- Under broad direction, is considered a Subject Matter Expert based on their knowledge and understanding of applicable science and technology as well as the oil and gas industry.
- Partners with customers to demonstrate expert knowledge in at least one technical area or business domain.
- Communicates to individual clients how the use of technology solutions improve their work processes allowing them to become more productive.
- Understands and can articulate a variety of solutions (mainstay processes) which can be created and/or modified for customer need.
- Has the ability to lead small or large teams and can be a direct point of contact for clients.
- Effectively plans and manages work of assigned teams to meet desired service level targets.
- Maintains a consistent client-focused approach with clients and/or individuals.
- Requires a completion of an undergraduate degree in geo-science, engineering, computer science or business and a minimum of 10 years of experience in IT and/or O&G Domain Consulting which includes experience in oil and gas industry.


One of oldest and well know brands in cycling is Campagnolo. Before Shimano and SRAM appeared on the market everyone who raced pretty much wanted to use Campy equipment.
Because they have been around for some many years there are plenty of different Campagnolo Cycling Jerseys available. Some are very popular because of the teams and the riders who used them in races.
The auctions below are from Ebay. They have been designed to try and only find old vintage cycling jerseys but some newer ones might slip into the list. Also you can scroll through different pages with the View Pages feature at the bottom.


These restaurant quality heavy weight vinyl placemats are double sided for double wear. The rectangle shape of this vinyl placemat features mitered corners for table setting ease. The sunshine yellow color of this vinyl placemat is textured and variegated for visual interest.
Vinyl placemats will help keep those messes at bay!


text:
Neocurtimorda is a genus of beetles in the family Mordellidae, containing the following species:

 Neocurtimorda aequatorialis Franciscolo, 1953
 Neocurtimorda belcastroi Franciscolo, 1994
 Neocurtimorda conformis Franciscolo, 1953
 Neocurtimorda convexa Franciscolo, 1950
 Neocurtimorda distrigosa Franciscolo, 1955
 Neocurtimorda lugubris (Fahraeus, 1870)
 Neocurtimorda monostigma Franciscolo, 1953
 Neocurtimorda mordelloides Franciscolo, 1953
 Neocurtimorda nakanei Franciscolo, 1953
 Neocurtimorda perpusilla Franciscolo, 1953
 Neocurtimorda picicornis Franciscolo, 1953
 Neocurtimorda rufipalpis Franciscolo, 1953
 Neocurtimorda sexmaculata Franciscolo, 1953

References

Mordellidae

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man Vol. 4 - Coming Home (Trade Paperback)
Collects Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (2017) #304-310. Peter Parker, and his allies Teresa Parker and J. Jonah Jameson have saved the past from the Tinkerer's nefarious scheme — that's good! But they've returned to a future they never knew — that's bad! Because in a world without Spider-Man, Norman Osborn reigns supreme! Can Spidey trust one of history's greatest villains to help him fix the timeline? Meanwhile, the Vedomi, a universal collective of artificial intelligences, are intent on destroying all mankind — and it's up to Spidey to stop them! Then, brace yourself for a Sandman story like no other, as what should have been a simple altercation suddenly turns very dark! And in a very special tale, filmmakers set out to document Spider-Man's impact on New York City — but there's no way they could have predicted what happens to them next!
Imprint: Marvel Universe
Rating: Rated T
Format: Trade Paperback
FOC Date: Oct 01, 2018
Chip Zdarsky
Juan Frigeri, Adam Kubert, Chip Zdarsky, Chris Bachalo
Jeff Youngquist
Penciller (cover):
Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man
Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man Annual
Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: proxyquire not stubbing method call I'm trying to use proxyquire to replace a method call within a module I'm testing, but it is calling the method as is despite the fact I have the stub set up.  What am I doing wrong?
formsReducer.test.js:
import { expect } from 'chai';
import * as actions from '../actions/formsActions';
import * as types from '../constants/actionTypes';
import proxyquire from 'proxyquire';

describe('Forms Reducer', () => {
    describe('types.UPDATE_PRODUCT', () => {
        it('should get new form blueprints when the product changes', () => {
            //arrange
            const initialState = {
                blueprints: [
                    {
                        id: 1,
                        categoryId: 1,
                        identifier: null,
                        name: "Investment Policy Statement",
                        sortGroup: 1,
                        wetSignRequired: false
                    }
                ]
            };
            const testBlueprints = [{ id: 999, categoryId: 1, name: "Form Blueprint Loaded From Product ID 1", sortGroup: 1, wetSignRequired: false }];
            //use proxyquire to stub call to formsHelper.getFormsByProductId
            let formsReducer = proxyquire.noCallThru().load('./formsReducer', {
              formsHelper: {
                getFormsByProductId: id => { return testBlueprints }
              }
            }).default;
            const action = {
                type: types.UPDATE_PRODUCT,
                product: {
                    id: 1,
                    accountTypeId: 1,
                    officeRangeId: 1,
                    additionalInfo: "",
                    enabled: true
                },
            };
            //act
            const newState = formsReducer(initialState, action);
            //assert
            expect(newState.blueprints).to.be.an('array');
            expect(newState.blueprints).to.equal(testBlueprints);
        });
    });
});

formsReducer.js:
import * as types from '../constants/actionTypes';
import objectAssign from 'object-assign';
import initialState from './initialState';
import formsHelper from '../utils/FormsHelper';
export default function formsReducer(state = initialState.forms, action) {
  switch (action.type) {
    case types.UPDATE_PRODUCT: {
        let formBlueprints = formsHelper.getFormsByProductId(action.product.id);
        formBlueprints = formsHelper.addOrRemoveMnDisclosure(formBlueprints, action.stateOfResidence.id);
        return objectAssign({}, state, {blueprints: formBlueprints, instances: []});
    }
}

formsHelper.getFormsByProductId is not returning testBlueprints as it should if it were properly stubbed via proxyquire.  What am I doing wrong?

A: formsReducer.js is importing ../utils/FormsHelper, but proxyquire is trying to replace formsHelper. Try changing the proxyquire to:
proxyquire.noCallThru().load('./formsReducer', {
  '../utils/FormsHelper': {
    getFormsByProductId: id => { return testBlueprints }
  }
})

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Sidelong Glances of a Pigeon Kicker: Meeting Godzilla's Millennium SFX Director!
Yuichi Kikuchi. Photo by Brett Homenick.
As soon as I finished work, I made a beeline to Suginami to attend a stage play directed by Yuichi Kikuchi. Kikuchi-san is best known for serving as SFX director on Godzilla against Mechagodzilla (2002), as well as working as assistant SFX director on such movies as Gamera 3 (1999) and Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000).
Following his work on the kaiju genre, Kikuchi-san returned to the Ultra-series, working as SFX director on Ultraman (2004), Ultraman Nexus (2004-05), Ultraman Max (2005-06), Ultraman Mebius (2006-07), among others.
Following the performance, Kikuchi-san greeted attendees in the lobby. Kikuchi-san knew who I was based on the message I wrote him, and I guess I'm pretty easy to spot in a Japanese crowd, anyway. We had a nice chat and talked a bit tokusatsu.


Applying for a course at APC is simple. Once you have completed your application we will send you a letter of offer.
Contact the College for information about our current specials.
Payments must be made in Australian dollars and all bank fees paid by the applicant.
2. Personal cheques are not accepted by the College.
*All information and conditions are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change without notice.
Complete our Pre-Arrival Test to check your English level, if you do not have a recent English test result.
This test is for candidates who speak English as a first language or have near-native English proficiency who are unable to provide the academic evidence to support their application.
For students 9 to 15 years old, complete the Junior Programme Pre-Arrival Test to check your level of English.


text:
Teammate Tales & Tracking
Final Face Off
Amateur Hockey
Historic Features
Historic Stories
Rural Hockey
Hockey Hall of Fame Gallery
Amateur Gallery
MBHHOF Community Award
Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame Ring
Ed Sweeney Memorial Awards And Memorial Research Grants
Winnipeg Monarchs - 1951
Abbott Cup Champions
The Winnipeg Monarchs won the Abbott Cup by defeating the Regina Pats. They went on to lose the Memorial Cup to the Barrie Flyers. The 1951 series was the last time that the Monarchs would appear in a Memorial Cup final.
Nominations for induction for the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame 2021 Induction Class are welcomed from the public. Categories for nomination are player, builder, official, media, teams and legacy/programs. Individuals and teams nominated must have a connection to the Province of Manitoba. A nomination form with guidelines is available for download.
DOWNLOAD NOMINATION FORM
FOLLOW HHoF
Tweets by @MBHHOF
Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame
652 Foxgrove Avenue
Winnipeg, MB R2E 0A7
The Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum was established in 1985 when the first honoured members were named and plaques were erected in their honour.
Winnipgeg, MB R2E 0A7
Copyright 2020 Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame. All rights Reserved.


