The Paradise Lady Panthers finished third over the weekend at the Lipan Tournament, going 3-1.
The Lady Panthers' lone loss was a 46-44 setback to Class 2A's No. 2 team Tenaha. Hunter Rogers had 15 and Kaycee Martin nine in the loss.
Paradise rebounded quickly, beating Keene for a second time 60-50. Maddie Mitschke poured in 26 and Martin 11.
Paradise beat Keene in the opener 59-38 behind 17 from Mitschke and 14 from Rogers. Mitschke had 12 in a 45-41 win over Martinsville.
Paradise took on Alvord Tuesday at home. The Lady Panthers will open District 8-3A at Nocona Tuesday.


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Tips For Flying Your Drone In Sub
The border patrol searches for unlawful migrants with Predators; police departments are turning to smaller drones for reconnaissance; and 1000's of individuals use them for their own, typically political, ends. In a lab on the University of Pennsylvania, Vijay Kumar is funded, partially by the military, to create autonomous drones that do not want exterior hyperlinks and, like us, can sense their setting. After more than 10 years of attacks, the U.S. formally acknowledged its use of drones to target Al Qaeda members, in April, 2012, when presidential advisor John Brennan gave a speech. Holloman Air Force Base, in southern New Mexico, is the biggest Air Force training base for operators of remotely piloted plane.
The navy makes use of drones to support troops on the bottom; the C.I.A. maintains a covert drone program to search out and target people. The authorities claims drones have helped to remove 70 % of Al Qaeda's top management. In a 2015 investigation, the Academy of Model Aeronautics known as the validity of these close to miss stories into question. Of the 764 close to miss incidents recorded by the FAA, the AMA found solely 27, or 3.5 %, had been genuine UAS near misses. Instead, the FAA had been counting simple sightings as close to misses—even when the operators had been totally compliant with current UAS regulation.
And in determine 6, we additional estimate that the likelihood of the incident resulting in passenger harm or dying is about 0.2 p.c for animals weighing around 2kg. When giant birds are ingested in jet engines, they may trigger substantial harm, together with crashes. While these birds don't number within the billions, they still keep a big presence.
But it confirmed issues with connectivity and wind resistance in take a look at flights, and would not provide any kind of impediment detection. For a long time, the DJI Phantom collection was about as small as you could go if you wished to get a full-featured drone that maintains stability in the air and contains sturdy safety options. Hikers and journey photographers respect a small, mild equipment, they usually can now get a drone that fits into a backpack. DJI's pro line is dubbed Inspire and is currently in its second technology.
The FAA has additionally counted a number of cases the place the pilot had explicitly reported that it was not a near miss, and greater than a dozen instances where the flying object was officially unidentified. The AMA due to this fact accused the FAA of creating fuel for sensationalized and inaccurate media reports which, with the benefit of hindsight, helped build momentum for its rulemaking. Bird strikes present a wonderful parallel phenomenon for estimating the magnitude of damage a small UAS might trigger by colliding with a manned aircraft.
The Parrot Anafi puts all emphasis on dimension—the small, folding drone is good for travel, thanks to 4K video capture, a small airframe, and USB charging. Corey flies for enjoyable, but drones, small and enormous, are more and more used domestically for extra serious purposes.
The rules of the air range from region to region—we've covered what to know forUSandUKpilots. But, usually, if your drone weighs 8.eight ounces and up, you will must register it to be able to fly it outside legally—even over your own property.
But as beforehand mentioned, with out an estimate of UAS strike frequency, the magnitude of harm is inadequate to properly gauge threat. The measurement of the effect must be multiplied by the possibility of it really occurring. Figure 5 shows our estimate that injury to an plane will happen in round 20 % of strikes with animals weighing around 2kg.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Scholars are increasingly subject to pressures from funding bodies, disciplinary norms, professional and personal ethics, and institutional directives to share their research data and make it available for reuse. There is, however, a great deal of heterogeneity across the research enterprise with respect to what is meant by 'data' and 'data sharing,' why data sharing is deemed important, and what data management strategies are considered most effective. Moreover, data are often difficult and costly to produce and share. Therefore, many scholars view these as a significant product of their intellectual labor for which they should receive some sort of credit towards tenure and promotion, authorial recognition through citation, or financial compensation. While balancing all of these considerations is desirable to promote increased access to data, it is difficult to guarantee that the concerns of all research stakeholders will be met given (1) the diverse forms that data can take, as well as the mobility and malleability of data given widespread access to new information technologies, (2) the complex and variable legal status of data as not-quite/not-always property, and (3) the ethical considerations and legal restrictions implicated in the sharing and reuse of data related to sensitive topics such as personal health information, national security, and vulnerable populations. This workshop will address theoretical concerns and pragmatic solutions that can be harnessed to help researchers comply with requirements or desires to share their data in ways they deem appropriate for their goals.


Jewel burst on the music scene in 1995, with her debut, Pieces Of You, with a huge hit, "Who Will Save Your Soul." Her sixth studio album would result as a County album in 2008, Perfectly Clear. This album reached #1 on the Billboard Country Chart. By the year 2008, Country had merged (so to speak) into a more Pop Country sound. Music artists who had started out as Pop and/or Rock would cross over to Country -- Darius Rucker, and Jewel.
Jewel would take this chance, and quite honestly, Perfectly Clear starts out more of a Pop album (just as Taylor Swift did, when she started out as a "Country artist.") However, as Jewel's album keeps playing, the "Pop Country" sound starts building into how updated Country music should sound -- as Country, and not what Pop/Rock music sounds like.
"Stronger Woman" would become the album's first single. It is "Pop Country." Likewise, the second single, "I Do," is more Pop than that of Country. Maybe a slight comparision to Rosanne Cash's song, "Seven Year Ache." (Cash of course, daughter of Johnny, had a much better Country sound, than of Jewel.) Pop Country has the sound again, on the next track, "Love Is A Garden."
But then, all of a sudden, this album becomes "Country" (!!!) "Rosey And Mick" may sound "Pop Country" for some, however it fits today's Country playlists. "Anyone But You" gets quite better; much better than "Rosey And Mick." Definitely. "Thump Thump" keeps the Country sound flowing, as this track could be recorded by Carrie Underwood. "Two Become One" is another good "Country" tune, as this one could have been recorded by Shania Twain.
The album's third single, "Till It Feels Like Cheating" is "Country," but not as good-to-great as the previous "Country" tunes mentioned. "Everything Reminds Me Of You" is Country'ish, and Shania Twain'ish as well. Likewise the same for "Loved By You (Cowboy Waltz." It may sound like today's "Pop Country," yet it fits the Country playlists. Ending the album is the title track -- another "Pop Country" fitting the Country stations.
Jewel's Perfectly Clear starts out as Pop, but it ends on a very high note, being that of what today's Country should really sound like. Sure, there are a lot of "Pop Country" overtones throughout the entire album. But towards the end, it all fits what we now hear on Country radio. Having a comparison to that of Shania Twain, Shania is definitely Country. Jewel proves she can be Country, (at least sounding like it) and turning the heads of those were used to her previous non-Country albums released. Shania Twain, yes. Carrie Underwood, yes. Taylor Swift? Yes, but way better. Perfectly Clear, this Jewel album will be enjoyed with repeated listens. She does a very good job at her first attempt at Country. John Rich (of Big & Rich Country fame), along with Jewel, were the album's producers. Jewel would release another Country album two years later (2010), entitled Sweet And Wild.
Perfectly Clear is Pop Country, and more Country. It fits today's Country. It's a good Country album to enjoy.
© 2018 WSVNRadio.net. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of Valory Music and is used for reference purposes only.


We require at least one days notice for online reservations. We will open at lunch time for a confirmed booking of a minimum of 10 people and we offer our a la Carte menu for these bookings.
Reservation request was sent. Thank you!


First impressions are everything when it comes to meeting new people and trying new things. Orientation is a session for entering undergraduates to learn all about the programs, services and opportunities available here on campus.
"I wan't to become an Orientation Leader because I was once in their shoes and I wan't to help the incoming freshman with what to expect their first year in college," Jayla Howard, business marketing freshman, said.
Q: Why did you decided to become an orientation leader?
A: "When I first came for orientation, I had a great time and that's how I met my fraternity brothers. When the time came for applications I had gotten close with the staff and they asked me to apply saying I would be good with the incoming students," Michael Gonzales, criminal justice sophomore, said.
Q: How would you rate your overall experience?
A: Gonzales who was an orientation last year mentioned the connections he made with fellow classmates and staff was the most beneficial part about being an orientation leader. Kiera Young-Hardeman, psychology freshman, plans on applying in hopes of being picked to become an orientation leader. " I have never worked with college students." Another benefit of becoming an OL is they now receive hourly pay for the handwork they put into making the incoming students have a great time.
Q: Any advice for future orientation leaders?
A: "Keep an open mind and be willing to work with diversity and just know you're the first impression for most of these students," Gonzales said.
Orientation Leader applications are due by Wednesday, Feb 28 at 5 p.m.


Annabelle's Kitchen Inc. (Corporation# 11226363) is a federal corporation entity registered with Corporations Canada. The incorporation date is January 30, 2019.
Corporation Name Annabelle's Kitchen Inc.
2019-01-30 - 2019-04-25 Annabelle's Kitchen Inc.


