text:
Bridging the Week by Gary DeWaal: June 11 – 15 and June 18, 2018 (Ether; Bitcoin; Utility Tokens; Beanie Babies; Block Trades; Position Limits Violations)
Jump to: Bitcoin Ecosystem Block Trades and EFRPs Bridging the Week Canadian Regulation (sans Capital and Liquidity) Compliance Weeds Cryptosecurities Fixed Income Securities High Frequency Trading Introducing Brokers Legal Weeds Omnibus Accounts Position and Trade Reporting Position Limits Retail Forex and Metals Sales Practices Supervision Trade Practices (including Disruptive Trading)
Last week, a senior official of the Securities and Exchange Commission said that Bitcoin and Ether are not securities and that there might be circumstances when a utility token is also not a security. The same official and the Canadian Securities Administrators each provided lists of specific considerations to help evaluate the nature of a digital token. Separately, CME Group brought a host of disciplinary actions, including one against a Commodity Futures Trading Commission-registered introducing broker for its handling of block trades, and it also modified a summary access denial order issued a few weeks ago against a foreign broker. As a result, the following matters are covered in this week's edition of Bridging the Week:
Anything but Sleep Inducing: SEC Corporation Finance Director Says Ether Not a Security and Canada Issues Guidance on Utility Tokens (includes My View and Legal Weeds);
Introducing Broker Fined by NYMEX for Not Reporting Block Trade Times Accurately (includes Compliance Weeds); and more.
Anything But Sleep Inducing: SEC Corporation Finance Director Says Ether Not a Security and Canada Issues Guidance on Utility Tokens: Last week, William Hinman, the Director of the Division of Corporation Finance of the Securities and Exchange Commission, said that the cryptoasset Ether is not a security. It may have once been a security, but not today. As a result, transactions involving Ether are not securities transactions.
Moreover, in a speech before the Yahoo Finance All Markets Summit in San Francisco, Mr. Hinman additionally indicated that he could envision that certain utility tokens might also not be securities. He said that such a conclusion might be appropriate "where there is no longer any central enterprise being invested in or where the digital asset is sold only to be used to purchase a good or service available through the network on which it was created."
Typically, the term "utility token" references a digital token that has express functionality authorizing a holder to access or purchase assets based on a specific blockchain technology.
According to Mr. Hinman, when promoters raise money to build networks on which digital assets will operate and investors purchase such tokens with the expectation of selling their tokens in the secondary market, an investment contract likely exists – which is a type of security under applicable law – requiring registration for the digital token to be issued and sold to the public, or a valid exemption. In these cases, investors are passive, marketing is not ordinarily targeted solely to token users, and the likelihood of success of the underlying system is uncertain. In such cases, said Mr. Hinman, "[t]he purchaser usually has no choice but to rely on the efforts of the promoter to build the network and make the enterprise a success." These characteristics, intimated Mr. Hinman, satisfy the tests of the Supreme Court's 1946 SEC v. Howey decision, and make the cryptoasset a security.
According to the Supreme Court, an investment contract constitutes (1) an investment of money (2) in a common enterprise (3) with a reasonable expectation of profits (4) to be derived solely from the entrepreneurial or managerial efforts of others.(Click here for a discussion of the Howey tests in the article "SEC Declines to Prosecute Issuer of Digital Tokens That It Deems Securities Not Issued in Accordance with US Securities Laws" in the July 26, 2017 edition of Between Bridges. Click here to access the Howey decision.)
However, a token that might have been a security at one point in time may cease being a security over time, said Mr. Hinman. This could happen when "the network on which the token or coin is to function is sufficiently decentralized – where purchasers would no longer reasonably expect a person or group to carry out essential managerial or entrepreneurial efforts." According to Mr. Hinman this is what happened to Ether which initially was distributed through fundraising and now has a "decentralized structure."
In evaluating whether a digital token is likely a security, Mr. Hinman set forth 13 considerations, including:
Is there a single person or small group that is behind the sale of the digital asset do they play a "significant role" in the development and maintenance of the token and its potential increase in worth?
Does this person or group have a stake or other interest in the digital token and are they incentivized to cause an increase in value of the digital asset? Do purchasers anticipate such an effort and increase in value?
Do the customer protection provisions of applicable law make sense, including disclosure obligations of a person or entity that plays a key role in the system?
Do persons or entities other than the promoters exercise governance rights?
Is token creation tied to the needs of users or for speculation?
Is the token marketed and distributed to the general public?
Is the system underlying the token fully functioning or in the early stages of development?
The Canadian Securities Administrators also issued guidance regarding when digital tokens are subject to securities laws and not utility tokens. CSA's analysis generally followed Mr. Hinman's analytic approach. According to CSA, "[i]n analyzing whether an offering of tokens involves an investment contract, businesses and professional advisors should assess not only the technical characteristics of the token itself, but the economic realities of the offering as a whole, with a focus on substance over form."
Unlike Mr. Hinman who solely proposed considerations to evaluate, CSA provided 14 fact patterns derived from actual episodes it has considered, and provided its conclusions as to whether the relevant digital token had characteristics of a security or not.
In one example where the number of tokens was limited and the expectation that access to new tokens in the future would also be limited, CSA concluded that "initial purchasers may have an expectation of profit as increased demand with limited or reduced supply should lead to an increase in price." This would suggest the digital token is a security.
Contrariwise, CSA concluded that where digital tokens have a fixed value that does not "automatically" increase over time or change "based on non-commercial factors," there is likely a lesser expectation of profit by a digital holder. This would seem to suggest the cryptoasset is more likely not a security.
In his presentation, Mr. Hinman also reconfirmed that Bitcoin is not a security.
My View: Mr. Hinman's detailed analysis of digital tokens and recognition that the characteristics of a digital token (such as Ether) may change over time – likely resulting in a different legal categorization – were overdue but very much welcomed. Moreover, his and CSA's articulation of specific considerations in evaluating tokens is very helpful. (Click here to access other possible considerations in the PowerPoint download to the webinar "Beyond Bitcoin" by Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP and hosted by FIA on May 17, 2018.) However, at the fringes, it still is unclear when market appreciation might be considered derived from a promoter's hype as opposed to investor sentiment. It is still troubling to me that, applying the SEC's broad view of Howey, smart kids who purchased and held, as collectibles, Beanie Babies promoted by Ty Inc. years ago, and later eagerly resold the Beanies Babies on eBay for a profit, potentially could have been considered to have been transacting in securities.
Ripple will be the next challenging digital asset for the SEC to provide its views on. Because of its powerful central governance, ongoing offering, and restricted consensus protocol, the SEC could very well see it more like a security than not. However, like Ether, Ripple is going through an evolution to become more decentralized, and XRP – the Ripple digital token – is designed and operates more like a payment mechanism than anything else. The large number of XRP outstanding also makes it more likely that the digital token will not appreciate markedly, although the promoters' decision last year to make available no more than one billion XRP tokens monthly may augment its appeal as a speculative play. This is a digital asset on the cusp, but it still appears more likely not a security to me.
The issue of whether Ripple is a security is front and center in a purported class action lawsuit filed in a California state court last month, as well as a more recent case filed on June 5. (Click here for background regarding the first legal action in the article, "Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Ripple Labs for Unregistered Sales of Securities" in the May 6, 2018 edition of Bridging the Week. Click here for a copy of the complaint in the second action.)
Legal Weeds: There is no unanimity among countries as to when digital tokens may be securities. The government of Gibraltar, for example, issued a proposal for the regulation of digital token sales, secondary digital token market platforms, and investment services relating to non-security and non-virtual currency digital tokens during March 2018, that expressed a narrow view of what constitutes a security token. According to Gibraltar Finance, most digital tokens are not securities because they are not structured as such – meaning they afford no equity interest or right to distributions (e.g., of profits or in the event of a firm's insolvency). They more often represent "the advance sale of products that entitle holders to access future networks or consume financial services" – and thus represent "commercial products," or have the characteristics of virtual currencies. (Click here for further information regarding Gibraltar's views in the article "Gibraltar Suggests Many ICO-Issued Digital Tokens Are Commercial Products, Not Securities" in the March 18, 2018 edition of Bridging the Week.)
This is very different from the view of the SEC which claims that the expectation of profit can be derived by the anticipation of capital appreciation through secondary trading of the relevant digital asset.
In February 2018, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) provided its insight into the nature of different types of digital tokens – which it termed "payment tokens (e.g., virtual currencies)," "utility tokens" and "asset tokens (e.g., securities tokens)." FINMA defined utility tokens as tokens "intended to provide access digitally to an application or service by means of a blockchain-based infrastructure." The regulator indicated it would not consider utility tokens as securities if the tokens' "sole purpose" was to confer digital access rights at the time of issue. However, if a utility token could additionally or only have an investment purpose at the time of issue, it would be treated as an asset token too. (Click here for further background in the article "SEC Sues Bitcoin-Denominated Trading Platform for Operating an Unlicensed Securities Exchange; Principal Criminally Charge" in the February 25, 2018 edition of Bridging the Week.)
