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Between 36% and 60% of companies' digital advertising revenue could be at risk for misdirected media buys. That's according to a ClearSaleing study released Monday. The company looked at the attribution model of 13 advertisers across retail, education and financial verticals, analyzing more than 1 billion advertising impressions, 81.5 million advertising clicks, and 3 million conversions.
The findings, which were intended to quantify the amount of revenue misallocated by the last-ad attribution model, were compared with the company's algorithms built into an application Morris Martin, director of product marketing and strategy, refers to as the "glass-box" -- the ability to see contributions from all channels.
Morris, a former senior analyst at the Microsoft Atlas Institute, has been working with attribution models for 6.5 years. He says the study attempts to identify the amount of revenue at risk for the 13 advertisers and give them the tools to move beyond the last ad method.
The platform, ClearSaleing Altitude, aims to do just that. If campaigns only get optimized under the last ad, or click, brands would ignore all the other steps contributing to the bottom line. The last ad can undervalue other steps in the sales funnel and mislead marketers to misallocate budgets, according to the study.
Brands will begin moving beyond the last ad when it comes to attribution, Martin said, suggesting that many will begin to see the value in display advertising as a contributing factor to finding consumers that might not know about the brand's product or service. He points to eMarketer predictions for better-than-expected ad spending this year for display ads. Brands will increase the amount spent this year by 20% to $31.3 billion in 2011, up from a previous forecast of $28.5 billion, eMarketer estimates.
ClearSaleing's statistical model examines the relationship between the exposure to media channels and consumer conversions and supports CS Altitude, which helps to determine allocation. The platform looks at all the impressions and clicks of a brand's campaign and analyzes the causal relationship between a person being exposed to a variety of media, such as affiliate, display, comparison shopping engine, natural search, social and their propensity to convert.
Paid-search promotes navigation. A retailer's most profitable keywords will likely include the brand's name. It becomes the last click before the conversion. Display, for example, does well when it's one of the first steps. The model not only measures conversions, but also the relationship of how a consumer interacts with a specific channel.
What should advertisers do? Martin suggests identifying the amount of revenue at risk for the last ad method. "In one case, an advertiser participating in the study had 60% of its revenue tied into multiple steps to conversion," Martin said. "So it didn't give this advertiser the full picture. In fact, most medium-to-large advertisers have customers that take multistep paths. So they need to move past the last ad."
It will lead brands to reopen their media plans and display ad channels. Advertisers do a great job creating marketing briefs, but when they optimize it against the last ad attribution model, the larger publishers are cut from the campaign because the premium display units underperform, based on key performance indicators.
Many consumers discover products and services in a display ad, then turn to search before making the purchase. Display ads can help brands reach consumers well before they're in the market to make a purchase. The consumer base doesn't grow by buying more branded keywords, Martin said.
With more specificity: 44% of all transactions are Originated by Display for advertisers using C3 Metrics attribution.
More here from C3 Metrics:
So, Mark, absent display ads 44% of revenue goes away? Gimme a break. I understand the need for marketing patter, but this "study" is tremendously, and intentionally misleading. We're big believers that Display advertising can be done cost effectively for many (not all) businesses with proper attention to the details. We're also firm believers in the importance of shrewd attribution. We're also firm believers in integrity, and while blasting this "study" to pieces point by point would be fun, I suppose it would be impolite. Advertisers need to carefully assess the incremental value of media buys, and stats modeling is a piece of the puzzle -- hold out tests for email, display, and direct mail are also essential pieces.
As a rule of thumb, we at Visual IQ also see that at least 40% of converters have more than one touch in their experience prior to conversion. Whether it is 36% or 44% or 40%, we certainly agree that many converting consumers experience more than one marketing touch prior to conversion. So all of us in the attribution management business agree that that last click attribution is a flawed methodology in this context. But I would NOT agree with George's comments that the conclusions in ClearSaleing's documents are intentionally misleading, though I do agree that they are unsubstantiated.
The document merely points out that when display ad impressions took place during the multi-touch path to a conversion that the value of the resulting conversions was greater than when only one touchpoint was observed. The document does NOT provide a methodology for basing any conclusions WHY this was the case, nor does it provide any proof that were those display impressions to have not occurred, that the resulting conversions would not have taken place.
An attribution methodology that arrives at the right attribution weights for each touchpoint in the converting user's experience by executing virtual A/B tests between paths that include that touchpoint and paths that do not include that touchpoint using 100% of touchpoint data from both converters and non-converters gets to the WHY behind the findings and provides a solid basis for future performance predictability. This accomplishes what George suggests without the pain and cost of executing hold-out tests for each placement and creative. It's our belief that until such a methodology is utilized that the "cause-tied-to-effect-tied-to-outcome-predictability" conclusions in this document cannot be justified.
Gentlemen, thank you for taking the time to read the published case study and comment on the Media Post article. We have reached a significant milestone in evolving beyond the last-ad attribution methodology and I thank you for echoing the need for more robust, advanced analytics.
Bill, your comment "An attribution methodology that arrives at the right attribution weights for each touchpoint in the converting user's experience by executing virtual A/B tests between paths…" shows that we are in complete agreement in that the methodology must include the determination of a causal versus coincidental relationship between advertising and revenue.
As stated on page 2 of the study in the methodology section, CS Altitude leverages level of influence at its foundation. "A statistical standard, Bayesian Regression, was used to analyze 100% of impressions and clicks from both converters and non-converters to identify the causal relationship between marketing channels and consumer conversion." This was across more than 1.1 billion impressions and more than 81.5 million clicks across converting (3 million) and non-converting paths over a 4-month period. Furthermore hold out analysis is standard procedure in our coefficient generation validation process; coefficients are also refreshed on a regular basis to insure stability. We are enthused that you agree with our approach.
Additionally, it appears that you may have misunderstood the actual study. When a consumer has multiple steps within their Purchase Path to conversion, revenue associated with the conversion is 42% higher than single paths only. Multiple step paths are not limited to the display channel but rather are inclusive of channels such as Paid Search, Affiliates, Email, Comparison Shopping Engines, etc. Display, having been one of the most undervalued channels in digital advertising, is one of the key benefactors of moving to the robust CS Altitude methodology, however, channels such as Email and Paid Search also benefit.
Certainly, we enjoy this discussion on the topic and we invite you to join the webinar on June 21st at 2EST.
We enjoy the discussion as well Morris. The data driven nature and scientific rooting of this discussion should help marketers and their agencies feel more confident about making investments in attribution. It also speaks to how the space has come a long way. The marketplace is increasingly recognizing the superior nature of algorithmic attribution process – a process that Visual IQ has pioneered for several years now.
I'd like to offer a final couple words of clarification. If I understand George's comments correctly, the hold outs he is referring to are campaign-level hold outs in the traditional marketing sense, meaning you run a test for email by holding back email for a week and then introduce email back the following week to measure the difference in response rates. These obviously differ from statistical hold outs which involve holding back some sample data points during the modeling process for cross-validation later. Naturally, both are meaningful in their context. A statistical modeling algorithm will only be able to tease out the impact of a marketing stimuli when there are sample observations in the data that speak to response states with and without a particular stimuli, or at least varying degrees of it. This is why George's point is a precursor to using a model to estimate/quantify the impact of a marketing program.
Let's keep sight of the end goal here. Advertisers NEED to have proper attribution reporting as part of their campaign measurement tool set so that they can properly spend their online budget in the right places. Even at its most basic level using equal attribution, an advertiser can gain the benefit of knowing that display campaigns can be a useful branding mechanism for helping to drive conversions for other campaigns, such as search.
I'm absolutely loving the competitive spirit of these attribution conversations because at Yahoo, you can go back all the way to 2006 when we did studies with ComScore talking about how using a combination of display + search can help to drive a higher ROI for the advertiser. And our critics use to say, "Well of course Yahoo is going to report this, display and search is their bread and butter."
Well, the evidence is out there people....and it's solid. And it's not coming out so much anymore from companies who are in the business of search and display (Yahoo, Microsoft (Atlas), Google), it's coming from very talented companies such as Clear Saleing, Visual IQ, and C3 who are focused on the topic of attribution. They are proving out the theories with testing and providing you the data in reports and case studies.
For those advertisers who run both display and search campaigns and are not focused on attribution reporting or who have their campaigns being managed by a 3rd party agency who does not pay close attention to attribution when managing your campaigns, you better start paying closer attention.
Attribution helps you gain tighter control of your online spend. It will weed out the underperforming campaigns and will help you drive more more conversions by focusing more spend on the most efficient campaigns.
It's a no brainer people. You need to get attribution into you measurement mix.
Bill, Morris, for clarity, the 'hold out' tests of which I speak are what direct marketers have been doing for decades, and no, it doesn't mean off-on-off-on. It means random split tests with a control group. This is the gold standard.
RKG's attribution system also takes advantage of high-end statistical modeling to estimate lifts associated with different types of ads, it also recognizes critical distinctions between brand and non-brand search, between display impressions and clicks, etc. That said, we also have enough knowledge of stats and integrity as advocates of our clients to acknowledge that the mathematical assumptions underlying these techniques are often wrong, and that sanity checks with hold out testing is critically important.
We wouldn't have built the service offering if we didn't think it an important piece of the puzzle. My complaint is that those who have an interest in selling more advertising (agencies, publishers, and attribution service providers) have a huge incentive to over-inflate the importance of these interactions. This is a disservice to the advertisers we are supposed to serve.
Morris, one other comment. You mentioned using Bayesian Regression modeling for the analysis. That seems an odd choice to us. We found dynamic Bayesian models produced lousy attribution modeling because these models don't understand sequential ordering. See this piece: http://www.rimmkaufman.com/rkgblog/2010/06/21/advanced-statistics-and-other-meaningless-drivel/
Matt, thank you for continuing to beat the drum that is the case for attribution as it is imperative for advertisers to adopt a methodology that is a more robust, intelligent representation of their holistic marketing mix. Evolving beyond the last ad via the channel-agnostic CS Altitude is a win-win situation for advertisers and publishers alike. Advertisers are empowered with improved optimization of 100% of their marketing data while publishers are rewarded for reaching an advertiser's target audience rather than simply being the last ad.
George, you've made several astute points and I thank you for sharing your team's efforts in producing an attribution methodology. You've highlighted the need for an advanced attribution model to be transparent and identify and account for sequence of ad exposures and clicks. As noted on page 2 of the case study, CS Altitude is a glass-box algorithm, revealing all inputs in addition to outputs to advertisers. Furthermore, in addition to quantifying the relationship between channel exposure and conversion based on 100% of converter and non-converter data, "Purchase Path Position, the relationship between when a consumer is exposed to a channel, e.g. Introducer (first engagement), Influencer (middle) or Closer (last) and onsite activity was examined." Finally, we differ in approach of model specification and data collection technology to build a best in class attribution model but your core tenants of a channel agnostic evaluation of media, transparency and marketing acumen are precisely the foundation of CS Altitude.
We look forward to hosting you on tomorrow's webinar. Regards.
Thanks for the discussion, Morris. I have no doubt your team has built a fine product.
Like George Michie at R-K, we at AdStrategist are believers in integrity. However, I don't believe blasting a study to pieces would be impolite. Publishing a study full of drec, is.
This makes all of the attribution vendors look bad. Bayesian Regression Modeling!!!??
Give me a break guys..