text:
Facebook, Google need new business model
Annabelle Miller
""Don't be evil." Googlers generally apply those words to how we serve our users. But "Don't be Evil" is much more than that. Yes, it's about providing our users unbiased access to information, focusing on their needs and giving them the best products and services that we can. But it's also about doing the right thing more generally – following the law, acting honourably, and treating co-workers with courtesy and respect."
- Google Code of Conduct until 2015
"Move fast and break things. Unless you are breaking stuff, you are not moving fast enough."
- Facebook motto until 2014
These are the two cultural mottos that underpinned Google's (Alphabet's largest subsidiary) and Facebook's building of giant businesses that, through their global duopoly in digital advertising, have significant impacts on the passage of information globally, producing economic, social and political power.
Google has 92% market share in search across all platforms. Facebook has about 75% market share across mobile social media. This concentration of market power has meant that these two businesses accounted for close to 90% of the growth in digital advertising in 2018.
If Facebook were a country ...
The power of these business models lies in the network effects generated from daily user bases greater than one billion people. In fact, if Facebook users were gathered in a single country it would be the most populous in the world, given its 2.38 billion monthly active users. The more users engaging with the site, the more data they collect, the more value users are to a potential advertiser. Scale begets scale.
Number of 'monthly active users' and size of countries by population
Source: User data from statista.com. Country data from census.gov. Adjusted for ~10% of users that have multiple accounts.
They have become necessary social utilities. Some users called emergency services when Facebook recently went down.
As investors we have cheered. We have been beneficiaries of the tremendous earnings power in these businesses by nature of the concentrated industry structure, enabling them to earn monopoly-type rents. Operating margins are in excess of 25% for the core Google business and 40% for Facebook.
Finding an economic and societal balance
As stewards of client capital, we view Google and Facebook as excellent franchises that have the ability to earn an above average return on capital over the long term. However, we must balance that with the economic and societal sustainability of how they earn their returns. From a market perspective, for example, there is some history of using antitrust laws in the US of breaking up powerful corporates – see AT&T and the Baby Bells in telecommunications and Standard Oil in the early 20th century.
These do not just include direct financial and valuation risks, but societal and industry-related trends and associated risks. We have to be wary of any future limitations that may be placed on these companies' social licenses to operate, and therefore commensurate effects on valuations. In the trading session after the announcement that the Cambridge Analytica scandal had prompted slowing user growth (along with introduction of new European Union data protection legislation) FB's share price fell 19%. Notwithstanding this, in CY2018 total revenue rose 37% versus 2017.
Some issues relating to possible market failures are covered in an excellent book, The Myth of Capitalism by Jonathan Tepper and Denise Hearn. In it we learn about US Senator John Sherman, who in 1890 had a simple approach to market power:
"If we will not endure a king as a political power, we should not endure a king over the production, transportation, and sale of any of the necessities of life."
- Senator John Sherman
His approach led to the subsequent creation of the Sherman Act in the 1890s and sowed the seeds for the creation of the Clayton Antitrust Act and the Federal Trade Commission. These acts were described by Justice Thurgood Marshall, in a landmark judgement, as a form of Magna Carta for free enterprise:
"They are as important to the preservation of economic freedom and our free-enterprise system as the Bill of Rights is to the protection of our fundamental personal freedoms. And the freedom guaranteed each and every business, no matter how small, is the freedom to compete – to assert with vigor, imagination, devotion, and ingenuity whatever economic muscle it can muster."
Google has been fined twice by the European Commission for anti-competitive practices. Similarly, Facebook expects to be fined up to $US5 billion by the US Federal Trade Commission for breaching privacy violations.
Protection versus innovation
There remains considerable debate about how to best protect the consumer, promote competition but also enable these businesses to continue to innovate longer-term. The chorus of critics across regulatory and political (rather than economic) spheres argue for the need to break up the tech giants in order to reduce their market power. But they miss the bigger issues.
Yes, it would reduce the market power of Google and Facebook, but it would not solve other issues confronted by Google and Facebook like the spread of abusive content on YouTube or the use of WhatsApp to propagate radicalism.
As shareholders we prefer management and regulatory bodies to work together, producing a solution that preserves companies like Google's and Facebook's innovative engine, underpinned, as Justice Marshall put it, by vigour, imagination, devotion, and ingenuity. This will produce better products and services and also protect their social license to operate without significant and financially painful government intervention.
Following the terrorist attacks in Christchurch Microsoft, Twitter, Facebook, Google and Amazon released a joint statement affirming their commitment to screening content that fuels hatred and extremism on their platforms. This agreement states five individual actions around terms of use, user reporting, technology, livestreaming and transparency reports. This is an encouraging step in forging a path of self-regulation by these companies, likely producing better long-term outcomes for users, society and shareholders and helping head off government fixes.
While Facebook's and Google's current outlook remains strong and we are happy to hold them, we remain vigilant about the economic, social and political implications of their market positions.
Annabelle Miller is an Investment Analyst with PM Capital. This article is general information and does not consider the circumstances of any individual.
[NASDAQ:AMZN], [NASDAQ:FB], [NASDAQ:GOOGL], Alphabet, Amazon, facebook, market share, regulation, self-regulation, social media
Why the tech giants still impress
Most S&P500 companies are doing well with recent reported earnings above expectations. In the tech sector, the Big Five (Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook, Alphabet) have also diversified their income sources.
David Bassanese
Why the four tech giants are not expensive
The claims that the leading tech companies are expensive overlooks the sustainable and growing earnings, plus they have new developments which have only scratched the surface.
Stefan Marcionetti
Business model disruption has barely begun
Facebook, Google and Amazon seem already entrenched in our lives, but with the information they know about their users, their ability to target advertising and products has only touched the surface of change.
Hi Graham, in your editorial, you cannot be serious about FB/apple?! (see below extract)
How on earth do weight watchers, JENNY Craig, body transformation centres get around it when advertising on Facebook? They use actual bodies!
Thanks for providing me with the laugh of the day.
"We had to laugh. Here at Cuffelinks, we regularly promote articles on Facebook (yes, for a cost). And just after we received Annabelle Miller's interesting article on the need for Facebook and Google to better manage their content, we posted an ad for last week's article on food investing trends. The picture with the article showed a measuring tape around an apple, and Facebook's multi-billion dollar AI engine knocked back the ad within minutes for the following reason:
"This ad isn't running because it uses images that excessively focus on a person's body or any given body part (ex: focusing on abs or belly fat). This can make users feel bad about themselves, and goes against our core value of fostering a positive global community. What to do next: Avoid images with close-ups of specific body parts or before-and-after photos."
You have to worry about AI, supposed to be the way of the future, when it cannot distinguish between a fruit and a body. Maybe that's why it's called 'artificial' intelligence. At least the apple's sensitivities are safe while Facebook works out how to restrict posts by terrorists and extremists.
Or was it Facebook protecting apple?"


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FCC Reinstates Media Ownership Rule Changes
Post Date: June 9, 2021 Posted By: Terry Harper Categories: News, Regulatory News
On Friday, June 4, 2021, the Media Bureau ("the Bureau") released an Order (DA 21-656) reinstating changes to the FCC's media ownership rules consistent with the Supreme Court's recent decision in FCC v. Prometheus Radio Project ("Prometheus"). You may recall that from 2016-2017, the FCC adopted three Orders that modified the Media Ownership Rules: the 2016 Second Report and Order, the 2017 Order on Reconsideration, and the 2018 Incubator Order. Collectively, these Orders eliminated the Newspaper/Broadcast Cross-Ownership Rule, the Radio/Television Cross-Ownership Rule, and the Television Joint Sales Agreement Attribution Rule and modified the Local Television Ownership Rule and Local Radio Ownership Rule. These Orders were challenged in a series of proceedings before the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, which vacated and remanded them several times (the most recent being 2019). The case was appealed to the Supreme Court, and on April 1, 2021, the Supreme Court reversed the decision of the Third Circuit, finding that the FCC's decision to repeal and modify its rules was not arbitrary and capricious and that the FCC had reasonably considered the available evidence in concluding that the rule changes were not likely to harm minority or female ownership.
The Bureau's Order reinstates the prior Orders, such that the following changes are made to the Media Ownership Rules:
Reinstates:
The Revenue-Based Eligibility Entity Standard, which defines an eligible entity as any entity, commercial or noncommercial, that would qualify as a small business consistent with SBA standards for its industry grouping, based on revenue.
The Incubator Program, which seeks to support the entry of new and diverse voices in the broadcasting by paring together in a mentoring and supportive relationship, established broadcasters with either new entrants to the industry or small broadcasters, including station owners. The established broadcasters will provide the new or small broadcasters with training, financing, and access to resources otherwise inaccessible to the new or small entities, after which the new entity will either own or retain ownership of its station. The established broadcaster will receive a waiver of the applicable local radio ownership rules to use in the market or a comparable market within three years.
Eliminates:
The Newspaper/Broadcast Cross-Ownership Rule (47 C.F.R. § 73.3555(d)) which limited the number of newspapers and full power commercial broadcast stations a single entity could own in one market under certain circumstances.
The Radio/Television Cross-Ownership Rule (47 C.F.R. § 73.3555(c)) which limited the number of radio stations and television stations a single entity could own in one market under certain circumstances.
The Television Joint Sales Agreement Attribution Rule (47 C.F.R. § 73.3555 note 2.k) which affected how ownership was counted for the ownership rules where a station sells more than 15% of the advertising time for another station in the same market.
Modifies:
The Local Television Ownership Rule (47 C.F.R. § 73.3555(b)(1)(2)) to eliminate the Eight-Voices Test, which required that at least eight independently owned television stations remain in a market after combining ownership of two stations in a market.
Local Television Ownership Rule to modify the Top-Four Prohibition (47 C.F.R. § 73.3555(b)(1)(i)) to allow for a case-by-case examination of a proposed merger of two Top-Four stations, which would otherwise have been prohibited by the FCC's rules.
The Local Radio Ownership Rule (47 C.F.R. § 73.3555(a)) to allow certain parties to seek a waiver of the ownership rule in embedded market transactions when there is an existing parent market with multiple embedded markets.
The Order will be effective upon publication in the Federal Register.


