Stop settling for incremental changes in your business model, and use concepts from the experience economy to create lasting, authentic transformation.
What kind of promises have you made lately?
I have three kids. When I want to make sure they know I will follow through on a request, I say, "Promise, promise." The fitness and wellness industry has never been stronger, but it needs a few more professionals not only to stand up and say, "I promise, promise," but also to deliver, deliver, on their pledges. What should we be promising and delivering? At the heart of the answer is a conversation about responding to the era of the individual, which is Baby Boomer driven. What will your response be to the demands for individualization, and how will you prepare your business?
This article considers mass customization, as defined by the "experience economy," as one approach on this journey. Mass customization—or treating different customers differently—is necessary to make every experience personal. This approach requires you to modularize your services in such a way that you can, based on the preferences of a particular customer, put together a very specific program just for that individual. If you are going to promise personalization, it has to go further than just saying, "Happy birthday." It means you will need to understand and remember the many preferences of each customer and then be able to materially personalize a program over time, à la Amazon.com. This will necessarily require you to develop a portfolio of experiences. Think about how you already establish a profile of a client's workout routine. Now think about expanding that profile to include critical information about the client's desires, dreams and preferences as they relate to his goals. This can be a critical step in building a relationship, and relationships (formal and informal) are at the core of our industry's success. The era of the individual is going to continue, so if personalization is a brand promise that will differentiate your business, you will need to understand how you can deliver operationally on that promise.
As a first step toward learning more about how this industry can follow through on promises to our customers, it's useful to look at history. Fitness professionals have been attempting to expand the customer base for health, wellness and fitness services for a long time, with little to show for it. Over the past 15 years, we've been aided by changes in perspective as corporations have begun making efforts to better manage their healthcare costs and insurance companies have started to realize that prevention really does help the bottom line. Additionally, research has supported a variety of proactive interventions that help people age gracefully, live longer and more happily, look and feel good, and have more energy. Coupled with these changes is the "bowling ball going through the garden hose of life" phenomenon, otherwise known as the Baby Boomers (78 million born between 1946 and 1964, with considerable buying power). This population has already transformed health care, and it is now directly influencing the growth of wellness and prevention services.
Based on my 30 years of experience working with businesses to optimize their outcomes, I can say that our market has expanded as more people have actively contemplated our services—but there has not been as much growth as we had expected. In fact, we might be recycling clients and customers we have already had for a long time. How can we stop recycling our clients and customers, develop and access a larger customer base, attain a sustainable competitive advantage and solidify our revenue and profit? A good start is to make promises we keep!
1. Create a sustainable, competitive advantage that will differentiate our own businesses from those of others.
2. Integrate services in one form or another so that customers will have more efficient ways of accessing unique approaches.
3. Make a strong commitment to maintain a balanced lifestyle ourselves.
What ties all of this together—programming, equipment, technology, a unique business model, integrated services and a balanced lifestyle—are the experiences your customers and employees have. Designing the promises behind these experiences will be at the heart of long-term success—both for individual businesses and for the industry as a whole.
We will get there through point of view (P.O.V.). The key for you, as a fitness or wellness professional, lies in changing your P.O.V. about the industry's future. You must see new solutions that can be applied today. We have all had experiences in life where we changed our P.O.V., thus allowing for a significant change in the way we did something. Changing P.O.V. and perspective is critical in order to deliver "new-to-the-world" experiences. Looking at your customers, your staff and yourself from a new P.O.V. will enable you to achieve the lofty goals mentioned above. It begins with looking at your own perceptions about business.
There is a new economic platform from which many businesses are now operating—the experience economy. Commercials and advertisements often wax poetically about the "dining experience," the "car-buying experience" or the "travel experience." The common denominator is the "experience economy," a concept coined and elaborated on by B. Joseph Pine and James H. Gilmore in their book The Experience Economy: Work Is Theatre & Every Business a Stage (Harvard Business School Press 1999). Simply put, the entire platform of economic value within which we have been operating is changing, and so are the promises we make to our customers.
To gain a better perspective, let's first define what an experience is and then look at how our economy has changed over the past 100 years. Here is Pine and Gilmore's definition: "Experiences are inherently personal, existing only in the mind of an individual who has been engaged on an emotional, physical, intellectual or spiritual level." How did we get to the experience economy? Over the past century, our economic platform has evolved. It used to be about commodities extracted from the earth. Later, manufacturing goods from these commodities became the predominant economic indicator. As these goods all started to look and be the same, the focus switched to services that differentiated the goods. Now, as services have become commonplace and expected, many businesses have evolved to staging experiences as a new way to stand out in the crowd. Customers' expectations have changed as well. Consumers expect products and services to be of the highest quality. So what differentiates service providers? How the experiences are staged.
Let's focus on coffee as an example. Way back when, someone picked the coffee beans, you bought a sack and you ground the coffee yourself. The cup cost less than 1 cent. Along came businesses that took the coffee beans, ground them, put them in cans and sold them; they manufactured the coffee. A cup of coffee cost less than 25 cents. Then someone else came along and said, "Let's get the coffee in the can, percolate it and serve it for less than a dollar." In other words, provide a service to differentiate coffee. Fast-forward to the present day, when Starbucks has mastered the art of staging coffee experiences. With its own language and highly personalized approach, Starbucks delivers exactly what people want—and they pay up to $4.00 per cup! We went from manufacturing the beans to providing a service to staging an experience. And each time the customer has been willing to pay a premium.
There are hundreds of examples of companies that stage experiences to differentiate themselves. Why do so many families bypass other amusement parks to spend their vacations and dollars at Walt Disney World®? What explains the popularity of Build-A-Bear Workshop®, where the experiences are staged around making your own bear, naming it and having a unique, creative experience? There are multiple examples in hotels, libraries, fish markets and computer repair. If computer repair can be staged as an experience, why can't the fitness and wellness industry also be creative in this way?
Using the Starbucks experience as an example, note that whatever you promise the customer must come with a matching experience. The coffee may cost $4.00 a cup, but it's the exact coffee the customer wants. She knows and finds comfort in the fact that her double-mocha-espresso-nonfat-whip is going to taste the same in Sarasota as it does in Seattle. Starbucks has delivered on the promise and given her a pleasurable experience that can be replicated in every single franchise in the world.
A brand is a mixture of attributes, tangible and intangible, and comes with the promise that a specific level of value, quality and service will be offered. If managed properly, the brand creates value and influence. Value is the promise and delivery of an experience. The brand promise relates to your business intentions and is presented as a contract between you and your customers.
A brand experience relates to the operational side of the business. Do you deliver on your promises? The authenticity of your business rests on whether your customers' experiences match the promises you make. Brand experience goes beyond how you treat people; it includes the facility, programs and what happens before and after a customer's visit.
Let's use "Mike's Personal Training Studio" as an example.
1. Offer a clean, professional, welcoming environment.
2. Provide a thorough fitness assessment.
3. Use updated, well-maintained equipment.
4. Offer a variety of package options.
5. Employ well-educated, certified staff.
1. Client is greeted at the door and offered a towel and a bottle of water.
2. Client chooses from training packages that range from a single session to 100 sessions.
3. During the assessment, Mike discovers client needs a physical therapy referral, which he has on file.
1. One of Mike's personal trainers is not certified.
2. The cable on one of the machines is broken and out of order.
3. Client leaves without a follow-up appointment and no one acknowledges her.
The fitness and wellness industry is a natural venue for promising and staging memorable personal experiences and for engaging people on multiple sensory levels. So why is it so challenging to achieve this outcome consistently? For many business owners (not just in our industry), making small, incremental changes seems to be the comfortable approach. While incremental change is admirable, it will not necessarily be unique and distinctive, nor will it help a business gain a sustainable competitive position. Anyone can take the next step in an incrementally changing world, but are you ready to undergo transformational change, so that "new-to-the-world" truly describes your business?
He moved his home office to a small studio in a commercial area.
He hired qualified staff as the need arose.
He leased the latest and greatest equipment.
He kept his certifications current.
He added a massage therapist and a physical therapist to his professional network.
While these changes are all good and help keep Mike's business accessible and professional, they do not necessarily help him gain a competitive advantage. What are some changes Mike might want to consider that are "new-to-the-world" and will help him transform his personal training studio? One option is to work with the allied health professionals in his network to develop a multifaceted corrective exercise package. He could take his existing small-group boot camp program and repurpose it for a wider range of clients, including overweight children and older adults. Another potentially transformative option would be for Mike to use the portfolio of preferences he has on file for each client to create a customized experience. For example, Mike's client George, who is 54 years old and apparently healthy, has indicated a strong interest in classic cars. Mike can incorporate that bit of knowledge into a session. How? His studio happens to be centrally located downtown. Once every month, the local Chevy club meets a block away, lining the sidewalk with classic American cars. Mike suggests to George that they warm up before their session by walking there and back. It's a simple gesture that instills in Mike's client that he is uniquely valued.
Most (if not all) experiences in our industry are inherently personal, which means we have the perfect opportunity to stage a unique experience for each customer. Personal fitness training is a naturally personalized experience and has the potential to engage customers on emotional, physical, intellectual and sometimes spiritual levels. Yoga, Pilates and group exercise programs are also ideal for personalization. And have you experienced or observed the push for personalization within indoor cycling classes? Instructors are introducing cadence monitors and highly customized tracking features for participants. The latest generation of fitness equipment allows for premium personalization. You can dial in any channel or music, and some equipment models even allow you to save your preferences. Nike is now offering customized shoes. In fact, the Nike website (www.nikeid.com) invites running-shoe zealots to "build [their] own shoe." They can choose their favorite colors and even add a short, personalized identifier on the back heels.
Everyone, from the front desk to the training room and the locker room, must be dedicated to the value of authentic promise making. If you do not engage your customers in memorable ways, you are vulnerable to losing them to other fitness facilities that do interact with them in memorable ways. What happens if 70% of a fitness facility's staff performs in a memorable manner and the other 30% doesn't? Imagine that a member walks in and is greeted warmly and by name at the front desk. A personal trainer on staff offers timely and welcome advice on dynamic warm-ups. However, as the member is leaving, he stops to ask a question about an upcoming workshop at the sales office and the coordinator does not acknowledge him. The member walks away without the information he needs, and that final impression stays with him. How likely is it that the member will continue to pay for an "almost" experience?
The object of most businesses is to grow to meet their established objectives (whether they are financial, strategic or operational). Playing strictly by the rules, however, does not always lead to growth. Many business leaders see industry newcomers gaining a competitive edge and believe they are succeeding not because they are better at what they do, but because they change the rules of the game; they make up new rules for winning. Think about how you would change the rules of the game. How would your new rules lead to true transformation? Most important, understand how you will fulfill the promises you make to your customers and employees.
Given where the industry is at the current time, and where we want to go, it is important to consider more than just incremental change. As we put the principles of the experience economy into practice (which includes staging experiences and being able to charge a premium for them), it is critical to create brand promises that touch customers and that differentiate you from the competition. Finally, it is vital to create matching brand experiences that leave your clientele with a sense of authenticity.
Collins, J., & Porras, J. 2004. Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies. New York: HarperCollins.
Pine, B.J. 1999. Mass Customization: The New Frontier in Business Competition. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
Pine, B.J, & Gilmore, J.H. 1999. The Experience Economy: Work Is Theatre & Every Business a Stage. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
Tisch, J., & Weber, K. 2007. Chocolates on the Pillow Aren't Enough: Reinventing the Customer Experience. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Jeff Bensky, PhD, has over 25 years of experience intentionally creating new approaches. He has created, grown and led businesses that have gone on to transform their industry niches rather than settling for incremental changes. He is known for his ability to apply experience design principles, especially in the area of personalization and individualization. Having spent his formative years in Boston, he attributes his belief that anything is possible to the Boston Red Sox. Reach him at jeff@jbensky.com. ... read more.


