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October 16, 2006
My first blog post describes how perfectionism can keep one from starting something before it is absolutely the best it can be.
For a long time I've been encouraged to create a blog to complement the websites I write for, design, and manage. My response? You've got to be kidding. First, I said I couldn't because I was busy taking the rich content from Learning Place Online and putting it onto two new sites, Support4Change and Childhood Affirmations. Then I said I couldn't do it because I was writing another book, "Questions to Ask Yourself When You Want Your Life to Change," which will be available online and in hard copy in the spring of 2008.
When I finished the book about two weeks ago, I thought I would simply focus on other front-burner plans.
Even before I can do any of those things, however, I have to organize my office. (You can get a general idea of what my desk looks like from the boxes at the right, which are a small fraction of the files I have to go through.) Unless you are extremely organized, or have never worked in an office where several projects are going on at the same time, you may not know how frustrating it is when you need an exact quote for an article and you are sure it is on one of the many piles stacked around the office that haven't been sorted for months (or more).
Then, right after I sent the book off for review, I awoke in the middle of the night, as I often do, and lay there reflecting on the direction my life was taking me (and the direction I was taking my life). I thought about my concern for our very mixed-up world and also thought about my passion for having my work make a real difference in the world. This again reminded me of a section I had taken off of Learning Place Online called "Questions for Thinking People." I had done that so that "sometime" in the future I could turn the questions into a blog where people could explore issues of importance to all of us.
The thought came to me that night that if I were to start that blog, now would be as good a time as any. I will always have loads to do (that's just the way I'm put together), but problems between people won't go away while I'm doing something else. Besides, I enjoy the challenge of asking questions in such a way that people become interested in exploring why they believe as they do — and in discovering that in answering the questions they realize there is some value in what the other guy believes as well.
So to get started, the first question I have for dialogue with readers of this blog is this:
Have you ever taken a break from what you were doing in order to begin something else that you felt would make a difference, even if that was only in a small part of the world, such as in your family? What was the project you began, why did you do it, and what effect did it have on the world?
Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia


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Clemens Elgeti
New York
Related Expertise:Financial Institutions, Technology & Digital, Risk Management
As guardians of the balance sheet, treasuries have the potential to deliver extraordinary returns on banks' digital investments, generating significant competitive and financial advantages for years to come. Superior data management and process automation can give treasuries an initial boost, while machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) will generate the biggest benefits over time, allowing treasuries to operate more efficiently and effectively.
All told, BCG research and benchmarking data finds that digitization can reduce treasury operating costs by an average of 20% to 30% and increase average net interest income (NII) contributions by 10% to 15%. Banking executives could benefit from understanding the types of treasury use cases digitization is enabling and what it takes to accelerate digital maturity and begin reaping the benefits.
For most of the past decade, banks have been understandably preoccupied with catching up and slimming down—catching up in creating sleek customer front ends to compete with peers, fintechs, and other rivals and streamlining to improve the customer experience and relieve pressures from margin erosion. That survival mindset guided where and how banks channeled their digital investments. But it also obscured a significant opportunity—the ability to use digital tools and capabilities to unlock value within the treasury function.
In the time since the global financial crisis, the treasury mandate has grown markedly in scope and strategic importance. Today, the average bank treasurer serves as the overall resource manager for the balance sheet.
They also have increasing responsibility for steering and execution activities and a heavier slate of profit-and-loss-related risks to manage. Unfortunately, however, treasury IT, systems, data, processes, analytics, and digital tooling have often not received the level of investment needed to allow treasurers to excel in their broadened mandates.
A BCG survey of 44 banks revealed that most treasury functions have a relatively low level of digital maturity. Our analyses found that only 11% of bank treasuries make widespread use of advanced digital technologies and use cases, while about 70% have yet to embrace digitization in any meaningful way. While treasuries may have installed a digital officer, few officers have the authority, budget, and staff to enact a comprehensive digital strategy.
Low rates of digitization mean that bank treasuries often cannot carry out their growing responsibilities as efficiently or effectively as they could. (See Exhibit 1.) Their most critical challenges include:
With so many mission critical items on their plates over the past decade, few treasuries have had the time or resources to invest in strategic matters, such as the use of digital tools and capabilities to improve balance sheet steering and risk management. But now that markets are largely stabilizing and many regulatory reforms are completed, treasuries have the opportunity to make up for lost time and use digitization to optimize the bank's financial resources and unlock significant long-term value.
In terms of operating model maturity, BCG survey data finds that many banks consider themselves to have reached (or are closing in on) the Treasury 3.0 stage of development, meaning they now serve as the key balance sheet manager for the bank and act as a single point of truth for liquidity. (See Exhibit 2.)
It's now time for treasurers to look to the next stage, in which a suite of advanced digital tools will help them work far more effectively. (See Exhibit 3.)
While banks continue to run longer term programs to establish golden data sources, treasurers can gain visibility across the banking book using tactical data solutions. Machine learning and predictive analytics can improve the quality and speed of decision making. And robotic process automation (RPA) can speed and streamline routine tasks. These advances will reshape the value that treasuries can bring to the bank—delivering average annual profits of $100 million to $350 million in each of the top 20 banks in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, according to BCG's research and benchmarking data.
How will treasuries deliver this value? A number of existing and emerging use cases—many of which can be implemented relatively quickly—will help treasurers address longstanding pain points in forecasting, decision support, and cycle time performance. (See Exhibit 4.)
The results can be transformative—over the next three to five years, digitization can help treasuries become smarter and leaner in the following ways:
Bank treasuries that go leaner and smarter in these ways can drive significant cost and P&L improvements, money that can be redirected to fund the larger Treasury 4.0 journey while contributing to overall NII and ROE.
Over the next decade, treasuries will be able to manage balance sheet processes in a more holistic way. As platforms evolve, they will become intermediation managers, capable of overseeing the origination-to-distribution cycle end to end. Instead of the warehousing function many bank balance sheets play today, distributed ledger technologies could allow treasurers to put the balance sheet to work more effectively. One European digital treasury front runner is looking to use distributed ledger technology to offer securities in smaller lot sizes, with specific exposures based on investor preferences that are not available in the market today.
With automated processes supporting many routine tasks, treasury personnel will be able to focus on important programs that require specialized expertise, advising senior leaders across the bank on business and financial risk and becoming a creative sparring partner in helping them to protect and advance the bank's interests. That expertise can also be directed to anticipating and planning for disruptive changes. Right now, for instance, most central banks do not have the digital infrastructure in place to move to a prorated intraday interest schedule. But we believe it is only a matter of time before those infrastructures evolve and a new market for intraday liquidity products will be created. That shift will turn traditional market dynamics upside down, requiring treasuries to extend the same rigor to intraday liquidity management that they apply to short-term liquidity management—and be able to complete transactions within minutes, not hours or days.
Meeting these demands will require treasurers to embrace new and agile ways of working, changes that include collaborating in small, cross-disciplinary teams on a flexible and iterative project basis, versus the more static, waterfall-based approaches and functionally specific teams that many treasurers employ today. But treasuries might also need to seek external collaboration with fintechs and others to help them access niche capabilities and accelerate development.
The transition to Treasury 4.0 is focused on helping treasuries run their existing operations smarter and leaner in the short term while preparing for deeper structural changes in the broader marketplace. Banks interested in beginning—or advancing—their Treasury 4.0 transformations can take two important actions.
As fintechs, bigtech, and an expanding financial services ecosystem threaten to disrupt traditional banking business models, incumbent banks need to become more efficient and strategically adroit. The same is true for bank treasuries. Digital tools and capabilities give treasurers a powerful arsenal with which to execute their role. Treasuries that go digital will generate significant competitive and financial advantage for years to come, allowing their banks to become far more resilient and successful in the face of change.

