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Concert Review of the Moment: Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Auckland, New Zealand, Mar 21, 2013
Neil Young & Crazy Horse in Brisbane Australia 7/3/13
Photo by Stuart Mazz | Facebook
(Click photo to enlarge)
First, a nice photo by Stuart Mazz | Facebook:
Neil walked forward during the start of the 'Opera Star' Encore and leant against the giant mic whilst casually glancing around & checking out what was going on in the Pit -- much to our delight ;) — at Brisbane Entertainment Centre, QLD Australia.
And the Concert Review of the Moment of Auckland, New Zealand - Neil Young & Crazy Horse Concert Reviews - Mar 21, 2013 by Baz Cleverley:
Thursday night, 21st March 2013. Vector Arena in Auckland.
First time here and I was pleasantly surprised at the venue. I think I expected a sort of tin shed where people mostly play horrible netball stuff. However, the Grounds and surrounding area, and the facilities available to you before the doors opened at 6.30, were excellent. Naturally, we were there a good few hours before we needed to be,( 4.1/2 to be precise.!)..but once the Eatery was open, we basked in glorious sunshine at an outside table where very attentative staff made sure we were happy, kept the table clear and bought drinks for those silly sods that needed them. Why seemingly sane folk would want to get tanked up on alcohol before a NEIL YOUNG concert is beyond me but I suppose this IS Auckland, a different sort of crowd to Wellington.
The Support act, The Drones, an Australian band, opened for Neil in Wellington. They were here tonight too. The Drones were earsplittingly LOUD and not at all enjoyable but probably only for that reason.. Some 'quieter moments' showed that they were melodic and accomplished so why they chose to unleash this vicious assault on the Audience is beyond me. BeCAUSE of the Wellington performance, we chose not to enter the Stadium in Auckland until 8.30, after they had left the Stage. Such a shame and they could so easilly have done themselves some real good had they toned it down. As an aside, NEIL YOUNG is 67 and a good proportion of the Audience would have been of similar age or maybe a DECADE or so YOUNGer.
Why the Promotors thought it a good idea to present the Drones to such an Audience is beyond me but maybe they would have been palatable had the volume been reduced to that which NEIL and CRAZY HORSE managed to survive with..... I might still hunt out some Drones material, just to see what we missed by BEING there.!!
And so to 8.44. The Stage was set and the Gigantic Fender 'Speakers' were unpacked. Eventually, the large gaggle of white coated boffins that were responsible (If they could stop squabling amongst themselves...) for setting up the Stage, lowered the huge HUGE Microphone and Stand, you know, the one from Rust never sleeps n that. The Boffins maintained their petulant antics much to the delight of the crowd and eventually, Order seemed to be established and to a huge roar from the Capacity Crowd, NEIL and the HORSE entered Centre Stage and stood lined up on the left side. The New Zealand flag appeared and the New Zealand National Anthem rang out. A great touch and NEIL likes to show that respect in every County he plays... Nice one Son. Out came the white coats and assisted the Band into their instuments.
Neils almost constant companion, 'Old Black, his beloved '53 but heavilly modified Gibson Les Paul, burst into LOVE and only LOVE at 8.53 and the crowd roared their approval. We were on our way and we were at one with the Master and the Horse... Some favourites, POWDERFINGER, some new, ONTARIO, heavy times with the feedback rich Walk like a GIANT (and He IS too) made sure that the excitement level never ever dropped. The HORSE were blindingly brilliant and the raport between NEIL and Poncho is something to see. The tempo slowed a wee bit at 9.39 with a beautiful version of Hole in the sky. NEIL was taking a break from the blistering pace already set.
Out came a white coat and took Old Black.... Suddenly, an Accoustic appeared and a harmonica cradle.... NEIL burst into HEART OF GOLD to a huge roar of approval from the crowd who were by now totally sold on the evening. It was a great rendition too, from a time long ago and far away. Next came TWISTED ROAD, which I 'think' was done with his Gretch white Falcon..? Somebody will correct me. From here to the beat up old piano at Stage Right. NEIL sang this beautifully, his voice over the entire night was just perfect (for an old guy.!) and it didnt let him down on this slow evokative ballad. While he was singing, a beuatiful blond girl wandered out onto the stage, carrying a beat up old guitar case. She wandered from prop to prop and to the Piano, she looked whistfully at the Speakers and the microphones, and the HORSE. She wandered here and there, stopping sometimes and staring into a space she knew but couldnt reach. The Singer without a Song.... and then she was gone..
