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Thanks to everyone who contributed to my first Ask-Me-Anything session. We had some great questions, and while I didn't get around to answering all of them, I will follow up with blog posts in the coming month to address them.
Each AMA question I answered has a separate discussion, so I encourage all the members of the LinkedIn group B2B Mid-Market Sales and Marketing Leaers to add to my suggestions, as I know there is a lot of collective wisdom in the group.
And let me know what you thought of this format. I enjoyed doing the AMA, and hope that there will be interest in doing others in the future.
AMA Question #1: How do you 'manage' an owner / operators' involvement in marketing?
The full question: "Any strategies for encouraging owner managed companies to release their grip on 'everything' and free up the path to growth?"
Gosh this sounds familiar! I imagine anyone who's working in a family business or company that is run by the founder has come across this situation. We find it's especially prevalent in service companies.
I have yet to find a magic solution for this, but here are a few of the ways we deal with it:
The first step is to understand why the owner is not loosening their grip.It's usually one of three things:
1) They don't trust you to do it
2) They've done it so long that they don't know how NOT to do it
3) If they aren't doing it, they won't know what else to do with themselves
Each situation warrants a different approach, and sometimes it's a combination of all of these things.
If it's #1, the only way to get them to trust you is to show them that they can and should. This is actions not words. It might mean that you update them regularly and consistently on what's going on, it might mean that you write whitepapers that they think are great, it might mean showing them results. Whatever it is, I find that most business owners who don't yet know if they can trust you can be taught to trust you - it just takes a few weeks (or months) or consistent behaviour to establish the trust.
If it's #2, this might warrant a conversation with them to explain that the marketing work is now your job, and if they're not letting you do the marketing work, you're going to fail. I've had that conversation with a few business owners, and it was a 'revelation' to them - they honestly didn't realize how they were preventing me from doing what I was supposed to do.
And #3 is interesting. Some business owners love marketing and some hate it. For the ones who love it, they often take responsibility for it in their business. So when it becomes your job, they feel like they're being relegated to the pasture. Dealing with this is probably as much 'psychology' as 'marketing'. You can use the approach from #2 above, but then it's mainly an issue of what new thing can the owner do. Golf might be an option, but a lot of business owners aren't interested in that. Can you come up with something new for them so that they have a focus and can invest their energies in something that is relatively separate from others' initiatives?
I look forward to hearing your tips and tricks!
AMA Question #2: How do you change the perception of marketing as a cost centre?
The full question: "Most B2B companies still fight the perception battle of marketing being viewed as a cost centre in the C-suite. In theory, what marketing should be doing to add value, especially in a digital economy, is well understood. In practice, not so easy. Can you share your experiences?"
I couldn't agree more that this is a 'theory vs reality' issue. We've all been talking about ROI and ROMI (return on marketing investment) for years, but the reality in the market is that we're not there yet.
That said, there's definitely a growing appetite among B2B companies to measure and achieve positive marketing ROI (ie be seen as a profit-centre rather than a cost-centre), which is great. Mezzanine (my company) has been getting asked about ROI by about 75% of the prospects we've been talking with in the last 3 months - which is an uptick.
The challenge is that it takes time and effort to achieve a system in which you can quantity the results of marketing - and show that it's driving revenues. Unfortunately, too many companies don't commit to the journey of getting there. When I interviewed 20 CMO's last year as part of writing my latest book The Radical Sales Shift, I asked each of them how long it had taken them to build a marketing machine in which they could demonstrate that marketing was a profit centre. The most common answer was 'Still working on it!" That was the case for about 2 /3 of the CMOs. The second most common answer was 3 - 4 years.
Wow, that's a long time! And these were all incredibly smart, hard working and deeply experienced B2B marketers. So if that's how long it takes them, I can understand why it might take others longer, or maybe not make it there at all.
Here's what I've learned about changing the perception of marketing as a cost-centre to marketing as a profit-centre:
- You have to talk numbers.
Too many marketers don't talk about numbers. If you go into meetings with the sales team and the business managers and talk about the cost of a campaign and the results in a quantitative way, you'll change their perception of you and of marketing. Take a calculator to meetings! (Thanks to Liz Williams at ADP for that tip). When you consistently talk about numbers, the rest of the company will come to see that you are focused on driving profit and getting results, not just spending money.
- Understand how to do an ROI calculation
I ask marketers who are applying for roles at Mezzanine to tell me how they calculate the ROI of a campaign or marketing initiative, and well over 50% can't do it. The majority make the mistake of using sales as the numerator. Ah, if only our revenues were equivalent to our profits! (There's a post on the Mezzanine blog about how to calculate ROI for anyone who's interested).
- You need data.
For all the companies who want a marketer to deliver ROI, and they don't even have a CRM, this is a problem. It's very difficult for marketers to demonstrate how much revenue they are delivering if they have no way to track what leads they've brought in and which have converted to revenue. And sadly, the sales team is not often generous with giving credit to marketers for business generated. A marketing system like Hubspot, Marketo or Pardot (married to Salesforce or other CRM) is needed to really show that marketing is a profit centre. And of course, putting those systems in place is a significant undertaking.
Those are my top 3 tips on how to change the perception of marketing from cost-centre to profit-centre. I think it takes a consistent effort over time, married with being able to report results, to do it.
How have you been doing it?
AMA Question #3: What mistakes to avoid in strategic marketing planning?
The full question: "I'm about to lead a strategic marketing planning process for a company that I've just joined. It's a B2B company with about $5M in revenues and has never had formal marketing in the past. Can you give some tips on what pitfalls to avoid when putting the marketing plan together?"
This is a great question and I decided to answer it in a blog post on the Mezzanine blog, as I know there are lots of people in the same situation. I posted it today under the title "The four most common strategic marketing planning mistakes". I'll recap the key points here.
We review a lot of strategic marketing plans so we see the full spectrum of quality - from awesome plans to simply tragic ones. There's a myriad of issues that crop up in the plans. I would say that there are 4 which are incredibly common, particularly among companies who are new to marketing.
Mistake #1 - Unrealistic plan
This is the number one mistake by a long shot. Most companies aren't realistic about what can be accomplished. If they're new to marketing, there are lots of misconceptions about the amount of time needed to coordinate the various people involved in marketing, not to mention the steep learning curve when taking on something new.
My general rule is to estimate how long you think something will take, and double it. Or taken in the other direction, put together your plan of what you'd love to do in a year, and then cut it in half.
That way you'll have a year one plan that is closer to achievable and will give you a sense of accomplishment, as opposed to a feeling of failure because you've barely completed half of what you projected.
Mistake #2: Unassigned tasks / no on held accountable for marketing
The second most common mistake is that no one is 'responsible' for the various marketing tasks on the plan. And if no one can be held accountable for getting things done, no one will get things done.
Here's an example. There is a common problem when it comes to company blogs. We often see that several individuals within a company are requested to submit posts for the company's blog. And a junior marketing manager is the owner of the blog. The problem is that the junior marketing manager can't hold the engineers and others within the business accountable for producing the blogs. So ultimately, the blogs don't get done.
Mistake #3: Unmeasured
Yes it can be tough to measure marketing results. Especially when you deal in a complex B2B business where there's a long sales cycle and numerous touch-points with customers along their buyer journey.
But just because it's tough doesn't mean it can be ignored. While it's tempting to focus on the 'fun' and 'creative' parts of marketing, it's the data and analytics that really make the impact.
That said, don't make the mistake of measuring every little thing. We try and put marketing scorecards together with about 5 KPIs that will serve as indicators. Leads generated, pipeline generated, revenue conversion rates are usually good metrics.
And I'm going to direct you to the Mezzanine blog for mistake #4! It's here: http://bit.ly/1WUtZUD
AMA Question #4: How do you run a successful webinar?
I think lots of our group members will be able to weigh in on this one, so I look forward to hearing your tips!
We've been doing more webinars at Mezzanine in the last couple of years, as they're fantastic for lead generation and nurturing. We have two checklists (one for Planning and one for Execution) to ensure webinars are a success. Here are our check lists:
- Define your objectives - why are you holding the webinar, what do you want to achieve?
- Select a webinar topic - what will resonate with your audience and is an area of expertise for you?
- Select webinar presenters - do you have company members who are more comfortable than others presenting?
- Fill production team roles - who is responsible for each element of the webinar (create the deck, promote, etc)
- Create the webinar agenda - what will you cover, how long will it take (plan for 20 - 40 minutes)
- Build the presentation, including an orientation for the audience - don't jump into your content too quickly
- Plan audience interactivity - allow your audience to engage with the speakers by voting or asking questions during the presentation
- Schedule the webinar - pick a date and time that works for your target audience. Keep time zones in mind - if you're targetting UAE, don't hold the webinar at 4pm ET.
- Promote webinar - send out emails, add it to your email signature and website, do a press release, promote on LinkedIn and other social media.
- Rehearse your webinar - possibly the most under-appreciated step in the whole process! Don't skip this one.
- Prepare the environment where you're conducting the webinar - make sure you don't have background noise and the audio works well
- Set attendee and presenter permissions - make sure to mute the attendees and record the webinar for future use
- Open the webinar event - a different individual than the main speaker is a good way to handle the introduction
- Introduce the webinar
- Walk through the presentation - make sure to speak clearly and calmly, allowing pauses between slides
- Hold an audience Q&A - a great way to solicit engagement
- Conclude the webinar - let attendees know how they can follow up with any additional questions (great for lead generation)
- Follow up with attendees - send out the webinar recording via email to all attendees and non-attendees, and provide a Call to Action to ensure they can take a next step (eg download a relevant template, sign up for a follow-on webinar, subscribe to your newsletter, join a LinkedIn group).
I hope this list helps you hold a fantastic webinar!


