Fabrizio is this weeks horse to follow. Photo courtesy Daryl Duckworth.
Horse to follow: Fabrizio, now he has found form and won't be meeting the the A Grade horses of the Autumn so will pick a Group race in QLD.
Run Of The Day: Palazzo Pubblico, was posted wide the trip and just missed.
Ride Of The Day: Damien Lane on Goldstream, got him across from a wide gate then got him to settle and got him out at exactly the right time.
Forget It Ran: Netherfield, if it gets out at any stage it wins and is clear favourite for the Derby.
Race 1 – HE EKSCELS $8.50, won from RED RIGHT HAND, SOJU WARRIOR.
He Ekscels was very well supported being $23 into $8.50 with 2nd placegetter have good support opening $23 before starting $13. Unplaced Judelly had very good support opening $5.50 and starting $3.20.
Race 2 – ODEON $4.40, won from HURSLEY, OVERBERG.
The winner was soft in the market opening at $3.40 before getting home at $4.40. The best supported runner was the unplaced Super Haze who was $14 into $5 before drifting to start $8.
Race 3 – MR SNEAKY $2.30, won from WIND FORCE, DANE THUNDER.
The winner Mr Sneaky who was well supported being $2.75 into $2.30 before getting home. Unplaced Typhoon Jolie was very well supported after opening at $51 before starting at $21.
Race 4 – SNITTY KITTY $3.40, won from IF NOT NOW WHEN, MERRIEST.
Snitty Kitty has good support being $4.60 into $3.40 favourite. Moonlites Choice had good backing opening $4.80 before starting $3.80 with Merriest also having solid support always around the $4.20 mark.
Race 5 – KOBAYASHI $8.50, won from AL PASSEM, DOUBT I'M DREAMING.
Doubt I'm Dreaming had a hold on the market opening $1.95 getting into $1.60 before never looking likely. The winner was unwanted opening $4.80 before starting $8.50. The unplaced Basanite had specking from $61 into $23.
Race 6 – WISE HERO $4.20, won from BORD DE GAN, KATSURO.
The winner was very well supported being $6 into $4.20 with Katsuro also enjoying good support opening $20 before running 3rd at $9. Best backed was the unplaced Widgee Turf who was $5.50 into $3.80 favourite.
Race 7 – GREY STREET $3.60, won from MISS VISTA, BELSAPPHIRE.
The first 2 home were easily the best backed runners with runner up Miss Vista opening at $4.20 before starting $2.50 with the winner being $5.50 into $3.60. The unplaced Aunty Mo had good specking being 431 into $13.
Race 8 – STAR EXHIBIT $6.50, won from CHARMED HARMONY, TOP ME UP.
Star Exhibit opened at $7.50 before solid support saw it into $6.50 with Chamed Harmony always around the $3.60 mark. Best backed runner was the unplaced Zebulon who opened at $7 before starting $4.80.
Race 9 – RHYTHM TO SPARE $21, won from FASTNET LATINA, THE CHAIRMAN.
Runner up Fastnet Latina had very good support being $3.20 into $2.40 with Curragh also well backed being $4.20 into $3.60. The winner had little support being $19 out to a starting quote of $21.
The Money Was Right: He Ekscels was $23 into $8.50 and got the money.
Left It In The Bag: Doubt I'm Dreaming supporters woke to a nightmare when he battled into 3rd place.
Friendless: Kobayashi was $4.80 out to $8.50 before winning well.
Race 1 – GREAT GLEN $2.60, won from MORTAR PLATOON, LOOKIN' AT YOU.
Great Glen was easily the best backed runner opening at $4.60 before starting a clear $2.60 favourite and surviving a protest from runner up Mortar Platoon who was $7 into $6. Unplaced Last Try Wins had good specking being $34 into $9.50 then back to $17.
Race 2 – GO DADDY GO $17, won from FIFTH AFFAIR, CHARLIE CHAP.
The winner was unwanted opening at $12 before getting home at $17 with the best supported runner being Icon Of Dubai who had great support being $6.50 into $3.40. Serena Bay was unwanted drifting from $1.85 to start $2.60. Others specked were Charlie Chap and So Bizarre.
Race 3 – WANNA GET A WHAT $4.80, won from RUTHLESS AGENT, MAJOR SHARPE.
The winner had good backing being $6.50 in to start at $4.80 with the runner up well backed also being $4.40 into $3.40. Best supported was the unplaced Loves A Hassle who opened $7.50 before starting $4.20.
Race 4 – FELINES $4.40, won from THAT'S A GOOD IDEA, PALAZZO PUBBLICO.
Felines was always solid in the market being $4.80 into $4.40 with runner up That's A Good Idea unwanted drifting from $6.50 to $11. Grunderzeit and Old North had good specking being $9.50 into $6 and $11 into $7 before being unplaced.
Race 5 – LANCIATO $5.50, won from LIAPARI, IL MIO DESTINO.
Lanciato had good backing coming in 2 points after opening at $7.50 with the 3rd placegetter very well supported being $31 into $13. Unplaced runners Astara, Dream Lane and Mischievous Devil all had good specking.
Race 6 – SHILLELAGH $11, won from DAYSEE DOOM, KINSHACHI.
The winner opened at $13 got out to $18 before gook late solid support saw her start $11. Easily the best backed runner was Daysee Doom who was $4.60 into a clear $2.60 favourite with the unplaced Artistry having good support also being $5.50 into $3.40.
Race 7 – SHAZEE LEE $71, won from PROMPT RESPONSE, SALSONIC.
The winner was unwanted going from $26 out to start $71 with the runner up Prompt Response easily the best backed going from $7 into a clear $3 favourite.
Race 8 – FABRIZIO $10, won from MOHER, TESTASHADOW.
Fabrizio drifted from $6.50 out to $10 with Duca Valntinios being the best backed runner opening at $11 and halving his quote to start $5.50. The other Godolphin runner Spectroscope also had good support being $5 into $4.
Race 9 – SO WILLIE $9.50, won from LOUIE SEA KAY, GAMBLER'S BLUES.
The winner had good support in a good betting race being $14 into $9.50. Unplaced runner Ancient History was the best backed runner being $14 into $5.50 eq favourite. Others with good specking were Ziganui, Gambler's Blues and Hammond Lane.
The Money Was Right: Great Glen got punters of to a flyer in the first being $4.60 into $2.60.
Left It In The Bag: Prompt Response more than halved the opening quote being $7 into $3.
Friendless: Shazee Lee went from $26 to $71 before just getting home in the Guineas.
Race 1 – MISERY $6, won from LIVE FAST, COLINELLE.
The winner and runner up both had very good support being $14 into $6 and $31 into $13 respectively. Unplaced Taillevent had some support opening $6.50 before starting $5. All other runners drifted from opening prices.
Race 2 – PUNTA NORTE $13, won from CHIVADAHLI, MOON AND THE STARS.
Punta Norte was unwanted opening at $6 before starting at $13. Runners to have support were Chivadahli who was $8 to $6, Jim 'n' Andy who was $15 to $9.50 and Eight's A Party who was $23 into $13.
Race 3 – MORENDI $7, won from MY DIAMANTINE, KAISER FRANZ.
The best backed runner was the unplaced Emphasis who opened at $20 before starting at $7.50 with the runner up having specking at odds being $51 into $31. The winner was always solid and started 1 point shorter than opening quote.
Race 4 – SAINTS PATRICK DAY $31, won from CAPITAL GAIN, SNITZKRAFT.
Snitzkraft was the best backed runner opening at $4 before starting a clear $2 favourite. The winner had very good support opening at $61 touching $17 before getting out late to $31.
Race 5 – OINK $4.20, won from BILLY THE KID, LIPSTICK LOVER.
The winner and runner up were the best backed and fought out the finish. Oink was $6 into $4 with Billy The Kid opening $3 favourite before tightening to start $2. Capital Gain and Italia Bella had some specking.
Race 6 – MUSIC MAGNATE $2.50, won from HOPFGARTEN, MISS COVER GIRL.
Music Magnate was always solid in the market around the $2.50 mark.The best backed runner was the unplaced Tumbler who opened at $9 before starting at $5.50, Hopfgarten had some support being $7.50 into $5 before starting at $6.
Race 7 – DREAMS APLENTY $2.25, won from VIOLATE, KUNMING.
The winner was always short in the market opening at $1.95 before starting $2.25 with the best backed runner being Violate who opened $10 before starting at $5.50 before being controversially beaten with the whip violation. Unplaced Kubis also had fans being $8.50 into $5.50.
Race 8 – MYSTIC OPAL $4.60, won from PRIVLAKA, SHARPE HUSSLER.
Mystic Opal went from $3.90 out to $4.60 on the back of very strong support for the runner up Privlaka who opened $4 before starting $2.50 clear favourite. The unplaced I'm Belucci had very good specking being $71 into $15 as did Real Ego who was $31 into $17.
