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Hi friends, I take this opportunity to introduce you all to, IndiaBookStore an upcoming book price comparison website and a community that deals with the world of books and book lovers.
I had requested Ms. Priyanka Gupta, (Product & Content Manager at IndiaBookStore) to answer a few questions about 'IndiaBookStore'. She is an IIT Kanpur alumni and a new age entrepreneur.
- What sow the seed for 'IndiaBookStore' and how did it develop?
Animesh Jain, (the founder of IndiaBookStore) who is an avid reader and a frequent book buyer, while struggling to find the best deal online for his desired book, realized the need of a portal which can throw the price from top online stores in no time. Being a geek, he hates wasting time on little things, and the idea of developing IndiaBookStore was such a trivial thing. 😀
2. What is happening on 'Bookish' – Official blog of www.indiabookstore.net and what are your plans on the same?
The blog brings users book reviews, latest book releases, information on literary events. Our latest section "Authors Exclusive" is a recent initiative, where we feature interviews with authors and exclusive articles written by published authors.
We are spreading our association with more and more publication houses, through writing book reviews for them and running book promotional contests.
3. How has been your experience while interviewing various authors and their works for 'Bookish'?
This is really amazing, I personally boast around that I know the author of ** book. 😀
I am thankful to all the authors who contributed to our blog, certainly a very kind gesture. I envision to make Bookish, a platform which brings authors and readers close. The user response on this section is overwhelming.
4. Tell us about your dedicated team?
Animesh – The founder and the "Geek Guru". He acts like a "Guru" for the development team
Priyanka – The Product Manager or "The fuel ", I manage the show.
Developers – A team of 3 that actualizes the dreams of Priyanka. 🙂
Content writers – And then there is a team consisting of free-lancers and interns who bring Bookish to life.
5. Which are the modes through which readers can follow latest news from 'IndiaBookStore'?
Follow us on :
Subscribe for our blog newsletter (http://www.indiabookstore.net/bookish/).
For any feedback/suggestions, mail us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
6. How is 'IndiaBookStore' different from other search engines?
a. Focused on only one product, BOOKS. This makes the search results precise.
b.The simplicity of site – No distraction by advertisements. We emphasize on giving our users an uninterrupted experience.
c. The search suggestions shown while browsing are very accurate and save a lot of time.
7. How would you define the growth of 'IndiaBookStore' so far?
It's been pretty good so far, about 100K visits per month and a repeat customer rate of more than 50%. The user base for the overall site and the blog is building at a good pace.
8. How can authors and publishing houses benefit from associating themselves with 'IndiaBookStore'?
We have been doing lot of promotional activities for authors and publication houses. Book reviews, author interviews, book centered contests – all of this to help authors and publication houses publicizing their work and help the readers to get a closer perspective of writing community.
9. How does 'IndiaBookStore' plan to expand in the next two years?
We want to become one stop destination for book lovers – where people can know about the book from our blog, compare prices across different online stores, read store reviews before making final purchase.
10. What is your take on the arrival of e-books ? Do you feel that they are a threat to 'Mom and Pop' book stores?
e-books would definitely change the face of publishing, it will reduce the challenges of budding authors. e-books come cheaper and are handy for travelers, so enhanced accessibility. It certainly is a threat for publishers and our next door book stores. But at the same time, I feel that the experience of holding a printed book in your hand certainly can't be matched by e-books, so the market for "the real books (that's how I call the printed version of the book)" will always remain there.
11. What would you like to tell our readers so that they would feel welcomed and more comfortable in accessing 'IndiaBookStore' online community?
I can vouch for the fact that this is the fastest book search engine, and our regular users tell us the same. We aim to be a user driven site, which gives a lot of credit to its users. I won't brag much, try out IndiaBookStore.net and if you find any issues, shoot a mail to us, bark at us, do whatever you wish to, I make sure that we will act on it quickest possible in the limited strength of our team.
Thanks a lot Ms. Priyanka Gupta for taking time out from your busy schedule and answering the questions. Friends, next time when you want to buy a book don't forget to check 'IndiaBookStore' for the latest updates in the world of books. Make an informed choice.


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Buehner Family History
14-Day Free Trial
Buehner Name Meaning
habitational name for someone from any of three places called Bühne (in Westphalia, the Harz Mountains, and Altmark). in the south, possibly a topographic name from Bühne 'scaffold', 'barn loft'.
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press
Similar surnames: Buchner, Buehrer, Boehner, Berner, Bohner, Boehne, Buecker, Frehner

subset: commoncrawl


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occassions make up artist in kent
On any special occasion it is essential that you feel confident and radiantly beautiful.
You need to be certain that you will look positively glowing, Katie Searle can achieve this for you!
Katie's aim is to create the look you have been dreaming of. Katie Searle will ensure your hair & makeup is flawless and perfect, whilst letting your natural beauty shine through.
Whatever you have in mind, whether it is a natural, glowing look or something more striking and glamorous, Katie will listen to your request and turn your vision into reality whilst providing her expert advice, ensuring beautiful results.
You will not be disappointed with your Special Occasion look.


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We meet our clients on site for a FREE site inspection. We will discuss your site and any features of your land that need to be addressed before building commences along with the orientation of your home taking into consideration the solar aspects for warmth and cooling.
Planning starts with our drafting team listening to each and everyones needs and ideas. In the comfort of our office you will be able to discuss with our draftsperson what size you would like your home to be and what your building budget is so we can accommodate you in both areas.
Sketches are drawn for the approval of clients whilst taking into consideration your site & its physical characteristics. At this stage your sketches are only preliminary which will allow you to make any changes or ask questions regarding room sizes, window styles, door openings, storage needs etc.
Pricing starts when clients are completely satisfied with their design. Once floor plan has been finalised we move onto the next step of providing you with a quotation. Throughout this process we endeavour to seek pricing for quality materials from suppliers at the best price available to us. If you wish to complete any work yourself now is the time to let us know. When quotation is finalised we will contact you and organise a time suitable to come in and sit down with us to go over the quotation.
Quotations are a fixed price and on acceptance of quotation the plans are drawn for council approval. Your plans are now ready to be drawn for council. Included in our set of plans: Site Plan, Floor Plan, Elevations, Sections, Basix requirements. These will be lodged to Council along with a complete set of engineering plans, home owners warranty certificate and a bushfire assessment if required. Whilst waiting on approval from council this will allow you time to finalise your finances in readiness for signing of contracts.
Contracts are signed after Construction Certificate approval from council. We will organise your contracts for you to be signed and discuss your deposit requirements so your new home can be started within the next 21 days. Now the fun starts for you to start selecting your personal inclusions (door handles, taps, bathroom fittings, tiles, appliances and the list goes on. We will help you throughout this process to make it more enjoyable.
The building process is started with continued liaison with clients. We will organise for the plumber and electrician to meet you on site to go over positioning of all outlets. Throughout the building of your new home you may want to make small changes eg. moving a light switch or power point, adding extra ones, changing paint colour. We give you the price for this in writing before extra work done, once accepted we will than go ahead. You will make your progress payments as written in your contract. We will send you an invoice for each progress as work is completed.
Completion of Your Home.
When your home is finished you will be able walk through and inspect before making your final payment and reflect on what you, your ideas and thoughts along with us at Peter Klasen Homes have achieved.
Moving in to Your Home.
You have just built your dream home, so sit back and relax and enjoy living in your custom built home with your family. We will only be too happy to organise a time for any maintenance work you feel needs to be attended to after you have settled into your home for a 13 week period from completion date.


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3,450 MW consented
We are responsible for securing consent for 3,450 MW made up of our Neart na Gaoithe project in Scotland (450 MW) and Hornsea projects 1 and 2 in England (3,000 MW).
Neart na Gaoithe, awarded a 15-year Contract for Difference from the UK Government, was sold to EDF Group in May 2018.
Hornsea was sold to Ørsted in 2015 and project 1 is currently in construction.
In Vietnam, we are developing the 800 MW Phu Cuong offshore wind farm. We are also reviewing global offshore opportunities and particularly in Europe, APAC and North America.


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Going on holiday and travelling should be fun. You shouldn't need to worry about something going wrong but it can and does for thousands of Australians each year. Luggage gets lost or damaged, people get sick or injured, and there are airlines and other transport cancellations or delays. If all you need are the basics for a great trip overseas such as a ticket, passport and a change of clothes, then you can choose our low cost alternative, Elements Travel Plan for single international trip. The Essentials Travel Plan covers for budget travelers:
★ UNLIMITED cover for overseas medical expenses.
★ Luggage cover up to $10,000
★ Cancellation and Additional Expenses cover up to $1,000,000
★ Emergency Dental expenses cover up to $1,000,000.
Call us for PDF or click here for a fast quo.


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19 May 2019
Bhubaneswar: If exit polls are anything to go by, Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is all set to clinch victory for the fifth consecutive time in Odisha. Leading regional daily Sambad Group's exit poll suggests that the BJD would win 85 to 95 out of 146 assembly seats which went to polls this election.
As per 'Sambad-Kanak' exit poll, the BJP would win 25 to 34 seats and the Congress would taste victory in 12-15 seats in the Assembly elections. As per the survey, 1 to 3 seats are likely to go into the Others category.
The probability of BJD crossing the 100-mark in 146 seats (barring Patkura seat), are high, as the same survey reveals that there would be a tough contest between BJD and BJP in at least 10 seats, the exit polls data revealed.