subset: commoncrawl


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Welcome to Blogger's Quilt Festival! I hope you enjoy all the different aspects of the Festival and find lots of inspiration for your future projects! This Festival is for everyone – young or old, beginning quilter or advanced, any style or genre, everyone is welcome, and encouraged to participate with us!
The story of each quilt often relates quilters to one another, and is an important aspect of our Festival! I hope you take the time to write about how your entry quilt came to be and why it is important for you to share it. Likewise, I hope you enjoy reading about the quilts others' have entered! **Each quilter may enter up to two quilts, each with it's own post, in separate categories.
I'm excited to share that Baby Lock is generously giving away a Melody machine, just like mine! The giveaway is not dependent your Festival entry and will be completely random, be sure to enter the rafflecopter giveaway in this post or each of the category posts, for your chance to win! The giveaway will close with the Festival, on November 8th. Good Luck!
- A $50 Gift Certificate from Martingale!
- Goddess Pressing Sheet and 2.5 yards of Mistyfuse Ultraviolet fusible web from Mistyfuse and the winner's choice of 2 Hand Dyed Stash Packs from Vicki Welsh!
- A fat quarter bundle of Fort Firefly from Sew Fine Fabrics!
Nominate your favorite for a Viewer's Choice Award below.
November 1 – 7 – Vote for favorites in each of the categories
November 8 – Winners announced[/box]
**Before I go any further I must say THANK YOU to our sponsors! They have generously donated prizes for all of you to win. Be sure to stop by their shops, and find a special treat for yourself, while taking in all the quilts. They love being the suppliers for all your fabric and sewing needs!
- The winner of the Baby Quilt category will win a $50 Gift Certificate to Pink Chalk Fabrics!
- The winner of the Throw Quilt category will win, a Thimble Blossoms pattern with two hexie precuts from Fabric Shoppe!
- The winner of the Scrappy Quilt category, will win a $50 Gift Certificate from Fat Quarter Shop!
- The winner of the Group/Bee Quilt category will win 12 fat quarters of your choice from Modern Yardage!
- The winner of the Two Color Quilt category will win, a one year subscription to The Quilt Show, from Sauders Fabric!
- The winner of the ROYGBIV Quilt category will win a $50 Gift Certificate from Sew Fresh Fabrics!
- The winner of the Applique Quilt category, will win The Modern Applique Workbook by Jenifer Dick for Stash Books, a package of Wash-Away Applique Paper, and a package of Freezer Paper Sheets, from Stash Books!
- The winner of the Hand-Quilted Quilt category will win, a $50 Gift Certificate from Martingale!
- The winner of the Home Machine Quilted Quilt category will win, a $50 Gift Certificate from Pink Chalk Fabrics!
- The winner of the Professionally Quilted Quilt will win, a $50 Gift Certificate from Fat Quarter Shop!
- The winner of the Quilt Photographer category will win, a copy of Modern Neutrals and Set the Table from Amy Ellis!
- The winner of the Art Quilt category will win, 6 Beyond the Reef patterns from Beyond the Reef!
- The winner of the Doll/Mini Quilt category will win, a fat eighth bundle of the new "Floral Gatherings" by Primitive Gatherings from Moda!
- The winner of the Wall Hanging Quilt category will win, a Trace 'N Create Quilt Template-Dresden Collection and a Trace 'N Create Quilt Template-Lone Star Collection designed by Nancy Zieman for Clover Needlecraft, from Quilt Expo!
- The winner of the Bed Quilt category will win, a copy of Modern Neutrals and Set the Table from Amy Ellis!
2 – In your post link back to the festival.
3 – Share a link to your post, in the linky on the category post you wish to enter.
4 – Leave me a comment on the festival post to be entered into giveaways.
5 – Visit all the other quilters sharing their quilts and be inspired!
6 – Nominate your favorite quilt for a Viewer's Choice award. (Linky to nominate will open on Monday.)[/box]
- A designer kit of 12 large spools by Pat Sloan from Aurifil!
- A fat quarter pack of Eiko and Fort Firefly from Fabric Worm!
- The winner's choice of a half yard bundle from JAQS Fabrics!
- A pattern bundle from April at Prairie Grass Patterns!
- A pattern and fabric bundle from Prairie Moon Quilts!
- A stack of great books from Lark Books, including Stitched Blooms, Flip Dolls, Stuffed Animals & Doodle Stitching: Embroidery & Beyond!
- A collection of 4 pdf patterns from Kate Conklin Designs!
- A fabric bundle of Hip Happier and a bundle of new patterns from LizzieBCreative!
- "Quilting in the Country" by Jane Quinn, and a bundle of fabrics from Quilting in the Country!
Enter to win my machine, a Baby Lock Melody, new from Baby Lock!
Quick Links to the other categories : baby quilt, throw quilt, scrappy quilt, group/bee quilt, two color quilt, ROYGBIV quilt, applique quilt, hand quilted quilt, home machine quilted quilt, professionally quilted quilt, quilt photographer, art quilt, doll/mini quilt, wall hanging, bed quilt.
I hope you have a comfy spot to enjoy the Festival from! If you have any questions, feel free to email me directly, I will get back to you as quick as I can.
Enjoy the show!


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There is a reason that United Recycling & Container has happy customers. We believe it's our people. Whether we are delivering a recycling container to a job site or greeting a driver on our scale, we rely on the professionalism, friendliness, and skills of our employees to make it a great experience for our customers. Are you interested in becoming a part of our team? If so, we encourage you to explore the opportunities below..
We are currently accepting applications for the following positions – these are not seasonal opportunities:
Recycling Sorters: Recycling Sorter applicants must be dependable and have reliable transportation, as there are no bus-line services near our facility. Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs. The current hours are Monday – Friday 7am until 5pm (though sometimes longer), with some required Saturdays. We will provide all training, however, construction knowledge is a plus!
Metals Processors: Metals Processor applicants must be a team player, dependable and have reliable transportation, as there are no bus-line services near our facility. Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs. We will provide training, however prior metals knowledge and/or construction experience is a plus. Must be willing to work in all types of weather.
Truck Drivers: Truck Driver applicants must have a clean, insurable driving record, be dependable, a team player (with customers and co-workers), safety oriented, and have a Class "A" or "B" CDL. Hook truck and construction experience is preferred. In addition, we are looking for drivers with basic computer skills (email, text, GPS directions) and a strong knowledge of King and Snohomish Counties. Some Saturday work required.
Truck and Heavy Equipment Mechanics: Truck and Heavy Equipment Mechanic applicants are preferred to have 3 years of experience, including shop, field work, electrical, and diesel experience. Welding experience is a plus. We are looking for team players who keep safety in mind at all times.
If you are interested in applying for a position, please complete the form below and upload your resume, or stop by our office to fill out an application. We look forward to hearing from you!


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HTC Desire Used Mobile Phones
July 2, 2012 | Mobile Phones | No Comments|
HTC Desire Used Mobile Phones
HTC Desire Used Mobile Phones available at low wholesale prices.
Used, power on and touch screen tested mobile phones sold with a low wholesale moq of just 5 handsets.
HTC mobile phones are original products and are sold as handset only – no accessories or charger is supplied.
Great bulk buy price of just £75 eacg ex VAT or £79.50 NO VAT under the vat margin scheme. Some of the cheapest prices in the UK – Perfect for export
Download full mobile phone wholesale manifest.
Contact email@example.com now for more details on this and other great wholesale offers. Arrange a visit to view stock in person today!


