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Members of Russian punk band, Pussy Riot were given harsh two year sentences in prison for performing street theatre critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin on the steps of a Russian Orthodox church in Moscow.
To be clear, the band did not enter the church, destroy property, attack anyone, nor incite a riot. Rather, the band sang and danced on the steps of a cathedral. While they might have been rousted by police in the US for doing so (and even that is debatable) they almost certainly would not have been charged with serious crimes or been sent to prison. Instead, Pussy Riot might have been charged with a minor misdemeanor for violating noise permits, if that. More probably, police in the US would have allowed them to finish rather than storming the steps and grabbing them. Quite possibly, US police might not have thought their performance even needed to be broken up.
I say this as one who helped organize many protests, sometimes quite large, in Los Angeles. Some of these protests involved street theater similar to what Pussy Riot did. While things sometimes got quite tense with LAPD, they never tried to break up protests as happened in Moscow. The loose understanding with LAPD was don't block streets, sidewalks, or harass counter-protesters. Then you have could have a street corner protest. Six women singing and dancing on cathedral steps would hardly qualify as a protest in the US.
This tweet by Julia Loffe, a journalist in Moscow, highlights what perhaps is the real reason for the harsh sentences. The authorities and Putin are alarmed at rising levels of protest and dissent and wish to send a message trying to scare others off from protesting too.
This YouTube video shows the performance by Pussy Riot on the steps of the cathedral, with lyrics. Yes, they are sending a political message too, one that, due to overreaction by Russian authorities, went viral across the planet and turned an unknown punk band into an international cause célèbre.
St. Maria, Virgin, Drive away Putin
Drive away! Drive away Putin!
Black robe, golden epaulettes
All parishioners are crawling and bowing
The ghost of freedom is in heaven
Gay pride sent to Siberia in chains
The head of the KGB is their chief saint
Leads protesters to prison under escort
In order not to offend the Holy
Women have to give birth and to love


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The Coates Bluff Trail, almost hidden in East Shreveport, and the Red River National Wildlife Refuge Trails, relatively new and almost hidden in Bossier City, are a winter priority. Both can be helpfully identified on Google maps.
The Coates Bluff Trail is a quarter-mile path and can be leisurely hiked to and fro in 45 minutes. There are two entrance points. One is at the Montessori School for Shreveport (2605 CE Galloway Blvd, adjacent to Anderson Ave) parking lot that faces Sevier St. The trail runs alongside Anderson Bayou and goes north.
The entrance at the north end of the trail is near the corner of Olive St and Viking Drive. Parking at the Valencia Community Center is a good idea. The entrance to the path is near the Valencia Community Garden. Go to the corner of the open property and you will see a gate in the chain link fence. Past that gate is the trail.
Maurice Loridans, member of A Better Shreveport and one of the informal custodians of the Coates Bluff Trail, says, "When you find a junked Monte Carlo half-buried in the slough, you've found a bridge that will take you to the newer section of Coates Bluff Trail." Loridans built the wooden tongue that extends from the windshield area of the wreck to the bank. He adds, "The new trail runs parallel to the original path but on the higher side of the bank along the old bayou."
The archaic bayou that forms the basis for the Coates Bluff Trail is Bayou Pierre. It was an active waterway when the course of the Red River was compromised by the log jam called the Great Raft by the Caddo Nation.
Feico Kempff, who is another maintainer and mapper of the trail, says "If you strike out north of the Monte Carlo bridge you will be on what I call the Red River Link. It's a an unimproved trail that can be enjoyed by the more adventurous types."
To reach the several woods trails of the Red River National Wildlife Refuge (150 Eagle Bend Point, Bossier City, 318-742-1219), take the Teague Parkway south of the Jimmie Davis Bridge. In about 1 mile you will see the entrance to the RRNWR on the right.
The RRNWR Center is a sustainable-model building filled with well-designed displays (love the giant garfish) that teach the flora and fauna of the region. Here you can pick up a map that will help you negotiate several paths.

subset: commoncrawl


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New Years Eve is such a funny holiday. You see its the last day of last year, but it really isn't activated until the first day of next year begins. Over the years I have been to parties, get away's and every other way you can celebrate the day, before the New Year.
Its a strange day all the way around.
Random New Years Thoughts:
- Will the economy turn around?
- Will banks finally offer customer service? (My bank has been awesome for us the past 20 years but my friends tell me horror stories. 5/3 bank is a great bank!)
- Is it possible that 2010 will be the year the new century kicks it into high gear?


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our tribe is rapidly filling up, come and join your friends before we launch and enjoy great benefits.
Your rockstar benefits…
- Discounted Stereotribes fees on your first campaign*
- Be immortalised in our tribe Hall of Fame on Stereotribes website
- Personal support that musicians actually need
- VIP tickets to selected Stereotribes parties**
- Featured on the Stereotribes Blog***
And for the encore…
We're giving away £20 to 50 registrants to help us beta test Stereotribes. Also, by joining now you'll be invited to our private launch party in London! Can you say V.I.P? (Places are limited so you better hurry up!)
Let's do this! – Register for free at the top of our homepage
- *When you register before we launch (Towards end of 2015) and if you launch your campaign before (31st December 2015)
- **Tickets will be given away on a first in first served basis
- ***This is for musicians, artists and groups that with passionate stories to tell


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In fall 1938, Harry Barton traveled from his home state of Iowa to secure his position as the new band director of Boude Storey Junior High School. He knew no one in Oak Cliff, but one of the young majorettes at Storey, Bettye McGee, quickly determined that the handsome young man with the wavy hair would be perfect for her older sister, Eloise.
Bettye encouraged Barton to call her sister, and when Barton called the family home, Bettye told him to wait until she could go get Eloise. What she didn't tell him was that Eloise was playing tennis … a mile away from the house! Bettye bicycled to the courts, retrieved her sister, and the duo sped back. Amazingly, Barton was still on the phone.
The sisters lived on Marsalis Avenue with their parents, Roxie and Bernard McGee. McGee worked for the North Texas Interurban, but on his way to work one morning in 1929, in front of the old Oak Cliff Carnegie Library on the southwest corner of Jefferson and Marsalis, he was struck by a drunk driver and, for the remainder of his life, walked on crutches.
Regaining his strength, McGee owned and operated two Ewing Avenue service stations before opening a small hamburger stand directly across from the Veterans hospital on Lancaster Road, where the entire family worked. It was a Depression-era struggle, but like most people of that period, they pulled together to make ends meet.
According to Eloise, "In those days, you could choose which high school you wanted to attend. I went to Sunset [class of '39], but Bettye went to Adamson [class of 43]."
Within a year of that phone call, Harry Barton and Eloise McGee married in the Marsalis Avenue home of the Rev. Albert W. Luper, pastor of First Baptist Church of Oak Cliff. Afterward, the couple set up housekeeping on Woodin Avenue. Then, in 1942, Barton was named as band director at Adamson High School, where he soon organized a snazzy new dance band: the Rhythmaires.
"Through their years, the different [Rhythmaires] bands played for dances in the Adamson gym, at the Oak Cliff 'Y', at the 'Family Night' stage performances at the Texas Theatre, Lee Park and the old two-story clubhouse at Cedar Crest Country Club, among others," says Adamson alumni association board member Don Coke (class of '43).
"That wooden second-story floor [at Cedar Crest] was so wrinkled that it looked like we were playing hopscotch when we tried to dance," he chuckles.
"The bands were hot, and the charts that Harry B. got for them were the best," Coke adds. "Miller, Shaw, the Dorseys [Tommy and Jimmy], James, Goodman, Bob Crosby. When the war began to really drain the ranks of the big bands, you couldn't hear better music played at LuAnns or the Plantation than what you could get at a Friday night dance at Adamson with the Rhythmaires."
With WWII raging and November 1942 being the last date that eligible males could enlist and not be drafted, Barton joined the U.S. Army Air Force when he became aware of a vacant military band director spot. But in October 1945, Master Sgt. Barton returned home, slipping into his former job at Adamson, while also serving as band director at Forest Avenue High School (now James Madison). From there, Barton was recruited by another school system and moved "across the river" to begin a 20-year stretch as superintendent of music at Highland Park High School.
During that tenure, he also served for 29 years as director of pageantry for the annual Cotton Bowl game halftime shows with son, Corky, as his field coordinator. Before the days of computer-generated graphics and sophisticated communications options, Barton put together slews of impressive halftimes that included local bands, drill teams and majorettes, along with the university bands that represented the competing teams. Serving as his announcer for most of these years was Oak Cliff's own Bill Melton (Sunset '58), with whom Barton developed a lasting friendship.
"Actually, some of the bands came from beyond the local level," Melton says, "including state and national. And, of course, the Kilgore Rangerettes were always there."
When Six Flags Over Texas opened in 1961, Barton served as musical director of the Six Flags Revue show and, for years, oversaw the park's "Battle of High School Bands."
From their early days at Storey to their adventures in Highland Park and the Cotton Bowl, the Barton/McGees are a typical Oak Cliff story that expanded beyond Oak Cliff. Eloise Barton and Bettye (now Williams) still live in Dallas and remain close, often remembering those long-ago days when an accident changed their family's future and they flipped burgers at Pop McGee's little stand.
Harry F. Barton passed away in 2004, with thousands of students, parents, dancers and TV viewers all enriched by his contributions. The legacy he left continues in the lives of many, even today.
• Read more of Gayla's Oak Cliff history columns here.


