text: (The following statement was released by the rating agency) TOKYO, October 25 (Fitch) Fitch Ratings has today affirmed the Long-Term Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) on the following entities at 'A-'; their Outlooks are Stable: - Nomura Holdings, Inc. (Nomura Holdings) and its wholly owned subsidiary Nomura Securities Co., Ltd. (Nomura Securities), which are jointly referred to as Nomura - Nomura Financial Products & Services, Inc. (NFPS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Nomura Holdings - Daiwa Securities Group Inc. (Daiwa Securities Group) and its wholly owned subsidiary Daiwa Securities Co. Ltd. (Daiwa Securities), which are jointly referred to as Daiwa Furthermore, Fitch has upgraded the Viability Rating (VR) on Nomura Holdings to 'bbb+' from 'bbb'. A full list of rating actions is at the end of this commentary. KEY RATING DRIVERS IDRS AND SENIOR DEBT The IDRs of Nomura Holdings, Nomura Securities and NFPS are driven by their Support Ratings (SRs) and Support Rating Floors (SRFs). The senior debt ratings of Nomura Holdings, and the ratings on the guaranteed senior note programme of Nomura Bank International plc (NBI) and the guaranteed senior note programme of Nomura International Funding Pte. Ltd. (NIF) are aligned with the support-driven IDRs of Nomura Holdings. The IDRs of Daiwa are driven by their SRs and SRFs. Daiwa Securities' senior debt ratings are aligned with its support-driven IDRs. The Stable Outlook reflects the Stable Outlook on Japan's sovereign rating (A/Stable), which underpins the IDRs. Fitch views that the Japanese economy has stabilised, backed by stronger-than-expected domestic demand, tight labour market, increase in global trade and supportive fiscal policy. VRs The VRs for Nomura and Daiwa reflect their superior market positions within the domestic financial system and strong capitalisations, which compare favourably with that of many global universal bank and broker dealer peers. Nomura Holdings' Fitch Core Capital ratio was about 20% and Daiwa Securities Group's was about 25% at end-June 2017. Fitch expects their capitalisations to remain consistent with peers, if not better, after upcoming regulatory changes. Fitch applies its Global Bank Rating Criteria and Global Non-Bank Financial Institutions Rating Criteria to assess the VRs on Nomura and Daiwa because of their role in the Japanese financial system, the regulatory oversight in Japan of these two businesses, their access to lender of last resort facilities in Japan, and their designation as domestic systemically important financial institutions in Japan by the authorities. Rating constraints include Fitch's view of the cyclicality of the company's business model and reliance on wholesale funding. The improved performance of Nomura Holdings in the financial year ended March 2017 (FYE17) and first quarter of FYE18 reflects the steps taken to exit more challenging areas of its overseas operations. Nomura's efforts to reduce market risk are also reflected in lower value-at-risk (VaR) and its VaR to FCC ratio of 0.12% at end-June 2017 compared with 0.24% at end-March 2015. Nomura Holdings' profits improved and were less volatile largely due to its focus on strengthening and streamlining its overseas operations, which turned profitable. Fitch expects Nomura's overseas operations to remain profitable. Nomura Holdings, as the holding company of the group, will continue to have larger overseas operations than Nomura Securities, and, as a result, greater exposure to risks and regulations as well as larger contingent liabilities. However, Fitch upgraded the VR on Nomura Holdings because we see that Nomura Holdings' profit is gradually becoming as stable as that of Nomura Securities due to streamlining of overseas operations and a sustained reduction in market risk. Nomura Holdings oversees and centrally manages the group's capital and liquidity. Daiwa's overseas operations have improved, but the effect on its overall performance has been limited because the overseas operations are small relative to the group. The VRs of Daiwa Securities Group and Daiwa Securities are equalised, reflecting the group's flat structure with Daiwa Securities being the single core operating subsidiary focused on the domestic market. Domestic profits have been under pressure for both Nomura and Daiwa, due to low market volatility and subdued investor sentiment in the domestic retail equity market. However, a focus on stable sources of revenue and operations helped overall profitability to remain adequate. These initiatives have mitigated the earnings volatility from the market-driven brokerage businesses. Both groups continue to focus on expansion of stable revenue sources that are not asset intensive by strengthening their asset and wealth management businesses. However, the rising competition among major players will make execution of their strategies challenging. The VRs also factor in their improved funding profiles, which are shifting towards longer term, more diversified sources and more spread-out maturities. Nomura and Daiwa continue to rely more on market-sensitive wholesale funding than commercial banks. However, the companies have sufficient liquidity to continue operations without additional unsecured external financing for at least one year. The companies have access to unsecured liquidity facilities from BOJ (similar to the Japanese banks) when necessary. Fitch does not assign a VR to NFPS as its operation is highly integrated with the parent and it could not exist without participation in the group's trading businesses. SUPPORT RATING AND SUPPORT RATING FLOOR The affirmation of the SRs and SRFs for Nomura and Daiwa reflects Fitch's view that the two groups continue to play key roles in Japan's financial system, backed by their leading franchises. Their SRs and SRFs factor in the government support available to Nomura and Daiwa under the Deposit Insurance Act (DIA), revised and effective since March 2014. The revision includes a resolution framework and pre-emptive measures to prevent failure of non-bank financial institutions that are considered by Japanese authorities as systemically important. Nomura and Daiwa, designated as domestic systemically important financial institutions by the authorities, are extremely likely to receive financial support from the government under the DIA, if required. The '1' SR of NFPS takes into account Fitch's belief that there is an extremely high probability of support from Nomura Holdings, if necessary, given a high degree of integration between NFPS and key entities within the group. NFPS performs a central role in the group by providing a platform to book multiple-currency transactions in the group's global wholesale unit. If the group faced severe financial difficulties, including stress arising from NFPS, the government is highly likely to provide support to Nomura Holdings, and such support is likely to flow through to NFPS, if required, given its critical role of booking various derivative products with various counterparties in the group. The equalisation of the SRs and SRFs between the parents and subsidiaries for Nomura and Daiwa is based on the consolidated supervision by Japanese authorities under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. This, combined with the interconnectedness of Nomura and Daiwa within their respective groups, leads Fitch to believe the authorities would extend financial assistance directly, if required, to a holding company and such support would be expected to flow through to core subsidiaries, as necessary. RATING SENSITIVITIES IDRS AND SENIOR DEBT The IDRs of Nomura and NFPS, senior debt ratings of Nomura Holdings and ratings on the senior note programmes of NBI and NIF are driven by Nomura Holding's SR and SRF. Therefore, those ratings would move together with changes in the SR and SRF of Nomura Holdings. Daiwa's Long-Term IDRs and Daiwa Securities' senior debt ratings are driven by the respective SRs and SRFs. Thus, changes of the SRs and SRFs would lead to changes in their Long-Term IDRs and senior debt ratings. SUPPORT RATING AND SUPPORT RATING FLOOR The '1' SRs and 'A-' SRFs on Nomura and Daiwa are sensitive to perceived changes in the sovereign's ability and propensity to support the financial institutions. A change in Fitch's assessment on the systemic importance of Nomura or Daiwa, derived from factors such as increased substitutability of an entity due to downsizing of operations or transactions, could result in the downgrade of the SRs and SRFs. For NFPS, a downgrade of the SR would be considered if its functions within the group were to be substantially revised and its position as an integral part of the group receded. Also, a decrease in Nomura Holdings' propensity to provide support, such as due to reduced ownership, would result in the downgrade of NFPS's SR. VRs For both Nomura and Daiwa, a sustained improvement in the stability and level of profitability stemming from a lower cost structure and further strengthening in stable revenue sources would be a positive influence on the VRs. The rating attributes of the VRs of Nomura and Daiwa are broadly stable. A material pick-up in risk appetite without a corresponding increase in capital buffers would weigh on the VRs. The rating actions are as follows: Nomura Holdings: - Long-Term Foreign- and Local-Currency IDRs affirmed at 'A-'; Outlook Stable - Short-Term Foreign- and Local-Currency IDRs affirmed at 'F1' - Viability Rating upgraded to 'bbb+' from 'bbb' - Support Rating affirmed at '1' - Support Rating Floor affirmed at 'A-' - Senior debt affirmed at 'A-' Nomura Securities: - Long-Term Foreign- and Local-Currency IDRs affirmed at 'A-'; Outlook Stable - Short-Term Foreign- and Local-Currency IDRs affirmed at 'F1' - Viability Rating affirmed at 'bbb+' - Support Rating affirmed at '1' - Support Rating Floor affirmed at 'A-' NFPS: - Long-Term Foreign- and Local-Currency IDRs affirmed at 'A-'; Outlook Stable - Short-Term Foreign- and Local-Currency IDRs affirmed at 'F1' - Support Rating affirmed at '1' NBI: - Note, warrant and certificate programme affirmed at 'A-' The programme rating is only applicable to notes guaranteed by Nomura Holdings. The rating does not cover unguaranteed notes and other instruments issued under the programme. NIF: -Note, warrant and certificate programme affirmed at 'A-' The programme rating is only applicable to notes guaranteed by Nomura Holdings or Nomura Securities. The rating does not cover unguaranteed notes and other instruments issued under the programme. Daiwa Securities Group: - Long-Term Foreign- and Local-Currency IDRs affirmed at 'A-'; Outlook Stable - Short-Term Foreign- and Local-Currency IDRs affirmed at 'F1' - Viability Rating affirmed at 'bbb+' - Support Rating affirmed at '1' - Support Rating Floor affirmed at 'A-' Daiwa Securities: - Long-Term Foreign- and Local-Currency IDRs affirmed at 'A-'; Outlook Stable - Short-Term Foreign- and Local-Currency IDRs affirmed at 'F1' - Viability Rating affirmed at 'bbb+' - Support Rating affirmed at '1' - Support Rating Floor affirmed at 'A-' - Senior debt and programme affirmed at 'A-' Contact: Primary Analyst Naoki Morimura (Nomura) Director +81 3 3288 2686 Fitch Ratings Japan Limited Kojimachi Crystal City East Wing 3F 4-8 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0083 Kaori Nishizawa (Daiwa) Director +81 3 3288 2783 Secondary Analyst Naoki Morimura (Daiwa) Director +81 3 3288 2686 Kaori Nishizawa (Nomura) Director +81 3 3288 2783 Committee Chairperson Mark Young Managing Director +44 20 3530 1318 Media Relations: Wai-Lun Wan, Hong Kong, Tel: +852 2263 9935, Email: firstname.lastname@example.com. Additional information is available on www.fitchratings.com Applicable Criteria Global Bank Rating Criteria (pub. 25 Nov 2016) here Global Non-Bank Financial Institutions Rating Criteria (pub. 10 Mar 2017) here Additional Disclosures Dodd-Frank Rating Information Disclosure Form here Solicitation Status here Endorsement Policy here ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: here IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEB SITE AT WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA, AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE, AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE CODE OF CONDUCT SECTION OF THIS SITE. DIRECTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS RELEVANT INTERESTS ARE AVAILABLE here FITCH MAY HAVE PROVIDED ANOTHER PERMISSIBLE SERVICE TO THE RATED ENTITY OR ITS RELATED THIRD PARTIES. DETAILS OF THIS SERVICE FOR RATINGS FOR WHICH THE LEAD ANALYST IS BASED IN AN EU-REGISTERED ENTITY CAN BE FOUND ON THE ENTITY SUMMARY PAGE FOR THIS ISSUER ON THE FITCH WEBSITE. Copyright © 2017 by Fitch Ratings, Inc., Fitch Ratings Ltd. and its subsidiaries. 33 Whitehall Street, NY, NY 10004. Telephone: 1-800-753-4824, (212) 908-0500. Fax: (212) 480-4435. Reproduction or retransmission in whole or in part is prohibited except by permission. All rights reserved. In issuing and maintaining its ratings and in making other reports (including forecast information), Fitch relies on factual information it receives from issuers and underwriters and from other sources Fitch believes to be credible. Fitch conducts a reasonable investigation of the factual information relied upon by it in accordance with its ratings methodology, and obtains reasonable verification of that information from independent sources, to the extent such sources are available for a given security or in a given jurisdiction. The manner of Fitch's factual investigation and the scope of the third-party verification it obtains will vary depending on the nature of the rated security and its issuer, the requirements and practices in the jurisdiction in which the rated security is offered and sold and/or the issuer is located, the availability and nature of relevant public information, access to the management of the issuer and its advisers, the availability of pre-existing third-party verifications such as audit reports, agreed-upon procedures letters, appraisals, actuarial reports, engineering reports, legal opinions and other reports provided by third parties, the availability of independent and competent third- party verification sources with respect to the particular security or in the particular jurisdiction of the issuer, and a variety of other factors. Users of Fitch's ratings and reports should understand that neither an enhanced factual investigation nor any third-party verification can ensure that all of the information Fitch relies on in connection with a rating or a report will be accurate and complete. Ultimately, the issuer and its advisers are responsible for the accuracy of the information they provide to Fitch and to the market in offering documents and other reports. In issuing its ratings and its reports, Fitch must rely on the work of experts, including independent auditors with respect to financial statements and attorneys with respect to legal and tax matters. Further, ratings and forecasts of financial and other information are inherently forward-looking and embody assumptions and predictions about future events that by their nature cannot be verified as facts. As a result, despite any verification of current facts, ratings and forecasts can be affected by future events or conditions that were not anticipated at the time a rating or forecast was issued or affirmed. The information in this report is provided "as is" without any representation or warranty of any kind, and Fitch does not represent or warrant that the report or any of its contents will meet any of the requirements of a recipient of the report. A Fitch rating is an opinion as to the creditworthiness of a security. This opinion and reports made by Fitch are based on established criteria and methodologies that Fitch is continuously evaluating and updating. Therefore, ratings and reports are the collective work product of Fitch and no individual, or group of individuals, is solely responsible for a rating or a report. The rating does not address the risk of loss due to risks other than credit risk, unless such risk is specifically mentioned. Fitch is not engaged in the offer or sale of any security. All Fitch reports have shared authorship. Individuals identified in a Fitch report were involved in, but are not solely responsible for, the opinions stated therein. The individuals are named for contact purposes only. A report providing a Fitch rating is neither a prospectus nor a substitute for the information assembled, verified and presented to investors by the issuer and its agents in connection with the sale of the securities. Ratings may be changed or withdrawn at any time for any reason in the sole discretion of Fitch. Fitch does not provide investment advice of any sort. Ratings are not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. Ratings do not comment on the adequacy of market price, the suitability of any security for a particular investor, or the tax-exempt nature or taxability of payments made in respect to any security. Fitch receives fees from issuers, insurers, guarantors, other obligors, and underwriters for rating securities. Such fees generally vary from US$1,000 to US$750,000 (or the applicable currency equivalent) per issue. In certain cases, Fitch will rate all or a number of issues issued by a particular issuer, or insured or guaranteed by a particular insurer or guarantor, for a single annual fee. Such fees are expected to vary from US$10,000 to US$1,500,000 (or the applicable currency equivalent). The assignment, publication, or dissemination of a rating by Fitch shall not constitute a consent by Fitch to use its name as an expert in connection with any registration statement filed under the United States securities laws, the Financial Services and Markets Act of 2000 of the United Kingdom, or the securities laws of any particular jurisdiction. Due to the relative efficiency of electronic publishing and distribution, Fitch research may be available to electronic subscribers up to three days earlier than to print subscribers. For Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan and South Korea only: Fitch Australia Pty Ltd holds an Australian financial services license (AFS license no. 337123) which authorizes it to provide credit ratings to wholesale clients only. Credit ratings information published by Fitch is not intended to be used by persons who are retail clients within the meaning of the Corporations Act 2001


