text: On Wed, 13 Dec 2006, Simon Kelley wrote: > Donald Becker wrote: > > On Tue, 12 Dec 2006, Simon Kelley wrote: > >> Joe Landman wrote: > >>>>> I would hazard that any DHCP/PXE type install server would struggle > >>>>> with 2000 requests (yes- you arrange the power switching and/or > >>>>> reboots to stagger at N second intervals). > > > > The limit with the "traditional" approach, the ISC DHCP server with one of > > the three common TFTP servers, is about 40 machines before you risk losing > > machines during a boot. With 100 machines you are likely to lose 2-5 > > during a typical power-restore cycle when all machines boot > > simultaneously. ... > > The right solution is to build a smart, integrated PXE server that > > understands the bugs and characteristics of PXE. I wrote one a few years > > Is that server open-source/free software, or part of Sycld's product? No > judgement implied, I'm just interested to know if I can download and > learn from it. When I wrote the first implementation I expected that we would be publishing it under the GPL or a similar open source license, as we had with most of our previous software. But the problems we had with Los Alamos removing the Scyld name and copyright from our code (the Scyld PXE server uses our "beoconfig" config file interface, which is common to both BProc and BeoBoot) caused us to not publish the code initially. And as often happens, early decisions stick around far longer than you expect. At some point we may revisit that decision, but it's not currently a priority. I have been very willing to talk with people about the implementation, although only people such as Peter Anvin (pxelinux) and Marty Conner (Etherboot) don't quickly find a reason to "freshen their drink" when I start ;->. > >>> fwiw: we use dnsmasq to serve dhcp and handle pxe booting. It does a > >>> marvelous job of both, and is far easier to configure (e.g. it is less > >>> fussy) than dhcpd. The configuration files issue was one of the triggering reasons for investigating writing our own server. Until 2002 we were focused on BeoBoot as the solution for booting nodes, and PXE was a side thought to support a handful of special machines, such as the RLX blades. As PXE became common we went down the path of using our config file to generate ISC DHCP config files. This broke one of my rules: avoid using config files to write other config files. You can't trace updates to their effects, and can't trace problems to their source. This was a test that proved the rule: we had three independent ways to write the config files to have backups if/when we encountered a bug. But that meant three programs were broken each time the ISC DHCP config file changed incompatibly. > >> Joe, you might like to know that the next release of dnsmasq includes a > >> TFTP server so that it can do the whole job. The process model for the > >> TFTP implementation should be well suited to booting many nodes at once > >> because it multiplexes all the connections on the same process. My guess > >> is that will work better then having inetd fork 2000 copies of tftpd, > >> which is what would happen with traditional TFTP servers. > > > > Yup, that's a good start. It's one of the many things you have to do. It should repeat this: forking a dozen processes sounds like a good idea. Thinking about forking a thousand (we plan every element to scale to "at least 1000") makes "1" seem like a much better idea. With one continuously running server, the coding task is harder. You can't leak memory. You can't leak file descriptors. You have to check for updated/modified files. You can't block on anything. You have to re-read your config file and re-open your control sockets on SIGHUP rather than just exiting. You should show/checkpoint the current state on SIGUSR1. Once you do have all of that written, it's now possible, even easy, to count have many bytes and packets were sent in the last timer tick and to check that every client asked for and received packet in the last half second. Combine the two and you can smoothly switch from bandwidth control to round-robin responses, then to slightly deferring DHCP responses. > It's maybe worth giving a bit of background here: dnsmasq is a > lightweight DNS forwarder and DHCP server. Think of it as being > equivalent to BIND and ISC DHCP with BIND mainly in forward-only mode > but doing dynamic DNS and a bit of authoritative DNS too. One of the things we have been lacking in Scyld has been an external DNS service for compute nodes. For cluster-internal name lookups we developed BeoNSS. BeoNSS uses the linear address assignment of compute nodes to calculate the name or IP address e.g. "Node23" is the IP address of Node0 + 23. So BeoNSS depends on the assignment policy of the PXE server (1). BeoNSS works great, especially when establishing all-to-all communication. But we failed to consider that external file and license servers might not be running Linux, and therefore couldn't use BeoNSS. We now see that we need DNS and NIS (2) gateways for BeoNSS names. (1) This leads to one of the many details that you have to get right. The PXE server always assigns a temporary IP address to new nodes. Once a node has booted and passed tests, we then assign it a permanent node number and IP address. Assigning short-lease IP addresses then changing a few seconds later requires tight, race-free integration with the DHCP server and ARP tables. That's easy with a unified server, difficult with a script around ISC DHCP. (2) We need NIS or NIS+ for netgroups. Netgroups are use to export file systems to the cluster, independent of base IP address and size changes. > Almost coincidentally, it's turned out to be useful for clusters too. I > known from the dnsmasq mailing list that Joe Landman has used it in that > way for a long time, and RLX used it in their control-tower product > which has now been re-incarnated in HP's blade-management system. I didn't know where it was used. It does explain some of the Control Tower functionality. > receives a UDP packet, computes a reply as a function of the input > packet, the in-memory lease database and the current configuration, and > synchronously sends the reply. The only time it even needs to allocate > memory is when a new lease is created: everything else manages which a > single packet buffer and a few statically-allocated data structures. > This makes for great scalability. You might consider breaking the synchronous reply aspect. It's convenient because you can build the reply into the same packet buffer as the inbound request. But it makes it difficult to defer responses. (With DHCP you can take the sleazy approach of "only respond when the elapsed-time is greater than X", at the risk of encountering PXE clients with short timeouts.) > style, so I hope it will scale well too. I've already covered some of > Don's checklist, and I'll pay attention to the rest of it, within the > contraint that this has to be small and simple, to fit the primary, SOHO > router, niche. You probably won't want to go the whole way with the implementation, but hopefully I've given some useful suggestions. > > As part of writing the server I wrote a DHCP and TFTP clients to simulate > > high node count boots. But the harshest test was old RLX systems: each of > > the 24 blades had three NICs, but could only boot off of the NIC > > connected to the internal 100base repeater/hub. Plus the blade BIOS had a > > good selection of PXE bugs. > > By chance, I have a couple a shelves of those available for testing. > Would that be enough (48 blades, I guess) to get meaningful results? Yes. Better, try running the server on one of the blades, serving the other 47. Have the blade do some disk I/O at the same time. Transmeta CPUs were not the fastest chips around, even in their prime. [[ Hmmm, did this posting come up to RGB standards of length+detail? ]] -- Donald Becker becker at scyld.com Scyld Software Scyld Beowulf cluster systems 914 Bay Ridge Road, Suite 220 www.scyld.com Annapolis MD 21403 410-990-9993


