text:
Why is Germany prepared to sacrifice the Deutsche Mark for European Monetary Union? This book, incorporating domestic, European, and global aspects of German monetary policy, suggests that the institutional relationship between the Bundesbank and the federal government, together with Germany's bargaining strategies toward European and global monetary-governance structures, can provide the answer to the Deutsche Mark puzzle. Examining the record from 1985 through May 1998, the author challenges conceptions of the Bundesbank's independence. He also explores the ability of external structures to affect German monetary decisions. His presentation of political and economic forces offers fresh insight into the factors shaping German monetary politics and the future of EMU.aquot;An Eclipse for the G7, aquot; New York Times, April 26, 1995. 50. ... Claus Noe, aquot;Das Problem liegt zu Hause, aquot; Die Zeit, April 21, 1995. 56. aquot;Nur noch ... aquot;German Socialists Question the Single-Money Canon, aquot; New York Times, November 2, 1995.
|Deutsche Mark Politics
|Peter H. Loedel
|Lynne Rienner Publishers - 1999-01-01
You must register with us as either a Registered User before you can Download this Book. You'll be greeted by a simple sign-up page.
Once you have finished the sign-up process, you will be redirected to your download Book page.How it works:


text:
"We feel delighted to work with..."
Mr. Vellai murugan
"Easton excels in quality of wo..."
Mr. Venkatesh
Boss Products
"Easton Media radiates professi..."
Mr. Subramani
"Working with Easton Media is v..."
Mr. Sikandhar
ST Courier
"We would like to thank you for..."
Mr. Karthik
Ownvent and Inquvent
"First of all I wish to thank a..."
Dr. Prakash
"I believe Easton Media is an e..."
Mr. Sundarajan
C3 Physiotheropy
"Easton Media has been offering..."
Mr. Balasundar
Bee Chemicals
"It is a wonderful experience w..."
Mr. Manikandan
Slip 'n' Artic
"Im very pleased to inform that..."
Mr. Aravind
Nimbeon intertechnologies
"At the outset I would like to ..."
Mrs. Maya Devi
"The design has come out well t..."
Mr. Pattabhiraman
Super Star
"I would say Easton Media is an..."
Mr. Jeyachandran
Wild Rose
"Work, quality, creativity, coo..."
Mr. Krishnamoorthy
Fluid Power
"We shall associate with Easton..."
Mr. Ravi Kumar
"It was so nice to work with Ea..."
Mr. Ganesh Kumar
Annai Pharmacy
"Am really pleased to tell that..."
Mr. Sivashankar
Bright Homes
"We are very impressed with Eas..."
Mr. Chelladurai
Madhan Engineering
"Easton's creativity is outstan..."
Mr. Suresh
Queens Foundation
"Easton is a firm which has gre..."
Mr. Rajesh
JPR Homes
"Easton's creative bent of mind..."
Mr. Yuvaraj
"Easton Media is an extraordina..."
Mr. Rajesh
War and Wear
"Easton Media's branding knowle..."
Mr. Kumarason
Raja Furn Galaxy
Download Corporate Brochure
Welcome to Easton Media Pvt. Ltd.
Easton is an integrated marketing communications company committed to offer a customized and collaborative approach to help our clients build their brands successfully. It is the passion and creativity that drives us to create clutter-breaking work for our clients.
In today's competitive scenario, projecting your brand in the right perspective and highlighting the brand promise clearly is a must to achieve brand recall and thus growth. We have the creative prowess and strategic insights to put your brand in the middle of an engaging content and captivating visuals in a way that is exciting, admirable and demands action. We have a team of highly experienced Creative Directors, Art Director, Brand Experts, Artists, Marketing and Media Professionals to render outstanding communications solutions.
With professional team in the backing, we can create communication solutions that are memorable, strikingly different, powerful and effective, giving the needed edge for your brand.
Easton Media Pvt. Ltd. is all about people and we place our clients and employees at the centre of our business. We believe in branding success and delivering value to your highest satisfaction. Our mission is to share our experience, wisdom and expertise with you in the areas of
Easton is committed to creating enduring relationship with all our clients by delivering value beyond expectations.
Our Clients
Begin with us to give shape to your ideas. Let's brand your business by designing logo, corporate identity & website to kick-start your venture.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Some sneakers get unfairly slept-on. We have an inkling the Nike Lunar Terra Safari might be one of those. A mash-up of the Nike Air Safari and the Lunar sole, the grey/green colorway is pure money, and should be rocked by anyone who just wants to look cool or have a casual sneaker that can put in work.
And at $100, how can you go wrong? The monochrome safari print blends in well and is enough to seperate this sneaker from plain, dull pairs that flood the market.
If you're feeling lucky, check out Nike's website for your chance to cop.


text:
Business Matters: Doomsday predictions for Social Security examined
- Published in Guest Commentary
Social Security and its future have been a topic of widespread speculation among experts for quite some time.
Doomsday forecasters have predicted for years that the Social Security trust fund will run dry well before the last of today's working adults will get to enjoy the program.
However, as Carissa Miller of Transamerica recently pointed out on our show, fears of Social Security drying up altogether are likely unfounded.


text:
Authorized Distributor
Authorized Distributor
Authorized Distributor
Authorized Distributor
Key Personal:
Mrs. Yupin Srethabhakdi (B.Sc. Food Tech)
Managing Director
20 years experience in QC. and Product Development for Canned and Frozen Seafood.
E-mail: email@example.com
(direct line: 02-954-3492-3 mobile 081-403-3653 / fax. 02-589-9211)
Mr. Wichest Prasertpakdee (Mech. Eng)
General Manager
15 years experience in refrigeration field.
E-mail: email@example.com
(direct line: (01) 642-1125, (02) 9543492 up to 3)
Mrs. Sumalee Tangpittayakul (M.Sc. Food Tech)
Company Advisor
25 years experience in food quality control, expert in quality system (ISO / IEC 17025 / HACCP) Pesent: Head of Food Technology group, Biological Science Division, Department of Science and Service, Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment.
E-mail: email@example.com
Company Location:
Erawan Refrigeration Co., Ltd.
24 Tesabangrangsalit Tai Rd., Ladyao, Jatujak, Bangkok 10900 Thailand
Tel. (02) 954-3492-3 Fax: (02) 589-9211
---This web site is best view with Internet Explorer---


text:
$15 per person in advance (click here)
or $20 at the door
Special Speakers in the fields of Living Foods:
Viktoras Kulvinskas!
Author of "Survival in the 21st Century" and Teacher Extraordinaire
Viktoras, considered the father of living foods, will be speaking at the EcoFest. He pioneered the co-founding of the Hippocrates Health Institute with Dr. Ann Wigmore, also Lithuanian born, where he acted as Director of Research for the next 5 years. Together, they taught people how to access the power of their vast inner resources to transform the quality of their lives. The commitment to this idea is embodied in what is now the Hippocrates Health Institute of West Palm Beach, Florida. Living-food elder & Hippocrates Health Educator Viktoras, will be having a workshop the following day, Monday, November 12th, from 5:00 - 9:00 pm. Viktoras teaches from a very deep place of knowledge and has the ability to help you understand the transformation that can take place in your life. Tickets are $125 in advance (click here) or $150.00 at the door and includes a live/raw gourmet dinner buffet with several delectable mouth-watering, high-vibrational flavors and textures that will surprise, satisfy and delight your taste buds.
Prepared with love by Joyce Oliveto and her assistants.
Dr. Brian Clement!
Co-Director of Hippocrates Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida
Dr. Brian Clement has spent more than three decades studying nutrition and natural healthcare. He has received graduate degrees in both naturopathic and nutritional science. Since 1980 he has directed the Institute's growth and development as well as facilitated the implementation of such progressive natural health treatments as: the Living Food Diet, Wheatgrass Therapy, Dark Field Microscopy and the essentials of mind-body therapies. Over the years Brian has assumed the role of a health advocate, motivating a very eager public to take action to improve their lives.
Dr. Brian Clement will be having a workshop the same day, Sunday, November 11th, from 5:00 - 9:00 pm. You will not want to miss the opportunity to attend this motivating and life changing presentation. Tickets are $125 in advance (click here) or $150.00 at the door and includes a live/raw gourmet dinner buffet with several delectable mouth-watering, high-vibrational flavors and textures that will surprise, satisfy and delight your taste buds.
Prepared with love by Joyce Oliveto and her assistants.
Joyce Oliveto!
CN, CNC, CCT - Dedicated, passionate, motivating, Teacher and Author
A pioneer and elder in the field of LIVING FOODS, Joyce has inspired and empowered thousands of people worldwide to transform their health and make the lifestyle changes necessary to achieve vibrant health through the living-food lifestyle. This is her passion. Throughout the first decade of her life as a raw foodist, Joyce was closely mentored by Raw Food Heroes Dr. Ann Wigmore and Viktoras Kulvinskas and they developed deep, long-lasting friendships. Today she holds live food retreats locally and worldwide and travels internationally to help people transform their lives spiritually, emotionally and physically. Joyce was a former Director of Creative Health Institute in Coldwater, MI, formerly Hippocrates Health Institute. Joyce helped to developed many teaching programs and classes that are still used today at Creative health Institute. She is a Mother, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother.
« Enjoy live/raw food demonstrations and samples.
« Great opportunity to shop for special holiday gifts.
« Crafts, artisans, jewelry and art.
« Never before seen archived videos over 20 years old of Dr. Ann Wigmore.
« Food tasting at many Exhibitor Tables.
« Amazing Raw Food Court—The best Raw Food Restaurants!
Natural Health & EcoFest 2012
Raw Food & Healthy Lifestyle Expo
(previously Midwest Raw Health EcoFest)
Dedicated to Dr. Ann Wigmore
November 11, 2012 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Laurel Manor in Livonia, Michigan
Go to www.NaturalHealthandEcoFest.com to view all of the information available on this upcoming exciting event!
Natural Health and EcoFest 2012


text: rencontres 97 Despite being a seasoned writer (don't think I am old enough to say "hack") and also a blogger of many years, I am still stymied by new tech which is presented to me in different layouts to the old ways…. I guess this is WordPress's way of making sure I don't get Alzheimer's. Anyhoo. Hello, you made it. Thanks for visiting.enter