Here is Part Four of the 4 Part Series on the importance of building Online Visibility with Social Media and Social Marketing.
Get Profits – When traffic is properly directed it turns into profits. If getting found is the most important thing in Social Marketing, then what the prospect finds once they get there is a very close second. When the prospect finds more good information from you that is helpful to them, followed by an offer of a paid resource that is going to help them even more, they are much more likely to buy from you.
Think about it – if you show your prospect lots of good information that helps them and leaves them feeling good about their interaction with you, making a sale is going to be an easy next step.
Bonus Tip: When your prospect sees you in multiple places online, you are seen as the expert and they feel like they have spent lots of time with you. Which allows them to trust you and spend lots of money with you.
And oh yeah, GET GOING!
Get Found – Get Viewed – Get Traffic – Get Profits – GET GOING!


Location: The Mojave Basin and Range is located in southeastern California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah, and northwestern Arizona.
Climate: The ecoregion has a dry, subtropical desert climate, marked by hot summers and warm winters. The mean annual temperature is approximately 5°C at high elevations, and 24°C in the lowest basins. Death Valley, in the central part of the region, is one of the hottest places on the continent, with summer temperatures sometimes reaching over 56°C. The frost-free period ranges from 150 days in colder areas to 350 days in the warmer valleys. Mean annual precipitation is 167 mm, and ranges from 50 to over 900 mm on the wetter high peaks. Snow occurs in the mountains, but is uncommon at lower elevations.
Vegetation: The desert vegetation is sparse, predominantly creosote bush, compared to the mostly saltbush-greasewood and Great Basin sagebrush of ecoregion 10.1.5 to the north, or creosote bush, sage and palo verde-cactus shrub and saguaro cactus in the Sonoran Desert (10.2.2) to the south. In the Mojave, creosote bush, white bursage, Joshua-tree and other yuccas, and blackbrush are typical. On alkali flats, saltbush, saltgrass, alkali sacaton, and iodinebush are found. In the mountains, sagebrush, juniper, singleleaf pinyon, ponderosa pine, white fir, limber pine, and some bristlecone pine (the world's longest- living trees) occur.
Hydrology: Surface water is scarce; if present, streams are mostly intermittent and ephemeral. The Colorado River crosses the eastern portion of the region. Some springs, seeps, and ponds occur. This is a reservoir near St. George created by damming Quail Creek.
Terrain: This ecoregion contains scattered north-south trending mountains that are generally lower than those of the Central Basin and Range (10.1.5). Broad basins, valleys, and old lakebeds occur between the ranges, with long alluvial fans. Elevations range from 85 m below sea level in Death Valley, to more than 3,300 masl on the highest mountain peaks. Deep Quaternary alluvial deposits are present on valley floors and alluvial fans. Geology is complex, with intrusive granitics and other igneous rocks, recent volcanics, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks, including some carbonates. Typical soils are Aridisols and Entisols with a thermic and hyperthermic soil temperature regime and aridic soil moisture regime.
Wildlife: Representative wildlife include desert bighorn sheep, pronghorn, coyote, kit fox, black-tail jackrabbit, desert cottontail rabbit, greater roadrunner, Gambel's quail, mourning dove, desert tortoise, and rattlesnake.
Land Use/Human Activities: Most of this region is federally owned and there is relatively little grazing activity because of the lack of water and forage for livestock. Public and federal land is in the form of national parks and numerous military reservations. Another economic activity is mining of silver, gold, talc, boron, and borate minerals. Recreation and tourism are also important. Heavy use of off-road vehicles and motorcycles in some areas has caused severe wind and water erosion problems. Large city- St. George.
Jane, your series of landscape photos for these Eco-region posts are just terrific! I really get a good sense of the area.
I was stationed in the Mojave desert in California —- my first base — after leaving training in Mississippi, and the geography and weather was quite a shock to my system. I remember distinctly that I arrived in March and it did not rain until about 6 months later there, and I went outside my dormitory to stand in the rain, though brief.
I left the Philippines less than 2 years before and still missed the more constant rain in the tropics. Tropical, green Philippines was a stark contrast to the dry, mostly brown landscape, at my new home in California's Mojave desert.
I happen to love green landscapes, water, rivers-ponds-lakes-beaches, and so I can understand your thoughts about being stationed in the Mojave desert… I probably would have been right there with you standing in the rain.
The eco-region posts were a lot of fun to do. I was still in the midst of completing my studies in the Oregon Master Naturalist program. The lessons all focused on learning about the ego-regions in our state… but the road trip allowed me to stretch that concept across states. It made being the passenger way more interesting… I was constantly on the alert for subject matter!


79-4509. Same; maximum property tax refund. In the event property taxes accrued exceeds $700 for a household in any one year, the amount thereof shall, for purposes of this act, be deemed to have been $700.
History: L. 1970, ch. 403, § 9; L. 1973, ch. 404, § 4; L. 1975, ch. 506, § 4; L. 1989, ch. 303, § 4; L. 1992, ch. 98, § 4; L. 2007, ch. 157, § 5; L. 2012, ch. 135, § 33; Jan. 1, 2013.


text:
You are here: Home / Products / B&W Offers a Racy McLaren Edition of Px8 HFs
B&W Offers a Racy McLaren Edition of Px8 HFs
December 7, 2022 by Ted 1 Comment
Can headphone design really be inspired by a rad-looking "supercar"? Apparently, as high-end, high-performance speaker maker Bowers & Wilkins (B&W), a division of Sound United, announced today a special McLaren Edition of their flagship Px8 reference-grade, over-ear, wireless, noise-canceling headphones.
The company said it created the special model to celebrate its 5-year relationship with luxury, high-performance car manufacturer McLaren Automotive.
See more on Bower & Wilkins special McLaren Edition Px8 headphone
Since 2015, B&W has partnered with McLaren Automotive to provision their vehicles with truly cutting-edge technology and optimized sound systems of exceptional quality, unique in an automotive environment. McLaren is one of the U.K.'s most respected manufacturers of luxury, high-performance supercars. Every McLaren vehicle is hand-assembled at the McLaren Production Centre in Woking, Surrey England.
The company touts the fact that it "has worked closely with McLaren's design and engineering teams" to develop and optimize the audio system found in McLaren's first series hybrid supercar known as the Artura (shown in the photo above).
A Design Sensibility That Harkens to Bruce McLaren's Racing
The Px8 McLaren Edition headphones designation largely refers to the model's color scheme with its Glavanic Grey overall finish and Papaya Orange highlights, which harken to a unique McLaren sensibility. Especially in the case of the Papaya Orange highlights, this color originated on Bruce McLaren's early racing vehicles. But other than that design element, performance and technology-wise, all Px8 editions are based on the same model construction.
B&W Px8 McLaren Edition
The reference-grade Px8 features the company's finest technology promising "outstanding detail, resolution, and spaciousness" thanks, in large part, to the 40mm Carbon Cone drive units. The company says these are inspired by technology used in their reference-grade loudspeaker systems. These Carbon Cone drivers are specially angled inside each of the earcups to ensure proper and consistent distance from the listener's ear for a more immersive and accurate soundstage.
Whether Using Wired or Wirelessly, As Close to Perfection as Possible
To ensure the best wireless sound possible, the Px8 uses Qualcomm's aptX Adaptive technology. When used with compatible smartphones, tablets, and computers, the listener gets the best wireless experience.
At the user's option, a wired connection can be accomplished with a USB-C or 3.5mm analog cable. And by the way, these cables are provided in the custom matching carrying case that comes with every Px8.
The Px8 comes with a convenient carrying case
Technology Touches Every Element of the Px8
Combining exclusive B&W driver technology with their custom-created Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technology yields breathtaking musical performance with 24-bit high-resolution quality from leading streaming services.
As you might suspect from a premium brand like B&W, the company has developed it's own optimized noise cancellation technology to electronically, and effectively, shut out the world around you. But perhaps most importantly, this technology removes noise while preserving the pristine and robust sound quality of the music.
How About High-Performance Phone Calls?
No fewer than six high-quality microphones are incorporated into every Px8 to accomplish superior performance. Two are used to measure the output of each driver, two react to the ambient noise around the listener, and two are used to provide exceptional voice clarity and enhanced noise suppression for higher-performance phone calls.
"We are tremendously proud of our long-standing relationship with McLaren Automotive, which is rooted in a shared desire to lead in performance. The Px8 McLaren Edition celebrates this partnership, extending the appeal of our industry- leading sound performance and McLaren's DNA to outside the car.
Dan Shepherd, B&W Vice President, Licensing & Partnerships
A Perfect Partner for B&W's Music App
The McLaren Edition Px8 will partner perfectly with B&W's Music App which facilitates easy setup and use. Via this app, users can stream their chosen music directly from their mobile devices to their headphones. The company notes that services such as Deezer, Qobuz, and TIDAL are all supported.
Users will appreciate how the Music App simplifies the connection between their device and the Px8, as well as provide the opportunity to fine-tune the sound to their specific liking with its adjustable equalization. Users will also be able to adjust the noise cancellation mode and keep tabs on their headphone's charge level.
Px8 McLaren Edition Pricing and Availability
We are delighted to unveil the Px8 McLaren Edition, which builds on the award-winning and long-standing collaboration between McLaren and Bowers & Wilkins. The shared ethos of pushing the boundaries, innovation and the pursuit for perfection is apparent in all products that both brands have collaborated on to-date. With the new headphones, the immersive audio experience that all receive in our supercars can now go beyond the road."
George Biggs, McLaren Automotive's Chief Sales and Marketing Officer
The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 McLaren Edition wireless, noise-canceling headphones are available starting today (December 7, 2022) from bowersandwilkins.com and select retailers for an MSRP of $799.
Filed Under: Brands, Manufacturers, News, Products Tagged With: B&W, Bowers & Wilkins, Bowers and Wilkins, headphones, McLaren
Tom Farinola says
This is a play on Focal / NAIM Bentley Series …


Physiomics, a provider of technology-based solutions to predict the effects of cancer treatment regimens, said it had been awarded a grant by the UK government.
The grant would support a project dubbed 'Prostate Cancer Chemotherapy Precision Dosing'.
The total cost of the project was expected to be £97k, the majority of which related to internal staff costs, the company said.
The government's Innovate UK department would contribute a total of £68k over a nine-month period commencing April 2018.
'The new project is in line with our strategic objectives as set out in our last annual report' chief executive Jim Millen said.


