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THE FINES imposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration may be a bitter pill for the Imperial Sugar Company, but the penalty is appropriate if investigators' assertions are true.
The sugar refiner faces more than $8.77 million in fines in the wake of the Feb. 7 explosion and fire that claimed the lives of 13 employees and wounded dozens more.
Three workers severely burned in the blast remain hospitalized, more than five months after the incident. Two are still listed in critical condition, while the third is listed in good condition, according to a spokeswoman for the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta.
Just over $5 million in OSHA fines relate to the Port Wentworth plant, where federal investigators found evidence of improper handling of explosive sugar dust, and the improper use of spark-producing electrical equipment in areas where sugar dust was prevalent.
According to a report issued by OSHA on Friday, Imperial Sugar's senior management had been aware of the combustible dust hazard since 2002, but failed to take action to clean up the Port Wentworth plant.
Regulators said another $3.7 million of the fine amount resulted from the company's failure to remedy similar problems at its Gramercy, La., plant, even after being urged to do so by OSHA assistant secretary Edwin Foulke Jr.
Photos released as part of the investigative report show ankle-deep dust on the Louisiana plant's floors, and several-inch accumulations on horizontal surfaces, pipes and electrical equipment - easily enough to produce another deadly conflagration. Not pictured were areas in which investigators said they found workers slogging through sugar dust four feet deep.
OSHA's assertion that Imperial Sugar knew about the explosion hazard and failed to take action is troubling. That company officials allegedly failed to take all necessary procedures to protect the lives of their Louisiana employees even after the Feb. 7 disaster is even more disturbing.
Imperial Sugar has 15 days from the release of OSHA's report in order to file an appeal, possibly sending the matter before an administrative law judge.
As the entity with the ultimate responsibility for ensuring plant safety, Imperial Sugar should both pay the proper fines and learn the lesson. Before anything else, the company must act to prevent future tragedies caused by the neglect of federal safety regulations.
Indeed, preventing future tragedies and protecting workers are the whole purpose of the OSHA citations and penalties.
Federal inspectors cannot be at every manufacturing plant across the country at all times. When OSHA does find violations - especially those that have caused death or injury - it must impose penalties that pack enough punch to convince manufacturers to police themselves.


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Suma Shirur
Suma is one of the most experienced rifle shooter in India. She was an Olympic finalist in the Women's 10m Air Rifle at the Athens Olympics in 2004. In the same year Suma won a Gold with a World Record score of a perfect 400/400 in 10m Air Rifle at the Asian Shooting Championship in Kuala Lumpur. Suma won a Gold and Silver medal in the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002, Silver at the Busan Asian Games in 2002, Bronze at Doha Asian Games in 2006 and Bronze at Delhi Commonwealth Games in 2010. She founded the Lakshya Shooting Club, an organization to support budding shooters.
You may contact TopGun Shooting Academy at email@example.com or at 011-41088098.
You can qualify for the selection trials if you achieve the MQS at the Nationals or at the Kumar Surendra Singh Memorial Shooting Championship.
The Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu is maintaining a Shooting Range at Tamilnadu Special Police III Battalion, Veerapuram in association with Police Department. The shooting range is located at Tamilnadu Special Police III Battalion, Veerapuram which is about 6 km from Avadi. Apart from this there are many other shooting clubs and academies in tamil Nadu. You may start with the 10 meter Air Rifle or Air Pistol. It is not very expensive and there are no licensing requirements for these two events. All the best.
You may try all three categories and then choose as per your liking. We just want to mention that the training cost in Rifle & Pistol is much lesser than Shotgun.
The best way to get started is to join a shooting academy in your city. Most academies also offer equipment on rent to their members for training. You may start with the 10 meter Air Rifle or Air Pistol events under guidance of a qualified shooting coach or an experienced shooter.

subset: commoncrawl


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Product 1/4
10 Characters :Rebecca- Suzy- Richard Rabbit- Pedro- Candy - Zoe Zebra - Danny- Emily:Mr Elefante %100 Official Merchandise.(These items have been fully licences by a Peppa Pig company based in Asia).- Official genuine tag with laser anti-counterfeiting label on the toy.- size: 19cm/7.5"(From Ear to Foot)- Original official licensed Peppa Pig Stuffed Soft Peppa Pig Family pack of 10 characters,plush Toy stuffed toy, soft toy - These adorable colourful and vibrant Peppa Pig soft toy characters are ideal for little ones who are a fan of the show! Keep your child entertained with these wonderful stuffed toys and enhance their intellectual development! The soft and cuddly toys are made from a velvety plush fabric with squeezable arms and legs that's ideal with inquisitive little hands. Your little one will love carrying their little friend around and pretend play all day long! Note:Please Bear in Mind That Photo May Slightly Different From Actual Item in Terms of Color Due to the Lighting During Photo Shooting or the Monitor's Display. Items will be shipped within 1 business day after payment completed or cleared.


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Whole wheat flour 2 to 3 cups
Salt 1tsp
Luke warm Water as needed
Oil 1 tblsp
Oil for deep frying
1)Take the flour in a bowl add salt and oil mix well.Add water and knead to form a stiff dough.And let it rest for 15 mins.
2)Make small balls and roll them into pooris.
3)Heat oil in a kadai.(To test if the oil is in correct heated add a small piece of dough to the oil,if it raises to the top immediately you can start making pooris)
4)Add the poori to the oil and press gently so they puff up.And turn them and fry the other side.
5)Serve hot with potato palya.


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Vivo, a chinese brand that was most recently featured in Captain America Civil War and was the principal sponsor of IPL 2016 has slashed the price of their midrange device Vivo V3 and budget segment device Vivo Y31L.
Both the 4G devices has seen a good drop in price as these will make them attractive to prospective buyers.
Vivo V3 now is priced just ₹ 14,980 which is ₹ 2,000 less than the previous price and features a fingerprint scanner along with 3GB RAM, 32GB inbuilt storage, Octa Core Snapdragon SoC, 4G VoLTE, Dual SIM, a seprate microSD slot.
This makes it better than Oppo F1, Samsung Galaxy J5(6) and other competiting products from good retail brands.
Also the budget Vivo Y31L has been made more affordable with a price drop of ₹ 1,000 and is now priced ₹ 7,990. You get 8 MP back, 5 MP front, 4G, Snapdragon 410, 1GB RAM, 16GB ROM, Dual SIM, external memory card support and Android 5.1.
Walk in to your nearby retail outlets to get the amazing price drop on Vivo smartphones.


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Like every year prior, 2017 is your year! You are going to lose 15 pounds, clean out your garage, be a better spouse, and make a gazillion dollars from your business. Maybe your business has plateaued, maybe it's not where it should be, maybe you just launched, or maybe it is on the brink of success. Ultimately, you are committed …Read More »
3 List Building Strategies that Still Works Like Magic!
Let me guess: You are sick and tired of seeing the same number of email subscribers on your web dashboard, aren't you? You keep hearing from the experts that the money is on the list, yet as you endeavor to grow your email subscribers, you barely get any results. At this point, you're just about ready to hang your gloves. …Read More »
You Are Not Beyond Saving
Question: Have you ever felt so "dirty" and evil because of the many sins that you've committed? Have you ever felt at one point that you are hopeless and beyond rescue? If you answered those questions with a "yes," then this reflection is especially for you. I'd like to share with you the life of King Manasseh. The life he …Read More »
The Coupon Effect: Why Your Business Needs it Now More than Ever
One of the best possible marketing strategies that you can use to grow your business's bottom line is coupon marketing, and I'm not just hypothesizing here. In fact, there are several data, and statistics gathered all over the web that would back this idea — some of which I'll share with you below. If you're about to make the decision …Read More »
Skyrocket Your Business Growth Using These Killer Marketing Strategies
It stinks to high heavens whenever you compete against a brand with an established online presence. These uphill battles are often time-consuming, expensive, tedious, and frustrating. This is especially true if you don't have a clearly defined Internet marketing strategy, let alone a high-impacting one that's going to give you an edge over your competitors. If you're looking for internet …Read More »
Are You Starting an Online Business? Read this First.
"I'm sorry…", these are the last two words that your supervisor uttered as he told you to leave the company. The experience is quite surreal. As you sit in your office chair and stare at the ceiling as you slowly take everything in, you couldn't tell if what's happening is real, or if everything is just a joke. You've been …Read More »
How to Use Coupon Marketing to Skyrocket Your Online Sales
Are you looking for marketing wisdom bombs that will help you skyrocket your online sales? I have one for you — use discount coupons. You're probably thinking, "Meh. I tried that already… I didn't get a single sale. Nada. None. Zilch!" Here's the thing, using discount coupons is pretty much like using other marketing methods, if you aren't using it …Read More »
Contest Marketing: Take Your Business to Greater Heights Using Contests
Here's the thing, I'm guessing that by now, you've read somewhere on the internet how someone has gotten bajillions of leads or how someone has quadrupled their sales using contests. At this point, you might even already be convinced that running a contest is the silver bullet that you need to achieve the business breakthroughs that you're looking for. I'm …Read More »
How to Uncover Business Blog Topics Your Audience Are Craving For
The dreaded blank white page. Joe has been staring at it frustratingly for hours. His fingers are all stretched, eager to start typing, but he can't even figure out what his topic should be about. What's worse? Just minutes ago he was so inspired after having read an amazing blog post about how other writers are cranking out 10 thousand …Read More »
Death by Landing Page – What Makes Your Web Visitors Leave Without Buying
Are you sick and tired of seeing your web visitors leave your website without buying a single thing? Have you been getting thousands of monthly visitors, yet all they do is click away after reading your articles or after they browsed through your product catalog? I know. It's frustrating. That's a problem that plagues a good number of marketers and …Read More »


