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The Metssiah
Saving Mets fans from their miserable existence one post at a time
Tag: daniel murphy
Will The Nationals Drive A Dagger Into The Mets' Heart? Yes. Duh.
On July 3, 2017 July 4, 2017 By themetssiah1 Comment
Steven Matz pitches a gem, Curtis Granderson hits a clutch pinch hit game-tying two run homer in the top of the 9th inning, and then the Mets bullpen blows the game. Oh and Yoenis Cespedes injured his leg on the final play of the game. A bullpen implosion combined with an injury to a key player is the least shocking outcome imaginable. It has been the theme of the 2017 season. The Nationals are going to bury the Mets over the next few days. The Mets haven't done one thing this year that would lead me to believe they can compete with an actual contending team.
Sunday's game marked the midpoint of the 2017 season. After 81 games I can say that I am suffering from the worst case of fan fatigue that I've dealt with in my time as a Mets fan. It became obvious early in the season that 2017 wasn't going to be fun, but there have been a number of factors that have made this year particularly brutal.
Same Old Story: First and foremost, this season we've seen the exact same groundhog day bullshit that Mets fans have been dealing with forever. Ray Ramirez claims another injury victim every other day. The injuries have been both random and attributable to Wilpon-related ineptitude. Mike Barwis has these guys training like professional weight lifters in the offseason and as a result many of the players have been straining muscles. Same story, different season.
Terry Collins still can't manage for shit. He's killed half of the relievers. He spent a large part of the season trying to bench our only All-Star Michael Conforto. He's garbage.
The Wilpons didn't let Sandy Alderson spend a little extra cash to add necessary reinforcements to the bullpen and rotation in the offseason and the team has suffered as a result.
We've seen our mascot flip off fans, Asdrubal Cabrera demand a trade because the Mets failed to notify him about a position switch, and our top prospect Amed Rosario continues to waste away in Triple-A while horrendous Jose Reyes is still allowed to start day after day.
The list of embarrassing stories linked to the Mets' franchise this year has been lengthy, and at this point I'm numb to it.
Success In The Bronx: The second factor that's killing me is the instant turnaround of the Yankees organization. The Mets were great in 2006. Then they floundered for the better part of 7 years. The length of a "rebuild" can vary. I've seen franchises turn things around in a few years. I've also seen teams take closer to a decade to return to a place of respectability. Some organizations stink forever. In the Bronx it took 10 minutes.
We heard the word rebuild thrown around by Brian Cashman and Co. last year. I blinked and now the Yankees have the best player in baseball. Aaron Judge is like a player that scientists created by extracting a partial DNA sequence from Giancarlo Stanton and then filling in the gaps with Babe Ruth DNA. The Yankees are rebuilding and who shows up? Only the biggest freak in the history of professional baseball. The Yankees have instant stars in Gary Sanchez, Aaron Judge and now Clint Frazier has been called up. There's obviously a pretty good chance that the league will figure out Judge at some point, and he'll have to adjust. But right now it looks like the freak is going to hit 50 homers. Each and every long ball he hits raises my blood pressure to unsafe levels.
Goddamn Daniel Murphy And The Nationals: The number one factor that is absolutely killing me is the success of Daniel Murphy. Oh what's that? You think I should get over it? Screw you. I will never ever ever ever ever ever ever get over the fact that the Mets made it to the World Series thanks to their young arms and the bat of Daniel Murphy and then they told their playoff hero to get lost. I will never forget that Daniel Murphy was a decent player for the Mets, went to our top division rival, and transformed into an MVP.
I don't think Murph has hit below .330 since he's joined the Nationals. He's a batting champion contender once again. He's an All-Star again. His success and the Nationals success coupled with the deterioration of the Mets young pitching staff is plaguing my nightmares. The Mets had a World Series roster, and they unnecessarily tinkered with it. They changed the damn formula. They let their star bat depart for nothing. The only way I can forgive the Mets for that sin is if this team wins a World Series in the near future.
And if Murph winds up hoisting a World Series Championship trophy in a Nationals uniform or Judge propels the Yankees to a championship in the first year of their stupid rebuild I may lose faith in baseball forever. Those two specific scenarios would wound me so deeply that it'd take years for me to fully recover.
Bottom Line: The 2017 Mets are toast. They should start trading the impending free agents immediately. That would be the smart move, but we all know the Wilpons won't allow the team to go into a proper sell mode. They'll half ass it, trade one guy like Jay Bruce, and then call up Tim Tebow to sell tickets in September and continue to embarrass the loyal fan base.
Obviously I'm not "giving up." Will I keep blogging and watching? Of course. But am I optimistic? No. It kills me that this team is buried in the standings in July. But like all die hard fans I will always tune in to watch. No matter how much the Wilpons infuriate me or how hard it is to watch our rivals succeed, I'll never quit watching this stupid team. It's my stupid team.
Sources: Mets May Or May Not Extend Walker
On February 22, 2017 February 23, 2017 By themetssiahLeave a comment
On Sunday, Sandy Alderson said the Mets were all-in for 2017 and even hinted that they are working on a contract extension with Neil Walker. On Monday morning the contract extension talks were heating up and the Mets were reportedly close to a deal with Neil! By Monday at noon the extension talks had hit a snag and were all but dead. And by Tuesday evening the Mets had made "no progress" on any deal with Walker but indicated a deal was "definitely not dead."
That news cycle of garbage serves as yet another perfect example of the mainstream media's "Mets Cycle Of Interest." The cycle of interest can be seen in literally every single BS rumor that involves the Mets. Whether it's the team's interest in signing a new player or paying big bucks to extend an existing one, the cycle is always the same.
In regards to the actual pros and cons of a Neil Walker extension, I can honestly see both sides of the debate.
Signing Neil Walker to a three year extension before the 2017 season is the kind of risky gamble on a player's health that a big market club would consider taking. If the Mets have confidence in the early medical reports surrounding Walker, then it would totally make sense to try and lock him up on a team friendly three year deal before he hits the open market and potentially lands a four or five year deal.
On the other hand, Neil Walker is a 31 year old player with back issues and you know as soon as he signs on the dotted line that METS disease will spread from his back to every other part of his body.
Based on some of the articles printed about the possible Walker extension, it would seem that the Mets are factoring "versatility" into their opinion of Neil's overall value. That's somewhat confusing considering he's logged 913 games at second base over 8 major league seasons and only 15 games at any other position. But the Mets like to pretend that Walker is a totally viable option at first base and third based on nothing and who am I to say they're wrong?
The Walker extension debate is really just another reminder of how much Sandy and his team blew the Daniel Murphy contract evaluation. They all sat in a room and agreed that Murphy's playoff power display was a fluke and that his versatility wasn't worth all that much. Whoops!
For now, Neil Walkyear lives on. If we don't extend Walker, I'm sure we'll be "interested" in bringing Murph back to Queens in two years.
Shocking Win: T.J. Tops Metkiller Murph
On September 14, 2016 September 14, 2016 By themetssiahLeave a comment
Final Score (in 10 innings): Mets 4, Nationals 3
I've seen the Mets blueprint for a big game against a division rival many times before last night. The Mets give you the impression they can win, hold a late lead, squander said lead, and ultimately lose due to a huge hit by some known Metkiller. The Mets were totally on script last night including the blown lead in the 9th inning due to a huge error by Jose Reyes and some infield hits off of Jeurys Familia. They were on script until T.J. Rivera launched a 10th inning solo home run off of Mark Melancon. Then we watched the Mets flip the script as Jerry Blevins struck out Metkiller Daniel Murphy when he came up to bat in the 10th inning with the tying run on base. A shocking turn of events due to a resilient Mets team led to the big win!
From Start To Finish: T.J. Rivera randomly received a start from Terry because Terry wanted to split up lefties in the lineup or some nonsensical crap. Well Terry's random move worked out. I wrote earlier in the season that I wish the Mets had some random luck and promoted a non-prospect from the minors that turned out to be an impact major leaguer. I really hope T.J. is that guy. He was the star last night from start to finish. He had an RBI single in the third inning and a sac fly in the fifth inning. 3 hits and 3 RBIs for Rivera.
Lucky Break: Yoenis Cespedes singled in the fifth inning and then Curtis Granderson smoked what could have been a double play ball if Ryan Zimmerman fielded it cleanly at first base. Instead it went down the line for an RBI triple to make it 3-1 Mets.
They Choked: As I said above, Familia entered for the 9th and surrendered a Murph single. Then Reyes made an ugly throwing error at third base that left Bryce Harper and Murph standing at second and third with no outs. Anthony Rendon hit an RBI single between third and short, and then Wilson Ramos hit a BS RBI single that went off of Familia's glove to tie the game. Luckily, Familia was able to escape the inning without losing the game.
The Hero: T.J. Rivera blasted the game winning solo shot off of Mark Melancon with two strikes on him. It was his first major league homer, and it was huge.
The Vanquished Metkiller: Fernando Salas was able to retire the first two batters in the 10th before Jayson Werth hit a single. Then Jerry Blevins struck out Murph to end the game. I'm happy we finally beat Murph even if it was for only one game. But I was thinking during the game that I'm not sure I can handle a three year sentence of this new Murph. If Murph hits .290 next year then I can deal with him having good numbers against the Mets. I can deal with a few Metkilling Murph moments against us if he's playing like regular Murph overall. But MVP Murph combined with Metkiller Murph might be too much for me to handle over the next two seasons.
Noah Cy-ndergaard: Noah Syndergaard pitched 7 innings and gave up 1 run on 4 hits. He struck out 10 Nats. Obviously he's the choice for any Wild Card playoff if the baseball gods deem us worthy of playing in that crapshoot of a game. He's also put together a Cy Young caliber season bone spurs and all. He's the truth.
Today: The Mets have been lucky to avoid Max Scherzer in these last two series against the Nationals. But Tanner Roark ain't no joke. Robert Gsellman needs to step up and win today's game. He needs to match the success of Seth Lugo if he wants to stay in "the new young arms are great" conversation. Look how quickly Rafael Montero fell out of that talk.
Murph vs. Walker 2016: A Visual History Of Embarrassment
On July 30, 2016 By themetssiah3 Comments
"I'm so good. I'm like Murph on steroids!" – Neil Walker's thoughts March 2016 / "Jesus Christ, Murph is good. Is he on steroids?" -Neil Walker's thoughts July 2016
It may only be July 30th, but the question of who wins the battle for second base supremacy in 2016 (Neil Walker or Daniel Murphy) has seemingly been answered. Murph is hitting .351 with 20 home runs and 76 RBIs. He's on pace for 30+ homers, 100+ RBIs, a batting title, and a possible MVP award. He's having one of the best seasons by a second baseman in baseball history. Walker on the other hand has a tenuous hold on the Mets starting second base job. He's posting the lowest OPS of his career. He hit .307 with 9 home runs in April, and since then has hit .250 in May, .214 in June, and .236 in July.
I can't take it anymore. Mercy! I yield! Just crown Murph the best NL second baseman of 2016. There's time left for Walker to salvage his own season and help the Mets in the battle for an NL playoff spot. But Walker will never surpass Murph's overall 2016 production. At this rate, Neil Walker may not even perform at a high enough level to warrant a qualifying offer. Great. So much for that plan.
Let's just take a look at this visual history of Murph's domination of Walker so far this season. Also, please keep in mind some of these images are symbolic representations of events this season, and some of these things actually happened (allegedly).
Murphy crushed Walker in the All-Star Game general election. Walker didn't even carry his home state of Pennsylvania. Pathetic. Daniel Murphy: Making Mets Fans Miserable Again.
No wonder Murph won the All-Star Game election in such a landslide. He destroyed Walker in all their televised matchups. Neil couldn't stop sweating because of his embarrassing .222 batting average against the Nationals.
Here's Neil Walker surrendering to Murph and the Nationals after the Battle of Washington. Murph sure has made Walker, Sandy Alderson, and the Mets look bad with his .423 batting average, 7 home runs and 21 RBIs against them.