The concert aims at reinterpreting Bach's scores into violin-cello transcriptions, with a focus on some of the musical forms that best characterized his music.
The programme opens with the Sonata in G major BWV 1021, which shows Bach's versatility in the four canonical movements of the baroque sonata. Then comes the Fugue in G minor BWV 578, originally scored for the organ but proposed here by two bowed string instruments that manage to preserve its rich, dense polyphony. The four Inventions were also scored for the keyboard (the harpsichord), but their bare structure in two voices makes them perfect for any combination of two instruments. A similar transcription of the famous Air from the third Orchestral Suite in D major tries to preserve polyphony causing no damage to the celestial melody of the violin. The concert continues with the canone all'ottava, which, like the entire Art of the Fugue, has no specifically notated instrumentation, as if to confirm its absolute grandeur. And finally, the programme features the famous Toccata e Fugue in D minor BWV 565, scored for organ and arranged for violin and cello for this occasion.


I marry the person I was with for seven years, for me she is the woman I love to have for the rest of my life. I really wanted to have a beautiful family, a complete and happy something I haven't experienced before. According to Knightsbridge escorts from https://charlotteaction.org/knightsbridge-escorts.
I grew up in a broken family, perhaps my hard work and determination in life are because of it. I am inspired more whenever I think about my old mom; she helps me to finish my studies and everything. Because of her, I had able to reach all my dreams, and she was there to support and guide me throughout my journey. My mother chooses to be alone than being with my father, which is I accept later on. I knew she was beaten a couple of times by my alcoholic dad. My dad does not work anymore and asked money for mom to his vices. Instead, he is the provider of the family; he becomes a burden already. And so mom decided to annul their marriage. Yes, even though my father was not kind to us, I still keep looking for a dad. Every time I have a school event; no one could attend me because my mother is busy with our everyday survival. But instead of being stuck in the past, I used it as my motivation and inspiration. My mom and I have no problem because we help each other and I understand her more.
During my college years, I look for work to help finance my education. I knew it would be more expensive for us. I become a crew and together, I study hard. I did not abandon my education despite difficulties in life. I am still struggling sometimes.
Not until I find comfort with Stella Brooke, she is the librarian of the school. I often go to the library and spend my lunch or free time there. I notice Stella whenever you got to see her near her brown eyes blend on her complexion. She is a beautiful lady, and it was an accident when I left my phone in the library. She looked for me and gave me back my phone. I was so embarrassed because I only have simple to offer with her. I asked her if she wants to eat a snack in a less expensive restaurant and said yes. And that is the start of our friendship, which later on an official relationship.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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QLD Outlaw Sedan Club
Club History:
The RSA Outlaw Sedans were founded in 2002 and were knowns as Qld Outlaw Sedans. Originally racing at Yandina Speedway Yandina Qld until shortly before it closed. The Qld Outlaw Sedans relocated their home track to Archerfield Speedway where they were based for many years.
The Qld Outlaw Sedans were formed to accommodate "chassis" only race cars, giving them a place to compete on a level field with similar cars.
In September 2016 Qld Outlaw Sedans re-branded as the RSA Outlaw Sedan Club as a result of the governing body with which they are affiliated with re-branding themselves from the "Queensland Outlaw Super Sedan Federation Inc. to RSA Qld.
As part of this re-branding and restructuring the "RSA" was placed in front of the name and as there is now a New South Wales sister race club, the abbreviation for Queensland was placed on the end of the name, forming the new name "RSA Outlaw Sedans Qld. The club in NSW is known as the RSA Outlaw Sedans NSW.
as part of this restructuring, the official specifications were amended to coincide with the NSW State club as set down by the national governing body, "Racing Sedans Australia" These specs, as well as all the division specs set down by Racing Sedans Australia, represented in Queensland by RSA Qld, are national specs under the control of Racing Sedans Australia National Technical Committee.
Follow the link on the right to be taken to our Club Membership Page, where you will find information about the different types of membership, their prices and the forms to join us
This "link" will take you to where you can find current downloadable copies of the Racing Sedans Australia Specifications for Division 5A, Outlaw Sedans
You will also be able to download our constitution from here as well.
As with most sporting clubs here in Australia, RSA Outlaw Sedans Qld, relies heavily on both our members' generosity and the help of "sponsors".
This link will take you to where you can see what sort of sponsorship packages are on offer
When the original club and association was established in 2002 there was a "mission statement" declared to the members and ratified by them.
Over the years this statement has been held in high regard and is still to this day.
Drivers Profile Information Form
Our drivers come from all walks of life with varying racing histories. We are in the process of rebuilding our "Driver Profile" section within this website.
To be able to do this we like to have our drivers tell us about themselves. Following this link will bring you to our "Drivers Profile" information form.
© 2020 - Qld Outlaw Sedan Club - All rights reserved
Racing Sedans Australia - affiliated
Home | News | Galleries | Events | Club Information | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


It started in folk music coffee houses and moved into nightclubs. A career that has lasted 50 years evolved f rom singer, songwriter, comedian, part of a duo, part of a trio, recording artist, but mostly a live entertainer who is still having fun in front of audiences.
Ralph Achilles spends his performing time on Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and many other cruise ships around the world. He lives in Denver, Colorado where he grew up and developed into the complete entertainer he has become.
For bookings and info send an e-mail to my Personal Management: Doreen Nakamura or call her at 516-795-1616. To purchase my albums, click on the album pictures to the right.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Author: Johnny Hopkins
Source: The Acquirer's Multiple(https://acquirersmultiple.com/2020/12/michael-mauboussin-why-companies-die/ )
The most common pushback we receive from potential investors is that stocks in our portfolio trade at high PE multiples. Our response has been that given the value of a company lies in its cashflows to perpetuity, companies with high longevity of these cashflows indeed have very high intrinsic values – (see our newsletter). In this blog in The Acquirer's Multiple, Johnny Hopkins brings up Michael Mauboussin's research, which talks about the importance of corporate longevity. Mauboussin compares companies to ant colonies' tendency to exploit current sources of food yet at the same time explore new sources of food for the future, that can underpin longevity.
"Imagine an ant colony with a nearby source of food. Foragers find the food source and use chemical signals to tell the other ants where to go to find the food. Call this exploitation. But some ants leave the chemical trail and wander around seemingly aimlessly. Call this exploration. Why would an ant ever leave the main trail to the food? If another rich food source appears, the colony wants to have a mechanism to find it. Ant colonies balance exploitation with exploration. But it gets even better: The rate of exploration is roughly correlated with the rate of change in the environment.
Our speculation is that a similar model can help explain why companies die. Successful companies generally have a core source of profits. For many reasons, corporate leaders tend to dedicate too many resources to exploitation of profits and not enough to exploration. Commonly, exploration requires a different structure than exploitation, causing companies to stumble. The best companies are those that can skilfully balance exploitation and exploration.
By contrast, cities and universities have less pressure to optimize, and hence are more capable of evolving and skirting failure. From a societal point of view, the rise and fall of individual companies may be healthy. But for an individual who is involved with a company on the decline, the pain is real."
At Marcellus, we deploy what we call as 'Lethargy tests' to assess if management teams of our investee companies are getting lax on the exploration front that can undermine their longevity. See our newsletter here which discussed the 'Lethargy test' framework in detail.
Everything We've Learned About Modern Economic Theory Is Wrong
Astad Deboo assimilated many forms to create a new language of contemporary d...