It was now 9.57 and after donning Old Black again.... The unmistakable Chords for RAMADA INN rang out.. A Great long version too and quickly followed by a strange elongated funky, rap, whispered, howled, chastising, humourous, pleading, oh, you name it, every emotion, FU#*#n' up. A marvellous concoction of words and riffs that rattled back and forth between Ralph and Billy and Frank and NEIL, any spaces neatly filled by the audiences noisy participation...14 minutes saw some good humoured banter between all present although I was beginning to think that some of the 'older' members of the Audience might be getting uncomfortable with THAT word.. (which came out about 150 times.?? )
Suddenly we were into the Mighty CINNAMON GIRL at 10.27. There had been no breaks in the performance, no waffle or setting up etc.. Just hard and fast performances all round.10.32 saw a strange piece of theatre. NEIL talked long about his Analogue Time machine, and 'demonstrated it on the Les Paul, scratching the wire wound 'low E' string down its length producing the comb tooth effect, all the while letting us know what era we were now in, mentioning various albums and times. The Time machine went too far and NEIL exclaimed that this was no good because he hadnt MET the HORSE yet... so he cranked it upstream a bit.
Suddenly, and with much storm effect sound all through this theatre, we arrive at Woodstock. Rain appeared across the stage and side screens. Loud thunder and lightning and NEIL began shouting out those immortal words that we know and love...."Hey, maybe if we think real hard, we can stop this rain..... No rain, No rain, No rain... Keep off those Towers, we dont need any more weight on 'em..." .A great skit and I was half expecting him to break into I'm driftin' back but instead, Neil announced that they were going to do a 'new one' because thay stand a good chance of messin it up as they didnt usually do it.... They launched into a great version of SURFER JOE, such a suprise to hear this rare performance tonight...I must have been good in a past life.... This great song was closely followed by MR SOUL ., an 18 minute version that got us all warm n comfortable in our NEILship, and got us going again....The set finished with MY MY, HEY HEY..... Brilliant. This is of course the new 'old'.
The band did an extended version and the Audience joined in too. NEIL and CRAZY HORSE left the stage at 10.58. NEIL had been on stage since 8.44 without a break and without even a drink of water. Astounding stamina and he looked to be enjoying this, the last Show of a 31 venue Tour that has lasted for over a year. Incredible. Much stamping and whistling and shouting as the White coat brigade went about tasks on stage.. They looked busy but were doing very little of course...lowering the huge Speaker crates to within an inch of the Speakers and then stopping and argueing amongst themselves... All great fun. The head 'Coat' began whipping up the crowd out front to lift their game and make more noise. The response was instant and wonderful and from our seat we could see NEIL and the HORSE coming back.. There was rapturous applause and noise as NEIL entered the Stage area again, followed by the greatest Rock n Roll band EVER. It was 11.02 a mere 4 minutes had passed since they had left NEIL struck up a fantastic entry to DANGER BIRD. Stroking the strings with three fingers in a sawing action, producing that unidentifiable (until now) sound we hear on the Vinyl. He used his thumb and first finger to pluck out the action, all the while maintaining the sawing motion... My ears were tingling as was the hair on the back of my neck... It built and built into a beuatiful version of Danger Bird. 19 minutes too. SEDAN DELIVERY followed at 11.20 and at 11.26 NEIL sang... 'Hard to say goodbye' bringing us back to earth as we realised that the time was ticking down and this was quite possibly the close of the Show.
He burst into ROLL ANOTHER NUMBER (for the Road...). I must add that the camera work onto the big screens was supurb all night but with these last two or three songs we were given special intimate close up shots of NEILS playing. As Roll another Number played out, the camera lads swivelled into the standing Audience showing some rapturous faces and a crowd that was game to stay there for aNOTHer three hours. Neil though had done his thing. He had been, seen and conquered this wonderful crowd of NEIL enthusiasts. Auckland crowds can often be hard and unruly but THIS lot had seen the MASTER at work and behaved impacably. Suddenly, it was time to go, NEIL and the BAND fronted the stage and to be honest, apart from the screen shots, this was the first and only time a lot of us had SEEN Ralph the Drummer. His station was set well back between the huge 'speakers'.
I guess we had been spoiled a bit at the Wellington Concert two days earlier as we had had fabulous seating stage centre and not very far back. Eventually, of course, they all left the stage and we sat there noisilly just in case, as this was the last show on this huge tour, that HE would appear again for just a few more.... Of course, he was totally spent and had given his all for 3 solid hours. It was 11.42 when the lights went up and we knew in our Hearts of Gold that this was all there was. A fabulous fabulous Concert and we all filed out slowly, most with not too much to say as she was a hard act to follow.. I have woken up every morning since the Wellington Show with a NEIL song on my mind.. It is with me all day too but I am gradually becoming aware that there is a great sadness creeping in on me that I cant shake. Me and HE are not as YOUNG as we were... The chances of me every seeing the MAN up this close and personal again are about zero unless he comes to see us in New Zealand again and the possibility of that is pretty remote...