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Birth Support
A birth doula is a trained professional who provides emotional, informational, and physical support for a woman throughout pregnancy and childbirth to help her achieve the healthiest and most satisfying birth experience possible. It is highly recommended that a doula be booked within your second trimester to ensure availability for your due date.
This can include
- assistance in creating birth preferences
- providing evidence-based information to educate the parents on different options available to them
- continuous labor support including massage, counter pressure, positioning suggestions, breathing techniques, and other comfort measures
- breastfeeding support, and more
Although many peoples associate doulas with home birth, unmedicated birth or other "crunchy" practices, a doula is for every woman, regardless of her birth preferences.
Our doulas are trained to support women throughout the duration of their births, including vaginal births with an epidural, planned cesareans, unmedicated births, VBACs, inductions, breech positioning, births of multiples, and water births. Additionally, our doulas attend births that take place at homes, hospitals, or birth centers, because we believe that our clients are best supported when they are in an environment where they feel safe, comfortable, and well taken care of. All Birch doulas work with a backup doula who you will get to know during one of your prenatal visits, so you can rest assured that you will be well supported by someone you trust.
Studies have shown that women who are attended by doulas have:
- shorter labors with fewer complications
- less negative feelings about their childbirth experience
- a reduced need for pitocin, vacuum/forceps deliveries or cesareans
- fewer requests for pain medications or epidurals (Source: www.dona.org)
A doula can be helpful even when the partner wants to be actively involved. Having a knowledgeable doula present can help to alleviate concerns that many partners have, especially if it is their first birth and they are not exactly sure what to expect. A doula will:
- make suggestions for different positions or massage techniques
- get water or food for the partner so that the mother is never alone
- give the partner a break to contact family, use the restroom, nap, or eat
A doula does not take over the role of a husband or partner, rather, they work together with your partner to complete the support team.
Doulas are a valuable addition to your birth support team
A doula is not a medical professional and cannot give medical advice, perform vaginal exams, blood pressure checks, fetal heart tone checks or any other clinical or medical task. She can, however, provide a mother with the information she needs to make an informed decision. A doula also cannot make decisions on a woman's behalf or speak to the care provider on her behalf. She will assist in getting the conversation with the care provider started and assist the woman in asking questions to determine the risks and benefits of any choice.
Ready to get started?
Birth Support packages start at $1,525 and can be booked at anytime in your pregnancy. It is recommended that you book your doula during the second trimester to ensure availability. Let us know your preferences and we will help match you with your perfect doula.
Looking to provide the gift of support to a friend, family member, or co-worker? Gift certificates can be used toward any of our services! A beautiful, customized certificate can be mailed directly to your recipient, yourself, or picked up locally.
We serve clients delivering at the following locations:
PUSH Midwifery & Birth Center
Los Robles Hospital – Thousand Oaks
Simi Valley Hospital
Community Memorial Hospital – Ventura
Sunrise Birthing Center
St. John's Regional Medical Center – Oxnard
Ventura County Medical Center
Ventura Birth Center
GROW Midwifery – Ventura
Northridge Hospital Medical Center
Providence Holy Cross Medical Center – Mission Hills
Kaiser Woodland Hills Medical Center
West Hills Hospital & Medical Center
Providence Tarzana Medical Center
Home Births
Multiple other locations


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The twin brother of The King; he died at birth in 1935. So there's not much to write about him. He has been fictionalized, in "What if?" form, in Nick Tosches' Unsung Heroes of Rock'n'Roll, and in Gerald Duff's That's All Right, Mama.
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With dancing mice, toy soldiers and a Sugar Plum Fairy, The Nutcracker is a sparkling festive treat and for four very poorly children, a trip to see the ballet at the London Coliseum was just what the doctor ordered.
Organised by French Sole for Starlight, the children and their families enjoyed a special meeting with the Sugar Plum Fairy before the performance and were even invited backstage afterwards to chat to all the stars of the show! Read about it here.
Photos courtesy of Alan Davidson


text: SmartPower is partnering with Dividend Solar, one of the nation's leading solar financing companies, to help make solar accessible and affordable across the Palmetto State. Working in the Charleston, Columbia and Greenville/Spartanburg areas, SmartPower's on the ground team is partnering with local municipalities and organizations to make South Carolina a leader in solar. For more information go to www.solarizesc.org.


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You took one look at those big brown eyes, floppy ears and wagging tail, and it was love at first sight. Dogs are a constant source of companionship and fun, but bringing one into your home is a life-long responsibility. If they aren't trained correctly, they can wreak havoc on your life and house. Dogs need to be trained so they know their limits and what is expected of them.
According to trainer Erica Curtis, CPDT, you need to choose the right dog for your family. Consider your home's chaos level and current to-do list when selecting your perfect pup, particularly if you have children under the age of five. As Curtis says, "If you don't have time to learn about and train your dog, it may make sense to wait a few years until your family is ready to care for a pet."
And once you are ready to bring a new puppy or dog into your family, "choose the kindest, gentlest training techniques possible," she suggests. "Don't threaten your dog, either mentally or physically, and always use positive reinforcements like food, praise or playtime toys to get the results you want."
There are a myriad number of dog training ideologies available. While different methods or combinations of methods will prove effective for different families, these DIY training tips will help your dog become a perfect (or close-to-perfect) canine citizen and family member.
This crucial command helps your dog learn impulse control. "The simplest way to teach sit is to hold a treat like a magnet to the dog's nose, then guide it up," says trainer Sarah Westcott, CPDT. "Typically, in an attempt to continue following the treat, the dog will put his rear end on the floor. As soon as he does, praise him and give him the treat.
After a few trials, begin to say sit immediately, before guiding the dog into position. From there, it is very important to quickly remove the food lure from your hand. If you do not, your dog will only sit if you show him you have a treat for him." This command is key to teaching your dog to not inappropriately jump up on people he encounters.
Teaching the command come will enable you to keep your dog safe, particularly if outdoor off-leash time will be part of your lifestyle. But it's also a word to shun if your dog requires more play time than is currently built into his routine. "When working on this command, make sure the result of the behavior is more rewarding than anything else in the environment," recommends Westcott. "If you call your dog to you, but then immediately put his leash on and leave the park, your dog will quickly realize that come is a word to avoid if he wants more play time."
To teach this command, stand next to your dog, say come and then jog away, encouraging your dog to chase you. When he comes back to you, give him a reward, such as a combination of food and praise.
Lie Down
An important command for dogs that beg for food at the dinner table, lie down is utilized to send your four-legged friend to a designated place in the home during meal times, or when company comes to call, until he is released from that spot. Start out by taking your dog to the spot you have decided upon, such as his bed or crate. Consistently use the same command, such as time to lie down. When your dog lies down, give him positive reinforcements, like a treat and/or praise for the behavior. Then, wait 10-15 seconds and release your dog from the spot.
Continually repeat this exercise, building up the time your dog remains in the lie down position. Slowly increase the amount of time your dog spends in this position before you reward him, and increase the physical distance between you and your dog when the lie down command is given. Give repeated positive reinforcements to your dog for obeying. If needed, physically bring your dog back to his special spot until he understands what you want, and never forget to praise and reward him for this behavior.
Don't Pull
Taking your dog for walks is important for his mental and physical health. But nothing is more uncomfortable than having your dog yank you off your feet and race half-way down the block. It's important for your canine companion to remember who is in control, especially when squirrels or smelly garbage beckons. Being outside is fun and stimulating for your dog, and it is natural for him to want to gallop toward sights and smells that interest him.
The first thing to remember is that dogs often pull on their leashes because they are full of excess energy. Therefore, the first rule is to make sure your dog is getting enough exercise. When training your dog not to pull on his leash, walk at a brisk pace. If your dog pulls, immediately stop walking and give a tight pull back on the leash. Call your dog back to your side and give the sit command. Reward the sit behavior with a treat and/or praise and then resume walking. Repeat as needed and reward your dog for walking at your side without pulling. "Consistent, positive reinforcement and a training program such as Emma Parsons' Click to Calm can significantly support results here, as well as diminish leash aggression," suggests Westcott.
Mastery of the down command enables your dog to show you a high level of respect, yet also helps keep your dog safe from harm. To teach your dog down, first command him to sit. With a treat held between your thumb and forefinger, lower your hand towards the ground slowly. Your dog will follow the treat with his nose until your hand is at ground level. At this point, your dog will either be completely down on the ground or hunched over in a semi-down position. Slowly pull the much-coveted treat away from your dog, forcing him to follow your fingers and slump further toward the ground. When your dog is completely in the down position, give the treat to him and praise him effusively.
Eventually, the word down, and your hand movement, will be enough of an incentive for your dog to obey this command. Never use your dog's collar as a tool when learning the down command, as this may feel like coercion, and cause your dog to resist the behavior.
A gentle, firm hand will not only keep your dog happy, but also go a long way toward keeping both him and the people he comes into contact with safe. As with every family member, your furry friend has responsibilities. As your dog's owner, your job is to give him the tools he needs to live a happy, healthy and long life.


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I want to share a video I found that is extremely helpful in dealing with mistakes in lace knitting. It's by JenACKnitwear and it shows how to fix a mistake without ripping out rows and rows of knitting. It really is worth the look.
In the meantime I have been working on the Infernal Socks and have just ended the gusset portion and begun the foot. Please let it be over soon.
In other news, Yarn Rascal has embraced corriedale yarn. Up to last week he wanted nothing to do with corriedale and heaven forbid a ball of corriedale got mixed in with his collection of merino. Since the sock stealing episode his opinion of corriedale seems to have changed. Last night he moved the left over corriedale yarn I had in my bin to his bin of merino. Corriedale is a cross breed of Lincoln Long Wool and Merino sheep. It is longer wearing than merino yet still soft enough for next to skin wear. It is absolutely great for socks as it doesn't pill and wear out as fast as merino.
In addition to knitting the Infernal Socks I have been spinning my corriedale fiber on my Tibetan Spindle. It took a bit to understand what the yarn wanted versus what I thought I wanted. Once I listened to the yarn the spinning has been going great. I am quite pleased with it.
Hopefully by the next post I will have a picture of the completed Infernal Socks. Please let this be true.


