text:
Top Items:
The / Los Angeles Times:
Time to expose the CIA's 'dark side' — The partial declassification of a report critical of interrogation and detention policies used by the CIA after 9/11 is a crucial part of confronting the abuses of our past. — Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) speaks to the media after a closed meeting …
Discussion: Washington Post and Daily Kos
Eugene Robinson / Washington Post: Here's an emotional response to the torture report: I'm outraged
Georgia Logothetis / Daily Kos: Abbreviated pundit roundup: CIA torture report, unemployment insurance, and more
Burgess Everett / Politico:
Michael Hayden under fire for Dianne Feinstein comment
Michael Hayden under fire for Dianne Feinstein comment
Discussion: Weasel Zippers, Mediaite and Post Politics
ZIP / Weasel Zippers: Dingy Accuses Former CIA Chief Michael Hayden of Being Sexist For Calling Dianne Feinstein's Report …
Tal Kopan / Politico:
Chuck Schumer: No end to attacks on Kochs
Chuck Schumer: No end to attacks on Kochs
Discussion: CNN, Power Line and Weasel Zippers
Z. Byron Wolf / CNN: Inside Politics: Equal Pay gap reaches White House
John Hinderaker / Power Line: Chuck Schumer: I Was For the Koch Brothers Before I Was Against Them
Dylan Scott / Talking Points Memo:
How The White House Just Undercut One Of The GOP's Top 2014 Attacks — In a move with big election-year implications, the Obama administration announced Monday that it would reverse a proposed cut to private Medicare Advantage plans. The decision undercuts one of the GOP's favorite lines …
Discussion: Kaiser Health News, Associated Press and The Fix
Bill Clark / Roll Call:
Senate Passes Unemployment Benefits Extension
Senate Passes Unemployment Benefits Extension
Discussion: The Week, Daily Kos and Americans Against the …
Catherine Garcia / The Week: The Senate passed its bipartisan unemployment benefits bill, sending it to a wary House
Joan McCarter / Daily Kos: Senate passes unemployment insurance extension
Jonathan Easley / The Hill:
Healthcare cuts canceled after Dem complaints
Healthcare cuts canceled after Dem complaints
Discussion: Scared Monkeys, Hullabaloo and Liberal Values
Scared Monkeys: The Obama Administration & Democrats Playing Politics with Obamacare Again ... Cuts to Medicare …
Thereisnospoon / Hullabaloo: White House makes the right call: don't give them the ammo. by @DavidOAtkins
Report: Pol, staffer caught kissing — Freshman GOP Rep. Vance McAllister (La.) - who ran as conservative Christian - has been caught on video in a romantic encounter with a woman believed to be on his congressional staff just before Christmas. — The Ouachita Citizen, a newspaper based in West Monroe …
Discussion: The Hill, The Moderate Voice, FIRST DRAFT, Talking Points Memo, Shakesville, Outside the Beltway, Americans Against the …, Hit & Run, Erik Wemple, Mediaite, The Week, OnPolitics, Post Politics, Gawker, The Reaction, Lawyers, Guns & Money, ABC News, Fox News, The Daily Banter, The Daily Caller, Daily Kos and The Raw Story
Rebecca Shabad / The Hill: McAllister says he doesn't plan to resign after kissing staffer
Adrastos / FIRST DRAFT: Lamar White On The Kissing Congressman
Melissa McEwan / Shakesville: Republican Congressman Undermines Sanctity of Marriage
Doug Mataconis / Outside the Beltway: Louisiana Congressman's Family Values Include Kissing Young Female Staffers
John Prager / Americans Against the Tea Party: 'Christian Values' GOP Rep. Caught On Camera In Extramarital Encounter (Video)
Catherine Garcia / The Week: Married Louisiana congressman admits he kissed a staffer, apologizes
Catalina Camia / OnPolitics: Republican seeks 'forgiveness' after video shows him kissing aide
Wesley Lowery / Post Politics: Report: Video shows Republican congressman kissing staffer
Adam Weinstein / Gawker: Christian GOP Congressman Caught Cheating on Sexy Surveillance Tape
Michael J.W. Stickings / The Reaction: Another "family values" Republican gets caught with his pants down
Erik Loomis / Lawyers, Guns & Money: Another Family Values Republican
John Parkinson / ABC News: Duck Dynasty-Backed Congressman 'Very Sorry' for Kissing Staffer
Bob Cesca / The Daily Banter: Whoops! Christian 'Family Values' Congressman Caught on Video Cheating on Wife with Staffer
Rachel Stoltzfoos / The Daily Caller: Report: Congressman caught on video making out with staffer [VIDEO]
David Edwards / The Raw Story: 'Christian conservative' GOP rep. caught on surveillance video kissing female staffer
Mario Trujillo / The Hill:
Married GOP congressman admits to kissing female staffer
Married GOP congressman admits to kissing female staffer
Discussion: The News Star, Politico, Daily Kos, Talking Points Memo, The Other McCain, Liberaland and Hinterland Gazette
Tal Kopan / Politico: Poll: What happens when politicians cheat
David Nir / Daily Kos: Daily Kos Elections Morning Digest: Vance McAllister guns for 'shortest congressional tenure' record
Robert Stacy McCain / The Other McCain: Shut Up and Resign Already
Wall Street Journal:
The '77 Cents on the Dollar' Myth About Women's Pay — Once education, marital status and occupations are considered, the 'gender wage gap' all but disappears. — April 8 is "Equal Pay Day," an annual event to raise awareness regarding the so-called gender wage gap.
Discussion: ThinkProgress, MarketWatch, Taylor Marsh, Cafe Hayek and Betsy's Page
Ruth Mantell / MarketWatch: Women earn less than men even in woman-dominated jobs
Don Boudreaux / Cafe Hayek: Quotation of the Day... ... is from Mark Perry's and Andrew …
Betsy Newmark / Betsy's Page: Cruising the Web — Harry Reid is not a natural politician.
Tal Kopan / Politico:
Charles Krauthammer hits Jeb Bush comments — Conservative commentator Charles Krauthammer says comments from former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush about immigration being an act of love were "bizarre," predicting that when the Republican enters the presidential race, those words will come back to haunt him.
Discussion: The Week
Ryu Spaeth / The Week: Fox News analyst isn't buying the Jeb Bush 2016 hype
Fox News:
Jeb Bush says decision on 2016 run coming before year's end, says illegal immigration can be 'act of love'
Jeb Bush says decision on 2016 run coming before year's end, says illegal immigration can be 'act of love'
Discussion: The Hugh Hewitt Show, BuzzFeed, The Week, Real Clear Politics, PoliticusUSA, Hot Air, National Review, CNN and Vox
Hugh Hewitt / The Hugh Hewitt Show: Jeb's Biggest Problem With The Base
Ben Smith / BuzzFeed: Why Jeb Bush Is A Terrible Candidate
Hrafnkell Haraldsson / PoliticusUSA: Jeb Bush - 2016′s Obligatory Sane Republican?
Allahpundit / Hot Air: Quotes of the day — With eyes increasingly on him …
Mark Krikorian / National Review: Jeb's Gibberish — Sure, some illegal immigrants are acting out of love.
Benny Johnson / BuzzFeed:
Bush Aides Push Jeb To Run For President
Bush Aides Push Jeb To Run For President
Tea Party's great dunce-off: How Ted Cruz is quietly kicking Rand Paul's butt — A little-noticed speech tells all you need to know about the right fringe — and why Cruz gets it more than Paul — There's been a lot of chatter recently about certain GOP presidential hopefuls' religious pilgrimage …
Discussion: Bloomberg View, The Fix, NewsBusters and Hullabaloo
Jonathan Bernstein / Bloomberg View: There Is No Republican Civil War
Jaime Fuller / The Fix: Rand's Paul foreign policy views are not like the other potential 2016 candidates. Does it matter?
Tom Johnson / NewsBusters: Salon: In the Tea Party 'Dunce-off,' Rand Paul Attracts Bigots, While Bible-Thumpers Love Ted Cruz
John D. McKinnon / Wall Street Journal:
GOP Report on IRS: Only Tea Party Groups Received 'Systematic Scrutiny'
GOP Report on IRS: Only Tea Party Groups Received 'Systematic Scrutiny'
Discussion: The Other McCain, RedState, NewsBusters, The Daily Caller and The PJ Tatler
Robert Stacy McCain / The Other McCain: New Report Debunks IRS Claims
Patrick Howley / The Daily Caller: IRS agents testified before Congress that the agency's political …
Bryan Preston / The PJ Tatler: IRS Agents: No Liberal Groups Were Targeted
Hannah Levintova / Mother Jones:
OkCupid's CEO Donated to an Anti-Gay Campaign Once, Too — OkCupid co-founder Sam Yagan Anthony Behar/Sipa USA/AP Images — Last week, the online dating site OkCupid switched up its homepage for Mozilla Firefox users. Upon opening the site, a message appeared encouraging members to curb …
Discussion: Uncrunched, Hit & Run, Weasel Zippers, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, The Week, Ed Driscoll and National Review
Michael Arrington / Uncrunched: The Hypocrisy Of Sam Yagan & OkCupid
Ed Krayewski / Hit & Run: Mother Jones: OkCupid Push Against Mozilla CEO Looking More Like a PR Stunt Than a Protest
ZIP / Weasel Zippers: OkCupid's CEO Who Helped Forced Mozilla CEO Out Also Donated To Anti-Gay Campaign...
William A. Jacobson / Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion: So, was evisceration of Brendan Eich "a PR stunt ... nothing but a PR stunt"?
Edward Morrissey / The Week: Brendan Eich and the slow death of tolerance in American politics
Hans A. von Spakovsky / National Review: Mozilla's Statement on the Brendan Eich Controversy, Explained
Wbastone / The Smoking Gun:
Al Sharpton's Secret Work As FBI Informant — Untold story of how activist once aided probes of NYC wiseguys — When friends and family members gathered recently at the White House for a private celebration of Michelle Obama's 50th birthday, one of the invited partygoers was a former paid FBI Mafia informant.
Catherine Thompson / Talking Points Memo: Al Sharpton: Yes, I Helped The FBI, But I Was Never An 'Informant'
David Ferguson / The Raw Story: Details revealed about MSNBC host Rev. Al Sharpton's work as FBI mob informant
Janet Shan / Hinterland Gazette: The Smoking Gun: MSNBC Host Rev. Al Sharpton Was a FBI Informant (Credit: TSG)
Lucy McCalmont / Politico: Al Sharpton: I wasn't FBI informant
Matt Wilstein / Mediaite: Al Sharpton Denies Secret Past as FBI Informant
Jim Treacher / The Daily Caller: Al Sharpton: FBI informant
DMartyr / The Jawa Report: Al Sharpton, FBI Snitch
Jessica Chasmar / Washington Times: Rev. Al Sharpton is a former paid FBI informant: report
ZIP / Weasel Zippers: Report: Al Sharpton Former FBI Informant, Taped Meetings He Had With The Mafia...
Erin Durkin / NY Daily News:
Rev. Al Sharpton worked as FBI informant, taping conversations with mob pals to help bring …
Rev. Al Sharpton worked as FBI informant, taping conversations with mob pals to help bring …
Discussion: Main Justice, CANNONFIRE and Firedoglake
Joseph / CANNONFIRE: Sharpton
DSWright / Firedoglake: Al Sharpton Was Previously FBI Informant
James Taranto / Wall Street Journal:
The illiberal left lacks confidence in its ideas. — "The debate over repealing this law is over," President Obama declared last Tuesday in reference to ObamaCare. April Fool! By the end of the week some of Obama's most loyal media supporters were proving him wrong—by repeating his arguments.
Discussion: Instapundit, The Daily Banter, The Huffington Post, Los Angeles Times, ThinkProgress and Runnin' Scared
Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit: JAMES TARANTO: 'Shut Up' Is No Argument: The illiberal left lacks confidence in its ideas.
Tommy Christopher / The Daily Banter: Mozilla Ex-CEO Brendan Eich is Not The Gay Fredo Corleone
Justin Sink / The Hill:
WH says its gender pay gap 'better than the national average' — The White House on Monday looked to deflect criticism over its own pay policies ahead of an event Tuesday on lessening wage discrimination. — White House press secretary Jay Carney was peppered by questions from reporters …
Discussion: Hot Air
Ed Morrissey / Hot Air: WH: Hey, our gender pay gap is less than average!
Vandals Flip Over Smart Cars in San Francisco — Someone's been vandalizing compact Smart cars in San Francisco, flipping the tiny vehicles on their front and rear ends in the city's streets. — NBC Bay Area found four of the targeted Smart cars between Sunday night and Monday morning.
Discussion: VodkaPundit, Mashable, The Daily Caller, KFOR-TV, National Review and The Week
Stephen Green / VodkaPundit: News You Can Use
Alex Magdaleno / Mashable: If Caught, San Francisco Vandals Who Tip Smart Cars Will Face Felony Charges
Jim Treacher / The Daily Caller: Someone's tipping over smart cars in San Francisco
Greg Pollowitz / National Review: Cow Tipping? Out. Smart-Car Tipping? In.
Jordan Valinsky / The Week: Vandals are flipping over Smart Cars in San Francisco
New York Times:
A Familiar Script in Ukraine — The events taking place in Donetsk and elsewhere in eastern Ukraine are very similar to those that led up to the Russian annexation of Crimea. In fact, the pro-Russian secessionists who seized the local administration building in Donetsk …
Glenn Harlan Reynolds / USA Today:
Silicon Valley scares Americans: Column — After the NSA spying scandal, many don't trust the techies of Google and Facebook. — Silicon Valley has a trust problem, and it's growing. Some of this is the result of National Security Agency spying — and the tech community's cooperation with same …
Discussion: Popular Mechanics
Elianayjohnson / National Review:
House Turns Up the Heat on Lerner, Pursues Criminal Charges — The House Ways and Means Committee, led by outgoing chairman Dave Camp, will vote this week to ask the Department of Justice to pursue criminal charges against former Internal Revenue Service employee Lois Lerner.
Discussion: Washington Free Beacon
Katie Glueck / Politico:
Foster Friess's Obamacare-Hitler parody — Republican mega-donor Foster Friess is offering a parody video targeting Obamacare...starring Adolf Hitler. — The nearly-four minute segment, posted at FosterFriess.com and, as first reported by the Daily Beast, blasted out to his email list …
Discussion: The Daily Beast and Liberaland
San Francisco Examiner, The San Francisco Examiner:
California Senate erases websites of 3 lawmakers, including Leland Yee — by The Associated Press The California Senate has erased the names and online archives of three suspended lawmakers entangled in criminal cases. — The Senate removed pictures, video clips and legislative archives …