However, I AM left with a few scratchy pictures from my camera, a head full of the two Concerts and my deep and abiding LOVE for NEIL and the many many MANY years of joy and love that we have shared. "Pardon my Heart, if I show that I care.....For I love you more than moments, we have or have not shared"
Thanks NEIL. Thank CRAZY HORSE. NEIL YOUNG, FRANK SEMPEDRO, BILLY TALBOT, RALPH MOLINA
Thanks Baz! Quite a review.
Labels: concert, crazy horse, neil young, review
At 4/23/2013 03:07:00 PM, Mr Henry said...
Check this link for an interesting article that just came out today in Rolling Stone. Nothing really new here, but always nice to read about the very earliest days of Neil Young and Crazy Horse.
There's also a follow through link to the original review of Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, from back in 1969. Note where the reviewer says there's nothing to compare with Neil's first solo album!?
And if you continue on from there, you can find a Lester Bangs review of Trout Mask Replica from the Summer of '69. Talk about Drifting Back!
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/how-crazy-horse-jump-started-neil-youngs-career-20130423
Happy International Record Store Day!
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Born again adults are those who believe they will experience an afterlife in the presence of God only because they have confessed their sins against Him and accepted Jesus Christ as the redeemer who saves them from eternal punishment.
According to George Barna's extensive research, talks about 30% of the U.S. population are "born again" Christians.
And, 30% represents a significant drop from nearly half of the adult population meeting the same criteria just two decades ago.
Three out of every four born again adults (76%) believe that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God. They should all believe it is.
Seven out of ten (70%) contend that the Bible is totally accurate in all of the life principles it teaches.
(46%) read the Bible at least once a week – a terrible percentage.
(77%) believe that all people are basically good. This, of course is a non-Biblical belief.
(67%) argue that having faith is more important than which faith you embrace. Again, a non-Biblical belief.
In the recent presidential election, 84% of SAGE Cons (Spiritually Active, Governance Engaged Conservatives) were registered Republicans and 93% of all SAGE Cons voted for Donald Trump. In contrast, just 44% of born again adults are registered Republicans. In the November election, 60% of the nation's born again Christians sided with Donald Trump.
What do you think? I'd love to hear from you. Comment below.
Revival is desperately needed in our Country.. The fact that so many Evangelicals voted in the last Presidential is heartening, but the lack of the majority of those same Evangelicals who fully understand Biblical truths is very troubling.. Not only are they losing their chance at Salvation, but they are threatening the very Foundation of our Country.. It is not enough to believe that Jesus existed, you must accept him as your personal Savior, you must be Born Again!
Yes, it is very troubling. But I am reminded that the vast majority of Muslims act just like the vast majority of Christians, in that they don't really KNOW their Creator. They "think" they do, but they don't. As the numbers indicate, most so-called "Christians" have a distorted view of what the Bible and Jesus say and do. Same thing probably with most Muslims: they don't know what the Koran and Hadith actually say. Therefore, they believe that their "religion" is a religion of peace, when it actually isn't. A sad commentary on BOTH "religions" although Christianity is not a "religion". A religion is "mans" attempt to connect with God. The Bible is God's attempt to connect with man. Big difference!
We Need a "Re-Stirring of Hearts" in America today that motivates people to live a life for the Lord God. We need people to evangelize wherever opportunity. Reaching people in churches is not reaching the vast majority who need God. Reach them on campuses, media, street & prison ministries, local neighborhoods, using creative ways perhaps not used before.
The time is short. We are living in the End Times. Let's make sure everyone has opportunity to hear God's Word and the Salvation Message. Blessings.
But I never forgot what he said, and after sitting in Calvary Chapel for a year, my husband was drawn to surrender his heart to Jesus and explained genuine salvation to me. My eyes were opened that day, and we were both saved. I truly believe that there are many who call themselves Christians, like we did previously, who have yet to be saved. That's why we love to witness, and we pray morning and evening for America, President Trump, for DC, and for many unsaved loved ones. We also pray for an awakening, a revival that would sweep across America, and then throughout the globe, before Jesus takes us out.
God gave America a reprieve with President Trump, but it's an uphill fight to keep her free and return her to righteousness. I snail mail the President once a month to encourage him. But honestly, now that it looks like there are possible traitors in his presence, I might send those letters through Vice President Pence.