Introducing Broker Fined by NYMEX for Not Reporting Block Trade Times Accurately: A second futures exchange has fined EOX Holdings, LLC, within a few months of its first citation in connection with its handling of block trades and for failing to supervise its employees and agents related to such handling. According to a "Notice of Disciplinary Action" by the New York Mercantile Exchange, from March 1 through May 23, 2o17, EOX, a Commodity Futures Trading Commission-registered introducing broker, misreported the execution times of various block trades, and failed to have procedures to review block trades before and after they were submitted to the exchange for accuracy. Pursuant to an offer of settlement which was accepted by a NYMEX business conduct committee, EOX agreed to pay a fine of US $75,000 to resolve the exchange's allegations. In December 2017, EOX agreed to pay a fine of US $442,500 to resolve charges brought by ICE Futures U.S. that, from August 2013 through July 2014, it may have also failed to adequately supervise two of its employees in connection with their execution of block trades and handling of nonpublic customer information. (Click here for details in the article "ICE Futures U.S. Charges Introducing Broker and Employees With Impermissibly Disclosing Customer Order Information and Executing Block Trades Contrary to Requirements" in the December 10, 2017 edition of Bridging the Week.)
Separately, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange modified its prior summary access denial order against Hana Financial Investment. The exchange had banned the South Korean-based brokerage firm from all trading on CME Group exchanges for 60 days except for liquidating orders because of its alleged incomplete cooperation with several investigations from May 2017 through the present. CME also claimed that the firm may have "improperly and inaccurately" netted positions among independently owned and controlled accounts within omnibus accounts at several CME Group clearing members, causing the clearing members to inaccurately report long and short positions and impacting open interest reporting. This episode appears to have prompted the Joint Audit Committee two weeks ago to issue guidance to all futures commission merchants regarding their handling of omnibus accounts. (Click here for information regarding the fallout from the Hana episode in the article "Futures Joint Audit Committee Advises on Margin Calculations and Payments for Omnibus Accounts" in the June 10, 2018 edition of Bridging the Week.)
Under the revised order, Hana may trade for its proprietary accounts.
Unrelatedly, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. agreed to pay a fine of US $125,000 to NYMEX for violating position limits on three trade dates in May 2017. Apparently, a systems mapping issue caused the firm not to account for the violative positions in its monitoring system.
Additionally, Shingo Yamamoto, a trader for Fuji Futures Co. Ltd., was accused by NYMEX and the Commodity Exchange, Inc. of entering and cancelling orders on the Globex electronic trading system during the pre-opening period solely to assess depth of the order book. NYMEX charged Mr. Yamamoto with disruptive trading in connection with such transactions, and Fuji Futures with failure to supervise. To resolve these charges, Mr. Yamamoto agreed to pay a fine of US $25,000 combined to both exchanges and serve a 20-business-day all CME Group exchanges' trading suspension, while Fuji Futures agreed to pay a penalty of US $45,000. Similarly, Peter Howard was suspended from accessing all CME Group exchanges for 50 business days for allegedly engaging in similar disruptive pre-opening activity on NYMEX on multiple occasions from October 2015 through February 2016, while Jared Kuehner agreed to pay a fine of US $40,000 and was denied access to all CME Group exchanges for 10 business days for purportedly engaging in disruptive trading during the pre-opening on various occasions from January through July 2016.
Alphabit Trading, LLC and Weihao Huang were fined US $25,000 by CME and Comex, respectively, for engaging in spoofing-type activity. Mr. Weihao was also suspended from CME Group all exchange trading for 20 business days.
Compliance Weeds: CME Group and ICE Futures U.S. have made clear that entering and cancelling orders during the pre-opening period to assess market depth or manipulate the indicative opening price constitutes prohibited disruptive trading under CME Group Rule 575A (click here to access) and IFUS Rule 402(l) (click here to access), respectively. According to CME Group, a specific example of such prohibited activity is as follows:
During the pre-opening period on CME Globex, a market participant enters an order priced through the IOP (a bid higher than the existing best bid or an offer lower than the existing best offer) for the purpose of identifying hidden liquidity (e.g., resting stop and iceberg orders). The market participant then cancels that initial order and enters a new order based on the information obtained.
(Click here for additional background in the relevant CME Group MRAN (Q/A 20) and here for the relevant IFUS FAQS (Q/A 15).)
More Briefly:
CFTC Soon to Report That Recent Big Futures Price Movements Not Tied to High-Frequency Trading: J. Christopher Giancarlo, Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, indicated that the Market Intelligence Branch of the Commission's Division of Market Oversight would soon be issuing a report concluding that the largest price movements in 16 different futures contracts from 2012 through 2017 appeared attributable to longer-time increased market volatility and by the direct revelation of information and news events and not by the activities of proprietary trading groups or high-frequency traders. Moreover, the study will provide quantitative evidence that, despite perception, "there is no clear indication of a wide-spread increase in the frequency or intensity of sharp price movements in recent years." Mr. Giancarlo made his observations in a speech before the Women in Derivatives Forum in Washington, DC.
Broker-Dealer Agrees to Pay Back Customers US $10.5 Million and Remit Fine of US $5.2 Million for Not Supervising Salespersons Who Purportedly Misled Customers Regarding Mortgage-Backed Securities Prices: Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. agreed to pay a fine in excess of US $5.2 million and reimburse customers in excess of US $10.5 million to resolve charges brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission that it failed to supervise its traders and salespersons in connection with their sales of residential mortgage-backed securities to clients. According to the SEC, Merrill Lynch's alleged violations, which occurred from June 2009 through December 2012, were attributable to having policies and procedures to monitor communications for false and misleading statements but not implementing them specifically to monitor for RMBS transactions, and having policies and procedures dealing with excessive markups, but not meaningfully reviewing RMBS transactions to check for them. The SEC charged that, during the relevant time, Merrill Lynch made false and misleading statements regarding RMBS transactions to customers and/or charged customers excessive, undisclosed markups.
Not Deterred by Adverse California Ruling, CFTC Files Anti-Fraud Lawsuits Against Two Alleged Leveraged Metals Dealers in Florida: The Commodity Futures Trading Commission brought two separate enforcement actions in Florida federal courts against purported precious metals dealers, charging they misappropriated retail customer funds and committed fraud. One action named Mark Olsen Mining Company and Betty Lee Grimes, while the other named Omega Knight 2, LLC, Aviv Michael, its owner and president, and Erez Hen. The CFTC brought these actions relying on its view of the prohibition against manipulative or deceptive device or contrivance provision of law enacted under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Click here to access 7 U.S.C. §9(1)), as well as its traditional anti-fraud authority in connection with futures contracts (click here to access 7 U.S.C §6b(a)(2)(A-C)). The CFTC charged that these transactions were just like futures contracts (and thus its traditional anti-fraud authority applied) because they were offered on a leveraged basis and no delivery was made within 28 days (click here to access 7 U.S.C. §2(c)(2)(D)(iii)). The CFTC's view of its Dodd-Frank authority was recently rejected by a California federal court. (Click here for background on this decision in the article "California Federal Court Dismissal of CFTC Monex Enforcement Action Upsets Stable Legal Theories" in the May 6, 2018 edition of Bridging the Week.)
Anything but Sleep Inducing: SEC Corporation Finance Director Says Ether Not a Security; Canada Issues Guidance on Utility Tokens:
CSA:
http://www.osc.gov.on.ca/documents/en/Securities-Category4/csa_20180611_46-308_implications-for-offerings-of-tokens.pdf
https://www.sec.gov/news/speech/speech-hinman-061418
Broker-Dealer Agrees to Pay-back Customers US $10.5 Million and Remit Fine of US $5.2 Million for Not Supervising Salespersons Who Purportedly Misled Customers Regarding Mortgage-Backed Securities' Prices:
https://www.sec.gov/litigation/admin/2018/34-83408.pdf
CFTC Soon to Report That Recent Big Futures Price Movements Not Tied to High-Frequency Trading
https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/SpeechesTestimony/opagiancarlo48
Introducing Broker Fined by NYMEX for Not Reporting Block Trade Times Accurately:
AlphaBit Trading:
http://www.cmegroup.com/notices/disciplinary/2018/06/cme-15-0334-bc-alphabit-trading-llc.html#pageNumber=1
EOX Holdings:
http://www.cmegroup.com/notices/disciplinary/2018/06/NYMEX-17-0708-BC-EOX-HOLDINGS-LLC.html#pageNumber=1
Fuji Futures:
http://www.cmegroup.com/notices/disciplinary/2018/06/COMEX-17-0646-BC-1-FUJI-FUTURES-CO-LTD.html#pageNumber=1
http://www.cmegroup.com/notices/disciplinary/2018/06/NYMEX-17-0646-BC-1-FUJI-FUTURES-CO-LTD.html#pageNumber=1
Hana Financial Investment:
http://www.cmegroup.com/notices/disciplinary/2018/06/cme-18-0856.html#pageNumber=1
Peter Howard:
http://www.cmegroup.com/notices/disciplinary/2018/06/NYMEX-16-0515-BC-PETER-HOWARD.html#pageNumber=1
Clayton Weihao Huang:
http://www.cmegroup.com/notices/disciplinary/2018/06/COMEX-16-0495-BC-WEIHAO-HUANG.html#pageNumber=1
Jared Kuehner:
http://www.cmegroup.com/notices/disciplinary/2018/06/cbot-16-0548-bc-jared-kuehner.html#pageNumber=1
JP Morgan Chase:
http://www.cmegroup.com/notices/disciplinary/2018/06/NYMEX-17-0716-BC-JP-MORGAN-CHASE-BANK-NA.html#pageNumber=1
Shingo Yamamoto:
http://www.cmegroup.com/notices/disciplinary/2018/06/COMEX-17-0646-BC-2-SHINGO-YAMAMOTO.html#pageNumber=1
http://www.cmegroup.com/notices/disciplinary/2018/06/NYMEX-17-0646-BC-2-SHINGO-YAMAMOTO.html#pageNumber=1
Not Deterred by Adverse California Ruling, CFTC Files Anti-Fraud Lawsuits Against Two Alleged Leveraged Metals Dealers in Florida:
Mark Olsen Mining Company:
https://www.cftc.gov/sites/default/files/2018-06/enfmarkolsenminingcoandbettyleagrimescomplaint061218_0.pdf
Omega Knight 2:
https://www.cftc.gov/sites/default/files/2018-06/enfomegaknight2avivmichaelhenerezhencomplaint061318.pdf
The information in this article is for informational purposes only and is derived from sources believed to be reliable as of June 16, 2018. No representation or warranty is made regarding the accuracy of any statement or information in this article. Also, the information in this article is not intended as a substitute for legal counsel, and is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, a lawyer-client relationship. The impact of the law for any particular situation depends on a variety of factors; therefore, readers of this article should not act upon any information in the article without seeking professional legal counsel. Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP may represent one or more entities mentioned in this article. Quotations attributable to speeches are from published remarks and may not reflect statements actually made. Views of the author may not necessarily reflect views of Katten Muchin or any of its partners or other employees.


