text:
Q: Too many if else statements I am trying to check if a string "03-22-2019" exists (or not and show the result in output)  the file is of ".sql" or ".txt" .

execution\development\process.sql
insert.sql
production\logs.txt
restore.sql
rebuild.txt

I am trying below code but I did with too many if else. The above file path stored in the $paths variable. I need to split the path with "\" and get the last part of the path to do something else.
if ($paths -like "*.sql") {
    if ($paths.Contains("\")) {
        $last = $paths.Split("\")[-1] #get the last part of the path
        $result = "03-22-2019" #get this date from some where else
        if ($result) {
            #check if pattern string exists in that file.
            $SEL = Select-String -Path <path location> -Pattern $result
            if ($SEL -ne $null) {
                Write-Host "`n $last Contains Matching date "
            } else {
                Write-Host "`n $last Does not Contains date"
            }
        } else {
            Write-Host "`ndate field is blank"
        }
    } else {
        $result = "03-22-2019" #get this date from some where else
        if ($result) {
            #check if pattern string exists in that file.
            $SEL = Select-String -Path <path location> -Pattern $result
            if ($SEL -ne $null) {
                Write-Host "`n $last Contains Matching date "
            } else {
                Write-Host "`n $last Does not Contains date"
            }
        } else {
            Write-Host "`ndate field is blank"
        }
    }
} elseIf ($paths -like "*.txt") {
    if ($paths.Contains("\")) {
        $last = $paths.Split("\")[-1] #get the last part of the path
        $result = "03-22-2019" #get this date from some where else
        if ($result) {
            #check if pattern string exists in that file.
            $SEL = Select-String -Path <path location> -Pattern $result
            if ($SEL -ne $null) {
                Write-Host "`n $last Contains Matching date "
            } else {
                Write-Host "`n $last Does not Contains date"
            }
        } else {
            Write-Host "`ndate field is blank"
        }
    } else {
        $result = "03-22-2019" #get this date from some where else
        if ($result) {
            #check if pattern string exists in that file.
            $SEL = Select-String -Path <path location> -Pattern $result
            if ($SEL -ne $null) {
                Write-Host "`n $last Contains Matching date "
            } else {
                Write-Host "`n $last Does not Contains date"
            }
        } else {
            Write-Host "`ndate field is blank"
        }
    }
} else {
    Write-Host "other file types"
}

A: Looks like you should start with a foreach after your $paths variable like this:
foreach ($path in $paths) {
    if ($path -like "*.sql") {    #Note the use of one single item in the $paths array you have
        $last = $path.split("\")[-1]
        $result = #Whatever method you want to use to return a DateTime object
        if ($result) { #### Now, this line doesn't make any sense. Do you want to compare a date to an older date or something? Maybe something like "if ($result -ge (Get-Date).addDays(-1) )
        { # Do your stuff }

Doing something like:
if ($paths -like "*.sql")

Doesn't work because $paths is an array and you are making a string comparison and never the two shall meet. Now, if you are trying to find if a string is inside a file, you should use something like "Get-Content" or "Import-Csv"
You can use the "Get-Date" cmdlet to get many different formats for the date. Read about that here. If you are trying to compare multiple dates against multiple files, I would start with a for loop on the files like I did up there, and then a for loop on each file for an array of dates. Maybe something like this:
foreach ($path in $paths) {
    foreach ($date in $dates) {
        # Get the contents of a file and store it in a variable
        # Search for the string in that variable and store the results in a variable
        # Write to the console
    } # End foreach ($date in $dates)
} # End foreach ($path in $paths)

Post some more updated code and let's see what you come up with.

A: I would make this a little simpler, below is an example to determine if a file contains the date:
$paths = @("c:\path1","c:\path2\subdir")
ForEach ($path in $paths) {
    $files = Get-ChildItem -LiteralPath $path -file -include "*.sql","*.txt"
    $last = ($path -split "\\")[-1] # contains the last part of the path
    $output = ForEach ($file in $files) {
        If (Select-String -path $file -pattern "03-22-2019") {
        "$($file.fullname) contains the date."
        }
        else {
        "$($file.fullname) does not contain the date."
        }
    }
}

$output # outputs whether or not a file has the date string

The outer ForEach loop loops through the paths in $paths. Inside of that loop, you can do what you need to each path $path. I used $last to store the last part of the path in the current iteration. You have not said what to do with that.
The inner ForEach checks each .txt and .sql file for the date text 03-22-2019. $output stores a string indicating whether each .txt and .sql file contains the date string.
If your paths contain the file names, then you can use the following alternatives to grab the file name (last part of the path):
$path | split-path -leaf # inside of the outer ForEach loop
# Or
$file.name # inside of the inner ForEach loop


text:
Altea – miasto w Hiszpanii, we wspólnocie autonomicznej Walencja. W 2007 liczyło 22 648 mieszkańców. Dojazd z Alicante zapewnia linia tramwajowa FGV.

Miasta partnerskie
  Sherborne, Wielka Brytania
  Bad Kötzting, Niemcy
  Bellagio, Włochy
  Bundoran, Irlandia
  Chojna, Polska
  Granville, Francja
  Holstebro, Dania
  Houffalize, Belgia
  Judenburg, Austria
  Karkkila, Finlandia
  Kőszeg, Węgry
  Marsaskala, Malta
  Meerssen, Holandia
  Niederanven, Luksemburg
  Oxelösund, Szwecja
  Preny, Litwa
  Preweza, Grecja
  Sesimbra, Portugalia
  Türi, Estonia
  Sigulda, Łotwa
  Sušice, Czechy
  Zwoleń, Słowacja

Miasta w Walencji (wspólnota autonomiczna)
Gminy w Walencji (wspólnota autonomiczna)
Alicante (prowincja)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
https://www.fairplanet.org/tag/germany/
Berlin bans Coronavirus gatherings: at what cost?
The laws and decisions we make affect us all equally; something we should always bear in mind.
The AfD once again steals the show
The AfD's latest success in a symbolic court case has added weight to the narrative that there is "no racism in Germany".
Western Balkan's labour market can't compete with the German one
Katarina Panić
A new bill makes it easier for qualified professionals from non-EU countries to migrate to Germany to work.
German-Russian relations in danger again?
Igor Serebryany
The Kremlin has denied the Russian government was involved in the murder of a Georgian citizen in Berlin. That brings back memories...
Auf Wiedersehen plastic bags!
Plastic bags are on the way out. The German federal government voted last week for a ban on all plastic bags in supermarkets.
Africa's linguistic revolution
Can Africa's multilingualism be a powerful resource? If so, should it be promoted rather than suppressed?
How many people have to die before Germany's far-right terror network is taken seriously?
It cannot be business as usual any longer.
Human Rights before Mining Rights: how German citizens are fighting for green energy
Germany is in many ways is one of the most progressive countries in the world. But not when it comes to energy.
Jeremy Corbyn calls the centrists' bluff on Brexit. Guess what? They're gutless
Brexit drags on. But this week a solution was proposed and rejected, but not by who you think.
Germany is deporting integrated migrants
Germany is at a crossroads, especially when it comes to migration.
This way for illegal drugs, please
Görlitzer Park in Kreuzberg is a well-known drug hotspot. The dealers can be seen at all times of day, and are normally very friendly.
Berliners: raise your voice against racism and in support of tolerance
Donation, NGO, Protest, Volunteering
Attention Berliners: The Coalition Berlin organize rallies, events, and protests in the name of tolerance and against xenophobia and hatred.
The sky's the limit for Sebastian Urbanski
Down syndrome did not stop Sebastian Urbanski becoming a member of the federal Executive Board of the German organisation, Lebenshilfe.
Nazis Raus: Ja, bitte
Twitter controversies aren't real controversies. Except when they are.
Germany may pull out of the Global Compact for Migration
Unlike many other nations which have also committed atrocities, Germany tries to understand its past.
The Grand Refugee Hotel
Refugees and Asylum
NewsDeeply
Germany is home of one of the most radical refugee integration experiments.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


A rare pretty from two centuries ago! A flatteringly scrolly pear-shaped girandole style set with a raised central star clasping a tiny hand faceted rose-cut Diamond. Three little leaf shaped drops dangle beneath and adorn the whole beauty of the piece. All in silver and quite lovely in her singular beauty.
Measuring 4.5cm from the bale, 2cm across. On a contrasting new fine 20 inch box linked silver chain.
We can post for free Internationally.


Good afternoon, I am a girl who likes etnies shoes a lot, I always use your brand, but lately the shoes I like are not my size. Somehow I feel that because we are women it seems that we have to settle for fewer colors and choices. I just hope they also think a little more about us for the future because I think it's a shame.
Love this color. Shoes are comfortable, however these aren't like the OG models. Would prefer a fatter tongue and elastic center straps. I have to lace these up a little tighter so I'm not walking out of them. The tongue comes out of the top of the shoe after walking/skating in them with no straps. Would pay a little extra for more padding and tongue straps.
I've owned at least 5 pairs of calicuts. Every pair has been amazing and lasted much longer then any other brand shoe I've worn. And I ride bmx witch Is very hard on shoes but calicuts have always be awesome.
These are the best etnies!!! I haven't had a pair since customs were discontinued, calssic style calli-cut are the way to go. Fit the same as they used to. @Etnies please never stop making this style.
DONT STOP MAKING THESE SHOES!! Completely stoked you guys rereleased these, as well as the czars and the locut II LS! Now I don't have to search all over the world for peoples old stock!!
Haven't worn etnies recently, but when I saw these I had to buy them. They're the comfortable nostalgia that I wanted.