Remember when Murph was paid big money by the Nationals and the Pirates traded Neil Walker because they didn't want to pay him? If Walker keeps up his abysmal play, he may wind up making less money than Murph and Ken Jennings (pictured center).
Daniel "The Irish Stallion" Murphy absolutely demolished Neil Walker in every head to head matchup. They haven't even been close.
Here's one of Murphy beating up the AL in the All-Star Game (represented by the great Joe Frazier). Murph went 2 for 3, and Neil Walker didn't even qualify to play in the game. But don't worry, Walker stayed on the sidelines and took pictures.
Murph has so much power in 2016. Walker has hit way more homers in his career (109 vs. Murph's 82), but even Walker is amazed at Murph's power this season.
Here's one of Daniel Murphy walking on the moon (before Spring Training started). Neil "Armstrong" Walker can be seen in the background. You can't see his face because he's wearing a standard space mask. Murph refused to wear one because he has no problem breathing the "crisp moon air".
Remember that scene in Sleepless in Seattle where Meg Ryan broke up with loser fiancé Neil Walker and then ran away with Murph to Washington?
And finally, here's where Daniel "Costanza" Murphy pulled the plug on his nemesis Neil. Neil will eventually walk at the end of the season. Probably to some new team.
The Mets Are Not Beating The Nationals And That's Bad
On July 10, 2016 July 10, 2016 By themetssiahLeave a comment
Final Score: Nationals 3, Mets 2
The Mets got Murph'd and No-Yo'd again. They dropped 3 out of 4 at home against the Nationals. Absolutely pathetic. They need Yoenis Cespedes in the middle of the lineup. When your offense is dependent on one guy, it's undoubtedly a weakness. But it's the reality for the New York Mets. It is what it is. The Mets need Yo. Period. Steven Matz had a strong start to close out the pre-All Star break schedule. He went 7 innings and gave up 3 runs on 6 hits. He only struck out 5 and walked 4 which wasn't ideal. But he was throwing his slider. He's pitching through the elbow bone chips, and he's found a way to remain effective.
Walk Werth and Screw Murph: Matz made a mistake in this game. He walked Jayson Werth and gave up a two run shot to Daniel Murphy. Murph made it 2-0. The Mets walked Jayson Werth twice in this game. We love walking Werth. We should probably stop doing that. It makes no sense. Werth isn't that good and Murph is a force in the Nationals lineup. Let's stop giving Murph opportunities to burn us. And as far as Murph goes I ranted about it yesterday. He's public enemy number one. He's our arch enemy now. His 21 RBIs against the Mets are the most in a single season since Ryan Howard. It's a joke at this point. He's destroying us. Go to hell Murph.
Jose Did Stuff: Jose Reyes hit two solo homers batting right-handed. Amazing. He's seemingly the only hitter who decided to show up. Good for him. Obviously two runs wasn't enough.
Gio Doesn't Stink: Gio Gonzalez has had a bad season. But he dominates at Citi Field in his career. So he shut down everyone other than Reyes over 5.2 innings. Duh.
Our Boy: Alejandro De Aza made the final out of the game. He went 0 for 3 and he's awful. He cracked a foul ball earlier in the game off his knee/inner thigh. I thought for sure he had shattered the bone and would leave the game. But of course he was completely fine because he's not an important player and the baseball gods decided to spare him. The baseball gods are just watching us suffer and twisting the knife. At least Michael Conforto is killing it in Vegas right now. I'm guessing he'll be back in the MLB lineup very soon.
To Hell With Fantasy: Wilson Ramos hit an RBI single in this game to make it 3-1 Nationals and starter Tanner Roark came in to pitch 2.1 innings of scoreless relief. I have them on my fantasy team. I hate them.
The Needs: The Mets could really use another bat, a starting pitcher, and a setup man. That's an offseason wish list not a trading deadline agenda. But Sandy is going to have to figure out how to patch this lineup up. We are 47-41 and tied with the Marlins for the last Wild Card spot. If we aren't going to compete for the damn division, we still need reinforcements to stay in this Wild Card race.
This Week: The All-Star Break is here. The Mets need a breather. Cespedes reminded everyone after the game that there's a "lot of baseball left". Thanks for putting it all in perspective Yo. It's a long season. Let's take a break this week, nurse our wounds, and come out of the gate strong.
Murph Joins The Men Of Mount MetKillmore
On July 10, 2016 September 26, 2016 By themetssiah2 Comments
As we head into the All-Star Break, the Mets have dropped 2 out of the first 3 games at Citi Field to the Nationals. Now we look to Steven Matz to help us salvage a split of this home series. The Mets dropped last night's game 6-1. They couldn't muster any offense against Mad Eye Max Scherzer. They managed 4 hits total against the Nats and a sac fly. Yoenis Cespedes wasn't in the lineup therefore we didn't score. That's the least surprising thing of all time. The Yo-less lineup aka the No-Yo Remnant isn't really equipped to do a whole lot. Logan Verrett gave up 5 runs over 6.2 innings. That's bad. Antonio Bastardo gave up a 2 run homer to Daniel Murphy. That's worse.
This game was totally the Daniel Murphy show. Every single game against the Nats this year has been the Daniel Murphy show. He had an RBI single in the third inning, an RBI double in the fifth inning, and a two run homer in the seventh inning. The Mets planted a destructive seed within their own division by letting Murph go to Washington. Well the plant has grown, and it is royally screwing us. Murph the Met slayer is now an official face on Mount MetKillmore.
Daniel Murphy joins Chipper Jones, Chase Utley, and Pat Burrell as the most hated Mets killers from my lifetime. I'll never forget feeling like we could compete with the Braves in the late 90s and early 2000s. Sometimes the Mets would tease me and make me think we actually had a chance to beat the Braves. And then Chipper Jones would launch one of his many homers at Shea Stadium and destroy my false hope. Pat Burrell put up 42 of his 292 career home runs against the Mets. It certainly felt like all of his career homers came against us. Chase Utley murdered the Mets for over a decade with Philly. He killed Ruben Tejada last year. He has truly cemented his face on Mount MetKillmore.
You might be wondering where Jimmy Rollins is on the mountain. Well Murph replaced him temporarily (Murph has a large amount of slaying to do to stay on the mountain forever). But Rollins doesn't need to be on Mount MetKillmore. He's already one of the top all time Met killers and the face of the Jimmy Rollins Met Killer Memorial Site.
The re-occurring Murph embarrassment is not something I was prepared for in 2016. I have to be honest. I expected him to perform at a high level once he signed with Washington. I knew he would have a big season and have some big moments against us. But then I decided to lie to myself. I focused on the Murph ball. I imagined him booting grounders against us or making horrendous throws from second base and costing the Nationals games. I refused to start preemptively hating Murph for no reason. Well in 2016 he's given us a reason to hate him. We haven't seen Murph ball in the field against the Mets. And his .438/.462/.875 batting line with 6 home runs and 19 RBIs is a pretty solid reason to despise him.
So in my mind he's now our top nemesis. I've heard people say they are excited to see him excelling and blah blah blah. No way. You certainly can be mad at the Wilpons and Sandy for letting him go if you want. But you can't enjoy Murph crushing the Mets while simultaneously rooting for the Mets. That's impossible. So let the hate boil. As the Evil Emperor in Star Wars once said, "Let the hate flow through you." It's time for us to embrace Murph as public enemy number one.
De Aza And Murph: The Curse Reminder Game
On June 30, 2016 June 30, 2016 By themetssiah3 Comments
At this point, the Mets 2016 season has hit "rock bottom" too many times to even count. The term "rock bottom" has lost all meaning. But the outcome of this game goes much deeper than a simple loss. The recap is quick and simple. Daniel Murphy hit a solo home run off of Logan Verrett in the second inning to make it 1-0. Jayson Werth added a sac fly in the third inning and Murph added a two run shot in the 8th inning off of Sean Gilmartin to make it 4-0. The Mets never had a real opportunity off of Max Scherzer in this game. Scherzer was pulled in the 8th inning after going 7.1 scoreless innings and striking out 10. In the 9th inning, Yoenis Cespedes singled and James Loney hit a two run home run to make it 4-2. Yeah that's right. James Loney our 2016 cleanup hitter launched a home run.
METS Disease: This wasn't just some pitchers duel with a few key home runs. This game served as a reminder for all Mets fans how real the franchise curse is. It reminds all Mets fans how real METS disease is. We watched both phenomena happening simultaneously on the field. It's been genuinely hard to watch Alejandro De Aza step into the batter's box in 2016. He's hitting .158/.208/.232 on the season. He is arguably the best example we have in 2016 of what METS disease can do to a player. De Aza is a man who once had major league skills and abilities and now he has none of the above. De Aza came to the Mets with a career .263/.326/.398 batting line. In his career he had success against right handed pitching to the tune of a .743 OPS.
All those skills and credentials became meaningless once he signed with the Mets. As soon as his pen hit the dotted line of his Mets contract he was instantly infected. Alejandro was no different than Chris Young or John Mayberry Jr. These were all players with decent major league resumes. They had known skills. They were versatile outfielders brought in to play a bench role. But with the Mets they couldn't even make contact in batting practice. With METS disease you inexplicably lose your skills or you lose your health. In rare cases you lose them both at once (e.g. Michael Cuddyer). In last night's game, De Aza came to the plate in the 8th inning with men on second and third and two outs. He struck out against Shawn Kelley in pathetic fashion. De Aza will suffer the same fate as Chris Young and Mayberry. He will be released mid-season. Goodbye Alejandro. Take some time off to recover from the METS and go rejuvenate your career somewhere else.
Mets Curse: The Daniel Murphy storyline is where we had the opportunity to see the Mets curse happening live. For Mets fans, his success is the least surprising thing of all time. The Mets spent the better part of two years trying to trade Daniel Murphy for a mid-level prospect. Gary Cohen once went on TV and referred to Murph as a "net negative". We all know what Gary meant. Murph was an above average major league hitter, with limited power, and was an absolute liability at every single position. He cost the Mets games with defensive gaffes all time time. Sure we all saw him carry the team to the World Series with tons of dingers. But we also saw him Murph it up defensively in the World Series. We all knew Murph never hit more than 14 homers. Murph never posted an OPS higher than .770 in a season where he had more than 500 ABs.
Murph was an average to slightly above average hitter. That's not an opinion. It's a fact based on his pre-2016 career numbers. We all watched the guy for 7 years. Well he's not average anymore. He's having an MVP season. He's now an MVP candidate and a Met killer for life. That's not natural. No I'm not attributing it to steroids. It's just the Mets curse. It's the way things work. We've seen it all before. And now the curse is manifesting itself yet again in the form of Daniel Murphy.
The Takeaway: The only takeaway I have is to never forget. Never let a World Series run or some run of short lived success fool you when it comes to the Mets. The Fans Remember. We must remember the team that we root for and everything that goes with it. It's not a matter of the fans being cynical or pessimistic. We've all seen METS disease and the Mets curse play out a million times in a million different situations. It's not pessimism. It's realism.
Today: The Mets open a home series against the Cubs today. Don't be fooled. Don't think for one second that anything that happened in the 2015 playoffs will have any impact on how this weekend series will play out. The season is unraveling. It's all unraveling. The sky is falling. The Cubs are going to dance on our pre All-Star break grave.
Series Preview: Mets vs. Nats In NL East Showdown / Murph Reunion Bowl Take 1
On May 17, 2016 May 18, 2016 By themetssiahLeave a comment
Make Baseball Fun Again: Rivalries! Competition! This is what we all want to see. I'm totally down with Bryce Harper and his make baseball fun again movement. I wrote it about it at the beginning of the season. I'm done with the unwritten rules, the anti-bat flip agenda, and the handling things with "baseball plays" on the field. The handling things with baseball plays mentality is what led to the Blue Jays and Rangers brawl over the weekend. The Rangers hit Jose Bautista with a pitch as payback for his bat flip and Bautista slid late into second base as payback for the hit by pitch. And you know what happened? Bautista got knocked the hell out by Rougned Odor because handling things with baseball plays doesn't resolve anything. It's all BS.
Well a good old fashioned battle between two top division rivals is the perfect example of how baseball can be fun. Mets vs. Nats down the stretch last season was extremely exciting for Mets fans. It was mainly exciting because the Nats rolled over and died. But this season I'm hoping for a good old fashioned dog fight. I'm hoping these teams take this pennant race down to the damn wire. Am I happy that the matchup kicks off with the Mets in a bit of a slump after a tiring west coast road trip? No. But it's not as if the Nationals are boiling hot. They got swept in a four game set against the Cubs in Chicago. Then they took two out of three against the Tigers at home before splitting a series against the Marlins to conclude their home stand. But this battle had to start eventually, so let's do this thing.
