Starting in the old market town of Sturminster Newton, the first mile is deliberately along the Marnhull road because of the fine views either side of this low ridge. This route passes a road called Rabin Hill, used as a pseudonym by Dorset dialect poet Robert Young who lived in Stur for 97 years from 1810. after the high ground around the charming village of Hinton St Mary, you will be exploring the woods and riverside fields of the Stour valley. Cutt Mill was devastated by fire some years ago, but its semi-ruined state is quite picturesque against the smooth waters of the River Stour, the foaming weir and the old cobbled footbridge from Bagber where the most famous Dorset dialect poet william Barnes was born in 1801.
Exertion: Relatively easy, mostly level on pavements, tracks and field paths. Some mud after rain.
1 From the car park, cross into Railway Gardens. walk up to the top exit by the displayed railway track section. Crossing Old Market Hill, walk along Bath Roads left pavement. Continue past some substantial houses, Rabin Hill, the old chapel which once housed the Town Museum and, crossing back to the rightside, the High School. leaving the town, there are superb views right towards the Cranborne Chase escarpment and left over the Stour valley. Reaching the top of the ascending road, take the signed footpath through the right pillared gateway. Through the wood and along the avenue, emerge into Hinton St Mary, outside the Manor House gates.
2 Turn right along the Manston 1 drive but, first, visit St Marys church beyond the old buttressed stable-block. along the left manor house wall and yew hedge, there are superb views right to Hambledon Hill. Before Home Down Dairys sheds, turn left onto the concrete footpath-track between valley fields. Reaching the T-junction, turn left, passing right Bartletts yard and continuing between fine stone cottages. when the white Horse Inn appears ahead, turn right into Castlemans lane. Continue past lovely cottages, round the left bend, past Castlemans Farm with rear views to Marnhulls St Gregorys church, and down the sunken lane to another T-junction. Turn left down to the main road.
3 Cross over into the track between Turks Garage and the right thatched cottage, behind which turn right across the concrete yard to the footpath-stile/gate. Over this, cross the field half-left to the hedges twin-stiles. Over these, turn right. Follow the field edge round the corner and down the second side, passing two footpath-arrows. keep parallel with the fields right hedge down to a bridleway-arrowed gap into right trees. Through here, follow the wide grass track between old and younger trees, muddy towards the far end. Reaching the No Right of way sign, turn left down into trees, past a bridleway-arrow, to the lane signed back wood lane .
4 Turn left and pass a left footpath signed Sturminster Newton 2. This is your way after visiting Cutt Mill down the lane. Over this footpath-stile, follow the arrowed Hardy way path along the right River Stour, muddy at first through a coppice, to a footpath-stile. Over this, follow the Stour-side footpath through two fields. Over the stile/bridges/stile into Field 3, keep following the Stour. On a sweeping left bend, the River Divelish comes in from the right railway bridge. at the end of this long field, go through the footpath kissing-gate into the end of Twinwood Coppice, over a footbridge and through a kissing-gate into Field 4.
5 Still follow the rivers edge to a footbridge by a willow tree. Over this, keep straight on up onto the river terrace path with left garden fences. Dont take the left footpath kissing-gate but continue along the terrace top before dropping to the kissing-gate onto a muddy path past reed-beds. a boardwalk gets you through some trees to a paths fork. Follow the river path under the old railway arches to Colmer Bridge. Dont cross the bridge. Turn left along the pebble path. Through the facing Market Place footpath-signed kissing-gate, walk up the hill and steps to the top kissing-gate. Past old stone cottages and left Bonslea Mead, continue to the end of The Row into Market Place. Cross into Station Road back to the car park. Change your boots then eat, drink and shop!