When referring to a "cycle" aquarists are referring to the Nitrogen Cycle, which is created by a series of chemicals and bacteria that are naturally present and created in water. Cycling is not easily possible in smaller tanks and generally can only be established in tanks of 5 gallons or more, even if the small tanks are equipped with a filter. The cycle begins with ammonia, which is a toxic chemical created from fish and food waste that gets dispersed into the water the animal pumps through its gills. The cycle's purpose is to convert ammonia into safer substances for your fish through creating good bacteria. The beneficial bacteria turns ammonia into nitrite, then nitrite into nitrate. Although these substances are still harmful to the fish, they can be tolerated for longer periods of time and cause less harm as a result. On average, a cycle can be established between 4-8 weeks, depending on the method you choose to use.
Note: Unless an aquarium is filled with a certain eco-balance of live plants, partial water changes are still required. This article will not cover live plants.
The first thing to understand are the different chemicals to look out for, some of which are more important to be concerned with in regards to different tank sizes. It is important to have a water test kit that can test for these chemicals--it can save a Betta fish's life!
The first and easiest way to remove these problems is for tanks that are 5 gallons or more, which can establish a cycle. A water cycle is the control of chemicals and bacteria in the water through the use of a filter, making water changes easier. The following contains basic information only.
This chemical is the most common cause of Betta fish death. Ammonia develops from natural waste, the build up of not eaten food, and from the excretion from gills; in the same way humans breath out Co2, Betta fish breath out ammonia. Ammonia poisoning comes in many forms including red/purple gills, lethargy, and red stripes appearing across the body, among symptoms.
Ammonia can be removed from the water in several ways. First is through a water cycle. If the tank in question is under 5 gallons or establishing a cycle is not a possibility, then the second way to remove ammonia is through water changes. Changing the water is the quickest, most effect, way to rid a tank of most problems.
Nitrite is a chemical excretion of good bacteria that eat ammonia. These bacteria do not have time to appear in a non-cycled tank, so those who cycle must pay careful attention to this chemical. Nitrite can harshly poison a betta, with some symptoms including rapid gill movement and extreme lethargy. It can also cause "Brown Blood Disease," which is the imparement of a betta's ability to carry oxygen and circulate blood, causing gills to appear brown. This can lead to the suffication of the fish.
The only way to get rid of nitrite is do water changes. Some live plants can help decrease nitrites in the water but water changes are still required.
Nitrate is a chemical excreted by nitrite-eating bacteria. Although this chemical cannot harm a betta as much as nitrite or ammonia, it can still poison the fish and kill it. Nitrate poisoning includes spastic swimming, bent spine, curling of the body, and twitching.
Nitrate also can only be removed through water changes.
In addition to toxic chemicals, water hardiness can harm betta fish as well. Hard water is water that contains high and/or concentrated amounts of minerals. Betta fish can tolerate a water hardness of 5-20 dH or 70-300 GH ppm, preferably with conditions in mid-range. Water hardness is not a usual problem in most areas. Some places like Las Vegas, Nevada have very hard water that is not good for any animals, let alone fish. This is not typical as most water systems contain water softeners, making water safer for consumption.
Because most places have water softeners in the system, it is often not necessary to worry about this but if there is a need to lower the water hardness, there are products that pet stores and fish stores sell to lower the hardiness. It is important not to just place these conditioner into the water but to carefully read the instructions on how to mix them in.
There is always some level of chlorine in water supplies in order to kill harmful bacteria that would otherwise be present in it. However, chlorine is very deadly to a betta fish and any level above 0.5 ppm will result in death. Water conditioner is needed as a result.
The types of water conditioners vary and treat different things. Thus, it is important not to purchase just any water conditioner at a store. Sometims the cheapest product will not remove every harmful element in the water, for chlorine is not the only purpose of conditioning treatment. The Seachem Prime conditioner brand, for example, is one of the best brands of water conditioners for that it covers everything that can make water toxic for fish. API Stress Coat, Aqua+Plus, and other conditioners are recommended as well. It is important to read labels before purchase in order to ensure that what needs to be removed from the water will be.
Water pH is not hard to mantain. pH is the balance of acidic or base content in water. It is not good to be too high in acid or base, so test kits are essential for mantaining proper water for betta fish. The range of pH measures from 1-14, with 1 being acidic, 7 being neutral, and 14 being basic. It is ideal to have a pH of 7 for a betta fish, as a pH of 6 is ten times more acidic than a pH of 7.
Betta fish can survive in a pH range of 6-8 but it is important to try and mantain a pH of 7 in order to give a more neautral condition of the water, in case of pH spikes.
This is a measurement of how well water can resist pH changes. This is a good reason not to use distilled water for it has a total alkalinity of 0 KH, which means that any change to the acidic or basic content in the water will be easily increased of decreased. This can stress the fish and sometimes kill it in extreme situations.
Tap water has a total alkalinity buffer added to it already, making it ideal for tank water. There are some products on the market that can help increase alkalinity, if need be.
This is a combinition of chlorine and ammonia. Chloramine tend to be unstable and can evaporate over time. Water sanitation plants have begun adding chloramine to water in order to kill harmful bacteria, as it does a better job than chlorine. This is a very harmful additive or a betta fish and must be removed from the water to ensure a healthy life.
Water conditioners that remove chlorine will only remove chlorine and not chloraine, unless otherwise specified. Prime water conditioner was specifically mentioned earlier because of its coverage of this chemical as well. If only chlorine is removed from the water, then ammonia is left behind. This can cause an ammonia spike which, as stated earlier, can be deadly.
The only way to remove chloramine is through a proper conditioner.
Phosphate in addition to sunlight cause algae growth. Phosphates get into water through food or through previous presence in tap water. Water changes are the best way to remove phosphates from a tank, although there are products to remove them if they get to extremes. Additionally, some live plants remove phosphates as well.
1. Prepare a clean, empty, fish tank that has not been washed with any chemicals. Clean and add substrate if desired; substrate provides a home for the beneficial bacteria to live in and although it is not always necessary since beneficial bacteria tends to house itself within filter media, substrate can help with this process.
2. Add non-treated water to the tank. It is essential not to add conditioners to the water at this time since no fish will be present and water conditioners can alter test reading results.
3. Connect and add filter to the tank. The type of filter is not important but depends on preference. If filter media from a previously cycled tank is available, it can be added at this time in order to help jump-start the cycling process. If not available, proceed to the next step.
4. Add the ammonia source. If the source is fish food, the amount added should be noted so when replenishing the ammonia source a similar amount is used and the cycle becomes easier to monitor. If the ammonia source is pure ammonia, then use an eyedropper to measure the amount being added to the tank.
5. Allow the filter to run and preform a water test within the first week. Sometimes it is needed to replenish the ammonia source for the beneficial bacteria and so testing the water is critically important throughout the cycling process. Eventually the ammonia will be eaten into beneficial bacteria and nitrite readings will begin to show up, followed by the same process eventually resulting in nitrate readings. Once the levels are at a safe range, the cycle is complete.
The fishless cycle can vary in length of completion depending on many factors such as tank size, filter, ammonia source, live plants, and so forth. It can take from several weeks up to a two months to cycle, usually with the average one month.
Sometimes aquarium hobbyists will cycle their tanks with their fish stock as the source of ammonia. This can put the fish at danger because ammonia levels will not be at a safe range and can harm their gills and general health. However, it is still do-able and fish do not always get harmed or die in the process. Like the fishless cycle, the same materials are needed to begin the cycle except this time the water will be treated and the ammonia source will be the fish itself.
Water changes must be completed on a regular basis to help reduce harmful chemical spikes and maintain balance in the water. It is important to test the water regularly during the cycling process because any spike can hurt the fish or kill it and testing the water can indicate a need for a water change. Once ammonia and nitrite levels begin to read at 0 ppm and a nitrate reading become available, the cycle is complete.
As can be seen, water changes are the best solution for tackling most problems. A clean source of water is an assurance of better Betta fish health. However, water changes are dependent on tank size. This next section is a basic guide to the most popular tank sizes used for Betta fish. Bigger is always better and means less changes, especially if cycled.
1 gallon: Do a 100% water change every other day. This sized tank cannot establish a water cycle as it is too small.
2 gallons: 50% water changes 2-3 times a week and one 100% water change weekly. Another tank size too small for cycling, it is important to maintain regular water changes. Gravel vacuums will make cleaning easier and help maintain better water.
5 gallons: This is the first tank size that can be cycled and thus is has two different water change schedules. For cycled tanks, perform 50% water changes weekly. For non-cycled tanks perform 50% water changes twice a week and one 100% water change weekly. Non-cycled tanks are much harder to clean and it is recommended that a cycle is established for the this purpose.
10 gallons: For cycled tanks, perform 50% water changes weekly if there is only one betta inhabiting it. If it is a community tank, add another 50% water change to its schedule. For non-cycled tanks 50% water chanes should be performed twice a week and a 100% water change bi-weekly.
20 gallons: Tanks this size should only be cycled. 50% water changed should occur each week.
There are many other tank sizes but these are some of the most common. For in-between sizes, adjust the schedule to your best judgement. Although these are not absolute, strict, must-have schedules, they are recommended for the best health of Betta fish.
Bahamut285. "Water Chemistry Basics." Water Chemistry Basics. Bettafish.com, 30 Mar. 2011. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. <http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=66595>.
F., Christine. "Water Changes." Water Changes | Betta Fish Care. Nippy Fish, 01 Mar. 2011. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. <http://nippyfish.net/bettas-101/all-about-water/water-changes/>.
Nippy Fish. "Nitrogen Cycle." Nippy Fish. Nippyfish.net, n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. <http://nippyfish.net/bettas-101/all-about-water/nitrogen-cycle/>.
god bless YOU for the info !!!
Thank you! I hope my information helps and is able to be clearly understood. The nitrogen cycle can be hard to understand, especially for those just beginning to explore it as an option. Even those who are familiar may find it to be a bit tricky. Let me know if you need clarifications on anything!