Pitching Matchups:
Game 1: Noah Syndergaard vs. Max Scherzer
Max Scherzer needs no introduction. That crazy-eyed bastard struck out 20 Tigers in a complete game the last time he took the mound. He's a perennial Cy Young candidate. He faced the Mets four times last year and had a 1-2 record. However, he pitched great in his two losses, and in his final start of the season against the Mets last October he struck out 17. He's 4-2 this season with a 4.15 ERA, but it's mainly due to the beating he took from the Cubs where he gave up 7 runs. The Mets overall have a lot of experience against Scherzer. Notable numbers: Asdrubal Cabrera is 12 for 45 with a home run, Yoenis Cespedes is 3 for 9 with a home run, Alejandro De Aza is 11 for 43 with a home run, Curtis Granderson is 7 for 23 with a home run, and Neil Walker is 3 for 9 with two home runs.
Last year, Thor faced Washington three times with two very solid starts at Citi Field. At Citi, he pitched 8 innings, gave up 2 runs and struck out 9 in August, and at the very end of the season in October he went 7 innings, gave up 1 run and struck out 10. Get your popcorn ready for this pitching matchup.
Game 2: Bartolo Colon vs. Gio Gonzalez
The Mets rank 21st in the league in OPS against lefties. Pretty stanky if you ask me. Gio has been lights out this year with a 1.93 ERA. He was 2-0 against the Mets last year in 4 starts and 3 of the 4 were quality starts. He also surrendered 2 runs or less in all four outings. Notable Numbers: Juan Lagares is 10 for 26 with a home run against Gio, and David Wright is 6 for 21 with a home run.
Big Sexy only had one start against the Nats last year, and it came right out the gate in April. He went 6 innings, gave up 1 run and struck out 8. His last outing against the Dodgers was ugly, so let's hope that it was a blip on the radar and not the start of a May dip in performance.
Game 3: Matt Harvey vs. Stephen Strasburg
I wish I could get excited for this matchup. Poor emo Matt Harvey. He's just so sad lately with his stinky ass performance and his wacky mechanical problems. The Mets were 1-1 against bleh first half 2015 Strasburg. And in both games the Mets had positive results against him. He went 5.1 innings in both starts and gave up 3 runs in one and 2 in the other. He also surrendered a bunch of hits in each outing. When we faced Strasburg in the second half (September) he was surging. He went 7.1 innings and gave up 3 runs, but he struck out 13 Mets. However, he took the loss in that early September game. That was the September sweep Yo home run game where Yoenis Cespedes executed Drew Storen on the field for the world to see. Notable Numbers: Grandy is 3 for 13, David Wright is 6 for 22 and Neil Walker is 3 for 11 against Strasburg.
Harvey faced the Nats six times in 2015. He went 2-2. He pitched 5 quality starts in those 6 games. But honestly, considering how different and unpredictable he's been this season, it's hardly worth re-hashing his results from last year. Let's just hope Citi Field, and the Nationals bring back his competitive fire and the heat on his fastball. And also his command. He could probably use that too. Bryce Harper is 0 for 20 against Harvey lifetime. God I hope that stays the same.
Things To Look For:
The Heavy Hitters: If you've followed baseball at all in 2016, you know that Daniel Murphy is doing a Ted Williams impression. He's hitting .400, and he has 5 home runs. So Murph is still showing some of that playoff power. Bryce Harper is still doing his MVP thing with a 1.066 OPS and 11 home runs. The Nats thought they'd lack production out of the catcher spot, but Wilson Ramos is hitting .350. But other than those three guys, the Nats lineup has been a barren wasteland. Jayson Werth and Ryan Zimmerman have been garbage. Anthony Rendon has disappeared. I guess they really could have used Cespedes. Phew.
Hot Nats: Well as I said, on the pitching side Scherzer just struck out 20 Tigers. Murph has been scorching hot all season. Danny Espinosa is hitting .321 over his last 7 games. He probably knows young shortstop Trea Turner is going to take his job soon.
Heavyweight Bout: The Mets have the third ranked team ERA in the league and Washington has the second. The Mets have 53 long balls and Washington has 47. We are evenly matched rivals. Pitching and power baby. After years of the Nats blowing us out and then last season where Washington had a complete meltdown, we should finally have a real even matchup.
Zimmerman's Not Wright: Ryan Zimmerman has been awful. He's battled injuries for years like David Wright. B.J. Upton, Ryan Zimmerman and Wright all played together in high school in Virginia on the Tidewater Mets. Maybe they all spend those years drinking the same contaminated tidewater because all these dudes have either deteriorated due to injury or lost their skills.
Top O' The Order To You: Grandy has straight up disappeared. It's amazing how much goodwill you can earn from one amazing season. I spent years booing Jason Bay, but I don't think I could ever say a bad thing about Curtis. I just remember all those playoff dingers. Plus he does great things for kids and charities. I love him even when he stinks!
Matz Is Back But Not: So the doctor said Steven Matz's elbow is fine and his arm is A-Okay. But the Mets are going to have him skip this series against the Nats. That is totally fine by me. Rest. Look at the numbers that Brian Mangan tweeted out yesterday.
We can undoubtedly afford to give these young pitchers the rest they need.
Yo Flips Off Nats: Cespedes said this week that he never really entertained signing with the Nats. He straight up openly admitted he was using the Nationals for leverage. Now it's time for Yo to show the Nationals why all the star free agents from the offseason used them as leverage. It's time to put them in their place before Dusty Baker and his "spanking hand" beat us to it.
Frank Reynolds Trueborn Son: The Mets recalled infielder Matt Reynolds from AAA to join the bench while Wilmer Flores is rehabbing his hamstring. By the time you finish reading this sentence, Reynolds will have already passed Eric Campbell on the depth chart at SS/2B/3B. In all seriousness though, this call-up says a lot about our lack of depth. Reynolds was hitting like .230 in Vegas. Ty Kelly (who nobody on earth has ever heard of) is hitting like .400 in Vegas for the Mets. A .230 average when adjusted for Vegas inflation is like .080. That's a Kirk Nieuwenhuis level of ineptitude. Speaking of Kirk he's hitting .275 for the Brewers with a .383 OBP. Whoops!
Duda Dunzo: Speaking of lack of depth, I was shocked to see Eric Campbell in the game 1 starting lineup tonight. I was shocked until the Mets announced Lucas Duda got an injection in his back to combat stiffness. A back injection certainly explains why Soup is on the menu in this series. Duda will also miss game 2 because Gio G is a lefty. And we're off to a fantastic start.
Wright Dunzo: Well I was about to publish this series preview and then the Mets scratched Wright from the lineup to go along with Duda. Why? You guessed it. The old back flared up. Ray Ramirez better get the postgame back injection machine fired up for Wright and Duda. I tried to stay positive throughout this entire post, but goddamn. Two back related scratches in one day? Let's just get this damn thing over with.
Murph Wins Opener For Nats; God Already Pointing and Laughing At Us
On April 4, 2016 April 5, 2016 By themetssiahLeave a comment
It wasn't bad enough that we lost our opener to KC in the exact same way we lost every 2015 World Series game. It wasn't bad enough that Yoenis Cespedes dropped another routine fly ball. It wasn't bad enough that ol' bent spine David Wright and Cespedes struck out in the 9th to end yesterday's opener. God felt the need to continue rubbing it in our faces by having Daniel Murphy hit a home run and the game winning extra inning hit on Opening Day for the Nationals. Of course he did. These are the things we come to expect as Mets fans. Yet they still find a way to surprise me every single time they happen. Oh by the way, Murph was the first beneficiary of the Ruben Tejada rule too. He got taken out when Nick Markakis slid past the bag. Murph called for the double play, and the umps granted it. Of course they did.
Forgive the crummy photo, but Markakis undoubtedly slid past the bag. Under the new rules he's out. I'm all for the rule being applied consistently in an effort to fully abolish takeout slides. So I'm happy they got the call right. It's just hilarious that Murph, a notorious gamer, is the first to benefit while the ghost of Tejada continues to haunt the Mets clubhouse and the real Ruben continues to hobble around the Cardinals dugout.
Final Note: The K-Zone was driving me crazy last night on ESPN as it always does. Mainly because it simply highlights that the umpires consistently get the calls wrong, and we'd be much better off with robots behind the plate. And then we have to hear the announcers praise the umpires for being "consistent" with their inaccurate strike zone. "He's really calling that low strike Bill." Umm no he's consistently making a mistake and should be fired. But ESPN did release this interesting K-Zone Heat Map/MRI of David Wright:
Get a load of that twisted spine he's rocking. That baby's got more knots than a pre-schooler's shoe laces. In a related story, Mets.com finally updated our depth chart at third base. Pray for David.
Mets Face Off Against Dan "The Ambassador of Inclusion" Murphy
On March 3, 2016 March 3, 2016 By themetssiah1 Comment
Today, the Mets travel to Viera, Florida to take on Daniel Murphy and the Nationals in their Spring Opener. Murphy seemed excited about kicking off the Grapefruit League schedule against the Mets saying, "It should be fun tomorrow to really fire up baseball again." When asked about his feelings on the New York media Murph said, "It's not the first time I've spoken to the New York media. They treated me fairly. It would be good to see them again."
However, the conversation turned serious when our favorite Christian fundamentalist Murphy was asked for his thoughts on Yoenis Cespedes and his recent purchase of a Grand Champion Pig at the St. Lucie County Fair. Murph denounced the actions of Cespedes saying, "The Bible is clear on this as Leviticus states: And the pig, though it has a split hoof completely divided, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you."
He also seemed concerned regarding the effect of Cespedes on his former teammate Noah Syndergaard. Although he struggled to name the specific biblical passage, he took some time to denounce Thor's horse riding behavior stating, "I believe it is written man shall not ride with a horse; it is an abomination. Something like that."
Pitching Matchup:
For the Mets, Rafael Montero will get the start. Montero was a top prospect before missing almost all of last season with a mysterious arm injury that was never really explained by the team at any point in time. Discomfort. He battled discomfort. I really hope the discomfort is gone.
And for the Nationals, we will see staff ace Max Scherzer. Beware the Eye of Scherzer.
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Graphic Policy's Top Comic Picks this Week!
Posted on June 4, 2019 by Graphic Policy Team
Wednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That's where we come in!
Each week our contributors choose what they can't wait to read this week or just sounds interesting. In other words, this is what we're looking forward to and think you should be taking a look at!
Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.
Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III #2 (DC Comics) – If you've seen our review of the first issue, you know why this is on the list. Just so much fun and out there ideas. Can't wait to see where this goes.
Black Cat #1 (Marvel) – She's had a lot on her plate in recent years taking a bigger role in Marvel's criminal underground. We want to see what she does in a solo series and where they take her character now.
Criminal #5 (Image Comics) – One, if not the, best comic out there right now. This is a perfect hopping on point so take advantage and find out why we praise it so much. A must for fans of crime/noir comics.
DCeased #2 (DC Comics) – The first issue had a nice zombie/horror vibe to it, though we've seen a lot of what was inside before. But, it hit the right beats and we want to see how it differentiates itself.
Ignited #1 (Humanoids/H1 Comics) – A whole new comic universe from a hell of a list of creators. Can't wait to dive in and see what they've put together.
Lady Mechanika: Sangre #1 (Benitez Productions) – We're fans of this steampunk-ish series. This new volume has her heading to the Spanish countryside to hunt a demonic creature.
Rust Belt (Secret Acres) – A look at the underemployed, the working poor, the dreamers of America's post-industrial cities.
Thumbs #1 (Image Comics) – Tech-obsessed teens are directed to take on the government from the creative team of The Few. Yeah, we're in.
The Walking Dead #192 (Image Comics/Skybound) – Did you read the last issue? You know why we want to read this one. We're not spoiling it.
War of the Realms #5 (Marvel) – The event is up and down but we've come this far.
tagged with batman/teenage mutant ninja turtles III, benitez productions, black cat, comic books, Comics, criminal, dc comics, dceased, h1 comics, humanoids, ignited, image comics, lady mechanika: sangre, marvel, rust belt, secret acres, skybound, the walking dead, thumbs, war of the realms
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
// PathFinding.cpp : Defines the entry point for the console application.
//