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A couple of months ago I've found a very interesting website which fights against the loudness war; Dynamic Range Database.
The Dynamic Range Database uses a sliding scale from 1 to 20 (1 being the worst, 20 being the best) to rank the dynamic quality of each of the recordings they list. This number represents the difference between the peak decibel level on a recording and the recording's average loudness.
Dynamic Range Database applies the following descriptors to these ranges:
1-7=bad; 8-13=transition; and 14-20=good.
Evaluation for each album on the website includes the album's average dynamic range, the track with the weakest dynamic range, and the track with the greatest. The Dynamic Range Database also provides individual dynamic range measurements for each track on the album. Below on this page you find three free downloads to test your own collection of CDs, DVDs, LPs or your music files. You can also share and add your results to the Dynamic Range Database by simply fill in the form and upload your data.
Below an example taken from an "Eagles – Hotel California" CD.
foobar2000 1.3.1 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1 log date: 2015-01-20 19:23:29 --------------------------------------------------------------- Analyzed: Eagles / Hotel California [1985 Digital Master] --------------------------------------------------------------- DR Peak RMS Duration Track --------------------------------------------------------------- DR15 -2.48 dB -20.88 dB 6:31 01-Hotel California DR13 -3.64 dB -20.10 dB 5:05 02-New Kid In Town DR15 -1.10 dB -19.42 dB 4:47 03-Life In The Fast Lane DR13 -5.56 dB -23.03 dB 4:55 04-Wasted Time DR11 -8.73 dB -26.29 dB 1:24 05-Wasted Time (Reprise) DR13 -4.82 dB -21.04 dB 4:10 06-Victim Of Love DR15 -5.47 dB -25.32 dB 3:59 07-Pretty Maids All In A Row DR13 -4.03 dB -20.54 dB 5:12 08-Try And Love Again DR13 -3.28 dB -21.88 dB 7:27 09-The Last Resort --------------------------------------------------------------- Number of tracks: 9 Official DR value: DR14 Samplerate: 44100 Hz Channels: 2 Bits per sample: 16 Bitrate: 634 kbps Codec: FLAC ===============================================================
Users on the Dynamic Range Database have the choice to download out of three free utilities to take their measurements:
- Dynamic Range Meter, a foobar2000 plugin
- Dynamic Range Meter, stand alone program for Windows
- Dynamic Range Meter, stand alone program for Mac
Thanks for visiting. Feel free to leave a comment and say hi.
As some seem to believe I'm the author of these apps, that's not the case, I only put them online for them who seek this nifty apps.


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The right to vote is the most important civic right granted to U.S. citizens. It provides us with a say in who runs our country and represents us to the world, as well as which laws and bills will be enacted.
Ironically, the right to vote is one of the most under-utilized liberties we have.
In 2012, approximately 93 million U.S. citizens did not exercise their right to vote in the presidential election, according to bipartisanpolicy.org. Only 40 percent of young adults between the ages of 18 and 29 voted.
Young adults have always had a lower voter turnout rate than other age groups, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
While this may not seem like a problem to some, it's important to remember young adults are part of the Millennials, the largest generation in American History.
Additionally, the 2016 presidential election will affect young adults the most. Whoever is voted in as president will be making decisions that will affect America for decades, effectively shaping the country young adults will inherit.
This means the largest group of Americans with the most at stake in the elections is repeatedly voting at lower rates than other Americans.
Hopefully, this will not be the case for the 2016 presidential election. This election has been one of the most divisive in American history, and there is a lot at stake – from the selection of the next Supreme Court Justice, to climate change, to our healthcare system, to LGBTQ rights.
We at The Gatepost urge FSU students to take advantage of their fundamental right as American citizens and vote this coming November.
It is easy to fall for the cynical "your vote doesn't really count" rhetoric. Many claim they no longer have faith in the current electoral system, especially the Electoral College.
Millennials are deciding their votes don't count. The problems that matter to them aren't being addressed. The politicians who are elected aren't doing their jobs. Society is constantly labeling them as lazy, entitled and selfish.
So that begs the question – would you vote if you were constantly being told you're not important?
The problem with this rhetoric is the Millennial vote is important. Considering Millennials are the largest generation, we have the greatest influence in this election. Our votes do matter. In fact, We at The Gatepost believe the Millennial vote matters the most.
So, turn in your absentee ballot or make sure to show up that Tuesday in November, and make your vote count.


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Ballers: Season 3 Trailer
Dream it. Risk it. Build it. And they will come. Ballers Season 3 premieres Sunday July 23 on HBO.
Posted By Joe
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


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In Odisha Government Press, many modernisation initiatives have been taken up for upgradation of technology and infrastructure.
The traditional Letter press printing system prevailing since inception of Odisha Government Press, has mostly been replaced by modern offset printing. As a result, there has been substantive improvement in the standard of printing both in terms of quality and quantity.
There are mainly three phases involved in the Printing Process, namely:
- Pre-Press (Before Printing)
- Press (Actual Printing)
- Post-Press (After Printing/Binding/Finishing)
The major advantages gained out of modernisastion in each of the phases are presented as under:
Pre-Press phase
|Before Modernisation
|After Modernisation
|1. The individual assembling of type materials for preparation of texts encounters quite a number of problem such as;
a) composition of texts was very slow due to manual assembling of reversed types.
b) Major raw materials i.e. metal alloys(composition of lead, tin and antimony) were no more available in the open market during early eighties and at the same time, Type Foundries were gradually closed soon-after introduction of Photo Type Setting and DTP systems.
c) available type materials got defaced due to their frequent and prolonged use, resulting in poor quality printing. 2. Printing of Multi-colour jobs was a tough task. The colour jobs were required to be scanned through Image Setters and this was done by out-sourcing from neighbouring states..
|a) The Date Entry Operator could compose the text matters right away.The size,shape and design of the letters could be adjusted and retained with few commands and thereby the composition speed became quite faster, easier and accurate.
b) Preparation of Film Positives/Negatives was replaced by taking printouts directly from Laser Printer on to tracing papers/garware films.
c) Introduction of Computer to Plate Technology (Ctp) eliminated a number of pre-press operations such as:
i) Retouching,
ii) Imposition,
iii) Platemaking
d) Multi-colour printing became simple and easy by introducing CtP Technology.
Press (Actual Printing) Phase
|Before Modernisation
|After Modernisation
|1. The manufacturing of Letter press Printing Machines stopped during early eighties and the spare parts of those machines were no more available. As a result, it was difficult to put the existing Letter Press Printing Machines to use.
2. Few Letter press Printing Machines are still under use at different Branch Presses.
3. The production capacity of each Letter press Printing Machine is ranging from 5000 Impressions to 8,000 Impressions per day/shift.
4. It was not possible to print multi-colour reproductions with existing Letter Press Printing Machines as those machines were not consistent to withstand multi-colour registration.
|1.The printing out-put could be increased to a large extent consequent upon installation of web-fed and sheet-fed offset printing machines in Odisha Government Press.
2. Multi-colour printing could become very easy after installation of CTP and Heidelbereg SM-74 machines, which brought revolutionary changes in quality of printing.
3. For special quality printing on visiting cards, lettter heads, Greeting Cards, Plastic Cover printing, a small Screen Printing Unit along with a Semi-automatic Screen Printing Machine has been installed.


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Bubbles & Shells | Every Thursday
BUBBLES & SHELLS are just what you need to get over that end-of-the-week hump!
Every Thursday, we offer the freshest Oysters for $2 each & Champagne by the glass for only $9. Stop by and enjoy this special happy hour menu, only available once a week.
Available Restaurant-Wide | 5PM - Close
5716 E Second Street | (562) 434-2333
Bubbles & Shells Specials:
Oysters: $2/each
Champagne $9 per glass


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Your guide to Ceres, Virginia assisted living facilities. With so many senior housing options available, how do you know which one is right for your family?
Our Senior Living Advisors live in the Ceres area and can provide you with an insider's view of local communities including pricing information and distinctive features.
Request information online by filling out the form to the right or call us at 855-363-2002 for a no-cost, in-depth assessment of your senior care needs. Our compassionate advisors can help you find the best Ceres assisted living facilities for your unique needs and budget.
Cities near Ceres offering memory care optionsRural Retreat | Atkins | Tazewell | Burkes Garden | Crockett | North Tazewell | Bastian | Tannersville | Sugar Grove | Broadford | Horsepen
Assisted Living Costs in Nearby Cities* The costs above represent the AVERAGE monthly cost of assisted living for a one person bedroom in that city.
Facts about Ceres
Ceres is also known as: Ceres.
Ceres is an unincorporated community in Bland County, Virginia, United States. Ceres is located on Virginia State Route 42 13.5 miles (21.7 km) west-southwest of Bland. Ceres has a post office with ZIP code 24318.
Population shifts in Ceres
Average temperatures in CeresLine in orange is average highs...line in blue is average lows.
Average rainfall in Ceres


