The Stanley Bostitch MCN – 150 StrapShot Metal Connector nailer is a compact lightweight nailer (4.6 pounds), fitted with a rubber comfort grip; meaning that Bostitch MCN 150 is 50% lighter than competitive models for reduced fatigue and added maneuverability.
Are you hanging a picture on a wall or putting together a bookcase? A hammer is a perfect tool for that. Building a house and also installing hardwood floors or planning to put up a furniture repair shop? Then you'll need a nail gun because a hammer won't be enough.
Decking floors and ceilings? A joist hanger nail gun is also your best buddy. Joist hangers are designed to hold timber joints in place. it will also keep the decks and floors strong as the wood ages over time. Installing them properly requires the best nailer and we know also just the right one for you.
More than that, it is equipped with an integrated fastener feeding system, as well as an exposed nail tip design to prevent misfires. And to assure fast and quick but also accurate and precise nail placement or application. This nailer has a built-in safety that forestalls the tool from firing when not placed properly into the connector hole, and it comes with hardened steel wear guards to protect the tool, and an adjustable exhaust to conveniently direct air away from the user.
This nailer ranks among the best in its category and is also offered at a really reasonable price.
Bostitch STRAPSHOT Metal Connector Nailer (MCN 150) is designed to be compact and also lightweight for comfortable long hours of work. The rubber comfort grip also contributes to a comfortable work time on projects. It has also a built-in safety feature that prevents misfires and an exposed nail tip for a more precise application.
On the other hand, the only disadvantages we could notice on this Bostitch drill are the plastic closers that might break easily. One must be careful while handling this tool. In addition, it is important to note that this nail gun cannot handle cold weather very well and will lose efficiency below 30 degrees.
Other than that, the Bostitch MCN 150 Metal Connector Nailer's speed and performance are unquestionable.
Who should buy the Bostitch MCN-150?
In addition, The Bostitch MCN-150 StrapShot nailer comes with a carrying case.
As far as the warranty is concerned, you can be totally assured, this Stanley Bostitch MCN-150 nailer is backed by a 7-year limited warranty also.
We have also gathered for you what other people who bought or used this Bostitch nail gun have said about it.
The BOSTITCH MCN 150 StrapShot Metal Connector Nailer is compact lightweight and yet very powerful and also will undoubtfully provide a great added value. It is also suitable for practically everyone, and it can be used to attach different metal connectors professionally.
So Now, We think it is one of the best nail guns in the market, offered at almost half the price of comparable tools. It has an undeniably high price-to-quality ratio.
We crawl the web regularity to find the best price/reliability ratio for the products you need.
So now, After extensive research, we recommend that you buy the Bostitch MCN 150 Nail Gun at Amazon, as they offer, in our opinion, the best price-to-reliability ratio.


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House of the Dragon: Trailer released for Game of Thrones prequel filmed in Cornwall
Wednesday 6 October 2021, 9:48am
Watch: The new trailer for HBO's House of the Dragon
The trailer for HBO's hotly-anticipated Game of Thrones prequel has been released after filming in Cornwall.
House of the Dragon is set 200 years prior to events in GoT and tells the story of fictional family the Targaryens.
Filming for the new series started earlier this year, and a number of scenes were shot in Cornwall - including near St Michael's Mount, Holywell Bay and Penhale Camp.
The trailer features quick snippets of fight sequences and jousting and is voiced by actor Matt Smith, who plays Prince Daemon Targaryen.
Former Dr Who actor Smith plays Prince Daemon Targaryen in the new series.
He says: "Gods, kings, fire and blood. Dreams didn't make us kings — dragons did."
The production was officially confirmed in April earlier this year, days after Warner Bros-branded film crews were spotted near Holywell Bay.
Smith and other cast members have since been seen filming scenes on Cornish beaches on a number of occasions.
Most recently they were pictured in costume at Kynance Cove on the Lizard, where Smith spoke to locals at a nearby cafe.
Filming at Kynance Cove on the Lizard. Credit: BPM Media
The series, which is slated for release next year, is based on George R.R. Martin's book 'Fire & Blood'.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Q: How do I enable colored vertices in OpenGL ES (using GLKit)? I started learning OpenGL this weekend, and discovered quite a learning curve. Most things I've managed to grapple through, but now I'm stuck...
I have created an array of vertices. Each vertex (vertexT) consists of 3 vectors (position, normal and colour). Each vector (GLKVector3) is a triple of floats (i.e., x,y,z or r,g,b). Since GLKVector3 is defined to be applicable to colors, I am assuming that opengl is happy to work with color values that do not specify a third float (ie alpha)
My function to setup my gl objects looks like this:
    glBindVertexArrayOES(_vertexArrayObject);
glGenBuffers(1, &_vertexBuffer);
glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, _vertexBuffer);
glBufferData(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, sizeof(vertexT) * _vertexCount, [_vertexData mutableBytes], GL_STATIC_DRAW);

glEnableVertexAttribArray(GLKVertexAttribPosition);
glVertexAttribPointer(GLKVertexAttribPosition, 3, GL_FLOAT, GL_FALSE, sizeof(vertexT), BUFFER_OFFSET(0));

glEnableVertexAttribArray(GLKVertexAttribNormal);
glVertexAttribPointer(GLKVertexAttribNormal, 3, GL_FLOAT, GL_FALSE, sizeof(vertexT), BUFFER_OFFSET(sizeof(GLKVector3)));

So far so good. I'm not using the color part of the interleaved array, and the whole object renders as white, using the following calls in my draw function:
glBindVertexArrayOES(_vertexArrayObject);
glDrawElements(GL_TRIANGLES, _triangleCount * 3, GL_UNSIGNED_SHORT, [_triangleData mutableBytes]);

So now I want to set up a per-vertex color for my model, so I added the following:
glEnableVertexAttribArray(GLKVertexAttribColor);
glVertexAttribPointer(GLKVertexAttribColor, 3, GL_FLOAT, GL_FALSE, sizeof(vertexT), BUFFER_OFFSET(sizeof(GLKVector3)*2));

But it is still white. I managed to find a question on SO that sounded like my problem, but the offered solution was to call glEnable with GL_COLOR_MATERIAL and as far as I can tell, this constant is not valid in OpenGL ES (according to the sdk page at Khronos).
I'm sure it is something simple. But I'm not seeing it. A little help?

A: Eventually found a way to enable color materials in GLKit.
This line does the trick:
self.effect.colorMaterialEnabled = GL_TRUE;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Being able to lose myself in the creative process of bringing my imagined environments to life at HiHo is what continues to fuel my love for the business. This particular idea started from the thought process of wanting to use old music sheets in layers of creams.
Lilac branches from the yard, a lot of glue gun magic and the memory of my eighth grade class production of Midsummer Night's Dream all "played" a part in the Christmas display results shown in this video. Enjoy and remember to shop local.
How Long Does Your Best Take?
Do any of really know when we are at our best? We all know those people who were everything in high school, even amazing, liked and admired by every student and praised by their teachers and coaches. I'm not really talking about them, (I like to believe they are well, but no longer amazing, if you know what I mean). I'm referring to moments in time when average people's talents and strengths shine through. When you are in the moment you don't see the best, you see the task. It is in the reflection that the best is recognized.
For weeks now customers have been asking how long it takes to decorate the shop for the holiday season. We reply within two weeks, but really? On reflection it takes a year. It's the time of year that the shop is the best reflection of its self, of me, the staff, the merchandise mix, our community, my family and that takes lots of time.
It is in reviewing past year's photos that I recognized the best of Christmas pasts at HiHo. However the tasks of the past two weeks (the physical labor) with my head down and focused I missed the best of so many. The labor of love, the passion behind my energy and excitement of sharing it with a supportive community, all exhausting, all encompassing and then in one moment it's done and it's the best.
With the Annual Open House done, Black Friday behind us and another calendar year about to begin, I believe, it's bigger, it's better, it's the best and because I am who I am, a "Mom & Pop" retailer to my core, I will believe that next year too.
The shop"HiHo" is nearly completely decked for the holidays. It was not without commitment, planning ,the will to work a stupid amount of hours and most importantly not without an amazing amount of supportive friends and family. Yup, each year we transform each room of HiHo into a fantasy of holiday splendor. These are just some of pictures of when it all began... Bev working overhead. Maggie and Carol decorating the upside down wall tree. Whitney and Cory completed the main room tree. Vicki, Cathy and Brianna tackled the snow trees..Here is a short video that gives you a feel for that evening.
All the merchandise is priced and sorted and ready to go before they all arrive, supposedly ;) The magic was all done in two days and three nights, the trees, the lights, props, even the furniture layouts. I still have not had a moment to take any photos and it has been two weeks since the decorating began and I continue to fine tune it, replenish it and take much pleasure in sharing the labor of love with our customer base. To my delight customers have been photographing the rooms. Their photos give me the opportunity to see HiHo though their eyes, they are very special photos. I thought I would share, this first one is of the Mad Men New Year's Party theme. The Rustic Cardinal/Bird theme holds it's own, with two snowy trees and lots of bird ornaments. We went for a traditional colors mixed with tartan plaid with our Hans Christian Anderson theme. Note the skates in the basket. Bright jewel tones and fruit ornaments are featured in our Canning and Pickling theme. Sweet Dear, a theme I love, lots of pink and flowers. Did you say Chocolate? All faux confections, but still a really yummy theme ;) Our year round Christmas room has been tidied up since these photos were taken, however still fun to see through the eyes of customers. These were all sent to me through the power of our HiHo face book page. I will do my best to take the time this week to take some photos with my camera too.
Yes on this week of thanks I'm grateful , very grateful, for family, friends and the support I continue to be blessed with , while I follow my passion. Happy Thanksgiving.


