Companies enter new markets in hopes of increasing revenues. Most often, this happens when they find it difficult to meet revenue targets in their current market(s).
However, experience tells us that successfully entering new markets is a far more difficult task to achieve than it may seem.
Companies tend to severely underestimate the time and cost required to generate adequate sales in new markets. In fact, many have bailed out of new markets after sinking significant money without seeing the returns they expected.
Does this mean that entering new markets is a bad idea? No.
It simply means that companies should know what they are getting into before spending money. They should have a much firmer grasp on the level of investment in money, time, and effort required. In addition, they should have more realistic expectations of how much revenue they can expect and by when.
Below is an outline of what we believe is the minimal preparatory work necessary for successfully entering new markets.
Definition: Let's start by defining a new market as one in which you have little or no presence today.
We can think of 9 basic elements to consider before entering a new market.
Identify a compelling need that your product can solve in that market. This is the most crucial and most difficult step for many companies, which could explain why their new market entry efforts don't produce the desired results.
Definition: A compelling need is a problem that customers cannot live with any longer than they absolutely have to.
If you have identified a compelling need, customers with such a need will jump at the chance to try out and purchase your solution. If the need is not compelling enough, they may still try it but will think too long and hard about spending the money, if at all.
Lack of compelling need makes market entries a very prolonged and expensive exercise in futility. If you cannot identify a compelling need, it is better to wait until you find one before entering a new market.
Very few products solve compelling needs across a wide range of customers. Such "Killer Apps" are few and far between.
In the vast majority of cases, we can at best define a compelling need for a specific group of customers who have the same or highly similar operational context and pain.
According to Geoffrey Moore, the noted high tech marketing guru, a market segment consists of a specific business role (someone charged with achieving specific business results) in a specific industry and probably in a specific geographical setting.
For example, "Chief Medical Officers in hospitals with 200-500 beds in California" is a well-defined market segment. "Healthcare CXO's" is not.
The more precise the segmentation, the easier the rest of the market entry work will be.
The best market segment to select is one that is adjacent to the segment you are currently serving, and for which you have identified a compelling need that you can address.
The next challenge is determining how to access the above target group. Are they members of any organization? Do they regularly attend certain conferences? Do they subscribe to certain trade journals? Do they open emails or take calls from unknown sources? Are they active on any social media network?
In short, what are the best ways to reach them, and how cost effective are those?
While the cost of your marketing and sales is expected to be quite high initially , you want to ensure its reduction to acceptable levels (no more than 30% of sales) once you achieve a certain degree of name recognition and presence in that market—which should happen after 12-18 months of consistent marketing and sales efforts.
All sales are replacement sales, since you are trying to replace an established product with something new— your product.
No matter how compelling a need you may have identified, you must assume that your target customers are currently solving their problem in some way, to some extent.
Competition always exists. That is a given.
How currently underserved/poorly served this new market is.
The more you know about whose business you are trying to replace with yours, the more successful your strategy shall be.
One common fallacy is to assume that the same product will work across different segments.
For example, an accounting package that was originally created for manufacturing companies will not, out of the box, work adequately for hotels. Yet, product makers routinely think that they can simply make some cosmetic changes (such as a new name) and expect the same sales results in a different market. A mechanic may think a car is a car, but a Mercedes owner never thinks her car is the same thing as a Kia.
If you don't know the customer's context—what drives their business, what their top challenges are, where and how they make money, how they are regulated, who they compete against, and so on— then you don't know enough to make a product that addresses their needs.
A product must completely address the compelling need for which it is made. It must work turnkey.
If you expect your customers to buy your product as is and then figure out how to make your product fit their existing systems/processes and business model, you may do a lot of demos but will close very little business.
The only reasonable way to build a turnkey product is to limit the scope of what that product is expected to do— go narrow but deep. This can only be accomplished through the pursuit of a very specific market segment rather than a broad one.
Products must be priced to sell, which means that neither the amount nor the pricing model should create a sales hurdle.
The amount itself must work—it must be easy to show financial metrics such as a reasonable Return on Investment (ROI) and Payback Period. If the price is too high, these numbers will be too weak and you will find it hard to close deals.
It is also critical that the pricing model (how customers pay) works as well. Many companies continue to use the same pricing model when they enter new markets without first researching how the target customer expects to pay for a similar product or service.
For instance, if customers are used to paying at the end of the month, they will be outraged if you expect them to pay up front for 12 months. If the payer in the new market is typically someone other than the end user in a similar context, end users will be upset if you expect them to pay for the product.
Remember the early days of cable? Cable network providers were tasked with convincing TV viewers to pay for what they were already getting for free, since advertisers were paying the TV stations.
Cable companies had to provide considerably more channels with fewer/no commercial interruptions, as well as a much better quality of reception, to convince viewers to pay $10 a month. Today, many TV viewers routinely fork out $200 or more per month for cable subscriptions.
Communication consists of more than just the message. It is also the mode of delivery (online, mobile, print, broadcast, face-to-face, etc.), the timing (when, how frequently), the freshness, relevance, and usefulness of the message that makes it work.
Companies often replicate their communication from their current market to be used for the new market with little or no change. This will not work. Even worse, it actually turns off the new market since the vendor clearly doesn't know anything about them.
However, the message is only one component of communication that needs to be customized. The whole communication strategy must be redefined around the new target market.
In some cases, customs dictate what is acceptable and what is not. It is not a good idea to send a message that sends the wrong message (no pun intended). Crossed fingers may mean, "hoping for good luck" in the US, but it could mean something totally different in another culture. Do your market research.
It is not just customs that we need to worry about—we could inadvertently violate laws. For example, some countries allow calls only between certain hours of the day, while others have no restrictions. Still others have very specific laws as to how emails are sent, and so on.
Whether violating customs or laws, both can get companies into real trouble.
Selling can also be different among different markets. Some markets conduct business only after they have met face-to-face, wined and dined, and shaken hands. Others are comfortable closing large amounts of business over emails and phone calls. Customs and traditions are a big deal when it comes to sales.
Salespeople need to have "situational fluency" in the new market. They need to speak the language, know the right words and terms to use, and adequately understand their customers' business and how they make money (which means understanding their customers' customers) in order to truly engage their prospects.
Furthermore, size matters. Even in the same vertical space, the size of the customer can make a huge difference. For example, very large banks may behave differently from small community banks. If you are currently selling to very large banks, you may find it difficult to conduct sales with community banks, and vice versa.
This may require that you hire different sales reps who have the right background in the new market you wish to enter. It could also mean that you need to manage and compensate them differently.
We think of positioning as a shortcut to sales, as it refers to how you make it easy for customers to buy your products by creating a brand they recognize and trust. That is a deceptively loaded statement.
By definition, you have no position in the new market since few customers, if any, know you exist. Only visionaries buy from someone they don't know who promises to give them something they want badly. The problem in selling to visionaries is that they have their own ideas of what they want from you and are constantly requesting custom jobs. If that is what you want, fine. Otherwise, if you want to sell products, you must focus on the mainstream market.
That is where positioning is really critical.
Remember, all sales are replacements of something already in place.
Pragmatic buyers need to see documented evidence that your product will do what you claim it will do for their business before they rip out what they have and replace with yours. They want to see case studies, benchmark studies and the like. Even more so, they want to see what other companies that they regard highly are using your product. That's the catch-22.
Conservative buyers are even worse. They want to know that you have been in business for a long time (think a decade or more), have a large installed base, and that you have some highly recognizable names as customers— before they even think of buying from you. Then they want deep discounts.
Winning Strategic Accounts early in the new market is the key to winning in the new market segment.
Select a segment that is as adjacent to your current market as possible so you can leverage name recognition and validation.
Win at least 3-5 Strategic Accounts as early as possible. These are the linchpins in that new market. As they go, so will the rest of the market.
Invest adequately in product development, support, marketing and sales for two years minimum. New market entries typically fail because they are starved of the resources they need— or worse, senior management pulls the plug on the whole project too early because of unrealistic expectations that will likely not be met.
In conclusion, while new market entries are a viable way to grow a company, they should only be undertaken after significant internal discussion has resulted in a strong consensus and commitment on the nine elements discussed above, and after adequate preparations on each element have been made.
Companies are especially advised to seriously consider the three CSFs and to refrain from entering new markets until they are fully committed to ensuring that the CSFs will be met.
SOMAmetrics provides the consulting and implementation services necessary to assist clients in successfully entering and developing new markets.
Please contact us for an initial discussion.
Market segmentation, along with positioning, is one of the two strategic components necessary for effective sales and marketing. Without market segmentation, there is no marketing strategy. The pursuit of any objective without strategy will likely turn into failure. Even when success looks prevalent, it very likely came about at too high of a cost to achieve truly promising results. That is, after all, the purpose of strategy – to discover the optimal way with which to consistently achieve an objective. Therefore, consistently and predictably achieving revenue goals requires a well-thought out strategy; and market segmentation is a crucial foundation element of any revenue strategy. In this article, we will further explore why market segmentation is critical and suggest a practical approach to properly segmenting a B2B market.
Market segmentation, at its core, focuses a company's sales and marketing efforts. Simply put, it is a statement of decision to pursue a singular important objective and forego other less fundamental pursuits. Once a company identifies "XYZ" as its optimal market segment, that company commits to marketing and selling to that specific market, and only that market. That being said, if a customer from a market other than XYZ comes to the company and indicates that they want to buy its products and services, the company will, of course, sell them what they desire. There exists a very big cost difference between processing an inbound lead and generating a lead through an active outbound marketing and sales campaign. A company should always process an inbound lead, provided that the prospect is willing to bear the full cost. We are saying that a company should carefully select which market it wants to sell, and then commit to optimizing everything in its power towards that chosen market. The purpose of market segmentation, therefore, is to enable the optimization of all resources around a chosen customer profile so that it can maximize value for the customer and profits for the company, simultaneously.
A company has to spend a massive sum of money optimizing its products for a broad category of customers, thereby losing out on maximizing profits.
Either option is a losing proposition – hence the need for strong market segmentation. Sometimes, executives simply cannot choose among a number of segments that all appear equally attractive. In such a case, it doesn't really matter much which market segment the company chooses to focus on. What matters is that the executive selects one, and only one, segment and commits to it maniacally.
Assuming we have made the case for market segmentation and why it is critical for high growth, we will now turn our attention to the question of how to segment. There are many books on this subject, and segmentation is one of the oldest topics in marketing, especially in consumer marketing. However, for B2B market space, the techniques are somewhat different. Below, we offer a simplified version. The steps are to first segment the market and then segment that space by account. We discuss this in some detail below.
B2B market segmentation typically consists of three elements: Role, industry, and geography—in that specific order. The chart shows that as a company starts looking at potential customers that are further away from its "sweet spot", they will look less and less similar, making it significantly more expensive to maximize value for these outlying potential customers.
In B2B, products are sold to solve the problem of a specific business manager (typically called a business driver). This person may or may not also be the decision maker in their respective company. An example of a Role of a business driver might be "Head of HR," "Head of Sales," or "Head of Compliance". Note that in some companies, this could be a C-level role, in others a VP role, and still others, a director level role. Therefore, it makes more sense to simply refer to it as a "Head of something" for segmentation purposes. Once an actual list is purchased, specific titles may be requested. Role is the single most important criterion for segmentation, as all features and capabilities of a product/service are targeted towards making that the Role's headaches go away and their burdens lifted.
While Role might be sufficient, adding industry to segmentation will make it significantly more focused, enabling both the maximization of value for the customer and increasing profits for the company. The reason is that while the heads of HR of the Hospitality industry have many things in common with the heads of HR of the Financial industry, the degree to which the two are regulated are different, thereby requiring more controls in products for more regulated industries. For example, if we have products that target heads of Compliance, the degree to which an industry is regulated becomes a significant issue in determining how complete a product is for that market. Some industries are also more concentrated than others. For example, the Pharmaceutical and Oil industries are typically more concentrated than the Financial Services industries. Concentrated industries tend to be more uniform in size and type, while more fragmented industries have significant variations in size from the smallest to the largest. Therefore, in fragmented industries, there are more niches than in more concentrated ones.
The geographic location of a company is important because the further out the customer is from the provider, the higher the cost. The most obvious cost is that of travel. But there are additional costs that come as a result of distance including differences in time zones, idioms and languages, local customers and laws, and more. If it is important to meet face to face in order to build rapport, then selling becomes expensive when the customer is further out than the provider. Either the provider has to spend traveling expenses, or has to open and maintain an office local to the customer. The issue of geography is typically not a problem in concentrated industries since they also tend to be geographically concentrated. However, in fragmented industries, a provider will either have to pick a geopgraphic location, or find an optimal way to sell products and services on a national or international scale.
The first step in market segmentation is to decide whom to sell to, which is a factor of the targeted role (function), what specific industry, and where is the geographic location of potential customers. In the end, we want to arrive at a statement for our company such as "Hospitality Industry Heads of HR in the DC Metro Area" – this focuses product development, support, marketing, and sales.
Once we have chosen the specific market segment we want to go after, the next step is to segment all accounts in that market to focus our resources such that our most expensive resources are allocated to the most profitable accounts. A simple and practical approach is to segment accounts into three categories: Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3. The chart below shows how we would allocate resources to each tier.
Tier 1 These are the crème de la crème accounts and they typically represent between 5 to 10% of all accounts, but probably would represent 50% or more of all sales potential in that segment. Winning these accounts enable the provider to say, "Our clients include Hyatt, Sheraton, and Holiday Inn", names that most of your prospects would immediately recognize. Sales Executive Led Your top sales reps aided by highly experienced Business Development Reps (BDRs) to help them get in.
Tier 2 These are less well known, perhaps local or regional players that nevertheless are significant sized customers. They consist of 20-25% of your target segment in number, but probably make up 35 to 40% of the sales potential in that market segment. Winning them brings both sales and profits, but not necessarily name-dropping benefits. BDR Led Prospect with experienced Business Development Reps (BDRs) and assign to your sales reps.
Tier 3 These are the rest of the market. They typically represent 65 to 75% of the market in number but probably would not exceed more than 10-15% of the sales potential in the market. Marketing Led Use Marketing to prospect and process only inbound leads.