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[AUDIO] Never Sometimes breaks up: Wasting Time
Published Aug 04, 2015 by Dan SW
Alex D'Angelo (left) and Never Sometimes
Today we are featuring the latest EP from Alex D'angelo's Never Sometimes. The Middlesex, NJ band has just announced their break up. The band formed in 2013, and released their only EP Wasting Time in Spring 2014. Listen to the EP below.
From the band:
The time has come to lay Never Sometimes to rest. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. Thank you to everyone who came out to a show, listened to the EP, took some stickers, enjoyed what we tried to do. This past year and half had been far past any of our initial expectations. Our scene welcomed us with open arms and created memories and friendships that will last forever. Thank you to everyone for making this band more than we could have ever imagined.
Wasting Time was engineered and mixed by Mike Oettinger, with mastering by Jesse Cannon. No info yet on any future plans from D'Angelo.
Wasting Time by Never Sometimes
Alex D'Angelo Audio drug free edge hardcore punk Never Sometimes News straight edge straight edge hardcore straightedge sxe The Straight Edge
Eli Arbor: A Place You Can't Find
ACxDC release Satan Is King - audio
Cleansing: The Pleasures That Lead

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Denver courts issued a warrant on Tuesday for Denver resident Brenda Littlespottedhorse, for a municipal level infraction involving "wrongs to minors." Brenda Littlespottedhorse is the grandmother of the two or three year old girl who was found left alone in a stroller in Civic Center Park on July 4th, after the fireworks show. Denver Human Services took care of the girl until her mother or guardian was located. A family friend identified the girl after she was shown on television and she reported to her mother that her daughter was in Denver Human Services custody. The mother of the missing girl is from South Dakota and the girl has now be reunited with her mother in South Dakota.


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The sale of Formica, which came after its previous owners decided to concentrate on its operations in New Zealand and Australia, was first announced last December but was subject to regulatory processes.
Broadview Holding BV has now signalled that the sale – which was previously said to be for £664m on a cash-free and debt-free basis – has now completed, and said it hopes Formica will benefit from being part of a large multinational group.
A statement from the company said: "Broadview welcomes the Formica companies to its family of businesses in the field of material technology which already include Arpa, Trespa and Westag.
"With combined sales of €1.2bn and circa 6,000 employees, the expanded group will have a leading global position in surface materials."
Formica's North Shields factory dates back to1945 and is well known to thousands of motorists because of its location next to the Coast Road.
The site received major investment from then owners Fletcher Building in 2018, but the New Zealand company later put Formica up for sale as it moved to strengthen its balances amid big losses in its native New Zealand.


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Female Cabbies Hit Nairobi's Roads as Taxi-Hailing Apps Mushroom
With their manicured nails, immaculate makeup and matching handbags and
stilettos, you would be forgiven for mistaking the five women seated in the cafe of the upscale Nairobi hotel for a group of senior female executives.
Sipping white hot chocolate from delicate porcelain cups, they discuss their long working hours and challenges in finding time with their children, and share strategies on networking and dealing with difficult clients.
But these Kenyan women aren't company directors, finance professionals or corporate lawyers — they are part of a new breed of women who are breaking into the male-dominated taxi sector and hitting Nairobi's roads as e-cabbies.
"Taxi driving is not something I would have considered before, but after driving for a taxi app service, I think it's a really good job for women," said Lydia Muchiri, 29, in a knee-length fitted white dress with floral print.
"It's convenient, easy and safe — much better than sitting at home and depending on handouts," she said, as the other women, in their 20s and 30s, nodded in agreement.
As taxi-hailing apps mushroom to fill a hole in Nairobi's poor public transport system, rising numbers of women are taking up jobs as drivers — citing benefits such as flexible working hours, the ability to select passengers, and guaranteed payment.
Online female cabbies currently make up only about 3 percent of the city's estimated 12,000 e-taxi drivers, but industry officials say their numbers are growing exponentially.
Little Cabs, one of Nairobi's popular ride-sharing platforms, and the only app offering riders the choice of a male or female driver, has witnessed a 13-fold increase in the number of female drivers over the last two years.
"There were 27 women drivers registered with Little Cabs when we first started in June 2016, now there are 381. We aim to have 1,000 women drivers by the end of this year," said Jefferson Aluda, operations manager for Little Cabs.
"Many people think taxi driving is a man's job, but that view is changing. Customers tell us that women are careful drivers and very professional. Through our recruitment campaigns, we expect more women to join."
Kenya's economy has grown on average by 5 percent annually over the last decade, but the benefits have not been equally distributed — and women remain disadvantaged socially, economically and politically.
Women make up only a third of the 2.5 million people employed in the formal sector and own only 1 percent of agricultural land, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).
Despite global criticism that the sharing economy lowers wages, encourages tax evasion and provides little protections to users, the emergence of platforms such as taxi-hailing apps in Kenya is in fact helping to empower women.
In the last three years, at least a dozen e-cab apps have launched to meet the demands of a growing smartphone-armed middle class seeking an affordable and safer alternative to the city's reckless overcrowded matatus, or minivans.
Drivers earn a minimum of 30 Kenyan shillings ($0.30) per minute and companies take up to 25 percent their earnings, but female drivers still welcome the opportunity provided by firms such as Uber, Taxify, Little Cabs and Pewin.
Minus the company fee, fuel and car rental costs, drivers working 12 hours daily can earn on average 60,000 shillings ($600) in a month, say industry sources.
Faridah Khamis, a single mother of five children, decided to become an online taxi driver in February last year after chatting with a male driver who encouraged her to apply.
"The rates are low and I have to work 12 hours daily — when my children are at school and at night when they are asleep. But it's better money than an office job these days," said the 36-year-old woman standing beside her silver Mazda.
"I also think it's very safe for women. I choose when I work, where I work, and which clients I work with. If I was a regular taxi driver, I would be on the roads looking for passengers. The app means I can find customers from my home."
The women choose riders with higher ratings and opt for locations in populated rather than isolated areas. Their companies also track them via GPS, and they have an alert/SOS button on their apps for support if they need help.
Not always a smooth ride
Uber officials say ride-sharing apps can provide a great economic opportunity for women, particularly in developing nations such as Kenya.
"We think apps like Uber can help break down global, structural barriers that keep women from fully participating in the economy," Uber's East Africa spokeswoman Janet Kemboi told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
"These include social biases, security risks, financial and digital inclusion, and access to vehicles and other assets."
But it's not always a smooth ride for Kenya's female e-cabbies. They occasionally face discrimination and abuse — from difficulties renting cars due to biased perceptions that women are bad drivers, to fending off drunken male passengers.
And with their phone numbers accessible to customers through the app, the women also endure daily "follow-up calls" from former customers who want to date them after the trip is over.
The female cabbies say they also face sexist comments where people perceive them to be sex workers simply because they are well-dressed, working at night, and doing a "man's job."
But such instances are rare, say the female drivers, and working in the taxi sector has inspired some of them to one day have their own fleet of taxis — for women, driven by women.
"There is a demand for women taxi drivers. Customers appreciate our appearance and professionalism. Some say we drive safer and our cars are cleaner than [those of] male drivers," said Muchiri.
"We take pride in ourselves and in our job. We are no less than someone who works in an office. We see our car as our office and believe that once we are in the car, we must behave like a professional."
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Download Book A Dom Is Forever Masters And Mercenaries Book 3 in PDF format. You can Read Online A Dom Is Forever Masters And Mercenaries Book 3 here in PDF, EPUB, Mobi or Docx formats.
Re-released in a second edition with two new chapters and additional new content. Rachel Swift is a woman on the run. A stalker sent Rachel's world reeling. Now she's running for her life, and Bliss, CO, seems like the perfect place to hide. Bliss is a strange little town, filled with artists, nudists, and the occasional conspiracy nut. It's a good place to start over. Max and Rye are just the men to catch her. Horse trainer Max and Sheriff Rye gave up on their dream of finding one perfect woman to share long ago. Rachel walks in, and they're both in love and fighting their true natures. A town like no other…. When Rachel's past catches up with her, all of Bliss is in danger. Rachel knows she should run, but how can she leave behind the love she's found with Max and Rye and the home she's built in Bliss? With her whole town behind her, Rachel is ready to make her stand. It's time for her to get back in the saddle and ride.
Re-released in a second edition with new content. Bethany "Mouse" Hobbes spent her entire life waiting, especially for the love of Bo O'Malley. But for the first time in her life, she is ready to start living, with or without him. She has found her dream, restoring a rustic farmhouse on the outskirts of town. Trev McNamara left Deer Run a high school hero and has returned, his football career in ruins. When Trev meets Mouse, he discovers a passion strong enough to overcome his past. But can she accept his need for control? Bo O'Malley has lived his whole life in the shadow of his brother, never committing to anything or anyone. When the woman he secretly loved all his life begins an affair with the man who betrayed his trust, Bo will do anything to claim her as his own. Transformed by their love, will Mouse be enough woman for both of them?


