text:
Title: Standards Driving Trade
https://www.futureagenda.org/foresights/standards-driving-trade/
Standards Driving Trade
Still Being Stupid Previous Speed to Scale Next
International regulation is progressively aimed at freeing up trade and making it simpler and less bureaucratic – but there are a number of agreements, standards and protocols that some are seeing as increasingly constraining.
As the world seeks to optimize global trade flows, there are high and low points emerging that may well influence future regulatory direction and support. Much of the development in global trade has been led by the US, which, in the eyes of some, means that, while enabling global trade to develop significantly, the US has also gained more than others. For instance, over the past decade or so the vast majority of international transactions have had to go through the US clearing banks (even those not in USD), which can lead to blocking of transfers due to flagging triggers set up as part of the US anti-terrorism regulation. As the Indian Ocean becomes as important for trade as the Pacific, questions are being raised as to how the US will maintain its leadership and control – and the role that standards will play in this.
The Transpacific Partnership (TPP) links together twelve Pacific countries, including Japan but excluding China, that collectively account for 44% of US goods exports and 85% of US agricultural exports. Its ambition is to build a fully integrated economic area and establish the rules for major future growth of services and hence capital flows across the region. Critics are suspicious that this favours US technology companies and banking institutions, and further cements the role of the dollar in international trade. Supporters see that it will raise governance standards for many of China's trade partners and so put pressure on China to adhere more closely to international standards.
The potentially more controversial Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) links the US and the EU. Supporters speak of an "economic NATO" that cements the world's democratic powers at an unstable time. However, several foresee a number of risks. As the US does not regulate all new types of genetic engineering of plants, animals and microbes, the argument goes that the TTIP will open the back door for such foods to enter the EU, bypassing strong current regulation and standards. The ability, for example, of individual countries to inspect food for pests and diseases will arguably be reduced, and the freedom to introduce higher local standards, that often raise the quality bar for everyone, will be reduced.
Many in Asia are keen for an alternative, non-US driven agenda, seeing their needs are better met through the RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) as a separate FTA (Free Trade Agreement) that brings 16 countries together, but not including the US.
Free trade areas such as the EU, NATFA and potentially both the TTP and TTIP all restrict the use of tariffs to either tax international trade, so alternative ways for countries to protect their own interests have gained ground: quotas, licences, anti-dumping regulations, standards, import credits, export subsidies etc. Such customs procedures, technical standards and labelling / packing requirements are not directly aimed at restricting trade but add to administrative bureaucracy, so lead to the same result.
Securing the safety of the global supply chain is a priority shared by governments regulating the cross-border flow of goods. It requires a dual focus: to promote and facilitate legitimate commerce, while simultaneously mitigating supply chain risks. The processes that enable government agencies to balance these dual priorities rely on data, cross-border standards, widely embraced policies, as well as cutting-edge technologies that are dramatically changing the global economy.
Adoption of automation, with the growth in the use of sensors and other M2M mobile technologies, is helping to make trade more frictionless. There are increasingly better information flows not just between different governments but also between trading partners across manufacturing, shipping and trucking, so streamlining processes. However, this greater connectivity requires higher security and therefore standards and protocols also playing a major role here. Those setting the standards not only set the rules but are, by implication, also define the landscape. Those that want to gain from increasing automation and system efficiency have to join in the club, so this becomes another lever to bring them inside the tent. With the promise of greater efficiency from predictive analytics that make the global trade system safer and more secure, the case for joining in is compelling.
The key benefits of automation will include reduction of paperwork and lower transaction costs. As different parties all agree the standards for exchanging data, enabling the sharing of data will more effectively release cargo across borders. Matching internal and independent third party data sets via trusted trader platforms will, it is hoped, give border agencies real-time access to the most up-to-date information and so ease international trade. The days of stamping paper documents is fast being replaced by electronic verification via RFID and other M2M and IoT platforms.
But to make this work there needs to be clearer, recognized digital standards that enable all parties to collaborate. Here again the US is very much in the driving seat. Sector or regionally focused consortiums such as the IIC (industrial Internet Consortium) formed by AT&T, Cisco, GE, IBM and Intel are a key step forward but the aim is for global standards across all industries – and all probably using a global unique entity identifier.
While some argue that it is the global and regional mega-agreements that are setting the future trading landscape, it is clear that, underneath these, varied standards are actually driving trade. Whether safety standards for food, cars or services, communication and data standards for increased automation, they are the gateways for many imports and exports. They are being used positively to enable better, faster and safer trade, but they are also used negatively especially as non-tariff barriers to restrict trade. Going forward, standards will increasingly be used as the tactical responses to defend domestic markets, manifest change in target export markets and maintain a degree of control over importers. Without them it might be a completely level playing field and few nations really seem to want that.
$400 bn
value of world food trade
saving per container shipment from automating customs processes
Africa Growth
With a land mass bigger than India, China, the US…
With a land mass bigger than India, China, the US and Europe combined, few doubt the scale of the African…
With a land mass bigger than India, China, the US and Europe combined, few doubt the scale of the African continent and its resources. However, until recently only some have…
With a land mass bigger than India, China, the US and Europe combined, few doubt the scale of the African continent and its resources. However, until recently only some have seen it as the growth market that it is fast…
Declining Government Influence
National governments' ability to lead change comes under greater pressure…
National governments' ability to lead change comes under greater pressure from both above and below - multinational organisations increasingly set…
National governments' ability to lead change comes under greater pressure from both above and below - multinational organisations increasingly set the rules while citizens trust and support local and network…
National governments' ability to lead change comes under greater pressure from both above and below - multinational organisations increasingly set the rules while citizens trust and support local and network based actions. Government and governance itself is in a state…
Open Supply Webs
The shift from centralised production to decentralised manufacturing drives many…
The shift from centralised production to decentralised manufacturing drives many to take a 'smaller and distributed' approach: Global supply chains…
The shift from centralised production to decentralised manufacturing drives many to take a 'smaller and distributed' approach: Global supply chains are replaced by more regional, consumer-orientated supply webs and networks.…
The shift from centralised production to decentralised manufacturing drives many to take a 'smaller and distributed' approach: Global supply chains are replaced by more regional, consumer-orientated supply webs and networks. In the past companies have sought to manage their own…
Shifting Power and Influence
The centre of gravity of economic power continues shifting eastwards,…
The centre of gravity of economic power continues shifting eastwards, back to where it was 2000 years ago. Recent superpowers…
The centre of gravity of economic power continues shifting eastwards, back to where it was 2000 years ago. Recent superpowers seek to moderate the pace of change but the realities…
The centre of gravity of economic power continues shifting eastwards, back to where it was 2000 years ago. Recent superpowers seek to moderate the pace of change but the realities of population and resource locations are immoveable. Are we are…


This e-zine will be about soccer, crafts, funny stories, embarrassing experiences, whatever what I happen to feel like writing about! Or, for that matter, whatever you feel like writing about.
Be sure to send me an e-mail to let me know what you think (or to contribute articles or ideas). I'll be updating frequently, so check back!


It's no secret that I really enjoy a bit of outdoor cooking. For that reason I am always keen to try out new backpacking stoves and was thrilled when I was asked to try out the Coleman Fyre Series of backpacking stoves. I chose the Coleman Fyrestorm PCS Backpacking Stove and the Coleman Fyre Alpine Stove. Blonde One and I had fun playing with them on Dartmoor and, for a good wind test (and a rather delicious cup of tea), I took them both down to the beach.
It is far easier to site and level a stove with only three touch-points than one that sits on top of a gas canister.
Having the canister to the side of the burner reduces overall height and thus knocking-over potential.
The burner lit easily with the ignition, lived up to Coleman's claims both in the wind and out of it and I enjoyed a hot cuppa in almost no time at all. This is a neat backpacking stove that (once the instructions have been read through a couple of times) fits together with a C300 canister inside it. I wasn't initially sure of the fit between pot and burner but got used to this in time. This is a good sized backpacking stove that is maybe too much for a single traveller. It has a built-in strainer in the lid (ask B1 how often I have moaned about my lack of camping colander) and the lid fits well, perhaps too well for easy removal.
I liked this simple backpacking stove as soon as I got it out of the box. Far sturdier than the average lighter weight burner, the Coleman FyrePower Alpine has the look and feel of something that has been really well made. With a nifty spring system to swing out the combined steel pan supports and legs and a long braided steel hose for independent gas canister positioning, this burner packs neatly into a 9 cm bag and can be stowed separately to the gas in your rucksack. I haven't worked out yet whether the accidental water spillage I experienced whilst using it was due to user error or whether the lack of teeth on the pan supports were to blame (it does have small ridges to help stabilise a pan). The wind baffles were effective enough to give a steady flame but sadly I had no spare water and was unable to time test it against the Fyrestorm.
I predict that I am going to enjoy using this burner and that it might find its way into my rucksack more times than my present stove does. With the capacity to hold a decent size and range of pans and it excellent wind resistance, I can see that this is the stove for a Blonde who likes cooking.


