to collaborate from anywhere, automate workflows, and keep their data secure and compliant. With the addition of e-signatures, Box customers will be able to manage the entire content lifecycle in the cloud, turning their valuable content into tangible results. From the moment a file is created to when it's shared, edited, published, approved, signed, classified, and retained, the entire content lifecycle can now happen in the Box content cloud.
Many of the business processes the Box content cloud drives for customers today will be accelerated by the addition of Box Sign. For example:
- Legal teams will be able to create and finalize contracts within Box, from drafting and co-editing the contract to signing and retaining the agreement with Box Governance, eliminating version control issues and the costs to use third party e-signature tools.
- HR teams will be able to initiate and complete offer letters using Box Relay together with Box Sign, streamlining the hiring and onboarding process for new or seasonal employees.
- Sales teams can initiate customer contracts for signature with Box Sign right from Salesforce, with Box being the secure content layer for everything – from pitch decks to executed agreements.
- Compliance teams will be able to retain and protect executed agreements directly within Box, securing sensitive content with granular access controls and threat detection using Box Shield.
- Marketing teams will be able to securely and easily collaborate with external agencies on confidential ad-campaigns from creating the project brief to the legal-approved statement of work.
"In 2021, organizations will need to develop and implement long-term technology strategies to address the lasting impacts of the shifts we've seen this past year," said Holly Muscolino, Research Vice President, Content and Process Strategies and the Future of Work, IDC. "Box's content cloud will play a key role in helping businesses manage the entire content lifecycle in one secure location."
Box Sign Availability and Pricing
Box Sign is expected to be generally available in the summer of 2021 and its native e-signature capabilities are expected to be included in Box business and enterprise plans with additional functionality such as e-signature APIs available at an incremental cost. SignRequest will also continue to operate and be available to both current and new SignRequest customers through www.signrequest.com.
For more information on the Box content cloud, Box Sign, and today's news, visit the Box Blog and join our webinar to be hosted by Box CEO Aaron Levie on February 18, 2021.
Details of the Acquisition
The acquisition is anticipated to close in Box's first fiscal quarter ending on April 30, 2021, subject to customary closing conditions. Box will pay an aggregate purchase price of $55 million. Upon the close of the transaction, SignRequest will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Box. The SignRequest team is expected to join Box and will begin integrating SignRequest with Box to develop Box Sign.
About Box
Box (NYSE:BOX) is a leading cloud content management platform that enables organizations to accelerate business processes, power workplace collaboration, and protect their most valuable information, all while working with a best-of-breed enterprise IT stack. Founded in 2005, Box simplifies work for leading organizations globally, including AstraZeneca, General Electric, JLL and Morgan Stanley. Box is headquartered in Redwood City, CA, with offices in the United States, Europe, and Asia. To learn more about Box, visit http://www.box.com. To learn more about how Box powers nonprofits to fulfill their missions, visit Box.org.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding Box's intention to acquire SignRequest; the impact of the acquisition on Box's future e-signature and other product offerings; the expected closing date of the acquisition; the expected benefits to Box and its customers from completing the acquisition and launching Box Sign; the expected timeframe of integrating SignRequest into Box and launching Box Sign; plans regarding SignRequest personnel; the size and potential growth of the market for e-signature products. There are a significant number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from statements made in this press release, including risks associated with Box's ability to complete the acquisition of SignRequest in a timely manner, or at all; the potential impact on the business of SignRequest due to the uncertainty about the acquisition; the retention of employees SignRequest; the ability of Box to successfully integrate SignRequest and achieve the expected benefits from the acquisition; Box's ability to attract and retain new and existing customers to SignRequest and/or Box Sign; delays in the development or release of new product offerings; the failure to timely develop and achieve market acceptance of new products; rapidly evolving technological developments in the market for cloud content and e-signature product offerings; length of sales cycles; the effect of the coronavirus and general market, political, economic and business conditions; and other risk factors set forth in the reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K and in other filings Box makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, including the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed for the fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2020. These documents are available on the SEC Filings section of Box's Investor Relations website located at www.box.com/investors. Box does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements contained in this press release to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.
Any unreleased products, services or features referenced in this press release or other public statements by Box are not currently available and may not be delivered on time or at all. Customers who purchase Box's products and services should make their purchase decisions based upon features that are currently available.
SOURCE: Box