The Money Was Right: Saint Patricks Day who opened $61 getting into $17 before starting at $31.
Left It In The Bag: Emphasis who was $20 into $7.50 and never looked likely.
Friendless: Punta Norte was $6 and drifted on every call before getting home at $13.


text:
Home News Weekly MP Report from Jay Hill
Weekly MP Report from Jay Hill
MP Report by Jay Hill, M.P.
"Conservative Government Supports Canada's North with Investment and Military Strength"
Canada's sovereignty must be backed by more than words. And throughout this week, our Conservative Government has been demonstrating tangible action in our strategy to strengthen our northern economy and safeguard our territory.
It's not just a matter of defending our borders or Arctic waters with a military presence. Canada must assert, both domestically and to the rest of the world, that our northern region is an integral part of our nation's economic prosperity.
When he launched the new Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency this week Prime Minister Stephen Harper emphasized that empowering Northern workers and businesses to take advantage of resources and to seize opportunities is the best way to ensure a stronger future for our North.
The Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency will be headquartered in Iqaluit, with district offices in Whitehorse and Yellowknife. It will be similar to other regional development agencies, such as Western Economic Diversification (WD), including co-ordination and delivery of federal economic development activities and policy, research and advocacy. This new Agency is a tangible step in unleashing the North's true potential.
To further demonstrate this point, Prime Minister Harper also announced construction of a new small craft harbour in Pangnirtung, Nunavut. Not only will Pangnirtung's harbour create local jobs NOW, as a key outpost on Canada's Arctic shoreline, the project will ensure fisheries employment for years to come and provide a base for federal scientific research and resources management.
A strong military presence remains the key priority in protecting Canadian sovereignty and that is why the Prime Minister helped showcase Operation NANOOK 09, a major whole-of-government exercise designed to build Canada's capability to assert our northern sovereignty and respond to emergencies throughout the Arctic.
Operation NANOOK is taking place from August 6 to 28th. Throughout the mission the Canadian Forces will demonstrate a visible presence with land, sea and air forces operating in the Baffin Island region. The operation includes an anti-submarine warfare exercise with Victoria-class submarines. Land Forces, including the Canadian Rangers and the Arctic Reserve Company Group, will deploy forward with the Navy and the Canadian Coast Guard. The Air Force will be flying the CP-140 Aurora, the CH-124 Sea King, the CC-138 Twin Otter, the CF-18 Hornet and CC-130 Hercules aircraft.
Operation NANOOK is an important training opportunity for CF personnel and demonstrates to the international community that Canada has both the operational capacity and the resolve required to assert our Arctic sovereignty.
Canada's foreign policy and relations will also continue to stress to the international community our determination to secure our northern territory. Our legal position on where our borders, airspace and waters are located will be backed with science and legislation.
We're investing in the comprehensive mapping of our seabed to support Canada's submission to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, which is due by the end of 2013. And earlier this year, our Conservative Government introduced legislation, Bill C-3, to give Canada more control over marine activity in the Canadian Arctic and to help ensure that ships do not pollute our waters.
For more information on Canada's Northern Strategy, go to: www.northernstrategy.gc.ca.
Previous articleAlleged Dawson Creek Drug Dealer Arrested
Next articleResults from the Blizzard Thursday Night Time Trial

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Travelers in Seattle and cities to the nearby east and north of the major tech hub can now start buying tickets for flights from a new, potentially more convenient Seattle-area airport option.
Thursday, Alaska Airlines announced it was putting tickets on sale for 18 daily nonstop flights between Paine Field in Everett, Wash. and eight West Coast cities. The first flights are expected to begin on Feb. 11, 2019, pending government approval.
Paine Field is perhaps best known for its relationship to Boeing and its adjacent airplane assembly facilities. But growth of the greater Seattle area with an increased demand for flights at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to the south of the city, as well as nationally notorious traffic congestion, led to the push to add commercial airline service in Snohomish County north of Seattle.
Alaska Airlines plans to serve eight cities from Paine Field (airport code PAE) with regular service provided by its Horizon Air subsidiary on newer Embraer 175 aircraft. The announced destinations include Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orange County in California, Phoenix, Portland in Oregon, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose.
As part of its announcement, Alaska Airlines said it had acquired five additional gate times from Southwest Airlines, which had planned to serve Paine Field but has now dropped those plans, citing "business considerations" and that "terms of the agreement are confidential." Southwest's change allowed Alaska to schedule more frequent flights, from the original 13 to up to 18 daily nonstop departures. United Airlines also has announced it will fly from Everett, eventually serving San Francisco and Denver.
Not all flights are immediately available for February departures, based on a quick check of Alaska Airlines ticket availability by GeekWire. Alaska Airlines has posted a full list of scheduled flights and start dates on its blog. The original start of Paine Field service was originally anticipated for this fall.
The addition of commercial service at Paine Field was dependent on construction of a new commercial airport terminal, which is almost complete.
Aviation history buffs will know this isn't the first time Alaska Airlines has served Paine Field. It also was a presence at the airport in the 1940s and 1950s — long before the current tech boom. Those hangers now, according to Alaska Airlines, are used by the Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum founded by Paul Allen.


text:
Q: Two font colors in one cell of java fx table I'm new to java so be kind. I know that in a jtable i can use html to style the cell contents and have two different font colors in one cell.
redblue

Or something along those lines
Before I started my project in java swing i read up on java fx and was wondering if i should start there.
right now we use a excel spreadsheet to handle the data but would like to take it out of MS Office.
Just needed to know if possible with java fx or if i should stay with swing table for now.
any and all advice is welcome.
Thank You

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Sherman Fogel
Conflict Management and Dispute Resolution
Arbitration • Mediation • Facilitation
Announcements & ADR News
BEST LAWYERS 2020 PHOENIX MEDIATOR OF THE YEAR
Sherman has been named Phoenix Mediator of the Year by Best Lawyers in America for the second time in the past four years. In addition to those two designations, he was selected Phoenix Arbitration Lawyer of the Year in both 2016 and 2018.
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CIVIL TRIAL MEDIATORS
Sherman has been inducted as a Fellow in the American College of Civil Trial Mediators
Arbitration, Facilitation and Mediation Cases
Sherman has extensive experience in resolving complicated disputes through both arbitration and facilitation/mediation. Examples of both are included in the links below.
The afternoon session will again be the popular ADR Talks format, featuring seven or eight highly experienced local practitioners who will each talk on an ADR topic they are particularly interested in for not more than 15 minutes each, followed by questions from the audience. Sherman will be talking about "Mediation Dynamics: Managing the Often Different Expectations of the Parties, the Lawyers, and the Mediator. To help him prepare for the presentation, he would like to hear from you about your expectations as a mediator or attorney for a party, and what you think your clients expectations are. If you would be willing to share some thoughts, please call (602) 264-3330 or email (mede8@msn.com).
Although sponsored by the ADR Section, these programs are not just for mediators and arbitrators, but are equally valuable to lawyers in almost every field. I look forward to seeing you at the Convention in June.