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First mailing...
LOL! Okay...so I can't get the numbers to match with what PayPal provided and my membership list but I have sent out the first mailing!
Now, apparently there are a couple of names that are on PayPal and I am sure that you have joined but for some reason (probably my eyes) I have missed putting you on my list. So, if you joined prior to September 1st and do not receive a email from me, please send me a NICE note at email@example.com . Make sure you check your spam folder. Since it was a mass mailing, that is where it might be. Make sure you add my email addy to your contact/address book so maybe I won't end up there all the time!
For those of you that joined after August 31st, you will get a mailing in a couple of days so don't fret!
I apologize for any duplicates you have gotten or will get, trying to find some organized way to get this set up has been difficult. But, I will hopefully get all the kinks out soon!
D.Clinger...email addy keeps coming back as undeliverable, please contact me with another addy!
Breavis...still cannot match you up with PayPal's records. Please forward me the info I requested.
I will get a kit posted after Labor Day if not sooner. I am trying to get it finished up and packaged. The elements will all be on a separate file and that takes a little more time. I may not post a freebie as often since when I do send out a kit, you will get the whole kit at one time instead of in pieces.
And, also today I will start to remove the kits. I am sorry if this means some of you have missed all or part but I need to get this done. I will start with the oldest first so you still have a little time!
On a personal note...I know I have said it before but you guys are so special! So many of you wrote such wonderful and touching notes when you joined. I really wished that I could have answered each and everyone but if I had it would be next September 1st before I was up and running! Just know that you touched my heart with your words. You have no idea how many times when I needed a boost, I turned to your comments!
I appreciate your understanding about needing time to spend with my friend. She is going to have the chemo and I am sure that her hubby will finally see the light even if I have to hold his eyes open! I think, between, the cancer, her son, the fire and losing her dog, she has just had more than she can handle and it is, understandably, really shaking her. Dealing with just one of those is enough for one person...dump them all on and, well, there has got to be definitely only one set of footprints in the sand! Thank you for all the prayers for her. Selfishly, I do not know what I would do without her!
Thank you all and let me know if there are any problems with the email.
From the bottom of my heart.......God Bless! And, have a wonderful Labor Day! (gee, is summer over already?)


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Job Information
Burns & McDonnell Senior Structural Engineer in Norfolk, Virginia
At Burns & McDonnell, you're in control of your career potential. And with more than 350 service specialties, you can grow within the company. Our formula is simple: hire the best people, find out what they enjoy and are great at, and help them succeed. You'll lead or support important projects for interesting clients and reap the rewards of employee-ownership — a difference maker with tangible and intangible benefits. You'll create amazing, for clients and for yourself. If you are passionate about the work you do and want to keep growing in your career, we want to talk to you!
Our Norfolk office is looking for a Senior Structural Engineer to support our growing Global Facilities practice. The successful candidate will:
Execute complex assignments for facilities and campus projects requiring the use of advanced techniques, resulting in the development of new or improved processes, equipment and/or technological methods
Develop and evaluate plans for major projects.
Assess feasibility or soundness of proposed applications when data is insufficient or testing is advisable.
Provide leadership, guidance and instruction to less experienced staff members.
Meet and correspond with clients or outside personnel.
Some marketing responsibilities.
Other duties as assigned.
Bachelor's degree in civil engineering from accredited program. Minimum 7 years related experience (completion of master's degree in related field may be substituted for one year of experience). Excellent written & verbal communication skills. Strong analytical and problem solving skills. This position requires an individual capable of applying intensive and diversified knowledge of principles and practices to broad areas of assignments. Must be capable of devising new approaches to problems encountered. Previous consulting experience preferred. Professional Engineer.
Job Structural Engineering
Primary Location US-VA-Norfolk
Schedule: Full-time
Travel: Yes, 5 % of the Time
About Burns & McDonnell
Burns & McDonnell is making the world a more amazing place with more than 5,000 engineers, architects, construction professionals, scientists and consultants on staff and growing. We strive to create amazing success for our clients and amazing careers for our employee-owners. We take on some of the world's toughest challenges with the industry's best thinking.
We have offices and projects spanning the US and the globe. We are proud to rank among FORTUNE magazine's 100 Best Companies to Work For. Our culture of 100% employee ownership plays a major role in supporting that outcome. Each employee shares in the ownership of the firm, bringing the commitment of an owner to our projects. Clients appreciate that and have rewarded us with a 90% repeat business rate and decades-long partnerships. Pretty cool for a 100 year old firm that grows organically.
At Burns & McDonnell, you'll have the opportunity to make a difference every day while fulfilling your personal and professional ambitions. Our entrepreneurial culture lets you guide your destiny and shape the path your career travels. And with more than 350 service specialties, your career and development options are abundant.
Burns & McDonnell is an Equal Opportunity Employer Minorities/Females/Disabled/Veterans
Req ID: 190995


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Our lavender suds are skin nourishing with perfect blend of butters and skin loving oils. Lavender is a healing herb that has strong antibacterial and antiseptic properties making it great for skin suffering from dryness, eczema, or infections. The uplifting scent of lavender is also known to help reduce stress and induce a sense of well being. This soap is mildly scented with lavender essential oils so the aroma is not too strong or overwhelming but subtle and soothing to your senses and skin. Great for all skin types.
🐝🍯 Ingredients: Saponified oils of Raw shea butter, coconut oil, sustainable palm oil, olive oil,) Local Beeswax, Local Honey, Brazilian purple clay, ground lavender buds and lavender essential oils.


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When trying to insure your bar, tavern or any other place that sells alcohol, the most important thing is to plan everything ahead. By selling alcohol to the public your business automatically engages in a higher degree of risk that has to be assessed right from the start.
So when you're looking for a way to manage the risks that your bar or tavern will face during operation you have to ask some questions first:
What is the approximate value of your bar, including the property, fixtures and contents?
The best way to evaluate these costs is to consider the value of replacing your entire bar, including the equipment, coolers, the décor, stock, property, building and all other things if your business would get destroyed overnight.
What part of the business turnover will the alcohol take?
The insurance company will certainly require you to provide reports of your sales. In overall, if the alcohol takes about 50% of your overall turnover or more, the cost of insuring your business will be more expensive. So make sure you know the exact percentage of alcohol sales in your bar.
Will you feature any recreational activities at your bar?
Featuring certain recreational activities may give you a hard time getting your bar insured with some companies, and if you will still manage to find a policy, the rates will be higher. Insurance companies assess recreational features such as dance poles, trampolines, pyrotechnics, rock walls, swimming pools and any other distractions as quite risky features that will raise the likelihood of an insurance claim.
Will you hire someone else?
If your bar will feature additional workers besides you, you will certainly require workers' compensation insurance with your small business insurance policy, and it maybe even important to get group health insurance as well.
Does you state have special dram shop liability laws?
Laws can differ significantly from one state to another, and this also concerns the liability to a third party in case of injuries inflicted by a drunken person at your bar. So it is highly recommended to study the local framework before you actually purchase and y specific coverage regarding this type of liability.
Will your business have a vehicle?
In case your bar or restaurant will have its own vehicle used for stock delivery or other business purposes then you will have to buy commercial auto insurance for this vehicle as well, otherwise it won't be covered by a standard auto insurance policy. Using your personal transport for these purposes is not forbidden but you risk being denied of coverage in case of an accident.
Is your bar located in a risky area?
If your business is located in an area that is prone to natural calamities you have to include additional coverage to your small business insurance as well. Sure, it may be a great thing to have a few cocktails right at the beach but will your bar get covered properly when the hurricanes come? Make sure it does when buying small business insurance.
Will you serve any foods at the bar?
See if your bar or tavern will serve any foods and include respective coverage into your policy.


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Site Engineer - BAM Nuttall - North East
- Recruiter
- BAM Nuttall Ltd
- Location
- North East
- Posted
- 04 Jun 2018
- Closes
- 14 Jun 2018
- Specialism
- Structural, Transport & Highways
- Function
- Engineer, Site Engineer
Site Engineers - North East.
BAM Nuttall is one of the UK's leading civil engineering contractors employing over 3000 staff nationwide. Due to our increased workload we are currently looking to recruit Site Engineers to join one of several projects in the north of England.
Your key activities will include:
• Maintain high personal safety and environmental standards in accordance with company policies and report any standards on the site which are considered by you as inadequate.
• Where required supervision of chainperson, assistant engineers and work with section foremen.
• Maintain good working relations with client / designer / RE, together with our supply chain.
• Ensure that the drawings and specification documents contain sufficient, accurate information for construction of the works. Formally request any missing information in sufficient time to allow the programme to proceed without delay.
• Provide accurate and clear setting out for works before work is programmed to commence, allowing time for independent checking where required.
• Communicate with foremen and gangers to ensure full understanding of information provided.
• Arrange formal checking of setting out and ensure check request form is completed.
• Confirm in writing, on the same day, any verbal instructions received from the client / designer / RE's staff and ensure that comprehensive records of resources employed on additional works are maintained.
• Complete inspection and test plans as required by the PMP / Specification, including checks of dimension accuracy and quality.
• Keep a full and accurate daily site diary, including any changes / variations, subcontractors' attendance, and records of work related discussions with client / designer / RE / project team.
• Assist in the preparation and monitoring of 4 weekly programmes in conjunction with the section engineer.
• Provide accurate measurements for materials required for site. Maintain material reconciliation figures for reporting in the weekly site review meeting.
• Ensure that material delivery tickets are passed to the section engineer for cost coding.
• Carry out testing / sampling of materials as required by the specification.
• Provide assistance to the measurement department where required for example earthworks surveys.
• Maintain survey books as required by your line manager.
• Take receipt of materials and check description, quantity, markings and condition before signing for receipt.
Your qualifications and experience should include:
• Successful experience at Assistant Engineer level.
• Knowledge of government legislation on all matters relating to safety and environment.
• Thorough knowledge of construction procedures and working methods.
• Qualified to ONC level, a Graduate or equivalent (preferred).
BAM Nuttall is focused on providing the highest professional standards in the civil engineering market, with emphasis on building strong, honest and long lasting relationships with satisfied customers. We have established an unrivalled reputation for delivering complex and challenging civil engineering projects that have played a significant role in shaping the infrastructure of modern Britain.
BAM Nuttall is committed to equality of opportunity in all its employment practices, and to developing policies that support work-life balance.