text:
A Customer Example of An Electronics Traceability Application
Samsung in South Korea was able to replace manual barcode scanning with fixed-mount barcode readers in order to increase production volumes by 20-30% in an electronics traceability application.
At a PCB (printed circuit board) testing station, each operator would scan the codes on two PCBs before performing the tests, The manual barcode scanning took employees 20 to 30 seconds to complete which slowed down the entire line. In addition to the extra time, the codes were placed on the PCBs at 30 degree angles causing the scanners to struggle with low read rates. Samsung was able to work with a Cognex partner, Shenzhen Xihai Data Acquisition System Co., Ltd. of China to increase efficiency by adding advanced image-based fixed-mount readers to automate the scanning part of the testing process.
The DataMan barcode scanner was chosen because of its high read rates, speed, wide viewing angle, and its ability to see and scan codes at extreme angles. After evaluating the new readers on four production lines, all of the plant's manual barcode scanning stations were replaced. Because of this success, Samsung is also considering other applications along their production line to help their electronics traceability initiatives.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
C3S :: Ignition Mix marks the start of the Cultural Commons Collecting Society's (C3S) launching phase. By 15th July 2013, C3S kicks off a crowdfunding campaign to give supporters the opportunity to purchase shares and join C3S in becoming an alternative to dusted collecting societies.
Singvøgel's take on C3S:
"It's time for a fair and modern alternative to traditional collecting societies. One that gives artists full control over their work and business and listeners the security to know exactly what they are allowed to do. Based on every single piece, No total-buy-out on the one side, no criminalisation on the other. With a fair distribution of revenues. And with the option to give away single pieces for free and to earn money for others. Because every piece of music is a unique entity and deserves to be treated unique."
C3S want to build a collecting society in collaboration with indie & DIY artists and for these artists. For you. With you. It's for the artist who can't identify with other collecting societies but who wants to make a living from CC-BY-NC licences.
C3S will start in Germany as an upcoming competitor to GEMA. But the foundation is a European one - a Registered European Cooperative. Which means, every User Member (anyone who creates / arranges / remixes / writes music) will have equal voting rights. Plus, in the long term, C3S is going to take the role of one collecting society for every European country.
We think each artist should be entirely free which licence to use: Creative Commons (which we support most), but also "all rights reserved". Yet, we don't want to administer all of your songs. It's your choice. And it's your choice if you want to license one song for free, and another one not.
Other collecting societies don't make use of available technology to calculate the accurate distribution of licence fees. It's easy, and data is around. But they take samples and calculate the distribution of revenues by questionable distributional keys.
Finally, there's the need to integrate with social media. With micro payment. With honoring (like flattr) and even donations. It's important for indie & DIY artists... and for user generated content. Imagine a flattr button in your music player. For upcoming artists, this would a huge improvement.
Here's what artist's have got to say about C3S...
Von Korf:
"We support the C3S because we believe if platforms make money with music they must compensate the artists while non-commercial use should be free and derivative works should be possible."
Wolf Nilson Trio (who are running a crowdfunding campaign to fund a concert video DVD):
"We as artists want to be free in making music. We want to be free in licensing. But we need to make a living from our music - that's why we need a collecting society who enables us to have both."
"Believing in a future when copy rights should be in a fair use for copy right´s holder and user. The future is not unwritten, the future is today."
"Towards a fair and modern compensation of artists: C3S – Cultural Commons Collecting Society"
"we support C3S because its overall concept is a blessing for artistic license and DIY artists."
Marco Trovatello:
"To me, foundation of C3S is long overdue. Stop bashing GEMA, join C3S and support liberation of artists and fair dissemination of cultural goods."
iD.EOLOGY netlabel:
"The freedom that the internet offers bears great opportunities for cultural progress and a continuously vital creative scene that spans the globe. Hence it should be possible for musicians and labels to make use of these opportunities while enjoying a chance for revenue if their music is being used in a commercial frame. This is exactly what C3S makes possible, but what has to this date been denied to by the established German collecting-society GEMA. Their existing monopoly is an obstacle to new means of artist promotion, fanbase building and music distribution facilitated by the internet. Hence this monopoly has to fall, and C3S to us seems like the most promising and well-conceived model so far in order to achieve this aim."
Ingvo Clauder:
"Diversity leads to diversity."
"I support C3S, because I think it is really important to have an alternative to GEMA in Germany, to SUISA in Switzerland and in other countries. We need to modernize copyright in the digital age, we need collecting societies that support Creative Commons and we need a collecting society that works transparent, fair and effective. All this is missing at the moment and C3S could be the future."
Hey @Roksvamp, here you go: http://blog.c3s.cc/c3s-searching-jamendo-artists-cc-sampler/ This time Jamendo only, but there's more to come. Just keep following us on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/C3S), facebook (https://www.facebook.com/c3s.cc) or G+. We promise to have more English posts ;) If you want to join our English newsletter, you may subscribe here: https://lists.c3s.cc/mailman/list...
I hope there will be a lot more sampler of C3S
Fixed the DL errors... everything should be working smooth now! Groove on! W
ahoy! nice, nice, nice! looking forward to becoming a member of c3s ;) greetz


