Retail in San Francisco is hard for the little guy. Shoppers have migrated to mobile. Commercial tenants have no rent control protections. A new minimum wage law has taken effect, amounting to a 40% increase over the next five years.
Larger retail chains -- Target being the most visible example, opening three stores in the past five years in the city, with plans for more -- can absorb these inflating costs with savings elsewhere, whereas for locally-owned shops these pressures seem sure to decimate already-slim margins. One might expect to see book, hardware and video rental stores retreat into the annals of history, barely missed by today's spoiled shoppers, who have all the world's inventory at their fingertips.
In defiance of this foregone conclusion, a growing number of San Francisco's locally-owned small businesses have begun innovating and iterating to save their lives.
The first sign of this resistance came in February, at a public meeting held by Alan Beatts, owner of Borderlands Books on Valencia Street. Beatts had called the meeting to discuss his decision to close the bookstore in order to avoid a slower death at the hands of the mandatory wage increase. An incredibly varied crowd of about 300 turned out to pack the bookstore's adjacent cafe -- there were weirdos and professionals, goths and hippies, old and young, townies and newcomers. All were bound together by a shared love of reading science fiction, fantasy, mystery and horror and of finding their next title in a brick and mortar store.
When news of the store's closure had reached local media weeks before, Internet comment threads roiled with outrage that a store-owner would have the temerity to blame the minimum wage ordinance for the demise of his business. The law is popular, the result of a voter initiative passed at the ballot last November with 77 percent of the vote. It's supporters considered it a progressive triumph -- a thumb in the eye of big business and a rare glimmer of hope for the City's less-than-rich. The city's minimum wage is set to increase each year until it reaches $15 an hour in 2018.
I spoke outside with Beatts before he took the stage. It was plain that he wasn't relishing the idea of explaining himself from the makeshift stage, to a crowd he worried had arrived loaded with its own convictions. He'd already laid out his position at length on the store's website, and more recently over the airwaves on the local ABC affiliate and MSNBC's Morning Joe. The story had been picked up by the New Yorker, NPR and Breitbart (the last with a gleeful schadenfreude you can probably well imagine). Beatt's rationale was simple -- his margins were slim, and he couldn't raise the price of his merchandise to compensate for the increase in his costs. The prices are printed right on the covers. The numbers didn't look good, so he was getting out while he could.
Beatts lingered outside, steeling himself for his task. When he did finally step through the door to take his seat on stage, he wore the stoic look of a man ascending the gallows.
When I spoke to him two days later, Alan Beatts was beaming. He almost choked up as he recounted the meeting and the quick chain of events that followed. As a last-ditch effort to save the store, it was proposed that he sell yearly $100 sponsorships. Although details of the benefits which would accrue to the sponsors had yet to be ironed out, he met his goal of 300 sponsors in the first 24 hours. Three months later, the tally has climbed to nearly 800.
That's $80,000, which may seem paltry by Silicon Valley standards, but for Beatts it's enough to ensure he'll stay in the black for some time to come.
Bryan Hibbs was also in the Borderlands cafe that evening in February.
In 1989, at the age of 21, Hibbs opened Comix Experience on Divisadero St. with $10,000 and his own comics collection. In 2013, he purchased a second store in the Sunset.
"I bought the new shop based on old math," Hibbs told me this week, "Now it's money loser. I thought maybe I could live that American Dream, you know. I'm not the 1%, I take the bus and my wife's car is 11 years old. These are the type of small businesses that are going to be hurt the most, the ones that are trying to grow or expand, or are just starting out."
It was at the Borderlands community meeting that Hibbs struck upon an idea to save his business.
"I was sitting next to a woman that I know, but who isn't all that into comics. She told me that she didn't really know where to begin, but if I would pick out a comic every month and send it to her, she would buy it. And a lightbulb just went off," Hibbs said.
Since then, he has purchased the domain graphicnovelclub.com and set out to do just that. For $20 a month, anyone in the world can sign up to receive the comic that Hibbs and his staff deem to be the best release that month. He's also just set up a $15 a month graphic novel of the month club for kids. In addition to the book shipment, club members can attend or watch monthly book-club meetings, often featuring call-ins from the books' artists and authors.
Hibbs reckons that he needs to sell 334 club memberships this year, and six weeks in he has sold nearly two hundred. Within a block of his Divisadero location, two other small businesses -- a longtime mom-and-pop run cafe and a convenience store -- have closed up shop in that same timeframe after rent increases.
Just a few blocks down Valencia Street from Borderlands, Lost Weekend Video is staging a similar campaign.
"We're basically throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks," co-owner Christy Colcord told me by phone yesterday.
In 2012, the cineast treasure-trove added live-performance to their business model, programming stand-up and sketch comedy in their 25-seat basement "theater" (dubbed the CineCave) five nights a week. Last fall co-owner Dave Hawkins told me that, were it not for the success of these CineCave shows, the store might have closed already.
This Spring, Lost Weekend has ratcheted up the experimentation. They've consolidated their 27,000 titles into half of the space and rented the front half of the unit to Oakland-based record shop 1234Go!. They launched an IndieGoGo campaign to save the store which raised over $35,000. Currently, the store is selling tiered membership plans for $100, $250, and $500 per year.
Each of these three businesses has built a devoted followings over many years, and occupies a cultural niche that comes preloaded with die-hard fandom. If any small businesses can parlay customer support into a new revenue stream, it's these ones. And while I am thrilled that Borderlands will live to sell another year, and hopeful for Comix Experience and Lost Weekend, it's clear that these new models won't work for everyone. It's an idea that just can't scale. Who is going to sponsor their corner store, or sign up for a hammer-of-the-month club?
Still, these unconventional new business plans have bucked a trend and flipped a narrative. And there are signs that they won't stop there. Beatts has said that, once he catches up with the data-entry burden his new model entails, he plans to help independent, locally-owned businesses to organize and wade into the political sphere.
Here again the small-retailers seem to be adopting a methodology that has worked well for the tech sector: lobbying local government.
One emerging vehicle for this effort is the San Francisco Locally Owned Business Alliance, a loose coalition of some 200 businesses, from booksellers and clothiers to hardware stores and professional services. While it lacks the 'bandwidth' -- in terms of both time and money -- of tech coalition Sf.Citi, SFLOMA has a compelling case to make at City Hall on behalf of its members, replete with hooks that local politicians usually can't resist. Jobs. Taxes. Quality of Life.
The SFLOMA website is armed to the teeth with studies demonstrating the outsized impact that independent, locally-owned businesses have on the life of the city.
SFLOMA's volunteer Executive Director Hut Landon believes there is hope for the city's small businesses despite the pronounced economic upheaval afoot.
In addition to organizing, SFLOMA hopes to divide the labor of engaging with City Hall. There is reason to believe that legislators may be receptive to their arguments. Last summer, SFLOMA's leadership played an instrumental role in reworking the minimum-wage-raise ordinance, which originally would have raised the wage to $15 an hour in one fell swoop. Instead a compromise was reached, and the current graduated schedule of increase was implemented.
Landon says he supports the wage increase, and that now is the time for small businesses to press their advantage.
"What we are really pushing for is to ask the City to help independent businesses if they care about them. We have some of the highest business expenses in the country, with permits and Healthy SF and mandatory transportation benefits. And then you add the minimum wage increase. And that's fine, do all that, but can you do something to help us out too?"
He has some very specific ideas for what the City could do to affirm its support for local businesses.
"Rent is the most pressing issue, because business owners have no control over it. With payroll there are things you can do, but if the landlord says this is the rent, then that is the rent."
Landon has two proposals to incentivize landlords to rent to local retailers at rates they can afford. And neither of them is rent control, which he deems a lost cause.
The first is a tax break (he evokes Mayor Ed Lee's deal with Twitter as an example) for landlords who rent to independently owned small businesses at below market rate rents. The second involves counteracting a Federal policy which rewards landlords who keep a commercial unit vacant with a tax write-off.
"What happens is an independent business will go and say we are interested in going in here and the landlord says ok, but its cheaper for me to take the tax write-off and leave it vacant than to rent to you at a rate you can afford. Could the City look at a tax on landlord's leaving property vacant for more than six months?"
San Francisco today is an economic success story that is the envy of the nation, and increasingly a destination for the best-educated and most highly-skilled to pursue a career. Almost none of those people need pickaxes and shovels, but they do need screwdrivers and duct tape and socks. Some of them might even still read books. Nearly all of them enjoy the city's vaunted restaurants, cafes and bars. Small businesses are a big part of what makes San Francisco such a desirable place to live, a significant reason that corporate shuttles roar through the streets ferrying workers to Silicon Valley office parks in the first place.
In the midst of a storm of business pressures, the modest dreamers behind the city's beloved storefronts are adopting the tech industry's lingo and stripping it of PR shellac -- leverage your community, share, innovate, iterate, bootstrap, cooperate with local government.
SPONSORED: Partnering with Intuit Developer will help expose your apps to millions of small businesses with an appetite for innovation. Add yours to the list.