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I am positive it will little doubt come off condescending, or like I'm someway laughing, however I guarantee you this can be a real query out of curiosity.
Why do folks observe witchcraft? I imply I've a number of pals who observe it (therefore why I am ), and have even tried myself. Not one of the spells ever do something and it appears as if it is as religion primarily based as any mainstream faith. Like I can do any ritual or any spell that guarantees to provide a sure consequence, and every time the consequence is identical: nothing. Why do folks assume magic really works? If it actually did, would not the world be lots crazier? Spells that summon demons, methods to kill folks in loopy methods, methods to make meals develop in barren locations, and so forth.
It simply appears that none of it's actual to me, and even my lifelong working towards pals admit that you could't really actually get outcomes from a spell, and that it is extra only for the enjoyable of the observe and the spirituality.
So why precisely do folks really observe this?


text: MANTEL is a home and lifestyle boutique in the historic Kenton neighborhood of Portland, OR. Drawing from primarily local and regional vendors, Mantel offers a curated selection of handmade items that bring a fresh, modern aesthetic into the home. You'll find hand-printed textiles, natural apothecary, locally made jewelry, modern ceramics, furniture, lighting, small gifts and more. We're inspired by skilled makers and great design.


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Midas Touch: The Benefits of Massage by Lesley Newton
I have been a Licensed Massage Therapist for 13 years. As a predominately sports massage focused therapist I can not stress the benefits of massage therapy enough. All massage modalities have a positive impact on the client but let's focus on the athlete. Just think about what you put your body through on a daily basis whether you are simply engaged in a daily workout or training for races.
Muscles work by shortening and there would be no movement without the muscles that are attached to your bones. They work together to create movement and the muscles also have memory, meaning they will eventually remain in this shortened position with repetitive and overuse. Everything we do including sitting and standing requires engagement of muscles. Over time, this creates tight muscle tissue, binding connective tissue called fascia, toxic buildup in the muscles creating trigger points and the list goes on.
If the muscles become too tight they can compress nerves and blood vessels creating pain and constricting blood flow in and out of the area which in turn can prevent toxic waste removal and the inability of oxygen and nutrients responsible for tissue repair to be carried to the site in need. This is where massage therapy comes into play. Massage increases blood flow as well as lymphatic flow. By reducing muscle tension, nutrients are then carried to areas in need for tissue repair as well as the removal of waste build up in the muscle such as lactic and uric acid. Massage is also responsible for stress reduction which is a contributing factor in illness and disease.
There is a long list of massage therapy benefits. For the athlete, it can help with Myofascial Pain Syndrome, reduce sports injuries as well as soft tissue strains and injuries. It can improve muscle tone, reduce soft tissue adhesions, relieve pain, increase flexibility and much more. I encourage you to research the benefits of massage therapy for yourself as there are many for pre-race and post race massage and during regular exercise and training regiments as well.


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Election time always brings with it a range of opportunities for aspiring politicians to engage with voters.
These opportunities, in their various forms, can also prove to be invaluable for voters who have yet to decide which way to cast their vote.
The most recent version of this is, of course, the televised Leaders' Debates. These are a phenomenon we have adopted from America, and the run-up to these debates can be almost as interesting as the events themselves.
These high-level, carefully choreographed televised events do not always live up to expectations, despite the best of intentions. One of them during the Referendum campaign quickly descended into chaos. It was almost mesmerising to watch, and of course that other modern electoral tool - social media - almost lit-up, such was the level of commentary it attracted.
But hustings are another way the electorate has of engaging with those who seek to represent them. Often, hustings are organised around a specific interest, such as churches, small businesses or charities.
I enjoy taking part in hustings, and so I was delighted to attend one organised by the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, although it was ironically overshadowed by the Scottish televised Leaders' Debate.
I have a keen interest in housing; it forms a considerable part of my mailbag, whether it is an individual housing problem, a planning complaint, or the wider issue of delivering enough housing across Scotland to meet the needs of communities.
It is also a complex issue, bringing with it a need to build cohesive and sustainable communities, and avoiding the mistakes of past programmes.
It also complex because different areas have very different housing needs, and these bring with them their own construction challenges.
In urban areas, where higher numbers of houses are often built, construction brings economies of scale which reduces costs. Urban areas also enjoy easier access to construction staff and cheaper transport costs, among other things.
In areas such as the Mearns, however, rural construction can too often mean that economies of scale are lost and logistical costs are increased. For a Scottish Government desperately playing a numbers game of 'catch up,' building in rural areas is a less attractive proposition.
The facts speak for themselves; across Scotland there are almost 180,000 applicants on local authority waiting lists, and according to Scottish Government figures, over nine thousand are in Aberdeenshire, a stark increase from 2001 when the waiting list stood at fewer than five thousand.
With just 1227 local authority houses built across Scotland in 2013, we can see that even if every house built across Scotland was in Aberdeenshire, it still would not clear the waiting list in the Shire.
No discussion on housing would be complete without examining the Under Occupancy Charge, or 'Bedroom Tax' as opponents like to call it. The fact is that throughout Scotland, families are living in overcrowded accommodation, because larger properties are not available in the existing stock, and year on year, the Scottish Government are failing to build enough homes. Meanwhile, a family a couple of doors away might be living in a property that is too big for them.
It is fundamentally flawed that this situation exists, and vital that families living in large properties too big for their needs are encouraged to move into more suitably sized accommodation to free up bigger houses for those who need them. Until the Scottish Government gets its act together and gets the construction industry moving again, then mechanisms such as the under occupancy charge are necessary to maximise the use of our existing stock.
The bottom line is that we need to build more houses, yet the Scottish Government chooses to nibble at the edge of the problem, because its focus remains on constitutional change, despite the clear will of the Scottish electorate.
The Scottish Government has it in its power to deliver the houses we need. The fact that these houses are not being delivered isn't the fault of Westminster, it isn't the fault of local councils, and it isn't the fault of the housing associations who make such a substantial contribution to addressing the housing shortage. The blame lies firmly at the feet of the Scottish Government, and it's families in the Mearns and across Scotland who are paying the price, as they languish on housing waiting lists.


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Download this song by little-scale here
Somebody once told me they thought my body was a capsule, keeping a young peoples soul trapped with an old animals spirit (playful and curious but intuitive).
In Mexico I learned about astrology (just a little bit). My sign is fire; the sun, mercury and mars are all in my Ascendant house of Aries. Descendant planets are pluto and Saturn. I don't know what that means exactly but it has something to do with handling a lot of energy.
03: Karate aka ☵ ☲ // 010 101 // kǎn lí
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If you ever asked me who my favorite artist is, undoubtedly I would respond – Joe Budden. Why? This is exactly why. While he started as a regular up and coming artist years ago trying to get that radio hit (Which he did!), he soon turned into a more retrospective artist and while I can admit it totally threw me for a loop when I first heard the material, it was a quick progression into loving that side of his work. Â He truly helped me in sort of the same fashion he said Eminem helped him in this SloughterMouse song.
Joe Budden – "Slaughtermouse" (Official Video)videos
"Joe Budden – "Slaughtermouse" (Official Video)"


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Website author:
My name is Kelly Cvanciger. I am the Greater Denver Metro Regional Coordinator for National History Day in Colorado. I have been involved with NHD since 1995 and have taught NHD in the classroom since 2013 at Bear Creek High School. In 2017, I was awarded NHDC Teacher of the Year senior division. As Regional Coordinator, I will work hard to highlight history in the classroom and hold a Regional contest that honors the National rules.
I hope you will find the information in this website helpful. Please contact me if you have questions or suggestions.
The best way to reach Greater Denver Metro NHD is via email. The address is email@example.com.
This email address in only checked regularly during contest season from January to May.
Mailing Address
The Greater Denver Metro NHD mailing address is:
Bear Creek High School
Attn: Kelly Cvanciger
9800 West Dartmouth Place
Lakewood, Colorado 80227
If you have an urgent concern, please call me at (303)-982-8848


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Sport and Health Services at St Mary's University
Our staff are experts across many areas of health and sport.
We design and deliver bespoke projects for a range of partners from the media, the community and local and national organisations, combining research, scientific writing and delivery of services.
We have experts in behaviour change, nutrition, public health, smoking cessation physical activity, physiotherapy, psychology, sport and health science and more. We draw upon our academic background to act as a knowledge transfer unit, working with the private and public sector and policy makers.
For over a decade we have designed, operated and managed pioneering health projects, by listening to our clients' needs.
Our outcome focused approach to campaigns has resulted in unrivalled engagement with workplaces and communities, leading to measurable and sustainable improvements to the health and/or performance of targeted demographic.
Previous clients have included businesses such as the Carphone Warehouse and NHS London, as well as third sector organisations like Sport England and the British Heart Foundation. Other clients include high profile elite populations such as The Royal Ballet, Chelsea Football Club, Harlequins RFC and many more.
We apply our expertise in health issues and sports performance, to research, design, deliver and evaluate Sport and Health services, solutions and training. We offer consultancy work which results in bespoke sport, health and wellness solutions that use a sustainable, practical and cost effective approach.
For more information please contact the Sport St Mary's team by calling 020 8240 4334 or completing our enquiry form.
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The Delhi Auto Expo is in full-swing. Its more electrifying than the first day, when the beautiful Mayback S was launched. The second day in fact has packed a punch with more electric cars at display.
Here are the popular 6 electric models from the Delhi Auto Expo:
Renault's Zoe:
An e-sport, touted as a Concept Car, but already being sold in European markets. The price for the Zoe ranges from 14,215 to 20,420 Euros(Rs 11 - 16 lakhs). The lower end comes with a Chamelon charger that allows recharge between 60 mins to 13.5 hours.
Apparently Zoe can be picked from 6 different models across various price points. According to Renault's estimates, one can expect 250 miles on a single charge, but a Renault's UK brochure further explains that real life estimates could vary from 156 miles in Summer to 124 miles in Winter. The car is replete with ABS speed and electronic brake distribution.