Representative Cases Arbitrated
by Sherman Fogel
a four week hearing involving a $10 Billion claim against a very well known public company arising out of the failure of a start up e-commerce business
an international contract dispute between a local "Fortune Five Hundred" company and a Swiss Corporation
multi-million dollar construction dispute between a publicly held corporate owner and a large multi-state contractor involving the construction of a paper pulping plants
$3 Million contract dispute between a grower and a food processing company involving the financing, growing, harvesting, processing and delivery of organic produce
dispute involving the split up of a medical practice involving employment issues, share transfer restrictions and allegations of disability insurance fraud
dispute between developer of master planned community and owner of a commercial parcel within the community regarding alleged violations of the covenants, conditions and restrictions which could require destruction and removal of a partially constructed 8500 square foot commercial building
dispute between a large regional hospital and a national health insurance provider
dispute between the franchisor and a franchisee involving a product and process utilized in the construction industry
multi-million dollar dispute involving breach of executive employment contracts by the publicly held surviving entity following a merger
dispute between the franchisor and a franchisee involving site selection, construction and operation of multiple restaurants
$10 Million claim arising out of the split up of a family owned steel business having multiple divisions operating in several states
$20 Million claim between joint venture partners holding the patents to several important medical devises arising out of the sale of their company to a publicly held pharmaceutical company
dispute involving the supervised dissolution and liquidation of three inter-related medical and medical real estate partnerships and limited liability companies
dispute between a mining corporation and a contractor involving claims for additional compensation relating to dewatering of contaminated surface and ground water on the job site
claim by the limited partners, individually and derivatively against the general partners of several real estate investment limited partnerships and limited liability companies
multi-million dollar claim brought by a large national, but privately owned, corporation involving insurance coverage issues
multi-million dollar international contract dispute between a domestic family owned corporation and a Japanese mega-company arising out of the purchase and sale of commercial printing presses
five week hearing involving a twenty-six million dollar breach of contract dispute between two "Fortune Five Hundred" companies regarding the manufacture, sale, maintenance and repair of military hardware
Dispute arising out of a failed contract for the sale of a private water company due to the failure to obtain the timely transfer of the certificates of convenience and necessity
numerous general contract, corporate, partnership, real estate and other commercial disputes
Mediation and Facilitation
Representative Cases Mediated or Facilitated
a high-profile dispute between a State and a City involving the development of hundreds of acres adjacent to a large municipal park, in which more than forty people participated, representing two school districts, several citizen activist groups, a private developer and various agencies and departments of the State and the City
disputes resulting from a dysfunctional Commission appointed by the Mayor of a City and in constant conflict with virtually every political and managerial agency and department of the City
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission nationwide pattern-or-practice action against a large publically held corporation alleging violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act
negotiation among multiple municipalities and public utilities involving the modification and extension of a forty year contract for the sale of municipal effluent for use in cooling nuclear reactors at a large nuclear plant
the restructuring of a multi-million dollar family owed high-fashion retail business operating at multiple locations in several states, involving three factions of the family, which was conducted in three phases, over approximately two years
dispute between a municipality and a religious organization involving the disposition of a historical building
dispute between the scientist/inventor/licensor and the licensee of patented scientific technology, resolved by an agreed division of the patented technology into industrial and medical applications and the reallocation of the rights to manufacture, use and sell products embodying the patented technology based upon the applications
contest for control of a multi-million dollar family owned business operating out of fourteen locations in three states
dispute between securities broker/dealer and customer involving claims in excess of $1 Million
a number of disputes between municipalities and commercial property owners arising out of eminent domain/condemnation proceedings
dispute between real estate purchaser, seller and title insurer involving allegations of misrepresentation in connection of the sale and issues of title insurance coverage and exclusions
employment contract dispute, involving claims in excess of $350,000 for wrongful termination, severance pay and bonuses, and counterclaims for breach of fiduciary duty
dispute between joint venture partners involving the development and marketing of computer software for use in the physical fitness industry
a highly publicized dispute involving the ownership and operation of a private athletic training facility utilized by Olympic athletes, which involved private contract issues, municipal zoning ordinances and special use permits, and vigorous neighborhood opposition, in all of which, a municipality was an active participant
dispute between institutional lender and borrower involving allegations by the borrower of breach of contract, wrongful foreclosure and defamation by lender
a dispute between beneficiaries of probate estate, involving allegations of fraud upon surviving spouse's community property interest and breach of fiduciary duty by personal representative and trustee
dispute involving investment contract, construction contract and joint venture agreement, the resolution of which paved the way for the completion of a privately owned charter school
dispute between three physicians involving the split up of a multi-office medical practice
dispute among four physicians involving internal governance of a multi-office medical practice and preservation of the partnership
dispute between owner, contractor and subcontractor involving collapse of construction project and allocation of responsibility
contract dispute involving two international credit cards, the issuing national bank and a corporation engaged in the discounted acquisition of delinquent credit card debt
dispute between hotel, condominium, office and retail developers and the representatives of numerous neighborhood associations and activist groups involving an update to a plan for the development and preservation of a major urban core of a large city, the resolution of which took almost five months and was ultimately approved by the city planning department, adopted by the city council and avoided a city wide referendum election
dispute among a State, fifteen Counties and a large publicly held corporation regarding personal property valuation and taxation
limited liability company internal governance dispute involving the development of a natural gas field valued at more than fifty million dollars
a number of disputes between a County and large publicly held corporations regarding real property valuation, assessment and taxation
lien foreclosure dispute arising out of the construction of a multi-use retail and office complex between the owner, owner's lender, title insurer, general contractor and approximately 60 of the general contractor's subcontractors, suppliers and sub-subcontractors
A number of disputes between lenders and borrowers arising out of mortgage foreclosures and deed of trust trustee's sales, including claims for deficiencies, involving residential and commercial properties
numerous private contract, corporate, partnership, real estate and other commercial disputes
2850 East Camelback Road, Suite 200
mede8@msn.com
© 2019, Sherman Fogel. All Rights Reserved.


My gift strategy is to look for gifts starting a few months before the holiday. If I find something that will make a great present, I stash it in a box in my closet until November, when I make a formal list of everyone I want to give gifts to. This takes some pressure off of buying gifts (because I've already bought many of them) and it allows me to take advantage of sales.
My digital buddy Jennifer Melnick Carota, aka The Gift Therapist, has a similar strategy. She keeps a special "gift wallet" in her purse where she keeps $20 in cash.
Buying early is one strategy for keeping within your budget. If it doesn't appeal to you, no worries. I will suggest a few other approaches in the coming weeks and months. But if any of these gift ideas appeal to you, start watching for them to go on sale!
For anyone who cooks – America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook . This is hands down my favorite cookbook (sorry, Barefoot Contessa!). Every recipe is party proof, so no worries about testing out recipes ahead of them. They are ALL amazing.$23.07 at Amazon.
For the techie – a clearance gadget from ThinkGeek.com. A friend says the titanium chopsticks are the bomb, but I like the Dado Stacking Cubes for $15 (orig. $27).
For a good friend – cute note cards. Know someone who loves to send thank yous in the mail? For an extra touch, pair the gift with a special roll of stamps. This blue and brown set of cards with a tapestry design comes with 14 cards and 15 envelopes for $9. Keep an eye on sales at stationary stores for a low-priced set.
This week Target had some amazing sale prices on toys. I got my son a Bionacle on sale for $1 off plus you got a smaller version for free, saving $7 total. Since Lego and Bionicle's don't go on sale much this is a great deal. They also had Kin'ex buy 1 get a smaller version free. If my son does not end up with this on his Christmas list I have 90 days to return.
I agree that you will wear that trench for many years. It is so perfectly classic. I have never worn 4 3/4 inch heels… have enough difficulty with 3 inch. Will be waiting to see them on you. Love the candy apple color.
Some of us who are retailers or portals are putting our promotions up early. These can include reduced prices, free shipping and discounts. It is a good year to shop online because all the big retailers have made the transition now and they see big opportunities online.
Thanks for writeing this post! I can't belive that it's really almost Christmas, where does the time fly?


text:
In The Plex
How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives
by Steven Levy
read on April 1, 2013
I have had this book on my list for a long time. I first heard about it a year or so ago, when it was released, and it was pretty well acclaimed. I've long wanted to know a bit more about Google, and I think the only reason it took so long for this to finally make the cut is because the cover is so horrible. Sometimes books get different covers when they're released in different markets, and I actually searched for for an alternate to use because this one is so bad. Ug.
Anyway, I'm glad I did make it through. The whole thing was well written and engaging. It truly does seem like a unique company, being run by very unique founders. Highlights:
Google had a very bespoke IPO - I didn't even know you could really do that. Their S-1 was hilarious, where they made all kinds of unusual statements (like the famous 'don't be evil' motto - that's an odd thing to tell your investors) and especially a sentence declaring that they may do some things that lose money, only because they believe that doing them will make the world a better place. They also ran the IPO as a dutch auction, a process they felt would be the most fair to retail investors. They outright declared that they will always only disclose the minimum information required by law to their investors... ! Hilarious right? Maybe best of all, they setup the company with two classes of shares. Class A is common equity where 1 share = 1 vote. Class B shares have 10x voting power, and are convertible to Class A at any time. Larry and Sergey loaded themselves up on Class B, giving them perpetual control of the company - years later Zuckerberg did the same thing.
Larry and Sergey are BIG into brain science. I had no idea. Their vision of Google is implanting a chip in your brain, so that you'll just 'know' things. I'm 100% on-board with this; but Google is probably the creepiest, worst company I'd want actually doing it. Still - this is a long, long way off, but I'm happy that there is serious private research being done on it - very interesting.
Larry and Sergey were both brought up in Montessori schools. I had no idea what those were, but apparently they're an institution that emphasizes learning through experimentation and individual effort, never by rote. I'm totally down with this, and was glad to learn about it. On the one hand it would produce people like these guys, who are insatiably curious and never even consider backing off of an exciting idea just because it's unconventional or because it's off the beaten path. We need people like that. But on the flip side, I could see the same kind of upbringing lead to creating someone like Kanye West - an outrageously egomaniacal, self-entitled asshole who does whatever the hell they want, with total disregard for authority, order, and conventional manners. I guess it's a pretty thin line between the two.
Unfortunately, the book didn't answer the one resounding question I've always had about Google: "Seriously, how do they make money? Like, for real?" Look, I've seen the income statement, I understand it's all advertising. The part I don't understand is how horrible those ads are. In the last ten years I'd be blown away if I ever clicked on more than 3 of them, and 2 of those were probably on accident. Google ads (adsense/adwords - not referring to doubleclick display ads) are HORRIBLE. Really, really bad. And Youtube? The little ads that stick up during videos get closed immediately 100% of the time. ALWAYS. Gmail ads? I've never clicked them. Ever. Not once, not even by accident. Google is horrible at advertising. Again, I'm saying this as someone with taste looking at their actual ads, not looking at their balance sheet. And I just don't understand. I really don't know where the money is coming from. Either the music is just going to stop for them one of these days when advertisers realized that Google isn't doing shit for them, or I just really don't get it.