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/*
 * lokbasis_hwdef.h
 *
 *  Created on: 22.10.2011
 *      Author: Michael Brunnbauer
 *
 *  Hardwaredefinitionen für Lokbasis Hardware
 *
 *
 *
 */

#ifndef LOKBASIS_HWDEF_H_
#define LOKBASIS_HWDEF_H_

#ifndef __AVR_ATmega2561__
#define __AVR_ATmega2561__
#endif
// mögliche Board Konfiguration
#if defined(__AVR_ATmega2560__)
	#define HW_TESTBOARD1		// Testboard1 (WLAN:uart2, log:uart3)
#elif defined(__AVR_ATmega2561__)
	#define HW_TESTBOARD2		// Testboard2 (WLAN:uart0, log:-)
#endif

// Tesboard1
#if defined( HW_TESTBOARD1 )

// UART Definitionen
#define WLAN 2	// uart2 für WLAN
#define RFID 1	// uart1 für RFID
#define LOG  3	// uart3 für log/debug-ausgabe über USB

#define UART_BAUDRATE_1	9600	// RFID-Verbindung
#define UART_BAUDRATE_2	38400	// WLAN-Verbindung
#define UART_BAUDRATE_3	250000	// USB-Verbindung zum PC

#define UART_SETTING_1 ((F_CPU/16L/UART_BAUDRATE_1)-1)	// Berechnung der UART Konfigurationsparameter
#define UART_SETTING_2 ((F_CPU/16L/UART_BAUDRATE_2)-1)
#define UART_SETTING_3 ((F_CPU/16L/UART_BAUDRATE_3)-1)

#define TESTLED		1		// Funktion TestLED ist vorhanden

#define MOTORC_L6205 1	// verwendeter Motorcontroller

#if defined( MOTORC_L6205 )
#define MC_INV_PWM_4_REV 1	// PWM für Rückwärts invertieren	// bei L6205 nötig, für MOTORC_POLOLU24V20 nicht
#endif
#endif

//---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

// Tesboard2
#if defined( HW_TESTBOARD2 )

// UART Definitionen
#define WLAN 0	// uart0 für WLAN
//#define RFID 1	// uart1 für RFID

#define UART_BAUDRATE_RFID	9600	// RFID-Verbindung
#define UART_BAUDRATE_WLAN	38400	// WLAN-Verbindung
#define UART_BAUDRATE_USB	250000	// USB-Verbindung zum PC

#define UART_SETTING_RFID ((F_CPU/16L/UART_BAUDRATE_RFID)-1)	// Berechnung der UART Konfigurationsparameter
#define UART_SETTING_WLAN ((F_CPU/16L/UART_BAUDRATE_WLAN)-1)
#define UART_SETTING_USB ((F_CPU/16L/UART_BAUDRATE_USB)-1)

// Motorcontroller
#define MOTOR1_ADC 	PF7 	// Input, ADC6 Motor 1
#define MOTOR2_ADC 	PF6 	// Input,ADC7 Motor 2
#define MOTOR_DIR 	PB4 	// Output, Motoren Richtung
#define MOTOR1_PWM 	PB6 	// Output, OC1B Reserve 1. Motor PWM, 	Umjumperbar (PB5/PB6 ), ob mit 1. oder 2. Motor-PWM versorgt wird
#define MOTOR2_PWM 	PB5 	// Output, OC1A 2. Motor PWM
#define MOTOR_RESET PB7 	// Output, Motoren Reset
#define MOTOR1_FF1 	PG2 	// Input, Motor1 FF1
#define MOTOR1_FF2 	PG1 	// Input, Motor1 FF2
#define MOTOR2_FF1 	PG0 	// Input, Motor2 FF1
#define MOTOR2_FF2 	PG5 	// Input, Motor2 FF2
#define DDR_MOTOR_ADC	DDRF
#define DDR_MOTOR_OUT	DDRB
#define DDR_MOTOR_IN	DDRG
#define PORT_MOTOR	PORTB
#define PIN_MOTOR_ADC PINF
#define PIN_MOTOR PING
#define MOTORC_POLOLU24V20 1	// verwendeter Motorcontroller

// WLAN-Modul
#define WLAN_RESET 	PE2 	// Output, F1: Reset bei Wiznet: (active HIGH) 1 = reset, 1 für 3s = Factory Default
#define WLAN_RX 	PE0 	// Input, Atmega RX, Wiznet Data out
#define WLAN_TX 	PE1 	// Output, Atmega TX, Wiznet Data in
#define WLAN_DATAMODE 	PE3 	// Output, F2: HW-Trigger bei Wiznet, 0: CMD, 1:Data
#define DDR_WLAN	DDRE
#define PORT_WLAN	PORTE
#define PIN_WLAN	PINE
#define WLAN_ONOFF	PE4		// Output 0: Wiznet ausgeschalten, 1: Wiznet ein

// Versorgungs-Modul
#define AKKU_OFF 	PA2 		// Output, AKKU/Schiene Umschaltung (0: Akku (stromloser Zustand), 1: Schiene (muß geschalten bleiben!) [auf ULN2803]
#define SYSTEM_OFF 	PA0 		// Output, Versorgung aus (bei Abschaltung) [auf ULN2803]
#define SYSTEM_ON 	PA1 		// Output, Versorgung ein [auf ULN2803]
#define AKKU_ADC 	PF5 		// Input, ADC Akku-Spannung
#define SCHIENE_ADC PF4 		// Input, ADC Schienenspannung
#define DDR_SYS_ADC DDRF
#define DDR_SYS		DDRA
#define PORT_SYS	PORTA
#define PIN_SYS_ADC PINF

// Test-LEDs am MC-Modul
#define TESTLED		1			// Funktion TestLED ist vorhanden
#define TESTLED0 	PF0			// (JP 1-5 gesetzt), alternative Funktion: ADC0
#define TESTLED1 	PF1 		// (JP 1-6 gesetzt), alternative Funktion: ADC1
#define TESTLED2 	PF2 		// (JP 1-7 gesetzt), alternative Funktion: ADC2
#define TESTLED3 	PF3 		// (JP 1-8 gesetzt), alternative Funktion: ADC3
#define DDR_TESTLED DDRF
#define PORT_TESTLED PORTF

// I2C LED-Controller
#define LEDC_TLC59116	1			//LED-Controller TLC59116 ist vorhanden
#define I2C_RESET   0xD6			// 0xD6 = Software Reset I2C Bus Adresse
#define LEDC_MODE2_BLINK	32		// Mode 2 = Blinken
#define LEDC_MODE2_DIMM		0		// Mode 2 = Dimmen
#define LEDC1  0xC0      			// I2C-Adresse des LED-Controller

#endif	// HW_TESTBOARD2

// allgemeine Definitionen

#define POWER_FROM_RAILS		0	// Versorgung über Schienenstrom
#define POWER_FROM_BATTERY		1	// Versorgung aus AKKU