This Reaper Miniature is entitled Eilluvasheth, Succubus Queen, 77496, sculpted by Bobby Jackson and contains one 25mm scale unpainted plastic miniature(s) from Reaper's Bones miniatures line.
This Eilluvasheth, Succubus Queen Reaper Bones miniature comes unpainted and may require some assembly.
The cubed shaped B in the photo shown against Eilluvasheth, Succubus Queen is approximately 1/4" 6.25mm in size. This gives you a good indication of the size of Eilluvasheth, Succubus Queen.
Eilluvasheth, Succubus Queen is from the Bones line of Reaper Miniatures. These minis are plastic/polymer and unpainted even if shown as painted in the photo.


A unique rocker/camber flex pattern defined by evenly balanced tip and tail rocker and camber between the bindings. CAMROCK improves freestyle finesse by keeping your tips playful while maintaining the power and pop of camber underfoot.
An innovative traditional camber profile tweaked to offer the insane edge response of camber without the usual hang-ups. The camber radius tapers to flat toward the tips and the base is beveled up one degree at the edges from the contact points of the camber to the ends of the board. The base beveling releases the edges where they like to hook which balances the pop and directional stability of camber with a looser, less-catchy feel.
Custom tip/tail rocker profile designed by surf shaper Chris Christenson for the Mind Expander, Mountain Surfer and Storm Chaser. The nose rocker starts just inside of the front inserts and the tail rocker starts just at the back inserts. When you weight the tail of the board the nose ramps up out of the snow for insane float on the deepest days. These subtle rocker contours match a Christenson surfboard rocker profile.
Custom rocker/camber flex pattern designed by surf shaper Chris Christenson. The rockered tip floats the board's nose and improves maneuverability while the camber underfoot provides edge hold and response. A slightly rockered tail maintains the power and stability of a traditional board and helps keep the tail catch-free initiating turns and landing switch.


Enjoy our two music-spots - Sound Yard Altes Rathaus with a cozy chill-out-area as well as Landhaus-Arkadenhof - each equipped with seating options.
Thu: 5 – 11 p.m., Fr & Sa: 4 – 11 p.m.
Sound Yard Altes Rathaus invites you with its uniquely designed chill-out-area and alternating music acts, giving you a little piece of quiet far from the hustle and bustle.
Thu 5 – 8 p.m., Fri & Sat: 4 – 8 p.m. as well as Music Nights Thu, Fri & Sat: 8 – 11 p.m.
At Landhaus-Arkadenhof you'll find infectious rhythms. Enjoy the picturesque scene with its magnificent architecture in the spirit of renaissance and humanism accompanied by atmospheric music. The music nights will conclude the daily program.