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Justin Johnson receives C-USA Winter Spirit of Service Award
April 5, 2017 By espnky
IRVING, Texas — WKU men's basketball junior Justin Johnson has been named one of 14
recipients of the C-USA Winter Spirit of Service Award, as announced by the
Conference USA office on Wednesday.
WKU men's basketball player Justin Johnson.
The C-USA Spirit of Service Award is designed to recognize the community service
efforts of the league's student-athletes, based upon significant public service,
good academic standing and participation in their elected sport. The award is
presented three times throughout the season, with Wednesday's honorees representing
winter sports: men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track & field,
rifle and men's and women's swimming.
Johnson – a Hazard, Ky., native – played in all 32 games and made 31 starts in the
2016-17 season, averaging 31.4 minutes per game, and was named to All-Conference USA
Second Team.
The 6-foot-7 forward led the team in scoring (14.5 points per game) and rebounding
(9.4 per game), becoming the first WKU player to lead the team in both categories in
back-to-back years since Chris Marcus in 2000-02. Johnson led C-USA in both
rebounding and double-doubles, and his 14 double-doubles were tied for the 10th-most
by a Hilltopper since 1960.
He finished the season tied for 36th on WKU's all-time scoring list with 1,120
career points.
A previous member of the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll, Johnson is on
track to graduate with his bachelor's degree in sport management in less than four
years and begin work on a master's program during his senior year.
He's also been active in the Bowling Green community and was named a 2017 Allstate
NABC Good Works Team nominee in November.
Johnson has made mission trips the last two summers to China and Belize with the
Sports Reach program, and he's also previously volunteered at Bowling Green
Retirement Village, where he's now completing an internship. Johnson has also spent
time at the Boys & Girls Club, helped deliver school supplies to area grade school
children through the Stuff the Bus campaign and spoke to the local Upward youth
basketball league on gameday during the season.
2016-17 Winter C-USA Spirit of Service Honorees
Ciara Gregory, Charlotte, Women's Basketball
Ally Mayhew, FIU, Women's Swimming & Diving
Brenna Saukas, Florida Atlantic, Women's Swimming & Diving
Kevione Moten, Louisiana Tech, Women's Basketball
Jacob Kilgore, Marshall, Men's Basketball
Abbey Sissom, Middle Tennessee, Women's Basketball
Victoria Junious, North Texas, Women's Track & Field
Graham Thatcher, Old Dominion, Men's Swimming
Hanna Huston, Rice, Women's Swimming & Diving
Courtney Filliben, Southern Miss, Women's Track & Field
Deanna Kuzmanic, UAB, Women's Basketball
Tyler Ragin, UTEP, Women's Track & Field
Chelsea Taylor, UTSA, Women's Track & Field
Justin Johnson, WKU, Men's Basketball
How to follow the Hilltoppers: For complete information on WKU Hilltopper
Basketball, follow the team's social media channels, @WKUBasketball on Twitter,
@WKUBasketball on Instagram, and WKU Basketball on Facebook.
Filed Under: Top Stories, Western Kentucky University


text:
Riot DVD
God's Own Country DVD
If I Tell You
Jake Shears : Boys Keep Swinging (A Memoir)
Call Me By Your Name DVD
Starring an outstanding line up of Australian talent, headlined by Damon Herriman, Kate Box, Xavier Samuel and Jessica de Gouw, Riot shines a spotlight on Australia's 1970s Gay Rights Movement and the passionate individuals who were unwavering in their fight for decriminalisation, recognition and equality.
Based on real people and real events, Riot is a powerful and moving telemovie reflecting an important chapter in Australia's LGBTQ history. It explores the origins of the activism that led to Australia's most famous street parade.
Lance Gowland (Damon Herriman) is a devoted activist, steadfast and dedicated to actively fighting for his beliefs while juggling family, work and relationships. With the system against them and ever-present adversity, including police brutality, legislative persecution, social shunning, job dismissal and general violence, Gowland and his fellow activists decide to come out fighting in their celebration of diversity.
Over the years, their resolve is tested, and by 1978, when the push to decriminalize homosexuality has seemingly stalled, they decide on a new tactic of a celebratory street event in hopes of garnering wider public support.
Securing a permit for a legal protest, on the evening of June 24, in recognition of Gay Solidarity Day, a small but passionate group collect behind a truck driven by Lance, to stage a street party and joyfully declare their pride. The night will be marked by great violence, but the ramifications will pave the way for equality, and the establishment of a world-renowned parade that continues to celebrate the spirit of these brave, pioneering men and women.
Check out the Trailer for this film under Product Videos below.
Starring: Damon Herriman, Kate Box, Xavier Samuel, Jessica De Gouw, Josh Quong Tart Directed by: Jeffrey Walker
Region Code: 4 and 2
Rating: M (Mature themes, Violence, Coarse Language, Nudity)
Time: 105 minutes
DVD Release Date: March 2018
Presentation: PAL, Colour, 1.78:1 Anamorphic Widescreen, Dolby Digital 5.1
Language: English, English Descriptive subtitles for the hearing impaired
Special Features: None
Riot: Trailer (02:07)
Inspired by actual events during Australia's 1970s Gay Rights Movement, Riot explores the origins of the activism that led to the world's first Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. #RiotABC Sunday 25 February, 8.30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview. Subscribe now: http://ab.co/2y2hbGM Like ABC TV: http://facebook.com/abctv Follow ABC TV: http://twitter.com/abctv Follow ABC TV: http://instagram.com/abctv
Riot: Trailer
Inspired by actual events during Australia's 1970s Gay Rights ...


text:
Twin Valley-Hamburg high school football game…
Twin Valley-Hamburg high school football game postponed due to COVID
The Berks Football League Section 2 game has been postponed indefinitely due to COVID concerns at Hamburg; rescheduling it could be difficult
BEN HASTY — READING EAGLE
A detail photo of a football on the sidelines. High School Football, the Daniel Boone Blazers vs the Berks Catholic Saints at the Berks Catholic Forino Sports Complex in Reading Friday night October 2, 2020. Berks Catholic won 49-7.
By Brian Rippey | Reading Eagle
PUBLISHED: October 19, 2021 at 1:34 p.m. | UPDATED: October 19, 2021 at 1:45 p.m.
The Twin Valley at Hamburg Berks Football League Section 2 game scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday has been postponed due to COVID-19 concerns at Hamburg.
Hamburg athletic director Aaron Menapace said the Week 9 game has been "postponed indefinitely."
It is just the second game involving two Berks County teams that has been affected by COVD-19 protocols this season. Reading High was forced to cancel its game with Gov. Mifflin on Oct. 2 after the Red Knights canceled a non-league game with North County (Md.) on Sept. 24.
Rescheduling the game this season could prove difficult. Twin Valley travels to Gettysburg next Friday while Hamburg is scheduled to visit Schuylkill Valley for the annual Frost Bowl.
Both the Raiders (3-2, 5-3) and Hawks (1-3, 5-3) are in line to earn District 3 playoff berths.
Hamburg is ranked third in Class 3A, where eight teams qualify for the playoffs. Twin Valley ranks 12th in 5A, where the top 14 teams make the playoffs.
Teens come out for newly created Kutztown Banned Book Club
Snow causing trouble on local roads as storm begins
Berks County real estate transactions for Jan. 16
'Potpourri of precipitation' for Berks in downgraded forecast
Kemerton Refill & Refresh looks to reduce waste
Little need for snow shovels, but get ready for heavy wind in Berks and the region
Reading man sentenced to 2 to 7 years in prison for choking his ex-girlfriend
Wanted in Berks, January 16, 2022
Homicide victim discovered at Ninth and Chestnut streets in Reading
Berks Places: Leinbachs takes its name from prominent family, 1848 hotel still stands
Antietam's Hector Tiburcio is motivated to win elusive boys basketball title
Replay: The Eagles lose to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL Wild Card playoffs, 31-15
'Life threatening' ailment leaves Josh Sweat out for Eagles
Rylee Derr sets Kutztown career scoring record in women's basketball win over Mercyhurst


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WWF Photo
WWF's Colman O Criodain (right), signs on to to become Cooperating Partner to the Sharks Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals.
WWF becomes a cooperating partner to the CMS Sharks MoU
Added to Updates on 24 October 2017
WWF today signed on to become Cooperating Partner to the Sharks Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). The signing took place at the CMS Conference of the Parties meeting in Manila.
WWF recognizes that CMS and the CMS MoU on Sharks could be important instruments for the conservation of migratory sharks. WWF can play a key role in working to support signatory countries in developing appropriate protections and regional management plans to reduce unsustainable mortality levels for Appendix I and Appendix II listed species respectively.
Examples of activities already undertaken by WWF that contribute to the CMS MoU on Sharks, and its Conservation Plan, include:
Attending the 2nd Meeting of the Signatories (MOS2) Sharks MoU and actively supporting the listing of new species
Working with authorities in our priority countries to support the development and implementation of National Plans of Action for sharks, and the development of sustainable fisheries
Encouraging governments in our priority countries that are not yet signatories to sign up to the CMS MoU on Sharks
Mitigating the bycatch of sharks in multispecies fisheries
Developing standard protocols for data collection, and other tools to support the conservation and sustainable use of migratory and non-migratory sharks including the co-authored Responsible Shark and Ray Tourism: A Guide to Best Practise tool
Supporting improved data collection and management of migratory sharks under the tuna RFMOs, including the development of Harvest Control Rules and providing data collected through WWF projects
We believe that enhanced cooperation between CMS and WWF will be fruitful, to the benefit of the CMS Secretariat, signatories, and the achievement of Conservation Plan objectives.
Parker Robinson
Email: park.robinson@gmail.com
WWF and TRAFFIC welcome CITES shark listings;
"now the real work begins"
Added to Press Releases on 04 October 2017
Four additional shark species, including all species of thresher sharks and the silky shark, today became officially protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), although WWF and TRAFFIC caution that progress in protecting such threatened species will only be meaningful if previous and current measures are implemented effectively.
CMS listing not enough to protect sharks
Global shark conservation coalition that includes the WWF welcomes new shark listings on UN wildlife treaty, while stressing urgent need for implementation
Sharks without borders
Added to Blogs on 18 March 2016
Advocating shark and ray conservation measures at the the annual meeting of the Western & Central Pacific Fisheries Commission


Had mentioned that long trade will get triggered for the day on sustaining above 10800 and short trade will get triggered for the day on sustaining below 10745 . Nifty triggered the long trade after opening and did around 50 points .
Had mentioned in the previous post that " In this week Nifty needs to break and sustain / close above 10845 to test 10920 - 10935 initially and above it we can see a test of 11000 - 11070 . Similarly Nifty needs to break and sustain / close below 10700 to test 10625 - 10610 initially and below it we can see a test of 10545 - 10475 ." , and today Nifty triggered our weekly longs with a close above 10845 . Those who have entered longs should keep a cbsl of 10795 and look to book once near 10920 - 10935 . In the coming session Nifty has resistance near 10875 as sustaining above it Nifty will trigger monthly longs too .
For the month of July ,Nifty longs will get confirmed with a consecutive close above 10875 for a initial target of 11050 - 11090 and sustaining / closing above it we can see a further test of 11240 - 11400 . Similarly , shorts will get confirmed with a consecutive close below 10550 for a initial target of 10380 - 10335 and sustaining / closing below it we can see a further move till 10190 - 10025 . The previous month Nifty traded between our long and short trigger range and we can expect a strong good move in the direction it takes this month.
Now in the coming session Nifty needs to break and sustain above 10880 to test 10910 - 10920 initially and sustaining above it we can see a further upmove till 10945 - 10975. Similarly breaking and sustaining below 10825 we can see a test of 10795 - 10785 initially and breaking and sustaining below it we can see a further correction till 10760 - 10735 .


