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On a recent afternoon at the Henderson, Nevada, headquarters of Zappos, America's leading online shoe retailer, Katrina Jadkowski, a member of the company's three-hundred-and-fifty-person Customer Loyalty Team, was on the phone with an elderly woman named Susie, from Aurora, Colorado, who wanted to exchange a pair of too-snug New Balance sneakers. "I just got back in town and I have an orthotics appointment," Susie said, sounding a bit anxious about this newfangled shopping experience.
Jadkowski, a British-born, divorced former showgirl whose colleagues have nicknamed her Hurricane, arranged to have a UPS return label printed and a replacement pair, size 5½ EE, shipped free, overnight. "That's just beautiful—I love this company!" Susie shouted.
Typing in the order rapidly, red flower decals on her fingernails, Jadkowski told Susie that it was Zappos's tenth anniversary and upgraded her to V.I.P. status—which pretty much any Zappos shopper can attain, merely by asking. (The URL of the V.I.P. site is intended to encourage the intimate act of bookmarking, since a Google search for "sensible black pumps" or "running shoes" will also turn up the company's competitors.) Male callers in particular seem to enjoy the upgrade, with its suggestion of velvet-roped back rooms. Susie, too, was pleased. "Oh, that's fabulous!" she said. "This is super."
The two women giggled conspiratorially for a few moments, and Jadkowski asked if there was anything else she could do.
"No," Susie said. "Oh, I'm tickled."
Jadkowski wished her a nice day and disconnected the call. "Sometimes you just need to let them natter on," she said, not unkindly.
The Customer Loyalty Team, or C.L.T., is the nerve center of Zappos, whose thirty-five-year-old C.E.O., Tony Hsieh, has earned a zealous following by imposing an ethos of live human connection on the chilly, anonymous bazaar of the Internet. He talks about being the architect of a movement to spread happiness, or "Zappiness," via three "C"s: clothing, customer service, and company culture.
"Eventually, we'll figure out a way of spreading that knowledge to the world in general, and that has nothing to do with selling shoes online," he told me after I visited the company over the summer.
Owning a large collection of shoes in various styles and colors has, in the past decade, gone from being considered a sign of ultimate imperial excess (Imelda Marcos) to a constitutional right of the average American woman, and Zappos is at least partly responsible. (So is "Sex and the City.") Hsieh (pronounced "shay") has changed the business so radically that, in July, Amazon.com, after trying to compete with Zappos by starting a shoe site called Endless.com, as if to sanction the new insatiability, announced plans to buy the company for ten million shares of stock (worth $790 million at press time) plus $40 million in cash. In an S.E.C. filing, Amazon vowed to leave Zappos's management structure intact.
"There're plenty of companies that don't grow, and that's fine for, like, your mom-and-pop corner store," Hsieh said to me two weeks later, over the phone from Minneapolis, where he was addressing General Mills. (He has become a coveted "get" on the motivational-speaker circuit.) "But, for me personally at Zappos, the company needs to grow in order for the movement to happen."
When he was asked how he and Amazon's C.E.O., Jeff Bezos, will share power in the new order, he said, "Yeah . . . we'll see."
At its most rarefied, shoe shopping still takes place in hushed, pastel-carpeted salons, with salesmen (they are usually men—one doesn't like to think too closely about why) staggering under stacks of boxes and kneeling down to insure the perfect fit before whisking away the charge plates of their waiting Cinderellas. Some people still consider pawing through the sale racks at Bloomingdale's or the fluorescent-lit aisles of the Designer Shoe Warehouse an enjoyable contact sport. But Zappos and its imitators—shoes.com, heels.com, and the Gap's inexplicably named piperlime.com—are shifting this public transaction into the comfort and privacy of customers' living rooms. There, thanks to Zappos's three-hundred-and-sixty-five-day return policy, we can all be Imelda Marcos, sifting through ceiling-high piles of boxes, and waiting in sweatpanted indolence for the UPS man to pick up our rejects.
Unlike most Web sites, including Amazon's, which seem to be operated by spectral forces rather than by human beings, Zappos prominently displays a toll-free customer-service phone number. There are no limits on call times, and the resulting sessions occasionally resemble protracted talk therapy. On July 5th, a twenty-two-year-old C.L.T. member named Britnee Brown, who has been with the company for a little more than a year, took a call that was a record five hours, twenty-five minutes, and thirty-one seconds long, from a woman on the East Coast interested in Masai Barefoot Technology shoes, which purport to mimic supposedly salubrious barefoot-on-the-beach walking with curved rubber platforms. "We started talking about her sister," Brown said. The call that set the previous record lasted more than four hours, with a woman afflicted by peripheral neuropathy who had trouble feeling her feet. "She told me childhood stories, things like that," Jennifer S., the operator who handled that one, said in a video posted on YouTube. Zappos has advertised sparingly thus far, preferring word of mouth, and (unlike most companies) encourages employees to let it all hang out on Twitter and Facebook.
This marketing strategy seems to be working, up to a point. In the first half of 2009, not generally considered a bright spot for American retail, buyers of fashion footwear spent almost twenty per cent more through online-only channels than they had the previous year, according to the NPD Group, a market-research firm, while sales at shoe chains, department stores, and stand-alone shops were down about eleven per cent each. In 2008, Zappos surpassed a billion dollars in gross sales, an occasion that its fiercely clannish employees—who operate under a program of ten Core Values (No. 3: Create Fun and a Little Weirdness)—celebrated with clanging cowbells, followed by vodka shots at a local Claim Jumper restaurant. Because of the lenient return policy, however, net sales were only six hundred and thirty-five million dollars, according to the Amazon S.E.C. filing, and, after operating costs, net profits were $10.8 million, which explains why Hsieh, though he insisted that "the Amazon thing is not about the money," might have been amenable to an infusion of capital.
The Henderson headquarters, three squat beige buildings surrounded by palm and flowering plum trees, have become an unlikely pilgrimage spot for businesspeople, tourists, and the odd celebrity, many ferried to and from their hotels on the Las Vegas Strip in a complimentary shuttle van. Inside, they are greeted by a concierge-like Help Desk of about a dozen support personnel, whose services include occasional free hugs. Apart from a smattering of shoe samples, there is no physical evidence of the company's wares on the premises. (Merchandise is stored in and shipped from an eight-hundred-and-thirty-two-thousand-square-foot warehouse, roamed by robots, in Shepherdsville, Kentucky.) Visitors come to marvel at the spectacle of peppy, dedicated workers: a utopia of communal cheer and solicitude; trilled "Good morning"s and "Hi, pumpkin!"s; free vats of popcorn, nuts, and trail mix; and politely held doors. Entering the lobby, which was decorated with Christmas lights at the height of the desert summer, a stranger gets the feeling that amphetamines might be pumped through the central air-conditioning. On my maiden shuttle trip, the driver mentioned that the relentlessly upbeat vibe at Zappos—Core Value No. 7: Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit—had broken up her marriage. "My husband didn't fit in with the culture," she said. "He was too gangsta."
Zappos was founded in 1999, during the first Internet gold rush, by a Bay Area entrepreneur named Nick Swinmurn. He'd been irritated when he couldn't find a pair of brown Airwalks at his local mall. Hsieh, originally an adviser and investor through a concern called Venture Frogs, joined the company a year later. After graduating from Harvard, he'd operated an Internet ad-banner venture called LinkExchange with a classmate, Alfred Lin (now Zappos's C.O.O.), which was sold to Microsoft for two hundred and sixty-five million dollars in 1998. Hsieh was rich, and bored. "I just liked working for Zappos," he said. "It was about: What kind of company can we create where we all want to be there, including me? How can we create such a great environment, where employees get so much out of it that they would do it for free?" And, in fact, some Zapponians, as they are known, draw a wage as low as eleven dollars an hour.
The company's name comes from the Spanish word for shoe, zapato, a word that also turned out to be fortuitously evocative of the way goods are "zapped" to customers. (Core Value No. 1: Deliver WOW Through Service.) A C.L.T. manager named Jane Judd, her eyes damp, described a Q. & A. session she had heard Hsieh conduct with some visiting Time Warner executives. "Our service isn't everything it could be," he'd said. "If we didn't have to think about cost, the reps would personally get on a plane today and deliver that box."
"I always call him my little Dalai Lama," Judd said.
Soft-spoken and introverted, Hsieh has become an unlikely business guru: a young philosopher prince of the middle-management set, to whom he is fond of distributing an annual "Culture Book" of warbling testimonials collected from Zappos employees, as if it were the Gideon Bible, and recommending titles on the science of happiness, like "The Happiness Hypothesis," by Jonathan Haidt, and "Happier," by Tal Ben-Shahar. He is also writing a book of his own for Grand Central Publishing, tentatively titled "Delivering Happiness"—"a combination of talking about Zappos, the culture, core values, and the science of happine_ssss_," he said, stretching out the word. For Hsieh, happiness is a quantifiable quality that seems synonymous with "calm."
"Generally, I associate drama with negative emotions, and I want to experience positive emotions," he said.
It was a week before the Amazon deal was announced, to general shock within the company, where Hsieh, whose mother is a clinical psychologist, has promoted a culture of absolute transparency (Core Value No. 6: Build Open and Honest Relationships with Communication). He was standing at the back of a classroom filled with twenty out-of-town businesspeople who'd paid five thousand dollars apiece for a symposium titled "Zappos Insights Live": a two-day "culture immersion" into the company. They'd been instructed to write two truths about themselves and one lie on an index card, then stand up and name their favorite movie.
" 'Forrest Gump,' " one of them, a gangly young man named Eric James, from a company in Colorado called PosterBrain.com, said, to murmurs of approval. A "Zappos Insights" leader read James's card: "Pickled pigs' feet was my favorite food as a kid." (True.) "My first business was inventing magic tricks." (True.) "I've visited over 100 countries." (Lie.)