14-3-3 family proteins regulate multiple signalling pathways. Understanding biological functions of 14-3-3 proteins has been limited by the functional redundancy of conserved isotypes. This study provides evidence that 14-3-3 proteins regulate two interacting components of Tor signalling in Drosophila, translationally controlled tumour protein (Tctp) and Rheb GTPase. Single knockdown of 14-3-3ɛ or 14-3-3ζ isoform does not show obvious defects in organ development but causes synergistic genetic interaction with Tctp and Rheb to impair tissue growth. 14-3-3 proteins physically interact with Tctp and Rheb. Knockdown of both 14-3-3 isoforms abolishes the binding between Tctp and Rheb, disrupting organ development. Depletion of 14-3-3s also reduces the level of phosphorylated S6 kinase, phosphorylated Thor/4E-BP and cyclin E (CycE). Growth defects from knockdown of 14-3-3 and Tctp are suppressed by CycE overexpression. This study suggests a novel mechanism of Tor regulation mediated by 14-3-3 interaction with Tctp and Rheb.
14-3-3 proteins carry out numerous physiological functions in a variety of species. Leonardo is one of two known Drosophila isoforms. In vitro the 14-3-3 proteins activate tyrosine and tryptophan hydroxylases, the rate-limiting enzymes in the biosynthesis of catecholamines and serotonin respectively. They function in Ca2+ regulated exocytosis, cell cycle control and in protein kinase C (PKC) regulation. They associate physically with PI-3 kinase, CDC25 phosphatase (see Drosophila String), and RAF-1 kinase. The association with this apparently diverse group of proteins may be due to the intriguing ability of 14-3-3 to bind to residues sites phosphorylated on serine or threonine residues. Their interaction with diverse signaling proteins suggests that these proteins function as modulators of activity or specificity of various kinases, or as coordinators for the assembly of signaling complexes for different cascades (Sokoulakis, 1996).
The two Drosophila 14-3-3 isoforms, Leonardo (14-3-3zeta) and 14-3-3eta, have been shown to positively regulate Ras-mediated signaling in the development of the compound eye. 14-3-3eta was identified as a suppressor of activated Ras1 in eye development. Suppressor of Ras1 3-9 (SR3-9) alleles act as dominant suppressors of sev-Ras1, that is, of Ras1 expressed ectopically in the eye disc using a sevenless promoter, a treatment that produces a rough eye phenotype. The eyes of flies carrying SR3-9 are less rough than those of flies expressing sev-Ras1. It is known that SR3-9 functions either downstream of or in parallel to Raf kinase, since SR3-9 dominantly suppresses the rough eye defect caused by an activated raf expression construct (Chang, 1997).
Leonardo exhibits similar involvement in the Raf/Ras pathway. Clones of mutant leonardo show a loss of photoreceptors. Ommatidia lack outer as well as inner photoreceptors. This phenotype is reminiscent of clones homozygous for Drosophila ras or raf hypomorphic alleles. When Leonardo antisense RNA is expressed in eye imaginal discs in postmitotic photoreceptors, a weakly penetrant but reproducible loss-of-photoreceptor phenotype results. Since the artificial activation of Raf rescues the nonviability caused by leonardo mutation and permits photoreceptor development, it has been concluded that leonardo acts downstream of Ras and upstream of Raf in the signaling pathway that controls cell proliferation in the Drosophila eye imaginal disc (Kockel, 1997).
Of particular interest is the involvement of leonardo in facilitating olfactory learning in the fly. leonardo was identified in an enhancer detector screen for genes preferentially expressed in mushroom bodies of the brain: a lacZ reporter construct was found to have been inserted in a gene expressed in mushroom bodies, the seat of olfactory learning in insects. Isolation of multiple insertion strains was carried out to obtain viable leonardo mutant alleles. All the viable alleles were found to be confined to genomic excisions of insertions in the first intron. Since introns do not code for the primary sequence of proteins but instead are involved in splicing or carry regulatory sequences, this suggests that these excisions disrupt regulatory elements necessary for mushroom body expression or RNA splicing (Skoulakis, 1996).
To examine associative learning in these flies, a Pavlovian olfactory conditioning assay was used (see Dunce for a more complete description of this procedure). Briefly, flies are trained by exposure to electroshock paired with one odor (octanol or methylcyclohexanol) and subsequently exposed to a second odor without electroshock. Immediately after training, learning is measured by forcing flies to choose between the two odors used during training. No preference between odors results in a performance index of zero (no learning), as is the case for naive flies. Avoidance of the odor previously paired with electroshock, however, yields a performance index greater than O. Alleles of leonardo classed as modest by immunohistochemical criteria (meaning that there is a decrease in Leonardo protein relative to the controls, but that some remains) exhibit a 20-25% decrease in 3 minute memory (as compared to non-mutant controls), whereas alleles nearly devoid of Leo in mushroom bodies exhibit a increased decrement of 30-35% relative to the controls. It is concluded that Leo is involved in olfactory learning in flies (Skoulakis, 1996).
Longer-term memory of the conditioned association was assessed for a selected set of mutants at 45, 90 and 240 min after training. One excision mutant exhibited a 30% reduction in 3 minute memory and retained this highly significant difference over time through four hours. Other leo insertion mutants exhibit significant differences for initial memory and at 45 min, although their performance at 90 and 240 min was not significantly different from that of controls. As reduction in leonardo expression does not precipitate developmental abnormalites in the brain anatomy, it is concluded that the behavioral deficits observed do not have an anatomical basis, but instead involve deficits in signal processing (Skoulakis, 1996).
Since 14-3-3 proteins are not known to participate in the cAMP cascade, the results suggest that Leo protein is a member of an additional signaling cascade that mediates learning and memory. This function of Leonardo is consistent with its role in protein kinase C-mediated processes or alternatively in an interaction with Raf-1 in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal transduction cascade (Skoulakis, 1996). How does it happen that the reduction of the leonardo gene product does not cause proliferation or differentiation defects in the mushroom bodies? leonardo codes for an adult-specific 2.9-kb splicing variant that is strongly enriched or even exclusively expressed in the head. Thus, it might be possible that the different splice variants operate in different signal transductoin pathways not necessarily linked to Raf function. Alternatively, the strong reduction in leonardo expression may affect only acquisition of memory, whereas low residual levels of expression are sufficient to mediate the cellular aspects of differentiation and proliferation, processes that are severely affected in the lack-of-function mutations (Kockel ,1997).
A fundamental issue concerning members of highly conserved protein families is the extent to which they are functionally redundant or exhibit specialized biological functions. The 14-3-3 proteins compose a highly conserved family of acidic molecules present in all eukaryotes. 14-3-3's share a common structure composed of nine antiparallel α-helices forming a horseshoe shape with a negatively charged interior surface. Interactions among particular amino acids in the first helix, with ones in helix 2 and helix 3 of another monomer, promote dimerization. Dimerization generates a tandem binding surface, which can simultaneously bind to one or two sites on one target protein or to sites on two different client molecules. The dimers bind clients containing phosphoserine- or phosphothreonine-containing motifs via highly conserved amino acids within the groove. 14-3-3 proteins can also bind targets with surfaces outside the conserved phosphopeptide-binding cleft. 14-3-3 binding may allosterically stabilize conformational changes, leading to activation or deactivation of the target or to interaction between two proteins. Furthermore, 14-3-3 binding may mask or expose interaction sites, often leading to changes in the subcellular localization of client proteins (Acevedo, 2007 and references therein).
An extraordinary feature of this protein family is the high sequence conservation among isotypes, characterized by long stretches of invariant amino acids, suggesting functional redundancy. However, despite this extensive sequence identity, multiple 14-3-3 proteins exist in metazoans, indicating at least some functional specificity. Vertebrates contain seven distinct protein isotypes, β, ε, ζ, γ, η, θ, and σ. In vertebrate brains where these proteins are highly abundant, there is some specificity in isotype distribution, but generally 14-3-3's are expressed in complex overlapping patterns. In addition, multiple heterodimers are possible in tissues that contain more than one isotype. It is unclear whether the presence of multiple highly similar proteins with overlapping distribution reflects functional differences among them or represents a mechanism to ensure that ample functionally redundant 14-3-3's are available to mediate the multiple essential cellular functions that require them. Thus, the question of 14-3-3 functional specificity in vivo is fundamental in understanding their biology. The highly overlapping isotype distribution in vertebrate models hinders systematic investigation of this question (Acevedo, 2007).
To address the issue of functional specificity in vivo, Drosophila, which offers a simple, but representative, genetically tractable metazoan system, was used. It is simple because it contains only two 14-3-3 genes, an ortholog of the mammalian 14-3-3ζ (88% identity) leonardo and an ortholog of the ε isotype, D14-3-3ε. It is representative because the two fly genes belong to the two different 14-3-3 conservation groups. leonardo encodes two nearly identical protein isoforms (Leo I and Leo II) via alternative splicing of the primary transcript, with modest tissue specificity. In contrast, D14-3-3ε encodes a single protein, apparently present in all developmental stages and tissues examined with only slight enrichment in the adult brain (Acevedo, 2007 and references therein).
Maternal Leo is required for normal chromosome separation during syncytial mitoses, whereas D14-3-3ε appears required to time them, suggesting distinct functions for the two 14-3-3's in the single-celled syncytial embryo. Maternal Leo is also essential for early Raf-dependent decisions that pattern the embryo. Zygotic leo loss-of-function mutants exhibit functional impairments of their embryonic and adult nervous system. D14-3-3ε functions in photoreceptor formation and appears involved in development of the wing, but whether it is important for the function of the nervous system is unknown. Leo and D14-3-3ε appear at least partially redundant for photoreceptor formation. Furthermore, Leo and D14-3-3ε have been reported to function redundantly in anterior–posterior axis formation of the developing oocyte (Benton, 2002) and follicle cell polarity (Acevedo, 2007 and references therein).
Nevertheless, three reasons motivated a systematic investigation of potential functional specificity of the two Drosophila 14-3-3 isotypes by searching for isotype-specific phenotypes. First, studies to date used a transposon allele of D14-3-3ε (j2B10), which may not be a null allele. In fact, although D14-3-3ε has been reported dispensable for viability, a lethal deficiency uncovering this gene was used to show its involvement in Raf-mediated developmental processes in the embryo. Second, leo mutations are homozygous lethal, suggesting that D14-3-3ε cannot functionally compensate for its loss, although Leo was suggested to at least partially compensate for the lack of D14-3-3ε in embryonic development. Third, the dynamic expression pattern of 14-3-3's during embryonic development and larval and adult nervous systems suggested involvement in additional processes other than photoreceptor and oocyte development, which may specifically require one but not the other. The results demonstrate 14-3-3-isotype-specific functions and a tissue- and temporal-specific transcriptional mechanism to compensate for loss of D14-3-3ε and suggest dynamic temporal and spatial interactions of the two 14-3-3 isotypes (Acevedo, 2007).
The results utilizing null alleles indicate that D14-3-3ε is not dispensable for viability, but its loss is partially compensated by elevation of endogenous leo levels. Consequently, homozygotes survive to adulthood, whose number is higher when the hypomorphic allele D14-3-3εl(3)j2B10 is used. This is the likely reason for the suggestion of previous reports that the gene is not essential. This interaction is uncovered genetically by the inability to obtain D14-3-3εex4 and D14-3-3εl(3)j2B10 homozygotes when one copy of leo is mutated (i.e., leoP1188/+; D14-3-3εl(3)j2B10/D14-3-3εl(3)j2B10 animals). Embryos homozygous for mutant alleles do not exhibit obvious morphological defects because maternally provided D14-3-3ε is likely sufficient to fulfill its requirement in syncytial cellular blastoderm and gastrulating animals). D14-3-3ε mutant homozygotes die ostensibly because lack of zygotic protein from the nervous system renders them unable to hatch. Similarly, Leo accumulates in embryonic motor neurons innervating the body-wall musculature and its loss in leo mutants is the likely reason for their failure to hatch despite their apparently normal progression through development (Acevedo, 2007).
It appears that a mechanism sensing the absence of D14-3-3ε operates in embryos and responds by increasing the level of LeoII. Congruent with this, Leo elevation was not observed in embryos homozygous for the dominant-negative allele D14-3-3εE183K, which compromises D14-3-3ε functionally, but does not change its overall levels in the embryo. It is possible that this is the reason that D14-3-3εE183K homozygotes are never recovered. Furthermore, this response appears specific to the loss of D14-3-3ε, because levels of this protein remained normal in homozygous leo mutant embryos and adults, consistent with their strong lethal phenotype. Clearly, this sensing mechanism responds by increased accumulation of leoII transcripts by preferential utilization of one of two possible promoters and splicing of the primary transcript to include the leoII-specific exon 6′. How is lack of D14-3-3ε sensed and how could leoII transcription be increased? 14-3-3's have been reported to participate in nuclear/cytoplasmic trafficking of transcription factors. Therefore, it is possible that loss of D14-3-3ε enhances transcription from the proximal promoter of the leo gene by not mediating nuclear export of a factor that binds that site. Alternatively, D14-3-3ε may be part of a repressing complex and, upon its loss, transcription from this site is enhanced. In contrast, excessive transgenic elevation in the amount of D14-3-3ε results in recovery of few adults (<10% of expected) homozygous for strong hypomorphic leo mutations. This suggests that although D14-3-3ε can at least partially compensate for the loss of Leo in high concentrations, an endogenous molecular mechanism to elevate it in leo homozygotes does not appear to exist (Acevedo, 2007).
Although leoI transcripts accumulate in the wing disc, Leo does not appear to play a role in wing-vein formation because animals that develop with as low as 10% of normal Leo do not exhibit wing aberrations. Therefore, the venation deficits are a phenotype specific to D14-3-3ε mutant homozygotes. Interestingly, in congruence with the mechanism proposed above, the leoI transcripts normally expressed in that tissue were not upregulated and leoII transcripts were not ectopically transcribed in D14-3-3ε mutant homozygote wing disks. This is because the proposed D14-3-3ε-interacting factor(s) required for exon 1′-containing leoII transcription are likely absent from the wing disk where these transcripts do not normally accumulate. Exon 1-containing leoII transcripts do not appear to require such D14-3-3ε-interacting factor(s), since these transcripts were not upregulated in embryos. Therefore, loss of D14-3-3ε does not alter the tissue specificity of leo transcriptional regulation and specific isoform accumulation (Acevedo, 2007).
Although both leoI and leoII transgenes rescued the lethality of D14-3-3ε mutants, they clearly exhibited different efficiency. Rescue was invariably higher upon accumulation of LeoII either ubiquitously or specifically in the nervous system. However, rescue required excessive accumulation of LeoII to overcome loss of D14-3-3ε. In fact, the two- to threefold Leo elevation could be as much as a 50%-60% underestimate of the level of this protein in D14-3-3ε mutant embryos that hatch. Therefore, a large excess of Leo appears to be necessary to functionally substitute D14-3-3ε in the embryonic nervous system, which may be attained only in a small number of mutant homozygotes. This probably reflects the affinity differences that Leo dimers exhibit toward client proteins normally bound either by D14-3-3ε homodimers or by D14-3-3ε/Leo heterodimers. If so, then even a small amount of D14-3-3ε would increase the number of mutant homozygotes obtained. In agreement with this, more homozygotes were recovered from the transposon allele D14-3-3εl(3)j2B10, which likely contains residual D14-3-3 ε. Differences in ligand binding between LeoI and LeoII are likely reflected in the large difference with which the two isoforms rescue the lethality of D14-3-3ε mutants. This is the first unequivocal demonstration of functional differences between LeoI and LeoII. These differences must reside in the five unique amino acids of helix 6 that distinguish the two isoforms. It is unknown whether LeoI, LeoII, or both contribute to the reported redundancy with D14-3-3ε in photoreceptor development and oocyte polarity (Acevedo, 2007).
Collectively, these data show a tissue- and temporal-specific upregulation of leo transcription that can account for the apparent functional redundancy between Leo and D14-3-3ε with respect to the lethality of D14-3-3ε mutants and possibly other processes requiring these proteins. In addition, this analysis for the first time demonstrates tissue and temporal functional differences between the two Leo isoforms. Whether these functional differences and the functional redundancy among the Drosophila 14-3-3's will also occur in the adult nervous system where they are all most abundant is currently unknown. A previous study failed to uncover differences between LeoI and LeoII with respect to learning and memory). Nevertheless, the data strongly support the notion that the existence of multiple 14-3-3 isotypes in metazoans reflects a combination of tissue- and temporal-specific isotype expression, localization, and functional specialization. Importantly, this analysis indicates that understanding the biological roles of 14-3-3's will require identification of proteins engaged by homo- and heterodimers of particular composition in a tissue- and temporal-specific manner (Acevedo, 2007).
Multiple transcripts are found for leonardo. Three transcripts are distributed as follows: 1.0kb (ovary), 1.9kb (head, body and embryo) and 2.9kb (head only). In the head, the 1.9kb and 2.9kb transcripts are found in the retina, lamina, lobula and brain (Swanson, 1992).
Five different types of Leonardo cDNAs have been isolated. The transcripts differ by the alternative use of exons I or I' and VI or VI' as well as by use of three different alternative sites of addition of poly(A) onto the 3' terminus of the mRNA. Switching of exons VI and VII' affects the open reading frame and causes sequence differences in the respective translation products (Kockel, 1997).
A cloned 1.3-kb cDNA hybridizes to genomic clone 549, containing genes predominantly expressed in the head of Drosophila melanogaster. DNA sequencing shows that the cDNA-encoded protein is similar to a family of mammalian proteins, called 14-3-3, which activate tyrosine hydroxylase (TyrOHase) and tryptophan hydroxylase (TrpOHase), the two key enzymes regulating biosynthesis of biogenic monoamine neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin, in the brain. The putative D. melanogaster 14-3-3 protein (D14-3-3) shares 72.4, 74.3 and 78.3% amino acid (aa) sequence identity and 83.5, 87.7 and 85.9% aa sequence similarity with the beta, gamma and eta forms of bovine 14-3-3 protein, respectively. A lower (71%), but significant level of aa sequence identity was also found between D14-3-3 and sheep brain protein kinase C inhibitor protein (KCIP) (Swanson, 1992).
The variant amino acids caused by the switching of exons VI and VI' are predicted to lie in alpha-helix 6 on the outside of the groove-shaped 14-3-3 dimer. Interestingly, helix 6 is composed of the sequences that are least conserved throughout the 14-3-3 protein family. This suggests that helix 6 might confer specificity to 14-3-3 interactions with target proteins. Both exons VI and VI' encode a potential phosphorylation site characterized previously in mammalian 14-3-3 beta and zeta (Kockel, 1997).
Multiple alignments were constructed from forty-six 14-3-3 sequences retrieved from the GenBank and SwissProt databases. The alignments constructed reveal five highly conserved sequence blocks. Blocks 2-5 correlate well with the alpha helices 3, 5, 7, and 9, which form the proposed internal binding domain in the three-dimensional structure model of the functioning dimer. Amino acid differences within the functional and structural domains of plant and animal 14-3-3 proteins were identified, which may account for the functional diversity among isoforms. Epsilon isoforms from the animal lineage form a distinct grouping, which suggests an early divergence from the other animal isoforms. Epsilons were found to be more similar to yeast and plant isoforms than other animal isoforms at numerous amino acid positions, and thus epsilon may have retained functional characteristics of the ancestral protein. The known invertebrate proteins are most properly grouped with the nonepsilon mammalian isoforms. Most of the current 14-3-3 isoform diversity probably arose through independent duplication events after the divergence of the major eukaryotic kingdoms. Divergence of the seven mammalian isoforms beta, zeta, gamma, eta, epsilon, tau, and sigma occurred before the divergence of mammalian and perhaps before the divergence of vertebrate species. A possible ancestral 14-3-3 sequence has been proposed (W. Wang, 1996).