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Answer: The White House.
The Secret Service recently began a facial recognition pilot program at the nation's capital. The quietly implemented program will test the technology's usefulness in identifying "subjects of interest" before law enforcement gets involved.
Currently, the system is only tasked with confirming the identities of volunteer members of the Secret Service. It will scan images taken from the video feeds of existing security cameras in and around the building. Images are kept only when the system detects a match, otherwise they are deleted. When the pilot concludes on Aug. 30, all facial data retained will be deleted unless it is part of an "open law enforcement matter."
The American Civil Liberties Union, which has previously raised privacy concerns around the use of facial recognition technology by government, questioned where the federal use of the technology will go from here. Its use by the White House could open the door for widespread deployment on more than just a trial basis sooner rather than later.

subset: commoncrawl


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Eternity Now is an instant burst of brightness. Juicy lychee sparkles in the top. The heart opens with a floral bouquet of lush peonies and radiant peach blossoms. Sensuous neroli petals are wrapped in a soft cashmere veil with sensual ambrox and precious musk for a warm, intimate aura.
The striking new bottle incorporates sleek lines, sweeping curves, and the cool transparency of weighted glass to give the dynamic silhouette a luxurious look and feel.
If you have any questions about this product, let us know.


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The sooner your skin cancer is detected and treated, the greater your chance for recovery is. Oftentimes, skin cancer is very preventable if you take precautions and educate yourself on the dos and don'ts of sun exposure.
It is important to maintain a schedule of yearly check-ups in order to help prevent illness. The Medical Center of Aurora is a leader in healthcare. Click here to make an appointment with a skilled primary care physician at The Medical Center of Aurora.
Perform a full-body self-exam each month to become familiar with your skin and to identify any changes that could signal skin cancer. You can download a body mole map from the American Academy of Dermatology to learn how to examine your skin and what to look for. If you see anything unusual — a mole or growth that is growing, unusual, bleeding or not like the others — see a dermatologist.
Three common skin cancer types
- Basal cell carcinoma is a slow-growing cancer in the layer just underneath the outer layer of the skin (epidermis) where the basal cells are located. Basal cell carcinoma seldom spreads to other parts of the body.
- Squamous cell carcinoma is more rare than basal cell cancer and lives in the epidermis. It spreads more often than basal cell carcinoma.
- Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer and occurs when melanocytes, the pigment cells in the lower part of the epidermis, become malignant, meaning that they start dividing uncontrollably. If it spreads to the lymph nodes, it may also reach other parts of the body, such as the liver, lungs or brain. In such cases, the disease is called metastatic melanoma.
Other types of skin cancer include Kaposi sarcoma, skin or cutaneous lymphomas and Merkel cell carcinoma. Actinic keratosis is a precancerous skin lesion that can become a squamous cell cancer.
Treatment options
If you've been diagnosed with skin cancer, your doctor will most likely remove the tumor and some of the surrounding tissue via surgery (excision) or a special procedure called Mohs micrographic surgery. If you have melanoma, your doctor may perform a sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) to help determine the stage.
Then, depending on the type of cancer, its stage, and other factors, your doctor may recommend additional treatment. This can include:
- Radiation therapy, using X-rays that kill the cancer cells (and some normal cells)
- Chemotherapy, using drugs to kill or slow down the cancer cell growth
- Photodynamic therapy (PDT), using a drug and type of laser light to kill cancer cells
- Biologic therapy, which boosts your body's own ability to fight cancer
- Lymphadenectomy, which surgically removes lymph nodes
- Immunotherapy, which helps the patient's immune system fight the cancer
- Targeted therapy, using drugs that can shrink the cancer
- Adoptive T-cell therapy, using T-cells from the patient to fight the cancer
- Clinical trial, depending on the type of skin cancer you have, you may be eligible for a type of treatment that is still being tested
If you have been diagnosed with skin cancer, follow your doctor's recommendations for regular check-ups. This will help ensure that any new cases of skin cancer, or a recurrence of one that has been treated, is caught early enough.
Click here to learn more about The Medical Center of Aurora's skilled cancer care providers.


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Browsing MST-Department of Foods, Nutrition & Dietetics by Subject "AIDS (Disease)in infants--Kenya--Homa-Bay"
Now showing items 1-1 of 1
Nutrition status and feeding practices of infants born of HIV positive mothers in Kenya : a case of Homa- Bay PMTCT clinic (2011-11-28)HIV/AIDS has become a major global catastrophe. There are 2.5 million children under 15 years of age who are living with HIV/AIDS. In Kenya, there are 90,000 children who are HIV positive. The probability of an HIV positive ...


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The man accused of killing a mother and daughter in their Oak View home August 24th pleaded not guilty in a Ventura courtroom Wednesday.
25-year-old Shawn Shirck of Oak View is charged with two counts of murder and is facing two special allegations of use of a deadly weapon in the double homicide in the 100 block of Valley Ridge Drive.
The victims, 82-year-old Phyllis Porter and her daughter, 59-year-old Margaret Dahl, were found dead in the home they rented from Shirck's father.
They were stabbed to death.
Shirck knew the victims.
Following his arraignment Wednesday, Shirck was ordered back to court on November 5th for what's known as a early disposition conference.
He remains in the Ventura County Jail with bail set at more than $1 million.


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Twenty four years after it was demolished following a fire disaster, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State fulfilled yet another campaign promise he made in 2007 as he inaugurated and handed over the new ultra-modern Oyingbo Market, built at a cost of over N1bn.
It was learnt that the contract for rebuilding the market, which had been in existence since the 1920s, was awarded in 2009 with a completion period of 60 weeks with the Lagos Ministry of Works supervising the project.
Addressing a gathering comprising of market men and women, government functionaries and business stakeholders, as well as APC party supporters, at the site of the new edifice on Sunday, Governor Fashola recalled that the new market was a promise he made in 2007 when he was campaigning in the area as the governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).
According to him, "I made a promise to rebuild the market in 2007 during my campaign for governorship. By the event of today, I have fulfilled my promise.
"Out of the 633 open shops in the new market, 618 of them will be allocated to the original owners displaced when the market got burnt and had to be rebuilt.
"With this development, the state government expects that roadside trading will come to an end in Oyingbo as you can now use the market for business".
The Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Kadri Hamzat, said, "The effort to rebuild Oyingbo Market commenced with the Lagos Mainland Local Government Area's plan of a N100m reconstruction".
He added that the project was not successful as the money could not deliver a first class market, adding that the Fashola administration later stepped in and delivered a structure that had all the trappings of an international market.
Hamzat said, "The market comprises four floor, a car park that can take 150 cars, 622 lock up shops type one and 102 lock up shops type two; industrial borehole, water treatment plant, 48 open office, generator house, six gate houses, three cold rooms, sewage treatment plant, 1,000KVA transformers, closed-circuit monitor and 134 toilets".


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- Home
- Formazione
- Microsoft
Implementing a Data Warehouse with Microsoft SQL Server (MOC 20463)
Course Overview
This course is designed for customers who are interested in learning SQL Server 2012 or SQL Server 2014. It covers the new features in SQL Server 2014, but also the important capabilities across the SQL Server data platform.
Chi dovrebbe partecipare
This course is intended for database professionals who need to create and support a data warehousing solution. Primary responsibilities include:
Implementing a data warehouse. Developing SSIS packages for data extraction, transformation, and loading. Enforcing data integrity by using Master Data Services. Cleansing data by using Data Quality Services.
This course requires that you meet the following prerequisites:
- At least 2 years' experience of working with relational databases, including:
- Designing a normalized database.
- Creating tables and relationships.
- Querying with Transact-SQL.
- Some exposure to basic programming constructs (such as looping and branching).
- An awareness of key business priorities such as revenue, profitability, and financial accounting is desirable.
Obiettivi del Corso
After completing this course, students will be able to:
- Describe data warehouse concepts and architecture considerations.
- Select an appropriate hardware platform for a data warehouse.
- Design and implement a data warehouse.
- Implement Data Flow in an SSIS Package.
- Implement Control Flow in an SSIS Package.
- Debug and Troubleshoot SSIS packages.
- Implement an ETL solution that supports incremental data extraction.
- Implement an ETL solution that supports incremental data loading.
- Implement data cleansing by using Microsoft Data Quality Services.
- Implement Master Data Services to enforce data integrity.
- Extend SSIS with custom scripts and components.
- Deploy and Configure SSIS packages.
- Describe how BI solutions can consume data from the data warehouse.
Contenuti del Corso
This course describes how to implement a data warehouse platform to support a BI solution. Students will learn how to create a data warehouse with Microsoft SQL Server 2014, implement ETL with SQL Server Integration Services, and validate and cleanse data with SQL Server Data Quality Services and SQL Server Master Data Services.
Online Training
Durata 5 Giorni
Prezzo (IVA esclusa)
- 1.600,- €
Formazione in Aula
Durata 5 Giorni
Prezzo (IVA esclusa)
- Italia: 1.600,- €
Fuso orario CEST
1 ora spostamento del fuso orario
Fuso orario: BST
Fuso orario: GMT
FLEX & Online Training
Di seguito i corsi disponibili in modalità Flex.
Regno Unito
Fuso orario: BST