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Australian citizens will soon notice a much tighter grip on their online privacy, limiting what torrenting websites they can and can't freely access. So what's the deal? New federal changes are the cause — and using a VPN is the solution. Let's break down what's going on and how you can continue maintaining your right to privacy despite this increased surveillance.
A Close Eye on Your Activity
Think you're free to access any website you want without Big Brother watching you? Think again. In Australia's first-ever website censorship case, a federal court order now demands that certain ISPs must block users from accessing a number of torrenting websites by December 30. Those torrenting sites include:
- The Pirate Bay
- Torrentz
- TorrentHound
- IsoHunt
- SolarMovie
The Australian ISPs being ordered to follow this form of censorship include Telstra, Optus, TPG, M2, Dodo and iiNet. These providers may use anything from IP address blocking to DNS blocking to do so, all under close under court supervision.
A History of Surveillance
To make matters more complicated, this isn't the first time Australian user privacy has been compromised — the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979, put into effect in October of 2015, requires metadata from users be stored by Australian ISPs for at least two years. This type of data includes everything about communications in your text messages, emails, and phone calls, except the actual content of communication. So for example, government agencies can see the phone numbers of people talking to each other and how long they talked for. According to the Attorney General Department's website, this law was created with the intent of using data for "every serious criminal or national security investigation, including murder, counter-terrorism, counter-espionage, sexual assault and kidnapping cases." However, the increasing amount of collection of this data and surveillance of users' online activity has many scratching their heads wondering, How much is too much surveillance?
Ultimately, these legislative changes mean increased censoring and spying on Australian Internet users and, in turn, a diminishing amount of online privacy. From the censorship of websites you visit to the collection of data about your online history, you might be asking, how do we stay protected?
How can you protect your privacy rights?
While these legislative changes may seem alarming, there's no need to worry if you have the right protection. Luckily, a VPN, or Virtual Private Network, offers a solid solution to the issue, and StrongVPN provides some of the highest military-grade encryption in the industry. When we funnel your online data through our VPN tunnel and changing your IP address, your online identity becomes instantly anonymous, allowing you to continue accessing the websites you want while remaining private. Your data is safe from falling into the wrong hands, all with the click of your mouse. StrongVPN offers a secure network of global servers, including a growing number in Australia for easy access and the fastest connection speeds.
Get started with StrongVPN today to being encrypting your connection and protecting your data the right way. Without a VPN, your Internet connection is susceptible to censorship and spying — so why wait to protect it? Secure yourself now before it's too late.


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Who Is the Panda on 'The Masked Singer' Season 2?
The second episode of the second season of Fox's The Masked Singer aired on Wednesday, October 2, with the costumed Panda being revealed as none other than Laila Ali. Ali performed Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)," for her first performance.
The clue used during her package, "papa bear," referred to Ali's father, 3-time World Heavyweight Champion, Muhammad Ali. The second clue, the bee reference, was a nod to her father's iconic quote, "float like a butterfly sting like a bee."
Ali performed with an excess of padding in the panda suit, making it harder for the four judges to guess who was under the mask. The costume featured a lightly colored beanie, jacket, and sweats. None of the judges guessed Panda's true identity, correctly. A few theories included Queen Latifah, Serena Williams or Loni Love.
Panda and Leopard had the lowest votes of the night, sending them to the "Smackdown," where they performed to keep their identities a secret. In the end, Panda lost the battle.
Host Nick Cannon told the audience that the masked singers have collectively, "69 Emmy Award nominations, 42 Grammy Award nominations, 22 Broadway shows, three New York Times best-sellers and two have been named Time magazine's Most Influential People."
The Masked Singer airs on Wednesdays at 8 PM ET on Fox.
See clips of the final two's performances, below!