text:
Spectrum (스펙트럼) was a South Korean boy band formed by WYNN Entertainment. Their lineup at the time of their disbandment consisted of six members: Minjae, Jaehan, Hwarang, Villain, and Eunjun. Originally a seven-piece group, member Dongyoon died on July 27, 2018, of undisclosed causes. They were planned to debut in October 2017, however, it was delayed due to their participation in Mix Nine. They officially debuted on May 10, 2018 with "Be Born". The group disbanded on July 10, 2020 due to the company's worsening situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea.

Members
Former
Dongyoon (동윤) - main rapper
Minjae (민재) - leader, vocalist
Donggyu (동규) - vocalist
Jaehan (재한) - main vocalist
Hwarang (화랑) - rapper
Villain (빌런) - rapper
Eunjun (은준) - vocalist

Discography

Extended plays

Single albums

Digital singles

References

K-pop music groups
South Korean boy bands
South Korean dance music groups
Musical groups from Seoul
Musical groups established in 2018
Musical groups disestablished in 2020
2018 establishments in South Korea
2020 disestablishments in South Korea
South Korean pop music groups
Music groups disestablished due to the COVID-19 pandemic

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The amount of new cases of blindness and extreme visual loss in Denmark, has been cut in half over the past ten years.
Researchers studied the record of 11,848 new cases of legal blindness, and discovered the rate of AMD dropped from 522 cases per million inhabitants aged 50 years or older in 2000, to 257 cases per million in 2010, which shows a 50 percent reduction.
The main reason for the decline is because of a new treatment for wet Age-related mascular degeneration (AMD). AMD is a deterioration or breakdown of the eye's macula. The macula is a tiny area in the retina that is responsible for central vision, and allows you to see the details of images clearly. It is the most common cause for blindness in the western world.
Wet AMD is when leaking blood vessels form under the the part of the retina that is responsible for sharp central vision. The treatment entails repeated injections into the eye, with medication that suppresses the signaling molecule vasular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).
VEGF is a distress signal released from ailing cells of the aging retina, and causes formation of brittle blood vessels that leak blood and create scar formation under the fovea, which is the part of the eye needed for reading. Wet AMD causes people to lose reading ability quite frequently.
These findings were published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology.