I worked as a freelance writer and photographer from 1995 until I retired in 2015. My features appeared in The Times, Independent and Express, as well as in numerous magazines and the regional press.
Besides writing general features and walking guidebooks, I produced leaflets, annual reports and in-house magazines for public sector organisations and charities. Over the years, my clients included the Campaign to Protect Rural England, English Nature, Ordnance Survey, and the Environment Agency.
In retirement, I'm now the OWPG's Treasurer.


Prof.Nitin Ganeshar, ASMs IMCOST Thane, conducted a seminar on Future opportunity for BMS/BBI/BFM/BSC(CS/IT) on dated 22nd Jan 2019.The session started at 9 am at Pendharkar college ,Dombivali.
During the session he focus on MAH-CET exam conducted by DTE, which is mandatory for students those who are looking for post graduation like(MMS/MBA,MCA), Admission Procedure, Syllabus, Specialization, Cast Concession, Placement, Value Addition Courses etc.
Students of Pendharkar College really enjoyed the session and thanks Prof. Nitin Ganeshar for giving valuable insights. He also answered the queries raised by students.


text:
FORGE GO
After a long journey, Pablo Andujar is finally free of pain
By Steve Flink Apr 24, 2018
Stat of the Day: Andy Murray passes Lendl and Agassi for 5th-most Australian Open wins for a man in the Open Era
By John Berkok Jan 18, 2022
Three to See, Australian Open Day 3: Bencic vs. Anisimova, Rafa and Osaka highlight second-round play
By Steve Tignor Jan 18, 2022
Player of the Day
Player of the Day: Samantha Stosur
By Stephanie Livaudais Jan 18, 2022
Quote of the Day: Swiatek shares her favorite AC/DC song after securing first-round win
By Jordaan Sanford Jan 18, 2022
As this Australian Open will show, once again, tennis doesn't need any single player to make it viable, or make a Slam successful
The Australian Open first-round, five-set rundown: Murray's Melbourne reunion; FAA fights back; Cressy ices Isner; Paire ends major skid
By Matt Fitzgerald Jan 18, 2022
Australian Open Lookahead: Barty, Osaka, Nadal in 2nd Round
By Associated Press Jan 18, 2022
The Latest: US Open champion Raducanu beats Sloane Stephens
Aryna Sabalenka's first serve: No. 2 seed conquers yips to survive Sanders, begin Australian Open campaign
By David Kane Jan 18, 2022
BySteve Flink
copy_link
[Editor's note: Andujar reached the main draw of the Barcelona Open as a lucky loser and advanced with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Bjorn Fratangelo—the same player he lost to in the final round of qualifying.]
Every top-of-the-line tennis player goes to work on a regular basis knowing he is at the mercy of his body, realizing that an injury can be even more burdensome than an adversary on the other side of the net performing out of his mind. These athletes are fragile individuals, susceptible to frequent difficulties, vulnerable each and every time they step on a court to a physical breakdown of sorts. In my view, tennis at its core is fundamentally a contact sport.
Ask Pablo Andujar. This enduring competitor is on the comeback trail at 32 after suffering through a trying couple of years that tested his fortitude and patience to the hilt. Here is what happened to the Spaniard. He had spent four consecutive years (2011-2014) ranked among the Top 50 in the world on the ATP tour. In July of 2015, he achieved a career-best status at No. 32. He finished that season at No. 64, but his physical woes had shortened that campaign.
In March of 2016, he endured his first elbow surgery. Later that year, in November, he needed a second surgery; by April of 2017, a third surgery was required for that ailing right elbow. Only a man of Andujar's extraordinary character and resilience could have dealt so honorably with this string of hard luck experiences. He had no ATP ranking at all as of October 2017. Andujar's wrist had led him into psychological places few players would want to go.
WATCH - Destination Tennis: Barcelona Real Club de Tennis
This unswerving fellow has come gallantly out of that dark corner, reemerging significantly in 2018, winning his first ATP tour level match in two years at Rio in February. Earlier this month, Andujar secured back-to-back titles at the Challenger event in Alicante, Spain, and then, remarkably, the ATP tour 250 event in Marrakech. Sweeping 10 matches in a row through that stirring stretch, Andujar climbed back to No. 154 in the world after sinking to No. 1824 in February, and now he resides at No. 153. It won't be long before he moves among the Top 100 again.
Speaking with Andujar last week, I wanted to know what kept him going and why he did not give up during his long struggle for survival as a tennis player after those three surgeries on his elbow.
He responded, "A lot of great things happened in the two-and-a-half years. I got married in November, 2016. My son was born on July 26, 2017. These two things were the most important, but I also spent a lot of time with my family and friends, going to visit people and places. The most important things in your life are not tennis. This is what I realized. When I had those five or six years of being in the Top 60, I didn't value the important things in life because of the [constant] preparation and the competition. You are traveling and thinking just about tennis, and tennis is your life. Now that has changed. I had bad moments when I was away from the tournaments when I thought I did not want to keep up this fight, and I felt I could not do it anymore."
Andujar pauses, and then adds, "I started to see tennis as a part of my life but not my whole life, and that is very important. Otherwise you get depressed because you have had two-and-a-half years that you can not do what you want to do, what you have been doing since you were a kid. But now when my baby boy smiles at me and enjoying the good relationship I have with my wife, this is the best feeling in the world. Winning Marrakech is great, but for me the strength is from my family. When I was suffering my wife was saying, 'Don't worry, you will make it back," and that helped me so much. I didn't want to finish my career with the feeling I had then, which was awful. I have the opportunity now to finish my career with another, much better feeling. I am very happy and lucky about that."
The Andujar elbow crisis started in the summer of 2015. Facing Thomaz Bellucci in the quarterfinals of Gstaad, he took the opening set but "felt something" in his elbow during the second set. He eventually lost in three sets, but serving was painful and nearly impossible in the last set.
Andujar returned to Spain for diagnosis, and was told by doctors he had a tear in his tendon, and was given an injection. He managed to compete in Canada, Cincinnati and the US Open, but had to close his season down after playing the Grand Slam. He elected to undergo a non-invasive, conservative treatment and did not play for four months. He had tried to avoid surgery but, when he resumed tournament competition in Australia at the start of 2016, the pain was back. He had to retire from a match in São Paulo that February.
As Andujar recollects, "I had been having these problems for seven or eight months, so finally I had surgery. In three or four months, I started hitting the ball a little bit. At the beginning, I was feeling pain but I was managing some serving while it was hurting. More or less, I could play. It was not a really high level of pain. So after six or seven months I started playing some Challengers and I made a couple of semifinals. It didn't go bad. But I was not improving with my pain. I think I played only three or four tournaments for the year."
As 2016 concluded, Andujar's pain was worsening. He says, "In my first surgery they had put in a rope so that the tendon got really tight and didn't move, but it was too tight. So in the second surgery in November of 2016, they removed that rope and just left the tendon the way it was before the first surgery. They thought that with time and recovery they would insert the tendon in the elbow and the pain would be relieved."
He went into rehab for a period of months and then tried to hit six or seven serves on the practice court.
As Andujar puts it, "By the seventh serve, I needed another arm, because it was really hurting. So I moved back to Valencia and changed doctors again. All three surgeries were with different doctors. The one who did the third surgery that was in Valencia decided it was not the tendon that was the problem, but the nerve that was really inflamed. They found a new path for the nerve and put it in the upper part of my elbow. After the surgery, it hurt in the beginning but with a lot of rehab and patience I can say now—one year later—that I feel no pain. It won't feel completely perfect, but the goal for me was playing without pain. I have finally done that."
Andujar did not pick up a racket for three months after the third surgery, and then began working with a recovery man in Valencia who specialized in elbows. His entire arm became considerably stronger. Gradually he increased his activities on court, starting from the backcourt and then, in the sixth month of recovery, serving. The serving hurt for quite some time. Not until a month-and-a-half ago, or thereabouts, did Andujar serve without fear.
Yet beefing up his serve again led to other issues. In Rio this spring, he had to retire from a second-round match with a tear in his pectoral muscle.
"In this case," he says, "I have to admit I was happy because i was thinking about my pectoral injury and not my elbow. I was happy also because that injury came from starting to hit the ball correctly."
Once more, Andujar took time to heal, but then his game came around thoroughly and his confidence was reestablished. His triumph in Alicante was critical in many ways.
As Andujar explains, "What happened in Alicante [at the Ferrero Challenger Open] was very positive. First of all, I had practiced correctly for two weeks and I was feeling good. Second, I had a wild card that Juan Carlos Ferrero gave me. Third, I was playing that tournament close to home, one hour and fifteen minutes from Valencia. So a lot of people from Valencia came and watched me play. That motivated me. Fourth, I was with my small baby and my wife. I had no pain so I just had to play tennis. I was down 6-1, 4-1 in the quarterfinals [against world No. 167 Guido Andreozzi] but I still believed in my possibilities and I came back to win [1-6, 6-4, 6-4]. In the finals of that tournament, I played really well [defeating Alex de Minaur 7-6 (5), 6-1]."
That triumph was pivotal in Andujar winning Marrakech the following week, where he ousted world No. 70 Joao Sousa and No. 26 Kyle Edmund back to back at the end. He established himself as the lowest-ranked player (No. 355) to win an ATP tour title since world No. 550 Lleyton Hewitt ruled at Adelaide in 1998.
Andujar says, "I had been able to play five matches during the whole week in Alicante without pain. That gave me the confidence and the calm, and is probably the reason why I won Marrakech. I was playing really, really well in Marrakech. I can tell you one thing: when I started playing tennis on the ATP, a player ranked No. 150 didn't play as well as a player ranked 150 now. You cannot find much difference between a guy ranked 50 and a guy ranked 150. Those two wins over Sousa and Edmund meant a lot. They are better players than the ones I beat in Alicante, but my feeling is that those guys I beat in Alicante had a lot of value for me also. When I played Sousa and Edmund, my confidence had gone up. So the only thing I had to be aware of was to continue the same level and to manage my nerves the way you have to do in semifinals and finals."
After he claimed the crown in Marrakech, Andujar was showered with well wishes from all kinds of players.
He says, "When I won the tournament, all of them were phoning me and texting me, saying how happy they felt for my achievement. Spanish tennis is like a big family but really not only the Spanish players were texting or phoning. Fognini wrote me and so did Benneteau, Wawrinka, Mahut and a lot of others. That is probably the nicest part of the sport, to know that when you finish your career you still have friends. When I say friends, it is different to be a friend of somebody that you are trying to beat on the court, but at the same time I was surprised how many players congratulated me."
Understandably, after that dreamlike run from Alicante through Marrakech, Andujar was brought back to the reality of the thin line that can separate victory from defeat in the highly competitive world of tennis. In the final round of the qualifying for Barcelona this week, he lost 0-6, 7-6 (5), 6-1 to world No. 107 Bjorn Fratangelo. But inevitably Andujar will make his presence known over the rest of the clay-court campaign.
WATCH - Destination Tennis: Barcelona Gaudi Landmarks
He may play in Estoril, Istanbul or Munich. He hopes to make the cut for the main draw at Roland Garros; otherwise, he will play the qualifying in Paris. And he will play the Masters 1000 tournament in Madrid in a few weeks. Feliciano Lopez phoned Andujar not long after Marrakech to notify his countryman that he was getting a wild card.
"I am very thankful for that," says Andujar.
Does Andujar have a map in his mind concerning where he wants to go from here? How would he assess his goals for the rest of the 2018 campaign?
"When I started the year," he replies, "the only thing that was on my mind was to play without pain. I will try to remember every day that my goal is having no pain. Rankings, calendars, tournaments and opponents are all secondary. I just want to enjoy playing tennis. It has been two years or more that I was not enjoying playing tennis and that was so sad. Now I just need to go out and play and not put pressure on myself. I had a lot of pressure before, but that would be unfair to myself now. I have been fighting during this time without knowing if the light was there or there would be an end to the light. We didn't know if I was going to recover one hundred percent. Now I am going to enjoy it. Hopefully my career extends as much as possible. The moments that I feel that this is not for me, when it is not fulfilling or does not give me pleasure, I will quit. Hopefully, the best Pablo Andujar is yet to come."
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Wildwood forest, located on Vancouver Island, has been stewarded by Merv Wilkinson since 1938 and has become widely recognized as a valuable example of the pursuit for sustainable forestry.
I have been woodcarving for 30 years and soapstone carving for 60 years. I prefer carving miniature wildfowl and mammals in wood and bears in soapstone. I have some carvings for sale and will do commissioned pieces.
Neal handcrafts beautiful items from local diamond willow pieces. He has walking sticks, lamps, tables, and will craft railings to specifications.