E.L – Yo Geng :VO Nation artist, E.L brings to us another brand new single dubbed "Yo Geng", which was well prepared by the rapper himself.
Dekaay Reno – Fever (Prod. by BeatBoss Tims) below. BeatBoss Tims produced "Fever" song. Dekaay Reno urges fans to follow him for more amazing masterpiece he is about to serve. Kindly enjoy and share the love.


I have been keeping bees for 4 years, my Grandfather passed down his hives and bees to me. Currently I have 6 bee hives. Prior to this, I had chosen beekeeping as a 4-H project, which was where my interest in bee keeping began. My projects won grand champion at the Henry County Fair and were selected to be entered at the State Fair for the last 5 years. This year, at the State Fair, my honey was awarded a blue ribbon and an orange special merit ribbon. My family hosts a field trip for kindergarteners each year. At this field trip, I teach the children about bees and their role in the environment. Have gained several positive values from bee keeping, such as time management, money management, and work ethic. I look at the environment differently after having been involved in bee keeping. I now have a better understanding of God's creation and how bees impact our environment in endless ways. The values that I have obtained from bee keeping will be with me for the rest of my life.
I have been beekeeping for six years. It is an experience that has taught me diligence, persistence, and patience. Beekeeping has forced me to step outside my comfort zone and has given me opportunities to meet and talk to many amazing people. Having a large group like The Beekeepers of Indiana is a great way of promoting beekeeping. I look forward to continue working with this club as well as my local club to support beekeeping.
I enjoy beekeeping because of all the jobs and opportunities I can get from it. It was an honor to win the beekeeping award especially since this was my first time entering.


The question addresses a large audience; prospective students, current students, graduating students, and very importantly: the parents of the former. Now-a-days, it can be quite common for a recently graduated student to return home lacking immediate employment or direct application of ones degree, whereas thirty-or-so years ago, having a degree meant having a job related to that degree. Oh how the times have changed; such are the laws of nature.
University isn't about getting a degree anymore – I think not. If treated in such a manner, students will be hard pressed when after 4 – 6 years they find themselves moving back home and not knowing what to do next, sound familiar? If we treat University as a means, we're going to come to an end all right, a dead-end (insert drum sound here for corny joke). What I'm getting at is that University isn't so much about the degree anymore as it is the foundation upon which we build our degree. It's funny though, because you won't learn in the lecture-hall how to build the very foundation upon which your degree gains significance. That's kind of left up to you, which is a good thing.
That being said, University is now about taking advantage of the endless resources, outlets, and opportunities available. On-campus jobs to pay for tuition; personal connections made through faculty and staff; resources available through the array of support systems like councilors, advisors, committees, groups, and clubs; exchange opportunities around the world; varsity athletics; residence life – and the list goes on. University isn't about a degree, it's about resources, opportunities, connections, and experiences. These are what you are going to apply after you "finish." You can take that degree and hang it on the highest wall, in the nicest frame, but it's not going to do much for you, unless you built yourself a rich foundation upon which it can grow and bear fruit.
I said previously that this information is important for the parents of students because they build up expectations about what University is supposed to offer, and those expectations rarely align with the reality of our times. In no way am I trying to deter anyone from pursuing a degree, or suggesting that it's okay for students to return home after achieving one, only to play video games while EI rolls in.
What I want to make clear is that currently society views NOT directly applying ones University degree as a waste of time and money, when REALLY, the nontraditional implicit application of a University experience is whats going to take us everywhere we want to go in life – assuming we understand the aforementioned shift in what University is all about.
One other thing to consider is that since there is such a large influx of academic degree holders, this forces a lot of students to continue with graduate studies, in hopes to increase career opportunity (and assuming they enjoy their line of research). At the same time, there's now such a large number of students with Masters degrees, all of sudden you need to have your PhD just to guarantee yourself a job, that's another 4 – 6 years of studies. BOOM! you're 30+ years old. Again, nothing wrong if you love research and teaching, but as you can see, it's easy to get caught up in the pressure of this academic rat-race. I recently declined my graduate program for just that reason.
So here I am now, and you know how I'm applying my degree? I'm not, it's rolled up somewhere collecting dust and I'm 24, sitting at my parents house. But you know how I've applied my University experience? After taking advantage of as many University resources as possible – i.e. developing my foundation for life outside school – I've now lived and studied at a Shinto Shrine in Washington State for 4 months, gone tree planting around central British Columbia for 3 months, attended and served 10-day silent meditation retreats, volunteered on a farm in Costa Rica for 2 months, and now before going tree planting for one more season, I'm establishing connections in Hawaii to work on tea-farms and I'm learning about sustainable agriculture. Talk about widening the scope of how to apply ones pure Mathematics degree. All of these experiences are heavily influenced by the skills developed in University.
So, what does a degree get you these days? not much, except maybe that multiple thousand dollar student loan. Should that stop you from going to University and getting a degree or sending your young adults to University? Not if any of what I just said made sense. It's just my opinion, but I think a lot of people out there need to hear this view on what's in a degree these days. Feel free to offer your own opinion and feedback on the issue because I hear a lot of concerns about it when I don't think there needs to be. With the right understanding of the University experience, students and their parents need not worry if a degree is directly applied or not.
As I mentioned above, I have now not only established those connections with Hawaiian tea farmers, but I'm living out my dream on a tea farm in the Garden Isle of Hawaii. I'm at the forefront of a burgeoning tea industry on Kaua'i spearheaded by the Hawaiian Tea Society; I'm networking and learning about all things Tea.


Brian Solis just posted about the need to localise your marketing efforts to make your organisation truly global, he pays particular attention to social media campaigns. The world is now a smaller place and no longer can you use a one size fits all mentality to your marketing efforts. It's a sign that social media has come of age that localising the messages is becoming a critical factor.
Brian perfectly illustrates why localising your content makes perfect sense.
A brief study of average customer engagement on Facebook Fan pages around the world in 2010 helps illustrate the point of why localized strategies are important. In the review, Starbucks and Blackberry country pages that featured localized content in addition to the global initiatives fostered interaction as much as 10 – 15x than those which featured English-only content.
As with all the best marketing the results speak for themselves. If you want to become a global player in 2012, and you could well need to ensure your company survives, start thinking about translating and localising your content.


