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Diamond Tufting?
Does anyone know how to do Diamond Tufting? and can they explain it w/o sending me to some website that sells videos?
I would like to do Diamond Tufting in black leather on an early teens hotrod as well as in an early teen restoration.
Any help would be appreciated!
This is no easy one to answer. Do you want the tufts sewn in or folded in? In a nutshell: decide how big you want the tufts, both side to side and top to bottom. Usually tufts are a little taller than they are wide. Lay this out on the foam you are tufting the fabric to and mark the location of each button. After you cut the holes in the foam, the foam needs a good solid backing to hold the buttons. Using an arch punch, or some form of hole saw, cut a hole in each button location slightly larger than the buttons you plan to use. At the outside edges of the tufted area, you need to score the foam and let the excess fabric fold into the scoring, or fold the fabric on top of the foam without scoring the foam. It is trial and error to get the right distance of the fabric between the holes in the foam in both directions. Different fabrics tuft differently, and it has to look good to you, and there is no magic formula to determine that. Once you figure this out, transfer these dimensions to your fabric, put a button through the fabric and then through the hole in the foam and through the backing material. If you use eye buttons, do not tie off the buttons too tightly at this point, (use a mattress knot) or if you're using prong buttons, bend the prongs too tightly yet. Fold in all your tufts until they are uniform and then tighten down the buttons. Sewing in the tufts is different. If that's what you want to do I'll have to take some pictures to explain it. Are you talking about using real leather? Practice A LOT with some vinyl first. Buttons are hard to make out of real leather, and a lot of vinyls. The button dies have to be set up for it. If you have more questions, just ask. Good luck.
No one lives forever, the trick is creating something that will.
Last edited by DanTwoLakes; 07-10-2007 at 08:20 AM.
I appreciate the assistance. As I get into the project, I may be asking for more advise (I hope you don't mind) I am attaching what I hope the upholstery would look like.
Thanks again,
That's a piece of cake compared to what I was envisioning. It's not sewed in, it's just folded in. No, I don't mind if you ask more questions.
No one lives forever, the trick is creating something that will.
So I just want to be sure that I understand correctly, I attempt the tufting on vinyl first, so I can figure out how to fold the material into the desired tuft sizes, then go to a leather. And you say that the type of tufting in the photo is easy? Then I will come to you when I get stuck (with a needle or otherwise ).
If you have more details, I would appreciate it. I have a feeling that I have to jump in with both feet to get a true understanding of it.
Thanks again.
No, not easy, but way easier than I envisioned without knowing what you wanted to do. Tufting is not hard once you have the dimensions figured out, but that can take some time. It is tedious and time consuming, though, especially a long involved piece. I did a vehicle that was a combination of a motorcycle in the front and a Volkswagen rear end. The whole inside of it was tufted.......... walls, ceiling, and part of the seats. I thought I was going to lose my mind putting in over 400 buttons.
If I were you, I would practice on a piece of vinyl that closely resembles the leather you are going to use. It's a good way to get the hang of it, and screwing up $25 worth of vinyl is no big deal compared to screwing up $300 worth of leather.
I will do a small section and take pictures so you can see what you're up against. I can't get to it for a few days, I'll try to do it by next Monday.
No one lives forever, the trick is creating something that will.
Hey, Dan
If, say, the buttons are to be 4-inches apart (horizontally) and, say, 6-inches apart (vertically), then those measurements go on the foam and the holes are cut at those locations.
If I understand this right, the tough part is figuring where the buttons will be located on the leather because of the folded part of the design. So, where do you start? For starters, do you figure the buttons locations on the leather to be, say, 8-inches apart (horizontally) and, say, 12-inches apart (vertically)?
That's right, the holes go in the foam right where you want the buttons to be. Then you determine the spacing on the fabric by trial and error. If your holes are 4" by 6", then add the thickness of the foam to those dimensions and start there. In other words, if you have 2" thick foam add 2" to make the dimensions on the fabric 6" by 8". Every fabric tufts differently. Those dimensions may work perfectly, may need to be added to slightly, or reduced slightly. The firmness of the foam can also be a factor. If your foam is real soft, the spacing might need to be narrower. I would suggest using at least 35 to 40 compression foam to tuft, which is considered medium. The thicker the foam is the softer it can be, but I wouldn't go lower than 30 compression. Remember, a 1/4" difference in the dimensions can really make a huge difference in how your tufting looks, so take your time with your original trial and error process.
No one lives forever, the trick is creating something that will.
Last edited by DanTwoLakes; 07-13-2007 at 08:12 AM.
Here's some pics of the tufting process. Explanation to follow. Now remember, I threw this together in about 45 minutes this morning, so don't expect much.
Low budget rodder: The way to do your specific seat is as follows: Determine how thick the foam padding needs to be to duplicate what's in the car now. Then you need to put the foam onto the seat and attach it so that you can take it back off without wrecking it. Once it's in the car, lay out the hole pattern you want and mark it on the foam. It is very important to do this on the seat in the car because if the seat curves backward or in any other direction, it can change the spacing of the buttons on the fabric. Cut out your holes in the foam. You can use either arch punches, or the longer silver "tool" is a piece of 3/4" electrical conduit that I ground an edge on. I like to put a layer of dacron polyester over the foam because it lets the fabric slip easier. This needs to have holes in it also. Here's where you start your trial and error. Mark diamonds on a piece of scrap fabric, and tuft a small section onto the foam. Once you have it the way you want it, take it back apart and measure the spacing side to side and top to bottom and use those dimensions to lay out the whole piece. There are two ways to terminate the tufting top, bottom, and sides. One way is to fold the fabric like I did, and lay it on top of the foam. The other way is to cut vertical and horizontal scoring lines in the foam from the top, bottom, and side button holes to the top, bottom and sides of the foam, and work the fabric into them. I used prong buttons to tuft this sample with, obviously without covering the button tops. Another option is threaded nails which attach by sliding a metal washer down the shaft until the button is tight. Another option is to use eye buttons and tie the buttns off with a mattress (figure 8) knot. The good news is that all your tufting can be done out of the car once you have fitted the foam to the seat.
No one lives forever, the trick is creating something that will.
Last edited by DanTwoLakes; 07-12-2007 at 09:35 AM.
the rest of the pics. You can see where I marked the pattern on the back of the vinyl, and then pushed a sharp point through the fabric to mark the fabric on the front side. This also makes pushing the buttons through the vinyl easier. Start tufting from the center row and work out to the ends. Then work up and down from the center out. Don't tighten the buttons down as tight as they'll go at first. Adjust the tufts and then tighten the buttons all the way. Like I said, this was done hurriedly, and could have been tweeked to let the fabric lay better, but you should get the idea.
No one lives forever, the trick is creating something that will.
Last edited by DanTwoLakes; 07-12-2007 at 09:33 AM.
I forgot to mention when I updated the posts that you need a solid backing to attach the buttons to. This can be cardboard strips, wood, heavy synthetic backing, a combination of the strips and backing material,whatever, but if the backing is weak, the tufts have no depth and look bad. I use a fabric called Versare to cover the back springs which makes an excellent backing, or I have also used Flex Pad, which is used more for seat springs than back springs. The first pic is Versare, which comes in 40" wide rolls. The second pic is the Flex Pad, which is made to be a padding over seat spring construction and comes in 20" and 24" wide rolls.
Also: I went back and edited my answer to Alan's question. Go back and take a look.
No one lives forever, the trick is creating something that will.