There is a White House "encouragement line" (202) 456-1111 that was mentioned on Fox Cable News.
As we learned from the article above, the road to destruction truly is broad. . . but we can pray, take action, and trust the LORD to turn America around for His Glory.
Is 30% low enough where we can bring in 2 Chronicles 7:14 or should we wait till we got down to 20 or even 10%.


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From Dinos to Doctors: New Washington Pavilion Exhibits Introduce Kids to STEM Fields
SDPB Radio | By Jackie Hendry
Published May 2, 2019 at 4:12 PM CDT
Jackie Hendry
The Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls is updating its Science Center with new exhibits celebrating fossils and stones unique to South Dakota. The interactive area gives kids a chance to dig for dinosaur bones, explore a mine tunnel, and maybe jumpstart a love of science.
A life-sized T-Rex looks on as a ribbon cutting officially opens the new exhibits. With animatronic dinosaurs screeching in the background, Washington Pavilion President and CEO Darrin Smith explains this is part of a multi-year effort to attract more families to the Science Center.
"Just a few short years ago we had several years of declining attendance. That's just the truth. We had to recognize that and put an aggressive plan in place to change that."
But now, Smith says they're on track to break a 20-year-old attendance record.
The update is also part of a partnership with Avera—one of the sponsors of the Science Center. Dr. Kara Bruning is a pediatrician with Avera McKennan. She says the exhibit encourages children's development through learning disguised as play.
"Digging for bones or whatever they're interested in, certainly can help them find an appreciation for STEM activities and want to go into science which will definitely benefit all of us later," Dr. Bruning says.
And as the healthcare industry faces a workforce shortage, there's hope dinosaurs can pave the way for future doctors. David Flicek is Regional President and CEO of Avera McKennan. With 5,000 positions available every year, he says the more people in the pipeline, the better.
"So let's start early and get them into that science, get them inquisitive, and maybe try it in high school, and then maybe college, and then I can hire them, I hope!" says Flicek.
The Dinosaur Discovery and Quarry Dig areas are just the beginning of the updates to the center. Washington Pavilion President Darrin Smith will only hint at what's to come.
"The overarching theme of phase two is going to have an agriculture theme. It's the number one industry in South Dakota. Always has been, probably always will be. I think we forget that sometimes, especially in Sioux Falls," says Smith.
That next phase of updates in the Washington Pavilion Science Center is expected to be complete in about a year.
Regional Health supports Education and Healthcare reporting on SDPB.
Education EducationWashington PavilionSTEMAvera McKennanKirby Science CenterDinosaur DiscoveryQuarry Dig

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Latest Community Posts
Gamers Classified
Home Latest Features A Cafe Shows the Power of Pokémon
A Cafe Shows the Power of Pokémon
Elyse Brown
It's a Pikabutt!
There are quite a few Pokémon Centres across Japan, known as havens for Poké lovers far and wide, offering limited-edition merchandise and plushies to add to those coveted collections. But Tokyo's Nihonbashi Pokémon Centre offers something more — it has its very own permanent Pokémon Cafe.
Serving children and adults Pokémon-inspired dishes that are both cute and downright creative, the Pokémon Cafe is one of the only places you can try a plate of carbonara in the shape of Pikachu's butt.
A few weeks ago, I decided to make a visit to this resident Poké Cafe and as I watched a costumed actor waddle around the room in an oversized Pikachu suit, greeting children with ear wiggles and shaking hands with each adult, I realised that Pikachu could potentially rule the world.
Pikachu greeting her adoring fans.
This little electric mouse has garnered a following of devout fans, young and old and you would be hard pressed to find someone who couldn't recognise the yellow ball of fuzz. But despite the mouse's global fame, Pikachu has set some time aside and become a pretty decent chef.
The Pokémon Cafe offered a variety of different dishes, drinks, and desserts and surprisingly, most of the food tasted as good as it looked. A Gengar grape drink was the standout of the evening — garnished with a light-up ice cube that gave the drink some ghostly vibes. But I couldn't help feeling a bit monstrous after chomping on a set of Eevee and Pikachu head-shaped bread pieces.
If you were wondering, the ears are indeed edible.
Designed to be pleasing to the eyes, these dishes would bring out the inner child of any adult and as each diner was offered a random coaster to go along with their chosen drinks, the adults seemed the most excited for a little piece of Pokémon-themed plastic. But this made me think, why does Pokémon continue to stay so relevant?