#include <tchar.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <time.h>
#include <iostream>
#include <sstream>
#include <iomanip>
#include <fstream>
#include <string>
#include "gen.h"
#include "types.h"
#include "solutions.h"

using namespace std;

typedef unsigned __int64 t_duration_cycles;

t_duration_cycles __stdcall get_cycles (void);
unsigned int getSwitch(string s);
string solutionToStr(const SOLUTION * s);

int _tmain(int argc, _TCHAR* argv[])
{
	/*INIT*/
	if (argc < 2){
		printf("%s","Usage is: PathFinding InputScript");
		return 0;
	}

	ifstream IN(argv[1]);//vstupny subor
	string BatchName;
	string OFName;//nazov vysupneho suboru
	getline(IN,BatchName,'\n');//nacita prvy riadok s nazvom vystupneho suboru
	OFName = "output\\"+BatchName+".sql";//prida cestu a priponu
	ofstream OUT(OFName.data(),ios_base::out);//otvori vystup
	/*INIT end*/

	string AName;//nazov testovaneho algoritmu
	string Switches;//riadok prepinacov
	int vertNo, eLenAdd, conn, TaskId;//parametre grafu
	int flags; //flagy pre generovanie

	IN >> AName;
	while (AName != "END"){//kym niesme na konci skriptu, nacitame parametre a spustime spracovanie
		IN >> noskipws;
		flags = 0;
		do {
			IN.ignore();
			IN >> Switches;//nacitanie prepinacov
			flags |= getSwitch(Switches);
			if (getSwitch(Switches)==0) OUT << "-- Unknown switch found: " << Switches << endl;
		} while (IN.peek()!='\n');
		IN.ignore();
		IN >> vertNo;
		IN.ignore();
		IN >> eLenAdd;
		IN.ignore();
		IN >> conn;
		IN.ignore();
		IN >> TaskId;//nacitanie parametrov pre generovanie

		if (TaskId == -1){//vytvori ulohu s nahodnym TaskId
			genJob(flags,vertNo,eLenAdd,conn);
		} else {//vytvori ulohu so zadanym TaskId
			genJob(flags,vertNo,eLenAdd,conn,TaskId);
		}

		/*ak nie je graf vygenerovany, zapisat chybu, inak...*/
		if (getJob()==NULL){
			OUT << "-- Unable to create JOB" << endl;
			OUT << "INSERT INTO result(alg,vertcount,elenadd,conn,batchname,result) \nVALUES('";
			OUT << AName << "',\n" << vertNo << ",\n" << eLenAdd << ",\n" << conn <<",\n'" << BatchName <<"',\n'ERROR');" << endl << endl;
		} else {/*NAJDENIE zodpovedajuceho algoritmu a spustenie riesenia a zapisanie vysledkov*/
			unsigned int rpc = 0;
			while ((rpc < ALGCOUNT)&&(AlgNames[rpc] != AName)) rpc++;
			if (rpc >= ALGCOUNT){//nenasiel sa zodpovedajuci algoritmus
				OUT << "-- Unable to find algorithm " << AName << endl;
				OUT << "INSERT INTO result(alg,vertcount,elenadd,conn,batchname,result) \nVALUES('";
				OUT << AName << "',\n" << vertNo << ",\n" << eLenAdd << ",\n" << conn <<",\n'" << BatchName <<"',\n'ERROR');" << endl << endl;
			} else {//mame algoritmus Algs[rpc] a treba ho spustit na getJob()
				t_duration_cycles alg_started, alg_stopped, alg_duration;
				SOLUTION * result;
				JOB * j = getJob();
				cout << "-- Created JOB E: " <<j->edgeNo <<" V: " <<j->vertNo <<endl;
				int w = 32;//9 + (int)AName.length();

