text:
Difference between revisions of "Area Manager: 101"
|Line 256:
|Line 256:
==Sharing Work==
==Sharing Work==
Area managers in the same city can use our wiki to collaborate and divide the work. The [[To Do lists - Major Cities|To Do lists]] page can be edited so you and other area managers can mark the Highways/Roads you want to fix. Other Area Manager's have already started defining what needs to be 'done' to get a highway right. Here's an example of an active to-do list for [[To Do - Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN|Minneapolis]].
Area managers in the same city can use our wiki to collaborate and divide the work. The [[To Do lists - Major Cities|To Do lists]] page can be edited so you and other area managers can mark the Highways/Roads you want to fix.
Other Area Manager's have already started defining what needs to be 'done' to get a highway right. Here's an example of an active to-do list for [[To Do - Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN|Minneapolis]].
==OK, but how do we discover each other and form a team?==
==OK, but how do we discover each other and form a team?==
Revision as of 17:05, 17 April 2010
Area Managers - the complete how to guide
From the Waze Area_Manager_101.doc
- 1 Introduction and Thank You
- 2 Update requests
- 3 Community - the Forum - How to be available for other members in your area
- 4 Map problems
- 5 Pending deletion
- 6 House numbering
- 7 Mapping tips
- 7.1 This is the crown jewel.
- 7.2 Sounds great! Where do I start?
- 7.3 Anything tricky about this map editing stuff?
- 7.4 I did some mapping, but how should I label the new roads that I created?
- 7.5 I see this Locked checkbox option when I edit roads, is that dangerous?
- 7.6 Yes! I'm done mapping the area you guys gave me. I want more!
- 8 For larger cities, can I share the workload?
- 9 Update requests templates
Introduction and Thank You
Thank you for becoming a Waze Area Manager. Because of people just like you, Waze will only get better and better. You are a critical success factor for Waze. We really appreciate your help.
Please read all the information in this wiki Area Manager FAQ section, view the videos, add your questions and comments to the Forum. Feel free to send private messages to other registered area managers in your city by using the websiteor email us. Or, update the wiki with things you have learned.
But, we have one big request for you. Please be patient. Rome wasn't built, or mapped, in a day. It will take time to get this done. Time to build the maps, detect the errors, fix the errors and also build the critical mass of wazers so that real time reporting from the highways provides important early warning data.
As an area manager, we know it will sometimes be frustrating for you, and we ask you also be patient with us. At times, it may take a few days to see your map corrections in the cell phone client, but they will appear. So keep making those corrections. We are growing fast, struggling with the growth, but we are looking forward to a bright future, all thanks to you.
P.S. In case you would like to be an area manager, all you need to do is send us an email at firstname.lastname@example.com with your Waze username, your email address, and a Super Permalink on the update map screen of the area you want to help fix.
P.P.S. Be sure to check out our new 2 hour map editing webinars, too.
Update requests
What is an update request?
This is the main tool to interact with your community! Update requests are a direct tool to mediate between wazers in your area and you. This enables each wazer to report map errors and updates without having to figure out how to solve it, which is where you can come in as the area manager. Anyone can report map problems, either from the livemap or directly from the phone client. For most of them it's click 'n go, for you these are precious pieces of data.
Update requests are requests that the waze users added to the live map in certain places. When choosing a road on the live map, a user has the option to Report a problem.
Using this enables the user to report problems such as: update name, a street is missing , road fix, missing junctions and other issues. Users have the option to also add a text description, but this is not a must when submitting an update request, and some of them will have no description. Another option to report a problem is using a mobile phone with waze. Users can report problems by entering the 'update map' interface from the waze client.
This tool provides you not only the means to see the map and navigation problems from the users in your area, but it also lets you teach and lead the wazers in your community, by explaining to them how they can fix the problems on their own.
When an update request has been sent, it will be shown on the edit map as a circle, where each color represents a different status:
- Red – open problem : the problem is new or hasn't been checked yet. As time passes the problem will grow more circles around it.
- Yellow – field trip needed : a solution for the problem is not possible because there is not enough information to solve the problem. It's necessary to drive in that area in order the map it better.
- Blue – missing data : not enough information to understand and solve the problem.
How do I solve these update requests?
When selecting the update request icon, the edit panel will show:
|Edit Panel
Clicking on Save changes will update the request and send an e-mail automatically to the user who opened the update request. Currently, the email will be sent from the waze support email (so your private email will not be shared), but we are working on adding an interface that will allow direct communication between wazers.
ok, I understand. But what's my part in this?
Glad you asked. The wazers use this tool to inform you about problems in the map of your area. As an area manager you are the one who has permissions to add or change the information in the map.
The Update Requests tool allows the community to let you know about these problems and therefore you can keep track of their requests. While driving, the wazers will sometimes encounter a problem like a turn that should be restricted, wrong street name and direction etc. Because they do not have the permissions to edit and fix the map, or they are not familiar with the map editor interface yet, they will turn to you.
They will open the update request option while driving or when they will visit the site. Sometimes they will add information regarding this problem, sometimes they will not. When you go over the update requests make sure you read and understand what the user meant when he opened the request. Sometimes it will not be clear what the user meant to say, and sometimes there won't be enough information to solve the problem. If you can't understand what the user meant, write them back that you need more information in order to solve the problem.
If a street is missing, you can either check for existing GPS points and create the road, or mark the update request as 'field trip needed' which basically means someone will have to drive this missing street before it is mapped.
Remember to always be polite when answering the users, and write in a simple and understandable manner. Remember the old saying "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime" - teach your community how to solve the problems by themselves, it will take the load off you.
What is the best way to track my area update requests?
You have two ways to keep track of the update requests in your area: One is to have a feed to your RSS reader, such as the Google reader - click here to find the Waze RSS feed of the Update Requests in your area. The other way is to scroll the map of your area to see if there are any new or unresolved requests.
Note: make sure you turn on the Update Requests Layer in the Layer Panel on the cartouche.
Got it. Is there any way to help me answer the users in a simple way?
Sure thing. Just use these already written answers, it can help you sometimes by «copy & paste» to the answer field on the update request box. You can use a list of templates available here.
Community - the Forum - How to be available for other members in your area
This Forum tool helps you stay in touch with your community. The other wazers can share their knowledge and their acquaintance with your city to help you with mapping and developing the map in your area. The bigger the area you have under your management, the more you will need the other wazers to help you.
It is important to work with other wazers your community – they are the ones who best know the area they live in, and like you, they will benefit from the improvement of the map. You can read about wazers' requests, help them map and solve problems, and even assign wazers to map different parts of your area.
How to use the Forum?
First of all, check the Forum in the waze site – click on the community label and then click on the "go to forums" option.
- check the "country (languages) forums".
- Find your relevant country.
- You can add a new topic (it is recommended to add a new topic with your region or city's name in order to provide a forum which serves you and your community. (for example: UK forum – London forum – Eastend forum).
I can't find any relevant forum for my region / country, what should I do?
Have no worries. Just send us an email to email@example.com with a request to add a new country, language or region and we will add the topic to the forum.
I have a forum of my area. What now?
Good question! Now your community has a place to discuss with each other, and let you know about problems they have and ask for your assistance and guidance. If you've noticed other wazers are editing roads in / around your area, invite them with a Private Message (PM) to come join your forum and discuss further mapping there, so it will be available for any other wazers who join in the future.
Is there a simple way to keep track of the forum?
Of course! you can now subscribe for specific forums that interest you, or remain with the current feed that holds all the posts on the forum. To subscribe to a specific feed, you will need the forum id which appears as part of the URL when you open the forum.
For example, the MAP forum is #8 as seen from its URL: viewforum.php?f=8 Subscribing to a forum will also subscribe you to all of its sub-forums.
In order to get the RSS for the MAP forum only, use this url:http://www.waze.com/WAS/forum_feeds?ids=8
To add another forum, for example, the Norwegian forum (id = 54) just add the number following a comma (no spaces): http://www.waze.com/WAS/forum_feeds?ids=8,54
By default, the feed will contain the last 10 posts, but you can extend up to 100 posts by adding &limit=xxx to the end of the RSS feed URL: http://www.waze.com/WAS/forum_feeds?ids=8,54&limit=100
what should I do with this forum feed?
You will need to Subscribe to a site that can provide you a way to gather all the feeds from the forums you have choosen. There are a number of sites that provide this service, such as netvibes.com, igoogle, bing etc.
Map problems
Information about map problems is available on waze's wiki - check this link: Map Editing. We have two types of map problems — merger problems and scan problems.
What do scan problems mean?
(also check the wiki page How_to_fix_scan_problems_(problems_1-31) ).
Scan problems are shown on the map when the program recognizes a situation that might be problematic for navigation. You will have to activate the Map Problem Layer in order to see problems that exist on the map. If there is a major problem that is left unsolved, waze will not be able to route in the specific area where the problem exists. It is vital, as an area manager, to check the map in your area and see whether these problems can affect the navigation of users in your community and if so, fix them. Our Scan Problems wiki page holds all the information you'll need to know in order to solve these problems. Make sure you check it out.
What do merger problems mean?
(also check the wiki page How_to_fix_merger_problems_(problems_51-60))
Merger problems are slightly different from the scan problems. The merger problems are problems that arise after the program runs a daily scan and finds anomalies. This is where the current map does not fit the actual route of other wazers.
For example, a road segment is not where it should be. Because of this, the actual route that was taken by wazers will be far from the current road showing on the Waze map, thus creating a merger problem. As an area manager, the «merger problems» tool can help you detect if there are roads that should be fixed or if there are new roads that should be added.
Once again, please visit the merger problem issue in our wiki page to get all the information you need to solve these problems. Pay special attention to the fact that some of these problems do not need fixing. Some merge problem might arise from inaccurate GPS tracks caused by wazers with cell phones having inaccurate GPS chips.
Pending deletion
What is pending deletion?
Another good question. Pending deletion is a tool that lets you monitor and approve deletion of roads that wazers from your community suggest be deleted. You are the only one who can approve or disapprove deletions of roads in your area! Most important: the tool helps you validate the integrity of the map in your area. You will be the one who approves the deletion of roads. Check the roads before you approve or disapprove deletions.
After a (normal) user asks to delete a segment, he will receive a message that his request is pending the approval of the area manager. In the meantime, until you review his request, the segment will remain on the map but a label with a warning sign saying 'road is pending for deletion' - so map editors will know not to work on this segment anymore. After you review the pending deletion requests, you can either delete the segment which will completely remove it from the map, or discard the request which will bring the segment back to its regular form.
ok, but how is it done?
Very simple! In the update map (cartouche), you have the View Panel. There you can see the option «pending», which is only available after you become an area manager. By clicking on «pending», a new menu will pop up:
This menu is divided to 6 columns:
Make sure you make a routine check of the pending deletions candidates frequently.
House numbering
(please check the wiki at our site to learn about numbering houses.) Adding house numbers to streets is vital for proper navigation. The goal is to establish accurate house / business street numbers for each street that was created and to add numbers to an already existing street.
I see... but what's my part in house numbering as an area manager?
Brilliant question. Like your duty in the "pending deletion" tool, you are the one who approves the house numbers. As the area manager of your zone, you should make sure that the numbering, done by other wazers, is correct.
ok...how do I do that?
Simple as pie! Open the update map (cartouche), turn on the "House Numbers" Layer. Now you can see house numbers that were recorded by other users (showed as red circles with an arrow inside). In order to save / approve the recordings you must approve them.
Just click on one of the circles, check if the data is accurate and press save. If not, change the house numbers. That's it. Simple as pie.
Mapping tips
This is the crown jewel.
As an area manager you have permissions not only to create new roads according to your routes but create roads according to the GPS points made by any other wazer in your area.
When mapping a map from scratch, meaning that there are hardly any roads recorded by users, it is your duty to make the map alive by mapping the area yourself. Keep in mind that if you're still not sure about any of the cartouche features and options, you can check this wiki article.
Sounds great! Where do I start?
Work your way by the importance of the roads. Start mapping the freeways, ramps, major and minor highways and then move to the main streets etc.
Start from the highways that connect the cities, Thist will allow basic navigation around the city and its surroundings. Then create ramps, then major roads in the city itself, in order to make the navigation simple and quick. When you're done mapping the main roads create the smaller streets.
As soon as the main grid is up and live, it'll be easy for other wazers to join in. As more wazers navigate in your area, there will be more data, helping you build the map faster and easier. The better the map is, the more users will join you by mapping their own streets.
Anything tricky about this map editing stuff?
Unfortunately, yes. What you see, is not always what your get - Turn restrictions and connectivity
As a new Area Manager, before you go off and start making lots of changes to your map area, let's stop a minute and be sure you understand how to truly 'see' what waze sees in your map. New area managers often think they just need to open the roads by setting the direction and modify a road segments geometry to match the aerial map. Sometimes that is enough but to really get your map right, you need to use some viewing tools to look deeper.
Just because you have a nice map like this, Where the directions are correct and where there is a nice junction at each intersection, don't think that everything is copacetic. What you see is not always what you get.
Roads may seem to be 'open' but Waze may think they are not drivable. Huh?! Yep, just because one road touches another road and has a junction, waze may not think you can make a turn. How do you tell? There are two tools that help a lot. First, You have to click Restricted Turns in the Layers panel. Then some red turn restriction arrows may appear. See that we have a restricted turn as James avenue crosses Lagoon.
But wait, there is more. The second tool, Highlight Connectivity shows which roads are actually connected to each other. Again, placing a junction does not insure all the roads really connect.
By checking the Highlight Connectivity box in the View panel, you see the true picture. See what happend to our view of James and Lagoon. As you travel south on James, Waze understands you can take a right turn to go west on Lagoon - Green Highlight, Waze also understands that you can take a right turn from Lagoon onto James going north or you can go northward on James across Lagoon - orange lines. But, Waze does not think you can drive south on James across Lagoon.
But you can go south on James across Lagoon, But how do you fix it? You fix it first, by selecting the two road segments in the order that you would drive them. In this case, first click the James Ave segment to the North of Lagoon and then command/ctrl click (command for Mac, ctrl for Windows) the segment to the south. Next, on the Edit panel, click Connect Roads by order of selection. Next To remove the turn restriction, you must click on the junction at Lagoon and James, and once the junction is highlighed with a circle, click Enable all Turns on the Edit Panel.
I did some mapping, but how should I label the new roads that I created?
Just visit our wiki page and you will find all the information you need is here. We realize that road types differ from one country to another. A few have already created their own guidelines in separate wiki articles for their country. If you are not sure about your country, you can ask us at firstname.lastname@example.com and we will assist.
I see this Locked checkbox option when I edit roads, is that dangerous?
Actually, no it is very useful. When you select a road segment and click edit details, the Locked checkbox is shown. If you have a new area, the checkboxes will mostly be unchecked. The Locked checkbox, if checked, prevents Waze from automatically changing the direction(s) of a road segment. If a road segment in your area is unchecked and a wazer with a poorly calibrated GPS passes through the neignborhood, the wazers bad signal could make waze think your recently set one way roads are actually two way.
Setting the locked checkbox is not like 'until death do us part'. As area manager you can modify the road directions to your hearts content. The Locked checkbox just keeps Waze from trying to 'help'
General rule: When you go through your area, if you are pretty sure about the direction of your roads, you should lock them.
Ok, but what if I'm about to change a road segments direction and it already has a lock on it. What do I do then? In that case, I'd double check your facts. Someone before you thought differently. Check the flow of roads into and out of the road you plan to change. Bottom line. Be sure you're right, then go ahead and make the change.
Yes! I'm done mapping the area you guys gave me. I want more!
Way to go! Congratulations!!
just send us an email to email@example.com with your username, your email address, a Super Permalink on the update map screen (!!) of the area you want to add (use the maximum zoom level, meaning go as far as possible and then hit the Super Permalink button) and additional information that will might help us (cities name, regions etc.). We will send you an email once your new area has been added.
Sharing Work
Area managers in the same city can use our wiki to collaborate and divide the work. The To Do lists page can be edited so you and other area managers can mark the Highways/Roads you want to fix. If your city isn't listed, you can add it by copying a city line in the wiki page source code. Sounds scary but it's easy. Other Area Manager's have already started defining what needs to be 'done' to get a highway right. Here's an example of an active to-do list for Minneapolis.
OK, but how do we discover each other and form a team?
Good question. You can start by turning on the Area Managers Layer in the Layers panel in Cartouche and see usernames of the area managers in your town. Also, you can ask Wazers in your area with the biggest point to join you. Check the bottom toolbar in Waze on your phone. Tap the arrowhead. Tap scoreboard. You'll see wazers in your town by point totals, with highest on top.
To make contact, log into the forum and send them a private message. Often regular users don't know how to sign up by sending email to firstname.lastname@example.com with their Waze username, their email address, and a Super Permalink of the area they want to fix. But, please don't be pushy. Some wazers just need to cruise.
Update requests templates
Adding new roads
Hi, The mapping in our project is done by the users, who record the GPS data while driving. In order to add a new street/road/exit etc, you need to record it as you are driving through the area. While the Waze application is running, press 7 (record mode). To edit the details of the road you recorded, you need to enter http://www.waze.com/cartouche/index.html the following day (with your user name and password) and edit the road you created. For further information read our Forum and Wiki.
Thank You for the update,
Adding House Numbers
Hi, You can update house numbers through your mobile device while driving along the relevant street. Also notice that you can register at www.waze.com and edit roads in your area by yourself. For further information read our Forum and Wiki.
Adding POI's - (Points of Interest)
Hi, You can add POI's to the map with the Landmarks panel in the update map at www.waze.com. Currently you can only view the landmarks while driving near them. In the future you will be able to search for specific landmarks.
Thanks for the update,
All Purpose
Thanks for pointing this map error out. If you want to do more, please visit the website www.waze.com and look at the live maps then the update maps option. You will already have permissions to fix map errors that are within a mile of where ever you have driven with Waze on.
Empty request
Hi, Please mention the error that needs to be fixed, including any information that may be useful. Also notice that you can register at www.waze.com and edit roads in your area by yourself. For further information read our Forum and Wiki. Thanks,
False Location
Hi, I didn't find the streets you mentioned anywhere near the update request marker. Please send the request again from the problematic location. Also notice that you can register at www.waze.com and edit roads in your area by yourself.
Thanks for the update,
Hi, Our maps are maintained and developed by the community. You can participate in the mapping process by logging at www.waze.com and editing the roads in your area. For further information read our Forum and Wiki.
Thanks for the update,
GPS Deviation
Hi, The reason for the error you've described is probably a GPS deviation from the GPS component in your device. Try to place the device in an exposed space while using it.
Thank you for the update,
Navigation problems
Hi, Did you try again since you've sent this update? If the problems persist, please contact our support- email@example.com
Requests from non US users
Hi, Currently we only have initial maps of Israel and the US. You can help us build the maps for other countries by recording roads while driving in your country and then editing them in our website. For further information read our Forum and Wiki.
Thanks for the update,
Street already updated
Hi, The street has already been updated by another user. Also notice that you can register at www.waze.com and edit roads in your area by yourself. For further information read our Forum and Wiki.
Updating road directions
Hi, The road direction has been updated based on the information you've submitted. Also notice that you can register at www.waze.com and edit roads in your area by yourself, including directions. For further information read our Forum and Wiki.
Thank for the update,
Updating streets name
Hi, I've updated the street's name. Also notice that you can register at www.waze.com and edit roads in your area by yourself, including updating names. For further information read our Forum and Wiki.
Thanks for the update,