Clear Cache on Safari in Mac OS X. This video walks through how to clear your cache on Safari in Mac OS X Mavericks. We were using version 7.0 of Safari when this video was recorded.... Download Kodi for Mac from the official website: kodi.tv/download. Scroll down and click on the MacOS icon. Once the pop-up shows up, click on the Installer icon and a .dmg file will begin downloading.
Download Kodi for Mac from the official website: kodi.tv/download. Scroll down and click on the MacOS icon. Once the pop-up shows up, click on the Installer icon and a .dmg file will begin downloading.


Alfie Beestin has signed a new contract keeping him at Rovers until the summer of 2019.
The attacking midfielder penned a one-year deal in August to join from Tadcaster Albion, and has since made eight first-team appearances.
He said: "I'm really pleased, to get another two years is really pleasing and the pressure is off a bit.
Alfie made an immediate impact with a goalscoring debut in the Checkatrade Trophy in August.


text:
International Strategy Uterque
25 Nov, 2017 Free Essays 0
Abstract: This paper is about the strategy adaptation to entry in Brazil market. It includes the study of the current international strategy of Uterque, the same successful business model as logistic and design leader that Inditex group. In addition, the analyses of the Brazilian market justifies the selection of implementing country. Table of Contents |1. Introduction |…… 3 | | | | |2.
Theoretical approach |…… 5 | | | | |3. Business Model and International Strategy |…… 8 | |3. 1 Uterque's Business Model |…… 9 | |3. Uterque's international strategy |…… 10 | | | | |4. Market and Strategy Analysis |…… 14 | | | | |4. Industry conditions (Where) |…… 14 | |4. 2 Timing Advantage (when to enter) |…… 18 | |4. 3 Governance Advantage (How) |…… 18 | | | | |5.
Conclusion and recommendations |…… 19 | |APPENDICES | | |REFERENCES | | 1. Introduction Uterque is the latest launched Inditex Group retailer, sells accessories, fashion extras and bags that began its business in Spanish market in 2008; then Uterque became in an international firm to entering to 15 high levels markets in European.
Purpose To examine the challenges Uterque is facing entering the distant Brazilian market using a modified version of its highly successful business model, originally developed and specialized for nearby European markets. Aims The main aims of this research can be divided in two aspects: 1. To study the current international strategy of Uterque to understand if is possible to use the same strategy in Brazil: using same standard business model in design and production parts. 2.
To justify the selection of implementing country and to adapt or modify the current strategy to Brazilian conditions: downstream distribution, retailing parts, choice of entry mode. With the aim to decide if it is feasible entering in Brazil with the same strategy used nowadays, we are going to develop first of all a theoretical approach about the concepts we need to know and to relate with this specific case, and after that we will see a brief market research with its following way to enter by many analysis such as PEST, PORTER 5 FORCES and SWOT.
Main strategic problem company In the following paper it will be seen if the current managed to solve problems in Europe using its competitive advantage and if this current strategy is able to entering in the chosen new market area. In addition, it is going to be explained the derivate problems that could appear using the same model in the Brazilian market such as distance logistic and distribution problems and the powerful competitors. Distance logistic and distribution problems
Currently, Uterque and the whole firm with its differential advantage it is one of the most powerful clothing retailers in the world, with a good reputation and well-known brand image it is present all around the world. However, the most concentration of the stores are in the same area (Europe) because its logistics model suppose that to achieve getting new accessories in less time than its competitors, Inditex has located the majority of its factories close the distribution plant. So, with this logistics model could be more expensive being expanded so far away.
Competitors In our case, we have different competitors than other Inditex Group ones because it is the most specialized brand of the holding. Uterque design, produce and distribute only accessories and bags, consequently the normally competitors of Inditex group brands (H&M, GAP or Mango), are not direct competitors for the brand. The closers Uterque competitors are all those multi-brand accessories and bags stores that are present in the Brazilian market. It will be studied which is the best choice of entry mode in the Brazilian market.
This point is associated with competitors because Uterque has a differentiation with its competitors because it belongs to a well-known and powerful international firm and it is giving the choice to find a big assortment of quality accessories and bags in the same place and of the same brand: the most specialized and expensive brand of the firm. 2. Theoretical approach TCE MODEL (Transactions cost economics model) provides us with the possibility to measure the performance of companies and the companies' way to manage them to exploit their competitive advantage and to adapt to local institutional and industry conditions in foreign markets.
As we mentioned in the introduction, Uterque is the newest brand of the big holding Inditex, and at the same time, it is the less expanded brand of it. For this reason, we want to determinate if it is possible that this company will be successful like its partners in an interesting new market how the Brazilian one is. So, in order to expand Uterque brand into new markets exploiting its competitive advantage, the differentiation, we are also going to consider its value chain and the government view with the aim to know which is the optimal model to entry in and if it is feasible. pic] With the aim to know if its actual business model has to be modified in the chosen country market and it could be successful it is need to take a look at the actual value chain of the company. Value-chain was popularized by Michael Porter and the analysis looks at every step a business goes through, from raw materials to the eventual end-user. The goal is to deliver maximum value for the least possible total cost. Following, Uterque's value chain: [pic]
The value chain begin with the Market Research analysis which helps the company to know what, where and to for those who to produce. After that, take place the designers task that are responsible to design the accessories for the new collections. The designers have to be always in contact with the inventory who says the quantity that has to be produced and the availability of the material. When the design and the inventory have done their job, the producers make Uterque accessories and there are distributed to the different stores.
Furthermore, all the elements of the value chain are coordinate by a managing information system with an order information flow, an improving inventory system and also a product distribution system. Looking at this value chain, the main problem we can find it is that knowing that the parts of the value chain are usually centralized, they are placed normally close to the central company in Spain and distributed from there, and it may be more expensive and slower than if the value chain elements were located in a different way.
On the other hand, depending on the objectives that company has, it will follow one different strategy, although it is very common to use a combination of different strategies to move abroad, and particular ones depending on the country the company is moving into. Inditex Group has always wanted to have the main control in all its operations since its main strategy is the wholly owned subsidiary formula, although in the last few years this policy has changed and some other strategies have been developed, such as joint ventures and franchising. Entry Mode |Advantages |Disadvantages | |Direct Export |Economies of scale in production concentrated in home | | |(own subsidiary) |country. |High transportation costs for bulky products. | | |Better control over distribution. |Marketing distance from customers. | | | |Trade barriers and protectionism. | |Franchising |Low development costs. | | |Low risk in overseas expansion. |Little control over technology and marketing. | | | |May create competitors. | | | |Inability to engage in global coordination. | | |Maintain Uniformity and achieve system wide. |Excessive Bureaucracy and rigidity for the franchises. | | |Adaptation to Changing markets. The company gets the franchises to move in the same | | |Common Identity to preserve the trademarks, integrity |direction. | | |and value. | | | |The franchise could provide a spark or | | | |entrepreneurship. | | In the case of wholly owned subsidiary, using this strategy, the firm establishes an entity in a foreign country, paying all the costs incurred.
To establish a wholly owned foreign subsidiary, an enterprise may acquire an existing company in the foreign country or build one from scratch, the so? called green field investment. The specific advantages of this kind of model for Uterque are that the corporation preserves absolute control and supremacy over the operation. Also since they do not have to discuss with a partner, enterprises have more flexibility to adapt faster to market demand, profits need not to be distribute with anyone outside the company and the company is able to protect trade secrets.
In the other hand, the specific disadvantages are that there could be a creation of bad atmosphere because profits are not shared with local people, the Government administrators in many countries tend to view wholly owned foreign investment in their nations as negative operations and the risk is greater since the company is alone and new in the country. In the case of franchising, in this strategy the contractor provides a standard package of products, systems and management services; grants permission to use a certain product, including a special name of trademark.
Under franchising arrangements, the parent company retains a fair degree of authority; the franchisee has to follow the rules and policies of the corporation as for example on about the distribution of the cloths inside the store or the furniture to use. One of the main reasons why companies use this formula is to minimize the risk of entering into another country. Through this strategy, they are able to be known in the country whilst they are reducing the risk of entering on their one to the minimum.
Finally, in the case of using plural form (both models at the simultaneously – own stores + franchising), in a plural form, two or more organizational arrangements possess a synergism when used simultaneously. For example, rather than specializing, many chains contain a large proportion of both franchised and company-owned stores. By franchising some stores while they own others, franchise systems can achieve dynamic efficiency that would be impossible in a homogenous system. Chains value their franchisees because franchisees exercise initiative.
However, unless a chain includes a sufficiently high proportion of company stores, it lacks proper incentives to evaluate innovations efficiently. Therefore, despite the dynamism of franchises, a chain must maintain a certain proportion of company stores. As we have explained in the introduction of this paper, this brand is already in many countries but it has the aim to expand in more countries in the world, such as the other brands of the Inditex Group. The third aspect to study is the framework of the country we want to enter and if it has favourable characteristics to develop a successfully business there.
In this part of the paper we are going to use many research macroeconomics and microeconomics methods such as PEST Analysis, Porter's 5 Forces and the SWOT Analysis. |PEST |Scan of the external macro-environment in which the firm operates can be expressed in terms | | |of: political, economic, social and technological factors. | |PORTER's 5 Forces |Provide a framework that models an industry as being influenced by five forces.
The | | |strategic business manager seeking to developing an edge over rival firms can use this model| | |understand the industry in which firm operates. These five forces are: Barriers to Entry, | | |threat of substitutes, power of buyers, Power of suppliers and the degree of rivalry. | |SWOT Analysis |Strategic planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and | | |Threats involved in a project or in a business venture.
It involves specifying the objective| | |of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that | | |are favourable and unfavourable to achieve that objective. | Uterque in its young life, always has succeed in its market enters, therefore we are going to use its partners market enters experiences with the objective to analyse the case in the best way. 1. Uterque Business Model and International Strategy
The Company Inditex Group is a conglomerate of companies with an important number of companies all around the world, trading in the USA, Mexico, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, Germany, Greece, Portugal, Andorra, UK, Israel, China, Cyprus, Malta, Sweden, Norway, Japan, Turkey, Canada, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Spain. Its main brands and stores are: Zara, Pull & Bear, Massimo Dutti, Kiddy's Class, Brettos, Lefties, Stradivarius, Uterque and Deep Blue Jeans. 1
Every brand is focused on different targets, for example, Massimo Dutti is focused on young men and women who look for quality, Pull & Bear is developed for youngers who prefer a casual way of dressing rather than the formal schemes of Massimo Dutti. History In 1973 Amancio Ortega Gaona, Inditex Group president, created a company specialized in producing dressing gowns and underwear. Sometimes, after he started building the whole holding. During the 70's and the 80's he surrounded by cloth? designers who used to travel to the main catwalks in Europe, where they can copy the most original ideas.
The big growth of the company happened in the 90's, when the Group increased the supply with new brands. Uterque is the latest Inditex Group retailer, sells accessories, fashion extras and a carefully chosen selection of good-quality fabric and leather garments. Its collections are 100-percent designed by the Uterque creative team; mix the latest catwalk trends with the retailer's unique merchandise. 2 1 (Appendices) Zara Fast Fashion. Harvard Business School. 21st Dec. 2006 2 Webpage: http://www. inditex. com/es
The firm was launched in 2008. The appearance of the stores, 68 in 15 countries, is elegant and sophisticated. Interiors are designed to be functional and offer shoppers the last word in comfort. This firm is oriented to women of 25-45 years old, urban lifestyle, Upper middle to middle socio-economic class with cultural interests. 3. 1 Uterque's Business Model It's a vertically integrated group, with up-to-date equipment fabric dyeing and processing, cutting and garment finishing. By retaining control over the dyeing and processing areas.
Inditex has fabric-processing capacity available "on demand" to provide the correct fabrics for news styles. It also does not own the labour-intensive process of garment stitching, but controls it through a network of subcontracted workshops in Spain and Portugal. This firm business model is based in the differentiation. With a well-managed logistics, they are is the basic component of Inditex differentiation model and allows them to move quickly when it comes to giving their customers what they want, and accounts for a sizeable chunk of their investments.
Agility and speed-to-market are vital elements of the Inditex vision of the fashion business. • Vertical integration Helping to reduce the "bullwhip effect"—the tendency for fluctuations in final demand to get amplified as they were transmitted back up the supply chain. Uterque was able to originate a design and have finished goods in stores within five weeks in the case of entirely new designs, and two weeks for modifications of existing products. The short cycle time reduced working capital intensity and facilitated continuous manufacture of new merchandise. Sourcing & Manufacturing Uterque sourced fabric, other inputs, and finished products from external suppliers. The garments that were manufactured in-house, cut garments were sent out to about 450 workshops, located primarily in Galicia and across the border in northern Portugal, that performed the labor-intensive, scale-insensitive activity of sewing. These workshops were generally small operations, averaging about 20–30 employees (although a few employed more than 100 people apiece), which specialized by product type. • Distribution
Like each of Inditex's chains, Uterque had its own centralized distribution system. For example Zara's system consisted of an approximately 400,000-square-meter facility located in Arteixo and much smaller satellite centers in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico that consolidated shipments from Arteixo. Inditex's director of logistics regarded the warehouse as a place to move merchandise rather than to store it. According to her, "The vast majority of clothes are in here only a few hours," and none ever stayed at the distribution center for more than three days.
The product is distributed by air via KLM and DHL from airports in Santiago de Compostela and Porto in Portugal. Products were typically delivered within 24–36 hours to stores located in Europe and within 24–48 hours to stores located outside Europe. Air shipment was more expensive, but not prohibitively so. Inditex has a historical success at scaling up its distribution system, observers speculated that the centralized logistics model might ultimately be subject to diseconomies of scale. 3 • Retailing