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Let's look at plan B
Struggling nations and cities need to hitch up their skirts, quicken their step and just get on with it. Our editor-in-chief follows up the debates stirred up in this issue.
Dark horse in the east
It's a vital military outpost, dogged by organised crime. However, with huge Chinese, Korean and Japanese markets on its shores, Vladivostok could become Russia's Far Eastern giant.
The British Queen's motorcade, a European space ship, the first direct flights between Russia and Brazil and the Turkish prime minister's branding potential
Americas Briefing
South America's revamped union, efforts to get Ronald Reagan recognised, and the new goldrush in Peru.
The former director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency has refused to sink quietly into retirement and is battling to bring democracy to his home country of Egypt.
South Africa's ambition to host a mega-telescope, the new calendar for Senegal, and the Ugandan president's desperate measures to win the election.
China's version of Google Earth, Turkmenistan plans to hold the Olympics, and good news for Taiwan travelers.
The king of Tonga is our dapper Style Leader, Australia is a wise old goat, and New Zealand strips its prisoners of the right to vote and smoke.
News from the military world, including the new "smart" bullets and ingenious bomb detection technology.
The city limits
New York City's enviable culture and wealth have failed to spread to its northern hinterlands. For ailing cities like Buffalo, it's do or die time.
As Colombia looks to expand business ties with Asia, the country's principal port town of Buenaventura has huge economic potential. But its Pacific waterways are also a major transit for drug smugglers, bringing a new set of woes.
Aussie ruler
It was almost 60 years ago that Ron Barassi first started playing as a top Aussie Rules football player. But he is still recognised and celebrated everywhere in his homeland, not just as a great sportsman, but also as the archetypal Australian.
Celtic tiger feat
Ireland has had a disastrous recession. But the erstwhile Celtic Tiger is licking its wounds and there are signs that the lessons of the past 10 years have been learnt by businesses willing to seize the opportunity for a rebirth.
With bleak job prospects facing its population, the Philippines has turned the search for work into an export success story by encouraging its most valuable resource -its people - to train abroad.
Mental wealth
Forget earnings reports: a new generation of stockpilers assemble their portfolios based on lessons from psychological research. Can behavioural finance make sense in a crazy market.
The new spae shuttles prepare for lift-off, an iconic motorbike film gets back on the road, and Cornwall lays claims to the title of Britain's "green coats."
Dub be good to me
Across the world there are people who are literally being John Malkovich. Or Homer Simpson or Paris Hilton. And in their home nations the voices of dubbing artists are more famous than those of their Hollywood counterparts.
She's a believer
Author of four hit books, Vendela Vida, is alo the co-editor of US culture magazine 'The Believer'. Part of a celebrated literary couple (her husband is Dave Eggers) she tells Monocle how she works and what inspires her.
Culture Briefing
Our favourite new music releases, films and books. And culture editor Robert Bound's column on tear-jerking Hollywood films.
Media Briefing
Books, technology and a magazine on Chinese contemporary art. And an interview with the founder of Love Art.
Art market Briefing
Admen of God
Imagine trying to sell products to people who don't watch TV and cannot use the internet. That's the challenge for students studying at the Haredi Advertising Academy, which trains them in how to make advertisements aimed at their Orthodox brothers.
China makes cheap products to order. Could it ever make well-designed ones too? Monocle looks at the companies who think it can and are leading the way.
Green rooms
Sauerbruch Hutton was one of the first architecture firms to promote the value of sustainable building. Now it's in demand across Europe, expanding into furniture and pushing developers to think bigger.
Upwardly mobile
Flensted's handmade mobiles have hung in well-designed homes around the world for more than 50 years. The family- run company is also one of Denmark's most successful cottage industries and business is flying high.
London's Oliver Spencer opens in Toronto, plus we have coats to protect you from spring showers and womenswear with a soft focus.
Thriving threads
The various strands of the fashion industry spent the past year pulling themselves together after a tough 2009. Monocle speaks to the brands that are now planning to spread their wings in 2011.
Design/Architecture Briefing
Monocle's round-up of the news, products and projects making waves this month.
A concept store featuring fashion, interiors and art has been set up by five entrepreneurs to challenge the might of the multiples with their unique take on the retail experience.
Hit the deck
On the north side of Bodrum in the village of Türkbükü lies the Maçakizi hotel, nestled in the hills. Family run, it was founded in 1977 as a place of inspiration for artists and intellectuals. It's also the perfect spot to get that first bit of spring sun in our cruise and swimwear.
Monocle selects the perfect frames to keep you fully in the picture.
Inventory No. 40
A round-up of practical and pretty things, including a dog bowl that doesn't go walkies and a baby soap that is a national institution.
Ski to the sea
Where can you enjoy such off-piste activities as deep-sea fishing and viewing the Northern Lights? The Lyngen Alps, home of Lyngen Lodge, provide a spectacular setting to a unique skiing experience.
Krohn prince
Claus Krohn, the 77-year-old founder of Krohn Air in Norway, is far from retiring from the skies.
Scrubbed up
Iris Hantverk makes brushes that are as good-looking as they are hard-working, using methods that date back to the late 1800s.
Hidden in the heart of the city, Rome's most multicultural neighbourhood is attracting creatives to its vibrant and intrigue-laden streets.
Hot Potts
After his usual four morning coffees, Fratelli Fresh's Barry McDonald, long-serving supplier to Sydney's finest restaurants and owner of three ground-breaking food stores/delis/bars/Italian tratts, whisks us around Potts Point, a food-obsessed, inner city neighbourhood of Sydney.
Don and Mera Rubell
Influential art collectors Don and Mera Rubell have always dared to sample untested artists – and they have the same fearless attitude to food. But there's only one dish they could possibly put on the menu for their final repast, and they would cook it themselves at their famous home.
We've been getting very excited about our new offices over the past few months, but the wait is finally coming to an end. And 2011 is already shaping up to be an exciting year, with new projects, radio studios and a recruitment drive, writes Tyler Brûlé.
Expo 40: Iran comes out to play
it was the former shah's haven of hedonism and now the island of kish is being rediscovered as a place where the islamic republic can let its hair down (well, almost).A relatively liberal atmosphere, growing investment, high property prices and a drive to attract overseas businesses and tourists are the ingredients that could open up a little corner of Iran to the world.
Report / Vladivostok
Shaun Walker
Will Webster
The alliterative name rolls off the tongue with an air of mystery and a sense of the faraway. Vladivostok, rather like Timbuktu, is one of those places that everyone has vaguely heard of but few know much about. If Moscow has its way, however, by the end of 2011 Russia's Far Eastern hub will be firmly on the radar.
It certainly occupies a strategic location – land borders with North Korea and China are close; Japan is just across the water. Vladivostok literally means "Ruler of the East", and the city houses the headquarters of Russia's Pacific Fleet and is the terminus of the longest railway line in the world. Once a bustling city of merchants and foreign trade, its military functions meant that Vladivostok was closed to outsiders during the Soviet period; when it reopened in the early 1990s it became a byword for chaos, corruption and wild business practices.
Even in the Russian context, its corruption levels and mafia ties stood out as remarkable. Over the past two decades Vladivostok has been slowly shedding (but not entirely losing) its reputation for dark mafia dealings. Now, unprecedented levels of investment from Moscow have flooded the city and surrounding region, as the Russian centre seeks to reassert authority in the Far East and make itself a fitting eastern capital.
Whether Vladivostok's residents are happy about Moscow's interest in their city is open to question. Two years ago, in a survey that asked locals to name what they thought was the biggest threat to the prosperity of Vladivostok, Moscow's policies came out higher than Chinese expansionism or the North Korean nuclear issue. "If you compare Vladivostok with Singapore or Hong Kong, part of the reason that they are so much more advanced than us is that they are city states, separate from bigger countries," says Andrei Kalachinsky of the Vladivostok State University of Economics & Service. "If Vladivostok was a small independent state, we'd be very wealthy with all the customs duties from our port and railway station. But it all goes to Moscow."
These widespread centripetal sentiments are part of the reason why Moscow has decided to get serious with investments in the Far East. A presidential residence is being built and, most significantly, vast infrastructure and construction projects are underway in preparation for the 2012 APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit, which will be held in the city. The summit, when presidents of the 21 APEC member states will descend on Vladivostok, is a reason to modernise the city's infrastructure. New roads are being built, and two huge bridges are taking shape, one across the central inlet that splits the city in two, and one to Russky Island, where the summit will take place. Previously accessible only by ferry, and home to just over 5,000 people, Russky is hosting some of the most intensive construction work in Russia. The hotels and conference halls used for the summit will afterwards be turned into a new Far Eastern State University, with potential for up to 50,000 students.
Central beach in Vladivostok. The hotel in the background is being built for the forthcoming APEC summit
Jun Yamada, Japanese consul general
Decorations on the Square of Fighters for Soviet Power in the Far East
Local train at Vladivostok station
View towards the port of Vladivostok
Pre-revolutionary architecture
Car production line at Sollers factory
Andrei Kalachinsky of the State University of Economics & Service
Sailor browses at a magazine kiosk
Students in the State University café
Russian naval serviceman
View towards harbour of Vladivostok
Soviet-era competition diving board
Waitress in a North Korean restaurant
Car parts at the Sollers factory
Chris Friend, an American businessman
Luxury catamaran in old military docks
Bridge under construction linking the two sides of Vladivostok harbour
State University student
Soviet-era murals in Vladivostok suburb
Corruption appears to have flourished with all the new investment. When authorities asked citizens to come up with names for one of the bridges, many suggested Kickback Bridge. There is also widespread scepticism that the bridges will be completed in time for the summit. Nevertheless, even if they end up costing more than they should, the infrastructure improvements should make a real difference to the traffic nightmare that currently plagues the city.
For years, one of the city's main economic drivers was the import of secondhand cars from Japan. It was big business for criminal gangs who controlled the shipping routes and customs offices, and also provided jobs for tens of thousands of locals who would drive the cars to other parts of Russia and sell them on. Then, in late 2008, in a move to stimulate the domestic car industry, Russia imposed huge import taxes on cars. Overnight, it seemed, the entire business would be killed. "Cars suddenly cost about $5,000 more, and it ruined a whole way of life," says Kalachinsky. "The sector employed not only traders but also provided work for ports, customs, sailors and ship repair yards." Russians under Vladimir Putin have been notoriously supine and averse to public protest but this was too much. Hundreds of people took to the streets, and riot police were flown in from Moscow to quash the revolt, as there was a feeling that local officers might side with the protesters. The tariffs were introduced and the riots were quelled, but a bitter taste remained locally.
"People on both sides are trying to search for something new to provide an alternative to the automobile industry, but it's not easy," says Jun Yamada, the Japanese consul general in the city. "There is potential, however. We have so many local government delegations visiting from Japan. The scale of local economic activity is limited, perhaps it's too small for the biggest Tokyo companies, but for smaller firms, they could find ideal partners here." Vladivostok is one of the few cities in the world that has direct flights to Pyongyang, but there is little sense that the border with the world's most secretive dictatorship is just a few dozen miles away.
The only signs are occasional sightings of North Korean labourers – several thousand toil on construction sites in the region, on murky contracts that send most of their wages back to their government. The workers are largely prevented from interacting with locals, but at Café Pyongyang (see issue 36) chirpy waitresses in shiny red dresses adorned with neat bows chat to customers in broken Russian or English about their happy lives in North Korea. Later in the evening they sing karaoke to the accompaniment of videos picturing workers in the fields.
The city's proximity to the North Korean border doesn't appear to cause problems. Signs of how delicately balanced things are emerge only occasionally, such as in 1996, when an employee of the South Korean consulate was murdered with a poisoned pencil. North Korean intelligence was widely suspected to be behind the bizarre killing. And in a sign that some in the local government feel the situation might become tense, one political analyst said he'd seen government plans that provided for the region to take in over 20,000 refugees in the event of an "emergency situation" in North Korea.
For the more prosperous half of the Korean peninsula, the Russian Far East is mainly of interest for its natural resources, but there are several other projects of interest already underway. "There's very fruitful cooperation to be had – we need the Far East's natural resources, and they need our high-level manufacturing abilities," says a diplomat at South Korea's Vladivostok consulate. Korean companies farm more than 150,000 hectares of land around the city, producing beans, rice and corn for sale in Russia and Korea. Daewoo is opening a shipbuilding yard close to the city, and the Busan Port Authority is developing a container port in nearby Nakhodka. "There is huge potential for this port," says the diplomat. "There are three big northeastern Chinese provinces, for which Nakhodka is closer than any Chinese port – and the Chinese ports are congested anyway."
For hundreds of millions of Asians in China, Japan and South Korea, Vladivostok is the closest "European" town they can visit, and the city should be exploiting its tourism potential more. Vladivostok's attractive setting on the water is reminiscent of Istanbul (the central inlet is called the Golden Horn because of its similarity in shape to Istanbul's, and the nearby straits are named the "Eastern Bosphorus"), and the town centre is pleasant, lined with 19th-century buildings. Add to this the unspoilt nature and opportunities for bear and tiger watching in the nearby pristine forests, and the place should be overrun. But as usual in Russia, the bureaucratic obstacles and low service standards mean that so far the potential has been underexploited.
According to the Japanese Consulate, just 4,000 Japanese tourists visited the region last year. Aside from visa hassle, there's the exorbitant cost of flights – Tokyo to Vladivostok is a shorter flight than some internal Japanese routes, but nevertheless it's rare to find a return ticket cheaper than €450. The same goes for flights from Seoul. When on the ground, the few half-decent hotels are scandalously overpriced.
In past years there was a much bigger flow of Chinese tourists, many of whom came overland, but in recent years this has also dried up. Many of them came to gamble, but a liberalisation of travel restrictions for mainland Chinese citizens to visit Macau, combined with the recent ban on casinos in Russia, has meant that this flow has stopped. If the 2012 summit can help boost service levels and leave behind decent, mid-range accommodation as well as high-end hotels, then the city will have a lasting legacy to build on.
Alexander Abramov, an adviser to the local administration, lays out three possible scenarios for future development. In the first, pessimistic, scenario, the city focuses on its military functions and innovative economic growth is minimal. The "realistic" scenario envisages steady growth, while in the "optimistic" scenario, the vast infrastructure projects are completed and huge investment comes in from abroad, such as with two current projects where Korean and Singaporean companies have invested in neglected shipbuilding factories in the region. Tourism opportunities will be properly exploited, and other industries that might now seem counterintuitive will also blossom. "Now, rich people from here go to get medical treatment in Seoul or Singapore, but there's no reason why there couldn't be a reverse flow if we had high-quality, good-value medical facilities here," says Abramov.
The potential, indeed, is huge. Abramov calculates that if everything goes to plan, by 2020 the population of Vladivostok will have increased by 80 per cent, exceeding even its Soviet-era peak, while average salaries will rise by 380 per cent. Abramov traces a circle on a map of the world around Vladivostok, pointing out that over 300 million people live within a 1,000km radius of the city. The corresponding figure for Moscow would be less than 100 million. "What we have to do is to find a way to integrate into this larger economic space," he says.
Russo-Korean cars
As a gesture of support to the region after import duties were raised on foreign cars, a car assembly plant producing Korean SsangYong jeeps was set up in Vladivostok – the first time that cars have been produced east of the Urals in Russia.
The workshop, run by one of Russia's leading car manufacturers, Sollers, is perched on the waterfront; ships with the containers of car parts from Korea dock just a few metres away and clear customs right on the doorstep. On the other side, a railway line takes the finished cars away.
In addition to the 13,000 Korean cars assembled at the plant in 2010, there was also one Russian UAZ jeep made. The factory bosses say that Prime Minister Vladimir Putin bet his Italian counterpart Silvio Berlusconi that he could produce a UAZ jeep in Vladivostok within three months. The jeep was made, and Berlusconi apparently did shell out for his car but, if anything, the success proves that the whole venture so far is rather more symbolic than real.
Demilitarising Vladivostok's economy
Vladivostok's numerous shipbuilding and repair factories now mostly stand idle, padlocked shut and decaying. But three brothers – former sailors and logistics professionals – have set up a company building state-of-the-art catamarans in an old naval ship-repair factory.
"Nobody else in Russia uses this sort of technology," says Vladimir Voloshenko, director of Pacifico Marine, adding that specialists flew in from New Zealand to supervise the manufacture of their biggest yacht yet. The purchase price of the 22-metre, two-bedroom catamaran was under €2m, much cheaper than such a sleek craft would cost in Europe. The brothers, who employ 80 people, also make passenger catamarans for the regional government.
"Currently we're making two or three boats a year, but we have the capacity for up to 15," says Voloshenko. "It is going to take time to transform Vladivostok from a military city to a civilian one, but we need more businesses like ours to help the transition."
The Urbanist