text:
Larry Putter's '51 GMC
Like many of you reading this, Larry Putter is a family man-and lucky to have such a good one! He and his wife, Tammy, have raised two sons who have grown up to be gearheads, so much so that Larry made sure each one held the keys to their own classic trucks when the time came before building one for himself.
After sending his '71 Chevy off to Colorado with their oldest son, it was time for Larry to seek out another truck to have his way with. He wanted something a bit more vintage than the previous '67-72 GM models he'd rehabbed and had his eyes peeled for a candidate from 1947-54.
In April 2005, Larry came across an ad in the nearby Wichita, Kansas, paper for a '51 GMC five-window pickup project. The low price was right, but the truck turned out to be far from it. What he found was a complete basket case of a '51 in the seller's backyard. Essentially, the cab was held to the substandard Chrysler-clipped frame with two bolts and was laying in the dirt with parts scattered around it, as well as having some in the garage, and even in the seller's basement. Larry negotiated an even lower price for the neglected Jimmy and made two round trips to haul his newfound investment home.
Larry got busy and decided to remove the torsion bar frontend and replace it with a G-body clip from an '84 Grand Prix, complete with power disc brakes and power steering. To do this, he enlisted a bit of help from his good friend Larry Crockett one Saturday. There was a 1 1/2-foot gap in the stock frame and the new clip after the old one was cut out, but needless to say, they prevailed. Larry (Putter) also rebuilt the clip, added Firestone airbags, boxed the stock frame in strategic places, C-notched the rear, added an Air Ride Tech triangulated four-link, and made two more crossmembers from custom-bent 1 5/8-inch DOM tubing to mount the 'bags and shocks, just to name a few of the mods. After all, he wanted the truck to sit low. To control the 'bags, he plumed 3/8 DOT tubing to each corner and installed Air Ride's RidePro E controller.
The truck came with an old Dodge 318 motor that Larry got running, but not being much of a Mopar guy, he decided to go the small-block Chevy route and soon got a line on an ultra-low-mile '04 5.3L LS engine and 4L60E trans combo. Bingo, he was in business! A set of stock '98 Camaro manifolds were installed, and Wally over at Bill's American Muffler in Wichita bent up an exhaust system out of 2 1/4-inch tubing that included a pair of stainless MagnaFlow mufflers. A custom-built aluminum radiator from Wizard Cooling in New York keeps the modern, efficient drivetrain running at a reasonable temp, and the 19-gallon under-bed tank Larry fab'd up from 0.125-inch 3003 aluminum keeps it fed. A custom harness was built by John at Speartech so the computer could be mounted under the stock seat, and he also installed a performance chip to pep up the otherwise stock motor.
Meanwhile, Larry whittled away at the bodywork/rust repair. He wanted the body to be fairly stock looking with just a few refinements like pulling the bumpers in, modifying the splash apron, moving the grille bars forward, and subtly altering the inner fender panels to clear the motor while keeping them factory looking. Larry's original plan was to hose the truck down in semigloss black and call it good, but with that look so rampant these days-and with a little prodding from his wife-he wound up spraying the truck in what they like to call "Compost Green." With all the above wrapped into one package, wheels would make or break the '51. To complement the color, faint body mods, and low stance, a set of 18- and 20-inch as-cast American Racing Torq-Thrust wheels and Goodyear rubber were carefully picked to round out the whole package, literally.
With over six pages of additional info from Larry on the GMC in addition to our standard tech sheet, we could go on and on, but due to the space we have here, we'll let the pictures fill in the blanks. There's also a good chance of seeing the truck at any number of events in the Midwest since the Putters do what the truck was made for-drive it!
|Facts & Figures
|Larry Putter
|Wellington, Kansas
|boxed, C-notch, additional crossmembers
|Rearend / Ratio:
|Mopar 8 3/4″ / 3.73:1 posi
|Rear suspension:
|Air Ride Tech triangulated four-link
|Rear brakes:
|Wilwood 12″ disc
|Front suspension:
|'84 Grand Prix clip w/Air Ride
|Front brakes:
|GM disc
|Steering box:
|Grand Prix
|Front wheels:
|American Racing Torq-Thrust D, 18×7
|Rear wheels:
|American Racing Torq-Thrust D, 20×10
|Front tires:
|Goodyear, 235/45R18
|Rear tires:
|Goodyear, 295/40R20
|Gas tank:
|custom, under bed by owner
|'04 5.3L Vortec V-8
|Valve covers:
|Manifold / Induction:
|stock, truck
|stock '98 LS1 Camaro
|Exhaust / Mufflers:
|custom 2 1/4″ / MagnaFlow stainless
|'04 4L60E w/B&M cooler
|Fenders front / rear:
|stock, moved forward 1″
|Bodywork and paint by:
|Paint type / Color:
|DuPont ChromaOne / "Compost Green"
|Headlights / Taillights:
|halogen / repro, Brothers
|stock, tucked in / modified splash apron
|stock, rebuilt
|Air conditioning:
|Vintage Air Compac Gen II
|Steering wheel:
|Steering column:
|stock, fitted w/Borgeson DD U-joint
|stock w/new foam
|Upholstery by:
|Walt's Upholstery, Mulvane, KS
|Material / Color:
|faux leather / green
|soon to be green

subset: commoncrawl


text: Join this trio of experienced and knowledgeable musicians on Saturday, April 12, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. for an enjoyable afternoon of classic rockabilly hits, mainly from Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Stray Cats, Carl Perkins, and more from a memorable era in music. The band's emphasis is on the great era of popular American music prior to the British Invasion, with a focus on Sun Records, which had major impact on American music and culture. The approach to the music is how the earliest of this music was played, sparsely, no drums, at speeds and volumes that allowed the purity of the musicianship to come fully through. This all adds up to fun, popular American music loved by all.


text:
By Andria Cheng
Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s namesake U.S. unit, seeking to combat slowing store traffic and reverse its fourth straight quarterly same-store sales decline, announced that will begin offering store credit for used videogames at its physical stores.
Wal-Mart /quotes/zigman/245476/delayed /quotes/nls/wmt WMT , which started testing its plan to accept used games online last year, said it wants a share of the $2 billion used videogame market in the U.S., currently dominated by No. 1 videogame retailer GameStop Corp. /quotes/zigman/389699/delayed /quotes/nls/gme GME Other retailers, including Best Buy /quotes/zigman/219712/delayed /quotes/nls/bby BBY , also buy used videogames.
Its competitive advantage, Wal-Mart said, is that shoppers can use store credit from trade-ins to buy its wide variety of goods at both Walmart and Sam's Club stores.
"We just see it as a great opportunity to provide more access to gaming," Walmart U.S. chief merchandising and marketing officer Duncan Mac Naughton told reporters on a call, adding the company decided to roll out the program at this time because the industry has come to an "inflection point" following the introduction of new gaming consoles Xbox One and PlayStation 4 last year. "There are 110 million gamers in the U.S. It's today's form of entertainment."
The company, which already accepts trade-ins of pre-owned tablets and smartphones, said it will refurbish the pre-owned games for resale. The trade-in program doesn't include hardware consoles.
Wal-Mart, citing research firm NPD Group, said it's already the No. 2 U.S. seller of new physical videogame software and hardware. It said there are almost 1 billion units of used videogames that are sitting around in customers' homes.
While getting more of the 110 million gamers into its stores looks like a safe bet at a time when the company is seeking to increase traffic, it remains to be seen how big of an impact its entry may be. The videogame industry, faced with competition from digital games played on mobile phones and the Internet, has been in decline. According to NPD Group, total physical sales of videogame software in February saw an 11% drop.
However, the used-game business tends to be more profitable. GameStop has said it's the largest retailer of pre-owned videogames in the world, and that its used game business — with an average price of $19 — generates higher gross margins than do new game sales, with an average price of $41.
With Wal-Mart's entry, GameStop shares fell 5% on Tuesday in their biggest percentage decline since January. GameStop said in its most recent annual filing that its trade-in program, with about 3,100 game titles, gives it a "unique value proposition" because such purchases are generally unavailable at mass merchants, toy stores and consumer-electronics retailers.
"We see this announcement as a profitability concern more than a market share concern" for GameStop, said Stifel analyst David Schick, adding pre-owned business represented 26% of GameStop's sales and 42% of its gross profit the last 12 months.
— Follow Andria on Twitter @AndriaCheng.
More from Behind the Storefront:
There's a gap between what consumers want and what retailers are offering
Why Aeropostale is at a more than 10-year low
What makes Williams-Sonoma the envy of the retail sector
Men's Wearhouse to buy Jos. A. Bank to create the No. 4 men's clothing retailer


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Republicans Counter Immigration DREAM with Achieve Act
Two Senate Republicans on Tuesday unveiled their version of the DREAM Act, called the Achieve Act, which would provide legal status for hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants, many of whom have spent most of their lives in the United States.
The bill introduced by Sens. Jon Kyl of Arizona and Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas is the latest effort by Republicans to show they are serious about tackling the immigration issue after their poor showing among Latinos in the Nov. 6 election. Both Kyl and Hutchison, both retiring at the end of this session, said they've been working on their bill for a year and it is not a political response to the election. But they said that the timing was right to start the discussion. "We have to get this ball rolling," Kyl said.
They said they have been consulting with Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Marco Rubio of Florida, two Republicans who have been in the forefront of the immigration policy debate. Meanwhile, Rubio has promised to unveil his own "permanent solution" in 2013.
The DREAM Act, which fell short in the Senate two years ago after barely passing the House, would have provided a route to Permanent Residency and a special path to U.S. citizenship for an estimated 1 million to 2 million undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. before age 16, have been here for five years, have graduated from high school or gained an equivalency degree or joined the military or attended college.
The new Achieve Act, which doesn't have much chance of advancing in the remaining few days of the current lame-duck session, requires applicants to enter the country before age 14, to have lived in the United States for at least five years, and, most notably, does not offer a special path to U.S. citizenship. Under the Achieve Act, undocumented immigrants will be on the regular pathway toward permanent residency and potentially citizenship.
The DREAM Act offers applicants temporary residency for a six-year period after completing two years of college or two years in the military. Within this period undocumented immigrants may then qualify for permanent residency, and as a permanent residents can later try the path to citizenship.
As for the Achieve Act, it offers three different visas: the first, good for up to six years, for students; the second, a work visa good for four years, and the third is a permanent nonimmigrant visa that would have to be renewed every five years. Those who fall under the Achieve Act and are interested in U.S. citizenship would have to apply for a green card and go through the same procedures as other immigrants.
The Achieve Act proposal also sets conditions such as no access to federal student loans or other federal benefits. Also, those with permanent visas are not eligible for public welfare benefits.
The DREAM Act establishes some conditions as well. Undocumented youth adjusting to lawful permanent resident status are only eligible for federal student loans --no grants-- which must be paid back, and federal work-study programs, where they must work for any benefit they receive. They would not eligible for federal grants, such as Pell Grants.
A Fox News Latino poll in March showed an overwhelming majority of likely Latino voters, 90 percent, supports both the DREAM Act and a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
With the DREAM Act legislation going nowhere, President Barack Obama in June this year bypassed Congress, taking administrative steps to shield as many as 800,000 immigrants from deportation. The condition was that they were brought to the United States before they turned 16, are younger than 30, have been in the country for at least five continuous years, had graduated from a high school or GED program or had served in the military. They were also allowed to apply for a two-year renewable work permit.
Republicans in the House this week are also taking up a bill that would provide up to 55,000 green cards each year to foreign students in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This bill would also make it easier for those with green cards to be reunited with their spouses or children living in their home countries.
Contains reporting by The Associated Press.
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Like us at facebook.com/foxnewslatino


