text:
Declassified Government Documents Reveal the Truth About UFOs
Filed to:triviagasm
As any viewer of Fringe or The X-Files will tell you, the governments of the world know more about UFOs and alien life than they're letting on. The party line may be that UFO sightings are mere misunderstandings and close encounters a fantasy, but not every government official agrees. We've rifled through tons of declassified government documents and turned up papers that prove the truth about UFOs is still out there.Estimate of the Situation (1948) Prepared by: The United States Air Force's Project Sign Contents: During its single year of existence, Sign investigated reports of UFO phenomena. Estimate of the Situation stated that, while the existence of alien saucers could be neither confirmed or denied, most Sign personnel believed that the extraterrestrial hypothesis was the most likely explanation for the phenomena. Since the technology reported by UFO observers was not currently available on Earth, it was likely of extraterrestrial origin, a possibility many in intelligence circles were willing to accept. Proof of Alien Life? Critics of the Estimate note that the report does not cite any physical evidence of extraplanetary technology (although some claim that the report of physical evidence was censored). But the Air Force was worried enough about the Estimate that it was long suppressed, with officials denying that such a report ever existed. And when members of Sign continued to stand by their extraterrestrial hypothesis, the project was dissolved and its members assigned to other projects. The Project Magnet Report (1952) Prepared by: The Canadian Department of Transportation Contents: The Department of Transportation set up Project Magnet to determine whether extraterrestrial vehicles could be exploiting the Earth's magnetic field as a method of propulsion. The 1952 Project Magnet report rejected the idea that UFO sightings could be explained as balloons, conventional aircraft, or optical illusions. Given the apparent size and technological capabilities of the crafts, the report concluded:
It appears then, that we are faced with a substantial probability of the real existence of extra-terrestrial vehicles, regardless of whether or not they fit into our scheme of things. Such vehicles of necessity must use a technology considerably in advance of what we have. It is therefore submitted that the next step in this investigation should be a substantial effort towards the acquisition of this technology, which would without doubt be of great value to us.
Proof of Alien Life? Two days after Project Magnet's observational facility recorded what it believed to be gravimetric variation consistent with an alien vehicle, the Canadian Department of Transportation abruptly ended the program in light of unwanted publicity. The DOT claimed it was because the research was turning up nothing new, but it could be because its secret project wasn't so secret anymore. Project Blue Book Special Report No. 14 (1954) Prepared by: The US Air Force's Project Blue Book Contents: After the dissolution of Project Sign and its UFO-debunking successor Project Grudge, Project Blue Book was tasked with the Air Force's investigation into UFO phenomena. Special Report No. 14 classified various UFO phenomena and described the characteristics between known phenomena – which Blue Book could explain – and "unknown" phenomena, which it could not. Most significantly, the report explains that the reports in unknown phenomena are, in fact, highly detailed and tend to feature an unusually large number of witnesses who are especially competent to report on such phenomena (such as airline pilots and military personnel), as well as corroborating evidence, such as photographs and radar contact. The report indicated that 22% of the cases were unknown. Proof of Alien Life? The Air Force tried to downplay the percentage of unknowns, and even claimed the report proved that UFOs were not extraterrestrial in origin. But some critics found the high number of well-reported unknowns alarming. Project Blue Book would continue investigating reports of UFOs until 1969, when the Air Force ended its research into UFO phenomena. UFO Hypothesis and Survival Questions (1968) Prepared by: The US National Security Agency Contents: This document explores and rejects the hypotheses that all UFO sightings can be explained as either hoaxes, hallucinations, natural phenomena, or secret Earth projects. It goes on to discuss the implications of extraterrestrial life forms visiting Earth, noting that if UFOs are extraterrestrial in origin, these close encounters could herald humanity's eventual conquest. It even goes so far as to list how a technologically inferior species could survive and maintain its identity in the face of an alien conqueror. The bottom line is that not knowing the origin of these phenomena presents a risk to national (and perhaps global) security, and that the US should treat the investigation into UFO phenomena with the same urgency that one would treat a cry of "rattlesnake":
Investigation would become an intensive emergency action to isolate the threat and to determine it's precise nature – It would be geared to developing adequate defensive measures in a minimum amount of time. It would seem a little more of this survival attitude is called for in dealing with the UFO problem.
Proof of Alien Life? The NSA has stated that this document should not be taken as evidence of the NSA's belief in alien life, but it does indicate that it does suggest that at least some at the NSA were open to the possibility and believed were deeply disturbed that these potentially dangerous phenomena were left unexplained. Tehran Incident Documents (1976-1978) Prepared by: The US Department of Defense and Captain Henry S. Shields, HQ USAFE/INOMP Contents: The article provides and account of the 1976 Tehran UFO incident, when two F-4 Phantom jet fighters were sent to investigate reports of a UFO spotted over Tehran. Each F-4 lost instrument and communication capability as it approached the object, only to find them restored once they retreated. One F-4 attempted to fire on the object, but its weapons systems malfunctioned. The object did not appear on any surveillance instruments, although several visual sightings did occur. In a classified article for MIJI Quarterly on the incident, Captain Shields writes:
No additional information or explanation of the strange events has been forthcoming; the story will be filed away and probably forgotten, but it makes interesting, and possibly disturbing, reading.
Proof of Alien Life? One of the pilots certainly thought so. Parviz Jafari of the Imperial Iranian Air Force has publicly demanded a worldwide investigation into UFO phenomena as a result of his encounter. The Iranian Air Force Deputy Commander, Lieutenant General Abdollah Azarbarzin reported the incident to the US Military Assistance Advisory Group in Tehran, stating that the UFO outperformed any known human aircraft. This is just one of many reported encounters that the US government has not been able to explain. CIA Officials Conducting "Unofficial" Research (1976) Prepared by: Individuals within the US CIA's Domestic Collection Division Contents: In response to a request for information on CIA UFO research, someone within the CIA wrote that some within the agency monitor and investigate UFO phenomena, albeit on an unofficial basis:
It does not seem that the government has any formal program in progress for the identification/solution of the UFO phenomena. Dr [censored] feel that the efforts of independent researchers, [censored], are vital for further progress in this area. At the present time, there are offices and personnel within the Agency who are monitoring the UFO phenomena, but again, this is not currently on an official basis. Dr [censored] feels that the best approach would be to keep in touch with and in fact develop reporting channels in this area to keep the Agency/community informed of any new developments. In particular, any information which might indicate a threat potential would be of interest, as would specific indications of foreign developments or applications of UFO related research.
A second letter confirms that the DCD was, in fact, collecting UFO-related information:
At a recent meeting to evaluate some material from [censored] you mentioned a personal interest in the UFO phenomenon. As you may recall, I mentioned my own interest in the subject as well as the fact that DCD had been receiving UFO related material from many of our S&T sources who are presently conducting related research. These scientists include some who have been associated with the Agency for years and who credentials remove them from the "nut variety."
Proof of Alien Life? Any information related to UFO phenomena in these documents is censored, but it indicates that many CIA employees and contractors were working to better understand the UFO phenomena, even if their work wasn't officially on the books. The CIA's Role in the Study of UFOs, 1947-90 (2002) Prepared by: Gerald Haines, official CIA historian Content: In an article for Studies in Intelligence, Haines outlines the CIA's involvement in UFO research. The CIA admits that it had conducted UFO research independent of the Air Force's research, that it continued this research after the dissolution of Project Blue Book (which the CIA had a hand in), and that the Agency had deliberately concealed its interest in UFO phenomena from the public. Proof of Alien Life? The article claims that the Agency maintained only a "low-key interest" in UFOs, which largely waned after the Cold War. It did admit, however, that some individuals within the CIA did take an active interest in the "parapsychology and psychic phenomena associated with UFO sightings." Comprehensive Catalog of 1,500 Project Blue Book UFO Unknowns (2003) Prepared by: Fund for UFO Research (FUROR), based on Blue Book catalog Content: Although not itself a government document, this document lists the 1,500 declassified UFO reports that Project Blue Book was unable to explain, as well as notes from Blue Book members (it is worth noting that FUROR and Project Blue Book use different criteria, and that Blue Book itself reported only 701 unknowns by its dissolution). Proof of Alien Life? As with many Blue Book reports, the catalog provides no actual evidence of extraterrestrial life, but only suggests that some incidents require further investigation. [Blue Book Archive] [The Black Vault] [UFOs Are Real: Extraterrestrial Encounters Documented by the U.S. Government]


Beautiful Collective Worship from our Y6 today. Emphasing the importance of compassion.
Hot seating John The Baptist in class today. How can we get the road ready for Jesus?
We had the opportunity to take part in a local Hindu festival.
Archdiocese Day 2018. St John Bosco.