text:
By submitting the form below you consent to be contacted by Johns Cross Conversions Ltd using the details provided. Click here to view our privacy policy.
Swift Escape 684 130BHP 6 Speed Automatic Gearbox, Single Fixed Beds Or Double Transverse Over Garage, Mid Bathroom, Side Kitchen, Forward Lounge, Fitted With Swift Command Tracker.
We use cookies to give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site you are consenting to our use of cookies, please click to read our cookie policy.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Over the weekend I stumbled upon the Twitter account for a new app called Luvdup. And pretty quickly, I was filled with seething hot rage.
Luvdup is a snazzy new app that lets you 'monitor your relationship'.I became a porn star to prove that disabled people are sexy
How? By allowing you to earn points by pleasing your partner.
If you earn enough points, you can get agreed upon 'treats', like 'going on a girls' night' or heading away on holiday with 'the lads'.
At any point, your partner can give or deduct points depending on your behaviour, so you'll always know how happy they are with you. What fun.
Ways to earn points include 'lovely gift', 'great support', 'time together', and 'just being you'.
You can choose how many points you'll award your partner for these tasks, so you can create your own value system for being a decent partner.
Ways to lose points include 'dirty stop-out', 'meanie', 'taking me for granted', and the very ominous 'other'.
There's also a handy area that offers suggestions for how to earn points, such as treating your partner to lingerie, a night in, and a promise to have sex.
Now, there are many, many things wrong with this app.
Let's start at the beginning: the very concept of needing to score points with your partner to ensure a happy relationship is absolutely terrible.
Happy relationships are not about earning points or keeping score.
They're not about doing things for your partner only to 'win'. They're about doing things for your partner because you like them (or love them, if you're really involved) and you take genuine joy in making them happy.
Luvdup is all about reducing relationships down to figures.
If you've got a positive balance of points, you're doing well. If you're in the red, you're a bad partner.
This is exactly the kind of mindset that makes people feel unhappy in relationships. It makes you suddenly mindful that you've got your partner more gifts than they've got you, or they make dinner more often than you do.
A balance that feels natural suddenly becomes unbalanced in number terms. It'd be impossible not to feel doubt in your relationship once you're expecting absolutely equal effort at all times. The moment you notice a dip, you're going to feel like you're dating someone rubbish – or that you're the sh*t one.
But the problems go beyond just the initial idea of 'hey, relationships would be better if we kept score'.
Luvdup's point swapping system encourages the idea that you have to 'earn' the right to do things that you should always have the right to do.
On the app itself, you're free to enter whatever reward you'd like to receive for earning a set number of points.
But on their website, Luvdup recommend choosing rewards such as 'a girls' night out' or 'a cycling holiday with the lads'.
Only allowing your partner to hang out with other people if they please you is a form of intense control – and that's a sign of an abusive relationship.
Using Luvdup, keeping score, and using actions as a measure for what people 'deserve' is dangerous.
The app may sell itself as 'fun', but a quick trial is proof that it actually works on fear.
You're encouraged to do things to stay on your partner's good side (or on the right side of the points scale). Every notification could be one to tell you that your partner has deducted points.
You're on constant edge, worrying over what actions will get you rewarded and what will get you punished.
You're not allowed to be 'grumpy' or a 'meanie' even for a minute, because your partner could swiftly deduct your points.
These kinds of apps are all about creating insecurity and doubt, making you walk on eggshells and try to behave as perfectly as possible so as not to incur punishment from your partner.
That's not even a tiny bit healthy.
A relationship in which you feel you have to behave a certain way, do certain things, or meet certain requirements to earn pleasant treatment in return is not a happy, loving relationship.
A relationship in which terrible behaviour can be redeemed through the occasional nice comment or gift isn't happy or loving, either – especially when this app encourages buying products or promising sex to win back points.
No, love should not be entirely unconditional. If someone isn't treating you well, you shouldn't stay with them.
But turning every little gesture into points, tracking every action, and demanding someone is always giving, never taking, isn't wise either.
Love is not about keeping score. You shouldn't have to earn love by being on your best behaviour.
In a relationship, you're supposed to be able to be yourself. The occasionally grumpy, sometimes quiet version of yourself that isn't always buying their partner presents or giving them backrubs.
Stop keeping score. Stop app-ifying your relationship. Let it happen naturally.
Take joy in your partner's joy, not in the thrill of earning a few extra points.
Luvdup's response to criticism:
We reached out to Luvdup to find out their response to the criticism. They told us:
'I think the first thing to say is that it is supposed to be a bit of fun.
'Luvdup is based on the idea of Brownie Points, a well-established principle, where credit is given for good deeds and thoughtful behaviour. If you take a look at the app and our Facebook page you will see that it is intended to be a positive experience for both parties.
'It is designed to encourage loving communication, between all types of couples, rather than replace it.
'My wife and I have been happily married for 14 years, and we use it. We don't take the actual points too literally and it's a very helpful and private way of communicating when we are apart.
'She recently lost her sister and had to spend several periods away from home whilst she was ill, so it was a really good environment to offer love and support from a distance.
'Naturally we also spoke on the phone but I was also able to check-in with her on the private feed whilst I was at work or even in a meeting. One of the free animations that we include is 'I'm thinking of you' which was particularly useful.
'One of the other key features is that we can record our significant dates (and receive reminders), view each others 'Love List' (where we makes a note of our favourite things) and see a list of the others sizes (clothes, hats, jewellery, shoes). This doubles as a Birthday / Christmas list which is really useful and replaces the usual shrug of the shoulders.
'We all know that relationships don't live and die on the exchange of material goods but I still like to buy my wife flowers to remind her how much I love her.
'We have seen the criticism on Twitter but we know that reasonable debate in such a forum is a rare commodity. For the record, we obviously wouldn't condone anyone using Luvdup to be controlling of others, but the truth is that this is likely to be their relationship dynamic without the app. If you or anyone else has evidence to the contrary we'd be very interested to see it.
'It's very easy to see anything in a negative light if you choose to. Put simply, Luvdup promotes love and communication, which in our view, and in today's world, cannot possibly be a bad idea.'
MORE: The steps of revealing the person you're dating on social media, ranked from least to most serious
AD FEATURE: 14 commandments for everyone who's ever used a dating app