text:
/ Brexit
/ Brexit Bulletin October 11, 2016
Brexit Bulletin October 11, ...
Brexit Bulletin October 11, 2016
The following is a roundup of recent developments concerning Brexit negotiations and the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union.
Prime Minister Theresa May and Home Secretary Amber Rudd have laid out plans which suggest the U.K. should prepare for a "hard Brexit", but critics in Parliament and the business community have warned that such an approach could have dire consequences for the U.K.'s access to the European Union's single market and the free movement of people.
May said she would invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty to formally begin the U.K.'s withdrawal from the U.K. no later than March of 2017. She and Rudd have doubled down on a goal of reducing annual migration to the U.K. below 100,000 per year, which would require, at some point, reducing migration from Europe.
The government faces opposition from some members of Parliament, though, who say that Parliament should have a vote on the terms of negotiating the U.K.'s withdrawal from the EU. There's also a question of whether May herself can trigger Article 50, an issue that will be the subject of a High Court hearing this week.
The good news for now: It appears that even after the U.K. leaves the EU, which will happen no sooner than 2019, EU workers in the U.K. at the time of the Brexit will retain their status – with many believed to be eligible for permanent residence at or before the point when the U.K. leaves the EU. However, there is little clarity over what immigration framework is likely to be implemented post-Brexit.
May said at a Tory Party conference recently that she would not seek a Norwegian or Swiss-style arrangement with the EU, where the U.K. would have access to the single market and retain freedom of movement within Europe.
"It's not going to be a Norway model," she said. "It's not going to be a Switzerland model. It's going to be an agreement between an independent, sovereign United Kingdom and the European Union."
May and Rudd would like to reduce annual migration to the U.K. below 100,000 – a goal of former Prime Minister David Cameron's that he never achieved. This plan could involve abandoning the points-based system for non-EEA nationals and, post-Brexit, EEA nationals as well. Whether a work permit system, with caps on immigration numbers, would be introduced to replace the points-based system remains to be seen.
Rudd outlined plans for reducing European migration in the long term while focusing on other measures in the short and medium term. Specifically, Rudd said the U.K. should:
Adopt a more stringent system for employers using the Tier 2 resident labour market test.
Create a £140 million fund to support public services in areas with heavy migration.
Consider a tiered student visa system, with priority given to students attending elite universities.
Require companies to report the number of foreign workers on payroll.
Rudd also profiled some of the Immigration Act 2016 reforms, including making it a crime for landlords to rent to tenants known to be in the country illegally and requiring immigration checks for taxi drivers. These changes are set to take effect in December.
The proposal to force companies to report the number of foreign workers they employ was particularly controversial, but Education Secretary Justine Greening clarified in recent days that this information would not become public and would only be used by the government to identify areas of skills shortages in the U.K. workforce.
Work Rights Post-Brexit
While the U.K.'s future immigration policies for EU member states have not yet been set, the status of EU workers in the U.K. – and U.K. workers in the EU – will not change until at least 2019. May has said that at the time of the Brexit, "existing workers' legal rights will continue to be guaranteed in law – and they will be guaranteed as long as I am prime minister."
Press reports indicate that roughly 80 per cent of EU nationals living in the U.K. could be eligible for permanent residence when the U.K. leaves EU – and that the U.K. might grant the remaining 20 per cent amnesty to stay in the country.
Changes on hold
What seems clear at this point is that the Government is increasingly seeing the development and implementation of its migration policies in the context of the Brexit.
Changes to the Tier 2 visa categories announced in March – before the Brexit vote – were expected to take effect this fall, but no date has been announced yet. The delay is most likely due to the further changes that May has indicated will be made within the Tier 2 categories and, possibly, other changes to the immigration system, but few details are available at this time.
Parliamentary Hurdles
The government is facing opposition from some members of Parliament, both in terms of the substance of its proposals and the process of negotiating the U.K.'s withdrawal from the EU.
"Nobody gave the government a blank check here," said Sir Keir Starmer, Labour's shadow Brexit secretary, in an interview with the BBC. "We must have a vote on the opening terms of the negotiation."
May said a "Great Repeal Bill" would be introduced to remove the 1972 European Communities Act, which gives effect to EU laws in the U.K., from the statute book. The bill would convert existing EU law into British law. It would take effect the day the U.K. leaves the union, but what portions of the law might be changed – and how that would affect migration – remain to be seen. The repeal could provide another opportunity for Parliament to shape the post-Brexit landscape.
"Only Parliament can repeal Parliament's legislation," said Scottish Conservative MSP Professor Adam Tomkins. "The government can't do that and when parliament repeals its legislation it will be parliament that legislates for what replaces the European Communities Act, not Theresa May."
Legal challenge
There's also the question of whether May herself can invoke Article 50. May and Attorney General Jeremy Wright have both said that the decision on when to invoke Article 50 rests with the Government. However, a group of Brexit opponents has filed a lawsuit, arguing that Article 50 can only be invoked through an Act of Parliament. A High Court hearing on this question is set for Thursday.
The business community has expressed concerns over the current climate.
"Businesses will not welcome further restrictions on high skilled migration from key trading partners around the world, especially as a series of changes were only announced earlier this year," Josh Hardie, CBI Deputy Director-General, said in a statement. "At a time when we need strong links globally to seize new opportunities after the referendum, being seen as open to the best and brightest is vital. And we should be clear that business does not see immigration and training as an either/or choice. We need both."
Companies with concerns about how Brexit-related immigration changes might affect their business are urged to share these with the BAL London Team.
Preparing Your Company
Brexit negotiations will begin once the U.K. invokes Article 50, but now is the time to begin preparing your business for what lies ahead. BAL can assist with a number of services including:
Assessing your company's EU population needs.
Tracking EEA employees and new hires.
Exploring EEA employee options, including EEA Registration Certificates and permanent residency in the U.K. or British citizenship, or eligibility under the Tier 2 regime.
BAL strongly urges clients to provide feedback on both Brexit and additional Tier 2 changes with the BAL London Team.
Should you have any questions or require more information on how BAL can help with Brexit planning, please contact us at uk@balglobal.com.
The Brexit Bulletin has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group in the United Kingdom. For additional information, please contact uk@balglobal.com.
Analysis: BAL White Paper examines Brexit's impact on Ireland
BAL Brexit Bulletin May 19, 2017
Brexit Bulletin January 24, 2017
Brexit Bulletin December 13, 2016
Brexit Bulletin August 5, 2016
Brexit Bulletin September 12, 2016
BAL Brexit Bulletin March 7, 2017
Brexit Bulletin November 8, 2016
Brexit Bulletin August 16, 2016
Brexit Global Trends Benchmarking Report: Planning For The Future Of UK Immigration
BAL Brexit Bulletin July 3, 2017
Brexit Bulletin: Brexit Update on EEA Migration — Post-Brexit Transition Period and MAC Interim Report
Brexit Bulletin July 27, 2016
BAL Brexit Bulletin April 6, 2017
BAL Brexit Bulletin November 2, 2017
BAL Brexit Bulletin August 15, 2017


Primitivestore.bigcartel.com is an online store that has a broad range of product for all of your family needs. You don't need to visit multiple stores for shopping as Primitivestore.bigcartel.com provide everything in one place with high quality and lower prices. shopping from Primitivestore.bigcartel.com would be time savvy and worth your money you spent. Their products are always of the top class. Moreover, they also help customers to avail Primitivestore.bigcartel.com discount by using the Primitivestore.bigcartel.com coupon codes widely available on Primitivestore.bigcartel.com website and web pages including Facebook and Instagram. Primitivestore.bigcartel.com also has a free mobile app with an easy user interface to improve your online shopping experience. Primitivestore.bigcartel.com delivery services are also remarkable. Primitivestore.bigcartel.com prefer their customer needs and demand and strive to fulfil their requirements by delivering quality goods and services. As customer satisfaction is their top priority so to support customer Primitivestore.bigcartel.com launches Primitivestore.bigcartel.com sale at the start and end of each season also Primitivestore.bigcartel.com provides sales offer on different events like Independence Day Sale, Halloween sale, Thanksgiving Sale, Christmas Sale, New Year Eve sale etc. these sales help customer to purchase product in bulk quantity at quite low prices. These remarkable services of Primitivestore.bigcartel.com help them to win their customers hearts.
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text:
<img src="/a/i/logo.png" alt="Delaware Valley University">
Search the Delaware Valley University site:
Inside DelVal Calendar News Blog
Parents Faculty & Staff Alumni Students
Undergraduate Academics
School of Business and Humanities
Why English?
Media and Communication (B.A.)
Stephanie DelVento
Literary Studies (B.A.)
English Minor
First Year Writing
Experience360
Coming in as a freshman, the Experience360 Program opens up opportunities for students who are undecided.
As one of those students, Stephanie DelVento '16 , used the hands-on experience opportunities at DelVal to challenge her to try new things and find the right career path for her.
DelVento was drawn to DelVal for the intimate classes and hands-on programs, and committed to the University because she knew she wouldn't be "another faceless number lost in the crowd."
She felt encouraged and received guidance by her classmates, as well as faculty and staff on campus, which helped her take an open approach to figure out her major.
DelVal is one of the few colleges in the country that requires an experiential learning component, individualized to each student's major. Through experiences like career exploration, research, study aboard or civic engagement, students gain real-world skills that complement classroom learning, better preparing them for internships, graduate school and their careers.
DelVento used the skills she gained in the classroom to find an internship with the Travis Manion Foundation in Doylestown, where she wrote biographies of fallen soldiers to be featured in the "Fallen Heroes" section of their website.
"I learned that I must constantly push myself outside of where I am comfortable because that is how I learn new things and how I grow," said DelVento.
She hoped to use her work experience on campus and at her internship to find the "perfect job" and is particularly interested in working in the publishing industry after college.
DelVento had also been involved with clubs and organizations on campus since she came in as a freshman. she was also an editor/historian of Alpha Lambda Delta, a new honor society on campus, a Campus Media Representative for the Student Government Board, treasurer of Color Guard, and a Rambassador. She will also be writing for the Academic Affairs newsletter this semester.
"[At DelVal] I get the chance to put everything I am learning into motion," said DelVento.
Stephanie DelVento '16
About DelVal
DelVal is rated one of the best academic institutions in the Northeast.
Used with permission. ©2019 TPR Education IP Holdings, LLC. The Princeton Review is not affiliated with Princeton University. For more information about reprints from The Princeton Review visit PARS International Corp. at www.TPR-licensing.com.
DelVal Blog: Recent Post
One Health Week at Delaware Valley University
Posted on December 6, 2019 by Michelle Glitzer '20, marketing and communications intern.
700 E. Butler Ave.
1.800.2.DelVal
© 2020 Delaware Valley University. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy


All seven of the people arrested on suspicion of murder after a man died in Folkestone have been released.
Steve Holton, 54, was found with serious injuries near the harbour wall shortly after 2am on Saturday (August 19) and was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
His death is being treated as suspicious as Kent Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
A 28-year-old man from Folkestone was arrested on Sunday (August 20) and has now been released on bail until September 19, while a woman, 24, and a man, 25, who were also detained on the same day have been released without charge.
A 27-year-old woman from Dover and three men aged 26, 37 and 56 from Folkestone who were also arrested have all been released pending further enquiries.
A police spokesman said: "Kent Police officers from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate continue to investigate a suspicious death in Folkestone after making seven arrests so far.
"Kent Police was called at 2.24am on Saturday 19 August 2017 to a report of a man found with serious injuries near the harbour wall.
Witnesses or anyone with information should call 101 quoting reference ZY/39012/17. Alternatively contact Kent Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.


