text:
Dunross & Co AB är ett svenskt investmentbolag som startades av affärsmannen Sven Norfeldt 1988. Bolaget, som ägs av Norfeldt till 100 procent, investerar sitt eget kapital globalt med fokus på tillväxtmarknader. Bolaget hade 2012 32 anställda. Huvudkontoret ligger i Göteborg och företaget har även kontor i Singapore och Paphos. Norfelt beskriver Dunross investeringsfilosofi som oberoende och långsiktig.

Bland innehaven märks stora innehav i koncernen Vista Land (Filippinerna), Supalai (Thailand), Robinsons Land (Filippinerna), Astra Zeneca (Storbritannien) och Hana Bank (Korea). För verksamhetsåret 2012 redovisade Dunross ett nettoresultat om 318 mkr och det egna kapitalet uppgick till 3415 Mkr.

Bolaget bildade också år 2012 Stiftelsen Dunross & Co samt avsatte 2013 till stiftelsen initialt kapital. Stiftelsens syfte är att "genom stöd skapa en meningsfull och utvecklande tillvaro för barn och ungdomar".

Historia

Dunross & Co AB registrerades av affärsmanen Sven Norfeldt 1988. Under de första 10 åren koncentrerade sig bolaget på företagsutveckling och bland bolag man var med och att starta, utveckla och sälja finns; Matteus Fondkommission AB (1990), Diffchamb AB (livsmedelsdiagnostik, 1987, inkorporerades i Dunross några år senare), Riddarhyttan Resources AB (1997).

Bolaget var huvudägare och börsnoterade ovanstående bolag under 1990-talet. Bolagen utvecklades väl och Matteus såldes 1996. Diffchamb blev ett globalt ledande bolag inom livsmedelsdiagnostik och köptes upp av finska Raisio 2003. Riddarhyttan fann en stor och rik guldfyndighet i norra Finland och köptes upp 2005 av kanadensiska Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd, som idag från fyndigheten driver Europas största guldgruva med en årlig produktion om cirka 176000 ounces (2012).

Dunross var inne i fler bolag som dock inte börsnoterades, däribland Uniq Nordiska AB och Qomprador AB, vilka båda sålde smörjoljor för industri och verkstäder samt Envirochem AB, verksamt inom miljökemi.

Bland sämre affärer kan nämnas att bolaget under 2008 till 2009 gjorde stora förluster i kinesiska bolag noterade på Hong Kong-börsen. Ett annat bakslag var den avbrutna etableringen av Vietnamkontoret 2011.

Under slutet av 1990-talet koncentrerade Dunross sin inriktning på värdepappersförvaltning där erfarenheterna från det egna företagandet byggde urvalskriterier som Dunross använde för sin fundamentala analys. Bolaget kom att under denna tid att bli en stor investerare i Ryssland och i slutet av decenniet gick man på tvärs mot den rådande IT-hysterin. Detta gjorde att Dunross substansutveckling ökade markant då den "gamla världens" företag vid den tiden var mycket lågt värderade.

Några år in på 2000-talet började bolaget att investera alltmer i utvecklingsländer, så kallade emerging markets. Särskilt stort blev bolagets fokus på länder i Asien, särskilt i Korea, Thailand, Indonesien och Filippinerna. Bolaget investerar under 2010-talet även i länder som Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Kazakstan och Ryssland.

Det egna kapitalet växte från 350 miljoner kronor 2002 till 3,2 miljarder kronor 2012.

Källor

Svenska investmentbolag
Företag i Göteborg
Företag bildade 1988


Listen to or lease my beats and Instrumentals right here.
New Beats drop AT LEAST once a week.
Want a custom beat, work together or have any questions?
$30 - Wave & Mp3.
$75 - track stems, Wave & Mp3.
$150 - (Unlimited plays) - track stems, wave & mp3.
Pick up my album "7 Years" by clicking on the link below.


text:
Home News Nigel Farage's Brexit Party approaches Tories as the number of supporters exceeds...
Nigel Farage's Brexit Party approaches Tories as the number of supporters exceeds 100,000
By archyworld
NThe Brexit Party by igel Farage claims to be the fastest growing party in modern British political history as the number of registered supporters has exceeded 100,000 for the first time.
The Brexit Party has scheduled eight more rallies by Election Day on Thursday next week. According to Farage, seven of the venues, which each hosted between 1,500 and 3,000 people, were sold out.
"There is a pent-up demand," he said.
On a visit to South Wales, Farage welcomed the growing number of registered supporters of the Brexit party and hoped that by the time of the European Parliament elections next Thursday, the party would overtake the Conservatives.
Previous articleUbisoft's Skull & Bones delayed again, skipping E3 in 2019
Next articleThe creator and presenter of "Bachelorette", Kelly Ripa, for the call of the show "Brutto"
US declared visa war against Russia – Gazeta.Ru
Washington launched a "visa war" against Russian diplomats, reportsRIA News".This was stated by the Russian ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov.He noted that American...
Montana, North Dakota, pushing against Washington State Railway Law
Matthew Brown, Associated Press ...
Virtuous, beating, "too techno" … Elisabeth Borne, from the reform of the SNCF to ecology
Like a scent of Scandinavia. No lobster for Élisabeth Borne, the new Minister of Ecology is the virtuous kind! Those who have worked with...
to wash dishes to run a business group
Out of coverOn Wednesday, a new installment of "Fuera de cobertura," the research and reporting program presented by Alejandra Andrade, was broadcast in Cuatro....
Justice will decide on Monday and Friday matches
Sport archyworld
The justice will have to decide on the games of League of Mondays and Fridays imposed by the patronage of clubs and rejected by...
For the finale, it was not quite enough, but still celebrating Gernot tube (center) and his team due third place. Picture: AP An early goal...
Concerns over cryptocurrency: Big economic powers warn against Facebook money Libra
Tech archyworld
Germany, France, the US and other major economic powers warn against a digital currency of the Internet giant Facebook.The finance ministers and central bankers...
Kevin Spacey: Sexual coercion charge dismissed
World archyworld
The charge of allegations of sexual assault against US actor Kevin Spacey, 59, has been dropped. The prosecutor justified the move by saying that...
Kevin Spacey's sexual assault case was dropped
Entertainment archyworld
The lawyers of 59-year-old Spacey and the prosecutor did not immediately respond to requests for comments.LoadingThe filing of indictments last year was one of...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Check out the 3D tour and pictures of this Home or better yet make an appointment to see it today! This Home features: Hardwood floors; All Stainless Steel Kitchen Appliances; Vaulted Ceiling; Natural Lighting; Master Bedroom with Full Bath with dual sinks; Full Basement unfinished; Fenced backyard; Brick paver patio. Conveniently located near Parks, Schools, Restaurants and Shopping.


These earrings have cream shell hearts and silver colour tube droppers on silver plated ear wires. They drop 3cm from the bottom of the ear wire.
for selling Cream Shell Heart Dangly Earrings out of 142 reviews.


Prepare to replenish your wardrobe with Sonia Rykiel's collection of ultimate staple pieces, infusing luxurious Parisian chic with effortless and versatile daywear. Her use of classic silhouettes, prints and techniques provide the perfect arsenal for this season. These mid-blue flared side stripe jeans are crafted from a cotton blend and feature a button and zip fly, a waistband with belt loops, two front pockets, back pockets, a regular length and contrast stitching.