text:
Last week I was lucky enough to go on a session about using Lego as a means of facilitating creativity and/or strategy. It wasn't the full 'Lego Serious Play' experience – but it piqued my curiosity in this and was interesting so I thought I'd share – and share some fun photos I took of the serious play we were enganged in. Serious Play is a technique that Lego have developed for using their bricks, etc in the office for, erm, work.
The session I went to was run by the Digital Research Unit based in Huddersfield.
The idea is that using the bricks can help people use their imaginations and using the bricks to express complex ideas and relationships in 3D, describe complicated relationships and also give you a chance to use your hands (which, in theory, helps some people engage their brains more). They can also be used in brainstorming – and many of you saw an example of how this can be done in an exercise one of my colleagues ran a few months ago.
We worked through a process where we used the Lego to model our own role; then how we operate within that role; the wider organisation etc, until we built up a large model of how our roles fit together and fit into the BBC. We also built aspects of ourself that we don't bring to work and used these to do some introspection into how we might (or might not) change the way we operated, etc.
The main idea was to get people to work through their individual identity, then team identity and then the wider environment/landscape their role and organisation exists in.
I was really captivated by how much the Lego opened up the conversations we were having. 'Playing' allowed us to put alot of our normal conversational conventions to the side and forced us to explain things in a simple way that wasn't offensive or overly formal because we were using simple tools for explaining our ideas. I also thought about people I work with who aren't necessarily comfortable expressing themselves verybally who could use this as a means of showing instead of speaking. And, best of all, building something before you explain it makes you think before you speak; and let's face it, we could all do more of this.
Effectively we were building stories. Stories about who we are, where we work and how we do it. But this storytelling could be expanded to help build stories for use in programme making or other content. I recently read an article in Wallpaper* (which unfortunately isn't online) about how architects are building stories and fantasy into some of the new work that's being done in that field because they're trying to embrace our contemporary need for more narrative experiences that blur the difference between real and fantastic.
I think this is especially important when you work with digital media – sure everything needs to be functional and simple – but it should also delight and building this delight is the hardest part. Sure Google search is a wonderful piece of technology, but it latched into not being 'just another search box' by having fun and playing with its logo. I'd hope that in the type of work that I do, that if we start by expressing our ideas with Lego (or other manual tools for that matter) that we might capture some of the fun and fantasy that can get lost along the way.
We'll see how it goes. I've just installed a few containers full of Lego in meeting spaces for my team to 'play' with…
Some more info on Lego in the office/work environment:

subset: commoncrawl


text:
My Sister's Keeper: 9/20/07
|My Sister's Keeper
– A Novel by Jodi Picoult
Our group's experiences of this book ranged from page-turning enjoyment to exasperated disappointment. People had varying reactions to the characters and the writing, but everyone agreed that the ending was a complete surprise.
We debated about several characters. Did Sara's behavior ring true, in her roles as mother and as lawyer? Would someone like Campbell really insist on keeping the nature of his disability secret from absolutely everyone for so long? Was it believable that Jesse would be so easily turned around from such dangerous behavior? Could we have done without the storyline about Julia and Campbell? Would a 13 year old girl really take the action Anna did?
LD pointed out that someone she knew when she was young did face a very similar situation. Her neighbor was close in age to Anna, and declined to donate an organ to her very ill sibling.
A & HF remembered a similar story in the news many years ago about a boy conceived for the purpose of donating cord blood to a sister with leukemia, a case mentioned by Jodi Picoult in one of her interviews.
LD approved of a tragic ending, since anything else would have been completely inconsistent with the rest of the story. CD called the ending a big "cop out," and guessed that the author had run out of ideas, or ran up against a deadline. Both JS & JS were also very unhappy with the ending. SG disagreed with the critics, describing to us her reading of the book and its ending as a poignant reminder that try as we might, we can't play God. Sara and Brian tried to save one child by creating another, but their plans were changed overnight by events completely out of their control.
|Jodi Picoult: bio, reviews at BookBrowse
|Interview with Picoult from Bookreporter.com
|Picoult's web site has a podcast, a radio interview about My Sister's Keeper in addition to information about all her books.
|For more articles on Picoult and her books, try Infotrac Onefile, available at the library, or from home (with a Minuteman Library Network card).
|According to an "Author Read-alike" article in Novelist by Kaite Mediatore, if you like Jodi Picoult's books, you might also want to try the following authors and titles. (Novelist is a Reader's Advisory database available online at the Library, or with a Minuteman Library Network card on any Internet connection.)
|Chris Bohjalian, Past the Bleachers
|Jacquelyn Mitchard, A Theory of Relativity
|Luanne Rice, Home Fires
|Ann Hood, Properties of Water
|Sue Miller, While I Was Gone


text:
Even in a hot market, smart sellers will work every advantage to get the maximum value out of a sale.
Before you put your home on the market take a look around. Would you buy a place that looks like yours?
Walmart and other big box retailers offer the best value, right? Not always. Watch out for these deals that aren't.
You can't "make it up with volume" if your your pricing strategy is not aligned with your business strategy.
Does the store you're shopping at want to be seen as a bargain? A purveyor of luxury goods? A renegade? The answer is in the last two digits of the price.
Learn how to create a feeling of value for your customers while keeping your profit margins reasonable.
Don't get sucked into a price war. Instead, change the way your customers view your products.
The price of your product is an essential part of your marketing strategy. Here are some of the strategic factors you need to consider regarding your pricing.
The quickest, easiest way to increase your income is to raise your prices. If you're worried about losing customers, do the math. You'll be surprised at how many yo
Avoid these common pitfalls, and you'll increase your likelihood of running a successful — and lasting — business.
Nothing is more irritating that hunting for a bargain, waiting in line, and making that painful purchase -- Nothing except for getting overcharged, that is. While it is all too c
Become a fan
Follow us
Enter your email address to subscribe:


text:
Welcome to Cruiser Solutions of Hampstead, New Hampshire. Whether you want an FJ40,FJ45, FJ60, or a HJ47 immaculately restored to original condition, or a totally Custom Cruiser, our experience, craftsmanship and highly personalized customer service will deliver the Cruiser you dream about. As a long-time admirer and owner, I understand how each owner wants to make his or her Cruiser the best on the road - or off the road. That's why Cruiser Solutions works closely with you to develop a shared vision that becomes your unique reality. Photos and web site page updates record each step, so that you can see your Cruiser's progress and be a full partner in the process, from start to finish.
|Home | Log In | Contact Us | Site Map