GCH CONSTRUCTION was responsible for upgrading the refrigeration equipment and systems. GCH work consisted of re-piping the condenser and chilled water lines. This included a new magnetic bearing, dual compressor water chiller unit. The new piping included the new chiller and re-piping the existing chillers. GCH also installed primary and secondary chilled water pumps for the new system. The new chilled/condenser system works together based on outside air temperature to increase the efficiency of the chiller plant as a whole.
A view of the major piping and chiller unit.


text:
Dates Set For JBU Supertrial 2016 Presented By RVCA
Jeffreys Bay - the most prestigious invite-only event in the country, the JBU Supertrial presented by RVCA, is set to return to Supertubes this year. The winner of the Supertrial gets an immediate slot into the main event of the World Surf League's JBay Open Championship Tour contest, to be held in July.
This year will see 20 surfers invited, with the prerequisite being that the surfers have a good track record at surfing Supers. The JBU has been working closely with a few knowledgeable people to select these 20 surfers.
The first surfer on the list is the U16 Boys winner of the recent Future Legends Coaching Series held in Durban over the last few months. Calvin Goor from Salt Rock was the surfer who trained hard and excelled in the series to be the first surfer named for the event.
"I'm so stoked to be the first surfer invited into the Supertrial," said an elated Calvin after the Future Legends prizegiving on the weekend. "It has always been a dream of mine to surf Supers with just a few guys out, and to get a slot into the Supertrial is amazing in itself. I'm amped for the event and am going to continue training just as I have been taught recently with the South African Surfing Legends."
Calvin Goor in great form at the recent Future Legends Coaching Series ©Flanagan
The next four surfers to be announced are the top four from last year, Slade Prestwich (DBN), Mikey February (CT), Ryan Payne (CT) and Sean Payne (St Francis).
Third place finisher last year, and former event champion Ryan Payne was also excited to hear of his immediate inclusion. "The JBU Supertrial is the one event I look forward to the most on the South African surfing calendar," said Payne. "What else do you look for in an event? 20 of the best surfers at arguably one of the best right-hand point-breaks in the world, a waiting period during a swell-hungry month, local expertise calling the event shots, only 4 guys in the line up and the event winner gets a slot into the JBay Open? Are you kidding? I want to win this event one more time."
The waiting period for the JBU Supertrial is 1-12 June, with one full day needed to surf the event to completion.
The JBU Supertrial forms part of the JBay Winterfest, the sporting and music festival that will take place in Jeffreys Bay from 6-17 July.
The JBU Supertrial is presented by RVCA. Co-sponsors include Monster Energy, Stance, Oakley.
Wavescape is the media partner.
The event is sanctioned by Surfing South Africa and the World Surf League.
There is a Facebook event page
Check out last year's highlight clip.
For more information contact the event organiser Koffie Jacobs on koffie@jbaylineup.com