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Having been an Official for MotoGP for 23 years someone decided I'd be suitable fodder to drive in the Riders' Parade last Sunday before the GrandPrix at Phillip Island [Australia]....
...so this is the one I drove... BMW M235i ...about 320hp 8 speed in-line 6 turbo ...bit 'wasted' when we were putting around at 50kph [30mph].
Fortunately it didn't rain during the parade so the roof was down [as it SHOULD be on a convertible] ...
What do you do in that time no-one pays you for?
WindowFX! But not the Stardock kind. Here: http://www.totalhomefx.com/
Finding new ways to deck out the house and the costumes for Halloween.
I make wallpapers, test WBs for several people, and I DeeJay at line dances.
Well, as I am retired, all my time is spare time. I design WB's is all and watch some T.V. ☺
I'm retired too. I play Galciv and sometimes World of Warships. I was a SCCA race official for about a decade - track and pit marshall. Even got to work the pits at the F1 race here in Dallas.
As far as makes go, I was Volvoman. Now I am a Ford man.
Oh, and I grow hot peppers, though this year as been a disaster in that regard.
The rest of the time I yell at my cat and try to keep her from going completely bonkers from boredom.
I pretend to know my way around Photoshop. Occasionally I belch out combinations of pixels that, I hope, have some kind of appeal to others. Sometimes it works.
I'm also an Operator on two crisis lines, here in BC.
I brew beer (all grain) - mainly Belgian styles although I have a mean Dark Stout for winter.
I play board games with mates.
I paint miniatures for various skirmish games.
I program computer games (as job and for hobby).
Apart from that I have a growing family who keep me busy, competitive swimming, piano, guitar, drums, hip hop you name it
Some people mentioning car brands, and although I am not a car enthusiast, I have owned MG's (an MGB GT and an MG Midget), a Fiat 1500 Cabriolet, a 1973 Dodge Challenger, two Corvette's (a 1964 Convertible and a 1967 Coupe), and a 2010 Camaro (Transformers Bumblebee look alike). They were all great cars, but now I am going green (because we ALL need to) and I drive a 2012 Chevrolet Volt. I buy gas maybe 3-4 times a year for it.
You liking the Volt? I got offered a decent deal on an older model a couple years back. Now that would be a fun spare-time activity: working on EV's. And finding creative uses for aged LiIon batteries.
I wish I had known about that BC crisis hotline after Game 5 of the NLCS. I needed it.
I love my Chevrolet Volt! They are saying it may be discontinued in 2020 though because no one cares enough about this planet to buy it. Everyone is buying stupid big SUV's and gas guzzlers/atmosphere polluters But soon they will have to change their minds, as a lot, and I do mean a lot of automobile manufacturers will only be designing hybrid or pure electric cars soon. Even China and several other countries have said they will ban all gas/diesel driven vehicles by 2040. But of course, the USA is not actively doing anything about saving this planet.
Saving the planet shouldn't even be a necessary selling point. EV's have a faster zero-to-60 than gas guzzlers. You can stick an inverter on the batteries and power the house with it.
Of course, Motor Race Officiating isn't the only past-time.....I also build up bikes - having 12 currently.
This is the newest, bought as a frame-set for $1700 AUD [which included the bag and the rims]. A few weeks and numerous purchases from around the globe and it's done. An example of 'around the globe'....the gear levers came from Poland....and the Brake levers came from Hungary.....
Yep, just another good thing about them!
Of course, Motor Race Officiating isn't the only past-time.....I also build up bikes - having 12 currently.This is the newest, bought as a frame-set for $1700 AUD [which included the bag and the rims]. A few weeks and numerous purchases from around the globe and it's done. An example of 'around the globe'....the gear levers came from Poland....and the Brake levers came from Hungary.....
Wow Paul, cool bike!
You might want to rethink that solution. Electricity doesn't come out of the ground. Someone has to generate it. Unless you are also pushing nuke power that means that someone is burning the deadly fossil fuels to make your nice clean electricity. I understand that the average electric car has a larger global carbon footprint that the average gasoline vehicle.
Now, China has special problems with local pollution, and electric cars move the emissions outside the city.
Out of sight, out of mind.
I also ride when I can. Here's the sale pic for my current road bike. I've been off it for a couple years due to health issues, but I'm working on being able to ride again soon.
I also restore bikes. Is there some way to upload pics here? I don't use the death-dealing hosting sites if I can help it.
Very cool Paul, bout time they rewarded your years of volunteering.
I'm retired as well. Work on windowblinds daily but need to have netflix playing half screen to take up the slack time.
My wife (sweet woman that she is) works from home so I'm the house daddy, cleaning, cooking, yard work, etc.
I try to spend time with me 16 yer old son but he's usually on the computer. He has his learner's permit and we make time for him to spend time on the road. I enjoy doing this and he's, so far, a responsible driver. He has all of his hours in, just waiting for his year to be over to move to the next level.
Oh, and did I mention that I build and sell computers? Well, I build and TRY to sell...lol.
Even better, you're in NE Tennessee. An amazing part of the country. Time to go white watering the Ocoee! Or even better, it's about that time of year to run the New River. I think early November is when they open the dams up.
I belong to a pistol club and I reload my own ammunition.
I enjoy getting out on the water and fishing when I have time. I also do some hobby visual design work when the mood strikes me. Other than that it's usually playing one of the many games sitting in my Steam library collecting dust.
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Live Music at Northwoods: Every Second Saturday at 7:30pm
In 1992, several Northwoods members founded the Millbend Coffeehouse as an outreach service to the larger community. It is a non-profit live-music venue held once a month at Northwoods, usually on second Saturday evenings.
The Millbend Coffeehouse has a proud history of paying artists fairly and supporting local charities. Since the Coffeehouse opened in 1992, thousands of dollars have been donated to local charities. Some of the local charities to receive donations from Northwoods include: the Mont. County Women's Center, Conroe Association of Live Music, MCPJN Fill the Gap, Friends of Mont. County Animal Shelter, Friendship Center/Meals on Wheels, Children's Safe Harbor, Interfaith Community Clinic, Mont. County Youth Services, PDAP, KPFT-Pacifica Radio, and Habitat for Humanity.
Volunteers are always needed. If you are interested, contact the church office.
Coming Up at Millbend:
|August 29
7:30 pm - 10:00 pm
|Millbend Coffeehouse Special Performance
Sanctuary – Northwoods UU Church The Woodlands Texas
|September 12
7:30 pm - 10:00 pm
|Millbend Coffeehouse
Sanctuary – Northwoods UU Church The Woodlands Texas


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Image Remarks: A panorama view of Hamedan at Night: Circular lights clearly depict the form of the ancient Median city which consisted of 7 circles. Each circle was inhabited by people of a a certain social status where the king and the royal family lived in the center.
Tags :Hamedan , Night , Panorama -Section :Place


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Statewide Investigation of Traumatic Brain Injury in Prisons
Type of Activity: Research
Funding Mechanism: Cooperative Agreement
Total Available Funding: $495,000/year
Number of Awards: 1
Award Amount: $495,000
Length of Project Period: 4 years; September 2007 - September 2011
Federal Partners: None
Summary: Conduct a population-based retrospective cohort study in South Carolina prisons that will 1) provide interval estimates of prevalence rates of Traumatic Brain Industry (TBI), substance abuse, and violence among representative samples of male and female prisoners; 2) quantify the association between history of TBI, substance abuse, and violence and estimate the impact of this association on community integration and recidivism, and 3) investigate the feasibility of conducting routine screening for TBI in prisons by measuring the predictive value positive (PVP) of a new TBI screening tool. This proposed study will identify 292 male prisoners and 292 female prisoners who will participate in in-person interviews shortly before prison release. After entering the community, they will be followed for approximately two years to identify risk factors for recidivism. To help ensure the prevalence estimates, a second cohort of 50 prisoners (25 males and 25 females) will be interviewed. The survey instrument will measure history of TBI, substance abuse, violence, and other potential confounders. The unifying hypothesis guiding the study is that prisoners who report a history of TBI have a higher rate of recidivism mediated by substance abuse and/or violence. This study is intended to provide a clearer understanding of the outcomes of TBI among prisoners and an accurate population-based estimate of the association between TBI, substance abuse, and violence in prisons. This information can assist in providing statewide public health services. Summary can be found at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/profiles/acutecare/abstracts.htm#CE07-008
Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant public health problem in the US . Yet research is sorely lacking that can generate population-based estimates of TBI in prisons. TBI's among prisoners is of particular concern because it often results in cognitive, social, emotional, and behavioral problems, including aggressive behavior.
Current grantee: Medical University of South Carolina
Evaluation Activities: Overall study findings will be disseminated through reports and scientific publications to inform corrections and policymakers. A final project report is due 90 days after the project period ends.
Future Prospects: Research project scheduled to end in September 2011; no additional funding for this project is expected.
Arlene Vincent-Mark
Public Health Analyst
Phone: (770)488-4398
Email: email@example.com
View full report
"index.pdf" (pdf, 703.66Kb)
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|Fiona Crinnion's beautiful bracelet
Beyond our stallholders, there will be craft demonstrations featuring our Handmade Sessions, the boy's of Scoil Ioghnad Rís selling handmade bird boxes/houses, face painting for the kids, and a lot more. Nationwide will be there filming us, so there should be something for everyone. All on the grounds of the former convent.
We are *hoping* for a fine day and so the convent gardens should be spectacular. They are going to be redesigning them into the Tree of Life garden which can be seen here http://www.diseart.ie/visitor/gardens.html. I am sure the Monsignor would appreciate all interest!
So, lots of events in our short week next week:
- Wednesday, April 27th Felting Workshop 1-4pm @ An Díseart in Dingle, Co Kerry. Email firstname.lastname@example.com or 087-9111793 for details. Limited spaces.
- Friday, April 29th Craft in Kerry Craft Fair 10-6pm @ An Díseart in Dingle, Co Kerry
|Bluebell Eco Candles


text: +hzoi 1436 Posted August 7, 2017 Still getting used to the new forum. (Not a gripe -- just an observation.) Only today did I notice that there was a drop-down menu at upper right for "+ Create." Clicking it gives options for "Status" and "Topic." Clicking "Topic," not surprisingly, brings up a dialogue for making a new topic, and allows one to select the sub-forum for said new topic. Go figure. But clicking "Status" brings up a box like a forum post, titled "Up[date Status." I can input text, upload photos, etc. Except I've used it twice and can't figure out where this information goes. Perhaps I'm missing something obvious -- happens more often than I'd care to admit, really -- but it doesn't appear to change anything. So, uh, what gives? What do it do? Quote Share this post Link to post