We are associated with Digital Fourth Amendment Research and Education, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that focuses on producing empirical, peer-reviewed research into the surveillance state.
The Snowden revelations opened up a vast new field for researchers interested in the Fourth Amendment, its applicability to online environments, and its use and misuse to justify mass surveillance by the US government. "Surveillance Studies", a subfield of sociology, has existed for many years and is influential in Canada and the European Union, but surveillance studies scholars have typically not used empirical tools to create a common set of facts to contextualize the discussion on surveillance and government power. That is our goal.
Our first working paper, Government Surveillance and Internet Search Behavior, co-authored by board members Alex Marthews and Catherine Tucker, was the most-downloaded paper on SSRN in July 2014, and is under review at Management Science.
Future working papers include work on predictive policing and demographic effects of responses to surveillance, incorporating insights from law, economics, marketing and computer science. As we grow, we will be offering small grants to scholars to pursue this kind of research. If you are interested in helping support us, please contact Board President Alex Marthews.


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White House finalizing plan to close Guantanamo prison
By The Tico Times
Chantal Valery/AFP
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The White House is in the "final stages" of a plan to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, spokesman Josh Earnest said Wednesday.
President Barack Obama made the closure of the controversial offshore prison a priority when he took office in 2009, but the plan has faced numerous setbacks, including Congress blocking the transfer of detainees to U.S. prisons.
"The administration is in fact in the final stages of drafting a plan to safely and responsibly [close] the prison at Guantanamo Bay and to present that to Congress," Earnest said. "That has been something that our national security officials have been working on for quite some time, primarily because it is a priority of the president."
The operation of the center in Cuba is not an effective use of government resources, Earnest told reporters.
"This is complicated work, but we have made a lot of important progress," he added.
The Guantanamo U.S. military facility is also opposed by the Cuban government, with which the U.S. recently restored diplomatic relations.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez called for the return of the territory to Cuba while in Washington on Monday.
Washington has slowly been sending prisoners back to their home countries or to third countries, something that needs to continue if the facility is to shut, Earnest said.
Other detainees need to be prosecuted or reviewed for release, he said.
A group of six Yemeni detainees were transferred to Oman, the United States said in June, and a new special envoy tasked with closing the prison was also recently appointed by Secretary of State John Kerry.
But the transfer of detainees to the United States was opposed by Congress, and some lawmakers have tried to halt all transfers out of Guantanamo, saying the releases could lead to more attacks.
Earnest said he was concerned about seeing Congress "repeatedly impede the effort to close the prison at Guantanamo bay despite bipartisan agreement that closing the prison is actually in the national security interest of the United States."
Just under half of the detainees remaining have been cleared to leave but have yet to be resettled or repatriated.
The Tico Times
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Malaysian Law Firms
Law / By Olivia Terry
Skrine & Co. Malaysia is home to one of Malaysia's most prestigious and renowned legal firms. Skrine and Co. was established in 1963. The firm is based on the principle of integrity, which has been the foundation of law. The firm was formed in 2000 and became a stand-alone entity. Today, the firm is Malaysia's oldest and largest law firm. It has a global reputation and still adheres to its core values. High-skilled and experienced lawyers from the firm are its assets.
Businessman selling houses
Lim Chambers has been a leading law firm in Malaysia since 2013. They provide a collaborative and innovative approach to the practice of law. It has many Malaysia-qualified partners that use a collaborative way to practice their trade. Strong working relationships have been established with many international companies, such as top law firms, accounting practices, forensic accountants and commercial investigators. A full range of legal services is offered by the company, making it one the leading choices for your legal needs.
Christopher & Lee Ong Malaysia is a law firm that provides full-service legal services. It has around 100 lawyers, and many trainee solicitors. Partners of TerraLex use a collaborative approach when providing legal services as they are a part of the international legal network. Dato Azmi was the founder of the firm and has a strong reputation for providing clients with integrated solutions. Three offices are located in Malaysia so that the firm can meet all of its clients' legal needs.
This firm has grown steadily. Originally consisting of three partners, Jeff Leong, Poon & Wong now has over 38 lawyers. This success is due to the company's commitment to quality legal service. Through its global electronic database access and centralized systems, it can serve all clients. It provides the highest level of service to its clients. Call the supervising partner to ask questions.
Skrine is Malaysia's most reputable law firm. Skrine was founded in 1999. It has enjoyed significant growth for the past 20 years. Dato' Zulkifly Rafique leads the Corporate Department. The practice group focuses on specialised practice areas to maximise its depth of expertise and service. These other departments are: telecommunications; education; and real estate. In order to ensure that clients receive the best possible legal assistance, the lawyer plays a vital role.
The top award-winning law firm in Malaysia is Shang & Co. Shang & Co. has highly experienced lawyers in the areas of litigation and dispute resolution. These lawyers also offer cost-effective solutions for their clients. These lawyers have a vast understanding of all aspects law. This will allow them to assist in getting the best possible outcome. This is an excellent choice for all your legal needs. Reputable attorneys from this firm are well-versed in many areas.


We'll start with a thorough inspection of your residential or commercial property, recommend targeted and effective treatments, and then treat any areas that are harboring pests or places they are attracted to. For all of our customers, we provide treatments with federally-approved products that are safe to use in your home and around children and pets.
Pests never take an off-season in the South!
After our initial treatment, we can help control the long-term risk of pest problems as well. Our pest control technicians professionally evaluate your home or building and then create an integrated plan combining pest deterrence, physical barriers, suggestions on how to eliminate attracting pests and well as periodic application of pest control agents and regular inspections.
Some bugs, insects and rodents are a concern to the safety and well being of you and those around you, as well as your property and grounds. It's our goal to help you address these concerns as soon as possible.


LEEDS UNITED have released nine players, including former Arsenal goalkeeper Stuart Taylor and ex-captain Rodolph Austin.
Austin made 109 appearances for the Whites in three season.
Also released were Daniel Atkinson, Austin, Luke Booker, Alex Cairns, Afolabi Coker, Taylor, Zac Thompson, Michael Tonge, and Aidan White.
However Lewie Coyle, Tyler Denton, Eric Grimes, Luke Parkin, Kalvin Phillips, Alex Purver, Jake Skelton, and Lewis Walters were all offered new deals.
Leeds finished 15th in the Championship and had their transfer embargo lifted yesterday.


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Cittiglio é uma comuna italiana da região da Lombardia, província de Varese, com cerca de 3.717 habitantes. Estende-se por uma área de 11 km², tendo uma densidade populacional de 338 hab/km². Faz fronteira com Brenta, Caravate, Castelveccana, Gemonio, Laveno-Mombello.