text:
10 April 2020 23 min read
Product Marketing Insider [podcast]: Andrew McCotter-Bicknell
Podcasts | Product Marketing
In episode 14 of our Insider series, we [virtually] sat down with Andrew McCotter-Bicknell, a Product Marketing Manager over at ZoomInfo, about his journey into the industry, his day-to-day, and his experience of going through an acquisition.
Bryony Pearce - PMA 00:00
Hi everyone, and welcome back to the Product Marketing Insider podcast brought to you by Product Marketing Alliance. My name's Bryony Pearce and I'm the Content Manager here at PMA. This week's pod's sponsored by the Product Marketing Festival. For those of you who haven't heard about it yet, it'll be coming to a screen near you between June 8th and June 14th, and will featuring headline acts from companies like Amazon, Uber, Adobe and Facebook, talking about everything from research all the way through to optimisation. To get your ticket, just head over to the site, festival.productmarketingalliance.com. To help establish and elevate the role of product marketing we're on a mission to speak to 50 PMMs and pick their brains on everything from their journey into the industry, which teams they interact with most, what skills they believe are critical for the role, and a whole load more. To do just that, with me today is Andrew McCotter-Bicknell, a Product marketing Manager over at ZoomInfo powered by DiscoverOrg. So let's get stuck right in. Welcome to show the Andrew, could I get you to kick off by giving everyone a bit of an intro into you, your role, and ZoomInfo.
Andrew McCotter 00:08
Sure. So I'm Andy McCotter-Bicknell and I'm on the product marketing team here at ZoomInfo powered by DiscoverOrg, which is still a very new thing for me to be saying because in that name, we have two brands. We have ZoomInfo, and we have DiscoverOrg. And back in February, we were two individual organisations that were actually competing in the sales and marketing intelligence space. So we each had our own individual platforms and each of those platforms housed millions of different contact and company records that we would then sell to other b2b organisations to help them win more business and find their ideal customer profiles. So we were competing against each other pretty hard, but we both had, even though it was very similar products, we had different claims to fame, so to speak. So on the DiscoverOrg side, it was really all about quality, we had really high-quality data, but we didn't have that much of it. Whereas on the ZoomInfo side, they had a tonne of data, a massive database, but not really as high in quality as DiscoverOrg. So it really only made sense at the end of the day that we would come together and become one organisation to kind of round out each other's weaknesses. And so that happened in February of this year, and once that happened our teams got ready to work to create a new combined platform, and really the focus was all about quality, quantity and depth. And then we only just released it this past September and re-branded and so now we're ZoomInfo powered by DiscoverOrg. So very exciting stuff.
And how did you find the process of going through that acquisition?
Oh, it was very hectic and very exciting. I mean, all the above kind of what you would imagine with the idea of having two I would say pretty decently sized organisations, it was about 500 employees from each individual organisation coming together, with different perspectives on how to market a similar solution. So it was definitely an interesting few months once we got to get to know each other. But at the end of the day, all of our goals were very much the same, we wanted each other to be successful, we wanted the product to be successful. And once we found that common ground, it was really easy to set aside those competitive feelings that we initially harboured and we were able to work together really well.
And is that the first time you've gone through something like that?
So I've been at ZoomInfo for about a year and a half now, and DiscoverOrg went through a similar acquisition of an organisation called RainKing, and that was in I think 2016, and at the time, I think each organisation was maybe 200 employees each. And so at the time, it was DiscoverOrg versus RainKing, DiscoverOrg acquired RainKing and then it was ZoomInfo that was the big competitor. And so each organisation grew to around 500 employees, and then that acquisition happened. So this was definitely the largest acquisition that I think DiscoverOrg ever went through. But yeah, I would definitely say that it's happened before just on different kind of scales.
Yeah. And in terms of roles within Product Marketing and yourself specifically, have they changed much since this merger?
Yeah, so it's actually been interesting like. Because the company has essentially doubled, once we all came together in February, it was pretty much all hands on deck for this combined platform. So I think typically in product marketing, you're working on a number of different projects and releases you know, new features new updates to the existing product that your organisation has. But now, we had to set aside those individual projects to work on this one massive one for half a year. So that was definitely a big shift from what I was used to and what other folks on my product marketing team were used to as well. And so we're actually just now getting back into the swing of being like, "Okay, well, now we have this really nice combined platform, how can we make it even better than when we first launched?", and so we're getting back into that cycle of different individual updates and features and having different product marketers owning some of those things that we're going to market with.
And in terms of geography, where are the two businesses based, and how does that work?
Yeah, so that's another crazy thing that happens with mergers and acquisitions. So DiscoverOrg is headquartered in Vancouver, Washington, which is just 15 minutes north of Portland, Oregon, and ZoomInfo is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. And I mentioned the RainKing organisation that DiscoverOrg acquired back in 2016, they have offices in Bethesda, and I think ZoomInfo acquired a company called Datanyze back in 2018, and they had offices internationally. And so that's been another, definitely, a new kind of challenge when you go through these different mergers and acquisitions is making sure that you stay organised and that you understand who's responsible for what. And luckily, I think our teams have been very good about communicating and staying organised and making sure that we're respectful of each other's time zones, you know things like not scheduling meetings when other people are going to sleep. But yeah, it's definitely been something that we've had to learn as we've been going along.
And then how does that look now? Do you have weekly catch-ups, bi-weekly catch-ups, and is it in the diary or is it just kind of ad hoc?
Yeah, so we have weekly different pass down meetings just between different departments. And so I would say that, because obviously you have different conversations from like you would say product management, and luckily Product Management is all US-based. And so we would have meetings between product management and product marketing. And then on the product marketing side, we have different meetings that we then translate those same messages to the broader marketing and customer-facing teams, which are luckily all US-based. A lot of the folks that are internationally based. They are in operations or in web design, and so you don't really have to schedule as many meetings with them, you usually just write up an email and you can send that over. And then they can just pick it up and then make sure that they can send it to you the next day and you can check it over and so on so forth.
Okay, sounds good. And then going back to pre-ZoomInfo, what did your career path look like?
So it's honestly very similar to what it is now, I would say that my outlook on product marketing has just really solidified with this merger, I guess you could say, just because DiscoverOrg was very, very deliberate about the things that they were going to market with. And that was I think why DiscoverOrg saw so much success historically. And so it was that deliberate intention of seeing something that the market needed and then delivering it. And I think that we brought kind of that magic into the ZoomInfo powered by DiscoverOrg platform. So it's that same reading exactly what the market wants, whether that's through a win-loss reporting, or that's through just making sure that you're keeping your ear to the ground with different analysts that are talking about the industry, and then making sure that you just deliver on the things that your buyers are looking for, and at a rapid pace.
And then going back to the start of your career, what is it that made you want to become a product manager in the first place?
Yeah, so I actually started out in sales, in an SDR type of role. I went to school for marketing, but sales is just how I entered into the marketplace, it started my career. And then once I saw DiscoverOrg, I was like, "Oh, my God, this tool would be so great for me to use, just as a salesperson", and it's something that I think a lot of organisations are missing, and it could really benefit so many different people just in that sales process. And so luckily, they were looking for a product marketer when I found them, and I was able to switch my career path away from sales, but I've definitely been leaning on that sales perspective quite a bit as a product marketer to make sure that, once we're building content or collateral or writing copy that we can talk about it in a way that still respects sales and respects that whole process. Because at the end of the day, they're the ones who are making the revenue.
Yeah, I guess as well do you find having come from that background, do you find it easier to translate the benefits and get your points across from that side?
Absolutely yeah, and I definitely think that's really important for anyone in product marketing, to have that open line of communication with sales. Because it's so easy to get stuck in that repetitive loop of just talking about marketing type stuff, like, "Oh, yeah, this makes sense to me as a marketer", but at the end of the day, the people who are talking to the customers or the prospects, they're the ones who have such great insight as to what other people are looking for. And so as long as you have that communication with your customer-facing teams, I think those product marketers or whoever's building the content, or the messaging, they're certainly much better off.
And how do you find that, I know it's a bit of a problem for some product marketers - extracting that kind of information from the sales teams and the customer-facing teams can be quite tough, how does that work for you?
Yeah, honestly I would say that that's one of the things that I've tried to really build up and strengthen within myself, because as I said, I started out in an SDR role, so I wasn't really getting any demos per se, but I was still talking a lot to people who would be using potentially the product that I was selling at the time. But now, in this product marketing role, we have these weekly sales or customer success meetings where we're pretty much pitching everything that's new that's coming into the platform or into our integrations. And it's those times where I'm really able to see what the sales teams need in order to be successful. And so when I first came into product marketing, because I was completely new I was trying to shape my conversational language into something that would be more marketable or marketing specific. And you don't get very great feedback from a group of salespeople when you're talking specifically about marketing type stuff. And so that's definitely been something that I've had to really shape as I've been in product marketing is that even though we all have the same kind of thing that we're pitching, you have to be able to pitch it in different ways so that it benefits people in their own respective field.
Yeah. Awesome. And then if there is such a thing, what does a standard day in your role look like?
I would say definitely when February rolled around earlier this year, then it was pretty much all about this combined platform, creating the messaging for it and making sure that it made sense, which again, was like quality, quantity depth of data. Okay, so we needed to make sure that any content that we're making surrounding the combined platform was really focused around those main themes. And I really think that my product marketing team knocked it out of the park with that, we really honed that message and made sure that it was consistent across all content and collateral, and messaging. So that was the big thing it was every day, we were working on the combined platform to make sure that everyone understands the messaging and make sure that all of our customer-facing representatives were well informed of the platform itself. So now that's shifted gears quite a bit ever since we released the platform. We're still maintaining all the content creation, and filling in any gaps that might have appeared since we launched but now we're starting to go back into that cycle of, "okay, we've kind of done the data piece, we've really explored and made sure that we, again, filled in all of our gaps and all of our weaknesses, so what's the next step?", and so now what we're trying to do is, we're trying to figure out, "Okay, let's make in-market products that make that data actionable". And so it's trying to take a new spin on the main product that ZoomInfo powered by DiscoverOrg has unveiled to the market. And so we're trying to again, we're taking exactly what we built with the combined platform, and we're trying to build off of it with our own respective projects now.
And to just go back to the messaging aspect of it, what would you say some of the main positioning and messaging challenges you faced were after announcing the combination of the two brands?
So like I said before, we had those individual strengths and weaknesses between the two organisations, DiscoverOrg being really high-quality data, ZoomInfo being a lot of data. And so as you can imagine, with each of those organisations, the sales department specifically, when they're talking to customers, they have these kinds of cadences that they have been leaning on for years and years and years. And so one of the challenges was just making sure that our talk track and our messaging that we push to the sales team was that it covered pretty much all the bases that the new platform laid down the foundation for. So it wasn't just the quality, it wasn't just the quantity, it was the quality, quantity and depth. And so I think that's really important when you're putting out any sort of game-changing platform or product, it's that it's changing not just the way that other people are looking at the product or the industry, but it's changing the way the organisation itself is looking at that product or service. So that was one of the things that we really needed to make sure we were hammering home. So we did a lot of internal training on not just walking through the platform, but how do you position this thing and how can you tailor it so that you're positioning it to the customer in the way that they want it.
Awesome. And then in terms of your go-to-market process, has that changed much since the merge?
I wouldn't say it's changed too much. It really comes down to two main ways that we receive our information for what's coming down the pipe. So I mentioned that we, the product marketing and customer marketing teams here at ZoomInfo, we conduct quarterly win-loss churn reports. And so we'll send different surveys out to different customers or prospects that have gone through that process, and they'll let us know what went well and what didn't go well. And then what maybe were they looking for in the product that we didn't have? And so we'll get that information, and we can feed that to our product management team and they can determine if it's something that can realistically be spun up or, we also have like a group of really well-informed executives who are trying to survey this industry of sales and marketing intelligence and determine what's the next best thing that this platform can do or that people can use this platform for? And so we usually either get some sort of information from the wind loss churn reports, or we'll get some sort of information from our executives and then move with that.
Okay, sounds good. And then how far do you typically try to plan in advance?
So that's another really funny question, just because in February, obviously, we were planning six months ahead of time and so we had a lot of time and we were really heads down working on it. But then, once that happened, we didn't really have as much time to consider what we're going to do afterwards. And so now we're kind of in that mode where we're like, 'okay, now we can get back into the cycle of individual releases'. So, right now it's every four to six weeks we have something new coming down the pipe. And we're preparing really rapidly, and we're making sure that everything is buttoned up. And I think our goal is to have some sort of more formal roadmap where you can see a couple of months out. But at this moment just given the scale of the release that just occurred in early September, we're trying to make sure that we can go to market with other really profitable features and products that people are looking for. And making sure that they know it's not just the new platform, but we're going to continue to build on that success.
Yeah, sounds good. So in terms of your direct team, what does that look like in terms of size and structure and roles?
When we were starting off, before any sort of acquisition, it was just a team of two really, so it was myself and a manager we were the product marketing team at DiscoverOrg. And then once we came together we pretty much doubled in size, we're about a team of four, and I think we have a couple of open recs right now. So it's been really exciting for me personally to get so many other product marketers just to be able to communicate and work with. Again, because the number of releases that we have has pretty much doubled or tripled since q4 of 2018, so obviously, we need more support. And so I would definitely say that having those other folks on the team will definitely help and make sure that we can be more organised and have more foresight down the road.
Yeah for sure. And then in terms of teams outside of product marketing, like sales, product, operations, for example, which departments would you say you interact with most on a day to day basis? And what would you say your setup with them's like?
So product management, I would say number one is they're the folks that we usually get most of the new product and feature information from and so I would say them number one. And that's usually who I'm going to ask questions or trying to get clarifying points from when it comes to existing products or things that are coming down the road. So they're number one. But then I would also say, our sales enablement teams really have a strong presence with Product Marketing as well, because at the end of the day, they're really shifting into growing as well as the product marketing team here at ZoomInfo. So they're taking on a lot of the sales training, whether that's a new hire, or whether it's the weekly releases, they're the ones who usually translate that to the sales teams now. And so whether it's us receiving the information from the product management team on a weekly basis, or it's us translating that information to the sales enablement teams in that same week, those are usually the two departments that we really spend the most time with.
And how does that communication happen? So would you say it's more structured meeting in the diary type of thing or random desk drops?
Yeah, I would say that for product management, it's definitely more formal just because we have a really large, and I really don't know how to explain it, but we have product managers really in so many different offices, that it has to be more formalised in order to get everyone involved, to make sure that all the products can properly get laid out for us product marketers, and anyone else who attends those meetings. And so those are definitely more formal. Whereas for sales enablement, I have a number of sales enablement teammates here in the Vancouver office, and so that's a little bit easier to just kind of ad hoc it and just make sure that they have what they need. But we do have weekly meetings with that team as well that we're able to work off with.
Okay, cool. And then in an absolute dream world is there anything you'd change about those relationships to be better?
Honestly, no. When it comes to product management, I think that in order to have that really succinct and descriptive, or detailed description of everything that's coming down the pipe, I think that you need to have that really strong designated time for releasing that information and messaging to product marketing. And so especially when the size of the team is considered, so the sales enablement team it's probably five or six people compared to product management, which is well over a dozen people. And so when you consider that size you have to make sure that it's laid out way more formally than with the sales enablement team. So no, I wouldn't really say I would change anything about that.
That's a good position to be in. So sticking with product management, would you say there's a lot of crossover between the role of a product marketer and a product manager, in ZoomInfo?
So I would say that that depends on the organisation. With ZoomInfo, there isn't as much crossover as I think other organisations. And that is actually a new thing that changed. So when I initially got hired here at ZoomInfo, Product Marketing rolled up through the product department, and then that shifted when the acquisition took place, and now I'm on the marketing team. And so, honestly, it's been good for me because I got the best of both worlds and so I know how to talk with the product managers. But then at the same time, I know I can talk every single day with the Demand Gen team, customer marketing team, marketing operations, and so having that kind of dichotomy has really helped me for sure be able to talk to either audience and make sure that I can give and get different information that will benefit everyone.
Yeah, absolutely. And then what would you say the top three skills are that have helped you get where you are today?
Do you mind if I answer this in a way that it's positioning my team? Because definitely when it comes to this release that happened earlier in September, it was definitely a team thing and I definitely want to make sure they're highlighted. So, organisation number one, as in being organised. And with the acquisition that took place, and adding in two or three new offices, it can be really easy to have that really mess things up, and add a lot of question marks to the typical go-to-market process that I was used to. But honestly, once the first week was over and we realised what the goal was, which was to make a new platform, we all got super buttoned up and we made sure that all the goals were laid out and that we were all aligned and then two months out before the release of the platform, we had this massive Google spreadsheet where everyone on the marketing and go to market teams were a part of it. And it had like every single asset and collateral that we were building and that we were collaborating on we had, who was responsible for it, who's contributed for it, and then that all really helped once launch day came because then we were able to put forth so much supporting material for all of our different audiences. And so, organisation I would definitely say number one, and then I think I mentioned this earlier, but being intentional. That's another thing that my team has been really good about. It's understanding kind of like what the platform or what the audience needs, and then making a deliberate choice to execute on that idea. So if we see something that our product is missing, or that our audience might be missing from those win-loss churn reports, then we decided to take advantage of that information and then move forward with it. So I think that's very important. And also, I would just say that being friendly with each other, even though it's kind of a basic thing, it's super important for two organisations that are going through a merger or an acquisition of this size, to keep in mind that if you're friendly with each other, that any sort of competitive ill will feelings, those totally get tossed by the wayside. And I think that my team did a really, really great job of making sure that we were all super friendly with each other, and that we recognise that we had the same goals at the end of the day. And this goes not really just for anyone going through a merger or an acquisition, but as a product marketer, you go through and talk to so many different departments, it's really a super cross-functional role, and so if you're friendly and you're approachable, then people can come to you and ask questions and then they'll be set up for success. And that ultimately sets the entire organisation up for success. And then if you're friendly to the people who are feeding you information, they'll be more than likely to continue to work with you and make sure that you're set up for success. So I definitely say it's organisation, being intentional and just being friendly.
And in terms of the cross-functional element of the role, would you say that's something you like about it?
Yeah absolutely. I think I kind of touched on it earlier, but I think it's really easy for anyone in their own respective department to get closed in on your perspective of what the organisation needs or what the product means. And without that cross-functional element, it's really difficult to see from other perspectives, like IE marketing, marketing versus sales, it's really tough for a marketer to really understand what the customers are asking about and what their pain points are when it comes to the platform if we're not talking to the people who are talking to the customers, and that goes for anyone in any other role as well. So I definitely think that that's an important aspect not just for product marketing but for anyone in an organisation that's trying to understand the strengths and weaknesses of what they're going to market with.
Yeah. And then in terms of collateral out of curiosity, how does that work for you does that sit within product marketing in terms of creation or does that go over to the marketer?
Yeah, so this is another thing I guess I should say has shifted a little bit, so with DiscoverOrg we had one person in content marketing who was making the blogs and the eBooks, she did a great job, and once we moved and took on this ZoomInfo powered by DiscoverOrg title, we picked up an additional seven or eight content marketers and so our ability to pump out really good, relevant collateral and content has increased like crazy. And so whereas that might have been something that product marketing might have stepped in on, we now have a content marketing team that can help that. And so what we've really been doing lately is we've been building out different data sheets or positioning briefs for our reps. And then with that information, that high-level information that we're feeding our reps and our marketing team, they're able to take that information and then go and build different landing pages, different animation scripts or different ebooks and take what they see with that information and own it.
And then outside of the recent merger, what does the process of introducing and implementing new products or features look like?
So we would get that information from our product management team, lately what the big theme has been is actionable data. It's not just making the data a little bit better, it's being actionable. So we would get that information from our product management team and then the product marketing team, myself and my co-workers, we would build all the respective collateral for that launch. And then we would make sure that we share that with all of our other supporting teams to make sure that everything is built out, we have landing pages, we have supporting video, we have different data sheets, positioning brief, white papers, case studies, all that good stuff. And then when it finally comes down to it about two weeks before launch, we usually create some sort of course in our content management platform. And every single rep has to go through this course and they read up on the different collateral that's been created. And then they take a little quiz and if they pass they're pretty much certified to go ahead and pitch that new product. And so that's the process of going to market with our new feature rollouts that have been going on the past few months.
In your opinion, what, if anything, do you think needs to change about product marketing?
I think the typical thing that I see organisations struggling with when it comes to a consistent KPI or something that you can tie to a product marketing performance. And I think that in most cases, organisations just have a checklist of, 'Okay, so product marketers are responsible for messaging or positioning', so, 'did they create messaging or positioning?' thumbs up, good, and that's great, but in most cases, there's not really a way through that process to see if that's successful or not. And so whether that's tying revenue into a new product launch that a product marketer or team is responsible for or tying MQLs or number of demos booked. I think that that should be the more consistent thing that other organisations are trying to their product marketers performance. And I think that would definitely allow product marketers to be able to have more metrics behind their performance and make sure they're successful.
Yeah, I guess that would help as well with, especially having had a few conversations about it in these podcasts, one big thing is people having to justify the value of the role, maybe something like that would help to kind of eradicate those barriers.
I know absolutely. And that's something as a combined organisation that we're starting to roll out and it's been awesome so far, having that ownership and being able to really tie some sort of metric to your performance. I would definitely recommend that for other organisations as well.
And the penultimate question, having just been through this recent merger, what are your recommendations for any other organisations that are going through something like that?
I would definitely say just to make sure that, depending on the scale of the merger or acquisition, so if it's a large one, then I would say make sure that your messaging and positioning is consistent, and that it all ties back to your ultimate value prop. And so for us, the positioning messaging had to shift slightly into this trifecta of quantity, quality and depth. And everything that we came to market with was consistent with that message. And so just make sure that whatever the merger was, that it's beneficial to that singular message that you're putting forward.
Yep, sounds good. And then final question, if there are any new or aspiring product marketers listening to this right now, what would your advice to them be?
I would definitely say just make sure number one that you're approachable and that you're able to help and say yes to as many things as you can. And to just make sure that you're willing to sit down and learn and not be afraid to make mistakes. Because like I said, when I first started in product marketing, I wasn't exactly sure of what the role was between sales and marketing and product marketing. And so it's taken a lot of just getting back up and trying a new kind of thing, a new way of presenting a message to the sales team or to the marketing team, and sometimes they don't stick and so you just have to make sure that you understand from your organization's perspective what's needed out of product marketing, because I think it's different for everyone. And so it took me a little bit to hone that perspective. But as long as you're able to kind of get back up after you've tried something if it doesn't work or works, and you're able to come to your own conclusion of how Product Marketing can be successful, then I think you'll be much better off.
Okay, awesome. Well, thanks so much for your time today Andrew, it's been really interesting speaking about the merger in particular.
Yeah, thank you so much for having me.
Awesome. Thanks.
Product Marketing Life | 2021 Highlights
Effective communication with prospective customers | Jack Preece, Linnworks
24 Dec 2021 – 1 min read
Achieve and surpass your targets with The Goald Standard Podcast