Last edited by DanTwoLakes; 07-13-2007 at 08:14 AM.
Hey guys, I stumbled on this site by accident and have also been approaching a tufting job that I am not sure if I am prepared for. After reading your conversation however, I think Im ready to gitter done. I would like to ask Dan one question if thats ok.
Attached is pic of what I am trying to replicate. Is the tufting process described in this thread the same for my project? My board and hole design is done but thats as far as I got. THank you for any input!
Marc Anthony
They are the same. You need to figure out how far apart the holes in the fabric are and you'll be all set. One tip for you...don't tighten down the buttons right away, leave them a little loose in the beginning to help with the fine tuning. Once the fabric is just so, then tighten them down all the way.
No one lives forever, the trick is creating something that will.
Yes, they are 6 inches apart. My foam is 3 inches thick and the material is fake suede. I hope to get it right. grin.
Tufting an antique fainting couch?
I came upon this posting late, but I hope Dan still watches it because his description on the tufting process was excellent.
I'm wondering if the same technique used in car seats could be used on an antique oak fainting couch I have.
I've included pictures so folks can see what it is. It was tufted in leather, and the technique seems to have been done with folding.
They didn't have foam, so horse hair was used to stuff the folds and the buttons seem to go through a canvas covering that contains the springs for the couch.
I can follow most of what Dan says, but I'm wondering this.. Since most of the original leather covering is intact, could I simply remove it and make a template from it? What confuses me the most is how to actually work the tufts as "folds". When I look at the original, they are tight and deep. They almost look like they were sewn, but as the photo demonstrates, they were not. Is it only a function of the tightness of the buttons and the amount of fabric (in this case leather) and stuffing that determines this folding? How difficult is it when the material is leather?
I'm wondering if I'd be able to use the original covering, once opened up to my advantage -- somehow?
These questions are daunting. When I first bough the sofa I had in mind to try my luck at its restoration. Now however, I wonder if it's beyond my abilities.
If anyone is still reading this thread, any insight would be appreciated.
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So I've been working through the changes for version 5 and have got as far as the Skills in character generation. This is quite a large undertaking! I have been brutal with the pruning, cutting down to the bare minimum of what skills I see the players using. I'm not grouping the trees by skill type anymore. The amount of rules I'm cutting away is humungous - leaving more room for flavour and bionics.
Skills will have a value between 1 and 5 and the caveat with the tree is that a higher epoch skill cannot have a greater level than a lower epoch. Where attribute raising will require you spend RP for the level you're going to, skills are simply 1-for-1.
I'm not sure if I like them being centre-aligned. I'll have a play with that another time.


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Photo replay: Blogger Strom arrested yet again for stalking
Let's say you've just had federal agents come by your house. For many, the last thing thing they'd do next is swing by another agent's house and take photos. Yet authorities say that's what Elisha Strom did.
Police portray the red-tressed 35-year-old as an unrepentant stalker who terrorizes men in blue with online musings and photos on her blog. But to Strom, the most recent escapade–- for allegedly stalking an agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms–- it's just another bogus charge intended to get her to take down the site, I HeArTE JADE.
The most recent contretemps arose in August when Strom was arrested for allegedly stalking ATF Agent John Stoltz. In his August complaint, Stoltz accuses Strom of stalking him from February 2008 to August 17, 2010. He notes that her website includes photos of him, his car, his license place, and his residence to bolster his allegation.
"Due to Strom's postings, I fear she or someone viewing the website will locate and kill or harm me and/or my family," writes Stoltz.
Strom claims she hasn't seen Agent Stoltz since July 2009, but she readily concedes that she took photos of his house in Greene County August 30.
"That was after sending four ATF agents to my house," explains Strom, claiming the ATF was trying to intimidate her.
"She was at the officer's house on the 30th [of August]," said Commonwealth's Attorney Ron Morris. "We think that's an important event in this series of stalking."
The original warrant was dismissed and the new warrant covers a period of August 31, 2009, to August 30, 2010. Defense attorney Adam Rhea objects to the new warrant that was presented in Greene General District Court on October 27, the day Strom was supposed to go to trial for a case that "has been on the docket quite some time," Rhea noted.
"It's an unusual phenomenon in my experience," says Rhea after the hearing. "It's unusual how many times the date on the warrant has been changed."
And Strom objects to being arrested twice for what's basically the same stalking charge.
Although she's a former white supremacist, Strom drew sympathy from the ACLU in 2009 when she was thrown behind bars for a month for publishing the address of another law enforcement officer's house. Even though such information was publicly available from government websites, Virginia law appears to make what she did a Class 6 felony, and the ACLU contends such a law is unconstitutional.
Earlier this year, Delegate Rob Bell successfully pressed a bill through the General Assembly that makes it possible for law enforcement officers to petition the court to have their property records removed from government websites if they feel threatened. What law enforcement hasn't been able to do is quash Strom's website. At least not yet.
On October 25, she writes on I HeArTE JADE that the prosecution offered her a deal: plead guilty to stalking and take down I HeArTE JADE in exchange for a 12-month suspended sentence. If convicted, she faces up to a year in jail.
Strom replies with a deal of her own: If authorities drop the charges, she won't ridicule them for two weeks.
She'll be in court again on December 1.
Correction 4:30pm November 9: Strom had not been arrested when she took photos of the ATF agent's house August 30.
56 comments
what in the heck is the point of her site? It seems kinda childish and creepy. I'm not saying she doesn't have the right to post that stuff...I just don't get why the heck she devotes her life to it. Bizarre.
Is it time for some kind of civilian oversight board?
You said:
What I don't understand is why the hook is trying so hard to make this woman appear sympathetic. She's so clearly taunting law enforcement and is associated with truly offensive beliefs and behaviors. What does she, or anyone, expect to happen?
The whole thing, including the media's take, is odd.
The issue is not ideology for this aging groupie/stalker, in my opinion (she adopted white separatism and then discarded it, just as she takes up with and discards men, using some of them to get revenge on her former "crushes").
She used law enforcement to "get" her husband and then she attacks and stalks the lawman she was working with. The lawman and his fellow agents tell her to back off, and her response is to start following and photographing dozens of them, and to claim she is sleeping with some to get info on others.
This is not normal, and I think a professional diagnosis is called for.
meanwhile said:
"no. One of her ââ?¬Å?truly offensive beliefs" is white supremacy. ââ?¬Å?Free speech" is not a ââ?¬Å?belief", but a right.
If you disagree with me, please feel free to state your opinion.
White supremacists are vile humans."
Do you feel the same way about muslims? Are they all vile because of the extremists? What about all the people who voted for the Nazi party.. were they all vile? Or perhaps were they uninformed, miseducated or even brainwashed into believing things that were untrue. There are a lot of people who grew up amongst blacks during segregation who believed that blacks were truly receiving a separate but equal education. They then witnessed blacks not succeeding and came to believe the retoric that blacks were inferior. They saw blacks arrested and assumed they were criminals instead of profiled. Children of true racial bigots grew up to believe what was instilled in them. So what you are saying is that if a person who was raised this way becomes enlightened then they are still a vile person?
If this is what you believe then perhaps you need some enlightenement.
And if you believe in free speech it IS a "belief" (you cannot take the US constituion with you to barbados but you can take your beliefs)
"The dogs bark, but the caravan passes on." Scarlett in GWTW - M.Mitchell
I thought you just did a professional diagnosis?