Uterque aimed to offer designer-style garments and accessories (bags, accessories and jewelry) for medium-high prices in sophisticated stores in prime locations. 3 Zara Fast Fashion. Harvard Business School. 21st Dec. 2006 3. 2 Uterque's international strategy Uterque in Spain has company-owned and managed; three different modes of market entry were used internationally in other brands of the company: company-owned stores, joint ventures, and franchises. Firms can be classified into four different categories according to the motivations that make them moving overseas: Market seeking, Efficiency seeking and Strategic Asset seeking. Market seeking Corporations search for better opportunities to enter and expand in other markets, due to their experience and advantages that they can offer to these markets. This motivation can arise due to several different aspects and circumstances; as for instance since the customers are gone or the home market is saturated, the company moves abroad to retain business, or because production costs are cheaper in a foreign country than in the home country, or even due to a change of host government policies.
Or, as in the case of Inditex Group, due to it has become crucial for the company the physical presence in foreign countries, they have to make sure that their brand names are familiar to these target markets. • Efficiency seeking The aim is to gain an advantage from operating in more than one economy, so they can profit from all the economies where the company is trading and at the same time, the company minimizes the potential risks that might arise, therefore, for example, Inditex Group follows different strategies depending on the market they are operating in (Franchising in Israel, Joint Venture in Germany… • Strategies Depending on the objectives that company has, it will follow one different strategy, although it is very common to use a combination of different strategies to move abroad, and particular ones depending on the country the company is moving into. Inditex Group has always wanted to have the main control in all its operations since its main strategy is the wholly owned subsidiary formula, although in the last few years this policy has changed and some other strategies have been developed, such as joint ventures and franchising. 4. Market and Strategic Analysis 4. International Strategy Analysis – Country Framework In this part we are going to know if Uterque's strategic Assets enough are valuable, rare, and inimitable by three different aspects: How, when, where. Industry conditions (Where) • competitive five forces 4 |RIVALRY | |Barriers to Entry | | | |Threat of entry to the apparel industry is medium.
Scope economies play the moderate role, | | |capital requirements for entry vary, distribution channels are available, threat of retaliation| | |is medium and government legislations in our case (Brazil) play only a moderate role. On the | | |other hand market experience and differentiation play the vital role. | |Threat of substitutes |Threat of product-for-product substitution on this market is very high.
It comes from other | | |apparel retailers, designer accessories and tailor houses. Substitution by need is unlikely. | |Power of buyers |Power of buyers on the market is moderate because there are many small buyers, retailers | | |differentiate and are of big size, alternative sources of supply available, material cost is | | |low (buyers are rather paying for brands), and cost of switching is almost zero. |Power of suppliers |Power of suppliers on this market is moderate (high because there is limited amount of | | |suppliers, switching costs are high, suppliers' brands are not usually powerful. | |Degree of rivalry |The degree of rivalry is high because there are a lot of competitors although, by the other | | |hand the power of the firm (Inditex) is so high for the reason it is well-known around the | | |world thanks to its partner Zara and the entire Inditex group. 4 Porter 'Five forces' After this porter's five forces we could say that the industry conditions are especially favorable but at the same time the power of the firm is enough strong how to entry in a new market. To answer the other factors of the location advantage we are going to use a PEST Analysis about the chosen market. 5 Political Factors Brazil is a federal republic with 26 states and a federal district. The 1988 constitution grants broad powers to the federal government, made up of executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
The president holds office for four years, with the right to re-election for an additional four-year term, and appoints his own cabinet. The current president of Brazil Lula has made economic growth and poverty alleviation top priorities. At present the government says that Exports and Imports promotion is a main component in plans to generate growth and reduce what is seen as a vulnerability to international financial market crisis, and they want to incentivize that. Economic Factors
The trade openness of Brazilian economy it is situated by an 18% of the GDP. Nowadays it is one of the countries in Latin-America with a higher potential growth. However, data from the Central Bank says that Brazil has one of the closest economies in the world; it has a duty mean tax of 8. 7%, being the most protectionist state in Latin-America and Caribe. In clothing, if the importer country is not from MERCASUR (Spain is not) has a duty of 35%. 5 Pest analyses. Peng, Mike. Global Strategic Management. nd edition. South-Western Cengage Learning In addition, for having trade with Brazil there are also non-tariff barriers such as import licenses, technical and sanitarian regulations, quality standards and shipping restrictions. Social Factors With its estimated 201 million inhabitants, Brazil has the largest population in Latin America and ranks fifth in the world. Brazil's high spending on apparel items and strong clothing imports (According to a 2008 study from global management consulting firm A.
T. Kearney) — along with its consumers' preference for the latest fashions — make the country the most attractive emerging market destination for apparel retailers. Brazil's clothing market is growing at more than 7 percent annually and is estimated at $37. 2 billion. The country is young, with more than 60 percent of population below the age of 29, and its consumers spend $402 annually on apparel — six times more than the average Chinese consumer.
Brazilian consumers use credit for apparel purchases far more frequently than in other emerging markets. In addition, small, local retailers make up more than 60 percent of a highly fragmented domestic retail apparel market. Technological Factors The main technological factor that could affect the entrance of Uterquein Brazil could be the logistic infrastructures and research. Logistics infrastructures: The transport infrastructure system in Brazil is composed by the following modals: road, rail, maritime, pipeline and air.
In Brazil 61. 1% of the cargo transported inside the country make use of the road system; in second place is the railway with 20. 7%; in third place is the maritime with 13. 6%; the pipeline system basically used to transport oil, gasoline, diesel, alcohol, natural gas and others, with 4. 2%. The air system is the less used with 0. 4%. Brazilian infrastructure system faces many challenges. Some of them relate to unpaved roads, obsolete and non-integrated railways and maritime systems, as well as a problematic air system.
In the area of research, European policy has a significant impact on as it seeks to integrate Brazilian researchers into research teams from the Union. Ongoing negotiations with Brazil would allow the research costs to be shared in the fields of technological innovation, increased productivity and competitiveness, and import-export diversity. After that in the following table we can see the main positives and negatives factors of entering into the Brazilian market by a microenvironment and microenvironment perspective. SWOT Analysis (Brazil) |Microenvironment | |Strengths |Weaknesses | | | | |Quality and Design: last fashion not high. Centralized distribution in Spain sometimes could be a | | |disadvantage when the company wants to expand in countries | |Vertical Integration: the company controls all the value chain,|which are far away from Spain because it could be more | |integrating the main processes and outsourcing the less |expensive and slow. | |important ones. | | |Staff Policy: Sometimes the store assistant policy job is not | |Just in time: the firm produces the clothes which are going to |motivating; low salaries, long working days, etc. | |being sold and distributes them fast to stores by a good | | |logistics system. That entails a high product rotation and not | | |having stocks. | | | | |Strong financial system: it is a solid and profitable company. | | |The sales and the gross margin are high and the shares of the | | |holding (Inditex) are well appreciated. | | | | |Good brand reputation of the brand and the firm facilitates the| | |entrance in new markets and the recruitment of good | | |professionals. | | | | |The company has the latest use of TIC. | | | | |Macroenvironment | |Opportunities |Threats | | | | |There are a lot of consumers with the preference for the latest|It is needed getting import licenses. | |fashions in Brazil. | | | |There exist high technical regulations. | |Brazil is the first trade partner of Spain in South America, so| | |Spain has a good business reputation there. |There exist high sanitarian regulations. | | | |Interest in personal image is increasing and also in fashion, | | |including young people, men and pregnant women, so people |It is need to pass quality standards. | |spends more money in buying in fashion. | | | |There are many shipping restrictions. | |The Unification Sizes Law favors Zara to stay in different | | |countries around the world. |Bad Infrastructures Systems. | | | |
After that brief about the macro-environment and micro –environment (PEST Analysis and SWOT Analysis) of Brazil retailers we could determinate that the technological and economic factors are not so favorable but, in spite of is even an interesting market because there exist a great potential consumer and the government is trying to improve business and importations in his country. As we could see, Institutional conditions are enough favorable and cross-country differences exist depending the other countries where the company operates, which are so different each other, therefore is not a problem for the company. Timing Advantage (when to enter) The time to entry in this new market is not so important than if Uterque was a unique product or service. The problem is that this is a whole brand entering in a new geographical market but it is not a new product, there are various competitors selling similar products but under the name of another brand.
For this reason we do not have advantages or disadvantages because be a late mover. 4. 2 International Strategy: Governance Advantage (How)- strategies to move abroad Depending on the objectives that company has, it will follow one different strategy, although it is very common to use a combination of different strategies to move abroad, and particular ones depending on the country the company is moving into. Inditex Group normally use to have the main control in all its operations since its main strategy is the wholly owned subsidiary formula, although in, the last years this policy has changed and some other strategies have been developed, such as joint ventures and franchising.
Before study the different choice that Uterque has to entry in the chosen new market, we should know that many older brands of the firm, with more experience in entering in different markets had originally expanded internationally through company-owned stores and typically established company managed stores in key, high-profile countries with high growth prospects and low business risk. Company-owned stores did, however, entail the greatest commitment of resources, including management time. As a result, Uterque partners had used two other modes of market entry, franchises and joint ventures, this second one less often. After that, now in this part we are going to determinate the best way to entry in this new market. In the theory about entry models in the previous part we can see what involves each model and the general advantages and disadvantages of each model normally used by the company.
We think that the optimal form to entry into the Brazilian market is the plural form. It is evident that using both it may be created synergies if the two parts work together and there are and equilibrate number of each kind of models. In addition, Uterque is new in this market, so currently there is not any store there. For this reason, we consider entering firstly, implanting own subsidiaries and after that, if there is success, the company could be expanded in this market implanting franchises at the same time. Examples of successful market entry At the moment Uterque only has expanded its market through own stores but do not exist other antecedents about entry models in foreign markets.
For this reason, we will analyze different options that Inditex group (in general) has used to expanding it since the brands to form Inditex share some features strategic. • Latin American market In 1998 Inditex Group entered into the Latin American market. This entrance started in Argentina, where the first outlet was opened in April 1998 in Buenos Aires due to Argentinean preferences in cloths are very similar to the European ones. The investment could not be more profitable, and this outlet is nowadays one of the most prosperous world? wide. 6 Uruguay was their next target; although it is the less populated country in South America, it was a very tempting market due to it was the first foreign investment in the textile sector of this country.
They have also opened new stores in Chile, the most developed country in the continent, and the Group is also present in Brazil, the largest market in the continent, and in Venezuela and Mexico too. 6 Expansion Newspaper, 29? 06? 1998 • Joint venture with Benetton Inditex decided to establish a commercial alliance with the Benetton Group in March 1997, with the main aim of starting trading in the Italian market 7 Benetton is one of the most important textile distributor's world? wide, it is established in 120 countries and it has 7000 franchises. It was the first time in the Inditex Group recent history, that they sought a foreign partner to share the Group's international expansion.
Both companies signed a contract in which they compromise to build a new mixed company for the Italian market through a joint venture. 8 The main reason why the company did not carry on with its policy of working on its own in its international expansion, was that they were looking for a partner with enough knowledge in Italy but in two years, the Inditex? Benetton joint venture was ended. This does not mean that Inditex Group is no longer interested in the Italian market due to its similarities to the Spanish one, and they are looking for another way of entering. 9 • Other Joint Ventures In 1998 Inditex Group started an alliance with the German textile giant Otto Versand to start its expansion in Northern Europe and especially in Germany.
In August 1999, Inditex has started a new joint venture with the Canadian firm Reitmans, on which they resolved to create a new society, mostly participated by Inditex Group, with the aim of open stores in Canada. The first outlets will be opened during this year in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, using the stores that Marks and Spencer has left due to its withdrawal from this market. 10 7 Expansion Newspaper, 19? 03? 1999 8 Webpage: www. excelsior. com 9 El Mundo Newspaper, 30? 01? 1999 10 Canadian News Wire • Franchising Inditex has used the franchising formula in Israel due to the special characteristics of the country; Israel is seen as a risky country due to the problems between Jews and Palestinians; although this risk, the store of Israel is very profitable. 11 3.
International Strategy – Changes in the Value Chain As we could see in the theoretical approach, the current value chain may be a problem or maybe a cause to having a smaller benefit margin and having a slower logistics process that the company could have with many challenges in the value chain. Our proposal it is decentralized many parts of the value chain is that the company build decentralized distribution and production in each region Uterque want to expand to, in our case, South America, to highly penetrate new market and tend to decrease the complexity process. [pic] In spite of, this challenge in the value chain would be better for a more geographical expanded company.
For this reason this decentralized value proposal may be shared with many parent companies with are located in the same markets such as Zara. 11 Webpage: www. galeon. hispavista. com, 16? 03? 1998 5. Conclusion and recommendations Our proposal it is to keep a part of value chain like design and the first production but it is necessary to change some aspects of the European Strategy to entry in Brazil. Firstly, decentralized distribution and latest production in each region. In addition, we recommendate Uterque that to learn of experience of Inditex firms which is expand in Brazil and if is possible to will deal with Zara for example to establish alliances between the same brand and to win knowledge about the new market.
However, we think that Uterque should entry to Brazilian market with a combinate model through to own stores and franchisies. Alternative strategies for entering the Brazilian market … Adapt to local needs: … References Newspapers: El Mundo Expansion Actualidad Economica El Correo Gallego Websites: www. excelsior. com (Financial Section) www. newswire. ca (Canadian News Wire) www. galeon. hispavista. com (Financial Section) http://www. esocrates. com/content/paul/SFPA. html http://www. inditex. com/es http://www. winred. com http://www. esocrates. com/content/paul/SFPA. html http://sw? mos. insead. edu. sg/workshop3/Papers/JettGeorge. pdf. Strategies for change: logical incrementalism.
James Brian Quinn Homewood, Ill. : R. D. Irwin, 1980. Strategies for change: logical incrementalism. James Brian Quinn Homewood, Ill. : R. D. Irwin, 1980. http://www. winred. com 'Amancio Ortega. De cero a Zara'. Jesus Salgado y Xavier R. Blanco. La esfera de los libros. 17? 02? 2004 'Amancio Ortega. De cero a Zara'. Jesus Salgado y Xavier R. Blanco. La esfera de los libros. 17? 02? 2004 http://www. inditex. com/es Zara: El modelo de negocio de Inditex: Fernando Fabrega. Morandi. 06/2004 Articles and publications Zara Fast Fashion. Harvard Business School. 21st Dec. 2006. Peng, Mike. Global Strategic Management. 2nd edition. South-Western Cengage Learning
Fdi Strategies in European Emerging Markets
Host Country Effects of Foreign Direct Investment
Strategies of Burberry
Marketing Management (Analysis of Major Juices in Pakistan)
Ge Honeywell
Summary of "International Marketing – a Global Perspective"