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At the opening of the exhibition my neighbour very kindly offered to video the event and turn it into a short film. He sent me a link to the finished production last night. – I now realise just how nervous I really was despite not really feeling it at the time….
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text:
Q: Responsive disign is not working with W3 Total Cache I'm using Swift theme and its a responsive theme. But my problem is whenever I activate W3Total Cache the theme size is not changing according to browser size. What may be the problem? Can anyone help me to rectify this issue.
My Blog Digital Advices
Regards,
Vivek.

A: Could you clarify how you've set up your W3C? If I had to guess, I'd say it has something to do with the minification and combining options. I'd suggest you disable those completely and check if it works.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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RAY=RAE=Renewable Alternative Energy
6BC Botanical Garden Project
Begun in 1996, completed in 2007
The 6BC Botanical Garden solar powered waterfall was the beginning of the solar electric system at 6BC. Diana Kline, in 1994, president of the garden from 1994 until 2003, and other members of the garden wanted a pond and waterfall, and had the idea of using solar electricity. Tracy Fitz, a member as well began learning about solar and eventually installed the first solar module in 1996, direct to a pump for the waterfall. After several pond and waterfall redesigns the current Koi Pond was completed in 1998. Along with the library as an extension of the toolshed, and the new koi viewing deck, the solar electric installation was expanded as well.
The project was near completion in 2000, when a (non electrical) fire occurred. Much of the work had to be redone. A solar shed was added to the toolshed, to house the batteries and other electrical equipment.
The final touches on the solar were made in fall of 2007 with the help of a brother of a member...a solar engineer from Chile.
The solar electric system consists of four 64 watt Unisolar solar modules on the arbor (which was built in 1980 by community gardeners and Lenny Librizzi of the Green Gorillas) and two more on top of the library (finished in 2008.)
There are five 120 Amp hour 12 volt batteries, a 30 amp charge controller and various shut offs and fusesfor the equipment and lighting.
The electricity generated by the .384KWH system powers a pond pump,
lights, and charges various DC equipment.
6BC RAY Slide show.
Home Page Contact Info Login


text:
Immigration officials say they had no contact with suspect
SAN FRANCISCO – U.S. immigration authorities confirmed they had no contact with a Mexican national suspected of killing a California police officer until the man was arrested last week.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement emailed a statement to the San Francisco Chronicle on Sunday saying it had placed its first immigration detainer on suspect Gustavo Perez Arriaga after the Dec. 26 killing.
Perez Arriaga, who was in the country illegally and had previous arrests, was taken into custody Friday on suspicion of killing Newman police Cpl. Ronil Singh.
The officer's death has rekindled a national debate over California sanctuary policies. President Trump seized on the case in a call for tougher border security.
Singh was a 33-year-old husband and father of a 5-month-old boy.
Information from: San Francisco Chronicle, http://www.sfgate.com
Warren, progressives escalate pressure on Biden to cancel student loans
Today's best mortgage rate deal? Shorter terms slip lower
30- and 20-year mortgage refinance rates close week with surprise dip