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GNOMELAND SECURITY! - Just Say Gnome!
If you're concerned about the possibility of a well-loved garden gnome being abducted from your' lawn here are a few relatively easy and low-tech ideas to help secure your gnome friend in place.
The Just Say Gnome! website will announce when higher technology gnome-protection options become available here through our developing GnomeLand-Security program. Thank you for your' patience.
Attach a heavy concrete anchor to the base of your' gnome. Of course the larger the concrete anchor the more secure the gnome. This approach assumes that your gnome is made of cement (as are all the gnomes of the Just Say Gnome! You will need a bag of cement, mortar, or concrete, a mixing container (i.e. a bucket or wheelbarrow), a shovel, a yard, water, and of course a gnome.
· First dig a hole to the size you plan to make the anchor. Of course you will want to make certain that you'll be happy with the position of the gnome because this anchor will make it a whole lot harder to move.
· Second, mix up the cement with water and any aggregate materials you choose to add * follow the instructions on the bag and be sure to wear an appropriate mask or respirator. Pour the well-mixed cement into the hole in the ground where you want to secure the gnome.
· Cover the anchor with earth where it is not bonded to the gnome; and, if necessary, support the gnome with rocks or other supporting objects to insure that he or she sets into the right position.
· While regular cement or concrete sets up to a semi-solid condition within a half hour to an hour it can take a day or more for the cement to substantially harden. But if you are particularly concerned about drying speed I would highly recommend Rapid-Set brand Cement-All for its very quick drying time and extreme hardening.
· While this gnome-security method will not absolutely prevent a gnome's abduction it will certainly frustrate all but the most dedicated gnome abductor/'liberator. One improvement to this approach that Just Say Gnome! Is currently considering developing is a version of our gnomes with a simple hole in their base in which a standard one-foot piece of metal rebar can be attached – to serve as either a basic post to insert in the ground, or a yet-stronger link to a bellow ground cement anchor.
Purchase a used but non-functioning security camera from a used parts or technology store and position the camera in a very noticeable position pointed right at the gnome.
A. Set your gnome near to or attach your gnome to a post or other object to which a guard dog is tied.
B. Attach a regular home or car security alarm to the gnome or place the gnome on a pressure-sensitive alarm model.