#endif	// LOKBASIS_HWDEF_H_

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
What Now Media Group Launches in Second Market: What Now Los Angeles
Atlanta Real Estate Forum > Radio > What Now Media Group Launches in Second Market: What Now Los Angeles
By	Mandy Holm	November 28, 2019	0 Comment
Founded in 2010, What Now Media Group has grown to be recognized as the leading news source for retail, restaurant and multifamily openings and closings in the Atlanta area with over 1.5 million readers. Founder Caleb J. Spivak joins Co-Hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week's Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the group's second market in Los Angeles as well as share updates on What Now Atlanta.
Spivak kicks off the show by announcing that in addition to What Now Atlanta, What Now Media Group has officially launched What Now Los Angeles. The goal of both What Now online publications is to "get the scoop" and yet-to-break news in relation to local real estate, retail and dining news in the Atlanta and now Los Angeles areas.
"As time has gone on, we have really found that our niche is in some of the smaller brick and mortar businesses that a lot of the larger publications don't report on," Spivak said. "We've really focused on, as an organization, being a resource to new and growing businesses in the markets that we serve, and seeing how we can help them as a mouthpiece to open and grow to the next level"
When it comes to getting to that breaking news first, Spivak explains that the What Now team is dedicated to pounding the pavement and sifting through various permit applications, liquor licenses and neighborhood planning unit meetings, demanding information from the folks involved in planning these brick and mortar businesses and doing it in a cooperative but relentless way.
There are openings and closings on a daily basis in the Atlanta area, which is really the focus of What Now Atlanta (Fulton, Gwinnett and DeKalb and some of the surrounding counties). According to Spivak, what they have noticed is that restaurants are not staying open as long as they used to, but that's not necessarily an issue.
"These restaurateurs are opening to great fanfare, and there's kind of this opening push where they're the hottest restaurant and everyone flocks to them, and then they get their regulars that hang out and come back week after week of month after month or day after day depending on how loyal they are," Spivak said. "But then something new opens and that same 'we've got to check out what's next' mentality is applied and there's a drop in traffic.
"What we see a lot of restaurateurs in Atlanta doing is constantly reinventing themselves and even within their existing restaurant spaces, closing down [previous] concepts and opening something new, or signing leases that are not as long term as what we've seen in the past, so that they can be a little bit more flexible," Spivak said.
Additionally, What Now Media Group also covers breaking retail news throughout the Atlanta area. North Fulton has seen a lot of success with its innovative mixed-use retail spaces including Avalon (which celebrated its 5th anniversary in October 2019) and newly opened Halcyon and Alpharetta City Center.
"[Real estate developers] are quickly realizing with the increase in online shopping, the only way to get folks to our centers, to drive business for our retailers, which is how we profit through rent, is to create an experience, and so that's what's happening at centers like Halcyon, Alpharetta City Center [and] Avalon," Spivak said. "Intown [examples include] Ponce City Market and Colony Square, which is under a 're-imagination' as North American Properties puts it, and what's happening over at Westside Provisions District."
Listen to the full interview above to learn more about multifamily developments near Ponce City Market and Old Fourth Ward. To learn more about What Now Media Group and subscribe to the email list for Atlanta news, visit www.WhatNowAtlanta.com.
Around AtlantaWhat Now Atlanta
Categories: Radio
Mandy Holm
Account Manager at Denim Marketing


Been working on this on and off in between my final assignment. It's a colored version of a sketch I posted to my art Instagram a while back. I know some of the details are a bit nonsensical, but please think of it as artistic liberty I'd like to do more Vocaloid fanart!
Ooh I love what you did with the hair!
Absolutely amazing artwork! Drawing, colors, lights... all is totally perfect!!
Thank you Wota! Hm, perhaps she can free herself from the bottle like an octopus!
I love that Miku animation. Look at her go!
Oh no! That is terrible.
I like the coloured shaped all throughout the picture, I think it looks really nice.
Thank you very much, I am glad you like it!
The concept is really pretty and those colors are so soft.
So cute!! The hair turning into water is really well made, and the multicolored diamonds on the skirt (and on other parts too, it's just that they are very noticeable on the skirt) are really amazing!!


text:
MAFS bride Martha reveals her Kim Kardashian plastic surgery makeover
MAFS bride Martha rattled off a list of plastic surgeries she has had to look like her idol, Kim Kardashian.
Hannah Paine
@hannahpaine_
More from married at first sight
'Hit really hard': MAFS star catches Covid
Controversial MAFS star reveals pregnancy
MAFS star defends parenting after fight
If you thought Married At First Sight's Martha was reminding you of a certain US reality star, don't worry it's not just you.
During Tuesday night's episode the makeup artist rattled off a list of plastic surgeries and procedures she had done to her "husband" Michael.
Revealing he had a broken nose straightened, Michael asked Martha whether she had any work done.
"I like to look good and whatever it takes so I've definitely had some plastic surgery," she said.
Kim K?
or Martha?
"Not going to lie I've had my boobs done, I've had a nose job, I've had Botox, I've had a bit of filler.
"I've got fake nails, I've got my hair chemically straightened. It matters to me — I look good, I feel good."
Surprised by Martha's admission, Michael said he "wouldn't look at you and think you've had all that done".
"She's made some changes to her face and her body, but she still looks natural," he told producers. "That's the most important thing to me is that my partner is naturally beautiful."
Martha admitted she had multiple surgeries and injections
During an interview with A Current Affair last week Martha admitted she was influenced by Kim Kardashian.
"Everyone's inspired by Kim … She's hot," Martha said.
Martha isn't the only fan of Kim, with Michael telling his new wife he couldn't keep his eyes off her.
"I do feel sexual chemistry between us, I get to see you in your bikini and it's, I'm going to be honest, it's hard to look away … Your body is fantastic," he told Martha.
Social media star Martha Kalifatidis has caught Covid and she's warning people they don't want to get it, and it makes you ugly.
She was a controversial bride on MAFS – but Beck Zemek has since found love and is about to start a family.
Former MAFS star Bryce Ruthven has defended himself as a father after getting involved in a scuffle with a former co-star on a night out.


text:
from setuptools import setup, find_packages
import os

version = '0.9.1dev'

setup(name='two.ol',
      version=version,
      description="It takes Two do Django. A django mini framework",
      long_description=open("README.txt").read() + "\n" +
                       open(os.path.join("docs", "HISTORY.txt")).read(),
      # Get more strings from http://pypi.python.org/pypi?%3Aaction=list_classifiers
      classifiers=[
        "Programming Language :: Python",
        ],
      keywords='',
      author='Ivo van der Wijk',
      author_email='two@in.m3r.nl',
      url='http://github.com/iivvoo/two.ol',
      license='BSD',
      packages=find_packages(exclude=['ez_setup']),
      namespace_packages=['two'],
      include_package_data=True,
      zip_safe=False,
      install_requires=[
          'setuptools',
      ],
      entry_points={
        "console_scripts":[
            "newrelic=two.ol.newrelicfix:main",
            "nr-run=two.ol.newrelicfix:runner",
        ]
      },

      )


Designed to offer the client exquisite handcrafted window covers with high-style and second-to-none quality. Crafted to perfection showcasing the company's range of extraordinary craftsmanship talents and abilities.
Our staff are highly experienced in the window coverings industry and take pride in their expertise and honest advice. We will help you make an educated choice for the right product and save you money at the same time.


Look who's getting a Christmas present! Kate Moss has two December covers! Both Vogue! Even if one of them is a double-cover issue, Kate still remains the fashion magazine's darling.
The covers in B/W look awful.
I think the Dior HC corset on Kate steals the limelight from both women and is the Star!
Are times really that hard that they couldn't afford coloured print? And what a lack of originality on behalf of Sorrenti.
It is really orginal. Right…..yaaawwn….
Well I don't know what to say except that there is nothing new under the sun. I don't expect original looking or styled photo shoots anymore. Everything is derivative of each other. I guess the trick is to make it seem a bit fresh but how one accomplishes this I have not the vaguest idea.
oh, Maggie Cheung! she is so chic.


text:
2016 – Lady Gaga praised Kesha's moving cover of her sexual abuse song, "Til it happens to you".
Posted on	10:22 pm by Stu Sweatman
The Tik Tok singer, who has accused producer and former mentor Dr. Luke of emotional and physical abuse, fought back tears as she struggled through a powerful rendition of the Oscar-nominated track at The Humane Society of the United States Los Angeles Gala on Saturday (07May16), when guests included Zendaya, Ian Somerhalder, Nikki Reed, Riley Keough, and Kate Mara.
Kesha was joined onstage by Gaga's song co-writer and event honouree Diane Warren on piano, but she became emotional and had to take several deep breaths before the music even began playing.
"I want to dedicate this song to every man, woman, child (and) animal that has ever been abused," she said, as she launched into the cover.
During the set, photos and video footage of caged animals were displayed on a big screen onstage, and Kesha received a standing ovation from the celebrity crowd as she completed the track, which first featured on the soundtrack to The Hunting Ground, a documentary about sexual assaults on U.S. college campuses.
Lady Gaga shared a link to news coverage of her pal's rendition on Twitter.com on Sunday (08May16) to show her pride at the performance, and went on to heap praise on Kesha.
"Killed it @KeshaRose. I could feel your pain," Gaga tweeted. "Girl these boys won't be in charge forever. The wisdom of women is rising. Let's get louder".
Gaga, who has previously opened up about being raped at the start of her career, has been one of Kesha's loyal supporters since 2014, when she first filed suit against Dr. Luke. The producer, real name Lukasz Gottwald, has vehemently denied all allegations.
Meanwhile, Kesha has joined the line-up for dance star Diplo's Mad Decent Block Party this summer (16). She will perform alongside the likes of AlunaGeorge, Tiesto, Bauuer, and Dillon Francis from 30 July in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The trek concludes on 1 October (16) in Los Angeles.
2010s, Albums/Singles that Rock, Billboard charts, Chart Toppers, Composers & Songwriters, General, Gold, Platinum, Singers