A week after the poor showing at Caen (2-3), Lyon hope to start going forward again and pick up a precious win at home to Marseille (Sunday at 2100) in round 21 of Ligue 1.
Before the loss at Caen last Sunday (2-3), OL (fourth) were on an excellent run with four consecutive wins (against Nantes, Rennes, Monaco and Angers). A win this weekend would get things going again for them and keep them in sight of the top three in this second phase of the season. They find themselves up against a Marseille side (sixth) who also had a defeat last round against leaders Monaco (1-4) after themselves putting together four wins in a row. As such, this match will be OL's chance to win three points and decisively boost their confidence for the next league match.
This encounter will see a meeting between two of the top goal scorers in the league, with Lyon's Alexandre Lacazette (15 goals) and Marseille's Bafétimbi Gomis (ten goals). Also worth noting is the presence of two men in form, Mathieu Valbuena (OL) and youngster Maxime Lopez (OM), both nominated for the UNFP player of the month award for December, with the latter winning it. There will therefore be a few leaders with confidence in the two camps who will take the field on Sunday. And they will certainly have a decisive impact on proceedings in this 94th 'Olympico' in the history of Ligue 1, the second at Parc OL.
J21 - Olympico #OLOM ce dimanche à 21h ! Match à suivre sur @canalplus ????
WHO WILL PLAY ALONGSIDE MAPOU?
In the away match at Marseille (0-0), Bruno Genesio put three central defenders on in the form of Morel, Nkoulou and Yanga-Mbiwa. Things have since changed in defence, with the notable inclusion of Mouctar Diakhaby in place of Nkoulou. But his injury at Caen forces Bruno Genesio to rethink his plans at the back and he needs someone to partner Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa. Should he move Morel into the middle and leave Rybus at left-back? Or drop Gonalons back a notch and reorganise his midfield? Or even bring Emanuel Mammana back on, who is "physically capable of playing" according to his coach, after a little more than two months without playing a match in Ligue 1? Plenty of interesting options for the Lyon coach, which will be of vital importance in winning this Olympic meeting.
Ahead, the three leaders (Monaco, Nice and PSG) don't let many points slip. OL, fourth on the ladder and, prior to this match, are 11 points adrift of Paris Saint-Germain, who are third (with a match in hand to play against FC Metz). It's a deficit borne of Lyon's poor showings against low-placed teams (defeats against Dijon, Lorient and Caen), which reinforces the need for the lads to get the three points this Sunday and maintain their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League at the end of the season.
A FIRST APPEARANCE FOR DEPAY?
Memphis Depay, the Dutch star recruited in the January transfer window, could play his first minutes in his new colours on Sunday night against Marseille. For that to happen "his contract needs to be signed by close of business Friday" assured Bruno Genesio. That has been done, and it wouldn't be surprising if the ex-Mancunian, with "very promising attacking potential, capable of winning out in duels and in one-on-ones", started the match in this 'Olympico', just as the ex-Montpellerian, Morgan Sanson, who arrived in Marseille last Tuesday, may also start.