				//odstopovat cas
				alg_started = get_cycles();
				//spustit algoritmus
				result = Algs[rpc](j);
				//odstopovat cas
				alg_stopped = get_cycles();
				alg_duration = (unsigned __int64)(alg_stopped - alg_started);
				string resultStr = solutionToStr(result);
				delete[] result->V;
				delete result;
				cout << "-- Test finished : " << setw(16) << AName << " in " << setw(16) << alg_duration << " cycles" <<endl;
				//zapisat udaje, vysledok a dlzku behu
				OUT << "-- Test finished" << endl;
				OUT << "INSERT INTO result(alg,vertcount,edgecount,elenadd,conn,task,cycles,batchname,result) \nVALUES('";
				OUT << AName << "',\n" << setw(w) << vertNo << ",\n" << setw(w) << j->edgeNo;
				OUT << ",\n" << setw(w) << eLenAdd << ",\n" << setw(w) << conn;
				OUT << ",\n" << setw(w) << j->taskId << ",\n" << setw(w) << alg_duration;
				OUT << ",\n" << setw(w-1) << "'" + BatchName << "',\n" << setw(w-1) << "'" + resultStr << "');" << endl << endl;
			}
		}

		IN.ignore();
		IN >> AName;//nacita dalsi riadok s nazvom algoritmu alebo 'END'
	}

	return 0;
}

unsigned int getSwitch(string s){
	if (s == "SPACE") return(SPACE);
	if (s == "FLAT") return(FLAT);
	if (s == "NEAREST") return(NEAREST);
	if (s == "PEREDGECONN") return(PEREDGECONN);
	if (s == "MINEDGECONN") return(MINEDGECONN);
	return(0);
}

t_duration_cycles __stdcall get_cycles (void)
{
	unsigned __int64 result = 0;
	unsigned __int32 hi = 0, lo = 0;

	__asm
	{
		rdtsc
			mov hi, eax
			mov lo, edx
	};

	result = (unsigned __int64)hi + (((unsigned __int64)lo) << 32);

	return result;
};

string solutionToStr(const SOLUTION * s){
	if (!s->exists) return(string("NONE"));

	stringstream rvs;
	rvs << '(' << s->l << ')' << s->V[0];
	for (unsigned int rpc = 1; rpc<s->vertNo; rpc++){
		rvs << ',' << s->V[rpc];
	}
	return(rvs.str());
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Description: We are performing weekly maintenance on our servers and all the Subversion, Git, Trac and Bugzilla service will be affected.
Update: Maintenance is completed. Please feel free to file a support ticket if you have any further issues.
Already seeing below error during commit, has maintenance already begun?
That was very irresponsible to start unplanned maintenance without notifying customers. This broke check-ins for MANY users during a very busy part of the work day in North America. You owe your users an apology.
Please accept my apologies for the confusion caused due to my previous update. This maintenance has not started when you experienced this issue. The commits were failing as a result of another ongoing 'scheduled' maintenance on TeamForge servers during that time https://help.cloudforge.com/entries/40096350-Weekly-Maintenance-TeamForge-services-28th-May-10-30-AM-04-30-PM-UTC- . Thank you for your patience.


Turandot is Puccini's final opera, and on-point for the times we live in.
There are riddles to answer, death and torture to avoid, hearts to thaw, barriers of status, race and gender to transcend, so that Love may triumph against all odds. Exile and deportation are real threats, and happening; profound family betrayal and disappointment are 'in our face'.
Our principals include Jenna Rae, Roseanne Ackerley, Alan Schneider, Cailin Marcel Manson, James Anderson, Elizabeth Wohl, Michael Duffin, Gary Clay, Charlie Berrios.
Thrilling community additions: specialist Chinese Gongs, child executioners, customized horror-movie special effects, offstage student brass and wind groups, non-ecumenical choral participation, community-sourced costuming of excellence, casting against gender assumptions, quick-witted English titling.


This is one of a kind, only 1 available! Made with hands, inspired by heart from the land of Bali.
Lenght: 46 cm up to the end of triangle finishing bead, 54,5 cm to end tassel.
A wonderful blue beaded boho chic long necklace with elegant triangle guru bead charm connecting 3 long and soft tassels.
Simple, elegant, bohemian chic look guaranteed! Wear it for an added sparkle to your outfit.
You can layer it with more long beaded necklaces or alone for a fabulous hippie allure and gipsy style.


text:
Home » Taxpayers' Expectations from Budget 2023
Taxpayers' Expectations from Budget 2023
The budget season is back! As days pass, the noise of taxpayers' expectations is getting louder. So, what exactly are taxpayers expecting from Budget 2023?
Expectations of Taxpayers From Budget 2023
The budget season is back with a bang! On 1st February 2023, the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, will present the Union Budget. As days pass by, the noise of taxpayers' expectations is getting louder.
Firstly, let's understand what the Union Budget 2023 aims to achieve. According to Outlook India, experts believe that Budget 2023 should widen the tax base, which will lead to high tax revenues and provide adequate relief to taxpayers.
Income Tax Exemption
The last two years have been difficult for salaried individuals as they had to deal with inflation, high-interest rates, increased cost of living, layoffs and pay cuts. You would agree that many things have changed except for the tax slabs.
As the cost of living has been increasing, according to Economic Times, experts believe the exemption limits should be reviewed and increased from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. If this recommendation comes into effect, it will boost consumption and lead to quick economic recovery as individuals will have more money.
Higher 80C and 80TTA Limits
In the Pre-Budget Memorandum 2023, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) suggested that the deduction limit of Rs 1.5 lakhs under section 80D could be renewed to 2.5 lakhs in the upcoming budget. This will provide savings opportunities to the taxpayers.
Similarly, the deduction under section 80TTA (interest earned from saving and post office account) has been static at Rs 10,000 since 2012-13. According to the Economic Times, the limit should be increased to 50,000 and include FD interest so that individuals inculcate the habit of saving.
Different Section for Children's Education Deduction
Educating a child is no longer affordable. Parents put a lot of effort into securing a good education for their children. Currently, the deduction on child education is allowed under section 80C. But, a child's education is as important as getting insurance or investing. So, according to Economic Times, experts say that the government could consider introducing a separate section under Chapter VIA to allow a deduction for education expenses.
Exemption Limit of Health Insurance
After the pandemic, people have understood the importance of opting for health insurance, as medical procedures today are expensive, and so are the insurance premiums. Currently, the deductions for health insurance premium falls under 80D with a limit of Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000. According to Economic Times, the government should consider increasing the deduction limit from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh.
Deduction on Electric Vehicle Purchase
Individuals these days have started becoming environment and pocket conscious and hence are opting for EV vehicles. A deduction is allowed on interest paid on loans while purchasing EV vehicles under section 80EEB. But there might be a few individuals who buy EVs without taking a loan. Hence, the government may consider allowing a deduction for self-financed first-time EV buyers.
These are recommendations offered by experts, which may seem lucrative to us. But the decisions would be taken based on how these actions will impact the government's finances and tax collections.
So, let's stay enthusiastic about the upcoming budget hoping that we find some great things in the box!


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text:
What to Expect From a Lula Presidency
Brunswick Regulation and Public Policy
Roberta Lippi
Partner, São Paulo
Daniel Wiedemann
Director, New York
In early November, right after the runoff presidential election won by worker's party candidate (PT) Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Brunswick hosted a panel discussion between Partner and São Paulo Office Head Roberta Lippi, New York Director Daniel Wiedemann and Editor-in-Chief of Americas Quarterly Brian Winter on what to expect from Lula's third term, beginning January 1, 2023.
Below are three key takeaways from their conversation and a note on the most consequential decision made by the president-elect so far, his choice for finance minister.
Fernando Haddad as finance minister
Lula announced on December 9 that Fernando Haddad, former São Paulo mayor and the candidate Lula hand-picked to run against Jair Bolsonaro for the presidency in 2018, is the new administration's choice for finance minister. Haddad is closely aligned with the core of the leftist PT party, and many see him as a likely successor to Lula. Haddad's name has been among those floated as a possibility for the finance post since October, thus the market reaction was mild. Financial markets are holding judgement cautiously, concerned about Haddad's leftist leaning. Investors, however, are hopeful that the choice indicates Lula is not looking for any sharp turns and will stay the course with stable policy.
Haddad is hardly an unprecedented choice. Many pundits argue that this incoming government desperately needs a politician as opposed to a technical economist as finance minister, because Brazil's economic health lies so much in basic common-sense reforms any government would need to pass through congress (such as fiscal and tax reforms). Antonio Palloci, a former Finance Minister for Lula during his first term, had a similar profile and was successful at working with elected officials to pass legislation (though Palloci was later disgraced for his involvement in corruption). The biggest concerns for the market are who Haddad picks to fill the technical posts of his ministry, and the mixed messaging Lula and his team have used in relation to the federal budget's spending cap and deficit. Recently, the transition team has signalled that keeping fiscal policy under control is a priority, but Lula also has made it clear he sees a big role for government-funded social programs and infrastructure investments.
1. There is optimism around protection of the Amazon
The panellists agreed that the outlook for Brazil's Amazon rainforest is optimistic. They expect conservation to be a priority for Lula's administration, and for the government to act much more forcefully to mitigate deforestation.
However, it is also understood that things may get worse before they get better. Those who are currently profiting from deforestation may ramp up efforts in advance of anticipated regulations. Moreover, given the rainforest's humid biomass, whichever trees are downed in the last months of Bolsonaro's presidency will likely be burned when Lula is already in office, giving the incoming president potentially some unwelcome headlines.
Protection of the Amazon is a massive undertaking – over 2.5 million miles encompassing rainforest but also savannas, grasslands, swamps and more – but the consensus among specialists is that Lula's commitment is genuine, and that the international community is taking it seriously.
Meanwhile, foreign companies who wish to operate in Brazil no longer run the reputational risk of being associated with a government not acting to protect the rainforest. This should lead to an increase in business opportunity, investment and capital in the country.
2. Don't anticipate sharp left turns
Lula is the leader of Brazil's main left-wing party, the Workers' Party (PT). It is clear, however, that Lula understands how thin his margin of victory was – he won with 50.9% of the vote to incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro's 49.1% – and has made early overtures to the country's conservative voters.
His chosen running mate and now vice-president-elect, for example, is former Governor of São Paulo Geraldo Alckmin, a center-right and pro-business politician who appeals to more fiscally conservative voters.
The panelists also noted Lula's invocation of God and religion in his acceptance speech, and his remark that there is "no such thing as two Brazils." With a conservative legislature in place, this emphasis on unity and working together with conservatives would seemingly rule out any chance of Brazil turning dramatically left, or becoming "the next Venezuela," a fear that some conservatives in the country have given voice to.
3. Watch Lula's diplomatic relationships
In his victory speech on October 30, Lula indicated he would work to restore Brazil's diplomatic leadership on the world stage, repairing relationships with Europe and the US. Current President Jair Bolsonaro's cavalier handling of deforestation, as well as his close alignment with former US President Donald Trump, isolated Brazil from the international community. Lula has indicated he will work to revert that standing and engage with governments across the ideological spectrum.
As far as Latin America is concerned, in his previous terms as president, Lula had close relationships with controversial governments, including in Venezuela and Cuba. As president-elect, he has indicated he will restore diplomatic relations with Venezuela – which were severed by Bolsonaro - but that does not necessarily mean he will support Nicolas Maduro.
While we don't yet know what Lula's relationship to anti-democratic Latin American leaders will be in his third term, most of the Brazilian electorate and the business community have signalled they want Lula to strengthen democracy and economic development. It is unlikely he will attempt to establish close ties with Nicolas Maduro, Cuba's Miguel Díaz-Canel or Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega, as that would work against his already tenuous popularity and fractured government coalition.
Download a copy of this report here.
To continue the conversation:
Roberta Lippi, Partner, São Paulo
Daniel Wiedemann, Director, New York