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Dykes tries to turn 1-4 into 8-4... again
Sonny Dykes walks into his office, sits in a recline-friendly leather chair and taps the space bar on the computer to his right.
He watches half of a play from UCLA's 34-27 win against Utah last week, taps the space bar again, and turns his attention to the recorder now sitting square in the middle of his desk.
He's been here before, in a similar office, with a similar recorder on his desk, and a very, very similar 1-4 football team.
In both of the Cal football head coach's first two seasons with Louisiana Tech, Dykes started the season with an identical 1-4 record -- he went 4-3 after the one-win start in 2010, and then in 2011...
"We were 1-4 and had lost some tough ball games in year two, and felt like we had a good team, and we certainly felt like, that during that 1-4 start, I felt like the train got on the tracks," Dykes told GoldenBearReport this week in a 1-on-1 interview. "You know, we lost a couple of close ball games, the result wasn't necessarily there on Saturday, but I had a feeling, ok look, this thing is headed in the right direction. We win seven in a row after that, five of those on the road, then we go on to win 16 of the next 17 regular season games."
"We did it because we kind of worried more about the process than the result, and that's painful sometimes to do, but I think that's how you do it. You don't make any short term sacrifices that hurt you for the long term. You make some tough decisions, whether it's dismissing a player, whether it's demoting players, whatever the case may be. This may hurt us in the short term, but I have enough faith in what we're doing that it's going to pay off in the long term."
Sonny leans back in his chair, leg now crossed, straddling the line between optimism and realism.
"Sometimes all the stuff falls into place quickly, sometimes you inherit a team that has a lot of leadership, that has a lot of seniors, that stays healthy, that's got some playmakers, and it becomes easy and the stuff happens really fast and the guys jump on board and you never miss a beat."
2013 has not been one of those sometimes.
Already the second youngest team in the country, Cal has been hit hard by injuries through the first five games. Seven players have already been lost for the season, and of those FOUR were expected to be starters -- center Chris Adcock (knee), defensive tackle Mustafa Jalil (knee), cornerback Stefan McClure (knee), and safety Avery Sebastian (achilles). Of Cal's 11 projected starters on the defensive side of the ball post-Spring, eight have missed time with injuries, one was dismissed (defensive end Chris McCain), and one retired (safety Alex Logan). Through the first five games of the season, the Bears have yet to start the same four in the defensive backfield.
"I think in some ways, going through what we're going through will make our program stronger in the long run. And I think it forces us as coaches to examine everything we do and as a result we build a little better mouse trap. I think it forces our players to do the same thing and continue to invest and realize they have to work harder," Dykes said. "When everything happens easy for you, sometimes that doesn't last. Because as coaches and as players you think it's easy, and it's not. College football, football in general is a grind. And the teams that grind it out and build their program the right way are the teams that remember."
Teams like Sonny's across-the-Bay rival.
"Shane Skov and those guys remember when they were 4-8. It's not that long ago. They've gotten better and better and better every year, but they're better because the thing was built the right way. They did it without taking a bunch of shortcuts."
Dykes is trying to do the same, despite plenty of opportunities to take them.
"We could blitz every play, and just try to confuse people and just scheme 'em, and what happens when you do that is there's no improvement, because all guys are doing is learning blitzes. You spend all day learning blitzes for this week and there's no carry over to next week. So what we're doing is building a foundation. We're teaching play entry, teaching how to get off blocks, teaching technique, all those are things that allow you to become a better defense, as opposed to just lining up and running a bunch of elaborate blitzes and hoping you blitz into a run, or hoping you blitz into a pass play, or hoping you blitz into a protection they called where you can hurt them. I don't think that's how you build a defense. What you do is you build a defense by learning how to play. You teach your players how to trigger, how to open field tackle, you teach them how to have the right play entry, you teach them how to have the right angles, you do all those kinda things, that's the foundation, and once the foundation gets established, now you can try to trick it up a little bit. And that's how a defense is built."
"The good thing that Andy (Buh) has done is he understands that. I believe in him, I believe in the staff, believe in our players. (Buh) came to me a couple weeks ago and said, 'Hey look, I can go this way, and it may look a little better, but it's going to look the same at the end of the year'. We had those discussions and said hey, let's build this the right way."
Andy Buh's office is one door down. The lights are off as we pass by it and into Dykes' football cave, which doubles as an art gallery for his two little girls. A half-Pacman, half-fish paper plate masterpiece is hung proudly behind him, along with a picture of a real-life sturdy Golden Bear.
It's the scene that almost every single one of Cal's 11 commits have seen, some right before making their commitment. Dykes says not a single one of Cal's commits have had any negative reactions to Cal's start, and virtually all of the official visits they've gone on were ones they were planning before the Bears started 1-4.
"We knew we were going to have some hard times. Certainly in my discussions with some of these recruits from day one, you know, I just said 'Hey look, we're going to go through some growing pains just understand what we're going through'. And the kids are smart kids, that's why they're coming to Cal, so I think they recognize it."
"Now we've gotta show those recruits some hope."
Dykes says he's insulated from the outside world -- he doesn't get on the internet, or read newspapers, or even read Twitter ("I don't do that stuff") -- but that doesn't mean he's oblivious to what recruits are hearing, or the key to getting them to stop listening: winning.
"I've made an allusion to it in front of our players once," Dykes says of what his LaTech teams were able to do following 1-4 starts. "I don't think it's something they need to concern themselves with -- different teams, different circumstances. But I think as coaches we certainly draw from it. I think that's the deal, having gone through it, we do have a sense of, 'hey look, we've been through this before, let's not panic. Let's keep working, keep improving'. Certainly the guys who've been with us at Louisiana Tech have been through that. And same thing with Andy and his staff defensively. Those guys have been there, they've built programs, built defenses, where they weren't necessarily good before, they had some growing pains, and got good. That's football."
That getting good thing is something -- despite the start -- Dykes feels the Bears are on the verge of doing. Dykes says in just the last week -- as in his second season at LaTech, just before the Bulldogs reeled off 16-of-17 regular season wins -- the Cal train is on the tracks.
"It took us a year longer at Louisiana Tech to get that feeling. Now can we keep it there? We'll see. Is it going to show up on Saturday? We'll see. But I do get that sense here that I kinda like what I'm starting to see from our players in terms of their attitude, their effort, their commitment, their focus on details, something I wasn't necessarily seeing before," he said. "There's an accountability they're starting to accept. That if I get beat on something, you know what, it's not somebody else's fault, it's my fault. I gotta prepare better and work harder and compete harder.
"Before there was a lot of, you know, 'I don't know if I like this technique', 'I don't know if I like this scheme', and I'm not getting a sense of that anymore, I'm getting a sense of 'hey, I gotta get better'. I think when that starts to happen, that's when you say, look we're gonna improve. What's the end result gonna be on Saturday? We'll see. I hope it's great. I want it to be great. I want it to be great yesterday. For a team that hasn't played very well, I feel like we're starting to get in a place that's gonna give us a chance to win some games and to be competitive."
"You know, we'll see."
And with that, Dykes is back to his space bar.
Back to watching film.
Back to building.
Back to trying to turn more 1-4s into 8-4s.