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Keeping Up With The Advisors/ Tweet
This could be interesting. Advisor Perspectives Monday emailed a survey to its database of 300,000 financial advisors, asking some salient questions about the relative value of fund company Websites and mobile platforms.
Of course, asset management digital marketers have kasina, Cogent Research, Cerulli Associates and a handful of other firms to go to for paid research and quantitative-based analysis. But, the Advisor Perspectives work should provide welcome insights, and some of it will be shared.
Jeff Briskin, Advisor Perspectives director of Marketing, says the survey's focus is on how advisors use mutual fund and exchange-traded fund (ETF) Websites to manage their practices. For example:
The survey asks, "When you are conducting an investment due diligence process for your clients, what percentage of the fund-related information comes from fund company sites?"
Respondents are asked to select "the best" Website capabilities and resources from a list of the largest 20 fund companies as ranked by Investment News. Note that iShares and PowerShares are subsumed by BlackRock and Invesco. State Street SPDR ETFs is the only standalone ETF provider on the list. The same set is provided for advisors to weigh in on the best mobile user experience provided.
If you're a smaller firm, you're going to have to hope for strong write-in support to place.
As you can see from the screenshot below, advisors are being asked what type of information they access on what type of mobile device (iPad/tablet or iPhone/smartphone). Responses could be helpful to asset managers for resource planning and yes, reality-checking.
Assuming a healthy survey response, Advisor Perspectives will have some rich profiling data, enabling it to filter responses by type of advisor, assets under management and type of client base (e.g., individuals/families, mass affluent, high net worth, retirement plans, endowments and private foundations). Briskin says top-level results (not including firm rankings) will be shared in an AdvisorPerspectives.com report sometime in March. Other results may be released as requested by individual firms.
In other research news
Interaction With Fund Managers The Highest Value Social Media Activity
I've also been meaning to call your attention to this finding from a Phoenix Marketing International Study "What You Need to Know About Social Networking Among Financial Advisors." As you can see in this slide from an early December Webinar, 55% of advisors surveyed consider "Interacting with asset managers on fund offerings and performance" the highest value activity of social networking. Higher value than any other reason for advisors to be social, including advisors' own brand-building or client acquisition or communication activities.
For those of you who need justification for social media participation, this data might help. What gives me pause is the survey response's mention of fund offerings and performance. Very few firms mention products or performance on social platforms. In response to an email questioning this, Phoenix Senior Research Analyst/Product Manager Carl Uttaro said, "While firms aren't necessarily getting into nitty-gritty details, they are still pushing out information/notifications about certain funds and other product offerings." The wording of the question was designed to clarify interaction with firms, Uttaro said.
4th Annual Social Media Adoption Survey Planned
For the last three years, American Century Investments has conducted a survey of financial advisor adoption of social media (here's the link to the 2012 survey). Jennifer Sussman, director of Digital Engagement, this week told me that the survey is in the field and we can look for an updated report in March. So, something else to look forward to…


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I dropped my son off at his school and yelled my usual through the rolled down window, "I love you. Make good choices. Obey your teacher." As I began to roll up the window and drive away, my little first grader took his small hand to his mouth and blew me a kiss. It was like everything stopped at that moment.
I realized how quickly this season would last. Would he blow me a kiss when he's 16 years old? I don't know. I blew him a kiss back and he waved to me, mouthing the words "Bye, Mom." I was overwhelmed. I wished I could freeze that point in time.
Sweet Ragamuffins
I like to call my children sweet ragamuffins. Motherhood is challenging. My kids don't obey me every time I ask them to do something. They are rambunctious, loud, and messy. And they are sweet. They are gifts. Like many moms, I wouldn't trade it for anything. What I think we can so often forget, though, is that motherhood isn't a task to be checked off like laundry. It is a calling.
[Read the rest of the article at Desiring God.]


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Public Engagement Expertise Resource System (PEERS) Mentoring
Having trouble navigating an aspect of your publicly-engaged work? The Public Engagement Expertise Resource System (PEERS) provides short-term mentoring on public engagement challenges. The PEERS program can connect you with a peer mentor experienced in community-campus partnerships to advise you on activities like developing a memorandum of understanding, filling out an institutional review board application, and navigating questions about intellectual property.
For assistance with a public engagement challenge, fill out the PEERS Mentoring form.


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Avanti's decorative toothbrush holders are proof that even the smallest of accessories can make a huge difference. After all, who wants their toothbrush head hanging out just any old place? In honor of keeping your toothbrush clear of the sink top, or any other surface of your bathroom for that matter, Avanti's bathroom toothbrush holders offer a streamlined, functional design for keeping the mess from your countertops, and your bristles from anything but your teeth and fresh air. Inspired by everything from shells and basket weaves to adirondack chairs and coastal marsh scenes, our novelty toothbrush holders are the stunning addition to any bathroom set and continue to prove their worth over and over again. From functional and beautiful materials — everything from polished wood, ceramic, high quality and more — to the wide array of colors, these bathroom sets are all about getting an easy job done with style. Stunning on their own or part of a larger bathroom accessories series, our decorative toothbrush holders come in the following collections: Ventana, Adirondack Pine, Antigua, Black Bear Lodge, Boca, Butterfly Garden, Colony Palm, Chloe, Eiffel Tower, Gilded Birds, Hearts and Stripes, Seabreeze, Seaglass, Mojave, Seagulls and many more to complete your optimal bathroom look. Pair with a matching soap dispenser or rug for an all over interior design scheme that can make even the smallest room in your house feel like the show stopping main event. Sporting colors all over the rainbow spectrum, it's no trouble finding the right tones, hues, and complimentary pairs for a bathroom style that truly makes a statement. While it may be easy to forget the tiny details, Avanti's bathroom accessories not only make the small things divine by highlighting your space with clever design, but they also clear up your space and streamline your everyday by bringing order and beauty into your space with one clever piece. From our company to yours, the Avanti bathroom toothbrush holder is a piece that never loses its usefulness — after all, the toothbrush is in charge of your smile, and smiles are easily everyone's favorite feature. With our decorative toothbrush holders, you can make sure that your picture perfect pearly whites are always in the best hands.
Decorative Toothbrush Holders
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Showing 1–12 of 24 results
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Braided Medallion Toothbrush Holder 2$16.99 Add to cart
Butterfly Garden Toothbrush Holder$16.99 Add to cart
Chalk It Up Toothbrush Holder$16.99 Add to cart


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Cold Lake Pipeline System expansion planned
Alberta Energy Co. Ltd., Calgary, said Monday it's entered an agreement to expand the Cold Lake Pipeline system in northeastern Alberta. It has also entered a partnership which has signed long-term transportation agreements with several large Canadian companies.
Alberta Energy Co. Ltd. (AEC), Calgary, said Monday it's entered an agreement to expand the Cold Lake Pipeline system in northeastern Alberta. It has also entered a partnership which has signed long-term transportation agreements with several large Canadian companies.
AEC, through its subsidiary AEC Pipelines LP, Koch Pipelines Canada LP, and Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. (CNRL) have formed the Cold Lake Pipeline Ltd. Partnership, in which AEC will have a 70% interest and Koch and CNRL each having a 15% interest. Koch Pipelines Canada said it will invest $50 million to acquire its 15% interest. AEC will construct the new pipeline and be operator of the system, it said.
The Cold Lake Pipeline partnership will construct the Hardisty transmission line, a 250-km, 24-in. pipeline that will transport heavy oil from the Cold Lake area to Hardisty, Alta., at a cost of $143 million. The pipeline, which will connect at Hardisty with the Express pipeline system, Koch Hardisty terminal, and other facilities, will have an initial capacity of 200,000 b/d and is expected to be on stream in January 2002.
The Cold Lake System also will be extended north to AEC's steam-assisted gravity drainage heavy oil project at Primrose, Alta.
The current Cold Lake Pipeline System includes a 24-in. bitumen blend and a 12-in. diluent pipeline between Cold Lake and Edmonton. The existing pipeline will be included in the partnership. The combined assets, valued at $330 million, will provide heavy oil shipping capacity of 450,000 b/d initially.
The newly formed partnership has entered into long term shipping contracts with Imperial Oil Ltd., Koch Petroleum Canada LP, Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., and AEC Oil & Gas, a unit of AEC. These companies have committed to shipping 315,000 b/d for an initial term of 10 years, and have dedicated current and future oil reserves to the Cold Lake Pipeline system.
"Expansion of the Cold Lake Pipeline System will provide oil producers in northeast Alberta with efficient, cost-effective pipeline transportation connections to all Canadian and export markets for Alberta oil production," said Hector McFadyen, president of AEC's Midstream Division.