Steven Levynon-fictionaudiobook
googleipo
Levy is the editor-in-chief of the tech hub for Medium. Previously he was senior writer for Wired, following a dozen years as chief technology writer and a senior editor for Newsweek. Levy has had articles published in Harper's, Macworld, The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, Premiere, and Rolling Stone. He is regarded as a prominent and respected critic of Apple Inc. In July 2004, Levy wrote a cover story (which also featured an interview with Apple CEO Steve Jobs) which unveiled the 4th generation of the iPod to the world before Apple had officially done so, an unusual event since Apple is well known for its tight-lipped press policy. In 1984, he wrote a book called Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution, in which he described a "hacker ethic", which became a guideline to understanding how computers have advanced into the machines that we know and use today. He identified this Hacker Ethic to consist of key points such as that all information is free, and that this information should be used to "change life for the better". Levy won the "Computer Press Association Award" for a report he co-wrote in 1998 on the Year 2000 problem. Levy was a contributor to Stewart Brand's Whole Earth Software Catalog, first published in 1984. In 1978, Steven Levy rediscovered Albert Einstein's brain in the office of the pathologist who removed and preserved it. Levy received his bachelor's degree from Temple University and earned a Master's degree in literature from Pennsylvania State University. He lives in New York City with his wife, Pulitzer Prize winner Teresa Carpenter, and son.


text:
Market Recap: Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P (NASDAQ:CLMT), Gentherm Inc (NASDAQ:THRM), MannKind Corporation (NASDAQ:MNKD)
Posted bySteve Hackney	 May 20, 2014
Boston, MA 05/20/2014 (wallstreetpr) – Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P (NASDAQ:CLMT) intends to spend $50 million for the improvement of its San Antonio refinery. It acquired the refinery in January 2013 from NuStar Energy L.P. (NYSE:NS) for $30 million. However, the plant has been riddled with almost frequent spills with the latest happening last Friday. The planned investment to improve the plant should lead to fixing of the leaks. The company said that the Friday leak was contained on time. The leak occurred during a planned maintenance of the facility. Calumet's encouraging 1Q financial performance helped boost investor and analyst confidence in the stock. Several analysts have issued positive comments on the stock in recent times. With the shares trading in the range of $31 per piece, analysts on the average expect the shares to hit $32.34 with a 12-month timeframe. The company reported 1Q EPS of 50 cents, beating consensus estimate of 9 cents for the quarter. The company generated $1.34 billion in revenue in 1Q, against the anticipated $1.23 billion.
The $1.4 billion provider of thermal management technology Gentherm Inc (NASDAQ:THRM) said its CFO Barry Steele will present at two upcoming investor conferences. The company will share its performance highlight, opportunities, challenges and efforts before the participating investors. The first presentation will be on May 28 at the Annual Craig-Hallum Institutional Investor Conference at Marriott City Center, Minneapolis. The second presentation will be on May 29, at the KeyBanc Capital Markets Conference that will bring together players and stakeholders in the industrial, automotive and transportation sector. The KeyBanc event will take place at InterContinental Hotel, Boston. Gentherm Inc (NASDAQ:THRM) last reported its financial performance on May 1, during which the company reported 1Q EPS of $0.47, beating consensus estimate at $0.29. Revenue in the quarter was $193.94 million, ahead of the consensus estimate of $173.20 million. Both revenue and earnings were up in the latest quarter on a year-over-year basis.
MannKind Corporation (NASDAQ:MNKD) entered 2Q2014 from a disadvantaged point after it reported a soft 1Q. The company saw its 1Q losses up compared to the same period last year. The loss per share in the quarter also exceeded the consensus estimate. The higher loss in 1Q was due to increase in expenses. The company promised to undertake initiatives to support the bottom-line in the future.
Published by Steve Hackney
Steve Hackney is a corporate finance professional with over 14 years of experience in cash management and investing. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Florida State University and holds a Certified Treasury Professional certification. Steve lives in Orlando, Florida with his family.	View more posts
Market Takeaway: Enbridge Energy Management, L.L.C. (NYSE:EEQ), Strayer Education Inc (NASDAQ:STRA), Empire State Realty Trust Inc (NYSE:ESRT)
Shareholder Unrest Start Showing In AstraZeneca plc (ADR) (NYSE:AZN) Over Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) Rejection


This Salvaged garment is a 100% vintage 1980s Munsingwear red tartan check patterned high waisted tailored culotte style shorts with side buckle belt fastening and pockets. CONDITION - Excellent vintage condition, may be some natural signs of wear due to age. SIZE - Model is a size 8 and 5'7". Garment size UK 6. Waist 25" 64cm / Length 23" 58cm. DELIVERY - Next day delivery available Monday-Thursday on orders made before 1pm. Orders made on Friday will be posted on Monday.
Model is a size 8 and 5'7". Garment size UK 6. Waist 25" 64cm / Length 23" 58cm.


text:
Aviation world waits as Boeing black box review begins in France
in Cover, World News
Investigators in France on Friday examined the black boxes of a Boeing 737 MAX that crashed in Ethiopia as a spooked global airline industry waited to see if the cause was similar to a disaster in Indonesia months before.
Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 crashed soon after take-off from Addis Ababa last weekend, killing 157 people, in the second such calamity involving Boeing's flagship new model after a jet came down off Indonesia in October with 189 people on board.
Regulators have grounded the 737 MAX around the world, while the U.S. planemaker has halted next deliveries of the several thousand planes on order for a model intended to be the future industry workhorse.
Parallels between the twin disasters have frightened passengers worldwide and wiped more than $26 billion off Boeing's share price.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said information from the wreckage in Ethiopia plus newly-refined data about its flight path indicated some similarities.
According to two sources, investigators found a piece of a stabilizer in the wreckage of the Ethiopian jet set in an unusual position similar to that of the Lion Air plane in Indonesia. The stabilizer on the tail section pitches the nose up and down.
The FAA and Boeing declined to comment.
The Ethiopian pilot had reported internal problems and asked to return to Addis Ababa in his last communications.
Pilots worldwide were waiting anxiously for the outcome of the investigation, Paul Gichinga, former head of the Kenya Airline Pilots Association, told Reuters.
"Looking at the crash site photos, the aircraft appears to have nose-dived … It looks that they were not in control of the aircraft at impact," he said.
"The pilot must have gotten some sort of indication that maybe the airspeed was unreliable or something and decided, instead of climbing and going to sort out the problem up there, the best thing was to return to have it sorted."
Boeing, the world's biggest planemaker, has said the 737 MAX is safe. It continued to produce at full speed at its factory near Seattle but paused shipments.
France's Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) has possession of the flight data and cockpit voice recorders, though Ethiopia is formally leading the investigation and U.S. experts are in Paris and Addis Ababa too.
FAMILIES "STUCK, EMOTIONAL"
U.S. lawmakers said on Thursday the 737 Max fleet would be grounded for weeks if not longer until a software upgrade could be tested and installed. Boeing has said it would roll out the improvement in the coming weeks.
The New York Times cited a person who reviewed air traffic communications as saying the Ethiopian captain had reported a "flight control" problem a minute after departure as the jet was well below the minimum safe height from the ground during a climb. Three minutes in, he requested permission to return as the plane accelerated to abnormal speed.
After being cleared by the control room to turn back, the jet climbed to an unusually high altitude and disappeared from the radar over a restricted military zone, the person cited by the newspaper added. Contact with air controllers was lost five minutes after take-off, it said.
In Ethiopia, grieving relatives have been visiting the charred and debris-strewn field where the jet came down to pay last respects. Only fragments remain, meaning it may take weeks or months to identify all the victims who came from 35 nations.
Some families stormed out of a meeting with Ethiopian Airlines on Thursday complaining about a lack of information.
Israeli national Ilan Matsliah flew to Ethiopia hours after confirming his older brother was a passenger, thinking it would not take beyond 24 hours to find any remains for burial in accordance with Jewish tradition.
"More than 24 hours is a problem for us. But I have been here for more than 96 hours," the 46-year old told Reuters.
"We are now stuck in the same place, the same as Monday. We are very emotional."
With heightened global scrutiny, the head of Indonesia's transport safety committee said a report into the Lion Air crash would be speeded up so it could be released in July to August, months earlier than originally expected.
A software fix for the 737 MAX that Boeing has been working on since the Lion Air crash will take months to complete, the FAA said on Wednesday.
A November preliminary report, before the retrieval of the cockpit voice recorder, focused on maintenance and training and the response of a Boeing anti-stall system to a recently replaced sensor but gave no reason for the crash.
