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Souq launched the Amazon Global Store a day before Noon went live in Saudi, as both retail players compete in the fast-growing industry
Another week, and more proof that the GCC's e-commerce industry is booming. A study by consultancy firm AT Kearney revealed the industry is estimated to reach $20bn by end of 2020, from just $5.3bn in 2015. But already, retailers are going head-to-head, and fast. Last Monday, Souq.com launched the Amazon Global Store on its website, allowing customers to access over a million new products from the American giant, which acquired Souq for $580m in September. Co-founder Ronaldo Mouchawar (interviewed on page 41) tells Arabian Business there is "much more to come", hinting at plans to introduce Amazon's various concepts to the region, such as subscription service Amazon Prime and Kindle e-reader.
Just a day after the Souq announcement, Mohamed Alabbar's Noon.com went live in Saudi Arabia, where it is headquartered and backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund. Noon is not his only investment in this space. After a failed attempt at acquiring Souq, his firm Symphony Investments acquired 40 percent in Italian fashion retailer Yoox Net-A-Porter last year. It is now setting up local operations for Yoox, The Outnet, Net-A-Porter and Mr Porter in the UAE.
But Alabbar did not stop there. In the same month, he bought UAE e-commerce website JadoPado and 51 percent in Dubai fashion retailer Namshi. Let us not forget about Sivvi.com, his son Rashid Alabbar's online fashion website, which launched in 2014.
Into this space comes a rush of other operators. Chalhoub Group, which distributes the world's most luxurious brands from Dior to Prada, has moved a lot of its operations online, while family-owned group Al Tayer has launched e-retailer Ounass. The government's Dubai Airport Freezone Authority (Dafza) and Wasl Asset Management Group revealed a $735m joint venture to launch Dubai CommerCity, an e-commerce free zone close to Dubai International Airport, in order to help fuel the market. It will stretch over 2.1 million sq ft.
Behind the websites, sits a vast logistics operation which is vital to the success of any ecomms venture, for whom success depends on fast delivery and a seamless user experience. On page 12 Kushal Nahata, CEO of FarEye, outlines the many innovations that will reshape the sector in 2018. This includes leaps in capability for data management, cloud solutions, the rise in third party experts and artificial intelligence (AI).
Our cover subject, Shailesh Dash, founder and chief executive of Al Masah Capital, raises money and builds businesses across multiple sectors. Unsurprisingly he is looking at logistics as an especially promising space. In his interview on page 20, he says the sector will 'explode' due to the sudden rise in e-commerce. By 2022 to 2024, he thinks it will be "three times its present size".
He does, however, issue a warning: although everybody is trying to get into the segment, "only the best will survive". This is, after all, a complicated and expensive industry to be in.
Perhaps the most encouraging thing about all this is the healthy business ecosystem it is creating for start-ups in the region. Mouchawar may be lauded now, but in the early days he struggled to get investment and doesn't want promising new players to face the same obstacles. "We have a lot of innovation in the region. That's what we do and what we invest in," he says.
Mouchawar has wasted no time in investing in the region's youth either, where 30 percent are unemployed, according to the 2017 Arab Youth Survey. In September, he acquired Dubai logistics service Wings.ae, to help provide faster shipping, and it worked: sales doubled during Souq's White Friday promotion on November 22. Both Souq and Amazon have posted new jobs since the acquisition in September, he also says, with more opportunities set to come up.
"Our sector is set for massive growth," Mouchawar says of this growth.
"A lot of new opportunities are being posted, we're getting a lot of bright, young people from the region, and we're going to continue to look for them."
It is without question, then, that regional e-commerce, and all the backend support that comes with it, is a sector to watch out for. Or, if you have a million or two to invest, a sector worth watching closely next year.