It's not like I or my friends invented the term, but we certainly felt like we did growing up. Summer Songs - for the uninitiated - refers to the kind of music that you would "cruise" the highways and byways with the windows open (or if you were lucky enough), ride with the top down blaring. It's a little hard to define but it's a definate feeling.
Journey's Escape or Frontiers. Then you can throw in a few singles such as Tom Cochrane's Life is a Highway, Level 42's Something About You, Meatloaf's Paradise By The Dashboard Light, Rush's Spirit of Radio. Pop it in a blender, mix well and you've got a perfect recipe for summer.
Level 42 - Retroglide: These guys have been making music for years despite only a handful of their songs making it to US Radio. They recently reunited (a theme you will find here) and put out one heck of an album. It's melodic, soulful, hook laden and a pleasure to listen to. Standout Tracks - Dive Into The Sun.
Asia - Phoenix: What? Asia? Are you kidding me? No, I'm not and their original line up is back together. This is the album that SHOULD have followed up their smash hit debut album. It's very introspective and smells of summer radio. Asia has the interesting ability to compress a prog rock song into 4-5 minutes and do it well. Standout Tracks - An Extrordinary Life, Never Again.
The Hooters - Time Stand Still: I told you there was a theme here. From the guys who brought you such hits as And We Danced, Day By Day, All You Zombies - it's an album of fresh new material. It's not that the Hoots ever got out of the biz, they went behind the scenes a wrote for other artists... but there is something wonderful about the sound of The Hooters. The combination of instruments, Eric and Robs unique voices, the playful quality of the music. They sound fantastic. Standout Tracks - Time Stand Still, Boys of Summer (neat remake of the Henley tune), Until You Dare, I'm Alive.
Francis Dunnery - Gulley Flats Boys: Francis was the voice of the pop/rock genius band It Bites (if you havn't heard of them - check out their greatest). Turns out he's been producing music all these years since they broke up in the 80's and this has to be one of his best. Stripped down and bare bones, his music and introspective stories shine. There isn't a track that I don't like on this album. Listen to on the beach while sipping your favorite beverage. Standout Tracks - Soldier, Autumn The Rain Man, Living in New York City, Joy.
So there you have it. Summer Sounds for your iPod, your Windows Media Phone, your home stereo or most preferably, your vehicle. Set it on cruse control - take a spin if you can afford the gas, or just sit in the drive with the windows down and pretend your drivin' 65. Any way you slice it, some good music helps get the season kick started.
In Loving Memory - John F. Yaglenski Sr.
John F. Yaglenski, Sr., 92, Venice, formerly of Pennsylvania died Jan. 25, 2008. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Epiphany Cathedral, with burial to follow in Epiphany Gardens. Survivors include his wife, Mary; a son, John Jr.; three grandchildren John, Gary and Matthew; and five great-grandchildren - Michael, Andrew, Thomas, Brien and Katherine. John moved to Venice in 1996. He was a member of Epiphany Cathedral, Knights of the Holy Sepulchre and Knights of Columbus Council 7052. He retired as a Major and Director of the Bureau of Criminal Investigations of the Pennsylvania State Police. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Catholic Charities Sugar Bowl Fund (Diocese of Venice), 1000 Pinebrook Road, Venice, FL 34285.
Don't undersell your services - sell QUALITY. Sell yourself, your business, your responsiveness, your reputation. Word will get around.
Who said that? Me. Funny when you hear yourself quoted. I posted that in response to a thread on AmayaUsers.com talking about your competition undercutting you and had someone quote it back to me. Made me chuckle. My wife runs an Commercial Embroidery Business and it's taken a 3-4 years to build to the point where we are just about to break thru. It's very satisfying to see that kind of progress. We built this. Customers love us.
The thing is, it applies to most everything we do. In my spare time (joke), I run one of the largest Walt Disney World travel sites on the internet... http://www.intercot.com - and we have been tempted over the years to cut corners, rush to decisions, launching products, services - whatever. Things that would have broken my vision - but the decision always has been to grow slow. Never have sacrifice quality.
Here we are 10 years later (this October) after things began as an experiment in Web Design and Meta Tags. Now recognized officially by Disney, sponsorship for the site at an all time high, and a wonderful staff and loyal community that is absolutely, hands down, the most friendly and caring bunch of folks you ever could meet. I couldn't have done it without a tremendous staff (Carol, Gary, Mel... in the early years Gale, Patricia, and a host of others along the way that believed in INTERCOT). I am absolutely amazed and humbled to be in the position I am.
Luck? No. Attention to detail and a long term vision? Yes.
UPDATE: Fix didn't work for me. Maybe in Vista SP1 this will be fixed.... don't hold your breath.
I havn't tried it myself yet as I long ago removed vista because it was too early but plan on migrating my laptop to it in the next few days. I'll let you know how it goes.
So, I ordered my yearly supply of Dayton Flyer apparel from the University of Dayton Bookstore website the other day. In my order was a "dry release" tshirt, which is a nice way of saying microfiber, which is a nice way of saying polyester, only we pay way more for dry release than we would if the tag actually said polyester.... but I digress. Aside from the fact that I tend to like the "dry release" or "dry fit" shirts since I seem to perspire a bit... I noticed that the shirt also had "FreshGuard".
What is this strange animal. FreshGuard? Hadn't heard of that before but it sounded interesting. The tag described it as something that "neutralizes odor safely" and "keeps clothes fresh". Holy crap! There is actually technology in my shirt that keeps it smelling good? Why the heck doesn't eveything I own have this. I now want it. Where has it been all my life!
So on top of Dry Release technology that "removes perspiration fast", "dries 4x faster than cotton", is "soft feeling", "won't shrink or lose shape" and "resists pilling" (I HATE pills)... I now can have that fresh feeling all day long!
It's a wonderful age of nanotechnology we live in. The company that makes this is Optimer. I may just have to see if they are publicly traded. FreshGuard for product of the year!
It's a sunny, relatively warm day for March in the nation's capitol and I am feeling slightly energetic, thus the decision to post here on my nearly abandoned blog. Actually, it hasn't been abandoned, but certainly posting on the home page has lacked while I have added information to other sectons.
So, what's new you ask? Well, I turned 40 in November and made a decision shortly before - that life was going to change. What that meant to me was I was tired with all the crap that had been piling on over the years on the health side of things. Low good colesterol, high bad colesterol, high blood pressure, sleep apnea - the list goes on. So, I decided to take charge. Most of these items were related to me being overweight. At 5'9", I had tipped the scales at 202. It was one of those 5 lb a year programs where your weight just kept going up year after year, until finally you hit a magical number... for me 200... and you say "holy crap - I am fat!".
So, I found NutriSystem. In the space of a few months, I had lost my goal - which was to get to 175 and the weight kept coming off. I finally stopped loosing after settling at between 158 and 159 which is where I am today. A lot of people were skeptical of the whole NutriSystem diet but I have to say, it honestly worked. Better yet, it actually taught me how to eat. For almost the last 3 months now, I have only been supplimenting with NutriSystem food - which means I am eating healthy on my own. This means I am actually making GOOD CHOICES. For me, it was all about portion control and cutting out sugar. I'm a nutrisweet/splenda dude now. No more million calorie starbucks drinks, no more 2 pop tarts for breakfast.
I look and feel better.. And thats a good thing.
And in an appropriate end to 2006, I put a foot thru my ceiling today. No crap. I really did. In the process of getting the attic ready to store the Christmas stuff for another season, I decided to put down long needed floor board. We had a little bit in our attic, but a lot more was needed. It was always a trick avoiding falling thru the ceiling. Can you just smell the irony there?
Anyway, my son Michael was helping me and as I was moving around, I lost my balance. That ugly feeling you get when you know something bad is about to happen washed all over me as I saw my foot hit the Sheetrock ceiling. Worse yet, I hit it right in the middle of two pieces of Sheetrock thereby increasing the hole's girth. Did I mention that the hole is in the middle of the family room. Crap. Crappity Crap Crap. So, made a call to Pedro, our painter and asked him if he did drywall repair - he's coming tomorrow.
The good thing is this happened in 2006. Tonite brings a fresh start. And things look better for the record for 2007.
For the first time ever, Disney has recognised our website and has invited me to a press event - for what appears to be all expenses paid. Google ad revenues are up and local advertisers seem to be doing well. My wife's business (Embroidery) seems to be picking up thanks to a solid listing in Google. Just search Frederick Maryland Embroidery. Money is starting to flow again on a personal level after what was probably our worst quarter ever - finance wise. We've now got 3 great dogs and a foster in tow for a total of 4 shelties.
Life is pretty good overall. So, while I could be super upset for what I did tonite... I'm not. In fact, I laughed about it. To everyone who still checks here for posts - Happy New Year. Oh, and check out http://www.yaglenski.com to see what I have been up to the for the past month or two!
Ok, so it's not 8 miles high, but at 14,000+ feet above sea level, Pike's Peak is quite a site. I am in Denver for a couple of weeks for Tech Training and got the chance to head out this weekend and see the sights. Some of the photos are now online in my Flickr account including the one to the right.
In other news, I registered the domain JOHNfm.com and am debating changing the name of Classic Hits fm 88 to 88.7 JOHNfm. It's a trend in the radio industry to call stations by first name. Out here in Denver, there's Jack and Alice. For the country fan among us, there's Willie. Of course there are animals here in Denver as well... The Eagle, The Fox. And for the nostalgic at heart, there's a mix, a kosi (lite fm) and a fan (sports talk of course).
I had a huge post on my new Part 15 FM and internet station, but my Mac crashed and took the post with it. So, I am going to make this short and sweet for now.
It's creeping up closer than I would like. This November I turn 40 and I have to admit, I am a little bit bummed out. Call it a mid life crisis. Whatever. All I know is I need something to get me out of the funk that I have been in for the better of the last 6 months. It's a combination of a lot of little things and some big ones too. Health issues, kids getting older, stagnation of my career and creativity, feeling like I am in a rut - the list goes on and on. Won't bore you with the details, but I do have a need to shake things up a little bit. Not sure exactly what that means at this point. Maybe I will figure it out in the weeks ahead.


text:
Элбоу-Лейк () — город в штате Миннесота (США). Административный центр округа Грант. В 2020 году в городе проживали  человека.

Элбоу-Лейк был основан в 1886 году и назван в честь озера поблизости.

Географическое положение
Город расположен на западе штата Миннесота. Площадь — 4,55 км², из которых 3,58 км² — суша, а 0,97 км² — вода. Озеро Ворм () находится на территории города.

В Элбоу-Лейк расположен аэропорт Прайд-оф-Прери () (другое название — Муниципальный аэропорт Элбоу-Лейк).

Население

В 2020 году в городе проживало  человек, насчитывалось  домашних хозяйств. Население Элбоу-Лейк по возрастному диапазону распределилось следующим образом: 25,8 % — жители младше 18 лет, 53,2 % — от 18 до 65 лет и 21,0 % — в возрасте 65 лет и старше. Медианный возраст — 40,9 лет. Расовый состав: белые — 92,3 % и представители двух и более рас — 5,8 %. Высшее образование имели 18,6 %.

В 2020 году медианный доход на домашнее хозяйство оценивался в  $, на семью —  $. 10,8 % от всей численности населения находилось на момент переписи за чертой бедности. 71,0 % работали в частных компаниях, 1,3 % — самозанятые, 8,1 % были сотрудниками частных некоммерческих организаций, 15,4 % были государственными служащими, 4,2 % были самозанятыми в собственном незарегистрированном бизнесе или домашнем хозяйстве.