text:
Request Service
To contact us for a service request, please complete the following form. We will process your request and contact you during normal business hours to schedule a time.
Contact Us
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To learn more about Allendale Heating Company and the services we provide, please take a few moments to browse our website. If you are looking for a specific product or service, you can use our site search above. If you are unable to find what you are looking for, please don't hesitate to give us a call.
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at 616-895-4949
for more information!
Servicing the following communities and surrounding areas.
Ada, Allendale, Borculo, Byron Center, Coopersville, Conklin, East Grand Rapids, Ferrysburg, Fruitport, Georgetown, Grandville, Grand Haven, Grand Rapids, Holland, Hudsonville, Jamestown, Jenison, Lamont, Marne, Norton Shores, Nunica, Spring Lake, Walker, Wyoming, Zeeland


text:
Novelist and reformed alcoholic Susan Cheever is sad her friends don't get publicly shitcanned anymore, because now she can't feel superior to them.
Cheever writes on the New York Times' website that people in New York are drinking less, and she bases this conclusion on the anecdotal evidence that those in her circle are drinking less. Two things about that: Susan, honey, you're 65 years old. Perhaps part of the reason your friends drink less now is that they can't stomach it anymore! But, she takes this opportunity to say that she misses when her buddies used to get fall down drunk because "For us sober people there is a kind of drunkenfreude to watching others embarrass themselves, mangle their words and do things they will regret in the morning — if they even remember them in the morning."
Cheever gleefully describes a friend tottering around at a party a decade ago.
As dessert ended, the woman in the red dress got up and stumbled toward the bathroom… As coffee splashed into porcelain demitasse cups, the woman in the red dress returned, sank sloppily into her chair and reached for the Courvoisier. Someone gently moved the bottle away. "Are you shaying I'm drunk?" she demanded. Even in the candlelight I noticed that the lipstick she had reapplied was slightly to the left of her lips
Would this friend have described herself as merely "tipsy"? Maybe, because according to a new report, women use euphemisms to describe their excessive drinking, and those euphemisms can lead them to underestimate their intake. According to the Telegraph, "Men used more forceful words, like 'hammered' and 'wasted'. The researchers found that when women described an evening's drinking as getting 'tipsy' they were talking about consuming four drinks over two hours which is actually classed as a binge for females."
Moral of these two stories? Beware of getting tipsy, ladies, or your abstemious friends will feel smugly superior. Happy holidays!
Drunkenfreude [NY Times]
'Tipsy' Women Have Drunk More Than They Realise [Telegraph]


text:
|On Localization
|Gettext Tools
|Related Articles
|PO Diffing, Summiting Translation Branches, Review by Ascription
|External Reading
Pology is a Python library and a set of command-line tools for processing PO files. The library aims to enable easy, fast and robust creation of scripts for tackling problems encountered in the "field", in everyday translation work. The tools perform various specialized operations, beyond that of other PO-handling software. Some of the tools are designed to (or have provisions to) treat a collection of PO files as an entity unto itself.
In Pology, no attempt is made to handle any other translation file format but PO. All of the end-user tools and library programming interfaces are geared towards the technical aspects, conventions and workflows around the PO format. For example, some tools explicitly take into account that PO files are frequently kept under version control, providing the functionality to support that workflow.
Language- and project-specific support is present throughout Pology, and it is designed to be easily expanded in the future. In the context of KDE, for example, there is a tool for validating PO files within the KDE Translation Project: it will recognize the "role" of the particular PO file (e.g. a native KDE code PO file, a .desktop PO file, Docbook PO file...) and then apply checks appropriate for that role. (This tool is run weekly on KDE servers, on PO files of all languages, and results announced to kde-i18n-doc mailing list.)
Pology source distribution can be fetched from its home page at:
The home page also links to on-line documentation (user manual and library API), and provides instructions for browsing or fetching the current development code.


text:
Elma Electronic, Inc. has introduced the X4, the first in a family of new rugged switches based on the latest Hall Effect sensor coding technology. Hall Effect sensing technology offers enhanced reliability and performance where conventional switches would not survive, such as in the presence of dust and/or vibration.
Products that could benefit from this new switch technology would be any device required to withstand harsh environments as found in the construction, transportation, industrial and defense industries.
Elma's X4 series Hall Effect sensor coded switch features a 5-bit gray code output with 12 or 24 positions for improved resolution as well as parallel analog and PWM outputs. The X4 is available in two indexing angles, either 30° or 15°. Selectable switching torque, from 1.5 N cm to 20 N cm, is available and the indexing mechanism itself boasts a life of up to 100,000 switching cycles.
Designed to meet IP68 (with optional sealing), the new X4 switch features high-quality construction including a stainless steel shaft and zinc housing, making it suitable for use in high humidity and salt atmosphere environments. It is also resistant against a variety of other environmental stress factors like shaft load, shock, vibration, water pressure and fire.
The rugged design enables the X4 switch to operate in a wide range of temperatures (-30°C to 85°C). The new switch also meets MIL-STD-202G and MIL-STD-810F for humidity.
Along with a push-button switch option, the X4 series Hall Effect sensor coded switch can be customized with different shaft styles, connectors and cabling as well as electrical interfacing such as CANbus, SPI and I2C.
This family of X4 Series Hall Effect sensor coded switches includes versions for audio applications, including one for audio attenuation.
Pricing for the X4 series Switch starts at $20 per unit. Delivery is eight weeks ARO with some samples available within one week. For more information, please click here.


text:
ClamCase, maker of the ClamCase laptop-style iPad keyboard case, this week revealed the ClamBook, a laptop-style docking station for the iPhone and Android smartphones.
With a design that could easily be mistaken for a MacBook Air, the ClamBook provides a 16:9 widescreen, laptop-style display and a full-size keyboard. The keyboard connects to your iPhone (or other iOS device) wirelessly via Bluetooth, and the display connects using a standard USB-to-dock-connector cable. As with other video-out solutions, the ClamBook either mirrors your iOS device's display or, if a particular app provides enhanced video output, shows full-screen, high-resolution video. (For example, some games and video-focused apps provide true 16:9 output.) Though the product's website is heavy with Android screenshots, it does show Real Racing HD playing from an iPod touch.
ClamCase told Macworld that the company will also be releasing a WebKit-based iOS browser optimized for watching online video on the ClamBook's screen. An API will also be available for developers to take advantage of special hardware features.
ClamCase has not yet announced pricing or specifications, but the company says the Clambook will be available for the 2012 holiday season.


text:
A catchy pop commercial track that brings out the good things in life. Summer days, high school antics, family vacation and the joys of being alive. A relaxing beat, not too fast not to slow. Features electric guitars, piano, organs, drum kit and contemporary hip hop beats. Ideal for commercial advertising, radio and presentations. Includes WAV and MP3.
DOWNLOAD includes TWO tracks:
With Vocals: 3:08 (0:00-3:08 in preview)
Instruments Only: 3:08 (3:09-6:15 in preview)
• Female Vocals Collection
• Commercial POP
REMASTERED UPDATE: July 15, 2015


text:
|OpenBSD General Other questions regarding OpenBSD which do not fit in any of the categories below.
|Thread Tools
|Display Modes
bwi0 on Powerbook G4 crashes
Hi all, this is my first post here, so I please bare with me as I am learning the etiquette.
I recently installed OpenBSD 5.2 macppc on an Apple Powerbook G4. I can provide more info if needed but as a starting point, the bwi driver never worked for me and crashes every time I try to configure the card, continued blue lines.
It seems fine in the dmesg and I can actually "see" the interface as bwi0 with ifconfig but when I try to configure it, it just crashes and only way out is a power cycle.
I think other people had the same problem too but cannot seem to find a clear answer if it is a hardware or software issue, however I did run the hardware diagnostics that come with the Apple CD (OK) and the card seems to work fine under Mac OS X so I am guessing there's someting wrong with the firmware for the card.
I also tried other versions of the bwi firmware from firmware.openbsd.org but to no avail.
I would appreciate any pointers on this.
Last edited by tsarpal; 15th February 2013 at 09:47 AM.
This is a small site, & unfortunately most here don't have experience with OpenBSD on the macppc architecture. Nevertheless, it appears you have dug into the problem enough to surmise that if the same hardware works with OS X, then it is most likely a firmware or driver issue on OpenBSD's side.
You really need to be talking to the project developers about this issue. Although a few OpenBSD developers read this site on occasion, the regulars here are not officially associated with the project, as this site exists independently of the OpenBSD project. Your best bet for resolution is to communicate directly with the developers themselves.
OpenBSD 5.2 was tagged in CVS August 2012, & there has been a number of months of development since. The first question any project developer is going to ask is whether you find resolution by running a recent snapshot of -current. If you are not familiar with OpenBSD's flavors, study Section 5.1 of the FAQ.
With respect to contacting the project developers, you can either post to the project mailing lists, or send a formal report. In my opinion, the best option you have is to file a bug report. Information on submitting can be found below:
OpenBSD"s beta development is quickly ending for OpenBSD 5.3. I have no knowledge of whether your problem will be resolved in 5.3 as I have no official ties to the OpenBSD project. Again, the first step you should try is to install -current, & test there.
Last edited by ocicat; 15th February 2013 at 10:26 AM. Reason: clarity
Hi and thanks for the extensive reply, it really is what I was looking for! I will go ahead with what you suggested and will repost if I find a solution.
Best regards!
Hi, I run my bwi0 on both mac and compaq presario laptops without a problem, but not before I ran the fw_update.... I assume, of course, this hasn't worked for you, as you've tried other firmware versions? Also, have you tried running the fw_update while connected to the internet through your hard-line ethernet modem? fw_update accesses fw drivers for you only if you are online. It sounds as though the fw has worked insofar as running 'ifconfig bwi0' shows it as up and running or at least recognizes it ?? am I reading you correctly? If so, what does your $ifconfig bwi0 say before/after it 'crashes'? Can you run it with the 'dhclient bwi0' before it crashes?
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|13th July 2008 11:22 PM