Demografia

Cidades-irmãs
  Camerota, Itália

Comunas de Varese (província)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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David Wightman and Silberpfeil Prepare for World Young Horse Championships
July 27, 2016 by Annan Hepner
David Wightman and Silberpfeil. photo by Sue Stickle Photography.
Voerde, Germany – July 27, 2016 – David Wightman, based out of Adventure Farms with his wife Kathleen Raine in Murrieta, California, is getting ready for the next big step with Silberpfeil, a 6-year-old Hanoverian gelding. Wightman on Silberpfeil (Silberschmied-Barcelona, Boss), as well as Endel Ots on Lucky Strike, will represent the United States at the Longines FEI/WBFSH World Breeding Dressage Championships for Young Horses held at the National Equestrian Center in Ermelo, Netherlands, July 28-31.
The pair placed fourth in last year's 5-year-old division at the Markel/USEF Young and Developing Dressage Horse Championships hosted at Lamplight Equestrian Center, in Wayne, Illinois. After taking a hiatus from showing until early this year, Wightman qualified Silberpfeil for the world championships in Ermelo with CDI scores up to 85 percent in the FEI 6-year-old test.
We caught up with Wightman during his final days of preparation in Germany with Johann Hinnemann before he heads to Ermelo for the championships.
What do you think allows Silberpfeil to excel in the Young Horse Program?
The quality of his gaits. This horse has three gaits that are a very high quality, and it makes him stand out. We bought him as a 3-year-old from Johann Hinnemann, and I could see even at such a young age that he had three quality gaits.
What inspires you to focus on working with young horses?
We can't afford the trained ones, and if we want to compete at an international level, then we have to train the young horses. We've always trained our own young horses and have had success. For example, horses like Partous, Breanna, Avontuur, and Garein all competed as young horses and then matured to compete in top CDIs, world championships and the Olympics.
So you enjoy working with young horses because they are a blank slate and you can mold them into a top Grand Prix competitor?
Absolutely. To be honest, I prefer working with young horses. I'd rather have a horse you can really develop a rapport with so you can become a team.
What have you been working on with Silberpfeil leading up to the championships in Ermelo?
I have been working on trying to get him a bit more active and quick in his hind legs.
What are a few of his highlights that the judges often reward?
Usually, they reward his walk because it's very high quality. Whenever everything goes well, he gets solid scores throughout his test.
What is his personality like around the barn?
He is such an unbelievably sweet horse. He always wants to be around people, and he is very friendly and outgoing. When I am riding, he loves to work, but he can be a little bit hot. At the beginning of the year I had not had him out since Chicago [the 2015 Markel/USEF Young and Developing Dressage National Championships] so he was a little fresh at the first show of the year. The second show he was much better and by Del Mar he was really good.
It's a process throughout the year when you are training a young horse, especially with a 6-year-old when they are learning the flying change. Our qualifications are pretty early in the year, and most countries qualify much later. So our horses have to be really prepared very early on, and you have to focus through the winter on starting the flying changes. The changes have to be ready and immediately the young horse has to do really well in the show. It's not so easy for a young horse! It's a lot of pressure very fast.
What kind of ride does he typically need?
If his rideability is taken care of and if I can do a good job as a rider and preparing him well, he is usually really quite good. He is not spooky or distracted, so as long as I do my job he does a good job too.
What is your schedule like in Europe?
We arrived a few days ago and have had three to four days of training already. On Wednesday [July 27] we will head to Ermelo. Endel [Ots] and I are currently with Johann Hinnemann in Germany. Silberpfeil had a bit of a rough trip coming over, but he is settled and working really well. He was imported from Europe, but it's his first time coming back to compete.
I am very thankful for the opportunities with this horse and for [U.S. Dressage Young Horse Coach] Christine Traurig's help preparing me for Ermelo. I was not able to travel to Europe as early as I had wanted to, so we did a lot of work at home, and Christine was a big part of that.
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They are networks that help brands manage social/influencer programs.
I mean call us what you want – storytellers, influencers, bloggers, early adopters etc. We all want to work with brands we love and now with such a saturated market place these aggregates prove to help both the brand and the blogger sift through the monotony.
The crazy part is, influencers are now taking up a good chunk of any marketer's campaign.
By far my favorite community. They do amazing job of pairing you with brands that work to your interests, lifestyle and content. In total I've done 14 campaigns through them partnering with brands like thredUP, Publix, WeWood, Baxter of California and Gerber to name a few. The dashboard isn't as pretty as some of the others but it's useful.
They do a brilliant job at curating all the content topics you need, social links, and they set a campaign manager to help you through the process.
You get paid by clicks. The more your click goals are met the higher your goals/limits will become. Which translates to higher pay-outs. They pay after within 10 days of expired campaign through Paypal.
Only thing to note, campaigns usually start quick after you've been approved for it. So make sure the timing works!
I was introduced to them at Lucky Fabb conference in LA 4 years ago. Pretty sure they were a start-up then and really trying to pave the way for other communities. I have yet to receive a campaign through them but they do provide (2) neat service products that I use.
They turn your stats/social channels into a marketing tool – you can share your Fohr Card website or download your stats (real time) for digital media kit.
It's a trusted source for sure. Bloglovin' is the blogger hub. So it seems like a natural fit. It's still a new(ish) concept for them so I've noticed a few kinks within their dashboard, but I'm still willing to give it a try.
I've received a lot of potential campaigns through my Izea dashboard but I've yet to accept one. These you really need to take the time to read and vet before you offer your bid. Where Linqia really pairs you up with your interests, Izea pushes programs for specific social channels. Tweets vs. Facebook posts. They want you to "upgrade" your plan to have better access to brands, but on the bright side they provide referral links on select products through eBay and Target and also give their users discounts to other retailers like Best Buy and Jet.
I really enjoy the mechanics of their platform – apply for active campaigns and/or pitch to other brands. The user experience is super clean and quick. I have yet to receive a campaign through them but I will point out a good percentage of their brands are European and therefor want an European influencer. Not all brands are like that though OR they would prefer the American market, either way read what group they are looking for before you apply and potentially look like a dummy. I'm still going to use it because surprisingly enough, I've got some European visitors to this little blog of mine 🙂 oh heyyy guys!
I really hope you guys enjoyed this post and possibly learned a thing or two.
Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions on this.
Or have any questions for me in general.
*You need to apply to these communities. They don't accept everyone.
Thank you for sharing this! Worth taking a look!


Clinical Research Professionals (CRPs) come from a wide variety of backgrounds. CRPs may have backgrounds in nursing, pharmacy, medical technology, business administration, health record maintenance, statistics, biology, teaching, or in other areas. CRPs work in various settings such as cooperative research groups; academic and private institutions; private offices; pharmaceutical, device, and biotechnology companies; Clinical Research Organizations (CROs); Site Management Organizations (SMOs); independent research and development organizations; or organizations involved in the management of clinical trials. These varying backgrounds and settings contribute to the unique knowledge and diverse expertise of CRPs.
The Society of Clinical Research Associates (SOCRA) has developed an International Certification Program in order to create an internationally-accepted standard of knowledge, education, and experience by which CRPs will be recognized as Certified Clinical Research Professionals (CCRP®s) in the clinical research community. The standards upon which this certification program is based have been set forth by this organization to promote recognition and continuing excellence in the ethical conduct of clinical trials.
SOCRA developed the Certified Clinical Research Professional Certification program to evaluate a CRP's knowledge, understanding, and application of the conduct of clinical investigations involving humans in accordance with the International Conference on Harmonisation Guideline for Good Clinical Practice (E6) (ICH/GCP), ICH Clinical Safety Data Management: Definitions and Standards for Expedited Reporting (E2A), the United States Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and the ethical principles that guide clinical research consistent with the principles of the Nuremberg Code, the Belmont Report and the Declaration of Helsinki. This Examination does NOT test on state, provincial, Ministry of Health, local, or institutional policy.
The SOCRA Certification Examination is offered in two formats: paper and pencil (at SOCRA sponsored sites), and computer based (at PSI testing centers).
Hosted exams offered in various location throughout the US and Canada.
Visit the paper and pencil exam schedule for dates and locations.
A complete application must be received by the deadline date as stated on the examination schedule. Applications received after the deadline will be considered for an alternate examination date designated by the applicant.
Score reports mailed to you in 4-6 weeks after exam.
Offered at PSI testing centers throughout the world.
Visit www.psiexams.com for a list of test centers.
Allow 2-4 weeks for application processing. Once application is approved, schedule exam at a PSI testing center. Exam sessions are available at least 6 weeks in advance. You will have the best opportunity to schedule your preferred date if you contact PSI 4-6 weeks prior to your preferred date.
Score reports received immediately upon completion of exam.
CCRP certification is awarded after two criteria are met: 1) a successful written application and 2) a passing CCRP examination score.
The SOCRA "Certified Clinical Research Associate" (CCRA) examination was successfully implemented in August of 1995. In January, 2000, the certification designation changed from "Certified Clinical Research Associate" (CCRA) to "Certified Clinical Research Professional" (CCRP®). The purpose of this change was to embrace the diversity of the SOCRA membership, recognizing that all may have different job titles, but all are clinical research professionals (CRPs). The certification continues to reflect a common, strong foundation of knowledge and practice in research regulations and Good Clinical Practice (GCP).
For more information please view the candidate handbook.
Allow 2/4 weeks for application processing. Once application is approved, schedule exam at a PSI testing center. Exam sessions are available at least 6 weeks in advance. You will have the best opportunity to schedule your preferred date if you contact PSI 4-6 weeks prior to your preferred date.