text:
Abdallah Ali Al-Lawzi St. 36, Amman, Jordan
36 Abdallah Ali Al-Lawzi Street Amman Amman Governorate JO
(+962 6) 5337931/2(+962 6) 5337931/2
adminrscn@rscn.org.jo
http://www.rscn.org.jo
As a means to achieving its mission of biodiversity conservation, RSCN has dedicated itself to Setting up and managing of nine protected areas in Dana, Wadi Mujib, Azraq, Shaumari, Dibeen, Ajloun, Fifa, Yarmouk and Wadi Rum, covering over 1200 square kilometers in some of the finest natural landscapes in the country to safeguard Jordan's natural environment and biodiversity. Currently, a reserve is being set up in Burqu, while eight additional sites are proposed locations for the establishment of new reserves in the upcoming years;
Enforcing the Wildlife Protection Act through a special mandate from the Ministry of Agriculture, and working closely with law enforcement agencies, such as the environmental police unit (Rangers), to protect biodiversity. RSCN is also designated as the management and enforcement authority for CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).
Conducting research to provide a scientific base to aid conservation efforts.
Raising awareness on environmental issues, with a focus on school students through establishing nature conservation clubs, providing educational programs in the reserves, and integrating biodiversity concepts in school curricula.
Running captive breeding programs and successfully saving several endangered species from extinction, such as the magnificent endangered Arabian Oryx, gazelle, and ibex and re-introducing them into the wilderness. RSCN has currently moved away from the process of captive breeding and embraced a new method of conservation, which involves a shift from species-oriented conservation programs to habitats-oriented conservation programs.
Developing large-scale conservation projects that aim to integrate environmental protection with the socio-economic development of local people living in and around the nature reserves. RSCNs socio-economic projects include a wide variety of eco-tourism programs, as well as the production of unique handicrafts and organic food items. These nature-based businesses provide jobs tied to the protection of natural areas and create improved livelihoods for poor rural communities. All of RSCN products and eco-tourism ventures are marketed under the trade name "Wild Jordan" and the full range of handicrafts are available at the Wild Jordan Center in Amman.
Providing training and capacity building to environmental practitioners and other institutions throughout Jordan and the Middle East in an attempt to share our expertise and empower others to join in the protection of nature.
Encouraging the public to become more involved in conservation efforts by joining RSCNs membership program and becoming a voice for nature.
Promoting public action for environmental protection through campaigns and activities run by an advocacy committee comprised of volunteers from different sectors.
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President due to meet US officials during working trip
President Vaclav Klaus who is on a working visit to the United States is due to meet the Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and the Senate Democrat Leader Harry Reid on Thursday; the main issue on the agenda should be the US visa requirements for Czech citizens. On Friday, President Klaus is due to meet US Vice-President Dick Cheney to discuss US plans to station a radar base in the Czech Republic.
Constitutional Court enables towns to ban public prostitution
The Constitutional Court has ruled that municipal authorities can issue bylaws banning street prostitution. It said that the presence of sex workers offering their services in public areas seriously harms the moral development of children. The mayor of the northern town of Usti and Labem Jan Kubata said the ruling gives towns new possibilities to curb prostitution or ban it altogether.
Trade and Industry Minister to discuss Temelin with Roman, Drabova
Trade and Industry Minister Martin Riman is going to meet the CEO of the Czech power giant CEZ Martin Roman and the head of the State Authority for Nuclear Safety Dana Drabova to discuss the safety situation at the Temelin nuclear power plant. In the last two weeks, the plant announced two leaks of slightly radioactive cooling liquid. Mr Riman said that while the incidents have no effect on nuclear safety, they need to be investigated and measures adopted to prevent such faults in the future as the Temelin plant is a very sensitive topic.
Poll: Almost half of Czechs do not believe in God
A new poll by the STEM agency suggests that almost 50 percent of Czechs do not believe in God. More than a quarter of respondents said they were believers, 24 percent of those polled did not express a decisive opinion. According to the poll, 36 percent of women and 20 percent of men consider themselves religious. Women over 60 are the most religious social group while the lowest number of believers is among men under 30.
Cabinet to discuss draft bill on special referendum
The cabinet is going to discuss on Monday a Communist-proposed draft bill on a special referendum concerning the stationing of a US radar base in the Czech Republic. Regardless of the stance of the government, it is up to the lower house of parliament to decide on the bill. In order to be passed the bill would need the support of 120 MPs in the 200-seat chamber. The bill is expected to be rejected by deputies from the Civic Democrat, Christian Democrat and Green parties which have 100 votes in the chamber.
Consumption of natural gas drops by 31.1 percent in January
The consumption of natural gas in the Czech Republic dropped by 31 percent in January compared to last year to 1.13 billion cubic metres. Consumption was lower for five months in a row in a year-on-year comparison. The Czech Gas Union says the drop has not been caused solely by the mild autumn and winter but also by the implementation of gas saving measures.
Czech unemployment falls to 7.7 percent in February
Czech unemployment fell to 7.7 percent in February from 7.9 percent in the previous month, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs said on Thursday. The total number of jobseekers fell by 12,000 to 423,000 over the month, it added. In February 2006 the unemployment level had stood at 9.1 percent. Most analysts had expected a smaller drop in the February jobless rate to 7.8 percent.
Czech airline CSA cuts 2006 loss to 14.1 million euros
Czech state-controlled airline CSA said on Thursday it had cut its 2006 losses to 397 million crowns (18.5 million dollars). According to international accounting standards, the pre-tax totalled 1.5 million dollars, the airline added. CSA said it counted on making a 42-million-crown profit this year. But it cautioned that the result would depend on further restructuring and sales of non-core assets and that a new labour code could have a negative impact of up to 180 million crowns.
Czech court acquits two Georgians charged with anti-Russian hatred
A Prague district court has acquitted two Georgian men charged with inciting hatred against the people and political representatives of Russia. They were prosecuted for having displayed a banner showing a Russian soldier with a swastika on his sleeve during a protest outside the Russian Embassy in Prague in October.
The coming days should be partly cloudy with daytime highs reaching 12 degrees Celsius.
Author: Pavla Horáková