text:
This story appears in the January 1998 issue of Business Start-Ups magazine. Subscribe »
Suppose a certain industry newsletter is indispensable to your business. Many of your employees need ready access to it, but subscriptions cost $400 each. How about buying one subscription and encouraging employees to check for articles they think they might need and then make copies for their files?
That's what Texaco Inc. did with various scientific journals that its huge research and development staff needed--until the publisher of one of the journals found out and took Texaco to court. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled that Texaco's practice was not "fair use" of the journals. After much negotiation, Texaco agreed to settle the case with a seven-figure retroactive licensing fee.
Stephen Gillen, an attorney who specializes in copyright, trademark and publishing issues with Cincinnati law firm Frost & Jacobs LLP, draws a parallel to computer software. "Most executives are well aware that buying one copy of a software program does not entitle their company to make multiple copies for internal use," Gillen says. "Many, though, would be surprised to learn that subscribing to a scientific or business periodical does not entitle the company to photocopy its articles, even for strictly internal use by its staff."
While most small businesses aren't likely to use scientific journals, many depend on industry newsletters. Because they're targeted specifically to a given industry and provide the latest news and analysis, these newsletters charge a price far greater than their size would seem to warrant. A single annual subscription might cost hundreds of dollars because newsletter publishers rely on subscription and licensing fees rather than advertising. "They can't afford to sell one copy and have it copied many times," Gillen says. Accordingly, newsletter publishers are even more aggressive than research and development publishers about going after people making unauthorized photocopies.
Steven C. Bahls, dean of Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio, teaches entrepreneurship law. Freelance writer Jane Easter Bahls specializes in business and legal topics.
Court Orders
But what about the concept of "fair use"? Most of us learned in school that it was okay to copy a magazine article for research purposes, as long as we weren't going to make money from it. But that was an academic setting, not business. When a newsletter or journal article actually or potentially helps your business prosper, that's commercial use.
For centuries, courts have recognized the right of authors to protect their work from being appropriated by others. The federal Copyright Act of 1976 codified both copyright law and the long-standing doctrine of "fair use," which moderates the copyright holder's rights by allowing a limited amount of material to be copyrighted under certain circumstances. These include criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship and research. The law states that determining whether a given instance of copying is fair use involves four factors:
1. The purpose and character of the use, including whether it's for commercial or nonprofit, educational purposes
2. The nature of the copyrighted work
3. What proportion of the entire copyrighted work is duplicated
4. The effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work
In the Texaco case, the company and the publisher agreed to limit the issues in the case to whether the researchers' photocopying practice was fair use. And because Texaco had nearly 500 scientists, all encouraged to copy journal articles for their files, the company and the publisher agreed to ask the court for a ruling based on the photocopying practices of one Texaco researcher, chosen at random. (This approach saved both sides from years of discovery and legal expenses.) Texaco argued that the researcher's copies were made in pursuit of scientific and scholarly research, so the practice counted as fair use.
Measuring the use of eight articles found in the researcher's files against each of the four factors, the court disagreed. The court noted the purpose of the use was not to contribute to the researcher's knowledge but to help the company develop profitable products. While the nature of the copyrighted work--fact-based scientific articles--makes it more likely to be subject to fair use than a highly creative piece, the publisher was able to show that the lost subscription and licensing revenue had significantly harmed the value of its copyright.
Who Would Know?
So how would a publisher ever find out if your business photocopies its articles? They're already a step ahead of you. Many publishers and software developers offer hefty rewards for information about illegal photocopying. For instance, Washington Business Information Inc., which publishes the industry newsletters Product Safety Letter, Regulatory Watchdog Report, The Food and Drug Letter and more, includes a reward statement with its copyright notice, offering a $2,000 reward for information about illegal photocopying. SIMBA Information Inc., publisher of Educational Marketer, Book Publishing Report and other industry newsletters, offers a reward of "up to $1,000 for actionable evidence of illegal copying or faxing" and assures informants of confidentiality.
"Nobody thinks someone is going to come inside and find out," Gillen says. But suppose you need to discipline an employee who happens to know about your photocopying practices. Tattling on the boss could be a satisfying way for a disgruntled employee to get even--and collect a nice reward in the bargain.
What To Do
Your options depend on how many publications your business uses and how many employees need them.
- Route it. If only a few employees need the publication, route it around the office for employees to read but not copy--but be aware that this method often results in slow delivery or lost newsletters.
- Circulate tables of contents. It's legal to copy the table of contents, so do that and then keep the publications in a central location so anyone who wants to read a given article can do so.
- Buy multiple subscriptions. It may be worth the money to make sure certain employees receive every issue.
- License photocopy rights. If you need only one or two publications, contact the publisher directly about buying a license to copy as many articles as you need. For broader rights, a rights clearing service such as the Copyright Clearance Center in Danvers, Massachusetts (508-750-8400) can sell you the right to copy from thousands of publications. The cost depends on the nature and size of your business. For example, a retail business with fewer than 80 employees can obtain a license to copy from more than 9,000 publications, for internal use only, for about $550 per year--plus a first-year start-up fee.
It may seem picky for newsletter publishers to file lawsuits over the photocopies in someone's file, but just like you, they're trying to earn a reasonable profit for their efforts.
Contact Source
Frost & Jacobs LLP, 2500 PNC Ctr., 201 E. 5th St., Cincinnati, OH 45202, (513) 651-6159


text:
Still More Ado About Nothing: How Off-The-End Pointers Should Behave
Last week, I made the case that a programming language, such as C or C++, that allows pointers to array elements and supports arithmetic on those pointers needs a way to create a pointer past the end of an array. This line of reasoning has an important implication: It must be possible to have a pointer that is partially invalid, in the sense that the pointer itself is valid but it does not point to well-defined memory. Such a pointer is also sometimes called a sentinel, although strictly speaking, it would be more accurate to use the term to refer to the imaginary element to which an off-the-end pointer points. The existence of off-the-end pointers raises two additional questions:
- Is it enough for the language to guarantee the validity of a pointer only to the position immediately past the end of an array, or should there be two-off-the-end pointers, three-off-the-end pointers, or even more?
- If there is always an off-the-end pointer, should there also always be an off-the-beginning pointer?
One way to see why off-the-end pointers are important is to think about a loop that touches every element of an array. If the array has n elements, that loop presumably executes n times. If there is a pointer that points to an array element, that pointer is presumably incremented each time through the loop. That means that the pointer is incremented n times — which means that the pointer must be able to take on n+1 distinct values during the loop's execution.
We can avoid this requirement by not incrementing the pointer the last (or the first) time through the loop. However, it is hard to make this strategy work properly if n is zero, because in that case, we would have to increment the pointer a negative number of times. Moreover, an array without any elements cannot have a pointer to one of its elements, because there are no elements to which the pointer can point! Accordingly, to use pointers to handle an n-element array without an off-the-end pointer, we must know that n must be greater than zero, which means that we must handle n=0 as a special case.
We might argue that both C and C++ require arrays to have at least one element, so there is no need to treat zero-element arrays as a special case. Unfortunately, this argument fails for two reasons. First, it is common to store information in part of an array and work on the part that is stored; programs that operate this way often use zero as the number of occupied elements. Second, although every explicitly declared array must have at least one element, it is possible to allocate memory dynamically, and such dynamic allocation definitely does allow for a zero-element allocation.
If we represent every sequence of elements as a pointer to the first element and an off-the-end pointer, it is easy to see how to represent an array without any elements: The "pointer to the first element" is the same as the off-the-end pointer because there is no first element. Without off-the-end pointers, it is once again hard to see how to handle an empty sequence without making it a special case.
We can now turn our attention to the first of the questions we noted earlier: Should there be more than one off-the-end pointer? Alternatively, if we define pointers to k distinct positions past the end of an array, what should k be?
I think it is a reasonable position that k should be 1, because it's hard to understand how to make use of a larger value. For example, suppose we knew that it was possible to form a pointer that pointed either one or two elements past the end of an array. What kind of code might use such a pointer? We might imagine processing array elements in pairs, supposing that two off-the-end pointers are available to us, thereby making
&array[n+1] legitimate:
T *p = &array[0]; while (p < &array[n+1]) { // Do something with the elements at *p and *(p+1) p += 2; }
Unfortunately, this code has a serious problem: What happens if
array has an odd number of elements? The answer is that the last time through the loop, the code tries to use the array element at
*(p+1), and that element does not exist.
We can solve this problem in two different ways. One is to check in advance whether
array has an odd number of elements and treat that case separately; the other is to rewrite the loop slightly so that if
array does have an odd number of elements, the loop will disregard the "extra" element at the end:
T *p = &array[0]; while (p < &array[n]) { // Do something with the elements at *p and *(p+1) p += 2; }
Here, we have changed the code to use
&array[n] instead of
&array[n+1] as the upper bound. This change makes no difference if
n is even; but if
n is odd, this loop executes one less time than did the previous one. However, this rewrite also completely removes the need for more than one off-the-end pointer.
More generally, I find it hard to understand what one might do with a pointer to more than one element past the end of an array. Perhaps someone who reads this article will have better luck.
The question about whether there should be an off-the-beginning pointer is more interesting; we shall discuss that next week.