text:
An Africa advocacy group has called for leaders of the G8
industrialized nations to keep their promise to double aid to Africa by
2010. In its report, the Africa Progress Panel warns failure to do so
will set Africa back by decades and could drive millions into abject
poverty. Tendai Maphosa has more in this report for VOA from London.
As chairman of the Africa Progress Panel, former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan launched the group's 2008 report. Mr. Annan said Africa has posted impressive growth during the past few years, but that progress is now under threat by the rapid increase in food prices.
"The hardest hit people are those who spend the largest proportion of their earnings on food," he said. "So it is the poorest people in the poorest countries who are feeling the brunt of this catastrophe, it is not surprising that 21 of the 37 countries worst affected by high food prices are in Africa including four of the five countries deemed to be facing exceptional shortfalls."
The Africa Progress Panel calls for measures to increase the quantity of food on global markets and to provide greater financial assistance to international agencies such as the World Food Program and to the governments of affected countries.
Mr. Annan warned that the cost of not acting would be measured by a rising number of infant and child deaths across the continent. He also reminded G8 countries to honor their promise made at their summit in 2005, and double assistance to Africa by 2010.
"Our report shows that at the present rate of progress the G8's pledge to double assistance to Africa by 2010 will not be fulfilled; there is a shortfall of $40 billion in aid," he said. "We call on G8 countries urgently to address this gap, set clear timetables for delivery and increase transparency in order to improve the quality of aid."
Mr. Annan called for the G8 to address the shortfall at its summit in Japan next month. He did not specify which countries are responsible for the shortfall.
Oxfam senior policy adviser Max Lawson said countries such as France, Italy, and Germany are some of the biggest defaulters. He said the G8 represents 60 percent of the world's economy and the shortfall is not that much for the world's richest countries, even with the current economic crisis.
"The last six months the G8 has found over a thousand billion dollars, that is a trillion dollars to bail out their own banks, in comparison we are looking for $50 billion for Africa by 2010," he said. "It really is a drop in the ocean."
Lawson adds the missing money could save at least five million lives.


text:
Who Would Win If A Hippo Fought A Rhino? A Question For The Ages.
This morning, in the Deadspin staff chatroom, we found ourselves debating whether a hippopotamus or a rhinoceros would win in a head-to-head battle. Since the question wasn't settled there [even after, like, six hours—ed], Albert Burneko and Greg Howard have decided to air the question in a public forum.


text:
Long and Short Distance Towing
Accident Recovery
Lockout Assistance
Medium and Light Duty Recovery
Tire Change
And so much more!
Monday 24 Hours
Tuesday 24 Hours
Wednesday 24 Hours
Thursday 24 Hours
Friday 24 Hours
Saturday 24 Hours
Sunday 24 Hours
As the leading towing experts in the industry, Towing Long Beach 90802 has been offering top quality and affordable towing services, roadside assistance and auto wrecker services to all drivers around the area for many years now. It does not matter whether you want us to tow your vehicle to the nearest local auto shop or you need some roadside assistance to jump start your car, change the flat tire or get inside your locked vehicle because we are only a phone call away. We understand the urgency of your situation that is why we make sure that we will be there in just a few minutes to address your concerns.
Our loyal clients have proven time and time again that we are the best in what we do, and their continued patronage is what inspires us to do better every day. There are many reasons why you need to choose us for your towing needs, and some of them are the following:
Strict Compliance – All the staff at Long Beach Towing Services is very much familiar and well versed in the local towing rules and regulations and we always work hard to keep you in compliance whenever you find it a must to have your vehicle towed.
Customized Services – Every car is unique in the same way that every person also has specific needs and requirements as far as towing is concerned. We make it a point that we design our services according to the expectations and standards of every client to ensure that your issues will be solved once and for all.
Equipment – At Long Beach Towing Company, we make use of the most state of the art tow trucks together with the newest towing equipment.
Quick Response – Towing Long Beach customer service work hand in hand with our team of dreams to offer only the fastest response time possible for all our clients' requests.
24/7 Availability – A car breakdown or accident can happen at any time of the day. We have customer service representatives who are professional and courteous and will answer all your phone calls so you can get the worries off your shoulder.
Our Customized Services
Through the years of being in the field, Towing 90802 has established a solid reputation for delivering top of the line services that you cannot easily find anywhere else. All our operators are certified leaders who have undergone extensive training in the industry of towing. Our dependability, honesty, and integrity are proofs that it is our people that truly make the significant difference in our business.
Towing Company_90802 provides emergency roadside and towing services around the area. Every time you call us for your roadside or towing needs, we will see to it that we can provide you the service no matter where you are.
The moment you dial our number, you will be instantly connected with one of our customer service representatives who will then request for your details. During the call, kindly provide us with the details, such as your location and what particular type of vehicle you are driving. Is your vehicle totally disabled? Do you need a towing service for a van or other bigger cars or maybe, a truck? By getting all these important pieces of information, you also give us the chance to provide you with the right towing service and proper wrecker more quickly and appropriately. If you have been stranded in a dangerous location or during bad weather, it is of great importance that we get to you rapidly and these details are what we will need so that we can get you and your car back to safety without wasting any minute.


text:
Our goal is to provide a raiding organization that provides a diverse group of people throughout the community a chance to experience high-end content, as well as one that rises to the highest levels of experience and skill. Our focus is on both fun and effective raids, for all members of the Silver Hand community.
|Community Hang-Out Talk amongst yourselves.
|119,884 posts in 8,119 topics
|Resurrection? by Fireina, Tuesday August 14, 2018 09:30
|Unofficial Community Events Plan, announce and organize groups for community events in- and out-of-game(s).
|4,660 posts in 347 topics
|MC Run by Caitir, Wednesday November 26, 2014 08:07
|WoW Workshop Discuss patch notes, find crafters, talk addons and anything else to do with WoW!
|9,273 posts in 1,182 topics
|You Pay We Slay - Leftovers Raiding (ICC-25/Festergut) by Softreset, Tuesday August 29, 2017 08:23
|The Wretched Hive - SWTOR General Forum Dark side, light side... this is the place for LO:SWTOR-side chat!
|4,829 posts in 195 topics
|Tap Tap Tap uh is this thing still on? by Daphyd, Tuesday February 7, 2017 14:21
|Other Games Want to discuss the new hotness in gaming? Or maybe an old favorite? This is the spot!
|3,159 posts in 159 topics
|leftover humblebundle gift keys by TimidHan, Wednesday December 10, 2014 00:53
|WoW Charters LFM Who's killin' what, and who's looking for who!
|7,621 posts in 1,820 topics
|BD dps by Feloreltis, Wednesday June 3, 2015 15:04
|Get to Your Ships! - SWTOR LFM
|45 posts in 18 topics
|Night Watch 16 7/10 needs one more by Daphyd, Tuesday July 17, 2012 20:20
|Charter Proposals (MoP)
|579 posts in 64 topics
|Charter Revision: Relentless by Greebo, Saturday March 21, 2015 13:41
|SWTOR Charter: Dark Hunters
|158 posts in 17 topics
|Charter on Hiatus by Madelene, Monday June 29, 2015 08:13
|SWTOR Charter: Doomed Lemmings
|323 posts in 72 topics
|SWTOR 2.0 Loot Reference by El-vinn, Monday January 27, 2014 03:35


text:
Routes : North America : United States : Colorado : Southeastern : Carrizo Canyon : The Meadow : Grapes of Wrath
Grapes of Wrath - 5.11bAverage Rating : 0.00 out of 5
Route sequence (left to right):
Route Summary | Ascent Notes (0)
Premier Sponsor:
Adam Leathers
Rock (Toprope)
Description:Scramble up the right or east side of the slab to secure the top rope. The only problems with route are the overhanging grape vines (hence the name) and the nasty location. Otherwise, a pretty cool face with thin moves. Climb straight up the middle and do NOT touch either of the slabs sides.
Submitted by: sporter on 2007-09-05
Views: 386
Route ID: 88314


text:
Staffing Consultant
- Location
- Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Salary
- Contact For Rate
- Posted
- Jan 28, 2017
- Closes
- Feb 08, 2017
- Category
- Human Resources
- Job Type
- Employee
- Employment Status
- Full Time
Humera is currently looking for a Recruiter/Account Manager for our sister company, specializing in light industrial, warehouse and janitorial work. This candidate will need to be driven, motivated and willing to learn in a very fast-paced environment. The ideal candidate will be an individual with management experience where duties may have involved recruiting, screening and hiring. This individual may be looking to break into or grow within a staffing career. The ideal candidate will maintain a positive attitude, and have the ability to work independently and efficiently. This is a contract-to-hire opportunity for the right candidate!
- Handle a high volume if inbound calls (1000+ per week), both directing callers to the appropriate party or providing resolution
- Screen and assess applicants over the phone
- Parse and assess resumes to identify qualified candidates
- Schedule all appropriate candidates for screening
- Conduct and assist with screening process
- Interview candidates and make hiring decision
- Initiate drug test and background investigation
- Offer and confirm qualified candidates for appropriate position
- Ensure accurate and current documentation on all daily
- Responsible to oversee all management of an account, from recruiting, assessment, onboarding and employee management
- Onsite visibility with the account
- Ability to maintain strong public relations with the account
- Maintain service expectations with turnover and fill time
- Bachelor's Degree and/or relevant experience
- Strong interpersonal, communication, conflict resolution and problem solving skills
- Strong computer skills and the ability to work with Microsoft Office
- Ability to understand multiple dialects from an extremely diverse range of callers and employees
- Candidates must have reliable transportation to travel to client sites as needed
- Strong understanding of general business, office terminology and basic computer skills
- Excellent customer service skills and the ability to maintain professionalism over the phone