Примечания

Города округа Грант (Миннесота)
Окружные центры Миннесоты

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Scuttlebutt Europe #3743 - 29 December
Brought to you by Seahorse magazine, Scuttlebutt Europe is a digest of sailing news and opinions, regatta results, new boat and gear information and letters from sailors -- with a European emphasis. Contributions welcome, send to
Lighting The Match
The big losses which Vendee Globe leader Armel Le Cleac'h has suffered over recent days to the British skipper Alex Thomson have stabilised today but the French solo racer who has topped the solo round the world race since December 3rd seems set to come under more pressure from his pursuer in the coming days.
A wide swathe of lighter, variable winds blocks the northwards climb up the South Atlantic. Some weather routing models have the two leading skippers racing at the same latitude at the weekend.
After making a net gain of some five miles during this Wednesday afternoon, Thomson was 269 nautical miles behind on the 1700hrs UTC ranking.
Update: 0500 December 29: Le Cleach leads Thomson by 195 nm. Thomson's VMG is 17 knots to Le Cleach's 9. Rankings: www.vendeeglobe.org/en/ranking-and-race-data
While the leaders' problems in the South Atlantic are largely about the mental stress of routing through a network of light airs and transition zones, New Zealandskipper Conrad Colman has been forced to push his Foresight Natural Energy close to the limit to stay ahead of a 'terrifying' low pressure system.
And one thousand or so miles to Colman's west, Ireland's Enda O'Coineen has had to take the prudent, but tough decision, to turn back north and separate away from the six strong pack of boats he had been racing closely with, playing tag with the back of that same depression. O'Coineen is diverting to Stewart Island, just off the tip of South Island New Zealand in order to make repairs and continue his race.
O'Coineen, who was lying in 11th place of the 19 solo skippers still racing, is seeking to complete a number of repairs, and aims to continue with his race. Stewart Island, which is some 19 miles south of the tip of New Zealand's South Island, is famous in the history of the Vendee Globe as it is where legendary French skipper Yves Parlier stopped for ten days during the 2000-1 edition of the race and repaired his broken mast with no outside assistance, before restepping it using his boom as a derrick.
vendeeglobe.org
Rolex Sydney Hobart: Another One Done And Dusted
Adrienne Cahalan, Australia's most celebrated yachtswoman, has arrived in Hobart aboard the Brenton Fischer skippered TP52 Ragamuffin, to cement her place as the first woman ever to compete in 25 Sydney Hobart Yacht Races.
And like all the others, this 25th race has been a mixed bag. No real terrors this year, and mercifully brief time working to windward, but if ever there was a race of two halves this has been it.
Blisteringly fast running and reaching most of the first half, and frustratingly slow in the second half for yachts in the 50 to 65 foot range.
"I prayed for an exciting race and this was that," Cahalan says. "We knew there were going to be some tricky bits, particularly at the end. It was fast, wet and wild at first, particularly on these boats."
Unfortunately it was a little too fast for one crucial moment on the first night. Ragamuffin dove into a wave and emerged with a shredded spinnaker.
"After that, we were playing catch-up, but without that sail we were down a couple of knots. We worked hard though, and eventually recovered.
"Actually we were quite happy with the second half of the race, it suited us. We sailed well through the transition zones and caught back some time. Because we had that sail problem, we missed the gate into Bass Strait, and after that there were three distinct fleets.
"It's worked well for me before - and sometimes it hasn't, but I'm philosophical - some of it is out of your control."
rolexsydneyhobart.com
Keep Your New Year's Resolution! Race The St. Thomas International Regatta - March 24-26, 2017
Forget about those excess pounds! Make a New Year's Resolution that's fun to keep! Race in the 2017 St. Thomas International Regatta (STIR)! It's the perfect way to put some sun and fun in a cold spring season. What's more, register now (www.stthomasinternationalregatta.com) for a chance to win customized long-sleeve high-performance team shirts! The name of your vessel may be randomly drawn to win this highly-coveted prize on December 31. No worries! Shirt sizes range from S to XX-plus!
Is looking for good deals one of your New Year's Resolutions? Take advantage of the early entry discount! Pay only US $250 up until January 31, 2017.
Resolve to mix it up a bit in 2017? There's a class or course for everyone at STIR! Register in CSA (Racing or Cruising); IRC; ORC; Multihull; Beach Cat or One Design classes with a minimum length of 20 feet. Competition in the Offshore Cat and one-design Melges 20, C&C 30 and IC24 classes will especially be keen. Race round- the-buoys and round-the-islands. Register now for the Round the Rocks Race on March 23, a circumnavigation of the neighboring U.S. Virgin Island of St. John - home of the Virgin Islands National Park.
Finally, start the New Year right by ringing in your reservations now! There's direct flights from several U.S. cities. Nearby Puerto Rico offers direct air service to Europe. Several boats are still available for race charter; info on STIR website. Space still available on yacht transport ships; check with Ben Beer at Caribbean Racing Logistics (, 340-998-6203). Rent a villa and more with the help of STIR concierge, Island Way Services (, 340-244-8457).
Register Now! www.stthomasinternationalregatta.com
For information, Email: , Call (340) 642-3204
Another Dose For Chutzpah
Melbournian Bruce Taylor's downwind flier, Chutzpah, is the first of the 40 footers to arrive in Hobart, crossing the line 30 minutes ahead of her divisional arch rivals, Elena Nova and Simply Fun.
This was the downwind Rolex Sydney Hobart all three yachts were designed for, and Taylor and his long-standing crew made the most of it, though once again overall Hobart victory has eluded them.
"At the outset we thought the big boats were a good chance of doing the double," Taylor said dockside. "We hoped they would get slowed down in a couple of calm spots, but unfortunately that didn't happen."
Instead it was Chutzpah that came to grief.
"The first afternoon and evening we had a fantastic drag race with Simply Fun. We caned them last year, but they've done a lot of sailing together since then.
"We were fairly conservative with our A2 spinnaker, because we figured we'd need it a lot. When it got to 30 knots we thought we should take it down to preserve it, but the moment we did, Simply Fun took off so we put it back up again.
"This boat is a rocket ship, the crew is good, tactically, we couldn't have done anything else, but if you ever stop in a Hobart race you cannot win it."
What made this 2016 Rolex Sydney Hobart special for Taylor was that two of his crew, James Permezel and Bruce's son Drew were doing their 25th race, a big milestone for any yachty. Drew and Bruce become the first father/son duo to do 25 Hobarts together.
Wight Vodka Best Yachting Bar
We've had some submissions this year that are unique in our eight year history.
You can submit YOUR entry until Friday January 6 2017.
From all of the submissions, the team at Wight Vodka will choose the top 10 bars which are put forward for the online voting from Monday January 9 through Tuesday January 30.
We announce the winner on February 1 2017.
Tell us your favourite:
scuttlebutteurope.com/sailors-bars
This one from reader Ian:
The Clipper Bar, Sardinia
"Known by everyone who's had the good fortune to race at the Maxi Worlds, Swan World Cup and countless other events in the 'Millionaire's Playground' of the Costa Smeralda. Not just races but charter crews, too...This place has been the place to go to unwind and retel stories to each other each night. The staff make sure you're well lubricated, they have a big, collective personality and it's just nice to find a basic bar amongst the Cartier and Gucci stores nearby.
The restaurant keeps crews fed with the famous Spaghetti Clipper and many other dishes centred around fresh produce from the sea.
Open long into the night, even event photographers often set up their computers here towards the back end of the events in order to maximise opportunities to sell their photos of the yachts racing in these beautiful waters."
Ocean Safety has signed an agreement to provide an inventory of safety equipment to each yacht in the 2017/2018 Volvo Ocean Race, the fifth consecutive time the company has supplied the world's longest and toughest fully crewed yacht race.
Each yacht will carry the very latest in technological development including life preservation products, location and recovery equipment, as well as tried and tested products. Ocean Safety, which is the UK's largest independent safety supplier, will also be running Sea Survival training courses for the crews prior to the start.
Two teams have already been announced and more are expected to follow shortly to take the challenge on one of the eight identical Ocean 70 yachts. Next year's edition of the race will feature almost three times as much Southern Ocean sailing as the previous edition, making it the longest distance in race history at around 45,000 nautical miles, crossing four oceans and taking in 11 major cities on five continents.
After 15 years as the RYA's Olympic Manager, Stephen Park OBE is to take up a new post as the Great Britain Cycling Team's Performance Director.
Park guided the British Sailing Team to the top of the sport's medal table in Rio, and is to become British Cycling's first Performance Director since 2014.
The 48-year-old has been the RYA's Olympic Manager for the past four Olympic cycles, with Britain's world-beating sailors amassing 23 Olympic and Paralympic medals during his time at the helm. He will start work at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester in the spring of 2017.
Park said: "My time with the RYA has been hugely rewarding and Olympic sailing has evolved enormously during my 15 years as team manager, requiring an inquisitive and innovative approach to stay ahead of the game. As top sailing nation at Rio 2016 and following our review process I'm confident the team is in great shape for the Tokyo 2020 cycle, and I would like to thank the British Sailing Team athletes and staff for their unwavering commitment in support of sailing's medal-winning ambitions during my tenure.
www.britishsailingteam.com
SoftBank Team Japan has selected Harken as an Official Supplier of technical equipment to its campaign for the 35th America's Cup. Harken is responsible for supplying winches, pedestals, blocks, and key hydraulic components to the syndicate.
Dean Barker Skipper/CEO SoftBank Team Japan said, "Harken has been part of each of the Cup campaigns I've done. Their equipment is always at the cutting edge of technology and has never let me down. This time I'm sure it will be the same. They supply an array of high-tech sailing equipment and it's that combination that makes Harken so attractive to us."
"We are pleased to be teaming with SoftBank Team Japan for the 2017 America's Cup," said Peter Harken, Chairman of the Board. "We supplied deck hardware to Nippon Challenge for the 2000 Cup. It's interesting to remember that they advanced to the semi-finals in every Louis Vuitton Cup elimination series in which they competed. After a 15-year absence, it's great to have Japan back in the AC and to be working closely with the sailors in this outstanding new syndicate."
The multi-national SoftBank Team Japan is led by America's Cup skipper Dean Barker and General Manager and bowman Kazuhiko "Fuku" Sofuku. Harken is honored to be working with this talented and dedicated group.
softbankteamjapan.com
harken.com
The 52 SUPER SERIES, the world's leading grand prix monohull sailboat racing circuit, today announced that XS will be the Official Energy Drink and Sports Nutrition Product Partner of the series.
Growing from innovative roots in energy drinks, XS has achieved widespread and diverse appeal through continued expansion into leading edge sports nutrition products. Today, XS products are available in nearly 50 countries.
The partnership will launch in 2017 at the first 52 SUPER SERIES event, Quantum Key West Race Week regatta, where 11 TP52s will open their challenge for the the 2017 title - which will be decided across six regattas in Key West, Miami, Tuscany, Sardinia, Puerto Portals and Menorca.
French Nautical Industries Federation (FIN) has taken over the management of its two boat shows, the Yachting Cannes Festival and the Paris Boat Show.
To this end, FIN has created a subsidiary, Nautic Festival SA, whose management is entrusted to Alain Pichavant, commissioner general of Nautic.
Beyond their eventual aspect, the French nautical shows represent a major economic stake for the nautical sector, presenting itself in fine as the main places of sale of boats.
The big salons of Cannes, La Rochelle and Paris act as the real lungs of economic activity. If they have welcomed nearly 350,000 people in 2016, they have made it possible to achieve almost 70% of sales in the French market.
www.actunautique.com
The Swedish company Sail Racing has been appointed as the official clothing partner of Copa del Rey MAPFRE, one of the world's most prestigious regattas that takes part in Palma de Majorca, Spain, every summer. Sail Racing, also 35th America's Cup and Oracle Team USA clothing partner, will develop official merchandise collections for the PalmaVela and the RCNP and provide technical and on shore wear for the regatta organizers. Martin Rydell, Sail Racing's Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board in Sail Racing International AB, and Javier Sanz, President of the RCNP signed the agreement in Palma de Majorca this week.
The partnership with Copa del Rey MAPFRE is based on 3-year contract.
Sail Racing is developing the official 36 Copa del Rey MAPFRE collection in the coming months. It will be available at the event, as well as online for shipping worldwide and at selected retailers.
Ullman Sails is pleased to announce that Kelly Buchan and Craig Millar have been named Chief Executive Officers of the regional divisions of Ullman Sails International, Inc., the licensing company of the Ullman Sails group, assigned to oversee operations in the group's major geographic markets.
Buchan is Regional CEO of the Ullman Sails-West division, which encompasses all business in the Americas and the Caribbean markets. Millar is Regional CEO of the Ullman Sails-East division, which includes all business in Europe, Asia Pacific and Africa.
Buchan, previously Vice President and General Manager, has been with Ullman Sails since 2007 where she has managed the Ullman Sails' brand, overseen group operations, and coordinated significant initiatives through the company's longest and largest period of sustained growth. Her management and engagement with the group's lofts has shaped Ullman Sails' path and she continues to drive growth, collaboration, and communication world-wide.
Millar, who joined Ullman Sails in 2013 as the group's Vice President of Business Development, founded the prominent South African aluminum welding firm Aluweld in 1987, and has extensive business experience including financial management consulting.
Featured Brokerage
1989 Frers 92 - BRISTOLIAN. 800000 GBP. Located in Palma de Mallorca.
Iconic and very special Frers 92 cruiser / racer that is well known on the international regatta circuit with her blue black livery and classic Frers lines. She continues to wins hearts and minds wherever she goes, and comes with new cloth and other performance updates.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Ben Cooper
2011 Knierim 50 - EXCALIBUR. 550000 EUR. Located in the Balearic Islands, Spain.
A real head turner and a fresh new look on the Bluewater Cruising market. Fast and fun, and well equipped, this Knierim 50 is engineered for SAILING. All the best attributes of a racing yacht and a cruising yacht blended into one.
2001 Carroll Marine Farr 40. 125,000 USD. Located in Portsmouth, RI.
This is hull # 96 and has always been very well maintained by her three owners.She was first built as SAMBA PA TI and then she was named TWINS. Her current owner has not used her for several years, but she is located in Portsmouth Rhode Island, has been under shrink wrap and has a Captain maintain her. In her inventory are many North sails, with several 1st string primary racing sails, having never been out of the bags! If one is in the market for a very nice and lightly used Farr 40, DARKSIDE could be the weapon of choice.
Please contact William Jenkins at 410-267-9419
See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/
To all the revolutionaries fighting to throw off the yoke of tyranny around the world: look at British democracy. Is that what you want? -- Andy Zaltzman
Editorial and letter submissions to
Advertising inquiries to Graeme Beeson: or see www.scuttlebutteurope.com/advertise.html
PLG_JEV_SEARCH_TITLE
Phoca Gallery Search
Subscribe to EuroSailNews
Subscribe to the EuroSail News e-Newsletter
"The easy way to be fully informed on what is happening in the sailing world, right there in an easy to scan or read format every morning. Perfect for busy people!" -- Mark Turner
"The best way to stay tuned in all things sailing!" -- John Bertrand
"An invaluable one-stop digest of news and views from the European yachting arena..." -- Sir Robin Knox-Johnston
"The only way to stay informed. I can gauge the heartbeat of the European sailing scene over a coffee in just a few minutes every morning. Without it I'd be lost." -- Glenn Bourke