text:
Anger not Mental Illness Kills People
Published on August 18, 2018 November 10, 2018 by Craig
954 Words, 3 minute, 47 sec read
This is a continuation of my post on 'Anger Not Mental Illness'.
Something went awry since the post was about a paragraph long.
So if you read that post I am sure you were disappointed. I will delete it and start anew.
Pictured above is Spec. Ivan Lopez in his helicopter in the Sinai Peninsula during his service with the 295th Infantry of the Puerto Rico National Guard.
Spec. Lopez is suspected of fatally shooting three people before killing himself at the Fort Hood Army Base in Texas on April 2, 2014.
The accounts of what lead up to the shooting spree that killed the innocent people vary.
The Guardian January 23, 2015, reports that Specialist Lopez two parents had died shortly before the shootings.
The military relied heavily on personnel to 'self-report' on their conditions.
The self-reporting of personal issues did not work because Spec Lopez did report to his supervisors about his depression, although he was undergoing treatment for the depression.
Other factors may have played a part as well. Spec Lopez, in conversations, said he had injured himself in combat in Iraq.
There was no proof of that claim.
However, whatever system there was to monitor Spec Lopez it didn't work.
He had an argument with his supervisor about the leave he was expecting and when it was denied 'blew up'.
He traveled two blocks and killed three people including himself.
According to the Washington Post, he pulled out his private 45 caliber pistol, shot up the office of the 49th Transportation Battalion wounding two soldiers.
Before killing himself, he killed three people and wounded 12 others.
Did his mental state, i.e. depression cause him to set off this horrible attack?
The NRA has been foisting this theory on people at every chance it can.
'Mentally ill people are the mass murders.'
Psychologist Laura L. Hayes disagrees.
She states this "relatively weak connection between mental illness and mass shootings," does not override another position.
She states that "the connection between the inability to manage anger and violence," is a stronger motivation."
We have to look back to the 1980s for answers.
The 1980s were a time of massive deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill.
She was working toward her degree in clinical psychology and was training at a psychiatric hospital in Washington D.C.
She relates "one small, diminutive, the elderly patient sometimes wandered the halls."
"She had been committed to the hospital after she stabbed someone in a supermarket."
She was what is sometimes referred to as a revolving-patient: She was schizophrenic and heard frightening voices in her head.
When she became psychotic enough, she would be hospitalized, stabilized on medication, and then released back to the community.
There she would go off her medication, become psychotic, be re-hospitalized, stabilized again on medication, released, etc."
In 1955 deinstitutionalization began.In 1955 deinstitutionalization began.
It was the result of the introduction of the drug Thorazine. This was the first effective antipsychotic drug.
The abbreviated version is that in 1955 the total population was164 million people.
Of those 558,239 were hospitalized as mentally ill.
By 1994 the hospitalized population was 71,619. The true magnitude of the issue was that if the portion of the population in 1994 was equal to that of 1955, 885,010 people should have been hospitalized.
How many were hospitalized? 71,619.
Does that point to a problem?
Over three-fourths of the population should have been hospitalized in the same rules applied!
Back to our little, old lady, this is not intended as a pun or disparagement.
"She testified that she had become extremely upset in the grocery store before repeatedly stabbing the man in front of her in the checkout line."
The hearing officer asked if she had been hearing voices at the time she stabbed the man. 'Yes', she replied, she had.
'What were the voices telling you' he inquired.
"She explained that the voices were telling her not to hurt the man, but he had gotten in the express checkout lane with more than 10 items, and that made her so mad that she couldn't stop herself."
This tale sounds a warning I think.
One that the NRA chose to ignore.
As we have seen so far in 2018
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/mass-shootings-in-2018/ according to
the Gun Violence Archive which tracks the statistics there have been 154 mass shootings thru the deaths at the Capital Gazette.
While getting absolute confirmation of the numbers varies on the criteria used to calculate them, this massive number of deaths is not acceptable in a civil society.
This will not be a debate about guns or no guns.
The facts that are available are simply stated.
Ms. Hayes, notes that "Violence is not a product of mental illness; violence is a product of anger".
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2014/04/anger_causes_violence_treat_it_rather_than_mental_illness_to_stop_mass_murder.html
Some mass shootings occurred become some people had emotional problems.
It has become fashionable, i.e. The NRA, to blame mental illness for violent crimes.
"Violence is not a product of mental illness."
"Nor is violence generally the action of ordinary, stable individuals who suddenly "Break" and commit crimes of passion."
"Violent crimes are committed by violent people, who do not have the skills to manage their anger."
Most homicides are committed by people with a history of violence.
Murderers are rarely ordinary, law-abiding citizens, and they are also rarely mentally ill.
"Violence is a product of compromised anger management skills."
I thought I would throw this out there and let you follow the link to add to your insight in the conversation taking place.
Duluth, MN 55807, USA
Previous MASS SHOOTINGS in America aka Why Men Keep Doing This
Next Ignore the Issue


Gorgeous handmade girl's pinafore dress in 100% cotton designer character print fabric. It's super cute, featuring snowmen, reindeer, rabbits and more!
Fastens with two white buttons at the shoulders.
READY TO POST! Age 1-2.
This would look adorable worn all winter long with chunky tights and a long-sleeved top underneath. It also layers well with cardigans so your little one certainly won't be cold.


text:
<?php

namespace User\Service;

use Core\Service\AbstractService;
use User\Entity\User;

/**
 * Class ForgotService
 * @package User\Service
 */
class ForgotService extends AbstractService
{

    /**
     * Get login form and set validation group
     * @return \User\Form\RegistrationForm
     */
    public function getForm()
    {
        $form = parent::getForm();
        $form->setValidationGroup(['identifier']);
        return $form;
    }

    /**
     * Create hash for restore forgotten password
     * @return \User\Entity\User
     */
    public function forgot()
    {
        /* @var $userModel \User\Model\UserModel */
        $userModel = $this->getServiceLocator()->get('UserModel');
        /* @var $userEntity \User\Entity\User */
        $userEntity = $this->getForm()->getObject();
        $userEntity = $userModel->createHash($userEntity);

        $this->getEventManager()->trigger(
            __METHOD__,
            $this,
            $this->createEmailValues($userEntity)
        );

        return $userEntity;
    }

    /**
     * Create email template
     * @param User $userEntity
     * @return array
     */
    protected function createEmailValues(User $userEntity)
    {
        return [
            'email' => $userEntity->getIdentifier(),
            'hash' => $userEntity->getRestoreHash()
        ];
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


When you venture into the spotlight as youthful as Zendaya did (she was scarcely a high schooler when she handled the job of Rocky Blue on Shake It Up), your "look" can wind up synonymous with your identity. For a considerable length of time, Zendaya rectified her normally wavy hair to line up with her open image. "Growing up, I wasn't extremely certain about my twists," she revealed to People StyleWatch (by means of Mic). "It wasn't care for the hair that young ladies around me had. What's more, no one truly realized what to do with my hair."


text:
Home / About Us / Press / Triangle Business Journal Names Irene Birbeck a 40 Under 40 Award Winner
May 14, 2019 | Durham, NC
Partner Irene Birbeck was named a 40 under 40 award winner by the Triangle Business Journal (TBJ). An excerpt from the announcement and a link to the full article from the Triangle Business Journal are included below.
Triangle Business Journal on Tuesday unveiled the second batch of its 2019 class of 40 Under 40 Leadership Awards winners.
TBJ is again releasing the winners in groups of 10. The second grouping appears in the accompanying slideshow. The announcements will come in consecutive days and groups were selected in no particular order.
The 40 Under 40 awards recognize outstanding professionals under the age of 40 for their contributions to their organizations and to the community.
Six judges, made up of leaders in the local business community and TBJ leaders, pored over nearly 250 nominations to come up with the final list of 40 winners in the 2019 class.
This year's class will be honored at an awards dinner June 27 at North Ridge Country Club in Raleigh. TBJ will profile the winners in a special section that will be published in its June 28 subscriber edition.
"These winners reflect the entrepreneurial spirit and the economic prowess of the diverse community in which we live and work," says TBJ Publisher Jason Christie. "The Triangle is a better place because of the efforts of these honorees. I'm proud to know that the future of this area is in such good hands."
As in years past, the winners are also invited and encouraged to give back to the local community by participating in TBJ's 40 Under 40 Habitat build with Habitat for Humanity of Wake County.


Download the UPDATED Spring 2019 Enrichment Flyer for prices, locations and class times.
You may notice some differences between the paper flyer sent out March 15 and the registration sites. The flyer went out with errors. We apologize for this. We corrected the mistakes here to ensure the sign up online is accurate. Thank you for your patience. This is a volunteer committee. If you're interested in helping us improve, please volunteer for our committee or the PTSA Board. We'd love to have you join us!
Registration is open from NOON March 18 – March 29.
The Spring 2019 session runs from April 15 – June 14, 2019.
⇨ PTSA members receive a $5 discount for each class. Not a member yet? It is never too late to join. The PTSA funds things like a new playground, art teacher, science, library, math club, etc.
⇨ Chaperone a class for the whole session and receive it for free! Email enrichment@lakeviewptsa.org if you are interested in receiving a class for free.