text:
The Chris King ISO DH Rear Hub has delivered multiple world champions to their rainbow jersey and for good reason. With an extra-wide hub shell for increased wheel strength, the patented RingDrive system with 72 teeth engagement for prompt acceleration, and Chris King's legendary made-in-house bearings, this fully serviceable, high performance rear hub is designed specifically for high-speed long travel mountain biking and is machined exclusively in King's Portland, OR factory. Compatible with all 6-bolt ISO disc rotors.
Special Note: Due to the nature of anodization processing, slight variances in color may occur. Matte colors are special order and may take up to 6 weeks before delivery.
Cassette Body: SRAM 8, 9, 10, and Shimano 8, 9, 10, 11 speed
Axle Type: 12mm-thru
Hub Spacing: 157mm
Spoke Drilling: 28, 32, or 36 hole
Thru-Axle Not Included
One coupon per order
Discount taken off MSRP for normal items
Custom kit pricing is complicated so we take the discount off the current build price
In stock items only
Coupons can not be combined with promotional gift certificates, however, purchased gift certificates may be used with the coupons. If you would like to use your coupon with a purchased gift certificate, please leave the gift certificate information in the comments section at checkout, and they will be applied during processing on the backend.
Some items are restricted
Groupsets, hand built wheels, special orders & labor costs are excluded from the coupon.
Additional exclusions may apply.


text:
The everyday blog of Richard Bartle.
RSS feeds: v0.91; v1.0 (RDF); v2.0; Atom.
Previous entry. Next entry.
10:15am on Sunday, 23rd July, 2006:
Ooh, look what I did last night:
Part 1 of A Plague Upon Thee.
14 days 23 hours 52 minutes 58 seconds.
Referenced by Leine.
Referenced by Luceigh.
Referenced by Requalified.
Referenced by Another Day, Another 70.
Latest entries.
Archived entries.
About this blog.
Copyright © 2006 Richard Bartle (firstname.lastname@example.com).


text:
What is PVC ceiling
PVC ceiling is a ceiling which made from 2 parts , each part is made from different material , the main part is made from flexible PVC, it stretches at 50 c, it may be reflective or brilliant or solid, the second part is the frame , it's made from solid PVC , to install the main part and lighting and accessories.
PVC ceiling or Gypsum / POP ceiling
PVC ceiling is a great alternative to gypsum ceilings and POP ceiling .
It gives you more opportunities to decorate your ceiling and has below benefits.
1> Waterproof
2> Fire resistant
3>Long lasting than POP
4>No need coloring after installation which saves cost.


text:
At Streaming Church Video Live Our Potential Is Endless ...,.
Our video platform s and and media delivery systems are optimized for a rich experiences that is combined with the power of one of the world's most connected, secure and trusted video streaming solution ss s. Our Potential Is Endless ...,.
On Demand Video Channels
Live Streaming Channels
On Demand Audio Channels
Intelligent Video Players
Mobile Streaming
Audio Only Version of Videos
iTunes Audio Podcast
CROSS.TV Roku Channel
CROSS.TV Distribution
YouTube Distribution
Facebook Video Distribution
iTunes Video Podcast
Simulated Live
Connected TV Publishing
Facebook Live Streaming
YouTube Live Streaming
Video Subtitles
FTP Batch Upload
Scheduled Publishing
VOD to LIVE Continuous Loop*****
LIVE-to-VOD CDN Recording*****
Chromecast & AirPlay Publishing*****
Website Count-Down Plugin
4K Streaming
Livestream DVR
Custom Roku Channel***
Custom Android TV App***
24/7 Schedule & Playout System
Streaming Church Video Live $199.99 a month
Advanced Media Player
All Streaming Church Video Live VOD Players come with built-in intelligent features, such as social/viral sharing features, re-embed options, color-customization, auto-start option, multi-bitrate enabled, with auto-bandwidth adaption through bandwidth detection and manual bitrate switching and more.
Streaming Church Video Live's proprietary multi-bitrate technology:
Multi-bitrate enabled: Streaming Church Video Live VOD Players can play back multiple bitrate (video quality) files as one single video.
Bandwidth detection: Streaming Church Video Live VOD Players measure each viewer's available bandwidth (at the viewer's computer and viewing location) within the first fragment of a second during the loading process and keep on measuring the change of the viewer's available bandwidth throughout the video payback.
Auto-bandwidth adaption: Streaming Church Video Live VOD Players then take that viewer bandwidth information and grab the most suitable file size from the Streaming Church Video Live video server network (from the data center closest to the viewer's location). This happens all within the first fragment of a second, unnoticed by the viewer. The player then upgrades or downgrades the video quality throughout the video playback time automatically, whenever the viewer's available bandwidth changes.
Social/Viral Sharing Features:
All Streaming Church Video Live Players come with social sharing and email sharing features, allowing your viewers to start spreading the news about your great video content through social networks and by email. You can even allow viewers to re-embed your video content on their websites and social sites optionally, only if you want to give them that permission of course.
On-Player Video Archive Menu:
Your VOD and LIVE Players have a slide-in on-player menu, featuring all your uploaded videos archived in the selected channel and all upcoming, scheduled live streaming events with title and description. This feature allows your viewers to access all your channel content, or read about all your scheduled, upcoming events, by triggering the on-player-menu.
You can achieve the same result by using the embeddable "Media Center" instead, which is an embed object with a player and a separate video menu displayed to the right or bottom of the player. The video menus of your Media Center with integrated player are searchable with a text-search-field and display the channel's content with thumb nails, titles, description and upload date.
Customization Features:
You can customize your video players with various options, such as:
1. Size (to perfectly fit into your website and social sites)
2. Color (to perfectly blend into your website and social sites)
3. Auto-Start (to begin playing back the first video in your playlist automatically - or not)
4. Re-embedding (to allow your viewers to re-embed your player on their website and social sites)
Your videos will be delivered to a wide variety of mobile devices by using different streaming formats like h.264, webm, apple http and different player technologies like adobe flash and html5 video. Streaming Church Video Live provides mobile app development on request.
Streaming Church Video Live creates an audio version of each of your video uploads, available for you to integrate on your website and for automatic publishing to your iTunes Audio Podcast. The audio only file is encoded with the most modern transcoding system and optimized for maximum compatibility and multi-platform delivery: to your website, your mobile apps, iTunes and media sharing platforms. Optional publishing to CROSS.TV is included free of charge for all Streaming Church Video Live subscribers
Streaming Church Video Live creates and publishes your iTunes Audio Podcast. Send us your Logo or graphic artwork and we will make sure your Audio Podcast is branded correctly. Your Audio Podcast will be submitted to the iTunes network and, upon review and approval by Apple, published on the iTunes Audio Podcast platform, used by over 100 Million users.
The CROSS.TV Roku Channel included in all Video Service Packages as well as in all Complete Packages, is a sub-channel in Streaming Church Video Live's Roku Channel Network. our VOD Channel will become in the CROSS.TV "Broadcast Channel"
All video content of the selected VOD Channel will then be "broadcasted" to Roku our Roku Channel within Streaming Church Video Live's Roku Channel Network. Your Channel will be featured within the Streaming Church Video Live Roku Network with all video content and new uploads of your selected VOD Channel. All new uploads will automatically appear as latest upload in our Roku Channel as well.
Every uploaded video can be published to CROSS.TV - the biggest faith-based social media network in 20+ languages. Publishing your video to CROSS.TV will give you the opportunity to reach more viewers and to help spread your video content across the globe. Publishing to CROSS.TV is included in every Streaming Church Video Live Streaming and Marketing package.
The iTunes Podcast Channel included in selected Streaming Church Video Live Service Packages is a Video Podcast Channel for iTunes, featuring your VOD content stored on and delivered by the Streaming Church Video Live video server technology. Streaming Church Video Live builds and submits your iTunes Video Podcast Channel. Approval is subject to Apple, Inc. Once approved, your VOD content is made available to over 300 Million iTunes users on Apple mobile devices and Apple TVs
To market Streaming Church Video Live's video content and promote its "viral spread" we offer to distribute your video content to the most influential video sharing portals. Distribution to Facebook is included with larger packages. Because Streaming Church Video Live account is connected to our Facebook account, you can optionally choose to send any of your video uploads to our Facebook Page automatically.
The iTunes Podcast Channel included in selected Streaming Church Video Live Service Packages is a Video Podcast Channel for iTunes, featuring your VOD content stored on and delivered by the Streaming Church Video Live video server technology. Streaming Church Video Live builds and submits your iTunes Video Podcast Channel. Approval is subject to Apple, Inc. Once approved, your VOD content is made available to over 300 Million iTunes users on Apple mobile devices and AppleTVs
Simulated Live Streaming allows you to select a video from your uploaded VOD Media Archive and play it back as a live-event stream at a specific day and time. It works exactly like a regular live stream, just with one of your uploaded videos as the video source, instead of your local live-encoder (connected to audio and video sources such as microphones and cameras). Simply program a regular live event, assign it a date and time and select a video from your Media Archive.
Connected TV Publishing is an application part of selected Streaming Church Video Live Service Packages enabling publishers to integrate on-demand, 24/7 and live-stream feeds into their Connected TV Apps of all types - including Roku Channels, Google TV Apps and Amazon Fire TV Apps. As a result, the transcoding and publishing of your media to your Connected TV Apps is included with selected Service Subscriptions.
The Scheduled Publishing feature gives you flexible control over the publishing timing of your on-demand media. Users are given the ability to control what date their media is published. The option to schedule a single publish date exists as well as the control to chose unique dates for each on-demand channel.
Turn one of your VOD Channels into a continuous loop, simulating a 24/7 network. Just open up a Ticket in the Support Center letting us know the name of the VOD Channel you want to have turned into a looping continuous stream. Our developers will then build your continuous live-stream using the live-channels in your Streaming Church Video Live Account. The streams will be transcoded into different bitrates "on-the-fly" for bitrate-adaptive streaming.
Want your live-streams recorded by our CDN and made available instantly as VOD - fully transcoded for all mobile devices, PCs, Smart TVs and set-top-boxes - entirely ad-free and bit-rate adaptive?
Lightcast.com is taking live-stream-recording a step further! This feature allows you to have your live-streams recorded in one or multiple Live-Channels of your choice and send them into Streaming Church Video Live's Premium Transcoding right after the event to ensure maximum device compatibility.
You don't want to build your VOD archive with non-transcoded flash files of live-streams as they will not be compatible for publishing to most of your publishing properties/broadcast outlets such as your mobile sites/apps and Connected TV apps.
LIVE-to-VOD Server Recording also allows you to save your live-recordings as on-demand files along with meta-information such as title, description, keywords, and assign them to the VOD Channels of your choice.
All-in-all this is the perfect feature to build your on-demand archive ultra-conveniently if you are streaming with a high-bitrate and resolution.
Chromecast/Google Cast is Google's digital media player which allows viewers to cast media from their internet device (such as mobile devices) to a TV Screen. Chromecast Publishing enables your LIVE, VOD, AUDIO content to be streamed to a TV Screen connected to Chromecast. This feature is integrated into the Streaming Church Video Live Players.
Apple AirPlay Publishing allows wireless streaming between devices of audio, video, device screens and photos, together with related meta data. It works with computers using iTunes and iOS devices such as iPhones, iPods and iPads running iOS 4.2 or greater on selected receiver devices which include AirPort Express and AppleTV.
Streaming Church Video Live's Cloud Trimming Application allows publishers of live-events to trim their recorded live-streams (LIVE-to-VOD feature) by setting new entry and exit points on a timeline. The Cloud Editing Application can be used for recorded live-streams only and provides an intuitive timeline interface inside the "Video Upload" page when selecting "Manual Trim". Once setting the in/out points, the file will go through transcoding and generate a trimmed on-demand file for archiving and publishing
The Streaming Church Video Live Count-Down Tool for website integration is custom-built by the Streaming Church Video Live Developer Team for your server environment and time-zone, and is integrated with our API of the Streaming Church Video Live Event Management System in our Control Center. For larger service subscriptions it's already included.
4K Streaming allows publishers to upload video content in 4K resolution and stream live in 4K resolution. Exceed the best HD television broadcast and achieve the most amazing TV and movie quality imaginable.
Important to keep in mind regarding 4K on-demand uploads: in order to be able to display 4K content, a UHD screen is required on the consumer end. All other viewers will receive HD and SD of your 4K on-demand uploads. Your 4K on-demand file uploads will be transcoded into 4K, HD and SD versions to ensure that everyone is able to watch your content - not only viewers with UHD/4K capable screens.