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Log in links for this page
The Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) developed the Massachusetts QRIS to improve the quality of early education and care programs across the state.
The MA QRIS supports programs in providing high-quality early education and care that supports positive outcomes for children.
We will use this information to improve the site.
This form only gathers feedback about the website.
Would you like to provide additional feedback to help improve Mass.gov?
How much do you agree with the following statements?
If you would like to continue helping us improve Mass.gov, join our user panel to test new features for the site.


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The Suzuki Swift is one of those cars that pops up all over the place, in the city, in the suburbs and out in country towns, the Swift calls all of these locations home and it's little wonder why with a total of over 5 million Swifts roaming worldwide. That number looks set to climb higher with the introduction of the new Swift. The outgoing model etched a solid name for itself thanks to its playful driving characteristics and charming appearance, so how does the new version stack up?
Priced from $15,990 plus on-road costs, the new Swift is available in four grades – GL, GL Navigator, GL Navigator with Safety Pack and GLX, with the top two grades offering segment first (at the time of writing) Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) and radar cruise control.
Under the bonnet, the GL and GL Navigator offer a 66kW/120Nm 1.2-litre four-cylinder Dualjet engine with the option of 5-speed manual or CVT automatic transmission, with the top-spec GLX flaunting 6-speed auto alongside a newly-developed 82kW/160Nm 1.0-litre three-cylinder Boosterjet engine with direct-injection and turbocharging, generating higher torque from lower revs.
At a glance the Swift is easily recognisable, it's a case of evolution rather than revolution with a few new additions that catch the eye. Up front the bonnet now fits lower and bulges up at the edges, everything in the new Swift flows in contrast to the harsher lines found previously. The roof line too flows and floats with rear door handles integrated high up into the black trim which is sure to confuse rear passengers when they first try to hop in. The evolved look brings the Swift into modernity with a fresh new style that retains the signature Swift profile.
From the inside the Swift doesn't dazzle you with bright colours and shiny trinkets, things are much more mature than that. There's plenty of black trim located throughout and while there are some cheap plastics Suzuki has put in the effort to spruce up the door trims which have soft touch cloth trim and padded arm rest. Everything you need to touch frequently such as the steering wheel, gear stick and handles feels right while the rest at least looks the part.
The 7-inch multi-touch display is grafted into the centre console and takes focus. The interface is simple in design and lacks the deeper, more intricate functions found on rival units but it does get the job done with its simplicity. Annoyingly each time you first jump into the navigation panel you're required to click away the required warning message, no doubt a legal requirement from an overly legislated nation that's been pushed into all markets. With the lack of colour draping the interior it's the red glow of the instrument panel that stands out more so than usual and I found myself quite partial to the effect. The instrument panel is simple and effective with a funky surrounding design featuring the two big dials we're used to, revs on the left and speed on the right.
The low seating position and high roof line of the Swift allows it to swallow up any size of passenger and driver alike without compromise. In the rear two adults fit without issue while a third makes things overly intimate. Oddly enough for a front wheel drive car there's a transmission tunnel molding that robs the middle rear passenger of valuable leg room. Boot space is not amazing, only 242 litres with all the seats up and 918 litres when the seats get dropped.
Overall visibility isn't the greatest in the Swift, thick A pillars limit vision up front and those massive C pillars pull the same trick out the back. The reversing camera does alleviate the situation to some extent when reversing but tracking cars around you on the road is a harder task than need be. Blind spot monitoring would be a great addition to the Swift but is sorely lacking. To make matters worse, on sunny days the black dashboard material glares up the front window further impeding visibility.
The Swift GL Navigator with Safety Pack tested here is powered by the 1.2-litre Dualjet engine with 66kw at 6,000rpm and 120Nm of torque at 4,400rpm. Both power and torque are high in the rev band so you really have to wring its neck to accelerate and that's where I have an issue with the Swift. If you drive it softly you can get 5.8L/100km (4.8L/100km claimed) but you'll get dropped at every set of lights and it takes a lengthy amount of time to get up to speed. Punch the throttle a bit harder and it'll spring into life while making plenty of noise to let you know however your fuel economy takes a hit so you're left with a tough choice, slow and economical, or regular pace with regular fuel economy. The gearbox fitted is a CVT automatic that's less than excellent with low speed shudders and unresponsive shifts; it's okay but needs work.
Underpinning the Swift is a highly capable chassis and suspension setup, it's a complete joy to drive around town and more so through winding engaging roads. With only 900kg of weight it's a nimble thing that can tackle corners far harder than you'd expect, so much so that the seats can't hold you in place well enough to give it a rally inspired thrash. 16-inch alloy wheels clad in 185/55 rubber ensure the Swift has a respectable amount of grip to keep it on the road in the wet and dry with no drama.
Around town the short wheelbase gives the Swift an accommodating turning circle that makes tight spaces no hassle at all to negotiate. The ride is firm as often found in smaller cars but not back breaking over the rough stuff.
Having tested the mid-spec Swift GL with the Navigator and Safety Pack its got a few tricks up its sleeve in the safety department along with a grouping of convenient features. On the audio front the Swift doesn't disappoint, supporting Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as well as the usual Bluetooth and auxiliary connectivity the speakers produce a quality sound that was above expectations even though digital radio is lacking.
Radar guided cruise control is present and works once you exceed the 40km/h activation point equally as well as systems found in far more expensive cars. You can also flick it into the speed limiting mode so overall you've got little excuse for copping a speeding ticket in the Swift. Completing the included safety features is the lane departure warning system, low/high speed forward collision mitigation system, front/rear seatbelts fitted with pretensioners(not fitted to centre rear seatbelt).
All models come equipped with six airbags (driver and passenger front airbags, front row side airbags, front and rear curtain airbags) that combine with the other safety features to bring the Swift up to a 5 star ANCAP safety rating (4 star ANCAP rating without the Safety Pack).
Design and Comfort: 7.0/10
Performance and Handling: 6.0/10
Quality: 7.0/10
Economy: 9.0/10
Equipment and Features: 8.0/10
The Suzuki Swift is a car that's not only most at home in the city but also out in the open roads. It's underpinned by a highly capable chassis that makes it a fun to drive small car, while the comprehensive safety features ensure occupant protection at all times. Just don't ask too much of the powertrain.
- Playful handling
- Sporty design
- Generously equipped upper spec variants
- Lacks power
- CVT needs work
- Rear visibility lacking
2018 Suzuki Swift GL Automatic Navigator with Safety Pack Price and Specification
|Price (Excl. on-road costs):
|From: $18,990
As tested: $19,490*
|3 years/100,000 kilometers
|Country of Origin:
|Service Intervals:
|6 months/10,000km
|1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol
66kW @ 6,000rpm, 120Nm @ 4,400rpm
|CVT automatic
|Front-wheel drive
|Power to Weight Ratio (W/kg):
|Combined Fuel Consumption (L/100km):
|Claimed: 4.8 / Tested: 5.8
|RON Rating:
|Fuel Capacity (L):
|5-door hatch, 5 seats
|6 Airbags, ABS, ESC, TCS, EBD, Lane Departure Warning, Collision Mitigation Forward (high and low speed), Seatbelt Pretensioners
|Dimensions (L/W/H/W-B) mm:
|Kerb Weight (kg):
|7″ Touchscreen, Satellite Navigation, Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, AM/FM stereo, Bluetooth/USB/Aux input
Ford Fiesta, Toyota Yaris, Honda Jazz, Holden Barina, Hyundai Accent, Fiat 500, Peugeot 208, Volkswagen Polo, Skoda Fabia, Mitsubishi Mirage, Renault Clio, Nissan Micra, Mazda2, Kia Rio


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Around a third of young carers care for someone with a mental health condition. Many young people who care for someone with a mental health problem go identified and unsupported. Identifying these young carers may be more difficult because the illness is less visible.Area of Care:I work with:Caring for:
Children of parents who are addicted to drugs or alcohol may experience chaotic lives which lack routine and may often worry about the safety of their parent.Area of Care:Caring for:
A whole family approach to supporting young carers and their families can significantly help to reduce inappropriate caring roles.Area of Care:
Targeted support for young carers and families formed part of the vision of the National Strategy for Carers. The value of dedicated support for young carers cannot be underestimated.Area of Care:
Being a young carer can often have a severe, significant and long-lasting impact on a young person's health and wellbeing. It is therefore essential that services consider how they will support young carers with regards to their physical and mental health and wellbeing.Area of Care:I work with:
This toolkit provides essential tools, templates and guidance for ITE providers who already include young carers as a key topic within their training programmes and ITE providers who are developing their training content regarding young carers.Outcomes:I work in:I work with:Location:
Find all the tools you need to work through the Wales edition of the Young Carers in Schools Step-by-step Guide for Leaders, Teachers and Non-teaching Staff.I work with:Caring for:Location:
Thanks to funding provided by the European Commission through the Erasmus+ programme, a group of organisations from Germany, Scotland, Ireland, Italy and Austria are working to find new ways to support young carers.I work with:Location:
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Designed with teachers and schools staff, this resource helps make the identification and support of young carers in schools in primary and secondary schools in Wales as easy as possible.I work with:Location:


text: 09 Apr '18 Print Email Collection of a Jumbo Grain Cleaner with extension frame by Farmer Mr Jaap Suurd Category: News By JAPS Engineering Mr Jaap will be using his new Grain cleaner primarily to clean his bean harvest. Congratulations on your new machine and welcome to the JAPS family. Another Happy Customer at JAPS Engineering (The grain cleaning specialists) Tweet