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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International Workboat Show: Cox Powertrain announces appointment of new US-based sales and customer support team
NewsDecember 18th 2019
As production of Cox Powertrain's high-powered CXO300 approaches, the diesel outboard specialist has revealed three key new appointments to support its US business and head up its sales and aftersales departments in this important market. Bruce Woodfin takes on the role of North America Account Manager and Bill Livingston will act as Aftersales Manager for the America's, while Steve Pitt becomes Global Aftersales and Warranty Manager, based at Cox's UK headquarters.
Bruce Woodfin graduated from Maine Maritime Academy, with a degree in yacht operations boatyard management, before working for yards in Marblehead and Salem Massachusetts. Since 2000, he has worked in marine propulsion, selling and supporting a wide range of products including jets, inboards, sterndrives and pods, and worked for Power Product Systems LLC for seven years prior to joining Cox Powertrain. During his time with Power Product Systems, his primary focus was selling and supporting Volvo Penta products to the New England lobster boat market, high-end yacht tenders, custom yachts and pilot boats.
Bill Livingston started his career building engines for Caterpillar before moving into customer support and ultimately becoming Head of Caterpillar Concierge, the firm's premium aftersales service. He brings expertise and experience in project management, aftersales processes and customer service to Cox's North American team and will be based in Georgia but will relocate to Florida when Cox's US headquarters is in operation.
Delivering exceptional aftersales support is a fundamental part of Cox Powertrain's philosophy and the firm has now strengthened its worldwide team to help it provide a second-to-none service. Taking on the role of Global Aftersales & Warranty Manager is Steve Pitt, who brings experience in automotive aftersales, calibration and diagnostics and gained key marine aftersales and product development experience whilst employed by Hamilton Jet. Steve will be UK based at Cox's headquarters in West Sussex.
Pitt, Woodfin and Livingston will be joined by Cox's Louisiana distributor, Innovative Diesel Technology. at this year's International Workboat Show.
David LeBlanc, Director of Sales and Product Development at Innovative Diesel Technology said, "We're inviting visitors to register online or via our stand at the show to experience an on-water demo to see a CXO300 in operation first-hand."
"This high-powered diesel outboard has been greatly anticipated by the US commercial market. We're excited to be representing a brand-new engine that has no current equal on the market. Cox's emphasis on unrivalled aftersales also aligns perfectly with our own ethos of providing best-in-class products with unequalled product support."


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Wire | Super-Sized Clock Counts Down to the Big Game
December 4, 2014 by DPJ Staff
DPJ's Wire series delivers news and information straight from the source without translation.
Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee Unveils First Solar, Inc. Super-Sized Countdown Clock
Digital Clock is Latest Attraction Added to Super Bowl Central in Downtown Phoenix
To build on the growing momentum and anticipation of Super Bowl XLIX the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee and First Solar, Inc. unveiled the First Solar Countdown Clock in downtown Phoenix this morning. Over the next 60 days, the technologically advanced clock will provide the countdown to kick-off and keep fans "in the know" about events and activities coming up on the free, 12-city block fan campus known as Super Bowl Central.
The super-sized timepiece stands 13 feet tall, is made of aluminum and steel, and illuminated by more than 200 feet of LED lights. The First Solar Countdown Clock will display updated video content and a countdown to the kickoff of Super Bowl XLIX. It features three, 55 inch ultra-bright LED displays and nine First Solar panels, which were manufactured at the company's US production facility outside of Toledo, Ohio.
"The First Solar Countdown Clock is the second exciting addition to Super Bowl Central, the epicenter of fan activity in Downtown Phoenix, and made possible by First Solar taking a strong local leadership role," said Jay Parry, President and CEO of the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee.
First Solar is also a partner of the Host Committee's volunteer program. With the support of its employees, it is currently the largest single corporate volunteer group for the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee.
"Our association with the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee demonstrates First Solar's commitment to our home town," said Jim Hughes CEO of First Solar. "Our associates are proudly participating in a variety of volunteer community service programs."
The First Solar Countdown Clock is located on the northeast corner of Jefferson and 1st Street, which will be the heart of Super Bowl Central. The free, football-themed, pedestrian and family friendly fan campus will feature a multitude of daily activities such as outdoor performances by local musicians and national recording artists, an autograph stage, the iconic Super Bowl XLIX Roman Numerals and a beer garden. It will run from Wednesday, January 28 through Sunday, February 1, 2015.
In November, the Host Committee unveiled the first Super Bowl Central attraction on the corner of Central and Washington. The super-sized football towers more than 20 feet high, measures more than 32 feet around and weighs more than 7,000 pounds. Fans are encouraged to visit both monuments, take selfies, share them on social media using #sb49 and make their own Super Bowl XLIX memories.
Image courtesy of the Arizona Super Bowl.
In this story: 2015 Super Bowl, Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee, First Solar Inc., Jay Parry, Jim Hughes, Super Bowl Central, Super Bowl XLIX
Categories: Downtown District, Engage PHX, Entertainment, Families / Kids, Festivals, From the Wire, Neighborhood Orgs, Sports, Sports & Rec
December 10, 2014 Wire | Verizon Super Bowl Central to be the Epicenter of Super Bowl XLIX Activities
November 24, 2014 Wire | Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee CEO Forum Will Bring Business Execs to Phoenix
February 25, 2015 Wire | Super Bowl XLIX Brings Record Numbers Downtown
January 28, 2015 Wire | Transportation Tips for Getting Around Downtown During Super Bowl XLIX


A relevant question that could come up here is which is more difficult? Is it harder to to make theology relevant to a community, or faithful to God's Word. At first glance, it may seem that it really depends on the person. For example, an untrained person who is fully enculturated (born into) culture "B" would be quite well-suited to providing a relevant theology– but one that is likely to be not true to God's Word.
On the other hand, a seminary student enculturated and trained in culture "A" could be reasonably thought to be able to provide a theology that is true to God's word, but is not relevant in culture "B." But this is a mistake.
Consider the following figure. While there are some definite limitations to this figure, it does show a couple of things fairly well. Culture "A" has within it a number of theologies that are relevant to it. The same is true of Culture "B." Overlapping God's Revelation with it, creates smaller regions. God's Word as canon, provides a standard or limiter of what is acceptable to God.
But, of course, these are not all of the options. Region 7 is Culture "A" that is not conformed to God's Word, and Region 8 is the similar situation for Culture "B." Regions 5 and 6 are Theologies that are not conformed to God's Word in Cultures "A" and "B," respectively.
For a new believer enculturated in Culture "B," poorly versed in God's Word, it is much more likely that a theology developed by him (or her) would not properly be conformed to God's Revelation. That is why Region 6 is shown as much larger than Region 4… God's Word provides a limitation on all theologies that may be seen as relevant to that culture. It is much easier, and more likely, for this person to develop a theology that is relevant, but heterodox, and work towards developing a sub-culture that fails to be fulfilled by God's Word.
But suppose that the seminary graduate does intentionally seek to contextualize. He will be hit by two major limitations.
Limitation #1. His relative ignorance of Culture "B" will make it hard to find a Biblically sound, relevant theology (Region 4). It is a target easier to miss than to hit.
Limitation #2. His relative ignorance of God's Revelation. One might assume that the seminarian is well-versed in Scripture. But he is versed in God's revelation as it applies to his own culture (or sub-culture). God's revelation is much greater than that.
But which limitation is greater for the seminary graduate? It is the second one. Spending time in Culture "B" will gradually reveal the nuances of the culture… and subtleties that are beyond him can be filled in by host believers eventually. However, the expansion of one's understanding of God's Revelation to the point that it is clearly seen as it relates to a different culture is much harder. One might even suggest that without the Holy Spirit's illumination, the task would be impossible.
A. As the Israelites escaped from Egypt, they eventually arrived at Mt. Sinai. There Moses went up to commune with God, while the Isrealites and the other non-Israelits who had escaped with them waited. When Moses failed to come down from the mountain after a long time, the people feared and asked Aaron to deal with the situation. In Exodus 32, Aaron makes an altar and a golden calf. Why would he do this?
In Egypt, the bull is sacred, and so he may have been drawing answers from the culture he was raised in (heterodox theology from culture A). On the other hand, knowing that they are heading to Canaan, where the bull is a symbol of Baal, "the local god," this may have been a heterodox theology seeking relevance in culture B.
Had animal sacrifice with requirements that the animals are unblemished.
In Egypt, the Bull was sacred to Apis, a god popularly worshiped in Memphis (Egypt) and often seen as a go-between of man and the higher gods. It is hardly surprising that Aaron might go in that direction. In Exodus 32:6, part of the worship was to "play," suggesting the sexual activities associated with the Canaanite faith. This sympathetic magic was tied to fertility of families as well as the land. Apis, in Egypt, was also often seen as a god of fertility.
Aaron, with limited understanding of God's will, made a pretty good attempt at guessing what God would want based on his understanding of Egyptian culture, and perhaps his limited understanding of Canaanite culture. It wasn't all that hard.
But he was still wrong. It took God's Word, coming through Moses, to clarity what God expected of them. The result was something that would "make sense" to most of the people, while still deeply challenging them to change.
Interestingly, God's revelation to Moses actually was not simply to one culture, but to two. The revelation was to Israel, a nomadic people– but also to Israel, a sedentary people.
B. In the New Testament, we find the Apostles and church leaders struggling with the issue of how God's revelation would apply to non-Jews. The Apostles and church leaders would be seen as well-versed in Scripture, as well as the words of Jesus. Yet, they truly struggled with this. The Jerusalem Council was where this was dealt with as a body. The action of the Holy Spirit helped to sway the body to the understanding that Greeks do not have to become Jews to become Christians. Even after the council, however, struggles remained, as seen in differences between Paul's understanding and the council decision (there is no indication at least that Paul rejected the eating of blood for Gentiles). It is also seen in the Epistle to the Galatians (if one accepts that that letter was written after the Jerusalem Council), where people who were apparently well-versed in the Hebrew Bible differed considerably from Paul and the Apostles in its application to Greeks.