Dannah Farm Country House Ltd. Environmental Statement.
We are privileged to live in such an unspoilt and beautiful place, on the fringes of Britain's first designated National Park. We try to run Dannah Farm in such a way that it had a minimal effect upon our environment, and listed below are some of the practices we adopt to help us do this.
As farmers, as well as accommodation providers, we are members of FWAG, (farming and wildlife advisory group), and participate in DEFRA's Environmental Stewardship scheme.
We support the local economy by using locally sourced produce wherever possible. Our sausage and black pudding comes from a family pork butcher in Belper, our bacon and other meat comes from a local farmer/butcher, milk and yoghurt from Peak District Dairies, and so on.
We bake our own bread, using flour from Caudwells Mill at Rowsley, make all our own cakes and pastries, and use locally sourced free range eggs.
Bottles and cans are re-cycled using the local council's doorstep collection, and the town collection points.
Inkjet printer cartridges are recycled.
Encouraging guests to 'walk from the door', rather than driving to the 'honey pots' to this end we have devised a series of circular walks, copies of which are freely available in the main house.
Promote local attractions and businesses with an array of information leaflets.
Use local labour, and encourage car sharing among staff.
An on-going program to replace all light bulbs with low energy types.
Thermostatic radiator valves fitted on radiators in guest bedrooms.
On-going policy of replacing windows with double glazing.
Efficient insulation of lofts/pipes/tanks to reduce heat loss, and conserve energy.
'A' rated electrical appliances are purchased to replace older versions whenever possible.
Encouraging biodiversity in the garden where possible, with minimal use of pesticides, providing nesting boxes and feeders, selective planting to encourage butterflies, leaving dedicated area's 'untidied', etc.
We are hoping to work towards an environmental quality mark.


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Lisa Bora
Partner in Charge, Corporates
KPMG Australia
Lisa is Partner in Charge of KPMG's Management Consulting Corporates portfolio, which comprises of industry expertise across telecommunications, media, technology, FMCG, retail and industrial sectors. She is also our National Practice Leader for Marketing & Sales Transformation within KPMG's Customer, Brand & Marketing Advisory group.
In 2017, Lisa joined KPMG where she focuses on driving the full operationalisation of CX by delivering sales channel optimisation and effectiveness for clients. She ensures an aligned operation across all touchpoints leveraging data and technology and delivers business value.
Lisa has more than 20 years of experience, leading marketing, sales and digital service delivery leadership across some of Australia's leading organisations.
Advisory Brand and Reputation Management Customer Revenue Growth Customer and Growth Management Consulting Risk Management Sales and Marketing Strategy and Operations
KPMG Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we operate, live and gather as employees, and recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community. We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
©2022 KPMG, an Australian partnership and a member firm of the KPMG global organisation of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved. The KPMG name and logo are trademarks used under license by the independent member firms of the KPMG global organisation.


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Ok, now you can't get mad at me.
This past weekend, Jesse & I went to see "Us", Jordan Peele's new horror movie, with some friends. We all loved "Get Out" from Peele a ton, so we were all super excited to see this one.
On Rotten Tomatoes right now, it has a 94% rating. Is it shot really well? Yes. Is the acting phenomenal? Of course because hello ... Lupita Nyong'o. Did the director do an amazing job? Yea ... Jordan Peele is the freaking man. But do I think a 94% rating is a little high for this movie? Again.... yes. It was good, but I would give it about a 75% rating because I think the whole twist could have been executed better. Some parts were a little slow, while more important ones felt rushed.
Regardless of being slightly let down, I fell into an "Us" rabbit hole (pun intended) after seeing it. So many of the theories and fan/reviewer explanations were fascinating to me, but my favorite one was from Kalen Allen who you may or may not know from his silly food review videos.
Kalen's theory on Jason and Pluto switching in addition to Red and Adelaide completely blew my mind. Check out what he had to say below, and try to tell me he's not right!