"For favorite movie, I'm gonna have to say . . . my life?" said a perky auburn-haired woman, Camille Preston, who works in executive development at a company called Aim Leadership.
After about an hour of this, Hsieh glided to the front of the room, wearing jeans, a silky black shirt, untucked, and black shoes, and began a laid-back PowerPoint presentation.
"What would you be passionate about doing, even if you never made a dime?" he asked the assembled. "What is your goal in life? For almost everyone, it comes down to happiness." He moistened his lips, and summoned a bouncing smiley face onto the screen. "What if you could go straight to the happiness?"
The visitors watched raptly, scribbling in white binders and drinking from bottles of Sparkletts water.
Later, after Italian food at the Palms hotel, the group repaired to the Playboy Club. As bored-looking Bunnies stood stiffly against pounding hip-hop music, James was having trouble finding the happiness.
"Steph, my ex-girlfriend—she up and left me," he told Hsieh, who was standing near the bar, sipping a vodka-and-soda through a straw. "We'd just bought a car together and everything."
"Well, what if you thought of a relationship as a corporation?" Hsieh said.
"Have you tested this, Tony?" James asked.
"No, this is theoretical. This is taking a logical approach. But it's an interesting thing about companies and relationships. Maybe the only thing that keeps you together is the core values."
James proposed that perhaps in the future Zappos might start an online dating service, like Match.com or eHarmony. Hsieh shrugged and said, "Sure, why not?"
"ZHarmony," James said, with a hollow laugh. "Happiness in a box!"
The next morning, Hsieh met me in a small, colorful conference room nicknamed the Aladdin, for the casino. He was holding a can of sugar-free Red Bull in his left hand and a can of Pepsi One in his right. "I've always been a night owl—I never want to go to sleep," he said. "It's so hard to wake up." He had on a T-shirt printed with the company's logo—a graphic shoeprint—faded blue jeans, and black sneakers. When asked what brand the shoes were, he gestured helplessly and replied, "Just . . . sneakers."
Hsieh's success in the fetishized retail category of shoes is curious because of his utter disengagement from the product; when he talks about "platforms," he is referring to a business framework, not to thick soles. As an undergraduate computer-science major, he worked as a software engineer for BBN Technologies, the company that, in the seventies, put the @ in e-mail.
"I've never been into shoes—and I'm still not," he said. Zappos has begun to expand from shoes, as Amazon did from its base of books, into other categories of merchandise: handbags, clothes. "Kitchenware, housewares, whatever," Hsieh said. But he's not really interested in those things, either. "I much prefer experiences to stuff," he said.
Hsieh drives a modest black Mazda 6. He used to go to raves; now he watches movies for fun. "I loved 'Adaptation,' " he said. (Zappos Core Value No. 2: Embrace and Drive Change.) His one apparent indulgence is a baronial new house in the Southern Highlands, a gated golf community (although he does not play golf). It contains a panelled library with well-stocked, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves; a billiard room; and a pool, around which little puffs of mist hydrate the landscaping at regular intervals. This past Fourth of July, as the Amazon deal was percolating behind closed doors, he held a party for employees, with water guns. "Less raucous than usual," the shuttle driver with the busted-up marriage reported.
(When I told Hsieh what the bus driver had said about her divorce, he remarked, "Maybe they weren't the right fit and shouldn't have gotten married in the first place. But Zappos helped open their eyes. Like Plato's Cave.")
Each of his house's five bedrooms, like the office conference rooms, is themed to a glossy Vegas hotel: the Mirage, Circus Circus. The master suite is a close replica of a room at the minimalist W: black and gray and silver, down to a pillow on the bed emblazoned with the word "Wish." There is a walk-in closet filled with shirts and slacks, and one suit, which Hsieh said he shares with a brother and wears only to weddings. He lives alone, aside from a stray calico cat with matted fur, which he has named El Gato and sometimes feeds. "Not mine," he stressed. In this isolated pleasure dome, littered with Gatorade bottles and pizza boxes, he seems to be evading traditional adult value systems, living in a sort of suspended collegiate state. (In a letter to Zappos employees about the Amazon deal, he compared his feelings about the sale to those he experienced on graduation day.) "I had this weird recurring dream where for some reason I just forgot that I had a place in New York, like an apartment or something, but it was a very cool place, like the W, and I tried to go visit it," he said. "But I didn't have the key, I didn't have anything I needed."
Snobbery is not one of Zappos's core values. The company has had trouble wooing certain luxury brands, like Jimmy Choo and Gucci, to the site, although Marc Jacobs, Alexander McQueen, and Proenza Schouler are represented, in a division marked Couture. The company has done better accommodating the country's marginal: the freaks of nature as well as the fashion-conscious. Brick-and-mortar stores, under pressure to maintain a certain number of sales per square foot of space, do not tend to carry women's size 15 or men's sextuple-E widths, but Zappos has become a destination for the jock, the drag queen, the disabled.
Hsieh wants to help these customers reach their full potential. "Long-term, it's not even about e-commerce necessarily," he said. "I guess it's about an experiential brand that's really about making people happy, or improving their life somehow."
He left to take a phone call at his desk, which is in a row of cubicles along with the Zappos rank and file. Then he invited Fred Mossler, a fellow-executive whose duties are so motley that he doesn't have a title, to join us for lunch. A tall, tanned man of forty-three, with slicked-back hair and a slightly worried expression, Mossler looks, reassuringly, like a traditional shoe salesman. He began his career unpacking freight in a Payless stockroom, then moved to Nordstrom, which, like Zappos, started as a shoe store and is famous for its customer service. He was a buyer there when he was recruited by Swinmurn (who left the company in 2006 but remains a shareholder).
At the Claim Jumper, Hsieh ordered a steak sandwich but ignored the bread. Mossler got a turkey burger and reminisced about a night, early in the company's history, when he and Hsieh were sharing a room at the Bellagio after a conference. "At about 3 A.M., I'm layin' in bed, and I start to feel it kind of shake," he said. "I open my eyes and look up, and there's Tony on the wall with his feet on either side of my head, so I'm looking up into his crotch and . . . I just couldn't really process that, so I closed my eyes and thought, It's a bad dream, maybe it'll go away. The next morning at breakfast, I'm talking to Tony, sharing my nightmare: 'Gosh, I thought you were above me on the wall like Spider-Man.' And he said, 'Actually, it's true. I had to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and it was too dark to go across the room, so . . .' "
Hsieh shook some Tabasco into a ramekin filled with ketchup. "I've always been very good at climbing and scaling things," he said.
Though he has become increasingly visible as the face of Zappos and spends almost all his time proselytizing its culture, Hsieh resists the idea that he is powerful, or that the perpetuation of the brand rests on his shoulders. "For any company or movement or religion or whatever, if there's one person that personifies it then that puts that company or vision at risk, if the person, say, dies," he said. "What's gonna happen to Apple if something happens with Steve Jobs? That's why it needs to be about a movement, not about a person or even a specific company."
Every movement needs an influx of disciples, and Zappos, after laying off eight per cent of its sixteen hundred employees in the fall of 2008, has begun to hire again. The week of the "Zappos Insights" seminar, Dawn Hooper, a forty-year-old former massage therapist who was applying for a position on the Customer Loyalty Team, took a mandatory office tour, along with a retired United Airlines flight attendant named Skip Jourdan. Their guide, Annie Fedel, whose husband works in system administration for Zappos, became misty-eyed at the mention of Hsieh's leadership. "People say, 'I don't know how you work here—isn't it a cult?" she said. "And I say, 'Absolutely not.' "
"Mmm-hmm, mmm-hmm," Jourdan said. At one of the reception desks, a pretty, cleavage-baring brunette named Heaven challenged him to a hula-hoop contest. "Whip it!" she yelled. "Whip it as hard as you can!" They whirled their hips enthusiastically for a few minutes.
The tour progressed past a large flat-screen television on the wall projecting a map of the United States. Pictures of shoes were popping up all over: Michael Kors sandals in Sarasota, Florida; Minnetonka moccasins in Seattle; Nike Classic Sweet Low Canvas in the middle of Pennsylvania. "These are orders taking place right now!" Fedel said.
"Crazy," Jourdan said.
Fedel next paused by a large bell hanging from the ceiling. She swivelled toward Hooper and said, "I need a volunteer to announce at the top of your lungs—something."
"Oh, my gosh," said Hooper, who had a tattoo of a hibiscus flower on her ankle. "I guess I should do it, but—my heart's pounding."
"Anything that floats your boat," Fedel said. "Just let it rip."
Hooper hesitated, then stepped forward and gave the bellpull a long jangle.
"I'm interviewing tomorrow for C.L.T.!" she screamed. The roomful of cubicle dwellers whooped, in a practiced way.
Zappos may not be a cult, but working there seems akin to sitting in a sports arena; you have to be prepared to stand up and do the wave at any time. Upstairs, the tour stopped in the office of Dr. Vik, an on-site life coach and retired chiropractor. The doctor was out, but Fedel insisted that everyone take turns selecting a tiara or a crown, sitting on a giant leather throne, then submitting to having a Polaroid photograph made. She told me later that job candidates taking the tour are closely observed; those who are brusque to the Help Desk personnel, for example, are weeded out immediately. All new hires sign a document verifying that they've read and understood the Core Values, then undergo a hundred and sixty hours of customer-loyalty training. At various points in the process, they are offered two thousand dollars in cash to quit. Workers who want to progress into management positions are required to take a hundred and forty-five more hours of classes, in subjects such as "tribal leadership," "performance enhancement," and "happiness." (Core Value No. 5: Pursue Growth and Learning.)
One of these classes, held in a room called the Elvis Presley, happened to contain many bleary-eyed C.L.T. members who had just come from the graveyard shift, where Zappos's basic assumption of human beings' essential good nature sometimes rubs up against some uglier truths. Eric Zuniga, a spiky-haired guy wearing a polo shirt who formerly worked in the shoe department at Dillard's, described a regular caller he'd nicknamed Jumping Jacks after the brand of patent-leather little-girls' Mary Janes with a hook-and-loop closure that he covets. Another will ask about dog leashes. Then there's the caller who, Zuniga said, will just "breathe kind of hard." It turns out that there are limits to Zappos's customer service: callers who truly overstep boundaries are sent to a top-secret eternal hold loop known internally as the Abyss.