text:
Merced blackjacked on unemployment and population growth
Posted on Thu, 03/10/2011 — 0:54 by Anonymous (not verified)
Merced County population soars
45,000 residents added in past decade; Livingston, Los Banos show strong growth…DOANE YAWGER
http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2011/03/09/v-print/1802937/merced-county-population-soars.html
Merced County's population grew by 21.5 percent between 2000 and 2010, according to just-released U.S. Census Bureau figures. The city of Merced had 78,958 residents last April 1, a 23.6 percent increase since the decade began.
Census figures announced Tuesday show 54.9 percent, or 140,485, of Merced County's 255,793 residents are Hispanic; in 2000 there were 95,466 residents identified as Hispanic, reflecting about 13 percent growth in that ethnic category over 10 years.
Of Merced County's six incorporated cities, Los Banos showed the highest growth rate at 39.1 percent, followed by Livingston at 24.7 percent.
Merced Mayor Bill Spriggs said Merced's 78,958 figure is a little light compared to state Department of Finance estimates that show the city has more than 80,000 people. The 2000 census showed the city had 210,554 people.
Spriggs said the city historically has grown about 3 percent a year, and the census figures are in line with that trend. Merced has been considered a metropolitan statistical area for years, and retail businesses have certain number thresholds when they become "interested in you."
The Merced area, including surrounding unincorporated areas, easily has more than 100,000 people, Spriggs said.
A key element of the 10-year census, required by law since the United States was founded, is the ethnic breakdown. New figures show 81,599 of the county's 2010 population are white.
Data also show 3.4 percent of the county populace, or 8,785, are black; 18,183, or 7.1 percent, are Asian; and 54.9 percent are Hispanic, compared with 41.4 percent at the beginning of the decade.
Nellie Muniz-Smith, director of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Merced, said the chamber made a concerted effort to make sure the Hispanic community was counted in last year's census-taking effort.
She said the number of Hispanic-owned small businesses has increased tremendously and the chamber has noticed many area companies are aware of the growing Spanish-speaking population and are creating products useful to them.
By city, Merced registered 23.6 percent growth between 2000 and 2010, going to 78,958 from 63,893 residents; Atwater went to 28,168 last year from 23,113 in 2000, a 21.9 percent growth rate.
Livingston's population went to 13,058 residents in 2010 from 10,473 in 2000, reflecting a 24.7 percent growth rate. Dos Palos registered an 8.1 percent rate of growth in the decade, going to 4,950 at decade's end from 4,581 residents in 2000.
Gustine registered a 17.5 percent growth rate, going to 5,520 in 2010 from 4,698 residents in 2000; Los Banos had the chart-topping 39.1 percent growth rate by going to 35,972 residents last year from a population of 25,869 in 2000.
Merced City Manager John Bramble said state Department of Finance figures show Merced has 80,893 residents, compared to census figures.
"Clearly we've been in a growing mode in the last decade," Bramble said. "This will help with state and federal funds; it means more money for the city and county. It puts more money into the local economy."
Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Merced, declined to comment on census implications until he has had a chance to review the data.
John Pedrozo, chairman of the Merced County Board of Supervisors, said he hasn't had a chance to study the new figures. "The board and staff will be reviewing census data in the coming days to determine what the impacts will be for Merced County. It's too early to comment until I look at everything," Pedrozo said.
Mariposa County registered 6.5 percent growth during the decade. The foothill county went to 18,251 from 17,130 residents in 2000, census figures show.
Census figures on housing confirm what people already knew: Merced and the county are suffering mightily from the foreclosure situation and depressed housing market.
In 2000, Merced County had 68,373 housing units. Ten years later that number jumped to 83,698, of which 75,642 were occupied and 8,056 were vacant.
The city of Merced had 21,532 dwelling units in 2000, with 1,097 of them vacant. In 2010, there were 27,446 homes, of which 24,899 were occupied and 2,547 were vacant.
Statewide, Fresno was one of the most populous areas in California, along with Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose and San Francisco. Fresno grew by 15.7 percent, while the other four experienced only single-digit growth.
The Census Bureau is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce and is required to take a population count every 10 years. Population counts affect a range of government programs in each state, and census efforts affect $400 billion in state and federal funds a year.
As a result of new census figures, California isn't expected to gain or lose seats in Congress.
It cost $4.5 billion to complete the 2000 census; the "new" census costs have risen to $14.7 billion.
Merced Sun-Star
Merced County jobless rate at 21.2%
National numbers, job creation improve, but tough times linger throughout area…MIKE NORTH
http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2011/03/05/v-print/1797852/merced-county-jobless-rate-at.html
Merced County's unemployment rate continues its disturbing upward trend, though the national unemployment crisis has improved.
The county's unemployment rate hit 21.2 percent in January, up from a revised 19.9 percent for December, according to data from the state.
Out of a 106,500-person work force, 22,600 are unemployed and 83,900 are employed in Merced County, the data show.
National numbers, however, are showing significant improvement. Jobs across the country increased by 192,000 in February, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
That number could bring hope that the unemployment crisis has bottomed out, said Merced County Supervisor Deidre Kelsey.
But the outlook has been bleak in the county. Several Merced businesses have closed in the past few years, and there hasn't been a lot of interest from businesses in moving to the area.
"It seems like our unemployment is always higher," Kelsey said.
Despite the negatives, there are some bright spots for jobs, she noted.
The new Wal-Mart Supercenter in Atwater is expected to bring jobs for about 250 to 300 people.
Wal-Mart officials expect the grand opening to come sometime in the next two weeks. A lot of people have expressed interest in those jobs.
As in December, most of the job losses in January came from cuts in agriculture and temporary holiday employment, said Pedro Vargas, Merced County's labor market analyst. About 1,000 seasonal agriculture jobs were lost.
No areas of the economy saw an increase in jobs for the county for the month, Vargas noted.
Though Merced County has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state, Imperial County remains the highest at 25.1 percent. Marin and Mono counties have the lowest unemployment rates at 8.2 percent.
Stanislaus and Fresno counties, Merced's neighbors to the north and south, have an unemployment rate of 18.2 percent, according to labor force data for January.
Preliminary numbers within Merced County show Hilmar with the lowest unemployment for January at 11.4 percent, and South Dos Palos with the highest unemployment at 47.1 percent.
The unemployment rate in the city of Merced is 21 percent.
The national unemployment rate was 9.8 percent in January.