"Enzo" wrote: she is sleeping with some to get info on others.
Well, that's not entirely true. Some I'm sleeping with simply because they're HOT. Hahaha...
"Ha" was for gasbag...
Cops and firemen are a problem, but teachers are easy. You just get your kid to accuse them of sexual misconduct and chances are they'll never eat lunch in this town again!!
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Wait, people supposedly have sex with this woman? Do not believe.
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This is the weirdest and most pointless fued of all time.
Why do they let people who are scaredy cats be cops?
R wrote: Wait, people supposedly have sex with this woman? Do not believe.
Now, see, I haven't said anything even remotely as cruel as that, yet I'm the one people think is malicious?
What a sad commentary on our times.
Mr/Mrs/Miss J, many decades ago only the big, strong and brave were hired. There were height and weight requirements, or you didn't become a cop. Only big tall muscular men were hired.
Times changed, they hire all sizes and shapes now. You can't take a 5'7" boy or 5'3" girl and make a Sylvester Stallone out of them.
And while being a cop still isn't in the Top 10 of Most Dangerous professions, a cop is still 10 times more likely to be killed in the line of duty in 2010 than a cop was 30 years ago. I think the increased violent nature of today's criminals, based on guns and drugs, give sthem a reason to be scared. But, yes, some of them do take it to an extreme. That's the ones you're probably speaking of.
I've had 2 traffic stops performed on me in the last 14 years. And both times the cop involved seemed to be absolutely and totally scared to death. Other than what I said above, I am at a loss for words to really explain it though.
Stallone isn't much bigger than 5'7", don't let the low camera angles and HGH fool you.
GBSOE wrote, "There's no effective forums to file a complaint on cops, firemen and teachers."
I guess you have never heard of an administrator or a school board. How about a Board of Supervisors Member, a State Legislator, an editor of a newspaper, the local television media, a local talk radio host, or wait a minute, how about a blog that doesn't target the private lives of public servants? I don't know your background and wouldn't presume to pry into your private life. If you have been wronged in this way by those in authority, then you have an axe to grind. Two wrongs don't make a right and if you don't condone what she is doing, then why the vociferous defense of her right to do so?
"Mr/Mrs/Miss J, many decades ago only the big, strong and brave were hired. There were height and weight requirements, or you didn't become a cop. Only big tall muscular men were hired."
They also used to be big brutes who served the rich more than then they kept order. One good example is them beating striking union members at the order of the factory owners. What is your point?
I know that I am supposed to believe in freedom of speech but this is the sort of woman that makes me question my beliefs. Personally, I'd be happy if she just move to some other area and get a new stalking gig. At least we could get her off the local media outlets - which would truly be a service to us all.
JJ, my point is they didn't walk around scared to death of their own shadows, like so many cops do nowadays. This is just my opinion though. And it seems as though Mr/Mrs/Miss J shares the same opinion. My gosh, they had five or six patrol cars show up when I was pulled over for allegedly not giving a turn signal a few months ago. (I saw five, my daughter said it was six) People getting mugged, juveniles harassing everybody on the downtown mall, young females getting abducted and murdered... and five or six patrol cars to do a simple traffic stop? Explain it to me.
VaTeacher, one of the forums you mention, "local media".... isn't this where Strom is sorta filing her complaint more or less? I've made it very clear above that I do not condone what Strom is doing. But she isn't doing anything the cop shoppes don't do themselves. It's OK when a cop shoppe publishes the address of a law enforcement officer (mine), but it's suddenly a crime when a civilian does it?
Then we have the cop shoppes charge her with stalking. That's all fine and dandy if they have the evidence to convict her. But to claim they will give her a suspended jail sentence for this if she takes down her JADE web site? What are the cop shoppes mad about, her stalking or her JADE web site?
GBSOE, I can't speak for what the police are "mad about" other than the threat, implied or otherwise, to the privacy and safety of their families by her posting of the information. Again, I get it that your privacy was violated by someone in the police who used the same tactics against you. Does that make it OK for her to publish the information in question? She can make fun of them all she wants, that to me is protected speech. There is plenty of case law and statutes out there, or soon to be out there from Del. Bell, to make the officers' personal confidentiality portion of her website punishable as a criminal offense.
We don't live in an overly violent gang operations area as compared to more metropolitan areas, but how much longer will these people ignore an area like C-ville? Why make their potential attacks on police and their families easier with information like hers?
What I worry about is that it seems like she is not breaking the law but just p-ing off the police and they can lock her up because they don't like her. I don't like her much myself but we are supposed to protect peoples rights in America, right?
I luv your site "I heart Jade"
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It's freedom of speech, plain and simple. She's done nothing illegal. If I go on a public website (ie Albemarle County Revenue), and find the PUBLICLY LISTED address of a police, officer, FBI Agent, Ice Cream salesman, janitor, or anyone else, and then post it on my site, all of a sudden I'm a crook? That doesn't make sense. You have NO expectation of privacy when your in the public. If I stand on the public street and take a photo of you or your house, it's legal. f I take a photo of you driving your car down 29, it's legal. The cops are just angry that she's airing their dirty laundry. I say keep on trucking! Wish there were a hundred more like ya!
what was the original intent of the blog?
I must have missed what the vendetta was against JADE in the first place to warrant a blog that stalks certain members of the task force for years on end. I also must have missed what the blog owner was hoping to gain by doing this?
The phrase "choose your battles wisely" comes to mind. That would go not for what battles to engage in, but also what sorts of tactics to employ.
It seems like the original intent of the blog has ceased to be important. Because what she is doing on the blog is not illegal but still causes her to be harassed and arrested, continuing to write it has become about rights and not being intimidated. If she actually "stalks" people and threatens them, it is not OK. If she is being unlawfully prosecuted she should be supported and well represented.
*That would go not only for what battles to engage in
That would go not for what battles to engage in
Eventually you will have to spill all the beans Jade.
Im sure capitalizing the h, a, t, and e in the incorrectly spelled "hearte" is just a coincidence and has absolutely nothing to do with her intentions.
Fuzzy Wuzzy:
Thank you for your brilliant interpretation of First Amendment jurisprudence. I am thrilled that we have a constitutional scholar in our midst.
Scholar? Not by a long shot. I am however someone who does believe in exercising and protecting my civil rights, and to do that, I need to be at a minimum educated on them. That is, unfortunately, much more than most people care to do, therefore they are willing to give up those rights so easily.
Bungle, I offer my services.
But first, I need to know what level of stupidity you're currently at. :)
Gee, Tim, and here I thought nobody would ever notice the blatantly obvious capital letters.
Sheesh. Doesn't anyone comprehend tongue-in-cheek anymore?
Oh and, Tim, given that you've resorted to (mis)analyzing the site's name to guess at my intentions, 'tis rather disingenuous of you to deliberately disregard my inclusion of the word "heart" also.
Would anybody tell me if I was getting stupider?
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I think it's pretty clear their ONLY intent is to have her web site taken offline. And I feel they will keep using BS charges to beat around the bush until they accomplish their mission.
What bothers me most about this entire thing is the fact that the Albemarle County cop shoppe had no problem releasing my residence address for all to see in 1997 while I was still an active sworn law enforcement officer. I am a big boy, and armed. I like to think I can take care of myself. But this placed my wife and then 4-year-old daughter in danger.
I think a very question is - How in the world does this girl afford the time to do all of this? Also, shouldn't it be "recovering white supremacist"?