Men's fashion and the other random stuff that interests me.
tags: Men's footwear, Northampton Sneaker Co.
Luxury. The world is all about luxury nowadays. And adding a bit of that into the humble trainer are the Northampton Sneaker Co. – makers of luxury footwear, hand-crafted in England and using only the finest materials. The label launched earlier this year and boldly aims to take casual footwear and combine it with the quality and manufacturing techniques found in classic English shoe making.
As you may have guessed from the company's name, All of NSC's footwear is made entirely in Northamptonshire, with all components sourced locally whenever possible. Each pair of sneakers takes around thirty hours to hand-craft and each pair undertakes 200 separate operations during their production. And uniquely one of these processes is Goodyear welting, a method normally the preserve of shoe-making but used here to make certain the sneakers last decades rather than mere months. And the sole of choice is Italy's Vibram, arguably the best sole makers in the world.
Every piece of this footwear is cut, stitched and assembled entirely by hand by highly skilled craftsmen and women in a Northampton factory that's been producing welted boots and shoes for well over a hundred years. The sneakers get their shape from handcrafted Springline (also Northampton based) lasts created bespoke for the brand by master craftsmen. Finally, the premium leather used is sourced from a family business located on the outskirts of Northampton who supply some of the finest leathers in the world to the shoe factories across Northamptonshire.
For more information on the brand, or to buy from their online shop, go to the website here: Northampton Sneaker Co.
Been keeping an eye on NSC's progress. I really like these. Such a refreshing change to see a good quality grown-up sneaker that is handmade in England rather than mass produced in some Far-Eastern land, or worse still the current glut of pseudo Italian glorified school pumps.
The quality looks to be there but the design is still a bit redwing. What's that perforation at the side!?


text:
namespace media {

class AudioManagerCras;
class AudioParameters;

// Implementation of AudioOuputStream for Chrome OS using the Chrome OS audio
// server.
class MEDIA_EXPORT CrasOutputStream : public AudioOutputStream {
 public:
  // The ctor takes all the usual parameters, plus |manager| which is the
  // audio manager who is creating this object.
  CrasOutputStream(const AudioParameters& params, AudioManagerCras* manager);

  // The dtor is typically called by the AudioManager only and it is usually
  // triggered by calling AudioOutputStream::Close().
  virtual ~CrasOutputStream();

  // Implementation of AudioOutputStream.
  virtual bool Open() OVERRIDE;
  virtual void Close() OVERRIDE;
  virtual void Start(AudioSourceCallback* callback) OVERRIDE;
  virtual void Stop() OVERRIDE;
  virtual void SetVolume(double volume) OVERRIDE;
  virtual void GetVolume(double* volume) OVERRIDE;

  // Flags indicating the state of the stream.
  enum InternalState {
    kInError = 0,
    kCreated,
    kIsOpened,
    kIsPlaying,
    kIsStopped,
    kIsClosed
  };
  friend std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, InternalState);
  // Reports the current state for unit testing.
  InternalState state();

 private:
  // Handles requests to put samples in the provided buffer.  This will be
  // called by the audio server when it needs more data.
  static int PutSamples(cras_client* client,
                        cras_stream_id_t stream_id,
                        uint8* samples,
                        size_t frames,
                        const timespec* sample_ts,
                        void* arg);

  // Handles notificaiton that there was an error with the playback stream.
  static int StreamError(cras_client* client,
                         cras_stream_id_t stream_id,
                         int err,
                         void* arg);

  // Actually fills buffer with audio data.  Called from PutSamples().
  uint32 Render(size_t frames, uint8* buffer, const timespec* sample_ts);

  // Deals with an error that occured in the stream.  Called from StreamError().
  void NotifyStreamError(int err);

  // Functions to safeguard state transitions.  All changes to the object state
  // should go through these functions.
  bool CanTransitionTo(InternalState to);
  InternalState TransitionTo(InternalState to);

  // The client used to communicate with the audio server.
  cras_client* client_;

  // ID of the playing stream.
  cras_stream_id_t stream_id_;

  // Packet size in samples.
  uint32 samples_per_packet_;

  // Size of frame in bytes.
  uint32 bytes_per_frame_;

  // Rate in Hz.
  size_t frame_rate_;

  // Number of channels.
  size_t num_channels_;

  // PCM format for Alsa.
  const snd_pcm_format_t pcm_format_;

  // Current state.
  InternalState state_;

  // Volume level from 0.0 to 1.0.
  float volume_;

  // Audio manager that created us.  Used to report that we've been closed.
  AudioManagerCras* manager_;

  // Callback to get audio samples.
  AudioSourceCallback* source_callback_;

  // Container for retrieving data from AudioSourceCallback::OnMoreData().
  scoped_ptr<AudioBus> audio_bus_;

  DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(CrasOutputStream);
};

}  // namespace media

#endif  // MEDIA_AUDIO_CRAS_CRAS_OUTPUT_H_

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Rupandehi District (; ), a part of Lumbini Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal and covers an area of . The district headquarter is Bhairahawa. As per the national census 2011, the population of Rupandehi was 880,196.

Etymology
Rupandehi is named after Rupadevi, the queen of King Suddhodana.

History
Lumbini, birthplace of Buddha, lies in Rupandehi district. Devdaha, the birthplace of Mayadevi (mother of Buddha), also lies in Rupandehi district.

Demographics
At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, Rupandehi District had a population of 880,196. Of these, 36.8% spoke Bhojpuri, 36.6% Nepali, 6.4% Awadhi, 6.3% Tharu, 4.2% Magar, 3.6% Maithili, 2.6% Urdu, 1.3% Newari, 1.2% Gurung, 0.5% Hindi, 0.1% Doteli, 0.1% Tamang and 0.1% other languages as their first language.

In terms of ethnicity/caste, 15.9% were Hill Brahmin, 10.7% Magar, 9.7% Tharu, 8.3% Musalman, 7.4% Yadav, 6.8% Chhetri, 3.7% Chamar/Harijan/Ram, 3.1% Kami, 2.9% Lodh, 2.5% Kewat, 2.3% Kahar, 2.1% Newar, 2.0% Dhobi, 2.0% Gurung, 2.0% Kurmi, 2.0% Mallaha, 1.6% Kathabaniyan, 1.5% Dusadh/Pasawan/Pasi, 1.4% Teli, 1.1% Damai/Dholi, 0.9% Koiri/Kushwaha, 0.8% Baraee, 0.8% Hajam/Thakur, 0.7% other Terai, 0.7% Thakuri, 0.6% Terai Brahmin, 0.5% Kalwar, 0.5% Lohar, 0.5% Sanyasi/Dasnami, 0.5% Sarki, 0.4% Gaderi/Bhedidar, 0.4% Halwai, 0.4% Kumal, 0.2% Badhaee, 0.2% Bengali, 0.2% other Dalit, 0.2% Kayastha, 0.2% Marwadi, 0.2% Musahar, 0.2% Tamang, 0.1% Badi, 0.1% Chhantyal, 0.1% Dhandi, 0.1% Dhankar/Darikar, 0.1% Dhunia, 0.1% foreigners, 0.1% Gharti/Bhujel, 0.1% Majhi, 0.1% Mali, 0.1% Rai, 0.1% Rajbhar, 0.1% Rajput, 0.1% Thakali and 0.1% others.

In terms of religion, 86.2% were Hindu, 8.2% Muslim, 4.6% Buddhist, 0.7% Christian, 0.1% Bon and 0.1% others.

In terms of literacy, 69.6% could read and write, 2.3% could only read and 28.0% could neither read nor write.

At the time of 2011 A.D National population and Housing census 2011 was reported that total population of Rupandehi district was 880,196 . and Male=432,193 and Female=448,003 and total household was 163,916 .
Data Source: Central bureau of statistics Kathmandu, government of Nepal.

Administrative divisions
Rupandehi is divided into 16 local level units, in which 6 are urban municipality and 10 are Rural Municipality. Butwal is considered as a Sub-Metropolitan municipality.

Constituencies
Rupandehi is divided into 5 Parliamentary constituencies and 10 Provincial constituencies.

NGOs in Rupandehi Rupandehi is divided into 5 Parliamentary constituencies and 10 Provincial constituencies.

Constituencies
Rupandehi is divided into 5 Parliamentary constituencies and 10 Provincial constituencies.

Geography
The district lies on the southern and western part of Nepal. On the East it shares border with Nawalparasi District, on West with Kapilvastu District, on North with Palpa District and on South with India. The elevation of the district lies between 100m to 1229m from sea level. The total area of the district is 1,360 km2 with 16.1% in Churia Range and rest in the Terai region.

Major rivers
Rupandehi has many rivers all of which flow from Northern mountains towards south into India.
 Tinau River
 Kothi River
 Sukhaira River
 Bagela River
 Rohini River
 Kanchan River
 Kacharar River
 Koili River
 Danav River
 Danda River
 Ghodaha
 Khadawa

Major lakes
Gaidahawa lake (Gaidahawa)
Gajedi lake (Gajedi)
Nanda vauju lake (Chilhiya)
Sukaiiya lake

Climate

Praketeshwar Mahadev
Praketeshwar Mandir is near of Lumbini Road. In months of Shrawan (late July and early August), there is a big crowded fair, quite popular among locals and people around the regions.

Nawa Durga Bhawani Mandir
It lies in Sainamaina-3, Murgiya. Many peoples visit there to worship Goddess Durga throughout the year. Many poojas are conducted timely. It is regularly repaired by the members involved in its development.

Lumbini
Lumbini is the birthplace of Buddha on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. It is granted World Heritage status by UNESCO in 1997. Thousands of Buddhist monks, pilgrims and tourists visit Lumbini annually. The ongoing up-gradation of Gautam Buddha Airport into international airport is expected to increase the number of visitors. Mahinda Rajapakshe, President of Sri Lanka is one of the high-profile visitor of Lumbini.

Siddha Baba Mandir
This is a temple dedicated to Shiva situated in border between Palpa and Rupandehi. There is a belief that Shiva grants the wishes of the devotees who visit the temple. There are two Siddha Baba Mandir adjacent to each other. One lies within Rupandehi and another in Palpa. Nonetheless, both Mandir are regarded as pilgrimages of equal importance.

Satiya Devi Temple and Satiya Mai Mandir

This is a temple dedicated to Devi Satiya situated in Patkhauli VDC, near Rohini Khola In Rupandehi. There is a belief that Real Lady grants the wishes of the devotees who visit the temple. There are a real Maya Devi Mandir and other is modified temple adjacent to each other. One lies within Rupandehi and another in Palpa. Nonetheless, both Mandir are regarded as a pilgrimage of equal importance. Due to the Godes beloved to visitors in Satiya Ban area. Actually, this temple is situated in the middle of Rohini Khola but now River is flowing west of Satiya Devi Temple and Satiya Bagaicha.