text:
Outdoor kitchen, spacious public rooms make San Rafael estate an entertainer's paradise
Kits of pre-fashioned materials are more synonymous with furniture than luxury homes. But San Rafael's 27 Red Rock Way started with those exact humble beginnings before being transformed into an entertainer's paradise with more than 8,000 square feet of living space, dramatic views and a backyard with an outdoor kitchen, three-lane pool and a spa.
"We've hosted school fundraisers and had a couple hundred people over on multiple occasions," said Kurt Leswing, whose family has owned the home since its 1978 construction.
Leswing's mother purchased the 4-acre estate, and two hexagonal structures designed by an Oakland company were erected on the property in the 1970s. Leswing and his wife, Elsa Leung, then purchased the property in the 1990s and set out making it their own.
One of the biggest transformations was logical, yet challenging. The couple needed to connect the two spaces to create a massive home with individual wings. Fusing the home is the garden room, a space with soaring ceilings, massive windows and built-in speakers. It looks directly out at the luxurious backyard and has been a popular gathering spot since its inception, Leswing said.
The six-bedroom home offers spaces for both formal and casual gatherings. Chandeliers and natural light illuminate the formal dining room — a space capable of seating 24 — and the grand living room can double as a concert space with room for 100.
The space was especially helpful when Leung served on the board of directors for Saint Mark's School and the couple routinely hosted fundraisers, he said.
"It's an ideal home for entertaining and family living," Leswing said.
But even entertainers need time for themselves. To meet that requirement, the home includes a serene master suite with clerestory windows, a fireplace and walk-in closets. The spa bathroom includes a soaking tub, glass shower and marble details. Like many other rooms in the sprawling home, the master suite includes a radial ceiling, hinting at the home's geometric configuration.
Completing the property is a spacious backyard with 20-yard swimming pool, cabana with outdoor kitchen and a separate sport court. Besides multiple patios, the backyard also includes terraced planting beds and multiple patios.
Leswing and his wife have cherished the property for decades, he said, and are selling only because the space is simply too big for them now that they are empty nesters.
For more information visit www.27RedRock.com.
More Information
Address: 27 Red Rock Way, San Rafael
Price: $4.388 million
Features: Six-bedroom hilltop home situated on a 4-acre estate includes an outdoor kitchen, wine cellar, billiard room and theater. The yard includes a sport court, three-lane swimming pool and a spa.
Open home: Sunday, 2 to 4 p.m.
Listing agents:Jean Pral, Pacific Union, (415) 699-9115, email@example.com; Betty Sun Wong, Pacific Union, (415) 929-7100, firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Bulls-Eye On Bruins
Jan. 29, 2009
By Anthony Oliva III
There's an old adage that goes in order to be the best, you need to beat the best. As far as the Pac-10 is concerned, the best team in recent years has far and away been UCLA.
But with teams like Washington and Arizona State already beating the three-time defending conference champs, the Pac-10 race may be more wide open than ever.
UCLA, with a 5-2 conference record, is currently tied for second place in the Pac-10 with Arizona State and Cal. Everyone is looking up at Washington, which is 6-1 in conference and beat UCLA 86-75 on Jan. 24.
"We've been getting better all year" said Washington assistant coach and former UCLA guard Cameron Dollar. "You want to be at the top in the beginning, the middle and the end. For us this is about the middle, so we're happy where we are."
Where they are now is a position that UCLA has grown very accustomed to in the past.
The Bruins have been one of the most dominant teams not only in the Pac 10, but in the entire nation the past three years. They have reached the Final Four each of the last three seasons in addition to winning two of the last three Pac-10 tournaments. This year, UCLA had high expectations and was ranked No. 4 in the AP preseason poll. The only other Pac-10 teams in the AP preseason top 25 were Arizona State at 15 and USC at 19.
So, at the onset, it look as if the Bruins could run away with the conference again, but with losses to two conference rivals, the road to a fourth straight conference crown has experienced some speed bumps. UCLA, which has gone 45-9 in the Pac-10 the last three years, still remains confident.
"We've had a few mishaps but in the end of the day we're where we need to be," said Bruin senior Josh Shipp. "We're 5-2 and we're one game out of first place so we're definitely not worried. We have a few big games coming up this week, so as long as we can get these next two I think were in a good position."
UCLA plays Cal (16-4) on Thursday and Stanford (13-4) on Saturday.
The first team to beat the Bruins in conference play was Arizona State (16-3) when the Sun Devils won 61-58 on the road in overtime on Jan. 17.
"It was a big win," said Arizona State senior forward Jeff Pendergraph. "Not many people get to beat UCLA. They're a big team. They've been to the Final Four three years in a row. That right there shows you how good they are. To get a win like that helps us out and definitely gives us confidence that we actually have a chance at winning the Pac-10 championship."
Pendergraph says the team's defensive intensity has been the key to this team's success and that is exactly what led the Sun Devils to victory over the Bruins.
Arizona State, much like UCLA, has struggled at times with being able to score for prolonged stretches. Defensively, both are among the tops in the conference, but they will need their stars to step up and revive their offenses.
Arizona State is led by sensational sophomore James Harden who scores 22 points a night and Pendergraph who adds 13.6 a contest. UCLA is more balanced and is led by its senior duo of Darren Collison (14.4 points per game) and Shipp (12.4).
The most prolific scoring team in the Pac-10 is Washington, and the Huskies, who have won 12 of their last 13 games, were the next to best the Bruins.
"Our team has a lot of confidence and the win against UCLA just solidified what they thought about themselves," Dollar said.
Despite the current conference lead, Washington knows they have a long way to go to supplant UCLA.
"There are no gimmes in our league", Dollar said. "When you get to conference play it doesn't matter your opponents, it's going to be a war regardless."
Dollar knows all about Pac-10 success since he lettered on three Bruin teams that won the Pac-10 crown from 1994-1997.
Among the teams that cannot be counted out are Cal, which has a win over Washington and Arizona State, and USC (13-6), which boats a victory over Arizona State. Despite what the current standings may indicate, they will all still be trying to dethrone the Bruins
"We don't feel pressure at all," Shipp said about other teams focusing on them. "We're all competitors. We take it as a challenge knowing that we're going to get every team's very best because we know everyone is out for us."
That's because they've been on top of the conference in past years. And that's where everyone else wants to be.