We have set up this website for all those people with a WADNER surname.
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Want to become a MEMBER See our MEMBERSHIP page.
Not everyone called Wadner is related, but if you want to see if you are one of those that is related then why not join in. Even if your not related, we can explain to you why and possibly show you your own origins.
This page will also show information on the place in India called Wadner and the Gambia connection.
Navigation of the website is by the menu to the right, and clicking on the site logo will bring you back to this page at any time.


text:
The best way to wash pesticide residue off apples is good old baking soda
Most of us just rinse an apple off under the tap before we eat it (if that), but new research suggests we need to put in a bit more effort for the cleanest possible fruit.
US chemists set about determining the most effective way to wash pesticide residue off of apples for a study published in the American Chemical Society's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
The scientists applied two common pesticides to organic apples (which are grown without pesticides): the fungicide thiabendazole, which has been shown to penetrate apple peels, and the insecticide phosmet.
The apples were washed with three different liquids: plain tap water, a 1 percent baking soda/water solution, and a commercial bleach solution used to wash produce.
Scanning the apples' surfaces revealed the baking soda solution was best at reducing pesticide levels: 80 percent of the thiabendazole and 96 percent of the phosmet was removed. The tap water and the bleach were "far less effective" at washing off the pesticides.
"In the presence of NaHCO3 [the chemical name for sodium bicarbonate, aka baking soda], thiabendazole and phosmet can degrade, which assists the physical removal force of washing," concluded the paper.
"However, the NaHCO3 method was not completely effective in removing residues that have penetrated into the apple peel."
RELATED: The rise of 'chemophobia' and what to do about it
Peeling an apple is the best way to minimise pesticide exposure — but the study's authors noted that if you lose the peel, you also lose the nutritious "bioactive compounds" contained in the peel.
(Note that the scientists washed the apples with the baking soda solution for more than 10 minutes, so this method is ultimately of more use to apple growers and sellers than to us consumers.)
Pesticide residue is a Big Deal to consumers: Every year, the US-based non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG) releases its "dirty dozen" list of the fruits and vegetables said to have the highest pesticide residue, which regularly earns big headlines.
But pesticides are necessary to grow produce on the massive scale demanded by our way of life, and some food scientists believe that fearing them discourages people from eating their fruit and veggies — which matters, because only one in 20 Australians eats their recommended daily servings.
In Australia, the maximum limits for pesticide residue are tightly regulated, so the health benefits of eating fruit and vegetables
"A huge body of peer-reviewed research shows the positive benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, including conventionally grown produce [treated with pesticides]," a trio of US scientists wrote for The Conversation earlier in 2017.
"Consumers should not avoid fruits and vegetables simply out of fear, or because they cannot afford the often higher cost of organic fruits and vegetables. No fruits or vegetables are nutritious until they're eaten."
RELATED: Your guide to fruit and vegetable serving sizes

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Two projects which will trial the use of recycled plasterboard in agricultural applications have received funding from WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme). The two projects form part of WRAP's programme to broaden the range of potential end-uses for recycled plasterboard as a means of stimulating market demand.
The Dairy Group, one of the leading independent dairy consultancies in the UK and Europe, has been awarded a contract worth £69,000 to develop and evaluate the potential of using a bedding material made from recycled plasterboard for dairy cattle.
There are currently 2.2 million dairy cows in the UK that require some form of bedding during the winter housing period. The UK dairy industry uses around 9,200 tonnes of bedding every day, equivalent to a total of 1.7 million tonnes during this whole period. The total value of this market is estimated at £66m per year.
Inorganic materials, such as recycled plasterboard, have great potential as a bedding material for dairy cows as they restrict bacterial growth and promote udder health. In addition, if just five per cent of dairy farmers were to adopt this type of bedding, then more than 80,000 tonnes of waste plasterboard could be diverted from landfill.
Recycled plasterboard has reportedly been used on a handful of farms in the UK, but in an ad-hoc way without any trials or other evidence gathered to ascertain effects on animal welfare or milk quality. This project will develop a specification for the material and provide a rigorous evaluation - through research, trials and testing regimes – of its use as a bedding material on dairy farms.
an economic evaluation to determine the potential financial benefits of its use.
The project, which is due to finish in October 2006, will describe - through a detailed case study and technical report - the practical considerations of using recycled plasterboard for this purpose, and highlight any special recommendations.
In the second project, Velcourt Ltd, the largest farm management company in the UK and with a leading research & development department, has been awarded a contract worth £53,000 to demonstrate that recycled gypsum from waste plasterboard can be an effective soil conditioner on commercial arable farms.
Application of gypsum to soils, particularly heavy soils, has previously been found to improve soil structure, and there are also indications it can improve the efficiency of uptake of nutrients and minerals by plants. These effects have both economic and environmental benefits through extending the weather windows in which the land can be worked, improved plant health, and allowing more efficient use of inorganic fertilisers.
The increasing cost of virgin mineral gypsum has deterred many farmers from its use. Recycled gypsum is not fundamentally different from mineral gypsum but can be obtained at much lower cost.
This project will compare recycled gypsum derived from waste plasterboard against virgin mineral gypsum to demonstrate that the beneficial effects it can provide are at least equivalent. This will be rigorously evaluated through two sets of controlled field trials, one on potatoes between February and November 2006 and the other on winter wheat between September 2006 and August 2007.
In addition, the trials will aim to establish the extent to which recycled gypsum can improve the efficiency of nutrient uptake. These will include assessments of crop yield and quality, changes in soil structure and nutrient status, as well as the relative costs of production. A scaled programme of inorganic fertilisers will be used in the trials to enable the results to be directly applied to commercial farms.
The project will deliver a technical report to include the statistically analysed trial data and a cost benefit analysis from both an economic and environmental perspective. It will also include a specification for the recycled gypsum and guidance on its use as a soil additive.