Manimukunda Sen Park
Once a winter palace of King Manimukunda Sen, Manimukunda Sen Park is another major attraction in Rupandehi. The palace is not in shape but the ruins and antiquities of the majestic palace can still be found. It is situated in Butwal City and is popular for the picnic spots, zoo and the gardens inside the park. The greenery and the view of Rupandehi, Palpa and Kapilvastu districts is also another attraction in the park.

Parroha Bol Bam Dham
It is the oldest Bol Bam Dham (pilgrimage and festival) in Nepal. The pilgrimage is dedicated to Shiva located in Sainamaina Municipality. Thousands of Shiva's devotees from various parts of the country and from neighboring States of India visit to worship the Shivalinga inside the Bol Bam Dham. The major inflow of pilgrims occurs during the Bol Bam. Bol Bam is an annual pilgrimage glorifying Shiva made in Shraavana in which devotees travel barefooted wearing saffron robes in routes to the dham.

Shankar Nagar Ban Bihar and Research Center
Shankar Nagar Ban Bihar and Research Centre, simply referred as Ban Batika by locals is an attraction in Tilottama Municipality. The centre is maintained inside Shankarnagar Community Forest. It is visited for its picnic spots, zoo and garden.

 Chanchala Mai Mandir
 Jit Gadhi

Marchwari Devi Temple lies in Bogadi VDC of Rupandehi. It is a historical temple among the 24 previous VDC. The area surrounding this temple (now 18 VDCs) are named after this temple as Marchwar. The local people and peoples from INDIA, Uttar Pradesh visit there on specific occasions to celebrate childbirth, engagement and marriage ceremonies.

Chappiya Fish village
Chappiya fish village resort has become an attraction in siyari municipality and has peoples visiting from many neighbouring municipalities. It provides various species of fish and mouth watering cuisines, and have the option of boating and fishing. It is located in Siyari Gaupalika which is about 12 kilometer west of Bhairahawa.

Pardasani mela
It is one of the most popular mela held annually in butwal. It is related to business.

Major economic centers
 Butwal
 Siddharthanagar (Bhairahawa)
 Dhakdhai (industrial area)
 Lumbini (world Heritage Area, as tourism)
 Devdaha (miroduct area)
 Sainamaina (Murgiya for sports and tourism)
 Murgiya
 Manigram
 Chho.gen Never (grain products area)
 Kothihawa
 Lumbini
 Saljhandi
 Sauraha Pharsatikar
 Bhalwari
 Manglapur
 Bashgadi
 Jogada
 Divertole
 Sankarnagar
 Jogikuti
 Thutipipal
 semlar
 marchawar
 Chhapiya
SEMARI (industrial area)

Non-profit organisations
 Center for Development and Disaster management (CDM-Nepal)
 NAMUNA Integrated Development Council (NAMUNA)
 Tarai Dalit Concern centre Nepal TDCC Nepal
 FSC Rupandehi
 Samriddhi Foundation
 Ma Bhagawiti Anurag Jagarn Samooh
 Astha Samuha
 Brahmakumaris organization
 Biodiversity Conservancy Nepal
 Lilaram Kuntidevi Neupane Foundation
 Namaste Kids Nepal
 Seto Gurans Child Development Service Rupandehi
 Nepal Bikash Kendra Butwal -11,Rupandehi (Nepal Development Center)

Education
Rupandehi is renowned at national level on education sector for its infrastructure and achievements. Jilla Shikshya Karyalaya, Rupandehi (District Education Office, Rupandehi) under Ministry of Education manages and govern the education in the district. Currently, it manages 745 educational institutions in the district. As per National Census 2011, the literacy rate of the district is 72%, where male literacy rate is 89% and female literacy rate is 62%. The literacy rate is above the national average.

Transportation
Siddhartha Highway and Mahendra Highway connects Rupandehi with rest of the country. Gautam Buddha Airport connects Rupandehi with the rest of the country. It is the only airport in Lumbini. Currently it is being upgraded to make it an international airport. The late Prime Minister Sushil Koirala laid a foundations stone of the airport on January 15. It is expected to be completed by 2018 with an estimated budget of Rs 6.22 billion. North-West Civil Aviation Airport Construction Company of China is responsible for the construction of the airport.

West Nepal Bus Entrepreneurs' Association established in 2026 with the approval of District Administration Office is the major provider of transportation services for Rupandehi and the whole country.

Sports
Cricket and football are the most popular sports in Rupandehi. Players in Rupandehi compete in domestic cricket tournaments as Region No. 4 Bhairahawa. Shakti Gauchan and Basanta Regmi are leading cricketers from Rupandehi who regularly play for the national team. Rupandehi XI represents Rupandehi in domestic football tournaments. Dipak Chhetri, Pukar Gahatraj, and Pradip Karki are notable footballer from Rupandehi.

References

 Shaha, Rishikesh (1992). Ancient and Medieval Nepal. Manohar Publications, New Delhi. .

Districts of Nepal established in 1962

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Cooperatives: Who are they? What are they? Why are they important to my farming operation?
3. What is a cooperative? • A type of corporation. A business! • A cooperative is a business owned and democratically controlled by the people who use its services and whose benefits are derived and distributed equitably on the basis of use.
16. The co‐op is an extension of the farm…up and down the supply chain. Input Producer Retailer Output Producer (Farmer) Elevator Processor End User Co‐op Co‐op What do farmers gain?
17. Cooperatives provide a large investment in rural America.
18. The Power of Patronage Patronage is an investment. That is, a grower gets equity in an agribusiness just by doing business with the co‐op.


I've been thinking of quitting whatsapp for some time now. The urge has been strong since the beginning of this year. This has to be an informed decision since I don't have a Facebook account. There are more chances for me, to lose the communication with others.
Being an early adopter, I switched from SMS to whatapps as soon I came to know of it. Ads free, a year's trial, Groups was convincing enough for me. When two third of my contacts started using whats app, Things gradually started to clutter. People could add me to school, prior-office groups without my consent. Then each morning, I will be greeted with the trending memes and GIFs. I say to you, there is a crazy amount of work that goes into making each of memes. I wonder why would people be spending that much energy for such a short living gig. In the beginning, it appeared normal, but as the days passed, it started to become overwhelming. The thing with the group is, all the time someone will be carry the baton when the rest are away. Most of the time I could play catch up role in understanding what has happened during my absence.
Muting helped to an extent. Slowly, "unread badge" started becoming psychic weight over me and I could feel restless until I clear them all. I realized that muting is half a solution to a problem, that never required solution in the first place.
My act of muting groups for a very long time and just being a spectator without either sending or caring to read messages, provoked questions within me.
What value I get by being a member in such groups, what value I offer in return?
Why should I even be a member of such group in the first place?
I also noticed yet another problem. Technology has made communication inexpensive and took the human touch out of it It was evident from this year's new year eve. There was no joy in seeing those wishes for the occasion. The joy you get when a friend wishes you over the phone, the fulfillment you get by wishing someone. But these whatsapp messages were formal, courteous, simply temp-latish. A friction like not being on whatsapp is sufficient to separate grain from the chaff. I quit whatsapp for telegram two weeks ago with my inner circle of half a dozen. Since we knew each others schedule, I now receive meaningful real messages. There are no SPAMS or forwards and importantly no namesake chit chats to stay in touch from casual contacts.
If you ever regret not having enough time to do the things you want to do, make it yourself a little harder to do those time stealing activities. By introducing a friction, I was able to free myself from the power hose. Fortunately, I dint lose any of the communications with those who mattered as they understood me and moved along. It was not as scary as I thought it would be. Now, I am able to give my complete attention to people I talk with and to things I do. The quality of time I spend on things has improved without digital distraction. I don't see myself going back to whatsapp again.


text:
import { describe, it } from 'flow-typed-test';
import createSagaMiddleware from 'redux-saga';

// Emulate redux
type DispatchAPI<A> = (action: A) => A;
type Dispatch<A: { type: string, ... }> = DispatchAPI<A>;
type MiddlewareAPI<S, A, D = Dispatch<A>> = {
  dispatch: D,
  getState(): S,
  ...
};
type Middleware<S, A, D = Dispatch<A>> = (
  api: MiddlewareAPI<S, A, D>
) => (next: D) => D;
declare function applyMiddleware<S, A, D>(
  ...middlewares: Array<Middleware<S, A, D>>
): {...};

describe('createSagaMiddleware', () => {
  it('works with redux applyMiddleware', () => {
    const sagaMiddleware = createSagaMiddleware();
    const enhancer = applyMiddleware(sagaMiddleware);
  });
});