text:
You are here
Uploading Your Transcript
Note: This information is for applicants or current students in master's or doctoral programs only.
If you are a student seeking a bachelor's degree, please visit our undergraduate admissions pages.
General Information
- You must upload an unofficial transcript or academic record for each institution (even if you didn't receive a degree) in the Educational Background section of the online application. These copies must be uploaded before you submit the application. Non-English transcripts must be accompanied by an English translation. If possible, make sure the institution has put your name on the transcript/record.
- Non-legible scans will not be accepted.
- Please do not mail or fax a copy of a transcript or academic record to our office.
Please refer to the details below before proceeding.
When do I send my official transcripts?
If you are recommended for admission you will need to provide an official transcript (sent to us by mail directly from the institution). Your offer of admission will be contingent upon the receipt and verification of these official documents (which must show the award of degrees where appropriate.) Do not send official records until we request them from you.
Important tips for uploading your transcript to your application:
- Obtain an electronic version of your unofficial transcript or scan a copy of a current transcript at the lowest resolution that results in a legible document (we recommend using under 200 dpi).
- Institutional web-based transcript/academic record are acceptable.
- Ensure that your document is saved as a PDF or Word document, and that its size does not exceed 1500kb.
- If the scanned file is too large, simply make a photocopy first, then scan that photocopy. (Experiment with different settings until you find one that results in the smallest file size.)
- Color documents are not necessary. Scanning in "gray scale" or black and white is strongly recommended.
- Do not upload spreadsheet documents to the online application. Instead, use a screen-capture and copy/paste the image onto a Word document.
- International applicants with transcripts from Mainland China, please see our Chinese Transcripts page.
- Ensure that the institution name and all other identifying marks are visible and clearly legible and that your scan can print on letter-size paper - 8 ½ by 11 in (21 ½ by 30 cm).
- Please include a copy of the transcript legend or university key for each institution.
- Click the "view document" button to verify whether the uploaded document is legible. If it is not legible, try again. (NOTE: The system automatically converts your uploaded document into a standard PDF file.)
- If you need assistance, please note that public libraries, office supply stores (Kinko's, Office Max, Office Depot, Staples, etc.), and other services can create scanned documents for you.
If you are unable to upload a legible document, you will need to have an official transcript mailed to the Graduate School Admissions Office. Please keep in mind that doing this will delay processing of your application. To be considered official, the documents must be sent directly from your institution(s) to our office. Here is the mailing address for official transcripts:
Attention: Duluth Transcripts
Office of Graduate Admissions
University of Minnesota
309 Johnston Hall
101 Pleasant St SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455-0421
The University of Minnesota reserves the right to require official transcripts at any time during the admissions process, and to rescind any offer of admission made if discrepancies between unofficial and official transcript(s) are found.


text:
Mayur Sharad Patil
RAL,Webmaker, L10n,community building,recruiting and training new FSAs
Web Developer▐ Post-grad student▐ Football fan▐ loves music▐ Proud mozillian▐ have big dreams▐ http://www.facebook.com/yomanpatil
Nashik , India.
Tagsasia, coding, communications, creative, css, firefox, firefox student ambassadors, firefoxos, html, india, persona, program management, sf-monument, webmaker
Competenzeajax, community organizer, css, event management, event organization, html, jquery, json, php, public relations, public speaker, web desiging, workshop teaching
LingueInglese, Hindi, Marathi
Account esterni
- Facebook: yomanpatil
- Twitter: yomanpatil
Approvato da
Siddhartha Rao
I feel really proud to vouch for Mayur. He helped me start with my mozilla story and has always been a great asset in terms of teaching, leading and support. I have known him for more than a year now and he is one of the most active leaders in India, always zealous and forthcoming about any event. I would call him one of the Nashik community's pillars. Working with him has always been fun and knowledgable. Keep up the great work Mayur!
Approvato da utente sconosciuto
Being a creative Web Developer, Mayur is one among the lead contributors from Nashik. A Mozilla hero and a Webmaker Super Mentor( Yay \o/ ). Actively conducts events and recruits contributors, still counting. One could find him either on Webmaker Bay or in Nashik :)
Mayur extended his help for volunteering with all India PAN events including Makerfest 2015. He's damn energetic and an enthusiast Open Source contributor. Happy to vouch for him, hope to see more from him in the future.
Ting Jung Lee
Mayur is an EXCELLENT contributor to the Firefox Student Ambassador Program. As Regional Ambassador Lead, he is consistently active online and offline. Always helping students out with their questions and helping FSAs in his region out with event planning, club establishments, and more. I am always impressed by his enthusiasm. What a joy to work with!
Gauthamraj Elango
Mayur is a passionate Mozillian and a excellent teacher. His contributions are well known in the areas of webmaker and recently got on FSA's RAL.
Shahid Ali Farooqui
I know Mayur for more than a year now, he is an active member and contributor of Mozilla India Community. He is well know in the community because of his dedication and awesome contributions in various Mozilla projects. He is well know face in Webmaker and Localisation in Marathi language.
We started working together from August 2014 when he got into Reps program under my mentorship. I feel proud to have him as my mentee. He is my one of most active mentee among those I am metering.
Santosh Viswanatham
Mayur is an Amazing Guy,Presently the Regional Ambassador Lead(RAL) for FSA Program in India.A Passionate Webmaker Supermentor and a Dedicated community Builder.


text:
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Found 5 resultsTitle
Filters: Author is Elliott, Michael R [Clear All Filters]
A latent class analysis of injury patterns among rear-seated, seat-belted children." J Trauma. 2006;61(5):1244-8."
Accuracy of self-reported data for estimating crash severity." Accid Anal Prev. 2003;35(6):833-40."
Determining subgroups of teens for targeted driving injury prevention strategies: a latent class analysis approach." Traffic Inj Prev. 2012;13(3):258-64."
Unlicensed teenaged drivers: who are they, and how do they behave when they are behind the wheel?" Pediatrics. 2008;122(5):e994-1000."
Effectiveness of child safety seats vs seat belts in reducing risk for death in children in passenger vehicle crashes." Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2006;160(6):617-21."


text:
Thanks for joining me on the Stencil Blog Hop. Several artists are sharing many creative techniques using my new line of stencils, produced by Stencil Girl Products. Each day of the hop, you will see two new stencils (14 in all) being used by an inspiring artist.
Today on the Stencil Blog Hop, please visit Margaret Applin's blog and see what she has done with the following two stencils.
Be sure to visit each artist on the blog hop. Why??? Well because if you visit and leave a comment, you will be entered for a chance to win some stencils. Each artist will announce a winner one week after their blog hop post and that winner will receive a set of stencils just like those that the artist shared in her blog hop post.
Here is the blog hop schedule and the artists that you will see:
Sunday, Jan. 20 - Me, right here on this blogMonday, Jan. 21 - Leslie McNeil
Tuesday, Jan. 22 - Deborah Boschert
Wednesday, Jan. 23 - Margaret Applin
Thursday, Jan. 24 - Brenda Gael Smith
Friday, Jan. 25 - Vicki Welsh
Saturday, Jan. 26 - LuAnn Kessi
Sunday, Jan. 27 - Sue Bleiweiss
Thanks for hopping with us!


text:
Thaddeus Kelly An Irish Man of Some Distinction
My great grandfather, THADDEUS KELLY,(B: 1852) was a member of the Dublin
Metropolitan Police (DMP), having joined at the age of 21 on May 23, 1873. He served for 25 years and was discharged on June 10, 1898 at 46 years of age. He was from Castletown, Cellbridge, Co. Kildare. According to DMP regulations he was barred from serving in his own native county and could not serve in the native county of his wife. In most cases his wife would have come from the area where he was stationed so the newly wed couple would have had to move within six months. So, it is conceivable that his wife (a SMITH according to oral family history) was also from the Wicklow/Kildare area. She worked for Alex Findlaters in Dublin according to a letter I have dated September 15, 1909 praising her and giving her a set of furs--possibly a retirement gift? Another regulation stated that he had to have served 7 years in service before he was permitted to marry, so he probably married around 1880. He and his wife had at least one child, a daughter named ANNIE, (B: 1888,D:Nov 7, 1941) who ultimately married my grandfather, PETER MCGURRELL. (B: April 25, 1889, D: May 29, 1947)
My quest is multi-fold. I want to find THADDEUS KELLY'S marriage information, when he died, where he is buried, who his children were, and any information on his wife.
Thank you for this lead (familysearch.org). It is a treasure trove of info for me! Spent many hours last night browsing thru it and found so much information, some of which confirmed info I already had. And verified some unsubstantiated info that my family had heard about. Thanks again!