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Home » NEA Arts Magazine » The Art of Failure: The Importance of Risk and Experimentation
Failure Can Be Fruitful
Interview by Paulette Beete
NA-GeneYang-web.jpg
Graphic novelist Gene Luen Yang. Photo by Briana Loewinsohn
In 2006, Gene Luen Yang's American Born Chinese became the first graphic novel to become a National Book Award finalist and to win the American Library Association's Printz Award. According to Yang, however, his next project was less successful. He and his collaborator, Lark Pien, spent several years in rewrite mode after his editor broke the news that the nearly finished comic simply wasn't good enough to publish. Yang pushed through, however, and since then, has garnered a second National Book Award nomination for the two-volume Boxers & Saints (which won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize) and developed the graphic novel iteration of Nickelodeon's popular cartoon Avatar: The Last Airbender, among other projects. Yang was also a featured speaker at the 2014 National Book Festival Gala, where he spoke about how the fear of failure is a stumbling block to telling more diverse stories.
Yang, who had aspired to work in comics since grade school, also teaches creative writing at Hamline University. In his own words, here's Yang on how his definition of success has evolved over the years, and what Spiderman taught him about failure.
How to Define Success and Failure
There's a certain definition of artistic success where you're doing something that's never been done before, or pushing a medium in a way that it's never been pushed. And when you do that, inevitably, you're going to hit failure because the reason why it's never been pushed that way is because it's a bad way to push it. But you'll never find out until you do it. So you have to give yourself the freedom to do that. I'm a firm believer that you should feel as free as you want to be in that first draft—free to fall on your face. If you feel like you need to get a perfect first draft out, you will never take risks and you'll never experiment.
I think there are two levels on which failure operates. There's the artistic level and the more practical level, and you can fail in one way without failing in the other. I think that the easiest way of defining failure in terms of money is whether or not you break even. But you can have a book that doesn't break even at all that's still successful as a piece of art. Success in terms of a piece of art, I think, is to make a comic that gets the reader to the last page. But if you're doing something new and different that maybe has never been done before within the medium, I think that would be a success as well.
I always hope that it'll break even for somebody, either my publisher or me or both. I really think it's like a marriage: in the beginning you're in this honeymoon phase and you think it's awesome, like, "This will be the best book I've ever done." And then somewhere along the [process] I feel so close to the project that I'm lost and I can't really tell if it's good or bad. At that point, I have to push through to the end or I would never finish a book.
How Success Can Change with Age
When you're working in a medium that was once on the brink of extinction, you cannot define success in terms of money—because there is no money. You're going in for other reasons. If you had asked me at the very beginning, when I started making comics as an adult, what success would be, it would just be simply to tell a story that is compelling enough to get the reader from the first page to the last, where the reader wants to find out what happens at the end.
Now that I have responsibilities that I didn't have when I was in my 20s—I didn't have kids that I have to put through school and that I have to feed—I feel like money has to [be] part of the equation. Even if you don't want it to be, the financial aspect is still there. And it's crappy because even now, even though comics are so much more popular than they were in the '90s, even though graphic novels are this big thing within the American book market, they're still kind of a crappy way of making money. If you really want to make money, this is not the way to go.
Draft panels from Gene Luen Yang's Boxers & Saints. Photo by Gene Luen Yang
On Knowing When to Trash It
I have a group of beta readers that I rely on. They're made up of friends and family and my editors, and I take their feedback very seriously. If they tell me something is not working, if a lot of them tell me something is not working, then I'll listen.
Whether or not it's time for edits or the trash can, between those two choices, I think my bias is always toward edits. I'm an outliner, and if I'm able to complete an outline for a project from beginning to end, I feel like it's almost like a marriage, like I need to see it through. One of us has to be dead before we part ways.
Managing the Fear of Failure
When you're teaching writing, you become much more conscious of how you yourself deal with fear because you want to make sure you're not a hypocrite. The thing I tell my students at the beginning of every semester is they have to decide what [project] they want to pursue that semester. Usually they'll describe two or three to me, and there's one that they describe very easily and another one that they're more hesitant about, that you can tell they're super excited about but also really scared of. That's always the one I tell them to go for. In my life, with my projects, I try to always do that too now. If I weren't part of Hamline, I don't know if I would be doing a nonfiction comic by now. I think I may have just given in to the fear and moved on to something different.
I think ultimately it takes a certain amount of courage to get anything done. Failure is always going to be nipping at your heels [with] every draft that you do, even the final draft. There are going to be pieces that are failures. There are going to be pieces that are not as good as they could be. I think a lot of what it means to be a writer, a lot of what it means to be a creative person, is learning how to confront that and push through it.
I think every person who's done something creative has felt the fear of failure. If you've actually finished something and put it out into the world, especially in the age of the Internet, somebody must have trash-talked you. I think we've all had to push through those feelings of inadequacy and those feelings of being a sham and not being up to the task. I think that writing is like a constant wrestling match with self-doubt. You have to be used to it. You have to treat it like a friend. If you don't figure out how to live with it, you're going to end up stopping.
Learning about Failure from Spiderman
I think Spiderman is an awesome example. He has a great character arc in which he started off in failure. His whole origin theory centers around the death of his uncle. He had this opportunity to stop his uncle's killer and he didn't do it. The very first thing he did as a superhero was fail, so his entire career is built on that one failure. It just shows, I think, that failure can be fruitful. Good things can come out of failure.
On Fear and the Superhero by Gene Luen Yang
Issue 2014 Number 4
Write, Erase, Do It Over
Geoff Nuttall
Finding Balance with the St. Lawrence String Quartet
Perry Chen
The Role of Creative Failure
Carlos Murillo
Success and Not Success
Sarah Kaufman
Waiting for the Art to Unfold
Janai Brugger
Strength in Weakness
Violinist Geoff Nuttall on Mozart
A Talk with Geoff Nuttall about Mozart
Nichole Canuso on Taking Risks
Cast-off to Comeback: Artistic "Failures" That Made History

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The youngest trekker we have had in Africa was 21.
The oldest trekker we have had was 72 years old. We notice that people who are older may need more rest, acclimatization, and a careful attention to nutrition and hydration.