Can I Be Compensated When I Was A Passenger In A Car Accident?
Blog I Was A Passenger In A Car Accident. Can I Be Compensated?
I Was A Passenger In A Car Accident. Can I Be Compensated?
Were you an injured passenger in a car accident? If so, you should know that there are ways you can be compensated for the damages you suffered. Here's how you can get compensation for losses incurred since your accident, including your medical bills.
First things first: write down the details of the accident before you forget. Keep thorough notes throughout the process by recording and saving any information related to the accident. Store medical records and bills in a safe place. Write down all the damages you suffer—from pain you might experience to days you weren't able to work. The more you have a record of, the better.
You might feel a little like a fish out of water during this experience. It's not easy to navigate all that comes from an accident injury—from hospital expenses to insurance claims.
One way you can feel confident and comfortable throughout the process is by talking to an Odessa personal injury lawyer. At Robert White, law attorneys, we provide you with all the information and direction you need, as well as answer any and all questions you have along the way. Our mission is to help you receive the compensation you deserve.
Make a third party insurance claim against who was at fault for the car accident. This is called a "third party" claim because it will be under a policy that's not yours. You can usually file a claim against either of these liability insurance policies: The policy of the driver or owner of the vehicle you were in during the accident, or the policy of the driver or owner of another car involved in the accident.
You might need to make multiple claims if one driver's policy will not cover your damages. For example, if the cost of your medical bills, but the driver of the car during your accident has a lesser amount of liability coverage than the cost of your medical bills, your medical bills won't be completely covered. In this case, you may want to file an additional claim against the insurance policy of another driver involved in the accident. If this sounds complicated, don't worry, an Odessa personal injury lawyer will advise you as to whether or not you can, or should, make multiple claims.
MedPay coverage is part of many automobile insurance policies. It comes in handy when your claim is still under review, but your medical bills are due. Just know that MedPay only covers your medical expenses, and only will pay for a certain amount of those expenses. Find out what the limit is for your policy so that if you need to, you can file other claims. Talk to your lawyer to see what he or she thinks would be best for you.
An Odessa personal injury lawyer at Robert White, attorney at law, can help you receive the compensation you deserve if you were recently an injured passenger in a car accident. Contact us today for a consultation or for more information regarding your case.


In my hair? On my sandwich?
"It's not working as a hair product."
No, mayonnaise isn't really good for that. Then again, I've heard it can make for some shiny locks.
I'm laughing so hard right now! This may be the best chef mumble yet!


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A tool for the mainstream enthusiast, the Sapphire X1600 XT packs enough hardware muscle to deliver far off worlds, exploding with life, right to your desktop! Equipped with the awesome feature-set of the RADEON X1600 XT core, a robust onboard memory configuration and 12 pipeline architecture the X1600 XT is the definitive gaming solution for today and the titles of tomorrow . An impressive hardware compilation promising unparalleled speed with CrossFire™ support, HD Display connectivity with Avivo™ and support for Microsoft® DirectX® 9.0 Shader Model 3.0 ensures future compatibly and that you will not have to limit your fantasies to just your desktop.
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Will post if bundled with other items. No exchanges, refunds and some swaps. Negotiable, just message me. :) Furniture must be picked up. Available in the Sydney CBD, UNSW, Cabramatta, Chatswood, Zetland etc.
Does not include a watch, just the box, box cover and paper carry bag. Great, sturdy box and bag. Authentic.
Bag, card and box included, brand new and never worn but will be taken to be cleaned before meetup. RRP $205. Serious offers only.
ITEMS FROM $3 LAST CHANCE!!
Selling everything! Make me an offer or you will miss out! I look after my things, you won't be disappointed. These will be packed and sent to charity or the bin in 2 weeks so DON'T WAIT! Lots of BNWT so just ask!
ORIGINALLY $10! Pretty top, worn a few times and really like it but need to declutter!
First pic is the front, 2nd is the back.
Bought the wrong cup size.
See through, a few threads coming out. Otherwise in great condition, not even noticable.
Barely worn, great quality! I usually fit a 10.
Worn just for the picture, cute eye catching rings!