Ajiri Daniels
Sun News Online Team
I need a rich man with strong manhood –Omalicha Elom
AMCON takes over Ibadan Disco for loan default
2018/2019 UEFA Europa League quarter-final draw
ABU matriculates more than 13,000 students
APC group urges Ogboru to shun contesting Okowa's victory


Non-padded, non-wired bra for all day comfort and utmost ease.
Designed with demi cups and a plunge neckline to go with your low neck dresses and tops.
Crafted with soft and stretchable cotton for a great fit.
Secured with hook-and-eye closures on the back.
Amalgamation of comfort and style with a trendy design.


text:
― KEUKA LAKE WATERSHED PROTECTION PLAN - WATERSHED DESCRIPTION ―
The principal water resource of the Keuka Lake watershed is the lake itself. Keuka is the third largest of the Finger Lakes in volume and size, occupying about 11,614 acres. The lake is 19.6 miles long, an average of 0.71 miles wide, a maximum of 186 feet deep and contains about 375 billion gallons of water.
The lake is drained by the Keuka Outlet, which flows from Penn Yan to Dresden on Seneca Lake. The lake is controlled by a set of gates operated by the Village of Penn Yan and owned by the Keuka Lake Outlet Compact, a board consisting of the eight supervisors and mayors of the municipalities around Keuka Lake.
The quantity and quality of water in Keuka Lake depends on the water draining into the lake from the watershed. The watershed boundary - roughly defined by the hills surrounding the lake - is often far away from the lake itself and crosses many political boundaries.
Most of the water reaching the lake arrives via tributaries which drain 29 major subwatersheds or directly through groundwater flow. The drainage basin of the watershed, including the lake surface, measures 174 square miles or 111,360 acres. Principal streams flowing into Keuka Lake include: Sugar Creek, Chidsey Point, Knotty Pine, Wagener Glenn, Urbana Point, Glen Brook, Cold Brook, Mount Washington, Day Road, Eggleston Glen, Willow Grove, and Brandy Bay. Direct drainage areas include Branchport, Coryell, Boyd Hill, Armstrong Road, Pulteney, Urbana, Grove Springs, Keuka Village, Barrington, Milo, Jerusalem, East Bluff and West Bluff.
Many of the wetlands of the Keuka Lake watershed have been drained and/or filled for development and agricultural use. Upland, lakeside and streamside wetlands have been mostly eliminated, except for small remnants. The wetland system at the north end of the lake and along the outlet has been fragmented, channeled and developed for residential and municipal uses. Three lakeside wetlands, at Penn Yan, Branchport, and Hammondsport, exist today. A few wetlands exist in the Sugar Creek, Cold Brook, Chidsey Point, and Brandy Bay subwatersheds.
Water quality protection efforts aimed at protecting Keuka Lake must also include protecting the groundwater that feeds the lake. The groundwater map below provides a regional view of the availability of groundwater in the watershed. Productive areas (aquifers) are those having potential water yields greater than 100 gallons per minute (gpm) and which are actively recharged. Potential aquifers are areas with a yield of less than 100 gpm. Non-aquifers have potential yields of less than 5 gpm.
Hammondsport and the Sugar Creek or Guyanoga Valley are the two major aquifer areas in the watershed. Smaller, but significant aquifer areas are found in Pulteney, Keuka Park and on several of the major deltas around the lake.
The bedrock of the Keuka Lake watershed consists of sedimentary rocks deposited 375-360 million years ago during the Middle and Upper Devonian Period. Today this region is part of the hilly, glaciated Allegheny Plateau. Bedrock consists largely of sandstones, siltstones and shales.
Following the deposition of the bedrock, the Allegheny Plateau was uplifted and eroded by streams draining southward toward the Atlantic Ocean through the Susquehanna River system. During the Ice Ages, which commenced approximately two million years ago, a mile-thick ice sheet advanced and retreated at least four times through the basin. The ice further deepened, widened, and straightened the existing valley. During the retreat of the final glacier, the ice front halted at the south end of the lake near Hammondsport, depositing a steep, linear ridge of glacial till known as the Valley Heads Moraine. This moraine effectively dammed the channel, creating Keuka and most of the other Finger Lakes.
SURFACE GEOLOGY AND SOILS
Six types of surface conditions exist within the Keuka Lake watershed. At the northwest and south ends of the lake are broad bands of lacustrine (lake) silts and clays, as well as deposits of organic muck and alluvial (water deposited) materials located along the swampy lowlands of Sugar Creek near Branchport and along the Keuka Inlet at Hammondsport. Most of the upland areas of the watershed are covered with deposits of glacial till (mixture of glacially laid rocks, sand, silt and clay) varying in thickness from a few feet to twenty feet or more. In many places the till is completely absent and bedrock is exposed at the surface. Glacial outwash (materials deposited by glacial meltwater) are found along Sugar Creek and in the valley between Hammondsport and Bath, as well as in the lowland between the village of Keuka Park and Keuka State Park.
Around the perimeter of the lake hundreds of gullies cut steep and broken land. The soils of these tributaries are deeply dissected and eroded. In some areas, the slopes are nearly vertical with large rock outcroppings. In other areas, the soils are deep and have a tendency to slump down hill, causing a great deal of erosion and sedimentation in the lake. The best use of these areas is maintaining natural forest vegetation to provide forest cover and retain soil.
Near Hammondsport and Branchport, poorly drained silt loam soils are common along the Cold Brook and Sugar Creek inlets. Since these soils are periodically flooded and are wet most of the year, they provide excellent soils for wetland and wildlife habitat.
The Keuka Lake watershed is characterized by broad, straight U-shaped valleys with steep side slopes projecting upwards for several hundred feet and capped by rounded hilltops. Hillsides are severely dissected by steep valleys, with slopes often exceeding 45 degrees, particularly along the Bluff and western shore of Keuka Lake. The northern portion of the watershed has much lower elevations and slopes. Elevations increase from near 1,000 feet above mean sea level at Penn Yan and Branchport to almost 2,000 feet along the southern edge of the watershed. The mean elevation of Keuka Lake is 714 feet, but varies seasonally, from 712 to 714.5 feet.
The Keuka Lake watershed was settled by people almost as soon as the Ice Age ended, some 9,000 years ago. These first people survived by hunting, fishing and gathering wild food. Archaeological remains from the vicinity of Lamoka Lake reveal a diet consisting of deer, turkey, passenger pigeon, bear, turtle, bullhead and acorns. Farming first appeared in the area nine hundred years ago with the Owasco people, who brought the "Three Sisters" agriculture of interplanted corn, beans and squash.
In the late eighteenth century, followers of Jemima Wilkinson moved into the area and erected dams and mills on the Outlet. A second colony led by the Potter family built on Sugar Creek, north of the present site of Branchport.
Penn Yan incorporated as a village in 1833, and in the same year the Crooked Lake Canal opened, paralleling the Outlet. Agricultural produce of the area could be floated through its 28 locks to Seneca Lake and the Erie Canal system. In 1836, the first vineyards in the Keuka Lake watershed were planted in the Town of Pulteney. In 1837, the Keuka, the first steamboat, began hauling passengers and produce on Keuka Lake.
From 1840 until the turn of the century, the production of grapes, first for fresh eating and later for wineries, boomed. By 1900, more than 10,000 acres of vineyards ringed the lake. The height of agricultural production occurred before the turn of the century. Today, only about half as much land (approximately 34,300 acres) is worked.
While agriculture was declining, tourism and recreational uses of the lake increased. Development of the lakeshore began in the 1880s. Keuka College, the Keuka Lake Sanitarium, and other spas were established. Cottages and retirement homes sprang up around the lake.
After the turn-of-the-century, several industries grew up in the Keuka Lake Watershed, including Curtis Aircraft in Hammondsport (1910) and Penn Yan Boats (1921). Widespread ownership of automobiles and the growth of a modern road system accelerated development around the lake.
Today, most of the shoreline has been developed for cottages and second homes. Recent trends include development of steep or wet sites, conversion of summer homes to year-round use, demolition and rebuilding of structures, and development of woodland and lake-view parcels. The rate of development has been increased by the lake's proximity to urban centers. The result is an "urban corridor" surrounding the lake, with increasing development pressure on agricultural land.
Away from the lakeshore, 54 percent of the watershed land is covered with shrubs, early successional trees, and/or mature forests. Thirty-four percent of the watershed land is used for agriculture. Ten to fifteen percent of watershed land is in transition from agriculture to residential use. Three to five percent of the watershed is used for residential, commercial and industrial purposes.
At the time of settlement in the 1780s and 90s, the land was heavily forested. The original forests were principally sugar maple, beech, hickory, red and white oaks, tulip poplar, and black walnut, though many other hardwoods and softwoods were common.
The land began to be cleared in the 1790s. By the late 1880s, 85-90% of the land was cleared and farmed. No virgin timber or relic forests remain in the watershed. The forests that do remain consist of second and third-growth stands of the original species. Chestnut and elm have been lost to disease, but locust, pine and spruce have been added to the original forest species.