text:
Office Open 7 Days a Week
Monday to Friday - 8am to 6pm
Saturday & Sunday - 10am to 2pm
Open for emails, phone only
Most popular visas for Algeria
Scott's Visas News Update
Deliveries and collections will still take place whenever possible, but may be delayed. Please contact your Scott's agent if you think this may affect you.
A normal letter of invitation from the inviting organisation in Vietnam is now all that is required, as long as no training is undertaken. In addition, there have been some small changes to the visa processing service. Normal service is now 72 hours, and the 48 hr service has been abolished completely (but the next day service remains unchanged). There have also been some minor alterations to the fees.
Although it is a UK bank holiday, our main office will be open from 10am - 2pm, and the Russian Visa Helpdesk from 8.30am - 3pm. Embassies working normally on Mon 28 Dec also include Algeria, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Whilst Kenyan e-Visas are still available online, they are no longer the only means of obtaining a visa for the country. Reversing the initial e-Visa policy, in which online application was the only type allowed, the High Commission is now processing all types of applications again. This service is running exactly as it did before the e-Visa option was added at the beginning of September, giving applicants free choice between the two methods.
The requirements will be the same as for nationalities that currently require a visa, except that travellers with heavy luggage will be relieved that potentially bulky bank statements will not be required when applying on arrival. This change will also apply to nationals of all those countries that charge Malawians for visas.
On Thu 6 only express (48hr) applications will be accepted, while on Fri 7 no applications at all will be processed. Processing is expected to go back to normal on Mon 10 August, with an as yet unspecified rise in the centre's service fee.
Once August has come to an end the Kenyan High Commission will no longer be accepting paper applications of any kind, and all applications will have to be made through www.ecitizen.go.ke. We will of course still be able to arrange these for our clients.
Passports must however have at least 6 months validity, and there is no visa-free re-entry within 30 days of the last visa-free exit. However, visa-free entry is possible immediately after exit from a visit for which a visa was obtained.
Applications from UK nationals are therefore still being processed normally and all application fees are non-refundable. As soon as the embassy receives further information they will make a further announcement.
While this is the case no Brazil visas are being processed until further notice. It is not clear at this point when the situation will be resolved. We understand that only cases of personal emergency will be considered for visa applications by the embassy during this period.
Scott's Visas now has some experience of how the new system works in practice.
The appointment must be made after filling in the application form, and the application unsurprisingly can only be submitted on the appointment date, at around the appointed time. To guarantee acceptance, it's a good idea to make appointments for between 10:30 and 11:30. Same day business visas are the only type that can be submitted straight away, regardless of when the appointment is.
For further information, please see our India visa pages.
Indian visa applicants will need to first apply online and make an appointment. In the future, this will probably lead to applicants having to attend in person.
We believe that for now at least, we will still be able to submit applications for our clients. Please make the appointment for the earliest available opportunity after you expect us to receive your documents from you. Same day business visas (only this category) do not, we are told, need to wait for their appointment time. So we will attempt to submit applications at the earliest opportunity regardless of when the appointment has been made for.
We are launching an Indian Visa Help Desk (IVHD), right across the road from The Indian Visa Centre, to help you deal with any emergencies on the day of your appointment.
As of 1 Jan 2015 a Visa Approval Letter, issued by an immigration office in Vietnam at the request of the inviting organisation, must be submitted with an application for a business visa. The embassy has, however, indicated it may consider individual requests to issue the visa without such a letter.
There are only two Russian Visa Centres in the UK, in London and Edinburgh. There is currently no appointment system, and applicants need to queue. The Russian authorities have announced the objective of the new procedure as being the modernisation and improvement of visas in the context of preventing illegal migration, terrorism and other illegal activities. This new procedure is being piloted in the UK, Denmark, Myanmar, and Namibia.
In 2013 London Mayor Boris Johnson floated the idea of allowing citizens of the UK, Australia and New Zealand to live and work in each others' countries without a visa. At the time Boris said, "We need to raise our eyes beyond Europe... and you could not do better than by starting with Australia". A recent report from Commonwealth Exchange has thrown its weight behind the idea, adding Canada to the list of proposed countries to be included. The report suggests modelling the idea on the existing TTTA between Australia and New Zealand, and goes on to state such an agreement "...wouldn't need any codified laws" and so could not be blocked by the EU.
International citizenship consultants Henley & Partners have analyzed the visa regulations of all the countries and territories in the world to create their Visa Restrictions Index, which ranks countries according to the visa-free access their citizens enjoy to other countries. The top four passports to hold for ease of travel worldwide are apparently the UK, Germany, Finland and Sweden - all tied on visa-free access to a massive 174 countries. Denmark and Canada were tied on 173, with Belgium and the Netherlands on 172. Travel was most restricted for citizens of Afghanistan (only 28 visa-free countries), Iraq (31), and Pakistan and Somalia (both 32).
The ICC Cricket World Cup, which takes place from 14 February to 29 March 2015, features all 14 qualifying teams playing matches in both Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand has just announced that between 26 January and 5 April the country will grant a visa on arrival to visitors who already hold "almost any type of Australian visa". John Harnden, Chief Executive of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Local Organising Committee, commented that "this is a real coup for fans travelling to Australia and New Zealand to witness the world's best players compete in the biggest sporting event of 2015."
This will apply after 15 July to all types of visa including business, tourist, private and transit. Nine other nationalities are also covered by the arrangement, including the USA, France, Germany, Italy and Japan. However, visits of over 15 days will still require a visa.
For the many nationalities that do need a tourist visa for Brazil, an application can now be made with just the application form, a passport and those all important World Cup tickets. These applications will moreover be prioritised. Further information can be found in our Brazilian visa pages, as well as in the Brazilian government's online document, "2014 FIFA WORLD CUP BRAZIL - Frequently Asked Questions".
Visas on Arrival are already available for 15 EU countries, including the UK. The remaining 13 EU countries to which this facility is now being extended are - Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania,Slovakia and Slovenia.
This will be a flat rate increase applied to all types, and all service speeds. Our fees will be adjusted to include this on the afternoon of the 17th.
Applications are running as normal once again.
It will soon include nationals of the UK, USA, Canada, Brazil, Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain, Belgium, Austria, Poland, Denmark, Norway, Ireland , the UAE and Saudi Arabia, according to statements from the Indian Government.
¬ In all other cases, the application should instead include COPIES ONLY of the bio page and any relevant visa or residence permit page(s) of such a passport.
¬ Any applications containing the original passport instead of the copies will now be automatically rejected.
A copy of the hotel confirmation covering the entire stay in China. (Or if invited by and staying at a friend's, please see below note.)
Please note:
If invited by a Chinese citizen:
- a recent letter of invitation by the inviter, signed and dated, including their full address and contact details.
- a copy of the inviter's Chinese ID card (both sides). Passport copies are not accepted.
- the Chinese ID card number must appear on their invitation letter.
- proof of accommodation for the entire stay in China (this must be mentioned in the invitation letter).
If invited by a non-Chinese citizen:
- a recent letter of invitation by the inviter, signed and dated, including their full address and contact details.
- a copy of the inviter's passport and a copy of the valid Chinese visa.
- the passport number must appear on their invitation letter.
- proof of accommodation for the entire stay in China (this must be mentioned in the invitation letter).
Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any further questions.
For business use form: 1415.
For tourism use form: 1419.
Our website has been changed accordingly.
To do so, they will need to go to the Nepalese embassy and provide them with the following:
1. Passport which must be valid for at least 6 months after the planned departure from Nepal. (Plus a copy of the passport's main page.)
2. Application form fully completed.
3. One passport size photo taken against a white background within the last 6 months.
The Nepalese embassy will then send copies of their details to the authorities in Kathmandu on their behalf. Please note that it will take 3 months to receive confirmation from Kathmandu, whether your visa will be granted. We can lodge this request with the Nepalese Embassy on your behalf, however, we are unable to expedite the process. Please do not hesitate to contact us for further information. You can find a link to the application form on our website.
Afghanistan . Algeria . Bangladesh . Belarus . Burma . Burundi . Colombia . Congo(Zaire) . Egypt . Indonesia . Iran . Iraq . Jordan . Kuwait . North Korea . Lebanon . Libya . Myanmar . Nigeria . Oman . Pakistan . Palestine . Philippines . Qatar . Rwanda . Somalia . Sudan . Surinam . Syria . Tunisia . United Arab Emirates . Vietnam . Yemen . Zimbabwe
The French embassy's processing time for the above passport holders/nationals is 2 - 3 WEEKS.
Iran, Tunisia, Somalia, Morocco, Algeria, Lebanon, Iraq, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Mauritania, Comoros, Burundi, Liberia, Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Mali, Niger, Chad, Israel, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Moldova, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
The next biometric update will take place on Tuesday 26th of March 2013 and on Wednesday 3rd of April 2013 at 13pm.