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Did you know that you could spend just $4 on an HDMI cable, and the quality would be just as good as those expensive $50 cords? That's just one of the myths we're busting.
In this day and age, it's easy to fall victim to marketing hype. And while the Internet can be a priceless research tool for separating fact from fiction, when not used correctly, it can also help spread all types of myths that ultimately result in consumers spending more money than they should. From overused buzzwords to high-priced TV cables, we shine light on 11 of the most common tech myths that people still fall for. Brush up on the list now so you don't get taken for a ride later.
1. 4K TVs Are Better Than 1080p TVs
4K HDTVs offer resolutions that are 4x greater than that of current 1080p HDTVs. But as CNET notes, "if you have 20/20 vision, sit about 10 feet from your TV, and are buying a typical TV (50″ or so), you're not going to see the additional resolution." It's when you sit extremely close to a 4K TV that you begin to notice the difference and even then, CNET says it's not that apparent. Furthermore, there are some 1080p TVs that offer better picture quality than some of the cheaper entry-level 4K TVs. So regardless of what your local big box store salesperson tells you, 4K resolution is not the holy grail of TVs.
2. Only Off-Brand Tablets See Discounts
We see plenty of deals on off-brand tablets from companies like Emerson and Hisense, but let's be honest — you probably don't want a Hisense tablet. Fortunately, you can buy a mainstream tablet from Apple, Amazon, or Google and not pay full price. With competition at an all-time high, we're seeing an abundance of tablet deals on models that in the past might not have seen any discounts. So if a brand-name tablet is what you want, a discount is always around the corner.
3. 3D Printers Are Notoriously Expensive
Like all new technology, 3D printers were prohibitively expensive when they first hit the tech scene. But increased competition, expired patents, and widespread acceptance of the technology had led to lower prices. In fact, small 3D printers sell for $500 to $800. That's still considerably more expensive than a laser printer, but deals do exist and prices are slowly dropping.
4. Plasma TVs Are Dead & Not Worth Your Money
Despite manufacturing some of the best plasma TVs in the market, last year Panasonic bowed out of the plasma business, leaving LG and Samsung as the last major supporters of the technology. While the tea leaves look grim for plasma, the door isn't completely closed as both Samsung and LG have announced their lineup of 2014 plasma TVs. So while Panasonic and its top-rated TVs may be harder to find this year, the plasma torch will be carried (for now) by LG and Samsung.
5. Expensive HDMI Cables Mean Better Image Quality
While you may think the quality of your media relies on the cable that transmits it, you don't actually need to spend upwards of $50 on an HDMI cord. Various media outlets have debunked this myth, and based on the deals we see, consumers should spend no more than $4 on a 6-foot cable. In fact, Monoprice offers one for $3.54.
6. Faster Processors Translate to Smoother Performance
As consumers, we've been trained to believe that a faster processor on a tablet or laptop equates to a smoother experience. That may have been true when the Pentium processor reigned supreme, but today you probably wouldn't notice the difference between a Core i5 clocked at 2.3GHz and one at 2.5GHz.
Instead, you're better off looking at the number of cores in the processor. A dual-core system is sufficient for everyday computing (streaming HD movies, Twitter, Facebook), but a quad-core CPU (accompanied by a graphics card) will offer more horsepower for HD video editing or playing the latest PC games at full resolution. Likewise, more RAM and a solid state drive can all help increase the speed of your device, independent of what processor lies inside.
7. Apple Products Never See Discounts
Shopping exclusively at the Apple Store is bad for your wallet. As we've noted before, deals on Apple products can come as quickly as two days after a product's debut — that is, if you shop at authorized resellers. And though you may think Apple's Black Friday Sale is the sale of the year for the Apple faithful, the truth is we see better Apple sales from resellers year-round. The iPhone 5S, for instance, is currently selling for $199 via Apple. Shop around at retailers like MacMall, Best Buy, and Amazon, and you'll see that the 16GB model has already hit a price low of $125; a price point you may never see if you shop exclusively at the Apple Store.
8. Refurbished Electronics Are Always Scratched and/or Dented
While refurbished electronics are often stigmatized as "rejects," many of them have actually undergone better and more rigorous testing standards than new products. In addition, they can offer savings of up to 50%. When buying refurbs, we recommend researching who you're buying from. For instance, Apple, Amazon, and Best Buy offer an assortment of refurbs that have undergone thorough testing standards. Read our complete list of the top brands for refurbished goods for more information.
9. Always Splurge on an Extended Warranty
Extended warranties are pure profit for retailers, as they pocket more than 50% of an extended warranty's cost. Rather than be bullied into buying one the next time you're at a retail store, take a look at the warranty provided by the manufacturer (which oftentimes is more than sufficient) and research warranties provided by third parties like SquareTrade. Moreover, some credit cards will automatically double the original manufacturer's warranty for up to a year when you pay with their card.
10. Black Friday Is the Best Time to Shop for Consumer Electronics
While it's true that November sees the deepest discounts on many electronics — thanks in part to Black Friday season and Cyber Monday — the discounts are traditionally for cheaper, off-brand items. Brand-name HDTVs and high-end laptops, for instance, see better deals in the months after Black Friday. For the best time to buy specific gadgets, follow our monthly buying guides.
11. New Gadgets Offer the Full Storage Capacity They Advertise
It'd be great if laptops and tablets offered the exact storage space they advertise, but the reality is many of these hard drives come pre-loaded with software, which may diminish some of their advertised storage capacities. (You'll usually find a disclaimer on the packaging that states something about the product's actual formatted capacity.) While the lost storage space is usually unnoticeable, in the case of laptops with solid state drives (SSD) — like Apple's MacBook Air — the diminished capacity is very noticeable and could turn your 64GB laptop into a 48GB machine.
Understanding technology can be tricky to the uninitiated. But that doesn't mean you should be taken advantage of. With a little research and the right guidance, you can avoid the marketing bait and shop like a savvy consumer.
Related DealNews Features:
- 10 Brand Social Media Campaigns That Ruled the Internet
- A Cheaper iPhone 5c Would Be Terrible for the Subsidization Model
- Survey Says: RadioShack's Prices Are Too High & No One Shops Online
The above article was written by Louis Ramirez on behalf of our friends at Deal News.