Event description It is almost 40 years since the Easter Competitions were situated in the Funen forests for the first time It is therefore a great pleasure to invite you again to the Easter Competitions in 2014, in some of the best and most varied terrains Funen has to offer. The three stages are located within a distance of approximately 30 km in a scenic and hilly area with many good possibilities for accommodation – often with wonderful views of the Little Belt and the archipelago (the small islands) of the seas of Southern Funen. Funen is known for its many mansions, and a good relationship with the owners of two of these – Holstenshuus and Krengerup – and Bikubenfonden and the Danish Nature Agency, has made it possible to arrange a major event like the Easter Competetions of 2014 in their forests. We are ready to offer you 3 good stages with newly drawn maps of high quality, and of course the sprouting Funen spring.
Training possibilities Tuesday 15 April Svanninge South. Start from Faaborg Orienteering Club clubhouse, Odensevej 150, Faaborg. Wednesday 16 April Slæbæk Forest. Start Slæbæk Forest (it's called the road!) Near Svendborg highway. Start between 13 - 16 both days. Terrain are representative of the terrain used for the competition. Price 30 Danish kroner for each training, that will be settled at the start. There used Emit postal receipt system.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Light switches and receptacles should not be located within the shower stall.
1 How Far Does Electricity Need to Be From a Sink?
2 How High Should Receptacles Be Above a Bathroom Counter?
3 Can a Ceiling Light Be Placed in a Shower?
4 What Is the Standard Height for Electrical Wall Switches?
Many homeowners are faced with a dilemma when wiring or rewiring their bathroom. They might want to wire a light or exhaust fan switch near their shower stall to facilitate easy operation before stepping out of the shower or while drying off. You may be concerned as to the safety and code requirements for this sort of installation, and you need to keep a few things in mind.
The National Electrical Code is the code requirement for safety in electrical wiring and fixtures in the United States. While the NEC itself applies only to the United States, most countries have similar codes and requirements for electricians operating within their borders. Referencing the NEC before doing any electrical work is a good way to ensure your fixtures and wiring are up to code.
The NEC requires that switches not be installed within the confines of shower and tub areas, unless as part of a shower assembly. In other words, unless the switch is already built in to your shower assembly from the manufacturer, adding a switch inside a shower is a code violation. The NEC does not indicate that a switch cannot be within reach of a shower, but there are some things to keep in mind when considering installing a switch near your shower.
There are basically two concerns when installing a switch near a shower. The first is that you want to make sure your switch is not in an area where it will be subject to overspray from the shower. This can increase the risk of electrical shock and short circuiting. The second issue is of safety -- you are taking a risk when installing a switch near a shower. Using the switch with wet hands, or while standing in water, can be quite dangerous. While you may remember not to operate the switch while you are wet, houseguests or small children may not.
If you are intent on placing a switch near your shower, make it a switch rated for outdoor use or use in damp locations. You may also want to consider locating a switch with a remote some distance from the shower and using the battery powered remote to operate the switch. The risk of electrical shock is eliminated and many remotes can be mounted on the wall just like a normal switch.
Leahey, Andrew. "Placing a Light Switch Near a Shower." Home Guides | SF Gate, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/placing-light-switch-near-shower-31969.html. Accessed 20 April 2019.


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attempt to limit the damage to your VAIO.
Immediately turn off your VAIO, disconnect it from the mains. Remove the battery, removable parts and connected devices.
Drain the liquid from the keyboard by turning your notebook to different sides. Be careful not to damage the LCD or other parts in this process.
Leave the computer to dry for at least 24 hours before turning it back on.
In case you notice any issues, please contact VAIO Support for further assistance. A support agent will discuss with you the actions that need to be taken.
Depending on the type of liquid spilled on the VAIO, it may take a certain period before the computer starts malfunctioning.
Please take into account that under the terms and conditions of your guarantee, liquid spillage is considered out of warranty. Once the VAIO arrives at the repair center, the damage is assessed and the price of a repair can be quoted.


The Ravens second Lombardi Trophy is tucked away in the castle, nestled upon other pieces of Ravens history. Looking back on it, that's exactly what that magical 2012 season is now. It is history. For fanatics, it can certainly be an emotional roller coaster at times and we're now spoiled knowing now how good life is at the top. National media spotlight, ticker tape parade, late night television appearances, reality TV stardom, championship ring ceremony, "America's Game" tribute to the team (Which debuts in late August). They can't take any of that away. But it's now time to get back to work. Ask the other 31 teams if they care who won the Super Bowl last year. It's time for everyone to focus on the here and now.
The Ravens hit the practice fields for the first time today in full pads, full contact, and 90 men will fight for 53 spots on the 2013 roster. So many familiar faces around these parts have moved on. The coaches will have their hands full getting the handful of new players to gel with the returning ones. The pieces are there. Now it's up to the coaches to utilize those pieces properly in building the foundation needed to defend a title, and enter the rarified air known as a dynasty. Something only a few teams in history can attach their names to.
Dynasty is a pretty bold statement. If the Ravens and their fans want to start throwing the "D" word around, they'll have to make some pretty bold statements on the field. We've talked about the players. We've talked rivalries. We've looked at positional battles. We've discussed expectations. Now it's time to man up. Take expectations to another level. Make a bold statement. Here are a few bold predictions I'll throw out there for 2013.
Share your bold predictions on our message board.
I think Jim Caldwell knows how to run an offense. Gone are the days of Ray Rice getting single digit carries. Or being completely absent when the Ravens are playing with a late lead and trying to put the game away. Yes, Bernard Pierce will get some more carries as well. But Rice will also see more receptions with Anquan Boldin out of the mix. 1,250 yards on the ground, 750 yards in the receiving department is attainable. Rice has cracked to 2,000 yard plateau twice. 2,041 yards in 2009, and 2,068 yards in 2011.
His numbers have gotten better and better each season. His hands are now the best on the team in my opinion. He's Joe Flacco's best bud on the team. Pitta should get a ton of looks in the red zone. If Pitta doesn't emerge as a top receiver on this team, it would be very disappointing.
Rookies in the secondary might as well wear signs that say "I'm new here! Throw the ball this way!" Elam is going to be tested often by opposing quarterbacks. He's going to get his fair share of chances to make plays on the ball. Matt Elam could notch five, six, seven INTs because of this. Not to mention he's a heavy hitter. I think we'll see the first round pick make his fair share of bone crushing hits that will only boost his popularity.
Christmas came early For Terrell Suggs when he found out that Elvis Dumervil was coming to Baltimore. This could go down as the top pass rushing duo in the league. Blockers can't double up on one or the other. You have to have a helmet on each man at all times. That'll free up the guys around them to make plays. Two of the better edge rushers in the league on the same team should be awfully fun to watch. We could see sack totals of 16 or 17 for Dumervil and 13 or 14 for Suggs to make 30. The defense as a whole should be top three in the NFL in sacks.
Those are my bold predictions. What are yours?


BSR/UL 2703-201x, Standard for Safety for Mounting Systems, Mounting Devices, Clamping/Retention Devices, and Ground Lugs for Use with Flat-Plate Photovoltaic Modules and Panels (revision of ANSI/UL 2703-2015) This proposal for UL 2703 covers: (1) Clarification of the scope that roof attachments for above roof mounting (rack-mounted style installations) are not covered by this standard; (2) Addition of a reference to the Standard Specification for Zinc (Hot-Dip Galvanized) Coatings on Iron and Steel Products, ASTM A123, in the exception to Clause 10.2; (4) Update fire testing and classification requirements in Sections 11 and 15; and (5) Mechanical loading revisions.
Several NFPA documents in the Annual Revision Cycle are due today. Posts on those documents are linked here.
Monthly walk-through of codes and standards revisions that are incorporated by reference in state and local regulations, into education facility design guidelines and construction contracts. Use the login credentials at the top right of our home page.
predict the community response to short-term, infrequent, non-repetitive sources of sound.
request proxying for any directly connected BACnet network.
This standard describes the electrical and mechanical characteristics of LED Lamps that are direct replacements for existing ANSI standardized non-LED lamps. Lamps covered in this standard contain LED-based light sources. Direct replacement is defined as LED lamps that shall not require modification of existing equipment.
This Standard covers materials, components, products, equipment, and systems, related to public and residential recreational water facility operation.