How can you be a "former white supremacist"? Is there ANY evidence that she is not STILL a white supremacist or did the writer take license to make her appear more sympathetic> Shouldn't it also be noted that her husband was busted for downloading child porn?
While law enforcement's pursuit of this woman may be unusual, it doesn't appear to be illegal.
You lie down with dogs you get fleas and maybe, just maybe, you're a dog yourself. I don't have a problem with law enforcement protecting themselves from a white supremacist that lived in a house where child porn was being downloaded.
And she's hardly "red-tressed". Her hair is obviously dyed and dyed a rather hideous color at that.
What I don't understand is why the hook is trying so hard to make this woman appear sympathetic. She's so clearly taunting law enforcement and is associated with truly offensive beliefs and behaviors. What does she, or anyone, expect to happen?
Is one of her "truly offensive beliefs" freedom of speech?
I think the entire thing is ridiculous and hate to see the government give creedence to somone who has none.
They may succeed in getting her website down but she has already succeeded in making law enforcemnt look like crybaby buffoons, keystone cops, malicous prosecuters and, overprotective judges who guard their own at the expense of the Constitution.
First they came for the obviously dyed,
and I did not speak out --
Because I was not a red head...
no. One of her "truly offensive beliefs" is white supremacy. "Free speech" is not a "belief", but a right.
If you disagree with me, please feel free to state your opinion.
White supremacists are vile humans.
The article fails to mention that the first charge was dropped. Additionally, and incorrectly, it states the photo-taking came after the arrest.
As for my creepy estranged husband, using HIS so-called supremacist beliefs to claim I'M a danger to Law Enforcement makes about as much sense as using HIS sexual predilection for six-to-twelve-year-old children to claim I'M a child molester -- and both are irrelevant to this situation and my life, anyway.
One would think that if I was such a threat, the opposition wouldn't have to drag up the ideology, words, or actions, of OTHERS to make their case against ME; the reason they have to resort to that is because I personally have never said, written, or done anything illegal, and they darn well know it.
Catty comments about my appearance are also representative of only someone with the weakest argument. But cookies for trying!
Bottom line: THE ONLY WAY THAT BLOG IS COMING DOWN IS IF I DECIDE TO TAKE IT DOWN. Period.
quote: "Bottom line: THE ONLY WAY THAT BLOG IS COMING DOWN IS IF I DECIDE TO TAKE IT DOWN. Period."
The various cop shoppes involved will read this as a challenge.
Spellcheck: endforcement
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She gets my vote for person of the year.
Crazy: maybe. She 's got more balls than you commenters though...
While I dont agree with the "blogger's" actions, I do respect the fact she refuses to be bullied. Maybe a parody blog would be more appropiate for local law enforcement.
Are we all to believe that her free speech is protected simply because she says it? There are larger issues here, namely the fact that your rights end where another's rights begin. If there are complaints that she has about law enforcement, then there are forums to address those complaints other than implying or making threats to a public servant and their family. Just because you serve the public, doesn't mean that you don't have the right to a private life. I'd say law enforcement is showing enormous restraint, all things considered. Let the charges be filed and let the courts decide. That is why we have a judicial system. If she truly believes in her right to say what she says, then she should be willing to sacrifice her freedom in defense of it. Certainly, others with much more valid and justifiable things to say have made greater sacrifices in defense of their free speech.
VaTeacher, what forums exist to file complaints about public servants in? If you file a complaint on a cop, who investigates this complaint? Want a free clue? The same group of people the person is employed by. This is just like having a group of foxes investigate whether one of them snuck into the hen house late last night. There's no effective forums to file a complaint on cops, firemen and teachers.
Seems to me she is willing to let the courts adjudicate it, but lacks confidence that the court system will actually follow the law.
From what I have seen and read I don't think that is a wrong assumption.
The experiment would be if they ignored her would she lose interest and perhaps take up another cause.
She refuses to be bullied? What do you think all this time spent in jail before posting bond is? How about the time spent in jail after trial? How about the fact she lives 24 hours a day not knowing what violation of law they will next attempt on her? Ohh, she's being bullied! And they will continue to bully her until they can get a judge to give her several years in jail... which in turn will take her web site offline so to speak. That's their main goal anyway.
I don't condone what she is doing. But the same thing was done to me by the same people who now claim she's violating assorted laws. The false and misleading media release about me easily allowed the TV stations and newspapers statewide to film and release my home address and images of my home after my having worn a badge and gun for decades. And while I was still employed as a sworn law enfocrcement officer!


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By: Garin Flowers
March 13, 2014
A yellow jacket nest is still buzzing around a Madison County home.
We first told you about the nest in Greenville, Fla last year. It's hanging in a tree across the street from the home of Norman and Pat Bush and is about the size of a VW bug.
The couple said they've worked to get rid of it, but no one has helped.
The yellow jackets have been dormant for the last few months with winter. Nonetheless, they still want it gone, because smaller ones are now forming down the tree.
"It's good to know that maybe they are gone, because I mean it's so close to my house. You know if they were to swarm on to somebody it would be really dangerous, but we've fortunate so far no body's got stung," Norman Bush said.
Madison County Animal Control said it can't do anything since the nest is on private property. The Bushes have been in contact with the land owner, who they say is open to the idea of it being removed.
By Garin Flowers
July 19, 2013
Madison County, FL - There's an update to a buzzing story we told you about last month.
Madison County Animal Control says a large car-sized nest in a tree is actually a yellow jacket's nest and it's continuing to grow.
It's in Greenville, FL off Lovett Road. The homeowners across the street originally thought it was a hornet's nest.
Not only is the nest continuing to grow, but now smaller ones are being formed all the way down to the bottom of the tree.
"Nothing has happened, there's been no danger so far. We're just afraid somebody is going to get stung, especially the kids. There's a lot of traffic here, a lot of people stop on a daily basis especially on the weekend," said Norman Bush, who lives across the street from the nest with his wife.
The land where the tree resides belongs to a man who lives in Orlando. He is working with the Bush family to figure out how they can get rid of the nests. They're hoping it can be salvaged and put on display somewhere.
By: Garin Flowers
June 12, 2013
It's a story that's creating quite the buzz... A local couple says it's getting attention from across the country for a large problem living across the street.
A little more than a week ago, Norman and Pat Bush discovered a large hornet's nest right near their home in Greenville. They called Madison County Animal Control to check it out. Animal Control told them it's about 20 feet in circumference and about the size of a Volkswagen. It's had people stopping by and checking out the talk of the town.
Rodney Irvine, Greenville resident: "Well, when we heard about it, we came running down here, parked on the side of the road, and stood out and took a look at it... We've been taking pictures of it also."
The Bush's tell us Animal Control has been reaching out to the UF Etymology Department to help remove the large nest. So far, they say nothing has been done. WCTV will continue to follow this story and bring you 'the buzz'.
By: Garin Flowers
June 7, 2013
It's something you'd expect to see on the Discovery Channel, but not in front of your home! A local couple has a large problem flying over their heads...
When Norman and Pat Bush walk outside of their home, they see a massive hornet's nest.
"If they don't bother me I won't bother them," says Norman Bush, the homeowner who lives by the hornet's nest.
This large nest hangs along a tree off of Lovett Road in Greenville, Florida. It's directly across the street from the Bush's home.
Norman Bush: "My grandson was on Facebook the other day, my grandson Ben, and he made a statement the other day-- this guy said 'Why don't you throw a rock at it?' [Ben] said, 'I did, and they threw it back!'"