text:
Long Wait Ends For Robert Nkemdiche, Cordrea Tankersley
Alain Poupart
Lead Writer
Defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche had to wait a while to participate in his first practice with the Dolphins, but that was nothing compared to the wait cornerback Cordrea Tankersley.
The wait ended for both players Wednesday when they were able to practice for the first time after being placed on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list when the Dolphins cut their roster to the 53-man limit Sept. 1.
Nkemdiche, the former first-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals in the 2016 NFL draft, signed with the Dolphins in August.
"It felt amazing," Nkemdiche said. "Just being able to work, back to being there and being able to get on the field with my guys. (Head) Coach (Brian) Flores, he gave me the opportunity to be here and do that and come out and keep living my dream as an NFL player. It's amazing. The guys in the training room have done such a great job — staying consistent, staying on top of me to make sure I do everything to get this thing possibly right. It's feeling amazing. I'm going to keep going, take it day by day and just growing and elevating and get ready to get back out there."
Ryan Fitzpatrick Excited, Happy For Opportunity To Start Again
Davon Godchaux, Dolphins Defense Excited To Face Frank Gore & Bills
Top News: Josh Rosen Understands Change At QB
Tankersley, meanwhile, hadn't practiced since last November when he sustained a knee injury in practice that landed him on injured reserve in his second season with the Dolphins.
The injury ended a disappointing season for Tankersley, who appeared in six games with no starts after starting all 11 games he played as a rookie third-round pick in 2017.
"It felt great to knock some of that rust off, get back running with the crew," Tankersley said. "It's just exciting. It's a blessing. It's been a long process, but just happy to be back out there with my teammates. Felt great."
Per NFL rules, the Dolphins will have three weeks from Wednesday (Nov. 6) to make a determination on each player's status for the rest of the 2019 season.
The Dolphins can activate either or both players; keep them on PUP for the rest of the season; or release them.
"We have some time," Head Coach Brian Flores said. "We have a little time. It's a good opportunity to take a look at these guys — both 'Tank' and Rob — and really kind of get them into a practice setting, some individuals, some team drills, some group drills. It's been a long time for both guys since they've stepped on a field in a competitive environment. I never want to rush things. We've got some time. Look, if they look like they're ready to go, nobody wants to see those guys out there more than I do. But at the same time, this is a hard game to play, so we'll do what we feel is best for them individually and us as a team."
Nkemdiche was the 29th overall selection in the 2016 draft and he appeared in seven games in his three seasons with Arizona. He made six starts, all of them coming last year.
He's happy about his opportunity in Miami.
"It's just the best," he said. "Honestly, it's the best. You have an opportunity and you just want to make the best out of whatever situation you're in, honestly. I'm here and I'm going to do everything possible in my soul and my energy and my spirit to make sure I'm doing everything I could possibly to do be the best player I can be here, and I will. I'm going to keep going and I'm going to keep going and get out there and dominate and just keep elevating."
Taking A Breath of Fresh Air: Zach Sieler's Story
We sit down with DT Zach Sieler and his family to discuss his love of the outdoors and journey to South Florida.
Shula Gets the Tribute He Richly Deserved
Andy Cohen reflects on Don Shula's Celebration of Life at Hard Rock Stadium on October 2, 2021.
Memories of a Lifetime with Don Shula
The Dolphins' longtime media relations director, Harvey Greene, reflects on a lifetime of memories with the inimitable Don Shula.
Jakeem Grant Wants To Go Fast
The wide receiver practices like he plays: fast.
Meet The Rookies: Brandon Jones
Character and desire: This is Brandon Jones' journey to the NFL.
Miami Dolphins 2020 Schedule Breakdown
Travis Wingfield details the key facts for each of Miami's 16 games.
Breaking Down The Dolphins' 14 Picks
The Miami Dolphins have league-high 14 selections in the 2020 NFL Draft.
2020 NFL Draft | Mock Draft Roundup 4.0
The idea of the Dolphins taking a quarterback with their first of three first-round picks is even more widespread than before.
Chris Grier's Pre-Draft Press Conference
The Dolphins GM answered questions leading into next week's NFL Draft.
Throwback Thursday: 1985 Dolphins Bears Monday Night Football
Nat Moore on Don Shula, Dan Marino, and the big win.
2020 Free Agency Class Coming Into Focus
The first four players officially joining the team are Byron Jones, Ted Karras, Ereck Flowers and Clayton Clayton Fejedelem.
Humble And Hungry: The Brian Flores Story
Brian Flores was made in Brooklyn.