The airport contains U.S. Border preclearance facilities allowing all US flights to operate as domestic flights upon arrival within the United States.
The name of the airport was officially changed on July 6, 2006 in honor of The Right Honourable Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling (22 March 1930 - 25 August 2000), first Prime Minister of The Commonwealth of the Bahamas. Sir Lynden, as he was affectionately called, is hailed as the Father of the Nation, having led The Bahamas to Majority Rule in 1967 as well as Independence from Great Britain in 1973.


I was listening to a skilled practitioner of cognitive-behavioral therapy muse about the phenomenon of relapse. Her take: It's usually a matter of people of people falling away from the practices that enabled them to achieve stable recovery in the first place. Forgetting what they learned about stress reduction or time management or conflict resolution. Letting anger or anxiety escalate beyond healthy norms. When they finally return to treatment after a painful relapse, it isn't difficult to trace the fall back to its roots, months before, when they stopped 'working' at recovery.
The pattern is common: other concerns, responsibilities take precedence. Recovery slips to the rear. It isn't long before something happens to trigger the emergence of a desire to drink or use. Once you give in, events seem to take on a life of their own.
After examination, client and counselor usually conclude that although CBT can be helpful, you must put it into practice. Just having the knowledge isn't enough.
This sounds like what AA or NA members hear from sponsors and peers. The 12 Steps benefit only those who make active use of them. Otherwise they're just words in a book.
And how is this different from the challenges faced by a diabetic or heart patient? If you don't practice your daily regimen, the odds of relapse increase exponentially.
Look at the cost of noncompliance with medication. Nobody expects insulin to work unless you take it. Why do we expect more from a program of life change that is infinitely more far-reaching?
There are those whose desire to drink or use seems to have spontaneously disappeared– Bill W. is one– but that's the exception. Most people in stable recovery got there the hard way, through major alterations in the way they live. Whether that was through therapy or religion or 12 Step practice isn't relevant. The point is, it took time, and commitment, and persistence, and probably faith.
It's fine if someone wants to credit others, or a Higher Power, for their success. But those in the helping professions should remember that our job is mostly to listen and offer advice. It's our clients who have to do the really hard bits. One day at a time.


text:
€600k more for Poolbeg incinerator site
A decision by Dublin City Council to spend an extra €600,000 on the Poolbeg incinerator is being criticised by local residents.
Thu, 27 Feb, 2014 - 10:44
The project has already cost the taxpayer over €95m, without any construction at all.
The site is a dead flat site, and they're going to spend another €600,000 between now and June," said Sandymount Resident Joe McCarthy, who has made a complaint to the European Commission.
"It's an empty site … not a brick laid on a brick … to see them committing to spend more money on it is just a scandalous waste of public money."
The council is forking out €300,000 on commercial, legal and technical advice, while €100,000 is being spent on site security.
A question mark still remains over the future of the project, with the European Commission set to make a decision on complaints over state aid and procurement rules.
courtsheathrowplace: poolbegperson: joe mccarthyorganisation: poolbegorganisation: dublin city councilorganisation: european commission


text:
Etihad Ad Shows Beautiful People Doing Beautiful Things
By Christine Negroni on March 6, 2013 at 11:11 AM
Emirates Training College in Dubai
For a story I wrote for The New York Times in the summer of 2011, I spent a week training to be a flight attendant with Emirates. Every day I walked from my hotel in Dubai to the metro stop and boarded a train to the aviation academy near the airport. I was wearing my student uniform; black pants and a red polo shirt with Emirates emblazoned in gold thread on the chest.
Emirates' students in a safety class
In this attire, I was a magnet to people who wanted to talk about the airline. To a person they were enamored of Emirates. This was very strange to me, accustomed as I was to the general ire and discontent Western air travelers feel about the airline industry. Elsewhere in the world, there are airlines that people love, Love, LOVE. Dubai's Emirates and Etihad Airways based in Abu Dhabi are two such carriers.
That's what makes Etihad's new television commercial so interesting. It is a one minute, narration-free love song right back to its passengers where they live from Australia's beaches, to Bangkok's waterways, Abu Dhabi's deserts and Germany's wineries. Believe what you see and Etihad's passengers will find the beautiful sounds, foods and cultures of the world served up at 36,000 feet.
Scene from Etihad's new TV commercial
Bobby Darin croons these words…
The world is full of beautiful things
Butterfly wings, fairy tale kings
And each new day undoubtedly brings
Still more beautiful things.
The world abounds with many delights
Magical sights, fanciful flights
And those who dream on beautiful nights
Dream of beautiful things.
while airplanes and geese take flight, wine barrels and wine glasses are filled, hotel maids and flight attendants turn down beds.
If, say, United or Air France were to try this tactic, viewers would be hooting before Darin completed the first verse. But for airlines like Etihad, pitching the in flight experience is more important than so many other items on which airlines compete, or so I am told by Shashank Nigem, an airline marketing strategist and CEO of SimpliFlying, as I reported in today's APEX Editors Blog.
Etihad student flight attendants learn how to present meals
"By drawing parallels to the life of a business traveler on the ground, and amenities offered by Etihad Airways in the air, the ad demonstrates that a premium lifestyle is well catered to by the airline," Shashank said. "Etihad has done a good job of being subtle, yet clearly showcased its premium offerings."
Etihad boss James Hogan told me earlier this week that the airline was pleased to be launching a global campaign; The ads will air on television stations in seven countries. But the message may not be for everyone, as Shashank observed. The concept of air travel as lux experience is part of the unrelenting race by airlines around the world to capture premium passengers.
In 2010 Etihad released a focused advertisement featuring its brand ambassador, Indian screen superstar Katrina Kaif. In a class-transcending music and dance routine, the airline hits all the right notes. If this airline or any other could deliver that kind of an airport experience to all its passengers, few would care where they sat on the airplane.
Christine Negroni


text:
Ranger Peak is a mountain peak on the border of the U.S. states of Idaho and Montana.

References

Mountains of Idaho


text:
Album Release Schedule
The Love List Café
The Musical Divide
Bridging gaps by connecting with music fans
Album Review: George Strait – 'Honky Tonk Time Machine'
The short version: While it's scattershot in some places, 'Honky Tonk Time Machine' is nonetheless a welcome return for King George Strait.
Favorite tracks: "Some Days," "Sometimes Love," "Blue Water," "Old Violin," "Sing One With Willie (w/ Willie Nelson)"
Least favorite track: "Código"
The long version: Sadly, an eventual exclusion of country music legends from the mainstream is a large part of country music history. No one wants to admit it, but this is a business. Artists come, have their time in the spotlight, and finally make way for newcomers.
In the four years since George Strait released his last album, Cold Beer Conversation, it feels like the country music family is split more than ever. Perhaps there's a recency bias to take into account here, but Strait's departure has hurt more than most.
Of course, for Strait himself, this has its benefits and its consequences. On his newest album, Honky Tonk Time Machine, Strait both addresses his legacy and place in current country music and records material that feels more natural to him. It doesn't come without some snags in the road, but Honky Tonk Time Machine is a record that feels perfect for Strait to make at this point in his career.
In terms of the instrumentation and production, if you've heard just one Strait song, you know exactly what to expect. There's plenty of fiddle, steel guitar, warm acoustics and piano to carry the melodies. When I said too that this album felt like Strait easing into his current position, part of that had to do with the presentation. Tracks like "Two More Wishes" and "Blue Water" are easy-going in their respective deliveries. Even the melodic compositions are fairly striking on "Sometimes Love," "Blue Water," "God and Country Music," "Take Me Away," and "Some Nights."
Perhaps here more than on other works, there's more attention to detail in the compositions as well. The fiddle pickup after the choruses of "Blue Water" comes through with warmth and delicacy to fit the mood of the content well. "Some Nights" begins with liquid guitar strums anchored by piano and fiddle before unleashing a fairly powerful chorus to sell its bitterness. The quirky melody of "Two More Wishes" easily fits Jim Lauderdale's writing style and Strait's relaxed, humorous delivery, and the same comment extends toward the bouncy "Take Me Away."
But the points for well-executed songs also extend toward Strait himself. No, this album doesn't test his range on a technical level all that much. But it's surprising just how "at home" he feels on this album. He's not taking himself too seriously on "Every Little Honky Tonk Bar," "Two More Wishes," or the title track, and the desire for some rest and relaxation on "Blue Water" certainly feels earned. In other words, while Strait's voice has always been comparable to the comfort food of country music, it's even more refined here.
Of course, one of Strait's best assets has always been his simplicity. "Some Nights" and "Sometimes Love" are fairly standard tracks addressing the aftermath of a relationship, but by God, Strait sells the former track with a ton of firepower. On the latter track, his knack for pulling off that delicate, intimate balance makes the song feel all the more aching. Even while certain tracks like "God and Country Music," "The Weight Of The Badge," and "What Goes Up," do come close to crossing the line between authentic and schmaltzy, you certainly never doubt that Strait feels what he's singing there.
In terms of the content, Honky Tonk Time Machine presents an interesting discussion. One has to question if, with the abundance of tracks addressing the aftermath of a breakup and moving on, if he's referring to mere characters or his actual relationship with country music. Strait had a song called "Kicked Outta Country" released with Jamey Johnson a few years ago – it's not like this theory isn't plausible!
If anything, while Johnny Paycheck's "Old Violin" wasn't originally intended to revolve around aging, it certainly feels like Strait was gunning for that sentiment with his version. Thankfully, "Take Me Away" follows it up where Strait explicitly states that nothing will take him away from the love of the game.
Strait also reflects on the past in quite a humorous way. Whether it's literally going back to the musical past on the title track or observing the scene around him in "Every Little Honky Tonk Bar," Strait is ultimately looking back on his career with a smile on his face. Is it the most poetic way to go about it? Of course not, but to reiterate a previous point, Strait's greatest asset has always been his simplicity and easy-going nature. It's fitting, therefore, that the album ends with his insecurity about having come this far without singing a duet with Willie Nelson on "Sing One With Willie."
But if we're reaching for criticisms with this album, the most glaringly weak track is his commercial track, "Código," especially when it's sandwiched between two of the more serious (and better) tracks, "Sometimes Love" and "Old Violin." It's a fairly jarring three-track run. At 13 tracks too, the album could have afforded to trim a bit of fat. Lead single "Every Little Honky Tonk Bar" still feels like a weaker cut, and both "God and Country Music" and "Weight Of The Badge" certainly won't be for everyone.
Yet overall, Honky Tonk Time Machine is a fairly solid return from King Strait, and certainly a welcome fit given what the current country music climate looks like. With Strait, the easiest way to sell this album is to ask if you've liked his previous material, but the album also goes deeper by exploring his current stance in the country music industry. On top of that, the instrumentation, melodic structure and vocal performances are surprisingly in top form. Some critics have questioned how many more albums we'll likely get out of Strait, but if you read between the lines, I'd say there's nothing to worry about.
(Strong 7/10)
April 1, 2019 December 21, 2020 Zackary KephartAlbum Reviews7/10, Country, George Strait
2 thoughts on "Album Review: George Strait – 'Honky Tonk Time Machine'"
countryopinionblog
My slight knock on Codigo is that he made it the primary point of emphasis. It was the first song he released from the album, and the only one he did a video for. In that way, the album as a whole feels secondary to the tequila advertisement. That said, George's music is always warm, comfortable, and very welcome. He's called king for good reason. Since the Broken Spoke is on his album cover, I'd love to see him shoot a video for one of this album's songs there – maybe either the title song or the Willie duet.
Album Review: Reba McEntire – 'Stronger Than The Truth' – The Musical Divide
[…] long version: To repeat what I said at the beginning of my recent George Strait review, country music is a business. Beyond its kinship with authenticity and its roots, country […]
Previous Post Pop Goes The Country Vol. 10: Marty Robbins – "A White Sport Coat" (1957)
Next Post The Musical Divide Takes Over The John Deery Band's Playlist
Archives Select Month January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 May 2018 June 2017
Magic Man and Other… on The Origin of My Country Music…
The Boom-or-Bust Juk… on Pop Goes The Country Vol. 46:…
The Sunday Morning P… on Pop Goes The Country Vol. 35:…
Zackary Kephart on The Origin of My Country Music…
Joseph on The Origin of My Country Music…
Classic Album Reviews
Best Hit Songs
Onion Style
Pop Goes The Country
Sing One With Willie
Sunday Morning Paper
The Unbroken Circle
Mid Year Lists
Current Popular Posts
The Sunday Morning Paper: Finally, Some Willie Good News (Jan. 17)
Album Review: Morgan Wallen - 'Dangerous: The Double Album'
Song Review: Tyler Childers - "House Fire"
Album Review: Ward Davis - 'Black Cats and Crows'
The Unbroken Circle: Gary Stewart - "She's Actin' Single (I'm Drinkin' Doubles) (1975)
The views expressed on this blog are the writer's and the writer's alone. They do not reflect the views of his employers, friends, family or anyone else.