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Loving these wildly beautiful bouquets from floral and event design firm Poppies and Posies. I happen to think peonies and berries are quite the nice mix.
*Images courtesy of Poppies and Posies via Darling Dexter
Beautiful, beauitful, beautiful. The second shot is so sweet and the boutonnières are sublime.ReplyDelete
So so pretty, I love poppies and ranunculas!ReplyDelete
Gorgeous arrangements! I love that first one...the little pop of color with the white and black.ReplyDelete
so beautiful. i would love to carry a bouquet like the last one!ReplyDelete
thanks for sharing these, i now love poppies.ReplyDelete


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Name: Bobby
Team: New York Mets
Positions: Outfield, team doctor
Value of card: One Cosbylike sweater-shirt
Key 1992 stat: 197 Jello Pudding Pops eaten (spring training only)
The doctor is out: Bobby Bonilla showed up to spring training in 1992 a changed man. It was his first season with New York, and he was coming off a career high in batting average, slugging percentage and 1980s sweaters. The Mets knew they were paying for a heavy hitter; they did not know they were paying for a Bill Cosby impersonator. Bobby Bo, as he's known, greeted all his new teammates at spring training with, "Hey, hey, hey! Flippity-flop, the Jello puddin' pop! I'm Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable." Of course, nobody took him seriously — except the gullible John Franco. Bonilla, or "Cliff," persuaded Franco and his wife to let him deliver their second child, due two months later. Their teammates were incredulous, but the plan probably would have gone ahead as scheduled if not for one thing. Franco and his wife, Rose, had decided to name their unborn son J.J., but Bonilla insisted they name him Theo. The two ballplayers got in a series of fights over the moniker, and the Francos decided to go back to their original doctor. A crushed Bonilla missed three days of practice. Teammate Howard Johnson went to visit Bobby Bo at his apartment, only to find him sitting shirtless, weeping and surrounded by hundreds of empty plastic pudding cups.
Note: Bonilla does actually have legs. He's just wearing invisible pants in this photo.


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2008 124 Street Sw, Edmonton
Courtesy Of Ashley Dalgleish Of MaxWell Polaris.
Welcome to Keswick on the River boasting high-end architectural standards & ample parkland. Be greeted by spectacular/modern finishes as you enter this 2260 sqft, 2 storey. 3 beds (+ a main floor flex room), 2.5 baths, large & bright bonus room & dbl att garage. Built by award-winning Landmark Homes! Notice the 9' CEILINGS! Open concept on main floor. The show-stopping kitchen is sure to impress any chef! Featuring an enormous 9'x4' island with QUARTZ counters, full height cabinets, walk in pantry, STAINLESS STEEL appliances. Just off the kitchen, is the bright & spacious eat-in dining area. Cozy up next to the n-gas F/P in the living room. Don't forget the huge mudroom with access to the garage & 1/2 bath. Head upstairs to a family friendly bonus room, 3 bedrooms, laundry room & 2 full baths! Substantial master suite has a walk in closet & impressive ensuite with double vanity, soaker tub, walk-in shower & W.C. Well configured, un-fin bsmt w/ HW on demand & HRV. Close to schools & Currents of Windermere.
Residential Detached Single Family
Ceiling 9 ft., Hot Water Tank - Energy Star, No Animal Home, No Smoking Home, Vinyl Windows, HRV System
Carpet, Ceramic Tile, Laminate Flooring
Dishwasher-Built-In, Dryer, Hood Fan, Refrigerator, Stove-Electric, Washer
Airport Nearby, Flat Site, Not Fenced, Not Landscaped, Public Transportation, Schools, Shopping Nearby
Listing information last updated on June 5th, 2020 at 1:01pm MDT.


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TITLE: We Were Liars
AUTHOR: E. Lockhart
PUBLISHER: Allen & Unwin
RELEASE DATE: May 13, 2014
GENRE: Young Adult Fiction
We Were Liars has a reputation for dividing readers – whether you love it or hate it, everyone seems to have a strong opinion about this book. While I hoped to be blown away, I didn't connect with the characters. While some aspects of the story resonated with me, overall I wasn't impacted as much as I expected and hoped to be.
Every summer, the Sinclairs live it up on their private island. 15-year-old Cadence and her cousins – the "Liars" – spend the summer making mischief. However, an unexplained accident that results in Cadence's amnesia and crippling migraines forces her to question the Sinclair's paradise.
Welcome to the beautiful Sinclair family. No one is a criminal. No one is an addict. No one is a failure. The Sinclairs are athletic, tall, and handsome. We are old-money Democrats. Our smiles are wide, our chins are square, and our tennis serves aggressive – page 1
We see the events of We Were Liars through Cadence's eyes. Her voice is unique, ironically romantic to show how tragic her family's delusions of grandeur truly are. Cadence is an unreliable narrator – we learn the events leading up to her memory loss through time-hopping and guesses. Her voice also uses a lot of repetition and surreal imagery. While some readers will enjoy this style, I found it jarring.
My full name is Cadence Sinclair Eastman … It is true I suffer migraines since my accident. It is true I do not suffer fools. I like a twist of meaning. You see? Suffer migraines. Do not suffer fools. The word means almost the same as it did in the previous sentence, but not quite. Suffer. You could say it means endure, but that's not exactly right – page 4
Cadence's story centres on her relationships with her fellow Liars – cousins Mirren and Johnny, and step-cousin Gat. I didn't empathise with any of them – not even Gat whom Cadence views through rose-tinted glasses. That said, the Sinclairs are purposely dislikable. Their attitude of entitlement and constant fighting reveals the ugliness of their hearts. As a result, I often felt like I was watching an over-acted theatre performance. I assume this alienation is deliberate, but it didn't resonate with me at all.
The entire plot leads up to a shocking twist. Exactly as the book's title suggests, every nook and cranny of the story is littered with lies that amount to one huge deception. Although I didn't feel connected to the characters, the twist was confronting enough to shock me.
I understand why readers disagree over We Were Liars – different aspects of the story and the character's struggles will touch many different chords. It has the power to provoke self-reflection and discussion. I can see the merit in this story even if it wasn't for me.


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Knowing how you can take part in the guitar certainly you can also create an original riff of your own, however, you need the right acoustic guitar item to get the task finished in order to be able to create one which seems great. The accessory that you need will depend regardless if you are utilizing an electric or perhaps an electric guitar because each of these types of acoustic guitar requires various kind of device. However, you must have a fully perform guitar prior to worrying about accessorizing this. The guitar must have straps, total strings, additional guitar strings, and recommendations. If you work with an electrical guitar you ought to have an amplifier along with a cable to connect your guitar towards the amp. Leather guitar straps – You might also need to make all of us of a guitar lesson guide or even guitar chords or even tab manual. Make sure you get a good quality acoustic guitar case to be able to protect playing the guitar through damage and dirt. You'll find many different types of a guitar case and they are available in different sizes as well as shapes similar to the guitars. You can find inexpensive instances and you can additionally discover costly ones. I would suggest you to definitely get a difficult situation to ensure the protection of your device. Additionally, see to it possess small wallets where one can locate other activities like picks, additional strings, wires, information and many more.
Leather guitar straps – Individuals are only some of the acoustic guitar accessories you need, a minimum of if you work with a good traditional acoustic kind.
Leather guitar straps, if you obtained the electrical type you will want more accessories to get going. A guitar amp would be enough that you should practice practicing the guitar; nevertheless, if you wish to possess or create an original lick then you need to have some results pedal a minimum of a couple of all of them. The basic type of gadget you'll need is the distortion and the other one would depend on what type of lick you are wanting to exercise or even create. To save cash and revel in much more comfort then you might like to get a multi-effects pedal, it is a solitary gadget which includes several types of effects.