text:
Positioning marks on the soles make it easy to keep track of proper cleat positioning. Venting in the center of the insole help keep you cool.
Why You Want
You're in the market for a pair of lightweight, stiff-soled road cycling shoes, are fans of the BOA closure system, are not looking to make a huge fashion statement, and can spend north of $350.
Louis Garneau's Course 2LS road cycling shoes provide a comfortable, secure fit thanks to a supple micro-fiber and steel mesh upper that's held in place by a two-dial BOA closure system that distributes pressure evenly across the top of the foot. By going BOA-only, the 2LS also keeps heft in check. Our size 44 test pair weigh a wispy 550 grams with the vented summertime inserts installed. (That number jumps 10 grams when you swap in the un-vented cool weather insoles.) The BOA system also makes it easy to fine-tune adjustment before or during your ride.
At 550 grams for the pair, the Course 2LS are among the lighter shoes on the market.
The outsole is constructed of what Louis Garneau calls Ex0-Jet hot melt carbon where the carbon fiber has gone through a secondary process that it claims make these shoes both lighter and thinner. In turn, this thinner sole lowers stack height, improving power transfer into the pedals.
Additionally, the Course 2LS has a patented venting system where air is allowed to enter the shoe via a vent in the front of the sole, flow down a pair of internal channels, and then exit out another vent in the rear of the sole. Cooling is further enhanced by a seamless micro-fiber upper that has thin steel mesh openings on the tongue and sides of the toe box.
Finally, the Course 2LS's heel is injected with nylon, which has a low coefficient of friction, improving heel security. Further, the fabric on the inside of the heel area is directional (think what happens when you pet a dog the wrong way), which helps prevent unwanted lift.
The steel mesh on the tongue is hard to clean if it gets gunked up with mud or dirt. Occasionally the BOA wires pull out unevenly and it takes a little fiddling to get them to tighten back up without slack on one side. We also found the toe box to be slightly wide for our narrow foot, and if you have high arches you'll likely find the stock insoles lacking and need to get a custom pair.
Aesthetically speaking the Course 2LS are nothing special, but underneath that somewhat bland exterior is a top-flight, feature-rich road shoe.
These shoes are also nothing fancy to look at, so if you're looking to make a splashy on-bike fashion statement, look elsewhere. And of course, at $360 these shoes represent a fairly high commitment, though that price is on par, if not a little less than similar high-end, BOA-equipped offerings from Specialized and Sidi.
RoadBikeReview Take
For the better part of the last six months, Louis Garneau's Course 2LS has been our go-to road shoe. We're big fans of the BOA closure system, which allows for a truly refined fit and can easily be adjusted before or during your ride. Combine that with great heel grip, and these shoes gave us the kind of locked down (but comfortable) fit you'd expect from a pair of $360 kicks.
The proprietary venting system also gets high marks. You don't actually feel air moving under your toes, but we rode these shoes on some very hot days near the end of summer and did not suffer from excessive hot foot. Perhaps this was also due in part to the vented Ice Fil Ergo Air Cool Stuff insoles that are infused with Xylitol, which is claimed to react with sweat and create a chilling effect. But we cant verify that except to reiterate that our feet remained comfortably cool. (It's also worth noting that the shoes come stock with a cool-weather insole option (colored red), which has less venting and weighs 5 grams more per insert.)
Left: Dual BOA closures provide an even and secure fit. Steel mesh on the tongue improves ventilation but also collects gunk. Right: A patented channeling system lets air move through the sole of the shoe.
We're also impressed with the durability of these shoes — and the BOA closure mechanism. The majority of our rides were in lieu of an on-going Guide Book project, which meant a fair amount of walk-around time while taking pictures out on the open road. While we managed to burn through several sets of cleats, the shoes (and especially the soles) have held up quite well. Handy cleat positioning marks on the bottom of the sole made it easy to swap on new cleats.
Bottom line, aside from a tiny bit of extra room in the toe box and slightly uninspired aesthetics, these shoes are a solid top-shelf offering for riders seeking a secure and precise fit with solid power transfer, light weight and good venting.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Weight: 550 grams (size 44 with summer insoles; winter insoles add 10 grams)
Sizes: 38 to 48 with half sizes between 41 and 46
Color: Black or White with subtle red accents
Price: $360
More Info: www.louisgarneau.com
Do you own the Louis Garneau Course 2LS Road Cycling Shoes? Help us become a better resource and write a review!


text:
Since it's inception in 2001, this domain has been under a perpetual state of reincarnation.
Today it serves as a digital launchpad for the first publication by Karina N. O'Rourke.
What's in a letter?
Vulnerability, secrecy, honesty, raw emotion. All of these subjects, and more, have been explored through poetic expression.
Readers will be taken on an impactful journey, in which a sure emotion will be derived. Your copy will boast the following:
Don't delay purchase...When stocked, these puppies sell out fast!


text:
Personalised Pink Bridesmaid / Bridesmaid Proposal Gift Box
Our luxury gift boxes are a perfect match for storing and presenting luxury items. Taking inspiration from the lovely Pantone Colour of The Year, Rose Quartz, this pretty, dusky pink box has magnetic snap shut front flap closure and comes with an elegant ribbon. The ribbon isn't permanently fixed to the box, so you can change the ribbon colour or use your own.
You can choose from Silver, Rose Gold or Gold Foil for the personalisation text to make it truly yours.
*We apply a real foil printing process directly on our boxes*
Box Dimensions:
Medium - Internal: 20.5 x 21.8 x 6 cm
Large - Internal: 28.5 x 29 x 8.7 cm
How to Order:
Select the Box Size and Text Colour from the drop-down menu.
In the "Add your personalisation" box, type in the text/date you'd like to print on your luxury gift box.
How to assemble:
Each box comes flat-packed but is quick and simple to assemble, becoming a fabulously solid and dependable gift box. Simply remove the corner papers to reveal the sticky surface, pull the sides up and it is ready to accompany you on your special occasion!
Shipping Information:
If you need your items by a certain date or on a tight deadline, then please message us before you purchase to ensure that this is possible as we do not want to disappoint you.
*Please order in advance and give enough time for delivery. International delivery can take longer due to customs.
**Please note you may be subject to additional taxes from the importing country you wish your item to be sent to.
We will process your order in 3-5 business days and ship them. You can find the estimated shipping times by Royal Mail and UPS as below.
United Kingdom: 1-3 business days
Europe: 3-5 business days
Everywhere else: 5-7 business days
We'll do our best to meet these shipping estimates, but can't guarantee them. Actual delivery time will depend on the shipping method you choose.
Customs and import taxes
Buyers are responsible for any customs and import taxes that may apply. We are not responsible for delays due to customs.
The gift boxes are lovely - really glad I got them. Only thing, I wish the writing was a little bigger but otherwise, really lovely gifts. Thanks
I loved this box! Better than expected
I purchased 2 of these for my bridesmaids. They were so lovely that I had to order more for the other 3. Such a lovely box to put a small gift in and a beautiful keepsake for the bridesmaids. Would definitely recommend
Absolutely love this box. It is so easy to put together and such good quality!!! Definitely worth the price! A bought them for my bridesmaids and maid of honour, can't wait to see their reaction!!!


text:
"NASCAR #18 Bottle Opener Dog Tag Necklace Stainless Steel"
Browse all deals at Kay Jewelers
See more in Shopping Misc.
See more from Kay
* This offer may contain time-sensitive information and offers. Please check with Kay Jewelers to confirm actual price & availability.
- Be the first to comment!
Kay Jewelers
11357 Parkside Dr
Knoxville, TN 37934
Kay Jewelers
7600 Kingston Pike Ste 1158
Knoxville, TN 37919
Kay Jewelers
3001 Knoxville Center Mall
Knoxville, TN 37902


text:
For more information on Web design, visit our Web Design Reference Guide or sign up for our Web Design Newsletter.
I've been procrastinating about getting my nine-year-old daughter Emily's personal Web site designed and online for the last six months. A combination of her not knowing what she wanted and me not having the 5 to 10 hours required to design a simple Web site made us put it off. Realmac Software's RapidWeaver came to the rescue and allowed us to get her site assembled, populated, and online in a single evening.
I decided to let Emily work with me on her site for two reasons. For one, I wanted her to feel like she had a hand in its design; for another, I wanted to see just how easy it was for a child to use. Looking back, it's probably meant more for users ages 12 and up, but 12-year-olds still fall nicely into the preteen category! I also wanted to see what all the fuss was about, and whether RapidWeaver was a useful addition to my toolset as a Dreamweaver user.
Figure 1 The RapidWeaver default window with the "Getting Started" section displayed
One Giant Leap
The name RapidWeaver obviously wasn't chosen at random. I've never gone so quickly from a spark of an idea to a completed site. All I had to do was launch RapidWeaver, click the plus sign (+) in the lower-left corner of the left panel and choose the type of Web page I wanted to create. I chose Styled Text, shown in Figure 2, for most of the pages on Emily's site. Other page types include Blog, Contact Form, and Photo Album, which we'll explore later. I would have preferred that the WYSIWYG in Styled Text Edit mode were more true to its name. For example, instead of showing headings, blockquotes, and other HTML-formatted text as they'll appear in a Web page, it just shows the text you chose for formatting with a highlighted background. It does, however, show italicized and bold text—as you'd expect. Switching over to the Preview mode quickly shows you how your page will actually appear in a browser, but you can't make any changes in this mode. Both modes are available from the top bar in the main window, along with a Themes button, which allows you to select from more than 20 theme presets.
Figure 2 Choosing a new page type


text:
From ZeroHedge.com
When one is expected to go down for missing a comma in their NRSRO application, one at least should go down swinging. Sure enough, Egan-Jones, the only rating agency with any credibility left, is at it again, this time cutting the big momma itself - the UK - from AA to AA-.
6/4/2012: United Kingdom: EJR lowered AA to AA- (Neg.) Projected A+ (S&P: AAA) (6152Z LN)Synopsis: On the balance of payment side, imports have exceeded exports by an average of approximately 500B pounds annually over the past several years. The major problems for the UK is that Europe's banking crisis does not appear to be abating as evidenced by the miserable results of most EU banks. On the fiscal side, the deficit to GDP has declined over the past three years from 11.5% to 8.3%, which is a respectable decline, but the bulk of the reduction was the result of increased taxes since GDP growth was weak. The over-riding concern is whether the country will be able to continue to cut its deficit in the face of weaker economic conditions and a possible deterioration in the country's financial sector. Unfortunately, we expect that the UK's debt/GDP will continue to rise and the country will remain pressed.
Full report here.
This chart may have something to do Egan-Jones decision:


text:
It's a bit unfair isn't it, if you have a quick fire gun as I have on my Luchs, and as I assume most people have on these kind of tanks, then you're a bit "helpless" when some **** decides to be a total *********
Just now I got a 1 hour ban, deserved if I'm to be honest, for emptying my clip into a Hellcat that was pushing me out of the cover where I was passively spotting. At first he pulled up behind and me used me as a meat shield while firing and then he started pushing me out of cover. I'ts on a ridge so I can't really move forward and just decide to clip him..... banned of course. Perfectly as pr the rules
However if it had been the other way around he could have one shot me without getting banned but I didn't even kill him and got banned
Yes I know, multiple shots vs single shots
I demand equality for TK'ers, or in my case attempted TK'ing, so that those of us with pee pee guns get an equal opportunity to TK people before we get banned


text:
Slim Paley photo
"A Tree Grows in The Upper East Side"
I'm checking in from NYC where we're attending our older son's graduation from college. (Tear pops out of eye) I've got the extra strength tissues at the ready.
I know many of you have been through this emotional experience before, while others are casting loving glances at your little ones and thinking you can't even imagine the day potty training will be finished, much less discussing cap & gown pick up.
I hope I don't embarrass myself.
I really hate crying in public. Seriously. I have tricks I've almost perfected at sad movies and plays and can no longer watch anything to do with animals.
Slim Paley photo
It's a beautiful time to be here. Springtime in NY…
It gives Springtime in Paris a run for it's Euros.
The weekend weather was perfection. We walked and walked – one of the things about living in NY that I miss the most.
Slim Paley photo of Prada's windows
Although today it clouded over and rained, just as predicted, I still walked over 6 miles (of course I have my trusty pedometer with me)
As my shoes were totally flat with leather soles, my feet are burning with the heat of a thousand suns and my toes are cramping up like little crippled Cheetos.
Drinking $8 bottles of water doesn't seem to be helping.
How so many woman in Manhattan walk all these city blocks in teetering heels never ceases to amaze (and slightly irritate) me.
Slim Paley photo
The 'heel-less' sky high platform, first seen at Alexander McQueen, is still around.
Not surprising given the obvious practicality, not to mention never having to worry about getting your heel stuck in the hem of your pants or a side-walk grate.
Genius, really.
Slim Paley photo
Loved this display in Prada of the paparazzi, I assume perhaps a nod to the Met Ball last week?
Slim Paley photo
and the Barney's windows- a tribute to 10 years of Alber Elbaz at Lanvin
The Ralph Lauren windows, while at the other end of the spectrum, are always delicious.
Can I be Ricky Lauren when I grow up? (but still be married to my husband, though I don't know quite how that would work)
Slim Paley photo
#1 Son and I walked for hours downtown too.
Slim Paley photo
I snapped this photo only because I felt it incapsulated a little bit of everything downtown- a lot of beauty, a little garbage, promotion of the Arts and graffiti.
Such GREAT people watching too. Probably the best in the country in NY, don't you think?
Bloody hell, there are a lot of gorgeous woman downtown.
As my mom would say, "Every Dog has it's Day"
And speaking of'; my moonlighting job as "The Barktorialist" also kept me busy.
Slim Paley photo
Meet "Martin". She likes to sing when having her photo taken. (and yes, "Martin" is a girl. It's NY, after all…)
.Slim Paley photo
Unfortunately, because I have a mild aversion to getting arrested, one of my favorite NY moments had to go without photo documentation today.
3 New York City policemen locked out of their squad car on 5th Ave. and trying to jimmy the window open with one of those coat hanger/window shimmier thingies.
You can't imagine how hard it was not to grab my camera (or ask if they needed me to call the police 🙂 )
More than a couple of 5th Avenue doormen were having quite a chuckle at the NYPD's expense.
And what's with President Obama coming to NY every time I'm here?!
Finally, I treated myself to updating my make-up collection with a late afternoon visit to Barney's. God I love the guys that work in cosmetics down there- they're the best!
Im such a sucker for getting caught up in the moment when I finally succumb to the cosmetics department- are you?
I usually sprint through, just to save my credit cards the burn, but once I sit down for an application …it's all over.
Naturally, I'm firmly convinced I'm going to look like this tomorrow morning
After all, a girl can dream.
Especially in New York.
Wishing you a wonderful week and please, one last reminder that the "Circle of Mom's" Top 25 Design Bloggers" contest closes at 4 pm tomorrow.
If you'd like to help me win this year , just click HERE to place your 1 click vote. It couldn't be easier.
Thanks to all of you who are voting and voting daily!- xoxo
PS. please excuse any spelling or grammatical errorz on this post- It's been a long day and I've still got a lot of make-up to remove 🙂


text:
Click on this for a larger view of some seriously missed opportunities. Oh well, while frustrated, at least I'm not Bob McGinn-frustrated with Favre (apparently). Comments on his Sunday article and season summary forthcoming.
Painful picture of Favre's Pick
6 Responses to "Painful picture of Favre's Pick"
Bill Walsh Says:
January 28, 2008 at 5:08 pm |
Wow. Particularly the check-down back… there's no one behind him for what, seven or ten yards, and they're all running away from him.
PackSmack Says:
January 29, 2008 at 1:49 am |
Favre did say that Driver's route was supposed to be a shake route, but that Donald ran an out instead…
register_allocation Says:
January 29, 2008 at 7:41 pm |
Isn't that pretty blantant offensive holding there just to Favre's left? I guess that would be either Franks or Lee, since the OL is clearly identifiable.
bob Says:
July 28, 2008 at 2:40 pm |
after watching film it looked like farve never give the others a look and he wanted his bud driver open or not. also the long right thow is brets worse % thow. Still hurting
bob Says:
July 28, 2008 at 2:42 pm |
what is a shake route /


text:
Wave the Flag!
This month Margie Bauman reports on the annual celebration of wild Alaska salmon and the people who depend on them, Salmonstock, which took place in early August on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula. The organizers of the event were able to educate the attendees about some of the issues facing Alaska's fishermen, including the Pebble Mine, and by all accounts, Salmonstock was a successful festival.
The annual Astoria Commercial Fishermen's Festival will take place on the weekend of September 8th and 9th, at the Hammond Marina, 15 minutes west of Astoria, Oregon. Fishermen's News is the proud media sponsor of the event, and we have a section in this paper starting on page 14 detailing some of the activities, sponsors and events for the weekend. We hope to see a big crowd again this year.
It's important to keep the commercial fisherman and his product in front of the consumer. Educating consumers is a constant struggle, whether you're providing fish, stereo equipment or medical supplies, and an event like the Commercial Fishermen's Festival can introduce the fresh, wild local products to a whole new batch of consumers!
If you can't make it to Astoria on the 8th and 9th, another opportunity is the Newport Wild seafood Weekend, in Newport, Oregon, where fresh caught seafood will be prepared by master chefs from around the region. If you're in Northern California, the same weekend brings the Pittsburg seafood Festival (www.pittsburgchamber.org), in Old Town Pittsburg, California.
In October, catch the Dungeness crab & seafood Festival, at the Port Angeles City Pier in Port Angeles, Washington (www.crabfestival.org) or the Oysterfest (www.oysterfest.com), in Shelton, Washington at the Port of Shelton Fairgrounds.
Take the time to support the local fishing festivals, and get out there and "wave the flag" for the West Coast commercial fisheries. The more the consumer knows about your product, the better.
Chris Philips


text:
If you are reading my blog it should come as no surprise to you that travel is a big part of my life. I enjoy it. I also enjoy the perks that come with a lot of frequent travel and even strive to attain those perks. A few years ago, this took me right to the top echelons of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program when I attained Platinum One status. The year that followed was certainly worth it, in my eyes. This entry isn't about aiming for that level again, as I just don't have the time or money for that. However, I recently dropped back to Gold, having been a Platinum (or higher) frequent flyer member for the last 4-5 years. I was happy and ready to accept that fate, when a double status credit offer appeared in my inbox and suddenly all bets were off.
Over a long weekend in April I took 12 flights that placed me back in the Platinum arena for the next two years. Where I go from there is unknown and is not important. This entry serves as a record of that journey in pictoral form. I don't think anyone needs to know what it cost, except to note it was extremely good value.


text:
Stay up to date with the latest industry news and events from Angling International.
Subscribe to our email newsletter for news, articles, and updates about what's new.
Contact us today with your advertising needs at email@example.com For more info please click here
Copyright Exists © Angling International Magazine, all rights reserved.


text:
Are Modern Family's Cam and Mitchell finally going to walk down the aisle?
Jesse Tyler Ferguson got fans of the ABC comedy excited for the possible nuptials when he tweeted a photo that made it appear as though his character and Cam (Eric Stonestreet) are getting hitched in their home. "It's not what it looks like," he wrote. "Or is it? Guess you'll have to wait to find out!"
Vote for your favorite new TV shows in our Fall Popularity Contest!
However, a source echoed Ferguson's statement, telling TVGuide.com there's no Modern Family wedding to speak of. But we can still hope!
If they do get married, executive producer Steve Levitan already knows who will officiate!
Modern Family airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on ABC.