text:
Author, Broadcaster, Musician and Golfer
John Corcelli
John Corcelli|Main Page
Corcelli|Latest Book
Corcelli|Biography
Contact John here
The Corcelli Blog
Dreaming The Beatles
When John Lennon released his solo album Plastic Ono Band in 1970, he concluded the record with a tune called "God". The song laments everything he no longer believed in, including "Beatles" which stutters out at the end of a long list of disenchantment. "The dream is over", sings Lennon and while that may have been true for him at the time, months after the break-up of his band, it wasn't the case for the millions of fans who adored The Beatles and believed in them. The current crop of believers can be easily found on YouTube as they compile so-called Beatles albums from the Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, Starr solo years from the early seventies. The notion isn't without merit as many of the songs on the early solo records were being written in the final months of band's career. One such compiler, in a nod to the red and blue Beatles compilations issued by Apple in 1975, has created his own "orange" and "green" albums. Another fan by the name of Marc Bridson has created The Beatles fantasy albums featuring the Fab Four's solo tracks collected in an effort to preserve the band in ways they never expected. Strangely it works...but only for dreamers.
Fifty years after the release of Sgt. Pepper and another forty-plus years after the break-up of the world's most popular rock band, Rob Sheffield's timing couldn't be better. In his recently released memoir, Dreaming The Beatles: The Love Story of One Band and the Whole World (Dey St.) Sheffield turns the story of the Beatles on its cultural head. Rather than write another chronological history of the band, leaving that task to scholars such as Mark Lewisohn, Sheffield tells the story of the group from his unique perspective. He literally begins at the end when Paul McCartney says "Thanks Mo" at the conclusion of "Get Back" on Let It Be. For Sheffield it's a great place to start because it captures a "quintessential Beatle moment" where the band calls it a day, and the fans get to enjoy the meaning of their musical and cultural impact. Looking back, as a fan, Sheffield says, "The Beatles' second career has lasted several times longer than the first one…the world keeps dreaming the Beatles, long after the Beatles themselves figured the dream was over." Clearly, timing is everything.
Rob Sheffield is a music journalist for Rolling Stone magazine. He was born in 1966 the year Revolver was released but the author only discovered the band for himself as a young teenager, the way most of us did. His entry point was The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl a live album recorded in 1965, which was produced by George Martin, but never released at the height of Beatlemania because the band hated the mix. Capitol Records in the United States released the album in 1977, according to Sheffield, to counter the soundtrack to the Robert Stigwood movie, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band starring The Bee Gees, released the same year. For Sheffield the impact of the live album was "startling…so many screaming girls on that record, buzzing at fever pitch through every song, and not one of them is lying." Later he writes, "…I fell in love with that noise – one long scream, going full blast…" adding "When I listen to Hollywood Bowl, I do not imagine being one of the Beatles; I fantasize about being the girl in upper-balcony cheap seats, ripping out my hair and shrieking…" At this point in the book, we begin to understand Sheffield's devotion to the band and the emotional atmosphere they created for him.
This is a book written by a fan for the fans, but what makes Sheffield's memoir so enjoyable to read is his critical attitude laced with a clever sense of humour. Sure he loves The Beatles, and he doesn't hold back in the 300-plus pages, but he's not about to soak his story with sentimentality and over-the-top worship. Dreaming The Beatles is a conversation about a band, its music, its personalities and its character without any musty academic evaluation. For Sheffield it's like sitting on the back porch and having a good yak about your favourite rock band. And yet the book is loaded with facts and Sheffield's assessments that surprised me. Consider John Lennon's movie shoot in Richard Lester's How I Won The War, when he spent two months on a set in Spain, without his band mates. It was during this isolation after a long and grueling tour, that Lennon, according to Sheffield, "was driven to pick up the guitar and look inside himself". Lennon wrote "Strawberry Fields Forever" which was about his "difficult childhood". Says the author of the famous track released in 1967, it's "an unusually open song for him [Lennon]…it's hard to imagine he could have written it with the others around". As Sheffield explains, Lennon was so deeply connected with the Beatles himself that "he felt lost in Spain without them." He adds, "as far as he was concerned, hanging around the set confirmed he couldn't relate to people outside the band." I know a lot about the group [my entry point was A Hard Day's Night thanks to my older brother] and its history but it never occurred to me, as it clearly occurs to Sheffield, that Lennon's attachment to the Beatles was as important as oxygen to him and that he had to deal with it. Consider this insight: "The time spent alone in Spain forced him [Lennon] to confront feelings he usually kept at bay, and the song that spilled out was so strong, not even he could make light of it or treat it as a joke." Sheffield's book is full of these remarkable observations.
Sheffield's writing style is a mix of wisdom and wit. He pokes fun at the songs we love to hate such as "All Too Much" or which album is considered The Beatles's last: Abbey Road or Let It Be? (he makes a solid case for both.) He also asks the biggest question of all, in assessing the famous story of when the band's dentist slipped LSD into their coffee after an evening meal in 1965. He quips "Do you have dinner with your dentist?" I also loved his great chapter on Starr called "The importance of being Ringo" and his insightful commentary in "Something" vs "My Love" which he describes as the "whole George/Paul dynamic in a nutshell." Discussions like these are not only refreshing to read they actually enhance our experience with the music. While I grew tired of Sheffield's steady diet of quoting song lyrics to make a point, Dreaming The Beatles: The Love Story of One Band and the Whole World, is a marvelous examination of why the Beatles are still a "thing". I highly recommend it.
The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern: A Complete History by David McPherson
Canada's Band: The Tragically Hip
Accurate Sounds: Paul Simon the life by Robert Hilburn
Richard Thompson - 13 Rivers
The Big Note by Charles Ulrich
John Coltrane's missing link
Music Memory from Steven Hyden
American Utopia by David Byrne
Gypsy at Heart: First Time Ever by Peggy Seeger
Hometowner: Tom Wilson's Beautiful Scars

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


For other uses, see Goose (disambiguation).
Geese are waterfowl belonging to the tribe Anserini of the family Anatidae. This tribe comprises the genera Anser (the grey geese), Branta (the black geese) and Chen (the white geese). Some other birds, mostly related to the shelducks, have "goose" as part of their names. More distantly related members of the family Anatidae are swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller.
The word "goose" is a direct descendent of Proto-Indo-European root, *ghans-. In Germanic languages, the root gave Old English gōs with the plural gēs and gandres (becoming Modern English goose, geese, gander, and gosling, respectively), Frisian goes, gies and guoske, New High German Gans, Gänse, and Ganter, and Old Norse gās. This term also gave Lithuanian žąsìs, Irish gé (goose, from Old Irish géiss), Latin anser, Greek χήν/khēn, Dutch gans, Albanian gatë (heron), Sanskrit hamsa and hamsi, Finnish hanhi, Avestan zāō, Polish gęś, Ukrainian гуска and гусак, Russian гусыня and гусь, Czech husa, and Persian ghāz.
The term goose applies to the female in particular, while gander applies to the male in particular. Young birds before fledging are called goslings. The collective noun for a group of geese on the ground is a gaggle; when in flight, they are called a skein, a team, or a wedge; when flying close together, they are called a plump.
The three living genera of true geese are: Anser, grey geese, including the greylag goose, and domestic geese; Chen, white geese (often included in Anser); and Branta, black geese, such as the Canada goose.
Two genera of "geese" are only tentatively placed in the Anserinae; they may belong to the shelducks or form a subfamily on their own: Cereopsis, the Cape Barren goose, and Cnemiornis, the prehistoric New Zealand goose. Either these or, more probably, the goose-like Coscoroba swan is the closest living relative of the true geese.
Fossils of true geese are hard to assign to genus; all that can be said is that their fossil record, particularly in North America, is dense and comprehensively documents many different species of true geese that have been around since about 10 million years ago in the Miocene. The aptly named Anser atavus (meaning "progenitor goose") from some 12 million years ago had even more plesiomorphies in common with swans. In addition, some goose-like birds are known from subfossil remains found on the Hawaiian Islands.
Geese are monogamous, living in permanent pairs throughout the year; however, unlike most other permanently monogamous animals, they are territorial only during the short nesting season. Paired geese are more dominant and feed more, two factors that result in more young.
The spur-winged goose, Plectropterus gambensis, is most closely related to the shelducks, but distinct enough to warrant its own subfamily, the Plectropterinae.
The blue-winged goose, Cyanochen cyanopterus, and the Cape Barren goose, Cereopsis novaehollandiae, have disputed affinities. They belong to separate ancient lineages that may ally either to the Tadorninae, Anserinae, or closer to the dabbling ducks (Anatinae).
The three species of small waterfowl in the genus Nettapus are named "pygmy geese". They seem to represent another ancient lineage, with possible affinities to the Cape Barren goose or the spur-winged goose.
A genus of prehistorically extinct seaducks, Chendytes, is sometimes called "diving-geese" due to their large size.
The unusual magpie goose is in a family of its own, the Anseranatidae.
The northern gannet, a seabird, is also known as the "Solan goose", although it is a bird unrelated to the true geese, or any other Anseriformes for that matter.
"What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander" means that what is appropriate treatment for one person is equally appropriate for someone else.
Saying that someone's "goose is cooked" means that they have suffered, or are about to suffer, a terrible setback or misfortune.
"Killing the goose that lays the golden eggs," derived from an old fable, is a saying referring to any greed-motivated, unprofitable action that destroys or otherwise renders a favorable situation useless.
"A wild goose chase" is a useless, futile waste of time and effort.
1 2 Partridge, Eric (1983). Origins: a Short Etymological Dictionary of Modern English. New York: Greenwich House. pp. 245–246. ISBN 0-517-414252.
↑ Crystal, David (1998). The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language. ISBN 0-521-55967-7.
↑ "AskOxford: G". Collective Terms for Groups of Animals. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 20 October 2008. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
↑ Lamprecht, Jürg (November 1987). "Female reproductive strategies in bar-headed geese (Anser indicus): Why are geese monogamous?". Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. Springer. 21 (5): 297–305. doi:10.1007/BF00299967.
Terres, John K.; National Audubon Society (1991) . The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds. New York: Wings Books. ISBN 0-517-03288-0.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Geese.
Look up goose in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.


BALTIMORE, MD. – The Get H.Y.P.E. (Healthy Young People Everywhere) College Tour is bringing three special events to the University of Houston – Downtown to empower college students to get serious about their health and encourage them to enroll in the Health Insurance Marketplace. This three-part event will offer a free Zumba class and line dancing to get participants moving, a press conference to discuss the Affordable Care Act open enrollment — featuring the Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Katherine Archuleta, and a dynamic Town Hall event.
The Town Hall will focus on the most pressing problems for young people today. College students and other young adults are dealing with high college costs, student loan debt, community violence and the additional challenge of being uninsured. The interactive panel will pull questions from the audience and dive into a number of issues that run the gamut of what youth and young adults are facing today. Information will be available on the benefits of the Affordable Care Act and organizational strategies for their communities. Media outlets interesting in attending the press conference must register here: http://action.naacp.org/page/s/press-credentials–get-hype-college-tour.
Katherine Archuleta, Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management; Jennifer White, Manager of Health Programs & Partnerships for the NAACP, and Ashley Lawson, University of Houston-Downtown NAACP Youth & College President.
12 p.m. – 2 p.m.
2:30 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
3:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.