After they noticed what they believe is a hornet's nest, and fearing for their safety, they took action.
Mr. Bush called on Madison County Animal Control to come take a look at the situation. They said the nest is approximately 20 feet in circumference and about the size of a Volkswagen.
"I want them to get rid of it ASAP," says Pat Bush. "I'm afraid of bugs and things like that."
"Yes, it concerns me, somebody wants to come by and shoot it or something like that, I'm sure they would swarm everywhere," Norman Bush says.
The flying insects have not bothered the Bush's, but they don't want to take their chances.
Norman Bush: "It's the biggest one I ever saw."
WCTV reached out to Madison County Animal Control, but they are closed on Fridays. They told the Bush's they plan to contact the University of Florida to help with removal options for the nest.


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Gardenhire, players make the best of extra days off
CHICAGO -- There's only been about three weeks of baseball this year, but the Twins have had plenty of time to catch their breath.
Minnesota has already had three games postponed this young season -- Sunday and Wednesday in Minnesota and Friday night in Chicago -- because of inclement weather. Needless to say, everybody in the Twins' clubhouse is well-rested.
"Early All-Star break," manager Ron Gardenhire joked. "I think everybody's rested. I think everybody's available. Pretty easy to say. Three days is not what you look to but Mother Nature decided it was time to take a break."
The challenges in such situations go beyond scheduling makeup dates. The starting rotation is affected with each postponement, and often -- even if they do play the game -- pregame batting practice, infield drills and workouts can be canceled or changed. The Twins were able to take batting practice on Saturday -- the weather was clear in Chicago, one of the nicest days the city has seen in weeks -- and plan to do so again before Sunday's game, when they normally would not.
"You hit in the cage a lot. That's tough," Gardenhire said. "You can't get your ground balls, you can't get your fly balls. We've got some young players that you'd like to see them get out there and run the ball down and do the drills."
The Twins opted to keep their rotation in line this weekend, with Vance Worley pitching on Saturday after he was scheduled to throw in Friday's series opener. Scott Diamond will follow him Sunday.
"A guy like Diamond is more of a concern, because he was on a routine," Gardenhire said. "He came into Spring Training behind with the surgery and on the routine, and now this is going on the eighth day. That wasn't planned, but what are you gonna do?"
Gardenhire also said he has to consider the effect it's had on his position players.
"You try to get at-bats to some of the guys, especially your bench guys that haven't played," the skipper said. "All of a sudden you get three days off and now they haven't played in a week. It's not the norm."


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BlackBerry OS -- mobile email's 'gold standard'
Mobile managers face a tough choice when weighing which mobile platform or operating system to deploy to mobilize the workforce. There's BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Palm OS, Symbian, Linux, and J2ME. How do they choose? Which platform performs which functions well, and where do they fall short? Part 1: BlackBerry. BlackBerry is among the most popular mobile platforms. Experts say it's great for mobile email, but its functionality as an application device needs some fine-tuning.
Mobile managers face a tough choice when weighing which mobile platform or operating system to deploy to mobilize the workforce. There's BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Palm OS, Symbian, Linux and J2ME. How do they choose? Which platforms perform which functions well, and where do they fall short?
We at SearchMobileComputing.com want to make that choice a little easier. We've assembled a team of experts and asked them to weigh the good and bad of each mobile platform. On the fourth Wednesday of each month, we'll present the pluses and minuses of a different platform. With this series of stories, we hope to help you choose the platform that's right for your company and help you cast aside those that may not fit your needs.
Part 1: BlackBerry. BlackBerry is among the most popular mobile platforms. Experts say it's great for mobile email, but its functionality as an application device needs some fine-tuning.
Unless you've lived under a rock for the past few years, you know all about BlackBerry.
You know it's that mobile platform that shoots e-mail to you instead of making you go fetch. You know that it's said to be highly addictive, earning it the nickname "CrackBerry." And you've undoubtedly recently read that overuse of the devices can damage your thumbs, prompting doctors to start diagnosing "BlackBerry thumb."
When it comes to mobile platforms or operating systems, BlackBerry sits pretty high on the mountain, mostly because of its mobile e-mail capabilities. In a recent informal poll on SearchMobileComputing.com, 15% of respondents said BlackBerry is the most prevalent mobile platform in their organization. BlackBerry ranked third overall, coming in behind Palm OS at 36% and Windows Mobile at 26%.
"It's been kind of the gold standard for mobile e-mail," said Gartner Inc.'s Todd Kort.
Right now, BlackBerry's closest competitor in the mobile e-mail space is GoodLink, followed by Nokia/Intellisync. Microsoft Mobile could catch up, but it needs another year or so of work.
Jack Gold, principal and founder of J.Gold Associates, said that when it comes to choosing mobile platforms and devices, an e-mail-centric business can benefit from BlackBerry, but if a company is looking for more than mobile e-mail, like application integration and other advanced functionality, then BlackBerry may not be the right choice.
The Good
Experts agree that BlackBerry, made by Canadian company Research In Motion Ltd. (RIM), has its share of solid features. It's highly secure, it integrates well with other platforms, it works with several carriers, and it can be deployed globally. It is easy to manage, has a longer than usual battery life, and has a small form-factor with an easy-to-use keyboard.
"Everyone else falls down in at least one of those categories," Kort said, referring to other mobile platforms and operating systems such as Palm, Windows Mobile, and Symbian.
As a mobile e-mail provider, BlackBerry is fast, Kort said. BlackBerry Enterprise Server, the back-end software that allows the handsets to send and receive e-mail, pushes the e-mail out to the device. Microsoft Mobile, he said, is a sort of "fast pull" e-mail system, which means that the device has to retrieve the e-mail instead of its being pushed to the device by the server.
BlackBerry also has better support for e-mail attachments than its competitors. Because the device takes breaks and nearly shuts down momentarily between keystrokes, battery life is extended, reducing consumption.
BlackBerry has also grown in worldwide use, meaning it can be supported in pretty much any major country and the devices can travel and not lose functionality.
"One of the great things about BlackBerry is they have coverage in many major countries," Kort said. "You can go roaming anywhere on business and still access your corporate e-mail."
Dan Taylor, managing director of the Mobile Enterprise Alliance, agreed that BlackBerry's global support is a strong selling point.
Taylor also noted that RIM and BlackBerry have "done an excellent job of making a device that works especially well in managing e-mail in a mobile environment. The company holds patents for the thumbwheel and QWERTY keyboard found on the company's devices, and anyone who's used a BlackBerry will agree that it's an excellent device with great performance and battery life."
The Bad
While BlackBerry is good at pushing mobile e-mail, there are still some areas where the platform lags. Most experts are quick to point out that BlackBerry is still struggling to make its name as a useful tool to access business-critical applications.
"They don't have a huge library of third-party software," Kort said. "Too many people buy a BlackBerry and never get any third-party software. In the minds of most people, it's positioned as an e-mail-only utility."
Avi Greengart of Current Analysis added that "the popularity of the BlackBerry has meant that there are some third-party programs written expressly for it, including Google Maps, but the total number of general productivity and consumer options is minuscule compared to the library of applications for the Palm OS, Microsoft and Symbian."
Some applications available on Palm OS and Windows Mobile, but not on BlackBerry, include GPS navigation kits, Physician's Desk Reference, games, weight-loss programs, and Bible study, Greengart said.