MTM Business Systems offers File Labeling services to setup, convert or add to filing systems. MTM Business Systems will work with you to analyze your current filing system and recommend a system based on requirements, needs and potential benefits.
Our professional service bureau will apply the new labels to your file folders saving countless worker hours during this process. Our service bureau can also print labels and apply the labels on site at your facility or we can have labels printed and applied to new folders at the factory, training your employees or apply the labels off site and ship your completed folders to you. MTM Business Systems utilizes the innovative Virtual Labels concept to print on-demand color code strip labels. These labels are custom designed to meet your filing system needs. Virtual Labels also offers 'RFID+File Labels' (patent pending) for RFID File Conversions.
Labeling systems can be designed from scratch, replacing an existing sticky label system or swapping out an older version of a printing system. MTM Business Systems will work with you to design an efficient filing system to help locate files faster, reduce costly misfiles and for utilizing your filing storage system properly.
MTM Business Systems can take an existing database or extract data from legacy systems to help populate a database for batch printing labels. Color Coded Labels should always include a bar code for future expansion into bar code file tracking or document imaging. Bar code file tracking allows you to track the location of file folders and keep a log of all the activity associated with those folders.


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Home / India News / NDA's Bihar seat-share deal: BJP, JD(U) to contest 17 seats each, LJP gets 6 in 2019 Lok Sabha elections
NDA's Bihar seat-share deal: BJP, JD(U) to contest 17 seats each, LJP gets 6 in 2019 Lok Sabha elections
The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) will contest on 17 seats each out of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party will contest on 6 seats in the state.
india Updated: Dec 29, 2018 00:37 IST
HT Correspondent
Hindustan Times, New Delhi
BJP president Amit Shah with Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan and his son, Chirag Paswan, at a press conference in New Delhi on Sunday. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal (United) will contest 17 seats each in Bihar in next year's Lok Sabha elections, leaving the remaining six for Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) announced on Sunday, allaying apprehensions of unease in the ruling coalition after the desertion of Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP).
Union minister Paswan will not contest the Lok Sabha polls, due in April-May, and will get a nomination in the Rajya Sabha at the earliest opportunity.
"We will win more than the 31 seats that we clinched in the 2014 elections," BJP president Amit Shah told a press conference attended by Kumar and Paswan in Delhi.
Shah was referring to the combined NDA tally in Bihar five years ago, when the RLSP was a part of the alliance and the JD(U) fought the elections independently. After an hour-long meeting with the allies, Shah said the three parties will soon identify the seats they will contest and make an announcement. Bihar sends 40 parliamentarians to the Lok Sabha.
The BJP contested 30 seats and won 22 in 2014, and the new deal meant that it will fight fewer seats than it bagged five years ago to make way for Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U).
The LJP won six of the seven seats it contested and the RLSP, which is now a part of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA), bagged all three seats that it fought.
The agreement is a victory of sorts for the JD(U), which has two members in the Lok Sabha but wanted to contest the same number of seats as the BJP.
Watch: Lok Sabha Elections 2019: BJP, JD(U) will fight at 17, & LJP at 6 seats in Bihar
In 2013, Kumar walked out of the NDA and joined hands with arch-rival Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress two years later.vh The alliance swept the Bihar assembly elections in 2015, but it suffered a big blow after Kumar returned to the NDA last year.
"We will form a government under [Prime Minister] Narendra Modi," Paswan said in the Capital, stressing that there was no strain in the alliance. He also thanked finance minister Arun Jaitley, who played a key role in sealing the deal with the BJP.
Chirag, his son and a Lok Sabha member, triggered a flutter last week, asking the Centre's ruling BJP to treat allies "with respect". He appeared displeased that a seat-sharing formula was not agreed upon despite several rounds of talks. His party also asked the BJP to announce a deal by December 31.
As the NDA put up a united front in Delhi, Bihar CM Kumar said, "We will jointly campaign and form the government at the Centre."
He added that the decision to send Paswan, a nine-time Lok Sabha MP, to the Upper House was a recognition of his long service to the nation.
In Patna, JD(U) spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan said Paswan's continuation in the NDA will give the alliance a psychological edge.
"More than the agreement, the very fact that the LJP will be in the NDA will now nullify the advantage the grand alliance was expecting [in case of Paswan's desertion]," he said.
But the opposition targeted the BJP for agreeing to contest just 17 seats. On Twitter, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said the deal proved the NDA was in a bad shape in the state.
Kushwaha, who is now an ally of Tejashwi, said, "As far as Ram Vilas Paswan is concerned, he foresees the weather. The NDA is not going to win a single seat in Bihar. He knows it. That is why he did the right thing by asking for a Rajya Sabha berth."
Political expert Saibal Gupta said the deal, for now, will help in the consolidation of the NDA, especially after Chirag struck a discordant note and Kushwaha severed ties with the coalition over apprehensions of getting a raw deal.
"And once consolidation starts, the alliance will be strengthened," said Gupta, a member-secretary of the Asian Development Research Institute in Patna.
Ram Vilas Paswan
Janata Dal
Lok Janshakti Party
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/nda-s-bihar-seat-share-deal-bjp-jd-u-to-contest-17-seats-each-ljp-gets-6-in-2019-lok-sabha-elections/story-cQQcV4TJRTEzCnotHqYUIM.html
NDA's Bihar seat-share deal: BJP, JDU to contest 17 seats each, LJP bags 6
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/caa-is-to-atone-for-sin-of-partition-says-union-minister-pratap-sarangi/story-4CPnoZaObjwIrrI9pU5LKO.html
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/cisf-constable-arrested-for-sexually-assaulting-colleague-s-daughter/story-skhqGRJuZTa8qeJyE4j54M.html


text:
Howard O. Lorenzen
Howard O. Lorenzen (1912-2000)
THE "FATHER OF ELECTRONIC WARFARE"
Major and graduation year: Electrical Engineering, BS '35
Career success: After five years of designing commercial radios and components for Colonial Radio and Zenith Radio, alumnus Howard O. Lorenzen became an electrical engineer at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in 1940. During his career, Lorenzen helped with developments in radar, electronic countermeasures systems, and intelligence satellite designs. Lorenzen led the NRL's Galactic Radiation and Background (GRAB) program, the earliest successful American reconnaissance satellite program and the first electronic intelligence satellite. His electronic countermeasures discipline detected any electromagnetic energy that an enemy might transmit for military purposes and either interfered with or took advantage of it for intelligence purposes.
The best defense: Lorenzen went on to become the NRL's first superintendent of electronic warfare in 1966. During that time, he led the development of defense equipment for naval aircraft to guard against guided missiles. He also helped develop America's first portable radar equipment. His electronic countermeasures research after World War II helped immensely during the Cold War, where his ideas were used successfully with Soviet technology.
The sky's the limit: In 1971, Lorenzen was made superintendent of space systems for the NRL. He oversaw the development of payload electronics and ground readout systems for communications, ocean surveillance, early global positioning systems (GPS) technology, and more. Lorenzen retired in 1973, and he passed away in 2000.
A lasting legacy: Lorenzen's innovations and breakthroughs led him to be considered by many to be "the father of electronic warfare." In 2010, the U.S. Navy named the USNS Lorenzen – a 12,575-ton, 534-foot-long, missile range instrumentation ship–after him. Technology Lorenzen and his colleagues developed were the foundation of the electronic warfare today.