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April 15, 2013
Sold! Get your bids ready for the Travel and Dining Auction on April 26
Submitted by Communications and Marketing
People attending Kansas State University's 17th annual Travel and Dining Auction will munch on nachos and desserts as they bid on the exotic and the practical -- all to benefit students in hospitality management and dietetics.
The auction, planned and executed by students, will begin at 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 26, at the Manhattan Conference Center adjacent to the Hilton Garden Inn. Tickets are $25 in advance and $35 at the door.
More than 200 lots will be up for bidding. Items include a Powercat fire pit, Jordy Nelson-signed football, 2012 Big 12 champs-signed football, Disney World day passes and more than 100 gift cards. Bottles of wine, hotel night stays, restaurant certificates, rounds of golf, handcrafted items, professional services and an abundant number of K-State hats, flags, and home decor are among other silent auction offerings.
The live auction begins at 8 p.m.
All items have been donated by merchants, faculty, alumni and friends of the department of hospitality management and dietetics and the College of Human Ecology. Students hope to sell 400 tickets to break the current record of 378.
"This major endeavor allows the students to see the nuts and bolts of event planning and all the details needed to make an event like this a success, and then get their hands busy and produce the event," said Nancy Hansen, hospitality management instructor who works with the students.
The shared goal is to keep the spirit of the action alive and unique and to add a new twist each year to engage the attendees and keep them coming back to a "fresh" event, Hansen said. This year the food includes a nacho bar and a pasta bar. A variety of desserts, passed appetizers, wine and nonalcoholic beverages remain on the menu. The popular cakewalk and grab bag activities continue this year.
The area travel package raffle includes Wichita and Kansas City destinations.
Hard-working students who have a passion for event planning or think they want to be event planners apply to take Hansen's three-hour credit auction course. The leaders of the coordinating team are usually past auction students who are taking the course for a second time.
Students develop and plan every detail of the event.
"It takes a special student to be part of the action," Hansen said. "They have to be very dedicated to be successful. Many hours outside the classroom are spent to get donations, sell tickets, and work out the logistics of each area of the evening's activities."
She said that students have about two and one-half months to understand the process and put their knowledge to work and accomplish the event tasks. Events of this magnitude are usually executed by professionals who do this on a full-time basis. The students must do it while juggling their regular class loads, work schedules and activities.
The auction generates funding for scholarships and four student groups: Hospitality Management Society, Professional Convention Meeting Association, Club Managers of America and Student Dietetics Association.
More information is available at online.


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Recently, the issue has resurfaced in a new way, especially via a new e-book by Tyler Cowen called "The Great Stagnation".
Annie Lowrey in Slate discusses Tyler's thesis and quotes me on one counter argument:
But revenue is not always the end-all, be-all—even in economics. That brings us to a final explanation: Maybe it is not the growth that is deficient. Maybe it is the yardstick that is deficient. MIT professor Erik Brynjolffson explains the idea using the example of the music industry. "Because you and I stopped buying CDs, the music industry has shrunk, according to revenues and GDP. But we're not listening to less music. There's more music consumed than before." The improved choice and variety and availability of music must be worth something to us—even if it is not easy to put into numbers. "On paper, the way GDP is calculated, the music industry is disappearing, but in reality it's not disappearing. It is disappearing in revenue. It is not disappearing in terms of what you should care about, which is music."
Here are two papers where I discuss this idea in more detail.
What the GDP gets wrong in Sloan Management Review.
Consumer Surplus in the Digital Economy in Management Science.
Not only are they free, but they also spell my name correctly. However, I can make no promises that you'll get any more consumer value than you pay for them.


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Happy June to you all!
June is the #1 most popular month to get married in here in the states! So the Magnolia-licious DT thought it would be fun to create some wedding projects for you today to share on a Blog Hop.
We hope you're inspired to make something for someone you LOVE as well!
Blog Hop Order:
How To Play Along:
-Create a project that showcases LOVE in some way AND use at least (1) one Magnolia stamp
-Only NEW projects, no old or back-linked projects
--Enter in below link system by June 30th
-If you would like DT comments please turn word verification off on your blogs…thanks!
What You Can Win:
-a $25 Gift Certificate to Magnolia-licious
Suzanne, Diana, & the Magnolia-licious DT