text:
{{search.results.count}} results {{searchFilter()}} {{searchQuery()}}
{{search.results.count}} results {{searchFilter()}} {{searchQuery()}}
Enter a search term such as "mobile analytics" or browse our content using the filters above.
That's not only a poor Scrabble score but we also couldn't find any results matching
Check your spelling or try broadening your search.
This service is currently undergoing maintenance.
Please try again later.
It's a great time to be a consumer. With so many buying options, retailers have to work harder than ever to give people good value and even better service.
For retailers, however, the challenge lies in giving potential buyers the best possible user experience (UX) to ensure they make it all the way to the checkout.
I've taken a look at some successful ecommerce sites to see what they're doing well from a UX point of view. (Update: For a newer version of this article, see 93 ecommerce UX features that create user flow).
There are plenty of positives here. The page is sleek and visually pleasing, with nice product imagery. But more importantly there is a really simple explanation of what the company does.
One of my biggest pet hates on any website is when it's not immediately clear what the point of it is, and Graze definitely doesn't fit into this category.
Another fantastic piece of UX on the Graze website is when it comes to choosing your product.
It could not be simpler: three options, with a brief explanation under each one, along with some nice imagery. If there are too many options the customer could get confused or frustrated and end up looking elsewhere.
Gramography is Firebox's new sister site, and it enables you to log in with your Instagram account and order personalised products using your Instagram photos.
As I mentioned in the above subheading, I'm a big fan of sites where it's immediately obvious what the business does. Gramography certainly ticks that box with its homepage.
Once you've logged in, the UX gets even better. You can go into the shop and see your own Instagram photos on the product images (that's me getting silly on my stag. And that's a man expertly playing the traffic cone on Oxford Street).
This is a nice touch because you don't have to just imagine what the product might look like based on somebody else's photos. Again, this is likely to increase buyer confidence and make the products more appealing.
The Whisky Exchange
This site can do no wrong in my eyes because whisky makes my mouth do a massive party. But the site happens to have a lot of great UX design elements, too.
I particularly like the taste guide it has on the individual product pages, telling the buyer everything from sweetness levels to flavour notes.
There are a hundred tips you could take from Amazon's website, but one thing I really like is the way it sorts its reviews.
The reviews themselves are rated as being helpful or unhelpful, and then ranked in order of helpfulness.
This is useful to customers because it filters out the useless information and lets them see the most relevant and helpful reviews immediately, with no effort required.
It's worth mentioning Amazon's '1-Click' ordering button, which is something I personally use a lot. Once you've input your payment and shipping details you can make purchases with a single click of your mouse.
This ultimately makes customers' lives easier and considerably shortens the distance to the checkout page so there is less chance of basket abandonment.
Farmdrop's homepage uses eye-catching imagery and simple copy that immediately tells you what the site is for.
There are only two options for the user at this stage: explore the shop or find out more. This provides the customer with a straightforward journey and guides them towards the purchasing stage.
When you click on the 'find out more' button the page scrolls down to a nicely illustrated explanation of what Farmdrop actually does. Again, there are two options: go to the shop or find out more.
Farmdrop's approach is very clever here. Some people just want to get in and buy something, whereas some people appreciate details. Farmdrop caters for both groups here.
Buying jeans that fit properly can be a nightmare, particularly online when you can't try them on.
Asos has got around this in its jeans section, providing really clear images of the different types of jeans and how they look. There's even a video explanation from an Asos stylist.
This type of detailed information makes the buying decision much easier for the consumer, so they are likely to feel more confident completing their purchase.
This site only sells one product, but the UX is fantastic.
Vertty keeps things very sleek and straightforward, letting you flick between all the different colour options and showing you all the key information when you hover your mouse over the product.
This type of site is effective because it focuses on the product and avoids unnecessary distractions, so the customer is exactly where you want them to be.
I also love the page that appears when you click on one of the towels. You get a nice image showing what the towel would look like on the beach, and the background colour changes depending on which product you select.
I've included Mulberry because of its simplicity. Gigantic product images and easy navigation make this site a pleasure to use.
Oliver Bonas
Oliver Bonas has a brilliant personalisation section on its site. The imagery is crystal clear and the options on the right are straightforward and easy to use.
Another nice touch is that you can view lifestyle shots of the necklace, so the customer can see what the jewellery looks like when worn.
I've included Bellroy for its use of video on its homepage. In each group of images there is a short video explaining all the features of the product.
Apart from the videos themselves being really nicely put together, this type of content appeals to certain people and lets consumers see the product in a different light and ultimately makes the purchasing decision easier.
Another feature I like is the navigation bar at the top of the product pages. You can choose between general lifestyle categories such as 'every day' or 'for travel' to get product types.
This is helpful for customers because they can very quickly get to what they want without having to know much about Bellroy's products beforehand.
Apple may be an obvious choice for site design and UX, but I particularly like the 360 view option on its products.
Unlike some other sites there's no need to drag the image around. All you have to do is hit play and watch it go.
Effectively this is the same as providing multiple stills from different angles, but presented in a way that makes it easier for the consumer.
Dollar shave club
I really like the product selection page on this site. You get a choice of three blades, with all the basic information you need.
If you click 'learn more' you get even more product information and multiple images from different angles, presented in a simple and stylish way.
I've chosen this for the product selection page. It's completely image-based in a simple grid format.
For a fashion and lifestyle brand this is perfect, because the way the products look is the customer's main concern. The grid format also makes it ridiculously easy to navigate through the products.
The first thing to note about AO's UX is the amount of information on its product pages.
There are a huge number of images from every angle you can think of, along with some helpful video guides, making it really easy for the buyer to know what they're getting.
I also have to mention the reviews section on this site. It is incredibly detailed, with ratings under six different relevant sections, and customers can list pros and cons along with their full review.
All of this is key to helping buyers feel more confident making a large purchase online.
One thing Argos has always done well, ever since the days of the Laminated Book of Dreams, is provide user-friendly buying guides for its customers.
Argos has always had to do this because even if you buy in-store you usually can't see what you're buying before you've paid for it. So buying guides have always been a way for Argos to help customers make the right decision.
The Q&A section on the Argos product pages is also a great feature, adding user-generated content to give the buyer useful information that might have been missed elsewhere.
One thing I really like on the Hunter product pages is the fact you can scroll through the product images using your mouse wheel.
It's a minor touch but it's little things like this that make a website generally more of a pleasure to use, which means customers are more likely to bother making their way to the checkout.
Conclusion: make people's decisions easier
Never mind 'innovative' web design, the thing that people really want is helpful information.
Speaking as a relatively indecisive consumer myself, I always appreciate ecommerce sites on which there is enough information for me to make a fully informed buying decision.
For something a bit more subtle, check out these 12 tiny UX elements that can make a difference.
Comments (12)
no way are fresh eggs that clean :)
Praising Amazon for one click is rather like praising an Ogre for having a massive knobbly head.
Congratulations ogre, what a massive knobbly head you have.
This is not so much an innovation as a growing embarrassment to the US patent office, whose decision to award a patent on what should be a default function of ecommerce, is brought into sharp relief by the ascendancy of ecommerce, and seems more ridiculous each day.
Reward sites for doing things well, but not for unfairly awarded competitive advantage.
@sam True, but will your generic urbanite buy dirty eggs? It's part of an on-going CRO - this test, where the image of clean eggs in farmer's hands handily beat the one with dirty eggs held by a hand model.
You should really put a link in the images to the websites you're reffering to.
It's super frustrating not being able to click on it :(
Speaking of UX, wish the sites mentioned had been linked to so we could click to view them in all their glory...
@Sebastien and Rachael - duly noted and fair point. I'll add the links in now :)
@Peter - I appreciate what you're saying and I agree with you to a certain extent, but that doesn't detract from the fact that one-click ordering in itself is a decent piece of UX design.
InFarmdrop, there are no filters and no sorting. If you search eggs, 115 products come up. How can you find the eggs you want? Even though the illustrations are nice and the design is pretty cool, I don't see how this website can be considered a good one. I personally find this benchmark superficial and inconsistent: you say in the conclusions that "Never mind 'innovative' web design" as people want useful information and then, it's all mostly about just cool design and poor IA.
@Elisa I agree, filters should be used to make product selection easier, and this is one way for Farmdrop to improve. Just to be clear, we're picking out what we think are useful features from sites, we're not saying these sites are the best out there.
@Graham, sorry but this is what I read in this article about Farmdrop: "straightforward journey and guides them towards the purchasing stage" and "purchase stage" usually means that you have to find what you want before purchase it. So the finding experience should be considered before writing such words. Of course these are not best sites ever, but if you highlight something good I expect this to be true, especially taking into account the conclusion you draw, as I said already.
I think Jack is clearly highlighting the scrolling homepage which explains the brand and proposition rather than the filtered navigation (or lack of).
I am trying again...my previous message was not posted.
So, I was saying thanks for the comprehensive article, I found many valid points that I should use for my site. (https://www.self-madebags.com).If you guys have further comments, please feel free to let me know. Cheers!
Hi Jack,
We have just linked back to your article in our last post (http://www.oncrawl.com/put-seo-online-store/) because it is a nice addition to our readers. Thought you would be interested to know :) Best


text:
The bridge across the pond. Positive Vibr8ions combines Breezy, straight out of East London, with US grown Substr8 on the ones and twos. This team flexes any system it touches with modus operandi: building the conscious massive. A fusion of US and UK sound, Positive Vibr8ions realizes the accessible side of bass music, while staying true to their roots.
Attendance numbers do not account for private attendees. Get there early!


text:
Reuters Staff
1 Min Read
Sept 4 (Reuters) - ChineseAll Digital Publishing Group Co Ltd
* Says its shares to resume trade on Sept 5 after revising stake acquisition plan
Source text in Chinese: bit.ly/2iVTP2H
Further company coverage: (Reporting by Hong Kong newsroom)
All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays.
© 2018 Reuters. All Rights Reserved.


text:
He thrilled us every Saturday afternoon in the Fall with his original play-by-play delivery of the great games played in the "Hole That Yost Dug, Canham Carpeted, and Schembechler Filled."
He captivated us with his description of victory and defeat, and articulated the thrill and glory of the heritage of the Maize and Blue.
One of the University of Michigan's favorite sons, Bob Ufer was "The Voice of Michigan Football" for five decades.
Enthusiastic, optimistic, loyal and hardworking are adjectives that quickly come to mind when describing the legendary Bob Ufer — a stellar U of M athlete and much loved broadcaster who worked tirelessly to promote academic and athletic achievement during his life.
The name Bob Ufer is deeply woven into the fabric of University of Michigan athletics.
Jim Harbaugh, Jack Harbaugh, Devin Gardner and Tom Ufer sing the greatest college fight song ever written at the 68th Annual Bob Ufer Quarterback Club event.


text:
The girls had Father Christmas come to their pre-school yesterday and bring them gifts and spend the afternoon with him. I felt sorry for Santa in his red and white furry suit in 30 degree sunshine while the children enjoyed jumping castles and water slip 'n slides. Poor Santa must've been wishing he brough his red furry speedo and waterproof beard instead so that he could enjoy the water fun with the children. Poor bugger. That'll teach him to have a fasion disaster that isn't internationally accepted!
Megan said : It wasn't the real Father Christmas, Mummy. It was one of his helpers.
Me : How did you know that Megan?
Megan: Because he looks just like Reece's Grampa.
Me smiling: Oh and how else did you know he was just a helper and not the real Santa?
Megan: His beard wasn't real and he didn't have his reindeer with him.
I chuckled.
When I asked her what Father Christmas said to her ...
Megan : He said Hello Young Lady and I sat on his lap. He said I was beautiful. I said I know I'm beautiful! (my daughter is not modest).
Everyone had fun and Megan got a Pink Princess MP3 player which she was not happy about because she wanted what the boys got - Bakugans (even though she has about 10 of them at home!) I told her she should be thankful that Santa brought her a gift and that some children get nothing. I told her not to be ungrateful otherwise she'll get a bag of poo for Christmas. I guess that turned her frown into a smile.
Kaylin got a Wedding Barbie with clothes, high heel plastic shoes for herslef, a princess wand, a crown, earings and she was very happy. She even wore the crown and earings for a while (not for long).
Even Riaan got Santa coming to his work. A client brough him a bottle of Johnnie Walker 15 year Green Label which will be consumed at his work Christmas function today, which is going to be at our house.
So preparations are underway for that party. Jacuzzi is being cranked and heated, the bar is stocked, the spit braai is sizzling away and I need to go shopping for salads, snacks and final touches.
Princess Kaylin with her Crown
Take care...I'm watching you....


text: gillespie yunnie architects. all projects about us contact us view Old Quay Newton Ferrers We are pleased to announce that our latest project Jackman's House is now on site. Watch this space! Tweets by @gillespieyunnie view Ladybellegate Quay Gloucester view Ocean Studios Royal William Yard view The Royal Dart Kingswear