text:
Sean McCarthy
Senior Loan Officer
Sean McCarthy
Senior Loan Officer
Sean joined the Salem Five team in January of 2015. He specializes in home purchases, refinancing and construction and renovation loans, focusing mainly on the town of Lynn.
Prior to Salem Five, Sean worked at Sage Bank and a Loan Officer and MetLife as a Mortgage Consultant. He graduated from Framingham State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Business.
Outside of work, Sean is an affiliate member of the North Shore Association of Realtors, a member of The Lynn Chamber of Commerce and a treasurer and board member of Arts After Hours, a Lynn nonprofit that works to invigorate the city's economy through high-quality arts and entertainment events. He lives in town with his family.
Rate QuoteGet Your Rate
MortgageGet Pre-Qualified
Home EquityApply Now
A friend of mine recommended not only Salem Five, but Sean McCarthy specifically. She knew this was my first time and he would be helpful. She was right on the mark with Sean. This was my first loan so I had a lot of questions and he was always patient and thorough in answering them. He was easy to contact and welcomed after hour emails and texts which I appreciated. I felt comfortable all the way through and he managed to close the loan on time. I would be happy to recommend you after this experience.Rachel Custodio, Salem, MA


text:
From Second Life Wiki
Revision as of 09:41, 22 October 2009 by Torley Linden (Talk | contribs)
Xstreet SL (earlier known as SLExchange, or simply Slex) is the premier virtual marketplace for your Second Life needs. Want some new clothing for your avatar? A car? A house? Something wonderful to surprise a lover or friend? It's just a few clicks away and can be delivered in seconds!
Stuff to do for the Old Knowledge Base: You've come to the right place for Xstreet help! We're still organizing this page to serve your needs better, watch for changes soon. -Torley
New? Check these out first!
- Quickstart guide - Easy instructions!
- Xstreet General FAQ - Hot questions answered quickly!
- Commerce forums - Xstreet news and discussion with fellow Residents.
- Updates to the XStreet SL Listing Guidelines
- Xstreet General FAQ
- Marketplace FAQ
- Merchants FAQ
- Real estate FAQ
- Xstreet SL login change FAQ
General Information
Customer Help
- Advanced searching
- How to shop
- If your purchase is not delivered
- Questionable content
- RSS feeds
- Xstreet forums
Merchant Help
- How to list your items
- Inventory management for Xstreet merchants
- Listing Enhancements
- Listing guidelines
- Problems relating to Second Life issues
- Tips for merchants: negative item reviews
- Tips for merchants: products, pricing, and marketing
- Troubleshooting your Magic Box
- Viewing and analyzing sales
- Xstreet fees
- Xstreet forums
Currency Exchange
- About spread pricing
- Charts
- Deposit and withdraw
- How to buy
- How to sell
- Market summary
- My orders
- Open orders
- Transactions
Real Estate
Pages in category "Xstreet"
The following 9 pages are in this category, out of 9 total.
X cont.
え cont.


text:
There's no denying that Dolly Parton has that star quality about her — even when she was young. Of course, the only thing that catches your eye more than Dolly's natural charm are her towering wigs, followed closely by her blinding stage outfits. After hearing her on the radio and watching her TV shows for more than six decades, we still haven't tired of her spellbinding showmanship.
Outside of her decades-long music and film career, Dolly is warm, caring, and good-hearted. She started her organization, Imagination Library, to gift books to children in five different countries in 1995, and her program donated its 100 millionth book in 2018. There's even a story about how Dolly cared for a baby named Jolene who had been left on Dolly's doorstep.
Dolly has been a household name for such a long time that it's hard to visualize her path to success. It's like she's always been famous; that's just how it is. But while we love celebrating all of Dolly's many accomplishments, it's worth taking a look back at how she reached the pinnacle of success to acknowledge all her hard work and dedication. So, keep scrolling to take a trip down memory lane with these photos of a young Dolly Parton.


text:
Former Rep. Gary Ackerman endorses Jon Kaiman in Third Congressional District race
Former U.S. Rep Gary Ackerman has endorsed ex-North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman's bid for Congress, his campaign announced Wednesday.
Ackerman, of Roslyn Heights, served from 1983 to 2013.
"I am honored to have the support of Congressman Gary Ackerman and the other elected and former elected officials who have put their names forward on my behalf," said Kaiman, a Democrat. "As my campaign ramps up we will be adding other leaders and supporters from throughout the district to our team effort to win this congressional seat."
Kaiman's campaign also announced the endorsements of North Hempstead council members Lee Seeman and Peter Zuckerman, Town Receiver of Taxes Charles Berman, and former North Hempstead councilman Tony D'Urso. The campaign also announced the endorsements of Charlotte Sear, president of the Reform Democratic Association, and Frances Reid, the former North Hempstead Environmental and chief sustainability officer.
Kaiman has stepped down from his state job as a special adviser to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on storm recovery and his unpaid position as chairman of the Nassau Interim Finance Authority.
Other Democratic contenders include former Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi, Suffolk County Legis. Steve Stern (D-Dix Hills), North Hempstead councilwoman Anna Kaplan and lobbyist Brad Gerstman.
We're revamping our Comments section. Learn more and share your input.


text:
Rare Synth Showcase Part 10: Starkey Hearing Science Laboratory
Housed within an unassuming 30,000-square-foot building just outside Philadelphia is a massive collection of historically significant music gear. Under 25-foot ceilings, an extraordinary stockpile of vintage synthesizers sits alongside other keyboards, amplifiers, stompboxes, and recording equipment from years gone by. The climate-controlled building and all its contents belong to the Electronic Music Education and Preservation Project. EMEAPP is a non-profit organization devoted to collecting and preserving outstanding parcels of rock 'n' roll and electronic music history for future generations.
From the early 1970s until the mid-1980s, audiologists used this instrument to perform sophisticated hearing tests and experiments. It wasn't intended for making music, but that didn't stop experimental musicians from exploiting the HSL's potential as a synthesizer. It has three sine-wave generators, one square-and-triangle-wave generator, pink and white noise, three resonant lowpass/highpass/bandpass filters, and mic and line inputs for processing external audio (see Fig. 10). It also has a frequency counter, a gate sequencer, distortion, a probability circuit, various utility functions, and audio outputs that include one labeled Bone Vibrator, but no inputs for external keyboards. Users connect circuits using patch cords with mini banana plugs and control pitch and other parameters by turning knobs and flipping switches. Like most medical devices, the HSL was built to last.


text:
Chapter 7: Taking Care of Each Other
From Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christmas in Canada
Taking Care of Each Other
The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.
Title: Reprinted by permission of Chicken Soup for the Soul, LLC © 2014. In order to protect the rights of the copyright holder, no portion of this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent. All rights reserved.