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subset: commoncrawl


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As a young research investigator and clinician, Mark Anderson, MD, PhD, has wasted no time in making his mark in diabetes. First, he attracts worldwide attention by uncovering an important protein that helps immune cells learn how to recognize and avoid attacking the body's own tissue.
Next, he moves his young family from coast to coast to join the Diabetes Center at UCSF, one of the most innovative immunology programs in the country. Most recently, he is selected as one of only fifteen gifted biomedical scientists to serve as a 2004 Pew Biomedical Scholar. Not a bad year for Dr. Anderson!
Dr. Anderson's lab at UCSF is examining the genetic control of autoimmune disease to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms by which immune tolerance is broken. In other words, he and his colleagues are seeking to understand how the body recognizes self from non-self...and why the body attacks its own insulin-producing beta cells in type 1 diabetes.
When he was a research fellow, Dr. Anderson and his colleagues uncovered the function of a protein that is critical to helping immune cells learn how to recognize and avoid attacking the body's own tissue. The protein, named Aire, appears to work in the thymus gland by activating the production of a wide array of self-proteins, including insulin. The discovery could shed light, not only on how the healthy immune system develops tolerance to its own proteins, but also how tolerance is lost in diabetes.
Dr. Anderson's background is impressive. He received his undergraduate training at Northwestern University in Chicago. After being awarded both his PhD in Immunology and his MD in the early 90s at the University of Chicago, Dr. Anderson continued to train at such prestigious institutions as the University of Minnesota, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston. Last fall, the UCSF Diabetes Center was fortunate to have Dr. Anderson join their team.
In June, the 2004 Pew Biomedical Scholars Awardees were named and Dr. Anderson was at the top of the list (of course it didn't hurt that his last name begins with "A"!) This prestigious scholarship program offers Dr. Anderson $240,000 over four years to support his research activities. Dr. Anderson will join an esteemed community of researchers who will meet regularly to discuss ideas, challenges and obstacles across sub-specialties of science and medicine. Congratulations, Dr. Anderson, on this outstanding achievement!
Stay tuned to see what Dr. Anderson accomplishes next in his quest to prevent and treat type 1 diabetes!


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The actor, who for many will be forever remembered as Vultan, the energetic and voluble leader of the Hawkmen in the 1980 film Flash Gordon, has signed a deal with the sat nav company TomTom.
The famous catchphrase from the film, "Dive, my Hawkmen, dive!", can now be heard by fans trundling along in their Ford Fiestas, re-recorded as "Drive, Hawkmen, drive".
And when they reach their destination, instead of the "Gordon's alive!" line from the film, Blessed booms out of the car speakers: "Gordon's arrived!". Other gems from his roles in Blackadder and Henry V are scattered among the orders to turn around and keep left.
Blessed recorded the 57 basic commands needed, along with six special catchphrases, at a London studio last week.
He said: "My friend Ken Branagh gave me a laptop the other day, saying he wanted to get me finally into the twentieth century.
"I don't know how to use a sat nav, but it sounds very good fun."
The actor has, over his career, attracted a cult following, not just because of his Flash Gordon role but his other larger-than-life parts, including Augustus in I, Claudius and Long John Silver in Treasure Island.
He said: "I've actually only played four really larger than life characters but they are the ones that seem to have had an effect on people, aren't they?"
His deal with TomTom came about after a fan, Richard Gardner, started a Facebook page, "Campaign to get Brian Blessed to do a voice over for my sat nav". After attracting a few hundred members Mr Gardner approached Tom-Tom. The sat nav company said that if he could attract more than 25,000 members, they would chat to Blessed's agent.
The group now has 25,772 members and Blessed will enjoy a cut of any sales from the sat nav. He said any substantial sums would go towards animal charities.
It is not the first time that the company has enlisted celebrities in an attempt to inject a bit of humour into the otherwise tedious task of delivering mechanised directions to drivers. Darth Vader, the character from the Star Wars films and Homer Simpson, from the cartoon series The Simpsons, are the company's most popular comedy voices.
TomTom reassured drivers that Blessed's full-throated directions would only be available to those that actively downloaded his version, and not replace the standard voice.
Damian Woodward, from TomTom, said: "Voices are becoming an ever more popular personalisation tool for our sat navs and it's been an interesting journey watching this particular campaign take shape. It shows the power of social media, and if we can bring shouty happiness to over 25,000 people who are we to deny it?"
It will be available from October for an estimated £8.


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"My Hands" – Fairfax, VA, a cappella ending.
So, what exactly is this thing we call Music…this unseen energy, this enigmatic force that can entertain, energize, soothe, heal and even awaken the soul?
Music is art– a performing art, a fine art and an auditory art.
Music is one of our most experienced disciplines of art. Music plays a large part in making our lives infinitely rich.
Music is subjective, and means something different to every single person on earth.
Music stimulates different parts of our brains and can make us chortle in glee or inflame us to rebellion, with the potential to experience the total array of human emotions.
Music is part of our everyday lives. In lobbies, elevators, cars, restaurants, our homes, our workplaces, stores, sporting events, meetings, places of worship, websites and the list goes on and on, we have music. Music is fundamental to the overall message where ever we hear it—music underscores and brings home the emotion of the moment.
Music is broken down into elements. Wait, this isn't boring, really it isn't – it is the combination of these elements that makes David's sound his SOUND. There is pitch–which manages melody and harmony, rhythm with its sibling concepts of tempo, meter, and articulation, dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture. (I never realized before the complexity of what goes into music.)
Timbre (and David's is unique) to highlight, is the quality of the tone or the color of the music. It is the resonance by which the ear recognizes and identifies a sound. Timbre is how we identify the source of a note, the singer, when it is at the same pitch and loudness. (Smoky, husky, velvety, wailing tenor – what are other adjectives you've heard?)
The timbre of a sound, in scientific lingo, depends on its wave form. The timbre of a singing voice is modified by constricting or opening various parts of the vocal tract, such as the lips, tongue, vocal chords, or throat. This makes each singing voice unique. (hmmm…ever wonder about the impact of that paralyzed vocal chord?)
Performance is the physical expression of music. A musical work will be performed once its structure and instrumentation are pleasing to it's author. As it gets performed, however, it can be altered and totally transform the musical experience.
A performance can either be rehearsed or improvised. Improvisation is a musical idea created without contemplation, while rehearsal is dynamic repetition of the work until it has obtained a state of routine consistency. Some musicians will improvise a well-rehearsed song on the fly there by creating an unparalleled performance. (Live David concerts are the best–full of improvisations!)
And, so, let's take these two concepts above and apply them to what our senses absorb when actively listening and/or observing David Archuleta's music:
The timbre of David's voice is unique. The sound waves his voice creates periodically is best described as Power Music. Power Music is a term that refers to music that stands apart, evokes a significant experience, that transforms, that humanizes, that enables us to feel more alive.
When David sings, his voice resonates or "speaks" to us with its unique tonal sound or color, and harmoniously relates to our own personal frequencies (what we hear) attuned to that unique timbre. In effect, he is "singing our song" or "striking the right chord" when we hear him sing.
There have been whole songs that David has sung that are Power Music. One song that was Power Music from start to last for me was the AI performance of "Love Me Tender."
There are always pieces and parts of each performance of David's freshman album songs and live performances that contain the Power Music element.
David's performance skills are evolving right before our eyes. It is a unique privilege to see this part of his musical artistry unfold and grow. Through his vocal performance he interprets each song a little differently, and improvises with what appears to be minimal effort.
However, he makes this appear effortless because he is able to master the music by repeated rehearsal and total focus on relentless execution in addition to his prodigious musical talent. His current feelings and mood, his now–if you will–as he is gestalt, are also translated into his music adding a distinctively unique dimension to each performance creating moments in the song of Power Music.
Adding the physical moves, the improvisation of melody, harmonies and textures, and, the ever evolving command of the stage, his art is constantly renewed and refreshed, creating deeper meanings with each performance.
See the Power of Performance in "Zero Gravity" at Fairfax, VA:
Final Thoughts ~
We are just beginning to comprehend the artistry, the gift of the music of David Archuleta. And, we are just beginning to grasp the dedication, commitment, risk taking and long hours of work a musical artist of David's caliber puts in to create the qualities of song and performance that is Power Music.
David's music does resonate deeply with some already. He has had multiple full performances that are Power Music, from the first note to the last. As he develops his music, his own lyrics and use of the supporting instruments to his voice, he pierces the layers of the human experience with every song, deep into the human soul as no singer has done in the past.
What is your Power Music?
~ kizzi