Pokémon is Still Popular
The Pokémon video game franchise has spanned over two decades and it doesn't look to be wrapping-up anytime soon, especially with the recent announcement of Pokémon Sword and Shield. Plus, the ongoing popularity of Pokemon Go and its generation of almost $2.4 billion in revenue since its 2016 launch, shows that peoples' love for the series is definitely not wavering.
It is a franchise that is certainly adaptable. From its humble beginnings as Pokémon Red and Blue on the Gameboy to its most recent iterations on the Nintendo Switch: Pokémon: Let's Go, Game Freak have added either small features or completely overhauled their games to suit Nintendo's range of portable consoles — it's easy to forget that quite a few of these games even had 3D functionality during the 3DS era (not that we really used it). Pokémon has stuck around and still continues to be a draw to people of all ages, despite its child-friendly and often simple gameplay.
Source: Nintendo
After a visit to the Pokémon Cafe, I was reminded why I still enjoy Pokémon. After growing up on these games and the anime, my excitement came from the simple fact that I was thrilled to see my favourite Pokémon outside the game. While you could argue that the AR technology of Niantic's Pokémon Go does this as well, having a big dancing Pikachu let you touch its tail is something different.
Pokemon Cafe
When I'm not addressing my addiction to Overwatch, I like to dabble in the odd JRPG with some favourites coming from the Final Fantasy franchise. I'm a sucker for games with great stories and fantastic music but I also love a good nostalgia trip with some oldies but goodies. I'm currently studying Journalism at the University of Technology Sydney and as a video games enthusiast, I love being able to report on them to my heart's content.
The latest gaming news, opinion pieces and exclusive coverage of Australia's eSports and video game culture. We offer a unique Australian perspective, catering to both hardcore gamers and casual gamers. We're dedicated to video game journalism and you'll find stories here that aren't found, or given the depth of coverage, as anywhere else. Get your dose of local Australian game journalism at Gamers Classified!
© Gamers Classified 2019 | EeTalent Pty Ltd trading as Gamers Classified A.B.N. 49 603 440 633 - A.C.N. 603 440 633 | Australian eSports | eSport News | Gaming News | Video Game News


Rob Hynds is running the Virgin Money London Marathon!
We are delighted that Rob Hynds, a Research Fellow at University College London, will be running the Virgin Money London Marathon on our behalf and raising much needed funds for our projects. We caught up with Rob to talk about his motivation for taking on the challenge.
1) What made you decide to apply for our London Marathon place?
This will be my first time running the London Marathon which I'm very excited about. I've supported others in the past and it's always a great atmosphere. I'd tried and failed to get a ballot place for the past few years so I wasn't going to miss the chance to run and raise money for the Charitable Foundation this year.
2) Why are you supporting UCL Hospitals Charitable Foundation?
I wanted to fundraise for UCL Hospitals Charitable Foundation because I've seen first hand the great work that they support and the benefits to patients from world class clinical care and research that it enables. As a lung disease researcher myself, I've seen the benefits of the UCH Macmillan Cancer Centre for interlinked clinical research projects since 2012 and the Charitable Foundation continues to fund vital equipment for other lung diseases such as sarcoid.
3) Can you tell us a bit about your research and connection with UCL?
I did my PhD research in the Lungs for Living Research Centre, finishing in 2016. I'm now working at the UCL Cancer Institute and The Francis Crick Institute where I work on developing better laboratory models of lung cancer to improve lung cancer outcomes for patients.
4) How brutal is your training programme and how is it going so far?
I'm training pretty hard. I did my first marathon in Belfast last May in a time of 3 hours 10 mins having run around 500 miles in preparation so I'm hoping to push myself and go under 3 hours this time around.
Rob will be raising much needed funds to support our projects over the coming months, if you would like to support him please go to his fundraising page here.


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Romani Studies is a biannual peer-reviewed academic journal covering all aspects of Romani/Gypsy studies. It is the official journal of the Gypsy Lore Society. It was established in 1888 and until 1982 was published as the Journal of the Gypsy Lore Society. Its publication resumed in 1991 and in 2000 the journal obtained its current title. The society currently publishes it in association with the Liverpool University Press.

Abstracting and indexing
The journal is abstracted and indexed in:

According to the Journal Citation Reports, the journal has a 2021 impact factor of 0.111.

Editors-in-chief
The following persons are or have been editor-in-chief:
Elena Marushiakova (current)
Colin Clark (2019–present)
Daniel Škobla (2019–2020)
Kimmo Granqvist (2017–2019)
Yaron Matras (1999–2017)
Sheila Salo (1990–1999)

References

External links

Publications established in 1888
1988 establishments in the United Kingdom
Romani studies
University of Liverpool
Biannual journals
English-language journals
Area studies journals

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: Where to store config for Windows service I am developing a Windows service that uses a config.json file to store its configuration. When I developed it without a service, I stored the data in %APPDATA%\companyname\product.