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Second Annual Yankees Women's Camp Begins Today
It's January in Tampa and to many New York Yankees' fans that means it's time to don the famous pinstripes and play ball. The annual Yankees Fantasy Camps are held each January (there's also another one for the guys each November) at George M. Steinbrenner Field and the surrounding training facilities.And for the second season in a row, the first group in the door are female Yankee campers. Next week, the men come to town.
Today the lobby of the Sheraton Suites was busy with the official sign-in with campers arriving from as far away as Puerto Rico.
By my unofficial count, there are 91 campers spread over eight teams. And former Yankees players are the coaches of those teams. Among them are Al Downing, Bucky Dent, David Wells, Gil Patterson, Homer Bush, and Mickey Rivers.
Our kick-off dinner is tonight with special guest, former Yankee, Tino Martinez signing autographs and taking pictures.
Jennifer Steinbrenner Swindal, Vice Chairperson and General Partner of the Yankees, will offer welcoming words to the players and she will play as well. Jennifer will be on Al Downing's Georgettes team.
There are many returnees from the historic first women's mini fantasy camp in 2011 and from the looks of the smiling faces I saw in the lobby, a good time is in store for all the attendees.


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Since the specifications for 5G had recently released, carriers are racing to use it and AT&T is one of the first.
AT&T just unveiled plans to launch spec-based mobile 5G to everyday consumers in 12 cities by late 2018. It is not specific about where those markets are or which devices will be the first to adopt the faster speeds, but the arrival of the 5G spec has kicked off the start of hardware development.
The provider currently has '5G Evolution' in 23 urban areas, and expects to bring it to 'hundreds' of additional markets throughout 2018. Like it or not, there will probably a repeat of the confusion you saw when networks tried to market fast 3G as 4G, with the real 5G coexisting alongside souped up 4G for a while.
The carrier isn't going to have a lot of lead time over its rivals. Sprint has committed to a 5G network in 2019, while T-Mobile's is due in 2020. However, Verizon has been testing 5G home broadband ahead of a 2018 debut, so we'd expect mobile 5G not too long after that. Still, it's an important step toward an honest-to-goodness wireless upgrade, and it could make all the difference for streaming 4K video, online VR and other technologies that absolutely depend on 5G's massive bandwidth and low lag.
Credits: https://www.engadget.com/2018/01/04/att-true-mobile-5g-launch-plans/


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A teenage girl was found dead two months after her boyfriend killed himself.
The body of beauty student Karly McCallum, 18, was discovered in Galston, East Ayrshire, Scotland, on June 23.
Her death, which is being treated as non-suspicious, came after her boyfriend Richie King, 21, took his own life.
Richie died in April on the day of their close friend Codey Brown's funeral.
Codey's body was discovered in Dean Park, Kilmarnock, on March 17, the day after her 18th birthday.
On May 3, Karly had tweeted that she used to believe everything happened for a reason but 'what could possibly be the reason for this'.
Another friend, George Dykes, was then found dead at a home on the morning of May 20.
Karly also wrote online that she missed her boyfriend 'so much'.
Richie's mum Allison King, 51, described the pair, who had been together for just over a year, as the 'perfect couple' who almost loved each other too much.
The former care worker told the Daily Record: 'What's happened is so devastating, I can't get my head around it.
'I really liked Karly from the moment I met her.
'She was well-mannered, kind and quite shy. She had her own voice and her own sense of style.
'She helped him turn into a man and he loved her to bits.'
Allison has called for better mental health support for those who need it in the wake of the deaths.
Paying tribute to Karly online, her sister Tami, 17, wrote: 'So so f*****g heartbroken to be writing this, man, but rest easy.
'To my best friend and sister in one.
'So surreal, man, I actually have no idea how I'm going to do this without you Karly.
'I hope you've found the peace you were after. I'll love you forever and you'll never ever be forgotten.'
What a letter to be posted through the door this morning 😢 our wee hearts nearly burst when we read it. Aww Richie King your football family are also thinking of you our boy!!!! AMAZING 💙💙💙 #manchestercity pic.twitter.com/Rwr9LuVD1U
— angie king ✌ (@angieee_K) May 17, 2019
Before her death, Karly shared a post online from a relative of Richie's, Angie King, which included a photograph of a letter from Manchester City Football Club.
The letter read: 'Dear Family and Friends of Richie King.
'It was with great sadness that the club learned of Richie's passing. On behalf of everyone at Manchester City Football Club, please accept our sincere condolences and deepest sympathy.
'Although we can only imagine the difficult time you are going through, we hope that this letter comes as a reminder that your football family is thinking of you.'
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: 'At approximately 10.55am on Sunday, police were made aware of the death of a woman in Galston.
'There are no suspicious circumstances.'
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Karly's family with costs and a birthday balloon release in her memory has been planned at Morton Park Darvel on July 6.
Need support? Contact the Samaritans
For emotional support you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email firstname.lastname@example.com, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.


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Sensational striker Asamoah Gyan is eyeing his 50th goal for Ghana ahead of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Mozambique on Thursday.
The iconic Black Stars captain is the country's leading all-time scorer with 48 goals in 95 appearances for the four-time African champions.
Gyan is the undisputed all-time best striker for the West African Nations with an enviable record at both club and international level.
The SIPG attacker is also the leading African scorer at the World Cup with six goals, surpassing the record held by Cameroonian legend Roger Milla.
The former Sunderland and Al Ain arrowman could hit the 50th goal haul mark with a brace against the Mambas at home.
The phenomenal attacker has braced odds to earn a legendary status in Ghana.
Source: Ghanasoccernet.com


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A black cat was the centre of attention in Parliament when it made an unprecedented appearance in the chambers.
The docile animal stirred up excitement among the MPs present with Millie Odhiambo (Suba North) showing most concern over the cat's presence.
"Honourable Chair, I'm worried that there is a stranger in the house. We are just hearing sounds of a cat and we cannot see it, that is more worrisome than when we see it because it could be a spirit," she stated.
Some legislators pointed at the cat which was strolling casually in the visitors' gallery.
The camera zoomed in on the cat as it made its way to a different section of the gallery, seemingly shying away from the attention it had attracted.
Millie further noted, "It is very worrisome that it is a black cat and the house needs to be evacuated. Chair. We need spiritual leaders for cleansing."
Commenting on the matter, Majority Leader Aden Duale declared that the cat should be honoured rather than being shunned as it held some cultural significance to communities in the country.
"Chair, this is a house of the people of Kenya including wildlife and the cat is representing the people of Kenya. What we need to do is feed it. I will tell you not to mess with a black cat and people from Coast can tell us more," he explained eliciting laughs from some legislators.
The moment was ephemeral in nature as Kibwezi East MP Jessica Mbalu, who was the chair during the session, directed that the cat is left alone as the house proceeds with its business.
"It is important for us to note that the stranger in the house is not a human being, it is a cat and cats are not Members of Parliament. It may represent the cats but not the House," she conveyed.
Here is the video:
- the journey25 May 2020 - 3:26 pm
- Protests25 May 2020 - 3:12 pm
- Clarification25 May 2020 - 2:36 pm
- next level25 May 2020 - 1:50 pm
- Extreme Measures25 May 2020 - 1:03 pm
- coming clean25 May 2020 - 12:40 pm
- winning25 May 2020 - 11:48 am
- Head On25 May 2020 - 11:08 am
- Vaccine25 May 2020 - 10:59 am
- Saddening25 May 2020 - 10:07 am
- helping hand25 May 2020 - 9:55 am
- Poisoned25 May 2020 - 8:50 am


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ULM to host third annual Women's Symposium
March 26, 2018
As part of International Women's History Month, ULM is hosting its third annual Women's Symposium in the brand-new Bayou Pointe student event center.
This year, the committee will be honoring their first ULM undergrad student- senior education major Nirali Patel. Patel will be the first ever recipient of the Emerging Student Leader Award.
This student is an individual who contributes to the empowerment, motivation and encouragement of fellow peers and fosters positive change.
The recipient of this award shows exemplary leadership qualities through student organizations, academic excellence and community service.
Throughout her years at ULM, Patel has been involved in several leadership organizations which include Campus Activities Board, 31 Ambassadors, Student Government Association and Up-til-Dawn.
The Women's Symposium will feature discussions in a panelist/moderator format.
Panelists include university faculty, staff and prominent leaders within the community.
Some of the topics will include financial health, diversity and cultural awareness, social media consciousness, overall health and self-care, authentic leadership and negotiations and communication.
The theme of the Women's Symposium this year is WINGS: Women Influencing the Next Generation of Success. The mission of the symposium is to empower, motivate and encourage girls and women from all backgrounds and all educational and professional levels to pursue their passions and seek leadership roles in their desired career paths.
The event starts at noon on Wednesday, March 28, in the Bayou Pointe Event Center. Registration for students is free. ULM faculty register at a discounted rate of $20, and everyone else registers at the original $35 price.
Registration occurs through the following link: www.eventbrite.com/e/2018-ulm-womens-symposium-tickets-43169935439. For any questions, email Meredith McKinnie at [email protected] or Rebekah Barnes at [email protected]


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Pfizer's Jnk
Posted by kinasepro on November 15, 2007
SD's got a series of Jnk1 inhibitors in WO/2007/125405:
First half of the compounds look about like that one, and Jnk1 data is given…
Second half appear discretely in the claims and look more like Jnk3 inhibitors to me.
3 Responses to "Pfizer's Jnk"
November 21, 2007 at 12:05 am
My reading of the patent was that they had two series of compounds, both intended for their diabetes JNK1project – and for some reason they decided to stuff both of them in the same application.
I think a natural explanation can be that they were pursuing both series in parallel at the beginning of their project but they got a cell potency only in the first series – which they then took forward. The compounds from the second series were put there to broaden the claim scope.
I think the structure you posted is their main lead on which they did some conformationally-restricted analogs, perhaps to improve selectivity.
I also suspect that the binding mode you guessed is not quite correct – that there are some induced-fit changes.
Overall I think it is a solid work, not the prophetic bull you sometimes see in the patents.