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Reflections on the Growth of the Solar Industry
Last week, I discussed three statistics from the Solar Energ...Read more
Last week, I discussed three statistics from the Solar Energ...Read more
The use of Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel (AESS) opens up an enormous range of aesthetic possibilities across civil, commercial and residential building projects. There are many unique considerations when using exposed steel aesthetically. The keys to successful use of AESS are good commu...Read more
While solar power often appears to be an issue outside of the mainstream, industry statistics tell the story of a robust industry with strong momentum that is on track to become a key driver of the U.S. economy....Read more
The Steel Tube Institute's Spring meeting was informative as it surfaced many potential growth opportunities....Read more
The 2012 NASCC conference was a big success! Judging by the well-attended breakout sessions and the flurry of activity at our booth, it seems Atlas's new Jumbo HSS product is gaining the interest of engineers and building owners. Thanks to everyone who stopped by — it was great to...Read more
Structural Engineers in North America have a new option for meeting the challenges of designing structures with large load demands....Read more
Fueled by the rising cost of fossil fuels and increasing concerns about global climate change, solar energy is the fastest growing energy technology in the United States. With the increased demand for alternative energy, a robust solar construction industry has emerged, JMC Steel...Read more
The Atlas Observer is the new blog from Atlas Tube. With blog posts written by Atlas experts...Read more
How Much Will You Save? Let's find out. Atlas Tube offers complimentary EPOX Z KOTE Powder Primed Tube samples and a cost saving analysis report for all manufacturing trials. We provide an independent industrial engineer to examine your manufacturing process and its associated costs. To determine your potential E...Read more
5 reasons Atlas Tube is the only choice for your HSS provider: We offer the largest HSS size range in North America, including exclusive jumbo sizes: 1"-22" square; rectangles 2x1 – 24x12; rounds to 20" outside diameter We have the ability to produce to all...Read more


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Posted on August 16, 2011, in Entertainment, Facebook, Mobile Advertising, Mobile Phones, Mobile TV, Movies, Music, News, Social media, Social Networks, Sport, Technology, Television, Twitter and tagged Android, Apple, Apple iPad 2, Apple iPhone 4, Blackberry, Facebook, HP TouchPad, HTC, HTC Sensation, Internet, iPad, iPhone, live mobile TV, Media consumption, Mobile Advertising, mobile devices, mobile internet, Mobile TV, Mobile Video Advertising, music streaming, Samsung, Smartphones, Social Media, Social Networks, Tablets, Technology, Teenagers, Twitter, watch TV online, Yamgo. Bookmark the permalink. 6 Comments.
It's a mixed bag
really, are you get bored?
People today become bored very quickly
What do you expect there are to many distractions today and it getting worse
What do you expect there are to many distractions today and it getting worse
People get bored, the social networks come up with new features and everyone get interested again! Its like a cycle. The social websites need to evolve continually.


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"Down from the rough but noble hill tribes of Canada these 5 young TDs roll down, their souls hewn from the living rock of such towns as 'Whoopdie', 'Mudness' and 'Shtum'. Trying to outrun their past in the secret experiments unwittingly pushed on them from an unforgiving government, they have injected an exuberance into the CG department that you would, in any other circumstances, have to kill someone to get."
"I'm sorry — what was the question? Oh, RIGHT — the five new guys in CG. they're a great bunch of guys." – Senior CG Animator, Scott Easley
Mauricio Hoffman, Animator
Favorite cds: Heroes del Silencio, Soda-Stereo, Santana and the Grateful Dead.
Favorite films: Braveheart,The Iron Giant,Pulp Fiction, and the old Star Wars Trilogy.
Favorite foods: Pulparindo, Donuts and cheese.
Favorite video game: Warcraft 2, San Francisco Rush 2049 (special note: Marke sucks at S.F.R.2049 and will never beat me!!!)
What inspires you? Watersports, traveling, and big sums of money.
Favorite Oddworld Character: Sligs. They remind me of the police in my hometown Mexico City.
Favorite Saying: I don't have a saying… I'm that poor.
Favorite thing to do when not at work: Fiesta & Siesta!!!
Favorite read: Lord of the Rings, The Clan of the Cave Bear
Favorite website: http://www.uglypeople.com
Marke Pedersen, TD
Favorite cds: Any album from Bad Religion, Pennywise, Beastie Boys, Hooverphonic, Cadillac Tramps, Portishead, Paul Van Dyk and many, many more.
Favorite films: The Matrix, Heat, Strange Brew, Snatch, The Professional
Favorite foods: Jalapeno Thunder Crunch Potato Chips (which of course you can't buy in the good ole' U.S. of A)
Favorite video game: Tony Hawk 2
What inspires you? The OW Production Design Dept., music, …lap dances
Favorite Oddworld Character: Lara Croft, errr…ummm…I mean Big Bro Slig!
Favorite Saying: "NEW SNAKE!!!" "It's a jelly"
Favorite thing to do when not at work: Mountain bike, snowboard, and furl.
Favorite read: What's a book? – oh yeah, I liked The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories by Tim Burton
Favorite website: http://www.standonguard.com, http://www.theonion.com
Iain Morton, TD
Favorite cds: Paul Oakenfold "Tranceport", Shasha & Digweed "Northern Exposure", Xen Cuts, Paul Van Dyk "Out There and Back", anything by Sublime.
Favorite films: City of Lost Children, A Nightmare Before Christmas, Dark City, Edward Scissorhands, Blade Runner
Favorite foods: Chef Boyardee Ravioli
Favorite video game: Gorf
What inspires you? Dirt, grime, grit, metal, steam, weird and wonderful machines and creatures. OW production design.
Favorite Oddworld Character: Tha Big Bro Slig!
Favorite Saying: "How's it goin eh?"
Favorite thing to do when not at work: Surf, snowboard, snowboard, and did I mention snowboard?
Favorite read: Maxim
Favorite website: http://www.mulletlovers.com
Matt Aldridge, TD
Favorite cds: Curve "Come Clean", Massive Attack "Mezzanine", Leftfield "Leftism", Supreme Beings of Leisure, Smoke City "Flying Away", Floater "Glyph"
Favorite films: Fight Club, The Matrix, Aliens, The Hunt For Red October, The Shawshank Redemption
Favorite foods: A nice thick steak.
Favorite video game: San Francisco Rush 2049
What inspires you? Movies, music, art and my friends.
Favorite Oddworld Character: The Rat.
Favorite Saying: "I laugh in the face of danger. Then I hide until it goes away."
Favorite thing to do when not at work: Sleep or go to Disneyland. Preferably sleep.
Favorite read: Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
Favorite website: http://www.darkhorizons.com
Ryan Ellis, TD
Favorite cds: Smashing Pumpkins, Recordings of People Falling Down Stairs, The Sounds of Cooking Bacon
Favorite films: The Hunt For Red October, Star Trek
Favorite foods: Junk food, anything bran
Favorite video game: Myst, Riven, San Francisco Rush 2049
What inspires you? Nature
Favorite Oddworld Character: The Almighty Raisin
Favorite Saying: "Is it boiling hot?"
Favorite thing to do when not at work: Eat, sleep and pretend to be intelligent.
Favorite read: The Lord of the Rings
Favorite website: http://www.mulletsgalore.com
All are grads from Vancouver Film School in Canada. For more information about the 3D Animation program at Vancouver Film School go to http://www.vfs.com