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Drive Safe! Eat Lots! And don't forget to Be Thankful!
I know life can get crappy at times, but be thankful for the little things. I know if you're reading this you've got access to a computer with Internet access, so that's soemthing :)
I know even when I get down about the things I don't have (which are not material things), I know I have family, friends, a home, a car that runs and a job (even if it is making me insane right now). I do have a million other things (mostly things I probably don't need), but those material things really aren't what matters at the end of the day.
Tags: be thankful, Thanksgiving


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LETTER: Be wary of Route 80 improvement plans
The state Department of Transportation is proposing to widen Route 80 by taking land from in front of the town Green where the North Branford Congregational Church stands.
The taking of any land is a total disrespect to North Branford's heritage, the site where this town was founded in 1831. It is where Revolutionary War volunteers gathered in 1777, the location of five monuments memorializing conflicts from the Civil War to Vietnam and the beautiful Congregational Church, the third edifice on the site, constructed in 1908.
This is also the site of the first Meeting House (1724), burial ground, nursery school and animal shelter. The Civil War monument, dedicated April 12, 1866, is one of the first monuments in the United States erected to the memory of those soldiers who fought and died for the Union. The site is still being used to this day for public gatherings and is a North Branford landmark.
The purpose of establishing an historic district, listed on Dec. 9, 1999, on the National Register of Historic Places, was to protect these cultural and national resources.
The state's plan does not satisfy these requirements. It has little regard for maintaining our small town's heritage, rural character and quality of life. It also ignores pedestrian movement and safety and encourages vehicular speeding where traffic needs to be slowed down.
This highway construction will have a major impact on the future of North Branford. I strongly encourage the people of North Branford to take a serious look at what the Department of Transportation is proposing and to let their opinions be known before construction bids are awarded.


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Name of Company
Grafton Brewing Ltd
Registered Office
Walters Yard
Contact Details
Tel: 01909 488181
E-mail: email@example.com
Business ID no.
VAT no.
Regulatory authority
Now available in 330ML cans, our award winning Apricot Jungle and name after an old Worksop & Retford Brewery ale, The Don Jon.
These are now available for sale, please email for availabilty.
We have been kindly asked by Nottingham CAMRA to be one of the breweries to brew a beer for their 40th Birthday celebrations which are being held at the up and coming Robin Hood Beer Festival in October held at Nottingham Castle... WE ARE FIRKIN 40! We be available on their birthday bar throughout the beer festival
Catch us at Nottingham Beer Festival where we are having a bar. This will be our 4th year attending the with a bar. Pop along and say hello. We look forward to seeing you
We will also be at the National Brewing Centre in Burton on Trent on the week of 2nd October for a beer festival being held there. Come along and have some fun before we scoot off up to Nottingham.
Grafton Brewing Company
Walters Yard
Dukeries Way
Claylands Industrial Estate
If you have any queries or wish to make an appointment, please contact us:
Tel: 01909 476121


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It is cheaper to train your people to answer the questions your marketing will promise than it is to advertise, yet most employers don't take the time to train their staff on lowering the buying risks customers have.
Knowing this I've invested much personal time and effort into understanding the relevance of customer service training. Best practices take your staff from employee liabilities to marketing assets.
Following articles share the connections I see between hiring and training and successful marketing and are found on the resource page
1. Hiring is Marketing
2. The Circle of Marketing


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Red Hat has just announced the new version of Fedora Core, a week after the company said it was creating the Fedora Foundation to run the project.
Fedora Core 4 (FC4) promises the latest and greatest of the free and open source world, including GNOME 2.10 and KDE 3.4.
In addition to a prerelease version of OpenOffice.org 2.0, the full release of which is still months off, FC4 includes the latest Linux kernel (2.6.11), Firefox (1.0.4), Samba (3.0.14a) and Apache (2.0.54).
Red Hat's developers also introduced a new default desktop theme called Clearlooks, which evolved from the Bluecurve theme, which has been the default since Red Hat Linux version 8.0.
Of particular note with FC4 is that it has expanded beyond its traditional architecture support of x86 and x86-64 to include support for PowerPC.
Full Story [2].