Having a pool in your own backyard is a great way to have a fun time with your family and friends. In order to protect your swimming pool from evaporative losses and from dirt and debris, as well as protect your loved ones from accidental drowning, it is wise to invest in automatic pool covers in Fresno.
Pool covers are not just an accessory they are a necessity. Drowning is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. While no one likes to think about these facts, knowing them can help you realize how important a safety pool cover is. During the years 2005 to 2014, there were 3,536 fatal drowning which happened every year. One in five of the people who died from drowning were children 14 years old or younger. For every child who died from drowning, another five would be given emergency care for non-fatal water-related accidents.
While having a backyard pool means ultimate fun for families and friends, owning a pool also comes with responsibility. There are many layers of protection that work to make your pool safe. The best one is a safety pool cover from Pool Covers, Inc. They provide both security and convenience at a price within your reach. Pool Covers, Inc. offers electric and hydraulic Infinity automatic safety pool covers, as well as manual safety covers. There is a cover option to protect your pool while not is use. Adult supervision is still needed while the cover is off the pool and the pool is in use.
You cannot afford to take chances when it comes to you and your family's safety. Pool Covers, Inc. is the brand you should trust when you need automatic pool covers in Fresno to prevent drowning accidents.


text:
» Artists
» Jan Lisiecki
Please choose an artistAbbado, ClaudioAbdrazakov, IldarAimard, Pierre-LaurentAlagna, RobertoAmos, ToriD'Arcangelo, IldebrandoArgerich, MarthaAndersson, BennyAssad, BadiAvital, AviArquez, GaëlleBabayan, SergeiBarenboim, DanielBashmet, YuriBatiashvili, LisaBeczala, PiotrBernheim, BenjaminBerlin Comedian HarmonistsBerliner PhilharmonikerBernstein, LeonardBeving, JoepBlechacz, RafalBoulez, PierreBrueggergosman, MeashaBuchbinder, RudolfCarmignola, GiulianoCho, Seong-JinCigala, Diego elConcerto KölnCorea, ChickCostello, ElvisDessner, BryceDomingo, PlácidoDudamel, GustavoEmerson String QuartetErdmann, MojcaEsfahani, MahanFagioli, FrancoFauré QuartettFinch, CatrinFischer-Dieskau, DietrichFlores, PachoFricsay, FerencFuchs, JulieGabrieli Consort and PlayersGalliano, RichardGalway, Sir JamesGaranca, ElinaGardiner, John EliotGarrett, DavidGolijov, OsvaldoGrimaud, HélèneGrubinger, MartinGhraichy, SimonGrazinyte-Tyla, MirgaGregson, PeterGuðnadóttir, HildurHagen QuartettHahn, HilaryHampson, ThomasHarding, DanielHelbig, SvenHeppner, BenHeras-Casado, PabloHope, DanielHorowitz, VladimirJacobs, RenéJenkins, KarlJóhannsson, JóhannJost, ChristianKarajan, Herbert vonKissin, EvgenyKleiber, CarlosKozená, MagdalenaKremer, GidonLabèque, Katia & MarielleLakatos, RobyLang LangLisiecki, JanLozakovich, DanielLong YuLos Angeles PhilharmonicMaisky, MischaManzel, DagmarMarcon, AndreaMayer, AlbrechtMcCreesh, PaulMehta, BejunMilosMinkowski, MarcMutter, Anne-SophieNelsons, AndrisNetrebko, AnnaNézet-Séguin, YannickObel, AgnesO'Halloran, DustinOtt, Alice SaraOttensamer, AndreasOtter, Anne Sofie vonÓlafsson, VíkingurPape, RenéParry, Richard ReedPerahia, MurrayPetibon, PatriciaThe PhilharmonicsPires, Maria JoãoPletnev, MikhailPogorelich, IvoPollini, MaurizioPressler, MenahemPrevin, AndréProhaska, AnnaQuasthoff, ThomasRadulovic, NemanjaRepin, VadimRichter, MaxRomero, PepeRundfunkchor BerlinSalonen, Esa-PekkaSamuelsen, MariSchillerShankar, AnoushkaSidorova, KsenijaSimón Bolívar String QuartetSimonyan, MikhailSierra, NadineSokolov, GrigorySöllscher, GöranSosa, MercedesSoltani, KianStingStutzmann, NathalieTale Of UsTenebraeTerfel, BrynThielemann, ChristianThomas, CamilleThorvaldsdottir, AnnaTrifonov, DaniilTristano, FrancescoVenice Baroque OrchestraVeronesi, AlbertoVillazón, RolandoWainwright, RufusWang, JianWang, YujaWiener PhilharmonikerWiener SängerknabenWunder, IngolfWunderlich, FritzYundiYoo, EstherZimerman, Krystian
Beethoven - Piano Concerto No.3
Following the release of the complete concerto in audio Jan Liesecki presents a video performance of Beethovens piano concerto No.3. Further video versions of the concertos will follow in the upcoming months.
JAN LISIECKI – BEETHOVEN: COMPLETE PIANO CONCERTOS
"If one thinks of the Beethoven concerti as novels, each offers a deep spiritual journey. Performed together, this definitive anthology gives new light to the power of Beethoven's genius." – Jan Lisiecki
Beethoven has proved a serendipitous theme in Jan Lisiecki's remarkable rise to international renown. In 2013, he performed the Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 4 with Claudio Abbado and the Orchestra Mozart in Bologna, standing in at very short notice. It was this same concerto with which the young Canadian pianist made his Carnegie Hall debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Yannick Nézet-Séguin four years later, and his first Beethoven concerto to lead from the piano, at Suntory Hall in Tokyo.
On 13 September 2019, Deutsche Grammophon is set to release Beethoven: Complete Piano Concertos. The album follows Lisiecki's acclaimed Mendelssohn concerto recording earlier this year and marks his sixth recording for the Yellow Label.
Lisiecki believes that the composer did not conceive the piano concertos as a cycle of their own. "In spite of this," he adds, "they belong together because they reveal such a differentiated picture of Beethoven, starting with the first two, which still honour Mozart's legacy. Then follow Nos. 3 and 4, both so inherently different in character, and the majestic 'Emperor' Concerto forms the finale." It is this wide-ranging variety that Lisiecki finds fascinating, as it "reveals all the significant and oftentimes contradictory aspects of Beethoven's music". At the same time, the works signify a historic change: "Beethoven rewrote the rules of the classical piano concerto and completely reinvented the genre by breaking with traditions."
The recording is a testament to both Lisiecki's courage and his commitment: in late 2018, Murray Perahia was forced to pull out of a series of performances at short notice. Jan Lisiecki did not shy away from the challenge and joined the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, leading all five Beethoven concertos from the piano at the Berlin Konzerthaus – three concerts in five days. The musicians of the Academy, who have intimate knowledge of the scores and decades of experience 'reading' the collection of works, proved to be ideal musical partners for Lisiecki.
One of his guiding principles is clarity, both in terms of his communication with the orchestra, and as regards their joint interpretation of the works: "Beethoven's music is the product of different ideas, which the listener should be able to retrace."
The recording marks a milestone at the break of the Beethoven year 2020 and once again demonstrates that Lisiecki has long secured himself a place among the upper echelon of classical musicians.
An audiovisual release will follow in early 2020.
THE SPIRIT OF EARLY ROMANTICISM
Jan Lisiecki sparkles in piano music by Mendelssohn
For his latest Deutsche Grammophon album, set for release in February 2019, Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki explores a pair of early Romantic masterpieces: Mendelssohn's Piano Concertos in G minor and D minor, in which he is accompanied by the internationally acclaimed Orpheus Chamber Orchestra of New York. He complements the two concertos with a selection of some of Mendelssohn's most brilliant pieces for solo piano: the Variations sérieuses, the Rondo capriccioso and the "Venetian Boat Song" from the Songs without Words.
Despite his youth, twenty-three-year-old Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki has already built up a long list of achievements. Having skipped four grades, he graduated from high school at the age of fifteen. He began performing in public as a child, recorded his first album as a teenager, and made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2016, when he was still only twenty.
Felix Mendelssohn was a year younger than Lisiecki is now when he wrote his First Piano Concerto in G minor; the work was dedicated to the seventeen-year-old pianist Delphine von Schauroth, then the object of the young composer's affection. Cast in three movements, it is a lively, spirited work, at times requiring lightning-quick playing. Lisiecki finds it remarkable that the concerto begins as if "in the middle of a piece", and particularly appreciates the buoyancy of this early work – he thinks of it as like "a nature trip" and notes that its "lightness of touch ... reminds [him] very much of playing Mozart".
Lisiecki sees the Second Piano Concerto in D minor, which Mendelssohn wrote immediately after his honeymoon in 1837, as providing a certain contrast with the First. "The Second Concerto has darker and deeper emotions," he says. "It's less secure, it's uncertain, it's not so confident, it's searching." He adds that it reminds him in some ways of Schumann, with its "rapid emotional changes and unprepared character swings". He found it the more challenging of the two to record, not only because of its shifting moods, but also because of the intricacies of its orchestral accompaniment – as he points out, compared to the First Concerto, in the Second there is "more dialogue between the piano and the individual instruments".
He chose to record the concertos with one of the world's leading chamber ensembles, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. This elite group of players from New York are unusual in that they rehearse and perform without a conductor. "Everybody was involved in the musical process," explains Lisiecki. "That was quite amazing to see. Usually it's the conductor and I who are listening, but here you have a group of twenty people all listening to what was just done and hearing for themselves what they will change. That was a different experience."
Lisiecki is opposed to the idea of albums that are essentially "collages" of the works in his repertoire, preferring to bring together works that complement one another programmatically or in terms of their character. On this occasion he has chosen to complement the two concertos with three of Mendelssohn's finest works for the solo instrument: the Variations sérieuses, the Rondo capriccioso and the "Venetian Boat Song" (Venetianisches Gondellied) from the Lieder ohne Worte. All three are works that mean a great deal to Lisiecki, and he was delighted to be able to include them on this album and give listeners further insight into the composer's dazzling keyboard writing.
What's NewShow all
BEETHOVEN Piano Concertos / Lisiecki
Int. Release 13 Sep. 2019
MENDELSSOHN Lisiecki
Int. Release 01 Feb. 2019
CHOPIN Lisiecki
Int. Release 10 Mar. 2017
LISIECKI Schumann
Int. Release 08 Jan. 2016
On TourShow all
J.S. Bach, Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Chopin, Rubinstein
J.S. Bach, Mendelssohn, Rubinstein, Chopin
KlassikAkzente