text: Here is a new pilot that I wrote an early draft for. This is what I wish was submitted to TNT before that Cidre mess. Dallas Pilot, Bloodlines Summary - Set in 2012, John Ross Ewing now is a driller in Wyoming. Upon hearing news of his grandmothers Dad he visits Dallas where he has not lived regularly since 1991 when his Dad committed suicide. Christopher Ewing is now Vice President of Ewing Oil working under his Uncle Cliff who is soon set to retire. Christopher has a distant relationship with Bobby who now runs Southfork. Upon gathering for Ms. Ellie's services, it is revealed that she left all Oil under Southfork for John Ross so he would move back to Dallas and reunite with Mother Sue Ellen who he has not spoken to since his Fathers suicide. This created a conflict where John Ross is forced to stay at Southfork in order to honor Ms. Ellie's wishes. Christopher is vengeful of this as he fears that John Ross will eventually take control of Ewing Oil since he is a "real ewing". The only new character introduced in the pilot would be a love interest for Christopher who is heavily involved in politics. Their would be another love interest for John Ross that would be introduced in future episodes and play a huge role in the plot of future seasons. This character would be introduced in the 2nd episode. Christopher in this story was written similar to JR in the original series. He is cold, cunning and calculated. Christopher only cares about power and fully inheriting Ewing Oil from his Uncle Cliff. John Ross is not written like Bobby in the original series, he is not a hero but is a character with a lot of shades of gray. He is not good or bad. Instead he is a confused character that never recovered from his fathers suicide. The character is really very insecure. Bobby is a tired man. His opening scene is at a Dallas bar. Bobby no longer has a fighting spirit. He is a man that lives in the past. Sue Ellen is moving back to Dallas after the death of her husband Don Lockwood. Sue Ellen also suffers from guilt from JR's suicide and has not spoken to her son John Ross since. Cliff Barnes is cold blooded but not in a nutty way like he was in TNT Dallas. Cliff is similar to what we last saw in 1991. Remember he kept the sign Ewing Oil at the office when he first took it over because he wanted to send a picture to JR. This Cliff is deeply attached to Christopher and is obsessed with teaching with how to run an oil company. He is a surrogate father to Christopher. All the dirty tricks Christopher knows about the Oil Business are from Cliff. In this pilot, their is a speaking role for Gary although we would not use him in a regular role. We also included cameos from Ray, Lucy and Donna but did not include speaking roles for them accept for Ray. Weststar is also mentioned although Carter McKay is dead and buried. In future episodes a new CEO of Weststar would be introduced that does have a connection to the original series. DALLAS BLOODLINES Script INT.... John Ross House The alarm clock goes off. John Ross wakes up and stares in disbelief that it's already 4am. John Ross shirtless in his bed carries himself up and walks to his bathroom. John Ross turns on the shower and stares at himself blankly looking into the mirror. John Ross is looking inside himself. He is not sure that he likes what he sees. EXT. John Ross Home John Ross leaves his home which nothing greater then a small trailer. John Ross walks over to an old chevy pick up truck. At first the truck refuses to start but John Ross gets its to start. He begins to drive outside the dirt rode surrounding his "home". EXT. Pattys Coffee Shop John Ross pulls into Pattys Coffee Shop. It's still only 445am and pitch black dark outside. INT. Coffee Shop John Ross walks into the coffee shop. He is the lone customer in the shop. John Ross ... Hey darling can you pore me a cup. Patty ...Your here bright and early. John Ross rolls his eyes John Ross ...Got to get to the fields early today. Nothing is coming out of the ground and Leo ain't so happy. Patti pours his cup and smiles Patty ...Leo was born unhappy. John Ross ...Maybe so but he is the boss. This better not be another dry hole. Patty ...This ain't Texas darling. Your in Wyoming. Drilling ain't the same here. John Ross ...Texas drilling is overrated. He smirks while saying this and walks out the coffee shop. Patty stares at him as he leaves. Ext. Oilfield John Ross Chevy Pick-Up truck pulls up outside the oil field. Int. Leo's Office John Ross walks into Leo's small office which is nothing more then a trailer alongside the field. Leo ...Hello Junior John Ross ...You know I don't like when you call me that. Leo ...Well then hello John Ross Leo rolls his eyes John Ross ...What are we looking at right now. Making any progress. Leo ...No such thing as progress in this business. John Ross ...Well me and the boys gotta start drilling. Leo ...Junior you got a letter waiting for you. I didn't open it but it was sent here. Leo grabs the envelope on his desk and hands it to John Ross. John Ross opens the envelope and reads the letter. While reading it his eyes tear up. Leo ...Everything alright Junior? John Ross ...No John Ross looks worried and sad. John Ross ...I never thought anything would bring me back to Southfork but my grandma just passed away. Miss Ellie is dead Ext. Christopher's Bar and Grill Bobby Ewing sits alongside the bar in the mid afternoon. Their is an emptiness and certain sadness in his eyes Bartender ...I'm awfully sorry about your Mama. She was a fine lady. Bobby ...She was a strong lady Bartender ...Anything else Mr Ewing? Bobby just nods his head. A fellow bar patron sits next to Bobby. Bobby glances at him. Bobby (muttering to himself) ...21 years ago. I lost my brother. That same year I lost my wife. Bar Patron looks confused but attempts to console Bobby who is very upset. Bobby continues ...I got a kid that doesn't even know me. What kind of father doesn't talk to his own flesh and blood? Bobby finishes the glass of bourbon and leaves a $50 bill on the bar table prior I walking out of the establishment. Ext. Downtown Dallas A close up is shown of a large high rise building which is now the home of Ewing Oil. Int. Christopher's Office Christopher sits in his office. He is now the Executive Vice President of Ewing Oil where he works under his Uncle Cliff. His secretary Bonnie enters his office. Christopher ...Bonnie can you you page Jackie and tell her I need to see my Uncle Cliff. Bonnie ...Yes I will tell her. Christopher ...Thanks Bonnie walks out the office and Christopher stares outside his office window looking outside Downtown Dallas. The door opens and Cliff walks in Christopher ...Uncle Cliff Cliff ...Christopher I'm sorry about Ms. Ellie. Christopher ...Thanks Uncle Cliff but I wanted to see you about something else. Cliff ...What's bothering you? Christopher ...When I first started working here, I remember that you told me you were going to teach me everything you knew about this business. Cliff stares at Christopher Christopher ...I owe you a lot. I really do. Cliff ...Your all I have Chris. You and this company are the two only things that mean anything to me. Christopher ...I understand that. And I appreciate everything you have done. Cliff looks concerned Christopher ...I want to begin to have more dialogue with the boys at the cartel. Cliff ...Those guys are nothing but bloodsuckers. They are like vampires Chris. They will suck you dry. Christopher ...We need more capital for the kind of deals we need to take on. Cliff ...Weststar? Christopher ...It's the only thing holding us back from being #1 in Texas. Cliff ...My whole life Chris I fought to be number 1. Trust me it's not all that it's cut out to be. Christopher ...What about I at least call Eric and setup a meeting with those old boys. Cliff ...That guys the worst Chris. You know how I feel about him. Christopher ...When you brought me on you told me that you trusted me with your empire. Cliff ...You mean our empire Christopher ...You know Uncle Cliff how much I want this company to be Number 1. Cliff stares at Christopher and smiles Cliff ...Ok setup the meeting. I want to be their though. How about next Tuesday at the Oil Barons Club? Christopher ...Thank you Uncle Cliff. I promise that you will not regret it. Ext. Love Field Airport John Ross exits the Airport and walks into a taxi. Int. Taxi The taxi driver is a short and chubby man. He is smoking a cigarette in The taxi. John Ross ...Has anyone ever told you those things are bad for you. Driver ...Where you heading? John Ross ...Southfork Ranch Driver ...What the hell you doing their. John Ross ...I don't know The taxi driver begins driving and John Ross looks outside the window. Ext. Southfork A close up of Southfork. It looks the same as it last did in 1991. Int. Southfork Kitchen Bobby walks into the Southfork kitchen. He stares at a picture of Ms. Ellie on the refrigerator and looks in deep thought. Bobby then walks outside the kitchen where he is greeted by his ranch foreman Bill Cunningham. Bill ...Mr Ewing I'm awfully sorry about your Mama. Bobby ...Thanks Bill. She liked you a lot. Bill ...I wish I wasn't leaving next week but I already made plans to work the Callahan Ranch in Colorado. Bobby ...It's fine Bill. I can handle the ranch. Not much here anymore to handle. Bill ...I'm going to miss this place Bobby. It's one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. Bobby looks at Bill, closes his eyes and nods his head. Bobby ...This ranch is in my blood. It's