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UX design lessons from Omotenashi, the Japanese culture of hospitality. Read more
Thabo Mbuyisa
- Business Name
- Thabo
- Profile
- I'm an Artist, Designer and Writer but that's not who I am... Who I am is a somewhat overly romanticist lover of Nature, Ideas, Things and People in that order.
- Languages
- English | Isizulu | Portuguese | Dutch
- Services
- Graphic Design & Layout | Illustration & Icon Design | Programming & Development | UI, UX & App Design | Web Design | Writing
- Website
- http://behance.net/MeatMan
- @codepoet99
Posts by Thabo Mbuyisa:
THE JAPANESE WEB | Creative Information Architecture Design
This time we review the IA (information architecture) and general UX (user experience) of musician Kenji Endo's website, compared to 'western' standards. Read more
THE JAPANESE WEB | A new language in the making
The striking difference in UX (user experience) and design of Japanese websites compared to design trends prevalent in the west. Read more


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Nara Japanese Restaurant, 3277 Grand Ave. (at Peyton), Chino Hills
Chino Hills has a fair number of sushi bars. Nara is the oldest, opening in 1996, which in Chino Hills terms is practically the dawn of time (cityhood was in 1991). Like everything else in Chino Hills, Nara is in a shopping center, this one across Peyton from the Shoppes. The sign reads, generically, Japanese Restaurant, a hint that the sign was a way to introduce the pioneering restaurant to a skittish city.
Inside, the feel is much more promising: small, intimate, quiet on a Tuesday evening despite the presence of several diners. It's arranged such that you could have a semi-private meal here even though the space is about the size of your living room.
I sat at the sushi bar and had a nice meal with sushi off the regular menu and off the specials board. Live scallops ($7.50) came from a shell pried open in front of me; black cod ($8.50, pictured top right) and Oregon albacore tuna ($7.50) were both tasty; and the salmon skin cut roll ($4.95, pictured below right), one of my standard orders, arrived in larger rolls than I've usually seen it. It was intricately prepared, the skin crisped in an oven.
Ojiya and Rokuan are other above-average Japanese restaurants in Chino Hills that I've tried. It would take a more expert diner than me to rank them, but Nara wouldn't seem out of place in their company.


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Diego Tapia, Program Director at Ceiba, spoke to 69 News about the economic contributions of immigrants to the economy - and about how the ITIN helps immigrants participate in the economy more fully.
According to a report from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), more than 50% of undocumented people pay taxes using an ITIN number. Diego Tapia informed viewers about the benefits that an ITIN can provide, above and beyond being able to present a tax return and claim applicable refunds and credits:
"In the future, if [immigrants] want to buy a house, if they want to get a car, credit cards, the ITIN provides that opportunity as well," said Diego Tapia to 69 News.
For more details, read the complete article (both in Spanish).


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Location: Cisco Systems, Training Centre (21st Floor), 595 Burrard Street (Bentall III), Vancouver, BC
When: Monday, January 29, 2018
Time: 1:00pm to 2:30pm
Cost: Free
If you are looking at pursuing your skills and career in Cyber security and have already taken the CSX Foundation exam, this session will be of great interest to you.
This session will be presented by Brian Page and Frank Downs, two leading members of ISACA International. They will give you an overview of ISACA's Cyber Security Practitioner (CSXP) training platform and exam. Attendees will:
- Take part in a demonstration that will cover ISACA's CSX administrative dashboard, reviewing a live lab environment, discussing the current content and upcoming releases;
- Gain insight into the ISACA's CSX Practitioner exam and certification;
- Have he opportunity to participate in a Q&A session on ISACA's CSXP program.
ISACA's Cyber Security Nexus™ (CSX) is the premier cyber security resource, offering everything you need to go beyond what's expected and stay ahead of the curve in the ever-changing cyber landscape.
ISACA's Cyber Security Practitioner certificate, demonstrates the ability to be a first responder to cyber incidents, following established procedures and defined processes. CSXP indicates firewall, patching and anti-virus experience, as well as the ability to implement common security controls and perform vulnerability scans and analysis.
ISACA is the only organization in the cyber security field that provides a single, comprehensive source for performance-based certification, networking, professional membership, training, and education. Whether you want to grow, learn, or connect with thought leaders in the industry, CSX will elevate your career today and tomorrow. The CSX program and exam is vendor-neutral.
NOTE: There is limited availability for this session which is intended for attendees who already have taken the Cyber Security Fundamentals course and exam or already have literacy and practical experience in IT Security and Cyber security principles.
If you are interested in the entry-level CSX Fundamentals program, please sign-up for the separate event taking place on the same day.
Frank Downs, Senior Manager, cyber information security practices at ISACA
T. Frank Downs is senior manager, cyber information security practices at ISACA, where he shares the good news about ISACA's Cyber Security Nexus (CSX) platform. Downs, an 11-year Cyber Security specialist, graduated with a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Maryland, after which he promptly joined the US Department of Defense as a subject matter expert, working with computer networks on a daily basis. Realizing that English and Cyber Security were two very different concepts, Downs proceeded to obtain a master's degree in Cyber Security from UMBC, after a pit stop at Johns Hopkins to obtain a master's degree in Government. Eventually, he decided to ease the learning process for individuals transitioning from non-technical backgrounds into Cyber Security by becoming a full-time Intelligence and Operations Consultant for multiple federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
Brian Page, Enterprise Account Director at ISACA
Brian Page is the Enterprise Account Director at ISACA, where he oversees the adoption of the CSX Cyber Security training platform for enterprises.