Tara Smith joins the TWiEBOVsters to discuss the Ebola virus outbreak in west Africa, spread of the disease to and within the US, transmission of the virus, and much more.
This episode of TWiV is brought to you by the Department of Microbiology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
I couldn't understand Tara Smith so well.
why do people write letters and emails instead of discussing here directly ?
can someone please summarize the content of the article pubblished in the NYpost (well "article" is a wrong word for anything published there)? Is it the classic "conspiration" article or what?


text:
Parade In New York For Soccer Team
The US team lifts the trophy after the team won the Women's World Cup final soccer match between US and The Netherlands at the Stade de Lyon in Decines, outside Lyon, France, Sunday, July 7, 2019. (Source: AP Photo/Francois Mori)
NEW YORK (AP) NEW YORK (AP) -- Adoring fans packed New York City's Canyon of Heroes on Wednesday amid a blizzard of confetti to praise the World Cup-winning U.S. women's national soccer team as athletic leaders on the field -- and as advocates for pay equity off it.
Crowds chanted "USA! USA!" and workers sounded air horns from a construction site as the hourlong parade moved up a stretch of lower Broadway that has long hosted so-called ticker tape parades for world leaders, veterans and hometown sports stars.
Co-captain Megan Rapinoe (rah-PEE-noh) and her teammates shared a float with Mayor Bill de Blasio and U.S. Soccer Federation president Carlos Cordeiro. Rapinoe struck her now-famous victory pose, took a swig of Champagne and handed the bottle to a fan. Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher held the World Cup trophy aloft.
The parade ended at City Hall, where Mayor Bill de Blasio presented the players with symbolic keys to the city.
Free Agent Deals Become Official
Federer and Nadal To Meet


The Department of Mathematics and Statistics offers the degree of Master of Arts. The program is designed to accommodate students seeking either a terminal degree or preparation for Ph.D. work at another institution. The degree requirements are flexible and permit both thesis and non-thesis programs of study, with a focus on either mathematics (pure or applied) or on statistics. Faculty research interests include algebra, topology, number theory, combinatorics, differential equations, analysis, medical and biological applications, and scientific computing; statistical climatology, environmental and ecological statistics, Bayesian modeling and computing, stochastic processes and network analysis, applications of statistics to social sciences and biology.
Candidates for admissions to the Master of Arts Program in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics should have completed at least thirty three semester hours of mathematics and statistics at an accredited college or university. At least fifteen of these hours should require as a prerequisite two semesters of calculus or a semester of linear algebra. Most successful applicants have taken three semesters of calculus (through multi variable calculus), linear algebra, abstract algebra (or modern algebra) and advanced calculus (or other advanced courses in analysis). Prior experience with computing is helpful but not required, particularly for the statistics track. Applicants who do not have this preparation may be required to take additional preparatory courses.
Normally, students devote two years to complete a master's degree although, occasionally, a student will finish in three semesters or in one year and a summer. We believe that most students gain from the experience of investing two full years. The master of arts degree can be obtained in four distinct ways. Students may choose to do the mathematics track or the statistics track, which have different course requirements. Students may also choose a thesis or non-thesis track. The non-thesis track requires completion of additional coursework while the thesis track requires writing of a thesis showing the results of an extended mathematical or statistical investigation under the guidance of a faculty advisor. As students typically take three courses per semester, only the thesis option allows the possibility of finishing in an academic year plus a summer.
With the approval of the Graduate Committee, graduate courses may be taken in related areas to fulfill requirements; however, no more than 6 such hours may count toward the requirements for either the thesis or non-thesis option. Students desiring to use work taken in the department for graduate teacher certification should consult the Department of Education before applying for candidacy.
Almost all of the participants in our program receive substantial aid: a teaching assistantship, or a full or partial scholarship. Students who receive assistantships receive a full scholarship plus a living allowance. Students who receive a partial scholarship are responsible for the balance of their tuition, which is $7504 for academic year 2016-2017. Students who do not have an assistantship are eligible to work in the Math Center on an hourly basis.
There is a great deal of personal interaction between the faculty and students. The faculty of the department have diverse interests and are willing to share them with students.
The department sponsors a chapter of Pi Mu Epsilon (a mathematical honor society) as well as a Mathematics Club. The Math Club sponsors both academic and social activities including colloquia, intramural sports teams and picnics.
Numerous computing facilities are available to graduate students. Our graduate teaching assistants receive a laptop computer for their use in supporting our undergraduate courses.
The University's library subscribes to numerous journals and has an extensive collection of back holdings. The library also has a good monograph collection. Interlibrary loan is available.
Where Do Graduates Go After Wake Forest?
Graduate students have also taken jobs in actuarial science, statistics, biostatistics, analytics, computing, government security, government contracting, and teaching a college and high school level.


Workers Compensation - If you employ workers, then it is mandated by the Government that you maintain a policy of workers compensation in force for your employees. This insurance protects you against your liability to your workers for their injuries sustained while on the job.
You may need to obtain Workers' Compensation coverage, regardless if you have Independent Contractors (1099) working for you. Things to consider are: who owns the trucks, who has control of the trucks, who sets the hours and who is responsible for maintenance of the trucks.
For Owner-Operators - Certain states require that all truckers (regardless of Independent Contractor status) be covered by Workers' Compensation.
For Fleet Owners - Fleet Owners who lease on to Motor Carriers often need to provide Workers' Compensation coverage for their drivers. When a Motor Carrier sponsors Occupational Accident program for its leased Fleet Owners, Workers' Compensation for the Fleet Owners' employee drivers may be available (subject to underwriting eligibility).
For Motor Carriers - Motor Carriers sponsoring a Occupational Accident with Contingent Liability program can purchase Workers' Compensation coverage for drivers and clerical employees of the Motor Carrier. This enhancement provides convenience of one stop shopping for Motor Carriers with Owner-Operator teams.


Found this great site for mobile phone shopping in UK. Very quick, good prices and comparison features. It is called Onestopphoneshop - 'naff name' but surprisingly good well designed webshop. Very commercial and to the point. I like it!
Just click on the following logos!


available in all of these designs!
Warner Bros' Batman and Robin Jump House in your yard!
Ready to Order your Air Castles And Slides' Warner Bros' Jump House rental Click here!
You have all the clues in this 15'4" X 14'4" air bounce! It is really fun, an adventure - as unique as Batman and Robin! The real Warner Bros' Batman and Robin on your kids' party moonwalk right here in NJ! Bring the magic of a Warner Bros' Batman and Robin! Adventure home to your child's party!
Fully Licensed Official WB Inflatable Jump Houses, order one for your party!


In 2019, self-publishing of books is easier than ever before. Have a look at some of the tips that we have gathered below.
For a professional and polished book, it's always a good idea to have a professional editor work on it. An editor will read it from a reader's point of view and will know how to perfect your manuscript to make it succeed. A copy-editor will check for both flow and consistency and a proofreader will check spelling and grammar. Try to find an editor who will encompass all of these roles. Have a look at this website from Dave Chesson who has a list of book editors on his website.
The thing is, we do. If the cover isn't well designed and eye-catching, a great book may never even be picked up. Get your cover designed by a professional graphic designer.
An ISBN is something that every book needs. This is a code that references every book sold. Any shop, distributor or library will need an ISBN in order to catalogue your book. As well as an ISBN it's also good to purchase a barcode. This way your book can be scanned when sold in shops.
If you plan to sell your book through Amazon, they will give you an ISBN.
If you are relatively unknown it can be hard to get your book noticed. However, with Instagram, Facebook and other social media platforms available, it's easier to promote your book than in the past. We offer a marketing service and have some ideas and info on marketing your book going up on our website soon.
The cost of producing your book depends on various things, including: the number of pages, the size of the book, hard cover or soft cover, black and white or colour.