Since 1880, there has been a gradual abandonment of farmland and corresponding re-growth of wooded land. Since the abandoned lands were generally the least productive for agriculture, the woods on these lands are of very low quality. At present, about 54% of the watershed land is forested. Much of this woodland is in an early stage of succession: pines, poplar, red maple, hawthorn, pin cherry, and various dogwoods predominate. Forested areas in the watershed, particularly on steeper slopes, provide many water quality benefits, including stormwater retention and erosion and sediment control.
The watershed encompasses a wide variety of habitats supporting diverse wildlife communities. Habitats range from wetlands to large blocks of unbroken forests. Agricultural areas provide food sources for wildlife and the many transitional areas provide cover and nesting sites.
Area wildlife includes game species such as deer, turkey, pheasant, grouse, squirrel, rabbit, opossum, coyote and fox. Non-game species include song birds, hawks, owls and occasionally ospreys and even eagles. Wetland areas in the watershed support waterfowl, mink, muskrats, beaver and amphibians.
Well managed fish and wildlife populations provide residents and visitors with tremendous opportunities for nature study, hunting, fishing and trapping. Protecting our water resources helps to ensure that we will continue to enjoy healthy and dynamic wildlife populations.
Lake trout is the primary cold water game fish in Keuka Lake, supported entirely by natural reproduction. Rainbow trout, which reproduce naturally in Cold Brook, support stream and some lake fishing. Stocked domestic brown trout and Atlantic landlocked salmon add species diversity.
Important warm water species include smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, bluegills, yellow perch, pickerel, and brown bullheads. Smelt and alewives are the primary forage fish. Lake whitefish and ciscoes are present, but very uncommon. Northern pike can also be found in limited numbers.
The lake provides excellent smallmouth bass fishing. The gravelly bottom found in many areas of the lake provides an essential element for spawning smallmouths and lake trout. Largemouth bass and chain pickerel are found in good numbers at both the north and south ends of Keuka. Rooted aquatic plants there provide excellent habitat for these fish.
Parts of ten municipalities and two counties lie within the Keuka Lake watershed. The municipalities with the largest land areas within the watershed include Jerusalem (31%), Milo (6%), Barrington (9%), Wayne (7%), Urbana (20%) and Pulteney (16%).
POPULATION AND HOUSING
Of the ten municipalities in the watershed, eight have lake frontage. The primary municipalities had a total 1990 population of approximately 21,000. The estimated population actually residing within the watershed itself was 17,878, a 16.75 percent increase since 1970. There are an estimated 6,300 housing units in the watershed, based on the 1990 tax roles.
Paul Eberts' 1994 report, Socioeconomic Trends in Rural New York State, describes Yates County as a smaller than average rural-suburban county. It has a small but stable manufacturing base employing 17% of the 1990 work force. A large service sector employs 72.4% of all workers. Yate's agricultural base is also large compared with other counties, producing $29 million in total sales in 1990. Forty percent of workers commute to jobs outside the county, many to the highly industrialized Rochester metropolitan area.
Steuben County is slightly above average size for a rural-urban county. Its manufacturing base of 27.2% is large but declining slightly. The service sector employed 68.2% of the 1990 work force. The agricultural base is much larger than average, with $73.6 million in products sold in 1987. Only 17.6% of workers commutes to jobs outside the county.
MUNICIPAL WATER REVENUES
Over 20,000 people rely on Keuka Lake as a source of potable drinking water. Approximately 10,000 people draw water directly from the lake for domestic use. The remaining 10,000 people purchase water from municipalities in the watershed, generating an estimated $750,000 in annual water revenues for the villages of Hammondsport, Penn Yan, Keuka Park and Dresden.
RECREATIONAL VALUE
The recreational value of Keuka Lake and its watershed cannot be measured directly. However, the Finger Lakes Association has estimated that in 1987 tourism and recreation revenues in Steuben County totaled $59 million. The Yates County Chamber of Commerce estimated in 1996 that $14 million was spent on tourism and recreation in Yates County. These amounts do not include the "multiplier effect" created when these dollars are spent three to four times over in the community. For 1996, the Finger Lakes Association conservatively estimated the value of tourism and recreation just within the watershed itself at $15 million.
Many of these recreation dollars are spent on fishing. The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation estimated in 1988 that the value of fishing on Keuka Lake was over $5 million. At three percent growth per year, the 1997 value would be worth $6.7 million.


text:
Procurement Strategy & Planning Content
Icertis becomes first true CLM unicorn, with $115M funding round — and it sits atop a market that's red hot and ripe for M&A [PRO]
Jason Busch and Pierre Mitchell
- July 17, 2019 7:30 AM | Categories: Contract Management, M&A, Procurement Financials, Procurement Strategy & Planning, Solution Providers
Icertis announced today that its latest funding round raised $115 million and that the provider of contract lifecycle management (CLM) is now valued at more than a billion dollars, reaching proverbial "unicorn" status.
The funding round was led by two groups, Greycroft and PremjiInvest, with participation from B Capital Group, Cross Creek Advisors, Eight Roads, Ignition Partners, Meritech Capital Partners and PSP Growth, according to a press release. The latest round brings total funding to date to $211 million, the release said.
Mark Terbeek, a partner at Greycroft, said in the release: "We've seen (Icertis) become the undisputed CLM leader, acquiring a huge stable of blue-chip customers and generating a return on capital that is among the best we've ever seen. We have no doubt they will become the next giant in the enterprise SaaS market."
The release also noted that "the AI-infused Icertis Contract Management (ICM) platform is used by companies like 3M, Airbus, Cognizant, Daimler, Microsoft and Sanofi to manage 5.7 million contracts in 40+ languages across 90+ countries."
Icertis is private and doesn't disclose revenues, but it has been growing extremely quickly (claiming 125% CAGR over the last four years), and with over 800 employees, a forward-looking revenue run rate approaching $200 million seems reasonable, and only requires a 5X multiple to get to a $1 billion valuation (we believe the revenue multiple to be higher than this).
Also, Icertis is a clear market leader in the CLM space based on our latest Q2 2019 SolutionMap deep-dive competitive assessment (available here for free). And, Icertis competitor Exari was recently acquired at roughly a 10X multiple, so there should be little doubt about Icertis' favorable prospects.
Icertis announced that its new $115 million in funding will be used for continued product development in adjacent product areas (and geographies), verticalization, possible acquisitions, blockchain development and, of course, AI — which is red hot in CLM.
Spend Matters has covered Icertis for years, and while the firm's stated mission to "become the contract management platform of the world" may seem a bit audacious, the firm has executed historically well due in part to its strong management team and focused strategy as a true CLM pure play that doesn't focus on any one particular business process area (e.g, within the sell-side for customer contracts).
The firm is also buoyed by the fact that the CLM market is throwing off its shackles as a place for glorified document management systems set up by legal departments to transfer commercial risk to counterparties. Rather, contracts are becoming the ultimate system-of-record for B2B commerce, not just from a legal department standpoint, but a financial one (e.g., where contracts become the new ledgers that augment the G/L), a regulatory/risk standpoint, and an operational one relevant to any place where internal/external stakeholders make commitments to each other.
We call this concept "commercial value management" (CVM), and we discussed its framework in a recent Spend Matters PRO research paper titled "Commercial Value Management: Making Contracts the Commercial Core of Enterprise Value (Part 1)." In it, we stated:
"There is a subtle shift happening within the scope of contract and commercial management (CCM), and a not-so-subtle shift that is also happening within the digital realm (e.g., namely artificial intelligence, low-code platforms, open source, "XaaS"). What's happening is that as contracts get digitized and more deeply modeled, they are becoming the single most important piece of master data within the enterprise that touches virtually every single stakeholder within these core processes and also within corporate functions such as R&D, risk management, strategic planning, treasury, audit, sustainability, digital/innovation and others."
In the rest of this Spend Matters PRO / Nexus brief, we'll examine the following topics:
* Icertis' prospects relative to multiple CLM market segments and competitors
* How CLM's evolution to "CVM" impacts Icertis. (Think of CVM as "extended CLM" on steroids.)
* M&A, exit and other considerations for Icertis — including potential acquirers as an alternative to an IPO.
And in a subsequent deeper dive in the August/September inaugural Spend Matters Nexus members' newsletter for private equity firms/investors, corporate development teams and solution provider CEOs, we'll feature Icertis and analyze:
* Icertis' strategy: lessons learned and key takeaways
* Valuation drivers (for Icertis and similar firms) and possible Icertis M&A acquisition prospects/targets
* The prospects for procurement suite providers with legacy CLM capabilities and Apttus, Conga and others in a CVM world
OK, let's get to it …
- July 15, 2019 6:00 AM | Categories: Procurement Strategy & Planning, Survey, Technology
Despite economic growth, recent headwinds have procurement and finance professionals considering how to deal with a possible recession in the next year or so, according to a survey by the data-aggregation firm Suplari, which published "Plans & Tactics to Recession-Proof the Enterprise in 2019 and Beyond." The study notes that many recent surveys spotlight executives' concerns that job markets, credit risks and tariff policies could push the economy to decelerate. The survey evaluates how to avoid disruptions of performance, growth and profitability, considering what strategies can be employed swiftly to identify cost-savings and risk-optimization.