Mascot Books announces the release of Just My Game, written by Jason Grilli with foreword by Pittsburgh Pirates manager, Clint Hurdle. The official release date is May 22nd, 2014.
Just My Game is the soon to be released book by and about the tenacious closer of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Jason Grilli. Just My Game takes readers through the highs and lows of "Cheese's" career including his 18 strikeout performance as a junior at Seton Hall, his selection as the number 4 first round pick in the 1997 draft, life in the minor leagues, recovery from several near career ending injuries and right through the 2013 historic playoff run by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Just My Game chronicles Grilli's love of the game of baseball and highlights his incredible and trusting relationship with his best friend and father, former MLB pitcher, Steve Grilli.


Mojo Monday ~ What Do You Want to Feel? – We Are All Meant to Shine!
Mojo Monday ~ What Do You Want to Feel?
The posts on happiness by Trish and checking out the contents of the book The Desire Map was timely for me. My home life is good. My hubby and I are in a really good place with one another. My twin daughters are almost eight years old and are such a total joy. They are fun and blossoming in so many ways. I love coming home to them and spending time together as a family.
While I may have the soul of a social worker I don't have a social worker degree, though I wish I would have been better informed about my options in college. Instead I have a degree in History, another in French, along with a minor in English and certificates in editing and publishing. My creativity, organizational strengths and technology skills have served me well in administrative and office manager jobs in printing, education and then social services.
In exploring the topic of what do I want, I am now asking the more important questions regarding what makes me happy and what do I want to feel. I have been setting my sights on getting clearer on what makes me sad/angry/frustrated/stressed, and then even more importantly what makes me feel happy and inspired. I think starting there will be a key ingredient to choosing and creating more happiness. I believe those answers can help me make some decisions about the future of my writing and art, my creative dreams/goals and my professional aspirations.
on those answers shift things for you?
Want to do some explorations of the soul? Consider joining a course with Jenafer Owen that begins March 3rd called A Very Daring Tail.
I agree. When I read that section in Danielle's book it was a good aha moment. Keep on shining my new author friend!


text:
Someone's built an amazing apartment inside an old railway tunnel
An old abandoned railway tunnel has been converted into an apartment that guests can spend the night in.
The Portal in West Yorkshire sleeps up to four guests and is built straight into the mouth of the Butternab Tunnel.
One of its most impressive features is a 30-foot natural waterfall which crashes into a pond outside the front door, reports The Hoot.
The owners have also built a winding decked footpath up to the two-storey studio apartment on the outskirts of Huddersfield.
The outside space at The Portal. Credit: Airbnb
Visitors are then greeted by a huge arched double-height window filling the entrance to the old stone tunnel.
The studio itself is bright and modern, with space for up to four guests between the bedroom and a sofa bed. It's also pet-friendly.
Outside is a south-facing seating area on the terrace next to the waterfall.
Butternab Tunnel was closed in 1969, but before that it had been part of the Huddersfield to Meltham line.
Inside The Portal apartment in Huddersfield. Credit: Airbnb
The owner of The Portal, Stephen Attmere, told the Huddersfield Examiner: "An eccentric millionaire decided to make the blocked southern end of the tunnel into an art studio for his wife and a home cinema was put there in the 90s.
"Fast forward to December 2020 we bought the property and decided to make it more sympathetic to its history, so we got rid of the rainbow arch and tacky art pictures. We have now decided to share it on Airbnb as a self-contained studio.
Read more: These Greater Manchester pubs are giving out free pints for the Euro's
"When we saw it we fell in love. At first we were going to turn it into a dance studio but our joiner suggested putting it on Airbnb and we thought it made sense.
"We are surrounded by ancient woodland. There's a 30-foot waterfall cascading into a pond. It's like a little bit of heaven. It's so private and peaceful."
You can see The Portal on Airbnb here.
Featured image: Airbnb


Do High Flyers Maintain Their Altitude?
If America is to remain internationally competitive with other advanced nations, we must maximize the academic potential of our top students. To date, few research studies have examined the progress of individual high achievers over time in relation to other students. The analysis in the Fordham Institute report Do High Flyers Maintain Their Altitude and the corresponding visualizations in this gallery helps to fill that gap. In the visualizations in this exhibit, you can compare the performance and growth of various groups of high achievers to that of their peers over multiple years. We wish to thank the Thomas B. Fordham Institute and the Kern Family Foundation for their support of this study.
NWEA Researcher Yun Xiang discusses the study methodology.


text:
Die Scottish Football League Division One wurde 1895/96 zum dritten Mal ausgetragen. Es war zudem die sechste Austragung der höchsten Fußball-Spielklasse innerhalb der Scottish Football League, in der der Schottische Meister ermittelt wurde. Sie begann am 10. August 1895 und endete am 4. April 1896. In der Saison 1895/96 traten 10 Vereine in insgesamt 18 Spieltagen gegeneinander an. Jedes Team spielte jeweils einmal zu Hause und auswärts gegen jedes andere Team. Es galt die 2-Punkte-Regel. Bei Punktgleichheit waren die Vereine (mit derselben Punktausbeute) gleich platziert.

Die Meisterschaft gewann zum insgesamt dritten Mal in der Vereinsgeschichte Celtic Glasgow. Absteiger war der FC Dumbarton, der keine Wiederwahl von den anderen Ligamitgliedern bekam und in die Division Two abstieg. Torschützenkönig wurde mit 19 Treffern Allan Martin von Celtic Glasgow.

Vereine

Statistik

Abschlusstabelle

Wahlprozedere
Die Regularien der Scottish Football League sahen vor, dass sich am Saisonende die drei schlechtesten platzierten Teams zu Wiederwahl stellen mussten. Abgestimmt wurde auf der jährlichen Hauptversammlung der Scottish Football League, bei der zugleich über Neuaufnahmen entschieden wurde. Dieses Wahlsystem bestimmte bis 1922 den Auf- und Abstieg zwischen der Division One und Division Two.

Die Meistermannschaft von Celtic Glasgow
(Berücksichtigt wurden Spieler mit mindestens einem Einsatz)

Siehe auch
 Old Firm
 Edinburgh Derby
 Liste der Torschützenkönige der Scottish Football League

Weblinks
 Scottish Division One 1895/96 bei statto.com
 Scottish Division One 1895/96 in der Datenbank der Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Einzelnachweise

Fußballsaison 1895/96
1895 96

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace GeoIp2\Test\Database;

use GeoIp2\Database\Reader;
use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;

/**
 * @coversNothing
 *
 * @internal
 */
class ReaderTest extends TestCase
{
    public function databaseTypes(): array
    {
        return [['City', 'city'], ['Country', 'country']];
    }

    /**
     * @dataProvider databaseTypes
     */
    public function testDefaultLocale(string $type, string $method): void
    {
        $reader = new Reader("maxmind-db/test-data/GeoIP2-$type-Test.mmdb");
        $record = $reader->{$method}('81.2.69.160');
        $this->assertSame('United Kingdom', $record->country->name);
        $reader->close();
    }

    /**
     * @dataProvider databaseTypes
     */
    public function testLocaleList(string $type, string $method): void
    {
        $reader = new Reader(
            "maxmind-db/test-data/GeoIP2-$type-Test.mmdb",
            ['xx', 'ru', 'pt-BR', 'es', 'en']
        );
        $record = $reader->{$method}('81.2.69.160');
        $this->assertSame('Великобритания', $record->country->name);
        $reader->close();
    }

    /**
     * @dataProvider databaseTypes
     */
    public function testHasIpAddressAndNetwork(string $type, string $method): void
    {
        $reader = new Reader("maxmind-db/test-data/GeoIP2-$type-Test.mmdb");
        $record = $reader->{$method}('81.2.69.163');
        $this->assertSame('81.2.69.163', $record->traits->ipAddress);
        $this->assertSame('81.2.69.160/27', $record->traits->network);
        $reader->close();
    }

    /**
     * @dataProvider databaseTypes
     */
    public function testIsInEuropeanUnion(string $type, string $method): void
    {
        $reader = new Reader("maxmind-db/test-data/GeoIP2-$type-Test.mmdb");
        $record = $reader->{$method}('2a02:cfc0::');
        $this->assertTrue(
            $record->country->isInEuropeanUnion,
            'country is_in_european_union is true'
        );
        $this->assertTrue(
            $record->registeredCountry->isInEuropeanUnion,
            'registered_country is_in_european_union is true'
        );
        $reader->close();
    }

    public function testUnknownAddress(): void
    {
        $this->expectException(\GeoIp2\Exception\AddressNotFoundException::class);
        $this->expectExceptionMessage('The address 10.10.10.10 is not in the database.');