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A recording of my 5th Dan Grading in Ju Jitsu.
Posts Tagged 'Arts'
5th Dan Ju Jitsu GradingSeptember 21, 2012
London Ju Jitsu Martial Arts Tip Of The Week: Practice at homeOctober 15, 2010
As I've said a few times in this blog, training time for most of us is limited. Therefore if you wish to progress at a faster rate it's good to practice at home, in the gym, or wherever you can. Even techniques that usually require an uke, e.g. throws and wrist locks can be practised at home. Obviously you can't practice the throw itself, but you can practice the footwork and other movements required to get into the throwing position. The footwork is one of the most important aspects of any technique and often the most overlooked. When practicing these techniques outside the dojo, visualise what you wish to do when you are at training. Visualisation techniques are used by many competitive athletes with great success. There are also many warm up exercises in martial arts that are specifically designed for that art. Practice these outside the dojo to strengthen the necessary muscles and get your body used to the actions necessary for training.
Again visualise how these warm up exercises help your technique and do them properly. It's better to do a few repetitions properly than many badly. By doing these things at home, you'll improve at a faster rate and you'll also be champing at the bit to try the techniques you've practiced at home in the Dojo.
London Ju Jitsu Martial Arts Tip Of The Week: Learn what you can from every training partnerOctober 10, 2010
When practising martial arts you will be paired with many different types of people. There will be males, females, different shapes, sizes and skill levels. It's important to remember how much you can learn from each one. For example when training with a beginner who is not that confident you can work on your control. It's often harder to do a technique slowly than with speed as there is no momentum. So if you can practice this with the beginner your technique will improve. Similarly if your training with someone who is bigger and heavier than you your technique must improve in order for it to work. If you're training with an "awkward" fighter, e.g. one who's stance or strikes are different from the norm you need to work out how to overcome this. It is easy to look good when training with a partner who knows you and who is a similar size and skill level. That doesn't prove how good you are as much as training with someone who presents a different challenge does however. So treat each partner as a puzzle to be solved and make the most of it. If you do that you will grow as a martial artist.
London Ju Jitsu Martial Arts Tip Of The Week: Don't fall for the "Poker Face"September 29, 2010
When engaging in submission fighting whether in class, a competition or even a cage fight it's important to trust your technique. I often see beginners apply decent techniques in good positions only to see the position given up if the opponent hasn't tapped out in a couple of seconds. With chokes and strangles as an example the technique may be good even if it's not perfect and it may be a long time before your opponent feels the need to tap out or lose consciousness. Beginners often give up these winning positions, especially if the opponent shows what some of my senior students have christened the "poker
face". Remember your opponent may look as though they are not hurting, but if they aren't hurting you and you are applying a choke or lock on them then it may well be a bluff! The other mistake beginners often make is the "all or nothing" mistake. This is when they apply a choke or strangle with all their might for a few seconds and then relax when tired and begin again. Remember when you relax you release the pressure and allow your opponent another breath! It's better to be steady, keeping the technique on for a sustained period without tiring yourself and starving your opponent of oxygen. If you remember these things you may well get a few higher grade scalps in the Dojo than you're getting now and we all know how good that feels! The retribution will come in the next class of course but it's worth it!
London Ju Jitsu Martial Arts Tip Of The Week: Learn From The ExpertSeptember 25, 2010
As the title if this article suggests I am a Ju Jitsu teacher. I sometimes get asked in class why I don't spend more time teaching how to punch and kick. The answer to that is simple. I am not an expert at punching and kicking myself. I studied Shotokan Karate for two years and have done some boxing and kick boxing which mean that I'm not awful at punching and kicking. I know enough to teach the basics. After all it's difficult to learn how to defend a kick for example if the attack isn't realistic. If a student really wants to learn how to punch and kick properly in order to compliment their Ju Jitsu however, I recommend that they go to learn one of the arts that specialise in those skills. If they want to learn weapons then they should go to a school that specialises in weapons. It is a misconception to believe that because a teacher is good at one martial art, they can pick up the nuances of another in a few lessons and then teach it. I've been studying Ju Jitsu for over 27 years now and I'm still learning! All martial arts have their weaknesses so it's good to plug those weaknesses with a complementary art. The one caveat to that I would suggest is to become reasonably proficient at one before you adopt another. It's difficult enough to train your body to move in a certain way when learning your first martial art. It's obviously much more difficult to learn two from scratch at the same time. That aside however I think it is more than worthwhile soaking up all the knowledge you can. In short, by learning from the expert you'll ensure you'll become the best martial artist you can be.
London Ju Jitsu Martial Arts Tip Of The Week: Don't try to be fast!September 7, 2010
This is one of the biggest problems I face when trying to teach students. They try to be fast instead of concentrating on good technique. When you are learning a technique it is important to start slowly and ensure that the technique is good. Take your time, repeat the technique again and again making sure it's correct and more importantly that it works! Every technique takes a sequence of movements in order to execute it correctly. If you are trying to speed it up often you will miss one of the parts of the sequence so it will not work. The other problem when you're trying to be fast is that you are tense and so your muscles are not moving freely. This has the opposite effect! So am I saying that speed doesn't count? Absolutely not! Real speed comes with fluidity and perfect execution however. The only way to achieve this speed is to spend time getting your technique right and repeating it again and again. The more effortless the execution is the faster and more effective it will be.
What Does It Take To Get To Black Belt?February 25, 2010
From Sensei Chris Lacy, London Ju Jitsu
I'm currently training four brown belts towards black belt and as usual I started to think about what it takes to get to black belt. I've been a black belt for over fifteen years now and have taught hundreds if not thousands of students in that time. The ratio of students who take up Ju Jitsu and those who get a black belt is maybe a thousand to one. It is definitely hundreds to one. From learning other martial arts and talking to other martial arts teachers I believe that it's the same in all such disciplines. Of course, life can get in the way. A new job, a heavy workload, a new partner, children, moving city or even country. These life reasons are not the ones that I'm currently dwelling on. It is the dedicated students for whom life does not get in the way and yet they still do not make the grade that interest me. It is also the reason my thoughts return to this when teaching brown belts.
To obtain a brown belt in my club, a student would have had to have trained diligently for at least three years and often considerably longer than that. Yet it seems to be the time that a lot of students give up at brown belt, just one step away from black. Why on earth would a student dedicate so much of their life to something only to give up at the final hurdle? Of course I know that first dan means first step and that getting a black belt is only the start and not the end of one's training. Until that step is attained however it is often one of if not the primary goal for a martial artist because just the words "black belt" have an aura about them and is rightly seen as a worthy achievment.
Some students it seem to me are content to reach Brown. Well it's nearly a black belt isn't it? No it is not. That is like saying I nearly climbed Everest. You either have or you haven't.
One thing that it doesn't take is natural talent. In fact some of the most naturally gifted students don't make it even as far as brown belt whereas some students that I thought would never last have made it to black. Sometimes the students who find training easy at the beginning never get any better. Is this because they didn't have to work hard at the start so then struggle as things get tougher? I don't know. One thing I do know is that one of my best ever students had two left feet for years! I thought he was a hopeless case but he was dedicated and became one of the best practitioners in the school. That is the first attribute necessary. A stubborn will that won't give up!
One of the biggest hurdles of course is that the training is hard! From brown belt to black belt takes a minimum of a year. The student has to practice at least twice a week but usually three or four times a week. It is intense. The standard is much higher than anything the student has been used to. Injuries are inevitable as is training through the pain barrier. When injuries do occur, it is important to get back on the horse as soon as possible because the body will not like coming back to this training after a long layoff. If you can train at all, even in a very restricted way, that is much better than staying away. This is the main attribute, dedication.
Finally by this stage in the training, the practitioner is normally quite good. Bad habits will have crept in however and everything must be broken down to basics and re-learned. This can be difficult when some bad habits have worked well in the past. For this next step up though, those things will not work. That can be difficult for some people without the final attribute. Humility. All of the best instructors I've known have this in abundance.
One thing I will say is this. Subsequent dan grades are nice but passing first dan was one of the best days of my life without question. Every time I went into a changing room and took that belt out of my bag I felt immensely proud. I knew that I had earned it. I still feel the same way fifteen years later!


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Dr Larry Field (US)
23 November 2016
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This video
10 mins
Recorded at:New Orleans International Shoulder Symposium
20-21 October, 2016New Orleans, LA, USAChairmanDr Felix "Buddy" Savoie III (US)Co-ChairmanDr Michael O'Brein (US)
2008 - 2020 Smith & Nephew Plc. ◊ Trademark of Smith & Nephew


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XCode 4
NEW: Mike Clark has released free XCode 4 Bonus Tracks. If you're using XCode 4, you'll want these. You might always want to take a look at the new XCode 4 Keyboard Shortcuts poster.
XCode 3
Please note that the XCode 3 screencast is no longer for sale.
Xcode is the development environment used to create iPhone and Mac applications. There's a lot you can do with Xcode, and it's easy to get distracted by all the knobs and levers. But you're using Xcode for one simple reason: You want to build iPhone or Mac applications as quickly as possible. Whether you're a new iPhone developer seeing Xcode for the first time, or wish you were more familiar with the shortcuts, these screencasts will make you a more productive (and happier!) Xcode programmer.


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League of Women Voters, Charles County
The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan organization of men and women, encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Our goal is to empower citizens to shape better communities world-wide.[ Last Updated: 24-Jun-2006 | Hits: 165 | Reader Comments Report Problem


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Posted by Steve Lumry on 05/23/2017
The Oklahoma Firefighter newspaper is now available in an electronic format for members. The link will be emailed to you each month if you choose the electronic version. It is a full color version of the newspaper you have come to rely on for your Oklahoma firefighter news and information. Sign up now by clicking here.


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There is a Japanese legend that says that once lived a man who inherited many valuable knowledge from his father.
One of these knowledge was associated with health, in particular with Tsu San Li "point of longevity" or "point of a hundred diseases" as it is called Japanese.
Following the advice of his father, this man massaging this point every day and lived to see the birth and death of several emperors.
Massage is one of the oldest methods of treatment in the East, which has been practiced for several thousand years. The human body has 365 points and 12 major meridians, which somewhat reminiscent of the days and months of the year.
The technique of this massage is based on the teachings of the meridians, and the channels that are associated with some authorities. In Chinese medicine, the body is seen as an energy system, and massage can affect the flow of energy and functional activity of organs.
Activating point Tsu San Li will give you a rejuvenating and healing effect and prevent aging. In China this point is known as "the point of longevity" and in Japan – "the point of the hundred diseases." The point is just under the edge of the cap where shown in the picture.
To find the point of longevity cover the knee with the palm from the beginning of closure. The point is between the nail of the small and ring finger in the form of a small indentation between the bones. If you can not find it in this way, try to sit on the floor with feet firmly pressed to the floor. Will see a higher area below the knee – Put your finger there and stand in the starting position.
What is this point and why the Japanese call it "point of a hundred diseases"?
Tsu San Li controls the work of bodies that are in the lower half of the body. It controls the function of the spinal cord in the parts which are responsible for the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, the alimentary tract, sex organs, the kidneys, the adrenal glands. By massaging Tsu San Li, will increase the activity of the adrenal glands, which are the most potent glands. They act as the main guardians of human health.