text:
{{search.results.count}} results {{searchFilter()}} {{searchQuery()}}
{{search.results.count}} results {{searchFilter()}} {{searchQuery()}}
Enter a search term such as "mobile analytics" or browse our content using the filters above.
That's not only a poor Scrabble score but we also couldn't find any results matching
Check your spelling or try broadening your search.
This service is currently undergoing maintenance.
Please try again later.
User testing is an integral part of web design as it gives impartial and quantifiable insights into the customer's experience.
As discussed at our recent JUMP multichannel event, usability testing removes any ego or opinion from product design which helps improve customer satisfaction and ultimately increase revenue and growth.
There are a number of different methodologies for user testing, including A/B or multivariate tests, heatmapping, or videos of real customer journeys.
As these case studies show, each different methodology can identify small changes that lead to massive increases in CTR, conversions and sales.
For more information on this topic, checkout our new Conversion Rate Optimization Report 2012 in association with RedEye.
The research looks at tools, strategies and processes employed for improving conversion rates, as well as examining different areas of best practice.
Sidelines increases landing page conversion from 5% to 55%
When sports website Sidelines first started out it found that, despite a steady flow of traffic, only 5% of visitors actually signed up to its service.
So to try and increase the conversion rate co-founder Vinay Kuruvila ran six A/B tests.
1. The original landing page showed three screenshots of the product and one sentence below each describing a benefit of using Sidelines.
Due to the poor conversion rate they experimented with a simplified version that just had a random picture from the 2012 Super Bowl and a couple of sentences about the product.
As a result conversions went from 5% to 17%. Kuruvila suggests this is because if a screenshot doesn't immediately show a customer what your product does, then it's better to go for a simple, eye-catching photo.
2. For the next test they changed the landing page so it had a large background picture that covered the entire screen and reduced the text to a single tagline and one sentence explaining the product.
This test saw conversions creep up to 25%.
3. After trying a number of different taglines, Sidelines found that the deliberately vague option of "Follow Sports Together" was the most successful.
The theory is that it intrigues people and convinces them to sign up so they can find out more.
4. Initially the landing page only highlighted the sharing functions of the site, but when they added the words "Follow your favourite teams" conversions jumped from 25% to 40%.
This is because it made new visitors aware of the brand's value proposition, so they knew what they stood to gain from signing up to Sidelines.
5. Like many startups Sidelines originally required new users to signup using their Facebook or Twitter accounts.
However after adding an email sign up option the number of people signing up using their social account increased by 7%. Kuruvila says this is because email signup option increased trust for the brand.
6. Kuruvila initially thought that Sidelines would appeal mostly to men, but traffic from Facebook ads proved that assumption to be incorrect.
The highest conversion rate "by far" was women aged 26-40 with the messaging "share photos, videos, articles and opinions about your favourite teams." In addition, these women were inviting 35% more friends to join Sidelines than men were.
Finally, men who received email invites from women converted about twice as well as men who received email invites from other men.
It was clear that women aged 26-40 loved to share, but Sidelines wanted to ensure the landing page message appealed to the vast majority of users who start off as pure content consumers.
The compromise was a message that started off with the consumer value proposition and then include the sharing aspect: "Follow your favourite teams, join the hottest discussions and share photos, videos and articles with other fans."
This helped landing page conversions increase to 55%.
DHL uses A/B testing to achieve a 98% uplift in conversion rate
DHL ran an A/B test to try and increase signups to a free Import Tool Kit. It created a new page that made the signup form the main focus by making it larger and moving it to the top right of the screen.
All the text remained the same, but the image was changed from a cityscape to a picture of a friendly courier.
The new form design
The test ran for around four weeks in July, and as a result DHL achieved a 98+% conversion rate increase in two countries at a 95% statistical confidence.
ASOS reduces abandonment rate by 50% by changing one CTA
ASOS ran A/B testing at the sign-in page of its checkout to try and reduce the number of abandoned baskets. The original page had a CTA for new customers saying 'Create your account' that it changed to simply 'Continue'.
This simple change reduced basket abandonment by 50% at this stage as consumers associate creating an account with a long process of form filling.
The new checkout design
In fact ASOS left the checkout process for new customers largely unchanged and still required them to choose a password and create an account, but this simple change in copywriting had a massive impact on the customer's perception of what they were being asked to do.
The old checkout design
Hyundai increased requests for test drive by 62% using multivariate testing
As with other case studies on this list, Hyundai set out to improve conversions on its product landing pages.
This actually included three different goals that it wanted to optimise:
- Primary goal was a brochure request and/or request for a test drive.
- Secondary goal was a clickthrough from the car page to the first step of the funnel.
- As a check, engagement (inverse of bounce rate) was also measured.
To test these different criteria Hyundai used multivariate testing, which is different to A/B testing as each change you make creates a new variation to be tested.
Original landing page
This allows you to track how each single change impacts conversion rates so you can find the best combination of factors. Using Traffic4U it tested eight different iterations by changing the following sections of the page:
- New (SEO friendly) text versus control text. The hypothesis was that if Hyundai changed its normal text to SEO friendly text and it didn't impact conversion rate, it could permanently implement it for SEO benefits
- Extra call-to-action buttons versus no extra buttons. The thinking was that an extra call-to-action would encourage the user to complete the desired action.
- Large photo of the car versus thumbnails. Hyundai thought that larger photos would entice the visitor and also confirm to them that they are on the right page.
The results showed that the combination of SEO text, extra CTAs and larger images increased the conversion rate (request for test drive or brochure) by 62% and there was a 208% increase in CTR (step 1 to step 2).
New landing page
User testing videos help increase sales by 9.5%
Appliances Online commissioned 125 user testing videos to help identify potential improvements to its product pages, giving it 250 hours of footage of customers browsing the site before making a purchase.
The company used the videos in conjunction with other tools, such as Click Tale, which provided heatmaps showing which elements of product pages users were interacting with the most.
Thanks to this insight it uncovered several issues with its product pages. For example, 70% said that pages were too busy, 17% said service information needed to be clearer, while 13% thought the video experience could be improved.
As a result, Appliances Online made these changes to its product pages:
- Banners touting special offers were incorporated into the copy on the page, allowing the buy button to be moved above the fold.
- The buy button was changed from dark blue to a more eye-catching green colour, while the text was altered from 'Buy' to a more descriptive 'Add to basket'.
- Previously product videos opened in a pop-up screen that took too long to load. The solution was to embed the video into the product pages, which is less interruptive, while consumers can also scan up and down the page looking at reviews and product specs, and the video stays still.
- Creative copywriters were employed to draft unique product descriptions.
These changes resulted in a 9.5% increase in sales, while 37% more visitors viewed the product videos. As viewers of these videos are 57% more likely to add items to the basket, this was a big improvement.
In addition, the number of reviews left by customers increased by 11%, while there was a 33% reduction in calls about delivery, as the information was more clearly visible on the product page.
Veeam changed a single word an increased CTR by 161%
In an effort to increase conversions Veeam Software asked all visitors to its product pages what other information they would like to see.
A number of visitors answered "pricing" however Veeam sells through partners so does not publish pricing information on its site. However it does have a 'Request A Quote' link that leads to a sales inquiry form.
Simply by changing the CTA from 'Request A Quote' to 'Request Pricing' Veeam achieved a 161.66% increase in CTR from 0.54% to 1.40% with 100% statistical confidence.
This is a great example of increasing conversions by using customer feedback to improve the website.
Amazon made $2.7bn by asking one simple question
Consumer reviews are a proven sales driver in e-commerce, with research showing that 63% of customers are more likely to make a purchase from a site that has user reviews.
Amazon receives hundreds of reviews so it was faced with the challenge of how to curate them into a useful order for its customers.
It struck upon the best system by adding the question: "Was this review helpful to you?" This allows users to endorse the best reviews, with the top three being featured on the product page.
Other touches, such as allowing users to easily view the best negative or positive reviews, as well as some handy charts that summarise review ratings, make the large number of reviews manageable for users and more useful for Amazon.
Displaying the most helpful reviews has increased sales in the media products category by 20%, meaning this feature was worth $2.7bn to Amazon.
VOIP telephone service increases quote requests by 262%
In this test an anonymous B2B VOIP telephone services company set about increasing its number of quote requests by performing an A/B test of different page designs.
The original signup page
The company redesigned the page to simplify the form and reduce friction in the sign up process. The number of fields that users had to fill in was reduced from six to three, and it removed any requests for personal information.
The new signup page
Other changes included:
- Changing the CTA from 'Get Quote' to 'Show Me My Instant Quote'.
- Giving an interactive quote online rather than getting a salesperson to call the customer.
- Adding third-party security logos.
- Adding a chart comparing its service versus traditional phones.
The result was a 262% increase in conversion rate from 2.4% to 8.8%.
Comments (4)
We're all in the game of trying to optimise sites.
So it's great to hear how various techniques can make a difference.
But having said that - taking an evidence based approach, we have to realise we shouldn't just copy what these sites did!
It's possible that some of these techniques used are proven by evidence across many sites and examples and are therefore reasonable to copy.
But just because it works in one situation for one site, may not mean it works for another, or even on another page on the same site.
There are always too many other factors also in flux, that a change can't be attributed entirely to the one factor tested.
Factors such as - overlaps with : the Olympics , weather, marketing campaigns online, offline campaigns, promotional messages changing, competitors messages and campaigns changing, other changes on the site, overall traffic levels effecting site speed and error rates: all those can change the profile of visitors to a site: and change their expectation of the site.
So although this sounds like a bucket of cold water ....!
... What I'm really saying is positive:
That we need to be continuously measuring our sites and continuously testing. What worked on our site last year, may not work today, unless it's based on much wider evidence from many other sites and is no longer anecdotal, but based on real user evidence.
Interesting article, it just goes to show that companies should always be looking to improve the pages on their site to help increase conversions. Especially when the smallest changes can see a large impact.
Thanks for the article David, and thanks also for featuring my ASOS article on their checkout testing and improvement around account creation. In summary if there is one (or in this case 2) different words that end users have such a negative view of its when they see 'Register' or 'Create an account'.
I typically ask users in research sessions "what are your expecting to have to provide when you are asked to register/create an account." After their initial & quite typical response of "I've just no time for any of that, they will ask for pages of information..." when I then ask them to specify what information they expect they will need to provide, they themselves conclude that actually it probably isn't any difference to if they were having to register/create account. They then conclude that perhaps its just a password that they will need to provide extra.
And that summarises the whole issue - create account/register is a huge perceived barrier for consumers that as was seen with ASOS is highly toxic to conversion rates. The simple move to treating new customers as just that, with wording like New Customers > Continue completely removes this barrier to entry.
We do typically find that especially for our multi-channel retail clients some users at the start of checkout do like to know that they can create an account at the end of their 1st checkout, so following the example of a brand like Lakeland is recommended.
I hope this helps to add some more rationale and consumer insight to the ASOS case study.
One thing that a lot of AB Testers dont do, which quite frankly amazes me, is run an A/A test alongside the A/B - to test for consistency and significance.


text:
Pima Prevention Partnership/AmeriCorps Pima Prevention Partnership/AmeriCorps
Here's a sample of our volunteer opportunities:VIEW AS
Mission Statement
Building partnerships with young people, families and communities to improve their quality of life.
The Partnership's community-based and professional services include: Technical Services; Youth and Family Services; Clinical Services; a Charter High School; and the Pima County Teen Court. The Partnership is an Arizona state-licensed addiction treatment and prevention provider and its high school is accredited by the North Central Association. The Partnership provides services from three sites in the downtown Tucson area and an office in Phoenix. Currently, our community board of directors includes major decision makers from city, county, state government, grassroots institutions, local businesses, as well as Native American tribes, youth and disability advocates.
This information
Might be out of date
Do you work for this organization?
Request administrator status and update its information!