text:
Prior to the tip of Tuesday's girls basketball showdown with Deer Valley High, Heritage coach Dan Swan pointed at the wall behind the bleachers in the Patriots' gym and told the team, "everyone has a league title but us. It's time."
Sydney Berry and the rest of the Patriots got the message loud and clear, racing out to a 7-0 lead, forcing 13 first quarter turnovers and never trailing in a 51-46 victory over the Wolverines that put Heritage up two games in the Bay Valley Athletic League standings with three to play.
Berry ignited the quick start with 11 points and five steals in the first quarter, as the Patriots (18-5, 7-0 BVAL) took a 20-9 lead. The junior guard finished with a game-high 25 points.
"We knew she was very capable," Swan said. "She scored 20 against them in the first game. She is phenomenal at anticipating."
The Patriots have reached the North Coast Section playoffs the past four seasons and the Northern California tournament twice, but Deer Valley and Liberty managed to kept the Patriots off the top spot in the league until this season.
Sabrina Englestad added 11 points and nine rebounds for the Patriots in their third victory of the season against Deer Valley, including a win over their rivals in the West Coast Jamboree.
Deer Valley fell into an early hole and trailed by 14, 42-28, after a Berry layup with less than a minute left in the third quarter, but the Wolverines didn't give up.
Shelby Eastom and the Wolverines dominated the glass most of the night. The 5-foot-10 senior captain scored six of her team-high 12 points in the fourth quarter and finished with a game-high 15 rebounds. Deer Valley cut the lead to 47-42 with 3:58 remaining, but could get no closer.
BVAL Heritage 51, Deer Valley 46
Deer Valley (13-8, 5-2 BVAL)
Lawson 1 0-0 2, McCrary 2 0-0 4, Coleman 1 4-6 6, Johnson 3 3-3 9, Cephas 2 1-2 5, Eastom 5 2-2 12, Taylor 1 0-0 2, Williams 2 2-2 6. Totals 17 12-15 46.
Heritage (18-5, 7-0)
Campbell 2 0-0 5, Asher 2 4-6 8, Berry 9 7-8 25, Englestad 4 3-6 11, Vernoy 1 0-0 2. Totals 18 14-20 51.
Deer Valley 9 11 10 16– 46
Heritage 20 12 10 9– 51
3-point goals: Campbell. Fouled out: Lawson.


text: Published on the occasion of the exhibition Louis le Brocquy and His Masters Early Heroes Later Homage (14 February - 30 March 2007). Exhibition curated by Pierre le Brocquy and co-ordinated by Jessica O'Donnell. A full colour catalogue with essays, Artist's Note, Chronology and Biographical Note. Published 2007. ISBN 9781901702243


text:
The GP Commission has seen it fit to modify the rules for MotoGP, Moto2, and 125GP during the 2011 season, with perhaps the biggest alteration coming in the form of FP3 being reinstated to the Saturday schedule. For MotoGP, all practice and qualifying sessions will be returned to their one hour format (up from 45 minutes), which should make the sessions more useful for teams who has to scramble to make changes during the 45 minute format (Moto2 and 125GP will remain at 45 minute session). All the classes will see a three-wide grid format, which should be especially interesting in the compacted Moto2 field. All teams will also be allowed the use of generators on the starting grid.
Special for MotoGP, Dorna seems intent on limiting the level of electronics being used in the premiere class, and has inserted a provision that says that "in MotoGP, only the GPS provided by Dorna is permitted." Currently MotoGP teams employ GPS systems that know which turn, and where in each turn, the bike is, and adjusts the bike's suspension, engine map, and other settings for that corresponding section of the track.
While hyper-precise GPS systems could shave tenths of seconds off lap times, they also create an arms race in electronic controls, which in-turn raises the costs of racing. With Dorna supplying the unit, or failing to provide a GPS entirely (plot twist!), the use of such advanced electronics could no longer exist in 2011.
In addition to these provisions, Dorna has also requested applications for the 2012 Moto3 ECU supplier. Find the full release on the technical regulations and specifications after the jump.


text:
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When we started in 1970, kitchen appliances were receiving innovative upgrades, transforming kitchens into modern marvels of science. We believed cabinets shouldn't be any different, so we carefully crafted each and every one to meet our standards of quality and style, always with an eye towards intelligent organization solutions. Today, Diamond is a subsidiary of MasterBrand Cabinets, Inc., an industry leader that comprises a breadth of quality cabinet brands. Since 1926, MasterBrand Cabinets has earned its reputation as one of America's top cabinetmakers, and Diamond has contributed significantly to this achievement. Visit MasterBrand to learn more about our heritage
integrity cabinetry llc, a trusted Diamond Cabinetry dealer, is a cabinet store servicing the Zeeland, MI market. The highly trained professionals at integrity cabinetry llc specialize in all aspects of cabinetry to assist you with each step of your project.
Ready to start creating your dream space? Give integrity cabinetry llc a call today for showroom hours or to schedule an appointment.


text:
There's been a lot of noise surrounding the Buffalo Sabres this season.
The team currently is maligned with a 5-8-1 record – just good enough to be 4 points out of 8th place, and just good enough to be last in the Eastern Conference. Lindy Ruff is eager to wake his team up and get them winning again, telling the media that he's "not done trying," and that the team will "feed off his energy."
Another late season playoff push? I'm tired of those perennial, desperate heroics. I'm also tired of regressing players, imploding players, and players becoming busts in the B-lo. I'm tired of giveaways. Tired of a porous team-wide defensive "system." Tired of watching herculean performances from Vanek, Pominville, and Miller get swallowed up by the game nite ice surface which seems to turn mushy as the rest of the squad chews it up with sloppy skating, sloppy passes, and sloppy confidence.
We're all oh, so tired.
The fan base has been deafening in its silence at the FNC for a while now. That fact has been thrown in the face of the fans a lot. The FNC is a "morgue." A "library." Ted Black has defended our silence by labeling it as "hockey IQ." If that hasn't turned out to be embarrassing enough, he and the Sabres have continuously held blogger summits that limit the questioning to "game presentation" and to other "off ice" debate – as if any of that is important, or needs change, in any way.
Enough already.
So long as the losing culture on the ice continues, the arena will remain quiet. Stop trying to tease the fans with gimmicks and taunts. This is a sport. Not a laboratory.
No one cares about game presentation anymore. Folks just want a real game on the ice. Yea, fans are quiet at the arena, but what would you expect? How can you root for this?
Actually, the fans have been loud. They've been deafening.
Meanwhile, throughout this long, tormenting odyssey, they set ticket sales and television rating records. They fill up the local bars during "Hockey Mobs" and "Basement Brigade" parties.
They've called for the head of Lindy Ruff in droves (I've never actually seen such solidarity to axe the man between the fan base, bloggers, and MSM before). Darcy Regier isn't safe from the mobs, either, so long as his draft picks don't match up with Ruff's system, the team will continue to lose.
They are yelling about Drew Stafford. Lindy tells him to go to the net. He doesn't go to the net. It's infuriating, isn't it?
They argue about trades and draft picks. They clamour and yell for Darcy Regier to pull the trigger and bring Ryan O'Reilly to town (conveniently, for now, forgetting that every GM would love to put and offer together for ROR, and that the Avs would be out of their minds to let him go).
They talk, they sweat, and they fret over Tyler Myers.
They bellow at the top of their lungs about how much ice time Jochen Hecht is getting.
They snap at each other about the importance of faceoffs.
They suddenly aren't so enamored with Nathan Gerbe anymore. Even an entertaining cannonball shooting up and down the ice gets tiresome. One dimensional is one dimensional, despite the effort.
They scream "FREE GRIGORENKO!" as if the young rookie is going to change the pace, tenor, or outcome of the games. It's something fans now must do, looking for a new identity of hope in desperate times.
They talk, they yell, they fret, and they scream about so many things these days. Sadly, none of those things can be win related.
Meanwhile, throughout this long, tormenting odyssey, they set ticket sales and television rating records. They fill up the local bars during "Hockey Mobs" and "Basement Brigade" parties.
The fan noise is there. Hell, this team is easy to yell about, isn't it?
But impossible to root for.
The noise is there, Sabres. It's all around you. If it's too quiet at the FNC, then consider that silence as deafening. The Sabres' fanbase is makin' a racket all across town. Once there is a winning product on the ice, all that noise will come flooding back into the building.
For now, we're inclined to just listen for a while, if you don't mind. Let us know when you're ready for us to cheer again.
Go Sabres.
Update: per a tweet from Dave Davis (of Kukla's Korner), Black was willing to take on the hardball questions at the last summit, and was surprised he didn't get more of them. We'd have brought some punchy Q's, but alas, we did not get an invite this time around.
There's always next year. Amirite?
Continue Reading