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flibbertigibbet |ˈflibərtēˌjibit|nouna frivolous, flighty, or excessively talkative person.ORIGIN late Middle English : probably imitative of idle chatter.
Another one of those colorful words that need to come back into common use.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Monday, July 29, 2013
Vintage Monday: Fruit Crate Labels
I picked these vintage fruit labels up in the Los Alamos Depot Mall during a road trip many years ago. The obvious hilarity of the middle one comes thanks to out ever-evolving language. The first one makes me wonder how long have melons been a slang for breasts.
Mother, of course, is always kind and caring and makes you eat your fruits and vegetables.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Status Update
I've been editing Dead in the Desert (sequel to Dead in L.A.) for over a week, with short breaks for cover designs. My brain is fried, but I'm close to finishing. Of course, I'll have to immediately jump on editing a novelette.
My writing process has changed since I started. I penned Hanging Loose and Last Stop in a thorough, chapter-by-chapter way, so I was able to send them to my trusty beta-partner, Josephine Myles as I went. The problem with that method was that I write slowly and even halfway through the end seemed unreachably far away. During Last Stop I lost steam twice, and was in the danger of not finishing at all. I had to seriously rally to get back on track. And that book is only 55,000-words long.
So now I rush toward the finish line—as much as a turtle can rush. If something threatens to bog me down, I leave it for later. I write "naked dialogue" without tags or beats. Often times, instead of going into details, I give myself stage directions. If I notice word repetitions or other things that need fixing, I highlight them and move on. I leave notes to remind myself of things that might need research or checking details in previous books.
The end result is that I have two passes of edits before sending the MS out for beta. First, I go through the story and fill in all the wholes, do all the fine-tuning. Next, I compile the story into a mobi format and upload it onto my Kindle app. Then… I do nothing for a few days, because at the point I just need a damn break. When I finally get around reading the story, I highlight problem areas, take notes, and follow it up another round of edits.
Interestingly, in case of every story comes a point when I just hate the whole damn thing. That's when I know I'm almost done.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Wednesday Word: Persnickety
persnickety |pərˈsnikətē|adjective informalplacing too much emphasis on trivial or minor details; fussy : persnickety gardeners | she's very persnickety about her food.• requiring a particularly precise or careful approach : it's hard to find a film more persnickety and difficult to use than black-and-white infrared.ORIGIN early 19th cent. (originally Scots): of unknownorigin.
Lovely word. Conjures up and image of a maiden aunt with a sharp nose and severe expression, pruning roses.
Lovely word. Conjures up and image of a maiden aunt with a sharp nose and severe expression, pruning roses.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Vintage Monday
I collect old things, mostly photos and postcards, I'm not sure why. The attraction is both visual and tactile. The soft rag paper of these old cards is much more pleasing to the eye and touch than more recent glossy color ones.
Postcards were the twitter of a pre-computer age. I recently started sending postcards to friends, for the fun of it.
I fell in love with old Paris through the photographs of Bresson, Brassai, and Kertész at an early age. If a blue Police Box ever materialized in my living room I'd ask the Doctor to take me to Paris hundred years ago. Of course, we'd probably end up in ancient Greece in the middle of a Dalek invasion.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Antisocial Media
Facebook is a strange place. It's supposed to be a venue to keep in touch with people you know in some capacity, and it probably works that way for personal accounts. However, when you open one under your pen name, you're Alice jumping down the rabbit hole.
At first you happily accept all friend requests because you assume they're from people who at least heard of your books, possibly even read and liked them. So you're nonplussed when semi-nude self-portraits of young women start showing up in your feed. You look at the persons' timeline and find feeds with hashtags like nakeygurl, sexygurl, notop, etc. Now you're not against boobs, have a pair of your own and are quite fond of them too, but you have strong suspicion that these young ladies don't read your books. You begin to wonder where they found you and why they sent that friend request in the first place.
However, those cases are the outliers and even provide some comic relief. Most of your "friends" will be other authors spamming promo and asking you to like their pages. You don't mind clicking that button if it's someone you actually know and had meaningful exchange with before, but complete strangers? Who don't even write in your genre? You start to wonder whattafrak is going on.
The problem is that authors are constantly told they MUST be active on social media. It works for some—people who are charming and outgoing, and the lovable dorks with penchant for expired food. Unfortunately, a lot of us are socially awkward introverts. That makes the whole social media thing difficult, but it's no reason treat Facebook and Twitter as your personal billboard.
Experts will probably tell that you need to promote yourself aggressively. I'm no expert but I know people don't like to be screamed in the face. If all you do is post self-promo, you'll find yourself ignored faster than you can say spam. On Facebook people can remove you from their newsfeed without you knowing it, so you won't even realize you're shouting in an empty room.
So here's my suggestion: try to be social. Post tidbits of your personal interests, let it be knitting, gardening, or NASCAR racing. Interact with others. Respond to their posts, assuming you have something to say. Promo sparingly. Just be careful: social media is also a great way to make an ass of yourself in public.
Oh, and young ladies looking for sugar daddies: m/m authors rarely look for boobery and even if they did, they're too poor to be any use to you.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Wednesday Word: Gruntled
gruntled |ˈgrəntld|adjective humorouspleased, satisfied, and contented.ORIGIN 1930s: back-formation from disgruntled .Just comes to show you that language is a living thing. And that logic can be used in the service of humor, because if disgruntled is a word gruntled must be one too, right?Although I can see why it isn't more popular. "I'm positively gruntled with the service in this restaurant," has a strange ring.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Monday Men: The Team
Friday, July 12, 2013
Just a Random Rant
Every time I hear an author says they write from themselves I get ranty. Most of the time the hidden meaning behind that declaration is that they don't want to deal with pesky stuff like being edited. That's just damn right foolish, in my opinion. Artistic integrity, purity of voice, blah, blah, blah. Do these people seriously think their writing is flawless? Especially brand new authors?
Not all editors created equal, but a good one—and right one for you—will help you get better at what you do. It stings to hear that something in you writing doesn't work, and the first instinct is to kick against it. At least that's how I am. However, considering the feedback has always resulted in an improvement for me.
What really rankles me about the "I write for myself" statement is that it implies that the person uttering it is above us rabble that care about commercial success. I'm sorry, but the starving artist ideal is a big pile of stink. (Personally, I don't even aspire to be an artist, but a craftsman. My goal is to entertain.)
There's a strange notion floating around that it's somehow not right to earn money with something you enjoy. As if you only deserved to get paid if you hate your job. Suffering and self-sacrifice is pre-requisite.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Wednesday Word: Mumpsimus
mumpsimus |ˈməmpsiməs|noun ( pl. -muses)a traditional custom or notion adhered to although shown to be unreasonable.• a person who obstinately adheres to such a custom or notion.ORIGIN mid 16th cent.: erroneously for Latin sumpsimus in quod in ore sumpsimus 'which we have taken into the mouth' (Eucharist), in a story of an illiterate priest who, when corrected, replied "I will not change my old mumpsimus for your newsumpsimus."
This word is too cool for...words. I'd love to use it, but people would think I'm making up stuff.
This word is too cool for...words. I'd love to use it, but people would think I'm making up stuff.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Wednesday Word: Whicker
whicker |ˈ(h)wikər|verb [ intrans. ]1 utter a half-suppressed laugh; snigger; titter : a half-loony whicker of nerves.• (of a horse) give a soft breathy whinny : the palomino whickered when she saw him and stamped her foreleg.2 move with a sound as of something hurtling through or beating the air : the soft whicker of the wind flowing through the July corn.noun1 a snigger; a soft, breathy whinny.2 the sound of something beating the air.ORIGIN mid 17th cent. (in the sense [to snigger, titter]): imitative.
Okay, this word needs to be used more often, and not just for horses.
Okay, this word needs to be used more often, and not just for horses.
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Eyelashes were never something I thought too hard about, I applied mascara to them and that was it. It was not till I was sent Revitalash that I began to spend a bit of time looking at and thinking about them.
For those of you who have not heard of Revitalash it is a product promoted to help your eyeslashes grow. The brand also has other products, including a mascara and mascara primer that I was also lucky enough to be sent.
In today's post I am going to review all three. Application:
Directions instruct you to apply this to the base of your eyes lashes just before the base of your lashes meet your skin. I applied this on my upper lashes and left a few milimeteres of lashes at either side without any product. I had heard of people using lash growing serums all over and having problems with lashes getting caught in the corners of their eyes. It was something that stuck with me and not something I wanted to test.
It was easy enough to apply, it was just remembering to. The first time I used this I applied it in the morning at the same time as putting my moisturiser on and before I started applying my makeup. The second time I used RevitaLash I applied it only at night after I applied my night time skin care routine. Both times of day were equally easy to remember to apply, but I found I had better and quicker results applying at night. I believe this was because I did not then go on to apply makeup over top and maybe dilute or remove some of the product.
So definitely recommend applying at night.
It worked! I did not expect to see visible results, but it really worked. After a good six to eight weeks of applying this every night I noticed that my eye lashes appeared longer, thicker and when coated with mascara just looked phenomenal. Unfortunately the first time round I did not get any good photos of the before and after, but luckily I did the second time round.
Results last for quite a few months, but eventually your lashes are not quite as long as they were using revita lash every day. I have managed to maintain the length I like my applying it every other day.
I had great results with Revita Lash and I have seen people who have done full three month courses or six months who have ended up with false eye lash worthy lashes of their own. I chose to stop at a length that I was happy with, but that is the beauty of it, you are in control.
Revita Lash is also promoted as a lash grower for people who have lost their eyes lashes because of various reasons, so if you are looking to improve or grow again I would recommend checking our Revita Lash's website to see if it would work for you. As always, this is a product that gets very up close and personal with your eye and the delicate and often sensitive skin around your eye, please check out the ingredients to make sure it is the right product for you. You can also get in touch with Revita Lash team to ask them about their product.
Left: Eyes with Primer and Mascara and Right: No products. Both: After using Revita Lash for Three months.
I Really enjoyed using the mascara it was easy to apply and did not clump everything together. It is waterproof and lasts all day long. It did a beautiful job at coating all of my lashes and showing them off nicely. I could do two coats easily without it getting clumpy, but with the primer I tended not to layer too much as the primer did a good job as enhancing the mascara with out heaps of layers. It is almost empty and I am quite bummed, I have a few more mascaras I need to try in my collection, but this is definitely going in my top fives of all time. I wouold definitely buy again.
It took me a little bit to figure out how to use this. The idea behind it is to apply before mascara to best get your lashes ready to mascara, add volume and being blue helps whiten your eyes. I can't say I noticed whether my eyes looked whiter or not, but it did separate my lashes nicely and it really helped the mascara stay on without smudging or flaking everywhere. I am not too sure if it was just my application or not, but when I put the mascara on top it did bulk my lashes out, it never clumped, but just made them thick. It wasn't something I was used to, but it didn't look bad either. This was the first time using the primer for my lashes and I am quite taken with how it works.
I have been quite spoilt with Revita Lash and I am very pleased with their products. I would gladly purchase again.
Have you tried any eye lash growth serums? Did you have any luck?
❤ Miss T
RevitaLash Advanced:
– Sent for Review
– Website
– 3 months $120.00 NZD, 6 months $185.00 NZD,
– Available from Revitash (INT), Beauty Bliss (NZ), The Beauty Lounge(NZ)
RevitaLash Volumizing Mascara:
– Sent for Review
– Website
Revita Lash Volumizing Primer:
– Sent for Review
– Website


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It is noticeable that old hands like Geof Hoon and Jack Straw have been the ones pushed in front of the cameras by Downing Street to defend the government during this whirlpool of incompetence. Ed Balls and Douglas Alexander have kept out of sight whispering in Gordon's ear. So it is a bit of a disappointment that Wee Dougie won't be on Question Time this week after all.
Iain Dale is asking readers if they can work out why. Was it…?
A) He was scared of appearing with Ken Clarke
B) He couldn't think how to defend Sister Wendy
C) He didn't want to account for his role in the bottled election decision
D) He was scared of defending his role in the David Abrahams planning application
or E) All four
Another Brown bottler.


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So You Think You Can Freelance By Kirsten Lambert I meet all kinds of people in my work, and every so often somebody will sidle up to me at, say, a luncheon. "I've often thought about freelancing someday," the person will confide in hushed tones. "What's it … [Read more...]
IABC/Chicago Wins International Awards
CHICAGO, Feb. 17, 2009 – The Chicago chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC/Chicago) has received two awards for outstanding chapter management. IABC/Chicago received an award of excellence for financial management and an award of merit for membership marketing – both for the second year in a row … [Read more...]
IABC/Chicago Calls for Entries to its New Quill Awards Program
CHICAGO, Jan. 20, 2009 – The year's outstanding movies win Academy Awards. The world's best writers are recognized with Pulitzer Prizes. And this June, Chicagoland's best business and marketing communications projects of 2008 will win the first IABC/Chicago Quill Awards. The Chicago chapter of the International Association of Business … [Read more...]
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Here is a sales update for the Hunters Mill neighborhood. There are currently 3 active listings. If you have any questions about buying or selling a home in this neighborhood or the surrounding area let the experts at Exit Real Estate Consultants help.
- Closed Homes: 14
- Average days on the market: 52 days
- Average listing price: $133,786
- Average selling price: $130,668
- Average square feet: 1991
- Average $/sqft.: $66
- Active Listings: 3 homes
- Average listing price: $119,300
- Average days on the market: 45 days
- Average square feet: 1837
- Average $/sqft.: $65
Hunters Mill active listings as of 12-14-2013:
Single Family Home Great value for the money. Good solid home that needs cosmetic TLC. Being sold AS IS. Courtesy of Keller Williams Columbia
West Columbia SC Real Estate Services
Our Local Realtors and Network of Colleagues offer the best Internet Marketing Visibility for your Listed Properties - Exit Real Estate Consultants is your local expert in all your Real Estate needs in West Columbia South Carolina. You have access to the most comprehensive MLS Listing Service with free access and advanced tools for Real Estate Buyers and Sellers - put us to work for you; our service will impress you! (803) 358-0888.