text:
Opens the Mechanical Browser panel.
Accessing the Command
command bar: mechanicalbrowseropen
menu bar: Assembly | Mechanical Browser and Parametric | Mechanical Browser
toolbar: Assembly | Mechanical Browser and Parameters | Mechanical Browser
ribbon: Assembly | Tools | Mechanical Browser
context menu*: Mechanical Browser
* Place the cursor over a toolbar or a ribbon panel, then right click. See also: Dockable Panels.
: mechanicalbrowseropen
Displays a dialog box:
The Mechanical Browser allows navigation on the hierarchy of mechanical components for the current drawing and calling different commands for the inserts.
Component Name
3D Constraints
Standard Part Component Insert (= block reference)
Collapsed Component Insert (= external reference)
Expanded Component Insert (= external reference)
Standard Part Subcomponent Insert (= nested block reference)
Subcomponent Insert (= nested external reference)
Properties of the selected item
Properties set depends on the selected item: Component, Parameter, Array, Feature.
Command Options
Group by Entity
Groups 3d constraints by entity or mechanical component they are applied to.
Group by Type
Groups mechanical components and 3d constraints in separate trees.
Groups 3d constraints by type.
Expand a constraint to see the 3D features affected by the constraint.
Sort Alphabetically
When pressed () the mechanical components and 3d constraints are sorted alphabetically.
When depressed () the mechanical components and 3d constraints are listed in the order they were added to the assembly.
|Settings for visual representation of parameters
Constraints expressions control whether the numeric value or assigned parameter name displayed.
Expressions at sub-components control visual representation of sub-component parameter: numeric value or assigned parameter name.
Show sub-component parameters control visibility of sub-component parameters.
Parameters at properties add parameters section for selected instance to the mechanical browser properties.
|Search field
|When pressed demonstrates the search filed which allows to type a name of an object to search in the mechanical browser.
- To open or close a panel
- To dock a panel
- To dock a panel with respect to another docked panel
- To stack panels in a tabbed panel
Related Commands
3dCompare - executes a geometrical comparison between solids and surfaces in 2 drawing files. The result is shown in a new drawing and reported in the Mechanical Browser panel.
BmDependencies - lists all files, containing component definitions inserted in the assembly, in the command window.
BmExternalize - switches internal components to external components.
StandardPartsPanelOpen - inserts a standard hardware part as a mechanical component in the current drawing.
BmLocalize - switches external components to internal components.
BmOpen - opens the component insert drawing.
BmOpenCopy - opens a copy of a component insert as a new drawing.
BmReplace - replaces a component insert.
BmUpdate - reloads all referenced components from external files and updates BOM tables.
DesignTable - creates or imports .csv files containing sets of parameter values. Drop-down lists with the parameters values from the tables are added to the Mechanical Browser and parametric component properties.
-DesignTableEdit - allows to edit design tables.
MechanicalBrowserClose - closes the Mechanical Browser panel.
-ToolPanel - allows to control the display of tool panels, such as the Properties Bar, the Ribbon or the Sheet Sets panel from the command line.
SmParametrize - creates a consistent set of 3D constraints for a selected sheet metal part.


text:
30th Birthday Card
Year of birth 1989
A5 (210mm x 148mm) in size, opens from the side.
High quality FSC certified card. Professionally printed in Yorkshire, England. Comes with brown ribbed envelope.
Male friend, Female friend, Brother, Sister, Son, Daughter, Husband, Wife, Daddy, Mummy, Nephew, Son-in-Law
A Milestone Birthday card to celebrate thirtieth Birthdays in 2019. Bursting with fun, interesting and sometimes shocking facts and events from the year 1989.
Left blank inside for you to hand write your own message.
Take the receiver on a trip back thirty years and reminisce on what was happening in 1989.
For example, did you know that in 1989… Byker Grove first aired on TV, a litre of petrol cost just 36p (those were the days!), the band Blur was formed and Taylor Swift was born!
Product tags


text: Continuing our discussion of all things David Bowie, we read the book AND watched the BBC TV adaptation AND listened to the not-really-soundtrack album of Hanif Kureishi's The Buddha Of Suburbia! Bowie's album based on the soundtrack he wrote for the TV series is one of the least-heard works in his catalog. So, was all this work worth it? Yes, mostly! Give a listen!


text:
SharePoint offers you different pages to work with. All of them have functional differences. For a quick tutorial on how to start using ShortPoint on each of the page types, please watch this video:
Thank you for your attention!
Modified on: Sat, 9 Jun, 2018 at 5:07 PM
Thank you for your attention!
Did you find it helpful? Yes NoSend feedback


text:
The Nutley FMBA Local 44 represents the career firefighters and career fire officers of the Nutley Fire Department. In addition to being the bargaining agent for these career firefighters, the local is very involved in the community. We have been a member of the Nutley Chamber of Commerce since 2000. We have been a long time sponsor of Nutley National and now Nutley East Little League. We have hosted a Wiffleball tournament in the middle school since 1999. We support numerous community charity events such as cancer walks, tricky trays and parades.
Nutley FMBA Local 44 wishes to thank all who have supported us in the past and continue to support us. If not for the support of Nutley's residents we would not be able to accomplish these worthwhile projects.


text:
Monthly Archives: July 2015
Dose Response to Exercise
The Exercise Is Medicine initiative by the American College of Sports Medicine is continually gaining traction around the world and this article ties into that initiative exploring the optimum dose of exercise. Optimum dose of exerciseContinue reading
A cure without drugs – The future of healthcare
This article provides a hopeful insight into where the future of health care is going, due to the wonderful initiative by the American College of Sports, Exercise is Medicine. Exercise = the "cure-all"Continue reading
Weight Loss Through Diet and Exercise
Obesity is an epidemic in the USA, Britain and Australia, placing huge strains on the health system. It is associated with diseases like Type II Diabetes, Heart Disease, musculoskeletal pain and depression. There was a recent article in the New York Times, which suggested that eating less was a more effective strategy to lose weight […]Continue reading


text:
When MS SQL Server 2016 support will be added to SAP BODS 4.2
Is MS SQL 2016 is supported on any SP of SAP BODS 4.2 ? If no Is there any plan to add its support in any upcoming release?
Very Helpfull
Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive a link and will create a new password via email.


text:
With electric cars more popular – and plentiful - than ever, the market-leading Nissan Leaf is going heavy on the upgrades to help it compete against a rapidly expanding field of competitors.
The 2013 Leaf, set for launch later this year, will get a serious set of improvements, Nissan's Mark Perry told the Detroit News this week.
Chief among them will be an overhauled heating system, with the aim of combatting one of the real problems of electric vehicles to date:the drain of power-hungry climate control systems on the battery.
Armed with the new system, Perry told the Detroit News that the Leaf's range could be boosted by up to 25 miles (40 km) in cold-weather conditions, a jump of 25 percent on the current maximum range.
The interior decor will also receive an overhaul, becoming darker and with leather seating replacing the green materials used in the model to date in a bid to give it a more premium feel.
Nissan's refresh comes on the back of falling sales figures this year, the Leaf finally giving way to the Volt in February, having outsold it in 2011.
However, it also signals the need for the vehicle to stay ahead of other competitors such as the Ford Focus Electric launched this year, and the hybrid Prius C, a compact version of the wildly popular Prius, the world's best-selling hybrid.
According to Toyota, the Prius C sold 1,201 units within just three days of its March 12 launch in the US, eclipsing Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf sales for the entire month of February.
Now, reports suggest that Toyota will boost production of the Prius C to over 30,000 a month to keep up with global demand.


text:
The Team
The We Move Trucks team is comprised of an array of industry professionals working together to drive your business.
From drivers with thousands of logged hours driving through to specialized mechanics and engineers at your disposal, we can make the operation of your fleet run smoothly and efficiently.
We are only a call away.
The We Move Trucks Team
Managing Director - Brett Stone
Logistics and Planning - Jason Poulton
Administration Manager - Kerrie Lumsden
IT and Technology - Cheyne Baker
Driver Support - Gail Diamond and Pat Crosby
copyright © 2015
FastWeb Powered


text:
Alternate title: why do I keep reading YA when I couldn't care less about YA characters? (Beware: I am writing this assuming that most of you have read the books and know what they are about, so beware of spoilers!)
The book: The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
The edition: Scholastic paperback, 454 pages, plus author interview
The good: an interesting premise and a compelling (as in: easy and gripping) style. Makes me want to see where it is all headed to.
The bad: I cannot relate to or care about such a snotty little brat as Katniss, and I found all the arena adventures a bit on the boring side.
Wondering about: why all the Latin (Panem, Avox) and Latin-related culture (all those names, from Caesar to Cato; the chariots and the cornucopia)? And don't tell me it's just because of the "panem et circenses" reference.
Team Peeta or Team Gale? It's not like Gale had any screen time up to this book, so Team Peeta it is (oh, wait, does it mean "who gets the lady"? Then I hope neither of them. They are both too good for such a fate)
The book: Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins
The edition: Scholastic paperback, 472 pages
The good: an interesting number of twists in the story, and even the arena was more interesting this time around.
The bad: most of the characters. Even Peeta and Gale act silly. And all the oooh- and aaah-ing of Katniss over her feelings — feeling guilty about the people killed in the Games, even though she didn't really kill almost anybody, and trying to decide who is the boy she loves. I know she's 17 and acting it, but I can't stand this kind of thing any longer.
Wondering about: I hope for an explanation of how the Capitol/Districts society came to be. Such an enslaving arrangement only makes sense if the people in control consider themselves different from the rest — if the people in the Capitol were really aliens from another planet — but they aren't.
Team Peeta or Team Gale? May I say Team Finnick?
The book: Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins
The edition: Scholastic paperback, 455 pages, plus acknowledgments
The good: I'm afraid I have little to say here, I felt completely let down. Style is still pretty engaging, though.
The bad: I felt let down, because there was much more promise in the first two than this did deliver. There was room for wonderful plot turns and symbols and explanations, but there weren't. Instead we get horrible things happening (more than I could stand), more teenage geocentricism, a lot of useless and unheeded deaths, and no real explanation.
Wondering about: how could one life happily ever after with a hijacked husband? How could the former tributes (and Katniss among them) agree to have more Games? And also, all the little threads left hanging unexplained, such as: why did birds stop to listen to Katniss' father? Why did Madge offer Katniss the pin? Why did Cinna want to stir a rebellion? etc. etc. etc.
Team Peeta or Team Gale? No, my man for this book is Boggs. I'm afraid that I'm showing my age here, by preferring the solid, affectionate adult over the overemotional teenagers, but he's the only positive male figure in the whole book!
Additional links:
- I found this analysis interesting, if a bit far-fetched. I wish that was were the trilogy was headed
- I don't totally agree, but they have a point


text:
What is The Vortex?
Vortex is a duel engine pad based kontakt library with over 90 sounds!
What type of pads?
Soft, ambient, hard, motion, distorted, vocal, & synth pads
FX include:
Amp envelopes, flanger, phaser, e.q, lofi, delay, reverb.
System Requirements
-Vortex runs on Kontakt full version 5.1.0 or higher
-At least 1 GB of RAM and 3 GB of free drive space
-Est. download time for The vortexKontakt Library - 5 Min