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You are currently browsing the tag archive for the 'Parsley' tag.
I don't think I'm going to regret harvesting the last of the basil and parsley today.
Phoenix is COLD!!!! Like, ridiculously cold even if I am a big baby about the cold now.
I don't know what my garden will look like come morning, so I'm glad I heard the freeze warning on the radio on my way home from work. Now on to bigger decisions – pesto? Caprese salad?
This just in: My yellow pear tomatoes are starting to ripen! Yay!
They're not really growing upside down or sideways – it's just that the plants have gotten so big that some of the branches are beginning to fall over and out of their cages.
The beefsteak tomatoes and the cherry ones should be following suit in the coming weeks. As you might imagine, I'm terribly excited about these recent developments.
Over the weekend, I decided to make some changes in the garden. I needed to replace some plants that had died, and some that never matured.
Here's the before photo of the garden:
As you can see, the tomatoes are thriving. The oregano and parsley are also doing well. But on the left side, the peppers and cucumbers aren't as happy as they should be.
(The Zinnias at the base of the planters are starting to take off after being planted from seed.)
In between the cucumbers (far left) and the peppers are several tiny beet sprouts. They've remained sprouts like that for the last couple of months. Which means I planted them way too late – they prefer cooler weather.
It was time for them to be replaced by vegetables that like the heat. Like this little cutie:
And more of these little guys:
Muuuuuch better. They may be a little crowded, but I like to think of them as one big happy family, haha!
Now the garden looks like this:
(By the way, that container in front of the garden has the chayote sprouts – they are slowly growing, hanging in there.)
Growing great in the closet hanging storage units turned garden containers:
My, my, it's February in Phoenix, so that must mean it's growing season, right? I'm hoping so.
Here's what my former hanging storage units turned container garden look like now:
Tomatoes, peppers, lemon cucumbers, beets, parsley, oregano and basil. The soil at the base of the containers is for flowers, specifically, zinnias and Zauschneria (California fuchsia).
Not sure if the beets will make it or not – it may already be too warm for them. It's going to be in the 80s all week.
The same goes for the butter lettuce and radishes I planted – I may have missed the cool season they prefer. But I'm trying anyway. I put them in the shade (pictured below) so maybe they'll be ok.
Another experimental planting is strawberries! I love, love, love strawberries!
I'm not sure how they'll do. I don't have a tower for them like I did a few years ago, so they're going to have to adapt to a confined space.
I planted some flowers along with all the veggies and herbs. Still looking for a decent container for the chayote squash.
I'll install drip irrigation in the next few days so that everyone will have plenty of water.
All in all, the backyard is quietly transforming from all rocks to a desert oasis. Which is good, as I spend lots of time outside. It definitely feels good to get my hands dirty again.
Today, photos of plants that don't know that it's December.
Starting with the flower bulbs in my back door containers:
The Zauschneria 'California Fuchsia' is also trying to come back to life:
The parsley and oregano seem to have no idea it's almost Christmas:
These Irises are clearly confused:
So are these Larkspurs:
What's the deal with all this greenery in mid-December? Silly plants!
Here are the week's top plant headlines:
Dean, one of the Synadenium grantii houseplants living on the east windowsill, has completed his lifelong goal of touching the ceiling:
The cuttings for two varieties came from mr_subjunctive (of the Plants Are the Strangest People blog) a few years ago. Both plants would've reached their goal sooner, but I've propagated them a bunch of times.
There will be a potluck celebrating Dean's achievement this Friday at noon. For more details or to RSVP, please contact Nel the Spider plant in the living room.
In other news, the Echeveria that's been blooming for months on my kitchen windowsill suffered a tragic accident recently:
His handpainted clay pot was totaled when he careened off the windowsill into the kitchen sink. The cause of the accident was under investigation. The lead investigator (me) believes the accident occurred before sunrise. There are no photos from the crime scene because I had to move the plant so I could make coffee. Nothing gets investigated before I get coffee.
Later, I moved the plant to a grower's pot. Later still, I unceremoniously sold it. Investigators don't expect any new leads in the case.
Moving on to outdoor plants, at least one of the Chayotes is starting the growing season off strong:
Good job, little buddy! [Insert applause.]
And finally, an update to a story we brought you last week involving two foreign caterpillars.
As you may recall, the caterpillars were first noticed in the backdoor container garden oasis, feasting on the parsley there. They arrived with no luggage and no identification, but as they were believed to be future Swallowtail butterflies, they were welcomed.
Here's one of them, working his way down toward more leaves:
The caterpillar was on the move. After he ate his fill, he kept going down the container. Luckily, he was easy to spot. He just moved to the grass down below the parsley:
I really, really hoped that he'd stay right there, and I'd have a front-row view of his chrysalis stage. Here's a wider view of where he went:
Can you see him between the two pots? Here's a closer look:
It wasn't a bad spot to become a butterfly! He climbed down on Thursday morning and settled there.
Meanwhile, the other caterpillar wasn't done eating.
She continued eating on Thursday, and Friday morning.
I took the following photo on Friday morning – it's a little hard to see, but both caterpillars are in the frame, one up top and the other down in the grass:
When I got home from Santa Fe on Friday evening, there was only caterpillar poop left:
At first, I hoped the second caterpillar settled on the grass below, too, but it turned out, they were both long gone.
The first one must've just been waiting for the other to finish eating, before they set off together to find a place for their next stage. I find that astonishing. And so sweet! (I suppose it's possible they were plucked off by birds, but I choose not to believe that.)
I looked all over for them, thinking how far could two caterpillars get anyway? I knew there was only a short time that I'd be able to find them before they blended into the scenery.
I checked around and behind the containers, along the fence, in the cane, over by the woodpile. There's not a ton of vegetation in the driveway so I checked all of it for good caterpillar hiding spots.
I never did find them.
I'll stay on the lookout for new butterflies in the area. In the meantime, I have parsley stems to remind me of my visitors' brief stay:
That's the week's plant news. I'll be back tomorrow, I hope to see you back here.
Because I'm a neatfreak…
This crap had to go on a recent warm afternoon.
Most of it, anyway. The Gaillardia still had an awful lot of green for a plant that was supposedly zapped by the frost:
Most of the flowers were frost-bitten but surprisingly there were lots of new flower buds. Apparently the Blanket Flowers aren't ready for dormancy.
There were other surprises, too.
Like the sickly parsley plants I found once I cleared out the basil:
It's hard to believe they could hold on in the shadow of the monster basil. But they did.
So did these succulents I found when I cleared out the Portulaca:
Surprise! I did not expect to find those.
Cleaning out garden clutter is always a lot of work, but it's worth it.
Come spring, I'll be glad I got the hard work out of the way.
What about you? Have you cleaned up your garden yet, or are you going to wait until spring?
I'll be back manana, hope to see you here.


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Some time ago Luke Chung, the President and Founder of FMS, gave me two FMS Tools for Microsoft Access
and asked me to let him know how they worked for me. I am so pleased with the FMS applications I decided
to make my report public and this is it. Without a doubt the
Total Access Analyzer and the
Total Access Detective are the two
best tools I have ever used to develop better Access applications. They both come with Free Technical Support
for 30 days, after which you may purchase a support subscription, and printed User Guides which are actually small
books. I never needed Technical Support because the User Guides are so helpful. Disclaimer: I am not being
compensated in any way by FMS to write this article.
The Total Access Analyzer
The Total Access Analyzer helps me find errors I could never discover with other tools. It thoroughly examines
the structure of my databases and every property and setting of every object in the database including the code.
It shows me any errors and provides Suggestions for best practices and Performance Tips. It also
reveals any issues with code and documents how my code works, and can produce diagrams. It even helps find Embedded
Macros and TempVars! It is easy to see why the Total Access Analyzer has been the Winner of every Best Access Add-In
Award since 1994.
The Total Access Detective
The Total Access Detective is also very useful and has helped me to document all the differences between two Access
databases or between two Access objects. It works quite quickly when comparing two objects. I produce several
editions of some databases and it is important that they all work the same. The Total Access Detective checks every
property and setting, including code, and shows you every difference. It has helped me to produce much higher quality
Access databases.
Highly Configurable
Both the Total Access Analyzer and the Total Access Detective are highly configurable. This is one of the best
features of this software and I have not found comprehensive information and configurations like this available
in any other tool. You can see as much data or as little as you want. You can focus on specific objects or entire
databases. This versatility is very useful.
Generate Very Comprehensive and Detailed Information
The applications can take a long time to gather the data needed from your Access databases. But this is not a
weakness but rather it is a strength. This meticulous and painstaking attention to the smallest detail is one
of the things that sets them apart from all other Access utilities and tools. These FMS tools have earned the
word "Total" in their names.
Produce a Variety of Report File Types
Another valuable feature of these tools is the ability to create and configure the hundreds of Reports available
and export them in the different file types provided by Access including PDF, XPS, Excel, Word RTF file, Text file,
and HTML. Plus you can save reports as tables in your database.
Conclusion: Awesome!
It is not often we can so enthusiastically recommend Tools for Access. But the Total Access
Analyzer and the Total Access Detective are simply the best tools of their kind I have ever used.
You can produce Access databases of the highest professional quality by using them. They make you
look good. They are worth every penny you invest in them.
We use Microsoft Azure SQL Databases to provide safe and affordable 24/7 internet access to your company's vital information.
Contact us for a Free Consultation, feedback, or more information:
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© 2008-


text:
Architecturally designed, sun drenched Torrens Title townhouse well positioned in a peaceful and secluded setting offers a flexible floor plan catering for a relaxed and easy living lifestyle.
Vaulted ceilings throughout, generous lounge and dining with access to private courtyard.
Well located light filled family room with gas fireplace flowing to outdoor alfresco entertaining surrounded by manicured gardens and backing onto Garigal National Park.
• Multiple sun drenched, well positioned living areas
• Vaulted ceilings throughout creating a sense of space and serenity
• 3 generous bedrooms, main with walk in robe, ensuite and balcony
• Chefs kitchen with island bench flows to outdoor entertaining
• Child friendly enclosed backyard with manicured, landscaped gardens
• Carport plus room for two additional cars, boats or trailer
• Close to schools, kindergartens, restaurants, cafés and speciality shops
• Just a short walk to city, Chatswood and beaches transport


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Dear Dharma, I met this other mom at my…
A Starbucks Card – Just for You!
- By Dharma
- July 9, 2017
- No Comments
Hello, and happy Sunday everyone!
As you well know, Dear Dharma's content is a lovely blend of the questions you ask and the answers she gives. It couldn't work any other way, right?
Well, how would you like to win a $25 (CDN) Starbucks card just for sending in your questions?
For every question submitted from this very moment until Monday July 31, 2017 at midnight (PST), you will be entered into a draw for a $25 (CDN) Starbucks card. You can submit as many questions as you like, and each one will count as a separate entry.
You will have to include your email address so that you can be quickly notified if you're the lucky winner, but be assured, Dharma will staunchly protect your identity. The winner will be selected by a random draw and notified by email on Tuesday August 1, 2017.
All you need to do is click right here and you're on your way to a weeks worth of coffee! Or tea. Or oat bars. Whatever tickles your fancy!
Just one question per entry, please and thanks…
And be sure to follow Dharma everywhere! https://www.facebook.com/askdeardharma
Instagram too! https://www.instagram.com/dear_dharma/
And of course, Twitter… https://twitter.com/DearDharma
For more of Dharma's great advice, click right here!