For some employees, the news that their colorful little bricolage of a company had been bought by Amazon felt like a plunge into darkness.
"I thought it was a joke or something," Zuniga said on the phone a week after the announcement.
"It was quite disturbing," Hooper said. (She had been told that her hiring was imminent; the company was just waiting for some references to be checked.) She'd heard that the employees weren't happy "because Hsieh always said Zappos was his baby and he wouldn't sell out. Everybody's wondering what's going to happen now. It's going to be so big. I hope that Amazon will take what Zappos has and not the other way around."
Back at Jadkowski's twinkly workstation, there had been no sign of anything ominous. A parade of "Zappos Insights" students in suits, some wearing purple crowns printed with the Zappos logo, was tromping through the office. Their "graduation" had been marked with a serenade from an in-house a-cappella group, the Zappettes. "Congratulations on your gradu_ation._ We know you're filled with joy and el_ation_," they sang. "We just want to say, we're glad you came our way."
A blue light on the wall blinked, signalling high call volume, and Jadkowski readjusted her headset. "We're having a great day at Zappos—how can I help you?" she said into the mouthpiece.
"Oh, hi," a female caller from New York City said. "I go way back with Zappos. I've been shopping with you for years, and I was just wondering—do you do price matches anymore?"
Jadkowski explained that Zappos had discontinued this policy in February of 2008, after Hsieh decided that he wanted the company to be known for shipping and service, not discount prices.
Undeterred, the caller expressed interest in a peep-toed platform mule by Robert Clergerie called the Zount—size 8, in rust-colored suède, with a three-and-a-half-inch heel—which had already been marked down, from six hundred and fifty-nine dollars to four hundred and seventy-one. "A friend of mine said she saw it at Scoop for two hundred dollars, and I just wondered," she said.
Jadkowski made a face and put the call on hold to do some sleuthing into the bargain hunter's account history. The woman had bought $12,531.32 of merchandise from Zappos since 2005, of which she'd returned about two-thirds. There was an alert indicating that this wasn't the first time she'd requested a price adjustment. "I think I'm not going to give it to her," Jadkowski said briskly. "But let's upgrade her!" She ran the decision by a supervisor and returned to the caller, who seemed sanguine. Indeed, she'd already put the Clergerie mule into her "shopping cart" and placed the order.
"But please, please—if you have any influence," she begged Jadkowski, "tell them to mark it down, O.K.? And then call me back." ♦


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Coinhills CSPA Index API - Followers
Coinhills is a cryptocurrency and stock market index platform. It features a fully customizable dashboard, portfolio manager, and cryptocurrency news reader. Currency pairs are available as well. The CSPA (Coinhills Spot Price Average) Index API provides price data based on Coinhills' registered markets. This API returns data in JSON, and JSONP formats.

subset: commoncrawl


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3500 Bluetooth, Rear Park Assist, Rearview Camera, 3500 Extended Window Van, 159 Wheelbase, Wood Floor, 4417 Payload, 5100 Towing, 9350 GVWR, Clearance Lamps, 5.0'' Touchscreen Display, Cloth Bucket Seats, Remote keyless entry, Steering wheel audio controls.
Contact our Commercial and Fleet Department at 800-236-0151 for exact features and availability...Take Advantage of Our Value Price...Van Horn Fleet & Commercial is your ONE-STOP-SHOP for all of your Fleet & Commercial Vehicle Needs.... We Partner With Several Vendors to Fully Customize Your Fleet & Commercial Vehicle to YOUR Specifications......Every vehicle gets a 150 point quality and safety inspection....Van Horn is an Employee Owned Automotive Group with local ties to all the communities we serve.. WE MUST VERIFY AUTHENTICITY BEFORE WE SHIP. *Price does not include sales tax, title, service fee, finance charges, documentation charges, and any other fee required by law. *See Dealer For Details. $9,000 - Exp. 12/31/2019
Prices do not include tax, title, license, or $399 dealer service fee. While we make every effort to ensure the data listed here is correct, there may be instances where some of the pricing, options or vehicle features may be listed incorrectly as we get data from multiple data sources. Please confirm the details of this vehicle with the dealer to ensure its accuracy. Dealer can not be held liable for data that is listed incorrectly.
While great effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information on this site, errors can occur.
Please verify all pricing information with a customer service representative.
This is easily done by calling us or visiting us at the dealership.


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|Customer Type
|Fuel Type
|Offer Type
|Contract Term
|Release Date
|Expiry Date
|Small Business
|Market Offer
|No Contract Term
|5 February 2019
|No contract exit fee
|Peak only (Offer ID: CLIACN 62AusN1498831200)
|Price (GST exclusive)
|Price (GST inclusive)
|Peak usage - First 11.178 kWh/day
|37.516 cents per kWh
|41.268 cents per kWh
|Peak usage - Balance
|42.488 cents per kWh
|46.737 cents per kWh
|Daily Supply Charge
|126.786 cents per day
|139.465 cents per day
|7 Day Peak / Off Peak (Offer ID: CLIACN 63AusN1498831200)
|Price (GST exclusive)
|Price (GST inclusive)
|Peak Usage - 7am to 11pm Mon to Sun
|Peak Usage
|26.894 cents per kWh
|29.583 cents per kWh
|Off-peak - All other times
|Off Peak usage
|20.679 cents per kWh
|22.747 cents per kWh
|Daily Supply Charge
|220.011 cents per day
|242.012 cents per day
|5 Day Peak / Off Peak (Offer ID: CLIACN 64AusN1498831200)
|Price (GST exclusive)
|Price (GST inclusive)
|Peak Usage - 7am to 11pm Mon to Fri
|Peak usage
|42.601 cents per kWh
|46.861 cents per kWh
|Off-peak - All other times
|Off Peak usage
|22.261 cents per kWh
|24.487 cents per kWh
|Daily Supply Charge
|126.786 cents per day
|139.465 cents per day
|Conditional Discount
|Conditional Discount Details
|22% discount on your usage and supply charges (net of solar export)
|You must agree to receive bills by email and pay by the due date using an approved payment method. Discount is off your usage and supply charges after concessions, credits, solar exports, rebates or fees when you pay your bill on time and is applied to your next bill, excludes final bill. You will not earn a discount when your account is in credit. The usage charges for Click ACN Prime are 13.00% above the Click Energy Standing offer and the daily supply charge is 13.00% above the Click Energy Standing offer for this distribution area.
|Price Variations
|These business tariff(s) can change from time to time, if these do change you will be notified of the change and the effective date of variation on your next bill.
|Connection Fee
|You will not be charged AusNet's "standard" connection fee unless your property is connected via On The Move. A "standard" connection fee is $21.48 (GST inclusive)
|Disconnection Fee
|You will be charged AusNet's "standard" disconnection fee of $21.48 (GST inclusive), when you move out of your property. This fee is passed through from your electricity distributor and is not a Click Energy fee.
|Reconnection Fee
|You will be charged AusNet's "standard" reconnection fee of $21.48 (GST inclusive)
|Card Fee
|You will be charged a fee of 0.6% (GST inclusive) of the payment amount when paying your bill by card. This charge will appear on your next bill
|Non-standard AusNet Fees
|For a full complete list of AusNet's fees, please call 1300 360 795
|Additonal Information
Depending on your meter type you will be billed monthly, either actual meter reads, or, an instalment amount of $400 (or as otherwise agreed) which is then reconciled against your actual or estimated usage every quarter. Please note a monthly billing option is not available for all meter configurations. See www.clickenergy.com.au/bill-info/monthly-billing for further information.
|Cooling Off Period
|10 business days
|This offer applies to a business customer in the AusNet distribution area and may not be available on all metering configurations. Property must be main place of residence. Only one Click Energy solar plan applicable per property. Solar panel system must be no larger than 5kW.
|Solar Feed-in Tariff Options
|Premium Feed-in Tariff plus Click Energy Bonus 12¢ FIT
|72 cents per kWh exported
|Standard Feed-in Tariff plus Click Energy Bonus 12¢ FIT
|12 cents per kWh exported
|Terms and Conditions
|For full terms and conditions visit www.clickenergy.com.au/terms-conditions or call Click Energy on 1800 775 929.
|About this Document
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It might not be official yet, but the state's answer to the question of whether the Silver Springs attraction will become a state park is looking more like a matter of when and not if.
It might not be official yet, but the state's answer to the question of whether the Silver Springs attraction will become a state park is looking more like a matter of when and not if.
On Monday, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection released the draft of a plan for managing the renowned tourist site should Palace Entertainment opt out of its lease.
The plan was assembled from public comments made at a Dec. 12 public hearing that DEP hosted at Vanguard High School, said Jennifer Diaz, spokeswoman for the Florida Park Service.
She insisted that a change in management at the 242-acre facility still hinges on the approval of an agreement between the state and Palace Entertainment by Gov. Rick Scott and the Cabinet, and that it's unknown when or if the panel will take up a shift in management at Silver Springs.
Still, Diaz explained, the plan was written to inform the public what steps the state would take at Silver Springs during a transition from Palace's control to incorporating the park into DEP's regular management strategy for all state parks.
That will be the subject of a second public hearing, schedule for 7 p.m. Monday at Vanguard.
The language of the plan itself suggests parks officials are moving closer to taking the reins.
The document notes that the state acquired the site in 1993, and that deal opened a 20-year window during which the property was to be restored to a "more natural, environmentally sensitive condition" in preparation for DEP's "eventual management" of the property as a state park.