Now I am switching to real Windows service. When is run it as a service, the path points to C:\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Roaming\company\product. But I can't find my file in there. I tested it with the Explorer and a command prompt (as administrator). How can I access my configuration.
Is that the best place to put my configuration file?

A: I ended up putting my configuration in C:\ProgramData.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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on March 26, 2021 by Whitebox in Marketplaces
How Ecommerce Marketplaces Are Changing in 2021
It's no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed lives around the world—what people do, who they see, and how they shop. To stay ahead of the curve as a brand, it's important to understand how ecommerce marketplaces are changing in 2021. With shifting customer behaviors and record growth, the next year promises to be transformative.
Record Growth and Competition in Ecommerce
What happened during the pandemic? Lockdowns spurred massive ecommerce growth, and the data shows it all. While brick-and-mortar stores closed, a report from McKinsey & Company states that online marketplaces saw the equivalent of ten years' worth of projected growth in only ninety days, during the first quarter of 2020.
Data from the Adobe Digital Economy Index shows that ecommerce sales in the U.S. shot up 55% by July 2020. Activity slowed slightly in August as consumers reported that they were comfortable returning to in-store shopping when governments eased restrictions and brick-and-mortar stores reopened. But ecommerce activity in August was still up 42% year over year.
On a global scale, data from Statista shows that ecommerce made up 16.1% of total retail sales in 2020, up from 14.1% the previous year. And in 2021 that number has increased to 18.1%. Statista forecasts that this climb is likely to continue, reaching an expected 22% in 2023.
The data is clear—ecommerce growth will continue in 2021 and beyond. And the number of online customers will only continue to rise as more brands take advantage of this growing market.
As a result, the ecommerce marketplace will become more crowded and competitive than ever before—and brands will need to differentiate themselves to attract and retain customers.
The Evolution of Customer Behaviors
In addition, the pandemic has shifted the way people shop, and brands are taking notice. More than ever, customers are preferring to shop online for items they traditionally bought in-store, even though stores are open.
McKinsey states that digital shopping is here to stay. The company projects that the number of customers shopping online for essential items like groceries, household supplies, and personal care products will grow by over 35% after the pandemic. McKinsey even expects categories such as skincare, makeup, apparel, and jewelry and accessories to see online customer growth of over 15%.
Customers also feel more inclined to buy from brands they haven't bought from before. According to McKinsey, 75% of American consumers tried different brands during the pandemic, and 60% of them plan to continue shopping from these brands after the pandemic. And before trying new brands, the vast majority of customers rely on reviews to make their purchasing decisions. According to research from Northwestern University's Spiegel Research Center, 95% of online customers read reviews before making a purchase, and displaying reviews can increase conversion by 270%.
It's easy to see that 2021 is the year for brands to focus on converting first-time online customers into loyal ones. Brands will need to shift their advertising strategies to match these customer behaviors.
Whitebox's proprietary technology provides marketplace insights across customers and channels that show which ads and marketplaces are moving which products. You can use these insights to better understand your customers, and Whitebox's marketplace management experts can use these insights to help you optimize your advertising strategy.
Are you ready to fully optimize your Amazon listings?
Flexible Shipping and Fulfillment Networks
Customers want smarter, faster, and cheaper shipping in 2021 and beyond. Since even before the pandemic, customers have become accustomed to the convenience and immediacy of shopping on an ecommerce marketplace. (The Amazon and Walmart marketplaces both have offered expedited shipping for years.) In fact, the National Retail Federation found that 75% of customers expect free shipping, and 65% lookup free shipping thresholds before adding items to their carts.
But while customers expect cheaper shipping, carriers are increasing their fees as online shopping demand grows. According to a report from Jefferies, surcharges that shipping carriers implemented during the 2020 holiday season will likely stay in place as the pandemic continues, on top of the usual annual increases of 5% to 6%.
For example, FedEx announced it would implement a per-package surcharge of thirty cents on Express and domestic residential Ground shipments for customers who shipped more than thirty thousand packages per week in January 2021. The surcharge will remain in place until further notice. This can pose a major problem for small to midsize brands that do not have a robust shipping network.
Customers want cheap, two-day shipping. How can you provide that?
A fulfillment partner with a robust network can help you deliver products quickly and save costs for both your business and customers. Whitebox offers flexible fulfillment services that provide cost-effective, fast shipping solutions.