text:
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Behave - they might be watching
Like, now I want to whinge that my girly time of the months* is HURTING me and I want to scream, just a (lot) little.
But I prolly shouldn't, cos you are all out there now.
And is good to get the girly time, cos it means the ovarian cyst will calm down for a week or two. And that it isn't so big that things are not working. Licorice tea and fibre. This is how I defeat the evil cystula that is trying to take over my reproductive system, one ovary at a time.
I have to hoop at class tonight. Last rehearsal before Knox Fest.
Performing with tears of agony running down my face is an acceptable look, yes?
*months because my cycle is moody and dependent upon the whims of the cyst. 2 months is fairly normal, with the second month being painful and swollen and horrid.
6 comments:
You poor kid... joys of womanhood. I must try the licorice tea. Have the occasional ovarian cyst too. hope you hoop night went fine. xoReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks, love your description, joys of womanhood.Delete
The tea is lovely, I hope it can help you too. Quite a few people have ovarian cysts (I've only noticed since I've had them), and I was talking to an 18 year old yesterday who has them.
Hoop night was great, very painful at first, but we had so much fun, it distracted me. I can get the hoop down to my knees and back up now! Love learning a new skill. :D
((hugs)), ((hugs)), and more ((hugs))... My heart aches for you and your pain. I only recently had the "joy" of bursting ovarian cysts and finally had to relent to a hysteroscopy (which is odd as they shouldn't have been THAT related, but I was medicated, and naively trusting!).ReplyDelete
As for behaving knowing THEY'RE watching - goodness, that seems to be when I inexplicably throw all caution & good sense to the wind!!! I have to remind my 'Ol Man NEVER to alert me that I'm being watched for I'm likely to panic and fly off into a state of berserk!
Hang in there, Beautiful - good things are WAY overdue your way! xo
I will always love the our most feminine physical attribute has the core meaning of hysterical.ReplyDelete
Thanks, oh I needed your hugs today, so much pain and so much to get done! So sorry to hear you also enure this agony, I hope their camera perving on your innards told them useful information.
*giggles* Panicking cos you are being watched sounds quite reasonable to me. I usually go extremely formal and well behaved. Blah. Till they get bored and go and watch someone more interesting. It has made performing with the circus quite challenging. ;-)
Thanks again and I do have lots of good things in my life, I will have to write about them soon.
Thank you for visiting my simple little blog. I thought I'd reciprocate and see what you're all about. I'll have a little browse around if that's okay with you.ReplyDelete
I can extend symathies for the girly troubles, but don't really understand as I never had any real pain with mine. Which doesn't make me any less thankful that my time is long over, being 60 on my next birthday.Replies
Congrats for your upcoming Birthday! You have ten more years before you have to start being a grown up. ;-pDelete


text:
Bow Thayer of Gaysville works at home before a weekend on the road with his band Wednesday, May 15, 2013. Thayer in addition to touring and recording with the Perfect Trainwreck, Thayer runs a studio at his home and produces the yearly Tweed River Music Festival in Stockbridge.
Valley News - James M. Patterson
Bluesmen George Kilby Jr., left, and Sherman Holmes perform with Bow Thayer at two shows on Saturday.
Bud Johnson, half of the folk-rock duo the Kind Buds plays a solo acoustic show at The Public House in Quechee on Friday night.
Fire up the GPS or unearth your Twin State road atlases. Top off your gas tank. And dig out a coin to flip.
To keep up with all the concerts and music festivals in the Upper Valley this Labor Day weekend, you'll be traveling some.
And so will the performers.
On Saturday and Sunday, while the Plymouth Folk and Blues Festival echoes off the hills surrounding the grounds of the Calvin Coolidge memorial in Plymouth Notch, Vt., Camerata New England opens its eighth season of chamber music concerts with performances in Norwich and Haverhill.
And on Sunday afternoon and evening, Randolph closes to vehicle traffic the block of Main Street containing the Chandler Center for the Arts, where the New World Festival offers its annual buffet of French-Canadian and Celtic rhythms.
At least on Saturday, you have more than one option for catching blues legend Sherman Holmes. On tour with roots musician George Kilby Jr., Holmes, now in his mid-70s and the sole survivor of the Holmes Brothers trio that influenced the likes of Willie Nelson, Van Morrison and Joan Osborne, plays first at 2 on Saturday afternoon at the Plymouth festival, then heads to White River Junction for a show at 8 that night at the Briggs Opera House.
Americana musician Bow Thayer of nearby Stockbridge, Vt., will follow Holmes and Kilby to the stage in Plymouth, then open for and play with them at the Briggs.
"The guy who's running the festival … was looking for another gig for Sherman to make it worth the trip for him," said Thayer, who is about to release a record celebrating country blues pioneers Mississippi Fred McDowell and Dock Boggs. "I looked all around and the Briggs worked out. I wanted to help out. (Holmes) probably won't be around again. Hell, when I'm that age, I hope somebody helps me out. It's super-important that the younger generation will help keep these guys' music alive. Once they're gone, they're gone. Recordings and YouTube footage are nice, but it's not live."
While Holmes, Kilby and Thayer are hot-footing it east to White River Junction for the Briggs show (for advance tickets and more information visit yellowhousemedia.com) on Saturday afternoon, singer-songwriter Jesse Terry will perform at Plymouth from 4 to 5. And at 8 p.m. at Good Commons in Plymouth, Jay Ottaway will lead a jam session.
Sunday afternoon's lineup at Plymouth features Boston-based singer-songwriter Julia Mark at 2, Contoocook, N.H., troubador Zak Trojano at 3 and singer-songwriter Samantha Farrell at 4.
While admission to the Plymouth Folk and Blues Festival is free, donations are welcome. For more information, visit plymouthfolk.com.
The Camerata New England trio of cellist Linda Galvan, pianist Evelyn Zuckerman and violinist Omar Chen Guey performs piano trios of Dietrich Buxtehude, Johann Hummel and Anton Arensky at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Norwich on Saturday and at Alumni Hall in Haverhill on Sunday. For tickets ($28 for adults) to and more information about the Norwich concert, which starts at 7 p.m., call 802-785-4833 or visit cameratanewengland.org. To order tickets ($22 to $24) and learn more about the Alumni Hall performance, which starts at 2 p.m., call 603-989-5500.
Vishten and Cantrip are among the bands and Uillean piper Paddy Keenan is among the solo headliners scheduled to perform during the 24th New World Festival along Main Street in Randolph from noon to 11 on Sunday afternoon and evening.
Other individual musicians playing in and around the Chandler Center for the Arts and Bethany Church include Upper Valley accordionist and pianist Jeremiah McLane and Vermont fiddler Sarah Blair. Tickets cost $35 if purchased by Friday, $40 thereafter. To order tickets in advance, visit chandler-arts.org or call 802-728-6464. To learn more about performers and the schedule, visit newworldfestival.com.
The festival also is looking for volunteers ages 12 and older who are willing to help out with a variety of tasks for three to four hours. Those who sign up earn an all-day pass to the festival. To learn more, reach out to volunteer coordinator Yasi Zeichner, at email@example.com or at 802-485-9242 evenings and weekends.
The Skinny Pancake in Hanover this week began selling tickets to a Sept. 29 appearance by Vermont singer-composer Anais Mitchell, whose folk-rock opera Hadestown is drawing raves and audiences on Broadway. Admission is $15, plus a handling fee. To reserve tickets and learn more, visit skinnypancake.com or call 603-277-9115.
On the theme of "A Poor Lonesome Cowboy," pianist Annemieke McLane and baritone Peter Schoenaker will perform Don Quixote songs by Jacques Ibert, opera arias and Broadway songs at the ArtisTree Community Arts Center in South Pomfret on Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m. While admission is free, donations are welcome.
In preparation for their holiday concerts on Dec. 3 and 4 in Woodstock, the Freelance Family Singers begin weekly rehearsals at Woodstock's First Congregational Church on Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. All ages are welcome. While the participation fees are $10 to $15, scholarships are available.
The Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph is now selling tickets for a 2016-2017 season that includes such performers as country-folk singer-songwriter Iris DeMent, the Cajun band Beausoleil, folk singer-songwriter Greg Brown, banjoists Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn, and pianist Simone Dinnerstein. To reserve tickets and learn more, visit chandler-arts.org or call 802-728-6464..
The New London Barn Playhouse lowers the curtain on its 2016 season with performances of the marital farce Don't Dress For Dinner tonight, Friday night and Saturday night at 7:30 and Sunday at 5. For tickets ($20 to $29) and more information, visit nlbarn.org or call 603-526-6710.
Harmony Hotel performs at Colburn Park in Lebanon from 4 to 7 this afternoon, during the Lebanon Farmers' Market. Next Thursday afternoon, Steven Spensley plays fiddle and guitar.
Bull and Prairie serenades the Feast and Field Market in Barnard with a dose of Americana tonight from 5:30 to 7:30. Next Thursday night brings Bow Thayer to the former Clark farm for still more Americana.
Dick McCormack sings and tells stories at the Stone Arch Bakery in Lebanon on Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Rustic Overtones plays the final concert of the Cooler in the Mountains series at Killington Resort's Snowshed Base Area on Saturday afternoon at 3:30. Admission is free.
Singer-songwriter Jim Hollis plays on the Flanders Stage in Sunapee Harbor on Saturday evening from 5 to 7. And in the final concert of the summer at the venue, Pete Merrigan performs on Sunday afternoon from 1 to 3.
The Upper Valley Music Center Chamber Orchestra is looking for violinists and viola players for the coming season of performances. . Weekly rehearsals start on Wednesday night at 7 at the music center headquarters on Hanover Street in Lebanon. From Sept. 14 on, the orchestra will rehearse at Lebanon Middle School, in preparation for a Nov. 20 concert featuring Brahms' Variations on a Theme of Haydn and Beethoven's Symphony No. 8. While there will be no auditions, the first two rehearsals serve as a free introduction for aspiring newcomers. The participation fee is $50 for the coming year. To learn more, call Ruth at 802-785-4247 or conductor Dave Wysocki at 802-299-8144.
Starting on Tuesday night, the North Country Chorus begins rehearsing weekly for the series of three Christmas concerts that the ensemble will perform at venues in northern Vermont and New Hampshire over the first weekend of December. The program includes Arthur Honegger's A Christmas Cantata, Ralph Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on Christmas Carols and other seasonal works. The chorus, now numbering about 80 members, is welcoming new members through Sept. 20. To register for rehearsals, which will take place at St. Johnsbury Academy, visit northcountrychorus.org. For more information, call 802-748-5027 or email email@example.com.
Gillian Joy commands the piano at the Canoe Club in Hanover at 6:30 tonight. Following her to the microphone over the coming week with shows from 6:30 to 9:30 are the Sensible Shoes duo of Barbara Blaisdell and Tim Utt on Friday, jazz singer Rowley Hazard on Saturday, guitarist Bruce Gregori on Tuesday, guitarist Michael Blum and bassist Jim Stinnett on Wednesday, and guitarist Ed Eastridge and saxophonist Michael Parker next Thursday night. And on Monday night between 5:30 and 8:30, Marko the Magician performs his weekly sleight-of-hand.
Singer-songwriters Scott Sanborn and Brian Butterworth performs at the Boho Cafe in downtown White River Junction tonight between 7 and 10, followed Friday night at 7:30 by Martin Decato with a set of Americana music.
Singer-songwriters Brian Warren and Mike Carol pull into Windsor Station tonight at 7. Following them to the venue on Tuesday night at 6 will be singer-guitarist Bill Temple.
Waylon Speed frontman Kelly Ravin brings his guitar to the Skinny Pancake in Hanover for a solo show tonight at 7:30. Next on the stage with 7:30 shows over the weekend are singer-songwriter Dana Twigg on Friday night and the jazz duo of guitarist Billy Rosen and saxophonist Fred Haas on Saturday.
The Michael Parker Duo appears at Bentley's restaurant in Woodstock tonight at 8, followed Friday night at 8 by singer-songwriter Chris Powers and next Thursday night at 8 by the bluesman Arthur James.
Peter Merrigan performs a set of acoustic rock at Salt hill Pub in Newport tonight. The Friday night lineup at the Upper Valley's Salt hill Pubs features singer-songwriter Wayne Canney in Lebanon and Alison "AliT" Turner with Soulfix in Hanover. Stepping to the microphone on Saturday night are Talking Smack with a rock show in Newport, singer-songwriter Michael Spaulding in Hanover and the Sullivan Davis Hanscom Band in Lebanon. All shows start at 9.
Singer-songwriter Tad Dreis performs at the tavern at Jesse's in Hanover on Friday night at 5.
The Bradford duo of Don and Jenn Sinclair opens for songwriter-activist David Rosane at the Colatina Exit in Bradford on Friday night from 7 to 10. The appearance also is the release party for Urban Country, which Rosane, the Sinclairs, Will Paton and Jaro recorded as David Rosane and the Zookeepers.
Bud Johnson of the Kind Buds folk-rock band performs his solo acoustic show at The Public House in Quechee on Friday night at 7.
Friday night at 8, boss bassist Peter Concilio leads tenor saxophonist Matt Langley, keyboard wizard Tom Robinson and drummer Tim Gilmore into Skunk Hollow Tavern in Hartland Four Corners for a session of jazz.
Soulfix take the stage at Mountain Meadows in Canaan on Saturday night at 8.
Bow Thayer performs his weekly set of Americana at the Skinny Pancake in Hanover on Wednesday night starting at 7:30.
Ramunto's Brick & Brew Pizza in Bridgewater hosts an open mic starting at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays. Participants get a free large cheese pizza.
String players of all ages and abilities are welcome at the weekly acoustic jam session at South Royalton's BALE Commons on Friday night from 6:30 to 10.
Joe Stallsmith leads a weekly hootenanny of Americana, folk and bluegrass at Salt hill Pub in Hanover on Monday nights at 6.
Kerry Rosenthal hosts the monthly acoustic-jam session at the ArtisTree Community Arts Center in South Pomfret on Tuesday night from 7 to 9. Singers as well as instrumentalists are welcome. While admission is free, donations are appreciated. For more information, visit artistreevt.org.
Bradford's Colatina Exit holds an open mic on Tuesdays at 8 p.m.
The Seven Barrel Brewery in West Lebanon runs an open mic on Tuesday nights at 8.
Jim Yeager hosts an open mic at Hartland's Skunk Hollow Tavern, at 8:30 on Wednesday nights.
The Boho Cafe in White River Junction stages an open mic next Thursday night at 7.
David Corriveau can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com and at 603-727-3304.
BURLINGTON — A Vermont woman pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges connecting her to the death of her husband who police say was lured to a...
Human Services Secretary Mike Smith is promising immediate reforms of Vermont's prison system amid public outcry following a Seven Days report...
WINDSOR — The Selectboard has authorized Town Manager Tom Marsh to negotiate the town's efforts to take over two heavily damaged downtown buildings...
High-profile candidates who attracted droves of social media attention — think Kamala Harris and Beto O'Rourke — have dropped out of the Democratic...