Beginners who have no web design experience can benefit from a website builder.
What Are the Advantages of Doing It Myself?
The biggest and most obvious advantage is cost. You will have to pay for hosting and your domain but, compared to the fees you would have to pay a professional web designer, it's just peanuts.
Another advantage is that you'll have a lot of control.
Need to rebrand or just don't like what you've come up with? Pick a new template. It's usually pretty easy to convert what you already have into what you want.
How Can I Choose A Website Builder?
These days, it's really simple to make your own professional looking website.
While you once had to know something about programming and have an eye for what design, all you need to do now is find the right website builder, and most of the hard work is done for you.
There are a lot of website builders out there for every kind of business and every level of experience. Some allow you to have a lot of control while others help you by giving you a template that you only have to fill in.
So, which website builder is best?
The truth is there is no one-size-fits-all answer. It depends on what kind of a site you want and how well you get along with the design interface.
We have compiled five website building platforms for review.
Those taking the do-it-yourself route need to choose simple software to build a website.
We have also reviewed these and picked the overall best website builder software.
The overall favorite web design software is Wix. It is easy to sign-up with, use, and build a business website. There are 70 different categories of templates from which to choose.
The intuitive drag-and-drop site builder is user-friendly. Wix is an excellent choice for beginners who want an easy to manage solution for building a website.
There are more than 63 million global users. The service is free. As the builder becomes, more adept an upgrade to a paid plan that ranges in cost from $5 to $25 per month will be needed.
The primary focus of this website development platform is to make the process of website building as easy and straightforward as possible. Highly effective advertising campaigns have made the software well-known.
Using the drag-and-drop interface makes creating anything from a single page website to an eCommerce store with multiple categories and all other aspects of website design easy. Additional services and apps integrate well with the platform's Wix App Market.
Embedded HTML, contact forms and social media feeds can be added. The blog feature is a bit of a downfall. It sometimes loads slowly and doesn't compare with competitors such as BoldGrid and SquareSpace.
Data could not be exported from the website if you were to choose another platform. Even with the few issues the software has, the reviewers rated it as nine out of ten.
One of the most intuitive and most uncomplicated site builders available on the market is SiteBuilder. You do not have to be a computer whiz to build and publish a website easily.
It has all the tools needed to setup and run a simple website. The software includes a basic eCommerce store provided by ECWID. ECWID is an eCommerce platform that enables businesses and individuals to create or add an online store to a website.
SiteBuilder has a large selection of pre-made templates that provide plenty of designs from which to choose. The Endurance International Group (EIG) uses the program across various brands owned by the group.
The editor is quite good. It is among the most straightforward and most accessible options from which to choose. Users get a combination of control and convenience. The software is appreciated by web developers and raved about by those wanting to build a website affordably.
Each paid plan provides a free custom domain that is free for life. Beware, however, of a possible misconception caused by an advertisement that lists free email and free domain under free website on the homepage.
The management leaves a little to be desired. Complaints of poor customer support, confusing branding, and questionable billing issues have been lodged. It is an excellent tool in need of better management. A user at any skill level can build a decent website at an affordable cost with minor downfalls to overlook.
The feature-rich and powerful eCommerce capabilities are well-known and a popular choice for website builders. Weebly is an excellent choice for businesses wanting to sell services and products online.
The business plan is on the pricey end of the spectrum but offers everything needed to set up, an online store professionally the interface is not as intuitive as SiteBuilder or Wix. Learning how to use it can be challenging and take some time.
Frustration ends when the users get the hang of it. More themes are slowly being added to the limited number in the collection. Weebly has eCommerce and blogging features. There are more than 40 million active users.
Top publications such as Entrepreneur Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, and TIME Magazine have featured Weebly software. TIME listed it among the 50 Best Websites. Professional web developers appreciate the flexibility offered by the ability to export from the website, edit CSS/HTML codes, and change templates.
Online stores with basic to medium traffic, personal website owners, and small business owners find Weebly to be an ideal choice.
Large images make the templates very visual. The designs are elegant, yet simple. The templates are similar to Weebly's less customizable platform but include genuinely responsive designed templates and clean URLs.
The platform is reasonably priced, and a two-week free trial that requires no credit card is available. Squarespace can be purchased from Amazon when an upgrade to a paid plan is needed.
The comprehensive marketing tools offered by Squarespace engage visitors, get found across social and search, and grow a website's following.
BoldGrid is a plugin for WordPress. Sites that need WordPress functionality and features choose BoldGrid. WordPress is technically a Content Management System (CMS). Many argue it is the best website building choice if you are building websites for small businesses.
Beginners and professionals use it. WordPress is a powerful platform with many features. Most web developers and designers love using it. Over 25 percent of all websites on the Internet use it.
It is more complicated than most website builders and has a learning curve that is steeper. BoldGrid attempts to fix the problem. The use of BoldGrid harnesses the power of WordPress and makes building websites more accessible. If you can handle the technical aspects, it is the best free website building software on the market.
We hope that this website building software comparison helped you narrow down your options.
If you are not the DIY kind of person, considering hiring a professional.