Taylor agreed: "RIM has a well-developed partner community of companies developing applications to run on BlackBerry, but the BlackBerry device cannot support 'thick' applications like those on Symbian and Windows Mobile smartphones."
According to Taylor, large-footprint client applications are not suited for BlackBerry. With BlackBerry deployments, most of the application is sitting on a server, with a small, lightweight client application on the mobile device. A WIN32 application is too large -- BlackBerry requires something much smaller because much of the computing is done elsewhere. "The BlackBerry is an upgraded pager that has remained focused on e-mail and long battery life," Taylor said. "Adding applications means adding computing power and losing battery life. In order to keep the battery life, the device remains light on the computing power, which means that the network must always be there." BlackBerry generally isn't meant to work offline, he added.
BlackBerry also can fall short in synchronized, non-real-time environments, Taylor said, because it is linked directly to a set of carrier services for mobile data.
"Many companies choose to mobilize workers in an occasionally connected model that relies on WLAN connectivity and cradle-based synchronization," Taylor said. "Because RIM's sole sales channel for BlackBerry is the wireless operators, the company does not have a way to provide devices or solutions to pure enterprise mobile solutions that do not have an associated carrier service. This is the way companies like Symbol and Intermec remain strong players in enterprise WLAN, RFID, warehouse, shop floor, and logistics applications."
Elsewhere, Kort said, BlackBerry doesn't offer much by way of memory and storage, which introduces a dilemma. BlackBerry could boost its storage and memory capabilities and take them off the network, but that would chop down battery life.
The Indifferent
Depending on how you look at it, the BlackBerry scroll wheel and user interface (UI) could be things of genius or great sources of frustration, Greengart said.
"The BlackBerry UI is geared toward quick access to e-mail," he said. "A scroll wheel is great for moving quickly through multiple messages but is possibly the worst control mechanism for initiating and ending phone calls. RIM has addressed this specific complaint on some recent models by adding dedicated 'Send' and 'End' keys, but the general tilt of the UI remains.
"Without a touch-screen or five-way navigation pad, scrolling around the calendar, entering appointments, and navigating from application to application are compromised," Greengart continued. "For frequent users, RIM turns this into a strength by incorporating numerous keyboard/scroll wheel shortcuts. Similar to WordStar or WordPerfect back in the CP/M and DOS days, once you memorize these unnatural behaviors, you can be surprisingly productive -- far more so than if you have to pull everything down from a menu, like in Windows Mobile, or even the often elegant simplicity of the Palm OS layout."
Another good-or-bad-depending-on-how-you-look-at-it feature of BlackBerry is that it doesn't actually have an open operating system; instead, it uses a Java environment. According to Greengart, that can be a plus or a minus.
"For IT managers, it means the device can be locked down, without the threat of rogue programs, viruses or productivity-sapping MP3 players," he said. Some users may miss out on certain features and functions, however, because they are not Java supported.
The Conclusion
Overall, experts agreed that a BlackBerry deployment is optimal for a large-scale deployment in an e-mail-centric business. For smaller deployments or deployments that require access to several thick applications, however, another platform may be needed.
"So the strong pieces of the BlackBerry model [are] excellent mobile e-mail and strong support from the carrier community, [but this] is also a liability as RIM tried to take the device into occasionally connected enterprise computing environments where WLAN connectivity dominates," Taylor said.
Gold added that BlackBerry is good for access to some of the "simpler" applications -- such as contact list, time management, and field force applications -- but the somewhat weak screen resolution may hinder the use of some applications, especially those with rich GUIs.
"BlackBerry is a good choice for e-mail-centric users who also want some application capability," Gold said. "It's a good device for doing e-mail, but it would be a bad choice if what you're looking for is a way to deploy business-critical applications to mobile workers."


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This class will provide attendees with a general understanding of the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant and Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules and how the Guidelines apply at Georgia Tech.
Who Should Attend? All current Georgia Tech employees and students that conduct research involving recombinant and/or synthetic nucleic acid molecules. This training should be renewed every 3 years.
You may sign up for the course in Rostertech: https://training.osp.gatech.edu/


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As a custodial professional, either in-house or by contract, you spend a lot of time focused on the bottom line.
Any change to your brand or your service has to either save you time and money or differentiate your business enough to make the effort worthwhile.
A certified green cleaning service can be one of those differentiators.
Adding sustainability to your portfolio can improve your service and set you apart from competitors.
The GS-42 Certification
The green cleaning policy requirement in the new LEED EBOM Version 4 has two options: Either the building must have an in-house cleaning policy, or it must be cleaned by in-house staff or a building service contractor (BSC) that is certified under GS-42 or Cleaning Industry Management Standard for Green Buildings (CIMS-GB).
Green Seal is the non-profit, independent organization behind GS-42 certification, and we've seen a steady increase in demand for certified green cleaning services across the board.
This trend can be attributed to a number of factors.
Saving Time
First, green cleaning can save an operation time, and we all know time is money.
Following the procedures for regular maintenance and quick attention to spills can prevent lost hours from breakdowns and special treatment later.
Better training and working conditions results in greater staff satisfaction and retention, meaning less of your time is spent recruiting, hiring and retraining.
This addresses one of the largest controllable expenses most companies face.
Saving Money
Green cleaning can save you money.
Although sustainable cleaning involves much more than just using green products, when you switch to certified green cleaning chemicals you will be able to reduce the number of products needed in inventory, thus lowering your investment in supplies.
And offering a green cleaning program will usually lead to more efficient processes and procedures.
Greater efficiency means more time available to clean more square footage which puts more money straight onto your bottom line.
Market Differentiation
Green cleaning can set you apart — it's a market differentiator.
With so many companies vying for the same business, having a competitive advantage has become a necessity.
Green certification for your commercial cleaning service or property adds a unique credibility to your value proposition.
"The cleaning business is a tough competitive market," says LeRoy Dock, president of GSI Eco Healthy Cleaning. "Anything you can do that can bring value will help increase sales."
Many services we've heard from say they have been hired because of their certification.
Achieving credible third party certification for your service can be the tie-breaker that results in more business for you.
Healthier Facilities
Green cleaning protects your clients' environments.
A sustainably-cleaned building provides a healthier place for people to live, work and play.
That can mean less sick days for tenants, a reduced demand on local utilities and a better relationship with the community.
It also increases your professional image and value proposition in the eyes of the tenant.
It allows you to develop a partnership with them to promote the environmental sustainability of their facility.
Green Facilities
Green Seal has seen facilities from airports to retirement homes specifying green cleaning in request for proposals.
They often have different reasons for wanting to go green, but the demand is there and it increases daily.
They are seeing the benefits and the ROI, and are promoting their sustainability as a differentiator.
A Few Examples
Hospitals and healthcare facilities like Charlotte NC Surgery Center and Mountain Empire Surgery Center in Tennessee.
Using green products reduces the health impacts on already vulnerable populations.
Colleges and universities like the University of Maryland, Harvard University and George Mason University.
Utilizing green cleaning procedures in classrooms and dorms can improve attendance and academic performance, and according to the College Board, 68 percent of high school seniors say their enrollment is influenced by a college's environmental policy.
Stadiums like the Nationals Ballpark in Washington, the first Major League Baseball stadium to be LEED-certified.
High-profile public buildings like stadiums are always looking for ways to promote their community awareness and may face pressure from their host cities to minimize environmental impact.
Government buildings like the Federal Trade Commission building, Homeland Security and the Census Bureau in Washington.