text:
Wu Junbao (; born 1965) is a lieutenant general in the People's Liberation Army of China.

He is an alternate member of the 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.

Biography
Wu was born in Qianjiang County (now Qianjiang), Hubei, in 1965.

He once served as commander of the 14th Division of the Air Force Aviation Corps of the Nanjing Military Region. He was commander of Shanghai Air Force Base in 2013, and held that office until 2017, when he deputy commander of the  Central Theater Command Air Force. He was assistant to the chief of staff of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission in early 2021 and subsequently deputy commander of the Eastern Theater Command and commander of the Eastern Theater Command Air Force in December of that same year.

He was promoted to the rank of major general (shaojiang) in December 2014 and lieutenant general (zhongjiang) in December 2021.

References

1965 births
Living people
People from Qianjiang
People's Liberation Army generals from Hubei
People's Republic of China politicians from Hubei
Chinese Communist Party politicians from Hubei
Alternate members of the 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
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namespace Kunstmaan\FixturesBundle\Builder;

use Doctrine\ORM\EntityManager;
use Kunstmaan\FixturesBundle\Loader\Fixture;
use Kunstmaan\FixturesBundle\Populator\Populator;
use Kunstmaan\NodeBundle\Entity\HasNodeInterface;
use Kunstmaan\NodeBundle\Entity\Node;
use Kunstmaan\NodeBundle\Entity\NodeTranslation;
use Kunstmaan\NodeBundle\Entity\NodeVersion;
use Kunstmaan\NodeBundle\Entity\StructureNode;
use Kunstmaan\NodeBundle\Helper\PagesConfiguration;
use Kunstmaan\NodeBundle\Helper\Services\ACLPermissionCreatorService;
use Kunstmaan\PagePartBundle\Entity\PageTemplateConfiguration;
use Kunstmaan\UtilitiesBundle\Helper\ClassLookup;
use Kunstmaan\UtilitiesBundle\Helper\Slugifier;

class PageBuilder implements BuilderInterface
{
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    {
        $entity = $fixture->getEntity();
        $fixtureParams = $fixture->getParameters();
        $translations = $fixture->getTranslations();
        if (empty($translations)) {
            throw new \Exception('No translations detected for page fixture '.$fixture->getName().' ('.$fixture->getClass().')');
        }

        $internalName = array_key_exists('page_internal_name', $fixtureParams) ?
            $fixtureParams['page_internal_name'] : null;

        $rootNode = null;
        foreach ($fixture->getTranslations() as $language => $data) {
            if (null === $rootNode) {
                $page = $entity;
                $rootNode = $this->createRootNode($page, $language, $internalName, $fixtureParams);
                $this->manager->persist($rootNode);
            } else {
                $cloned = clone $entity;
                $page = $cloned;
                $this->manager->persist($page);
            }

            // Create the translationNode.
            $translationNode = $this->createTranslationNode($rootNode, $language, $page);
            if (!$page instanceof StructureNode) {
                $translationNode->setOnline(isset($fixtureParams['set_online']) ? $fixtureParams['set_online'] : true);
            }

            $fixture->addAdditional($fixture->getName().'_'.$language, $page);
            $fixture->addAdditional('translationNode_'.$language, $translationNode);
            $fixture->addAdditional('nodeVersion_'.$language, $translationNode->getPublicNodeVersion());
            $fixture->addAdditional('rootNode', $rootNode);

            $this->populator->populate($translationNode, $data);
            $this->populator->populate($page, $data);
            if (null === $translationNode->getSlug() && null !== $rootNode->getParent()) {
                $translationNode->setSlug($this->slugifier->slugify($translationNode->getTitle()));
            }
            $this->ensureUniqueUrl($translationNode, $page);

            $this->manager->persist($translationNode);
            $rootNode->addNodeTranslation($translationNode);
        }

        $this->manager->flush();
        $this->aclPermissionCreatorService->createPermission($rootNode);
    }

    public function postFlushBuild(Fixture $fixture)
    {
        $entities = $fixture->getAdditionalEntities();
        $fixtureParams = $fixture->getParameters();

        foreach ($fixture->getTranslations() as $language => $data) {
            /** @var HasNodeInterface $page */
            $page = $entities[$fixture->getName().'_'.$language];
            /** @var NodeTranslation $translationNode */
            $translationNode = $entities['translationNode_'.$language];

            $pagecreator = array_key_exists('creator', $fixtureParams) ? $fixtureParams['creator'] : 'pagecreator';
            $creator = $this->userRepo->findOneBy(['username' => $pagecreator]);

            $nodeVersion = new NodeVersion();
            $nodeVersion->setNodeTranslation($translationNode);
            $nodeVersion->setType('public');
            $nodeVersion->setOwner($creator);
            $nodeVersion->setRef($page);

            $translationNode->setPublicNodeVersion($nodeVersion);

            if (isset($fixtureParams['template'])) {
                $pageTemplateConfiguration = new PageTemplateConfiguration();
                $pageTemplateConfiguration->setPageId($page->getId());
                $pageTemplateConfiguration->setPageEntityName(ClassLookup::getClass($page));
                $pageTemplateConfiguration->setPageTemplate($fixtureParams['template']);
                $this->manager->persist($pageTemplateConfiguration);
            }

            $this->manager->persist($nodeVersion);
            $this->manager->persist($translationNode);
        }
        $this->manager->flush();
    }

    private function getParentNode($params, $language)
    {
        if (!isset($params['parent'])) {
            return;
        }

        $parent = $params['parent'];
        if ($parent instanceof Fixture) {
            $additionals = $parent->getAdditionalEntities();
            $parent = $additionals['rootNode'];
        } elseif (is_string($parent)) {
            $nodes = $this->nodeRepo->getNodesByInternalName($parent, $language, false, true);
            if (count($nodes) > 0) {
                $parent = $nodes[0];
            }
        }

        return $parent;
    }

    private function createRootNode($page, $language, $internalName, $fixtureParams)
    {
        $rootNode = new Node();
        $rootNode->setRef($page);
        $rootNode->setDeleted(false);
        $rootNode->setInternalName($internalName);
        $rootNode->setHiddenFromNav(
            isset($fixtureParams['hidden_from_nav']) ? $fixtureParams['hidden_from_nav'] : false
        );
        $parent = $this->getParentNode($fixtureParams, $language);

        if ($parent instanceof Node) {
            $rootNode->setParent($parent);

            if (!$this->canHaveChild($parent->getRefEntityName(), get_class($page))) {
                throw new \Exception(
                    sprintf('A %s can\'t have a %s as child. Forgot to add in allowed_children or getPossibleChildTypes?', $parent->getRefEntityName(), get_class($page))
                );
            }
        }

        return $rootNode;
    }

    private function createTranslationNode(Node $rootNode, $language, HasNodeInterface $page)
    {
        $translationNode = new NodeTranslation();
        $translationNode
            ->setNode($rootNode)
            ->setLang($language)
            ->setTitle($page->getTitle())
            ->setOnline(false)
            ->setWeight(0);

        return $translationNode;
    }

    private function ensureUniqueUrl(NodeTranslation $translation, HasNodeInterface $page)
    {
        if ($page instanceof StructureNode) {
            $translation->setSlug('');
            $translation->setUrl($translation->getFullSlug());

            return $translation;
        }

        $translation->setUrl($translation->getFullSlug());

        // Find all translations with this new URL, whose nodes are not deleted.
        $translationWithSameUrl = $this->nodeTranslationRepo->getNodeTranslationForUrl($translation->getUrl(), $translation->getLang(), false, $translation);

        if ($translationWithSameUrl instanceof NodeTranslation) {
            $translation->setSlug($this->slugifier->slugify($this->incrementString($translation->getSlug())));
            $this->ensureUniqueUrl($translation, $page);
        }

        return $translation;
    }

    private static function incrementString($string, $append = '-v')
    {
        $finalDigitGrabberRegex = '/\d+$/';
        $matches = [];

        preg_match($finalDigitGrabberRegex, $string, $matches);

        if (count($matches) > 0) {
            $digit = (int) $matches[0];
            ++$digit;