Recently, we gave a report on four monosuits from HMK, Klim, FXR and Motorfist in our Monosuit Shootout. When we received these suits, with them came some other outerwear test gear that we'll cover here. We've reported on the Motorfist Argo Avy bag here in a separate article.
Here is a quick recap of some goggles, boots, and a helmet we've tested this past year.
At Snowmobile.com we are both picky and critical about, and on, helmets, boots, and goggles. To the point, the HMK F2 carbon helmet is one the best helmets we've worn. Made by Fly for HMK, the helmet's shell, called "composite construction" is built from aircraft-grade woven carbon fiber and Kevlar. It has multiple intake ports to pull fresh air in and has anti-fog vents to vent moisture. It also comes with a helmet-specific breath box. This helmet is light on the head, roomy, and gives an excellent peripheral view and mates well to HMK's Carbon and Vapor goggle.
For companion goggles, the dual lens Carbon helmet with the F2 helmet and breath box, fought – very well so – fogging and moisture buildup. Coincidently, even without the F2's breath box, the Carbon goggle was resistant to moisture buildup. However, the Vapor goggle, not so much. On warm, wet, and sticky snow days, the Vapor goggle would easily fog, especially without the breath box. In short, when using the Vapor goggle, be sure to use the F2's breath box. For both goggles, the smoke-colored, amber-mirror and yellow-colored lenses knocked out glare on bluebird days. On white-out days, the worst kind of riding day, the mirror-finish amber lens on the Vapor goggle brought out terrain detail, giving us riding confidence.
The Carbon goggle by HMK, for us, performed well with or without a breath box. Mated to HMK's F2 carbon helmet, the goggle functioned well on cold and warm days.
For years, HMK boots have been a fave boot for the Snowmobile.com mountain team. HMK's Summit Dual Boa boot is a boot we came to trust throughout two winter seasons, 2016 and 2017, and current 2017 and 2018. The dual Boa cable system assures a snug fit where wanted and somewhat loose fit where wanted. The boots are easy to slip on and take off.
This boot is considered waterproof and breathable by use of its high-tech inner membrane. Its heel and sole absorb impacts and the abrasions from a running board's serrated edge. Its contoured cuff at the calf level and its pre-curved tongue help prevent lower leg cramping. Lastly, it has a Kevlar upper which makes it mountain tough. Dang good boot it is.
The boot is warm. We learned that a light sock, like HMK's Weekend Warrior sock, is all that's needed. On one particularly cold day, we wore a heavily-insulated sock. Soon, the boot's membrane could not keep up exhausting-out our sweat. At all times, wear the correct sock. With this boot, like any Boa boot, adjustments are needed throughout the day; feet swell when under load. Lace-up boots are not as easy to adjust as a Boa boot, but the HMK Summit Dual Boa boot makes fit-and-wear simple.
From Klim we tested its OCULUS goggle. We covered the OCULUS goggle's introduction last year in a feature Ideas for Backcountry Snowmobile Gear.
After a season with the OCULUS goggle, we've come to find our way to wearing this goggle again and again. Sr. Test Rider, Kevin Allred swiped these from Mountain Editor Matt Allred and did not return the fine product until late Spring. When we visit our high-mountain test base camp, our rides depend on visibility and moisture control. We separate how well – or not – a snowmobile performs from our clothing and safety equipment evaluations. But, if a goggle severely underperforms, our ability to max out a snowmobile evaluation on any given day is cut down. As mountain riders, we put as much emphasis on goggles, gloves, and boots as we do on the 800 mountain snowmobile's track and skis. The goggle and helmet development crew understand this.
Dual Density ABS+PC+TPU (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene+polycarbonate+thermal plastic urethane). These are stout plastic compounds formulated for resisting cracking, shattering, weather-aging and are impact resistant (for its density and thickness.
The goggle's wide periphery gave us excellent panoramic views for riding. No more excessive head swiveling to see what's hiding right or left. The slide-lock lens hinge made changing out a lens hassle-free. But, practice swapping out the optional lens from the comfort of your home before doing so in the backcountry.
By the way, what does OCULUS mean? It means 1) an eye; 2; a circular opening, especially one at the apex of a dome; and 3, a design representing an eye. The real matter is, did Klim's OCULUS goggle work as intended? Yes, better than we expected. It did and continues to fight fogging. It also works to let moisture exhaust out and away from the front facial area. Its wide view is more than just right, it is also wide left. Get it? And its lens swap-out feature makes wearing the correct lens for differing light conditions, a snap – literally and figuratively.
When taking on the steep-and-deep in the Rocky Mountains, choose your clothing wisely. The wrong boot, glove, helmet and goggle can take a good day and make it bad. Do not depend on general motocross goggles and helmets to provide winter protection. Likewise, boots made for shoveling snow are not meant for backcountry riding. Also, if in a lost or overnight situation, the right protective wear can make a long day or an all-nighter bearable.
With all that said, the correct goggle, helmet, and boot will allow your mind to concentrate on backcountry riding, not to cussing due to fogging, and to shivering because of cold fingers and toes (or to swimming because of sweaty feet); HMK and Klim have the goods to help you be a smart and wise backcountry rider.


Display your True Colors! Made of cloth, there are 24 flags per 60ft. of nylon rope. Each flag is 12" x 18" and are double sewn on the nylon rope for extra strength. No local ordinance can restrict the use of American flags.


Hi! Looking for tips for parent involvement. I am only at 58% families connected. I have sent home multiple parent direction with codes home. Anyone have anything that works well for them? – Colleen S.
"I went in and added phone numbers last year at that point – worked very well." – Elizabeth G.
"Give the students a free homework pass if they get their parents to sign up!" – Melissa R. E.
"I sent a note home that parents had to sign if they wanted to see what their child was learning. Then I also put in that note if they had trouble signing up to put their cell phone number and I'd add them. I'm at 100%!" – Crystal D.
"I used the parent information that they filled out for me so that I could contact them and sent it that way with their email address. Then they could accept or decline. Now I have 100%!" – Heather W.
"I first sent out the flyers ClassTag offers. Once you enter your kids it creates flyers for you. Then for the parents I didn't get signed up that way, I sent a note that only gave them the option for me to add them via their phone number." – Crystal D.
Still struggling with getting parents connected on ClassTag? Click here for a few handy materials including a presentation and an information flyer for parents about ClassTag which might help to motivate them!


Keibunsha is a "Select shop having a wide selection of books and goods". We'd like to introduce not only the new books but also the books and goods that are selected by staff with all our hearts.
We propose having an unexpected chance meeting; however, the books are functionally shelved.
The books are neatly decorated with beautiful covers; please enjoy looking at them.
The book has various functions, not only as a tool to obtain information on improvisation and knowledge.
It is possible to carry one in your bag, to decorate shelves, or you might finish reading one while enjoying a summer vacation.
Nowadays the speed of the information transmission keeps increasing.
Books have a special quality all their own, like an analog feeling, peacefully getting, slowly getting information.
We'd like to value this quality in the current of the times.
It would be greatly appreciated if you could have this feeling from our product lineup.
We have an abundant collection of not only so-called books but also various miscellaneous goods from all over the world, CDs, and DVDs, etc.
They are not only items suitable for the color of "Keibunsha", but also increasing the enjoyment of reading, or richly coloring your life with books.
In gallery "Enfer", established as an annex, we lend space to students and local or nameless artists.
Moreover, this gallery functions as a place that introduces various cultures through our project exhibition, which frequently showcases an original point of view.
"Seikatsu-kan (Life pavilion)" opened a store in 2006.
It proposes books that relate to life especially food, clothing, housing, and the miscellaneous goods linked with them.
The mini gallery in this floor is being offered to artists, shops, or brands regardless of genre.
In this space, you will be able to see commodities that are rarely found in other shops.
Take bus #206 and get off at Takano "高野". Walk toward the North along the Higashiooji street "東大路通" and take a right (toward the East) at the crosspoint of Higashiooji street and Manshuin-michi "曼殊院道". It takes about 5 minites from Takano bus stop.
Take bus #5 and get off at Ichijoji-sagarimatsu "一乗寺下り松". Wark toward the South along Shirakawa street "白川通" and take a right (toward the West) at the crosspoint of Shirakawa street and Manshuin-michi. It takes about 7 minites from Ichijoji-sagarimatsu bus stop.
Take bus #31 and get off at Ichijoji Takatsuki-cho "一乗寺高槻町". Walk toward the North along the Higashiooji street and take a right (toward the East) at the crosspoint of Higashiooji street and Manshuin-michi. It takes about 1 minite from Ichijoji Takatsuki-cho bus stop.
Get off at Kitaoji station "北大路駅" (subway Karasuma line), take bus #206 or #204 and get off at Takano "高野". Walk toward the North along the Higashiooji street "東大路通" and take a right (toward the East) at the crosspoint of Higashiooji street and Manshuin-michi "曼殊院道". It takes about 5 minites from Takano bus stop.
By Keihan Electric Railway "京阪電車" & Eizan Electric Railway "叡山電鉄".
Get off at Demachiyanagi terminal "出町柳駅" (Keihan Electric Railway) and make a transfer to Eizan Electric Railway. Get off at Ichijoji station "一乗寺駅", take a right (toward the West) and you can see our shop on your left side. It takes about 3 minites from Ichijoji station.