text:
Battery systems, Environmental solutions
Atlantic Towing selects Vard Electro for implementation of battery technology to reduce Green House Gas emissions
Jenny Ward
Press Release: Vard Electro is pleased to announce the award of the contract for an innovative hybrid battery power system with Atlantic Towing to be integrated on their vessel Atlantic Shrike. Atlantic Towing is the first company to implement this multiple mode application of battery technologies on a single vessel in the Canadian Offshore Oil and Gas Industry.
Through cooperation across borders Vard Electro is utilizing its vast technological experience to meet the project requirements. As the market continues to reach for novel technology to contribute in reducing emissions, Vard Electro is continuously developing new products to increase energy efficiency. For this project we have combined our previous engineering experience with local expertise to find the best solution for Atlantic Towing.
Atlantic Towing has received funding for the project through Petroleum Research Newfoundland & Labrador (PRNL) as a component of the offshore research, development and demonstration program of Natural Resources Canada's (NRCan) Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF). The funding will support pioneering upgrades to the Platform Supply Vessel, Atlantic Shrike and allows the integration of battery systems into the vessel's existing diesel-electric propulsion plant.
The vessel is based in Atlantic Towing's homeport of St. John's, Canada and is one of four modern diesel-electric builds.
Reducing Green House Gas Emissions
By utilizing its long experience as a system integrator, Vard Electro will deliver a containerized energy storage system for hybrid battery power. Supporting Atlantic Towing's goal of reducing their carbon footprint the SeaQ Energy Storage System (ESS) will enable decreased fuel consumption and carbon emissions. The conversion will also reduce the vessel's maintenance requirement without compromising operational performance.
"We share the ambitions of Atlantic Towing and are looking forward to implement the products and integrated solutions that will lead to a greener industry. The innovative design and extended battery size offer a range of benefits and will be a perfect fit for the operational profile of this vessel" says Peter Pilskog, Vice President Sales & Business Development, Vard Electro.
"The team in Canada is very excited about this project. We are thrilled to be installing our innovative and cost-effective SeaQ solutions that has been adapted to the local industry requirements", says Pierre Poulain, Managing Director, Vard Electro Canada.
The main system components are all fitted into the self-containing deck house to ensure a fast vessel installation while keeping a high focus on the quality. Control and monitoring of the hybrid system is handled by the energy management system (EMS) that communicates with the existing control systems onboard. The SeaQ ESS includes modes for peak shaving, spinning reserve and Zero emission transit. By using the batteries to absorb and dispense energy through load fluctuations and running the engines at optimal load, significant efficiency improvements in fuel consumption and emission reduction can be achieved.
SeaQ® Energy Storage System
SeaQ ESS is based on unique hybrid technology. The main purpose of the system is to reduce emissions, fuel consumption and increase safety. The SeaQ ESS store excess energy available in the vessel and use it later to reduce fuel consumption and optimize the performance of the vessel. It facilitates for operations with fewer engines online, and the engines online can operate at a more optimal load. Safety is increased due to the batteries' ability to supply immediate energy in critical situations.
To simplify installation, integration and make energy storage systems more flexible, we have standardized design while innovatively tailoring the interface to the vessel's systems.
The system can be used as a spinning reserve in DP operations, to enhance dynamic response, to perform peak shaving of loads, for strategic loading where the operating point of the gensets is optimized for battery only operations with zero-emission.
The demand for hybrid battery systems displays a steady increase, and it is important to manage the resources in both an ethical and environmentally conscious way. In our SeaQ ESS we will be able to recycle 99% of the battery weight. When a lithium-ion battery has served on-board a ship for its intended use and lifetime, the remaining capacity will be used for other purposes in other industries.
SeaQ Energy Storage System | Deck house
Header image: Atlantic Shrike
Press Release: Anglo American announces that its newly launched LNG dual-fuelled Capesize+ vessel, the Ubuntu Harmony..
Press Release: Biofuels are a current and accessible fuel option that can help marine customers decarbonize. Yet while biofuels reduce..
Press Release: Norsepower Oy Ltd., the leading global provider of auxiliary wind propulsion systems, today signed a contract with Socatra..

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: How to get values from a templateFiled in GridView in c# I am working on an assignment and I have a GridView that uses an SQL Datasourse.
The GridView has 2 columns, 1. name and 2. LastNmae. now I want to add one more column
which this column does not exist in the database. What I did is add a TemplateField
and I edited it and added DropDownList for the user to select an age.
The question is how can I get the value from what the user chooses from the DropDownList?
for exaple, if I want to get what is the first name, I would do this
GridView1.SelectedRow.Cells[0].Text;

how can I do for the DropDownList?
Please help, thanks!

A: Use this
DropDownList dll = (DropDownList)((Control)e.CommandSource).NamingContainer.FindControl("ddPStatud");
String selectedValue = dll.SelectedValue;

and Use also.
string city = (gvCustomers.Rows[e.RowIndex].FindControl("ddlCities") as DropDownList).SelectedItem.Value;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
HomeResearch seminarUPD Seminar: Presentation by First Year Research Students in ST 2016
UPD Seminar: Presentation by First Year Research Students in ST 2016
7th July 2016 Research seminar, Study News 0
On 7 June 2016, the UPD seminar included four presentations by current research students as part of their annual review or upgrading. The presentations introduced the scope of their doctoral research projects whose provisional titles are as follows:
'Making Place and (Re)Producing Space. Migrant Domestic Workers and their Everyday Lives in Singapore', Laura Antona
Laura Antona presented a summary of the first year of her PhD research – which focuses on the everyday lives of migrant domestic workers in Singapore. In particular, Laura's work focuses on how migrant domestic workers are able to shape space in Singapore, considering specifically their home-making practices. Singapore, like many other countries, has seen a huge increase in its migrant domestic worker population over the last few decades and it has been suggested that changing demographics, and less welfare support, have resulted in a global care deficit. This shortage has been met by individualised responses that see families increasingly relying on the employment of a 'reserve' army of women, often from the global south, who migrate to take on reproductive labour. Visa regulations mark these women as temporary and 'other' – denied reproductive rights and expected to live in the home of their employer. Their ambivalent position disrupts normative frameworks and dominant ideologies, becoming an embodiment of tensions over who belongs and who doesn't.
'The pursuit of beauty and being-in-the-city: practices of beauty in urban Ghana', Kate Dawson
In more recent years, in both urban studies and the social sciences more generally, the African city has been situated as a space from which we can learn about the urban condition more generally. In this movement, several narratives have emerged that speak to and of the African city, reminding us of the many flows, ideas, people, spaces, bodies, rhythms, materialities, temporalities and exchanges that produce and are produced by the 'urban.' Through exploring these many layers, Kate Dawson has begun to think more closely about how it is that people dwell in these narratives. In doing so, we might ask, how is the self – as a body, person, mind, spirit – positioned as an experiencing subject in all of this? By considering such questions, Kate thinks that the pursuit of beauty is a useful way of looking at the self and being-in-the-city. Indeed, exploring this significant and widespread aspect of urban life allows us to understanding something about how people negotiate multiple heres, elsewheres, flows and influences in the production of the self, and how this production of the self and thus ways of being-in-the-city, are intersected by multiple axes of power. Taking the vast urbanity of Accra, Ghana as a space of potential knowledge, Kate is looking to explore how and why inhabitants of the city pursue beauty; the extent to which we can understand this pursuit of beauty as a way of being-in-the-city; and how this pursuit of beauty and its related ways of being-in-the-city might produce cityness in particular ways.
'The new generation of Chinese migrants: Communication technologies, migration and integration into the Chinese megacity', Carwyn Morris
Carwyn Morris gave a rundown of how his doctoral research has been going during his first year, with supervisor Claire Mercer. Carwyn's research focuses on internal migration in China, and understands this migration through the lens of 'translocalism', a theory of understand migration and migrants that builds on the foundations of transnationalism, but one that tackles transnationalism overreliance on the nation state and national borders, a problem for researching China's more than 260 million internal migrants. Carwyn is also attempting to understand this migration through the theory of practice, which has been worked on by Bourdieu, Schatzki and Reckwitz, among others. Using the theory of practice, Carwyn is theorizing migration as a bundle of practices, including the dual focuses of his proposed fieldwork in Beijing, the practices of 'mediated intimacy' and 'reproduction of locality', two practices that aid in sustaining migration. He is hoping that this translocal and practice theory orientated analytical framework will help him understand the different, and often invisible, everyday social practices that aid in and sustain migration, such as using ones mobile phone on public transport after work, an act which allows someone to connect with friends and family living in different places, thus lessening the need to make return journeys.
'Hayek in the "people's home"? Exploring local Swedish Social Democracy in the 'Age of Neoliberalism', Carl Truedsson
Carl Truedsson shared the progress of his first year of doctoral research. Carl's research considers the idea of neoliberalism within the Swedish Social Democratic Party. Social scientists often assert that the Social Democratic party has, and continues to be, in a state of crisis due to the party's adoption of a 'neoliberal' worldview. Carl's research is premised on the assertion that this understanding of party politics is coarse, totalizing and therefore unfruitful. Approaching social democracy in this manner effectively discounts agency, territorial and regional variation, political pragmatism/opportunism and fails to consider what other factors might contribute to shaping social democratic thought and praxis. Therefore, Carl is interested in ethnographically exploring the everyday 'meaning-making' of social democracy, the relationship between 'ordinary' members and party elites, and the interplay between 'local' municipal party praxis and the regional and national levels of the party. His preliminary field site is Katrineholm, a mid-sized municipality located 90 miles to the west of the capital city, Stockholm.
Research students presenting: Carwyn Morris, Kate Dawson, Laura Antona, Carl Truedsson
Carl Truedsson
Carwyn Morris
Kate Dawson
Laura Antona
UPD seminar
Pablo Navarrete awarded bursary by Oxford Department of International Development for DSA 2016
'Security, Risk and the Urban Imagination' panel and the launch of Austin Zeiderman's 'Endangered City'
10th July 2013 Comments Off on MPhil/PhD in Human Geography and Urban Studies
Introduction This PhD offers training both in human geographic research and in interdisciplinary approaches to understanding/ responding to the analytic and practical challenges of an era of rapid urbanisation and urban re-development around the world. […]
Dr. Ryan Centner
Dr. Ryan Centner Assistant Professor of Urban Geography Email: r.o.centner@lse.ac.uk Fax: [+44] (0)20 7955 7412 Room: STC 4.12, St Clement's Building, LSE Links: Google Scholar page About Dr Centner is an urban and development […]
10th July 2013 Comments Off on MPhil/PhD in Regional and Urban Planning
Introduction Our programme is unique among graduate planning schools in being based upon the disciplines of social science, particularly economics, geography, politics and social policy. We offer a cross-disciplinary teaching team with a wide range […]


Target Chapter 7 or 13 bankruptcies at time of filing, meetings, or discharges and start building relationships with people that will be ready to buy sooner than you expect. Approximately half of all customers publicly listed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court records have purchased a new or used car within a month after settlement.
Target discharged bankruptcies and start building relationships with people that will be ready to buy sooner than you expect. Approximately half of all customers publicly listed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court records have purchased a new or used car within a month after settlement.
Automotive bankruptcy leads are great prospects. If you have a department that is focused on special financing, then our ability to connect you with bad credit auto shoppers can provide you with a constant flow of inbound customers.
For years our staff has developed and fine-tuned our BK campaigns to provide dealers with custom direct mail pieces that generate great results. We will work with you to develop creative artwork for each audience.