With warehouses strategically located to cover 99% of the U.S., Whitebox can place your inventory closer to customers and guarantee two-day shipping. Your products get to your customers faster without allegiance to a specific carrier, saving you money on shipping. Furthermore, Whitebox's fulfillment technology aggregates data from both the fulfillment and sales sides of your business. With a complete data picture, you gain valuable insights on the performance of your company across verticals and channels, heightening your business intelligence and agility.
Ecommerce brands are under a significant amount of pressure to meet new demands. More customers than ever are shopping online. They're looking to brands to supply the goods that they used to buy in store. And they're even buying from brands they never used to buy from.
Reviews continue to be a driving force behind attracting new customers, and shipping costs are rising for brands when customers want faster, cheaper shipping options. It's more imperative than ever for brands to think outside of the box and to strategize the way forward, with both fulfillment and ecommerce marketplace management in mind. But where to start?
Brands need a modern commerce platform for omnichannel retail success.
Whitebox's first-of-its-kind solution leverages omnichannel data, connects to multiple marketplaces, and integrates with a dependable fulfillment network.
Brands use Whitebox's proprietary technology with its in-house team of marketplace management and fulfillment experts to navigate the ecommerce life cycle and capture opportunities at every stage.
See how Whitebox has helped other businesses just like yours. Contact Whitebox today to learn more about integrated ecommerce services.
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Previously I was directed to the "Stele of Revealing" for the hieroglyphics on the Libri Title pages of the Equinox. Does anyone know the genesis of this template or the story behind it. It appears to be a simplification of the Stele. Perhaps the Pillars are the legs and arms of Nuit?
The Stella of Revealing, from wence Crowley created Liber Resh, was a translation from the Ancient Egyptian to the French by the assistant creator of the Boulaq Museum in Cairo, under the supervision of the Egyptologist Bugsch Bet in 1904. In 1912, Crowley had the translation done again by Sir Alan Gardiner and Battiscombe Gunn. There were, not surprisingly differences of opinion about some of the words and names. In Crowley's The Holy Books of Thelema, the modern publishers included an additional modern translation done in 1982.
Stand not thou up against me a witness!
The original covers were designed by Major JFC Fuller.
"Behold, Behdety, Lord of the Sky (Horizon)." For comparison, this bit is taken from the top of the stele just under the winged Uraei globe. 'Behdety' is a truncation of Har-Behdet, 'Horus of Behdet' or Horus of Edfu.
Back on the title page: flanked on each side of the Behdety glyphs, are possibly the characters for bread, wine, cattle, fowl, grain taken from below the table in front of the priest as depicted in the center of the stele.
The pillars, I have read, may be djed-pillars topped with a crown or headdress which may correspond to agriculture, as the seasons and the mysteries always prefigure one-another. The pillars are also reminiscent of the backbone of Osiris as well as the sacrum sign, or sign of the sacred kiss.
AxisMundi wrote: The original covers were designed by Major JFC Fuller.
Cheers for the added context! Do you know any more about the circumstances around Fuller's work on the designs?
Major-General Fuller was a an honorary member of A.'.A.'. under Crowley, assuming the Magical motto (via A.C.) Per Ardua ad Astra ("By struggle to the stars"). He was eventually Cancellarius under the motto Non Sine Fulmine but this station was awarded mainly for printing purposes in that it would be embarrassing for Crowley if Fuller was known to have not been an a member of A.'.A.'. for various reasons.
Both his listed grade of 5=6* (Adeptus Minor) and his station in the organizational hierarchy are considered purely salutary as A.C. was by necessity fond of "recognizing" those around him with grades if it so pleased them, especially those who could achieve the most good ie help. This isn't far from the practical truth. Fuller was adept, he was all this and more. He was a notable military strategist and a writer/painter of vast powers. Sadly, there seems to have been a formal split between Fuller and Crowley as the later became embroiled in legal troubles.
Again, thank you for the added context!
AxisMundi wrote: Major-General Fuller was a an honorary member of A.'.A.'. under Crowley, assuming the Magical motto (via A.C.) Per Ardua ad Astra ("By struggle to the stars").
Keep an eye out in the next digest for a copy of his signed A.'.A.'. Probationer Oath, just fyi.
Thank you for the info on Fuller.
I believe this oath has already been posted in digest 21 under courses Argentum Astrum zip file in the Argentum Astrum - Oaths of probationers folder.
agrippa777 wrote: I believe this oath has already been posted in digest 21 under courses Argentum Astrum zip file in the Argentum Astrum - Oaths of probationers folder.