Government purchasers often have to abide by environmentally-preferable purchasing mandates.
Airports like those in Atlanta and Newark, New Jersey.
Well-defined, property-specific cleaning procedures are particularly beneficial for large, multi-facility operations.
The green cleaning policy changes in LEED are a very good trend in the facilities maintenance world.
When a property is cleaned in a sustainable way, tenants and clients win, services win and the environment wins.
The demand for certified green cleaning services will continue to rise, and those facilities and services that can prove their sustainability in a credible way will have the market advantage.
Linda Chipperfield is the vice president of marketing and communications at Green Seal. The original "Green Seal of Approval" was created in 1989 to help safeguard the health of people and the planet. As an independent, science-based standards developer and certification body, Green Seal identifies products and services that are environmentally responsible and provides public education for creating a more sustainable world.
Linda Chipperfield is the vice president of marketing and communications at Green Seal Inc. Founded in 1989, Green Seal is the nation's first and oldest independent, nonprofit ecolabel with a lifecycle methodology. For more information about GS-53 and the other certifications developed by Green Seal, visit www.GreenSeal.org.


text: The subject line says it all. I would like to terminate my relationship with verizon.net. I am piggy backing off a wirless connection my neighbor next door has. What are my options for getting mail forwarded into my Poco account? I don't see a viable way of doing it from Yahoo or some such. Any suggestions would be appreciated.


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B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray on iTunes now! Did you get your copy yet?
AT 3:58 they forgot to finish the key for the shot. You can clearly see the green screen halo-ed around the talent. Nice concept though...feels a little too overdone...they should have broken it up by way of other camera pushes and transitions. I give it 3 out of 4. Just lacking a little more polish in the finishing process. BOB you are the shit though. Great song.
B.O.B. did just what he "ALWAYS" does.....he "Bust"!!! T.I. and Playboy Tre helped to set this thang off!! It's Hot!!! I Luv It!! I wish much success to all of you on your future endeavors!!
Much Luv....
Kesha Boyd (K.E.B.O.)
Trummp Change Entertainment


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The sharing economy: Why investors should be caring about sharing
Sharing businesses have emerged as the hot topic in the current wave of technology excitement. Start-ups compete to be "the Airbnb" of every industry imaginable and for the capital that label can attract.
The impacts are already clear in several sectors. Airbnb itself advertises three times more beds than the world's largest hotel chain. Meanwhile, Uber has become the largest passenger transport network.
Remarkably, despite the inroads they have made into established markets, those examples are still very young; Airbnb was founded just eight years ago, and Uber only launched in 2011.
Identifying sectors vulnerable to similar disruptions and understanding incumbents' exposures and strategic responses is increasingly vital given the scale and speed with which change can unfold.
The disruptive impact of sharing businesses is already clear
Heavy investment has provided new entrants with war chests for assaults on established industries. Coupled with short lead times, the commercial impacts can be substantial.
- Sharing businesses receive more venture capital funding than any other category, overtaking social media platforms in recent years. $23 billion of new capital has been invested in the sector since 2009 and $20 billion in just the last two years1. This creates a powerful disruptive force gathering in the sidelines of many sectors
- The total value of sharing start-up businesses had reached $219 billion by mid-2015 according to Credit Suisse2
- Sharing revenues are set to grow at 25% annually over the next decade, to reach $335 billion by 2025, PWC estimates3
The drivers of this growth are swelling
These include access to communication technologies, increased trust and social acceptance of online exchanges and sharing, recognition of the existing inefficiencies and the savings those models can deliver to consumers, and flexible working patterns. Those trends are strongest among younger generations, who represent the most active users of sharing businesses.
Chart 1 - The falling cost of digital technology capabilities and the growing number of internet users
Chart 1: Source: Deloitte University press, 2013 http://dupress.com/articles/from-exponential-technologies-to-exponential-innovation/
Few opportunities to invest in the theme through public equity markets.
Able to scale with limited capital, most sharing businesses operate outside public equity markets and provide little visibility into their finances or operations. Our main focus is therefore on the ability of incumbent companies to defend their competitive positions, and potentially ride the growth opportunities this presents if they are able to adapt quickly enough.
Sharing businesses pose a threat to listed companies in exposed sectors
In markets for which sharing businesses started earlier and have achieved greater scale, the impacts on established incumbents are already becoming clear and are set to redefine growth rates and profitability over the coming decade. For sectors such as hotels and transport, growth expectations used in valuations have already dropped.
- Barclays has estimated that car sharing, when combined with autonomous driving technologies, could in time lead to a 40% drop in auto demand and 60% fall in the number of cars on roads globally
- Airbnb – which currently represents 1% of global lodging supply – could grow to 5% of the global market by 2020, Credit Suisse estimates
- Peer-to-peer lending and small-and-medium-enterprise crowdfunding remain tiny as a market share (1-2% of bank lending4) but growth rates have been exponential in all regions. Global crowdfunding experienced 167% growth in 2014 to reach $16 billion and then more than doubled last year to reach $34 billion5. The World Bank estimates that crowdfunding will reach $90 billion by 20206 .
But more sectors may be at risk
Where no major players have yet emerged, penetration is lower or behavioural change is slower, the effects are less obvious.
However, we expect that sharing models will appear in a much wider range of markets than has been seen to date, with commensurate impacts on incumbent industries.
By examining large categories of spending on consumer durable goods with low utilisation rates and for which physical sharing is straightforward, we have identified markets we think are likely to face disruption, including travel equipment and sports goods, luxury jewellery and accessories, apparel and footwear.
Chart 2 - Maturity growth expectations of sharing industries
While there is no single solution, it is clear that incumbent companies in exposed industries will need to plan for significant changes.
The experience of lodging or transport (through Airbnb or Uber) demonstrates the speed with which change can unfold; and the inability of incumbents to adapt after that trend has become established.
Sharing businesses are typically based on a kernel of innovation that allows them to undermine the economics of traditional peers.
Airbnb uses the scale of an online marketplace to allow homeowners to generate a positive return on property, albeit often lower than hotel groups would demand for the same investment, and eliminates redundant administrative and service overheads its users don't require.
Uber similarly leverages an online market place, combined with advances in navigation technologies, to bring together self-employed drivers and passengers.
Had incumbents recognised those business model opportunities, they might have more easily stemmed their growth by adapting their own strategies.
Every industry will face different challenges
The priority for incumbent companies is to identify ways new entrants could undermine traditional business models and to invest in exploiting those openings themselves.
In that sense, the sharing economy is similar to any other disruptive threat, made easier by the rising penetration and comfort with online exchanges.
For example, peer-to-peer insurer Lemonade is apparently looking at ways to leverage behavioural analytics and distributed ledgers (holding records with customers rather than centrally).
Others – like Heyguevara, Bought by Many, Friendssurance – are building policy-pools that create small "captive insurers" for groups of people or friends, who are likely to try to keep claims low so that their payments are lower in subsequent years.
Many established insurers are developing proactive responses, for instance looking at ways to tailor risk analysis by making use of ubiquitous smartphone ownership to monitor driving behaviour and even patterns of leaving their homes empty.
The effects on incumbent companies will vary
The weak spots of traditional industries will vary but successful disruptors will deliver either better services, lower prices or both, to a material subset of customers.
In principle, deep-pocketed incumbents with established brands and customer relationships should be in the driving seat. In practice, they can be held back by a strategic focus on established competitors and a resistance to change that might cannibalise their business.