Full mechanic shop in need of mechanic. Very busy shop. Must bring your own tools and be able to work Monday - Friday.Full mechanic shop in need of mechanic. Very busy shop. Must bring your own tools and be able to work Monday - Friday.Full mechanic shop in need of mechanic. Very busy shop. Must bring your own tools and be able to work Monday - Friday.


Eye candy. Celebrate the season by slipping this sterling silver candy cane on your favorite build-a-bead bracelet. Festively colored in green and red epoxy enamel, it's a tasteful gift to give and get. From Prerogatives(R) Jewelry.


Peacefully passed away at Lakeridge Health Bowmanville on Monday October 29, 2018, at the age of 90 years.
Beloved husband of the late Joan (nee McMahon). Loving father of Fiona McCombe (Bill Jackson) and cherished granddad of Emma and Brennan. Survived by his sister Jean, of England.
Memorial Visitation will be held at NORTHCUTT ELLIOTT FUNERAL HOME, 53 Division Street, Bowmanville on Friday November 2nd from 3 – 5 pm. Memorial donations may be made to Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation.


I completed my Doctorate and Masters at the University of Toronto in Computer Science, and my Bacholors at the University of Waterloo in Software Engineering.
My reserach focuses on how individuals learn, make decisions and understand change, and I address these questions in the context of empirical software engineering. In early-phase software engineering, goal modeling elicits and connects stakeholders' intentions and social needs with technical requirements in order to help stakeholders understand and evaluate potential tradeoffs. Within this context, my dissertation enables stakeholders to model and reason about tradeoff decisions in the context of evolving requirements and dependencies. Prior to joining Smith, I also worked on embedding writing education and social impact analysis within the computer science curriculum.


text:
White House to Big Banks: You're Not Too Big to Fail
A key economic adviser to President Obama warned large banks recently that nobody is immune to government closure.
Perhaps floating a trial balloon straight from the oval office, a key economic adviser to President Obama warned large banks that nobody is immune to government closure — and that the U.S. needs a government arbitrator with the power to shut down banks that pose a "moral hazard."
That message comes from former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, now the head of President Obama's economic recovery panel. In a speech last week in Washington D.C. at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, Volcker said that all efforts will be made by the federal government to support U.S. financial institutions, but in the end, Uncle Sam must have the power to pull the plug on big banks and insurance companies.
Said Volcker; "The overwhelming factor of the recent crisis was that creditors were largely protected and government support — and here is where we get to the real point of my concerns — government support was provided to non-banks in actually much more radical ways than to commercial banks, to investment banks, to the world's largest insurance companies, and to the commercial paper market itself. Money market mutual funds, their very existence is dependent upon regulatory arbitrage, where if they got in trouble, we'll protect it."
He adds; "Now, the result is moral hazard gets large. There is an expectation that very large and complicated financial institutions will not be allowed to fail. Creditors, managers, even stockholders need to be protected in a time of crisis. And unless that conviction is shaken, the natural result is that risk taking will be encouraged and, in fact, subsidized beyond reasonable limits and we may be at it full speed to the next crisis some years ahead. But that seems to me to really be the core challenge of financial reform in the United States and elsewhere as well."
Volcker's message to the IIE has been interpreted in the last week by economists and by the business media as a warning shot to big financial institutions. "There is a clear need for a so-called resolution authority," Volcker told his audience. In other words, just because Uncle Sam bailed out AIG (Stock Quote: AIG) doesn't mean every big bank or insurance company will get the same treatment if they're in trouble.
Consequently, if banks continue to engage in high-risk investment programs, they shouldn't expect a government safety net — even if it means they fail.
Thus the importance of the "moral hazard" comment. Sure, it may not go down in history like former Fed chief Alan Greenspan's "irrational exuberance" comment, but big banks better take heed.
Just because you believe you're too big to fail, that doesn't mean you're not too big to fail — at least to the powers-that-be in Washington D.C.
—For the best rates on loans, bank accounts and credit cards, enter your ZIP code at BankingMyWay.com.


text:
GU announces Rs 5 lakh for Hima Das
GUWAHATI, July 17 - At the initiative of the Chancellor, Prof Jagdish Mukhi, followed by a proactive role of the Vice Chancellor, the Gauhati University has announced an incentive of Rs 5 lakh to Hima Das for her historic feat in the IAAF World Under-20 Athletic Championships held in Tampere, Finland.
The Gauhati University fraternity also hailed the decision considering the fact that the success of Hima Das would continue to inspire the younger generations of the State as well as the country. Prof Mukhi, the Governor of Assam, expressed his happiness and showered blessings on her wishing that she would bring more laurels and pride for the country in future.
This was stated in a press release issued by the Registrar, Gauhati University.


you should never consider these signs or symptoms in isolation.
especially their persistence over time which would alert you.
you are not sure whether that child is dyslexic or not.
the writing, the reading, you are hesitant.
a series of informal tests to do a first level assessment.
it's not your job; it's the job of the specialists.
(otherwise) your suspicion of dyslexia for a particular child.
with a child in order to confirm your hypothesis about dyslexia or otherwise.
examining phonological awareness in the child.
If you remember the dyslexic children have a core phonological deficit.
representing the phonemes and the other phonological units you need in the brain.
which are presented here in order of increasing complexity.
You need to keep in mind that two things will determine the complexity of a task.
One is the phonological unit you're working on.
Syllables are easier than onset/rimes, which are easer than phonemes.
on manipulation, retention of the information, etcetera.
please make sure that you pronounce pure sounds.
should not be followed by a vowel, however faint.
is 't' and not 'tuh', 'tuh' being a syllable.
train phonological awareness, the first one is ... GENERATION.
the same final syllable, or rime as a target word.
An answer could be 'pirate', 'pineapple', would rime as you see in the film.
You may tell me a word ending like in 'blap' or several words.
This is the easiest task.
The second task you can use is DETECTION.
the child has to retain the three words in memory and to find the odd one out.
'which word does not end in the same way as the two others?
The answer is ... 'son'.
With the onset, 'which word does not have the same beginning as the two others?
'Please tell me which word is different at the very beginning?
The third task you may use with the children is BLENDING.
In this task, you are asking the child to put linguistic units together.
Syllable: 'please tell me the whole world when you join together 'tay lay vi shion'.
and it is complementary to blending, it is actually the opposite.
the previous ones, because here the child really has to manipulate the phonemes.
You asked a child to delete a linguistic unit and to say what remains in the word.
For example, with a syllable, 'please say 'cabin', now say it again without 'k'.
With the phoneme: 'please say 'meat', now say it again without the 'm'.
The child is required here to substitute, one linguistic unit for another.
Let me give you two examples, with the onset: 'listen to this, 'track'.
(It) is going to give the word 'bat'.
The seventh task is phoneme FUSION.
first phonemes of two successive words.
needs to isolate the first phoneme of each word and put them together.
The first phoneme of 'big' is 'b' and of apple 'a', so the answer is 'ba'.
And the most difficult task is phoneme INVERSION.
This is really, really complex.
And you can do this task even with teenagers or with adults.
say the first phonemes of two successive words.
to invert the first two consonants of 'alligator', what are you going to obtain?
like 'television', which will elicit the answer, 'telesivion'.
You see it's not easy even for adults.
like 'big car', which is going to give 'kick bar'.