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Embraer has re-entered the Indian market with the launch of Air Costa's E-Jet fleet, linking secondary cities. Mark Dunnachie, Vice President, Asia Pacific, Commercial Aviation, Embraer, in conversation with SP's Aviation spoke on the market potential in India and Asia-Pacific and other countries the company is focusing on.
SP's Aviation (SP's): Celebrating 1000 E-Jets must be a major milestone, what next for E-Jets in terms of milestone?
Mark Dunnachie (Dunnachie): On and upwards is the best summary response. When we launched the clean sheet E-Jet design just over 10 years ago it was to create an all new market segment. The significant milestone of the 1000th delivery is testimony to how the right sizing argument makes sense. The new E-Jets E2, the second generation of the E-Jets, will take us to the next page in this compelling story, offering unrivalled economics with an already global and highly successful platform. This ensures a true winning combination for both airlines and passengers.
SP's: As head of Asia-Pacific markets, what potential do you see over here and which are the key countries you are focusing on?
Dunnachie: We see very strong potential across the whole region. While we have enjoyed success in some of the more established markets, such as Japan and Australia, there are still gaps in others where the current E-Jets and the E-Jet E2s make enormous sense.
We have just re-entered the Indian market with the launch of Air Costa's E-Jet fleet, linking secondary cities. In addition, where turboprops have opened new markets we see many of these routes upgrading to jets as passengers become more empowered and traffic grows.
SP's: Embraer's market outlook for 2012-31 mentions the centre of gravity moving eastward, notably to Asia, what are the forces driving the 'eastward trend'?
Dunnachie: Economic growth is the primary driver. This reflects in an increasing buying power for consumers and with the anticipated majority of the world's middle class expected to be in Asia Pacific, as highlighted in all the respected surveys, this reaffirms to us that the 70-130 seat jet segment will play an increasingly key part in this development as people travel more. We believe this will drive the Asian passenger to demand better products while seeking value for money.
Today, many are simply content that they can take a flight rather than endure long road or sea transport, but the next rapid phase will see passengers demanding more comfort, faster speed and a better travel experience. The transition from turboprop to jet, as evidenced already in more mature markets, will also emerge in Asia Pacific.
SP's: There is so much talk about China and India among the Asian countries making headway in commercial jets, is that now or is it five-ten years down the line?
Dunnachie: We know at Embraer, from over 40 years' experience, that a great deal of blood, tears and sweat goes into creating a strong aerospace business. We firmly believe that others will enter the market and this drives us to protect our hard earned position as we also transition our products to newer and better variants.
The circle will continue to evolve and Embraer will play a key part in this global story. Without doubt others will enter, but we have every intention of protecting and enhancing our privileged reference position as the world's leading supplier of jets up to 130 seats.
SP's: The business of E-Jets is directly linked to the growth of airport infrastructure in non-metro cities. Do you think sufficient is happening in the Asian region with regard to airport infrastructure?
Dunnachie: It is easy to point the finger at the governments, as many are doing; citing that they have not done enough but we feel this is somewhat misguided. The speed of the growth has been so rapid many are understandably trying to catch up. The investment flows being made by many governments in the region in new infrastructure, such as Indonesia, are enormous and show a clear recognition by them of the importance that aviation plays as a clear driver in the stimulus of jobs, business and travel. The very favourable performance characteristics of our E-Jets often allows us to operate within the limited infrastructure that exists but given that passengers are looking for a seamless service with an efficient combination of airport and aircraft, it is essential that the investment continues in line or are faster than the growth.
SP's: Embraer has been talking about 'right-sizing' aircraft for airlines, could you give us how 'right-sizing' fits for the Asian markets?
Dunnachie: The region has many examples of right sizing requirements. This could be in downsizing from larger narrow-bodies by opening frequency, or it could be in mixing the right capacity at the right time. Regrettably, we see too many examples of the wrong capacity being flown, resulting in the commonly recognised concept of asset abuse. In other words, if I call for a taxi, don't send me a bus.
Some will argue that as a travelling public we will simply keep flying bigger and bigger aircraft, but this shows a biased naivety on the reality of the market. While pricing can theoretically fill any aircraft, this does not mean that it is an optimal use of the asset. How smart is it to dilute yield to such a point where the capacity offered requires such fare dilution that the airline loses money? The passenger may be happy but the airline's business model will be short lived.
It is far more optimal to offer the capacity that will allow the airline to generate profit while providing the passenger with value for money and a travel experience that they would wish to repeat. Win-win situations are sustainable, win-loss will end in collapse. Right sizing equally applies when smaller capacity needs to grow. We see, for example, many of the pioneering turboprop routes requiring more capacity as they become established and prove the route. The core of the right sizing philosophy is in capturing the sweet spot. In the current Asia Pacific market there are many such opportunities.
SP's: Embraer believes in 'changing the way people fly', could you substantiate what that means?
Dunnachie: Several years ago, we were the first and only original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to pioneer that while cost and revenue is correctly the first core focus of any business, there is another facet to the equation which the entire world's leading global brands have embraced. Whether it be Apple or Starbucks, the empowered consumer is here to stay. We simply defined that air transport is no different and the concept of the PAX factor was born. All the surveys in the world confirm that barely one per cent of passengers will opt for the middle seat, so simply put, we took it out and offered per passenger comfort superior to that found on larger narrow bodies.
The Asia Pacific market as it evolves is no different. At present, passengers often have no choice—the products being pitched are both the same. We will continue to argue that people inherently prefer the speed, comfort and convenience of jets over turboprops. We will continue to argue that passengers also want frequency. We believe that passengers will pay a slight premium for these advantages. The pioneers who genuinely offer the passenger a choice will be the ones to capture the market. The reality is that people vote with their feet and given a choice will select. The first to offer good value and better choice will capture the majority of the traffic. Selecting air transport is no different from any other consumer decision.
E-Jets, by their very capacity, are able to go more profitably where larger aircraft cannot. This, in turn, simply opens new opportunities for route development. The result is greater network connectivity. Getting from A to B is easier because with smaller airplanes flying more frequently, passengers have more choice of where they want to go, and when they want to go. This has never been more evident than in Africa where Kenya Airways operates 20 E-Jets. The airline is on track to link Nairobi with every African capital city with nonstop flights next year. The rise of disposable income for the average citizen is reflected in the increased demand for air travel.
In Brazil, Azul Airlines flies its fleet of E-Jets to secondary cities with low fares and high frequencies. An entire segment of consumers that used to take the bus, or who would never travel, are now flying around the country on Azul's fast-growing network. We see the same potential for India. As incomes rise, travel is a natural consequence. I'm delighted that for many first time flyers, their first flight is on an Embraer E-Jet. That's how our aircraft are changing the air transport landscape in many parts of the world.
SP's: Your company has forecast world demand for 6,795 new jets in the 30-120 seat segment over the next 20 years, how does Embraer position itself in this scenario and what part of the demand is Embraer likely to meet?
Dunnachie: Our 20-year forecast (2013-2032) indicates a total market of around 6,400 new airplanes being delivered in the E-Jets E2 segment, from 70- to 130-seats. Current E-Jets have a 40-45 per cent market share by orders in its segment. For the E-Jets E2, we expect to maintain similar levels.
SP's: Could you tell us how airlines will benefit with E-Jets, considering that they are looking at cost-effectiveness, particularly when fuel bills account for nearly 40 per cent of the operating costs in India, at least?
Dunnachie: Depending on who you talk to, high fuel costs are here to stay. Some advocate that they will rise and others say that they will drop. The fact remains that all aircraft consume fuel and it is one of the largest cost drivers for any operator. We have always focused on optimising the balance between providing airlines and passengers the aircraft they want and need with the lowest possible cost. This reflects across a wide spectrum as we have sought to reduce costs through not just fuel burn, but also more efficient maintenance through our clean sheet design.
One element that many seasoned engineers comment on when they see their first E-Jet is how clean and accessible the design is. The ability to easily maintain an aircraft is an equally important cost factor. People also forget that the existing larger narrow bodies, while on their third or fourth generation, are still carrying the design criteria of 30-40 years back.
In the E2s, which will come to market barely 15 years after the original E-Jets entered into service, we show a significant cost benefit over a wide spectrum of improvements, not least on fuel burn, noise and emissions with our selection of the geared turbofan (GTF) from Pratt & Whitney.
SP's: Besides India and China, which are the other focus markets for Embraer... we hear about Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, etc?
Dunnachie: We see potential across the whole region. Our focus will be where we see the obvious need for right sizing, hub feed and point-to-point traffic; where we see asset abuse, namely the wrong capacity being offered; and also where we see passengers being offered no choice but older technology equipment. All of these will be in our focus.
SP's: Will Embraer be expanding its distribution, sales and support network in Asia-Pacific? Could you give us the current status and the expansion plans with regard to sales and support network?
Dunnachie: We already have a considerable presence with a large warehouse for parts in Singapore with a pool stock and a dedicated, focused local customer support team of 18. In addition to this, we have local Account Managers in many regional bases including India, Japan, Taiwan and Australia. We have a range of regional maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) solutions and are currently looking to see how we can expand this to even better serve our existing and potential customers as our market grows.
SP's: What are the challenges in the Asian market that Embraer has come across, mainly to do with aircraft acquisitions?
Dunnachie: Often financing can be a hurdle but this is in no way exclusive to Asia Pacific. The last few years of global downturn have shown how major a factor this became. The advantage we offer is that E-Jets have been widely embraced by lessors and banks and have attained the much-coveted status as a true investment grade asset alongside other firm aircraft such as the B777, B767 and A330. We are used to finding innovative solutions for our customers.
SP's: With regard to India, does Embraer think that the market needs to liberalise a lot more to encourage the aviation industry?
Dunnachie: Liberalisation needs to be managed very carefully. To simply open the market without thought may produce a short-term gain for the passenger but the consequent failure of the business model for the operator and the possible collapse of their business serve no one. The loss of jobs, the damage to the market and the subsequent drop in efficient service from a collapsed airline really requires the liberalisation tap to be turned on and off as required. As much as we manage our production sensibly, we have seen the impact on residual values where OEMs have flooded the market with too much aircraft capacity. The same discipline needs to be applied in the capacity offered by operators.
SP's: There is a trend towards low cost carriers (LCCs), at least in India. Do you think that Embraer fits the bill?
Dunnachie: The LCC model in India and the whole of the Asia Pacific region is showing tremendous growth and this is largely being fuelled by the pioneers as they open new routes and meet demand. The word of caution is the competition is ferocious and we are struggling to see how the current intense competition can be maintained without some of the players collapsing. The recent drop in currency values impacts the USD-based financing of leases or purchases. The rising cost of fuel is stretching the elastic even further. The level of fares being offered is simply not sustainable and yet the vast majority of the players are staring at each other and no one is ready to blink. This reminds me of a classic Western movie with high noon fast approaching. We firmly believe the LCC model has a critical role to play in Asia Pacific, as it does in the rest of the world, but a solid dose of "right-sizing" medicine would do no harm. We have been successful in other parts of the world in showing the merits of mixed fleets where E-Jets are playing an integral part in the LCC models of Jet Blue Airways, Azul and others, while comfortably sitting alongside the larger narrow-bodies. E-Jets also have a formidable advantage in allowing LCCs to use a lower trip cost tool to open the smaller or direct markets that remain equally critical to the success of the model. We are engaging far deeper with this key community. Yes, E-Jets, we believe, could make the key difference between profit and loss on some of the thinner routes, and in certain cases, even survival of the operation.
SP's: What will be Embraer's unique selling proposition (USP) in Asia-Pacific market?
Dunnachie: Without any hesitation, our USP will be the pedigree success of the E-Jet family with over 1,300 orders from nearly 90 airlines and 26 leasing companies that have added the airplanes to their fleets since the programme was launched in 1999. E-Jets continue to offer the optimum solution for both airlines and passengers in the 70- to 130-seat jet category. The future E2s will both enhance and build on this global success by offering even more compelling economics for the airlines while ensuring our aircraft remains the product of choice for the empowered passenger.