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Jackson, MS – Candace Eldridge, a speech communications professor at Collin College and Tarrant County College in Texas, was elected to serve on Phi Theta Kappa's Alumni Advisory Council during the Society's 2012 Annual Convention in Nashville April 12-14.
The Alumni Advisory Council is made up of Phi Theta Kappa alumni, both appointed by the Phi Theta Kappa Executive Director and elected each year by alumni attending the Annual Convention.
Other current Alumni Advisory Council members for 2012-2013 include Chair Pattie Van Atter, Middle States Regional Alumni Association, and Laurel Rothenberger, Virginia Region Alumni Association. David Kerr, Ohio Regional Alumni Association,completed his term of service on the Council during the 2012 Annual Convention.
Eldridge was inducted into the Alpha Mu Tau Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa when she attended Collin College. A former Texas Regional Officer and International Officer candidate, she now serves as a faculty advisor for the Beta Sigma Mu Chapter at Tarrant County College – Trinity River Campus. She is affiliated with several alumni associations — Iota of Texas at University of Texas, Dallas; Pi of Texas at Texas A&M University-Commerce; the Kansas Region Alumni Association; the Oklahoma/Arkansas Alumni Association and the Texas Region Alumni Association. Eldridge previously served as president of the Texas Region Alumni Association and is a former recipient of the Texas Region's Outstanding Alumni Award.
"Alumni members offer the experience that new members and officers need. Each of us has a unique experience and can help members understand that the road they take is a difficult one, but extremely rewarding," Eldridge said. "Phi Theta Kappa membership is forever and should be considered as a lifetime commitment to its members, the organization, and the communities we serve. Despite all obstacles, we should always remember our rich heritage of Phi Theta Kappa and continue to help members and alumni with additional opportunities for growth."
Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi, is the largest honor society in American higher education with 1,280 chapters on two-year and community college campuses in all 50 of the United States, Canada, Germany, the Republic of Palau, Peru, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, the British Virgin Islands, the United Arab Emirates and U.S. territorial possessions. More than 2.5 million students have been inducted since its founding in 1918, with approximately 135,000 students inducted annually.


text:
Trevor Scherman is definitely a man that is always looking to tomorrow. Listen as he talks about returning to the farm and getting a patent, all while having a very short attention span.
please visit our advertiser – Farmers Edge
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Table Tennis => Polybat uk => English Table Tennis
Olympic sport since 1988 and the worlds biggest racket sport, is played
by around 2 million people in Britain and 300 million people worldwide. 186 countries
are affiliated to the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). The sport
is included for the first time in The 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.
The sport had its origins as a parlour game in England from the 1880s, and
following the ping pong craze of the turn of the century, revived in England in
the early 1920s with the Table Tennis Association forming in 1922 and an
English (ETTA) prefix being added in 1927. The ITTF was formed in
1926, in which year the first world championships were held in London.
a basic level table tennis is easy to set up, space efficient (4 tables can fit
into a badminton hall), versatile (can be played almost anywhere, and on modified
tables if necessary), non-weather dependent (except when played outdoors!), and
equipment (tables, nets, bats and balls) is relatively inexpensive. Normal sporting/PE
kit (preferably dark coloured) and light soled sports shoes or trainers are appropriate.
However, at a higher level there are specific requirements regarding size of hall,
lighting, flooring etc. according to the level of competition, and better players
demand higher quality equipment and clothing.
Photo - Jan-Ove Waldner by Dutch photographer Henk Hommes
to learn at a basic level, table tennis is a Sport for all and a Sport
for life anyone can play and continue to play. It is an enjoyable,
safe, healthy sport (drug free), particularly good for developing alertness and
co-ordination. The physical, mental and skill demands are much greater at a higher
Table tennis can be played in singles and doubles, and although
games have traditionally been up to 21 points, games up to
11 are now table tennis law and replacing up to 21. Normally
local league teams have 3 or 4 members, but 2-a-side leagues
are becoming more popular. Polybat has been adapted from table
tennis for severely physically disabled.
For further information contact: English Table Tennis Association
Ltd (ETTA), Queensbury House (3rd Floor), Havelock Road, Hastings,
East Sussex TN34 1HF. Tel. 01424 722525 Fax. 01424 422103.
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
English Table Tennis Association
Please mention Try My Sport when contacting this sports association.


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Lofts in Streeterville combine open spaces and a great location! However, the choice of loft styles is far more limited than in River North just west of Streeterville. There are just 2 buildings that offer true lofts: 240 E Illinois on floors 3 through 8 only and 540 E Lake Shore Drive.
Since some loft listings are not identified as lofts and some condo listings are incorrectly identified as lofts, we've provided just links to all lofts for sale at 240 E Illinois and 540 E Lake Shore Drive. After you find a loft that catches your eye, contact us to schedule a showing!
|240 E Illinois
|Lofts at Cityfront Plaza
|540 N Lake Shore Drive
Call Fran at 773-793-4516, text or email


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I own a Wacom tablet (thanks Heidi!) and there is a huge learning curve in drawing without looking at your "paper." You have to move your pen along the tablet while looking at your computer screen. Maybe in the future (when I'm filthy rich) I can invest in a really nice tablet that shows your computer screen on the tablet, but those are about $1,000. Yikes! On the plus side I'll do great the next time I play Cranium and have to do a "senso-sketch" (drawing with your eyes closed.)
Here is an exercise where we had to draw a background fill. I drew a feather fill. I'm a little shaky but it's not horrible.
~ Norma
PS. Don't forget to visit the Quilty Giveaways Page to see the wonderful giveaways going on in blogland.


text:
Posts Tagged 'onetimepassword'
This year's articles about programming #2010
In 2010 I was less focussed on programming articles on the blog than previous years, still I have managed to create some interesting articles with code in 2010. This is an overview of the activity:
Sync Web with Phone #html #javascript #scratchpad
Having some fun today with QR codes, JavaScript and the Google Analytics URL …
The Structure of a Daily Scrum #agile #scrum
The only questions that are asked in the Daily Scrum, aka Stand-Up, are: What…
Features I Still Miss in Mail #mail #email
UPDATE: GMail has introduced my number 3. YEAH! (Gmail introduces Priority In…
YouTube Channel Unsubscribe #bookmarklet
I like YouTube, and often subscribe to new channels and unsubscribe after a w…
PCI is nice (or what I do) #pcidss
Since I started working for my company I've been exposed to PCI DSS (Pa…
Solving the URL shortening problem #twitter #tweet
I don't understand why url expansion after url shortening is such an is…
VeriSign PIP Browser Certificate workaround (PIN Request) #identity #openid
VeriSign – Personal Identity Portal is a OpenID provider with multiple …
Image source D'Arcy Norman
VeriSign PIP Browser Certificate workaround (PIN Request) #identity #openid
VeriSign – Personal Identity Portal is a OpenID provider with multiple factor identification: Password +
- Mobile Credential (phone or mail PIN)
- Account Information Card (can be used by applications such as Microsoft CardSpace)
- VeriSign browser certificate
- VeriSign Identity Protection (VIP) Credential (Physical Token)
As I have a browser certificate linked to my old browser and couldn't login with my current browser I had to figure out a workaround when I don't have the browser certificate: PIN Request. On the page that does the browser certificate request there is a hidden link to get a PIN send by mail or mobile, which you can find here.
Hope that helps you.


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Ask Me Questions
If you know me in person or from previous incarnations online you know that I'm not going to have a hard time finding things to write about. With that being said, one of the things that I want to build at the core of this site is your questions.
So here's your chance to get me to do a bunch of research and provide you with the most thorough answer to any Tolkien-related questions you might have. The best way to send me your questions is through the comments on any of the pages or blog entries on this site. I'd like to encourage you to use the comments on this page specifically as much as possible, but I'm not going to be any kind of strict about it.
Let 'er rip.