Coupa's 3 Special Forces Teams (Part 2: Alliances/Business Development) [PRO]
- July 9, 2019 4:00 AM | Categories: Market Intelligence, Procurement Strategy & Planning, Spend Management, Technology
Some of the secrets of Coupa's continued growth even as it maintains the "Rule of 40" well into the hundreds of millions of dollars of annual revenue — largely through organic development but also through the sale of additional capabilities gained via acquisition — are three quiet teams operating in the shadows behind the product/solution, R&D and sales functions.
It uses these areas to great effect to collectively win individual battles against competitors. These teams are effectively "special forces" groups that have leverage far beyond their individual ability to contribute alone (but would not be successful without the broader Coupa arsenal that they're supporting). Other vendors may have one of these weapons individually. Or on paper. But collectively Coupa is the only one that combines them to great effect as it moves its chess pieces around the tactical and strategic board.
This Spend Matters PRO brief provides a unique take on these groups from the perspective of a long-time industry insider who has seen them put to use effectively from a rare vantage point. Today we continue our look by exploring the second of Coupa's special forces teams — alliances/business development. (Click here for our analysis of Coupa's corporate development function.)
Our analysis today begins by defining what alliances/business development functions do (and not do) for enterprise software / SaaS / cloud companies. Then we provide the details behind Coupa's partner programs (including types, tiers, named partners, etc.). And finally we explore how Coupa leverages this area in ways that disproportionately benefit its broader operations.
Jason Busch serves as Managing Director of Spend Matters Nexus, a membership, research and advisory organization serving technology acquirers (private equity, corporate development, etc.) and CEOs. The views expressed in this research brief are his and do not necessarily reflect that of the Spend Matters analyst team.
Research note: This brief is based on extensive primary research. Beyond already available public information, no data or insights were provided by Coupa. However, a fact-check was provided to Coupa for informational purposes to ensure accuracy.
Announcing Spend Matters Nexus — Where Capital and Strategy Converge
- July 2, 2019 8:00 AM | Categories: M&A, Optimization, M&A, Procurement Financials, Procurement Research, Procurement Strategy & Planning, Technology
As I hinted at last week, we're excited to announce the launch of a new research, advisory and networking organization — Spend Matters Nexus.
The Nexus membership program is designed for investors/acquirers (private equity, corporate development, etc.) and solution provider CEOs in the procurement and finance technology/solution ecosystem. Membership offers a new strategic lens to the solution areas covered on Spend Matters.
Nexus was borne out of an increased demand for research subscriptions, due diligence and strategy support with our private equity clients in late 2018 (which has picked up exponentially this year). But recently, our team realized there was a flip side to working with technology acquirers — providing relevant market intelligence for solution provider CEOs, boards and leadership teams on their own strategy, corporate development and business development/partnership initiatives.
Spend Matters Nexus will hopefully become invaluable for both groups. The goal is to provide market intelligence, strategy and due diligence advisory for private equity firms and investors. For CEOs, boards and leadership teams, the program offers insights spanning strategy, corporate development and business development/partnership topics. For all members, there are invitation-only networking opportunities.
Coupa's 3 Special Forces Teams (Part 1: Corporate Development) [PRO]
- July 2, 2019 7:30 AM | Categories: M&A, Optimization, M&A, Procurement Research, Procurement Strategy & Planning, Spend Management, Technology
Coupa has assembled three behind-the-scenes weapons — non-product, non-solution and non-R&D teams — which it uses to great effect to collectively win individual battles against competitors and, at least so far, the broader growth war in the source-to-pay market from a logo growth perspective in recent years. These are effectively "special forces" groups that have leverage far beyond their individual ability to contribute alone (but would not be successful without the broader Coupa arsenal that they're supporting).
Other vendors may have one of these weapons individually. Or on paper. But collectively Coupa is the only one that combines them to great effect as it moves its chess pieces around the tactical and strategic board. This Spend Matters PRO brief provides a unique take from the perspective of long-time industry insider who has seen them put to use effectively from a unique vantage point. Today we start by exploring the first of Coupa's special forces teams: corporate development.
Zycus Analyst Day — 3 Quick Insights
- July 1, 2019 10:00 AM | Categories: Conferences, P2P, Procurement Strategy & Planning, Solution Providers, Technology
Along with colleagues Pierre Mitchell, Xavier Olivera and Nick Heinzmann, I attended Zycus' analyst day in Park City, Utah, on Friday. Analysts from Ardent, Gartner, Levvel (formerly Paystream) were also in attendance. While I'll leave it to my esteemed colleagues to provide more insightful commentary on where Zycus stands today overall, let me share three quick insights that I walked away with.
Big Savings in Small Spend — Tales from the Tail
Chirag Shah, Simfoni
- June 27, 2019 8:00 AM | Categories: Procurement Strategy & Planning, Sponsored Article, Supply Chain Management, Supply Chain Visibility, Tail Spend, Technology
In the world of strategic sourcing, realizing 5 to 8% savings is considered to be impressive. After all, these are the high-spend categories and are supposedly already well-managed and frequently revisited for improvement opportunities. In contrast, when our clients work with Simfoni on tail spend management or low-value spend engagements, we witness savings that can easily exceed 20% from time to time. This article explains how — with the right combination of subject matter expertise, leverage and technology — such savings are achievable.
In the world of tail spend, we typically pursue the following sourcing levers: Demand Challenge, Specification Alignment, Volume Leverage, Competitive Bidding, Alternate Solutions, Supply Chain Optimization.
I'll explain each lever and illustrate how savings can be achieved in excess of 20%.
Protect Against These Risks when Working with Third-Party Vendors
- June 25, 2019 6:00 AM | Categories: Procurement Strategy & Planning, Supplier Risk and Compliance Management, Supply Risk, Supply Risk Management, Technology
Spend Matters welcomes this guest post from Matt Kunkel, the CEO of LogicGate, a provider of risk management solutions.
A recent study revealed more than 60% of organizations in the U.S. that have encountered a data breach were compromised because of a third-party vendor. Organizations use vendors as a means to efficiently complete tasks, but they can create vulnerabilities for which the organization is ultimately responsible. Vendor decisions and operations are frequently out of a chief information security officer's control, but they still carry serious risks to the organization's business and reputation.
Workers' Digital Skills Gap a Key Challenge for Businesses, The Hackett Group Says
- June 18, 2019 8:00 AM | Categories: Change Management, Procurement Strategy & Planning, Talent Management, Technology
Digital transformation has and will continue to have far-reaching consequences in manufacturing, purchasing, compliance, advertising and just about every other function in the business world. Another function to add to the list, according to the April 2019 Hackett Group study, will be hiring and training of existing and incoming employees.
The Next-Generation Talent Profile: How Will You Fill the Digital Skills Gap focuses on how the procurement function in particular will need to train and improve their existing workforce, because the demand for skills and knowledge like strategic thinking, smart automation, social media, creativity and innovation, and process excellence will far exceed supply over the next three to four years. The Hackett Group notes that research by the World Economic Forum indicates that more than 50% of existing workers will need to be reskilled or upskilled by 2022.
Retiring Murphy's Law — Time for Procurement to Move On
- June 17, 2019 8:00 AM | Categories: Procurement Strategy & Planning, Supplier Management, Supplier Performance, Suppliers, Technology
Spend Matters welcomes this guest post from Paul Martyn, VP-North America at SirionLabs.
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with several mid- to large-size companies' supply chain leaders. And while I assumed our conversations would be dominated by their views on the latest flurry of AI-enabled SCM tools, instead, several of our discussions turned toward recent advances in supplier performance management. Should I have been surprised? After all, the space is white hot, with several new risk and contract management vendors recently entering the solution market.
What follows is a brief summary of what I heard, plus some personal observations:
Automation, digitization, global trade pose challenges for business leaders, report says
- June 5, 2019 8:50 AM | Categories: Change Management, China, Procurement Strategy & Planning, Talent Management, Technology, World Trade
A new report by The Economist Intelligence Unit, sponsored by Basware, is shedding light on how technology innovation and shifting global trade dynamics are challenging businesses.
The report considers three trends — automation, digitization and shifting trade dynamics — that finance and procurement executives expect to affect their companies most, what their impacts will be, and how business leaders are preparing for the developments. The report's findings are based on a survey of more than 400 finance and procurement leaders in the U.S., the UK, France and Germany.