Palace Entertainment, a California-based theme park operator, is the latest and longest-surviving of a series of companies to run Silver Springs since 1993. The company has operated there since 2002, and has leased the site until the end of 2029.
Palace, the DEP proposal points out, has said it no longer wants to manage the attraction.
If that comes to pass, the state wants to incorporate it into the neighboring Silver River State Park.
According to the draft plan, the DEP's goals during a transition to state management include: ensuring the park remains open with minimal disruption to visitors; reducing the impact of the man-made features on the waterway; identifying facilities or infrastructure that need to be repaired or removed; seeking out opportunities for private concessionaires to provide many of the services now offered by Palace Entertainment.
The agency would also maintain some core elements to Silver Springs, or launch new ones, the proposal says.
Those include: operation of the glass-bottom boats and Wild Waters theme park; the concerts and special events; offering swimming, canoeing, kayaking and hiking and nature trails; "interpretive" programs focusing on the park's natural, cultural and water resources.
The state intends to solicit private contractors to handle some of those services and others, such as food sales, equipment rental and retails sales from the gift shops and other on-site outlets.
State officials also have sized up a number of necessary capital repairs.
For example, the roofs and air conditioning units in the historic structures, some of which date to the late 1950s, need to be replaced.
The state also wants to tear out some of the asphalt in the 1,750-space parking lot, and upgrade the stormwater systems at Wild Waters and within Silver Springs.
Deteriorating buildings and other infrastructure would be rebuilt or refurbished, while those that are deemed inessential or incompatible to the "resource-based recreation mission" of the park would be torn down.
Some of the latter include the Jeep Safari area and maintenance building, the animal exhibits and petting zoo, the amusement rides and Lost River Voyage launch and the Kids Ahoy Playland, gift shop and restrooms.
Palace Entertainment may contribute toward the improvements, Diaz said.
The draft document notes that the agency will eventually need additional funding to build new facilities and operate the site.
Palace Entertainment's departure would open a hole of $600,000 or so in the state's annual budget because of lost rent payments.
Diaz said DEP continues to evaluate that potential cost.
Yet parks officials, according to the draft plan, believe some of that would be offset because of "significantly reduced" operating and maintenance costs, attributable to returning the attraction to a "much more natural condition than exists today."
Diaz added that Marion County would not be responsible for footing any of the bill related to the upgrades at Silver Springs.
That had been a major sticking point in the past for the County Commission.
The board was divided for much of 2011, when the idea of easing Palace Entertainment out of the park first came to light, because the proposal called for the county spending as much as $6 million over three years to help broker the deal.
The DEP, Diaz said, would continue to welcome the input of local residents for the future of the park, which is the reason for the second hearing next week.
"We want to hear what the community likes, what it doesn't like, and if we have thought of XYZ," she said.
Contact Bill Thompson at 867-4117 or at firstname.lastname@example.com


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Image submitted by Erika N. from Beacon, New York
Curated by CanvasPop is a monthly blog series presenting incredible photos or art submitted to us by our customers. Check back at the end of each month to see which photos have been chosen!
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Yanks have promising outfield prospect in Williams
I have struggled with my scouting evaluation of New York Yankees outfield prospect Mason Williams.
I project him to one day be a multiple tool player roaming the outfield in Yankee Stadium. But there is work to be done before that happens.
I have struggled with my scouting evaluation of New York Yankees outfield prospect Mason Williams.
I project him to one day be a multiple tool player roaming the outfield in Yankee Stadium. But there is work to be done before that happens.
I don't think the issue will be "if" Williams can play Major League Baseball. It is more a question of "when."
When I watched Williams play center field in the Arizona Fall League, my eyes saw an athlete with an outstanding frame and the type of physicality that translates to "star."
My problem is simple. I kept waiting to see Williams use his wiry 6-foot-1, 180-pound frame as a base for a top-notch hitting tool.
While he hit .267 in the Fall League, I guess I expected to see him drive the ball more. I expected to see more elevation and loft to his hitting. He had no home runs and drove in four runs.
However, while I was confused by his offense, I was enthused and encouraged by his defense. He can really play center field.
The Yankees selected Williams directly from West Orange High School in Winter Garden, Fla. He was chosen in the fourth round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft.
Athletic genes run in Williams' family. He is the son of former New England Patriots receiver Derwin Williams.
Williams is the No. 2 player on the Yankees' Top 20 Prospects list.
A left-handed hitter, Williams has enough speed to classify as a plus runner. He uses his speed busting down the line from home to first. But he had an on-base percentage of .330. That didn't offer many opportunities to steal. He was successful in four out of six attempts.
His lack of power in the Fall League mirrors his performance to date in the Yankees farm system.
In his career to date Williams has hit 18 home runs. He has 57 doubles and 18 triples, showing his speed and an ability to hit the gaps.
In 2011 during his first full season while playing for Class A Short Season Staten Island, he hit .349 in 298 plate appearances. He struck out only 41 times and delivered a message that he has a potential hit tool.
In 2012 during his age 20-season, Williams played for Charleston in Class A and Tampa in Class A Advanced. He hit a combined .298, spending most of his time hitting .304 at Charleston. That's where he had 311 of his 397 plate appearances for the year.
His season ended early when he dislocated his shoulder making a diving catch.
Incidentally, I saw him make diving catches in the Fall League. He certainly doesn't shy away from that play.
This past season, Williams began the year at Tampa hitting .261, including 21 doubles in 461 trips to the plate. He was promoted to Double-A Trenton in August, where he finished the season hitting .153 in 76 plate appearances while playing in 17 games.
This past season, Williams scuffled a bit more against lefties, hitting only .222 rather than his .257 against right-handed pitching.
Williams has quick hands and good bat speed. He makes good contact with a rather short, direct path to the ball. He hasn't shown much patience at the plate, generally swinging early and often.
In the games I scouted, I saw Williams rely heavily upon his forearms and wrists for his offensive thrust, as opposed to taking advantage of his legs and lower body in his swing. It did result in some line drives and shots through infield holes. But it caused a lack of loft on the ball.
Of all his tools, I feel his outfield defense and plus arm strength and accuracy are the best.
A former pitcher, Williams will cut down runners looking to advance.
Williams follows the flight of the ball off the bat extremely well. He closes fast on balls hit in all directions and takes charge in the outfield.
Williams is a fine athlete with a hitting tool waiting to explode. That could happen at any time.
Bernie Pleskoff has served as a professional scout for the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners. Follow @BerniePleskoff on Twitter.


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Story highlights
- Bob and Mike Bryan break John McEnroe's record of 270 weeks as doubles No. 1
- American twins have finished the year on top of the rankings since 2005
- They have won the most grand slam doubles titles and the most overall
- Bob Bryan is expecting a baby daughter with his wife in January
One of the toughest records to beat in tennis finally fell on Monday when the Bryan brothers Mike and Bob registered their 271st week at the top of the world doubles standings.
The 33-year-old twins moved past fellow American John McEnroe, who was not only one of the game's best singles players but also one of the greatest in the two-man format.
"John McEnroe is a legend. He's definitely one of the best doubles players in history. We respect and admire what he's brought to the sport," Mike Bryan told the ATP Tour website.
"To be grouped in the same category and mentioned in the same breath as McEnroe is an honor in itself. We play against McEnroe in exhibitions and he still shows what a talent he is."
The Bryans have topped the year-end list since 2005.
They have won the most men's doubles titles with 75, and took their grand slam-leading tally to 11 this year with triumphs at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
"To achieve this record and surpass John McEnroe, who we've always looked up to, is awesome," said Bob, who is expecting a daughter with wife Michelle in January.
"This ranks up with our record of most team titles. It shows we were consistent throughout our whole career and we didn't want to relinquish the top spot.
The Bryans are the only partnership to have won 700 matches, and they have a record 19 Masters 1000 tournament titles.
With the season now over, next year they can beat Pete Sampras' mark of 286 weeks at the top of the men's singles.
"Singles and doubles are totally different, but it's nice to be at the top of doubles. That's what we do and it's what we love," Bob said.
"I'm just grateful that we've been able to do it for so long. We've now played on tour for 13 years and have been lucky to stay healthy. We still have a great time playing so we don't plan on stopping anytime soon. When our careers are over, I think we'll look back and be proud of what we've accomplished."
They thanked their Australian coach David MacPherson, who has worked with the brothers since 2005.
"Since bringing him on board, we've been a lot more consistent, and he's worked hard to help us improve each year. Without him, this would not have been possible," Mike said.


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'I am not for sale' say Nigerian women in anti-trafficking campaign
Nigeria's anti-trafficking agency is trying a new approach to preventing women's exploitation abroad by sharing inspirational stories of women who made it at home, it said on Monday.
The 'Not for Sale' campaign was rolled out last month with posters, TV and radio adverts in which women talk about how they were tempted by Europe but instead pursued their dreams and found success in Nigeria.
They end with the statement "I am not for sale".
Thousands of Nigerian women and girls are lured to Europe each year by the promise of work, but end up trapped in debt bondage and forced to sell sex, the United Nations says.
Most prevention campaigns in Nigeria have focused on the horror stories and dangers of trafficking, but this has proved ineffective, said Richard Sandall of Britain's Department for International Development (DFID), which is supporting the campaign.
"As we were developing this proposal we began to hear stories that actually these negative stories were almost reinforcing the urge to go," said Sandall, who works on anti-slavery activities in Nigeria.
Sandall said suffering was seen as a kind of sacrifice or rite of passage.
"We wanted to create a different narrative. We don't know if it's going to work," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
The campaign includes a website with links to women's empowerment groups, job sites and entrepreneurship programmes, and a form where people can submit their own success stories.
"When I finished secondary school, things were so tough for my family that when my friend suggested crossing to Europe to make some money, I was tempted," writes a woman named Gladys.
"But I'd also heard of what many do to make it… and I didn't want to be treated like a slave," she says in one of the featured stories. She is now a fashion designer.
One activist said she feared the campaign could be ineffective.