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Newest Weather Alert: Be Careful Of Icy Conditions
Feb 082018
From the National Weather Service:
Some Icy Conditions Develop Overnight into Early Thursday.
With temperatures dropping well below freezing overnight into Thursday morning, any remaining areas of standing water will freeze, creating ice. This will lead to slippery conditions on any untreated surfaces.
Use extra care and caution if outside and traveling.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.


text:
Our Company
Opticca Security is a leading provider of Cyber Security Solutions that protect sensitive data, IT systems, websites, and applications in the cloud or on premise. Our partners and customers alike value us for providing strategic security solutions to help maximize their security and risk management investments.
In addition, we pride ourselves as being vendor and technology agnostic- leaving us to focus on the best-of-breed solution based solely on helping our clients address their specific needs and requirements.
We are part of Opticca Consulting, a leading technology and management-consulting firm that allows for us to offer our clients extended IT consulting services.
Our Mission
Opticca's mission is to deliver business critical Cyber Security solutions that will deliver value for a sustained period of time to mitigated cyber threats.
What We Care About:
- Providing our clients with quality experiences at every touch point;
- Meeting project objectives within budget and timelines;
- Growing our team with like minded individuals who care deeply about our clients, partners and internal success
- Sustaining a company culture that focuses on Hard Work, Discipline, Project Delivery Metrics, and Work-Life Balance;
Our Method
Opticca Security has implemented tried, tested and proven methodologies that dramatically increase the likelihood of success in sustaining a strong IT and Cyber Security posture. Our experienced and highly skilled team's primary objectives are to seamlessly integrate into your organization's ecosystem while immediately adding unprecedented value to all project stakeholders.
Assess, Discover, Define, Execute, Maintain, Improvement


text:
We offer a wide selection of brands, from basic to top of the line. Utilizing products from Wella and Clairol to Matrix, Nairobi, Straight Request, Paul Mitchell and Faruk.
We carry the following brands:
To make an appointment, please call:
757 599-0534
or send us an email.
Luckes Beauty Academy
888 J Clyde Morris Blvd.
Newport News, VA 23601
Stay on top of the latest trends with Luckes Beauty Academy.


text:
We all know October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a critical opportunity to instigate and participate in conversations about a disease that should not be ignored. While there may not be a proven strategy to staving off this deadly cancer, there are many proactive steps we can all take to improve our breast health holistically. It's also important to build these steps into your preventive care all year long, not just during the month everyone is wearing pink. We often like to quote Benjamin Franklin when we think about the big picture toward improving health:
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
All month we will be featuring a therapy, service or product that helps promote optimal breast health. You can find these useful nuggets of information coming from our facebook and twitter pages. Please take the time to make sure you are following us and do your part during this month by sharing these important tips with your friends and family. A preview of the topics you can expect to learn about and how they relate to breast health: Bio-identical hormone optimization, IV nutrition, Enhansa, Lymphatic Massage, Iodine, Weight Loss, Cortisol Testing, Adrenal Support, Acupuncture, Massage, DIM, Optimizing Thyroid, and Thermography.
Today, we're starting with Thermography. This non-invasive technique is used primarily to monitor breast health by way of infared imaging rather than radiation. Thermograms are both safe and comfortable for clients, causing no discomfort or pain. Notable for its early detection and disease prevention capabilities, thermography can potentially detect signs of pre-cancerous cellular growth well in advance of standard screening procedures. For that reason, it has become an increasingly well-accepted screening tool used to monitor breast health, and has been FDA approved for use in conjunction with mammography, since the 1980s.
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text:
Police arrested an Enola man after he allegedly fired a single gunshot at a parked, empty vehicle in a drive-by shooting in East Pennsboro Township.
Brad Herrold, 32, of the 600 block of Tower Road, had an argument last Thursday about a union job offer with a resident who lived in the 100 block of South Enola Drive, according to police.
Herrold left the residence once police were called and said he planned to return to the home with a gun. About an hour later, at 8:50 p.m., he allegedly fired one shot into the victim's vehicle, police said. He then fled the area in a small, four-door vehicle.
The gunshot was heard by several neighbors and one identified Herrold as the shooter, police said.
Police confiscated a shotgun from Herrold's vehicle and believe it was used in the drive-by shooting. No person was targeted in the incident, according to police.
Herrold is charged with marking terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person, carrying a loaded weapon, driving with a suspended licenses, possession of an instrument of crime, discharge of a firearm and criminal mischief.
His bail was set at $2,000 and he has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Monday in Cumberland County court.


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Is The Bitcoin Community Facing an Existential Split?
Over the weekend, a new version of bitcoin's software was released, Bitcoin XT. It's a line in the sand – a "hard fork" in the parlance – and an attempt to force the bitcoin community into accepting changes to the underlying protocol that purportedly will allow the system to grow.


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After a long week back at school, this weekend was just what the doctor ordered. Here on Pleasant Drive, we rested. A lot. And, I make no excuses for it either.
As I was busying myself around the house yesterday morning, Brian said, "You always ruin my Saturdays by doing work all day. Let's just play."
So, I of course, being the martyr that I am, complained about how I had so much to do and that that was the only time that I had to do it. I had not even completed my whining when Brian left my presence and began vacuuming.
Getting him to help me with the work wasn't my goal, but it was a wonderful perk! Since we were both working, the housework was done in no time, and we just enjoyed each others company the rest of the weekend. Now, I feel rested, refreshed, and ready for another work week.


text:
It's fast. It's smart. It's built to handle almost anything. Like a switchblade, the SwitchPlier 2.0 is ready to go with a simple push of a button. The SwitchPlier 2.0 provides instant one-handed access to the spring-loaded pliers making it quick and easy to use for a host of jobs, especially when your other hand is occupied.
It features SOG's patented Compound Leverage pliers, pocket clip, and, like traditional multi-tools, other tools like a knife blade are built into the handle. The SwitchPlier 2.0 is ready when called to action.
Tools Included: 1/2 serrated blade, 3-sided file, bolt grip channel, bottle opener, can opener, wire cutter, medium flat driver, small flat driver, phillips driver, needle nose pliers, ruler
- Finish: Silver/Black
- Blade Steel Type: 420
- Tool Count: 12
- Open Length: 15.55cm
- Closed Length: 13.65cm
Product Details
|Item Code


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Make a claim now by calling 0800 808 9740 or
As the school holidays approach, a call from Scottish Water is reminding holiday-goers to be careful when near water during the summer break.
The warning states that in Scotland there are many different kinds of lochs, rivers and reservoirs which can all be a potential danger for fun seekers at this time of the year. Children in particular are being targeted as well as their parents and are being asked not to take risks on water courses where accidental drowning can take place.
Carlene McAvoy who is the community safety development officer at RoSPA (the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) has asked that care is also taken near inland waters. She says that hot weather and school holidays mean there can be a rise in accidents. She added: "The safest option is to go swimming at properly-supervised sites, such as beaches, lidos or swimming pools, although we appreciate that not everyone can get to these locations."
Steve Scott from Scottish Water said that while it is important for young people to enjoy themselves over the summer holidays, it is also 'vital' that they stay safe.
If you have had an accident while on holiday, you may be able to make a personal injury claim if the accident happened through no fault of your own.
First Personal Injury offers a no win, no fee holiday accident compensation scheme. If you make a claim but do not win your case, you will not be charged for our services. Firstly, we will establish your eligibility when we find out more about your circumstances.
If you would like to find out more about how to make a personal injury claim then please get in touch with our no win no fee solicitors today on the number above or contact us online.
Contact or call us for free on 0800 808 9740 and speak with our team of injury lawyers.
We'll talk through the details of your claim over the phone, and then advise further!
If we think you've got a valid claim, we'll take care of everything else – quick & easy!
Start your claim
It only takes 5 minutes of your time to get started!


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Another new Book 3 Image!
Bryan has posted a new Book 3 Change image on his tumblr.
Looks like it is from the same episode as the last one with Mako and Bolin in their pyjamas.
It just hit me that perhaps what they were getting ready to fight in the last image and Bolin is shocked by in this one is spirits roaming around where they are sleeping. Book 3 is set just a few weeks after Book 2 and we know spirits are roaming the world now.
You Might Also Like
Comments - 5 Posts
HypnoManiac(Amonics Leader) Said:
By looking at this image…
I can tell…
Bolin DISCOVERED he obtained METAL BENDING POWERS!!!
The Cabbage Man Said:
Bolin had an epiphany
BOLIN(combustion specialist). Said:
Poor Bolin, he looks shocked or something . . . .
Avatar Yangchen Said:
ahh, now ive got it! he must have woken up from a bad dream just like lin beifong.


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The Middle Biscuit is a weekly SXSWfm specialty radio show stream, hosted by Elizabeth Spruiell on MixCloud, which focuses on indie/pop/rock music gems (about an hour long).
SXSWfm is the official internet radio stream of the South by Southwest (SXSW) Music Festival which will celebrate its 30th anniversary in Austin, Texas from March 15-20, 2016. This is a great way to discover new music.
This is how Elizabeth describes her weekly show every Thursday at 12 & 6 CT.
What is the Middle Biscuit? Literally speaking, it is the warm, highly-coveted, center, perfect biscuit my brothers and I fought over when our Mom set down a pan of her homemade fare. Figuratively, the middle biscuit is a symbol representing any thing that is elite compared to those that surround it. Tune in weekly to feast on what I consider middle biscuit tracks and middle biscuit artists from the massive universe of indie-pop-rock. Mostly new stuff, sometimes classic, either way, you'll get your fill.
Middle Biscuit #54 (01/07/16) – 1 hr
The title and artist for each track is displayed as you listen to the music.
This episode includes the following artists and songs.
- Cage the Elephant – Too Late to Say Goodbye
- Santigold – Can't Get Enough of Myself
- Django Django – Beginning to Fade
- LCD Soundsystem – I Can Change
- Hinds – San Diego
- Lee Fields – Paralyzed
- Broncho – It's On
- Martin Courtney – Asleep
- So – Built to Spill
- Diane Coffee – Soon to Be, Won't to Be
- Matthew Logan Vasquez – Everything I Do is Out
- Jenny Lewis – Completely Not Me
- Raconteurs – Many Shades of Black
- The Shivers – New Black Shades
- Zeus – Old Enough to Know