text:
Q: Reduce log level in Sonar 2.1.x I have a Maven 3.x build that uses Sonar 2.1.x for quality control. The maven-sonar plugin is used from inside Jenkins to run the Sonar checks.
During the Jenkins build, when Sonar kicks in, it logs A LOT of not so useful information at INFO level:
[INFO] [15:29:14.195] Java version: 1.6
[INFO] [15:29:20.853] Execute PMD 4.3 done: 6658 ms
[INFO] [15:29:20.853] Sensor PmdSensor done: 6658 ms
[INFO] [15:29:20.854] Sensor ProfileSensor...
[INFO] [15:29:21.186] Sensor ProfileSensor done: 332 ms
[INFO] [15:29:21.187] Sensor ProfileEventsSensor...
[INFO] [15:29:21.190] Sensor ProfileEventsSensor done: 3 ms
[INFO] [15:29:21.190] Sensor ProjectLinksSensor...
[INFO] [15:29:21.192] Sensor ProjectLinksSensor done: 2 ms
[INFO] [15:29:21.192] Sensor VersionEventsSensor...
[INFO] [15:29:21.198] Sensor VersionEventsSensor done: 6 ms
[INFO] [15:29:21.198] Sensor Maven dependencies...
[INFO] [15:29:21.261] Sensor Maven dependencies done: 63 ms
...

The log is quite big. I have been trying to find a way to set the log level to WARN with no luck. Any idea?
Thanks!

A: Unfortunately, there's no way to mute this INFO-level log.

A: As discussed here log level can be changed at the maven plugin level.
Run mvn with -Dorg.slf4j.simpleLogger.showLogName=true it will show the logger name with log like below
2022-11-09T05:47:18.8604059Z [INFO] org.sonarsource.scanner.maven.SonarQubeMojo - SCM writing changed lines (done) | time=83ms
2022-11-09T05:47:18.8604819Z [INFO] org.sonarsource.scanner.maven.SonarQubeMojo - Analysis report generated in 287ms, dir size=5.2 MB
2022-11-09T05:47:18.8605606Z [INFO] org.sonarsource.scanner.maven.SonarQubeMojo - Analysis report compressed in 1993ms, zip size=4.1 MB
2022-11-09T05:47:18.8606333Z [INFO] org.sonarsource.scanner.maven.SonarQubeMojo - Analysis report uploaded in 282ms

then on executing mvn with -Dorg.slf4j.simpleLogger.log.org.sonarsource.scanner.maven.SonarQubeMojo=error it will change the log level.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
drakotou
Yoshi's Island und A Link to the Past Speedrunner
Yoshi's Island 100% in 2:28:50 WR
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island · 2.3K views
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Yoshi's Island Any% Warpless in 1:45:20
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Yoshi's Island 100% Speedrun in 2:31:32
Yoshi's Island 100% World 1 in 16:59
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island · 6 views
ALttP NMG in 1:33:30
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past · 19 views
ALttP 100% in 1:58:22
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past · 7 views
Ocarina of Time 100% in 5:31:03
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time · 19 views
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text:
4 Reasons Why Vine Couldn't Keep Up
Here's a quick look at where Vine faltered, especially with regard to its once-loyal power users.
Social media platforms serve various users, from the everyday account holder to company investors and now talented content creators whose influential posts turn fad into phenomenon.
Keeping these invaluable influencers top of mind—for example, Instagram's latest advertising update–is crucial for social platforms as their support and engagement can arguably become a make-or-break situation.
Twitter acquired Vine in its infancy
After a failed first attempt, Twitter successfully acquired Vine for $30 million in October 2012–before the then-three-person video application startup had even publicly launched. While this acquisition garnered a ton of industry attention and optimism, the sale marked the beginning of Vine's end, as it took a backseat within the Twitter conglomerate.
The competition took the lead
Soon after the acquisition, we saw a number of popular platform-building, video-sharing capabilities. By December 2012, Snapchat released video to its (then) 10 million-plus user base, and less than one year later, Instagram launched 15-second video sharing to its (then) 130 million monthly active users.
This widespread adoption of video not only rivaled Vine's offering, but also continued to evolve to meet the needs of their respective users.
Viners were forced to jump ship
It was all doom and gloom–while its competitive set grew, Vine's number of active users began to decline, as did its ranking in the app stores.
One of the key reasons behind this was Vine's failure to listen to those who made the platform successful–the Viners. Let's first consider what a Viner, or any successful content creator, requires:
Relevancy: It's important for creators to follow the eyeballs by getting in front of the latest technology innovations. In order to stay relevant, they must follow the crowd.
Ability to enhance content: Once influencers are in front of the right audience, the platform(s) they utilize must also provide them with the freedom to create unique content that will make them stand out from the crowd.
Because Vine did not evolve its platform to support Viners, it forced its content creators to adopt new platforms. And those creators often struggled to grow audiences quickly since they were no longer the first movers on these new platforms.
To combat this decline, we would expect Vine to pay users to adopt its platform (like Facebook and Snapchat do), but this did not happen.
Vine fails to bear fruit
The final nail in the coffin was undoubtedly Twitter's failure to turn Vine into dollars. Its acquisition of Niche, a New York-based influencer network, was considered a Hail Mary way to monetize Vine. But at that point, it was just too late–Niche was being asked to broker more deals on Instagram than Vine.
Coupled with its inability to monetize was the advertising industry's growing mistrust of Vine's reporting around loops.
We've seen creators voice a need for more monetization opportunities from social media platforms. Vine failed to meet that need, and that shortcoming contributed to its downfall.
Looking ahead, successful platforms will encourage opportunities, like product placements, in a way that promotes authenticity and relevance for both the influencers and their followers.
Claudia Page is vice president of product and partnerships at "people-powered marketing platform" Crowdtap.
Image of Vine courtesy of IB Photography/Shutterstock.
http://adweek.it/2h0gFBI


text:
Walshville es una villa ubicada en el condado de Montgomery en el estado estadounidense de Illinois. En el Censo de 2010 tenía una población de 64 habitantes y una densidad poblacional de 97,29 personas por km².

Geografía
Walshville se encuentra ubicada en las coordenadas . Según la Oficina del Censo de los Estados Unidos, Walshville tiene una superficie total de 0.66 km², de la cual 0.66 km² corresponden a tierra firme y (0%) 0 km² es agua.

Demografía
Según el censo de 2010, había 64 personas residiendo en Walshville. La densidad de población era de 97,29 hab./km². De los 64 habitantes, Walshville estaba compuesto por el 90.63% blancos, el 9.38% eran afroamericanos, el 0% eran amerindios, el 0% eran asiáticos, el 0% eran isleños del Pacífico, el 0% eran de otras razas y el 0% pertenecían a dos o más razas. Del total de la población el 0% eran hispanos o latinos de cualquier raza.

Referencias

Enlaces externos

Villas de Illinois
Localidades del condado de Montgomery (Illinois)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Manufacturer: Jaeger LeCoultre and designed by Luigi Colani.
Material: brass and 24 k gold plated case.
Dimensions: 195 mm (w) x 245 mm (h) x 130 mm (d).
Remarks: very good condition, with original JLC box. Only produced for two years 1974 and 1975.
Are you interesting in this watch?


Looking for an exceptional opportunity to kickstart your career?
We are a stakeholder communications agency in South West London looking to grow our design team.
You are a sharp, enthusiastic, ambitious individual, hungry to gain experience in a busy, multi-disciplinary environment interested in working on a range of corporate communications projects for some of the world's leading organisations.
A fun and friendly work community; you will have the chance to join a fresh, supportive and friendly corporate culture.
Socials; A true Black Sunner is a social butterfly, whether it be summer sports activities, Bake Offs, our annual Christmas party...and did we mention a breakfast every Friday morning?
Benefits; we offer competitive salaries, generous benefits, a discretionary bonus scheme, 22 days holidays (as well as a holiday loyalty scheme) and remote working opportunities.
Travel; in time you may have the opportunity to travel whilst working with our increasing international client base.
You can tell your friends you work in a palace!!


15 bore D/B Percussion shotgun by Brooks with bar action locks, engraved with game scenes and marked J Brooks. 29½ inch twist barrels with platinum plugs and wooden ramrod; a well figured stock with what appears to be its original finish. Whilst there has been some refinishing to the blued parts of the gun there is still a high percentage of original finish and faded case hardening to the locks. The bores are clean and without blemish.
Category: Antique for UK and abroad.