text:
Search results for: G- Sport
G- Sport
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Polo Sport (Rating: 0) , Votes:Retrouvez la gamme de polos Lacoste sur le site officiel de la marque au crocodile.http://shop-fr.lacoste.com/polos/5100000,fr_FR,sc.htmlCategory: Directory/Shopping/Clothing
Costa Rica Fishing Charters - Billfish Safaris (Rating: 14) , Votes:Costa Rica Sport Fishing Charters from Billfish Safaris offer great experiences for the experienced angler to the tourist fisherman.http://www.billfishsafaris.com/Category: Directory/Central America
Sports Clips - Salon Franchise (Rating: 11) , Votes:Think of a hair cut franchise for guys, a retail sport-themed hair salon franchise, in the 100 top franchises. Try Sport Clips a top franchise opportunity.http://www.sportclips.com/best-franchise-opportunity.aspxCategory: Directory/Business/Opportunities
Custom Team Uniforms by Cisco Athletic (Rating: 0) , Votes:Manufacturer of custom made, athletic uniforms for schools, colleges, youth and other recreational teams.http://www.ciscoathletic.com/
Artificial Grass (Rating: 12) , Votes:Astro turf suppliers for artificial grass lawns in the UK and Europe. Our synthetic outdoor flooring products are suitable for gardens, sport, children, pets and general use. Visit our website for free grass samples.http://www.asgoodasgrass.co.ukCategory: Directory/Home & Garden/Gardening
Pro Sport Stickers (Rating: 0) , Votes:Offers a wide range of custom designed vinyls, stickers, and decals to consumers online.http://www.prosportstickers.com/
Performance Auto Parts (Rating: 6) , Votes:Provides performance auto parts, truck parts for american muscle cars, sport compact and diesel trucks. Includes car and truck accessories.http://www.bestperformanceautoparts.comCategory: Directory/Shopping/Automotive
Sunglasses (Rating: 10) , Votes:Authentic designer sunglasses for Men & Women available at our online store today.http://www.hisunglasses.com/Category: Directory/Shopping/Health & Fitness
Mark Anderson London Photographer (Rating: 60) , Votes:Mark Anderson, London photographer, Commercial Product and Fashion photography, Portrait Party and Event Photographer, Sport Catalogue and Magazine photography.http://www.photoarte.co.ukCategory: Directory/Arts & Humanities/Visual Arts
Auto Insurance Products (Rating: 0) , Votes:Whether commuting to the office, traveling cross country or enjoying a weekend pleasure sport, American Family auto insurance can help make sure you and your motorized vehicle are properly covered.http://www.amfam.com/products/auto/default.aspCategory: Directory/Business/Insurance
School Spirit Items (Rating: 1) , Votes:Provides custom imprinted promotional items for school sport teams, cheerleading fundraisers, school event products and more. Features graduation frames, mascot costume, spirit shakers, spirit sticks, etc.http://www.andersonsspirit.comCategory: Directory/Shopping/Gifts
Motorcycle Insurance - News & Information (Rating: 0) , Votes:Check out the Institute of Insurance Information for informative articles and statistics on motorcycle insurance. Just type in motorcycle insurance in the search box in the upper.http://www.motorcycleinsurance.com/Category: Directory/Business/Insurance
Free Fundraising Ideas & Simple Fundraisers (Rating: 14) , Votes:Over 101 Fundraising Ideas & information on how to raise funds for your project Looking for some great, free fundraising ideas? Download our free directory of over 101 fund raising ideas.http://www.simple-fundraising-ideas.comCategory: Directory/Education/Resources
Adventure Vacations (Rating: 1) , Votes:Plan your dream adventure vacation online here. Information, resources, advice and tools for planning and coordinating your adventure travel and activities.http://www.sportlodging.com/
Jetblade Barbados Limited (Rating: 0) , Votes:Jetblade Barbados offers a fun outdoor hydro sport experience, where professionals stand by to help train you to have fun and stay safe while you jetpack across the water.https://jetbladebarbados.com/
Professional Sports Protection Equipment (Rating: 0) , Votes:Professional sports protection equipment such as base layers, compression clothing, sport supports and body armour by brand name companies that include Skins, Nike, Vulkan, Mueller.http://www.protectionforsport.co.uk/
Airsoft Gun Retailer (Rating: 7) , Votes:Airsocom.com is a site dedicated to the sport of airsoft. The site offers top of the line airsoft guns and gear at competitive prices.http://www.airsocom.com
Swatch Online Store (Rating: 18) , Votes:Offers new Swatch range of watches and jewellery. All products come with fast, free UK delivery.http://eu-shop.swatch.comCategory: Directory/Shopping/Jewelry
Standout Designs Furniture (Rating: 1) , Votes:Standout Designs designs and builds high-end AV furniture in the USA using American solid hardwood. Media consoles sport wheels, removable backs, cooling, wire management and a large center shelf.http://www.standoutdesigns.comCategory: Directory/Home & Garden/Decorating
Montreal Exotic Car Rental (Rating: 8) , Votes:Location VIP Montreal rent exotic car. We have the largest fleet in montreal: Porsche, Range Rover, Hummer, Cadillac, Mercedes, BMW, Mini Cooper and more! Come rent your dream car for a day, a week end or a month!!!! contact us: 514-266-6666 www.locationvip.comhttp://www.locationvip.comCategory: Directory/North America/Canada
Miami Yacht Charters (Rating: 2) , Votes:Miami based Luxury Yacht Charter Company. Featuring the largest owned & operated fleet of luxury sport yachts, motor yachts, dinner & party yachts & luxury sailing vessels. Serving Miami, Miami Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, the Florida Keys & the Bahamas.http://www.miamicharters.comCategory: Directory/North America/Florida
A&K Banknotes - Rare Coins & Paper Money (Rating: 5) , Votes:Offering multiple ways of buying and selling collectibles. Including old rare paper money, coins, medals, sport memorabilias and other valuable collectibles. We offer multiples ways of buying and selling, including simple auctions, fixed auctions, personal stores and classified ads.http://www.akbanknotes.com
AndrewsCharter: Deep Sea Fishing (Rating: 0) , Votes:Toronto Company specializing in corporate and business salmon fishing charters as well as island and dinner boat cruises on Lake Ontario. Contains package information, payment options, and frequently asked questions.http://www.andrewscharter.ca/
Games Directory (Rating: 3) , Votes:Internet directory for online (web browser-based), console, emulation and PC games, game cheats as well as gaming resources in a comprehensive range of categories.http://www.arcadeforce.com
Samudra Surf & Yoga Retreats (Rating: 31) , Votes:On a Samudra retreat, you will learn yoga, practice regularly, learn to surf or improve your surfing, eat incredibly well, and be aware of what you put into your body and have the time of your life.http://www.samudra.com.auCategory: Directory/Recreation & Sports/Surfing
Related searches:
Webotopia provides a business directory designed to promote G- Sport companies, products and services whilst helping it's users find the G- Sport information they need. Webotopia business directory, with the help of it's dedicated support specialists and reviewers, enables delivery of G- Sport quality content, excellent customer support as well as value added services such as content publishing and press releases for it's users.