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Interest in "Kiss Me First"?
June 30, 2018 8:35 AM - Subscribe
I just saw the first episode. of Netflix Original "Kiss Me First". It's based on a YA novel of the same name, but they added in some VR elements (makes for better TV I guess, but it's not the main point of the show). Great camera work, writing, and acting - watch the first two minutes and see how the director can say so much with just a simple camera pull - had me hooked for the whole ep. Any interest in an episode by episode or even just a "Full Series watch"?
posted by Mogur (5 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
It's definitely on my list of things to watch once I get finished with Luke Cage and catch up on things I fell behind on during my vacation last week (just Cloak & Dagger, Drunk History, and Elementary, I think).
I see that it's 6 episodes, so, I think it's up to whoever feels like posting as to whether they think the show lends itself to individual episode threads versus just a full season, or which method they think they have time for.
(I went ahead and submitted it to the 'suggest a show' queue now.)
posted by oh yeah! at 3:56 PM on June 30, 2018
Actually I take that back. No spoilers, but the show fell apart in later episodes to the point where my commentary would just be fault-finding - and I don't do that kind of thing.
posted by Mogur at 7:55 AM on July 3, 2018
Maybe it was just my mood at the time but I stopped after about 10 minutes of the first episode. It felt too slow for a sci fi show, especially for a first episode. But it might a British thing. Although Doctor Who usually is like 10 times more manic. But from your cursory note of the first episode perhaps it's not sci fi so much as drama, so the slowness makes sense. However I'd have to be in the mood for that.
posted by numaner at 10:48 PM on July 3, 2018
I finished the first episode yesterday, but don't feel particularly compelled onward. Still might be worth having one full-season thread up, since it seems like Netflix has promoted the show enough that at least a handful of Mefites will have watched it.
posted by oh yeah! at 7:17 AM on July 4, 2018
I wanted to like it. I like VR and I've hung out in networked VR games, so it was kinda neat seeing that sort of thing portrayed (sort of) in a show. I didn't even mind the slowness because I .. kinda like slow shows?
But I just got to the point in episode 4 where the guy in Tennessee is driving down the road and, no spoilers, but I knew exactly what was coming up and nope. Don't want to watch that. In these messed up times I want something that doesn't use that sort of thing as a plot element.
posted by antinomia at 9:07 PM on November 29, 2018
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ENTERTAINMENT ›
Will.i.am's 'Reach for the Stars' the First Song Blasted from Mars
Posted on the 30 August 2012 by Periscope @periscopepost
will.i.am's "Reach for the Stars' was the first song ever to be broadcast from Mars. Photo credit: worldswildlifewonders%20/%20Shutterstock.com">worldswildlifewonders%20/%20Shutterstock.com">worldswildlifewonders%20/%20Shutterstock.com">worldswildlifewonders%20/%20Shutterstock.com" target="_blank">Shutterstock
Hip-hop artist will.i.am's "Reach for the Stars" made history this week when it was the first recorded song ever to be beamed back to Earth from another planet (that we know of), transmitted from the surface of Mars from the rover Curiosity.
The event was an attempt to inspire young people to study sciences, and, no doubt, an effort to keep the Mars rover and NASA's planetary exploration programme in the public eye.
"Today is about inspiring young people to lead a life without limits placed on their potential and to pursue collaboration between humanity and technology through STEAM education," will.i.am said, during a press conference on Tuesday to mark the event. "I know my purpose is to inspire young people, because they will keep inspiring me back." The solo Black Eyed Pea has long been an advocate for science and technology education; the entertainer also used the event to announce his i.am.angel Foundation's $10 million classroom education initiative, a science curriculum programme incorporating NASA space exploration content.
will.i.am talks about creating 'Reach for the Stars', the short version from Reuters TV
'Reach for the Stars (Mars edition)'
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Fantastical designs -- such as owls, mandalas, geometric prints, flamingos, unicorns, pineapples, and fashion accessories -- are just challenging enough for tweens to color their own way. The introductory how-to guide includes a crash course in using colored pencils, blending and layering, as well as color scheme inspirations.
Every detailed drawing can be proudly displayed as a work of art when it's finished. The coloring pages are printed one-sided and perforated, so they can be removed from the book, while the chipboard back and spiral binding makes it easy to color right in the book. 5 double-tipped colored pencils offer a spectrum of 10 colors to transform each pen-and-ink illustrations into a gorgeous, rainbow-hued masterpiece.


Notes In an idle moment did you ever wonder to yourself what 'Með Suð Í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust' means? 'With a buzz in our ears we play endlessly' – which, like so many of their lyrics, is rather lovely. My ears only opened fairly recently to Sigur Rós, it's lovely when they do though. Now I have tickets to see them in March next year in Glasgow with my children. Can't wait.
This is obviously the limited edition version: 'an individually numbered 200-page fine weave cloth-bound hardback book'… The pictures are a mixture of shots of the group and their travels. They're compositionally interesting and avoid being indulgently hagiographic. The cover is a gorgeous shade of pale blue with the title delightfully rendered in embossed handwriting. The four bookmark ribbons, each in a different colour are a lovely detail, an echo of the cables in the first image in the book. Like their music, the book is something to treasure. There are still copies available on the band's website.
I have this. And my name is one of the many on the back page (about half way down).
The photography is amazing – especially the tour photos.


@Douglas-Kryder I did open a support ticket and awaiting more feedback from them. I am new to the onion and just now evaluating it and all the potential possibilities it has. It seems to be a very promising device for IoT solutions. If they are leaving support i nthe community high and dry while focusing on the launch of a new product that is quite a bit concerning. I guess I will wait and see what happens.
@Douglas-Kryder yea thanks. I saw in the past it seemed like a lot of people having issues with this some time ago. I can remove it and re-register it with the cloud successfully and it shows up in the cloud but as offline.
I just setup a new Omega2+. Setup was fine and it is connected to the internet OK. In the Console it says it is registered with the cloud. But in the Onioncloud it says it is offline. The console on the onion says connected and online. I have removed it and re-added it a lot of times and every time is says it is setup OK using the setup code. Yet it always says it is offline in the cloud. How could it "connect" to the cloud OK doing the setup but the cloud still say its offline?


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Letter from a worker at the Schlecker German drugstore chain: "We cannot accept the wage cut"
Following a declaration of bankruptcy earlier this year, German drugstore chain Schlecker announced the sacking of 11,000 workers. Just one week ago the company declared that the remaining 13,500 staff must accept a 15 percent wage cut. The workers trade union, Verdi (United Services Union), has played a key role in implementing these attacks and has done everything in its power to prevent workers from asserting their legitimate rights.
In its reports on the sackings the WSWS has called for the building of action committees in opposition to Verdi in order to provide a forum for workers to share their experiences, discuss the political context of the attacks being carried out, and prepare their own industrial action. We invited Schlecker employees to contact the web site. A number of workers have done so and below we reproduce one of these letters.
In order to protect against dismissal and repression, the name of this worker has been withheld. She has worked for the company for more than 15 years.
We cannot accept the wage cut of 15 percent, plus slashing of holiday and Christmas bonuses. We are expected to maintain the same productivity, often more is demanded of us and we face high travel costs to reach the stores where we work.
I have worked for the firm of Anton Schlecker for over 15 years. I was originally employed for a 38-hour week, but due to the cuts I am currently working just 18 hours. Even overtime is not paid according to the full hourly rate. Due to the changes to the early and late shifts it is not possible to take on another job and I had to accept the company offer of €7 [US$9.16] per hour for overtime work. The regular hourly rate is currently €9.10 [US$11.91] per hour.
The company has already implemented enough cuts. For the last eight years I worked in a small store in a village (involving long commutes to work). I knew the customers by name and we spoke about their problems and worries. They were good customers and we were always able to meet the sales targets.
About three years ago, however, the range of goods was drastically reduced. Then came price increases and supply problems for many items. Our customers became dissatisfied and our revenue soon declined. We did our best, but had to watch helplessly and get used to the idea that the shop would close. In June of last year the point had been reached. We cleaned out the store and said goodbye to our customers. Our temporary employees were terminated at the end of the year.
After consultation with our district manager, a colleague and I travelled almost 50 kilometers to the next branch with the job of preparing its closure. The women at this branch had already had their contracts terminated, and had to witness a new store opening in the same street with new labour contracts. It was a very unpleasant situation for us all.
Then I was relocated to a new store almost 20 kilometers away, with a new climate, new colleagues and customers. It was a fine store with good sales, and after two months I gladly went back to work. But the nasty surprise came in November and December. Deliveries of the ordered goods once again declined and we were informed that the company had financial problems. There was no business during the Christmas of 2011. Every day we waited for information in order to explain the situation to our customers.
I had expected the news of the bankruptcy, but was shocked to learn that my own shop, with its large numbers of customers and strong sales, was on the closure list. We then received invitations to attend a meeting of the transfer company and so began the dismissal of many cherished and longstanding colleagues.
I was able to retain my job, but that brought little relief. One was so powerless and the future remains completely uncertain. But there was no time to think. In the meantime, I have been transferred to another store about 30 kilometers away. Business is good and my co-workers are also very nice. We will have to see how things proceed, but we cannot afford to make any more concessions.
There are many indications that A. Schlecker and his family have planned the bankruptcy and have made sure their own wealth is tucked away. The purpose of the transfer company is merely to avoid lawsuits and severance payments. They do not lose any sleep about their employees, who have laboured for the company for years. A 15 percent wage cut and slashing of holiday and Christmas bonuses must be prevented.
A Schlecker employee
EuropeGlobal class struggleWestern EuropeGermany