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Want to start a new family Christmas tradition this year? I have a great idea for you! Here are 4 reasons to make travel a family Christmas tradition.
It's that time of year again! The time to get together with family and friends, have a feast, love on one another, and of course, give tons of gifts. Children and adults alike look forward to it, and with good reason. Who wouldn't love having tons of wrapped surprises to tear into on Christmas morning?! It's been a tradition for ages. You go to the crowded, busy stores and fight to get all of those toys and gadgets that your kids THINK they want, spend countless hours wrapping them up and hiding them, only to have them played with for a few days after Christmas and then thrown into the "old toy pile" never to be seen again. Sound familiar?
Wouldn't it be nice to just forget about all of that? How great would it be to just get rid of all of the gift-giving stress of the season and truly ENJOY time with your family? I know in our family, there was a time when we decided that we'd had enough. We were tired of the hassle of trying to give gifts that didn't really matter anyway and wanted our Christmas to be a time of relaxation and FUN!
That's when we decided to make traveling a holiday tradition in our home!
We love exploring all kinds of places, but Disney is by far our favorite. So far, we've been to Walt Disney World about a hundred times (literally) and on a Disney cruise three times. Each time, we've had the most fun on these vacations than we have had anywhere else. You just can't beat Disney's world-class service and the magic that they bring to a family vacation!
No matter where you decide to go on your family vacations, here are four reasons to consider making travel a family Christmas tradition:
1. Your Kids Won't Remember Material Gifts
I know in my experience, I can't remember even half of all of the gifts that I received during Christmas growing up. I got so many things over the years that I eventually grew out of them, and by the next Christmas I could care less about what I got from the last. I can't imagine how much money my parents wasted on useless gifts that I only used once or twice. I don't want to do this with my daughter! Instead, I want to give her something she will remember and cherish for the rest of her life. I want our gifts to be meaningful this Christmas!
I remember lots of Christmas's when my family took a vacation to Disney World, and let me tell you, those are the holidays I remember the most! Our favorite park was Magic Kingdom. I've always remembered how much my dad loved The Haunted Mansion. That was one of his most favorite rides in the park and we couldn't go home without riding it at least once! Now that my dad isn't here with us, I have so many wonderful memories of us having fun in the parks together and I will keep those memories in my heart forever.
2. You'll Have a Life Full of Memories Instead of Clutter
I think every mom can agree that they need waaaaaay less clutter in their life. Can I get an amen? If you make travel a holiday tradition in your family instead of giving gifts from a store, you'll have way less clutter in the rooms of your house and more memories to look back on.
In our three years of marriage, my husband and I have been more places than I ever thought possible. I have hundreds of photos on my phone from our honeymoon and first anniversary sailing on a Disney cruise that I look back on almost every single day. When I'm sad or depressed or my husband and I are having an argument, I look back on those photos and remember all the fun that we had, and it makes me so incredibly thankful that we saved up the money to take those trips. No, we didn't get the best gadgets and gifts for Christmas that year, but we reconnected and had fun as a couple during those trips and just took a break on life for a while. Truly, that was the best Christmas gift!
3. Your Kids Will Learn About a Different Culture
No matter where you go, even if you stay inside the U.S., there's a different atmosphere and culture to explore. You and your kids can learn so many valuable educational and life lessons by visiting another culture that is so much different than your own!
Adventures by Disney is an absolutely wonderful way to do this! You can choose from a huge variety of trips to go on, such as Europe, Asia, and Africa. If you'd like to stay in the US, they have itinararies for places here too such as New York NY, Nashville TN, and so much more. These trips are all-inclusive, and Disney makes sure you get the best of the best when it comes to accommodations, food, and exclusive activities just for Adventures by Disney explorers. These trips also come with two special Disney Adventure Guides, which are people that are extremely knowledgeable in your destination's culture and will guide you along the way of your trip. One of the Adventure Guides is a local who has lived in the area for years. I cannot wait to take my daughter on a trip when she gets old enough and let her take in all that another culture has to offer.
Disney Cruise Line is another great way to do this if you'd like to see more than one destination in a shorter amount of time. It's also convenient since your hotel travels with you and never have to switch rooms!
4. Quality Family Time is Priceless
You'll NEVER regret spending quality time with the ones that you love. Making memories with them, teaching them, and pouring your heart and time into them will be the most rewarding and joyful thing you ever do. Taking family vacations together will strengthen your bond as a family and draw you closer together. After a few years of making travel a Christmas tradition in your family, you'll never want to go back to traditional gift-giving ever again!


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This year marks our 10th anniversary of publishing Healthcare Insight. On behalf of everyone here at True North Custom, we're proud to have provided you with fresh ideas and expert perspective for the past decade.
This is also a good time to reflect on some of our most memorable articles. Perhaps the most thought-provoking content came from a 2011 conversation with former Apple evangelist and best-selling author Guy Kawasaki. His directive to delight customers by focusing on a higher purpose illuminates the mission for healthcare and financial marketers, and highlights the important role you play within the community.
Here's an excerpt from the piece, or you can view/download the full article.
Q: What is enchantment, and why is it critical for success?
Kawasaki: Enchantment is the process of creating a deep, long-lasting relationship with your customers that goes beyond simple transactions. This relationship involves a genuine message from an organization that is likeable, trustworthy, and good—and a creation of that type of reputation within the community. Enchanting customers facilitates loyalty and an emotional attachment to an organization.
Q: How can organizations promote and sustain likability and trustworthiness within their communities?
Kawasaki: Start by identifying the decision-makers and people with influence in the community who can help you reach out to groups that catalyze trustworthiness and likeability. Show how your own brand of magic works by opening your arms and letting the community really see what you do. Initiate events that allow the public to take a peek at specific service lines, and create a local presence by attending health fairs. If you are met with any opposition in the process, break down this resistance by finding a way to agree on something, no matter how trivial. Meet the members of your community on their level and at their convenience.
Q: How can organizations continue enchanting customers after the "honeymoon" stage?
Kawasaki: Create ways customers can demonstrate their loyalty to your organization. For example, start a program that offers a direct benefit to the public, such as providing a decal featuring your logo that allows cars to park in a local lot for a reduced price. As more decals are placed on cars, more people will notice and associate this popularity with your organization. These services that extend beyond the typical can help the magic last and express a dedication to the communities you serve. While you think of new ways to attract a consumer base, don't neglect enchanting your own staff. Enable your employees to master new skills to become better healthcare practitioners. Your organization should be focused on a higher purpose—promoting better health—rather than collecting money for services and micromanaging. In addition, your employee satisfaction will catalyze even more likeability in your favor.


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Merc-AMG to buy bike firm MV Augusta?
Mercedes-AMG is readying a potential bid to buy storied Italian motorcycle maker MV Augusta, a company insider has revealed to Top Gear.
Having lost Ducati to Audi in 2012, despite having a deep relationship with the Bologna-based bike brand, Mercedes-AMG is now looking at a deal to snap up Italy's other member of red-painted motorcycling royalty.
MV Augusta has been sold a number of times over the past two decades: to Cagiva in 1999; to Lotus parent Proton in 2004; to a finance company in 2005; to Harley Davidson in 2008; and then finally to Claudio Castiglione, the architect of Ducati's great renaissance, in 2010.
Castiglione died a year later, but not before he had sketched out a plan to revive the once-great Italian marque. His holding company now owns and runs the MV Augusta.
No details of the deal have yet been given, but AMG executives tell us they are already deep into exploring the possibilities of a tie-up.
The AMG tie-up with Ducati was scheduled to deliver co-branded motorcycles in a bid to extend the brand into a younger audience - and boost AMG's green credentials.
The degree of certainty of the AMG MV Augusta deal has been increased by the presence of Investindustrial, a private equity fund, in other Mercedes-AMG business.
The fund, which is owned by the Bonomi family, was the owner of Ducati prior to the sale to Audi. It also owns a 37.5 per cent in Aston Martin, who AMG is working closely with supplying engines and electrical systems for the next-generation AM models.
So the two groups know each other well and have mutual interests. Maybe including MV Augusta in the not-too-distant future…
What do you think?
This service is provided by Disqus and is subject to their privacy policy and terms of use. Please read Top Gear's code of conduct (link below) before posting.