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Neustar Receives Exceptional Customer Satisfaction Ratings in 2012 NPAC Performance Survey
Neustar Receives Exceptional Customer Satisfaction Ratings in 2012 NPAC Performance Survey
STERLING, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Neustar, Inc. (NYS: NSR) , the United States' Local Number Portability Administrator (LNPA), earned a near-perfect score in an independent customer survey for its performance in 2012. Neustar scored 3.9 out of a possible 4.0 in overall customer focus, with an average score of 3.84 out of 4.0 across all surveyed categories. The report measures all aspects of Neustar's service, including customer satisfaction, operational excellence and neutrality.
As the LNPA, Neustar operates the Number Portability Administration Center (NPAC), the nationwide telephone number registry that enhances innovation and competition in the U.S. telecommunications market by allowing consumers to keep their phone numbers when choosing a new service provider. The impressive survey results reflect the assessments of service providers across the country of all sizes and network technologies, including fixed line, wireless and Voice over IP (VoIP) providers.
The survey, which is conducted annually by The Management Network Group, Inc., offers a broad evaluation of each aspect of the LNPA's performance. Developed in partnership with the communications industry, the survey examines Neustar's responsiveness, industry expertise, neutrality in operations and innovations, billing timeliness and accuracy, system performance, clarity and reliability of communications, and overall attention to customer needs.
Service providers were asked to rate these components of Neustar's service on a scale of 1 to 4, with 4 meaning "extremely satisfied" and 1 meaning "completely dissatisfied." The 2012 average score of 3.84 means that virtually all respondents are extremely satisfied with Neustar's performance. In particular, Neustar's score of 3.9 for "overall customer focus" demonstrates Neustar's commitment to meeting the needs of service providers - and the consumers they serve - at a time of extraordinary innovation in the communications industry.
Neustar has received exceptional customer satisfaction ratings for the past 10 years. In 2011, Neustar received an average score of 3.8 out of 4.0, and it received a higher rating in nearly every category in 2012.
"The results of these customer surveys demonstrate once again that Neustar is a trusted and reliable partner with the communications industry, as we provide number portability services that U.S. consumers and businesses depend on 24/7," said Steve Edwards, Senior Vice President of Carrier Services for Neustar. "Given how critical local number portability is to our customers' day-to-day success, providing the highest level of service is our number one priority. Every year, we strive to address the valuable feedback we receive through the customer survey in order to continue investing in our operation and satisfying our customers' evolving needs. We are gratified that our customers recognize the expertise, experience and hard work that ensure that the communications industry and American consumers have the most reliable and effective local number portability service in the world."
Local number portability services have been an essential part of the U.S. communications infrastructure since the beginning of Neustar's nationwide administration of the NPAC. Consumers have reaped significant benefits from the competition and innovation that result from a high-performing number portability infrastructure. The complexity of the LNP operation - and the large number of service providers it supports - requires an administrator with a proven track record of performance. The service provider feedback is as an important reminder that degradations or lapses in the execution of local number portability carry numerous risks not only to service provider operations, but also to the consumer experience that the U.S. public has come to expect.
About Neustar:
Neustar, Inc. is a trusted, neutral provider of real-time information and analysis to the Internet, telecommunications, information services, financial services, retail, media and advertising sectors. Neustar applies its advanced, secure technologies in location, identification, and evaluation to help its customers promote and protect their businesses. More information is available at http://www.neustar.biz.
Kim Hart, 202-533-2934
KEYWORDS: United States North America Virginia
The article Neustar Receives Exceptional Customer Satisfaction Ratings in 2012 NPAC Performance Survey originally appeared on Fool.com.
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Why Buy This Product?
How It Works
Black Light Car Wash Soap is the perfect shampoo for cleaning and enhancing black and dark colored vehicles. The advanced auto wash takes shine to new levels of depth and clarity. Black Light Car Wash Soap produces thick, slick, and rich foam that lasts through an entire car wash. The super high suds wash safely removes dirt, grime, and road film for a brilliant shine. Black Light Car Wash Soap is clearcoat safe and will not strip wax or sealant. Gloss technology agents enhance a deep lustrous shine on black and dark color paint finishes. Use Black Light Car Wash Soap in any foam gun or foam cannon for added soapy suds along with the traditional two bucket car wash method. When used in a foam cannon, Black Light Soap produces thick foamy suds that cling to automotive surfaces and help release dirt and grime for a gentle scratch-free wash. Black Light Car Wash Soap restores a dark, lustrous, wet, and mysterious shine to black and dark colored vehicles. Non-streaking formula rinses clean with zero residue. Black Light Car Wash Soap is pH-balanced and protects wax and sealant coatings. Ultra slick car wash soap reduces swirl marks and scratches on black paintwork. Experience the ultimate wash for black and dark colored vehicles with Chemical Guys Black Light Car Wash soap.
Scratch Free Washing For Black And Dark Cars
Maintaining black paint is a full time job. Detailers and enthusiasts lovingly care for their black paintwork, only to find it full of swirls and scratches after a few weekly washes. Poor quality car wash soaps, towels, and bad wash habits contribute to millions of scratches all over the surface, which is perceived as swirls. Start every wash out right with Black Light Car Wash soap. Black Light uses advanced synthetic lubricants, hyper-surfactants, and gloss enhancers to emulsify dirt, separate it from the surface, and gently guide it away for a scratch-free shine. Use Black Light soap with the two-bucket car wash method to safely pull abrasive dirt off the car, then wash it from the mitt for an abrasion-free wash tool. Add Black Light Car Wash soap to the foam gun or foam cannon to pre-soak and separate abrasive dirt and debris from paintwork to further reduce the chances of installing any swirls or scratches. Finish the car wash with a premium microfiber towel and Hybrid V7 quick detail spray for a perfect scratch-free shine on any show car, daily driver, or fleet vehicle.
Versatile Cleaning Formula For Full Auto Detailing
Black Light Car Wash soap is the perfect soap for a full detail on any black or dark colored vehicle. Use Black Light soap to wash paintwork, and remove dirt, mud, bird droppings, insect splatters, road salt, fresh water spots, and more. Fill a third bucket with Black Light soap and water just for cleaning wheels, undercarriage parts, and exhaust tips. Black Light soap easily removes road grime, brake dust, and filth from painted, chrome, powder coated, and polished wheels and rims. Black Light is safe for textured plastics, rubber, clear optical plastics, glass, paintwork, vinyl tops, clear convertible windows, convertible fabric tops, and any other automotive exterior surface. Rinse down the car after a full wash with Black Light soap, then re-foam the car and use Black Light soap as a lubricant for synthetic clay mitts and erasers to decontaminate the surface for a smooth-as-glass feel. The uses for Black Light soap are limitless. Clean, shine, protect, and maintain a scratch and swirl free lustrous shine on black and dark cars with Chemical Guys Black Light Car wash soap.
Safe For Wax And Sealant
Maintaining your vehicle's protective wax or sealant layer is important. wax and sealant protect your car from UV rays, water spots, and contamination. Stripper Suds works to maintain your protective wax or sealant layer. The unique washing formula allows dirt, grime, and filth to be washed away while still maintaining your protective layer. Black Light Car wash soap is designed to wash any exterior surface with precision. Simply mix 1-3 ounces of Black Light Car wash soap to 5 gallons of water to create a superior surface cleanser with a generous amount of wash suds. The advanced super polymers glide over your current wax or sealant layer ensuring that your car, truck, motorcycle, or RV stays protected against the elements. Black Light Hybrid Radiant Finish Car wash soap will show you the true definition of clean.
Unique Black Light Look, Feel, And Scent
Black Light Hybrid Radiant Finish set a new standard for optical select glazes. The world had never seen a glaze enhance such extreme depth, deep wet shine, and brilliant lustrous finish like Black Light. Now Black Light Car wash soap cleans, enhances, and prolongs the beautiful effects of Black Light with every car wash. Black Light Car wash soap is tough on grime and contamination, but gentle on sealants, glazes, and waxes. The wash soap is pH-neutral, and will not strip any protective coatings. The soap is so gentle and neutral it can be used in direct sunlight and rinsed clean without leaving any spots or streaks on any vehicle. The unique scent of Black Light enchanted and mesmerized detailers and enthusiasts worldwide with a mysterious aromatic blend that includes black cherry and natural fruit overtones. Black Light Car wash soap cleans and protects vehicles and spreads the aromatic Black Light fragrance that detailers and enthusiasts know and love.
Help Prevent Swirls And Scratches
When you are done washing your car and ready to dry it, use After wash to not only speed the drying process, but also moisturize your paint. 95% of swirls and scratches come from poor wash and drying habits. The advanced lubricating polymers in After wash glide any premium microfiber towel over paintwork for a scratch-free shine. After wash is available in 16 ounce / 473ml, and gallon sizes.
Need Help Choosing a soap?
Use this comparison chart as a reference.
Other Sizes Available
Black Light Hybrid Radiant Finish Car wash soap is also available in 3784ml // gallon size.
How To Use:
Shake Well
Add 1-3 oz. of Black Light Hybrid Radiant Finish Car wash soap to 5 gallons of water
Wash surface
Rinse using clean water for perfect shine
|Part Number
|16 ounces // 473ML
|Flip cap
|1 ounce to 4-5 gallons of water
|Black Cherry
|Gloss Enhancer
|Wax/Sealant safe
|Works in foam gun
|Slickness level
|pH balanced
|Safe for light color cars
|Safe for dark color cars
Additional Information


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Brain Test Level 227 I have OCD, help me
Brain Test Level 227 (new level) : I have OCD, help me complete walkthrough include answers, video, images, solutions. If you faced a level in Brain Test Game that you couldn't find its answer, follow us to see detailed hints and solutions. Image hints are also provided:
Brain Test Answers All Levels Updated [1-287+]
Here's the solution for Brain Test Level 227 :
Answer: Separate all of the balls by colors.
About Brain Test Game: "Brain Test is an addictive free tricky puzzle game with a series of tricky brain teasers. Different riddles testing will challenge your mind. This new puzzle game may break common sense and bring your new brain-pushing experience! You can enjoy yourself with your friends with this addictive and funny free IQ game. Get ready to take the quiz!".
Brain Test consists of many tricky puzzles that make you think outside the box. Therefore, the game brings a new puzzle experience that can be lots of fun and challenging. You can enjoy Brain Test alone in your room, but it can sometimes be even more fun when played with others like friends or family.
If you need more explanation please watch detailed easy walkthrough in this video :


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Making Health at Work a Social Affair
In June, the American Medical Association officially recognized obesity as a disease with the hopes of bringing greater awareness to the growing epidemic in this country.
We are making headway when it comes to obesity awareness, but when it comes to moving the ball on behavior change, that's an entirely different story.
Anywhere from 50 to 70% of health claims are lifestyle related—meaning most of our health problems are self created. We may know we are making bad choices, but we don't seem to be doing anything about it, particularly when it comes to being overweight and out of shape. One company that is trying to make a difference is a San Francisco start-up called Keas, an employee wellness program.
According to its CEO Josh Stevens , the mission of Keas is to help America lose one billion pounds. He claims fixing the wellness issue in this country is roughly a $2 trillion opportunity due to a reduction in health-care costs and the potential boost to productivity at companies.
The numbers seem to back him up. According to the World Economic Forum, companies that actively promote health and well-being experience:
- 3 times more productivity;
- 4 times less turnover in a given year;
- 2.5 times better employee performance.
Stevens says facilitating social interaction in the workplace about wellness will create peer motivation and inspire employees to take charge of their health. Keas is a holistic system designed to integrate what Stevens refers to as the four major components of personal health management:
- Biometrics
- Health risk assessments
- Activity data
- Trends and personal tracking
The above information is uploaded into a Facebook-style internal social media platform designed to help employees manage and track their personal health information as well as share it with select colleagues, friends and family. The platform allows employees to create and share profiles, team pages and leaderboards, as well as get access to educational content.
The more data you have at your disposal the better informed and self-aware you are about your physical state, says Stevens, who adds that being able to share your progress adds an extra layer of accountability to keep you honest and motivated.
Research out of MIT has shown that individuals who participate in online health communities are 166% more likely to make behavioral changes. Stevens says his hope is that if workers can spend at least 10 minutes a day engaging each other on wellness experiences, this will inspire others to spend that needed half-hour of physical activity per day to get in shape. "Moral indignation can be a powerful motivator."