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Get ready for dancing, food and fun at the Dayton Hispanic Heritage Festival. The event celebrates its 18th year from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15 at RiverScape MetroPark.
5 things you can't miss at the Hispanic Heritage Festival
Updated Sept 10, 2018
By Amelia Robinson
Get ready for dancing, food and fun at the Hispanic Heritage Festival. The event celebrates its 18th year from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15 at RiverScape MetroPark.
Yvonne Bravo Wathen, an organizer of the PACO (Puerto Rican, American and Caribbean Organization of Dayton) and Five Rivers MetroParks festival, said plenty of fun will be had.
>> PHOTOS: Hispanic Heritage Festival 2017
The 17th annual Dayton Hispanic Heritage Festival took place on Saturday, Sept. 16 at RiverScape MetroPark in downtown Dayton. The Puerto Rican, American and Caribbean Organization (PACO) family-friendly event included a parade, food, drinks and live music representing several countries. TOM GILLIAM / STAFF Photo: Tom Gilliam
"The (hispanic) community is growing in Dayton and we feel it is important for people to know how much Hispanics do for the community," she said.
>> Some of Dayton's best Mexican eateries you may not know about
The free event is packed with food from several hispanic cultures, a parade featuring costumed groups, an expanded children's area as well as music and dance all day.
>> FESTIVAL MADNESS: It's non-stop food, beer and cheers in September
"This is not just for Hispanics. This is for the (entire) community to enjoy the different facets of the Hispanic culture," Wathen said. "We are really focused on that giving back to the community."
Partly due to the draw of jobs at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton's Hispanic community is one among the most highly educated Hispanic communities in the state, Wathen said.
>> Your guide to fall festivals around Dayton
The festival, a fundraiser that pays for PACO scholarships and outreach at the holidays, was formed by local residents with roots in Columbia, Panama, Cuba, Puerto Rico and other Spanish-speaking countries.
Wathen said they wanted to share and educate about the diversity in Hispanic culture.
>> 'Secret' Dayton restaurant now delivering piping hot, golden-crusted empanadas
"The one thing they have in common is the language," she said. "They have different food; they have different dancing."
DON'T MISS THIS STUFF 👇
🎶 The music
Throughout the day, DJ-ed and live music will fill the air with traditional, lively sounds. Artists including Al Son De Iya, Rika Swing and headliner Hot Enchiladas (Santana tribute band) will keep you on your soles.
💃 Let's dance
Dance troupes including Orgullo Mecicano to Qué Lindo Es Panamá, to Rondalla Puerto Rico and a few others will get you in the groove with their authentic dance routines inspired by Mexican, Panamanian and Puerto Rican traditions.
👦👧 Children's area
Grown ups don't have all the fun at this festival. A children's area will be set up to keep the niños and niñas muy contento.
😋 The food
Bring a full belly because El Meson, La Colombiana Restaurante, Latinarepas, Panadería Oaxaqueña, La Costeñita Dayton and many more will be on site. Eats from Peru, Columbia, Puerto Rico, Mexico and other counties will be sold.
🤸 The parade
Nineteen groups will march. The parade starts at Second and Jefferson streets.
WANT TO GO?
>> El Meson is inviting the best pups in Dayton to put their paws on the patio


The Tru-Flo 3-way ball valve is designed to have the center port act as the common port and must be open at all times. You can use the L-port diverter to go from center to left, or to go from center to right. The T-port divertor can do the same configurations as the L-port but can also have all three ports opened at once.


Brown County Jamboree Park, Bean Blossom Indiana, June 20th 1999.
Filming the Frank Wakefield band for The Warner Bros Network.
Dave Dillon, Jim Moss, Joe Deetz.
Brown County Jamboree Park, Bean Blossom Indiana, June 18th 1999.
The sign at the front gate.
The main road through the concession stands to the back of the park.
Left to Right: Frank Wakefield, Jesse McReynolds, Dale Reno.


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text:
// UTF8 tests based on https://github.com/davidflanagan/ArrayBufferUTF8/blob/master/ArrayBufferUTF8Test.html
describe("utf8", function() {

	var buf = new ArrayBuffer(4 * 17 * 65536);

	it("basic", function() {

		function test(msg) {
			var len = buf.writeUTF8(msg);
			var result = buf.toString(0, len);
			expect(result).toEqual(msg);
		}

		test("");
		test("This is a test; only a test!");
		test("character '¢' = code point U+00A2");
		test("character '€' = code point U+20AC");
		test("character '𤭢' = code point U+024B62");
	});

	it("A mixed ascii and non-ascii string", function() {
		// This is from the Node.js test suite:
		// A mixed ascii and non-ascii string
		// Test stolen from deps/v8/test/cctest/test-strings.cc
		// U+02E4 -> CB A4
		// U+0064 -> 64
		// U+12E4 -> E1 8B A4
		// U+0030 -> 30
		// U+3045 -> E3 81 85
		var chars = '\u02e4\u0064\u12e4\u0030\u3045';
		var bytes = new Uint8Array([0xCB, 0xA4, 0x64, 0xE1, 0x8B, 0xA4, 0x30, 0xE3, 0x81, 0x85]);

		var len = buf.writeUTF8(chars);
		var encodedchars = new Uint8Array(buf, 0, len);
		var decodedbytes = bytes.buffer.toString();

		expect(decodedbytes).toEqual(chars);
		// expect(encodedchars).toEqual(bytes);

		for (var i = 0; i < bytes.length; i++) {
			expect(encodedchars[i]).toEqual(bytes[i]);
		}
	});

	xit("all chars", function() {
		var i;
		var codepoints = [];
		for (var cp = 0; cp <= 0xFFFF; cp++) {
			if (cp >= 0xD800 && cp <= 0xDFFF) continue;
			codepoints.push(cp);
		}
		var allchars = String.fromCharCode.apply(String, codepoints);

		for (var s1 = 0xD800; s1 <= 0xDBFF; s1++) {
			codepoints = [];
			for (var s2 = 0xDC00; s2 <= 0xDFFF; s2++) {
				codepoints.push(s1);
				codepoints.push(s2);
			}
			allchars += String.fromCharCode.apply(String, codepoints);
		}

		//----------------------------------------------------------------------
		// These functions are from
		// http://ecmanaut.blogspot.com/2006/07/encoding-decoding-utf8-in-javascript.html
		// Note that they use binary strings

		function encode_utf8(s) {
			return unescape(encodeURIComponent(s));
		}

		function decode_utf8(s) {
			return decodeURIComponent(escape(s));
		}

		var binary_encoded_allchars = encode_utf8(allchars);
		var s = decode_utf8(binary_encoded_allchars);

		if (s === allchars) console.log("round-tripped with encode_utf8");
		console.log("encoded to # bytes", binary_encoded_allchars.length);

		// ----------------------------------------------------------------------

		var len = buf.writeUTF8(allchars);
		var result = buf.toString(0, len);
		console.log(allchars.length, len, result.length, result === allchars);

		var encodedbytes = new Uint8Array(buf, 0, len);
		for (i = 0; i < len; i++) {
			if (encodedbytes[i] !== binary_encoded_allchars.charCodeAt(i)) {
				console.log("bytes differ at index", i, encodedbytes[i], binary_encoded_allchars.charCodeAt(i));
				break;
			}
		}

		//		console.log("encoding and decoding all unicode chars 10 times");
		//		var start = Date.now();
		//		for (i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
		//			len = buf.writeUTF8(allchars);
		//			result = buf.toString(0, len);
		//		}
		//		var end = Date.now();
		//		console.log("Elapsed time (s): ", (end - start) / 1000);
	});

	var longAscii = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz";
	for (var i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
		longAscii = longAscii + longAscii;
	}

	it("long ASCII", function() {
		var len = buf.writeUTF8(longAscii);
		var result = buf.toString(0, len);
		expect(result).toEqual(longAscii);
	});

	xit("perf", function() {
		console.log("encoding and decoding a long ascii string 100 times");
		var start = new Date();
		for (i = 0; i < 100; i++) {
			len = buf.writeUTF8(longAscii);
			result = buf.toString(0, len);
		}
		var end = new Date();
		console.log("Elapsed time (s): ", (end - start) / 1000);
	});
});

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Brand Taglines Part I: What does "for life" really elicit?
By Drew Letendre Jul. 18, 2012
What do Panasonic, ITT, Volvo, and Safeway have in common? Brandlines with the words "for life" in them. What can we usefully conclude from this — apart perhaps from the appearance of relaxed standards around plagiarism or nonchalance about trademark infringement? Let's find out.
Volvo has the purest version of the brandline and I think we can safely assume that "life" refers to the vaunted Volvo virtue of safety — protecting the lives of passengers and drivers. However, since Volvo is also positioned and perceived as a tool for accomplishing the chores of a certain kind of daily life — commuting to and from work, shopping, soccer games and swim lessons, tail-gating, etc. — we have a another layer of meaning (and imagery) — an upper middle class suburban lifestyle. And, there may even be a third layer of brand meaning at work: customer loyalty — i.e., lifelong loyalty. Volvo wants you to be safe; well equipped and well accoutered for a suburban existence; and wants your business until you can't drive anymore…and it's got a tagline that says it all.
In the case of Safeway, "life" probably points to health and wellness: nutritious living through good cooking and eating habits. And, to the extent that food encompasses familial and friendly gatherings, "life" can carry the added emotional-social dimension of the lively celebration. Thus do the terms "ingredients" and "life" straddle the literal/metaphorical boundary line and transcend a merely prosaic reference to product: "ingredients" can mean more than fruit, nuts, and cream. It can mean "the makings of lively gatherings" — one of those things that make life worth living.
Panasonic's "view of life" is centered on the convenience, freedom, and expanded possibilities, delivered by innovative consumer electronics. Panasonic's ideas are for a life made easier, nimbler, more efficient, or more entertaining. Panasonic's "life brand" is about the quotidian, about every day life (work or leisure) and how it is enhanced by consumer electronic and digital technology.
For ITT, "life" may be a reference to product durability (as in, it'll "last a life time"). Or it may (also) mean something more interesting: engineering practices, processes, and products that fall under a principle or discipline, which is: always to design with the "real life" ends of real people in mind — the antithesis of innovation for its own sake (the sort of engineering designed only to impress other engineers).
My purpose here is not confined to interpreting or evaluating these four particular brands and their respective brandlines, or to how the theme "life" (or "for life") has been expressed in them. Rather, it is to see if these examples can serve as the occasion for drawing some general conclusions or gaining some insights about the familiar but actually murky world of brandlines.
I began by asking: what do a supermarket chain, an auto manufacturer, a consumer electronics maker, and an enterprise technology company have in common? The prosaic answer was overlapping, identical language in their brandlines. Having delved into them deeper, we can modify that answer, adding an important explanatory twist — these brands all share an apparent desire to answer yearnings that are both more universal and more fundamental than the narrow, more immediate business ends they serve. Put another way, these are businesses that want to transcend themselves as such. They aspire either to be or to remain BRANDS. And here's the kicker, of all the expressive elements available to them, brandlines appear to be their form of choice for articulating and — one is tempted to say — realizing that aspiration, in words.
Stay tuned for future posts on brandlines as part of this series.
You can also check out a past post: Brandlines 101.