My point was rather vague, but the gist is that Fuller, along with many of A.'.A.'. A.C.'s contemporaries were eschewed in to degrees which they could not have earned in the normal manner nor in the normal time frame it would have taken. A cursory look at the A.'.A.'. syllabus sheds light on the probability that even with Fuller's signed Oath, the grade progression (A.'.A.'. grades were just as G.D.) was completely overlooked and he, after being recognized an Adept, was 'brought up' to 5*=6. Interested to see if any of his interleaving grades are documented or if he simply skipped, via AC, from Probationer to Adeptus minor.
Today, we see many members - even heads of A.'.A.'. "lineages" who have literally leapt past multiple degrees and admit to as much. In truth this is necessary at points to keep the Work alive. It would be ideal for every aspirant to Work the entire system beginning to end but as the saying goes "If you wait for everything to be perfect to Work Magic, you'll never Work Magic." It was certainly more important to have Fuller's immediate assistance and total confidence than it was to force him through the grades. The same cannot be said for most people, myself included!
AxisMundi wrote: A cursory look at the A.'.A.'. syllabus sheds light on the probability that even with Fuller's signed Oath, the grade progression (A.'.A.'. grades were just as G.D.) was completely overlooked and he, after being recognized an Adept, was 'brought up' to 5*=6. Interested to see if any of his interleaving grades are documented or if he simply skipped, via AC, from Probationer to Adeptus minor.
That sounds a lot like the "Do as I say, not as I do" mentality, but I guess it could be viewed as exceptionally pragmatic, too. I dunno. It seems to me as though skipping grades is a bad idea - if you're really interested in getting the intended effects, anyway.
I've also met several in the A.'.A.'. who claimed far more illustrious lineages than they could verify. IMO, the Order seems especially vulnerable to that type of chicanery.
In Fuller's case at least the exception to the rule and major drawbacks of grade-hopping seem to have been somewhat ameliorated by the products of his efforts. One must also acknowledge the strange force of the karma guiding AC and his companions at the time, if that kind of concept appeals.
Personally, I'm am a stickler for the 'sub rosa' approach to the Work and any personal communications therein. I also take pains not to have my, or any other mundane names, ever associated with any Magical productions - so I tend to rub against the grain of people looking for social gain from Magical endeavor. All this bother about lineages is really just a distraction. The very Patron of the Order suggests no intermingling, no social clubbing "Thus ye have star and star, system and system; let not one know well the other!"


text:
Push is On to Save McMackin Field
by Journal Staff • August 9, 2017 • 0 Comments
By Sue Ellen Woodcock
Like many people, Steve Bagnera drives by McMackin Field on Winthrop Avenue every day and he can't help but wonder what will ever happen to the baseball field that he played on as a kid.
Little League officials stopped using McMackin Field in 2013 because the field was too wet. With a soggy outfield and an abundance of fragmites making their own Green Monstah on the field.
"The field is in permanent state of flood," said Revere Little League President Rich Minasian.
Bagnera has launched a fundraising drive to raise $500,000 to properly fix McMackin Field. He's set up a Go Fund Me page with all proceeds going to Revere Little League and he's encouraging people to make direct contributions to the Revere Little League, P.O. Box 96, Revere, MA 02151. So far Revere Little League has $230,000 toward the project, money it had hoped to use for a new concession stand.
The field was opened in 1952 and has a batting cage, concession stand, press box, lights and cement bleachers.
Bagnera fondly remembers playing baseball on McMackin Field and recalls there was a flood issue then but that it was manageable.
"We could always play and it was maintained, but now it can't sustain the water," Bagnera said as he stood by the chain link fence keeping people off the field. "I was told there is a blocked pipe leading out to the marsh."
Minasian said to fix the field, including raising it six inches and making the field accessible for all, the league would have to raise $1.2 million. Bagnera said there has been discussion of installing two high power pumps. Two hydrologists have done water studies. The city engineers have looked at it.
"We just got our second water study and we're going over the report," Minasian said.
A group of Little League leaders attempted a couple of years ago to get the city to fix field, but it was not possible because the city does not own McMackin Field, it is owned by Little League.
The Field has been there for 65 years and many claim that since the condos in the outfield were built and the city undertook water and sewer work, there has been a massive flooding problem with water getting deep enough to attract ducks on a rainy day.
"This is a landmark," Bagnera said, adding a Facebook video he made highlighting the field has received over 8,000 viewings. "My father, cousins, brothers and I all played here."
Minasian said they even toyed with the idea of donating it to the city.
"One person said, 'why would the city want to take an aquarium?'," Minasian said.
Since there is no Little League field the teams have dried up or kids opt to play for other baseball organizations in the city. When the league stopped using the field it had 190-210 kids playing in a season.
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