text:
My book conveys a very significant message of salvation for the United States of America and the nations of the world. I received this message through a revelation from God. His message revolves around His love, His grace and His judgment. As we are in the final stages of our history, it will be imperative that we heed His warning. The purpose of this book is to inform, warn and save lives for Gods' kingdom. The eternal life is available to all who keep the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
THE LION HAS ROARED, who will not fear! THE LORD GOD HAS SPOKEN, let the people beware!
The Little Book!
(Revelation 10)


text:
I think it might get easier after the newness of the resort wears off until more resale DRR contracts are purchased as they will only be able to book at DRR.Once the New Shiny aspect has worn off, do people think it will be easier to book at Riviera? (Except the Towers, of course). Especially as resale owners of other resorts cannot book there?
Online, If you can. Online bookers have at least a one hour head start over those who call MS.Is it better to online or by phone?


text:
Wednesday, 18 February 2009
Smoking is bad for you...
The government's latest public information film warning 11-18 year-olds about the dangers of cannabis continues to stimulate debate about the drug. Over a hundred years ago, the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission report (the largest ever report into its cultivation, use and effects)was published. You can find it here at the NLS; The first report (there are 8) contains some great sepia photographs.
Posted by Jan Usher at 12:56 0 comments
Labels: cannabis, Indian Hemp Drugs Commission
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
Product Description
Here we have a really cute mini German Army officer's dagger. The mini dagger is in wonderful condition and is maker marked ALCOSO (Alexander Coppel). The dagger has a great look to it and it's sure to look awesome in your display case. These mini daggers are getting really hard to find! The dagger is near mint with just a couple minor hits to the grip but overall a beautiful mini dagger for the price. The picture with a full sized dagger shows is for size comparison.


text:
Well, I have three pounds of alpaca roving drying for the last week! It has been raining so much lately that I need to have everything inside. It's going to be a while before we get some sunshine again. I'm actually very grateful of our rain this time since our town has been on a water rationing since January 28th, and we are allow to use no more than 150 gallons per household. Our water reservoirs are way below the normal levels and we hope we can last with our water supplies until the next rain season. So, we are loving our rain now! Bless our rain!
Did you know that:
|Gallons Used – Conventional
|Gallons Used – Low Flow/Water Saving
|Toilet Flushing 5-7 gallons per flush
|1.5 – 3.5 gallons per flush
|Shower 7-10 gallons per minute
|2-4 gallons per minute
|Bath 36-50 gallons
|Laundry 45-50 gallons per load
|12-17 gallons per load
|Dishwasher 15 gallons per load
|7 gallons per load
|Dishwashing by hand 30 gallons (tap running)
|5-10 gallons (tap not running)
|Brushing teeth 10 gallons (tap running)
|1-3 gallons (tap not running)
|Garden Watering
630 gallons (1/2 inch hose running at 60 lbs per sq. inch for 1 hour)
1,020 gallons (5/8 inch hose running at 60 lbs per sq. inch for 1 hour)
1,860 gallons (3/4 inch hose running at 60 lbs per sq. inch for 1 hour)


text:
Dumped? Want your ex back? Watch FREE Video - How to Get Him Chasing And Begging After YOU
"Discover The Secret Sauce to Get Your Ex Back Fast"
This Works Like Magic - Save Your Relationship - Your Last Chance!
Free Video Reveals the TELL TALE Clues Your Ex Leaves That Says You Still Have a Special Place in Their Heart...and I Don't Care What They Say... This is All You Need to Look For PERIOD! Get Free Access Now
My Story, How I Got My Ex Back - You Too Can Do It
Get ex boyfriend back
Text your ex back
Win your ex back
How to get him back
Hi my name is Sandra and this is my story,
7 years into our relationship, I had a rude awakening. I got dumped!
At first, I thought it was a joke. But when it hit, my life suddenly became a living nightmare. You see William was everything to me.
I loved him more than anything else. He was the world to me. My one and only one. Seven years and then this...I was in a shock!
I couldn't belief it. It was like a bad dream, a nightmare that I wanted to wake up from but could not. It hurt, it really hurt so badly. I lost interest in virtually everything. All I did was cry and sleep. When I wasn't crying, I slept and If I wasn't sleeping then all I did was cry...It was awful. (Continue reading my story here)
Missing Your ex? It's Ok - Here Is How To Win Your Ex Back
If you are lonely and want your ex back, If you want to get your ex boyfriend back, then you and I know this has happened to you...
You stand there, looking at your phone, your thumb quivering over the keypad. You want him back more than anything.
But your thumb just shakes.
You think about him out there without you. Out there with another girl. You feel this awful nausea through your whole body . . .And you put your phone back in your pocket wondering what the heck you should say.
Imagine what would happen if you had the power to be able to erase all the negative thoughts your ex has about you and to create the relationship you've always wanted with him all along. . .Well, now you can!
Is This Not


text:
About this Holiday House
Our comfortable, spacious, sunny apartment overlooks all of Picton harbour, set just under the bush line with a wrap around balcony and large covered BBQ garden area. Free parking for two cars or car and small boat. Enjoy the peaceful environment, watch the ferries arrive and leave, boats in the harbour and views of the hills and surrounds. Just a five to ten minute walk down the hill to lovely cafes and restaurants, the supermarket, unique shops, the seaside and attractions. So much to do and see in Picton ... only 15 minutes drive to the famous vineyards of Marlborough or cruise the beautiful Marlborough Sounds. At night the lights and quiet will ensure you unwind and have a great break away. We welcome you to stay and sample life in the seaside town of Picton.