text:
Mann Talk – Steve Cofield, Tara LaRosa and Reality
May 25, 2010 May 24, 2010 by Richard Anderson Mann
According to Urban Dictionary a Pot Stirrer is "A person who feels it is necessary to try and create more drama in regards to a situation/argument/debate in which they are an outside observer. Usually by way of comment or statement." A lot of bloggers fashion themselves as such, but perhaps none more than Yahoo's Steve Cofield.
In his entry, entitled "The LaRosa fable unravels at Moosin" he basically accuses Tara LaRosa of being a Kimbo-Slice-size farce. Naturally, LaRosa did lose last Saturday, so everyone in the MMA world must assume she is horrible. When a fighter loses a high profile fight, they are pretty much done. They never come back and fight at a high level. I mean, look at "Shogun," after his loss to Forrest Griffin he never….
Let's break down Cofield's argument point by point and see if we can make a little sense out of it.
"Everyone has a bad night but based on LaRosa's performance against Modafferi at Moosin, she wouldn't stand much of a shot against the Strikeforce's female fighting building blocks (Sarah Kaufman, Gina Carano, Cyborg Santos, Marloes Coenen). Keep in mind this was the same Modafferi, who lasted 65 seconds with Marloes Coenen."
LaRosa dropped a split decision to a fighter that she had previously beaten. Also, while I am keeping in mind that Modafferi lost to Coenen in 65 seconds, I also remember that Modafferi owns a victory over Coenen. Why does Cofield hold Coenen with such high esteem? In Strikeforce, she beat a fighter he assigns little value to and then lost to "Cyborg." Prior to that, Coenen lost to a fighter who had never fought MMA before.
From the way Cofield spins yarn, it seems like he thinks LaRosa does not even deserve a shot in Strikeforce. In reality, her record against ladies with Strikeforce, Elite XC and Bellator experience stands at 6-1.
"Go back and read the blather coming from everyone involved in the LaRosa/AFL story back in 2008, it has to make you laugh."
Is it really right to laugh at fighters who have had their careers damaged by incompetent promoters? I guess it depends on who you ask. LaRosa never made six-figures from the AFL, but wouldn't that be their fault for not putting on a show? She revealed in an interview on the Jordan Breen Show that the AFL paid her $65,000 while she was sitting on the sidelines.
"But before you shed a tear for the 31-year-old from South Jersey remember she was the one who on several occasions also criticized Gina Carano's lack of experience (2:06 mark) and the attention she was getting."
I clicked on Cofield's link and it took me to an interview with LaRosa done by Sherdog's Loretta Hunt. Below is what LaRosa said about a match up with Gina Carano.
"There is a little bit of a weight difference, and there is a little bit of a difference in our records. She is just sort of getting started at 6-0, and I'm at 15-1. so, maybe after she gets a couple more fights under her belt, some more tougher chicks like she has been doing, then maybe down the road we will see something… I've spoken to her on several occasions. Nice chick. She is really cool. I'd like to put that whole Internet beer thing to rest. It is ridiculous"
Not only was Carano only 6-0 at that time, but also her last three victories were against opponents coming off losses. Thanks to Gary Shaw's farcical 140-pound weight class and her Butterbeanesque weight cutting skills, Carano never fought a woman her size until she ran into "Cyborg."
"LaRosa is barely a 135-pounder so she had no business commenting on a 145-pounder and from a business standpoint do we all now see why Carano was pushed instead of others?"
Cofield makes an interesting point here. LaRosa is probably best fighting at 125 pounds. She dropped to that weight class during the waning days of BoDogFight. Much like 145 pounds there are not actually many women competing in the 125-pound weight class, so LaRosa spent most of her career fighting up. If anything her career success is only amplified by the fact that she is "barely a 135-pounder."
Perhaps the Cagewriter posted his piece to inspire someone to fire back. Like any good blogosphere, the MMA one needs its Pot Stirrers. Also, without Cofield we would never receive constant updates about the MMA exploits of a former Power Ranger.
Categories MMA Tags Cofield, featured, Mann Talk, MMA, Richard Mann, Tara LaRosa, women's mma Post navigation
Kyacey Uscola: "They bit through my urethra"
Justin Wren dominates in MMA Xplosion main event; complete results
3 thoughts on "Mann Talk – Steve Cofield, Tara LaRosa and Reality"
promma
Tami told Yahoo to fire him after that article about LaRosa.
Tami Carswell
Yes I did! I was so unnerved by the lack of respect for the sport of MMA displayed in Cagewriter. Thank you for putting out this article. It is nice to read something based in reality and well put together.
Ok….I have known Tara since her grappling days almost 10 years ago and this guy seriously doesn't know anything about MMA and is grossly unprofessional. Tara is a genuinely good person and has been through alot in her life the last few years including losing her fiance to the war. She doesn't deserve some nobody talking shit like that and getting paid for it. On the underground is one thing where you have to take anything with a grain of salt but this is a professional writer…..he needs to act like it.


motorcycles and Tuff Trucks. This year's show is once again presented by Stadium View Sports Bar & Grill.
Saturday's 7:30pm performance. You will want to be there for this one!
passenger ride truck will be on hand for monster truck rides so families are encouraged to arrive early.
jumping ramp to ramp more than 50 feet high!
and trying to pass the finish line in one piece.
autographs and walk the track. Pit access is 6-7pm on Friday, Noon-1pm and 6-7pm on Saturday.
494-3401 or toll free 800-895-0071 and online at www.ticketstaronline.com.


The 2nd annual Tizen Developer Conference is a technical conference for Tizen developers, App developers, ISVs, Platform designers, Operators, OEMs, Hardware vendors, Software vendors, Open source enthusiasts, and anyone engaged in Tizen.
The conference will be held at The Hilton Union Square, in San Francisco, CA, May 22-24 (Wednesday-Friday), 2013.
The Call For Papers for this conference is closed. Please check the event website soon for the program.
We also welcome submissions on any other Tizen related topics. Be creative. The program committee will look at every submission to create a vibrant and interesting conference. If you will need travel support, please note this in your registration. Below is a high level timline for your reference.


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text:
Allegion Announces Pricing of $600 Million of Senior Notes
By: Allegion plc via Business Wire
June 07, 2022 at 16:53 PM EDT
Allegion plc (NYSE: ALLE) ("Allegion" or the "company"), a leading global provider of security products and solutions, today announced that it priced its previously announced offering by its subsidiary, Allegion US Holding Company Inc. ("Allegion US Holding"), of $600 million aggregate principal amount of 5.411% senior notes due 2032 (the "notes"). The offering is expected to close on June 22, 2022, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
The notes will be guaranteed upon their issuance by Allegion.
Allegion intends to use all of the net proceeds from the senior notes offering, together with cash on hand and additional borrowings under its revolving credit facility, to finance the acquisition of Stanley Access Technologies LLC ("Access Technologies") and assets related to the automatic entrance solutions business from Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (NYSE: SWK), which is expected to close in the third quarter of 2022, subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions (the "transaction"). In the event that the transaction does not close as contemplated, Allegion intends to use the net proceeds of the offering for general corporate purposes, including repayment of outstanding indebtedness.
"Allegion is pleased to have obtained this financing ahead of our anticipated third-quarter closing of the Access Technologies business acquisition," said Allegion Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Mike Wagnes. "We believe the Access Technologies business and the addition of its product lines into the Allegion family will create a strong value proposition and new growth opportunities for our company that enhance shareholder value."
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, BofA Securities, Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC are acting as joint book-running managers.
Allegion has filed an effective registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") for the offering and encourages investors to read it (including the accompanying prospectus, the related prospectus supplement and the information incorporated by reference therein) for more complete information about Allegion and the offering. You may obtain these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, copies may also be obtained by contacting Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC at the following address: 200 West Street, New York, New York, 10282, Attn: Prospectus Department, or by calling 1-866-471-2526; BofA Securities, Inc. at the following address: NC1-004-03-43, 200 North College Street, 3rd Floor, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28255-0001, Attn: Prospectus Department, or by calling 1-800-294-1322 or by emailing dg.prospectus_requests@baml.com; or J.P. Morgan Securities LLC at the following address: J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York, 10179, Attn: Investment Grade Syndicate Desk, 3rd Floor, or by calling collect 1-212-834-4533.
These securities are only offered by means of a prospectus and a prospectus supplement related to the offering. This press release is for informational purposes only and shall not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, nor will there be any sales of securities mentioned in this press release in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.
About Allegion
Allegion (NYSE: ALLE) is a global pioneer in seamless access, with leading brands like CISA®, Interflex®, LCN®, Schlage®, SimonsVoss® and Von Duprin®. Focusing on security around the door and adjacent areas, Allegion secures people and assets with a range of solutions for homes, businesses, schools and institutions. Allegion had $2.9 billion in revenue in 2021, and its security products are sold around the world. For more, visit www.allegion.com.
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including statements regarding the continued impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain constraints, electronic component and labor shortages, inflation, rising freight and material costs, impacts of Russia's invasion of Ukraine including further supply chain disruptions and the increased risk of cyber-attacks in connection with such invasion, the company's 2022 financial performance, the company's business plans and strategy, the company's growth strategy, the company's capital allocation strategy, the company's tax planning strategies, and the performance of the markets in which the company operates. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "forecast," "outlook," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result" or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar expressions generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may relate to such matters as projections of revenue, margins, expenses, tax provisions, earnings, cash flows, benefit obligations, dividends, share purchases or other financial items; any statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations, including those relating to any statements concerning expected development, performance or market share relating to our products and services; any statements regarding future economic conditions or our performance; any statements regarding pending investigations, claims or disputes; any statements of expectation or belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. These statements are based on the company's currently available information and our current assumptions, expectations and projections about future events. They are subject to future events, risks and uncertainties - many of which are beyond the company's control - as well as potentially inaccurate assumptions, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Further information on these factors and other risks that may affect the company's business is included in filings it makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, including its Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2021, Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2022, and in its other SEC filings. The company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
Whitney Moorman – Reputation Management Leader
Whitney.Moorman@allegion.com
Analyst Contact:
Tom Martineau – Vice President, Investor Relations, and Treasurer
Tom.Martineau@allegion.com


The replica watch manufacturers have spent the past two years perfecting the mvwatches.comOmega Watches Planet Ocean copy. Over this time several "generations" of this counterfeit watch have been available, this latest example corrects many of the flaws that existed in earlier copies. The higher-end examples are tough to spot. Look for dial irregularities such as an incorrectly-sized Omega logo and an incorrect date wheel font. But this watch has been easy to modify with genuine parts and therefore difficult to detect.
Jack Gedengboge has made a series of Obama's portrait watches during the presidential election. In April, he planned to make this new watch when Bo joined the Obamas.
This watch is sold at Jack Gedengboge's website, at the unit price of 45 dollars, among which 10% sales volume will be contributed to American national canine cancer foundation.
the Bulova mens watches must Buy 1945 topewatch.com/milgauss_rolex-watches.html" title="MilgaussRolex Milgauss Vintage Bubble Bubbleback VERY FINE & RARE at lower be capable of withstanding water and in the fashion accessory when there are going to love them, and think about to line up the emergence of a lifetime. many diving WatchDiving watches began and think about to imprint the fact that men watches collection of course if you're a lifetime. the internet. digital variety of Bulova men's watches employs smart impact protection.Rotating Bezel is pressure build-up caused by which ones are available in numeric form.Crystal CaseDue to imprint the water resistance, date display and plastics or technical diving .
The topewatch.com/omega-watches.htmlOmega watches Constellation Quartz Chronograph is available in two versions – either in red gold or in titanium. The cases of both versions feature the signature "claws" of the Constellation series, first introduced in 1982. The version in red gold comes with a lacquer-coated bezel, while the bezel of the sportier titanium version of the timepiece is rubber-coated.
The dial of both models has an interesting colour and structure – it was blackened by PVD coating. The black dial is a perfect background for two counters at 3 and 6 o'clock, forming a figure of eight. The dial of the Omega Constellation Quartz Chronograph also features a date display window between 4 and 5 o'clock. The hour markers and the Dauphine style hands of the watch are coated with Super-Luminova to ensure that that the watch will be glowing brightly even in the dark.


text:
Q: How do I break an unordered list in the middle? If I have a list like

1

2

3

4

5

How could I get it to display horizontally for say the first two items and the next three, but break into a second row between them?
Edit: looking for a CSS solution, so I can select whether to do this based on viewport size.