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Bee Removal in Coronado
Coronado Beehive Removal Experts
Do you need a Coronado professional bee removal service? You've come to the right spot. That's what we do at D-Tek Live Bee Removal. We specialize in the safe and humane removal of honey bees from your Coronado home or business. We utilize a custom built live bee removal vacuum system to gently remove the bees. We then transfer the honey bees into a beehive box. From there we drop the honey bees off to our own San Diego County beekeeping farm.
Free Bee Removal Estimates and Inspections
D-Tek Live Bee Removal offers free estimates and inspections for your Coronado bee problem. Call today! 760-224-3040. Rapid same day service is usually available.
Every beehive removal in Coronado comes with all of the following services:
- Complete removal of all beehive and honey comb
- Live removal of all honey bees from your Coronado home or business
- Any repair work that may be needed to the structure
- Bee proofing and bee control services
- Guarantee of all repair work to be leak free and defect free
- Guarantee the honey bees will not repopulate the area
- Drop off honey bees to our bee farm
All of the above steps in the live bee removal process are very important. There are two that stand above the rest in importance. The first is the complete removal of all beehive and honeycomb. This is extremely important for a few reasons. After the honey bees have been removed and are no longer around to tend the beehive more often than not the honey will melt out and can cause damage to your Coronado home or business. The honey can cause stains on drywall, stucco, and siding. It can also damage electrical wiring, wood framing, and molding/millwork. Leaving a beehive in a structure will also cause other common household pests to show up wanting a quick snack. These can include but are not limited to ants, mice, rats. Leaving a bee hive in the structure of your Coronado home or business will also lead to recurring bee problems. Honey bees have an excellent sense of smell. Even after the initial honey bees are removed other bee swarms in the area will be able to smell the honey comb that was left behind. There can be anywhere from 20-100 active bee hives per square mile so the chances of honey bees smelling a left over hive in a structure is a sure thing. More often than not honey bees will infest the same area again and again until the honey comb is properly removed.
The second very important step is the repair work to the structure. The most common spots for honey bees to colonize is attics, walls, and floors. When a bee hive is built in areas such as these it is often times necessary to cut into the roof, stucco, siding, drywall, or floor to fully remove all of the bee hive. We understand it can make clients nervous when we say that cutting into a roof, siding, stucco, or floor is necessary. D-Tek Live Bee Removal includes in every price all repair work that may be needed to your Coronado home or business. We offer guarantees in writing that all repair work will be leak free and defect free. We are also fully insured. We perform over a thousand bee removal repairs each year in San Diego County without any incidents or call backs.
Bee Control Services Coronado
After the bee hive removal has been completed and all associated repair work finished it is time to make sure the honey bees can't infest the same area again by bee proofing the area. We also refer to this as our bee control service. What this entails is sealing up every crack, crevice, vent, or hole in a 10 foot radius from the original entry and exit point of the bee hive. This 10 foot area is covered under a written guarantee that the honey bees will not return.
D-Tek Live Bee Removal also offers whole home or business bee control services in Coronado. Bee proofing is the best option for preventing honey bees from making your dwelling theirs as well. Before a bee swarm decides to move in to any given spot the queen will send out scouts. The most common things a scout looks for are
- An area that is protected from the elements
- Once inside the potential hive spot they look for spaces that have room for future hive expansion
- The initial opening must be large enough for bees to easily enter and exit. Preferably for many to enter and exit at any one time
When performing our bee control services in Coronado our technicians have to think like a honey bee. We must be very thorough by sealing every vent, crack, crevice, and hole as tightly as possible. All whole home or business bee control services include a written guarantee that the honey bees will not return.
Common Places Honey Bees Build Hives
Honey bees will build a hive just about anywhere. We have even seen them build a bee hive on the outside of clients stucco and siding. Like mentioned above honey bees prefer an area that is sheltered from the elements. The most common spots for honey bees to build a hive are as follows
- Attics
- Walls
- Floor of a shed
- Irrigation boxes
- Electrical boxes
- BBQ's
- Boats and RVs
- Chimneys
- Old car tires
- Hose reel boxes
- Bird houses
- Air conditioning units
Most of the San Diego County bee population are European honey bees. However from time to time we do encounter Africanized honey bees in San Diego. Africanized honey bees are much less picky with where they build a bee hive. We more commonly find Africanized honey bees in places that are lower to the ground. Irrigation boxes, bird houses, and air conditioning units are common places you may find the Africanized honey bees.
Our Professional San Diego Beekeeper to the Rescue
We have our own San Diego bee farm that we drop the honey bees off to. We are professional beekeepers who have a great relationship with bees. Our apiary has 45 plus well maintained hives that are used to pollinate nearby orchards and fields. We then harvest raw honey, pollen and beeswax from our hives that we offer to the public. Are you a farmer looking to purchase or rent a bee hive? We have beehives for sale or rent for pollination services.
Contact The Live Bee Removal Professionals
If you want your bee removal taken care of quickly and by experts give D-Tek Live Bee Removal a call today! Our direct line is 760-224-3040. If we are not able to answer the phone simply leave a message with your name and phone number. We will call you back ASAP. Usually within 30 minutes. Don't feel like calling? Use our bee removal contact form on this website instead. Please leave your name, number, email address and a short description of where the honey bees are located at on your Coronado home or business. We will be in contact with you shortly regarding your bee problem.