As this fragmented market is getting more organized to a USD$10 billion industry with the promise of greater service quality, it emerges as an area where digital payments on service delivery have immense potential.
The adage, time is money, hasn't been truer than it is today. With the increasing focus on convenience, it is hardly a surprise that India has witnessed a steady upward rise in home deliveries of goods and services. However, with the rise of digital India and the accompanying focus on digital payments, the Cash-on-Delivery payment model that can be credited for driving the e-commerce revolution in the country is also being transformed. A survey conducted by Statista revealed that in 2017, almost 88% of the survey respondents chose cashless payments to complete their e-commerce transactions. With increased mobile phone penetration and the rise of the consumer internet, the entire retail landscape is about to witness a sea of change. EY estimates that the global volume of mobile money transactions would cross USD$780 billion in 2017 alone. Clearly, digital payments in the eCommerce sector are taking root, with the concept of e-COD firmly planting itself in the space. This wider acceptance of digital payment options is now set to sweep through the entire "home delivery" sector – be it to pay for goods or services.
Today almost everything can be delivered to your doorstep and thankfully now, each time you don't need to run to the ATM to withdraw cash to complete the transaction. So what are the avenues that can leverage cashless payments? Besides e-commerce, we are seeing health diagnostic services reaching our doorstep. When the service has reached our doorstep, doesn't it make sense for payment to be made there as well? So, when sample is being collected at home, a diagnostic report is being dropped off at the doorstep or emailed to the user, instead of paying in cash, the service provider can easily leverage digital payments and generate a payment receipt of the same with equal ease.
There has also been an increase in on-demand home services today. Local services such as carpenters, plumbers, beauticians, fitness experts, groceries etc. are all getting linked to the consumer using the smartphone gateway. As this fragmented market is getting more organized to a USD$10 billion industry with the promise of greater service quality, it emerges as an area where digital payments on service delivery have immense potential.
Paying for LPG cylinders has always been a cash game. The problem with this is that consumers always have to ensure that the exact cash amount is at hand. Ensuring the physical presence of someone capable of making the payments at home when the delivery eventually does take place is also a challenge. Cashless payments can be a huge boon here making payments and collections simpler and convenient both for the seller and the consumer.
India seems to be taking to food delivery quite strongly. This presents another avenue where digital payments can prove to be exceptionally useful. With food delivery services such as Swiggy and Zomato promising anytime delivery, the consumer of today does not have to bound to a specific timeline and digital payments can definitely eliminate the odd hour scramble to the ATM.
You can also get that curated artsy look delivered to your doorstep. Instead of venturing out to get your hands on the knick-knacks found in the quiet corners of obscure lanes, today many sellers are willingly delivering this right to your doorstep. While traditionally, these transactions were completed primarily in cash; with digital payments these transactions can become more streamlined and hassle-free – especially since the value of the transactions is usually higher in these cases. There are several other use-cases too emerging – payments upon delivery of vehicles after servicing being one example.
"There is great potential for spreading the digital payments wave across the services sector in India", says Jose Thattil, Co-founder, and CEO of Phi Commerce. "Customers today are willing to change their payment habits as has been proven in the past year. Today, the digital literacy of the consumers is on the rise, and the convenience offered by these digital mediums of payments is now widely appreciated. With greater innovations in digital payment, cashless payments are no longer just restricted to cards and mobile wallets but can easily extend to anyone and everyone who has a bank account. This will play a key role in accelerating India's progress towards becoming a digital economy".