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It's been one month since Mark Zuckerberg made an announcement explaining upcoming changes to the Facebook News Feed.
Businesses and publishers the world over are losing their sh*t with concerns that their reach and awareness would be affected by this change.
There have been tons of stories and opinion pieces published with views on what this change means for businesses and their marketing departments. Ultimately, it has been only one month, so at this stage, few actually know what the impact will be for businesses.
Rather than jump on the bandwagon, we wanted to wait and let the dust settle. We've monitored the performance of both organic and paid campaigns across 20+ pages that we manage, to give a hands-on opinion.
In this article, we'll fill you in on why this change is happening, what it's meant to mean for businesses and for individuals and what changes we're seeing directly.
Why and how is Facebook changing its news feed?
The move is designed to create "more meaningful social interactions" for people.
In a recent post, King Zuck wrote, "I'm changing the goal I give our product teams from focusing on helping you find relevant content to helping you have more meaningful social interactions."
Zuck added, "posts from businesses, brands and media are crowding out the personal moments that lead us to connect more with each other."
Accompanying Zuckerberg's announcement was a blog by Adam Mosseri, Facebook's Head of News Feed, making clear what the potential impact of the change to the News Feed algorithm will be and highlight how this aligns with Facebook's News Feed Values.
"As we make these updates, Pages may see their reach, video watch time and referral traffic decrease. The impact will vary from Page to Page, driven by factors including the type of content they produce and how people interact with it.
"Pages making posts that people generally don't react to or comment on could see the biggest decreases in distribution. Pages whose posts prompt conversations between friends will see less of an effect."
When initially reading the quotes from Adam Mosseri, we, like most raised an eyebrow with concerns about what this means for the state of social media marketing, particularly as a digital marketing agency that utilises Facebook across all client projects on a daily basis.
The change to the News Feed, however, is warranted. We all know what Facebook has become in recent times. What started as a 'social network' has evolved into a dumping ground of meme's, gifs and low-value adding content, all designed to grab just a few seconds of our attention. We've become brainwashed by short-form and viral videos, so much so, that we now have shorter attention spans than goldfish.
Then there's the saga of 'fake news'. Facebook has come under increased criticism for being a platform that allows people and publishers to deliberately spread fake news. Not something that is good for Facebook, or its shareholders.
Finally, data regulation. With growing concerns about how tech companies, particularly the duopoly of Facebook and Google collect data on users and their behaviours and package and resell this data for advertising purposes, Facebook has come under attack by regulators. With GDPR approaching in Europe, Facebook wants to be a step ahead of regulators by amending the News Feed.
So a change is most welcome.
What does this mean for brands?
Facebook will place less priority on relevant content from publishers and prioritise more messages, photos and videos posted by a users' friends and family. Doesn't sound like a big deal. Less clickbait and square videos with annoying subtitles and more cats from our extended families.
The initial concern was that brands and businesses would lose out massively with this change. However, the changes could actually be a good thing. This is backed up by the data we're seeing after one month of reviewing the insights and has also been expressed by Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook herself.
It is absolutely worth reminding ourselves that Facebook is a listed company worth billions. They would have carefully thought through the business impact of such a change. Yes, Facebook wants to improve the experience for its 2bn+ user base and improve their reputation to governments and regulators, but they also recognise the commercial benefit that will come from this change also.
If Facebook changes the News Feed so that fewer low-quality videos are sucking up our attention, then this means more time that users are spent scrolling, engaging and viewing advertisements.
Secondly, regardless of the change; agencies and advertisers aren't just going to pull back on their strategy. Facebook is a phenomenal platform for driving awareness, brand consideration, preference and direct commercial returns and agencies have committed to Facebook and Facebook knows it. Facebook wouldn't want to lose out on these revenues, particularly when announcing record fourth quarter revenues of $13bn, up 50% Y-O-Y.
What are WePlay seeing directly?
Diving into the data on pages that we manage, we're seeing little to no negative impact after one month. We're managing 20+ pages and many of them have 5m+ fans. So one month in, there's very little to be concerned about.
In many cases, we are actually seeing post reach (organic) to be affected in a positive way (see below graph).
The graph above shows two markers. Before the announcement and after one month. The organic reach on this page has increased by 20% and this is consistent across 40% of the pages we monitored for the period. What have we done differently in this period? Not a lot actually. We've continued to produce high-quality content and distribute this content as per the insights that the data tells us about the formats performing well, the best times and the best days to publish. This was part of both Zuck's and Mosseri's statements, highlighting the importance of high-quality content that offers value. Content that the audience will want to engage with.
The quality of your content should be a priority. Content is most certainly King in this arena and Facebook will be both prioritising high-quality content, whilst deprioritising low-quality content.
As a performance-driven sports marketing business, producing high-quality content is an incredibly important part of our business.
With that said, as much as your content quality must be a priority to achieve the best results from your organic strategy, the distribution process of said content, is just as important.
In the earlier years of WePlay, 'we played' in a world where organic social marketing still had a significant impact. Organic reach was high and results could be delivered by producing value-adding content published at optimised times. Particularly on Facebook, those days are coming to an end and today, particularly if the objective is to grow your brand and impact on your sales funnel, then your social media strategy must be supported by a paid media strategy.
Facebook has worked hard in recent years to create an industry-leading advertising platform, one that would stand leaps above Twitter and Snapchat, and rival Google's Display Network and Adwords. Fortunately, this means that modern businesses (those with a solid e-com platform), can create an effective content and distribution strategy and ensure that the content reaches the desired target audiences.
To bring this to life a little, the graph below gives an example of how Facebook's Business Manager (their advertising platform) can aid a content strategy.
The two plotted values here show the before, which was an organic approach and the after, which was using a small amount of paid media. The results? An increase in relevant reach of 443%. By relevant reach, we're talking about modelling the data of direct consumers and customers, to reach new audiences that match the same criteria.
We call this blend of organic and paid, the art and science of digital marketing, where high-quality content and effective distribution work hand in hand to achieve measurable, tangible results.
With continuous changes and updates to each platform, not just Facebook, today's marketers must use all the tools available and invest in content production and amplification, to achieve their objectives.
What do you need to do now?
Monitor how the News Feed changes are impacting your pages and your performance. Analyse month-on-month, quarter-on-quarter. Assess the results that occur from the different content formats that you are producing, from short form to long form. Video vs static vs animated.
Invest in ensuring you have a consistent stream of high-quality content. That doesn't mean you need to post content multiple times per day, or even every day. Simply that when you do publish, make sure it is of a high quality. We like to approach a content strategy with a layered approach:
- Hero content – this will be the cornerstone of your brand. A showcase of your best work.
- Educational and informative – a value-add to your audience. Tells the audience something about you that they should care about.
- Conversational – keeps you relevant. Just make sure this level of content doesn't become all you produce.
The risk of producing content that isn't valuable to your audience and being demoted by Facebook isn't one worth taking, ultimately because it will affect your organic reach (the number of people that see your content).
Finally, we can't beat this drum loud enough. The D2C (direct to consumer) model is in our faces. If you haven't started your paid media journey yet, then now is the time to start.
While Facebook does make changes to it's News Feed that may impact on your organic reach, it does so knowing fully well that it offers us a platform to reach 2 billion people. We simply have to pay to play. Moreover, their platform is incredibly cost-effective against other ad platforms.
Form a sports industry perspective, where we spend all of our time and we know that many of you reading this piece will be from the sports sector, remember; sports fans account for over one-third of the entire Facebook audience – that's over 700m people.
Your audience is on Facebook and if you're not producing great content to reach and engage them, someone else will be. This is a macro challenge that the sports industry is facing and one that we may discuss in another piece, but for now, don't worry too much about the News Feed changes – change is good for us all.
If you would like to explore what opportunities Facebook holds for your brand, you should speak with one of our sports marketing consultants. They can advise on all aspects of running a successful sports digital marketing campaign.
Drop us a line via our contact page, and let's get the conversation started!


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About Greg Palmer
I'm passionate about the power of technology and people to create a better world.
Hi! I'm Greg. I'm a digital marketer and product manager based in Boston, MA. I own and operate Mason Street Strategies, a boutique digital consultancy. We help small businesses and larger companies understand their customers and enhance their product offerings.
Past Work
Prior to starting Mason Street Strategies, I was a senior product manager at Curriculum Associates and Amplify, where I led teams building software to empower teachers and schools. I've been a consultant to places like the NYC public schools, the NYC Charter School Center, Active Data Exchange, and others. I founded Keystone Politics, a news and liberal advocacy organization, in 2004. Check out my LinkedIn profile for a more comprehensive view of my professional activities.
I spent several years consulting for companies, major non-profits, and school districts to help them built great digital products and use of technology. I directed website, intranet, content management, and search engine operations at the NYC Department of Education, the largest school district in the country. Before moving to New York, I was a technology advisor and aide to Chairman Henry Waxman and senior Democrats at the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Oversight, where I introduced a comprehensive live internet video of committee hearings to the public and worked to increase public interest in Congressional oversight.


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Single Family Detached
- 7 beds
- 5 baths
- $899,900 price
- 219041804 mls id
- Square Feet: 5,478 sqft
- Year Built: 1987
This 5+ acre property in Blacklick features two separate luxurious homes that are connected by a breezeway and boasts a pond. The main home has 5 bedrooms and 3 1/2 bathrooms, a first-floor owners suite with a whirlpool bathtub and an oversized walk in closet with an island. Gorgeous solid hard wood floors run throughout most of the entry level. The enormous 3 car garage is heated and has an abundance of storage space. The bathrooms and kitchen have all been updated with granite countertops. The attached home is over 1,400 sqft, has 2 bedrooms and has vaulted ceilings in the family room and in the largest bedroom. It also features a loft, which could be converted into a third bedroom if desired. It could be used as an in-law suite or rented out to tenants. Current rent is $1,500/month.
- Site Link
- Style Other Style
Courtesy of: New Albany/Gahanna
Office Phone: +16149390808
Listing Agent: Michael Ballentine
Updated: 8th April, 2020 6:19 PM.
3420 Mann Road Blacklick, OH