Publisher Rising Star Games have announced that cutesy farming sim Harvest Moon: Light of Hope will be coming to Europe on PS4 and Nintendo Switch in June, .
Using that interminable "Save the Date" motif, a tweet from the company announces that the latest edition in the (very) long-running horticultural saga will be available digitally and in stores from June 22. Originally, the game had been given a May release window for both the U.S. and Europe, so whether this slight delay affects both territories is unclear.
Light of Hope released on PC in Fall 2017 were it was celebrated by its faithful fanbase. In keeping with previous titles, the game sees the player managing a successful farm, from the growing and selling of produce to rearing livestock. Budding farmers will even fend off destruction from predators and terrible weather, and build rapport and relationships with the local townsfolk.


text:
Netflix Introduces Video Downloads for Offline Viewing at No Extra Cost
Monique Judge
Picture taken on Sept. 11, 2014, to illustrate the on-demand internet streaming media provider Netflix on the home video game console PlayStation 3 in Stockholm.
JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP/Getty Images
As if Netflix weren't already beasting the online-video-content game with its stellar original series and large catalog of movie selections, the entertainment company raised the bar once again Wednesday by introducing video downloads at no extra cost to its customer base.
In a statement on its website, the company said, "While many members enjoy watching Netflix at home, we've often heard they also want to continue their Stranger Things binge while on airplanes and other places where internet is expensive or limited. Just click the download button on the details page for a film or TV series, and you can watch it later without an internet connection."
The downloads feature is available on iOS and Android and is included in all Netflix subscription plans. The company said that many of its streaming series and movie titles are already available for download, and more are on the way.
Streaming services have allowed many people to cut the cord and get rid of their cable television subscriptions. Where Netflix comes out ahead in that game is in the cost of its service. Plans range from $7.99 for the most basic service to $11.99 for service that includes HD and Ultra HD. Compare that with the pricing for the HBO Now standalone app, which runs $14.99 per month.
Netflix is not the first streaming service to offer offline video, but the move does make the service more competitive with iTunes, Google Play and Amazon Prime, all of which offer video rentals and purchases for download.
In order to use the new service, Netflix users should make sure they have the most current version of the app on their device.
Read more on the Netflix blog.


text:
What you can WIN
Other Stuff to Buy
Stallion Directory
Show and Event Photography
Hoofbeats Article
Not every pregnancy produces a healthy foal, so a safe delivery is worth celebrating. The circumstances were less than ideal for these newcomers, but with a little bit of luck, and a lot of love, all achieved their happy ending.
Love of Money - 'Twiggy'
Twiggy was born three weeks prematurely in the midst of a September storm and so tiny, that Kirsty and Jane Bayliss say they still have trouble finding halters small enough to fit the filly.
Kirsty and Jane took this photo after finding Twiggy asleep in the feed bin, which, much to the disgust of her dam, Miss Moneypenny, happened just after the evening feed had been delivered!
Despite coming into the world a little ahead of schedule, Kirsty and Jane say that Twiggy is a healthy foal and growing 'like a weed.'
Promise Me a Miracle
When Promise's Dam, Cosi, was rescued from the bush near Kalgoorlie, it would set events in motion that would cost owner, Allyson Corti, more time and money than she could ever have imagined. Cosi had survived a bullet wound to the throat and when brought in for treatment had been removed from horses that were later identified as her own colt and filly.
"I made her a promise," Allyson said, "that one day I would give her a new baby to be with her always."
Although Allyson was told that the mare would never foal again, she was determined to honour her pledge.
"I couldn't let it rest," she said, "so I let homeopathic treatments, Mother Nature, Father Time and beloved station deal with the situation."
Eight years, a stillborn colt and almost $20,000 later Cosi's filly was born – Promise Me A Miracle.
Powderbark Rapunzel
Tom Thumb was a young stallion rescued from Gunnadorrah Station by the Outback Heritage Horse Association of WA in 2006. As a black silver brumby he stood out from the herd and also impressed with his calm and friendly temperament.
Emily Sheridan bred the last three foals Tom Thumb sired. Cinderella's dam, Lady Kingston, is another rescue horse, adopted from the RSPCA after being surrendered by a neglectful home. As well as her colour, Emily says Cinderella also reflects her humble beginnings and anticipates her future stardom.
Tom Thumb's last foal was Jennellerine Celebration's (aka Celia) first foal. Emily says that Tom Thumb and Celia, a Palouse/Caspian, were so much in love that they decided to let Tom serve Celia even though he was two hands taller. Not long after that Tom Thumb tragically died.
"Rumpelstiltskin is everything such a miraculous foal should be," Emily said. "He has elegance and presence and is bold and energetic, thinking nothing of bossing his sisters around, even though they are twice his size. We anticipate that Rumpelstiltskin will have a golden future in whatever role lies ahead for him."
Caboonbah Jess's Little Miracle
Katy Driver won a service to Jessie's sire in a raffle at the Queensland Pinto State Championships in 2010. Only three days after being served her dam, Jess, had to be treated for hives. The mare's face and neck swelled so much that she couldn't breathe properly and struggled to eat. The antihistamine and steroid injections needed to treat the hives would usually cause reabsorption but a 30 day scan showed she was still in foal.
The January floods were another heart-stopping time for Katy when Jess became trapped by floodwaters.
From the air, we thought she was dead," Katy recalls. "We couldn't see any movement."
Once she could get to Jess, several days later, Katy found that not only was the mare still alive, but she had only suffered a small fracture to her shoulder and some damage to her front leg. Stable rest was all that was required and to Katy's surprise and relief Jess was still in foal.
After such a stressful pregnancy Katy says she had prepared herself for a stillborn foal so she was delighted when Jess, who had made a full recovery, delivered a very healthy pinto filly – Caboonbah Jess's Miracle.
Chester's Park Little Miracle
Susannne Clark thought the worst was over once Sock's foal was born after a long and difficult delivery, but the tiny colt still wasn't in the clear.
"When I checked on him at first light he was limp and floppy," Susanne says. "I had to get him drinking for the energy he needed."
Every 20 minutes for the rest of the day she woke him, breathing through his nose and rubbing him. That night Susanne slept in the stable, bringing the foal into the swag with her between feeds so she could feel his heartbeat.
In the early hours of the morning Susanne woke to the foal trying to get out of the swag. As she watched, the little colt went to drink for the first time on his own. Although Susanne kept a close eye on him for the rest of the day, she was now sure he would be okay.
As Susanne says, it goes to show you have to have a little faith at foaling time.


Summary Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in certain applications using Apache Tomcat 4.0.0 through 4.0.6 and 4.1.0 through 4.1.34 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via crafted "Accept-Language headers that do not conform to RFC 2616".
description According to its self-reported version number, the instance of Apache Tomcat 4.x listening on the remote host is prior to 4.1.36. It is, therefore, affected by the following vulnerabilities : - Requests containing multiple 'content-length' headers are not rejected as invalid. This error can allow web-cache poisoning, cross-site scripting attacks and information disclosure. (CVE-2005-2090) - An input sanitization error exists that can allow disclosure of sensitive information via directory traversal. This vulnerability is exposed when the server is configured to use the 'Proxy' module. (CVE-2007-0450) - 'Accept-Language' headers are not validated properly, which can allow cross-site scripting attacks. (CVE-2007-1358) Note that Nessus has not tested for these issues but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version number.
description Apache Project reports : The Apache Tomcat team is proud to announce the immediate availability of Tomcat 4.1.36 stable. This build contains numerous library updates, A small number of bug fixes and two important security fixes.
description According to its self-reported version number, the instance of Apache Tomcat 5.x listening on the remote host is prior to 5.5.21. It is, therefore, affected by the following vulnerabilities : - The remote Apache Tomcat install is vulnerable to a cross-site scripting attack. The client supplied Accept-Language headers are not validated which allows an attacker to use a specially crafted URL to inject arbitrary HTML and script code into the user's browser. (CVE-2007-1358) - If the remote Apache Tomcat install is configured to use the SingleSignOn Valve, the JSESSIONIDSSO cookie does not have the 'secure' attribute set if authentication takes place over HTTPS. This allows the JSESSIONIDSSO cookie to be sent to the same server when HTTP content is requested. (CVE-2008-0128) - The remote Apache Tomcat install is affected by an information disclosure vulnerability. The doRead method fails to return the proper error code for certain error conditions, which can cause POST content to be sent to different, and improper, requests. (CVE-2008-4308) Note that Nessus has not tested for these issues but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version number.
description According to its self-reported version number, the Apache Tomcat instance listening on the remote host is prior to 6.0.6. It is, therefore, affected by the following vulnerability : - A cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability exists due to improper validation of user-supplied input before returning it to users. An unauthenticated, remote attacker can exploit this, by convincing a user to click a specially crafted URL, to execute arbitrary script code in a user's browser session. Note that Nessus has not tested for these issues but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version number.
description From Red Hat Security Advisory 2007:0327 : Updated tomcat packages that fix multiple security issues are now available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5. This update has been rated as having important security impact by the Red Hat Security Response Team. Tomcat is a servlet container for Java Servlet and JavaServer Pages technologies. Tomcat was found to accept multiple content-length headers in a request. This could allow attackers to poison a web-cache, bypass web application firewall protection, or conduct cross-site scripting attacks. (CVE-2005-2090) Tomcat permitted various characters as path delimiters. If Tomcat was used behind certain proxies and configured to only proxy some contexts, an attacker could construct an HTTP request to work around the context restriction and potentially access non-proxied content. (CVE-2007-0450) The implict-objects.jsp file distributed in the examples webapp displayed a number of unfiltered header values. If the JSP examples were accessible, this flaw could allow a remote attacker to perform cross-site scripting attacks. (CVE-2006-7195) Users should upgrade to these erratum packages which contain an update to Tomcat that resolves these issues. Updated jakarta-commons-modeler packages are also included which correct a bug when used with Tomcat 5.5.23.
description Updated tomcat packages that fix multiple security issues are now available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5. This update has been rated as having important security impact by the Red Hat Security Response Team. Tomcat is a servlet container for Java Servlet and JavaServer Pages technologies. Tomcat was found to accept multiple content-length headers in a request. This could allow attackers to poison a web-cache, bypass web application firewall protection, or conduct cross-site scripting attacks. (CVE-2005-2090) Tomcat permitted various characters as path delimiters. If Tomcat was used behind certain proxies and configured to only proxy some contexts, an attacker could construct an HTTP request to work around the context restriction and potentially access non-proxied content. (CVE-2007-0450) The implict-objects.jsp file distributed in the examples webapp displayed a number of unfiltered header values. If the JSP examples were accessible, this flaw could allow a remote attacker to perform cross-site scripting attacks. (CVE-2006-7195) Users should upgrade to these erratum packages which contain an update to Tomcat that resolves these issues. Updated jakarta-commons-modeler packages are also included which correct a bug when used with Tomcat 5.5.23.
description Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in certain applications using Apache Tomcat 4.0.0 through 4.0.6 and 4.1.0 through 4.1.34 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via crafted "Accept-Language headers that do not conform to RFC 2616".
title Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in certain applications using Apache Tomcat 4.0.0 through 4.0.6 and 4.1.0 through 4.1.34 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via crafted "Accept-Language headers that do not conform to RFC 2616".