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Jeanneret Clare Valley Riesling 2002
12.5% A/V. Stelvin closure.
Another great example of 2002 Clare Riesling.
Medium straw/green. An enticing, youthful bouquet of citrus pith, lime, a little toast and emerging notes of petrol. The palate just sings with crunchy green apple and limey fruit, a touch of residual sugar nicely counterbalanced by lively acidity. Finishes crisp, clean and long. Excellent+. Drink now to 2012.
Zema Estate Family Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 1991
If this wasn't corked, I reckon from what is still intact this may be an excellent wine. NR.
St. Huberts Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Select 1991
12.5% A/V. Cork closure. Superb level and virtually no seepage up the cork.
A brilliant offering, equivalent to a top Second Growth from a very good year. A beautiful crimson/garnet colour holding right to the edge. Wonderfully pure, savoury nose of superripe currants, blackberries, a subtle leafiness, cedary oak and a hint of licorice and spice box. Top shelf. The palate delivers an identical level of excellence - silky mouthfeel, perfect weight and a fantastic equilibrium difficult to emulate. Copious quantities of succulent fruit (aka the bouquet) mesh, seamlessly, with terrific fresh, bright acids and a gorgeous, melting fine tannin regime to produce a complete package. Finishes with such aplomb, I had to pinch myself and check that this was, in fact, from the Yarra Valley! Outstanding verging on Exceptional. What a wine! Although at the zenith, I can't see similarly kept bottles falling over in a hurry. Wow!


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Another Friday has arrived, and that means another weekly wallpaper fix for all you pixel deprived iPhone addicts. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten.
First a bit of housekeeping: It has come to my attention that some of you have nary a clue how to load my lovely images onto your iPhone. Fair enough. Allow me to enlighten you. Full instructions can be found after the jump below.
For the rest of you - enjoy, and have a great weekend.
Les instructions...
From your PC or Mac, simply click on any image above. When the image appears right-click over it, then select "Save as", and download the image files directly to your desktop.
If you're on a Mac this next step couldn't be easier. Simply launch iPhoto and click on the plus sign (+) located in the lower left corner of the application window. That will create a new photo album. Give it a name like "iPhone wallpaper." Now drag the image files you previously downloaded right into that album.
Connect your iPhone.
After iTunes launches click on the iPhone icon, and select the photos tab. From here you can configure which images and albums are synced with your iPhone. Remember that album you created earlier? Well there it is. Place a check next to that album name and forever more any image you drag into that photo album will be relocated to your iPhone upon syncing.
To access the images on your iPhone, just tap the settings icons, then select the wallpaper option. And there they be. Enjoy.


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Facebook Hires Google Exec, Hitting Google SharesBy Reuters - | Posted 2008-03-04 Print
Facebook gets Google's COO while hitting its first 52-week low since its IPO.
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Facebook said on Tuesday it had named Google Inc's global sales head, Sheryl Sandberg, as the social networking site's new chief operations officer, accelerating a decline in Google shares to year lows.
Google shares slid as much as 4.6 percent, trading below a 52-week low for the first time since its IPO and removing a technical crutch that had supported the stock.
The departure of Sandberg, who in six years at Google was instrumental in developing its fast-growing online advertising business, marks one of the first senior executives at the Web search leader to leave since its sensational initial public offering in August 2004.
"Sandberg's departure is a significant loss for Google," RBC Capital analyst Jordan Rohan said. "It signals that the company has reached a level of scale and bureaucracy with which some early Google employees are uncomfortable."
"It is a significant move," Oppenheimer analyst Sandeep Aggarwal agreed. "This could be the start of others leaving."
Chief Financial Officer George Reyes said he would retire last August, the three-year anniversary of Google's IPO, when pre-IPO stock options had fully vested for executives. Reyes remains at Google as it seeks to hire a replacement.
Symbolically, Sandberg's hiring represents a passing of the crown as Silicon Valley's hottest start-up from Google to Facebook, which has gained momentum over the past year.
"While there is no comparison between Google and Facebook in revenue terms, Facebook, in terms of popularity and impact, has a very similar profile to the pre-IPO Google," Aggarwal said.
Facebook was founded in 2004 as a social site for students at Harvard University and spread quickly to other colleges and eventually into workplaces. Its popularity stems from how the site conveniently allows users to share details of their lives with selected friends online.
Google reported $16.6 billion in 2007 revenue, virtually all of it from online advertising sales generated under Sandberg's leadership.
By contrast, Facebook, which is privately held and does not disclose revenue, was estimated by one of its backers last year to generate revenue of little more than $100 million.
Sandberg will be responsible for helping Facebook expand its operations and its presence globally, the Palo Alto, California-based company said in a statement.
She will manage sales, marketing, business development, human resources, public policy, privacy issues and communications and will report directly to Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg, the company said.
Sandberg was vice president of global online sales and operations at Google. She was in charge of developing the main sales channels for Google, its AdWords and AdSense online advertising services.
Prior to Google, she was chief of staff to U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers in the Clinton administration.
Google's stock fell as low as $435.78 in heavy trade amid a broad drop in technology shares after a profit warning from Intel Corp. Google slid below its 52-week low of $437, set nearly one year ago on March 5, 2007.
The stock move bookmarks the latest chapter in a sharp reversal of fortune for Google and its shareholders since the stock hit a record high early last November.
Just four months ago, Google had a stock-market value exceeding $232 billion and a share price approaching $750 after more than three years of unchecked gains. Its market capitalization has sunk to $139 billion at Tuesday prices.
"Falling below the 52-week level is a psychologically important barrier," said Aggarwal, who recommends investors continue to buy Google shares, saying they will outperform the market. But he cautioned that "negative sentiments appear to be increasing" for the stock.
(Additional reporting by Dan Burns in New York, editing by Braden Reddall)
© Reuters 2008 All rights reserved
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Officers practice the Tactical Combat Fighting Stance. (Photo: APC)
What is the best stance for officers in the field to work from that gives the most options in the most situations they may face while on duty? Debated and discussed often and especially during firearms training, it comes down to what they were taught and its compatibility to basic body functions under stress. Deciding what to present to students can be a challenge as well. Long standing training standards have focused on score based, distance specific courses. The courses lend themselves to stances that accomplish high score but are not readily transferable to the actual environment officers work in once they leave the range. While most range operations focus on a down range only target area, the street demands the 360 mindset. The tactics and techniques we as instructors teach our personnel need to be in line with the street, not the range.
At the range, I watch what the officers do on the line related to stances, how well they perform tasks and what is the overall outcome. Were they able to shoot accurately? Did they remain aware of the surrounding areas, move smoothly between positions or points of cover, and how fast did they get tired when covering threats for an extended period of time. Although the isosceles stance is an easy platform to shoot from, I would not want to hold a rifle or shotgun from the stance after 10 minutes.
The APCLLC staff use the, Tactical Combat Fighting Stance™ (TCFS™). The goal has been working a stance that can apply to firearms or less lethal force options, and uses natural body motions. The stance focuses on 4 elements:
1. Tactical: A well thought out plan. Going out on the streets with a "wing it" mindset gives the advantage to an adversary in a confrontation.
2. Combat: Armed confrontations are a reality of law enforcement that can occur in any community at any time.
3. Fighting: Force options to overcome resistance or repel a physical assault.
4. Stance: A body posture as a platform to apply tactics and techniques.
The stance is structured with the operator's strong side foot half a step back from the support side foot. The knees are bent slightly to lower the body's center of gravity, the upper body is bent forward at the hips which balances the upper body and improves long arm or side arm presentation, or empty hand movement. The end result is a stance that is stable 360 degrees. There are several advantages with the stance. The officer is facing the primary threat area but retains mobility to change direction rapidly. The stance is transferable in that it is applicable to long arm, side arm, or empty hand tactics. A lowered center of gravity helps absorb the recoil from a weapon being fired. There is greater stability if someone were to bump or shove the officer from a side or from behind, and the ability to maintain position for longer periods of time with less fatigue.
Teaching the stance like anything else can be a challenge and especially when introducing a new technique to officers who have done something the same way for a long time. We recognize that this is a way but not the only way. Presenting to officers from this point of view removes a perception of arrogance or being a "know it all" type instructor. Encourage them to test and compare this stance to what has been used in the past. Have an instructor or a participant take other stances. Push from different directions to test overall stability. With arms extended push down or back on the hands to simulate the recoil of a weapon. During each demonstration, watch for how much movement there is. How easily can the participant drop to a low position while staying focused on a target? At the end of the day take out on the road what works best for each.
For many of us, seeing is believing. At a recent course for firearms instructors, I found just explaining the stance and talking participants through it wasn't connecting with all of them. I asked one of the participants to help to demonstrate the stance with me. I had him face me, and stand off center. He placed his support side forearm across my chest and was asked to adjust his posture to counter my weight as I leaned into his arm. In a few seconds he had moved into the TCFS™ without further instruction. The stance now made sense and he could compare it to what he had been doing in the past.
Further proof that the stance was workable in a wide range of situations came with the courses of fire that where conducted. Since they were not static but included various challenges from shooting on the move to multiple positions, each participant had substantial time to evaluate for themselves. The end result was a better prepared officer.
As I stated in the beginning, this is a way not the only way. It is a fluid stance that works in many situations and conditions. From empty hand to long arms the stance is a solid platform to work from.