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Senate Takes Up Pryor Safe TV Bill
Washington—The Senate could be close to sending President Bush a bill that would require federal media regulators to study parents' access to technologies that are capable of shielding children from inappropriate content on television and the Internet.
The Child Safe Viewing Act, sponsored by Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), passed the Senate once. The House also passed it in October but stripped out various findings, requiring re-passage by the Senate.
Senate leaders, back on Capitol Hill Monday for a lame duck session, "hotlined" Pryor's bill (S. 602), which means it will be considered passed as soon as tomorrow if no senator files an objection.
"It's been hotlined. We are optimistic, but it's not a done deal," Pryor spokeswoman Lisa Ackerman said.
Under Pryor's bill, the Federal Communications Commission would be restricted to conducting a study for Congress within 270 days; its analysis could not recommend technologies that "affect the packaging or pricing of a content provider's offering."
"It's time for the FCC to take a fresh look at how the market can empower parents with more tools to choose appropriate programming for their children. This bill is a pragmatic, sensible approach where parents, kids and technology can all benefit," Pryor said in a statement after House passage in October.
FCC Democrat Jonathan Adelstein called on FCC chairman Kevin Martin to use the agency's existing authority to conduct the study called for in Pryor's bill.
Under the Pryor bill, the FCC would be required to issue a notice of inquiry, and it would not be authorized to adopt any rules.
Pryor's bill directs the FCC to examine "the existence and availability of advanced blocking technologies that are compatible with various communications devices or platforms."
It would also order the FCC to study ways to encourage parental use of such technologies on "wired, wireless and Internet platforms" in order to shield children "from indecent or objectionable programming" as determined by parents.
The House stripped out a series of congressional "findings" from the Senate bill before passing it by unanimous consent.
The individual findings eliminated by the House were:
-- Video programming has a direct impact on a child's perception of safe and reasonable behavior.
-- Children may imitate actions they witness on video programming, including language, drug use, and sexual conduct.
-- Studies suggest that the strong appeal of video programming erodes the ability of parents to develop responsible attitudes and behavior in their children.
-- The average American child watches 4 hours of television each day.
-- 99.9% of all consumer complaints logged by the FCC the first quarter of 2006 regarding radio and television broadcasting were because of obscenity, indecency, and profanity.
-- There is a compelling government interest in empowering parents to limit their children's exposure to harmful television content.
-- Section 1 of the Communications Act of 1934 requires the FCC to promote the safety of life and property through the use of wire and radio communications.
-- In the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Congress authorized Parental Choice in Television Programming and the V-Chip. Congress further directed action on alternative blocking technology as new video technology advanced."


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When it comes to so-called leaks relating to upcoming smartphone and tech releases, it's usually the brands behind these innovations that are responsible for sharing information.
It's therefore strange that we have yet to see many images relating to the upcoming Galaxy S9, particularly with Samsung expected to release the product in the spring of 2018. The cynical observation here is that the phone probably has a great deal in common with the S8, and is likely to represent little more than a minor, incremental upgrade in the mould of the iPhone 7.
In this post, we'll take a look at this handset and ask what customers should expect when purchasing it.
The Galaxy S9 – What's Different with the New Handset?
Samsung have definitely not reinvented the handset's displays, with the sizes of the S9 and S9+ models remaining fixed at 5.8-inches and 6.2-inches respectively. We do expect to see a high-resolution Infinity display on both models, however, although this will only offer a marginal improvement on the typical viewing experience.
The S9 will also include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, which represents an incremental upgrade on the Snapdragon 835 processor used in the S8 and S8+ models. It's interesting to note that the S9+ has recorded a multi-core score of 8351 points in Geekbench during testing, which is exceptionally fast even by modern standards.
One particularly interesting development has seen the Samsung brand follow a trail previously blazed by Apple, with the latter having minimised the top bezel with the coveted iPhone X in order to revolutionise the viewing experience. This will have a huge impact on streaming content and playing games, with casino titles from the likes of Gamblingkingz expected to provide an even more immersive experience on the S9 and the S9+.
For those with an eye for design, there are also suggestions that Samsung will launch the phone in a brand new, purple colour. The reports that the brand are likely to introduce the S9 with a modular design seems far less likely, however, despite some articles revealing that magnetic pins will be placed on the back of the phone to allow the attachment of external modules.
This may be something that features in future releases, but probably not in the S9 or the larger S9+.
The Last Word
Not only will the S9 range bear numerous similarities to its S8 predecessor, but the pricing is also expected to remain unchanged. The S8 and the S8+ sold for £689 and £779 respectively, but these costly prices reflected the levels of innovation that had gone into the handsets.
The minor upgrades featured here are unlikely to justify further increases, however, while the prevailing economic climate will also prevent Samsung from charging too much more for its new phones.
With this in mind, all that is left is to watch this space and wait for the spring release date in 2018. The official launch was pencilled in for 25th February, but it will probably be a little later this with March the most likely month of release.


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Harlandale and McCollum high schools shined at the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Region 11 Marching Contest on Oct. 22 at Rutledge Stadium. Both Harlandale ISD bands earned straight first divisions from all judges.
The Harlandale High School Band is under the direction of:
Director: Jesse Orta
Assistant Director: Chase Failing
Assistant Director of Percussion: Jose Solalinde
Percussion Tech: Ediel Saenz
Color Guard Director: Ray Ramirez
Assistant Color Tech: Yamilka Saucedo
Assistant Color Tech: Axel Esparza
Marching Brass Tech: Mike Mireles
Directors and staff for the McCollum High School Band are:
Head Band Director- Gilbert Borrego
Assistant Band Director- Luis DeLaCruz
Assistant Band Director John Perez-
Colorguard Staff: Jeremy Contreras and Esperanza Avila
Music Writer & Percussion Arranger: John Meehan
Drill Writer: Mark Waymire
French Horn Lesson Teacher: James Dobberin
Percussion Tech: Eric Garza
Cymbal Tech: Frank Jacobo


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For many footballers January is a time when suitcases are packed and transfer deals signed. Anxious for a new challenge or surplus to requirements, a host of players have been on the move in the first few days of 2013, returning to places they once called home or checking into pastures new. *FIFA.com *rounds up who has gone where at the start of the latest transfer window.
The host nation of the FIFA Confederations Cup this year and the FIFA World Cup™ 12 months later, Brazil has welcomed home three of its European exiles. Central defender Cris *has swapped Galatasaray for Gremio, and while it might be too late for him to resume his international career, fellow returnees *Alexandre Pato *and *Renato Augusto are both hoping to be back in the yellow and green of Brazil at some point.
Having both spent five years in Europe, with AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen respectively, the front-man and the attacking midfielder have teamed up at 2012 Copa Libertadores and FIFA Club World Cup champions Corinthians.
England's Joe Cole has made a much shorter journey in returning to his roots, departing Liverpool for West Ham United, the club that discovered him and which he left in 2003 to play for Chelsea, the Reds and Lille.
Without a club after leaving Portsmouth last August, former Hammers man *Tal Ben Haim *has been given an opportunity to relaunch his career at the age of 30 by Queens Park Rangers. The West Londoners will be the Israeli defender's seventh English Premier League side, Ben Haim having enjoyed previous spells with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City.
One man leaving England is Portuguese forward Bebe, who has made just two appearances for Manchester United since joining them in 2010. Farmed out to Besiktas last year, he has now joined Rio Ave in his native country on loan.
Italy forward *Giuseppe Rossi *has also headed home following six years in the yellow of Villarreal. After suffering a long-term injury and relegation to the Spanish second tier last season, Rossi is hoping to regain his form and his international place by signing for the ambitious Fiorentina. Impressive during a loan spell in 2011/12, *Antonio Floro Flores *is back in Serie A too, returning to Genoa after ten La Liga outings for Grenada, where he arrived last summer.
Born in Martigues and starring latterly with Valenciennes, Algerian international Foued Kadir needed little persuading to return to his native Provence and fulfil a childhood dream by signing for Olympique Marseille. Fellow local Florian Raspentino is leaving *l'OM *on loan for Brest, having failed to impress in a striking role since moving from Nantes to the Stade Velodrome at the start of the season.
Former Ghana captain *John Mensah *is also Brittany-bound, linking up once more with Rennes, the club where he burst on to the scene between 2006 and 2008 before enjoying stints with Lyon and Sunderland.
The experienced Pablo Guinazu is retreading old ground too. Following an illustrious five-year stay with Brazil's Internacional, the Argentinian midfielder has rejoined Libertad, with whom he won the Paraguayan title in 2006.
In contrast a clutch of players have decided to make fresh starts, though a few of them will at least have some familiar faces for company. A case in point is Colombian midfielder Pablo Armero, who has left Udinese for Napoli, home to six other South Americans, among them his compatriot Juan Camilo Zuniga.
In a similar vein, attacking midfielder* Ivan Perisic, a Bundesliga winner with Borussia Dortmund, has been reunited with Croatia team-mate Ivica Olic at Wolfsburg, while Switzerland's Abidjan-born defender Johan Djourou *should have no trouble settling in at Hannover alongside Ivorian forward Didier Ya Konan and former national team colleague Mario Eggiman.
Over in France the exciting Lucas Moura can count on fellow Brazilians Thiago Silva, Maxwell and Alex to help him find his feet at Paris Saint-Germain after completing his move from Sao Paulo, announced last summer. And Newcastle United's latest purchase from Lille, full-back Mathieu Debuchy, will be sharing a dressing room with five compatriots, including fellow France internationals Yohan Cabaye and Hatem Ben Arfa.
Senegalese striker *Demba Ba *has cut his ties with the Magpies and left for Chelsea, where he has already made an impression by scoring twice on his debut against Southampton. *Daniel Sturridge *exited Stamford Bridge on the eve of Ba's arrival and has enjoyed a similarly productive start with new employers Liverpool, taking just seven minutes to open his Reds' account in last week's FA Cup tie at Mansfield Town.
Arsenal's Moroccan striker* Marouane Chamakh will be hoping to make an instant impact of his own when he begins a loan spell at West Ham, as will young Chilean loanee Angelo Henriquez *at Wigan, the 18-year-old goalgetter having played nothing but reserve-team football since moving to Manchester United from Universidad de Chile last September.
A winner at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 1997, 32-year-old Brazilian midfielder Matuzalem *has decided to extend his stay in Serie A, where he has spent nine years in all throughout his long career. A Lazio man since 2008, the veteran will now be helping Genoa in their fight against relegation. Ex-Biancocelesti team-mate Tommaso Rocchi *is anxious to keep his career going at the age of 35 and has made the switch to Inter Milan in a bid for more first-team football, the striker having played just three times this season.
One place off the bottom in Italy, Palermo are banking on the seasoned ex-Napoli duo of Salvatore Aronica *and *Andrea Dossena, 34 and 31 respectively, to shore up their leaky defence. At the other end of the table, meanwhile, Juventus have spirited international defender *Federico Peluso *away from Atalanta to fill in for the injured Giorgio Chiellini.
One of several players opting for a complete change of scene is Guillaume Hoarau. Sidelined at Paris Saint-Germain by a certain Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the French forward has upped and left for Chinese club Dalian Aerbin. Also China-bound is Bosnian playmaker Zvjezdan Misimovic, formerly with Wolfsburg and Galatasaray, who has cut his ties with Dynamo Moscow to join Guizhou Renhe, while Boca Juniors legend *Rolando Schiavi *has decided to put his retirement plans on hold and sign on the dotted line for Shanghai Shenhua.
There is a big change in store for Portuguese wide man Ricardo Quaresma, who has ended his two-year association with Besiktas to join Al Ahli of Dubai, where he will come up against Japanese forward Takayuki Morimoto, now with Al Nasr after spending six years in Italy with Catania and Novara.
The final destination in our whistle-stop transfer round-up is Korea Republic, where Korea DPR international *Jong Tae-Se *has proved there are no boundaries on Planet Football by joining Suwon Bluewings. Born in Japan to a North Korean father and a South Korean mother, the 28-year-old forward has made the move from Cologne, the Bundesliga outfit he joined last year, and is the fourth player from north of the Korean border to play in the south.