The brilliance with which the Holy City descends, and the building material cited later, reminds us once again that this City is something extraordinary, symbolizing something other than John's literal description. Its title, the bride, the wife of the Lamb leads us to the answer: the saints are the city in which God will dwell and which is now descending from heaven.
All that we read about the Holy City, its excellence, brilliance, and superior character, describe the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, having called, justified, sanctified, and glorified a people for God. John's vision shows the bride of the Lamb as something extraordinary brilliant and excellent, which describes the church's loveliness in the eyes of God.
Revelation 21:12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.
The great wall that John sees in this vision of the new Holy City indicates that the city is like a stronghold, keeping all those who live in it safe.
The twelve gates allow access to the City to the twelve tribes of Israel. We have seen in Revelation chapter 7 that the twelve tribes of Israel symbolize the entire body of the elect, the invisible church. The twelve tribes are not listed here, so we must assume that the same twelve who are listed in Revelation 7 are referred to here.
Here we see the twelve gates, three on each side of the City, guarded by twelve angels, symbolizing the passage of the entire, pre-ordained, number of people whom God elected to enter the City. In the book of life God wrote the complete and definitive roster of those who will enter into the City through these gates.
Isaiah 26:1, 2 In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; God makes salvation its walls and ramparts. 2Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nation that keeps faith.
Psalm 51:18 In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.
Psalm 122:7 May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.
Ezekiel 48:31-34 The gates of the city will be named after the tribes of Israel. The three gates on the north side will be the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah and the gate of Levi. 32"On the east side, which is 4,500 cubits long, will be three gates: the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjamin and the gate of Dan. 33"On the south side, which measures 4,500 cubits, will be three gates: the gate of Simeon, the gate of Issachar and the gate of Zebulun. 34"On the west side, which is 4,500 cubits long, will be three gates: the gate of Gad, the gate of Asher and the gate of Naphtali.
Acts 26:7 This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. O king, it is because of this hope that the Jews are accusing me.
The angels are guarding the gates symbolizing the protection that the inhabitants of the Holy City enjoy from God. We have seen right after the fall of our First Parents that God placed cherubim on the east side of the Garden of Eden to guard the tree of life from sinners. Now that the church has been sanctified, she may enter to the other side of the angels' protective flaming swords, having passed over from the outside to the inside, now being the object of their protection.
Genesis 3:24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
We may rightly ask why would protection, walls, and gates be necessary if the wicked and Satan have been destroyed. If we see the symbolism of the City in context, that it is the church and not a building, then we see the purpose of God fulfilled in these visions.
God's purpose with creation is to gather for himself a people that will glorify him out of their own free will. Their free will sets them apart from the irrational creation, so the way in which God sanctifies his people, after having justified them through Christ, is through the furnace of affliction, his kindness and patience. This refinement makes the saints stronger than what Adam and Eve were before the fall, now sufficiently honed by sanctification to withstand any temptation and sin. This completed sanctification is symbolized by the great wall, the angels, and the brilliance with which the City is shining before God.
Here are some passages that confirm this.
In the first seven verses of the Apostle Peter's first epistle speak about the process of God's foreknowledge, the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, Jesus' sacrifice, our inheritance in heaven, that we are shielded, our suffering now and the glory and honor.
I Peter 1:1-7 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance. 3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Once again, the connection between suffering (refinement) now and glory later.
I Peter 4:12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you, 13but rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
God is patient, so that everyone could come to repentance.
II Peter 3:9, 15 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 15Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.
Romans 2:4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance.
I Timothy 1:16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.
Psalm 86:15 But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
Isaiah 30:18 Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him.
Habakkuk 2:3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.
We are tested and refined during God's patience so that we may be brought to a place of abundance, wearing the crown of life.
Isaiah 48:10 See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
Revelation 3:18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
Psalm 66:10-12 For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver. 11You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. 12You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.
Proverbs 17:3 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.
Jeremiah 9:7 Therefore this is what the LORD Almighty says: "See, I will refine and test them, for what else can I do because of the sin of my people."
Malachi 3:3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness.
Matthew 19:28 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Romans 5:3, 4 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope.
James 1:3, 4 Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Revelation 21:13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west.
John repeats here that there are three gates on each of the four sides of the City, although it is already apparent from the previous passage and also from the prophecies. It is as if John wants us to take note of the importance of the numbers in this vision: three gates and four sides. As we have seen earlier in this study, the number three symbolizes the Godhead, while the number four symbolized man. So, within the four sides of the City there are entrances for God's people through his perfect grace and mercy. The four sides of the City look to all four directions of the compass, symbolizing that the elect will be gathered from all over the earth to enter through these gates.
The number twelve is also significant, being the unification, or reconciliation, of God's people with himself. The twelve tribes, depicting the elect, reflects this reconciled union after Adam and Eve broke it to unite mankind with Satan instead. The four sides with three gates each also fulfill the enmity that God promised between the seed of the woman and the seed of Satan, causing that alliance to break and God's people to be permanently separated from Satan and again built into unity with Christ.
It is truly an extraordinary and comforting vision that John describes to us.
Revelation 21:14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Here John describes the foundation upon which all of God's people rest. The twelve apostles who preached the Word of God laying the foundation of the church, the body of Christ; his bride. The names of the apostles are not given, which indicates to us that it is not the person that is important, but the object of the gospel, Jesus Christ, that is important. What they preached is the foundation of the church, not who preached. The absence of the names of the apostles further indicates that the symbolism is the important factor here pointing away from the servant towards the gospel.
I Corinthians 3:10, 11 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds, 11for no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Galatians 2:9 James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews.
Hebrews 11:10 For [Abraham] was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
Revelation 21:15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls.
The measuring rod is of gold, to fit the occasion and to indicate that the measurements would be of the purest nature. The purpose of measuring the City, its gates and walls, is to subject it to scrutiny and judgment so that it can be ascertained that it conforms in all respects to the holy counsel of God; that it is perfect, holy and good.
Revelation 11:1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there."
The two witnesses went out to preach the gospel and they had the power to produce fire from their mouths to devour their enemies if anyone should try to harm them. The fire of the gospel was then still at work protecting the spreading of the gospel, while here all that already went into fulfillment and the measurements here are made to confirm the perfection and compliance of what has been prophesied, foretold and foreshadowed.
To be sure that the vision John describes to us here is not an invention of the New Testament or even the apostle himself, we need to look at the prophecies whether this vision is in line with what God had purposed.
Revelation 21:16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long.