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This live blog will be updated throughout the first of the weekend's two Avon Tyres British GT Championship races at Zandvoort. Start time 4pm local time (3pm UK).
16:10That's it from the first British GT race of the weekend. Report coming soon. The seconds race of the weekend is at 12noon tomorrow – that's 11am in the UK
16:09Caine is greeted by a jubilant Motorbase crew in pitlane. This is their second win of the season
16:08Behind the podium guys. John Gaw is 4th, Olly Bryant 5th, Phil Keen 6th, Matt Bell 7th, Lee Mowle 8th, Warren Hughes 9th and Piers Johnson 10th
16:06Dan Eagling comes across the line to claim GT4 victory for Redgate/Lifetime Racing
16:05The top 6 were covered by just 2.3 seconds.
16:04Michael Caine wins!!! Dan Brown second for 888Optimum. Barff in third after his late attempt on the lead.
16:03Barff seeks the lead round the outside of T8, but he's repelled and Brown gets second place back!!
16:02They will get one more lap as the leaders work their way through the final corners of the 30th lap
16:01I's almost four in the lead battle now – Brown and Gaw having caught the top two
15:594 minutes to go – Barff now set to challenge Caine, .450s between them
15:57Brown dives to the inside of Tarzan, gets past but goes wide. Caine gets back by and Barff snatches 2nd from the BMW driver!
15:558 minutes to go – the top three split by just a second. Gaw and Bryant 3.4 second off the pace fighting for 4th
15:54It's basically three for the lead – Caine, Brown and Barff just a second between them!!
15:53Andy Schulz's GTC Ferrari is given a 13 second stop-go – a short pitstop I think
15:52Slow middle sectors for both Caine and Brown so Barff catches up to just 1.6 seconds behind – 10 minutes to go
15:51They can't do it twice through, Brown slices into the lead – now just 0.7 between the leaders. Barff sets his best lap of the race 3.4 seconds behind Caine
15:49Hughes passes Johnson for 9th. The top 3 manage to lap within 8 hundreths of each other, Caine leading by 2.1 seconds – 14 minutes to go.
15:48Hines drops another place behind Warren Hughes to 11th as Rob barff takes 3rd from John Gaw
15:47In the battle for 9th Piers Johnson takes the place from Luke Hines in the Ginetta
15:45Brown has the lead down to 2.5 seconds, Gaw 3rd, Barff 4th and Bryant 5th – just 6.7 seconds off the leaders
15:44There's another great battle going on for the bottom of the top ten> Derek Johnston in the MTECH Ginetta leading a four car train in 9th place
15:43Dan Eagling leads GT4 for Redgate/Lifetime Racing, five seconds ahead of Nathan Freke in the Century Motorsport car
15:42There's a GT4 Ginetta off after Hugenholz – looks like it's the Triple R/Blendini car.
15:40Well, it's the fastest lap of the race for Dan Brown and the gap's down to 4.4 seconds
15:38Dan Brown now leads the battle for second over Gaw and Barff. That battle is 5.6 seconds behind Caine. Can anyone catch the Newmarket man?
15:37Barff is up to 3rd as the last car – one of the Dutch GT4 entries – makes its stop
15:37It's Gaw from Dan Brown (888Optimum), Rob Barff (FF Corse) and Olly Bryant (Ecurie Ecosse)
15:35Caine has a four laps advantage over Gaw who leads a four car train in a battle for what will become second place.
15:34Johnson, Bailey and Jones all in – all the British teams have now stopped – 28 minutes to go
15:34But Motorbase seem to have kept the lead of the stoppers, Michael Caine now in the #1 car ahead of John Gaw in the PGF-Kinfaun Aston
15:32Paul Bailey also staying out in the GTC Ferrari – they now hold second, with the non-crashed Declan Jones 4th overall also not yet stopped
15:31Now, where will the leaders feed in with those who pitted the lap earlier?
15:30The top 6 pit this time by, leaving Ron Johnson out to lead at least one lap in the #78 BMW
15:29Lee Mowle leads the pitters in from 7th. Gregor Fisken, John Dhillon, Jason Minshaw and Andrew Howard also in the pits
15:28Al Harthy and the top 6 race by – but those behind are just in time to pit.
15:26Safety car coming in, just as the pit window is opening. Well, this should be fun.
15:20Repairs to the tyre wall on the exit of the final corner and extending the safety car period, now with less than ten minutes to the opening of the pit window
15:18Andrew Howard has climbed to 13th in the laps so far.
15:16The Dutch commentator got it wrong – it's actually Rick Parfitt Jr who's crashed. So it's the class points leaders out of the race – not their nearest rivals
15:14Al Harthy leads Attard, Eastwood, Dryburgh and Johnston. Steve Tandy, Lee Mowle, John Dhillon, Gregor Fisken and Jason Minshaw are the top 10
15:13It's the GT4 pole sitter Declan Jones who has crashed heavily at Arie Luyenduyk Curve. He's out of the car, but the car's out of the race.
15:11Lots of shouting in Dutch – a crash at the final corner and the Safety Car is out.
15:10Colin White's Ginetta was apparently involved in contact with Jason Minshaw's Fortec Mercedes SLS
15:09Al Harthy's lead is 2 seconds over Attard. Eastwood another 4.5 behind. Phil Dryburgh and Derek Johnston complete the top 5 after 3 laps
15:08A few early pit visitors too – Colin White in the CWS 4×4 Ginetta G55 and Rembert Berg in the WRT Audi
15:07The promotes Gary Eastwood in the FF Corse Ferrari to third – he and co-driver Rob Barff have shown great pace so far this weekend
15:06Ashburn's spun into the barriers at Hugenholz – steam tips from the front of the Porsche – race over after just a lap
15:05Al Harthy leads lap 1 for Motorbase, Marco Attard (Ecurie Ecosse) second and Ashburn third
15:04And they're off. Al Harthy leads through the stupidly tight first few corners which they are all through safely.
15:01They're all away on the formation lap. Racing in a slowish 4.3km lap
14:57Three minute board shown at the start line – Phil Dryburgh has only just arrived at the grid in the PGF-Kinfaun Aston
14:52Points leader Andrew Howard will start from a lowly 18th overall in the Beechdean Aston Martin
14:50Ahmad Al-Harthy will start from pole position, with David Ashburn in second, Marco Attard third for Ecurie Ecosse and Phil Dryburgh 3rd and 4th
14:48The last of the Dutch Supercar cars from the race before are coming back into the paddock by the back door, so the pits will open for the British GT cars to come to the grid shortly
14:45While the grid is forming up take a look at our gallery of images from the weekend so far – HERE
14:42Just under 20 minutes to the start of the first British GT race at Zandvoort


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Central New York musicians: take advantage of your indoor time this winter and sharpen your guitar playing or songwriting in these workshops led by Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers, founding editor of Acoustic Guitar magazine, grand prize winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, and author of Beyond Strumming and The Complete Singer-Songwriter (more about JPR).
See the details below. Space is very limited—each workshop will have no more than eight participants—so reserve your spot while you can using the form below. Workshops will be held in the Fayetteville/Manlius area.
Take Your Songs to the Next Level
Sunday, Jan. 27, 1–4:30 pm. $35.
Once in a while, you may write a song that arrives fast and whole and feels just right. But most of the time, songs need editing and rewriting to reach their full potential. In this workshop, you'll learn tools and strategies for being a more effective song editor—sharpening your lyrics, strengthening the melody and chord progression, cutting whatever is not needed, developing the story, and bringing out the heart of your idea.
During the afternoon each participant will share a new or in-progress song, and we'll discuss its strengths and weaknesses and ideas for improvements. You'll learn as much from giving constructive feedback about others' songs as you will from comments and suggestions about your own work. Bring a song that you'd like feedback on and are open to changing (not one you feel is exactly how you want it!), and enough lyric sheets for the group.
Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro, I'm convinced you'll find Jeffrey's songwriting workshop to be informative and highly inspirational—excellent for recharging your creative songwriting batteries!
—Will M.
Take a Lead
Rescheduled! New dates and times TBA.
Want to take flight improvising guitar solos? In this workshop, you'll learn an approach to soloing based not on generic scales but on chord progressions—and on the chord shapes you already know. The shapes approach will help you navigate confidently up and down the neck and play solos that are truly in sync with the songs, in any style.
The workshop is designed for early intermediates and up who are fluent in open chord shapes and use barre chords. Bring a capo.


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Ministry Overview
Here at the Otautau New Life Centre, we care about serving our world and making a difference in our communities. We do this simply in the way we interact with those around us, but we also have organised events where we join together as church family and focus our efforts into various outreach endeavours.
These are activities such as our Annual Wood Drive, Sisterhood-Be the Change Days, Anchors, Soul Soup and Meals on Wheels.
If you would like any more information or want to take part in these events, please contact Jan Verkaik on 021 265 5595, [email protected]
Related Ministries
Meals On Wheels – for more information click here.
Soul Soup – for more information click here
Anchors – for more information click here
Be The Change – for more information click here


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| updated
While the seat was at Marcel Miller Upholstery we decided to make some stronger fendermounts as the fender itself is quite thin. The seat is much stronger than the fender so it is the seat that will support the sissybar and the fender. Marcel sent us back the seat with foam and with a marker pen and cardboard I showed Marcel what we had in mind.
While the seat was away we continued with the gascap. After brazing together the 2 main parts (the top part from a swapmeet and the bottom part built from scratch) Aad polished it and we decided it needed a bit more detail, so we machined 10 little dimples in the edge.
The bayonet piece on the inside was handmade, we even made a special die to press the ears into the correct shape. The plate was riveted in place and the rubber was cut to size.
To be continued.