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Leaders from across the industry gathered at the 2016 Annual Wraps, Platforms & Masterfunds Conference to dive deep into the issues at the cutting edge of financial services.
Over the past year there has been an abundance of activity stirring up the financial planning sector. Managing director at Forte Asset Solutions Steve Prendeville paints a picture of the past and explores the forces set to shape the future of financial advice.
We really have to have a look at the last three years to gain an appreciation of where we are today. This year has been one of hypercompliance. Over the last three years we have seen Macquarie Bank receive an Enforceable Undertaking, NAB compensate 750 customers $10-15 million for bad advice and ANZ reimburse 8500 financial planning clients $30 million. More recently, the ANZ rate fixing scandal moved to include CBA, NAB and Westpac.
IOOF faced a senate enquiry and paid $2.8 million to 57 customers. Then early this year the disgraceful action of CommInsure denying genuine claims was brought to attention. ASIC also released details of its Wealth Management Project for the period 1 January to 20 June 2016 with the following results: Three individuals permanently banned; 14 banned for a period of time; two enforceable undertakings; four conditions or fines and one person charged for criminal proceedings. Of the actions taken, six involved NAB, six involved the CBA, Macquarie was linked to five, three were attached to AMP, two to Westpac and two to ANZ.
In a six-month period ASIC secured $13.4 million in compensation, down from $149 million in the previous period.
The state of the sector
The financial services sector is the largest contributor to the GDP. Even when the mining sector was at its peak, financial services was still the largest contributor to the economy of Australia. The sector saw super assets hit $2 trillion in March for 2015. While we're seeing players like UBS Asset Management Australia withdraw from our markets, we have also seen the introduction of new players.
Italian asset manager Azimut and its Next Generation Advisory firm has acquired 10 financial planning businesses, while the multinational independent financial group De Vere Group came to our shores and said they were going to be the single largest independent advisory group in Australia within a year. South African company Professional Provident Society entered retail risk via PPS Mutual while New York based asset manager Focus Financial Partners put aside $1 billion for acquisitions globally, with Australia set to be one of their key focuses.
The Canadian group, Pavilion Financial Corp acquired Altius Asset Management and we've seen the selling out of assets with NAB, as it sold 80% of MLC Life $2.43 billion to Nippon Life. Forte has had multiple discussions with International "study groups" from the US, South Africa and Asia who are all looking at acquisition opportunities within the Australian market and across all sectors of the wealth management industry. Forte has never before seen the abundance of capital, both international and domestic, looking for investment opportunities.
The proliferation of robo- advice
Robo-advice continues to grow in use in the US and UK with US$50 billion funds under management as at June 2016. The list of those who are coming to the local market is increasing with Financial Index, Spring Financial, Yellow Brick Road, Ignition Wealth, Mercer, Infocus, Six Park, Omniwealth Direct, NAB Prosper, Macquarie and BetaSmartz all in or coming to market. Decimal announced the release of two robo-advice packages, Eqillize and Tentalon, which have been designed for use by institutions.
InvestSMART Group has 700,000 registered users and 62,161 investors using its portfolio manager and roboadvice services. Robo-adviser Stockspot announced the use of artificial intelligence to help investors optimise their portfolios. We saw the Link Group announce a partnership with Ignition Wealth, which will see Industry Superfund members get access to online advice tools.
Financial Planning The quality of practices has substantially increased over the last five years as compliance has dominated activities, especially in dealer surveillance and the investment of meaningful CRM information. Most principals are able to quickly produce data on client numbers segmented by service offer, age, location, FUM, platform, etc.
This transparency has also meant more meaningful management reports and a tighter focus on service delivery and corresponding revenue and profitability measurements. Compliance implementation has led to better businesses that can now turn their attention to growth rather than the internal orientation the industry has had to adopt over the last eight years.
The move to non-aligned in the dealer group space
Within the dealer space we've seen the migration of advisers towards non-institutionally aligned groups continue. One of the graphic examples of this trend is when Guardians closed in November of last year. Of the 87 advisers, 77 moved to non-institutionally aligned. In a recent survey we conducted in the form of The Momentum Intelligence Dealer Group of Choice survey, 16.3 per cent of the 622 surveyed advisers said they are dissatisfied with their current dealer group. Of those, 38 per cent said they will be leaving their licensee in the next six months. Switching to a non-aligned dealer group was the number one preference for those looking to leave.
The top reason why advisers are looking to leave their dealer group in 2016 is because of 'poor culture and work environment'. The second motivator for leaving was dissatisfaction with the 'ownership structure/model' of the dealer group, while a 'restrictive approved product list or model portfolio' was third. The results of the survey show that we still have the highest level of dissatisfaction in the advisory market that we have ever seen.
The changing face of digital investment platforms is transforming the distribution of financial services across the globe. Henry Davis York's Jon Ireland looks at examples of the ways that particular digital investment platforms are shaking up the delivery of financial services.
When we're talking about digital investment platforms we're fundamentally talking about channels that leverage technology beyond the traditional - beyond the consolidated investment approach and fundamentally enhancing the end-user experience. Some of the key features of today's digital investment platforms include: digital direct-to-consumer interfaces, automated advice or digital advice functions and educational tools.
By looking at examples of key players in Australia, the US, the UK and Europe and their offerings in those spaces, we begin to see how interfaces and advice and education tools are being built differently in different places.
Mixing bricks with digital
In Australia, YBR has recently acquired Brightday, a web-based B2C investment business focusing on superannuation and advice. This is a very clearly articulated acquisition strategy whereby YBR has complemented its branch network with a direct digital solution. The complementary nature of digital and the traditional consumer-facing, bricks-and-mortar approach, as well as the importance of digital for driving member engagement in super, is interesting. This is becoming a very critical part of the business fabric for a lot of superannuation funds - particularly industry super.
Crowd funding and micro finance
Looking outside Australia, Investment Account Platform is a business founded in March 2016 by a group of six Malaysian Islamic banks looking to launch a shariacompliant investment platform. The Investment Account Platform will serve as a central marketplace for small- and medium-sized businesses. This represents the broadening of the investment platform parameter into areas like crowd funding and micro finance.
Diversification and segmentation
The US is a huge market and one of the key things we're seeing there is leveraged through diversification and segmentation. A terrific example of this is Ellevest - a digital investment platform aimed at women that encourages goal-oriented investing as opposed to strategies built on risk-based decision making. This is a prime example of market segmentation in the context of targeting a specific niche market; in this case Ellevest is looking to 'address the gender investing gap'. The marketing on this is very specific, looking at the uniqueness of the salary curb for women, so it's deliberately saying that advice and support on a whole investment approach should not be unisex. This is an example of a specific target market being explored in a new and different way.
Robo-advice and human investment
BlackRock's Future Adviser is a digital investment platform that uses a combination of robo-advice and a 'human investment team' to manage investments. It's interesting that the reason ASIC released its consultation and recent regulatory guide on digital advice is a lot of the robo conversation is really about aligning digital with human advice. Importantly, this is a target exercise by BlackRock in addressing and serving the mass affluent segment. Bringing forward initiatives like automated advice, but also digital investment tools and educational tools, takes the service to the local market and addresses issues of financial illiteracy.
A consumerist approach
Goldbean is a platform that provides personalised portfolios based on wellknown brands and companies. Trading access is provided through a broker partner (Trade King) to execute trades on the investor's behalf. When we're talking about the power of segmentation in delivering a service, this addresses the consumerist approach to investing. It literally uses spending habits in order to inform portfolio construction. Goldbean's platform is data-driven; they're using robo analytics, they're using educational tools, and they invite a download of a customer's credit card details in order to construct a portfolio.
Scalability and vertical integration
Moving more into the mainstream market and looking at one of the bigger players, Betterment is a platform that provides personalised investment advice designed to help the investor meet goals by accounting for factors like cost of living, net worth, spousal assets, income and external accounts. What is compelling about these kinds of solutions is the scalability. An interesting aspect of Betterment's marketing is that it describes itself as 'vertically integrated'. That vertical integration, it says, it critical to creating a seamless customer experience.
So what does this all mean?
There is something very fundamental going on with distribution. Technology is creating a new perception of vertical integration – that it is not necessarily a dirty concept but something that can enhance the user experience. We've seen market penetration by global asset managers and we've seen the importance of customer centricity with market segmentation. These different players are not necessarily start-ups, but they're certainly seeing market differentiation and segmentation playing out in different and effective ways.
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Welcome to the Vintage Nest and our Share Your Style Party #57. Your host this week is Kelly but before we start, I wanted to fill you in on this past week. My first Vintage Home Market of the year was this past weekend.....so much work getting ready for a show that is a hundred miles away, preparing, packing up, setting up and hopefully making a presentation that wows the customers. All the hard work is so worth it though when you meet so many wonderful customers who appreciate what you do. The show was a great success and I arrived home tired and happy. Things had sold well in the shop while I was gone, so Monday morning it was off to fluff and fix and add new items to my booth.
Enjoy the party. xoxo
Hello everyone!
Enjoy the party. xoxo
Hello everyone!
I'm so glad that you can join us for another fun week of Share Your Style. I'm Kelly from The Essence of Home and I am your host this week.
My other co-hosts include:
You guys never fail to impress me with your projects, recipes and decorating novice. This week, I selected these features:
Finding Grace Interiors blew me away with her great sewing skills and creativity! She made this darling ottoman slipcover and even stenciled on a French design. I love it!
Sweep Tight shared this yummy recipe for a frozen chocolate chip mocha frappe. I have such a sweet tooth. I may have to whip this up. It looked pretty easy and can even be healthy when you add protein powder to it!
Orphans with Makeup shared this beautiful furniture makeover using the prettiest shade of paint called Ocean Breeze. With the warm weather we've been having where I live, I must have summer on my mind!
If you were featured, I would love for you to copy and paste this "featured" button on your blog!
Now, I'm ready to see what new things you have to share with us this week! Please remember to include a link back to this party on your post.