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NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL) today reported worldwide Net sales of $3,974 million in third quarter 2017, an increase of 3.0% versus third quarter 2016. Global unit volume increased 1.5%, pricing was even with the year ago period and foreign exchange was positive 1.5%. Organic sales (Net sales excluding the impact of foreign exchange, acquisitions and divestments) increased 1.5%.
Net income and Diluted earnings per share in third quarter 2017 were $607 million and $0.68, respectively. Net income in third quarter 2017 included $39 million ($0.05 per diluted share) of aftertax charges resulting from the Company's Global Growth and Efficiency Program.
Net income and Diluted earnings per share in third quarter 2016 were $702 million and $0.78, respectively. Net income in third quarter 2016 included $32 million ($0.04 per diluted share) of aftertax charges resulting from the Global Growth and Efficiency Program, a $63 million ($0.07 per diluted share) gain on sale of land in Mexico, $22 million ($0.02 per diluted share) of benefits from previously disclosed tax matters and a $4 million ($0.00 per diluted share) charge for a previously disclosed litigation matter.
Excluding charges resulting from the Global Growth and Efficiency Program in both periods and the gain on sale of land in Mexico, the benefits from previously disclosed tax matters and the charge for a previously disclosed litigation matter in 2016, Net income in third quarter 2017 was $646 million, a decrease of 1% versus third quarter 2016, and Diluted earnings per share in third quarter 2017 was $0.73, even with third quarter 2016.
Gross profit margin was 60.0% in third quarter 2017 versus 60.1% in third quarter 2016. Excluding charges resulting from the Global Growth and Efficiency Program in both periods, Gross profit margin was 60.4% in third quarter 2017, even with the year ago quarter. Cost savings from the Company's funding-the-growth initiatives were offset by higher raw and packaging material costs.
Selling, general and administrative expenses were 36.0% of Net sales in third quarter 2017 versus 34.2% of Net sales in third quarter 2016. Excluding charges resulting from the Global Growth and Efficiency Program in both periods, Selling, general and administrative expenses increased by 140 basis points to 35.4% of Net sales in third quarter 2017 as a result of increased advertising investment. Worldwide advertising investment increased 19% to $405 million versus $339 million in the year ago quarter.
Operating profit decreased to $927 million in third quarter 2017 compared to $1,071 million in third quarter 2016. Operating profit in both periods included charges resulting from the Global Growth and Efficiency Program. Operating profit in third quarter 2016 also included a gain on the sale of land in Mexico and a charge for a previously disclosed litigation matter. Excluding these items in both periods, as applicable, Operating profit was $985 million in third quarter 2017, a decrease of 4% versus third quarter 2016. Operating profit margin was 23.3% in third quarter 2017 versus 27.7% in third quarter 2016. Excluding the above noted items in both periods, as applicable, Operating profit margin was 24.8% in third quarter 2017, a decrease of 160 basis points versus the year ago quarter. This decrease in Operating profit margin was primarily due to an increase in Selling, general and administrative expenses, as a percentage of Net sales, reflecting increased advertising investment.
Net cash provided by operations year to date decreased to $2,295 million compared to $2,317 million in the comparable 2016 period, primarily due to the timing of income tax payments and higher voluntary contributions to an employee postretirement plan. Working capital as a percentage of Net sales improved to negative 4.6% compared to negative 3.4% in the year ago period, reflecting the Company's tight focus on working capital.
Ian Cook, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented on the third quarter results, "We are pleased that our stepped up advertising investment is indeed contributing to the acceleration of top-line growth worldwide. Net sales in the third quarter increased 3.0% and organic sales grew 1.5%. This growth was driven by healthy volume increases across Latin America, North America and Europe.
"Advertising investment increased both absolutely and as a percent to sales versus third quarter 2016 across every operating division. This increased level of spending should continue over the balance of the year in support of new products, our base businesses and longer-term consumption-building activities.
"Colgate's leadership of the global toothpaste market continued during the quarter with our global market share now at 43.5% year to date. Our global leadership in manual toothbrushes also continued with Colgate's global market share in that category now at 32.6% year to date."
Building on the Company's successful implementation of the Global Growth and Efficiency Program to date, on October 26, 2017, the Company's Board of Directors approved an expansion of the Global Growth and Efficiency Program and an extension of the program through December 31, 2019 to take advantage of additional opportunities to streamline the Company's operations. Initiatives under the expanded Global Growth and Efficiency Program will continue to fit within the Program's three focus areas of expanding commercial hubs, extending shared business services and streamlining global functions, and optimizing the global supply chain and facilities. As a result of the expansion, cumulative aftertax charges related to the Global Growth and Efficiency Program, once all projects are approved and implemented, are now estimated to be $1,280 million to $1,380 million, increased from $1,120 million to $1,170 million. Aftertax charges for 2017 are now estimated to be $250 million to $280 million. Cumulative aftertax savings are also projected to increase to $500 million to $575 million, from $425 million to $475 million, annually, once all projects are approved and implemented. The expected savings target a three to four year cash payback, on average, with an aftertax rate of return greater than 30%.
Mr. Cook continued, "As we look ahead, while uncertainty in global markets and category growth worldwide remain challenging, we are maintaining our heightened focus on brand building and productivity maximization. Based on current spot rates, we continue to expect a low-single-digit net sales increase and low-single-digit organic sales growth for 2017.
"On a GAAP basis, based on current spot rates and including the impact of the expanded Global Growth and Efficiency Program, we continue to plan for a year of gross margin expansion and still expect a mid-single-digit earnings per share percentage decline.
"Excluding charges resulting from the Global Growth and Efficiency Program and the other 2016 one-time items previously disclosed, based on current spot rates, we continue to plan for a year of strong operating cash flow, gross margin expansion, increased advertising investment and low-single-digit earnings per share growth."
At 11:00 a.m. ET today, Colgate will host a conference call to elaborate on third quarter results. To access this call as a webcast, please go to Colgate's website at http://www.colgatepalmolive.com.
The following are comments about divisional performance for third quarter 2017 versus the year ago period. See attached Geographic Sales Analysis Percentage Changes and Segment Information tables for additional information on divisional net sales and operating profit.
North America Net sales decreased 0.5% in third quarter 2017. Unit volume increased 3.0% with 4.0% lower pricing, while foreign exchange was positive 0.5%. Organic sales for North America decreased 1.0%.
Operating profit in North America decreased 9% in third quarter 2017 to $249 million, or 280 basis points to 31.3% of Net Sales. This decrease in Operating profit as a percentage of Net sales was primarily due to a decrease in Gross profit and an increase in Selling, general and administrative expenses, both as a percentage of Net sales. This decrease in Gross profit was primarily driven by higher raw and packaging material costs and lower pricing, partially offset by cost savings from the Company's funding-the-growth initiatives and the Global Growth and Efficiency Program. This increase in Selling, general and administrative expenses was due to increased advertising investment, partially offset by lower overhead expenses.
In the U.S., Colgate maintained its leadership in the toothpaste category during the quarter with its market share at 35.5% year to date. Successful new products include Colgate Total Clean-In-Between, Colgate Optic White Beauty Radiant, Colgate Sensitive Smart White and Tom's of Maine Rapid Relief Sensitive toothpastes. In manual toothbrushes, Colgate maintained its brand market leadership in the U.S. with its market share in that category at 40.7% year to date, driven by the success of Colgate Total 360° 4 Zone manual toothbrush.
New products succeeding in other categories include Colgate Total Advanced Health mouthwash, Softsoap Hand Wash Plus Lotion, Softsoap Honey Creme & Lavender and Jasmine and Plum body washes and Irish Spring Pure Fresh body wash.
Latin America Net sales increased 6.5% in third quarter 2017. Unit volume increased 3.0% with 2.5% higher pricing and foreign exchange was positive 1.0%. Volume gains were led by Brazil and the Southern Cone region. Organic sales for Latin America increased 5.5%.
Operating profit in Latin America increased 1% in third quarter 2017 to $301 million, while as a percentage of Net sales, it decreased 170 basis points to 30.6% of Net sales. This decrease in Operating profit as a percentage of Net sales was primarily due to an increase in Gross profit, which was more than offset by an increase in Selling, general and administrative expenses, both as a percentage of Net sales. This increase in Gross profit was due to cost savings from the Company's funding-the-growth initiatives, and higher pricing, partially offset by higher raw and packaging material costs. This increase in Selling, general and administrative expenses was due to increased advertising investment and higher overhead expenses.
Colgate maintained its leadership in toothpaste in Latin America during the quarter, with market share gains in Mexico, Peru, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Paraguay. New products contributing to growth in the region include Colgate Luminous White XD Shine, Colgate Triple Action Xtra Freshness, Colgate Kids and Colgate Sensitive Pro-Alivio Complete Repair toothpastes. Colgate's leadership in the manual toothbrush category continued throughout the region, driven by Colgate 360° Advanced manual toothbrush.
New products contributing to growth in other categories include Colgate Total 12 and Colgate Plax Ice Glacial mouthwashes, Protex Pro-Hidrata shower gel and bar soap, Palmolive Natural Secrets shower gel and bar soap, Lady Speed Stick Derma + Omega 3 antiperspirant, Suavitel Sweet Pleasures fabric conditioner, Axion Fusion Clean dish liquid and Fabuloso Complete liquid cleaner.
Europe Net sales increased 5.5% in third quarter 2017. Unit volume increased 3.0%, pricing decreased 2.0% and foreign exchange was positive 4.5%. Volume gains were led by France, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland. Organic sales for Europe increased 1.0%.
Operating profit in Europe increased 3% in third quarter 2017 to $162 million, while as a percentage of Net sales, it decreased 70 basis points to 25.2% of Net sales. This decrease in Operating profit as a percentage of Net sales was primarily due to an increase in Gross profit, which was more than offset by an increase in Selling, general and administrative expenses, both as a percentage of Net sales. This increase in Gross profit was primarily driven by cost savings from the Company's funding-the-growth initiatives and the Global Growth and Efficiency Program, partially offset by higher raw and packaging material costs. This increase in Selling, general and administrative expenses was due to increased adverting investment, partially offset by lower overhead expenses.
Colgate maintained its oral care leadership in Europe during the quarter, with toothpaste market share gains in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Bosnia and Latvia. Premium products succeeding in oral care include Colgate Enamel Strength, Colgate Natural Extracts and meridol Parodont Expert toothpastes and Colgate 360° Advanced Whole Mouth Health and Colgate 360° Advanced Max White Expert White manual toothbrushes.
Premium innovations succeeding in other product categories include Sanex Zero% shower gels and deodorants, Palmolive Naturals with precious oils and Palmolive Gourmet shower gels, Paic Extreme dish liquid, the Ajax Optimal 7 range of multi-benefit cleaners available in liquid, spray and wipes and Soupline Parfum Supreme line of fabric conditioner products.