Finding the Right Fit and Function for Your Procurement Vision
Jennifer Ulrich, Corcentric
- May 29, 2019 8:00 AM | Categories: Category Management, Change Management, Innovation, Procurement Strategy & Planning, Sponsored Article, Technology
Most procurement departments would agree that introducing a category management structure is a good way to secure the best-in-class status they crave. On the tactical-to-strategic spectrum, it's still a notch below "trusted adviser" status, but it's several more notches removed from reactive purchasing and the three-bid-and-buy mentality. While they've largely got a consistent end goal, procurement departments vary wildly when it comes to progress.
Many are still hard at work introducing even a foundational level of strategy. Others are mired in damage control after trying and failing to build a more strategic procurement function. Even those exemplary departments that can call category management a next step have a lot of work ahead. Like their less advanced peers, they've got to change their organization's mindset if they want to truly transform procurement. To transform the function, they've got to first change the way other business units perceive and engage it.
Supplier Selection Tips: Do This, Don't Do That


text:
She Walks the World
Walking the world, one step at a time.
Tuesday, January 21st, 2020|
Mynn's Lists
Beachside Resorts
City Accommodations
A Few Days
Cruises and Boat Trips
Diving and Surfing
Festivals and Parties
Heritage Sites and Culture
Island Loving
Nature and the Outdoors
Ads, Events, News & Contests
Short Tales from the Road
Travel Vlogs & Videos
Why is Malaysia's KL Tower Pink? (News/Event)
By Mynn Lee on March 12, 2019 • ( Leave a comment )
It's because of Barbie! For the whole month of March 2019, the KL Tower is going to be pink!
As a little girl, I loved Barbie. As a grown adult, I am thankful to Barbie. Growing up, she has allowed me to let my imaginations fly, and in some way, inspired me and made me who I am today. And now she's 60. 60 years old! And a whole iconic tower has been lit up in her signature pink — just for her.
Barbie's 60th Birthday
I was recently invited to attend Barbie's 60th Anniversary celebration in Malaysia. She's inspired women of all ages for 6 decades. With dolls in 200 careers. With over 1 billion little girls having one of their own. It was a really pinkish affair, with attendees all decked out in pink (I went in blue but with pink flowers), and the floors and tables and lights and everything in Barbie's signature color. It was definitely a party of a little girl's dream — and that's why Mattel had a whole lot of little girls at the event as well. About 30 young girls (and 6 adult models) came strutting down the runway dressed in Barbie apparel, and carrying 60 Barbie dolls style by the Limkokwing Fashion Club and A Cut Above Academy. The 6 models held dolls to represent the 6 decades of Barbie-style.
Barbie's 60th Anniversary celebration was not only to celebrate her birthday. It was also held to launch its 60th Anniversary Signature Doll, Career Dolls and the Travel Range, as well as to re-introduce the multi-year campaign that "You can Be Anything" and inspiring girls with #MoreRoleModels. Most importantly, it was to light up the iconic KL Tower… in bright pink!
Barbie tent all decked out in pink.
Little girls on the catwalk for Barbie's 60th.
Beautifully styled dresses for Barbie.
Models, and baby models, all decked out in Barbie attire, and holding their Barbie Dolls.
And here it is, the KL Tower — in all its pink glory.
The Pink KL Tower
I think one of the most exciting parts of the night was witnessing the KL Tower turn a bright pink. In Southeast Asia, Barbie has illuminated several iconic landmarks to mark the start of Barbie's 60th Anniversary celebration — including the Philippines' Manila City Hall, Indonesia's Museum Fatahillah, Singapore's Singapore Flyer and Thailand's Emquartier. And in collaboration with Tourism Malaysia, our iconic KL Tower will be pink from the 11th to 31st March 2019, 7pm to 12 midnight daily.
#BarbieCutiCutiMalaysia Contest
And in the mean time, in conjuction with the reveal that Barbie's New Travel Range toys will be made available mid this year — Tourism Malaysia has a social media contest to promote Malaysia's travel destinations with Barbie. All you need to do is just enter the #BarbieCutiCutiMalaysia Facebook Contest by bringing Barbie with you when you're traveling around Malaysia. The contest is open to Malaysians and runs from 11 March 2019, 5.00pm – 31 March 2018, 11.59pm (Malaysian time). There will be a total of 10 winners — with 5 Grand Prize winners walking away with Barbie Travel toys worth RM500! Click here to find out more about the contest.
The invited #MoreRoleModels for the night — [L-R] Dato's Tiffanee Marie Lim, Amber Chia, Datin Winnie Loo, Professor Dr. Mazlan Othman and Karen Leong. Missing here is Datin Vivy Yusof.
The VIPs of the night cutting the cake made by Karen Leong. Pic by Brian Lee.
The little girls are all excited to meet these inspiring ladies. Pic by Brian Lee.
And here is one of me with Professor Dr. Mazlan Othman, Malaysia's first astrophysicist.
#MoreRoleModels For Us
Malaysia's celebration for Barbie's 60th Anniversary was also graced by our very own born and bred Malaysian inspiring ladies — entrepreneur Datin Vivy Yusof, co-founder of FashionValet and the dUCk Group; Professor Dr Mazlan Othman, Malaysia's first astrophysicist, Dato' Tiffanee Marie Lim, VP Brand Creativity and Talent Mgmt for Limkokwing University and Creative Director of Limkokwing Fashion Club; Datin Winnie Loo, founder and Chief Creative Director of A Cut Above Group of Salons and Academy; Amber Chia, supermodel and Principal of Amber Chia Academy; and Karen Leong, founder of Karen Leong Cake Design.
It is in conjunction with Barbie's multi-year campaign that "You Can Be Anything" to inspire the limitless potential in every girl, the event has brought on board #MoreRoleModels in the fields of entrepreneurship, science, culinary arts, fashion and beauty to join in Barbie's 60th Anniversary. And our Malaysian role models not only joined in the celebrations — they also played a part in bringing models from their academy, styling their hair, designing Barbie's clothing, and of course, baking a cake for Barbie's birthday!
This is the new range of Barbie's 60th Anniversary Career Dolls.
The 60th Anniversary Doll, Career Dolls and travel range toys unveiled at the event.
Barbie told me that I can be a traveller — and that I will be.
Barbie and me.
Barbie's New Range
Barbie's 60th Anniversary celebration also launched Barbie's new range of dolls — the Barbie 60th Anniversary Doll, 6 new Career Dolls and the Barbie Travel Range. The 60th Anniversary Doll is really a sight to behold — this collectible doll wears a gorgeous cascading ball gown twinkling with silvery sparkles. She also wears a dramatic ponytail with an elegant twist, hoop earrings and a wrist tag; and has a side-eye glance. The 6 Career Dolls are an addition to her already more than 200 careers. There is a new astronaut doll in a space suit, a pilot doll complete with a pilot's uniform, a football player doll carrying a football, a news anchor doll holding a microphone, a firefighter doll in a yellow uniform, and the elegant political candidate doll. I love how the career dolls tell girls everywhere that they can be anything they want to be.
My favourite of all the newly launched dolls (but of course!) are the new Travel Range toys. It's a whole set of Barbie's family going on a holiday — so there is a Barbie doll, a Ken doll, a Skipper doll, a Daisy doll and a Chelsea doll. And there's also a Travel Helicopter and Chelsea's Tiki Hut Playset to make that make-believe travel world seem all the more real!
Can't wait to get my hands on some of Barbie's Travel Range toys — and here's wishing Barbie a very Happy 60th Birthday. Thank you for all the memories.
The iconic KL Tower, all decked out in pink!
Categories: Ads, Events, News & Contests, Asia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Southeast Asia
Tagged as: asia, barbie, barbie dolls, barbie's 60th anniversary, event, kl tower, Kuala Lumpur, kuala lumpur tower, malaysia, mattel, models, news, pink, seasia, south east asia, tourism malaysia
Vlog #2: She Rocks the World at Hard Rock Hotel Penang
Travel with Parlo Tours at the MATTA Fair 2019 (News)
NEW VLOG #15 (Yeosu) ON YOUTUBE!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch9SV1S9KyY&t=325s
One Day in the City of Kobe, Japan
South Korea: Mynn's Top 10 Food to Eat in Busan
Mynn's Top 10 Food to Eat in Kyoto, Japan
Sabah, Malaysia: A Trip to the Mountain Town of Kundasang
Cruising on the Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas
Mynn's Top 10 Favourite Eats in Kuantan, Pahang
Mynn's 15 Tips for First Timers at Tomorrowland
Busan in 4 Days
3 Days in China's Hainan Island
3 Days in Osaka, Japan
Hi! I'm Mynn Lee.
Welcome to She Walks the World.
She Walks the World is about my travel adventures and experiences. This is the space where I share my journey with fellow traveling enthusiasts… a glimpse of the world through my eyes.
For advertising and collaborations, you can reach me at mynn@shewalkstheworld.com.
Thanks for walking the world with me!
Get blog posts via email:
Top categories: Asia