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You are viewing the property at:
2818 Prestige Court
Eau Claire , WI 54703
Rental Information:
Date Available: August 1, 2019
Rent Amount: $920
Square Footage: 1075 sq ft
Number of Bedrooms: 2
Number of Bathrooms: 1
Position: One Story
Garage: 1 car attached
Pets: No
Apartment will be professionally cleaned prior to tenants moving into apartment. Cornerstone, Inc. has transitioned all properties to be pet, smoke and combustion free.
Stove, refrigerator, dishwasher, washer and dryer
4 plex, One level, Open floor plan, Gas heat with central air, Fireplace, Breakfast Bar, Patio, Off street parking, Near Menards West East
Additional Information
Tenant responsible for heat, electricity, gas, water, sewer, garbage and recycling. Landlord responsible for lawn care and snow removal.


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tours & adventures
peru, explored the quasar way
Peru is a living marvel and a mystery that was once the heart of the famous Incan Empire. Whether exploring Cusco & Macchu Picchu, the Sacred Valley or the exotic wilds of the Amazon, those who visit this country will marvel at its amazing natural wonders and its unique indigenous cultures & their traditions.
the heart of the incan empire
4 NIGHTS / 5 DAYS TOUR - On this multi-day adventure, you go deep into the Sacred Valley of the Incas to explore the mystery of its landscapes as it merges with the mysteries of the human spirit. As you traverse through the valleys, you are left in a constant state of awe that seems to sharpen the mind and heighten the senses. It all climaxes when you see Machu Picchu from the Gate of the Sun with your own eyes, against the towering stone sentinel of Wayna Picchu.
trek to the lost city of the incas
4 NIGHTS / 5 DAYS TOUR - This one-of-a-kind expedition takes you to the lost city of the Incas with stays at deluxe mountain lodges. We immerse ourselves in the destination and admire its snow-capped peaks, hued turquoise lakes and graceful waterfalls as we trek into the lost city of the Incas.
wild iquitos amazon cruise
3 NIGHTS / 4 DAYS TOUR - The Peruvian Amazon is the fourth largest expanse of tropical rainforest in the world, and home to thousands of unique animal species as well as many indigenous tribes speaking dozens of languages. Some of the last groups of people living with little or no direct contact with the outside world can still be found in the Peruvian Amazon today. This adventure is aimed at those who want to explore this wild natural paradise, see nature in its most unspoiled form and go back in time to the days when humans lived off of the land.
& personalization
Your tour is designed to be a private and personalized experience. We will work with you to immerse you in each destination according to your interests and travel style.
Experience our destinations in front-row seats and away from the crowds. Whatever your sense of adventure is, we have an experience for you.
Professionals & Naturalists who make the difference between a good and an exceptional expedition.
Experience our destinations like the locals do. We take you off-the beaten path, to places few travelers get to see.
From lodges deep in the jungle, to historic colonial haciendas in the andes, the properties waiting for you are wild and varied.
In the variety of its charms and the power of its spell, I know of no place in the world which can compare with it.
If you are traveling as a family, then you have come to the right place. As a family-owned company, we specialize in creating the perfect family adventure.
A lot of our staff members, both in the office and on the field, are semi-professional and professional photographers. If photography is one of your interests, then get ready for those shots of a lifetime!
Our adventures range from soft hikes and scenic horseback riding, to multi-day trekking trips and white water rafting. We have the perfect trip for the soft-adventurer and also for the adrenaline junkie.
If you like to eat, then our culinary trips will unviel the amazing tastes and aromas of our unique destinations. You can try anything from a ceviche all the way to a guinea pig on a stick!
South America is a land of extremely rich culture. Explore the best of the cultural side of each of our destinations and immerse yourself like a local.
Some of the strangest and most colorful birds in all of the world call South America their home. Get ready for some serious birdwatching experiences.
Our wellness experiences are designed to help you disconnect from routine and the burdens of our day to day lives, and reconnect with your inner self and with nature.
These experiences allow you to immerse yourself in the destination, while dedicating time each day to pampering yourself at world-class spas.
For those who have a very specific interest in mind, then look no further than our tailor-made experiences. We listen and help you create the perfect adventure tailored to your interests.
Have other plans in mind? Just contact us and we will help you plan a perfect, care-free adventure.
behind your expedition
of dedication to our guests
Since 1986, our staff has been handpicked by the company's owners. We realize that our people are the real experts and the ones who will make your experience truly memorable. Read all about the team who will be part of your adventure.
peru travel
planning your peru trip
Learn all about Peru and planning the trip of a lifetime to this amazing country.
Topics on this section include: Getting to know the destination, packing lists, safety and more.
privacy & vip's
Travel to this mythical land in the rugged Andes with privacy and intimacy.
trip combinations
Let us help you arrange your pre or post Peru adventure options. You can extend your trip with a cruise to the Galapagos or venture to other parts of South America.
Mon - Fri: 9am - 6:30pm PST
- Other: +1 415.689.8509
Mon - Fri: 9am - 6:30pm PST
Response Time Of 1 Business Day


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Hi all! Welcome to #fortheloveofBLOG and hello to anyone new who is joining us this week.
Myself and your fabulous hosts Claire at The Pramshed and Kelly at Bringing Up Georgia are thrilled you could join us. Kelly is on hols this week so me and Claire will be retweeting your posts, don't forget to tweet us!
This week I'm sharing my post about these beautiful personalised Christmas stockings from The Christmas Cart.
Featured bloggers
My fave is by Me, Being Mummy all about returning to work after maternity leave. I could really relate to her personal struggles at going back to her job.
Kelly's favourite from last week was by You Know You're a Mum.
Claire's favourite was by Mama Mia.
Congratulations everyone, grab your featured badge here:
The linky rules
#fortheloveofBLOG linky is simple. We welcome any type of post to be linked up with the exception of the promotion of other linkys. You can link up to two posts a week, and between us we will comment on all posts. We will also feature our favourite post of the week on our blogs and include a back-link to your site.
If you would like a RT on Twitter then just include @themummybubble @thepramshed and @bringupgeorgia in your Twitter post when you link up.
All that we ask is for you to include our badge in your post, which can be found below, and that you comment on the hosts' posts and the post directly before yours.
That's it! Simple!
We hope that you enjoy linking up, and we are looking forward to reading your posts.
Vicky and Claire