A: Using Flexbox(css) you can achieve this. With this solution it depends on how many elements to show on the first row. For example if you want for elements to show on the first row you divide 100 by 4 which gives 25 and give the width 25%;
Below are three samples. I hope this helps

ul {
  display: flex;
  flex-wrap: wrap;
  border: 1px red solid;
}
li {
  width: 33.33%;
}

ul+ul{
  width: 100px;
}
ul+ul li {
  width: 50%;

}
ul+ul li:nth-last-of-type(-n+3) {
  width: 33.33%;
}

ul + ul + ul {
  display: flex;
  flex-wrap: wrap;
  border: 1px red solid;
  width: 150px;
}
ul + ul + ul li:nth-of-type(2) {
  width: 50%
}
ul + ul + ul li {
  width: 33.33%;
}

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

A: You can use column-count: 2; on the ul to create two columns into which the list will be evenly distributed:

ul {
column-count: 2;
}

1

2

3

4

5

A: I guess you can use a table. Use row span and col-span to help with you alignment


Finally, your little one is here! Congratulations!
Let us celebrate the tiny little feet and squishy fingers in photographs that you will treasure for the rest of your life. Certainly, there is no baby quite like yours!


Manuela is a professional, with over 19 years of experience in financial services, business strategy, digital transformation, marketing and communications, project management and market analysis. She has worked for large corporations in wealth management, asset management, private equity, impact investing, co-heading Financial News in London, and as thought-leadership market lead for global emerging markets at UBS, where she created and launched UBS Foresight, and where she later served as Global Head of Communications and Engagement of UBS Unique.
Since 2017, Manuela is CEO and Founder of SmartBizHub, an exclusive consultancy that provides value in the form of business strategy, communications, positioning and branding with an impact and sustainable angle. Raising awareness on genuine thought-leaders and themes that have a real impact on our world is at the core of her mission. In March 2018 she also founded #SmartPlan – an exclusive business community that helps impact-makers achieve more, providing exclusive insights on future tech and future work.
In December 2014, she launched the successful "Own the way you live" blog on culture and impact, capturing best practices, experiences, advice from leading experts, thought-leading content, studies and exclusive interviews to impact-makers and real leaders who are driving our world forward.
In May 2018 she was featured as the Female Founder of the Day by Startup Grind Zurich (by Google for Entrepreneurs) during the female entrepreneurship month.
Manuela is an ambassador and board member of various Swiss and international organizations, including the Weizmann Young European Network (WYEN) of the Weizmann Institute of Science. She is a D&I champion, advocate for gender equality and STEM education, speaks English, Italian, German and Spanish and lives in Zurich with her husband and two children.


I love this Chicken Rice Casserole Recipe because it is delicious, easy to prepare and it's a one pot meal!
1. In a bowl, combine the first nine ingredients. Transfer half cooked rice to a baking dish and pour chicken mixture on top of the rice. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until heated through. Serve with sweet green peas.
This Chicken Rice Casserole Recipe was super easy!
Here is another Chicken Rice Casserole Recipe that you can prepare if you have more time on your hands and a bigger family to feed.
Place chicken bits in a cooking pot with water, wine, salt, pepper, curry powder, onion, and celery. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Remove from heat and strain, reserving the broth for the cooking of the rice.
Heat butter in another skillet over medium-low heat and sauté mushrooms until lightly browned.
Cook rice mixture with seasonings according to package directions, using the reserved broth as part of the liquid for cooking the rice.
Combine chicken, mushrooms, and rice in a large greased 3-quart casserole. Combine sour cream and soup; blend into chicken and rice mixture. Top with the water chestnuts.
Cover with foil and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes longer. Serves 8.
Enjoy the Chicken Casserole of your choice.


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Rio Scotland
Following the continued success of our Cardiff and London offices, we are delighted to announce the expansion of our practice with the launch of our new office in Edinburgh.
Rio Architect's Scotland studio, will be managed by Shirley Hamill, who has been at the forefront of Rio's development as a practice for over a decade. Shirley says "Our Edinburgh team looks forward to the opportunity of developing new relationships and continuing our reputation for producing award-winning architecture, interior design, masterplans and visualisation in a sustainable, innovative and cost-effective way".
For more information, please contact scotland@rioarchitects.com or arrange to meet at our offices in Spaces, 1 Lochrin Square 92-98, Fountainbridge, Edinburgh.
Rio Architects © Privacy & Cookies


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Sundance 2018: Mr. Rogers Documentary 'Won't You Be My Neighbor?'
"Let's make goodness attractive." We all know his name, we all know his show, but now we get to discover the complete story behind who this wonderful man really was. The iconic, irreplaceable Fred Rogers from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the man who created and starred on the beloved television show "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood", which ran from 1968 to 2001. This new documentary film, Won't You Be My Neighbor? made by Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville (of The Cool School, Troubadours, 20 Feet from Stardom, Best of Enemies: Buckley vs. Vidal), provides an uplifting, humble look at Fred Rogers, as well as a definitive look at the show he created and its impact on the youth of America. It's so wonderful. I love watching documentaries like this that are moving and impassioned, built around the good found in us.
After seeing many of films, there's no question that Morgan Neville is a master documentary filmmaker. He not only knows how to carefully study and honor his subjects, but he crafts such lovely films with impressive aspects and elements that make them stand out beyond most other documentaries. From the opening title card (and all the title cards) which syncs right in with Mr. Rogers singing his iconic "It's a Beautiful Day in This Neighborhood" song from the show, to the rest of the technical aspects of the film, Won't You Be My Neighbor? is an impeccably crafted documentary. He is also experienced enough to know that it's better to stray from a straightforward narrative, and edit the film in a way so we learn and discover more as it plays. It's not just a chronological examination of his life, it's a fantastic examination of his impact on the world.
I will fully admit that I thought this documentary might show us some "other" side of Fred Rogers that we didn't know about, or question some of his choices. But there is no other side to him. Really, he was just a wonderful man, who cared so much about kids and wanted to help them grow with a bit of encouragement and education. He knew how to talk to kids and dedicated his entire life to figuring out how to connect with them, and inspire them. He realized very early on that if you explain things clearly, and honestly, in a way they can comprehend, they will listen and they will understand. He also realized how important goodness is to the world, and how it can change the world for the better. This documentary allows us to discover that this was all that made up Mr. Rogers, and he made the world better for staying so true to his humble values.
This is the documentary we all need right now. It's a heartwarming, rousing film about how goodness makes an impact in society. It shows us that we can make a difference if we help someone else, if we support them, and believe in them, and remind them that they are perfect just they way they are. The film made me cry, in a good way. It will reach right into your heart, not because of anything tragic, but because it's so joyful and he was able to see the good in everyone. No matter who they were. There's even a tiny hint that perhaps his religious background taught him initially to be homophobic, but with time he learned to embrace everyone, because that's who they were. Neville crafts this film with such care, and it's so inspiring. The final moment at the end is perfect, asking every viewer to reflect on their own life and how they can make a difference, too.
Alex's Sundance 2018 Rating: 9 out of 10
Follow Alex on Twitter - @firstshowing
Find more posts: Review, Sundance 18


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The Bachelor – Live On Stage at Texas Trust CU Theatre
The Bachelor - Live On Stage Tickets
EVENT RESCHEDULED TO SATURDAY 23RD APRIL 2022. Originally Friday 16th May 2070. All original tickets are still valid!
Ladies, are you down for a steamy and thrilling night filled with wild flirtations with your favourite The Bachelor cast members? If this sounds like a dream, then think twice as you might want to consider joining hundreds of ready-to-party women this Saturday, April 23, 2022, at the Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie. The Texas concert hall will surely be a haven of shocking surprises as recent season's men will give the ladies a taste of what it's like to be in the mansion. So call your girl friends, book your tickets now, and enjoy a front-row seat to the journey you've been watching on TV for years.
The Bachelor Live On Stage Official Tour is the ultimate Bachelor Nation fan party in the form of a wildly flirtatious and interactive evening hosted by Becca Kufrin. It has been touring all around major cities across the US for quite some time. And now, it will make Texas even hotter this Saturday, April 23, 2022!
Featuring the men from recent seasons as your on-stage Bachelor, the show is a two-hour event that highlights ladies' experiences inside the Bachelor mansion. This is done through lively games and lighthearted connections among a handful of ladies chosen from the audience. These lucky ladies will get a taste of Bachelor's glamourous atmosphere — from limo entrances to outrageous group dates and all the memories that come along with it.
The show is hosted by Minnesota-native Rebecca Kufrin. As she is most commonly known, Becca is an American publicist and television personality. She rose to fame for her role as the 22nd season winner of ABC's The Bachelor, season 14's lead of The Bachelorette, and contestant on season 7 of Bachelor in Paradise. All of which makes her a veteran in the reality TV scene. Thus, the audience can expect nothing but the best experience in the show as Becca leads the event with her vibrant small-town personality. With all these exciting things to look forward to, be sure to tell all your girl friends to come dressed for the occasion. Who knows, you might be one of those who'll vie for the final rose of the evening.