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Is the pain of fibromyalgia getting you down? Are you having trouble dealing with persistent backaches, leg cramps, and foot pain? If so, then chiropractic care may be just the thing for you. Chiropractic care is becoming increasingly popular among fibromyalgia sufferers because of the pain and stress relief that it offers. It can often provide relief in short periods of time and help you to get back to enjoying life fast. This article will outline the basics of chiropractic care and help you to decide if it could be an effective treatment for you.
What is Chiropractic Care?
Though often termed an alternative treatment, chiropractic care is now becoming more accepted by the mainstream medical community. Almost 20% of American men and women have used the services of a chiropractor at some point in their lives. 80% of those who use chiropractors report significant pain relief, better functioning, and an increased sense of well being. But what theories are chiropractic care based on and what exactly does a chiropractor do?
Chiropractic care is based on the theory that illness and pain are caused by misalignments in your skeletal structure. It sees the body as a connected system, which relies on your bones, joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons to keep it functioning efficiently. When your skeletal structure is sound, your body should feel healthy and happy. But if parts of your skeleton are slightly off balance, it could cause serious problems, like chronic pain.
Chiropractors aim to solve pain and related symptoms by correcting the imbalances in your skeletal structure. Through a series of techniques, including stretches, adjustments, and manipulations, your chiropractor will restore your skeletal balance, thereby eliminating any pain symptoms.
Chiropractic Care and Fibromyalgia
Recently, fibromyalgia patients have been seeking chiropractic care increasingly often. Because fibromyalgia causes numerous tender points all over the body, many fibromyalgia patients suffer from back pain, neck pain, and leg cramps. In an attempt to solve these problems, many sufferers have looked to chiropractors. Because simple adjustments to the neck and spine can restore the carriage of the whole body, a lot of fibromyalgia sufferers find that alignments of the spine can significantly reduce pain all over their bodies.
Upper Cervical Spinal Stenosis
Many fibromyalgia patients suffer from a condition called upper cervical spinal stenosis. This causes the coverings of the upper spine, known as meninges, to become compressed. This can cause severe, debilitating pain all over the body. Chiropractors can adjust the head and neck so the spine is no longer compressed, helping to relieve the widespread pain symptoms of fibromyalgia.
How Effective is Chiropractic Care in Fibromyalgia Patients?
Numerous studies have been conducted analyzing the benefits of chiropractic care in fibromyalgia patients. A 1985 study asked 81 fibromyalgia patients to indicate drug or alternative treatments that best relieved their pain.
Chiropractic care treatment scored surprisingly high in this study. Another study examined the effectiveness of spinal manipulation in relieving fibromyalgia symptoms. After just 15 treatments, fibromyalgia patients suffered from less pain and fatigue, and actually enjoyed better sleep quality.
Types of Chiropractors
Though chiropractors often use many different techniques in their treatment programs, most fall into one of two main categories:
- "Straight" Chiropractors: Straight chiropractors are considered purists, as they adhere more strictly to the original teachings of chiropractic medicine. These practitioners tend to focus on performing manipulations to restore body function and relieve pain.
- "Mixers":Mixers are chiropractors who combine techniques of manipulation and adjustment with other holistic techniques, including diet, exercise, and massage. The majority of chiropractors are mixers.
Depending upon the type of chiropractor you see, you will likely undergo a variety of different treatment techniques. The most popular chiropractic techniques is manipulation.
In order to adjust the spine and neck, a technique called manipulation is performed. Manipulation usually consists of a short, quick thrust to one of the vertebra in your spine, achieved through twisting, turning, or hand pressure. This causes the vertebra to shift back into its proper place.
When it is performed, you may hear a cracking or popping noise. This might sound scary, but it is actually a healthy release of built up oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide within the joint. As these gases are released, you should notice immediate relief, though sometimes manipulations can cause slight discomfort.
Manipulations can provide numerous benefits including:
- better range of motion in your joints
- increased blood flow (which helps to release toxins and promote muscle healing)
- increased production of endorphins, your body's natural painkillers
- better pain tolerance
Side Effects of Chiropractic Care
Chiropractors often come under fire from some medical doctors because of the possible dangers of chiropractic care. On rare occasions, manipulations have been known to cause internal bleeding and blood clots.
Manipulations are also associated with increased risk of bone fractures in those with degenerative diseases like osteoporosis. More worryingly, manipulations of the neck and spine have been associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
It is recommended that you speak with a health care professional before engaging in any form of chiropractic therapy.


text: How to Take Advantage of Your Air Conditioners Efficiency Posted April 5, 2016 Now that spring is here, we'll start enjoying a lot of warm days in South Beloit and Belvidere. It's an ideal time to check your air conditioner's efficiency. We have some basic ideas for you to completely take advantage of the benefits of your air conditioner's efficiency and extend its lifespan. Change Your Air Conditioner Filter 1.You've heard this before, but replacing your air conditioner's filter is so important. Even ENERGY STAR® counsels changing it monthly. You may need to exchange it more or less frequently, contingent on your manufacturer's instructions. If you check your filter each month, you'll begin to figure out how frequently you should change it. Air will flow more freely around your home when you have a clean filter. You'll experience enhanced air quality and an increase in air conditioner efficiency. Gathering of dust and debris inside your system will push it work harder. More work could lead to a reduced lifespan for your system. Make Sure Your Ducts Are Sealed Properly If your ducts contain any leaks, holes or poor connections, it'll be tough for your system to efficiently move air throughout your home. And even though your air conditioner will be working harder, you still may not be as comfortable as you would prefer. If you are concerned how well-sealed your ducts are, talk to the professionals at Fleming Heating & Air Conditioning Inc.. We can help you out. Install a Programmable Thermostat To decrease your cooling costs, look into a programmable thermostat. Why waste money cooling your home when you aren't around? You can find an array of different programmable thermostats and should have no trouble finding one that will fit your lifestyle needs. Schedule Your Annual Tune-Up It's not difficult to forget the benefits of an annual tune-up when your air conditioner is operating properly. Yearly tune-ups will help keep your air conditioner as efficient as possible and can help extend its lifespan. Zoned Heating If you desire individual control over the temperature of different rooms in your residence, a zoned heating and cooling system can do that with multiple programmable thermostats. This can help increase your air conditioner efficiency and save you money. Half of the energy used in your residence goes to your heating and cooling, so efficiency is key. At Fleming Heating & Air Conditioning Inc., we can help assure your heating and cooling system is operating at its best. Call our experts today to schedule your annual air conditioner service or if you have any questions about your home comfort system. We can be reached at 877-389-2465. Back To Blog