in my DNA. Bill ...You were raised here. This is your home. Bobby ...A lot of good and a lot of bad have come from this ranch. Sometimes more bad then good. Bill ...Where are you going to bury Ms Ellie? Bobby ... Next to my Daddy and my older brother JR. That's where she wanted to be. Bill ...You don't talk about JR much. Bobby ...He was my older brother. Ext. Southfork Gates A taxi pulls up and stops outside the Southfork gates. John Ross walks outside and stares from afar at the ranch. The driver walks out with a cigarette in hand Driver ...So this is Southfork? John Ross ...From here this place looks so peaceful. So beautiful. Driver ...You sure you don't want a smoke? John Ross ...No. I guess it's time for me to go back home. I will walk from here. Driver ...You sure. I can drive you up? John Ross ...Yes sir. Here is your money. (John Ross hands him money) Driver ...I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed but I got a feeling you go some demons in those halls. John Ross ...Well Sir your a lot smarter then you look. Ext. Downtown Dallas Apartment Int. Apartment Christopher walks inside an apartment after opening the for with a key. Christopher ...Celeste where are you? Celeste ...I'm in the bathroom. Christopher ...Ok Celeste walks outside the bathroom door. She is in her late twenties, blond and beautiful. She immediately hugs Christopher and kisses him on the lips. Celeste ..Hey beautiful. Nice to finally see you. Christopher ...I'm glad your back from Austin. Celeste ...It's about damn time. The Senator had a lot of meetings out their getting ready for the next campaign. Christopher ...He is a conservative. You and I both know that conservatives don't lose elections in Texas. Celeste ...Well he still needs my help. And on that note I'm not the only person that's been throwing themselves into their work. Christopher takes off his shirt Christopher ...I ain't always clinging to my work honey. Celeste ...Well obviously not. Christopher ...One day I will own Ewing Oil and we will live in the biggest house in Texas. Celeste ...I love you Christopher. I always will and always have. Christopher ...I promise that I ain't ever gonna leave you darling Celeste and Christopher embrace and begin to make love. Int. Southfork Dining Room John Ross walks into the dining room and sits at Jocks chair at the head of the table. He stares at all the empty seats while Bobby walks in. Bobby ...John Ross? John Ross ...What's it been 6 years or so since old Claytons funeral? Bobby ...I guess it has. John Ross ...As you know Uncle Bobby this ain't my favorite place. Bobby ...Well I'm glad your here. Your Grandma would be happy to. She missed you. John Ross shakes his head. Bobby ...Your mama is coming into town tomorrow. John Ross ...Well I don't want to see her. Bobby ...Come on John Ross? John Ross ...I'm here for Ms. Ellie. When this is over I am out. Bobby ...What does that have to do with seeing your Mama? Your going to have to see her John Ross ...That women is a cancer Uncle Bobby. Everything she touches falls apart. Bobby ...You can't blame her for what happened. John Ross ...She made me move to London. She turned me against my Daddy. If I was here maybe he wouldn't have taken the easy way out. Bobby ...Your Mama loves you. John Ross ...How is Christopher? Bobby ...He is fine. He will be here tomorrow at the services. John Ross ...I remember when we were kids. I always thought of him as my little brother. Bobby ...He's changed John Ross. John Ross ...Because of Cliff? Bobby ... Not entirely. John Ross ...Power? Bobby ...He is obsessed with conquering the oil business. I'm worried that he doesn't know when to stop. Bobby changing the subject ...I hope you will consider staying John Ross. I'm sure their are plenty of jobs Cristopher could get you at Ewing Oil. John Ross stares angrily John Ross ...I don't need the Ewing name. I especially don't need to be getting paid by that loser that killed my Daddy. Bobby ...You know how I feel about Cliff. But he didn't kill JR. You know who killed JR? JR killed JR. John Ross ...The quicker I can get out of this purgatory the better. This house brings nothing back but bad memories. Bobby ...You can sleep in your old room if want to. John Ross ...Their ain't no place for me here. This ain't my life. Bobby ...Well Richard Smithfield wants to meet with us after the services. Talk about Mamas will. I will want you to be their. John Ross ...I will be their. Bobby ...Thank you. Ext. JR's Grave John Ross walks up to JR's gravestone which is located on Southfork. It reads that JR passed in 1991. John Ross sits and puts his head closely to the gravestone. John Ross ...You told me once that you were going to teach me everything that I need to know about this business. Well you lied. You lied to me and you lied to Jock. Granddaddy would be ashamed of you. He died like a hero and you died like a coward. Things get a little hard and you quit. Your a sad man JR Ewing a very sad man. As John Ross speaks to his fathers grave we see a flashback to 1987 when Jeremy Wendell tried to take down the picture of Jock after taking over control of Ewing Oil. The words "Touch that painting and I will kill you where you stand" is how he wants to remember his Daddy. Ext. Mamas Funeral Attending the memorial are Bobby, Sue Ellen, John Ross, Christopher, his girlfriend Celeste, Lucy Ewing who now lives in California, Ray Krebbs who owns a ranch in Colorado, Donna Dowling who lives in Virginia with her husband, Gary Ewing and Valene Ewing who both still are married and live in California. Close ups of all the family members are shown. All are focused on Ms. Bobbys eulogy about Ms. Ellie accept for Sue Ellen who stares at John Ross out of the corner of her eyes. Bobby beginning his eulogy ...Mama was not always a gentle lady. She once attacked my Daddy with horse whip and chased off reporters with a shot gun. Behind that tough exterior though was a caring women that loved her family. She loved her sons. She loved her grandchildren. And she loved her husbands. Mama will be deeply missed and her presence will always be felt here at Southfork. Mama will be buried on the land she loved, the land that she cherished. We love you Mama. A close up is shown of Bobby crying while delivering the eulogy and closing his eyes. Ext. Southfork Many family members are gathered outside Southfork to celebrate Ms. Ellie. John Ross drinks bourbon and branch at the bar until he is tapped on the shoulder by his cousins Christopher. Christopher ...Well the drifter returns I see. John Ross ...Well I had a good reason. How you doing cousin? Christopher ...I'm happy to see you. It's been a long time. What is it now 6 years? John Ross ...I don't make it a habit of coming around this place. Christopher ...Well that's why I'm here. I don't want to make sure this doesn't become a habit. John Ross stares at Christopher with a sad face. Christopher ...When your Daddy ended his life he left the Ewing name in shambles. Since then I have been trying to fix it. John Ross ...Well you have done a good job Christopher ...I want to make sure that you don't return here and want a job at the company. The last thing this company needs is a little bastard like you running around. John Ross grabs Christopher by the shirt and puts his fist to his face. John Ross ...I would knock you senseless but it's just not worth it. Christopher glares at John Ross John Ross ...I'm leaving tomorrow. Nothing for me here. John Ross pushes Christopher as Sue Ellen watches this scene from afar. Int. Southfork Dining Room John Ross enters and pours himself another drink. Sue Ellen enters the room behind him. Sue Ellen ...Hello John Ross John Ross ...Look who it is. Mother of the year. Sue Ellen ...Is Christopher trying to get you to leave Dallas? John Ross ...Christopher doesn't want any distractions at Ewing Oil. Sue Ellen ...I need you here John Ross. John Ross ...How about all those times that I needed you. Sue Ellen begins crying Sue Ellen ...Don't say that John Ross John Ross ...You were never a mother. You were always a selfish bitch that only cares about herself. Sue Ellen ...I'm moving back to Dallas. Since Don died my life has been so empty. I need you back in my life. John Ross ...Go back to the booze mama. Sue Ellen ...I haven't had a drink since you were a little child. John Ross ...My Daddy is a coward and my Mama was and always will be a lush. What do you think that makes me? Sue Ellen cries and walks outside the dining room. John Ross continues drinking his bourbon and branch. Ext. Southfork Patio (Night) Christopher sits overlooking the ranch while enjoying a drink as Bobby appears. Bobby ...Hello Son Christopher ... Sad day. You did a great job earlier Dad with those things you said about Grandma. Bobby ...I meant every word. Your Grandma was one heck of a lady. Christopher ...Celeste just left. She is working the campaign. I can't get that women to ever stay in Dallas. Bobby ...You love her? Christopher ...I think so Daddy. Bobby ...Their is more to life then Ewing Oil. Christopher ...I am going to put this company back on top Daddy. Bobby ...Is Uncle Cliff retiring? Christopher ...Not yet but someday it will all be mine. The entire empire. It will be back solely in Ewing Blood. Bobby ...Why is that so important to you? Christopher ... I'm going to put the Ewing Name back on top. Bobby ...At the end of the day Christopher their are things more important then the Ewing name. I just want you to be happy. Knowing your happy makes me happy. Christopher ...I know that Daddy and I love you. But understand how important it is to me to put the Ewing name back on top. Bobby ...Did you talk to John Ross? Christopher ...He is a poor soul. Bobby ...I remember then you guys were kids. You followed him everywhere. Christopher ...Let him go back to Louisiana or wherever the heck he came from. Bobby ...I think his mother wants him to stay. Christopher ...You don't need to worry about that. He will be leaving in the morning. Bobby stares at Christopher with a concerned look on his face. Ext. JR's Grave Sue Ellen sits at JR's grave site. Sue Ellen ...It's been a long time JR. Too long. So many scars. It's going to take a long time for these wounds to heal. We weren't right together J.R. We hurt each other and the sad part is that we enjoyed doing it Ext. Oil Barons Club Int. Oil Barons Club Cliff sits and enjoys a drink. He stares on his I-Phone of old pictures of he and Afton. A man sits next to Cliff named Frank Antonellis Frank ...Hello Mr. Barnes. Cliff ...Frank it's good to see you. Frank ...Here is what you wanted to see Frank hands Cliff a large envelope and Cliff opens it. Cliff intently stares at it. Cliff ...Frank was their ever anything you wanted more then anything? Frank ...I don't know Mr. Barnes. Maybe a new convertible. Cliff ...All my life, I fought for Ewing Oil. It's all I ever cared about. A long time ago I took that company and I thought all my problems were going away. Frank ...Problems? Cliff ...I took her for granted? Frank ...Ms Cooper? Cliff ...She was so beautiful. I always asked myself what such a pretty young lady was doing with me. Frank ...It sounds like a love story Cliff ...It was Int. Benny's Brewery Bobby sits and sips on a drink. He stares at his I-Phone and pulls up his Facebook page. He sees a new friend request from a man by the name of Luke Mitten. Bobby stares and smiles Int. Smithfield Law Office Bobby, Gary, John Ross and Christopher sit at a table with Richard Smithfield, a man in his forties who is nephew of the late Harv Smithfield who passed in the mid 1990's. Richard ...It's upsetting I need to see you all under these circumstances. Bobby ...Thanks Rich. I made sure that myself, Gary and the grandkids were here. Gary ...I have a lot of business to tend to in California. I'm flying back with Valene later this afternoon. Richard ...Well let's get right to the point then. Ms. Ellie in 2007 made some changes to her will. She left a document that he wanted me to read to everyone in this room. Christopher ...What did Grandma have to say? Bobby ...Yeah Rich what did she say. John Ross looks nervously as Richard begins to open the letter and read it. Richard ...This is exactly what Ms Ellie said Richard pauses and then begins to read the letter Richard l ...To My Sons, ...I wish That all three of my sons were alive to read this. I will never forgive myself for what happened to JR. I loved him with all my heart as I love all my sons. I will forever cherish our memories together and I know that I will live on in your hearts. I leave all my inheritance to Bobby and Gary. As previously stated in 1990, I leave full ownership of Southfork to Bobby. Gary is busy with his life in California and has no interest in the ranch. Therefore Bobby I leave you as the sole bearer of Southfork. I always have asked you Bobby to protect the land. As important though as the land is to me and my memory it pails in comparison to my love for family. I request upon my death that drilling begins immediately on Section 40 of Southfork. This will be the 1st field of a new oil company that will be owned by my nephew John Ross. The company will be called Southworth Oil. I ask John Ross as my last wish to run this company and stay in Dallas and build the legacy of his Daddy. I forever have loved the land. But I never loved it as much as my sons or my family. Christopher with anger walks out of the room and slams the door. Bobby and Gary stare in disbelief while John Ross stares down at the desk. Int. Ewing Oil Office Christopher paces in his office sweating profusely from nerves. Int. Oil Barons Club Bobby walks into the Oil Barons Club and takes a seat at the bar next to an old friend Cliff Barnes. Cliff ...What gives me the pleasure of meeting with Bobby Ewing? Bobby ...We need to talk. Cliff ...What do we have to talk about. Bobby ...It's about Christopher Cliff ...He's your son Bobby Bobby ...I know that Cliff but we may have some problems. Cliff ...What happened? Bobby ...My Mama requested drilling on Southfork in her Will and gave full rights to my nephew John Ross. Cliff ...Jr's Boy? Bobby ...Yes Cliff ...And you think that Christopher is going to try and destroy him. Bobby ...Well he did learn from the best Cliff ...You know Bobby why I never changed the name to Barnes Oil? It's because of knowing that I now own the same company that my Daddy and me fought our entire lives. Bobby ...And what about Christopher? Cliff ...I care about Christopher. I love Christopher. He will one day own Ewing Oil. Bobby ...I know that you showed Christopher every dirty trick that you know. Tell him to stay away from John Ross. Cliff ...Christopher is a grown man. He makes his own decisions. Bobby ...He listens to you Cliff. If he comes after John Ross you better watch your back. I have stayed out of the Barnes-Ewing feud for a long time but don't think I still don't have some fight left in me. Cliff ...Bobby your a rancher now. Not an oil man. You cant hurt me. Bobby ...Cliff remember what it was like fighting JR all those years ago. Do you really want that again? Cliff ...I beat your brother. Don't think I can't beat you? Bobby ...Consider yourself warned Cliff. Tell Christopher to stay away from John Ross. Bobby storms out of the Oil Barons Club and strikes some fear in the eyes of Cliff. Int. Ewing Oil Offices Christopher Ewing sits in his office. He makes a call to Eric Stenson from The Cartel. Christopher... Eric I would like to meet with you. It's about a new company called Southworth Oil. Ext. Southfork Field John Ross rides his horse out to the future drilling field at Southfork Ranch. John Ross stares at the land and briefly smiles. His cell phone beeps. John Ross receives a text message to meet Christopher at the Cowboys Stadium. Int. Southfork Office Bobby Ewing sits down in his office with hands on his head. He grabs his phone and send a Facebook message to Luke Mitten that he wants to meet him. Ray Krebbs comes walking into the office Bobby ...Hey Ray. Ray ...I just wanted to say goodbye before I head back to Colorado. Bobby ...You can stay longer if you would like. Ray ...This place was never for me. Bobby ...Your my brother. Ray ...Yes you are. Bobby ...I never thanked you for raising Lucas the way you did. Ray ...He is a good boy. I'm proud to be his father. Bobby ...What did I do wrong Ray? Ray ...With Christopher? Bobby ...We have him everything he ever wanted. Ray ...My entire life, I felt like an outsider in this family. Bobby ...But Ray Ray ...Let me finish! My entire life I never felt like a Ewing. I always had something to prove. Bobby ...Prove what? Ray ...That I could live up to the name Ewing. You see Bob, Jock was a fighter. He didn't accept defeat. The man did not know how to lose. I could never live up to that. Bobby ...I never put that pressure on Christopher. Ray ...No Bob you didn't. But Chris did. He wants to prove to everyone that he is a real Ewing. Bobby stares at Ray and nods his head. Ext. Cowboys Stadium John Ross stands inside the stadium as suddenly a helicopter approaches which appears to be owned by Ewing Oil. The helicopter lands and Christopher walks outside towards John Ross. Christopher ...Well I get to share this stadium with the owner of Southworth Oil. John Ross ...Your a sad man Christopher. Christopher ...The only think that's going to be sad is watching me destroy your company. John Ross ...Who even said I was staying? Christoper ...No way you would do that to Ms. Ellie. John Ross ...What if your right? Christopher ...Well then i'm going to use all resources to destroy you. John Ross ...Your a disgusting human being Christopher ...However disgusting I may be you don't know what your dealing with here. I want you out of Dallas. Sell me that field. John Ross ...And tarnish Ms. Ellie's memory? Christopher ...I wont even drill on it. You sell me that land though and then you get the hell out of Dallas. John Ross ...Why do you care if I am running a separate company. Christopher ...Leave Dallas or I am going to have you thrown out. John Ross ...When I first got word today I thought about leaving. I hate it here. But you know Chris it may be worth it to stay and watch you suffer. Christopher ...Leave John Ross John Ross ...I know why your worried Christopher. It's because you don't have any real Ewing Blood. Christopher walks towards John Ross and slaps him John Ross ...I'm going to stay around Christopher and I'm not going to get in your way. Just stay out of mine. Christopher ...Boy you don't know what your dealing with. Christopher spits on John Ross shoes and walks away towards his helicopter. John Ross stares at Christopher as his helicopter leaves the arena. John Ross then pulls out a picture of his mama and Dads 2nd wedding out of his pocket. He looks at the picture and gives it a kiss. STARRING Justin Hartley as John Ross Ewing Kevin Zegers as Christopher Ewing Patrick Duffy as Bobby Ewing Linda Gray as Sue Ellen Lockwood Ken Kercheval as Cliff Barnes Guest Starring Ted Shakelfort - Gary Ewing Steve Kanaly - Ray Krebbs