This morning I landed in Frankfurt. Keeping with my normal Sunday night ritual, I poured myself a cup of tea to pen my weekly post for the Supply Chain Shaman. I have been writing weekly posts for this blog for eight years. The length of time is hard to believe. I thank you for your support over the years. The Supply Chain Shaman blog now has over 15,000 readers. When I wrote for AMR Research and Gartner, my best reach was 2500 readers/article.
Amazing. I scratch my head how it is possible to write from a desk at a hotel in my travels and reach this number of readers. It would not have been possible a decade ago. I also could not have conceived it. In my way, I think that I am helping to transform the analyst model to the "art of the possible" through open and independent content. Here I want to use the analogy of freeing a caged bird to help you think hard about the "Art of the Possible" in planning.
I like this picture. For me it is a metaphor for the "Art of the Possible." It is about opening a door and allowing a caged bird to fly free to new destinations.
Tomorrow, I will attend the European Network of Networks meeting. The goal of this Network of Networks share group is to provide an environment for business leaders and technologists to work shoulder-to-shoulder to test new technologies to redefine B2B processes in value networks. There are two groups: one in North America and one in Europe. It is open to all.
To date, supply chain processes are enterprise-centric. When companies speak of "end-to-end processes," the walls of the enterprise define the start and the stop of the E2E vision. A limited view of the possible. To drive value, this needs to change. Together, as innovators, we are trying to define multi-tier processes to drive value networks to improve commerce. Together, we are testing use cases combining cognitive computing, blockchain, open source analytics, and Internet of Things (IoT).
The pace of technology change is faster than business user adoption. The first step is education. The second is action. In my travels, I see companies stuck in a quagmire of arguments, focused on the standardization on yesterday's technologies versus the adoption of new approaches. In embracing the art of the possible, companies struggle. Many companies make the mistake that yesterday's technologists—JDA, Logility, Oracle, SAP—are good business development partners to define the "art of the possible." (On a side note, during my 15 years as an analyst, I have never seen co-development with large established technologists be successful.) The internal dissonance within the manufacturing organization is deadly.
In parallel, the consultants seeing the downturn of the ERP market are feverishly attempting to define digital supply chain practices. The race is on. The problem is that it is hard for them to make the shift. Digital innovation, to achieve the art of the possible, is all about thinking differently to drive new outcomes. In contrast, the consulting business model—designed for large deals with large companies—focuses on large projects with known ROI. As a result, while the consulting innovation center Powerpoint decks bear the words "Digital Innovation," the sale is process incrementality using existing approaches. Take caution when you see the glib words and pretty artwork. I find there is not a lot of 'there' there. This is the struggle.
Following the Network of Networks meetings, I have meetings scheduled with five food/consumer/consumer durable companies to discuss digital innovation agendas. Each is struggling. Four out of the five have attempted to implement SAP HANA with discouraging results. This includes cost overruns of 2-3X the budget and completion 50% off of the timetable. It is expensive and disappointing.
So, many companies ask me, "What can I use as an enterprise platform to power the new engines of cognitive and prescriptive analytics?" The business problem is that the global supply chain—composed of increased complexity with nonlinear processes—requires the power of new engines. Most of the scientists working in Artificial Intelligence, Cognitive Computing, and Prescriptive Analytics do not understand supply chain. They bring great energy and potential, but there is tension between the art and science of analytics. The best-of-breed technologists tend to overcommit and underestimate the difficulty of putting an engine on an enterprise-class platform. They understand the engine, but not the requirements of an enterprise-class architecture with global support. This includes role-based security, user interface, and workflow. With SAP unable to meet the challenge, the question is where to turn? My answer is Anaplan.
While SAP HANA is failing to deliver on the promise of the "Art of the Possible" to embed new engines to drive insights and power the user experience, I am bullish about the potential of Anaplan. Founded in 2006, Anaplan is attempting to redefine decision support. While the message "Connected Planning" lacks definition for the supply chain leader, the Anaplan platform delivers cloud-based business planning and a performance management platform based on a single hub. A benefit is self-administration of the model by business users. The Anaplan team has more experience and knowledge in financial and customer-service planning than supply chain. As a result, in many of the companies where I work, the power of Anaplan is unknown. When I mention Anaplan to manufacturing supply chain leaders, there is no recognition of the brand. My belief is that job one for Anaplan is brand recognition and market positioning.
The second is deepening the level of supply chain understanding. Their supply chain presentations at their annual event—Hub—were some of the worst that I have seen. A supply chain leader steeped in process understanding would struggle to think twice about considering the platform.
The third is clarifying market positioning. To illustrate the point, let me share a story. I had a call last week from a client that short-listed Anaplan, o9, Kinaxis, OM Partners, and SAS DDPO to help them solve their planning problem. When I heard the list, I put the phone on mute and laughed. The solutions are so different it was clear to me that confusion reigned in the client's team. Why would the company short-list such a dissimilar list of technology vendors with differing capabilities? The root issue was market education. However, the struggle for Anaplan is that they are very different, and they get pulled into "me-too" sales cycles. I encouraged the buyer, in this case, to think more broadly about the use of Anaplan as an overarching global platform.
Volume to Value. Today, the focus of planning is driving better insights on volume-based planning. The systems are blind on cost. The flexibility within the Anaplan platform enables the definition of applications to enable value-based decisions. This includes cost-to-serve, revenue-based assortment plans, customer policy, and the cost impact of Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) decisions. I am passionate on this topic since 27 out of 28 industries are losing ground on margin.
Redefining Planning. Planning for the Masses. Last month, I visited a company with 18,000 employees in global operations. They had 300 supply chain planners across demand, supply, production planning and transportation execution. With their margin tightly linked to the changing oil markets, the company was struggling with how to connect the decisions of their 5000 business leaders to production planning and bidirectional orchestration of price implications. This included feedstock selection/bills of materials and product assortment decisions for customers. The answer is Anaplan. While the traditional thinker tends to think about tools that are extensions of today's planning systems—S&OP technologies from JDA, Logility, Kinaxis and SAP—as the answer, the problem is that this group of business leaders will never become good at the use of existing planning technologies. They have different needs than the core planning team. Anaplan redefines planning for a larger group of business planners, providing an easy-to-use role-based interface administered by the business user.
Connected Planning. What-If Analysis and Collaborative Workflow. Only 1/3 of companies have what-if analysis. This is critical to understand options and drive organizational alignment. The Kinaxis model is well-designed for what-if analysis, but the limitations of the data model for process-based consumer industries along with the high cost make it difficult to justify. Anaplan offers a lower-cost, more flexible cloud-based alternative. The Anaplan platform can stretch across multiple technologies to enable what-if analysis. This is important since the average company has 5-7 ERP systems and 3-5 Advanced Planning solutions. My advice to business users is not to use Anaplan as a replacement tool of existing planning technologies; but instead, to use it as an overlay technology to improve access by business users for what-if analysis and a collaborative workflow.
A Platform for Machine Learning/Cognitive Computing. I am passionate about the potential of cognitive computing, but the ego and arrogance of many of the decision support best-of-breed technologies frustrate me. They are So excited about the potential of their engines but so unaware of the requirements of enterprise-class software or the difficulties of supply chain processes. There is tension between art and science. The Anaplan platform helps. If we open the cage of existing thinking, with Anaplan, multiple cognitive technology engines tethered to the Anaplan platform to enable role-based decisions from multiple learning engines. The platform helps cognitive computing grow up. Since the cognitive computing players are smaller best-of-breed players without global scale and support, the use of Anaplan as a connecting engine helps to solve a number of issues.
Self Administration by the Business Teams. I still work with a number of customers using SAP BW or Cognos. These reporting technologies are not user-friendly. The evolution of descriptive analytics—Tableau, Qlik, and Spotfire—changed this paradigm. Business users can now configure dashboards and reports easily. The same is the case with Anaplan and model tuning. In existing planning systems, model development and model tuning was the role of specialists. Today, it can become a specialized business function. So why should you care? If done right, this can ensure better output from the plans.
Imagine the bird escaping the cage. We, as supply chain leaders, are in a cage. We plan using core decision-support technologies that require a high skill level and clean data. Both are easier to say than to achieve. In the end, we get a plan that only gives us insights on volume. If we are lucky it is a good plan (I am finding that more and more are not). We are blind to value and cost implications. So, what if we could unleash the power of planning to the larger organization with easier to use models that drive new discussions on volume to value? What if the models could be more easily deployed and maintained? What if we could connect all of our planning engines in a meaningful way? I think that this is exciting.
So when you see the next Anaplan presentation that is high-level, glitzy and full of buzzwords, don't throw the baby out with the bath water. Instead, put their capabilities to work. Fight the urge to squirm in your seat and discount the validity of the technology (their presentations are some of the worst in the industry). Instead, challenge Anaplan to help your organization get free from the cage and define the art of the possible. I think that it is worth the journey, but I would love to hear from you.
This weekend, I sent personal invites to business leaders and Supply Chains to Admire Award Winners to attend the Supply Chain Insights Global Summit on September 4-7, 2018 in Philadelphia, PA. Designed to help supply chain leaders to think differently and to drive new outcomes, the agenda is unique. Designed for extreme networking, the conference is small and intimate. Where else can you attend a conference with no sponsors, a 60/40 ratio of business users to technologists, and hand-picked presentations with a focus on driving change? There are forty seats left. We believe the event will sell out. Don't let this opportunity slip you by.
Yes. I think that ERP becomes the financial system of record in the digital transformation, but is not the foudnational architecture for a digital transformation. Why? I believe the architecture is too limiting. Your thoughts?