Asia Pacific Net sales increased 0.5% during third quarter 2017. Unit volume and pricing were even with the year ago quarter and foreign exchange was positive 0.5%. Volume gains in the Greater China region and the Philippines offset volume declines in Australia and India. Organic sales for Asia Pacific were even with the year ago quarter.
Operating profit in Asia Pacific decreased 4% in third quarter 2017 to $220 million, or 160 basis points to 30.2% of Net sales. This decrease in Operating profit as a percentage of Net sales was primarily due to a decrease in Gross profit and an increase in Selling, general and administrative expenses, both as a percentage of Net sales. This decrease in Gross profit was primarily driven by higher costs, which were primarily driven by higher raw and packaging material costs, partially offset by cost savings from the Company's funding-the-growth initiatives. This increase in Selling, general and administrative expenses was due to higher overhead expenses and increased advertising investment.
Colgate continued its toothpaste leadership in the Asia Pacific region during the quarter, with market share gains in the Philippines. New products succeeding in the region include Colgate Naturals, Colgate Cibaca Vedshakti, Colgate Swarna Vedshakti and Colgate Active Salt toothpastes.
New products succeeding in other categories in the region include Colgate Slim Soft Advanced, Colgate Slim Soft Micro Silky, Colgate Slim Soft Charcoal Spiral and Colgate Super Flexible manual toothbrushes, Protex Thai Therapy bar soap, Protex shower cream and Softlan Gentle Care and Softlan Charcoal Cupboard Fresh fabric conditioners.
Africa/Eurasia Net sales increased 0.5% during third quarter 2017. Unit volume decreased 4.5%, pricing increased 2.5% and foreign exchange was positive 2.5%. Volume declines in the Sub-Saharan Africa and Middle East regions were partially offset by volume gains in Russia. Organic sales for Africa/Eurasia decreased 2.0%.
Operating profit in Africa/Eurasia decreased 12% in third quarter 2017 to $44 million, or 250 basis points to 17.5% of Net sales. This decrease in Operating profit as a percentage of Net sales was primarily due to an increase in Gross profit, which was more than offset by an increase in Selling, general and administrative expenses, both as a percentage of Net sales. This increase in Gross profit was mainly driven by cost savings from the Company's funding-the-growth initiatives and the Global Growth and Efficiency Program, and higher pricing, partially offset by higher raw and packaging material costs. This increase in Selling, general and administrative expenses was due to increased advertising investment.
Colgate continued its toothpaste leadership in Africa/Eurasia during the quarter, with market share gains in South Africa, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Qatar, Lebanon and Jordan. Successful products contributing to sales in the region include Colgate Ancient Secrets, Colgate Total Pro Visible Action and Colgate Optic White Extra Power toothpastes, Colgate Slim Soft, Zig Zag Charcoal and Colgate Double Action manual toothbrushes and Palmolive Luminous Oils shower gels.
Hill's Net sales increased 2.0% during third quarter 2017. Unit volume increased 1.0%, pricing was even with the year ago quarter and foreign exchange was positive 1.0%. Volume gains in the United States and Western Europe were partially offset by volume declines in Japan. Hill's organic sales increased 1.0%.
Hill's Operating profit decreased 1% in third quarter 2017 to $161 million, or 80 basis points to 28.1% of Net sales. This decrease in Operating profit as a percentage of Net sales was primarily due to an increase in Gross profit, which was more than offset by an increase in Selling, general and administrative expenses, both as a percentage of Net sales. This increase in Gross profit was mainly driven by cost savings from the Company's funding-the-growth initiatives, partially offset by higher costs, which were primarily driven by higher raw and packaging material costs. This increase in Selling, general and administrative expenses was due to increased advertising investment, partially offset by lower overhead expenses.
Successful products contributing to sales in the U.S. include Hill's Prescription Diet k/d and k/d + Mobility, both with Enhanced Appetite Trigger (E.A.T.) technology, Hill's Prescription Diet z/d for skin and food sensitivities, Hill's Prescription Diet i/d for digestive care, Hill's Science Diet Youthful Vitality, Hill's Science Diet Urinary and Hairball Control and Hill's Science Diet Perfect Weight.
Successful products contributing to sales internationally include Hill's Prescription Diet i/d, Hill's Prescription Diet k/d and k/d + Mobility, Hill's Prescription Diet Derm Defense, Hill's Science Diet Small & Mini and Hill's Science Diet Youthful Vitality.
This press release and the related webcast may contain forward-looking statements (as that term is defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 or by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in its rules, regulations and releases) that set forth anticipated results based on management's plans and assumptions. Such statements may relate, for example, to sales or volume growth, organic sales growth, profit or profit margin growth, earnings per share growth (including on a currency-neutral basis), financial goals, the impact of foreign exchange volatility, cost-reduction plans including the Global Growth and Efficiency Program, tax rates, the need to repatriate undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries, new product introductions or commercial investment levels, acquisitions, divestitures, or legal or tax proceedings, among other matters. These statements are made on the basis of the Company's views and assumptions as of this time and the Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law or by the rules and regulations of the SEC. Moreover, the Company does not, nor does any other person, assume responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of these statements. The Company cautions investors that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual events or results may differ materially from those statements. For more information about factors that could impact the Company's business and cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements, investors should refer to the Company's filings with the SEC (including, but not limited to, the information set forth under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Statements" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q). Copies of these filings may be obtained upon request from the Company's Investor Relations Department or on the Company's website at http://www.colgatepalmolive.com.
This release discusses Net sales growth (GAAP) and organic sales growth, which is Net sales growth excluding the impact of foreign exchange, acquisitions and divestments (non-GAAP). Management believes the organic sales growth measure provides investors and analysts with useful supplemental information regarding the Company's underlying sales trends by presenting sales growth excluding the external factor of foreign exchange as well as the impact from acquisitions and divestments. See "Geographic Sales Analysis Percentage Changes" for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 vs 2016 included with this release for a comparison of organic sales growth to Net sales growth in accordance with GAAP.
To supplement Colgate's Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income presented in accordance with GAAP, the Company has disclosed non-GAAP measures of operating results that exclude certain items. Worldwide Gross profit, Gross profit margin, Selling, general and administrative expenses, Selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of Net sales, Other (income) expense, net, Operating profit, Operating profit margin, Effective income tax rate, Net income attributable to Colgate-Palmolive Company and Diluted earnings per common share are discussed both as reported (on a GAAP basis) and excluding charges resulting from the Global Growth and Efficiency Program and, as applicable, a gain on the sale of land in Mexico, benefits from previously disclosed tax matters and a charge for a previously disclosed litigation matter (non-GAAP). These non-GAAP financial measures exclude items that, either by their nature or amount, management would not expect to occur as part of the Company's normal business on a regular basis, such as restructuring charges, charges for certain litigation and tax matters, gains and losses from certain divestitures and certain unusual, non-recurring items. Investors and analysts use these financial measures in assessing the Company's business performance, and management believes that presenting these financial measures on a non-GAAP basis provides them with useful supplemental information to enhance their understanding of the Company's underlying business performance and trends. These non-GAAP financial measures also enhance the ability to compare period-to-period financial results. See "Non-GAAP Reconciliations" for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016 included with this release for a reconciliation of these financial measures to the related GAAP measures.
The Company uses these financial measures internally in its budgeting process, to evaluate segment and overall operating performance and as factors in determining compensation. While the Company believes that these financial measures are useful in evaluating the Company's underlying business performance and trends, this information should be considered as supplemental in nature and is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the related financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. In addition, these non-GAAP financial measures may not be the same as similar measures presented by other companies.
The Company defines free cash flow before dividends as Net cash provided by operations less Capital expenditures. As management uses this measure to evaluate the Company's ability to satisfy current and future obligations, repurchase stock, pay dividends and fund future business opportunities, the Company believes that it provides useful information to investors. Free cash flow before dividends is not a measure of cash available for discretionary expenditures since the Company has certain non-discretionary obligations such as debt service that are not deducted from the measure. Free cash flow before dividends is a non-GAAP measure and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. See "Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows" for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016 for a comparison of free cash flow before dividends to Net cash provided by operations as reported in accordance with GAAP.
(1) Basic and diluted earnings per share are computed independently for each quarter and any year-to-date period presented. As a result of changes in shares outstanding during the year and rounding, the sum of the quarters' earnings per share may not necessarily equal the earnings per share for any year-to-date period.
*Marketable securities of $222, $71 and $245 as of September 30, 2017, December 31, 2016 and September 30, 2016, respectively, are included in Other current assets.
(1) Corporate operations include costs related to stock options and restricted stock units, research and development costs, Corporate overhead costs, restructuring and related implementation costs and gains and losses on sales of non-core product lines and assets.
Corporate Operating profit (loss) for the three months ended September 30, 2017 includes charges of $58 related to the Global Growth and Efficiency Program. Corporate Operating profit (loss) for the three months ended September 30, 2016 included charges of $42 related to the Global Growth and Efficiency Program, a charge of $6 for a previously disclosed litigation matter and a gain of $97 on the sale of land in Mexico.
Corporate Operating profit (loss) for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 includes charges of $246 related to the Global Growth and Efficiency Program. Corporate Operating profit (loss) for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 included charges of $156 related to the Global Growth and Efficiency Program, a charge of $6 for a previously disclosed litigation matter and a gain of $97 on the sale of land in Mexico.
(1) Emerging Markets include Latin America, Asia (excluding Japan), Africa/Eurasia and Central Europe.
(1) The income tax effect on non-GAAP items is calculated based upon the tax laws and statutory income tax rates applicable in the tax jurisdiction(s) of the underlying non-GAAP adjustment.
(2) The impact of non-GAAP items on the Company's effective tax rate represents the difference in the effective tax rate calculated with and without the non-GAAP adjustment on Income before income taxes and Provision for income taxes.
(3) The impact of non-GAAP adjustments on Diluted earnings per share may not necessarily equal the difference between GAAP and non-GAAP as a result of rounding.