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Sunday, January 31, 2010
Credit Card DM Volume Finally Rises
According to the research, while the volume of credit card direct mail in 2009 (less than 2 billion pieces) was 66% less than in 2008 and far less than the annual level of 7 billion a year experienced from 2004-2007, there was an increase of 47% during the fourth quarter of last year, compared to the previous quarter. Contributing to this increase, Chase increased their credit card mailings by the largest amount – 87% over the same period in 2008. In addition, US Bank's credit card mailings were up 64% over the same period of time, according to the study.
Posted by Jim Marous 0 comments
Labels: credit cards, direct mail, fee income, Mintel
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Mintel Comperemedia Looks at Financial Service Mega-Trends
Mintel Comperemedia presentation recently, Economic Psychologist, Susan Menke, PhD. presented the trends that are expected to have the greatest impact on consumer financial behavior and the banking industry during 2010. Based on tracking of direct marketing programs during the last half of 2009, the following predictions were made:
- The end of Free Checking: Banks such as Fifth Third and BBVA have already eliminated the account while Free Checking leader TCF announced the end of their Free Checking program at their investor meeting this week.
- Explosion of reward banking: The decline in Free Checking will most likely result in an increase in checking programs with rewards, especially in light of the increased importance of direct deposit, online bill payment and debit card interchange.
Posted by Jim Marous 0 comments
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Now's the Time to Build Retirement Dialogue With Your Customers
Now is the best time to reach out to customers and prospects in your market area and position your institution as the safe and secure place to place their retirement assets. And with retirement assets approaching $20 trillion, the opportunity is significant.
Posted by Jim Marous 0 comments
Labels: direct deposit, IRA, Mercatus, Retirement, savings, security
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Growth in Deposits Presents Opportunities and Risks
American Banker today had an article detailing the recent trend of low cost deposit growth experienced by the major banks in the fourth quarter of 2009. According to KBW Inc.'s Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, the top 40 banks experienced a deposit growth rate of 8% in the quarter, with only a couple large banks intentionally allowing higher-cost deposits inherited during acquisitions to run off during the year.
Even though interest rates remain extremely low, consumers were still saving at a rate of 4.7% as a percentage of disposable income in November, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis primarily due to uncertainties in the marketplace and due to the view of banks being the safe harbor for funds accumulated during a time of reduced spending.
Even though interest rates remain extremely low, consumers were still saving at a rate of 4.7% as a percentage of disposable income in November, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis primarily due to uncertainties in the marketplace and due to the view of banks being the safe harbor for funds accumulated during a time of reduced spending.
Posted by Jim Marous 0 comments
Labels: acquisition, cross-sales, deposits, onboarding, relationship banking, retention, ROI, savings
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Small Business is Big Business
While most banks are spending more time and resources trying to address the needs of small businesses, a large percentage of this segment is still underserved. According to a Javelin Strategy & Research report released last year, about two-thirds of the 26 million small firms don't have business banking accounts.
Posted by Jim Marous 0 comments
Friday, January 22, 2010
New Checking Plans Emerge in Response to Reg E
In place of traditional free checking accounts are value-based accounts that allow customers to customize their account for a fee. Features such as identity theft, rewards and even enhanced OD/NSF protection can be selected from a menu of enhancements that allow a bank to replace some of the fee income that already has been lost or will be lost in response to Reg E.
One of the first to build a new array of checking accounts was BBVA Compass which introduced Build to Order Checking more than two years ago.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
What Banking Needs to Become
In this quarter's Strategy + Business Magazine, Vanessa Wallace and Andrew Herrick discuss the significant changes in the banking industry over the past few years and how bank's business models, capabilities and practices must change as well. In their very good article, they emphasize that the purpose of banking and the needs of the customer have remained relatively consistent with regards to safe havens for savings and consistent access to credit for investment.
The environment has changed, however, with the competitive landscape changing, the regulations increasing and the public trust eroding. In addition, the times of high growth have ended.
The environment has changed, however, with the competitive landscape changing, the regulations increasing and the public trust eroding. In addition, the times of high growth have ended.
Posted by Jim Marous 0 comments
Labels: credit cards, insight, insurance, investment, loyalty, regulations, rewards, safety, trust
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
CDs Being Promoted as Alternative to Stock Market
In this period of economic uncertainty and stock market variability, many financial institutions are promoting Certificates of Deposits (CDs) as the safe, predictable alternative. Continuing the theme of 'safety and soundness' that began in late 2008 and early 2009, firms like Citibank, Bank of America, ING and many smaller financial institutions are emphasizing the guaranteed rate of a CD. Taking this product a step further, Ally Bank is promoting a CD with a guaranteed rate but no early withdrawal penalty while Capital One is paying a $100 bonus for deposits to CDs or their High Yield Savings account of $10,000 or more.
I expect the marketing of CDs to escalate in the next couple months as banks try to capture their share of the IRA contribution inflow.
I expect the marketing of CDs to escalate in the next couple months as banks try to capture their share of the IRA contribution inflow.
Posted by Jim Marous 0 comments
Monday, January 18, 2010
Online Customers Aren't the Only Target for Mobile Banking Services
Mobile Financial Services Congress in Miami a little over a month ago, there was a consistent message from almost all of the speakers that a mobile banking customer is less likely to attrite, more likely to use additional engagement services such as bill pay, and less costly to serve.
Interstingly, it was also emphasized that while most banks have promoted the use of mobile banking to their current online banking customers, the real financial benefit is realized when a customer who is not as heavy a user of online banking is converted to the mobile channel. In other words, it makes stronger financial sense to try to segment offline customers and implement a proactive channel migration strategy to convert channel usage.
Interstingly, it was also emphasized that while most banks have promoted the use of mobile banking to their current online banking customers, the real financial benefit is realized when a customer who is not as heavy a user of online banking is converted to the mobile channel. In other words, it makes stronger financial sense to try to segment offline customers and implement a proactive channel migration strategy to convert channel usage.
Posted by Jim Marous 0 comments
Labels: ATM, channel, mobile, Mobile banking, online banking, online bill payment, phone, segmentation, targeting
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Banks Beginning to Prepare for New OD Regulations
According to Sherief Meleis, managing director of New York City-based Novantas LLC, the banking industry could lose between $12 billion and $29 billion a year in checking account revenue when new regulations involving overdraft (OD) and nonsufficient funds (NSF) fees take effect. With such an adjustment taking place in the ability to generate fee income, banks are quickly determining how to communicate the upcoming (and still somewhat undefined changes) to their customers, while looking to dramatically restructure their checking portfolio. At last year's BAI Retail Delivery Conference, SunTrust SVP Hugh Gallagher stated, "We're in an environment where free checking, if not dead, is all but dead."
What needs to be remembered is that there is still a segment of customers who want access to overdraft services and actually rely on these services when emergencies occur or when debit card transactions are not monitored.
What needs to be remembered is that there is still a segment of customers who want access to overdraft services and actually rely on these services when emergencies occur or when debit card transactions are not monitored.
Posted by Jim Marous 0 comments
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Using Social Media for Financial Services Marketing
Nate Elliott from Forrester Research has decided to research and write a report on how financial services marketers can most effectively use social media. He is hoping to include data on how different types of financial customers engage with social media and is also hoping to collect more insight from the bank marketers' perspective.
He is looking for financial services marketers willing to walk him through examples of how you've used social media, talk to him about how you manage risk and work with your legal and compliance departments, and share with him some of the lessons you've learned in social media marketing. He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Posted by Jim Marous 0 comments
Labels: customer experience, Facebook, social media, social networks, Twitter
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
CBA of Georgia to Host Webinar on Onboarding
Community Bankers Association of Georgia web site and on this blog.
Posted by Jim Marous 0 comments
Labels: onboarding
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Chase Bank Resumes Testing of Checking Offers
Chase Bank is again using direct mail to test checking offers from $125 to $200 across the country for the opening of a new checking account by the end of January 2010. These efforts mirror what was being done across the country during 2007, 2008 and early 2009.
Posted by Jim Marous 0 comments
Labels: checking
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Zions Bank Continues to Improve Onboarding Process by Expanding Channels and Touches
Instead of simply sending a single letter to new account openers to thank them for their business, Zions Bank has expanded their onboarding program to include a 30 day 'engagement' mailing and a 60 day 'cross-sell' mailing. In addition, they utilize their centralized call center for follow-up and reach all new customers with email to reinforce the written communication. This integrated focus towards new customer communication has resulted in a significant reduction in new customer attrition and enhanced cross-sales of services.
Posted by Jim Marous 0 comments
Friday, January 1, 2010
The New Year Brings New Excitement for Bank Marketing
As we turn the calendar on a new year, our industry seems to be both well placed and at the same time under threat from both internal and external forces. How we respond as individuals, organizations and as an industry may well determine our growth opportunities for years to come.
After a year of budget and human resource cuts, bad economic news, retrenchment and lack of true focus, we must relearn how to be nimble, innovative and most importantly focused in the face of drastic change from non-banks, direct offerings, and everyone with a PC, an internet connection or a mobile phone.
My goal for this brand new endeavor into the world of blogging is to try to keep abreast of as many changes and new ideas in our industry as possible and provide a perspective around the opportunities and challenges from a person who has been in the bank marketing industry for over 30 years. Let me know when you or your bank have seen or done something innovative and I can share it on this blog.
As we enter a new decade, I see an exciting time ahead for those organizations who have the following attributes:
- A focus on the customer experience: A bank I work with used to paraphrase the focus on the customer as, 'know me, look out for me and reward me'. At a time when trust in banks is at one of the lowest points in history, this attention to the customer will be required.
- Leadership support for innovation: As opposed to simply looking for different flavors of vanilla, innovation that produces new ways of creating revenue, customer relationships and cost reduction will separate the winners from the losers.
- A movement from product focus to channel focus: It will be more important than ever to focus on integrated and seamless outcomes across all channels. With product commodization still the norm from the customer's perspective, more and more will decide where to bank by the way the service is delivered.
- Genuine messages and brand articulation: While it will be imperative to focus on the individual customer, your brand, advertising and all communication have still need meaning from the customer's perspective, with an emphasis on financial literacy.
I am definitely looking forward to this new communication opportunity and welcome any thoughts, insights and suggestions as to how to make this forum more valuable for you.
Posted by Jim Marous 0 comments
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Happy Birthday Valerie Bertinelli! Today, April 23, You're 52 Years Old!
Happy birthday, Valerie! Stay lean and fit!
We loved how you helped turn our lives around with the help of your endorsement with Jenny Craig. Celebrate with your family and we hope you continue to make us laugh in your sitcom Hot in Cleveland.
Sweet-faced Valerie Bertinelli may look like a soft touch, but throughout her life she's drawn on the tenacity of the Aries–Taurus cusp to carry her through situations that would have done others in. Unlike her One Day at a Time costar Mackenzie Phillips, she bypassed many perils that plague child actors and went on to marry rock star Eddie Van Halen; their union lasted 24 years, practically a millennium by Hollywood standards, but classic for bulls, who hate to give up on anything! The mother of Wolfgang, 19, she's most recently made headlines again as a Jenny Craig spokeswoman, reminding us all that there's no shame in battling weight gain.
Get more details at Astrology.com.