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This article is part of our Recruiting Recap series.
In just his second season as the head coach at Memphis, Penny Hardaway is already blazing through the recruiting trail. Despite striking out top-5 prospect R.J. Hampton – who had an offer from the Tigers but elected to play overseas this season in New Zealand – Hardaway still cranked out the consensus top recruiting class in the country.
As a result, Hardaway will likely be starting at least three freshmen to open up the 2019-20 season, and those three freshmen could make for one of the most talented, daunting frontcourts in all of college basketball.
It has been six years since Memphis made the NCAA Tournament and 10 since the program made a Sweet 16, but it's clear that a new era of Memphis basketball is upon us, and it starts with this trio of lengthy and athletic freshmen.
James Wiseman, C, 7-0, 230 pounds
Wiseman was the consensus No. 1 high school prospect from the 2019 class, and given the big man's skill set, it's easy to understand why. Boasting a 7-foot, 230-pound frame and a 7-foot-4 wingspan, Wiseman has the physical tools and skills that teams crave in a center for the modern game.
Offensively, Wiseman has proven he has the ability to score from anywhere on the floor, but the big man is going to be most effective and efficient around the rim. While most of his shots in the paint will likely finish with a thundering dunk over the defender, Wiseman has shown to have


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Product design competition opens
A design competition has been launched to find the best innovative and sustainable product designusing a 100% recycled polystyrene sheet or compound. The winner will receive £500 and the opportunity to develop their design to market.
The competition, organised by Axion Polymers, is for a household product with mass market appeal that could be manufactured from the company's new product which is made from 100% recycled refrigerator plastic, TV casingsor post-consumer electronic games consoles. Ideas could be unique or improve upon an existing product, but must embody the 'green' credentials and environmental profile of the material. Entries must be submitted by8 January 2010.
'Environmental impact, sustainability and potential forenergy-savings are key considerations and of increasing importance for designers,'comments Axion director Keith Freegard. 'Axfoil is a new product, so we are fascinatedto see what can be made from it. We'relooking forward to receiving some really imaginative product ideas.'
Axion Polymers produces high-quality recycled plastics. All materials are fully recyclable, enablingitems made from them to 'close the recycling loop'. The compounds to be used in the competition are availablein a range of colours and can be extruded or thermoformed. The Axfoil sheet product can be thermoformed in a variety of widths or thicknesses.
Further information
Axion Polymers, tel: 0161 737 6124


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The Committee on Climate Change's 2012 progress report suggests that emission caps are on target but potentially only a consequence of the recession and the sluggish economy. Which? supports a bid for low carbon energy but wants a watchful eye to be kept on the cost to consumers.
Which? agrees that we need to prepare for a low carbon future but do not want consumers footing a heavy bill as a result of the government's plans.
Which? executive director, Richard Lloyd, said: 'Investment in secure and sustainable energy is vital but consumers shouldn't be expected to write a blank cheque to pay for it.'
He added: 'The government must be transparent about the costs to consumers of energy reforms, particularly on the contract negotiations for new low carbon generation.'
Cutting back on carbon
The report from the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) looks at emissions trends over the past year and evaluates underlying progress in implementing carbon-reduction measures and policies in the UK.
It assesses performance of government policies in driving down emissions – including in areas such as Electricity Market Reform, the Green Deal and Carbon Capture and Storage.
Loft and cavity wall insulation
The Committee on Climate Change says that despite good progress, there remain around seven million lofts and between six and seven million cavity walls to insulate.
With the Impact Assessment for the Green Deal predicting a significant fall in uptake of loft and cavity wall insulation, the CCC has called for incentives for consumers to insulate their homes to be strengthened.
Which? remains concerned that the Green Deal needs to be improved and has issued the government with five challenges that it must meet to ensure that the deal is good for consumers.
Mr Lloyd warned: 'Ministers have to make energy efficiency more attractive to consumers.
- Join our debate on whether the government should offer a Green Deal cash back incentive
- Read our proposed five challenges to the government on delivering the Green Deal
- Find out how much wall insulation could save you on your heating bills


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Ag facility needed for RISD students
The Nueces County Junior Livestock Show has once again been a successful event thanks to the wonderful citizens of Nueces County. This was the first time my daughter, a senior at Robstown High School, had ever presented an animal and I would have been delighted if more students from Robstown High School would have been involved.
I want to thank Mary Ann Saenz and Veronica Garcia, two remarkable agriculture teachers, who went above and beyond their call of duty to do what they do for the students. As an example, Ms. Saenz herself has gone as far as to use her backyard to keep animals, without any type of inconvenience, to her or her family.
I realize that these programs - FFA & 4-H in Robstown - are currently in the beginning stages and will definitely grow if we all work together. My concern after raising four rabbits ourselves is how can students raise chickens, goats or pigs without a decent environment for these animals? Is there a barn-type facility being considered in the near future?
I don't want to sound negative, in any way, after such a wonderful event takes place right here in our backyard at the Richard M. Borchard Regional Fairgrounds, but a barn-type facility is strongly needed in order for our high school students, especially the RISD students, who will need the winning scholarship money slightly more than most other local students and/or districts due to the city of Robstown being considered a low income demographic area.
Pat Molano
Column headline misleading
"Fairgrounds project has come a long way," the headline for last week's column, was misleading to say the least. Or was it your play on words?
Since the Nueces County Record Star has had many very positive stories about the fairgrounds in the past months, I thought that this was one more good story about our wonderful fairgrounds.
However, as I started to read the story, it became obvious that it was a political column. Glad to see that (the Jan. 17) column's headline actually matched the story. Thanks.
Lupe Morales


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Got a hankering for cheesecake and chocolate chips and cookie dough and squares? Do I have a fabulous recipe for you! Chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake squares are the ultimate in desserts – gooey and crunchy and soft and moreish and more!
via Cookie dough chocolate chip cheesecake squares — the hungry mum


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School Visits At DelphiRead more
Delphi Plant Manager, Bill Corbett and his entire team make each visit special for students that visit the quarry....May 19, 2017
The Heritage Group Visits DelphiRead more
On May 17th, eight Heritage Group employees visited our Delphi operation to watch a blast in the quarry. Prior...May 17, 2017
Francesville School VisitsRead more
On May 17, Francesville hosted West Central Elementary. There were approximately 42 students. Employee, Mike Ross got to surprise...May 17, 2017
Swisher Sand And GravelRead more
Whether in the classroom or in the quarry, Swisher Plant Manager, Sean Owens always jumps at the chance to...May 12, 2017
Bluff Point Windmill ProjectRead more
US Aggregates will supply stone out of the Portland and Ridgeville Plants to Blattner Energy for a 57-windmill project...May 10, 2017
I-65 Walsh Construction ProjectRead more
US Aggregates is fortunate to be supplying over 500,000 tons of aggregates for the Walsh Construction I-65 concrete paving...May 5, 2017
Archive for May, 2017
US Aggregates > 2017 > May


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(KUTV) -- Spring is finally here, and with the promise of warm weather, people are ready to spruce up their homes. Joining us today is Joe Washington the original host of HGTV's Ground Breakers, and a popular speaker on gardening and landscaping topics. Joe is here to share some timely tips for creating an outdoor oasis at your home.
For more information visit Tipsontv.com.


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NECA has released the full packing for their "Nightmare on Elm Street Tuxedo Freddy 8-Inch". The images and pre-order are at the bottom. Directly below you will find AFJ own photo of Freddy from Toy Fair 2018. He is completely dapper! #AFJ4LIFE
Official Details: From the cult classic Nightmare on Elm Street movies, this clothed action figure is based on Freddy's tuxedo appearance in Dream Warriors! Freddy stands 8-inches tall and is fully poseable. He's dressed in a fabric tuxedo with red and green striped bow tie and pocket square, and comes with a replica model of the Elm Street house that lights up. Blister packaging with resealable protective clamshell features custom artwork created by Nathan Thomas Milliner for this figure!
Order the 8-Inch Tuxedo Freddy HERE.
Order the 8-Inch Tuxedo Freddy HERE.


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KTZ Astrological Drop Hoodie
Sold Out
High-end couture perfectly merges with street inspirations in Marjan Pejoski's KTZ. The label is a representation of East-meets-West, always with an infusion of the spiritual and historic. The Astrological Drop Hoodie is printed all-over in KTZ's characteristic Sun/Moon print, giving this hoodie a visual impact impossible to deny. The hoodie has a split neck on front, making sure it sits relaxed and makes the hood even more comfortable.
This is a special edition KTZ item, so only 10 pieces are available!
Product details:
- Cotton
- Printed all-over
- KTZ Sun/Moon print
- Split neckline
- Big hood
- Soft and comfortable
- Limited edition
Back To KTZ Previous Product Next Product