text:
John Prestia: Behind the Scenes in Nashville
Mike Broward
Both a tonehound and a great player, John Prestia has found his niche in Nashville as guitar tech for Tim McGraw.
Nashville has held a reputation for chewing up and spitting out some of the most talented musicians in the world. Surviving is difficult, and thriving can seem downright impossible, but with the right formula, Nashville can be a promised land. For John Prestia, the formula is loads of talent, the ambition to stay in the city, and an insatiable desire to find great guitar tones.
John moved to Music City from sunny Sarasota, Florida a decade ago with hopes of becoming a better songwriter. He had been working 300 days a year as the frontman of the John Prestia Group, while simultaneously writing and co-writing songs – his "No One to Run With" with Dickey Betts was an Allman Brothers hit. He's been releasing albums since the vinyl age, with 18 releases under his belt.
After spending part of his first year in Nashville as tour manager for Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams, John found himself faced with the opportunity to wrangle guitars with Tim McGraw and his band, the Dancehall Doctors. This opportunity turned into a steady gig as the guitar tech for one of the most successful organizations in the entire music industry – the Tim McGraw/Faith Hill tour of 2006 broke all of the records of the time, grossing $89 million and selling 1.1 million tickets.
I met up with John in his workshop space, surrounded by mountains of amps, guitars and in-progress pedalboards, to chat about his demanding gig, Nashville, and – of course – the gear.
How did you get hooked up with Tim McGraw and company?
I had never dreamed of being a guitar tech, but I have always been a guitar "nerd." I had spent 25 years making my living playing 300 nights a years, singing, writing and making my records – just doing my thing. All the while I've had an interest in the gear, building pedalboards and the like. I've always done my own guitar stuff ever since I can remember.
A sampling of John''s gear room
We're surrounded by old Fender, Supro and Marshall amps, custom-built Hammonds, a rack of guitars marked with masking tape and Sharpie, old cases everywhere… Looks like a great job!
I bring mountains of these amps into the Tim McGraw sessions for the producer and players to use, and we dig in for tones that work on the particular songs. Fortunately they give me a lot of leeway and trust to discover tones for the records. If the guys are sitting on the outer edges, I can listen to the near-field monitors with Byron, the producer, who is also a great guitar nerd, and point out spots where I hear the possibility for a certain tone. We might break out the ''49 Supro, or if we want a big lush tone for a part, I'll bring in the Marshall 4x12 cab with a Marshall head – whatever combination fits the track.
By not being in the cans concentrating on a part, I get to see the whole rainbow. I get to pick out colors, and it''s really cool. I would have never thought of being a guitar tech, but I've since gotten hired to go into the studio for other records. I bring up an arsenal of tone machines and sit with the producer of the record, saying, "Maybe we''ll tremolo this part or get nutty with the tone, or get a big fat rich tone," that kind of thing. I''m way into that, and I''m lucky that Tim and the guys in his band are real receptive to my ideas.
How many guys do you tech for?
There''s Denny Hemingson, a fabulous player, on steel and electric guitar; Darren Smith, the band leader and lead guitar; the bass player, John Marcus; and Bob Minor, the acoustic player. We also hire another guitar tech to tour with us, but I''m the full-time guy.
We have more than just an A-team of players here – we are like a family. That''s what keeps me on here; I don''t feel like I''m just a guitar tech, I''m part of the family. And I don''t say "just a guitar tech" lightly, because we all have an important job to do out there on the road – they are all important jobs. If the lighting guy is rolling in a dimmer pack and something goes haywire, things get crazy and it could affect the show. We are all important to the end result. I think Tim spreads that down to all of us.
Tim McGraw must have amazing turnouts -- how many people come to the shows?
Between 15 and 20 thousand. On the last tour with Tim and Faith, we traveled with 22 tractor trailers and 18 busses; there were 130 people traveling and 50 to 60 local hands in each city to set up and tear down. It's amazing to watch this thing start at 8:00 or 9:00 in the morning with trucks backing in and out, and by 3:00 in the afternoon we are sound checking. Watching it all come down is amazing – massive rigs, masses of people, and they all know what they''re doing. It''s like a dance and they all know the steps. My world is always the last in and the first out – you can''t be bringing in the lights with 35 guitars in the racks set up.
What about the backline?
Yeah, I do the backline and I build the pedalboards. We run a clean stage, in that there are no amps in sight. We run stereo paired amps in big isolation boxes that we roll up under the stage and mic up. We have an incredible in-ear monitor system that all of the musicians use. I have the pedalboards pre-loomed to the amps, so the sound guys come in and mic the amps up, and the rest is all pretty much pre-set. In a realistic show-world, we have to be able to scroll through the sounds that are set up for each song in the show, just like the lights, so I build the pedalboards to be able to see the tones and find them quickly and be song or set specific.
When we do a show, we are not dinking around jamming – it''s a show. It''s a pretty tightly coordinated deal with the lights, video, sound, and guitar changes all coordinated. I''ve had to do as many as three guitar changes in a song. Denny goes from steel to electric, Darren switches out, and I''m running around with an armload of guitars. I like to be stealthy when I do it, so sometimes the guitar just appears. Like, where did that come from? I remember going and seeing shows as a kid, and it was like magic, all of the gear and the guitars.
As the guitar guy, is it your responsibility to get the gear where it needs to be?
Yes, we have a couple of great companies that we work with that keep the backlines straight, like when we do Today in New York or The Tonight Show in L.A., they make sure that everything is there for the shows. The company is Center Staging; their gear is always in good shape and is what we ask for.
For the main touring rigs in Tim''s World, we've used stereo paired Peavey Classic 50s with 4x10s as long as I''ve been here. I never had any experience with these before I joined Tim, but they''re just a great EL84-type amp. Peavey is a great company for us to work with; if I have a problem, I just call them up and they'll overnight us whatever we need, and it will be at the arena office when we get there. G&L Guitars has been great with us also – great guitars and great support. We also work with Taylor guitars; Bob Borbonus (Artist Relations) is great to work with.
We work with a lot of the different guitar companies; if we need a Les Paul, we go to Gibson and get one and make sure that it gets some visibility. We are responsible to our endorsers to play the gear, and we love it. We don''t take stuff just to have free gear – we already have 22 trucks of stuff! But it''s a valuable thing to get a product seen with a high-profile artist like Tim. I remember as a kid, I got my old Firebird because Johnny Winter and Dave Mason were playing them. I had to have one! I don''t forget that it''s a valuable thing for artists to influence sales, if they can afford to do so.
What about other backline stuff? Do you use leslie cabs for guitar?
Not live; we do use them for the keys, and in the studio if we want a leslie for the guitar we use one, but out on the road the pedalboards are set up to simulate and create any special needs that we may have.
Let's look at one of the pedalboards.
You can see that we have the wires all routed from underneath the metal and the power supply is under there also. I build the board with the specific pedals any of the players want. For mine, I love the fat boost, and the Keeley compressor – those two are on all the time. Then there's the Line 6 echo and modulation pedals, a Fulltone Fulldrive II, a Tubescreamer TS-9, a Keeley compressor, a wah pedal, a volume pedal, and the most important part, a tuner. I have a couple of outlets to side-car the expression pedals for the Line 6 pedals, and a send and receive circuit in case I want to add anything on-the-fly; it's pretty simple over all. I''ll use the two drive pedals with each other – I set the drives kind of low so I can build the tones. I like the midrange thing with the TS-9 and the full body of the Fulltone II. I built a custom board for Denny and a second studio board for him that has the new OCD on it also.
So this is the board I played when I sat in with you a couple of weeks ago. When you''re in town it seems like you gig a lot, and with great players.
Oh, the players are there when they can be, and I use others when they can''t. One night it might be Rick Brothers (Gretchen Wilson) on drums, and Chris Tuttle on keys, Anthony Joyner (Shania Twain) on bass, maybe Bart Pike (Danny Gatton) the next night or Bruce Brown (Charlie Daniel''s Band) on guitar. There are a whole lot of great players here in Nashville and I love having them all as friends, and sometimes bandmates. Living here, the bar is raised up pretty high and it makes me become a better player and musician.
For samples of John''s music and more information, visit johnprestia.com.
For more information on Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors visit timmcgraw.com or try Google for a wealth of sites.
john-prestia tim-mcgraw whats-new artists


text:
Markets Forex
CFD providers prepare for potential client shift to unregulated entities
Paul Golden
Published on: Thursday, August 09, 2018
Providers of FX contracts for differences will be monitoring their trading volumes closely over the coming weeks to see whether warnings of clients moving to unregulated providers come to pass.
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) measures restricting the marketing, distribution or sale of contracts for difference (CFDs) to retail investors took effect from 1 August.
The measures include leverage limits on opening positions (30:1 for major currency pairs and 20:1 for non-major currency pairs); a margin close-out rule on a per-account basis; a negative balance protection on a per-account basis; preventing the use of incentives by a CFD provider; and a firm-specific risk warning delivered in a standardised way.
Trading platform Capital.com says analysis undertaken following its decision to reduce its default rates across currencies from 1 June reveals that users who traded using the lower leverage limits were significantly less likely to face a margin call.
The proportion of users facing a margin call within the first 15 days of trading fell from approximately 30% in the months before the platform introduced the ESMA limits, to 5% in June. The size of the average loss fell by more than 80%.
Omar Arnaout, XTB
However, the CFD providers contacted by Euromoney were far from unanimous in their approval for the measures taken by ESMA –particularly in relation to limiting leverage. For example, Omar Arnaout, CEO of XTB, describes the leverage restrictions as too severe and fears they will encourage some European-based clients to trade with non-EU brokers.
"Traders should be aware that different licences provide different levels of security for investors," he says, adding that he expects the new restrictions to accelerate consolidation in the sector.
CFDs may still be marketed, distributed and sold to professional clients, although ESMA has warned retail investors to consider very carefully whether they should adopt professional client status and lose the extra regulatory protections afforded to retail clients.
An IG Group spokesperson says it is clear that the ESMA restrictions have been deeply unpopular with clients and that some have applied for professional status. "For such a high number to apply before the rules are even in force is extraordinary, but we are very strict in our application of the rules that allow clients to elect to be professional and have rejected more than three quarters of applicants."
Richard Perry, market analyst at Hantec Markets, says his firm has also seen an increase in applications from retail clients to be reclassified. "Whether this is considered a way to 'get around' the restrictions or just clients becoming aware of the options available to them is open to debate," he adds. "It is important that these clients are made aware of the protections they lose by becoming a professional."
Richard Perry, Hantec Markets
A spokeswoman for FXCM says the firm anticipates some drop in trading volumes from its European clients but adds that its customers will continue to appreciate that spot FX and CFD trading provide advantages over trading futures contracts.
"Separately, there seems to be some amount of political charge to the new rules and political winds change," she adds. "I hope that at some point in the future the restrictive margin requirements will be rolled back to the more reasonable levels established in other jurisdictions."
Saxo Bank founder and CEO, Kim Fournais, acknowledges concerns that more prudent consumer protection will lead to increased activity from unlicensed providers from outside of the EU. However, he also suggests that this is an issue that should fall within the remit of the police and relevant authorities and does not represent a valid argument against firm and fair regulation.
ESMA says it will review the new measures and consider the need to extend them for a further three months before the end of October. CFDs are generally expected to be under the intervention measures for between six to nine months before the regulation is handed back to local national conduct authorities, Perry says. Those authorities will then assess whether to increase the leverage limits or stick with those imposed by ESMA.
"The hope is that the measures will have the anticipated impact and that standards within the industry will increase," he concludes. "I believe that client complaints to the ombudsman are at an all-time low, so although moves to 'tidy up' the industry are a positive development in the long run, it still seems like a bit of a knee-jerk reaction."
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FX: CFD firms prepare for regulators to take aim
Contracts for difference gain traction in FX