            // Replace the integer with the new digit.
            return preg_replace($finalDigitGrabberRegex, $digit, $string);
        }

        return $string.$append.'1';
    }

    /**
     * @param string $parentPageClass
     * @param string $childPageClass
     *
     * @return bool
     */
    private function canHaveChild($parentPageClass, $childPageClass)
    {
        $childTypes = $this->pagesConfiguration->getPossibleChildTypes($parentPageClass);

        foreach ($childTypes as $childType) {
            if ($childType['class'] === $childPageClass) {
                return true;
            }
        }

        return false;
    }
}


text:
Bebionic3 Cyborg Hand is Perfect for Pouring a Beer, Doing Almost Anything Else
RoboticsNewsTypeTopic
Check out the impressive capabilities of Bebionic's latest cybernetic hand
Evan Ackerman
medical robotscyberneticsprostheticsrobot handsbebionic
This is Nigel Ackland, and he's pouring himself a beer. With his robot hand.
Nigel's using one of the new bebionic3 robot hands, which were just released a month or two ago. The specs on this thing aren't quite going to bring you over to the dark side, but they're quite impressive:
Individual Motors in each finger allow you to move the hand and grip in a natural, coordinated way. The motors are positioned to optimize weight distribution, making the hand feel lighter and more comfortable.
Powerful microprocessors continuously monitor the position of each finger, giving you precise, reliable control over hand movements.
14 Selectable grip patterns and hand positions enable you to perform a huge number of everyday activities with ease.
Proportional Speed Control gives you precision control over delicate tasks, so you can pick up an egg or hold a polystyrene cup as easily as crushing an empty can.
Bebalance software and wireless technology located within the bebionic3 myoelectric hand makes it easy to customize the functions to suit your preferences and lifestyle.
Auto grip means no more accidents, as bebionic3 automatically senses when a gripped item is slipping and adjusts the grip to secure it.
Durable construction and advanced materials makes bebionic3 strong enough to handle up to 45kg – so you can confidently use the hand to carry heavy objects, and push yourself up from a seated position.
You can make a robotic arm and hand system as fancy as you want, but it has to be comfortable, lightweight, and easy to control or nobody is going to use it. The bebionic3 weighs just 550 grams (for the record, your hand and forearm weighs about 2.3% of your body weight), and as you can see in the vid, with a little bit of practice it's controllable with muscle movements that are small and precise enough that the arm appears to just do what the user wants it to.
What we're really excited about is the day (and it's coming!) when things like this don't even make the news because it's going on all the time. And at some point, users of robotic prosthetics will find themselves being able to take advantage of more capabilities than you'd find in a biological arm, like increased strength, increased durability, a wrist that can rotate infinitely, or perhaps the addition of an extra finger or two that includes some interchangeable tooling. The short term focus, of course, should be on making it easier for people with disabilities to do what they want to do, but in the future of cybernetics there's the potential for a wide variety of improvements to individual humans, in the style of Deus Ex, Star Trek, Star Wars, iRobot, and a thousand other imagined sci-fi worlds become real.
[ bebionic ] via [ DV!CE ]
Evan Ackerman is a senior editor at IEEE Spectrum. Since 2007, he has written over 6,000 articles on robotics and technology. He has a degree in Martian geology and is excellent at playing bagpipes.
DIYTopicArtificial IntelligenceMagazineHands OnType
Play Infinite Versions of AI-Generated Pong on the Go
ComputingTopicTypeSemiconductorsNews
TopicMagazineBiomedicalTypeOpinionOctober 2022
"Nothing About Us Without Us"
Video Friday: DARPA ANCILLARY
RoboticsTopicMagazineTypeFeatureOctober 2022
The Bionic-Hand Arms Race
RoboticsTopicMagazineTypeFeatureAugust 2022
How Robots Can Help Us Act and Feel Younger
Toyota's Gill Pratt on enhancing independence in old age
Dan Page
By 2050, the global population aged 65 or more will be nearly double what it is today. The number of people over the age of 80 will triple, approaching half a billion. Supporting an aging population is a worldwide concern, but this demographic shift is especially pronounced in Japan, where more than a third of Japanese will be 65 or older by midcentury.
Toyota Research Institute (TRI), which was established by Toyota Motor Corp. in 2015 to explore autonomous cars, robotics, and "human amplification technologies," has also been focusing a significant portion of its research on ways to help older people maintain their health, happiness, and independence as long as possible. While an important goal in itself, improving self-sufficiency for the elderly also reduces the amount of support they need from society more broadly. And without technological help, sustaining this population in an effective and dignified manner will grow increasingly difficult—first in Japan, but globally soon after.
Gill Pratt, Toyota's Chief Scientist and the CEO of TRI, believes that robots have a significant role to play in assisting older people by solving physical problems as well as providing mental and emotional support. With a background in robotics research and five years as a program manager at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, during which time he oversaw the DARPA Robotics Challenge in 2015, Pratt understands how difficult it can be to bring robots into the real world in a useful, responsible, and respectful way. In an interview earlier this year in Washington, D.C., with IEEE Spectrum's Evan Ackerman, he said that the best approach to this problem is a human-centric one: "It's not about the robot, it's about people."
What are the important problems that we can usefully and reliably solve with home robots in the relatively near term?
Gill Pratt: We are looking at the aging society as the No. 1 market driver of interest to us. Over the last few years, we've come to the realization that an aging society creates two problems. One is within the home for an older person who needs help, and the other is for the rest of society—for younger people who need to be more productive to support a greater number of older people. The dependency ratio is the fraction of the population that works relative to the fraction that does not. As an example, in Japan, in not too many years, it's going to get pretty close to 1:1. And we haven't seen that, ever.
Solving physical problems is the easier part of assisting an aging society. The bigger issue is actually loneliness. This doesn't sound like a robotics thing, but it could be. Related to loneliness, the key issue is having purpose, and feeling that your life is still worthwhile.
What we want to do is build a time machine. Of course we can't do that, that's science fiction, but we want to be able to have a person say, "I wish I could be 10 years younger" and then have a robot effectively help them as much as possible to live that kind of life.
There are many different robotic approaches that could be useful to address the problems you're describing. Where do you begin?
Pratt: Let me start with an example, and this is one we talk about all of the time because it helps us think: Imagine that we built a robot to help with cooking. Older people often have difficulty with cooking, right?
Well, one robotic idea is to just cook meals for the person. This idea can be tempting, because what could be better than a machine that does all the cooking? Most roboticists are young, and most roboticists have all these interesting, exciting, technical things to focus on. And they think, "Wouldn't it be great if some machine made my meals for me and brought me food so I could get back to work?"
But for an older person, what they would truly find meaningful is still being able to cook, and still being able to have the sincere feeling of "I can still do this myself." It's the time-machine idea—helping them to feel that they can still do what they used to be able to do and still cook for their family and contribute to their well-being. So we're trying to figure out right now how to build machines that have that effect—that help you to cook but don't cook for you, because those are two different things.
A robot for your home may not look much like this research platform, but it's how TRI is learning to make home robots that are useful and safe. Tidying and cleaning are physically repetitive tasks that are ideal for home robots, but still a challenge since every home is different, and every person expects their home to be organized and cleaned differently.Toyota Research Institute
How can we manage this temptation to focus on solving technical problems rather than more impactful ones?
Pratt: What we have learned is that you start with the human being, the user, and you say, "What do they need?" And even though all of us love gadgets and robots and motors and amplifiers and hands and arms and legs and stuff, just put that on the shelf for a moment and say: "Okay. I want to imagine that I'm a grandparent. I'm retired. It's not quite as easy to get around as when I was younger. And mostly I'm alone." How do we help that person have a truly better quality of life? And out of that will occasionally come places where robotic technology can help tremendously.
A second point of advice is to try not to look for your keys where the light is. There's an old adage about a person who drops their keys on the street at night, and so they go look for them under a streetlight, rather than the place they dropped them. We have an unfortunate tendency in the robotics field—and I've done it too—to say, "Oh, I know some mathematics that I can use to solve this problem over here." That's where the light is. But unfortunately, the problem that actually needs to get solved is over there, in the dark. It's important to resist the temptation to use robotics as a vehicle for only solving problems that are tractable.
It sounds like social robots could potentially address some of these needs. What do you think is the right role for social robots for elder care?
Pratt: For people who have advanced dementia, things can be really, really tough. There are a variety of robotic-like things or doll-like things that can help a person with dementia feel much more at ease and genuinely improve the quality of their life. They sometimes feel creepy to people who don't have that disability, but I believe that they're actually quite good, and that they can serve that role well.
There's another huge part of the market, if you want to think about it in business terms, where many people's lives can be tremendously improved even when they're simply retired. Perhaps their spouse has died, they don't have much to do, and they're lonely and depressed. Typically, many of them are not technologically adept the way that their kids or their grandkids are. And the truth is their kids and their grandkids are busy. And so what can we really do to help?
Here there's a very interesting dilemma, which is that we want to build a social-assistive technology, but we don't want to pretend that the robot is a person. We've found that people will anthropomorphize a social machine, which shouldn't be a surprise, but it's very important to not cross a line where we are actively trying to promote the idea that this machine is actually real—that it's a human being, or like a human being.
So there are a whole lot of things that we can do. The field is just beginning, and much of the improvement to people's lives can happen within the next 5 to 10 years. In the social robotics space, we can use robots to help connect lonely people with their kids, their grandkids, and their friends. We think this is a huge, untapped potential.
A robot for your home may not look much like this research platform, but it's how TRI is learning to make home robots that are useful and safe. Perceiving and grasping transparent objects like drinking glasses is a particularly difficult task.Toyota Research Institute
Where do you draw the line with the amount of connection that you try to make between a human and a machine?
Pratt: We don't want to trick anybody. We should be very ethically stringent, I think, to not try to fool anyone. People will fool themselves plenty—we don't have to do it for them.
To whatever extent that we can say, "This is your mechanized personal assistant," that's okay. It's a machine, and it's here to help you in a personalized way. It will learn what you like. It will learn what you don't like. It will help you by reminding you to exercise, to call your kids, to call your friends, to get in touch with the doctor, all of those things that it's easy for people to miss on their own. With these sorts of socially assistive technologies, that's the way to think of it. It's not taking the place of other people. It's helping you to be more connected with other people, and to live a healthier life because of that.
How much do you think humans should be in the loop with consumer robotic systems? Where might it be most useful?
Pratt: We should be reluctant to do person-behind-the-curtain stuff, although from a business point of view, we absolutely are going to need that. For example, say there's a human in an automated vehicle that comes to a double-parked car, and the automated vehicle doesn't want to go around by crossing the double yellow line. Of course the vehicle should phone home and say, "I need an exception to cross the double yellow line." A human being, for all kinds of reasons, should be the one to decide whether it's okay to do the human part of driving, which is to make an exception and not follow the rules in this particular case.
However, having the human actually drive the car from a distance assumes that the communication link between the two of them is so reliable it's as if the person is in the driver's seat. Or, it assumes that the competence of the car to avoid a crash is so good that even if that communications link went down, the car would never crash. And those are both very, very hard things to do. So human beings that are remote, that perform a supervisory function, that's fine. But I think that we have to be careful not to fool the public by making them think that nobody is in that front seat of the car, when there's still a human driving—we've just moved that person to a place you can't see.
In the robotics field, many people have spoken about this idea that we'll have a machine to clean our house operated by a person in some part of the world where it would be good to create jobs. I think pragmatically it's actually difficult to do this. And I would hope that the kinds of jobs we create are better than sitting at a desk and guiding a cleaning machine in someone's house halfway around the world. It's certainly not as physically taxing as having to be there and do the work, but I would hope that the cleaning robot would be good enough to clean the house by itself almost all the time and just occasionally when it's stuck say, "Oh, I'm stuck, and I'm not sure what to do." And then the human can help. The reason we want this technology is to improve quality of life, including for the people who are the supervisors of the machine. I don't want to just shift work from one place to the other.
These bubble grippers are soft to the touch, making them safe for humans to interact with, but they also include the necessary sensing to be able to grasp and identify a wide variety of objects.Toyota Research Institute
Can you give an example of a specific technology that TRI is working on that could benefit the elderly?
Pratt: There are many examples. Let me pick one that is very tangible: the Punyo project.
In order to truly help elderly people live as if they are younger, robots not only need to be safe, they also need to be strong and gentle, able to sense and react to both expected and unexpected contacts and disturbances the way a human would. And of course, if robots are to make a difference in quality of life for many people, they must also be affordable.
Compliant actuation, where the robot senses physical contact and reacts with flexibility, can get us part way there. To get the rest of the way, we have developed instrumented, functional, low-cost compliant surfaces that are soft to the touch. We started with bubble grippers that have high-resolution tactile sensing for hands, and we are now adding compliant surfaces to all other parts of the robot's body to replace rigid metal or plastic. Our hope is to enable robot hardware to have the strength, gentleness, and physical awareness of the most able human assistant, and to be affordable by large numbers of elderly or disabled people.
What do you think the next DARPA challenge for robotics should be?
Pratt: Wow. I don't know! But I can tell you what ours is [at TRI]. We have a challenge that we give ourselves right now in the grocery store. This doesn't mean we want to build a machine that does grocery shopping, but we think that trying to handle all of the difficult things that go on when you're in the grocery store—picking things up even though there's something right next to it, figuring out what the thing is even if the label that's on it is half torn, putting it in the basket—this is a challenge task that will develop the same kind of capabilities we need for many other things within the home. We were looking for a task that didn't require us to ask for 1,000 people to let us into their homes, and it turns out that the grocery store is a pretty good one. We have a hard time helping people to understand that it's not about the store, it's actually about the capabilities that let you work in the store, and that we believe will translate to a whole bunch of other things. So that's the sort of stuff that we're doing work on.
As you've gone through your career from academia to DARPA and now TRI, how has your perspective on robotics changed?
Pratt: I think I've learned that lesson that I was telling you about before—I understand much more now that it's not about the robot, it's about people. And ultimately, taking this user-centered design point of view is easy to talk about, but it's really hard to do.
As technologists, the reason we went into this field is that we love technology. I can sit and design things on a piece of paper and feel great about it, and yet I'm never thinking about who it is actually going to be for, and what am I trying to solve. So that's a form of looking for your keys where the light is.
The hard thing to do is to search where it's dark, and where it doesn't feel so good, and where you actually say, "Let me first of all talk to a lot of people who are going to be the users of this product and understand what their needs are. Let me not fall into the trap of asking them what they want and trying to build that because that's not the right answer." So what I've learned most of all is the need to put myself in the user's shoes, and to really think about it from that point of view.
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Gill Pratt Discusses Toyota's AI Plans and the Future of Robots and ... ›