subset: commoncrawl


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Does great customer service really get you customer loyalty?
In this article, we look at the relationship between great customer service and customer loyalty.
The Millennial Customer
The driving force in today's economy is the Millennial customer. This refers to those born between 1980-2000.
Not only are they trendsetters, but their spending power is enormous. They are largely responsible for many of the trends we see today when it concerns customer service and customer loyalty because their needs trickle out to the rest of the world.
Millennials influence the buying decisions of those older and younger than them. This means that your restaurant must meet the demands of the Millennial generation and that means a friendlier, customer-service oriented experience at your restaurant.
You can count your Millennial diners as loyal customers if you treat them the way they expect to be treated. They are quite likely to become brand ambassadors for your restaurant if they value your customer service.
The Personalized Experience
Millennial customers, and those who share their outlook, want an authentic, personalized experience at your restaurant.
They want to dine in a place that feels like home, but they also want a sense of adventure that they can't actually get at home. You can meet their needs by providing an interesting and delicious menu that is served by courteous, friendly staff members.
Today's customer wants something memorable, exciting and new when dining out. Provide them with an experience they won't forget, and again, you'll have their loyalty.
The Caring Restaurant
Your customer service extends to your values as a brand.
If you want to earn customer loyalty, your customer service must match your restaurant's values.
For example, if your customers value organic, locally-sourced or sustainably produced food, provide it to them. They'll see this as an extension of your customer service as it pertains to your community as a whole.
This is just one more nod back to the Millennial generation that makes an effort to frequent businesses that support things they care about.
The Social Arena
When we talk about customer service and your restaurant, you're probably thinking about the service your customers receive from your wait staff. This is no longer the only area for you to provide exceptional customer service.
Social media is the norm for many people these days, and they often make their purchasing decisions online. What's this mean for your restaurant? It means it pays to establish a strong social media network, one where you respond to and engage your customers.
If you receive negative comments, respond promptly and with kindness and empathy. If you receive positive comments, thank your customers.
Today's consumer decides much of their customer loyalty online. They decide where to dine based on the opinions of others.
So, while your in-restaurant customer service experience is vital, so is your social media customer service. Both can serve to either boost or deplete your customers' loyalty. Does great customer service really get you customer loyalty?
Building Great Customer Service
Here are a few steps to providing great customer service that really gets you customer loyalty:
- Build relationships. This speaks to the personalized experience. Train your staff on an ongoing basis so they know how to build relationships with your customers and provide exceptional service. Hire an astute social media manager who can do the same online.
- Provide the experience. Set your restaurant apart from the competition by always going a step above and beyond. Not only should you meet expectations, but you should exceed them every time a customer has an interaction with your restaurant and your staff.
- Treat your staff well. Your team is the front-line, and they are the ones responsible for providing great customer service. Treat your team well, and they'll do the same for you. Happy employees are good employees.
- Pay attention to feedback. When your customers talk, it's your job to listen and respond well. Negative or positive, if your customers take the time to reach out, you should do likewise. Use any negative comments to change things in your restaurant. Negative feedback can be a positive learning experience.
Invest in your restaurant customer service, and you're investing in customer loyalty. It's always easier to keep a customer than acquire a new one, so concentrating on customer service boosts your customer loyalty.
Termac Corporation is a family-owned business serving the hospitality industry for more than 50 years with its cleaning and sanitation products. To meet the needs of this evolving market, it established a system of service and developed The FilterMan, GTO Grease Trap Services, Universal Fire Protection and AllPro Metal Fabrication.
References: Restaurantengine.com 12/16


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November 20, 2010 11:30:45
Posted By Opening the Heart
A recent workshop participant describes her experience of the Opening the Hear Workshop™ on her blog: Viola Speaks. I invite you to read her courageous and forthright posting. Although her experience is personal and individual, I recognize her initial reservations and her ultimate realizations as things she shares with many participants who come to Opening the Heart carrying a heavy burden of tragedy.
Categories: Grief, emotional scars


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Our Story
THE MARINA in Sicamous is the #1 choice of Shuswap and Mara Lake boat owners for over 35 years! It is in the best location of the Sicamous Channel, and known as THE MARINA - 'FIRST ON THE CHANNEL'. The Marina was incorporated in 1983 and is conveniently located with quick access from the Trans-Canada Highway 1, and Highway 97A, which also ensures that you will be 'First on the Channel' with their unique and exceptional boat valet service. The Marina is a certified Platinum Mercury dealer and full-facility marina. We offer a number of services from repairs and maintenance of boats, wet and dry moorage/storage, boat valet services, fuel dock with premium unleaded gas and diesel sales (the only diesel sold on the Shuswap Lake!), power & water hookups, hot showers, BBQ/firepit area, consignment boat sales for moorage customers, free Wifi.
The 'Boatique' store is open seven days a week during the peak season and offers a wide variety of parts, supplies and accessories to satisfy your boating needs. Give us a call at (250) 836-3131, or come and visit us by water, at 1210 Young Crescent in Sicamous.