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Medical Specialty >> Neurology
Doctors Lounge - Neurology AnswersBack to Neurology Answers List
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. Doctors Lounge (www.doctorslounge.com) does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on the Site.
DISCLAIMER: The information provided on www.doctorslounge.com is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her physician. Please read our 'Terms and Conditions of Use' carefully before using this site.
Date of last update: 10/04/2017.
Forum Name: Neurology Topics
Question: adderall effect on possible fibro pains???
|shorrocks - Tue Sep 23, 2008 9:48 pm
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Hi, I will try to make this short. I have taken adderall since January 2007, different doses, the highest was 30 mg 2x a day. In March 2008 I started to down dose the Adderall due to irritability. At this time I started to have some muscle aches but nothing terrible. I then in April 2008 had a very bad virus that had a multitude of symptoms, including cardiac, which my then 7 year old son also experienced. I ultimately stoped taking Adderall completely in May 2008. I really had no problems doing that. However I ended up with every possible symptom of Fibromyalgia and then some. I had numerous blood work ups, visited many doctors, especially the rhuemotologist, labs, xrays, cardiologist, podiatrist etc. Then at the end of July, I was getting ready for a family vacation and was very much tired and in severe pain, when I got the idea to take 10mg of Adderall. I did this a few mornings in a row. The amazing thing is that the unbelievable pain I had been experiencing for months vanished. I did not make an Adderall connection until I stopped taking it again, due to having a stress test at my cardiologists, within 6 days of stopping it the horrible symptoms were all back. I suffered for about 3 days and then decided to take the Adderall again, 10mg in the A.M. and again like magic all pain vanished. My psychiatrist is aware of this and has no answers. I cannot possible beleive that I am the only human being on this planet to have experienced this "miracle". I am at this time taking the adderall 10mg 2xs a day and have been symptom free for weeks. How do I make a decision to be in pain or have cranky episodes??? Why is this happening, what is the adderall and pain relief connection, and what can I do to be pain free, but also not irritable when the adderall wears off?? Did the use of Adderall in the first place Almost 2 years ago cause this physical horror? I need answers. Thank you
|Debbie Miller, RN - Fri Oct 03, 2008 9:26 am
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Fibromyalgia is a mystery. It is real but we don't know what causes it. I have never heard of such a relationship but if the Adderall helps, why not use it? I think you are saying the problem with irritability comes if you do not take it, right? So, if you do, you are pain-free. Every person responds to drugs differently - that's one reason there are so many varieties of meds to treat the same conditions. If this helps you, I see no reason to stop using it but it is very doubtful this is the cause of the original problem. If so, we would be seeing such a pattern with others and suspicion would arise. I am glad you have discussed this with your psychiatrist so if there are concerns your doctor can be on top of it.
Best wishes.
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Apple To Expedite The Approval Of Credible Coronavirus Related Apps – Ubergizmo
The coronavirus outbreak is causing a lot of problems for everyone around the world, and as such, many are constantly searching for information about it. Unfortunately, the spike in demand for information has resulted in many unscrupulous developers creating coronavirus apps in a bid to capitalize on it.
Thankfully, companies have been quick to remove such apps from their stores in a bid to curb misinformation, and it looks like Apple is actually working to counter such bad apps by speeding up the process of reviewing credible apps for the coronavirus.
According to Apple, "To help fulfill these expectations, we're evaluating apps critically to ensure data sources are reputable and that developers presenting these apps are from recognized entities such as government organizations, health-focused NGOs, companies deeply credentialed in health issues, and medical or educational institutions."
The company adds, "Only developers from one of these recognized entities should submit an app related to COVID-19. Entertainment or game apps with COVID-19 as their theme will not be allowed." Apple is also telling these developers to select the "Time-Sensitive Event" on the expedite request form, otherwise it could take longer for their apps to be reviewed and approved.
Other companies are also working to fight against misinformation about the outbreak, such as Google, who recently confirmed that they are developing a website designed to provide users with information about the coronavirus.
Filed in Apps, Health and iOS. Source: developer.apple. Read more about
Nintendo has big plans for Super Mario Bros.' 35th anniversary – Video Games Chronicle
Nintendo" href="https://www.videogameschronicle.com/platforms/nintendo/">Nintendo is planning to celebrate Super Mario Bros.' 35th anniversary this year with several major releases, new and old.
Multiple sources have told VGC that the platform holder is planning to hold an event to coincide with this year's anniversary, which marks 35 years since the start of the mainline Super Mario series in 1985.
As part of its anniversary celebrations, Nintendo will reveal plans to re-release most of Super Mario's 35-year back catalogue this year, remastered for Nintendo Switch" href="https://www.videogameschronicle.com/platforms/nintendo/switch/">Nintendo Switch, VGC was told.
As VGC's network partner Eurogamer reported in a follow-up to our story, these remasters will include 1997's Super Mario 64, 2002's Super Mario Sunshine and 2007's Super Mario Galaxy.
Nintendo will also release several other Mario titles in 2020, including a new instalment in the Paper Mario series and a Deluxe version of 2013's Super Mario 3D World.
The plans are set to be revealed alongside new details of Nintendo's partnership with Universal, and the pair's Super Nintendo World theme park attractions and animated Super Mario movie.
Nintendo has already unveiled one flagship licensing deal planned to commemorate the anniversary: a special interactive Lego Mario set which sees players collecting coins and defeating enemies in real-life 'levels'.
The Super Mario 35th Anniversary reveal was originally due to take place as a physical event at E3 in June, VGC was told, but Nintendo is now reviewing its plans in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. E3 2020 has been cancelled due to the virus outbreak and Nintendo could instead opt for a digital showcase.
Approached for comment on this story, Nintendo said it "does not comment on rumour and speculation."
Nintendo last celebrated a milestone Mario anniversary with the series' 30th anniversary in 2015.
The company commemorated the occasion with various events and merchandise, including two special edition 8-bit Mario Amiibos. Super Mario was licensed for products from Hot Wheels, Moschino, Trump cards and more.
That year's celebrations culminated with the release of Super Mario Maker for Wii U" href="https://www.videogameschronicle.com/platforms/nintendo/wiiu/">Wii U in September 2015, exactly 30 years since Super Mario Bros.' original release for Famicom in Japan.
While its core business remains making and selling games, Nintendo has increasingly moved to leverage its popular IP in various ways in recent years.
The company's new Nintendo Tokyo store opened in November 2019, while the Super Nintendo World theme park land at Universal Studios Japan was scheduled to launch this summer.
The company has also recently partnered with fashion brands such as Uniqlo and Levis for Nintendo-themed clothing lines.
Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa recently said the company's efforts to broaden its audience by leveraging its IP outside of video games was bearing fruit, and Nintendo director Shigeru Miyamoto" href="https://www.videogameschronicle.com/people/shigeru-miyamoto/">Shigeru Miyamoto also touched on this topic in a Famitsu interview.
"We want to expand our video game characters to a variety of settings – not just in games, all while keeping their value," Miyamoto said. "In other words, we'll be collaborating with various other companies. If we're able to accomplish that, we can create more opportunities for people to make contact with our characters on a much larger scale than usual."
Microsoft wants Teams to be your communication tool for work and family – MobileSyrup
Microsoft wants Teams to be your communication hub. For everything.
The Redmond, Washington-based company announced a slew of new features, tools and apps coming as part of its new Microsoft 365 subscription. However, one of the standout announcements was that Teams would now work for families as well as businesses.
Teams, for those unfamiliar with the platform, is Microsoft's business communication hub. It has a lot in common with Slack, another communication tool for businesses. Even Google is trying to get into this space, with reports suggesting it's working on a chat platform that ties into G Suite services.
Whether you use Teams or Slack, these chat platforms have become invaluable to many businesses. And Microsoft now thinks that value can be expanded to families.
It's an interesting proposition. On the one hand, offering users the ability to switch between work and personal profiles is something Slack doesn't offer. Sure, you can sign into multiple Slack workspaces, swap between them and effectively use them for whatever you want. But Microsoft, at least from this announcement, appears to be doing more.
On the other hand, Teams for families puts Microsoft's business chat platform in direct competition with the countless other messaging platforms out there. Can Teams do enough to pull WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Signal and Telegram users away from their respective platforms? It might.
A feature suite you actually want
To grasp the potential allure of Teams, you need to understand two things. The first is the benefit of having one app for all your communication, and the other is the wealth of features Teams offers — features I think people will really want.
First up, having one app for all communication would be a huge boon, especially for people who aren't as tech-savvy. It would mean they wouldn't have to learn multiple apps just to send a message, and people can get stuff done faster if everything they need is in one familiar place. Considering some 44 million people use Teams every day, that's a lot of people that could benefit from consolidating communication to one platform.
As for the features, Microsoft announced a few things. However, with Teams' new features not going into preview until the summer, there are some specifics missing. Plus, it's hard to say how much of an impact these new features will have since we can't test them out yet.
That said, there's some promise here. For one, Teams will offer family users access to group chats and video or audio calls. While those are expected functions, the other features are more interesting.
According to Microsoft, users will be able to work on shared to-do lists with friends and family through Teams, assign other people tasks, coordinate schedules and share photos and videos. In a family setting, these features could help parents plan family outings, make chore lists and assign duties to kids, plan around activities, events and appointments, and more.
Further, Microsoft Teams will let users store important information like account details or Wi-Fi passwords. Judging by a product screenshots the company shared, those items will go into the 'Safe' on the Teams family dashboard. This could be a great tool for securely sharing the house Wi-Fi, or giving family members access to the Netflix password.
Finally, Teams will also offer a location sharing tool that will let users share location updates with their family.
Most of these features, but particularly the Safe, are things I'd love to have on messaging apps I already use. They could prove enticing enough to get users to switch, but it remains to be seen just how effective Teams will be at communication for everything.
Microsoft is launching a Family Safety app and Microsoft Teams for consumers – XDA Developers
Microsoft had a number of announcements to make today, some of which will make their way over to Android. The biggest news is the rebranding of Microsoft Office 365 to simply "Microsoft 365." With that name change comes a number of new features that will be available when the new plans launch next month.
Microsoft 365 will be available in two subscription plans: Personal and Family. These new plans will replace the existing Office 365 plans for consumers. Along with the name change comes a couple of additions. First, Microsoft Family Safety is an app to allow families to share their location, manage screen time, and more.
Microsoft Family Safety is similar to many popular apps used by families. It combines several features that parents can use to keep tabs on their kids' various activities. Parents can get information about screen time and even see how that time is broken down by device, including Windows, Android, and Xbox. Limits can be created for viewing times and for content based on age restrictions.
Location sharing is another feature of Microsoft Family Safety. Everyone in the family can see when people arrive at locations such as home, school, and work. You can set up notifications to know when someone arrives or leaves a location. The app can even give out driving reports, which could be useful for new drivers in the family.
Next up is Microsoft Teams for consumers. Teams has primarily been for businesses while Skype is the consumer-focused option, but that's changing in Microsoft 365. Microsoft Teams for consumers has many of the features you'd expect from a group chat app, including video calls, but also handy things like to-do list sharing and more. The company is positioning Teams to be a tool for people planning things together.
Microsoft 365 will also bring more features to Office users. The company's powerful AI-powered Editor will be available to anyone who subscribes to Microsoft 365. This feature is basically a more advanced version of Grammarly. Subscribers will get access to a rewrite feature than can rephrase an entire sentence. The tool also includes a plagiarism checker to help students to cite sources in research papers.
Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions will be available starting on April 21st. The Personal plan costs $6.99 per month, while the Family plan (up to six people) costs $9.99 per month. Some of these new features will be available first in preview and others will roll out over the coming months.
Source: Microsoft
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Welcome back to Part 4, the final part of this Blog series on balance. I am excited to have guest, Dr. Victor Shamas, who will explore balancing the mind and opening to Spirit through awareness practices that still the fluctuations of the monkey mind, and create a more sensual daily experience of life.
In Autumn, as your body is slowing down, so is your mind. This is a wonderful time to turn inward and open up the mental space between thoughts. The experience of meditation lives in this space.
I see an important difference between meditation as an experience and as a practice. At certain moments, when my mind is silent, I connect with something wonderful and breathtakingly beautiful within myself. This is my true nature—my essence—which is the nature of all things.
Over the past three decades, I have learned to stretch the experience of meditation and make it last. Why? Because for me, this is the ultimate adventure, the epitome of fun, and the source of infinite inspiration and delight. Sometimes, people try to turn meditation into serious business, and perhaps for some of them it needs to be. For me, though, the experience feels more like true Lila or divine play. My struggles as a tiny, isolated entity in this world cease just long enough so that I can be who I truly am, doing what I most fully enjoy.
Each of us spends so much time trying to be somebody that we may lose sight of the staggering power at our disposal. In moments of meditation, we can fill ourselves to overflowing. Then we are not just somebody but everybody. The whole universe lives in us at those moments. Or we empty ourselves so completely that we are nobody. This may sound daunting but being nobody means you are pure awareness without form or identity. There is nothing you need to know, nowhere you need to go, and nobody you need to become. You are completely immersed in the experience of the now, which is perfect and complete. Are you familiar with the sensation I am describing? If not, or if you would like to familiarize you more deeply with it, that is where the practice of meditation comes into play.
In my journey of exploration, I have come across hundreds of techniques that are intended to facilitate the experience of meditation. These techniques can be broken down into two types: concentrative and mindfulness meditation.
Concentrative meditation practices bring the mind into silence. Typically, these techniques have you focus on one thing, such as a Mudra (gesture), Mantra (a sound, syllable, or utterance), or Mandala (visual symbol or icon). As you concentrate, you shift your attention out of its normal mode of operation, in which its tendency is to jump from thought to thought in a manner analogous to the monkey jumping from branch to branch. Something interesting happens when you fix attention on only one thought and then hold it there. You mind goes from one thought to no thought, for reasons that I explained in my last book, Deep Creativity. In concentrative meditation, you empty yourself of yourself so perfectly that only pure essence remains.
In mindfulness meditation, on the other hand, you expand attention, shifting it in an entirely different way from an active mode to a receptive one. Instead of grasping onto any single thought, you seek to draw as much as possible into your field of awareness. From a visual standpoint, the analogy would be the ability to shift from a hard gaze to a soft gaze. In a hard gaze, your visual attention is like a laser beam aimed at a specific target, whereas in a soft gaze, there is no grasping. Everything you can take in lives in your visual field at the same time. Mindfulness is all about perfect receptivity, without grasping, judging, or expecting anything at all. You fill yourself with everything, taking in all of creation at once.
I want my meditation practice to be fun and easy. That is why I gravitate to play activities for concentrative meditation. From earliest childhood, I always knew how to empty my mind and lose myself in the experience of the moment. That is called play. The kind of play that works for me is non-demanding and non-competitive. There is no strategy or thinking involved, no goal or objective. It is purely experiential and usually somatic. Our bodies offer so many avenues for the experience of meditation. Think of all the possible forms of bodily delight that you can explore. As far as I am concerned, sensuality can be a profound meditation. Tantra masters have come up with practices like this: When you bite into the strawberry, be the strawberry. Be the juicy sweetness that makes the lips glisten and the taste buds tingle. There is so much richness to be experienced in a single bite of a ripe, juicy strawberry that you can build an entire spiritual practice around this one simple activity.
I can come up with hundreds of other play activities that would be just as effective forms of meditation for myself: dancing, chanting, swimming, walking in nature, or pretty much any facet of lovemaking. In this fall season, find the play activities that work for you. Pick something you love to do and lose yourself in it. Remember what it was like for you as a child to throw yourself into the joy of an experience wholly. Every meditator aspires to the single-pointed focus that children demonstrate when they are immersed completely in play. That is exactly what you are seeking to do here. Be the child that you were then and still are. Throw yourself into the act with total abandon, the way you might jump into a pile of freshly raked autumn leaves.
That covers concentrative meditation. Now, for the other end of the spectrum, which is mindfulness, I can sum up my practice in one word: Repose. Over the years, I have talked with thousands of people who have studied mindfulness techniques. The vast majority of the meditators I have met found these techniques effortful and challenging, at least at first. That is certainly not my style. Remember, I gravitate to fun and easy. Nothing is more fun or easier, at least for me, than Repose.
Here is how Repose works: Lie on your back, on a comfortable surface, with arms extended perpendicular from your torso and legs spread open as far as you comfortably can. Think of savasana on steroids. Or look at the accompanying pic. That is Repose in a nutshell. My research has shown that lying in Repose for seven minutes three times of day has all kinds of benefits: reduced stress, elevated mood, improved mental performance, and overall increases in physical, mental, and social function. (See Image Above)
Although these are all great blessings, none of them is the reason I have made Repose a mainstay of my meditation practice. For me, Repose is the ultimate pose for facilitating the kind of receptivity that allows you to fill yourself completely. The idea is to open yourself up to a universe of possibilities. It turns out that when you open up your body through Repose, your mind follows. I have found that Repose opens my mind to inner wisdom and intuition; fresh ideas and insights; and profound experiences of epiphany and creative inspiration.
For this autumn season, I suggest you try these two ways to slow down your mind: Lose yourself in play at least once a day, choosing the play activity that resonates most with what draws you or what your body craves at this time of year. Then try Repose at least once a day for seven minutes. If you can lie in Repose three times a day, that is when some big magic happens. I can tell you more about the wonders of Repose, but I prefer the idea of you finding out for yourself. Repose is easy enough to build in your schedule. I do it first thing when I wake up in the morning, just before going to sleep at night, and mid-afternoon, when there is a natural lull in my daily energy cycle. This lull happens around 2:30-3 for most people regardless of geography or culture. It just seems to be built into our natural daily rhythms as human beings. Inserting Repose into this lull is very nourishing and reinvigorating.
I come out of Repose feeling relaxed and energized at the same time.
Now you know fun and easy ways to slow down your mind, turn inward, and open up the space between thoughts. That space holds the core truth that lies at the heart of yoga and Ayurveda. And that core truth can only be known through direct experience, free of the mind.
Insert Picture of Repose
Dr. Victor Shamas is a University of Arizona psychologist, the founder of two Tucson-based nonprofit groups (Global Chant and PlayHaven), and the author of four books: Deep Creativity: Inside the Creative Mystery, The Way of Play, The Chanter's Guide, and the Amazon bestseller, Repose: The Potent Pause, co-authored with Jhan Kold. He has devoted his life to understanding the kinds of profound experiences associated with creativity. His research has focused on intuition, self-transcendence, play, receptivity, and the role of consciousness in the creative process.