"It's not that people who were trafficked haven't considered opportunities at home," said Anna Sereni of Anti-Slavery International.
"Instead, it's the lack of those opportunities and desperation for better lives that pushes people into taking these risky decisions to travel into the unknown," she said.
Julie Okah-Donli, head of Nigeria's anti-trafficking agency NAPTIP, said she thought the campaign had great potential.
"We hope to achieve empowerment of victims and potential victims of trafficking, which is key, and to also put out information about opportunities in the country to show there are better alternatives," she said.
(Reporting by Nellie Peyton, Editing by Claire Cozens. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's and LGBT+ rights, human trafficking, property rights, and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org)
Ramadan heralds new probe for Nigeria's Emir of Kano
The holy month of Ramadan began on a good and peaceful note for many Muslims around the world, but not for Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the former Central Bank governor who is Emir of Kano, in northern Nigeria.
Officials of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission have reopened investigations into allegations of corruption against Sanusi, at the supposed behest of Umar Ganduje, governor of Kano and its most influential citizen.
Sanusi, who was recently named to the board of MTN Nigeria, has been Emir of Kano since succeeding his late grand-uncle in 2014. The flamboyant monarch is regarded as one of the top three in the hierarchy of traditional rulers in northern Nigeria.
His ascension to the throne came after he was controversially suspended as central bank governor by former president Goodluck Jonathan $20bn that went missing earlier that year.
Two years ago, the Kano state parliament suspended a probe into Sanusi's lavish spending and alleged misappropriation of council funds. The affairs and needs of the Emir and his council are funded by the emirate council, which has done the same for previous emirs for centuries now. The investigation was suspended after vice-president Yemi Osinbajo and Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote – who is also from Kano – intervened.
The payments being looked into span the years 2013 to 2017, going back even before Sanusi became Emir. While he himself has not yet been questioned, four of his staff have been.
Legislators in the Kano state House of Assembly are also considering a bill to create more emirates in the state, which would reduce the Emir's constituent territory.
Pot calling the kettle black
Ganduje's feud with the Emir stems from the latter's often sensational comments about Northern leaders. The outspoken Sanusi had criticised the governor's many foreign trips and romance with Chinese contractors.
Interestingly, more than five videos showing Ganduje stuffing wads of dollar notes into the folds of his robe – alleged kickbacks for infrastructure contracts – surfaced in 2018 and almost marred his election during the March 2019 polls.
The former Central Bank governor is believed to have backed opposition candidate Abba Yusuf of the PDP in the elections, which analysts say were marred by violence and widespread intimidation of voters.
Yusuf is a political godson to Ganduje's foe and former benefactor Rabiu Kwankwaso, the ex-governor who is still apparently on good terms with Sanusi.
Does Ganduje stand a chance?
It will be a hard task to dethrone the Emir. Should Ganduje and his band of killjoy lawmakers take the easier route of creating new emirates, they will successfully weaken his influence and leave him as a glorified district head, thus stripping away the powers of what is historically one of Africa's most celebrated royal positions.
Bottom line:
The royal father will have to fast steadily this Ramadan and pray for a déjà vu: to triumph like his predecessor Ado Bayero. In the 1980s, the then governor Abubakar Rimi, in a bid to settle scores with Bayero, created new emirati councils to whittle down the Emir's powers. Rimi's successor reversed the action a few years later.
Nigerian police accused of abusing prostitution suspects
ABUJA – Nigerian police are investigating allegations that officers sexually assaulted women arrested in nightclub raids during a crackdown on prostitution.
There has been widespread public outrage over last month's raids in the capital Abuja.
Various women among the dozens arrested said they were not prostitutes but were detained randomly.
"They did all manner of things to us," said one 27-year-old student, speaking on condition of anonymity among around 200 people during a protest march over the weekend.
The woman told Reuters she was groped, beaten and pepper-sprayed after being picked up in a club and held for three nights at the end of April. Other women said they were raped.
Long accused of widespread human rights abuses, the Nigeria Police Force said it was looking into the accusations.
"Investigations have commenced," Usman Umar, deputy commissioner for Abuja police, said on Saturday, promising anyone found guilty would be "fished out" and punished.
At the protest, marchers carried messages such as "to be a woman is not a crime."
Marcelle Umar, a member of Coalition to End Rape, said police were ignoring men involved in the prostitution business and targeting women indiscriminately.
"Women are walking on the street, wearing short skirts and they are tagged prostitutes for nothing," she said, as protesters chanted behind her.
Similar to the global #MeToo movement, Nigerians have been using social media to highlight mistreatment of women, using the hashtags #SayHerNameNigeria and #AbujaPoliceRaidonWomen.
Obiano, Ambode are NACJ Integrity Governors of the Year
Nigerian Association of Christian Journalists (NACJ) has declared the Governor of Anambra State , Willy Obiano and his Lagos State counterpart, Akinwumi Ambode , as the Integrity Governors of the Year, for their Annual Integrity Lecture/Award holding later this month at Sheraton Hotel, Lagos.
Their nomination was predicated on their transparency and accountability in governance with high sense of integrity.
The annual event which is designed to discourage corruption, especially amongst leaders would have distinguished Senator Dino Melaye as the keynote speaker on the topic: Integrity: Essential Ingredient for Effective Legislation and Building a Virile Nation. Also, the famous journalist and ace broadcaster, Mr Patrick Oke will be on hand to speak on the theme: Integrity is Everything.
A statement from the Secretary General NACJ, Charles Okhai, said: "The focus of the annual event is on Integrity because integrity is the direct opposite of corruption and if our leaders are mentally integrity conscious, cases of corruption in our society will be drastically reduced."
Other eminent Nigerians to be equally honoured include at the ceremony are Hon. Alex Egbon, Hon Nkem Abonta, Hon Chris Azubogu, Senator MAO Ohuabunwa, Engr Chinedu Orji Majority Leader Abia State House of Assembly, Hon Sunday Ibuot, and Hon Daniel Chimezie Okeke all in the parliamentary category.
Others in the religious category are Apostle Wole Aladuni, Prophet David Babalola, and Dr. Paul Obadare. The entertainment industry is not left out as popular DJ Jimmy Jatt and Charles Oputa, aka Charlie Boy will be honored as Young person of integrity and man of integrity award respectively.
In the Judiciary Category, Justice Morenike Obadina and Justice Sedoten Sosi Ogunsanya will be conferred Woman of integrity Award. His Royal Highness Sir Henry Micah and a few others are also on the roll call of honor at the event.
Several eminent personalities have been slated to grace the occasion in their support for the fight against corruption in our society.
Willie And Ebelechukwu Obiano, Like Minds In Development
More feathers were added to the already congested caps of the first family of Anambra state, Chief Willie and Chief Dr Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano last week when the workers in Anambra state, under the aegis of Trade Union Congress, TUC, bestowed another award on the duo. The awards were jointly presented to them at the Dr Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka during the 2019 May Day celebration.
The workers, who spoke through the state chairman of TUC, Comrade Ifeanyi Okechukwu, said, quote; "Our labour-friendly governor has shown a lot of goodwill and favorable disposition towards the welfare of workers. Since the inception of his administration, salaries, pensions, gratuity and leave allowances are regularly paid as and when due. This has earned him the nickname, THE ALERT GOVERNOR, because workers receive the alert of their salaries on or before the end of every month. His Excellency's kind dispensation and goodwill towards workers are equally manifested in his promise to be one of the first governors to implement the new minimum wage". End of quote.
The TUC chairman acknowledged Governor Obiano's concept that it is nice to take good care of human beings at the same time social amenities which the governor often say, "analu olu, ana alu mmadu. It is therefore for these reasons that the workers honoured the Obianos with the award.
No doubt, workers, globally, remain the engine room of every civilized society. They constitute about five to seven per cent of the population of every society. This infinitesimal percentage does not however, in any way dwarf their influential capabilities towards policy formulation and charting the modus operandi for societal development. This truism reflected in the United Nations resolve to set aside first May every year to celebrate workers globally
Happily, the multiple award-winning governor of Anambra, Chief Willie Obiano, soon after his inauguration on March 17, 2014, keyed into the vision of the United Nations by recognizing the imperative of a motivated workforce. This he proved by increasing workers' salaries by fifteen percent in 2015. In addition, his administration formulated an unprecedented policy of ensuring that on or before the twenty-fifth of every month, workers smile to the banks to receive their salaries.
Furthermore, the governor has demonstrated in unmistakable terms that workers' welfare is sine–qua-non to enhanced productivity by ensuring that every year their leave allowances are paid along their December salaries. Also, workers are given a bag of Anambra rice every December. This innovation, which has been running for five years, was made possible by the Obiano administration. No other state government in the federation has achieved this feat.
The governor has equally directed the civil service commission to commence the process of promotion in line with the civil service rules. In the area of transportation, the present administration procured mass transit buses to ply the Onitsha, Ekwulobia, Nnewi and Otuocha routes. The essence is to convey workers to work from their places of residence at highly subsidized rates.
To further demonstrate his penchant for motivation, the governor inaugurated a 10-man committee to study the issues concerning the welfare of workers in the state. The committee is headed by the state deputy governor, Dr. Nkem Okeke. Graciously, Akpokuedike announced, in the last May Day, that government had accepted in principle to implement the recommendations of the committee. What a worker friendly governor.
Fortunately, the same milk of human kindness equally flows in the blood of the governor's wife, Chief Dr Ebelechukwu Obiano. There is no jewel in the world so valuable as a chaste and virtuous woman. Osodieme is clothed with strength and dignity and she touches the poor and the vulnerable without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise and she gives instructions with kindness.
Chief Dr. Ebelechukwu Obiano, Osodieme, is by all standards, the icon of our time. The assumption of office by her husband, Governor Willie Obiano, in 2014, thrust her forward for the role of first lady. She assumed the responsibility and within a very short-while, she acquitted herself creditably as an icon and beacon of hope, to the admiration of many, including widows, children, youths, women, the physically and mentally challenged and indeed the hoi poloi in the society.