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Dr Donald Charrett
BE (Hons), LLB (Hons), MConstLaw, DipLPSE, PhD, ProfCertArb, DipIntArb, FIEAust, FCIArb
Dr Charrett is a barrister, arbitrator and mediator, practicing in technology, engineering and construction (TEC) disputes. Prior to joining the Victorian Bar, he worked as a solicitor at a large Australian law firm. His construction law briefs have included litigation, mediation, expert determination, facilitation of experts' conferences, arbitration and membership of dispute boards. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a member of the FIDIC President's List of Adjudicators, an accredited FIDIC trainer, and was the first chairman of Melbourne TEC Chambers, a "virtual" chambers of barristers practising in TEC law.
Prior to becoming a lawyer, he worked as an engineer for over 30 years, including 12 years as a director of a consulting engineering firm. Dr Charrett's engineering experience included computer applications, structural design, managing engineering projects, acting as an expert witness, and management roles in contract negotiation and administration, insurance, international joint ventures and corporate restructuring. From 2012 – 2014 he was non-executive chairman of the Australian consulting engineering company AMOG.
Dr Charrett has published widely on legal and engineering subjects, and has presented conference papers, workshops and training courses in Australia and internationally. His legal publications include articles on expert evidence, FIDIC contracts, dispute boards, dispute avoidance, contract risk, forensic engineering, contractual lessons from past projects, design and construct contracts, quantum meruit, solidary liability, professional indemnity insurance and reinsurance. He is the author of The Application of Contracts in Engineering and Construction Contracts (2018). editor of The International Application of FIDIC Contracts: A Practical Guide (2019) and joint author of two other books on construction contracts.
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation.
Donald's CV can be downloaded here.
Mr Toby Shnookal QC
BE (Civil), LLB (Hons), MIAMA, FCIArb, DipIntArb
Toby is an Australian QC, who is also qualified and experienced as an engineer.
His primary practice is as determiner of disputes. He has published over 60 Determinations across Australia. He practices as arbitrator, expert determiner and adjudicator. He also practices as mediator and facilitator of expert conclaves. Nowadays he rarely practices as an advocate.
Toby has a strong commitment to the speed and efficiency of expedited determinative processes and has developed his skill to achieve this. He regards the understanding of expert reports as fundamental to coming to grips with any technology dispute.
Toby has been in the construction industry for 40 years and a lawyer involved in building, engineering and technology disputes for 30 years.
He is a Grade 1 Arbitrator with IAMA, a FCIArb and a published author both of construction law text and numerous articles relevant to expert determination.
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation.
Toby's CV can be downloaded here.


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Title: Content Producer
Location: Haywards Heath, UK
Contract: Permanent
Salary: £30,500
This is an exciting time to be joining Sightsavers and as Content Producer, you will play a crucial role in raising the profile and awareness of Sightsavers' eye health and disability and wider social inclusion policy as well as programmatic work and research to a diverse range of audiences. You will support the development of on and offline communication products while engaging with a range of teams and disciplines across the organisation.
The Content Producer will be responsible for creating engaging and creative content and communication products that are on message and on brand for use across multimedia channels. You will play a key role in planning, generating and delivering creative digital communications content. From initial design through to delivery, you will be developing content for websites, blogs, case studies, news stories, picture stories, presentations, social media or other digital assets, printed materials including leaflets, banners, posters, videos, audio stories; commissioning and briefing designers/ freelancers and reviewing/ testing materials where necessary.
You will be able to demonstrate significant experience working in a busy communications team as well as the passion to keep up to date with creative communication trends. Enthusiastic and willing to contribute ideas to a team, you will have a proven track record of developing creative solutions and engaging content
If you have worked within a communications role for NGO's or charities, this would be beneficial but is not a necessity.
This is not an exhaustive list of duties or required professional skills, so if you are interested in the role and finding out more please read the complete Job Description for further details.
Interviews: Weeks commencing 12th August and 19th August
Sightsavers is an international organisation that changes lives for the long term. We work in more than 30 countries to eliminate avoid... Read more


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Shankar Purushottam Agharkar
Shankar Purushottam Agharkar (18 November to 2 September 1960) is known for his exemplary achievements in the field of botany. His fascinating life story is a village boy's determination to pursue science and research against all odds. He is credited ...1 May 2018 2:39 PM GMT
Inspired Minds of India
Science in India has its foundation from an undated past, though the western scientific community might contest it. Several modern scientists towards the end of 19th Century onwards further enriched the country's scientific prowess and took it to new ...31 March 2018 2:57 PM GMT
The dice has no memory: some random tales
New Delhi, (ISW): 'Once is chance, twice is coincidence, third time is a pattern' is not always correct. If in a roll of dice, six comes thrice in a row, we think either the dice is loaded or the person is cheating or that in the next row, the odds...5 Nov 2017 5:22 AM GMT
U R Rao – launching ISRO from experimentation to establishment
The Indian Space Research Organistaion (ISRO) is today counted among the best space agencies globally. Much of the credit for this goes to UR Rao who helped the agency master technology for making complex communication, weather and remote sensing...24 July 2017 12:25 PM GMT
ISRO Chief Radhakrishnan among Nature?s 10 ? Ten people who mattered
New Delhi (ISJ) ? India?s space agency chief Dr. K. Radhakrishnan and Indian-born robotic researcher Radhika Nagpal are among those named by the ?Nature? magazine as Nature?s 10 ? Ten people who mattered in the world in 2014. Radhakrishnan at t...28 Dec 2014 3:43 PM GMT


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6 reasons why Amazon Web Services is a robust choice for cloud computing
The benefits of moving information technology services to the cloud are well known. Organizations can scale faster, reduce risk and most importantly, save money.
The cloud computing market is currently dominated by a trio of well-known companies: Amazon, Microsoft and Google. All three offer global services at competitive prices, but Amazon Web Services (AWS) remains the industry leader and most compelling choice for business managers and IT directors.
In this article, we'll explore some of the key ways that Amazon differentiates itself from its cloud competitors.
Amazon has been at the forefront of the cloud computing industry for more than a decade. As a result, the functionality of the platform and the technology behind it have been finely tuned by leading experts in the field and have evolved to meet the needs of enterprises of all sizes.
Hosting a website or application on AWS is the easiest way to ensure it remains stable and available to users all over the world. Amazon makes its AWS Console available to all users, even those using the free tier, which provides visibility into every piece of hardware and software.
AWS also provides performance monitoring and a wide range of alerting options so you can spot problems quickly and implement fixes.
AWS is designed for be easy to use for people in all roles, from IT directors to system administrators. Deploying a web application can be done in minutes with services like Elastic Beanstalk, without any need to configure a server or write additional code.
When it comes to migration, Amazon offers a wide range of options - whether you are moving from local hardware or switching from a competitor like Microsoft Azure or Google Cloud. AWS embraces open source standards and supports integration with various platforms.
Storing data and applications in the cloud does not have to be a security risk. With AWS, all infrastructure is run from secure facilities and data centers. AWS users can configure custom firewall and access rules, meaning restrictions can be put into place to support any organizational need, even government data services.
Amazon also offers a feature called Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) that gives users the power to architect their own private network within the AWS platform. A VPC can contain any number of subnets and be used across web hosts, mobile applications and database environments.
Global Reach
Amazon hosts their data centers across the world, allowing users to choose where they want their data and applications to live. By offering more than 30 availability zones, AWS lets you run your technology right where your users are accessing it, resulting in a measurable performance boost.
AWS also has many replication services so you can host your organization's technology in one location or continent and duplicate it in a different availability zone. With this solution, your team can recover quickly from a disaster and avoid downtime.
Proprietary Services
By choosing AWS as your primary cloud computing provider, you gain access to a long list of services available at a lower cost than competitors. For instance, Amazon Linux is a pre-configured server package available for web applications and other resources. It offers tight integration with the rest of the AWS platform through built-in API tools and scripts.
All cloud providers support popular database solutions like MySQL and Oracle, but with AWS you can also choose to use a low-cost option called Amazon Aurora. Aurora is a distributed, fault-tolerant, self-healing system compatible with relational database schemas found in MySQL and PostgreSQL and is designed for high performance cloud applications.
Robust Billing Control
With cloud computing, users pay only for the services and resources they use. However, with automated scaling options, usage can spike in a hurry and result in unexpected costs. AWS offers a comprehensive billing dashboard where users can monitor spending trends and set up alerts when certain thresholds are met. Amazon also regularly lowers the cost of existing services and will roll out the savings to active users without any change required.
Get Actionable Answers from Experienced AWS Consultants
Whether you are looking for a sophisticated cloud solution to help with data analytics, system integrations, website, mobile app, IoT infrastructure or secure storage, Amazon Web Services may have what you're looking for.
Contact an expert data and cloud consultant at Ad Victoriam Solutions today to find out if AWS is right for your organization. We can help you find the best scalable technology solutions to help your business grow.