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Colored Shortie Dungarees
Product variations
Color: Ecru
size: PLEASE SELECT
Why do we — and you — love dungarees so much? Well, they're made from soft denim, so they're comfortable and designed to keep their shape. They've got adjustable shoulder straps and buttons on the hips for a perfect fit. And they look great worn over Breton tees, so they really are a simple look — sorted!
- Soft denim
- Buttons on the hips
- Adjustable shoulder straps
- Front side & back pockets
Caring about cotton100% of the cotton used for our cotton clothing products is sustainably sourced. Read more about sustainably sourced cotton here.
Product code: 953953
Care Instructions
- 97% cotton 3% elastane
- Machine washable
Free Standard Shipping on orders over $100 ($5 otherwise).
Standard Shipping: 8-15 working days.
Returns Information
Need to send something back? We now offer FREE returns!
Returns Policy
For peace of mind, and to make things easier for you we are also extending our returns policy. For orders placed from 1st March 2020, we have extended our returns policy to six months.
We really hope you like your purchase, but if you need to send anything back, just email firstname.lastname@example.com with your order number beginning USF and we'll send you a pre-paid returns label. We are happy for you to return items to us within 30 days from receipt for full price items and 15 days for items bought during the sale.
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- CLOUD, getContent, 100ms
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Becoming a success as an ecommerce seller tends to be a long, confusing, and often-arduous process, all because there's no one magic formula for getting it right. Instead, there's a complex web of overlapping best practices — tactics for achieving specific things that must be used together at the right times, on the right pages, and for the right visitors.
In this piece, we're going to look specifically at the tactic of using offers: tempting deviations from your store's regular value propositions. They're incredibly important, particularly at this time of year — the lead-in to the Black Friday period kicked things off, and they won't settle down until February at the earliest (BFCM ceded to Christmas sales which will cede to January sales).
The problem for many retailers is not only that they are limited in what they can offer (whether by the products they offer or the cost margins they can afford) but also that they have so many creative avenues from which to choose. How can they pick, and how can they practically execute if they do? Let's answer these questions.
Know what you can practically provide
As noted, every retailer is limited by their circumstances, and it isn't worth providing irresistible offers if you bankrupt your business in the process. It's all about getting the balance right: finding a scenario that will benefit shoppers enough to turn them into buyers while allowing you to profit in the process.
Start by noting down your profit margins. Can you afford to cut 10% from your prices? 20%? You're obviously just looking at a temporary adjustment, but even that can be enough to lose you a significant sum of money if you miscalculate severely. And how many products can you ship within a certain period?
Imagine that you hit upon a fantastic offer that will bring in the customers and earn you profit, but you forget that you only have 10 products in stock — when hundreds of orders come in, you'll end up disappointing people and making them less likely to buy from you in the future. Understand your limits, know how far you can push things, then continue.
Review what your competitors are doing
Originality is a nice idea, but it doesn't really exist in practice, because creativity is mostly about getting inspiration and coming up with some tweaks. As such, there's little to be gained from starting with a blank canvas — to fuel up on ideas, head to the websites of your competitors and pay close attention to the offers they're using.
Are they compelling? Disappointing? Going by stock levels, how are they performing? You must also use this opportunity to see what specific products and discounts are on the table, because you may not need to beat them. If you sell clothing and everyone else is running offers on hats, then you may benefit from running offers on shirts.
Once you've thoroughly reviewed what's currently on offer, you'll know which areas to avoid (and which ones have room to be targeted), and roughly what types of offer you'll want to provide. You can then move to the creative stage.
Use FOMO as the cornerstone of your strategy
FOMO, or fear of missing out, is one of the biggest conversion-drivers in the ecommerce world. Once it enters the equation, a prospective customer's ability to make a rational choice significantly decreases, and they become highly susceptible to making snap decisions (often about products they don't really need).
In every offer you create, you should strive to provide this type of urgency. Present each offer as fixed-term, limited-edition, only around for a brief moment that will pass the shoppers by if they don't act quickly. Mention expiry dates and dwindling stock levels to push people to worry that they'll end up disappointed if they don't buy immediately.
But this isn't the only way to use FOMO, because social proof is also massive. On your biggest offers, prominently display glowing testimonials from happy customers. Online shoppers can easily be skeptical about the trustworthiness of sites (especially since offers can often drag people to sites they haven't visited before), so provide clear evidence that your site is absolutely worth their time and effort.
Target general and seasonal pressures
There's a lot of talk in ecommerce about "pain points": the sore spots and sources of frustration that push people to search for solutions through retail. Someone might want a TV because they really enjoy visual media, sure, but they also might want to bolster their social standing (perhaps all their friends have big TVs but they don't).
That's something you could address through a creative element in your offer. Instead of just "Get 10% off this TV", you could say "Invite all your friends around with 10% off this TV" — something that plays off that social pressure.
And seasonal pressures are particularly powerful. We're currently in the early stages of the hectic pre-Christmas marketing period, and people are starting to think about Christmas gifts. Play off this pressure with your offers. "20% off last-minute Christmas gifts" will be extremely effective in the week leading up to Christmas Day, for instance.
If you don't really sell Christmas items, then you can try a combination of the following:
- Accessorize with a temporary side store. Dropshipping allows you to sell Christmas items without any inventory. Snag a suitable store for a small amount of money, offer some Christmas products alongside your usual inventory and sell as much as you can during the seasonal crush.
- Offer custom print-on-demand items. Print-on-demand is like dropshipping for custom items: you list customizable items in your store (e.g. t-shirts), then pass the orders to a print-on-demand service to be produced and shipped. Here are some viable services.
- Contrive a festive angle anyway. Let's say you sell office supplies, and you don't think they'll make for good Christmas gifts. Try it anyway! Something like "Fearing the post-Christmas office backlog? Get prepared with 15% off all office supplies" could work.
The periods around Christmas, Black Friday, Halloween, etc. are all incredible opportunities, so be sure to prepare plenty of offers ahead of time and dole them out as the hype increases.
Experiment until you find your formula
Every ecommerce seller has a unique challenge ahead of them, resulting from the combination of their specific inventory, circumstances, brand identity, location, and target audience. This means that a strategy that works wonders for a similar brand might not work for yours, which might sound negative, but it also means that you can find a formula that works only for you.
And you don't find this formula through endless ideation sessions: you find it through experimentation. Try some offers and see how they work. Learn from the results and the feedback and try again. You'll know when particular offers are resonating with your website's visitors, and have the chance to figure out why they work so well.
Analyze as closely as you can, factor in the most important KPIs, and you should eventually see a steady progression in the performance of your offers — how many conversions they drive, how much time they save, and how they flesh out your brand identity.