        $reader = new Reader('maxmind-db/test-data/GeoIP2-City-Test.mmdb');
        $reader->city('10.10.10.10');
        $reader->close();
    }

    public function testIncorrectDatabase(): void
    {
        $this->expectException(\BadMethodCallException::class);
        $this->expectExceptionMessage('The country method cannot be used to open a GeoIP2-City database');

        $reader = new Reader('maxmind-db/test-data/GeoIP2-City-Test.mmdb');
        $reader->country('10.10.10.10');
        $reader->close();
    }

    public function testIncorrectDatabaseFlat(): void
    {
        $this->expectException(\BadMethodCallException::class);
        $this->expectExceptionMessage('The domain method cannot be used to open a GeoIP2-City database');

        $reader = new Reader('maxmind-db/test-data/GeoIP2-City-Test.mmdb');
        $reader->domain('10.10.10.10');
        $reader->close();
    }

    public function testInvalidAddress(): void
    {
        $this->expectException(\InvalidArgumentException::class);
        $this->expectExceptionMessage('is not a valid IP address');

        $reader = new Reader('maxmind-db/test-data/GeoIP2-City-Test.mmdb');
        $reader->city('invalid');
        $reader->close();
    }

    public function testAnonymousIp(): void
    {
        $reader = new Reader('maxmind-db/test-data/GeoIP2-Anonymous-IP-Test.mmdb');
        $ipAddress = '1.2.0.1';

        $record = $reader->anonymousIp($ipAddress);
        $this->assertTrue($record->isAnonymous);
        $this->assertTrue($record->isAnonymousVpn);
        $this->assertFalse($record->isHostingProvider);
        $this->assertFalse($record->isPublicProxy);
        $this->assertFalse($record->isResidentialProxy);
        $this->assertFalse($record->isTorExitNode);
        $this->assertSame($ipAddress, $record->ipAddress);
        $this->assertSame('1.2.0.0/16', $record->network);
        $reader->close();
    }

    public function testAnonymousIpAllTrue(): void
    {
        $reader = new Reader('maxmind-db/test-data/GeoIP2-Anonymous-IP-Test.mmdb');
        $ipAddress = '81.2.69.1';

        $record = $reader->anonymousIp($ipAddress);
        $this->assertTrue($record->isAnonymous);
        $this->assertTrue($record->isAnonymousVpn);
        $this->assertTrue($record->isHostingProvider);
        $this->assertTrue($record->isPublicProxy);
        $this->assertTrue($record->isResidentialProxy);
        $this->assertTrue($record->isTorExitNode);
        $this->assertSame($ipAddress, $record->ipAddress);
        $this->assertSame('81.2.69.0/24', $record->network);
        $reader->close();
    }

    public function testAsn(): void
    {
        $reader = new Reader('maxmind-db/test-data/GeoLite2-ASN-Test.mmdb');

        $ipAddress = '1.128.0.1';
        $record = $reader->asn($ipAddress);
        $this->assertSame(1221, $record->autonomousSystemNumber);
        $this->assertSame(
            'Telstra Pty Ltd',
            $record->autonomousSystemOrganization
        );

        $this->assertSame($ipAddress, $record->ipAddress);
        $this->assertSame('1.128.0.0/11', $record->network);
        $reader->close();
    }

    public function testConnectionType(): void
    {
        $reader = new Reader('maxmind-db/test-data/GeoIP2-Connection-Type-Test.mmdb');
        $ipAddress = '1.0.1.1';

        $record = $reader->connectionType($ipAddress);
        $this->assertSame('Cable/DSL', $record->connectionType);
        $this->assertSame($ipAddress, $record->ipAddress);
        $this->assertSame('1.0.1.0/24', $record->network);
        $reader->close();
    }

    public function testDomain(): void
    {
        $reader = new Reader('maxmind-db/test-data/GeoIP2-Domain-Test.mmdb');

        $ipAddress = '1.2.0.1';
        $record = $reader->domain($ipAddress);
        $this->assertSame('maxmind.com', $record->domain);
        $this->assertSame($ipAddress, $record->ipAddress);
        $this->assertSame('1.2.0.0/16', $record->network);
        $reader->close();
    }

    public function testEnterprise(): void
    {
        $reader = new Reader('maxmind-db/test-data/GeoIP2-Enterprise-Test.mmdb');

        $ipAddress = '74.209.24.0';
        $record = $reader->enterprise($ipAddress);
        $this->assertSame(11, $record->city->confidence);
        $this->assertSame(99, $record->country->confidence);
        $this->assertSame(6252001, $record->country->geonameId);
        $this->assertFalse($record->country->isInEuropeanUnion);

        $this->assertSame(27, $record->location->accuracyRadius);

        $this->assertFalse($record->registeredCountry->isInEuropeanUnion);

        $this->assertSame('Cable/DSL', $record->traits->connectionType);
        $this->assertTrue($record->traits->isLegitimateProxy);

        $this->assertSame($ipAddress, $record->traits->ipAddress);
        $this->assertSame('74.209.16.0/20', $record->traits->network);

        $record = $reader->enterprise('149.101.100.0');
        $this->assertSame('310', $record->traits->mobileCountryCode);
        $this->assertSame('004', $record->traits->mobileNetworkCode);

        $reader->close();
    }

    public function testIsp(): void
    {
        $reader = new Reader('maxmind-db/test-data/GeoIP2-ISP-Test.mmdb');

        $ipAddress = '1.128.1.1';
        $record = $reader->isp($ipAddress);
        $this->assertSame(1221, $record->autonomousSystemNumber);
        $this->assertSame(
            'Telstra Pty Ltd',
            $record->autonomousSystemOrganization
        );

        $this->assertSame('Telstra Internet', $record->isp);
        $this->assertSame('Telstra Internet', $record->organization);

        $this->assertSame($ipAddress, $record->ipAddress);
        $this->assertSame('1.128.0.0/11', $record->network);

        $record = $reader->isp('149.101.100.0');
        $this->assertSame('310', $record->mobileCountryCode);
        $this->assertSame('004', $record->mobileNetworkCode);

        $reader->close();
    }

    public function testMetadata(): void
    {
        $reader = new Reader('maxmind-db/test-data/GeoIP2-City-Test.mmdb');
        $this->assertSame('GeoIP2-City', $reader->metadata()->databaseType);

        $reader->close();
    }
}


Is learning how to "go green" on your list of resolutions for 2016? Then come to the Hanna & Herbert Bauer Memorial Community Garden in Woodland on Saturday, January 16, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m., for a free composting class sponsored by the Yolo County Health & Human Services Agency Community Health Branch.
Composting is a great way to utilize green materials from your yard or garden and can enhance the success of your plants or crops. This class will teach the basic skills and techniques used in "hot" composting, provide an introduction to the benefits of composting for plant nutrition, and detail how to use compost to improve your soil. This is a hands-on class so be willing to roll up your sleeves and get some experience in the process. Gloves and shoes that can get dirty are recommended.
Integrating drip irrigation into your backyard garden or landscape can be an effective, low-maintenance way to save time, money and water, while helping your plants thrive. Yolo County's Hanna & Herbert Bauer Memorial Community Garden is host to a free class on how to set up drip irrigation based on plant type and garden layout on Saturday, December 12, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.
This class will provide an overview of the strategies used to set up drip irrigation, such as the type of plants, the season, the role of drip timers and the soil. There will also be a hands-on demonstration of how to set up a drip system and what components are needed to get started.
The Family Birth Center at the Kaiser Permanente Vacaville Medical Center is turning two this year. If you are among the 2,200 families who welcomed a baby to your family with us since we opened, you are cordially invited to the celebration.
The open house event will take place on Saturday, December 5, 2015 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the medical center, located at One Quality Drive in Vacaville.
Some physicians and staff from the Family Birth Center will be there and are excited to see how your little ones have Thrived.Families can enjoy games, giveaways, a photo booth and take home a special keepsake of your child's footprint.
Families interested in attending can RSVP by calling 707-624-4440.
Are you curious about how to garden without pesticides and still keep the harmful critters away? The Hanna & Herbert Bauer Memorial Community Garden, located in Woodland and sponsored by the Yolo County Health &d Human Services Agency, will be host to a free gardening class, Integrated Pest Management: Gardening Without Pesticides, on Saturday, November 7 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.
This class will provide an overview of the Integrative Pest Management approach to gardening. Topics will include strategies for gardening without pesticides, how to identify products that are safe for use in the garden, techniques for identifying beneficial and harmful insects, and how to use plant and soil properties to help keep harmful critters at bay and optimize yield.
The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association has awarded Kaiser Permanente's Vacaville Medical Center with its Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award.
The award recognizes Kaiser Permanente's commitment and success in implementing excellent care for stroke patients, according to evidence-based guidelines.
Each year, flu causes millions of illnesses, hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and thousands of deaths in the United States. Flu can cause severe disease across all ages. According to the recent California Influenza Surveillance Report, there were 78 influenza-associated deaths reported in persons under 65 years of age in California during the 2014-15 influenza season. To reduce this threat, Dr. Chapman recommends the annual flu vaccine for everyone six months of age and older, including pregnant women.