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Technology can be time-sucking if you are not careful. You can save your valuable time by applying some technical hacks. In this post, we will state such seven awesome technical hacks which may make your technology life easier or quicker. You can share these things with your friends as well.
Here are these seven awesome technical hacks which may make your technology life easier according to our editors:
1: If you are buying headphones/speakers, test them with Bohemian Rhapsody song. It has the complete set of highs and lows in instruments and vocals. The constant changes to the decibel level and the tempo, as continual back and forth between the left and right speaker outputs all that makes this amazing song perfect for testing.
Let's say you've used Photoshop before but you can't afford your own copy. You should feel right at home with Sumo Paint, as many of its tools and palettes work like Photoshop's. You can do your work instantly with it to make your technology life easier.
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5: Want to test is your TV's remote working or its battery is dead or not?
If you don't see the flicker from the IR blaster, or perhaps just a very, very dim flicker, you probably need to change the remote's batteries (And if new batteries don't help, you probably need to replace your remote).
7: If you're in extreme need of some way to cool down your laptop and don't want to spend the cash on a cooling pad, many instructors have a simple solution in the form of some overturned egg cartons.
Flip some empty cartons over and you get plenty of airflows. Plus you won't burn your legs if you want to actually put your laptop on your lap. It's by no means the prettiest thing, but it's cheap and gets the job done. An ugly setup is better than an overheating machine.
If you want us to make part 2 of this post then do comment down below and also if you have any new ideas about technology hacks then don't forget to share them with us by commenting on our post.