The measurement given in this translation is 12,000 stadia, about 1,500 miles. It is unfortunate that some translations show the size in a unit of measure other than stadia, because the symbolic value of the original unit of measure is quite significant. The value of the symbolism is lost when translators illustrate the size of the City in a contemporary unit of measure, trying to give the modern reader a visual perspective of the physical size of John's vision.
Since the City is the bride of the Lamb, the church, which is all believers, imagining a structure 1,500 miles wide, long, and high is a distraction, not an illumination. The significance of the number 12,000 is very important, as we shall demonstrate.
Twelve thousand is one-twelfth of the number of the elect, 144,000. There were twelve tribes of Israel with whom the covenant was made. There were twelve apostles who brought the gospel to the scattered people. That gives us the 144,000 members of the elect, symbolizing that the church progressed on her journey from the Old Testament through the time of Christ to this point in John's vision. The number twelve thousand in itself conforms to the numerology of Scripture, which is the number of the Trinity, 3 multiplied by the number of man, 4 indicated by the four points on the compass or the four wind directions. The number 1,000 again is the product of 103, which is the number of completeness raised to the power of the number of the Trinity. The number 10 is the number of the Trinity plus the number 7, which is the number of God's perfect accomplishment.
The measurements of the Holy City, of which we will still read a lot more in this chapter, assure us of the perfect place that Christ prepared for us and that it would be of sufficient size and construction that the elect could perfectly dwell in it.
Matthew 25:34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world."
John 14:2, 3 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
So, to view the Holy City in terms of the symbols upon which she is based, make it clear that John's vision is perfectly in compliance with God's prophets, covenants, the law and the Psalms.
Revelation 21:17 He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits thick, by man's measurement, which the angel was using.
Again, we see the symbolism in the enormity of the walls, which is 12 x 12. As strong as these walls appear, this is how strong God's complete merciful work through the sacrifice of Christ is within us. It is impenetrable and a fortification against any sin; a warranty that we would not be able to sin.
Revelation 21:18-20 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. 19The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald. 20The fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.
The City is built of the most precious material known to man, not to indicate physical material or value, but rather the value of the bride to the Lamb. The bride, who was washed clean by her Bridegroom's blood; who was sanctified and brought out from the cesspool of death, now decorated in glory and great splendor.
Isaiah 54:11-14 "O afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted, I will build you with stones of turquoise, your foundations with sapphires. 12I will make your battlements of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones. 13All your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be your children's peace. 14In righteousness you will be established: Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you.
Ezekiel 16:4-10 On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. 5No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised. 6Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, "Live!"
7I made you grow like a plant of the field. You grew up and developed and became the most beautiful of jewels. Your breasts were formed and your hair grew, you who were naked and bare. 8Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine. 9I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you. 10I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put leather sandals on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments. 11I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck 12and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head.
13So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was fine flour, honey and olive oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen 14and your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign LORD.
Aaron's breastplate and ephod foreshadowed the Holy City.
Exodus 28:15-21 "Fashion a breastpiece for making decisions--the work of a skilled craftsman. Make it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. 16It is to be square--a span long and a span wide--and folded double. 17Then mount four rows of precious stones on it. In the first row there shall be a ruby, a topaz and a beryl. 18In the second row a turquoise, a sapphire and an emerald. 19In the third row a jacinth, an agate and an amethyst. 20In the fourth row a chrysolite, an onyx and a jasper. Mount them in gold filigree settings. 21There are to be twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.
And God's instructions continue. What is significant here are the four rows, which point to the four walls of the city and each row containing three precious stones, pointing to the three gates in each wall. All together they represent the twelve tribes.
Revelation 21:21, 22 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass. 22I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
Verse 21 continues to describe the brilliance and glory of the temple.
John did not see a temple, because God and the Lamb are its temple. We see the phases of the temple in salvation history. There was the early temple in which the priests had to make repeated sacrifices to atone for the sins of the people. There was a separation between the people and the holiest place in the temple, which the high priest could only enter once a year. The holiest place was separated from the common area by the curtain in the temple, preventing direct communion with God.
Then, after Christ's sacrifice, there was no need for repeated sacrifices because Christ's blood atoned for the sins of the elect once and for all. By that sacrifice we received direct communion with God through faith in Christ Jesus. The curtain in the temple tore in two when Christ died, opening up the holiest place, removing the constraint that prevented direct communion with God.
Here, in John's vision, we see that there is no temple because perfect and intimate communion with God has been established without the need of a temple, which previously symbolized a special place where communion with God was celebrated. In the Holy City communion with God is everywhere and all the time.
The following passages testify to this.
Luke 23:44-46 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.
Numbers 18:2, 3 Bring your fellow Levites from your ancestral tribe to join you and assist you when you and your sons minister before the Tent of the Testimony. 3They are to be responsible to you and are to perform all the duties of the Tent, but they must not go near the furnishings of the sanctuary or the altar, or both they and you will die.
I Kings 6:16, 19 He partitioned off twenty cubits at the rear of the temple with cedar boards from floor to ceiling to form within the temple an inner sanctuary, the Most Holy Place. 19He prepared the inner sanctuary within the temple to set the ark of the covenant of the LORD there.
I Kings 8:6, 10, 21 The priests then brought the ark of the LORD'S covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim. 10When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD. 21I have provided a place there for the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD that he made with our fathers when he brought them out of Egypt.
Ezekiel 41:4 And he measured the length of the inner sanctuary; it was twenty cubits, and its width was twenty cubits across the end of the outer sanctuary. He said to me, "This is the Most Holy Place."
Even Solomon knew that a physical building could not contain God.
I Kings 8:27 But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built?
II Chronicles 2:6 But who is able to build a temple for him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain him? Who then am I to build a temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices before him?
Isaiah 66:1 This is what the LORD says: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?"
Jesus made it clear that the Old Testament temple was a mere foreshadowing of his body.
John 2:19-21 Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." 20The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" 21But the temple he had spoken of was his body.
Hebrews 9:1-12 Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand, the table and the consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. 3Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place. 4Which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now. 6When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. 7But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.
8The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. 9This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. 10They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings--external regulations applying until the time of the new order. 11When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. 12He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.
Hebrews 9:23-25 It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these, 24for Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. 25Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.
Hebrews 10:19-22 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.