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Chelsea took a major step towards reaching the Europa League's last eight with a dominant 3-0 victory over Dynamo Kyiv at Stamford Bridge.
Hosts Chelsea secured the advantage, with wingers Pedro, Willian and Callum Hudson-Odoi all getting on the scoresheet.
Maurizio Sarri's side included seven changes from the team that beat Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage during Sunday's west London derby in the Premier League, with the likes of N'Golo Kante, Antonio Rudiger, Gonzalo Higuain and Eden Hazard all starting on the bench.
The Blues will face Dynamo in the second leg next Thursday in Kyiv.
Here is how the Blues' players rated on a night that they earned an important advantage heading into next week's return meeting.
Goalkeeper: Kepa Arrizabalaga
Had little to do on his Europa League return but showed the same calmness that he has expressed all season. 6
Right-back: Davide Zappacosta
Making his first start for almost two months in all competitions, the Italian full-back showed a desire to get forward but struggled to deliver any end product. 6
Centre-back: Andreas Christensen
On his second start in west London in as many matches, Andreas Christensen once again proved that Sarri now has a fantastic option that he can rely on whenever he wants to spare either Antonio Rudiger or David Luiz. 7
Centre-back: David Luiz
The Brazilian was made captain for the night and at centre-back, played a number of long passes forward that kept their Ukrainian opposition second-guessing. It was his first time captaining the club on his 234th appearance for them. 7
Left-back: Marcos Alonso
Returned to the side in place of Emerson having missed out of a regular run of games in recent weeks. Marcos Alonso was able to show his attacking intent and he also came close to scoring in both halves, but lacked the pace that Emerson regularly expresses. 6
Centre-midfield: Mateo Kovacic
When given the chance, the Croatian drove at the visiting midfield, drawing a couple of fouls. 6
Centre-midfield: Jorginho
A surprise inclusion in the starting side and the Italian international dictated play well at the base of Chelsea's three-man midfield. 6
Centre-midfield: Ross Barkley
Contributed at both ends of the pitch and showed some nice touches in attacking moves. Like Jorginho, he was substituted just after the hour mark. 6
Right-wing: Pedro (man of the match)
The Spaniard was majestic throughout, especially in the first half, tormenting the Dynamo defence on so many occasions. He could have had at least a hat-trick and he probably should have done too. Sarri's experienced winger also orchestrated the move which led to Hudson-Odoi's late strike. 8
Striker: Olivier Giroud
Chelsea's top goalscorer in this competition was unable to convert for a sixth consecutive Europa League match, but his hold up play was excellent, as was his skill to create Pedro's opener. 7
Left-wing: Willian
Willian showed runs of blistering pace throughout and midway through the second half, re-created his own free-kick against Dynamo from the Champions League in 2015 in stunning style. It was his 23rd career appearance against Dynamo and his 15th time on the winning side. 7
Substitute: Ruben Loftus-Cheek
Had one dazzling exchange with Pedro in the final eight minutes where he would have hoped to have scored but made amends shortly after, playing the providing role in Hudson-Odoi's goal. 6
Substitute: N'Golo Kante
Made some nice runs, showing that he is by no means a defensive-minded replacement. 6
Substitute: Callum Hudson-Odoi
Chelsea fans finally got their wish to see Callum Hudson-Odoi come on as a 78th minute replacement for Willian, his 15th senior competitive appearance of the campaign. He made the most of his 12-minute cameo with a great goal on the stroke of full time. 6


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More Beautiful Women
Iain Crawford is a photographer who likes to engulf his subjects in another media. These are my favorites.
5/11/2012 06:50:46 pm
The Louis Vuitton piece is sure to make an impression on any travel mates you may have or even just to those sitting next to you in the airport, awaiting their flight.
Comments are closed.
Author: Kelly Egger
I am not only an artist but also a teacher, so I spend a lot of time looking for cool artists. So I started this site to share my findings with others like me.
Contact: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Aspire Pockex AIO
Aspire PockeX Pocket AIO is the perfect starting point for those looking to imitate traditional cigarette smoking. Designed to be discreet and low-profile sub-ohm device, it is only 11.77cm tall and 1.97cm width making it a perfect All-in-One device that fits in any pocket. The unit delivers a very satisfying vape, is easy to fill and one button operation makes it an ideal beginners device.
The Aspire PockeX has a compact size of 11.77cm by 1.97cm. Being just a little bit shorter than your average smartphone. The PockeX is one of the shortest tube-shaped pocket All-in-One (AIO) device. Available in Matte Black, Rose Gold (Pink), Pantone White (White) and Stainless Steel (Steel) finish.
Top Fill System
Aspire PockeX has a top-fill design which means the atomizer screws into the top portion of the drip tip instead at the bottom tank of the device. This allows us to replace the atomizer without draining the tank with e-Liquid. The Aspire PockeX has a 2ml liquid capacity and features a 0.6ohm coil, which is based on U-tech technology and constructed from 316L SS heating material. It is recommended to be fired at a wattage range of 18-23w and at that wattage range it ensures a deep and flavorful vapors. Aspire PockeX uses a 1500mAh battery and can get a maximum output power of 23W.
PockeX Top-Fill Instructions
- Unscrew and remove the top cap
- Squirt your favorite E-Liquid into the tank (Do not exceed the Max line when filling)
- Screw the top cap to the PockeX tank
Note: When using the atomizer for the first time, make sure to let the wick soaked with e-Liquid before firing. This should take around 2-3 minutes depending on what e-Liquid was used. This will ensure your atomizer will not burn out.
Features and Specifications Of Aspire PockeX
- Top Fill – Easy to Fill without draining e-Liquid while replacing coils
- Top Airflow
- Leak Proof Design
- Tank capacity: 2ml
- Coil resistance: Nautilus X U-Tech Coil (0.6 316L SS)
- Resistance Range: 18-23W
- Delrin Drip Tip
Kit Inclusions:
- 1 x 1500mah Aspire Pockex Battery
- 1 x Integrated 2ml Tank
- 1 x 0.6 Ohm Nautilus X U-Tech Coil
- 1 x Delrin Drip Tip
- 1 x USB Charging Cable
Replacement Coils can be purchased here -> Nautilus X U-Tech Coil (recommended 0.6 Ohm)
Battery Safety
Use special caution when working with Li-ion (Lithium-ion), LiPo (Lithium-ion Polymer) and any rechargeable cells, as they are very sensitive to charging characteristics and may explode or burn if mishandled. Make sure the user has enough knowledge of Li-Ion (Lithium-ion), LiPo (Lithium-ion Polymer) and any rechargeable cells in charging, discharging, assembly and storage before use. Always charge in/on a fire-proof surface. Never leave charging batteries unattended. Do not use any rechargeable battery as well as any battery charger if any visible damage is present, as well as if the cell or charger has been stressed through mishandling, accidental or otherwise, even if damage may not be visible. Always store and transport rechargeable cells in a safe, non-conductive container in a controlled environment. Dispose of all battery cells and chargers in accordance to local laws and mandates.
16 Reviews Hide Reviews Show Reviews
Great Vape
In my opinion not for the beginner, at first I got spit back and burnt lips. Now no spit back never burns my lips. The coils are great - one of the best. This is a never fail vape. I have put a protective band on mine, yes I have broken one. I was probably 5 months into vaping before I really appreciated this vaping device. 40 years smoking - but never again.
great but one problem
Haven't been able to try it yet as the glass tank that holds the e-juice broke in the post but other then that it seems really well made and isn't too big or to small... Plus it will be easy to top up the e-juice once I get my replacement tanks and also really easy and somewhat cheap to maintain
My fave all-day AIO; hope they keep making them
I've always had a preference for tube and smaller mods, and none has served me better than this AIO from Aspire. I've purchased a half dozen of these, giving most away, keeping two as my all-day vape.
General Build: High quality, as I've come to expect from Aspire. No leaks, solid threading, consistent coils. The tank's glass isn't very thick, but both of mine have survived a few non-flat drops. The fire buttons haven't shown any signs of sticking. Unlike some AIOs, the tank can be removed, disassembled, and washed. It's also a top-fill tank, which makes topping up fast and mess-free. None have failed in circuitry or components, despite my clumsiness.
Coils: The stock 0.6Ω U-Tech coils deliver surprisingly good flavour and always wick well, incl. >90% VG mixes. They're not the cheapest, but I haven't had a dud yet (≈15 used). They're extremely resilient to burning too: often a bad dry hit spoils a coil, but these always seem to bounce back in a couple of draws.
Vape: Aside from being flavoursome, the vape is consistent and on the warm side. I only take extended draws, and it's true the (non-standard) drip tip gets hot, but I find it manageable.
Battery: Lasts longer than any equivalent capacity I've tried, not a whole day but not far off for me. The charge speed (0.8A) could be improved.
It's not perfect, but given the price and the convenience/simplicity of an AIO, it's one I keep coming back to. The feedback I've had from new vapers I've given these to has been positive, and I reckon it's deserved.
Mostly a Good Product
I like most things about this expect one thing. It is a very fragile item. Do not drop it, it breaks very easily - keep an extra tank or 2 on hand as you will need it.
The good - Excellent vape - I was able to get a throat hit from it without the nic - I like that a lot. No leaks, but it does run through fluid a lot faster than the old tanks.
On the whole I recommend this one :)
Burnt lips
I had to modified the drip tips as they have a steel one that conducts heat in seconds and only has a little thin piece of plastic cover the metal.You can't change the tips!!. There is no spit back as with the AIO, but the AIO has an anti spit back drip tip and comes with 4 tips. you can not change the drip tip on the Aspire one!!. you can separate the tank from the battery (God knows why, it's just somewhere it could possible leak). And why are Aspire still putting the charging ports on the bloody bottom, so you can stand it in liquid I guess.The K series is the same.
Other wise its great for the price.
The new King of Starters
I own the Endura T18, Joyetech eGo AIO and now this little beast from Aspire.
There is no question that this is the new King of AIO's, it's well made, classy looking and more importantly, it performs very well with the Nautilus X coils.
The biggest plus for me is the lack of spitback that is so common with the eGo AIO. No flooding so far but soak those coils first; also known as priming.
For the money this is a must have for all smokers and new vapers and I would also recommend it to veteran vapers as it's a great "Date Vape" for when you're out on the town.
A superb device!
as described all-in-one compact unit
Packaging- professional
Touch and Feel - expensive
Charging time- fast
Filling with juice- easy
Leaks - none so far
Mix used - 70pg 30vg
Advice- don't have it on your lips for more than 2 seconds (gets hot)
Overall- very happy, thank you


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Chip Richards helps us ask the question, "Are we complete enough with last year to truly start fresh and create an epic new story in the year to come?"
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Sadness as children's charity forced to close
PUBLISHED: 13:55 17 August 2019 | UPDATED: 09:11 18 August 2019
Mid Suffolk HOPS, which has helped hundreds of children with special educational needs over the last 40 years, have announced they will close at the end of this month.
The charity based in Eye in Suffolk, have had to give up on their three year long struggle to find a new home, meaning they can no longer carry on with their important work providing weekend and holiday activities for disabled children.
HOPS have been in their current building for 20 years but their lease will not be renewed as the site has been earmarked for housing - something they highlighted when they won a Stars of Suffok award for team of the year in 2018.
Having helped many families in Suffolk since it opened in 1978, Mid Suffolk Hops is now undergoing the sad process of closing down.
HOPS charity coordinator Jackie Markell who has worked for them for 19 years said: "For the last three years we have been looking for safe premises for the children.
"The hunt had to come to an end and we couldn't find anything suitable for them. For safety reasons we have had to close the charity down.
"It's really sad as thousands of volunteers have helped hundreds of families over the 40 years."
You may also want to watch:
HOPS are one of the only charities that help children with special educational needs from the age of four, ensuring they had fun at weekends and in the school holidays.
Many people that have volunteered with HOPS have gone on to be teachers and speech and language therapists.
Teenage volunteers have been thanking Mrs Markell for the support the charity has given them over the years.
Mrs Markell, who herself volunteered with HOPS when she was 14, said: "It has been very rewarding, you see children with special needs having a fantastic time and teenage volunteers grow into adults."
The charity are now asking volunteers and families they have helped to come together to say farewell to HOPS.
"The farewell event is a celebration of our achievements," said Mrs Markell.
If you would like to attend the farewell event in Stowmarket on Saturday, August 31 please email email@example.com.
Read more: Clock is ticking for holiday club for disabled children
If you value what this story gives you, please consider supporting the Ipswich Star. Click the link in the yellow box below for details.