text:
A Celebrated Southern Designer Finds a Bright New Home — With Help From a Friend
When Dan Carithers was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, his protégé-turned-companion Judy Bentley designed a dream space for him.
By Jennifer Boles
Peter Murdock
While most Atlantans recall the 1990s as the decade in which their city hosted the Summer Olympics, others fondly remember the era as the heyday of local decorator-turned-star designer Dan Carithers, whose rise to national prominence echoed that of his adopted city. Admired for his talent, his good taste, and his high-profile clientele, Carithers is often credited with bringing prestige to Southern decorating, something that earned him accolades from magazine editors and influenced a generation of Southern designers.
One of those designers is Judy Bentley, who originally hired Carithers to decorate a few rooms in her Atlanta home. What started as a working relationship quickly blossomed into a deep friendship. Later, when Bentley decided to turn her passion for design into a profession, she joined Carithers's nascent firm.
Although Bentley eventually established her own successful design practice, she has remained close to her former boss and his wife, Nancy. In fact, after Carithers was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease a few years ago, it was Bentley to whom the couple turned to help them find a smaller home and decorate it. She immediately knew they had found the right place as soon as she walked into the townhouse where they have now settled. "The first things I saw were the living room's arched French doors, the terrace garden beyond, and the light streaming in. I thought, This is it. The light, the garden, and those doors are so Dan." Carithers agreed. "Look at that light — how beautiful," he recalls thinking at the time.
The next order of business was to edit the furniture and belongings that had graced the Caritherses' former home. Other than purchasing new rugs, lampshades, and some different fabrics, Bentley kept most of the couple's furnishings. "I took the best of the best," she explains, including the creamware collection for which Carithers is so well known. "Mention creamware in Atlanta, and everyone thinks of Dan."
Bentley displayed the creamware just as it had been done in the former house — on an antique French table in the living room. The den is decorated in shades of his favorite color, brown. Other notable details, including check-patterned fabrics and skirted tables, appear throughout the townhouse.
As much as the new home embodies Carithers's famous taste, Bentley made sure its interiors reflected Nancy, too. "When Nancy married Dan, she moved into his house, where he had made all of the design choices," Bentley explains. "She lived in his surroundings." This time around, for Nancy's benefit, Bentley expanded on Carithers's typical brown-and-white color scheme, adding notes of soft blue for a touch of femininity. This lightness is especially evident in the living room and the dining room, where Bentley used blue-and-cream fabrics to help create an atmosphere, she says, of "calmness and happiness."
Bentley's knack for crafting inviting spaces is one she shares with her mentor, who has always been attuned to the details of a room's ambience. Flowers are a constant presence in the house, as is music, particularly opera and Frank Sinatra tunes. But it's color that Carithers finds especially inspiring. "Don't you think that color is delicious?" he says, pointing to the bedroom's seafoam-blue walls. Despite having closed his firm in 2005, Carithers still indulges in his passion for design by creating collages of photographs culled from magazines.
Although Bentley's aesthetic differs from that of Carithers, she is quick to credit her friend's influence on her design work. She still marvels over his ability to "get more chairs into a room than any other designer." She also admires the stylish way in which Carithers combined expensive and affordable furnishings, something he accomplished with aplomb.
His holiday decorating remains legendary: "Dan loves Christmas more than anybody," Bentley says. "The effort he put into his trees and his lighting was amazing. Everyone should have a Christmas like that."
Like other designers who were once part of the Carithers stable and have gone on to prominence in their field, Bentley tackled this project with the confidence that comes from having once worked for a design giant. Rather than being intimidated by decorating for her friends, Bentley instead felt greatly honored. "I consider Dan and Nancy family," she says. "This is one of the most important things I've ever done."
And what does Carithers think of Bentley's work on his new home? As he recently told his wife before giving her a hug, "I just love it, honey."
See more of this lovely home here »
This story originally appeared in the December 2015/January 2016 issue of House Beautiful.
Creamware and Soft Blues Fill This Atlanta Townhouse
This Designer Gave a Dallas Trophy House Cinematic Appeal
This Elegant Atlanta Home Plays (Smartly) With Color
How to Transform a Home With Treasured Items
This Designer Created a Global-Inspired Home for a Busy Family
Shop America: Atlanta