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What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – December 29, 2014
Last week's economic news included several housing related reports. Housing markets continue to cool as November reports on existing and new home sales fell below expectations. New Jobless claims were lower than expected by 10,000 claims. The details:
Existing and New Home Sales Down, FHFA House Price Index Up
The National Association of Realtors® reported that November sales of existing homes fell to 4.93 million sales against expectations of 5.18 million sales. October's reading was revised from 5.25 million sales to 5.26 million. This was seen as an anomaly that may have occurred during uncertainty caused by volatile stock markets. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen slow housing markets to tight lending standards in a recent statement.
FHFA reported that October home prices connected with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgages increased incrementally year-over-year. October house prices increased to 4.50 percent year-over-year as compared to September's year-over-year house price increase of 4.40 percent.
November sales of new homes fell short of expectations according to the Commerce Department. 438,000 new homes were sold as compared to expectations of 450 new home sales and September's reading of 445,000 new homes sold. This was the slowest rate of growth in four months.
New home sales declined in three of four regions. Readings for November were -12.00 percent in the Northeast, -6.40 percent in the Southeast, -6.30 percent in the Midwest. Sales of new homes rose by 14.80 percent in the West. Analysts typically caution against reading too much into volatile month-to-month figures, but they are concerned about longer-term sales trends too. Sales of new homes were 1.60 percent lower year-over-year.
The median sale price of new homes was $280,900 in November, which was 1.40 percent higher year-over-year.
Mortgage Rates Up, New Jobless Claims Down
Mortgage rates rose across the board according to Freddie Mac's weekly survey of average mortgage rates. The average rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage increased three basis points to 3.83 percent. The average rate for a 15-year mortgage rose one basis point to 3.10 percent. The average rate for a 5/1 adjustable rate mortgage was six basis points higher at 3.01 percent. Discount points were 0.60 for 30 and 15-year fixed rate mortgages and 0.50 percent for 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages.
280,000 new jobless claims were filed last week, a seven-week low. Analysts expected 290,000 new claims based on the prior week's reading of 289,000 new claims. The four-week rolling average of new jobless claims also showed improvement with 8500 fewer claims at 290,250 new jobless claims filed. Stronger labor markets are considered good news for housing markets as more consumers can afford to buy homes.
No economic reports were scheduled Thursday or Friday due to the Christmas holiday.
What's Ahead
This week brings Case-Shiller Home Price reports, Pending Home Sales and Construction Spending. Freddie Mac mortgage rates and Weekly Jobless Claims will be released on Wednesday due to the New Year's Day holiday on Thursday.
Comments Off on What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – December 29, 2014
What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – December 22, 2014
Last week's scheduled economic events were few but informative. Housing related reports included the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index for December, which stayed close to a nine-year high reading of 59 in September. December's reading was 57 and fell two points shy of the expected reading of 59. November's reading was 58. Readings above 50 indicate that more builders are positive about market conditions than those who are not.
Housing Starts for November were lower according to the Department of Commerce's report released Tuesday. The reading for November was 1.028 million starts on a seasonally adjusted annual basis. Analysts expected a reading of 1.035 million housing starts based on October's level of 1.045 million starts.
Fed Confident, but Watchful of Economic Conditions
The Fed's Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) released its statement at the conclusion of its final meeting in 2015. Fed Chair Janet Yellen also gave a press conference that primarily supported information contained in the statement. The Fed did not foresee rising the target federal funds rate until mid to late 2015, and said that no changes were likely to be made at the first two FOMC meetings of the year. The target federal funds rate remains steady at 0.00 to 0.250 percent. FOMC members noted improvement in labor markets, but said that housing continued to recover at a slow rate. The Fed repeated its customary statement that FOMC members would monitor ongoing economic conditions and developments as part of any decision to change monetary policy. Chair Janet Yellen affirmed the committee's position in her press conference.
Mortgage Rates, Jobless Claims Fall
Mortgage rates fell according to Freddie Mac. The average rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage was 3.80 percent as compared to the prior week's reading of 3.93 percent. The average rate for a 15-year fixed rate mortgage was 3.09 percent, which was 11 basis points below the prior week's reading. 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages had an average rate of 2.95 percent; this was three basis points lower than the previous week. Discount points remained steady at 0.50 percent with the exception of average points charged for a 15-year mortgage, which increased to 0.60 percent.
Weekly jobless claims fell to 289,000 against expectations of 295,000 new jobless claims; expectations were based on the prior week's reading of 295,000 new claims. Analysts cautioned that weekly jobless claims readings can be particularly volatile during the holiday and early winter season.
What's Ahead
Economic news scheduled for next week includes the National Association of Realtors® report on November sales of existing homes and November sales of new homes, which is issued by the Department of Commerce. Consumer sentiment, consumer spending and core inflation reports will also be issued next week. No economic reports will be issued Thursday or Friday due to the Christmas holiday.
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Be Prepared for Your Mortgage Pre-approval Interview by Having Answers to These 4 Questions
So – you're thinking of buying a house and now you're ready to take the next step and meet with your lender or mortgage advisor for the pre-approval interview. Are you ready?
At this stage of the application process your lender will dig into your financial background to ensure that you're fully capable of making your mortgage payments and that you don't present too high a risk. Let's take a quick look at a few questions you should know the answers to before you go in for a mortgage pre-approval.
Do You Have a Specific Home in Mind?
If you've already picked out the perfect new home, be sure to bring along some of the details when you meet with your lender. At minimum you'll want to know the price range that you're expecting to buy in so that your mortgage advisor can try to find a mortgage that allows you to purchase the home and still meet your other financial goals.
What is Your Current Income from All Sources?
Your income (and that of your spouse or significant other, if you have one) will be a major factor in the size of your mortgage, your payment terms and the interest rate that you qualify for. If you have a significant income and it's clear that you will have little trouble making the mortgage payments you'll likely qualify for a shortened amortization period that includes a lower interest rate. Conversely, if you can only afford to make a bare minimum monthly payment you'll be facing a longer mortgage term.
Do You Have Any "Black Marks" on Your Credit?
If you have any negative spots in your credit history you'll want to ensure that you're able to answer for them, because your lender will certainly ask about them. Be honest and confident, and remember that the lender wants your business as much as you want to receive a pre-approval for mortgage financing.
What Are Your Plans in the Next Five to Ten Years?
Finally don't forget that interest rates will continue to fluctuate and that may have an impact on your mortgage in the near future. Be sure to share any major financial plans that you have with your mortgage advisor as they can keep you appraised of any refinancing opportunities that come about.
Buying a home is an exciting time – one that will be far less stressful if you are fully prepared for the many steps along the way. Contact your local mortgage professional today to learn more about how you can get pre-approved for mortgage financing. If you don't have one, I have a couple of lenders I've worked with over the years, whom I can wholeheartedly recommend.
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What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – December 1, 2014
Last week's scheduled economic events were packed into Tuesday and Wednesday, but several housing-related reports were released including the Case-Shiller National and 10-and 20-City Home Price Indices for September, The FHFA House Price Index also for September, and New and Pending Home Sales for October.
Case-Shiller, FHFA Report Slower Growth in Home Prices
According to Case-Shiller home price indices released Tuesday, the national rate of home price growth has slowed from August's year-over-year reading of 5.60 percent to September's reading of 4.90 percent. This was the lowest rate of home price growth in two years and was seen by analysts as a positive development in terms of sustainable price growth.
Double-digit percentage gains in home price growth in 2013 and earlier this year drove many would-be home buyers to the sidelines as narrow inventories of homes caused bidding wars in high-demand areas. 20 cities tracked by Case-Shiller had mixed results, with home prices falling in nine cities, rising in nine cities and prices were unchanged in two cities.
FHFA, the Federal Housing Finance Agency and overseer of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, reported year-over-year price growth of 4.30 percent in September against August's reading of 4.80 percent. Lower price gains for September were expected as the prime period of summer sales wound down. FHFA reports on home prices related to mortgages and properties held by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Pending and New Home Sales Show Mixed Results
The National Association of Realtors® reported that the Pending Home Sales Index dipped to 104.3 in October as compared to September's reading of 105.1.Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors®, said that lagging wage growth and tight mortgage credit conditions were stalling demand for homes. Pending home sales usually close within two months and serve as a gauge for upcoming home sales and mortgage activity. A reading of 100 for the Pending Home Sales Index is equivalent to pending home sales performance in 2001.
Better news came from the Department of Commerce New Home Sales report for October. New home sales achieved a five month high with a reading of 458,000 new homes sold on a seasonally-adjusted annual basis. October's reading was 0.70 percent higher than September's reading of 455,000 new homes sold, but missed analysts' expectations of 469,000 new homes sold. New home sales increased by 1.80 percent year-over-year with regional rates as follows:
- Midwest: +15.8 percent
- Northeast +7.1 percent
- West -2.7 percent
- South -1.9 percent
The median price of new homes rose to a record high of $305,000 in October. The supply of new homes rose to a 5.60 month supply from September's reading of a 5.50 month supply of new homes.
Mortgage Rates Fall or Flat, Jobless Claims Rise
Freddie Mac reported that the average rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage fell from 3.99 percent to 3.97 percent; the average rates for 15 year mortgages and 5/1 mortgages were unchanged at 3.17 percent and 3.01 percent respectively. Average discount points were unchanged for all loan types at 0.50 percent.
New Jobless Claims rose to 313,000 last week and surpassed 300,000 for the first time in several weeks. Analysts had expected a seasonally-adjusted reading of 288,000 new jobless claims. Analysts said that a rise in claims could indicate a slower pace in hiring, but said that weekly readings are too volatile to indicate a trend. The four-week average of jobless claims was 294,000 new claims, which was near an eight-year low.
What's Ahead
Next week's scheduled economic events include Construction Spending, the Fed's Beige Book Report, Non-Farm Payrolls and the National Unemployment Rate. Freddie Mac's PMMS report on mortgage rates and Weekly Jobless claims will also be released as usual.
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Reviews of CoopersPuckrup, Tewkesbury, South West England, GL20 6EL
22 February 2020
Excellent food. Very friendly and attentive staff.
27 August 2017
Lovely afternoon tea in a beautiful location. Food was lovely and we're sat at a table away from everyone which meant it was very private. Would definitely go again.
16 May 2017
We stayed one night and decided to book in for afternoon tea and dinner. We were not disappointed, the afternoon tea was served near the bar but in a more quaint and quiet area. We sat in an alcove which over looked the green, fabulous views. The afternoon tea was fresh and tasty- I just wish there was more of it! My one criticism would be that the profiteroles didn't come with chocolate sauce, that would have been the cherry on the cake. I'm a vegetarian and I forgot to mention this when booking however the Welsh lady who served us made sure I had everything I needed. a good vegetarian selection. Dinner was also great, we requested the same table and this was no trouble. We shared the Camembert which was to die for, then I had the barramundi and my partner had the codling and chips. His was a huge portion which was perfect for him. The staff were very busy but always came over to top us up with drinks. 5 star review from us.
14 January 2017
Had a lovely afternoon tea. The service was great and no complaints about the quality of the sandwitches and cakes. Really delicious scones with enough jam and clotted cream for the 3 of us. The only thing I would say is that the restaurant was a bit chilly as it was a really cold day.
29 September 2016
Unfortunately this was one of the worst afternoon teas I have had. The sandwich selection was poor, you would expect a variety yet two had the same filling. The scones were ok but the cakes did not taste fresh. Once the good and tea had been served we were left alone, at no point did the staff check on us to see how everything was. The tea was not refillable as you would expect or at least we were never offered the option because no one came to see us. The seating area was not clean, the tables needed a wipe down and the floor was filthy, looked as though it needed a good Hoover and just a general tidy, I picked up an old food pot which had obviously fallen off a table at a previous time and had spilt over the floor. We had two young children who wanted to explore on the floor, luckily we had a blanket we could put down for them. I would definitely not recommend going to Puckrup Hall for afternoon tea, very disappointing.
8 July 2016
I treated my mum and dad to the afternoon tea, and they really did enjoy it . They said the staff were very friendly. I myself have a membership at puckrup Hall and have eaten there on many occasions and never had a bad meal. Thank you
12 May 2016
Overall quite an amazing experience. My friend and I were celebrating her birthday with Afternoon Tea and were very impressed. The restaurant was quiet, the staff attentive, helpful and very pleasant. Very difficult to say a favourite! The sandwich selection was very tasty, and the scones and cakes delicious! However, my friend did rather enjoy the blueberries!!
29 January 2016
Had the afternoon tea. Selection was good and ample. Service was good
17 January 2016
A lovely afternoon tea, served by very polite staff. Would definitely recommend.
29 December 2015
My daughter and I had afternoon tea at Hilton Puckrup on a groupon voucher. We were seated near to a window overlooking the golf course in the lovely restaurant. One thing that immediately struck me was that the tables were positioned with plenty of room around them giving you privacy and set with tablecloths and linen napkins. We were offered tea or coffee and then the waiter brought us our champagne and an assortment of sandwiches and cakes. The sandwiches were smoked salmon, cucumber, ham and egg. Our cakes consisted of a large scone each with a pot of clotted cream and jam, mini lemon cheesecakes, profiteroles and strawberry tarts. Everything was delicious and we had a very enjoyable afternoon, we both said we can't wait to return.


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Exhausted Carriage Horse Collapses On The Side Of The Road
He started coughing and just fell over 💔😭
Charlot the carriage horse was desperate for help.
Standing on the cobblestone street after giving a ride to passengers, the exhausted horse coughed and gasped for air as concerned passersby looked on. After a few minutes of wheezing, he collapsed onto the ground.
People called for SPCA officers, but it was too late. He was gone — and animal advocates are certain he won't be the last of Old Montreal's carriage horses to die right on the streets.
This summer, the Canadian city announced plans to ban the carriages, also known as calèches, by December 2019 due to a long-running history of animal welfare violations. After this incident, proponents say the ban can't come soon enough.
"Nobody is overseeing the situation," Mirella Colalillo, coordinator for the Anti-calèche Defense Coalition, told The Dodo. "It's good that there is going to be a ban in a year, but in the meantime, nobody is protecting the horses and the laws are not being enforced."
Warning: Graphic footage of the incident below
This incident especially hit home for Chris Romanyk, who lives in the apartment building that Charlot collapsed and died in front of. "Even in our apartment, you heard the horse crying," Romanyk told CBC News. "It was gut-wrenching. It was screaming in pain. It is really hard to actually describe. It was really an upsetting sound."
According to Colalillo, it's currently harder than ever to keep track of and document welfare concerns throughout this industry, as the city has not kept advocacy groups up-to-date on the records of individual animals whom the companies own. She also said the company owners regularly change the horses' names to make it harder for groups like hers to monitor them.
"I have been asking the city for a list of the horses registered to pull calèches so that we can keep track of them, and to facilitate complaints when warranted," Colalillo said. "The list has been provided in the past, but I filed an access to information request in July and I'm still waiting."
The horse's public death has also grabbed the attention of the city's mayor, Valérie Plante, who says the tragedy just reaffirms the dire need for the industry's shutdown.
"It says to me: 'You made the right decision … the calèche industry has no place in Montreal anymore,'" she told The Globe and Mail on Monday.
In addition to the physical stress of parading down roads for up to nine hours each day, carriage horses also face potential collisions with cars, extreme temperatures and loud noises that can cause them to bolt, endangering themselves and humans. When not working, horses are often tied in stalls with no option to walk or graze freely.
According to the Montreal SPCA, most of the horses who can no longer be used to pull carriages are sent to auction or to slaughter. Or, they'll die in the streets like Charlot, never having a glimpse of freedom.
Until the ban is finalized next winter, Colalillo and other advocates will continue to raise awareness about the horses' plight — and hopefully save others before it's too late.
"My group has been urging anyone who sees a calèche horse that looks sick, injured or is being mistreated to contact police, and to write to MAPAQ [Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food] Minister André Lamontagne to urge him to take action to protect the calèche horses," she said.