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Kent USA Sinker Type EDMs have 3D capabilities and are ideal for mold making, micro hole drilling, creating shapes in fully-hardened metal components, and machining washers, keyways, scientific research apparatuses and more. They are used for creating more complex geometries with a high degree of accuracy.
Because there is no direct contact between the electrode and the material, our Sinker Type EDMs can burn through any electrically conductive material without inducing stress into or deforming the work piece. Kent USA Sinker Type EDMs offer tank sizes from 33.4″ x 20.9″ x 13.4″ to 66.9″ x 39.4″ x 21.7″, power of 30A to 90A, and up to 4400 lbs of max load.
Product Highlights:
Standard Accessories:
Optional Accessories:
|Item Number
|Work Tank
|66.9" x 39.4" x 21.7"
|Work Table
|43.3" x 23.6"
|Travel (X / Y / Z / W)
|27.6" / 21.7" / 9.8" /11.8"
|Distance Between Plate to Table
|9.8" ~ 32.7"
|Max Electrode
|Max Work Load
|Max Output Current
|60 Amp (Opt. 90)
|Max Stock Removal
|200 mm/min
|Best Surface Finish
|Ra 0.2 mmRa
|Best Electrode Wear
|< 0.15%
|Dielectric Tank
|1030 L (272 Gal.)
|Net Weight
|Item Number
Satisfaction Guaranteed - If for any reason our products do not meet your expectations, return them. Complete refund or credit will be issued for unused and unmarked items returned within 10 days of receipt. Defective items will be either replaced or repaired.
Price Protection - Penn Tool Co will NOT BE UNDERSOLD. You will not see our advertised products at a lower price or we will refund or credit the difference. All claims must be made within 30 days of purchase. Proof of claim is required.
At Penn Tool Co we work hard to make sure that each time you purchase a tool, you are completely satisfied.To us, complete customer satisfaction means:
*Today's most Technologically Advanced Tools necessary to meet demanding production and quality control requirements.
*Competitively priced. Penn Tool Co prides itself on keeping our price low without sacrificing quality.
*Prompt courteous service. Our customer service representatives are fully trained. Product knowledge and commitment to customer service guarantees that your order is processed the same day you place it.
Even with customer service and price protection at the top of our complete customer satisfaction list, we know you want more. Our extensive inventory is yet another way to keep you satisfied. Our large selection of inventory lets us fill your order immediately and at a completion rate that is extremely high in our industry.
Look through our website. If you don't see a tool that you require contact us and Penn Tool Co will be glad to find it for you with our signature low price guarantee.


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Get a Quote from CHE Consulting: Customize Your Terms, Improve Your Service, and Reduce Your Maintenance Expense!
See how CHE Consulting can save you 30-70 percent on your maintenance contracts while improving your maintenance experience. Enter the requested information below, and within 48 hours we'll email you a third-party maintenance quote and next steps on how to start saving with CHE.
If you want to talk to somebody right away, call us at 636-305-9669.


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We are eager to tell you about our first experience with our fellow Sergi Muñoz.
Sergi has been our first student to whom the internal show of the matrix NAPE GAMES, he managed to work efficiently within the development of maps for our Reknum videogame, also the conversion of it to pixel art.
He has been able to work under pressure and deliver projects on the stipulated date.
But its main performance was within the Mobile Wars X Ultimate Simulation Battle project / expansion. In this project he was in charge of producing all the graphic resources of the 1bit expansion, based on old and current memes to give the game a touch of humor. He converted photos to graphics at 1bit for menus, then animations of characters at 1bit and error correction in programming.
At the level of imagination and graphic freedom for the characters he took references of "Media culture and internet memes" we will cite a few references from his work.
Tongo to 1bit conversion for game NPC
Thanks to his imagination, he has merged Leticia Sabater with an Eva from the Japanese animation series "Neon Genesis Evangelion" to create a funny hybrid character for the game.
Working with Sergi has been a pleasant experience, since he provided quality content and has been a responsible, punctual and an excellent worker.
For the next IndieDevDay 2019 to be held on September 7 and 8, he will have an assigned stand in order to show his work to the public for the first time, receive feedback and grow more as a developer.
We already want to see his performance in public as a developer and that his experience continues to grow. Sergi will always be welcome to the NAPE GAMES family.


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Swans visit The Lamb on Monday evening
ALBION'S Under-21 side will be looking to bounce back from the disappointment of losing their first league game since March, when they host Swansea on Monday night (ko 7pm).
The Baggies suffered a 2-1 defeat at West Ham in their most recent fixture, a result which halted their 14-game unbeaten run in the Barclays U21 Premier League division two.
Under-21 boss James Shan wants to see a positive reaction from his players, but admits the encounter against the Swans at Tamworth's Lamb Ground will be a difficult test.
He said: "The game is a good chance for us to bounce back and put right the things we felt as though we didn't do properly last week at West Ham.
"We analysed the performance and watched it back, before going out to the training pitch and working on certain areas.
"It is a good chance for us to get back on track.
"We have watched plenty of footage of Swansea and they are a very good side, who play an open, expansive and eye-catching brand of football.
"We beat them earlier in the season, but I thought that we were fortunate to take three points in that game – they were better than us.
"They caused us a few problems by getting in between the lines and with their shape.
"Looking back on their recent games, they seem to have continued to play the same way, so it will be another difficult game for our lads."
Admission is free for both Tamworth FC and West Bromwich Albion season ticket holders, otherwise it is £5 adults and £1 concessions.
Come on you Baggies!


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After years of lawsuits and negotiations, Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer cleared the way for his long-desired new arena.
The Clippers announced Tuesday that Ballmer's newly formed CAPSS LLC reached an agreement with The Madison Square Garden Company to purchase The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., for $400 million in cash. The deal brings to an end the years of litigation between the sides over the Clippers' plans for a new arena in the area.
There have been three lawsuits surrounding the issue, including one addressing the city's agreement to not promote The Forum's competition, and another in which Knicks owner and MSG CEO James Dolan accused the city of Inglewood of doing an under-the-table deal with Ballmer.
According to a news release issued by the Clippers on Tuesday, The Forum will remain a music-only venue, even after the team's new home arena is complete.
"This is an unprecedented time, but we believe in our collective future," Ballmer said in the release. "We are committed to our investment in the City of Inglewood, which will be good for the community, the Clippers, and our fans."
Ballmer is looking to build an 18,000-seat arena that will serve as the Clippers' home arena and team headquarters while also including a community center. The team hopes owning both buildings will ease traffic in the area by coordinating schedules between the two venues.
The area, which once was home to the Lakers and the NHL's Kings (The Forum) along with Hollywood Park racetrack (now closed) but hasn't hosted major sports in two decades, will once again be a sporting destination with SoFi Stadium sitting just north of the Clippers' planned arena.
SoFi Stadium is the new home of the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers, and is scheduled to open later this year. The Clippers' lease at Staples Center expires in 2023-24, and the team reportedly wants the Inglewood arena to be ready to host games the following season.
Ballmer, who turned 64 on Tuesday, is the league's wealthiest owner. He has emphasized investing heavily in the franchise and its facilities — a stark contrast to previous owner Donald Sterling — since he bought it for $2 billion in 2014.
The agreement, which is expected to close within the next three months per the release, will extend all MSG employees currently working at The Forum offers to work for the new owner.
According to the press release, the Clippers' new arena will generate around 7,500 construction jobs and 1,500 permanent jobs after the complex opens. The Clippers also are proposing a $100 million package of "community benefits."