If you haven't participated in the Anifilm, International Animation Festival, It's time to submit your best animation short films and win laurels. Anifilm, International Festival of Animated Films is conducting it's animation festival from 2nd May 2017 - 7th May 2017. You can start submitting your entries which were taken after 1st January 2016 for this festival. Anifilm was started in the year 2010 which solely honours animation. According to Anifilm,"Anifilm's mission is to present current trends, methods, technologies and animation techniques in its programme. It also supports works in progress and brand new animation projects and their authors, producers and distributors. Film professionals from all over the world can use Anifilm as a platform for positive confrontation and meeting place for forging new contacts. Anifilm is aimed at authors and film professionals as well as students, educators, film theorists and all fans of animated production, including children. Anifilm also wants to represent the Czech Republic, South Bohemian Region and the town of Trebon in international context on a long-term basis.
5. International Competition for Abstract and Non-narrative Animations.
The last date for submission is on 15th January 2017 and it's free registration.
You can submit your films, by registeing yourself online vp.eventival.eu/anifilm/2017.
Visit www.anifilm.cz/en for more information.


Grants – Delaware Invasive Species Council, Inc.
MAPAIS Small Grants Competition DEADLINE APPROACHING!
REMINDER: The deadline to submit proposals is less than 2 weeks away!
April 3, 2017 at 5PM!
In 2017, the MAPAIS is offering a small grants competition and encourages interested groups and individuals to submit proposals for possible funding. Broad participation from groups and individuals concerned about aquatic invasive species (AIS) issues in the mid-Atlantic region is encouraged! A proposal submission must address an AIS problem as part of a one-year project.
DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS IS APRIL 3, 2017 AT 5PM!!
Grant Opportunity from Mid-Atlantic Panel on Aquatic Invasive Species!
The Mid-Atlantic Regional Panel on Aquatic Invasive Species (MAP) is announcing its 2016 request for proposals. The mission of the MAP is to assist state and federal agencies and other stakeholders in developing and implementing strategic, coordinated, and action-oriented approaches to preventing and controlling aquatic invasive species in the mid-Atlantic region. The driving force behind MAP's mission is to strengthen cooperation, coordination, and communication on AIS issues within the region and beyond.
Please visit http://www.mdsg.umd.edu/mid-atlantic-panel-aquatic-invasive-species-request-proposals which provides a summary of the RFP and a link to download the full document. The RFP outlines MAP priorities and provides information about the format and timetable for submitting proposals. The MAP encourages broad participation from groups and individuals concerned about aquatic invasive species issues in the Mid-Atlantic region.
The proposal deadline is March 25, 2015 at 5 pm EDT. Proposals must be submitted as a single PDF document to MAP-Proposals@mdsg.umd.edu.


Covering Dulwich as well as the adjacent locations.
A full-service 24/7 Pest-Control Service (including Emergency Pest Control).
At Pest2Kill Pest Control our team of experienced pest-controllers provide a professional, efficient & effective service, risk assessing your home or place of work ensuring that any treatment recommended will be risk free and friendly to the environment.
Pest2Kill's top level of service, as well as its clearly displayed affordable pricing has made us a leader in Pest Control throughout Dulwich, London and surrounding areas.
Providing effective extermination & removal of unwanted pests to your home or work premises. Pest2Kill Pest Control Services are your first call for all your Pest Control requirements in Dulwich, London.
Operating all over London & the adjacent areas and regularly helping residential and commercial clients in Dulwich.
We are open 24/7 for all your Pest Control Problems.
Pest infestation is a growing problem throughout Great Britain, with residential homes and commercial properties being impacted. Pest2Kill give both our commercial clients and residential customer's specialist advice and help to remove, eradicate or prevent unwanted pests.
Pest2kill offer varied services, whether it be one-off treatments, prevention advice or contract work to both commercial and private clients where we tailor our services to your Pest Control requirements.
In Dulwich, London we're the premiere Pest Control Specialists, offering a competitively priced, 24-hour pest control service, on call for all your Pest Control problems.
Pest2Kill offer a no-obligation FREE quote for Pest Control in Dulwich, use the enquiry form to request a free callback, we're always available to discuss your needs and have solutions for all types of problems. Eradicate your pest problems now.


The U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) has cited FM Earth (also known as Facemyer's Backhoe and Dozer Services) in the death of Roger A. Ferenbaugh, age 54, who died in a construction accident. Ferenbaugh was killed in September when he was using a saw to cut through concrete pipe. The blade apparently kicked back and hit Ferenbaugh in the neck.
Failing to maintain an accident prevention program in not instructing employees to support material during the cutting process.
Failing to train employees adequately on the use of the STIHL TS400 Cutquik Saw in safe methods for cutting concrete pipe.
This is the first time FM Earth, a small company, has been cited; they have had no other accidents reported.
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed as a result of a construction accident, you should hire an experienced personal injury attorney with proven results in obtaining compensation for victims of construction accidents. At The Farber Law Group, our lawyers are familiar with worker's compensation laws and laws regarding 3rd parties. While money cannot fully compensate for a serious and debilitating injury or the loss of a loved one, compensation for medical expenses, lost earnings can help insure a stable future for the victim and their family. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.


Hi, I broke my wisdom tooth this weekend and now I think it's infected. I need to get it pulled, but we moved here not too long ago and I don't know who to go to for this. Can anyone recommend a good dentist/oral surgeon in or around Midlothian ?
There are two really great dentists in Mansfield. I go to one, but my grown children go to the other. Dr. (Eddie) Irving's office # is ###-###-####. Dr. (Blair) Jones' office # is ###-###-####. They are both excellent dentists, and are just 8-10 (approx.) miles north on 287 from Midlothian. We've used an oral surgeon in Arlington who is also the best I've even gone to; he removed my daughter's wisdom teeth and placed an implant just last month! His name is Dr. Shroyer - ####-###-####. His office is located on Matlock near The Parks mall. We also love the staff of all of these doctors. Good luck, and welcome to the area! If it makes a difference to you, they are all committed Christians.
I live in Midlothian but my dentist is in Lancaster. It is about a 20 minute drive but it's EXTREMELY worth EVERY MILE!!! My dentist is Dr. Stroud ###-###-####. He has the gentlest touch. He has pulled a tooth preformed a root canal, and has given me a few fillings (wow that a lot) but through all those procedures I didn't feel hardly anything. I have had many dentists in my life time and Dr. Stroud is by far the best I've ever had. Gentle, steady hands!! I could go on and on but I'm sure you have more to ready. Good Luck.
I, too, live in Midlothian and have recently begun to use Dr. Davis W. Morgan, 102 South 7th Street, Midlothian, TX 76065, 972/723-5544. I have a phobia about dentists, and they are the best. They even do sedation if you have trouble with going to the dentist.