text:
Daytime, Weekdays at 11am
Air Date: 06/13/2019	"6/13/19"
John Delaney, former Maryland Congressman and current 2020 Democratic Presidential candidate appears Thursday, 6/13/19 on ABC's "The View." … Read Synopsis
John Delaney, former Maryland Congressman and current 2020 Democratic Presidential candidate appears Thursday, 6/13/19 on ABC's "The View."
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Air Date: 12/20/2019	"12/20/19"
Air Date: 11/07/2019	"11/7/19"
Lauri Hogan lauri.l.hogan@abc.com
Social	- #TheView


Established in 2007 by Dr.B Robin Guru Singh, Gurupatham Spine Care Centre focuses on non-surgical solutions for spinal problems like disc prolapse, back pain, neck pain, spondylosis etc. Our goal is to provide every individual who suffers from back problem a permanent solution that is non invasive, drugless. We do this with the help of technology to diagnose and create precise treatment solutions. At our centre, we have consistently ensured a high success rate, and use methods that are more complementary to the innate body systems. We use technology to complement and correct the problems in the spine, even in cases of disc prolapse etc.
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text:
Wyo, sheep industry intertwined
October 28th, 2008	 by Wyoming Livestock Roundup
Casper – Historically and culturally the sheep industry and Wyoming are inseparable. For many Wyoming ranches, regardless of whether or not they raise sheep today, their early day presence in the industry helped pay the bills and, in many cases, allowed them to expand their ranches.
Wyoming continues to be the number two sheep producing state in the nation. It's a position in which industry leaders take pride. Efforts like formation of the Mountain States Lamb Cooperative strike right at the heart of the industry's desire to stay in business for many generations to come.
"Sheep have been in Wyoming for 150 years," says Wyoming Wool Growers Executive Vice President Bryce Reece. "There are a lot of communities in Wyoming that were founded by, and essentially built upon, the sheep industry. At one time the sheep industry was really important to Casper." Reece says that importance can be seen in the recognition of the area's old-time sheep families on many street names throughout the city. "Lamb and wool buyers worked here and it was a central location for the railroad."
"If you look at the past presidents of the Wool Growers," says Reece, "there are pictures in there of very important leaders in Wyoming. The sheep industry has been a strong part in the fabric that makes up Wyoming."
While the industry doesn't have the impact it once did, Reece says he'd like to see an increase in the state's sheep numbers. "Its decline hasn't been a good thing for Wyoming," he notes. "If you overlay the general population trend of sage grouse over that of the sheep industry, they're almost the same graph. That has to be more than coincidence." Reece believes the predator control that accompanies his industry has historically proven beneficial for the bird. Furthermore he says, "There are scientific trials that say sheep grazing can enhance sage grouse habitat."
"I don't want to see sheep numbers at six million again," says Reece, noting at one time Carbon County alone was home to 2 million head. "But we could comfortably support a ewe production base of a million head in this state." He says right now there are about a half million ewes in Wyoming.
That number could increase, notes Reece, saying, "A lot of that has to do with the past eight years of drought. I know there are producers who would like to expand if they felt semi-confident we were through this dry hump and into normal moisture patterns."
"We still have a viable industry and prices have been strong since the lamb cooperative got up and running," says Reece.
Jennifer Womack is managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup and can be reached at roundup@wylr.net.
Posted in Livestock, Genetics, Seedstock, Wool
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