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With AAM's Thunderstorm platform, exhibitors can investigate, source, purchase and manage a range of services that will enhance the overall cinema experience while driving new business opportunities. The company will be debuting Thunderstorm at CinemaCon 2016, with demos from its newest partners available on its stand (#2715A). Exhibitors can sign up to Thunderstorm for free at www.aamthunderstorm.com.


text:
ACCEPTED

#### According to
Index Fungorum

#### Published in
Lichens of Italy. An Annotated Catalogue (Torino), Monografia XII, Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali, Torino 429 (1993)

#### Original name
Catillaria laureri Hepp ex Th. Fr.

### Remarks
null

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Tharsus Group win best SME at factory awards
Tharsus Group has been named Best SME at the Best Factory Awards. The Blyth-based original equipment designer and manufacturer, won the award – run by Cranfield School of Management
Brian Palmer of Tharsus
Tharsus Group has been named Best SME at the Best Factory Awards.
The Blyth-based original equipment designer and manufacturer, won the award – run by Cranfield School of Management – less than 18 months after its full product manufacturing facility was opened.
The company manufactures a wide range of products for customers, from hydrogen energy storage units and electric vehicle charging points to aqueous parts washers, and judges highlighted 70% skills flexibility, the cell-based approach to manufacturing and continuous improvement as key factors that underpin Tharsus' success.
Brian Palmer, chief executive officer of Tharsus Group, said: "We are honoured to have been recognised by such a respected organisation as Cranfield School of Management. Our original aim in entering the awards was to benchmark against world-class standards, so I'm delighted that the team has made such rapid progress."
Blyth Spartans 3 Ilkeston 2
Malcolm Pratt watched Blyth Spartans edge out Ilkeston in an exciting Evo-Stik League Northern Premier Division game at Croft Park last night
Wade brings up his 150 "delighted" by Blyth's progress
Blyth Spartans complete Frickley Athletic double
Chorley 3 Blyth Spartans 0
Blyth Spartans suffered only their second loss in 11 league matches at the hands of Chorley
Blyth Spartans upbeat despite FA Cup exit
Barwell Football Club 1 Blyth Spartans 2
Pleased To Meet You expands in Newcastle city centre's High Bridge
Business software giant Sage to take on 60 apprentices in a wide array of departments
Fitness studio in Newcastle's railway arch is first of its kind in UK
Business Interview: Paul Lewney, managing director of Kavli UK


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The final entry deadline for the 2018 Thoroughbred Makeover has passed, and our field of contestants is set! So let's crunch some numbers and find out more about the Makeover Class of 2018.
Dec. 1, 2017, marked the opening date for trainer applications, as well as the date that Makeover horses could start their re-training.
Our field of 794 accepted trainers was announced on Feb. 1, selected from a record-high number of applications and representing a 37 percent increase in acceptances from 2017.
Trainers had until Aug. 1 to designate the horse they intended to compete, and some trainers may have started with one Thoroughbred entered and then switched to another. As a result, the total number of horses that have been in training for the Makeover over the last eight or so months is 737.
At the close of entries, 560 horses were registered for the competition. Horses (especially green horses!) being the way they are, we anticipate some additional scratches in the final weeks before the Makeover, but expect to have between 400 and 500 Thoroughbreds competing.
Ten different disciplines are offered at the Makeover, and horses can compete in up to two disciplines.
A full two-thirds of horses entered in the Makeover fall between 16 and 16.3 hands. Our shortest entries (three of them) are 14.3 hands; our tallest entries (four of them) are 17.3 hands.
Two out of every three horses you'll see at the Makeover will be bays. Those of you on chestnuts and grays will be easy to pick out in a crowd!
Almost three-quarters of our entries are geldings. Five stallions are also entered.
The minimum age for a Makeover contestant is 3, and we have a fair number entered this year (27), but 4- and 5-year-olds are the most popular age group by far: they comprise over half of the entrants. Our three oldest entrants were foaled in 2005, making them 13 years old as they embark on their second careers! Forty-six horses were foaled in 2008 or later, making them eligible for the inaugural "Iron Horse" award.
As expected, Kentucky again tops the list of states/provinces where Makeover entrants were bred, representing one-third of the entire field. Twenty-nine states are represented and four Canadian provinces, plus Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and Mexico.
You'll likely find many familiar names in the pedigrees of Makeover entrants—many of racing's top sires, of course, but some lesser-known names also crop up frequently, perhaps indicating that sire is a particularly noteworthy producer of sport horses. One hundred and twenty three sires are represented at the Makeover with more than one entrant.
In addition, 14 of the top 20 leading sires of 2017 are represented.
Seven dams are also represented by more than one entry: Chessie, Douce Expression, Exclusive Hopper, Livermore Valley, Pandora's Storm, Party Fever and Samantha D. The two entrants out of Pandora's Storm (Loki's Revenge and Celes Image) are actually full siblings; both are by Our Celebration.
About 36 percent of Makeover entrants were sold at public auction, with an average price of $12,153.
On average, Makeover entrants raced 20 times, won twice, and earned $52,446. In total, entrants started 13,535 times with 1,550 wins, and total earnings of almost $35 million.
Although a horse must have been in training to race and must have at least one published work to be Makeover-eligible, about 4 percent of our entrants never actually broke from the gate. Of those who raced, entrants break down into three groups. About 35 percent had 10 starts or fewer, seeming to indicate that they showed enough promise to actually race, but quickly proved not to be particularly suited for the job. Another 36 percent were successful enough to keep running, at least for a little while, notching between 11 and 30 starts. Twenty-four percent raced more than 30 times, earning their keep well enough to have long careers at the track.
About 9 percent of Makeover entrants are "war horses" with 50 or more starts. Interestingly, two horses who made it into the top 10 for number of starts (Musical Flair and Run Binky Run) are by the same sire, Songandaprayer.
We typically think of OTTBs as being horses that weren't particularly successful at the track, and those numbers hold true at the Makeover, with about 70 percent of entrants earning less than $50,000 over their careers. But even successful racehorses need second careers if they're not worthy of breeding, so it's promising to see that 15 percent of entrants earned more than $100,000.
We're always interested to see how our Makeover trainers obtain their horses, since this shows where the racing and sport horse worlds intersect and how successfully they're working together.
On average, Makeover entrants have been off the track for 12 months (as of Aug. 1). About two-thirds of Makeover trainers purchases their horses, paying an average of $1,870. The other third of trainers obtained their horses for free. The average purchase price across all entries was $1,200.
Just over half (55 percent) of horses were obtained directly from the track. Of those entrants, three-quarters of them were purchased straight from their racing connections with no agent. The other quarter were obtained via an off-track listing service like CANTER, Finger Lakes Finest Thoroughbreds, or Amy Paulus.
Of those horses who were obtained after leaving the track, about half came from a reseller—usually a professional trainer with an eye for sport horses, who markets the horses with or without additional retraining. The other half were obtained via rehoming groups, either independent non-profit organizations (such as New Vocations) or groups based at particular racetracks (like Turning for Home and New Start). Six horses were reported as being "self-rescues"—obtained from feedlots or auctions.
It's always interesting to see the tracks Makeover entrants retired from; as expected, they are primarily lower-tier tracks populated by less successful runners and those reaching the ends of their careers. The numbers also show where programs like New Start (based at Penn National) and Finger Lakes Finest Thoroughbreds are having an impact.