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Virtual Reality and 360 Video Oxford
Based in Oxford but filming throughout the UK, Bounce Video creates 360 video and photography content for a range of clients. Virtual reality and 360 video production offers a whole new level of user experience within video marketing campaigns. Imagine transporting your client into an immersive VR experience of your brand. They can take a walk through your premises or fly above a picturesque location.
User control of 360 video subtly draws the viewer in, and studies show higher view, click and share rates for 360 videos than standard videos. Virtual reality and 360 video is now supported by Youtube and Facebook platforms, so your video has the potential to reach millions of users. For immersive 360 experiences, choose a virtual reality headset such as Samsung VR or Google Cardboard, which can be fully customised to your brand.
Our virtual reality and 360 technology
Our VR specialists use the highest standards of 4k 360 cameras and equipment. As well as static shots on our customised 360 rig, we also create eye-opening, moving shots. We can attach our rig to a car, boat or anything else that moves, and also offer fully licensed drone 360 filming. Our 360 VR specialists handle every stage of production, from concepts and storyboards, to shooting, post production and video distribution.
Tips for creating an unforgettable VR experience
● Make good use of space – 360 video works best in bigger spaces so chose your locations wisely.
● Use action in your shots – if you're shooting the sea, include a passing boat. If you're filming a roof top bar, fill it with people!
● Make use of 360 drone shots – they make great opening and closing shots.
● Use time-lapse – shoot a sunrise or sunset 360 time-lapse to add some magic to your video.
360 Photography and Virtual Reality Tours
We can also help you create 360 photography for use in virtual tour software such as 3D Vista
Client Testimonial
The Bounce Video team are super talented, adaptable, reliable and a pleasure to work with. Highly recommended.
Jeremy Anderson, Obergine Marketing, Oxford
Let us help you
If you are looking for a video team to help you create an effective promotional film, give Bounce a call 01865 428890 or send us an email.
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Our Compliance Model
Committed to the highest standards in compliance.
Our compliance pillars.
The pillars that guide us forward.
Experienced Team - Dedicated to Compliance Globally
BAM has a dedicated compliance team led by Matthew Siclari, BAM's General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer. Mr. Siclari's primary responsibility is developing robust compliance infrastructure across the firm globally, as well as the funds managed by BAM and its affiliates. BAM's Compliance team currently consists of 10 members globally, who collectively focus on developing a robust compliance infrastructure, which includes ongoing monitoring and testing.
Disciplined Processes and Procedures
We maintain strict internal compliance processes, procedures, and policies, which are well documented with regular recertification to ensure employees are well informed and the latest rules and regulations are followed. BAM maintains a comprehensive Compliance Manual that provides a full description of our policies and procedures.
Employee Training and Certifications:
BAM requires all employees to attend new hire and annual compliance training. Training is conducted for all employees globally and is conducted by BAM's compliance team. Compliance training covers the regulatory and fiduciary framework in which BAM operates as a registered investment advisor. Topics include, but are not limited to, insider trading prevention training, code of ethics and allocations. BAM also provides hot button training to all employees required to receive such training on areas such as FCPA, FATCA, Pay to Play, Cyber Security, GDPR, and AML. In addition to new hire compliance training, onboarding of all Portfolio Managers and Analysts is conducted one-on-one by BAM's compliance team. One-on-one onboarding topics include, but are not limited to, research process, research inputs, supervisory function and communications. Additionally, periodic compliance reminders are sent to the firm.
BAM obtains new hire, quarterly and annual certifications from employees. Certifications are captured electronically via Compliance Science, BAM's Compliance system. Certifications completed by employees include, but are not limited to, electronic communications, material non-public information, personal trading, and outside business activities.
Trade Testing & Personal Trading:
Below is a summary of the some of the surveillance tools and techniques used by the Compliance Department:
- The forensic testing, risk assessment and gap analyses undertaken by the compliance team are conducted on a continuous and ongoing basis. BAM's Compliance team uses a combination of proprietary reports and web-based compliance systems to help identify and alert us of potentially suspicious transactions.
- Our Compliance Department reviews weekly portfolio summaries written by our Portfolio Managers, allowing them to maintain an ongoing understanding of the information the Portfolio Managers use to make investment decisions. Additionally, Compliance will conduct targeted email searches using the information in these summaries as well as review public announcements and compare this information to trading patterns.
- In addition to other applications and proprietary reports, BAM Compliance uses an algo-based surveillance system to automate trade blotter testing. This uses various transactional and performance metrics as well statistical analysis to detect potentially suspicious or manipulative trading.
- Members of Compliance conduct independent email searches based on public announcements to determine if such information may have been received ahead of the announcements.
- Members of Compliance also review the news and email communications surrounding profitable trades executed by BAM PMs.
- Our compliance team uses Compliance Science to assist in the automation of their review of personal trading.
Expert Network policy:
- We have a formal Expert Network policy and approval process that is managed by our Compliance Department.
- Each consultant and every conversation must be pre-approved by a member of BAM's compliance team.
- The use of Expert Networks is limited to a select number of investment team professionals.
Restricted Trading list:
- BAM's Compliance Department maintains various restricted lists within our proprietary
trade order management system, which prevents trading in securities that have been restricted.
- Additions and removals of a security to/from the restricted list require Compliance approval. All employees can access BAM's restricted trading list online.
- Order Gateway is used for pre-trade compliance and automatically enforces trade restrictions, which prevents trade orders from being executed.
Background Checks:
- All newly hired employees must complete a credit, criminal and civil background check prior to their commencement of employment. These checks are renewed and reviewed for all active employees on an annual basis by a third party service provider.
Committed Fiduciary for our Investors
BAM is registered with the relevant regulators in the jurisdictions of all of our offices globally:
- BAM registered as an Investment Adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on January 23, 2006.
- BAM registered with the NFA/CFTC on January 1, 2013.
- Balyasny Europe Asset Management LLP ("BEAM") is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the U.K. (and previously by the Financial Services Authority) since June 7, 2005.
- Balyasny Asset Management (Hong Kong) Limited, ("BAM HK") was licensed with the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission ("SFC") to carry on Type 9 (Asset Management) activities on March 3, 2008.
- Balyasny Asset Management (Japan) Limited registered with the Ministry of Finance on November 20, 2013.
- Balyasny Asset Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. holds a Capital Markets Services License for the regulated activities of Fund Management (approved on January 20, 2017) and Dealing in Securities, Trading in Futures Contracts, Leveraged Foreign Exchange trading (approved on July 11, 2017) issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
* Registration with the SEC or any other regulator does not imply a certain level of skill or training.
BAM maintains active memberships with:
- Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA)
- Managed Funds Association (MFA)
We may from time to time amend or change these programs. These changes may be due to, but are not limited to, changes in the law or other regulatory requirements, current market practices, changes in regulations, or other guidance provided by counsel and other third party service providers.


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peugeot radiator tank
Car Peugeot 407 Radiator Tank
Fit for PEUGEOT brand OE 133089 radiator manufacturer. Mainly produce TOYOTA, HONDA, NISSAN, MITSUBISH, MAZDA, BMW, BENZ, HYUNDAI, AUDI, GM, FORD, PEUGEOT, and so on.Our company has advanced producing equipment,and highly experienced technicians.Including advanced CNC,electric pulse,annual mold manufacture quantity is 100-120 sets. Welcome your enquiry if you are interested in our products.Email Details


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35 Kaia Development
Price: TT$950,000 Street: Kaia Development Area: Courland Land Size: 26,468.43
Full Description:Over half an acre of elevated residential land in the increasingly popular Courland Development. All utilities are in place and the land is ready for building.
Community Features
- Banking Facilities
- Beach
- Golf Course
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- Public Transport
- Restaurants
- School
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See all prices
Change the tyre size
Developed for powerful off-road 4X4 vehicles, the Conti4x4SportContact tyre performs well at high road speeds.
- Driving stability at high speeds: the asymmetric tread pattern with wide shoulder blocks offers impeccable road holding.
- High steering precision: the asymmetrical tread pattern and compact outer shoulders ensure good cornering stability.
- Excellent resistance to aquaplaning thanks to wide grooves that evacuate water.
- Offset rows of tread blocks make the Conti 4x4 Sport Contact tyre quiet and comfortable.
More information on E.U labelling
Continental Conti4X4SportContact review, test and rating
Continental Conti4X4SportContact review, test and rating. rezulteo collects tyre information from sources all over Europe, and offers comprehensive and pertinent information to help you make the best choices when it comes to your tyres. See our methodology for our tyre rating system. See test rules for test tyres
Continental Conti4X4SportContact performance
We do not currently have any sources for scoring the Continental Conti4X4SportContact.
Methodology for performance measurements
The sources
Sources refer to a market player who carries out independent tyre comparison tests, based on a stable methodology and broad performance criteria, to provide objective results for a range of similar tyres according to the type of use.
Only the sources that respect the criteria are included in the base. These criteria are also applied for every test source.
The sources used to establish the performances for a tyre are:
- Data from published tests from specialized media.
- Data from Regulation (EC) 1222/2009 "on the labelling of tyres with respect to fuel efficiency and other essential parameters". Or the most widely observed label values (MOBS) in the absence of official values*.
- Data published by independent test institutes.
Detailed list of the sources (not including Regulation (EC) 1222/2009) used to rate each product accompanies the display.
The structure of the ratings
The final rating is divided into 9 elementary performances, and an additional 4 elementary performances for winter tyres.
The elementary performances are grouped into 5 performance categories; 3 for summer tyres, and 2 for winter tyres.
Every elementary performance is integrated into its group with a different weighting according to its importance.
The performance groups and the elementary performances are as follows:
|General performances
|Winter performances
The methodology for the calculation
Every elementary performance is rated accordingly to the following princip:
- A score of 10 is given to a tyre which achieves the best result for a given test.
- The score given to other tyres decreases in proportion to the standard deviation of the selected discriminating factor.
- All results that are 9 times higher than this standard deviation obtain the score of 1.
If the source uses his own rating (when it is not on a base of 10), a linear transcoding is performed
The final score for the basic performance is the arithmetic average of the scores obtained for each test.
Note: Tests conducted by car magazines or specialised bodies generally cover the most common tyre dimensions available on the market. Even if performances vary slightly depending on dimensions, we have chosen to apply the rating to all dimensions for a tyre model.
The star rating system
The stars gives a graphic overview of the value for a performance group. They are given according to the following scale:
*MOBS: Data taken from publicly available labelling data, from Internet sites. Click here for more information