text:
De som lever är en psalm med text skriven 1991 av Jonas Jonson och är baserad på Jesaia 38:17-20. Musiken är skriven 1991 av Torgny Erséus.

Publicerad som
Nr 805 i Psalmer i 90-talet under rubriken "Lovsång och tillbedjan".

Svenska psalmer

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
BLOG TOUR: TYLER & STELLA BY HEIDI JOY TRETHWAY (EXCERPT)
Tyler & Stella Synopsis:
Stella Ramsey always says bad boys can't break your heart. They don't call, don't cuddle and don't send flowers—but what do you expect? For Stella, no strings means no regrets.
When the biggest story of her fledgling career as a music journalist nearly ruins her relationship with her best friend, Stella has one chance to redeem herself. Tyler Walsh could be that chance.
Stella promises the bassist for the rock band Tattoo Thief anything in exchange for behind-the-scenes access. But Tyler doesn't want anything. He wants everything—and that's more than Stella is prepared to give.
When Tyler's explosive secret thrusts Stella into the media spotlight, she must choose between the selling the story and telling the truth—and exposing the truth about herself as well.
Tyler & Stella (Tattoo Thief #2) is a sizzling story of lust, lies, and sacrifice, revealing how much love can forgive.
Setup: Aspiring music journalist Stella Ramsey tried to get an exclusive interview with Tyler Walsh, bassist for the rock band Tattoo Thief, but it ended badly. She wants to forget the whole awkward, sexy encounter, but at the next concert she covers, Tyler is there—making a guest appearance with Felix Crow and his band, The Ruins.
A strong, stark guitar solo kicks off the next song and Tyler plays at the front of the stage, walking so close to the edge that the journalists and photographers could reach out and touch his shoes.
"Let's give it up for Tyler Walsh from Tattoo Thief, joining us tonight on bass!" Felix whips the crowd into a frenzy as Tyler teases sounds from his instrument that sound like they've never been played before.
Tyler's a good showman, connecting with the audience at every level from the front row to those in the far back, and he works his way across the stage from left to right.
I'm mesmerized by his fingers, by the way his whole body engages in this dance with his instrument. His hips buck, his back arches, and his arms flex with effort as he plays.
It's one of the most erotic displays I've ever seen and my knees nearly buckle when he stops in front of me, still playing, taking the melody to a perfect high.
I hear a boosh and silver sparks jet from twin canisters on each side of the stage, the first in what I imagine will be a massive display of pyrotechnics. It won't be long now. When this band is done playing, people will stay in the park and party beneath fireworks lit from the waiting barges in the East River.
Tyler throws his head back and plays the final notes of his solo and I want to reach out and touch him. No, I need to touch him. My neck hurts from craning to look up at him so long and I'm exhausted from the sweaty night, but I can't look away.
When the band transitions to a ballad, Tyler remains where he is, his body looser than when he played the intense solo. His posture shifts and his eyes seek me again as he steps toward a microphone to add his voice to the chorus.
Felix Crow belts out a line and Tyler and the rest of The Ruins lean into the chorus. Tyler's eyes never leave me.
Threads become a rope
And lies become a story
I came to tell you sorry
The rope, the knot, the noose, the loss
Bound up tight, I come undone
Truth is the cure but a bitter medicine
What's broken can mend
Love that's lost can be found again.
I squirm under Tyler's direct gaze as he sings about second chances. He could be singing to me, or maybe it's all in my stupidly hopeful brain.
Emphasis on stupid. I filed a bland little story about Tattoo Thief's practice space yesterday but Heath hasn't published it. I didn't write anything bad about Gavin, Beryl, Tyler or anyone from Tattoo Thief.
I also didn't write a story that mattered. And for that, I hate myself a little. I let him get under my skin and he got exactly what he wanted.
I hate that my body is betraying me, stirring with yearning for a guy I met barely forty-eight hours ago. Tyler's brown eyes narrow with intensity as he looks at me. My skin blisters with need and I want to believe that I'm not the only one affected by this chemistry.
I drag my eyes away from him and will myself to look at something else. I've never believed in love at first sight, only lust. You can't possibly take one look at a person and know you love them.
Can you want to bang the hell out of them? Sure. But fall for them? No way.
I lock eyes with Tyler again as he performs. Somehow in this chaos we've created a quiet little connection held together only with our eyes.
The rest of the crowd falls away behind me, the lights blur behind Tyler, and I find myself cataloging the little tiny things about him that I want to believe only I notice.
He's missing the third button on his shirt. His fingernails are short and square. His shoes are new and his hair has some kind of product in it but it still flops around. His shirt flaps open to reveal two small, shining silver studs on either side of his nipples.
My brain spins—he's pierced. That visual sends a bolt straight to my core. Add that to the tattoos and the rock band and the attitude and put a fork in me. I'm done. If I were here as just a fangirl, I'd be throwing my panties at Tyler right now.
That's the last thought in my head when a blinding flash of pain explodes behind my eyes.
Find out what's happened to Stella at the concert and how Tyler must rescue her in Tyler & Stella.
Heidi Joy Trethway Bio:
Heidi Joy lives in Happy Valley off Sunnyside Road. She swears she did not make that up.
Heidi's obsessed with storytelling. Her career includes marketing, journalism, and a delicious few years as a food columnist. Media passes took her backstage with several rock bands, where she learned that sometimes a wardrobe malfunction is exactly what the rock star intends.
You'll most often find Heidi Joy with her husband and two small kids cooking, fishing, exploring the Northwest, and building epic forts in their living room.
She loves to hear from readers via messages at facebook.com/author.heidi.
Blog: http://heidijoytretheway.com/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/heiditretheway
Facebook: www.facebook.com/author.heidi
Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6920129.Heidi_Joy_Tretheway
Tyler & Stella Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20565431-tyler-stella?from_search=true
Tags: Heidi Joy Trethway, Tyler & Stella


Welcome to your new home in the Forest View neighborhood in the Forest Hill Terrace!
This 1,437 square foot home is just right for you! Come on in through the full country porch and into the living room. Wood burning fireplace with decorative mantle will get you cozied up on those cold winter nights. Why not get a snack in the kitchen surrounded by granite counter-tops NEW cabinetry and stainless steel appliances and a separate dining area. Off the kitchen is the mud/laundry room with built-in shelving and access to the backyard.
Two bedrooms with full hallway bath and separate linen closet finish the downstairs. Hardwood floors throughout.
Venture upstairs to find a huge master bedroom with NEW carpets, walk-in closet, and knee wall storage. Nice natural light emits in this private haven.
Feast your eyes on the HUGE backyard adorned with large mature trees and has been freshly cleaned, seeded and strawed. Concrete patio rests in the rear and sold as is. NEW surrounding privacy fence with double doors and off street parking capability.
This home has freshly painted interior, NEW roof with Lifetime warranty, and updated renovations. Really nice and conveniently located neighborhood minutes from the city. Are you ready for your new digs? It's ready for you!


Walking to West Concord Village for Chai & scones will be easy from this super townhouse condo just steps from the train into Boston, shops, restaurants, Fowler Library & Rideout Playground. Front of the condo has bonus windows for generous sunlight & nature views. New wood Floors Fall 2018, New carpet Fall 2018, 2005 Anderson Windows on 1st and 2nd floors, upscale Bathrooms 2009, stainless kitchen appliances, newer deck. Super large playroom could have an office area, work-out area, artist studio etc. Fireplace living room with front to back picture windows, dining area with sliders to deck, adjacent stainless steel kitchen with plenty of room for multiple cooks, sunny laundry room with shelving in excellent location close to the kitchen for multi tasking. You'll love the bedrooms with tree top views and superb floor plan and extra large windows. Municipal Electric for low cost heat savinings. Carport & outdoor space . Concord Village Neighborhood has grassy areas for playing.