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The Milford Schools Foundation is proud to partner with local organizations to extend our mission of enhancing and enriching the lives of Milford students, and the community at large. Here are just a few projects we were happy to be part of.
The Milford Schools Foundation was proud to be a top sponsor of "A Dog's Day in August" to raise funds needed for Milford High School's Autism Assistance Service Dog on Aug. 26, 2017.
The event included a 5K owner/dog walk, food, music and games at Miami Meadows Park.
"Please accept my sincere thanks and appreciation for your generous donation to "A Dog's Day" and the MHS Autism Assistance Facility Dog. Without your help we could not afford to attend and pay for the necessary training required to receive our dog. The support of the Milford Foundation of Milford students and teachers in unmatched and something that makes Milford a wonderful community!"
-- Trena Panko, event organizer
Not only does the Milford Schools Foundation help students build healthier minds, but we enjoy helping them build healthier bodies as well. That's why the Foundation made a substantial donation to the Seipelt Elementary PTA to help outfit the playground at the new Seipelt Elementary School.
The Milford Schools Foundation is pleased to get our teachers off to a great start by purchasing breakfast for teachers' opening day assembly.


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UMIDIGI had introduced the UMIDIGI S2 handset quite recently, and now the company is promoting this handset by listing five of its best features. Before we get into it, though, it's worth noting that the UMIDIGI S2 is a metal-clad smartphone which is clearly inspired by the Samsung Galaxy S8. Having said that, the first and second feature that the company is emphasizing, are the phone's display aspect ratio and its display in general. The UMIDIGI S2 sports a 6-inch display HD+ display, though the company emphasizes that the device is not huge because of it, as it fits into a body of most phones with 5.5-inch displays, and an 18:9 aspect ratio is definitely the reason for that, in addition to phone's rather thin bezels.
The phone's build is also something that UMIDIGI wanted to emphasize, as the phone is made out of metal, and the company claims that it paid a lot of attention to detail while this phone was being designed. The phone fits in the hand quite nicely, and UMIDIGI says that it did its best to make it a bit unique. The UMIDIGI S2 also comes with a really large battery on the inside, the company packed in a 5,100mAh battery inside of this phone, and the company claims that 80 percent of its consumers who voted in the company's poll said that the battery life is extremely important, over some other aspects that were listed. UMIDIGI claims that you won't need to recharge the UMIDIGI S2 halfway through the day thanks to its 5,100mAh battery unit, which is something that cannot be said for quite a few phones out there. Now, UMIDIGI also wants you to know that the UMIDIGI is currently up for pre-order, and that it is discounted while the pre-order period is ongoing. You can get the UMIDIGI S2 for $199.99 over at GearBest (link is included down below), as the first 3,000 units are discounted by $50, says UMIDIGI.
The UMIDIGI S2 comes with a rear-facing fingerprint scanner, while a dual camera setup is also included here. The UMIDIGI S2 sports a 6-inch HD+ display, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The device is fueled by the Helio P20 64-bit octa-core SoC by MediaTek, while Android 6.0 Marshmallow comes pre-installed on the phone. 13 and 5-megapixel shooters are included on the back of this phone, and you're also getting two SIM card slots here.


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Current Overview
First a Brexit vote followed by a Trump card and on both occasions the market reaction has essentially been the opposite to what was expected. Life is seldom dull as a broker. Markets were tipped for large falls and while share prices fell heavily for 2 days post the Brexit vote, large scale recovery followedinmostsectors.WithregardtoTrump,thedollarandmarketswere also expected to drop dramatically in value and neither have materialised. Infact, the polar opposite has ensued; well thus far at least with the Dow Jones and S&P 500 indices pushing to new all time highs as I write.
Time and again the consensus or most widely held views and predictions for market direction are proved to be wrong. Indeed this is largely why and how contrarian fund managers and stockbrokers, (those that go against the herd) make their strategic investment calls. I suppose if calling the market were that easy, we would all be millionaires.
While the FTSE 100 index has been trading largely sideways for a few months, what has been of interest of recent is what we have seen in terms of the relative share price performances of the constituents within the index. In particulartherehasbeenonesectorofthemarketthathasawoken from its slumber and that is the financials. Since the Trump victory there has developed a seismic shift in the expectation now for rising inflation and corresponding increases in interest rates (in the US primarily). Accordingly we have seen big falls in the prices of overbought bonds (where prices move in the opposite direction to the (expected) movement in rates). We have also seen large falls in the prices of so called equity "bond proxies" in the form of defensive companies which have been bought aggressively to high valuations through sluggish economic times as their cashflows are seen as well insulated.; here I refer to the tobacco, utility and consumer staple areas to include companies such as Unilever and Diageo.
Conversely we have seen the share prices of banks notably rising quickly as banks make more profit when rates increase. The post credit crisis low interest rate environment that we have been living through over the past 7-8 years has kept the appetite for financial stocks low. This is now changing before our eyes. " Value" shares as they are referred to in the business are those that have been unloved with good reason, are arguably mispriced but that await a catalyst for becoming attractive again. The banking sector is and has been "value" personified and a sector which contrarian stock pickers have bought and patiently held for some time. Insurance stocks are also now joining this cyclical party with Aviva (485p) for example, up over 10% in the last week alone. Other economically correlated (non defensive) sectors such as miners have been trading strongly also. Whether or not interest rates do rise as predicted, only time will tell. Genuine economic progress will remain key in this regard. Perhaps the current uplift in the financial space will prove to be ahead of itself and short-lived. Maybe investors should now be looking carefully at the recent underperformance in the defensive sectors as buying opportunities. Different views always persist and this is of course what makes the market.
It seems likely to me that the market will now trade steadily and healthily through until the end of the year on low volume; it is the time of year for it. The New Year will thus be the logical back to the drawing board reassessment period. The uncertainty relating to US policy under a new President, similar uncertainty regardingthedirectionofinterestrates(toincludetheUK), the unfolding reality of Brexit, ongoing European political and economic anxiety, the oil price and the outlook for the unpredictable Emerging Markets will all be some of the factors to carefully evaluate as investors into 2017.
Stock specific comment
Vodafone (195p) is trading near 3 year lows yielding a growing 6% annual income going forward. I believe it has been unfairly shunned over the recent past, viewed perhaps as a bond proxy as it does have utility type characteristics. The stock looks expensive at first glance based on its market value relative to its profits but stripping out significant cash balances, the enterprise value is reduced hugely. Much hope has been placed on its plans for an Indian presence and there are competitive risks to this area. With much of the company's large-scale capital investment outflows behind them, cashflowtothebusinesswillbeimproving.M&Aactivitycannotberuledout with the stock looking low and directors have been buying, taking advantage of the weak price. It has been pleasing to see the stock hold above the 189p
3 year technical support level. My target is 225p over the next 6 months.
Somewhat curiously large cap pharmaceutical stocks to include GSK (1460p) and AstraZeneca (4060p) have sustained material share price falls since the summer highs. Back then their dollar earning capabilities had catapulted them quickly to annual highs although they did appear overbought. I parted company then with most of my holdings then but now around 20% lower, the valuations are much more appetising again with income yields at around 5.5%. A Clinton administration had previously been flagged as less supportive for the sector than a Trump; this should be a relative boost yet the stocks have continued to drift even with FX rates not materially different to those of the summer. While drug pricing remains somewhat under the microscope, my suspicion is investment opportunities have once again appeared with both stocks seemingly finding support at current levels.
To conclude, the 2 weekly 20% rally in the oil price facilitated by an OPEC supply cut puts oil @$53.50 per barrel. Petrofac (820p) has lagged the performance of the oil services sector as a whole and it is now in my sights. A well covered 6% forward yield lends support to the investment case and improved markets for 2017 seem a fair bet. The stock is undoubtedly volatile and was trading at 950p as recently as mid October. Assuming oil is back trading north of $50 and can maintain such levels, I would hope the company has new contract potential. Not for widows and orphans despite it's commanding near £3 billion market value, my target is 925p over the next 3 months.
Philip has worked as a Private Client Stockbroker for nearly 20 years, commencing his career in Operations with Rensburg Sheppards (now part of Investec plc) before spending 9 years with Killik & Co advising on and directly managing portfolios. He joined SI Capital in 2006 to head up the Private Client Advisory desk.
Philip is a regular contributor to local media commenting on stock market dynamics and is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (MCSI). His RDR qualification gained special recognitionfrom the CISI for achieving the highest combined pass mark in the country for the Investment Advice Diploma in 2012.
"At SI Capital I enjoy being part of a talented team who collectively share the same desire to provide excellence in service. My focus is to ensure that each client receives effective and optimal management of their assets."
Philip lives locally, is married with 2 daughters and is an avid sports fan (if now predominantly from the sidelines). His other interests include music and film.