we tried to upgrade our memory in a ML350 G6 Server (2 procs).
We tried to install 2 new modules (16GB QR PC3-8500 Reg CAS 7) at Slots P1 D and P2 D. After this we got errors an the complete channel (P2 - 1) and the memory was not allocated.
We removed one module from P2 - D and it worked.
We removed the module from P1 - D and installed it to P2 - D and it worked.
Then we tried to install only two new modules in P1 - A and P2 - A i also get an error. I had 4 new modules and at every constellation i got the same errors.
You should check the quickspecs page to make sure, but I think on the G6 models, there's a maximum of 8 ranks per channel. Since you're using quad-rank DIMMs that means you can only have 2 of those per channel and then you reach that 8 rank limit.
I checked all ressources and you can see that i used only 8 ranks per channel.
I'm sorry, I guess I didn't understand at first how you were adding the memory.
You mentioned installing the memory in slots A, B and C for each CPU which seems correct. Then you added 2 new modules into "D" for each processor and the one on CPU 2 had an error.
When you swapped new modules between CPUs, the problem followed a particular memory module, so it sounds like that one module is bad.


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Milford Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Federal Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE –Richard Ouellette, 28, of Milford, was sentenced in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to 33 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney John P. Kacavas.
Ouellette was previously convicted of accomplice to armed robbery as a result of his participation in a 2004 armed robbery at Hans Market in Manchester, New Hampshire. As a result of that state felony conviction, Ouellette was sentenced to three years imprisonment at the New Hampshire State Prison. Federal law prohibits persons convicted of felony crimes from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
During an undercover operation in January, 2011, Ouellette sold a German, Model Makarov, 9mm pistol and ammunition to agents of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives subsequently determined that the firearm had been reported stolen from a residence during a home burglary in Deering, New Hampshire.
United States Attorney John P. Kacavas praised the efforts of federal law enforcement in this case and said, "ensuring that persons who violate the prohibition against possessing firearms are brought to justice is a central mission of my office. We will continue to work closely with our state and federal partners to enforce federal gun laws."
The case was investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Cole Davis.
Posted by Criminal Justice News at 2:16 PM No comments: Links to this post
Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms and Ammunition Charge
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that RICHARD ARMBRE WILLIAMS, age 42, of Columbia, South Carolina has entered a guilty plea in federal court to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1), 924(a)(2), and 924(e). Senior United States District Judge Margaret B. Seymour accepted the plea and will impose a sentence after she has reviewed the presentence report, which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that at 7:18 pm on July 30, 2013, officers with the Columbia Police Department responded to the Fast Point Convenience Store on Fairfield Road, in reference to an alarm call. Upon arriving at the scene, officers observed WILLIAMS on the side of the building with his hand tucked into his waistline underneath his shirt. WILLIAMS, after making eye contact with officers, abruptly turned and ran. Despite officers yelling for him to stop, WILLIAMS continued running and dropped two firearms to the ground before ultimately being stopped by officers. Officers recovered the two firearms dropped by WILLIAMS, a Smith & Wesson .32 caliber revolver and a Glock 9mm pistol with rounds of 9mm ammunition, and also recovered a small amount of marijuana in two plastic baggies in WILLIAMS' right pocket, along with two box cutter knives.
The investigation revealed that WILLIAMS is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms and/or ammunition based upon his prior state convictions. WILLIAMS has previously been convicted in state court for assault and battery with intent to kill (stemming from shooting in November 1990), assault & battery, voluntary manslaughter (stemming from a shooting in June 1990), possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of marijuana, and driving under suspension.
Mr. Nettles stated that WILLIAMS, who has three prior violent felony convictions, appears to be an armed career criminal subject to enhanced penalties under federal law. If the district court determines that WILLIAMS is an armed career criminal, he faces a statutory mandatory minimum of fifteen (15) years imprisonment with a maximum of life, a fine of $250,000 and a term of supervised release of five (5) years to follow the term of imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Columbia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia office handled the case.
Virginia Man Sentenced to 43 Months in Federal Prison for Trafficking Firearms to Connecticut
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAWAWN RICARDO HALE, 31, of Roanoke, Va., was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 43 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his participation in a conspiracy to traffic firearms from Virginia to Connecticut, and possessing firearms as a convicted felon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation conducted by the New Haven Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Between June and August 2012, HALE sold a total of seven firearms and a quantity of ammunition to an individual in Connecticut. HALE acquired the firearms from Charles Matthew Wilson and others in Virginia, and then transported the firearms to Connecticut. Leshel Branch, of New Haven, assisted HALE in the transportation and distribution of the firearms.
On August 23, 2012, HALE, Wilson and Branch traveled to a location in New Haven where HALE sold two firearms to an individual in exchange for $2,400. Shortly after the transaction, the car carrying the three defendants was stopped by law enforcement. $2000 was recovered from the interior of the car and $400 was seized from Wilson's person.
HALE has been detained since his arrest on August 23, 2012. On November 9, 2012, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license and one count of possession of firearms by a convicted felon.
In 1999, HALE was sentenced in Virginia state court to 40 years of incarceration for second degree murder, and a consecutive three years for use of a firearm in the commission of a murder. The sentencing judge suspended 29 years of the sentence and imposed a 15-year term of probation. HALE was released from prison in November 2011. After his release from federal custody, HALE faces violation of probation proceedings in Virginia, which could result in a sentence of up to 29 years of state incarceration.
Wilson and Branch also pleaded guilty. On April 17, 2013, Wilson was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment, and on November 25, 2013, Branch was sentenced to five years of probation.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony E. Kaplan.
Sentences Imposed in Federal Drug Trafficking and Murder Case
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — Four Lansing men were sentenced this week in U.S. District Court, announced U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Miles, Jr. The men - Charles Kunta Lewis, age 36, Wallee Abdullazeem Al-Din, age 24, his brother, Mustafa Al-Din, age 25, and Ralphael Crenshaw, age 24 - were tried by a jury before U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker during August, 2013. After a two-week trial, they were convicted of conspiring to commit drug trafficking crimes and robbery, and using a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime resulting in murder. The four defendants were found guilty of abducting and murdering Lansing resident Shayla Johnson, age 19, in an effort to obtain drugs. The sentences imposed were 50 years for Mustafa Al-Din, 60 years for Wallee Al-Din, life plus a consecutive term of seven years for Lewis, and 47 ½ years for Crenshaw.
Evidence at trial established that the defendants were members and associates of a violent Lansing street gang known as the Block Burners. The prosecution's evidence demonstrated that during one six-week span in the summer of 2010, the defendants were involved in a pattern of robbing and at times beating victims for drugs, money and other valuable items. Their violent conduct culminated in the kidnaping and first degree murder of Shayla Johnson. The defendants wrongly believed Shayla Johnson had access to a large number of marijuana plants. The defendants planned to kidnap her in order to compel her to disclose the location of the marijuana plants. Acting on their plan, the defendants entered her home, forced her from her bedroom, and brutally shoved her into the trunk of a vehicle. When Ms. Johnson resisted, she was fatally shot multiple times with an assault rifle.
In the fall of 2010, the Ingham County Prosecutor's Office sought the assistance of the U.S. Attorney's Office in the prosecution of the matter because of serious concerns over allegations of obstruction and intimidation by gang members. The decision was made to transfer the case to federal court for prosecution.
"These lengthy sentences highlight the acts of senseless violence committed by these individuals; their actions were particularly heinous and brutal," said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Steven Bogdalek. "It is my hope that these sentences will bring some measure of comfort to the family of Shayla Johnson and to the other victims. I want to commend the investigative efforts our ATF Special Agents, Lansing Police Department, Meridian Township Police Department, Ingham County Prosecutor's Office, and the United States Attorney's Office."
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy P. VerHey and Brian K. Delaney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Emerson, on assignment from the Ingham County Prosecutor's Office.
Madison Man Sentenced to 21 Months on Heroin Charge
MADISON, WIS. -- John W. Vaudreuil, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Darrion Brown, 22, of Madison, Wis., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Barbara B. Crabb to 21 months in federal prison for possession of heroin with intent to distribute. Brown pleaded guilty to this charge on March 13, 2014.
Brown had previously pleaded guilty in state court to a reckless endangerment charge for a May 19, 2012 incident on University Avenue in Madison, in which Brown shot a woman in the back and a man in the shoulder. Brown was out on bail and failed to appear for a September 9, 2013 sentencing in this incident, when he committed additional criminal acts leading to his federal conviction.
In November 2013, Brown took a car from a drug customer as collateral for a drug debt. The wife of the drug customer called Brown and said that she had his money if he would meet her at a nearby restaurant parking lot. She then called the Madison Police who agreed to offer assistance in recovering the car.
When Brown arrived with the car, police officers approached him. Brown presented false identification and then attempted to run, but was promptly apprehended. Police found 19 individually bundled packets of heroin in Brown's pocket, as well as $860 in cash. Before returning the car to the rightful owner, police searched it for any dangerous items or other articles belonging to Brown, and found a digital scale and a loaded handgun.
Judge Crabb found it probable that the gun found in the car was possessed in connection with the possession of heroin with intent to distribute charge, which increased Brown's advisory sentence under the federal guidelines. Judge Crabb also noted Brown's criminal history and drug use. The sentence of 21 months in prison was the maximum sentence recommended under the federal sentencing guidelines. Judge Crabb stated the sentence could be served at the same time as his state sentence, but left the state court free to impose a sentence in the shooting case that would be served in addition to time imposed in the federal drug case.
The charge against Brown was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Burke.
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In the calendar year 2019 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recommitted to the July 1, 2020, start date for the congressionally mandated appropriate use criteria (AUC)/clinical decision support (CDS) program for all advanced diagnostic imaging services. ACR staff has prepared a detailed summary of the AUC provisions of the proposed rule.
To meet its January 1, 2020, deadline, CMS reverted to a proposal from the CY 2018 proposed rule, using a series of G-codes and modifiers for claims processing. The agency notes that it will consider future opportunities to use a unique consultation identifier (UCI) for claims processing and will continue to engage with stakeholders on this topic.
To request feedback on the methodology to identify outlier ordering professionals.
ACR staff and physician volunteers will continue to analyze the AUC provisions of the proposed rule and will submit comments to CMS by the September 10, 2018, deadline. For questions, please contact Katie Keysor at kkeysor@acr.org.