Glory be to God that the first family of Anambra state, the Obianos have paid their dues in the governance of the state and every member of the different strata in the society are better for it. Her Caring Family Enhancement Initiative, CAFE, projects have brought solace to multitude-orphans, helpless ones, fatherless and the rest. Hence, he has won many awards, nationally and internationally.
For sure, it is well with Anambra state, the Light of the Nation.
The Duchess of Sussex gives birth to a baby boy
Meghan Markle has given birth to a baby boy, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.
MEGHAN, THE Duchess of Sussex has given birth to her first child with Prince Harry.
The Duchess gave birth to a baby boy on May 6 at 5.26am, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.
In a statement shared on the couple's official Instagram page, it reads: "We are pleased to announce that Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed their firstborn child in the early morning on May 6th, 2019. Their Royal Highnesses' son weighs 7lbs. 3oz.
"The Duchess and baby are both healthy and well, and the couple thank members of the public for their shared excitement and support during this very special time in their lives.
"More details will be shared in the forthcoming days."
The baby is seventh-in-line to the throne and is the Queen's eighth grandchild.
It is believed that the birth took place at the Sussex's home in Frogmore cottage. It was confirmed that Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland is also at the cottage with the couple and their newborn.
The Duke, 34, and Duchess, 37, married nearly one year ago in a lavish ceremony at Windsor Castle after dating for 16 months. They announced their pregnancy in October 2018 at the start of their first official royal tour in Australia.
At the time, Prince Harry said: "We couldn't think of a better location to announce the upcoming baby…be it a boy or a girl."
Prince Harry spoke to the press following the birth and has confirmed that the couple plan to make an appearance as a family in two days time to introduce their son to the world.
kidnappers paradise : In Nigeria, the rich also cry
Nigerians great and small are living through a kidnapping pandemic.
Two weeks ago, I took the train from Kaduna to Abuja for a reporting assignment. I turned up over an hour early at the Rigasa terminal after being warned that tickets could be completely sold out.
Still I had to join a very long queue that looked like child's play when we got to Abuja, where ticket racketing and hoarding schemes have become the norm. Despite train tickets being almost double the price of interstate vehicles and both journeys being approximately the same time, no one wants to go by road.
The reason is simple.
The Kaduna-Abuja Expressway is one of the most dangerous in the country, thanks to kidnappers who now lurk in the bushes day or night.
Not even the wealthy in their chauffeured SUVS ensconced within security convoys want to travel by road.
To put it plainly, the entire Northwest region is currently the most unsafe place in the country outside northeast Nigeria where Boko Haram still routinely attacks.
The fear of being abducted is now the beginning of wisdom.
Outside the region, there has also been a resurgence of kidnapping elsewhere as criminal elements are emboldened by the exploits of their comrades in the North West.
Deadly statistics
According to the acting Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Adamu, at least 685 persons were kidnapped across the country in the first quarter of 2019 alone. This is in all likelihood, just a conservative estimate.
Consequently, millions of naira in ransom have been exchanged over the last few months, with each transaction further stimulating the kidnap-for-cash industry.
While the rich have been able to squeeze out monies needed to secure their release, the poor have kept faith in charms and ethnic militia who are gradually joining the bandits to make quick bucks.
To add salt to the injury, the government of Zamfara is officially recruiting over a thousand charmers to keep citizens safe. That an elected official deems it necessary to recruit shamans and spend taxpayers' money borders on ridiculous if not insane.
So what is Nigeria doing keep its citizens safe?
President Muhammadu Buhari – currently overseas for a private trip – has proved exceedingly nonchalant about the situation.
Earlier this week, the district head of his hometown Daura in Katsina State and father-in-law to his aide-de-camp, was captured by unknown gunmen. Perhaps that will finally push him to act decisively seeing as few things change in Nigeria until a big man or his relative becomes a victim.
Little has changed since separate convoys of Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai and popular policeman Abba Kyari both dramatically charged into the bushes surrounding the road like cargo-cult Jack Bauers, claiming to be in pursuit of the criminals' and their hideouts.
On some levels, the government is moving: but it still took injury to the powerful to drive action: "MTN was fined $2.2bn as Nigeria was unable to trace owners of SIM cards used by kidnappers of former finance minister Olu Falae, who was freed after his family paid a ransom".
And beyond the noise, there are more questions than answers. For instance,
What are governors doing with the monthly millions (billions perhaps?) they get as security votes?
Why are the governors paying large sums as ransoms and amnesty to gangsters who then reinvest in newer, more sophisticated weaponry?
While the current constitutional structure does not permit for state and communal policing, how well equipped and regulated are the local vigilante and neighbourhood watch services they are setting up?
Is the federal government properly financing the intelligence unit so security outfits can share information in real-time?
It is imperative that a state of emergency be declared first on Zamfara and Katsina States ahead of a proper overhaul of Nigeria's security apparatus.
The ineffectual security chiefs who like most of Mr. Buhari's cabinet in his first tenure have been ornaments possessing neither shine nor lustre, need to go ahead of the president's second (democratic) coming.
If Nigerians have to provide their own electricity, water, healthcare, transport and security on a year-to-year basis despite paying taxes in a country that parades itself as socialist, of what importance are the elected officials at every tier of government to them?
Would it not be better the country were divided into small lots, with each household having its own governor to administer to their wants and needs?
This article was written by Eromo Egbejule
Osodieme Lends Support to Anambra born Mayor of London Borough of Brent
By Emeka Ozumba
The wife of the governor of Anambra State, Dr Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano (Osodieme), Wednesday lent support to first Anambra born new Mayor of London Borough of Brent, Mayor Ernest Ezeajughi at an impressive Annual General Meeting and Mayor Making ceremony held at the Brent Council Centre, London.
The new Mayor of the London Borough of Brent, Mayor Ernest Ezeajughi who until the investiture was the Deputy Mayor, is an illustrious son of Anambra State and the state government under governor Willie Obiano has a clear policy of supporting Anambra indigenes who through hardwork and dedicated service to community have brought honour and dignity to State in particular and Nigeria as a whole.
In view of the political weight of this development, the wife of the governor attended the London event to reassure the new Mayor that Ndi Anambra are with him in this moment of glory and high responsibility and expect him to do his best in the service of his mayoral district and humanity.
Speaking on the significance of the event, Osodieme said that we came to support our son who has made us proud by distinguishing himself and is being honoured with more responsibility by the people of Brent as their Mayor. According to Osodieme, "I am particularly happy because it is not every time that we get to hear bad story about our country. This is one good example and ndi Anambra and our governor are delighted and we have no doubt that he will continue to excel."
In his reaction, a member of Anambra State delegation to the Mayor Making and Member Representing Ayamelum Constituency in Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon Uche Okafor, eulogized Mayor Ezeajughi for showing good focus and competence while presiding over the Council meeting and commended the governor of Anambra State and his wife Osodieme for rallying round the new Mayor.
Earlier in his acceptance speech, Mayor Ernest Ezeajughi expressed his appreciation at the honour done to him by various dignitaries who attended the event from across the world especially Nigeria. He singled out the wife of the governor of Anambra State and thanked her and her delegation for their support. He also pledged to work closely with her NGO, Caring Family Caring Family Enhancement Initiative (CAFÉ) and others in his chosen cause for charity during his tenure.
Ezeajughi, a 1998 graduate of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka is a native of Awgbu, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, was elected Councillor by the College of Councillors of Brent, London as a member of the Labour Party representing Stonebridge Ward at Brent Council in 2014, re-elected in 2018 and was until recently Deputy Mayor of Brent.
Other members of Anambra State delegation to the epoch Mayor Making event include; three members of the Legislators Wives Association (LEWA) led by Wife of Deputy Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Mrs. Sylvia Oseke, and wives Honorable members of Mrs. Lilian Ibuzo and Mrs Uche Enwezor.
Photo Caption:
Pix 1(L-R): Wife of the governor of Anambra State, Dr Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano (Osodieme) and Mayor of London Borough of Brent, Mayor Ernest Ezeajughi after his Investiture.
Pix 2(L-R): Wife of the governor of Anambra State, Dr Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano (Osodieme) and Mayor of London Borough of Brent, Mayor Ernest Ezeajughi (centre) flanked by Member Representing Ayamelum Constituency in Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon Uche Okafor, and Wife of Deputy Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Mrs. Sylvia Oseke, and wives of Honorable members of Mrs. Lilian Ibuzo and Mrs Uche Enwezor after the Mayoral Investiture at Brent.
Pix 3(L-R): Mayor of London Borough of Brent, Mayor Ernest Ezeajughi and his wife the Mayoress.
Pix 4(L-R): Mayor of London Borough of Brent, Mayor Ernest Ezeajughi signing after investiture before the Brent Council Executive, Mrs Carolyn Downs and his predecessor,
Pix 5(L-R): Wife of the governor of Anambra State, Dr Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano (Osodieme) and new Mayor of London Borough of Brent, Mayor Ernest Ezeajughi flanked by Anambra community in London after the Investiture.
Anxiety grips Ministers as cabinet reshuffle looms
The joyful disposition of Nigeria's ministers as they arrived for Thursday's meeting of the Federal Executive Council belied anxiety over who would be retained in President Muhammadu Buhari's next cabinet.
President Buhari had, last week, directed ministers to submit status reports on policies, programmes and projects on their ministries, departments and agencies to the Audit Committee in the Office of the Vice President, fueling speculations over imminent dissolution of the cabinet.
The deadline for the submission of the reports was Wednesday, the 24th of April, but the cabinet meeting was postponed to Thursday because of the Easter holiday.
The ministers arrived for Thursday's meeting accompanied by their aides who had boxes and bags, probably containing the reports in compliance with the president's directive.
Before the commencement of the meeting, which has Vice President Yemi Osinbajo presiding, the ministers were seen exchanging banters excitedly.