text:
The Lithium-ion battery appeared on the scene a few years ago as a viable energy storage system solution. It is far more advanced than the conventional lead-acid or nickel-cadmium batteries and also softer on the environment than other heavy metal-based batteries.
In this article, we will take a close look at Lithium-ion battery technology.
Lithium-ion batteries have a specific energy density of 150 Wh/kg compared to 40 Wh/kg for VRLA AGM or 30 Wh/kg for Flooded Lead-Acid batteries.
The technology also boasts a much faster charging time of 2 to 4 hours and can be discharged to 80% compared to 50% for conventional rechargeable batteries.
Up to now the cost of this technology has been prohibitive, with the technology initially being used in mobile phones and smaller rechargeable batteries that are used in smaller electrical devices such as toys and remotes.
However, that is all changing as companies ramp up production and more players come onto the market, meaning increased competition and more innovation.
Technology in this space is advancing rapidly with massive amounts of capital being invested into Lithium-ion R&D. These advances will drive down the weight and cost of batteries, as well as increasing their power output.
The State Of The Market
The Lithium-ion battery market is growing at an exceptionally fast pace as demand picks up for for the technology. Most notably, electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage solutions for renewable energy are driving this demand.
A recent study has forecast that the Lithium-ion battery market will be worth US$93.1 billion by 2025, with an annual compounded growth of 17%!
The demand for energy storage is one of the main driving factors behind that exponential growth.
Forecasts show an annual compounded growth of 21% from 2017 till 2025. Renewables such as solar and wind in the US, Germany and China are behind the demand for energy storage systems.
The Asia Pacific region was the dominant market in 2016, accounting for 48.3% of the market share. This figure is expected to rise substantially as government support for EVs in China and India gain traction.
North America comes in second with a 25.9% share of the overall Lithium-ion battery storage revenue in 2016.
Lithium-ion batteries still have some limitations but researchers are hard at work in the lab, focusing on improving the technology. Development of solid state batteries will allow Lithium-ion batteries to charge and discharge in a matter of minutes. This will be a major breakthrough for EVs.
Other recent exciting breakthroughs in the lab include increasing the energy capacity of Lithium-ion batteries by a factor of 30 to 50%. Breakthroughs like these will only make EVs a whole lot more viable as it will increase the range of electric vehicles.
Tesla's commercial and utility sized Powerpack 2 Lithium-ion energy storage system has recently made waves in the media and social media. Elon Musk's company Tesla seems to be gaining a reputation at the first of developing new technology and bringing it to commercialisation. The Tesla Powerpack 2 is no exception here.
In what initially seemed like a PR stunt, Elon Musk founder and CEO of Tesla made a commitment to install the world's largest Lithium-ion energy storage system in South Australia within 100 days. In what was a competitive bid process, out of the 91 proposals received, Tesla was selected to install a 100 MW energy storage backup system.
True to his word Elon's company Tesla had the system up and running in well under 100 days. In actual fact, they had the system commissioned 45 days ahead of schedule!
The system is able to supply enough backup power for 30 000 South Australian homes and is charged via a 315 MW wind farm. The energy storage system was commissioned to provide backup power to the SA community for when the wind doesn't blow.
Other utility sized Lithium-ion energy storage systems are in the pipeline and this current world record is probably set to be smashed soon.
Who Are the Main Lithium-ion Battery Players?
Most of the larger Lithium-ion battery manufacturers supply Lithium-ion batteries to EV manufacturing companies. Some of the larger suppliers of these batteries are relatively unknown. Even though Tesla is a household name by now, it actually falls quite far down the list of suppliers according to production capacity.
For instance, ever heard of A123 systems?
They are a US-based company with a specific focus on supplying battery solutions to the automotive industry. Their Lithium-ion batteries are designed for use in hybrid vehicles and are specifically designed for regenerative braking to optimise power usage. The company has a total production capacity of 1.5 GWh!
Next in line is AESC or Automotive Energy Supply Corporation. Back in 2007 Nissan already saw the potential for EVs. They formed a new company with other heavyweight Japanese titans NEC and NEC Tokin. Their main goal was to develop Lithium-ion battery technology for EVs. Currently, AESC Lithium-ion batteries are used in the Nissan Leaf EV.
Altairnano develops Lithium-ion batteries for energy management solutions in the utility and industrial sector. They have since branched out to supply energy storage solutions to the EV market. Altairnano has also developed unique Lithium-ion batteries with fast charge capability, being able to fully charge in a matter of minutes. The other advantage of their proprietary technology is the increased lifespan of their batteries.
Johnson Matthey Battery Systems is a UK company that designs and manufactures Lithium-ion batteries for the EV market. They produce Lithium-ion batteries for EVs, including urban delivery vehicles and high-performance sports cars. Of great interest is the Lithium-ion battery they developed for a limited production McLaren P1 hybrid supercar. The company manufactures 70 million Lithium-ion cells per annum. Other British car manufacturers that use the Johnson Matthey battery technology are Jaguar, Land Rover and Rolls-Royce.
The list of Lithium-ion manufacturing companies is growing and is expected to continue growing as the demand for Lithium-ion batteries increases for such applications as EVs and renewable energy storage solutions whether it be residential, commercial or utility.
Top Lithium Producers
Lithium is a metal and as the EV and ESS markets take off, the demand for this metal is expected to soar. For the moment approximately 46% of the lithium produced goes to producing Lithium-ion batteries.
Between 2016 and 2017 the worldwide production of Lithium rose 13% to 43 000 MT's per annum!
Who are the main producers of Lithium?
- Australia
- Chilie
- Argentina
- China
- Zimbabwe
Australia comes in first at being the No 1 producer of Lithium. The country produced 18,700 MT of Lithium in 2017 up 3,300 MT from the year before, thanks to new mining operations coming online and strong sales. According to the US Geological Survey, Australia holds over 2,7 million MT of identified Lithium reserves.
Chile comes in 2nd on the list of top Lithium producers in 2017, with production figures of 14, 300 MT in 2017, - down due to poor weather conditions. Unlike Australia which mines Lithium out of hard rock, Chile mines Lithium from brine deposits.
Argentina is another large player when it comes to Lithium production. Its output was 5,500 MT in 2017, also slightly down from 2016, due to poor weather conditions, as it also mines Lithium out of brine deposits. Interesting to note is that Chile, Argentina and Bolivia are known as the "Lithium Triangle".
Argentina has enough Lithium reserves for the next 75 years and production is expected to triple by 2019.
China comes in 4th, producing 3,000 MT in 2017. Whilst Lithium production in China is relatively small, it's appetite for Lithium certainly isn't. As the world's largest manufacturer of EVs, it sources most of its Lithium from Australia.
Zimbabwe comes in at No 5. The country produced 1,000 MT in 2017. The private mining company Bikita Minerals owns the world's largest known deposit of Lithium at over 11 million tonnes. According to the US Geological Survey, the country's total reserves stand at 23,000 MT.
Australian Lithium-ion Battery Manufacturing Market
The local Lithium-ion battery manufacturing market is turning out some quite exciting developments.
Energy Renaissance is one such company. Their target markets are providing Lithium-ion battery technology for the EV, commercial and utility sector following the implementation of the largest Lithium-ion battery solution in the world. Demand for energy storage systems is expected to grow in Australia and Energy Renaissance want to be a part of that journey.
With the support of the Northern Territory government, the company is building a 1 GW capacity manufacturing plant in Darwin.
Their Lithium-ion batteries are designed for hot and humid and climates, making them an ideal solution for Australia.
Tesla Gigafactory
Tesla has the main goal of fast-tracking the earth's transition to clean energy through EV's and renewable energy. Tesla is aiming to manufacture 500,000 EVs in 2018. With these numbers, they would require the world's total production of Lithium-ion batteries. Hence the necessity to build a massive manufacturing plant that will satisfy its hunger for Lithium-ion batteries.
Although Tesla is running into production challenges that are impacting its ability to produce that amount of EVs, the company stated they have a plan to reach their desired manufacturing capacity.
The Tesla Gigafactory will manufacture Lithium-ion batteries for its EVs and also for its line of stationary energy storage systems such as the Powerwall and Powerpack. The plant is to be built in phases, construction having started in 2014 just outside Nevada in the US.
The plant started manufacturing Lithium-ion cells in early 2017 and is expected to be pumping out 35 GWh a year of Lithium-ion battery cells. That's about as much as the world's present total annual Lithium-ion battery production.
Tesla has stated that manufacturing Lithium-ion batteries on this scale will help to bring down their cost due to economies of scale.
Tesla already has a 2nd and 3rd Gigafactory in the pipeline too!
The demand for energy storage is booming and at the forefront are Lithium-ion batteries.
Lithium-ion batteries are far superior to conventional energy storage solutions. They are able to store a lot more energy, yet are lighter and smaller than other kinds of batteries. They can also be discharged to 80% and have a much faster charge cycle.
As demand for the technology increases, technology costs will decrease, making production more economically viable. The renewable energy and EV market are driving the demand for energy storage.
There are few countries around the world that supply most of the world's Lithium, these include Australia, Chile, Argentina, China and Zimbabwe. China has the largest appetite for Lithium for its massive EV production capacity.
A few major players exist that supply the demand for EVs and the number of manufacturing plants are expected to increase exponentially. Tesla is already building a mega-factory that will be able to provide Lithium-ion batteries for all of its manufactured EVs. Other mega-factories are also in the pipeline for locations around the world.
Next Step
If you want to see how much solar or battery storage could save you over the next 5 years, then take our solar saving calculator quiz below!
Or talk to an Instyle Solar expert about the best solutions for home energy storage or PV-panels.
Otherwise, head back to the solar blog to find even more great educational content.
Photo credit: Depositphotos


text:
Running is Hard
I'm into week 4 of my 12 week half marathon training program. I have to admit, I really am enjoying running, but I'm also realizing how hard it is! I mean, everybody can run, right? Sure, but I feel like there are certain techniques (that I know nothing about) you really have to obtain to go the longer distances. I'm starting to feel pain in my knee when I run, I can't tell if it's from my shoes or just doing the longer distances. I'm not sure running a half marathon merits getting a running coach, but I would consider it if I ever wanted to run further.
I'm getting a little better with the consistent splits per mile. On Sunday I went for 5 miles. My average pace per mile turned out to be 9:44 (according to the Garmin, which I trust…). I was psyched to have done every mile under 10 minutes, woo! Unfortunately, after a challenging time with the Mac and the Garmin website, I am still having problems getting the software on my computer, so no fun graphs yet!
My knee didn't hurt during the 5 miles at all, it was just the next day when I ran 3 miles that the shooting pain started. Justin chalks it up to me getting old, I still think it might be the sneakers. Either way, if it continues, I'll see a doctor, but for now I'm just hoping it goes away!
The two runs I did this weekend were on the Capital Crescent Trail, and I forgot how great it is to run where there are no cars whizzing by you. I don't typically run with headphones, I generally like to know what is going on around me, so being in the semi peaceful space of a running trail has been very relaxing.
And a little carbo loading photo for you. I actually ate this meal after the run on Sunday…maybe I just needed to replenish. Pasta with spicy meatballs from Whole Foods, fresh tomatoes and green beans. Very tasty!
I think I might re-create this meal right now for dinner!


text:
We use latest technologies to give you best possible shopping experience.
Unfortunately, your browser doesn't support those technologies.
Please upgrade your browser or download a new browser.
Click close button to continue shopping anyway
EXPLORER Version 8+ FIREFOX Version 7+ CHROME Version 14+ SAFARI Version 5+
Campfire Grill
We love the Perfect Campfire Grill that we recently ordered and received....thank you for such an ...»
Jill San Antonio, Texas
Campfire Grill
... I love the way it cleans up and storage is no problem. I'd still give it a 10 on a scale of 1 ...»
Dean Pardeeville, WI
The heavy duty log tweezers are used to maneuver hot logs at the campfire. It's crucial to have even heat for your campfire grilling. At 3/16" thick & 5/8" wide, the tweezers stretch to 2' 6" long and will last a lifetime. Use the Log Tweezers at camp or at home in the fireplace. In either setting it is a handy tool to have.