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Henry Schein, Its Supplier Partners and The Henry Schein Cares Foundation Commit to Donate More Than $1 Million to Relief Efforts for Hurricane Sandy
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Henry Schein, Its Supplier Partners and The Henry Schein Cares Foundation Commit to Donate More Than $1 Million to Relief Efforts for Hurricane Sandy
NEWSROOM: Henry Schein, Inc.
CONTENT: Press Release
MELVILLE, N.Y., Nov. 8, 2012 /3BL Media /PRNewswire/ - Henry Schein, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSIC), the world's largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, medical and animal health practitioners, today announced that the Company, its supplier partners and the Henry Schein Cares Foundation have committed to donate more than $1 million in essential health care supplies and cash to local relief organizations and communities affected by Hurricane Sandy, which struck areas of the Northeastern United States on October 29.
"A deep commitment to giving back to society is part of the character of Henry Schein," said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Henry Schein, Inc. "Hurricane Sandy has had a profound impact on our local community here on Long Island and throughout areas of the Northeastern United States, with many of our Team Schein Members, neighbors and customers suffering great loss and devastation. We are standing by our community in the wake of this catastrophe, and are eager to do anything we can to support local organizations providing relief to those in need."
With many thousands of evacuees already in temporary area shelters and in need of essential health care and hygiene products for people and pets, donations are being made through Henry Schein Cares, the Company's global corporate social responsibility program, in partnership with the Company's supplier partners.
In addition to the Company's donations of health care products, the Henry Schein Hurricane Relief Fund has been established through the Henry Schein Cares Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization that supports and promotes dental, medical and animal health by helping to increase access to care globally. The Fund provides a way for Team Schein Members and others who are interested in supporting relief efforts to contribute, and Henry Schein is matching all donations contributed to this fund by Team Schein Members. All proceeds of the Fund will be applied directly and completely to relief efforts by local organizations. In addition, the Company is holding drives for clothing, food and other personal items at its headquarter offices located in Melville, N.Y.
Individuals or companies wishing to contribute to the Henry Schein Hurricane Relief Fund can make a financial or product donation. Credit card donations can be made through the Henry Schein Cares Foundation Web site,http://www.hscaresfoundation.
In addition to its philanthropic efforts, Henry Schein reminded customers that its disaster relief hotline is open for dental, medical and animal health practitioners who have experienced operational, logistical or financial issues as a result of Hurricane Sandy. The toll-free number for all Henry Schein customers – 800-999-9729 – is operational from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET. The Company also announced plans to broaden support for affected customers by offering a host of financial services and staging a series of expert-led symposia examining all aspects of practice recovery.
In the past, Henry Schein Cares has responded to other disasters including the Colorado Wildfires in the United States in 2012; the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, earthquake in New Zealand, and flood in Australia in 2011; the earthquakes in Haiti, China and Chile in 2010; the flood in Pakistan in 2010; the cyclone in Myanmar and earthquake in China in 2008; Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the U.S. Gulf Coast; the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan; the 2004 Asian tsunami; the conflict in Israel, Lebanon, and Palestine; and September 11.
About Henry Schein Cares and the Henry Schein Cares Foundation
Henry Schein Cares, Henry Schein's global corporate social responsibility program, stands on four pillars: engaging Team Schein Members to reach their potential, ensuring accountability by extending ethical business practices to all levels within Henry Schein, promoting environmental sustainability, and expanding access to health care for underserved and at-risk communities around the world. Health care activities supported by Henry Schein Cares focus on three main areas: advancing wellness, building capacity in the delivery of health care services, and assisting in emergency preparedness and relief. Firmly rooted in a deep commitment to social responsibility and the concept of enlightened self-interest championed by Benjamin Franklin, the philosophy behind Henry Schein Cares is a vision of "doing well by doing good." Through the work of Henry Schein Cares to enhance access to care for those in need, the Company believes that it is furthering its long-term success.
Established in 2008, Henry Schein Cares Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization, works to foster, support, and promote dental, medical, and animal health by helping to increase access to care for communities around the world.
The Henry Schein Cares Foundation carries out its mission through financial and health care product donations that support health care professionals and community-based programs focused on prevention, wellness, and treatment; disaster preparedness and relief; and capacity building of health institutions that provide training and care. To learn more about the Henry Schein Cares Foundation, please visit: www.hscaresfoundation.org. The "Helping Health Happen Blog" is a platform for health care professionals to share their volunteer experiences delivering assistance to those in need globally. To read more about how Henry Schein Cares is making a difference, please visit our blog: http://helpinghealthhappen.
About Henry Schein, Inc.
Henry Schein, Inc. is the world's largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, medical and animal health practitioners. The Company also serves dental laboratories, government and institutional health care clinics, and other alternate care sites. A Fortune 500® Company and a member of the NASDAQ 100® Index, Henry Schein employs more than 15,000 Team Schein Members and serves approximately 775,000 customers.
The Company offers a comprehensive selection of products and services, including value-added solutions for operating efficient practices and delivering high-quality care. Henry Schein operates through a centralized and automated distribution network, with a selection of more than 90,000 national and Henry Schein private-brand products in stock, as well as more than 100,000 additional products available as special-order items. The Company also offers its customers exclusive, innovative technology solutions, including practice management software and e-commerce solutions, as well as a broad range of financial services.
Headquartered in Melville, N.Y., Henry Schein has operations or affiliates in 25 countries. The Company's sales reached a record $8.5 billion in 2011, and have grown at a compound annual rate of 18 percent since Henry Schein became a public company in 1995. For more information, visit the Henry Schein Web site at www.henryschein.com.
Copyright 2012 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.