This entry was posted in Paintings and tagged acrylic, dog, Lisa, painting, spring, tulip fields, tulips by Lucy. Bookmark the permalink.
Love it and even Lisa is happy with that smile on her face. Thank you again for sharing another one of your amazing paintings.
Thank you for your lovely words, dear Frances! I still have the picture in my mind of her running towards me, so I just had to place that image somewhere 🙂 Tulip fields sounds pretty good. Many hugs!
Thank you so much, Johanna! Yes, the doggy is Lisa, my pup 🙂 I hope it looks close enough.
I love when she runs towards me, so I've decided to place her in the tulip fields.
Thank you so much for your lovely words, Gin! 🙂 They put a smile on my face!
It was meant to be Lisa, so yaaaay! I was inspired by the picture in which she was running towards me. I love when she does that.
How's the salmon hating kitty? haha I hope you adapted well.
A lovely painting Lucy! Your dog looks so cute here 🙂 You are so talented!!
Thank you so much! Also, your lovely comment put a smile on my face 🙂 Have a lovely day!
You're very talented, even capturing the dog's expression.
Thank you very much for your kind words! I very much appreciate it 🙂 have a lovely day!
Happy spring to you too Lucy! 🙂 Love the eyes of your dog!
Thank you so much 🙂 I am happy to hear this. Happy spring!
This really is a happy picture! Tulips and dogs make a great combo!
Thanks! I also think so 🙂 Happy to know you liked it! Have a great day!
Very lively Lucy, it looks as if it is there in front of you.
Keep sharing your's such lovely painting.
Thank you so much for your lovely comment, my friend! I'm happy to know you enjoyed my painting 🙂 I've been working in the past year to improve my skills, and it looks like with every new painting it's getting better.
I enjoy every type of art. It all bring color and joy into our lives.
I love art, it is an excellent form to express our creativity…it hones our imagination and when we see such master pieces it immensely inspires us.
Writing and painting goes very well, one rubs on the other, a good writing takes us to new painting and a good painting drives us write a good piece.
Your words tell me you have some experience with this. Do you paint, or used to paint? I'd love to see some of your work. A beautiful mind and heart will definitely do impressive things with a piece of paper or a canvas.
Keep up with photography and painting! It's always amazing to see your work.
One thing I have seen with all great artists is that they are all very humble and have beautiful thoughts, and you fall in love with their thoughts, ideas and their humility in conversations with different people.
Lovely discussion with friends like you who are so good at art and don't admit it drives me do better and keeps me on toe to keep learning new things from different art forms.
Some might agree with you, and some might not. I know people who say artists are weird and eccentric. I believe it's beautiful to meet the person behind the work of art. I agree with you, it's beautiful to see their thoughts coming to life.
From time to time I meet people who tell me they have no hobbies and no talents. I find that very strange.
I agree with you Lucy, many artists are weird and eccentric…difficult to understand them and tough to interact with them. But it always fascinating to know about their life and their thinking and working behind such magical creations. Many times they just cannot put their experiences into words and they may not be always be good at communication and describing what they have done. It is a combined outcome of their intuitive power and their inspiration and the fire they have in their imagination.
You are right some of us have the privilege to have the time to give to our hobby and nurture it leisurely. Passion is the fuel within us and we all live a life within which is many times more important than the life outside.
The hobby dies if we don't use it and in fact it needs constant nurturing to grow it…and working on our area of interest and making it work is not an easy proposition as it appears to the outside world.
Indeed cheers to our such lovely conversations…let it contribute to the beauty of creativity.
I also liked the quote… Very wise words.
Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm very happy to know you enjoyed my painting 🙂 That's Lisa's cutest face, when she's running towards me, so it was worth putting it into a painting. Have a lovely weekend!
Thank you so much! I also love to see her running towards me 🙂 And tulips…always nice to have around! They always put a smile on my face. Many hugs!
I know I already commented on this post, but every time I visit and see that happy dog, it brightens my day! I just wanted to add that to what I had previously said.
You're welcome – I didn't want to keep it to myself!
This was my first look at your painting. What talent!
Thank you so much, Anne! You're far too kind 🙂 I'm glad you enjoyed it! Have a lovely day.


[Buzzvil Career] What makes a good Business Intelligence Manager?
Buzzvil People took the opportunity to introduce each Buzzvillians with a variety of backgrounds, personality, and thoughts. If you are wondering how best colleagues in Buzzvil are gathering to create the best team, if you are curious about each of the colorful Buzzvillians, please pay attention to Buzzvil People.
1. Please give us a quick introduction of yourself.
Hi, I am Kim Gyu-hong. At Buzzvil, I go by Kay.
I am a KICPA Certified Public Accountant and started my career as an accountant at an accounting firm Deloitte Anjin LLC. During the first three years at the firm, I primarily worked in auditing and consulting area in the audit division. I then moved to the Financial Advisory Service (FAS) division where I conducted M&A due diligence and corporate valuations. After about three and a half years of experience at FAS, I decided to move to Coupang because I wanted to do something new. At Coupang, I worked as an accounting manager for about 3 years and accumulated various practical experiences. After Coupang I worked for Yelloo2o for about a year, where my roles included investment promotion and IR work, and I was in charge of the finance department.
Based on these experiences, I am currently working at Buzzvil as a CFO.
2. What brings you to Buzzvil?
After leaving the accounting firm and entering the startup industry, I set the goal of becoming a CFO in a prospective startup. I have developed my career through changing occupations, and I was introduced to Buzzvil by a recruiter when I thought I had accumulated enough career to become a CFO. At first I refused to accept the position because it was not the industry that I was not interested in, but with a positive feedback from a close acquaintance of mine, I finally got an interview with Buzzvil. During the interview, I felt that my perspectives about Buzzvil changed, and I began to strongly believe that the company was moving in a right direction. I also shared a lot of viewpoints with the company's executives (John & Young) during the interview process, and they really convinced me to think that I want to work together in a company that is lead by these executives.
3. What is your role at Buzzvil?
As a CFO, I oversee the finances of the Company in general such as accounting, taxes, and IR.
Currently I am focusing on creating a financial condition that is appropriate for the company's growth, and carrying out the projects such as improvement of back office, changes in revenue recognition standard, and introduction of ERP. Going forward, I am planning to carry out the projects such as IFRS conversion and the introduction of an internal accounting management system. In addition, since our company has global operations, I am getting the Company prepared for transfer pricing (TP) issues in advance for the transactions with overseas subsidiaries, and also working on the consolidated financial statements and disclosures related to overseas subsidiaries.
4. How does it feel to work at a startup? or advertising industry?
Working for a startup is something that I could never imagine when I first began working as an accountant. Around the time when I moved to Coupang from an accounting firm, I became aware of the concept of startup, and started to work in one without much expectation which fortunately worked out for me very well. In general, the accounting industry tends to take a very conservative and stable stance, and those who lack such a nature get gradually assimilated as they work in the industry. Such tendency of the accounting industry and that of startup which is challenging and constantly changing do not connect very well. Due to my personality of being curious and constantly seeking something new, startup is an ideal environment for me. When I was a novice in a corporate world, I always worked with superiors and managers of client companies who are much older than me, but at the startups I have more opportunities to work with younger people than me, and I find it somewhat ironic. As I work with people who have the wills to grow, I become to think the same way and grow, so I want to continue to work in the startups.
5. Is there something that you can say "this is the best part being Buzzvillians"?
When I was first asked to use an English name, I was wondering if it is really necessary, however, using and calling each other by English name made flawless horizontal communications possible. I am also naturally inspired by the number of colleagues who are willing to communicate with other staff members in different roles on various subjects, as well as by their excellent capabilities. By getting older and moving up in the corporate ladder usually translate the world by the framework that I set up, but working at Buzzvil provided me with opportunities to look into myself frequently.
6. Do you have a personal goal or dream? If so, how does your experience at Buzzvil help you?
I think that at the end of the day, startup is the future of the country. The self-made millionaire generations are showing up in the list of the richest in Korea, and they are facilitating the startup ecosystem by playing the roles as accelerators and angel investors. I think now is the time when the environment is getting established where the talented people with dreams, passion, and skills are gradually getting ready to start and grow their business without the big capital of their own in a growing world of startups. My dream is to develop the startup ecosystem in a better direction based on my accumulated experience in the startup industry so far and contribute to making a better society through it. Until I quit working, or I retire, I will live every day doing my very best to achieve that goal.
What are your goals? Find out if Buzzvil has a position for you to reach your dreams now.
© 2018 Buzzvil. All Rights Reserved.


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AMA Houston Academy, formerly Special Interest Groups or SIGs, are educational events that take a deeper look into the key trends, opportunities and challenges facing every marketer today—B2B, B2C, agency, corporate, and business owners.
Each event consists of a master level session where a keynote speaker, or panel of speakers, will present a bird's eye view and analysis of selected topics. Topics will cover everything from digital integration and audience targeting, to messaging, content development and video storytelling. Following each master level session, chapter members will be invited to participate in a hands-on workshop or panel discussion with the purpose of learning how to apply knowledge gained to their personal, day-to-day functions.
While AMA Houston SIGs focused on the many different industry types represented in our chapter, the goal of AMA Houston Academy is to present information in a way that crosses traditional industry segments so that marketers from all company types, job titles, functions, and disciplines will be able to apply new knowledge presented during Academy events to their everyday jobs and broaden their personal skills.