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Dan Henderson and Johny Hendricks are sitting in a waiting room …
No, it's not the start of a joke featuring two decorated, heavy-handed wrestlers. Or maybe it is – a purgatory punch line dishing on the state of securing a title shot in the octagon.
The unwritten agreement between promoters and fighters is win, knock people out, deal with cameras and receive a title shot. It seems pretty straightforward, especially in the UFC, where delivering the "fights fans want to see" is the business model. That phrase resonates in mixed martial arts because it's a coded dig at the alphabet soup blockades that sometimes dull boxing. It's a declaration the UFC, like the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL – all the sports leagues fans regularly vote for with their hard-earned dollars – adheres to a playoff structure.
Fighting is the Super Bowl, not the BCS, right?
Henderson and Hendricks sitting alone trying to find answers for why they were skipped for title shots in favor of champions fighting opponents coming off losses is a lonely conversation. It's rehearsing for a trial already lost, a not-guilty defense plea destined to go unheard.
Chael Sonnen leapfrogging Henderson at 205 pounds to fight Jon Jones in April and Nick Diaz tagged to meet welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre next is a sore subject for the boxer-wrestlers. Yet it's a massive, delirium-inducing elephant in the room.
If Hendricks waits for the winner of St-Pierre and Diaz, he may be perceived as the pouty, entitled kid being picked last or being left out of the game entirely. Except he and everyone else knows he has the right to play after he knocked out former No. 1 contender Jon Fitch and perennial contender Martin Kampmann in less than a minute combined, beating another former title challenger in Josh Koscheck in between. If the Texan accepts another fight, he risks something he shouldn't have to in a risky business.
It goes for Henderson, too, although he's already taken another bout. He'll likely be squaring off with former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida at UFC 157 in February. The weight of an all-time great career – eventual Hall of Famer, legend, champion, even the disappearing distinction of tournament winner – peaking with perhaps the greatest battle in the sport's history versus former champion and fellow legend Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 139 wasn't enough to convince decision-makers the UFC should wait for him – not Sonnen – following the knee injury that forced him off UFC 151, losing his chance to be Jones' next opponent.
Henderson received a UFC title shot versus 185-pound kingpin Anderson Silva coming off a loss, but those circumstances were entirely different. The PRIDE champion held two belts in two different weight classes simultaneously, setting up back-to-back UFC unification bouts. It was the rarest of circumstances to challenge for a belt coming off a defeat – totally acceptable.
Hendricks is enduring the sting of being skipped over, but at least he has many years ahead – unlike Henderson. Henderson is 42 and has potentially had the final championship pages ripped out of his career book before he has a chance to pen this critical chapter.
There's nothing worse than a fighter petitioning for a title shot in-cage after demonstrating to the world why he earned it having to then tweet company president Dana White to beg for that shot again – or at the very least, get a reasonable explanation why he's not getting it. That's the universe fighting exists in now. If waiting isn't tough enough, try waiting for an @-reply.
Maybe Henderson and Hendricks aren't alone in that waiting room. Chuck Liddell may stop in with a nostalgic tale of Ken Shamrock, fresh off the loss to Don Frye that shaved years off his competitive abilities, passing him up to accept a big-money beating at the hands of Tito Ortiz. That's where this is really engaging. This is nothing new in the UFC. Ortiz-Shamrock was a decade ago at UFC 40 in 2002.
It's worth noting once the Ortiz-Shamrock pay-per-view ended, Liddell took his rightful spot, then went on a championship run that landed him in the UFC Hall of Fame while elevating the UFC's money stacks and fame.
The difference 10 years makes in this case is key. Back then, the UFC needed Ortiz-Shamrock to hit its first six-figure pay-per-view buy and a then-record $1.5 million gate. In the UFC on FOX Era, the obvious numbers grab feels contrived. Why act nervous fans won't tune in to a No. 1 contender fighting a champion when stadiums can be filled in Canada or Brazil? It undermines the idea the fighter standing in the No. 1 contender spot is poised to be the No. 1 draw in the division if he can beat the established No. 1 competitor in the weight class.
The best will fight the best on a UFC broadcast, which is why it's worth watching when there are so many other places for spectators to invest. Every fight for the belt is a must-see because it's the two most well prepared, deserving fighters on the planet taking that mega-stage – ideally.
Fans routinely shell out $50 for UFC pay-per-views featuring top-shelf fighters and championship stakes. To toy with the title picture by prizing overall entertainment factor over No. 1 contender credibility is perfectly within the promoter's right. The UFC can audible like it is with Diaz. It can even Hail Mary like it's doing with Sonnen. The problem is, within every fight the UFC reveals all its cards. Each bout is designed to unveil a new clear-cut contender, so pulling a sleight of hand inserting a fighter coming off a loss is caught. Why take a detour when the rightful paths have been illuminated?
Is a fighter supposed to dedicate more time to training to compete, or campaigning for a popularity contest? If one-quarter of the UFC's (male) title shots in 2013 are granted to fighters without a win streak, why strive to win in the first place? The championship paydays and recognition can be achieved with aggressive public relations.
It's not just the sport. It's not sports entertainment. It's the sport's entertainment. That factors in greater than what illusionary clarity subjective rankings lists can provide.
As much as it oozes impurity, MMA's hardened purists yearn for days when PRIDE's pageantry decorated the landscape. Buried in the decade's worth of excellent PRIDE fighting memories is the fact that its title picture rarely made sense, if ever. That was PRIDE's entertainment factor, thereby MMA's entertainment factor, which is also the octagon's in these cases.
Put simply: The UFC is an entertainment business that happens to sell sports, not a sport promoted by White. It's White's job to sell the UFC product more than strict mixed martial arts.
The finisher's mentality in MMA means beating opponents brutally and decisively so no unforeseen circumstances arise. Anything less than conclusive knockout or submission outcomes don't matter, and this is exactly why. Belts are subject to manipulation like everything else in the sporting event that's supposed to be the truest form of competition. Two enter. One leaves. That math is free from judges' decisions, pay-per-view numbers, live-gate receipts and social media metrics.
In fighting, unwritten agreements are all independent contractors have to go on – until they witness a signature slip past them. Then it's too late. A written agreement always wins. MMA is about fighting to the finish, but there's none of that without being called to the start line.
When it comes to promotional politics, the only real route to victory is on the dotted line. That's the funny thing about the fight game: The timing tells the story, and the story, like the show, goes on, even if it's a tragedy, or in the case of No. 1 contenders coming off losses, too good to be true – staple feelings in the fight game.
Danny Acosta is thewellversed.com's MMA editor. Listen to his "Acosta KO" segment on SiriusXM Fight Club (Sirius 92, XM 208) every Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. PT). Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @acostaislegend.


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DC Forum Appreciation Thread rules:
1) No negative comments about the honoree of this thread. It's an appreciation thread, not a non-appreciation one.
2) No negative discussion about any competitors of the honoree of this thread (i.e. John Stewart in the Hal Jordan thread). No ifs, ands, or buts. Find another non-appreciation thread to do that, just not here.
3) No negative comments about other versions of the character. For example, if you like the DCU version of Cyborg, but hate the DCnU version (or visa versa), just appreciate the earlier version and keep your comments about the latter to yourself.
"In Brightest Day, In Blackest Night.
No Evil Shall Escape My Sight.
Let Those Who Worship Evil's Might.
Beware My Power!
Green Lantern's Light!!!"


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Nicely renovated studio in Waikiki
All photos courtesy of Prudential Locations
A friend of mine, who lives in London, has been mulling over the idea of buying a condo here on Oahu for a while now. He's just started to browse through listings, mostly in Waikiki, to find something that piques his interest. Since he'd be using the place as a vacation getaway, he wants to buy something as an investment property that would be easily rentable.
He recently emailed me a listing in a great location right on the beach with a gorgeous view, but I questioned its high maintenance fee (more than $1,500 a month, no amenities) and the fact it has been on the market for nine months. I also advised him to consider the fact the building is leasehold (the lease is due to expire in 12 years, which can cause issues if you need financing).
While I'm not saying those facts should immediately sending you running, it should make you inquire further about exactly what you're getting into and whether it's the right fit.
When this property at the Four Paddle condominium in Waikiki came across my desk, I thought this was more the kind of place he should consider. Click here for details.
Completely remodeled last year, this 460-square-foot studio is cozy, but perfect for a single person or as an investment property. It has terrific rental potential; I found another studio in the building being offered for $150 a night ($165 a night in winter months).
During the renovation, top-of-the-line fixtures and appliances including a Sub Zero refrigerator and convection oven were installed, along with Carrara marble countertops in the kitchen and bathroom.
When it comes to the weather, the bright space offers the best of both worlds – an open lanai where you can sit and enjoy the island breezes and central A/C for those hot, sticky days.
The building, which is pet friendly, features a pool, BBQ and communal deck area. The maintenance fee ($600 a month) includes the central A/C, cable TV, hot water, sewer, and, wait for it, electricity.
Another notable perk when living right in the heart of Waikiki: Parking. One covered parking stall is included in the price and there are stalls available for guests.
Money talk: $359,900 fee simple
Contact: Bernie Tong, Prudential Locations LLC, 808-306-0430, email@example.com


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by Calder Loth
Among the most influential of all treatises on classical architecture is Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola's Canon of the Five Orders of Architecture (1562). The work is primarily a manual for drawing and applying each of the orders. It illustrates no designs with the exception of the last plate—Plate 32, a design for a cornice. The design incorporates what is essentially a Corinthian cornice using standard scrolled modillions enriched with acanthus leaves. However, below each modillion is an elongated console occupying a tall frieze area somewhat resembling a Doric frieze of triglyphs and metopes. (Fig. 1) This makes for a building crown with strong vertical emphasis. Vignola's text for the plate states the following: I have used this cornice successfully in my work on the upper part of façades. Although it is my invention, I do not find it inappropriate to place it at the end of this work for those who want to use it. The height of the façade should be divided into 11 parts, 1 of which should be assigned to the cornice and the remaining 10 to the façade.
Fig. 1: Plate 32, Canon of the Five Orders of Architecture
Fig. 2: Villa Franese at Caparola, Italy (Loth)
Fig. 3: Palazzo Altieri, Rome (Loth)
Fig. 4: bank buildings, Chestnut Street, Philadelphia (Loth)
Fig. 5: Stearns Block, Richmond, Virginia (Loth)
The use of the bracketed cornice underwent an extensive resurgence in mid-19th-century America with the popularization of the Italian Renaissance image or Italianate style for commercial and residential buildings. The Italianate style was a convenient means for introducing patrician elegance to façades in the cities and towns of the expanding young nation. We see dignified examples of this phenomenon in Philadelphia's mid-19th-century bank buildings, lending a flavor of Renaissance Venice to Chestnut Street. (Fig. 4 ) Many such facades could be produced quickly and cheaply using cast-iron elements as on the 1869 Stearns Block in Virginia, the components of which were produced by Heyward, Bartlett, & Co. of Baltimore. (Fig. 5) Nearly every one of New York City's Italianate-style brownstones boasts a bracketed cornice. A relatively late but classic example of a Vignola-type bracketed cornice tops the 1920 Ziegler mansion by Sterner & Wolfe on 63rd Street, now the New York Academy of Sciences (Fig. 6)
Fig. 6: cornice detail, Ziegler House, New York City (Loth)
The introduction of steam-powered industrial saws in the 1840s made possible an extraordinary variety of wooden brackets for Italianate-style structures. The page of brackets shown in the 1870s catalogue of the J. J. Montague Woodworking Co. of Richmond, Virginia is a tiny sample of the range of brackets commercially available for decorating one's home or shop. (Fig. 7) The mid-19th-century country house near Odessa, Delaware illustrates how the use of a bold bracketed cornice could transform an American family home into an Italian palazzo. (Fig. 8) Indeed, no matter how humble, a bracketed cornice could link even a 19th-century working-class dwelling to the glories of the Italian Renaissance. (Fig .9)
Fig. 7: J. J. Montague Woodworking Company Catalogue, Richmond, Virginia
Fig. 8: farmhouse near Odessa, Delaware (Loth)
We might think that the bracketed cornice has been played out: all that can be said with it has been said. Nevertheless, it is encouraging to see a new interpretation Vignola's invention, in of all places downtown Moscow. There the imaginative architect, Ilya Utkin, has inspired us with his elegant Dvoryanskoye Gnezdo (A Nest of Gentryfolk), a luxury apartment house completed in 2004 and sporting a bold version of the bracket cornice. (Fig. 10)
Fig. 9: worker's dwelling, Oregon Hill, Richmond, Virginia (Loth)