text:
July 31, 2017 In Company News
Drone delivery is buzzing — but where does it go from here?
With the drone industry netting $8 billion last year and consumer spending for on-demand services topping $57 billion, the implementation and deployment of drone delivery fleets is becoming more of a reality each day. From Amazon's futuristic drone delivery tower proposal to parachuting packages on the horizon, we are nearing a complete delivery transformation. While these innovations will need to be fine-tuned as the commercial drone industry flourishes, several factors, such as operational inefficiencies, continue to work against the Amazons and Ubers of the world, hindering supply chain innovation.
The mainstream drone delivery timeline
We have already seen the start of drone deliveries, but it likely won't become truly widespread and accepted until 2025. Over the next seven years, we'll begin to see an overall increase in this new vehicle for deliveries, but a large portion of these test runs, followed by operational deployments, will be heavily focused in rural areas where the safety risks are smaller and logistics are much simpler to manage. Contrary to popular belief, dense metro areas present numerous challenges and risks — think traffic, privacy issues, power lines, high-rise buildings, sudden wind gusts and crowded streets below.
Instead of thinking about smart urban cities, we should shift our focus, at least for drones initially, to smart rural areas. It's much more likely we'll see drones used to deliver common goods like food and medication to remote homes and offices versus a busy suburb. Instead of a consumer driving over an hour one-way into town to pick up a prescription, he could choose to have it delivered by drone. Autonomous vehicles and drones could, and should, even partner for optimal efficiency while delivering packages — companies like UPS and Mercedes are already testing a self-driving van and drone combination for the ultimate rural delivery challenge solution. Meanwhile, cities will shift their attention to small and less risky sidewalk bots to help enable the "life on-demand" luxury in metro areas.
Implementation challenges
Before these services can become a reality, we need to start addressing the inherent challenges to implementation. While there are several concerns that need to be addressed, the ones we should be thinking about sooner rather than later relate to the safe deployment of these technologies. The obvious safety element everyone is looking at, which I am sure will indeed be addressed, is that of the single drone: How will it fly safely, avoid obstacles, carry its packages and so forth? However, it is the deployment of a fleet of drones I am more concerned about. Before they can become commonplace, live operational testing is mandatory to ensure we can deploy several drone fleets without overcrowding the airways — a scenario that could completely erode the potential benefits these technologies present, and moreover create a potentially unforeseen safety risk.
To adopt this technology and do it right, we need to start thinking about a higher-level network of connected drones — no matter the parent company. This means taking a look at how they should be deployed, managed and used so not only individual consumers can experience the benefits of these technologies, but society can as well. Whenever a new method is introduced into everyday use, there is a great deal of strategy that needs to go into thinking about which services are implanted where.
Who will be the first adopters?
One benefit drones exhibit is the lack of overhead required as opposed to traditional delivery methods like trucks and airplanes. A large-scale delivery model requires an enormous amount of capital investment including drivers, trucks, space to store equipment, regional depots and much more in order to be successful. This presents a substantial barrier to small competitors trying to enter the market, even if their model is more efficient than the delivery giants. On the other hand, drones are less expensive to buy, store, maintain and operate and because of this, we'll likely see many small companies launch drone delivery services. Because of the technologies' flexibility, there is an opportunity for both corporate giants and mom-and-pop shops to operate in this industry successfully. This in itself also poses an added risk of very large numbers of drones all flying around the same airspace in an uncoordinated fashion. Inefficiency and risk galore.
Additionally, companies like FedEx and UPS will also look to break into the drone business in order to stay competitive. As drone technology improves and new businesses emerge, it's likely drones will slowly begin to replace some of the last-mile routes traditionally fulfilled using trucks and vans, thus resulting in increased efficiency across the board. Just think: if one delivery in a driver's route is three miles out of the way of every other stop, that's six miles roundtrip for a single package. The time spent driving to the delivery destination and back is not only an inefficient use of the employee's time, but a costly waste of company resources (assuming, of course, the package is small enough to be delivered by a drone instead). In the future, delivery vans will likely be equipped with drones to deploy one-off package deliveries, optimizing the driver's daily route while simultaneously reducing operating costs. In combination with the great distribution networks and infrastructure in place, FedEx and UPS will have a huge leg up on potential competitors looking to enter the drone arena.
Looking ahead: The future is buzzing
Look for Amazon to continue to push the envelope very publicly, but don't be shocked to see Wal-Mart come out with a surprise from left field. It has the money, it just has to find the right focus and partner — I think it will. I also anticipate seeing brand-new delivery companies emerge and try to conquer the space, only eventually to get bought out by the delivery giants such as UPS and FedEx to try and maintain pace with Amazon.
At the end of the day, there are two technologies that are going to be required to make this all happen, and happen successfully to the benefit of the consumer and service provider: a safe and effective drone at a price point that is affordable, and dynamic network-level, multimodal scheduling software that will enable the service provider to efficiently deploy a fleet of drones and integrate them with other resources.
Finally, don't limit your thinking to delivery being of only physical goods. Drones will also be used to deliver data. Insurance companies could rapidly deploy a drone to a car accident scene (especially that of a driverless car) or a home disaster to take photos from multiple directions and collect data in near-real-time to increase the accuracy of the data. That same drone could deliver information rapidly to emergency services, such as the police and fire department, to increase treatment quality and survival rates.
Click to read online
Life on-demand: What we can expect from the new normal – a TechTarget byline
At the touch of a button, you can request a ride, get groceries or dinner delivered to your door, or have your Amazon order delivered in two hours or less. It's safe to say a new era is here — we are living in an increasingly on-demand world.
With every three out of 10 American workers employed by the gig economy and new on-demand services appearing daily, there's no denying the world is trending toward increased convenience, autonomy and flexibility. More than 22.4 million consumers use on-demand services, netting $57.6 billion in spending annually. Online shopping currently leads the on-demand revolution with $36 billion spent, with transportation coming in a not-so-close second at $5.6 billion, followed by food and grocery delivery at $4.6 billion. And the result of this impressive growth in spending? Researchers believe by 2020, almost one in five U.S. workers — the equivalent of 31 million people — will rely on the gig economy for employment. Is the ecosystem ready to support life on-demand?
The future is here. Now what?
The gig economy, and every company born out of it, has propelled consumers to become accustomed to a vast array of services like ride-sharing and food service on-demand — but it doesn't end there. In addition to what is already available, we can expect an explosion of additional services being offered on-demand.
Imagine a world where healthcare is available on-demand. Doctors and nurses will come to your doorstep (at home or your office), a veterinarian will come to your home to care for your beloved pet instead of having to take your dog to a scary office. In terms of beauty services, stylists will come to you for hair appointments and manicures instead of requiring you to go to the salon. By the way, on-demand doesn't mean the services have to come to you. It could also mean that you could go to a service location but not have to wait in line because the schedule will be created automatically based on your movements. A nearly unimaginable on-demand world of convenience will be available at the touch of an app — until we hit an inevitable tipping point.
Hitting the on-demand tipping point
Entrepreneurs looking to enter the market and established companies will continue to take advantage of consumers' infatuation with real-time on-demand services. However, the economy will eventually reach a point where it can no longer support the growing inefficiencies caused by an outdated and weak back-end infrastructure. The inefficiencies are created by companies and industries implementing services with the fastest and most convenient outcome to capture market share, as opposed to the most efficient and effective method to operate the service.
The cost of on-demand: Nearly $58 billion and inefficiency
As growth accelerates, we need to look at the cost. Society, including the consumers using these on-demand services and the companies providing them, need to ensure this trend does not create little-discussed but very impactful side effects — massive waste and inefficiency. The average consumer does not always think about what is happening behind the scenes to provide their products and services on-demand. To get a ride within minutes from a company that only uses contract drivers, there are often more vehicles idling around the area than necessary causing congestion, pollution and overall inefficiencies within the ecosystem.
If we are going to continue ordering rides on-demand, we need to cut the number of cars on the road and ensure they are working intelligently together. If we are buying in real time with a delivery to our front door, let's make sure companies plan efficiently to decrease the number of delivery trucks on the road. The advantages and conveniences of the on-demand economy require companies to ensure back-end operations are just as efficient and convenient as the services they provide. Data does not show that happening.
When convenience outpaces infrastructure
In order to fully realize life on-demand, gig companies must optimize the systems currently in place instead of simply adding even more unnecessary capacity. Although it will be difficult at first, companies will need to shift their focus and put as much emphasis on back-end and operations execution as they currently do on the front-end, consumer-facing aspects of the business.
When planning or contemplating a new on-demand service, companies and governments must take into consideration the resources needed to fulfill that demand and ensure it is not exceeded solely to increase convenience at the cost of efficiency. The answer: restructure current "gig-based" models (i.e., using contractors who choose their own job) into resource-directed models (i.e., controlled and actively scheduled resources that work based on a schedule provided by the company). Companies using contractors such as Uber, Lyft and Postmates are prime examples of achieving growth through over-capacity versus operational efficiency.
So what's the difference with these models? Resource-directed models ensure on-demand services are operated efficiently through dynamic optimized scheduling. This means that when you click your ride app, the one most applicable driver will be notified to pick you up instead of a bunch of drivers getting your request (and only knowing your pick-up location and not your destination). The system will take into account your preferences, the drivers' preferences and the company's goals, creating an efficient schedule for all in real time and with less waste.
If you take that to the next step, you could actually optimize between networks, creating a coordinated efficient fabric of resources. While there may be more than a few companies that offer deliveries to your home or workplace, these services will be coordinated through a few efficient scheduling networks that make sure resources are used efficiently for the good of society and the consumer — not just the company operating them. This is not to make for a feel-good, "kumbaya" world, but one where we simply allow sophisticated technology to help us be intelligent in our decisions to the betterment of us all.
The future of on-demand is in your hands
In order to reach this on-demand utopia, companies, governments and cities will need to recognize and address the looming inherent risks in IoT, smart cities and on-demand services. However, it will be the will of the consumers that has the final say. The on-demand economy was created by consumers' desire for convenience and control, and until they demand improvements, things will continue as is.