Claude Koeberle and Don Plumley couldn't have more dissimilar backgrounds, yet their fortuitous meeting led to a subsequent winery partnership that in less than ten years has become one of California's most avant-garde wineries. It wasn't wine that brought them together, but rather two dogs, Chip and Gabby (more about that later).
Claude hails from Burgundy where he was born into a family whose tradition in the wine industry dates back decades. The family both owned vineyards and made wine. As a youngster, Claude hung out with many of Burgundy's greatest vignerons including Henri Jayer, who joined the family table at Claude's home. Although he achieved remarkable success as a chef, he never lost his passion for wine, and Pinot Noir in particular. Don did not have the good fortune to grow up in a family with wine on the dinner table. The idea of a career in the wine industry was never on his radar as he successfully pursued a career in sales and marketing, strategy consulting, and the language translation industry. His first memorable wine, a Chablis, was savored as an adult while in Nice on a sunny afternoon overlooking the Mediterranean.
It was Chapel who was to inspire Claude in his future endeavors, encourage his drive for perfection, as well as mold his madness when he told him, "Everyone remembers the best and the worst, but nobody remembers mediocrity." Claude was to use this inspiration to become the youngest 3-star Michelin Chef in Paris at La Vivarois.
A love affair led Claude to New York City where he was a catering chef for many of the city's important people. He was then drawn to Southern California where he cooked at Ma Maison, L'Orangerie, Les Anges, Tamayo, Opera and Tapenade. A James Beard Award winner as a Master Chef, Claude is currently a partner in several restaurants including Bouchon and San Francisco's Frances. Along with his chef spouse, Elisabeth, he is the driving force behind Creative Culinary Concepts, Inc. and K World Cuisine, Inc., both based in Newport Beach, California.
Don was born and raised in Southern California to a Japanese mother and American father. He was a high achiever, the third youngest in the nation to obtain the Eagle Scout level, and was accepted to medical school after an undergraduate degree at University of California at Davis (he deferred his acceptance and ultimately never attended medical school). He married his college sweetheart, Beth, had a son and daughter, and later graduated with an MBA from UCLA with an eye to international business. A global job for a language translation company led to constant overseas travel and many business meals at great restaurants where he learned to navigate wine lists.
While living in Irvine, California, Don was to meet Claude through a stroke of luck because of the family dog, Chip. Chip became friends with a neighbor dog named Gabby, who happened to be leashed to Elisabeth Koeberle, a neighbor in Irvine. Beth and Elisabeth became friends, and so the Plumleys did what they always did for new friends, they invited them to their house for dinner. They had no clue as to their cooking credentials. What they cooked or even drank is a distant memory, but the Koeberles reciprocated and Don realized the Koeberles were in a different food orbit.
The friendship was cemented one evening when Don cooked his "famous" fire pit paella and Claude was weeping in his dish. Don was mortified and thought, "What have I done?" Claude said, "It is sooooo good." A lifelong friendship bound by food was born. Claude began to share his extensive wine cellar with Don and showed him a side of the wine list he had never experienced. Don fell deeply in love with Burgundy, and Claude was a willing enabler.
Don had an opportunity to direct a manufacturing company in Petaluma and this tore the Plumleys away from their dear friends Claude and Elisabeth. It was then that another stroke of fate enabled Soliste. The Plumleys settled in Petaluma near Beth's sister and spouse who had become serious wine fans and established Sonatera Vineyard near Sebastopol in the Sonoma Coast appellation. In 2005, during a break in careers, Don took a bottle of wine made from Sonatera Vineyard fruit to Claude and they shared the bottle in Claude's backyard. Claude sipped and remarked, "It's not my style, but there's some pretty interesting stuff in there." Don replied, "There's a block available, we can make it our way. You are always complaining about California wine, so here is a chance to do what you want." Claude had never considered owning a winery or making wine, but he quickly agreed to their partnership and that's how Soliste Cellars was born.
The name Soliste is derived from the special barrel or "soliste" that Burgundian winemakers reserve for their family and friends. The first vintage was 2005 and consisted of 130 cases of Sonatera Vineyard Pinot Noir. It was intended primarily for cronies and family, but sommeliers loved it and restaurants snapped it up. The following vintage consisted of 650 cases and was sold primarily to restaurants. Young winemaker Ryan Zapaltas (Zepaltas Wines, Siduri Wines) joined the team with the 2007 vintage and production was slowly increased. The plan was to stay small, focus on selected restaurants with the promise that the restaurant clients would never run out of wine. The project was costly but only tenable because the partners retained their professional jobs. Because it was two dogs who brought Claude and Don together and led to the founding of Soliste, the corks from Soliste wines display two paws, one on each end.
The goals at Soliste soon became clearly defined and characterized by focus and conviction. There would be no compromise in quality with all farming and winemaking decisions based on what went into the bottle rather than financial considerations. Claude says, "We thought that if we did everything right there was not much financial risk." The word commitment comes up frequently in conversations with Claude. He professes a dedication to Old World beliefs and traditions, applying them to produce California wines that not only have finesse and balance that work in harmony with fine cuisine, but can compete with the best on the world stage. Claude is a staunch believer that Sonoma County has the finest fruit in the world, but it is often abused in the sense that it is picked too ripe and vinified with too much extraction and oak, resulting in wines that are monotone in character and lacking in identity.
This fanatical commitment to quality reaches its ultimate expression in the MonoClone® Pinot Noir program launched with the 2009 vintage. The belief at Soliste was that blending clones, different vineyards, and various cooperages homogenized the aromas and flavors of Pinot Noir. Instead, all Soliste Pinot Noirs consist of a single clone, married with a specific site, climate and exposure, and then aged individually in a single cooperage. Claude remarks, "We believe that a wine from a single clone from a single site is the most expressive wine from that site." For example, the Sonatera Vineyard has three different hillside exposures and several different clones. A blend tends to diminish what each clone brings to the finished vineyard-designated wine. Claude understands that using a single clone implies a higher risk because there is no blending option.
Single clone Pinot Noir is often criticized as lacking in some component such that it is not a complete wine. Claude would argue that it boils down to site, particularly with a clone like "828." The clone must be matched perfectly to site for the purest and fullest expression of a Pinot Noir clone.
The use of different coopers also homogenizes a wine by bringing disparate seasoning aromas and flavors to the wine. At Sonatera, the wines will ultimately be aged in new (usually only 20%), 1-year, 2-year, and 3-yearold oak barrels all the same type and specifically tailored for each wine. Such a strict oak regimen is more costly, especially since the preferred barrels are very expensive.
Claude's upbringing and his background as a chef has led him to a unique approach to crafting his wines. His background in Burgundy gives him an understanding of terroir and he appreciates that 90% of the success in making wine is attributable to the work in the vineyard. He is a strong proponent of either owning or directing the farming of his grape sources. His contacts in wine allow him to talk with some of the world's greatest European winemakers who advise him on a personal and informative level. He has studied barrels in detail, appreciative that wine spends more time in barrel that in the vinification process per se. Claude has done research in both Burgundy and stateside to discover the single best oak barrel most suited to each wine he produces. He also understands that oak is a desirable seasoning for Pinot Noir, but should never be a prominent feature. The analogy in cooking would be adding salt as a seasoning to enhance flavor with the preferable aim that the resulting dish have no detectable salt flavor. Since the first Soliste vintage in 2005, the use of new oak has been reduced by 50%.
Claude's philosophy is well summarized on the Soliste website. "We are particularly inspired by winemakers who have challenged the status quo to elevate their region or cépage to grand cru level. Central to our philosophy is to be bold, experimental, and take risks; not arbitrarily, but with intent, diligence, and a long term vision." He invokes the rebellious voice of the Master of St. Andelain, the self-taught iconoclast Didier Dagueneau, "If you want to be the best, you need the methods and techniques to get you there. Your vines must bear the best grapes; your vinification must be the most rigorous. There are no recipes. It's all in the details of viticulture and all the details of winemaking, the assemblage of little things, 100 details and commitments which makes for the minute differences between a good wine and a great one." Claude is obsessed and infatuated with Burgundies and is not shy when setting expectations that his Pinot Noirs show similarities to the great wines of Burgundy, even the one with the three-letter acronym.