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Of Counsel
Brian Merka was born and raised in Houston, Texas. He received is bachelor's degree from Baylor University in Waco and graduated from the prestigious Baylor Interdisciplinary Core Honors Program. After college, Brian worked in the auto industry and helped manage customer service and marketing for one of the largest auto dealerships in south Texas. He then returned to Houston to attend South Texas College of Law. At South Texas College of Law, Brian was drawn to trial advocacy and competed in many intramural tournaments. During law school, he Brian interned at the Harris County District Attorney's office and was able to witness some of the best advocates in the state in the courtroom on a daily basis. He knew that he had it in him to stand up for those who couldn't do so for themselves and be a great trial lawyer. As an attorney, Brian combines his dedication to hard work and client service to deliver the highest level of representation. Brian is an avid rugby player and is a member of the Arrows Rugby Football Club. When not working hard in the office, he also enjoys outdoor activities like hunting and fishing.


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A Day's Work
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|What was a typical job escalates into a violent argument in this heart-stopping drama. Enrique is a young man far from home trying to make a living wage as a day laborer on the streets of Los Angeles. He thinks he has finally caught a break when Marcus and Kathy pick him up, along with two other immigrant laborers, to help them move. On the job Enrique meets and befriends their teenage son Zack as he helps pack up his childhood room. But things quickly take a turn for the worst when Marcus attempts to pay the men with a check, unaware that day laborers are often cheated out of their wages with bad checks. Asimple misunderstanding explodes into a violent standoff with Enrique stuck in the middle. "A Day's Work" examines the hopes and fears inherent to the immigrant story, both on the part those crossing the border and those willing to take advantage of the influx of cheap labor. When violence erupts, the prejudices of all involved are brought to light and mistrust, assumption and language stand as barriers to an easy resolution.
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One With the Whale
Hunting whales is a matter of life or death for the residents of St. Lawrence.
10 fine artists and theoretical scientists have abandoned careers and hard-earned degrees to forge unconventional lives as modern-day paper-folders.
Vanessa Gould has studied a mix of science, art, theory, math, and design over the past two decades, including architecture and astrophysics at Columbia and music at the New England Conservatory. Between the Folds was a project born of great admiration for the artists and scientists working in paper, and the belief that their remarkable work should be… Show more documented and shared. She is also a pianist and painter. Show less
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Origami may seem an unlikely medium for understanding and explaining the world. But around the globe, several fine artists and theoretical scientists are abandoning more conventional career paths to forge lives as modern-day paper folders. Through origami, these offbeat and provocative minds are reshaping ideas of creativity and revealing the relationship between art and science.Between the Folds chronicles 10 of their stories. Featuring interviews with and insights into the practice of these intrepid paper folders, the film opens with three of the world's foremost origami artists: a former sculptor in France who folds caricatures in paper rivaling the figures of Daumier and Picasso; a hyper-realist who walked away from a successful physics career to challenge the physics of a folded square instead; and an artisanal papermaker who folds impressionistic creations from the very same medium he makes from scratch.
The film then moves to less conventional artists, exploring concepts of minimalism, deconstruction, process, and empiricism. Abstract artists emerge with a greater emphasis on concept, chopping at the fundamental roots of realism, which have long dominated traditional origami. The film also features advanced mathematicians and a remarkable scientist who received a MacArthur Genius Award for his computational origami research.
While debates ebb and flow on issues of folding technique, symbolism, and purpose, this unique film shows how closely art and science are intertwined. The medium of paper folding — a simple blank, uncut square — emerges as a resounding metaphor for the creative potential for transformation in all of us.
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No Windows Phone 8 upgrade for you?
Questions have popped up over whether Windows Phone 7 devices will be upgradable to Windows Phone 8 (aka Apollo). Microsoft isn't saying one way or the other.
Will Windows Phone 7 device owners be able to upgrade to Windows Phone 8? Sources are saying no, while Microsoft itself has yet to provide a straight answer.
The controversy erupted yesterday after a Microsoft developer evangelist stated in an interview that all current Windows Phone 7 (aka Mango) devices will receive the Windows Phone 8 (aka Apollo) upgrade, as reported by WMPower User. The interview was conducted in Portuguese, so the English translation may not be exact. But the translated comments seemed to confirm the upgrade path.
However, some folks are saying there will be no Windows Phone 8 upgrade for devices running Windows Phone 7.
A "trusted source close to Microsoft" shared the "no upgrade" tidbit with the Verge late yesterday. That echoed a report last month from blogging site Unwired in which device makers at Mobile World Congress were purposely mum about Windows Phone upgrade plans.
Mary Jo Foley of CNET sister site ZDNet expressed concerns last month over the lack of an upgrade path from Mango. Foley's own sources have told her that Apollo won't be pushed out to existing Windows Phone users. And Microsoft itself made no mention of any upgrades in a conversation with Foley.
Microsoft has so far been cagey about the controversy, releasing the following statement earlier today to CNET that focused on application compatibility rather than device upgrades:
"We have stated publicly that all apps in our marketplace today will run on the next version of Windows Phone. Beyond that, we have nothing to share about future releases."
Another Microsoft spokesperson confirmed with CNET that the company has no additional information to share beyond its earlier statement.
If the sources are correct, why won't Mango devices be able to handle Apollo?
The answer seems to lie in the hardware requirements, according to Unwired.
Windows Phone 7 currently supports only single-core processors and WVGA screens. But sources say that Microsoft will jump to dual-core chips and higher-resolution screens in Windows Phone 8. Foley also tweeted about the inability to upgrade, saying she thinks the platform changes from Mango to Apollo will be too deep.
So that could mean that all those people now buying Nokia Lumia handsets and other Windows Phone 7 devices will be out of luck when Apollo lifts off, likely later this year.
Nokia Lumia 900 (photos)See all photos
Nokia has seen healthy sales for its Lumia 900, showing that Windows Phone may be starting to gain a bit of traction in the market dominated by Apple and Android. But will the inability to upgrade to Windows Phone 8 affect sales? Not at this point.
The upgrade path, or lack thereof, has yet to be confirmed by Microsoft. And if sales do start to take a tumble because of this one issue, then it's a safe bet Microsoft and Nokia will step in to make sure current Mango owners aren't left out in the cold.
Microsoft has revealed little about Windows Phone 8. But a video leaked in February unveiled support for multicore processors, four different screen resolutions, a removable microSD card, and near-field communications.
Updated 9:30 a.m. PT with response from Microsoft.
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Long before there was the Lean Startup, Business Model Canvas or Customer Development there was a guy in Santa Barbara California who had already figured it out. Frank Robinson of SyncDev has been helping companies figure out their minimum viable product and pivots since 1984, long before I even knew what it meant. They've done it for more than 400 companies ranging in size from 200 hundred starts-ups, one of whom was Citrus Systems that became Citrix, to IBM.
Here's a guest post from Frank.
I want to tell you a story about how a team pivoted and succeeded by synchronizing product and customer development. Though it's about a large company, it's applicable to teams in start-ups. It's vivid with respect to method and outcome.
Massacre at IBM
Intel was angry at their supplier about a third-generation wafer-inspection system. "How dare you," the fab manager said. "We shut down production to setup your machine." He blocked new business for two years.
The supplier's CEO directed his business unit general managers to take a SyncDev workshop. The inspection- system GM decided to use it for his fourth-generation system, an 18-month program.
Though development was already underway, I kicked-off SyncDev in early November. The core team — a cross-functional team who could make all the business and technical decisions within a set envelop ─ consisted of product manager, hardware-engineering manager, software-engineering manager, applications analyst, and software designer. We would travel throughout the US and Asia to test-sell a validation prototype, listening to each customer as a jury listens to each witness.
The first wave of meetings was with five US customers in mid-November. On Monday, in San Jose, near the factory, we met with UltraTech Stepper, a friendly account. We did a quick overview of the product. That earned us the right to ask questions of fact about their department's mission, goals, operations, volumes, tools, methods, and success metrics. We asked, "Given all that, what problems are you having?" We followed that with an hour-long design review, including disclosure of product limitations. For 30 minutes we did trial closes: Who would use it, how often, how would you justify it, and where does it rank on a list of purchase and to-do priorities.
The customer asked, "Where's off-line setup?" The product manager said, "It's in the release after this."
That night we flew to Boise. Tuesday, 17 people at Micron asked the same question. We responded the same way.
We took a red-eye to JFK and a commuter to Burlington, VT for a 9:00 AM Wednesday meeting at IBM. At noon the boss said, "You guys have no credibility. We've asked for off-line setup for years. No one listened!"
Leaving the parking lot, the engineering managers in the back row of the van argued. The product manager who was driving whispered, "For years that said no one needs off-line setup. Now they're arguing about how to do it."
Wednesday night we flew to Orlando for A&T. Thursday, off line set up was not an issue. The same thing happened on Friday in Austin. Off-line set up had disappeared into the team's rearview mirror.
Thanksgiving had come early that year. We were on the road again by late November to meet IBM in Fishkill, NY. After a 15-minute overview, they asked about off-line set up. After we responded their boss said, "Gentlemen, this meeting is over. We don't want to hear about your roadmap. Please leave!"
Humiliated and depressed, our ride to the hotel felt more like one in a hearse than a van. The customer's wants the next day would be no different. The product manager described the metamorphosis:
We gathered that night at the hotel, but we were changed. Humility had crumbled the walls between marketing and engineering. We had heard the voice of the customer as a team and they were unhappy. Thank God the whole team was there so we could decide on the spot.
For appetizers we slashed requirements. For soup we compressed schedule. For the main course we sliced up the configuration into bite-size pieces. For dessert we integrated customers into our testing. For after-dinner drinks we polished the new presentation and said a short prayer.
The next day was sunny. Breakfast was actually jovial. We looked back at yesterday with humor, not to cover our humiliation but because we had pivoted.
The next meetings went far better. We took wounds, but none like those at Fishkill. We continued with three more meetings. We returned to the factory and presented our new path.
"Are you nuts?" our product board asked. "You can't change direction midstream!"
Without missing a beat, Engineering quoted the customer. I explained how we'd manage technical risks. We were a team, convinced by a shared experience, that we knew what to do. Better yet, we had switched the burden of proof from us to our skeptics.
In December and January we met with ten customers in Korea, Japan, and China. Changes were minor. Instead of pivoting we built virtual backlog.
In February, we returned to Fishkill. "Congratulations, gentlemen," IBM said, "We apologize for November. With the train heading our way, we'll get on now. We'll take two more old units (multi-million dollar) now and replace all seven with new ones when it ships."
In 90 days the team pivoted the product, saved a major account, captured a large order, cut schedule from 18 months to nine months, and developed virtual backlog.
Two years after release, product market share was up by 30% to 70%. Twelve of 17 competitors were gone. The division was the dominant global player.
The team followed these rules:
Cardinal Rules of Synchronous Customer and Product Development
- Meet Customers as a Core, Cross-Functional Team authorized to act within a defined envelop.
- Report to a "Board," to explain and defend your strategy and business case
- Meet Customers' Decision Making Teams not just users
- Meet on Site in the customers' habitat: Home, office, lab, factory, or playground. See what they do. Meet their colleagues, form relationships, help fix stuff now, and return as required
- Test Sell a Validation Prototype: Renderings, specs, and props. Don't sell a vision! False positives result.
- Ask questions. Take Notes. Ask question of fact, not opinion and shut up. Take notes. Tag data and quotes.
- Disclose Limitations to surface objections. It enhances your credibility, too.
- Conduct Trial closes. There are thirty good ones starting on slide one.
- Meet in Waves to get bonked over the head by patterns, two customers per day, Tuesday to Thursday.
- Find and Fix Bad News. Bad news early is good news, if you find and fix it early.
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Filed under: Customer Development |