Buying emerging competitors once they reach scale can work (Google's acquisition of YouTube cemented its position), but is typically costly and difficult to execute without a commitment to invest in the new business and integrate it with existing business lines (Microsoft's Skype purchase has been followed by a raft of similar telephony start-ups).
We are monitoring trends and evaluating responses
Monitoring markets where conditions are ripe but those effects have yet to be felt helps alert us to upcoming disruptive threats.
Equally importantly, our analysis and discussions with companies can help shed light on the changes they expect and the responses they are preparing, helping us to evaluate the likely winners and losers.
1. http://fairviewcapital.com/downloads/Fairview_Capital_Sharing_Economy_Newsletter.pdf↩
2. CS research, The sharing Economy ↩
3. PWC, Consumer Intelligence Series, the Sharing Economy↩
4. CS, The Sharing Economy↩
5. Massolution crowdfunding report 2015
6. http://www.forbes.com/sites/chancebarnett/2015/06/09/trends-show-crowdfunding-to-surpass-vc-in-2016/2/#7519669c76da↩
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Scrum Sevens
New Year Honours
Tom Hamilton
December 20, 2011
Did Shane Williams do enough to warrant an award? © Getty Images
When the clock strikes midnight on December 31, it will bring an end to a rugby year crammed with scandal, flair and facial hair. Following an eventful 12 months packed with punches, whitebaiting and Tweeting, Scrum Sevens hands out some gongs to those who have taken the headlines for the right, or the wrong reasons.
Villain of the Year
In a year that included Manu Tuilagi's punch on Chris Ashton (more on that later), Delon Armitage's brush with a anti-doping official, Quade Cooper's run in with just about the whole of New Zealand and Mike Tindall's infamous trip to a Queenstown nightclub, there are a few contenders for this award. But there are three standout nominees.
The International Rugby Board (IRB) was slammed by various parties for their Rugby World Cup scheduling, with the minnows forced to play four matches in a fortnight. While they could take the award, Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu edges them for his Tweeting during the tournament, which eventually attracted a six-month suspended ban from rugby. The Samoan centre may have had a valid point, but his colourful approach to presenting his argument only served to overshadow his message.
England elite performance director/operations director/professional rugby director - which is he? - Rob Andrew has also been the focus of criticism this year but the 'teflon man' has managed to keep his position at the Rugby Football Union (RFU) despite a disastrous World Cup and a shameful aftermath.
And it is hard to review the year without an honourable mention for Alain Rolland. His decision to send-off Sam Warburton in the World Cup semi-final provoked a national outcry in Wales and although he was playing by the IRB's rulebook, the decision scuppered Warren Gatland's side's hopes of progressing to the final of the competition.
Punch of the Year
Clermont's Jamie Cudmore is always in with a shout, whatever season it is, and he left his own mark on Gregory Le Corvec back in January. Delon Armitage could also have been in with a shout with his cheap shot on Northampton's Stephen Myler.
But it is Armitage's England team-mate Manu Tuilagi who walks away with this award following his flurry of punches on Chris Ashton. The incident provoked outrage and while Sonny Bill Williams does his boxing in the ring, Tuilagi copped a ban after getting only a yellow card during the match.
Try of the Year
Biarritz' Taku Ngwenya's nearly sneaked the award for his recent effort against Montpellier and Schalk Brits' try for Saracens against Gloucester earlier this year is also worthy of a mention. Rhys Priestland had a quite remarkable year and his score against Perpignan also took beating. But looking back at the World Cup, there were some brilliant efforts.
All Black Ma'a Nonu's score against Australia in the semi-final was a result of great work from Israel Dagg - with Nonu in the perfect position to profit from his superb offload. Shane Williams' score against Ireland is also worthy of note as he finished off a team effort which displayed everything Wales did well during the World Cup. And Gethin Jenkins' barnstorming effort against Namibia was also a belter.
But the award goes to Argentina's Julio Farias Cabello for his effort against the All Blacks in the World Cup quarter-finals. While the Pumas failed to live up to the standards set back in 2007, the try showcased everything that is brilliant about Argentinean rugby.
Team of the Year
There are a fair few contenders for this award both on the domestic scene and international stage. The Reds played a phenomenal brand of rugby to take the 2011 Super Rugby title while Todd Blackadder's Crusaders were forced to play their entire campaign away from their Christchurch base following February's earthquake. Saracens took England's biggest prize while Harlequins started the current campaign in imperious form. Munster took the plaudits in the Magners League while it was Leinster who took the Heineken Cup crown in one of the most remarkable matches in recent times. Toulouse secured the Top 14 title and look set for another tilt having started the 2011-12 season in rampaging fashion.
But in a World Cup year it has to be the All Blacks who take the honour. Surviving without Dan Carter, then Colin Slade and then Aaron Cruden, they lived up to expectations, scraping home against France in the final even though Richie McCaw was basically playing on one leg. Notable mentions also have to be given to Wales for their superb campaign and Namibia who, although they failed to win a match, vied with the best despite being made to play their four pool matches in 16 days.
Flop of the Year
Manu Tuilagi's belly flop from the ferry could be worth a mention while on the domestic scene it was a disappointing year for Bruce Craig's Bath. The West Country side are now one of the wealthiest sides in England and despite Craig's millions being pumped into the behind-the-scenes side of the club, the blue, black and white are yet to hit the heights of yesteryear. In Super Rugby, the Brumbies endured a woeful campaign while in the Top 14 Biarritz have had a shocking start to the current season.
But the clear winner of this award has to be England for their World Cup campaign. Going into the tournament as the holders of the Six Nations and with a win in Ireland under the belts, Martin Johnson's charges seemed destined to impress in New Zealand. But their campaign was dogged with ill-discipline both on and off the field as England bowed out of the cup with a whimper at the quarter-final stages.
Champagne Moment
Super Rugby always throws up some memorable moments. The entire campaign from the Reds was a joy to watch and Quade Cooper even tried an outrageous cross kick inside his own dead ball area. The Crusaders also play a brand of rugby which is very easy on the eye and their match against the Sharks at Twickenham threw up some rugby that was not only from a different Hemisphere but from a different planet.
And in the Heineken Cup, Leinster's demolition of Bath at the Aviva Stadium had some sublime passing and ruthless running lines. But our champagne moment of the year goes to Shane Williams. The man who is small in stature but huge in ability marked his final match in a Wales shirt with a try to bring down the curtain on a quite remarkable Test career.
Hero of the Year
The World Cup threw up the chance for mere mortals to become heroes and it did not disappoint. Wales' Toby Faletau is worthy of a mention, having finished the tournament with 75 tackles - none missed - while Jacques Burger led Namibia with aplomb. Marc Lievremont - it could be argued - played an absolute masterstroke, managing to turn the whole France team against him and through their collective willpower lead them into the final of the World Cup.
However, in terms of heroes, Richie McCaw warrants a shout having captained the All Blacks to World Cup glory while Graham Henry also masterminded their charge to the William Webb Ellis Cup. But our hero of the year goes to Stephen Donald. New Zealand's fourth choice fly-half was whitebaiting when he got the call from Henry to take a place on the bench for the final against France after Carter, Slade and Cruden all sustained knocks. A heroic effort from 'Beaver' - in Cruden's shirt - saw him kick the winning penalty and end 24 years of hurt for the Kiwis.
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Tom Hamilton is the Assistant Editor of ESPNscrum.
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