The four MonoClone® Pinot Noirs produced since the 2010 vintage are sourced from Sonatera Vineyard, Keller Estate (located in the Petaluma Gap region of the Sonoma Coast), and Guidicci Vineyard (located on Vintner Road near Occidental), all in the Sonoma Coast appellation. The Forêt is 100% Clone 23 (Mariafeld) and the L'Ambroise 100% clone "828" are sourced from the Guidicci Vineyard. The L'Espérance is 100% clone 115 and sourced from Sonatera Vineyard, and the Nouveau Monde is 100%Pommard clone from Keller Estate. It is of interest to discuss each wine individually.
L'Ambroisie This wine was first produced from the 2010 vintage. The Guidicci Vineyard is a gorgeous vineyard site situated on a steep slope in the middle of a redwood forest. The "828" clone planted here is neither Dijon 828 nor a true clone but a selection brought to the U.S. from France by Gary Andrus with its true origin still shrouded in mystery. The site is crucial with the "828" selection because wines made from 100% "828" can be spectacular or insignificant. Only 29 cases (1 barrel) was made in 2011.
Forêt The reclusive Mariafeld clone, UCD 23, has rarely appeared as a single clone, vineyard-designated offering. This clone was brought into the United States from the government research station in Wädenswil, Switzerland in 1966. Like "828," it is a very site-specific clone and is more widespread in Oregon than California. Typically, the clone shows brilliant red and black cherry and berry fruit with notable Christmas spice and plenty of backbone. Claude likens this wine to those of Vosne-Romanee.
Nouveau Monde This wine marries the virtues of Volnay and Pommard and is likened to a Côte de Beaune classic. It displays the synergy between the fresh crystalline acidity of Volnay and the abundant yet fine tannins of Pommard. 149 cases produced in 2010.
L'Espérance For the partners at Soliste, L'Espérance is their benchmark, the wine that sets the tone and embodies all the challenges, determination and sacrifice that comes with crafting compelling Pinot Noir. Very Chambollesque, this wine is always the most sought after Soliste release. Only 49 cases produced in the 2010 vintage. The greatest California Pinot Noir I tasted in 2013 was the 2009 Soliste L'Espérance enjoyed one day at a lunch and generously shared by Claude, now long since sold out (49 cases produced), and only a lasting memory.
Other Soliste varietals that I have samples have also been memorable.
2010 L'Age D'Or Russian River Valley Chardonnay Claude has long refused to acknowledge that California makes Chardonnay and never considered an attempt to produce it. He has said, "They are not wines, they are replacements for cocktails. They are like buttery popcorn soaked in oak trees." When Don suggested they make Chardonnay, Claude intoned, "Over my dead body." He felt that if they could not make it lean and elegant with great acidity and balance, they should not even try. He told Don, "Come and try this Montrachet with me and let the urge pass." Don's continued pestering eventually led to Claude's agreement to make Chardonnay with him in the Soliste style.
The partners planned a three-year commitment using the Rued selection of Chardonnay from the established Lynmar Quail Ridge Vineyard in the Russian River Valley, and undertook trials with various vinification techniques including the use of imported Nomblot concrete eggs from Burgundy and 600L thick-stave oak barrels from Taransaud. It was an expensive experiment to say the least. The wine aged in concrete was called Les Cailles and it was hoped that it would have more minerality. The other wine was aged in French oak for 16 months and called L'Age D'Or. Today, Les Cailles is closed in and stays in the cellars until it is ready, but there is no guarantee it will ever reach that point or be released. Claude is not a fan of concrete eggs.
Claude has a vision for each of his wines using what he considers the French pinnacle of that varietal as a comparison. For Chardonnay the benchmarks are Domaine Francois Raveneau Les Clos Grand Cru Chablis and Francois & Antoine Jobard Meursault 1er Cru Blagny. The Soliste wine has the minerality, elegance and acidity of those white Burgundies, yet the apple tarte tatin, lemon curd and quince flavors that reveal its Russian River Valley DNA. 340 cases were released on allocation ($50).
2011 and 2012 Lune et Soleil Lake County Sauvignon Blanc This and the St Andelain Sauvignon Blanc are inspired by the late Didier Dagueneau. Crafted from a single organic estate vineyard using 100% whole cluster pressing and aged in 600 liter barriques of special thick staves to minimize oxygen transfer, malolactic fermentation is avoided to preserve acidity and length. The 2011 (396 cases, $25) is sold out. The 2012 (392 cases, $25) is in limited release.
2010 and 2011 St Andelain Lake County Sauvignon Blanc Didier Dagueneau revolutionized Sauvignon Blanc and brought it to grand cru status equal to that of any great white Burgundy. He was an iconoclast among vignerons with no formal winemaking training, but because he was infatuated with great Burgundies, he brought Burgundian winemaking methods that were uncommonly employed to Pouilly-Fumé. He severely pruned for low yields, hand harvested fruit over several successive passes through his vineyards, used vineyard-designate bottling, skin contact and barrel fermentation. He also created his own barrels, the most famous being a cigar shape barrel that Soliste has adopted to craft St Andelain.
This wine is from a single estate organically farmed vineyard. After harvesting, the grapes are de-stemmed, allowed 24 hours of skin contact, barrel fermented and aged 16 months in a cigar shape barrel. There is no malolactic fermentation to preserve acidity and length. 2010 (123 cases, $55) and 2011 (223 cases, $55) are available by allocation. Noted Sommelier, Aldo Sohm, of New York City's Le Bernardin restaurant said about the 2011 wine: "This is the greatest white wine I have ever tasted, anyplace, anytime." I have tasted this wine on three occasions and agree wholeheartedly that it is the greatest Sauvignon Blanc short of Dagueneau's wines I have ever tasted. A true tour de force.
2008-2012 Soleil Sonoma Coast Rouge Rosé de Pinot Noir The first year of this wine, 2008, consisting of 65 cases, sold out immediately. In 2012, production increased to 327 cases ($22) and is in limited release. The Rosé is "Le Vin des Amis," a fresh, crisp, and aromatic wine that Claude calls a "happy wine that reminds one of summer." Claude told me the best match for this wine is sushi ("an incredible pairing"), although charcuterie and paella pair beautifully as well.
Narcisse Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir You won't find this wine for sale on the website since the entire production is allocated to restaurants for by-the-glass and bottle programs. It is priced at about half of Soliste's other Pinot Noirs and is very popular. Made in a more fleshy California style and representing a blend of vineyards, 600 cases were produced in 2012. Claude believes that a winery's entry offering should not be an afterthought, but be representative of the winery's vision and quality. For example, many wineries choose their best barrels for reserve and vineyard-designated wine programs by tasting from barrel before bottling. They then blend the wines in stainless steel tanks and bottled them quickly. In the case of Narcisse, the blend spends another 8 months in barrel to allow the blend to integrate and optimize its character before it is released.
Winemaking at Soliste is thoughtful and obsessive. Because a vineyard never gives you even ripeness at harvest, and since some whole cluster is preferable in the fermentation, multiple passes are made in the vineyard, an expensive proposition. Claude points out that cold maceration was invented by Henri Jayer because vintages of his time were very cold and a cold soak was necessary to extract concentration and flavor. Applying cold soaks automatically here in California is an anachronism to Claude so he adjusts the use of this winemaking technique to fit the vintage and the site.
The very small production Soliste wines are allocated through a mailing list: www.soliste.com. The majority of the wine is sold to fine dining partners throughout the United States ( a list is posted on the winery's website). Soliste wines are a favorite among sommeliers and you will find the wines in practically every noteworthy Michelin-recognized restaurant in America. Consumers have come across Soliste wines through word of mouth and fortunately, beginning with the higher yielding 2012 vintage, a little more wine can be allocated to wine lovers. Claude believes the wines will age marvelously, reaching their apogee in 5 to 7 years. The consumer should consider cellaring their purchased wines while drinking the wines at restaurants which are offered at a younger stage. Claude is a big fan of magnums (his grandfather was nicknamed "magnum" because he only drank Krug out of magnums) and a substantial amount of magnums will be available for the first time from the 2012 vintage. Don manages the logistics and sales so he is the one to deal with regarding inquires at don@soliste.com, and Claude is the one to exchange experiences and tasting notes with (he would love to hear from you) at claude@soliste.com.
The future is bright for Soliste because the project is a lifetime experiment. Pinot Noir humbles you, and Claude says, "The more you know the less you know." To further refine and perfect the wines, Soliste continues to search for ideal 8 to 14-acre vineyard sources, preferably estate owned, and thoughts of having a winery where all wines can be vinified using 100% native yeast (Soliste wines are currently produced at a custom crush facility, Vinify, in Santa Rosa where this cannot be accomplished). Staying small, precise and focused to make the best wine from an individual site is the Soliste mantra.
I have tasted some of the 2009, and nearly all the 2010, 2011 and 2012 Soliste releases but have only formally reviewed the following. Trust me, all the wines are superb. When you drink Soliste wines with Claude, his charisma leads you on a religious path of devotion to his wines. However, I have experienced enough of the Soliste wines apart from Claude to know that they are really enticing.