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New England Patriots' superfan has missed two games in 32 years
KIETRYN ZYCHAL
Dec 30, 2007 at 1:10 AM Dec 30, 2007 at 1:15 AM
Pat Noone of Swiftwater is the New England Patriots 2007 fan of the year. On Dec. 23, in front of 70,000 jealous onlookers, Pat Noone of Swiftwater was named the official No. 1 New England Patriot Fan of 2007 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
Make no mistake about it, Pat Noone is not a no one. He is, in fact, a No. One.
On Dec. 23, in front of 70,000 jealous onlookers, Pat Noone of Swiftwater was named the official No. 1 New England Patriot Fan of 2007 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
You didn't know there was such an award, did you?
That's probably because you live in Pennsylvania and you don't drive five-and-a-half hours to the Boston suburbs every time there's a New England Patriots home game. If you did that, as Pat Noone has done for the past 32 years, you would know about the Joseph R. Mastrangelo Patriots Fan of the Year trophy.
Mastrangelo's children established the Fan of the Year award in their father's honor. He was huge Patriots fan and one of the first season ticket holders. Bank of America has been sponsoring the award for 14 years; Fleet Bank sponsored it before that.
Noone was one of more than 600 fans nominated for Fan of the Year. "It was a total surprise to me," he said.
How did they find him, all the way down here in Swiftwater?
"Years ago, I worked at a beer distributor called Eagle Valley Beverage. During one of the NASCAR race weekends, a police officer from Norton, Mass., came into the store. He couldn't believe how decorated it was with New England Patriots stuff. He's the one who submitted me for Fan of the Year," Noone said.
Noone's other credentials for Fan of the Year include the fact that he has missed only two games in 32 years. His house in Swiftwater has a room that is a replica of the Patriots' locker room, complete with a urinal on the wall.
"Every male who visits my locker room wishes he had one," said Noone.
He also has a 9-foot wooden bear dressed like a Patriot on his lawn.
Noone is the business development manager for Yuengling and Son in Pottsville, the oldest brewery in America. His beer-focused job, along with his football obsession, might make you think he's a bachelor. But, there is a wife in his life and she's not suffering.
Kathy Louis Noone owns the Kathy Louis Real Estate Company in Mount Pocono. She and Noone have been married for nine years.
"I went from being no fan of anything to being an incredible Patriots fan," Louis Noone said. Why? "Pat took me to my first Patriots game before we were married and he made it so much fun. I was mesmerized by the excitement. It's infectious. He turned me into a fan," she said.
"I couldn't do this if Kathy wasn't supportive of me," Noone said. "Even my job is supportive of my interest in the Patriots."
Noone received the trophy on the field at Gillette Stadium during the Patriots game against the Miami Dolphins. With him were his wife Kathy; members of the Mastrangelo family; Bob Gallery, president of Bank of America; Robert Kraft, CEO of the New England Patriots; and Noone's friend Tim Gariepy.
"It was so cool to be standing there on the field with a full stadium. It was supposed to be a halftime presentation but there was too much rain, so we did it before the game and they played the video of the ceremony on the jumbo screen during halftime. The whole experience was one of the highlights of my life," Noone said.


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Last week Sarah and I went to Greensboro, North Carolina for Thanksgiving. Due to the fact that Sarah and I had to work on Friday, we did Thanksgiving on Wednesday night and came back on Thursday. I'm not the biggest fan of Thanksgiving food, so I don't have a huge issue with overeating on this holiday. Not sure what it is, but I have extremely good portion control in terms of eating on this day. I didn't eat a ton of anything, but a little bit of everything. My favorite is probably apple/cranberry crisp, which tastes more like dessert. I don't ever really eat this with dinner though because I prefer savory/salty foods for dinner. I usually save the crisp for dessert and it is amazing. I drank a decent amount of wine on Thanksgiving as well. I feel like it goes very well with the food.
I also went to a tailor to get fitted for a tux. My waist measured 35 inches was sounded really big to me, considering I wear 32-33in pants. I looked it up and apparently, vanity sizing makes clothes smaller than they actually are. So your waist is always 2 inches bigger than your pants size. Kinda sketched me out though at the time, because I haven't really noticed any fat gain recently, but usually when your waist size goes up that's usually a fat gain issue. I don't feel like I've gained fat, but may need to shed a few pounds of goo. I'm currently around 185lbs give or take a few pounds. May need to get the scale around 177-180lbs to get that waist measurement where I want it.
Pretty simple, but it works.
Diet has been good, but nothing special. Still loosely tracking my intake, but apparently gained a few lbs of non-muscle. May add back in some cardio because I have been doing it maybe once a week. I plan to keep eating a lot of carbs though, because my energy really starts to drop when I take them out. May reduce dietary fat a little because I have been eating a lot more than usual recently. Probably close to around 70 grams a day sometimes more. Some fat is good for energy, but I don't really need a ton of it. Cutting excess fat vs carbs helps my energy in and out of the gym.
Real Good Pizza – The Supreme – Tastes very good but very small – Overall 7 out of 10.
I missed my post last week due to my 27th birthday. Sarah took the day off and we hung out and ate a lot of food. I ended up taking a rest day from the gym and we went to Whole Foods for lunch. We split a plate of food from their food bar, which cost about $15 a plate. Good thing we shared. I tried mochi for the first time, which apparently is Japanese ice cream and it did not disappoint. It tasted like a doughnut hole with ice cream in it. After Whole Foods, we went to Vitamin Shoppe and got some Birthday Cake Quest Bars and a Pumpkin Pie Halo Top. Both were as good as they sound. My parents came over after work (this was last Tuesday) and we all drove to Stellas in Richmond. It's a very authentic Greek place that is pricey, but worth the money. I was so stuffed at the end of the meal, all I wanted to do was lay down ;). We had hummus, tzataki, pita bread, homemade bread, tiropita (one of the best foods ever made), a greek platter, baklava and coffee to end the meal. I ate so much, I think I'm still working off that fat gain haha.
I recently decided on a more organized workout routine. I stumbled upon FST -7 after watching some random documentary on Netflix. It's a very high volume "Bro Split" that apparently many bodybuilders use to increase their size. The main focus is staying in the hypertrophy range with a mix of compound and isolation movements. The goal is to stretch the fascia tissue of the muscle, which can lead to more growth. So far I have done the Chest and Back workouts and I have been very sore afterward. I took about 4-5 days off before my first serious lifting workout because I wanted to change what I was doing in the gym. Since I didn't know what I wanted to do, I wanted to be fresh when I finally figured it out. These workouts are actually fast enough to complete on my break. This is mainly because your only working one major muscle a day. This is far from a strength program, so I'm interested to see what happens to my current 210lb bench if I lay off of it for awhile. I also plan to do about 30-40 minutes of cardio on my 3 rest days. I haven't done a bro split in a while, but I think I'm really going to enjoy it as I have in the past. May not be "optimal" but doesn't mean it doesn't work, I have stated in my previous article The Bro Split.
My diet has been pretty high protein and low carb following my birthday. My energy has not been fantastic on it, but I was mainly trying to cut some of the bloat, which is basically gone. I plan to move back to a balanced diet to get through these workouts. Trust me if you don't eat enough going to into these workouts, your intensity will die out somewhere between the end of the second and the beginning of the third exercise. The volume is way higher than I'm used too and the food is needed to not only get through the workout but to recover. It's a shame I didn't do one of these workouts on my birthday ;).
The Hokies really don't look great right now. We won on Saturday, but it was not very impressive. Our offense looks very stagnant and predictable. I also have a coworker who is an extreme UVA fan, so I really want the Hokies to dominate them when they play on Friday.
The Giants finally won! It wasn't a very high scoring game, but the game was actually more entertaining than the score would lead you to believe. Eli led the team to a win in OT. I really hate McAdoo, but he seemed to show a lot of emotion in this one and I'm sure it felt good for him to beat a good team.
I start my Taltz injections today. I really can't wait. After reading some reviews, the medicine seems to work pretty quickly for the vast majority of people. The only time it doesn't seem to work is if they have a long history of using other injection type of drugs. It would be really nice to have clear skin again and get rid of this nasty problem.
Halo Top Pumpkin Pie – 9 out of 10.
Been sticking with the upper body workout every day. I like it so far and I actually gained 4 reps on my bench press. I'm at 210lbs for 3 sets of 7, 6, 5 reps. Chins are roughly 50lbs for 6, 5, 4 reps. The rest of my moves are anywhere from 3-4 sets for 10-12 reps at the moment. Light enough to get good form, but heavy enough to really feel the muscle working instead of just going through the motions.
I seemed to be getting more psoriasis flares a few days ago and I have cut a lot of carbs since then. It has had a pretty dramatic short-term effect on my flaring. I read a blog where a lady ate nothing but steak for a month and her psoriasis drastically decreased. I seem to be experiencing something similar. This skin disease is really starting to drive me nuts. I would try anything I can do reduce its symptoms until my medicine arrives.
My meals recently have basically been meat, green veggies and some sauce. I still eat my protein pudding with some low sugar fruit. My goal at the moment is just to keep carbs lower and monitor my skin's progress. I'm keeping the protein and fat higher to support my workouts.
The Giants have once again eclipsed rock bottom. I really hate the current head coach (Ben McAdoo) and cannot wait until he gets fired as he greatly deserves to be. He even said he doesn't care about Eli Manning's current starting streak of around 208 consecutive starts and would consider benching him to win a game. First of all benching Eli is NOT going to help us win a game and no rational human being would think that. Second, you basically just slapped a seasoned veteran across the face by demeaning a very impressive string of starting games. Stop pointing fingers at everyone but yourself and get the hell off my team. Sorry for the rant ;).