text:
Mayor calls on Government to act on cost of living as impact on domestic abuse revealed
Tracy said: "It's truly heart-breaking to think of someone trapped in abuse, feeling unable to leave because of a situation the Government has the power to change.
Policing and crime news
Tracy Brabin, the Mayor of West Yorkshire is renewing her call on the Government to urgently address the cost-of-living crisis.
Research from Women's Aid has revealed the shocking impact on those suffering domestic abuse. Of the victims that took part, 96% said that the cost-of-living crisis is making their abuse worse, and 73% stated the crisis had prevented them from leaving an abusive home.
The current issues are compounded by Government cuts to domestic abuse refuge provision over the last 10 years.
"The fact we're being told to wait for a new Prime Minister for any substantial solution is nonsensical. They wait, while victims and survivors face abuse daily, while businesses shut, and people worry about how they are going to stay warm this winter.
"The Government needs to get an immediate grip on this issue before it spirals any further. Their own Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan has the objective to help all victims and survivors who have escaped from domestic abuse feel that they can get back to life as normal. Well that clearly isn't happening while this crisis is allowed to run unchecked.
"It's not good enough, we need action now.
"Here in West Yorkshire I am doing everything I can along with our key partners to protect our communities. We have a fantastic array of services to help victims and survivors and I would always urge anyone facing abuse to report it to the police."


Today's market researcher has an embarrassment of tools available to them, yet one research option has stood the test of time – the focus group. Focus groups typically involve a moderator-led group discussion with between eight and 10 people. Group participants will likely have been chosen based on shared demographics, circumstances, buying behaviors. When it comes to delivering qualitative research, focus groups are widely considered by researchers to be one of the most effective tools in their arsenal. Like any tool though, there are advantages and disadvantages, and the focus group is no different.
In-person focus groups allow an organization to gain valuable insight into how their customers think about various topics, products, services or the brand in general. A well-planned group discussion, led by a skilled moderator who creates as natural an environment as possible, gives organizations a window into their customers' heads. In a group setting, different opinions and perspectives will emerge, all of which combine to paint a detailed picture for an organization looking at launching a new product or a new website.
The dynamics of the focus group can have a hugely positive influence on the quality of the research output. A good moderator will know how to conduct a focus group discussion with the goal of stimulating a spirited discussion among the participants. In some instances, these discussions can produce new thinking among participants which could result in a much more in-depth discussion. This kind of dynamic discussion also allows group participants to easily share their opinion, whether they are agreeing or disagreeing.
With focus groups, organizations have the opportunity to observe the group discussion from behind a one-way mirror. This offers a number of advantages, not least that they can hear and see the research first hand and the data is not diluted or misrepresented in a report. Crucially it also means that the organization can offer clarification or input during the discussion via the moderator, which could have a positive effect on the resulting information.
Because focus groups tend to involve up to 10 people, organizations can gather valuable insights from a cross-section of their market in just one 90-minute discussion. In an age where real-time is the new mecca and data moves at the speed of light, organizations need access to qualitative research faster than ever before. Competitive advantage relies on being ahead of the game, and focus groups give organizations the ability to gather insightful information faster than individual interviews or interpreting and analyzing thousands of survey responses.
We've seen how focus groups can deliver invaluable insights, but it's important to mention that their effects are largely determined by the moderator. A good focus group moderator will keep the group focused (the clue is in the name). With groups of people from different backgrounds and demographics, keeping people 'on a topic' can be challenging, and this is one of the main problems with focus groups. A weak moderator, who doesn't drive the conversation to make sure it covers all the required angles, can severely limit the output of a focus group.
In any group of people, there will be extroverts and introverts; people who are comfortable giving their opinion and those who are not. The goal of any focus group is to ensure that all voices are heard. In order to get valuable insights, it's also important that participants are reassured that what they say will be listened to and valued, and not ridiculed, dismissed or shouted down. This is where the moderator comes into play. They need to ensure they involve all participants in the discussion, perhaps asking shyer participants for their input directly. It might also be a good idea for the moderator to outline some 'housekeeping rules' at the beginning of the discussion, e.g. no speaking over someone else.
Don't assume that your focus group represents a cross-section of the population. It's always going to be difficult to assemble a true societal representation, so bear that in mind when assessing the output as any agreement might only represent a small portion of your target market. It is better to use the output of a focus group to feed into supplementary research, rather than relying on the discussion as the main source of your information.
Naturally, there will be different types of focus group questions: general discussions about new products, services, initiatives; insights into customer service/engagement; and brand positioning. When discussing particularly sensitive topics, or products that may be of a sensitive nature, a group setting might not be suitable and a moderator may not be able to get any real useable information. In cases where you are dealing with topics of a delicate nature, you may get more honest insights from a confidential questionnaire or survey.
Internal communications measurement expert Angela Sinickas has extensive experience in conducting focus groups for employee engagement all over the world. You can learn and benefit from her expertise here in our Employee Focus Groups – Top Tips & Traps.


If you are looking for a slightly different egg dish for breakfast or brunch, Eggs Marinara is easy and rewarding.
The best time to make this egg dish is the day after you have made a marinara sauce. Make a large batch and use the two cups you, hopefully will have left over to make your egg dish.
Crush 5 garlic cloves and saute them on medium heat in a dutch oven using 3 tablespoons of olive oil until they are golden brown.
Add in one 28 ounce can of whole tomatoes. President's Choice makes a blue label brand that has no salt added. Do try to find this type of product as some cans of tomato have a sizable amount of salt.
Season with sea salt and let the sauce cook on medium heat for 8 minutes.
Crush the tomatoes with a potato masher and add an additional 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for a few more minutes until the rim of the sauce is a dark reddish colour.
Spring a few leaves of basil (ripped) into the sauce. If you don't have fresh basil, sprinkle in no more than 1 teaspoon of dry basil at the beginning.
This marinara sauce (which is a combination of a number of different tomato sauce recipes written up by Chef Fabio Viviani) is so easy to make. Once you try it, you will never want to buy marinara sauce again.
Saute 1/4 cup diced red onion and 1/4 cup diced red pepper for 3 – 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the heat and put them in a bowl.
This technique for cooking eggs was provided by a former farmer and trucker from northern Alberta (now sadly deceased). It works like a charm and produced perfect eggs.
Warm your pan on medium heat.
Add two tablespoons of water and cover the eggs. If you have a lid that is glass, this is ideal.
The water will create steam that will help to set and cook the eggs.
Cook the eggs according to your preference. (Sunny side up or flipped over and cooked to be soft or hard).
When the eggs are nearly cooked add two cups of the marinara sauce, to warm it up, and some ripped fresh basil leaves. Add the sauteed vegetables on top.
This recipe was a creation that stemmed from having left over marinara sauce. Subsequently Chef Fabio's Pissed Off Eggs recipe came to light. In this recipe you are advised to put the eggs in the oven. The convenience of keeping the eggs on the stove top is that you can remove eggs according to the cooking preference of the people eating the eggs.
This recipe is Paleo diet friendly.


text:
Navy Launches 2nd Missile off West Coast
@aaronsmith4848 / Twitter
William Bigelow
On Monday, the U.S. Navy confirmed it had followed Saturday night's launch of a Trident II (D5) missile from the U.S.S. Kentucky, a ballistic submarine in the Pacific Ocean, with a second launch Monday afternoon, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Saturday night's missile, which left a bluish-green plume in its wake, triggered speculation among witnesses on the ground that a UFO had visited the West Coast. The Daily Mail reported that the launch, and associated military exercises, forced aircraft at LAX to take alternative routes for a week.
The navy had remained tight-lipped about the timing of missile launches; John M. Daniels, spokesman for the Strategic Systems Programs office, which supervises the Navy's nuclear-tipped missile arsenal, said, "It's important that we test these missiles for our national security. We don't announce future launches, but this is it for any time soon."
The launches are part of the demonstration and shakedown operation, or DASO, process; that process tests the readiness of a submarine's crew and strategic weapons. Cmdr. Ryan Perry of the Navy's Third Fleet stated, "Each test activity provides valuable information about our systems, thus contributing to assurance in our capabilities," according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Daniels stated that photos and video of the launches may be posted later.
The Navy has 14 ballistic submarines. Each holds 24 Trident missiles, which can carry targetable thermonuclear warheads. The Tridents are tested annually off the West Coast as well as off the East Coast near florida.
Each missile costs $31 million missile; 150 launches of the Lockheed Martin product have been tried since 1989. The missile has a range of 4,000 nautical miles.
Saturday's launch targeted a dummy warhead toward the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
Military Times reported that on Saturday, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter talked tough in front of attendees at a defense forum at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, warning, "Most disturbing, Moscow's nuclear saber-rattling raises questions about Russian leaders' commitment to strategic stability, their respect for norms against the use of nuclear weapons, and whether they respect the profound caution nuclear-age leaders showed with regard to the brandishing of nuclear weapons."
He huffed, "We do not seek a cold, let alone a hot, war with Russia. We do not seek to make Russia an enemy. But make no mistake: the United States will defend our interests, our allies, the principled international order, and the positive future it affords us all."
Photo: File
LocalNational SecurityKentuckynavyUFO


There are many forms of Heel pain, and most often caused by plantar fasciitis, a condition that is sometimes also called heel spur syndrome. Heel pain may also be due to other causes, such as a stress fracture, tendonitis, arthritis, nerve irritation or, rarely, a cyst. If heel pain is left, in the most severe cases it can cause long term effects like disability. This can be easily treated by one of our team, so please call up today to book an appointment to address your heel pain.