However, uncertainties still pervade how the new cabinet will look as President Buhari prepares for his second term in May.
Nigeria must tackle its doctor brain drain
Nigeria's minister of labour, Chris Ngige, has caused a furore by denying that Nigeria has a medical brain-drain problem.
The minister, a trained medical doctor himself, said on national television that the country has a surplus of doctors:
"We have surplus. If you have surplus, you export… Who said we don't have enough doctors? We have more than enough. You can quote me. There is nothing wrong in them travelling out. When they go abroad, they earn money and send them back home here. Yes, we have foreign exchange earnings from them and not just oil."
According to the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, doctors cost an African country between $21,000 and $51,000 to train. Nigeria is one of nine countries who have lost more than $2bn since 2010 training doctors who then migrate.
Meanwhile countries like the UK benefit. With one in 10 doctors working in the UK coming from Africa, the country saves around $2.7bn by recruiting these doctors.
Ever-faster brain drain
And the Nigerian medical brain drain is accelerating. Prompted by a comment from former Commonwealth secretary-general Emeka Anyaoku, Africa Check revealed that the UK had 5,250 Nigerian-trained doctors on its books in April 2018, a rise of 10% on the previous year. That is an average of 12 doctors a week fleeing to the UK. A recent NOI poll showed that 88% of Nigerian doctors are considering working abroad.
Other countries such as the US, Canada, Australia and South Africa are also attracting Nigerian doctors in droves, with Saudi Arabia aggressively recruiting in the country.
Why the exodus?
With its status as the poverty capital of the world and home to an estimated 13.2 million out-of-school children according to UNICEF, Africa's most populous country is battling to keep the attraction going for its citizens. In September 2017, its economy marginally exited its first recession in over two decades and experts warn that it could yet dip again.
- Nigerian state-employed doctors earn as little as N150,000 ($416) a month, with top salaries for consultants rising to N800,000 a month – still way below what they could earn in Western countries.
- Medical professionals are also frustrated at the lack of investment in the health sector, where a paucity of equipment and frequent strikes prevent them from doing their job to the best of their abilities. In 2019 only 3.6% of the annual budget of N8.8trn was allocated to health services.
No support from politicians
Contrary to what labour minister Ngige said, the country has not got a surplus of doctors – at least by global standards: the World Health Organisation recommends one doctor to 600 people. Health minister Isaac Adewole argues that at one doctor to 4088 people this is better than other African countries. He also made the facetious comment when questioned on the lack of residency placements for young doctors that "we can't all be specialists… the man who sews my gown is a doctor. He makes the best gowns."
- The data cannot be ignored, however, that Nigeria has one of the worst health records in Africa, including the second highest population with HIV and the largest number of deaths from malaria. Although its has significantly reduced its maternal mortality rate since 1990, Nigeria's is lagging behind other nations.
- That Nigeria's number one citizen, President Muhammadu Buhari, regularly jets to London for medical checks is a damning assessment on the state of the health sector. He too is unfazed by the brain drain: "Others who feel they have another country [to go to] may choose to go", he said casually.
Bottom line: Only greater investment in health will reduce the brain drain of Nigerian doctors. This needs to start with an acknowledgement by the government that the brain drain is costing the country more than it benefits it in remittances.
Nigeria vows to capture killers of aid worker couple
Nigeria's government vowed Tuesday to track down gunmen who stormed a luxury hotel and murdered two aid workers, a British woman and a Nigerian man, before abducting three other people.
"The security agencies will leave no stone unturned in their efforts to apprehend the killers and bring them to justice," the minister of information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said.
Police were doing "everything possible" to secure the safe release of the three kidnap victims, he added. The hostages are understood to be staff at the hotel.
Gunmen burst into the Kajuru Castle resort late on Friday night, spraying bullets as people relaxed at the top-end hotel over the Easter weekend holiday.
The luxury resort, built on a hilltop and resembling a medieval fort, is in Kaduna state, some 230 kilometres (140 miles) north of Nigeria's capital, Abuja.
Faye Mooney, a British aid worker employed by Mercy Corps, and Matthew Oguche, a Nigerian working for the International NGO Safety Organisation (INSO), were both shot dead.
The pair were reportedly inside the hotel when the gunmen opened fire, and fled the building at the sound of gunshots.
"They rushed out of the room in panic," one local resident said. "As they descended down the open staircase, the gunmen took aim and shot them. This was why they were the only ones killed."
Mooney had been based in Nigeria for nearly two years, working on a programme to help countering hate speech and violence. Oguche helped train aid workers on staying safe in dangerous areas.
-'Brave and dedicated' –
Both organisations paid tribute to the murdered pair. Mercy Corps called Mooney "dedicated and passionate", and said her colleagues were "utterly heartbroken".
INSO said that Oguche was "a kind, intelligent and outward looking young man with a passion for learning, and a deep commitment to helping others."
The UN aid chief in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, mourned the "brave and dedicated aid workers" in a message of condolence.
"This horrific tragedy has left the entire humanitarian community in mourning," Kallon said.
In Kaduna and the wider northwest region, kidnapping for ransom has become rampant.
Local residents claimed the kidnappers had made extortionate cash demands for the three hostages, but Kaduna state police spokesman Yakubu Sabo said he was "not aware" of ransom demands.
Kidnapping in Nigeria's oil-rich south, has long been a security challenge, where wealthy locals and expatriate workers are often abducted.
Yet the problem has escalated in northern areas too, like Kaduna, where criminal gangs made up of former cattle rustlers have been pushed into kidnapping after military crackdowns on cattle theft.
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Announcements, Arts & Books
Driving Job Creation for Africa's Youth: Mentor to Watch.
Ada Osakwe, CEO of Agrolay Ventures
Ada is an award-winning food entrepreneur and investor. She was also a lead in the launch of the Youth Employment in Agriculture Program (YEAP) that supported the rise of a new cadre of food-entrepreneurs in Nigeria through training, mentorship and financing. Ada is a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum and a Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellow.
In 2016, she was Entrepreneur of the Year and featured on Choiseul 100 Africa list consecutively from 2016 to 2018. She received the 'Achiever in Agriculture' Award and was on the 2014 Forbes 20 Youngest Power Women in Africa list. She is also a mentor on the Future Global Leaders Fellowship.
Uzodinma Iweala : CEO of The Africa Center in New York.
Uzodinma is an award-winning writer, filmmaker, and medical doctor. He is the CEO of The Africa Center in New York, promoting a new narrative about Africa and its diaspora through a focus on culture, policy and business. He is the author of three books: Beasts of No Nation (2005), a novel also adapted into a major motion picture; Our Kind of People (2012), a non-fiction account of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria; and Speak No Evil (2018), a novel about coming-of-age in Washington, D.C. His books have been mentioned by Time Magazine, The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, The Times and Rolling Stone. 'Uzodinma Iweala completed his undergraduate studies at Harvard University and he earned a medical degree at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons.'
ENTER NIGERIA Winning Sunday with The Young Netpreneur for the Week :Ken Nwadiogbu @kennwadio
Ken Nwadiogbu (b. 1994) is a Nigerian born Multidisciplinary Artist, popularly known as KenArt, whose practice is primarily centered around hyper-realistic drawings and works on paper.
Nwadiogbu believes that the society speaks- This voice inspires his art, which evaluates, interrogates and challenges socio-political structures and issues within the society. In his reply to this society, he is able to inspire one or two people to also re-valuate their socio-political structures as we know it. The desire to change his society and the way people think is what drives him to create art every day. Gender equality, African cultures, and Black power are a few aspects of his current research and artistic practice.
Nwadiogbu was born in Lagos, Nigeria and holds a B.Sc in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Lagos, Nigeria. His art career started in the university, and with no formal training, has pushed him to become one of the most interesting young contemporary artists from Nigeria, creating works that question life- calling out some of the problems and becoming very grounded in human consciousness..
Nwadiogbu has been featured in lots of local and international group exhibitions and fairs, including the Insanity exhibition, sponsored by Frot Foundation, in Omenka Gallery, Nigeria; the TMC's It's Not Furniture, curated by Winifred Okpapi; the Artyrama's group exhibition curated by Mr Jess Castellote; Art X Lagos, sponsored by Artyrama Gallery, in Lagos, Nigeria; the Moniker Art Fair, sponsored by Creative Debuts, in Brooklyn, NYC; the Anti-Trump show organised in UK; the Afriuture Exhibition by Ramati Art Africa in association with Commonwealth Africa Summit, in Toronto, Canada; amongst many others. He has been televised and publicized on different platforms like Guardian Life, Tush Magazine, WIRED Magazine, Candid Magazine, Bored Panda, BBC, CNN, and more as well as inspiring and encouraging young creatives through public speaking appearances like TEDx. He co-founded Artists Connect NG, the largest Nigerian artist gathering that took place at Lekki Leisure Lake, in Lagos, Nigeria.
To Nwadiogbu, Art is indeed timeless, it is his solace and hiding place, a safe haven he has found to be devoid of restrictions, boxes and boundaries.


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The World War II Oral History Collection holds interviews from more than two dozen men and women give graphic descriptions of participating in all theaters of operations. Their experiences range from being captured and hellish ordeals as POWs incarcerated in German and Japanese camps, and from slave labor camps to Japanese-Americans interned in remote, dismal relocation centers. Aging veterans also give vivid first-hand accounts of the attack on Pearl Harbor and recall the horrifying Bataan Death March. Some of these interviewees served as gunners and pilots on bombing missions over Germany, participated in the Normandy Invasion, the turning point Battle of the Bulge and other famous and even obscure battles. The interviews also include horror-filled descriptions of Japanese hell ships and the liberation of Dachau. They all share their views on two of the defining moments of the war: Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The World War II Oral History Collection is part of the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program is an affiliated program of the University of Florida's Department of History. Its collections include approximately 4,000 interviews and more than 85,000 pages of transcribed material, making it the largest oral history archive in the South and one of the major collections in the country. The transcribed interviews are available for use by research scholars, students, journalists, genealogists, and other interested groups. Researchers have used our oral history material for theses, dissertations, articles, and books.