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Helping hands, engineering expertise – teaming up to survey earthquake damage in Nepal
Pro bono project will assess and design repair programmes for nine hospitals damaged by earthquakes in April and May and present findings to the Nepali government. The project was undertaken as part of a longer-term programme to support Nepal's resilience to natural disasters, funded by the UK's Department for International Development (DFID).
We, along with consulting engineers Ramboll, have teamed up to lead a pro bono surveying project in Nepal, and play a key role in the earthquake-ravaged country's reconstruction programme.
Four teams of structural engineers and surveyors have been deployed across Nepal to assess the damage at nine hospitals hit by the twin earthquakes of April and May 2015.
The work is being carried out in conjunction with DFID and on behalf of the Nepali government, working with surveyors from the Nepali firm of consulting engineers John Sanday Associates.
The engineers and surveyors will give a detailed breakdown of the damage sustained and propose solutions for how the hospital buildings could be repaired, allowing us to produce an outline report and costings for a programme of repairs.
The project's findings will be presented jointly to the Nepali authorities and DFID, which is funding a programme of disaster resilience and capacity building in Nepal.
We have a long-standing working relationship with DFID, having previously delivered projects for the government department in developing countries around the world.
Before this year's disaster, we were engaged with Ramboll in a DFID-funded programme to assess the earthquake resilience of 59 hospitals across Nepal, and devise a strengthening strategy for the most at risk.
The post-earthquake surveys were undertaken as part of this longer-term programme. Working with Nepali government colleagues as well as DFID's Health Sector Programme team, we, along with Ramboll, were able to identify and survey the most vital hospitals.
The programme also trained and employed 150 Nepali engineers, who were equipped with the latest surveying techniques. Now in the country's time of need, the British and Nepali teams have been reunited as they work to shore up the most badly damaged hospitals.
Leonie Grover, Associate Director, comments:
"Two months after the first devastating earthquake hit Nepal, the TV cameras may have moved on, but the disaster relief work is far from over. And the hard work of rebuilding the country's shattered infrastructure is just beginning.
"I'm returning to Nepal full of excitement, but under no illusions about the scale of the task that awaits me. Turner & Townsend's previous work for DFID in Nepal was all about training Nepali engineers and surveyors and helping the country to prepare for the worst.
"Now the worst has happened, the importance of our work has been thrown into sharp relief. Working with colleagues from Ramboll, DFID, and Nepal, we have a crucial role to play in helping the Nepali government to repair and rebuild several essential hospitals."
Dave Grove, Director at Ramboll, added:
"The teams found the level of damage varied between each building we inspected. We hope our work will help the Nepali authorities and DFID to prioritise which hospital buildings need repairing most urgently.
"Ramboll has enjoyed a long relationship working in Nepal with Turner & Townsend and John Sanday, and we were very pleased to utilise our combined knowledge and experience to help Nepal reconstruct some of its most critical infrastructure."


Im a returning player & had to switch over to the SoD client.
but the loot window (where it shows stats) is horrible, as well as the action bar for my 1-0 keys. i really miss the old loot window & the 2x rows of 5 buttons action/hotkey bar, rectangle shape.
i tried to move my oldschool ui folder from my titan cleint, into the same folder of my SoD installation, so that i could change it via the ingame options menu / ui choice, but it simply crash's the game instantly.
i wouldnt mind using the new ui if there was just a simple way to change the loot window or action bar back to the old ones.
You can change the Hotbars to be almost any size and shape you want with the default UI. Just unlock them (if locked) and drag the corner to a new size.
For example, I use a 2x6 hotbar on the lower left and a 1x6 hotbar above the main chat window. All done using the default hotbar UI piece. The photo below shows my custom UI but that piece is not custom but from the SOE default.
You see the hotbar in the lower left? You can drag your hotbar to look like that with the default UI. You can also make it 1x6 or 3x3 (I think) or several other combinations.


DAYSPA's 2019 Professionals Choice Awards: Vote Now!
We want to hear from you! Let us know about your favorite pro spa products (from head to toe) by casting your vote in DAYSPA's Professionals Choice Awards!
Voters will be entered to win $200 cash, and filling out the form is a snap—just remember to enter the full company and product name as it appears on the bottle, equipment or packaging.
The poll closes on Monday, October 29, so don't hesitate—tell us about your faves now!
The winning voter will be contacted in November, and the winning products will be announced in our March 2019 issue.
Please be sure to enter the company and brand name of your favorite product. For example, if this survey were about ice cream, an appropriate entry would be "Haagen Dazs – Belgium Chocolate".
UPDATE: The poll is officially closed. Thanks to everyone that participated!


Andrew has grown so much over the last year. He has done great in his schoolwork and is learning new things and loves going to RBA! He had a great year of wrestling and has enjoyed learning Jiu Jitsu as well. Some of his greatest wrestling accomplishments this year were placing at Tulsa Kickoff, taking 1st at Districts, and 1st at Regionals. He was very excited to qualify for state and get to have his own banner! Andrew also enjoyed playing baseball this year. He has become so confident, even when trying new things. Andrew loves playing with his brothers, Nerf gun wars, and helping out with his baby brother.


text:
Scott Servers
BEST WEBSITE FOR AUTOMOTIVE NEWS
Jeep Avenger EV To Start At £36,500 In The UK
Jeep's first all-electric vehicle, the Avenger, starts at £36,500 ($45,219) in the UK. The European exclusive Avenger is powered by a 54 kWh battery pack and has a WLTP range of 248 miles.
The Avenger won the prestigious European Car of the Year award a few weeks ago and is set to go on sale in March. A small crossover, the Avenger shares a platform with the Peugeot e-2008 and Vauxhall/Opel Mokka Electric.
With 152 horsepower and a 0-100 mph time of 9 seconds, the Avenger is significantly underpowered compared to its rivals. However, it should do well in Europe, where buyers prioritize style and practicality over performance.
That said, Tesla's recent price cuts could pose challenges for the Avenger and many other EV crossovers. In the UK, the Model Y is now available for £44,990 ($55,626). The Model Y is much more than the Avenger's base point, but offers more standard equipment, a larger trunk and better technology. WLTP also has a range of nearly 40 miles.
In the US, Jeep's first EV is expected to be a full-size luxury SUV to compete with the Rivian R1S. The electric SUV, slated for 2025, is reportedly currently codenamed the Wagoneer S, but the final production variant will be given a more creative name.
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For those wanting the ability to pick up and move easily with your house! A tiny house on wheels, while most compact of our choices, offers something very special. The ability to change your view and location. Prices can range from a value oriented tiny house at $25,000 to a luxury mini palace at $80,000 or more.


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The team of Antipinsky Oil Refinery (managed by JSC New Stream) won the first Sberbank CIB Park Volleyball Cup among mixed teams. 12 teams representing the major companies of the Tyumen region took part in the competitions organized by the Center CIB "Western Siberia" of Sberbank PJSC.
Besides the victory in the team competition, the athletes of Antipinsky Oil Refinery scored a success in the individual competition, too. The specialist of the company's administrative service, Olga Chazova, was recognized as the best defensive player in the tournament.
It is not for the first time that the team of Antipinsky Oil Refinery has proved their skills. For example, the plant team has been for several years the leader of the Park Volleyball Cup of the Tyumen region – the championship traditionally held in the last summer months (1st place in 2014-2015, 2nd place in 2016-2017).