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Best Draft Matcha Latte: Wendigo Tea Co. and Tokyo Kitty
Last July, Wendigo Tea Co. and Tokyo Kitty partnered to create the world's first nitro vegan matcha latte on draft. (Other nitro vegan matcha lattes might exist, though.) Wendigo founder Sky White, keyboardist for the on-hiatus local Rock group Foxy Shazam, infused the highest-grade of ceremonial matcha with almond and coconut milks and then placed the mixture into a keg. Smooth Nitro Cincy stepped in and nitrogenized the drink using top secret technology. White named the drink Kappa Matcha Latte after a Japanese river-dwelling turtle-like monster. Tokyo Kitty hosted the matcha latte release event, dubbed The Future of Tea, and featured the smooth drink in their cocktails and on its own. The latte was a reminder that Cincinnatians are innovative, and that you can transform something simple like matcha into something more profound. And alcoholic. Wendigo Tea Co., wendigotea.com.
Best $1 Oyster and $5 Bubbly Night: Rich's Proper Food and Drink
Rich's Proper Food and Drink opened in November, adding to Covington's burgeoning restaurant scene. Located next to Duveneck Square and named after a watch store that used to exist in the space decades ago, Rich's offers New Orleans-inspired Creole-meets-Southern food, from muffuletta sandwiches to mac-and-cheese-stuffed egg rolls. Every Wednesday night, they do East and West Coast oysters for $1 per bivalve. (Note: That doesn't include specialty oysters, like shooters or fried ones.) To make the deal even better, glasses of sparkling wine are $5 and a bottle is only $25. If oysters aren't your thing, then sample the red beans and rice burrito, or a cocktail made with gummy worm syrup and coffee grounds (yes, that's a thing, and it's delicious). Or if you're feeling Mardi Gras-ambitious, try the Proper Mule: a bottle of bourbon or vodka mixed with ginger beer and poured into a gallon-sized copper pitcher, priced at $60. To share or not to share — that's the question. Rich's Proper Food and Drink, 701 Madison Ave., Covington, facebook.com/richsproper.
Best $3 Snack: The Globe
A few years ago, nibbling on roasted, curried chickpeas in a former strip club while sipping on craft cocktails didn't seem possible — that is until cocktail haunt The Globe opened on the once-seedy Fifth Street/Madison Avenue strip in Covington in the former Club Venus. (They even have a drink named after the original shower-show destination, made with prosecco and orange blossom water.) Though the focus here is on bourbon — the bar is on the B-Line NKY bourbon tour and their Fifth Street Manhattan is a must-try — they do offer a small snack menu: a charcuterie board, baked brie, a hummus plate and the aforementioned crispy chickpeas. Served warm in a bowl with a dash of seasoning, the savory snack is the right amount of food to fill your stomach enough to handle more cocktails. And during The Globe's glorious happy hour, cocktails are $2 off…and the chickpeas are lowered from $4 to $3. The Globe, 12 E. Fifth St., Covington, theglobecov.com.
Best 1970s-Style Szechuan Surprise: Yum Yum Chinese Restaurant
Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Downtown's Yum Yum feels like a time machine sitting inconspicuously among abandoned-looking storefronts on Race Street, with a fading sign boasting the offer to "eat as if you were in China." Dinner service is from 6-9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday but the business hours are regarded more as a suggestion than a rule. And remember to stop at the ATM beforehand; it's cash only. Run by Tom and Mei Lin, the Szechuan restaurant opened its doors in 1975 and not much has changed since then: neither the décor — wood paneling, crimson tablecloths and ornate, low-hanging chandeliers — nor the menus, whose yellowed pages have sustained over 40 years of service with price markups penciled in the margins to account for decades of inflation. And the same typewritten dishes on those menus are still served for dinner: Yum Yum Mein, Sichuan Pepper Steak and Ding Dong Chicken are crowd favorites, and prix fixe dinners ($40 for two) haven't gone out of style just yet. If the front door is locked, give it a good stiff knock and allow yourself to be surprised. Yum Yum Chinese Restaurant, 909 Race St., Downtown, 513-721-7705.
Best Absurdly Tender Snapper: Island Frydays
In 2009, former University of Cincinnati football player Leo Morgan opened up a restaurant to serve Clifton the authentic Jamaican food he had previously been making for his teammates on a smaller scale. Just five years later, Guy Fieri gave Island Frydays an honorary residency in Flavortown, USA thanks, in no small part, to their snapper dinner. A whole red snapper is fried to perfection, crispy skin and all, and bathed in spicy escovitch sauce — a classic Jamaican condiment — to give the ordinarily mild fish a strong kick. The moist meat glides off its skeleton like an overused cliché (even with the plastic fork you're given in the to-go box) and supplies a delicate flaky texture with each scrumptious bite. Pick any two sides to go along with this prize catch, like their fried sweet plantains and hearty, well-seasoned jerk fries. After finishing this stunning seafood, you may find yourself looking like the picture of Rick Ross hanging on their wall: arms out, head to the sky in solemn appreciation of your satisfied stomach. Island Frydays, 2826 Vine St., Corryville, islandfrydays.com.
Best Actual Lunch Angels: 53T Courier
Sometimes you have days at work when you're so busy you can barely get up to pee, let alone figure out how or what you're going to feed yourself. Thankfully, the true angel humans at 53T Courier have been bringing lunch (and dinner) to downtowners (and CityBeaters) via bicycle in the rain, sleet, snow and heat and when they just can't get up from their desks since 2014. Pronounced "fifty-three tee" — for the number of teeth on a road bike's chain ring — the company, founded by Ian Bulling and Dave Adams, is rider-owned and operated and "comprised of experienced, dedicated cyclists who love what they do." From 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. on Saturday, these be-spoked saviors deliver food from an ever-growing list of local restaurants throughout downtown, OTR and Northern Kentucky, like Cheapside Café, The Gruff and Pho Lang Thang. They also perform other assorted bike messenger services like delivering parcels, papers and etc. Sure, the restaurant selection may be greater through conglomerates like Uber Eats or Grubhub, but Uber Eats doesn't have Ian — or his giant backpack — hand delivering your lunch to you at your desk, still hot and intact (even if you get a Vietnamese drip coffee), while you're trying to make a deadline. It is only a slight exaggeration to say some of us here might starve without him and 53T. 53T Courier, 53tcourier.com.
Best Appetizers: Bakersfield OTR
Photo: Paige Deglow
Bakersfield OTR
2. Sotto
3. Nada
Best As-Seen-On-TV Pancakes: Maplewood Kitchen and Bar
Don't be dismayed if the line is out the door when you arrive at Maplewood Kitchen and Bar downtown. For one thing, it's worth the wait, but just as importantly, they have a super-efficient operation that moves you along quickly. While you wait, you can ponder your many excellent choices — starting with cocktails. There's the roasted tomatillo bloody mary (made with Tito's vodka, house-roasted tomatillo mix and a super greens cold-pressed juice blend for #health), a cold-pressed juice mimosa and a cucumber sangria, made with Sauvignon Blanc, among other excellent options. And if you aren't just drinking your breakfast/lunch/dinner, edible options range from fancy toasts to power bowls and a roasted rotisserie chicken. But the dish that will haunt your dreams is the lemon ricotta pancakes with seasonal fruit, berry compote and local syrup. This stack of two flapjacks has enough of a fan following that it found its way to the TODAY Show in September and into the mouths of Carson Daly and Al Roker. Maplewood also made Travel + Leisure's list of the top 25 places to eat pancakes last year. So go for the pancakes, stay for the drinks and add a side of Daisy Field Farms bacon if you're in an indulgent frame of mind. A second Maplewood location opened in Deerfield last year for double the fun. Maplewood Kitchen and Bar, 525 Race St., Downtown; 5065 Deerfield Blvd., Mason, maplewoodkitchenandbar.com.
Best Authentic Peruvian Ceviche: Maize
If you've never had the pleasure of trying it, ceviche is raw seafood cured in citrus juice and spiced with exotic peppers. Angel Batista, co-owner of Maize and a native of Puerto Rico, says it should taste like the ocean — and that's exactly how you'd describe his restaurant's dish, constructed with a base of red snapper and shrimp. It is perfect. Crisp, bright, tangy, fresh. The fish are plump and plentiful and complemented by pops of diced mango and serrano pepper — tossed in after the acidity of the lime cures the seafood. Don't let that juice at the bottom of your glass go to waste; it's called leche de tigre, or "tiger milk," which you can drink right out of the container. It's considered an aphrodisiac, so make sure your date gets a good taste, too. The remainder of the dishes at Maize are excellent as well. The restaurant takes its name from a corn flour dating back some 10,000 years, which serves as the basis for the eatery's arepas, cachapas and empanadas and acts as an access point for the rich world of Latin American cuisine. To that end, the menu is colorful and varied, with dishes from across the region that complement one another while retaining their traditional roots: Puerto Rican lechonchetta con yucca al mojo, Venezuelan pabellón criollo and Mexican elote topped with cotija cheese, queso fresco and cayenne. Maize OTR, 1438 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, maizeotr.com.
Best Authentic Taste of Africa: Darou Salam
From the outside, Darou Salam may seem small — it is set back, nestled underneath trees and shares the same building as the Northside Tavern. You may even miss it at first glance. But although humble in appearance, this is Cincinnati's best-kept secret for authentic African food. Darou Salam offers Senegalese cuisine ranging from lamb dibi, which is grilled lamb paired with an onion-mustard sauce, to firir, a fried whole tilapia (yes with the head — but don't be scared, it's tasty), and bissap sorrel, a famous Hibiscus juice and Senegalese favorite. Darou Salam, 4163 Hamilton Ave., Northside, 513-681-3663.


Unigrà S.r.l. (hereinafter "Unigrà") hereby would like to inform visitors to the website that it provides for the protection of personal data in compliance with Italian national legislation and in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation No. 2016/679.
1.2.	Website traffic data - The IT systems and software procedures provided to operate this web site acquire, during their normal operation, certain personal data which are implicitly transmitted when using the Internet communication protocols. The IP addresses or the domain names of the computers used by the users who connect to the site, the URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) notation addresses of the resources requested, the time of the request, the method used for submitting the request to the server, the size of the file received in response, the numeric code indicating the status of the response given by the server (successful, error, etc.) and other parameters relative to the operating system and the IT environment of the user come under this category. Those data will solely be used to obtain anonymous statistical information on the use of the website and to check it is functioning properly, and will be stored for periods in accordance with the relevant legislation. This information may be used to determine liability in case of cyber-crimes against Unigrà or any perpetrated through the use of the website.
1.3.	Data provided voluntarily by the visitor - These are all personal data, additional to registration data, which the visitor freely releases, for example, in order to complete registration to a reserved area, to request information about a particular product or service via a form, to write to an email address or to call a toll-free number for direct contact with customer service. Where applicable, this information may be used for the purposes of profiling the user. Where this happens, we will send the appropriate communication and obtain your freely-given and specific consent for marketing and/or profiling purposes in accordance with the techniques provided for in current privacy legislation (initially in the process of collecting consent based on opt-in and then, in the case of any refusal of consent, based on opt-out).
- by prior consent, engage in personalized information activities (profiling) by processing of data provided by users, creating groups divided by categories of interest, with the aim of originating commercial communications of the greatest interest and as little invasive as possible.
The provision of data is mandatory for contractual and service-provision purposes, and for the discharge of legal duties, since the processing concerned is directly instrumental to the management of the contractual relationship between the parties, the provision of the requested service, and compliance with the law. In their absence, there may be no commercial relationship with the data subject and Unigrà cannot guarantee the registration to the website or the services provided by it. The provision of data for marketing purposes is entirely optional, since this processing is based on the consent of users, who may therefore decide not to provide any data or to withdraw consent thereafter. In this case, they will not be able to receive any communications about our events, products and services, but they will continue to be entitled to registration on the website and the services offered by it. No prior consent is required for the activities of providing sales information based on the legitimate interest of Unigrà to send users/customers communications via e-mail regarding types of services and/or products similar to those previously purchased by them, with the intent to maintain and develop their business activities; however, the receipt of these communications may be terminated easily and at any time by using the link at the bottom of each of the emails received for this purpose. Every provision and processing of data for purposes related to personalized sales information (profiling) is based on a specific prior consent of the user, who may, therefore, decide not to confer any data or subsequently withdraw his consent to such processing.
Personal data provided to Unigrà will be processed in accordance with national and European regulations, including any measures issued by the Italian Supervisory Authority (Autorità Garante per la Protezione dei Dati Personali) where applicable. Data processing operations will be carried out both manually and electronically and will protect confidentiality through appropriate technical and organizational security measures. Personal data are stored only for as long as strictly necessary to achieve the purposes for which they have been collected. Unigrà will keep website services authentication credentials active until the user decides to delete their account. The data necessary to allow the performance of the contractual relationship may be retained even after the termination of the commercial relationship, specifically in so far as it may be necessary in order to protect the interests of the Company from possible contractual liability. At the end of this period the data will be deleted. In order to comply with legal requirements, the data may be stored for longer periods in accordance with applicable legislation. Personal data processed for marketing, sales information and/or profiling purposes will be kept by Unigrà until the withdrawal of the consent given or the communication of objection to such processing. Once your consent has been withdrawn, Unigrà will no longer use your personal data for these purposes, but may, if necessary, retain it when used in different processing.
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• Portability: they may request that they receive their data or have them transmitted to another data controller indicated by them in a structured, commonly-used, and machine-readable format.
• Withdraw consent for marketing and profiling purposes and object to processing for the purpose of sales information on similar products: data subjects may withdraw from or have the sending of sales information terminated at any time by writing to the e-mail address below or, in the case of communications received by means of computer systems, by following the procedure set out at the bottom of the communication.
Furthermore, data subjects are informed that they have the right to lodge a complaint with the Italian Supervisory Authority (Autorità Garante per la Protezione dei Dati Personali) in the event they believe that their rights have been infringed by the Data Controller and/or a third party. To exercise the above rights or to obtain further information, you may send a written request, writing in the subject line "Privacy — Exercise of privacy rights", to the following e-mail address: privacy@unigra.it.
The Data Controller is UNIGRA' S.r.l., with registered office in Via Gardizza n. 9/b, 48017 Conselice (RA). As Data Controller, it has identified and appointed a group of data processors, an updated list of whom is available upon request by writing to: privacy@unigra.it.