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A commercial property manager is a busy, busy person. He's responsible for seeing to it that all phases of the business run smoothly and he has to answer to the owner when something goes awry. One of the more visual parts of any business is the maintenance of its outdoor space. It's the first thing that potential clients see and the impression that they get in those first few minutes will stick.
This busy property manager that we refer to is in charge of maintaining the landscape of the business site so as to impress the business owner, board of directors and often the people who have an invested interest in the operation. He has to be sure that he is getting the best landscape maintenance service that there is.
Our property manager will begin by researching a few of the better-established service companies in the area. He will ask for reviews of current customers and visit the various sites that the landscape companies provide service to. An internet website is an excellent source of information.
As the property manager in charge of putting a landscape maintenance plan in motion, he must be sure that his intentions are understood. A landscape company representative will look over the property and put together a proposal outlining the particular services that they are equipped to offer. The manager can then consider the proposal and pose any questions or concerns that he may have.
It's important that everyone's expectations and responsibilities be understood before terms are agreed upon. Every detail should be noted in writing, nothing should be presumed. If the contract includes a snow removal service, for instance, there should be a timetable concerning when the equipment should be on site, whether or not the snow can be stockpiled there and any other stipulations that either party may require.
Co-Cal Landscape can turn your business site into a more welcoming environment for clients and employees alike. Call today @ 303-531-6930 in Denver.


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Consistently regarded and rated as one of Las Vegas' finest cannabis establishments, Jardín is a stunning world-class dispensary that offers impeccable customer service and a wide array of exceptional high-quality cannabis products. Established as a premier cannabis destination, Jardín is known as a place to see and be seen, where high profile celebrities are served alongside our family of Las Vegas locals, each indulged with the VIP treatment for which Jardín is known.
Whether a first-time visitor or one of our regulars, you will always find a warm and welcoming environment and passionate and highly-trained team members who are happy to share their time and knowledge with you. Welcome to our garden, where our guests are the heart of our organization and you are always treated like family.
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THC: 0.00mg CBD: 318.00mg (Cannahemp) Introducing Canna Hemp X"s topical relief and recovery cream! Lightly scented with organic, essential eucalyptus, peppermint and rosemary oils, this product delivers quick results for today"s athlete. May be used to provide hot and cold therapy for pre- and post-workout; inflammation; strains; cramps; joint pain/arthritis – almost anything you may experience from your day-to-day training. Due to compliance reasons, we cannot accept returns or exchanges unless product is defective.
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The term "smart city," like the term "smart grid," is amorphous. It grows. It changes. It engulfs other ideas through a type of groupthink osmosis. But, within our brains, that fuzzy little smart city concept revolves around more intelligent technology working together across traditionally disparate industries that "touch" under a municipal umbrella: power, water, transport, lighting.
The problem is: It's tough to grasp what is truly necessary to make a city "smart." Do you simply need a smart metering program? Can you jump on the bandwagon with just that? Do you also need to talk about efficiency? Should there be a green element to the label? Should you be incorporating more social aspects such as policy and "better living"? (China alone has almost 200 smart cities under a development plan, though definitions of what makes each a smart one are vague.)
Overall, though, here are five areas that seem to be on the forefront of smart city planning (and problems).
1.) Sustainability is the buzzword.
When we say "sustainable," we mean an idea with three arms:
- it's green/efficient,
- it's a new technology that solves an old problem,
- it's a popular part of the "smart city" overview for municipalities, consultants, academics and pie-in-the-sky thinkers alike.
So, this area covers everything from efficiency measures to water osmosis to solar-powered lighting at bus stops. But, the biggest concepts here are microgrids and electric vehicles (if we're talking number of blueprints that involve the tech in the plans).
Amsterdam's smart city planning has multiple electric vehicle concepts, including the in-infant-stages ReloadIT program with electric fleet planning that starts at the beginning—namely where "car parks" are needed in relation to where connections to renewables are options—and a charging system program that looks at how to sweat the details: keeping your car from overcharging when you plug it in at work.
As for that microgrid evolution, look no farther than the Grid4EU program, a project involving six separate demo sites supported by six separate system operators (RWE, Vattenfall, ERDF, CEZ Group, Enel, Iberdrola) and 27 industry partners. The main objective: Get this smart grid stuff to work. Their R&D challenges include figuring out how to utilize microgrids.
But, figuring out the technology isn't the only smart city challenge. You can find the perfect time to charge your electric car and solve the math of microgrid use within Vattenfall's regional territory, but you're still left with one area that could topple your plans: Do your city's citizens care?
2.) Citizen buy-in is the backbone.
It doesn't seem like an important question, really: Do your city's citizens care? But, it can make or break your project. After all that planning and investment and research, what if there's a backlash?
I have two words of caution for you: Boulder, Colorado. I remember when it was set to be the shining example of the first steps of smart city planning in the U.S. It was well on its way to showing up Amsterdam, Dubai, and Masdar as what could be done with some quick first steps that would open the door to this idea in America. Now that experiment is over, and I think all concerned would admit it ended badly. One major issue: The citizens really didn't believe. They weren't willing to experiment, especially if it meant costs, problems or even simply perceived problems.
A smart city needs to have involved citizens in a well-informed and happy way. And, that's honestly not as simple as it sounds. In hindsight, it seems that many of the happiest smart cities don't start on the tech-down end of things. They start on the consumer-up end.
Take Australia's Smart Grid, Smart City Ausgrid example. They've got 30,000 homes in trials of everything from large battery use to energy savings, all wrapped up with an easy-to-read, easy-to-navigate website that's regularly updated with information and insights.
While it may be impossible to plan for every possible negative customer reaction, starting with the customer, listening and actively working on citizen buy-in is a lesson every smart city should learn.
And every smart city team has one major component: the power utility.
3.) Power is the first step.
No one builds a better bus transport network and then decides from there it can build a smart city. It always begins on the power side of the equation—the one ubiquitous utility need that feeds all the others. Sure, you may want a large EV fleet, but you're going to need the utility's help to charge it. Sure, you may want to set up a test pilot for energy storage on a major street of businesses in your urban center, but you'll need the utility's help to figure that into the grid.
Unfortunately, this often means that power companies pick up a lion's share of work when building a smart city, but it also makes them leaders in the field.
Wien Energie, Vienna's city-owned energy provider, is part of Smart City Wien, recently named the #1 smart city in the world by an American climate strategist recently. (That is a varied title depending on source. Rio de Janeiro won it at the World Expo.)
But, back to Vienna. Wien Energie is working up to 50 percent renewables by 2030 and part of that is a program where the customer becomes a generator through solar panels. They call them "citizen solar plants," and the first two events saw solar panels sold out within a week. Yes, the company has to manage the project, which includes renting the panels from citizens and buying the panels back after the life cycle ends, but the project is considered a great success by citizens and city alike.
So, yes, the weight of the smart city will be on your shoulders, power companies. It will be a lot of responsibility, but it may offer opportunities as well.
4.) Privacy is the problem.
All those news stories on phone companies, the NSA and metadata. Metadata issues have nothing on what you're dealing with inside the smart city; there it morphs from meta to mega. What citizens share to make energy efficiency and energy management programs work is a thousand times more detailed than metadata. And keeping that information private while using it to create better working, smarter programs is going to be a constant issue. It will take lots of citizen input, lots of evaluations and there will never be an end because, as more data is gathered and more data is used, those issues will continue to grow.
Advice on how to tackle this issue is plentiful but vague. Most includes building a better something: better architecture, better security, better comm, better counsel. In the end, though, there are two starting points: what are your customers' concerns, and what does the law say (in your state, region, city or country) about what you have to protect and how to do so?
Then, multiply what's required by at least five to stay ahead of the evolving privacy curve for the next few years.
5.) Real-time is the key.
In the end, no matter what you're connecting together to make a smart city—power to water, water to transport, transport to building management—it all comes down to the single item that really makes it a smart city. Now, many will tell you that single item is data.
It's not. It's timing.
If you have efficiency data from three weeks ago, yes, you can predict, within a margin of error, how to react today. But, that's modeling. We've been doing modeling for a century. The real difference here isn't so much the introduction of data as it is the exit of massive predictive modeling. If you get data this second that's happening this second (or 15 seconds ago), you can react today on today's data. No more predicting. No more guessing. No more estimating.
And getting all of this to function smoothly will require that level of sophisticated communication with today at the center of everything from weather information to traffic congestion to market fluctuations to a customer looking up all of those bits of information to plan how to program his thermostat while he's gone to Vienna on business.
So, to get smart cities to a reality, let's talk less about terabytes and more about timing.
Article: www.intelligentutility.com Image: telefonica.com