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You are at:Home»Reviews»Hardcore»Marginal – Total Destruction
Marginal – Total Destruction
By Catherine Fearns on	 December 12, 2017 Hardcore, Reviews
Band: Marginal
Album: Total Destruction
Record label: Transcending Obscurity
Bandcamp & Facebook
1. Barbarians
2. Delirium Tremens
3. Ruination
4. Impaled
5. Useless Scum
6. I Used To Be Intelligent
7. Rat Kebab
8. The Violent Way
9. Leech Invader
10. Fucked Up Society
11. Atom Sapiens
12. Total Destruction
Marginal has only been around since 2013, but this Belgium-based grindcore/crust quintet are musical veterans (ex- Suhrim, Jesus Martyr and others) and their experience shows. Third album Total Destruction displays their confidence with its simplicity and directness: this is remarkably stripped-back, organic aggression.
First track 'Barbarians' sets the tone for the whole album with brutal, satisfyingly simple guitar riffs and a neat song structure. The guitars on this album reference old-school 1980s grindcore, with Napalm Death and Extreme Noise Terror influences in clear evidence. There are strong thrash metal influences too, notably in 'Impaled' and 'Total Destruction', which most likely derive from guitarist Martin's time in Argentinian thrash act Jesus Martyr. [1] There's also some fantastic tremolo picking in 'Delirium Tremens' and 'Total Destruction' which add Slayer-like tension and dissonance. For the most part the pace is relentlessly fast, only slowing down for the doomy first half of 'Rat Kebab'- great title for a grindcore ballad.
The drumming is a stand-out feature of the album, providing plenty of variety between d-beat and blast beats, with striking examples of manic drumming in 'Delerium Tremens' and 'Leech Invader'. The drumming quality is even more impressive given that apparently the album was recorded in a single weekend with no drum editing, and the drummer didn't know the songs beforehand. This is testament to the interpretative accomplishment of drummer Steven (ex-Aborted).
On the subject of production, although Marginal advertise themselves as crusty and raw, the mix is actually clearer than you might expect, and this works well. When the sound really fills out, for example in the second half of 'The Violent Way', the purer production allows you to appreciate all the different elements. Sonic effects are used extremely sparingly in this album, and I wonder if Marginal could have gone for more. For example I really liked the ghostly female voice that appeared in the choruses of 'Impaled', and the mid-register dissonant guitar sirens in the same song, as well as in 'Ruination'. A few more ideas like this could take Marginal to the next level.
Lyrical themes are, as you might expect, societal problems, drugs and alcohol, modern politics and the threat of annihilation. The vocals are low in the mix and the far-away effect works, although I'd like to have a lyric sheet to discern more of the subject matter. In accordance with the album title, nuclear war is a particular focus, and given recent Trump-North Korea insanities this is perhaps not such a 1980s anachronism. The last two tracks are prefaced by recorded excerpts from Robert Oppenheimer's famous 'Destroyer of Worlds' speech, [2] while the album ends with thirty seconds of the sound of a nuclear bomb exploding.
This album doesn't break any new ground; in fact it harks back to the old days of UK grindcore pioneers, and wouldn't have sounded out of place in the 1980s. There is a question as to whether it is a bit too simple. Given the obvious technical competence of the band, perhaps they could have been more innovative with the riffs, effects and song structures. However in that sense, Total Destruction does what it says on the tin. This album is a less challenging listen than the more experimental, dissonant grindcore out there, which perhaps allows it to communicate its raw aggression more effectively, and sometimes that's exactly what you want. Marginal say of this album that "We aim to make a sonic fist in the face" and they have undoubtedly achieved that.
1. https://www.facebook.com/pg/marginalmusic/about/
2. For another recently-reviewed record sampling Oppenheimer's Destroyer of Worlds speech, look to Hereza's I Become Death.
Catherine Fearns
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California Retina Consultants is located at the address 1505 W Avenue J in Lancaster, California 93534. They can be contacted via phone at (661) 948-0102 for pricing, hours and directions.
For maps and directions to California Retina Consultants view the map to the right. For reviews of California Retina Consultants see below.


I really like to be caught by surprise and that's exactly what happened with this record. Even though Sioum have been around for a while (their first album I Am Mortal, But Was Fiend dates back to 2010), I confess I'd never heard about them before. They were described to me as a very promising instrumental band and I was told that I'd enjoy this release more than the latest Russian Circles release. Truth is that, while I cannot compare the two bands, I still loved this release to bits.
Yet Further is packed with a healthy mix of Post Rock/Metal, Math Rock, Prog and some spacey Psych and Electronica. Weird? Possibly. Refreshing? Oh yes. Good? Definitely.
There are only 7 tracks but 74 (!) minutes of relentless drumming, synth galore, chunky and groovy riffs, and overall extremely energetic and invigorating music. Oh and I almost forgot to mention: they don't have a bass player.
Even though there's quite a bit of repetive riffing (which is not a bad thing in my book), there's not a single moment of monotony. These songs have loads of layers and textures, the transitions are brilliantly executed and you're left wondering what they're going to hit you with next.
If I had to find a song (or two) to best showcase the album, I'd go with "Welcome to New Beginnings / …And Technological Advancements". These two tracks can easily work as one as they effortlessly flow into each other. It's sublime and emotional piano part midway makes for the perfect relief to these almost 17 minutes of relentless riffing and drumming.
Yet Further is an extremely diverse record. It's not easy to digest and might even be hard to listen to it in one go. However, once it all sinks in, you will keep coming back for more. Without a doubt one of biggest surprises and one the best instrumental albums of 2016.


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Peters Presses Administration to Take Strong Action to Prevent Coronavirus Outbreak in U.S.
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters, Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released the following statement on the Administration's request for $2.5 billion to address the growing Coronavirus outbreak:
"The highly contagious and rapidly spreading Coronavirus outbreak is a serious threat to our public health and safety. As Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, I continue to press the Administration to take decisive action. Having the right resources in this emergency is critical, and I am concerned that the Administration's request for additional funds is not sufficient to effectively protect Michiganders and Americans from this deadly virus.
"I urge the Administration to work with Congress to ensure we have appropriate resources to develop and distribute vaccines and stockpile much needed medicine and protective equipment. We must also provide the necessary support to state and local governments, including those in Michigan that are assisting with quarantine and other response efforts."
Earlier this year, Peters joined Homeland Security Committee Chairman Ron Johnson (R-WI) in requesting detailed information about the Administration's strategy for responding to the emerging outbreak and called on the Trump Administration to fully fund pandemic preparedness and response efforts in the 2021 budget. Peters has been briefed at the White House on the Administration's ongoing efforts to contain the outbreak, and he convened a roundtable discussion with public health and security leaders to examine the federal government's actions to limit the spread of the deadly virus. Peters also joined his colleagues in calling on the Administration to appoint a global health security expert to the White House's National Security Council (NSC) to coordinate the Administration's Coronavirus response efforts. The NSC has been without a health expert for almost two years.
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