text:
Oct. 20, 2008
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Junior midfielder Jeff Cosgriff earned his first West Coast Conference accolade on Monday as he was named the WCC's men's soccer Player of the Week.
Cosgriff scored the lone goal Sunday afternoon to lift the Broncos to a 1-0 victory over the Toreros of San Diego. It was SCU's first conference win of the season and USD's first league loss of the year.
The San Bruno, Calif., native leads Santa Clara with eight points and thee goals. He has also dished out two assists. Santa Clara is 3-6-4 on the season and 1-2-2 in WCC play.
The Broncos return to action with two games this weekend against the Dons of San Francisco. USF will travel to the Mission Campus to battle SCU at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24. Santa Clara then makes it way up to The City to face off against San Francisco on Sunday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m.


text:
Online criminal activity of nearly every variety surged in the first half of 2005, fueled in large part by an increase in software security flaws and in the number of home computers being used against their owners' wishes to distribute spam, spyware and viruses, according to a new report.
The six-month period saw the discovery of a record 1,862 new software vulnerabilities, according to the survey from Cupertino, Calif.-based Symantec Corp., a computer security firm. The report classified nearly all of those flaws as moderate to high security threats and found that about 60 percent of them were in programs that run over the Internet.
Security holes in Web-based programs are especially serious threats for businesses because attackers can use them to bypass a company's outer security measures -- such as Internet firewalls -- or to access confidential information.
Some of the most common and dangerous vulnerabilities are found in Internet browsers. While Mozilla's Firefox browser gained popularity this year after being touted as a more secure alternative to Microsoft's ubiquitous Internet Explorer, security researchers uncovered 25 security holes in Firefox during the first half of 2005, nearly twice the number found in Explorer.
But Arthur Wong, Symantec's vice president for response and managed security services, said Firefox's flaws "certainly [don't] mean it's any more vulnerable than other browsers," because Mozilla tends to issue security patches to mend problems much sooner than Microsoft does for Explorer.
Symantec also tracked a massive increase in "denial-of-service" attacks. These online attacks employ thousands of "bots" -- usually personal computers that have been hacked into so they can be controlled remotely -- to overwhelm target Web sites with so much junk data that the sites can no longer accommodate legitimate visitors.
According to Symantec, denial-of-service attacks during the first half of 2005 spiked from an average of 119 a day to 927.
The rise is directly related to the increase in home-computer bots, Wong said. During the study period, the number of such hacker-hijacked computers observed each day more than doubled, to 10,352 from 4,348.
But security experts say Symantec's estimates represent a small fraction of the global bot epidemic. The nonprofit SANS Internet Storm Center, which tracks hacking trends, sees an average of 260,000 bots each day being used to locate other vulnerable computers, said Johannes Ullrich, the center's chief technology officer.
Groups of attackers are increasingly assembling armies of hacked computers -- called botnets -- available for sale or rent as distribution networks for spam, spyware and viruses, Wong added.
One form of spam known as phishing -- in which scam artists use e-mails to lure people into entering their personal and financial information at fake bank and e-commerce Web sites -- also saw a dramatic rise this year. In six months, the volume of phishing e-mails grew from an average of about 3 million a day to about 5.7 million, according to the Symantec report.
Krebs is a staff writer for washingtonpost.com.


text:
leura books of bowral
out of print & used books
trade in your books, cds, dvds & vinyl
open 6 days a week
weekdays 10 till 5 - saturday 10 - 3
closed on sunday
po box 1524 bowral 2576
shop 12 highlands arcade 279 bong bong street bowral
(behind the anz bank)
We are sorry but this item has just been sold a few minutes ago. Please feel free to contact us to see if we can get you another copy - we will do our best
Questions, comments, or suggestions
Please write to firstname.lastname@example.com
Copyright©2018. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by ChrisLands.com


text:
Keeping in mind the important needs with regards to governance, daily management of parish finances, and internal control, the Diocesan Finance Office has been offering a support service to parishes since January 2013.
In order to ensure efficient management of corporal affairs, parishes will therefore be selected for an audit of the accounting books, internal controls, compliance with fiscal laws, administrative matters, etc.
The service will also be available to parishes which specifically make such a request.
The person designated to accomplish this function is Mr. Brian Cordeiro, Associate Director, Finance and Administration.
All requests for support should be addressed to Mr. Brian Cordeiro at (514) 925-4332 or email@example.com.


text:
- AquaSnap Portable 1.6.2
- CrystalDiskInfo Portable 4.6.2
- Notepad++ Portable 6.1.2
- Sumatra PDF Portable 2.0.1
- Foxit Reader Portable 5.1.4 Rev 2
- KeePass Password Safe Portable 1.22
Firefox 12 was also released last week, which ties in with the Firefox 3.6.x release now being officially discontinued and unsupported. I have tried out Firefox 12 Portable and it is working fine when deployed in a networked environment, running from a read-only share. (It copies Firefox Portable to the local temp folder and runs from there..)


text:
You are here:
Individuals with a qualifying medical condition and a recommendation for medical marijuana from an attending physician may apply for a medical marijuana card.
Designating a grower or caregiver? Effective 4/1/2016, the grower fee is $200 and is paid by the grower. Growers will be notified by the OMMP to pay after the patient submits a new or renewal application.
Need help? Check out the training and help resources for the online system.
Download form (pdf)
This form must be signed by the physician within 90 days of the application date.
If an Attending Physician's Statement is not received with the application, the applicant is NOT LEGALLY PROTECTED under the OMMA.
Include copies of ID for the patient and for any designated caregivers and growers. Patients must be Oregon residents.
View samples of valid ID (pdf)
If you apply by mail, make check or money order payable to OHA/OMMP. Do not send cash.
View cardholder fees
**Please keep a copy of your application materials.**
If you have more questions, please call our Customer Service line at 971-673-1234 (12:00 - 4:00 PM, Mon-Fri).
If you would like someone to call on your behalf and discuss your registration information over the phone, submit the Verbal Release of Information form (pdf) and we would be happy to accommodate you.
After you submit your application, OMMP staff will:
If your application is complete:
If your application is NOT complete:
Please do not call to check your status prior to 30 days from the date we receive your application. The processing of applications takes time, and the same staff who review your application also answer the phones. The more calls we receive, the slower we process applications.
Your browser is out-of-date! It has known security flaws and may not display all features of this and other websites. Learn how


text:
A guide to the procurement of privately financed projects: an indicative assessment of the procurement process outlines the concept of privately financed projects (PFP) that can be used for both public-private and private-private interactions. Utilising models from many countries the guide develops a robust procurement system applicable to PFP and project finance in both the EU and overseas.This guide provides a systematic approach for the preparation and evaluation of privately financed projects (PFP) and services. It is intended to assist both the 'Principal' (often a public body) and the 'Promoter' (private body) at each phase of the procurement process, from inception through to financial closure. Principals using this guide should be able to adapt the private finance procurement process for their specific organisation and business sector. Moreover, in the case of the promoting organisation, the guide provides an appreciation of the steps that occur and the various processes undertaken and the associated costs of bidding.A guide to the procurement of privately financed projects: an indicative assessment of the procurement process provides an invaluable understanding of the critical facets involved in PFP and suggests frameworks for developing objective orientated procurement elements.Supplementary Green Book Guidance, Adjusting for Taxation in PFI vs PSC Comparisons. HM Treasury ... Project Finance: The guide to value and risk management in PPP projects. ... Ministry of Finance PPP Knowledge Centre ( 2002).
|A Guide to the Procurement of Privately Financed Projects
|Douglas Lamb, Tony Merna
|Thomas Telford - 2004-01-01
You must register with us as either a Registered User before you can Download this Book. You'll be greeted by a simple sign-up page.
Once you have finished the sign-up process, you will be redirected to your download Book page.How it works:


text:
Use Case Challenge
With the increasing competitiveness in the SP market, service providers have more incentive to discover new ways to improve service agility and create a scalable platform made for upselling on-demand services. In order to achieve this, SPs must adapt to their enterprise customer needs to stay relevant. That means updating costly legacy business CPE (customer premises equipment), and migrating to a newer, sleeker, faster platform that can meet the business demands of today's enterprises.
Use Case Solution
As Brocade's Robert McBride points out in the video, Brocade vCE architecture replaces the traditional CPE with NIDs, or network interface devices, from one of Brocade's partners. In doing this, SPs achieve easier troubleshooting at branch locations while seamlessly transitioning standard CPE functions into virtual network functions (VNFs) that are then are hosted either at the central office (CO) or point-of-presence (POP) in the SP infrastructure.
To make this use case a reality, Brocade counts on its ecosystem partners who contribute:
- NIDs that replace existing CPEs
- Virtualized infrastructure management at both the central office and point-of-presence locations
- Management and orchestration (MANO) models to provide provisioning, monitoring, and management of VNFs
With its vCE solution, Brocade offers a longer equipment lifecycle while easing troubleshooting and truck rolls. vCE also lends itself to additional advantages, including more malleability for add-on solutions and a lower overhead for troubleshooting.
Brocade's unique product line is instrumental to delivering vCE, as the vRouter acts as the core VNF by offering routing, VPN, and firewall in one package. vRouter is also able to contribute high efficiency for packet handling, which enables a smaller footprint deployment with higher densities of vCE instances per server.
Solution Highlights
- Brocade vRouter reduces need for long service-chains by providing multi-service VNF
- vCE is perfect for use in high-density CO/POP locations with low power and cooling requirements
- Complementary with VNFs such as IDS, Spam, Malware Gateway, and Session Border Controllers
- Integration into MANO frameworks is easy with programmable APIs and open API controller-based architecture
Ecosystem partners provide corresponding software and hardware, using the vRouter VNF to construct a turnkey vCE offering for service providers.


text:
It is not as hard as you to think to make an ordinary room into a romantic one! For example just with a new lighting you can create a romantic atmosphere. With one touch, you can change many thing, because light has a complete effect in a room.
If you want to create a beautiful home with a small amount of budget, greener will be your one of the best helpers. Having plants in a room makes person feel alive and fresh. We do not offer flowers, as they are not so enduring ones. We generally offer simple green foliage or a single leaf, like a palm leaf.
Keep the things, which you don't like out of sight. For that, you can use the underneath your bed as a storage.
Wanna make your room look bigger? Paint the walls with horizontal or vertical lines. You can give the illusion of added depth and dimension to the walls too. Look at the special painting tues for that.
Think about a timeless sofa or kitchen table. That will save you money, changing your home's style.
Look at the second hand sale sites. People generally get rid of things that can be reused, they just don't like them anymore.