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Here is my first entry into the CCC X
It's a side tower in the wall around the city of Valholl, this was built for GoH where I'm in a build off with Ecclesiastes.
This time however I made sure it was eligible for the CCC as well.
More pics here: http://www.legocreator57.tk/Valholl-Side-Tower.php
Any C&C welcome


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By Elizabeth O'Brien
Some doctors are quick to prescribe testosterone to middle-aged men complaining of symtoms including loss of energy and libido. But a new study adds to mounting evidence that that testosterone therapy contributes to cardiac problems, suggesting this decision should be approached with caution.
A study published this week in the medical journal Plos One and funded by the National Institutes of Health analyzed the risk among a large group of testosterone patients of serious heart attacks after starting the drug. The analysis found a two-fold increase in the risk of heart attack in the three months after an initial prescription among men aged 65 years and older and a two to three-fold increase among younger men with a history of heart disease.
The study follows, among others, findings released last fall that testosterone therapy significantly raised the risk of death, heart attack and stroke in a group of veterans with a history of heart disease.
Testosterone levels begin to decline gradually in men in their 30s, and the drop accelerates in middle age. However, in most men these declines are normal, and many doctors would say they don't rise to the level of a treatable condition. Dr. Bradley Anawalt, chief of medicine at the University of Washington Medical Center and a member of the Endocrine Society, has said that the rates of hypogonadism—the medical term for deficient sex hormones—run from between 2% to 10% in middle-aged and older men.
Even so, the rising ubiquity of adds for "low T" suggest that some doctors are putting men on the drug who don't meet clinical criteria for hypogonadism.
Testosterone drugs carry no mention of an increased cardiac risk in their advertising materials, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is looking into the new findings, according to a story about the study in the New York Times. Also check out this week's Retire Well story on customized hormone therapy for midlife health woes.
Also in Encore:
Studies: Multi-vitamins don't help boomers
Time to get an advance directive


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Its become a commonplace to simply blame the credit crunch on "stupid, greedy bankers". The trouble is, suppose you were a smart, frugal banker five years ago. Your exceptional brains let you see that subprime self-certified mortgages were a bad idea, and therefore anything built on them was clearly going to collapse. Therefore you weren't going to invest in that part of the market.
The trouble is, you would have had years of below-average results. Your clients and employers would be looking at your competitors and pointing out how bad your results were. Even if your clients were prepared to listen to your explanations, many are under a legal obligation to maximise their investment returns, and their customers will be less sophisticated and correspondingly less willing to listen to complicated explanations about why their pension is so much less than their neighbours.
So you get removed from your job, and someone else is put in who is willing to do what it takes to deliver market returns.
Looked at from an abstract point of view the game resembles a "Tragedy of the Commons". A banker who gets good returns while taking hidden risks is like the commoner who puts an extra cow on the common pasture. He gets richer while all his neigbours get a little poorer. So everyone else is forced to do likewise, even though everyone can see that collectively this is going to lead to ruin. And so the game goes.
The traditional solutions to the Tragedy of the Commons are:
- Property rights. Divide up the commons into individual plots and allocate them to the commoners. Failing that, give each commoner a tradeable right to put exactly one cow on the commons.
- Regulation. Make a law that each person can only put one cow on the commons.
So without this, what can we do to prevent the next big bust? It doesn't look like there is anything. As memories of this bust fade and the people who experienced it retire, a new generation of bankers will come along with a new ingenious method for hiding risk, and once again bad banking will drive out the good until the whole thing collapses once more.


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5:00 pm
Growing a Greener World "Young Farmers" There is a new breed of farmer emerging in America. They're young, hard working and highly motivated toward environmental stewardship. These young people are turning to small-scale farming because they want to make a difference in the way our food is produced. D
5:30 pm
Cyberchase "Step By Step" In the company of the ghostly pirate Ivanka, the elusive Doctor Marbles is back, and this time he's discovered a powerful cybermineral he can use to help Motherboard. Located deep inside a volcano on the cybersite Corsario, this "Magmalux" is strong enough to override the virus Hacker inflicted on the beloved Cyberspace ruler. Unfortunately, Hacker is on to Marbles and traps him on Skull Island so he can retrieve the Magmalux for his own evil purpose. D
6:00 pm
Tommy Tang's Easy Thai Cooking "Phi Mai Sanctuary/E-Saan" Chicken Soup, Prik King Shrimp with sauteed Shitake Mushroom and Asparagus and Thai Hom Mali Rice.G
6:30 pm
Sara's Weeknight Meals "Holiday Food Gifts" A thoughtful gift you make yourself speaks volumes, and food is the present everyone loves! Sara releases your creative spirit by teaching how to make Homemade Marshmallows with a Hot Chocolate Mix. For the wine enthusiast, her Homemade Cheese Crackers pair beautifully with some cheese and wine. Peppermint Bark looks very expensive but couldn't be easier to make. D
7:00 pm
Rick Steves' Europe "Highlights of Paris: Eiffel and Monet to Creme Brulee" Rick scales the Eiffel Tower, savors French foods and marvels at Impressionists.G
7:30 pm
Travelscope "Ireland - The West Is Best" Joseph starts his Ireland adventure in the town of Shannon and then heads southwest to the Dingle Peninsula. While on the Peninsula he uncovers a few important Irish secrets like how to draw a proper pint, spout a wee bit of Gaelic without getting tongue-tied, how to root for your horse home at the Dingle races and which pub has the best Irish soda bread and stew. Then he heads to the Puck Festival in Killorglin on the Ring of Kerry for some Irish merrymaking. D
8:00 pm
GardenSMART We needn't sing lullabies as we bed down our gardens for winter. There are other things to be done, though, while we enjoy the fall air. Join GardenSMART as we visit with an expert who explains what should be finished in time for the garden's winter sleep. D
8:30 pm
Ask This Old House "Refinishing With Spray Paint; Installing a Pre-Finished Wood Floor" Landscape contractor Roger Cook and host Kevin O'Connor refinish several worn out items using spray paint. Then, general contractor Tom Silva removes wall-to-wall carpet and installs a pre-finished wood floor. And in the loft, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows Kevin some new household devices that can be operated "hands-free. D
9:00 pm
For Your Home "Keeping The Family Close" Home is where the heart is and the heart of the home is where the family is-a cheery area featuring a keeping room, casual dining area and kitchen. Working with buttery colors and durable fabrics, Vicki and Sloan put an elegant spin on this multipurpose space. D
9:30 pm
Katie Brown Workshop "Gift Giving" Katie proves it's better (and more fun) to give than to receive with easy and thoughtful gift ideas. In the Kitchen: Put-It-Together Pie, Tortellini and Turkey Meatball Soup, Strawberry Pesto, Apple Ginger Preserves and Orange Caramel Sauce. Projects: Make-your-own buttons. D
10:00 pm
Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting "Churn Dash & Pinwheel" Fons & Porter use their Half & Quarter ruler to cut triangles for two kinds of blocks for a baby quilt. D
10:30 pm
Donna Dewberry Show "Poppy Fields" Donna creates a field of red and orange poppies that spill off the canvas and onto the matting and frame. Then she decorates a table runner with appliqu� and color.G
11:00 pm
Cook's Country from America's Test Kitchen "Family Supper" Bridget lancaster shows host Christopher Kimball the secrets to the perfectly Glazed Meatloaf and crunchy Potato Wedges. then, equipment expert Adam Reid reviews dish towels, and finally, Chris shares the test kitchen's top tips for avoiding common cooking mistakes. D
11:30 pm
Lidia's Italy In America "Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh's Italian Americans" NULL


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Junot Diaz won the Pulitzer Prize for his first novel, "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao".
Broadcast date: Tuesday 27 August
Junot was born in the Dominican Republic, in the Caribbean.
His father was in the military police of the Republic's bizarre dictator, Trujillo, who made the country his personal plaything for three decades.
Junot's family relocated to the United States when he was six, and he grew up in New Jersey as a Latino nerd; obsessed with books, comics and science fiction.
His fiction overlaps with his own story: full of tales of love, infidelity and history's shadow.
This Is How You Lose Her is published by Faber.
You can either listen to each Conversations interview by clicking on the audio or you can download each interview as an mp3 by right clicking on the blue heading under the audio.
To subscribe to the Conversations podcast, paste http://www.abc.net.au/queensland/conversations/conversationspodcast.xml into your podcasting application or visit our podcasting page.
Visit the Conversations archive.
Richard tells the golden, murderous history of the lost Byzantine city of Constantinople.
Richard Fidler and Kari Gislason's radio documentary on the Icelandic sagas.
People who love the program recommend their favourite episodes in these playlists.
Close encounters with the body and brain in a collection of conversations with outstanding medical professionals.
Playlists curated by the producers of Conversations.


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