I remember very well when I came to Owosso as the new Pastor of Bible Baptist Church. I wanted a good reputation towards the saved and the lost of the area. I thought gaining some status among the people would be a great avenue to influence others for Christ, hence I joined the Young Republicans of Shiawassee County. We had monthly meetings and plotted how to influence politics at the local,state, and national level.
As soon as I could I tried to find a receptive ear and share the gospel of the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus to these lost conservative ideologues. Do you think I found that "receptive ear?" I think not. As soon as they knew what I was up to I was dismissed and the conversation turned back to politics. They were quick to say words to this effect, "Don't get us wrong we believe like you in many respects and we are glad to have you along for the ride. Huh! The Ride! Even today Republicans court the evangelical vote because it only helps their cause of course.
More to follow! Please leave comments as to what you think.
I had the privilege of meeting with several ladies not too long ago and I could sense their frustration with not having a consistent, vibrant prayer life. One by one they voiced their dissatisfaction and stories of failure. Now to be sure these are good ladies who want to have an energetic life of praying but the problems they listed that afternoon are the very problems that will bother us also and they will hinder a time of intimate prayer with our Lord Jesus. Yesterday I was talking with a man who explained how his prayer life had also stalled. Friends, I am so firmly convinced that God Almighty is very exciting to talk to but we approach Him in wrong ways with wrong ideas about Him and it leads to a boring prayer life and eventually we quit seeking Him in the secret place, the prayer closet, so we let others talk about it and we say, "Amen!" Remember we are not praying the Rosary or doing contemplative meditation. Those methods will sap the vitality out of your spirit to be sure! Let's list a few hindrances and see how we can get the victory.
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. Galatians 5:17. Leonard Ravenhill said, "Prayer is not the preparation for the battle. It IS the battle!" He also said, "Men of prayer must be men of steel for they will be assaulted by Satan even before they attempt to assault his kingdom." That being said, your adversaries the world, the flesh, and the devil will do everything to keep you from getting alone with the Lord to see the Lord do great and mighty things for Him and through Him. It is BEST to get up early and get alone with the Lord for the greatest results. Let's talk about the flesh a little. If you are like me we are tired and will fall asleep if we have a comfortable prayer position. (Between the sheets!) Get up and walk around when you pray if you are a person who will doze off while kneeling or sitting. Get out of bed and realize you are about to have an audience with the Creator-Sustainer God…. the One who controls the universe and all that is in it! This is thrilling! Many times we focus too much on ourselves and the dull sound of our voice so instead, put all of your focus upon Him! Remember how you shouted during the UM, MSU football game and you were excited or sad at the result? This time of entering into the prayer closet my friend is so much more important than any football game! Talk out loud and brag on Him and tell Him how much you love Him. Thank Him for his many blessings instead of going to complain on facebook at how mean people are. Pray and confess to the Lord that your flesh is hindering you from prayer. Ask Him for practical ways to overcome these fleshy hinderances. It may also help to shower, eat some food, or drink a cup of your favorite beverage to help stave off the drowsiness. Many people are just too tired because they stayed up late! Get off the phone and go to bed early and rise up early.
Satan knows you are a threat to him and his kingdom because all prayer is really a matter of spiritual warfare and he is clever in stopping or stalling your prayer time. Listen to me! Intimate prayer, real storming the gates of heaven praying is the most powerful thing the Christian can do and Satan works hard at giving us substitutes for this communion with God. I have been with many Christians and since I am a Baptist let me just pick on us Baptists a little bit but I am sure your group is like ours in many respects. We believe in prayer bless God! We believe God hears and answers prayer! Glory! He can move mountains in answer to prayer! Come on preacher! Preach it Man! He delights in the prayers of His saints. Yes, we talk a mean talk but we do not pray! Why is that? I believe we somehow think that the believing in prayer almost equates to actual prayer itself but it does not! Satan LOVES for you to write about prayer. He delights in people talking about prayer. He does not mind if you possess books by Ravenhill, E. M. Bounds, Spurgeon, and others on prayer. Satan will pat you on the back when you quote the great divines on prayer. He thinks it is great that you once prayed all night many years ago and still brag about it. He is pleased with you that you once used to fast and pray. Think about this, "Prayer is as mighty as God, because he has committed himself to answer it. (Leonard Ravenhill) I am under such conviction right now! Excuse me. I'll be back in a while. (Next Day) I was prompted by the Holy Spirit to go and practice what I was preaching yesterday so I had to steal away for a long time and get fired up. I had a tremendous time with the Lord and was very encouraged by our time together. The devil hates prayer and will offer even good substitutes for praying. (Like blogging!) Remember the devil knows that the good is the enemy of the best.
There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. 1 Corinthians 14:10 That being the case it is true that the world system is always vying for our attention. Try these things to shut out the world. Keep your phone off or away from you as you pray. Get alone far from the noise and "voices" that are trying to distract you. Rise early before the children do and they start to ask for breakfast. It would help if you had a special place in the woods where you can go for a prayer walk without anybody seeing or hearing you when you want to shout to the Lord or cry or clap your hands. God makes us many promises in the Word of God and he will never lie to us concerning them. Call unto me and I will answer thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. Jeremiah 33:3 God WANTS us to pray. He LOVES to hear His children's voices asking for His help. Marvin Smith, Pastor of Harvest Baptist Church said, "It's as though God is in the unemployment line waiting to be put to work, but we don't ask Him for help!" We are just too busy and esteem other things more important than fellowship with God. I have the same trouble also. When I sit down at my desk at the church it seems like all of the paperwork begins to talk to me. "Remember you said you would take care of me first!" "HEY! Over here, dude. I have been sitting here for two days now! Get with it." If we are not careful those things that beckon for our attention will distract us from our primary duty of daily fellowship with the Lord. There is nothing my friend nothing as important as heaven hearing from you and you hearing from heaven. Nothing comes even close! Nothing!
Prayer time is important but we don't treat it as such because we tried it and we fell asleep or we got busy with life: Therefore….
1. Don't give up! Just when you want to quit the most is the time to stay the course!
2. Go to bed earlier and wake up earlier. It works! You must train yourself.
3. Shower and drink a cup of coffee and walk around praying out loud and praying loudly.
4. Sing songs to the Lord and fall in love with Him. Love Him more than any person alive.
5. Remember the devil is after you and your family. Prayer is the best defense and offense.


Current Affairs 28th January 2019: Instantly obtain Latest Current Affairs 28th January 2019 with all essential info, Be the first to know all the Current affairs 28th January 2019 top news, Major Issues, Current happenings, Important events in National as well as International level with clear explanation. For all competitive exams and Interviews, equip yourself with the Latest Current Affairs 28th January 2019 granted here.
The Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT), the only major port in India, has met its total energy requirement from solar power generated by its captive plant. It has achieved the incremental growth during the current fiscal year three months ahead of the schedule. Now, the VPT is generating 17 million units of power per annum. After meeting the requirement of the port and its BOT operators it is selling the surplus to the Andhra Pradesh State.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated four-lane, 5.1-kilometer long "Atal Setu", the third Cable bridge across river Mandovi in Panaji, Goa. This is the third bridge across Mandovi River. This bridge would overcome the bottlenecks and curb traffic jams at Panaji Circle and Panaji entrance.
Assam government entitled the Republic Day Journalism Award 2019 to veteran journalist and former editor Dhirendra Nath Chakraborty. The award comprises Rupees one lakh in cash, a citation, the Assamese 'xoraai' (the bell metal memento presented as an honor), 'jaapi' (headgear) and an angavastra.
The Pakistan government declared sugarcane juice as the "national drink" of the country. The government of Pakistan declared sugarcane juice as the nation juice of Pakistan. The Poll includes three option including orange juice, carrot juice, and sugarcane juice. But it is sugarcane juice which won the poll with 81 percent votes. Over 7,600 people participated in the poll and declared sugarcane as national drink ok Pakistan with 81 percent votes.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath launched 'Yuva Swabhiman Yojana' for youths of the weak section in urban areas of Madhya Pradesh The scheme was launched in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh The main aim is to provide employment to the youth belonging to the weaker section of the society mainly in urban areas of the state. Under this scheme, 100 days of employment will be provided.
The Oxford Dictionaries announced that the word 'Nari Shakti' which is derived from Sanskrit has been chosen as the Hindi Word of the year for 2018. The Announcement was made during a session at Jaipur Literature Festival which is being held at Diggi Palace in Jaipur, Rajasthan.