text:
Islam, Muslims and The Quran have become a subject of major concern to the world media, religious groups and people, especially after the events of September 11th 2001 in the USA. Many articles and books have been written about a religion...
How to read and study the Qur'an?
In undertaking this work (Quran434.com), I had to completely re-assess commonly accepted ideas and prevailing thought. Whilst this task was demanding, my approach was relatively simple, which anyone can follow. When I study The Quran, I often consider the following:
Am I for/against a certain outcome?
If I sense I am, I try to understand why to free myself from this bias/shackle, so I can truly let the message tell me what it is saying, rather than me tell it.
The perfect way is only difficult for those who pick and choose. Do not like, do not dislike; all will then be clear. Make a hairbreadth difference and heaven and earth are set apart; if you want the truth to stand clear before you, never be for or against. The struggle between "for" and "against" is the mind's worst disease.
~ Zen commonly attributed to Bruce Lee
Judgement Day, Hell & Earth
One of the most recurring subjects to deal with in the study of the Qur'an is that of Judgment Day, Earth, and Hell – all of which touch on mankind's inevitable fate of facing our Creator for the deeds we have done and the paths we have taken.
7:187 They ask you regarding the Hour: "When will be its time?" Say: "Its knowledge is with my Lord, none can reveal its coming except He. It is heavy through the heavens and the earth; it will not come to you except suddenly." They ask you, as if you are responsible for it! Say: "Its knowledge is with God, but most of the people do not know."
This article will attempt to assemble the verses that deal with these various topics, drawing a picture – grim as it may be – of what lies ahead for us all.
Where Was Mohammed?
Preface: This article has been written with the intent of looking into humankind's history through the legacy of the Patriarch Abraham and some of the messengers that followed. The search for the actual Mohammed will take us to several locations in the Middle East, ending with conclusions that are quite different from today's perceived history.
Noah and the Great Flood
Disclaimer: This work is built on the understanding that the flood was a `global` event and as such all the points made are in relation to such an understanding. While the reader may disagree with the findings, the article is being presented for its thought provoking content.
The story of Noah and the Great Flood is a tale that has been repeated and retold by various cultures and various religious denomination spanning the length and breadth of the planet Earth. At its core is the story of how God was so angered with humankind that He instructed Noah to build a great ship with which to carry a pair of each animal and then He sent a flood to wipe clean the Earth and begin anew...
This article will attempt to construct the details of this event from the Quran while linking such events with their respective counterparts in archeology and science.
Women's Dress Code In Islam
God, the Most Gracious, Most Merciful, insists on making His religion easy, practical and enjoyable for His true believers. God also told us that those who reject Him or His books are making life miserable for themselves and for their loved ones who follow in their footsteps. He reminds us in the Quran that He has placed no hardship on us in practicing our religion (see 22:78).
"You shall strive for the cause of GOD as you should strive for His cause. He has chosen you and has placed no hardship on you in practicing your religion - the religion of your father Abraham..." 22:78
The Night of Decree
According to the Almighty, there is a very special night that occurs during which He sends His decrees to Earth and during which all matters of importance are undertaken. It was during this blessed night that the glorious Qur'an was sent down.
"We have sent it down in the Night of Decree. And do you know what is the Night of Decree? The Night of Decree is better than one thousand months. The angels and the Spirit come down in it by their Lord's leave to carry out every matter. It is peaceful until the coming of dawn." (97:1-5)
"We have sent it down in a blessed night. Surely, We were to warn. In it, is a decree for every matter of wisdom." (44:3-4)
The timing of this blessed night has been shrouded with some mystery and uncertainty, with the Sunnis claiming that it occurs during the 9th lunar month and that it specifically occurs during the last ten nights of Ramadhan, in one of the odd numbered days.
Saleh's Camel
Amongst the many narrations of people and places that God has revealed in the Quran, one story deals with the people of `Thamud` who inherited power after the people of Aad and to whom the messenger Saleh was sent from amongst them to warn them of their misdeeds and to ask they change their ways...
"And to Thamud was sent their brother Saleh. He said: `My people, serve God, you have no god besides Him. He established you in the land and gave you control over it, so seek His forgiveness, then repent to Him. My Lord is Near, Responsive.` They said: `O Saleh, you were well liked amongst us before this. Do you deter us from serving what our fathers served? We are in serious doubt as to what you are inviting us.`" (11:61-62)
Satan the Master Hypnotist!
Why does man deny God's profound signs within himself and throughout creation? Why did early peoples deny the miracles God sent to them? Why do most people prefer innovations, conjecture, opinion, and tradition over the sure guidance of the Quran? Why have Muslim religious leaders attempted to ignore and belittle the irrefutable miraculous code dis-covered in the Quran? Why have Muslim religious leaders made such absurd claims as "the Quran does not contain 114 chapters" and "the Basmalah does not consist of 19 letters?"
5 Pillar Myth
In today's version of Islam, we hear that the religion has been built upon 5-Pillars which, if upheld, grant the person a very high chance of his/her succeeding in this worldly life and entering paradise...
The 5-Pillars are described as follows:
- Witnessing there is no god but GOD, and that Mohammed is His messenger;
- The daily Prayer/Salat - 5-times per day;
- The obligatory charity (zakat) amounting to 2.5% per annum;
- Fasting the month of Ramadhan;
- Pilgrimage to Mecca at least once.
Al-Rahman, Al-Raheem: The Most Important "Pair"
The first aya of Al-Fatiha firmly establishes that these two names refer to Allah, the Supreme Power, and to Him exclusively. They are used together (as a pair) and separately (individually) throughout the Qur'an extensively to describe or refer to Him in various contexts. The context of usage of these names in the Qur'an clearly defines their meaning. It is also important that their usage in Al-Fatiha, in aya 1 and again in aya 3, points out the fact that they are, in fact, a pair - as well as indicating the significance of being a pair.


text:
Know more about this business than we do? Cool! Please submit any corrections or missing details you may have.Help us make it right
Industrial battery chargers, power supplies and controls for OEM and engine driven equipment: diesel power generators, pumps and compressors, telecoms, medical & mobile applications
Be the first NJ.com user to add photos or videos of Panel Components & Systems
Whol Electrical Equipment Whol Industrial Equipment Tools and General Machinery
Panel Components & Systems is located at 14 Main St, Stanhope, NJ. This business specializes in Music and Manufacturing & Industrial Supplies.


text:
It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.
Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.
Thank you.
Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.
The density of the spider's web, is conversely equivalent to the density of the web inside the victims heads. Shelob's and she hurls, inky darkness, to swallow the world in night and they're all curled up in their beds of doom, sleep tight. Sleep tight. Tight is the word, tightly wrapped and strapped down by the web. These are the things we dream about. These are the things we dread. It all seemed so nice in the Formica life, till the bombs went off in our heads.


text:
One of the oldest matchmaking services providing Elmer personals to the area. Matchmaker specializes in helping singles in the Elmer personals area find that special someone. Whether you are seeking a serious relationship or marriage; matchmaker.com can help you today. Our Elmer personals service provides the latest in dating services to help you meet Elmer single men and Elmer single women. Create a free singles ad and start dating online, its easy!
ElmerJoin Now Free!
Elmer Girls | Elmer Men | Elmer Gay | Elmer Lesbians
More Elmer Links:
Elmer Dating | Elmer Speed Dating | Elmer Chat | Elmer Singles | Elmer Love
Senior Dating | Catholic Dating | Christian Dating | Muslim Dating
Black Singles | Asian Singles | Latin Dating
Specializing in Elmer personals services for the past ten years and helping Elmer singles find that special someone has helped matchmaker become one of the best online destinations. Our cupid matchmaking service allows you to receive email updates when new members that match your preferences join out Elmer dating service. Find the best Elmer classifieds and Elmer personals when joining our online dating service today!


text:
They came to be with friends, to enjoy some spirited entertainment, to offer support to one another and just to be themselves.
The leather outfits, the colorful makeup and the spiky hairdos were out in the open. The hugs and the kisses were unrestrained.
For the thousands who attended the 1986 South Florida Gay Pride Festival in Fort Lauderdale on Sunday, it was a chance to forget about society`s judgments for once and to just be proud of being gay.
Similar demonstrations were staged in San Francisco, New York City and Chicago.
``People can be who they are, as wild and as gay as they want, with people who will understand,`` said Bud Markwell, as he handed out brochures from the AID Center One, an area support center for victims of AIDS.
Sunday was the first time this event, which commemorates the uprising of Greenwich Village gays against New York City police in June 1969 and the start of the gay pride movement, took place in Fort Lauderdale.
Lois, of Fort Lauderdale, who like many did not want her last name mentioned, said, ``I`m here to celebrate gay pride, to let people know we are out here, that we are not an invisible community.``
Others came for a more personal reason. Donna, of Miami, talked about her 27- year-old brother Joseph, who died three weeks ago from AIDS.
``I saw him go from 180 pounds down to about 60 in a year,`` she said. ``He lost all his dignity. He lost his ability to fight to live.