Digitization of the collection has been funded in part by the generous donation of Caleb and Michele Grimes.


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» You are here: Home » Vibrators » Love Rings » Adrien Lastic Gladiator Powerful Remote Control Couple's Sleeve
Revolutionary and powerful vibrating ring with remote control (Vibrating sheath and clitoral stimulator). Created to multiply the sensations and intensify the arousal. Double stimulation vaginal and clitoral. It adapts to any anatomy. Perfect to share with your partner!
Unleash your beastly desire on the Gladiator to wager war against sexuall dullness. Simply slip this sexy, couple's sleeve on his shaft for extra stimulation for both you and your partner, or glide the Gladiator on your favorite toy for toe-curling solo play.
The Gladiator creates unique, breath-taking climaxes for couples with its clitoris, prostate, anal, and shaft stimulation. The clitoral-teasing baton has an intensely ribbed texture with a triple, open-blind shape to provied extra ecstasy for your partner. The cockring and thick penis sheath provides an ultimate sensation for him.
Versatile and flexible, this multi-use vibrating stimulator is easy to slip on and off. This creative toy brings out the curiosity in couples, so here's how to use it; simply slip his head through the long, soft sleeve, then slowly slide his entire shaft through by stretching the flexible, elastic ring around his width. Next, gently glide his testicles through the lower cockring and adjust as needed for superior comfort. Once you have the Gladiator perfectly in place, explore the 10, ultra-intense, yet quiet vibration modes provided by the two powerful motors. The super-silky silicone is soft-to-the-touch and is always 100% waterproof.
Regardless of your sexual preference, the Gladiator was designed for play for any couple. Simply flip the toy around and use the small, vibrating end for prostate stimulation instead of clitoral seduction.
Plug the included USB cord into the Gladiator's rechargeable battery for 90 minutes to enjoy of 40, exciting minutes of playtime.
Outstanding features:
General features:
Motor features:
Modes of use:
Usage Tips: Adrien Lastic recommend the use of water-based lubricants for an easy and smooth insertion of all silicone products. Do not use silicone lubricant, oils or creams with any silicone products as they can degrade the product material, limiting its performance and lifespan.
Warranty: 2-year warranty. This warranty applies to all purchased Adrien Lastic products, commencing on the date of original purchase of the product. This warranty does no cover damage caused by misuse or us of other than as intended and described in the product manual, finishes, normal wear and tear, tampering, unreasonable use, service performed by unauthorized service agencies, or loss or damage to batteries or removable parts.
Illinois residents will be charged 8.00% sales tax.
This website is intented solely for viewing and purchasing by an adult audience. If you are under 18 years old (21 years old in some states) we ask you to leave this website. Please do.All models are 18 years of age or older.


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Super Bowl Ad Study: "Celebrities Have Lost Their Influence" With Consumers
January 26, 2011: There is a lot being said and written about the estimated $200 million being spent on ads that will run on Fox during Super Bowl XLV. But here is something that some marketers might not want to hear: If your commercial features a celebrity — and many of them do — your message will resonate far less with viewers and consumers than ever.
But if you have a "cute kid" or an animal and tell your message in a humorous way, you will have a better chance than ever of having your spot remember long after the champion of Super Bowl XLV has been crowned.
This advice comes from University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire marketing professors Dr. Chuck Tomkovick and Dr. Rama Yelkur, who have done multiple studies on Super Bowl advertising. According to the professors, their research involved studying "all 538 Super Bowl ads that aired from 2000-09." They said their results from these years replicated and extended research that they had completed in the 1990s.
"In the past, including a celebrity in your ad was a no-brainer," Tomkovick said in a statement. "For years the use of celebrities was among the top predictors of popular Super Bowl ads. But our most recent research shows that's no longer true. Celebrities have lost their influence when it comes to popular Super Bowl ads."
According to the research, "Humor, animals and product category have endured for 20 years as high predictors of popularity," Tomkovick said. "New to the list are children and limiting the amount of information shared about a product."
The study did not include ads that aired on CBS during Super Bowl XLIV last year. Among the most popular in numerous post-game surveys was the Snickers ad with Betty White, which then catapulted the veteran actress back into the mainstream of popularity, including a starring role in the sitcom, Hot in Cleveland on TV Land.
Marketers paid for almost 48 minutes worth of ads last year, a new high for the Super Bowl, according to a study from Kantar Media, New York. In addition to Betty White, spots included such celebrities as Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo (HomeAway), Stevie Wonder (Volkswagen), the cast of The Simpsons (Coca-Cola) and Kiss (Dr. Pepper).
This year, spots will feature the likes of Kim Kardashian (Sketchers), Danica Patrick and Jillian Michaels (GoDaddy.com), plus a another soon-to-be-revealed star. Volkswagen's commercial, "The Force" will both score and lose points simultaneously, according to the Super Bowl ad findings, as it features a "celebrity" — Darth Vader from Star Wars — but being played by a kid.
Additional research by Tomkovick and Yelkur found that the "aggregate stock prices of publicly traded firms that ran in-game Super Bowl ads outperformed the Standard & Poor's 500 by more than 1% during a two-week period of time (Monday before the Super Bowl through the Friday after the game)."
According to Yelkur, "One percent doesn't sound like much until you realize that it translates into tens of billions of dollars. The stock price performance wasn't related to ad popularity or any industry category. Our research suggests that advertising in the Super Bowl is a tradable event independent of ad content or other predictors."
"Our most recent research shows that . . . celebrities have lost their influence when it comes to popular Super Bowl ads."
The bottom line: Marketers who advertise during the Super Bowl have the potential to reach 100 million consumers. In addition, Super Bowl ads are more powerful than ever because they are available in so many formats, often long before and after the football game, Yelkur said. And that's not bad.
"The ads are seen by millions of people who don't see the football game, and they can be viewed multiple times in a variety of formats," Tomkovick said. "Running a 30-second Super Bowl ad is no longer a one-time thing."
For additional details and information, contact:
Dr. Chuck Tomkovick: 715-836-2529 or firstname.lastname@example.com
Dr. Rama Yelkur: 715-836-4674 or firstname.lastname@example.com


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St. Scholastica's Rochester, Minn., location offers a variety of accelerated undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Here, you'll find a curriculum that's fresh and flexible, allowing you to learn at a time and pace that works best for you. Plus, you'll become part of the St. Scholastica community, including its supportive learning environment rooted in the Benedictine values of the College's founders.
Located in downtown Rochester's new Minnesota BioBusiness Center, our Rochester campus is wheelchair accessible and connected to a skyway system and 900-space parking ramp. Technology resources, such as high-speed Web conferencing systems, energize classrooms and open up a world of opportunity — right here in Rochester.
And with a variety of student support services, including tutoring, career services and advising, you'll have everything you need to boost your prospects or take your career to the next level.
Just because this is the Rochester location doesn't mean we only know about CSS programs offered in Rochester. Quite the opposite — we're your local resource for all things St. Scholastica.
Graduate or undergraduate. Online or on-site. At our main campus in Duluth or one of our extended locations. Whatever path you choose, we're here to be a resource and help guide the way.
At St. Scholastica, we're committed to ensuring our campuses are accessible for all students. Please reference the Center for Equal Access for assistance and more information.
Parking is free weekdays after 5 p.m. and all day on Saturdays and Sundays at the Third Street Ramp, located right next to campus, and on the street. During the day, 90-minute metered parking is available on the street and hourly parking is available in the ramp.
Next Steps...
221 First Ave. S.W., Suite 100
Rochester, MN 55902
(507) 424-0144
(866) 416-0144
Joe Rembowicz
Admissions Counselor
(651) 403-8633
(877) 287-8751


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Today is International Day Against DRM! On this day, people and organizations around the world come together to proclaim "hell no!" to Digital Rights Management (AKA Digital Restrictions Management). Learn more about the day and how to take action, small ones and big ones, on the Defective by Design website.
And here's the neat part (to win over librarian hearts). Publishers are participating by offering DRM-free media at a substantial discount:
- O'Reilly – 50-60% off ebooks
- Humble Bundle – pay-what-you-want graphic novels
- No Starch Press – 50% off ebooks
- Packt Publishing – $10 off ebooks and videos
Why, as a librarian, am I vehemently opposed to digital rights management? Oh, let me count the reasons why:
- Consumers, and libraries by extension, should have the right to access eBooks on any technological platform, including the hardware and software we choose.
- DRM inhibits the free exchange of ideas, literature, and information.
- As customers, we are entitled to be treated with respect and not as potential criminals. If you buy a physical version of a song or movie, you are warned about the law, but generally trusted to follow it. If you buy a digital version, however, the DRM code forces compliance.
- I am concerned about the future of access to digital information that is locked down with proprietary software or formats.
- Right now, libraries are coming down on the wrong side of this debate—not the side of content delivery, accessibility, and customer service, like we should. We should be demanding DRM-free digital content from all vendors. Instead, we limit content to a select group of our users.
- Oh, did I mention DRM doesn't even work? An 8 year old can break it faster than you can say "noooooooo!"
Librarians have cared about access to digital content since digital content was invented. We have worked to educate staff and customers. We have asked for leadership from our professional organizations in legislating change or working with the Librarian of Congress to make effective changes to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
Are you a believer? Check out the Librarians Against DRM and Readers Against DRM graphics (designed by cartoonist and QuestionCopyright.org artist-in-residence Nina Paley).
Should you be against digital rights management? That's up to you. If you believe in the role libraries play as preservationists of our cultural heritage, then yes. I believe you should be anti-DRM. If you believe that information should be freely accessible to all and not dependent on devices, software, or versioning, then yes. I believe you should be anti-DRM. But you know, it's up to you and everything. o.O


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