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Announcement from DaveOver 6 years ago, on a chilly October day in Tennessee, I stayed indoors and spent an afternoon creating a new forum for DG, called the "Dave's Garden Forum".
A week later I used that forum to announce that the Plants Database (now called PlantFiles) had been created. New features followed rapidly thanks to the excellent feedback I've always been priviliged to receive via that forum. When I asked for advice on a slogan for our site, AuntyB truly hit the nail on the head when she suggested "For Gardeners, By Gardeners".
DG has truly always been a collaborative effort from the beginning and I get an enormous sense of satisfaction in bringing thousands of people together to build something bigger than anything that any of us as individuals could build. I love interacting with all of the members here and I cherish the friendships I've made over the years. I truly couldn't have chosen a better way to spend my life's career and I'm blessed beyond belief to be in this situation.
Now, with an opening like that you must be thinking that I have a big announcement to make, and you are correct. :) The news I have is the biggest news I've ever had the pleasure of announcing.
In short: Both Terry and I (and Trish along with me, of course!) have accepted jobs with a company in Boston, MA.
This past September, a company in Boston called NameMedia contacted me and asked me what I thought about joining their company and working alongside them in building a large community-based series of websites. They flew me to Boston and spent a couple days meeting with me, introducing me to many of the people that make up their business and explaining in detail their business model and where I would fit in.
The people at the company shocked me with their friendliness, confidence, experience, professionalism and most importantly, their understanding and respect that we know DG forwards and backwards; we built it, and they want us to continue to do exactly what we've been doing all these years, plus more.
The NameMedia team has a wealth of experience building targeted media companies, online and offline. This is a group of talented and nice people.
After spending much time in thought and conversation with Trish and Terry, I decided that we would go forward and lock arms with them, trusting our futures and the future of DG to these people.
We signed all the paperwork on Thursday, Jan 11th and have actually been employees of NameMedia for about 2 weeks now. See, nothing changed! :-)
The DG staff will continue to do exactly what we have always done, except some of the unpleasant tasks (responding to lawsuit threats, processing checks for subscriptions...) and we can now focus 100% of our energies on building the site. You might have noticed that I've been much more active on the site these last 2 weeks, and this is the by-product of that.
My title is now "Vice President of Communities" at NameMedia, and I currently report to Jeff Bennett who founded the company and serves as President and COO. I have the happy task of continuing to manage Dave's Garden, continuing to build it with new features and enhancing old features. In addition to this, I am charged with building new websites that are enhancements to DG.
The first such website that I'm working on is Gardens.com. This is a website that will be targeted at newbie weekend-type gardeners who might not be involved in gardening enough to join a large community, but yet still want to learn about gardening. My job will be to build the site and convert these newbie gardeners into hard-core gardeners like ourselves. :)
After that, the sky is the limit and is up to all of us. We don't know what exciting sites, features and projects we'll end up creating, but it's my desire and hope that the DG members will always drive innovation here as they have always done. The idea of being free to build what we want, without being dragged down by financial, legal and corporate worries is actually extremely exciting to me. I think 2007 is going to be a fun year and it'll only get better after that.
I have foreseen that there are some questions that members may have, so here's a FAQ (foreseen asked questions) list:
Boil this down for me: did you sell DG?
Yes. NameMedia has bought Dave's Garden and has hired Terry and myself (as well as Ryan, our sales manager).
Why did you do this?
1) No more worries about making ends meet for us as individuals. It's been a long 6 years on that issue...
2) The freedom to really get down to business and create some really big and exciting features and websites was just too irresistible to pass up.
3) You'd have to meet the outstanding team of people in Boston to really understand why I chose to go with NameMedia. Anyone who doubts my sincerity is welcome to telephone me and you can hear the excitement in my voice.
4) Lastly, Trish thought it was a good idea, and Terry agreed. :)
Are you going to leave DG now or soon?
I didn't join NameMedia so I could go do something else. I joined them because I wanted to grow DG and continue to expand what we've been doing for the last six years. NameMedia has hired Terry and me, and has given us important roles and titles, and every resource we could possibly need in doing this job. Besides, they know they scored a huge coup in hiring me. :) For the last year I've been telling people that it's been over 6 years since I started the site, and I fully expect to stay with the site for as long as I can see into the future. This is my career and professional life and I love doing it.
Does this mean we're going to get plastered with advertising?
Some of us remember what happened on a different website that was acquired by a large public company. Will we suddenly get plastered with flashy ads that aren't relevant to gardening, as well as popups and the like? The answer here is, absolutely not. The 11th commandment for their business is "Thou Shalt Not Upset Thy Members" and NameMedia understands that thoroughly. You'll see that in the area of advertisements, little or nothing will change.
Does this mean subscription prices are going up?
Our subscription rate has been $15 per year and that is the same rate we've had since 2001. Way before talking to NameMedia, Terry and I decided many months ago that we will raise the subscription rates. The rate increase will occur sometime during the coming months, but I want you to know that it has nothing to do with NameMedia. My opinion is that these days $15 per year is lower than any other comparable websites out there and it's time to increase it.
Why are you creating Gardens.com? We already have DG!
I hinted about Gardens.com last week when I posted my suggestion about Beginner Level forums. DG is a massive website with a huge community and lots and lots and lots of data. The PlantFiles is huge and has every piece of information you could possibly want. Ditto the Garden Watchdog, Bookworm, Diaries and Journals, and the forums. There are almost 200 forums now.
I've been considering creating a more scaled down (read that: less overwhelming) version of DG for years now. Gardens.com will be a more gentle and more pretty website that is created specifically for the gardeners who want a little more hand holding. A big new feature for it will be articles written by members of DG as well as representatives from some of the highly rated companies in the Garden Watchdog (with minimal commercial plugs, obviously). We already have articles in from Horseshoe(!) and tcfromky, and commitments to get articles from other members. The articles will appear both on DG as well as Gardens.com.
I see that Gardens.com will serve an entirely unique audience. Those individuals who just want an article about growing bulbs will find that there, but those who want to dig deeper (pardon the pun) into gardening information will eventually find their way to DG where that will become their new home.
Is DG going to change in any significant way?
Absolutely not. Refer back to the 11th commandment mentioned above. We now have a world-class team of web designers (see the upcoming launch of Gardens.com for evidence of that) who may help us with tiny improvements to the look of DG, but other than that I don't want to change a thing, other than to keep improving and adding to it as we have always done.
I have created a thread in the Dave's Garden forum concerning this announcement, and I encourage any questions or comments to be posted there! Additionally, any member who wants to talk to me personally is invited to telephone me. If I don't answer, please be patient, as I would probably be on the line with someone else. Don't leave a voicemail - just try again in half an hour.


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In this 272nd episode of SEO 101, Ross & John discuss a BuzzSumo study on content and SEO that reveals that 50% of content gets less than 8 shares (across all social),75% of content generates ZERO links. John and Ross discuss how few links make a large difference in some very high volume terms. Quality links are still the key, widespread link building techniques can rarely create the quality links needed to see these types of results. Listen as they break down the Stone Temple Study and the Google AMP Case Study.
This December 22 SEO 101 podcast is available now: listen or Download (right click and save).
Tune in to SEO 101 LIVE every Wednesday at 2pm PST / 4pm EST on Cranberry.fm


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Day 17 of my June Vlogapalooza
This is my super simple 5 minute wash and go routine using the Kimmaytube leave-in mix that I made in my last video.
Subscribe to my Youtube channel here---> http://www.youtube.com/inwiththenu1
GIVEAWAY DETAILS: Hey Guys! I'll be posting a video EVERY DAY throughout the month of June! AND I'm also hosting a huge giveaway! From June 1st-July 31st!!! Every week I'll be selecting an active subscriber on my Youtube channel to take home an awesome prize! All you have to do to enter is subscribe to my channel and comment on any of my videos! I'll be annnouncing the winners on my Keek channel.
Good Luck and thanks for watching!!!
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