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On Wikileaks (VII): Take Up the Wikileaks Challenge with Pride and Honor
Three False Criticisms of Wikileaks, and the Rush to Irrelevance and Error
Three interconnected criticisms of Wikileaks, and of the recently released Afghanistan material, merit consideration. These particular criticisms can be summarized as follows:
"These materials don't tell us anything new, or anything we didn't already know."
"While the materials may contain points of interest, they certainly aren't the Pentagon Papers!" (The exclamation point is always implied at a minimum.)
"Perhaps Wikileaks is to be commended in certain respects. Sad to say, though, this won't stop the war."
All three points were announced within a day of the latest Wikileaks story breaking in the news; sometimes, they were put forth within hours. This was true of both mainstream media and of the overwhelming majority of blog posts.
Not one of the criticisms is valid. They are all either woefully inaccurate or largely beside the point. Taken together -- and the first two are almost always offered in combination, with the third frequently added as a further reason to set this story aside as another non-event -- the arguments render each other incoherent. If one appreciates the issues involved and knows the actual history that is referenced, the arguments explode one another.
In significant part, these related failures are the inevitable result of our culture's insistence on speed as a primary virtue. Mainstream media, following their purpose of providing daily news (among other purposes), are expected to provide almost immediate reports of breaking news. With regard to blogs, it is worth noting that, for all the talk (largely from bloggers themselves) about "breaking new ground" and providing truly "independent" perspectives, blogs have copied this aspect of traditional media behavior with close to absolute fidelity. Of course, the internet greatly increases the speed at which purported "analysis" is offered.
Immediate reporting without more is unquestionably of value. Especially with regard to developments that indisputably will (or very probably will) have significant implications, we want to know of breaking events as quickly as possible. Yet if we reflect on what kinds of events fall into this category, we will appreciate that they are very few in number. Major weather or geological events (hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.) and the initiation of military action obviously qualify. Most of the rest of the "news" does not.
But such distinctions are almost entirely lost now: everything is "news," and it is here today (or even only for a few hours), and gone tomorrow. Everything passes, and nothing is remembered; usually, nothing is understood. This is certainly true of almost all blogging, and it is increasingly true of traditional media. From one perspective, the rise of blogging and its growing influence are an enormous boon. Certainly they are for me personally. Without the internet and blogging, I most probably would never have written most or even any of my essays, and you would never have read them. In that sense, and leaving aside the dubious moral quality of such criticism, I definitely do not come to bury blogging.
Yet from a different, and hopefully broader, perspective, there are aspects of what we might call "blogging culture" which are darkly baleful in their effects. For bloggers offer not just reports about what has happened, but simultaneously provide what purports to be analysis of what it means. But do any of us truly believe that 99% of blog posts will be remembered five years from now, or even one, or even next week? No, we don't. (I have a very faint hope that some of my essays may not fall into the same pool of forgetfulness, but then, with momentary exceptions here and there, I never wanted to do blogging of that kind. In any case, time will tell. I have no expectation that it will be notably kind in my own case.)
Nonetheless, it appears to be the commonly accepted view that the almost instant analysis offered by blogs has serious merit and represents a valid, considered perspective. I am filled with admiration, mixed with indescribable astonishment, that we have evolved so far that the world is filled with 60-second Arendts. It is truly a wonder for the ages.
Comparatively speaking, and speaking even in absolute terms, I'm a plodder. When the Wikileaks-Afghanistan story broke, I appreciated one primary aspect of it almost immediately, but only one. That aspect was noted in my first post about the story. While that aspect was important, I quickly sensed that far more was involved -- not only with regard to the specifics of the released material, but in connection with Wikileaks itself and the role it plays when set against the State, both in general terms and as embodied by the United States more particularly.
I began to set out these further reflections in my next post about Wikileaks, which appeared two days later. That post described some of the ways in which I was trying to analyze the issues involved. I won't revisit the development of my arguments here; you can consult the links to previous installments at the conclusion of this post. My point is that many aspects of my arguments only became clear to me as I continued to reflect on these matters, and that required time and what I hoped was careful thought. I will also freely acknowledge that, in my own view, it was not until I arrived at parts five and six that I began to feel truly comfortable with this material: that I had finally appreciated the various elements involved and how they informed one another.
That process took two weeks, and the process continues today. Two weeks is still fast in terms of how we think about time in many aspects of our lives, but in "blog time" it's an eternity. Most bloggers have already moved on; for the most part, they moved on within days of the initial reports of the release of the Afghanistan materials.
The first installment of the Pentagon Papers was published by The New York Times on June 13, 1971. In an issue of The New York Review of Books dated November 18, 1971, Hannah Arendt's essay about certain issues raised by the Pentagon Papers was published: "Lying in Politics: Reflections on The Pentagon Papers." The essay, with minor revisions, is republished in Crises of the Republic.
Arendt's essay was first published five months after the story broke. Five months! What a dawdler. Yet Arendt's essay is still consulted four decades after she wrote it, as well it should be. Last evening, I sat down and reread "Lying in Politics" in its entirety for the first time in a long time; I reread parts of it multiple times. I'd intended to do this ever since the Wikileaks story appeared, and I'm only sorry I waited until yesterday.
Even The Pentagon Papers Weren't "The Pentagon Papers"
The subheading immediately above is intended to convey that the now commonly accepted view of the Pentagon Papers and their significance is largely mythological. None of that mythology corresponds to the facts and, of critical importance, even to the facts as they were understood in 1971. (The general formulation of my subheading is one I've used before in connection with notable distortions of the historical record. See, for example, "Even Churchill Wasn't Churchill." Let it be noted that the article, from July 2006, concludes: "ON TO IRAN!!!" Damnably enough, some things never change.
That essay, and the previous longer article it references, detail how the image of Churchill as a principled foe of the immense danger of Nazi Germany, at a time when he supposedly stood alone against the "appeasers," is entirely a myth. Moreover, it is a myth that Churchill himself created in large part. The actual record establishes beyond question that Churchill waffled on the question of Nazi Germany and how it should be opposed, if at all, as much as anyone else. And such opposition as he offered was not principled in the least, at least it had nothing to do with the principles Churchill later attributed to his actions. Without question, Churchill was one of the most deeply contemptible and unprincipled leaders of the twentieth century.)
In the final section of her Pentagon Papers essay, Arendt summarizes "the aspects of the Pentagon papers" that she has chosen to discuss as "the aspects of deception, self-deception, image-making, ideologizing, and defactualization." She notes that other features of the papers "deserve to be studied and learned from." She goes on to write -- and may all those who proclaim that the Wikileaks documents are no Pentagon Papers (and they know the Pentagon Papers!) take careful note:What calls for further close and detailed study is the fact, much commented on, that the Pentagon papers revealed little significant news that was not available to the average reader of dailies and weeklies; nor are there any arguments, pro or con, in the "History of U.S. Decision-Making Process on Vietnam Policy" that have not been debated publicly for years in magazines, television shows, and radio broadcasts.
Earlier in her essay, Arendt speaks of how "the more successful a liar is, the more people he has convinced, the more likely it is that he will end by believing his own lies." Concerning the government's systematic attempts to manipulate the American public, she then writes: "The fact that the Pentagon papers revealed hardly any spectacular news testifies to the liars' failure to create a convinced audience that they could then join themselves."
As our Wikileaks critics might have been heard to say (if they only knew the actual history): No news in the Pentagon Papers! Nothing we didn't already know! No arguments we haven't heard countless times! Never mind!
The same point concerning the non-news aspect of the Pentagon Papers is made in this Frank Rich column, which is unexpectedly not terrible. I say "unexpectedly" because Rich can be relied upon to be unrelievedly awful. As just one example from my archives (there are others), see my savaging of Rich in the second half of this article. Rich fully deserved such treatment; if anything, I was far too kind.
Despite Rich's general awfulness, on this occasion he got it right. One passage from his column should be set out here:Last week the left and right reached a rare consensus. The war logs are no Pentagon Papers. They are historic documents describing events largely predating the current administration. They contain no news. They will not change the course of the war.
About the only prominent figures who found serious parallels between then and now were Ellsberg and the WikiLeaks impresario, Julian Assange. They are hardly disinterested observers, but they're on the mark — in large part because the impact of the Pentagon Papers on the Vietnam War (as opposed to their impact on the press) was far less momentous than last week's chatter would suggest. No, the logs won't change the course of our very long war in Afghanistan, but neither did the Pentagon Papers alter the course of Vietnam. What Ellsberg's leak did do was ratify the downward trend-line of the war's narrative. The WikiLeaks legacy may echo that. We may look back at the war logs as a herald of the end of America's engagement in Afghanistan just as the Pentagon Papers are now a milestone in our slo-mo exit from Vietnam.
What was often forgotten last week is that the Pentagon Papers had no game-changing news about that war either and also described events predating the then-current president.
As Arendt points out, these aspects of the Pentagon Papers were understood in 1971 and "much commented on." Rich correctly reminds us of these facts to point out the mythologizing that has transpired since that time.
Rich also identifies one of the reasons for the reaction of indifference by so many to the Wikileaks release:The logs also suffer stylistically: they're often impenetrable dispatches from the ground, in contrast to the Pentagon Papers' anonymously and lucidly team-written epic of policy-making on high.
In part, many members of the mainstream media as well as many bloggers reacted with indifference because of intellectual and class snobbery and elitism. These critics unabashedly adore the "lucidly team-written epic of policy-making on high," for this approach is self-evidently "important" and "significant." Such critics don't have to slog through the innumerable, often dizzyingly unclear details: the "important" issues are handed to them on a platter. They can eat the meal at their leisure, gently masticating their own added morsels of wisdom.
They can't do this with the Wikileaks material, as I discussed in detail in the preceding installment. If we want to make sense of the Afghanistan documents, we have to do the work; in part, as I said, we have to be "intelligence analysts" ourselves. This is what I've identified as a crucial part of Wikileaks' genuinely revolutionary approach: it transfers the demanding work -- understanding the material in the first instance, and then making those judgments we think justified -- to each and every one of us. Many people don't want the responsibility. Their greatest preference is to defer to authority, to obey. Wikileaks deprives them of that opportunity. One of the results is that many people profoundly resent Wikileaks and wish only that it would instantly dissolve into nothingness.
This particular resentment stands largely separate and apart from a writer's political beliefs, and you find it on both right and left. It is more deeply personal than political convictions alone. Wikileaks allows people no excuse merely to obey, and they no longer have justification for being intellectually lazy. Wikileaks' critics often decry the manner in which government systematically and increasingly disregards citizens' voices and concerns -- but present them with the means to take back their own power in a meaningful way, and they recoil in horror. In addition to being invaluable in itself, Wikileaks' work provides this additional benefit: it reveals many people's actual motivations and concerns. And one great truth that has been revealed (again) by this latest episode is that the majority of people want to be guided by authority, by "experts," by those with "secret information." Give them that "secret information" so they can judge it for themselves and they immediately cry: "Oh, we can't possibly understand that! Only the State, or 'experts,' can be trusted with that information and explain it to us!" Most people want to obey. They've been taught obedience as the primary virtue, and they now believe the lesson and have fully internalized it.
Further Distortions of History, and the Complete Disregard for Facts
The mythologizing of history carries illimitable dangers. It not only leads to arguments that are invalid and erroneous in both their specifics and totality, but it also paves the path to enormously destructive and self-destructive action. Two additional examples from Arendt's "Lying in Politics" are instructive.
Arendt distinguishes the "problem-solvers" from the "ideologists," but emphasizes that both suffered from "defactualization." In this respect, they didn't serve to balance each other out, but only reinforced the underlying problem. She discusses the "postwar comprehensive ideology" of anti-Communism, which "was originally the brain child of former Communists who needed a new ideology by which to explain and reliably foretell the course of history." She goes on, and here we also come upon the mythologized Churchill once again:This ideology was at the root of all "theories" in Washington since the end of World War II. I have mentioned the extent to which sheer ignorance of all pertinent facts and deliberate neglect of postwar developments became the hallmark of established doctrine within the establishment. They needed no facts, no information; they had a "theory," and all data that did not fit were denied or ignored.
The methods of this older generation -- the methods of Mr. Rusk as distinguished from those of Mr. McNamara -- were less complicated, less brainy, as it were, than those of the problem-solvers, but not less efficacious in shielding men from the impact of reality and in ruining the mind's capacity for judgment and for learning. These men prided themselves on having learned from the past -- from Stalin's rule over all Communist parties, hence the notion of "monolithic Communism," and from Hitler's starting a world war after Munich, from which they concluded that every gesture of reconciliation was a "second Munich." They were unable to confront reality on its own terms because they had always some parallels in mind that "helped" them to understand those terms. When Johnson, still in his capacity as Kennedy's Vice-President, came home from an inspection tour in South Vietnam and happily reported that Diem was the "Churchill of Asia," one would have thought that the parallelism game would die from sheer absurdity, but this was not the case.
And then there is this from Arendt's essay:In the case of the Vietnam war we are confronted with, in addition to falsehoods and confusion, a truly amazing and entirely honest ignorance of the historically pertinent background: not only did the decision-makers seem ignorant of all the well-known facts of the Chinese revolution and the decade-old rift between Moscow and Peking that preceded it, but "no one at the top knew or considered it important that the Vietnamese had been fighting foreign invaders for almost 2,000 years," or that the notion of Vietnam as a "tiny backward nation" without interest to "civilized" nations, which is, unhappily, often shared by the war critics, stands in flagrant contradiction to the very old and highly developed culture of the region. What Vietnam lacks is not "culture," but strategic importance (Indochina is "devoid of decisive military objectives," as a Joint Chiefs of Staff memo said in 1954), a suitable terrain for modern mechanized armies, and rewarding targets for the air force. What caused the disastrous defeat of American policies and armed intervention was indeed no quagmire ("the policy of 'one more step' -- each new step always promising the success which the previous last step had also promised but had unaccountably failed to deliver," in the words of Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., as quoted by Daniel Ellsberg, who rightly denounces the notion as a "myth"), but the willful, deliberate disregard of all facts, historical, political, geographical, for more than twenty-five years.
For those who are tempted to play "gotcha" with my argument and to try to hoist me with my own petard, I note that to speak of Afghanistan today and Vietnam then is not to talk of distorting parallelisms in any manner whatsoever -- but to speak of the complete identity of the mechanisms involved. The "willful, deliberate disregard of all facts, historical, political ... for more than twenty-five years" is not a parallel between the two tragedies, but exactly the same.
But you will notice that, following Arendt's admonition to "confront reality on its own terms" and to always maintain our "mind's capacity for judgment and for learning," I have omitted one critical factor from the list of identities: geography. For the reasons outlined in this article, the tragedy of Afghanistan will almost surely be greater than that of Vietnam -- because Afghanistan is of immense "strategic importance," that is, it is for those who seek to control events. As I have argued, this is one reason, and probably the reason, why we will not be leaving, even in slow-motion as in the case of Vietnam. Barring developments unforeseen at present, we will not be leaving that part of the world in the next few years, or even in the next few decades. With that hugely significant difference always in mind, and it may be a difference with implications none of us wish to contemplate, Arendt's lessons may be applied with full force.
While Wikileaks has revealed that most people prefer to obey and to follow the dictates of authority, it provides those of us who decline to obey -- those of us who have decided to withdraw our support -- with both a deeply admirable model and the means of realizing our own potential for resistance. You should grasp that means and that potential, with great pride in your determination to defend genuine freedom and the sanctity of life. Wikileaks offers us a great challenge. We should take up that challenge with pride and honor, and do our utmost to meet it.
As usual, this turned out to be longer than I had expected. I'll turn to the other aspects of the three mistaken arguments next time.


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Today you are 15 months old. Boy, are you FUN! You are friendly, outgoing, and social. You can pout with the best of 'em and put your head down when you don't get your way. You love to babble, babble, babble all day long. Your favorite word is "more", and your favorite song is Itsy, Bitsy Spider. You demand I sing it over and over to you in the car every morning when we drop your brothers off at school. When I look in the rear view mirror I can see your chubby, little spider fingers waving to me above your head. If I don't see your fingers requesting your favorite song you yell, "More! More!" to me until I start singing. When I can't sing another note, I tell YOU to sing Spiders. You wave your spider fingers up in the air and babble, babble, babble.
Here are a few pictures on your 15 month birthday. I love you, Bella-girl, and thank God for you every day!


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Greetings and Salutations~!!
GFC following from Blog Hop Thursday *heavensent1*...ifn you have a moment, please stop by my place and have a look around ~ Mad Moose Mama ~ http://www.madmoosemama.blogspot.com ~ Have yourself a gloriously groovy day~!! Peaces...xoxo
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