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Report on Galeras (Colombia) — January 1993
Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, vol. 18, no. 1 (January 1993)
Galeras (Colombia) Further details on 14 January explosion; SO2 output increasing
The following, from Stanley Williams and Setsuya Nakada, supplements information on the 14 January eruption. We are pleased to report that Williams is recovering well from his injuries.
Galeras first became active in early 1988, not in 1989 as previously reported, when soldiers occupying a communications post on the rim observed increased gas emissions, rockfalls, and felt earthquakes. Magmatic gases were sampled in December 1988.
Nakada, 2.1 km NE of the crater, first felt and heard the 14 January explosion, which sounded similar to a dynamite explosion, at 1340. Thick clouds over the summit area limited visibility. The noise quickly changed to a clattering sound, with the sound of rolling stones within the crater continuing for ~20 minutes. About 10 minutes after the eruption there was a 15-minute shower of small (a few mm across) scattered lithics.
INGEOMINAS reports that seismicity was low, 2-8 long-period events/day, during the first two weeks of January. Seventeen "screw-type" events (1-3 Hz frequencies and long codas compared to their amplitudes) thought to be associated with movement of fluids in a cavity, were recorded 1-14 January. Similar seismicity was recorded prior to the 16 July 1992 eruption. The seismic signal associated with the 14 January eruption lasted ~15 minutes, with the eruption [occurring] during the first 6 minutes and 24 seconds. The remainder of the signal consisted of a tremor episode accompanied by long-period events. The event was identified as impulsive-compressive, a typical explosive seismic form characterized by initial low-frequency activity, with a mix of higher frequencies following the eruption. Data are from the "OBONUCO" station, 5.8 km SE of the crater, operated by the Andean Geophysical Institute. The total of 761 long-period events occurred during the 18 hours following the eruption, with 611 in the first 12 hours; the largest occurrence recorded since monitoring began in 1989. There were a maximum was 50 events/hour, some associated with gas release. Seismicity then returned to the low levels of previous months, with the exception of two relatively long, very low frequency tremor episodes (to 6.5 minutes). Similar tremor episodes were associated with the lava dome emplacement (July-December 1991). High-frequency seismicity was most significant during the first days of January, averaging 3 earthquakes/day, with magnitudes of 1.2-2.2. Most were located near the active crater.
SO2 flux measured by COSPEC ranged from 8 to 194 t/d on 14-18 January and 81-562 t/d later in the month. Fumarolic activity was low on the 16th and 19th, with little to no audible noise outside the caldera. New fumarolic activity was observed at the S edge of the main crater. Analysis of ash from the eruption showed a juvenile component (associated with liquid magma), altered material (from the conduit and the surrounding area), and some contribution from the dome that was destroyed in 1992. The only noticeable morphological change, a cone in the main crater, was a result of the explosion.
Fumaroles near the site of the explosion, inside the crater, were visited on 26 November 1992 by José Arlés Zapata and Néstor García (both of whom were killed in the eruption), Héctor Cepeda, Marino Martini, and Franco Prati. The temperature of the gas sample was 642°C (table 6). The composition of gases implies production directly from magmatic fluids, with minor contributions from shallow aquifers.
Table 6. Analysis of gases collected at Galeras (26 November 1992) and Puracé (28 November 1992). Percentages shown are for dry gas. Courtesy of M. Martini.
Gas Galeras Puracé
CO2 70.23 73.84
SO2 9.90 14.66
H2S 6.72 3.25
HCl 8.36 7.53
HF 0.73 0.041
H2 3.35 0.0034
CO 0.16 0.0005
N2 0.48 0.62
H 0.0037 --
B -- 0.042
Vol % H20 91.48 98.09
Temp 642°C 170°C
The following interpretation of the eruption is from John Stix, who attended the workshop. "The most recent period of unrest at Galeras (1988-present) has been characterized by strong non-eruptive degassing. This is seen visually, with the COSPEC, and using glass inclusion studies that indicate degassing in the magma chamber and conduit. After explosive eruptions in May 1989, the SO2 flux in 1989-90 was huge (up to 5,000-10,000 t/d). By mid-1991, SO2 had declined and the lava dome was emplaced in October-November 1991, accompanied by deformation and long-period seismicity due to shallow degassing as the magma ascended. After November 1991, SO2 declined dramatically, as did the long-period seismicity. What may have happened was similar to Usu in 1977-1980; a small amount of magma was emplaced at shallow levels and erupted as a lava dome. Then, after November 1991, this magma became isolated from its source, just sitting in place stewing, cooling, and crystallizing, without much movement. The dome may have acted as a plug, so that the degassing of the partly solidified magma by crystallization created overpressurized gas-rich pockets. Visually, most of the surface degassing was occurring from fumaroles on the outer flank of the inner crater, suggesting that the magma could degas more easily along the conduit margins. Not only did the magma become more degassed over time, but due to the sealing of the system, gas-rich pockets could form because there was still some magma that crystallized and continued to degas.
"Since the 16 July eruption, gas pressure was building beneath the surface of the inner crater. This gas was trapped in the pore spaces of relatively impermeable rock, so overpressure likely developed. After a certain point, the rock ruptured and the eruption of 14 January ensued. It is also possible that the eruption was initiated phreatically. There was intense long period seismicity after the eruption, lasting until the next afternoon and decaying to levels comparable to those before the eruption. It seems that the partially solidified magma, emplaced as a lava dome in the inner crater (October-November 1991), degassed intensely for a day due to the removal of the overlying material. After 24 hours, most of this gas had been released, so the seismicity and SO2 flux returned to pre-eruption levels. By 16 January, when COSPEC flights began, the SO2 flux was very low (<100 t/d). Thus, with both the seismicity and COSPEC data, we were able to say that new, gas rich magma had probably not moved to shallow levels. Thus, the volcano was less dangerous after the eruption than initially thought. This kind of hazard has unfortunately not been appreciated, and is very difficult to predict at Galeras with the current monitoring configuration because there are so few changes prior to such an eruption."
Information Contacts: M. Calvache, INGEOMINAS, Pasto; H. Cepeda, INGEOMINAS, Popayán; M. Martini, Univ di Firenze; S. Nakada, Kyushu Univ; S. Williams, Arizona State Univ; J. Stix, Univ de Montreal.


Apply For School Admisison: St Kabir Public School-Chandigarh.
The school is located in Sector 26, and the campus is spread over 5 acres.St. Kabir Public School was established in 1974 in Sector 8 Chandigarh, India. Its motto is Labor Omnia Vincit. In 1991, it shifted to its current facility in Sector 26 Chandigarh.


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April 27, 2005 Maggie Siggins Books
McClelland & Stewart, 2005. Winner of the City of Regina Book Award, A Globe 100 Selection.
Available in bookstores throughout Canada
Winner of the City of Regina Book Award, 2005
A Globe 100 Selection
2005 Dafoe Prize Nominee
For over 200 years, Pelican Narrows Indian Reserve in northern Saskatchewan has endured a torturous relationship with the encroaching European culture, from the Hudson's Bay Company factors and Oblate missionaries of earlier times to the bureaucrats and police of today. Through the use of archival material, oral storytelling and documenting the personal stories of contemporary Pelican Narrows Cree, Maggie Siggins gives us the human faces behind the newspaper headlines screaming about native issues.
What the critics say:
Globe and Mail, April 16, 2005
"This is a people-centred history, one that shows in brutal detail how the currents of colonization have left their mark upon individuals whom we come to know and empathize with over the course of the narrative. While Siggins showed herself to be a masterful archival researcher in her biography of Louis Riel, here she makes the laudable decision to step outside the archives and listen to Cree people. Their stories form the core of this book, and give it an emotional impact that is seldom seen in archive-based histories.
VueWeekly, July 2005
"This compelling, well-researched books opens historical vistas on matters half-known to the general reader –like the residential school experience or Aboriginal politics – and shows how the story of a particular community resonates with the shameful oppression, both historical and ongoing, of Canada's aboriginal people….Siggins shows how the story-driven craft of non-fiction can pull meaning and understanding out of fraught histories and contemporary realities, and point the way to necessary social change."
Calgary Herald, April 23, 2005
"What makes this historical account so compelling is the fact Siggins focuses the narrative on members of the contemporary community. She uses their words and their histories to tell an age-old story rather than relying exclusively on archival record."
Edmonton Journal, May 1, 2005
"Siggins is a skilled journalist and writer and her telling flows smoothly and crisply."
Star Phoenix, April 30, 2005
"Perhaps the bitter truths in Bitter Embrace will help more of us to open our hearts, and our minds, to the Cree people living just down the road."
Regina Leader-Post
"Siggins uses personal experiences as a hook on which to hand her research material. The idea is to brush the dust off the documents, and not only tell history from a modern-day perspective, but lend it some humanity as well."
AN EXCERPT FROM BITTER EMBRACE:
It's a nice day, so people amble about outside, waiting for the judge to arrive. A big fellow wears a black shirt which taunts: "I DID NOT ESCAPE. THEY GAVE ME A DAY PASS." On one side of the building is located the community hall, which serves both as a bingo parlour and courtroom – when a trial runs too long, the bingo players bang on the door to be let in — an on the other side is the village office. All the windows have bars or are covered with wire mesh, which is why it seems such a dismal place. The railing on the stairs has mostly fallen away, and the floor of the entranceway has a gaping hole in it. How someone hasn't broken their leg is a wonder. On the outside wall of the village office, in bright blue paint, is scribbled "FUCK" in huge letters; on the community-hall side, there as smaller "Fuck" painted in the same painful blue. Piles of garbage and rubble are scattered around. Why the band doesn't cough up the money to clean the place remains a mystery.
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The Plaza de Espana in the Parque de Maria Luisa was built for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929. The buildings at Plaza de Espana form a huge half-circle representing the four ancient kingdoms of Spain.
Parque de Maria Luisa offers some nice views including numerous buildings, built for the Ibero-American Exposition.