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Their vertically integrated supply chain is one of longest in the industry. In addition to running plants, they own organic farms. They have farms in Brazil, Mexico, and the state of Washington where they grow and harvest key botanical ingredients like echinacea, spinach, alfalfa, watercress, and cherries. They then take those products and manufacture intermediates. Cherries, for example, are processed for Vitamin C. These intermediates they both use in their own products and sell to other companies.
Group distribution. Amway will deliver bulk orders to where their Platinum level representatives are (or greater) completely free. This encourages all representatives to maintain relationships with their clients. At one factor clients were able to receive free shipping by getting on their own if they exceeded a certain dollar quantity, but this is no more the case as a result of policy changes.
Amway has been in business for more than fifty years, and they seem to pay to their IBOs according to their compensation plan. Besides, they appear to have a positive online reputation. The customers are amazed with their customer service that involves pleasant and polite people who are always there to resolve any problem you might have. It is extremely easy to sign up and make an order. This professional and big American company offers a huge selection of useful products and a lot of benefits. The purchases usually arrive very fast and feature high quality. These include products from nutrition to bath, beauty and home.
Amway has phenomenal products, with a low startup cost. You make excellent margins on products 20-40%. You get excellent business training and sales/product training with the Britt System. The atmosphere is always positive, negativity is not allowed. You build great relationships and friendships. It becomes a franchise environment with support from an entire team and business system. You can purchase products at a heavily discounted price. You can expand your business in over 80+ countries world wide.
"This is an extremely contentious, controversial business model," business consultant and author Robert L. FitzPatrick told the Detroit Free Press in 2006. "If you go to work for Hewlett-Packard, you don't walk in the door saying, 'Hey, I wonder if this is a scam?' But anybody who gets into multilevel marketing will have to deal with that question."
Dreambuilders' impact on Sherri's life was far less salutary. Its most tangible financial effect was the used car she had bought with Josh's advice, which came complete with a weird smell and a glove compartment that didn't close. But Sherri felt that she had undergone a profound psychic transformation. "Before Amway," she would say, "I just wasn't thinking!" Her new clarity made her scornful of mass pursuits: When the E2020 staff went to a Cubs game, she could hardly believe that people would waste their time that way. (Josh counseled her to just sit next to strangers and mingle.) Her "j-o-b," even with a promotion to Internet Expert, certainly didn't interest her anymore: She wanted to spend the whole day talking about The Business.[14] And she now regarded unambitious co-workers, family, and friends as, in Scott Coon's words, "slugs."
"Across the United States, the spirit of entrepreneurship is alive and thriving, from coast to coast," said Dr. David B. Audretsch, professor and director of the Institute for Development Strategies at the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs. "This year's AGER confirms Americans continue to view entrepreneurship in a positive light and are open to the idea of starting their own business. Compared to the global average, attitudes towards entrepreneurship in America are sustaining momentum from previous years and are on track to experience continued growth."
Quixtar also markets through their website products from partner stores whose list can be found at Quixtar website. Quixtar utilizes the Employee & Affiliates Purchase Program discount pricing structure for purchases from most of these third-party partner stores. Purchases from some of them (generally called discount-only partner stores) may not gain the P/V & B/V (measures of sales volumes, used for calculating bonuses to be paid) normally associated with an IBO's purchases.[7]
I had a very good experience with Amway. They have very nice people on website to help you, the employees know about all of the products that they sell. This probably one of the reasons they have been in business for so long. Also, they are a very good company that has top quality products. Amway probably has a large amount of orders to handle every day. However, the prices are very high on most products. They can probably keep the prices this high because all of the people that buy their products are used to paying the higher prices for wonderful products.
Why are these amshit people coming here if they are taught to succeed and if they are already gaining success with scamway? Why are these shitters coming here. U know why? Coz they are already depressed and dont want any new guys googling about amway to know that amway is shit. These "amshit joined guys" want to manipulate you new guys to think that amway is not a bad thing to do. These people want you to think positive about amway so the the billion dollar business gets fueled with new fools and make profits annually so that this business never stops. NO DOUBT AMWAY PRODUCTS ARE GREAT. but this product is just an upper layer on the underlying clever business cult.
Amway Rocks! Billion dollar company that is debt free. President Chairmen of the US Chamber of Commerce. Owners of the Orlando Magic. A+ Rating with the Better Business Bureau. Number 1 in the Health & Beauty industry. A company that stands for family, freedom and faith. For the last 58 years Amway has never miss a bonus check. That says a lot and explains why they are the number 1 Direct Sales Company in the world.
The next five days saw large protests on the Capitol grounds, culminating with an estimated 12,500 demonstrators on December 11, the day the House voted on the legislation. Two-thousand demonstrators flooded into the Capitol, sitting in the hallways and laying down in the rotunda. They stomped their feet, chanted familiar slogans, sang "Solidarity Forever"—a cacophony that some in the House chamber one story up initially confused for thunder.
Amway has a huge collection of 'success stories'. These are recordings by people who have made it big in Amway. They explain how Amway changed their lives and set them on the path to financial freedom. I was briefly a member of Amway and my sponsor's upline became very upset when I refused to pay for a regular motivational CDs. (While I was being recruited, my sponsor loaned me some of his CDs so I got to listen to them). As expected, the motivational material is a big profit maker for those who are making money in the system.
On August 9, 2007, a group of Quixtar distributors, including founders of the TEAM training organization, filed a lawsuit seeking to enjoin Quixtar from enforcing its distributor contracts, including the non-competition and non-solicitation provisions. The plaintiffs alleged that the company knowingly operates as a pyramid scheme, and prevents its distributors from leaving the organization through the aforementioned provisions.
Imagine that you've struck a deal with a company to give you discounts for buying in bulk: If you buy $100 worth of stuff, they'll send you a 3 percent rebate. For $300 or more, it goes up to 6 percent, $600 or more, 9 percent, and so on up to $7,500 and 25 percent. Now, let's say you're unable to spend more than $100 a month, but manage to get seventy-four other people to go in with you. Together, you spend $7,500 and divide up the 25 percent rebate. Everyone saves money, and the rebate is shared equally. That's the idea behind a consumer co-op or wholesale buying club.
"Our research and development group is getting information about how our top-of-the-line products are functioning that was impossible to gather before," says Binger. "We have insights into not only how the product is functioning, but also how people are using the product. For example, we gather statistics about motor speed, errors, voltages, and so on, which tell us how well our air-treatment units are operating in the field," says Binger. "We also collect information about users' interactions with our mobile application in order to improve that offering."
AGER Amway Amway Event Amway Home Amway IBO Antioxidant Archives Artistry Beauty Beauty tip BodyKey Breakfast Coaches Poll Coaches Trophy Cosmetics Exercise Hair Hair Care Haircare Hair Products Health Healthy Living Hero Awards IBO Kids Look Make up Makeup Makeup Brushes Nutrilite Nutrition Phytonutrients Product Research Rich DeVos Satinique Skincare Sports Nutrition Sun Damage Sunscreen Supplement Supplements Tips Vitamins We Are Amway
At first I thought the products were useful and worth it, but after more purchases and comparison shopping I was very disappointed in the value and quality of the products they sell. Products are overpriced and of questionable quality. I was roped into buying these from "friends" that are now former friends and was involved in several arguments with them over the value of the products that are easier and cheaper to get at Walmart's. Very frustrating. Not only did we pay too much for products we had to wait for to get delivery, we lost two of our closest friends who valued their profits more than our friendship.
The huge settlement and payments to victims follows other actions againt Amway. Government regulators in England several years ago sought to close down Amway for defrauding consumers in that country. Criminal charges have also been brought in one state in India against Amway. And Amway is also being sued for deception and fraud in Canada by Canadian consumers.
In 2012, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), accused Amway of making unsubstantiated and illegal claims about Nutrilite Fruits & Vegetables 2GO Twist Tubes and threatened to launch a class action lawsuit against the company unless it took remedial action.[49][50] Amway responded that the claims made about the products were properly substantiated and that they did not plan to change the product's labeling but nevertheless would review the statements that CSPI has questioned.[51] CSPI later reported that Amway had agreed to changing product labels by the end of 2014.[52]
Methodology: "Source Euromonitor International Limited; Claim verification based on Euromonitor research and methodology for Amway Corporation conducted from January through February 2018. Euromonitor defined "satisfaction guarantee" as any product that has the word "guarantee" or "guaranteed" on the label, or is publicly backed by a guarantee policy by the direct seller on their website or through publicly-available collateral material or product catalogue. Promise of "money back" is not required, nor need it adhere to a specific time frame (e.g. "90 day guarantee"). In 2018, all Amway products are covered by a company-wide satisfaction guarantee, and Amway has greater sales than all other direct sellers. To the extent permissible, Euromonitor does not accept or assume responsibility to any third party in respect of this claim.
I think there's a ton of misinformation on both parts. Yes, most people who jump into the business don't understand what they need to do to make their business successful. Then again, as mentioned above, MLM is a highly outdated model, pretty much just a good way to waste time when you could be using that time to retrain or pursue your passions. After all, what's the point in selling overpriced, under-quality product, and how can you expect to sell if you wouldn't buy it yourself?? I feel as though this system of marketing will die out fairly soon. Great post.
The Dream is "sort of about pyramid schemes," as host Jane Marie says at the beginning of the new podcast series, but it takes a moment to figure out just what that means. In the beginning of the first episode, which you can listen to exclusively here, Marie dives into a classic pyramid scheme of the 70s and 80s, the "airplane game," a trend that became so prevalent among a certain subset in New York and South Florida that The New York Times caught on, calling it "a high-stakes chain letter."
Amway allows me to buy health, beauty, and home care products in a fashion that no other site does. It provides multi level marketing which builds a relationship between buyer and seller. However, the thing I would change about this company is to make their service more user friendly. As of right now it is extremely difficult for me to navigate their site to search for items I want. My overall experience for using this company has been rather well thus far. In terms of product selection, there are a large catalog of products that I can choose from. The purchasing process is as streamlined as any other site and the customer service has been impeccable too.
eSpring was the first commercial product which employed Fulton Innovation's eCoupled wireless power induction technology.[56] In December 2006, Amway sister company, Fulton Innovations, announced that it would introduce eCoupled technology in other consumer electronic products at the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show.[57] Companies licensing this technology include Visteon, Herman Miller, Motorola and Mobility Electronics.[58] Fulton was a founding member of the Wireless Power Consortium which developed the Qi (inductive power standard).[59]
Lmao i like how these amway fanboys are calling people that have real jobs broke lol 99% fail rate.. Dont use that excuse that people don't put in the work, I can put in 100% effort to sell dogshit, but I wont make anything cuz its still dogshit. You are ignoring the 99% fail rate and apparently ignoring the 100% success rate if you get a real job. I heard someone saying you aren't bound to the 9-5 chains in amway . As a Real business owner and many real business owners know that in owning a Real business u wish u had that 9-5 and thats it. Owning a real business is 24/7. So pull ur heads out of ur asses