text: Explore the glamorous world of Talking Angela! Adopt baby Angela and make her your very own virtual pet. She's all yours to look after as she grows from kitten to cat. Just watch – she'll become your new best friend! Play addictively cute mini-games and collect coins to get cool items for Angela. You'll just LOVE her wardrobe. That's where you can DRESS HER UP IN THE LATEST FASHIONS, and then CHOOSE THE PERFECT PAIR OF SHOES to match her outfit. Her shoe collection is incredible! Know what else she loves? Makeup! You can GIVE HER A MAKEOVER whenever you want and make her feel super special. Just pick a lip balm, maybe give her a hint of eye shadow, some mascara, and voila! How cool is that? Remember to collect coins! You can use them to MAKE ANGELA'S HOME CHIC AND COZY. You can also FEED HER HEALTHY AND DELICIOUS TREATS. With your help, Angela can have a fabulous life! There are all-new cool features to enjoy in My Talking Angela's latest update as well, including NEW REWARDS, STICKER SWAPS, GIFTS, DISCOUNTS, AND MORE! And don't forget to add some seasonal sparkle to her life with the gorgeous Magic Sparkle Outfit. Make Angela your very own superstar! FRIENDSHIP, FASHION, AND FUN ALL FOR YOU, ALL THE TIME! ADOPT BABY ANGELA Adopt Angela as your very own virtual pet and give her a fabulous life! Help her grow into a stylish city kitty. From teeth brushing to clothes shopping – she's all yours! TAKE CARE OF HER Make Angela your very own superstar! Nurture her, sing to her, and feed her delicious treats. Just watch – she'll become your new best friend! CREATE COLORFUL MAKEUP LOOKS Let your stunning sense of style shine and give Angela a makeover! Lipstick, eyeshadow, blush - you can customize her look to your heart's content! There are dozens of different colors to choose from so you can really express yourself! EXPRESS YOUR FLAIR FOR FASHION You're fabulous, so make Angela fabulous too! Dress her in the latest fashions and the cutest costumes, from beautiful ballerina outfits to punk ninja clothes! Complete the look by giving her the perfect hairstyle too! With over a million different fashion combinations, you can make her look however you want! COLLECT STICKERS As you help Angela grow and progress through the levels, you will collect super cool stickers that you can stick in your album and even swap with your friends. It's loads of fun! PLAY MINI-GAMES Discover and play amazing new mini-games! From Happy Connect and Bubble Shooter to Tiny Puzzles, all your favorites are here… and more are added all the time! AND MUCH MUCH MORE... Unlock exclusive new outfits, level up, collect special stickers, customize her fabulous home, and more! All while she repeats everything you say in classic Talking Angela style! DOWNLOAD FOR FREE AND START PLAYING MY TALKING ANGELA NOW! MAKE HER YOUR SUPERSTAR! This app is PRIVO certified. The PRIVO safe harbor seal indicates Outfit7 has established COPPA compliant privacy practices to protect your child's personal information. Our apps do not allow younger children to share their information. This app contains: - Promotion of Outfit7's products and advertising - Links that direct users to other apps and Outfit7's websites - Personalization of content to entice users to play the app again - The possibility to use and connect with friends via social networks - Watching videos of Outfit7's animated characters via You Tube integration - Items are available for different prices in virtual currency, depending on the current level reached by the player - Alternative options to access all functionalities of the app without making any in-app purchase using real money (level progress, games, in-game functionalities, ads) Terms of use: http://outfit7.com/eula/ Privacy policy: http://outfit7.com/privacy-policy/ Customer Support: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
I do know that it was from trading profits that he got the capital to start IBD. At least that is the story I read somewhere.However, no telling what that was as a percentage or his original capital.
Folders |
Best Of |
Favorites & Replies |
Settings |
Start a New Board |
My Fool |
Help |


text:
Separate names with a comma.
Discussion in 'The Edge of the Forum' started by m_babble, May 2, 2010.
Yes, those are geese.
Yes, they are.
I fucking hate geese they shit everywhere
The cat boy hates geese, he can never catch them no matter how hard he tires
I hate fricking goose crap everywhere.
i misread the topic title as Geass...


text:
Toshiba surrenders
As speculated for nearly a year, and specifically rumored for the past week, Toshiba officially threw in the towel this morning, pulling the plug on HD DVD. The proximate cause was Warner's decision in early January to abandon HD DVD to exclusively support Blu-ray.
The HD DVD lifetime sales figures were reported by Engadget from the Toshiba press conference:
600,000 players in the US and 300,000 Xbox 360 HD DVD drives. 100,000 units were sold in Europe. And about 10,000 players and 20,000 recorders in Japan. So about 1,030,000 units worldwide.
Toshiba's president was also asked by lawsuits from angry orphans, but Toshiba's president (correctly) noted "there will be always be a risk in buying."
In addition to kits coverage, Engadget also kindly offers a Top 10 list of things to do with your defunct player.
Sony — which lost the original Betamax battle — is officially the winner with Blu-ray. It appears its gamble of bundling Blu-ray with PS3 has paid off — at least for Blu-ray, if not for PS3. (BTW, the WSJ reports the 6.3 million Blu-ray players sold worldwide includes PS3 devices, but Wikipedia reports 10.5 million PS3 sold and that all have Blu-ray)
Today people are assuming that the format war was causing consumer confusion and hesitation, and thus sales will take off now that it's over. But I can think of two other explanations for the slow uptake of Blu-ray. One is that it (the player and/or discs) is too expensive: the HD DVD price war last Christmas made prices more acceptable and spurred demand, but now that Sony has won, will it be so aggressive on pricing?
The other possibility is that the need for HD discs isn't all that strong yet. We all have lots and lots of DVDs on our shelves, and buying a new player does nothing for those. Also, HD penetration is still (I suspect) less than 50% of households, so lots of people will see little or no benefit from an HD player.
Sony will need to aggressively price cut next Christmas to get players into people's hands. Will that work, or will it need a final push from the March 2009 changeover to digital TVs?
Or will there still be skinflints like me that object to Hollywood charging $40 for the HD version of a $15 DVD? (It's not like they have to pay their actors or writers by the pixel).


text:
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - Saudi authorities detained a Shi'ite cleric in the Eastern Province after he called for a constitutional monarchy and an end to corruption and discrimination, human rights activists said on Tuesday.
The top oil exporter and U.S. ally is an absolute monarchy that applies an austere version of Sunni Islam and does not tolerate public dissent.
Its Shi'ite minority, believed to be 10-15 percent of the 18 million Saudi population, has long complained of discrimination, a charged denied by the authorities.
Tawfiq al-Amir, who has been detained before for speaking out about religious freedom, made his call in a Friday sermon in the eastern town of Hafouf. Security police detained him on Sunday, said Mohammad Gabran, a local rights activist.
"Previously his sole care was religious freedoms but in his last sermon he changed his direction and started demanding a constitutional monarchy," Gabran said.
"He called me when they came to take him. They informed him they were state security and they came to take him."
Officials at the General Directorate of Investigations, an investigative arm of the government, could not immediately be reached for comment.
Analysts say the government is anxious that unrest may spread from neighbouring Bahrain, where majority Shi'ites have been protesting against the Sunni government.
Thousands of people are circulating emailed petitions and support Facebook groups calling for reform, an end to corruption and a constitutional monarchy in Saudi Arabia.
Activists set up Facebook pages calling for protests on March 11 and 20 but many locals doubt that those protests will take place as the government closely monitors social media and would stop any attempt to protest.
"The Saudi government should listen to the demands of its citizens, not seek to stifle them," said Christoph Wilcke, senior Middle East researcher in a Human Rights Watch report.
"Calling for equal rights for an oppressed religious minority should not be a reason for harassment and arrest," he said.
Reporting by Asma Alsharif; editing by Tim Pearce


text:
HUTCHINSON, Kan. – It took 57 hours, but the entire 30-team field has finally completed two rounds of stroke-play qualifying at the NCAA Championship.
After 36 holes, No. 3 Stanford leads top-ranked Alabama by four shots at 12 under par. No. 2 Oklahoma State is another four shots back. Currently, UCLA is the bubble team, sitting in eighth place at 3 over par.
The low eight teams after 54 holes will advance to the match-play bracket. An individual champion also will be named after three rounds at Prairie Dunes.
Men's NCAA Division I national championship scoring
College Central: NCAA golf news, stats and rankings
The teams that finished two rounds in 16th place or worse – a group that includes three top-10 teams in No. 4 Cal, No. 6 Georgia and No. 10 Virginia Tech – were sent out in a shotgun format at 5:40 p.m. ET Saturday to begin the third and final round. They likely won't be able to finish before dark, so the 15 teams will complete the rest of the third round in the morning, weather permitting.
Those teams currently 1-15 will begin their third round at 1 p.m. ET. The final group of Stanford, Alabama and Oklahoma State will head off the first tee from 2:20-3 p.m.
Golf Channel will be live from Prairie Dunes beginning at 2 p.m., with full coverage starting at 5 and airing until the completion of play.


text:
Footman James Sponsors Vintage Motor Cycle Club Baton Relay
29 March, 2016
Next month sees the start of an epic baton relay - and Footman James is sponsoring the event.
The Vintage Motor Cycle Club (VMCC) Baton Relay is marking a double anniversary. The club turns 70 in April and the event will also commemorate the golden jubilee of British Historic Racing (BHR). And it all kicks-off next month.
So what's so special about the relay?
For a start, the sheer number of events it encompasses, drawing thousands of bike enthusiasts from around the country. In under three months the relay will pass across Ireland, the Isle of Wight and Isle of Man.
Some of the highlights
Kenilworth Rugby Club's Spring Run (Sunday, April 3, 10.30am start):
This Warwickshire gathering gets the relay under way. Warwickshire VMCC branch will collect the baton on the Sunday. Two days later it will take the baton to the National Motorcycle Museum, where it will be passed on to the Midland section of the VMCC.
Banbury Run (Sunday, June 19m 10am start):
Gaydon's Heritage Motor Centre hosts this stage of the relay in leafy Warwickshire. Owners of vintage and veteran vehicles built before December 31 1930 are eligible.
Cadwell Park (Friday-Sunday, June 24-26):
The relay concludes in this Lincolnshire venue in Louth from June 24-26 before ending up at VMCC'S Allen House HQ in Burton on Trent. Attractions lined-up include:
• 1,000 bikes style riding on the Friday
• a bike parade and BHR race practice on the Saturday
• BHR racing on the Sunday
• a "wall of death"
• VMCC section stands and club stands
About VMCC
• the club was formed on April 28 1946 when 38 mainly Midlands-based connoisseurs braved torrential weather to meet at Guildford's Lounge Cafe
• membership was initially restricted to riders of bikes built before December 31, 1930
• its membership currently stands at more than 17,000
• new adult members can apply from £37
What the expert says
Footman James director David Bond says it is an honour to sponsor one of the club's largest events, which should bring in four-figure numbers of people throughout the three months.
Mr Bond also calls the achievement of BHR's 50th anniversary "remarkable".
For more information on how to become a member of the Vintage Motorcycle Club visit - www.vmccshop.net/c/600/new-membership