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One of MAGA's biggest fantasies faces a brutal reality check
By Greg Sargent
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Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) on Capitol Hill on Jan. 10. (Michael Reynolds/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)
Republicans have long insisted that a GOP-controlled House would not vote on anything related to immigration until the border was "secure." This vow embodies a larger, MAGA-approved message: A GOP House will wield absolute control over the immigration debate. The border will be secured on Republican terms only, with no compromises on "amnesty." The party's over, "open borders Democrats"!
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This little fantasy is now getting a serious reality check. And it's coming from among Republicans themselves — on two fronts.
First, Rep. Nancy Mace (S.C.) warned this week that House Republicans should forget about passing a bill that's focused solely on border security, which Republicans had planned for a vote. Mace declared the only way forward on immigration is to negotiate with the Democratic-controlled Senate on a bigger package.
"It will be very hard to do immigration again — it will never pass the Senate, if we're only talking border security," Mace told The Post's Leigh Ann Caldwell.
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Mace said her district would benefit from letting more migrants work here legally, and she warned against "ignoring" the full range of immigration challenges the country faces. She derided the border-only bill as "tone deaf."
That's no small thing. Mace, a lapsed MAGA devotee, is telling fellow Republicans that "securing the border" in isolation and on their own terms, as a real-world policy goal, is basically nonsensical and will never happen.
The second reality check came in this Punchbowl News report, which says House Republicans are postponing a vote on that border-only bill. As Punchbowl notes, GOP leaders are "still trying to round up support" for that and another border bill, meaning they don't have the votes for it right now.
The border bill in question appears to be a remarkably radical proposal. According to an analysis by numerous immigration groups, it would require the Homeland Security secretary to close the border entirely to all asylum seekers unless they were all either detained or returned to wait in Mexico for their hearings.
Tom Jawetz, a former senior DHS lawyer, notes that the bill would effectively close down the ability of asylum seekers to have their cases heard, because detaining or returning all such migrants to Mexico is operationally impossible.
"It's very clear the goal of the bill is to end asylum indefinitely, by setting up conditions the government could never possibly meet," Jawetz told me.
What this proposal shows is that GOP ideas of "border security" often exist in a land of make believe. Here's the reality: Migrants have a legal right to apply for asylum. Many arriving are unaccompanied children. Because we aren't detaining or expelling all of them, honoring that legal right inevitably means many will be released into the interior. This bill envisions a kind of border security nirvana where none of these complexities need to be acknowledged.
But now that House Republicans must vote on actual proposals to realize their vision, suddenly that isn't so easy to do. Even if this bill does eventually pass the House, as it very well might, Mace's reality blast strongly suggests that moderate Republicans will be reluctant to vote on it and fear Democratic attacks over its extremism.
What's more, the bill would apply to migrants fleeing authoritarianism or communism, which might be problematic for some House Republicans. In fact, in addition to Mace, other Republicans have expressed doubt, such as Reps. Tony Gonzales (Tex.) and Maria Elvira Salazar (Fla.).
Finally, as Mace rightly noted, it's dead on arrival in the Senate anyway. Republicans who say they want "border security" will have to compromise.
One possibility might be the bill negotiated by Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), which would legalize 2 million "dreamers" brought here as children and rationalize our asylum system along lines that Republicans should be able to accept.
The truth is that some Republicans do want to fix certain aspects of the system — for instance, by fixing the farmworkers visa program. This, along with reforming the asylum system, could form the basis of real talks. Will the House GOP leadership allow this to happen?
It might be that House Republicans can reasonably hope passing a wildly extreme border bill could increase their leverage in such talks. Democrats might ultimately feel pressure to accept very onerous security measures in exchange for reforms they want.
But the bottom line is this: If and when House Republicans do enter into such negotiations, they will have to seriously consider asylum reform. They will have to seriously consider "amnestying" dreamers and other undocumented immigrants.
House Republicans can impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas 500 times. They can tour the border three times a week in their preposterous faux-military garb. They can run a gazillion ads that depict the border as a scene out of the dystopian mass-immigration novel "The Camp of the Saints" or a scene from the hypermilitarized "Call of Duty" video game.
But, as Mace just informed her GOP colleagues in no uncertain terms, the real-world complexities of this debate can't be dodged forever.
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Everything You Need to Know About Storz & Bickel
by Julia Abney 13 Nov 2018
If you've gone shopping around for vapes, you've likely envied the beautiful Storz and Bickel masterpieces before. Streamlined, sturdy and efficient, Storz and Bickel vaporizers are known as the gold standard of vaporizers. The story behind this German company is just as intriguing as the vapes themselves: from becoming the first therapeutic certified vaporizer in the world to growing their business entirely on their own without any investors, Storz and Bickel is a company founded on hard work and transparency, and these values are found in their well-crafted pieces too.
Storz & Bickel Vaporizers:
Volcano Classic
Volcano Digital
The Mighty
The Plenty
The Beginning: The Volcano Vaporizer
In 1996, graphic designer Markus Storz started designing and creating herbal vaporizers as an alternative to cigarettes, as he couldn't find a vaporizer he was satisfied with. By 1998, he had filed a patent for the well-known Storz and Bickel Volcano vape balloon, with the Volcano vape itself hitting the market in 2000. The world of herbs had changed forever since this moment.
Before this special tabletop vaporizer came onto the scene, many people were still using combustion to imbibe their favorite flowers. People would burn herb either using dry hand pipes or water pipes for their smoke seshes. Vapor was not yet a thing when the Volcano was released in European and U.S. markets. The Volcano transformed not only how people consumed their herb, but the image of stoners in pop culture. Long gone were the stereotypes of stoners as losers hanging out with a giant bong in their mom's basement; now, herb was associated with high-tech innovation and design. Even now, the Volcano is one of the most featured vapes in TV and film.
One of Storz's first clients was a German development worker in Peru who was trying to quit cigarettes. His name? Jürgen Bickel. Bickel was a friend of Storz and joined the company after using the Volcano for a year. Together, the two officially named the company Storz and Bickel in 2002, wanting to ensure that their customers knew who was making their vapes and that it was a transparent process from start to finish, as many vape manufacturers would not interact with customers and outsourced their manufacturing and materials to other countries. Many of the choices Storz and Bickel make are a response to problems found within the vape manufacturing industry: that's why they have always prided themselves on quality materials and transparency both in their products and even their all-glass offices.
Storz and Bickel eventually founded their factory and offices in Tuttlingen, Germany, a small town with over 500 device manufacturers, where they can oversee all aspects of production. If you've ever picked up or used a Storz and Bickel vape, you know that it's quite hefty and feels very sturdy. Some say it reminds them of handcrafted smoking pipes made years ago--this isn't a coincidence. Storz and Bickel does not compromise on neither the quality of their materials nor the fabrication of their vapes, even in an age where many companies outsource parts and labor for subpar products, so it's easy to see why all of their products come with a two year warranty.
Interestingly, despite having such grand successes in the herbal world, Storz and Bickel never found investors in their startup and funded the company entirely on their own savings. Maybe it's the lack of investors to report to that gives this company so much freedom to create ingenious products, but it is impressive that one of the top vape manufacturers was started without any sort of official funding.
Going Digital
After Storz and Bickel opened their first U.S. office in Oakland in 2005, they released an iteration on the Volcano classic with the Volcano digital vaporizer. It's similar to the Volcano classic, but this lets you choose a precise temperature to the specific degree Fahrenheit or Celsius. The classic Volcano features a knob to choose temperature, and the digital Volcano has an LED display with up or down arrows to choose the exact degree at which you want to heat your herb or concentrates.
After reaching world desktop domination with the desktop Volcano vapes, 2011 was the year for handheld: Storz and Bickel released the Plenty vape, a handheld vaporizer with a unique design that uses a combination of air and radiation heating to heat your herbs. A metal coil helix, reminiscent of some of the GRAV designs, increases the distance traveled by the vapor before you inhale and helps to cool the vapor to a nice temperature so you can take some big pulls without overheating and still taste the flavor. A special touch of this handheld vape is the wall power source option, which lets you puff some serious clouds that no other portable vape can deliver.
Going Portable
Nothing could prepare the vaping world for what was to come in 2014 from Storz and Bickel with the release of the Mighty and Crafty vapes. These now infamous shapes were revolutionary at the time, and were the first handheld battery operated vapes made from Storz and Bickel. The Mighty vaporizer features a bright LED screen to control the temperature of either your concentrates or dry herbs, giving you vapor as high quality as the Volcano desktop vape but with the convenience that fits in your hand without any cords getting in the way.
You'll find a similar product with the Crafty vaporizer, but this is for the techies out there. The main difference between the Crafty and Mighty is the app and Bluetooth pairing with your smartphone. Download the unique Crafty app made by Storz and Bickel and control temperature, check battery levels, lock your vape and more straight from your smartphone.
Passionate about making devices for the herbal community, Storz and Bickel continues to drive innovation and progress forward in their German factory with offices around the globe. From the invention of the first therapeutic vape inhaler with the Volcano to the more portable versions, Storz and Bickel designs with the end-user in mind. They are excited to make herbs more available to asthmatic and MS patients who can't use pipes or rollies due to their conditions. We are excited to see what's next in store from this dynamic company.


In fact, according to recent figures released from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC), hospital accident and emergency departments have seen a rise in sports injury cases over the last year.
Also read our article on tips on exercising for a healthy back. Or if you have a particular sport in mind, read our article on preventing summer sport injuries.


The hotel is located 50 miles west of Galway City. We are one hour drive from Galway. Two and a half hours from Shannon Airport. Four hours approx from Dublin Airport. The Hotel has two helipads and Jet A1 Fuel available. When you arrive in Clifden we are located less than 1 km from the village on the Sky Road which is on the west side of Clifden.