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Get the best SQL Server query analysis and optimization tool—free!
This standalone Windows application contains many of the plan analysis features included in the full SentryOne
Plan Explorer is a single installation file containing the application and the SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) add-in, which allows you to jump directly to Plan Explorer from SSMS.
By clicking download, you agree to the SentryOne Privacy Policy and End User License Agreement.
Quickly uncover SQL Server query tuning opportunities in Azure Data Studio (ADS) with the SentryOne Plan Explorer extension. Enhanced execution plan diagrams make it easy to identify operators in your plans that are hindering database performance.
Plan Explorer's scoring algorithms help you determine the best index to support a given query. Easily view recommended indexes, create and modify indexes, and detect and update old statistics. Watch the score change in real time as you work toward the elusive 100% score—before executing a single line of code against SQL Server. Learn More.
Clearly see the impact of compiled and runtime query parameters on performance, quickly spot data skew that can contribute to parameter sniffing issues, visualize potential ascending key problems, and identify opportunities for filtered indexes.
Replay queries with access to their live performance statistics through integrated history charts. With Plan Explorer, you can play back the query profile to see exactly which operators are adding the most load on system resources—without the need to run the query again.
Instead of delivering only an estimated (and often inaccurate) cost for a plan operator, Plan Explorer can display the actual observed costs. You can see the difference by toggling the view between Estimated and Actual cost.
Quickly identify the costliest operators through intuitive color-coding and a variety of display options, such as viewing operator costs by I/O or CPU.
Simply right-click an execution plan and choose the "View with SentryOne Plan Explorer" context menu option. The add-in works with SSMS for SQL Server 2005 and later.
Step forward and
Easily compare two or more plans or sessions side-by-side, or pull a tab into a different monitor with a Visual Studio-like docking interface.
Easily investigate the processes and queries involved in a deadlock with instant access to all of the information you need—and none that you don't. Plan Explorer displays the sequence of operations on the diagram, with the full query text and call stack in the
The Statements Tree allows you to sort by any column, making it easier to focus on a specific metric without having to find it in the graphical plan. You can easily spot statements with the highest costs, duration, CPU, I/O, and row counts. You also can quickly see discrepancies between actual and estimated metrics.
The Plan Tree shows the hierarchical representation of the query plan. Quickly spot costly scan operations and discrepancies in actual vs. estimated row counts, and immediately see imbalanced thread distribution in parallel operations.
The Join Diagram tab shows the underlying tables even when complex and nested views are involved. You can quickly visualize the relationship between tables involved in the plan and easily reorganize the layout using drag-and-drop functionality.
The Query Columns tab shows every column being used in the plan and its associated operation and index. It also shows whether columns are used for sorting, grouping, or filtering.
The Parameters tab shows all query parameters and their compiled values. You can quickly spot potential plan issues due to parameter sniffing. With actual plans, you also can compare compiled and runtime values.
The Expressions tab shows simplified and expanded expressions that are used in the query. By looking at the tab, you can discover implicit conversions that you might not have spotted otherwise.
The Table I/O tab shows the I/O against each table and worktable involved in the plan, as well as the scan count per table. This tab also shows the logical, physical, and read-ahead reads, separated by in-row and LOB data, per table.
The layouts panel lets you easily manage bigger query plans. With the easy-to-use toolbar, you can rotate, stretch, and flatten your plans. You can also zoom in or out, as well as apply a cost filter, which will remove operators if their cost is less than the specified value.
The Wait Stats tab is supported when generating actual plans against SQL Server 2008 and later versions. This tab lets you quickly correlate and compare different types of waits that result from query or schema changes.
See the full tree and actual runtime metrics for all nested statements, aggregated to the calling statement. Easily trace the source of statements from dynamic SQL, conditional logic, loops, and nested procedure calls.
See when statistics were last updated, as well as the effectiveness of the column ordering, column selectivity, size, and density. Plan Explorer makes it easy for you to see the statistics details, understand the optimizer's choices, and determine how to get a better plan.
You can see the full tree and immediately see differences between compiled and runtime parameters. Generate a new estimated plan based on different parameter values you specify, and easily compare plans based on different parameter values to see whether the optimizer has changed the plan strategy.
Plan Explorer helps you quickly get to the root of tough query tuning issues by making it obvious where issues exist in your execution plan. From highlighting expensive operations to allowing you to sort by any metric in most grids, you're never more than a click or two away from pinpointing a tuning opportunity.
Plan Explorer exposes many details about plan operators that either
SentryOne Plan Explorer is a single installation file containing the application and the SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) add-in, which allows you to jump directly to Plan Explorer from SSMS.


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Late Summer-Planted Forage Option: Farmer-Driven Program Posts Early Evaluation Results
This item has been supplied by a forage marketer and has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hay & Forage Grower.
Northern New York. Hot, dry summer conditions can lead to insufficient hay and pasture forage for dairy farms. Could late summer planted oats be an option to fill that forage gap? A farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program has posted results of recent field trials as field crop specialists prepare to plant a new trial at three NNY farm sites.
Drought conditions early in the 2015 growing season and a fungus impacted the summer oat trials planted in 2015 at the St. Lawrence County Extension Learning Farm in Canton, W.H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute in Chazy, and at a farm near Alexandria Bay, NY.
Research plots planted in 2013 and 2014 at the privately-owned farm near Alexandria Bay served as a preliminary indicator suggesting that late summer-planted oats are capable of producing high quality, high yielding forage.
Lack of soil moisture caused the plots at Alexandria Bay to fail completely in 2015. Forage quality of the crop harvested at the other locations was very good, but the lack of rain caused very poor yields. Crown rust, a common fungal disease of wild and cultivated oats, damaged plantings at all three farms in the study last year.
The research project funded by the farmer-led Northern New York Agricultural Development Program continues in 2016 with crown rust-resistant varieties. The research team led by Kitty O'Neil and Mike Hunter, field crops specialists with the Cornell University Cooperative Extension NNY Regional Ag Team, expects results form the 2016 to give a clearer indication of the potential of summer oats to provide Northern New York farmers with an emergency annual forage crop option.
Data including a summary of weather conditions during the 2015 growing season, trial plot forage yields, the incidence of crown rust infections, and a summary of nutritional quality is posted in the 2015 project report in the Field Crops Research: Oats section of the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program website at www.nnyagdev.org.
The farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program provides grants for on-farm research and technical assistance projects in Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the New York State Senate and administered through the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.


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2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups fine grated carrots (I use a box grater)
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract*
3 cups powdered sugar
2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a 12x18 jelly roll pan with non stick cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla until well combined. Sprinkle cinnamon, salt, baking soda and powder over top and whisk to combine.
Add flour about ½ cup at a time and whisk until just combined. Whisk in carrots. Pour into prepared cake pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 18-22 minutes.
Allow cake to cool on a cooling rack.
Meanwhile in a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer) combine butter, cream cheese and vanilla. Beat on medium-low until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add powdered sugar ½ cup at a time and beat until combined.
Frost cake and sprinkle with nuts. Serve and enjoy.
*COOK'S NOTE: To make the frosting a little fancier, use 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or the 3 vanilla bean in place of the extract.
Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2013 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.


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Hello people,
Yes, I am working on two art projects at the same time. One is of course goes along the same structure as the Men in Authority: Higher than him series, in which there are 3 distinct phases. I have completed 2 of 3 phrases and should start Phase 3 today. The other thing that I have been working on is painting a portrait and it's taking longer than I thought. When I paint for God, I just let ity flow and do my best during that time. This project I decided to take on as a gift I would like to present, just lets me know how work I have to do when I look at a photograph. Uggh! The frustrations of painting, but it is coming along.
Well that's it for now. I got to start Phase 3 today. Love you all. Keep God first and all will work out!
Thru His vessel


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An early-morning fire destroyed a Fort Worth home on Tuesday and damaged another.
The fire was first reported on the 7700-block of Acapulco at about 3 a.m. Most of the home was destroyed, but the family was not home at the time of the fire, officials said. Firefighters were able to rescue the family's dog from the blaze.
The fire started overnight and burned into the early morning hours, but it took some time before anyone noticed the flames, officials said.
The latest news from around North Texas.
The fire cascaded onto the roof of a neighboring home where the Davis family was sleeping. The wife woke up to discover the attic on fire and immediately rushed her husband, daughter and cats out of the home.
"[The fire] just floated onto where our bedrooms are. We're really lucky. God really saved our lives," said Kimber Davis. "My mom was like, 'Kimber! Get out of bed,' and I thought I was in trouble. She was like, 'The neighbor's house is on fire!' So, I put the cats in the car."
Firefighters said the wind fanned the flames onto the Davis home.
Crews were also dealing with a water main break in the process, but firefighters said it didn't interfere with response efforts.
The fire caused an estimated $160,000 in damage to the initial home and about $60,000 in fire and smoke damage at the Davis' home, firefighters report.
The American Red Cross is helping both families affected by the fire.
Officials are still trying to determine the cause of the fire.
NBC 5's Keaton Fox and Kendra Lyn contributed to this report.


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