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A Look Into Email Marketing Trends for 2013
Mar 27, 2013
Email is one of the most profitable marketing channels today. Looking at all the new technology hitting the market it does seem like the sky is the limit. With this new technology comes new consumer expectations, and new email marketing trends.
Many of the trends in email marketing are heavily based on technology advances. Optimizing email messages, both in design and message, for mobile platforms appears to be the wave of the future. At least, this is the big topic for discussion around many marketing tables.
Let's take a look at what the predictions and trends are for email marketing in 2013 and beyond.
Digging into the Details
There has been talk that email marketing is on its way out, but the data shows a different picture. Email itself is only increasing in popularity, especially as more devices make it so easy to check messages anywhere and anytime.
According to the Radicati Group, Inc., the number of email accounts reached 2.9 billion in 2010, and email currently outpaces accounts on Facebook and other similar sites. The group predicts that email accounts will grow to over 3.8 billion in 2014.
With the growing reliance on email, it's no wonder that consumer behavior continues to be influenced by the inbox. ExactTarget found that well over three-quarters of those surveyed in its 2012 Channel Preference Study preferred to get permission-based marketing messages via email versus other channels.
Impressively, the same study found that email drives consumer purchases more than any other marketing channel. Sixty-six percent of the respondents said they made a purchase based on a marketing email, followed by direct mail, telephone, Facebook and text message, in that order.
The email marketing trend is growing because it works, and if you aren't on board, you should be. A Forrester Research Email Marketing Forecast, 2011 to 2016, the amount spent on email marketing in the United States will increase by just shy of $1 billion by 2016. More and more companies are including email in overall marketing strategy, giving them a possible competitive edge over those who haven't heeded the trends.
Image source: http://www.forrester.com/Forrester+Research+Email+Marketing+Forecast+2011+To+2016+US/fulltext/-/E-RES59101
It's a Mad, Mobile World
According to Flurry Analytics, December 25, 2012, alone, saw 17.4 million new smartphones and tablets activated. Christmas week saw a record 50 million iOS and Android devices activated. There's no question that we are firmly in the mobile age.
As such, it is predicted that email marketing will continue to evolve to be mobile-device friendly. And it should be. The data shows that consumers clearly are accessing and influenced by emails on their Smartphones and other mobile devices.
Here are just a few eye-opening stats:
- 79% of people use their smartphone for reading email, a higher percentage than those who use it to actually make phone calls. Adobe –2013 Digital Publishing Report: Retail Apps & Buying Habits (2013)
- More email is read by Mobile device than by desktop or via webmail. About 40% of email is now opened on a mobile device. Litmus –Email Analytics (Jan 2013)
In addition, mobile emails influence purchasing behavior. According to ExactTarget's 2011 study Mobile Dependence, just over one-half of U.S. consumers who made at least one purchase using their Smartphone have done so because of a marketing email accessed via a mobile device.
Image source: www.ExactTarget.com/sff
Surprisingly, data shows that only a small amount of companies have optimized their email campaigns to be compatible with mobile devices. Only 14% of companies and 24% of agencies are designing emails specifically for mobile, according to the 2011 eConsultancy Conversion Rate Optimization Report.
This could be the make or break for successful mobile email marketing, with good reason. Consumers often say they find reading emails harder on mobile devices than on computers; if they open a non-optimized marketing email via a mobile device, it could lead to disaster.
A 2012 BlueHornet study found that nearly 70% of consumers will delete an email immediately if it doesn't display correctly:
To be a successful email marketer, you would do well to get ahead of the curve, and consider making your messages mobile-friendly.
Managing the Message
Now that we know the trends in email delivery, what are we looking at in terms of the emails themselves?
In 2013 and beyond, out are the one-size-fits-all email messages.
As technology becomes more sophisticated, so must the email marketing campaigns that we send. The basic tenets of email message crafting are the same, but some aspects are evolving.1. Personalization:
According to the Aberdeen Group's report, Email Marketing: Get Personal with Your Customers, personalized emails improve click-through rates by 14%, and conversion rates by 10%.
Blanket email blasts to an entire mail list are falling by the wayside. It is safe to say that email marketing will get better response if the message is personalized to the recipient. Analytics and data collection are key to tailoring your message for specific segments of your audience.
A way to kick personalization up a notch is by using triggered emails, where further emails are triggered by a recipient's response, or lack thereof, to a previous email. According to Chad White, principal of marketing research at ExactTarget, email marketers using this and other sophisticated technology are significantly outperforming those that aren't.
"Under invest in triggered emails at your own peril," White relates.2. Visualization:
The popularity of sites like Pinterest and Instagram has shown that consumers are interested in images and visualization. This trend is predicted to carry over into email marketing, as well. Images, graphics and photos can all serve as visual aids to add impact to emails.
According to White, recent graphic developments, like special characters in subject lines, are here to stay. In addition, video in email will become much more popular due to new advancements.
"HTML5 video will finally deliver on the video in email experience that marketers have long craved," he says.3. Integration:
Marketing across the various devices and channels available to consumers can give them a new experience with your brand. Messages that link to other social sites, like Facebook and Pinterest, or are accessible across several devices, are well-received, if not expected, by consumers.
If you plan to take advantage of this trend, make sure you present a clear theme that ties all channels and messages together.
The Trend to Follow
As you look at your email marketing strategies are you taking into account these trends? Technology, and most importantly mobile devices, are dictating the future of email campaigns. Are your messages responsive or mobile friendly? Do they engage a reader with a degree of personalization? Are they interesting or visual?
Ask yourself these questions and research how you can best integrate the trends to optimize your email marketing campaign returns.
Michael Zipursky is an author, consultant and entrepreneur. He is co-founder of the consulting blog, Business Consulting Buzz, a resource center with hundreds of articles and interviews helping consultants to become more successful. Michael is also actively involved with FreshGigs.ca, a jobsite specializing in marketing, communications and creative jobs in Canada. You can connect with Michael on Twitter @MichaelZipursky
Would you like to become a guest blogger on this blog as well? Get in touch!


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text: Local RepRap users are invited to attend RepRapWorld's weekly Print & Pizza meet up every Thursday evening at our shop in Nootdorp. Bring your latest 3D prints, questions and innate curiosity to share with us and others in the DIY community. Entrance is free; and the optional dinner (eg: pizza) is a flat 10 Euros. Doors open at 6:30, but please arrive no later than 7pm to get on the dinner ordering list.


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Image: Hubble looks into Terzan 7
Named after its discoverer, the French-Armenian astronomer Agop Terzan, this is the globular cluster Terzan 7—a densely packed ball of stars bound together by gravity. It lies just over 75,000 light-years away from us on the other side of our galaxy, the Milky Way. It is a peculiar cluster, quite unlike others we observe, making it an intriguing object of study for astronomers.
Evidence shows that Terzan 7 used to belong to a small galaxy called the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy, a mini-galaxy discovered in 1994. This galaxy is currently colliding with, and being absorbed by, the Milky Way, which is a monster in size when compared to this tiny one. It seems that this cluster has already been kidnapped from its former home and now is part of our own galaxy.
Astronomers recently discovered that all the stars in Terzan 7 were born at around the same time, and are about eight billion years old. This is unusually young for such a cluster. The shared birthday is another uncommon property; a large number of globular clusters, both in the Milky Way and in other galaxies, seem to have at least two clearly differentiated generations of stars that were born at different times.
Some explanations suggest that there is something different about clusters that form within dwarf galaxies, giving them a different composition. Others suggest that clusters like Terzan 7 only have enough material to form one batch of stars, or that perhaps its youthfulness has prevented it from yet forming another generation.
Provided by NASA