Coachella Valley Water District first ventured into providing drinking water to Coachella Valley residents in 1961, when it took over the operations of 2 privately held water companies. At the time it served only 1,100 active water meters.
Today, the District is the largest provider of drinking water in the Coachella Valley. It operates more than 100 wells and serves a population of 283,000 from Cathedral City to the Salton Sea. Daily demand for drinking water averages 103 million gallons, or 317 acre-feet.
Drinking water, also known as domestic water, comes from the Coachella Valley's own aquifer. This water is pumped from wells up to 1,200 feet deep and stored until needed in more than 50 enclosed reservoirs. From there it is delivered to approximately 108,000 homes and businesses via a network of nearly 2,000 miles of distribution piping.
Domestic rates paid by customers offset the costs of providing customer service, operating wells and reservoirs, maintaining pipelines and replenishing the aquifer. Because CVWD is a public agency, the cost of water to the customer must not exceed the cost CVWD incurs in providing it.
Groundwater pumped from the aquifer and delivered to customers is nearly pristine and requires no or minimal treatment to meet state and federal water quality standards. Throughout most of the Coachella Valley, only a small amount of chlorine is added as a precautionary measure to ensure compliance with drinking water regulations.
CVWD staff annually collects more than 22,000 water samples and tests for more than 100 regulated and unregulated substances at its own state-certified water quality laboratory and elsewhere. Results from these water quality tests are mailed to all customers in the district each June as part of CVWD's annual reports.
Pumped groundwater is used by all residential customers and most large landscape customers for all outdoor irrigation purposes. Nearly 80% of all water used by CVWD domestic customers is used in their yards and gardens. For this reason, outdoor water conservation is the focus of the District's public outreach programs.
While the aquifer has an estimated capacity of 39 million acre-feet, the Coachella Valley currently finds itself in an overdraft situation. That is, more water has been pumped out from the groundwater basin in recent decades than has been naturally or artificially replenished. To help alleviate groundwater overdraft, the District owns and operates 3 groundwater replenishment facilities.
Reduce your household's outdoor water usage. The most common causes of water waste are overwatering yards and gardens. CVWD offers a number of conservation rebates and discounts such as a smart controller discount, an irrigation guide and lawn conversion tips.
Stop the leaks. A sudden spike in your water bill often indicates a leak inside your home or in your outdoor irrigation system. Leaks can waste hundreds of gallons of water per day. Read CVWD's Water Wise at Home Guide (PDF) for help finding leaks.
Learn more about CVWD's conservation programs. Attend an upcoming workshop or check if you qualify for a landscape rebate.


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Have you had experiences with children with disabilities?
My youngest daughter's husband's family adopted an autistic child. He has been a part of our family circle now for approximately ten years. He has never been able to communicate. We use sign language when we talk together, just in case. Just in case.
My oldest daughter is mentally retarded.
The people with disabilities are the ones that feel hate towards others, are unjust and unkind, and only consider themselves in their decision-making.
-- Planet Earth (imagine@industrial-ideas.com), July 30, 2000.
A friend has a son with Downs syndrome who has been a good friend of our kids for a long time; I grew up with a boy who had Downs syndrome, the son of a friend of ours.
My experience with autism is a very negative one. A new woman in our babysitting co-op made arrangements for me to watch her two sons for an hour. She showed up at the door with the two boys, put them in the house and, as she was turning away, she pointed to one and said "Oh--he's autistic. He won't be any problem." She then disappeared for eight hours. It was a nightmare. I had no preparation, no hints on how best to deal with him, and the woman was gone 7 hours longer than I expected. I thought she had been killed or had abandoned her children. The autistic son was a uncontrolable all afternoon. I was exhausted by the time she showed up and when I expressed (loudly) my displeasure at what she'd done, she screamed I was trying to prevent her from reuniting with her husband.
In retrospect, I know the poor thing was just desperate, but I have to admit that my view of autistic children has been colored by those terrible 8 hours.
-- Bev Sykes (basykes@dcn.davis.ca.us), July 30, 2000.
Years ago our youngest daughter began to complain of pain in her hip. Seeking help we went to the Shriner's who were in town then. They made a diagnosis and X-rays proved them right. She had Perthe's disease which necessitated her to use crutches and have her ankle on that side held by a sling to prevent any pressure on the ball joint of her hip. Luckily we were steered to a public school who took all children with disabilities. She was in school with kids with all kinds of disabilities, Muscular dystrophy on up and on down. Each child did for other children what they couldn't do for themselves. It was remarkable how the children did not point fingers at each other, each one was coping with their own problem and being helped by some one as bad off in some other way. My son's ex wife had a brother who was born with Down's Syndrome and was raised right in with the family. He was and is a very loving person who reasons to the best of his ability and is a likeable person. Autism is something that I have read much about and would demand training before I would try to take care of an autistic child. I was dismayed to hear about Bev's problem with an autistic child. The mother could at least stopped long enough to clue Bev in on what worked at home. Sounds like she was a pretty selfish and inconsiderate person.
-- Denver doug (ionoi@webtv.net), July 30, 2000.
-- AJ (joijoijoi@hotmail.com), July 31, 2000.
Yes. It disturbs me and I have great respect for those how can help them lead the best life possible.


Small business owners and entrepreneurs might be inclined to think of online reputation management as brand management, and to a certain extent they would be correct. Online reputation is increasingly important to any company interested in deriving at least some of their overall revenue from some form of e-commerce, whether it be delivery of products through a retailer, or some form of service through an independent web site.
But a more accurate evaluation of reputation management is a form of search optimization. If someone is searching for a service or product, and they come across some artifact on the web that reflects poorly on a provider of that service or product, the chances they will buy from that source are likely to be dramatically lower than if they found a series of glowing reviews.
If you are wondering about the importance of reputation management for your small business, here are some things to consider.
While price figures prominently into buying decisions for most people, a larger and larger proportion of justification for buying decisions can be put down to recommendations, either from friends and family or from online reviewers.
Even in the age of social media, the opinions of others, as long as they appear genuine, can drive a great many buying decisions. The more competitive the industry, the more important these reviews can be. Together, the collected opinions of customers form the basis for any company's online reputation, which is why it is so important to put a full effort into cultivating good reviews and making sure your product or service lives up to the reputation you earn.
The other highly important facet of online reputation management is a keen sense of being responsive to both customers and the media. A public relations crisis that surprises you and your company is far more likely to be damaging than one you are prepared for and can respond to in a timely manner.
An entrepreneur who is "tuned in" to what is being said about their company, product and industry is far more likely to see problems at a distance and do something about them long before they become a problem for sales, customer relations or employee morale. Being especially attentive to the concerns of customers and others is one way to bolster the image of your organization and improve overall online reputation.
Let's face it, brand identity marketing and digital reputation management make for great publicity. If your company can find a way to turn your efforts to please your customers into a marketing vehicle, especially if you can find a social media angle for it, you'll not only get the immediate benefit of the public response to your efforts, but you may also establish a semi-permanent signpost for your company's reputation through the magic of search optimization.
It is very important your management always look for these opportunities, as they are very inexpensive ways to get considerable traction and visibility in your market.
Always remember that search and social media are far more a matter of the thread of communications than any one event. A continuously updated series of "good deeds" will do far more for any reputation than a one-time stunt. If your efforts can be consistent, they will pay off in the long run.