Take airlines for example. Consumers continue to complain about cancelled flights, poor service and other issues, but planes are still full. United will not be persuaded to provide better customer service unless people actually start boycotting its flights. Uber won't improve its internal issues until consumers stop using it and the company feels it financially. We won't see improvements to the on-demand model until consumers demand increased efficiency and accountability from their beloved Lyfts and Amazons. Actions speak louder than words, and $57.6 billion spent by consumers for on-demand services is saying a lot.
Driverless vans, drones, and the next phase of automated deliveries
Do you remember the futuristic movies that showed us what daily life might look like 50 to 100 years from now: the autonomous cars in Minority Report or the drone deliveries and parachuting packages in The Hunger Games? Well, you might be surprised to learn these formerly futuristic movie effects are slowly but surely becoming our reality.
Drones, driverless vans, delivery bots, and other futuristic technologies have the potential to make a great impact on us day-to-day, making life easier, more immediate, and perhaps even healthier. From less congestion on the roads to real-time deliveries, this would be the new normal for our society.
This stunning transformation has been propelled by overwhelming consumer demand. Recent studies find that consumer spending on on-demand services currently tops $57 billion. And it continues to grow, with new products and services popping up every day as entrepreneurs scramble to capitalize on society's desire for convenience.
With that said, these new technologies — which have not yet been fully tested — have more than a few inherent risks. Some of these risks are related to the technological breakthrough itself: for example, the safety of a delivery drone or the decision-making capabilities of the single autonomous car. The recent traffic fatality involving a self-driving Tesla prompted additional testing and scrutiny almost immediately. But some of these concerns, the ones we should be thinking about sooner rather than later, relate to the deployment of these technologies once they are proven safe. Before they can become commonplace, live operational testing is mandatory to ensure we can deploy these technologies without ending up with a sky overfilled with drones or roads congested with driverless cars — a scenario that could completely erode the potential benefits from these technologies.
To do this and do it right, we need to start thinking about a higher-level network of drones and driverless vehicles. This means taking a look at how they should be deployed, managed, and used so that not only individual consumers benefit from these technologies, but society does as well. We need to think strategically about which services are implanted where.
Delivering to a remote location near you
While our cities suffer the most from road congestion, automation can produce significant value in suburbs and remote areas where population is sparser. In these areas, delivery drones and driverless vans can create greater efficiencies and bring a level of service traditionally missing due to location and economics.
For example, it does not make economic or practical sense to send a driver with a car on a two-hour drive to deliver a single package in a rural community, burning through the driver's time and gas and wearing down the delivery vehicle. The four-hour time frame in itself would take half a workday for a single package, making it a losing proposition. Alternatively, deliveries could be scheduled on a weekly basis, but that solution would greatly diminish the whole concept of "on demand" that consumers have come to expect. To solve this problem, companies like UPS and Mercedes are testing a self-driving van and drone combination for the ultimate solution to the rural delivery challenge. Tying in drone deliveries will bring increased on-demand services to rural areas, along with providing the best R&D environment for drone deployment.
Outside of on-demand deliveries, rural areas will also see an increase in autonomous trucks and vans hauling goods long distance — similar to Uber's successful cross-Colorado beer delivery. Once they reach a metro hub, these long-haul autonomous vehicles will transport their cargo to depots on the outskirts of cities, like Amazon's new cargo hub in Kentucky, where workers will then transfer the shipments to smaller delivery bots or drones and complete the "last mile."
Rural versus urban solutions
Meanwhile, and contrary to popular belief, metro hubs likely won't be the first to see autonomous trucks or vans delivering goods. Since congestion and parking are still two big issues in the city, using a driverless vehicle isn't a solution. In fact, it could create even more problems.
Instead, delivery of Amazon purchases or restaurant orders in dense cities will be done through small bots and sidewalk-based drones, alleviating traffic by minimizing the number of delivery vehicles. A small bot makes a lot of sense in an urban area, as long as it can maneuver the sidewalks of Manhattan or San Francisco with ease and without much risk to its surroundings. Just imagine, your pizza could be delivered by a sidewalk bot soon. Want proof? Five states — Wisconsin, Idaho, Virginia, Florida, and Ohio — recently passed legislation making delivery bots legal on city sidewalks.
Taking both the rural and metro next-gen tech implementations into account, rural areas seem ripe for massive innovation, trials, and change. I myself live in a more rural area, and there are significantly fewer cars on the roads, fewer houses in any given area, no high rises, and a lot more open space. This means lower risk for companies trying new delivery methods and technologies. Think about it: Would we rather have a drone flying over a dense neighborhood with playgrounds and schools underneath or in a more secluded area covered in farmland? Take, for example, the recent news about Amazon's patent applications for a drone delivery tower and packages parachuting down to the receiver. With the cool factor (and resemblance to parachute deliveries to Katniss in The Hunger Games) aside, it would probably be more appropriate to test dropping packages or launching drones from a massive hive in an area with 5-acre homesteads than in a dense townhome community.
While the debate for exactly how smart cities will unfold in the not-so-distant future continues, one thing is certain: Next-gen technologies are not only cool and efficient, they will connect rural and urban areas, providing a higher quality of life for residents of both — ensuring communities are truly "smart." Businesses will be able to provide efficient, low-cost on-demand rapid services at all times (even in rural areas) and with fewer restrictions. In turn, consumers will be able to get an increased level of service. People may find themselves significantly changing their buying patterns and buying more, simply because they can, which increases business.
How Infrastructure Will Tip the Scale to Reach the Era of Life On-Demand – The Fast Mode
Q: IoT services like on-demand deliveries and mobile workforce seem to be on the tip of everyone's tongue. What's the current state of the movement; and, in a perfect world, where do you see it progressing?
A: There's no doubt we're trending toward a world where increased convenience, autonomy and flexibility reign supreme. Every 3out of 10 American workers are employed by the gig economy, more than 22.4 million consumers use on-demand services, annual spending is nearly $58 billion, and new ways to live the convenient 'on-demand life' pop up every day. Soon, on-demand services will expand into new industries and become the norm. Healthcare will be brought to your doorstep both for you and your pets; a mechanic will come to your house to provide any maintenance on your as opposed to taking it to a garage and waiting for hours.
Sounds like the perfect system, right? Unfortunately, companies are currently operating in individual, inefficient silos versus an overarching network of resources. While a number of companies that offer on-demand services, most do so through an over capacity of resources which in turn create more waste than necessary. Eventually, these companies will optimize their own resources through the use of a dynamic optimized scheduling technology connecting their service to a network that ensures resources are used efficiently for the good of our society and consumers. And no – the goal is not to create a feel good, "kumbaya" world, but simply one where we allow sophisticated technology to help us make more efficient and intelligent decisions.
Q: How long will it take for companies involved to implement and adopt a connected, IoT system?
A: If companies decided they wanted to do this, we could be there in the next five years. When you remove the autonomous aspects – for example, assume delivery cars still have drivers and drones are not en-mass yet – all the necessary technology is in place already. It is the will of companies and entrepreneurs to do what is right that is lacking.
Q: What roadblocks — obvious or unexpected — exist when it comes to merging IoT services?
A: Since life on-demand emerged out of the need for convenience, efficiency never topped the list of company priorities. As a result, the backend infrastructure of smart IoT technologies are grossly underdeveloped, creating systematic inefficiencies which hold us back as a society from truly realizing an intelligent, "smart" future.
Currently, gig-companies are focused on capturing short term market share without any regard to backend waste. While this may seem like a winning proposition, this will come back to haunt them at some point as it is not sustainable. As IoT becomes increasingly intertwined with these services, updated infrastructure will become critical to tip the scales into the era of life on-demand.
Companies like Uber, PostMates, and GrubHub must rethink their backend infrastructure to be able to continue executing on this convenience. The 'sharing economy' model was interesting and nice to use to get ahead, but it's time to think long term and manage resources efficiently and fairly. This includes the resources (i.e. people) that enable these companies to be successful. And no, using the so called 'sharing economy' is not answering that. Data shows us the introduction of Uber and Lyft has not reduced the number of cars on the road – and in fact, might have had the opposite effect.
Q: How critical is infrastructure when it comes to services like on-demand, last mile delivery and transportation?
A: Services are currently growing unchecked, and a much faster rate than legacy infrastructure can support. This is causing inefficiencies the general public does not yet understand such as congestion, pollution, and underpaid workers. When planning or contemplating a new on-demand service, companies need consider how many vehicles, personnel and other resources are truly necessary to fulfill that demand – and then use only that number.
Q: Infrastructure and overall inefficiencies are difficult to connect with on the individual level. Why should consumers care? How will this affect them in the future?
A: Our society claims to be a more aware than we were a generation ago. Discussions of global warming, healthcare, and other "big ticket" concerns are in the news every day. And yet, as consumers, we seem to give little thought to the fact there are too many cars driving around, burning gas, creating emissions and congestion all for the sake of picking up a passenger or delivering your food so you don't have to grab it yourself.
It is nice to be on the receiving side of an on-demand delivery, but we need to start thinking about the other side of this – the fulfillment side. If the company you receive a delivery from does not employ the driver or control their schedule, rather rely on a driver willing to accept the 'gig' with an app, more drivers than necessary will be roaming the streets with empty cars waiting to fulfill an order. If we want to achieve a truly on-demand economy that is actually beneficial to all, we need to come to the decision to become more efficient as a society.
BoldIQ CEO to speak at Elevate 2017 by Air Cargo World
Roei Ganzarski, CEO of BoldIQ will be speaking at Elevate 2017 in Miami on October 2nd.
This second annual Elevate 2017 presented by Air Cargo World, dives into innovation in the air freight industry with groundbreaking seminars and networking with elite industry executives. Their diverse panels facilitate unique discussion on the industry and provide key insights that will inspire the transformation of the air freight industry.
Ganzarski will sit on the first panel: Using Next-Gen Technology to Solve Logistics Problems. Thee he will discuss digital logistics; real-world problem solving; and e-commerce, all from the perspective of real-time dynamic optimization software and how it will help drive the next generation of logistics solutions.
Click here for more information on the conference.
About BoldIQ
Advanced planning and scheduling powered by operational AI for aviation, logistics and other complex operations.
15821 NE 8th St. Suite 200
Phone: +1(412) 4-BoldIQ
Email: info@boldiq.com
©2020 BoldIQ - Privacy Policy