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- Compatible XF Versions
- 1.4, 1.5
[TH] Page Comments - Add a comment system to pagesDescription
[URL='https://www.themehouse.com/'] [/URL]
[URL='https://www.themehouse.com/'] [/URL]
This add-on feature will add a fully Ajax and bb code & smiley editor comment system for your pages.
- Flexibility: Comments can be enabled/disabled on a page per page basis. When adding/editing a page, under the Edit option you will see a new option added: Enable Comments (By default it is set to be disabled).
- Comment Length: Comment messages have a maximum length limit set at the mod settings in the ACP. (Staff is excluded from this limit.
- Pagination: Here you can set how many comments would you like to display per page.
- Recent Activity: All comments made in pages will appear in the Recent Activity list. Only users who have permissions to view the pages will be able to view them.
- Tagging Integration: Users can tag each other in comments. Then tagged users will receive an alert.
- Daily Limit: A daily limit on how many comments users can make is available as group permission.
- Moderation Queue: You can set it for users of a group(s) to be moderated when they comment in pages.
- Report Integration: Users can report comments.
- Edit: Users can edit their own comments and/or all comments depending on their permissions.
- Delete: Users can delete their own comments and/or all comments depending on their permissions. Deleting can be done soft and hard. Soft deleted posts can be restored again.
- Time limit: A time limit on editing/deleting own comments is available.
- View IP: Users with the permissions to view the IPs, will be able to look up the IPs of commenters in comments as well.
- Like Integration: Page comments can be liked by users with the appropriate permissions. The commenters will receive an alert when one of their comments(s) have been liked.
- Social Media Integration: A link to share the page comments to social medias like Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Google Plus etc is available as well.
- User Ignore: Users will not see the comments of those that they are ignoring.
- Inline Moderation. You can delete, undelete, approve and un-approve mass comments through the inline moderation tool.
If you have any questions regarding this add-on feature please do not hesitate to ask in the discussion thread.


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Take two shots for every different angle of Mizuno jumping across that high bar. I counted nine which makes me think Michael Cimino must have found his way to Japan. If you really want to kill yourself, add a shot for every sparkle on the screen. She glitters almost as much as Edward Cullen. I wonder, however, if Mizuno has the skin of a killer or just the skin of a horribly boring and generic harem girl? Hmm, tough question…
There really isn't much to say plot-wise. If A) you're a girl and B) you're not Junpei's sister, then C) fall in love with Junpei. Like the second episode, this episode is about ~~~harem girl maaaaakeovaaah~~~ And our lucky contestant today is Nagi. Come oooooon dooooooown!
Whoa, you're not gonna win over generic harem lead #47216 looking like that!
Oooh, much better. Naisu jobbu~! As for Sumiyoshi….
I, uh…
Sorry, but the asshole cats are still the best part about Nyan Koi!
Is that you, Reimu?
Right. Nyan Koi! is kinda stupid but the show's hyperkinetic pace makes it somewhat entertaining. I'll just end here with this final parting shot.


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Does your retail ERP give you the right ROI?
The Indian retail market is the fastest growing retail industry in the world. It is the largest among all industries accounting to 10 percent of the country's GDP and employs around 8 percent of the workforce.
However, due to exponential growth, this industry is facing certain daunting challenges like ensuring enhanced customer experience and loyalty, being part of the globally competitive platform, improved decision making, catching up with evolving compliances and so on.
Designed to optimize the business process of an organisation, today Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software has become a competitive tool for all retail business owners. The software uses a single database which allows different departments to communicate with each other, without having to maintain data at multiple locations. ERP systems comprise function-specific features that are interwoven such as Inventory Management, Warehouse locations, Inter-warehouse transfer, Order Entry, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Purchasing, etc. Retail ERP software suite has an enterprise-wide reach that offer cross-functional capabilities to the organization. ERP software market is gradually evolving in India. The overall ERP market in India is expected to grow at a CAGR of 25.4% by 2020.
Deskera's cloud-based ERP system helps you in better time management, inventory management, customer management, and real-time data precision.
Here are the other benefits that Deskera ERP offers to the retailers:
- Retail Planning – It allows retailers to undertake planning activities as per the need of the situation. It focuses on the different strategies to be employed in order to help a retail store increase sales turnover.
- Store Operations – It helps streamline operations related to the store management function. The store operations are central to retail chains since market basket analysis, merchandising, inventory management, workforce management and much more is part of this.
- Inventory Management – Inventory often accounts for the highest proportion of the working capital as raw material, WIP and finished goods. This component of Deskera's ERP enables retailers of all types and sizes to effectively manage the inventory levels and track goods. Inventory Management helps oversee the constant flow of units into and out of an existing inventory.
- Supply Chain Management – It manages the end-to-end supply chain for retailers. Shipping of products or materials dealing with potentially massive amounts of data scattered throughout the world, ERP systems can help ensure information stays interconnected and can be easily accessed by all relevant stakeholders.
- Customer Management – Customer management becomes easy with the automated processes for capturing customer data, preferences and activities with ERP for retail. Track and increase customer lifetime value with ERP for retail. Get new customers, identify your best customers, keep them engaged and build your brand.
Click here to read more about Deskera Retail ERP.
Other competitive benefits of ERP system include:
- Graphical User Interface (GUI) support – The GUI helps the users to interact with the software suite very easily.
- Optimum utilization of the resources – It allows retailers to utilize their resources in an optimum manner. This optimization subsequently translates into reduced costs and correspondingly high profits.
- Reduction in the overhead and excessive inventory – With real-time stock information a retailer can reduce the overhead and excessive inventory costs.
- Timely responsiveness – This integrated suite allows organizations to respond to any business constraints in real time. Thus, ensuring timely response to the customer demands.
- Integrated work environment – An integrated work environment throughout the organization that can be easily monitored and managed.
- Easy scalability and adaptability – Easy scalability options and smooth integration with legacy systems are some other benefits of ERP for retail.
ERP software is a key component of any successful business. The right ERP consistently delivers high ROI. This cloud-based retail software solution is implemented within the businesses as a long term strategic asset. The product is flexible, extensive and reliable. Additionally, the solution transforms the basic needs of a retail business into a functional application and helps you meet your business objectives.


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In a recent sit-down with The McGill Tribune and other campus media, McGill Principal and Vice-Chancellor Suzanne Fortier stated that because McGill is a large community, communication will always be a critique of the administration. While this comment should not be taken out of context, it raises questions about what communication at a university entails. The McGill administration is often criticized for a lack of transparency and communication, making it important to distinguish between the two.
Transparency refers to the availability of information regarding university policies, decisions, and procedures. Although related, this is an entirely different grounds for critique than that of communication. Communication itself is a vague concept, and perhaps all members of the McGill community are in part guilty of speaking out against a lack of communication before properly defining what it means. The Tribune acknowledges that it has in the past criticized the university for a lack of communication in regards to specific issues; it is therefore important to clarify the terms involved in these conversations.
The rhetoric surrounding communication must distinguish between the dissemination of and engagement with information. The former is the university's responsibility, but the latter requires active involvement from students, student leaders, and administrators. The McGill Office of Communications and External Relations addresses five areas of communication. The two of primary concern are Internal Communications and Communications Services. The former refers to "ensuring that members of the community are well-informed of any major University news, events, and announcements." This includes publishing content on The McGill Reporter. The latter includes the management of McGill's various websites.
In keeping these aspects of communication in mind, McGill does a reasonable job of communicating information to its students via email. "What's New" communications emails highlight everything from new policies and services to faculty achievements and external recognition. Principal Fortier sends summary emails to all members of the university community after every Board of Governors meeting.
Inevitably, there is an element of public relations and image management to university communications emails and The McGill Reporter. However, this inclusion of news unrelated to governance waters down communications about important policy decision-making processes, perhaps contributing to student perceptions that the university fails to adequately communicate to them. Furthermore, mass emails can be alienating when they take an official university stance on specific issues without acknowledging student voices—or at least showing a genuine willingness to listen to them. While dissemination falls squarely on the university's shoulders, engagement is a multifaceted issue that illustrates the two-way street of communication at post-secondary institutions.
At the same time, students must differentiate availability of information from engagement with that information. The administration cannot be expected to anticipate what kinds of issues students want to be communicated with about. If students are dissatisfied with McGill's communications, they should voice these concerns concretely. Communication is a complex task, and the administration must reflect on why it has been criticized and what can be done to resolve the issue. The university must not resign itself to the inevitability of such issues without actively seeking a solution.
Furthermore, it is in McGill's best interests for its students to be engaged with administrative decisions and policies. When students become apathetic, they are more likely to jump to uninformed criticism. In this regard, Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) Ollivier Dyens' newly planned Student Life and Learning Liaison Group—which will meet twice a semester "to learn, consult, and collaborate on topics important to students"—has the potential to generate more effective communications strategies that will increase student engagement.
In order to further improve this communication, McGill should consider creating an opt-in checklist of email listservs that students could choose to subscribe to. While university emails regarding important developments to student services or policies should remain mandatory, students would benefit from the ability to choose what information they are interested in receiving. This would help students to feel less inundated and more likely to ingest information that they view as relevant.
Another possibility would be for members of the administration to hold town-hall or question-and-answer sessions on issues that are typically inaccessible to students, such as on policy and governance decisions. As an example, in a "What's New" communications email sent on Oct. 16, McGill announced that it will be holding a town-hall on the university's budgeting process on Oct. 24. Students should take advantage of these opportunities to provide direct feedback to the administration.
Ultimately, solving—or at least mitigating—critiques of McGill's communications requires students and administration to meet in the middle. It is ironic that Principal Fortier chose to lament critiques of communication during an interview with campus media; if communication is criticized, McGill must reflect on why this is the case, and actively seek strategies to combat this issue. Defaulting to the position that communication issues are unavoidable is not productive. Likewise, students cannot blindly criticize the university about its communications if they are not doing their part to engage with the information they do receive.