On December 18, 2012, the court ruled that film can be screened, but the makers have to remove "untrue information", as the screen near the end of the movie stated that 30% of company income is generated by sales of training materials and that the vast majority of its profits are shared only by the tiny fraction of top distributors.[158] This is not the only court case, so the film is still banned on other grounds.[159]
[12]Amway gives some idea of real chances for success in its "Amway Business Review" pamphlet, which the FTC requires it provide to all prospects. The "Business Review" is an ingenious mixture of mandated honesty and obfuscatory spin: The average monthly gross income for "active" distributors, for instance, is revealed to be a meager $65 a month; but the "Review" leaves out the median income and the net profit, both of which would probably be negative. Likewise, it states that "2 percent of all 'active' distributors who sponsor others and approximately 1 percent of all 'active' distributors met Direct Distributor qualification requirements during the survey period." From this, it derives the optimistic conclusion that "once again, the survey demonstrates a substantial increase in achievement for those who share the business with others." Increase implies that there are some non-sharing distributors who succeed; an alternate reading of the statistics would be that all distributors try to share, none succeed without sharing, but only half are able to share. It's also a measure of Amway's PR savvy that every article I've seen (even the critical ones) that mentions the number of Directs uses the 2 percent, rather than the more accurate 1 percent, figure.
Engler was opposed to the idea—the timing was off. "I was pretty certain that it was premature to go to the ballot in 2000," Engler says, "because if you're going to go to the ballot, you want to win." The DeVoses had counted on his support, and when it didn't materialize, things soured. ("[John Engler] would have a hard time being a first mate even on the largest ship in the world," Betsy DeVos later wrote. "I think he'd sooner be captain of a smaller boat than the first mate on a much bigger ship.")
The prospect is alarming enough that Charles Paul Conn, in Promises to Keep, works hard to prove it'll never happen. "The reality," he tells us, "is entirely different from what might be predicted by a statistician with a slide rule." He points to the millions of likely untapped prospects—youths, retirees, downsized professionals, foreigners—although he fails to acknowledge that recruiting them would only make the Business hungrier. More plausibly, he adds that Amway is a small part of the population and will stay that way. The Business's high dropout rate, he explains, though "often cited as a negative factor, actually serves to keep the pool of potential distributors large." In other words, Amway's salvation is its high rate of failure.
Occasionally, though, it can be useful to mention poverty in a certain context. Inspired by the personal and business philosophies of DeVos and Van Andel, Cross spent the ten years after writing Commitment to Excellence researching the two men, culminating in his 1995 self-help book Choices with Clout: How to Make Things Happen – by Making the Right Decisions Every Day of Your Life. Much of the book is compiled from interviews with the Amway founders and top-level distributors. In a passage about excellence, Van Andel outlines the proper way for an Amway distributor to rationalize the issue of poverty:
Amway is not a scam. The reason why people fail to be successful is because it is hard work just like any other business and not because it is a scam. Good people skills is a must for this kind of business and definitely, you need to be intelligent and clever in marketing your products just like in any other business. A lot of people fail in this business because they have little idea about money making skills or business skills. I have worked in corporate and I know the common thing among all the companies in the world is that they exaggerate about products, the lifestyle you will get and the money you will make. ALL companies do that. The only difference is that in Amway you are not sitting in a company building for your work. Rest depends on your selling skills.
I love this company. I love all the stories I hear how people succeeded in their lives. It is low cost to get in. It is only $ 50 yearly fee just to stay active. You are not abligated to buy every month if you dont' want to. this company has the best compansation plan especially when you grow in this business, you get increadible surprise reward checks and more.
In 2017, a Chandigarh court framed charges, under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code and the Prize Chits and Money Circulation Scheme (Banning) Act, against two directors of Amway India, William Scot Pinckney and Prithvai Raj Bijlani. This was based on a cheating case filed by eight complainants in 2002, following which the Economic Offences Wing had filed chargesheet in 2012. A revision plea moved by the two Amway officials against the framed charges was dismissed in 2018.[129][130]
The Club Level at the Amway Center -- between the Terrace and the Promenade -- splits into several types of premium seating. There are suites, including the Founders Suite which can accommodate 16 and the larger Presidents Suite, each providing a plush and roomy space from which to enjoy the game. Loge seats are among the most popular though, combining great additions like all-inclusive food and drink with a close-to-the-action feel.
In 2001 a regional court ruled in favor of Network 21; however, in 2004 the Warsaw Regional Court dismissed Amway's civil lawsuit. On appeal Amway won the case and the producers were ordered to pay a fine to a children's charity and publish a public apology.[155][156] As of 2009 the film was still banned due to an ongoing case brought by "private individuals" ridiculed in the film.[157]
Nike and Apple have been partnered for 3 years. They don't need to market and advertise that to create volume. That's what we do. Also, amway is designed initially to be part time,no full time. I worked a full time job, while putting in time to build a business online. I don't need to explain what we make now but it's enough to make a living. Look up the BBB if you want to do "research".
These businesses sell the hope of getting rich by recruiting recruiters to sell overpriced products that don't move in real markets. The products of any MLM have to be extremely cheap to manufacture and must retail at inflated, unrealistic prices because in effect, the products are simply used to move money into the pyramid scheme. Just remember that there are several hundred MLMs in existence in 2014 and all of them are scams.
As her world shrunk, she immersed herself in World Wide culture. For entertainment, she listened to the motivational tapes, laughing and crying at the tales of hardship and triumph. She read the WWDB recommended books, memorizing snippets of Norman Vincent Peale and Psychocybernetics. She urged me, likewise, to move to the "next level": to hook into Amvox voicemail (where I could listen to messages from my distant upline Greg Duncan courtside at Bulls-Magic games[15]); make plane and hotel reservations for the upcoming Family Reunion; and get on "standing order" to automatically receive six World Wide cassettes a month at six bucks a pop—which Josh claimed simply covered costs—presumably of meetings recorded onto very cheap tapes. ("I'd gladly pay more for them," Josh insisted, "because they're helping me to become financially liberated!") Sherri told me, in hushed tones, that "Greg Duncan judges you more on the number of standing orders in your downline than on your PV!" I didn't doubt it. The upper echelons of World-Wide and other groups rake in enormous profits from their speaking engagements and the sale of motivational materials. Dexter Yager, head of the Yager Group, is reputed to make more from his propaganda syndicate than from his actual Amway business.
In Amway's eyes, your friends and family are all potential cash cows you should be milking -- you're trained to go after the people closest to you first (to rack up those sweet pity sales). "I was thinking that every friend that didn't join my network didn't want success for himself or me, that he was somehow against me." This crazy train of thought led Kyritsis to harass his loved ones in an attempt to better their lives. Desperate to convince someone of the amazing untapped Amway potential, Kyritsis pushed the Amway rhetoric on anyone who would listen, especially his girlfriend. He would tell her that her studies were pointless when she could be making so much more money, dragging her to seminars and showing her the Amway tapes like a really boring version of The Ring.
The more product sales they generate, the more income they can earn. Many also choose to build businesses by sharing the Amway opportunity with others and teaching them how to sell. This can mean greater reach for the product and ultimately higher income because of team sales volume. In short, IBOs make money from the sale of our products – sales that they and the team they support generate.
Pyramid schemes have nothing to do with real commercial activity or product sales. Pyramid schemes are a form of financial fraud based on recruiting new people to make investments into a business, and then using those investments to pay the people who joined earlier. In Amway, distributors (Amway Business Owners) make money from the sale of our products – not from recruiting others to join.
This is the worst company on earth DO NOT SIGNUP WITH THEM IT IS A COMPLETE SCAM. When I signed up They offered me supposed free sample value of $150 witch in the end I ended up paying double the price for. So if that's not bad enough they also signed me up for some LTD crap without my approval or knowledge of doing so which charged me $50 a month after all said and done I tried to call them and they said if I were to cancel they would charge me $150 cancellation fee so to anybody that's reading this avoid amway at all cost
I love their laundry soap, but hate the fees you have to pay. You either have to become a distributor for the company, which is quite expensive, or pay a much higher retail price. There is no loyal customer program or incentive to continue ordering. They also always seem to be high pressure sales people who continuously pester you until you join. There were quite a few products that we liked, such as some of the protein bars and energy drinks. Then they decided to make some changes to those items that we no longer cared for.
To understand the choices, you have to understand the business. He explained that the products developed to be sold for the direct sales model need to be different from any others on the market. "We develop products with specific deliverables that are unique. These products, what they are and how they work, needs to be explained by someone who knows the product. A good product for the store shelf is not necessarily a good direct sale product."
Besides earning money off your own sales, you also earn a percentage of the income generated by the distributors that you've brought into the program (these are known as your downline). Often there are bonuses for selling particular amounts of product or signing up a certain number of new members; you can earn cars and trips as well as cash. Sounds good, doesn't it? And being part of a well-run MLM business can be a lot like being a member of a large extended family.
But the problem with "public franchises" like McDonald's, Scott noted, is that they only allow one person to enjoy this enchanted income. "Private" or "multilevel" franchises, on the other hand, allow people at all levels to duplicate themselves. Everyone begins as a grit-teeth franchise operator, but by "sharing their business with others" they would come into an exponentially expanding avalanche of wealth large enough to outrun the ballooning costs of twentieth-century life.
In the weeks since Donald Trump announced that he would nominate DeVos for secretary of education, Michigan's political circles have been abuzz. As ever, the DeVoses are loved and hated, with little in between. "She is a strong supporter of public education and of quality education for every child," says Engler. "It's horrifying. It's a slap in the face," says Whitmer. "The only people who have anything to worry about are those running failing schools," says Truscott. "It is as if you were to appoint some radical pacifist as secretary of defense," says Jack Lessenberry, a senior political analyst for Michigan Public Radio.
Tex, Amway is legit, instead of listening to people who fail when utilizing Amway as a platform to build their asset, why don't you talk to people who were successful when signing up in Amway, it's like you and I getting gym memberships and I go to the gym everyday and you go once a week and you don't get results and I do and you tell everyone that the gym doesn't work when in actuality it was you who didn't put in the work.. Then you talk to people that utilized the same gym as you and all the people who didn't get results becomes the people you listen to the most because you have the same thinking they do. Which is small minded small business get something for nothing get results quick type mindset. Instead of listening to the long term delayed gratification hard working individuals who actually did what it took to make it work!
Renata tells us about the best local attractions, recommending particular farm-to-table restaurants and yoga studios as my husband and I make slow, opposing circles around the room. We meet in front of the master bathroom. The shower is wide enough for three people with three showerheads, a knee-high tawny-colored tile wall, and the rest of the walls completed with glass. The whirlpool bathtub could easily accommodate three.